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Three NHL Teams That Can Rebound From Bad Starts

While it’s always dangerous to make conclusions on any NHL team this early in the season, we do know some teams have not started their seasons as well as expected.

Three teams in particular have had bad starts but can turn things around in short order:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Record: 1-2-0

Why They Can Turn Things Around: The Blue Jackets dropped their first game of the season to the Nashville Predators 2-1 before beating the Minnesota Wild 7-4. But Columbus dropped its second game of the year 3-2 to the New Jersey Devils.

Having their two losses decided by one goal is a sign that the Jackets aren’t that far off from reeling off a string of victories.

Columbus’ next stretch of games is highly challenging, facing the Colorado Avalanche, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars and Washington Capitals – but after that, in their next six games, they have ‘gimme’ games against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders and Calgary Flames.

So long as the Blue Jackets put up a strong fight against the Avs, Stars, Bolts and Caps, they’ve got the potential to surge up the Metropolitan Division standings. 

Columbus’ explosion of seven goals in the Minnesota game is an indication of how powerful the Jackets’ offense can be. But scoring only three goals in the other two games indicates that consistency with the puck has been a problem for this team. They’ll need to be better from game to game to get into a playoff position in the Metro, but we gave the Blue Jackets a vote of confidence as a playoff team this summer, and we’re sticking by that prediction.

Los Angeles Kings

Record: 1-2-1

Why They Can Turn Things Around:The Kings haven’t performed well in their challenging schedule, losing to the Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets and Wild so far. In their 6-5 shootout win over Vegas, they blew a lead and then had to come back to tie it.

While the Kings did have moments where they looked like a guaranteed Stanley Cup playoff team – narrowly losing to the Jets and Wild in one-goal contests – Los Angeles has struggled to close things out and rise in the ranks of the relatively soft Pacific Division. But there’s good news on the horizon, and that’s coming in the form of the soft-touches they’re going to get in their next seven games.

While there are strong teams in the Kings’ way in their next seven games – the Carolina Hurricanes, St. Louis Blues and Stars – there are more teams that L.A. absolutely should be beating, including the Penguins, Predators, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks. If the Kings can win a couple games against the Canes, Blues and Stars, they’ll be in a great position to go on a winning tear and knock off the others.

The Kings have had problems on defense, with 3.75 goals against per game. But their 2.75 goals-for per game aren't enough, either. Thus, there’s lots of room for improvement for this L.A. team, and we see the Kings getting back on track with a strong stretch of hockey from now until the end of this month.

The Hockey News Big Show: Is Something Big Wrong With The New York Rangers? The Hockey News Big Show: Is Something Big Wrong With The New York Rangers?Katie Gaus, Michael Traikos and Ryan Kennedy discuss Easton Cowan’s start, surprises, turnarounds, the struggling Sabres and Rangers and more

Tampa Bay Lightning

Record: 1-2-1

Why They Can Turn Things Around: It’s been mostly misery for the Lightning this season, with Tampa Bay getting outscored by a combined score of 13-9 in season-opening losses to the Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils and Capitals.

Tampa Bay did beat the Boston Bruins for its only win thus far, and the team didn't lose by more than two goals to the others. The loss to the Capitals came in overtime as well.

That said, Tampa’s upcoming schedule is going to get challenging very soon. In five of their next six games, the Lightning could well turn things around with winnable games against the Detroit Red Wings, Blue Jackets, Blackhawks, Anaheim Ducks and Predators. After that, the road ahead gets considerably more difficult for the Bolts, as they’ll be taking on the Stars, Utah Mammoth, Avalanche, Golden Knights, Capitals, New York Rangers, Florida Panthers and Vancouver Canucks. 

Only three teams have a worse goals-against average than Tampa Bay’s 4.00, so the key area of improvement is clear for this Bolts team. Andrei Vasilevskiy must play like an elite netminder again, and his teammates have got to stop allowing 31.5 shots per game.

By mid-November, the Lightning could either be at or near the top of the highly competitive Atlantic Division – or they could be mired in the mushy middle of the Eastern Conference. But if they put their foot on the gas and make the most of their opportunities against the league’s lesser lights, the harder part of the schedule will be easier for Lightning fans and players to handle. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

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Premier League: 10 things to look out for this weekend

West Ham’s lack of forward planning, Rodri’s fitness concerns and a crunch clash at Anfield

Ange Postecoglou is under increasing pressure at Nottingham Forest having failed to secure a win in his seven games in charge. Reports suggest Sean Dyche is waiting to take over, but history shows Evangelos Marinakis sways like the wind, and victory against Chelsea could be enough to save Postecoglou’s job for now. Goals have been a mounting concern for a team that have been beaten in four of their last five league matches and failed to score in any of those defeats. Failure to find their shooting boots will ensure Forest go three consecutive top-flight games without a goal for the first time since 1999. It will be a tough task against a buoyant Chelsea team, who entered the international break having beaten Liverpool. Moisés Caicedo was instrumental in the win against the defending champions, scoring the opener, and the 23-year-old leads the league in tackles (28) and interceptions (18). Elliot Anderson, whose total of 55 turnovers is also a league-high tally, will have his work cut out for him in what may be his toughest midfield battle of the season. Yara El-Shaboury

Nottingham Forest v Chelsea, Saturday 12.30pm (all times BST)

Brighton v Newcastle, Saturday 3pm

Burnley v Leeds, Saturday 3pm

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth, Saturday 3pm

Continue reading...
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Sharpshooter AJ Green, Bucks reportedly agree to four-year, $45 million extension

Shooting is in demand across the league and the Milwaukee Bucks were not about to let AJ Green go because of it.

Green and Milwaukee have agreed to a four-year, $45 million contract extension with no options on either side, a story broken by ESPN’s Shams Charania and confirmed by other reports. That seems a fair contract for both sides.

Green was undrafted out of Northern Iowa in 2022 but impressed the Bucks enough through the pre-draft process and summer to earn a two-way contract. That season, he played in 35 games with the big club and shot 41.9% from beyond the arc, which earned him a standard NBA contract, albeit at the minimum. Last season, he averaged 7.4 points a game, shooting 42.9% from 3-point range while playing solid defense. He looked even better in the playoffs, averaging 11 points a game on 27 minutes a night.

All of that earned him this contract extension. Green has started every Bucks preseason game so far, averaging 11.3 points per game. He's going to have an increased role on a Bucks team this season that needs his shooting to space the floor.

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Report: Rangers Prospect Generating Trade Interest

Brennan Othmann (© Jessica Alcheh-Imagn Images)

The New York Rangers are once again being discussed the rumor mill. 

In a recent article for Sportsnet, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Rangers have had talks with other NHL clubs about forward Brennan Othmann since he did not make the NHL roster out of training camp. 

With Othmann being a former first-round pick, it is understandable that he is generating some trade interest. He could be a solid low-risk, high-reward prospect for another club to take a chance on if the Rangers are willing to move him. 

Othmann played in 22 games this past season with the Rangers, where he recorded two assists, seven penalty minutes, and 43 hits. He also posted 12 goals and 20 points in 27 AHL games with the Hartford Wold Pack in 2024-25. 

With Othmann being only 22 years old, the Rangers do not need to rush any potential trade involving him. However, if they do not view the 2021 first-round pick as a long-term fit on their roster, he could be a very solid trade chip for the Rangers to use to upgrade their roster now. 

Nevertheless, it is going to be interesting to see what happens with Othmann and the Rangers from here. 

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The Canucks Begin Their First Significant Test This Season

The Vancouver Canucks begin their first big test of the season on Thursday.

The team has had a middling start to its season, putting up a 1-2-0 record so far. Vancouver got off to a winning start by thoroughly beating the Calgary Flames in Game 1 before losing to the Edmonton Oilers and St. Louis Blues in regulation.

But if the Canucks were hoping to get a break from the NHL schedule-maker, they were sorely disappointed.

Between this Thursday and Sunday, the Canucks will play three times on the road. They get a true litmus test in the form of the Dallas Stars on Thursday before a must-win game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday. On Sunday, they take on the Washington Capitals.

The even crazier part of the Canucks’ schedule is that Vancouver doesn’t have a full two days off between Friday and Sunday’s games. The Blackhawks game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET, and the Capitals game is at 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday. That means the Canucks will play three games in about 64-and-a-half hours.

This is what NHLers mean when they talk about young players learning to prepare their bodies for the grind of the schedule. This is why keeping a level head and a strong focus is so important – you have to navigate through a schedule that never feels particularly fair to you, and that probably means you’re not at 100 percent much of the time.

Now, you might look at the Canucks’ schedule and say, “Hey, Vancouver does get a break here by playing a ‘gimme’ game against the sad-sack Blackhawks.” And that is true, considering the Canucks won each meeting in the last three seasons – but you also have to acknowledge that the Stars are one of the best teams in the league, and last season, the Capitals were the best team in the Eastern Conference. 

The Stars and Capitals have gotten off to strong starts to the year, with Dallas going 3-0-0 and Washington going 3-1-0. And the Hawks are 2-2-1 so far.

So each of the Canucks’ next three games could be losses that send them sliding down the Pacific Division standings – or they could be three wins that give them the foundation to climb to the top of the Pacific and stay there. So Vancouver needs to make an early statement.

How The Vancouver Canucks Performed During 4+ Game Road Trips In 2024–25How The Vancouver Canucks Performed During 4+ Game Road Trips In 2024–25With the Canucks now embarking on their first five-game road trip of the 2025–26 season, let’s take a look at how they performed in their five 4+ road game road trips during 2024–25.

It’s not going to be a cakewalk for the Canucks to reverse their slow start, and they will need both goalies – Thatcher Demko and Kevin Lankinen – to get them through this brutal stretch of the schedule.

Demko's played better so far, with a 1.54 goals-against average and .944 save percentage. Maintaining those types of impressive performances throughout the season will be a massive boost for the Canucks, which ranked sixth-last for save percentage in 2024-25, according to naturalstattrick.com. 

In any case, the Canucks need better performances than they’ve got thus far – especially on offense, where their average of 2.67 goals-for per game is tied for 25th in the NHL – and they need those improved performances right away. Vancouver has the talent to be a Stanley Cup playoff team this season. Still, they need to be consistently good in all sorts of situations, including this upcoming punishing stretch of games, if they’re going to get back into the post-season this year. 

The Canucks’ next few games could prove to be a positive harbinger of what’s to come – or they could add to a losing stretch that puts them behind the eight-ball and pushes them lower in the standings. It’s potentially a rollercoaster situation for Vancouver, and how the Canucks respond to this challenge will begin to shape the organization's identity this year.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

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Pistons' Jaden Ivey has right knee scoped, will be re-evaluated in a month

Detroit is looking to take another step forward after a breakout last season, during which it secured a top-six seed and returned to the playoffs. A big part of that next step was expected to be an increased role for guard Jaden Ivey, who was having a breakout year for himself until a fibula injury in January limited him to 30 games.

That next step for Ivey is on hold. He has had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee to relieve discomfort and he will be re-evaluated in a month, the team announced. The Pistons also said that the injury was "unrelated to the fibula injury suffered last season," which tracks with Ivey saying at media day he was feeling "100%." The team's recovery timeline has Ivey missing at least a dozen games.

Ivey played in one preseason game for a total of 14 minutes, but the pain in his knee worsened as training camp and preseason games wore on, coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before the Pistons' preseason game Thursday.

Ivey averaged 17.6 points while shooting 40.9% from 3, while adding 4.1 rebounds and four assists a game last season before his injury. Ivey was expected to take on a much larger scoring role with Dennis Schroder, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley no longer with the team. With Ivey out, expect more from Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson, plus more scoring responsibilities will fall to Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland and Tobias Harris.

Ivey is also extension eligible as he heads into the final season of his rookie contract (making $10.1 million). The sides could still reach a deal, if not, then Ivey will be a restricted free agent next summer.

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Mistakes hurt Flyers, who get outclassed by Jets in 5-2 loss

Mistakes hurt Flyers, who get outclassed by Jets in 5-2 loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Flyers didn’t play a good game against a top team and the result showed it.

They fell to the Jets, 5-2, Thursday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

Owen Tippett drew the Flyers within 2-1 in the middle stanza. But Winnipeg responded just 1:21 minutes later with a goal off a whacky bounce to send the Flyers into second intermission trailing by two.

About midway through the third period, Mark Scheifele put a dagger in the Flyers with his second goal of the night, this one on the power play.

“I think it just comes down to execution,” Tippett said. “I don’t think they did anything special. It just comes down to execution and they buried on their chances and we didn’t.”

Matvei Michkov picked up a late goal before the Jets tacked on an empty-netter.

“We made some mistakes, for sure,” Travis Konecny said. “There was definitely opportunity there. I think they came out flat and so did we. It was not how we wanted to start the game. Regroup, put it aside.”

The Flyers (1-2-1) have dropped three of their first four games. The schedule hasn’t been easy. The Flyers have faced the two-time defending champion Panthers twice, a Hurricanes team that has made the playoffs in seven straight seasons and a Jets club that won the Presidents’ Trophy last season.

“It’s a tough stretch,” Rick Tocchet said Tuesday. “You’ve got to play them eventually. We’ve got some quality opponents right away. There’s no easy game in the NHL.

“We go from the Stanley Cup champs to the Presidents’ Trophy champs. It is a tall order, but even in practice today, I see guys want these moments. … We’re looking for big moments from players. But in the meantime, you have to have the small moments to add up to the big ones.”

The Flyers don’t see the Jets (3-1-0) again until April 11 when the clubs meet at Canada Life Centre.

• At morning skate, Tocchet said the Flyers would be in trouble if they committed turnovers against a team like Winnipeg.

The Flyers had a bad one lead directly to a Jets goal in the second period. Nikita Grebenkin couldn’t handle a pretty low-key pass from Travis Sanheim. Winnipeg pounced on the mishap as Scheifele blasted a shot past Samuel Ersson to put the Flyers down 2-0.

It was a critical momentum swing because the Flyers had just come up empty on a power play.

• Ersson was not particularly sharp and the Flyers weren’t, either.

The netminder surrendered four goals on 14 shots.

The Jets opened the scoring 5:45 minutes into the action when Vladislav Namestnikov buried a rebound at the doorstep. Before Winnipeg got the puck in deep, it looked like Jett Luchanko had an opportunity to clear the defensive zone, but he was quickly pressured and lost the puck.

“They made a good play, I’ve just got to be able to advance the puck,” Luchanko said. “They were able to pounce on us from there.”

In the second period, the Jets countered that Tippett goal when a shot ricocheted off Adam Ginning’s stick and then clanged off Noah Cates’ backside to make it 3-1. On the NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast, Ginning could be seen saying “no way” after the puck went into the net.

“Ginning makes a good block and then it takes a bad bounce,” Ersson said. “It’s a little sh–ty goal.”

Connor Hellebuyck, last season’s Hart Trophy winner as the league’s MVP, stopped 15 of the Flyers’ 17 shots.

• Michkov recorded his first point with his goal late in the third period. That could be a silver lining for the Flyers, who would love to see him get going offensively.

• Cam York made his season debut after missing the first three games with a lower-body injury.

The 24-year-old played on the top defensive pair alongside Travis Sanheim and finished with 22:32 minutes.

With York’s return, Emil Andrae was sent back to AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley.

The Flyers play their third of four straight home games Saturday when they welcome the Wild (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

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Carter Hart agrees to join the Golden Knights after being acquitted of sexual assault

Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial Verdict To Be Delivered

LONDON, CANADA - JULY 24: Carter Hart, centre, leaves the London Courthouse, in London, Ontario, Canada after being acquitted of sexual assault charges, on July 24, 2025. Former world junior hockey players Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod, were all acquitted of sexual assault charges of an alleged sexual assault occurring at a London hotel in June 2018 as the team was celebrating their world championship win months earlier. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Goaltender Carter Hart has agreed to sign with the Vegas Golden Knights, becoming the first of the five 2018 Canada world junior hockey players to land an NHL contract since they were acquitted of sexual assault in a high-profile case.

Vegas announced an agreement with undisclosed terms for Hart on Thursday, the second day after the window opened for the players to sign.

Hart and the others are not eligible to play in games until Dec. 1 as part of the league’s reinstatement process for him, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton.

“The Golden Knights are aligned with the process and assessment the NHL and NHLPA made in their decision,” the team said in a statement. “We remain committed to the core values that have defined our organization from its inception and expect that our players will continue to meet these standards moving forward.”

McLeod, who was also found not guilty of an additional charge of being a party to the offense, signed a three-year contract in the Russia-based KHL. Formenton is playing in Switzerland, though it is unclear if he has an out clause to return to the NHL, which he has not played in since 2022 with Ottawa.

“Each team is going to have to make its own decision," Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday after the NHL's Board of Governors meeting in New York. “They know the rules. And it’s up to them to decide whether or not, subject to those rules, they want to move forward.”

Hart is resuming his career at the age of 27 with the Golden Knights after spending his first six seasons playing for Philadelphia. The Flyers last month ruled out bringing back Hart, whose camp communicated to general manager Daniel Briere that a fresh start was a better option.

The players were charged in 2024 in connection with an incident in London, Ontario, in 2018. The judge overseeing the trial said the prosecution could not meet the onus of proof to convict them and that complainant’s allegations lacked the credibility needed to justify the charges.

The league conducted its own investigation beginning in the spring of 2022 when the allegations came to light. When announcing the reinstatement timeline in September, the NHL called the events that transpired “deeply troubling and unacceptable” and that while they were not found to be criminal, said the players’ conduct did not meet the standard of moral integrity.

The NHLPA at the time said the players cooperated with every investigation and considers the matter closed.

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Can Bryce Harper ever be elite again? Phillies president Dave Dombrowski has concerns

PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper turned 33 on Thursday, and the celebration for the new father of four just might not stretch very far inside the Philadelphia Phillies' front office.

After a season in which Harper's .844 OPS was his lowest since 2016 and his .261 average was his worst since 2019, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski analyzed whether Harper - a two-time NL MVP - can return to form as one of baseball's best players with six years left on his 13-year, $330 million deal.

“He's still a quality player. He's still an All-Star caliber player,” Dombrowski said Thursday as he broke down the season. “He didn't have an elite season like he's had in the past. I guess we only find out if he becomes elite or he continues to be good.”

Just good?

That has to sting for a player such as Harper who helped carry the Phillies out of baseball irrelevancy and into the playoffs for the first time in 11 years in 2022. Yes, Harper missed a month of the season as he recovered from a wrist injury, but the numbers did show an overall dip in production.

Against the Dodgers in the NL Division Series, Harper was just 3-for-15 batting with no RBIs in the four-game loss.

“Can he rise to the next level again? I don't really know that answer,” Dombrowski said. “He's the one that will dictate that more than anything else. I don't think he's content with the year that he had. Again, it wasn't a bad year. But when I think of Bryce Harper, you think elite, you think of one of the top-10 players in baseball and I don't think it fit into that category.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Harper - who made a Gold Glove-caliber move from right field to first base and made the fastest return to the majors following Tommy John surgery of any player in big league history - may not have had the kind of success he was accustomed to over his 14-year career.

It just didn't mean Harper's best years were behind him.

“I think he’s highly motivated to have the best season of his career next year,” Thomson said.

Harper will certainly return next season as the Phillies try and figure out how to snap out of a four-year postseason malaise that has yet to win them a World Series. While Dombrowski has heavy decisions to make about a roster with several key free agents, he's not necessarily feeling the heat to shake-up the team.

“Need to be more change? We won 96 games,” Dombrowski said.

The Phillies' hitting woes each October could be settled if Harper can rediscover that sweet left-handed stroke that once made him one of baseball's most feared hitters.

“What I'd like to see is just him be himself, try not to do too much," Thomson said. “Really focus on hitting the ball the other way. When he stays on the ball, he is such a great hitter. I think he just gets in the mindset that he tries to do a little too much because he knows that he's Bryce Harper.”

Thomson will return for his fifth season and Dombrowski said the Phillies would likely work on a one-year extension beyond the 2026 season. Thomson has one year left on his deal.

The entire coaching staff - including embattled hitting coach Kevin Long - will return, though the Phillies are looking for a new bench coach. Mike Calitri will become a major league field coordinator, and the Phillies would like to add someone with managerial experience to take his place.

The Phillies have increased their win total each of the last four years (87-90-95-96) while their postseason runs have gotten worse: losing in the 2022 World Series, the 2023 NLCS and consecutive series losses in the NLDS.

Dombrowski said the organization needed to “keep it in perspective” that the Phillies lost to a Dodgers team that could be steamrolling toward a second straight World Series title.

“I don't think you just break up clubs,” because they lose again in the playoffs, Dombrowski said.

NL home run and RBI champion Kyle Schwarber, veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto and rotation stalwart Ranger Suárez are all free agents. Outfielder Harrison Bader, who raised his value with a dynamite two months with the Phillies, has a mutual option he is sure to decline.

“We love to have them all,” Dombrowski said. “It's probably impractical we're going to have all four of them back.”

The Phillies hold a $9 million club option or a $500,000 buyout on left-handed reliver José Alvarado, whose season was interrupted by an 80-game suspension for violating baseball’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. Dombrowski said the Phillies could decline the option and work out a new deal with Alvarado.

“I'd be surprised, without making any announcements, that Alvarado's not back with us,” Dombrowski said.

Dombrowski said Zack Wheeler could be ready to return to the major leagues after May following surgery and complications from a blood clot. The Phillies' ace, Wheeler is set to begin his rehabilitation next week. The 35-year-old Wheeler went 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA and led the majors with 195 strikeouts when he was sidelined in August.

No matter how the roster looks in 2026, how do the Phillies - with owner John Middleton supporting a $291.7 million payroll - snap out of the same October pattern of frigid bats from their highest-priced players that doomed them again against the Dodgers?

“We have a very substantial big league payroll and I don’t see that that’s going to change,” Dombrowski said. “John is very supportive of that. We have a good club with a lot of good players. But you don’t have unlimited (funds). I read some places where how they get better is they sign this guy, they sign that guy. I don’t think we’re going to have a $400 million payroll. I just don’t think that’s a practicality.”

What will they do with right fielder Nick Castellanos - who has one year left on the five-year, $100 million deal signed ahead of the 2022 season - who seemed unhappy and cited personal issues with Thomson after losing his starting job late in the season?

Dombrowski said he became involved and settled the issue. There was no firm commitment Castellanos would return.

Outfielder Max Kepler will not return after he hit just .216 in his lone season on a one-year, $10 million deal. Reliever Dave Robertson also will not return.

Kerkering made a wild throw past home instead of tossing to first that cost the Phillies Game 4 and the series. The only highlight replayed as much in Philadelphia than Kerkering's brain cramp of a throw was the sight of Thomson and many of his teammates consoling him in the dugout.

“He will get whatever assistance, and we will offer him whatever assistance that he needs,” Dombrowski said. “We'll continue to work with him to try and get him through that. I think he can do that, but I also know it's a challenge for him and we'll keep in contact with him on a continued basis.”

Reliever Matt Strahm raised some eyebrows after the Phillies were eliminated on Kerkering's error when he said there wasn't routine pitchers' fielding practice.

“The only thing I can think of is, if you don't routinely practice it, how do you expect to make it happen every time? As an older guy in the bullpen, I guess I should have taken it upon myself to make sure we're doing our (pitchers' fielding practice),” Strahm told The Athletic.

Let Dombrowski have the last word.

“We did plenty. Actually, as it turns out, we did do PFPs in the postseason. (Strahm) didn't do them. But we did them,” he said.

---

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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Despite Healthy Scratches, 'Development Plan' Could Be Good Sign For Two Top Penguins' Prospects

First, it was Harrison Brunicke in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

And, on Thursday, it will be Ben Kindel in the second game of a three-game Western road trip against the Los Angeles Kings.

After Thursday's morning skate, Pittsburgh Penguins' head coach Dan Muse announced that Kindel - like Brunicke on Tuesday - would be held out of the lineup for reasons related to his "development plan."

“He’s going to follow a similar plan as Harrison Brunicke," Muse said. "This is what we feel is best for him now and in the future.”

And as far as that "development plan"? This is what Muse had to say Tuesday ahead of Brunicke's scratch from the lineup:

"I think with Brunicke - and the same thing could be said and will be said for Kindel - these are young players," he said. "We're looking at what's best for them now, but also, for them to continue to grow throughout the course of the season. So, there will be times throughout the start there, where they're coming out of the lineup, and this is all part of a plan for them. 
"[Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas], along with [Penguins' Director of Performance] Rich Rotenberg... they have experience with this coming from their time in Toronto. There's been a lot of discussions with them and with the rest of the staff in terms of what's going to be best for these younger players, guys that are in their teens coming into this league.
"And, so, there's a plan in place for them that we have, and the purpose for this plan is to ensure that they continue to get strong, that they continue to grow, and we're putting them in the best position for them. They're in a different situation just because of their age. It's something I strongly agree with, and I've learned some lessons myself just with my time wokring with younger players. And, so, there is a reasoning behind this."
- - Penguins' head coach Dan MuseTop Prospect Will Be Out Of Lineup In Anaheim For 'Development Plan'Top Prospect Will Be Out Of Lineup In Anaheim For 'Development Plan'It appears that one of the top prospects for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> will see his first game as a healthy scratch Tuesday.

Yes, the kids may be getting healthy-scratched despite their relatively high level of play so far in the young season. But - if we're reading into this at all - this could be a good thing for both of the Penguins' top teenage prospects. 

Right now, both Brunicke, 19, and Kindel, 18, are in the midst of what is commonly referred to as their "nine-game trials." Essentially, both players can play in nine NHL games before the first year of their respective three-year entry-level contracts kick in at 10 games. If they are optioned back to their junior teams - in Kindel's case, the Calgary Hitmen, and in Brunicke's case, the Kamloops Blazers, both of the Western Hockey League (WHL) - prior to the 10th game, their contracts do not kick in this season.

They can be optioned back to juniors at any point this season, but once they are optioned, they are not eligible to return until the conclusion of their respective junior seasons - which makes for some tough decisions by management, as both players are playing well.

It's Only Been Three Games. But Kindel And Brunicke Should Be In Pittsburgh To Stay.It's Only Been Three Games. But Kindel And Brunicke Should Be In Pittsburgh To Stay.Going into <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' training camp this season, it's safe to say that most folks did not have 2025 11th overall pick Ben Kindel making the NHL roster out of the gate.

But the fact that the young defenseman and the even younger forward are being put on season-long development plans may actually be an indication that the Penguins do not intend on sending them back to juniors before the 10-game mark, barring any major regression in play from either of them. If the team just let them burn through the nine games, it would be a different story. 

The fact that they're trying to manage their minutes and workload this early on - Kindel (11th overall in 2025) has never played in more than 65 games in one season, while Brunicke (44th overall in 2024) has not played in more than 59 games due to injury - shows that the organization cares about making sure the young players are not burdened with the gruel and grind of a full 82-game NHL season against grown men right from the jump.

Of course, only time will tell whether or not this is the case, and it's safe to say that the coming days and weeks will be crucial for Brunicke and Kindel as far as performance and continuing to prove they belong. But, in the immediacy, this appears to be a good sign that the kids may just be here to stay.

Penguins At Kings Preview: Penguins Looking To Snap Two-Game Losing StreakPenguins At Kings Preview: Penguins Looking To Snap Two-Game Losing StreakThe Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to snap their two-game losing streak on Thursday night.

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Bruce Pearl joining TNT and CBS Sports as a college basketball analyst

Bruce Pearl will still be a part of the college basketball scene this season, even though he isn't coaching any more. TNT and CBS Sports announced on Thursday that Pearl will be an analyst for their coverage this season. Pearl will be on TNT's studio team with Jalen Rose, Jamal Mashburn, Chris Webber and Adam Lefkoe during its first season of doing Big East and Big 12 games.

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Nashville Predators assign Joakim Kemell to Milwaukee Admirals

After an impressive preseason and cracking the Nashville Predators roster to open the 2025-26 season, forward Joakim Kemell has been assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals. 

The team announced the forward would be joining the AHL team on Thursday after Kemell was scratched from the lineup in the Predators 7-4 loss to the Maple Leafs on Tuesday. 

Kemell has seen action in just two games this season against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 9 and the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 13. He took 14 shifts in each game, logging 12:22 minutes of ice time against the Blue Jackets and 9:46 minutes against the Senators. 

Kemell played 65 games in Milwaukee last season, scoring 40 points. He attracted the attention of fans in the Predators' 3-2 overtime win over the Carolina Hurricanes, where he laid a big hit on  Andrei Svechnikov, drew a penalty and scored the game-winner on a slap shot later. 

He is the second player to be assigned to Milwaukee in the early season, as Matthew Wood was assigned to the Admirals on Oct. 10 after returning to Predators practice for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury in the preseason. 

Nashville takes on Montreal Thursday at 6 p.m. CST at the Bell Centre.