This was no surprise, Batum had hinted at retirement for a couple of years and said outright before last season that it would likely be his last. In July, the Clippers declined the team option to bring him back next season.
The No. 25 pick of the Houston Rockets back in 2008, he was traded on draft night to the Portland Trail Blazers, where he played the first seven years of his career. He would go on to play for Charlotte, then rebounded his career when he came to the Clippers in 2020. He would play most of his final six seasons with the Clippers, except for 57 games with Philadelphia in 2023-24.
Congrats on retirement, Nico ❤️
A Blazers legend in every sense of the word. Honored to be the first chapter in a great NBA journey pic.twitter.com/FPYF7hR56W
At every one of those stops he was a fan and media favorite, one of the most genuine, easy-to-talk-to guys in the league. On and off the court, he was a pro's pro.
He will be remembered in his native France for an impressive career with the French national team, winning two silver medals in 2020 and 2024 — in 2020, he had a famed game-saving block against Slovenia, which sent France to face the USA for the gold.
During his career of 1,205 regular season NBA games, he averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, and was a career 37.1% shooter from 3. He was the kind of player coaches loved because he was a versatile two-way player, understood his role, played well within it, and had a high basketball IQ — he rarely made mistakes. His scoring peak was averaging 15.1 points per game in Charlotte in 2016-17, and through those first seven years in Portland he averaged 11.2 points per game.
PHOENIX, AZ - SEPTEMBER 20: Spencer Jones #78 of the New York Yankees celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the third inning during the game between the New York Yankees and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Brendon Baranov/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Spencer Jones is finally gaining some momentum at the plate and earning his spot on the postseason roster after making some needed adjustments. Who does he have to thank, you might ask?
Aaron Judge’s hitting coach, perhaps.
Jones, whose height and build are very similar to the Yankees captain, first met with Judge’s hitting coach, Richard Schenk, during the offseason to make adjustments to his stance. Although he may still struggle with frequent strikeouts, Jones is making a lot of positive progress that has helped him earn his place on this team.
The 25-year-old outfielder is hitting a .279 average with a .343 on-base percentage and .475 slugging percentage in September. Among Yankees, his .819 OPS and 130 wRC+ for the month are topped only by Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger, helping boost a Bombers lineup that sagged in August. After dealing with a sore left foot that kept him sidelined on Saturday, Jones returned to the lineup prepared to make some noise and launched a 448-foot homer off Corbin Burnes during the series finale against the Diamondbacks.
With Grisham still recovering from a right hamstring strain, Jones will be a valuable asset in the outfield—be it in center or right—who adds some depth to the lineup as well. It’s also worth noting that Aaron Judge, who joined the IL on Friday with a right calf strain, will likely be sidelined for the beginning of the playoff run. As long as Jones can focus on developing his swing through these critical postseason at-bats, he has the potential to help the Yankees go far.
Beginning tomorrow afternoon, the Yankees will face the Rays in a critical four-game series that will ultimately determine the division and could even serve as a playoff preview. If he can stay consistent with his offensive production, Jones might just be the secret the Pinstripes need to seize the American League.
Los Angeles, CA - September 20: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) delivers a pitch during second inning of an baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (Photo by Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — Emmet Sheehan continued his late-season hot streak with another strong outing on Sunday against the San Francisco Giants, with nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, allowing only a single and a walk.
“I’ve loved the version of Emmet we’ve seen the last three outings,” manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. “He’s been fantastic.”
Sheehan in three starts over the last two weeks since rejoining the Dodgers has allowed only one run in 17 innings, with 24 strikeouts against only three walks. It came after spending most of August in Triple-A.
“I don’t know if I proved anything to myself,” Sheehan said. “It was more just getting a couple of things right, and I’m in a much better spot now.”
“My confidence stayed the same the whole time. I knew the coaches down there were going to help me, and I was going to get right,” Sheehan said. “I took that approach going into it. I wasn’t helping the team here, so I needed that a little bit. I feel like in a good spot.”
“We’ve seen confidence. When you’re essentially fighting for your life, to create an opportunity for yourself, that’s what I see. There’s urgency,” Roberts said. “I like the way he’s trusting his stuff, he’s in a good spot physically, and the performance has been fantastic.”
One tweak Sheehan made was throwing his curveball more. In his last three outings with the Dodgers, he threw the curve 21.9 percent of the time, up from his 12.3 percent over the course of the season.
“It’s something, Connor [McGuiness, assistant pitching coach], Mark [Prior, pitching coach], and I and the coaches down at Triple-A have been working on a lot is expanding the front-to-back game with the fastball and the curveball,” Sheehan said. “Some guys ended up throughout the season sitting more mid-speed, slider, changeup on me. I think having that change of speeds has been really important.
On Sunday against San Francisco, Sheehan induced 15 of his 18 swinging strikes on his fastball and curveball and finished off five of his nine strikeouts with those two pitches.
Sheehan’s first 26 outings this year were starts, but on Sunday he followed an opener, at the very least getting him oriented about his possible relief role in the postseason. After three solid months in the rotation last season, Sheehan pitched in relief in October, with mixed results (8.59 ERA, 13 hits and five walks in 7 1/3 innings). He allowed runs in each of his four appearances, though rebounded with 2 2/3 scoreless innings in extras in the marathon Game 3, when got three outs with two strikeouts in a scoreless outing in the seventh and eighth innings of Game 7.
“The routine of everything can be a little hard to adjust to, so having that experience helps a lot. Getting back into that, I know what I need to do to be ready to go in the game,” Sheehan said. “Execution was off in the first couple, but then I felt better as it went on.”
Sheehan returned Sunday when Tarik Skubal went on the bereavement list, and the plan is for Sheehan to be optioned back to Triple-A, perhaps as early as Tuesday when Roki Sasaki is likely activated from the injured list straight into a high-leverage relief role.
Training Camp for the Detroit Red Wings has officially wrapped up, and they'll be skating in their first preseason game on Monday evening against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena (7:00 p.m. ET).
Detroit held a brief morning skate at BELFOR Training Center inside Little Caesars Arena before making the short trip to Ohio, and based on their line combinations, forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is getting a chance in the top-six.
Brandsegg-Nygård, Detroit's first-round (15th overall) pick from the 2024 NHL Draft, initially made the regular-season roster last fall before eventually being returned to the American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Following the skate on Monday, he explained that while he didn't fully expect to make last year's roster out of the gate, his mindset is different this time around.
"Yeah, of course," he said. "This year, my goal is to make the team. Last year, it was more to, like, just do whatever I can and see what happens. But this year, it's my mindset to try and make the team."
He played in nine regular season games with the Red Wings, registering a single assist before being returned to the Griffins; he would later play five additional games in the NHL near the end of the campaign.
However, Brandsegg-Nygård was a force for the Griffins throughout the regular season, tallying 44 points in 60 games and later reaching eight points in as many Calder Cup Playoff games.
— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) May 20, 2026
In the eyes of Griffins head coach Dan Watson, Brandsegg-Nygård is "ready" to make the jump to the NHL while also saying he was their best playoff performer in the spring.
"He should be ready, in my opinion," Watson said earlier this month during the Prospects Tournament. "He was our best player in the playoffs, and he has the ability to play physical hockey. He's got a great shot.
For Michael, it's going to be consistent on the IQ side of it, the thinking side of it, the pace side of it that he showed when he was sent down until the end of the year. Like I said, he was the best player in the playoffs."
The Norwegian-born forward took it to heart when he was returned to the AHL, and according to Watson, used it as serious motivation.
"He took everything seriously, whether it was the skill sessions, the skating sessions, or practices," Watson continued. "He was dedicated to all of it, and he took it seriously. He wants to play in the NHL, and he was very competitive in practice, driving our compete level up. I can't speak highly enough about him."
When told of what Watson had to say about him, Brandsegg-Nygård indicated it would be a major confidence boost.
"That means a lot," he said. "It's going to boost my confidence and belief in myself that the head coach in G.R. that I had last year believes in me that much."
Meanwhile, Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan is already noticing a major difference in his demeanor this fall compared to last.
"He’s willing to talk and have a conversation," McLellan said. "He knows teammates, knows trainers, knows the system and the structure. He’s one year stronger, physically and mentally. He should be as confident as he’s ever been."
One aspect the Red Wings want to improve this year is their physicality, and they're hoping Brandsegg-Nygård can be part of that solution.
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 16: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Texas Rangers pitches in the first ining against the Boston Red Sox at Globe Life Field on September 16, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Richard Rodriguez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Lefthanded pitcher MacKenzie Gore will start the series opener against the New York Mets on Tuesday, September 21, 2026, the team announced today.
I wrote at length earlier today about the Rangers’ final six regular season games this week, much of which was predicated on the assumption (or hope, perhaps would be the better word) that Nathan Eovaldi would start on Tuesday, as well as, potentially, in Game 162 in Minnesota on Sunday. This apparently will not be happening.
Gore will be making his American League leading 33rd start of the season on Tuesday, the most of any Ranger pitcher since Lance Lynn made 33 starts in 2019. If Gore does in fact start Sunday’s season finale in Minnesota, that would give him 34 starts, the most for any Ranger since C.J. Wilson in 2011.
Gore last pitched on September 16 against the Boston Red Sox, so the Rangers are keeping the current rotation order for now, though a decision will have to be made in regards to who steps in for Cal Quantrill, whose spot in the rotation would have come due, if the current order continues, on Friday, when the Rangers begin their series in Minnesota. If Eovaldi is taking Quantrill’s rotation spot, and the rest of the rotation stays the same, he would pitch Friday in Minnesota, with Jacob deGrom going Saturday and, it would appear, Gore on Sunday. The current order would also have Cody Bradford pitching Wednesday and Kumar Rocker on Thursday in Arlington against the Mets, but no Rangers announcements for those games have been made.
Gore has a disappointing 4.67 ERA in 165.2 innings this year, though he has a 4.07 xERA and a 3.89 FIP. He departed his last start, last Wednesday against Boston, after four innings due to shoulder and back spasms, but reported after the game that he felt it was not something that would be an issue for him going forward.
AKRON, OHIO - MAY 26, 2026: Bo Davidson #5 of the Richmond Flying Squirrels bats during the first inning against the Akron RubberDucks at 7 17 Credit Union Park on May 26, 2026 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Well friends, there it is. The San Francisco Giants entered the weekend with just one of their seven Minor League Baseball affiliates in action. And now that number is zero.
And so begins the final Minor League roundup of the season, as there are no more games until the sun disappears and returns again … no, not tomorrow, but spring.
Here’s what happened on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
News
Just one small piece of news: Outfielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) may have ended the year with an extended stint in AAA, but he still did enough in the 1st half of the season to be named an All-Star in the AA Eastern League. Very well deserved!
AAA Sacramento (79-68)
Friday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Reno Aces 6-4 [box score] Saturday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Reno Aces 7-4 [box score] Sunday: Sacramento River Cats lost to the Reno Aces 4-1 [box score]
It was a great season for the Giants Minor League affiliates, and that certainly includes Sacramento. But the struggles of the Major League roster have certainly had a trickle-down effect, as San Francisco repeatedly pulled talent from the River Cats, who then had to sap talent from elsewhere. And so it’s not really a surprise that both Sacramento and AA Richmond ended the season on serious skids, which included the River Cats losing all 3 games of their final weekend. So it goes. Sometimes the best things end poorly!
Fittingly, there weren’t a lot of performances to highlight. But right fielder/left fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) ended what possibly could be his final Minor League season on a high note, as he did a little bit of everything. The lefty went 6-10 over the weekend, smashed a double, drew 2 walks, was hit by a pitch, stole a base, registered 2 outfield assists, and struck out 3 times.
With that, Davidson ends his debut AAA stint with a glistening .923 OPS and a 138 wRC+ over 52 games (despite a slow start following a midseason promotion). Perhaps most impressively, he struck out just 18.8% of the time in Sacramento.
Now comes a question that could be answered in the next few hours: will Davidson get to make his MLB debut this year? The beat reporters have suggested that, had he not fouled a ball off his foot resulting in a contusion, Davidson would have been called up last week, instead of Scott Bandura. Instead, he stayed in AAA, got healthy, finished the season with a bang … and now there are still 6 games left on the MLB schedule. Perhaps it depends on whether Jung Hoo Lee, who left Sunday’s game after fouling a ball off a tender region, is going to be placed on the IL or not.
Unfortunately, ending the season on a high note could not be said for another player who is in consideration for a late-season MLB debut: LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL). Whitman getting the call to the bigs seems less likely than Davidson, but if the Giants have already made the decision to roster him ahead of the Rule 5 Draft, they could give him a cup of coffee, especially since Logan Webb has been shut down.
Whitman ended the season on an absolute tear, but unfortunately the final data point was a poor one: the 2023 comp-round pick started on Saturday and, while he did make it through 5.1 innings, it was far from a notable performance, as he gave up a whopping 10 hits, which included a home run and 2 doubles.
Hits happen, and, on the bright side, Whitman did a great job throwing strikes, as 67 of his 88 pitches went for strikes, and he issued just 1 walk. But he wasn’t missing bats, as he not only gave up 10 knocks, but registered just 2 strikeouts on the day, and ultimately gave up 5 runs (though just 3 were earned).
It was still a very successful season for Whitman, especially given how mediocre his 2025 campaign was. The Kent State alum, who turned 25 last week, began the year repeating AA, and was arguably the top pitcher in the Eastern League, where he posted a 3.22 ERA and a 2.37 FIP in 10 starts, with 11.6 strikeouts and just 2.3 walks per 9 innings. Things were, understandably, a bit tougher when he made it to the Pacific Coast League, where he finished with a 3.74 ERA and a 4.73 FIP in 22 games (14 starts), but only had 7.4 strikeouts per 9 innings (though he also only had 2.5 walks).
He’ll need to work on those strikeouts, but there’s some fairly promising stuff in there, especially for a AAA newbie: of the 89 PCL pitchers with at least 50 innings this year, Whitman was 11th in ERA, 16th in FIP, and 8th in walks per 9. Now he just needs to learn how to throw pitchers that aren’t so hittable: complementing the low strikeout rate was a very-high .279 batting average against.
Other than Davidson and Whitman and their respective MLB watches, there wasn’t a lot going on over the weekend. A pair of hitters capped feel-good years with home runs, as designated hitter Eddys Leonard and catcher Fernando Gonzalez both hit the ball over the fence (the former a 3-run shot on Saturday; the latter a solo blast on Sunday).
Leonard otherwise had a tough weekend, hitting 2-12 with 4 strikeouts, but it will be a year to remember for the 25-year old righty. 5 years after getting rostered by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a Rule 5 protection (and a few years after using up his Minor League options), Leonard finally got a chance to make his MLB debut in August. He has since been outrighted, but after post an .812 OPS and a 113 wRC+, while playing in both the infield and the outfield, he should have no shortage of Minor League opportunities to choose from next year.
As for Gonzalez, a 24-year old taken in the 20th round of the 2024 draft, he had a very mild-mannered year with Low-A San Jose, where he posted a .661 OPS and a 79 wRC+ in 42 games. But with the Giants having roster crunches throughout the Minors, the Georgia Bulldog was sent to AAA for emergency depth to end the year.
Gonzalez, who didn’t play Friday or Saturday, but went 1-2 with a hit by pitch and a strikeout on Sunday, made the most of his time in AAA, posting a .918 OPS and a 148 wRC+ in 10 games, while doing an impressive job behind the dish for someone with exactly 0 games in High-A or AA. That will earn him some fans in the organization.
Third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL), who had a very impressive year but ended the season in quite a slump, had another tough go of it over the weekend, hitting just 1-12 with a walk, a stolen base, a strikeout, and an error. The righty slugger, who turns 25 this week, had a delayed start to the season after suffering an injury during a (very impressive) Spring Training showing, but still destroyed AA pitchers to the tune of an .879 OPS and a 131 wRC+ in 66 games. After getting promoted to Sacramento, he laid waste to the PCL for a while, before hitting a wall as the season neared an end. Check out his Sacramento splits:
First 32 games:40-128, 5 home runs, 0 triples, 8 doubles, 18 walks, 33 strikeouts Next 22 games: 15-87, 1 home run, 1 triple, 1 double, 11 walks, 26 strikeouts
That slump brought him down to just a .739 OPS and a 98 wRC+ in his debut AAA stint, and the question becomes: did he struggle because he ran out of steam, because he ran out of luck, or because the league made some adjustments and now he needs to make counter-adjustments? Either way, those struggles don’t dim his star, and honestly, if you predicted that Harber leads the Giants in left field starts next year, I wouldn’t call you dumb!
Whitman was the only pure starting pitcher over the weekend. On Friday the River Cats used an opener, as MLB LHP Sam Hentges made his lone rehab appearance before a staggering bit of roster mismanagement (he was activated to the MLB squad for a game that he was not available to pitch in). Hentges struck out 2 batters in a perfect inning before giving way to RHP Darien Smith, who struggled in a bulk innings role, giving up 6 hits, 2 home runs, 2 walks, and 4 runs total in 3 innings, with 2 strikeouts. Smith, who had a 3.93 ERA but a 5.39 FIP across 15 games in AAA, AA, and the Complex League, lost much of the year to injury, but is headed to the desert for the Arizona Fall League.
And on Sunday, LHP Seth Lonsway started but pitched sparingly, tossing 2 perfect innings with 2 strikeouts. Lonsway didn’t have a notable season in the Minors, as the soon-to-turn 28-year old posted just a 5.11 ERA and a 6.24 FIP in 24 AAA games, with only 5.8 strikeouts per 9 innings. But it was still a year to remember, as he made his MLB debut. Unfortunately, Lonsway will almost certainly be a roster casualty this offseason, though the Giants will likely be able to outright him and keep him in Sacramento next year as a depth option.
For the 2nd year in a row, RHP Tyler Vogel got moved up to AAA for the final week of the season. After posting a 3.35 ERA and a 4.63 FIP in AA this year, Vogel made a lone appearance for Sacramento on Saturday and gave up a hit, a walk, and a run in an inning of work, with 1 strikeout.
Nice season-ending outings for RHPs Braxton Roxby, Will Bednar (No. 24 CPL), and R.J. Dabovich, as well as LHP Nick Zwack. All 4 have a whole bunch of talent in their arms, and we’ll see if they can work their way into the bullpen plans next year (though Dabovich is entering Minor League free agency).
Thanks for reading all the Minor League recaps this year, everyone!
Home run tracker
18 — Eddys Leonard — [AAA] 4 — Fernando Gonzalez — [1 in AAA; 2 in Low-A; 1 in ACL]
The 2026-27 NHL season begins on Sept. 29, but the Anaheim Ducks won’t play their first game until Oct. 2, on the road against the defending Western Conference Champion Vegas Golden Knights. They’ll play their home opener two days later against the Florida Panthers.
After perhaps the most eventful offseason in franchise history, the team ends the offseason with more question marks than they started with, despite seemingly putting an end to their elongated rebuild last season by qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and winning their first playoff series since 2017.
Betting odds aren’t necessarily indicative of how likely an event is to occur, but rather how companies feel the public will wager. That said, betting odds are a glimpse into what the public views are, so here are BetMGM’s odds for Ducks’ futures and NHL Awards, and we suggest gambling responsibly:
Stanley Cup: +3500 | Western Conference: +1500 | Pacific Division: +750
Rightfully, the odds of the Ducks hanging another Division, Conference, and/or Stanley Cup banner in the Honda Center rafters are low. Though they won a playoff round a year ago against a Cup-favorite Edmonton Oilers team, the Ducks core pieces are still in their early-to-mid twenties, and they lost several name-brand veterans from both the forward and defensive groups.
The Ducks finished third in a historically poor Pacific Division last season with just 92 points, but still three points behind the first-place Knights. This season feels similar in that there are two teams, on paper, who are the class of the division (Edmonton and Vegas). A lot will have to go right for the Ducks to overtake those powerhouses and fend off the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks to take home a division title.
If the Ducks qualify for the playoffs again, anything is on the table, but when the West has been shrunk to eight teams, five can likely be considered true Cup contenders (Vegas, Edmonton, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Dallas Stars), and it would be rather difficult for the Ducks, regardless of internal growth and how hot Lukas Dostal can become by spring, to defeat multiple contenders en route to a potential Stanley Cup Final appearance or championship.
Hart Trophy | Leo Carlsson: +20000
If there was ever an extreme long shot on which to place a minuscule amount of cash, this one may make some sense. Carlsson brought considerable pressure on himself, as he’ll enter the 2026-27 season as the NHL's highest-paid player after signing an $18 million AAV offer sheet with the Philadelphia Flyers, which the Ducks then matched.
Carlsson, who seems to only be improving, with a ceiling still well beyond sight, produced at an MVP rate to kick off the 2025-26 season, scoring 25 points (10-15=25) in his first 15 games before the production slowed (only slightly); he sustained an injury, attempted to play through it, and was ultimately shut down after undergoing surgery for six and a half weeks.
He finished the year on a pedestrian scoring pace with 12 points (6-6=12) in his final 15 games, but upped those numbers when the games mattered most, scoring 11 points (4-7=11) in 12 playoff games. Carlsson will need to remain healthy for a full 84 regular season games and sustain most of his early-season production from a year ago to insert himself into Hart candidacy. He has the talent and motivation to do so, but now the book is mostly out on him, and he won’t be catching anyone off guard this season.
+20000 odds place him in a tier along with Brady Tkachuk and Lane Hutson. If the Ducks return to the playoffs, it will likely be on the back of Leo Carlsson, and if his production matches his on-ice importance and impact, there’s a real shot he finishes the year in the top ten of Hart voting.
Norris Trophy | Jackson LaCombe: +3500
LaCombe finished the 2025-26 season 16th among defensemen in scoring, with 58 points (10-48=58) in 82 games, a 15-point jump from his breakout 2024-25 campaign. He’s the team’s true No.1, all-situations defenseman who, if the Ducks load up a top power play unit in the upcoming season, will run the point behind Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, and Troy Terry (when he returns from injury).
Opportunity will be there for LaCombe, especially if he continues to improve within Joel Quenneville’s up-tempo system. However, as talented a play-driving force he’s become from the blueline, it’s going to take an astonishing season to threaten the point-per-game realm seemingly necessary to find oneself in if one is to finish the year as a Norris Finalist in 2026-27.
He has the 11th-best odds to win the Norris, just behind Jake Sanderson (+3000) and just ahead of Miro Heiskanen (+5000).
Rocket Richard Trophy | Cutter Gauthier +3500
Gauthier eclipsed the 40-goal mark in just his second NHL season, at the age of 22. Like Carlsson, Gauthier will enter the year with enormous pressure as his role within the Ducks franchise increases along with his now-top-five cap hit in the NHL ($13.5 million AAV).
He finished the year with 41 goals, the 11th-most in the NHL despite averaging just 17:15 TOI/game and 2:48 TOI/game on the power play, fifth-most among Ducks forwards. Both of those numbers will very likely increase this season, as should his 11 power-play goals.
Gauthier finished last season second in the NHL in goals/60 minutes (1.88) and shots/60 (12.95), while leading the league in shot attempts/60 (25.58). He shoots the puck a ton, and yet his 14.5% shooting percentage seems low and a number he can eclipse in his third year, with increased ice time and an increased role.
Despite those factors, he has just the 16th-best odds of winning the Rocket in 2026-27, putting him in a tier with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Guenther.
Vezina Trophy | Lukas Dostal: +3000
Dostal’s numbers in 2025-26 were the worst in his three-year NHL career from a traditional numbers perspective (.888 SV%) and the second-worst from an analytics perspective (-2.9 GSAx).
However, most of modern goaltending is a product of environment when it comes to evaluating goalies in Dostal’s tier, which is, on talent, the tier below the likes of Logan Thompson, Ilya Sorokin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Igor Shesterkin, etc.
The environment in which Dostal played a year ago was, in fact, not one many could have thrived in. He faced an onslaught of high-danger chances on a nightly basis as he and the team in front of him adjusted to a brand-new defensive zone coverage system, and those underlying, advanced, strictly shot-based numbers don’t take into account aspects like pre-shot puck movement, screens, tips, odd-man rushes, etc.
With a blueline that lost a lot of veteran name-brand talent, on the surface it would seem Dostal is in line for another busy year in the Anaheim crease. However, it can be argued that the Ducks’ current blueline is more conducive to Quenneville’s system and that the pieces they lost were significant contributing factors to the team’s poor defensive metrics as a whole.
In a second year playing in the system and with a better understanding of where pucks will be coming from and how plays will develop in front of him, Dostal’s numbers could improve greatly. Could they improve to the point where he’s a recipient of Vezina votes? That’s a taller order and likely outside of the realm of likelihood.
Dostal has the 12th-best odds of winning the Vezina, placing him ahead of Sergei Bobrovsky (+3500) and behind Jakub Dobes (+2800).
Calder Trophy | Roger McQueen: +5000
McQueen is one of two potential rookies in the Ducks organization with an opportunity in training camp to earn a sizable role on the depth chart heading into the season. The other is Nikita Klepov, who, as of now, is ineligible for wagers from BetMGM.
With Troy Terry out and the departures of Mason McTavish and Chris Kreider from the top six, the Ducks are in need of secondary production aside from Carlsson, Gauthier, and Sennecke. McQueen has an NHL frame and habits, but hasn’t played much hockey since before he was drafted last year (10th overall in 2025). He produced 27 points (11-16=27) in 36 NCAA games last season at Providence College, which was good enough for third on his team in a defensive system, but his offensive game could potentially use exploratory reps before making the jump into a full-time NHL role.
Based on early returns from training camp, Klepov is the more likely Ducks rookie to receive a significant NHL role this season and Calder votes, but again, he is ineligible for wagers at this time.McQueen, a higher-profile prospect than Klepov, has the 12th-best odds to win the Calder Trophy, just ahead of Victor Eklund (+5500) and just behind Jacob Fowler (+4000).
Jack Adams Award | Joel Quenneville: +3500
In his first year behind the Ducks’ bench, the second-winningest coach in NHL history led Anaheim to their first playoff appearance since 2018 and their first series win since 2017. That season was only good enough to receive two third-place votes, so for him to win this award for the second time in his career seems far-fetched at this point in time.
However, the narrative surrounding the Ducks remains that they are due for a step back in the upcoming season from their success last year, so though the path to this award likely requires a near-President’s Trophy season from Anaheim, a top-five finish in league standings will be buoyed by a favorable narrative for Quenneville.
Quenneville has the 22nd-best odds of winning the Jack Adams, tied with Marco Sturm, just ahead of Andrew Brunette(+4000), Jim Montgomery, and Scott Arneil, and just behind Travis Green (+3000), Todd McLellan, Rod Brind’Amour, and Jeff Blashill.
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 19: Jaden Bradley #8 of the Toronto Raptors drives to the basket during the game against the Denver Nuggets on July 19, 2026 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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 Candice Ward/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Toronto Raptors are signing their 2026 second-round rookie Jaden Bradley to a multi-year contract, according to the team on Monday.
Bradley averaged 6.4 points and 3.2 assists in 20 minutes during Summer League. The highlight of his first stint as a professional came during a 15-point performance in a thrilling 94-93 win over the Indiana Pacers.
The six-foot-three guard is the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year. Teammate Jamal Shead won the same award in 2023-24. Bradley also earned Big 12 First-Team and All-Defensive Team honours.
During his senior year with the Arizona Wildcats, Bradley scored a season-high 27 points in a 93-87 win against the Florida Gators. That game also featured Canadian Xaivian Lee, who started for the Gators.
Bradley is likely to make appearances with the Raptors 905 while attempting to earn minutes behind Shead during the early stages of his rookie season.
John Gibson, a Los Angeles-based lawyer, has been named the franchise’s interim governor and CEO.
The decision came after Ballmer was suspended for one year after the NBA’s investigation into the franchise’s salary cap circumvention allegations for former star forward Kawhi Leonard found that the league initiated “off-court income opportunities” for Leonard with four different companies that also did business with the team.
LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has been suspended for a year after the franchise’s salary cap circumvention for Kawhi Leonard. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Gibson is a longtime Clippers season-ticket holder and was a “nationally recognized trial lawyer and litigation partner”, the Clippers stated, at DLA Piper in Los Angeles.
He’s a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Michigan Law School.
While an individual needs to have an ownership stake of at least 15% to be an NBA franchise’s governor, an interim governor doesn’t need to hold an ownership interest in the franchise, a league source told the California Post, but they must be a director, officer or authorized employee of the team.
Ballmer (99%) and Dennis Wong (1%) are the Clippers’ only known owners.
As interim CEO and Governor, Gibson will oversee the Clippers’ basketball and business operations and represent the organization on NBA governance matters.
“I am honored to take on this responsibility and grateful for the opportunity to serve an organization I have supported for many years,” Gibson said in the statement via the Clippers. “The Clippers have talented players, coaches, and staff, an extraordinary home in Intuit Dome, and passionate Clipper Nation fans who, like me, care deeply about this team. My focus will be on supporting our people, providing steady leadership, and helping the organization continue moving forward.”
The Clippers traded Kawhi Leonard back to the Raptors last week. Getty Images
Gibson’s appointment came nearly three weeks after the NBA handed down its harshest punishments after a year-long investigation by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.
Leonard was forced to pay the NBA $700,000 for restitution for improper benefits provided by the Clippers, while his uncle and former business manager, Dennis Robertson, has been banned by the NBA from all business dealings for five years.
Steve Ballmer made it clear he and the Clippers were accepting the NBA’s sanctions. AP Photo/Ryan Sun
The first St. Louis Blues player injured during training camp this year is defenseman Tyler Tucker, who tweaked his knee in practice, according to coach Jim Montgomery.
Montgomery said Tucker's knee ailment isn't day-to-day, and he'll be re-evaluated in the coming days. He couldn't provide a timeline right now.
The 26-year-old defender is competing for a top-six spot in the Blues' opening-night lineup, and before his injury he was on the outside looking in, as Theo Lindstein was skating with Colton Parayko instead of Tucker.
With the injury news and update, it appears Tucker might not even be healthy for the first game of the season against the Dallas Stars on Oct. 2.
Tucker is four years into his NHL career, but hasn't really been able to lock down a full-time role. He's seen most of his Blues tenure as either a seventh defenseman or as call-up. In 2025-26, due to injuries Tucker played in 69 games, recording four goals and 17 points.
At 5-on-5, Tucker posted a goals-for percentage of 45.74 percent but an expected goals-for percentage of 51.34 percent. In the first pre-season game, Tucker recorded 18:52 of ice time, throwing one shot on goal and two hits.
Originally a 2018 seventh-round pick of the Blues, Tucker is a 6-foot-1, 209-pound left-handed defenseman who plays a safe game while maintaining a physical level.
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The Buffalo Sabres are hoping to build on their success last season, and reach the postseason for the second straight year. That will require some of their young talent to fill the void left by the departure of Alex Tuch and Bowen Byram, and their core group continuing to play at a high level.
Team captain Rasmus Dahlin persevered through personal adversity to score a career-high 74 points and led Buffalo to their first playoff appearance in 15 years, earning nominations for the Bill Masterton and Norris Trophies.
Earlier this month, in their annual rankings of NHL players, The Athletic slotted Dahlin in the top tier, tied with Florida’s Aleksander Barkov, San Jose’s Macklin Celebrini, Boston’s David Pastrnak, and 2026 Norris Trophy winner Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
In NHL Network’s rankings of the Top 50 players, Dahlin was ranked 17th, while Werenski was ranked just outside of the top 10 at 11. Multiple Cup winners Sidney Crosby and Andrei Vasilevskiy were #12 and #13, Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov was at #14, Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews was #15, former Leaf Mitch Marner is at #16, followed by Dahlin; Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck is #18, followed by fellow Finnish members of the Dallas Stars, Mikko Rantanen (#19) and Miro Heiskanen (#20).
It may be possible that Dahlin is the only Sabre in the Top 50, although Sabres leading scorer Tage Thompson, who has scored 40 or more goals three times in the last four years, has not been listed as of yet.
PITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 27: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates a goal by Pittsburgh Penguins center Connor Dewar (19) (not pictured) during the second period in Game Five of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 27, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Sidney Crosby has been listed as the 12th best player in the National Hockey League, according to the NHL Network’s “Top 50 Players Right Now” series.
Ahead of the upcoming 2026-27 NHL season, the NHL Network is releasing its annual ranking of the top players in the league, and once again, Crosby is near the top of the list.
Crosby, who turned 39 last month, and is entering the final year of his contract with the Penguins, was listed no. 7 in last year’s rankings and no. 11 in last year’s rankings.
“We’ve loved watching him play for 21 years,” said former NHL goaltender and current NHL Network analyst Cory Schneider. “It’s incredible the way he’s shown up since he stepped foot in this league and has been one of the best players in the league. This is unheard of.”
Last season, Crosby secured his 21st straight year with a point per game average or higher, an NHL record.
The Penguins will take the ice tonight for the team’s first game of the preseason when they host the Buffalo Sabres. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 20: Chief Baseball Officer for the Boston Red Sox Craig Breslow celebrates clinching an AL Wild Card spot following a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on September 20, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s not remotely the right time to start talking about offseason movement, but there is movement afoot. Two of Craig Breslow’s assistant GMs, Mike Groopman and Taylor Smith, have already conducted preliminary interviews for the big chair in Sacramento after the A’s fired Dave Forst back in August. (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
Here in Boston, though, we’re unlikely to see a search for a new boss in a while. Craig Breslow earned himself quite a bit of rope this season, thanks to a decisive move that paid off big time in firing Alex Cora. “I believed in the players that we had, and I felt it was really important that we acted definitively and decisively when we did, so that we could create an environment around the players that was supportive, that would allow them to thrive, and they responded,” he said. “And, while there may have been some people that questioned what this group was capable of, I think they answered.” (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
And here’ s a look at some of the key moments of the season that got this team where it is today. Remember the ninth inning comeback against the Mets that came after that long-delayed flight? How about Caleb Durbin’s home run off Cam Schlittler? (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
But, strangely enough, when it came time to clinch the playoffs, it wasn’t a Red Sox player who did the dirty work, though it was a Red Sox legacy player. “And the man with the game-winning three-run homer that would, in the end, send both the Braves and the Red Sox to the postseason? Well, baseball is quite sentimental, and it also has a sense of humor, so, obviously, it was Mike Yastrzemski.“ (Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru, MLB.com)
But the fact that the Sox clinched on a loss didn’t dampen the celebration. “There was a lot of beer!” said Payton Tolle. “It was a slobberknocker.” (Rob Bradford, WEEI)
But before the slobberknocker could get slobbin’, Chad Tracy addressed his team to sum up the season that was. “I want to express gratitude for everyone in the room,” he said. “I’m so grateful for you guys, for our staff, for everybody. You stared impossible in the face. The position we were in, you beat it back and said, ‘The hell with that, we’re going to the playoffs.’ And you did.” (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
So the Sox are in the dance. But for how long? That’s anyone’s guess, but Red Sox fans are apparently more optimistic than the fans of any other American league team. (Stephen J. Nesbitt, The Athletic)
MARYLAND
HEIGHTS, Mo. -- As
the St. Louis Blues prepare for their second preseason game on Monday
against the Dallas Stars (7 p.m.; stlblues.com, blues app), a rematch
of Saturday’s 2-1 Stars win in St. Louis, coach Jim Montgomery
right now really has no qualms regarding his team.
“I
feel
good about the progression of camp so far, so it’s going good,”
he
said.
“Guys are starting to get the D-zone coverage, I find we’re
killing more plays, we’re trying to be more aggressive. That’s a
theme of being a more aggressive, assertive team. So in a lot of
areas, we’re doing (things). Even as simple as our 2-on-1s, we’re
being more aggressive attacking the net offensively.
“So
my curiosity in my mind goes to how our power play’s going to be
because No. 1 unit’s going to be going, so hopefully, refs call at
least four penalties against Dallas and then the overall progression
of our team and then the guys fighting for spots, how they’re
competing, how they’re executing, how they’re bringing energy and
momentum on the bench and on the ice, understanding momentum and
changing it. That’s going to be the biggest evaluations.”
The
Blues are taking a more established lineup with them to face a Stars
lineup that will also feature more NHL players tonight. And that
lineup will feature a No. 1 power play unit with Robert Thomas, Mason
McTavish, Dylan Holloway, Jimmy Snuggerud and Philip Broberg.
Montgomery
was asked if it would make sense to implement these things into
preseason play regarding getting the ample amount of work for
specific units.
“You
know what I’d like, I’d like to have the four exhibition games
and then we have what the NFL does where they just have a practice
scrimmage and you put them in those situations,” he
said.
“You don’t want them really scrimmaging in a fifth exhibition
game, but if we could have a fifth, say Chicago, and they’re going
to get 10 minutes of power play, we’re going to get 10 minutes of
power play and then we can each do four minutes of pulled goalie
situations, we start to see that because the refs have got to get
used to calling games. They’ve got to call a penalty and what’s
not a penalty. So it’s exhibition
season for them too.
“If
the teams want to agree to it, because it’s a non-schedule. We’d
do it in the middle of the afternoon. We don’t need fans at it.
Now, they’re going to want to sell tickets, so maybe that
changes things and we’ll
have to wait until the next CBA, I guess.”
-
- -
Dylan
Peterson, a third-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, will get another
look in the game tonight playing with Oskar Sundqvist and Nathan
Walker on the fourth line.
Peterson,
who has played with Springfield of the American Hockey League the
past two seasons after spending four seasons with Boston University,
is 24 years old and feels it’s coming to the point where he needs
to make a mark on whether he can be an NHL player or not.
“Playing
in the minors the past two years, I've built a solid all-around,
two-way game,” Peterson
said.
“I fought, PK'ed. Just adding those tools to my tool belt, I
think's come full circle now.
“I'm
at the point where I want to make this team, I want to play for this
city and this organization. I've been itching for a long time.”
Peterson
had a solid game on Saturday.
“He
fits in,” Montgomery
said.
“It’s up to him to go grab a job. He was very impressive last
game. He’s got to continue to make his mark. Like, what are you?
Play to your identity. We would like to see him chip more pucks and
go get it on the forecheck like a ‘Torpo’ does. We love the
fight, love the way he creates. He showed some real high-end skill.
Obviously speed and puck protection was really good, but again, it’s
understanding
you’re a fourth-line guy, you’re here to forecheck and grind and
get net-front goals. You’re going to score goals because of his
speed, which would be nice on the fourth line, right, as an addition.
He’s so young in his career. It’s only his third year pro coming
(up). Some guys take three or four years. I’m not saying he’s
going to the minors, but that’s an area of being committed knowing
who you are forechecking, is an ascension to his game that needs to
happen.”
Peterson
had 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in 57 regular-season games with
the Thunderbirds last season.
-
- -
Otto
Stenberg, one of three first-round picks in 2023, will also get
another look tonight playing alongside McTavish and Jonatan
Berggren.
Stenberg
is someone Montgomery said plays like a “Swiss army knife that
he can fill in anywhere. He is a very good, complementary winger.
He’s got to assert himself. He’s got to start showing up
somewhere to be noticeable.”
The
Blues know what they’re getting away from the puck, but Stenberg’s
got to start showing some signs of offense in his game.
“It
looks like he’s really improved on his shot, but just attacking
inside the dots, being at the net front at the right time,”
Montgomery
said.
“On second and third effort causing turnovers. Most of his goals
have come from really smart turnovers he’s (created).”
Stenberg
has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 32 NHL games and knows
there’s more to his game than just being that Swiss Army knife.
“I’ve
always been an offensive player when I was younger,” Stenberg said.
“When I came up to SHL (Swedish Hockey League) in Sweden, I had to
learn to play without the puck and play on the fourth line. I’ve
felt the last couple years, I’ve been a better all-around player,
can play every situation I think. Of course I want to be more
comfortable and play more and more with the puck. Bring back my old
offensive game, and I think it comes back when you play more and more
games and get used to it more, try some stuff when I was younger.
Still I want to be good defensively and I want the coaches and my
players to trust me on the ice.”
-
- -
Blues
Projected Lineup:
Dylan
Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud
Otto
Stenberg-Mason
McTavish-Jonatan
Berggren
Dillon
Dube-Zach
Dean-Aleksanteri Kaskimaki
Nathan
Walker-Oskar Sundqvist-Dylan Peterson
Philip
Broberg-Logan Mailloux
Colin
Ralph-Arseny Koromyslov
Quinton
Burns-Adam Jiricek
Joel
Hofer will start in goal and is expected to play the first two periods; Georgii
Romanov will be the backup and is expected to play the third period.
-
- -
Stars
Projected Lineup:
Justin
Hryckowian-Wyatt Johnston-Mikko Rantanen
Jason
Robertson-Roope Hintz-Matthew Seminoff
Cameron
Hughes-Arte Shlaine-Dylan Hryckowian
Ayrton
Martino-Ellis Rickwood-Emil Hemming
Thomas
Harley-Nils Lundkvist
Trey
Taylor-Kyle Burroughs
Jack
Anderson-Aram Minnetian
Casey
DeSmith is projected to start in goal; Arno Tiefensee would be the
backup.
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Mike Babcock was pretty clear when he said he needed to see the Edmonton Oilers on the ice before he knew what he had, and Saturday's 5-2 preseason win over the Winnipeg Jets gave him his first game with the group.
There was a few things he liked. Alex Formenton scored in his first game, Ryan Shea had three points beside Evan Bouchard, Colton Dach played centre between Formenton and Mathieu Joseph, and Babcock said he was happy with what he got from that line.
“Pretty good, eh?” Babcock said of Formenton. “I mean, what a difference maker he's going to be for us. An elite penalty killer, puts pressure on the other team. I thought him, (Mathieu Joseph and Colton Dach) were unreal. That was my favourite line tonight by far.”
Formenton scored on a breakaway, had another breakaway stopped and drew a penalty on another rush. Babcock also mentioned his penalty-killing, which was expewcted from the begining.
Dach's night at the centre was a bit unexpected, and even Babcock admitted he wasn't sure how putting him in the middle would go.
“I was hoping for Dachker big time today,” Babcock said. “We need him to be a player, and for him to play the way he did in his first exhibition game this year, playing in the middle… I didn't know if I had put him in a bad spot, to be honest with you. But I was so happy with that line.”
Shea played 22:31 beside Bouchard where he had one goal and two assists. Overall, it would have seemed the Oilers' first preseason game was a success, almost.
Babcock wasn't as happy with the line of Isaac Howard, Josh Samanski and Max Jones. Howard didn't have the night Babcock wanted from him after a good start to camp, albeit, Babcock stressed that it was just one game, and nothing to get to hung up on.
His evaluation also includes Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Babcock was asked after the game whether the preseason opener was mainly about the players still trying to secure a spot on Edmonton's roster Babcock jumped straight to his best players.
“One hundred percent the opposite,” Babcock said. “Those guys have got to do things right, and if they do things right, everyone else will do things right.”
Babcock wants McDavid and Draisaitl playing with detail without the puck, and he wants that to be part of their game throughout the season. He also wants enough depth in the lineup to manage the fact that those two will now be playing together.
“They're the most important people to do things without the puck that we need,” Babcock said. “Now, they're going to play their game. But they have to play with detail without the puck. Then the second part is to find depth. We need depth in the organization, so we don't have to play those guys too much.
“So that's my job: find it.”
Draisaitl turned the puck over in the offensive zone on the opening shift and Winnipeg went back the other way for a scoring chance. As soon as the whistle blew, Babcock pulled them off the ice, and the line returned for the third shift.
Babcock has been consistent about what he wants from the group since camp started, emphasizing things like taking care of the puck and playing with detail, which are the things he mentioned before Saturday's game.
“I want us to take care of the puck. I want us to play with detail. I want us to work,” Babcock said. “Is that a reasonable expectation for your first exhibition game? I don't know, but that's what we're gonna try to do.”
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