After six seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Dan Stewart is moving on.
Stewart has spent his tenure with the Blues as the NHL goaltending development coach, while also serving as the goaltending coach for their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.
But he has now moved on, joining the New Jersey Devils as the NHL goaltending coach.
The 50-year-old has a long history as a goaltending coach, beginning his coaching career in the OJHL with the Cobourg Cougars in 2011. He then moved to the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds and U Sports’ Univ. of Ontario Institute of Technology.
He then made the move to the NHL, joining the Blues in the 2020-21 season.
The Devils have made plenty of moves involving the front office and staff members. It began when the Devils hired Sunny Mehta as their GM. He made changes to the assistant coaches and assistant GMs.
When the Devils announced the hiring of Stewart, they also announced two new assistant coaches, Ted Donato and A.J. MacLean, as well as a new director of goaltending, Leo Luongo, the brother of Roberto Luongo.
The Blues have made several changes themselves this off-season, including promoting Alexander Steen to GM. Now, they’ll be looking for a new goaltending development coach, whether through a promotion or an external hire.
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The Detroit Red Wings took a major step toward the upcoming campaign on Thursday, releasing their full 2026-27 regular season schedule, complete with several marquee matchups and milestone celebrations.
Detroit will open the season on home ice at Little Caesars Arena against the New York Rangers on Friday, October 2nd. This season marks a first in NHL history, as the league has expanded to 84 games for every team.
As always, the Red Wings will face their Atlantic Division rivals three to four times, take on Metropolitan Division opponents out of the Eastern Conference, and play all 16 Western Conference teams twice.
One of the season's biggest moments comes on November 18th, when the Red Wings host the Boston Bruins for the Centennial Celebration game, marking 100 years since the franchise's first NHL game in 1926.
Detroit will also continue its holiday traditions, hosting its annual night before Thanksgiving game on Wednesday, November 25th against the Vancouver Canucks, and closing out the year on New Year's Eve, December 31st against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes.
Before the holiday break, Detroit will host a pair of Atlantic Division tilts, welcoming the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday, December 20th and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, December 22nd.
The new year opens with notable home dates against the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins. With the All-Star Game returning this season, hosted by the New York Islanders in Long Island, the Red Wings will head into a nine-day break spanning from a January 30th matchup at Columbus into February.
Detroit's regular season finale is set for Saturday, April 10th on the road against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.
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It’s time to start circling dates on the calendar and planning road trips.
On Thursday, the NHL released its full 2026-27 schedule for all 32 of its teams.
For the Florida Panthers, there were several games and dates that jumped off the page.
As we learned on Wednesday when the league released the home opening matchups for every team, the Panthers will begin with four straight road games, starting with a Stanley Cup banner raising in Raleigh against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sept. 29 followed by a west coast trip stopping in San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles on Oct. 1, Oct. 4 and Oct. 6, respectively.
Florida’s home opener is set for Oct. 10 against the Minnesota Wild.
Interestingly, the Panthers will 13 games during the month of October (not including Opening Night in Raleigh on Sept. 29), but only four of them will be on home ice.
Some other notable games in Sunrise include the return of Sergei Bobrovsky on March 6 against the Toronto Maple Leafs and the returns of Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist when the New Jersey Devils come to town on Feb. 18.
Around the holidays, Florida will have several home games.
They face the Ottawa Senators the night before Thanksgiving on Nov. 25 and are in Washington the night after on Nov. 27 before hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning the following Saturday on Nov. 28.
In December, the Panthers will go into the Christmas holiday break with home games on Dec. 19 against the Calgary Flames and Dec. 21 against the St. Louis Blues before coming out of the break on Dec. 26 against Tampa followed by matchups on Dec. 28 against the Nashville Predators and Dec. 30 against the Buffalo Sabres.
That will be one of two five-game homestands for Florida, with the other coming from March 2 through March 12.
The Panthers will have two five-game road trips, tied for their longest of the season.
The first will be in early January when they travel to Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Seattle and Minnesota over the course of 11 days, then in mid-March Florida will travel to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Buffalo and Tampa Bay that will last 10 days.
Florida will also host the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 2 after traveling to Nashville on New Year's Day for a 1 p.m. matchup with the Preds.
The Cats will close the season with home games on April 6 against Montreal, April 9 against the Boston Bruins and April 10 against Carolina.
Photo caption: Dec 5, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13), center Aleksander Barkov (16) and left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 14: Chase Burns #26 of the Cincinnati Reds walks the carpet during the 2026 All-Star Red Carpet Show presented by Mastercard at Independence Mall on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds may technically be on the All Star break, but that didn’t stop them from making one of the most important decisions of the franchise’s history. On Thursday afternoon, ESPN’s Jeff Passan announced that the club and rising ace Chase Burns have agreed to a massive 7-year, $105 contract that cements his status as one of the franchise’s cornerstones.
Right-hander Chase Burns and the Cincinnati Reds are in agreement on a seven-year, $105 million contract, sources tell ESPN. Burns, 23, was an All-Star this season and one of the best young pitchers in baseball. No club options. A straight deal that will run through 2033.
As MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand noted, it’s the largest contract every given to a pitcher with so little service time, and the deal includes no further options (nor deferrals). It also ties the total amount the Reds once guaranteed to pitcher Homer Bailey, and that’s the last time I’d like to use that name in reference to Burns going forward.
Reds P Chase Burns has agreed to a 7-year, $105M extension, per source. The deal, which includes no options or deferrals, is the largest guarantee given to a pitcher with less than 4 years of service and ties the largest guarantee given to a pitcher in Reds history (Homer Bailey)
It’s a massive commitment from a franchise that, to date, had been weary of making commitments to any of their players long-term. Hunter Greene was signed to a contract similar to that of Burns, albeit having done so fresh off of Tommy John surgery and with it including club options that were a hedge for the club. Jose Trevino picked up a small extension after being acquired just last season, but that was just about it for the club’s accounting ledger beyond what they doled out on 1-year deals in 2026 and their arbitration-controlled core.
Now, they know exactly what they’ve got on-payroll with their duel aces for the foreseeable future, and that’s a pair around whom every team in the sport would want to build.
The Chicago Blackhawks, in conjunction with the National Hockey League, have released their schedule for the 2026-27 season. It will be an expanded schedule as the league increases from 82 to 84 games.
On Wednesday, the league revealed all home openers, showing four Blackhawks games in total. They will open on September 29th at the Vegas Golden Knights. Their road trip will continue with games against the Utah Mammoth and Buffalo Sabres, before returning to Chicago on October 6th for their home opener against the St. Louis Blues.
Now, the entire 84-game odyssey can be seen below:
Most of October will see the Blackhawks play a seven-game homestand, including the Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes. This is one of three total home streaks of five games or more.
The road games are much more staggered. There are a few trips, but only one road trip goes longer than four games, which is a west coast swing in January going into February.
The holidays will be filled with Blackhawks hockey at home, including the day after Thanksgiving on November 27th against the New York Rangers. They will also face the Boston Bruins on New Year's Day. On Halloween, they will be on the road against the Bruins.
Weekends at the United Center will be plentiful, as the Blackhawks will play 22 weekend games on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Part of this schedule is two games for the Blackhawks against the Ottawa Senators in Düsseldorf, Germany, as part of the NHL Global Series. These games will take place at PSD Bank Dome on December 18th and 20th.
Blackhawks home games during the week are mostly going to be at 7 PM, instead of the usual 7:30. The weekend games will be at 6 PM or earlier. There are a lot of home matinees (9) on the slate.
In addition to the schedule release, the NHL announced that All-Star Weekend is returning this season, with a 10-day break for the Blackhawks from January 31st to February 9th. The event will take place on Long Island, New York.
Is this the year that the Blackhawks' rebuild takes a big step? It all begins on September 29th against the reigning Western Conference Champion Vegas Golden Knights. The promotional schedule will be released in the coming weeks.
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The Vancouver Canucks have officially released their 2026–27 regular season schedule.
The 84-game slate of matchups for the Canucks features a season-opener against the Edmonton Oilers on September 29 in Edmonton that is one of two NHL opening-night matches. Vancouver will then play in their home-opener on October 1, also against the Oilers. They will conclude the 2026–27 regular season on April 10 against the Calgary Flames.
Prior to the start of the regular season, Vancouver will play in four pre-season games running from September 19 to 26. They will travel to face the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames on the 19th and 22nd respectively, before returning to play on home-ice against the Oilers and Kraken on the 24th and 26th.
Full 2026–27 Season Schedule:
*Local times written
September 2026
Tuesday, September 29 @ Edmonton Oilers, 8:00 pm
October 2026
Thursday, October 1 vs. Edmonton Oilers, 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 3 vs. Calgary Flames, 7:00 pm
Sunday, October 4 vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 6:00 pm
Thursday, October 8 @ Carolina Hurricanes, 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 10 @ New Jersey Devils, 3:30 pm
Sunday, October 11 @ New York Rangers, 6:00 pm
Tuesday, October 13 @ New York Islanders, 7:45 pm
Thursday, October 15 @ Florida Panthers, 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 17 @ Tampa Bay Lightning, 4:00 pm
Tuesday, October 20 vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 7:00 pm
Thursday, October 22 vs. Detroit Red Wings, 7:00 pm
Sunday, October 25 vs. Minnesota Wild, 7:00 pm
Tuesday, October 27 @ Anaheim Ducks, 7:00 pm
Thursday, October 29 @ San Jose Sharks, 7:00 pm
Saturday, October 31 vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, 4:00 pm
November 2026
Tuesday, November 3 vs. Anaheim Ducks, 7:00 pm
Thursday, November 5 @ Winnipeg Jets, 7:00 pm
Saturday, November 7 @ Edmonton Oilers, 9:00 pm
Monday, November 9 vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 7:30 pm
Friday, November 13 vs. New York Rangers, 7:00 pm
Sunday, November 15 @ Vegas Golden Knights, 6:00 pm
Monday, November 16 @ Utah Mammoth, 7:30 pm
Thursday, November 19 @ Seattle Kraken, 6:40 pm
Saturday, November 21 vs. Minnesota Wild, 8:00 pm
Sunday, November 22 vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 6:00 pm
Wednesday, November 25 @ Detroit Red Wings, 7:30 pm
Friday, November 27 @ Philadelphia Flyers, 3:00 pm
Sunday, November 29 @ Boston Bruins, 5:00 pm
December 2026
Tuesday, December 1 @ Washington Capitals, 7:00 pm
Friday, December 4 vs. Buffalo Sabres, 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 5 vs. Dallas Stars, 8:00 pm
Monday, December 7 vs. Washington Capitals, 7:00 pm
Thursday, December 10 vs. Nashville Predators, 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 12 @ Los Angeles Kings, 7:00 pm
Monday, December 14 @ San Jose Sharks, 7:00 pm
Wednesday, December 16 @ Anaheim Ducks, 6:00 pm
Saturday, December 19 vs. San Jose Sharks, 8:00 pm
Monday, December 21 vs. Utah Mammoth, 7:00 pm
Saturday, December 26 @ Calgary Flames, 9:00 pm
Monday, December 28 vs. Los Angeles Kings, 7:30 pm
Wednesday, December 30 vs. Seattle Kraken, 7:30 pm
January 2027
Saturday, January 2 @ Utah Mammoth, 8:00 pm
Sunday, January 3 @ Seattle Kraken, 5:00 pm
Tuesday, January 5 vs. New York Islanders, 7:00 pm
Thursday, January 7 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 7:00 pm
Saturday, January 9 vs. Florida Panthers, 8:00 pm
Thursday, January 14 vs. Seattle Kraken, 7:00 pm
Saturday, January 16 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 8:00 pm
Monday, January 18 @ Colorado Avalanche, 1:00 pm
Wednesday, January 20 @ Nashville Predators, 1:00 am
Friday, January 22 @ Chicago Blackhawks, 7:00 pm
Saturday, January 23 @ Pittsburgh Penguins, 7:00 pm
Tuesday, January 26 @ Minnesota Wild, 7:00 pm
Thursday, January 28 @ Dallas Stars, 7:00 pm
Saturday, January 30 @ St. Louis Blues, 2:30 pm
February 2027
Monday, February 1 vs. Montréal Canadiens, 6:30 pm
Wednesday, February 3 vs. New Jersey Devils, 7:00 pm
Saturday, February 13 vs. Winnipeg Jets, 8:00 pm
Tuesday, February 16 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 7:00 pm
Thursday, February 18 vs. Ottawa Senators, 7:00 pm
Saturday, February 20 vs. Colorado Avalanche, 8:00 pm
Sunday, February 21 vs. Boston Bruins, 6:00 pm
Tuesday, February 23 @ Dallas Stars, 7:00 pm
Thursday, February 25 @ St. Louis Blues, 7:00 pm
Saturday, February 27 vs. Calgary Flames, 8:00 pm
March 2027
Wednesday, March 3 vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 8:00 pm
Saturday, March 6 @ Montréal Canadiens, 7:00 pm
Tuesday, March 9 @ Buffalo Sabres, 7:00 pm
Thursday, March 11 @ Columbus Blue Jackets, 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 13 @ Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:00 pm
Sunday, March 14 @ Ottawa Senators, 5:00 pm
Wednesday, March 17 vs. Nashville Predators, 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 20 vs. St. Louis Blues, 7:00 pm
Sunday, March 21 vs. Edmonton Oilers, 6:00 pm
Tuesday, March 23 vs. Los Angeles Kings, 7:00 pm
Thursday, March 25 vs. Vegas Golden Knights, 7:00 pm
Saturday, March 27 vs. Anaheim Ducks, 1:00 pm
Monday, March 29 @ Los Angeles Kings, 6:30 pm
Wednesday, March 31 @ Vegas Golden Knights, 7:30 pm
April 2027
Saturday, April 3 vs. San Jose Sharks, 7:00 pm
Tuesday, April 6 vs. Colorado Avalanche, 7:00 pm
Friday, April 9 @ Winnipeg Jets, 6:00 pm
Saturday, April 10 @ Calgary Flames, 8:00 pm
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Liam Ohgren (92) and defenseman Filip Hronek (17) and forward Ty Mueller (39) and forward Jake DeBrusk (74) and forward Elias Pettersson (40) and goalie Kevin Lankinen (32) celebrate their victory against the Los Angeles Kings in overtime at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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DENVER, COLORADO - APRIL 6: Matisse Thybulle #4 of the Portland Trail Blazers reacts to a play in the fourth quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on April 6, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. 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 Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers have added a wing to their team by reportedly signing Ziaire Williams, but they continue to look for more depth at the position.
As a defensive-minded wing, Thybulle would be a good pickup for the Lakers. As currently constructed, LA’s perimeter defense appears to be a weakness, and Thybulle can help address it. He has made All-Defensive Second Team twice in his career and remains a solid defender.
Last year Thybulle put up modest numbers with the Blazers. He averaged 5.8 points and 2.0 rebounds per game, so don’t expect massive production from him if he joins the purple and gold.
However, he is a pretty good outside shooter. Thybulle shot 39.8% from 3-point range last season. And on a Luka Dončić-led team, having a defensive wing who can knock down open threes is ideal.
It’s good that the Lakers aren’t just locked in on Kuminga. He’s likely the best wing option available, but he’s unrestricted and could end up elsewhere.
So, LA has to keep options open. The top priority has to be adding a player to the wing position. If that happens to be Thybulle, that would be a solid pickup. He is a good perimeter defender and can spread out the defense due to his threat as a shooter.
Whether it’s Thybulle, Kuminga, or another player, it seems pretty clear the Lakers are continuing to search for more wing options.
This deep into the offseason, things might move a bit slower in free agency. Certain big names are still out there and players looking at smaller deals don’t have to rush to sign.
So, don’t be surprised if it takes some time for the Lakers to add a wing. At this point, though, it seems most likely that they will add one to the main roster before training camp begins sometime in September.
Less than a month ago, the Red Sox were a complete afterthought to the MLB season at large. Sitting in dead last in the American League at 14 games under .500, all anybody in Boston could talk about was when Craig Breslow would be fired and how many veteran pieces would be sold off at the inevitable trade deadline firesale.
Yet as you know, things changed in a hurry. The four-game sweep of the Yankees was followed by a series loss to the lowly Nationals, so eyebrows were barely raised regarding the possibility of a real Red Sox run. But three straight road sweeps over the Angels, White Sox and Mets changed the scope of the entire season.
Or did it?
We can’t really tell. Perhaps we’re too close to … everything surrounding this team.
So, in an effort to understand what the rest of the baseball world might think of the Red Sox, here’s a look at all of the MLB power rankings from the All-Star break to see where Boston stands after winning 14 of 16 games heading into the break.
“Maybe the Red Sox don’t turn out to be sellers,” wrote D.J. Short, “but they probably won’t be big buyers either as they wait for some of their big names (Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony among them) to return.”
Jordan Shusterman wrote that the All-Star break was “something of a vibe-killer” for the Red Sox, who are “on the doorstep of a wild-card spot — a shocking reality considering how bad things were going early on.”
ESPN didn’t have a straight numerical ranking, instead grouping the Red Sox with teams 15-21. ESPN placed a projected final record of 82-80 on the Red Sox, giving them 51 percent playoff odds (and 1.9 percent championship odds).
“The Red Sox should hang around the playoff picture because the roster remains talented even without the two stars [Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony] and the AL remains pedestrian,” wrote Jorge Castillo. “It’s been a remarkable turnaround. The industry expected Boston to trade off players over the next couple of weeks just a few days ago. Now Breslow could increase the team’s postseason chances by adding big league talent by the Aug. 3 deadline. A postseason spot is there for the taking and Boston should do everything possible to snatch one.”
“Jake Bennett reeling off four consecutive quality starts has also provided an unforeseeable boost,” wrote Kerry Miller. “Can they get healthy in the second half and complete the improbable comeback from a 32-46 start?”
The highest ranking of them all, FanGraphs included a caveat that its Elo system is “very reactive to recent performance.” So the 14-2 record heading into the break likely skewed some numbers.
“Since the beginning of June, only the Tigers have allowed fewer runs than the Red Sox,” Jake Mailhot wrote. “Just a few weeks ago, Boston looked like an obvious seller, but now it’s not so certain. … If the Red Sox can manage to tread water over the next month, the returns of Garrett Crochet and Roman Anthony could give them a big boost down the stretch.”
Average ranking: 16th
Ultimately, the team that’s two games under .500 ranks in the middle of the pack in Major League Baseball. That’s about right.
Clearly, the reality of the past few weeks is undeniable, but everybody (outside of FanGraphs’ model) remains a bit cautious about jumping the gun and declaring the Red Sox a legitimate contender in a very weak American League. How the Red Sox handle their 10-game homestand coming out of the break will go a long way in determining the outlook for the short term and the much longer term as well.
The Winnipeg Jets will open a new era of NHL hockey at home against an Original Six opponent before hosting an outdoor game later in October, as the league unveiled its first-ever 84-game regular-season schedule Thursday.
Winnipeg opens the 2026-27 campaign on Friday, Oct. 2 against the Boston Bruins at Canada Life Centre before visiting the Detroit Red Wings two days later for its first road game of the season.
Photo by David Kirouac/USA Today
The schedule also features one of the biggest events on the NHL calendar, with the Jets set to host the Montreal Canadiens in the 2026 Heritage Classic at Princess Auto Stadium on Oct. 25. A long list of Winnipeg and Montreal alumni will also meet the previous day in an alumni game at Canada Life Centre.
For the first time ever, every club will play 84 regular-season games, increasing the schedule by two contests while maintaining a balanced 42-game home and 42-game road slate.
For the Jets, that means 28 games against Central Division opponents, three meetings with each Pacific Division club and home-and-home series against all 16 Eastern Conference teams.
Winnipeg will also see the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes twice within the opening month of the season. Nikolaj Ehlers and the Hurricanes visit Canada Life Centre on Oct. 17 before the Jets return the trip to Raleigh on Nov. 1.
The busiest stretch of the season comes in November, when Winnipeg plays 15 games.
Later in the year, the Jets will enjoy their longest homestand of the season, a six-game stretch at Canada Life Centre running from March 1-13.
Their longest trips away from home consist of three separate four-game road swings, although one extended stretch will keep Winnipeg away from Canada Life Centre for six consecutive games between Jan. 28 and Feb. 15. That run is split by the NHL's nine-day break for All-Star Weekend, scheduled for Feb. 5-6 on Long Island.
The Jets are scheduled to play nine sets of back-to-back games during the regular season. Six consist entirely of road contests, while two feature one home game and one road game. The only home back-to-back comes Dec. 19-20 against the Dallas Stars.
Saturday will once again be Winnipeg's busiest day of the week, with the Jets playing 19 times.
The Heritage Classic marks Winnipeg's first Canadian matchup of the season. Overall, the Jets will face Canadian clubs 14 additional times, including home dates against the Calgary Flames twice, the Vancouver Canucks twice, and single visits from the Edmonton Oilers, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Lendeborg's ability as a true 3-and-D players would be the ideal complement to Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
When Yaxel Lendeborg lays in bed at night imagining his future, there’s so much that excites him.
He’s going to throw assists to Steph Curry, the greatest shooter of all time. He’ll be in a defensive stance alongside Draymond Green, who has made a Hall of Fame career out of bottling up opposing teams’ stars.
When asked which scenario most often plays through his mind as he falls asleep, he didn’t hesitate.
Yaxel Lendeborg was chosen by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft. NBAE via Getty Images
“I’d probably say lockdown defense next to Dray,” Lendeborg told The California Post. “I have a lot to learn. He’s such a great defender, such a versatile defender. That’s something I’ve always wanted to improve on. So being able to learn from him is something I’m very excited to do.”
For the Warriors, Lendeborg is the Swiss Army Knife they need.
The 6-foot-9, 240-pound forward can play small-ball center, handle the ball and shoot 3s. He’s also a lauded defender who can guard positions 1 through 5.
The 23-year-old Lendeborg, whom Golden State selected with the No. 11 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, is expected to make an immediate impact for the Warriors, especially with Jimmy Butler (torn right ACL) and Moses Moody (torn left patellar tendon) out for the start of the season.
Lendeborg’s versatility on defense could make him invaluable to the Warriors this season. Getty Images
As for Lendeborg, he was on pins and needles during draft night, hoping the Warriors would select him.
“They showed me a lot of love,” Lendeborg told the Post, referring to a private, pre-draft workout he had with the team June 11. “They were pretty much giving me the game plan of how it was going to go. I was super happy the entire time. They made me feel wanted as soon as I stepped in. There was no place I wanted to be other than that.”
Lendeborg is at least 3 years older than all 10 players who were drafted ahead of him. That’s something that has historically given teams pause, considering the overwhelming value placed on youth and untapped potential.
But for a Warriors team that’s in win-now mode trying to extend the 38-year-old Curry’s championship window, acquiring a player who could plug in immediately was of paramount importance.
“We got the guy we were looking to get,” Warriors owner Joe Lacob said last month during an announcement for a new jersey patch.
Knows how to win
Lendeborg led Michigan to an NCAA championship last season, averaging 15.1 points on 52% shooting, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.1 steals. He was a first-team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year.
For the Warriors, Lendeborg was their biggest offseason acquisition in what has otherwise been a very quiet period for a team that missed the playoffs two of the last three seasons.
Lendeborg’s ability as a true 3-and-D players would be the ideal complement to Steph Curry and Draymond Green. NBAE via Getty Images
But that could change.
The Warriors are still in the race to acquire LeBron James.
For an incoming rookie, sharing the court with arguably the greatest player of all time would be surreal.
“That would be great,” Lendeborg told the Post. “Being able to learn from him. He plays the same position as me. We’re pretty much built kind of the same. He’s obviously a lot stronger. Being able to learn how he’s kept his body intact, the workouts he’s done, what he did to increase his game IQ. [That] is something I’m very excited to learn from [him]. Hopefully it all works out.”
Lendeborg has one concern, though.
“Hopefully he doesn’t take away my minutes, either,” Lendeborg added, flashing a smile. “But I’d be very excited either way.”
No lack of confidence
Lendeborg is ready to make an impact.
He raised eyebrows during his post-draft interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio, proclaiming, “I’m excited to start another Warriors dynasty.”
Lendeborg was named a first team All-American as he won a national title with Michigan. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Warriors won four championships in eight years from 2015-2022, but they haven’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs since. Lendeborg believes he can help turn that around. If summer league is any indication, he may not be wrong.
In the team’s first two games in Las Vegas, he averaged 17.5 points on 48.1% shooting from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.
But he needs to improve his conditioning, something he quickly realized over the last few weeks.
Luckily for him, he can study Curry, whose intense offseason workouts became NBA lore as he famously tortured defenders by never stopping moving.
“He’s the most conditioned player in NBA history,” Lendeborg told the Post. “Just learn those habits.”
Lendeborg has already had some fun back-and-forths with his new teammates.
He told reporters on draft night that he “used to hate Steph Curry” because he was “a big Kyrie [Irving] guy.” Curry responded in an Instagram comment, writing, “Let’s go! Welcome to the Bay! I’m going to work hard to be your new favorite player.”
Meanwhile, Green carved out time on his podcast to address Lendeborg’s claim that he hadn’t texted the rookie back. “You f–king liar,” Green said on “The Draymond Green Show,” adding that he replied “the next minute.”
Lendeborg looks very comfortable in early action at Vegas Summer League, taking a leadership role with the team as he tries to find his footing. NBAE via Getty Images
“We’re not really a team very big on rookie hazing,” Green said. “… But we can pick that back up.”
Lendeborg hopes that’s not the case.
“I’m kinda nervous thinking about it,” Lendeborg told the Post. “But I hope he takes it easy on me and gives me a nice warm welcome that doesn’t involve any hazing.”
Emotional night
Despite stirring the pot a bit, this much is for sure: Lendeborg is deeply grateful he’s going to share the court with Curry and Green, who turned the Warriors into the league’s modern-day dynasty. No team has won back-to-back titles for eight years since the Warriors won championships in 2017 and 2018.
“I’m very excited to play [with] those guys,” Lendeborg told the Post. “They’re all historically good players. They’re all going to be in the Hall of Fame. They’ve won at the highest level multiple times. There’s so much to learn and so much to be.”
That’s why he was so worried on draft night.
The Warriors had their highest pick in five years. Several other players were rumored to be on their radar, including Brayden Burries, who was selected one spot ahead of Lendeborg at No. 10, as well as Aday Mara, whose name was called immediately after his at No. 12.
“I was a little nervous the entire time because you obviously don’t know where you’re going, and it didn’t seem like I was going to have the opportunity to play there,” Lendeborg told the Post. “But God brought me here, and I’m super happy to be here.”
One of the main points of emphasis for Lendeborg during Summer League has been getting his conditioning right after having not played basketball for the past two months. Getty Images
After NBA Commissioner Adam Silver revealed Lendeborg was heading to Golden State, his joy was palpable.
Emotions poured out of him as he hugged his mother, Yissel Raposo, who was diagnosed with Stage 4 appendix cancer when he played for the Wolverines last season.
She used to call him every draft night. She wanted to make sure he was watching. She needed him to believe he could one day be on that stage.
Now she was wiping his tears as she choked back her own.
His dream had come true, which meant hers had, too.
“There’s nothing better than being able to give this gift to my mom,” he said.
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NEW YORK (AP) — The most expansive season in NHL history will begin in September, not October, and limit most teams to four preseason games.
The league's first 84-game season since 1993-94 opens Sept. 29 as 32 teams will combine to play a total of 1,344 games. The season runs through Saturday, April 10, before the playoffs begin the following week.
The increase from an 82-game slate, which had been the standard since the mid-’90s, was agreed upon by team owners and players in the last round of talks on a collective bargaining agreement. The intent is to provide more space between the end of the Stanley Cup Final and the draft in late June before free agency commences July 1.
When the Panthers and Oilers went the distance in ’24, there were just three days between Game 7 on June 24 in South Florida and the first round of the draft on June 28 in Las Vegas.
After defeating Vegas to win the Stanley Cup, the Carolina Hurricanes will raise their second championship banner on Sept. 29 against Florida.
That opening night, featuring five games, matches the earliest start date in NHL history and is the first time the regular season begins in North America before October. The Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings played games in London on Sept. 29 and 30, 2007.
The most recent — and only other — September hockey outside of exhibitions came during the pandemic playoff bubble in 2020, culminating when Tampa Bay hoisted the Cup in an empty arena in Edmonton on Sept. 28.
Games to watch
Oct. 21: New Florida Panther Brady Tkachuk returns to Ottawa. The former Senators captain plays his first game against his old team since getting traded to Florida to play with his brother, Matthew. It did not end well in Canada's capital, from Brady bristling at his name being in rumors to asking out and then the team offering to take Tkachuk No. 7 jerseys fans wished to exchange.
Oct 25: Heritage Classic. The Montreal Canadiens visit the Winnipeg Jets in the return of outdoor hockey to Canada for the first time since 2023.
Dec. 21: Stanley Cup Final rematch: The Hurricanes return to the scene of their championship triumph to face the Golden Knights in Las Vegas. The two teams meet again in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Jan. 17.
Dec. 31: Winter Classic: Utah takes center stage outside, hosting the Colorado Avalanche in the Winter Classic in Salt Lake City.
April 4: Washington hosts Pittsburgh. Alex Ovechkin is back for a 22nd NHL season with the Capitals. If this is it for him at age 41 — and it very well may not be if he wants to shoot for 1,000 career goals — this would be the last regular-season game against Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins.
Former Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas speaks to the media during his 2025-26 exit interview.
On Thursday morning, the NHL released the regular season schedules for all 32 teams. The NHL has also expanded the regular season to 84 games, giving each two extra opportunities to grab points in their quest to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here are five Ducks games that will be required watching in 2026-27.
Home Opener vs. Panthers - Oct. 4
The first home game of the season will be against former Ducks captain Radko Gudas and the Florida Panthers. Gudas spent three seasons with the Ducks, captaining them for the last two.
The Panthers also added Brady Tkachuk, who links up with his brother, Matthew. Accompanied by players like Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett, this Panthers team makes for an irritating matchup.
This game will also mark the first time that A.J. Greer faces his old team. Greer spent the last two seasons with the Panthers, winning the Stanley Cup with them in 2025. He joined the Ducks after his signing rights were swapped for Gudas’ signing rights and then signed a four-year, $17 million contract.
Return of the Mac - Jan. 14
In one of many offseason moves that Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek made this summer, he traded Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for the 15th overall and 29th overall selections in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Those picks were then used to select forwards Nikita Klepov and Marcus Nordmark.
It was a tough 2025-26 season for McTavish, whose contract negotiations dragged into training camp. His second half of the season was marred with inconsistency and he was even healthy scratched for a pair of playoff games. He will have an opportunity to bounce back with the Blues, though whether it’s as a center or a winger is unclear for the time being.
This game also marks the returns of Ross Johnston and Greg Cronin to Honda Center. Johnston spent three seasons with the Ducks after he was claimed off waivers from the New York Islanders in 2023. Typically relegated to enforcer and fourth line duties, he had a career year offensively in 2025-26, putting up 14 points. Cronin, who joined the Blues this summer as an assistant coach, was the Ducks’ head coach from 2023-2025, his first NHL head coaching gig. The Ducks went 62-87-15 during his tenure.
I’ve Got a Phill-ing - Oct. 24
The Philadelphia Flyers’ five-year, $90 million offer sheet to Leo Carlsson was the talk of the summer. The Ducks ultimately matched it six days after it was tendered, but this move showed that Flyers general manager Danny Brière wasn’t afraid to go big-game hunting.
These two organizations have crossed paths repeatedly over the past couple of years thanks to the Cutter Gauthier-Jamie Drysdale and Trevor Zegras-Ryan Poehling trades. The Carlsson offer sheet now adds another element. It will be interesting to see the fan reaction in Philadelphia when the Ducks come to town.
Running It Back - Oct. 2, Oct. 7
This might be considered cheating, as it’s two games in one. After beating the Edmonton Oilers in six games and then falling to the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, seeing how the Ducks stack up to both teams after an offseason of moves should be a good watch.
The Oilers once again retooled their goaltending tandem, bringing in 2026 Stanley Cup champion Frederik Andersen and acquiring Devon Levi from the Buffalo Sabres. They also traded defenseman Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks and signed Ryan Shea in free agency to replace him. With Connor McDavid’s two-year extension kicking in this season, the Oilers’ timeline to win a Cup with him may be reaching its end.
John Tortorella’s Golden Knights tenure is over. Ryan Craig has taken over as the new head coach and will be looking to guide the Golden Knights to a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final appearance. They cleared cap room to re-sign defenseman Rasmus Andersson by trading Pavel Dorofeyev, Keegan Kolesar and Kaedan Korczak as they look to be one of the Pacific Division’s top teams once again.
MaCklin Celebrini - Nov. 25
Much of the focus this summer has been on players like Carlsson, Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli, all who are (or were) RFAs this summer. The San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini won’t be an RFA until next summer, but he is eligible to sign an extension now that it’s past July 1. Thanks to the massive offer sheet that Carlsson signed, a wrench has been thrown into the market.
Celebrini was one of the NHL’s best players this past season and will surely command a hefty salary. There have been rumors that he is also in line to become the Sharks’ next captain. A long-term extension combined with a captaincy announcement will be pure cinema. The bad news is that the Ducks have to play Celebrini and the Sharks 3-4 times a season and will surely be a team that they’re competing with for a playoff berth in the next several years.
If you want to view the Ducks’ full 84-game schedule, you can click here.
BOSTON - AUGUST 12: Ailing NESN Red Sox color commentator Jerry Remy was in the booth with Don Orsillo and Dennis Eckersley during the top of the second inning of tonight's Red Sox game against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Here he acknowledges the cheers of the crowd below. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
Like Elaine Benes trying to become a submarine captain, I spent much of my winter eating a lot of bad sandwiches watching a lot of old NESN footage to uncover some gems from past broadcasts. I wanted the Pokey Leap from 2004, but also found That Catch Coco Made. And that wasn’t all. There were a few more things in the archives I want to share.
With the Red Sox off for the All-Star break what is even on NESN? Here was yesterday’s schedule:
I guess the big feature is Boston’s Entered the Chat. And a rerun of a game from 2005. Actually, that’s kinda fun, I was at that game. In addition to a Trot inside-the-parker, it was started by David Wells! Remember The Wells era?
But there used to be more. The mid-2000s were peak NESN custom programming. Think Sox Appeal. Well maybe not that. But think The Remys. Or documentaries. I’ve found NESN to be really hit or miss over the years. Does anyone watch the restaurant show? Or even their talk show? I honestly don’t know. But maybe people should and it will encourage more weird and wonderful stuff like the Spaceman piece. That was even released on DVD!
Or what about a musical number?
You’ve heard of Go Cubs Go? What about Go Red Sox!
It’s no Dirty Water or Tessie but honestly what is?
This might have been hit with a cease & desist for copyright infringement, but hopefully is still up and playing. It’s weird and I didn’t remember it at all when it came on during a game.
How about a goofy PSA with Big Papi and the mayor? Actually this is something we do see, if not as ads but over social media. There is something about Menino and Ortiz though. Maybe it’s all nostalgia, but the ad is just weird. And he gave us the “rolling rally” so who can ever forget Menino when he is the guy who created the Duck Boat parade we’ve enjoyed so many times?
The All-Star Game had a whole segment about baseball and nostalgia. Pedro’s on the mound. Baseball isn’t gone. It’s still here. And NESN is still around. But there is something missing from the time when NESN really did take some bigger swings at content. The Dave O’Brien or the Middlebrooks awards? Maybe it’s time to try again. Maybe that time will come when Payton Tolle has retired many, many years from now and is a broadcaster.
If you could get a show on the air at NESN what would it be? A special? A game show? Red Sox themed Bob Ross-style painting?
This year's NHL schedule will feature 84 games. Per the league, "This change allows the league to establish a more balanced scheduling matrix where every team plays its division rivals exactly four times."
The exact breakdown of how a team's 84-game regular season is structured includes:
Divisional Games (28 games): 4 games against each of the other 7 teams in your own division (2 home, 2 away).
Conference Games (24 games): 3 games against each of the 8 teams in the other division within your same conference (alternating home/away balance yearly).
Inter-Conference Games (32 games): 2 games against all 16 teams from the opposing conference (1 home, 1 away), ensuring every team visits every arena at least once per year.
Important Dates for the CBJ
October 1, 2026 - Home Opener/Season Opener against the Buffalo Sabres
CBJ play 7 of first 9 games at home.
12 Saturday home games.
2 Sunday Home Games.
13 back-to-backs. 5-game homestand in February and March, which is a season high.
Multiple 4 game road trips will be the longest road trips.
PLAYTIME'S ABOUT TO BEGIN, THE 2026-27 SCHEDULE IS HERE!
No more make-believe! The season comes alive on October 1st 💥 Download the full schedule now at https://t.co/vIc4cAAqaG
Düsseldorf, Germany: Chicago Blackhawks vs. Ottawa Senators (Dec. 18 & 20, 2026).
The CBJ still have lots of business to take care of from now until October 1st. Don Waddell has players to sign and a farm team to stock.
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Jul 6, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) warming up before the game against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
When MLB decided to feature Phillies vs. Mets as the featured second half opening night game, they probably thought they be featuring two teams vying for control of the National League East. I suppose in baseball, a .500 batting average is pretty good.
It’s possible that the Mets have a miracle run in them and can get back into playoff position, but historically, the miracle runs have gone against the Mets, not for them. They are basically reduced to spoilers for the other teams contending for the division lead, and the Phillies would do well to make sure that they aren’t the team that gets spoiled.
Opposition research: Francisco Lindor
At least the Phillies aren’t the only team whose highly paid would-be star shortstop is struggling. One of the reasons the Mets have had such a disastrous season is because one of their franchise players is having a disastrous season. (Although he’s certainly not alone!)
Francisco Lindor’s bad year started in February when he required surgery on his hamate bone. While he was able to return for the start of the season, hamate injuries tend to produce lingering detrimental effects on a player’s ability to hit. Sure enough, Lindor got off to a poor start to the season, and had a .669 OPS with two home runs at the end of April when he suffered his second major injury of the year.
Juan Soto returns from a calf injury…
And then Francisco Lindor left the game with “calf tightness”.
The calf injury required a two month stay on the Injured List. If the Mets hoped that his return would provide a spark to the team, that has yet to materialize. Since returning on June 24, Lindor has a .673 OPS.
Worse, the former defensive standout hasn’t even been good in the field. He’s made multiple errors, including this one that cost the Mets a game:
Here’s the brutal error from Mets SS Francisco Lindor, one of the key reasons to the blown 2-0 lead.
It’s gotten so bad that many Mets fans are speculating what Lindor could fetch in a trade. Perhaps they’d like to do a one-for-one swap of shortstops with the Phillies?
Hating on the Mets
In 2023, my series previews compared the Phillies’ opponents to villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I really nailed it when I compared the Mets to Justin Hammer: Rich, but ultimately more of a threat to themselves than others.
It’s hilarious that the Mets spend all that money and have ended up with a team that ranks 23rd in runs scored and 18th in ERA. It’s gotten so bad that some Mets fans are openly wishing the team had matched the contract the Orioles gave to Pete Alonso.
Alonso is having a solid year in Baltimore but:
How much of a difference would Alonso have made?
The road to Hell is paved with expensive contracts given to aging, big-bodied first basemen.
Many of those same fans thought Alonso epitomized the team’s underperformance in recent years and couldn’t wait for him to leave.
This is peak hypocrisy.
The same people calling Lindor washed at 32 completely ignored those exact same red flags with Pete Alonso yet cried bloody murder that the Mets had to keep him because “he’s a Met for life.”
Last week’s answer: The losing pitcher in the first ever Phillies vs. Tigers game was former first round pick Tyler Green. SLDH was correct.
This week’s question: On April 10, 2017, what future Phillie had two home runs in a game to lead the Mets to a 4-3 at Citizens Bank Park?
Non-Phillies thought
Tuesday re-iterated that people hate “nostalgia porn” unless it happens to be things that they are personally nostalgic for. In that case, they think it’s amazing.
I’ve never seen The Sandlot, so the fifth inning fireworks/Ray Charles thing felt cheesy to me. Most of the players didn’t seem to know what they were supposed to be doing, and a few of the guys holding sparklers had a “WTF are we doing?” look on their faces. (Also, nostalgia for The Sandlot is weird, because the movie was nostalgia to begin with, so basically millennials are feeling nostalgia for a time they never actually experienced.)
During the MLB All-Star Game, they recreated the iconic Fourth of July scene from The Sandlot.
Ray Charles’ “America the Beautiful” played, kids rode bikes onto the field, fireworks went off, one of the coolest things baseball has done in a long time. pic.twitter.com/ObLhMeHekY
— Dudes Posting Their W’s (@DudespostingWs) July 15, 2026
But if you enjoyed it, great! I’m glad you were entertained by something during that snooze fest of a game.
Additional thought about the series
The Phillies have decided to give both Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler additional rest (and maybe to have them face the Dodgers), so the Mets might actually have the starting pitching advantage this series. On Thursday, Aaron Nola faces Christian Scott. Saturday has Jesus Luzardo against Sean Manaea (the one clear advantage for the Phillies), and Sunday will feature Alan Rangel vs. Nolan McLean.
There are other reasons to think this series might be a bit tricky for the Phillies: Recent editions have stumbled out of the break, and with series against the Dodgers and Yankees up next, I could see them looking past the Mets a bit. On the other hand, I thought the Phillies would sleepwalk through their final series before the break, and they ended that one by knocking around Tarik Skubal.
In other words, baseball is tough to predict. On to the second half!
Blues Hire Former NHL First Round Pick As Organizational Skills CoachThe St. Louis Blues have hired former 2010 first-round pick Joey Hishon as an organizational skills coach, GM Alexander Steen announced on Wednesday. 
