Jun 16, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (30) celebrates with first baseman Matt Olson (28) after a home run against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Ha-Seong Kim is getting a third straight start at shortstop and batting ninth, as he continues to set a torridly awful pace for value and production this season. Drake Baldwin is catching and batting cleanup and the Braves really need him to find his swing again, as he has struggled since returning from injury. That last of the lineup is pretty bleak as Mauricio Dubon has been the best of those batters by a wide margin this season. Good luck against Logan Webb today.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 19: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers is guarded by Keon Ellis #23 of the Sacramento Kings in the second half at Golden 1 Center on December 19, 2024 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
First, the Brooklyn Nets traded their long-serving player, Nic Claxton, to the Chicago Bulls in a three=team deal that sent them Julius Randle, a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA player. Then came the NBA Draft where they selected the highest pick they’ve had in 16 years as well as a second second, part of the Claxton-Randle deal. After that, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of the Steinline ignited rumors of “legitimate interest” in Mitchell Robinson, the New York Knicks center whose rim protection would certainly fill a need.
Now, Stein and Fischer are touting two other veteran free agents as players the Nets could be interested in when the clock strikes 6:00 p.m. in New York Tuesday, permitting teams to start making calls to free agents not their own. The two report that Keon Ellis, the 3-and-D shooting guard who played last year with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rui Hachimura, the 6’8″ Los Angeles Lakers power forward.
Keon Ellis, meanwhile, appears less likely to stay in Cleveland … unless the Cavaliers lose (Dean) Wade.
One anticipated landing spot for Ellis is Brooklyn, where the defensive-minded guard could reunite with Nets coach Jordi Fernández, who was an assistant in Sacramento during Ellis’ Kings tenure.
Brooklyn keeps coming up as a likely suitor, too, for the Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, league sources say. The Nets and Spurs are two teams we’ve heard have interest in adding Hachimura’s services, while the Spurs are also faced with resolving Harrison Barnes’ future as the veteran forward heads to unrestricted free agency.
The Stein Line reported Friday that the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson is another Nets target. Brooklyn can operate as a salary cap team with more than $40 million in space if it executes free agent signings before going through with the multiteam trade that will ultimately land Julius Randle with the Nets.
At first glance, not knowing what Sean Marks & co. are planning, the two would seem unlikely matches for the development-oriented Nets. But we’ve been surprised before.
In the case of Ellis, how would the 26-year-old fit with the Nets kiddie corps of guards — er, playmakers — that includes last year’s rookies Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf and Drake Powell as well as incoming rookie PG Mikel Brown Jr. and two point forwards in Danny Wolf and Joshua Jefferson who range in age from 20 to 22? Did we mention veteran Terance Mann who’s still owed $31.5 million over the next two seasons and is favorite of the coaching staff? Ellis would likely come cheap and Brooklyn has both cap space and money. The undrafted 26-year-old has never made more than the vets minimum. He is a certified 3-point threat with a career average of 40.7% from deep.
Hachimura is a big but he’s not so much a center but rather a big power forward and the Nets already have two of them in Michael Porter Jr. and Julius Randle. They are more in need of rim protection rather than 3-point shooting at which Hachimura excels, hitting 39.4% from deep over. He averaged only 3.3 boards last year however, slightly lower than his 4.6 career average. He was paid $18.3 million last season. Could he and Ellis come off the bench?
One thing Stein and Fischer have harped on of late is that the Nets are tired of losing. (Who among us isn’t?) In their reporting Friday on Robinson, they had this to say:
[T]hey appear intent on putting a credible team on the floor next season after unreservedly tanking this past season and winding up with the No. 6 pick in May’s draft lottery.
There are of course other decisions to made on the Nets own free agents and soon: Sunday is the deadline for Nets to exercise options on Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams’ $6.25 million options, then Monday, they have to decide options on Josh Minott and Malachi Smith. It’s also the last day for teams to make qualifying offers to players eligible for restricted free agency. In Nets case, this applies to Noah Clowney. There’s also MPJ’s extension.
Marks has been promising people months of excitement so it’s best to wait. He’ll surely be asked a bunch of questions Monday when he and the team’s three draft picks meet with the media at the Brooklyn Basketball Center at 3:00 p.m. ET Monday.
On Saturday morning, Keith Smith reported that the Nets have tendered a two-way qualifying offer to Chaney Johnson who played on a two-way last year. He’ll soon be joined on a two-way by Tyler Bilodeau, the 6’9″ forward the Nets drafted in the second round earlier in the week.
Jun 21, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen (24) delivers a pitch in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
The Colorado Rockies kicked off their road trip with yet more hijinks late in the game. Entering the game down 7-0, the Rockies proceeded to score eight unanswered runs to take the lead against the Minnesota Twins only to lose in extra innings due to sloppy play. Now the Rockies will look to win their first game of the series against the Twins, hopefully without the drama, but who are we kidding? The Rockies are surprisingly one of the best teams in the league when it comes to late game offense.
Making the start for the Rockies is Michael Lorenzen, who now has three straight starts of five or more innings. His last time out, Lorenzen went 5.1 innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but gave up four earned runs on seven hits with a home run. He struck out five batters.
Since simplifying his approach, Lorenzen has been performing much better on the mound. His ERA for the season is down to 7.11 and he has a solid body of work against the Twins. In seven appearances he holds an ERA of just 2.86 with 23 strikeouts over 28.1 innings.
The starting pitcher for the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul is right-handed rookie Mike Paredes, who made his debut earlier this season. Paredes holds a 4.05 ERA over five appearances, three of which were starts, entering today’s game with 11 strikeouts in 20 innings.
His last time out, Paredes worked five innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks while giving up two earned runs on six hits and three walks with one strikeout. The 25-year-old has a four pitch arsenal consisting of a four-seam fastball that averages 93 MPH, a changeup, a sweeper, and a cutter.
First Pitch: 5:10 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)
Gerrit Cole is finding that out in his comeback from Tommy John surgery and Saturday, he showed a little bit of both.
Unfortunately for the Yankees, by the time the former Cy Young winner got back to his old self, he’d put the team in too big a hole to overcome.
But despite a second straight shaky outing in a 4-1 loss to the Red Sox, Cole said he was encouraged by how he felt over his final three innings compared to his rough first 2 ¹/₃ innings.
“I got more aggressive as the game went on,’’ Cole said.
The difference, according to Cole and Aaron Boone, was that after trying to be too careful in the early going and seeing his command suffer, Cole went on the attack more in the latter part of his outing.
Gerrit Cole delivers a pitch during the Yankees’ June 27 loss to the Red Sox. AP Photo
The results backed that up.
He gave up solo homers to Masataka Yoshida and Anthony Seigler, both from the left side, in the first two innings.
And after giving up singles to Yoshida and Ceddanne Rafaela to open the third, Cole then allowed a booming two-run double to Willson Contreras.
Cole righted himself after that, retiring nine of the next 11 batters.
The turnaround didn’t help the Yankees avoid a third straight loss, but as Austin Wells said, it may have given Cole some momentum heading into his next outing.
Gerrit Cole gets pulled during the Yankees’ June 27 loss to the Red Sox. Getty Images
“I tried to free myself up,’’ Cole said. “The command sometimes isn’t there. You have to go after it then and not care as much about where the pitch is going.”
Not every pitcher can do that without disastrous results.
As much as the Yankees and their slumping offense can ill afford shaky starts from their ace, the team is looking for Cole to round into peak form as the season moves along and not necessarily in June, seven starts post-elbow surgery.
Cole allowed four runs in 5 ¹/₃ innings to the Red Sox and has given up nine runs in 9 ²/₃ innings in his last two outings.
Perhaps Boston wasn’t the place to call on Cole for dominance, since Fenway has been his Kryptonite for much of his career.
Of any ballpark in which he’s made more than three starts, Cole has the worst ERA (5.52), WHIP (1.409) and opposing OPS (.864) with the Green Monster behind him.
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Saturday was more of the same.
The homer to Yoshida to lead off the bottom of the first, the home run to Seigler and the double to Contreras were all on four-seam fastballs, which Cole threw less than usual Saturday.
He responded after the Contreras double by whiffing the next two batters and gave up just a pair of singles the rest of the way.
“Coming off surgery, he’s slowly starting to unlock and feel like himself again,’’ Wells said. “He started to free himself up again after trying to be too perfect. He’s been carrying that a little bit. He was able to break free the last couple of innings, just go out and pitch and not worry too much about results. That freed him up and gave him some good momentum going forward.”
The 2026 NHL Entry Draft is complete, with nine new prospects joining the Vancouver Canucks' organization. The common theme for this draft appeared to be size, as only two of the nine prospects are listed at 6'0" or shorter. Vancouver also added five prospects listed at 200 lbs or heavier, indicating a desire to build a stronger, heavier prospect pool.
This draft was the first under Ryan Johnson as GM. While there was a regime change, the scouting staff remained the same, including Todd Harvey, the Canucks' Director of Amateur Scouting. After the draft, Harvey spoke to the media and highlighted Vancouver's plan for the 2026 draft.
"Well, obviously we've got direction, and things have changed here, obviously," said Harvey. "And you know, our direction was we wanted to get quicker. We wanted to get bigger and harder to play against. We kind of went down, sat, we talked through the list. You guys don't want to know how many times we've gone through that list. We've done it over and over again. And we got it to where we thought everything aligned, and you never know what the draft, how it kind of plays out. But to get the guys we got and kind of targeted really fit the mould here."
The Canucks newest draft class also had an international feel as eight different countries were represented. Of the eight, the only country that featured multiple prospects was Canada, with players from Belarus, Czechia, Norway, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and the US also hearing their names called. For Harvey and his staff, the main focus of the draft is picking the best prospect, regardless of nationality.
"It's kind of funny now. Everybody's coming over. You have (Niklas Aaram-Olsen) going to BU. It's all about their development path. And, you know, I don't think we look at it that way. There were players that were from the West that were on our board, and there was players from Quebec that were on our board. So we just kind of felt that in the late round, we had some size and some speed, and he's coming over here, and I thought that was a good way we should go."
Vancouver's new draft class also features a handful of players who have already committed to the NCAA for either this season or the 2027-28 campaign. This includes third overall pick Caleb Malhotra as well as Brooks Rogowski, who was selected 33rd overall. As Harvey explained, he and his staff want to have an idea of a prospect's timeline before potentially selecting them.
"We talk about it when we're sitting in our meetings. That's a big thing. Where's he going? What's his plan? You really like when, especially when you're in the interview process with the kids, you like to know that they have a plan and kind of know the path that they're on. It does make a bit of a difference. I think this whole new way of things has changed a lot of things. And I think it's good for the players, because a lot of them sometimes aren't ready physically, and this is another path that they can go on."
Harvey was asked about the contract status of Ian Clark, who is listed on the team site under Scout and Goalie Development. Clark has helped shape the Canucks' goaltending group for nearly a decade and is considered one of the best goalie coaches in the NHL. Harvey was unable to provide an update, but did say that the organization has been in contact with Clark.
Lastly, Harvey revealed that eight of the nine prospects drafted are expected to attend development camp this year. The only exception is Russian goaltender Dmitri Ivchenko. Development camp will take place in Abbotsford this year, with on-ice sessions open to the public.
Jun 26, 2026; Buffalo, New York, USA; Caleb Malhotra reacts with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being selected with the third pick in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft by the Vancouver Canucks at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
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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Jun 26, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) hits a RBI double against the Colorado Rockies in the fifth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
First Pitch: 6:10 pm CDT TV: Twins.TV Radio: TIBN / WCCO 830 / The Wolf 102.9 FM / Audacy
One night after what many are already calling the dumbest game of all time, Target Field is playing host to the Battle of the Mikes. Mike check, one-two, one-two. Heh. Hilarious.
For the Twins, it’s Mike Paredes, who has five major-league games under his belt and has somehow accidentally become a starting pitcher. Throwing roughly 60 or so pitches as a quasi-opener, Paredes went five innings his last time out — regular starter numbers — and has yet to give up more than three earned runs in a game, holding opponents to either one or two in all but a single start against the Kansas City Royals. Today, he has his best chance so far to look like a real real major-league arm.
His opponent is a certified Real Major-League Arm, with 12 seasons of big-league experience and a consistent presence in the league since 2015. Lorenzen, possibly the highest-profile non-Ohtani two-way hopeful, has almost 150 big-league at-bats and has put together 1.6 career bWAR from hitting, playing the occasional outfield for the late-teens Cincinnati Reds, and bopping 7 career homers. Now, with his hitting days behind him, he’s posting a -.1.2 bWAR for the Rockies, with a 2-9 record, 7.11 ERA, and obscene 13.4 H/9 in 17 games this year.
The Twins ended last night tied with the New York Yankees for the team runs lead in the American League (404), and have been reaping the rewards of post-demotion Royce Lewis (.296/.346/.521, four doubles, four homers, 9 RBI, four steals since his recall.) They remain 4.5 back at 39-44, which is somehow still good for a game and a half out of the Wild Card. The 32-50 Colorado Rockies should be an easy punching bag, and a much-needed one in the wake of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Minnesota will need to keep the pressure on if they want a potential bounceback sweep.
They failed to keep the pressure on last night, and it almost cost them. We’ll see if they can make the adjustment this evening.
DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 22: Ivan Ivan #82 of the Colorado Avalanche looks up during a pause in the game Kraken at Ball Arena on December 22, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ashley Potts/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images
In the middle of all that Draft chaos, we almost forgot that a trade happened!
The Bruins acquired Lysell in the 2021 NHL Draft as a first round selection. While he is unquestionably talented, the AHL level seemed to be where his skillset was best utilized, as after his single season with the Vancouver Giants, he joined the Providence Bruins, and was one of their better forwards. He was, however, rarely utilized at the NHL level, only playing 12 games with the big boy club and all of it from last year. As it increasingly became clear this was not going to be a viable option for him, I think a trade like this became inevitable for the young Swede.
Ivan Ivan, on top of maybe being the best name in the NHL, was an undrafted signing for the Avalanche who has split time between the Colorado Eagles and the Avalanche. He has been a major part of the Eagles’ success through the last few years, and while he hasn’t been able to do much with last year’s Avalanche, this could be a much better opportunity for the young man to get some strong minutes, as Boston’s roster is notoriously in flux.
Analytically, Ivan Ivan is a solid depth guy who’s strength is in backchecking.
Given the team he just joined, I think he’ll do just fine.
BOSTON, MA - DECEMBER 28: Boston Bruins forward Fabian Lysell (23) looks on during a National Hockey League game. (Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Colorado Avalanche moved on from Ivan Ivan on Saturday—but the deal was about far more than just a name.
We have acquired Fabian Lysell from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Ivan Ivan. pic.twitter.com/Tt4kfsN6GJ
In a one-for-one trade with the Boston Bruins, Colorado acquired former 2021 first-round pick Fabian Lysell, a once-hyped offensive winger still trying to turn prospect pedigree into consistent NHL production. In return, the Avalanche parted ways with Ivan, a depth forward who carved out an NHL role after arriving to the organization as an undrafted free agent.
For Colorado, it’s a bet on untapped upside. For Boston, it’s a swap for reliability.
Lysell arrives in Denver after spending most of last season with the Providence Bruins, where he put together 17 goals and 25 assists for 42 points in 57 AHL games. He was a key contributor on a Providence team that finished with the league’s best regular-season record and claimed the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy, finishing sixth on the roster in scoring and fifth in both goals and assists.
Across four seasons in the AHL, the 23-year-old Swedish winger has been productive, totaling 57 goals and 106 assists for 163 points in 219 games with Providence. At the NHL level, he has appeared in 12 games for Boston in the 2024-25 season, recording one goal and adding two assists.
His track record before turning pro reinforced the offensive projection. With the WHL’s Vancouver Giants in 2021–22, Lysell posted 62 points in 53 games and then elevated his game in the playoffs with 21 points in 12 contests, leading the league with 17 assists during that run.
Originally selected 21st overall in the 2021 NHL Draft, Lysell also developed through Luleå HF in Sweden’s SHL after coming up in Frölunda’s junior system. On the international stage, he has represented Sweden twice at major tournaments, earning bronze at both the 2021 IIHF Under-18 World Championship and the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Ivan’s path looks very different.
Signed by Colorado in March 2024 after going undrafted, he worked his way into 49 NHL games with the Avalanche, producing five goals and four assists while establishing himself as a steady, energy-driven bottom-six presence. He also logged extensive time with the Colorado Eagles, recording 25 goals and 44 assists across 169 AHL appearances. That should have been enough to graduate to the NHL level but with his contract now complete the Avalanche were at a crossroads with him.
The move ultimately comes down to projection versus production. Colorado is wagering that Lysell’s offensive toolkit still hasn’t fully translated at the NHL level, while Boston adds a player whose role and identity are already defined. Both are Restricted Free Agents but with Lysell coming off his Entry Level Contract he does not hold arbitration rights like Ivan does. Clearly Colorado’s strategy is to hope one of these 2021 first round picks (along with Fyodor Svechkov and Zach L’Heureux) stick hoping another organization’s development will pay off for them.
Just when it appeared they were probably done selecting in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins snuck in to snag one more player to complete their draft class.
The Penguins acquired the 160th overall pick from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2027 fifth-round pick and used it to draft Russian goaltender Matvei Nikonovich. The Belarusian netminder posted impressive numbers last season in the MHL - Russia's junior league - including a 20-14-4 record with a .939 save percentage and a 1.96 goals-against average in 38 games.
He stands at 6-foot-2, 187 pounds, and, according to Elite Prospects, he is known for his strong tracking ability as well as his power.
Nikonovich was one of 31 goaltenders selected in this year's draft, which is an atypically high number. He was obviously what the Penguins deemed a "value pick" in the later rounds, where they've found some value before: top goaltending prospect Sergei Murashov - a fellow Russian - was a fourth-round selection (118th overall) in 2022, and he took a similar path as Nikonovich and had similar numbers in the MHL.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: A general view of racing during the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series OnlyBulls Green Flag 150 at Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on February 28, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Today’s Lineups
DIAMONDBACKS
RAYS
Ketel Marte – 2B
Yandy Diaz – DH
Geraldo Perdomo – SS
Jonathan Aranda – 1B
Corbin Carroll – RF
Junior Caminero – 3B
Gabriel Moreno – C
Victor Mesa – RF
Adrian Del Castillo – DH
Chandler Simpson – LF
Nolan Arenado – 3B
Cedric Mullins – CF
Max Kepler – LF
Taylor Walls – SS
LuJames Groover – 1B
Richie Palacios – 2B
Tommy Troy – CF
Hunter Feduccia – C
Jose Cabrera – RHP
Michael Grove – RHP
Yesterday’s defeat was Zac Gallen’s seventh loss of the year, and dropped the team to 6-11 when he takes the mound. It got me thinking, which starter in franchise history was the “biggest loser”? Before we get to that, I have to say that the single-season record for losses is one which never crops up in “unbreakable records”, but it probably should. In 1883, John Coleman of the gloriously-named Philadelphia Statistics lost 48 times. Admittedly, he did start 61 of the team’s 99 games that year, and threw 59 complete games. The Statistics also went 17-81 that year. Wasn’t all on the pitching, as the team collectively hit three home-runs. Anyway…
To find Arizona’s loss leaders, you need to go back a bit. Rodrigo Lopez and Brandon Webb both lost sixteen games, in 2010 and 2004 respectively. The latter is impressive, because Webb had an ERA+ of 125, so was by no means a bad pitcher. That same year, Casey Fossum had 15 L’s and Randy Johnson 14 (coming second in Cy Young voting). The team were simply not very good. That records may be hard to beat, with starting pitchers now less likely than ever to get the decision, as they pitch less far into games. But that same year, the D-backs overall lost 23 games Webb started, which is the most defeats in a season by any Arizona starting pitcher.
However, they still won 12 times, giving a team W% of .343 when he took the mound. Lopez was slightly worse. He made 33 starts, and Arizona lost 22 of them, a team W% of .333. But the record holder appears to be Fossum. Over his 27 starts during that disastrous 2004 campaign, Arizona won just six, a team W% of .222. If Gallen gets another 17 starts, he would need to go 1-16 the rest of the way to end up with a lower team W% than Fossum. But Gallen may be the recent record holder already. In 2021, he made 23 starts, and the D-backs went 6-17 in them, for a .260 team win percentage.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 24: Andy Pettitte and Derek Jeter pose for a photo during the New York Yankees Old Timers' Day prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium on August 24, 2024, in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Back in August, I began a series here at Pinstripe Alley where I was going to put together an All-Star Yankee team of players who were born in a given month. Since then, we as a staff have started doing daily posts for the year 2026, highlighting a Yankee from history whose birthday happens to land on that day. As we near the end of this month, what better way to put a cap on a month’s worth of birthday posts then by using the all-month teams as a way to look back on who we covered? And maybe some we didn’t cover who shared a birthday with someone else?
With that in mind, here are my choices for the All-June Birthday Yankee Team. (I took making this particular team personal, as today is actually your truly’s birthday.)
Eddie Lopat, Jack Chesbro, and Will Warren would add onto a pretty solid starting rotation for the June team, but there’s only one I could pick to be the ace. Pettitte won’t be the only “Core Four” member on this particular team, and he’s definitely the choice to be the starter.
Catcher is a loaded enough position for June that we’re going to put another one in at DH, Considering that Dickey has an argument to be the catcher for an all-time overall Yankees’ team, he definitely warrants a place in this one.
“The Iron Horse” is one of the greatest players in the history of baseball, and a beloved icon in the Bronx. It won’t hold up through every position, but this is a hell of a start for the June team.
His tenure in the Yankees’ front office is far better than his playing career, but we’ll give “Stick” the nod at second base as a rare player-GM.
Shortstop: Derek Jeter (June 26th birthday post)
Another “Core Four” member will make up a strong core for this June team. It obviously doesn’t mean all that much, but young me always thought it was cool that my birthday was right after Jeter’s.
Third Base: Wade Boggs
We didn’t get to profile Boggs as he shares a birthday with Pettitte, who got the nod as our birthday boy on the 15th. However, he was an important part of the 1996 World Series winners, and him riding the police horse is one of the most famous images of that championship.
Here’s the aforementioned other catcher that we’re working into the team. Munson was the captain and the heart and soul of the Yankees’ late 1970s teams until his tragic and untimely passing.
That’s my lineup for June, but what would you do? Let us know in the comments!
After a frantic Friday that featured two first-round picks, two trades and a contract extension, Saturday was a little quieter for the Ottawa Senators.
But while there wasn't nearly as much drama, day two of the NHL Draft revealed a lot about organizational need. When a team spends its first five picks on skilled forwards, it's difficult not to conclude that management believes the organization needs more skill up front.
The Senators had three picks in round three, then the standard single pick in rounds four, five, and six. Just as they did in round one with Jonas Lagerberg Hoen and Jaxon Cover, the Sens used all of their third-round picks on skilled forwards.
72 W Adam Nemec (OHL, Sudbury) 87 C Oscar Holmertz (SWE-Jr, Linkoping HC) 91 W Louis-Felix Bourque (QMJHL, Drummondville) 110 G Elliot Lennon (MA-HS, Deerfield) 151 D Harris Pangretitsch (OHL, Sault Ste. Marie) 183 D Alexander Grunin (RUS-MHL, Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk)
72 W Adam Nemec (OHL, Sudbury)
The Sens opened day 2 of the draft at 72 with number 71 from the Sudbury Wolves, Adam Nemec. Nemec certainly comes from fine NHL bloodlines as his older brother, Simon, was the second overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. Simon, an RFA, was just traded from New Jersey to Calgary.
The younger Nemec started his draft year in Slovakia, playing 28-games with HK Nitra. But being a men's league, he didn't get a ton of ice time, which wasn't ideal for his NHL draft year. So after putting up five points in five games at the World Juniors, he shifted to the OHL, right in the middle of the season, to play for the Sudbury Wolves.
If that proved to be a culture shock, it didn't show. Nemec, a 6-foot, 173 pound winger, put up 35 points in 31 games for the Wolves.
87 C Oscar Holmertz (SWE-Jr, Linkoping HC)
The Senators have suddenly developed a fondness for Swedish players.
In the last week, they've acquired winger William Eklund, goalie Samuel Ersson, winger Andre Burakovsky, and at the draft they made Jonas Lagerberg Hoen their first pick at 25th overall.
On Saturday, they went with another Swedish forward at 87, drafting Oscar Holmertz. The 6-foot, 187 pound centre had 34 points in 36 games with Linkoping HC Jr. He also got into 11 games with Linkoping's men's team.
91 W Louis-Felix Bourque (QMJHL, Drummondville)
The Senators stayed with their forward theme with their final third-round pick, taking Louis-Felix Bourque. Bourque had 24 goals and 49 points in 54 games for Drummondville in the Q this season. At just 17, he already possesses NHL size at 6-foot-2 and 214 pounds.
110 G Elliot Lennon (MA-HS, Deerfield)
In round four, the Senators decided to end the run of forwards by adding to their goaltending depth, drafting 6-foot-six high schooler, Elliot Lennon. As you might imagine, Lennon posted fantastic stats in his three years at Deerfield Academy. He's committed to Brown University for the 2027-28 season. He'll play this fall for the USHL's Madison Capitols. He suited up for two games with the Caps this season.
151 D Harris Pangretitsch (OHL, Sault Ste. Marie)
At this stage in the draft, the Senators turned their attention to shutdown defensemen with size, and at 6-foot-4, 219 pounds, the right-shot Pangretitsch certainly fits that bill. He won't drive offence, but his improvements through the season were obvious.
Pangretitsch also has a strong academic reputation, reportedly carrying a 95 average in school.
183 D Alexander Grunin (RUS-MHL, Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk)
At 6-foot-4, 185 pounds, Grunin still has some filling out to do, but he's also seen as a shutdown defenseman with good mobility. He scored 15 points in 44 games with the wonderfully-named Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk. (RUS-MHL).
Dylan Griffing from Elite Prospects mentioned on social media that Grunin is very raw, but hyper-mobile and one of the biggest wild cards in the draft, but also had a scary year-end, getting stretchered off the ice during the Russian U18 Finals. He played in the following game, but only for a few minutes.
The Sens' 2026 draft class paints a fairly clear picture.
The team prioritized offensive skill early, leaned heavily into European talent, and then rounded out the class with size on D. As with any draft, it will be years before we can properly evaluate these choices, but the organization's blueprint was hard to miss.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 26: Jhoan Duran #59 and J.T. Realmuto #10 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrate after defeating the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 26, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft, the Kings selected Elton Hermansson with the 19th overall pick. This selection was crucial for Los Angeles, and it might be the best decision for the team’s future.
Hermansson is a young prospect from Modo Hockey, which is a team from the professional Swedish league, HockeyAllsvenskan. In this league, the 18-year-old winger showed immense promise as a goalscorer.
As the second-youngest player on the Modo Hockey roster in 2026, Hermansson recorded 11 goals. He had the fourth-highest goal total on the team and was the only player under 25 in the top five.
While Hermansson was a key contributor to Modo Hockey, he generated his production in fewer games. He only played 38 games, which ranked nineteenth in most games played on the team.
Despite having a smaller sample size, Hermansson generated 21 total points and a plus-nine in total net rating. Thus demonstrating the amount of impact Hermansson had when he was on the ice.
Only one year removed from Örebro U20, Hermansson managed to translate his production into a league against grown men. While the NHL is another level above HockeyAllsvenskan, it is still worth noting how well Hermansson can adjust to better leagues.
Early in his Modo Hockey tenure, Hermansson learned that he couldn’t live on the perimeter. This allowed Hermansson to adjust his game by becoming more physical and more drives to the net.
This allowed Hermansson to mature as a puck handler and overall playmaker within the offense. The maturation of a young player to adjust his game against more experienced players, is a valuable trait.
Maturing as a player is the reason why Hermanson improved in the HockeyAllsvenskan and why he was drafted in the first place. Hermanson will have to adapt and evolve his game once again when he suits up for the Kings.
Los Angeles selected Hermansson hoping that he could become the forward that could reshape this struggling offense. Last season, the Kings scored 2.68 goals per game, which ranked 29th in the NHL.
Along with other moves like hiring Peter Laviolette as the coach, the Kings are orchestrating moves to help in the future. The next few years are set for Los Angeles to build a culture around a stronger offense.
Hermansson is part of that piece in that process as a scoring wing for this team. There is plenty of excitement for Hermansson to eventually find his way on the Kings roster.
“The team is great. You know a lot of Swedes played there, like Kempe [and] Grundstrom, said Hermansson. “Great team, great history. Looking forward to visiting the city there and the facilities.”
Before Hermansson finally makes the NHL, there is a development process that will take place. This includes more time with Modo Hockey and most likely some time with the Ontario Reign.
So when the time comes for Hermansson to play his first game for the Kings, he is expected to be a valuable contributor on offense. This draft pick can help Los Angeles find that winger who delivers the firepower this team has desperately needed.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 26: AJ Dybansta #4 of the Washington Wizards poses for a portrait on June 26, 2026 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Washington,DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Washington Wizards fans are clearly encouraged by the franchise’s direction following the 2026 NBA Draft. In the latest SB Nation Reacts polls that we issue this week, 90 percent of respondents gave the selection of AJ Dybantsa an A grade, signaling overwhelming confidence in the organization landing the player many believe can become the face of the rebuild.
Here’s how Wizards fans graded the draft pick of AJ Dybantsa and the offseason so far. pic.twitter.com/fufREZCa5v
That optimism has extended to the Wizards’ offseason as a whole. Another poll found that 55 percent of fans gave the team’s offseason (so far) an A, while an additional 35 percent awarded a B.
While the true impact of this offseason won’t be known for some time, Wizards fans appear to believe that the franchise finally has a clear vision—and, for now, that’s worth celebrating. Hopefully, that will improve Washington’s odds of making the playoffs in the years to come on FanDuel or another sportsbook.
