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It's been a surreal season for Phillies' Otto Kemp

It's been a surreal season for Phillies' Otto Kemp originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

LOS ANGELES – Surreal. It’s the best one-word description that Phillies third baseman Otto Kemp can give to describe his first time playing in the big leagues.

And Monday night’s series opener will add to all of it, as he has close to 30 family members in the stands of Dodger Stadium to watch him try to help the Phillies clinch their second consecutive National League East title. Kemp was penciled to hit sixth and play third base for the Phillies.

Kemp was called up from Lehigh Valley on June 7 and played 46 games with the Phillies until being sent back down to the IronPigs on August 15. He came back to the big club on September 8 and has gone 9-for-24 (.375) with three home runs and seven RBIs.

“It’s been really cool,” said Kemp, who is batting .249 on the year. “Been nice to kind of have that first little stint to get comfortable and see what everything’s about and just kind of accept it as the learning curve and now that we’re back I feel like my feet are under me and feel a lot more comfortable. I feel like I’m a part of this team with all these guys in this clubhouse.

Getting to know Philly, the stadium, the game, the area, all of it. It was all kind of new at the beginning. I’m just the kind of guy that kind of takes a lot in and it takes me a second to get my feet under me and get comfortable. That was kind of the story at every level. Just getting a little more comfortable. To go back, reset for a second and come back and try and contribute was the right formula for me. “

Monday, the Fullerton, California native was showing off his formula in front of all those family members in a stadium that he had been to as a kid, but never played in. Another new experience to add to the list.

“It’s cool to be back in the home state. I grew up closer to Anaheim, so I was more of an Angels fan than a Dodgers fan. It’s still unbelievable to be here. It’s a historic place. Family has a lot of history of being Dodgers fans and growing up in this area and around this ballpark and seeing a lot of the Dodgers legends pass through here. Cool to be here and experience this place.”

Still, there is a job to do and when so much is on the line, it certainly adds some pressure, no matter how hard you try to block that out of your mind.

“You have to get used to it,” Kemp said. “In order to have success you have to push that to the side a little bit. For me, when I first came up, I think I let a lot of those little things play in my head a little bit more. My first time I didn’t know what the right mentality was to have success up here was. We got a job to do and I think the setting just changes a little bit. It’s the same game between those lines so I’m trying to treat it like any other day, which is hard to do. For me, that’s just the adjustment I’ve made. I belong here and sticking to my guns and doing what I do.”

His hope, obviously that he does stick for the playoff roster. That’s a decision manager Rob Thomson and the front office will have to make in a couple of weeks. For now, Kemp is still just soaking it all in.

“If you let your mind wander that’s when it starts to be harder and harder to get to that one point to where you want to go,” he said. “Not giving it more energy that it needs and it’s just another game. We’re going to get there. But the more we try and force it the worse it’s going to be. Just playing the game for what it is.

“You have ideas of where you think you can go but when pencil comes to paper it’s pretty unbelievable to think last year I was in double-A at this time and transitioning to triple-A not knowing what was next after that. Kind of hoping I had a shot at the big leagues, but little did I know it was right around the corner. You can make a lot of stuff up in your mind and you can create a lot of situations – create the worst case, create the best case – but it’s pretty surreal to be sitting here and having a chance to go and win a title.”

Injury updates:

There is never a good time of the year for injury, obviously, but the small dings that have hit the Phillies recently seem to be improving well.

Trea Turner, Alec Bohm and Edmundo Sosa all have missed time recently with various injuries but are progressing well, according to Thomson.

“Hope so,” said Thomson when asked if Bohm should be ready by Friday. “He’ll work out today, so we’ll know more after today. Same thing with Sosa and then we’ll reevaluate tomorrow.” Thomson said there’s a possibility Sosa could be back from his groin strain as early as tomorrow. Bohm is working out soreness in his shoulder.

Turner, diagnosed with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, appears to be progressing ahead of schedule.

“Stayed in Philly. Did a full workout today,” said Thomson of Turner. “Did a little bit of jogging. Hit in the cages, tee and toss, ground balls. Really good. He feels good. We’re hoping (Turner will return before playoffs). Said he feels really good.”

Travel troubles

For the umpteenth time this season, the Phillies had travel issues in getting out to the West Coast.

“It was mechanical, and we had to wait for another plane. That’s the way it goes,” said Thomson, adding the team got in around 2 a.m. “I slept most of the time. All the way out pretty much, then I got to bed and slept some more. We kind of pulled back on (the players) because of how late we got in last night. Some later busses (to Dodger Stadium) and going to keep the workload to just make sure they’re ready to play.”

Pitching change

The Dodgers announced Monday that they would be starting left-handed reliever Anthony Bande instead of previously listed starter Emmet Sheehan. Thomson said he didn’t make a change to the starting lineup that he told his team on Sunday.

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The Wraparound: Will Morgan Rielly's Offensive Production Rebound In Toronto?

The Wraparound is here with new, rapid-fire NHL and hockey discussions.

Will Morgan Rielly's Offensive Production Rebound In Toronto? by The WraparoundWill Morgan Rielly's Offensive Production Rebound In Toronto? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Jon Bailey discussed in this episode:

0:00: Could the Pittsburgh Penguins convince Marc-Andre Fleury to come out of retirement?

4:51: Should the Los Angeles Kings be concerned about Corey Perry’s injury?

8:10: Will Morgan Rielly have a strong offensive season for the Toronto Maple Leafs?

11:33: Breaking down Spencer Knight’s three-year extension with the Chicago Blackhawks

15:10: Could the Boston Bruins possibly trade Jeremy Swayman if things go wrong this season?

18:55: Should the Tampa Bay Lightning be considered contenders this season?

23:10: Which Edmonton Oilers youngster will have a bigger impact this season: Isaac Howard or Matthew Savoie?

27:45: Will Luke Evangelista continue to hold out on a contract extension with the Nashville Predators?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

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How Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge fared in MLB debut vs. Diamondbacks

How Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge fared in MLB debut vs. Diamondbacks originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Top Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge made his highly anticipated MLB debut against the Diamondbacks on Monday in Arizona, batting fifth in the lineup as the designated hitter.

While he put together an 0-for-3 performance with one groundout, one strikeout and one flyout, there still was plenty to like from the young slugger’s first game in The Show which proved he is more than capable of handling big-league pitching.

As he walked up to the Chase Field plate for his first major league at-bat in the top of the second inning, Eldridge received a loud ovation from his family and friends in attendance.

With no one on and one out, the 20-year-old worked his way to a full count against Diamondbacks ace Zac Gallen before grounding out sharply to first baseman Ildemaro Vargas.

Eldridge tried to check his swing but couldn’t hold back on the first pitch of the at-bat, a 93.6 mph four-seam fastball, before Gallen threw him four straight changeups low and away — one of which was a swing-and-miss.

He hit the sixth pitch of the at-bat, a 94 mph four-seamer, 99 mph off the bat to conclude a quality showing for his first big-league hacks.

The next at-bat against Gallen didn’t go as well. With the count 2-2, Eldridge struck out on a knuckle curve for the third out in the top of the fourth inning.

For a moment, it looked like Eldridge had his first big-league homer during his third at-bat in the top of the seventh inning, which came against Diamondbacks right-hander Taylor Rashi. With Matt Chapman on first base, the slugger hit a ball 407 feet to the deepest part of the outfield in center, but Jorge Barrosa made a leaping catch on the warning track.

Even Eldridge’s cheering section thought the ball was out — and it actually would have been a home run in 23 other ballparks.

The flyout was made all the more impressive by the power Eldridge showcased on an inside pitch, casually flipping the four-seamer over 400 feet the other way.

All in all, Eldridge wasn’t the only Giant who didn’t record a hit in San Francisco’s 8-1 loss. In fact, Casey Schmitt had the Giants’ only two hits of the game.

But there certainly were some promising at-bats from San Francisco’s top prospect, who hopes to make an impact as the Giants continue their quest for an MLB playoff spot.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Yankees' Aaron Judge named AL Player of the Week after homering five times in six games

Aaron Judge, likely in the midst of another MVP season, took home a different award on Monday, as he was named the American League Player of the Week.

In six games from Sept. 8-14, Judge slashed .450/.560/1.200 with five home runs and nine runs scored. His 1.760 OPS during that span also led all American League hitters.

The Yankees went 3-3 last week and are currently 4.0 games back of the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East and are 1.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox for the top Wild Card spot.

Judge, the AL MVP in 2022 and 2024, is the overwhelming favorite to win the award again this season, with Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh the other player in contention. 

Judge has once again put up absurd numbers hitting .326, which would be a single-season best for him, to go along with a .447 OBP, a .678 slugging percentage, 48 home runs, and 102 RBI.

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Nets acquiring Kobe Bufkin for cash considerations in trade with Hawks: report

The Nets are acquiring guard Kobe Bufkin in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, reports ESPN's Shams Charania. 

Brooklyn is sending the Hawks cash considerations for the 21-year-old who was selected 15th overall out of Michigan in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Appearing in just 10 games for Atlanta last season, Bufkin averaged 5.3 points on 38.3 percent shooting (21.1 percent from three). He also added 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists while playing 12.4 minutes per game. He played in 17 games during his rookie season and has spent most of his professional career playing for the Hawks' NBA G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks.

Bukin, 6-foot-4 and 194 pounds, will join a crowded Nets roster and will look to make the team out of camp as perhaps a backup point guard.

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'This Is Where I Want To Be': Sidney Crosby Reaffirms Commitment To Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby made it clear on Monday that he is sick and tired of the trade rumors surrounding him.

Crosby took some time to meet with local reporters while he was delivering season tickets to fans and confirmed that he wants to be a Penguin. It comes after Pat Brisson, his longtime agent, made some comments to the national media about Crosby's future last week.

"I don't take those rumors or some of those things lightly. Like I said, this is where I want to be," Crosby told reporters. "It's a special place, and it's something that is hard to put it all in a soundbite, but it means a lot." 

Crosby has been a Penguin his entire career since he was drafted first overall in the 2005 NHL Draft and doesn't want that to change. He's heading into his 21st NHL season this year and is focused on winning, despite the team being in a rebuild.

It's the way he's wired, having helped the Penguins win three Stanley Cups during his playing career and having appeared in four Stanley Cup Finals and five Eastern Conference Finals. 

The Penguins will open training camp this Thursday, and Crosby will obviously be there with the rest of his teammates as they get set for the regular season. The Penguins will open the regular season against the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden on October 7.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

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No ‘funky rugby’: new England coach Lee Blackett targets substance over style

Steve Borthwick’s new attack coach believes he has time to create a winning culture before the World Cup in 2027

To say England have been through a few attack coaches in recent times is an understatement. The latest cab off the rank, Lee Blackett, is the 11th individual to take on the role in nine years but it may just be that the national team have found the ideal catalyst to enhance their chances at the next Men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027.

Blackett, 42, auditioned successfully for the job in the summer tour of Argentina and the US, where England scored 13 tries in three Tests, and he has emerged as the big winner in Steve Borthwick’s latest cabinet reshuffle with Richard Wigglesworth switching to defence and Joe El-Abd helping out with the forwards.

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2025 WNBA Awards: Jackie Powell's picks for MVP, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved, and more

A common refrain about the 2025 WNBA season has been how much more parity exists across the league than in recent years. There’s an argument to be made that potentially five out of the eight teams currently in the playoffs have a fair shot to contend for the WNBA championship due to how rosters are constructed and the coaches for those teams.

Because of that parity and due to some unfortunate injuries to key players around the league throughout the season, determining season-ending awards has been more difficult than in recent memory. This was the fourth season that I cast my vote across the variety of awards that the league gives out to those who performed exceptionally during the 2025 regular season.

Ballots were officially due from voters by noon ET on Friday, September 12. The league will roll out the winners of these awards as the WNBA playoffs continue. Who probably will win and who should win? In this article, I'll reveal my ballot as well as who I expect will actually take home the various awards.

WNBA Most Valuable Player Award

Who should win:Napheesa Collier  — F, Minnesota Lynx

My vote went to Collier simply because she was incredibly consistent throughout the entire season. She was the best player on the most consistent team all season long. But also Collier made league history in a really meaningful way and became the first player in WNBA history to record a 50-40-90 (overall field goal percentage, three-point field goal percentage and free throw percentage) while averaging over 20 points per game. A 50-40-90 has only been accomplished one other time in league history when Elena Delle Donne did the same in 2019 while averaging 19.5 points per game. She won her second MVP award that very season.

Who will win: A’ja Wilson — C, Las Vegas Aces

Wilson will win because of how recency bias has often swayed WNBA voters. Wilson’s ability alongside her head coach Becky Hammon to rally the troops to start performing at their potential after the Aces fell 111-58 to Collier’s Minnesota Lynx has made a significant impression on voters. The Aces haven’t lost a game since that August 2 blowout game.

Also, Collier missed a bit over three weeks following that blowout. She sprained her right ankle in the third quarter of that game and for a while the Lynx kept their head above water and didn’t endure a huge amount of drop off. Since the Aces’ entire way of playing is based upon Wilson and her strengths, her team is much less capable and performs a lot worse without her. The on-off numbers don’t lie here.

WNBA Defensive Player of the Year

Who should win: Alanna Smith  — F, Minnesota Lynx

Being a great defender isn’t incumbent on just how many blocks and steals a player has or if they lead the league in defensive rebounding. Those are worthwhile numbers to consider, but those aren’t the be-all and end-all to determine who has been the most impactful defender in the league. I voted for Smith because of how much she anchors the Lynx’s defense and style of play even while Napheesa Collier was out with an ankle injury.

“I think [Smith] does more for us that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet than probably any other player in the league,” Kayla McBride said on August 10 during the three weeks Collier was out with her ankle sprain. “Her ability to put her body on the line and just the awareness and the competition level that she has on a nightly basis for us is priceless. We can put her on anybody.”

Smith has been the anchor of the team that was the top defense all season long. She’s an undersized center that often takes a lot of contact and uses her competitive nature in addition to her high basketball instincts to make some of the most dominant players in the league feel uncomfortable.

Who will win: A’ja Wilson — C, Las Vegas Aces

Defensive player of the year is one of the most difficult awards to assess simply because defensive aptitude is really difficult to determine just by box score stats like blocks, steals and defensive rebounds. Wilson averaged the most blocks this season with 2.3 and she averaged the second most defensive rebounds (7.9) to just Angel Reese with 8.5. Without her on the floor, the Aces’ defensive rating drops around 10 points.

The case for Wilson as DPOY is really quite similar to hers for MVP. While the Aces’ defense finished the regular season ranked eighth overall, along the last 15 games of the season it was ranked second led by Wilson. If recency bias prevails, I wouldn’t be shocked if Wilson wins her third DPOY.

WNBA Most Improved Player

Who should win: Veronica Burton — G, Golden State Valkyries

Who will win: Veronica Burton

Note: Burton was announced as the winner in overwhelming fashion on Monday afternoon, taking 68 out of the 74 votes.

Burton took such a huge jump as a player who got waived by the Wings a season ago, to a backup point guard on a veteran heavy Connecticut Sun team during the second half of the 2024 season to now the starting point guard on a playoff team in the Golden State Valkyries.

Burton has not only the narrative on her side but also the numbers. Her minutes have gone up year over year by over 131%, her scoring increased year or year by over 283% and her average assists also went up year over year by over 215%

While candidates like Azura Stevens, Allisha Gray, and Aliyah Boston all made fair cases when it came to their improved ceilings as players, there wasn’t a more dramatic year over year jump that overcame Burton’s. She earned my vote for that very reason and it is fair to assume that she earned the majority of the voting pool’s votes for that reason as well.

WNBA Sixth Player of the Year

Who should win: Natisha Hiedeman — G, Minnesota Lynx

The only rule the WNBA has to qualify for this award is that the player must come off the bench in more games than she has started. While Naz Hillmon only started in 17 games out of the 44 games she played, Hiedeman has only come off the bench this season. Hideman’s role all season long has been about providing a lot of energy off the bench when Courtney Williams isn’t playing her best. To me that’s a textbook definition of a sixth player of the year.

Although, Hiedeman definitely had some recency bias on her side when it came to getting my vote. In her last ten games of the season including the Lynx’s first playoff win against the Valkyries, Hiedeman has averaged 12.8 points, 52.3% shooting and 48.6% shooting from three-point range.

Who will win: Naz Hillmon — F, Atlanta Dream

The sixth player of the year and most improved awards can sometimes overlap. Is this an award about who is the best player coming off the bench or is this about which player has stood out the most in their role coming off the bench? Hillmon’s case as sixth player of the year is confusing to me simply because she was elevated off the bench with over a month left of the season. Once Brittney Griner injured her neck, Dream head coach Karl Smesko moved Hillmon to the starting lineup and didn’t really look back. Hillmon is starting in the playoffs.

Hillmon is such an important connector for the Dream and her development starting off as a back-to-the-basket post in college and then completely transforming her game so that she’s a tweener who can do a little bit of everything is incredibly impressive. There might be a desire to award a player on the Dream especially with Smesko most likely losing out on coach of the year and Allisha Gray not being in top contention for MVP.

WNBA Rookie of the Year

Who should win: Paige Bueckers — G, Dallas Wings

Who will win: Paige Bueckers

Bueckers proved to be exactly who many thought she would be while a star in college at Uconn. She’s a generational talent who plays on both sides of the ball who can create at a high level for herself and others. She’s someone who coaches and GMs build a team around and that’s exactly what I expect to be in the future of the Wings all things being equal.

Bueckers’ ability to take over a game was put on display on August 20 against the Sparks when she set a WNBA rookie record for points scored in a game with 44. She recorded the most points by player during the 2025 regular season in addition to becoming the first player in WNBA history to score over 40 points while shooting at least 80% from the field.

While Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen had impressive rookie seasons, they didn’t have to carry the load that Bueckers did when it came to scoring and distributing the basketball. Bueckers still managed a super high level of play all the while her team had 28 total injuries and 121 games lost to injury, some of the highest margins in the league.

WNBA Coach of the Year

Who should win: Natalie Nakase — Golden State Valkyries

Who will win: Natalie Nakase 

While I voted for Nakase and believe she’s the front runner, Karl Smekso achieved a huge feat. Not only did he transform one of the most inconsistent offenses in 2024 into a powerhouse in 2025, but he did so with players that didn’t fit his vision for how he likes to play. General Manager Dan Padover signed two back-to-the-basket centers for a team that was expected to play at a high pace and get up a ton of three-pointers. Smesko made lemonade out of lemons.

But the reason I voted for Nakase and why this is a relatively simple pick to make is because she took an expansion team without any top end talent to the postseason and coached that team to have the third-best defense in the league. No other expansion in league history has ever reached the playoffs. That’s a story in itself that reflects the buy-in that Nakase got from her players. Also, the Valkyries had some of the most injuries this season in the WNBA and the team still performed well enough to make the playoffs.

2025 All-WNBA Teams

I truly believe that Collier, Wilson, Thomas, Mitchell and Gray were the most consistently great players this season and that’s what All-WNBA ought to be about. The second team, however, is so difficult to judge just because Stewart and Ionescu both had moments where they were brilliant and had to uplift their heavily injured stricken team. Boston took a massive leap this year as a scorer and facilitator but also struggled when the Fever were absolutely decimated by injuries.

Nneka Ogwumike’s efficiency and consistency and the fact that she shot 51.9% from the field this season on a team that really struggled to create open looks on offense in the Storm is part of why she earned my second team vote here. While Young started out less efficient and potent than she’s expected to be just like the majority of that Las Vegas Aces team to start the season, she embraced her new role as the Aces’ primary ball handler and facilitator. Her pick-and-roll chemistry with A’ja Wilson has been untenable at points during the regular season.

My votes

First Team:

Napheesa Collier, A’ja Wilson, Alyssa Thomas, Kelsey Mitchell, Allisha Gray

Second Team:

Nneka Ogwumike, Jackie Young, Aliyah Boston, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu

Projected honorees

First Team:

A’ja Wilison, Napheesa Collier, Alyssa Thomas, Kelsey Mitchell, Allisha Gray

Second Team:

Nneka Ogwumike, Jackie Young, Aliyah Boston, Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum

WNBA All-Defensive Teams

The Lynx, the Dream, and the Valkyries all had the top three defenses in the league during the regular season. And as a result, my ballot reflected that. My first team included two Lynx players in Smith and Collier, two of the best defenders on the best defensive team in the league.

My second team was littered with players from the Dream and the Valkyries for that very reason. Brionna Jones anchored the Dream’s paint defense while Rhyne Howard took a step forward defensively proving she could competently defend forwards and guards. Burton was an excellent point of attack defender this year and Fágbénlé made it so difficult for centers like Aliyah Boston, Brionna Jones and Jonquel Jones to play well. Gabby Williams made my ballot because of how she averaged 2.3 steals a game while the Storm’s defensive rating drops 7 points without her on the floor.

Breanna Stewart earned my vote simply because of how much the Liberty’s defense suffered without her on the floor. Her ability to roam everywhere, help her teammates and then recover to hold her assignment which can be any player type of the floor, was something that stood out in particular this year.

Also, I expect that players like Ezi Magbegor and rookie Saniya Rivers are going to get votes simply because of their defensive reputation. Magbegor is known for her defensive excellence while Rivers also had a ton of stocks (steals and blocks combined) and became the second rookie in league history to have 100 steals and 100 blocks in a season.

My votes

First Team

Alanna Smith, A’ja Wilson, Napheesa Collier, Gabby Williams, Breanna Stewart

Second Team

Alyssa Thomas, Brionna Jones, Temi Fágbénlé, Veronica Burton, Rhyne Howard

Projected honorees

First Team:

A’ja Wilson, Alanna Smith, Alyssa Thomas, Gabby Williams, Veronica Burton

Second Team:

Rhyne Howard, Breanna Stewart, Allisha Gray, Ezi Magbegor, Saniya Rivers

2025 WNBA All-Rookie Team

The 2025 rookie class will be one remembered for how deep it truly was. There are some years when it’s difficult to fill out an All-Rookie team just because so few rookies registered meaningful impacts, see 2021 and 2022. But 2025’s rookie class was not only highlighted by college draftees, but it also was highlighted by some international players who came over as a result of smart front office scouting.

The first three in Bueckers, Citron, and Iriafen are a given, but the final two spots were much more difficult. My decision came down to how Monique Akoa Makani and Te-Hina Paopao impacted their teams during critical moments rather than the rookies that scored the most points. Ako Makani has burst onto the scene as a really solid two-way presence able to lock-down an opponent’s best offensive threat. Paopao filled in at backup point guard multiple times when Dream starting point guard Jordin Canada dealt with multiple injuries during the regular season.

My votes

Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Monique Akoa Makani, Te-Hina Paopao

Projected honorees

Paige Bueckers, Sonia Citron, Kiki Iriafen, Janelle Salaün, Dominique Malonga

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The Flyers’ Blue Line Puzzle: Too Many of the Same, Not Enough of the Different

For years, the Philadelphia Flyers’ defense has felt like an unsolved equation.

They’ve invested in skill, mobility, and puck-moving ability—exactly what the modern NHL demands from its blueliners. And in isolation, that’s a smart approach. Players like Cam York, Jamie Drysdale, and even Emil Andrae bring vision and skating that fit today’s game.

But zoom out, and a different problem emerges: Philadelphia has too many defensemen of a similar mold. Smaller, more offensively minded blueliners populate the depth chart, leaving a glaring question about balance. Who will handle the heavy lifting—clearing the crease, leaning on forecheckers, winning board battles—when the ice tilts toward the Flyers’ end?

That’s where prospects like Hunter McDonald and Spencer Gill come into focus. Neither is a finished product, but both represent the kind of defense-first presence the Flyers lack, and both could take advantage of a depth chart that leaves room for something different.

Spencer Gill. (Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News)

A System Skewed Toward Offense

This isn’t to say the Flyers’ current blue line is without merit. In fact, there’s clear upside in what they’ve built. York is on track to become a top-pair option. Travis Sanheim has stepped up to become a leader on the back line that can handle the big minutes and drives transition. Nick Seeler is a classic physical, hard-nosed, no-nonsense guy that every team needs on their defense.

But collectively, there’s a sameness to the group. The Flyers are short on players who relish the defensive grind—the ones who clear the netfront with authority, punish forecheckers leaning too long into battles, and make life miserable for opponents trying to establish offensive zone time.

Rasmus Ristolainen has filled that role at times, but his injury history and inconsistent availability make him unreliable. If he’s eventually moved—or if Zamula is dealt as part of the Flyers’ broader roster maneuvering—that vacuum becomes even more obvious.

Hunter McDonald: A Stay-at-Home Counterbalance

If the Flyers are searching for answers, Hunter McDonald offers an intriguing one. At 6-foot-4 and nearly 220 pounds, and who's been around the organization for quite some time now, McDonald doesn’t need to convince anyone he has the frame to handle NHL traffic. More importantly, he plays to that size. His game is built around defensive reliability, physical play, and the kind of crease-clearing presence the Flyers currently lack.

“It’s kind of cool that it’s a new staff…and new people to impress and just kind of stay focused and show what I’ve got again,” McDonald told reporters during camp. That awareness of having to continually re-earn a spot, and of recognizing his role, underscores how he approaches the game.

McDonald also emphasized his steady progression: “I feel like I progressed as well. [My goal is] keep progressing, keep maturing—I’m going to go with the intention of making [the Flyers], obviously, but wherever I end up, just kind of keeping that goal in mind, like, where I want to get to and when I get there, don’t take any days off. Keep pushing, keep working on the things I’ve been working on.”

For a team filled with blueliners eager to jump into the rush, McDonald’s disciplined, defense-first outlook has value. Even if his ceiling isn’t as high, his floor—a dependable, physical depth defenseman—might be just as important.

Spencer Gill: Adding Strength to Skill

If McDonald represents a more traditional shutdown option, Spencer Gill sits somewhere between the two worlds. Drafted for his size and tools, Gill has spent the past year working on filling out his 6-foot-4 frame.

“Obviously, putting on the weight is one thing, and being able to use it is another,” Gill said. “It’s a lot easier to defend, to be able to move guys. Having the puck, too, it’s harder to get it away from [me], so just using that weight to protect the puck as well and get it from others.”

Gill is still raw, particularly in his reads and consistency, but he has a toolkit the Flyers don’t otherwise possess in abundance: size combined with puck-moving instincts. The goal is to mold him into someone who can defend with authority without being a liability in transition. And after dealing with injury, Gill was quick to note how far he’s come: “I feel great. Everyone here helped me a lot through my rehab, and I feel great out there.”

It’s easy to imagine Gill taking a significant step forward in the coming years, especially as the Flyers’ system demands bigger bodies who can handle the grind of NHL defensive-zone play.

Why This Matters

The Flyers don’t just need good defensemen — they need complementary ones. Too often, the blue line has felt like a group of players trying to fill the same role. Balance is what turns a collection of talent into a cohesive unit. A McDonald type alongside a puck-mover like York creates more stability than stacking multiple undersized, offense-first options together.

Philadelphia’s front office knows this. Their drafting has reflected a subtle but important shift toward diversification. And if they eventually move Ristolainen or Zamula, the opening for players like McDonald or Gill to seize a spot will be obvious.

The Bigger Picture

The Flyers are not yet the finished product, and no one expects McDonald or Gill to immediately solve the blue line puzzle. But their presence in the pipeline highlights the organization’s awareness of what it’s missing.

In an NHL that increasingly values speed and skill, there’s still room—and in Philadelphia’s case, a pressing need—for size, strength, and defensive reliability. If McDonald and Gill continue on their current trajectories, they won’t just be filling depth roles. They’ll be addressing one of the Flyers’ clearest structural gaps.

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Canadiens: Dach’s Big Opportunity?

Much has been written about Kirby Dach this summer. There were rumours of setbacks in his rehab from yet another knee injury, and people wondered if he would be ready to start the season with the rest of the Montreal Canadiens. So much so that at the team’s golf tournament, it was one of the first questions asked of Jeff Gorton.

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The executive vice president of hockey operations put an end to speculations and said:

Kirby looks great, he feels great, and he’s healthy. We have a plan in place to get him ready for opening night, so that’s what we’re going to try to do. We might be a little bit slow off the mark with him, but our plan is to have him on opening night.
- Gorton on Dach

As for coach Martin St-Louis, he sounded optimistic about what Dach would be able to do this season:

You know, I talked to Kirby quite a bit this summer. He’s worked really hard, he’s looked great, and he’s progressing to be ready for the season. We know what Kirby’s capable of. I think he’s done everything this summer to get back to that. We’ll see, but I’m very encouraged.
- St-Louis on Dach

This is an interesting comment from the coach, especially since in the postseason availability, the Habs’ brass was vocal about the fact that Dach didn’t show up for camp in great shape. It sounds like the center has taken the comments to heart and has taken the necessary steps not to fall into the same trap.

Given the fact that the Canadiens were unable to add a second-line center, all signs point to Dach getting yet another kick at the can, even though St-Louis wouldn’t confirm that, but logic and the process of elimination lead us to believe that will be the case.

It won’t be his first attempt at filling the crucial role, but this time around, it looks like he will have a fantastic talent on his wing in the person of Ivan Demidov. While traditionally, the pivot is known as the player who drives the line, the organization believes a winger can do it as well, as Gorton explained:

No, I think we all see it, everyone sees it, Tony, that he can make plays and that he’s a very gifted player and that he wants the moment. That’s really important to be that kind of player you’re talking about, to have those qualities. I don’t think it’s too soon. It wasn’t too soon for Lane to do what he did, and it’s not too soon for Ivan to do what he wants to do. Can he drive a line? We think he can. Can he do it tomorrow? I don’t know, we’ll find out. But I think the early signs are pretty good.
- Gorton on Demidov driving a line

When he was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks, Dach signed a four-year “show me” deal. However, due to injuries, he hasn’t had many opportunities to prove himself. Now, as he enters the final year of his contract, he’s in do-or-die territory.

Speaking to RDS’ Marc Denis, St-Louis wouldn’t confirm the plan is for Dach to center the second line, but he did say he has an idea of what he wants to start with, and he’ll make a change if it doesn’t work. The plan is to get someone there consistently as soon as possible; it will be up to Dach to seize that opportunity.

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Looking for a pesky spoiler? The Athletics just swept the Reds — and have been above .500 since the break

It won’t exactly make up for the 1990 World Series — won by Cincinnati in a sweep over Oakland — but the Athletics played the role of spoiler to perfection after they won three straight over the Reds.

The A’s have shown this potential for a while.

The Athletics were above .500 in mid-May before a horrendous stretch of 20 losses in 21 games. But since the All-Star break, the A’s are 29-23, and they have the third-best run differential in baseball. Nick Kurtz is having a sensational rookie season, and Jacob Wilson has an outside shot to win the franchise’s first batting title since 1952, when it was playing in Philadelphia.

With the Reds inching closer to a wild card in the National League, the A’s outscored Cincinnati 21-9 in the series. Perhaps fittingly, the Athletics have a better record on the road (37-38) than at their minor league home ballpark in West Sacramento, California (33-42). They’ve already reached 70 wins for the first time since 2021.

It’s hard to say whether the A’s should be considered a possible contender next year, given how unstable the franchise feels as it eyes a permanent move to Las Vegas. But right now, contending teams should be wary. The Athletics have series with the Red Sox and Astros still to come.

Batting races

While Wilson (.318) tries to chase down Aaron Judge (.326) in the American League, Trea Turner of Philadelphia is leading the NL batting race with a .305 average. He’s the only qualifying hitter in the league above .300, with Chicago’s Nico Hoerner (.299) the nearest competitor.

The lowest average by a batting champion is Carl Yastrzemski’s .301 in the AL in 1968. The lowest in NL history is Tony Gwynn’s .313 in 1988, but that record seems likely to fall.

Avoiding history

After losing 50 of their first 59 games, the Colorado Rockies looked like a threat to break the modern record of 121 losses, set just last year by the Chicago White Sox. But the Rockies have improved enough to earn their 41st victory at San Diego. That means the worst they can do is tie the White Sox, and that would require losing every remaining game.

Trivia time

Kurtz is a near-lock to become the first Athletics player to win Rookie of the Year honors since Andrew Bailey in 2009. Also during their Oakland tenure, the A’s were the only AL team to date to produce three Rookie of the Year winners in a row. Who were they?

Line of the week

Kody Clemens hit three home runs and a double, including a solo shot in the top of the ninth inning that helped the Minnesota Twins to a 9-8 win over Arizona. Clemens’ father, former pitcher Roger Clemens, allowed at least three homers 17 times in 707 career starts.

Comeback of the week

Milwaukee trailed St. Louis 6-1 in the sixth and 7-4 in the ninth before rallying to win 9-8 in 10 innings. After two hit batters to start the bottom of the ninth, Sal Frelick hit an RBI double. Two more infield singles tied it at 7, and after the Cardinals turned a bases-loaded, nobody-out situation into just one run in the 10th, Caleb Durbin hit an RBI double and Andruw Monasterio followed with the game-winning single.

Milwaukee’s win probability was just 1.9% in the ninth, according to Baseball Savant. The Brewers have 11 walk-off victories this year, tied with San Francisco for the most in baseball.

Trivia answer

From 1986-88, Oakland had Rookie of the Year winners Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire and Walt Weiss.

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Jets Prospect Showcase Takeaways: Zhilkin, DiVincentiis Within Reach Of NHL Jump

Winnipeg prospects Dominic DiVincentiis, Danny Zhilkin lead pack as most notable names entering Jets training camp following impressive performances at Prospect Showcase. 

The Winnipeg Jets won both of games of their Prospect Showcase in Montreal over the weekend as they took down both the prospects of the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators. The games provided some interesting topics for fans to explore, heading into training camp later this week on Thursday.  

The two opposing rosters were fierce competition as the Habs brought their best young talent including names like Calder Trophy favorite Ivan Demidov, while the Senators brought a roster with ten players that had played pro hockey, yet the Jets edged out two narrow victories. 

Winnipeg came away with a hard-fought 4–3 victory over Montreal in the first game, thanks in large part to goaltender Dominic DiVincentiis, who turned aside 38 shots and made several clutch saves down the stretch.

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Forward Danny Zhilkin also starred, netting two goals, including the game-winner with just 25 seconds remaining. He would follow up the performances with a pair of assists the following night in the second game of the Showcase. 

The pair of 2022 draft picks for the Jets both got their names noticed due to their impressive performances and will make them players to look out for at training camp. As Demidov made headlines throughout the hockey world for his slick dekes and skill moves that left some Jets falling down, it was free agent invitee Chase Yoder for the Jets that had the best goal of the night, featuring a silky toe-drag around the Habs defender before moving the puck to his backhand and sliding it past the goaltender.

The second game of the showcase was much closer as extra time was needed. Ben Zloty and Jacob Julien scored goals for Winnipeg entering the overtime period but it was Moose goaltender Alex Worthington that stole the show. The free agent invitee followed in the footsteps of DiVincentiis with 36 saves and produced yet another solid performance from a Jets netminder. 

The overtime period lasted just 1:17 as 2022 sixth round pick Fabian Wagner scored the winning goal. The 21-year-old forward saw bright spots last season but eventually finished with 15 points through games of his first pro hockey season last year with the Manitoba Moose. 

A notable Winnipeg prospect in Colby Barlow made an impact with a goal and an assist on Saturday before picking up another assist on Sunday. The Jets 18th overall pick in 2023 will be heading into his first season of pro hockey with the Manitoba Moose and will hopefully be able to produce at a similar rate. 

One of the bitter pieces of news out of the Showcase was Jets prospect Kieron Walton suffered an upper-body injury in the first game and was enough to hold him out of the second game. 

Players like DiVincentiis, Wagner and Zhilkin will now turn their focus to training camp in a few short days and will be names to look out for as to where they land this upcoming season. 

 

Exclusive: Dale Hawerchuk’s Heartfelt Reflections on Winnipeg, Shared Before His PassingExclusive: Dale Hawerchuk’s Heartfelt Reflections on Winnipeg, Shared Before His PassingThe Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.
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Cristian Romero ‘so angry’ in past but Spurs future is brighter under Frank

Captain insists club is pulling in the ‘same direction’ at last as Tottenham’s Champions League campaign kicks off

The way that Cristian Romero tells it, there was a kind of rage inside him, an overwhelming desire for Tottenham to be better that sometimes overtook him. The defender could not help himself, he needed to make his views known, but when all of the pieces were put together from last season and into the summer, it was difficult to see that he was planning on staying at the club.

There was the repost of a social media message last September that claimed he was tired because Spurs had not flown him back on a private jet from Argentina duty. Note: reposts can be endorsements. There was the complaint in December that the club’s lack of spending meant they were falling behind Premier League rivals. “You have to realise that something is going wrong – hopefully they [the board] realise it,” he said.

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How NHL scouts view Sharks top pick Michael Misa's performance in Rookie Faceoff

How NHL scouts view Sharks top pick Michael Misa's performance in Rookie Faceoff originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

NHL scouts aren’t sure how good Michael Misa will be in his rookie season. But after watching the Sharks’ No. 2 pick of the 2025 NHL Draft at the Rookie Faceoff, they’re pretty sure Misa has a bright future in the league.

Three scouts, none with the Sharks, spoke with San Jose Hockey Now about Misa’s performance at Rookie Faceoff. The 6-foot-1 centerman had one goal and four assists in just two games, as the Sharks swept the Rookie Faceoff for a second consecutive year.

So, why are these scouts more certain about Misa’s long-term future than what he does in his rookie campaign as an 18-year-old?

“Lots of poise with the puck. Sees plays at elite level,” Scout No. 1 said. “His body control and puck control are high end. Very talented.”

Scout No. 2 echoed that, noting that these are trademarks of some of the best players in the NHL.

“Smart, will be a real good player for a long time,” Scout No. 3 said.

The sum of these skills? San Jose Barracuda head coach John McCarthy, who also helmed the Sharks’ Rookie Faceoff entry, spoke to that: “He sees the ice well, knows where people are, can make plays through tight triangles and tight areas. That’s a very transferable skill to the NHL.”

But this season?

Remember, the 182-pound forward is just 18.

“Doesn’t look NHL size or have explosive speed yet,” Scout No. 1 said.

That’s in contrast to 2024 first-overall selection Macklin Celebrini, who came into training camp NHL-ready in pretty much every way.

Of course, Celebrini was a singular prospect, and development in those areas should come in time for Misa.

Regardless, Misa’s smarts and skills should help him survive among men in the best league in the world. Scout No. 2 thought a Will Smith-like campaign could be in the cards for Misa.

Smith struggled out of the gate last season but finished at almost a point-per-game pace in the second half of the year, just missing out on the All-Rookie Team with 18 goals and 45 points.

If Misa could duplicate that as an 18-year-old — Smith was 19 — that truly would be impressive.

Scout No. 1 also compared Misa to William Eklund, for a more technical reason: “He’s bigger than he looks out there because he skates with deep knee bend and hunched over, similar to Eklund.”

“Should be fine,” Scout No. 3 said of his prognosis for Misa’s upcoming rookie campaign. “But will be easier to say after seeing him in preseason.”

He added the scouts’ consensus after the Sharks dominated the Rookie Faceoff with 14 goals in just two contests: “San Jose is looking good for the future.”

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Rangers Hall Of Fame Goalie Eddie Giacomin Dies At 86

 Andy Marlin-Imagn Images

Legendary New York Rangers goaltender Eddie Giacomin passed away on Sunday at the age of 86. 

Giacomin spent ten seasons with the Rangers from 1965 to 1976, and he’s widely known as one of the greatest and most influential Blueshirts goalies in their franchise history. 

“Eddie Giacomin was an integral member of the New York Rangers for a decade and personified what being a Ranger is all about, both to his teammates and the Blueshirts faithful. You cannot discuss the history of this organization and not immediately think of Eddie,” the Rangers wrote via X. 

“The great Rod Gilbert called him the heart of their team, and we cannot think of a greater honor to bestow on one of the greatest goaltenders to ever play the game. Our thoughts are with Eddie's family, friends and teammates during this incredibly difficult time.”

In 13 NHL seasons, Giacomin recorded a 290-209 record with 96 ties, a 2.82 goals-against average, .902 save percentage, and 54 shutouts.

“The National Hockey League mourns the passing of a true original, Hockey Hall of Famer and beloved New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings goaltender Eddie Giacomin,” the NHL said in a statement. “One of the first stickhandling goaltenders, Giacomin backstopped the Rangers' surge to the NHL's upper echelon in the early 1970s, reaching four straight semifinals and the Stanley Cup Final in 1972.

“A six-time NHL All-Star who also led the League in games played four straight seasons, Giacomin routinely heard chants of 'Ed-die! Ed-die!' from adoring Madison Square Garden crowds and had his No. 1 retired by the franchise in 1989. We send our condolences to Eddie's family, friends and the many fans he thrilled throughout his memorable career.”