There were some question marks surrounding Egor Demin's shooting ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, and rightfully so.
Demin shot just 27.3 percent from three during his lone season of college basketball at BYU, causing many scouts to be hesitant about how his shot would translate to the NBA. But that didn't scare the Nets away, as they saw the potential star upside in his game and selected him with the No. 8 overall pick in June.
While it's still very early in his professional career, Demin demonstrated his skill set Friday night in his preseason debut against the Toronto Raptors. The 19-year-old, who missed the team's first three preseason games due to a plantar fascia tear, scored 14 points with five rebounds and an assist in 19 minutes off the bench.
The performance earned him praise from teammates Michael Porter Jr. (34 points) and Cam Thomas (seven points), who believe the 6-foot-9 rookie can make a real impact in the NBA.
"Oh, yeah, he’s solid. He’s going to be really good," Porter Jr. told the New York Post. "Positionally, for his size, if he can translate all those point guard skills over to the pros, he’s going to be a problem.
"He makes the right reads and the right plays. So I know it may take time to deal with the physicality of the point guard position in the NBA, but once he gets the hang of it, he’s going to be really, really good."
Demin's 14 points came on 3 of 5 shooting, including 2 of 3 from three-point range, and 6 of 7 on free throws. 11 of his 14 points came in the first half, including all of the foul shots. He also recorded a block and committed two turnovers in the 119-114 loss.
"He was great. He was great. Obviously, it’s preseason, but he was good for his first game," Thomas said. "We’ll see what happens in Charlotte, but it was a great start for him, for sure."
While Demin is still working his way back to full strength from the foot injury, as he only started playing five-on-five while the team was in China, head coach Jordi Fernandez was pleased with what he saw from the guard Friday night.
"He was excellent," Fernandez said. "There’s going to be things he’s going to keep working on. We’ve got to keep building him up physically to be able to sustain more minutes. … But I’m very happy with his presence, how composed he was, how he talked to his teammates, all those things. And made it look easy.
"He shot the ball every time he was open or halfway open, got to the free-throw line and rebounded. He got five rebounds, made nice plays at the rim. It was good."
Demin added that his first bit of NBA action was a great learning experience, and he'll take those lessons with him into the regular season.
"Yeah, 100 percent. I’ve been told a lot about the Raptors as one of the most physical and longest teams from the standpoint of pressure almost the whole game, and how pesky they are," Demin said. "I don’t want to say I was scared, but I was super aware of what to expect. But I also couldn’t understand what to expect in my first game … so I’m just happy we went through this and had this experience. It’s a huge lesson for all of us, and I can’t wait for the start of the season."
The Calgary Flames (1-4-0) will travel to Sin City to take on the Vegas Golden Knights (3-0-2) for a Saturday night NHL tilt.
The Flames earlier did battle with the Knights on Tuesday, Oct. 14 at home where Calgary jumped up 2-0 in the first period only to give up four unanswered goals in the final two periods to lose the contest.
That has kind of been the theme for the Flames in the past three games: they get an early lead by the end of the first period, but fail to hold on to it by the final whistle. In ALL of their games, their collapse began in the third period except for their last game against Utah where the downfall started in period number two.
The good news is that in their last outing against Vegas, the Flames tied with their season-high shots on goal with 29, which they had established the game before against the Blues.
However, they also gave up the most total shots against the Golden Knights with 69 (20 blocked shots, 19 missed shots, 30 shots on goal).
There is a big contrast between how many times both teams have been shorthanded. While Calgary does rank higher than Vegas on the penalty-kill, the Flames have been undermanned on the ice 20 times (third-highest in the league), while the Golden Knights have been forced on the PK only 12 times (tied for fourth-lowest).
Speaking of special teams, Vegas' Pavel Dorofeyev is tied with the most power play goals with four, and individual goals in the league with six.
Vegas are getting their money's worth with the recent Jack Eichel contract extension as the four-time All-Star is currently leading the league with 11 points in five games.
Mark Stone is right behind with nine points, but with all of them beings assists, he is currently topping the league in that department.
Defensively, it's not going to be easy either. Both the pairings of Jeremy Lauzon-Kaeden Korczak and Brayden McNabb-Shea Theodore are ranked in the top four in the league for giving up the least Expected Goals Against (xGA) for pairings that have logged in at least 60 minutes of ice-time.
Perhaps the only weakness for the Flames to take advantage of would be of Vegas goalie Adin Hill, who is expected to be in net, and his poor start to the season. He carries an 0-0-2 record with a save percentage of 0.845. In their last game, the Flames scored two goals on him in 10 shots in the first period before Akira Schmidt stepped in for the last two periods and shut out Calgary.
Also, Jonathan Huberdeau makes his return for the Flames, so Calgary will be hoping his presence will be a difference-maker this time around.
Bottom Line
I've said it before and I'll say it again: You need to finish out the game, even if it means you have to win ugly.
But with going into Vegas' turf this time? Easier said than done.
The Detroit Red Wings won their fourth straight game on Friday in large part due to the play of backstop John Gibson, who made 31 saves in a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in overtime.
The win was a memorable one as rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka scored his first NHL goal earlier in the game. It was an all-around solid team performance out of the Red Wings with many wondering who would start next for their Sunday matinee versus the back-to-back Western Conference Champion Edmonton Oilers.
Veteran goaltender Cam Talbot would be the obvious answer as the 37-year-old has yet to produce a bad performance with three straight wins, including a 38-save effort against the Toronto Maple Leafs this past Monday. Now the decision falls onto Detroit bench boss Todd McLellan as Gibson has now re-entered the picture thanks to his stunning effort on Friday with a coach never wanting to bench the hottest hand.
2 words to describe today's @xfinity game-changing moment(s):
It would also make sense to give Gibson another start on Sunday, allowing both goaltenders to have three games under their belts before deciding who gets the nod for Detroit’s upcoming road matchup against the Buffalo Sabres next Wednesday. Gibson was brought in by Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman with the expectation of becoming the team’s top goaltender. The Pittsburgh native had been splitting time in Anaheim with young netminder Lukas Dostal and was looking for a larger role with Detroit hoping to oblige.
Talbot's play as of late has thrown a snag into those plans as McLellan wants to play the hottest hand and give his team the best chance to succeed but you also don't want to upset the player that the team just finished trading for and made a commitment to.
The most likely outcome in the situation is we see a regression from Talbot. The journeyman has put together similar hot stretches in the past, only to cool off with a string of average or subpar performances that brought his numbers back down to earth. Still, Talbot has proven capable of strong play over a full season before, most notably during his 2016–17 campaign with the Oilers, when he posted a 42-22-8 record and a 2.39 goals-against average across 73 starts.
However, the wheels usually fall off at some point as Talbot routinely finishes with a goals against average closer to three when receiving more starts but when serving as a backup, he can produce very solid numbers. As he's gotten older, the numbers have slowed down. There's no doubt we are seeing vintage Talbot as of late but the Caledonia native has finished with a goals against average of 2.93 twice in the last three seasons and Gibson should be able to produce better numbers.
Gibson has played for some bad Ducks teams in recent years with the defense in front of him not helping. While Talbot was bouncing around to several teams around the league, they were all better than Gibson's basement team in the NHL. The Ducks since last making the playoffs in 2018 have the fourth-worst defense in the league yet Gibson still produced numbers like a 2.98 goals against average and a .903 save percentage during the 2020-21 season when the Ducks' poor play led to him finishing with a brutal 9-19-7 record.
On a stronger team, fans have long wondered just how good the 2015–16 Jennings Trophy winner could be, given that he was a three-time All-Star back when the Ducks were regular playoff contenders. If the Red Wings can carry their season-opening momentum into a legitimate playoff push, Gibson will likely emerge as the steadier, more dependable option in net.
McLellan might begin the season with a 1A/1B goalie rotation, giving Talbot the chance to ride out his hot streak. But don’t be surprised if that momentum fades and Gibson ends up taking on a heavier workload. Either way, this is a good problem for the Red Wings. Recent Stanley Cup contenders have leaned on having two dependable goaltenders rather than just one standout, and early signs suggest Detroit could have one of the top tandems in the NHL.
Young and the Atlanta Hawks will not reach terms on a contract extension before the start of the season, something confirmed by Joe Varden and Fred Katz at The Athletic. Young will make $46 million this season and has a player option for $48.9 million next season — he could, in theory, leave the team for nothing as a free agent next summer.
Young's extension can be agreed to and signed at any point during this season, and Young has hinted on social media that he wants to sign one. However, Hawks management has built the best team around Young he has ever had, and new GM Onsi Saleh wants to see how all of this looks before extending anyone. On paper, the Hawks appear to be a top-four team in the East, with the potential to be a playoff threat to the Cavaliers and Knicks at the top of the conference. But what will they look like on the court?
Atlanta was aggressive in building out this roster. The Hawks traded for Kristaps Porzingis, who brings much-needed shot blocking on defense as well as a pick-and-pop partner for Young. Atlanta sign-and-traded for Nickeil Alexander-Walker to add shooting and defense on the wing. Speaking of shooting, the Hawks went out and got Luke Kennard.
Then there are the players in house expected to take a step forward. Jalen Johnson is healthy again after what looked to be a breakout season a year ago. Zaccharie Risacher seems poised to make a leap in his second season. Dyson Daniels was the league's Most Improved Player a season ago, while this is a big year for big man Onyeka Okongwu.
That's a lot of talent, but it puts pressure on Young to show he can be the leader of this team, not just a scorer or offensive force but a floor general when the team needs it. If Young can put all the puzzle pieces together, he will get his extension (his max would be four years, $229 million, but the number likely comes in a little below that).
After opening their first road trip of the season with back-to-back wins, the Colorado Avalanche (4–0–1) return home for a one-off at Ball Arena on Saturday to face the Boston Bruins (3–2).
Bruins Coming in Cold
Meanwhile, Boston is coming off a 6–5 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights—a game defined by wild momentum swings, including a three-goal second period for Vegas, as both teams seemed allergic to playing defense. Bruins netminder Jeremy Swayman surrendered six goals and will get the night off against Colorado. Instead, Joonas Korpisalo will get the start; he owns a 5–3 career record against the Avalanche.
The Bruins opened the season with three straight wins, but their recent defensive lapses have been glaring—allowing 11 goals over their last two outings. Their structure has looked increasingly disjointed, particularly in transition, where turnovers and blown coverages have led to extended shifts in their own zone. If they hope to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat, they’ll have to tighten up defensively.
Avalanche On Fire
Scott Wedgewood has started every game in Mackenzie Blackwood’s absence and currently owns a career-best 1.58 goals-against average. As of publication, Trent Miner—who has served as the backup while Blackwood has been sidelined but has yet to appear in a game this season—has not been formally reassigned to the Colorado Eagles. This raises a few intriguing possibilities: Colorado could give Miner a start before sending him down, or they might lean on Wedgewood again despite it being his sixth straight appearance, which seems less than ideal. Of course, there’s also the chance Blackwood makes an earlier-than-expected return to the crease, which would give the Avalanche a timely boost in net. According to The Hockey News, Blackwood's conditioning stint with the Eagles, the Avs' AHL affiliate, ended on Friday.
On Thursday, Valeri Nichushkin scored twice for his first multi-goal game of the season, and Wedgewood stopped 22 of 23 shots to lead the Avalanche to a 4–1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Cale Makar found the back of the net in his 400th NHL game, becoming the first player to score in their 400th professional game since Jared Spurgeon accomplished the feat for the Minnesota Wild on December 22, 2016, in a 4–2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens.
Nathan MacKinnon was held off the scoresheet for the first time this season, but he’s remained the driving force behind Colorado’s attack alongside Martin Nečas. The MacKinnon–Nečas duo has been the most dynamic one-two punch in the league through the early stretch, combining for seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points over five games. The third Avalanche player maintaining a point-per-game pace is Makar, who has recorded two goals and five assists over the same five-game stretch. Martin Nečas is currently in a five-way tie for second in league scoring with nine points, while Nathan MacKinnon sits in a two-way tie for third with eight points.
Bruins Top Players
David Pastrňák leads the Bruins with six points, ranking tied for first in both goals (2) and assists (4).
Elias Lindholm is tied for the team lead in goals (2), ranks second in points (5), and is third in assists (3).
Pavel Zacha shares the team lead in assists (4), sits second in points (5), and is tied for seventh in goals (1).
If the Avalanche hope to navigate this game successfully, they must stay composed, particularly when moving the puck up ice. Recent contests have shown that in high-pressure moments, leaders like Pastrňák are unafraid to put everything on the line—illustrated by the massive hit he delivered on Tampa Bay Lightning star Nikita Kucherov late in Monday’s 4–3 loss. Hockey remains an inherently dangerous sport, and the last thing Colorado needs is another injury that sidelines one of its key stars.
Goaltender Stats
In Korpisalo’s most recent start against the Avalanche last season, he stopped 25 shots to back the Bruins to a 5–3 victory. Colorado’s goals came from Ross Colton, Makar, and Rantanen, who has since moved on from the team.
Wedgewood’s last outing against Boston, in January, saw him make 14 saves in a 3–1 loss—a game that also marked the Avalanche debuts of Nečas and Jack Drury following Rantanen’s trade to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Blackwood has not faced the Bruins since November 30, 2023, when he was with the San Jose Sharks. Despite turning aside 37 shots, he was tagged with a 3–0 loss.
Miner has only two NHL starts to his name, neither of which came against Boston.
The Game
Who will emerge victorious? We’ll find out at 7 p.m. local time when the Bruins face off against the Avalanche at Ball Arena. You can catch the game on Altitude or KTVD (My20).
The Ottawa Senators and New York Islanders meet on Saturday afternoon (3 pm, TSN 5, RDS) at Canadian Tire Centre, with both clubs feeling a little lighter after shaking off three-game losing skids on Thursday night.
Linus Ullmark’s excellent 30-save performance helped the Senators (2-3) beat the Seattle Kraken 4–3 in a shootout. The Islanders (1-3) earned their first win of the season, a 4–2 victory over the Edmonton Oilers, led by a hat trick from Bo Horvat.
The Sens went 1-2 against the Islanders last season, and Saturday’s starting goalie, Ilya Sorokin, has had their number. He’s 4-0-1 lifetime against the Senators with a 1.97 GAA and a .942 save percentage. That said, he's off to a slow start this season with an 0-3-0 mark, a 4.18 GAA, and an .854 save percentage. David Rittich got the Isles win on Thursday. Ullmark is a good bet to go again for Ottawa.
Schaefer’s Strong Start
After the Islanders finished with 82 points last season, and ahead of nine other teams, the NHL bestowed the number one overall pick on them, thanks to the league’s silly draft lottery rules.
They used that pick to draft defenseman Matthew Schaefer first overall in June, and his early reviews have been excellent. Schaefer has four points in four games, and considering that he just turned 18 last month, his early poise has been incredible, and his average ice time of 21:53 leads all Islander defensemen.
This will be Schaefer’s first game back in Ottawa since the World Juniors, when he broke his collarbone in a game against Latvia, ending his season on December 27.
Notables
The game also marks a homecoming for J.G. Pageau, an Ottawa native and fan favourite during his time with the Senators. It's hard to believe he's already in the final year of that six-year, 30-million-dollar deal has signed after the Sens traded him to the Islanders. He was mentioned in trade rumours over the summer and, depending on how the Islanders are doing, could be a trade chip at the deadline. Former Senator Anthony Duclair also returns for the Isles.
For the Sens, one of the season’s best storylines so far has been the quick start of Shane Pinto. The 24-year-old centre is in a contract year and has picked the perfect time to break out, scoring six goals in his first five games — good for a share of the NHL goal-scoring lead.
Sens fans have long known about Pinto’s potential, but he’s never scored more than 21 goals in a season before. As the Sens continue to juggle in the absence of Brady Tkachuk, it's getting harder and harder to identify Pinto as the club's third-line centre. Based on ice time, he's been their clear number two behind Tim Stutzle.
Ridly Greig – Tim Stützle – Claude Giroux
Michael Amadio – Shane Pinto – Fabian Zetterlund
David Perron – Dylan Cozens – Drake Batherson
Nick Cousins – Lars Eller – Arthur Kaliyev
Defense
Jake Sanderson – Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot – Nick Jensen
Tyler Kleven – Jordan Spence
Goaltenders
Linus Ullmark
Leevi Meriläinen
Scratched: Kurtis MacDermid, Nikolas Matinpalo
New York Islanders
Forwards
Anthony Duclair – Mathew Barzal – Kyle Palmieri
Jonathan Drouin – Bo Horvat – Emil Heineman
Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Maxim Shabanov
Simon Holmstrom – Casey Cizikas – Kyle MacLean
Defense
Matthew Schaefer – Scott Mayfield
Adam Pelech – Ryan Pulock
Alexander Romanov – Tony DeAngelo
Goaltenders
Ilya Sorokin
David Rittich
Scratched: Marc Gatcomb, Adam Boqvist, Maxim Tsyplakov
Injured: Pierre Engvall (hip surgery), Semyon Varlamov (knee surgery), Ethan Bear (upper body)
Romanov missed Friday’s practice and may be replaced by Boqvist.
Face off is 3 pm, TSN 5, RDS.
Prior to the game, the Sens are running with an Oktoberfest theme for fans starting at noon. Calendars, hand-drawn by Claude Giroux's son, Gavin, will be on sale in support of CHEO.
My guy🥹🥰 I’ve been adoring his annual calendars for three years now! I’m so excited to share this one with all of you! Even happier to be giving back in such a fun and special way. Gavy bear, don’t ever change 🫶🏼 @28CGirouxhttps://t.co/Pf4dUCS8Te
That’s one of two consensus opinions I found in speaking with six scouts/executives from different teams about the Tarik Skubaltrade speculation that has become the talk of the baseball industry over the last 48 hours.
At least it was the talk before Shohei Ohtani’s sublime performance late Friday night, but in a way, the stories are connected, especially for a team like the Mets, who need someone like Skubal to have a chance at competing with the Los Angeles Dodgers for baseball supremacy in 2026 and beyond.
More on that to come. For now, the larger point, as the scout/execs point out, is that the Detroit Tigers are in a very difficult position. They would be risking the wrath of their championship-starved fan base if they trade Skubal, arguably the best pitcher in baseball, after reaching the postseason the last two years, yet they’d almost certainly lose him to free agency a year from now if they choose not to trade him.
“That’s why it’s hard to predict which way this thing will go,” said an executive from a mid-market NL team. “In a vacuum, it’s a no-brainer, unfortunately, considering Skubal is a (Scott) Boras guy and all that. You make the best trade you can and move on. But in the real world, that’s a tough sell when you haven’t won in 40 years.”
It’s 41 years, actually, since the Tigers won the World Series in 1984. And there is another layer to their conundrum.
For years, the late Mike Ilitch, the Tigers’ owner, operated with one of the higher payrolls in baseball while trying to win another title, spending big in free agency and once locking up Justin Verlander to a seven-year, $180 million extension that at the time was the highest in the game. But Ilitch died in 2017 and his son, Christopher, has run a more budget-conscious operation since taking over.
“It’s kind of like Hal (Steinbrenner) taking over after George died,” said one midwest-based scout. “The fans there long for the days when they felt like Mike Ilitch would spend whatever it took to try to win. The son is not very popular as it is. Trading Skubal would make him persona non grata in Detroit.”
In short, this isn’t Garrett Crochet, who was traded for prospects last winter by the rebuilding Chicago White Sox, or even Corbin Burnes, traded by the small-market Milwaukee Brewers from a team that had enough pitching depth to continue winning.
Skubal is far more essential than that to the Tigers and the city of Detroit.
Oct 5, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Still, the same scouts and execs don’t rule out a trade. For it to happen, however, it would take a more attractive package than either Crochet or Burnes brought back.
Which leads to the second consensus opinion that emerged from my various conversations: That is, no team is more motivated or well-positioned than the Mets to make such a trade happen.
“I’d make them the favorite to get Skubal, no question, if the Tigers decide to trade him,” said an NL scout. “They have the pieces to get it done and they obviously have the need. Steve Cohen apologized to the fans for missing the postseason -- what does that tell you? He’s going to want to make big-splash moves to change the narrative.”
So the question on the Mets’ end would be just how far they’re willing to go for a player they could lose to free agency after one season.
“Steve Cohen changes that equation,” said one team exec. “His money takes significant risk out of losing the player. And when you look at the Mets, as badly as they played down the stretch, they’re still talented enough that a pitcher like Skubal could be the difference-maker that gives them a chance to compete with the Dodgers and win it all next year.
“But I’d still expect them to draw a line somewhere as to how much they’d be willing to give up, knowing they could sign Skubal in a year without giving up assets.”
So what would it take? The scouts/execs all made the point that this has to be more than trading prospects, as the Tigers, even without Skubal, would go into next season trying to win, with the core of a team that had the best record in baseball until a September collapse.
“They would want players who could help them win next season, plus prospects too,” said a team exec. “They’re going to ask for (Nolan) McLean. He’s a guy you can sell to your fans as a rising star who can be another Skubal. You get him with some other pieces and maybe your fans can live with it.
“But if I’m the Mets, McLean is the one untouchable. The ceiling is too high and you have him under control for six years. Other than that, it’s finding the right combination of players on your major league roster and top prospects.”
Sep 18, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park. / Rick Osentoski - Imagn Images
Scouts identified catcher Francisco Alvarez, third baseman Brett Baty, and lefty starter David Peterson as possibilities the Tigers would want off the major league roster.
One suggested Clay Holmes as well.
The prospects in demand, other than McLean, figure to be pitchers Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong, infielder Jett Williams, first baseman Ryan Clifford, and outfielder Carson Benge.
“It has to be some combination of those players,” said a scout.
Two players sparked much debate among the scouts/execs: Alvarez and Benge.
“Other than pitching, Alvarez could be the key,” one exec said. “It depends how the Tigers’ scouts evaluate him. He showed some growth after the Mets sent him to Triple-A, but is he still a 30-home run guy as he was projected to be when he came up? As a catcher, that would make him a difference-maker and something to help justify the trade from a PR standpoint.
“If you’re the Mets, you have to make the same evaluation. Is it worth giving up a catcher who’s still young (Alvarez turns 24 in November)? I’d have a hard time doing that, on top of what else you’d have to put in the deal.”
Then there is Benge, the minor leaguer who could be the long-term answer to filling the Mets’ hole in center field. Scouts love him for his athleticism and advanced approach at the plate.
“He has a chance to be a .300 hitter with power who can play center field,” one scout said. “How many of those guys are there in the game these days? If I’m the Mets, I’m doing everything I can to keep him.
“You know you’re going to have to give up pitching, probably either Tong or Sproat, plus Peterson. And you can live with giving up Jett Williams. But Benge could be special offensively and he fills a big need for the Mets.”
The bottom line is the scouts/execs believe the two teams could find enough common ground on a trade package to make it work if the Tigers become committed to making a deal. But only two of the six people I spoke to think the chances of it happening are more than 50-50.
The other four think it’s far more likely the Tigers will listen but ultimately decide that Skubal is worth more, even for one more season, than what the Mets or anyone else is offering.
“I just don’t think they’d want to deal with the uproar it would cause among their fans,” one exec said. “That’s a very real factor, especially when you haven’t won a championship in so long and the public perception is that Skubal gives them a chance next year.
“But I’ll say this: if the Mets are willing to go the extra mile, in terms of what they’d give up, they could make it awfully tempting for the Tigers to ignore all the outside noise and decide, let’s do it.”
The Winnipeg Jets return home after a quick two-game road stint in which they won both games against the Flyers and Islanders with their matchup against the Nashville Predators on Saturday setting them up for their first four-game winning streak of the season.
Since dropping their season opener against the Stars, the Jets have outscored their next three opponents 13 to six with consecutive five-goal performances heading into their matchup with Nashville. They will do their best to hold off a Predators team that is desperately looking for a win after dropping two straight with ten goals allowed.
The Jets will look to respond with their deadly top line duo of Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor, who have a combined eight goals through four games. The Predators will look to respond with their own top line duo of snipers in Steven Stamkos and Filip Forsberg, who are both searching for their second goal of the season.
The ace up the sleeve of the Jets as of late has been fourth line center Morgan Barron, who's having the best start to a season of his career with goals in all but one of Winnipeg's four games. Barron's also added a pair of assists to bring his season point total to five through four games, ranking him ahead of any Predators players and in line with superstars like Adrian Kempe, Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane among others as of today. Morgan will play against his brother in the contest as Justin Barron is on Nashville's third defense pairing.
They would like the same level of production out of their big ticket free agent signing with Jonathan Toews, who has just one assist that came on the power play, a -1 rating and six penalty minutes with over 17 minutes of average ice-time per game. The team would like to see more out of the three-time Stanley Cup champion and he'll face a tough matchup against one of the league's best goaltenders in Nashville's Juuse Saros.
For the Predators, their youth movement has been flying under everyone's radar. While hockey fans like to talk about the Montreal Canadiens or the Detroit Red Wings, Nashville has one of the youngest teams in the NHL. Their forward group features several players aged 24 or younger, including second-line forwards Fedor Svechkov and Luke Evangelista, as well as fourth-line winger Ozzy Wiesblatt while on defense, Adam Wilsby joins star blueliner Roman Josi on the top pairing.
This young core doesn’t even account for injured prospect Matthew Wood or 18-year-old Brady Martin, the fifth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, who has already logged NHL minutes just months after being selected. The kids will have something to prove and Winnipeg will need to stay on their toes for a very different looking Nashville team.
These two clubs have split their last eight matchups with four wins a piece but the outlier trend in the series of games was the amount that were low-scoring and this goes back further into the history of their rivalry. In 12 of their last 19 matchups, they've totaled five or fewer goals and this is largely because of the outstanding netminders and defense cores both teams have. Winnipeg has the back-to-back Vezina trophy winner and reigning league MVP in net with Connor Hellebuyck but Nashville also has one of the most elite goaltenders in the league with Juuse Saros.
Not to mention both sides top defense with the Jets rolling out notable names like Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk while the Predators respond with Roman Josi and Brady Skjei. Because of this, it's very difficult to find almost any one on either team that excels in this matchup with the only answer being Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele.
Winnipeg's dynamic duo have been boom or bust in this matchup with Connor and Scheifele recording 27 and 26 points respectively over their last 25 games versus Nashville but this has come in large chunks. Connor for example, has gone without a point in 11 of those 25 games with his numbers being pushed up thanks to eight multi-point performances. If the duo find the scoresheet, it'll likely be more than once if at all.
Swedish defenseman Oliver Kylington, 28, has signed a one-year
contract with Djurgården
IF, the Stockholm-based SHL team announced on Saturday.
Born
and raised in Stockholm, Kylington returns to Djurgården
after a 13-year absense and 10 seasons in the NHL.
“I’m
looking forward to playing in front of the fans here at Hovet - it’s
something I've thought about for a long time,” Kylington said,
referring to Djurgården’s long-time home rink. “I’ve only seen
it from the stands, so now it’ll be fun to get a feel for it and be
able to give back.”
“Oliver
is a Stockholm guy who has played ten seasons in North America and
who is coming back home to Stockholm to play where he belongs,”
said Djurgården sports director Niklas Wikegård. “He is a
fundamentally skilled, experienced and very talented player with
great international credentials.”
After a 31-point season in 2021-22, Kylington was rewarded with a new
contract but missed then missed the entire 2022-23 season despite no
apparent physical ailments. In August 2023, he finally spoke
out about his mental health troubles.
An unrestricted free agent in 2024, Kylington signed
a one-year contract with the Colorado
Avalanche. After being limited to just 13 games due to injuries,
he was traded in March 2025 to the Anaheim
Ducks, where he finished the season.
All told, Kylington recorded 60 points and 60 penalty
minutes in 220 NHL regular-season games. He also recorded three
points in 12 games for Calgary in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Kylington went to the Carolina Hurricanes training
camp on a PTO this year, but was cut near the end of the preseason.
He then returned to Stockholm, where he was reportedly skating with
Djurgården’s
junior team, while rumors swirled of his imminent signing with the
SHL team.
“He
will contribute and be an important piece for us,” Wikegård
continued. “Then, just like with all other players who come from
North American hockey, it’s about patience. Even though Oliver is
Swedish, it will be an adjustment for him. But he is a very exciting
player that we welcome here to Djurgården as part of our common
journey.”
Kylington
joins a Djurgården team that has seven wins and five losses in its
first 12 SHL games of the season, good for 21 points and fifth place
in the 14-team circuit.
The Kings will begin the 2025-26 NBA season without their star center.
Domantas Sabonis suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain and will miss at least the first two games of the season. The Kings say he will be re-evaluated in one week.
Sabonis exited Wednesday’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers and later was ruled out with the hamstring issue. An MRI confirmed a Grade 1 strain.
Sacramento now will be without two starters to begin the new season, as forward Keegan Murray had surgery to repair a UCL tear in his left thumb and will be out for at least three to six weeks.
Sabonis has been instrumental to the Kings over the past couple of seasons, with their offense running through the 6-foot-10 big man.
In Friday’s preseason finale against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Kings started newly acquired Drew Eubanks with Sabonis out. Isaac Jones, Dario Saric, Dylan Cardwell and Maxime Raynaud are options, too.
Through 246 games in just over three seasons with Sacramento, Sabonis has averaged 19.2 points, 13.2 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 34.9 minutes.
Coventry reclaimed their spot at the top of the Championship with a 2-0 victory over Blackburn. They had slipped to second after Middlesbrough’s victory over Ipswich on Friday night, but goals from Victor Torp and Brandon Thomas-Asante took them back to the summit. Liam Kitching should have made it three near the end but he headed over from inside the six-yard box.
Frank Lampard, the Coventry manager, thought the game was a “good test for all of us”, saying: “All credit to Blackburn in the first half. They came here with an aggressive organisation about them and were happy to be man-for-man pretty much all over the pitch.
The Chicago Blackhawks came into Friday night’s game against the Vancouver Canucks on a bad streak against them. Chicago hasn’t beaten Vancouver since November 2021. They also haven’t beaten them at the United Center since November of 2019.
That streak will live on for the Blackhawks. They were defeated in a shootout 3-2. Vancouver’s Brock Boeser scored the winner in the fourth frame, as all seven shooters before him missed.
Spencer Knight, once again, was the star in this one. He made 30 saves on 32 shots in regulation and saved three out of four shots in the shootout. It’s not like the offense was terrible; Kevin Lankinen was good in Vancouver’s net as well, but they weren’t able to get Knight just one more goal.
Although the Blackhawks have clearly been a better team so far this season, things would feel a lot more bleak without Spencer Knight. He made some marvelous saves on Friday night.
Chicago allowed Vancouver to erase a 2-0 lead that they had built up with goals scored by Ryan Donato and Tyler Bertuzzi. The 2-2 tie went all the way through the second intermission.
This game was not without controversy. With 5:12 remaining in the third period, Tyler Bertuzzi appeared to score again, but the goal was waved off due to goalie interference. It is hard to pinpoint what was seen on that review because it didn’t appear that the goaltender was kept from making a save. Going on to drop the game is a shootout is a tough result after this unlucky break.
"I won't comment because I'll probably get fined," Tyler Bertuzzi said on the call after the game. "I think it was not that great of a call."
Although it seemed to stick with them for the rest of the game, Jeff Blashill must get his guys to move on from the bad call. They were unable to beat Vancouver, but there will be more opportunities.
At 2-2-2, the Blackhawks are having a respectable start. The right skaters are playing well, the defense is taking steps forward, and they have a star in the net right now.
Another home game awaits. Joel Quenneville and the Ahaneim Ducks will return to the United Center on Sunday for some evening hockey to end the weekend. Both teams could see this as a measuring stick.
When the Yankees made the Juan Soto deal a couple of offseasons ago, Trent Grisham was seen as a throw-in.
His first season in pinstripes saw Grisham appear in just 76 games and was used primarily as a late-game defensive replacement. Fast forward to 2025 and Grisham became a revelation for the Yankees.
The 28-year-old had a career season and helped stabilize the Yankees outfield, playing center alongside Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge. But with the unceremonious end to the Yankees' season, Grisham will be testing the market as a free agent.
With Bellinger testing free agency, and Judge being the only constant, the Yankees' outfield could be in flux, but should they take a chance and bring back Grisham?
Aug 30, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham (12) celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring against the Chicago White Sox during the 11th inning at Rate Field. / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Why Yankees should re-sign Trent Grisham
As presently constituted, the Yankees will have Judge play right field and potentially a bunch of kids manning the outfield. Jasson Dominguez will likely get another crack at becoming an everyday player, but what about the third outfield spot? The Yankees need stability as a win-now team, and they can't possibly trot out two kids every game, and New York could do worse than bringing back Grisham.
Again, Grisham had his best offensive season in 2025. His 34 homers are twice as many as his previous career high (2022 with the Padres) and his 74 RBI are 12 more than his previous high in 2021. It wasn't just his homers and RBI. Grisham set career marks in slugging (.464), hits (116), walks (82) and OPS (.811).
Grisham was also extremely clutch for the Yankees. According to FanGraphs, he hit .308 with seven home runs and 1.259 OPS in high-leverage situations, including five blasts with two outs and runners in scoring position.
And the former two-time Gold Glover is still very good in CF, despite his seemingly lackadaisical approach.
Grisham will also be a more affordable option than Bellinger or other free agent outfielders like Kyle Tucker, so there is a spot for Grisham if the Yankees are in need of a veteran outfielder.
New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham (12) during a game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. / John Jones-Imagn Images
Why Yankees should not re-sign Trent Grisham
Let's face it. Do you expect Grisham to come close to his offensive production moving forward?
It's very likely that 2025 Grisham is an outlier. His offensive numbers, especially his power, were way higher than in previous seasons. Here's a breakdown of his numbers in his last five seasons:
2021: .242/.327/.413, .740 OPS, 15 HR (132 games)
2022: .184/.284/.341, .626 OPS, 17 HR (152 games)
2023: .198/.315/.352, .666 OPS, 13 HR (153 games)
2024: .190/.290/.385, .675 OPS, 9 HR (76 games)
2025: .235/.348/.464, .811 OPS, 34 HR (143 games)
Ok, if you want to roll the dice on Grisham, he picked a great time to have a career year. There could be a team out there that will believe the 2025 production and pay Grisham close to what he wants. What that number looks like is not clear, but at just 28 years old, Grisham could be looking for a long deal, or at least one with multiple options in it.
The Yankees can extend the qualifying offer to Grisham, which would cost the team $22.02 million in 2026 and could make other teams balk at offering him a nice contract if they don't want to give up a draft pick to sign him. Could Grisham get a deal worth more than that qualifying offer? Perhaps, but the real question is, should the Yankees even extend that offer?
The Yankees could use that money toward bringing back Bellinger or even swinging for Tucker.
Jul 19, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham (12) drives in a run on a fielder’s choice against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning at Truist Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Verdict
The one reason the Yankees should re-sign Grisham is if they believe the offensive production he delivered in 2025 is legit. But I have a hard time believing it is, and I don't think they do either.
Now, should they extend the qualifying offer? Probably not. If Grisham can get a lucrative deal elsewhere, God bless him, but if the Yankees want to try and bring him back, make him a solid offer, but not one that would exceed what his QO would have been, and only after other options are off the table.
