A stunning double from the summer signing Camilo Durán helped Celtic open up a commanding lead against Lask in their Champions League playoff. Benjamin Nygren also produced a superb finish to send Martin O’Neill’s side on their way to a 3-0 first-leg win over their Austrian opponents in Glasgow.
The visitors had two goals disallowed for offside and created chances throughout in an open encounter but Celtic were clinical as they continued their strong start to the season. Nygren has been at the heart of it with four goals and four assists in as many games and he opened the scoring in the 26th minute. The Swede readjusted his body to volley into the top corner from 20 yards after a weak clearance from Kieran Tierney’s cross.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have had a busy summer, as they have brought in many new players.
While this is the case, it is fair to argue that the Penguins should not be done yet. The left side of their blueline could use more depth, as they did not re-sign Ryan Shea and traded Parker Wotherspoon.
While many of this year's top free agents have been signed, there are still some interesting players looking for new homes in the middle of August. Among them is defenseman Logan Stanley, and he could be a nice pickup for a Penguins club that needs more blueline depth.
If the Penguins added Stanley, he would give them another intriguing option for their bottom pairing. He would also provide them with a shutdown defenseman for their penalty kill.
Furthermore, with it now getting closer to September, it is very likely that Stanley could be had at an affordable price. On a short-term deal, the 28-year-old blueliner could be a strong fit on the Penguins' roster.
Stanley played in 76 games last season split between the Winnipeg Jets and Buffalo Sabres, where he recorded nine goals, 17 assists, 26 points, and 128 penalty minutes. With numbers like these, the 6-foot-7 defenseman would be a solid depth pickup for Pittsburgh. Let's see if they pursue him from here.
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 13: Max Scherzer #31 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches in the first inning during a game against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre on August 13, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 18: Masyn Winn #0 of the St. Louis Cardinals loss on during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday, August 18, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Colten Strauss/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s game 4 of the St. Louis Cardinals 5-game series vs the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday evening as Matthew Liberatore will hopefully be the best version of himself as he’s the scheduled starter. The Reds will force Chase Burns onto the mound. First pitch is scheduled for 5:40pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Cardinals.tv.
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 29: Lakers' Jeanie Buss watches the game from the sidelines during the second quarter of game five of a Western Conference NBA playoff game against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Once again, we have a whole host of news, rumors and updates around the Buss family’s feud, Mark Walter and even a cameo from Shams Charania to defend himself against a claim from Jeanie Buss.
Could there be a way for the rest of the siblings to sell and Jeanie to remain as governor? That would require her finding a way to still own at least 15 percent of the shares, but it is possible. Per a league source, Jeanie would be open to exploring that scenario.
The first reaction to this is ‘Duh, of course Jeanie is open to it.’ The second reaction is that it feels like there is no chance the family is interested in selling those shares to Jeanie.
That said, we don’t know the siblings’ intentions. Perhaps they just want to cash out it doesn’t matter whether Jeanie gives them that money or Bob Iger and Josh Kushner do. Does Jeanie even have enough money to do that, though?
While this option is on the table, it doesn’t feel particularly likely.
The contract to keep Jeanie as governor
Another aspect of this is whether Iger and Kushner have an interest in even keeping Jeanie as governor. However, it might not be under their control.
In the same piece for The Athletic, Woike and Amick reported that the contract she signed with Mark Walter to remain governor for at least five years might be part of the deal for Iger and Kushner.
It’s fair to wonder how Iger and Kushner see this situation, with some wondering whether they’d want to choose a different governor simply because of the messiness of it all. But Walter’s choice to have Jeanie serve as governor for the next four years is known to be part of the contractual agreement from the sale 14 months ago, and a league source close to the situation indicated that it is now considered part of the deal with Iger and Kushner. In essence, if that proves to be the case, Iger and Kushner would be assuming Walter’s ownership role and the governor that comes with it.
If so, it makes sense why Jeanie is fighting so hard to maintain that 15% ownership stake. If she believes she’ll remain the governor no matter who owns the team, then her stance makes more sense.
It doesn’t make it any less desperate or annoying to watch as fans on the outside looking in, but at least there’s a little bit of logic to it.
Shams Charania fires back at Jeanie
One of the wilder strays of the letter from Jeanie’s lawyer was directed at Shams Charania of ESPN and his report on Monday morning that the Buss family would be selling their stake.
As you know, this afternoon, Shams Charania of ESPN falsely reported that the six Buss siblings voted to sell the 17.8% ownership stake in the Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, and that my client, Jeanie Buss, is “out” as controlling owner. This is just the latest instance of a years-long pattern whereby Joey and Jesse Buss leak false, defamatory and pernicious “information” to Mr. Charania for the malicious purpose of doing harm to the Los Angeles Lakers so long as Dr. Buss’s chosen successor, Jeanie Buss, carries out her father’s wishes.
That felt pretty far out of left field, but clearly there was some pent-up anger from Jeanie in this situation. On Tuesday, Charania appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” and defended his reporting on the matter.
Look, Shams’ method of reporting deserves criticism and I’m not going to be defending him. But I also think Jeanie throwing shots his way in this situation felt out of place, mean-spirited and just odd.
Mark Walter tried to take loans out against Lakers’ stake
Lastly, we have our daily “What crazy way did Mark Walter try to get money” update, this time being one that feels like it was serious.
Mark Walter held discussions with private investment giant Apollo Global Management about a multibillion-dollar loan against his Los Angeles Lakers stake, in a sign of the billionaire’s rush to raise cash this year.
The talks took place throughout the summer and continued until former Disney chief executive Bob Iger and venture capitalist Josh Kushner offered to buy Walter’s stake in the Lakers, according to people familiar with the matter.
The more we learn about Walter, the more it feels like the sale, when it came, was one of the better options on the table.
Heading into his third season in the NHL, San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini's accomplishments on the ice have been noticed by EA Sports.
Celebrini, 20, is going to be tied for the fifth-highest rated player in this year's iteration of the EA Sports NHL series, NHL 27, while also being featured on the cover. When the game releases early next month, Celebrini will have a 95 overall rating, which ties him with players like Sidney Crosby, Cale Makar, David Pastrnak, Aleksander Barkov, and others. Celebrini is tied for the fourth-highest rating for a center, behind Connor McDavid (99), Nathan MacKinnon (97), and Leon Draisaitl (96).
Celebrini wasn't the only member of the San Jose Sharks to have his rating released, as a total of nine Sharks have had their ratings revealed so far.
Will Smith is the second-highest rated Shark, with an 87 overall that puts him on par with players like Cutter Gauthier, Roope Hintz, Troy Terry, and numerous others. Darnell Nurse, Mason Marchment, Alexander Wennberg, Dmitry Orlov, and Jacob Trouba are all scheduled to start the game with an 85 overall.
Last but not least, veteran forward Tyler Toffoli and young goaltender Yaroslav Askarov will share a rating, as both are listed at 84 overall to start the year. Interestingly, Askarov is the only Shark so far without an "X-Factor ability" assigned to him.
The full list of Sharks rankings will be released when the game is available to the general public in September.
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 18: A general view of Progressive Field as Khristian Curtis #64 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday, July 18, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Sean Finucane/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The San Francisco Giants continue this three-game road series against the Cleveland Guardians this afternoon.
Getting the start for the Giants today, and making his major league debut, will be left-hander Matt Wilkinson. Wilkinson has a 3.40 ERA for the season in the minors, with 96 strikeouts to 31 walks in 90 innings pitched over 20 starts.
He’ll be facing off against Guardians left-hander Parker Messick, who enters today’s game with a 2.59 ERA, 3.25 FIP, with 142 strikeouts to 40 walks in 142.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Guardians’ 3-0 loss to the Detroit Tigers last Thursday, in which he allowed two runs on three hits with six strikeouts and two walks in five and two thirds innings.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - AUGUST 18: Christian Yelich #22 of the Milwaukee Brewers is congratulated by Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers after hitting a three run homer in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners at American Family Field on August 18, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers are going to attempt to follow up yesterday’s 22-0 historic thrashing of the Seattle Mariners. While it’s unlikely the scoring output will be similar, the Brewers are continuing to get closer to full strength on the offensive side.
The Brewers announced that they had activated shortstop Cooper Pratt from the IL prior to tonight’s game after dealing with a hamstring strain. Pratt is back in tonight’s starting lineup. To make room on the roster, the Brewers optioned outfielder Brandon Lockridge to Triple-A Nashville.
Lockridge’s option is a mild surprise, given he plays a different position, but with Joey Ortiz dealing with a twisted ankle that he suffered in last night’s game that the team is monitoring, it makes sense for the Brewers to want to keep Jonathan Ornelas on the roster for a few more days rather than designating him for assignment. Lockridge has options, Ornelas does not. With limited infield depth options in the minors, it’s the smart play.
Also on the injury front, Pat Murphy told reporters pregame that centerfielder Garrett Mitchell is dealing with a sore foot and they are holding him out of the lineup as a precaution.
On the mound, the Brewers will have Dustin May making his third start with the club following his trade deadline arrival. This will be May’s first night game start with Milwaukee. May’s been exceptional so far, with a 2.08 ERA in his two starts, covering 13 IP.
On the other side, the Mariners will have one of their best with right-hander Logan Gilbert. Gilbert has a 3.28 ERA on the season with a 9-7 record and 152 Ks. He’s been a consistent and reliable starter for a number of years now, including a 6th place AL Cy Young finish in 2024, when he led the league in innings pitches and WHIP. Christian Yelich, who homered last night, has a good history against Gilbert, with a pair of home runs in nine at-bats.
The Brewers lineup will feature a familiar top group with Brice Turang, Jackson Chourio, and Jake Bauers forming the top of the order. William Contreras, Christian Yelich, and Andrew Vaughn make up the middle of the order. Luis Lara gets the start in centerfield and bats seventh while Joey Ortiz and Cooper Pratt round out the bottom of the order. With Pratt’s return to his home at shortstop, Ortiz slides back over to third base.
The Mariners will make a few changes to their lineup after being shut out last night. Brendan Donovan, Randy Arozarena, and Dominic Canzone make up the top of the order. Julio Rodriguez, Josh Naylor, and Cole Young form the middle of the lineup. Cal Raleigh, Taylor Ward, and Brock Rodden will round out the bottom of Dan Wilson’s starting nine.
It’ll be a matchup of two pitchers who have had great seasons. It’ll be unlikely that there are 22 combined runs scored again, especially all from one team.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 12: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees pitches during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at Yankee Stadium on August 12, 2026 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I probably didn’t need to tell you this, but the 2026 AL East is shaping up to be one of the most competitive divisions in the history of baseball, particularly with the weakness of the rest of the American League. Entering Wednesday night, the last-place Orioles are 61-65, which would be just two games behind the AL West-leading Astros. No division has ever had five teams with a winning record, coming closest in 1991 with the Angels in the AL West and the 2005 Nationals in the NL East, both finishing exactly .500.
It’d be one thing if this were an outlier, but it isn’t. This will almost certainly be the fifth consecutive season without a 90-loss team in the AL East, with the rebuilding 2021 Orioles being the last ones to fit that criterion. In the last seven full seasons, only one other division has had a single season like this (NL Central, 2024), while the AL East is doing it for a fifth consecutive year. It shows, now more than ever, that there are no pushovers in these divisional games, so winning a series here just feels bigger than it would otherwise.
Looking to secure a series victory for the Yankees will be Will Warren, who got a new lease on life in the starting rotation after Max Fried’s potentially precautionary IL stint corresponded with Carlos Rodón’s return last night. Making his 25th start, Warren has pitched to a 4.42 ERA (95 ERA+) and 4.20 FIP in 118 innings. His struggles over the better part of two months have eliminated his great start and dragged him back to where he was statistically last season. Fortunately for Will, he’ll be facing a team he’s fared well against in 2026, allowing three runs in 12 innings with 15 strikeouts.
Recent Yankees nemesis Chris Bassitt continues his age-37 season tonight for the O’s in his first season with Baltimore after three years in Toronto. He’s struggled in 13 appearances and 11 starts this season, pitching to a 5.11 ERA (81 ERA+) and 4.65 FIP across 61.2 innings. He never faced the Yankees in the first six years of his career, but has dominated them across nine starts since 2021, pitching to a 2.06 ERA in 56.1 innings, although the results slightly improved last year.
Bassitt no longer has the stuff to generate whiffs and strikeouts, but has stayed serviceable through managing hard contact and barrels while keeping the ball on the ground. He’s able to do that with his seven-pitch mix that keeps hitters off balance, although he’s refined it more this year. He essentially only uses four of them against righties, throwing his sinker half the time, while using the curveball as his main secondary along with more cutter and changeup usage.
The red-hot Trent Grisham will lead off once again, followed by the usual three of Ben Rice, Luis García Jr., and Heliot Ramos. A bold strategy of using three straight high-strikeout bats then ensues with Jazz Chisholm Jr., Spencer Jones, and Ryan McMahon before George Lombard Jr. and Austin Wells round out the lineup. I guess a guy who strictly manages contact won’t exploit them as much?
Jackson Holliday leads off again for Baltimore with Pete Alonso flanking him. Gunnar Henderson bumps up to third in the order, followed by a returning Samuel Basallo at first base, the lefty-killing Coby Mayo, and Dylan Beavers. A pair of fallen prospects follow with Leody Taveras and Colton Cowser before former Yankee Carlos Narvaez rounds it out at the bottom.
How to watch
Location: Oriole Park at Camden Yards — Baltimore, MD
First pitch: 6:35 pm ET
TV broadcast: MASN, MLB Network (out-of-market only)
Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), 98 Rock 97.9 FM, WBAL 1090 AM
Online stream: Amazon Prime Video, MLB.tv (out-of-market only)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 12: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles hits a two-run home run in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 12, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Probable pitchers: RHP Chris Bassitt (4-4, 5.11 ERA, 40 Ks) vs. RHP Will Warren (8-6, 4.42 ERA, 117 Ks)
It’s been a small emotional rollercoaster for Orioles fans the last week. The high of winning the first three games in Tampa over the weekend was met with the lows of 1) losing a very winnable series finale vs. the Rays, followed by 2) wasting another Shane Baz gem with minimal run support in yesterday’s 3-1 loss to the Yankees. Now, Birdland gets another high, as Samuel Basallo returns to the lineup in Game 2 vs. New York.
The powerhouse young backstop has been out of the lineup since July 19th after injuring his shoulder on a hard swing with the Astros. After the sell-off at the trade deadline, the team Basallo returns to is very different. The goal is not, as the O’s still sit tantalizingly close to a Wild Card spot at just a game behind the Twins and Rangers.
Basallo will start at 1B for the first time all season, as Pete Alonso continues to DH after picking up an injury in Tampa. Coming back at home should make for a stronger return for the 22-year-old, as the rookie slugger is hitting .264 with a .815 OPS at Camden Yards this season.
The rejuvenated lineup will look to provide plenty of support for righty Chris Bassitt, who make his first start in Baltimore since coming off the IL last week. Bassitt was sharp Friday night vs. the Rays, limiting Tampa to two runs and five hits over 5.1 innings. It will be his first time taking on the Yankees as an Oriole, but Bassitt has typically fared well against the team from the Bronx. In nine career starts against the Yankees, the 37-year-old has a 2.06 ERA while holding New York to a .209 average.
Opposing Bassitt is 27-year-old right-hander Will Warren. The third-year starter is coming off a rough outing against the Mariners, having allowed 5 runs and 3 homers in 4 innings in a 10-5 Yankees win. Warren has been better against the Orioles, guiding the Yankees to two wins against Baltimore. In his first start against the O’s at Yankee Stadium, Warren put up a line of 6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB and 9 Ks. Eleven days later, he allowed 2 runs over 5.2 innings while striking out 6 Orioles at Camden Yards.
The Cincinnati Reds were shutout in yesterday’s 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals as their league-worst offense continues to be in a funk so deep even George Clinton is impressed. On Wednesday evening in Great American Ball Park, they’ll get to turn to ace Chase Burns with hopes that he can somehow hold the Cards to negative one runs allowed so they may actually have a chance to take home a win.
Veteran left-hander Matthew Liberatore will toe the rubber for St. Louis, and he’ll do so after having allowed 7 ER acrosss 10.1 IP in his two most recent starts. He sports a 5.07 ERA on the season and Cincinnati tagged him for 3 ER in 4.1 IP in a win back on June 6th, so maybe there’s some residual je ne sai quoi the team has going on with him on the mound.
Likely not, but if you’re actually reading this you’re probably inclined to hope for it anyway.
Cincinnati has stacked their lineup as best they can with righty swingers to take on the southpaw. Burns will chuck the game’s first pitch at 6:40 PM ET.
After the Mets were mowed down by Padres right-hander Michael King over the first three innings, Green, messing around, told the red-hot Benge that it was time to do something.
So with a man on and two outs, the youngster stepped to the plate and was sure to deliver.
After working the count full, Benge went with a 95 mph sinker on the outer-half of the zone, slicing it just inside the left-field foul pole for a go-ahead two-run homer.
The 23-year-old celebrated in the dugout, but was sure to let the skipper hear about it on his way out to right field in the top half of the inning, telling him, “I did something.”
“He has fun,” Green said postgame. “There’s something special about a kid that can handle what the world sees as a lot of pressure, and just can go out there and play the game and have fun, then the God-given talent shows up.”
That talent has been on display plenty of times of late for Benge.
The blast was his 15th of the year, which put him along with the legendary Darryl Strawberry as the only two rookies in franchise history to hit as many while also swiping 15+ bases in a season.
He’s also hitting .272, has driven in 51 runs, and has racked up a .752 OPS through 122 games.
“I feel good,” Benge said. “I feel in a good spot, feel like I’m on time on just about every pitch and seeing the ball really well up there, so I think that it’s a good place to be.”
The Cubs lost to the White Sox 3-0 on a gorgeous Wednesday afternoon, and the “gorgeous” part is about the only good thing I can say about the afternoon… with the offense disappearing, I am reduced to paraphrasing Jimmy Buffett lyrics for a headline.
And come on. José Urquidy? A guy the Sox picked up four weeks ago from the Pirates for a minor leaguer and who had entered this game with an 8.10 ERA and 2.200 WHIP in six games between the Pirates and Sox this year, with 20 hits allowed in 10 innings? THAT guy shuts the Cubs lineup down?
Where did that come from? Cubs hitters were utterly baffled in six innings thrown by Urquidy after Sean Newcomb — ex-Cub who had an ERA over 9 when he was a North Sider — shut them out for two innings.
So it really didn’t matter what Cubs pitching did, since the Cubs had only two hits, an infield single by Tyrone Taylor in the fourth and a double by Taylor leading off the sixth. The latter was just about the only chance the Cubs had to score. They were down only 1-0 at the time, runner in scoring position, nobody out.
As you can see, Braden Montgomery made a perfect throw and had Taylor by quite a bit. Still, it was ill-considered. You’re still in scoring position with Seiya Suzuki and Alex Bregman due up. Instead, now there’s nobody on base and two out.
Sigh.
Clay Holmes threw a decent 5.2 innings, allowing six hits and two walks and one run, getting 10 outs by ground ball. It just wasn’t quite good enough to win this game.
Ryan Rolison got touched up for two runs in the eighth that put the game completely out of reach, but really, it was out of reach at 1-0. The Cubs offense simply got shut down. It happens.
I do want to show you three nice defensive plays made by the Cubs.
I have a couple of notes for you from BCB’s JohnW53. First, a Cubs vs. Sox note:
This was the 12th time the Cubs have been shut out in their 158 regular-season games vs. the White Sox.
It was the sixth at Wrigley Field. The others were by 5-0 in 2009, 1-0 in 2011, 6-0 in 2012, 1-0 in 2012 and 4-0 on Aug. 7, 2021 — the last at home or on the road before today.
The Cubs finished with two hits in a 7-0 loss on the South Side on June 6, 2012, and with three in a 6-0 loss on the road on June 25, 2010, and the 1-0 loss at home on July 10, 2015.
The Cubs have blanked the Sox six times. The fewest hits they allowed were five, in a 1-0 win on June 13, 2010 — their only shutout at Wrigley.
And then there’s this, making this game unique in Cubs history:
This was the first of the Cubs’ 19,641 regular-season games since 1901 in which they had exactly two hits, both by the No. 9 hitter in their order.
It was the 1,298th game in which the No. 9 hitter made two hits.
It was the 230th in which the Cubs made exactly two hits, and the 134th of those in which they were shut out.
And hey, like I said, it was a beautiful summer day, which is worth noting in Chicago because we have had the rainiest summer I can remember in quite some time.
These kinds of games happen. As Kyle Hendricks used to say, “Flush this one and move on.”
The Cubs will move on to Seattle after an off day Thursday. At this writing neither the Cubs nor Mariners have listed a starting pitcher for Friday’s series opener, but I’d think the Cubs likely go with Matthew Boyd. As always, we await developments.
Game time Friday is 9:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
The Golden Knights are ready to gray-cefully move on.
One of the most recognizable looks in Vegas Golden Knights history is about to take a step into the past, with the franchise preparing to remove its traditional gray sweaters from the regular-season rotation and make room for a brand-new alternate look.
Vegas will still have its metallic gold home jerseys and white road uniforms, but the upcoming season will bring a third option to the lineup through the NHL’s new Hometown Remix initiative.
The program, developed in collaboration with Fanatics, is designed to give teams an opportunity to create uniforms that are more closely connected to their cities, their fans and the culture surrounding each franchise.
For the Golden Knights, that means a fresh sweater is coming — although the NHL and Fanatics are keeping the details under wraps for now. More information about the collection is expected to be revealed in the coming months.
The initiative also carries some significance for Fanatics. Hometown Remix is the company’s first uniform program since becoming the NHL’s official on-ice uniform outfitter in 2024 under a 10-year agreement with the league.
While Vegas’ new sweater will eventually take its place alongside the team’s gold and white jerseys, the old gray design won’t disappear completely.
Instead, the gray sweaters will be reclassified as throwbacks, giving the Golden Knights a chance to preserve one of the looks that helped define the franchise during its early years.
And considering how aggressively Vegas has embraced its identity since entering the NHL, the next chapter of the Golden Knights’ wardrobe could be just as bold as the franchise itself.
What do the fans think of the new jerseys? Your opinion is valuable to us. Let us know. The new season is about to begin! Training camp is nearly upon us.
The Philadelphia Flyers officially added another depth forward Wednesday, confirming some widely-reported news from the beginning of free agency.
Former first-round pick Nolan Foote, 25, joins the Flyers after spending the 2025-26 season in the Florida Panthers organization. The winger appeared in 12 NHL games with the banged-up Panthers last year, scoring one goal, while spending the majority of the season with the AHL Charlotte Checkers.
In 54 games with Charlotte, Foote recorded 14 goals, 18 assists, and 32 points, which is more or less in line with his previous campaigns in the offense department.
So, while Foote hasn't quite taken a step forward, he has an established floor, size, and a hard shot that he can and will put to use, even if the end result comes sparingly.
That floor is the primary appeal of the signing for the Flyers, who get a still-young player with NHL experience who can fill in for Denver Barkey and Alex Bump, as they are presumably going to graduate to the NHL level full-time in 2026-27.
The 6-foot-3 Foote was originally selected by Tampa Bay with the 27th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, but was later traded to the New Jersey Devils organization as the centerpiece of the Blake Coleman trade and spent five seasons there.
Foote's most productive NHL season was the 2021-22 season with the Devils, when he tallied three times in just seven games and added an assist.
The Denver, Colorado, native has not expanded on his game, however, as he has not grown into a reliable penalty-killer, something most fringe players need to do to take the next step in their pro careers.
Foote has the size, but he is not especially physical, nor is he fast, and that is why the Flyers have become his fourth stop since being drafted seven years ago.
For the 25-year-old Foote, it's a new opportunity to establish himself as a full-time NHL player.
He remains young enough to conceivably take a big but unexpected leap, but his immediate path to the Flyers' NHL lineup will depend on his performance in training camp and the preseason, as well as an injury opening up a place for him.
The Flyers have been surprisingly active in adding depth pieces this offseason, and Foote now joins that group in preparation for the rapidly approaching 2026-27 campaign.
