MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Brewers shortstop prospect Cooper Pratt has agreed to terms on an eight-year, $50.75 million contract, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been announced. USA Today first reported that the two sides were on the verge of agreeing to terms.
Pratt, 21, is regarded as one of the more promising players in a Brewers farm system that ranks among the best in the majors. He was rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 62 prospect in all of baseball.
Pratt already has a reputation as an outstanding fielder.
He’s not as polished a hitter at this point in his development, though he does have a good eye. Pratt batted .238 with a .343 on-base percentage, eight homers, 62 RBIs, 31 steals and 67 walks in 120 games with Double-A Biloxi in the pitcher-friendly Southern League last season.
Pratt also played three games at Triple-A Nashville and went 4 of 15 with an RBI and a steal. He batted .294 with a .405 on-base percentage and four RBIs in 18 spring training games this year.
Although the Brewers haven’t confirmed the signing, Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy was asked Monday what he likes about Pratt after watching the 21-year-old in spring training camp.
“What’s not to like?” Murphy said. “Aptitude. He’s a baseball player. He’s a good baseball player. He’s got a ways to go. He’s got to develop. Great human, a worker.”
The Brewers selected Pratt in the sixth round of the 2023 draft.
This isn’t the first time the Brewers have given a lucrative extension to a prospect without major league experience. They signed outfielder Jackson Chourio in December 2023 to an eight-year, $82 million deal when he was 19 years old and had played only six games above Double-A.
Chourio reached the majors in 2024 and has collected at least 20 homers and 20 steals in each of his first two seasons.
A coaching change this late in the year is extremely rare for an almost certainly playoff-bound team. Thus, John Tortorella isn’t looking to make drastic changes to the Vegas Golden Knights’ system with just eight games remaining in the regular season.
This is something Tortorella said repeatedly when he met with the media for the first time following the coaching change.
“We’re not going to make many changes,” said Tortorella. “I’m not going to upset and fill the players with information. I have a few points of emphasis that we’ll go over as a team— just did this morning in our first meeting, just about mindset and odds and ends that I’ll just keep with the team for now.”
Before the start of the season, analysts and pundits viewed the Golden Knights as favorites to contend for the Stanley Cup. At the Olympic break, they led the Pacific Division. Now, with just eight games left in the regular season, they’re at risk of dropping into the wild card race.
So, on Sunday, the Golden Knights announced that they’d relieved Bruce Cassidy of his duties as head coach. In the same statement, they named Tortorella as the fourth coach in franchise history.
Tortorella began his coaching career with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2001. Since then, the 67-year-old, two-time Jack Adams winner has been an NHL mainstay, spending time with the New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, and the Columbus Blue Jackets. He won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004, and most recently served as the bench boss for the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2024-25 season. Tortorella also had two separate stints as a studio analyst for ESPN and one brief stint with the NHL on TSN.
Tortorella said that because of the situation, he’s going to lean on the rest of the coaching staff. However, he also brings his own ideas to the Golden Knights for this final stretch of the season.
“I’d just like to see us play faster,” said Tortorella. “Everybody wants to play fast, right? It’s an easy word to say, but I think that comes down to mindset, also. So yeah, we’ll pick away at it. But I am not going to overthink this. I am not going to overload them and paralyze them. We’ve got some quality people here. I want to come in here and try to help.”
After 74 games, the Golden Knights are second in the league in time spent trailing in games with 1901:44. Tortorella isn’t ready to diagnose the problem, but he emphasized the importance of being mentally ready to play.“
I’ll tell you what, the biggest part of hockey now, I don’t think it’s the X’s and O’s. I do think it’s your mind, that’s a readiness. I think they’ve been told a few times about their starts… We’ll remind them, but also respect them. They know where they’re at here now in the standings.”
This is the second time in as many years that Tortorella’s world has shifted with less than ten games remaining in the regular season. Last year, the Philadelphia Flyers relieved him of his duties as head coach with nine games left; now, he finds himself in the exact opposite position.
“In this business here, whether you’re a player or a coach, I think you need to have the ability to accept the challenge, right? You know, I got bombed out of Philly with nine games left last year. Now, I come here with eight games left in a new job. It’s a couple of crazy situations I’ve never been involved in,” Tortorella said. “But that’s the league, that’s pro sports. I think as coaches and players, when you get to this level, the highest level of the game, you need to be prepared to handle that stuff.
“I’m very fortunate to get the opportunity to work with this management group, because the organization is so well respected. I don’t want to let them down,” continued Tortorella. “I am going to prepare myself each and every day to be the best I can be, the best version of me, to help the team. But I think the important thing is that we need to do it together, and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Tortorella said that he reached out to Cassidy on Sunday night.
“I was texting with Butchy last night when I was flying in here, and thanked him for having the team the way it is right now,” said Tortorella. “Just remember, the guy that left here? Pretty [expletive] good coach. So, I feel very fortunate coming into this situation.”
Neither Tortorella nor Kelly McCrimmon discussed the timeline of the conversations leading up to the coaching change.
“We’re going to move forward,” Tortorella said. “As I said, I felt I needed to reach out to [Bruce Cassidy] last night. We had a good conversation, and that’s where it stops for me. I wanted to thank him, and now my sight is set on this game here. I talked to the players about that, also.
“It’s a big change for them too, right? We just want to move forward here with kind of a really crazy situation with only eight games left. So, we need to start thinking ahead and just take this day here against Vancouver and move to the next one.”
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Chicago Bulls waived guard Jaden Ivey on Monday in the wake of anti-LGBTQ comments and remarks about religion he made in videos on his Instagram account.
“They proclaim Pride Month in the NBA,” he said. “They proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say come join us for Pride, for Pride Month to celebrate unrighteousness. They proclaim it. They proclaim it on the billboards. They proclaim it in the streets. Unrighteousness. So how is it that one can't speak righteousness? How are they to say that this man is crazy?”
Coach Billy Donovan said the Bulls have employees from “all different walks of life" and Ivey's comments don't reflect the values of the organization.
“Everybody comes with their own personal experiences, but one is we’ve got to all be professional,” Donovan said prior to Chicago's game at San Antonio. "I think there’s got to be a high level of respect for one another, and we’ve got to help each other and then be accountable to those standards.”
In an Instagram live conducted on an airplane hours after the Bulls let him go, Ivey again spoke at length about religion. He said the championship rings LeBron James and Michael Jordan earned are “not gonna matter on judgment day.”
He also insisted he “didn't get myself waived” and that other teams won't sign him because they think “he's too religious.” He said he was in the gym, rehabbing and “doing what was required of me in my job” on Monday.
At one point, a flight attendant asked him to end the session because the plane was about ready to depart and the cellphone could interfere with the communication systems. He continued to discuss religion for about another minute before wrapping it up.
Ivey has spoken this season about dealing with depression. He recently started posting lengthy videos expressing his thoughts about religion on Instagram.
“How is it when the gospel is preached that people hate it?” Ivey said. “That people don't want to hear it? And they think it's strange when someone preaches the gospel, the true gospel?”
Chicago acquired Ivey from Detroit in a three-team trade on Feb. 3. He had an expiring contract.
“I don't want to get into what he put out there, but certainly, I hope for him he's okay,” Donovan said. “I've had conversations with Jaden and he's always been about rehabbing his knee and trying to get on the court and wanting to play. But I think organizationally, there are certain standards we want to have as an organization and try to live up to those each and every day.”
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - MARCH 6: Kade Anderson #13 of the Seattle Mariners throws a pitch during a Spring Training game against the Texas Rangers at Surprise Stadium on March 6, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate, the Tacoma Rainiers, is already underway (Max has the recap for you on Triple-A Opening Weekend here.) The Mariners’ Double-A affiliate, the Arkansas Travelers, open up their season at home in Dickey-Stephens Park on April 7. Today the Travs announced their 2026 roster, and the big news is that the Mariners’ two top pitching prospects, LHP Kade Anderson and RHP Ryan Sloan, will skip past High-A Everett and start the season directly in Double-A, often used as a launching pad for the big leagues.
Anderson, a College World Series champion with LSU, was the Mariners’ first-round choice this past draft. A polished pitcher with advanced command over a sophisticated arsenal, it’s not surprising to see Anderson assigned directly to Double-A, as that’s common practice with these kinds of experienced college pitchers. Anderson often draws comparisons to Blue Jays lefty Trey Yesavage, another college arm drafted in the first round, who jumped from A-ball to pitching in MLB by the end of the season. The Mariners are opting to skip Anderson directly to Double-A rather than jump him all over the country, but don’t be surprised to see him up with the big-league team by the end of the year, just like Yesavage.
Sloan is a bigger surprise. Sloan, who just turned 20 at the end of January, was drafted by the Mariners 55th overall out of his Chicago-area high school in 2024, with the Mariners buying him out of his college commitment to Wake Forest for $3M. After taking his draft year to learn the Mariners system and processes, Sloan started 2025 in Modesto, earning a promotion to High-A Everett by the end of the season. The Mariners invited Sloan to big-league camp this spring and he was impressive at every turn, capping off his spring with a dominant performance against the top-ranked Brewers farm in the Spring Breakout game. Sloan impressed the Mariners so much they’re being aggressive with him and sending him directly to Double-A to compete against much older and more seasoned competition. The move also keeps Sloan and Anderson, roommates and friends, together as they continue their big-league journeys.
Two other Top-1oo prospects will join Sloan and Anderson, as Michael Arroyo and Lazaro Montes will return to Arkansas after being promoted from Everett midseason last year. Both righty hitters suffered the “Dickey-Stephens Park” penalty last year, although Arroyo’s bat-to-ball skills helped prop him up even as his power decreased. Montes didn’t suffer quite the power penalty, still knocking 14 bombs, but he did regress as far as contact/strikeouts go, so that’s something for him to work on in a repeat tour of the level.
Here’s the complete roster:
There are a few other Top-30 prospects on this roster: Jared Sundstrom is one, returning to Arkansas after spending all of last year there. Another righty power-hitter, Sundstrom is another one suffering at the hands of the righty-power-suppressing park in Arkansas. Sundstrom got a lot of reps with the big-league club this spring, so expect his tenure to be shorter than last year.
Reliever to watch: RHP Charlie Beilenson
Beilenson was a 2024 fifth-rounder who has an interesting backstory: he grew up in SoCal (Chris Rose was his eighth grade basketball coach at Chaminade Prep, apparently) and went to Brown for his undergraduate, serving as a reliever on their baseball team, before transferring to Duke, where he picked up another pair of graduate degrees while also serving as the Blue Devils’ closer. Beilenson was a money-saver pick after the Mariners spent heavily on their first two picks in Jurrangelo Cijntje and Ryan Sloan, but he’s in a position where he could contribute to the big-league bullpen as soon as this year; he has excellent command and throws strikes, and profiles as a middle-innings reliever. Beilenson – who has eligibility to pitch for three different WBC teams – spent part of this spring with Team Israel, gaining high-level experience.
Sleeper prospect to watch: INF Charlie Pagliarini
Everett AquaSox fans know “Pags” well, but he got a fair amount of screentime with the big-league club this spring, too. Pagliarini isn’t a huge guy (6’0”) but he’s been a three true outcomes kind of prospect so far, albeit with less in the power department; he takes a ton of walks, but he also strikes out a ton. If the power pops at DSP like it did in lefty-friendly Funko Field and he could strike out just a little tiny itsty-bitsy less, there’s a really intriguing profile here.
Post-hype prospect to watch: OF Sammy Siani
I really liked contact-oriented Sammy Siani, who Pittsburgh took 37th overall in the 2019 Draft, but his bat-to-ball skills didn’t play out in Pittsburgh. Maybe Seattle can help unlock some of those tools.
If you have Mariners TV, you should also have access to the Mariners’ affiliates on MiLB TV and you can watch the Travs games for free. You can find the Travs schedule here.
Since being shut down for the season Thursday, March 26 because of lingering knee issues, Ivey, 24, has gone live on his Instagram on three separate occasions to rant about his religious beliefs and other issues. Several comments he made in reply to fans have since gone viral, including referring to Catholicism as a "false religion" and telling a fan that "God does not hear your prayer if you are a sinner."
But the final straw for the Bulls appears to have come on Monday morning, when Ivey again took to social media – this time targeting the LGBTQ community, Pride Month and the NBA's advocacy efforts in a 45-minute-long rant.
"... the NBA, they proclaim it. They show it to the world. They say, 'Come join us for Pride Month,' to celebrate unrighteousness," Ivey said on his livestream.
Ivey has spoken in the past about dealing with depression.
A former fifth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, the Bulls acquired Ivey from the Detroit Pistons at the trade deadline on Feb. 3 in exchange for Kevin Huerter. He appeared in four games for Chicago and has been sidelined since Feb. 11 with left patellofemoral pain syndrome, a common and sometimes chronic pain behind or around the kneecap more widely known as runner's knee.
Ivey averaged career-lows in points (8.5), rebounds (2.5) and assists (1.8) across 37 games played this year and played just 30 games in 2024-25 due to a broken left fibula. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in October that forced him to miss the Pistons' first 15 games of the season.
Ivey, in his fourth NBA season, was set to be a restricted free agent this summer after he and Detroit could not finalize an agreement on a contract extension last offseason.
BOSTON, MA - MARCH 18: Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors smiles after the game against the Boston Celtics on March 18, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Steve Kerr is no stranger to catastrophic losses. As much as he’s won both as an NBA coach and as a player, he’s also lost in both scenarios. Most notably, in 2016, the Warriors lost in 7 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, despite starting the series 3-1 — which is an oddly similar scenario to what happened to the Toronto Blue Jays last season versus the Dodgers in the World Series.
Per The Athletic, Kerr reached out to John Schneider, the manager of the Blue Jays, shortly after their loss last year, writing a handwritten letter which Schneider recently discussed with The Athletic.
“I don’t know you,” Kerr wrote, “but I felt compelled to reach out after watching your incredible leadership on display during the World Series.”
“The pain [in 2016] was real,” Kerr wrote. “But what always survives through the tough losses is the character and connection of the group. The loss won’t define you, but the way you and your guys carried themselves afterwards will.”
As the MLB season begins and as the Warriors approach the play-in tournament, this sentiment rings true, and also speaks to Kerr’s expertise and experience as a coach — no matter how the season goes, how you and your players react is what matters most. It’s pretty sound life advice for us non-athletes too.
“It was the message we’ve been preaching all offseason and in spring,” Schneider told The Athletic. “The run was great, and the heartbreak was real, but it’s not going to define who we are. We all went through it together. What we’re going to be defined by is how we persevere through it… If he can see the good in what we did, it kind of gives you a little bit of reassurance that you’re preaching the right things.”
After that 2016 loss, Kerr won three more championships with the Warriors. Schneider hasn’t won anything yet with the Blue Jays, but this past World Series proves that he’ll be able to — and he recently signed a two-year extension, so he’ll definitely have a chance.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 22: Kyle Leahy #62 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a pitch against the Houston Astros during the first inning of a spring training game at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 22, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After a very positive 2-1 start to the 2026 season, the St. Louis Cardinals first homestand of the season continues Monday night as they’ll host the New York Mets. According to MLB.com, Kyle Leahy will start for the Cardinals while Clay Holmes will take the mound for the Mets.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Lance McCullers Jr. #43 of the Houston Astros pitches during a spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 10, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Houston Astros (2-2) host the Boston Red Sox (1-2) at Daikin Park in the second series of the season.
RHP Lance McCullers Jr. will make his first start of the season tonight for the Astros opposite LHP Ranger Suarez, who’s debuting for the Red Sox after signing with the club in the offseason.
ABOUT MCCULLERS: RHP Lance McCullers Jr. is making his season debut tonight in a start against the Red Sox, a team he has not faced since the 2018 season.
McCullers last pitched in an exhibition game on March 24 vs. the Astros Triple A affiliate, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, tossing 4.2 innings, allowing two runs, while striking out seven.
He made his return to the mound in 2025 after missing the entire 2023-24 seasons due to a right flexor tendon injury that required surgery. He worked around four IL stints in 2025 to go 2-5 with a 6.51 ERA (40ER/55.1IP) and 9.92 SO/9IP in 16 games (13 starts).
ASTROS VS. SUAREZ: The Astros are facing LHP Ranger Suarez, who they last faced on June 24, 2025.
That game was a memorable one, as Suarez dueled with LHP Framber Valdez through 7.0 innings. In a scoreless game in the 8th, LF Cooper Hummel took Suarez deep which eventually gave the Astros a 1-0 victory over the Phillies.
RIVALRY VS. THE RED SOX: The Astros and Red Sox have developed a nice rivalry over the last 10 years, as the two clubs have seen each other in three different postseason series since the 2017 season. The Astros won two of those three series, winning the 2017 ALDS and 2021 ALCS, while the Red Sox took the 2018 ALCS.
ROSTER MOVES: After last night’s game, the Astros optioned RHP Christian Roa to Triple A Sugar Land. In corresponding moves, the Astros selected RHP Cody Bolton (#67) to the Major League roster today and transferred RHP Hayden Wesneski to the 60-day IL.
CITY CONNECT MONDAY: The Astros will wear their City Connect uniforms tonight for the first time on the young season as they welcome in the Red Sox for the first game of a three-game series.
YORDAN’S UPCOMING MILESTONES:LF Yordan Alvarez (495 RBI) is five RBI shy of reaching 500 career RBI, a mark only 14 players in franchise history have reached. Alvarez also checks in with 171 career homers, which makes him just three homers shy of matching franchise icon OF George Springer (174HR) for seventh on the Astros all-time list.
OUT ON REHAB: RHP Enyel De Los Santos made his second rehab appearance for Triple A Sugar Land yesterday, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings on 19 pitches en route to recording the win. De Los Santos is recovering from a right knee strain, which landed him on the 15-day IL to open the season.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Monday, March 30, 7:10 p.m. CST
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Nazem Kadri’s return to the Colorado Avalanche was so seamless, it feels like it happened forever ago, but really, it’s only been 24 days since Calgary dealt Naz back to his old club in exchange for Victor Olofsson, Max Curran, a 2028 2nd, and 2027 first. Just a few weeks later, Kadri will face his former teammates and coaches of the Calgary Flames tonight at Ball Arena.
Colorado suffered defeat at the hands of Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets, but were winners of four straight ahead of that contest. The Flames are at the bottom end of a Pacific Division that’s been described as “a pillow fight.”
Can the Avalanche assert its will, or does Calgary rise to the occasion?
Colorado Avalanche: 48-14-10
The Opponent: Calgary Flames (31-34-8)
Time: 6:30 p.m. MT
Watch: Altitude, Altitude+, ESPN+
Listen: Altitude Sports Radio, 92.5 FM
Colorado Avalanche
I don’t think the Avalanche need to trigger a rebuild after losing to Winnipeg, but the style of play, and the eventual outcome can yield some lessons.
It does appear that, although the hockey landscape has changed over the years, the best approach to beating the Avalanche (albeit the most boring) is to establish an early lead and hunker down/muddy up the neutral zone to limit clean entries and effective possession.
Couple that with stout goaltending, and you just might hang on and beat this Avalanche squad.
The strategy described above isn’t new, but this version of the Avalanche is likely the deepest it’s been since the 2022 team that broke through and captured ultimate glory.
There are subtle differences between the two teams, with the 2022 juggernaut having that same competitive advantage on the back-end with decent net-minding, and the 2026 Avalanche harbouring great net-minding but less of an overarching advantage on the back-end.
Let’s see if Calgary attempts to implement the strategy we saw from Winnipeg, but some teams are much better at executing this approach than others.
The downside to this approach? You risk getting down early and might have to abandon it altogether if things get out of hand.
The Flames did Naz a solid with likely plenty of suitors on the open market, and they landed him in Colorado. The mutual interest in having him move on stemmed from the lack of playoff potential in Calgary. Kadri is nearing the end of his career, and the Flames are in no position to fulfill Stanley Cup aspirations any time soon.
That doesn’t mean the Flames aren’t working toward something. They will have 5 picks in the top 3 rounds of this upcoming and next year’s NHL Draft. We know firsthand how that sort of capital can thrust a team into the limelight.
The Mets’ new third baseman took complete ownership of his early-season struggles after putting together another hitless effort in a extra-inning loss to the Pirates to close out the series.
Bichette looked nothing like himself during the opening weekend set, picking up just one hit while striking out eight times and squandering numerous opportunity with men on-base across his first 14 at-bats.
He admitted he found himself trying too much to have a moment early on for his new club and fanbase, but it ultimately led to receiving some boos from the hometown crowd.
Bichette wasn’t surprised, if anything he thought it took too long.
“I get it,” he said. “I thought the at-bats were terrible, too.”
Fair or not, Bichette handled things about as perfectly as he could’ve.
Though they haven’t been together for too long, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza certainly wasn’t surprised to see how the 28-year-old went about things.
“He’s a total pro,” the skipper said. “This is a guy that grew up in the game. He understands the meaning of every pitch, every at-bat, every game -- he understands the big stage.
“When he signed here, he knew right away what he was signed up for and he was like I love it, I can’t wait. This was way back to the days of the press conference, and then watching him yesterday handle the whole situation, I wasn’t surprised — he’s just a total pro.”
Being that it’s just three games, Mendoza isn’t concerned about Bichette yet.
The two-time All-Star slugger was a career .294 hitter during his seven years in Toronto, and he was particularly brought in to help provide a boost with runner in scoring position.
Bichette will look to find his groove during the Mets’ seven-game roadtrip, which kicks off Monday night against Cardinals right-hander Kyle Leahy.
ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MARCH 26: Ben Williamson #15 of the Tampa Bay Rays fields the ball against the St. Louis Cardinals on Opening Day at Busch Stadium on March 26, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Evander Kane’s hockey career has always pointed towards Vancouver.
Being born and raised in the city quickly turned to skating at the ever-popular North Shore Winter Club. That, in turn, evolved into playing for Vancouver’s WHL team, the Vancouver Giants, before he was ultimately drafted fourth-overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009.
After nearly 20 years in the NHL, Kane finally ended up making his way back to Vancouver via trade with the Edmonton Oilers. Now, he’s only a couple of hours away from playing in his 1000th NHL game.
Kane’s first-ever NHL game came on October 3, 2009 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, during which he registered his first NHL point after assisting on a goal by Rich Peverley. It didn’t take him long to score his first NHL goal after that, as he potted what would ultimately be the game-winner in a match against the St. Louis Blues the game after. He finished his rookie season with 14 goals and 12 assists in 66 games played.
After two seasons in the NHL, Kane found himself heading to Winnipeg after the Thrashers were sold and relocated back to Canada. In his first season as a member of the new Winnipeg Jets, Kane registered his career-high in goals (30) and assists (27). He played with the Jets for three more seasons after that before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres.
From there, Kane spent three seasons with Buffalo, playing as a member of the Sabres from 2015 to 2018. During this span of time, he scored 68 goals and 50 assists in 196 games. It was here when he notched his first 100+ penalty-minute season, racking up 113 during the 2016–17 season.
Kane was traded once again in February of 2018, this time heading to the San Jose Sharks. Shortly after, he played in his first NHL playoff game, as neither Atlanta, Winnipeg, or Buffalo had made the post-season in any of Kane’s years there. In his first playoff run, which only lasted two rounds and nine games, Kane scored four goals and one assist.
Mar 17, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Drew O'Connor (18) and forward Aatu Raty (54) and forward Evander Kane (91) and defenseman Elias Pettersson (25) celebrate Raty’s goal against the Florida Panthers in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Soon after this playoff run, the Sharks signed Kane to a seven-year deal worth $49M. In his first full season with San Jose, Kane nearly surpassed his career-highs, tying his record in goals but falling short by one assist. He did, however, set a new personal record for penalty minutes, registering 153 in 75 games.
Things soured with Kane and the Sharks after the forward violated the league’s COVID-19 protocol, resulting in a 21-game suspension from the NHL and later a contract termination. This was just one of a few instances through his career in which Kane was embroiled in controversy.
This contract termination led Kane to sign a deal with the Edmonton Oilers through the 2021–22 season. Putting up 22 goals and 17 assists in 43 regular-season games, as well as 13 goals and four assists in 15 playoff games, led the Oilers to sign him to a four-year extension paying slightly over $5M annually.
While Kane did put up 24 goals and 20 assists during the 2023–24 season, a variety of factors contributed to the Oilers eventually moving on from him. Injuries sidelined the forward for the entire 2024–25 regular season, while the emergence of none-other than former Canuck Vasily Podkolzin made Kane expendable. As a result, Edmonton traded Kane to his hometown team during the 2025 off-season.
Kane’s NHL career has taken him to many different places. While things haven’t quite gone according to plan with the Canucks — reports have indicated he was on the market ahead of the trade deadline — the forward will skate in his 1000th NHL game with none-other than the team whose city he first found hockey in.
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 29: Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers walks off the field after hitting the game-winning three-run homer on the first pinch hit home run of his career, in a game against the Chicago White Sox at American Family Field on March 29, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Chicago White Sox 9-7. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On a surprisingly newsy Monday for the Milwaukee Brewers, we have a baseball game to play as the Brewers look to keep their winning streak to begin the season going as they welcome the Tampa Bay Rays to town.
Making his first start for the Brewers will be left-hander Kyle Harrison. The Brewers acquired him from the Red Sox along with David Hamilton and Shane Drohan right before spring training started.
“What impresses me is that [Harrison]’s capable. He’s done it before. He’s very capable of getting right-handed hitters out as well as lefties, and his stuff is, at times, very good. He’s got to learn to mature and become a major league starter. This is the land of opportunity. You know, we give those young people the chance, we bet on those young people, we put them through the car wash, and usually after [Chris] Hooky and [Jim] Henderson get their hands on them, they come out better,” manager Pat Murphy said.
Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Christian Yelich fill out the top of the order; that’s pretty standard. Luis Rengifo is batting cleanup tonight, which is interesting. Then it’s a trio of lefties with Jake Bauers, Sal Frelick, and Garrett Mitchell. Hamilton and Brandon Lockridge round out the bottom of the order.
First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. and, as usual, this one will be on Brewers TV and 620 WTMJ, along with the rest of the Brewers Radio Network.
One of the most shocking firings of the season could possibly be a gain for the Nashville Predators.
On Sunday, it was announced that the Vegas Golden Knights had fired their head coach, Bruce Cassidy and had hired John Tortorella for the final eight games of the regular season.
In addition to the Golden Knights being third in the Pacific Division, still very much competing for the top spot, Cassidy had posted a 178-99-43 record over four seasons with Vegas, guiding the franchise to its first Stanley Cup in 2023.
He had also won the Jack Adams Award, given to the NHL's top coach, during the 2019-20 season as the Boston Bruins head coach. Cassidy also took the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019.
With such a decorated coach getting an unexpected boot, the possibility opens up that he could step into the head coaching role in Nashville.
Andrew Brunette has been with the Predators for three seasons, sleepwalking into the playoffs in 2024, posting one of the worst seasons in franchise history in 2025, and trying to get Nashville into the playoffs as the final Wild Card in 2026.
Through 238 games coached, Brunette has a 111-105-22 record, and this season has helped the Predators rise from the bottom of the standings. After starting out the year at 6-12-4, Nashville has turned things around and is battling for a playoff spot in the final games of the regular season.
While it looks like Brunette saved himself from being fired early in the season, Nashville is still struggling to find consistency and playing below expectations with star players like Steven Stamkos, Roman Josi, Filip Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly, and Jonathan Marchessault.
General Manager Barry Trotz has also "stuck his neck out" multiple times for Brunette, advocating to keep him on after the disastrous 2024-25 season and staying with him after the Predators returned from Sweden with a 6-10-4 record.
That being said, Trotz will retire once the search for a new GM concludes. His limited time as GM doesn't mean he's shying away from "big decisions" as he traded off four players at the deadline for draft picks.
A handful of other coaches have been fired around the league this season in better scenarios than the Predators were in.
Apr 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Nashville Predators head coach Andrew Brunette looks on during the second period against the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Jim Hillar was fired by Los Angeles after a 21-24-14 start and had spent two and a half seasons with the Kings. The Blue Jackets fired Dean Evason after just a season and a half, and a 19-19-7 record.
Nashville was at sub-500 for 27 games and opted to stay with Brunette. While the Predators are playing better now, it's unknown if it'll actually pay off. As of March 30, the Predators have lost three straight games and are at risk of losing their Wild Card spot with no action until Thursday.
Meanwhile, after the Blue Jackets fired Evason and Rick Bowness took over, they have propelled themselves to the top of the Metropolitan Division standings, fighting for a top-2 spot.
The Predators aren't necessarily struggling, but neither were the Golden Knights. Vegas has a very "cut-throat" approach to its organization, but made a risky move that opens the door for Nashville to bring in a proven coach.
As for Brunette, he's stayed in his position longer than most head coaches have in his situation. If he doesn't get this team into the playoffs, and even then if they don't have a good showing, it may be time to make a change.
The Predators have a chance to make a move toward the future, whether that's Trotz making one last move to put the team in a position for success or a new GM proving things will be different.
And if it's worth anything, Cassidy would get the chance to reunite with a pair of former players in Jonathan Marchessault and Nic Hague.
BINGHAMTON, NY - SEPTEMBER 18: George Lombard Jr. #2 of the Somerset Patriots defends his position during the game between the Somerset Patriots and the Binghamton Rumble Ponies at Mirabito Stadium on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Binghamton, New York. (Photo by Rob Tringali/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
The MiLB season got underway last week, the Yankees’ Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, kicking off their season in Buffalo. The rest of the team’s full-season affiliates will get started this week, and with the season about to start, the Yankees announced the rosters for the Double-A Somerset Patriots, the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades, and the Low-A Tampa Tarpons.
The Patriots will be one of the most interesting Yankee affiliates to follow this year, at least at the beginning of the season. All eyes will be on the club’s consensus top prospect, shortstop George Lombard Jr., who starts the season in Somerset but surely with hopes of quickly climbing the ladder this summer. Lombard scorched High-A last year to the tune of a .329/.495/.488 slash line in 24 games, before hitting .215/.337/.358 in Double-A.
Lombard is the headliner, though there’s intrigue elsewhere on the roster, particularly on the pitching staff. Ben Hess, the Yankees’ first-round pick in 2024, is the highest-upside arm here, having posted a 3.22 ERA across two levels last year. Lefty Kyle Carr also merits a mention, his 2.64 ERA between Hudson Valley and Somerset among the best marks in the system in 2025. Chase Hampton, the team’s top pitching prospect two years ago before undergoing Tommy John surgery, will be worth watching here too as he tries to rebuild his stock post-injury.
There’s probably more to watch on the position-player side here than on the pitching staff. Core Jackson and Kaeden Kent form a nice infield combo to keep an eye on, ranked back-to-back at #12 and #13, respectively, on MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Yankees prospects list. Outfielder Wilson Rodriguez, a 17th-round pick in 2023, is also a name to watch. Bryce Cunningham, the team’s 2024 second-rounder, isn’t listed here after getting a slow ramp-up in spring training, but likely will start his season with Hudson Valley and will look to move up from there.
Henry Lalane is the biggest player listed here, literally and figuratively; if you’re looking for someone to take a Carlos Lagrange-esque jump in the Yankee system this year, you could do worse than the 6-foot-6 lefty. Otherwize, there isn’t too much to get super excited about here, at least not yet, with pitcher Allen Facundo the only other player ranked in MLB Pipeline’s Top 30. That said, 2025 top pick Dax Kilby, who announced himself with a stellar run in short-season ball last year, will likely head to Tampa once he gets over the hamstring issue that plagued him in spring training and forced him to miss the Spring Breakout.
