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LeBron James is still dealing with criticism 23 years into his NBA career

It was painful to watch. 

LeBron James was in this position? 

The guy who resuscitated the Los Angeles Lakers after a six-year playoff drought had to field questions about his relationship with Jeanie Buss?

The guy who won the team their first championship in 10 years had to address reported criticism from its governor?

LeBron James was peppered with questions about his relationship with Buss and his commitment to the team.  Spectrum Sportsnet

The guy who devoted eight years of his career to the Lakers (his longest continuous stint anywhere) and is in a two-horse race with Michael Jordan for the greatest player of all-time, had to be in the hot seat?

As James stood by his locker following a 23-point, six-rebound and five-assist performance in the Lakers’ 112-104 loss to the LA Clippers on Thursday, he was peppered with questions about his relationship with Buss and his commitment to the team. 

“Quite frankly, I don’t really get involved in that, or the reports, or whatever the case may be,” James said. “I’ve seen a lot of it, obviously, but I don’t really – I don’t really care about the reports, to be honest. You guys know me. You guys know since I’ve been here, my eighth year here, been in this league 23 years. It’s gonna be another article tomorrow, especially involving me. 

The inquisition came after a wide-ranging ESPN story was published Wednesday which included claims that Buss has a myriad of frustrations with the superstar, including his “outsized ego,” his influence over the team, his lack of accountability over the Russell Westbrook disaster and his lack of gratitude over the team drafting his son. 

As for James’ relationship with Buss?

Buss was not quoted in the story. And she issued a statement to The Athletic on Wednesday taking issue with the assertions in the article. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

“I thought it was good,” he said. “But somebody could see it another way, so it’s always two sides of the coin. At the end of the day, how I represented this franchise, and what I wanted to do to represent this franchise from when I got here to now has been with the utmost respect, and honor and dignity and I would say loyalty. I mean, s—, I have played here longer than pretty much any other franchise I’ve played for besides Cleveland and that was a seven and a four.” 

As for whether he wants to finish this season with the Lakers? 

“I’m good,” said James, who has a no-trade clause in his contract. “I’m good. I’m good.”

But how could he be good? 

LeBron dismissed the latest media storm as yet another deluge he has to weather. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Imagine pouring your heart out for an organization after joining it in free agency in 2018, winning them a championship in your second season with the team, becoming both the league’s all-time leading scorer and the league’s longest-tenured player while wearing a purple and gold jersey…. and then hearing that the team’s governor was frustrated with you. 

That she “privately mused” about trading you in 2022. That she begrudgingly signed you to a two-year, $104 million contract extension in 2024.

Buss was not quoted in the story. And she issued a statement to The Athletic on Wednesday taking issue with the assertions in the article. “It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama. To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.”

James, of course, is no stranger to criticism.

He has been at the center of it since entering the league as an 18-year-old. He dismissed the latest media storm as yet another deluge he has to weather. He claims he’s unperturbed by the inclement weather. 

“It really don’t bother me,” James said. “I’m 41 years old and I watch golf every day. I don’t care about an article. I don’t care how somebody feels about me. If you know me personally, then you know what I’m about. These guys know what I’m about and that’s all that matters. I could care less how somebody feels about me.”

LeBron said he came to the Lakers with one goal: Restoring them to excellence.  AP

James went on to say he came to the Lakers with one goal: Restoring them to excellence. 

“The things that I’ve seen growing up with the Lakers, obviously I didn’t get an opportunity to watch The Showtime [teams], but I know this history. And then in the early 2000s with Shaq and Kobe, and then what Kob did, and those couple runs with him and Pau. My whole mindset was how can I get that feeling back to the Lakers organization.”

James more than delivered.

He won the Lakers their 17th championship. He took a franchise that was languishing in basketball purgatory following Bryant’s torn Achilles’ tendon in 2013 and made them a success again. 

And now he has to deal with this? In his 23rd season? When he’s contemplating retirement? 

It’s a shame. The only thing more spectacular than James’ accomplishments on the court are his standards off of it. He avoids drama. He represents organizations with class. 

And he gets repaid by this shadow over the final one-third of his career?

So what if James has an ego? You think one of the greatest players of all-time wouldn’t?

James shrugged off the drama, as he has done so many times in his career. He claimed none of it mattered to him.  NBAE via Getty Images

So what if he had a lot of influence over the Lakers? Ultimately, Buss had the final say. 

So what if James didn’t take accountability over the Westbrook trade? He’s not the general manager. 

So what if James wasn’t overly gushing about the Lakers drafting his son, Bronny, with the 55th overall pick in 2024? Buss knows better than anyone about a father’s devotion to his children. 

Even if Buss has legitimate reasons to be frustrated with James, the bottom line is he breathed new life into an organization that considers anything short of winning a championship a failure. 

He has spent hours a day making sure he’s available night after night. He has given this organization his all. Really, what more could anyone want from their superstar?

James shrugged off the drama, as he has done so many times in his career. He claimed none of it mattered to him. 

But this time, his tone and body language told another story. 

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Rangers v Dundee: Pick of the stats

  • Thelo Aasgaard has scored in three of his past four starts in the Scottish Premiership (three goals), including both of his latest two at Ibrox, with three of his four league goals for Rangers this season coming at home (75%).
  • Just 27% of Dundee's points in the Scottish Premiership this season have come away from home (six out of 22), the lowest ratio of any side, although they did pick up their first away league win of the season most recently at Dundee United (1-0).
  • Rangers have won their past five league matches, last winning more on the spin in February 2024 under Philippe Clement (nine).
  • Dundee are winless in 20 away games at Rangers in all competitions, although their 1-1 draw most recently (August 2025) ended a 19-game losing streak.
  • Rangers are unbeaten in 19 meetings with Dundee in all competitions (W15 D4) since a 2-1 defeat in November 2017.
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Nets vs Celtics Preview: Recovery time?

Let’s try something new. We’re just going to pretend that the last game didn’t exist. We never played the Knicks two nights ago. We are on a clean slate right now. Everything is okay, guys!

Tonight, Brooklyn will be taking on Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics as the Nets will look to get back in the winning column after losing three straight (I mean two straight, wink wink.) Brown’s career year has propelled Boston to be the second best team in the Eastern Conference, even though they haven’t had Jayson Tatum all season. If the Nets ever needed a victory that to change the energy for the entire team, it would be this one.

Where To Watch

Check out the action at 7:30 p.m. ET on the YES Network and NBA League Pass, as well as streaming on the Gotham Sports App.

Injury Report

The G-League guys — Ben Saraf, Tyson Etienne, E.J. Liddell, and Chaney Johnson — will all be on Long Island duties. Haywood Highsmith is out as well. Highsmith, still recovering from his off-season knee surgery, was expected to be trade piece at the deadline, but with less than two weeks left, that seems uncertain.

For the C’s, Jayson Tatum continues to be on the bench due to his achilles surgery, but it looks like he ciykd possibly return soon, which would be huge of the Beantown title hopes…

Derrick White will rest this one out, which is a blessing for him. Out of the 43 games the Celtics have played, he has only missed one while leading the team in minutes. Josh Minott (left ankle sprain) will sit as well.

The Game

This is the third game between the Atlantic Division rivals. Back in November, the teams split two games. The Celtics won the first contest on November 18 at TD Garden, then it was the Nets turn three days later at Barclays.

During the approach of the start of the season, it had seemed that the Celtics had finally ended their reign of terror in the East. Aside from Tatum, giving up their championship pieces in Jrue Holliday and Kristaps Porzingis was seen as a sign that their dominance had come to an end, calming many between Toronto and Miami. Fast forward to this week and you wonder how anyone could have thought that. After all, they are the Celtics. But it’s not just the greenies history. Jaylen Brown, the highest paid player in the NBA (ever) has made the transition to legitimate superstar.

Through the season, Brown is averaging 29.8 points on 48.8 % from the field. In the last three games, Brown is averaging 34.3 and nine. Not to mention his leadership. After long being looked at as a second option, Brown is proving that he has the skillset and mindset to lead a team of his own. Other members of the Celtics have been making big leaps as well. Derrick White is still one of the best two-way players in the game, Payton Pritchard has emerged as a starting point guard, and Luka Garza, the former Iowa superstar, is contributing well as a stretch five. He’s currently shooting 47.1 % from the 3-point line. If he had enough shot attempts, he’d qualify as the NBA’s second best from beyond the arc. Who knew? Apparently Brad Stevens did.

If the Nets have a chance in this one, it all starts with MPJ and his shooting struggles as of late. Even though he did say to the media that he has been dealing with an MCL sprain, it matters how he can continue to play through it, since he is choosing too. And even though he is only a rookie, Egor has to be better as well. We were riding high when things were going good for him. Now it is time for him to value consistency in his play.

Player To Watch: Payton Pritchard

Pritchard is making the most of his first year as the starting point guard for the Celtics. He is averaging a career high 16.5 points along with 5.4 assists, also tops in his career. Even though he is shooting a career worst 33.7% from downtown, you still have to get up on him as soon as he crosses half court. Where he is most efficient, though, is on isolation situations, where Egor Demin and/or Cam Thomas will have to pay attention to him….

As Hardwood Houdini’s Tyler Watts wrote recently, it’s not just his individual numbers that are stellar.

The advanced metrics are strong for the 27-year-old guard. He has already produced a 0.8 value over replacement player (VORP) and sits well above league average in win shares per 48 minutes. The Celtics have won Pritchard’s 1,051 minutes by 121 points and have the fourth-best offensive rating in the NBA.

Not bad for a 6’1” combo guard who was taken at No. 26 in the 2020 Draft.

From the Vault

If you’re looking for a start date to the Nets current rebuild, February 14, 2024 is as good a date as any. The Nets lost by 50 (sound familiar) to the Celtics, a game which Lucas Kaplan wrote that the Nets had “soiled themselves.”

Days earlier, at the deadline, they had disappointed fans. They had secured Dennis Schroder rather than someone who could be the No. 1 to Mikal Bridges No. 2 and Cam Johnson’s No. 3 … or alternately, trade Bridges and Johnson for picks. There were plenty of offers.

As Mikal Bridges said post-game, “You gotta fix it.”

And fix it, they did. Five days after that monumental loss, they fired Jacque Vaughn, eating a not insignificant piece of his contract. More importantly, they realized that trying the middle road wasn’t working and so the rebuild was on. By April, they had hired Jordi Fernandez, By June, they had sent Bridges to the Knicks for five first rounders, a first round swap and a second while simultaneously getting the Rockets to rejigger their draft picks.

So, sometimes, a 50-point loss can clear the air, change the dynamic.

More reading: Celtics Blog, SB Nation NBA, New York Post, New York Daily News, Clutch Points, Nets Wire, Steve’s Newsletter, City of Nets

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Celtics injury report reveals team could be with 2 starters against Nets

BROOKLYN — The Celtics could be without multiple starters when they face the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night. Derrick White (rest) has already been ruled out, and Neemias Queta was a Friday morning addition, listed as questionable to play as he deals with a non-COVID illness.

In addition, Josh Minott (left ankle sprain) continues to be sidelined, as does Jayson Tatum (ruptured Achilles tendon).

The Nets, meanwhile, will be without Haywood Highsmith, who is recovering from right knee surgery.

The Celtics enter the game with the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 27-16, while the Nets have the third-worst at 12-30. The Celtics have the second-best net rating in the NBA (+7.6) while the Nets have the 5th-worst (-6.3).

The Celtics and Nets face off for the fourth time this season

The Celtics and the Nets have faced off twice this season, with each team coming away with one win. The Celtics are coming off a 15-point win over the Atlanta Hawks, while the Nets are fresh off a historic 54-point loss to the New York Knicks.

At Celtics shootaround in Brooklyn on Friday morning, Luka Garza said he expected the Nets to come out with energy after such a lopsided defeat. But, he also recalled the last time the Celtics and Nets faced off in November, the Nets came away with a 14-point win.

“I think every time a team takes a loss like that, you expect them to come out with a lot of energy, a lot of fire,” Garza said. “But for us, we also remember the last time we played them, and they beat our ass. So, we have a lot of motivation coming into tonight, too.”

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Where four Athletics rank on MLB Network's Top 100 players list for 2026

Where four Athletics rank on MLB Network's Top 100 players list for 2026 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

MLB Network dropped their top 100 players list entering 2026, with four Athletics named following the team’s first season in West Sacramento.

Young stars Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson are each coming off sensational rookie seasons, so it’s no surprise that Kurtz found himself at No. 23 after snagging AL Rookie of the Year back in November. Meanwhile, the budding shortstop Wilson, who was the runner-up behind Kurtz, came in at No. 76.

With that duo at the forefront, the A’s quietly have built one of the best young lineups in the league. Kurtz’s 4-homer game in Houston and Wilson getting the starting nod for the 2025 All-Star Game were key moments that spotlighted the Athletics’ overall improvement.

Veteran power hitter Brent Rooker and catcher Shea Langeliers also have cemented themselves in the Athletics’ everyday starting lineup. Rooker’s durability was highlighted in 2025 after he played all 162 games, while Langeliers’ improvements on defense and pitch framing made him one of the best backstops in the American League. Ranking each at No. 91 and No. 92, respectively, seems understandable with a sub-.500 team record last year.

Rooker, Kurtz and Wilson were featured on Kings Pregame Live on Sunday and expressed their excitement to build on the Athletics’ 2025 season. Manager Mark Kotsay is eager to expand the roster’s young core following the MLB Winter Meetings.

The A’s front office has been moderately active so far during the 2025 offseason. The team added some infield depth by acquiring veteran Jeff McNeil in a trade with the New York Mets. However, free agent third baseman Nolan Arenado signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, which will force the A’s to look at other options to seal the left side of the infield.

The A’s have some interesting options to look at in order to fully fill out the 2026 roster. The offensive foundation seems solid, so starting pitching and prospect development remain high priority. Until then, pitchers and catchers will report to spring training on Wednesday, Feb. 11.

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Lewis Hamilton warns new F1 season will present biggest challenge of his career

  • Ferrari unveil 2026 car amid regulation reset

  • Williams not ready and will miss next week’s first test

Lewis Hamilton has emphasised the scale of the challenge facing drivers and teams as Formula One enters a new season with a regulation reset which the British driver described as the biggest of his career, as his Ferrari team look to a new start after a disappointing 2025.

The Scuderia launched their new car, the SF-26, with Hamilton driving it at the team’s test track at Fiorano for the first time on Friday. He was optimistic, having been involved in the development of a Ferrari for the first time but acknowledged that a huge task lay ahead.

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LeBron James' response to reports Buss frustration with him, 'I don't really care'

LeBron James is 41 years old, has been in the league 23 years, and has earned the right to be in the middle of his "I don't give a f***" phase of dealing with the drama always swirling around him and the Lakers.

Which is how he reacted to reports that Lakers governor and former majority owner Jeanie Buss had been frustrated by the power he (and his agent Rich Paul) had in the organization and even floated the idea of trading him (Buss pushed back on the report). Here is LeBron's response, courtesy Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

"I don't really care about the reports, to be honest," James said. "Since I've been here, my eighth year here [in L.A.], been in this league 23 years, there's [always going to] be another article tomorrow, especially involving me. At the end of the day, when I came to this organization, my whole mindset was about restoring excellence...

"Quite frankly, I don't really care about articles," James said. "I really don't. I don't care about stories. I don't care about podcasts and all that type of s***. Nah, they don't bother me. I'm 41 years old, and I watch golf every day. I don't care about an article. I don't care how somebody feels about me. If you know me personally and you know what I'm about, [my teammates] know what I'm about, and that's all that matters. ... I can care less how somebody feels about me."

LeBron can point to the fact that he (and Paul) pushed for Anthony Davis to be traded to the Lakers, and they formed the core of a team that won the title in 2020 — there is a banner hanging at Crypto.com because of him.

This is all in the rearview mirror now. Buss is no longer the team's owner (although she and her siblings maintain about a 17% ownership stake and she still serves as the team's governor), and this is widely expected to be LeBron's final season with the Lakers. There has been friction at all of LeBron's stops, but there also have been championships at each one. He is in the GOAT conversation with good reason, and a decade from now that's all people will talk about. Not the drama.

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Pistons vs Rockets preview: Twins battle during rivalry week

It’s NBA rivalry week, and twin vs twin has been deemed must-see TV. Ausar Thompson and the Detroit Pistons host Amen Thompson and the Houston Rockets tonight.

Detroit has zoomed through its schedule and built a comfortable lead over the field in the East. The Rockets are coming off a tough overtime loss to the Philadelphia 76ers last night. They need every W they can get with the West being so tight between the 4th and 7th seed.

Every game is crucial for Houston, but unfortunately for them, Detroit doesn’t take games off, and we want our twin to break the 2-2 tie between the Thompson brothers. This should be another fun national TV game.

Game Vitals

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

Where: Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, Michigan

How: Prime Video

Odds: Pistons -3.5

Analysis

The masses wouldn’t believe you if you told them the Pistons would reach 30 wins before the Rockets this season. Yet here we are. Detroit is the one seed, best defense besides the Thunder, and has an All-Star starter. The Rockets can’t claim any of those feats.

The Rockets are the 4th seed out West and one of the few teams with a top-five offense and defense, but are they truly contenders?

I use and love numbers, but I can’t get behind the Rockets being a legit top offense, especially in a playoff setting. Houston is efficient from deep, but shoots the 3 even less than Detroit.

Reed Sheppard is their best volume shooter outside of Durant, but he could be unplayable in April. Sheppard has good hands and instincts, but he might get blown by more than anybody I’ve watched this season. Tari Eason is striking it from 3, but he’s definitely a you-have-to-prove-it’s-real type shooter who teams will leave open. The floor will shrink for them. Their outstanding offensive rebounding and Durant’s shot making is their saving grace.

Ball handler wise, who do you really trust on the Rockets? Detroit has some of these same issues (spacing, ball handlers), but at least they have an MVP-level creator on the roster.

As All-Time as KD is, that’s not his forte. A center like Alperen Şengün being the de facto lead ball handler could raise problems due to his lack of shooting. Teams will sag and clog up the spacing for Durant.

On the other end, the Pistons’ defense will translate to any basketball setting. The Rockets are 4th to Detroit’s 2nd, but there’s a 4-point swing between these groups. All elite defenses aren’t created equally.

A high-energy chaotic group that’s on a string travels. The communication travels. Deploying two top-flight Defensive Player of the Year candidates in Isaiah Stewart and Ausar Travels. 

Ausar matches up with point guards 31 percent of the time per Bball-Index, but with the Rockets’ No. 1 option being Durant, we’ll see how JB Bickerstaff plays the matchup game. Amen is on the ball the most, but doesn’t operate like a modern point guard.

Jalen Duren and Stew will take the Şengün matchup. Şengün has struggled to finish at the cup. He’s shot a career high 68 percent at the rim, but that’s a lowly number for a big, and especially a “star” big. It won’t get any easier finishing with Detroit’s dawg pound members ready to bite.

Ausar might not have official access to the dawg pound, but there’s no doubt he’s a menacing defender. He’s an A+ all across the board on the perimeter (stats from 12/31/2025 but remain the same today).

Amen hasn’t been that level of a defender, but he’s expanded his game a bit offensively. The shot is the shot, but Amen is 79% at the line (~11% jump).  Ausar could take some pointers there, as his poor FT shooting could be something that keeps him off the floor in the postseason, no matter how elite a defender he is.

Shooting aside, point Ausar continues to be a fun wrinkle Detroit can sprinkle in when he’s aggressive. His whip passes become easier to make when he’s a threat to score, and defenders are forced to make a decision. We’ve seen him step up as a ball handler with and without Cade Cunningham, so the New Orleans Pelicans game was not surprising.

The Pistons-Rockets “rivalry” had deeper lore when Jalen Green was a part of HTown. The history between him and Cade made for some anticipated matchups. That debate was settled long ago, but that hasn’t stopped Cade from putting his foot where it doesn’t belong when he matches up with Houston.

Who could forget last year’s slam when he dunked “on all them mfs heads“? Cade’s mentality is an under-discussed aspect of his greatness. He’s a gamer and lets opponents know he’s here to stay. 

Detroit has an opportunity to make another statement on national TV. The New York Knicks and Boston Celtics got the belt in front of the whole NBA world, and Houston is next.

Lineups

Detroit Pistons (32-10)

Cade Cunningham (questionable), Duncan Robinson (probable), Ausar Thompson, Tobias Harris, Jalen Duren

Houston Rockets (26-16)

Amen Thompson, Josh Okogie, Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Alperen Şengün

Question of the day

Who is the best spark plug on the roster?

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Do the Red Sox have the best starting pitching in baseball?

To the extent that Craig Breslow was hired to turn around Red Sox pitching, you can’t say he that hasn’t done his job. In just two offseasons, Breslow has completely revamped the top of the Sox rotation by aggressively acquiring one of the game’s best pitchers in Garrett Crochet and two other recent all-stars in Sonny Gray and Ranger Suárez. Meanwhile, a number of depth moves combined with internal prospect development has given the Sox something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before in my lifetime as a Sox fan: a genuinely ridiculous amount of starting pitching depth.

Baring any trades or freak injuries (stay off your bikes, boys!), the Red Sox will open Spring Training with TEN MLB-caliber starting pitchers. It shouldn’t be all that surprising, then, that FanGraphs currently projects Red Sox starters to lead all of baseball in starting pitching fWAR.

Here’s how the FanGraphs projections look right now:

Projections are a useful tool. But they’re are also a blunt tool that, by design, ignores a lot of important nuance and context. Looking at the projections for both Johan Oviedo and Patrick Sandoval demonstrates this. The computer only pegs them to throw 80 and 54 innings, respectively, because they’ve both recently missed entire seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery. But we human beings know that they are both likely to be healthy at the start of spring training. Likewise, the idea that neither Connelly Early nor Patyon Tolle throws at least 30 innings beggars belief.

So, rather than look forward via projections, I decided to look backward at things that actually happened. I took a look at the five teams who led baseball in starting pitching fWAR over the last five seasons in order to determine how teams actually put together the best starting pitching in baseball. Do the 2026 Red Sox have what it takes to join this list?

2025: Philadelphia Phillies, 21.5 WAR

  • Starters who made 30 starts: 2
  • Starters who made 20 starts: 5
  • Starters who made 10 starts: 6
  • Total starters: 10

How did they do it?

When I first started this exercise, I figured the answer to this question would almost always be “depth.” After all, this is The Age of Tommy John, and baseball as an institution seemingly has absolutely no idea how to prevent or limit pitching injuries. It would be smart to assume, then, that whichever team has the best starting pitching in any given year is the team that has the deepest starting pitching.

The 2025 Phillies, though, belied that assumption. With the exception of Aaron Nola, who struggled at the start of the season before missing significant time with a rib cage injury, the 2025 Phillies rotation was remarkably healthy. In fact, the team essentially used only six starting pitchers all season. And, importantly, those starters were really, really good. Four Phillies starters finished in the top-12 for fWAR in all of baseball, led by Christopher Sanchez, whose 6.3 fWAR was third in all of baseball. And, yes, the guy who was 12th in baseball in starting pitching fWAR (but only fourth on the Phillies, lol) is now on the Red Sox.

So how did they do it? Health and a rotation filled with aces.

2024: Atlanta Braves, 17.4 WAR

  • Starters who made 30 starts: 1
  • Starters who made 20 starts: 5
  • Starters who made 10 starts: 6
  • Total starters: 13

How did they do it?

Once again, look to the Injury List. The 2024 Braves had 5 pitchers who made at least 21 starts. Unlike the 2025 Phillies, though, the Braves only had one ace in the rotation. Chris Sale won the NL Cy Young after posting 6.4 fWAR, while the Braves other four primary starters all finished between 1.1 and 3.5 fWAR.

Of course, there’s something else to note about the 2024 Braves rotation: it didn’t include Spencer Strider, who made just two starts before going down for the year. So how did the 2024 Braves put together the best starting staff in the game? By beginning the season with two aces (three if you want to throw Max Fried in there, though 2024 was only his fourth-best season by fWAR) and then getting good health from their solid but unspectacular group of mid-rotation arms when one of those aces went down.

2023: Philadelphia Phillies, 17.4 WAR

  • Starters who made more than 30 starts: 3
  • Starters who made more than 20 starts: 4
  • Starters who made more than 10 starts: 6
  • Total starters: 11

How did they do it?

The 2023 Phillies looked more like the 2024 Braves than the 2025 Phillies: one ace at the top (Zack Wheeler, 5.9 fWAR), followed by a solid group that stayed healthy: Aaron Nola, 3.8 WAR; Taijuan Walker, 2.4 WAR, Ranger Suarez, 2.4 WAR, Christopher Sanchez, 1.8 WAR. Note, also, that having three pitchers who made 30 starts makes this rotation a big time outlier.

2022: Houston Astros, 19.2 WAR

  • Starters who made 30 starts: 1
  • Starters who made 20 starts: 5
  • Starters who made 10 starts: 6
  • Total starters: 8

How did they do it?

Guys, I’m starting to think health has a lot to do with starting pitching success. Once again, we see a team that essentially used only six starters for the whole season. And, once again, we have a rotation that was led by an ace at the top. In this case it was Justin Verlander, who put up 6.1 WAR after missing the entire season the year prior. Unlike the 2024 Braves and 2023 Phillies, though, Verlander had a 1b in Framber Valdez, whose 4.4 WAR was good for 11th in all of baseball. The rest of the 2022 Astros rotation was filled out by solid but unspectacular performances by Christian Javier, Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy, and Jake Odorizzi.

2021: Los Angeles Dodgers, 20.8 WAR

  • Starters who made 30 starts: 2
  • Starters who made 20 starts: 3
  • Starters who made 10 starts: 7
  • Total starters: 19

How did they do it?

Holy freaking depth! Three-fifths of the planned 2021 Dodgers rotation — Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, and Trevor Bauer — all missed significant chunks of the season. Kershaw was sidelined for two months in the middle of the summer. May went down for the year after making just five starts. And Trevor Bauer missed the final three months of the season after he was suspended for being a piece of shit. And the man who started the year as the team’s sixth starter, Tony Gonsolin, also had two lengthy stints on the IL.

The Dodgers dealt with these absences by moving David Price from the bullpen to the rotation in the middle of the season (he would go on to start 11 games, providing 0.8 WAR in those starts), trading for Max Scherzer (who was outstanding in his 11 starts for the team, putting up 2.9 WAR), and using a lot of openers.

When fans and analysts talk about the importance of starting pitching depth in contemporary baseball, the 2021 Dodgers are the type of team they’re thinking of. But it’s important to note that this rotation was anchored by two aces at the top, as Walker Buehler and Julio Urias each started over 30 games and finished fourth and seventh, respectively, in starting pitching WAR.

So what needs to happen for the 2026 Red Sox to have the best rotation in baseball? The health of Garrett Crochet is the most important factor here, obviously. Each of these five teams had at least one pitcher who compiled at least 5 fWAR for the year. For as deep as the Red Sox pitching is, Crochet is probably the only player on the Red Sox currently capable of doing that. If he goes down, the Sox have no chance of having the best rotation in baseball, no matter how much depth they have.

Second, this list shows us that, despite all the emphasis on depth, the best rotations tend to use essentially only six pitchers over the course of the season. This isn’t to say that depth is overrated — the 2024 Braves performing as well as they did despite losing Spencer Strider shows us that it’s not. But it does mean that it’s really hard to have an elite rotation if you’re forced to rely on your depth too much. The 2021 Dodgers are very much the outliers here.

So, to have the best rotation in baseball, the Sox will likely need (1) at least one ace at the top of the rotation, and (2) 3-4 other starters who stay healthy and post around 2-3.5 WAR. It’s in this second factor that the Sox’ depth comes into play. If Sonny Gray has a disappointing season (not an unreasonable thing to worry about as he’s 36-years-old), can Patrick Sandoval replace his innings with the near-all-star level pitching he provided from 2022 through 2024? If Ranger Suarez or Brayan Bello goes down for the year (and you know someone will!) can Connelly Early or Payton Tolle step in and step up?

We’ll find out the answer to the question posed in this headline soon enough. But in light of that fact that we are just a few years removed from watching Corey Kluber take the ball on opening day, the mere fact that we can genuinely ask it is a wonderful thing.

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2026 Chicago Cubs player profiles: Carson Kelly

31-year-old Carson Franklin Kelly had a real nice year in 2025, registering 3.6 bWAR and a slash line of .249/.333/.428 with 17 home runs and 50 RBI in 421 plate appearances. Not too shabby. Yeah, he wasn’t Cal Raleigh, but then, neither is anybody else.

That was easily his best year in MLB, surpassing the 2.1 bWAR he turned in for the 2021 season and in fact nearly doubling his lifetime total. He also hit for the cycle in March.

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Here’s a highlight reel from his Instagram page.

So we probably can’t count on that kind of production, even in a contract year. Miguel Amaya is capable of turning in better numbers, as said in his profile, Amaya will likely be the nominal starting catcher by year’s end. If Kelly turns in a decent campaign, though, it’s entirely possible that the Cubs keep him around to be Amaya’s backup in 2027, assuming that Moises Ballesteros doesn’t suddenly attain competence behind the plate.

Northside Baseball’s Randy Holt had a few choice words about that in a recent article, zeroing in on what Kelly changed to attain the better numbers, and by his logic, it should be a repeatable process. “… it doesn’t seem at all unrealistic for him to do it again in 2026.”

His 777 putouts (fifth in the NL), .998 Fielding Percentage, and 34.3 CS percentage (second in the NL) don’t hurt, either.

And that’s important, given Amaya’s propensity for the freak injury. Kelly does have a $7.5 million mutual option for 2027, and odds are that the Cubs won’t be paying the $1.5 million buyout.

BBRef puts forth Barry Foote and George Mitterwald as comparative bats. Different times, though. Both were substandard in their day, though both had a good year or two, as Kelly has. It could be worse.

Something like 10 home runs, 35 RBI, and a .240 BA seem reasonable, with good defensive numbers and a slightly diminished workload. He should have around 40 percent of the playing time in 2026, with Amaya getting the lion’s share, especially later in the season.

If both play to their 2025 paces, and Amaya stays on the field, the Cubs are in good shape, catching-wise.

This series will continue on Monday.

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MLB needs two record books

When it comes to all-time baseball records, there are some that were set in a different era and will never be approached—such as the 59 wins Old Hoss Radbourn compiled in 1884. The Colorado Rockies won only 43 games last summer. Ouch.

Cy Young’s 511 career wins and 749 complete games also fall into this untouchable category.

As for complete games, there were only 29 thrown in all of Major League Baseball during the 2025 season. At that pace, it would take 26 more seasons just for every team in baseball combined to reach 749, so that record is never getting broken. The game has changed. Even before the game changed, both of those numbers were unapproachable.

I’d like to propose that baseball break the record book into pre- and post-integration periods. Radbourn’s 59 wins would remain the pre-integration record. The post-integration (1947 to present) record would belong to Denny McLain and his remarkable 31 wins in 1968. Maybe you don’t like the idea of two separate record books, but remember: Major League Baseball once put a footnote next to Roger Maris’ single-season home run record and kept it there for nearly thirty years.

I think it makes sense to have two record books. Pre-integration players never had to compete against Black, Asian, or Latin American players, let alone play night games or endure the travel demands modern players face. Things were different in the old days, and that’s fine—but you’d have a hard time convincing me that Old Hoss Radbourn was a better pitcher than Satchel Paige, Bob Gibson, Steve Carlton, Greg Maddux, or even a modern slinger like Clayton Kershaw. Baseball nerds know about Radbourn’s 59 wins. Reddit fans know him as one of the first people to flip the bird to a photographer.

Nolan Ryan is the career strikeout leader with an astounding 5,715 strikeouts. The Big Unit sits second with 4,875. Think about that for a moment. As great as Randy Johnson was, he still finished 840 strikeouts behind the Ryan Express. The current active leader is Justin Verlander with 3,553, and his career is winding down. That record is safe for our lifetimes.

I doubt we’ll ever see anyone break Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak. Defenses and scouting are too sophisticated today, to say nothing of hitters having to face a parade of flame-throwing bullpen arms. By modern standards, a 25- or 30-game hitting streak is notable. DiMaggio’s 56-game run came in 1941, making it the pre-integration record. The post-integration mark belongs to Pete Rose and his phenomenal 44-game heater in 1978.

Some of the other records surprised me. Take Sam Crawford’s record of 309 career triples. Sounds reasonable, right? Ty Cobb sits in second place with 295. Former Royals greats Willie Wilson (#56, 147) and George Brett (#70, 137) appear on the leaderboard. Who’s the active player with the most career triples? That would be Starling Marte with 55. Bobby Witt Jr. will eventually start showing up on this list—he already has 34. The post-integration record holder for career triples is Roberto Clemente with 166. Seeing Roberto’s name in the record book warms my heart. He was a phenomenal player.

Earl Webb holds the single-season doubles record with 67, set in 1931. This is a record that could be broken. The modern record holders are Freddie Freeman and Todd Helton, both of whom hit 59 doubles—Freeman in 2023 and Helton in 2000. More on Freeman as the story unfolds.

How about career doubles? That record belongs to Tris Speaker with 792. Pete Rose is second with 746. George Brett sits at an impressive #7 with 665. The current active leader, at #34, is Freddie Freeman with 547. With a couple of decent seasons, he should comfortably move into the top 20 all time.

Speaking of Freeman, he’s also the current active hits leader with 2,431. Pete Rose, of course, sits at number one with 4,256.

Freeman’s name keeps popping up on other lists as well.

Total bases? Hammerin’ Henry Aaron may have an all-time unbreakable record with 6,856. Albert Pujols is second with 6,211. George Brett sits at #21 with 5,044, while our newest Hall of Famer, Carlos Beltrán, checks in at #34 with 4,751. Freeman is the active leader with 4,145.

Hack Wilson holds the all-time single-season RBI record with 191, set in 1930. The modern record belongs to Manny Ramírez, who drove in 165 runs in 1999.

Career RBIs follow a similar pattern. Hank Aaron is #1 with 2,297, followed by Pujols with 2,218. George Brett sits at #38 with 1,596, while Beltrán is #41 with 1,587. The active leader, once again, is Freeman with 1,322.

How about extra-base hits? The Hammer has #1 locked down with 1,477, while Barry Bonds sits in the #2 spot with 1,440. George Brett ranks an impressive #19 with 1,119, and Beltrán comes in at #25 with 1,078. Freeman is once again the active leader with 947.

Two more, then I’ll stop.

Runs scored: Rickey Henderson leads all-time with 2,295. Ty Cobb is second with 2,245. In a surprise, former Royal Johnny Damon ranks #32 with 1,668, while George Brett (#51, 1,583) and Beltrán (#53, 1,582) occupy the same neighborhood. Freeman is the active leader at #102 with 1,379.

My point in all of this is that Freddie Freeman has had a hell of a career. If you had any doubt about his Hall of Fame credentials, this should end it. He’s going to Cooperstown without question. And looking back to see George Brett’s name on so many of these lists brings back great memories of just how tremendous a hitter he was.

Another Rickey Henderson record that looks safe for a long, long time is his stolen base mark of 1,406. Lou Brock—one of the nicest baseball players I’ve ever met—sits second with 938. Several former Royals dot the list. Willie Wilson ranks #12 with 668, so his club record looks safe for a long time. Damon appears again at #68 with 408. He had a heck of a career, too—too bad the Royals couldn’t keep him in Kansas City longer. Freddie Patek, somewhat overlooked, checks in at #83 with 385 steals. The active career leader, at #102, is Starling Marte with 361.

What’s the point of all this? I’m not entirely sure, other than a fascination with numbers. Despite the game featuring several all-time greats currently playing (Mike Trout, anyone?), these career records show just how astounding some of the past careers really were. The more I toyed with the idea of pre- and post-integration record books, the more I liked it. It would give fans something new to get excited about. Could someone break the modern RBI or doubles record? Absolutely. And right now, baseball needs all the excitement it can get.

Also, with Freeman turning 36 later this fall, enjoy watching him while you can. It may be a long time before we see another one like him.

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Flyers vs Avalanche Prediction, Picks & Same-Game Parlay for Tonight’s NHL Game

The Colorado Avalanche are known as a high-flying offensive side — understandably so — but they are also the league’s best at keeping the puck out.

Playing at home against a low-event team, my Flyers vs. Avalanche predictions expect a relatively low-scoring affair.

Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Friday, January 23.

Flyers vs Avalanche prediction

Flyers vs Avalanche best bet: Under 6.5 (-115)

The Colorado Avalanche are 20-1-4 on home soil this season and have conceded a league-low of 2.08 goals per game in Colorado.

As good as they are offensively, they’re equally as effective at controlling the puck and giving opposing teams very few chances to generate opportunities.

That should be the case in this matchup. The Philadelphia Flyers rank Bottom-12 in goals per game, and they’ve played at the league’s slowest 5-on-5 pace this season.

Philadelphia will be looking to turn this contest into a snoozefest, happy to punt on offense if it gives them a better chance of holding up defensively.

They are expected to get Dan Vladar back between the pipes for this game as well. He owns a solid .905 SV% on the season and has drastically out-performed backup Sam Ersson.

Slowing down a lethal Avalanche offense is a difficult task, but Vladar is capable of holding them to a manageable number.

These two sides have already played this season, and that game finished 3-2 with 53 total shots. Don’t be surprised if we see something similar this time around.

Flyers vs Avalanche same-game parlay

The Avalanche have won 20 of 25 home games this season. Coming off a disappointing loss to a banged up Ducks team, we should expect a good response in this spot.

Brent Burns has teed off without Devon Toews in the lineup. He is averaging 3.5 shots on 6.3 attempts and has cleared this line in seven of eight, including seven in a row.

Burns also had three shots on seven attempts against Philadelphia back in December.

Flyers vs Avalanche SGP

  • Under 6.5
  • Avalanche moneyline
  • Brent Burns Over 2.5 shots on goal

Flyers vs Avalanche odds

  • Moneyline: Flyers +240 | Avalanche -300
  • Puck Line: Flyers +1.5 (-105) | Avalanche -1.5 (-115)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (-115)

Flyers vs Avalanche trend

The Avalanche have hit the Moneyline in 20 of their last 25 games at home (+8.75 Units / 14% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Flyers vs. Avalanche.

How to watch Flyers vs Avalanche

LocationBall Arena, Denver, CO
DateFriday, January 23, 2026
Puck drop9:00 p.m. ET
TVNBCS-Philadelphia, ATL2

Flyers vs Avalanche latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

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Rangers vs Sharks Prediction, Picks & Same-Game Parlay for Tonight’s NHL Game

Will Smith is enjoying a strong sophomore campaign. He has 31 points through 36 games, trailing only superstar Macklin Celebrini in points per contest among Sharks.

My Rangers vs. Sharks predictions expect Smith to further build on those totals at home against a struggling New York team.

Let’s dive into my NHL picks for Friday, January 23.

Rangers vs Sharks prediction

Rangers vs Sharks best bet:Will Smith Over 0.5 points (-140)

Will Smith has hit the scoresheet at least once in 56% of his appearances this season. He’s done his best work with the San Jose Sharks, picking up a point in 65% of his games and 10 of the past 13.

There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic Smith’s home success will continue vs. the New York Rangers.

They are without star goaltender Igor Shesterkin as well as top defenseman Adam Fox. Predictably, they have bled goals as a result.

New York has conceded 49 goals over the past 10 games, slotting them dead last in the NHL with plenty of room to spare.

Isolating the seven games since Shesterkin joined Fox on the sidelines, the Rangers have conceded 39 goals. That’s an average of 5.57 per.

The Sharks possess a solid offense more than capable of exploiting teams that can’t keep the puck out, especially when goaltending is a big reason why.

They rank 4th in the NHL in shooting percentage and have averaged 3.62 goals per game against Bottom-10 teams in goals against.

Playing on the top line and No. 1 power play alongside a Hart Trophy candidate in Macklin Celebrini, Smith is primed to produce.

Rangers vs Sharks same-game parlay

Celebrini hasn’t scored in six consecutive games, his longest drought of the season. Four of those came against playoff teams, though, and two exceptions were the back-to-back Stanley Cup winners and the Washington Capitals, who finished second in points last year.

This is a much more advantageous matchup for Celebrini. It’s also worth noting he has scored 10 goals through 13 games working on two days of rest this season.

Going the other way, Alexis Lafreniere has multiple shots in 12 of 17 games vs. Bottom-10 shot suppression teams. He also cleared 1.5 shots in seven of the past eight when playing on a line with Artemi Panarin.

Rangers vs Sharks SGP

  • Will Smith Over 0.5 points
  • Macklin Celebrini anytime goal
  • Alexis Lafreniere Over 1.5 shots

Rangers vs Sharks odds

  • Moneyline: New York -105 | San Jose -115
  • Puck Line: New York +1.5 (-250) | San Jose -1.5 (+205)
  • Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-110) | Under 6.5 (-110)

Rangers vs Sharks trend

Will Smith has 12 points through 10 meetings with Bottom-10 teams in points allowed to forwards. Find more NHL betting trends for Rangers vs. Sharks.

How to watch Rangers vs Sharks

LocationSAP Center at San Jose, San Jose, CA
DateFriday, January 23, 2026
Puck drop10:00 p.m. ET
TVMSG, NBCS-California

Rangers vs Sharks latest injuries

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here

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It is time to start talking about the Pittsburgh Penguins trade deadline plans

It may not have been their best overall performance of the season so far, but the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night is certainly high on the rankings. They had every reason to lose that game just simply based on the schedule and the matchup.

The Oilers have dunked on the Penguins pretty much every time they have played them over the past four or five years, the Oilers were rested, the Penguins were playing the second half of a back-to-back and their fourth game in six days, they are three games into an extended road trip and they did not have one of their top defenseman in the lineup (Kris Letang). They were also playing their backup goalie.

When the week began I had that game penciled in as a loss just based on all of that. Not only did the Penguins win, they did to the Oilers what the Oilers have recently done to the Penguins and just dunked all over them. They gave up some chances, but Arturs Silovs was great and the Penguins feasted on their former goalie (Tristan Jarry). Anthony Mantha scored two goals, Evgeni Malkin showed he still has the juice, and Egor Chinakhov scored another goal on a shot so ridiculous nobody even saw it actually go into the net.

It has the Penguins in the second spot of the Metropolitan Division after 50 games and starting to very much look like a playoff team. Not just in the results, but also in the process behind the results.

They have a top-10 points percentage in the NHL, tied for the fifth-best in the Eastern Conference and are only two points back (with a game in hand) of the fourth-best team in the Eastern Conference.

They are also a top-10 team league-wide in pretty much every underlying 5-on-5 metric when it comes expected goals and scoring chances, while also consistently improving their overall defensive metrics.

If it looks like a duck, and if it quacks like a duck….

This is all important to keep in mind because the Penguins have just 11 games before the 2025-26 NHL Trade Deadline, and general manager Kyle Dubas and his staff have to be having a lot of discussions right now. Not only about potential trades, but also simply what their overall plan is going to be.

Buy? Sell? Stick to the plan? All of the above? It is going to be fascinating to watch.

Just for laughs, here is where the Penguins have been (and ranked) after 50 games over the past eight seasons in terms of their place in the league standings, and their overall ranks in 5-on-5 goal differential, expected goal share, scoring chance share, high-danger scoring chance share and expected goals against per 60 minutes.

SeasonGames PlayedRecordPointsPoints Percentage5-on-5 GF%5-on-5 xGF%5-on-5 SC%5-on-5 HDSC%xGA/60
2025-265025-14-1161.610 (9th)51.2% (10th)51.4% (9th)51.2% (9th)52.7% (10th)2.65 (14th)
2024-255020-22-848.480 (26th)43.7% (29th)50.2% (17th)48.7% (23rd)50.1% (18th)2.63 (26th)
2023-245023-20-753.530 (19th)53.1% (8th)52.4% (8th)52.2% (10th)52.7% (7th)2.62 (19th)
2022-235025-16-959.590 (14th)49.5% (19th)52.3% (9th)50.9% (15th)52.0 (13th)2.65 (19th)
2021-225031-11-870.700 (7th)55.3% (8th)53.4% (8th)52.8% (7th)53.5% (8th)2.25 (6th)
2020-215032-15-367.670 (9th)55.1% (8th)49.4% (18th)51.3% (11th)48.3% (19th)2.19 (13th)
2019-205031-14-567.670 (4th)54.8% (5th)53.8% (3rd)53.1% (5th)54.0% (3rd)2.06 (2nd)
2018-195027-17-660.600 (11th)54.4% (5th)51.4% (10th)51.5% (11th)52.1% (11th)2.49 (23rd)

This is the Penguins best record and best placement in the standings since the 2021-22 season, which was also their most recent Stanley Cup Playoff appearance. It is also one of the few times over the past eight years where they have consistently been in the top-10 across all of the scoring chance and expected goal metrics. They are 13 points ahead of where they were at this point a year ago and significantly better in terms of where they rank in their underlying metrics. The 2023-24 team had similar rankings in those metrics, but were not getting the same results and were eight points back of the current pace. That team missed the playoffs by just three points. They are two points ahead of the 2022-23 pace, but that team was much worse with its process. That team missed the playoffs by one point.

This team does not just simply have a better record than their most recent teams. It is also playing better. Significantly so.

This is not a Stanley Cup contending team right now. Not this season. It might be a pretty good team. It is starting to look like it is a pretty good team. Even during that losing streak back in December they were still carrying and controlling games for the most part. They have certainly left some points on the table, and that might end up looming large, but they have also picked up a lot of points. There is a lot to be said for that response. There is a lot to be said for how they have played, how they are playing and perhaps more importantly, how (and where) they are improving.

The forward group has no real weaknesses. There is not a single line you do not want to see on the ice at any point in any game. They can roll four lines and keep controlling the game with any of them. The goaltending has been inconsistent at times, but winnable. Erik Karlsson is playing the way they expected Erik Karlsson to play when they originally traded for him a few years ago.

So how do the Penguins play this over the next month-and-a-half? There is obviously going to be a wait-and-see element to this and how those 11 games go. The most sensible approach is stay the course and let these guys show what they have. Whatever happens, you have a full season sampling here and can make your adjustments and changes as needed in the offseason.

Mantha is going to be the curious case because I always imagined he was signed with the intention of being this year’s Anthony Beauvillier. Cheap contract, hope for some production in the top-six of the lineup, then flip him at the trade deadline in March for some additional future assets. He has been better and way more productive than Beauvillier, and should not only bring a comparable return (a second-round pick), but perhaps even more given how much more he has produced. He is also the big-body presence that NHL general managers love at this time of year. Trading him could also open up a roster spot for one of the young kids in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton right now like Rutger McGroarty or Ville Koivunen.

If this group keeps playing the way they are, however, it would be difficult to disrupt that. They deserve a chance to take a kick at the can and see what happens.

The Penguins still have more draft capital, and especially in the first three rounds, than any other team in the NHL over the next three-or-four years. They could certainly use more of those assets, but it is also not a huge necessity.

Strategic buying is certainly within reason. The Penguins should not trade anything significant for a short-term rental, but if you can find a player that has long-term value beyond this season, that should be in play.

Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson has been the big name kicked around given his contract status, and the Penguins certainly have the salary cap space to pay him what he wants in the future, but that does not seem like a trade deadline move. That is an offseason move. The option for that discussion will almost certainly still be there then when Dallas might be more inclined (or likely) to make a move involving him.

The ideal trade option would be trying to find a young defenseman (or some sort of young high-level talent) that has upside and term/team control remaining. Depending on the player, the contract and the upside, I would not be opposed to being aggressive if it is a true hockey trade. The Penguins have salary cap space and assets to move, and given how active Dubas and the Penguins have been over the past year-and-a-half I can not imagine they are going to just sit and do nothing.

Even if it requires a young forward or one of those draft picks, if you can find somebody that fills that need you should not ignore it. Even if the cost is high. As long as it is a hockey trade and fits in to the long-term plan, it can work.

With that in mind, I am going to say something controversial here: I do not think the first-round pick should be off the table *in the right move.*

There should be lottery conditions attached to it. It should only be for a player that fits for multiple seasons. Do not trade that pick for a rental. That would be outrageously stupid. But keep something in mind here: If the Penguins do end up as a playoff team, that first-round pick is going to be in the back half of the round. The Penguins still have that Winnipeg Jets second-round draft pick that is very likely to be very high in the second-round. At that point the difference between, let’s say, pick No. 22-25, and perhaps pick No. 34, is not overly significant. You also still have plenty of assets to potentially move up from that spot high in the second-round if you needed or wanted.

Even thinking about moving that pick is obviously only something you do for somebody in their early-mid-20s, and somebody that is a high level player. That is a difficult trade to find, and chances are you will not find it, but it is definitely something to keep an eye out for given where the team is, where the pick could end up being. and what you still have to work with in terms of assets. This is why stockpiling assets the way Dubas has is so important. It gives you flexibility. It gives you options. The Penguins certainly have a lot of them. This will be fascinating to watch.