The Raptors announced Thursday that the trade will not be finalized until the NBA’s probe into Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers is finished.
The NBA has been investigating Leonard and the Clippers for the past 10 months after reports that he received a multi-million endorsement deal with sustainability services company Aspiration in an alleged effort to circumvent league salary cap rules.
Toronto and Los Angeles agreed to a deal involving Leonard last month, with the Raptors receiving Leonard and the Clippers getting Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and several draft picks.
“On June 30, we reached an agreement in principle to trade Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors,” the Clippers said in a statement. “We have since been informed that the trade can only be finalized if the Raptors’ ownership group assumes the risk of penalties related to Kawhi’s contract that could theoretically result from the ongoing investigation. The investigation is ongoing, and we expect the trade to be finalized following its conclusion.
“At the heart of this investigation are Joe Sanberg and Aspiration. We did not funnel money to Kawhi Leonard through Aspiration. Like many sophisticated investors, financial institutions, and business partners, we were victims of a fraud initiated by Sanberg, who has been convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison.
“We recognize the uncertainty this has created and the impact it has had on our team, our fans, the Raptors organization, their fans, and the players whose futures remain affected while this process continues. We remain confident that, when the facts are evaluated fairly and thoroughly, the NBA will confirm exactly what we have said from the beginning: We have not done what we are accused of doing.”
Despite the holdup, Toronto said it is still committed to completing the trade after the investigation is over.
“The Raptors remain eager to bring Kawhi back to Toronto and look forward to a swift resolution for our players, our organization and our fans,” the team said in a statement.
Leonard, 35, spent the last seven seasons with the Clippers after signing as a free agent in 2019. He played the 2018-19 season with the Raptors before joining the Clippers, leading the team to 58 wins and a championship.
Former San Jose Sharks prospect Danil Gushchin is heading back to his native Russia. After not receiving a qualifying offer from the Colorado Avalanche, he has signed a two-year deal with his hometown team, Avtomoblist Yekaterinburg, in the Kontinental Hockey League.
Gushchin moved to North America nearly a decade ago, joining the United States Hockey League’s Muskegon Lumberjacks ahead of the 2018-19 season. While with Muskegon, he was drafted by the Sharks with the 76th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Draft.
Gushchin made his professional debut at the end of the 2021-22 season, appearing in a few games for the San Jose Barracuda after his junior season ended. The following season, he finished his first fully professional campaign and even made his NHL debut, playing a pair of games for the Sharks.
From there, Gushchin was a regular for the Barracuda and occasionally earned NHL opportunities until he departed the Sharks organization following the 2024-25 season.
While a member of the Colorado Avalanche organization, Gushchin played exclusively at the AHL level before being allowed to hit the free agent market this summer.
During his time in San Jose, Gushchin scored 70 goals and a total of 150 points in 182 games at the AHL level. During his limited opportunities with the Sharks, he scored two goals and five points in 18 career NHL games.
Czech 10th seed clinched a 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (10) victory
Faces compatriot Noskova or Ukraine’s Kostyuk next
Coco Gauff blew a golden chance to reach a first Wimbledon final as she lost a dramatic deciding set tie-break against Karolina Muchova.
The 22-year-old came from a set down to take a tense semi-final the distance on Centre Court. But, on match point, Gauff dumped a simple winner into the net, a shot that will surely keep her awake at night for some time.
Once upon a time, the Montreal Canadiens had a tendency to select many players from the USHL or the NCAA, but in recent years, we’ve seen a new trend emerge: drafting Russian players. The Habs made Ivan Demidov the fifth overall pick at the 2024 draft; they opted for Alexander Zharovsky with their first pick of the 2025 draft in the second round, and just last month they moved up to grab Gleb Pugachyov with the 26th overall selection.
Earlier this week, the International Olympic Committee Executive Board announced that it had provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee. They also added that recommendations to International Federations regarding Russian athletes’ participation are no longer applicable.
While this might not have any immediate repercussions for the Canadiens, it will more than likely have some down the line. Following Russia’s suspension from international events after it invaded Ukraine in 2023, Russian hockey players missed the Olympic Games, the IIHF World Championships, and the World Junior Championships; the NHL also decided to exclude Russia from its own international competition, which explains how the 4 Nations Face-Off came to be.
This decision from the IOC could very well result in Team Russia being reintegrated in all international hockey events. Since the NHL normally follows the IOC and the IIHF’s lead, this could also mean that the Russians are allowed to take part in the 2028 World Cup of Hockey, scheduled for February 2028 in both Canada and Czechia.
If it were the case, it would likely mean that Canadiens’ playmaker Demidov would finally be able to participate in a best-on-best competition, which is a great experience for any player. Nick Suzuki has raved about his participation in the 4 Nations and the Olympics, and it has definitely helped other markets to become aware of just how complete a player the Canadiens’ captain is.
Assuming no changes, by February 2028, Zharovsky should have joined the Canadiens, but it’s much too early to say whether he would be under consideration for Team Russia. After all, there are many talented Russian players in the NHL and beyond. Last season, Nikita Kucherov put up 130 points, Kirill Kaprizov racked up 89 points and pocketed a contract with a $17M cap hit, while Artemi Panarin took his production to the Los Angeles Kings. And that’s just up front; Team Russia could also have some of the top goalies in the league, including Andrei Vasilevskiy, Igor Shesterkin, Ilya Sorokin, and Sergei Bobrovsky, to name a few. On the blueline, the names of Mikhail Sergachev, Dimitry Orlov, Alexander Nikishin, and Pavel Mintyukov come to mind.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Brayden Burries #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks dribbles up court during the second half of the California Classic against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on July 06, 2026 in Sacramento, California. 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. (Photo by Scott Marshall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks are heading to Sin City for the Las Vegas Summer League.
This year, Summer League should be much more intriguing than in years’ past with a pair of lottery picks on the roster in Nate Ament and Brayden Burries. In addition, Kasparas Jakucionis is joining the Bucks in Vegas, giving him a chance to showcase some of his stuff before the second half of the offseason.
Here’s a look at the full roster:
Nate Ament (PF, Tennessee)
Zack Austin (SF, Pittsburgh)
BJ Boston (SG, Kentucky)
Brayden Burries (PG, Arizona)
John Butler (C, Florida St)
Rafael Castro (C, George Washington)
Jesse Edwards (C, West Virginia)
Kasparas Jakucionis (PG, Illinois)
Kam Jones (PG, Marquette)
Kuany Kuany (PF, VCU)
Malique Lewis (SF, SE Melbourne Phoenix)
Kira Lewis (PG, Alabama)
Bogoljub Markovic (PF, Mega Basket)
Boopie Miller (PG, SMU)
Pete Nance (PF, North Carolina)
Cormac Ryan (SG, North Carolina)
Kobe Stewart (SG, Presbyterian)
Earl Timberlake (SG, Bryant)
Luke Travers (SF, Perth Wildcats)
Aaron Williams (SG, Chicago St)
Other notable players include Brandon Boston Jr., who has 147 games of NBA experience with the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans. He spent last season with Fenerbahce in Turkey. Boston led the Bucks in scoring in two of the three games at the California Classic.
Two-way players Kam Jones, Rafael Castro and Cormac Ryan are also players to keep an eye on. Pete Nance could also be a standout after appearing in 47 games with the Bucks this past season.
New York Islanders veteran center Bo Horvat was seen training with one of the team's top prospects, defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, as the two prepare for the coming 2026-27 season:
Early July:
Bo Horvat and Kashawn Aitcheson already getting ready for next season 👀 #Isles
Aitcheson, who recently attended the team's development camp from June 29 through July 2, was selected by the Islanders with the 17th pick in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.
The 19-year-old earned placement on the CHL and OHL First All-Star Teams after leading the OHL in goals (28) and points (70) as captain of the Barrie Colts last season.
Seeing NHL ice in the coming season is not necessarily out of the question, but the extensive depth on the left side of the organization’s blue line and Aitcheson's lack of professional experience make 2027-28 a more realistic timeline for him to push for an NHL roster spot.
Instead, he is expected to start 2026-27 with the Hamilton Hammers of the American Hockey League.
Horvat, who led the Islanders with 31 goals in 2025-26, is once again reflecting his leadership as he remains a candidate to replace Anders Lee as the 16th captain in franchise history.
A change is coming to the Spurs broadcast booth after shocking allegations exploded on social media.
Jacob Tobey is out as the team’s play-by-play announcer after his girlfriend accused him on social media of cheating with a relative of a Spurs player, per Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports.
Earlier this week an Instagram Story was posted on Tobey’s account alleging his cheating with Loren Waters, who is the sister of Spurs guard Lindy Waters III.
Jacob Tobey and Sean Elliott smiles during the game between the Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas on October 9, 2024. NBAE via Getty Images
Spurs broadcaster Jacob Tobey via IG:
“This is my girlfriend of six years. But I cheated on her with Loren Waters. So feel free to continue following me if you really think I’m a good guy because I’m not. :)”
“This is my girlfriend of six years,” the post read. “But I cheated on her with Loren Waters. So feel free to continue following me if you really think I’m a good guy because I’m not. :)”
The post was soon followed by another that featured what appeared to be photo booth prints of Tobey and Loren Waters kissing.
Fans suggested the posts were uploaded by Tobey’s girlfriend, who may have access to the account.
Jacob Tobey performs the national anthem before the game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder during Game Four of the NBA Western Conference Finals on May 24, 2026 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NBAE via Getty Images
Tobey’s social accounts have since been turned to private.
Tobey, who has also sang the national anthem before Spurs games, previously announced in June he signed a multi-year extension to remain in the role.
Prior to arriving in San Antonio, Tobey called play-by-play for various outlets including Fox Sports and the Pac-12 Network.
The Summer Sixers tip off in Vegas starting Thursday night against the Detroit Pistons at 5:30 p.m. on Amazon Prime and NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Here are five players to watch.
Labaron Philon, G
Just because it’s obvious doesn’t mean it can’t be true. It’s time to see if the Sixers truly struck gold again outside of the lottery. Not that Summer League is a huge barometer for that measurement, but it’s at least a start if Philon can go out and dominate, particularly against teams who had a first-round pick selected higher than he was.
Johni Broome, PF/C
Broome is probably the most intriguing name of the bunch here, and not necessarily in a good way. Having been selected at the top of last year’s second round, Broome barely saw any NBA action as a rookie and also missed time with an injury towards the end of the season. Is he simply not an NBA player or did his rookie season just go sideways and he can turn things around? If he can’t perform at a high level in summer league, Broome’s stock will continue to trend down.
Duke Miles, G
Now it’s on to the lottery tickets, which is really what Summer League is all about. Miles signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Philadelphia after not getting drafted. He was a bouncy guard at Vanderbilt who averaged 16.1 points per game last season with 3.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 2.6 steals. Age isn’t working in Miles’ favor though as he’s 24 and turning 25 in February. Nevertheless, he seems like someone that could have a few moments off the dribble and some nice finishes around the rim for a 6-foot-2 guard.
Drew Cisse, C
Cisse’s another player in his mid 20s but he has spent the last couple years living the nomadic G League life. For what it’s worth, he does seem like a rebounding machine and had a very impressive 20 offensive rebounds in a game for Delaware last season. For a team that’s been as bad at rebounding as the Sixers have been, maybe Cisse can open some eyes.
Nick Townsend, PF
A high-level college achiever who is still just 21 years old gets a look with Philly for the next couple weeks. Townsend was the Ivy League Player of the Year at Yale last season and also a first-team All-Ivy League selection in 2024-25. He shot a very impressive 46.3% from three-point range last season so if he can get close to that in Summer League, he would certainly garner some attention.
The crown jewel of the NBA's Summer League is set to see several top rookies grace the court in Sin City tonight, including No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa and No. 2 pick Darryn Peterson.
Their matchup leads off our NBA Summer League picks for Thursday, July 9.
NBA Summer League predictions for July 9
Pick
Jazz moneyline
-133
Kings moneyline
-150
Today's Summer League Picks
Jazz moneyline (-133 at Kalshi)
The Utah Jazz are among the teams that have already begun play this summer, and they got off to a hot start in the Salt Lake City Summer League. After going 3-0 in their home state, the Jazz's young corps will take advantage of a Washington Wizards squad playing its first game together.
Darryn Peterson has been dynamite for Utah thus far, racking up 53 points in 55 minutes on 52.7% shooting. He's not alone, with the Jazz also seeing eye-raising performances from Cody Williams (35 points on 57.8% shooting) and Max Abmas (40 points and 16 assists).
The Jazz have a lot of young talent in Vegas, including Ace Bailey and Jaxon Kohler, and should push this Wizards team.
While AJ Dybantsa is the No. 1 pick, he's making his debut and doesn't have a ton around him beyond last year's No. 6 pick, Tre Johnson.
Kings moneyline (-150 at Kalshi)
Led by No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr., the Sacramento Kings put up a 3-0 record in the California Classic. Acuff's scoring prowess has been on full display for Sacramento and should be the difference against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Arkansas product has scored 47 points in 52 minutes of Summer League play, and the attention he draws against Los Angeles should help open things up for fellow rookie Emanuel Sharp (31 points in 61 minutes).
Although the Clippers will be deploying fifth overall pick Keaton Wagler, Acuff already has experience beating guards selected in the lottery after defeating Brayden Burries and the Milwaukee Bucks last week.
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Thursday’s NBA Summer League parlay
Jazz moneyline
Kings moneyline
+192 at Kalshi
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NBA Summer League isn’t just the event in Las Vegas. They keep hosting these miniature Summer Leagues in California and Salt Lake City the week before everyone goes to Nevada. I’ve never heard an explanation as to why they exist, but they keep on doing them.
In any case, with Vegas Summer League starting today, I wanted to check in with Chase Ross and Olivier-Maxence Prosper, the two former Marquette men’s basketball players who were on the rosters in California and Utah respectively. It could give us an idea of what to expect from both men as the Los Angeles Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies move from one event to the other.
Chase Ross
Even though Ross was fresh off agreeing to an Exhibit 10 contract with Los Angeles, he didn’t see the court in either of the Lakers’ first two games in California. LA split the first two games, falling 104-72 to Golden State’s Gold team in the opener and then beating Miami 93-91 in the second contest. The second DNP for Ross wasn’t that surprising seeing as Golden State went up 20 before halftime and led by as many as 37 and he couldn’t get in the game.
Ross did get a chance to play in the third game of the event, which goes into the books as an 88-84 victory for the Lakers. He subbed in at the 5:44 mark of the first quarter with the Spurs up 11-4 at the time. He finished with 14:30 of playing time and recorded four points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Ross went 1-for-5 from the field, missing both of his three-point attempts, but at least the social team highlighted his one bucket:
That pulled the Lakers within two, 53-51, in the middle of the third quarter, and it was the trigger on a 10-3 burst for Los Angeles.
It’s good that he got rotation minutes in a competitive game after going DNP for the first two games. I don’t think that quite tells us anything about what to expect in Las Vegas. Maybe cross our fingers that they let him go a little bit more?
Olivier-Maxence Prosper
Memphis went 1-2 in Utah, beating Oklahoma City 111-74 in their opener before taking a nine point loss to Utah and a 14 point loss to Atlanta to wrap things up. Prosper actually led Memphis in scoring in the OKC game, putting up 17 points on 5-for-8 shooting in 23 minutes of action. He went 2-for-3 from behind the arc and added five rebounds and three assists as well. It is deeply funny that he is listed as the Grizzlies starting center in the box score when Cameron Boozer, their 2026 lottery pick, is right there with him, just at forward.
Prosper started against Utah and had another solid game. He scored 16 points on 5-for-11 shooting, which means he was 2-for-3 inside the arc along with 3-for-8 outside of it. Three rebounds, two assists, and a steal in over 28 minutes of action is pretty good stuff as well, even if the Grizz came up short at the horn. He didn’t play at all in the third game, but neither did Boozer or Cedric Coward, who played in 62 games for Memphis as a rookie this past season.
I’d wager this all means we’ll see a healthy dose of Prosper in Vegas, at least as long as the Grizzlies are in contention for the semifinals. Memphis already exercised the option on his contract for 2026-27, which they did not need to do if they didn’t plan on keeping him around all year. I wouldn’t read too much into his playing time in Nevada, but it would be nice to see him continue to be a major contributor at this level.
In a deeply ironic twist, Cutter Gauthier could be the wildcard who makes or breaks the Philadelphia Flyers in their pursuit of a successful Leo Carlsson offer sheet.
Gauthier, 22, is a restricted free agent in need of a new contract, much like teammate Carlsson. And, like Carlsson, it is going to be an expensive one, beyond a shadow of a doubt.
The former top Flyers prospect scored 20 goals and 44 points last season, before exploding for 41 goals and 69 points in his sophomore NHL season this year. We can reasonably assume that the next big milestone for Gauthier is going to be 50 goals, and players who can score that many don't come around too often.
And while that undoubtedly stings for the Flyers and Flyers fans, it may work out to their benefit yet.
We already know that Carlsson and his $18 million cap hit, thanks to the Flyers' offer sheet, is going to put the Anaheim Ducks in a major salary cap bind, and the structure of the contract will require the Ducks and their ownership to pay over $38 million in signing bonuses in the first 12 months of the contract.
What happens, then, when the Ducks dole out another big-money contract from Gauthier--which should come in well over $10 million, and potentially in the $15 million range now--especially if that contract is also laden in signing bonuses?
That would mean Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek going to (a very wealthy) ownership and asking for their blessing to spend nearly $100 million in up-front cash in signing bonuses in a 12-month period, between the signing of the contract and this time next year.
Are the Ducks going to be allowed to do that, knowing that, by spending all that money, they won't have any left to allocate to actually build a good team that can win games, bring in revenue, and keep a fanbase engaged?
Rich people get rich for a reason, and they typically don't like to invest money into something that isn't going to make them more money, or at least take a very long time to do so.
And that's without even mentioning that the Ducks would have to gut their roster and somehow find suitors for some combination of Chris Kreider (Carlsson's left wing), Alex Killorn, and Frank Vatrano to make the hockey aspect work.
While he may not do so intentionally, Cutter Gauthier is very much in a position to land the team that drafted him into the NHL a No. 1 center of the future.
All he has to do is up the ask on his next contract a bit higher, and the Ducks will inevitably be forced to keep one or the other, but not both.
Charles Bassey‘s five-game audition with the Warriors paid off.
The veteran center and Golden State have agreed to a one-year contract for the 2026-27 NBA season, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Thursday, citing sources.
The Golden State Warriors and center Charles Bassey have agreed on a one-year deal, bringing the big man back to the Bay Area for his sixth NBA season, sources tell ESPN. Bassey returns to Golden State in wake of Quinten Post joining the Grizzlies on an offer sheet. pic.twitter.com/JtH32Cy21R
The 25-year-old Bassey now is in line to be the Warriors’ third center behind veterans Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis.
Per ESPN’s Anthony Slater, Bassey assumes the Warriors’ 11th roster spot.
Charles Bassey fills the 11th roster spot. Young backup energy big who can absorb regular season minutes.
It’s anticipated Draymond Green will eventually fill 12th spot. Warriors also plan to maintain roster room for LeBron James until his decision is made. https://t.co/cfYLOPCccB
Bassey spent time last season with the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics before signing a 10-day contract with the Warriors on April 5.
In five games, Bassey averaged 10.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 20.0 minutes off the bench.
Overall, in five seasons with the Warriors, Celtics, 76ers, Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs, the 2021 second-round draft pick is averaging 4.5 points and 4.3 rebounds in 126 games.
While the Warriors wait for LeBron James to make his decision and Draymond Green to likely sign a new contract, they secured a valuable depth piece.
Spurs forward Carter Bryant makes his second-year Summer League debut Thursday at 3:30 pm CST against San Antonio native Kingston Flemings and the Atlanta Hawks.
The Summer Spurs will play at least four games in Las Vegas after going 0-3 in the California Classic.
Around the Horn
Vegas Prep: Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor posted a list of the top 50 players to watch in Vegas. Not much love for the Spurs … Bryant is nowhere to be found (that’s a big oopsie) and Tarris Reed, Jr., is way down the list.
From Mark Zuckerberg to El Jefe? Jesse Eisenberg, an Oscar-nominated actor most known for the lead role of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network, recently said his dream role is playing Gregg Popovich. Eisenberg on Pop: “I just find him to be the most fascinating person on the planet. Here’s this tough coach who cries sometimes and talks about the plight of America, and yet he’s also this terrifying figure who can be so mean to journalists. People like that are fascinating because, on the one hand, they’re known to be very nasty, and on the other hand they’re these bleeding hearts.”
Top of the Heap: Speaking of Pop, he came to mind Wednesday night when Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve became the WNBA’s all-time regular season wins leader with 380. Like Popovich in the NBA, she now holds both the WNBA’s regular season record and overall mark (including playoff victories). Interestingly, Reeve’s career winning percentage ranks behind just one person: former Spurs assistant and Silver Stars guard Becky Hammon, the head coach for the Las Vegas Aces.
Highest Bidder:Darren Rovell reports that various items from the recent NBA Finals brought in big money through a Sotheby’s auction. Various New York Knicks’ game-used jerseys collectively approached $2 million while Finals-branded court panels from Madison Square Garden and a net from Game 5 combined to eclipse $500,000.
By George: Last week’s Philadelphia-Boston blockbuster trade has some calling Paul George “the most valuable player in NBA history.” Given that he’s been traded for All-Stars Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jaylen Brown plus other good players and a slew of valuable draft picks (we see you, OKC), it’s a compelling argument.
Word Play: On a recent NBA Radio show on Sirius XM, Zach Harper and Chris Haynes debated the words that need to disappear from the league’s vocabulary. Their picks were “optionality” and “curated.” What words do you think need to be banned from the NBA? Let us know in the comments below!
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 31: Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) turns up ice during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings on March 31, 2026, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Expectations for the 2026-27 Pittsburgh Penguins are not quite as low as they were going into the 2025-26 season, when it was generally expected that they would not only be one of the worst teams in the NHL, but that they were the only team in the NHL that was not actually trying to win.
The expectations, however, are also not particularly high, even coming off a 98-point season with strong underlying numbers and a playoff berth.
This was, by almost every objective measure that we have to evaluate hockey teams, a very good hockey team.
The belief in that happening again is not really carrying over. Especially with the odds makers.
BetMGM has their Stanley Cup odds right now at +10000, which is 22nd in the entire NHL.
Their odds to win the Eastern Conference are +4000, which is 13th in the conference and below the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils … all teams that missed the playoffs entirely a year ago, and outside of Toronto, all teams that have done very little to their rosters this offseason.
They are +210 to make the playoffs, -275 to miss the playoffs.
Their point total is between 88.5 and 91.5 depending on the sportsbook you are looking at right now.
That is an expectation for a step back.
From a more subjective standpoint, the general feel around just seems to be that a step back is likely, and that not everything will go as well as it did a year ago. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust and Erik Karlsson are all a year older. Some of them showed some signs of slowing down and running out of steam in the playoffs. At some point the decline for some of these guys will get a little steeper than it has been. I would argue it has already started for Letang. Will this be the year for some more of them? It is certainly possible.
Going into the 2025-26 season I thought there was at least a chance the Penguins were going to be better than everybody expected, especially given the makeup of the forward unit. And that was before we knew that Ben Kindel was going to be an NHL player — and a very good one! — right away.
So let’s take that same mindset into this season and if there is a pathway for them to better than most people expect.
The first factor here is the reality the Penguins still have $16.9 million in salary cap space at their disposal and a couple of months to still add to the roster. I don’t know if that is Jason Robertson or somebody else, but there is definitely still the path for a big move of some kind should they find the right match. I feel like the Robertson hope is dwindling more and more each day, but there is a definite opportunity to do something.
But even if there isn’t another big move, the most obvious pathway for another “better than expected” season rests with the forwards. Again.
Even with Anthony Mantha and Noel Accairi leaving, this should still be a very deep group that will be capable of rolling four lines every night and scoring a lot of goals. Going down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton I feel like there are legitimately 17 or 18 forwards that can play meaningful NHL minutes this season, and play them well enough to compete.
That includes, obviously, Sidney Crosby who is still a top-line player whose presence alone is going to give the Penguins a chance on most nights over an 82-game season.
But there are also the wild-card factors with the forwards and the potential improvement that could come from the younger-ish players in the lineup.
How much better is a 19-year-old Ben Kindel with a full year of NHL experience under his belt? Is there a potential for a big breakout here? That changes the math for a lot of things.
What does Egor Chinakhov look like in Pittsburgh in a full season? With a three-year, $18 million contract there is at least some belief from the front office. The talent is certainly there. That would also change the math.
Does somebody like a Nicholas Robertson or Elmer Soderblom breakout the way Chinakhov did? The underlying numbers suggest at least some chance for it.
I would even expand that a little to the defense and Kaedan Korczak, who spent the past few years excelling in a smaller role with the Vegas Golden Knights and could have a chance for a bigger role here.
There are some potentially high ceilings there.
As it relates to the latter point and Korczak, half of the defense has been turned over with Korczak, Declan Carlile and Trevor van Riemsdyk all joining the roster, along with a full season of Sam Girard. I am still a little bullish on Girard and want to see what a fresh start to the season does for him (especially if they can get him away from Letang), and I at least like the profile of the new additions. van Riemsdyk is rock solid defender, and has been for some time. The fact he was the first guy they signed in free agency, right after the signing period opened, is a good indication they had their eyes on him as a primary target.
The biggest weakness for the 2025-26 Penguins was their defensive play, and they did spend a lot of resources in overhauling that unit.
They finished the regular season 20th in expected goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play, 23rd in scoring chances against and 22nd in high-danger scoring chances against.
There are a lot of new faces on that unit now, and it does not include the possibility of somebody like a Harrison Brunicke (who seemed to get better across the board as the season progressed) or Owen Pickering getting a chance.
The bigger X-factor, however, is going to be with the goalies, and there is arguably nothing that will impact the floor and ceiling of this team more than that. And it is something that was not particularly good over the full season a year ago.
They finished 24th in the league in all-situations save percentage, but were a little better in goals saved above expected (plus 10 saved above expected).
They seem fully on board with the Sergei Murashov and Arturs Silovs duo, and it is without question the biggest mystery and unknown on the roster. The upside is significant. The floor is low. You just never know how young goalies are going to play, and you just never know what that is going to look like over a full season and behind a questionable defense. I could see these guys being the reason they make the playoffs again and potentially go further. I could see them being the reason they unintentionally end up high on the lottery odds.
Jul 8, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Ryan Thompson (81) throws a pitch during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images
Team News
Torey Lovullo ejected in Diamondbacks loss to Padres
The 3 small eyes on a bee’s head detect light and help them escape from predators approaching from above. The 2 visible front eyes help them with navigation and recognizing shapes.
The human tongue heals the fastest compared to all body parts.
This is due to the rich supply of blood that circulates the tongue. It may also be because the mouth is constantly replenishing your taste buds.
4 out of 5 children recognize the Mcdonald’s logo at 3 years old.
These kids can recognize the golden arches before they even know their own names.
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