Where does the College Football Playoff field stand? We've only just sniffed crazy in the first half of the college football season.
These 5 MLB teams have never won the World Series
These 5 MLB teams have never won the World Series originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The World Series has been around for more than 120 years, but some teams are still waiting for their chance to lift the Commissioner’s Trophy.
Teams like the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox and Athletics have been crowned champions plenty of times in their history. Other teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals and, most recently, the Texas Rangers have gotten their first taste of World Series glory in the 21st century.
Several teams are still chasing their first championship in 2025, though. Could this be the year that another first-time champion joins the club?
Let’s look at the MLB teams that have never won a World Series title:
Which MLB teams have never won the World Series?
After the Rangers won their first title in 2023, there are still five MLB organizations have never won the World Series — including two that are still alive in the 2025 postseason.
- Milwaukee Brewers*
- Seattle Mariners*
- San Diego Padres
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Colorado Rockies
Milwaukee and Seattle are both seeking their first World Series as they battle in the NLCS and ALCS, respectively. If they can both advance to the World Series, we will be guaranteed to have a first time winner.
MLB teams with multiple World Series appearances but no titles
Two of the teams that have never won the World Series have played in it multiple times.
Among the teams without a title, the Rays have the most recent World Series appearance. Tampa Bay made its World Series debut in 2008 and lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. It got back to the World Series in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Then there are the San Diego Padres. The team reached the World Series for the first time in 1984 and got back in 1998. The Padres made it to the NLCS in 2022, but it was the Phillies that reached the Fall Classic thanks to a gentleman’s sweep. The last two years have ended with losses in the NLDS (2024) and NL Wild Card (2025).
MLB teams with one World Series appearance but no title
The Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies each have one World Series appearance under their belts.
Milwaukee’s came in 1982, back when it was in the American League. The Brewers took a 3-2 series lead over the Cardinals before dropping Games 6 and 7 in St. Louis. Now, the Brewers are seeking their first World Series appearance in 43 years as they face the Dodgers in the 2025 NLCS. Their closest call to making it back came on the same stage against the Dodgers in 2018 when they lost in Game 7 of the NLCS.
The Rockies stormed into the 2007 World Series after sweeping their way through the NLDS and NLCS. They got a taste of their own medicine in the World Series, though, as the Red Sox broke out the brooms in four games. Colorado has won just one postseason game since clinching the 2007 NL pennant, and it hasn’t finished above .500 in a season since 2018.
MLB teams with no World Series appearances
The World Series has never taken place in Seattle — but that could be changing in 2025.
The Mariners are the only MLB team that has yet to reach the Fall Classic, though they have come close.
The team reached the ALCS three times from 1995 to 2001. The 2001 ALCS defeat at the hands of the Yankees came after the Mariners tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs with an MLB-record 116 regular season wins. Their closest calls came in 1995 and 2000, when they lost in six games.
Reaching the playoffs, let alone the World Series, has been a struggle ever since. Seattle went through a 20-year playoff drought before clinching a berth in 2022, where it won a Wild Card Series over the Toronto Blue Jays before getting swept by the Astros in the ALDS. Now, they’ll have to defeat the Blue Jays again in the 2025 ALCS to make their Fall Classic debut.
An earlier version of this story was published in October 2023.
Given the wheel, Brandin Podziemski aces preseason test in Warriors' loss
Given the wheel, Brandin Podziemski aces preseason test in Warriors' loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Brandin Podziemski is yearning to prove he is the player Warriors coach Steve Kerr says he is and, therefore, would like to silence some of the critical chatter thrown his way by outside personnel evaluators, particularly those on social media.
With Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler III out Sunday night, Kerr handed the offense to the youngsters. To Podziemski, with Jonathan Kuminga as his primary tag-team partner. It was an audition of sorts, to see how the offense would perform without the usual producers.
While Kuminga’s performance in a 126-116 preseason loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles was equal parts grand and ghastly, Podziemski aced the test.
“He was great,” Kerr told reporters at Crypto.com Arena. “He’s been really aggressive throughout camp. I know he didn’t score particularly well in the first two games, but this is more like what he’s looked like in practice and scrimmages. Super aggressive, very confident with his shot, moving the ball …
“He just has a good feel and a good flow, a good pace to his game. He was definitely aggressive and playing at a high level. I think he knew without Steph and Jimmy, he needed to be more aggressive.”
Starting at point guard in place of Curry, Podziemski delivered a team highs points (23) on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, including 3 of 7 from distance and assists (eight), while tying for second in rebounds (five).
Of the 13 Warriors who played at least eight minutes, Podziemski was one of two to post positive plus/minus numbers. Playing a team-high 26 minutes, he committed two turnovers yet finished with a team-best plus-6, with Gary Payton II submitting a plus-5.
Podziemski was the catalyst in the Warriors’ terrific third quarter, when, they outscored LA 39-27, trimming the 17-point halftime deficit (63-46) to five (90-85). He scored 14 points in 10 minutes, with 6-of-8 shooting from the floor, including 2 of 4 from beyond the arc. He added three assists and one steal.
It was the purpose with which Podziemski moved that stood out. He has reduced his wasted motion and maintained focus on the task of coordinating the squad. Only one of his 16 field-goal attempts was a blatantly forced.
“Just have (to have) an understanding of who’s out, who I’ve got on the floor with me, what I’ve got to do as a point guard to make sure everybody gets their touches – but also play within myself,” Podziemski said. “I think I did a good job of evenly distributing the load throughout the guys I was out there with.”
Podziemski’s development is crucial to Golden State achieving its goal of making a strong start to the season. Though De’Anthony Melton is projected as the eventual starter in the backcourt alongside Curry, he’s still post-surgery rehab and could miss the first month, if not more. Moses Moody, another candidate, did not play Sunday and will sit the final two preseason games while nursing soreness in his left calf.
The job, then, will fall into the hands of Podziemski, a lesser defender than the either Melton or Moody, but perhaps possessing a more comprehensive set of skills of offense.
“I can’t say that yet,” Kerr said when asked about the possibility of Podziemski as a starter. “We’ve got to see where we are. Brandon’s going to play a ton. He’s a hugely important player for us. But the starting lineup, frankly, is a little tricky for us, given the pieces and (Al Horford’s) age.
Horford remains a likely starter, but only Draymond Green, Butler and Curry are locked into the lineup. Kerr and his staff still are studying the best ways to manage the minutes of the 39-year-old center.
“If Al were a little younger, he’d be in the starting lineup for sure,” Kerr said. “But if he’s playing limited minutes, it’s tougher to start him and finish the game. If he’s not playing as many minutes as he would have a few years ago. So, we still have a lot to think about. But Brandon is going to be a huge part of it one way or the other.”
With Kuminga joining Podziemski in the starting lineup against the Lakers, the offense spent the first half looking like a unit that introduced to each other on Sunday morning. The most spectacular highlight was a left-handed transition dunk by Kuminga, but he committed turnovers in 15 first-half minutes, as the Warriors gifted LA 12 points off 14 Golden State turnovers before halftime.
“We had too many turnovers; he had a couple of them,” Kerr said. “We’ll have to look at the tape, but it felt like our spacing wasn’t great on some of those turnovers. But 14 as a team in the first half, you can’t recover from that. We’ve got to clean that up.
“But that was the whole team.”
In addition to Kuminga’s five first-half turnovers, Green committed three and Buddy Hield was charged with two.
Podziemski? He had one in the half, two in the game. If that becomes the norm, he’ll be hard to keep out of the team’s first seven. On a roster with such advanced age at the top, there must be a place for productive, youthful energy.
NBA Fantasy Basketball Busts 2025-26: Players to Fade in 9-Category Leagues
Drafting the right players can make or break your fantasy basketball season, but knowing who to avoid is equally crucial. As we head into the 2025-26 NBA season, several big-name players carry significant bust potential despite their attractive ADPs. From injury concerns to reduced roles, these five NBA stars could derail your fantasy roster if you're not careful.
2025 Fantasy Basketball Busts
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers 
(ADP 22)
News broke Thursday that James (sciatica) is going to miss the start of the regular season. It will mark the first time in his career that he will not be ready for a season opener. Injuries weren't a major issue for him last season, with him playing 70 games and averaging 35 minutes. He turned that hefty workload into averages of 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.1 three-pointers per game.
It's not a decline in production that makes James someone to consider fading. He will turn 41 years old in December and is coming off back-to-back seasons in which he appeared in at least 70 games. The Lakers have needed him to play a ton based on their past roster construction, but they don't have the same issues this year. Luka Doncic can carry the load whenever James is out, and the Lakers have a good overall supporting cast that includes Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton. They also improved their depth with the additions of Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia. James' main goal is to be healthy for what he hopes will be a deep playoff run. Given his age, expect him to be very cautious with any injuries that come up. Even when he's healthy, he could see added rest days, especially down the stretch. He's too risky to be a second or third round pick in fantasy.
Josh Hart, New York Knicks 
(ADP 55)
Hart was a breakout star for those who drafted him last season. He provided excellent all-around production, averaging 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 three-pointers. He also shot 52.5% from the field, which was up from 43.4% the season prior. Many fantasy managers were able to select him outside the top 100 in their leagues, making him one of the best values of the season.
Things could be very different for Hart this season. Tom Thibodeau was a very fantasy-friendly coach, often riding his starters heavy minutes. Hart was no exception, as he averaged 38 minutes while playing 77 games. Thibodeau is gone and has been replaced by Mike Brown. The Knicks have also improved their bench, bringing in Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele and Malcolm Brogdon. Hart could even lose his starting job to Mitchell Robinson, who missed most of last season while battling injury. In what could end up being a drastic decline in playing time, Hart is difficult to justify selecting this early in drafts.
Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets 
(ADP 67)
The Nuggets needed to make some moves to improve their cap situation and add depth. Their lack of talent on the bench was a big problem last season and contributed to them being ousted from the playoffs. In order to make bench additions, the Nuggets traded Porter to the Nets in a deal that landed them Cameron Johnson. Denver then used their cap flexibility to add Bruce Brown, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Jonas Valanciunas.
Porter goes from being the number three or four option on the Nuggets to being a leading man with Cam Thomas on the Nets. An increased usage rate should help his scoring upside. However, Porter now finds himself on a rebuilding team that is filled with rookies. The Nets aren't likely to make a run for a playoff spot, so we could see Porter rested down the stretch. Even if Porter gets off to a hot start with his new squad, he might not be able to maintain it.
Jordan Poole, New Orleans Pelicans 
(ADP 73)
After struggling in his first campaign with the Wizards, Poole bounced back to average 20.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.5 three-pointers last season. On the downside, he shot just 43.2% from the field and averaged 3.0 turnovers. He changed teams yet again this offseason, being moved to the Pelicans in a trade that sent C.J. McCollum to the Wizards.
Poole now finds himself part of a much more talented roster that includes Zion Williamson and Trey Murphy III. That might make it difficult to maintain his 29.0% usage rate from last year. Dejounte Murray (Achilles) could also return around January, which could throw a wrinkle into Poole's playing time. Don't be surprised if Poole's scoring numbers take a significant hit this season.
Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers 
(ADP 77)
It couldn't have gone much worse for George during his first season with the 76ers. Injuries limited him to just 41 games. When he was on the floor, he wasn't very effective. He averaged only 16.2 points, breaking his streak of nine straight seasons in which he averaged at least 21.5 points. He also shot just 43.0% from the field. On the bright side, he did chip in 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 2.3 three-pointers per game.
While George is generally being drafted outside the top 75 this season, he's still someone to consider fading. His injury concerns are nothing new, as he has played more than 56 games in a season just one time since he left the Thunder following the 2018-19 campaign. He is currently dealing with a knee injury that could impact him at the start of the season. It's difficult to have much faith in the 35-year-old remaining healthy.
Norris as Senna and Piastri as Prost? No, but McLaren must hope title is settled on track | Giles Richards
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri argued over events in Singapore and their team have to be careful it doesn’t continue in the title run-in
McLaren and Formula One could do with anything decisive in the championship battle between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri being decided on the track and without reference to the pit wall as the title run-in begins at the Circuit of the Americas on Friday.
With the Singapore Grand Prix’s doubtless extensive and tense debriefs dealt with, McLaren will be hoping for a reset. Norris was almost certainly more than aware of the historical context of his riposte to his aggrieved teammate at the last grand prix weekend. In a fiercely contested title fight with the Australian, that Norris invoked one of Ayrton Senna’s most famous sentiments was lost on no one but the incident that provoked his comment was of an entirely different nature to those that defined the Brazilian’s great rivalries.
Continue reading...Raleigh homers, Polanco drives in 2 runs and Mariners beat Blue Jays 3-1 in ALCS opener
TORONTO (AP) — Bryce Miller overcame a shaky first inning and gave the tired Seattle Mariners the start they needed in the AL Championship Series opener.
Miller pitched six sharp innings, Jorge Polanco hit a go-ahead single in the sixth and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in 24 years.
“The year, personally, didn’t go how I had planned and how I had hoped for but we’re in the ALCS and I got to go out there and set the tone,” Miller said. “I felt great.”
Seattle slugger Cal Raleigh added a tying solo home run, his second homer of the postseason after leading the major leagues with 60 in the regular season.
“That was a big lift,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said of Raleigh’s drive in a two-run sixth.
George Springer homered on the first pitch from Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning.
Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast Detroit over 15 innings.
“The job Bryce Miller did tonight was phenomenal,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “After that first inning, he went into a different gear. You saw him getting ahead, using all his stuff.”
Miller, the winner, struck out three and walked three in six innings, throwing 76 pitches. The three relievers each had eight-pitch, 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
Raleigh tied the score in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 games at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the postseason before Raleigh’s homer.
“I was trying to get bat on ball, really just trying to put something in play,” Raleigh said, wearing a T-shirt with the words: “JOB’S NOT FINISHED.” “I didn’t want to punch out again.”
Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and added an RBI single in the eighth.
“He’s been huge from both sides of the plate,” Raleigh said .
AL West champion Seattle traveled to AL East winner Toronto on Saturday after a 3-2 home victory over the Tigers on Friday to win the Division Series, the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Seattle, the only MLB team to never host a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the New York Yankees.
“We’re a really good offense,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Today it just didn’t work out.”
Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 9 for 17 with three homers and nine RBIs against the Yankees but finished 0 for 4 Sunday with three groundouts.
“This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the career list.
Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who took the loss.
“Up to that point, I’d been throwing the ball really well and had the game right there,” Gausman said. “This one’s on me.”
Gausman allowed two runs and three hits in 5 2/3 innings.
“Great hitters capitalize on mistakes,” Schneider said. “That split from Kev just kind of leaked back over the middle a little bit.”
Raleigh hit a one-out single off Gausman in the first and advanced to third on Julio Rodríguez’s base hit but was thrown out at the plate by third baseman Addison Barger on Polanco’s grounder.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who had chased Gausman with a two-out walk.
Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall against Louis Varland in the seventh. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning. Schneider said X-rays were negative and said Lukes might return Monday.
Up next
Blue Jays RHP Trey Yesavage will start Game 2 on Sunday afternoon. In his fourth big league appearance and first postseason start, Yesavage set a Blue Jays postseason record by striking out 11 Yankees in 5 1/3 hitless innings in Division Series Game 2 on Oct. 4. RHP Logan Gilbert will start for the Mariners, two days after throwing 34 pitches over two innings of relief.
JJ Redick isn't overly concerned about the Lakers' on-court chemistry
The question caused Lakers coach JJ Redick to say he was “not being combative" with his answer.
Asked if the Lakers are missing opportunities to practice more and build on-court chemistry because of their busy six-game preseason slate, Redick was quick to wonder why reporters were so concerned about the situation.
“You guys are really harping on this,” Redick responded.
So, Redick was asked, is it a thing or is it not a thing?
“I’m not being combative right now,” Redick said. “I just want to acknowledge that you guys, like the last four days, like it’s becoming a little bit obsessive with all these questions about opportunities lost. So, I will answer it again. These are the cards that we were dealt. I sure would like everybody to be healthy.”
Making the most out of the situation, the Lakers held off the Golden State Warriors 126-116 Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena despite not playing with LeBron James (sciatica), Luka Doncic and Marcus Smart (Achilles tendinopathy).
Redick said the plan is for Smart to “get two games [in] this week.”
Read more:LeBron James to miss Lakers' opening game because of sciatica issue
The Lakers have three remaining preseason games: Tuesday at Phoenix, Wednesday at Las Vegas against the Dallas Mavericks and Friday against the visiting Sacramento Kings — four games over a six-day span.
Redick was reminded that the Lakers as an organization have chosen to play six preseason games — the maximum allowed by the NBA.
“It’s something to be discussed I think going forward,” Redick said. “I think it’s awesome. I really do because we got to play in Palm Springs and I think it’s awesome that we get to play in Vegas and I recognize that there’s Lakers fans all over the world that maybe don’t get the chance to see us play.
"You hope that we can find some sort of balance in the future to get more practice time, less travel time. I’m sure at some point we’ll be one of the teams going overseas, so then that adds another scenario."
Redick did say for training camp purposes, practice tends to be more helpful in team building than preseason games.
“I think more practices would be beneficial," Redick said. “I do think the exposure to a game situation and playing against an opponent is very beneficial. You don’t have a lot of days anymore and to try to cram six games in there [and] four games in six nights, it’s significantly difficult.”
Against the Warriors on Sunday, Austin Reaves (21 points), Dalton Knecht (16), Rui Hachimura (16) and Deandre Ayton (14 points, eight rebounds, five assists) were on top of their games.
For Ayton, who was six for eight from the field and had a blocked shot, his joy came from the fans cheering him on. Sure, it was only a preseason game, but Ayton loved the vibe and the positive energy he felt.
It was Ayton’s first time playing at Crypto.com Arena since he signed a two-year, $16.6-million deal with the Lakers.
“It hit me in the whole arena today just hearing the fans and everybody cheering,” Ayton said. “It was kind of an unusual sound other than boos. ... It was everybody showing love and welcoming me to L.A. I played so freely and I had a lot of fun."
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Ben Kindel's First NHL Goal Resembled Another Penguins' Cup Legend
For those who are unaware, Pittsburgh Penguins' 18-year-old forward Ben Kindel scored his first NHL goal Saturday against the New York Rangers.
The goal came on a scorching long-range wrister from the right side on the rush, and Kindel was flying. In fact, he resembled another Penguins' Stanley Cup legend who was also known for scoring goals and blowing past team defenses.
Kindel wears 81. That other guy - Phil Kessel - wore 81, too.
Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) on XBEN KINDEL HAS HIS FIRST NHL GOAL! 🐧Does Kindel remind you of Kessel? Let us know what you think below.
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It's Only Been Three Games. But Kindel And Brunicke Should Be In Pittsburgh To Stay.
Going into Pittsburgh Penguins' training camp this season, it's safe to say that most folks did not have 2025 11th overall pick Ben Kindel making the NHL roster out of the gate.
Defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke? Maybe, but even that was a huge question mark. The Penguins had four right-side defenseman with NHL experience penciled in to crack the roster, even if Brunicke had already impressed the Penguins' organization during his 2024 camp.
But, against all odds, both teenagers did make the NHL roster out of training camp and earned at least a nine-game trial with the big club.
Brunicke, 19, registered his first NHL goal Thursday in a 4-3 win against the New York Islanders, which was a beautiful wrist shot through a screen from the slot. Kindel, 18, scored his in the very next game - a 6-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday - which was a Phil Kessel-esque long-range wrister from the right wing off the rush.
Both players have one goal and are a plus-1 after three NHL games. Both have shown improvement with each passing pre-season and regular season game. And both players could be sent back to the Western Hockey League (WHL) before their respective entry-level contracts kick in at Game No. 10.
Three games in, it is already looking like they no longer belong in junior hockey. Now, they're making a very strong case to stick around for good.
It's important to note that Kindel and Brunicke are not a package deal. One has an additional year of seasoning in junior hockey, they play different positions and fill different needs for this Penguins' team, and they are at different places in their development, even if they are both showing well in the early parts of the season.
On A Night Of Firsts, Penguins Defeat Islanders, 4-3It was a night of firsts for several Pittsburgh Penguins' players in Thursday's home opener against the New York Islanders.
For one, there is a size factor to consider, even if it should not be the deciding factor in terms of whether a player stays or goes. Brunicke is 6-foot-3, 201 pounds, while Kindel is 5-foot-11, 181 pounds. Development also looks different for forwards and defensemen. Oftentimes, it takes longer for defensemen to fully develop and settle into their NHL roles.
There is a very real possiblity that only one of them - even none of them - will stay in the NHL beyond nine games this season. There are players set to come off of injured reserve, including forwards Kevin Hayes and Rutger McGroarty, at some point. Hayes made the road trip to Southern California, meaning there is a chance he will play sometime this week.
For Hayes to be activated, someone has to go - whether that's Hayes himself or someone else - as the Penguins are at their full 23-man roster capacity. With Ville Koivunen already optioned back to the AHL level, that means that no one on the roster is waiver-exempt aside from Kindel and Brunicke, neither of which are AHL-eligible and must be sent back to their junior teams.
If they are sent back to their junior teams, they must remain there until the end of their respective junior seasons. And something about that just doesn't seem fair to either player.
Youth Movement Cultivating Fresh Identity For PenguinsOn Thursday night against the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins' rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke became the first teenager to score a goal for the Penguins since Daniel Sprong in 2015.
Brunicke is already proving to be one of the Penguins' best-six defensemen, and he's probably not at the bottom of that list, either. His skating is a marvel to watch, and his hockey sense - especially his offensive instincts - is impressive for a teenage blueliner. He does still have some room for improvement as far as his decision-making in the defensive zone, but those reads will come with more experience at the NHL level.
Quite simply, there is nothing left for him to learn in junior hockey. His development, at this point, is best-served to happen at the NHL level this season, even if he doesn't play in all 82 games. There is a lot of value in him being taken under the wing of veterans like Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang and learning from them, especially since he has a high degree of offensive upside.
Things aren't much different for Kindel on the forward front. He has been centering the third line - primarily with Tommy Novak and Filip Hallander on his wings - and he doesn't look a touch out of pace. Kindel's hockey smarts are off the charts, and his reads are already up to NHL speed. He's winning battles on the walls, he's beating guys to pucks, and he is finding and creating the space to generate chances - both in the offensive zone and transitioning out of the defensive zone.
Yes, Kindel could return to the Calgary Hitmen for a year and dominate the league. His 35 goals and 99 points in 65 games were second only to Michael Misa in CHL scoring among 2025 draft-eligible forwards last season. But, if he's already miles ahead of his junior competition - and has already proven capable of measuring up to NHL competition - is there any real benefit for his development in sending him back, especially if they can manage Kindel's workload in a similar way to Brunicke's?
Honestly, a large part of whatever decisions Kyle Dubas and company make with regards to these players may come down to whether or not they're comfortable allowing either or both players' three-year contract timelines to begin this season. But, even still, is that worth potentially stunting their development if they are indeed ready to compete at the NHL level?
One thing is for certain: This Western road trip is a critical one for both players. There's still a small possibility that one or both of them could take a step back in the next three games, which could make any decisions a bit easier for the Penguins.
But if they continue to trend upward, those decisions will almost certainly be made harder. It would be the easier path for the Penguins to simply pull the plug on one or both instead of placing veterans on waivers in order to make way for the teenage rookies to stick around, especially since there are other, slightly older prospects who are probably deserving of a shot at the NHL roster as well.
In this case, the Penguins should take the hard path. If this team is truly keen on prioritizing youth and development at the NHL level this season, they are at a place where they need to show a culture shift, let the kids play, and figure out the rest.
After all - so far - they've earned their stay.
Mike Sullivan's Time In Pittsburgh Deserves To Be CelebratedIf folks have been keeping tabs on the Pittsburgh Penguins for the last year and a half, they very well know that the organization is going through a plethora of change.
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Two Injured Penguins Players Going On California Trip
The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a couple of their injured players with them this week in California.
Defenseman Kris Letang, who left during the third period of Saturday's game against the New York Rangers, will be on the road trip. He's currently day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
Forward Kevin Hayes, who suffered an injury at the begginng of training camp after taking a big hit along the boards from defenseman Ryan Graves, will also be on the road trip. Hayes has been skating recently and could rejoin the team for practice as he continues to recover.
Per Dan Muse, injured forward Kevin Hayes and defenseman Kris Letang will travel with the team for it[s upcoming three-game road trip.
— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) October 12, 2025
Hayes is in his second season as a Penguin and finished the 2024-25 season with 13 goals and 23 points in 64 games. He was acquired from the St. Louis Blues after he spent only one season with them (2023-24).
The Penguins are 2-1-0 to start the 25-26 season and will face the Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks this week before heading back to Pittsburgh. The first game of the three-game trip will be on Tuesday against the Ducks.
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Carter Gordon returns to Wallabies squad after early end to NRL stint
Former Gold Coast Titan flyhalf lured back by Rugby Australia
Coach Joe Schmidt selects 34 players for Tests starting 25 October
Carter Gordon could be the Wallabies’ flyhalf again by the end of the month after securing a release from his NRL deal to be part of Australia’s spring tour.
The 24-year-old’s move to the Queensland Reds was confirmed on Monday after Rugby Australia secured a release from the second and final year of his Gold Coast contract.
Continue reading...Rangers fall 1-0 to Capitals as Charlie Lindgren makes 35 saves
NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Beauvillier scored in the second period, Charlie Lindgren stopped 35 shots, and the Washington Capitals beat the New York Rangers 1-0 on Sunday night.
Beauvillier’s tip-in of a shot by Alex Ovechkin with 6:13 left in the middle period beat Rangers goalie Jonathan Quick and held up as the Capitals won for the second time in two nights. Washington defeated the Islanders 4-2 on Saturday at UBS Arena.
The goal was the first this season for the 28-year-old Beauvillier, who is playing for his sixth NHL team. Defenseman Declan Chisholm also had an assist, his first point with Washington in his 100th career game.
It was the 10th career shutout for Lindgren, making his first start this season.
The assist was the 728th of Ovechkin’s career. The 40-year-old forward entered his 21st NHL campaign with 897 goals, most in NHL history. Ovechkin is six games shy of becoming the eighth player to play 1,500 games with one franchise.
Lindgren made a sprawling glove save on Mika Zibanejad early in the second period, then stopped Sam Carrick with his stick from in close nine minutes into the period. He made 13 saves in each of the first two periods and nine more in the third, including a point-blank chance by Will Cuylle with 1:16 left.
The 39-year-old Quick also was making his season debut after Igor Shesterkin won two of the Rangers' first three games. He made 20 saves.
The Rangers had two power-play chances in the second period. Washington had one in the third.
The Rangers were coming off two road wins, 4-0 at Buffalo and 6-1 at Pittsburgh, after losing their home opener 3-0 to the Penguins.
Washington lost its season opener at home, 3-1 to Boston.
The Rangers were missing forward Vincent Trocheck (out week-to-week with an upper body injury) and defenseman Carson Soucy, who was hurt in Saturday’s win against the Penguins when he fell awkwardly into the boards after a collision with Pittsburgh’s Rickard Rakell.
Up next
Capitals: Host Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
Rangers: Host Edmonton on Tuesday.
Pat Cummins concedes he is ‘weeks away’ from bowling and unlikely to play in first Ashes Test
Australia captain to learn this week whether he will be fit for opener
Star quick says he is ‘less likely than likely’ to face England in Perth
Pat Cummins has admitted he is unlikely to play in the Ashes opener, conceding a return to proper bowling is still some time away.
Cummins is expected to learn this week whether he will be able to feature in Perth on 21 November, with officials conceding the quick is facing a narrow timeline.
Continue reading...Why Dodgers are pushing Shohei Ohtani's next pitching start to later in the NLCS
Entering this week’s National League Championship Series, the Dodgers’ pitching plan seemed simple.
After Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow started the final two games of the team’s NL Division Series victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, Shohei Ohtani and Blake Snell were next in line for Games 1 and 2 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers.
All the Dodgers needed to do was slot Snell in for Game 1 on Monday, making him an option to pitch again on four days’ rest in Game 5. Then, they could have Ohtani go in Game 2 on Tuesday, allowing him to pitch before Wednesday’s scheduled off-day (which has been the team’s preference for the two-way star) and be available for another start if the series returns to Milwaukee for Games 6 and 7.
On Sunday, however, manager Dave Roberts announced a different plan.
Snell will indeed go in Game 1, trying to build upon the 1.38 ERA he posted in his first two outings this postseason.
But instead of Ohtani in Game 2, it will be Yamamoto who gets the ball — pushing Ohtani’s next pitching appearance to sometime later this series, Roberts said.
“We just don’t know which day,” Roberts said of when Ohtani will get the ball. “But he’ll pitch at some point.”
That alignment came as a surprise, but also had benefits from the Dodgers’ perspective.
Unlike Ohtani, who has gotten at least six days off between every one of his pitching outings since the start of July, Yamamoto has routinely pitched on five days’ rest this season. By starting him in Game 2, he can stay on that same schedule to pitch a potential Game 6 — something the Dodgers would have been less comfortable having Ohtani do.
By pushing Ohtani back to at least Game 3, of course, the Dodgers will sacrifice their ability to get him two starts in this series. However, even if he pitches in one of the Dodgers’ home games later this week, Ohtani could come out of the bullpen in a potential Game 7; the kind of relief opportunity the team had hinted at for weeks down the stretch this season.
Read more:Nine concerns the Dodgers should have about facing the Brewers in the NLCS
Because Ohtani will make just one pitching start in the NLCS, Roberts said it’s not as imperative that it come before an off-day, either.
“You have two other guys that potentially can pitch on regular rest,” Roberts said. “So [it’s about] how do you get your best pitchers the most innings in a potential seven-game series?”
Outside of pitching considerations, however, there’s another reason delaying Ohtani’s next pitching outing could also make sense.
In the NLDS, Ohtani went one for 18 at the plate with nine strikeouts. He looked particularly out of sorts in Game 1, when he struck out four times in what was his first career playoff game both hitting and pitching.
Coming out of the series, Roberts emphasized the need for Ohtani to “recalibrate” at the plate, noting that the team was “not gonna win the World Series with that sort of performance” from its biggest star.
Read more:How Roki Sasaki's transformation from injured starter to closer saved the Dodgers' season
And while Roberts insisted on Sunday that Ohtani’s offensive slump had “no bearing” on the team shuffling its rotation, giving Ohtani two games at the start of the NLCS to solely focus on hitting certainly won’t hurt his efforts to straighten out his swing.
“I expect a different output from Shohei on the offensive side this series,” Roberts said.
For at the least the next couple days, that will be his only objective.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Former Blackhawks Blueliner Placed On Waivers
Former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Lucas Carlsson has been placed on waivers by the San Jose Sharks.
Carlsson kicked off his professional career with the Blackhawks organization, as the Original Six club selected him with the 110th overall pick of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. From there, he played his first two NHL seasons with the Blackhawks in 2019-20 and 2020-21, where he recorded two assists, nine blocks, 17 hits, and a plus-4 rating in 18 games.
Carlsson also spent a good amount of time with the Blackhawks' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. In 124 games with Rockford over three seasons, the 6-foot defenseman recorded 15 goals and 62 points.
Carlsson's time with the Blackhawks ended when he was traded to the Florida Panthers during the 2020-21 season.
In 13 games this past season with the Sharks, Carlsson posted one goal, four points, 14 blocks, 14 penalty minutes, and a minus-2 rating. He also recorded 10 goals, 23 points, and a minus-1 rating in 45 AHL games with the San Jose Barracuda in 2024-25.