One of the biggest needs for the Detroit Red Wings was a right-shot defenseman, and they have filled that need in the immediate aftermath of the official passing of the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline.
The Red Wings have acquired veteran defenseman Justin Faulk from the St. Louis Blues; in return, they've sent the Blues defenseman Justin Holl, 2022 second-round (52nd overall) draft pick Dmitri Buchelnikov, a 2026 1st round pick, and San Jose’s 2026 3rd round pick.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have acquired Justin Faulk from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Justin Holl, Dmitiri Buchelnikov, Detroit’s 2026 1st round pick and San Jose’s 2026 3rd round pick. pic.twitter.com/vTi304dCvi
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 6, 2026
Faulk has played in 61 games this season and has tallied 11 goals with 21 assists, and has also averaged 22:29 of total ice time per game.
Holl, who was in the final season of the three-year deal he signed to join the Red Wings from the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023, has yet to appear in an NHL game in 2025-26, having spent the entire campaign playing with the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL.
A native of South St. Paul, Minnesota, Faulk was selected in the second round (37th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes after having previously played with the Michigan-based USA Hockey National Team Development Program.
He played a single season for the University of Minnesota Duluth before beginning his professional career with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers, eventually making his NHL debut with the Hurricanes by playing in 66 games in the 2011-12 season.
He would remain a fixture on Carolina's blue line through 2019 when he was traded to the Blues along with a 2020 fifth-round pick for Joel Edmundson, Dominik Bokk, and a 2021 seventh-round pick.
While with the Blues, Faulk signed a 7-year, $45.5 million contract that carries a salary cap hit of $6.5 million; he is signed through the end of next season.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The 2026 NHL trade deadline has come and gone, and the Philadelphia Flyers will be keeping their biggest trade chip in Rasmus Ristolainen for yet another season.
On Friday, with just under 15 minutes to the trade deadline, Anthony Di Marco of Daily Faceoff reported that the Flyers will not be trading Ristolainen, 32, as their asking price in a trade was not met.
In previous NHL trade deadline action, other right-shot defensemen like Tyler Myers, Connor Murphy, Timothy Liljegren, John Carlson, David Jiricek, Luke Schenn, Jeff Petry, MacKenzie Weegar, and Nick Blankenburg were all moved for assets, though Ristolainen, who was perceived to be more valuable than most on this list, stayed put.
And, at the time of this writing, the Detroit Red Wings are moving on St. Louis Blues righty Justin Faulk.
Ristolainen comes with a significant injury history, having suffered a season-ending triceps injury in each of the last two seasons.
Additionally, the hulking Finn has two years remaining on his contract, including this one, at a $5.1 million cap hit, so there is less flexibility for inquiring teams in regards to the future in addition to needing the Flyers to, presumably, retain the maximum 50% of his salary for two seasons.
With Ristolainen remaining in Philadelphia with the Flyers, the team will need to make exceptions if they want Jiricek and Oliver Bonk to see NHL action this year.
Assuming Travis Sanheim remains on the left with Ristolainen, the latter and Jamie Drysdale will occupy two of the three spots on the right side of the defense.
Player development has long been an issue in Philadelphia, and the Flyers are doing themselves no favors by holding onto their veterans for longer than they have to.
Time will tell if Ristolainen is eventually traded, but this NHL trade deadline featured some truly bananas prices for average depth defensemen. The Flyers may have missed out on a big opportunity to help secure their future.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 02: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum on March 02, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After each game, Brew Hoop evaluates each Buck’s individual performance with a letter grade. At this season’s 25% mark, we decided to check the Bucks’ grades as a progress report. We also had a midseason report, but now that we have hit the 75% point of this slow torture that is the season, it’s time to see how the grades turned out since the last check. Below are the players’ first-quarter averages, midseason averages, third-quarter average, their most common grades, and their highs and lows. You will probably notice a trend.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Q1 average: A-
Midseason average: B+
Current average: B+ (Q3 is an incomplete since he missed the majority of the quarter due to injury)
Most common grade: A (nine games)
Best grade: A+ on October 26 (Cavaliers) and November 17 (Cavaliers)
Lowest grade: D on January 15 (Spurs)
Myles Turner
Q1 average: B-
Midseason average: C+
Current average: C+
Most common grade: B- (nine games)
Best grade: A on November 7 (Bulls) and December 29 (Hornets)
Lowest grade: F on January 15 (Spurs)
Ryan Rollins
Q1 average: B+
Midseason average: B
Current average: B-
Most common grade: B (eleven games)
Best grade: A+ on October 28 (Knicks), October 30 (Warriors), and December 27 (Bulls)
Lowest grade: F on March 2 (Celtics)
Kevin Porter Jr
Q1 average: Incomplete
Midseason average: B-
Current average: B-
Most common grade: A (seven games)
Best grade: A+ on December 6 (Pistons)
Lowest grade: F on January 15 (Spurs)
AJ Green
Q1 average: B-
Midseason average: C+
Current average: C+
Most common grade: B+ and B (nine games)
Best grade: A on October 26 (Cavaliers), November 29 (Nets), December 3 (Pistons), January 19 (Hawks), and February 12 (Thunder)
Lowest grade: F on December 21 (Timberwolves), January 4 (Kings) and 15, (Spurs), March 2, (Celtics) and March 4 (Hawks)
Gary Trent Jr.
Q1 average: C+
Midseason average: C
Current average: C (Q3 incomplete)
Most common grade: C+ (six games)
Best grade: A- on February 3 (Bulls)
Lowest grade: F on October 26 (Cavaliers), December 21 (Timberwolves), January 2 (Hornets), January 15 (Spurs), and February 1 (Celtics)
Bobby Portis
Q1 average: C+
Midseason average: C+
Current average: C+
Most common grade: B (11 games)
Best grade: A on November 24 (Blazers)
Lowest grade: F on February 11 (Magic)
Kyle Kuzma
Q1 average: B
Midseason average: C+
Current average: C+
Most common grade: B+ (four games)
Best grade: A+ on November 14 (Hornets)
Lowest grade: F on November 15 (Lakers) and January 13 (Timberwolves)
Jericho Sims
Q1 average: C+
Midseason average: C+
Current average: C+
Most common grade: C and C+ (two games each)
Best grade: A+ on December 3 (Pistons) and February 11 (Magic)
Lowest grade: D- on February 27 (Knicks)
Gary Harris
Q1 average: B-
Midseason average: C+
Current average: C
Most common grade: C (six games)
Best grade: A- on November 14 (Hornets) and January 7 (Warriors)
Lowest grade: F on March 2 (Celtics)
Pete Nance
Q1 and midseason averages: Incomplete
Current average: B-
Most common grade: A- (three games)
Best grade: A on January 19 (Hawks) and January 30 (Mavs)
Lowest grade: C- on March 4 (Hawks)
Ousmane Dieng
Current average: C+
Most common grade: C- (two games)
Best grade: A+ on February 12 (Thunder)
Lowest grade: D on February 27 (Knicks)
Cam Thomas
Current average: C
Most common grade: C- (three games)
Best grade: A+ on February 11 (Magic)
Lowest grade: F on March 2 (Celtics)
Doc Rivers
Q1 average: B-
Midseason average
Current average: C
Most common grade: D (six games)
Best grade: A on October 30 (Warriors), November 7 (Bulls), February 20 (Pelicans)
Lowest grade: F on December 14 (Nets), January 13 (Timberwolves), January 15 (Spurs), and March 1 (Bulls)
The following received incompletes due to injury and/or lack of playing time: Andre Jackson Jr., Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Alex Antetokounmpo, and Taurean Prince. Meanwhile, Cole Anthony and Amir Coffey traded classrooms, but new students Ousmane Dieng and Cam Thomas take their place. Pete Nance also makes an appearance after cracking through the rotation during Q3
No player was able to raise their grade, but only Ryan Rollins and Gary Harris saw their overall grades dip. If we didn’t include the last week of games, his average grade would have ended up with a B, but those hot/cold streaks come and go. Gary Trent Jr. finally got his first grade with an A next to it, but then had two uninspiring performances, and with the arrival of Thomas and Dieng, he lost his spot in the rotation, collecting plenty of DNPs and garbage time. The new additions all had moments of brilliance, earning As, but also had some duds.
Some of the worst games of the season, like losses against Brooklyn, Minnesota, and San Antonio, really hurt the averages with plenty of D or F grades. Doc Rivers somehow didn’t see his average drop, but he can be thankful for the Bucks’ hot streak in the month of February to thank for that. In the last week, Doc hasn’t gotten a grade higher than D+, and at this point, I cannot handle the unserious incompetence. Forget the IEP, I will just be counting down the days he is no longer in my class. Truly having to pull the No Child Left Behind card on Doc in 2026 is a statement of failure.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 05: Amen Thompson #1 of the Houston Rockets shoots against Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter at Toyota Center on March 05, 2026 in Houston, Texas. 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 Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors were massive underdogs entering Thursday night’s matchup against the Houston Rockets.
Already shorthanded without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Kristaps Porzingis, the Warriors were dealt additional blows with Moses Moody, Will Richard, and Gary Payton II also unavailable. As a result, Golden State had to lean on its entire available roster for a nine-man rotation, including three two-way players: Nate Williams, LJ Cryer, and Malevy Leons.
The challenge was even greater considering the opponent. The Rockets entered the night holding the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a 38–22 record while ranking among the NBA’s top five in both offensive and defensive rating.
On paper, everything pointed toward a difficult night for the Warriors.
But Golden State has a long history of thriving in Houston, and that familiarity seemed to fuel the group once again. The Warriors jumped out to a strong start, building a 30–20 lead after the first quarter. Houston responded and eventually erased the deficit, but each time the Rockets made a push, the Warriors had an answer.
That resilience ultimately pushed the game into overtime, where Golden State held its ground to secure a gritty 115–113 victory.
Afterward, head coach Steve Kerr explained the significance of Thursday’s hard-fought win.
Steve Kerr on another win in Houston
“This is a good building for us…A lot of good memories in that locker room.”
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said tonight’s victory is “right up there” with Golden State’s most significant wins this season. “Vintage” showing for Draymond Green in what “might be” Brandin Podziemski’s best game this year.
Draymond Green helped set the tone for that kind of effort. The four-time champion brought defensive intensity throughout the night, battling Houston’s Kevin Durant while anchoring the Warriors on that end of the floor. Despite the injuries and adversity, Green emphasized that the team continues to hold itself to a championship standard — a mindset that has helped carry Golden State through this injury-riddled stretch.
“We’re a championship organization and there’s a standard. You have to play hard.”
Draymond Green on why the Warriors, undermanned as they are, refuse to roll over against stronger opponents. pic.twitter.com/WiH7hq1Bau
IN THE LEAD-UP to the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5, the Warriors checked in on Jaren Jackson Jr., Giannis Antetokounmpo and were among the teams to make a call about Kawhi Leonard when it appeared the LA Clippers might be open for business, league sources said.
None of those deals materialized, so the Warriors pivoted to their backup option in return for the disgruntled Kuminga, who was on an expiring contract.
So as speculation swirls about NBA expansion and bringing the Sonics back to Seattle, Payton II’s answer about bringing a team back to his second home was immediate.
“Request a trade to Seattle,” Payton II recently told The Athletic. “Probably.”
He (probably) isn’t kidding. The love for Seattle and the Sonics is still in his heart.
“Respectfully. I love it here so much. But if we do (have a Seattle team) when I’m still here, I definitely want to go back and play there,” he added.
Steph Curry texted Draymond Green after the win in Houston: "A bunch of exclamation marks. Y'all did that."
Here is Draymond on his recent conversations with Curry, who he said texted him today: "Keep going. I know it's tough, but promise you, I'm coming back." pic.twitter.com/FcofL23mjv
James hit a turnaround 12-foot jumper over Zeke Nnaji with 12 seconds left in the first quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-113 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night to surpass Abdul-Jabbar’s mark.
“My name being mentioned with some of the greatest to ever play this game has always been humbling and pretty cool,” James said. “It’s a pretty cool thing. I grew up watching and reading, idolizing a lot of the greats. And if I ever was able to be a part of the NBA, I wanted to be in position where I could be named with some of the greats by doing something right.”
The record-breaking bucket gave James 15,838 career field goals in his unprecedented 23rd NBA season. Abdul-Jabbar had 15,837 baskets when the skyhook-wielding big man ended his 20-year career in 1989 as the NBA’s career scoring leader. Karl Malone is a distant third with 13,528 field goals.
Golden State needs a big man, or possibly two. Trayce Jackson-Davis is gone, and Al Horford’s status is up in the air: he has a player option for next year, but it’s unclear if he’ll exercise it, return to free agency, or retire. Regardless, Porziņģis is an intriguing fit for the Warriors over the summer, and potential contract offers are surely something that Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office are already mulling over.
ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Jack Leiter #35 of the Texas Rangers pitches during a game against the Miami Marlins at Globe Life Field on September 20, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Gunnar Word/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers welcome the hated Seattle Mariners to Surprise for an Arizona-flavored AL West battle.
RHP Jack Leiter will take the mound for Texas opposite fellow notable former first-round SEC hurler Kade Anderson. The lefty for Seattle is fresh off leading LSU to a championship last summer, while Leiter made his name with Vanderbilt earlier this decade.
Today’s Lineups
MARINERS
RANGERS
Cole Young – 2B
Brandon Nimmo – RF
J.P. Crawford – DH
Evan Carter – CF
Brennen Davis – RF
Joc Pederson – 1B
Connor Joe – LF
Danny Jansen – C
Patrick Wisdom – 3B
Ezequiel Duran – 2B
Leo Rivas – SS
Mark Canha – LF
Jhonny Pereda – C
Michael Helman – SS
Carson Taylor – 1B
Tyler Wade – 3B
Jonny Farmelo – CF
Cooper Johnson – DH
Kade Anderson – LHP
Jack Leiter – RHP
The Mariners have a radio feed, otherwise you can follow along on Gameday. First pitch from Surprise Stadium is scheduled for 2:05 pm CT.
MARYVALE, - MARCH 12: General view of American Family Fields stadium, spring training home of the Milwaukee Brewers, following Major League Baseball's decision to suspend all spring training games on March 12, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. The decision was made due to concerns of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Double your pleasure, double your fun! More taste! Less filling! And other appropriate advertising jingles of the seventies. For Arizona plays two games this afternoon. Attention will probably be focused on the White Sox game, because you can at least listen to that, through a dbacks.com livestream, hosted by Chris Garagiola alongside Jake Lamb. The Brewers game is in Maryvale, which is basically the “Here be dragons” of Spring Training venues [Look, I used to live near 35th Avenue, I’m not judging], and so results will be transmitted back to the outside world through semaphore flags.
Couple of bits of good news out of camp regarding our injured list this morning. Nick Piecoro says “Corbin Carroll is already taking live at-bats as he works his way back from hamate surgery.” And Alex Weiner reports, “Merrill Kelly came out of his bullpen session feeling good, and he will throw live batting practice on Sunday, per Torey Lovullo.” Finally, this:
Druw Jones representing the @dbacks on the world's biggest stage with an RBI double for team Netherlands 😤 pic.twitter.com/U6JyAJnhAf
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - OCTOBER 04: Cristopher Sanchez #61 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after getting the third out in the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game one of the Division Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 04, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There is one thing I would suggest Phillies fans, myself included, do more of this year.
Zoom out.
Here in Philly, we can be a bit myopic when it comes to our sports teams. We are immersed in the day-to-day, week-to-week, monthly and yearly frustrations that come with following a baseball team with great intensity, and it is easy to lose the forest for the trees.
Like you, I was not happy with the off-season. After a second straight first round playoff exit and three consecutive highly disappointing postseasons overall, the 2026 Phils are largely the same squad as the ‘25, ‘24 and ‘23 teams, at least in terms of its core.
The starting rotation still features Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola and Cristopher Sanchez. The best players in the lineup remain Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto, Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh and Alec Bohm. The bullpen changes on a yearly basis, but that’s largely true for most teams. Everyone’s a year older, with yet another postseason frustration on which to chew.
We wanted change because it feels like this particular group has hit a brick wall. Teams that stick together this long don’t usually suddenly break through in Year No. 5. But it’s fair to note the Philadelphia Phillies are the two-time defending NL East champions and have been to the playoffs four straight years. This group did advance to a World Series in ‘22 and nearly got back there again in ‘23. And they won the NL East by a whopping 13 games a year ago.
Nationally, baseball analysts and the public are much higher on the Phils than the hardcore fanbase. This week, ESPN released their ranking of the Top 100 players in the league, and the Dodgers led the way with 8 players in the Top 100. But guess which team had the second-most? Yep, your Phils, with 7 (Sanchez, Schwarber, Turner, Harper, Luzardo, Jhoan Duran, Wheeler). That’s a lot!
MLB’s Mike Petriello released his Tier Rankings of all 30 teams, and while the Dodgers were in the top tier all by their lonesome, guess which tier the Phillies fell into? Yep, Tier 2, along with the Cubs (the only other NL team mentioned), Blue Jays, Mariners, Red Sox, Tigers and Yankees. That’s pretty great!
On my Hittin’ Season podcast from WHYY this week, MLB.com’s Mike Petriello joined me to offer his thoughts on why the Phillies largely chose to “run it back” in 2026, and why it’s important for us, as fans, to zoom out a bit and observe the rest of the league, too.
“You know, it’s funny. So I live in New York, but I’m not a Yankees fan, but I hear a lot of Yankees chatter and it’s the exact same conversation. Yankees and Phillies, right? We’re running it back and this is terrible. And it’s like, well, you’re running back a 96 win team in Philly and a 94 win team in New York. And every Phillies fan demanded Kyle Schwarber come back and every Yankees fan demanded Cody Bellinger come back. And at a certain point, if you’re bringing back players you wanted on a very good team, how many more moves are there to be made?
Yankees fans were furious. ‘We need a new shortstop.’ It’s like, shortstops don’t exist! You literally cannot go and find a shortstop right now. For the Phillies, I think it’s a little bit different just because I don’t mind them bringing back Schwarber, I don’t mind them bringing back JT Realmuto, because there just weren’t any other good options.”
And while Petriello did not like the Phillies’ plan for the outfield, specifically the move to acquire Adolis Garcia in free agency and place Justin Crawford in center without a real back-up plan, he called Brandon Marsh and his 2025 second half “underrated” and noted Bryson Stott’s outstanding second half after making a mechanical adjustment.
Things to consider.
While we’re nervous about a seemingly less stable starting rotation, Petriello believes the Phillies’ cadre of starters appear to still be the best in the division.
I've got a brand NEW Hittin' Season for Phillies fans, powered by @WHYY! https://t.co/zXmRzx7eZ2's @mike_petriello stops by to chat about which NL East rotation he has the most confidence in, and which he has the least. You'll LIKE the answers!
“The team that I’m out the most on rotation-wise is Atlanta, for sure. Just because of the pitching injuries. And I don’t know what [Spencer] Strider is and Chris Sale has been amazing, but he’s also going to be, what, 38? And [he] doesn’t exactly have a long track record recently of staying healthy. So that scares me the most. I think there’s huge disaster risk right there.
And between the Mets and the Phillies… I guess I’m still going to take the Phillies because it sounds like Wheeler won’t miss that much time. You know, it’s hard to know if he’s going to be “ace” [Zack] Wheeler, or just pretty good. I’m cautiously optimistic about [Aaron] Nola. I think Cris Sanchez is great and always underrated. I really like [Jesus] Luzardo. You know, even if [Andrew] Painter is only a number five, you’re not asking him to be an ace, right? The Pirates are asking Connor Griffin to be Bobby Witt right now and the Phillies are not asking that of Painter.
So I guess I would take the Phillies, then the Mets, then the Braves.“
This is perspective that gets lost when everyone is neck-deep in the echo chamber. Like you, I have a tendency to zero in on the minutia of what’s happening with the Phils, which is why it’s always great to get an outsider’s perspective, something I try to do a lot of on Hittin’ Season.
It’s easy to be down on the Phillies after a disappointing October and off-season. So let’s all make an effort to zoom out a bit more in 2026 and listen to folks who aren’t as emotionally invested in this team as we are.
It might save our sanity and maybe, just maybe, make us smarter baseball fans, too.
Australia dominated day one of the day/night Test against India at the WACA, but there was no fairytale first innings from retiring captain Alyssa Healy.
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a deal less than an hour before the trade deadline on Friday.
They acquired Detroit Red Wings forward Elmer Soderblom for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
The Penguins have acquired forward Elmer Soderblom from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2026 third-round draft pick (originally belonging to San Jose).
Soderblom, 24, is signed for the rest of the 2025-26 season and the entire 2026-27 season at a cap hit of $1.125 million.
He's listed at 6-foot-8 and 252 pounds and has played in 39 games for the Red Wings this season, compiling two goals and three points.
He has played in 86 NHL games, recording 11 goals and 22 points.
Soderblom has also played in 119 games for the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins, compiling 23 goals and 54 points. He'll have a chance to play in some games down the stretch and during the 2026-27 season before becoming a restricted free agent.
Liverpool eased past Wolves to reach the quarter-finals
2 min: Liverpool appear to be employing a one-man press. Jones. That’s it. Wolves play through it, and Mane dallies over a shot from the edge of the D. He can’t get one away, but then Gravenberch clips Toti and it’s a free kick for Wolves in a dangerous position, just left of centre, 30 yards out.
Liverpool get the ball rolling. “It’s 1-0 Falkirk,” writes Simon McMahon. “Hic!”
Yes, there is a White Sox game in Arizona today, but the club will be missing Munetaka Murakami, who scored three times in Japan’s WBC opener rout over Chinese Taipei. | (Photo by Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
We got another game today, a quick turnaround from last night’s massacre at Camelback Ranch. Matchups and injuries later in March aside, the top two-thirds of this lineup could be close to what you see on Opening Day in Milwaukee:
Anthony Kay, top lefty on the staff at least for the moment, gets his third shot at the Cactus League.
Ballgame is at 2:10 p.m. CT, and is another Gameday event, unless you subscribe to MLB radio feeds that will deliver you the Giants’ broadcast.
In other developments, the White Sox re-upped everyone on the 40-man roster not already under contract for 2026, basically all the pre-arb guys playing for (relative) pennies:
And finally, the WBC is underway, with White Sox infielder Curtis Mead (three-run homer) playing a major role in Australia’s 5-1 win over Czechia.
As graybeard Alexei Ramírez sat on the bench, Yoán Moncada hit a two-run homer to provide the winning margin for Cuba in its 3-1 win over Panama.
Munetaka Murakami, hitting sixth, went 1-for-3 and scored three times in Japan’s 13-0 “10-run rule” win over Chinese Taipei.
The Islanders are adding center Brayden Schenn from the St. Louis Blues ahead of Friday's NHL trade deadline.
The Isles will send left wing Jonathan Drouin, two draft picks (a first-rounder and a third), and 20-year-old goaltender Marcus Gidlof, a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, to the Blues to complete the deal. (The first-round pick is a 2026 conditional selection received in the Brock Nelson deal.)
Schenn is in year six of an eight-year deal with a $6.5 million average annual value. He had a 15-team no-trade list and decided to waive that clause to come to New York.
On the season, the 34-year-old has tallied 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) over 61 games while averaging 16:41 time on the ice. He has also won 54.2 percent of his faceoffs this season, a career-high mark. (Schenn won 49.5 percent of faceoffs in the previous four seasons.)
The long-time NHL veteran has served as the Blues' captain since the 2023 season and was a member of their 2019 Stanley Cup-winning team, when he tallied 12 points (five goals, seven assists) over 25 postseason games.
Before joining St. Louis for the 2017 campaign, he played for six seasons with Philadelphia after first dipping his toe into the league with the Los Angeles Kings for nine games over two seasons.
Drouin, signed this past offseason to a two-year deal with a $4 million aav, tallied 21 points (three goals, 18 assists) over 55 games while averaging 17:09 time on the ice.
He has 82 games of postseason experience, with 13 goals and 30 assists (minus-19) while averaging 17:46 time on the ice.
After a 5-3 defeat to the Kings on Thursday, the Isles (35-23-5) sit at 75 points, good for third in the Metropolitan Division, but are just three points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have two games in hand.
JEAN-GABRIEL PAGEAU SIGNS EXTENSION
In addition to trading for Schenn on Friday, the Isles signed Pageau to a three-year extension that begins with the 2026-27 season.
The deal is worth $4.85 million annually.
Pageau has 14 goals and 15 assists in 33 games this season.
The 33-year-old center is in his seventh season with New York.
He has amassed 86 goals and 127 assists in 424 career games with the Islanders.
The Islanders acquired Brayden Schenn from the Blues.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Mathieu Darche wanted to take a swing at the trade deadline to reward an Islanders team that has contended beyond what anyone expected this season. The general manager did not want to give up any of his top prospects, such as Victor Eklund or Kashawn Aitcheson.
The result was that, after a few days of rumors surrounding Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, Darche opted to pull the trigger on a different Blues player: Brayden Schenn. The Islanders acquired St. Louis’ captain in exchange for a package of assets, including Colorado’s 2026 first-round pick, the Devils’ 2026 third-round pick, Jonathan Drouin and goaltending prospect Marcus Gidlof.
“We always said we want to be hard to play against. We have some snarl, and Brayden fits that,” Darche said. “You should see the texts we got from former players, players that have been with him. He plays hard. If something happens, he’s not afraid to defend a teammate. He’s scored 20 goals multiple times in his career.
“… He’s a competitor. That’s what you want. At this time of year when you play hockey after the deadline and in the playoffs, it’s fighting for every inch on the ice, being able to take a hit and dish out hits. We want to be physical and Brayden does that. I think he fits exactly what we need right now.”
The Islanders acquired Brayden Schenn from the Blues. Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Schenn, with two years left on his contract at $6.5 million annually, waived his no-trade clause to come to the Islanders.
He’s had a down year so far with the Blues, with 12 goals and 16 assists through 61 games, having been at or above 50 points per season for most of his career, though some of that can likely be attributed to St. Louis having a rough season.
There was a pleasant coincidence at play, too, since both the Islanders and Blues were staying in the same San Jose hotel with St. Louis playing there Friday night, allowing Schenn to meet with Darche and Patrick Roy in-person before waiving his no-trade clause. The Isles also finish this trip in St. Louis on Tuesday, which will allow a proper goodbye for the 34-year-old Schenn, who spent the last nine seasons in the city.
“He’ll be able to pack his bags and have more than a couple pairs of underwear,” Darche quipped.
Though he can play both wing and center, Darche said the plan for now is for Schenn to be a center. That, presumably, would require Cal Ritchie to shift over to the wing, which might be comfortable for the Islanders given the 21-year-old’s struggles at the faceoff dots.
“We know he has the abilities,” Darche said of Ritchie, who has been given top-six responsibilities as a rookie. “He still has to work on the physical strength, the battling, the speed of execution to get the pucks. He’s a great prospect. Instead of learning in the AHL, he’s learning in the NHL. He’s done a great job.”
Drouin, the sole NHLer who went the other way in the deal, was moved in large part to help keep the Islanders’ cap situation flexible after taking on Schenn’s contract. That said, Darche also acknowledged that the winger who had gone 38 games without scoring had “lost his confidence along the way.”
As for the first-round pick, it was Darche’s preference to give up draft picks as opposed to high-end prospects who could turn pro as soon as next season.
It helps, too, that the Islanders had two first-round picks for next season and retained their own — though that is now the only pick they have in the first three rounds of the draft.
Berkly Catton #27 of the Seattle Kraken and Brayden Schenn #10 of the St. Louis Blues battle for the puck during the third period of a game at Climate Pledge Arena on March 04, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. NHLI via Getty Images
“The beauty of it is, we didn’t touch any of our top prospects that will turn pro next year. That was the goal of this,” Darche said. “… Our guys that have been drafted a year ago or two years ago, I’d rather give a draft pick than them ’cause they’re a year or two ahead in their development ’cause they’re already drafted. We’ve achieved that without touching most of our top prospects.”
It was their only trade of deadline day, though Darche did ink a three-year extension with Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Darche already had gotten some business done before the Olympic break when he brought in Carson Soucy and Ondrej Palat.
On Friday, ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline, the Chicago Blackhawks took a little bit of a break from being sellers to make a minor league trade.
They acquired defenseman Derrick Pouliot from the New York Rangers in exchange for Aidan Thompson. Both players have spent the year with their respective AHL squads.
Poulliot is 32 years old and will add some depth to a Rockford IceHogs team that desperately needs it. He had 28 points in 52 games this year with the Hartford Wolfpack.
The elder defenseman has also spent a fair amount of time in the NHL, split between seven teams. He was with one of them, the 2016 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins, to earn a ring.
As for Thompson, a former third-round pick (90th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, had an incredible collegiate career at Denver before coming to the AHL. In 40 games with Rockford this year, he had six goals and nine assists for 15 points.
In minor league terms, this is the IceHogs adding veteran depth on the back end while the Wolfpack adds a young forward that may develop into a contributor.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
The St. Louis Blues captain, who has served in that capacity for three seasons and a Blue since acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017, has reportedly been traded to the New York Islanders less than an hour before the NHL Trade Deadline of 2 p.m. (CT).
The 34-year-old was in his ninth season with the Blues who had two more years remaining on an eight-year contract that carried a $6.5 million average annual value, had a modified no-trade clause but reports indicated he had to waive to go to the Islanders.
Darren Dreger of TSN reported that the return for Schenn is a first- and third-round pick along with a prospect for Schenn, who has 28 points (12 goals, 16 assists) in 61 games this season.
To further update the reports, forward Jonathan Drouin and goalie prospect Marcus Gidlof were part of the package:
Brayden Schenn from St Louis for Jonathan Drouin, 2026 1st (Colorado), a 3rd and Marcus Gidlof. https://t.co/KrJZPcOB2Z
It marks the end of an incredible run for Schenn, who was a very big part of the Blues' run to the Stanley Cup in 2019; he finishes his Blues career with 465 points (181 goals, 284 assists) in 650 games and 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in 58 career playoff games.
The Blues' next home game will come on Tuesday ... against the Islanders, and it will be a quick homecoming for Schenn, who joins a team that currently is third in the Metropolitan Division (35-23-5).
More to come on this breaking trade ...
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
