During Wednesday's press conference, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes expressed regret in not stopping his Week 5 pick-six | @EdEastonJr
Rosner & Macias' Bold Predictions For The 2025-26 New York Islanders Season
PITTSBURGH, PA -- It's finally game day, New York Islanders fans. It's been 175 days since the last Islanders regular-season game, and 177 days since the last regular-season game at UBS Arena.
To say the franchise has changed since then would be a dramatic understatement. From moving on from Lou Lamoriello to winning the NHL Draft Lottery and selecting Matthew Schaefer, it's truly a new era on Long Island.
It all gets started tonight, where the Islanders take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Schaefer makes his NHL debut against Sidney Crosby and fellow 2025 NHL Draft pick Ben Kindel.
Before things get going, The Hockey News' New York Islanders writers are here with some bold predictions for the upcoming season.
Rosner's Bold Predictions:
#1: Anthony Duclair will score 30 goals to lead the team
What a nightmare Anthony Duclair's first season on Long Island was.
From the groin tear to a way-too-early return, he was bashed in the media by his head coach, which led to a leave of absence with eight games to go, leaving no one with any idea how things would play out this summer, with three seasons left on his deal.
But the way Duclair has come into camp, looking healthier than ever and as sharp as ever, it's changed the potential impact he can have on this team. One of the biggest questions surrounding the Islanders is who will fill the goal-scoring void with Brock Nelson gone.
Duclair has something to prove, an enormous chip on his shoulder. And although he's starting the season on the fourth line alongside Casey Cizikas and Maxim Tsyplakov -- the most offensive-looking fourth line in franchise history -- if he plays the way he played in training camp and preseason, he'll find himself higher on the depth charts. I wouldn't be shocked if he's playing with Barzal and/or Horvat.
While I don't think he'll set a new career high in goals -- he scored 31 in 2021-22 with the Florida Panthers -- could 30 be in the cards, and if so, that would likely lead the team.
#2. Calum Ritchie Is The No. 2 Center Befor Christmas
There may have been no real opportunity for Calum Ritchie to crack a spot in the Islanders' lineup, and the injury awarded the Islanders more time to figure things out.
But once Ritchie returns from his minor lower-body injury, he'll likely be sent to Bridgeport. But if he excels in the AHL like we expect, he's going to force the Islanders to make a call-up -- unless an injury creates an opportunity before that.
As we expect to see with No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer, it will be challenging to limit Ritchie's minutes once he earns his NHL chance with the Islanders.
He's not a bottom-six player -- he proved that and I think the Islanders understand that.
Mix in that and Mathew Barzal's desire to play with Bo Horvat, and that No. 2 center job is one that Ritchie will likely own by the end of the season, but why wait if he's ready?
Before the presents go under the Christmas tree, Ritchie will be the No. 2 C -- hey, that rhymed.
#3. Islanders Win Jennings Trophy
Goaltending is the most important position for the Islanders if they want to get back into the postseason.
Starting netminder Ilya Sorokin is elite, and this is the season he'll have the numbers to prove that again, like he did when he was a Vezina finalist in 2022-23 (2.34 GAA, .924 SV%).
Backup David Rittich is entering the season with a major chip on his shoulder after signing a one-year, $1 million deal this summer. He's coming off a tough season with the Los Angeles Kings (2.84 GAA, .886 SV%), a season in which Los Angeles was elite and so was their starting netminder Darcy Kuemper (2.02 GAA, .921 SV%).
Rittich will put a shaky presence behind him and be the brick wall the Islanders need him to be, with Semyon Varlamov still a way off.
Backed by an improved defense under Bob Boughner, a more dynamic defense thanks to Matthew Schaefer, Sorokin, and Rittich will win the Jennings Trophy, allowing the fewest goals in the NHL, for the first time since Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss back in 2018-19.
Macias' Bold Predictions:
#1: The Islanders finish above the Montreal Canadiens in the standings
For all of the many things the Islanders did this spring and summer, perhaps nothing was more scrutinized in the moment by the hockey world than the trade of Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens.
Fast-forward to opening night, and it looks far less one-sided than many thought. Emil Heineman will be skating alongside Jonathan Drouin and Bo Horvat to begin the year, outright beating Maxim Shabanov and Anthony Duclair for a spot in the top six.
That doesn't even mention Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson, both falling to the Islanders at the draft.
As for this season, the Canadiens did acquire Dobson, but their defense is still extremely suspect. Additionally, Sam Montembeault remains a huge question mark. Yes, those Habs can score, but can they keep the puck out of their net? They couldn't Wednesday, losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-2.
The Islanders will have the better goaltending and defense, even if New York's offense may not have the same firepower as Montreal.
The Atlantic Division will also be much tougher than the Metropolitan Division, another reason the Habs may struggle more.
As a result, pencil the Islanders to come in ahead of those Canadiens when the season comes to a close.
#2: Maxim Shabanov and Matthew Schaefer Combine for 80+ Points
The Islanders will have two NHL rookies in their lineup when the season starts tonight in Pittsburgh. One is the highly-touted, elite defenseman in Schaefer.
The other is the highly sought-after Russian, Maxim Shabanov. Despite not initially sticking in the top six, Shabanov's immense skill is very apparent.
He will be able to score and create plays all by himself, having already proven his size does not affect his game whatsoever.
Maxim Tsyplakov posted 35 points last year as a rookie with less-projected offense than what Shabanov may bring, so it's not far-fetched to think Shabanov could sniff close to 50 points as a rookie.
Meanwhile, Schaefer will be 18 years old and immediately given all the opportunities in the world. His smooth skating fits Head Coach Patrick Roy's system like a glove, and he's going to play on the second power play unit. With his offensive upside, it's very likely he gets 30 points at an absolute minimum, with clear potential for a 40-50 point rookie year.
Book Schaefer and Shabanov to combine for 80 or more points this season.
#3: The Islanders Finish With A Top-Ten Power Play
Perhaps the boldest of all takes from me. The last time the Islanders didn't have a bottom-ten unit came in 2021-22, when they finished 12th in the league.
Last year, the Islanders finished with a putrid 12.6%, 31st in the league. Enter Ray Bennett and Jonathan Drouin, a PP specialist coach and a PP specialist set-up man.
Behind the arrival of that duo, a full season of Tony DeAngelo and Schaefer quarterbacking two units, and a healthy Mathew Barzal, it doesn't feel all that unlikely for New York to have a significantly better unit.
Not only do all those factors work in their favor, but Shabanov has immense skill to offer, too.
Bennett had a perennial top 10 power play no matter what in Colorado. Just because he's got elite talent there doesn't mean he didn't have clear, elite systems for his team to use. Clearly, Bennett's got the chops to do it here, too.
The Islanders will snap the nearly decade-long drought without a top ten unit and earn themselves one this year.
What are you bold takes for this season? Let us know in the comments.
Luka Doncic treats Lakers teammates to the Porsche Driving Experience
What Luka Doncic did for his Lakers teammates was unique and different but no less impactful. It was a view inside the superstar guard’s way of leading the team.
In a team-building event Doncic organized, he took his teammates to a Porsche Driving Experience after practice Tuesday. He covered the entire cost of the event in which his teammates tested Porsche models on a track.
That so impressed Lakers center Deandre Ayton, bringing a smile to his face when asked about Doncic’s gesture.
“I truly appreciate Luka for that,” Ayton said. “I’ve never done that before, where the star players really look out for the team like that. Something like that is actually crazy. I’ve never heard of it or been in a Porsche before. So it definitely was my first time. I didn’t know that Luka was into cars like that. So, yeah, him and LeBron [James]. It was good seeing them behind the wheel. Seeing LeBron behind a car is dangerous.”
At 7 feet, Ayton was asked if he was comfortable driving the car.
“Yeah, they had some cars where they could hold a 7-footer,” he said. “I don’t know if it was custom or that’s how they’re made or some other factors. But just seeing LeBron James in a sports car pushing, I was like, ‘Yo, he knows cars.’ Him doing his thing, that was pretty cool to see.”
Read more:Lakers get first glimpse of what Marcus Smart brings to the court
All summer and during training camp, the Lakers have talked about building team chemistry.
They talked about how doing things together off the court is an important part of building chemistry and of learning about a teammate.
Doncic, along with James, is considered one of their leaders and this was seen as magnanimous.
“Yeah, I mean, anytime, some of our max players and guys that have been in the league a while can put something on for the team is great,” Gabe Vincent said. “It’s great when we come together, do something a little bit more extravagant maybe than we would have on our own. Everyone gets to walk away with some cool [stuff].
"Most importantly, you get to do it together, you know what I mean? Sharing experiences is one of the quickest ways to grow closer. So, we’re very grateful to Luka for putting that one on. Everyone had a great time. It's been great to see him get more comfortable.”
Vincent also did his part in a team-building moment.
Over the summer, he invited his teammates to the sand dunes in Manhattan Beach.
It was his show of leadership after so many workouts and his way to help build that team chemistry.
“So, I tried to just get guys together, most of them were young guys, but just get out on the sand, play a little spike ball, and work down the sand a little bit,” Vincent said. “It's something to get out of this [practice facility] building, you know what I mean? In the summer, we spend so much time in the gym, grinding at the same thing over and over that sometimes you kind of need a change of scenery. So it's something for us to do that was different, something for us to do together. We had a good time with it.”
Ayton getting more comfortable
After two preseason games and several more practices, Ayton is starting to get more comfortable with his role inside the Lakers’ offense.
He took more shots in the second game against the Warriors, making three of eight from the field, than in the first game against the Suns, missing both shots, and he scored more points against the Warriors (seven) than against the Suns (two). He blocked two shots in each game and has a total of 15 rebounds.
“How comfortable am I getting? Um, real comfortable, to where I am starting to know their plays and where the screens are and in general, Lakers terms and Lakers basketball,” he said. “So, it’s becoming quite easy just to read the floor and what [Lakers coach] JJ [Redick] likes and what he wants us to be known as, especially going into our rhythm offense and transition offense. So, yeah, the terminology and everything is starting to be easy and I feel in control on each end.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Panthers look to build off Opening Night win as hungry Flyers arrive in Sunrise
Fresh off an exciting win on Opening Night, the Florida Panthers are set to continue their season-opening homestand on Thursday night.
The Panthers will welcome the Philadelphia Flyers to Sunrise in what will be Philly’s first game of the new season.
Florida featured some new-look forward lines in their opener, and overall the results were quite good.
The Panthers new top line of Sam Bennett centering Brad Marchand and Carter Verhaeghe created an impressive 14 scoring chances at even strength, which is more than the entire rest of the team combined (13), according to Natural Stat Trick.
Defensively, Florida’s fourth line, which featured new signing Luke Kunin skating between A.J. Greer and Jonah Gadjovich, was quite good defensively.
They allowed no scoring chances or high danger chances against, though they did earn three high danger chances of their own, generating a pair of rebound opportunities to boot.
As for the visiting Flyers, not only to they get to face the defending Stanley Cup Champs to open their season, but two of their first three games will come against the Cats, including their home opener on Monday.
Thursday’s game will also be the first behind the bench for new Flyers Head Coach Rick Tocchet.
The former Jack Adams winner will look to lead Philadelphia back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Playing his first game in Flyers orange will be exciting young forward Trevor Zegras.
He was brought to Philly in an offseason trade after spending his first five seasons in the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks and will be looking to recapture the success he saw during his first three years in the league, and move past the frustrations of the past two.
Here are the Panthers’ projected forward lines and defensive pairings for Thursday’s matchup with the Flyers:
Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart
Mackie Samoskevich – Evan Rodrigues – Jesper Boqvist
A.J. Greer – Luke Kunin – Jonah Gadjovich
Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
Dmitry Kulikov – Jeff Petry
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Photo caption: Oct 7, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Jesper Boqvist (70) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Chicago Blackhawks during the third period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
'I Heard Them Early In My Career In A Negative Way': Maple Leafs React To Blue Jays-Fueled Fans At Scotiabank Arena
When Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman struck out New York Yankees left-fielder Cody Bellinger to win the ALDS, Maple Leafs fans — who were still inside Scotiabank Arena — let out a huge roar. So did whoever was controlling the Toronto Maple Leafs' goal horn.
Throughout the Maple Leafs' season-opening win against the Montreal Canadiens, the team's game presentation staff posted the Blue Jays' score on the Jumbotron. At some points, they even had the game live for all of the fans to watch.
Everyone had their eyes glued during the second intermission. Fans remained in their seats, and the media crowded around a TV in the press box. In the third period of the home opener, once the Blue Jays went up 5-1 over the Yankees in the eighth inning, fans began the chant: "Let's Go Blue Jays!"
Morgan Rielly, who scored Toronto's game-winning goal against the Canadiens: "I liked that. It's not the first time I've heard them. I heard them early in my career in a negative way," he grinned. "It's cool. We got the game on now, so we got the boys all around the TV watching it."
Anthony Stolarz allowed two goals on 31 shots for his first win of the NHL season. He was happy to see the Blue Jays beating the Yankees for a couple of reasons.
"As a (New York) Mets fan, I'm happy to look up and see those scores," he smiled.
"I got some buddies back home that I'm sure are watching the game pretty closely and aren't happy right now. So I'll be sure to shoot them a text."
“Let’s Go Blue Jays” chants ring out inside Scotiabank Arena after the Jays go up 4-1 over the Yankees. pic.twitter.com/SIRnKS9s5M
— Nick Barden (@nickbarden) October 9, 2025
Stolarz is entering his second season in the blue and white. He'll be here for four more seasons after this one, following the signing of a four-year, $15 million contract on Sept. 28. One of the reasons he wanted to remain in Toronto was because of the fan base, which he's embraced since arriving in the city two summers ago.
"I think that's something a lot of guys have touched on, and this city is extremely passionate. Just to hear the roar and just to see how much they support their teams, it's just more motivation for us to continue to progress as this year goes on and make a deep run."
What was Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube's reaction to the Blue Jays chants?
"I mean, I get it. Everybody's excited and the Jays are doing well and everything," he smiled. "So, I mean, it's all fine. It's just a little different, but it's good. We're all into it."
As Berube walked off after his media availability, he gave a commanding "Go Jays Go!"
Mark Giordano Joins Marlies As Coaching Advisor And Other Maple Leafs Hires To Hockey Ops DepartmentMark Giordano has been seen around the Toronto Maple Leafs since early July, and he now has an official role with the hockey club.
The first game of the ALCS goes down sometime on Sunday, either against the Detroit Tigers or the Seattle Mariners. The Maple Leafs will likely practice that day, but most of the players are definitely going to be glued to the TV after the skate.
"You can just feel the energy in the city," Auston Matthews said earlier this week. "The atmosphere was great in there (for Game 2 against the Yankees). It was nice to have the roof open. The weather's been great.
"It definitely got you really excited just to get going in our own regard, but we're obviously rooting for them pretty hard."
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Vancouver Canucks Gameday Preview #1: Welcome To The 2025-26 Regular Season
The wait is finally over as the Vancouver Canucks kick off their 2025-26 regular season against the Calgary Flames. Vancouver will be opening up their season at home, while Calgary started their campaign on Wednesday. Last season, the two Pacific Division rivals split the season series, with each team going 2-1-1.
A key for the Canucks will be getting out to a quick start. As mentioned, this will be the second half of a back-to-back for the Flames, who battled the Edmonton Oilers on the road in their season opener. If Vancouver can hold offensive possession and test Calgary's goaltender early and often, it could provide an advantage later in the game.
The Canucks also need to ensure they build off the energy provided by the fans. Rogers Arena is going to be loud, which should provide a boost for Vancouver, especially early on. Ultimately, the Canucks cannot afford a similar situation to last year, where Vancouver gave up a 4-1 first-period lead before falling 6-5 in overtime to the Flames.
Players To Watch:
Braeden Cootes
Welcome to the NHL, Braeden Cootes. After an impressive training camp and pre-season, the 2025 first-round pick will make his NHL debut, becoming the first 18-year-old since Petr Nedvěd in 1990 to play for Vancouver. Projected to play on a line with Evander Kane and Jonathan Lekkerimäki, it will be a special moment for Cootes and his family when he hits the Rogers Arena ice for his solo rookie lap.
Matvei Gridin
Another teenager in this game will be 19-year-old Matvei Gridin. A first-round pick in 2024, the Russian forward was selected using the Canucks draft pick, which was sent to Calgary in the Elias Lindholm trade. Coming off a successful NHL debut where he scored and recorded five shots, Gridin could be a handful for Vancouver in this game.
Vancouver Canucks 2024-25 (38-30-14):
Points:
Quinn Hughes: 16–60–76
Brock Boeser: 25–25–50
Conor Garland: 19–31–50
Jake DeBrusk: 28–20–48
Pius Suter: 25–21–46
Goaltenders:
Kevin Lankinen: 25-15-10
Thatcher Demko: 10-8-3
Calgary Flames (1-0-0):
Points:
Matvei Gridin: 1-0-1
Connor Zary: 1-0-1
Blake Coleman: 1-0-1
Nazem Kadri: 0-1-1
Matt Coronato: 0-1-1
Goaltenders:
Dustin Wolf: 1-0-0
Game Information:
Start time: 7:00 pm PT
Venue: Rogers Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: Sportsnet 650
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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Flyers Have Only 1 NHL Star Left to Chase in 2026 Free Agency
The Philadelphia Flyers were hoping to splurge on a bonafide NHL star in the 2026 free agency class, but in recent weeks, their options rapidly thinned out.
Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov signed a record-breaking extension to stay put, and on Wednesday, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel agreed to an eight-year, $108 million ($13.5 million AAV) deal to remain in Sin City.
With those two off the market, the Flyers are left with only New York Rangers star Artemi Panarin to chase.
The problem, of course, is that Panarin will turn 34 years old at the end of this month.
It's certainly plausible the former 120-point-scorer hits free agency, given the volatile state of the Rangers and the general lack of team success there.
However, it's important to note that Panarin is in the last year of a seven-year, $81.5 million ($11.643 million AAV) contract and will be due for a big raise, regardless of his age. The 34-year-old is represented by agent Paul Theofanous, who just negotiated the eight-year, $136 million extension ($17 million AAV) for Kaprizov.
NHL Trade Rumors: Flyers Badly Need Defensive UpgradesThe Philadelphia Flyers are reportedly scouring the NHL trade market for much-needed defensive reinforcements, but which players are actually going to be worth their while?
The Flyers do have some advantages in going after Panarin, such as being able to sell the veteran on playing with young talents and fellow Russians like Matvei Michkov, Nikita Grebenkin, and, soon, Egor Zavragin.
Fortunately, after clearing significant cap in the Ryan Ellis trade, the Flyers won't have any issues affording Panarin and any potential contract demands that end up being greater than what the public sphere would expect.
Plus, the Flyers hold arguably the greatest trump card in that Panarin's father-in-law, Oleg Znarok, works for the team and has for two seasons now.
Of course, signing Panarin doesn't address the Flyers' continued needs at the center position, but, in theory, they do still have Sean Couturier, and Trevor Zegras could very well surprise people now that he's rejuvenated and back home on the east coast.
Flyers to Begin New Season Without Key DefenderIn a somewhat surprising injury update, the Philadelphia Flyers are going to be without one of their top defensemen to start the 2025-26 regular season.
From there, the Flyers would just have to hope that Jack Nesbitt and/or Jett Luchanko can fill out the bottom-six in the short term and develop some top-six upside in the right environment in the long term. Such a climate would be super friendly for that growth, too, given that it would include Panarin, Michkov, Travis Konecny, and Porter Martone.
But, in the event the Flyers aren't able to sign Panarin? Eichel and Kaprizov are already locked down, which effectively dashes any plans of making a splash signing in the 2026 free agency period.
Then, it would come down to a big trade, or no move at all.
Allen Iverson states Steph Curry ‘absolutely' is a top five all-time NBA player
Allen Iverson states Steph Curry ‘absolutely' is a top five all-time NBA player originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Allen Iverson has placed Steph Curry in his all-time top five players before, and he isn’t budging now.
“Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Shaquille O’Neal,” Iverson said in an interview with CBS when asked about his all-time NBA top five.
Maurice Dubois of CBS questioned the Hall of Famer’s inclusion of Curry in the list.
“Absolutely,” Iverson responded. “Never seen anything like him before in my life.”
Iverson has given Curry his flowers before, telling the Warriors superstar, “You’re in my top five all day,” during the 2019 NBA All-Star weekend.
Curry shared his appreciation for the recognition during the following season on the “All the Smoke” podcast with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes.
“I ain’t never had a big head. That dude who I picked up a lot of game and inspiration from — he’s now looking at my game,” Curry said. “Some OGs, they don’t want to relinquish the praise. Same way we respect the OGs, we want it both ways. So when you do hear that, that means something.”
Iverson isn’t the sole OG giving Curry praise. Another player in his top five list, O’Neal, has been a frequent Curry booster in recent years.
“I demand you fans to start putting Steph Curry in that greatest of all time conversation,” O’Neal declared during a TNT broadcast in March. “Just start putting him in the conversation. There’s [Michael Jordan], there’s Kobe [Bryant], there’s LeBron [James]. Start putting Steph in that conversation. I demand it.”
Curry, 37, enters his 17th NBA season with a plethora of accolades. He stands alone as the career 3-point leader and the only unanimous MVP in NBA history.
As G.O.A.T. and top five debates continue as they always do, the stars of the generations past still recognize Curry as one of the best to step on an NBA court.
How Hugo Gonzalez's historically big hands give him an edge on defense
How Hugo Gonzalez's historically big hands give him an edge on defense originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
If we told you who has the biggest hands ever measured at the NBA Scouting Combine, you wouldn’t be surprised to learn it’s Tacko Fall, the 7-foot-6 former Boston Celtics big man whose hand length measures 10.5 inches.
But you’ll definitely be surprised to learn who’s second on that list: Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez.
That’s right: The 6-foot-6 guard from Spain posted a hand length of 10.25 inches at the 2025 NBA Combine, the second-longest measurement in combine history behind only Fall.
We should note that hand length data at the combine only dates back to 2010, and that Gonzalez’s 10.25 inches are tied with two other players: Dexter Pittman and his current Celtics teammate, Xavier Tillman. But we should also reiterate that Gonzalez is a guard and is still just 19 years old, which means he could grow even more.
Celtics Insider Chris Forsberg caught up with Boston’s 2025 first-round pick at Celtics Media Day to get the skinny on how Gonzalez’s massive mitts give him an extra edge.
“You don’t realize it, but I guess some blocks that I got were touching with the very last part of my fingers. That’s helped,” Gonzalez told Forsberg. “If you’re going to go for a steal, you have bigger hands (to snatch the ball).”
Gonzalez’s hands aren’t just large, either — they’re also extremely flexible, as he demonstrated to Forsberg by contorting his pinkie and thumb in various uncomfortable directions.
“It’s super elastic, so I can push (my pinkie back),” Gonzalez said. “I have elastic hands.”
Gonzalez put those hands into action right away in Boston’s first preseason game Wednesday night, racking up three blocks and a steal in the Celtics’ 121-103 win.
“As soon as you can impact the game defensively, making the correct feel, the correct things, I think that’s the most important thing apart from having big plays or something like that,” Gonzalez told reporters after the game. “Just being correct defensively, so you can help the team to the win.”
The young guard, who spent the last three seasons with Real Madrid and debuted with the Spanish club when he was 16, plays with a relentless motor and boasts impressive defensive upside that was on display Wednesday night. He also showed flashes offensively, finishing with eight points on 3-for-4 shooting with a 3-pointer.
Gonzalez is still raw, and his NBA development may take time. But it’s clear why the rookie’s effort and physical traits appealed to president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.
Ohio University football coach Brian Smith working without a contract
For a second consecutive football season, there is a major-college coach who is essentially working without a contract, at least for now.
Shaikin: Dodgers hope a very, very rested hometown hero can pitch them into NLCS
With the 21st pick of the fifth round of the 2011 draft, the Boston Red Sox selected a high school shortstop named Mookie Betts. The kid, as it turns out, plays a pretty mean shortstop.
With the first pick of the fifth round of the 2011 draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected a Hart High pitcher named Tyler Glasnow.
Fourteen years later, with Betts playing behind him, Glasnow on Thursday gets the chance to pitch his hometown Dodgers into the National League Championship Series.
“It would be awesome,” Glasnow said. “Growing up, loving the team, being able to pitch for them now?
“It would be everything.”
For Glasnow, yes, but also for the Dodgers.
It would eliminate the possibility of the Dodgers playing for their lives on Saturday, amid the deafening decibels of Citizens Bank Park.
And it would vindicate the Dodgers’ strategy of all but mothballing an elite starting pitcher for almost three weeks and then handing him the ball and asking him to win them the division series.
Glasnow last made a normal start 19 days ago.
Read more:Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Dodgers quickly lose control in NLDS Game 3 loss to Phillies
He has pitched twice since then: an intentionally abbreviated three-inning start 12 days ago, and a relief appearance five days ago, in Game 1 of this division series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I think he's full go,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It was nice to get him in there in Philly, but as far as kind of his buildup, I think it's just a normal start.”
In fairness to the Dodgers, they had no idea this would finally be the year they would have a full house of healthy and effective starters at the end of the season, instead of at the beginning.
They opted for Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani as their top three starters. The wild-card round only lasted two games, and Glasnow is starting Game 4 of the division series.
That meant juggling the rotation so the top three would be ready for the wild-card round, and giving Glasnow an outing in relief to keep him sharp.
“He’s been starting the whole season,” catcher Ben Rortvedt said. “I don’t think a lot changes. He threw out of the bullpen, and I think that was the big challenge for him.
“He’s back to schedule, back to doing what he does. Looking forward to it.”
It is not entirely fair to judge a player by his salary, but that is what you sign up for when you play for the Dodgers, who traded for Glasnow two winters ago and then awarded him a contract for $136.5 million. He made the All-Star team last season, but tendinitis in his pitching elbow kept him from pitching in the playoffs.
It also is not entirely fair to judge a player by his postseason results, but that too is what you sign up for when you play for the Dodgers.
In 10 postseason starts — all for the Tampa Bay Rays — Glasnow is 2-6 with a 5.72 earned-run average.
In his lone appearance against the Phillies this season, Glasnow pitched two-plus innings, walking five and giving up five runs.
Read more:Plaschke: Dodgers blow surefire win in NLDS Game 3 vs. Phillies, and now they could blow the season
The opposing pitcher that day is the opposing pitcher Thursday: Cristopher Sánchez, with the Dodgers one win from a berth in the NLCS.
The Dodgers invited Steve Garvey to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday, and after that to deliver the ritual words that precede every home game.
Garvey inserted a word into Vin Scully’s trademark phrase.
“It’s time for Dodger championship baseball,” Garvey said.
On Thursday, Glasnow can make sure it’s time for Dodger championship series baseball.
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Undervalued Fantasy Basketball Picks: Players with First-Round Upside
Nine players typically get selected in the first round of every draft, and then it becomes a crapshoot. Those nine guys include Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama, Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Davis and Trae Young. That means anything can happen at the end of that opening round and the beginning of the second round, but we'll choose the best of the rest for this piece.
Domantas Sabonis and Karl-Anthony Towns are often the next two players taken in the opening round, so we'll omit those big men as well.
Devin Booker, PHX 
(ADP: 12.8)
I'm starting to see Booker creep into the first round of some drafts, and it's about time that everyone comes around. This perennial All-Star is in for a career-high usage rate, thanks to the Suns going into a rebuild. They've parted ways with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, leaving Booker as the only true playmaker on this team. He'll play point guard next to Jalen Green after averaging a career-high 7.1 assists per game last year. His point total did dip to 25.6 points per game, but we expect Booker to get close to 30 since he's likely looking at 35-40 minutes and over 20 shots a night. This might be a bold call, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Booker have a Houston Harden-type season with a league-leading usage rate very much in play.
James Harden, LAC 
(ADP: 15.3)
Speak of the devil! We had Harden as one of our top recommendations in this same article last season, and he delivered a beautiful bounce-back campaign. The former MVP averaged 22.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 3.0 threes per game. Most importantly, Harden played 79 games last year and has played at least 65 games in all but two years throughout his 16-year career. All the players in the Top 30 post superstar statistics, but the reliability of a 70-game season can't be overlooked from a fantasy perspective. Drafting a 36-year-old always feels risky in the first round, but the consistency speaks for itself. The only real concern is the depth of this roster, but that could lead to Harden creeping back to double-digit assists like we've seen throughout most of his career.
Kevin Durant, HOU 
(ADP: 19.0)
There simply aren't many players as special as KD. This 15-time All-Star is entering his first season with the Houston Rockets and looks poised for another monster season. In a "down" 2024-25 campaign, Durant averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.2 blocks and 2.6 threes per game. He also shot 53 percent from the field, 43 percent from three-point range and 84 percent from the free-throw line. Having an all-around stat line like that is one thing, but adding elite shooting is truly ridiculous. What's even more absurd is that this stat line has been the norm since 2008, so why would we expect anything different this season? The injury question marks, aging and fresh team dynamics are obviously in play, but KD will always be a top-25 player in fantasy until he retires.
Stephen Curry, GSW 
(ADP: 17.1)
It's funny that we have these three aging superstars in here, but it's telling of how many people overlook these guys in drafts. We actually had Harden, Durant and Curry in the same piece last season! Everyone wants the shiny new toys or the mystery box, but these veterans are as safe as it gets. The aging and injuries are the only real concerns with a superstar like Curry, but he still averaged 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 4.4 threes per game last year. Curry shot 45 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range and 93 percent from the free-throw line as well. That sort of shooting is why Curry has been a top-10 player for nearly two decades, and he should remain the focal point of this Warriors offense. We're also encouraged that Curry has played at least 63 games in four of the last five years, and the addition of Jimmy Butler should help open things up for this offense while making Golden State more competitive.
Amen Thompson, HOU
(ADP: 25.5)
We've presented some unmistakable options to enter the opening round, but let's get one youngster in here that's a bit outside the norm. I'm not advocating that Thompson should be selected in the first round this season, but he seems like one of the most likely guys to enter that realm next year. This 22-year-old showcased an elite fantasy resume in his sophomore season, averaging 14.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. Having defensive numbers like those is nearly impossible to find, and this kid is only scratching the surface of what he could become. Thompson took over ball-handling duties at times in the second half of last season and could be the primary point guard with Fred VanVleet out for the year. We could see Thompson's scoring approach 20 points per game while handing out 5-6 assists a night. Adding that nearly double-digit rebound total and 2.7 stocks per game could have Thompson looking like a top-10 player this season.
Other Players in Consideration:
Tyrese Maxey, PHI
Alperen Sengun, HOU
Evan Mobley, CLE
LaMelo Ball
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Nico Iamaleava was Aidan Chiles’ HS rival. Michigan State’s QB still looking for first win
Joe Rossi and Michigan State football's defense got plenty of prep to face UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava - from his high school rival, Aidan Chiles.