Purdue is the overwhelming favorite for Big Ten title, and Braden Smith was a near unanimous pick for Player of the Year. Check out rest of the picks.
Phillies at Dodgers – NLDS Game 3 prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats
Thanks to wins in the first two games of their series in Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Dodgers are on the brink of sweeping the Phillies as the National League Division series moves to Chavez Ravine for Game 3. Aaron Nola is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Yoshinobu Yamamoto for Los Angeles.
Through two games, each team has 13 hits - six each in Game 1 and seven each in Game 2. The Dodgers have hit in the clutch, and the Phillies have not. It is not that simple but maybe it is. The top four hitters in Philadelphia's lineup are a combined 3-27 through two games. LA's top four in the lineup are a combined 7-32. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper have one hit between them. That needs to change if Philly is going to climb back in this series.
Finding offense will not be easy tonight as the Phillies face one of the stingiest pitchers of late. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has not allowed an earned run in his last three starts spanning 17 innings. Aaron Nola was excellent in his last start (one earned run over eight innings with nine strikeouts) but that was back on September 26. How will he respond to nearly two weeks removed from that outing?
Lets dive into the numbers of Game 3 and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Phillies at Dodgers - NLDS Game 3
- Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
- Time: 9:08PM EST
- Site: Dodger Stadium
- City: Los Angeles, CA
- Network/Streaming: TBS
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Phillies at the Dodgers - NLDS Game 3
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies (+152), Los Angeles Dodgers (-187)
- Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (+113)
- Total: 7.5 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Dodgers - NLDS Game 3
- Pitching matchup for October 8, 2025: Aaron Nola vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- Phillies: Aaron Nola (Regular Season: 5-10, 6.01 ERA)
Last outing: 9/26 vs. Minnesota - 8.0 IP 1 ER, 2H, 0 BB, 9 Ks - Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Regular Season: 12-8, 2.49 ERA)
Last outing: 10/1 vs. Cincinnati - 6.2IP, 0 ER, 4H, 2 BBs, and 9 Ks
- Phillies: Aaron Nola (Regular Season: 5-10, 6.01 ERA)
Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Dodgers - NLDS Game 3
- Philadelphia is a combined 7-26 (.269) against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in his career
- Harrison Bader is 4-7 in his career against Yamamoto
- Mookie Betts is 9-23 including 2 HRs against Aaron Nola in his career
- Enrique Hernandez is 4-11 including 3 HRs in his career against Nola
- The Dodgers are a combined 54-246 (.220) against Nola in his career
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s Game 3 between the Phillies and the Dodgers
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s game between the Phillies and the Dodgers:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Philadelphia Phillies at +1.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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2025-26 Metro Division Standings Predictions
Well, it's here. The 2025-26 season has officially kicked off. This year's version of the Metropolitan Division has people all over wondering how it will shake out. Some people think the Metro is the weakest it's ever been, while some people think it'll be ultra-competitive despite the apparent weaknesses.
Last night, the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are predicted to finish last in the Metro by most people, shut out the New York Rangers at MSG by a score of 3-0. This could be one of "those" seasons. So, stay tuned and buckle up.
Spencer and I are going to take a crack at how we think the Metro Division will shake out.
Jason's Metro Predictions
- Carolina Hurricanes
- New Jersey Devils
- Washington Capitals
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- New York Rangers
- Philadelphia Flyers
- New York Islanders
- Pittsburgh Penguins
Spencer's Metro Predictions
- Carolina Hurricanes
- New Jersey Devils
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- New York Islanders
- Washington Capitals
- New York Rangers
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Pittsburgh Penguins
So how do you think we did?
Personally, I think the Hurricanes do what Washington did last year and run away and hide in the Metro. The Capitals rode the Ovechkin wave last year, but this year, I feel like they will take a slight step back. As long as they have Ovi, he will push that team to be as good as they can.
Some national NHL guys have Columbus as high as third in the Metro, just as Spencer does. Now, while I feel like the Jackets will be improved again this year, I think the Devils will perform much better than last year and will put some space between them and the next two teams.
Can the Blue Jackets push through and make the playoffs? The answer to that question relies on two players - Elvis Merzļikins and Jet Greaves.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
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More From THN Columbus
Former Blue Jackets Forward Kevin Labanc Signing In RussiaFormer Blue Jacket Kevin Labanc seems to have found a new team.
Nolan Lalonde Assigned To ECHLNolan Lalonde, the unsigned free agent from Kingston, Ontario, will be making his pro debut in the ECHL.
THN Columbus: 32 Predictions For The 25-26 NHL SeasonWith the 24-25 season starting today, The Hockey News Columbus is going to take a shot at some predictions. Spencer Lazary and I are going to do our best.
The Superstar Trade Paradox: Why Bucks should trade Giannis Antetokounmpo
Of all the storylines lingering over the 2025-26 season, perhaps none carries more intrigue than what lies in front of the Milwaukee Bucks: Do they trade Giannis Antetokounmpo or not?
By almost all accounts, Antetokounmpo represents one of the three-best players in the NBA. He ranks third best in the Estimated Plus-Minus prediction metric, behind only reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and three-time MVP Nikola Jokić.
SGA plays for the defending champion and title favorite Thunder. Jokić’s Nuggets are close behind them. Antetokounmpo’s team, on the other hand, is … closer to the bottom. His supporting cast is among the worst in the sport. According to BetMGM, the Bucks’ win total sits at 42.5 for the 2025-26 season, a pitiful mark for an Eastern Conference team with an MVP candidate in his prime. It’s the least-confident betting forecast for a Giannis-manned squad since 2016-17, when the Bucks, coached by Jason Kidd, were expected to win just 36.5 games.
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The Bucks are understandably reluctant to part with the all-time great whom they drafted in 2013. According to ESPN reports on Tuesday, the Knicks weren’t able to get traction in Giannis talks this summer. But it’s time for Milwaukee to pull the plug and seek a trade package in which a team throws the kitchen sink at it: multiple first-round picks and players who can step in right away.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, kitchen-sink deals work out more often for the seller than the buyer. The past three NBA champions (OKC, Boston and Denver) were built in large part due to unloading superstars at the right time.
In order to get back to title contention, it’s time for the Bucks to trade Giannis to the highest bidder.
OKC is the model
In the summer of 2019, Thunder president of basketball operations Sam Presti faced a similar situation as the one in front of Bucks general manager Jon Horst. Then, when the Los Angeles Clippers came calling about Paul George, Presti took a pragmatic look at the franchise. Like Antetokounmpo, George finished third in the MVP race that season. But Presti saw an opportunity to build through the draft and traded him for a king’s ransom, the package including a boatload of picks and Gilgeous-Alexander, the future MVP and Finals MVP.
And Presti didn’t stop there. Less than a week later, he traded the team’s other version of Antetokounmpo, OKC’s face of the franchise, Russell Westbrook, whom it also drafted and developed into an MVP. It would be easy to think the Thunder could have tried to convince Westbrook they could still contend for a title, but the franchise did right by Westbrook, emotional ties and all. The Thunder moved him to Houston for Chris Paul, two first-round picks and two first-round swaps.
“We recently had conversations with Russell about the team, his career, and how he sees the future,” Presti said in a statement after the trade. “Through those conversations we came to the understanding that looking at some alternative situations would be something that made sense for him. As a result, and due to his history with the Thunder, we worked together to accommodate this.”
Six years later, it’s the Thunder who are the reigning champs — not George’s Clippers or Westbrook’s Rockets. In fact, neither George nor Westbrook — the stars in the OKC trades — is still with his respective team. Meanwhile, OKC is the envy of the league, landing at No. 1 in ESPN’s Future Power Rankings and the heavy favorite to win the 2025-26 championship.
[Get more Bucks news: Milwaukee team feed]
The team currently with the next-rosiest future, the Rockets, finds itself there because it followed Presti’s playbook and also decided to pivot and sell its superstars to the highest bidders. Westbrook lasted just one season in Houston before he was traded to Washington for John Wall and a protected first-round pick. A few months later, the Rockets unloaded their franchise cornerstone, James Harden, and sent him to Brooklyn for another kitchen-sink deal. Now, with a young core of Amen Thompson, Alperen Şengün and Jabari Smith Jr., they’ve built a growing powerhouse in the Western Conference.
Not every superstar seller can climb to title contention so quickly. Utah and Brooklyn are still pulling themselves out of the league cellar after each hit the reset button in 2022 and 2023, respectively. But the team with the darkest timeline of them all, the Suns, is the cautionary tale of being on the other side of a kitchen-sink deal.
The Gut Tax
It was a little over two years ago when then-new Suns owner Mat Ishbia traded for Kevin Durant in February 2023. The KD trade wasn’t a cannonball leap into a pool; this was a meteor hitting an ocean.
Ishbia and his front office decided to go all-in for Durant, giving up not one but four unprotected first-round picks, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder and a 2028 first-round pick swap in order to add the 34-year-old who was sidelined with a knee injury at the time.
How risky was the deal? In the wake of the trade, Ishbia told Sports Illustrated, “I think there is no risk. I don’t look at it as a risk at all.”
Gulp. In ESPN’s annual Future Power Rankings, the Suns now rank dead-last among all 30 teams. After paying a league-high $152 million in luxury tax payments and missing the playoffs in Durant’s third season with the club, the Suns pulled the plug and traded Durant to Houston in July. The Suns now have a middling, mishmash roster and still almost no draft assets. They have the worst of both worlds, with little hope now or down the line.
There’s no such thing as a risk-free trade no matter what your exuberant new owner might claim. Kitchen-sink deals have the potential to doom the star-chasing franchise for a cocktail of reasons, but primarily because of a very obvious, yet overlooked reason:
You have to give up a lot to get said star. Call it the Gut Tax.
The nice thing about free agency is that teams don’t have to pay the Gut Tax to get their star. The Warriors didn’t have to trade Klay Thompson and Draymond Green in order to land Durant in the summer of 2016. They took advantage of a cap spike that summer and added him to an existing championship core.
What would the Knicks have looked like if they had waited for Carmelo Anthony in free agency instead of trading the farm for him? In 2011, the Knicks gutted their team by sending Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton and Timofey Mozgov to Denver along with two first-round picks. As luck would have it, Denver posted a better record than the Knicks during their Melo era. Making matters worse, in 2016, Denver used one of those Knicks first-round picks to select Jamal Murray, the team’s second-best player on the 2023 title team. With Anthony, the Knicks never got past the second round.
Looking at recent champions is a study in how teams benefited by selling their stars at the right time. OKC moved off Westbrook and George in 2019 and won a title in six years. The Boston Celtics drafted their championship-winning duo, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, thanks to the infamous 2013 Nets trade that netted the Celtics four future first-round picks for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.
Another big reason why the blockbuster deal doesn’t always pan out for the higher-profile star: star veterans are injury-riddled more than ever. In win-now situations, Durant’s recent superteams struggled to stay healthy. It was the same for the Antetokounmpo/Damian Lillard/Khris Middleton Bucks.
Cole Burston via Getty Images
This is not to say that teams haven’t won it all after trading for a big fish. The Los Angeles Lakers won the 2020 championship in the first season following the Anthony Davis trade with New Orleans. Other teams seemed to follow their lead, with mixed results.
In a span beginning with the summer of 2019, when Davis and George were traded from their small-market clubs, to 2023, we’ve seen 11 kitchen-sink deals, which I’m defining as trades involving multiple first-round picks and at least one player.
The 11 Superstar “Kitchen Sink” Trades, 2019-23
2023 POR trades Damian Lillard to MIL
2023 BRK trades Kevin Durant to PHX
2022 BRK trades James Harden to PHI
2022 UTA trades Donovan Mitchell to CLE
2022 UTA trades Rudy Gobert to MIN
2022 SAS trades Dejounte Murray to ATL
2021 HOU trades James Harden to BRK
2020 NOP trades Jrue Holiday to MIL
2019 OKC trades Russell Westbrook to HOU
2019 OKC trades Paul George to LAC
2019 NOP trades Anthony Davis to LAL
While the superstar-acquiring teams have had dynastic dreams, none of those 11 blockbuster deals has resulted in more than one championship. Only two — Milwaukee trading for Jrue Holiday and the Lakers getting Davis — resulted in even one title banner. The nine other deals haven’t even resulted in a Finals appearance at any point for the teams that acquired new superstars. Cleveland with Donovan Mitchell and Minnesota with Rudy Gobert would like to change that.
Perhaps even more troubling is that many of these star acquisitions have ended up being little more than a rental. The Durant era in Phoenix didn’t even last three full seasons. Was there even a Harden era in Brooklyn? Or Philly? You’d be forgiven if you didn’t remember Dejounte Murray making the playoffs in Atlanta during any of his two seasons. All in all, six of the 11 star tenures lasted fewer than three seasons with the acquiring team. The majority of them had little staying power.
On the other side of the ledger, the rebuilding teams may have to wait longer to win their titles, but it’s hard to say they’re definitively worse off. Both of Presti’s kitchen-sink deals in moving off of Westbrook and George helped them build the 2025 Finals team; Gilgeous-Alexander, 2025 All-NBA member Jalen Williams and Aaron Wiggins were directly or indirectly acquired in those trades.
Houston learned the hard way that superteams aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, and its homegrown talent was essential to demonstrate leverage in this summer’s Durant trade talks with Phoenix. The Rockets gave up just one first-round pick, locked at No. 10 in a down draft, to get KD. Sure, Houston may end up trading for Giannis this season, but there’s no indication the Rockets have chased him at all up to this point. As is, they project to be title contenders for years to come.
What will Milwaukee do? First, it has to look in the mirror.
Where Milwaukee goes from here
The Bucks should heed the lesson of the Suns and how doubling down can doom their franchise. But one thing Phoenix did manage to do was trade Durant while he was still healthy. Antetokounmpo, who is turning 31 in December, has missed 14 games on average over the last five seasons and battled injuries in postseasons’ past. Moving a healthy Antetokounmpo sooner than later could help them extract maximum value.
Injuries are a variable that Milwaukee has struggled to control. Part of the overall cynicism around the Bucks is a result of the blockbuster trade for Lillard that went awry. In the summer of 2023, the Bucks traded Holiday, a 2029 unprotected first-round pick and two swaps (2028 and 2030) to the Trail Blazers only to waive him less than two years later following a devastating Achilles tear.
The irony of the Blazers-Bucks deal is that a player of Lillard’s offensively tilted skill set would be perfectly paired with a defensive-minded guard like Holiday. As it happens, Holiday and Lillard are now on Portland’s roster, not Milwaukee’s, this upcoming season.
Not only did the Bucks give up a key player from their 2021 championship squad, they also gave up their opportunity to pivot. By giving up tons of draft capital, the Bucks pushed themselves into a corner with almost nowhere to go.
Like Durant and the Suns, the Bucks never reached the heights they envisioned when they gave up the farm for the superstar. Lillard was supposed to be the missing piece, but the Bucks failed to get out of the first round in each of Lillard’s two seasons due to injuries to both Lillard and Antetokounmpo (and Middleton).
Unlike Durant and the Suns, the Bucks had little recourse but to waive-and-stretch Lillard’s deal once he suffered a career-altering injury and eat the dead money left on his contract for the next five seasons. If Lillard were healthy, they could have pivoted more easily if Antetokounmpo asked out. Instructively, the Suns traded Durant for much less than they got him for, but they did net Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 pick (Khaman Maluach) in this year’s draft.
The Bucks don’t have a proper co-pilot for Antetokounmpo. The team wants Myles Turner to be that guy after he played in the NBA Finals, but the former Pacers center averaged a measly 13.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in the team’s Cinderella run to the Finals. Without Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam’s heroics in late-game situations, would we think of Turner the same way?
Because of the weak supporting cast, Antetokounmpo may have been wise to wait for any sort of trade demand. If the Bucks do sputter out of the gate, he’ll have more justification for asking out. In addition, as ESPN reported Tuesday, his monster $200-million-plus extension can be signed up until October 1, 2026, only if his team has employed him for at least six months. Teams will be motivated to acquire him ahead of the trade deadline rather than wait for this summer.
Though the Knicks undoubtedly would love to have a player like Antetokounmpo, they don’t have an unprotected first-round pick to offer until this summer when their 2033 pick is unlocked. Like the Anthony deal in 2011, the Knicks would have to cannibalize their own team in order to meet Milwaukee’s asking price. Barring the Knicks trading Karl-Anthony Towns or OG Anunoby for longer-term assets, it’s hard to see how the Knicks and Bucks check off each other’s boxes.
The Warriors could get in the mix with three unprotected first-round picks (2026, 2028 and 2032) at their disposal, but a third team would likely have to be involved in order to make the money work. After Phoenix chased Jimmy Butler last season, could a three-way deal involving Giannis to Golden State and Butler finally going to Phoenix work? In this scenario, Phoenix would reroute the bulk of the KD haul — Green and Brooks — to Milwaukee along with Golden State’s picks.
The Cavaliers may be another team to watch. After another disappointing finish to the season, would Cleveland put Evan Mobley in a deal for Antetokounmpo if it got off to a slow start? The Bucks undoubtedly would covet the 24-year-old Defensive Player of the Year as the future of their franchise. The Cavs would also have two unprotected first-round picks in 2030 and 2032 at the ready if the Bucks were at all uneasy about Mobley’s five-year, $224 million contract.
If suitors are willing to commit multiple unprotected first-round picks and a young player, the Bucks have to listen. Milwaukee might think it’s unthinkable for a small-market team to trade the face of its franchise in his prime. But the other side can bring a much brighter horizon. Just ask Sam Presti.
Ferdinand backs Gerrard for Rangers return
Rio Ferdinand has tipped his former England teammate Steven Gerrard to return to Rangers for a second spell as manager.
Gerrard left Ibrox for Aston Villa in 2021 after delivering the Scottish Premiership title in 2020-21.
The former Liverpool captain spent 11 months with Villa before a spell at Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq.
Rangers are in the market for a new manager after Russell Martin was sacked on Sunday after just 123 days in charge.
Gerrard has been out of work since leaving Al-Ettifaq in January, and speaking on the 'Rio Ferdinand Presents' podcast, he revealed he had "a bit of unfinished business" in management.
The interview was conducted before Martin's dismissal, but Ferdinand believes Gerrard would be open to re-joining the Glasgow club, four years on from his departure.
"I have to say when I interviewed him, he left me in no uncertain terms that he wants to be a manager and he's got full confidence in doing that," Ferdinand told talkSPORT.
"He's itching to get back in now. He never said this to me, but I personally think just the energy that I felt in that room, that if Rangers came calling he'd go or at least have that conversation.
"What I felt, if I was an owner of a football club and Steven Gerrard was sat in front of me and I felt that energy in the room when I was interviewing him, he's getting the job.
"Forget what's gone on before, but also his time before at Rangers, he did great there. I've never had so many Rangers fans flood the comments of my social media or the podcast.
"They're all desperate for him to go up and at least have the conversation, so I wouldn't be surprised if Steven Gerrard is managing again very soon and Rangers would be probably one of my big bets."
THN Anaheim's 2025-26 Ducks Predictions
After what felt like a never-ending offseason, the 2025-26 NHL regular season is upon us. The Anaheim Ducks’ front office had a busy offseason, overhauling much of the roster and coaching staff, while extending three core pieces to multi-year contract extensions (Mason McTavish, Jackson LaCombe, Lukas Dostal).
Ducks’ Opening Night Roster Highlighted by Sennecke, 3 Goalies
Ducks’ Jackson LaCombe on his Contract Extension
The team has big plans for the upcoming season, but how do we at THN.com/Anaheim think the season will go for the 2025-25 iteration of the Anaheim Ducks?
Points Leader (Forward)
Patrick: Leo Carlsson-This will be the second year in a row that I predict Carlsson to finish the season atop the Ducks’ scoring leaders list. We’re all anticipating a Carlsson breakout to come eventually (it simply has to if the Ducks are ever going to realize their potential and compete for Stanley Cups), and glancing at some of the NHL’s current European superstars (Leon Draisaitl, David Pastrnak, Nikita Kucherov, Aleksander Barkov), it’s not uncommon for a 100-150 game adjustment period to the NHL, followed by a significant breakout in year three.
If he can continue his play from the games leading up to and following last year’s “4 Nations Faceoff,” he’ll be on the path to becoming the star he’s projected to become. I’m predicting 65 points from Leo Carlsson.
Derek: Leo Carlsson-Pretty easy choice for me with Carlsson having his second half breakout last season and showing during preseason that he can turn things on in an instant.
As Anaheim’s No. 1 center, he’ll get plenty of ice time and it looks like he’ll be a regular part of the penalty kill, too, which could lead to some shorthanded points.
I was quite ambitious in predicting 80 points for Carlsson during one of our summer recordings, I’m not going to back down from that now.
Points Leader (Defenseman)
Patrick: Jackson LaCombe-This is the biggest layup in this entire exercise. LaCombe just inked a big-money contract extension, and teams typically don’t sign deals like that to not play said player as much as they can. As enticing and exciting as Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger are, LaCombe is the Ducks’ all-situations #1 defenseman. One of those situations will be top-of-the-umbrella point-man on the team's top power play unit, where he’ll likely have the longest leash imaginable and the unit’s success rate has nowhere to go but up from a league-worst 11.8% clip in 2024-25.
Derek: Jackson LaCombe-Another fairly easy choice here with LaCombe coming off a 40+ point season in his sophomore year. Like Carlsson, he’s going to get ample ice time and will be at the head of the Ducks’ no. 1 power play unit. If he can build off of last season’s strong performance, there’s no reason why he can’t hit 50–or even 60–points this season.
Goals Leader
Patrick: Chris Kreider-Kreider had the worst statistical season of his 13-year NHL career in 2024-25, a season riddled with injuries, including back spasms, a broken hand, and a spell of vertigo. He still managed to pot 22 goals, a number that would have co-led the Ducks last season. If one were to buy any semblance of a bounce-back, as I clearly am, he could easily net 30 goals in a new environment, under a quality coaching staff, and surrounded by some of the most talented young players in the NHL.
Derek: Cutter Gauthier-With his wicked release, Gauthier had a strong second half during the 2024-25 season while playing alongside Carlsson and followed that up with a terrific showing at the IIHF World Championship.
While he is projected to start on the second line and second power play unit, I think that the way he will be utilized offensively will still allow him to pick his spots, even if he isn’t on the top line or top PP unit. After reaching the 20-goal mark last season without regular power play time, there’s no reason he can’t hit the 30-goal mark this season while having that added benefit.
Breakout Player
Patrick: Leo Carlsson-For all the reasons I stated above, this will be Carlsson’s category to lose until further notice. However, I’d like to take this time to highlight Mason McTavish, who is my runner-up. McTavish’s defensive metrics have been poor for the duration of his three-year NHL career. Still, toward the end of last season, when his offense picked up to the tune of 33 points (16-17=33) in his final 36 games, his defense improved as well, particularly in defensive zone coverage.
The Ducks will be deploying an overhauled D-zone coverage scheme, but it’s built more on instinctual reads and quick support along the walls, areas where McTavish thrives most. He’s projected to start the season on a line with Cutter Gauthier on one wing (another candidate for this category), with whom he’d shown instant chemistry a year ago, and newly acquired, detailed veteran Mikael Granlund, who can create on the cycle and rush. Unlikely to draw opposing checking assignments, look for this line to turn some heads with their production.
Derek: If not for Carlsson, this category could have been occupied by a few different players. Gauthier, McTavish and Olen Zellweger are players who come to mind for me. But Carlsson has the biggest opportunity share and will likely grab hold of it. With better finishing from his teammates and himself, Carlsson’s stellar play will be validated by tangible evidence on the stat sheet.
Standings Prediction
Patrick: Since the COVID-shortened seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21, the threshold to make the playoffs in the Western Conference has been no less than 95 points. That would equate to a 15-point increase in the standings for the Ducks, following a year in which they made a 21-point increase. Though it’s the Ducks’ stated goal to qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and it’s not an impossible feat, it’s a bit too lofty for my taste.
However, I will predict a still-significant step forward in the standings. I have the Ducks finishing with 90 points and placing fifth in the Pacific Division, tenth in the Western Conference, and 18th in the overall NHL standings.
Derek: I’m in the same boat as Patrick. While the Ducks, staff and players alike, have set making the playoffs as their goal for this season, I think they will just miss out and end up somewhere in the ballpark that the Blue Jackets did last season.
Boldest Prediction
Patrick: Lukas Dostal will be a Vezina finalist
The torch has been passed, the keys to the crease at Honda Center have been handed over, and fresh off a contract extension, Dostal will be the tenth-highest-paid goaltender in the NHL for the 2025-26 season. He’s stated his fondness for the Ducks’ new defensive zone coverage scheme, and an offseason focus of his was to work on his rebound control.
Predictability of where shots are to come from and trust that, in theory, he will always have a defending teammate in the net front vicinity, catering to his strengths as a goaltender: angles, anticipation, tracking. If the Ducks are anywhere near the playoff bubble, Dostal likely will have had a terrific season and improved traditional statistics to match his already above-average underlying numbers.
Derek: Beckett Sennecke will spend the entire season with the Ducks and play in 40+ games
There’s bold predictions and then there’s air-head predictions. This might be an air-head prediction. While it’s unknown just how long Sennecke’s leash with the Ducks will be, it’s clear that they believe he has earned the opportunity to be on the NHL roster. It’s difficult to see how he can work his way up from a fourth line role unless he truly outplays several of his teammates, but head coach Joel Quenneville described him as a “wildcard” who can be used in all situations and play with anybody.
Ducks GM Pat Verbeek on LaCombe Extension
Ducks Sign Jackson LaCombe to Eight-Year Extension
Comparing Mason McTavish's Contract to Similar Young NHL Players
Why Al Horford isn't worried about Warriors' aging core, reveals key to success
Why Al Horford isn't worried about Warriors' aging core, reveals key to success originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Much has been made of the Warriors core’s age heading into the 2025-26 NBA season, but 39-year-old center Al Horford is not concerned.
The four featured Golden State players, Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Horford, all are age 35 or older. Maintaining health throughout an 82-game regular season is a key concern this season, just as it has been in the recent past.
“The way that I see our group, we have a lot of depth. I see a lot of guys that are working really hard and guys who are very capable in our group,” Horford told reporters Tuesday. “So, I’m not worried about it just because of our depth.”
But key role players such as Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Gui Santos and Quinten Post are all under 25.
Both Podziemski and Moody played in at least 64 games last season. Post saw a significant increase in playing time in the second half of last season. Kuminga, despite fluctuations in playing time due to injury and rotation changes, has solidified himself as perhaps the Warriors’ most explosive athlete.
“I feel like we have guys here that can step in and contribute and have big nights,” Horford said. “It’s a very long season, and as you know in the NBA, the teams that usually have more depth are the teams that are going to be more successful.”
The depth in youth, whose experience will only continue to grow, will be key for Golden State’s regular-season success as older players will inevitably need more rest.
“I feel like we don’t have to hold back with any of them. We can just go, and they’re going to get a lot of opportunities and a lot of chances. And for them, they have to be ready for that,” Horford said.
The Warriors’ new stretch-big has been a steady presence in recent years. Horford has played at least 60 games in each of his last four seasons with the Boston Celtics.
“The priority for me is to make sure that I stay healthy throughout the regular season and that’s my focus right now. And when we get to the postseason, that’s a whole other level,” Horford said.
Curry and Green played in 70 and 68 games, respectively, last season. The two stars being available in the regular season helped the Warriors reach the playoffs for the 10th time in the last 13 seasons.
But Curry’s hamstring injury in the Western Conference Semifinals doomed Golden State to a second-round exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Maintaining tip-top health heading into the postseason is not just a priority for Horford, but for the Warriors’ old guard at large.
Vegas Golden Knights Win Stanley Cup In EA SPORTS NHL 26 Season Simulation
The Vegas Golden Knights will be your 2026 Stanley Cup champions, according to the official season simulation done by EA SPORTS in NHL 26.
The Golden Knights defeated the Canucks and Oilers in seven games before defeating the Avalanche in six to advance to the Finals. They took down the Rangers in seven games with Mitch Marner taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy. Marner led the playoffs in scoring followed by Jack Eichel and Artemi Panarin.
The San Jose Sharks earned a surprise playoff berth on the back of 95 points from Macklin Celebrini while the Avalanche won the Presidents Trophy.
Connor McDavid took home the Art Ross and Hart Trophy after posting 134 points during the regular season.
Auston Matthew won the Rocket Richard with 61 goals, Cale Makar won the Norris, while Connor Hellebuyck repeated as the Vezina winner.
Anthony Cirelli won his first career Selke Trophy, Ivan Demidov won the Calder after notching 75 points while Bruce Cassidy won the Jack Adams.
NHL 25 predicted the New York Rangers to win the Stanley Cup last season, we will see if the simulation jinx continues this year.
For more NHL Gaming news make sure you bookmark The Hockey News Gaming Site or follow our Google News Feed.
Police release evidence they say shows Kyren Lacy triggered fatal car crash
After an attorney for the late Kyren Lacy cast doubt on the findings, Louisiana State Police released a video from the fatal Dec. 2024 accident.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, agent reportedly 'figuring out' which teams could make mid-season trade offer
If the Milwaukee Bucks stumble out of the gate, or just don't look like contenders, the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors are going to heat up. It will not matter that it's unlikely he gets traded mid-season for a couple of reasons, logic has never slowed the NBA rumor mill down.
Antetokounmpo and his agent are preparing for the mid-season option, ESPN's Shams Charania said on NBA Today (hat tip MrBuckBuck on X).
"Giannis Antetokounmpo, his agent Alex Saratsis, have been figuring out which teams, if this does get to a point of a trade request, which team could find its way — which multiple teams find their way. And I think that process will continue into the season."
Antetokounmpo and his agent will find that several factors make it highly unlikely he will be traded mid-season. First is the fact that he is making $54.1 million this season, a lot of money for a team to take on, which ties into the next issue. Second, the luxury tax apron era has tied the hands of teams and limited the trade offers they can make because of the apron restrictions. The final issue is the fact that because Antetokounmpo makes so much, and the fact that the Bucks will want multiple young players (along with a boatload of picks) in return for any trade, it becomes a roster numbers game. Milwaukee would have to waive players currently under guaranteed contract to take back multiple players and stay below the 15-player limit during the season (that number jumps to 20 in the offseason, making this trade easier).
There are teams with the combination of young players and picks that would interest the Bucks. San Antonio has that and could pair Antetokounmpo with Victor Wembanyama. Houston, even after signing Kevin Durant, has that. However, both Rockets and Spurs are hard-capped at the first apron this season, making in-season trade construction challenging.
Oklahoma City has the picks and players to make an offer, although the defending champions aren't really interested, reports Chris Mannix at Sports Illustrated. There would be other teams interested, including the Knicks and Heat (although whether their offers would interest the Bucks is up for debate), with Mannix also mentioning Orlando and Detroit as young teams on the rise who might jump into the mix.
No doubt the rumors will fly, especially if the Bucks get off to a slow start, but that doesn't change the fact that an in-season Antetokounmpo trade is unlikely. Next offseason, however, feels like a very different story.
‘You want a player to die?’ Heat is on tennis after players wilt in extreme conditions
Every year players are pushed to their limits in a sport that chases the sun. But the number of retirements, withdrawals and injuries this season has been shocking
Jannik Sinner had tried everything but after baking for two and a half hours inside the suffocating sauna of Shanghai’s stadium court, he was finished. Even around midnight, the humidity was still so oppressive that Sinner had spent the final 20 minutes of his third-round match against Tallon Griekspoor cramping, panting and in considerable pain. Eventually, he could not even walk properly. Midway through the final set, the 24-year-old hobbled slowly to his chair using his racket as a crutch and terminated the match.
Those scenes were representative of the Shanghai Masters so far as, throughout the past week, so many players have wilted in brutal conditions. Terence Atmane and Hamad Medjedovic both retired after struggling with the heat. Francisco Comesaña appeared close to collapsing and he had to be helped mid-match by his opponent Lorenzo Musetti. Despite the benefit of competing at night, Novak Djokovic repeatedly vomited in two consecutive matches and there were times in his fourth round win over Jaume Munar where he too looked as if he had reached his limit.
Continue reading...Stay or Go: Should the Mets trade Jeff McNeil?
Jeff McNeilhas been a constant for the Mets since bursting onto the scene as a 26-year-old rookie in 2018 and hitting .329 with an .852 OPS -- giving New York a cog who has been a lineup mainstay ever since.
Since 2019, McNeil has played at least 120 games in every full season (he appeared in 52 of 60 during the COVID-shortened campaign in 2020).
Along the way, he's won a batting title and made two All-Star teams.
McNeil, who signed a four-year, $50 million extension before the 2023 season, has also been versatile.
A natural second baseman, he has gotten a solid amount of time at both corner outfield spots and third base. This past season, McNeil even played 34 games in center field -- including 28 starts. And he performed admirably in center.
There have been ebbs and flow for McNeil along the way, which included down campaigns in 2023 and 2024.
But as he prepares to enter his age-34 season in what is the final guaranteed year of his contract (the Mets hold a club option for 2027), McNeil is coming off a campaign where he was an above average offensive performer while continuing to provide the aforementioned versatility.
Should McNeil be in the Mets' plans for 2026, or is it time for them to move on?
WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO TRADE MCNEIL
While McNeil's 2025 season was above average when compared to the rest of the league -- he slashed .243/.355/.411 with an OPS+ of 111 -- it's now been three full seasons since he was a high-average, high-on-base percentage player.
Over his first five seasons in the majors, McNeil slashed .307/.370/.458.
Over his last three seasons, McNeil has hit .253/.326/.389.
Meanwhile, McNeil has never really hit for power -- excluding 2019, when he smacked a career-high 23 homers. He also doesn't walk a lot, though he did draw a career-high 49 walks this past season.
Beyond McNeil's recent shortcomings at the plate is the fact that the Mets have a glut of infielders on the 40-man roster and more coming. Additionally, they're set at both corner outfield positions (Juan Sotoin right, Brandon Nimmo in left) and will almost certainly go defense-first in center field to start the 2026 season.
When it comes to the infield situation, second base and third base are technically open, but Brett Baty is coming off a season where he started to produce at the plate -- posting a .748 OPS while smacking 18 homers in 130 games. Baty was a solid defender, too, and showed that he can handle second base in addition to the hot corner.
There's also the presence of Ronny Mauricio. The 24-year-old still has way too much chase at the plate, but he has tantalizing power and the ability to be Francisco Lindor's backup at shortstop along with being an option at second and third.
Then there's Jett Williams, who had an .828 OPS in 130 games last season across Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. The 21-year-old is the Mets' top prospect and is expected to debut this coming season -- possibly at some point in the first half. And it's likely that his position once in the bigs will be second base or center field.
WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO KEEP MCNEIL
Even though the Mets have numerous options for second base and third base, they're all unproven.
And while it's also possible to envision a scenario where the Mets find a third baseman externally if Pete Alonsoleaves via free agency (which would create a domino effect that gives them four possible second base options), that hasn't happened yet.
There's also the fact that none of the other options on the Mets' 40-man roster offer the kind of versatility that McNeil does.
Baty has played a grand total of 1.0 inning in the outfield during his big league career, and that came in 2023.
Mauricio played 26 games in left field in the minors in 2023, but hasn't left the infield dirt since suffering the knee injury that cost him the entire 2024 season.
Even in a world where McNeil isn't being viewed as someone who will start the majority of the time, it's easy to make an argument that he would be valuable in a super utility role where he gets time at four or five different spots in the field.
The main question for the Mets in that scenario would be whether they think it makes sense to have a $15.75 million bench player who -- while able to play all over the field -- isn't a true plus defender at any position and doesn't hit for power.
VERDICT
The day after the season ended, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns stressed the need to improve the team's defense.
Stearns also did not reject that idea that the offensive core of the team could be shaken up.
And if Alonsore-signs, the easiest way to shake up the core while improving the defense could be to move on from McNeil (and Starling Marte, a free agent who is no longer able to play the outfield much).
In the case of McNeil, it's possible the Mets would have to eat a bit of his salary in order to help facilitate a deal.
But he could be an intriguing option for infield-needy teams in need of a versatile player who won't require a commitment beyond 2026.
Football is everywhere: Wednesday is the first of 49 straight days with at least one NFL or college football game
The next day without an NFL or top-level college football game is Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Jim Montgomery To Reunite Most Prolific Line Down Stretch Last Season For Blues
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Jim Montgomery knew all along.
Putting the Three Amigos are back together was in the cards all along.
The St. Louis Blues coach already knew what he had when training camp began when it came to the line of Brayden Schenn centering Dylan Holloway and Jordan Kyrou. That line was a catalyst in helping fuel the Blues’ run to getting back to the Stanley Cup playoffs a season ago.
There was no need to get an extensive look again.
But when the Blues signed Pius Suter as a free agent on July 2 and when camp began, the Blues put Suter between Holloway and Schenn, who was playing with Jake Neighbours and whoever they would put on that right wing.
There was no sign that Schenn was playing with Holloway and Kyrou as camp progressed, and Suter was the center in the middle for two games. Was this the changing of the guard, so to speak?
Not a chance.
When the Blues got back to practice Tuesday in preparation for their season- and home-opener Thursday against the Minnesota Wild, there was Schenn back in that familiar spot. And Montgomery said, “We will see Schenn there opening night.”
Why?
“Sometimes as a coach you just trust your gut and I watched camp,” Montgomery said. “The most important part of that is Suter came here because he wants to win, and he is an extremely good locker room guy, a team guy. He can even plug-and-play. Obviously our captain, we know that about him. Having those two being able to move between the two and three hole, it makes it very flexible and one of the reasons I thought the Suter signing was really important to our team depth.”
Suter was between Neighbours and Mathieu Joseph, and that looks like the likely trio that will open Thursday, but this was all along a trial to see if the Blues could have another option in a long season should one be needed.
Montgomery is more that comfortable using either there.
“A hundred percent. Yeah,” he said. “Sometimes you get a feel as a coach that the energy’s going to be better if we put guys back together that had success last year, and that’s how we’re going to start the year. It’s going to change. I guarantee you it’s going to change.”
In the month beginning March 15 that led the charge to the playoffs, which included a franchise record 12-game winning streak, Kyrou benefited the most with 20 points (12 goals, eight assists) in 16 games, Holloway had 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 11 games before his season ended because of injury on April 5, and although Schenn had just 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 16 games, that line was so dynamic in so many different ways.
“We had some really good ‘chem’ last year,” Holloway said. “I think as a line, we all complement each other super well. Definitely real excited to be playing with those guys again and I think we should be good.
“I think that’s the goal (is) to get back to right where we were. We were playing at such a high level there for a few months in a row. I think we know what works well for us, know what we need to do to get to our game. I think as long as we play smart and playing to our strengths, we’ll get right back to it.”
That’s why the trio feels it didn’t need a full training camp together.
“I know training camp we weren’t together, but we feel like we have chemistry,” Schenn said. “For me, my job is obviously get them the puck and create room and space and go to the net. They’re obviously both very dynamic and good shooters. It’s a combination that’s worked in the past. Now it’s on us to have good communication here early. Probably watch video from last year of what made us successful and mentally dial it in and communication’s huge. Last year’s not this year and we have to find ways to be better.”
In 46 games together last year, the line had a Corsi-for edge of 489-414 and a 29-13 goals-for edge in 5 on 5 situations and fans were wondering why would the coaching staff mess with something that obviously wasn’t broken. Just for that, the option to pivot if necessary.
“Honestly in camp every year, you’re always with someone and then it switches and vice versa,” Schenn said. “What we talked about two days ago or whatever, we figured it was going to be a little bit of both with me and ‘Sutes.’ That’s what’s good about our team. We have interchangeable parts and guys who can kind of play with whoever. We’ll just kind of see how it goes with the flow.”
Blues Know Jordan Binnington Is Elite, Yet Goalie Has To Prove Once Again He's One Of The BestST.
LOUIS – The NHL season for 2025-26 drops the puck on Tuesday. For
the St. Louis Blues, it opens Thursday at home against the Minnesota
Wild.
Blues GM Gives Update On Sundqvist, Lucic MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong provided updates on two veteran forwards before the regular-season opener on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild.
Blues Were Hoping To Keep Colten Ellis In Organization, Happy He Gets Opportunity In NHLMARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- Part of Doug Armstrong wanted to be selfish and keep goalie prospect Colten Ellis in the St. Louis Blues organization. The Hockey News' Vancouver Canucks Mailbag: Cootes, Trade Targets & More
Welcome to this edition of The Hockey News' Vancouver Canucks Mailbag. In this series, we answer your questions from social media about what is going on with the Canucks. Today, we answer questions about Braeden Cootes, trade targets and more.
Does Cootes Stay With The Club All Year Or Back To Juniors After 9ish Games?
Braeden Cootes making Vancouver's opening night roster is a great sign for the future. He has earned this opportunity and, based on practice lines, may even see some power play time during his NHL trial. While he has been great throughout the pre-season, I do believe he will be heading back to the WHL after a few games, where he can dominate during his D+1 season.
That being said, there is a scenario where Cootes plays more than nine NHL games this season. For that to happen, he would need to be the Canucks best forward at both ends of the ice and make it clear that Vancouver's play would take a dip if he was sent back to junior. If he can be a point-producing machine and show off strong two-way play, there is a chance he sticks around for the season.
How Many Games Will Kevin Lankinen Play This Season?
How the Canucks manage their goaltenders this year will be an interesting trend to follow. With a condensed schedule and the Olympics, this season will be more complicated, not just for Vancouver, but for every team around the league. That being said, barring any injuries, Lankinen will most likely start around 30 games in 2025-26.
Based on their records, it may also be beneficial for the Canucks to start Lankinen on the road while Thatcher Demko gets the home starts. Last year, Lankinen went 16-6-5 on the road, while Demko has historically been better while playing at Rogers Arena. This theory may not work out due to schedule issues, but it is something to consider heading into the year.
Many Rumours Of A Trade Circulating. Who Could Be A Target?
One of the reasons why there have not been a ton of trades is the salary cap continuing to grow. In the flat-cap world, teams were more willing to move players in order to get off contracts, which seems not to be the case anymore. While Vancouver has made it clear that they are always looking at ways to improve their roster, it is hard to picture them making a move until closer to the trade deadline.
As for potential players, bringing in a center to add depth has to be at the top of the Canucks list. Based on teams that are projected to be near the bottom of the standings, some potential trade options could be Jean-Gabriel Pageau or Alex Wennberg. As for a non-pending unrestricted free agent, one player who would fit Vancouver's system is Nazem Kadri, who is signed for four more years at $7 million per season.
Of The 3 Closest Defense prospects - Kudryavtsev, Mancini And EP25, Who’s Skill Profile Suggests They Will Have The Longest Career?
Now this is a good question. All three have the potential to have long careers but for different reasons. That being said, Elias Pettersson or D-Petey is the most likely of the three to have the longest career.
The reason Pettersson is the answer is because has already developed into a reliable two-way defender who can deliver massive hits. It is becoming more difficult to find big, physical defenders who can skate well and transition the puck without issues. While Victor Mancini and Kirill Kudryavtsev are talented players who will play multiple years in the NHL, Pettersson is the most likely of the three to have the longest career.
What’s The Current Vibe About This Year’s Canucks Team?
The vibe around this team is completely different than last year or even the year before. The players seem looser and appear to be enjoying being on the ice. Some differences from last year include more cheering when plays are made in practice, as well as better engagement when speaking to the media.
While the vibe is a positive one now, the big question is will it stay the same all year. There are going to be up and downs all season which means changes in mood and demeanor. That being said, the players and organization appear to be in a positive place which is important heading into such an important year.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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How Braeden Cootes Made The Vancouver Canucks’ Opening-Night Roster
