Scott McTominay has a long way to go to top his wild 2025. But his double at Inter was a very solid start
Scott McTominay said recently that he hopes to carry on playing top-level football for another decade. And, if he does, will he ever have another year better than the last one? In 2025, he won Serie A and helped deliver Scotland to their first World Cup this century – scoring sensational goals in the games that sealed both achievements. He has described himself as “obsessive” when it comes to self-improvement, but some feats are hard to top.
Still, if he was looking to set some intentions for 2026, there are worse places to do it than San Siro. On Sunday night, Napoli’s title defence would be severely tested away to Inter. But every time they strayed into danger, McTominay led them back out.
The Florida Panthers will look to build off a strong win on Saturday in Ottawa as their season-long road trip continues against one of the hottest teams in the league.
Florida is trying to make up ground in the playoff race, and one of the teams they are currently chasing are the surprising Buffalo Sabres.
After losing three straight games in early December, Buffalo has been on a tear.
They won 10 straight games through the end of the calendar year and are still riding an impressing 13-1-0 stretch.
On Dec. 8, Buffalo was last in the conference and four points south of the next-worst team (which at the time was a tie between Ottawa and Florida).
Since then, the Sabres have shot up the standings.
Entering play Monday, Buffalo holds the top Wild Card spot with 52 points through 43 games.
As for Florida, the Panthers are still anxiously waiting to bring a couple elite offensive players back into their lineup.
Injured forwards Matthew Tkachuk and Brad Marchand are both on the brink of returning. Marchand has missed two straight games with an undisclosed injury and is considered day-to-day while Tkachuk has been working his way back from offseason adductor and sports hernia surgery.
The Panthers will be off for a few days after Monday’s game in Buffalo, so it might make sense to hold both out one more game and give them a nice long stretch to heal and prepare, but we’ll see how things shake out when the Cats hit the ice.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Monday’s matchup in Buffalo:
Photo caption: Oct 18, 2025; Buffalo, New York, USA; Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (11) looks to take a shot on goal as Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (26) defends during the first period at KeyBank Center. (Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)
Outfielders Cody Bellinger, left, and Kyle Tucker, right, are two of the most highly sought MLB free agents this offseason. (Associated Press)
Spring training is only a month away, yet an abundance of top-flight names remain on the MLB free-agent market. This is nothing out of the ordinary, but it calls for a reset of likely destinations and contract value for the most coveted players.
Two recent signings reached average annual values (AAV) of at least $30 million, noteworthy because both players are older than 30 and add little to zero value with their gloves. First baseman Pete Alonso, 31, signed a five-year, $155-million deal with the Orioles and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, who turns 33 in March, signed a five-year, $150-million deal with the Phillies.
Juan Soto ($51 million AAV), Aaron Judge ($40 million) and Mike Trout ($35.5 million) are the only outfielders paid more than $30 million a year, although all three make significantly more. Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger are expected to join the exclusive club this offseason.
The longest contract for a pitcher is the seven-year, $210 million deal Dylan Cease got from the Blue Jays. Japanese import Tatsuya Imai landed the highest AAV when the Astros signed him for $63 million over three years.
The Dodgers can't be counted out on the biggest names, but their strategy after winning back-to-back World Series appears to prize patience over aggressive spending.
Position Players
NAME, AGE, POSITION, 2025 bWAR, CAREER bWAR
Kyle Tucker, 29, OF, 4.5, 27.3: Although the market for the left-handed hitting slugger has been guarded, Tucker should still command the highest sticker price in this free-agent class. Early projections of $400 million might be a long shot, but an AAV of more than $30 million is a near certainty, and Tucker is seeking a 10-year contract. The Dodgers are considered a suitor because they need a productive corner outfielder. However, they are content to wait and see how far Tucker's market drops before jumping in.
Cody Bellinger, 30, OF/1B, 5.0, 30.4: A Dodgers reunion is a popular topic on L.A. talk radio, but it still feels like a reach because of the stomach-churning roller-coaster ride Bellinger and the team endured during his six-year stint that ended in 2022. Bellinger has gradually rehabilitated his on-field reputation with three excellent seasons — two with the Cubs and one with the Yankees. The Athletic reported that the Yankees have offered Bellinger a deal worth more than $30 million a year, but he is holding firm with his desire for seven years.
Bo Bichette, 28, SS, 3.4, 20.8: Bichette displayed his toughness to the Dodgers by playing effectively in the World Series despite a lingering knee injury. He accumulated more than 175 hits in four of the last five seasons with above-average power — and can play any infield position. Third base would be his home should he sign with the Cubs, who appear determined to add a slugger who can play that position. The Dodgers have Max Muncy under contract for one more season, but could sign Bichette if he is willing to take a shorter deal at a high AAV.
Eugenio Suárez, 34, 3B, 3.6, 26.8: Suárez is in an enviable position even though he is older than fellow infielders Bregman and Bichette. Splitting the season between the Diamondbacks and Mariners, Suarez tied a career high with 49 home runs and drove in 118 runs. Teams that miss out on Bregman or Bichette could turn to Suárez as a short-term solution at third.
Harrison Bader, 31, OF, 3.9, 17.3: Bader declined his player option for $6.5 million after posting a stellar second half with the Phillies, who acquired him from the Twins at the trade deadline. His combined numbers were his best since 2021, and given the fact that he is a Gold Glove center fielder, Bader has suitors that include the Phillies and two other teams whose uniforms he already has worn — the Yankees and Mets.
Pitchers
NAME, AGE, POSITION, 2025 bWAR, CAREER bWAR
Framber Valdez, 32, SP, 3.8, 18.8: Valdez was impressively consistent for the Astros and should be able to choose between several multi-year offers. His age works against a long-term deal, but Sportrac estimated his AAV at $33.3 million, easily the highest among free-agent pitchers.
Ranger Suárez, 30, SP, 4.7, 18.1: The left-handed Suárez is younger than most other free-agent starters and is coming off an excellent season. He has a 1.48 ERA over 11 postseason appearances. He is well-positioned to command a lucrative contract of up to six years. Expect him to sign with one of the teams with a high payroll.
Zac Gallen, 30, SP, 1.1, 20.8: On the plus side, Gallen posted 56 wins over 126 starts the last four years for the Diamondbacks and he's only 30. On the negative side, his ERA has risen each of those four years, peaking in 2025 at 4.83. The right-hander should be looking at a multi-year deal with an AAV of about $18 million.
Nick Martinez, 35, SP, 2.3, 11.2: Martinez is a swingman who has pined for the workload and pay of a full-time starter. The Reds gave him that opportunity in 2025 and he was moderately successful, posting a 4.45 ERA in a career-high 165 2/3 innings while earning $21 million. He'll likely get another one-year deal for less money.
Chris Bassitt, 37, SP, 2.1, 18.1: Bassitt has been a dependable mid-rotation arm, making at least 30 starts four years in a row with league-average results. He is coming off a three-year, $63-million contract with the Blue Jays, but at 37 he might not be able to replicate that deal.
Justin Verlander, 43, SP, 1.2, 81.7: Alas, Verlander's dogged pursuit of 300 wins wasn't helped by a 4-11 season with the Giants. He deserved better, posting a 3.85 ERA in 29 starts. The future first-ballot Hall of Famer made $15 million, and a one-year deal at two-thirds of that number seems reasonable. No financial worries: Verlander has been paid $419 million over 20 years.
Lucas Giolito, 31, SP, 2.1, 14.4: Giolito has been an effective starter for nine seasons, with a 1-6 record and 6.89 ERA in six starts with the Angels in 2023 the most glaring blemish. The right-hander from Harvard Westlake High missed the 2024 season because of elbow surgery but rebounded to go 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA in 26 starts for the Red Sox in 2025.
Tyler Anderson, 36, SP, 2.0, 16.8: The dependable former Angels and Dodgers starter is coming off a three-year, $39-million contract. Anderson's 2025 season ended in August because of an oblique strain, and he was 2-8 with a 4.56 ERA in 26 starts. A two-year deal at a reduced AAV isn't out of the question.
Max Scherzer, 41, SP, 0.2, 75.6: The future Hall of Famer has no intention of retiring, even after posting a 5.19 ERA and giving up 19 home runs in 85 innings for the Blue Jays. Scherzer might take a steep pay cut from the $15.5 million he made in 2025, but he's already been paid $366.5 million in his 18-year career. Dodgers fans remember him as a 2021 trade-deadline acquisition going 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 11 regular-season starts but bowing out of a start in the NLCS.
Editor’s note: Sheng Peng is a regular contributor to NBC Sports California’s Sharks coverage. You can read more of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.
It doesn’t take an NHL general manager to figure out that the Sharks need to improve their defense to get to the next level.
That’s no disrespect, truly, to their current blueliners, who have done admirable work to help San Jose to a surprising 23-19-3 record.
But if the Sharks are going to be a Cup contender, like their counterparts on Sunday night, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, they’re going to need some internal and external growth on the blueline in the coming years.
This isn’t an overreaction to a 7-2 loss on Sunday to Vegas.
Here’s what a league source, not with the San Jose Sharks or Knights, texted San Jose Hockey Now during the game.
Crystal Palace’s stars wilt, Manchester City’s youngsters shine, and Liam Rosenior starts in stylish fashion
Playing against lower-league opposition as a top-flight side in the FA Cup is like batting on the first morning of a Test match – you cannot really win and failure can prompt humiliation and reputational damage. To that end, some members of the Crystal Palace side deservedly beaten by Macclesfield perhaps learned a valuable lesson at Moss Rose. Marc Guéhi and Adam Wharton are linked regularly with big moves away from Palace, but part of succeeding at elite clubs – the pair are admired by Manchester City and Manchester United respectively – is coping with being overwhelming favourites. Oliver Glasner, too, may have designs on bigger things, with United again a possible destination, but to see his side schooled by part-timers was a blow to his burgeoning reputation. Glasner slammed his players after the defeat but the Austrian must take a portion of the blame. They must all do better. Dominic Booth
After seeing Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III go down with a torn ACL last week, the NBA's star power took two additional hits. Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant was ruled out for at least three weeks with a left elbow injury, and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo does not have a return timeline after injuring his right calf during Friday's loss to the Nuggets.
Of the two injuries, Antetokounmpo's is far more impactful in fantasy basketball, as he has provided top-50 per-game value. Add in Kevin Porter Jr.'s absence, and there will be room for others to step up. And given where Milwaukee is in the Eastern Conference standings as Week 15 begins, they don't have much margin for error. Ryan Rollins and Bobby Portis are two Bucks players who now have higher fantasy ceilings than they did when the rotation was whole, with the latter being worth the risk despite his low ranking.
In Memphis, Cam Spencer and Cedric Coward should be on the radar of more fantasy managers, especially if the Grizzlies are unable to keep up with the red-hot LA Clippers in the race for the final play-in spot in the West. Of course, there's the question of when Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. will be healthy enough to return from their injuries, but Spencer and Coward are "sure things" in terms of their places within the current rotation.
These are things to keep in mind when using rankings to determine which players to target in the short term or with an eye toward the "silly season." Below is the updated top-200, with the currently injured Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets leading the way. And he could be back from his knee injury pretty soon, too.
→ Watch the NBA on Peacock on Monday night, as the Magic take on the Cavaliers at 7:00 p.m. ET, the Celtics host the Trail Blazers at 8:00 p.m. ET, and the Warriors visit the Nuggets at 9:30 p.m. ET!
DENVER — Trent Miner stopped all 29 shots he faced to earn his first NHL victory, becoming the 17th goaltender in league history to record a shutout in his inaugural win, as the Colorado Avalanche blanked the Columbus Blue Jackets 4–0 at Ball Arena on Saturday.
The victory extended Colorado’s home point streak to 21 games. The outing marked Miner’s fifth NHL appearance and his third game of the season.
Under head coach Jared Bednar, Colorado has been nearly unbeatable at Ball Arena, improving to 19-0-2 on home ice this season while extending its home winning streak to 17 games — the second-longest in Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques franchise history and just one shy of matching the record set during the 2021–22 campaign.
"It's impressive what the guys have been doing, especially at home, no question," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "It's the same as what goes into winning on a nightly basis, but then it just becomes consistency in order to win that much in a row and not take nights off or have bad nights. Like some games are better than others, but I feel like our guys are always there to compete, and their heart and minds are in the right place."
Miner Earns His Stripes
Selected 202nd overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, Miner can feel like a long-tenured member of the Avalanche organization because, in many ways, he is. It wasn’t until last season — his fourth as a professional — that he was finally entrusted with an extended opportunity as the starting goaltender for the Colorado Eagles. Miner made the most of it, posting a 22-10-9 record with a .918 save percentage and firmly putting himself on the Avalanche’s radar.
While it may have appeared at times that Bednar was slow to lean on Miner due to his limited number of starts, that situation speaks more to the Avalanche’s depth in goal than a lack of confidence. With a strong, established goaltending group in place, opportunities can be difficult to come by for a lesser-known and less-experienced netminder trying to find his footing at the NHL level.
Miner made the most of his opportunity, but at the end of the night, the only thing that truly mattered for him is that they got the win.
“In all honesty, I’m just glad we were able to get the win,” he said. “For sure, it’s exciting to get my first win, but I think for us to get a win at home is just as exciting.”
Everyone appreciates a humble player, but this is likely a day Miner will never forget.
From the start, Pittsburgh's game against the Boston Bruins on Sunday felt like one of those games where the Penguins just weren't going to generate much of anything.
And that's exactly how everything unfolded.
The Penguins were shut out by Boston, 1-0, courtesy of a 27-save effort by Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo. Viktor Arvidsson scored the game's lone goal in the first period, and the Bs shut the door the rest of the way, putting on a defensive clinic to stymie every offensive opportunity - even if few and far between - that the Penguins generated.
However, it was a tight-checking game all around, and the Penguins put forth quite the effort defensively, too. They blocked 17 shots in comparison to Boston's 18, goaltender Stuart Skinner turned in another strong effort with 17 saves on 18 Boston shots, and they killed all six power plays that the Bruins had throughout the game.
Unfortunately, Pittsburgh just could not put the puck in the back of the net, and Korpisalo shut the door on every high-danger opportunity that the Bruins actually allowed.
Here are some thoughts and takeaways from this game:
- Quite honestly, the Penguins did not play a bad hockey game. Yes, they couldn't generate much offensively - and I'll get to that in a minute - but, for the most part, they did a fantastic job of limiting opportunites for the Bruins.
They simply couldn't score, which hadn't been a problem for them during their six-game win streak. Bounces weren't going their way. Calls weren't going their way. And even if they did generate some good opportunities, there weren't really too many longer periods of sustained pressure because the Bruins didn't give them any space to work with.
This is one of those games where you have to give credit to the opponent. They played about as well a defensive game as you could ask for, and they got the goaltending when they needed it.
- Speaking of not scoring, I'm not exactly sure what the idea behind the Penguins' lineup was Sunday.
Yes, they suffered their first loss in seven games against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, but they could have won that game, too, had a few more bounces gone their way - even if they didn't particularly play very well. It was also their first game without Bryan Rust, who is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and his absence in the lineup is very, very noticeable.
However, some things were still working for them. The second line of Ben Kindel, Evgeni Malkin, and Egor Chinakhov - with Kindel centering - seemed to develop a bit of chemistry and were definitely the best line in that game. The first line of Sidney Crosby, Tommy Novak, and Rickard Rakell had some chances, too, even if the third line was quiet and the fourth line had an off-night.
I understand tinkering a little bit in order to maximize what players provide in certain roles, especially with a top-line forward missing. Heading into this one, I wouldn't have been opposed to bumping Anthony Mantha or Justin Brazeau up to the top line and putting Tommy Novak in the third-line center position, which would have bumped either Kevin Hayes or the newly recalled Rafael Harvey-Pinard to the wing.
They did move Mantha to Crosby's line in place of Novak. What I did not understand was the decision to bump Kindel back down to the third line, have Novak play wing on that line, and place Hayes in the second-line center position instead of, simply, putting Malkin back in that spot.
I didn't love the idea of bumping Kindel back down to begin with, as I thought he played a pretty strong game on Saturday. But, if that was going to happen, there's no reason not to have either Malkin or Novak center the second line - and, probably, Malkin.
This is not a knock on Hayes. He isn't the reason the Penguins have lost the last two hockey games. But he's not a viable substitute as a top-six center given the other options the Penguins have at their disposal, and - at the end of the day - swapping in Hayes for Rust is obviously not going to produce similar results, given the fact that Rust is second on the team in scoring.
Even without Rust in the top-six picture, that second line seemed to be building toward something with Kindel on it. And Novak has performed as a center this season. I think Dan Muse has largely done an excellent job this season, but I believe he may have overthought this one. I don't think he put out a lineup Sunday that was maximized to give the Penguins the highest shot at success, especially in generating offense.
Hayes is fine in a bottom-six role. But, even if he was going to bump up to the second line, Malkin was probably better off centering it.
- After a rocky start to his Penguins' tenure, Skinner has really settled in during his last four appearances.
The 27-year-old netminder has had consecutive save percentages of .964, .917, .966, and .944 in those last four games. He has made big saves when the Penguins have needed him to, and he looks very comfortable in net right now.
Arturs Silovs has been better of late as well, but I do think Skinner has separated himself, even if just a tiny little bit. The biggest knock on him throughout the years has been his consistency, and he is known for going through hot and cold stretches. He has an .899 save percentage in seven appearances with the Penguins, and the first few starts were pretty rough.
I'd continue the rotation for now. Skinner tends to perform a bit better with a lighter workload. And, honestly, this could be a perfect situation for both Skinner and Silovs. We'll see how it continues to play out.
- Parker Wotherspoon blocked a shot with his knee near the end of the second period, and he collapsed to the ice in a ton of pain. He did come back out for the third period, but it initially looked very concerning.
Quite frankly, the Penguins cannot afford to lose Wotherspoon, who has been their best defensive defenseman this season and a revelation beside Erik Karlsson. Hopefully, he's good to go. If there is a short list of players whose injuries would be detrimental to this team, he's on it.
Parker Wotherspoon blocked a shot and was down for a short while talking to head athletic trainer Kevin Elliott. He appears to be staying on the bench for now.
- The power play has looked very uninspiring for several games now, and it went 0-for-2 on Sunday. In fact, it is just three for its last 16 and zero for its last six.
Even when the Penguins have been converting on it, it's usually later on in the man advantage after a few clears. I haven't liked the lack of player movement and puck movement as well as the general tendency to defer shots, which are all typical signs of the Penguins' power play going through a cold spell.
They're still third in the league at 28.6 percent. And, when they have hit small dry pockets, they've found ways to rebound this season. I expect the same in this case, but they need to be quicker with their decision-making and create more chaos to get opposing penalty kills out of structure.
Oh, and the shot-pass? It works to perfection sometimes. But that doesn't mean they should be trying it almost every time they throw a puck in the vicinity of the net. They need to just shoot more.
- Next up for the Penguins will be a tough matchup on Tuesday against the red-hot Tampa Bay Lightning, who have won nine straight games.
The Penguins won by the skin of their teeth when they played Tampa on Dec. 4 - all because of a goal that was called back on what was ruled a hand pass - which immediately preceded their eight-game losing streak. They did not play particularly well in that game, and they have had a bit of trouble with the Bolts recently, as they are 2-3-1 in their last five games against them.
Starting Tuesday, the Penguins play six games in 10 days. Things tend to pile on one way or another when a schedule is that condensed.
They haven't played poorly in the last two losses, even if they came away with no points and didn't have their A-game. That needs to change on Tuesday, as they are now a point out of a wild card spot.
The Buffalo Sabres continued their red-hot pace in a 5-3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, but are beginning to show signs late in games that could lead to defeat. For the third game in a row, the Sabres have entered the third period with a considerable lead, but have allowed the opposition to climb back to within one goal.
Against Vancouver on Tuesday, the Sabres led 4-0 midway through the third period, but the Canucks scored three goals in the waning minutes of regulation and clawed back to within a goal before losing 4-3. In New York on Thursday, Buffalo led 3-1 entering the third, but Vincent Trocheck narrowed the lead to 3-2 and the Rangers had a four-minute power play with a chance to tie, but Mattias Samuelsson’s short-handed goal ended New York’s momentum.
On Saturday, the Sabres once again led 4-0 and once again sat back and allowed Anaheim to narrow the gap to 4-3 before Josh Norris scored into an empty net.
"That's on us. That wasn't good enough. We let our goalie down. That is not up to par for our club. Our club can't accept that," Sabres head coach Lindy Ruff said "We're a better club than that. We played well to that point, and what we did in that last five minutes isn't isn't good enough.....I think it's just a little bit of a mental let down, but not near good enough."
The Sabres face a critical point in their bid to stay in a playoff position before the Olympic break, as their opposition in the next three home games are direct competitors for an Eastern Conference spot. Buffalo plays three games in four nights starting with a matchup against the reigning two-time Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers on Monday, followed by Philadelphia and Montreal back-to-back nights Wednesday and Thursday, before finishing the homestand against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday afternoon.
Raphielle Johnson
