As Mats Sundin enters surgery to remove the horseshoe up his you know what, Toronto Maple Leafs fans are already lining up to pre-order their Gavin McKenna jerseys for the upcoming season.
But are Leafs fans jumping the gun, or is McKenna to Toronto a done deal?
We look at the possibility of who will go No. 1 overall to the Maple Leafs, with the 2026 NHL Draft odds from Kalshi — one of our best prediction market apps — listing McKenna as the heavy favorite with an 88% probably.
2026 NHL Draft odds (No. 1 pick): Who will Maple Leafs take first overall?
Percentages courtesy of Kalshi
Being a Maple Leafs fan is truly something else. One day, they are talking about Auston Matthews' next team odds. Next, they are trying to figure out who will be picked No. 1 overall.
What the market is telling us
Unless something disastrous happens — like McKenna knocking out another dork at a bar — the Penn State product is heading to Toronto.
Ivar Stenberg has been mentioned next to McKenna for the majority of the season, but their prices at Kalshi (88¢ to 10¢) shows as of now, this isn't up for debate.
NHL draft No. 1 overall favorites
Gavin McKenna
The 18-year-old from Whitehorse has been turning heads for years, and his name has always been involved in No. 1 pick talks. While not a true "consensus" pick, like Bedard or McDavid, McKenna has done nothing on the ice to make anyone doubt his potential.
After dominating the WHL, McKenna made the jump to the NCAA to play with the Penn State Nittany Lions. He transitioned seamlessly — putting up 51 points in 36 games. He's also a pass-first winger who fits perfectly with Matthews almost immediately.
McKenna's ceiling is higher than anyone in the draft, but his marketability is what can truly make him the golden boy for Toronto. Fans are in love with him, and he's already shown more personality than robots like Bedard or McDavid ever did in their younger years.
This market could see movement as we approach the June draft, but for now, McKenna is in the driver's seat.
Ivar Stenberg
The Swedish prospect might not have as high a ceiling as McKenna, but there's no doubt scouts believe he's more NHL-ready. Stenberg already has a year of pro hockey under his belt and has proven he's a winner after taking home gold at the World Juniors.
His two-way play far exceeds that of McKenna at this stage of their career, and Toronto will have a clearer picture of what they can expect with Stenberg. That said, it comes down to whether the Leafs believe adding the Swede can increase their chances of winning now.
The drama with Matthews isn't going away any time soon, and who they choose will surely impact how they value AM34 going forward.
NHL Draft No. 1 overall pick prediction
Pick: Gavin McKenna (88¢, -735)
Looking at the overall landscape of the Leafs and the NHL as a whole (more on that in a moment), Gavin McKenna is the clear choice here.
The Maple Leafs never looked like they were "one player away" last season, and even with their projected $22 million in cap space, there are too many holes to plug to help this sinking ship.
And that's not even talking about the off-ice positives. At the end of the day, the NHL is a business, and Toronto knows it will sell more McKenna jerseys than it ever would Stenberg ones.
McKenna gives them a true "face of the franchise" if Matthews decides to dip, and there may or may not be some upcoming free agent out of Edmonton who may love the idea of playing with a fellow Canadian in a couple of years...
2026 NHL Mock Draft
NHL mock drafts are talked about year-round, but the Draft Lottery helps us paint a clearer picture of how things will go. This is how Daily Faceoff sees the Top 5 going, along with their odds of being picked in that spot, according to Kalshi.
Team
Player
Win Probability
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
Gavin McKenna
-735
88%
2. San Jose Sharks
Ivar Stenberg
-354
78%
3. Vancouver Canucks
Caleb Malhotra
+113
47%
4. Chicago Blackhawks
Chase Reid
+245
29%
5. New York Rangers
Keaton Verhoeff
+285
26%
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LAS VEGAS — Neither team particularly was happy following the Golden Knights’ 3-1 Game 1 victory over the Ducks.
Vegas got the win to open the second round, but realizes that is not sustainable after getting outplayed by Anaheim most of the night. On the other side, the Ducks missed a great opportunity to take the early lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.
“I think the biggest thing is we need to be honest with ourselves,” Golden Knights coach John Tortorella said. “We’ll look at some of the stuff and I think we have a better game coming up.”
That would be Game 2 in Las Vegas.
The Golden Knights would have a hard time getting away with another performance in which they were outshot 34-22 and, according to Natural Stat Trick, gave up 12 high-danger chances compared to creating six.
“I don’t think anyone in that locker room is pretty satisfied with that win,” Vegas center Mitch Marner said. “We know we can play a lot better. I don’t think we got to our (offensive) zone game at all. We gave them some good looks that (goalie) Carter (Hart) made some massive saves on. But we know we’ve got to be better. We know the series is going to get harder. That’s how it always goes.”
If not for Hart’s 33 saves, the Ducks likely would be the ones up 1-0, but Anaheim found itself in a similar spot in the opening round against Edmonton. After the Oilers won the opener 4-3, the Ducks took the next three games and eventually closed out the series in six.
Win Game 2 at Vegas and suddenly home ice advantage belongs to the Ducks.
“It’s definitely a different task at hand,” Ducks center Ryan Poehling said. “I thought we played a great game (Monday) and just using our speed throughout the series is going to kind of be what dictates how it ends up for us.”
That athleticism figured to be a big advantage for Anaheim entering the series, but the Golden Knights counter with physicality and experience. The rough play was less on display, and Tortorella said the officials made cutting down on fighting and other post-play scrums a point of emphasis this series.
If it comes down to being able to create plays in open ice, the Ducks will have the decided edge, at least if Game 1 was any indication.
“I liked how we played,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said. “We had a good pace to our game. I thought (Lukas Dostal) was good in net and I thought across the board we had everybody contributing. We had the energy we were looking for and there was speed and pace. We missed some great chances as well.”
Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres showed in their six-game series victory over Boston in the first round that they aren’t just a feel-good story. In making their first playoff appearance in 15 years, Buffalo is out to make an impact in this postseason and has the chance to knock out the NHL’s most-decorated franchise in Montreal.
“I think after this series, we kind of learned that this is just hockey,” Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. “The media and stuff are kind of blowing it up about playoffs and different things. But we’ve played this sport for so long.”
The Canadiens pulled off the great escape to get to this point, putting just nine shots on goal in Game 7 at Tampa Bay, but still defeated the Lightning 2-1.
“We stuck together,” Canadiens forward Josh Anderson said. “We found ways to win. I thought everyone bought into the game plan and system we were bringing each and every night.”
Now they have to do it again against a team few expected to be in this position when the season began.
The San Antonio Spurs take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2 of the teams’ Western Conference semifinal series. The Timberwolves won Game 1 104-102. Victor Wembanyama blocked an NBA playoff-record 12 shots but it wasn’t enough to beat Minnesota, which was lifted by the return of Anthony Edwards. The Spurs are 9.5-point favorites in Game 2 with an over/under of 215.5.
How to watch Minnesota Timberwolves vs. San Antonio Spurs
Moneyline: San Antonio Spurs -424 (77.6%) / Minnesota Timberwolves +327 (22.4%)
Over/Under: 215.5
Series schedule, results
Game 1:Timberwolves 104, Spurs 102 Game 2: Minnesota at San Antonio (Wednesday May 6, 9:30 ET, ESPN) Game 3: San Antonio at Minnesota (Friday May 8, 9:30 ET, Prime Video) Game 4: San Antonio at Minnesota (Sunday May 10, 7:30 ET, NBC/Peacock) Game 5: Minnesota at San Antonio (Tuesday May 12)* Game 6: San Antonio at Minnesota (Friday May 15)* Game 7: Minnesota at San Antonio (Sunday May 17)*
The last time the Islanders held the 13th pick, they traded it.
Back in 2022, the Islanders entered the lottery with the same odds as they did this time, 2.0%, and remained at No. 13.
But when the Islanders were on the clock in Montreal, they traded the pick to the hometown Canadiens.
Left-handed defenseman Alexander Romanov and Montreal's 2022 fourth-round pick came to Long Island in exchange for the 13th pick. The Canadiens then sent the Islanders' pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for centerman Kirby Dach.
The Blackhawks selected center Frank Nazar with the Islanders' pick.
Romanov, a pending restricted free agent who had been squeezed out in Montreal, signed a three-year deal worth $7.5 million annually with the Islanders. Over those first three seasons on Long Island, it was a process of becoming a more responsible defenseman while showcasing more offensive potential.
First-year general manager Mathieu Darche really believes in the player, signing Romanov to an eight-year deal worth $6.25 million annually on June 30, 2025.
Unfortunately, the first year of the deal was a nightmare. Romanov dealt with an upper-body injury early in the season, and the hope was that his poor play and analytics were largely due to it.
The struggles continued when he returned, and on Nov. 18, his season came to an end after Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen boarded him, injuring his right shoulder, an injury that required surgery.
The Islanders are relying on Romanov to bounce back, and if you know the player, you know he'll put in the work this summer to get right.
Nazar has proven to be a good example of a player who falls out of the top 10 but can still be effective in the right spot. He made his NHL debut just a season after being drafted, recording a goal in a 4-2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He went pointless in the final two games of the season.
Then in 2024-25, Nazar recorded 12 goals and 14 assists for 26 points in 53 games, averaging 15:52 per game. He followed that season up with a 41-point 2025-26 campaign, with 15 goals and 26 assists. He averaged 18:19 per game.
Nazar played most of his second full season with Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen on Chicago's second line, but he did end the season as a linemate with Connor Bedard.
Back in August, with one season left on his deal, the Blackhawks signed him to a seven-year contract worth $6.59 million annually.
Dach has struggled to stay healthy and be effective since the Canadiens acquired him. He played just 58 games in 2022-23, two in 2023-24, 57 in 2024-25, and only 37 this past season, with eight goals and seven assists for 15 points.
So far in the playoffs, Dach has two goals and an assist in seven games. He is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
If the Islanders are going to acquire a scoring forward this summer, one would have to think it comes via trade. And if it comes via trade, chances are the No. 13 pick is involved.
Or they can keep the pick and add to their booming prospect pool.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James has been playing spectacular basketball in unprecedented territory. We've never seen anyone be this good, for this long, especially at this age.
He's etched his name on countless of records in the NBA history books from all-time points scored, both regular season and postseason, All-Star games, most seasons played, you name it.
For someone who's done just about everything there is to do in the NBA from a four-time MVP, four-time NBA champion and four-time NBA Finals MVP with three different teams ― you'd think there's nothing else he's playing for.
During an episode of his podcast Mind the Game, released on May 5, James revealed that he's motivated to continue playing due to his love of the sport, his ability to still inspire and play the game at a high level.
"I still love the process of getting up and putting my body through rigorous rehabs and training sessions and whatever the case may be to try and find the results," James said.
This postseason he's shown that there is one last motivating factor: LeBron James ... Junior.
Bronny James' presence on the team and playing meaningful postseason minutes has almost seemingly rejuvenated Poppa James.
"To be able to have Bronny in the locker room has definitely helped out a lot as well," James said on the podcast. "I have a job and a responsibility to show him what it means to be a professional. Yes, he's seen it from the outside looking in throughout the course of his life, but now, being in the locker room, being in film sessions, being on the plane, being in everything that surrounds how to be a professional, and the results that come with it. I have a responsibility in that. So those are a couple ways for me that's given me inspiration and given me motivation to still do this."
He added: "I hope it's paid off, you know, in a sense for Bronny, and in the sense of my teammates that, you know, they get to see, how I approach the game, and it comes way before the lights come on and the popcorn is popping and everyone is filled in their seats, and whatever the case may be."
LeBron and Bronny James take over for Lakers vs. Rockets in Game 3
LeBron and Bronny James are the first father-son duo to play together in a playoff game. It was spectacular.
The James gang had their moment during Game 3 of the first round against the Houston Rockets. At one point, the two went on a father-son 10-0 run that included a Bronny 3-pointer, after a screen from dad.
"One of the things that I came into this season, obviously last year, challenging for everybody as he was learning his ways on being a professional, whatever case may be, his rookie year, but he's made so many strides in his second year," James said about his son. "It resulted in him, taking the moment, obviously, without AR, without Luka, you know, he was next man up. He was one of the guys that had to step up in his absence."
Plays later, on a fast break, young Simba was filling the lane, Pops saw him and threw up an alley-oop to which Bronny caught on one side, hung in the air and reversed in and finished a layup on the other side.
James described the moment during his podcast episode with Nash as something that he'd never forget.
"To share that moment in Game 3, I believe we scored 10 straight points between the two of us," he said. "I think we both had a three, and we both had a layup, whatever the case may be, I was able to throw them a lob, and we had that, that mini-run between the two of us. And that was just something that I would never, ever forget. Something that I've learned, obviously at my elder stage, and being 41 years old, to kind of like, appreciate the small wins in the moment."
He reminisced on the in-game moment as only a proud dad could.
"That was one of the moments where I kind of. I've always been locked in and that moment right there, throwing him to lob, seeing him make the three, we kind of going back and forth, I kind of blanked out for a little bit, and just like really, just accepted and relished in that moment. That's pretty cool for me as a dad, and then us (me and Bronny) as colleagues," James said.
It's a cool moment the entire James family, he added.
"I mentioned at one point, like my mom being at the game and her being able to watch her son and grandson in postseason game at the same time. My wife was there, his sister (Zhuri) was there. I think Bryce was back home from college, he was at a playoff (game). It was like, you can't even write that script in Hollywood better than what's going on. So just being super appreciative of it."
In the first round, James averaged 23.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists in 38.5 minutes as the Lakers defeated the Rockets, 4-2, to advance to the conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Bronny averaged two points, one assist in a little under seven minutes per game during the playoff series against Houston.
LeBron: Not taking it for granted
One thing's for sure, James doesn't take his 23-year career, nor what he's been able to do — especially in Los Angeles — for granted.
James was 33 years old when he first joined the Lakers in 2018. Eight years later, he's still doing it. Sometimes, even he can't believe it.
"Listen, I came to the Lakers in 2018 at 33 and there's no way, if someone is here, would you be playing in 2026 in the postseason? Just playing. I don't know if I would have been able to answer that question," James said. "Just playing and then, let alone saying, hey, now, but now you're the No. 1 -option on a playoff team, and you're helping them win a series, like you're the No. 1 option on that team. I just, I wouldn't have believed that."
He added: "I knew I still had a lot left in the tank when I came to this franchise in '18 but to say that, you know eight years later, at 41, I would be leading the team into the postseason and coming out with a series win, I wouldn't have guessed that, and I wouldn't have bet on that."
After a surprising result in the series opener, Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves take the court tonight looking to take a 2-0 lead in their second round series against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
Edwards (knee) came off the bench scoring 18 points in 25 minutes to spark Minnesota. Julius Randle led all scorers in the game with 21. Wembanyama had only 11 points, but he blocked a record 12 shots and pulled down 15 boards in a losing effort for the Spurs. Dylan Harper actually led San Antonio with 18 points.
Tonight carries a very different tone than did the opener. Minnesota set the terms in Game 1 with their physicality, defensive discipline, and ability to control the paint. San Antonio now has to adjust. The Spurs showed flashes—especially when they were able to get out in transition—but their half‑court execution wasn’t consistent enough to threaten a Timberwolves team that thrives on forcing tough shots.
To find that consistency on offense in the halfcourt, the Spurs will look to Wembanyama. Minnesota did an excellent job of making life difficult on offense for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year. They crowded Wembanyama’s catches, disrupted entry passes, and dared San Antonio’s perimeter players to beat them. To shift the dynamic, the Spurs need cleaner spacing, quicker decisions, and more assertiveness from Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson.
Minnesota, meanwhile, enters Game 2 with confidence and a clear blueprint. Rudy Gobert’s presence in the paint allowed the Timberwolves to stay home on shooters, while Anthony Edwards’ shot creation gave them a steady offensive anchor. What makes Minnesota truly dangerous, though, is how connected they are defensively—rotations are sharp, communication is constant, and they rarely beat themselves. If they maintain that discipline, they will control the tempo and be in position to take Game 2.
Lets take a closer look at tonight’s matchup and take into consideration lineups, injuries, and other factors affecting the line and total.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds courtesy of DraftKings recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game Details and How to Watch Game 2 Live: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Time: 9:30PM EST
Site: Frost Bank Center
City: San Antonio, TX
Network/Streaming: ESPN
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Game 2 Odds: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Minnesota Timberwolves (+310), San Antonio Spurs (-395)
Spread: Spurs -9.5
Total: 215.5 points
This game opened Spurs -10.5 with the Game Total set at 216.5.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the NBA schedule!
Expected Starting Lineups for Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
Minnesota Timberwolves
PG Mike Conley
SG Terrence Shannon Jr.
C Rudy Gobert
SF Julius Randle
PF Jaden McDaniels
**Edwards is listed as questionable. The expectation is he will play, but will he move back into the starting rotation? Check your lineups later this afternoon for confirmation.
San Antonio Spurs
PG De’Aaron Fox
SG Stephon Castle
SG Devin Vassell
PF Victor Wembanyama
SF Julian Champagnie
Injury Report for Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
Minnesota Timberwolves
Anthony Edwards (knee) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles) has been declared OUT of tonight’s game
Ayo Dosunmu (calf) is lasted as questionable for tonight’s game
San Antonio Spurs
Carter Bryant (foot) is listed as questionable for tonight’s game
David Jones Garcia (ankle) has been declared OUT of tonight’s game
Important stats, trends and insights for Game 2: Timberwolves vs. Spurs
The Timberwolves are 25-20 on the road this season
The Spurs are 34-10 at home this season
The Spurs are 49-38-2 ATS this season
Minnesota is 42-47 ATS this season
The OVER has cashed in 37 of the Spurs’ 89 games this season (37-52)
The OVER has cashed in 39 of the Timberwolves’ 89 games this season (39-50)
Rudy Gobert pulled down at least 10 rebounds in 4 of his last 5 games including 10 in Game 1 of this series
Terrence Shannon Jr. has scored 15 or more points in 3 straight games
Stephon Castle is 14-32 in the playoffs from beyond the arc
Dylan Harper was 7-13 from the field and scored 18 points to lead the Spurs in Gm. 1
Statistically the difference in Game 1 was as simple as the Spurs shot 28% (10-36) from deep while the Timberwolves shot 38% (10-26)
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projections next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s Timberwolves and Spurs’ game:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Timberwolves +9.5 ATS
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 215.5
Team Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Spurs’ Dylan Harper 10+ Points parlayed with Victor Wembanyama 5+ blocks
Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!
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The Philadelphia 76ers will try to even their second-round NBA playoff series against the New York Knicks. The Knicks routed the 76ers 137-98 in Game 1. New York is favored by 6.5 points in Game 2. The total is set at 215.5.
How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks
Moneyline: New York Knicks -274 (70.2%) / Philadelphia 76ers +221 (29.8%)
Over/Under: 215.5
Series schedule, results
Game 1:Knicks 137, 76ers 98 Game 2: Philadelphia at New York (Wednesday May 6, 7 ET, ESPN) Game 3: New York at Philadelphia (Friday May 8, 7 ET, Prime Video) Game 4: New York at Philadelphia (Sunday May 10, 3:30 ET, ABC) Game 5: Philadelphia at New York (Tuesday May 12)* Game 6: New York at Philadelphia (Thursday May 14)* Game 7: Philadelphia at New York (Sunday May 17)*
Stephen Halliday might just be the Ottawa Senators’ most compelling forward prospect.
At 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds with a long reach, Halliday is a hard man to knock off the puck, and he pairs that size with slick playmaking ability. In mostly a fourth-line role, he produced four goals and 11 points in 30 NHL games this season, while continuing a trend that’s followed him at every level.
He's a guy who finds ways to produce offense.
Ridly Greig is asked last week about his roughing incident in Game 4, which landed him a two game suspension.
Whether it was with the USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints, Ohio State University, or the AHL’s Belleville Senators, Halliday eventually ascended to the top of his team in point production.
That’s what makes his projection so intriguing. Whether you think of him as a career fourth-line contributor or imagine him eventually climbing into a top-six role, both outcomes feel equally believable right now.
Halliday took a clear step forward as a pro this season, producing at a point-per-game pace in the American Hockey League with 29 points in 29 games. His pass-first instinct stood out, with only 2 of those points being goals. But as he showed during his NHL stint, he’s got a quick, effective release when he chooses to use it.
“Yeah, no, I thought it was a great learning experience,” Halliday told Senators host Jackson Starr on Tuesday. “Super excited that I got a chance to show what I could do up with the big club, but again, I really give credit to the guys in Belleville, like David Bell and all the guys that kind of helped me along the way.”
There’s still a sense that Halliday is just scratching the surface. For now, he remains in that “happy to be here” phase at the NHL level, even as expectations begin to rise.
“Oh yeah, like if you would have told me like I'd be here sitting today, like at the beginning of the year, I would have definitely like been like, 'God, I hope,' and stuff like that.”
Even after proving he can contribute, he didn't get ahead of himself last season. Even now, with a new contract, he knows he still has a lot of work to do to become the player he wants to be. But he learned a lot last season.
“Yeah, like kind of just trying to play every shift, like it was my last, I think trying to improve my pace of play, kind of my physicality, like I wasn't as big of a physicality player like in college and in the NHL, but trying to add that type of part to my game.”
He also pointed to the culture around him as a key factor in his progress.
“Yeah, like going back to like kind of what Sandy said in that post-game interview, like the '25 best friends' thing. Every single guy in the room was trying to help each other, whether it was G or whether it was Timmy, like all of those types of guys.”
That growth earned him a two-year contract on Tuesday worth $1.075 million per season. But according to PuckPedia, it’s a two-way deal, which is a loud reminder that, as head coach Travis Green likes to say, nothing is given.
Halliday was playing regularly leading up to the NHL trade deadline, but after the Senators acquired Warren Foegele, he spent much of the stretch run in the press box.
At the moment, it looks like an NHL opportunity may be there this fall. But a lot can happen in a single offseason.
Two summers ago, like Halliday, Angus Crookshank was a top scorer in Belleville who was getting some long looks in Ottawa and looked like he might be ready to break through as a full-timer. Then the Sens went out that summer and wiped out Crookshank's chances by signing five free agent forwards: David Perron, Michael Amadio, Nick Cousins, Noah Gregor and Adam Gaudette.
What the Senators learned this season is that Halliday belongs in the NHL conversation. And if his track record is any indication, wherever he lands in the lineup, he’ll eventually find a way to produce.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News/Ottawa
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 30: Paul George #8 and VJ Edgecombe #77 help up Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the game against the Boston Celtics during Round One Game Six of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 30, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Make no mistake, the Sixers coming back from 3-1 down in their first-round series against the Celtics is by far their biggest playoff achievement in the last 25 years. It’s no surprise that the comeback was fueled by the return of Joel Embiid.
The former MVP became the first player in NBA history to score 100 points in a playoff series when he did not play the first three games. He was outstanding and given all the playoff disappointments he’s been through, most of which have either been the result of bad injury luck or not enough help on the roster, no one deserved a moment like Embiid had on Saturday more than he did.
But perhaps Monday night’s blowout loss was a sobering reality of how difficult it will be to win a title with Embiid in his 30s. Many fans thought Philly was up against more than just the Knicks in Game 1 having to battle the fatigue that comes with having to erase a 3-1 deficit against a team like the Celtics. Let’s rewind to the beginning of the season to explain how we got here.
Practically everyone went into the season assuming Embiid would miss about half of the regular season. He ended up missing slightly more than half of the regular season, appearing in 38 games. With Embiid missing so much time, the Sixers ended up in the play-in tournament. Despite winning their first and only game in the play-in tournament to secure the East’s No. 7 seed in the playoff bracket, having a seed that low meant drawing the Celtics in the first round. Once the Celtics appeared on the schedule, most thought Philly didn’t stand a chance at winning the series. That ended up not being true, but it still took a lot of heavy lifting to get out of the 3-1 hole.
For as amazing as the moment was on Saturday night, it was still only the fourth out of a necessary 16 wins to capture an NBA Championship. Unlike the regular season, Philly doesn’t have the luxury of sitting Embiid every other game now. The way to avoid early-round postseason fatigue is to make quick work of your first-round opponent which gets you more time off before the second round starts. But with Embiid destined to miss so much time in the regular season, how likely is it that the Sixers could get a high seed in future postseasons that would allow them to win their first-round series in four or five games?
The point is, for the rest of his career, you’re likely asking Embiid to ramp it up after playing about half of the regular season, and to appear in six or seven playoff games per round for four rounds over two months. That’s 24-28 games without a long break in a two-month span for someone that would have only played about 40 games with plenty of long breaks over a six-month span in the regular season.
The easiest remedy for this is to build a deeper roster. As we’re seeing in the playoffs, Nick Nurse only plays seven or eight players in most games. If that number could grow to nine or 10 players in a playoff rotation, that would also mean additional depth in the regular season. In turn, that would probably result in more wins in games Embiid doesn’t play, which would give the team a higher playoff seed and ideally a faster victory in the first and potentially second round and preserve Embiid more.
Maybe Daryl Morey and Elton Brand can pull that off this summer and Philly can win 50-60 games in 2026-27. But the cold hard truth here is that we’re going to be wobbling on shaky ground for the entire time Embiid is trying to get through two months of playing in the postseason at a high level. That’s likely a truth that lasts for the remainder of Embiid’s career.
None of this is to say that it can’t be done. Philadelphia could come out on Wednesday night and look like a much different team. After all, all of its starters played under 30 minutes in the blowout loss in Game 1. That’s probably the closest thing we’ll realistically see to load management in the playoffs but maybe it’s enough to even the series. The Sixers sure responded well from blowout losses in Games 1 and 4 against the Celtics, winning Games 2 and 5 in Boston. They might not be the deepest team, but their top-end talent appears to be more reliable than it has been in previous postseasons to the point where not every win needs to be fueled by Embiid, especially if Paul George’s strong play continues.
We’re simply trying to reiterate what might have been obvious a week and a half ago, but forgotten a bit once the comeback started against the Celtics. It’s still a very steep hill to climb when it comes to winning an NBA championship with Embiid as this team’s best player. If you’re already worried about the team running out of gas in the second round, that’s not a worry that subsides in the conference finals or the NBA Finals if the team is to advance that far.
This dynamic probably creates a difficult contrast in vibes for the fanbase. Frankly, it’s understandable if you’re taking the Boston comeback as the pinnacle moment of Embiid’s playoff career and willing to accept that it probably won’t get any better. Of course, that’s a disappointment if that ends up being the case. But if you’re simply not trying to get let down whenever the team is eliminated, you’ve got a real moment to cling to now and that’s worth something. However, if you’re someone that’s gone from jubilant to quickly concerned over the possibility of the Sixers and Embiid looking fatigued and getting blown out in this series by a Knicks team that hasn’t had to expend as much energy as they have, that’s also a fair emotion to be feeling right now.
While we can look at the East with Boston eliminated and say it’s wide open and right there for the taking, you have to ask yourself if you think the Sixers can walk this tight rope for another six weeks without falling down. If your answer is no, that doesn’t make you a bad fan as much as it does a realist. On paper, the Sixers might just have enough talent to win the East this year. But the games aren’t played on paper. Every other night, the ball goes up in the air and said talent needs to show up, be available and play well enough time and time again. For as great as the Boston comeback was, and it’s undoubtedly a moment all Sixers fans should cherish, keep all of this in the back of your mind for however long this playoff run goes.
Should Philly be able to pull out this Knicks series and then lose altitude fast against Detroit or Cleveland in the conference finals, just cherish the fact that the Sixers would have eliminated their top two rivals in the same postseason. We should all allow the improbability of a championship with Embiid to force us to enjoy the good moments he does give us from here on out even more. As the saying goes, don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened. But hey, it’s still far from over! On to Game 2.
The reserve guard led the team with 18 points but also dished out four assists and snatched four rebounds in 29 minutes of action.
Harper could have packed the box score even more, considering he generated 12 potential assists but watched those setups be wasted by San Antonio’s poor shooting. He tracked eight rebounding chances yet pulled down only half of those balls.
He’s a high-energy guy, and that’s what the Spurs need after a stagnant series opener. Look for San Antonio to put its foot on the gas, pushing the pace and trying to get out in transition. That’s where Harper does his best work.
Harper’s scoring projections range from 10 points to 12, with most models leaning toward that ceiling. His passing projections flirt with four assists, and his rebounding forecasts sit at 3.5 boards.
Game 2 Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Over 12.5 rebounds
-105 at bet365
Victor Wembanyama posted a "big man" triple-double in Game 1, including 15 rebounds to go along with those points and blocks.
Wemby was in position for 23 rebounding chances, converting just 65% of those into boards. That’s a slide from his 74% rebound win rate in the final two games versus Portland after returning from a concussion.
The opener was a rock fight, as both teams shot well below their season averages and dropped the pace rate to 96.0 in Game 1. I do see an uptick in tempo coming, as both teams like to get out and run – especially San Antonio. That increases shot attempts and, therefore, rebounding chances.
Wembanyama has wrangled 13 or more rebounds in nine of his last 13 games going back to the regular season, and player projections for Game 2 call for as many as 15 boards, with most models on the other side of this total.
The 6-foot-9 forward isn’t shy about letting it fly from distance and finished 2-for-3 from outside in Game 1, striking on a pull-up when the defense sagged off and knocking down a corner 3-pointer on a drive-and-kick.
Minnesota is relentless when it comes to attacking the rim, even with Wembanyama setting up shop in the paint. That collapses the Spurs’ defense and lets Reid slip to the wing with waiting hands and plenty of space.
Reid wasn’t very active from outside in the series win over Denver, and his perimeter play took a step back in the second half of the schedule. Before the All-Star break, Reid was knocking down 2.4 triples on 6.3 attempts per game. That slimmed to 1.4 makes on 4.6 long-range looks in his final 21 games.
His Game 2 forecasts are bullish on Naz beyond the arc, ranging from 1.6 to as high as 2.3 triples. Given this hefty spread, the game script says Minnesota is fighting from behind, and that prompts perimeter action in an effort to catch up.
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Masai Ujiri, co-founder of the Giants of Africa and Zaria Group, during the Bloomberg Philanthropies 2025 Global Business Forum in New York, US, on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. The forum will bring together heads of state, CEOs, and global leaders to chart what comes next for global cooperation and how to deliver real-world impact. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images | Bloomberg via Getty Images
Oh, how seductive it must have been.
You buy a basketball team. Months later, you are standing at midcourt in Minnesota holding the Western Conference Finals trophy. Confetti rains down. Cameras catch your face. For one dangerous second you cannot help but think: is this what owning a sports franchise is like?
It is not.
A few days later, the confetti is falling in Boston, and it belongs to someone else. Even worse, you are months away from being hoodwinked into believing that being on the business end of the NBA version of the Babe Ruth trade is a good idea. Soon, boos will serenade you in your home arena as even marginally adept lip readers will notice you ask your associate, “Are they booing…me?” Oh, they were.
That has been the painful, expensive education of Patrick Dumont. Buying a basketball team and understanding the NBA are not mutually inclusive, a line I wrote in November when Nico Harrison was finally fired. The new Mavericks governor inherited Mark Cuban’s human Rolodex hire and trusted the man’s confidence over the man’s competence. By the time Dumont understood the magnitude of what he had been bamboozled into signing off on by Harrison, the trade had already happened, and the booing had already started. A few rocky months later, an 18-year-old SMU freshman in a Luka Lakers jersey was sitting four rows behind him at the American Airlines Center, waiting to apologize.
What Dumont did at that game, on November 10 of last year, was admit he had been wrong. To a kid named Nicholas Dickason, who had flipped him off on opening night and come back to make it right. “Sometimes you have good intentions and you make mistakes. We all do it.” Dumont also told Dickason, according to The Athletic, that he “feels horrible for the trade” and “wants to make it up to us.”
Nico Harrison was fired the next morning.
The brakes-on crowd
I’m tired of writing about Nico Harrison.
Nobody at this site has taken him apart more often, with more long-winded metaphors, than I have. Fifteen months of column work spent litigating a single trade and a single regime, and I’d like to be done.
I have not been part of the move-on crowd. I have been part of the driving-with-the-brakes-on crowd. The people who understood that the Adelson-Dumont ownership group is not selling the team, that some of the faces tied to the trade were going to remain, and that the reset many fans wanted was not coming on their preferred timetable.
Tuesday, for the first time, a brighter horizon actually felt possible when the Mavericks introduced Masai Ujiri as the team’s new president of basketball operations and alternate governor.
Not because Patrick Dumont sold the team. Because Dumont brought in someone whose entire career has been the photographic negative of the man he replaced. Someone whose first instinct in front of a microphone was to acknowledge what happened, name the wound, and offer a path forward that did not pretend the wound was imagined.
The pivot is straightforward: Patrick Dumont trusted the schmoozer. Now he is trusting the scout.
When the Rolodex was the resume
When Mark Cuban hired Nico Harrison alongside Jason Kidd in 2021, he was hiring a Rolodex.
After years of striking out in free agency, Cuban ostensibly convinced himself that the missing ingredient at the top of his front office was relationships. Connections. Access. Harrison had been at Nike for two decades. He had the cell phone numbers of every star in the league. He had brokered deals with Kobe and Curry and Kyrie and Durant. He could schmooze. That was the pitch.
The problem, as the Mavericks would learn the hard way, is that schmoozing was a job where Harrison could not lose.
At Nike, even if you flubbed a star’s pitch meeting (the famous Steph Curry / Under Armour story comes to mind), there was always another superstar coming through the door. Nike does not compete with 29 other shoe companies for a fixed pool of talent. The next star would always be there, ready to be courted. Failure in Harrison’s previous job was, in the most consequential sense, impossible.
The NBA front office is a different planet. You compete against 29 other teams. Talent evaluation is the entire job. Many of the men who become NBA general managers spent years grinding as scouts before they ever sat in a draft room with veto power, watching gym after gym, mapping international tournaments, building the eye that eventually recognizes a hidden gem and the spine to take the swing. Harrison did none of that. He was a shoe rep with the keys to a basketball empire.
The results came on schedule. “One team source recalls a document where Harrison placed Jrue Holiday within the same trade target tier as Nikola Jokić,” Tim Cato reported at DLLS Sports last fall. Read that sentence again. A real general manager does not put Jrue Holiday and Nikola Jokić in the same tier of trade targets. A schmoozer does, because the difference between Holiday — a decorated guard whose best version was already behind him — and the generational Joker does not exist in the world of brand partnerships.
That blindness explains the Anthony Davis trade. Davis had appeared on Harrison’s Instagram a decade earlier, dousing him with ice water during the ALS Challenge. That version of Davis, the prime All-Star Davis of 2014, is the one Harrison saw when he looked at the trade assets on the Lakers roster. The brittle 30-something Davis who would play 29 regular-season games across two partial Mavericks seasons before being salary-dumped to Washington for spare parts? That Davis was invisible. Harrison saw the friend, frozen in time.
The Mavericks never endured the kind of long, semi-intentional wilderness years that let a franchise stockpile picks between eras. The Mavs leaned into asset-burning to build around Dončić. By 2025, Luka qualified for the supermax. The supermax would have given Dončić more money than any player in NBA history, along with the institutional power that comes with that contract. That power would have made Luka virtually impervious to Harrison’s outsized need for control. So Harrison did the boldest thing a schmoozer driven by ego can do. He traded the king before the king could outrank him.
“The easiest thing for me to do is nothing,” Harrison told reporters at the Cleveland press conference the day after the trade. “Everyone would praise me for doing nothing.”
He could not stand to be praised for doing nothing. He needed his shining moment. He needed his real-life PlayStation move. He needed to prove that he, the shoe executive, was the architect of a championship and not a passenger in the Luka Dončić era.
He got fired instead.
The scout’s path
Ujiri did not arrive at Tuesday’s introductory press conference from a cushy industry job. He arrived from the gym.
Ujiri’s career began as an unpaid scout in 2002, working for the Orlando Magic and the Denver Nuggets. Kiki Vandeweghe and Jeff Weltman hired him onto salary at Denver. The Dallas connections in that scouting tree are real. Amadou Gallo Fall, a longtime Mavericks scout and director, was Ujiri’s friend and mentor, and Ujiri name-checked Fall, Donnie Nelson, and Vandeweghe in his opening remarks Tuesday. The braid back to the Mavs predates this hire by twenty years.
To become a scout, Ujiri had to outwork other scouts. To become an assistant general manager, he had to outwork other scouts who had also outworked other scouts. To become an executive vice president and general manager of the Denver Nuggets in 2010, he had to demonstrate, year over year, that his hits on Kenneth Faried and Wilson Chandler and the post-Melo Nuggets roster he helped assemble were not luck. They were the work born of a process started years earlier, before the accolades.
The work paid off. In 2013, Ujiri was named NBA Executive of the Year, the only non-American ever to win the award. The Nuggets won 57 games that season, the most in the franchise’s NBA history. Then he went on to Toronto and built another contender from what remained of the Bargnani-era roster he inherited. And in 2018, he made one of the riskiest moves any general manager has ever made. He traded the longest-tenured Raptor and franchise face DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard, a one-year rental of a two-way superstar coming off an injury-marred season and a public divorce from the Spurs.
It worked. The Raptors won the 2019 championship. Kawhi left as a free agent that summer. Ujiri’s team played the long game and the short game in the same window, and won both.
The recent Toronto stretch was not pristine. The OG Anunoby trade for RJ Barrett did not yield what Ujiri wanted. The Quickley extension was rich. The Ingram trade looked desperate. The Collin Murray-Boyles draft pick is still developing. No executive bats a thousand, and the latter years in Toronto were the years when the puzzle around Ujiri stopped giving him pieces to put together.
But a championship can keep an executive in a chair past the point where the chair still fits. The Mavericks learned that lesson with the waning years of Donnie Nelson’s tenure. For Ujiri, the fit in Toronto ran long. Twelve years. Five Atlantic Division titles. Two Eastern Conference Finals appearances. One NBA championship that almost no one outside the team’s own building saw coming.
What Dallas needed and now has are the fresh eyes of a seasoned, unsentimental evaluator with the power to evoke real change. Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving were spoken of mythologically by Nico Harrison. I do not get that sense from Masai Ujiri. He has shown, throughout his career, that he can attach to players without becoming attached to them. He can pull the trigger on a trade when the math says pull the trigger, even if the trade is for a one-year rental who might not re-sign, even if the trade involves moving the most beloved player on the roster.
Bring the calm
“I hope to bring calm,” Ujiri said early in his opening remarks Tuesday. “I hope to bring to this place winning.”
The first half of that sentence is more important than it sounds. Calm has not been a recurring feature of the Mavericks’ recent operating environment. The Harrison era was a blender. Opaque decision-making, late-night trades, manufactured dysfunction narratives served to ownership in private while the actual roster was being built around a generational player. Calm is the antidote.
It is also a tonal philosophy. Watch how Ujiri handled the inevitable Luka questions Tuesday. Asked twice (once about a healing process, once about whether he would have made the trade), Ujiri did not throw his new boss under the bus. He did not call the trade a mistake. He also did not pretend the wound was not there.
“There’s a healing process with that,” he said.
And then he gave the franchise something it had not been given by anyone in the organization since that fateful Shams bomb on a cold February night. A frame.
“Luka is a Hall of Famer, a future Hall of Famer, and that’s the past. I always say in Africa, we say when kings go, kings come, and a king went, and we have a little prince here that we’re going to turn into a king.”
That is a culturally specific framing that does real work on the grief. The throne is not empty. The loss is real. The path forward is the prince, and the prince is right there in the building, 19 years old and newly minted Rookie of the Year.
The Harrison version of this answer (and the Jason Kidd version, which I wrote about at length on Easter Sunday) was a clipped we have to move on, with the unstated insistence that there was nothing to see here, that the trade was good, that the fans were the problem for refusing to get over it. Ujiri eventually got there too, saying “we really have to move on,” but only after giving the grief oxygen first. He gave fans permission to mourn what was lost and a structure for walking toward what comes next. Different operating system entirely.
That is what calm looks like in practice. Acknowledgment plus forward motion.
The Brooklyn irony
There is a quote you should know about, if you do not already.
The date was April 19, 2014. The location was Maple Leaf Square in Toronto, where thousands of Raptors fans had gathered for a rally before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round against the Brooklyn Nets. The Raptors’ relatively new general manager, fresh off his Executive of the Year award in Denver, took the stage. He grabbed the microphone. He shouted “F*** Brooklyn!” at the assembled crowd.
The NBA fined him $25,000. He later said he was not taking it back, and that if the Raptors got the rematch he would say it again.
The head coach of the Brooklyn Nets at the time was asked for his response.
“You gotta tell me who the GM is,” Jason Kidd said. “I don’t even know who their GM is.”
He knows now.
This historical wrinkle matters because it tells you something about the dynamic Kidd is walking into. Asked about Kidd’s future Tuesday, Ujiri did exactly what he should have done. He praised Kidd as a Hall of Fame player. He said Kidd had done a great job. He referenced his own track record of keeping inherited coaches: George Karl in Denver for three years, Dwane Casey in Toronto for five. Both were inherited. Both were eventually replaced. Read between the lines if you wish, or do not. Either reading lands you in the same place.
What Ujiri did not do was endorse Kidd as the Mavericks’ coach. He could have. He could have said the obvious thing: that Kidd is a Hall of Fame player, that he took this team to the Finals, that Cooper Flagg’s relationship with him is real and worth preserving. Instead, Ujiri said: “…we’re going to look at this thing from head to toe.”
That is the right answer. For too long, Kidd’s halo as a Hall of Fame player and his 2024 Finals run insulated him from a dispassionate evaluation. His Dallas regular-season record finished this season hovering around .500 across five years, with three lottery-bound seasons in five. His best playoff outcomes came when he had the second-best player on the planet running the offense.
There is also a question of whether Kidd wants the new arrangement. Under Harrison, Kidd had outsized power. He had sway over personnel. He had an enabler at GM who shared his preferences. Whether Kidd was the Cleveland-hotel-room Pollyanna he claimed to be is a question I addressed at length last month. What is no longer in question is what the new front office will be. Masai Ujiri is not going to outsource personnel decisions to his head coach. The cook-with-the-groceries era is over, even if it never quite existed in the form Kidd publicly claimed.
The power dynamics around Kidd have been upended. The veterans on this roster may now be assets to be moved rather than minutes to be allocated. Klay Thompson is on the third year of his three-year contract. Daniel Gafford is a useful big man on a reasonable deal. PJ Washington is a versatile forward in his prime. Even Kyrie Irving, whom most every Mavericks fan loves, will be a trade market question if he returns from his ACL injury looking like himself and other teams come calling.
I do not get the sense that the Mavericks’ new president will hesitate to improve the roster or the asset stockpile. Ujiri has made a basketball life out of evaluating players with the eyes of a scout and the deal-making of a card shark. The mythologizing is for the rest of us.
That may not be Jason Kidd’s preferred operating environment. We are going to learn very soon whether Kidd would rather take the new dynamics or whether he would rather find a job somewhere else where he can again be both coach and shadow GM…or, for that matter, actual GM.
The full body scan
The Mavericks have needed a full body scan for a long time.
Not just the front office. The medical staff, which Ujiri flagged twice Tuesday as an area where the franchise has to get better. What fate awaits the interim general managers, Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley? The same can be asked of the coaching staff. The scouts. The development pipeline. Every player on this roster not named Cooper Flagg.
A full body scan is not as glamorous as confetti. Confetti is the schmoozer’s gift: the false sense of arrival, the borrowed credit for someone else’s hard work, the trophy you did not earn but get to hold. Confetti is what Patrick Dumont may well have mistaken for understanding when he bought this team.
A full body scan is the scout’s gift. It is unglamorous. It is slow. It involves sitting down with people and asking them to defend their work. It involves looking at processes and asking whether they produce results or just produce comfort. It is what the Mavericks needed in 2021 and did not get. It is what they needed during the aftermath of the trade and did not get. It is what they have, finally, on the table now.
The reset that a significant chunk of this fanbase wanted (every face associated with the Luka trade out of the building) was never going to happen on the timeline they wanted. Patrick Dumont and Miriam Adelson are not selling the team. Ownership stays. But what Tuesday showed is that the reset can come from a different direction. By evaluating everyone. By saying that nobody in this building is untouchable, except the 19-year-old prince who wears jersey number 32.
“This is a winning organization. We want to get back to that,” Ujiri said Tuesday.
He cannot tell you how. Yet. He is going to scan the body first.
The lottery last May gave the Mavericks two gifts in one ping-pong ball. The first was Cooper Flagg, the generational player around whom everything else now reorients. The second was the chance to bring Ujiri to Dallas. Because Ujiri, when asked Tuesday whether he would have taken this job without Flagg, did not pretend the question was unfair. He listed the Western Conference gauntlet: Wembanyama, Luka, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokić. He said you cannot beat them without something in your pocket. And in his pocket, he has Cooper Flagg. The job was the job because Flagg was the player.
I have watched the Dallas Mavericks since 1980. The schedule last season felt like a slow-moving funeral procession, even with Cooper Flagg’s Rookie of the Year campaign in progress. Watching this team grind through the back half of a tanking season under the weight of a trade nobody wanted to talk about was harder than I expected.
Tuesday was the first day in a long time I felt actively excited to write about this team again.
Dallas finally and at long last got rid of the schmoozer and replaced him with the scout. The full body scan that this organization has needed for years can finally begin.
Roughly an hour after the NHL announced the Calder Trophy finalists on Tuesday afternoon, the NHL Draft Lottery took place to determine the draft order at the top of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Here were the odds for eligible teams to win the first lottery draw and select first overall:
The Toronto Maple Leafs won the drawing to select first overall, and the San Jose Sharks won the second drawing and will select second overall.
The Sharks and Anaheim Ducks franchises had been in the basement of the NHL standings for nearly an identical amount of time. The Ducks just snapped their seven-year playoff drought, and the Sharks just missed the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season in 2025-26.
The two teams, on similar trajectories and rebuilding schedules, are projected to soon represent two of the top teams in the Pacific Division and Western Conference due to the talent they’ve amassed over the better part of the last decade.
Though the Ducks are finding current success, making the playoffs and advancing to the second round, it’s undeniable that the Sharks boast the roster with the best player, likely the best since Connor McDavid took hold of the “best player in the world” title: Macklin Celebrini.
Relying heavily on a season from Celebrini that deserves Hart Trophy consideration, the Sharks took a sizable leap in the NHL standings, missing the Western Conference’s second wild card spot by four points. They’ll now be selecting in the top two of the NHL Draft for the third consecutive season and in the top four for the fourth consecutive season.
With all their top ten picks throughout the course of their rebuild having been at forward positions, they could best utilize one of this draft’s top blueliners (Chase Reid, Carson Carels, Keaton Verhoeff). However, the two players consistently projected as the top two selections are Gavin McKenna and Ivan Stenberg, supremely talented albeit relatively undersized wingers.
Whichever direction San Jose goes with their now-top pick will give them a further significant boost toward their ultimate goal of consistent contention. The Ducks will likely have their hands full with the Sharks for a long time, and it could produce one of the most entertaining and high-powered rivalries in the NHL for a long time to come.
Sharks GM Mike Grier will have a tall order surrounding their young talents with quality complementary pieces. The potential advantages the Ducks can cling to at the moment, when comparing trajectories, is that they have the projected edge along the blueline, and their core pieces, in theory, may have an advantage when playoff hockey rolls around, size is more valuable, and physicality is amplified.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 02: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics looks on during introductions prior to a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game Seven of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs at TD Garden on May 02, 2026 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. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After the Boston Celtics’ second straight early exit from the playoffs, the topic of roster changes is inevitable. Fans like you and I can be pretty emotional in the aftermath of disappointment. Brad Stevens, however, seems to be a lot more level headed. But that doesn’t mean he won’t consider all the options before him. So let’s try to lay out the factors as calmly as possible and discuss this rationally. (Well, at least try.)
Why is this even a topic?
The Celtics won a title just 2 years ago with a roster built around Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. So we know it can work. Shoot, Jaylen won both ECF MVP and Finals MVP, so everyone should understands that he was one of the biggest reasons for that title. I would submit that he has only gotten better since that title and just turned in his best season ever. If you only judged him on his career to this point, he would still be considered one of the many greats in the team’s history. Personally, I’m a big fan and I would like to see him retire as a Celtic after a long, productive career. I’d like to see his number retired in the banners.
So why are we talking about this? Mostly because we have to look at everything. Consider every angle before dismissing it out of hand based on emotional reflex.
For one thing, Jaylen’s value might never be higher than it is right now. He’s not a perfect player, but you can pick at nits in anyone’s game. He just proved that he can lead a solid team to a 2nd seed. You could argue that if his teammates made a few more shots or if Tatum didn’t get hurt that they’d be on to the 2nd round as planned. I think it is safe to say that a lot of teams around the league would love to have him as their leading man (and will be calling Brad to follow up on previously shot-down conversations).
There’s also the matter of spreadsheets and nerdy number crunching. Both he and Jayson are on max contracts in an era where the rules punish large payrolls. It is very hard to build a competitive roster in this era when you have multiple max guys on the roster. One could make a convincing case that breaking Brown’s contract into smaller, higher value deals would make more sense from a roster building perspective.
What does Jaylen want?
One thing that we can only speculate upon is what Jaylen Brown wants. I don’t doubt his affection for the city of Boston or the team that he’s spent his whole career with. In fact, I greatly admire his dedication to giving back to the community.
However, he’s always been somewhat in the shadow of one player or another. He said himself that this was his favorite season. Which begs the questions. Would he be happier as the number 1 option on a different team? Would he like to play for his hometown team in Atlanta? Is there another star he would like to play with?
I will note here as well: believe it or not, Jaylen is extension eligible this offseason. It just so happens that he had his best year. If he wants to leverage that to a longer term contract, will the Celtics be willing to give him the extra years? If not, how does he feel about that? Again, I don’t know anything beyond what he’s said publicly. Just thinking out loud.
BOSTON, MA – MAY 2: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics arrives to the arena before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 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
What would be the return?
The only correct answer to a smug blog title that asks “Should we trade Player X?” is “Well, it depends on the return you are getting.” So let’s roll up our sleeves and peel back the layers of that answer.
We’re just entering the summer of Giannis Rumors (part 3?) and his name is bound to come up. The Celtics have already been linked (vaguely) to the Bucks superstar. Giannis had some really nice things to say about the Boston culture this year. He’s hands down a better player than Jaylen Brown, …when healthy. And there’s the rub. I just don’t know if I trust his body to hold up much longer given his age, body type, and playing style.
I can safely predict that we’ll hear more stars linked to the Celtics in various rumors in the coming months. Kawhi Leonard? Kevin Durant? Paolo Banchero? Each has their strengths and weaknesses and concerns. Personally I’m skeptical of all of the above for one reason or another. There are other big names that you could toss around, and each would need to be considered for things like fit, style, cost, and the compensation needed on either side to get a trade done.
As I mentioned earlier, the Celtics might prefer to break Brown’s deal into smaller pieces. You could logically ask why the team would let all their elite role players go one year (Jrue, Porzingis, Horford, Kornet) only to look for guys like that a year later. However, I think the team would likely be focused on younger (and perhaps healthier) options. “Like who????“ You might ask (I know you are asking). I suppose if the Cavs flame out in the 2nd round, one of their bigs (Mobley or Allen) might be available. What about Trey Murphy III? Lauri Markkanen? Onyeka Okongwu? (See, I had the guts to put some real names out there, don’t be too hard on me. I’m not proposing these deals, just listing some names to consider.)
So is this real or just another overreaction?
Most likely the latter (even if only because trades are hard), but it is certainly going to be a topic of discussion this summer. So I figured I’d get ahead of that somewhat.
The most likely scenario is that the team will happily build around Jaylen and the core players that they already have. They do have some levers to pull in terms of adding free agents. There are smaller deals that could be made (Hauser and a pick?) and bigger ones that I would hate to consider (Derrick?). The roster is also young enough that internal improvements could be a big part of the plan as well.
So ultimately I don’t think Jaylen Brown is going to be traded and I’m perfectly happy with that. He’s an All NBA level player and a champion and has a great heart for this city and this team. There should be no rush to push him out the door.
Just remember that it is Brad’s job is to consider all his options to make this team better.
The NHL is smack-dab in the middle of the 2026 Playoffs, with eight remaining teams battling out their second-round matchups. However, playoff time also means NHL Awards time, and finalists for all major awards are being announced daily.
On Tuesday, the NHL announced the finalists for the 2026 Calder Trophy, awarded “to the player selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition” and voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA).
The three finalists for the award this year are Ivan Demidov (forward, Montreal Canadiens), Matthew Schaefer (defenseman, New York Islanders), and Beckett Sennecke (forward, Anaheim Ducks).
Though statistically, the three players produced at a similar rate, all finishing between 59 and 62 points while playing all 82 regular season games, the trophy will almost certainly be awarded to Schaefer, as he tied Sennecke for the rookie lead in goals (23), was immediately his team’s #1 defenseman, averaged 24:41 TOI, and plays (arguably) the most difficult position on the ice (the hardest one to adapt to). He’s already an elite NHL defenseman, and he turned 18 just before the season, in September.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, with a new head coach and a mandate from ownership and management to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, it was unclear what their plan was for Sennecke. His playstyle is naturally volatile, he had a long way to go in his 200-foot development, and on paper, the Ducks had a crowded top-nine forward group.
Former Ducks forward Ryan Strome suffered an oblique injury to open the season, leaving a spot open for Sennecke. Sennecke grabbed it, didn’t loosen his grip on that spot all season, and is now a Calder finalist.
Sennecke finished his rookie season with 60 points (23-37=60), good enough for second among all NHL rookies and third among Ducks players. Though many worried about his trajectory, joining the NHL ranks seemingly underdeveloped, Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville and general manager Pat Verbeek’s strategy seemed to be to simply let him play through his inevitable mistakes, affording him a long leash and letting the good outweigh the bad.
Sennecke is a unique talent, ever involved and influential in plays in all three zones. His 6-foot-3, 206-pound frame suggests a prototypical “power forward,” but his puck skills suggest “shifty winger,” and the truth is that he’s both. He works perimeters, he mixes things up at the net-front, and he thrives off the rush. He’s as complete an offensive talent as a rookie can be.
The decision-making and defensive habits leave a lot to be desired and offer much room for improvement, but those are mistakes made by the vast majority of rookies and are to be expected.
During these playoffs, Sennecke’s play has been greater than his production, as he’s only managed a point (a goal) in seven games. As the margins are infinitely finer in the Spring, Sennecke is currently working through ways to remain impactful to his team’s success. On the positive side, the costly mistakes have nearly dried up completely, and he hasn’t been a liability in any sense for the Ducks.
Sennecke is a foundational piece to the Ducks’ current and future success, and his Calder nomination is earned.
ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 3: Robert Thomas #18 of the St. Louis Blues takes a shot as Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins defends on April 3, 2025 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Scott Rovak/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins are about to enter what could be (and perhaps should be) a fascinating offseason. Probably one of the more fascinating offseasons they have had in years.
There is the Evgeni Malkin situation looming.
There is the fact the Penguins, coming off a surprising playoff appearance, have to wrestle with the reality that they were, in fact, a playoff team, and are also still needing to get younger and look toward the future.
There is Kyle Dubas again insisting he wants to build a championship team and not a team that simply makes the playoffs and loses in the first round.
If the first two years of the Dubas are any indication of what is ahead, you can probably expect a lot of roster movement and a lot of trades. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. The Penguins also have a pretty significant amount of salary cap space to work with, the ability to easily create more if they sell any additional players off the roster that are still under contract, and a lot of future draft picks to potentially deal from.
So what, exactly, should they do with it?
For starters, I will repeat what I said on Monday and emphatically point out I have zero interest in the unrestricted free agent market. The only thing free agency should be utilized for is filling out cheap depth or taking on cheap reclamation projects that can be rebuilt and potentially flipped. Paying Alex Tuch or Darren Raddysh $10 million per year doesn’t do anything to help you now or in the future. That’s a “get to the playoffs and lose in the first round” move.
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.
Just pass on all of it.
Stay out of it.
Just throw the UFA list away on July 1 and start looking at it again on July 4 or 5 to see who is left.
Aggressive trading is the way to go. Aggressively selling for more assets, and aggressively buying to potentially get the type of impact player the Penguins are still lacking for the long haul.
So with that in mind, is there a path for them to potentially go after a big fish this offseason in the trade market given some of the names that could be available? I also say this knowing full well that trade rumors and trade speculation rarely, if ever, actually turn into blockbuster trades. We go through this every trade deadline and offseason where the insiders tell us the big names that are available, we try to guess what they will go for, and then nobody actually goes anywhere.
But maybe this time will be different.
Let’s look at some options.
The “in your dreams” players
Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars. I say “dream scenario” here because this is probably all it will ever be. But this is the type of player that should be at the top of the Penguins wish list if they did want to do something bold and aggressive. He is still in his mid-20s. He is one of the best players in hockey. He could be a franchise centerpiece for probably the next seven or eight years. They have the salary cap space to pay him whatever he wants. And it is for almost all of those reasons that the Stars would be insane to move him. I know the salary cap exists, but they should be moving OTHER people to make sure he stays. And I suspect they will do exactly that. It would also likely cost you Ben Kindel as a starting point. And at the risk of saying something controversial, this is the one player potentially available that I think I would be okay with that. But it’s not likely going to come to that. It will probably stay in your dreams.
Robert Thomas, St. Louis Blues. I think Thomas could be a little more attainable than Robertson, just because the Blues are in kind of a no-man’s land where they are not particularly good and might actually be looking to re-tool things a little bit with their core. He’s not quite Robertson, but I still think he can be an impact player for a long time. He is one of the best playmakers in hockey and signed long-term to a fairly team-friendly contract. But again … the team has to actually WANT to trade him and the cost will be high. Ben Kindel high? Maybe. Maybe you can get away with multiple draft picks and a different young player/prospect, even if it’s a top prospect. I also feel like this could be one of those situations where you deal somebody off of your own roster (Karlsson? Rakell?) in order to collect more assets that could be applied to another trade.
I am also okay dealing prospects, even at this stage of where the Penguins are, because most of these guys are not going to play for the next contending Penguins team. Some of them are going to offer you their most value as trade chips. Especially if it is the right player. Do the Penguins have the right prospects to entice a team into that type of trade? Again … this is why he is in the dream category.
Matthew Knies, Toronto Maple Leafs. Knies has been mentioned in trade speculation going back to the trade deadline, and with the Maple Leafs winning the NHL Draft Lottery on Tuesday and likely adding another forward into the mix, Knies would be a logical option to move for the much-needed defense help the Maple Leafs are craving. I think there’s a chance he gets traded. He is only 23 years old, already really good and already signed long-term. I just don’t think the Penguins have the defensemen Toronto would want or need.
The buyer beware category
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators. Tkachuk is tired of his name being in trade speculation, but brother, your name is in trade speculation and you are responsible for a lot of that. But I think I am out on him. I like the IDEA of Brady Tkachuk a lot more than I like the reality of Brady Tkachuk. He is a very good player. Maybe even better than very good. But he is also at a point where I think his perceived value across the NHL is higher (and perhaps significantly so) than his actual on-ice value. There are a lot of teams and general managers in the league that would crawl over miles broken glass and random lego pieces to get him on their roster because they see TKACHUK written in bright lights, and that’s just not a bidding war I want to get into. He’s not Matthew Tkachuk. You are not building a championship level team around him. Given all of that, I’d say this dude has New York Ranger written all over him. Let Chris Drury worry about that and make it his problem.
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs. What a chaotic week for the Maple Leafs. Chaotic front office hires. Auston Matthews saying he is not sure he will be back next season and that he wants to see what direction the offseason goes in. Then they go and win the freaking NHL Draft lottery. Let’s be honest, there is a 99.9 percent chance he is a Maple Leaf next season, but in the event that he does somehow become available this is another situation where I like the idea of it a lot more than the reality of it. I am concerned about the wrist injury. I am concerned about the fact that he has been “really good” the past two years and not “really great.” I am concerned he is going to be 29 next season and due for a new contract in two years. I would be concerned at the price. I am not sure he fits into whatever timeline the Penguins should be on.
The reclamation project
Elias Pettersson, Vancouver Canucks. Let’s get weird. What type of players has Kyle Dubas made an effort to acquire over the past two years?
Bad contracts teams do not want.
Talented players that have not worked out as planned/hope in their current environment. Some have worked out here better than others.
With that said, have I got the player for you, because Elias Pettersson fits BOTH of these categories.
The contract is … not great. The recent production, given the contract is … even worse.
But here’s what you have working in your favor: There is obviously an elite talent somewhere in that body. Vancouver has been about as grim of a situation as there is in the NHL and if there is anybody that can use a fresh start it is this freaking guy. It’s also probably not going to cost you much in the way of assets because there’s probably not many teams in the league willing to take on that contract or have the ability to take on that contract. I’m not saying it’s high on my wish list. I am saying I think it’s an option at least worth exploring and discussing. I could be talked into it.
The likely path
Restricted free agents. I am not even necessarily talking offer sheets, but simply trades involving other team’s RFAs. Remember that salary cap crunch Dallas is dealing with in order to keep Jason Robertson? Maybe that costs them Mavrik Bourque. It might cost you a first-round pick and a decent prospect (think K’Andre Miller trade), but you’re getting a 20-goal scorer that still has some serious untapped potential.
Cole Perfetti? A talented player that hasn’t quite put it all together in his current spot while still flashing top-line potential? While also playing for a team that is entering a desperate offseason and likely to do something dumb? Sounds like a Pittsburgh Penguin already.
You need more young players on defense. Are Simon Nemec or Brandt Clarke long-term fits in New Jersey or Los Angeles? I feel like Nemec is probably more attainable than Clarke, but the Kings are, after all, run by Ken Holland, and he did trade Jordan Spence last offseason so he could pay Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci, so who knows? Sometimes you have to target the general manager more than the player.
There is also the strong possibility somebody that is not even on anybody’s radar gets moved. Either way, we are probably looking at some big roster movement this offseason, and given the resources the Penguins have to work with there are some really intriguing possibilities.
Toronto Maple Leafs
San Jose Sharks
Vancouver Canucks
Chicago Blackhawks
New York Rangers
Dylan Harper
Naz Reid
