MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 28: Nick Lodolo #40 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on September 28, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds will venture over to Surprise, Arizona for Saturday’s Cactus League action, the Kansas City Royals playing host for the day. The Royals will be starting veteran left-hander Kris Bubic, and perhaps with that in mind manager Terry Francona has rolled out a starting lineup featuring a lone left-handed hitter (TJ Friedl) to start the day.
Hat-tip to Redleg Nation’s Doug Gray for relaying the travel roster for the day, one that features red-hot regulars Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, and Sal Stewart in the heart of the lineup.
Fellow lefty Nick Lodolo will start for Cincinnati on the day, doing so now with a potential Opening Day start in his crosshairs with fellow starter Hunter Greene sidelined indefinitely with elbow stiffness. As things look at the moment, Greene will almost certainly not be ready to go on Day One, leaving the likes of Lodolo, Andrew Abbott, and Brady Singer the most obvious candidates to get the honor.
In Lodolo’s first (and only, so far) start of Cactus League play, he fired a pair of scoreless IP with 4 K, nary a walk, and a pair of scattered hits, though that did come against the lowly Chicago White Sox. On Saturday, he’ll get the chance to show even more against a more potent Royals club even though their star, Bobby Witt, Jr., is away with Team USA playing in the World Baseball Classic.
Old friends Jonathan India, Brandon Drury, and Kevin Newman are in the starting lineup today for the Royals.
First pitch is set for the usual 3:05 PM ET, though there is once again no televised feed. Reds radio will be there for your ears, however, on 1360 WSAI.
The Milwaukee Bucks will try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive as they host the Utah Jazz tonight.
Milwaukee has suffered four straight blowout losses, and I’m confident Utah can at least cover the spread in my Jazz vs. Bucks predictions.
Let’s take a closer look at tonight’s game in my free NBA picks for Saturday, March 7.
Jazz vs Bucks prediction
Jazz vs Bucks best bet: Jazz +10 (-105)
The Utah Jazz may be tanking, but they’ve come out to play in their last three games, covering in all three and beating the Washington Wizards on Thursday. Utah will also be at what passes for full strength right now with Keyonte George back in the lineup.
Meanwhile, theMilwaukee Bucks have lost four straight by 18+ points. Giannis Antetokounmpo is back from his calf injury, but hasn’t gotten Milwaukee any closer to winning in his first two games. I can’t see the Bucks being favored by double-digits over anyone right now, so I’m taking the Jazz to cover.
Jazz vs Bucks same-game parlay
With so many players out for the Jazz and Giannis still working his way back into the lineup for Milwaukee, I like the Under, as scoring options are somewhat limited.
One Jazz player who can put up points is George, who has scored 30+ points in each of his last two games.
Jazz vs Bucks SGP
Jazz +10
Under 234.5
Keyonte George Over 23.5 points
Our "from downtown" SGP: George's Way!
For a longshot pick tonight, I’m going out on a limb and putting a moneyline bet on the Jazz based solely on just how badly Milwaukee has been struggling lately.
I’ll also stick with the Under while looking for George to hit his PRA total, as he’s gone Over tonight’s target in four of his last six games.
Jazz vs Bucks SGP
Jazz moneyline
Under 234.5
Keyonte George Over 32.5 points + rebounds + assists
Jazz vs Bucks odds
Spread: Jazz +11 (-110) | Bucks +11 (-110)
Moneyline: Jazz +415 | Bucks -550
Over/Under: Over 233 (-110) | Under 233 (-110)
Jazz vs Bucks betting trend to know
The Bucks are 0-4 ATS in their last four games overall. Find more NBA betting trends for Jazz vs. Bucks.
How to watch Jazz vs Bucks
Location
Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
Date
Saturday, March 7, 2026
Tip-off
8:00 p.m. ET
TV
KJZZ, FDSN WI
Jazz vs Bucks latest injuries
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TOKYO, JAPAN - MARCH 07: Seiya Suzuki #51 of Team Japan celebrates hitting a two run home run in the first inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool C game between South Korea and Japan at Tokyo Dome on March 7, 2026 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The WBC got wild yesterday and earlier today with eight games. I’ll try to get you as caught up as I can. There were some good performances from Cubs players as well.
Right fielder Yoelkis Guilbert and third baseman Yoán Moncada both homered as Cuba slipped past Panama, 3-1.
Guardians pitcher Logan Allen, whose mother is Panamanian, started for Panama. Guilbert, who plays in the Cuban League and winter ball in Mexico, hit a solo home run off him with two outs in the second inning. In the third, Moncada connected for a home run off of Allen with a man on to make it 3-0 Cuba.
Meanwhile, Panama couldn’t do much off of six Cuban pitchers. They managed to get one run when former Braves infielder Johan Camargo singled home Cardinals minor leaguer Leonardo Bernel. But that was all the offense they could manage.
Catcher Miguel Amaya started for Panama and went 0 for 3 before he was pulled for a pinch-hitter. Christian Bethancourt, who is back with the Cubs these days, was 0 for 1.
Once starter José Quintana left the game, Puerto Rico had no problem putting away Colombia, 5-0.
Quintana was magnificent for Colombia. He allowed only one baserunner over three innings, a leadoff walk in the third. But thanks to a 4-6-3 double play, Quintana faced the minimum over his three innings.
But former Mets and Angels minor leaguer Adrián Almeida came on to pitch the fourth and he retired Puerto Rico in order in that inning. But then he came out for the fifth and got rocked for five runs. After A’s teammates Carlos Cortes and Darell Hernaiz both singled to start the inning, an error by Colombian third baseman Gio Urshela allowed one run to score and opened up the five-run inning. Eddie Rosario and Martin Maldonado had RBI singles, Willi Castro hit an RBI double and Heliot Ramos had a sacrifice fly.
Colombia managed just five singles, three of them by outfielder Harold Ramírez who was 3 for 4.
Team Mexico scored three runs in the eighth inning and four in the top of the ninth to turn a tight contest into an 8-2 blowout.
Javier Assad got the start for Mexico and he shut down the British batters for 3.2 scoreless innings. Assad allowed two hits. He walked one and struck out two.
Mexico struck first in the top of the second with a solo home run by Braves infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. The blast came off of Great Britain starter and Red Sox minor leaguer Jack Anderson.
Mexico then pushed across four more runs in the top of the ninth. Great Britain got a consolation run in the bottom of the inning on a double by Trayce Thompson.
Cubs minor leaguer BJ Murray Jr. was 1 for 3 with a walk for Great Britain.
The US tacked on another run in the third inning when Cal Raleigh walked with the bases loaded.
It looked like the rout was on when the US scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning. Byron Buxton was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for one run, then Brice Turang emptied the bases with this three-run double [VIDEO]
But Michael Wacha let the Brazilians back in the game when he allowed three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Former Astros minor leaguer Victo Masai hit a two-run home run. [VIDEO] which was the key hit of the inning.
But Brazil ran out of pitchers who could throw a strike and Team USA scored seven runs on three singles and five walks in the top of the ninth.
Brazil’s pitching staff clearly struggled to find the plate as they walked 17 (!!) US batters and hit two of them.
Alex Bregman was 0 for 1 with four walks and one hit by pitch. He scored twice and had one RBI.
Pete Crow-Armstrong took over center field after Byron Buxton was hit by a pitch (purely precautionary, we were told) and was 0 for 2 with a bases-loaded walk in the ninth.
Jan Novák, who had two years in rookie ball with the Orioles over a decade ago, got the start against Chinese Taipei and got rocked for two runs in the first and four in the second.
After Fairchild’s home run, the game was pretty much over as Czechia could only manage four hits. A’s minor leaguer Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, Diamondbacks minor leaguer Yu-Min Lin and former Diamondbacks farmhand Kai-Wei Lin combined on the shutout, which ended after seven innings because of the mercy rule.
Korea jumped out to an early lead over the favored hosts, but in the end Japan had too much talent and prevailed 8-6.
Korea jumped all over Samurai Japan starter Yusei Kikuchi, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Jung Ho Lee hit an RBI single, followed by a two-run double by LG Twins first baseman Bo Gyeong Moon [VIDEO].
Shohei Ohtani (who else?) brought Japan level with a solo home run in the third. But Japan wasn’t done. After Softbank outfielder Kensuke Kondoh struck out, Suzuki and Masataka Yoshida went back-to-back to give Japan a 5-3 lead.
But Japan proved to be too much for Korea and scored three more times in the seventh. Suzuki walked with the bases loaded and then Yoshida hit a two-run single.
Korea tried to rally off of Softbank Hawks reliever Yuki Matsumoto in the top of the eighth. Jung Hoo Lee led off the inning with a double and would come around to score on a two-out single by the NC Dino’s Ju Won Kim. Matsumoto then loaded the bases, but Hyeseong Kim struck out with the go-ahead run on first to end th threat.
Venezuela scored four runs in the fifth inning and had little trouble in their first game against the Netherlands.
Ronald Acuña Jr. led off the bottom of the first inning with a double off of Netherlands starter Antwone Kelly, who pitched for the Pirates Double-A affiliate in Altoona last year. Acuña scored two batters later on a single by Luis Arraez.
Nicaragua gave the powerhouse Dominicans an early scare, but eventually won going away thanks to home runs by Junior Caminero, Julio Rodríguez and Oneil Cruz.
Dominican starter Christopher Sánchez struggled, giving up one run in the top of the first inning and two in the second. Blue Jays minor league outfielder Ismael Munguia had one RBI single of Sánchez in the first. Brewers Triple-A shortstop Freddy Zamora had an RBI double in the second and Chase Dawson of the indy ball Schaumburg Boomers had an RBI single. [VIDEO]
However, the Dominicans scored twice in the bottom of the first with an RBI double by Ketel Marte and an RBI groundout by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. So it was 3-2 Nicaragua until the bottom of the third inning, when Rodríguez singled home Juan Soto.
Julio Rodríguez made it 6-3 with a solo home run in the seventh. Then the Dominicans exploded for six runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by this monster 450-foot three-run home run by Oneil Cruz. [VIDEO]
Feb 22, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Leahy (62) pitches against the Houston Astros during the first inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Kyle Leahy will have another opportunity to prove to the St. Louis Cardinals that he has what it takes to be a starter as he’ll be on the mound to do battle with the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium. According to MLB.com, Kodai Senga will make the Spring Training start for the Mets. The Cardinals have Masyn Winn leading off again for some reason while JJ Wetherholt is in the cleanup spot.
FORMER CUBS IN ATHLETICS CAMP: Mark Leiter Jr., Brooks Kriske.
CUBS IN THE WBC: Alex Bregman, 0-for-1 with four walks and a HBP. Pete Crow-Armstrong, 0-for-2, one walk. Miguel Amaya, 0-for-3. Seiya Suzuki, 3-for-7, two home runs, two walks, four RBI, four runs. Daniel Palencia: 1 IP, two strikeouts. Javier Assad, 3 IP, 0.00 ERA, two strikeouts.
Here are today’s particulars.
The Cubs lineup was not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Cubs lineup.
Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs. Other Cubs pitchers scheduled today: Gavin Hollowell, Riley Martin, Jack Neely, Jeff Brigham and Connor Schultz.
Mason Barnett will start for the A’s. Other A’s pitchers scheduled today: Hogan Harris, Justin Sterner and Matt Krook. The A’s are a split squad today.
No TV today. There will be a radio broadcast on The Score.
Please visit our SB Nation A’s site Athletics Nation. If you do go there to interact with A’s fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.
As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 2 p.m. CT and 3:30 p.m. CT.
These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.
SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 12: Cade Povich #37 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches live during practice at Ed Smith Stadium on February 12, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Baltimore Orioles/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the oddities of spring training is when you get a split squad and two different sets of Orioles are playing at once. That’s what’s happening here on Saturday, with one set of Orioles staying in Sarasota to play some Twins, and another set of Orioles traveling to the Braves spring home to play a game there.
Tough luck if you want to watch on TV or streaming. Although this game was initially listed for a MASN broadcast, it isn’t now. I don’t know why they changed their plans. The Sarasota game is Orioles radio only. If you have access to the Braves feed on MLB.tv, you can watch the road guys in action. That game has a Braves radio feed as well.
Home Orioles starting lineup
Heston Kjerstad – RF
Adley Rutschman – C
Pete Alonso – 1B
Taylor Ward – DH
Blaze Alexander – CF
Coby Mayo – 3B
Leody Taveras – RF
Thairo Estrada – 2B
Wehiwa Aloy – SS
Cade Povich is the starting pitcher for the home Orioles today.
It is not worth getting worked up too much about spring training lineups and this is doubly true on a split squad day where the team is required to send a minimum number of MLB players along on its road game. Still, there are a couple of interesting things.
One, Alexander playing center field. It seems like “maybe this fast middle-infielder can handle center field” is one of those perpetual thoughts that is seldom tried. Remember how often we heard it about Jorge Mateo, for instance. He started a total of 14 games in center field for the Orioles. It wasn’t an ongoing thing. We’ll see if Alexander playing there becomes a thing or if it’s just a weird one-off for this split squad day.
Two, Aloy is in the starting lineup. It’s not typical to see a player who isn’t even a non-roster invite make a start – Aloy’s appearances are “borrowed from minor league camp.” Easier to make it work on a split squad day, especially when the expected starting shortstop, Gunnar Henderson, is away with Team USA for the World Baseball Classic, not that Team USA’s manager seems to have the savvy to recognize Henderson as a starting lineup-caliber player there.
Road Orioles starting lineup
Dylan Beavers – CF
Ryan Mountcastle – 1B
Samuel Basallo – C
Bryan Ramos – 3B
Reed Trimble – RF
Weston Wilson – LF
Sam Huff – DH
Willy Vasquez – 2B
José Barrero – SS
Luis De León is the starting pitcher for the road team. It’s too bad there’s not a local broadcast for one of the team’s top pitching prospects in action. On the other hand, there’s not much to see with the rest of this.
Probably it means nothing, but I do have a slight eyebrow raised at Colton Cowser not being in either of these starting lineups. If he doesn’t play tomorrow either, that might be a thing to keep an eye on.
I follow Orioles news very closely and I could not tell you one thing about Willy Vasquez or José Barrero.
I don’t know whether Vance Honeycutt is available for either of these teams to try to continue his perfect and homer-heavy sporadic spring at-bat streak.
Mar 6, 2026; Lakeland, Florida, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter (30) hits during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images
TORONTO - The Los Angeles Kings made a couple of trades on Friday's NHL trade deadline. One of those moves included Kings GM Ken Holland trading right winger Corey Perry to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 2028 second-round pick.
On Saturday, after the morning skate in preparation for Tampa's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Perry explained what his short time in Los Angeles was like.
"I truly enjoyed it," the 40-year-old veteran said. "I can't say enough about the organization, how they treat the players.
"It probably didn't go as expected off the hop, but my time there was tremendous. My family is still living out there," he said.
Perry played 50 games for the Kings this season, after signing a one-year, $2-million contract in the off-season. In his short time with L.A., he scored 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points.
Now, he's back with some familiar faces on the Lightning roster. Perry spent two seasons with the Bolts in 2021-22 and 2022-23, visiting the Stanley Cup final once.
"It was a lot of back and forth, a lot of discussion with family, and eventually we made the decision (to move)," he said.
The former Hart Trophy and Rocket Richard Trophy winner shared that his plane landed around 4 a.m. EST.
Perry said that he wasn't thinking about waiving his clause for very long. It wasn't a decision that was made well in advance, but rather a decision he made minutes after finding out about the Lightning's trade offer.
Corey Perry (Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images)
He's advanced to the Stanley Cup final for the last two seasons, and in five of the last six years. Becoming a member of the Lightning, who sit atop the Atlantic Division, allows him to chase that streak in hopes of a different outcome.
Nonetheless, Perry is happy and excited to be joining a group of old friends and mentioned, "It's kind of like I never left, I guess."
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DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 27: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons celebrates during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 27, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images DETROIT, MI – FEBRUARY 27: Jalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons celebrates during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on February 27, 2026 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The streak continues. The Brooklyn Nets completed their two game mini series against the Miami Heat on Thursday night. The Nets put forth good effort, but it wasn’t nearly enough to get the win as Miami handed Brooklyn their tenth consecutive defeat.
The opponent tonight is sitting on top of the Eastern Conference for the first time in a long time. The Detroit Pistons have been one of the biggest stories of the NBA season as JB Bickerstaff’s club has exceeded every expectation possible. They have a beeline on the number one seed in the East come postseason time and have an outside chance of capturing best overall record. They didn’t help their cause after losing to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night.
Where to follow the game
YES Network on TV. Gotham Sports on streaming. WFAN on radio. Tip after 6 PM.
🤕 Injuries
Egor Dëmin is out. The three two-ways and Drake Powell remain with Long Island. This is the last game for Grant Nelson under his initial 10-day contract. The Nets can renew him for another 10 days.
Ausar Thompson is out. Cade Cunningham is questionable while Jalen Duren is probable.
🏀 The game
Detroit won the first meeting in November and second in February. These teams wrap the season series up next week.
Cade Cunningham is in a bit of a slump. The star guard has shot under 50 percent from the field in each of the past three games. It happens to everyone over the course of 82 games, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Cade can make his life a bit easier by getting back to the free throw line. He’s getting to the free throw line at the highest rate of his career and remains one of the league leaders in drives to the rim. When games slow down and get choppy late, being able to get points any way possible takes on even more importance. Having a guard who can get their own shot and make something happen every time they have the ball is so valuable, and Pistons fans are lucky to have a franchise guard as good as Cunningham.
Although Michael Porter Jr isn’t competing for a championship for the first time in a good while, his habits and effort stand out. He’s got a fan in Jordi Fernandez, and the way MPJ is conducting himself is part of what makes a winning franchise once they return to contention:
“… when I see Mike so engaged, and then when he thinks about rebounding, about cutting, and playing as far as he can defensively, then shots go in. I thought he was aggressive. I was very happy with the game he played. That’s the Michael that the group needs, because he brings so much good energy and the level of play of a very, very, very good player, a top player in the NBA.”
Effort is all you can ask for, and as long as you’ve got that, you’re off to a good start.
The Pistons have a roster of bruisers, which has helped them to the best offensive rebound rate in the Eastern Conference. When your guys can consistently get second and third chance opportunities, you wear the opponent down and get easy opportunities to score. Possessions become even more valuable in a close game, and being able to create a bunch more by outworking your opponent on the boards can demoralize them.
Most concerningly for the Nets, the Pistons have a propensity to force a bunch of turnovers. Detroit is first in opponent’s turnover rate and Brooklyn has the second worst turnover rate this year. One bad stretch can turn a close game into a blowout in a hurry.
👀 Player to watch: Jalen Duren
When you enter title contention, the questions you face are different. It’s no longer a question of if you’re good, but now you have to ask how far your team can go. And that is answered in part by how good your secondary star is. We know Cunningham is going to get his shots and make plenty of noise in the playoffs. For the Pistons, Jalen Duren’s play will determine how far they can go. He made the All-Star game for the first time in his career, and it was an incredibly well deserved honor. What’s different about his game this year is he’s more involved in the offense and is stretching his game out to around 10 feet. He’s evolved to being more than an elite rim running big, and that desire to get better combined with his success makes him someone to keep an eye on.
We mentioned the new questions the Pistons face now that they’re contenders, and Duren’s ability to be a good secondary option is something on our mind. From Austen Flores of Detroit Bad Boys:
“We saw how defenses sold out to stop Cunningham in last year’s playoffs, and he’ll be an even bigger focal point this time around. If Duren can consistently punish that attention — not just as a finisher, but as someone who can initiate offense — it changes Detroit’s ceiling.
The challenge? There aren’t many bigs who can truly function as a No. 2 without any perimeter game. Whether Duren can bend that rule may end up being one of the defining questions of Detroit’s postseason run.“
It’ll be fun to see how he and the team does.
Nic Claxton will have to do his best to keep Duren off the glass. Duren is fourth in the NBA in offensive rebounding this season, and will consistently create trouble on the inside. For Claxton, a game like this will provide a great test and work as a measuring stick of sorts. As Brooklyn works to find its place in the future, knowing that you have a good center that can match up against some of the league’s best will make roster building a lot easier for Brooklyn.
📺 From the Vault
Shouts to an underrated WrestleMania classic
And I turn 36 tomorrow, so let’s vibe out a lil bit
The Chicago Blackhawks announced on Saturday that legendary broadcaster and alumnus Troy Murray has passed away at the age of 63 after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
The Hawks selected Murray with their third-round pick (57th overall) in the 1980 NHL Draft. He went on to become one of the best two-way centers in the league, including a Selke Trophy in the 1985-86 season.
Over the course of his NHL career, Murray scored 230 goals and had 354 assists in 915 games played. As a defensive specialist, his offensive production was not too shabby, hence the 1986 Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward. He received votes for the award in 7 other seasons besides his winning one.
After leaving Chicago as a player, Murray spent time with the Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Colorado Avalanche. With Winnipeg, he served as team captain, and he won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 1996, which turned out to be his final season as a player.
Troy Murray then returned to Chicago to be their color commentator on the radio, where he became a local legend. For being a Calgary native, he was a favorite in Chicago for a variety of reasons that go beyond his playing career. His deep knowledge of the game and incredible insight made him one of the best broadcasters in the world for over two decades.
Murray was also very active as an NHL alumnus, as the President of the Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Association. For a long time, he played a key role in the comfort of former players once their careers ended.
After Murray announced his cancer diagnosis in 2021, he continued to fight hard. He worked in the broadcast booth for as long as his body allowed him, and he remained one of the greats until his time was done. He leaves behind a legacy that will never be forgotten. He is proof that a person can truly be from two places at once.
The Blackhawks community lost an incredible person, an amazing broadcaster, and someone who was incredibly dedicated to the team and its fans. He will be missed.
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Defenseman Alexander Romanov could be ready for the start of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs if the New York Islanders qualify, per general manager Mathieu Darche.
Romanov, who sustained a right-shoulder injury that required surgery on Nov. 18, was expected to be out until mid-playoffs, but he's progressed faster than they expected.
"Romy is doing really, really well," Darche said following the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline. "You see him before practice. There's a chance he could be ready for the playoffs, if not, like, very early in the playoffs. So he's trending really well right now. It was a long shot for the playoffs. He's rehabbing really well. It's still, like, it's borderline for playoffs, but there is a chance."
Per the amended CBA playoff rules, a team's game roster must be salary cap compliant. That means the Islanders need to fit Romanov's $6 million cap hit into their lineup.
Looking at the books, the Islanders currently have $3.521,236 in available cap space, but that's for the entirety of the roster.
If Romanov is back on the playoff roster, likely on the left side of Scott Mayfield in place of Carson Soucy, the Islanders' game roster cap hit would be $85.89 million, almost $10 million below the $95.5 million salary cap.
That's based on this roster:
Palat-Horvat-Barzal
Ritchie-Schenn-Heineman
Lee-Pageau-Holmstrom
MacLean-Cizikas-Gatcomb
Schaefer-Pulock
Pelech-DeAngelo
Romanov-Mayfield
Sorokin
Rittich
The Islanders currently sit tied in points for second place in the Metropolitan Division with 19 games to go.
CHICAGO (AP) — Troy Murray, who played 12 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and transitioned into becoming the team’s long-time broadcasting analyst, has died. He was 63.
The Blackhawks announced on Saturday that Murray died earlier in the day, without specifying where.
Nicknamed “Muzz,” Murray revealed in August 2021 he had been diagnosed with cancer and undergoing chemotherapy treatments. He did not specify the type of cancer he had or provide any other details about his condition. Murray continued working on Blackhawks broadcasts, though at a diminished workload, before stepping away entirely this season.
Blackhawks chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz said the organization was “deeply heartbroken.”
“Troy was the epitome of a Blackhawk so far beyond his incredible playing career, with his presence felt in every corner of our organization over the last 45 years,” Wirtz said.
“During his long and hard battle with cancer, it was often said that Troy didn’t have any ‘give up’ in him,” Wirtz added. “While our front office won’t be the same without him, we will carry that spirit forward every day in his honor. We’ll miss you, Troy.”
Murray was best known as one of the Blackhawks most respected leaders during a 15-year NHL career that ended with him winning a Stanley Cup in his lone season with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.
After spending the following season with the International Hockey League Chicago Wolves, Murray stayed in the city to begin his broadcasting career in 1998. Murray also became president of the Blackhawks alumni association.
“Troy Murray is remembered for not only his contributions on the ice, but for his professionalism and humility and dedication to the city of Chicago,” the team said in a release. “He leaves behind a lasting legacy within the Blackhawks family and the broader hockey world.”
Selected by Chicago in the third round of the 1980 draft, the center broke in with the Blackhawks by playing one game as a 19-year-old during the 1981-82 season.
From Calgary, Alberta, Murray topped 20 goals five times, including a career-best 45 goals and 99 points in 1985-86, while also known for his defensive play. That same season, he became the Blackhawks’ first player to win the NHL’s Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward.
Murray finished with 197 goals and 488 points in 688 games over two stints with the Blackhawks, and also played for Winnipeg, where he served as the Jets captain, Ottawa and Pittsburgh. Overall, he had 230 goals and 584 points in 915 career games.
Murray played collegiately at North Dakota, and earned WCHA rookie of the year honors as a freshman in 1981, and the following year helped the school win its fourth NCAA championship. In 1982, he also was captain of the Canada’s world junior championships gold medal-winning team.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver's quixotic quest to end tanking came to the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference this week, and the only thing we can say for sure after his talk is that there will be changes made to the NBA's lottery system this offseason.
Whether those will be "substantial changes" or "incremental" depends on what part of Silver's talk you choose to listen to. Here are a couple of his quotes from the conference, via Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.
"We are going to make substantial changes for next year. I think where I'm on the fence — on one extreme, you could completely divorce the draft from teams' records. Just argue we could take all 30 teams regardless of the outcome, that would completely disincentivize tanking. You could win the finals, you know, and get the first pick. But then there's gradations of that."
"Not to exactly forecast where we're going, but I think I'm sort — I am an incrementalist. I think we got to be a little bit careful, you know, about how huge a change we make at once. I'm not ruling anything out, but I am paying attention to that. And then there's something significantly more than, I would say, just tinkering with the existing system."
First, nobody sane is suggesting putting all 30 teams in the lottery each year, that's a straw man argument from Silver. The most "radical" suggestions on the table are to return to the 1985 system, where every team not making the playoffs had the same lottery odds, or to eliminate the lottery and have the worst team draft first. Nobody thinks it would be good for the league if this June Oklahoma City or San Antonio got the No. 1 pick.
What Silver mentioned, what is on the table, is going to the WNBA system of using two seasons of a team's record to set the lottery odds. That would help lessen situations like the Pacers this season, a team in the Finals last June, but due to a rash of injuries starting with star Tyrese Haliburton, has the second-worst record in the league this season. Indiana is poised to add a high draft pick to a roster that, once healthy next season, will be a contender in the East. Whether this system is fair to teams that suddenly get worse because of injury or a star player leaving is the question.
One change expected this offseason is to pick protections, according to league sources speaking with NBC Sports. Most likely, teams will only be able to protect picks 1-4 or for the lottery, but eliminated in future trades will be the top-eight protections that have Utah and Washington tanking to retain their picks this year.
Silver spoke with the 30 general managers of teams recently to discuss potential changes, and there was limited agreement about solutions in that group (to put it kindly). Silver needs the owners' approval for any change, and their competing interests on this topic make incremental changes to a flawed system the most likely outcome.
The reality, something Silver admitted during All-Star weekend, is that tanking will never completely go away in the NBA because one high draft pick — landing Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, Cooper Flagg, Victor Wembanyama — dramatically changes the course of a franchise, so the losses are worth the risk. This season, with an exceptionally deep draft (especially at the top), has made this season a perfect storm of tanking.
This summer, Silver and the NBA are going to try to do something about it. What that will be remains the big question.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 07: Christian Vazquez #8 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates with Manuel Margot #13 and Max Kepler #26 after hitting a walk-off home run against the Houston Astros on July 7, 2024 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Houston brings back a member of it’s 2022 World Series Champion team to back up Yainer Diaz.
The Houston Astros finally addressed their backup catcher situation today, bringing back catcher Christian Vazquez on a minor league deal.
Vazquez was a member of the Astros’ 2022 World Championship team, acquired at the deadline to boost catcher production down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Vazquez has always had an excellent defensive reputation, and still grades as an above average defensive catcher. It’s his offense that has fallen since 2022, but that may not be the Astros’ primary decision for making this move.
While Vazquez had always been a decent to solid hitter for the Red Sox, his limited playing time after being acquired by the Astros in a deadline deal that sent Enmanuel Valdez and Wilyer Abreu to Boston had a notable impact on his offensive production.
Vazquez arrived in Houston batting .282 with a .759 OPS. However, he would find himself on the bench more often than not and his production dropped. He would bat .250 with a .585 OPS in 104 AB for the Astros in the second half of 2022.
Vazquez, who has a career .262 AVG and .700 OPS as a member of the Red Sox, would never approach his Boston numbers again. After leaving Houston following the 2022 season, he has played the last 3 seasons in Minnesota, where the bat has been invisible.
2023: .223 AVG .598 OPS
2024: .221 AVG .575 OPS
2025: .189 AVG .545 OPS
Those numbers are actually slightly worse than Martin Maldonado’s numbers with Houston from 2021-2023, when his offense became a major concern as his defense began to slide. Maldonado, to his credit, could hit double digit HRs, twice in that span hitting 15 HR in a single season. Vazquez has 16 HR over the last 3 years combined.
It would seem, however, that Vazquez is being brought back more for his defense, leadership, and ability to help develop young pitchers. Vazquez has a reputation for tremendous preparation work, keen awareness and a very high baseball IQ.
Houston has a lot of young and new pitchers on it’s staff, and Vazquez could be a boon to those players in their development and success.
Vazquez did have some key moments in the Astros 2022 Championship run, including catching the first combined no-hitter (and second ever no-hitter) in World Series history in Game 4 of the 2022 Series.
He also delivered a two-run single in Game 3 of the ALCS leading the Astros to a 5-0 victory over the Yankees.
Vazquez is currently playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, and will join the Astros afterwards.
Vazquez should be considered the favorite to start the season on the main roster as the backup to Yainer Diaz based on his experience alone. Houston has not been shy about it’s reservations regarding Cesar Salazar’s inexperience and ability to perform at the major league level. Despite not yet having joined the team, Vazquez’ leadership and experience will likely be the deciding factors.
On the night before the NHL trade deadline, the Winnipeg Jets made their biggest move yet, sending defensemen Logan Stanley and Luke Schenn to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a pair of draft picks, defenseman Jacob Bryson and prospect forward Isak Rosen.
According to Jets head coach Scott Arniel, both Bryson and Rosen are expected to make their Jets debut Saturday when Winnipeg takes on the Vancouver Canucks.
Bryson, 28, arrives in Winnipeg after serving as a steady depth option on Buffalo’s blue line this season. The London, Ontario native has appeared in 35 games with the Sabres, recording five points and posting a minus-one rating. Originally selected in the fourth round of the NHL Draft, Bryson has developed into a reliable NHL defenseman during his time in Buffalo.
He has played for the Sabres in each of the past six seasons and has only seen limited time in the American Hockey League. One stint came during his first professional season after leaving college, while two others were brief assignments totaling just 15 games. Bryson is expected to fill a role similar to the one Schenn held for much of this season, providing dependable depth on the Jets' blue line.
Rosen, 22, could turn out to be one of the more intriguing pieces of the trade for Winnipeg. Selected 14th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, the Swedish forward has shown flashes of potential but has not yet secured a permanent role in the NHL with Buffalo.
Rosen has played 31 NHL games across three call-ups with the Sabres, recording eight points during those appearances. Most of his development has come in the American Hockey League, where he has steadily improved each year.
This season he has been particularly productive, scoring 25 goals and adding 18 assists for 43 points in 37 games. Now in his fourth professional season, Rosen has developed into a point per game player at the AHL level. While he may still need more time before becoming a full time NHL player, he has the potential to grow into a depth scoring option for Winnipeg in the near future.
The Jets enter Saturday’s matchup riding strong momentum after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 4 to 1 on Thursday. The win improved Winnipeg’s recent record to 5-2-3 over their last ten games. They will look to extend that hot stretch Saturday in a favorable matchup against a Vancouver team currently sitting at the bottom of the standings. With two new players expected to debut, the game could provide the first glimpse at how the Jets’ deadline move might shape the roster moving forward.
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