While the Montreal Canadiens took on the Chicago Blackhawks Friday night, their alumni enjoyed a bonding dinner ahead of Saturday night’s alumni game against the former Winnipeg Jets. It’s been so long since the Habs played an outdoor game that only Paul Byron was in the lineup when the Habs took on the Ottawa Senators in the NHL 100. Go back one more year, and P.K. Subban, David Desharnais, and Andrei Markov all played in the 2016 Winter Classic against the Boston Bruins. While he attended the dinner, Subban won't play in the game.
Of course, some players have been retired for a long time, including Chris Nilan, Patrice Brisebois, Maxim Lapierre, and Stephane Quintal. In net, Jaroslav Halak and Yann Danis will split the workload, and they’ll have their hands full against a Jets roster that includes Dustin Byfuglien, Blake Wheeler, Andre Ladd, Bryan Little, and Tobias Engstrom. At the time of writing there were still some tickets available for the old-timers game are still available on Ticketmaster. If you are in Winnipeg for tomorrow’s event, you might as well splash out to enjoy the full experience.
If you didn’t make the trip but want a memento, the Canadiens have already put their outdoor games auction online, including the jersey the Habs alumnus will wear in Saturday night’s game. Buyer beware, however: Mike Cammalleri’s jersey clearly states it’s only prepared and won’t be worn or autographed, suggesting the fan favorite might not be at the event; he wasn’t in the dinner photo. The game will be available to watch on the Jets’ website.
Hopefully, everything goes smoothly tonight, and there are no accidents. 10 years ago, in 2016, ahead of the alumni game between the Habs and the Boston Bruins, Denna Laing played in the women’s game between the Boston Pride and Montreal Canadiennes. Unfortunately, she fell and went headfirst into the boards, breaking her neck and suffering a serious spinal cord injury, which has left her in a wheelchair. To this day, she remains an inspiration and a spokesperson for those who suffer a similar fate.
Connor Hellebuyck was introduced by the Devils on Saturday.
Near the end of his press conference Saturday, after answering questions about his New Jersey knowledge and his Olympic memories and how he can be the missing piece for this Devils core, Connor Hellebuyck fielded one about the Winnipeg fans.
About his message to them after the 33-year-old spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Jets before a messy breakup that ultimately ended with a blockbuster Friday — when Winnipeg sent him to New Jersey in exchange for forwards Dawson Mercer and Nick Bjugstad, goalie Nico Daws, Alexander Command, a 2027 seventh-round pick and a 2029 second-round pick.
Hellebuyck requested a trade in the offseason, didn’t show up to training camp and was then suspended by the Jets, but he said he hopes that the Jets fans “know I care about them” while deflecting any further reflection until a later date.
Connor Hellebuyck (37) of the New Jersey Devils answers questions during a press conference prior to a game against the Los Angeles Kings at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. NHLI via Getty Images
“I mean, there’s a lot,” Hellebuyck told reporters Saturday, when he was introduced by the Devils. “There’s a lot that I need to say, but they have the Heritage Game coming up — so out of respect for them and for the celebration of hockey, I’m gonna postpone that to a later date.”
It was the saga — along with Dylan Larkin in Detroit — that defined the NHL season to this point, especially with his suspension reportedly set to end and a potential return to Winnipeg, of all things, after months of drama, still on the table.
But a trade had always appeared to be the most likely solution, and after joining Martin Brodeur as high-profile goalies to play for the Devils this century, Hellebuyck, who hasn’t played in a game since the end of last season, said Saturday he doesn’t think he’ll need long to ramp up before returning.
Connor Hellebuyck of the New Jersey Devils holds up his jersey during a press conference prior to a game against the Los Angeles Kings at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. NHLI via Getty ImagesWinnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck warms up before the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Dallas Stars Thursday, April 2, 2026, in Dallas. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
He said that sitting at home for so long, as the rest of the NHL continued operating around him, “was getting to me,” and Hellebuyck oozed with excitement when talking about the chance for a fresh start that doubles as a reunion with Team USA hero Jack Hughes — who Hellebuyck watched score the game-winning goal in Milan from the other end of the ice.
Hellebuyck will also have a chance to fix perhaps the Devils’ most glaring weakness and help them have a chance to finally make a deep postseason run with a core that includes Hughes, Nico Hischier, Timo Meier and Jesper Bratt.
“It aligns perfectly with where I’m at in my career,” Hellebuyck said. “I’m here to win, and the only thing I’ve got left on my résumé is a Stanley Cup. So seeing that these guys have kinda got their vision tight on that as well, it’s just gonna fit perfectly.”
DUNEDIN, FL - MARCH 07: Chris Colabello #15 of the Toronto Blue Jays swings at a pitch during the first inning of a spring training game against the Atlanta Braves at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium on March 7, 2016 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today marks Chris Colabello’s 43rd birthday.
The Blue Jays claimed Chris Colabello off waivers from the Twins before the 2015 season. During his two years with Minnesota, he posted a .214/.284/.364 line with 13 home runs in 114 games. Understandably, expectations were low for a 31-year-old first baseman/DH who hadn’t hit well enough to earn regular playing time.
Chris impressed in spring training. When Michael Saunders suffered a knee injury on a sprinkler head in Dunedin, the team suddenly needed outfield help. Dalton Pompey’s slow start and the Jays’ impatience led to Colabello getting the call-up in early May.
Colabello played the outfield with all the elegance of a statue—reminiscent of early Jays experiments with Otto Velez—but he found his swing at the plate. By the end of his first month, he was batting an impressive .368/.417/.568.
By late June, it was clear Chris’s bat couldn’t make up for his glove in the outfield, so he shifted to first base and DH. Justin Smoak, also new to the 2015 roster, wasn’t having a strong season, though his power was undeniable—when Smoak homered, it was never a cheap shot.
Unfortunately, the GameThreads devolved into endless debates about who should play first. For the first time, I found myself avoiding them. Chris nevertheless had an outstanding season, finishing at .321/.367/.520 with 15 home runs in 101 games. His defense limited his value—he posted a 0.7 bWAR.
He shined in the ALDS, hitting .375/.412/.688, but struggled in the ALCS, managing only .217/.250/.391.
We wondered if he could replicate his success. His .411 BABIP seemed unsustainable to many of us, but with more walks and fewer strikeouts, there was hope he could still produce solid numbers.
We never got to find out. Chris began the 2016 season in a slump, hitting just .069/.156/.225.
Then came the news of his positive PED test. With MLB’s improved testing, several players were caught that year, and Chris received an 80-game suspension. He claimed not to know how the substance entered his system and gave an emotional interview to Sportsnet. Personally, I’m skeptical of such claims—but who can say for sure? The slow start may have been because he knew the suspension was coming.
In 2017, he played in the minors for Cleveland and Milwaukee, hitting .254/.350/.395. He spent 2018 in Italy and 2019 in the independent leagues. I admire players who love the game enough to keep playing, even in the independents. He also played for Italy in the WBC in 2017 and played in Mexico for a season
Chris always seemed likable and was fun to watch (if a bit less so in the outfield). I hope things are going well for him.
Luke Glendening is expected to make his New York Rangers debut on Saturday night against the Ottawa Senators.
The Rangers signed Glendening to a one-year, $850,000 contract on Thursday after bringing him in on a PTO.
The Rangers will be without Joe Veleno for at least three months as he recovers from a lower-body injury and have been searching for a fourth-line center in the wake of his absence.
With the Blueshirts sending Justin Dowling down to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, it opens the door for Glendening to take his spot as the team’s fourth-line center and is a clear indication that he’ll be in the lineup on Saturday night.
“Luke obviously has a significant body of work in the league,” Sullivan said. “The type of player that he is, he’s been a real reliable, conscientious player. Kills penalties. Really good in the face-off circle. He built a career on that element of his game and prides himself on that.
“Obviously, we've got a little bit of challenge with respect to depth at the center position, and I think Chris (Drury) and his guys thought that we'd bring him in and see if potentially he could help us.”
The 38-year-old forward was signed to a PTO by the Tampa Bay Lightning during training camp, and while he didn’t make the Lightning’s opening-night roster, he admitted that the experience “reinvigorated him.”
Glendening started the 2026-27 season without a job, but the Rangers came to him with an opportunity on Oct. 19, offering him a PTO. Just a few days later, they signed him to a full-time contract.
“I went from playing dress up and Barbies to playing in the National Hockey League, so it’s a wild ride,” Glendening said.
Throughout his 13-season NHL career, Glendening has played for the Detroit Red Wings, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, and Philadelphia Flyers, recording 85 goals, 90 assists, and 175 points.
MACAO, CHINA - OCTOBER 11: Dwight Powell #7 of the Dallas Mavericks plays defense during the game against the Houston Rockets as part of 2026 NBA China Games on October 11, 2026 in Macao, China at Venetian Arena. 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 Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Following the re-signing of Mark Williams, the center position felt like one of the few areas where the Phoenix Suns possessed legitimate depth, and with it, a developmental buffer.
You had Williams, an experienced starting center who also carried a lengthy injury history. With him in the starting lineup, third-year center Oso Ighodaro could comfortably slot in behind him on the depth chart. And with Williams likely missing time, whether due to injury or scheduled rest (especially on the second night of back-to-backs), second-year big man Khaman Maluach would also have opportunities to get some reps. There was no need to rush Maluach’s development. The Suns could bring him along on their own timeline, allowing him to grow at a pace they felt was appropriate.
But the news that Williams would miss a significant amount of time following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder changed that equation. Suddenly, Maluach’s developmental timeline accelerated, and the overall depth of the Phoenix Suns at center took a substantial hit.
Now, one game into the regular season, that depth is already being tested. Per Suns insider Duane Rankin, Oso Ighodaro will be out Saturday night against the Golden State Warriors with an oblique injury.
Suns coach Jordan Ott said Oso Ighodaro will miss Saturday's game as he was diagnosed with an oblique strain.
When asked if the injury is related to the hip, Ott said he's not a doctor.
Added Luke Kennard (knee) practiced today, trending in right direction. #Suns
Ighodaro exited Wednesday’s season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers before the conclusion of the first half and did not return. With confirmation that he’ll miss Saturday’s game, the question becomes how much additional time he might be sidelined.
Oblique injuries can be particularly difficult to navigate, as is the case with many injuries that affect movement on the basketball court. Look at Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, who suffered an oblique injury early in the 2024–25 season. His initial recovery timeline was six weeks, but he ultimately returned 11 weeks later.
There are three varying grades of oblique injuries:
Severity Grade
Typical Recovery & Absence Timeline
Grade 1 (Mild Strain)
1 to 3 weeks (approx. 11.6 days)
Grade 2 (Moderate Strain)
3 to 6 weeks (or up to 6–8 weeks depending on depth)
Grade 3 (Severe / Full Tear)
6 to 8+ weeks (sometimes requiring surgical evaluation)
We don’t yet know the severity of Ighodaro’s injury, but the circumstances certainly provide cause for concern. If he misses any significant amount of time, the team is in quite a pickle. Right now, the Suns’ center room consists of Khaman Maluach and newly acquired two-way players Duop Reath and Drew Timme. That’s it.
However, following the decision to waive Haywood Highsmith before the start of the regular season, Phoenix has one open roster spot. They could go shopping on the market for assistance, given that they have $4.4 million of flexibility under the second apron (which they are hard-capped at).
Who is out there? Let’s look.
Dwight Powell
I’ll start with 35-year-old Dwight Powell, who brings 13 years of NBA experience, nearly all of it with the Dallas Mavericks. Across 768 career games, primarily in a backup role, Powell has averaged 6.5 points and 4.2 rebounds. He’s not going to stretch the floor, as he’s a career 29.4% three-point shooter, but he did post a career-high 15.1% rebounding percentage last season with Dallas. And the Suns? They could use some of that rebounding. This doesn’t project to be a dominating rebounding team, and quite frankly, you’ll need all of the assistance you can get.
The Mavericks waived Powell this offseason after giving him an Exhibit 10 opportunity to stay with the team as they pivot toward prioritizing youth at center, making him an option who could provide Phoenix with much-needed depth and rebounding off the bench.
His rim protection would be welcomed, as his overall defensive talent is rated in the 83rd percentile by B-Ball Index, with an A- grade.
From Mavs Moneyball’s Ben Zajdel on Dwight Powell last season:
Having a player like Powell around can help. A player who’s seen everything, has a personality that’s uplifting, and is generally a good hang can keep a bad season from turning into a disaster. Things in Dallas could have turned toxic quickly this year, and for the most part, the team was drama-free. Powell was a part of that, and it’s something NBA teams value.
Kelly Olynyk
If you want to talk about players with a high motor who would fit the culture Phoenix is trying to establish, you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who fits that profile better than Kelly Olynyk. Olyknk has made a career out of being a hustle player, the shot of energy off of the bench that might not put up statistical dominance, but affects those around him with his motor.
His 13-year career has spanned eight franchises, most recently with the San Antonio Spurs, where he appeared in 42 games as a backup last season. Throughout his career, Olynyk has averaged 9.8 points and 5 rebounds, and he can knock down the occasional three-pointer as well, shooting 36.9% from deep on 3 attempts per game.
While his athleticism has begun to decline with age, at 7 feet tall and 240 pounds, Olynyk brings size, experience, and an established work ethic that could serve the Suns well given their current circumstances.
He’s not as analytically effective as Dwight Powell, but he is someone who can assist in crashing the boards (you see a theme here for me? Johnny wants rebounds), especially on the offensive end. If he’s your second-team center, extra opportunities would be appreciated.
Bismack Biyombo
What am I doing here? Just looking at all of the backup bigs the Spurs let go this offseason? Well, yeah. They had a trio of veterans behind Wemby and opted to move on. And since the Suns are in a bind, we could use them.
I’m normally not big on retreads, but when you look at the list of available centers, you’re bound to come across a few former members of the Phoenix Suns. Mason Plumlee is available (another former Spur), as is Drew Eubanks. But if I were picking somebody from that pile, it would be Bismack Biyombo.
We know him from his two seasons in Phoenix, where he appeared in 97 games, starting 17, and averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds.
We also know he can’t space the floor in any capacity, and his push shot leaves plenty to be desired. But if you need somebody who can come off the bench and provide a physical presence on the glass, even at 6-foot-8, Biyombo is capable of doing exactly that.
After all, he averaged 10.8 rebounds per 36 minutes and possesses a career rebounding percentage of 16.7%. I wouldn’t mind having him back around, knowing that his impact is primarily one-dimensional.
Jonas Valanciunas
The last guy on my list might be the most intriguing, and that’s 15-year veteran big man Jonas Valancuinas. The Big V who has bounced all over the NBA but never into the Valley of the Sun.
If you’re looking for a big body, this is your guy. At 6’11” and 265 pounds, Valanciunas brings a physical presence and a skill set that could help the Suns in several areas. He can knock down a midrange jumper, finish around the basket, and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty fighting for rebounds.
After all, across 14 NBA seasons, he’s averaged 12.8 points and 9.0 rebounds. His rebounding percentage? 20.7%!
The Suns are a team that certainly lacks size, and Valanciunas provides exactly that. He ranks in the 7th percentile for defensive rebounding talent but in the 94th percentile for offensive rebounding talent.
He’s strictly an interior player at this stage of his career. He can’t defend the perimeter effectively, nor can he stretch the floor offensively. But if rebounding is a priority, which I firmly believe it should be for this team, Valančiūnas is somebody the Suns should absolutely pursue.
Big V is currently playing in the EuroLeague for Zalgiris in the Lithuanian Basketball League, playing in his home country on a two-year, $5.5 million contract.
The Rest
Here’s a list of everybody else who is available on the free agent market:
Tony Bradley
Drew Eubanks
Christian Koloko
Kevin Love
Josh Oduro
Lachlan Olbrich
Mason Plumlee
Olivier Sarr
Oscar Tshiebwe
My guess is that the Suns will ultimately lean on Duop Reath and Drew Timme as they await further clarity on the severity of Oso Ighodaro’s injury. But the flexibility is there if they decide to explore other options. What do you think? Should the Suns stand pat? Or, after just one game into the new season, should they go out and add some much needed flexbility.
Before we begin looking ahead to 2027, OTM is looking back at 2026, highlighting some of the biggest, strangest, and most memorable moments of a memorable season. Today, we look back at the belated season debut of a new rotation mainstay.
So much was made of Brayan Bello’s redemption arc — a spring demotion to Triple-A followed by a subsequent rebirth as a dominant bulk reliever — that many (including this writer) briefly forget that an even better starter actually began 2026 in Triple-A.
The 2026 Red Sox roster was notable for how awesome the rotation looked in March. It was rife with the presence of a recent Cy Young runner-up in Garrett Crochet, Bello, who was fresh off the World Baseball Classic, Ranger Suarez, who was an exciting addition to the top of the rotation from Philadelphia, another addition in Sonny Gray, and Connelly Early, who looked amazing even in defeat in 2025’s Wild Card Round at Yankee Stadium. That, of course, left a couple guys on the outside looking in, including Payton Tolle, who himself pitched in the waning moments of last season.
If there was any internal competition between the two young guns, it was manufactured if it existed at all. The duo took pictures together, were inseparable on broadcasts, and had nothing but praise for each other. Tolle, a towering lefty just like his newfound best friend and rotation-mate Early, had his four-seam fastball in spades. He also had one of the best call-up videos I have ever seen prior to his first start against eventual NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes on August 29 (featuring a WooSox manager he surely would never see again, right?)
While Tolle had his fastball, though, he lost ground to Early in the early going of each’s career with the amount of times he was taken over an outfield wall; 5 in 18 innings, to be exact, in comparison to Early avoiding that feat in his 19 innings. That was probably the defining factor in the decision to give Early his first Opening Day roster nod in what will, in all likelihood, become a successful career… in Washington, amongst other places, as Tolle, after a 2026 campaign that saw him notch 171 strikeouts and pitch to an ERA just a hair over 3, is a lock to capture his first Opening Day slot in 2027. So how did we get here? We can look at April 23 at Yankee Stadium as a pivotal point.
The Red Sox had just gotten a good 3 2/3 innings in relief out of Eduardo Rivera, who had never pitched higher than Double-A in his short professional career. Garrett Crochet was, to put it bluntly, not pitching well, but it would not be revealed until later in the week that he was actually dealing with shoulder inflammation that would place him on the Injured List for the remainder of the season. Thus, Alex Cora needed a starter for the third game at Yankee Stadium on Friday night on Apple TV, and who better than a guy who was mowing them down in Worcester to face Cam Schlittler?
The game started out as a duel. Tolle looked every bit up to the challenge. After three consecutive balls in the exact same spot to Amed Rosario, Tolle came back in the count. K. He then sat Aaron Judge down on four pitches. And that fastball would bite Ben Rice, clocking in at 98. He’d then get Giancarlo Stanton and Randal Grichuk. Five hitters, five strikeouts. Tolle was back, and he was here to stay. In fact, he’d not allow a baserunner until the fourth inning.
All told, Tolle would wrap up his night confidently, even with allowing a home run to Jazz Chisholm. His 3 up, 3 down in the sixth including two strikeouts, number 10 and number 11 on the night, finished his outing. It would be the most strikeouts a Red Sox pitcher had on the season until Sonny Gray tied it in Colorado two months later; Tolle would eventually have the title on the team with 14 against the Athletics. Sadly, Alex Cora made a few managing mishaps that would define the beginning of the 2026 season and would do him in. The signature tells were both in effect here, but one was no fault of his: the offense wouldn’t really support the good start out of Tolle outside of a Carlos Narvaez home run, and Cora’s part in the loss was calling on Greg Weissert with inherited runners (from Danny Coulombe) when there was plenty of evidence that those inherited runners would score. And score they did – the final score: Yankees 4, Red Sox 2.
The Yankees would complete the sweep against the Red Sox, take the season series, and end the Red Sox season some months later. That was Tolle’s best night for a couple of months, and some of his tells still existed. He still allowed home runs at a higher rate than most of the other rotation. But he went deep into games and certainly struck guys out. Every team wants a pitcher that gives them a real chance to win. After July 7, the team would be on the losing end of a Tolle start just twice in the regular season. The encouraging news, even with the fifth consecutive loss at Yankees Stadium, is that, on that fateful night in the Bronx, the Red Sox’s rivals had no answer for a guy who hopefully will be a foundation of the rotation for years to come.
Mathys Tel scored a fine solo goal to set the seal on a rare Spurs victory at the Bridge
The teams take to the pitch. Chelsea in blue, Spurs in white, and it won’t be long before every shirt is soaking wet. Has the signature work of the Harry J All Stars ever been so apposite? We’ll be off in a couple of minutes.
Roberto De Zerbi also speaks to Sky. “James Maddison is a very important player … he brings personality, qualities, experience … a different position on the pitch … he’s a different player to Conor Gallagher or [Omar] Marmoush as a number ten … we have to find him in the right moment in the best position … [Dominic Solanke] felt fatigue after Coventry … I am lucky to have a big squad with many different solutions … so I took the decision [to rest him] but the game is 90 minutes.”
Burnley sack manager Hayen after 4-1 loss at Lincoln
Southampton announced themselves in the promotion race with a statement 3-2 win at the pre-season title favourites, West Ham. Kuryu Matsuki, James Bree and Lewis Dobbin were all on target in a chaotic first half, while Kyle Walker-Peters and Tomas Soucek replied for the Hammers.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s side would have gone top with a win but instead saw their nine-match unbeaten run halted. There were thousands of empty seats by the end at the London Stadium, with those who stayed booing the Hammers off. Southampton, deducted four points at the start of the season, are now just two points behind West Ham.
The Chicago Blackhawks were defeated by the Montreal Canadiens at the United Center on Friday night. Outside of Connor Bedard’s first-period goal that gave Chicago a 1-0 lead, the game was an overall disaster for Chicago.
Whether it was zone entries, breaking the puck out of the defensive zone, or refraining from giving up short-handed chances, the Blackhawks were as lousy as they’ve been at any point in the young season.
At 3-7-0, they don’t have any answers, but they're looking to figure it out. It won’t happen overnight, but talent must meet the work ethic and commitment to consistently getting better. Sometimes, veteran leadership must lead the way for that to happen.
Connor Bedard is a wonderful young captain, and Anton Frondell, Frank Nazar, and others will make great leaders over time. However, veteran players with big-game experience can go a long way in these situations.
One player in Chicago’s locker room who can speak to that is defenseman Ian Cole. On Friday night, Cole played in the 1000th game of his accomplished NHL career.
Cole has now suited up for 10 games with the Blackhawks, but he's spent most of his career moving around the league. Cole has also played for the St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks, and Utah Mammoth.
There have been many deep playoff runs, and two of them ended with a Stanley Cup. He has also been on a few losing teams, including his current situation in Chicago. Understanding both ends of the spectrum makes him a valuable piece on the current team.
"I've been very fortunate to be on good teams," Cole said after his 1000th game. "There are many things that make them good, but consistency is number one. We were consistently doing the right things, completing plays, continuing to push the pace both as a team and individually. We need to find that. In the first 10 minutes, we'll look really good, and then it doesn't carry through the full 60. We need to find a level of consistency in our game to win hockey games. If we don't find that, it's going to be tough."
Cole talked about having those conversations with the team ahead of the next practice. He hasn't been with the organization for very long, but his 1000 games of NHL experience plus many playoff/Stanley Cup Final games should allow his voice to speak loudly.
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Relegated Burnley expected to challenge for promotion
Burnley have sacked Nicky Hayen after only 14 games in charge, in the wake of a 4-1 defeat at Lincoln that left the Clarets in the Championship’s relegation zone.
The Belgian was appointed in the summer as the permanent successor to Scott Parker, who left in April with relegation from the Premier League inevitable. He leaves having won just one match, a 4-0 league victory at Watford on 10 October.
FUYANG, CHINA - SEPTEMBER 16, 2026 - US dollar banknotes in Fuyang City, Anhui Province, China on September 16, 2026. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
The 2026 World Series matchup between the Tampa Bay Rays (boo!) and the Milwaukee Brewers (yay!) kicked off last night, and that can only mean one thing: the season is officially almost at a close. There are at most six games remaining, and baseball will be over after Halloween. Pretty soon, the stadium lights will dim, the locker rooms will go quite, and the hot stove will slowly begin to heat up as the winter begins.
The next few months will be even more hectic than usual. Not only will we be discussing potential free agent and trade targets, as we try to project how the Yankees might look to improve their squad for next season, we will also be following along the CBA negotiations, as Rob Manfred and the league owners attempt to engage in some ol’ fashioned robber baron-esque union busting. In order to prepare for these discussions — and to give you some good, hard data to cite when arguing with your friends — let’s take a look at where the Yankees’ payroll stands today.
Note: All guaranteed contracts are taken from Spotrac, and all arbitration estimates are taken from MLB Trade Rumors; as always, given how much more focus the Yankees seem to place on luxury tax values than how much money is actually paid out in a given year, all numbers are based on their luxury tax hit.
Guaranteed Money
The Yankees currently have seven players, including three-fifths of the starting rotation, under contract for the 2027 season, with a combined luxury tax hit of $212.4 million — more than the entire payrolls of 19 teams. Despite the large number, though, the Yankees are actually in fairly decent shape financially, at least in terms of the old rules: only three players (Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, and Max Fried) are under contract past the 2028 season, and the players who provide the least value relative to their salary (Giancarlo Stanton and Ryan McMahon) have only one year remaining. Furthermore, because of Cody Bellinger’s opt-out (represented by the asterisks), his luxury tax hit for this upcoming season is substantially higher than it will be for the final four years of the deal—assuming he does not opt out, that is—due to the way Major League Baseball calculates these things.
As a rather fun aside, with Aaron Hicks and DJ LeMahieu finally off the books, the Yankees enter this winter with no dead money for the first time in years; it is presently unclear just how long this will remain true. Indeed, Stanton and McMahon stand out as potential options for dead money in 2027 should the Yankees decide that they’d rather eat their contracts than guarantee them roster spots.
Arbitration-Eligible
MLB Trade Rumors projects the Yankees to have nine players eligible for arbitration this winter, with projected salaries ranging from $2.3 to $11 million. While we don’t yet know for sure whether the Yankees will actually tender contracts to all nine of these players — Fernando Cruz’s elbow injury and Luis Gil’s struggles (as well as his own injury history) make them likely candidates for release, while the high salaries relative to their health/production of Anthony Volpe, José Caballero, Heliot Ramos, and Clarke Schmidt might put them in at least mild jeopardy as well.
Pre-Arbitration
Technically, with no CBA signed, we do not know what the minimum salary will be for the 2027 season. We do have an upper and lower bound, though. Major League Baseball’s proposal from June pitched a minimum salary of $1 million, and MLBPA’s proposal from May advocated for a $1.5 million minimum. As such, although we don’t have concrete figures, we can nonetheless get a ballpark estimate as to how much the pre-arbitration salaries will cost.
As with the arbitration-eligible players, there’s a good chance that not everybody on this list will be tendered a contract. Punchless backup catcher Ali Sánchez and relievers Bradley Hanner, Kervin Castro, and Brendan Beck are just four players off the top of my head who should definitely not sign a one-year lease in the New York metropolitan area, at least until the non-tender deadline has passed.
Final Tally
As things currently stand, the Yankees 2027 luxury tax payroll sits somewhere between $265.1 and $273.1 million, or roughly $40 to $50 million below the Yankees’ 2026 payroll of $313 million (note: I removed player benefits and other non-payroll factors from the luxury tax equation, for the sake of consistency). While it remains to be seen how the CBA shakes out, and what the exact financial rules will be going forward, this gives us a rough estimate as to how much money the Yankees currently have at their disposal even if they aren’t looking to add to increase the team payroll in 2027.
ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Blues held a team-only meeting a couple days ago and decided that their style of play would encapsulate one way:
“Just want to be relentless,” Blues forward Dylan Holloway said.
The disclosure came on the heels of an impressive 6-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, the first of two straight games for the Blues (5-4-1) on their current five-game homestand against the past two Stanley Cup finalists with the Carolina Hurricanes (8-2-2), the defending champs in town for a Saturday game (6 p.m.; Blue Note+, ESPN 101.1-FM).
“We just stuck to the way we were playing and it paid off,” Holloway said of Thursday’s win. “Just a lot of communication from our bench. We had some good team meetings (Wednesday), so I think they paid off. Just going over our identity, how we want to play as a team and what kind of identity we want to establish. It kind of just got everybody on the same page.”
Now the question is, can they maintain that same kind of identity? Can they maintain a level of play that’s demanding on a daily basis?
“What it takes is commitment, right,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “If anybody watches who we play (tonight), they watch them play, they would say they’re relentless and it’s every game, it’s every night, it’s every practice. So, what it takes is a commitment. It’s a simple thing to say, ‘I’m going to be relentless,’ but it takes a lot of hard work, and that’s where the commitment comes in.
“… This is a great opportunity. We’re really happy with the way we played. Can we do it again against the team that plays relentless, the most competitive team in the NHL? There’s no surprises. They’re coming hard to your net every chance. Any turnover off of O-zone, off the forecheck, off the neutral zone, are you going to beat them back at your net? Offensively, they’re in your face everywhere. You’ll have defensemen down at the goal line, so if you make a good decision with the puck, are you going to beat that guy to their net? One-on-one loose puck battles, are you going to be first on it? This is a real good test for us about being able to rinse-repeat with that same kind of effort and determination and also do it against the Stanley Cup champs. We did it last game against Vegas, Stanley Cup finalists. I just really like where the schedule just happened to be this time of year for the way we’re playing.”
How Montgomery and the coaching staff deliver that message will also play a big role in this.
“There’s been books written about it, so you’re always trying to find different ways to sell being relentless,” Montgomery said. “Whether it’s different words within your structure, but what I love is the word relentless came from them. It’s not us saying that we need to be like that, it’s them wanting to be like that and they took the action. Now, can we repeat it? It’s rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat. You’re not going to win every game just because you’re relentless because other teams are trying to win hockey games too, but you’re going to give yourself an opportunity and people are going to know when they play the St. Louis Blues, they’re in for a hockey game. They better be ready. We’ve got to get to that level.”
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Defenseman Quinton Burns, recalled on Friday night from Springfield of the American Hockey League, not only played on Friday for the Thunderbirds in their 3-2 loss at Charlotte, but then got the word that he was coming to the NHL for the first time.
The third-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft was on a 6:30 a.m. (CT) flight out of Charlotte Saturday morning early and in St. Louis in time to get on the ice this morning to take in the optional morning skate.
Adrenaline was high, to say the least despite the whirlwind of the past 12 hours or so.
“It’s been busy, not a lot of sleep,” Burns said. “I got done with my game in Charlotte yesterday and then got the news. It was really exciting, was on a flight early this morning here, so it was pretty cool.
“Just pure excitement, right? Just so many people to thank. It takes so many people to help me get here and yeah, it’s just pure excitement. There wasn’t a lot of words when I got told. Just really happy to be here and looking forward to getting to work.”
Burns started off his first pro season last year with Florida of the ECHL, playing 16 games there (one goal, five assists, plus-10) before getting summoned up to Springfield, where he finished the season playing 31 regular-season games (five assists, 92 penalty minutes), then playing seven games there this season (one assist) before getting the call up.
It’s been a culmination of hard work and determination to get here, and the Blues recognized it. It is also a chance for Theo Lindstein, who was assigned to the Thunderbirds late Thursday, to play rather than sit here in St. Louis.
“What do we got, like four games in the next week? We only have six healthy defensemen right now,” Montgomery said. “Good opportunity for Lindstein to go down and get good ice time during those 3-4 games, and Burns is getting rewarded for all his hard work.
“Last year, his first year in pro went down to the East Coast League, worked his way back up to Springfield. Springfield just kept getting better and better. Great team guy, will fight for his teammates, will do anything to help his team win, block shots, smart defenseman. We believe if he continues to progress has a real good chance of being a real good defenseman in the league for a long time. That’s the organization again rewarding someone for how they’ve really made a commitment to their development.
“I think (the physicality has) always been there. He’s as old school as it gets. The Plagers would love him, (Barret) Jackman loves him.”
There are no promises Burns will play in this stint here, so the 6-foot-2, 198-pound left-handed shot will soak up as much as he can and absorb as much information as possible, and if the opportunity presents itself, he will be ready.
“Just taking it day by day; obviously I’d love to play a game,” Burns said. “But yeah, I’m just here to work and if my name gets called upon, I’ll be ready to go and looking forward to it.
“I feel like my game feels pretty good right now. I just try to play simple. I try to be relentless and be really hard to play against. That’s my identity, move the puck quick and be really hard to play against defensively and physical and that’s just what I’m looking to bring here. I’ve got to be myself.
“It’s been a journey. I’ve enjoyed every moment of it, getting sent down to Florida. Obviously you don’t want to get sent down, but I just went to work and tried to get better and eventually when I got my chance up in Springfield, I thought I took it and I thought I played good. I had a really good summer and now I’m here. It just shows if you work hard and don’t get discouraged, good things will happen, so I’m just really happy.”
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At Saturday’s optional morning skate, injured skaters Logan Mailloux (hand), Ross Johnston (lower body) and Alexey Toropchenko (upper body) all were participants on the ice.
Toropchenko has been skating all week and was putting in a full workload minus the contact and is closest to returning.
“’Torpo’s really close,” Montgomery said. “I believe by Tuesday I would think he’s ready. That’s where he’s at, very close. Way ahead of schedule. We didn’t expect to have him back for a minimum four weeks and four weeks isn’t until like next Friday.”
Now will Toropchenko, injured in the season-opener against the Dallas Stars, jump right back in? That all depends since Aleksanteri Kaskimaki and Otto Stenberg have looked strong in their two games with Pius Suter on the fourth line.
“It does afford you the time to be patient, and if you want to see if those young men can consistently deliver the same thing they’ve given us for two games,” Montgomery said. “I thought their first game was good, I thought they raised their level the second game, and that’s what you want to see is guys not only be excited to play that first game but to be full-time NHLers and show the grit, the pace and the mental aptitude to get better.”
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Don’t look now, but the Blues’ power-play suddenly is eighth in the league after scoring in five straight games (6-for-17), including 2-for-2 against Vegas Thursday.
What’s changed from the start of the season with new assistant coach Vinny Prospal running the show?
“I think changing habits takes a while, and Vinny talks a lot about shooting and shot volume and converging at the net and have numbers at the net and to the goals, and I think our power play last year was slow, and it wasn’t about converging, it was about moving the puck around and waiting for the right opportunity,” Montgomery said. “So he’s changed the mindset and they understood it right away, but to change your own habits, that takes a couple of weeks anyways.”
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Blues Projected Lineup:
Dylan Holloway-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud
Connor McMichael-Mason McTavish-Jonatan Berggren
Jake Neighbours-Dalibor Dvorsky-Pavel Buchnevich
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki-Pius Suter-Otto Stenberg
Philip Broberg-Justin Barron
Adam Jiricek-Colton Parayko
Cam Fowler-Brandon Carlo
Joel Hofer will start in goal; Jordan Binnington will be the backup.
The healthy scratch includes Quinton Burns. Logan Mailloux (hand), Tyler Tucker (knee), Alexey Toropchenko (upper body), Dillon Dube (neck) and Ross Johnston (lower body) are out.
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Hurricanes Projected Lineup:
William Carrier-Sebastian Aho-Andrei Svechnikov
Nikolaj Ehlers-Logan Stankoven-Jackson Blake
Jordan Martinook-Jesperi Kotkaniemi-Seth Jarvis
Eric Robinson-Skyler Brind'Amour-Nicolas Deslauriers
Jacob Slavin-Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller-Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere-Juuso Valimaki
Pyotr Kochetkov is projected to start in goal; Brandon Bussi would be the backup.
Healthy scratches could include Felix Unger Sorum and Mike Reilly. Taylor Hall (upper body), Mark Jankowski (lower body) and Jordan Staal (calf) are out.
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Tyler Austin works out in Mesa on Feb. 13 | | Getty Images
And you’re saying, “Who?”
The Cubs signed Tyler Austin last December. He had played parts of four seasons for the Yankees, Twins, Giants and Brewers from 2016-19, then played six years for Yokohama in NPB, batting .293/.377/.568 with 85 home runs in 403 games.
The idea was for him to be a right-handed hitting backup first baseman to Michael Busch. And it might have worked: Austin hit .253/.345/.539 with 18 home runs in 217 MLB at-bats vs. LHP in those four seasons.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced that Austin underwent right knee surgery on Tuesday and would be out “months” as he recovers. The 34-year-old Austin required a right patellar tendon debridement procedure after his knee “didn’t respond well” in early camp workouts.
And “months” turned into “the entire season.” The Cubs paid Austin $1.2 million for this lost season.
Austin turned 35 during his season on the 60-day injured list. He did at least get to meet some of his teammates did participate in at least one team workout, as shown at the top of this post. And he also posed for photos in a Cubs uniform on Photo Day last Feb. 17:
Those, however, are likely the only times you will ever see Tyler Austin in a Cubs uniform. The team can certainly find a healthier, younger option to be a backup first baseman for Busch for 2027. I’m writing about him only because I decided I’d write an article about all 17 Cubs who are free agents this offseason or have a team or player option, and he is certainly one of those players. (See this StoryStream for the rest of the articles.)
SAN FRANCISCO — An hour or so after the Warriors’ collapse Friday night, Yaxel Lendeborg stood at his locker and swapped out his white No. 1 jersey for a blue throwback No. 4.
Dug out of his childhood closet by his mom, it was already an appropriate homage for a Michigan man trading in one shade of blue for another. Then, Lendeborg went on to have a game that no Warriors rookie had had since the guy whose name was on the back of that jersey.
“This is the jersey I’ve been wearing since I was a kid on the basketball court,” Lendeborg told reporters in the locker room following Golden State’s 111-108 loss to the Grizzlies. “Chris Webber, Michigan legend. Warrior legend. Had to represent, you know?”
Golden State Warriors’ Yaxel Lendeborg (1) dunks the ball during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
Lendeborg did more than represent.
Although he got the short end of his first NBA showdown with fellow rookie forward Cameron Boozer, Lendeborg matched the No. 3 overall pick with 13 rebounds and six assists to go with 18 points — the first Warriors rookie since Webber to put up such a line in one game.
Only two Warriors, period, in the past six seasons have stuffed the stat sheet to the degree that Lendeborg did in just his second professional game. Steph Curry went for 23, 13 and 13 back in 2021. And Brandin Podziemski notched 18, 15 and nine this past February.
That’s it.
However, Lendeborg was also responsible for six of the Warriors’ 19 turnovers.
“He’s gonna get better and better,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He just has to get used to the NBA. … He’s putting himself in some risky spots that he won’t be doing a few weeks from now.”
Yaxel Lendeborg (1) of the Golden State Warriors smiles against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, October 23, 2026, at Chase Center in San Francisco. NBAE via Getty ImagesYaxel Lendeborg (1) of the Golden State Warriors and Cameron Boozer (27) of the Memphis Grizzlies battle during a game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images
After going back and forth with Luka Doncic in his NBA debut, Lendeborg kept it more lowkey in his first game in front of the home fans. He said this summer that he would have any matchup with Boozer, whose Duke team he beat for the national championship, circled on his calendar.
“I always want to have a good game against anybody in my draft class, try to outperform them. Today I didn’t,” Lendeborg said. “But every game I’m definitely gonna try to take that personally, try to win my matchup and ultimately win the game for the team.
“I didn’t do both today, but I’ll win it next time.”
Boozer operated at will and finished with 25 points, seven more than Lendeborg — one off the difference in their draft positions. His spinning shot in the lane over Podziemski with 20 seconds left gave the Grizzlies their first lead since late in the third quarter, 108-106.
Lendeborg, meanwhile, is still seeking his first NBA win.
“He played a great game today,” Lendeborg said. “It was a fun matchup. Didn’t really get to guard each other much. He took advantage of the matchup when I was on him and did a great job. Props to him.”
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