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Mets drop eighth straight, waste Brandon Sproat's excellent Citi Field debut in 3-2 loss to Rangers

The Mets blew a 2-0 lead in the final two innings and lost 3-2 to the Texas Rangers on Saturday at Citi Field, extending their losing streak to eight straight games.

Here are the takeaways...

-- The Mets let a 2-0 lead after seven innings get away, as the Rangers rallied for two runs in the eighth, started by a catcher’s interference call, and then scored the go-ahead run in the ninth.

Edwin Diaz, called upon with two outs in the eighth, gave up a game-tying double and then came back in the ninth to give up the lead.

The Rangers’ ninth-inning rally started with a line drive off Francisco Lindor’s glove. It was ruled a hit but looked like a ball Lindor should have caught. After a sacrifice bunt, Diaz gave up a two-out line drive single into right-center by Wyatt Langford to put Texas ahead.

-- Brandon Sproat was outstanding in his second major league start, throwing six shutout innings, attacking with such efficiency that he threw only 70 pitches.

He surely could have gone another inning but Carlos Mendoza was likely influenced by some hard contact Sproat gave up in the sixth inning, and went to his bullpen for Brooks Raley in the seventh.

Sproat pitched with great command, staying mostly on the corners with all of his pitches. He consistently got in on the hands of Rangers’ right-handed hitters with his running two-seamer, and kept hitters off balance with his sweeper and changeup as well.

He allowed no walks while striking out three against this team of mostly contact hitters. In two starts Sproat has a 2.25 ERA.

-- Lindor almost single-handedly manufactured a run to get the Mets on the board in the fifth inning. A good throw from Patrick Corbin might have nailed Lindor, but the throw was wild, allowing the run to score.

The shortstop led off by dropping a perfect bunt single down the third base line, then made a great read on Pete Alonso’s bloop single — daring as it was — that fell just out of 2B Cody Freeeman’s reach, going to third base on the play. And when the throw caromed off 3B Josh Jung, Lindor gambled again and took off, even though Corbin was backing up the play.

-- Soto’s solo home run in the seventh inning was a bomb into the upper deck in right field, giving the Mets a 2-0 lead. In addition, he became only the third hitter in major league history, along with Barry Bonds and Jeff Bagwell, to hit 40 or more HRs, have 30 or more SBs and 100 or more walks.

With the long ball Soto became the first Met to ever record a 40/30 season, with 40 HRs and 30 stolen bases.

-- The Rangers rallied for two runs in the eighth inning to tie the game. With Tyler Rogers pitching, the rally started when Francisco Alvarez was called for catcher’s interference on a Josh Smith swing, and Langford followed with a double into the left-field corner, putting runners at second and third.

After a sacrifice fly made it 2-1, and then a strikeout, Mendoza went to Diaz for a potential four-out save. But Diaz walkedJung and gave up a double to the right field corner by Rowdy Tellez on a hanging slider, scoring Langford to tie the game 2-2.

-- The Mets knocked Corbin out in the fifth inning, but in scoring just one run against him they really missed an opportunity against a journeyman starter who has been especially vulnerable on the road this season. The Mets had him on the ropes early, but after loading the bases with two outs, Starling Marte took strike three on the inside corner to end the inning.

The left-hander has been mediocre for years: He hasn’t posted an ERA-plus number anywhere near league average since 2019. This season he’s been a serviceable back-end starter for Texas overall, going 7-9 with a 4.36 ERA, but in 14 road starts coming into Saturday he had a 5.63 ERA with a 1.472 WHIP.

-- Brett Baty made his second baserunning blunder this week, getting picked off second base with no outs in the sixth inning, short-circuiting a potential rally when the Mets were leading 1-0.

Baty was picked off first base in the late innings earlier this week in a close game in Philadelphia, with Soto at the plate.

For some reason, Baty didn’t slide going back into second on Saturday. It looked like he may have been safe with a slide.

Game MVP: Brandon Sproat

Even in a losing cause, Sproat’s six shutout innings in his second major league start was a huge lift for the Mets, coming off Jonah Tong’s disastrous start on Friday night.

If nothing else, it offered hope for the future for the Mets.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets and Rangers close out their three-game series with a Sunday matinee starting at 1:40 p.m. on PIX11.

RHP Nolan McLean (4-1, 1.42 ERA) looks to keep his great start to his career going and will match up against LHP Jacob Latz (2-0, 2.91 ERA).

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Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s big game propels Yankees to 5-3 win over Red Sox

The Yankees beat the Red Sox on Saturday night, 5-3, at Fenway Park.

Here are the takeaways...

-Saturday belonged to Jazz Chisholm Jr. who finished with three hits, including a home run, three RBI and a run scored.

Chisholm's first RBI came in the opening inning after Cody Bellinger drove in the game's first run with a sacrifice fly following a HBP to Trent Grisham to lead off the game, a ground-rule double by Ben Rice, and a walk to Aaron Judge. Chisholm made it 2-0 with a soft single up the third base line fielded by Brayan Bello who had no shot at throwing out the speedster.

Despite loading the bases again with another walk, the Yankees did not score again in the inning.

Chisholm came through again in the third inning. After another walk to Judge and a single by Bellinger, Chisholm grounded one through the gaping hole on the left side of the infield to drive in his second run of the day. 

He waited until the fifth for his hardest and farthest hit ball of the game, smacking a no doubter to right center field for his 29th home run of the year. Chisholm is now one homer away from joining the prestigious 30/30 club.

-On the mound, Max Fried took the ball and pitched well enough to record the win, although the lefty labored through 5.1 innings. He allowed two runs on nine hits and two walks, regularly dealing with traffic on the basepaths. Fried's only 1-2-3 inning came in the third.

The first run Fried allowed came in the fifth by way of Alex Bregman's solo shot. Three straight one-out singles produced a run in the sixth to cut New York's lead to 4-2 and knocked Fried out of the game. He struck out six and threw 105 pitches (73 strikes).

-The Yankees' bullpen following Fried pitched well with Luke Weaver ending the threat in the sixth before Devin Williams pitched a scoreless seventh. The struggling Fernando Cruz let Boston get closer in the eighth after surrendering a solo bomb to Jarren Duran that cut the Yanks' lead to one. Cruz struck out the next two batters he faced.

-New York added an insurance run in the ninth against former Yankee Aroldis Chapman, manufactured with two outs. Judge hit his second single of the night and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Bellinger doubled him home. Judge, Bellinger and Chisholm, 3-4-5 in the lineup, combined for seven hits, five RBI and three runs scored.

-David Bednar got the save with an easy, seven-pitch ninth inning.

Game MVP: Jazz Chisholm Jr.

It was Jazz Chisholm Day at Fenway Park with the second baseman going 3-for-5 with a home run, double, three RBI and run scored.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees close out their three-game series with their division rivals on Sunday Night Baseball. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

RHP Will Warren (8-6, 4.22 ERA) will face off against LHP Garrett Crochet (15-5, 2.57 ERA).

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Yakemchuk Shines as Senators Rookies Edge Leafs in Prospects Showdown Opener

Ottawa Senators prospect Carter Yakemchuk wasted no time making his presence felt at the 2025 Prospects Showdown in Montreal. The 19-year-old defenseman scored twice and added an assist as the Senators opened the four-game rookie event with a 4–3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday afternoon at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Yakemchuk, Ottawa’s first-round pick (7th overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft, was a difference-maker throughout the prospects game, displaying the offensive instincts that nearly earned him an NHL job last fall. 

While his first goal was a lucky bounce off a Leafs defender, his second one, which turned out to be the difference in the game, was a thing of beauty. All alone in the slot, he froze everyone with a fake shot on the forehand, then pulled the puck to his left and deposited the backhand into the open net. If you've watched any of his Calgary Hitmen junior scoring highlights from the past, it's obvious that move is a Yakemchuk favourite when he has an attacking lane to the opponent's net.

He wasn’t the only former first-rounder to make an impression. Tyler Boucher, Ottawa’s 10th overall pick in 2021, delivered one of his stronger outings since beginning his injury-plagued time with the organization. Boucher skated with confidence, won some key battles along the boards, and buried the club’s third goal with a quick wrist shot from the top of the circle.

Up front, Xavier Bourgault, also a 2021 first-rounder (Edmonton), was noticeable all day in the offensive zone. Neither Boucher nor Bourgault has been a high-achieving AHL player yet, much less live up to their NHL draft billing, so this is a huge year for both of their pro careers.

Meanwhile, Steve Halliday – Belleville's top scorer last season – also had a productive afternoon, notching a goal and an assist while making smart plays in all three zones. 

In goal, the spotlight belonged to Jackson Parsons. The Embrun native, who was named both OHL and CHL Goaltender of the Year last season with the Kitchener Rangers, played the entire game and turned aside several high-danger chances. Parsons has a chance to battle with Hunter Shepard and Mads Sogaard for AHL goaltending duty this season, and he made a good first impression on B-Sens head coach David Bell, who described Parsons as the difference in the game.

Ottawa-born Luke Haymes had a goal and an assist for the Leafs.

The Senators’ rookies will be back on the ice Sunday night at 7:00 p.m. when they face the Winnipeg Jets prospects in their second and final game of the event. That matchup will close the book on Sens rookie camp, with Ottawa’s management staff set to finalize rookie invitations to main camp, which begins next week. 

By Steve Warne
This article first appeared at The Hockey News-Ottawa

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
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Sens Unveil Rookie Camp Roster For Games This Weekend
Senators GM Steve Staios On Why He Brought Back The Same Group
Can The Senators Still Avoid Losing Their 2026 First Round Pick?
Ottawa Senators Radio Play-By-Play Team Won't Travel To Road Games This Season

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Logan Webb takes full blame for Giants' missed opportunity in loss to Dodgers

Logan Webb takes full blame for Giants' missed opportunity in loss to Dodgers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — After an incredible double play to end the top of the second inning and escape a no-out bases-loaded jam, a hyped up Logan Webb belted three words that could be heard loud and clear even just reading his lips through a TV screen.

“Let’s f–king go.”

A few hours later, Webb was in a much different mood speaking in a much different tone after the Giants’ 13-7 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday at Oracle Park.

The Giants ace couldn’t answer any of the media’s questions without blaming himself for the loss and acknowledging he must be better.

Webb gave up 10 hits and six runs (six earned) while striking out five and walking two through 4.0 innings before being pulled after facing his second bases-loaded jam. He also gave up one solo home run to Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Webb called his performance “unacceptable.”

“Not great,” Webb said of his outing. “I really let the team down today, but yeah. Just bad overall.”

But “great” is exactly how the Giants were feeling early in the game, when the offense got off to a strong start and scored four runs on Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw.

While San Francisco’s offense has let Webb down on multiple occasions this season, it did its part early to lay out the red carpet for a vintage Webb gem.

This time, however, Webb was the one unable to hold up his end of the bargain.

“The feeling was good,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said postgame of the team’s start. “We kind of had our way with us and got him on the run early. Scored four after giving up a run in the first. You feel pretty good about our chances, especially with Webby on the mound.

“But he just didn’t have his great stuff today. Some ground balls found some holes and then they hit some balls harder in the gaps, and next thing you know, he’s out of there after four innings. It went from a pretty good feeling to, I mean, they had 17 hits tonight, so it was tough holding them down.”

Webb had his moments, though, that seemed to have the making of a momentum push. He struck out Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy in back-to-back at-bats, and was just one out away from limiting the damage after previously giving up the homer to Ohtani to begin the inning. But Teoscar Hernandez’s RBI double brought Los Angeles within one.

By that time, Webb already had given up three runs and eight hits.

He returned in the fourth inning and escaped with no damage done, but then got himself back in a bases-loaded jam to begin the fifth before his day was done.

“Once he struck out Muncy and Freeman, we felt pretty good about where he was going from there,” Melvin said. “And then gave up the double in right center field and it just got away from him a little bit. You want to be patient with him because you want him to be able to figure it out and keep us in the game. Unfortunately it just didn’t happen today.”

Webb admitted he was overthinking a little and “trying to be cute” with his stuff, again confessing he has to be better the next time he takes the mound. And he, nor Melvin, denied the elephant in the room.

The Giants had an opportunity to move into a playoff spot with a win on Saturday after the New York Mets’ collapse continued with an eighth straight loss earlier Saturday afternoon. The Mets’ game was wrapping up just as the Giants took the field to warm up about three hours before their matchup with the Dodgers. But they were keeping tabs, and once the Mets lost, they knew what was at stake.

“Everybody knew what was going on today,” Melvin said. “We had our hitters meeting today. The game was just finishing up. Everyone knows. But we’re trying to stay pretty simple and just keep riding this momentum that we have and let’s go out and play our best game today and move on to the next day.”

Webb, too, acknowledged San Francisco’s missed opportunity.

“Obviously, it’s hard to hide from it,” Webb said. “Everyone knows what’s going on. I know about it, but I got to be better. … With that team losing, it was kind of in our hands, and I did a bad job today.

“We just got to try and go out tomorrow and, for me personally, just cheering on guys as much as I can to try and help us win a series.”

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Sharks Pull Off Miraculous Comeback, Defeat Kings 8-5 at Rookie Faceoff

Day two of the Golden State Rookie Faceoff is in the books, as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday afternoon. The Sharks’ portion of the event in Irvine has come to a close, as the only remaining game will be between the Kings and the Anaheim Ducks tomorrow afternoon.

Entering the games, the Sharks made a few changes from the night before. Cam Lund is day-to-day with an upper-body injury following a controversial hit late in the game against the Ducks. Meanwhile, Joshua Ravensbergen and Luca Cagnoni were taken out of the lineup as healthy scratches. Jack Bar and Noah Beck entered the lineup, giving the Sharks 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Meanwhile, between the pipes, Matt Davis got the start but split the time with Christian Kirsch.

The Kings got off to a hot start, with Koehn Ziemmer scoring just 15 seconds into the game. Just over a minute later, Parker Berge scored on another odd-man rush, extending the Kings’ lead to 2-0 within two minutes of puck drop. Kirill Kirsanov’s shot from the point off a Faceoff made it 3-0 just under halfway through the first period. Kenta Isogai joined the Kings’ goal-scoring party with just over five minutes remaining in the first frame.

It was clear right out of the gate that the Sharks were fatigued, both mentally and physically, due to the quick turnaround between games. As a result, decision-making was off, which created multiple chances for their opposition. The well-rested Kings were also a step quicker, and it was an overall struggle for the Sharks in the first period.

The Sharks had an opportunity to turn things around with 3:09 remaining in the period, as they got their first power play of the night. Isaiah Saville made a couple of saves for the Kings during the penalty kill, and the Sharks failed to convert on their man advantage.

The second period instantly started out with more grittiness than the first. There were a couple of scrums early, then Braden Hache was given an interference penalty for a late, heavy hit on Berge. Less than a minute after the penalty, Quentin Musty dropped the gloves with Henry Bruzstwicz after Musty threw a big hit along the boards, which earned him a boarding penalty. As a result, the Kings had a two-man advantage for over a minute.

The Sharks killed off the 5-on-3, and the remaining power play would be cut short as Kaleb Lawrence would be called for cross-checking, giving the Sharks a power play of their own after a few seconds of 4-on-4 play. Saville denied a Michael Misa one-timer with a great post-to-post save, preventing the Sharks’ second-overall pick from scoring his first goal with his new organization.

The Kings would kill off the penalty before Haoxi (Simon) Wang dropped the gloves with Lawrence. Both were given ten-minute misconducts along with their five-minute fighting majors, and went directly down the tunnel for the remainder of the period. Halfway through the period, both teams swapped goaltenders; Kirsch took over for Davis on the Sharks’ side, while LA-native Mattias Sholl entered the game for the Kings.

Kasper Halttunen got the Sharks on the board off a pass from Misa, making it a 4-1 hockey game. Moments later, Filip Bystedt added another, making it 4-2. Halttunen and Bystedt’s goals came on the first two shots that Sholl faced after entering the game, less than a minute apart.

Dawson Kerwing would get called for high-sticking Max Heise, giving the Sharks power play another opportunity. The Kings would kill it off. Musty would draw another penalty late in the penalty, and after massive chaos in front of the Kings' net, the puck would find its way to Sam Dickinson, who put it behind a sprawling Sholl to make it 4-3 with just a second remaining in the period.

After a scrum at the end of the second period, the third started with some 4-on-4 hockey. Misa’s hunt for a goal continued throughout the night, as he was once again denied in spectacular fashion when he had a two-on-one with Musty six minutes into the third.

A few moments later, the Sharks had a similar chance; this time Teddy Mutryn hit Sholl directly in the mask with his shot. The Sharks drew a penalty on that play, and on the ensuing face-off, Halttunen was high-sticked, giving the Sharks nearly two full minutes of 5-on-3 hockey. Collin Graf ripped a one-timer from Dickinson past Sholl, tying the game at 4-4.

Minutes later, Graf would make it five unanswered goals as shortly after the penalty expired, he shot from the right face-off circle, beating Sholl and making it 5-4 in favor of the Sharks. Misa’s hunt for a goal came to an end when he found the back of the net with 8:04 remaining in the game, off a pass from Musty.

The Kings got one back with 4:19 remaining, when Aatu Jamsen scored a gritty goal in the crease, making it a one-goal game once again. Mattias Havelid put away his second of the tournament, restoring the Sharks’ two-goal lead with just over two minutes remaining. Carson Wetsch added one more for the Sharks, who walked away with an 8-5 victory when all was said and done.

San Jose Sharks Defeat Anaheim Ducks to Kick Off Golden State Rookie FaceoffSan Jose Sharks Defeat Anaheim Ducks to Kick Off Golden State Rookie FaceoffSan Jose Sharks hockey is back, at least in a sense. The Sharks’ prospects took the ice on Friday night against the Anaheim Ducks at the Golden State Rookie Faceoff. 27 Days Until Opening Day: The Sharks' History of Number 2727 Days Until Opening Day: The Sharks' History of Number 27The San Jose Sharks' season is just around the corner. We’re just 9 days away from preseason hockey and 27 days away from the official kick off of the 2025-26 season against the Vegas Golden Knights on October 9. Former Sharks Goaltender Signs With the Buffalo SabresFormer Sharks Goaltender Signs With the Buffalo SabresFormer San Jose Sharks netminder Alexandar Georgiev has signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres.
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Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Young Winger Quinn Must Make Most Of His Opportunities

Jack Quinn (Bob Frid, USA TODAY Images)

The NHL’s 2025-26 season has just about arrived, and here on THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we’re continuing our player-by-player series in which we break down the expectations for each Buffalo player in the coming season.

We’ve made our way in this series through the Sabres’ goalies, defensemen and the first two lines of forwards. And in today’s file, we’re analyzing Buffalo winger Jack Quinn, who is kicking off Year 1 of a two-year contract extension that is a significant bump in pay over what Quinn had been making.

But let’s focus right now on the current expectations for Quinn in ‘25-26, and whether he’s likely to meet or exceed them.

Player Name: Jack Quinn

Position: Left Wing

Age: 23

2024-25 Key Statistics: 74 games, 15 goals, 39 points, 14:52 average time-on-ice

2025-26 Salary:$3.375 million

2025-26 Expectations: In three NHL seasons, Quinn has hinted at being an above-average player, posting 15 goals and 39 points in 74 games last season – slightly better than his full-first-year numbers of 14 goals and 37 points in 75 games in 2022-23 – and he’s been given a bridge deal of sorts by Sabres GM Kevyn Adams to build himself into a long-term core component for the organization.

Quinn’s rather limited time-on-ice last season could be pointed to by some with the idea that if he gets more minutes, his point totals are going to rise significantly. Sabres coaching and management members may agree with that notion. But when the season begins, it’s likely that Quinn is going to be on Buffalo’s third line, with center Jiri Kulich and right winger Jordan Greenway, the latter of who isn’t known as a big-time point producer. 

Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Staying Healthy A Key Concern For Rugged Winger GreenwaySabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Staying Healthy A Key Concern For Rugged Winger GreenwayThe Buffalo Sabres need all hands on deck if they're to end their `14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought. And that means everyone on the roster is going to have to pull their weight. What will expectations for every Sabres player look like? That's the focus of THN.com's Sabres site series.

All of which is to say that Quinn may need to be more of a play-finisher than a playmaker this year. But his significant raise (from $863,334 last season to $3.375-million for this year and next year) carries with it increased expectations. And given that injuries limited Quinn to only 27 games in 2023-24 – with two serious injuries in the same season – he can’t afford another injury. That’s true for all players, but some more than others are under particular pressure to stay healthy, and Quinn is one of them.

As the eighth-overall draft pick in 2020, the 23-year-old Quinn needs to live up to the hype in a way that hasn’t happened yet. He’ll begin the season in limited minutes once again, but it would be to management’s delight if he did enough damage on offense to warrant a bump up the depth chart and more playing opportunities. It’s entirely up to Quinn to dictate what his future is going to look like, so nothing short of a new set of career-highs on offense has to be something he’s capable of if he’s going to remain a Sabre over the long haul.

Sabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Veteran Winger Zucker Looked To For Cluch OffenseSabres 2025-26 Player Expectations: Veteran Winger Zucker Looked To For Cluch OffenseThe NHL’s 2025-26 season is nearly upon us, and here at THN.com’s Buffalo Sabres site, we're continuing our player-by-player series in which we break down expectations for each Sabres player this season. We've looked at Buffalo's goalies and defensemen, and in this latest column, we're turning our attention to veteran winger Jason Zucker.

If he isn’t, Quinn is going to languish on the third line, and at his new price tag, there may not be many teams stepping up to acquire him when they can wait a year and sign him to a more production-appropriate salary beginning in 2027. But if he does step up and the Sabres get back into the playoffs, Quinn’s salary could be seen as a first-rate bargain. 

Time will tell what the road forward will look like for Quinn, but he enters 2025-26 with a decent number of opportunities from Sabres coach Lindy Ruff. The way he responds to them will help shape his destiny as an NHLer.

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Chicago Extends Knight, But Blackhawks Still Miles From NHL Contention

By virtually all accounts, the Chicago Blackhawks are still a number of assets away from being a bona fide Stanley Cup playoff contender, let alone a legitimate Cup frontrunner. However, on Saturday, the Blackhawks firmed up their goaltending picture for the foreseeable future with a contract extension for No. 1 netminder Spencer Knight. 

Beginning next season, the 24-year-old Knight will get a raise of approximately $1.33 million, from his 2025-26 salary of $4.5 million to $5.83 million in 2026-27. At first glance, that may seem like a dangerous investment in a goalie who has only 95 games of NHL experience to his credit, and who has never played more than 37 games in a single season. But making projections on young players by giving them high-end money isn’t a new exercise for NHL GMs. Indeed, they do that all the time, and Knight’s case is no different.

The 24-year-old Knight, who was acquired from the Florida Panthers last season, didn’t have the best season from an individual statistics perspective. In 15 appearances for Chicago after the trade, Knight posted a .896 save percentage and 3.18 goals-against average. But on a true elite team like the Panthers, Knight’s 2025-26 numbers – including a .907 SP and 2.40 GAA – were significantly better. That’s what Hawks GM Kyle Davidson had in mind when he traded for Knight, and now, in giving Knight contract security through the 2028-29 campaign, he’s locked up a potential difference-maker between the pipes.

With Knight now secure in the knowledge that he’s going to be ‘The Man’ in net for the Blackhawks, Davidson can continue on with his roster-building for the future. But unfortunately for long-suffering Chicago fans, there’s still a very long way to go before the Hawks can have a realistic shot at making the post-season. 

Chicago has some key pieces of the puzzle, including forwards Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar, and defensemen Alex Vlasic, Kevin Korchinski, Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov. The problem is, they don’t have nearly enough depth to run with first-rate Central Division teams like the Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets and Dallas Stars. Especially up front, the drop-off in talent in Chicago is severe, and although the Blackhawks currently have $18.6-million in salary cap space, you don’t see NHL free agents climbing over one another to sign a contract with the Blackhawks.

So while there may come a day when Knight’s numbers look like the ones he posted in Florida before the trade last season, the Hawks are going to go through more growing pains this coming year and more than likely, a year or two after that. Once you’re out of the playoff picture in the salary-cap era, it’s extremely difficult to claw and climb your way back into the playoff mix. And even with new coach Jeff Blashill giving every Blackhawks player a clean slate, Chicago is going to have a very difficult time being anything other than cannon fodder.

The Hawks haven’t made the playoffs for the past five seasons, and the 2025-26 season is likely to look very similar for them. Knight has a commitment for the next four seasons, and that’s a good thing for Chicago. The problem is the rest of the roster has multiple holes to fill, and they won’t be filled (a) easily or (b) soon.

Spencer Knight (Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images)

It’s probably hard to hear if you’re a Blackhawks fan accustomed to the glory years of the modern era for the franchise, but the truth is, Chicago isn’t anywhere close to being a playoff team at the moment. And while Knight may be good enough to eventually backstop them to a playoff spot, that day isn’t likely to come this coming year, or anytime rapidly after that.

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.

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Eichel’s Defining Year: Can Vegas’ Star Center Reach A New Level Alongside Marner?

Over the course of his 10-year NHL career, star center Jack Eichel had his share of highs and lows. The highs included a Stanley Cup championship with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2022-23, and a 66-assist, 94-point performance for Vegas last season. The lows included what now feels like many wasted years as a member of the Buffalo Sabres, and a near-constant battle to stay healthy, averaging only 61.6 games-played per-season since he broke into hockey’s top league in 2015-16.

But as he enters Year 11 of his NHL career, the 28-year-old Eichel is poised to have his biggest season yet. He’s entering the final year of a contract paying him $10-million per season, and he’s likely to benefit from being a linemate of new Golden Knights star right winger Mitch Marner. Are we about to see a new level from Eichel that we haven’t seen before?

Now, does Eichel have anything to prove to anyone? No. After winning a Cup, he’s achieved the most lofty goal any NHLer can hope to achieve. But there is a nagging sense out there that we’ve yet to see the best of Eichel. He's only been in the top 10 in scoring twice in his career, and aside from one 23rd-place finish, he's been outside of the top 50 players in the league, either due to injuries or to being a rookie/sophomore. 

In his defense, Eichel has been excellent in the playoffs in the past three years, posting 33 assists and 43 points in 40 career post-season games. But the Golden Knights are famous for moving on from players who don’t fit into their long-term picture – and while we’re not here to tell you Eichel is at that stage in his time with Vegas, there’s absolutely going to be pressure on him to at least maintain the standard he set in last season in particular.

Some of those expectations will be heightened because Marner will make his new Golden Knights teammates better. But Marner is regarded as more playmaker than play-finisher, so unless Eichel is able to get to the 30-goal plateau – something that’s happened only two times in his NHL career – Eichel is going to have to help Marner score more often and elevate his assist numbers to the 70-assist level or better.

The Golden Knights are projected to have approximately $29-million in salary cap space accounted for in 2026-27 (when you take into account defenseman Alex Pietrangelo’s health issues and likely-permanent place on Injured Reserve), so Vegas does have more than enough space to keep Eichel in the fold beyond this season. However, the expectations on the Golden Knights have increased exponentially with the addition of Marner. So if you think Eichel isn’t going to be dealing with significant pressure to ratchet up his game this season, you’re fooling yourself.

All things considered, there’s a very good chance Eichel can make a push to new heights this coming year. He’s still in his prime and will be there for the foreseeable future. But there’s no question the Golden Knights are going to need more out of him than ever in 2025-26. Vegas has every intention of a deep playoff run, but they’re going to need all hands on deck to do so, and if Eichel isn’t going to play in every game and be just as effective as he was last season, the Knights’ chances of being legitimate Cup frontrunners will drop notably. 

Jack Eichel (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)

Eichel may not be a top-10 player in the league, and he may never get there, but so long as he’s contributing above-average numbers and the Golden Knights are doing great things as a team, Eichel will almost assuredly be in Vegas for most of the rest of his career, if not all of it. Eichel doesn’t have to be ‘The Man’ for the Knights to do great things, but he does have to pull his weight – and if that doesn’t happen, Vegas’ chances of winning its second Cup will drop considerably.

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.

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What we learned as Giants' loss to Dodgers further tightens NL wild-card race

What we learned as Giants' loss to Dodgers further tightens NL wild-card race originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants had an opportunity to move into a playoff spot with a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. For nearly the first half of the game, it looked like their postseason hopes were becoming a reality.

But things change fast in the game of baseball, and despite a commendable comeback effort, the Giants couldn’t overcome their fifth-inning collapse as they fell to Los Angeles 13-7 in the second matchup of a three-game set at Oracle Park.

San Francisco’s offense got off to a hot start, taking advantage of 37-year-old Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw. The Giants scored four runs in the first inning.

While Kershaw struggled, Giants ace Logan Webb’s outing wasn’t much better. Just one day after witnessing a 1-of-1 pitching duel between Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Justin Verlander on Friday night, the series was met with quite the opposite less than 24 hours later.

Webb’s final line: 4.0 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR

Kershaw’s final line: 3.0 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 0 HR

The Dodgers scored six runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a commanding 9-4 lead. The energy at Oracle Park had completely shifted. The deafening “Beat LA” chants turned into “Let’s go Dodgers!” roars.

But not for long.

Jerar Encarnacion’s RBI double scored Matt Chapman in the bottom of the fifth. Then Dodgers pitcher Kirby Yates walked Luis Matos. Next to bat was the man who hasn’t seemed to face a moment too big for him, Patrick Bailey, who had the walk-off grand slam in Friday’s exhilarating win.

Bailey extended his hit streak to five games and drove in two more runs to shrink the Dodgers’ lead from five to two runs.

But Los Angeles’ offense stayed aggressive, while San Francisco’s gave out.

Here are the takeaways from the loss.

Webb Struggles

No one wants to win as badly as Logan Webb. No one wants to beat the Dodgers as badly as Logan Webb.

The Giants ace, however, didn’t necessarily live up to his expectations on Saturday.

Through 4.0 innings, Webb gave up 10 hits and six runs (six earned) while striking out five and walking two. He also gave up one solo homer to Shohei Ohtani.

While his outing likely didn’t go as he had hoped, he salvaged what could have been a disaster for San Francisco in the top of the second inning. With bases loaded and no outs, Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas popped out to second for Los Angeles’ first out.

Dodgers catcher Ben Rortvedt was next to hit with Ohtani on deck.

The Giants did literally exactly what they needed to do in that moment, as Dodgers catcher Ben Rortvedt grounded into a double play as Webb and the Giants managed to escape a no-outs, bases-loaded jam.

Webb returned to the mound in the third inning, giving up two runs as the Dodgers crept within one. Webb escaped the fourth inning with no damage done, but after he walked two Dodgers batters to load the bases for the second time Saturday, Giants manager Bob Melvin pulled him.

While San Francisco hoped that was the remedy, the Giants’ bullpen couldn’t pick up Webb’s slack, either, as Los Angeles scored [NINE] more runs after Webb’s exit.

Kershaw Crumbles

One of the greatest pitchers of this era and a future Baseball Hall of Famer, Kershaw has given the Giants (and many other teams) plenty of issues for nearly two decades.

But Fathertime appeared to have gotten the best of the 37-year-old on Saturday, and the Giants took advantage.

San Francisco scored four runs in the first inning.

In 61 appearances against the Giants in his career, Kershaw has a 27-16 record with a 2.00 ERA and 413 strikeouts.

But he gave up five hits and four runs (four earned) while walking four and striking out two.

While he’s not signaled at retirement, it’s looking more and more like the writing is on the wall for Kershaw after this season. And that’s music to Giants fans’ ears.

NL Wild Card update 

The Giants had an opportunity to move into a playoff spot with a win over the Dodgers on Saturday. The New York Mets’ epic collapse continued with an eighth consecutive loss earlier Saturday afternoon against the Texas Rangers.

The Mets now are 76-73 on the season and again a half-game ahead of the Giants (75-73) for the final NL wild-card berth.

The Cincinnati Reds were a game behind the Mets entering their game against the Athletics on Saturday night in West Sacramento. That game had yet to finish at the time of this writing.

That final postseason berth remains fair game.

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