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Fantasy Hockey Award Winners for the 2025-26 NHL Season

If you could redo your 2025-26 fantasy hockey draft with the benefit of hindsight, who would have been the best picks? In some cases, the popular high-end picks during the preseason proved to be among the best fantasy options this campaign, but there were also some surprises. We'll see examples of both as we hand out the awards for the best fantasy performers of the 2025-26 campaign.

Each player's position is determined by their Yahoo eligibility. Their preseason average-draft position (ADP) is also based on Yahoo leagues.

This was the toughest choice because a strong case can be made for both McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon. The 30-year-old MacKinnon did end up being the better player in terms of goals (53 to 48), shots (350 to 303) and plus/minus (plus-57 to plus-15), and the gap in those final two categories is considerable. Even still, McDavid did win when it came to points (134 to 127) and had a huge edge in power-play points (52 to 30), the latter of which is what ultimately led McDavid to claim this award by the narrowest of margins.

Either way, it's clear that you would have done well with either player. Whether a fantasy manager with the top pick took MacKinnon or McDavid, it wouldn't have significantly altered the course of that manager's season.

Biggest Value Jump #1: Dylan Cozens (Ottawa – Preseason ADP: 149.1)

Cozens didn't come out of nowhere. After all, he had 31 goals and 68 points across 81 appearances with Buffalo in 2022-23. Still, he fell off the radar a bit after falling short of the 20-goal and 50-point marks during the 2023-24 and 2024-25 regular seasons, so it came as a pleasant surprise when he scored 27 goals and 58 points across 81 outings with Ottawa this season. He also had 201 shots and a career-high 29 power-play points this campaign, but there's another aspect that shouldn't be overlooked: his physicality.

Back when he recorded 68 points in 2022-23, he dished out just 55 hits, but he's become far more aggressive without the puck, to the point where the 25-year-old set a new personal best with 212 hits this season. If you were in a league that valued that category, then his versatility has been a huge help.

Leon Draisaitl (lower body) likely would have won this award had he not gotten hurt. After all, he had an incredible 35 goals, 97 points, plus-13, 186 shots and 42 power-play points across just 65 appearances. Even still, Robertson deserves this recognition. His point total (96) and power-play points (41) might be just shy of Draisaitl's, but Robertson easily bested him in terms of goals (45), shots (293) and plus/minus (plus-23), which is enough to give him a clear edge overall in most fantasy formats.

Kirill Kaprizov also came close, but while he matched Robertson in goals, Kaprizov came up shy in points (89), power-play points (32), shots (269) and plus/minus (plus-10).

It was a fantastic campaign for Robertson, who looked like a superstar with his 109-point showing in the 2022-23 regular season but then took a noticeable step back in the subsequent two years. It's also perfect timing for Robertson, given that he needs a new contract or else he'll test the waters as a restricted free agent this summer.

Biggest Value Jump #2: Andrei Svechnikov (Carolina – Preseason ADP: 128.7)

Like Cozens, we've seen Svechnikov shine before — he surpassed the 60-point mark in 2019-20 and 2021-22 – but he had regressed in recent years, to the point where he had just 48 points in 72 regular-season outings in 2024-25. This campaign was his comeback story. He set new career highs with 31 goals, 70 points and 29 power-play points. He also offered some nice category coverage in PIM (66), shots (203) and hits (148).

There's no real question here. Kucherov has 75 goals and 130 points in 75 outings in 2025-26. The only players on his level are McDavid, MacKinnon and arguably Macklin Celebrini, but they're all centers.

Kucherov did do a bit worse than you'd expect from a player of his caliber in terms of power-play points (37) and shots (230), but the sheer amount of offense he generated more than made up for those mild deficiencies. It certainly doesn't hurt that he also recorded a plus-44 rating.

The 32-year-old has now exceeded the 110-point mark in four straight regular seasons and has generated more than 120 points four times in his career. McDavid is the only other player of the salary cap era (2005-06 to present) who has as many 120-point regular seasons.

Biggest Value Jump #3: Mika Zibanejad (NY Rangers – Preseason ADP: 134.8)

Fantasy managers saw Zibanejad take a step back in 2024-25 with 20 goals and 62 points in 82 outings, and managers seemed to anticipate a further decline this campaign based on how far he slipped in preseason drafts. Instead, Zibanejad bounced back, supplying 33 goals and 76 points across 80 appearances this season. His minus-21 rating was a hindrance, but Zibanejad made up for it by helping in shots (212) and power-play points (34). He even dished out 105 hits, which is rare for him — he finished with under 50 in each of the prior two regular seasons.

While this was yet another disappointing campaign for the Rangers, the 32-year-old Zibanejad has shown it's far too early to anticipate his demise.

This is another one where there's a clear divide between the best fantasy defenseman and the rest of the pack. Bouchard has 92 points, while the next best blueliner, Zach Werenski, is well behind with 81. Werenski did manage to beat Bouchard in goals (22 to 21) and shots (260 to 219), but that wasn't enough to close the gap when Bouchard also had the edge in plus/minus (plus-22 to plus-7) and power-play points (33 to 21).

This is Bouchard's best season to date and a nice rebound from his 2024-25 regular season (14 goals, 67 points). Bouchard is also another example of why you should never overvalue early-season results. It's a distant memory now, but Bouchard started 2025-26 with no points and a minus-5 rating across his first six outings.

Biggest Value Jump #4: Darren Raddysh (Tampa Bay – Preseason ADP: N/A)

The other players highlighted in the value jump category could be anticipated to one degree or another. It's doubtful anyone projected Raddysh would score 22 goals and 70 points in 72 outings in 2025-26. His success partially came because Victor Hedman missed most of the campaign, which led to Raddysh averaging 22:45 of ice time, including 3:44 with the man advantage. Still, it's one thing to get the opportunity, it's another to take advantage of it, and the 30-year-old defenseman did so while nearly doubling his previous career-best point total (37).

Raddysh also had a plus-22 rating, 62 PIM, 207 shots, 26 power-play points, 66 hits and 67 blocks over the course of his magical season.

This season forced us to calibrate when it comes to what we think of as a "good" goaltender. A 2.88 GAA and an .896 save percentage aren't bad anymore; that's the average for 2025-26. In that light, Vasilevskiy's 2.31 GAA and .912 save percentage across 58 outings were especially good.

Among goaltenders who made at least 40 starts, only Scott Wedgewood bested Vasilevskiy in terms of GAA and save percentage at 2.07 and .920, respectively. However, Vasilevskiy is being named the top fantasy goaltender because he played in 58 games to Wedgewood's 44, which means you got more use out of the Tampa Bay netminder. More critically, Vasilevskiy also had a league-best 39 wins, which put him cleanly above Wedgewood's 30.

Vasilevskiy fell shy of the Vezina Trophy last year, but he might claim it in 2025-26, which would mark his second win after he previously claimed the trophy in 2018-19.

Biggest Value Jump #5: Jet Greaves (Columbus – Preseason ADP: 146.4)

Greaves gave the Blue Jackets a taste of what he could do in 2024-25, posting a 7-2-2 record, 1.91 GAA and .938 save percentage in 11 appearances, and this season, he took the next step by establishing himself as the team's starting goaltender.

He didn't match his stunning 2024-25 numbers over the far larger sample size, but Greaves certainly did his part, providing a 26-19-9 record, 2.60 GAA and .908 save percentage in 55 outings this season.

You could make a strong case that McDavid or MacKinnon had a better overall season, but Kucherov's RW eligibility gives him the edge. There were just so many elite forwards with center eligibility. On top of McDavid and MacKinnon, Celebrini, Nick Suzuki, Mark Scheifele and Martin Necas are all centers who finished with more than 100 points.

By contrast, the gap between Kucherov and the next-best wingers is 30 points. That's a tremendous step down.

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Grayson Grinsell dominates for Lakeland, Gipson-Long rocked by Louisville

Louisville Bats 18, Toledo Mud Hens 4 (box)

What should have been Sawyer Gipson-Long’s first full start after returning from the injured list turned into an absolute beatdown as Louisville mauled the Hens’ starter and then just going through the bullpen like there was no tomorrow.

Gipson-Long’s velocity is still down in the 92 mph range, but it was his control that really betrayed him. The Bats scored one in the first, and then started the bottom of the second by getting a pair of absolute cookies to JJ Bleday and Michael Toglia, who launched them into the seats. Things did not improve in the third and fourth innings, and it was 8-1 by the time Gipson-Long was done for the night.

The Hens got on the board in the fourth when Eduardo Valencia drew a leadoff walk, and Jace Jung doubled him to third. Trei Cruz lifted a sacrifice fly to get the run home.

Brenan Hanifee came on to get the last out of the fourth, and in the fifth he was hit even harder than Gipson-Long, giving up five runs capped by a three-run shot from Michael Chavis.

Valencia singled and eventually scored on a Cruz single in the sixth. Valencia and Corey Julks would hit solo home runs late in the game, but they were pretty meaningless by that point. Outfielder Cal Stevenson took over in the eighth to wrap this up after Cole Waites was also knocked around. Konnor Pilkington was the only pitcher to throw a scoreless inning.

Max Clark just continued to rake with two more hits, while Valencia is really heating up after a slow start.

Valencia: 2-3, 3 R, RBI, HR, BB

Jung: 2-2, 2B

Clark: 2-5, K

Gipson-Long (L, 0-1):3.2 IP, 8 R, 6 ER, 9 H, BB, K

Coming Up Next: It’s an 11:05 a.m. ET start in Louisville on Wednesday.

Harrisburg Senators 13, Erie SeaWolves 8 (box)

Pitching spoiled a good night for the offense as the Senators pounded the SeaWolves on Tuesday.

Eric Silva got the start. He leaked a run in the top of the first, but the SeaWolves came back to take the lead in the bottom half.

Seth Stephenson got them started with a leadoff double, and then a wild pitch and a passed ball allowed him to score. 1-1 game. Peyton Graham walked and stole second, and after Brett Callahan flew out, John Peck drew a walk and he and Graham pulled off a double steal. A throwing error on Harrisburg’s catcher scored Graham, and Izaac Pacheco doubled in Peck before the inning ended. 3-1 Erie.

That was the high water mark as Silva couldn’t record an out in the second inning, and the Senators dropped six runs on the SeaWolves. Colin Fields came on to clean up the mess, but then he allowed a pair of runs in the third. At that point it was already 9-1 Senators.

Fields handled the fourth without issue, and Woo-Suk Go spun two excellent frames with four strikeouts.

Finally in the seventh, the SeaWolves got it going at the plate. Justice Bigbie and E.J. Exposito singled to start the bottom half, and Bennett Lee walked to load the bases. Stephenson got hit by a pitch to force in one run, and Graham continued to hit the ball hard early on this year, drilling a two-run single back through the box to make it a 9-4 game. Callahan hammered a drive to center field for a double that scored Stephenson and Graham, but he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. Still it was 9-8 game, and a glorious comeback was now in sight.

That vision didn’t last long. Tanner Kohlhepp threw a good seventh inning, but a walk and three doubles allowed in the eighth pushed four runs across. Moises Rodriguez walked one and struck out one in the top of the ninth, but there was no comeback in the offing.

Graham: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, K, 3 SB

Pacheco: 2-4, RBI, 2B

Callahan: 1-5, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 K

Stephenson: 1-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B

Silva (L, 0-1): 7 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:05 p.m. ET start on Wednesday at UPMC Park as the SeaWolves try to start reversing a 2-8 start.

West Michigan Whitecaps 8, Lansing Lugnuts 6 (box)

The pitching staff didn’t have a great night, but big games from catcher Ricardo Hurtado and first baseman Garrett Pennington, among others, did enough to pitch them up as the Whitecaps moved to 5-5 on the year.

The Whitecaps jumped on to an early lead as Woody Hadeen beat out an infield single to start the game. Unfortunately, Hadeen was injured on the play and Junior Tilien took over as a pinch runner. Jackson Strong struck out, but Roberto Campos hammered a triple to center, and Pennington doubled in Campos for a 2-0 lead. They got one more when Hurtado doubled in Pennington.

Right-hander Carlos Marcano gave up a two-run shot in the bottom half to make it a 3-2 game, but he locked it down to blank the Lugnuts the rest of the way through the fourth inning.

Hurtado mashed his first home of the season to leadoff the top of the fourth. Doubles from Tilien and then Jackson Strong scored another in the sixth. Donye Evans had leaked a run in the fifth, so it was 6-3 ’Caps at that point through six innings.

In the seventh, Campos led off with a single, and Pennington doubled. However, Campos was cut down at the plate trying to score on a passed ball. Samuel Gil came throught with a two-out RBI single to make it 7-3, and after Lansing went back to their pen, Patrick Lee greeted new pitcher Tucker Novotny by punishing an RBI double off the wall in center to make it 8-3.

Luke Stofel and Ethan Sloan weren’t very good in relief, allowing three runs combined, but the ‘Caps hung on to win.

Hurtado: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, BB, K

Campos: 2-4, R, RBI, 3B, K

Pennington: 2-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 2B, K

Strong: 2-5, RBI, 2B, 2 K

Marcano: 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:05 p.m. ET start in Lansing on Wednesday.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 3, Fort Myers Mighty Mussels 0 (box)

After finally losing two games, the Flying Tigers bounced back on the road, taking the first of six in Fort Myers.

The Tigers sixth rounder last summer, lefty Grayson Grinsell, was even more impressive in his second outing. He moved down the Mussels in no-hit fashion for four innings, striking out six to just one walk. His low wattage fourseamer sat at 20 inches of induced vertical break, and even at 90 mph that’s pretty effective. Grinsell’s changeup looked really good, and he collected 11 swings and misses in this one.

The Flying Tigers struggled with RHP Reed Moring as well. Jude Warwick opened the game with a single and Bryce Rainer torched a fastball at 114.3 mph off the bat to center field for a double. However, it was hit so hard that Warwick held at third, and Moring got out of the jam. He and Grinsell pretty well dominated from then on, though the Flying Tigers did manage several hits while the Mussels did nothing at the plate all game long against Tigers’ pitching.

Finally, Moring departed in the top of the sixth, giving way to Kolten Smith and the Flying Tigers jumped all over him. Beau Ankeney led off with a sharp single and took second and third on a wild pitch and a balk. Jesus Pinto dropped a single into left field to drive in the game’s first run. Smith left the game with an injury, and with two outs, Sergio Tapia singled to right and a throwing error by the right fielder allowed Pinto to score, making it 2-0.

In the seventh, Warwick led off with a walk and scored on a two-out Ankeney pop-up turned double by some shoddy defense to make it 3-0.

Eliseo Mota was perfect for two innings with three punchouts to earn his first save of the year.

Ankeney: 2-5, R, RBI, 2B, K

Warwick: 3-4, R, BB, K, SB

Rainer: 2-5, 2B, 2 K

Grinsell: 4.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, BB, 6 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start on Wednesday.

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3 Sabres Make Latest Top NHL Prospect Rankings

The vibes are great with the Buffalo Sabres right now. They have officially landed the No. 1 spot in the Atlantic Division standings and are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011 because of it.

Yet, as great as things have gone this season for the Sabres, they also have some promising youngsters in their system that have the potential to make them even better in the future.

Sabres prospects Radim Mrtka, Konsta Helenius, and Noah Ostlund were all included on Scott Wheeler's latest top 100 NHL drafted prospect rankings for The Athletic. 

Mrtka was given the No. 22 spot on Wheeler's rankings. The 2025 ninth-overall pick undoubtedly has a lot of potential and should be a key part of Buffalo's blueline in the near future because of it. In 43 games this season with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, he had one goal and 34 points. He also has one assist in six AHL games for the Rochester Americans this season. 

Helenius was given the No. 32 spot by Wheeler. The 5-foot-11 forward is undoubtedly one of Buffalo's most promising prospects and has taken a big step forward with his development this season. In 60 games with the Amerks this campaign, he has 20 goals and 61 points. He also had one goal and four points in nine games for Buffalo this season.

As for Ostlund, he was given the No. 38 spot. The 2022 first-round pick has had a strong rookie year with the Sabres, as he has recorded 11 goals, 27 points, and a plus-11 rating in 60 games. With this, he is cementing himself as a key part of Buffalo's roster, and at just 22 years old, he has plenty of time to get even better. 

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Warriors vs Clippers Play-In preview: Lineups, storylines, predictions

The long-awaited NBA postseason is here, beginning with the win-or-go home NBA Play-In Tournament. The Golden State Warriors go on the road, just under 400 miles down Intestate 5, to face the Los Angeles Clippers in an elimination game at Intuit Dome on April 15.

Both teams enter this do-or-die game battered and bruised after a long, 82-game season. The Warriors lost key players, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody, both out for the season. Stephen Curry missed 27 consecutive games for Golden State with a nagging runner's knee injury, but he came back with a handful of games remaining in the regular season to help boost the Warriors' chances of advancing in the playoffs.

The Clippers started their season 6-21 and were written off by many, except themselves. They rallied to finish the season 42-40. Along the way, the Clippers were led by their All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard, who played 65 games and averaged 27.9 points on 50.5% from the field, 38% from 3 and 89% on free throws. The Clippers made a trade deadline acquisition, sending James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland, a dynamic point guard who fits their future timeline.

It's a do-or-die situation in the NBA Play-in Tournament. Will it be the Clippers, a team that has rallied in the second part of the season to give their fans newfound hope and realistic shot at the postseason? Or will it be the Warriors, who have trended downward in the latter part of the regular season but have rested to get guys as healthy as possible for the postseason?

Here are storylines to follow during the game, and what each team needs to do to have a chance to secure a victory and advance to Friday's No. 8-seed play-in game:

Warriors-Clippers storylines

The Warriors and Clippers faced each other four times during the 2025-26 regular season. The Clippers got the best of the regular-season series having won three of the four meetings.

In their head-to-head matchups, the Clippers have averaged 102.75 points per game, while the Warriors averaged 98 points.

The Warriors have barely edged the Clippers in their all-time postseason meetings, Golden State has the slight advantage with a 7-6 all-time record.

Both teams could look drastically different at the end of the season. Kawhi Leonard has a contract that expires in 2027, but following an NBA investigation into an endorsement deal in which Leonard denied any wrongdoing, that situation will be something to monitor into the summer.

The Warriors are preparing for a huge offseason that includes a decision to make with Draymond Green and his expiring contract. But before they can focus on the summer transactions, there is meaningful basketball to be played. Here are some in-game storylines to consider.

Superstar matchup: Steph Curry vs Kawhi Leonard

There's something special about the postseason when superstar talent goes toe-to-toe with each other. When it's a pair of stars who dominated the previous decade and much of this one, and you're not sure when you'll see greatness go head-to-head again, it's a spectacle to view.

The Warriors and Clippers matchup is a highly anticipated one because it's a chance to see Stephen Curry and Kawhi Leonard face each other in the postseason for perhaps the final time. Leonard has the slightly better playoff win percentage against Curry, going 8-5 in their 13 matchups.

The last time these two saw each other in the postseason was the 2019 NBA Finals, when Leonard played for the Toronto Raptors. Leonard went to lead the Raptors to the championship in six games and was named Finals MVP after Warriors suffered key injuries to Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.

Curry got the best of Leonard during the 2017 Western Conference Finals, however. Leonard was injured in Game 1 and missed the remainder of the series. The Warriors won the series and went on to win the NBA championship.

During the 2025-26 season, Curry averaged 23.3 points, 5.7 assists and four rebounds on 44%/31%/87% shooting splits in three games against the Clippers. Leonard averaged 21.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in three games against the Warriors.

Only one will get the last laugh during the 2026 NBA Play-In Tournament game.

Which second unit will show up for stars?

As much of the attention will be focused on the marquee players, the second unit and bench production will be a key component to this game. Los Angeles has the better secondary unit, at least on paper. Its team consists of a number of dependable scoring options and shot makers such as Bennedict Mathurin, Kobe Sanders, John Collins and Jordan Miller. The Clippers have guys who aren't afraid to get scrappy, such as Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., Collins and Mathurin. The Clippers benched averaged 30 points per game.

But the Warriors have guys who aren't big names, but have stepped up when their numbers have been called. The Warriors' secondary unit has averaged 45 points per game. Key bench players for Golden State have been Pat Spencer, Gary Payton II, Gui Santos and Al Horford. When the Warriors' second unit is defensive minded, and play a balanced game of attacking and knocking down 3s, they are hard to beat.

Production from secondary scorers, options

The Warriors made a midseason trade for Kristaps Porzingis, who has averaged 16.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 23.7 minutes in 15 games with Golden State.

Porzingis filled a much-needed void at the center position, adding size and shooting capability as one of his strong suits. The Warriors will need his offensive and defensive presence to give them a chance to win. He was brought to the team to add some championship experience. He was a part of the team that helped the 2024 Boston Celtics win the trophy, along with Horford. Golden State looks for Porzingis and Horford to channel that with the experience of Green, Curry and Kerr.

For the Clippers, they made a trade deadline move to bring in Garland. The Clippers were rolling after the 6-21 start and continued to trend in that direction after the trade that sent James Harden to the Cavaliers. Garland has been a bright spot for the Clippers and seems to be a piece for their future. He can showcase that he belongs in Los Angeles' future plans with a monster performance during the NBA Play-In Tournament and possibly playoffs.

Garland has averaged 19.9 points, 6.4 assists and 1.2 steals in 19 games with the Clippers. He's shooting splits are 46%/39%/86%.

Warriors vs. Clippers projected lineup

Here are the projected lineups for the No. 9/10 seed game between the Warriors and Clippers.

Golden State Warriors projected lineup:

  • Guard: Stephen Curry
  • Guard: Brandin Podziemski
  • Forward: De'Anthony Melton
  • Forward: Draymond Green
  • Center: Kristaps Porzingis
  • Head coach: Steve Kerr

Los Angeles Clippers projected lineup:

  • Guard: Darius Garland
  • Guard: Kris Dunn
  • Forward: Kawhi Leonard
  • Forward: Derrick Jones Jr.
  • Center: Brook Lopez
  • Head coach: Tyronn Lue

Watch NBA play-in games on Prime Video

How to watch Warriors vs Clippers: TV, live streaming for NBA play-in game

  • Date: Wednesday, April 15
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local)
  • Location: Intuit Dome (Inglewood, California)
  • TV: None
  • Streaming: Amazon Prime Video

Warriors vs Clippers prediction: NBA play-in game picks

USA TODAY Sports: Slim majority pick Clippers

  • Lorenzo Reyes: Clippers
  • Scooby Axson: Clippers
  • Mark Giannotto: Warriors
  • Jon Hoefling: Clippers
  • James H. Williams: Clippers
  • Andres Soto: Warriors
  • Marcus D. Smith: Warriors

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warriors vs. Clippers lineups, storylines for Play-In Tournament game

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Maple Leafs Set For 5th Or 6th Best NHL Draft Lottery Odds

The Toronto Maple Leafs’ chances of retaining their first-round selection at the 2026 NHL Draft took another difficult turn on Tuesday night. The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Calgary Flames 3-1, eliminating any chance for the Maple Leafs to finish with fewer points than the Flames in the overall NHL standings.

As a result, the Leafs will finish with either the fifth or sixth worst record in 2025-26. That spot will determine their chances at the NHL Draft lottery coming up on May 5. The lottery will determine not only where the Leafs will pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, but whether they will have a selection at all.

The Maple Leafs dealt the pick to the Boston Bruins, along with forward prospect Fraser Minten, in exchange for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo in March of 2025. However, the pick is top-5 protected. This ensures the Leafs keep the selection if it remains in that range following the lottery results.

The Maple Leafs visit the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday for their final game of the season. They currently hold a 32-35-14 record with 78 points and one game remaining. Meanwhile, the Seattle Kraken have two games left with a 34-35-11 record and 79 points. With Seattle holding the first tiebreaker over the Leafs, Toronto has a high likelihood of staying in the No. 5 position heading into the lottery—provided they do not pick up a win in Ottawa. If Toronto wins, they will need Seattle to pick up at least one point in their remaining two games to maintain that position.

Under the current lottery format, a team entering with the No. 5 best chances has just a 41.9 percent chance of picking in the top-5. That number is reduced to 15.4 percent if the Leafs enter the lottery in the No. 6 spot.

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Canadiens Lose To The Flyers, Will Start Playoffs On The Road

Martin St-Louis and his Montreal Canadiens were wrapping up their regular season with an away game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night. While the Habs could still improve their chances of securing home-ice advantage, they chose to rest some players. Josh Anderson, Phillip Danault, and Mike Matheson all got the night off, allowing Brendan Gallagher, Joe Veleno, and Adam Engstrom to re-enter the lineup. For the alternate captain, it was his first game since April 5.

Meanwhile, there was nothing on the line for the host aside from two points. Rick Tocchet opted to rest a lot of his key players: Trevor Zegras, Dan Vladar, Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, Travis Sanheim, Jamie Drysdale, and Cam York all had the night off. It meant that rookies Hunter McDonald and Oliver Bonk got to play their first NHL games, that Porter Martone kept up his tremendous start, and that former Noah Juulsen got to play for the first time since April 3.

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Canadiens’ Hutson Has Had Two Fantastic Seasons

Good Old Gallagher

Despite not seeing a lot of ice-time, he had spent 8:38 on the ice after 40 minutes, and Gallagher made the most of his few opportunities. He opened the score for the Habs in the second frame, completing a good passing play from Alexandre Texier and Kaiden Guhle, cutting the Flyers’ lead in half. Then, later in the same period, he went to the front of the net as Arber Xhekaj was unleashing one of his booming shots. While he didn’t tip it, his simple presence created a diversion that led Samuel Ersson to let the puck escape his equipment, allowing Jake Evans to score thanks to his best Superman impression.

While there’s no denying that at times the game is too fast for the veteran, when he’s in the lineup, you know that he’s going to give you everything he still has at all times. Meanwhile, his linemate on the night, Joe Veleno, got an assist on Evans’ goal, his first point in 21 games. However, as he’s done very well in the last part of the season, he dished out five hits in the first 40 minutes.

About Kirby Dach

As the Canadiens get ready to enter the playoffs, one has to wonder what role Dach actually plays on this team. His play since coming back from injury hasn’t been good enough to warrant him staying on the top-six, and he doesn’t play the kind of game that is suited to the bottom six.

Granted, at times, he can have some nice offensive flashes, but too often, he’s not noticeable at all in games. He may be a former third-overall pick and have the right pedigree, but the results are just not there. He’s six-foot-four and 221 pounds, but he doesn’t play like he is, and in the playoffs, you need to use your size and your weight. He spent 11:08 on the ice on Tuesday night and had no shots, no blocked shots, and no hits.

On The Road Again

The Canadiens will come back to Montreal before the start of the playoffs, but they’ll need to hit the road to start the first round in Florida against the Tampa Bay Lightning. That 4-2 defeat sealed the deal for the Bolts, who will finish in 2nd place in the Atlantic Division.

While much has been made about how important home-ice advantage can be in the playoffs, this is not a disaster for the Habs; they had the league’s second-best record on the road (24-7-8) and got 56 of their 106 points on the road and had a plus-19 differential away from the Bell Centre. Defenseman Lane Hutson was plus-35 away from home and only plus-one in Montreal.

Speaking about Hutson, he was held off the scoresheet on Thursday night. He was therefore unable to beat Larry Robinson’s record for most assists in a season by a Canadiens’ blueliner. Still, he put his name alongside Big Bird’s in the record book, and that’s still an amazing feat for such a young rear guard. In any case, it feels like it’s only a matter of time until he does it. As for Cole Caufield, he didn’t find the back of the net and therefore couldn’t catch Nathan MacKinnon in the race to the Rocket Richard Trophy.

Despite the 4-2 defeat against what could be described as the Flyers’ B or C team, the Canadiens end the season with a 48-24-10 record, and 106 points, eight more wins and 15 more points than last season. Furthermore, several players had career years, and numerous milestones were reached. Overall, the regular season was a resounding success. It remains to be seen if they’ll improve as much in the playoffs, given their limited experience, but Canadiens fans can’t be blamed for being optimistic.

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Matvei Michkov Was Clutch When Flyers Needed Him Most

Although his sophomore season was largely considered a lost cause just weeks ago, Philadelphia Flyers starlet Matvei Michkov has completely changed the tune on his year, and the Flyers' turnaround and playoff berth has coincided with that.

By now, we've probably heard it all. Coming into training camp out of shape, the left wing vs. right wing debates, the quality of linemates, and the lackluster skating.

Despite all the noise, Michkov, 21, has played his best hockey for the Flyers at the apex of the playoff push, and that is ultimately what matters most.

Since the Flyers returned from the Olympic break in late February, the Russian phenom was Philadelphia's most prolific player, scoring seven goals and 22 points over the final 26 games of the regular season despite ranking sixth in total ice time amongst Flyers forwards, per Natural Stat Trick.

Excluding the power play and 4-on-4, Michkov is still king, having produced four goals and 14 points to pace the Flyers down that same stretch.

Report: Top Flyers Prospect to Join NCAA PowerhouseReport: Top Flyers Prospect to Join NCAA PowerhouseAs it turns out, Porter Martone may not be the only first-round pick from the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers">Philadelphia Flyers</a> to head over to the NCAA to develop.

Penalties are and have been an issue for the youngster, yes, but Trevor Zegras actually took 14 minor penalties over the Flyers' last 26 games while being less productive offensively than his Russian counterpart.

For as much noise as there was around Michkov and the way he was being treated and utilized by Tocchet--which culminated in an impromptu media availability from GM Danny Briere--the kid wasn't fazed at all.

Michkov put his head down, worked with the tools he was given, and dragged his team to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in six years.

If we go back to the NHL standings from Feb. 22, the Flyers were 25-20-11, sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 3-4-3 record in their last 10 games.

Young Flyers Stars Dominate Season Finale vs. CanadiensYoung Flyers Stars Dominate Season Finale vs. CanadiensThe Flyers, led by Martone, Michkov, and Bonk, are on fire at the best possible time.

At that point, only the New York Rangers (151) and New Jersey Devils (146) had found the back of the net less than the Flyers (167) did among teams in the East.

Fast forward to today, and the Flyers wrapped up their season on a 7-3-0 run and are a more modest 10th in the East in scoring.

The late addition of Porter Martone helped, to be fair, but the rest was Michkov and his center, Noah Cates, strapping on their work boots and going for the gusto.

And with that, the debate is settled: 2025 training camp is a thing of the past, and Michkov is a star right winger in the making for the long haul.

The Flyers are a playoff team.

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DitD & Open Post – 4/15/26: Disappointment Edition

Apr 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New Jersey Devils goalie Nico Daws (50) looks on as defenseman Simon Nemec (17) and Boston Bruins forward James hagen (44) go after the puck during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Here are your links for today:

Devils Links

The season, mercifully, is over. This mess of a campaign ends with a 4-0 loss to the Bruins. The Devils end the season with 87 points and a 42-37-3 record. [Devils NHL]

Nico reacting to this disappointing season: [Devils NHL]

“Fitzgerald wasn’t the worst GM you could have. There are worse; just look at the Vancouver Canucks or Rangers. Though he’s no longer the Devils’ GM, Fitzgerald did some good things in his time leading the front office. Unfortunately, the cons outweighed the pros. Let’s look back on his best and worst moves as Devils GM as the organization prepares to move into a new era.” [Devils on the Rush ($)]

“Examining what John Chayka may bring as a possible candidate to take over the New Jersey Devils’ now-vacant General Manager position.” [Devils’ Advocates]

Hockey Links

“‘The Great 8’ skated off into the great unknown Tuesday. Alex Ovechkin insisted again that he’s unsure what the future holds for him following the Washington Capitals’ 2-1 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets in their season finale at Nationwide Arena. But the 40-year-old left wing seemed to leave the door open that this wasn’t the end of his NHL career.” [NHL.com]

Jonathan Quick is retiring:

“Columbus Blue Jackets coach Rick Bowness questioned his players’ commitment to winning after an uninspired season-ending loss to the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.” [ESPN]

“Before we turn the page to the playoffs for some teams and the offseason for others at the end of next week, The Athletic asked its NHL staff for the player who provided the very best on a nightly basis (our 2025-26 MVPs) and the player who emerged as most disappointing on each team this season. Here’s who our writers picked.” [The Athletic ($)]

Feel free to discuss these and any other hockey-related stories in the comments below.

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The Bruins will face the Buffalo Sabres in the first round of the playoffs

BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 17: Michael Grier #25 of the Buffalo Sabres is stopped on a third period scoring chance by Tuukka Rask #40 and Matt Hunwick #48 of the Boston Bruins in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at HSBC Arena on April 17, 2010 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

With Tuesday night’s win over the New Jersey Devils, the Bruins clinched the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference and set up a first-round match-up with the Buffalo Sabres.

After missing the playoffs for 382 years, the Sabres won the Atlantic Division with either 108 or 110 points, depending on how their last game of the season shakes out.

Buffalo will close out their regular season tonight against the Dallas Stars in a game that means absolutely nothing to either side, so it should be a real barn-burner.

The match-up will be a meaningful won for some segments of the Sabres fanbase, as the Bruins were a boogeyman of sorts for Buffalo for the better part of a decade.

Some very wise, excellent, good person wrote a post for this site a while back about how the Bruins essentially broke the Buffalo organization back in 2011, sparking a downward spiral that continued until just about this season.

It’s kind of fitting, then, that Buffalo will have to go through the Bruins to continue what has been a pretty remarkable story to this point.

The Bruins and Sabres last squared off in the playoffs in 2010, a first-round series that the Bruins won, 4-2.

Buffalo was the higher seed in that series and took a 1-0 series lead, only for the Bruins to win three games in a row then hold off Buffalo in Game 6.

That series was notable for a variety of reasons, from Tuukka Rask’s Superman save on Mike Grier to Johnny Boychuk tomahawking Thomas Vanek to Miroslav Satan’s 2OT heroics.

(The best part of this is that while all of these occurred just yesterday to me, many of you will read that sentence like it’s from some ancient Sumerian papyrus.)

The best highlight from that series will be obvious to those of you who have been around here long enough:

Big Money Wides at his best.

If you want to tie that series to the present day, there are a couple of interesting threads with the current coaches of the Bruins and Sabres.

Lindy Ruff was the Sabres coach then, just like he is today. He had a few other gigs between then and now, but he’s back behind the Buffalo bench.

Marco Sturm was playing on Patrice Bergeron’s wing for the Bruins during that series, though he went pointless in six games, so it might not be his happiest memory.

This season, the Bruins took three out of four from Buffalo, with two of those games going beyond regulation.

It’s worth pointing out that two of those four games (two Bruins wins) came back in October, before the Sabres figured it out and went on their big run.

We’ll keep you posted as a schedule gets released, but I’d imagine this series won’t start until Saturday or Sunday.

Should be fun!

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Remembering some Penguins vs. Flyers playoff moments

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 18: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates against Claude Giroux #28 of the Philadelphia Flyers on March 18, 2012 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images

With the Battle of Pennsylvania poised to resume in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade, what better time than now to take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the highs and lows from when the Penguins and Flyers have squared off against one another in the postseason?

2018 – Jake Guentzel scores 4 goals to eliminate Philadelphia

The last time the Penguins and the Flyers met in the postseason was in 2018 as Pittsburgh was trying to become the first time to win three straight Stanley Cup titles in 35 years at the time.

The Penguins were the two-time defending champions and opened the series with a bang, defeating Philadelphia 7-0.

The series managed not to feature many close games as the Flyers won Game 2 by a score of 5-1 and the Penguins snatched a 3-1 series lead with 5-1 and 5-0 wins in Games 3 and 4.

Philadelphia stayed alive with a road win in Game 5, sending things back to Philadelphia for a pivotal Game 6.

In that sixth and final game of the series, Jake Guentzel put on a show, scoring a natural hat trick, including two goals in 10 seconds en route to an 8-5 win.

2012 – Chaos reigns in the Battle of Pennsylvania

It’s hard to believe it’s been 14 years since the Penguins and Flyers stole all of the headlines in the 2012 season.

The Penguins were Stanley Cup contenders and going into the postseason, the only thing people knew to expect was chaos following the late-regular season contest between the two cross-state rivals.

Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers - Game Four

From teams unable to keep pucks out of their own nets to all-out brawls on the ice leading to fines and suspensions, it was must-watch television while being hard to watch at the same time.

We even got to see Sidney Crosby pass the baton to Claude Giroux, what would become a running joke for quite some time.

2009 – Max Talbot’s ‘shh’ moment and a Pens comeback for the ages

Seventeen years ago, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup and their first round opponent that year was none other than the Philadelphia Flyers.

During that opening series of the postseason, the Penguins had gotten out to a 2-0 lead and a 3-1 series lead before the Flyers sent things back to Philadelphia for a Game 6.

Things didn’t start out well for the Penguins that game.

Mike Knuble, Joffrey Lupul, and Danny Briere gave the Flyers a 3-0 lead before a Max Talbot fight against Dan Carcillo gave the Penguins a spark.

Five unanswered goals followed with Sidney Crosby tying the game, later scoring an empty-netter to put the game and series on ice.

2008 – Penguins blow past the Flyers en route to the Stanley Cup Final

When the Penguins returned to the playoffs with their new, young core in 2007, it was clearly evident they weren’t ready for what the postseason provides.

The team flipped that narrative in 2008, ripping through the first two rounds against the Senators and Rangers, only losing one game in two series.

Up next in the Eastern Conference Final were the Flyers and the Penguins got off to a hot start there, as well.

The Penguins won the first three games of the series, including in the opening game when Evgeni Malkin infamously ripped a slap shot past Martin Biron on a breakaway.

Philadelphia avoided a sweep with a win in Game 4, but the Penguins put the Flyers away with a 6-0 blowout in Game 6 at the Mellon Arena.

2000 – Philadelphia wins a marathon overtime game

When the Penguins and Flyers met in the 2000 playoffs, it was their third-ever postseason meeting.

Pittsburgh jumped out to a 2-0 series lead and things seemed to be going well. Little did anyone know they wouldn’t win another game.

The Penguins forced overtime with a late Jaromir Jagr goal in Game 3, but came up short and then in Game 4, the two teams made history.

Alexei Kovalev and John LeClair each scored goals for the teams, leaving things tied midway through the 2nd period.

The Penguins and Flyers would play a scoreless third period and four scoreless overtime periods, heading a fifth overtime frame before Keith Primeau scored a game-winner in the third-longest game in NHL history.

Philadelphia would win Game 5 and Game 6 to eliminate the Penguins.

1997 – Mario Lemieux gets standing ovation in Philadelphia as he retires

When the Battle of Pennsylvania was held in 1997, Mario Lemieux received a standing ovation in Philadelphia for the second time in his career after being eliminated by the Flyers.

Several years prior, Lemieux received an ovation from Flyers fans when he returned from Hodgkin’s lymphoma and it was the same story at the end of the 1997 playoffs.

The Flyers defeated the Penguins 4-1 in the series and Lemieux said goodbye to the NHL with the world not knowing he would make a comeback a few years later.

After the Penguins were eliminated, a Lemieux farewell message was posted on the scoreboard and the fans in the arena gave Lemieux a proper sendoff to retirement.

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Mets Daily Prospect Report, 4/15/26: Staring into the Voit

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Mitch Voit #55 of the New York Mets bats during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Clover Park on March 19, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (8-8)

SYRACUSE 8, SCRANTON/WILKES-BARRE 6 (BOX)

The good? Jonah Tong struck out 10 batters. The bad? He allowed six runs over 4.2 innings, scattering five hits, walking 3, and allowing 2 home runs. Normally, your starter allowing six runs would put you behind the 8-ball, but not these Syracuse Mets. Despite Tong not having his best, Syracuse did not actually trail at any point in this one, with the 5 spot that the RailRiders put up in the fifth merely tying the game, as the offense already hammered starter Brendan Beck for six runs. The tie did not last long, as Jose Rojas hit a two-run homer to give Syracuse a two-run edge, which they would maintain for the remainder of the contest. Speaking of homers, Hayden Senger launched two more, tying his career high (5) set in 2021 and matched in 2022/2023/2025. If these trends continue, he is still on pace to challenge Joe Bauman’s minor league single-season record of 72 homers, so let’s hope these trends continue!

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Bryce Conley assigned to Syracuse Mets from Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

ROSTER ALERT: Syracuse Mets activated LHP Brandon Waddell from the 7-day injured list.

ROSTER ALERT: Syracuse Mets placed RHP Nick Burdi on the 7-day injured list.

ROSTER ALERT: New York Mets recalled RHP Austin Warren from Syracuse Mets.

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (5-4)

AKRON 8, BINGHAMTON 7 (BOX)

Binghamton was competitive early on, but a four-run sixth and one more in the seventh doomed them. The team rallied late, plating three runs in the seventh, three more in the eighth, and putting the tying run on base in the ninth, but they couldn’t get it done. AJ Ewing logged three more hits, including another double, and Chris Suero walked three times, but none of the other prospects on the team, hitting or pitching, had particularly noteworthy days.

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Joander Suarez assigned to Binghamton Rumble Ponies from Syracuse Mets.

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (3-6)

BROOKLYN 9, GREENSBORO 8 (BOX)

Brooklyn started the year off on the schneid, but with more games like this, maybe they’ll get into an early season groove. Of the eight games that the Cyclones have played prior to this contest, they scored one or fewer runs in five of them. While it isn’t great that their pitching allowed 8 runs in this one, it is nice to see the team pound out 9 runs on 11 hits and 7 walks. Mitch Voit logged a multi-hit effort, launching his first homer of the season, while Yohairo Cuevas and Daiverson Gutierrez both reached base four times, the former with a triple and three walks and the latter filling up the box score with two singles, a double, and a homer- Daiverson’s first of the year as well. Up by a run, Brett Banks allowed three runs in the top of the eighth, and things were looking grim, but Voit’s three-run homer made the difference and put the Cyclones back in the driver’s seat for the bottom of the inning, which Garrett Stratton threw without issue.

ROSTER ALERT: RHP Dakota Hawkins assigned to Brooklyn Cyclones from Binghamton Rumble Ponies.

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (5-5)

ST. LUCIE 2, DAYTONA 0 (BOX)

Jose Chirinos, Christian Rodriguez, and Ryan Dollar combined to shutout the Tortugas, starting out this road trip on the right foot. Chirinos did most of the work, tossing five scoreless innings, but Rodriguez threw a decent amount himself, pitching three scoreless, and then Dollar locked it down in the ninth. St. Lucie’s first run came in the second on a AJ Salgado homer, and their second run came in seventh on an Elian Pena RBI single.

Rookie: FCL Mets (0-0)

NO GAME (SCHEDULE)

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Mitch Voit

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

Douglas Orellana

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Orioles news: Holliday pulled off of rehab assignment with wrist soreness

BALTIMORE, MD - MARCH 26: Jeremiah Jackson #82 and Jackson Holliday #7 of the Baltimore Orioles talk before the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Thursday, March 26, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Good morning Birdland,

For a while anyway, last night’s game felt like one the Orioles were destined to win. Vibes were off the charts. Their manager, Craig Albernaz, was sitting in the dugout despite breaking a whole bunch of bones in his face the previous night. Staff ace, Trevor Rogers, was on the mound and sporting a ridiculous home record since the start of 2025. And the entire fan base was still beaming after the team’s ridiculous come back win on Monday.

And the game even got off to a good start! Samuel Basallo homered in the second inning. A bases loaded walk for Leody Taveras in the third inning doubled the advantage. And Jeremiah Jackson led off the fourth inning with a two-bagger, setting the stage for another insurance run.

Things went off the rails shortly thereafter.

Jackson moved to third on a sac bunt, and was then inexplicably picked off by old friend James McCann. What was he doing!? He had simply ventured too far down the third base line, and McCann nabbed him. Even worse, the lineup had just turned over. Gunnar Henderson was at the plate. Putting yourself at any sort of risk of being picked off at third base in that scenario is inexcusable.

Then Rogers struggled in the top of the fifth, coughing up a four spot, including a three-run homer. Albernaz would have to yank him before the inning was out.

Fortunately, the bullpen was great again. Rico Garcia, Grant Wolfram, Yennier Cano, and Nick Raquet (with some defensive help from Colton Cowser) combined for 4.1 scoreless innings and gave the lineup a chance to claw back.

But it wasn’t to be. They did score once more in the eighth inning, and even loaded the bases for Jackson. But he was unable to duplicate his grand performance from the night prior. Instead, he grounded out, and the Orioles fell to 9-8 on the season.

Elsewhere in the AL East:

  • The Yankees lost 7-1 to the Angels.
  • The Red Sox lost 6-0 to the Twins.
  • The Rays beat the White Sox 8-5.
  • The Blue Jays beat the Brewers 9-7

It’s a quick turnaround today. First pitch for the rubber match is set for 12:35 from Camden Yards.

Links

With 7 cheek fractures and broken jaw, O’s manager Albernaz back at work | Orioles.com
I’m glad Albernaz, for the most part, is OK. He told reporters that he does not need surgery, and that he did not suffer a concussion. His diet is going to be a bummer for a while. Apparently all he gets is soft food and smoothies for the next six weeks. It could be worse! Now, please, Craig, let’s stand behind that big net in front of the dugout next time.

Hard to predict what’s happening with Orioles again in 2026 | Roch Kubatko
The number of injuries early in the season has, to me, transformed what success looks like for the Orioles at the moment. The overall goal for the season hasn’t changed. They still need to make the playoffs and win some games once in. But for now, they simply need to survive and keep their head above water. Get guys like Adley Rutschman, Jackson Holliday, and Tyler O’Neill healthy. Reestablish some depth in the lineup. If that means going .500 for a bit, that feels OK.

Holliday sidelined from rehab assignment due to sore wrist | MLB.com
Speaking of Holliday, he isn’t ready just yet. This isn’t necessarily a surprise. The guy didn’t get a spring training, and he is recovering from an injury. His rehab assignment was always going to be a bit longer than typical. Getting him back in the lineup by early May feels like the goal at this point.

Pete Alonso visits BARCS, donates $10K: ‘We want to stand up for the innocent’ | The Baltimore Banner
Alonso knows how to ingratiate himself with the Orioles fan base. The guy is donating money, cuddling puppies, and wearing a hat with a crab on it. He’s one of us, hon.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

  • Chris Tillman turns 38 today. The righty came to Baltimore in the Adam Jones/Erik Bedard trade ahead of the 2008 season, and would become a crucial member of the 2010s teams that returned the organization to relevance. Tillman debuted in 2009 as a 21-year-old, and then spent a decade with the Orioles. Eventually, he would rise to be the staff ace, make three Opening Day starts, and earn an all-star nod in 2013.
  • Michael Aubrey is 44. He played in 31 games for the 2009 Orioles, mostly as a first baseman.

This day in O’s history

1954 – For the first time since 1902, a big league team returns to Baltimore. The Orioles, recently arrived from St. Louis as the Browns, beat the White Sox 3-1 in their debut game at Memorial Stadium.

1987 – The Orioles get no-hit by Milwaukee Brewers hurler Juan Nieves, the first no-no in Brewers history.

2000 – Cal Ripken Jr. records the 3,000 hit of his career, ripping a single off of Twins pitcher Hector Carrasco. Ripken is the 24th major leaguer to reach the milestone, and is only the seventh player to pair that achievement with 400 career home runs,.

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Phillies news: Alec Bohm, Griff McGarry, Noah Schultz

Apr 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryson Stott (5) turns a double play against the Chicago Cubs in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Interesting decision last night by the official scorer when he assigned an error to Bryson Stott instead of Tim Mayza in the sixth inning. A low throw by Mayza was probably supposed to be caught by Stott, which is likely why they charged it to Stott in the first place, but that felt a little tough. I’d bet we see that changed in the coming days.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

MLB news:

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Chicago Cubs history unpacked, April 15

Free of charge for the discerning reader.Happy birthday toKing Cole and a mighty host of others, plus more baseball stories, like the Babe turning into THE Babe, Jackie Robinson debut, Hank’s first hit, and California baseball.

Today in baseball history:

Cubs Birthdays:Trey Wingenter, Milton Bradley, Jeromy Burnitz, Mike Diaz, Ted Sizemore, Ed Bailey, King Cole*, Elmer Sutcliffe.

Today in history:

  • 1493 –Christopher Columbus is received by the Spanish monarchs Isabella I and Ferdinand II in Barcelona upon his return from the New World. Columbus presents kidnapped Taínos indigenous people, plants and items collected from the Caribbean.
  • 1862 – American poet Emily Dickinson first corresponds with author and future literary mentor Thomas Wentworth Higginson, a relationship that lasts the rest of her life.
  • 1874 – First Impressionist art exhibition opens in Paris, features Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro and Berthe Morisot.
  • 1877 – World’s first home telephone is installed in Somerville, Massachusetts at the house of Charles Williams Jr.
  • 1892 – General Electric Company formed by merger of Thomas Edison‘s General Electric Company with Thomson-Houston Electric Company, arranged by J. P. Morgan and incorporated in NY.
  • 1948 – F. H. Thornton observes a flash of light in crater Plato on the Moon.
  • 1955 – Ray Kroc opens the first McDonald’s Inc. fast food restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois.
  • 2010 -Volcanic ash from the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland leads to the closure of airspace over most of Europe.

*pictured.

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Cavs Regular Season Report Cards – Donovan Mitchell leads the way

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on December 29, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers finished the season 52-30 and have a first-round date with the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.

Before we look ahead, let’s reflect on the regular season and hand out some report cards.

All grades are based on our expectations for each player before the season began.

Donovan Mitchell

27.9 points, 5.7 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals

It’s not a stretch to say this was maybe the best individual season of Mitchell’s career. He scored more points than ever (1,952 total) and the 10th most in a single season by a Cavalier ever. All on an efficient 56.3% effective field goal percentage (82nd percentile).

Mitchell carried the Cavs throughout the season. He had 15 games of 35+ points, in which the Cavaliers went 14-1. Just two of those performances came after the All-Star break, a testament to how vital Mitchell was to Cleveland staying afloat during their slow start to the season.

Some factors hold him back from the A+. This was the highest usage that Mitchell’s recorded since being in Cleveland. That’s because the Cavs needed him to carry a heavier load. Still, it’s not the idealized version of Mitchell. Things have always looked smoother when he’s paired with another lead ball-handler. We didn’t see that for most of the season — not that Mitchell had any control over that.

Partnered with his higher usage, I’d argue this was the worst defensive season Mitchell has had in Cleveland. The Cavs fell out of the top-10 defensively for the first time since 2021. Mitchell’s inconsistent effort on that end of the floor played a role.

Nevertheless, this was a special offensive season from Mitchell and one of the best in franchise history. I shudder to think of where this team would have finished without him.

Grade: A

James Harden

20.5 points, 7.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds

Trading for Harden was the shock of the season. We won’t re-litigate the trade today, as only the playoffs can tell us whether or not it was worth it. But as of typing — I find it hard to believe there’s anyone in Cleveland who isn’t bought in right now.

Harden won us over almost immediately. Clutch shot making and some of the best pick-and-rolls the league has ever seen will do that. It became obvious how Harden can help raise this team’s ceiling. His instant chemistry with the bigs, along with not taking anything away from Mitchell’s scoring, is about as exciting as it gets.

Concerns remain. Can Harden play defense at a championship level? Will his turnovers be backbreakers in the playoffs? Or, can Harden step-back his way into leading a deep playoff run? That remains to be seen. Either way, I think he’s earned a little bit of faith. I’m willing to go down swinging with Harden at the helm.

Grade: A-

Jarrett Allen

15.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists

For years, Allen has been considered an unsung hero. I’m not sure that’s the case anymore. His heroic efforts in the back half of the season were as important as any other member of the team.

Allen averaged 22.3 points and 11.5 rebounds in February as the Cavs relied entirely on him to steady the ship. After multiple injuries and seismic changes at the deadline, it was Allen who kept everything running smoothly. His consistency made him an anchor on both ends of the floor, and it led to the best stretch of Allen’s career.

The only thing holding him back from an A+ or even an A+++ is the first month of the season. He suffered injuries to both hands and as a result, struggled to catch the ball or finish with his usual efficiency.

Grade: A–

Darius Garland

18 points, 6.9 assists, 2.4 rebounds

I think I speak for every Cavs fan when I say my heart sank during Garland’s first game back from the toe injury. The realization that a full summer of recovery wasn’t enough to overcome this setback was worrying.

Garland delivered a number of great games before being traded this year. The issue, of course, is each step forward came with an aggravation that felt like three steps backwards. The Cavs were left with no choice but to cut their losses and pivot to Harden in an attempt to save their season.

Grade: D+

Evan Mobley

18.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.7 blocks

Yeah… this is a tough one to type.

Mobley entered the season with dark-horse MVP written all over him. Fans expected another leap. Instead, they got more of the same — with some minor improvements on the margins.

It’s natural to feel disappointed by that outcome. Though, I do believe this was a strong season for Mobley if you can remove those preseason expectations and instead view this year for what it was.

An efficient 18 points per game as the third option on a 52-win team is pretty sweet. Especially considering he stayed at an All-Defensive level throughout the season. His finishing around the rim, as always, was a highlight. And Mobley ended the regular season with an elite stretch, averaging 20.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in his final 20 games.

Still, I have to significantly ding his grade for not living up to expectations. Never fret, there’s more than enough time for him to make up for this in the playoffs.

Grade: C+

De’Andre Hunter

14 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists

I still don’t know what happened to Hunter. He checks all of the hypothetical boxes. Great size, good shooter, strong athlete. But none of that translates to the court. He struggled to shoot this season, played some of the worst defense I’ve seen, and overall felt as out of place as you can possibly get.

Grade: F

Jaylon Tyson

13.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists

Tyson might be the Valedictorian this year. Seriously, I can’t think of a Cavalier that has exceeded expectations more than Tyson.

I entered this season unconvinced that Tyson would be in the rotation, let alone a core piece of the team. I just didn’t think he’d be able to put so many things together in such quick fashion. But Tyson’s sophomore season felt like a launching point for an elite career.

The most impressive part of Tyson’s game is how effortlessly he adapted to whatever the Cavs asked of him. He played without the ball, shooting 44.6% from downtown and finishing as one of the best catch-and-shoot players in the NBA. That’s a role he wasn’t super comfortable playing before this season.

That expands to other aspects of the game. Tyson admitted he never played as the roller in pick-and-rolls before this season. Yet, he was a seamless fit as a screening partner with Mitchell and Harden. His below-the-rim finishing and processing speed as a playmaker allowed him to dominate in those actions.

The same goes for his defensive effort. Tyson wasn’t known as a defensive engine in college. But in the NBA? Being a scrappy, hustle player is what he needed to do to earn minutes. That was the initial bar he had to clear before breaking into Cleveland’s rotation and showing the rest of his skills. Check and check.

Most of all, Tyson proved one thing: he’s a winner. This is a dude who wants nothing more than to help his team get to the finish line. That’s going to keep him in the NBA for a long, long time.

Grade: A+++

Sam Merrill

12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.4 assists

We all knew that Merrill could bury triples. Still, I wouldn’t take a career-high 158 three-pointers in just 52 games for granted. If he had been more available, Merrill would have easily become just the fourth Cavalier to hit 200+ three-pointers in a season. JR Smith, Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are the others.

More impressively, Merrill proved that he isn’t just a three-point shooter this season. He began attacking the basket at a career-high rate, nearly doubling his previous high for two-pointers in roughly 20 fewer games. He also threw in a personal-best 125 assists, using his gravity to backdoor cut opponents and then kick the ball out to his teammates.

All the while, Merrill fought like hell defensively to hold his own more often than not. Effort goes a long way towards juicing your grade.

Grade: A-

Lonzo Ball

4.6 points, 4 rebounds, 3.9 assists

I’m not going to pile on Ball, whose career was totally derailed by injuries. We all saw how much he struggled to be imapctful this season. Whether it be clanking open jumpers or missing transition layups — let’s just acknowledge that this went sideways and move on.

Grade: F

Dean Wade

5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists

This was the most Dean Wade season I’ve seen from Dean Wade. That’s to say, I don’t think we learned anything new from Wade this year.

The Cavs need Wade. They play well when he’s healthy and shooting three-pointers with confidence. Neither of those things happens as often as you’d like, but they’re just common enough to hold onto the dream.

Grade: C

Thomas Bryant

6.2 points, 3.4 rebounds

Bryant was the best addition of the offseason. It turns out the bar wasn’t very high, after Lonzo Ball played his way to a podcasting career and Larry Nance Jr. became an end-of-bench veteran. But hey, Bryant earned this one.

Seriously, though. Bryant was super helpful off the bench as a backup big. The Cavs relied on him to bring energy, toughness and even some three-point shooting throughout the year. He isn’t mobile enough to hang in certain matchups — and he gave diminishing returns as his minutes grew higher. But for a last-second addition, this is as good as it gets.

Grade: A-

Larry Nance Jr.

3.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1 assist

I’ll admit, I was bummed that Nance wound up being out of the rotation entirely this season. I fully expected him to be an X-Factor for this team. He had all of the tools to be a glue guy. Instead, it’s clear that Nance isn’t the same player he used to be. His mobility has declined significantly and he doesn’t have the size or fine-skills to make up for it.

It’s still fun to have Nance on the roster. He’s a great locker room guy and fully accepted his role on the bench. Maybe he’ll surprise us in the postseason, should the Cavs elect to break glass and put him on the floor.

Grade: D+

Keon Ellis

8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals

Ellis was a sweet pickup at the trade deadline. A springy, 6’5” guard who can generate turnovers and play without the ball offensively. He’s an efficient catch-and-shoot player who has shown he can do more than stand in the corner. Ellis took strides as a pick-and-roller this season while also finding success as a cutter.

His defensive impact is shakier than we thought it would be. He isn’t an elite one-on-one defender or the type of guy who is going to suppress shot attempts. Ellis is, however, capable of making some incredible defensive plays by recovering and blocking shots, or using his active hands to pick up steals.

Grade: B

Craig Porter Jr.

4.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists

Porter showed that he has more defensive tenacity than previously known. He turned himself into an energizer, darting into passing lanes and embracing the challenge of ruffling his opponent’s feathers. I’m still not sure he has the foot speed to be an elite defender, but this was a strong step in the right direction.

His lack of a jumper holds him back. Porter doesn’t even attempt enough three-pointers to keep a defense honest. That will have to change if his blocks, steals, rebounds and assists are ever going to be properly utilized.

Grade: B-

Dennis Schroder

8.2 points, 4.3 assists, 2.3 rebounds

Schroder was an add-on to the Hunter trade. He doesn’t fit particularly well next to either Mitchell or Harden. That’s because he’s not adept at playing without the ball, and some of his defensive impact has faded as he gets older.

To his credit, Schroder can still muck up a game and make things interesting. He also has a knack for getting to the rim and creating in the pick-and-roll that makes him worth a spot in the playoff rotation. At least he’ll get a chance to play serious minutes depending on the matchup.

Overall, some of the poor shooting and defense hold him back from a strong grade in the regular season.

Grade: C-

Tyrese Proctor

5.4 points, 1.5 assists, 1.3 rebounds

There’s not much to take from Proctor’s rookie season. His minutes were limited and mostly restricted to garbage time.

I’d happily take any stock moving forward. He’s a guard with good size and defensive instincts. Package that with his natural gift for shooting and I can’t see how this doesn’t pan out for him at some point in the future.

Grade: B

Nae’Qwan Tomlin

5.8 points, 2.8 rebounds

Tomlin went from a two-way to a standard contract this season. That’s enough for an A on its own.

Sure, his impact fell off a cliff in the second half of the year. We saw some warts emerge, such as his poor defensive awareness or his total lack of a three-point shot. But he eventually got the wheels back on track to end the season, again using his athleticism to impact games.

Tomlin, at his best, is a frenetic player who crashes the glass and runs forcefully in transition. That’s a lot of fun to watch, even if we understand that can only take a player so far.

Grade: A-

Max Strus

11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists

Listen, no one wanted to wait until March to finally see Max Strus play basketball again. Even Strus himself was frustrated with the process. But once he returned, it was obvious that Strus still had the juice.

Strus played just 12 games in the regular season. In those games, he hit 6+ three-pointers three separate times. He shot above 40% from downtown and nailed some clutch shots along the way. It was all the evidence you needed to know that Strus can still swing games with his prolific shooting.

It wasn’t all pretty, of course. Coming back from a months long injury takes time. Strus’ foot-speed looks slower than before and his defense is a slight concern. He also reminded us of how streaky he can be, shooting 1-9 and 1-10 in two games before the season ended.

Grade: B