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Dawn Staley doesn’t expect a female head coach in the NBA anytime soon

Dawn Staley doesn’t expect a female head coach in the NBA anytime soonIt was an interesting offseason for Dawn Staley.

The three-time national champion head coach of South Carolina was a candidate for the New York Knicks coaching job after Tom Thibodeau was fired in early June. She interviewed with the Knicks front office this summer, but New York decided to hire longtime NBA coach Mike Brown.

At SEC media days Tuesday, Staley was asked whether she expected a woman to be hired as an NBA head coach in her lifetime. She isn’t optimistic.

“I don’t,” Staley said. “And I hope I’m wrong.”

When interviewing for the Knicks position, Staley was appreciative that president Leon Rose and executive vice president William “Worldwide Wes” Wesley acknowledged the complications of hiring a female coach for the position. Unlike a traditional candidate, there would be heightened scrutiny for Staley and other women who find themselves in that position. An organization looking to make this type of hire needs to look at the process differently.

“It’s not just hiring the first female coach,” Staley said. “Because one, if I’m the Knicks coach and you have a five-game losing streak, it’s not going to be about the losing streak. It’s going to be about being a female coach. So you as an organization and a franchise, you have to be prepared about that and strong enough to endure those types of instances when you’re a female coach.”

Staley was also asked about her individual desire to be a trailblazer as a female head coach in men’s basketball spaces.

“Not really a whole lot,” Staley said. “I did the Knicks interview because I’ve known Leon Rose for 30 years. I have a connection to him and Worldwide Wes. I’ve known them all my life. It was a real interview, and I like to see what they’re talking about.”

In her response, Staley urged her colleagues to seek her advice when pursuing coaching opportunities in the NBA and men’s college basketball.

“If there’s somebody that’s interested in knowing and being the first female NBA coach, I got all the information,” Staley said. “Come see me because I’ll get you prepared for the interview. If there are NBA franchises that are interested in hiring a female, I’m here too because you have to be ready to take on that and all the things that come with it.”

Staley now turns her attention to her 18th season at South Carolina. The Gamecocks are ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press preseason poll behind defending champion UConn. The program announced this week that All-America honorable mention Chloe Kitts will miss the entire season with a torn ACL.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

New York Knicks, South Carolina Gamecocks, NBA, WNBA, Sports Business, Women's College Basketball, women's college basketball

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Ottawa Senators Place 23-Year-Old Defenseman On Waivers

With the return of Tyler Kleven on Monday afternoon, the Ottawa Senators suddenly found themselves carrying eight defensemen on their NHL roster, and that was one too many for their liking. According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the team has opted to place Donovan Sebrango on waivers as of Tuesday.

Sebrango had served as Kleven’s direct replacement in the Senators’ first two games down in Florida, but with Kleven now healthy, it appears the Sens have decided to send Sebrango back to Belleville of the American Hockey League, where he’s spent most of the past two seasons. His two games with Ottawa over the past week have now doubled his career games played total at the NHL level. He made his NHL debut with the Sens back in January.

Behind Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot, and Kleven, Sebrango is generally seen as the next man up on the left side of the organization's depth chart. That much was made clear in the first two games of the season.

But he may soon have some competition. The Sens recently strengthened the left side of the B-Sens blue line by signing free agent Scott Harrington to a two-year AHL deal. Harrington brings more than 250 games of NHL experience. Everyone else on the left side in Belleville, and we'll include Sebrango's four games of NHL experience, have combined for four games of NHL experience.

If Sebrango clears waivers and reports to Belleville, head coach David Bell will suddenly have his own left side surplus on the back end. In Ottawa, the Sens appear to favour one extra defenseman and one extra forward.

Drake Batherson is set to be activated from injured reserve in time for Wednesday night’s road game against the Buffalo Sabres. So he'll likely be replaced on the IR by Brady Tkachuk after the captain suffered a right-hand or wrist injury during Monday’s home opener. The Sens are saying Tkachuk might be out for a month or more and haven't ruled out surgery.

Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk Likely To Miss A Month Of Action (At Least)Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk Likely To Miss A Month Of Action (At Least)Following an uninspiring 6-2 drubbing at the hands of the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers on Saturday, Ottawa Senators fans were hoping for an inspiring bounce-back performance in the team's home opener on Monday afternoon.

Sebrango was acquired by the Senators in July 2023 as part of the Alex DeBrincat trade. DeBrincat was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Sebrango, Dominik Kubalik, a conditional first-round pick, and Detroit’s 2024 fourth-round selection. That first-round pick was later part of the trade package sent to Boston for goalie Linus Ullmark.

Still just 23, Sebrango—a former World Junior player with Team Canada—could draw interest from other NHL teams on the waiver wire. The Ottawa-born defenseman likely has a soft spot for his hometown club, but with three quality left-shot defensemen under contract for at least the next two seasons, his path to full-time NHL status appears blocked for the foreseeable future.

More Sens Headlines at The Hockey News Ottawa Senators Site:
Tkachuk Injured As Senators Drop Home Opener To Nashville
Another Tough Break For Former Senator Josh Norris
Senators Injuries: Kleven And Batherson Provide Health Updates
Yakemchuk Reflects On Playing First Pro Game Saturday
Senators Mauled By Florida 6-2, Penalty Killing Struggles Continue
Jordan Spence: A Healthy Scratch For Sens Season Opener

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Yankees bullpen coach Mike Harkey, infield coach Travis Chapman not returning next season

The Yankees are shaking up their coaching staff this offseason.

SNY's Andy Martino reports that longtime bullpen coach Mike Harkey and infield/first base coach Travis Chapman will not be returning next season. Other roles are being discussed, per Martino.

Harkey was the Yankees' bullpen coach for two separate tenures. He was a part of Joe Girardi's coaching staff from 2008-2013 before joining the Diamondbacks as the team's pitching coach for two seasons. In 2016, he returned as the Yankees' bullpen coach under Girardi and then Aaron Boone.

Before coaching, Harkey was an eight-year veteran (1988-97), where he pitched for the Cubs, Athletics, Angels and Dodgers. He finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting in 1990, when he pitched to a 12-6 record and a 3.26 ERA.

Chapman was a coach in the Yankees' minor league system before joining Boone's staff in 2022 as first base and infield coach. 

The news comes the same day that the Twins were granted permission to interview Yankees hitting coach James Rowson for the open manager's job. 

Martino adds that Yankees hitting coordintor Jake Hirst could be in the mix for a job on the major league staff and that Rowson is seen as a "legitimate candidate" for the Twins job. 

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AFL trade deadline day: Charlie Curnow joins Sydney from Carlton; Hawks fail in bid for Bombers’ Zach Merrett

  • Blues’ star forward gets his move despite late snag

  • Clayton Oliver to GWS, and Christian Petracca joins Suns

Carlton’s two-time Coleman Medallist Charlie Curnow will join Sydney in the biggest deal of the AFL trade period.

Despite last-minute haggling before the deadline of 7.30pm on Wednesday, Hawthorn were unable to convince Essendon to trade away captain Zach Merrett.

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Sixers pick up MarJon Beauchamp on Exhibit 10 contract

Sixers pick up MarJon Beauchamp on Exhibit 10 contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers announced Tuesday night that they signed MarJon Beauchamp and waived Emoni Bates. 

Beauchamp’s contract is an Exhibit 10 deal, a team source confirmed. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey first reported that news. Exhibit 10 signings are minimum-salary, non-guaranteed deals that can be converted into two-way or standard contracts before the regular season begins. 

Beauchamp, 25, was last with the Blazers on an Exhibit 10 contract. He’s a 6-foot-7 wing with 135 career NBA appearances. In 10.9 minutes per game, Beauchamp has averaged 4.1 points and 1.9 rebounds. 

After an unusual path to the NBA that included stints at Yakima Valley Community College and G League Ignite, Beauchamp went 24th overall to the Bucks in the 2022 draft. He had obvious defensive potential and appeared to have some decent role player traits — cutting, rebounding, effort on both ends — but has yet to translate that to much NBA success. 

The other Sixers currently on Exhibit 10 contracts are Kennedy Chandler, Malcolm Hill and Saint Thomas. The Sixers’ preseason finale is Friday vs. the Timberwolves and their regular-season opener is next Wednesday against the Celtics. 

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Arkansas coach John Calipari vows to retire before adopting transactional approach

Arkansas coach John Calipari, whose one-and-done era at Kentucky saw NBA talent come and go nearly every season, criticized what he is seeing in the name, image and likeness portal era, saying he will not become a “transactional” coach or he “won’t do this anymore." The 66-year-old Calipari said he welcomes some changes in college athletics more than others after three-plus decades of head coaching. “I want to help 25 to 30 more families,” Calipari said Tuesday at SEC basketball media days.

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Canadiens New Forward Is Thriving Big Time

Zack Bolduc (© David Banks-Imagn Images)

The Montreal Canadiens have had a solid start to the 2025-26 season. After losing their season opener to the Toronto Maple Leafs by a 5-2 final score, they have followed that up with wins against the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks in their last two games. Now, they will be looking to keep their winning streak going against the Seattle Kraken on Oct. 14. 

One reason for the Canadiens' success early on this season has been the impressive play of new forward Zack Bolduc. The 22-year-old has had a very hot start to the new campaign, as he has scored a goal in each of his first three games with the Canadiens. He also had his first multi-point game as a Canadien during their Oct. 11 matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks, as he not only kept his goal streak going, but also recorded an assist. 

With his great start to the season, Bolduc currently leads the Canadiens in goals with three. His four points are also second on the Canadiens, as captain Nick Suzuki currently leads the club with five points. With this, Bolduc has certainly been feeling it early on offensively. 

While the season is young, it is hard not to feel excited about the way Bolduc is playing right now.  The 2021 first-round pick could very well be on the way to having a breakout season for the Canadiens, and it will be interesting to see if he can this kind of play up from here. 

In 72 games last season with the St. Louis Blues, Bolduc posted career highs with 19 goals, 17 assists, and 36 points. Yet, with the way he is playing now, it would not be necessarily surprising if he gets even better numbers with the Canadiens this season. 

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Mets hiring Kai Correa as next bench coach

The recent resignation of John Gibbons as Mets bench coach created a vacancy in the dugout, but it took less than two weeks for the team to choose a new top assistant for Carlos Mendoza's staff.

As first reported by Sports Illustrated's Pat Ragazzo, the Mets are hiring Kai Correa to fill their bench coach void. 

The 37-year-old served in the same role for former Giants skipper Gabe Kapler from 2020-23, and spent the last two seasons as the Guardians' major league field coordinator, among other titles.

Correa, who played collegiately at Puget Sound in Washington state and was born in Hawaii, began his MLB coaching career in 2018, as a coach in the Guardians' farm system. He later became the league's youngest bench coach with the Giants, and managed the final three games of 2023 after the team's firing of Kapler. 

The Mets made one other coaching move on Tuesday, tabbing director of hitting development Jeff Albert to lead the team's major league hitting program. He too willl be in the dugout for the 2026 season, and the Mets will look to hire an additional hitting coach to work under him.

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Former First-Round Pick Morgan Barron’s Breakout Start Turning Heads in Winnipeg

Once a reliable bottom-six grinder, Morgan Barron is rewriting his story with the Jets, opening the 2025–26 season with four points in three games and hinting at a potential breakout year. 

Morgan Barron is off to the strongest start of his NHL career. Through three games of the 2025–26 season, the Winnipeg Jets forward has recorded two goals and two assists for four points, establishing himself as one of the early bright spots in Winnipeg’s lineup.

Known primarily as a bottom line forward, Barron’s sudden scoring surge hopefully signals a potential evolution in his role. His four points give him an average of 1.33 points per game, very far above his 2024–25 pace, when he produced 15 points (8 goals, 7 assists) in 74 games. 

Barron, 26, was selected by the New York Rangers in the sixth round (174th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft. The Halifax, Nova Scotia native played three seasons at Cornell University from 2017 to 2020, where he developed into a standout forward and earned ECAC Hockey Player of the Year honors in his junior season. After signing his entry-level contract with the Rangers in 2020, Barron made his NHL debut during the 2020–21 season but was eventually traded to the Winnipeg Jets as part of the deal that sent forward Andrew Copp to New York.

Since joining the Jets, Barron has steadily carved out a role as a dependable bottom-six forward, combining physicality with steady two-way play. His continued development led to a two-year, $3.7 million contract extension in July 2025.

Entering this season, Barron has quietly become a fan favorite with the Jets, tallying 62 points in 241 games across five seasons. The hope is his early season success can help Winnipeg when they really need depth scoring as Barron's four points is more than the season totals of Jonathan Toews, Gustav Nyquist and Vladislav Namestnikov combined. For a player long regarded as a depth option, this could be the beginning of a defining chapter in his NHL career as Barron may finally be able to tap into the first round upside that the Rangers saw in him back in 2017. 

Jets Riding Early Momentum, But Veteran Forwards Still Searching For Their StrideJets Riding Early Momentum, But Veteran Forwards Still Searching For Their StrideWhile <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/winnipeg-jets">Winnipeg</a>’s top line continues to shine, the team’s veteran additions are struggling to generate offense with advanced stats showing concerning trends.
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What we learned as Steph Curry, Will Richard shine in Warriors' preseason win

What we learned as Steph Curry, Will Richard shine in Warriors' preseason win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

Just two days after suffering their first preseason loss in two years, the Warriors bounced back for a 118-111 win Tuesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center.

The Warriors made twice as many threes as the Blazers, 18 to nine, but gave up 20 more points in the paint than they scored and had the same number of turnovers (26) as assists.

Steph Curry, to no surprise, was the best player on the floor, scoring a game-high 28 points in three quarters of work. He was a plus-13 with four 3-pointers, six rebounds and five assists. He brought plenty of showmanship to the Pacific Northwest one week before the real games begins.

The biggest surprise of the night was rookie Will Richard joining Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga and Al Horford in the starting lineup. Richard continued to impress, too, scoring 13 points with six rebounds as a plus-12 in 29 minutes. He went 4 of 7 from the field and 3 of 5 on threes.

Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Seth Curry and Gui Santos all were ruled out for the Warriors, as well as De’Anthony Melton and Alex Toohey.

Here are three takeaways from a Warriors win that moves them to 3-1 in the preseason.

Welcome To The Starting Five, Rook

Rest, injuries, and the desire to experiment have led coach Steve Kerr to use a different starting lineup in each of the Warriors’ first four preseason games. The biggest change Tuesday night in Portland was the addition of the Warriors’ rookie second-round draft pick. 

“I feel like it’s a good night to have Will out there for ball handling, decision making and it’s a good night for him to have to guard different guys and play against a really athletic team,” Kerr told reporters in his pregame press conference. “It’ll give us a good look at him, and it gives him a chance to play with Steph and BP and Al and JK. It’ll be a good challenge for him, but a good opportunity too.”

The Warriors’ first two points of the game that weren’t from three Curry free throws came from a cutting Richard. Kuminga was backing down his defender when Richard darted into the paint and caught a pass for two points.

Richard’s first made outside jumper was with a little more than three minutes remaining in the second quarter. Standing wide-open on the left wing as Curry got into the paint, Richard didn’t hesitate when hit in the chest with a pass from the defense collapsing. Swish. Defense is Richard’s first trait, but that kind of confidence offensively will help him find minutes as a rookie.

He was easily the Warriors’ second-best player in the first half behind Curry, going into halftime with eight points, made both of his threes and was a plus-10, which tied him with Curry as the team leader. Richard then, in the second half, scored another five points and had four more rebounds.

Kuminga Ejected

In the final seconds of the first half, Kuminga was on the wrong end of the rare one-tech ejection. Kuminga went through contact for a layup down the middle of the paint and missed hard off the glass. As he crashed into the stanchion, Kuminga threw his hands up in frustration, looking for a foul call.

Though it wasn’t shown on the broadcast, Blazers commentators claimed Kuminga made contact with a referee’s face as he argued the no-call. Kuminga then immediately was ejected in a bizarre scene. He might have been playing his best half of the preseason, too. 

Kuminga played 18 minutes and stuffed the stat sheet. He scored seven points on 3-of-5 shooting and made his only free throw, and also had six rebounds and four assists, both of which were team highs at the time. His impact was even better than his stats. 

Throughout the preseason, Kuminga consistently has been setting up his teammates for easy looks. That trend continued Tuesday night, even when they didn’t convert. Kuminga now has four or more assists in three of the Warriors’ four preseason games.

Last season, Kuminga only registered four or more assists in eight games.

Steph’s Ready 

After Deni Avdija made a three at the 8:19 mark of the third quarter to give the Blazers a 10-point lead, neither team scored until Curry went to the free-throw line with 6:56 left in the quarter. He split his free throws, but that was the start to a 13-0 run by the Warriors. Curry scored five points in that span, putting the Warriors up by three points. 

The Blazers and Warriors then traded four straight threes, with the fourth being a 27-footer from Curry that again gave his team a three-point lead. About a minute and a half later, his night was over but Curry had already made a statement. 

Curry’s 28 points in 26 minutes led both teams. The demon from long distance made three 3-pointers all within inches of each other on the right wing, and another from the left corner. His six rebounds were a team high when he took a seat, as were Curry’s five assists. 

How Curry continuously went to the free-throw line stood out most. Curry only once attempted 13 or more free throws last season. He was 12 of 13 in three quarters Tuesday night.

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Just how much are the Dodgers charging for World Series tickets?

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 26: View of newly-renovated Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Thinking of attending a potential World Series game at Dodger Stadium later this month? Tickets won't be cheap. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Can you put a price on the experience of enjoying a World Series game at Dodger Stadium?

Yes, and it's a very high one.

The Dodgers put tickets for potential World Series games on sale Tuesday, with the cheapest seat available for $881.95, according to an afternoon review of the team website. That seat — $800 for the ticket and $81.95 for fees — is located at the end of the reserve level, high above the field and next to the foul pole.

World Series prices posted on the website Tuesday ranged as high as $1,510.05. The best seats are sold as part of season packages, so that $1,510.05 seat ($1,371 ticket plus $139.05 fees) is located on the field level, near the foul pole and bullpen.

Read more:Shaikin: Blake Snell replicating what Sandy Koufax achieved 60 Octobers ago

If the Dodgers advance to the World Series and play the Seattle Mariners, the Dodgers would play as many as four home games, starting Friday, Oct. 24. If the Dodgers advance and play the Toronto Blue Jays, the Dodgers would play as many as three home games, starting Monday, Oct. 27.

On Oct. 24, a family of four could get into Disneyland for a total of $796. On Oct. 27, a family of four could get into Disneyland for a total of $676.

Ticket prices are subject to change based on demand.

When the Dodgers put National League Championship Series tickets on sale, the cheapest price was $155. On Tuesday, the cheapest ticket on the team website for Game 3 on Thursday was $168.

However, since the game time has been set at 3 p.m. and weekday afternoon games are not popular, tickets on the resale market could be bought for about $100 Tuesday.

Read more:It took some luck, but good things finally happen to Dodgers' Blake Treinen

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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NBA's Tyrese Haliburton was a Brewers fan. Here's why he's actively rooting against them in the NLCS

Injured Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton wore a Chicago Cubs jersey to his team's preseason game Saturday and a Dodgers jersey to Monday's game. Each team was playing the Milwaukee Brewers in the MLB playoffs on those respective nights.
Injured Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton wore a Chicago Cubs jersey to his team's preseason game Saturday and a Dodgers jersey to Monday's game. Each team was playing the Milwaukee Brewers in the MLB playoffs on those respective nights. (Andy Lyons, Justin Casterline / Getty Images)

Tyrese Haliburton was once a Milwaukee Brewers fan.

Now he's possibly their biggest troll.

On Saturday, the injured Indiana Pacers star sat on his team's bench during a preseason game against the Oklahoma City Thunder wearing a Chicago Cubs jersey. It just so happened that the Cubs were playing the Brewers that day in Game 5 of their National League Division Series.

Two days later, Haliburton arrived at the Pacers' preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs rocking a Dodgers jersey (reportedly that of L.A. superstar Shohei Ohtani). Again, certainly by pure coincidence, the two-time NBA All-Star was representing a team that was facing the Brewers in a high-stakes postseason game, this time Game 1 of the NL Championship Series.

The Brewers are playing for only the second World Series berth in team history, and a high-profile athlete who grew up less than two hours from Milwaukee in Oshkosh, Wis., is actively rooting against them.

Read more:Dodgers vs. Brewers Game 2: Live updates, how to watch, start time and odds

The reason, it seems, is because of an alleged snub that took place in the summer of 2024. During an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" in April, Haliburton said he had been scheduled to throw out a ceremonial first pitch before a Brewers game last summer ... until he and the Pacers eliminated the Milwaukee Bucks during the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs.

"I was a Brewers fan," he said, "and then I was supposed to throw the first pitch last summer, and they X'ed that after the playoff series. So I said, 'You know what? I'm no longer a Brewers fan.'"

After that, Haliburton said, he became a "free agent" as a baseball fan.

Haliburton must have been thrilled with the result of Game 1 of the NLCS, a 2-1 Dodgers win, but he might want to track down jerseys for the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays just in case — the Brewers are still just four wins away from facing one of those teams in the World Series.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Why Dodgers players refuse to stay at infamous Milwaukee hotel during NLCS

Why Dodgers players refuse to stay at infamous Milwaukee hotel during NLCS originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

MILWAUKEE — There’s postseason pressure, and then there’s the kind that comes from things that go bump in the night. For the Los Angeles Dodgers, it seems both have followed them to Milwaukee.

As the National League Championship Seriesstarted at American Family Field for Games 1 and 2 on Monday and Tuesday night, a different kind of storyline is swirling around the visiting clubhouse — one involving ghost stories, sleepless nights, and a century-old hotel that’s been unsettling Major League Baseball players for decades.

The Pfister Hotel, an elegant landmark in downtown Milwaukee built in 1893, has long been rumored to be haunted. From flickering lights to phantom footsteps, players have whispered about eerie experiences for years. 

Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts has heard enough. Once again, the eight-time All-Star refused to stay there, opting instead for the safety of an Airbnb — as he’s done on every Milwaukee trip since 2022.

“I don’t believe in ghosts,” Betts said last season. “But I don’t want to find out that I’m wrong.”

That superstition — or self-preservation — has now spread through the Dodgers clubhouse. Ahead of Game 2 on Tuesday, Teoscar Hernández admitted that he and his family decided not to stay at the Pfister either after teammates shared their own ghostly encounters since arriving Sunday night.

“I’ve stayed there before and never seen anything,” Hernández told reporters during his pregame media session. “But my wife said she didn’t want to stay there. Then I started hearing stories — lights going off, doors opening, footsteps. I was like, okay, that’s enough.”

Division Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Philadelphia Phillies - Game One
PTeoscar Hernandez #37 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates his three-run home run with teammate Mookie Betts #50 in the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in game one of the Division Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 04, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

For the Dodgers, this isn’t just another road trip. It’s a test of nerves — not just against Freddy Peralta and the Brewers’ elite pitching staff, but against the kind of folklore that seeps into a team’s psyche. Players from Bryce Harper to Adrian Beltre to Pablo Sandoval have all claimed strange encounters at the Pfister, and the stories never seem to die.

“I laid a pair of jeans and a shirt on that table at the foot of the bed,” Harper recalled while staying at the haunted hotel in 2012. “When I woke up in the morning — I swear on everything — the clothes were on the floor and the table was on the opposite side of the room.”

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While playing for the Dodgers in 2001, Beltre said he heard knocking at his door while staying at the Pfister, even with the TV and air conditioner turned off.

“I went to take a shower, and I remember putting my iPod next to a speaker,” former Giants’ infielder Pablo Sandoval recalled about his experience at the hotel. “When I came out, it was playing music, and I have no idea why.” Sandoval and teammate Edgar Renteria refused to stay with the rest of the team at the Pfister in 2010.

Sandoval, Harper, and Beltre were not the only MLB players to experience paranormal activities either. Some of the most eerie stories come from former baseball players who stayed there over the years. 

“It was more like a moving light that kind of passed through the room,” said former Cardinals infielder Brendan Ryan to a local TV station. “The room got a little bit chillier.”

“A couple of years ago, I was lying in bed after a night game, and I was out. My room was locked, but I heard these footsteps inside my room, stomping around. It woke me up,” said former Ranger Michael Young. 

“I was on the computer one night, doing my typical shtick — surfing the web, sending an email, editing a photo — and then all of a sudden the lights started flickering,” said former Angels’ pitcher C.J. Wilson. “I’m thinking to myself, I’m going to be so pissed if my computer dies. Then the light just shuts off. And then the TV shuts off. And then the light turns back on, but the light at the front door turns off. I just yelled out, ‘Really?'”So after that, I went back to whatever I was doing on the computer, but then 30 minutes later there’s scratching in the walls. Now I’m thinking, OK, it’s the Midwest, there could be a possum or something in the wall, right? That’s possible, isn’t it? All I knew was that there were definitely noises coming from the wall.”

And finally, former Korean slugger Ji-man Choi was a first baseman also with the Angels when he said he was laying in bed and felt the “presence of a spirt lying in bed” next to him.

Yeah, no thanks. 

But whether you believe in ghosts or not, the legends have become part of baseball’s strange October magic — a mix of tension, tradition, and superstition that defines the sport. And for Betts, Hernández, and the Dodgers, one thing’s for sure: they’d rather face a 100-mph fastball from rookie Jacob Misiorowski than a restless spirit at 3 a.m.

Game 2 of the NLCS between the Dodgers and Brewers continues Tuesday night in Milwaukee — and no matter what happens on the field, the ghosts of the Pfister will be watching closely.

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How Each Canadian NHL Team Looks After One Week

After exactly one week of regular-season NHL action, the seven Canadian teams are spread out throughout the standings already.

From the first impressions to the early trends from the start of this season, each Canadian squad looks different. Let's dive in.

Calgary Flames

After three games, the Calgary Flames have a 1-2-0 record and are tied for last in the Western Conference. Their only win came in overtime against their provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, in the season opener.

Going into this season, The Hockey News’ Yearbook predicted the Flames to be a ‘mushy middle’ team, finishing sixth in the Pacific Division. Following that prediction, Calgary seems to be on the right path to being the team that most expected them to be.

One storyline to watch is the play of Dustin Wolf. The 24-year-old sophomore is the bona fide starter, but he's allowed 12 goals in three games with a .865 save percentage and minus-3.9 goals saved above expected, according to moneypuck.com. Only the Ottawa Senators' Linus Ullmark has a worse GSAE rating at minus-5.4, but more on that later.

Flames Must Accomplish The Opposite Of Last Season To Avoid 'Mushy Middle'Flames Must Accomplish The Opposite Of Last Season To Avoid 'Mushy Middle'The Calgary Flames were a surprising team last season. While they didn’t make the Stanley Cup playoffs – that part was expected of them – the St. Louis Blues beat them out on a tie-breaker after the two teams levelled on points for the last wild-card spot in the Western Conference. 

Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers' goal is clearly the Stanley Cup or bust. After two straight Cup final losses to the Florida Panthers and a short-term extension for Connor McDavid, the Oilers, specifically management, have a ton of pressure.

After some mediocre starts to the last two seasons, including a 5-12-1 run in 2023-24 that cost coach Jay Woodcroft his job, the Oilers would benefit from starting strong this time around.

In the pair of contests Edmonton has played, the star players ran the show. McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have three points each.

It’s a small sample size, but the Oilers appear to be right on track to get to where everyone believes they belong, with a 1-0-1 record. Their 1.94 expected goals against per 60 minutes is the best rate in the NHL, according to naturalstattrick.com.

Montreal Canadiens

Despite being the youngest team in the NHL, according to eliteprospects.com, the Montreal Canadiens have been a force to start this season.

They dropped their first game last Wednesday, but even in that loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs and the two wins that followed, the Habs have been a fast and exciting team. Their 75 speed bursts of between 20 and 22 miles per hour are the sixth-most in the league, according to NHL Edge.

Off-season acquisition Zachary Bolduc has had a hot start to his Montreal tenure. He’s scored three goals and four points in three games. Captain Nick Suzuki leads the team in scoring with five points, all assists.

GM Kent Hughes also locked up defenseman Lane Hutson to a tidy eight-year contract worth $8.85 million annually on Monday. 

While they’re still a young team, the Canadiens will take a lot of points away from teams throughout this campaign and will be hunting for a second straight playoff berth.

Ottawa Senators

The Senators have some positives and a few concerns after one week.

Center Shane Pinto leads the team in points with four goals and five points in the first three games. Defensemen Artem Zub and Jake Sanderson and captain Brady Tkachuk have three points each.

Their strength is their forward depth. However, the Sens would like to have more consistent goaltending as Linus Ullmark has a 4.07 goals-against average and .842 save percentage in the first three contests.

The potential greater concern for Ottawa is Tkachuk's injury he suffered in Monday's game against the Nashville Predators. He's expected to be out for at least four weeks, maybe longer.

The expectation for Ottawa is to make the playoffs, and that’s no easy task in the mighty Atlantic Division.

Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs are without Mitch Marner for the first time since his rookie season in 2016-17, in case you forgot. He provided much of Toronto’s offense last year, with 102 points.

The Leafs will need to make up for all the lost scoring, which is even tougher considering Craig Berube’s north-south and dump-and-chase style of play.

Toronto went 1-2-0 in the first seven days, losing twice to the Detroit Red Wings. Despite outshooting Detroit 40-15 on Monday, the Wings eked out a 3-2 win.

They're also 0-for-6 on the power play.

With a major loss to their scoring touch, only time will tell if they’ll be able to survive.

'He Always Has Good Feedback': Maple Leafs' Craig Berube Details What Conversations Are Like With William Nylander'He Always Has Good Feedback': Maple Leafs' Craig Berube Details What Conversations Are Like With William NylanderIf there's anyone on the Toronto Maple Leafs who can come out on the good side of adversity, it's William Nylander.

Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks and a few individuals on the team are looking for a major bounce-back year. After shockingly missing the playoffs last season, Vancouver is expected to get back into the post-season, and a lot of that falls on center Elias Pettersson.

Pettersson only scored 15 goals and 45 points in 64 games last season, despite scoring 89 and 102 points in the two campaigns before that. So far this season, he has one assist in three games as the Canucks are 1-2-0 to start the 2025-26 campaign.

Pettersson has a lot of say in how far Adam Foote’s Canucks go this year. In the meantime, Kiefer Sherwood leads the way with three goals, and Thatcher Demko has a 1.54 GAA and .944 SP in two starts.

Winnipeg Jets

After winning the Presidents’ Trophy last season, no one expects anything less of another excellent regular season for the Winnipeg Jets. They're 2-1-0 so far.

Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor each have three goals in three games. The two of them were particularly strong in Winnipeg’s only loss this season against the Dallas Stars.

It was the season opener, and Connor netted himself a hat trick with Scheifele providing primary assists on all three of his goals. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough as Dallas took it 5-4, but the Jets showed signs that they aren’t much different from last year.

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