NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 02: A detail view of a Lou Gehrig Day patch on a jersey worn by a member of the New York Yankees prior to the game between the Cleveland Guardians and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, June 2, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
This was a long, ugly game that kind of confirmed all our priors about the 2026 Yankees. The starting rotation is dynamite but if a guy has an offday, the offense isn’t really deep enough to pick him up, they rely a little too much on one guy. The bullpen shows signs of something special — Camilo Doval throws 103?? — but the sum is less than the whole of the parts. On the whole, the Yankees failed to capture their third straight win, downed by the Guardians 9-4.
That was the worst start of Roy Halladay’s season, by Game Score. Three innings, 20 batters faced, 11 of them reached base. Seven men total crossed the plate. He was 26 years old. He would go on to win the American League Cy Young Award that year.
Cam Schlittler is 25 and just had the worst start of his career. I am not saying that he will win the AL Cy Young, more that this kinda stuff happens to everyone. A bad play by Amed Rosario arguably doomed him to that worst start, but there was plenty of mess that he was responsible for as well. He didn’t walk anyone largely because nobody had to hang around at the plate long enough to walk — eight hard-hit balls and a very unfortunate HBP took care of the traffic for him.
His cutter and sinker were pretty in line with seasonal averages, but what is worrying is that four seam was a full mile per hour slower than his baseline. We had a similar story last week in Kansas City, where the breaking fastballs were pretty ok, but the four seam was also down. I don’t know if Cam is fatigued or there’s a sore spot somewhere, but I can’t imagine this is intentional. We’re seeing all over baseball the value of starting pitchers just chucking 4SFBs by guys, Cam wouldn’t be taking velo off at this point in the season.
He was also stung by a two-run home run in the fourth inning, and he has done an exceptional job keeping the ball in the park this year. Sometimes that just happens, sometimes, inexplicably, Patrick Bailey hits a triple off you. It was a mix of bad stuff and “that’s baseball, Suzyn,” so as long as his health is as close to 100 percent as possible, you take the bad outing on the chin and look ahead to the next start.
Offensively, we continue to be thankful for the existence of Paul Goldschmidt:
That Cam has been so dependable, and Will Warren did such a masterful job shutting down the A’s after Sunday’s big inning, definitely made it feel like Goldy’s effort was a little “wasted” early, since Schlittler for once couldn’t maintain a lead.
And that was the Yankee offense. Thank you for paying attention to this update.
I want to take a moment and give a little praise to a player that I don’t give a lot to, and that’s Anthony Volpe. He’s gone cold after a really good start to his season, but he made a hell of a defensive play in the seventh:
As I’ve stated above this was a crummy game to watch so instead enjoy the parallels to perhaps my favorite defensive play of all time, and certainly one of my favorite calls:
Anthony Volpe is not 20-year-old Manny Machado, but a hell of a job done there regardless.
It turns out Camilo Doval does throw 103 (or at least 102.5), and after loading the bases with nobody out flashed that velo in striking out back-to-back batters. Unfortunately, with two strikes on him, Travis Bazzana started his swing super early and landed a double in right field, enough to clear the bases and put Cleveland up by five. Doval has stuff that makes your eyes pop, but man I wish someone on in that bullpen could strike out like, 30 percent of batters faced. There’s no replacement for a whiff, no matter how soft the contact is.
In May it felt like the Yankees alternated good weeks and bad weeks. They just had a very good week with the walkoff over the Rays, a sweep of the Royals and taking two out of three in Sacremento. This was a bad night, but a bad night can turn into a good week if you’re able to get back on the horse the next day. Gerrit Cole has yet to allow an earned run in 2026, and he will be tasked with getting the Yankees right back on that horse tomorrow. Game two of this series comes at 7:05pm Eastern, and it’s the weekly Amazon Prime affair.
PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 28: Dansby Swanson #7 of the Chicago Cubs celebrate after winning the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on Thursday, May 28, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rayni Shiring/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s Tuesday night here at BCB After Dark: the grooviest gathering of night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come in and sit with us for a while. We’re always happy to see a friend. There’s no cover charge. The hostess can seat you now. There’s a two-drink minimum, but you need to bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night I asked you if MLB had a competitive balance problem. The vote was close, but 53 percent of you say that it does and that there should be more done to help small-market clubs. The other 47 percent think things are mostly fine now.
On Tuesday nights I don’t do any movie stuff. But I always have time for jazz and that time is now.
My tribute to the late, great saxophonist Sonny Rollins (gift article) was delayed by my previously-scheduled look at Miles Davis’ career for the 100th anniversary of his birth. But I think we can move on from Miles after Bitches Brew. He certainly made some great music later on, but I don’t think he revolutionized music again after that seminal jazz/rock fusion album. Only so many times in a career can one artist re-invent jazz.
Sonny Rollins, however, was the last surviving member of the legendary group of musicians who played bebop in the late-40s along with Miles, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell and the other titans. Born in Harlem in 1930 to parents who came from the Virgin Islands, Rollins got his first saxophone at age 11 and largely taught himself how to play it. By the time he was 18, he was good enough to be playing with Miles and Powell at the many jazz clubs across New York. As the forties turned to the fifties, Rollins was at the forefront of the “hard bob” movement, which incorporated elements of rhythm and blues and gospel into the bebop format.
But Rollins’ approach could never really be defined by one sub-genre of music. After he took a time-out from music to deal with the medical and legal issues around his heroin addiction, he came back strong in the mid-50s and released his first albums as a band leader. Two of those albums, Tenor Madness and Saxophone Colossus were both released in 1956 and both are considered to be all-time classics. The title track of Tenor Madness contains the only recorded collaboration between Rollins and John Coltrane. Saxophone Colossus would give Rollins the nickname that he would have for the rest of his life. The “colossus” part referred both to his height and his talent.
But the best-known song that Rollins ever released was the first track on Saxophone Colossus, “St. Thomas.” This tune moved Rollins beyond hard bop and incorporated the calypso music of his parents’ native Virgin Islands. In fact, it’s based on a nursery song that his mother used to sing to him. Even if you don’t listen to jazz, this song is so famous that you’ll recognize it immediately.
Here is Rollins playing “St. Thomas” with Kenny Drew on piano, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on bass and Albert “Tootie” Heath on drums. The video doesn’t list when or when it was made, but the presence of NHØP likely means that it was at least 1964 and with Drew, likely for Danish television. Since Rollins took a break from performing in 1966, this is probably 1965, give or take a year.
Welcome back to everyone who skips all that jazz.
I’m not going to deny that May was a rough month, with the Cubs going 13-16 with a ten-game losing streak in there. But now that it’s June, they have the chance to put all that behind them.
What helps in June is that the Cubs have what should be a soft schedule. Here are the 27 games that the Cubs have scheduled this month:
June 2,3,4 Athletics
June 5,6,7 Giants
June 9,10,11 @ Rockies
June 12, 13, 14 @ Giants
June 15,16,17 Rockies
June 19,20,21 Blue Jays
June 22, 23, 24, 25 @ Mets
June 26,27,28 @ Brewers
June 29, 30 Padres
So let’s look at that schedule. The A’s are kind of a meh team. They’ve got some good young talent, but they’re under .500 in the lousy AL West. The Giants and Rockies are flat-out terrible. The Blue Jays aren’t nearly as good as they were last year and are below .500 at the moment. The Mets are maybe better than they were the last time the Cubs played them, but they still aren’t good. Only the final five games of the month at Milwaukee and home against San Diego represent a real tough challenge.
I’m not going to ask you to predict the month. But I am going to ask you what you would consider a successful month. That’s 27 games there. I’m going to assume that a losing month would be a failure. In fact, I’m saying if the Cubs only go 14-13 with that schedule, that’s not a success.
But how many games would the Cubs have to win for you to say they had a successful month? It they go 17-10, is that a good month with this schedule? Or 16-11? Or maybe they need to go 20-7?
Thanks for stopping by tonight. We always look forward to your visits. Please get home safely. Call a ride if you need one. Don’t forget any personal items. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 2: Gage Jump #61 of the Athletics pitches during the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 2, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The A’s were able to snap their losing ways on Tuesday evening, winning the series opener against the Chicago Cubs behind a strong second start from their prized rookie starting pitcher and winning their 29th game of the season in a 2-1 win. Starting the road trip right!
Taking the hill for the A’s tonight was left-hander Gage Jump, who was making just his second career start. Things didn’t start well for him in this one. Chicago leadoff man Nico Hoerner began with a single then stole second base and advanced to third on another single. With runners at second and third and no outs Jump was able to get a much-needed out but that was enough to give the Cubs the first lead of the game. A caught-stealing at third from Langeliers wiped out the other runner and Jump struck out Seiya Suzuki to end the first. Damage contained.
Meanwhile on the mound for the Cubs it was veteran Jameson Taillon. The A’s went 1-2-3 in the first inning before threatening but coming up short in the second. Then with two outs in the third, Nick Kurtz stepped to the plate and tied this game with a solo blast to the opposite field:
That oppo taco was Kurtz’s 11th of the year and his third in the last four games. Are we finally getting ready to see his power surge?
They A’s would keep up the pressure on Taillon in the fourth. Back-to-back one-out singles put a runner in scoring position, then Zack Gelof came through one batter later with a two-out RBI base knock to give the A’s their first lead of the evening:
Just barely made it over Hoerner’s glove there but that run would end up being huge. The A’s bats were seeing Taillon and making him work for every out tonight but he managed to keep the A’s from adding on from there. He’d end up pitching into the seventh inning tonight before making way to the Chicago bullpen.
Back to Jump. He settled into a rhythm after giving up that first inning run. The lefty bounced around a walk and another hit but kept the Cubs in complete check for the next six innings tonight. He finished his outing retiring the final 14 batters he saw, gaining confidence and looking even more dominant as the game went on.
Gage Jump: 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 85 pitches
An absolutely fantastic performance from the 23-year-old in his second career start. The Cubs offense had no idea what to do against Jump and he kept Chicago from ever getting anything going after that first inning. That’s the type of pitcher the A’s are hoping he can be going forward. He’s lined up to go next against the Houston Astros on Sunday for his third career start.
With Jump out of the game manager Mark Kotsay needed his bullpen to be perfect to hang onto this one-run lead. He first turned to a right-hander in Justin Sterner to start the eighth and switch things up on the Cubs. He did his job with a perfect 1-2-3 inning, setting up Scott Barlow for the save opportunity. He played with fire allowing back-to-back singles top open the bottom of the ninth but managed to get two outs before Hogan Harris came on and secured the final out to secure the win.
The story tonight is all Gage Jump. The lefty was the rock behind the win in this contest, holding down the Cubs’ offense for seven innings. The offense got just enough to get him the win, and the bullpen did its job to secure his first as a big leaguer, even if it got a little hairy at the end. Fun, close, great win all around tonight.
The series continues tomorrow evening, same time same place. It’ll be left-handed Jeffrey Springs on the mound for the Athletics while the Cubs have Colin Rea set to take the ball for them.
The Vegas Golden Knights are the shining stars of the entertainment capital of the world, and they’ve been the talk of the town for the last two months. Of course, most of the headlines pertain to their postseason success— after largely failing to live up to their potential during the regular season, the Golden Knights caught fire at the right time and advanced to their third Stanley Cup Final in their nine-year existence.
However, the Golden Knights have also made some noise because of the way they’ve handled Bruce Cassidy after their late-season coaching change.
Despite relieving Cassidy of his duties as head coach, the Golden Knights are still on the hook to pay him nearly $5 million. Cassidy signed a five-year contract in 2022 that won’t expire until after the 2026-27 season.
Because Vegas is paying Cassidy his full salary, they have complete control over his employment status for the next year. Cassidy has garnered interest around the league— namely from two division rivals, the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings— but Vegas has not granted teams permission to speak with him.
During a media availability prior to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, the NHL passed its ruling in the case of Cassidy v. Vegas Golden Knights.
“Obviously, we don’t find it unreasonable, because we’re allowing it to happen,” said deputy commissioner Bill Daly. “I do think Vegas is clearly within their contractual rights to do what they’re doing. We understand and appreciate that they’re on a Stanley Cup run right now, and they don’t need the distraction necessarily… We’ll get to the end of the season, and we’ll see where we go from there.
“We’ve talked to all the parties involved in this, including Bruce. So he knows what our position on the subject is, and he might not be happy about it, but he was accepting of it.”
“When you sign and insist upon a long-term contract, there are certainly, under league policies, consequences of that,” agreed NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. “And so, where we find ourselves is completely reasonable.”
“There are contracts that exist in the league that would not allow for this to happen,” added Daly. “His was not one of them.”
Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (19) plays a ground ball off the bat of JJ Bleday in the fourth inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. The Royals led 3-0 after four innings. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Tonight, the Kansas City Royals lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3. The Royals blew a 3-0 lead and were walked off for the sixth time on the season. It is June 2. Kansas City is now on pace for 16 walkoff losses on the season, which is a lot. The last time they even had double-digit walkoffs was 2011.
I think if you were to watch one game that would act as the median game for the 2026 Royals, this would be it. Starting pitcher Noah Cameron was fantastic over seven strong innings, striking out eight against zero walks and one hit. That one hit was a solo home run by Spencer Steer, but let’s be honest: you’ll take that result every time.
But the three Royals relievers—Matt Strahm, Lucas Erceg, and John Schreiber—all gave up a run. Schreiber’s was of the ghost variety in the bottom of the 10th, at least, and he got a strikeout before then. But jeez, Erceg has been so bad recently. It’s his league leading sixth blown save of the year.
Meanwhile, the offense went 2-11 with runners in scoring position and didn’t have a single extra base hit. Michael Massey’s seeing-eye grounder was the only real highlight of the game.
The Royals had one on with one out in the ninth inning after a Bobby Witt Jr. walk, one of eight on the night. But they weren’t able to push across the insurance run. In the 10th inning, the Royals had two on with one out after a Nick Loftin walk. But the combination of Salvador Perez, Jac Caglianone, Kyle Isbel, and Carter Jensen didn’t get a hit in either of those two innings.
I’m trying not to crash out here; this game doesn’t change anything about the 2026 Royals, who are awful. It will likely not change the approach of Matt Quatraro or JJ Picollo, who are committed to whatever this is, and it’s likely not going to change how much losing owner John Sherman can withstand. I was on KCUR’s Up to Date this morning, and I mentioned this when Steve Kraske asked me why the Yankees were so much better than the Royals, but it’s worth rephrasing here: there is a high organizational tolerance for losing here in Kansas City. This is not to say that anybody of the team isn’t bothered by losing, which they are. But the consequences for losing in Kansas City just aren’t there like they are in St. Louis or New York or Boston.
But I am crashing out a bit. This season has been torture. Royals fans deserve better. I don’t think they’ll get it.
Cam Schlittler had his worst start of the season and the bullpen was not much better in the Yankees' 9-4 loss to the Guardians on Tuesday night.
Here are the takeaways...
-WithoutAaron Judge in the lineup due to rib/shoulder soreness, others in the lineup had to step up and Paul Goldschmidt did his part. The former MVP went 3-for-4 as the DH on Tuesday with a double and a two-run shot in the third inning to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead.
In the fourth, with the Yankees down 3-2, Goldschmidt came through again with a two-out, two-run single to put New York ahead again. He accounted for all four Yankees runs.
-The rest of the Yankees lineup was not consistent enough. Aside from Cody Bellinger, who got two hits, and Goldschmidt, the rest of the Yankees lineup had just three hits. They also couldn't come up in the clutch as they went 1-for-8 with RISP and left eight runners on base.
In contrast, the Guardians were 7-for-16 with RISP and left just five runners on base.
-The Guardians bats were all over Schlittler's pitches in the first inning, as it took two great catches by Trent Grisham to get through the inning 1-2-3. However, the Guardians would scratch out a run in the third and Kyle Manzardo launched a two-run shot in the fourth.
Given the lead again, Schlittler could not hold it. In the fifth, Schlittler allowed a single before Amed Rosario booted a grounder at third. Schlittler hit a batter to load the bases and Travis Bazzana tied the game with a sac fly. Jose Ramirez doubled to push across another run and knock Schlittler out of the game. Brent Headrick picked up the final two outs of the inning to close the book on Schlittler.
Schlittler allowed a career-high five runs (four earned), on five hits while striking out three batters across 4.1 innings (76 pitches/50 strikes). His ERA rose to 1.89 after the loss.
-The Yankees bullpen could not keep the deficit close. After Headrick, Tim Hill allowed a run on three hits in his inning of play. Hill has now allowed five runs in his last two appearances.
Camilo Doval came in for the eighth and after some tough luck grounders loaded the bases with no outs, the right-hander struck out the next two batters. He was ahead of Bazzana in the count, 1-2, before the rookie dropped a double down the right field line to clear the bases.
Game MVP: Jose Ramirez
The longstanding Guardian had three doubles and drove in two runs.
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 23: Blake Dunn #59 of the Cincinnati Reds watches his single during game one of a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals at Great American Ball Park on May 23, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Jeff Dean/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s difficult to truly justify a game as a ‘must-win’ just 60 games into a 162 game MLB season, but Tuesday evening in Great American Ball Park began to feel like one shortly after its start.
The Cincinnati Reds, losers of 4 of their last 5 games, were sitting perilously close to being just .500 on the season despite their roaring start in April. They’d lost star Elly De La Cruz to the injured list with a hamstring injury that will sideline him for perhaps a month, and that’s on top of them losing half their rotation options and three of their back-of-the-bullpen stalwarts.
Things, for the Reds, had not been looking up. So when Kansas City Royals starter Noah Cameron began flirting with a perfect game through the first third of the game, the rest of the 2026 season sure felt like a bag of cold mush. Fortunately for the Reds, Spencer Steer swooped in from the rafters and put a hurtin’ on a pair of balls, chased Cameron, and helped pick the Reds up off the mat for at least one night.
Steer homered twice, Will Benson stepped in with the game-tying homer in the Bottom of the 9th, and the Reds managed to make it to extra innings in a 3-3 game despite their only three hits of the game (to that point) having come as solo dingers. And after Brock Burke managed to keep the Royals off the board in the Top of the 10th, it was Blake Dunn’s single into CF who scored – who else? – Steer to give the Reds an emotional 4-3 walk-off victory to level the series.
These Reds are an imperfect team. They were imperfect before the spate of injuries that has forced the re-shape of their entire roster. Still, they are a team with some latent talent, and it’s on Terry Francona to pull the strings at the right times in the right moments to make sure they maximize what it is they do have. On Tuesday night in GABP, that happened – albeit late – and the Reds walked away with a 4-3 win in a game that, for the longest time, they had zero business winning.
The Stanley Cup Final is underway and if it's like last year, there will be some overtimes.
The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers went to overtime three times in the first four games. The Oilers won Games 1 and 4 while the Panthers won Game 2 in double overtime. Games 5 and 6 were settled in regulation as the Panthers beat the Oilers for the second year in a row.
There won't be any more 3-on-3 play. It is 5-on-5 instead, just like in regulation play. There won't be any more shootouts. There is sudden death, and it could last a very long time.
Here's what to know about playoff hockey overtime, including the format, longest games and 2026 results.
How does OT work in NHL playoffs?
If the score is tied after three periods, the teams go to the dressing rooms for 15 minutes while the ice is resurfaced. Overtime periods last 20 minutes or until someone scores. It's 5-on-5 play (barring penalties). If no one scores in the first overtime, the process repeats and continues until someone scores. The teams change sides for each overtime period. The first overtime is the long change to get back to the bench.
The NHL Situation Room reviews all goals to make sure they are legally scored, such as the goal that ended Game 4 of the Anaheim-Edmonton series or the overturned goal in Game 4 of the Vegas-Utah series.
May 12:Golden Knights 3, Ducks 2. Pavel Dorofeyev scored the winning goal just over four minutes into the first overtime period to give Vegas a 3-2 series lead over Anaheim.
April 28:Bruins 2, Sabres 1. David Pastrnak scored at 9:14 of the first overtime to cut the Bruins' series deficit to 3-2.
April 27:Golden Knights 5, Mammoth 4. Shea Theodore scored at 19:08 of the first overtime to tie the series at two games apiece.
April 26:Ducks 4, Oilers 3. Ryan Poehling scored 2:29 into the first overtime to give Anaheim a 3-1 series lead.
April 25:Wild 3, Stars 2. Matt Boldy scored at 19:31 of the first overtime as the Wild tied the series 2-2.
April 24:Canadiens 3, Lightning 2. Lane Hutson scored at 2:09 of the first overtime, giving Montreal a 2-1 series lead.
April 22:Stars 4, Wild 3. Wyatt Johnston scored at 12:10 of the second overtime, giving Dallas a 2-1 series lead.
April 21:Avalanche 2, Kings 1. Nicolas Roy scored the winning goal at the 12:16 mark of the first overtime, giving Colorado a 2-0 series lead.
April 21:Lightning 3, Canadiens 2. J.J. Moser scored at 7:12 in the first overtime to tie up the series at a game apiece. It was Moser's first career NHL playoff goal.
April 20:Hurricanes 3, Senators 2. Jordan Martinook scored at 13:53 of the second overtime. He was stopped on a penalty shot in the first overtime.
April 19:Canadiens 4, Lightning 3. Juraj Slafkovsky scored at 1:22 of the first overtime, completing a hat trick.
Longest Stanley Cup Final games
Eight Stanley Cup Final games have gone to the third overtime. The Edmonton Oilers were part of the longest game when Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime for a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Final.
What are the longest NHL playoff overtime games?
1 - Six overtimes (116 minutes, 30 seconds of overtime) in the 1936 semifinals. March 24, 1935. Detroit 1, Montreal Maroons 0. Mud Bruneteau scored the winner.
2 - Six overtimes (104 minutes, 46 seconds of overtime) in the 1933 semifinals. April 3, 1933. Toronto 1, Boston 0. Ken Doraty scored the winner.
3 - Five overtimes (92 minutes, 1 second of overtime) in the 2000 conference semifinals. May 4, 2000. Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1. Keith Primeau scored the winner.
4 - Five overtimes (90 minutes, 27 seconds of overtime) in the 2020 first round. Aug. 11, 2020. Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2. Brayden Point scored the winner.
5 - Five overtimes (80 minutes, 48 seconds of overtime) in the 2003 conference semifinals. April 24, 2003. Anaheim 4, Dallas 3. Petr Sykora scored the winner.
6 - Four overtimes (79 minutes, 47 seconds of overtime) in the 2023 conference finals. May 18, 2023. Florida 3, Carolina 2. Matthew Tkachuk scored the winner.
The Golden Knights overcame a first-period 2-0 deficit, including a goal 25 seconds in, and stole the home-ice advantage by winning Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday, 5-4, over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Tomas Hertl scored his fourth goal of the postseason with 3:24 left in the game to break a 4-4 tie and move the Knights closer to their second Stanley Cup title since 2023.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 3, 2026
"We didn't have our greatest start, but it's kind of our story all season," Hertl said during the postseason television broadcast. "But we never give up, you know. We just a team. It doesn't matter if we up or down, we just keep playing."
Hertl took Colton Sissons' backhanded pass to the slot and sniped Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen to put Vegas ahead.
It marked just the second time Andersen allowed more than two goals in game, as he allowed five to Montreal in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. The 6-2 setback was the Hurricanes' only postseason loss before Tuesday night.
Shea Theodore, Ivan Barbashev, William Karlsson and Brett Howden also scored for Vegas, while netminder Carter Hart stopped 23 shots.
Nikolaj Ehlers gave the Hurricanes an early 2-0 lead before Theodore fanned Carolina's flames, cutting the lead in half to 2-1, where the score stood as the teams went into the locker room after the first period.
Just after the opening puck drop, Ehlers poked the puck off the boards in the defensive zone, gathered it and raced down the left side past Theodore.
Ehlers, who came into the Cup final with a team fourth highest nine points in the postseason, fired far side past Vegas goalie Carter Hart to give Carolina a 1-0 lead just 25 seconds in.
"Yeah, I mean, you don't know exactly what to expect, it's the first game, the building was already buzzing," Ehlers said in between periods on the television broadcast. "But that for sure, that was pretty cool. That was special. That definitely gave the arena a little more juice."
Ehlers got his second goal when he grabbed a cross-ice pass from Jalen Chatfield, who intercepted Jack Eichel's pass, raced in untouched and once again beat Hart.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 3, 2026
"They are a really good team," Ehlers added. "They play hard, they play fast, they got a lot of skill players."
Ehlers' words rang true in the second period, as the Golden Knights scored 30 seconds in when Barbashev took a pass from Eichel and beat Andersen from a soft spot in the top of the left circle.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 3, 2026
The stunned crowd came back to life when Carolina's Jordan Staal when the Knights failed to clear the zone and took advantage of a giveaway by Noah Hanifin. Staal's shot went high over Hart's blocker to tie the game at 3-all.
"For us, it's pretty simple, we got to get punch deep and play in their zone and create stuff from there that kills their offense," Ehlers said.
Howden scored his 11th goal of the postseason - his eighth on the road - just 1:21 into the third period, but the Hurricanes would tie game midway through the stanza when Shayne Gostisbehere sniped Hart from the left circle.
— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 3, 2026
Both teams were unsuccessful with their power plays, with Carolina finishing 0 for 2 and Vegas missing three times.
PHOTO CAPTION
Vegas Golden Knights center Tomas Hertl (48) celebrates scoring during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game one of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center.
LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 16: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs defends Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks during the game during the NBA Emirates Cup Final on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Spurs and Knicks will clash in the NBA Finals for the second time in NBA history, with New York looking to avenge the loss they suffered in 1999. The two teams had different paths to the ultimate destination, as San Antonio faced tougher competition, but it’s clear they are the class of their respective conferences. It’s set to be a heavyweight bout that could go either way.
Before the playoffs started, the general sentiment was that whoever came out of the West would be the champion, but it’s hard to count the Knicks out, considering how dominant they have looked and the success they had against the Spurs in the regular season and the Emirates NBA Cup. San Antonio is still the favorite according to FanDuel’s odds, but the gap has been closing leading up to the series to show that New York is not an ordinary underdog. The Silver and Black will have to be at their best to raise another banner.
The Spurs need to push the pace and hunt matchups on offense
For a team that features Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks are a surprisingly good defensive squad. They have their identity, familiarity, and a group of versatile, long wings to thank for that. Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges can guard multiple positions and provide enough help when needed without surrendering too many open looks. Their turnover-averse offense allows them to force teams to play against a set defense that has flaws but also has the tools to hide them, and their elite rebounding doesn’t allow for many redos. It’s why pace will be so important in this series.
The Spurs are at their best when they attack early. Everybody knows that by now, but it can be hard to stop them because they have quick, aggressive guards who will push the pace given the opportunity. Against the Knicks, they will need to be even more assertive than ever to hunt those buckets in the first few seconds of the possession or to simply use pace to create mismatches when they are forced to slow down. Making New York uncomfortable is hard because of their ability to switch and adjust along the wing, but the best chance to do it is by catching them off guard and relentlessly targeting favorable matchups.
Defensive rebounding will be key to kick-starting transition opportunities, because the Knicks won’t cough the ball up often. New York has a size advantage at several positions and one of their keys to success against San Antonio will be to weaponize it on the glass. It’s not just about stopping them from getting the extra possessions but also about cleanly grabbing the board and passing ahead to start the attack. The more contested rebounds they have to fight for on their own end, the more the Silver and Black will be forced to play in the half-court on offense. Boxing out is not optional and gang rebounding is a must.
If the game does become a slow-paced affair, the Spurs will need to make the Knicks’ defense move while searching for the right matchup. Jalen Brunson will likely try to hide on Julian Champagnie, so getting Champagnie or whoever else Brunson is on involved in plays will be hugely important not only to tire out the engine of their offense but also to force New York to help, unlocking the three-point line for San Antonio’s shooters. Stephon Castle tends to initiate slowly on offense, which helps keep his turnovers in check, but in this series, pace in the half-court will be as important as pace on the open floor.
It will be interesting to see how the Knicks deal with Wembanyama, because it could determine how the series goes. Do they put bigs on him, play drop, and try to contain the pick and roll without sending help, risking buckets close to the rim? Do they stick Anunoby or Hart on him and switch or swarm, hoping that Wemby will be forced to take jumpers? There’s no perfect answer when it comes to stopping The Alien, but how the defense treats his matchups will determine whether Wemby can be helpful as a decoy, allowing him to save energy on the offensive end by just drawing attention as a dive man or as a floor-spacer.
As the series progresses, both coaches will make adjustments, but at first glance and at this point in the postseason, the offensive battle seems to be more about who gets to set the terms of engagement than about Xs and Os. If the Spurs can get points early in the offense after misses, figure out how to hunt matchups, and use Wembanyaama creatively, they should be able to keep up. If instead they play slow and try to grind possessions out with little movement, they could be in trouble.
On defense, it’s all about the possession game and the lessons from the Thunder series
The Spurs are coming off a series in which they faced an opponent who had an elite primary creator and a bunch of role players who weren’t great at manufacturing their own shots but fantastic at finishing the looks their superstar got for them directly or with his gravity. The Knicks are similar in that, outside of Jalen Brunson, they don’t have anyone who is a top-end bucket getter, but plenty of players who know what to do when they are open. One of the lessons from the Conference Finals is that sometimes it’s better to let a superstar get his points if it means others don’t contribute much.
The matchup-specific advantage of that strategy is that it could help the Spurs negate the massive size advantage New York has on the wing. Mitch Johnson could simply slot De’Aaron Fox on Brunson and live with the results, which would allow him to put Stephon Castle on Towns in a similar way in which he had him guarding Julius Randle. Now, the potential pitfalls of the strategy are clear and dangerous. A fully healthy Fox struggled against Brunson in the regular season. Once the Knicks superstar gets going, it’s almost impossible to stop him. If Wembanyama has to overhelp to prevent him from going off for 60, the glass will be open. But with no good way to hide Fox, it might just be worth putting him in the spotlight and luring the Knicks into having Brunson attack him while everyone else watches.
While it should be an option, the above might be too daring an approach to start the series. It’s more likely Mitch Johnson keeps it simple, at least early on. The best point of attack defender, Castle, will probably be on the opponent’s best creator. The Spurs can’t afford to have Wembanyama on Karl-Anthony Towns full-time, but they can have him start some possessions on him and use their unique one-man zone in which Wemby is always in help position. Towns could shoot over smaller defenders, and Josh Hart, the guy who Wemby would, on paper, guard, might get hot from outside, but San Antonio could live with that if the paint is protected. New York has two counters to that strategy, as they can go five out by taking Hart out, or they could use two bigs if Mitchell Robinson is available, to force Wemby to commit to guarding someone instead of roaming. But if they are forced to change their approach, it means the Spurs’ familiar strategies are working.
Whatever the Spurs decide to do on defense, they need to make sure it doesn’t leave them exposed in the glass. If Hart is left open, he can not only make San Antonio pay by hitting shots but also by crashing the boards from the corner, so someone needs to always be aware of where he is. If a smaller player guards Towns, they’ll need to put a body on him before he can get position inside once a shot goes up. Robinson will get his offensive boards because he’s elite at it and neither Wembanyama nor Luke Kornet, who was helpless against him in his time in Boston, should be able to keep him from recovering misses, but if he’s the only one doing the damage, the Silver and Black should be fine. After all, Wembanyama might be able to get points back on the other end if Robinson guards him.
If there was a recipe for guarding Brunson, the Knicks wouldn’t be in the Finals. He’ll get his points. The key for the Spurs will be to win the possession battle by not turning the ball over, limiting the amount of second-chance opportunities New York gets, and trying to keep anyone else from catching fire. Mike Brown’s team is great at grinding out games when they have to, and Brunson is an elite closer, so it won’t be easy to win even if the defense does its job. The key will be to not panic if things go awry but also not be scared to mix things up and make daring adjustments, as the Thunder series showed.
Prediction: Spurs in six
The Knicks are a machine. They carried over the successful identity they built under Tom Thibodeau and added depth and some more spice to their offense. They have been as impressive as any team in the postseason, even accounting for the lesser competition they faced compared to the Spurs. They are a horrible matchup for a San Antonio team that will be in a consistent size disadvantage, and for Victor Wembanyama, who might be forced to venture to the perimeter when Towns is out there and could exhaust himself trying to keep Robinson off the glass. And it might still not matter.
The Spurs, at their best, can steamroll opponents in different ways. If the transition buckets aren’t there, they have the creators and the finishers to use simple actions to get open looks. If the open looks aren’t there, they have shot-makers and guards that will relentlessly test the defense with drives, brute-forcing their way to the line. And they have Victor Wembanyama, the most impactful two-way force in the league, locked in and ready for the challenge.
Both teams have advantages that they should be able to exploit, but if the Spurs’ young talent plays to its full potential, with Wemby leading the way, San Antonio could come out on top in what will surely be a close series.
PHOENIX –– It was a reunion of sorts for the Dodgers on Tuesday.
With the club in town to face the Arizona Diamondbacks, a group of injured pitchers currently rehabbing at the team’s Camelback Ranch spring training facility were in the visiting clubhouse at Chase Field to visit with teammates, check in with coaches, and get at least one day back around the big leagues while they work towards their return to action.
“It’s good seeing those guys,” manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s a nice kind of reprieve or break for them while we’re in town to pop over.”
The most notable familiar face: Starting pitcher Gavin Stone, who remains sidelined with shoulder problems that date back to a season-ending surgery he had at the end of his breakout 2024 rookie campaign.
The most notable familiar face: Starting pitcher Gavin Stone, who remains sidelined with shoulder problems that date back to a season-ending surgery he had at the end of his breakout 2024 rookie campaign. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST
Entering this year, the Dodgers were hoping to have Stone at full health. Through the early weeks of spring training, he was one of the standout performers in camp, recapturing the form he showed while going 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA in that 2024 season.
Alas, his surgically repaired shoulder flared up on him after his first Cactus League start. And since then, attempts to ramp him back up have been scuttled by more setbacks in what has now become a year-and-a-half-long injury saga.
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“He’s one that I’m really bummed out about,” Roberts said. “I think his makeup is off the charts, good, compete. Right now, his body’s just letting him down a little bit. There’s nothing else he can do. When he … ramps it up, it sort of shows itself again. So right now, I’m not sure exactly where he’s at in this progression. But I’m looking forward to seeing him, though.”
The other injured pitchers around the team Tuesday included Ben Casparius (who started the year in the Dodgers’ bullpen before going down with a shoulder injury that has since landed him on the 60-day injured list) as well as Bobby Miller and Landon Knack (who have both been sidelined since the start of the season).
Entering this year, the Dodgers were hoping to have Stone at full health. Through the early weeks of spring training, he was one of the standout performers in camp, recapturing the form he showed while going 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA in that 2024 season. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Miller spoke to reporters in the clubhouse Tuesday, and revealed that in addition to the shoulder injury that initially landed him on the IL to begin the season, he also had a back issue that forced him to slow-play his throwing progression in the early weeks of the season.
“It was shoulder at first. I had some injections right before spring training. It was pretty good. Then I had a setback with a back injury,” Miller said. “But it’s all great right now. I haven’t had any setbacks since that. I’ve been getting stronger and stronger.”
Like Stone, Miller was once a breakout rookie star for the Dodgers, going 11-4 with a 3.76 ERA in 2023.
Since then, however, injuries and underperformance (he had an 8.65 ERA in 15 MLB outings the last two years) have put his role with the organization in flux.
Miller spoke to reporters in the clubhouse Tuesday, and revealed that in addition to the shoulder injury that initially landed him on the IL to begin the season, he also had a back issue that forced him to slow-play his throwing progression in the early weeks of the season. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
While Miller –– who said he is scheduled to begin throwing off a mound again this week –– still believes he can be a starting pitcher, he is also open to relief duties, something the Dodgers had him try in triple-A at the end of last season.
“There’s a lot to learn from the struggles that I had,” he said. “I think I ended the season very well last year in the role that I was in. But I also know I can be a starter, as well. Like I said, I’m not going to hold myself to any role with this team. I’ll take any role I can get, just to contribute.”
As for what life is like these days at Camelback Ranch, where the Dodgers have their pitchers facing long-term injuries go for their recovery work, Miller described the vibe as upbeat.
“We’re grinding,” he said. “It’s a tough grind, but it’s a good group of guys.”
On Tuesday, at least, they got to be back around their big-league teammates again –– representing a light at the end of the elongated tunnel each of them are facing to return to full health.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 2: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the first inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park on June 2, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With a pitching matchup that favors the Blue Jays on paper, even with Bryce Elder’s solid performance this season, the Braves got off to a dream start in the first, with a Ronald Acuna turning into a run with a Michael Harris double.
Harris came around on a groundout and a sac fly for a 2-0 lead going into the second. They needed those runs, as the Blue Jays came right back with a two run homer in the second, evening things back up. The Atlanta offense managed a Yaztrzemski gapped double, but the back of the order couldn’t bring him around in the second, though they did turn the lineup over for the third inning. Bryce worked a clean inning and a Matt Olson two-out double converted, as an Ozzie single brought him home for a 3-2 lead.
After a couple clean frames, the Blue Jays came back in the fifth with a single, double, and a sac fly to bring the game level at 3. That didn’t last for long, as Matt Olson got under one for a 109.8 MPH fly ball at 49 degrees that was carried into the Chop House by wind for a go-ahead solo home run. 4-3 Braves.
Bryce Elder carried the game into the seventh and recorded two outs before being replaced by Robert Suarez, with Walt Weiss clearly hoping to make that one run lead stick. Suarez did his job, recording a strikeout to end the seventh, and another to end the eighth, after a quiet seventh from the Atlanta offense.
Raisel made things a bit hairy in the ninth, as he allowed two singles, but a strikeout and two pop-ups closed out his 29th straight save and another win for the Braves. That puts Atlanta at 41-20 on the year and in a great position to take another series win at home, having beaten Gausman, facing Patrick Corbin tomorrow, and with Chris Sale on the mound Thursday. This was a coin-flip game, but Bryce Elder, Robert Suarez, and Raisel Iglesias were able to stop the coin with the Braves’ side up once Matt Olson hit that homer.
Join us tomorrow as Grant Holmes takes the mound with a relatively fresh bullpen against Patrick Corbin for Toronto.
Jun 2, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) and relief pitcher Rico Garcia (50) celebrate beating the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Orioles picked up a tidy win tonight against the Red Sox, 4-2. They used a few long balls, a little small ball, and one very good starting pitching performance to prevail over the last-place team in the AL East. If you fancy yourself a good team, these are the teams you have to beat. And tonight, the Orioles did just that.
The first inning of this game did not feel like a good omen, but thankfully, it was not indicative of how things turned out. Taylor Ward started with an eight-pitch walk, then Gunnar Henderson doubled down the left field line. Ward landed at third and the Orioles had two runners in scoring position with no outs.
They blew it. The big trio of Adley Rutschman, Pete Alonso, and Samuel Basallo was unable to bring even one runner home. It felt bad in the moment, and worse when Jarren Duran led off the bottom of the first with a triple. He hit the ball to left field and it kicked off the wall and bounced away from Ward. Two batters later, Wilyer Abreu did what the Orioles could not and hit a long fly ball to score a run. Baz also walked a batter in the inning, but got out with a 1-0 deficit.
But it was only one run, and after that, the Orioles stepped up on both sides of the ball. Baz continued his string of strong starts. After the Duran double, he did not allow another hit until the fifth inning. That’s also when he allowed his next run. In that stretch, Baz retired the side in order in the second, third, and fourth. And he did it with a manageable pitch count.
Mickey Gasper started the bottom of the fifth with a single, then moved around the bases on a wild pitch, a fly ball out, and another sac fly to give the Red Sox their second run in the game. It was good work manufacturing the run by Boston, but that was all they got. Caleb Durbin followed the sac fly with a double, but was stranded on a Duran strikeout.
Baz had an easy sixth inning and started the seventh with a walk to Gasper, which I admit had me worried. When the lead is only two runs, every baserunner is dangerous. But Isiah Kiner-Falefa hit into a double play, turned very nicely by Coby Mayo and Blaze Alexander. Then Marcelo Mayer flew out to end the inning and Baz’s night.
And what a nice night it was. His fastball was sitting at 96-98 mph throughout, but what he really relied on was his knuckle curve. He threw it 39 times out of 94 pitches and got either a whiff or a called strike a third of the time. Five of his six strikeouts came on the knuckle curve. Baz’s final pitching line was 7 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K. Over his last four starts, Baz has pitched seven innings three times. The fourth time he pitched six. He’s allowed seven runs in those four starts, which comes out to a 2.33 ERA. He has dropped his overall ERA from 5.48 to 4.29.
With starts like that, you don’t need too many runs. But they got to the Red Sox starting lefty, Connelly Early, for four runs in 5.1 innings. You love to see them hit a lefty.
After flubbing up the top of the first, the Orioles got right back to business in the second inning. After the broadcast posted an adorable pic of Coby Mayo proposing to his girlfriend on the off day yesterday, Mayo celebrated with a ball over the Green Monster. It actually hit off the top of the wall and bounced back into play, needing a crew chief review to confirm it as a dinger. But confirmed it was, and Mayo rounded the bases to tie the game at one.
They untied it in the very next inning. Rutschman lined a single back up the middle and Alonso absolutely smoked a ball to left field. Unlike Mayo’s Monster scraper, this one was a bullet that landed several rows back. It was measured at 400 feet and gave the Orioles a 3-1 lead.
The Orioles had one more run in them, and this time, Tyler O’Neill got involved. I know! I was surprised too. O’Neill, who probably has very fond memories of his hitting at Fenway Park back in 2024, singled on a line drive and then stole second base. Yes, he did! Leody Taveras bunted him over to third, and Alexander brought him home with a sac fly. After the two home runs, the Orioles wanted to give some love to the small-ball aficionados.
It’s a good thing they didn’t need any more runs, because they didn’t get any. The bats quieted down after the fourth inning. Early pitched into the sixth, and relief pitcher Greg Weissert was very tough. He retired all five batters he faced, and struck out three.
The Orioles tried to make some noise in the eighth inning, but were thwarted by a bad call and some bad luck. Gunnar Henderson appeared to beat out a ground ball, but it was called out on the field. The call stood on challenge, even though replays seemed to favor Gunnar. Rutschman walked and Alonso singled after the play, but then Alonso was hit by a Samuel Basallo ball and called out. He just couldn’t get out of the way of it. Mayo popped out to end the inning.
The bullpen was outstanding tonight, although I admit to being a little nervous to see Andrew Kittredge with just a two-run lead. But Kittredge allowed just a two-out single and has now had five straight scoreless appearances. The magnificent Rico Garcia came in for the save in the ninth and, as expected, got three quick outs to end the game. I love an easy wrap up!
Orioles win, 4-2, and kicked off June in a good way. Since being swept by the Rays in mid-May, they have gone 8-3. They are now three games shy of .500. They are back in action tomorrow at 6:45 with Chris Bassitt on the mound.
It was always expected that 20-year-old Anton Silayev would transistion his game to North America for the 2026-27 season, and on Monday morning, New Jersey Devils general manager Sunny Mehta made it a reality by announcing the club signed the towering defenseman to a three-year, entry-level contract.
After he put pen to paper, Silayev and some of his family members celebrated the youngster’s latest achievement by taking a boat out and spending time on the water.
BIG deal? Yeah, we'd say so.
We've signed Anton Silayev to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 210 pounds, Silayev completed the 2025-26 season with Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He appeared in 61 regular-season games, collecting three points (one goal, two assists). Playing in a limited role under head coach Alexei Isakov, the defenseman gained experience and understanding that his future self will be grateful for.
Under his former head coach, Igor Larionov, Silayev played around 18 minutes per game. This past season, under new head coach Alexei Isakov, his ice time dropped, sometimes dipping below 10 minutes. Understandably, the decreased role and limited opportunities influenced the defenseman’s confidence.
It also provided a valuable lesson.
It is not the amount of ice time given, but how impactful a player can prove to be within the minutes provided. By the time the playoffs began, Silayev’s ice time did improve, and he collected two assists in 10 playoff games. He ended the season playing for Nizhny Novgorod’s junior team in the MHL playoffs, picking up two assists in four games.
Drafted 10th overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, the youngster has always been compared to Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman.
“He is 6-7, great size, but you quickly see his agility and footwork for that size, among the best you see at that age,” said Devils chief scout Mark Dennehy to NJD.TV after selecting Silayev. “He is mobile for his size with great defensive range. He is a pest to play against. He plays with a mean streak. Good shot, good hands.”
But direct comparissons aren’t always fair, are they? Especially given the amount of work in front of Silayev as he begins this chapter of his professional career.
There are two major components that Silayev will need to work on upon his arrival this summer. The first is the game itself. He needs to understand the mentality of a North American coach compared to that of a KHL head coach. His agent believes that Silayev, having played under Larionov, a former Devils player and Hockey Hall of Famer, will be an advantage in this regard, as he shared that North American mentality. In that same vein, the left-shot defenseman will need to learn the mindset and perspective of the rest of the coaching staff, management, trainers, and his new teammates.
Learning and improving his English remains a priority, and there is a belief he will pick it up quickly. Thankfully, there is a support team in place to help make the rookie’s transistion as smooth as possible. While his agent is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, his business partner, Peter Wallen, is within driving distance of New Jersey.
In addition to learning the dynamics of the people within the Devils organization, there is also the expanded 84-game NHL schedule.
“It is 84 games that you have to play 100% every night, every period, every shift,” Silayev’s agent shared. “I would say the first 10 games, you play on your emotions because you are in a new league, and everything is different and new.
“After those 10 games, it becomes routine, and you have to have the desire to come to the hockey rink and be ready for practice and for the game. It is very important,” he continued. “This is the stuff we explain to him, and he knows. There is a bunch of work to do.”
When he arrives, and training camp begins, one of the biggest questions is if he will start the season in New Jersey or with the Utica Comets, the organization’s American Hockey League (AHL) team. With an influx of defensemen at both levels, it seems Mehta and Comets’ general manager Braden Birch will have work to do to make everyone fit.
As it currently stands, New Jersey’s blue line includes Dennis Cholowski, Brenden Dillon, Dougie Hamilton, Luke Hughes, Johnathan Kovacevic, Simon Nemec, Brett Pesce, and Jonas Siegenthaler. In Utica, several defensemen are already under contract for 2026-27, including Seamus Casey, Mikaël Diotte, Ethan Edwards, and Jeremy Hanzel. It is worth noting that the latter spent last season in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder. Additionally, Topias Vilén and Calen Addison are restricted free agents, while Colton White is an unrestricted free agent.
Similar to last season, when winger Arseny Gritsyuk transitioned his game here, the Devils organization doesn’t quite know what they have with Silayev until they see him here in North America, and then they can understand exactly where he is at relative to NHL hockey.
Silayev is currently working on his work permit and will aim to arrive well before training camp begins to get acquainted with the city and what life away from the rink looks like, so that his focus will be 100 percent on hockey and the Devils when the 2026-26 season gets underway.
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PHOENIX, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 23: Starter Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fifth inning at Chase Field on September 23, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Dodgers 5-4. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Shohei Ohtani makes his 10th pitching start of the season for the Dodgers on Wednesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Ohtani started once at Chase Field last year with the Dodgers, tossing six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts last September 23. Beginning with that start, Ohtani has pitched at least six innings in 12 of his last 13 starts on regular rest (excluding Game 7 of the World Series, on three days rest). He started once more in Phoenix with the Angels, allowing two runs in five innings with eight strikeouts on June 11, 2021.
Zac Gallen, the opening day starter for the D-backs, starts for Arizona on Wednesday. He lost on March 26 on Dodger Stadium, allowing four runs in four innings. He followed that up with a 2.19 ERA and 4.14 xERA in April, then a 7.04 ERA and 5.40 xERA in May. This will be his first start of June.
