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Lakers reportedly being sold from Buss family to Dodgers owner Mark Walter for record $10 billion valuation

The Lakers may be the biggest team brand in the NBA, with the most globally recognized star on the team, but in many ways, they were a throwback — the Lakers were the Buss family business. The children of legendary owner Jerry Buss run the team as their primary source of income, all have roles in operating the team, and they own the team through a shared trust (they own 66% of the Lakers). However, without a massive outside income source, it has become increasingly difficult for them to keep up financially in spending off the court with private equity owners or individuals like cross-town Clippers owner Steve Ballmer (net worth $151 billion). For example, the Lakers have likely the smallest scouting staff in the NBA; it was just not where they spent money. The cost of keeping up has been getting harder for a team that has to turn a profit to feed a lot of mouths.

That's why the Buss family is selling a majority stake of the Lakers to Dodgers owner Mark Walter at a franchise valuation of $10 billion, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN and confirmed by others, including NBCLA.

The Buss family will retain 15% ownership, at least for a time, according to the report. That is enough for Jeanie Buss to stay on as governor under the NBA's bylaws, and she is expected to do so. This sale has to be approved by the NBA Board of Governors (the other owners).

This sale price sets the record for an NBA team, topping the $6.1 billion valuation of the Boston Celtics for their sale earlier this year (that sale is still being finalized).

Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke for $67.5 million, and that sale included the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and the Los Angeles Forum (now owned by the Clippers' Ballmer and is a popular concert venue). The Lakers have won 11 NBA championships since that purchase and have consistently featured some of the best and most popular players in the sport, including Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and now LeBron James.

Jeanie and the five other Buss children own the Lakers through a complex trust set up by Jerry Buss before he passed in 2013, and they could only sell if the majority of them agreed to the deal. While there had been rumors that Jim Buss — who was head of basketball operations for the team but was ultimately pushed aside by Jeanie as fans grew restless — and at least one other family member had wanted to sell for a while. The way the trust is rumored to be structured, the shares owned by the Buss children do not automatically pass on to their children (if one Buss family member passes, the split goes from six to five). With several of those Buss family members older than 60, it may have factored into the decision.

Walter is the CEO of TWG Global, a private equity company, as well as the co-founder and CEO of Guggenheim Partners. He is the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers (with Guggenheim) as well as the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, Chelsea FC of the English Premier League, the Cadillac Formula 1 racing team (as well as other auto racing teams) and the Professional Women's Hockey League. He bought a share of the Lakers in 2021 — 27% of the team from Philip Anschutz — and with that, he was given the first right of refusal should the Buss family choose to sell.

Magic Johnson, the Lakers legend and part-owner of the Dodgers (and often the face of that management team), told Lakers fans to celebrate.

What Walter has shown with the Dodgers is a willingness to spend. While the NBA salary cap structure — especially now with its luxury tax aprons — is not going to allow Walter to buy players in quite the same way he has with the Dodgers, there are certainly places he can spend off the court such as the scouting mentioned above. The Lakers do not own Crypto.com Arena — AEG, the Anschutz Entertainment Group run by Philip Anschutz does, and he also owns the NHL's Kings — but have a lease that runs through 2041.

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Mets Notes: Francisco Alvarez not in lineup after defensive blunder; injury updates

After a disappointing loss to the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night that saw the Mets make a slew of costly mistakes, New York will look to rebound on Wednesday in the middle game of the three-game series.

Before the game, manager Carlos Mendoza touched on the loss and also gave updates on a few of his injured players.

Francisco Alvarez out, Luis Torrens in

Following a throwing blunder in the bottom of the 10th inning that led to the game-winning run to score, the 23-year-old catcher is not in Wednesday's starting lineup. In Alvarez's place, Torrens is behind the plate and batting sixth against LHP Chris Sale.

With both catchers essentially splitting duties so far this season after Alvarez began the season on the IL with a hamate bone fracture, the decision to bench the young backstop isn't necessarily due to his misplay. However, Mendoza did say that both players will continue to get playing time even with Torrens struggling offensively.

"I’ve been saying it, they’re both gonna play," the skipper said. "So I just thought getting Luis in there, it needs to continue to be that way. Alvy will play, Luis will play and I just thought today was a good day for Luis to be in the lineup."

For what it's worth, Alvarez took responsibility for his gaffe after last night's game and was clearly upset about it. Nevertheless, his production offensively and defensively hasn't been great this season and he went 0-for-3 with a walk and run scored in the loss.

The down year by Alvarez thus far is disappointing after he burst onto the season in 2023 with 25 home runs during his rookie season. He has just five extra-base hits in 115 at-bats this season and is hitting .235 with a .636 OPS.

Regardless, Mendoza has seen some signs that the youngster could be on the right track.

"He’s on time for the fastball," Mendoza said. "Yesterday I didn’t see that, in particular, but I’m gonna go back to the past week where I feel like he’s hitting the ball in the air, he’s hitting the ball hard – something that we didn’t see early on when he got back from the injury.

"I like some of the takes, some of the breaking balls that he’s taking, so I do feel that he’s – I know he’s working and it hasn’t been easy for him, but the one thing with Alvy is he’s very positive and he’ll continue to grind through it."

Despite leaving him out of the lineup, Mendoza knows how important Alvarez is to the team and that to get him out of the funk he's been in, he needs to be in lineup.

"In Alvy’s case, the way you’re gonna fight through it is by being in the lineup. You can hit outside and hit early and things like that, but he knows how important he is for this team and we know how important he is and we’re gonna need him, obviously. So, we’ll continue to help him and work with him. He’s got a lot of potential," Mendoza said.

On the injury front

Frankie Montas (right lat strain) is making his sixth rehab start on Wednesday and his fourth for Triple-A Syracuse.

It hasn't gone well for the right-hander who signed with New York during the offseason, owning a 13.17 ERA (2.34 WHIP) in just 13.2 innings. In his last start, Montas managed to only go 1.2 innings and allowed eight earned runs on seven hits and a walk.

The Mets are hoping for a better performance on Wednesday as they near the deadline to make a decision with the 32-year-old.

"Let’s see how he feels after the outing today," Mendoza said. "We wanna see execution, obviously, and then we have a decision. We gotta talk to him, but we’re approaching the deadline where we gotta make a decision on him."

When asked if by a decision he meant using Montas as a reliever or starter with the big league club, Mendoza clarified.

"No, no like activate him," he said. "Because first he’s gotta be 100 percent healthy, which knock on wood he keeps saying he’s fine. So we just gotta wait, get through today, see how he comes back tomorrow and the next day and then we have a decision."

With the Mets in need of starting pitching help after injuries to Kodai Senga and Tylor Megill, it's a bit telling that the team doesn't seem eager to activate Montas.

Meanwhile, after DHing in his first rehab start, Mark Vientos (hamstring) is off on Wednesday. He's scheduled to play third base soon and New York would like to see him play back-to-back games in the field before proceeding.

As for another third baseman, Brett Baty is feeling better after missing Tuesday's game with a groin injury, but Mendoza and the Mets still need to wait and see.

"He’s better, but I gotta see how he goes during BP today and ground balls and things like that," the skipper said. "But early on when I saw him he said he was feeling a little bit better.”

Who's starting Friday?

The Mets still don't know, but are working through it and will likely have a better idea tomorrow.

What they do know is whoever pitches on Friday will give them length -- it will not be a bullpen game. Whether the pitcher starts the game or comes in after an opener like New York has done a couple of times this season remains to be seen, although the latter hasn't been discussed.

"We’ll see," Mendoza said. "Get through today, tomorrow, but we haven’t talked about a potential opener yet, so we gotta see what kind of shape we’re in going into that game."

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Yankees' Marcus Stroman retires first 10 batters in second rehab start for Double-A Somerset

Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman (left knee inflammation) made his second rehab start with Double-A Somerset on Wednesday night and was dominant through the first three innings, retiring the first 10 New Hampshire Fisher Cats he faced, including four strikeouts.

Things then got a little messy for the right-hander in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Stroman struck out the leadoff hitter, but gave up a double to Charles McAdoo, who stole third and scored on a throwing error by catcher Rafael Flores. He walked a man, let up a single, and threw a wild pitch to give NH runners on second and third base.

The veteran was pulled after the wild pitch, ending his night after 55 pitches (34 strikes) and 3.1 innings. Overall, he allowed two earned runs on two hits with four strikeouts and a walk.

Coincidentally, Stroman also tossed 3.1 innings in his first rehab outing on June 11, allowing one run on one hit and two walks with four strikeouts.

The 34-year-old last pitched in the big leagues on April 11 and had struggled prior to the injury, owning an 11.57 ERA with just seven strikeouts over 9.1 IP across three starts.

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Lakers selling majority ownership of franchise to Dodgers owner

FILE - Mark Walter speaks during a news conference in Los Angeles.
Mark Walter, the controlling owner of the Dodgers, will purchase a majority ownership stake in the Lakers. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press)

The Los Angeles Lakers, a family-run business since Jerry Buss purchased the franchise in 1979, will be sold to Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter and TWG Global, according to multiple people briefed on the deal.

The deal is expected to occur with the Lakers’ valuation being about $10 billion — a record for a professional sports franchise.

Walter will now lead the city’s two premier professional sports teams.

Control of the Lakers went into a family trust after Buss died in 2013, with daughter Jeanie Buss operating as the team’s governor. The structure of the trust meant the majority of Buss’ six children — Johnny, Jim, Jeanie, Janie, Joey and Jess — would need to agree for a sale to occur.

The Lakers didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The sale was viewed as a massive surprise in NBA circles.

Read more:Lakers will be looking for bargain deals when offseason gets here

Jeanie Buss reportedly will remain governor under the terms of the sale. All controlling governors representing teams in league meetings need to own at least 15% of the franchise to serve. The Buss family owned 66%.

The sale will end family-run control of the Lakers, who have achieved incredible success — 11 NBA championships earned by some of the league’s most iconic figures, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James — under Buss and his children’s leadership.

“I know that my sister Jeanie would have only considered selling the Lakers organization to someone she knows and trusts would carry on the Buss legacy, started by her father Dr. Buss. Now she can comfortably pass the baton to Mark Walter, with whom she has a real friendship and can trust,” Magic Johnson wrote in a post on X.

“She’s witnessed him build a winning team with the Dodgers and knows that Mark will do right by the Lakers team, organization, and fans! Both are extremely intelligent, visionaries, great leaders, and have positively impacted the greater Los Angeles community! I love both my sister @JeanieBuss and my business partner Mark Walter.”

In March, Bill Chisholm purchased the Boston Celtics from Wyc Grousbeck for $6.1 billion. Mark Cuban sold his control of the Dallas Mavericks late in 2023 for $3.5 billion.

And earlier that year, Marc Lasry sold the Milwaukee Bucks for $3.5 billion. Grousbeck and Cuban were two of Jeanie Buss’ closest confidantes among league ownership.

Walter and Todd Boehly became the Lakers’ largest minority shareholders in 2021 when they bought 27% of the franchise — a stake previously held by Phil Anschutz.

“The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful and admired franchises in sports history,” Walter said in a news release at the time. “I have watched the organization grow under Jeanie’s leadership and couldn’t be more excited to partner with her and the entire management team. I am committed to supporting the franchise’s iconic status by continuing to bring together culture, community and entertainment to Lakers’ fans.”

Walter was a relatively anonymous billionaire in 2012, when Johnson and Stan Kasten were the marquee partners in the purchase of of the Dodgers for $2 billion, then the largest price paid for a Major League Baseball team.

Critics scoffed at the purchase price, but Walter and Boehly then negotiated a record $8.35-billion local television deal with Time Warner Cable. Sportico this year valued the Dodgers at $7.73 billion and estimated that they generated $1 billion in revenue last year, highlighted by the global economic boost they gained from signing Shohei Ohtani to a record $700-million contract.

The Dodgers also won the World Series last year, their second championship and fourth World Series appearance in the last eight years. In the 13 seasons since Walter and his group bought the Dodgers, the team has posted a winning record every year. In that same 13-season span, the Lakers have one championship, one NBA Finals appearance and six winning records.

After buying the Dodgers, Walter and Boehly explored buying AEG, the entertainment giant that owns the Kings and Crypto.com Arena. Walter subsequently bought the Sparks, invested in the Lakers and launched a professional women’s hockey league in which the championship trophy is called the Walter Cup.

If the Dodgers’ purchase is any indication, Walter might not make an immediate flurry of changes with the Lakers. After he bought the Dodgers, he retained general manager Ned Colletti through the 2014 season before replacing him with Andrew Friedman.

The beloved O'Malley family sold the Dodgers before the turn of the century, saying the economics of professional sports had exploded beyond the means of families with no other significant source of income.

Under Walter, the Dodgers have not only raised their payroll to record levels but invested heavily in areas that they believe help deliver a winner, from a vaunted analytics department to dietitians for their major and minor league players and expanded clubhouses with the latest in hydrotherapy. The owners also have invested more than $500 million into renovating Dodger Stadium, adding modern amenities to a 63-year-old ballpark.

The Lakers, whose minority owners include Los Angeles Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, are entering a critical moment in the franchise’s history. James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, has a $53-million player option that he needs to either accept or decline by June 29. If he declines, he’d be an unrestricted free agent.

The team also is trying to sign Luka Doncic, who it acquired in a shocking trade last February, to a massive contract extension functionally making him the future face of the franchise. He’s eligible to sign an extension on Aug. 2.

Times staff writer Jack Harris contributed to this report.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Former Vancouver Canucks Goaltender Roberto Luongo Discusses Florida Panthers’ 2025 Stanley Cup Win

With the Florida Panthers’ 5–1 win in Game 6 of the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals, former Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo is officially a two-time Stanley Cup champion. He, along with former Canucks Jonah Gadjovich and Nate Schmidt, won the championship after four grueling playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, and Edmonton Oilers. 

This is Luongo’s second Stanley Cup in as many years, as he and the Panthers also won against the Oilers in the 2023–24 season. Prior to that, he and the Canucks came only a hair away from their first in franchise history with a seven-game Stanley Cup Finals series in 2011. Cory Schneider was his goaltending partner at the time and, ironically enough, interviewed Luongo on the ice after his second Stanley Cup win. 

“It’s surreal, does not feel real. Last year was crazy, this year even crazier, to do it again,” Luongo told NHL Network analysts and former players Schneider and Brian Boyle. “When the time came they stepped up and they played the way we know how to play, an unbelievable performance.”  

Energy from the home crowd can be a big part of a team’s playoff wins, as seen from the Abbotsford Canucks’ home-ice success. Luongo, who banged the drum for the Panthers ahead of Game 6, jokingly noted how he was “more nervous for the drum than the game.” 

Latest From THN’s Vancouver Canucks Site:  

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Now that the dust has settled around Game 6, one of the most polarizing images to come from the Panthers’ celebrations the night before was a photo of Luongo and Brad Marchand posted from the former’s X account. Marchand, a member of the 2011 Boston Bruins team that took Vancouver to seven games, was acquired by the Panthers at the 2025 Trade Deadline for a conditional second-round draft pick that has now become a first. 

“Bill [Zito] and the team, we get together and work together as a team, we identify guys, we talk it over, we have disagreements, but at the end of the day we always find some guys that we think fit the way we play — we call them Panthers,” Luongo told Schneider and Boyle of Florida’s trade deadline acquisitions and how they have been able to fit seamlessly with the team. 

Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Roberto Luongo, former player, bangs the drum before the start of game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Now that the Stanley Cup has finally been awarded for the 2025 season, all teams will shift their focus onto the oncoming NHL Entry Draft and Free Agent Frenzy on July 1. 

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, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

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Lakers to be sold to Dodgers owner at $10bn valuation, per reports

The Lakers will be sold at a $10bn valuation, according to reports. Photograph: Harry How/Getty Images

The Buss family is entering an agreement to sell a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers at a $10bn valuation, ESPN reported on Wednesday, marking the end of an era for one of the NBA’s most influential families.

Mark Walter, the CEO and chair of holding company TWG Global, is set to take the majority ownership under the agreement, ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania said in a post on X. Walter was already a minority owner in the Lakers and is also primary owner and chair of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball, and the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.

Related: Thunder move one win from franchise’s first NBA title in 46 years after holding off Pacers

The Lakers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The late Jerry Buss bought the Lakers in 1979 and turned it into one of the most popular and valuable franchises in all of professional sports, winning five championships during their now-iconic “Showtime” era in the 1980s.

His daughter, Jeanie Buss, took over as principal owner after Jerry Buss died in 2013, making her one of the most powerful women in sports. The modern-day Lakers have continued to attract big stars with mixed success, including recently with LeBron James, with whom the team won the 2020 NBA title. This year, the team swung a blockbuster trade for Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić.

Jeanie Buss will stay on as governor after the sale, Charania reported.

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Devils trade Erik Haula to Predators in exchange for Jeremy Hanzel, 2025 fourth-round pick

The Devils made their first big move of the offseason Wednesday, trading veteran forward Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

New Jersey now has seven picks in the 2025 NHL Draft: two second-round picks (NJ and Edmonton via Utah), one third-round pick (Vegas), two fourth-round picks (NJ and Nashville), and two sixth-round picks (NJ and San Jose). The draft begins on Friday, June 27 and goes through Saturday, June 28.

Haula, 34, was entering the final year of his three-year contract ($3.15 million AAV). Over three seasons with the Devils, he totaled 41 goals and 56 assists (97 points) with 140 penalty minutes across 227 games. He was originally a seventh-round pick by the Minnesota Wild in the 2009 NHL Draft and spent time with them, the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Predators, and Boston Bruins before being acquired by NJ in the Pavel Zacha trade in 2022.

The forward recorded 21 points (nine goals and 12 assists) over 51 games during his first stint with Nashville in the shortened 2020-2021 NHL season.

Hanzel, 22, was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He was then acquired by the Predators in March 2024 and spent the 2024-2025 season with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) and Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL), registering two penalty minutes over four games with Milwaukee and three goals and 19 assists (22 points) with 28 penalty minutes for Gwinnett.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Hanzel was part of the Seattle Thunderbirds' WHL championship-winning team in 2023. He amassed 149 points (39 goals and 110 assists) in 218 games with Seattle over four seasons, plus 35 points (seven goals and 28 assists) over 41 playoff games.

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Astros at Athletics Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 18

It's Wednesday, June 18, and the Astros (42-31) take on the Athletics (30-45). Framber Valdez is slated to take the mound for Houston against Luis Severino for the Athletics.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Astros at Athletics

  • Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
  • Time: 10:05PM EST
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, Space City Home Network

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Astros at the Athletics

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Astros (-162), Athletics (+136)
  • Spread:  Astros -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Athletics

  • Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Framber Valdez vs. Luis Severino
    • Astros: Framber Valdez, (7-4, 3.10 ERA)
      Last outing (Chicago White Sox, 6/12): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 12 Strikeouts
    • Athletics: Luis Severino, (2-6, 4.47 ERA)
      Last outing (Kansas City, 6/13): 7.2 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 1 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Astros at Athletics

  • The Astros' record in their last 5 games stands at 4-1
  • The Over is 23-14 in the Athletics' home games this season
  • The Athletics have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 1.59 units

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Astros and the Athletics

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Astros and the Athletics:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Astros on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Athletics at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

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The Edmonton Oilers Should Learn From The Champs And Make Bold Moves

The Edmonton Oilers once again came up short in the Stanley Cup final, falling to the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row. 

Now, the overriding question becomes, “What do the Oilers do next?” That question isn’t so easy to answer, with some tough calls to make.

On the one hand, there’s a clear temptation to run it back with the same group of players. Edmonton was only one win away from a Cup championship in 2023-24, and they were only two wins away this year. The Oilers’ core should be relied on to have a successful 2025-26 campaign, and GM Stan Bowman would be a fool to mess around with it. 

However, what would the Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights or Tampa Bay Lightning do? These are the most successful teams in the NHL in recent years, and they all share one thing in common: the willingness not to be satisfied with the results they put together, no matter how successful they’ve been.

Panthers GM Bill Zito was fortunate and savvy enough to win his first Cup last season, and he had the stones to walk away from key defenseman Brandon Montour when he sought a raise. Before that, Zito traded MacKenzie Weegar and a 115-point Jonathan Huberdeau in the deal that brought star Matthew Tkachuk to Florida.

Even after this year’s second Cup win, Zito may allow lifelong Panther Aaron Ekblad to leave for greener pastures via free agency after trading for five more years of Seth Jones. Zito has always been one of the more proactive GMs in the league, and he’s never been afraid to shake things up.

Left to right: Adam Henrique, Kasperi Kapanen, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

Meanwhile, Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon has become famous for being cold-blooded in his roster decisions from year to year. Whether it’s acquiring defenseman Noah Hanifin and centers Tomas Hertl and Jack Eichel, McCrimmon has never been content with sticking with the status quo.

In Tampa Bay, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois has also constantly changed his lineup. BriseBois has traded (and reacquired) veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh, landed Nick Paul and Jake Guentzel, dealt for star Brandon Hagel, acquired (and traded) center Barclay Goodrow and left winger Tanner Jeannot and traded star defenseman Mikhail Sergachev while letting captain Steven Stamkos walk. Looking at the macro picture, it’s quite something to see how willing BriseBois has been when changing the mix of his team.

The Oilers need to be just as proactive with the talent on their roster. They’re almost assuredly going to be re-signing RFA D-man Evan Bouchard, and they’re going to take very long looks at UFA forwards Corey Perry, Trent Frederic, Connor Brown and Kasperi Kapanen. 

But there will probably be a lot of frustration if Edmonton brings back the same goalie tandem next season. One or both of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have to go. Whether that means trading for current Anaheim Ducks veteran John Gibson or taking a chance on a different netminder, the Oilers just need some more reliable, consistent netminding.

The Oilers Must Address Their Goaltending, Regardless Of What Happens In The FinalThe Oilers Must Address Their Goaltending, Regardless Of What Happens In The FinalThere was a time during the playoffs this year where Stuart Skinner of the Edmonton Oilers had not posted a single-game save percentage between .835 and .999, which means he was either lights-out or out to lunch in every game.

In any case, while it would be easy and comfortable for Bowman to bring back just about everybody, the better option would be for him to make some notable roster changes. If it’s good enough for the Panthers, Golden Knights and Lightning, it should be good enough for Edmonton, especially if it convinces superstar captain Connor McDavid to sign a contract extension.

Change is not only necessary, but it’s crucial to keep up with the Joneses as other high-end teams continue making moves to improve. That should be front and center on Bowman’s mind as he plots out the next steps for this Oilers franchise.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Stott catches Marlins by surprise with his biggest swing in a month

Stott catches Marlins by surprise with his biggest swing in a month originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies’ coldest hitter was the one most responsible for their 4-2 win Wednesday night in Miami and the player benched the day before made the defensive play of the game to end it.

Bryson Stott, hitting .183 with a .246 on-base percentage and one home run since May 9, produced one of his best swings of the year in the fourth inning against Marlins right-hander Adam Mazur, hitting a game-changing three-run homer.

It probably caught Miami by surprise. Stott swings at the first pitch less than any hitter in the National League (12%) but attacked Mazur’s first offering, a 94 mph fastball up in the zone and over the plate, clobbering it to right-center field to turn a one-run lead into a four-run lead.

It was more than enough support for Ranger Suarez, who tossed seven more ho-hum innings of one-run ball in his eighth consecutive gem.

Still, the Phillies had to hold on at the end as Matt Strahm put three men on base in the ninth inning and had the winning run at the plate. Nick Fortes hit a flyball to deep right field that Nick Castellanos raced backward to catch, leaping up against the wall to end the game.

Castellanos returned to the lineup after a one-game benching for making an inappropriate comment after being pulled for a defensive replacement late in Monday’s win. He made a mistake on the bases but had a multi-hit game.

So did Alec Bohm with two singles and a double in five at-bats. He’s all the way up to .291 and is hitting .336 with an .867 OPS over the last two calendar months.

Suarez set the tone again. The lefty is 6-1 in his last eight starts with a 1.17 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. All eight have been at least six innings and six have been longer. This has been every bit as good as Suarez was in the first half last season when he looked like a Cy Young candidate before being derailed by a back injury.

The Phillies are 44-30 with one more game in Miami on Thursday night before three huge ones at home this weekend against the Mets. The Phils entered the night two back in the NL East.

It was only one swing from Stott but it was a good sign that he’s healthy after irritating a nerve in his right elbow in his final at-bat Monday night. Stott tried to walk off and shake off the pain that night and stayed in the game after being visited by a trainer, surprisingly playing the next day even though manager Rob Thomson told reporters he’d consider giving the second baseman a rest.

The month of June had been especially rough, with Stott going 7-for-52 (.135) with one extra-base hit, a double. He’s been seeing plenty of pitches, fouling plenty of pitches off and running deep counts but not ending them with any consistency or authority.

In his first at-bat Wednesday night, the first pitch Stott saw was a 94 mph fastball right down the middle. He took it for a called strike and ended up whiffing.

The league-average rate of swinging at the first pitch is once every three plate appearances. Stott does so about once every nine plate appearances. He may have told himself walking back to the dugout, if I get another first-pitch cookie, I’m not passing it up. He did, and he unloaded. He also later walked, singled and stole a base.

The Phillies scored in only one inning, the fourth, but it sure helps when they have Suarez piling up zeroes while the offense finds its footing.

The only run Suarez let across was a fifth-inning homer by Connor Norby. He matched a season-high with eight strikeouts.

It’s Cristopher Sanchez’ turn in the finale Thursday night. He’s faced the Marlins only once since 2023 and it was his only career shutout last June.

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‘A no-brainer’: Rubén Sellés takes reins at Sheffield United after Wilder exit

  • New manager ready to helm ‘ambitious project’

  • Wilder expresses ‘great regret’ at his departure

Sheffield United have appointed Rubén Sellés as their new manager after Chris Wilder expressed “great regret” over his departure from Bramall Lane. Sellés was swiftly named as Wilder’s successor on Wednesday evening with the Spaniard signing a three-year deal at the Championship club.

The 42-year-old former Southampton, Reading and Hull manager said: “When we first heard about the possibility of coming here, it was a no-brainer for us to join a club with this kind of history and with a mission to move forward and try to be even more competitive. This is a very powerful and ambitious project. It was very important at the start of the conversations that everyone is on the same page.

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What we learned as Justin Verlander, Giants' bats struggle in loss to Guardians

What we learned as Justin Verlander, Giants' bats struggle in loss to Guardians originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — With school out for the summer, fantastic weather and a new guy named Rafael Devers, the Giants have drawn more than 70,000 fans to the first two weeknight games against the Cleveland Guardians. They haven’t done much to send all those fans home happy. 

It was another quiet night for the new-look lineup as the Giants lost 4-2 to the Cleveland Guardians, who will go for a sweep Thursday. There has been a lot to be excited about since Sunday, but the Giants also have quietly lost five of their last six games. 

Justin Verlander gave up a run in the first and a three-run homer in the fourth Wednesday, putting the Giants in an early hole. The bullpen held tough from there, and Heliot Ramos got two runs back with his 12th homer.

A walk and a balk put a runner on second with one out in the seventh, but Patrick Bailey and Ramos struck out. 

Mike Yastrzemski got the crowd buzzing with a two-out single in the ninth, but Bailey went down looking. The Giants went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and they’re 8-for-52 over their last six games with 51 runners left on base. 

Still Searching

Verlander never could have imagined being winless near the end of June, but he was 0-3 before he went on the IL with pec discomfort and he left with the Giants trailing 4-0 on Wednesday. 

Three of the runs came on the biggest mistake of the night, an 0-2 fastball to second baseman Daniel Schneemann that was middle-middle and got blasted into the seats. That rally started when Tyler Fitzgerald made an error on a grounder to the right side. 

Verlander struck out six and showed his normal velocity, but he also gave up seven hits and walked one. While the error hurt, the line also could have been worse. Spencer Bivens stranded a pair of Verlander’s runners in the fifth. 

Night Two

The second night was a lot quieter for Devers than the first. The new DH went 0-for-3 with a walk in his second game in orange and black, with his most notable at-bat ending quickly.

Willy Adames blooped a single to right to lead off the bottom of the eighth and bring Devers up as the tying run. The crowd started to rise as he dug in against lefty Tim Herrin, but Devers swung at the first pitch and skied it to left. A flyout by Wilmer Flores and a pop-up by Casey Schmitt ended the threat. 

Welcome Back

There should have been little doubt that Bailey would have a solid night in his return from a neck strain. Bailey is extremely close with Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz, a former Giants coach who refers to Bailey as one of his sons. 

The two exchanged plenty of texts in recent days and Bailey assured his former coach that he would be in the lineup against his team. Bailey didn’t show any rust behind the plate, throwing a runner out in his first inning back.

Bailey had just six hits in 42 right-handed at-bats before going on the IL, but he was 2-for-2 against left-hander Logan Allen. In his first at-bat back, he hit a slow roller that stayed true along the edge of the grass and went for an infield single. Two innings later, he singled to center. 

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Reinhart’s Heroics Clinch Panthers Cup Victory

The Florida Panthers did not want to face the prospect of heading back to Edmonton for another deciding Game 7 against the Oilers, and after blowing a three-goal lead in a Game 4 loss on home ice last week, the reigning Stanley Cup Champions dominated Edmonton 5-2 in Game 5 and jumped on the Oilers early in a 5-2 win at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday to clinch their second straight Cup.

The Panthers had a number of players stand out in their run to the championship, including Sam Bennett – who scored 15 playoff goals and was named the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner – and veteran Brad Marchand, who scored five goals in the Cup Final and an overtime breakaway goal in Game 2, but the hero in the clincher was former Buffalo Sabre Sam Reinhart.  

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Reinhart, who was dealt to Florida in July 2021 for goalie Devon Levi and a 2022 first round pick (Jiri Kulich), scored the opening goal less than five minutes into the first period, and then added three more in the second and third period to become the first player to score four goals in a Stanley Cup Final game since Maurice “The Rocket” Richard in 1957. 

Had it not been for Vasily Podkolzin’s late goal to break Sergei Bobrovsky’s shutout bid, the former 2014 second overall pick would have scored the game-winning goal in both Panthers Cup-clinching victories. Along with Reinhart, former Sabres Dmitri Kulikov and Evan Rodrigues earned their second straight Cup victory. 

Former Sabre Jeff Skinner was not much of a factor in the Cup Final, going pointless in three games vs. the Panthers, while Evander Kane continued his undisciplined play, earning his sixth minor penalty of the series for a slash on Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and his second misconduct for a swipe at Matthew Tkachuk. Kane finished the series with one goal in six games and 32 penalty minutes.  

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