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Countdown to Practice #3: Paul McNeil

P2 to the rim! | Credit: NC State Men’s Basketball

Welcome to the Preseason – Basketball practice officially starts in 3 days, September 21st.  

Before last season, BTP posters were saying, “I can’t remember who’s on the team this season.” We’re here to help!

We’re counting down the 10 days to the beginning of practice ’26-‘27 by taking another look at this season’s roster, focusing on the 10 players most likely to make an impact. This article is about Coach Gainey’s biggest win of the offseason; despite being outbid by other schools, Paul McNeil has returned to the NC State Wolfpack.

Basketball News

  • Generally the weight gains reflect what we have already been told – EXCEPT WILKINS
  • Finally we have Jurkovic’s weight, and he’s a little taller than we thought
  • Smartly, McNeil added an inch to boost his NBA resume
  • Whitty got busted

Predicted breakdown of minutes per player:

#2 Paul McNeil

This will be Paul’s third season on the Wolfpack team, and his third (and most expensive!) coaching staff. Paul will be forever loved by fans for sticking with the program through the coaching changes, just as much as for setting the program record for most made 3PT shots in a season and having a 47/10 double-double in last season’s Heritage game. It’s becoming less common that players of his ability stick around 3 seasons, so we probably won’t get another.

  • Ht / Wt:6’5” / 190
  • Position: Guard
  • PPG / RPG / APG:13.8 ppg / 3.6 rpg / 0.8 apg
  • Shooting: 43.3% / 42.7% (105-246) / 82.4%

’25-’26 season Highs:

  • Points: 47 points, double digits 23 games, 20+ 8 games
  • Double-Doubles: 1
  • Rebounds: 10

Strength

  • Usage – Probably exactly what you want for his role as designated marksman
  • True Shooting % – Excellent
  • Assist %  / A/TO – A designated catch & shoot guy is not expected to pass much, but when he does, he’s very good at getting it to the right guy.

Weakness

  • No surprise, overall Paul is not a strong defender
  • Block % – He ranks in the 59th percentile, but if you compare only to other guards he ranks very well, the 83rd percentile.

Strength

  • Three-point percentage – obviously

Weakness

  • Doesn’t take a lot of shots inside the arc, and doesn’t pick up shooting fouls

Patrick Stacy

“Only player in history to make that volume of 3’s [last season] with that accuracy”

Coach Gainey

“Paul is coachable, I’m excited about the things he is doing with the ball, excited about the things he is doing on defense, he’s taken his leadership role very seriously. “

Expectations – Wolfpack nation LOVES Paul. He’s come back twice, and we’re told he turned down a big offer to move to Baton Rouge. But even the biggest fans (including me), have always had a few concerns:

Concern: Size – Paul has always been skinny, and we all wondered how that impacted the fact that he doesn’t often successfully drive to the basket. In pictures from the offseason workouts, Paul’s recently added muscle definition is very impressive.

Concern: One-dimensional offense – As noted above, Paul seldom takes it to the rim. Obviously, a big part of that is his role in the offense. But to be a well-rounded NBA player, he probably needs to increase the perception that he can beat you from 3PT and he’s a threat take it to the rim, as well. Last season only 23.9% of his made shots were inside the arc. But he did dunk it 4 times (4/4, 100%) and made 25 of what Torvik calls ‘Close 2PT’ shots. ( at 62.5%) A few steps further away his shooting percentage drops to 24.2%. Coach Gainey’s comments (above) on what he is doing with the ball, are encouraging.

Concern: Defense – (You can’t be a ‘3 & D guy’ if you can’t ‘D’ – Confucius) Last season he ranked 10th on the Wolfpack in DPBM (Defensive box plus/minus) at -0.1. That means the opponent’s offense does better when he is ON the court than off. He beat out only teammates Jerry Deng, Jordan Snell, and Colt Langdon in that metric. Not good company, Robert.

I believe this will be Paul’s best season, but I don’t see him breaking his 3PT record. With the Wolfpack having 3 or 4 very good (38% +) 3PT shooters on the court at all times, the team might set a 3PT record as a whole, but the made shots should be distributed across more players. The floor spacing this team will cause should allow Paul, Hammond and Adams room to attack the rim. Defensively, I believe in Coach Gainey. He’s talked about Paul’s “coachability”. I believe Paul’s improvement on defense, as well as the entire team’s, will be the single most significant improvement by the Wolfpack this season positively reflecting on this season’s coaching staff versus the previous. However, there’s a caveat. It will not be immediate. Hopefully we’ll see the individual defensive effort there out of the gate, but it’s going to take time to become a really good defensive team.

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Ramp to Camp: What will be Mitchell Robinson's biggest contribution?

Ramp to Camp: What will be Mitchell Robinson's biggest contribution? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics newcomer Mitchell Robinson was absent from this week’s introductory press conference while tending to a personal matter, but the man nicknamed “Big Country” left a sizable impression on his new team during his offseason visits.

“When Mitch came into the building for the first time — first of all, it’s kind of jarring how big he is, obviously,” said Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens. “It’s a good thing that we don’t have to block him out.”

Later, when we asked new teammate Paul George about pairing up with Robinson, he offered a similar sentiment.

“Obviously, Mitch is one heck of a specimen,” George told NBC Sports Boston. “He’s a phenom in terms of the ability to rebound and be a vertical threat from a pick-and-roll guy. I love that opportunity to play with bigs that play above the rim.”

Robinson’s “Big Country” nickname might be a nod to his Louisiana roots and his love of country music but it’s also a pretty accurate description of the real estate taken up on the court by the 7-foot, 240-pound center. Amid all of Boston’s offseason changes, the addition of Robinson and his ability to solidify the Celtics’ frontcourt might have flown further under the radar than typically possible for a man of his size.

For Day 9 of our Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel to predict Robinson’s biggest contribution to this year’s team.

Any conversation involving Robinson invariably starts with his offensive rebounding. Robinson cleaned up a staggering 21.1 percent of his team’s misses last year for the world champion Knicks, far and away the best mark in the league (the next closest qualifier: Zach Edey in Memphis grabbing 17.7 percent of his team’s misses). Robinson finished second in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (4.2) despite playing only 19.6 minutes per contest.

For a Celtics team that clearly values second-chance opportunities under Joe Mazzulla, Robinson’s presence has a chance to make the Celtics maybe the best rebounding team in basketball.

The advanced metrics also love Robinson’s defensive impact. Opponents shot 6.3 percent below expected output when Robinson was the primary defender, and 10.6 percent below expected inside of 6 feet.

The knocks on Robinson are his ability to stay on the floor and his free-throw shooting. The Celtics famously went Hack-a-Mitch trying to exploit that in previous seasons. Boston’s skills staff has to help him get his free-throw percentage up from last year (40.8 percent) and above the 50.8 percent he’s shot for his career.

In our mind, the biggest benefit beyond the obvious with his rebounding talents, is simply bolstering a Boston frontcourt that has been rebuilding itself since the departures of Al Horford, Luke Kornet, and Kristaps Porzingis.

Now, Neemias Queta has a running mate. Queta and Robinson can each play hard in their on-court stints and, if there are additional minutes needed, Luka Garza showed he can infuse energy (and even more offensive rebounding) off the bench.

Once perceived as the team’s biggest area of concern, we’d go so far as to suggest that center depth is now a strength of Boston based on Queta’s development and the addition of Robinson.

In signing Robinson, the Celtics also weakened a primary rival in the Knicks. As Stevens and Co. can confirm, it’s a sizable void.

Kevin Miller: Vice President, Content Creation & Strategy

Energy at all times, creating at least five extra possessions per game.

Jason Levine: Executive Producer, Content Integrations

He’s going to rebound, so I want him to be able to stay on the floor (fouls, poor free-throw shooting not a factor in minutes)

Justin Leger: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Durability will be critical.

Robinson has struggled with injuries throughout his career. His 60 games played last season marked his highest total since 2021-22 (72). He has played more than 60 games in a season only three times in his eight-year career: 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2021-22.

If Robinson misses a lot of time again this season, the Celtics will be back to square one with the center spot as their most glaring weakness.

Josh Canu: Celtics Editor

Impact on the rim.

They paid Robinson to be the perfect replacement for when Queta is off the floor. He is an elite rebounder and a presence inside on both ends. They need him to be exactly what they got him for and provide the depth they did not have a season ago.

Nick Goss: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

Offensive rebounding.

We all know Robinson is an excellent rebounder. If he can dominate the offensive glass and give the Celtics extra possessions, he’ll have a huge impact on the success of this team. Robinson’s 4.2 offensive rebounds per game ranked second among qualifiers in the NBA last season.

Michael Hurley: Producer, Multi-Platform Content

For those of us who come from a different era of basketball, I think we’re all a little excited to see what a throwback kind of player looks like with this team. Get in the paint, get your nose dirty, get the basketball. He’ll have a notable on-court impact, no doubt. But if he can help Neemias Queta develop in some needed areas, you’re really cooking with gas here.

Adam Hart: Executive Producer, Content Strategy

I want 60 percent free-throw shooting. If he’s rolling to the hoop, stacking assists for Jayson Tatum? Teams will be hacking. MAKE THEM PAY.

Max Lederman: Content Producer

Rebounds. Rebounds. More rebounds.

A player like Robinson can help end opponent possessions by defensive rebounding and give the Celtics extra shots by hitting the offensive glass. Sometimes it’s really that simple.

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Pirates send three top prospects to Arizona Fall League

BRADENTON, FL - MARCH 20: Wyatt Sanford #5 of the Pittsburgh Pirates fields the ball in the sixth inning during the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park on Friday, March 20, 2026 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates have had one of the best Minor League systems over the past couple of seasons, and this year has been no different. As a result the Buccos are sending three of their top prospects to play for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League.

Three out of the top 30 prospects in Pittsburgh’s system will be representing the Pirates’ organization when league play begins on Oct. 3. Wyatt Sanford (5), Easton Carmichael (8) and Jhonny Severino (28) were selected to compete alongside prospects from the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins that make up Glendale’s squad.

Sanford has been one of the most exciting prospects in High-A this year, despite missing nearly two months with a hand injury. With the Greensboro Grasshoppers, Sanford has been one of the best hitters in the South Atlantic League. On the season he has a .292 batting average and a .974 OPS. His 19 homers on the season certainly showed that he had more pop than many anticipated, and his 33 steals showcased his ability to be a capable athlete at the next level. His involvement in the AFL could be huge for his career moving forward, especially considering he missed significant time due to injury during the regular season.

Sanford’s former Greensboro teammate Easton Carmichael has also made waves in 2026. In just his first full season of professional baseball, the Oklahoma catcher has put together quite the campaign. Carmichael was promoted to Double-A Altoona at the tail end of July, and although he hit better with Greensboro he’s still shown flashes of excellence with the Curve. His 20 homers on the season come off the back of some solid consistent hitting at the plate. A disciplined approach, Carmichael rarely plays recklessly and is good at picking his spots offensively. His 13 steals are also staggering for a catcher, as he continues to develop into a well-rounded ball player.

Jhonny Severino had a huge first year in Greensboro as he hit .256/.308/.524 with .832 OPS. He also had 111 hits, 23 doubles, 31 home runs, 95 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. At just 21-years-old he looks like a seasoned hitter already, as he added 15 more homers to his season total from last year. The Pirates have a lot of depth at shortstop these days with players like Severino and Sanford coming up behind Konnor Griffin, and both of these Grasshoppers could be promising prospects in the making.

The Pirates also sent pitchers Cameron Keshock, Zander Mueth, Brandon Cain, Cristhian Tortosa and Michael Walsh to Glendale. Those five are not listed in the organization’s top 30 prospects list.

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Yankees news: Carlos Lagrange hits 102 in return

COLUMBUS, OHIO - JUNE 18, 2026: Carlos Lagrange #44 of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders looks on during the sixth inning against the Columbus Clippers at Huntington Park on June 18, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

MLB.com | Clark Fahrenthold: Carlos Lagrange made a triumphant return to the mound Wednesday, striking out two in a scoreless inning with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Most encouragingly, the fireballer’s heater topped out at 102.1 mph and he threw four pitches in triple digits. The Yankees’ number-two pitching prospect had been on the shelf since the end of June with a capsular sprain in his right shoulder. The team had transitioned him to a bullpen role earlier this year in hopes he could help out the major-league team down the stretch, though it’s unclear if that remains an option this year.

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: ($) With the postseason approaching, a round-robin of looming questions. Spencer Jones’ struggles in center have weakened his case to hold down center field upon Trent Grisham’s return, though Kirschner would still give him the edge. In a potential Wild Card series, he projects Cam Schlittler to start Game 1 with Max Fried and Gerrit Cole (in no particular order) to follow, making Carlos Rodón an option in a relief role. With starters bouncing to the bullpen, Tim Hill, Luis Gil, and Michael Fulmer don’t make the cut for Kirschner’s roster projection.

MLB.com | Patrick Donnelly: Inherent in the Grisham/Jones question and other decisions about postseason playing time is a simple question: how much can a player be trusted to perform his first time playing October baseball? Fellow rookie George Lombard Jr. and deadline acquisitions Luis García Jr. and Heliot Ramos join Jones in making zero playoff appearances to date. Aaron Boone opines that playing in the Bronx helps mitigate the newcomer concern. “You play for the Yankees, you play in New York,” said the Yankees manager, “it has a way of getting you ready for the postseason.”

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Florida man Saul Vargas justifies smashing NYC taxi during Knicks celebration because ‘it was my birthday’

Birthday smash.

A Florida man irrationally claimed he was celebrating his birthday as justification for destroying an NYC taxi in Manhattan following the Knicks’ historic Game 4 comeback in the NBA Finals.

Saul Vargas took a plea deal Thursday for a disorderly conduct charge after he was caught shirtless on video jumping on the hood and roof of the yellow cab and smashing its front windshield as thousands of Knicks fans flooded the streets near Madison Square Garden on June 11.

Saul Vargas of St. Cloud, Florida, took a plea deal of disorderly conduct after he destroyed an NYC taxi after a Knicks NBA Finals win on June 11, 2026. FreedomNewsTV

“I just want to be 21,” Vargas complained as he exited a Manhattan courtroom, according to the Daily Mail.

“At the end of the day, I’m 21. I was being a kid, I was being stupid,” he added, admitting it was a lame excuse for the destruction he caused. “It was my birthday, I was trying to have fun but that’s not a good excuse.”

Vargas conveyed his regret to cabbie Noueddine Bitat, who fell victim to his antics.

“To the taxi driver, I do apologize. It’s something no driver should have to go through,” he said.

Bitat, 59, was driving down Seventh Avenue at 36th Street around 12:30 a.m. when the mob attacked the vehicle and ripped him from the cab.

“The crowd came and they attacked him. They grabbed him out of the cab. They grabbed him by the neck. Someone punched him in his head,” Bitat said through a translator at the time.

Saul Vargas, 21, appears in Manhattan Criminal Court for his arraignment on June 16, 2026. Kevin C. Downs for NY Post
Vargas, joined other rowdy fans on the car for the celebration — including a man wearing a keffiyeh and another holding a Palestinian flag, perched atop the destroyed cab. FreedomNewsTV

“They shattered the windshield. They opened the front doors and even the trunks. They were yelling, ‘Knicks in five! Knicks in five!’”

Vargas, of St. Cloud, Fla., joined other rowdy fans on the car for the celebration — including a man wearing a keffiyeh and another holding a Palestinian flag, perched atop the destroyed cab.

Bitat suffered a diabetic attack and was left with “a lot of trauma.”

Vargas was ordered to pay $500 in restitution as part of his plea deal. Kevin C. Downs for NY Post

Bitat, who is from Algeria, said he was not planning on returning to the chauffeur gig following the beatdown and was “lucky to be alive.”

“It’s just that from what happened, he couldn’t believe doing a job like this could be so risky.”

Vargas was ordered to pay $500 in restitution as part of his plea deal.

The Knickerbockers, who went on to win the NBA Finals in Game 5 two nights later, had erased a record 29-point deficit in the closing minutes of the game to ignite the mass celebration.

Game hero OG Anunoby sent the city into a frenzy with his tip-in with 1.2 seconds left, rebounding a missed three from Finals MVP Jalen Brunson.

Police sought Vargas on a criminal mischief charge after video of the incident of the incident went viral.

The alleged birthday boy later turned himself over to police just before heading back to Florida after learning he was a wanted man.

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Tweaked Warriors roster puts onus on Steve Kerr and his revamped coaching staff

Tweaked Warriors roster puts onus on Steve Kerr and his revamped coaching staff originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Autopsies of the Warriors’ 2025-26 season concluded that injuries to Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry were such severe wounds so that one could overlook contributing causes.

If those causes are unaddressed, they’ll be fatal next season – even if the aging roster somehow achieves optimal health.

The Warriors too often were guilty of sloppy late-game execution, silly turnovers, curious shot selection and defensive rotations that were too late or entirely missed. They sometimes looked clueless under coach Steve Kerr.

The holes within the roster and lapses in quality coaching were too much to overcome. After presiding over four championships in his first nine seasons with Golden State, Kerr concedes as much.

“We’ve studied everything over the offseason, taken a lot of time to watch film and see certain combinations, what we did well, what we didn’t do well,” Kerr tells NBC Sports Bay Area. “And I think we have a chance to be much better this year than we were last year.

“I really believe we’re going to be better, and I think I’ve got to be better.”

In one of his first steps toward that end, Kerr sifted through several candidates to replace three departing assistants: Chris DeMarco, Jerry Stackhouse and Terry Stotts. DeMarco left during the season to become head coach of the WNBA New York Liberty. Stackhouse and Stotts left after the season to explore other opportunities.

The only outside hire was veteran coach Frank Vogel, who coached the Los Angeles Lakers to victory in the 2020 NBA Finals. As associate head coach, Vogel will focus on defense, formerly the domain of DeMarco and Stackhouse.

“Frank’s a great coach,” Kerr says. “He’s been obviously a head coach for many years in the league. He’s a great defensive mind. I’m excited. I think he will be a good voice for our team. He’s a great defensive mind, especially, but he’s someone who I feel very comfortable with right next to me. I’m going to turn the defense over to him.”

The Warriors last season posted a 114.4 defensive rating that ranked 16th in the NBA. They were punished in transition, allowing 15.7 fast-break points per game to rank 20th (the lowly Milwaukee Bucks were 19th) and ranked 20th in effective field-goal percentage defense at 55.3 percent. Golden State was second in steals but 25th in defensive rebounding and 26th in blocks. And only seven teams allowed more points in the paint.

There are numerous details to address and plenty of ancillary repairs required to fix this sub-mediocre aspect of the team.

“When (DeMarco) left for New York last year, I thought the void was apparent,” Kerr says. “He and Jerry really kind of tag-teamed the defense, and we had a good we had a good thing going. And then Chris’s void was real, and I thought between the injuries and losing Chris, our defense suffered a little bit.”

Vogel will coordinate the defense, with returning staffers Jacob Rubin and Anthony Vereen acting as lieutenants. The trio is, in essence, replacing Stackhouse and DeMarco.

Vogel is a four-time NBA head coach, beginning with Indiana in 2010. He spent six seasons with the Pacers, then two with the Orlando Magic, three with the Lakers and one with the Phoenix Suns before working under Jason Kidd last season with the Dallas Mavericks.

Vogel’s teams typically play strong defense, as his resumé includes three No. 1 finishes in defensive rating and two more seasons within the top five.

Even if Vogel and his crew coax Golden State’s defense back toward the top 10, the offense must find ways to improve. That will again be Kerr’s priority, with the aid of assistants Bruce “Q” Fraser, Seth Cooper and Nicholas Kerr. Cooper and Kerr have spent time as head coach with the G League Santa Cruz Warriors.

“I will collaborate on the offensive side,” Kerr says. “Seth and Nick have done a great job coming from Santa Cruz. We’ve really instituted some changes over the last couple of years from our G League coaches; I think they have a finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the league.”

It’s incumbent on Kerr and his sidekicks to generate scoring beyond the gravity created by Curry. Even if uninjured, he’s going to miss a few games. Even when he plays, his minutes will rarely exceed the low 30s.

As Curry ages, the response when he’s off the floor has become more indicative of the team’s fate. When the “non-Steph” minutes are productive, the Warriors can float. When they’re not, the tumble is predictable.
Golden State’s offensive rating (113.8) last season left it in 19th place. But the most salient truth was exposed after injuries to Butler and Curry. The Warriors were 14th (114.8) before Butler and Curry were sidelined in January and 22nd (112.3) after.

After a summer in which the roster was tweaked rather than significantly upgraded, the task falls to Kerr and his revamped staff to find ways to improve. Injuries surely doomed last season, but let’s not forget the other inadequacies that played a significant role.

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Todd Boehly exits Chelsea diminished after having his fingers burned

The billionaire’s departure will change little day-to-day but could be significant for club’s stadium plans

Not since a doomed foray into the thorny world of the transfer market has Todd Boehly had any real influence over the day-to-day at Chelsea. The American exits football as a diminished figure four years on, along with his fellow investor Mark Walter, and the first thing to say is that little will change in the Stamford Bridge boardroom just because Boehly has left the scene.

Clearlake Capital, the US private equity firm founded by Behdad Eghbali and José E Feliciano, was already the majority owner and guiding force. The trio of Boehly, Walter and the Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss had an equal share of a 38.5% stake but have drifted into irrelevance since the BlueCo consortium bought Chelsea from Roman Abramovich for £2.5bn in 2022.

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The bullpen, sure, but how do the Giants fix their defense?

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 12: Jung Hoo Lee #51 and Willy Adames #2 of the San Francisco Giants run off the field after the end of the inning at Oracle Park on August 12, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In Buster Posey’s big interview with Tim Kawakami, he stated that the bullpen would be a point of emphasis this offseason. That group has been among the worst in the sport, but not quite negative in value, believe it or not: +0.9 fWAR, bad enough for 25th in MLB. As bad as they’ve been there, they’ve been as bad with their gloves in the field, coming in 24th place with -16.4 Defensive Runs Above Average. In fact, they lead all of Major League Baseball in errors with 102 and counting. They need better defense. How can they make that happen?

Well, this is where trading away Patrick Bailey and losing Daniel Susac to injury hurts. Bailey had been the top defender on the team three years running and even this year, with just 238.1 innings under his belt before the trade, his +5 Fielding Run Value and 4.8 Defensive Runs Above Average made him third-best. Susac’s +8 FRV and +8.7 Def in 351 innings wound up being a great swap (second-best), but here are the other two players in the top four: Luis Arraez, the team leader in defensive value this season (+9 FRV, +9.2 Def in 885.2 innings), and Matt Chapman (+5 FRV, 4.6 Def in 718.2 innings), checking in at #4. Drew Gilbert is #5 with +4 and +2.6. Casey Schmitt follows, then Christian Koss, then Jonah Cox are the next bunch of positive defenders. So, let’s just say that Susac, Chapman, Gilbert, Schmitt, Koss, and Cox aren’t the problem.

Also not the problem? Bryce Eldridge (-2.3 Def) or Rafael Devers (-7.9). Defensive measures for first basemen are typically tough because it’s considered such an easy position. Very easy to drop into negative numbers. Admittedly, Devers’ 8 errors are the third-most on the team behind Willy Adames (18) and Matt Chapman (9), but I’m going to chalk some of that up to lingering injuries and basically settling in to a new position. Still this trio makes up 34% of the team’s errors this season.

But the worst defenders on the Giants are pretty easy to identify. Willy Adames (-8.3) and Jung Hoo Lee (-10.5) both have both cost the Giants about 1 game each over the course of the season with their poor defense. They are the worst position players on the roster by far (minimum: 100 innings). The pitching group’s 17 errors is tied with Cincinnati for 2nd in MLB (or, 29th) behind only Toronto.

Now, maybe you’re a gut-trusting eye-tester when it comes to defense, and I can understand that because it’s hard to conceive of how laser tracking and computer modeling could properly value defensive contributions or the subtleties of playing in the field, but if you line up the good defending teams vs. the bad defending teams this season, an interesting pattern emerges:

With the exceptions of the Royals and Phillies, bad teams have bad defense and good teams have good defense. Though, it must be noted that the Royals have gone 38-41 over the last 3 months and the Phillies 25-15 since improving their defense significantly with the addition of Luis Arraez.

And just to underscore how important defense is, in the past 10 years, the only Giants teams with positive Defensive Runs Above Average values were:

  • 2021 (+28.3) | 107-55
  • 2023 (+22.6) | 79-83
  • 2019 (+19.6) | 77-85
  • 2024 (+8.9) | 80-82
  • 2025 (+7.9) | 81-81

Not exactly the strong point I was hoping to make but you can see that the past decade of Giants Baseball, whenever it has even bothered to approach success, has had strong defense as part of the foundation.

So, how can the Giants improve? The sexy call is to figure out how to get Jung Hoo Lee off the roster. If that’s possible, sure, why not? That’s a good step in the direction of fixing the defense while getting cheaper. I’m not confident that Lee’s bat is worth keeping around, either. But it’s not that easy to trade a player like Lee. There’s the money owed to him for one thing, but it’ll be tough from a fanbase position to do it, too. He is a draw, even though he and the team are not good.

And, if Casey Schmitt hadn’t torn his meniscus, I’d think it’d be close to a no-brainer to put him at short and slide Willy Adames over to second base; but, I’m not so sure that’s in the cards now. In any case, Adames had better move in with Ron Washington this offseason and hope that he has an Arraezean renaissance in 2027. But that could still happen with him at second base. He has been bad enough there that I think trying to get Chapman to play short while sticking Schmitt at third might make more sense than giving Adames another go.

The team has increased its athleticism in the field as the season has gone along and that’s the sort of thing they’ll need to keep doing in order to improve this part of the team. On paper for next season, it’s basically Daniel Susac, Jonah Cox, and Matt Chapman as the defensive keystones. The team does have a glut of up the middle players working their way through the minors so reinforcements could be well on the way, but I’ll just go ahead and say that the Giants don’t go anywhere without better defensive play. A better defense will take the pressure off the team needing to spend big bucks on the bullpen — or even the rotation, which might be a better use of time and resources, Buster Posey.

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Kenny Serwa and Thayron Liranzo power SeaWolves to the Eastern League championship series

Erie SeaWolves 5, Richmond Flying Squirrels 3 (box)

Kenny Serwa put together a whale of a start for the SeaWolves, while a game tying home run from his catcher sparked the offense as the Erie SeaWolves advanced to the Eastern League Championship series for the fifth straight season.

Things didn’t start off well for Tony Cappuccilli’s squad in this one. The Giants first round pick in July, right-hander Jackson Flora, got the ball for two innings and the SeaWolves couldn’t deal with him, striking out four times in two perfect frames. Fortunately, he’s on a strict pitch count. Once he was out of the game, lefty Jacob Bresnahan took over to flip the SeaWolves platooning. The SeaWolves got a single from Izaac Pacheco and a walk to E.J. Exposito to start the third inning. Seth Stephenson advanced them with a sac bunt, but they squandered that chance as Peyton Graham and Zyhir Hope struck out.

Meanwhile, Serwa was cruising in the early innings before trouble struck in the fourth. A one-out single and then a walk set the table for Kaeden Kent, who smoked a three-run shot to right field for a 3-0 lead.

The SeaWolves couldn’t get it going in the fifth, but credit to Cappuccilli for sticking with Serwa, who proceeded to steady the ship and cruise through seven innings with no further trouble.

Finally, in the top of the sixth, Stephenson reached and took second on an error. Graham struck out, but Hope walked, and Thayron Liranzo mashed a three-run homer to tie the game.

They didn’t stop there. Chris Meyers followed with a double. Andrew Jenkins struck out, but Luke Shliger walked. The Squirrels went back to their pen, but Marques Johnson walked Pacheco to load the bases. A passed ball scored Meyers, and it was 4-3 SeaWolves.

Serwa tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth, and Stephenson walked to start the seventh. He stole second, and after Graham made on out on a comebacker to Johnson, a wild pitch got Stephenson to third, and Hope drove a ball out to center field for a sacrifice fly. 5-3 SeaWolves.

Surprisingly, Cappuccilli continued to ride his veteran knuckleballer, and it worked. He gave up a leadoff bunt single, but got a double play ball to face the minimum in the inning. Really good work from Serwa to recover from the homer and pitch deep into this one, especially as the bullpen isn’t exactly stacked with monsters.

Tanner Kohlhepp took over in the eighth, pitching around a two-out walk, and so it was up to hard-throwing sinkerballer Moises Rodriguez. The slender right-hander was 98-99 mph, but with one out, Graham booted a routine ground ball at shortstop, and after getting a fly ball for the second out, Rodriguez walked the next hitter. He bounced back, tying up Zander Darby, who hit a little swinging bunt down the first base line. Rodriguez pounced on it, flipped to Jenkins, and it was party time for the Erie SeaWolves organization.

Congrats to Greg Coleman, Greg Gania, Tony Cappuccilli and his staff and team, and the whole SeaWolves family on reaching their fifth straight Eastern League championship series.

Liranzo: 2-3, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB, K

Stephenson: 1-1, 2 R, 2 BB, SB

Meyers: 1-4, R, 2B, K

Serwa (W, 1-0): 3 ER, 4 H, BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves will have two days off until the Eastern League championhip best-of-three series gets underway on Sunday. Game 1 will be held at home at UPMC Park at 5:05 p.m. ET before heading to Reading next Tuesday.

Toledo Mud Hens 5, Louisville Bats 1 (box)

Dylan File threw a good game, and the Hens took advantage of seven walks to beat the Bats again on Thursday.

File was cruising early on and the Hens broke through in the bottom of the third. Max Burt and Trei Cruz walked with one out, and sent the Bats back to their bullpen. The new reliever walked James Outman and Max Anderson both, forcing in a run. Jace Jung lifted a sacrifice fly to right to plate Cruz, and it was 2-0 Hens.

File allowed a solo shot in the fifth, but in the bottom half, Jung doubled in Cruz to make it 3-1 Hens.

File wrapped up his day in the sixth, and in the bottom of the seventh, Cruz led off with a single. Outman grounded into a force of Cruz, but Max Anderson singled, and Jung doubled in both runners to make it 5-1.

Enmanuel de Jesus handled the seventh and eighth without much issue. Yilber Diaz walked two and struck out one in closing out the ninth. Hopefully he can get his control dialed in this offseason.

Jung: 2-3, 4 RBI, 2 2B

Cruz: 1-3, 2 R, 2 BB

Anderson: 1-3, R, RBI, BB

File (W, 7-1): 6.0 IP, ER, 3 H, BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: The Hens had won six of their last eighth, and are up 3-0 in this series heading into a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Friday in Toledo.

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Angels 5, Twins 4 (10 inn.): Broken records, and not the good kind

Sep 17, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Walker Jenkins (11) crosses home plate after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning as Los Angeles Angels catcher Tyler Heineman (31) watches at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If two teams in the bottom of their respective divisions play a game of baseball, does it really happen? Sorry, that California air is really getting to me. Just kidding, I’m not in California.

The Minnesota Twins are there in Anaheim taking on the “Los Angeles” Angels. Stop me if you’ve heard this, but the team facing Minnesota scored a few runs in the first inning. This time it was off of starter Taj Bradley, albeit not really entirely all his fault. Stop me if you’ve heard this one, but the Twins defense kinda played a part. Bradley walked Mike Trout with one out. That’s Bradley’s fault. Then someone named Wade Meckler hit a grounder to someone named Ben Ross and the grounder ate him up and couldn’t get the out. Moisés Ballesteros brought in Trout with an RBI single. Denzer Guzman (not sure on the relation to Twins great Cristian Guzman) singled to left field and the throw in did not go directly to second base to get Ballesteros at second, but according to the radio, it should’ve and could’ve gotten him for a second out. After a strikeout of Josh Lowe, Oswald Peraza drove his hit to right field, bringing in Ballesteros. That’s a 3-0 lead after the first inning for the Angels.

After that, it was goose eggs through seven. Rookie Walbert Ureña held the Twins to four hits across his seven innings of work, striking out nine batters while walking none. Bradley settled down to turn in seven frames as well, allowing only two more hits and notching nine strikeouts, raising his K total to 199 on the year.

Minnesota batters did claw back one run in the eighth. On two consecutive pitches to lead off the inning, Walker Jenkins singled to center and Ben Ross got his first major-league hit – a double – off of bullpen arm Luke Murphy. After striking out Luke Keaschall, former Twins player-turned-manager Kurt Suzuki turned to Tayler Saucedo. Brooks Lee hit a sac fly, allowing Jenkins to tag up and touch home from third.

Ben Joyce came in for the ninth to attempt to close the door on Minnesota. Victor Caratini hit a two-out single, setting up newly-hot Jenkins. And Jenkins did a hot thing: hit a homer to tie the game. Ross did a not-hot thing and struck out to keep it a tied game at three runs apiece.

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A depleted bullpen was put to work tonight for the Twins. Andrew Morris pitched a clean eighth while A. J. Minter, who pitched last night, was given the ninth. After striking out two batters, he gave up an almost-home-run double to Josh Lowe. Derek Shelton pulled him in favor of Jeff Hoffman. An intentional walk to Adam Frazier put runners on first and second and a double-steal during a Jose Siri at-bat put both runners in scoring position and took the force play off the books. But no worries, as Hoffman got Siri out on strikes to take the game into extras.

The tenth inning had Manfred Mann’s Earth Band participant Ben Ross on second base with Blake Weiman pitching for the Halos; Keaschall singled him over to third while Lee hit an RBI single to untie the baby. Kody Clemens dropped a sac bunt to move the runners to second and third. A Josh Bell pop-out and an intentional walk to pinch-hitter Ryan Jeffers brought up Royce Lewis with the bases juiced. However, he made the decision to strike out on four pitches.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one: the bullpen blew it. Yoendrys Gomez, who got tagged with the blown save yesterday, was tabbed to take the bottom of the tenth with Jose Siri joining Manfred Mann’s Earth Band at second base for the Angels. A flyout and a walk set up runners on the corners for Trout, who singled in Siri to tie the game at four runs. Kody Funderburk was brought in to face Meckler, which resulted in a single to walk-off the game, 5-4.

These two teams meet up again tomorrow – same time (838p Central), same place (Angel Stadium) – for the second game of this four-game set. Connor Prielipp (5-7, 5.24 ERA) is listed as the starter for Minnesota while Grayson Rodriguez (4-7, 6.10 ERA) goes for Anaheim.

Also, this is my last game thread and recap for the season, so I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for joining in and making this fun as always!

W: Blake Weiman (1-1)
L: Yoendrys Gomez (2-4)

STUDS

  • Walker Jenkins: 3-4, game-tying HR, 2 R, 2 RBI
  • Brooks Lee: 2-4, 2 RBI

duds

  • Royce Lewis: 0-5, 4 K

COTG

Prester John (no relation to me, or at least I don’t think so) willed Jenkins out of his slump.

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Trevor Story authors dramatic comeback in cathartic 4-3 Red Sox win

Sep 17, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) reacts as he circles the bases after hitting a three-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This is why we watch! Trevor Story’s season looked dead and buried both three months and three weeks ago. He’s battled injury, surgery, rehab, way too many strikeouts, and growing chatter from knuckleheads like me who have repeatedly questioned if he even belongs back in this lineup.

Well tonight, he came to the plate with the Sox down 3-1 in the eighth and on the verge of getting swept. He was facing a tough reliever in Jacob Latz, a Texas team that was 63-1 when leading after seven innings, and the weight of his team going a combined 0-17 with runners in scoring position in the series up to that point.

Then he did this:

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As somebody that’s been leading the “Trevor Story is cooked ” charges, I love this so much! Nothing can humble and amaze quite like baseball, and after months of hard work, grinding behind the scenes, and having to deal with all the noise, Story smashed a 108mph line drive home run not only in the face of Latz and Texas’ playoff hopes, but also in the face of all those who have been doubting him for weeks (hand raised).

It’s just one game, and the real test doesn’t start until the 29th, but boy did this have to feel incredible for Story who hadn’t gone deep since May 13th. To do it in that moment, in his home town, and against the backdrop of everything that’s happened this year is just so perfectly baseball. It’s why we love this game so much, and why people like Story are willing to put in the work behind the scenes for months on end to get the chance to do something amazing like that.

I know some of you might not believe it after what I’ve written about him in recent weeks, but I truly am very happy for Story! He deserves all the credit tonight!

Oh, and in addition to Story’s game changing three-run homer, he followed that up by starting double plays on defense to end both the eighth and ninth:

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Baseball really is the best!

Studs

Trevor Story: If I didn’t put him here, I’d have to legally resign from Over The Monster.

Wilyer Abreu: He looked a little better tonight with a sharp single in the fourth and a walk that turned into a run on Story’s three-run shot.

The bullpen: The comeback wouldn’t be complete without the pen holding it down, and with Aroldis Chapman unavailable with lat tightness, Wyatt Olds, Alec Gamboa, and Garrett Whitlock combined to go 2.2 scoreless innings.

Duds

Only one dud tonight, and that’s me given my recent stance on Story’s playing time. The crow is delicious, and I hope it remains on the menu well into October!

One other important note

Just before Story’s home run, Willson Contreras was hit in the hand by a pitch and had to leave the game. The good news is x-rays were negative, but given x-rays were also negative after Curtis Mead got hit in July, I’m not going to be celebrating this one until we get further confirmation.

Play of the game:

Was there ever any doubt it would be Story’s home run? Here’s the game changing swing one more time.

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'Hopefully, They Lead Us To A Stanley Cup Here One Day': Penguins Eager To Take Another Step Toward Contention

Even if the relative course the Pittsburgh Penguins are charting isn't entirely clear to some, it doesn't change the fact that, after three years out, the team made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. 

In some respects, the unexpected postseason berth put the Penguins in a tough spot organizationally. They want to get younger and allow some youth to start showing up at the NHL level, but they are also aware that they're good enough to stay relevant in the playoff race.

At the end of the day, the organization - as defenseman Erik Karlsson put it - is in a bit of a "weird" place right now, but the goal is and always will remain sustained contention. And the Penguins, from management on down to the players, believe they are progressing toward that.

"I think the group that we had here last year and the guys that are still here this year, I feel, have a lot more to give," Karlsson said. "I think that the young guys that we have coming in are taking the right steps forward. And, obviously, the guys that we've had here that have been around for a long time, we know what we're going to get from those guys, and they're going to keep contributing and be a big part of this team."

The thing with the Penguins' youth is that several of them should be good enough to help propel the team back to sustained contention, so their transition to the NHL roster shouldn't necessarily be as development-focused once they make the final jump. But the blend of that youth and the team's longtime veterans in Karlsson, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell is the somewhat tricky part to navigate.

Then, you have the new players coming in. The Penguins added forwards Nick Robertson, Hendrix Lapierre and David Gustafsson and defensemen Trevor van Riemsdyk, Declan Carlile and Kaedan Korczak in the offseason, all of whom figure to be either locks or solidly in the mix for roster spots. 

Forget Forward Logjam: Penguins Might Have Defensive Crowding ProblemForget Forward Logjam: Penguins Might Have Defensive Crowding ProblemThe Pittsburgh Penguins have logjams at several positions, but their defensive one may be the most pressing.

As for the new guys coming in, they recognize both the talent that the Penguins have up-and-coming and the talent that has been in Pittsburgh for the better part of the last two decades. 

"There's a lot of veterans but also a lot of younger guys that I've played against and known," Robertson said. "It's good to be in that mix. They've got a bit of excitement from the younger guys and, obviously, a lot of experience from the older guys. It's a unique team, and I'm very happy to be a part of it."

Korczak, who came over from the Vegas Golden Knights this summer in exchange for defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, has been part of a Stanley Cup-winning culture for the last several years. He recognizes a winning culture because he's been part of it.

In the Penguins and GM Kyle Dubas, he sees an organization that is working its way toward the Cup conversation again, and he wants to be part of the young crop of players who helps accomplish that. He is signed with Pittsburgh for four more seasons at $3.25 million. 

"Just talking with Kyle and the coaches, it's exciting to be part of that group that's going to, hopefully, bring that next step to the organization," Korczak said. "You obviously have those guys that can lead you. You've got some Hall-of-Famers here that can show us the way.

"So, I'm really excited for the opportunity to be a part of this young group, and hopefully they lead us to a Stanley Cup here one day."

Penguins' Training Camp 2026: Observations From Day 2Penguins' Training Camp 2026: Observations From Day 2Here are some of my observations from the second day of the Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp.

So, what is the plan for the 2026-27 season? Well, that was made pretty clear by Dubas at the end of last season, when he said that this team doesn't plan to take any steps back. They want to build on their playoff run from last season, and they believe they have at least some of the youth talent to help them keep progressing.

Whether they are Cup contenders again this season or a bit farther into the future remains to be seen, and there is still work to be done and talent that needs to be added in order for them to sustain winning ways. 

Regardless, the most basic goal for the players and the organization remains the same as it always is each and every year.

"If everything goes according to plan, I think - hope - that we're going to be a step better than we were even last year," Karlsson said. "That's obviously the goal. That's what we're operating from right now, and we'll see what the future brings."

Crosby, Karlsson, Penguins' Assistant GM Spezza Give Updates On ExtensionsCrosby, Karlsson, Penguins' Assistant GM Spezza Give Updates On ExtensionsWith both players eligible for extensions but remaining unsigned heading into training camp, some clarity was given on both situations Thursday.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!   

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Rangers Training Camp Day 1: Key Takeaways, Line Combinations and Opening-Night Roster Clues

Danny Wild-Imagn Images
Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Day one of training camp is in the books for the New York Rangers, and after months of speculation, we got our first breadcrumbs about what the opening-night roster could look like.

Here’s all you need to know from the first day of training camp 

Gabe Perreault, Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière reunite:

Mike Sullivan went back to a winning formula on Thursday, reuniting Gabe Perreault, Mika Zibanejad, and Alexis Lafrenière on a line. 

For a stretch late in the 2025-26 season, these three forwards found success playing alongside each other and provided the Rangers with consistent offensive production they had not gotten all year long. 

Perreault is slated to take on a larger top-six role as he heads into his first NHL season and by the looks of the team’s first practice, it appears as if he’ll indeed start the season as a top-six forward. 

“We thought they had pretty good chemistry, so I think just from a common sense standpoint, it would make sense to maybe see where it goes,” Sullivan said.

The case to pair Zibanejad with Pavel Dorofeyev is certainly enticing and could be explored as camp progresses, but the fact that he started training camp playing with Perreault and Lafrenière may be a sign of things to come, and Sullivan confirmed that he wants to keep the same lines and defensive pairings for at least a couple of days. 

“I'd like to give them a couple of practices, maybe a couple inter-squads, and see where it goes. I think it's obvious we started there for a reason,” Sullivan said. “We'll learn along the way, and we'll figure out based on what we see, based on some of the conversations we have with the players involved, we'll get their feedback also, and then we'll try to make the best decisions for the team.”

J.T. Miller centers line with Pavel Dorofeyev and Oliver Bjorkstrand:

After thriving playing alongside Jack Eichel in Vegas, Pavel Dorofeyev opened up camp with J.T. Miller as his new center. 

Miller fluctuated from the wing to center last season, but playing his natural position down the middle is more beneficial to him, and having Dorofeyev on the wing could help him recapture his offensive game.

“J.T. is a versatile guy,” Sullivan said. “I think his playmaking ability is probably undervalued. He sees the ice pretty well, I think he has an ability to distribute the puck. I think J.T. brings a physical element to the downlow-grind game that I think he can drag his linemates into a little bit, so they can create some offense in different ways. 

“I think Pav is a guy that could obviously score goals, and so we wanted to see what that looks like.”

Oliver Bjorkstrand, who signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Rangers this offseason, complimented Miller and Dorofeyev, as Sullivan praised Bjorkstrand’s ability to score goals. 

While Dorofeyev played on the right side during Thursday’s practice, Sullivan has plans to try out Dorofeyev at both right and left wing. 

“I know he can play both,” Sullivan said of Dorofeyev. “From talking to him, talking to some of his former coaches, I know he can play both sides. I think a lot of it is going to come down to what we think is the best fit based on the combinations that we put together. 

“So we're going to explore different options to figure out how we can create the balance that we think is necessary to win consistently, but also to set players up for success, him included. I would anticipate probably seeing him on both sides throughout the course of the next couple of weeks.”

Will Cuylle Set To Play A Third-Line Role:

The Rangers’ third line on Thursday consisted of Will Cuylle, Noah Laba, and new addition Eeli Tolvanen, with Taylor Raddysh also filling in. 

Sullivan felt that last season Cuylle played his best hockey in a third-line role playing alongside Noah Laba, and now that the Rangers have added more depth to their top-six forward unit, it gives them the ability to utilize Cuylle on the bottom six, a position that he’s better suited to thrive in. 

“I thought Will Cuylle played some of his best hockey with Laba last year,” Sullivan emphasized. “When you put a guy like Will on the third line, so to speak, it creates I think, a scoring threat, a physical presence, more balance through our lineup that makes us harder to play against. You potentially get more advantageous matchups. I think there are advantages to having balance. Will Cuylle with Laba, it strengthens that top nine as opposed to that top six.”

Tolvanen signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Blueshirts late in the offseason, and he provides an element of speed and physicality to a line that is centered around those two traits. 

This newly assembled line brought a strong physical presence on Thursday, specifically shown on a hit delivered by Cuylle on Lafrenière. 

Joe Veleno and Tye Kartye create a speedy fourth line: 

Sullivan looks to be prioritizing speed on the fourth line with a duo of Joe Veleno and Tye Kartye. 

The Rangers went out and signed Veleno to a one-year, $1.2 million contract, and based on the team’s first practice, it appears as if he’s the frontrunner to land the fourth-line center role. 

Kartye mostly played on the third line after being claimed off waivers in February, and he provided an instant spark to the team. 

Sullivan noted the increase in speed to the bottom-six forward unit, specifically provided by Veleno and Kartye. 

“I think we got faster in the bottom six in particular,” Sullivan said. “Veleno, he can really skate. We added Tye Kartye at the end of the year. Tye could really skate, he’s a dog on the bone with the puck.” 

Jaroslav Chmelař and Matt Rempe rotated for that last fourth-line spot. 

Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson make up the second defensive pairing:

When the Rangers acquired both Durzi and Pettersson this summer, it was widely speculated that they would be paired together. 

That was the case on Thursday. Durzi and Pettersson made up the Rangers’ second pairing behind Adam Fox and Vladislav Gavrikov.

Sullivan and Chris Drury emphasized the Rangers’ need for a puck-moving defensemen that is exactly what Durzi and Pettersson provide. 

“You look at our defense core, adding Marcus Pettersson, adding Durzi. We tried them together out there today, and I thought they looked really good,” Sullivan said. “I think both of them have an ability to move the puck, go tape-to-tape, I think that is really going to help us. 

“Exiting out of our end, maybe getting out a little bit cleaner. If we can get the puck in motion, if we can get the puck with speed, I think it should help us off the rush. I think these guys are good players that will make our group stronger back there.”

Alberts Šmits being given a real shot to make the NHL roster: 

During Wednesday’s press conference, Sullivan made it abundantly clear that Šmits will be given a real opportunity to make the Rangers’ opening-night roster.

"Yes, he has a chance to make the team,” Sullivan said of Šmits. “We have to make sure that we do the right thing for him.”

Sullivan put his words into action, placing Šmits on the third defensive pairing alongside Braden Schneider. 

If this is an indication of anything, it is that the 2026 fifth overall pick is seriously being looked at to fill a roster spot come Sept. 29 in Boston to kick off the regular season. 

“I thought he had a pretty strong first day. I think the thing that jumps out at me right away is just his physical stature. He's big and strong, winning puck battles, but when he passes the puck, he snaps it hard, which I think is a very evident thing with NHL players.That’s one thing I noticed right away being on the ice with him, he snaps pucks. It's on and off his tape. We obviously had him paired with Schneids today. I thought he had a good first day. I thought he didn’t look out of place by any stretch.”

Matthew Robertson, who’s Šmits’ main competition for that third-pairing left-handed defensemen spot, was paired with Scott Morrow as alternates, but given Robertson’s role with the Rangers last season, all indications point toward him still having an edge over Šmits for now.

Rangers Open To Carrying Three Goalies To Start The Season:

The Rangers’ backup goaltending position is up for grabs, with Dylan Garand and Joonas Korpisalo competing for that spot. 

The retirement of Jonathan Quick left a void for the backup spot behind Igor Shesterkin, and despite Dylan Garand making a strong impression when he was called up from the American Hockey League at the tail end of the 2025-26 campaign, the Rangers still went out of their way to acquire Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins. 

While there still may be a competition between Garand and Korpisalo for the rights to backup Shesterkin, Sullivan hasn’t ruled out carrying both goalies on the roster to open up the season. 

“Is that an option that is on the table for us, yes,” Sullivan said of the Rangers potentially carrying three goalies on the roster. “It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility. I think it's very manageable in the short term. I don't think it's in the best interest of the guys in the long term for obvious reasons.”

Korpisalo practiced with the Rangers’ main group, consisting mostly of NHL players on Thursday, while Garand practiced with most of the players expected to play for the Hartford Wolf Pack.