Blackhawks Forward Should Not Be Given Up On
It is fair to say that the 2024-25 season was a tough year for Chicago Blackhawks forward Lukas Reichel. The young winger did not have the breakout season he and the club had hoped for, as he recorded eight goals, 14 assists, 22 points, and a minus-16 rating in 70 games. This was after he had five goals and 16 points in 65 games with the Blackhawks in 2023-24.
Overall, with numbers like these, Reichel has yet to become the top-six forward that the Blackhawks expected him to be when they selected him with the 17th overall pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. While this is the case, he should not be given up on yet.
Sometimes it can take young players more time than expected to hit their full potential, and this very well could end up being the case for Reichel. At 23 years old, he is still plenty young enough to improve, and it would not be surprising in the slightest if he did in 2025-26 because of it. His skill and offensive upside are what led to him being a first-rounder, and it will be interesting to see if he can break out next season.
Where New Blackhawks Should Fit In LineupIt is no secret that it has been a far quieter off-season this year for the Chicago Blackhawks compared to last year. While this is the case, the Blackhawks did make a few new additions, as they brought in Andre Burakovsky, Sam Lafferty, and Dominic Toninato.
Photo Credit: © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Deion Sanders and his coaching staff at Colorado boast a combined 160 years of NFL experience
Warren Sapp and Marshall Faulk preach paying attention to details with the Colorado players. These Hall of Famers are part of Deion Sanders’ coaching staff, which boasts 160 years of NFL experience.
Penguins: Insider Weighs In On Sidney Crosby Trade Rumors
With the Pittsburgh Penguins being far from a playoff-caliber team right now, plenty of hockey fans have speculated about the Metropolitan Division club potentially trading captain Sidney Crosby to give him the chance to play for a contender again.
However, in the latest episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman completely shut down the ongoing Crosby trade rumors.
"He's going to start the year with the Penguins," Friedman said while chuckling. "I don't think there's any doubt about that. We got the preliminary media list, and it says 'Sidney Crosby, Penguins.' So, that one was a sign to me that, if anybody doubted that, he's not getting traded this summer. He's definitely not getting traded this summer."
With Crosby entering the first season of the two-year, $17.4 million contract extension he signed with the Penguins before the 2024-25 campaign, this update from Friedman is not surprising in the slightest.
Crosby is now entering his 21st season with the Penguins in 2025-26 and will continue to be the face of the franchise. In 80 games this past season with Pittsburgh, he recorded 33 goals, 58 assists, and 91 points.
Penguins New Forward Should Be Great FitThe Pittsburgh Penguins have made plenty of new additions to their roster this off-season. Among their free-agent signings was forward Justin Brazeau, as the Penguins signed him to a two-year, $3 million contract on July 1.
Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Texas takes top spot in USA Today preseason coaches poll, leading nine SEC teams
Texas holds the top spot in the USA Today preseason coaches football poll. Defending national champion Ohio State is No. 2 followed by No. 3 Penn State, No. 4 Georgia and No. 5 Notre Dame.
Michal Postava: Next Great Red Wings Czech Goaltender?
Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has managed to re-stock prospect pool that had been nearly completely barren upon his arrival back to the franchise in April 2019.
Not only has Yzerman been known for his savvy drafting, but also willingness to take flyers on players who went un-drafted.
One such player is goaltender Michal Postava, who was recently inked to a two-year, entry-level contract by the Red Wings and now represents the latest intriguing figure in Detroit's goalie prospect pool which already includes Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have signed goaltender Michal Postava to a two-year, entry-level contract. pic.twitter.com/G8DFWZ0Z8t
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 11, 2025
Postava, who originally hails from Valasske Mezirici, Czechia, understandably has an affinity for Czech-born goaltenders.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
“I’m a big fan of all the Czech goalies who played in the NHL,” Postava said as originally reported by Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now. “(Dominik) Hasek was among the first ones I watched. Petr Mrazek is one of them, as well as a lot of other guys.”
Hasek spent three separate stints during his Hall of Fame NHL career with the Red Wings, the first and third of which resulted in him lifting the Stanley Cup and shortly announcing his retirement from the NHL afterward.
Mrazek has now played two stints with Detroit, the second of which lasted only a few months after being re-acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in March. In late June, the Red Wings traded him to the Anaheim Ducks as part of the deal to acquire John Gibson.
Before Mrazek's trade to the Ducks, he briefly spent some time with Postava at the Red Wings' annual Development Camp at Little Caesars Arena.
"Yeah, we were talking maybe three days before he got traded,” Postava said. “So he was welcoming me and telling me to be proud and try hard every day.”
Not only is it a prideful thing to be signed by an NHL club, but Postava would love to be Detroit's next great Czech goaltender.
"I’m enjoying every moment, and I’m proud to be a part of this organization," he said.
“There have always been a lot of Czechs here, and they are still active in the organization," he continued. "Plus, it’s a big club from the Original Six. It’s a huge opportunity for me."
Speaking of Czechs who are still in the organization, former Red Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer, who had his career come to a frightening end in November 2005 with a near-fatal cardiac event at Joe Louis Arena, currently serves as Detroit's Director of Player Evaluation and gave Postava the inside scoop.
“I talked to Jiri Fisher, and he was telling me like, everywhere what happens and everything that was done here,” Postava said. “He helped me a lot to get here.”
Postava played in 42 games last season for HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga, and amassed a record of 23-18-0 with an impressive .921 save percentage and three shutouts.
He'll be a participant in Training Camp for the Red Wings next month, and could see playing time in the American Hockey League with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
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Mets prospect Nolan McLean strikes out seven batters in latest Triple-A start
Mets pitching prospect Nolan McLean continues to impress with another quality outing on Tuesday night.
Pitching for Triple-A Syracuse, McLean allowed just one hit on three walks (and one HBP) across 5.2 scoreless innings while striking out seven batters against the Charlotte Knights. He generated 15 swing and misses while topping out at 97.3 mph.
McLean kept the Knights off balance and cruised with the fourth inning being his only high-leverage situation. In that inning, McLean allowed a two-out walk to Andre Lipcius and Bryan Ramos followed with a single. But the right-hander bounced back with a strikeout on seven pitches. McLean would be one batter shy of getting through six innings, but a two-out walk to Will Robertson forced Syracuse to pull McLean after 96 pitches (58 strikes) thrown.
Mets reliever Huascar Brazoban was called to relieve McLean and struck out Lipcius to get through the sixth and end McLean's night.
Entering Tuesday's start, McLean has been terrific, tossing 104.0 innings split between Double-A Binghamton and Syracuse while posting a 2.60 ERA and 1.14 WHIP while striking out 113 batters.
With the Mets in potential need of some arms down the stretch, McLean -- and fellow prospect Brandon Sproat -- could be in play for a call-up. If McLean continues to pitch like this, he may leave the Mets with little choice but to call him up, especially the way the current major league starters are unable to give the team length.
Nolan McLean threw 5.2 scoreless innings for Triple-A Syracuse tonight 🔥
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 6, 2025
He allowed just one hit on the night pic.twitter.com/f0mp5AEheG
3 Canadiens Defenders Mentioned As Trade Candidates
One of the strongest parts of the Montreal Canadiens' roster is their blueline. It is no secret that they have a ton of depth on their blueline, and they only improved it this off-season by bringing in Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders.
However, with the Canadiens having so many NHL defensemen and promising prospect blueliners in their system, they are starting to create some chatter in the rumor mill.
In a recent episode of The Sick Podcast, Sportsnet's Eric Engels argued that "there's a good chance" that one of Mike Matheson, Arber Xhekaj, or Jayden Struble may no longer be with the Canadiens by next off-season to make room for prospect defensemen like David Reinbacher and Adam Engstrom.
"Between those three guys, right, you have Matheson, Struble, Xhekaj," Engels said. "There's a good chance that between now and this time next year, one of those guys is not here... We know David Reinbacher is a big part of the future for the Canadiens... It's pretty vital to their plans to become a perennial contender that he starts to get some NHL games under his belt."
When looking at this list of players, Matheson stands out as the most notable. The 31-year-old has been a major part of the Canadiens' blueline since his arrival, but is also a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA). Meanwhile, there would also be some risk in moving on from Xhekaj or Struble, as they are young defensemen with good upside.
Nevertheless, it will be very interesting to see if the Canadiens end up moving on from a defenseman between now and next off-season.
Canadiens' Blueline Ranked Among NHL's BestIt is no secret that the Montreal Canadiens have a strong defensive group. They only improved upon this off-season, too, as they acquired star blueliner Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders last month.
Photo Credit: © Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
Peacock to broadcast 20 Big 12 men’s basketball games through sublicense deal
Big 12 basketball is coming to Peacock. The conference is entering a multi-year agreement with NBC to stream games on the platform, the two sides announced Tuesday. Peacock is set to air 20 Big 12 men’s basketball games this season, according to the announcement. The partnership came about through a sublicense deal between NBC and […]
Thomson stays true to his word and Kepler pays off for Phils in win over Orioles
Thomson stays true to his word and Kepler pays off for Phils in win over Orioles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Playing the role of Nostradamus isn’t in the job description for Phillies manager Rob Thomson, but being true to his word is. Because of that, he may have helped unlock a season-long slump.
Thomson had struggling outfielder Max Kepler in left against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park, instead of newly acquired Harrison Bader, who smashed a huge home run the previous night.
His reasoning?
“I promised these guys (outfielders) for the first six days (after trade deadline) we were going to platoon them,” Thomson said. “I know Bader has good numbers against (Dean Kremer) but Kepler is 1 for 4 with a homer, too. But I’m going to stay to my word.”
Bader was 3 for 6 in his career with an RBI against the Orioles’ right-hander. Well, Kepler is now 3 for 7 with a double, two home runs and three RBI. That’s because he homered and doubled against Kremer Tuesday, lifting the Phillies to a quick and efficient 5-0 win over Baltimore in front of a sellout crowd.
It was the fourth win in five games for the Phillies, who improved to 65-48, their biggest margin over the .500 mark since 36-19 back in late May.
To put it mildly, it’s been a tough season for Kepler, who entered Tuesday with just a .200 average and has found himself being platooned a little more than he anticipated when he signed during the offseason with the thought that he was the everyday left fielder. Whether his performance Tuesday was the start of something or not, he’s trying not to think too much about it.
“To be honest, it does get to me,” Kepler said after hitting his 12th home run of the season. “I’m an overthinker, even before I started playing this game. I try and analyze what I did right and wrong in the past and what’s to come in the future and it takes away from the present. I have to remind myself what my support team reminds me, is that I’m in a beautiful place in a beautiful opportunity and to enjoy the moment regardless of rough patches.
“I’ve had plenty of these rough patches in my career. I think being in a new place, a new setting, you want to make a good impression. I still do. That’s not going to fade until the season’s over and the job is done. It’s baseball and I just have to put my head down and keep going and try to stay as present as I can.”
The once smattering of boos have grown, but Kepler knows and has the experience in the game to not let that get to him more than it should.
“It’s an amazing crowd whether it’s boos or cheers,” he said. “I think it’s their love language when they boo. I’ve separated myself from that even when they cheer. You’re kind of just in your zone as a player. The fact that they come out and support, rain or shine, boos or cheers, is phenomenal on their end.”
Phenomenal is one of the many adjectives that could be used to describe the outing by starter Taijuan Walker against the Orioles, as he allowed just four hits, no walks and struck out four in his six innings of work. Thomson said it was the best he’s seen of his starter/reliever/starter/reliever/starter in about two years.
“Had a really good splitter today, good cutter,” Walker explained. “I feel like I’m getting stronger, getting better. My stuff is feeling really good right now. I’m just making them put the ball in play, trusting my defense. I know I’m not going to strike out 10 guys, so just try to get quick outs and see if I can go deep into games.
“The velo held really well today. Just mixing the pitches and just pound the zone. I think it was one of my better games in a long time. With everything thrown at me this year, really just whatever I can do for the team and just go out there and give the team the best chance to win.”
Another part of that outfield platoon gang was heard from again as Brandon Marsh went 2 for 4 with a double, a home run and two runs scored. Since the end of April, Marsh has hit at a .302 clip. In his last 11 games, he is slashing .433/469/.867 with four doubles, three home runs and five RBI while scoring seven runs.
“I treat it day by day, and I come in ready to play and if my name’s not called, my name’s not called and I’ll be the best supporter I can be out there,” Marsh said. “I just take it day by day and show up and be as prepared as I can be.
“I’ve just simplified it a lot. I had a lot of moving parts to start of the year. The competition out there is pretty dang good, so I had to simplify to be where I wanted to be. That’s kind of the word I’ve been riding the last couple of months, to just simplify.”
As for who the everyday outfielders may become or if Walker is implemented as a sixth starter down the stretch, those are not going to be simple answers for Thomson. And right now that seems to be a good problem.
The only part of the game in which Phillies fans were a bit disgruntled was in the ninth inning with a five-run lead, when Thomson didn’t bring in electric closer Jhoan Duran for the final outs of the game. But even the semi-boos were in jest as there really hasn’t been much to be upset about when it comes to this team lately.
You can take anybody’s word on that.
Orioles to pay nearly $8.5 million as part of five deals ahead of the trade deadline
Jul 20, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Ryan O’Hearn (32) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the sixth inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Baltimore will be sending nearly $8.5 million to four teams as part of five deals made ahead of the trade deadline.
The Orioles will give San Diego $3,324,300 along with All-Star first baseman Ryan O’Hearn and outfielder Ramón Laureano, who were dealt last week for right-handers Tyson Neighbors and Tanner Smith, left-hander Boston Bateman, infielders Brandon Butterworth and Cobb Hightower and infielder/outfielder Victor Figueroa.
O’Hearn was owed $2,537,634 of his $8 million salary and Laureano $1,268,817. Baltimore will pay two installments of $1,662,150 on Sept. 15 and 30, according to trade details obtained by The Associated Press. The money reduces San Diego’s expense to $482,151, which comes to a prorated share of the $760,000 minimum for each.
Baltimore will send Detroit $2,758,065 on Sept. 30 as part of the trade that sent right-hander Charlie Morton to the Tigers for minor league left-hander Micah Ashman. Morton was owed $4,758,064 of his $15 million salary, and the cash reduces his cost to the Tigers to $2 million. In addition, the Orioles will send the Tigers $100,000 on Aug. 15 as part of the trade to acquire left-hander Dietrich Enns.
The Orioles also are sending Toronto $1.75 million on Sept. 30 as part of the July 29 trade that sent right-hander Seranthony Domínguez to the Blue Jays for minor league right-hander Juaron Watts-Brown — a deal announced between games of a doubleheader between the teams. Domínguez had $2,645,161 left from his $8 million salary at the time of the trade.
Baltimore is giving Houston $520,000 along with infielder Ramón Urías, who was dealt for minor leaguer right-hander Twine Palmer. The money is due in equal payments on Sept. 15 and Oct. 15. Urías was owed $1,016,129 of his $3.15 million salary.
Money in the five trades totals $8,452,365. Baltimore opened the season with a $169 million payroll, 15th among the 30 major league teams.
Minnesota is paying $33 million to Houston in the July 31 trade that returned All-Star Carlos Correa to the Astros for minor league left-hander Matt Mikulski, by far the largest amount among 14 deadline trades involving cash transactions. That covered a significant portion of the $103,419,355 remaining in the contract of the three-time All-Star, who left the Astros to sign with the Twins ahead of the 2022 season. Houston gets $3 million this year and $10 million each in 2026, 2027 and 2028, with installments due each Dec. 15.
Arizona will pay Milwaukee $5,258,000 as part of the July 31 trade that sent right-hander Shelby Miller and left-hander Jordan Montgomery to the Brewers for a player to be named or cash. Arizona will send the money in four installments of $1,314,500 on Aug. 15, Aug. 31, Sept. 15 and Sept. 30. Montgomery was owed $7,137,097 of his $22.5 million salary and Miller $317,204 of his $1 million salary.
Milwaukee is sending San Diego $2,169,000 as part of the trade that sent left-hander Nestor Cortes and minor league infielder Jorge Quintana to the Padres for outfielder Brandon Lockridge. That offsets part of the $2,410,753 remaining from Cortes’ $7.6 million salary. The Brewers will send $361,500 each on Aug. 15 and 29, Sept. 12 and 26 plus $723,000 on Oct. 10.
Cincinnati is paying Pittsburgh $1,935,484 as part of the July 30 trade that sent left-hander Taylor Rogers and minor league shortstop Sammy Stafura to the Pirates for third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes. The cash covers half the $3,870,968 Rogers was owed from his $12 million salary, and the Reds paid $435,484 on Aug. 1 and owe $500,000 each on Aug. 15, Sept. 1 and Sept. 15.
Rogers was dealt the following day to the Cubs for outfielder Ivan Brethowr, and Pittsburgh agreed to give the Cubs $1,903,226. That offset half the $3,806,452 then left on Rogers’ salary after the $64,516 he earned during his one day with Pittsburgh, for whom he never threw a pitch. The Pirates pay $423,226 on Aug . 15 and owe $500,000 installments on Aug. 31, Sept. 15 and Sept. 30.
San Francisco will give Kansas City $1,934,100 as part of the trade that sent outfielder Mike Yastzemski to the Royals for right-hander Yunior Marte. Yastzemski was owed $2,934,140 of his $9.25 million salary, and the Giants will make four payments of $483,535 on Aug. 15. Aug. 31, Sept. 15 and Sept. 30.
Tampa Bay is sending Milwaukee $1.1 million in the July 28 trade that sent catcher Danny Jansen to his hometown Brewers for minor league infielder Jadher Areinamo. Jansen was owed $2,833,333 of his $8.5 million salary. The Rays will make six payments of $183,333, on Aug. 1, 15 and 29, Sept. 12 and 26, and Oct. 10. Tampa Bay agreed to send an additional $500,000 if a $12 million mutual option for 2026 is declined, which carries a $500,000 buyout.
St. Louis agreed to pay Atlanta $2.28 million as part of the July 27 trade that sent right-hander Erick Fedde to the Braves for a player to be named or cash. Fedde was owed $2,455,645 from his $7.25 million salary. The Cardinals will make equal payments of $1.14 million on Aug. 11 and Sept. 22.
Detroit will pay Texas $100,000 on Aug. 15 as part of the trade to acquire right-hander Codi Heuer.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Will Blackhawks Stun Buffalo In Their Showdowns Next Year?
The Buffalo Sabres' schedule has been out for some time now, and it's always fun to examine the Sabres' opponents by breaking down their showdowns against each of the NHL's 31 other teams.
We here at THN.com's Sabres site have been analyzing Buffalo's opponents in the Eastern Conference, but today, we're shifting our focus to the first (alphabetical) team in the highly-competitive Central Division -- the Chicago Blackhawks. who have struggled in the post-Jonathan Toews/Patrick Kane Era. Will this season be any different for Chicago? And does that mean the Blackhawks will beat the Sabres in their games this year? Read on to find out.
BUFFALO SABRES VS. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
NEW BLACKHAWKS PLAYERS: Andre Burakovsky, LW; Sam Lafferty, C; Dominic Toninato, C
2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 2-0-0, Blackhawks 0-2-0
2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: November 21 at Buffalo; April 13 at Chicago
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? To be blunt -- the Sabres throttled the Blackhawks in their two games this past year, and there's no good reason Buffalo can't beat Chicago in their two games this coming season.
Chicago made some peripheral moves at forward this summer, landing Burakovsky from Seattle, acquiring Lafferty in a trade with the Sabres, and signing depth center Toninato away from the Winnipeg Jets. That's all they did, and given how terrible Chicago looked last year, Hawks management should've done much more than that to be a letigimate Stanley Cup playoff contender.
The Blackhawks also hired a new coach in former Detroit Red Wings bench boss Jeff Blashill, but even the greatest coach of all-time would have trouble turning this Hawks team into a world-beater. The Hawks almost certainly are going to miss the playoffs once again this season, and the Sabres would have to count losses to Chicago as huge disappointments.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: How Will Buffalo Fare Against High-Octane Washington Capitals?The Buffalo Sabres want nothing more than to qualify for the 2025-26 Stanley Cup playoffs. Ending Buffalo's 14-year drought without any playoff games is a gigantic stain on the organization, but there's no assurace the Sabres will be able to vault over many solid teams and grab a playoff berth.
The two games between Buffalo and the Blackhawks come at opposite ends of the year -- the first game coming six weeks into the season, and the final game coming as the Sabres' second-last game of the year. By that point, the Hawks should be well out of the playoff race -- and at that point, the Sabres could be in a massive battle for a playoff spot that could be decided by one or two standings points.
If Buffalo does lose out on a playoff berth by a couple of points or less, and they failed to take advantage of their games against the Blackhawks, Sabres fans could point to their lack of success against Chicago as a turning point in their season.
That said, it's not like the Hawks are totally bereft of talent. They've got budding star center Connor Bedard as their crown jewel, and their young talents on defense could take major competitive steps forward. If they can at least improve their goaltending, they might have enough talent to surprise some people.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Should Buffalo Dominate Showdowns Against Lowly Penguins Next Year?The Buffalo Sabres know their schedule for the 2025-26 campaign, and if Buffalo hopes to end their Stanley Cup playoff drought after 14 years, they're going to need to make the most of every rivalry they have in the league. And that includes the Pittsburgh Penguins -- the team that is the latest Metropolitan Division rival for the Sabres in THN.com's Sabres site rankings of all Buffalo's Eastern Conference's rivals.
Still, all things considered, there's no legitimate excuse for the Sabres to lose when they play the Blackhawks. Buffalo has more depth, in all areas, than Chicago has.
The NHL always has games where lesser teams beat better teams, so the Sabres have to be careful. But they've got two games against the Blackhawks to make count against their bottom line, and if they blow those games, their destiny may be out of their hands.
Phillies’ reliever Alvarado rejoins team following PED ban, will be eligible later this month
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MAY 11: José Alvarado #46 of the Philadelphia Phillies throws a pitch during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on May 11, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Diamond Images/Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Phillies reliever José Alvarado has rejoined the team following an 80-game suspension for violating baseball’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.
Alvarado was back in Philadelphia before Tuesday night’s home game against Baltimore and is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment soon. The Venezuelan left-hander is eligible to return to the big leagues on Aug. 19, but can’t pitch in the postseason if the Phillies qualify due to Major League Baseball rules on PED bans.
Philadelphia led the NL East by 1 1/2 games over the New York Mets heading into Tuesday’s games.
“I am fully aware that using prohibited substances is wrong and I would never intend to do so because I have always had great respect for the game, my organization, my teammates and the fans, all of whom I want to offer my sincere apologies,” Alvarado posted on Instagram. “I made a mistake and therefore, I have faced the consequences set forth by MLB. Going forward, my focus is on working hard to help the team win.”
Alvarado was suspended on May 18 following a positive test for an external testosterone. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the positive test was caused by a weight loss drug Alvarado took during the offseason.
The Phillies used several players in the closer role after Alvarado’s suspension before acquiring Jhoan Duran in a trade with Minnesota for two top prospects last week.
Alvarado had a 2.70 ERA, 25 strikeouts and seven saves in 20 appearances before the suspension. The 30-year-old will lose $4.5 million, half his $9 million salary this year as part of a $22 million, three-year contract he signed in 2023, as a result of the suspension.
Alvarado is 19-26 with a 3.40 ERA in 399 relief appearances and one start over nine major league seasons with Tampa Bay (2017-20) and the Phillies (2021-25). He has 52 saves in 68 appearances and appeared in 21 postseason games over the last three seasons.
New Pre-Season Base Cards In NHL 25 HUT
New Pre-Season cards are available in NHL 25 HUT.
14 new base Pre-Season cards were added on Aug. 5 led by four 98 overall cards, Miro Heiskanen, Kyle Connor, Kevin Pasche, and Linus Hulstrom.
97 overall Adam Fantilli and Matty Beniers and 96 overall Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Yaroslav Askarov were also added. Askarov is a good card for those looking for a right-handed catching goalie.
Related objective and HUT moments were also added, week two of the event will go live on Aug. 8 at 5pm EST.
Matthew Tkachuk was named the NHL 26 cover athlete, the NHL 26 reveal trailer goes live at 12 EST Aug. 6.
For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.
NHL Summer Splash Rankings: No.13, St. Louis Blues
We’re well into The Hockey News’ summer splash series – our exclusive rankings of the off-seasons of each NHL team. We’ve been moving in reverse from the 32nd-place Buffalo Sabres to the No. 1 spot. And our latest team is No. 13 in the series – the St. Louis Blues.
For the entirety of this series, we’re examining each team’s lineup additions, departures, and hirings and firings where applicable. After careful consideration, we’ve reached a consensus regarding where teams are ranked in terms of the moves they’ve made this summer. Some teams have improved, and some teams have made a slight improvement or regression in one way or another. And finally, some teams have obviously regressed.
The Blues had a solid regular season last year before blowing a late lead against the Winnipeg Jets and being eliminated in the first round. But St. Louis GM Doug Armstrong has never been shy when it comes to making big moves, and once again this summer, he’s made a few changes.
That said, the Blues are closer to the middle of the field in these rankings because they’re not considerably better or worse than they were at the end of last season. And they’re still going to have a tough go of it making the Stanley Cup playoffs in the seriously competitive Central Division.
Additions
Pius Suter (C), Nick Bjugstad (C), Logan Mailloux (D)
The Breakdown: The Blues came on strong late last season, after nearly digging a hole they couldn’t climb out of. Armstrong did his best to beef up his defense corps with the in-season acquisition of veteran Cam Fowler from the Anaheim Ducks. And that was enough to push St. Louis into a playoff berth. But this summer, they made a savvy signing at center with former Vancouver Canuck Suter, then signing journeyman Bjugstad and trading for former Montreal Canadiens blueliner Mailloux.
Those are all relative fringe players. The core of the Blues is still veteran center Robert Thomas, star winger Jordan Kyrou, and captain Brayden Schenn, and unless they come through with dependably solid seasons, the likes of Suter, Bjugstad and Mailloux aren’t going to put the team on their back.
Individually, Suter is a decent-enough center, Bjugstad is a fourth-liner, and Mailloux has the potential to grow into a top-four D-man. But right now, Armstrong is showing his core he believes in them. And that means making only peripheral changes.
Departures
Zach Bolduc (RW), Torey Krug (D), Radek Faksa (C), Ryan Suter (D)
The Breakdown: We’re including Krug in this list of departures because he’s essentially been diagnosed with a career-ending injury. This is why there’s room for Mailloux – the Blues will put Krug on Long-Term-Injured-Reserve, and be able to spend a good deal of cap space to improve during the season.
Losing Bolduc hurts the most, as he scored 19 goals and 36 points in 72 games last season. But you have to give something to get something, and that Mailloux deal cost St. Louis a promising young player.
Faksa was a consistent defensive presence up front, but he’s more or less replaced by Bjugstad. And Suter is likely retiring after a stellar NHL career. But as a group of four departees, they’re all minor bumps in the road for a Blues team that expects to be a playoff team once again this coming year.
The Bottom Line
The Blues’ collapse against Winnipeg was stunning, and it would’ve been easy for Armstrong to tear it all down and start anew with a different core of players. Instead, he’s doubled down by only adding a few talents that aren’t elite – at least, not yet.
For the purposes of our summer splash rankings, we put St. Louis near the middle of the pack because, while they’re not demonstrably worse, they’re also not significantly better than they were last year. That may change if Armstrong uses his cap space to add talent. But as it stands, the Blues haven’t changed all that much.
And in the Central Division, not improving all that much could lead to a division-rival team like the Utah Mammoth vaulting past the Blues and keeping them out of the playoff picture. The pressure on St. Louis is considerable, and the way they begin the year could lead to major moves from a GM who wants his team to be Cup contenders in the long term.
Summer Splash Rankings
13. St. Louis Blues
16. Ottawa Senators
17. Boston Bruins
18. Edmonton Oilers
19. Minnesota Wild
20. Seattle Kraken
27. Dallas Stars
28. Calgary Flames
30. Winnipeg Jets
32. Buffalo Sabres
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