Mets vs. Padres: 5 things to watch and series predictions | Sept. 16-18

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Padres play a three-game series at Citi Field starting on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.


5 things to watch

Get on my back for a piggyback ride

On Tuesday night, the Mets are going to do something that has been bandied about for a while.

Clay Holmes will get the start, with Sean Manaea expected to piggyback him.

With Holmes -- who is well past his previous high for innings in a season -- having pitched more than 5.0 innings just once in his last nine starts, using him as an opener of sorts makes all the sense in the world.

As far as Manaea, having him be the pitcher who comes on in relief is sensible since he has experience pitching out of the bullpen and has fared well his first time through the order this season -- holding the opposition to a .703 OPS (that OPS rises to .811 the second time through and 1.071 the third time through).

With Holmes and Manaea pitching on the same day, the Mets could either go to a five-man rotation of sorts (with David Peterson, Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat, and Nolan McLean following) or possibly insert Kodai Senga back in the next time through. Senga was strong in his first start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.

The offense is still searching for it

While the Mets won on Sunday, snapping their losing streak in the process, the offense was still largely absent.

They mustered just two runs over the first eight innings, with Pete Alonso's walk-off homer accounting for three runs in the ninth.

But there were some good signs over the weekend, including Francisco Alvarez's big series (four hits, including a homer), Francisco Lindor reaching base five times, and Brandon Nimmo smacking a homer on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Juan Soto continued to mash, crushing his 40th homer of the season.

New York will not have an easy assignment against the Padres' starting pitching, with San Diego sending out Michael King on Tuesday, Nick Pivetta on Wednesday, and Randy Vasquez on Thursday.

How will Jonah Tong bounce back?

It was a start to forget for Tong this past Friday, when he allowed six runs on four hits and three walks while failing to escape the first inning.

While Tong had serious issues with his control on Friday, he was also very unfortunate with the balls that were put in play.

That included the soft single that kept the inning going with two outs when he was one strike away from escaping unscathed. 

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) takes starting pitcher Jonah Tong (21) out of the game against the Texas Rangers during a pitching change during the first inning at Citi Field.
New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza (64) takes starting pitcher Jonah Tong (21) out of the game against the Texas Rangers during a pitching change during the first inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Unlike his first and second starts, things snowballed for Tong on Friday. And for the first time, he looked a bit out of sorts.

He is expected to get the ball in Thursday's series finale. 

The out of town scoreboard

With 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Mets enter Monday's day off with a 1.5 game lead over the Giants for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League.

New York is 2.0 games up on the Diamondbacks, and 2.5 games ahead of the Reds.

The Mets hold the tiebreaker over the Giants by virtue of winning the season series, while the Reds hold the tiebreaker over the Mets. The tiebreaker between the Mets and Diamondbacks is TBD, and will likely be based on intradivision record since the two clubs split the season series.

As the Mets face the Padres this week, the Giants and D-backs play eachother in Arizona while the Reds travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals. 

Padres are in a comfortable spot

San Diego enters this series trailing the Dodgers by 2.5 games (three in the loss column) for first place in the NL West, while holding the second Wild Card spot.

The Padres are 5.0 games ahead of the Mets for the third Wild Card, and 3.5 games (four losses) behind the Cubs for the first Wild Card.

So the very likely scenario is that they stay right where they are, which would mean getting the No. 5 seed in the playoffs and traveling to Chicago for the three-game Wild Card series.

How that motivates them for the remainder of the regular season remains to be seen.

San Diego is 6-4 over its last 10 games, which has all but cemented their playoff spot. 

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Juan Soto

Soto has been carrying the Mets for over a month

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

David Peterson

Peterson was solid his last time out, limiting the Phillies to three runs in 5.0 innings while striking out eight

Which Padres player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?

Luis Arraez

The pesky Arraez has six hits in his last 13 at-bats

Giants notes: How Bob Melvin's managing rotation options during MLB playoff push

Giants notes: How Bob Melvin's managing rotation options during MLB playoff push originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Before Sunday’s game, Giants manager Bob Melvin said they’re “TBA” for Tuesday’s matchup at Chase Field. During the ensuing blowout loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Melvin tried to make sure he will at least have a few more options. 

Spencer Bivens, one of several long reliever types in the bullpen, was limited to one inning Sunday and JT Brubaker was pulled after two. On Saturday, Tristan Beck was pulled after two innings in a lopsided game. Melvin said the staff tried to save some arms so they can possibly come back to help out Monday or Tuesday, but they also don’t know what kind of length they’ll receive from rookie Kai-Wei Teng in the opener at Chase Field. 

“It all depends on how much we get out of Teng tomorrow,” Melvin said of the plan for the next couple of days. 

It’s not a comfortable place to be this time of year, but reinforcements might be on the way. Lefty Carson Whisenhunt will make a rehab start for the Sacramento River Cats on Tuesday and could return from his back strain after that. Whisenhunt could be an option next Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

If the Giants can survive that series and sneak into the playoffs, they could at some point get another big boost. Landen Roupp, their No. 3 starter for most of the year, threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Friday and has not been ruled out if the team makes the postseason. 

When Roupp hurt his knee in San Diego last month, it looked like the Giants would be eliminated long before he could face hitters. But Roupp’s rehab has gone well and the team climbed back in the race, giving him a chance to return in October. Melvin said the plan all along was for Roupp to at least throw a bullpen session before the end of the season. 

“We wanted him to get on the mound and feel good about himself going forward,” Melvin said. “If there’s more time (in October), we’ll see where it goes … first and foremost (this was about) him getting on the mound and feeling good after what he has been through.”

If Roupp does return, it likely would be as a reliever. But right now, the Giants will take anything they can get. The pitching staff gave up 23 runs over the final two games against the Dodgers, and the next week won’t be any easier. They have three at Chase Field before four more against the Dodgers, who seem to have finally flipped the switch offensively. 

Help For The ‘Pen, Too?

Lefty Erik Miller threw a fastball-only bullpen session over the weekend and came out of it well. The plan is to throw a couple more bullpen sessions this week and then see where he’s at. A lot of this will also depend on where the Giants stand as he continues to rehab.

The hope is that the lefty can be back on the field at the very end of the season or in October, but given how much time he has missed with an elbow sprain, the Giants won’t push it if Miller isn’t needed. Miller hasn’t pitched in a big league game since July 2 but had a 1.50 ERA before going down. 

More Bad Luck

Under Farhan Zaidi, the Giants took two-way players in back-to-back drafts. While Bryce Eldridge will make his MLB debut this week, the other one continues to struggle with bad injury luck in his own bid to reach the big leagues. 

Left-hander Reggie Crawford had a second shoulder surgery recently, per team sources, pushing his return to the mound back to next summer. Crawford had labrum surgery last September and had been doing well in his rehab, but another issue popped up after he started throwing off a bullpen mound. 

The Giants took Crawford with the 30th overall pick in the 2022 draft and initially let him compete both ways. They ultimately settled on pitching and he made 14 appearances in Double-A and Triple-A last season before undergoing the first shoulder procedure. 

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Mark Giordano Among Maple Leafs' Staff Behind The Bench At Prospect Showdown

A familiar face was behind the bench for the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Prospect Showdown in Montreal.

It had previously been announced that the Toronto Marlies’ coaching staff — consisting of John Gruden, Michael Dyck, Steve Sullivan, and Hannu Toivonen (goaltending coach) — would be overseeing the group of prospects at the mini tournament.

However, when a camera panned to the bench after the second period of Sunday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, former Maple Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano was spotted standing alongside the other coaches.

The 41-year-old was confirmed to be behind the bench for the Maple Leafs, but it’s unknown what his role was within the personnel who travelled to Montreal this past weekend.

Maple Leafs assistant GM, player development, Hayley Wickenheiser, was asked about Giordano’s role earlier this summer after he had been seen around the club’s facilities at development camp. 

“Mark’s been around. I’m not sure what he’s worked out with (Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving) in terms of moving forward with a role, but he certainly knows the organization. He’s been around, and I think is interested in the coaching, development side of things.”

Takeaways From Maple Leafs' Win Over Canadiens At Prospect ShowdownTakeaways From Maple Leafs' Win Over Canadiens At Prospect ShowdownThe Toronto Maple Leafs’ prospects had a better result after losing their first game of the Prospect Showdown in Montreal to the Ottawa Senators.

Giordano was seen chatting with several players and staff during the camp in July, and even put together a speech for the prospects. He spoke about his journey from being an undrafted defenseman to winning the Norris Trophy in 2019.

“I think there’s a lot of players sitting and listening to Gio that said, that’s me, and that could be me. The career that he had being undrafted coming in and eventually winning a Norris Trophy, is really an incredible story,” Wickenheiser said in July.

“But when he starts to speak about the road and how much commitment and effort and what he learned along the way, I think probably those players sitting there listening go, ‘I can do it, but boy, it takes a lot of work to get there.’ And so it’s nice to have these guys around that can just share stories very informally with the players. I think they get a lot out of it.”

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Giordano spent parts of three seasons with the Maple Leafs, from 2022 to 2024, after being acquired by the club during the 2022 NHL trade deadline. He would suit up for 144 regular season games for Toronto, tallying nine goals and 45 points while averaging 18:14 of ice time.

The veteran defenseman also appeared in 18 playoff games, helping the club defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games during the 2023 postseason, the first time they've gotten out of the first round win since 2004.

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Giordano hasn’t formally retired from pro hockey, yet he has taken on several roles since his last season with the Maple Leafs in 2024. He joined TSN for their trade deadline coverage earlier this spring and was 2025 first-overall pick Matthew Shaefer’s defense coach this summer.

It remains to be seen whether Giordano will have a role with the Maple Leafs for the upcoming season as the NHL camp opens up this week.

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MLB playoff picture: Can Red Sox catch Yankees in Wild Card race?

MLB playoff picture: Can Red Sox catch Yankees in Wild Card race? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

There was a playoff atmosphere at Fenway Park this weekend as the Boston Red Sox hosted the rival New York Yankees in a three-game series with significant standings implications.

But the chances of that atmosphere being recreated in October have decreased significantly.

After dropping two of three to their American League East nemesis, the Red Sox (82-68) are now 1.5 games behind the Yankees (83-66), who currently own the top AL Wild Card spot and thus home-field advantage in a playoff series with the No. 2 Wild Card team — which is currently the Red Sox.

So, if the season ended Monday, the Red Sox would have to travel to Yankee Stadium for a three-game Wild Card series, while the No. 3 Wild Card team (the Houston Astros) would face the AL division winner with the worst record (the Seattle Mariners).

Here’s a look at the current Wild Card standings:

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And here’s a more in-depth look at what’s at stake for the Red Sox entering their final 12 games:

AL East crown (essentially) out of reach

The Toronto Blue Jays have the AL East virtually locked up with a 5.5-game lead over Boston and a four-game lead over New York. Toronto has a 95 percent chance of winning the division, per Baseball Reference, while the Red Sox’ chances of winning the East are 1 percent.

The Red Sox do play a three-game series against Toronto from Sept. 23-25, but there’s a very good chance the Blue Jays have locked up their first division pennant since 2015 by then.

Catching Yankees will be a tall task

A 1.5-game deficit certainly isn’t insurmountable, but the schedule doesn’t do the Red Sox any favors. According to Tankathon, Boston has the seventh-most difficult schedule in MLB down the stretch, while New York has the easiest. Here are each team’s final series:

  • Red Sox: vs. Athletics, at Tampa Bay Rays, at Blue Jays, vs. Detroit Tigers
  • Yankees: at Minnesota Twins, at Baltimore Orioles, vs. Chicago White Sox, at Orioles

Even if the Red Sox take care of business against the A’s and Rays (who both have losing records), they finish with back-to-back series against the AL’s two best teams in the Blue Jays and Tigers.

The Yankees, meanwhile, will face three of the AL’s four worst teams in the 69-win Twins, the 65-win Orioles (twice) and 57-win White Sox.

So, unless New York stumbles against the AL’s cellar dwellers, Aaron Boone’s club should have the inside track on the No. 1 Wild Card spot.

Keep an eye on the AL West

While the Astros are in the third Wild Card spot, they’re just one game behind the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners, who have the same record as Boston entering Monday.

If Houston overtakes Seattle, the Mariners would be back in the Wild Card mix, and both teams don’t have particularly challenging schedules down the stretch. (The Astros rank 15th in strength of schedule, while the Mariners have the fifth-easiest schedule based on opponent win percentage.)

If Boston drops to the third Wild Card spot, it would have to travel to either Houston or Seattle for that series.

One thing we do know? The Wild Card round is set for Sep. 30 through Oct. 2. It’s up to the Red Sox to determine where they play it.

Ottawa Senators Finish Rookie Camp With Overtime Loss to Winnipeg Jets

The Ottawa Senators closed out their rookie camp with a 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday night. Despite outshooting the Jets in regulation 37-22, the Sens fell to 1-1 at the weekend Prospects Showdown in Montreal. The best of the group will now get an invitation to main camp, which opens this week.

Oskar Pettersson and Jorian Donovan had the Senators' goals on Sunday. Pettersson opened the scoring on a nice give-and-go with Phillippe Daoust. He dished to Daoust at the blue line, then made a hard charge to the far post and was rewarded, tipping in the return pass from Daoust. 

Donovan scored from distance at the end of the second period. His wrist shot through traffic beat a screened Alex Worthington and tied the game at 2.

After Jackson Parsons went wire to wire on Saturday, the Ottawa net was a time share situation on Sunday, split evenly between starter Vladimir Nikitin and Lucas Beckman. Both gave up a goal in regulation and had some good moments. Beckman was a little unlucky on the OT winner, lunging to his left to prevent a wraparound attempt. The puck quickly squirted out to the opposite side, right onto the stick of Fabian Wagner, who ended it before Beckman could recover.

Worthington made 36 saves while Ben Zloty and Jacob Julien scored the other goals for Winnipeg.

Along with Pettersson and Donovan, Xavier Bourgault and Stephen Halliday were, again, two of the better players on the ice for Ottawa. Carter Yakemchuk, probably the only player at this camp with an outside shot at an NHL job right now, got the night off. 

So with rookie camp and the Prospects Showdown now in the books, Belleville head coach David Bell says he was pleased with the compete level.

"We asked them to compete," Bell told the media after the game. "Travis Green spoke to them before the tournament started, and said that to be an Ottawa Senator, you have to compete for a full 60 minutes. I thought we, for the most part, outplayed them this game, but didn't get the results, so I applaud them for the effort from start to finish."

While 

The Senators will open 2025 training camp on Wednesday with fitness testing.

By Steve Warne
This article first appeared at The Hockey News-Ottawa

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Islanders, NHL Training Camps Open This Week

After skating every day from Thursday through Sunday, the New York Islanders' prospects have the day off on Monday. The final day of Rookie Camp will be Tuesday, before main training camp opens on Thursday.

Later this morning, we will be at the Islanders Charity Golf Outing, where select players and head coach Patrick Roy will be made available to us. We'll see if we get any updates on Semyon Varlamov and Matthew Barzal. 

Training camp on Thursday will be our first look at No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer against adults. It will be the first time we see what Maxim Shabanov can showcase against other NHL players after playing years professionally in the KHL.

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How will Calum Ritchie fare in his second NHL training camp after making the Colorado Avalanche last year?

While there will be a combination of lines throughout training camp, it will be interesting to see how quickly Jonathan Drouin and Bo Horvat can grow their chemistry, as that's one of two lineup decisions that have been shared with us already.

The other is that Barzal, coming off two separate long-term injuries, will be moving back to center ice with Brock Nelson no longer on the team. Maybe Ritchie, if he proves he's ready to be an everyday NHL center, wins a job, changes that Barzal plan.

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The Islanders have never been deeper on offense than they will be entering camp on Thursday, especailly at the wing position. 

With the Drouin and Shabanov signing, the return of unrestricted free agent forward Kyle Palmieri, restricted free agent forwards Simon Holmstrom, Maxim Tsyplakov, and Marc Gatcomb, the trade and signing of Emil Heineman and the return of Anthony Duclair after his hiatus, competition will be at an all-time higher for spots. 

The Islanders have 12 wingers fighting for eight starting spots and a few extra roles: Drouin, Palmieri, Holmstrom, Lee, Shabanov, Duclair, Tsyplakov, Heineman, Gatcomb, MacLean, Engvall, Ritchie (as a winger).

On the defensive side, which isn't as deep, there will still be competition, especially for the bottom-pairing and seventh defenseman role: Alexander Romanov, Tony DeAngelo, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, Schaefer, Scott Mayfield, Adam Boqvist, Isaiah George and Ethan Bear. 

Islanders Matthew Schaefer Welcomes The Pressure; His Comments Following Day One Of Rookie Camp Islanders Matthew Schaefer Welcomes The Pressure; His Comments Following Day One Of Rookie Camp EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders prospect Mathew Schaefer understands the pressure that's on him afer being selected first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft.

When it comes to goaltending -- if Semyon Varlamov isn't ready -- there's a battle for the backup position between David Rittich and MArcus Hogberg. 

It's an exciting time in Islanders land, and the work has already begun with informal practice skates ongoing before things officially ramp up.  

Who will rise to the occasion? Who will be hitting waivers or heading to Bridgeport after preseason? 

Buckle up for the roster battles. 

Mets 2025 MLB Wild Card Watch: Playoff odds, standings, matchups, and more for Sept. 15

With 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Mets are looking to hold off a handful of teams for the final Wild Card spot in the National League.

Here's everything you need to know ahead of play on Sept. 15...


Mets: 77-73, 1.5 games up on Giants for third Wild Card

Next up: vs. Padres, Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY (Clay Holmes vs. Michael King)
Latest result: 5-2 win over Rangers on Sunday
Remaining schedule: 3 vs. SD, 3 vs. WSH, 3 @ CHC, 3 @ MIA
Odds to make playoffs: 80.4 percent
*Mets hold tiebreaker over Giants by virtue of winning the season series, while Reds hold tiebreaker over Mets. The tiebreaker between the Mets and Diamondbacks is TBD, and will likely be based on intradivision record since the two clubs split the season series

Giants: 75-74, 1.5 games back of Mets 

Next up: @ Diamondbacks, Monday at 9:40 p.m.(Kai-Wei Teng vs. Zac Gallen)
Latest result: 10-2 loss to Dodgers on Sunday
Remaining schedule: 3 @ ARI, 4 @ LAD, 3 vs. STL, 3 vs. COL
Odds to make playoffs: 9.6 percent

Diamondbacks: 75-75, 2.0 games back of Mets

Next up: vs. Giants, Monday at 9:40 p.m. (Zac Gallen vs. Kai-Wei Teng)
Latest result: 6-4 win over Twins on Sunday
Remaining schedule: 3 vs. SF, 3 vs. PHI, 3 vs. LAD, 3 @ SD
Odds to make playoffs: 4.9 percent

Reds: 74-75, 2.5 games back of Mets

Next up: @ Cardinals, Monday at 7:45 p.m. (Zack Littell vs. Matthew Liberatore)
Latest result: 7-4 loss to Athletics on Sunday
Remaining schedule: 3 @ STL, 4 vs. CHC, 3 vs. PIT, 3 @ MIL
Odds to make playoffs: 4.9 percent

28 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #28

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 28 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #28. 

Let's take a look.

Tyler Wright - 2001-2006 - Drafted by Edmonton in 1991.

Tyler Wright was a Blue Jacket Original who played 309 games in the early days of the franchise. Wright totaled 109 points for the Jackets and had 149 for his career.

He was famously traded to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for Hall-of-Famer Sergei Fedorov on November 15, 2005. That was his last NHL season, and he would leave for Switzerland the next year. 

After retiring, he returned to Columbus and was the Dir. of Player Development, and Dir. of Amateur Scouting for 7 years. He held the same positions in Detroit and Edmonton from 2013 to 2023. After taking last season off, he was hired by the LA Kings to be their Dir. of Player Personnel for this upcoming season. 

Zenon Konopka - 2007-2008 - Undrafted out of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

On January 26, 2007, he was traded by the Anaheim Ducks along with Curtis Glencross and a draft pick to the Blue Jackets in exchange for forwards Mark Hartigan, Joe Motzko and a draft pick. He played a total of 9 games for Columbus and had no points. He spent the season as the Captain for the AHL's Syracuse Crunch, where he had 55 points. 

He retired in April of 2017. 

Nikita Filatov - 2009-2011 - Drafted in the first round of the 2008 NHL Draft by Columbus.

Oh, what could've been! Filatov was an uber-talented winger from Russia and was the 6th overall pick in 2008. He played 44 games for Columbus and totaled 13 points. In 2011, he was traded to the Ottawa Senators and only played 9 games.

He would return to Russia, where he played until 2019 and is now retired. He has spent the last few years as the Vice President of the Polyot Rybinsk of the NMHL. 

"Filly don't do rebounds."

Alexandre Giroux - 2012 - Drafted by Ottawa in 1999.

Played in 9 games for the Jackets during the 2011-12 season, scoring one goal. After his time in Columbus, he would never play another NHL game.

He would play in Europe until 2018 before returning to Canada, where he would play until 2022. He played in Poland, Switzerland, Russia, and France. He came back to North America and played three seasons in the LNAH as well. 

Frédéric St. Denis - 2015 - Undrafted out of Greenfield Park, Quebec.

St. Denis would play 4 games for the Jackets during the 14-15 season and would tally one assist. He would never play another NHL game after playing in Columbus and retired during the 2018-19 season.

He played one year in Germany and then came back to play in the LNAH for three seasons. 

Oliver Bjorkstrand - 2016-2022 - Drafted by Columbus in 2013. 

Bjorkstrand played 382 games for the Blue Jackets. Drafted in 2013, Oliver helped the Lake Erie Monsters win the Calder Cup in 2016 by scoring 16 points in 17 games, including the series winner with under .02 seconds to play in overtime. 

Bjorkstrand had 234 points in 382 games as a Jacket. He scored a career-high 28 goals in 2021-22 and had a career-high 57 points. On July 22, 2022, the unthinkable would happen - Oliver Bjorkstrand was traded to the Seattle Kraken. Former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen justified the trade by saying it was because they just signed Johnny Gaudreau and Patrik Laine. It was a sad day for a lot of CBJ fans, especially since the CBJ only got back a third and fourth-round pick.

Bjorkstrand is most famous for his game-winning goal in the 2019 NHL playoffs vs the Tampa Bay Lightning. A goal that will live in infamy for Lightning fans.

In his first season with Seattle, he played a key role in helping the team reach the playoffs for the first time, contributing 20 goals and 45 points. His two-way game and ability to step up in clutch moments made him a valuable addition.

This past season, Bjorkstrand suffered an injury called Compartment Syndrome. This happens when there is too much pressure around your muscles. In Bjorkstrand's case, it required him to be rushed to the hospital at 2 a.m. for emergency surgery to fix the issue.

 The injury is very serious because the fluid and blood get trapped inside the muscle, causing it to swell. If not treated immediately, it can cause major complications, including the potential loss of the affected limb.

Thankfully, in Bjorkstrand’s case, it was caught early and treated. Lightning GM Julien BriseBois said he is expected to make a full recovery and will be ready for the start of the 2025-26 NHL season.

There are 28 days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena.

Let us know what you think below.

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Blues' Dalibor Dvorsky: "Oh Yeah, I Feel Real Motivated"

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- When St. Louis Blues prospects stepped onto the ice to get in a couple days of workouts prior to playing in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase this past weekend, assistant general manager Tim Taylor noticed a quick observation.

“I don’t know if you guys noticed, Dvorsky looked like he had a bigger jump or better step in his feet,” Taylor said of Dalibor Dvorsky, the 10th pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

That same Dalibor Dvorsky that will be in a group of a handful or two high-end draft picks that will be in camp that begins on Thursday to try and win a job.

The odds are probably more against him than favorable, considering that the Blues have 14 forwards on one-way contracts, but this is Dvorsky’s objective heading in, as it will be for the likes of others: take someone’s job.

And after getting a taste of the big life a year ago playing in two NHL games, being told to be patient and work hard for his turn, Dvorsky knows this is his first real test and opportunity to force management’s hand at giving him a full-time job here, and he’s more than motivated.

“Oh yeah, I feel real motivated,” he said. “My goal is to play here, so I feel really motivated. I'm (was) ready for rookie camp and (now) training camp and I'm excited to get started.”

Dvorsky, who had 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) in 61 games for Springfield of the American Hockey League last season, his first full season there, said his summer’s been good. When told that those above watching him last week working out with fellow prospects that noticed the speed has ramped up, Dvorsky said he’s “tried to improve, get stronger and faster every summer. I feel faster this summer. I think I've improved in that. I feel good.”

The big question is if Dvorsky, who had a goal and an assist on Friday in a 6-4 win against the Minnesota Wild prospects, in fact does have a terrific training camp, whose job does he take away?

The Blues signed Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad to free agent contracts this summer, do don’t expect one of those jobs to be taken away. Could the 20-year-old wrestle a job away from veterans Mathieu Joseph or Alexandre Texier, each who has one year remaining on his contract? It’s unlikely he’d push Nathan Walker, Oskar Sundqvist or Alexey Toropchenko out of the mix since Dvorsky is not a fourth-line player and those will be fourth-line forwards.

But what is known is the Blues seem to have a pretty good grasp of where Dvorsky’s progression has taken him thus far and what lies ahead.

“I think that he got a real good taste of what pro hockey was all about at a young age at 19,” Taylor said. “Going to the Worlds, I went over to the Worlds and watched him play over there too (this past summer). Now he’s experiencing the ebbs and flows of what pro hockey’s all about. I think he just has a better grasp for himself of where he needs to get to and where he’s at right now.

“I don’t want to overstate this because it’s in practice, but he looks like he’s quicker, he looks like he’s more mature in his body and he feels … I just feel like he’s more comfortable in his skin and ready to take a grasp of the situation and see what this month has for him.”

Compared to a year ago, Dvorsky is not only faster but he’s bigger and stronger (6-foot-1, 201 pounds) and has a firm grasp of what needs to be done.

“I mean last year was my first camp. It was my first year, so I didn't really know what to expect from everything, but now I'm more experienced,” Dvorsky said. “This is my second time being here, so I know how I should have prepared and I know what to expect now. So I feel a little more comfortable now. But I'm staying motivated and I'm really excited to get started.

“… I think I'm good to adjust to the speed of the game. I played pro last year and I had two games up (in the NHL), so I know how fast I have to play to keep up. I've been working on it all summer, so I think I'm pretty good to adjust to the speed of the game.

“Two games is not a lot, but from what I've gotten the opportunity to play, I've learned that the speed is really high and the players are smarter, more skilled and maybe a little stronger. It's the best league in the world, so it's a really high level.”

A natural center, Dvorsky is up against it with Robert Thomas, Brayden Schenn, Suter, Sundqvist, Bjugstad, even Walker as the depth of guys at the center ice position. The Blues are known to get guys acclimated to the league by playing them on the wing to gain the necessary experience before thrusting someone into a tougher slot up the middle. Could that be in the works for Dvorsky? Whatever it takes.

St. Louis Blues prospect Dalibor Dvorsky, a first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut last season against the Nashville Predators. (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

“Yeah for sure, I'm open to it,” Dvorsky said. “That's the coach's decision -- whatever [Jim Montgomery] decides -- but yeah I've played on the wing as well. Like I said, it's up to the coach, what he says, and I'll just try to do my best on the ice.”

Dvorsky will get his shot starting Thursday. This isn’t a now-or-never situation. In fact, it’s just the beginning, but it’s the beginning of a real first opportunity from a draft class that essentially started with 2022 first-round pick Jimmy Snuggerud, who is a lock at making this year’s roster. Dvorsky is next in line.

“Definitely much closer because I've been here last year and I know much more what it takes to be here,” Dvorsky said. “But I go one step at a time. First it's the rookie tournament and then I’ll focus on the main camp.”

Prep talk: It's September but practice has begun for Corona Centennial baseball

Sophomores Ethan Miller (left) and Ethan Lebreton were among three freshmen who started last season for Corona Centennial.
Sophomores Ethan Miller, left, and Ethan Lebreton were among three freshmen who started last season for Corona Centennial's baseball team. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

On the same day Corona Centennial was playing Mater Dei in football, the sounds of baseballs coming off aluminum bats could be heard from the Centennial batting cage. Only in sunny Southern California does baseball keep going month after month. On this occasion, the Huskies are trying to keep up in the talent-laden Big VIII League that includes powerhouses Corona and Norco.

Centennial, which finished in third place last season, has three sophomores who started and performed well as freshmen: Infielder Ethan Miller (.298 batting average), infelder Ethan Lebreton (.304) and outfielder Jesse Mendoza (.314).

Read more:Prep talk: Glendale turns to sophomore running back Arman Papazyan

It was an Ethan-to-Ethan double play combination at shortstop and second base for much of the year. All that experience hitting against the likes of Seth Hernandez and facing a Corona team that had three first-round draft picks should pay off in the spring.

One baseball player absent was the starting center fielder, Jaden Walk-Green, who was busy on the football field getting two interceptions and kicking two field goals in a 43-36 upset of Mater Dei.

"I'm everything. I'm the utility player," Walk-Green said.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Ricky Hatton’s family tell of their ‘immeasurable’ loss after boxer’s death

  • Former champion’s kindness and loyalty hailed

  • Andy Burnham: ‘We will find a way to honour him’

Ricky Hatton’s family have opened up publicly for the first time since the news of the boxing legend’s death, saying they feel an “immeasurable” sense of loss.

The 46-year-old was found dead in what police said were no suspicious circumstances at his home in Hyde, Greater Manchester on Sunday, resulting in tributes being paid across sport and wider society towards the fighter, a former world welterweight champion.

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Jonathan Kuminga reportedly assured of ‘substantial' Warriors role next season

Jonathan Kuminga reportedly assured of ‘substantial' Warriors role next season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jonathan Kuminga is part of the Warriors’ plan for the 2025-26 NBA season, and potentially, for years to come.

Not only have the Warriors recently upped their contract offer to the restricted free agent, but also have made some assurances to the 22-year-old regarding his role moving forward, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported Monday, citing sources.

“Kuminga’s personal relationship with [Warriors coach Steve] Kerr isn’t a problem,” Charania and Slater wrote. “The messaging from Kerr and the Warriors is that Kuminga would have a substantial role to open next season, per sources. They could use his youth and scoring on the wing.

“But in negotiations, Kuminga’s side has regularly referred to some postseason comments where Kerr highlighted the difficulty of fitting Kuminga next to Curry, Butler and Green for heavy minutes and expecting to win at the highest level. It’s proof to them that the basketball fit is less than ideal for the trajectory of Kuminga’s career.”

Which is why, according to ESPN, Kuminga and his agent, Aaron Turner, have voiced to the Warriors throughout the offseason that they should ‘sell the contract, not the basketball,’ seemingly indicating that the overall financial commitment the team makes will be more of a needle-mover than whatever role the team promises him.

Other teams interested in Kuminga, like the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns, not only reportedly have offered Kuminga more money — three years, $63-66 million and four years, $80-88 million, respectively — but according to ESPN, also have attached player options to their offers and pitched Kuminga on their starting power forward positions.

The Warriors don’t appear to be offering as much money or as secure of a role.

Which is why Kuminga reportedly is leaning toward accepting the one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.

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Cycling teams could boycott races involving Israel-Premier Tech after Vuelta chaos

World Tour cycling teams may refuse to race against Israel-Premier Tech following the multiple protests ­during the Vuelta a España that exploded into street violence in central Madrid on Sunday.

Sources within rival teams have expressed their dismay to the Guardian at the refusal of the team to ­withdraw from the Vuelta and the lack of protection from the International Cycling Union (UCI) for its own commercial and sporting interests.

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Ex-Flyers Defenseman Still Has a Chance to Return to the NHL

(Photo: Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images)

Former Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Erik Johnson is still a free agent as NHL training camps loom large league-wide, but his status could change soon.

According to Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports, Johnson, 37, has three professional tryout offers on the table and will eventually decide on one.

The Flyers traded Johnson back to his longtime club, the Colorado Avalanche, in the March 7 NHL trade deadline deal that brought Givani Smith to Philadelphia, though a return to the Avs is not in the cards, according to Montano.

Technically, the Flyers could be a possibility, though it's been reported that they aren't expected to bring in any players on tryout offers at all.

They also already have Dennis Gilbert, Emil Andrae, Noah Juulsen, and Helge Grans competing for roster spots, so Johnson more than likely would not have a genuine opportunity to play in the NHL again with the Flyers.

Johnson isn't quite the player he used to be, though he appeared in 14 games for the Avalanche after the trade, scoring a goal and an assist and seeing his average ice time jump from 13:18 with the Flyers to 16:36 in Colorado.

In the playoffs, Johnson was trusted by Jared Bednar and Co. to play in two games.

It's conceivable that the 1,000-gamer could still be a useful rotational veteran somewhere in the NHL, even though it's clear he's no longer a regular at this level.

Wherever Johnson lands next, if not Philadelphia or Colorado, will be his fourth team in three seasons.

Canadiens: Shielding The Headliner

On this second day of the Prospect Showdown, the Montreal Canadiens decided to rest prized prospect Ivan Demidov, and to say the fans were disappointed would be an understatement. The mere presence of the young Russian in the building has the power to create some effervescence, and his absence on the ice for warmups was met with incredulity.

The organization had been advertising this event with Demidov as the headliner for months. Yesterday, Pascal Vincent, speaking about his first line formed with Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Florian Xhekaj, said it was a shame they only had two games to work on their chemistry. Given those circumstances, it’s hard not to understand the fans’ disappointment, especially since those who attended the Saturday game got to see Demidov and meet Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson.

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Canadiens’ Demidov Steals The Show Despite Loss
Canadiens: Vincent Looking To Expand Florian Xhekaj’s Role

Pascal Vincent explained that the risk of playing him two days in a row wasn’t worth it, given how big of a summer he had training-wise, and that the decision was taken by committee.

Still, there was a game to be played, and the Toronto Maple Leafs elected to do exactly what the Habs were doing, shielding their best player, meaning Easton Cowan sat this one out as well. With the most skillful player on each side being a no-show, the game soon turned into what some would call “old-time hockey”, and within five minutes, there had already been two fights.

Toronto opened the score late in the first with a shot from the high slot that didn’t look all that threatening, but it still found its way past Jacob Fowler, who played for half the game, just like yesterday. Montreal started strong in the second frame, taking five consecutive shots on goal, but they then got into penalty trouble, and while they were able to kill Owen Protz’s minor, they couldn’t do the same when both Kapanen and Vinzenz Rohrer were in the box. Luke Haymes scored with a one-timer off the draw, giving Toronto a 2-0 lead.

Another fight followed this time between Tyler Thorpe and Sam McCue, but this one seemed to energize Montreal, and Filip Mesar scored to bring the locals back to within one. With 20 minutes to go, the Leafs had a 2-1 edge while Montreal had the lead in shots with 24 to Toronto’s 21.

The Canadiens made a valiant effort to come back in the third, firing 15 shots on net, but they were unable to find the back of the net. Meanwhile, Ryan Tverberg added a couple of goals for the visitors, including an empty net goal with a minute to go in the game. For a second time in as many days, the Canadiens lost the game, this time 4-1.

Of course, this is only a prospect tournament and results matter very little, but still, on paper, the Canadiens should have fared better this weekend. While the decision to shield Demidov is understandable, his absence was a great way to demonstrate how much of an impact he had on proceedings. Without him, the Canadiens struggle to build real threatening attacks, and they couldn’t produce as many scoring chances as they did on Saturday.

On the bright side, David Reinbacher looked better than he did yesterday. There’s a steady progression there as the rust comes off, but he’s not ready yet for the NHL; that much is clear. He will benefit greatly from a heavy workload in the AHL.

Still, in the positives, Fowler has the kind of mindset needed to play in this market. He’s calm and collected, and he doesn’t panic, no matter what happens. That’s the kind of roc you need in the Montreal net. He’s not entertaining to watch, but that’s not a negative; it just means his positioning is good and he doesn’t need to make spectacular saves, unlike Jakub Dobes, for instance. He’s not NHL-ready, but so far, his progression is on the right path.

In Demidov’s absence, Owen Beck was promoted to the top line, and he was quite noticeable on the ice. Not because he has the same kind of talent as Demidov, but because he excels at all the little things. He’s the kind of player who’s ready to do the things that “aren’t fun to do,” as Martin St-Louis often says. Vincent explained that in a single shift, he blocked a puck, recovered it in a foot race, and then landed a hit; that’s the kind of hard worker that can make the NHL because they don’t mind picking up the challenging assignment, and they’re not hung up on getting the spotlight and the highlight reels.

The rookies will enjoy a much-deserved day off tomorrow as the Canadiens will hold their traditional season-launching golf tournament, but will be back in Brossard on Tuesday to close out the rookie camp.


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