Former Vancouver Canucks forward Curtis Douglas is joining the Seattle Kraken on a two-year deal worth $1.25M on average per year.
The 2025–26 season was Douglas’ first in the NHL, with the six-foot-nine forward making his league debut for the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 9 against the Ottawa Senators. He played in a total of 26 games for Tampa Bay, recording two assists, before being placed on waivers and claimed by Vancouver at the 2026 Trade Deadline.
Douglas established himself as a tough player to play against during his rookie season, which is something he continued through his time with the Canucks. His first fight as a Canuck came against six-foot-eight Calgary Flames forward Adam Klapka. He also scored his first NHL goal as a member of the Canucks, beating Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukáš Dostál on April 12, and tallied an assist in Vancouver’s final regular-season game against the Edmonton Oilers on April 16.
Prior to making the jump to the NHL, Douglas signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in free-agency in March of 2022. He spent one full season with the Toronto Marlies, scoring a career-high 13 goals and 21 assists in 67 games at the AHL-level, before being traded to the Arizona Coyotes the year after. He was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay in October of 2025.
Mar 24, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks forward Curtis Douglas (42) shoots against the Anaheim Ducks in the second period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
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ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild has brought back a familiar face, signing forward Mason Shaw in free agency.
Shaw returns to the organization after spending the last two seasons with the Winnipeg Jets organization, where he appeared in games for the AHL's Manitoba Moose.
Shaw, 26, recorded 32 goals, 49 assists and 81 points in 143 games.
The 26-year-old was originally selected by the Wild in the fourth round (97th overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft and has appeared in 82 NHL games with Minnesota, recording eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points while bringing an energetic, physical style of play.
A fan favorite during his previous stint with the Wild, Shaw has battled through multiple serious knee injuries throughout his career. He now returns to the organization looking to provide experienced depth and compete for NHL games during the 2026-27 season.
Shaw's deal is a one-year, two-way, $850,000 deal. $450,000 in Iowa.
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CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 01: Catcher Austin Hedges #27 celebrates with closing pitcher Matt Festa #52 of the Cleveland Guardians after the game against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field on July 01, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians defeated the Rangers 9-4. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Much like in the last game I wrote about, this game, too, has been played by the Guardians quite a few times this year. Look out of whack for the first games of the series, and then suddenly put it all together to salvage the series in the finale. Regardless, I won’t be nearly as negative in today’s recap as I was in my last recap. Let’s start with the pitching.
Cantillo was shaky today, but managed — somehow — to Houdini act his way into a decent start. 5 innings, 2 runs. The command was an issue for him today (5 walks), most notably in the 3rd inning. Walk, walk, single, strikeout, RBI walk. The bases were loaded with 1 out, and the Guardians looked to be on the verge of blowing another lead. But, Cantillo managed to get Rangers’ rookie Cauley to ground into a double play, ending the inning. Cantillo’s only other earned run of the day came in the 6th. He walked the leadoff hitter, and was then pulled for Holdrman. Holderman gave up a single, then two groundouts (the second of which managed to drive in a run). Holderman, like Cantillo, was shaky. Holderman, however, moreso suffered from batted ball luck than command issues. He gave up 3 hits, 2 of which left the bat at less than 80 mph. (The sequence went single, forceout, RBI groundout, double, single, strikeout). One of those groundouts was corralled miraculously by second baseman Daniel Schneemann, preventing more damage that inning.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 1, 2026
Herrin pitched the 7th, giving up a single and a walk, but managed to get out of danger by striking out Pederson and getting Smith to ground into a double play.
Sabrowski pitched the 8th, striking out 2 Rangers but unfortunately also giving up a solo homer to Elias Diaz.
Festa pitched the 9th, allowing no baserunners in a 1-2-3 inning.
To the offense.
They actually started out pretty strong today, but finally managed to put runs on the board in the 2nd. Rocchio and Arias both singled to start off the inning, and then Watson struckout. Hedges pulled off a textbook bunt, driving in Rocchio. Schneemann was walked on four pitches, and then Fry did this.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 1, 2026
5 runs by the end of the 2nd inning is an almost Herculean task for this Guardians offense, and it’s nice to know that this, in one form or another, is actually possible with this iteration of the lineup.
The Rangers managed to pull within 2 runs of the Guardians (thanks to the bullpen) in the 6th, but the Guardians answered back in the 7th. Kwan hit a triple (?), and then DeLauter (recording his 3rd hit of the day), scorched a ball to right field (110 mph), driving in Kwan. DeLauter stole second, and then Rangers reliever Winston Santos threw a couple oopsies into the dirt. Those wild pitches got DeLauter from second to home in a matter of three pitches. Hoskins walked, and then the Guardians made 3 consecutive outs to end the inning.
Much to Josh Naylor’s chagrin, Austin Hedges hit a home run today. For those keeping track at home, Hedges now has a wRC+ above Naylor’s, and an fWAR total most likely tied with Naylor’s after today’s events. Not bad for a backup to a backup.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 1, 2026
The Guardians managed to salvage the series, winning today’s affair 9-4. The White Sox come to town for a very consequential 4-game set starting tomorrow. It’ll be Cecconi vs. Davis Martin.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 28: Dominic Smith #8 and Mike Yastrzemski #18 of the Atlanta Braves celebrate after the game against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on March 28, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
June swoon is OUT. Fly high July is IN.
We would very much like to see the Braves get back to playing watchable baseball. Decent, even, if they feel so inclined.
With a rough month in the rearview, it’s time for the Braves to take advantage of a little mental reset that the first of July can bring and get back to their winning ways on both sides of the ball.
One former-White-Sox-pitcher-turned-Braves-starter-turned-bullpen-arm-turned-starter-again follows another with Martín Pérez and Reynaldo López starting these first two games versus the St. Louis Cardinals. Walt Weiss is sticking with the same 1 through 5, 7, and 9 in the order. We saw some signs of life from leadoff man Drake Baldwin last night with his seventh inning single, snapping a 36-at-bat streak. He will be behind the plate for López today. Dominic Smith will DH and hit sixth while Mike Yastrzemski swaps out in Eli White’s spot to play right field and bat eighth ahead of shortstop Jorge Mateo.
Maybe this will be the magical combination that can put up a crooked number against their opponent (and win). A baseball team cannot sustain itself on weird defensive misplays and Ozzie Albies sac flies alone. (Fun stuff from the game notes: Ozzie’s sac fly last night was his 10th of the season and career high – he’s one of seven Braves with double-digit sac flies in a season. He’s the first to do it since Austin Riley had 11 in 2023.)
Only three current Cardinals have ever faced López before and they will be batting second, third, and sixth. In five collective ABs, they’re batting .000 and have one walk courtesy of Masyn Winn. Alec Burleson gets the start at first bae and bumps down Jordan Walker to the cleanup spot. New face Jimmy Crooks will catch for Michael McGreevy and bat ninth.
Apr 22, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) makes a save against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period in game three of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Stuart Skinner is heading to Winnipeg as the carousel of goaltenders moving around the NHL picked up steam Wednesday with the start of free agency.
Skinner agreed to terms on a two-year contract worth $7.5 million with the Jets, who have been listening to trade offers for three-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck. Skinner helped Edmonton reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2024 and ’25 before losing to Florida each time, and spent the end of last season in Pittsburgh.
The goalie who beat Skinner and the Oilers, Sergei Bobrovsky, is arguably the top free agent on the market, regardless of position. The Panthers earlier this week traded for goalies Jacob Markstrom and Akira Schmid to solve their needs in the crease coming off missing the playoffs.
They also signed rugged defenseman Radko Gudas, who just turned 36, to a six-year deal worth $1.5 million annually for a total of $9 million. The 36-year-old Gudas played in Florida for three seasons from 2020-23 and spent last season with Anaheim.
The San Jose Sharks added veteran depth to their young blue line by signing Jacob Trouba to a four-year, $33 million contract. Trouba had 10 goals and 35 points for Anaheim last year, and previously captained the New York Rangers before being traded to the Ducks in December 2024.
The Los Angeles Kings landed forwards Erik Haula (Nashville) and Mats Zuccarello (Minnesota). Haula agreed to a two-year, $7.2 million contract, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. Zuccarello’s contract is worth $1 million in base salary plus bonuses, according to another person with knowledge of that agreement.
Chicago got veteran defenseman Ian Cole (Utah) for next season at $4.75 million, according to a third person, also with knowledge of the deal. Division rival Colorado is bringing in winger Jaden Schwartz (Seattle) on a three-year, $9.75 million deal, according to a fourth person familiar with the contract. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contracts had not been announced.
Washington, which is still waiting on winger Alex Ovechkin’s decision about whether to return for a 22nd NHL season, signed defenseman Vincent Desharnais to a four-year, $16.8 million contract.
Detroit signed Swedish winger Viktor Arvidsson to a two-year contract worth $10 million.
Trades
With a shallow pool of free agents available, many teams are going the trade route to try to improve this summer. The New York Rangers got their backup goalie that way, sending minor leaguer Kalle Vaisanen and a 2028 fourth-round pick to Boston for Joonas Korpisalo.
Nashville acquired pending restricted free agent forward Mavrik Bourque from Dallas. The Predators sent a 2027 second- and a 2028 third-round pick to the Stars for Bourque and defenseman Ilya Lyubushkin.
“Mavrik Bourque is a quality, two-way player who will fit perfectly with what we are trying to build here in Nashville,” general manager Chris MacFarland said. “At just 24 years old, his age and style of play fits in with the type of players we are looking to bring in to help make us better.”
Dallas clearing salary cap space could allow the team to sign Jason Robertson, another restricted free agent who is ticketed for a long-term, lucrative contract. Robertson turns 27 this month and led the Stars in scoring with 96 points on 45 goals and 51 assists last season.
His younger brother, Nick, is going to Pittsburgh after the Penguins got him from Toronto for a fourth-rounder in ’28.
Staying put
The Blackhawks signed Bowen Byram to a six-year, $75 million contract extension in a deal that makes him the NHL’s top-paid defenseman in average annual salary and secures him through 2032-33.
The signing comes a week after Chicago acquired the sixth-year player by trading the No. 4 pick in the NHL draft to the Buffalo Sabres. Byram had one year remaining on his current contract, and his $12.5 million average salary surpasses Penguins blue liner Erik Karlsson ($11.5 million).
New Jersey locked up captain Nico Hischier for the long term, signing the Swiss center to a five-year extension worth $58.5 million with an annual cap hit of $11.7 million from 2027 through 2032.
“When I took this job, I knew that Nico was one of the core pieces that I definitely wanted as part of our future,” new Devils GM Sunny Mehta said. “The way he plays the game, his leadership and selflessness are qualities we value for this team.”
— Montreal agreed to re-sign Ivan Demidov to an eight-year, $73 million contract after the 20-year-old Russian forward led all NHL rookies with 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists) last season.
— Philadelphia got two extensions done, signing young forward Tyson Foerster to an eight-year, $56.8 million contract (2027-28 through 2035). The Flyers extended goalie Dan Vladar for five years at $27.5 million.
— The Buffalo Sabres signed newly acquired defenseman Olen Zellweger to a three-year, $9.3 million contract. Zellweger was a pending restricted free agent and acquired in a trade with Anaheim.
On the latest episode of CC Sabathia’s podcast, MLB According to CC, the Yankees legend previewed how the Padres will stack up against the Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball, with San Diego and Los Angeles set to lead one of Star-Spangled Sunday's marquee matchups at 7pm ET on NBC and Peacock.
Sabathia said the Padres “need Tatis driving the ball out of the yard” in order for them to compete, not only in critical four-game series, but as season-long challengers to the Dodgers' NL West supremacy. With Tatis Jr. seemingly free from his early-season struggles, the Padres head to their division rivals with some momentum.
This weekend's showdown will mark the first time this season the two teams have met in Los Angeles. “Dodgers and Padres fans really go at it,” said the Hall of Famer looking ahead to the series.
The Dodgers are 4-2 against the Padres this season, with better numbers than their division rival in most categories across the board. As of July 1, San Diego sits 12 games outside of first place, leaving the Friars with plenty of work to do in Southern California this weekend. It's the largest gap between the top two teams in any division so far this year.
Mason Miller and Tanner Scott may possess baseball’s best sliders. CC Sabathia dives into both elite pitches, highlighting how he threw his own back in the day.
Watch Star-Spangled Sunday on July 5, where all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock, NBC and NBCSN. Every team. Every game. One home.
The Calgary Flames are losing a familiar spark on the wing, as Ryan Lomberg has signed a two-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, bringing his second stint in Calgary to a close.
Lomberg’s return to the Flames organization saw him once again fill a role built on speed, grit, and relentless physicality. Across his two stints in Calgary, including his original run from 2017-18 through 2019-20 and his most recent two-year stretch, the 31-year-old appeared in 148 games, recording seven goals and 16 assists for 23 points.
That production, however, only tells part of the story. Lomberg’s impact was defined just as much by his energy and physical presence as it was by the scoresheet, a style that carried over throughout his NHL career.
The Blue Jackets officially announced the signing on Wednesday, with President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Don Waddell highlighting exactly what Columbus is getting.
“We’re very pleased to add Ryan Lomberg to the Blue Jackets family,” said Waddell. “He is a high-energy player who is an excellent skater, plays with tenacity and his experience and character will be a great addition to our team.”
Across 394 career NHL games with the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers, Lomberg has registered 35 goals and 37 assists for 72 points, along with 475 penalty minutes and 807 hits, carving out a role as a physical, energy-driven winger. He also contributed to Florida’s 2024 Stanley Cup championship run, appearing in 32 playoff games across his career with 3 points and 64 penalty minutes.
Lomberg’s most productive NHL season came in 2022-23 with Florida, when he posted 12 goals and 8 assists over 82 games while adding a career-high 88 penalty minutes the following year with 179 hits in 75 appearances.
Before establishing himself as an NHL regular, the 5-foot-9 winger built his reputation through the American Hockey League, ECHL, and USHL, including a productive stretch with the Stockton Heat where he developed into a professional-level agitator and forechecking presence.
Now heading to Columbus on a two-year deal worth $2.6 million, Lomberg brings a well-defined identity to a Blue Jackets roster looking to add toughness and energy to its forward group, while Calgary moves forward after another chapter with one of its more recognizable depth pieces comes to an end.
After acquiring Brandon Duhaime, Sergei Bobrovsky, Jack Roslovic, Teddy Blueger and Colton Sissons with new contracts, he traded for Tampa Bay Lightning center Nick Paul in exchange for Dennis Hildeby, a 2027 fourth-round pick, and a 2028 third-round pick.
Paul, a Mississauga native, comes to Toronto with three more years remaining on his contract at a $3.15 million salary cap hit.
The 31-year-old has been an effective middle-six player for the Lightning, spending parts of the past five seasons with the team.
This past year, Paul has scored seven goals and 15 points in 51 games, losing plenty of ice time to the other stars that occupy Tampa Bay's lineup.
However, in the two seasons before 2025-26, Paul recorded back-to-back 20-goal, 40-point campaigns while averaging 16:52 between those two years. He had a far more important role than in the past season, when he played just 13:41 of ice time per game.
Going out the other way, Hildeby has emerged as a promising young goaltender in the NHL. The 24-year-old played 20 games for the Maple Leafs in 2025-26, recording an impressive .914 save percentage and a 2.86 goals-against average.
With two years remaining on the contract that sees him earn $841,667 against the cap, Hildeby is not waiver-exempt next season. With the addition of Sergei Bobrovsky and Anthony Stolarz already with the NHL tandem, there was a risk of losing Hildeby for nothing.
Instead, Chayka is able to bring in a solid NHL player in Paul, someone who has terrorized the Maple Leafs with the Lightning and the Ottawa Senators over the years.
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Very few could have predicted that the Chicago White Sox would lead the AL Central three months into the 2026 season. That's why Hall of Famer CC Sabathia believes they are the "surprise of the summer," entering July as the slight division leader over the Guardians. The youthful White Sox hit the road this weekend for a key division series in Cleveland, which sits just outside of first place, where they'll face off on Star-Spangled Sunday at 2pm ET, with all 15 MLB games available nationally on Peacock, NBC and NBCSN on July 5.
In the latest episode of his podcast, MLB According to CC, Sabathia evaluated the road ahead for the White Sox as they look to stick around in the American League playoff race. It's been a dramatic turnaround for a franchise that has lost 100+ games in each of the past three seasons, headlined by a dismal 2024 where they finished 41-121, the worst record in modern MLB history. The 2026 White Sox are fun and energetic, headlined by a core of young talent which Sabathia described as "a year or maybe two ahead of schedule."
The White Sox's recent success has largely come via the long ball. Since June 17, the White Sox lead the league in home runs (18, as of July 1). One of the offensive catalysts has been 23-year-old left fielder Sam Antonacci, who is enjoying an excellent rookie campaign with an OPS above .800. Miguel Vargas, Colston Montgomery, and Munetaka Murakami have also had big years at the plate so far in the South Side. All four are 26 years or younger. That's not to mention Braden Montgomery, Jacob Gonzalez, Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth, all of whom stand as key pieces of the organization's future.
"When you got a young team like that and they're all feeding off each other, you don't know any better," Sabathia said. "You're just going out every single day trying to win a ball game, it's fun to watch them come out with this much energy."
The White Sox will look to take their momentum into this weekend and the rest of the summer as they chase their first division title since 2021. With just a handful of AL teams above .500 and a Central division that is "treading water," a joyous return to October could be in the cards for the Sox.
Watch Star-Spangled Sunday on July 5, where all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock, NBC and NBCSN. Every team. Every game. One home.
Jul 1, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio (4) is safe at home plat as Texas Rangers catcher Elias Diaz (35) loses control of the ball during the second inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored four runs but the Cleveland Guardians scored nine runs.
I will simply choose to be glad that A. the Rangers enjoyed a successful road trip against all odds and B. the road trip has now concluded.
Despite this one appearing to be an imminently winnable contest (after all, Texas did have 12 opportunities with RISP of which they only converted three while also leaving nine on base), a MacKenzie Gore flareup inning in the bottom of the second put the Rangers in a 5-0 hole and that’s usually not something teams come back from.
It seemed like the Rangers might, though. They got to within 5-3 in the middle innings and had base runners and chances littered throughout but, in a game reminiscent of darker times from this season, they couldn’t get the big hit to get over the hump.
After getting the first two hitters on in the top of the seventh down a couple runs, Joc Pederson K’d in a pinch hit spot and then Josh Smith hit into a double play. That was the second double play that erased a prime scoring chance for Texas as Cam Cauley was doubled up to end a bases loaded threat in the top of the third.
Cole Winn was in the game for the bottom of the seventh and, well, you know what that usually means. Winn allowed a run and a hit that eventually came around to score to give Cleveland a comfortable lead.
Also, once the wheels kind of came off, Winston Santos finally got to make his MLB debut. After a shaky first few pitches, Santos got through his first inning as a big leaguer technically still sporting a 0.00 ERA despite allowing an inherited run to score. That did not last for long, however, as Santos was asked to finish things off with a second inning and old hero Austin Hedges took him deep for a two-run dong.
The Rangers are beat up. Probably like 60% of the roster would be in Round Rock if the FO had their druthers. They’ve played like 40 games in a row. They’ve played the most road games in baseball so far this season. They’ve played like 80 road games in a row. They’ve won some games they’ve had no business winning. I suppose for today we owe them a blind eye for an ugly afternoon.
Even with everything being familiarly weird for the Texas Rangers, and a blowout loss in this finale, they return home having enjoyed a 7-3 road trip which propelled them back over .500 and atop the AL West.
Player of the Game: Elias Diaz had a couple of hits and a couple of RBIs and also smacked his first home run as a Ranger. Unfortunately it was a solo shot in a 7-3 game and one of the rare moments that the Rangers didn’t have someone on the bases for them to strand.
Up Next: While the rest of the world has come down with a case of World Cup fever, the Rangers probably aren’t as thrilled about it. At least not this weekend.
There’s a World Cup Round of 32 match being played across the home parking lot on Friday which means, instead of getting a day off tomorrow, the Rangers fly out of Cleveland and immediately begin a home series against Detroit tomorrow night before getting their first rest in over two weeks on Friday after which the series will resume on Saturday.
RHP Nathan Eovaldi will pitch for Texas in the opener opposite LHP Framber Valdez. The Thursday evening first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and you can catch it on the Rangers Sports Network.
Free agency opened with a familiar theme for the Los Angeles Kings: experience, depth, and immediate roster turnover.
Defenseman Erik Gustafsson became the latest addition Wednesday, signing a one-year contract as the organization continues reshaping its roster ahead of the 2026-27 season. The signing was first reported by Swedish journalist Henrik Sjöberg and later confirmed by TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
But Gustafsson was just one piece of a much larger and noticeably busy day in Los Angeles.
Alongside his addition, the Kings re-signed veteran winger Corey Perry, who returns for his 23rd professional season after spending time with the Tampa Bay Lightning last year. The club also added forward Erik Haula and Jan Jeník while bringing back winger Mats Zuccarello, reinforcing a clear emphasis on experience and depth throughout the lineup.
Gustafsson arrives after spending most of the 2025-26 season in the Detroit Red Wings organization, where he suited up for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the American Hockey League. In 62 combined games between the AHL and brief NHL appearances, the 34-year-old produced 37 points at the minor-league level and logged two NHL games with Detroit.
He also appeared in eight Calder Cup Playoff games, adding a goal and five assists as Grand Rapids made a postseason run.
While his most recent season was spent largely in the AHL, Gustafsson brings a long NHL track record into Los Angeles. Across 10 seasons, he has played 517 regular-season games, recording 47 goals and 193 assists for 240 points while averaging 18:31 of ice time.
His offensive peak came in 2018-19 with the Chicago Blackhawks, when he posted 17 goals and 43 assists for 60 points in a breakout campaign that established him as one of the league’s more productive puck-moving defensemen. He has also logged 49 career playoff appearances, including a run to the Stanley Cup Final with the Montreal Canadiens in 2021.
Over the course of his career, Gustafsson has become a well-traveled depth defenseman, having suited up for the Blackhawks, Flyers, Rangers, Capitals, Flames, Maple Leafs, Canadiens, and Red Wings.
Selected in the fourth round of the 2012 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, the Swedish blueliner also developed overseas in Sweden’s top league before transitioning to North America full-time.
For Los Angeles, his arrival adds another experienced option on the blue line as the organization continues leaning heavily into veteran presence on what was already one of the NHL’s older rosters last season.
The Kings finished 2025-26 with a 35-27-20 record, good for 90 points and a fourth-place finish in the Pacific Division before being eliminated in the opening round by the Colorado Avalanche.
And with free agency only just beginning, the day in Los Angeles already looks like it may be one of the busiest of the offseason.
Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks guard Meleek Thomas (1) shoots in the second half against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors during a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed Meleek Thomas to a four-year, $9.3 million deal. Thomas was selected 34th overall by the Cavs last week in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Thomas played 37 games with Arkansas last year as a freshman. He averaged 15.7 points and 3.8 rebounds as a 6’3” sharpshooting combo-guard. The Cavs are excited to add an efficient shot-maker like Thomas to their roster.
“We were excited that he was available in the second round,” said POBO Koby Altman after selecting Thomas. “Usually, a guy of that caliber of scorer, that level of shot maker, his profile, you get a lot earlier.”
The first three years of the deal, worth $6.4 million, are guaranteed to Thomas.
Thomas shot above 40% from deep as a freshman. His marksmanship is one of the main reasons Cleveland targeted him in the draft despite him being a guard. The Cavs are loaded in the backcourt, but Thomas was too skilled for them to pass on.
Thomas doesn’t view the guards in front of him as obstacles, however. He plans on learning everything he can from Donovan Mitchell and James Harden.
“There’s a lot of great guards on the team ahead of me already, so just learning, pick their brain on what they did when they were rookies,” said Thomas. “Ultimately, all the knowledge that I gain from James, Donovan, any of the guards… me gaining knowledge from the ones that have been here, that’s gonna help me.”
The Cavs aren’t in a position to give Thomas many reps during his rookie season. This is a team that is ready to compete for a title and potentially even welcome home LeBron James (again). That means patience will be key in developing the 19-year-old rookie.
Adding to his 190-pound frame is one of his main goals.
“The Cavs have a great strength program going on, so my physicality… and just some of the high-level things that I might not know that rookies get adjusted to,” said Thomas on his focus for development.
Thomas shows promise as a three-point shooter who took steps forward as a defender last year. Those are two skills that every NBA team can use more of.
BALTIMORE, MD - JULY 01: Blaze Alexander #23 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates after the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Wednesday, July 1, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Olivia Vega/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Orioles did not get swept by the White Sox. They decided to try something different in the series finale, getting a good outing from the starting pitcher, a respectable amount of offense, and a clean game on defense. They would be higher up in the standings if they got this more often. On Wednesday afternoon, it was the recipe for a 6-1 victory to avoid the sweep. It’s better than if they’d lost, but there is, of course, a lot of work still to do.
Early in the game, the signs were there of this thing going in a different direction. Starting pitcher Dean Kremer returned from the injured list to make the start after an absence of nearly two and a half months. He allowed a home run on the second pitch he threw. The Orioles trailed immediately in the game, down 1-0 as soon as rookie leadoff man Sam Antonacci finished rounding the bases.
This did not turn out to be the start of a disastrous return for Kremer. He retired the next 11 batters he faced and, with a little help from his friends, even once that streak came to an end, he still kept the White Sox off the board. Kremer’s 11-in-a-row was interrupted with two outs in the fourth inning as outfielder Braden Montgomery came maybe one inch away from hitting a home run. Montgomery hit a fly ball that bounced off the back edge of the right-center field fence padding, close enough that the Sox insisted on a crew chief review to check if this was actually a home run. It wasn’t.
Kremer walked the next batter, Jacob Gonzalez. An ongoing problem for Orioles pitchers this year has been getting that last out to stop a two-out rally from getting out of hand. That was nearly the story again on Wednesday, as Chase Meidroth slashed a line drive the other way towards right field. Tyler O’Neill got a good jump, gave chase, and made a great diving catch to stop Chicago from adding on more runs. No, really, O’Neill did something good. More on that in a moment.
Chicago’s leadoff man reached in the fifth inning. That was Tristan Peters, who hit a single. Helpfully for the Orioles, the White Sox made the tactically poor decision to have shortstop Luisangel Acuña drop an attempted sacrifice bunt. Acuña wasn’t good at it, with Kremer throwing out Peters at second base. Acuña compounded his negative contribution by attempting to steal second base, during which he was thrown out as Adley Rutschman made an excellent throw. Rutschman has now thrown out 15 of 40 runners this year. That’s a 37.5% rate, absolutely elite stuff.
Through all of this, the Orioles offense mustered zero hits. They had nothing to show through the first four innings of the game except for three walks. Better to have the three walks than not, but still. Sheesh. Get some hits!
It was O’Neill who broke the no-hitter before anyone really had to start wondering, “Geez, what if this White Sox pitcher who brought an over 5 ERA into the game throws a no-hitter?” Noah Schultz, a recent top 30ish prospect in the game, also returned from the injured list for this start. Schultz is notable for being 6’10” but more relevant to facing the Orioles, is left-handed. That’s their curse this year.
Schultz threw O’Neill a sweeper that didn’t quite sweep enough. The Canada native did not miss on Canada Day, blasting a mammoth home run 430 feet to left field to tie the game at 1-1.
Within three batters, Schultz’s day was done. The last two he faced were Jackson Holliday and Blaze Alexander, who walked and singled, respectively. Chicago turned to reliever Bryan Hudson to stop the rally. Instead, the Orioles continued the conga line around the bases. Gunnar Henderson added a single to load the bases with one out. Another curse for the Orioles this year, at times, is performance with the bases loaded. Could they write a different story today?
The answer turned out to be yes. Following Henderson, Rutschman hit a line drive that went out to the outfield so fast that there was no opportunity for any runner to advance more than 90 feet. This gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead, one that, it turned out, would be enough to win the game. Thankfully, they kept scoring anyway. Taylor Ward added a sacrifice fly, after which Chicago changed pitchers again. The next reliever, Trevor Richards, brought home a fourth Orioles run as he hurled a wild pitch. You may note that this means the Orioles scored all three runners after first loading the bases with one out. They should try that more often.
Staked to a three-run lead, Kremer gave up a single to the first Sox batter he faced before retiring the next three in order. Though he wasn’t at a high pitch count, the Orioles did not push him beyond six innings in his first start back from the injured list. Kremer’s final line with 79 pitches thrown was six innings with one run allowed on four hits and a walk. Chicago did not score again after their first batter of the game.
Alexander delivered an RBI triple for the fifth Orioles run, and later on, Leody Taveras homered for the third time this season to set the score at its 6-1 final. The O’s had the same number of hits in the game as they did walks, and they made a good showing out of their scoring chances. As we know, this is not guaranteed this year.
Even though the Orioles had a five-run lead, they were warming up closer Ryan Helsley to pitch the ninth inning just to get him an inning of work to keep him from getting rusty. Helsley never made it into the game. His warmup tosses were shut down and MASN cameras showed him sitting back down in the bullpen, holding his right elbow area ominously. After the game, manager Craig Albernaz said there was elbow discomfort. Helsley will get checked out further. That’s a sour lingering taste from a nice win.
The 40-48 Orioles have a day off on Thursday before resuming their season in Cincinnati for a 4th of July weekend series against the Reds. Trevor Rogers and Brady Singer are currently listed as the scheduled starting pitchers for the 7:10 Friday opening game of the series.
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It has been a tradition for many years on Camden Chat to nominate a Most Birdland Player of the game after every victory. What does “Most Birdland” mean? Each person must search themselves and decide. In some cases, this is the game’s most valuable player. In other cases, it does not. Give us your pick in the comments below.
Nick Jensen's two-year run with the Ottawa Senators officially came to an end on the opening day of free agency Wednesday, as the veteran defenceman signed a two-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks worth an average annual value of $2.2 million.
Jensen arrived in Ottawa in the summer of 2024 after then-new general manager Steve Staios acquired him from the Washington Capitals in an effort to rebalance the Senators' blue line. Ottawa also received a third-round draft pick in the deal, but the price tag for the two assets was significant.
Steve Warne said earlier this week he believed that there's a 50/50 chance that Giroux leaves the Senators in free agency.
The Capitals landed Jakob Chychrun, who followed up the trade with back-to-back 20-goal seasons, including a 26-goal, 60-point campaign this year.
At the time, however, the 2024 trade made sense from Ottawa's perspective.
Chychrun was just one year away from unrestricted free agency, and with Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson already occupying the left side while carrying cap hits north of $8 million, it was difficult to justify keeping a third expensive left-shot defenceman.
But that didn't stop a lot of Senators fans from feeling like Ottawa had sold low. Even acknowledging that Jensen was a better roster fit, many believed Staios could have extracted more than Jensen and a third-round pick in return.
Early on, Jensen looked like exactly the type of steady, veteran presence the Senators had hoped for. The veteran brought a calming influence to Ottawa's top four and was a perfect fit alongside Chabot.
But injuries soon became a problem.
Jensen broke down near the end of his first season and underwent hip surgery in May of last year. Although he recovered in time for opening night this season, he never quite looked like the same player afterward. He managed just 61 games this past season, recording four goals and 13 assists before his year ended on injured reserve.
Both Jensen and the Ducks will be hoping a healthy offseason leads to a significant bounce-back campaign in Anaheim.
As for the Senators, Jensen and the third-rounder are both gone. But on its way out, that pick did help Ottawa land another asset back in March.
That selection was packaged with a second-round pick at this year's trade deadline to acquire forward Warren Foegele. That means the Senators aren't left completely empty-handed after moving Chychrun, even if the overall return remains one that many fans will continue to debate.
By Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published on The Hockey News Ottawa Senators site. For full coverage of the Senators, check out one of the latest headlines below:
Dube was signed for $850,000 for next season on a one-way contract, which means he gets paid that salary whether he's in the NHL or the American Hockey League. He played 58 games this past year for the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds after agreeing to a professional tryout in December with St. Louis' top minor league affiliate.
"We’ve gotten to know him a lot better through that time frame," said general manager Alexander Steen, who added the organization was well aware of the situation and spoke to coaches and teammates about how Dube was in Springfield.
“He wants to be a positive influence. He’s had a positive influence on (that team) or a positive impact,” he added. "He approaches it with a sincerity and humility. Since I got here in St. Louis, the organization has always been a second-chance organization and this is Dillon’s opportunity and we feel confident in giving it to him — to fight for a spot on our team next year.”
The 5-foot-11 winger who turns 28 on July 20 follows goaltender Carter Hart back into the league. Hart signed with Vegas in October and backstopped the Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final before losing to Carolina in six games.
The NHL in September reinstated Hart, Dube, Michael McLeod, Cal Foote and Alex Formenton, allowing them to play beginning Dec. 1. That came after a judge in London, Ontario, found them not guilty of sexual assault and McLeod additionally of a separate count of being a party to the offense.
McLeod in October signed a three-year contract to remain in the Russia-based KHL. Foote signed an AHL deal with the Chicago Wolves and played for them this past season. Formenton played in Switzerland.
