HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 31: Hunter Brown #58 of the Houston Astros pitches in the fifth inning during a game against the Boston Red Sox at Daikin Park on March 31, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Here’s what that means for when fans may see him on a mound again.
Today, the Houston Astros announced SP Hunter Brown has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 shoulder strain.
Often times, a Grade 2 shoulder strain involves partial tearing of a muscle/muscles in the “shoulder stabilizers” – usually the rotator cuff.
Grade 2 sprains typically involve the posterior rotator cuff – they are usually caused by the deceleration process after the release of the baseball. These muscles keep the ball joint of your shoulder in place while throwing.
It can also involve the muscles of the shoulder blade.
Grade 2 strains are usually treated with rest and anti-inflammatories early (First 2 weeks), followed by range of motion exercises and band work (next two weeks), then increasing to light weights and movements (next 2 weeks).
Next would be starting a light throwing progression around week 6. For a Starting Pitcher like Brown, this is a 6 week injury in a perfect world, 8-10 week injury in a more realistic world.
As long as he gets through all his stages with no pain, he should be able to fully recover without surgery.
BOSTON, MA - SEPTEMBER 14: Garrett Crochet #35 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the New York Yankees during the game at Fenway Park on September 14, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If the first ten games of the season didn’t resemble a flaming trainwreck, the conversation going into tonight’s affair would be centered around everybody going gaga over the sensational pitching match up, and for good reason. Not only do we have Garrett Crochet taking on Jacob Misiorowski, but we’ve got a cold night at Fenway with the wind blowing in from the northwest threatening to further suppress any offense. It could almost disguise itself as a World Series Game 1 type slate if you completely ignored everything else going on.
Missing from the lineup are Caleb Durbin and Masataka Yoshida, and as Over The Monster’s own Jacob Roy points out, that could be a mistake.
Here's how the Red Sox have fared against high-velo fastballs from RHP in 25-26. Durbin and Yoshida are on the bench against Misiorowski, who averages 98.6 mph with his FF pic.twitter.com/Q28kh7bSOs
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 06: CJ Abrams #5 and manager Blake Butera #10 of the Washington Nationals celebrate after a 9-6 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals at Nationals Park on April 06, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After snapping their losing streak with a comeback win last night, the Nats are looking to win their second series of the season tonight. The Nationals bats have been red hot to start the season, while the pitching staff has been hot garbage. Hopefully the Nats arms can put up more zeroes tonight.
With a lefty on the mound, the Nats have made a few lineup tweaks. March legend Joey Wiemer is back in the lineup and in right field. Curtis Mead will get the start at first base and hit second. Daylen Lile will move to DH, while Keibert Ruiz gets the start behind the plate. Despite his heroic play last night, James Wood will slide over to left field. Nats ace Cade Cavalli will look to give the Nats length in his third start of the season.
The Cardinals are rolling with a similar lineup, but with a couple tweaks. Pedro Pages will be behind the plate, which slides Ivan Herrera to DH. That means Nolan Gorman will be at third base, replacing Ramon Urias. Jordan Walker will be a man to watch. He looks like he may finally be figuring it out this year. Matthew Liberatore will be on the mound for the Red Birds.
Last night was a ton of fun, and this offense is really rolling. The pitching is very much a work in progress, but it is great to see the boys mashing. This is the opposite of what we saw in Spring Training, which shows how little those results really matter. I can’t wait to watch CJ Abrams, James Wood, Brady House and the boys mash. Follow along in the comment section below and let’s go Nats!
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 06: TJ Friedl #29 of the Cincinnati Reds at bat against the Miami Marlins in the first inning of the game at loanDepot park on April 06, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Reds fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Entering play on Tuesday in Miami, the Cincinnati Reds have so far this season scored just 2 (two!) runs from their leadoff spot. That’s the lowest of any team in baseball this side of the Atlanta Braves.
It hasn’t been a product of bad luck, either. Reds leadoff men so far this season have posted just a .245 combined wOBA (4th worst), 48 wRC+ (tied for 4th worst), and a comical .000 ISO (in case you’re not into math, that’s the lowest it could possibly be). In other words, the setter of the Reds table so far this season has been just about as bad as you could imagine.
It’s not the only reason the Reds have scored the fewest runs (28) of any Major League Baseball team so far this season, but it’s certainly a big part of it. When you consider that the team is collectively hitting the ball harder this year than in a long time – among the hardest-hitting clubs in the league so far – it is a wonder why those smashes aren’t driving in the team’s leadoff man more often.
We all know TJ Friedl has been the team’s leadoff man almost every night this season. We also know he’s struggled mightily out of the gate in a way we’ve not really seen from him before – he’s only 10 games removed from a 2025 season in which he posted a damn near elite .364 OBP, after all.
But when you take a closer look at his current Statcast ranks, everything aside from coaxing a walk looks just about as bleak as it gets.
That begs the question…should Friedl, who’s just about to turn 31, still be counted on as the team’s everyday leadoff man? Or should manager Terry Francona turn the responsibilities over to someone else – Matt McLain has already had the opportunity up top once so far this season, though there are a couple other Reds who profile decently well there.
Who should be the Reds leadoff hitter going forward?
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. has undergone arthroscopic surgery on his right knee and will miss the rest of the season.
The Bucks announced that Porter had undergone the procedure Tuesday in Vail, Colorado. Dr. Tom Hackett at The Steadman Clinic performed the surgery.
“It started eight minutes into the first game (of the season),” Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers said before the Bucks’ game in Brooklyn against the Nets. “When you look at how he played overall, he had a hell of a year and was going to have even a better year but the injury thing caught him eight minutes into our first game and he never really recovered from that.”
The 25-year-old Porter last played on March 17. He has averaged 17.4 points, 7.4 assists and 5.2 rebounds in 38 games this season.
Rivers said Porter told him Sunday that “man, I didn’t come through for you.”
"And I said, ‘No, you’re fine. You just got injured. It’s part of the game and it happens,’” Rivers replied.
___
AP freelance writer Denis Gorman in New York contributed to this report.
Mar 26, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (32) reacts after retiring the side in the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field. Misiorowski picked up the win. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
The Brewers and Red Sox kicked off their three-game series last night with a hectic back-and-forth game. The Brewers took the first game 8-6, but not without some extra drama. That will likely carry over into tonight as the two teams play their second game, with the Brewers going for the series win.
Both teams will send out their Opening Day starters for their third starts of the season. Jacob Misiorowski has picked up where he left off last season, allowing just three runs in his first 11 innings covering those two starts. In each start, it was a home run that caused the damage: a solo home run in his first game against the White Sox. and a two-run shot in his second against the Rays. He also has allowed six total hits and five walks in those starts, but has paired that with 18 strikeouts. The 100-pitch mark appears to be the upper limit for him, as he was pulled at 94 pitches in both of his starts.
For the Red Sox, Garrett Crochet gets the start. He opened up the season with six shutout innings against the Reds, then was roughed up for five runs (four earned) in his second start against the Astros. So far this season, he has 15 strikeouts compared to just two walks in 11 innings. In their last meeting, the Brewers scored two runs off of him in 6 2/3 innings.
Here are the lineups for tonight. Brice Turang is getting his first day off in the regular season, but it’s not just about the matchup. Before the game, manager Pat Murphy said that Turang is dealing with a foot/ankle injury. More information will be available later, but that likely means he will have the full day off. Christian Yelich is also not in the lineup, but will be available off the bench.
With Turang and Yelich both out of the lineup, the Brewers have shuffled it a bit to face the lefty. Brandon Lockridge will lead off with William Contreras in his usual second spot. Luis Rengifo and Gary Sánchez are batting third and fourth, with Joey Ortiz jumping up to fifth. Luis Matos will serve as the designated hitter, and Sal Frelick and Blake Perkins will fill out the outfield. David Hamilton finishes up the lineup at second base.
First pitch is set for 5:45 p.m. The game will be on Brewers.TV and the Brewers Radio Network.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JANUARY 9: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors handles the ball as Maxime Raynaud #42 of the Sacramento Kings plays defense during the game on January 9, 2026 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors look to snap their four-game losing streak as they host the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night. The game is scheduled for 7:00 PM PT in San Francisco and can be watched on NBC Sports Bay Area.
The Warriors lost another close one on Sunday night, falling 117–116 to the Houston Rockets. Despite the loss, the night was highlighted by the return of Steph Curry, who had missed the team’s previous 27 games. Curry logged 26 minutes in his return, finishing with a team-high 29 points on 11-of-21 shooting from the field.
Despite the loss, Steph was electric in his return!
On the other side, Golden State battled former Warrior Kevin Durant who led both teams in scoring with 31 points. He, along with Alperen Şengün (24 points), who knocked down the go-ahead basket late in regulation, powered Houston to their sixth win in a row. Meanwhile, the loss dropped the Warriors to 36–42, officially securing their first below-.500 finish since 2021.
With the emotions of Curry’s return now behind them, the Warriors look to build some rhythm heading into the postseason, beginning with Tuesday’s matchup against Sacramento. Curry is expected to suit up again, though he will likely remain on a minutes restriction, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater. Golden State’s frontcourt depth, however, remains a concern as Kristaps Porzingis is listed as questionable, while Al Horford, Quinten Post, and Gui Santos have already been ruled out.
Steph Curry is listed as probable for tonight's Warriors game against the Kings @NBCSWarriors
Kristaps Porzingis (right knee soreness) is questionable, and Gui Santos (right pelvic contusion) is OUT
There were encouraging signs from Curry, who said after Sunday’s game that he “felt good” both physically and mentally. The next step will be reacclimating him within this current iteration of the Warriors—particularly alongside Porzingis—if the Warriors hope to generate any real momentum in their last four games before the play-in tournament.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 31: Aaron Civale #45 of the Athletics pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park on March 31, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
This past weekend, the Athletics won their first series of the season, taking two of three at home. The A’s and Houston Astros traded blowout wins in the first two games of the weekend series before the hosts clinched the series with a win on Easter Sunday. Designated hitter Brent Rooker’s three-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth inning won a game in which his team twice gave up leads. The A’s offense had to consistently rise to the occasion to overcome their pitchers allowing an MLB-high 24 walks in those three games.
The A’s schedule does not get any easier. Following those three home games, the team heads to New York City for a weeklong trip. Tonight marks the first of three games against the New York Yankees followed by three at the New York Mets. Both of these teams are off to strong starts this season and carry payrolls double the A’s. It will be difficult, but the team has the chance to make some early noise should they win at least one of these series.
Right-hander Aaron Civale is set to make his second start of the season this evening. The veteran right-hander picked up the win in his A’s debut, only allowing two runs in five innings pitched in the A’s first victory of the season March 31 against the Atlanta Braves. Having successfully navigated the tough Braves lineup, he looks to win his second straight start. However, the Yankees lineup led by reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge presents a major challenge for Civale to overcome.
Here’s the Athletics lineup for the opener in the Bronx:
Today’s A’s lineup features all of the regular starters in their main spots in the batting order. Nick Kurtz, who is once again hitting leadoff, started to heat up in Sacramento, collecting two hits and three walks in Sunday’s game. It would be surprising if Kurtz does not hit his first home run this series as Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field is incredibly appealing to left-handed power hitters.
The Athletics offense seeks to keep rolling tonight, yet runs may be harder to come by against Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler. Last season, Schlittler recorded a 2.96 ERA in his first 14 MLB starts. He then threw eight shutout innings in game three of the Yankees wild card series against the Boston Red Sox. This season, Schlittler has raised his game to another level. The 25-year-old has won his first two starts, striking out 15 in 11 2/3 scoreless innings. The A’s will need to take advantage of the opportunities he gives them today. That means jumping on mistake pitches, not chasing pitches outside the strike zone and maybe playing some small ball rather than every batter swinging for the fences.
The Yankees starting lineup behind Schlittler shakes out like this:
Civale must be careful pitching to this lineup. Judge and first baseman Ben Rice already have three home runs off him in their careers. Those two plus Cody Bellinger and Giancarlo Stanton will be poised to take advantage of any mistakes Civale makes in his outing.
Can the A’s make it two wins in a row and capture the first game of this series between two historic American League franchises? Let’s go A’s!
CLEVELAND, OH - APRIL 07: Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams (32) delivers a pitch to the plate during the fourth inning of the Major League Baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians on April 7, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Cleveland Guardians faced off in game 2 of the 3 game series against the Kansas City Royals. In what was meant to be a later game, the rescheduled day time affair saw great pitching and a walk off victory.
Gavin Williams continues to cement himself as the front runner for the role of Ace. Gavin threw 102 pitches, giving up the only Royals run and hit as a solo shot. In 5.2 innings of work, Williams allowed only one hit, five walks, and struck out eight.
Despite this all, the Guardians pitching staff did struggle with giving the Royals free bases. In total the Royals drew eight walks; 5 from Williams, 1 from Herrin, and 2 from Armstrong. Erik Sabrowski though, he continued to dominate with a clean 15 pitch seventh inning. He threw 10 strikes and faced 3 batters.
José had a nice defensive gem to nab the speedy Bobby Witt Jr. at first base.
Cleveland offense out hit the Royals 8-1 with the entire bench exhausted over the duration of the game. Steven Kwan went 1-for-4 with a two-out RBI single that scored a hustling Austin Hedges from second base.
Austin Hedges continued his version of a hot start, going 1-for-3 with a run and a single.
The two biggest hits of the game came in the second and the ninth innings. Juan Brito made his long awaited major league debut as Gabriel Arias was placed on the 10-day IL. Brito slapped a double in his first major league at bat.
In the bottom of the ninth, with the game tied, the Royals sent Nick Mears to the mound to face the 6-7-8 batters. CJ Kayfus started things with a one-out single to right field. Bo Naylor drew a walk, advancing Kayfus to scoring position. Brayan Rocchio, with an even count, knocked a low 80’s changeup to Lane Thomas in right field to walk it off for Cleveland.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 06: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks dunks against Dyson Daniels #5 and Gabe Vincent #4 of the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena on April 06, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been a whirlwind of a season for Karl-Anthony Towns.
In training camp, he turned heads by stating that he was trying to figure out his role in Mike Brown’s offense. Then, after an uneven start, he played genuinely bad basketball for several weeks. His touches decreased, he got frustrated with his offensive whistle, and just seemed to be pressing. There were games where his body language would’ve made any kinesiologist faint. I try not to write articles that just attack how a player is performing, but I got as close to being the irrational fan I hate after that loss to the Kings in January.
Towns was a relatively surprising all-star selection in early February, given how rough his play has been, but that seemed to wake him up. He’s played great basketball since, even if he isn’t the consistent 25-and-12 guy he was last season.
Mike Brown has never really had the services of a big man like KAT. He’s coached some great bigs: Shaq and Big Z when coaching the Cavs, Dwight Howard (very briefly) in LA, Domantas Sabonis with the Kings, etc. But overall, the center position has usually been reserved for non-all-stars who play a role. The closest thing he’s ever had to KAT is Tim Duncan when he was an assistant under Gregg Popovich, but Duncan played power forward and had a completely different playstyle.
Trying to turn Towns into Sabonis, the most skilled *center* that Brown had ever coached, has been a roller coaster. There are fewer plays run for him, less emphasis on his skills, and his coaching style is much more predicated on spraying to open shooters, rather than leaning on your two all-stars to create offense as Tom Thibodeau did. With Jalen Brunson being the team’s initiator and Towns as the center, you do the math.
And while he reiterated very recently that he’s still very unsure in his role, his play as of late seems to suggest he’s found a groove at the best possible time. Since February 3, he’s averaging a modest 20.5 points and 11.9 rebounds, which don’t seem like improvements, but his shooting splits are up to 56.6/39.6/85.6. His true shooting percentage was 59.2% through the beginning of February; it’s 66.3% since.
He’s embraced being a playmaking hub of his own when he has the ball at the top of the key. Of his seven games this season with at least six assists, five of them have come since March 1. He’s been playing clean, efficient, team basketball, even if he’s still committing some baffling offensive fouls.
There are several encouraging signs with Towns’ game as the playoffs approach, but the one that’s stood out the most to me is how he’s responded to mismatches. As we know, teams are electing to put their bigs on Josh Hart to frustrate Towns with lanky, defensively disciplined wings. Most games, KAT has mismatches that sometimes get exploited, but others lead to offensive stagnation.
A few times recently, though, Towns is attacking the mismatch. He’s especially aggressive when the team is in an offensive funk. Against the Thunder in OKC, the Knicks were fading fast against the defending champs when Towns began to bully Alex Caruso in the post to re-invigorate the offense. A few fouls later, OKC had to change strategies. The Knicks came up short, but the aggressiveness was notable.
Last night against Atlanta, Towns was being guarded by Onyeka Okongwu, who serves as Atlanta’s undersized center. When the Hawks went up 10 in the third quarter and threatened to break the game open, Towns went to work in the post and dragged the Knicks back into a game they eventually won. By the end of the game, the Hawks were having to account for the mismatch and elected to let Brunson go up against Nickeil Alexander-Walker and CJ McCollum one-on-one, which ended poorly for them.
Knicks continue to lean on Karl-Anthony Towns, getting the payoff of the Hawks keeping a 5 on him. Went with double P&R (almost stepups_, Hart and KAT as screeners
-Hawks go late switch vs. KAT's pop, drive + finish -Next time Okongwu at the level and recovers, drive + finish pic.twitter.com/OxIkZPRzAs
We saw it with the Rockets, which was one of Towns’ less efficient games of late. If nobody can step up and be enough of a threat outside of Brunson, teams will blitz him to get the ball out of his hands. If KAT is cooking, teams will have to adjust. If OG Anunoby looks as aggressive as he was last night as well, it changes the dynamic.
There are multiple potential playoff matchups where teams will rely on smaller players to guard Towns. The Raptors have Jakob Poeltl, but could elect to throw Scottie Barnes on him. It seems doubtful the Sixers will over-extend Embiid to KAT’s range, so the pesky Dominick Barlow could. Moussa Diabate is a very good defensive big man, but he’s two inches shorter and 35 pounds lighter. Wendell Carter Jr. is also a smaller big man. Even potential later-round matchups like Detroit, Boston, and Cleveland can. We’ve seen guys like Tobias Harris and Derrick White defend him in the past.
The Knicks need an efficient and confident Karl-Anthony Towns if they want to make the run that the city has been dreaming about. Anything less might not give the team enough to get over the hump.
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 6: Nick Castellanos #21 of the San Diego Padres celebrates after hitting an RBI double during the fourth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on April 6, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres (5-5) at Pittsburgh Pirates (6-4), April 7, 2026, 3:40 p.m. PST
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 29: Oneil Cruz #15 of the Pittsburgh Pirates shakes hands after winning the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on March 29, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. The Pittsburgh Pirates won 4-3. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, April 7, 2026, 6:40 p.m. ET
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Pirates are at home hosting the San Diego Padres this evening at beautiful PNC Park for a three-game series in Pittsburgh.
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As the Ottawa Senators get ready to take on the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night at Canadian Tire Centrer, the Atlantic Division leaders have run into late-season injury issues.
The Lightning are on a back-to-back after a loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night. So fatigue, along with some key injuries and absences, may begin to take its toll in Ottawa.
Tampa will again be with star defenseman Victor Hedman. On Thursday, he was placed on long-term injured reserve following a March 25 announcement that he would be taking a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons.
Forwards Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli, who were both named to Canada's Olympic roster in February, are listed as day-to-day and not expected to play on Tuesday night. Both were out of the lineup on Monday night vs Buffalo.
Pontus Holmberg, Hedman's Olympic teammate, is also out after colliding headfirst into an unlatched penalty box door as a Sabres player was about to leave the sin bin.
“I don't know who's working the penalty box over there," head coach Jon Cooper told the media after the game. "But I don't know if they should keep their job after what happened there. Like... leaving the door open.”
The Lightning have responded by calling up Syracuse forwards Conor Geekie, Jakob Pelletier and Dylan Duke to the active roster. They also reassigned Mitchell Chaffee to Syracuse. Geekie and Pelletier are both expected to play in Ottawa.
Another Olympian, Brayden Point, is probably feeling a bit sore after slamming hard into the Buffalo goal post on Monday night. But he finished the game and had a full media session afterward, so there's no reason to think he won't play.
Both Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul, who didn't play against the Senators in Tampa on March 28, are now back in the Tampa lineup, so that offsets things quite a bit. The Lightning won that game over the Senators, 4-2.
The last time the Sens faced a tired team in a back-to-back that was this banged up was exactly one week ago against the Florida Panthers. Not only did the Senators fail to take advantage of their opponent's troubles, but they were also destroyed by the Panthers, falling behind 5-0 in the first period.
So even though the Bolts won't have Hedman, Hagel, Cirelli, or Holmberg (they'll also trot out their backup goalie, Jonas Johansson), the Sens' recent history serves as a reminder that every NHL team, no matter what state they're in, has a chance to be a big problem for them.
Teddy Blueger wandered back to the Vancouver Canucks’ locker room around an hour after practice concluded on Monday afternoon. The rest of the stalls around his were draped with used gear.
The forward stayed out late to get some faceoff work under his belt, among other things, despite winning 70% of his draws in the previous game and averaging a win rate of 54.69% through the past five. It’s something that speaks to the forward’s desire to improve — something that mirrors his desire to remain in Vancouver, regardless of the position the team currently occupies in the NHL’s standings.
Ahead of the 2025–26 NHL Trade Deadline, Blueger spoke to Sportsnet on how he’d “love to stay” in Vancouver if things work out that way. When the deadline passed, Blueger remained a Canuck. This doesn’t mean things are completely settled when it comes to his future. Decisions will need to be made once the off-season hits, as Blueger’s contract will expire if not renewed by the Canucks by July 1.
If you look at all of the noise surrounding the Canucks — past locker room intrigue, 32nd place, and many other things — it’s likely players approaching in free agency may be tempted to turn and run the other way. But if you ask Blueger about his thoughts on staying, you’ll hear the exact opposite.
“[Staying] for however long I want, that’d be nice,” he joked during an interview with The Hockey News after practice on Monday. “Obviously, it’d mean a lot. I think we’ve been through a lot [...] and to continue to be part of this journey, and get an opportunity to have this down period, and to have an opportunity to see it through and come out on the other side, on top, and be able to compete for something and be a part of a playoff run here again, would be very, very special.”
There’s an irony to Blueger’s words on this particular topic, given the fact that when he said this, only a room or two away was the team that he once won the Stanley Cup with — the Vegas Golden Knights — back in 2022–23. Blueger has found success in this league before, with a team much, much stronger than the Canucks. But when reflecting on why he would want to stay with Vancouver long-term, it’s the thought of blue and white orca flags waving through the city or a packed building with white towels waving that first comes to mind.
“That playoff run we had a couple years ago, it was an incredible time. I think throughout the city, you just felt the energy and felt the people behind you. That’s something I think you don’t get everywhere. To be able to get to experience that again would be something special. Obviously, when you look at a group like this, you just see so much potential and so many good things that could happen here. Nothing’s guaranteed, and there’s a lot of work that needs to be put in. It’s not going to be a steady increase, like a steady climb. There’s going to be ups and downs still, but along the way. To have the opportunity to be a part of success here would be really special.”
Jan 23, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Teddy Blueger (53) and forward Drew O'Connor (18) celebrate Blueger’s goal against the New Jersey Devils in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
In some ways, gutting it out through a tough period to emerge successful makes victory taste even sweeter. The best possible example comes just down the highway where, a little less than a year ago, a gutsy Abbotsford Canucks team battled their way to the 2025 Calder Cup. If you want to win, you have to work for it, and that’s something Blueger acknowledges will be the case as the team settles into rebuild-mode.
“I think it takes some time for the group to kind of mold a new identity, a new kind of dynamic in the locker room. And I think there’s some leadership holes that have kind of gotten filled. [Filip Hronek], Marcus [Pettersson], and Brock [Boeser] have done a great job of that, and kind of trying to get everyone on the same page. I think there’s kind of a period of time where we have to develop some camaraderie, develop some unity, get to know each other better, a lot of new faces, a lot of change. So I think it’s taking time, but I think it’s gotten better. I think guys are getting along really well. We’re in that transition period of trying to build on something here.”
The Canucks have undergone so much change through the past couple of seasons that it becomes slightly shocking to realize that Blueger has only been with the team for three years now. Boeser (225), Hronek (218), Elias Pettersson (214), and Nils Höglander (184) are the only active Canucks to have played in more games than Blueger through the past three seasons. Having said that, these past three years, Blueger says, haven’t come without their lessons.
“I think especially this year, the past couple months since, guys like Myesy and Gar have gotten traded. I think it’s a lot. You really take a different perspective on the team, like all of a sudden, you look around and I’m the second oldest on the team, and I think you take into account team dynamics more. Just making sure we’re all on the same page, making sure everyone feels a part of it, and addressing the things that we feel like we need to improve as a group, some details, accountability, things like that, and trying to build on a certain set of values by which we all abide by. So I think you take a wider angle view, I guess, of not just taking care of yourself, but I think you have to involve everyone in team activities, make sure guys are being heard when something’s going on, and trying to mesh everyone together a little bit.”
For a player who, depending on how things go in the coming months, may not even be with the team by the time they finally find the success that so many hope for them to, Blueger certainly speaks with the commitment level of a long-tenured leader. He may not wear a letter on his chest, but as evidenced in his appearance on the leadership panel during Evander Kane’s 1000th NHL game celebration, the team clearly thinks of him as a leader. As the forward says, nothing is guaranteed — and that includes his role with the team moving ahead.
But maybe some things should be.
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