DENVER, CO - APRIL 21: Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) signals two outs as Colorado Rockies first base Michael Toglia (4) prepares to bat during a game between the Seattle Mariners and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 21, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Seattle Mariners have made use of the waiver wire to start October, claiming 1B/OF Michael Toglia from the Cincinnati Reds. The 28 year old switch-hitter missed much of the 2026 season with a dislocated right shoulder suffered while making a diving catch. The preparation for the surgery revealed a torn labrum as well, which led to season-ending surgery after just 10 games in Ohio.
Toglia was well-regarded by many (this author included) out of Gig Harbor High School in 2016 and particularly again after a strong career at UCLA. The Colorado Rockies made Toglia their first round pick in 2019, selecting him 23rd overall on the heels of a .307/.410/.573 line and top-notch glovework at the cold corner. A standout, 6’5 athlete, Toglia received some of the descriptors Evan White received as a prospect, noting his excellent athleticism was almost wasted at first base, anticipating at least nominal utilization in the outfield to expand his utility.
While that is what occurred in his progression through Colorado’s system, some of the similar issues White encountered arose as well. Toglia’s strikeout rates ballooned in pro ball, averaging around a 30% punchout rate despite clubbing prodigious home run totals before his big league debut in 2022. That debut was difficult for the then-23 year old, and he’s found little consistency subsequently. A .198/.275/.384 career line with 42 home runs in 1095 plate appearances is good for a .286 wOBA, troubling enough on its own. But Toglia’s home park his entire career has been Coors Field, save the 10 games mostly at home in Great American Ballpark with Cincinnati, meaning the most hitter-friendly parks in MLB have not been enough to foster quality numbers for him. The difficult nature of it is that Toglia’s 69 wRC+, combined with the challenging task of roaming the outfield of Coors and some poor ratings at first base to boot has meant Toglia’s fWAR of -3.5 ranks as worst in MLB since 2020.
So why the claim?
Toglia has a profile somewhat similar to fellow former Rockies OF/1B Nolan Jones, whom the M’s took on in the Luis Castillo trade with the White Sox. In a sense, both players have overlapping talents to Luke Raley and Lazaro Montes, both of whom have demonstrated more potent big league success thus far in their careers. Moreover, Toglia’s tools and adjustments after a midseason demotion in 2024 popped significantly, a season where his Baseball Savant profile looked exceptionally promising.
Toglia has immense raw power, and has shortened his swing in the past couple seasons to attempt to reflect that he does not need massive hacks to deliver ample damage. His swing length in the past two seasons has been in line with league average, while his bat speed and hard hit rates have been near the top of the league. Add that Toglia doesn’t chase excessively, and most of his strikeouts stem from that overswinging and a patient approach that boosts his strikeout rate in kind naturally, and there is a ton of Luke Raley to be seen from the left hand side, while a great deal of Mitch Garver from the right.
And yet, Toglia has been incapable of compiling all these characteristics into a capable big leaguer thus far. His best year, that alteration-including 2024, still topped out at a 99 wRC+ with 25 homers and 10 steals in 116 games and 458 plate appearances. Seattle can likely see the outline of a big leaguer still with Toglia, and few love to give a former top 100 prospect a look as much as Jerry Dipoto, but for the local kid to make good he’ll need to find a way to make much more in-zone contact in the bigs, no longer with the benefit of the sport’s best ballparks to bash.
It begins where it ended. The Anaheim Ducks opened their 2026-27 season on the road with a Pacific Division matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights, the team that defeated them in six games in the second round of the 2026 NHL Playoffs.
The Ducks saw their elongated rebuild come to an end in 2025-26, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and winning a series for the first time since 2017. On Friday evening, the puck dropped on their brand-new season, where they look to improve upon those results despite a tumultuous offseason.
The Ducks entered 0-0-0, but the Knights entered this game having won their season-opener in a 5-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.
The Ducks deployed a lineup full of new faces that featured two NHL debuts (Noah Warren and Judd Caulfield) and three other Ducks debuts (Travis Mitchell, AJ Greer, and Jeff Malott)
Here’s how the Ducks lined up to start this game:
Greer-Carlsson-Gauthier
Sennecke-Granlund-Killorn
Nesterenko-Poehling-Vatrano
Malott-Washe-Caulfield
LaCombe-Luneau
Mintyukov-Mitchell
Hinds-Warren
Lukas Dostal got the start in the Ducks crease and saved 27 of 30 shots. He was opposed by Carter Hart, who stopped 16 of 20.
Game Notes
The first period of this game saw the Ducks hemmed in their zone quite a bit, but displayed decent coverage habits. They scored one in the dying seconds of the first and added three more in the first eight minutes of the second to take a 4-0 lead into the third. Vegas furiously attempted to mount a comeback, but came up just short.
The Ducks showed some surprisingly encouraging aspects of their game and revealed some unpleasant others in the process. If this is any indication of things to come this season, the Ducks will be one of the NHL’s most entertaining teams yet again.
“I think it’s a big win for us,” Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville said after the game. “We had a strong start, pretty even, then all of a sudden, we started scoring some goals there. I thought that our pace was excellent. I thought we did a lot of good things pressuring up through all zones there to create some odd-man situations.
“Our speed was effective. Then, they got a little momentum, and then the challenge was against us. All of a sudden, the momentum changes and we’re hanging on at the end, but Dosty was really good tonight. He was excellent.”
Cycle: The Ducks established themselves as the league’s most dangerous team off the rush a year ago, but their cycle game left much to be desired. In this game, they were generating extended sequences low in the Vegas zone with clever puck movements that found their way to the point, where they consistently deployed a high third forward who could then attack downhill.
Oftentimes, that third forward high was Leo Carlsson, who is the player on the Ducks roster who could most benefit from developing a cycle presence. He succeeded in that area in this game, as he was calculating with pucks on his stick, made quick decisions along the wall, and showcased some escapability from the small areas to the soft areas of the o-zone.
Defensive Zone Coverage: The Ducks were an adventure in their end of the ice in this game. They are far less experienced than Vegas and the Knights’ veteran savvy forced a high number of mistakes from Anaheim in their end.
Retrievals, outlets, and exits kept the Ducks in their zone longer than they should have been, but for the most part, their coverage against the talented, effective Vegas cycle was a pleasant surprise. They were cohesive in their movements to retreat to soft ice and get sticks in lanes. They were stingy around their crease and didn’t lose many even-numbered battles in that area.
Coverage showed a few holes as the game wore on, but Dostal made all the saves he was required to and gave the team a chance to win. The Ducks were most impactful high in the defensive zone, where their speedy, long forwards forced turnovers from Knights’ defenders and sprung odd-man rushes the other way.
AJ Greer: Greer, though far less skillful than his superstar linemates, filled in the gaps in their games, provided a forechecking identity, and did the dirty work on a shift-by-shift basis so they didn’t have to. By muscling his way to the front of the net and winning battles in that area of the ice, Gauthier and Carlsson were afforded much more time and space to operate in the offensive zone.
He was one of the long, speedy forwards who caused chaos at the defensive blueline and his trap work in the neutral zone aided in the blueline denials that the Ducks benefitted from in this game.
The Ducks will be back at it on Sunday, when they’ll host the Florida Panthers for their home-opener.
Going in, the St. Louis Blues knew what they were up against with a season-opening back-to-back against two of the Central Division heavyweights, the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche.
Blues coach Jim Montgomery called this an "opportunity." An opportunity to make a mark against two Stanley Cup favorites out of the Western Conference.
"Opportunity to go into Dallas, show them what we have, how hard we’re going to play against and then fly to Colorado and show the Avalanche," Montgomery said earlier in the week. "It’s an opportunity to make your mark right away.”
Put a check mark next to Friday's season-opener with an emphatic 4-0 win over the Stars at American Airlines Center in Dallas, their first win in this building since Dec. 14, 2021; they had lost seven in a row in Dallas (0-4-3).
The Blues are now 9-0-2 in their past 11 road openers, which ties an NHL record for longest such streak to open a season since the Montreal Canadiens (1963-64 to 1973-74) went 6-0-5.
Many were likely expecting the Blues (1-0-0) go come out of Dallas and Colorado potentially losing two games, but now going in against the Avalanche on Saturday, where Jordan Binnington is expected to get the nod in goal, they have the chance to take four of a possible four points to begin this trip, which concludes Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks.
As for the game itself, here are the talking points:
* Joel Hofer -- The Blues tendy got the opening night assignment for the first time in his NHL career and picked up where he left off when he went 12-2-2 down the stretch last season.
Hofer didn't have to make any of those acrobatic, stand-on-his head saves, and that's a testament to the way the Blues defended, but he was composed and didn't give up any juicy rebounds to pick up his ninth NHL shutout.
Oh, and Hofer, who will get his chance at a goalie goal some day, picked up an assist on Pius Suter's empty-net goal at 17:52 of the third period:
Empty net goal for St. Louis!
Scored by Pius Suter with 02:08 remaining in the 3rd period.
* Adam Jiricek -- It was an impressive debut for the first-round pick (No. 16) in the 2024 NHL Draft.
He finished the game playing 16:35 and was a plus-1 and had his first NHL goal taken away in the third period when the Stars successfully challenged an offside play, to which Pavel Buchnevich was the guilty culprit.
But this kid looked like he belongs in the league. I know it's only one game, but I've got to say, I can't see this kid going back to the American Hockey League.
Jiricek looked so calm, so composed. I mentioned during the game one of his first puck touches, he gets the puck and moves into the right circle after a cross-ice feed and with my hesitation, whips a shot towards the net. Most young, first-year, first-NHL game players likely defer in that situation. That's confidence with the puck.
And playing alongside Philip Broberg, when in the defensive zone, his positioning and ability to make plays and move pucks out of danger was very encouraging.
There was so much to like from the 20-year-old in his first NHL game; you have to imagine things will continue to get better. It'll be interesting to see how he reacts playing against Nathan MacKinnon and company Saturday, but it's evident Blues fans are very encouraged. I know I was.
* Mason McTavish -- The Blues acquired the 23-year-old and sacrificed two first-round picks for a reason, and McTavish made good on his proclamation of liking to play in and around the net.
His first goal as a Blue, just 1:34 into the game, stands as the game-winner and it came by being around the net:
St. Louis goal!
Scored by Mason McTavish with 18:26 remaining in the 1st period.
It was a really smart rush play by Colton Parayko, who got the puck to the net, followed his shot and was able to slide the puck to McTavish for the finish.
McTavish played 14:36 and had six shot attempts (three on goal) with two hits but was only 5-for-15 (33 percent) on face-offs, so you want some better numbers there, but getting that early goal was a good way to start his Blues career.
* Penalty kill perfect -- Dallas was one of the top power plays in the NHL last season but the Blues, who have made it a point to make marked improvements on their special teams (power play wasn't good at 0-for-4), but their PK limited Dallas to four shots on goal in 8:40 of power play time and did a very good job of taking away the middle of the ice.
Wyatt Johnston scored 27 power-play goals last season for Dallas and the Stars like to implement that play where they use his quick-shot ability in the bumper, but the Blues made a point to take that away.
* Alexey Toropchenko -- This was probably the biggest downer of the night, with the Blues' fourth-line checker leaving in the first period with what appeared to be a right shoulder injury.
Toropchenko was going behind his net to make a play and took a bit of a shove from Lian Bichsel and was sandwiched with Tyler Seguin, immediately went down on the ice and needed help off.
Alexey Toropchenko got crunched between two Stars and had to be helped off the ice.
It's obvious that Toropchenko, who did not return to the game, will miss some time. How much will be determined in the next day or so, so it will give one of Dillon Dube or Zach Dean to get into the lineup against the Avalanche.
And here's what you notice why the Blues signed Ross Johnston, who went to Bichsel looking to have him answer the bell for shaving Toropchenko in the first place.
* Brandon Carlo -- It was also a debut for another new Blues player, and things were going well for Carlo, who finished with 15:27 of ice time, but he was assessed a five-minute major for kneeing Roope Hintz and a game-misconduct just 2:49 into the third period.
As you can see after the puck is flipped towards the left side boards, Carlo was focused on a shoulder check on Hintz, who made a nice move to the inside to slip by Carlo, but the Blues defenseman's right knee caught Hintz's left knee:
My two cents: there was no intent to injure. Hintz just made a quick pivot to the inside and unfortunately, their knees collided. Hintz wasn't seriously injured after initially being down on the play, so I can't imagine the league will further punish Carlo for what just turned into an unfortunate play.
I can understand why the call on the ice was upheld, but there was a part of me that wondered if they were going to reduce the infraction to a minor, especially since Hintz was back so quickly.
Otherwise, I thought Carlo and Cam Fowler played a solid defensive game.
* Solid, aggressive first period, passive in second bailed out by Dvorsky goal -- The Blues came out with an attack mindset in the first period and carried much of the play and could have conceivably led by more than just the one-goal edge.
They were quicker to pucks, forced the Stars into some puck mistakes with turnovers and were attacking the net aggressively.
The second period, Dallas adjusted and were the better side, but when Dalibor Dvorsky scored this timely goal at 13:05 of the period that made it 2-0, it seemed to suck some life out of Dallas' momentum:
St. Louis goal!
Scored by Dalibor Dvorsky with 06:55 remaining in the 2nd period.
What you like about the goal, though, was Jiricek starting it by rimming the puck in, Suter on his horse to poke the exchange away from Jake Oettinger and Nils Lundkvist. In the process, Oettinger and Hintz got their skates caught together, Oettinger went down, and Broberg made an unselfish play to feed Dvorsky, who had a yawning cage to finish.
And when Jimmy Snuggerud made it 3-0 just 15 seconds before Suter's goal, it put a stamp on what was a solid road win:
Empty net goal for St. Louis!
Scored by Jimmy Snuggerud with 02:23 remaining in the 3rd period.
"All of us were super excited to get back at it, and you could tell that tonight."
Joel Hofer, Mason McTavish, Adam Jiricek and Jim Montgomery speak to the media after Friday's season-opening shutout win in Dallas. #stlbluespic.twitter.com/D1ZDjBwJAF
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: Keyonte George #3 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery on May 10, 2026 at Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Another day, another disrespect!
In a recent interview, Bub Carrington revealed that the Wizards held back to try to draft AJ Dybantsa last season. You can see the exchange below.
Bub Carrington says the Wizards held back to try to draft AJ Dybantsa 👀👀
"We haven't been told to be the best version of ourselves. We were held back because we were trying to get AJ Dybantsa. That's no secret" pic.twitter.com/yASjsgnUWD
That should mean a fine, right? I mean, that’s what they did with the Utah Jazz? Turns out that they will not be fining the Wizards, according to Sam Amick.
Per source, the NBA will not discipline Wizards guard Bub Carrington (or the team) for his candid comments about tanking.
This disrespect is not new, remember when the Jazz wanted to give Keyonte George a chance to coach during summer league? It was going to be a lot of fun and help connect Keyonte George to the young rosters. But no, the NBA couldn’t let the Jazz do that.
There was a ton of excitement about this from Keyonte George and the Jazz coaching staff, but the NBA reviewed the situation and informed the team that George will not be able to coach at Summer League https://t.co/Ufza1CUXyf
Was Adam Silver consistent with that? No, actually. Because he let the Celtics do the exact same thing days later.
NEW STORY: Derrick White is officially undefeated as a coach, and Amile Jefferson is grateful he took the time to share some wisdom with the Summer League Celtics.
So it’s okay for the Celtics, but not the Jazz? So disrespectful!
I guess the consolation is that it obviously bugged the NBA that the Jazz wanted to do the right thing to win a title by tanking. Winning the lottery after that fine is hilarious. What would be even more funny is Utah becoming an NBA champion because of that tanking. That $500K could be the best money ever spent by Ryan Smith.
LAS VEGAS -- The Vegas Golden Knights nearly completed an improbable comeback Friday night, scoring three unanswered goals in the third period before falling 4-3 to the Anaheim Ducks at T-Mobile Arena.
The loss was Vegas’ first under coach Ryan Craig and provided another chapter in a budding Pacific Division rivalry after the teams met in the second round of last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Beckett Sennecke opened the scoring with eight seconds remaining in the first period, a late-period strike that changed the complexion of a game Vegas had controlled territorially.
Then came the stretch that ultimately decided it.
Alex Killorn scored 1:33 into the second period, and Jeff Malott followed just 55 seconds later to make it 3-0. Leo Carlsson extended Anaheim’s advantage at 7:03, leaving Vegas down four before the game reached its midpoint.
“Probably just the execution,” captain Mark Stone said when asked about the difference between the second and third periods. “Against a team like that, you look at their top players, they’re high-end players. With time and space, and if you turn the puck over or give them that time and space, they make plays, and they did.”
Vegas finally awakened in the third.
Shea Theodore scored at 4:38 before Tomas Hertl converted on the power play at 6:07. Braeden Bowman pulled Vegas within one with 2:50 remaining, transforming what had looked like a one-sided Anaheim victory into a frantic finish.
Stone said the response reflected something that has become part of the Golden Knights’ identity.
“I think you’re never gonna see this team quit, and I think that’s why we’ve had awesome playoff success and regular-season success as a team,” Stone said. “We don’t quit. We continue to push.”
But Stone also acknowledged the obvious lesson from Friday: resiliency can only overcome so much.
“When you get down in a hole 4-0, it’s not gonna come back very often,” Stone said. “It’s early in the season. I like the way we started to build some better habits leading into the next game, especially.”
The Golden Knights continued pressing after pulling Carter Hart for the extra attacker, but Lukas Dostal and the Ducks survived the final push.
Vegas was left with an encouraging third period - and a reminder that even its ability to rally has limitations.
As Stone put it: “It’s doable, but that fourth one is just difficult.”
KEY MOMENT: Anaheim's Third Goal
Anaheim delivered its biggest blow just 55 seconds after Killorn gave the Ducks a 2-0 lead. Malott scored at 2:28 of the second period to suddenly make it 3-0. Vegas eventually found its game, but that rapid-fire sequence left the Golden Knights chasing a deficit that proved one goal too large.
KEY STAT: .800
Hart stopped 16 of the 20 shots he faced. Vegas held a 30-20 advantage in shots and won nearly two-thirds of the faceoffs, but four goals on Anaheim's first 20 shots proved too much to overcome.
WHAT A KNIGHT: Tomas Hertl
Hertl supplied more than Vegas' second goal. He finished with a team-high five shots on goal, went 8-3 in the faceoff circle and posted a plus-1 rating in 17:23 of ice time. His power-play goal at 6:07 of the third cut the deficit to 4-2 and helped turn what looked like a runaway into a frantic finish.
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - SEPTEMBER 28: Ace Bailey #19 of the Utah Jazz speaks during the Utah Jazz media day at Zions Bank Basketball Campus on September 28, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Chandler Holt of KSL Sports was kind enough to join me on the Hoops Nerd Podcast to talk about the upcoming season. We discussed a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:
Who will be in the Jazz starting lineup?
What should we expect from Darryn Peterson? Will he be starting?
What type of role will Keyonte George play? Can he be the point guard the Jazz need?
Where does Ace Bailey fit in? Is he happy in camp?
How does Lauri Markkanen fit into a packed roster? Can he score at the level he did before? What is his role?
What impact does Jaren Jackson Jr have? Will he play center? What other things will he do in the Jazz offense?
Will the Jazz make some sort of trade this year? What would that look like?
How many wins will the Jazz get?
Also, make sure to download the new SB Nation sports app. It’s a great way to keep up with all our stories and discussion boards.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leo Carlsson had a goal and an assist, Lukas Dostal made 27 saves and the Anaheim Ducks opened the season by holding off the Vegas Golden Knights 4-3 on Friday night.
The teams met last season in the second round of the playoffs, with Vegas winning in six games and going on to win the Western Conference. The Golden Knights opened Tuesday night at home with a 5-2 victory over Chicago.
Carlson set up Beckett Sennecke's goal with eight seconds left in the first period, then scored at 7:03 of the second to cap a three-goal burst for a 4-0 lead. Alex Killorn and Jeff Malott also scored.
Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl and Braeden Bowman scored for Vegas in the third period, with Bowman connecting with 2:50 left. Hertl struck on a power play.
Carter Hart stopped 16 shots for the Golden Knights.
Atlanta spent six regular-season games proving it can bloody the two-time champs, but October has handed the Dodgers a rested four-headed rotation while the Braves arrive at Dodger Stadium with their pitching staff held together by tape, adrenaline and Chris Sale’s overworked left arm. I think Atlanta steals a game at home, but the Dodgers’ pursuit of a three-peat will survive its first series punch, facing either a rematch with Milwaukee or a heated rivalry with their neighbors to the South.
Dodgers in 4
Jack Harris
The Braves can be dangerous, but their pitching (Chris Sale, especially) has already been worn down. If the Dodgers look anything like they did in September, they’ll be on to the NLCS.
Dodgers in 4
Dylan Hernandez
The Braves are spent after surviving the Phillies in the wild-card round.
Dodgers in 3
Christian Orozco
The Dodgers will look to make a statement in their opening round on the road to their three-peat. Even if their bats struggle, I trust their starting rotation.
Dodgers in 4
PADRES-BREWERS
San Diego Padres first baseman Gavin Sheets (30) and outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) high five after defeating the Chicago Cubs during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park in San Diego, Sept. 30, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Rich Barak
The Mizard of Oz will propel Brew Crew on path to NLCS.
The Padres have enough star power and late-inning gasoline to make this series a five-game fistfight, but Milwaukee earned home-field advantage for precisely this kind of October moment. If it comes down to one night in Wisconsin with Jacob Misiorowski holding the baseball and American Family Field shaking around him, I’ll take the Brewers to survive.
Brewers in 5
Jack Harris
The Padres’ biggest strength is their bullpen. Never is that more important than in a shorter five-game series. Once they take a lead, they don’t give it up.
Padres in 4
Dylan Hernandez
Padres are dangerous whenever they’re riding an emotional high.
Padres in 5
Christian Orozco
Jacob Misiorowski will bring the Padres back down to earth after their hot wild-card round. The Brewers find a way to finish the series through their bullpen.
Sometimes, life-changing opportunities come when you least expect them.
For Dylan Garand, securing his first NHL shutout while propelling the New York Rangers to a 2-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings probably didn’t even cross his mind as a remote possibility when he was sent down to the American Hockey League, but that’s exactly what transpired on Friday night.
Since the Rangers selected him in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Garand has more than paid his dues in the AHL, playing 150 games for the Wolf Pack.
He finally got his NHL opportunity toward the tail end of the 2025-26 season, starting three games and posting a 2-0-1 record, 1.62 goals against average, and a .948 save percentage.
Things were looking promising for Garand, who signed a two-year contract extension with the Rangers at the beginning of the offseason, and was in line to replace the retired Jonathan Quick as Igor Shesterkin’s backup goalie.
However, the Rangers went out and acquired veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins on July 1, which complicated Garand’s standing with the team.
Despite coming into training camp with the presumption that the backup goaltending position was up for grabs, Korpisalo always seemed to have the upper edge over Garand throughout the two-week training camp.
The Rangers ultimately decided to keep Korpisalo around and waive Garand, who cleared waivers and reported to the Wolf Pack.
“I had a number of conversations with him when the decision was made to send him to Hartford,” Mike Sullivan said. “He knows that we believe in him. I don't know that I need to say anything else. He’s a good, solid goalie, and we believe in him.
After being sent down, a disappointed Garand had already accepted his fate that he’d have to spend additional time playing in the AHL, and he even bought himself an apartment in Hartford.
The 24-year-old goaltender’s time in Hartford did not last long though, as he was recalled on Thursday after Joonas Korpisalo was placed on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury.
Starting for the Rangers on Friday night in Detroit, Garand was given another opportunity to prove himself at the NHL level, and he completely seized the moment.
Garand recorded a 22-save shutout, becoming the eighth Rangers rookie goalie in franchise history to register his first career shutout in four games or less.
When the Red Wings came into the second period with an onslaught of pressure and shots, Garand stood tall, making timely saves and delivering when the team needed him most.
In what Garand described as the “craziest week” of his life, he kept his composure through it all, and when he was given another chance to play in the NHL, Garand took full advantage and proved his worth to the Rangers organization.
“I’m proud of myself for the way I just kind of left it out there,” Garand said. “Like I mentioned to you guys throughout training camp, it was out of my control. So I just focused on what I could control, I did that. Obviously, what happened happened, and it is what it is. Just happy to be back here. It was a great win tonight.”
What does this momentous victory mean for Garand moving forward, and what will happen to him once Joonas Korpisalo is activated from injured reserve?
Sullivan threw out the idea of carrying three goaltenders on the roster during training camp before the team ultimately decided to waive Garand. If the organization fears that Garand won’t clear waivers, they could re-visist the three-goalie strategy.
It’s hard to imagine the Rangers placing Korpisalo on waivers after giving up a fourth-round pick and prospect to acquire him over the summer, but if Garand were to be placed on waivers, it’s always a possibility he’s claimed by another team looking for more goaltending depth.
It could also be that Garand clears waivers once again and takes on the starting goaltending role for the Wolf Pack.
Regardless of what the future holds for Garand, he’s taken advantage of every opportunity the Rangers have thrown his way thus far and continues to show that he has the potential to blossom into a promising NHL goalie.
"It speaks volumes for his character,” Sullivan said about Garand responding the way he did. “He's a good person, first and foremost. He loves hockey. You can see it — I mean, I can see it every time I see him walk through the door, and the way he works on his game. And he's a fierce competitor. He wants to play in the NHL. I understand that. That's one of the things we love about him. He's battling. He's controlling what he can, and it's hard. Pro sports is competitive, and things don't always go your way. You've got to be able to work your way through the ebbs and flows of a career.
“The thing I love about Dylan is he controls those things that are within his power. He's got a great attitude. His effort is always where it needs to be. I really have a lot of admiration for him — for how he handles his circumstances. He's a great kid. I was thrilled for him that he got a shutout tonight.”
Marco Kasper (92) of the Detroit Red Wings battles for the puck against Noah Laba (42) of the New York Rangers during the second period of a game at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026.
And after a tumultuous offseason featuring heaps of change and uncertainty, Detroit fans inside Little Caesars Arena unleashed an abundance of pent-up frustration that made for an entirely different atmosphere than the Blueshirts had for their home opener at Madison Square Garden.
Access the Rangers beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting withMollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers.
The Red Wings are still trying to stabilize after transitioning front office staple Steve Yzerman into an advisory role and promoting assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff on an interim basis.
Red Wings fans in attendance let the organization know just how they feel about the team and Dylan Larkin, who was stripped of his captaincy after he requested a trade this summer.
In street clothes during player introductions due to an injury, Larkin was booed incessantly.
The lack of enthusiasm in the building was beneficial for the Rangers early in the first period. Earning the first power play of the night, the Rangers capitalized when Sean Durzi recorded his first goal as a Ranger on a laser shot from the high slot.
Marco Kasper (92) of the Detroit Red Wings battles for the puck against Noah Laba (42) of the New York Rangers during the second period of a game at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. Getty Images
A “sell the team” chant promptly reverberated around the lower bowl in response. It was one of a couple that could be heard throughout the night.
“We had a great start to the game,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “First 10 minutes, I thought we were the better team. I thought the next probably 25 minutes, they were the better team. You give Detroit credit, they got a lot of speed, they got a strong team game. It’s their first game. It probably took them a little bit to get into it. Once they got their legs, they started to put us under pretty good pressure. I thought we fought through it.”
While the Rangers controlled play for the majority of the opening frame, it was all Detroit in the final minutes. The Red Wings posted the last six shots on goal — not including Anton Johansson’s shot off the far post — heading into the first intermission, but they weren’t able to break through.
Eeli Tolvanen scored an empty-net goal to give the Rangers some insurance in the end.
New York Rangers center Matt Rempe (73) and Boston Bruins defenseman Conor Clifton (75) battle for the puck during the second period at TD Garden. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Who plays on the right wing of the fourth line will be an ongoing evaluation for the Rangers.
After opening the season in Boston with Matt Rempe in that spot, where the 6-foot-9 behemoth has consistently skated over his 86 NHL games, Sullivan decided to go with Jaroslav Chmelar for the home-opening victory over the Lightning at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.
Chmelar remained in the Rangers lineup Friday night in Detroit, which was to be expected following such a resounding win.
“A lot of it is who we look at as our opponent and what we think is a better matchup, based on who the opponents are,” Sullivan said of the decision. “Remps is a different type of player than Jaro. They’re both valuable players for our team, they’re just different players.
Jaroslav Chmelar battles for the puck against Ben Chiarot during the third period at Little Caesars Arena on October 02, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. Getty Images
“I’ve had conversations with both of those guys around that and the lineup decisions that we’ll make moving forward. Going in against a Tampa team, we thought it was a better fit for Jaro.”
The Rangers are scheduled to be off on Saturday before returning to game action Sunday night at the Garden against the Utah Mammoth.
The past seven days have been highly successful for the San Diego Padres organization.
After giving starter Casey Mize a chance to show he was healthy enough to participate in the postseason, the Padres placed the right-hander on the injured list after he surrendered seven hits and seven runs in four innings in the 11-4 loss on Sept. 25, to the Diamondbacks.
Walker Buehler started Game 2, which the Padres won 10-7 to clinch home-field advantage for the Wild Card round of the NL playoffs. Buehler was not particularly sharp, but the Padres eeked out the win despite a rare hiccup by Mason Miller, pitching in a non-save situation to finish the game.
In a game that meant nothing in the playoff picture, Rándy Vásquez went six strong innings to lead the Friars to another win. He combined with Griffin Canning to finish off the D-backs and give the bullpen two full days of rest before their homestand against the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card series.
A fairytale series
It couldn’t have gone any better for the Padres against the Cubs. Rookie manager Craig Stammen had the least stress-inducing playoff series any manager could have.
After naming a playoff roster that surprised many by including both Joe Musgrove and Gavin Sheets, Stammen used both of those Padres in two dominant performances versus Chicago.
Musgrove, who had spent almost two years on the IL, pitched in the ninth inning of the first game, finishing off the Cubs for the first win.
Stammen was given the softest landing ever imaginable for both himself and Musgrove.
Sheets, who spent most of the past month in a boot for a plantar fascia tear in his left foot, was activated at the end of the season and played in two games versus the D-backs. After showing he was able to perform in those games, Sheets provided the pitching staff with some breathing room in the second game, blasting a 101 mph fastball 394 feet into the right-field stands.
The Padres pitching staff held the best offense in the National League to one run on eight hits in the two games. The two best hitters on their roster, NL MVP-to-be Pete Crow-Armstrong and Alex Bregman, went 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts against the Padres dominant pitching staff.
Meanwhile, Fernando Tatis Jr. put on a show in the first game with a leadoff home run while also scoring from first on a stolen base and a throwing error in his last at-bat.
Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts turned their worst professional seasons around by going 7-for-15 with two homers, two doubles and four RBI combined in the two games.
Second-half momentum carries on
The Friars had a 50-53 record before their second-half surge. After struggling offensively for much of May, June, and July, the Padres went on a 43-18 tear to end the season. They carried that over into the series against the Cubs.
With home-field attendance that topped 47,000 for both games, the Padres had a vocal and raucous crowd behind them that served as their 10th man in snuffing out the Cubs.
The stars were stars
The Padres’ top four earners are Machado, Tatis Jr., Bogaerts and Musgrove. For the first time in two years, all four played for the Friars during the Cubs series. Although limited to one inning of work, Musgrove was able to contribute to a win. All the others played the way we would expect them to play in the postseason.
NBC scores a win
Including Musgrove in their plans for the postseason gave the team and their fans a huge emotional lift. Even the decision-makers at NBC acknowledged the importance of Musgrove’s inclusion.
Rather than cut away at the end of the eighth inning, NBC bypassed its lucrative commercial break and showed Musgrove’s entrance from the bullpen. As the left-field crowd rose and began cheering, Musgrove stepped through the bullpen gate and set foot on the Petco Park field for the first time since October 2, 2024.
The ensuing spread of cheers through the park and Musgrove’s entrance was covered live for the TV audience. It was a brilliant moment for San Diego.
Padres fans go NUTS as Joe Musgrove enters a game for the first time since October 2, 2024. pic.twitter.com/9Kb65HA9tD
After reaching the postseason for a record third consecutive season, the Padres have also reached at least 90 wins for the third straight season. In an unprecedented era of success for the organization, new Padres owner Jose E. Feliciano paid tribute to late owner Peter Seidler with his attire for the second game versus the Cubs.
With their official ownership of the team now almost two months in, Feliciano and Kwanza Jones are enjoying the first fruits of their investment in the Padres. Attending the season-ending games in San Diego and the playoff games versus the Cubs, Jones and Feliciano have shown their support, and Jones’ dancing skills, on the field and in the locker room.
On to Milwaukee to play the Division Series against the team with the best record in baseball. In a best-of-five series, the Friars take on hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski in Game 1. After two in Milwaukee, the Padres return home for Tuesday and Wednesday games at Petco Park.
There is little doubt that home-field advantage will be in full force at Petco. The magic of the Cubs series could carry over into a series win at home against the Brewers.
Jon Heyman: The Yankees rotation couldn’t be in better shape, and the extra days off don’t hurt, either. They’re also looking better with the bats lately too. YANKEES IN 4.
Greg Joyce: It won’t be nearly as easy as the wild-card series was, but the Yankees rotation shoulders the load again, allowing them to survive the Rays’ dominance at Tropicana Field. YANKEES IN 5.
Cam Schlittler walks back to the dugout after completing the sixth inning in the Yankees’ Game 2 win over the Red Sox in their AL wild-card series. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Dan Martin: The Rays have home-field advantage and the Yankees are almost certain to be without Aaron Judge, but the Rays are built for a long season, not a short playoff series. YANKEES IN 5.
Mark W. Sanchez: The Rays offense will put constant pressure on the Yankees defense, which has not been a great strength of the team. RAYS IN 5.
Joel Sherman: The Yankees must limit mistakes, especially at The Trop. But their rotation strength and some iffiness with the Rays getting the ball from their starters to terrific closer Bryan Baker opens enough of an offensive avenue for the Yankees to advance. YANKEES IN 5.
Closer Bryan Baker throws a pitch during the ninth inning of the Rays’ win over the Yankees on Sept. 22, 2026 in The Bronx. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Mike Vaccaro: Unlike the pillow fight they just enjoyed with the Red Sox, the Yankees know well just how good the Rays are. I expect both teams to hold serve. And that bodes well for the team that will host do-or-die Game 5. RAYS IN 5.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Alex Tuch scored twice in his first game for Washington, Alex Ovechkin opened his 22nd NHL season with an assist and the Capitals beat the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 on Friday night.
Tuch joined the Capitals in an offseason trade after five seasons with Buffalo. The 41-year-old Ovechkin assisted on Tuch’s opening goal in Washington’s three-goal first period.
Cole Hutson, Jakob Chychrun and Ryan Leonard also scored for the Capitals, and Logan Thompson made 31 saves.
Sebastian Aho and Logan Stankoven scored for Carolina, and Brandon Bussi stopped 22 shots. The Hurricanes opened Tuesday night at home with a 1-0 overtime loss to Florida.
Tuch opened the scoring at 6:33 of the first period, beating Busso with a wrist shot. Hutson scored on a snap shot with 8:27 left in the period, and Tuch connected on a backhander with 5:37 to go.
Jakob Chychrun made it 4-0 on a power play at 1:36 of second.
Aho got one back for Carolina on a power play with 3:10 left in the second, and Leonard made it 5-1 eight seconds later. Stankoven scored midway through the third.
RANGERS 2, RED WINGS 0
DETROIT (AP) — Dylan Garand made 22 saves for his first career shutout and New York spoiled Detroit's opener with a victory.
Garand was making his first start after going 2-0-1 in three appearances with the Rangers last season. Sean Durzi scored on a first-period power play and Eeli Tolvanen added an empty-netter.
The Red Wings began the season without two prominent players. Former captain Dylan Larkin, who has requested a trade, has an upper-body injury and was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Aug. 15. Restricted free agent Simon Edvinsson, one of Detroit’s top defensemen, remains unsigned amid stalled negotiations.
Larkin, wearing street clothes, was booed during pregame introductions. Some disenchanted fans chanted “Sell the team!” after Durzi’s goal, directing their venom at owner Chris Ilitch. The fans became more supportive once the home team put some pressure on Garand and Wings forward Marco Kasper fought Durzi midway through the second period.
John Gibson made 19 saves for Detroit.
BRUINS 4, JETS 3, OT
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Elias Lindholm tied it on a tip with 1:38 left in regulation and JJ Peterka scored at 3:21 of overtime to give Boston a victory over Winnipeg.
David Pastrnak set up both late goals, with goalie Jeremy Swayman off for an extra attacker on Lindholm’s goal.
Peterka also had the winner Tuesday night against the New York Rangers in the Bruins’ opener.
Hampus Lindholm and James Hagens also scored, and Swayman made 30 saves.
Dylan DeMelo, Kyle Connor and Mario Ferraro scored for Winnipeg in the Jets opener. Stuart Skinner stopped 26 shots.
Connor and Ferraro scored in the second period to give the Jets a 3-2 lead.
BLUES 4, STARS 0
DALLAS (AP) — Mason McTavish scored only 94 seconds into his first game with the Blues to put them ahead to stay, Joel Hofer stopped 25 shots for his ninth career shutout and St. Louis won at Dallas in the season opener for both teams.
Dalibor Dvorsky scored in the second period for the Blues before they got empty-netters from Jimmy Snuggerud and Pius Suter in the game’s final 2 1/2 minutes.
The 21-year-old Dvorsky had his open shot at the net when goalie Jake Oettinger fell down after getting clipped by teammate Roope Hintz. Oettinger stopped 20 shots.
Dallas lost a season opener for the first time since 2019, ending a six-game winning streak that had been the NHL’s longest active streak. The Stars were also shut out in a home opener for the first time since moving to Dallas before the 1993-94 season.
Dallas and St. Louis were among seven teams to play their first game Friday, three nights after the NHL season began.
DUCKS 4, GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Leo Carlsson had a goal and an assist, Lukas Dostal made 27 saves and Anaheim opened the season by holding off Vegas.
The teams met last season in the second round of the playoffs, with Vegas winning in six games and going on to win the Western Conference. The Golden Knights opened Tuesday night at home with a 5-2 victory over Chicago.
Carlson set up Beckett Sennecke’s goal with eight seconds left in the first period, then scored at 7:03 of the second to cap a three-goal burst for a 4-0 lead. Alex Killorn and Jeff Malott also scored.
Shea Theodore, Tomas Hertl and Braeden Bowman scored for Vegas in the third period, with Bowman connecting with 2:50 left. Hertl struck on a power play.
Carter Hart stopped 16 shots for the Golden Knights.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Elias Lindholm tied it on a tip with 1:38 left in regulation and JJ Peterka scored at 3:21 of overtime to give the Boston Bruins a 4-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Friday night.
David Pastrnak set up both late goals, with goalie Jeremy Swayman off for an extra attacker on Lindholm's goal.
Peterka also had the winner Tuesday night against the New York Rangers in the Bruins’ opener.
Hampus Lindholm and James Hagens also scored, and Swayman made 30 saves.
Dylan DeMelo, Kyle Connor and Mario Ferraro scored for Winnipeg in the Jets opener. Stuart Skinner stopped 26 shots.
Connor and Ferraro scored in the second period to give the Jets a 3-2 lead.
Max Muncy praises Tarik Skubal's demeanor in the clubhouse.
There’s an elephant in the Dodgers’ clubhouse, and it’s sitting in Tarik Skubal’s locker.
While the Dodgers are on a quest to capture their third consecutive World Series title in October, everyone knows that starting pitcher Tarik Skubal is set for a massive payday this offseason.
Well, except for maybe Skubal.
Max Muncy says Tarik Skubal hasn’t been focused on free agency, but rather on helping the Dodgers improve. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill
According to teammate Max Muncy, Skubal has not peeped a word about his impending free agency to his teammates.
“I’ve never heard him mention one thing about free agency,” Muncy said after the Dodgers’ Tuesday team practice. “All he’s talked about is pitching here or competing with us, making it through this playoff run.”
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy praises his teammate Tarik Skubal for his demeanor with the team amid impending free agency. Wally Skalij for CA Post
Muncy said Skubal’s clubhouse demeanor is rare and called it “pretty special.”
“He’s looking at a big payday coming up, for sure,” Muncy said. “For him to not even mention it once. We’ve had a lot of guys come over here, and they’re free agents the next year, and they talk about it, and it’s not a bad thing; you’re supposed to talk about it.”
As Muncy mentioned, Skubal has been focused on what the Dodgers have been building since he was traded to them ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
Max Muncy praises Tarik Skubal’s demeanor in the clubhouse since being traded to the team. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Skubal has started 10 games with the Dodgers this season and has been as good as advertised, going 5-2 with a 2.36 ERA and punching out 70 batters.
“He’s been focused on what we’ve got going on this year. I think that speaks to him, but that also speaks to the culture we’ve got in here,” Muncy said. “…Whatever happens in the future is going to happen. But we can control what we’re doing right now.”
