Cincinnati Reds vs. Atlanta Braves – Brandon Williamson vs. JR Ritchie

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 31: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds runs to third base during the game against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park on May 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Brandon Williamson gets the start on Tuesday night in Atlanta as the Cincinnati Reds begin their penultimate series of the season against the Braves.

JR Ritchie will start for Atlanta, and he’ll chuck out the game’s first pitch at 7:15 PM ET.

The Braves have already clinched the NL East and have the slimmest of chances to earn a 1st round bye, so this game is more likely than not nothing more than a footnote of history.

Here’s how both teams will line up to start, however:

Today’s Lineups

REDSBRAVES
Carlos Jorge – RFRonald Acuna – RF
Elly De La Cruz – SSDrake Baldwin – DH
Sal Stewart – 1BMatt Olson – 1B
Tyler Stephenson – COzzie Albies – 2B
JJ Bleday – LFMichael Harris – CF
Eugenio Suarez – 3BMauricio Dubon – LF
Dane Myers – CFAustin Riley – 3B
Hector Rodriguez – DHSean Murphy – C
Matt McLain – 2BHa-Seong Kim – SS
B. Williamson – LHPJR Ritchie – RHP

New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays: Max Fried vs. Drew Rasmussen

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 15: Max Fried #54 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game between the New York Yankees and the Minnesota Twins at Target Field on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Andrew Ritter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Earlier this afternoon, we saw the blueprint for what an Aaron Judge-less postseason run will have to look like: Incredible performance from the starter, good defense, and just enough hitting to get by. The Yankees will look to repeat that in the nightcap of today’s doubleheader, with a crackling starting pitcher matchup.

Max Fried toes the slab in the Bronx, having an excellent season albeit one twice interrupted by injury. He’s rounding out the regular season with one of my favorite statistical quirks, an identical 2.63 ERA and FIP. Had he avoided the IL with a year like this, the Yankees would have two of the likely top three finishers in Cy Young voting, but all we can ask of Max tonight is that he delays the Rays’ champagne celebration at least one more day.

Opposing him is a starter who will get his share of Cy Young votes, although he won’t sniff the award itself. Across 29 starts Drew Rasmussen has posted a four-and-a-half win year by fWAR, and a stellar 4.5-percent walk rate. If you wanna get on against Drew, you have to hit your way aboard, and even then he runs a 44-percent groundball rate. The Yankees are going to have to rely on one big swing a game for a little while, and that’s going to have to be the way they beat Rasmussen.

The Yankees’ lineup features a familiar presence returning from the IL, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. is back from his brief absence and will man the keystone. Max Schuemann was demoted to make room for Jazz on the active roster. If the man has a hot stretch ready for the end of his bumpy walk year, now would be the time to kick it off.

How to watch

Location: Yankee Stadium – Bronx, NY

First pitch: 7:05 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, Rays.TV, TBS (out-of-market only)

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY) | WDAE 95.7 FM, WQBN/1300AM (TB)

Streaming: Gotham Sports App, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)

For updates, follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.

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GameThread: Detroit Tigers vs. Washington Nationals, 6:40 p.m.

Sep 11, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle (7) throws to first base after dropping the ball against the Colorado Rockies in the fifth inning at Comerica Park. McGonigle was charged with an error. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Detroit Tigers (74-83) vs. Washington Nationals (73-84)

Time/Place: 6:40 p.m., Comerica Park
SB Nation Site:Federal Baseball
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Drew Anderson (5-6, 3.62 ER) vs. LHP Jackson Kent (1-4, 6.40 ERA)

PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWAR
Anderson48102.025.19.949.14.190.7
Kent732.117.915.249.04.370.4

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GUARDIANS AT RED SOX: Messick vs. Tolle, discussion

CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 29: Angel Martínez #1 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a fly ball to left field for a home run, scoring Jo Adell (not pictured) to give Cleveland a 2-0 lead in the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field on August 29, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Russell Lee Verlinger/Cleveland Guardians/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here’s the Guardians lineup:

Here’s the Red Sox lineup:

Let’s go, Guardians!

Brandon Nimmo shares thoughts on Mets' new core, playing for New York, Pete Alonso's Citi Field reception

For the first time since getting traded by the Mets during the offseason, Brandon Nimmo gets a chance to play against his former team.

With New York in Texas for a three-game series against the Rangers, Nimmo was finally able to share his thoughts on playing for and leaving the Mets, what’s gone wrong for New York this season and recently, as well as the Pete Alonso situation at Citi Field that took the baseball world by storm last week.

To kick things off, though, Nimmo expressed excitement over playing his old club, a series that he circled early on after joining the Rangers and one that comes at a time when his team, at 78-78, is in first place in the AL West and leading the Houston Astros by one game.

“I obviously knew this series was coming up and it’s not like it surprised me or anything, so it’s gonna be fun to see those guys again and fun to play against them on the field,” Nimmo said. “It’s gonna be interesting.”

The Mets, of course, have already been eliminated from playoff contention after one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, but they’ll do their best to play spoiler against Nimmo and the Rangers and end the year on a high note.

In fact, New York has actually played much better since its fire sale at the trade deadline, which is something Nimmo has noticed and is not taking lightly.

“I think it’s been a tale of two stories,” he said. “I think that the team in the beginning, from what I’ve seen from the outside, is much different than the team that they are now. Not just because of the trade deadline, but they seem to be playing better baseball now and so I think it’s a real formidable team over there. 

“For us, we’re looking to really go play some good baseball against them tonight because we know that they’re very dangerous. It was obviously not the way that they drew it up for things to start, but that’s baseball. You can’t predict the future.”

It’s true, at 71-85 on Sept. 22, this wasn’t where the Mets pictured themselves before the season started. After trading Nimmo and moving on from a core that wasn’t able to get it done over the last few years, including Alonso, who they let walk in free agency, David Stearns and the Mets still had a plan to compete in 2026.

That plan included a bunch of fresh faces, some old and some new like Carson Benge, who made the team out of spring training and has been a ROTY candidate, as well as A.J. Ewing, who emerged as the team’s everyday center fielder and added a spark when New York desperately needed one.

“Benge seems like the real deal. What a great player all around,” Nimmo said. “…Ewing, seems like he’s got a lot of tools and seems like a great player – obviously playing center field is a really hard thing to do and he’s doing a great job of that. 

“From what I’ve seen from the young guys that they have over there, it seems like a really bright future, so I think that they definitely have that hammered down and seems like they’re doing great and good things to continue to come from them.”

From that aspect, moving on from Nimmo, who has four years remaining on his eight-year, $162 million contract, made sense and has worked out for the Mets.

Even Nimmo understands that.

“I honestly just think we weren’t thought of as the solution moving forward,” he said, referring to himself and Alonso. “I don’t think we were blamed for what happened in the past, I think we were just thought of as not the solution going forward. I tried not reading any more into that than that… For me, I didn’t look at it like ‘hey, we blame you guys’ that’s not how I looked at it.”

But while the Nimmo trade has been, for the most part, a clean break, the Alonso situation still looks like a bad breakup.

That was obviously on full display at Citi Field recently when Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles came to Queens for a three-game set which drew boisterous crowds all three nights and came to a head when Alonso hit his 300th career home run to tie the game in the ninth inning.

“There’s a lot of people that love Pete and there’s a lot of people that love what he did for that Mets organization,” Nimmo said about the circumstances. “…People are gonna go watch those franchise guys and root for them.”

Nimmo was also in awe of his former teammate’s performance during that series, but wasn’t surprised by it as he saw it time and time again with the Mets.

“I know Pete and he lives for those moments and there’s very, very, very few people that can live for those moments and come through in them and Pete’s one of them,” he said. “I think [the home run in] Milwaukee probably solidified that for most Mets fans, but I’ve seen it time and time again.”

He continued: “For me, I thought it was a really cool experience for them and the Mets fans and I just think it’s so Pete that like he would go back and do that and put on a show for the fans.”

Part of the reason why fans reacted the way they did during Alonso’s homecoming is because of Stearns' plan to replace him and the lack of production coming from first base this season. The other part was to show Alonso the love that they felt during his time with the Mets – the same love that they showed Nimmo, who spoke about what it’s like playing in New York.

“This is completely different,” he said, referring to the media and public scrutiny. “How much is looked into every single day and the exposure of every single day rather than kind of taking things in stride from month to month. [In New York], it’s like did you do it today or did you not? And you have to own up to that and it’s something that I learned really early on, way back in Brooklyn. I grew up in the system and I figured it out really early on, but when you come from other places and you go into it, it’s completely different.

“Playing in New York is a different animal and it’s good, it’s a really great thing and I think that the New York market is awesome and it’s a great place to win and I developed great relationships there, but it is not for everyone. That is for sure."

St. Louis Cardinals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Game Discussion Tuesday

PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 30: JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals rounds second after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 30, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Just 6 games to go for the St. Louis Cardinals this season. Tuesday night, it’s the beginning of a 3-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Andre Pallante will get the start for the Cardinals while the Pirates will give the ball RHP Jared Jones. First pitch at PNC Park in Pittsburgh is scheduled for 5:40pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.

  1. JJ Wetherholt (L) 2B
  2. Iván Herrera (R) DH
  3. Alec Burleson (L) 1B
  4. Jordan Walker (R) RF
  5. Leo Bernal (S) C
  6. Bryan Torres (L) LF
  7. Thomas Saggese (R) 3B
  8. Nathan Church (L) CF
  9. Masyn Winn (R) SS

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San Diego’s magic number falls to two as Padres turn to rivals in final road trip

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 20: Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run against the Miami Marlins during the second inning at Petco Park on September 20, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The San Diego Padres are here to stay. They only need one more win (and one Arizona Diamondbacks loss) to clinch the postseason on Tuesday night versus the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Friars throttled the Miami Marlins, sweeping the away team and outscoring them 22-11 in the series sweep.

The Friars got an incredible performance from Walker Buehler. The starter went 6 2/3 innings and was nearly perfect through the first six. The trouble came in the seventh when Buehler surrendered a three-run shot to Javier Sanoja. Thankfully, San Diego’s offense has been rolling lately. The lineup has scored a ridiculous 80 runs in their last 11 games, for an average of 7.3 runs per game. They’ll need that to continue to clinch versus the Dodgers.

Taking the mound

Brock Stewart (LAD) v. Michael King (SD)

It seems like L.A. is pitching a bullpen game tonight. Stewart was announced as the starter for the Dodgers, but will likely only cover the first 1-2 innings as an opener. The right-hander owns a 2.55 ERA across 24 2/3 innings pitched this season. It’s been tougher lately though, with Stewart surrendering three runs in his last seven appearances.

It seems likely that Justin Wrobleski will appear to cover the middle innings. He had a phenomenal start to the season, but has struggled since with a 4.40 ERA in his last 15 games and a dismal 7.62 ERA in his last 23 2/3 innings. Wrobleski hasn’t faced San Diego this season.

King has been the Padres’ ace this season. He’s stepped up in a major way after an injury-plagued 2025 campaign. The right-hander owns a 3.03 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP through 181 innings pitched. He’s been even better down the stretch, with a 2.73 ERA in his last 15 starts (89.0 IP) and a 2.01 ERA in his last seven (44.2 IP).

Not only that, but King has pitched quite well versus Los Angeles this season. The righty has surrendered six runs across 17 1/3 innings pitched against the Dodgers. Most of that damage came on June 28, with King surrendering four runs in 4 1/3 innings. In his other two starts, King pitched a seven-inning shutout and a six innings of two-run ball.

Batter up!

Jake Cronenworth has been more than due lately. He’s batting .229 on the season with a dismal .637 OPS. That said, he plays above-average defense all around the diamond and has been quite the utility player for San Diego. He became so much more than that on Sunday afternoon, putting together his first multihomer game of the season. Cronenworth is currently on a 10-game hitting streak and has batted .464/.516/.786 in his last seven games.

  1. Fernando Tatis Jr., 2B
  2. Dustin Harris, RF
  3. Manny Machado, DH
  4. Ty France, 1B
  5. Jackson Merrill, CF
  6. Xander Bogaerts, SS
  7. Jake Cronenworth, 3B
  8. Samad Taylor, LF
  9. Freddy Fermin, C

Machado has been DH-ing quite a bit lately. It’s possible that his hand is injured and the Padres are making sure their star third baseman will be ready come playoffs. He’s actively winced multiple times at the plate since seeming to injure it during San Diego’s recent road trip.

Relief corps

With Buehler pitching six pristine innings before collapsing in the seventh, only three relievers needed to be used. Kyle Hart got the final out of the seventh before Bradgley Rodriguez came in. He pitched a scoreless eighth and Mason Miller started warming up with the score at 5-3. That changed quickly when Cronenworth knocked in his second homer of the day, but Miller still came out to finish the game.

With the off day on Monday, the Padres will have their whole ‘pen available for their series opener in L.A. That said, those who will be readily available are Griffin Canning, Kyle Hart, Yuki Matsui, Adrian Morejon, David Morgan, Wandy Peralta and Randy Vásquez. King shouldn’t have too many troubles, but the Friars have options if their ace struggles.

Washington Nationals vs Detroit Tigers Game Thread

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 19: Dylan Crews #3 of the Washington Nationals catches a fly ball against the St. Louis Cardinals in the third inning at Busch Stadium on September 19, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Last night was not a competitive performance from the Nats. The offense did not show up and the pitching put them in a hole. Hopefully the boys can get back to playing like they have the past couple weeks. With only five games to go, this season is almost over. Why not finish strong.

Blake Butera is making a couple alterations to his lineup. The struggling Abi Ortiz is out of the lineup in favor of Andres Chaparro. Yohandy Morales plays DH, which means the outfield consists of Daylen Lile, Dylan Crews and James Wood. CJ Abrams will shift to second base as well. Keibert Ruiz will do the catching tonight. Riley Cornelio will open for Jackson Kent.

The Tigers are adding two exciting left handed rookies to this lineup. Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark are both in there tonight. Clark will play center, while McGonigle plays third base. Both Dillon Dingler and Riley Greene are on the bench tonight. Swingman Drew Anderson will get the start for Detroit tonight.

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Game Info:

Stadium: Comerica Park

Time: 6:40 PM EST

TV: Nationals.TV

Radio: 106.7 The Fan

Hopefully the Nats can put up more of a fight in this one. They had been playing some solid baseball. We are getting very close to the end of the season and I do not have many more game threads to write for a while. I will miss this! Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats.

5 Canucks Players To Watch In 2026 Pre-Season Game 2 Against The Flames

After falling on Saturday, the Vancouver Canucks return to action on Tuesday for Game 2 of the 2026 pre-season against the Calgary Flames. Vancouver will be travelling to Calgary, with game time scheduled for 6:00 pm PT. Here are five players to watch on Tuesday. 

Arshdeep Bains

Where Arshdeep Bains plays this year will be an intriguing storyline to follow. The 25-year-old is most likely headed for the AHL, but would need to clear waivers to be assigned to the Abbotsford Canucks. Projected to play on a line with Aatu Räty and Matt Stienburg, Bains needs to stand out on Tuesday if he wants a shot at making the NHL roster. 

Kevin Lankinen

Tuesday will be Kevin Lankinen's first start of the campaign. The 31-year-old did not have the strongest training camp, but it will be easier to judge his performance against an opposing NHL team. With Thatcher Demko's status still unknown, the Canucks will likely lean heavily on Lankinen again this year, as he is currently the team's projected night-one starter. 

Victor Mancini

Victor Mancini is another player currently on the bubble to make the NHL team. The 24-year-old struggled on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken and is currently in a battle for the seventh defender slot. Mancini is expected to get plenty of ice time on Tuesday and will need to show he can be reliable in his own zone against NHL competition. 

Mar 12, 2025; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Victor Mancini (90) against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Mar 12, 2025; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Victor Mancini (90) against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Aatu Räty

Tuesday is a big night for Räty as it will be his final game of the 2026 pre-season. Due to the new CBA rules, the 23-year-old will be ineligible to play any more games, as he has already hit his maximum of two. Projected to start the season as Vancouver's fourth-line center, Räty needs to show he can contribute at both ends of the ice. 

Canucks Projected Lineup For Game 2 Of The 2026 Pre-Season Versus The Calgary FlamesCanucks Projected Lineup For Game 2 Of The 2026 Pre-Season Versus The Calgary FlamesThe Vancouver Canucks battle the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night.

Brooks Rogowski

One prospect to keep an eye on Tuesday is Brooks Rogowski. The 2026 second-round pick had a decent training camp and is now ready to show what he can do against NHL competition. Listed at 6'7", 235 lbs, it shouldn't be hard to tell when Rogowski hits the ice during his pre-season debut. 

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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Payton Tolle makes his final start before the postseason

BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 13: Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates a strike out during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Sunday, September 13, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Joe Sullivan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Chad Tracy told us not to look very much into the order of the rotation this week, but it’s hard not to note that Payton Tolle is starting tonight exactly one week before the Wild Card series begins, and Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez are set to go tomorrow and Thursday. That feels like a Game 1, Game 2, and Game 3 setup for New York, but again, we’ll still have to wait a few more days for official word.

Regardless of how the Sox choose to stack the deck, this will be Tolle’s final tune up before the showdown against the Yankees, so how he looks here will be even more important than the result of this game for the Red Sox.

On the contrary, this game means everything to Cleveland. Despite entering the night three games behind the Red Sox, they’re currently leading the AL Central by a game over the Chicago White Sox, and if the season ended today, they’d actually get a bye and wouldn’t even have to play in the Wild Card round.

To help them maintain control of that bye, they have their ace Parker Messick on the mound, who enters the evening with a 2.57 ERA and 186 strike outs on the season.

Switching gears to the Red Sox lineup, the biggest note is that Roman Anthony is again in left field and Jarren Duran starts the night on the bench. This is becoming the theme against left handed starts, which is obviously noteworthy for next week because Carlos Rodon and Max Fried are both left handed.

Today’s Lineups

GUARDIANSRED SOX
Steven Kwan – CFRoman Anthony – LF
Jose Ramirez – 3BNick Sogard – 1B
Chase DeLauter – RFJahmai Jones – DH
Jo Adell – DHWilyer Abreu – RF
Angel Martinez – LFAdley Rutschman – C
David Fry – 1BCaleb Durbin – 3B
Travis Bazzana – 2BAndruw Monasterio – 2B
Austin Hedges – CIsiah Kiner-Falefa – SS
Brayan Rocchio – SSNate Eaton – CF
Parker Messick – LHPPayton Tolle – LHP

⚾️ First Pitch: 6:45pm — Fenway Park. Boston, MA

📺 TV: NESN

📻 Radio: WEEI

Join us in the game thread below!

Pirates move on from reliever acquired at trade deadline

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 03: Camilo Doval #75 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on August 03, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In a surprising move in the last week of the season, the Pirates are cutting ties with one of their mid-season acquisitions.

The Pirates activated reliever Kirby Yates off the 15-day injured list on Tuesday and designated right-hander Camilo Doval for assignment. 

Doval was acquired from the New York Yankees two days before the trade deadline. He pitched in some high-leverage situations during his two months in black and gold.

It wasn’t a failure of a tenure, but not a good one either. In 20 games, Doval posted a 3.79 ERA but a 1.74 WHIP over 19 innings of baseball. 

He struck out 23, but walked 13 batters and dealt with consistent control issues that plagued him in New York.

Doval has one year of club control remaining, and comes as a slight surprise that the Pirates moved on from him. Pittsburgh traded Double-A catcher/first baseman Omar Alfonzo to the Yankees for Doval, who ranks 28th in New York’s farm system, per MLB Pipeline.

It’s a sign the Pirates were willing to non-tender Doval later in the offseason, but moved past him faster than many expected. 

He led the National League in saves (39) with the Giants in 2023, but has never regained the dominant form he found years ago in San Francisco.

The Pirates host the St. Louis Cardinals for the final home series of the year beginning Tuesday at 6:40 p.m.

Gabe Perreault ‘Not Focused’ on Contract Extension As He Enters Final Year Of Rookie Deal

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

With the NHL’s new CBA changes eliminating eight-year contracts, making seven-year contracts the longest a player can re-sign with his own team, along with the salary cap increase, we saw multiple young players sign multi-year contract extensions before they were set to hit restricted free agency.

Notably absent from that group of young players was Gabe Perreault, who is set to become a restricted free agent next offseason and did not sign a contract extension with the New York Rangers. 

Perreault seems to be comfortable playing the final season of his rookie deal without an extension in place. 

“I’m not focused on that at all,” Perreault said about whether or not he’s still thinking about a future contract extension. “I’ll kind of let my agent handle that, and we’re just going to focus on day-by-day and having a big year. It'll take care of itself.”

When asked about contract negotiations between the Blueshirts brass and Perreault’s camp, Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury declined to go into details. 

After starting the 2025-26 campaign with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, Perreault burst onto the NHL scene in December, staying with the Rangers for the remainder of the season.

In 49 games, the 21-year-old forward recorded 12 goals, 15 assists, and 27 points while averaging 15:59 minutes. 

Over the course of the season, it was evident that Perreault continued to build confidence, which allowed him to make more of an offensive impact. 

“I think my game progressed a lot during the year,” Perreault said. “The details, getting more confident, making more plays, kind of knowing when to make a play, I kind of think I grew a lot in that. I grew in the details of my game defensively too and on the forecheck. Those were the big things I focused on.”

By the end of the season, the 2024 first-round pick was putting his high hockey IQ and playmaking skills on display, eventually stepping into a top-six role.

Through observing the progression of Perreault from behind the bench, Mike Sullivan feels that the game was able to slow down for him as he grew more accustomed to the NHL game.

“I think the biggest thing for Gabe was the adjustment to the speed and the pace of the NHL game and the size and strength of the players,” Sullivan said. “I think he’s adjusted to the pace of the game and I think the game has slowed down in his brain, which is one of the challenges every young player has to overcome. When they are trying to make the NHL.”

A large portion of Perreault’s success came when he played on a line with Alexis Lafrenière and Mika Zibanejad. 

Last season, that line outscored opponents 14-10 at five-on-five while they had a 48.57 percent expected goal rate according to Natural Stat Trick.

Through the first few days of training camp, Sullivan has reassembled the Perreault-Zibanejad-Lafrenière line with the hopes they can emulate their previous triumph. 

“I think we're all kind of smart players. We kind of think the game pretty similarly, and I think we kind of bring something a little bit different to the line,” Perreault said. “At the same time, there are similarities, and I think we clicked well. Those guys are easy to play with for me, so it went really well at the end of the year, and hopefully we can keep it going.”

Entering a contract year, it’s critical that Perreault continues to progress his game and take a big leap in his first full NHL season with the goal of earning a long-term extension and becoming a cornerstone piece for the Rangers.

“Our expectation is that he’s going to build on the season he had last year,” Sullivan said. “Our expectation is that he will build on that (last season) and grow.”

Top Scoring Griffins Scorer Included In Latest Red Wings Roster Trim

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The Detroit Red Wings have already completed one-fourth of their preseason schedule, and by the end of Tuesday evening, they'll be halfway through.

Following their 1-0 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday evening, the Red Wings will be back on the ice 24 hours later against the Pittsburgh Penguins. And before their second exhibition contest, they've moved closer to finalizing their roster for the upcoming 2026-27 NHL campaign.

Multiple Detroit players hit the waiver wire, including John Leonard, who was the leading scorer for the American Hockey League affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins last season.

Among the other names waived by the Red Wings are forwards Dominik Shine, Sheldon Dries, Cameron Butler, and defensemen William Lagesson and Jacob Bryson. 

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Leonard originally joined the Red Wings on a one-year, $775,000 contract last summer after spending the previous season with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. He later made his Detroit debut in December after leading the AHL with 19 goals through his first 20 games.

He finished the season with two goals and two assists in 11 NHL appearances while leading Grand Rapids with 32 goals and 21 assists in 46 games.

He also added a goal and four assists in eight Calder Cup Playoff games. Following the season, he was given a one-year extension worth $850,000. 

Shine, a Michigan native, has spent his entire professional career with the Griffins and was named their captain prior to last season. He made his NHL debut with nine appearances in 2024-25 before scoring three goals in 18 games with Detroit last season.

He also recorded 21 goals in 40 games for Grand Rapids and was Detroit's 2026 Bill Masterton Trophy nominee. 

Michigan Native Dominik Shine Nominated For 2026 Masterton Trophy Michigan Native Dominik Shine Nominated For 2026 Masterton Trophy The Detroit chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association has officially nominated forward Dominik Shine as the club's 2026 nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy.

Having played at Western Michigan, Dries went undrafted but has NHL experience with the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks. He signed with Detroit in 2024 and scored 23 goals and 45 points in 57 games for Grand Rapids last season. The Red Wings re-signed him to a two-year, two-way deal in February.

Butler also went undrafted and has one NHL game with Columbus, along with time in the Minnesota Wild organization. He signed a one-year, two-way deal with Detroit this offseason.

Lagesson, drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2014, has 107 NHL games under his belt, including seven with Detroit in 2024-25. He added three goals and 18 assists in 61 games with Grand Rapids last season.

Bryson, a 2017 pick of the Buffalo Sabres, split last season between the Sabres and Winnipeg Jets before signing a one-year, $850,000 deal with Detroit. He has six goals and 45 assists in 304 NHL games.

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NBA division rivals make a deal. Who the Hawks, Hornets traded

NBA training camps are just days from opening up, but that didn’t stop a minor deal from being completed — and one between division rivals.

The Charlotte Hornets are shipping forward Dorian Finney-Smith to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for guards Buddy Hield and Ryan Nembhard, a person with direct knowledge of the matter confirmed Tuesday, Sept. 22 to USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke under the condition of anonymity because the trade had not been publicly announced.

Finney-Smith, 33, had been known as a 3-and-D perimeter option, but he posted career lows in points (3.3 per game), rebounds (2.5), field goal percentage (33.3%) and 3-point percentage (27%) across 37 games last season for the Houston Rockets.

The Hornets had only acquired Finney-Smith in July, in a trade for cash considerations.

In exchange, Charlotte, which also plays in the Southeast Division, is getting another two players to boost its recent emphasis on shooting.

Hield, 33, is a career 39.5% 3-point shooter, but could not crack the rotation in Atlanta after the Hawks acquired him in the February deal that also brought Jonathan Kuminga to Atlanta and sent center Kristaps Porziņģis to the Golden State Warriors.

Nembhard, the younger brother of Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard, was forced into a starting job at point guard for the Dallas Mavericks while star Kyrie Irving was recovering from his torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Nembhard was an undrafted rookie last season but shot 35.6% from beyond the arc. He averaged 6.6 points per game. He had similarly just been acquired in a July trade that sent 2024 No. 1 overall selection Zaccharie Risacher to the Mavericks.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA division rivals make a deal. Who the Hawks, Hornets traded