The Toronto Maple Leafs sent the Ottawa Senators packing last spring in the first round of the playoffs, and now Toronto will call it a season following its game against Ottawa at the Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday, April 15.
Here are my top Maple Leafs vs. Senators predictions and NHL picks for their season finale tonight.
Maple Leafs vs Senators prediction
Maple Leafs vs Senators best bet: Senators -1.5 (+135)
The Ottawa Senators rested regulars during Sunday’s overtime loss, so I’m anticipating Wednesday’s tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs to serve as a postseason tune-up.
Ottawa No. 1 goaltender Linus Ullmark has been solid down the stretch with seven wins, a .909 save percentage, and 7.21 goals saved above expected across his past 10 starts, and the Sens have beaten the Maple Leafs 5-2 in both prior meetings this season.
Toronto has also dropped six straight and has only covered the puck line in 11 of its past 25 games (-10.75 Units / -27% ROI).
Maple Leafs vs Senators same-game parlay
Ullmark’s highlighted strong stretch includes going 5-1-1 at home with a 2.26 GAA, and the Sens have also allowed the fewest expected goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 at the Canadian Tire Centre.
As a result, I’m anticipating Ottawa to batten down the defensive hatches again to do the heavy lifting in keeping this total Under the number.
Turning to the final leg of this same-game parlay, Toronto winger William Nylander has recorded three or more shots in five of his past seven games, for 25 on 51 attempts while logging a monster 21:32 of ice time per night.
Maple Leafs vs Senators SGP
Senators -1.5
Under 6.5
William Nylander Over 2.5 shots
Maple Leafs vs Senators odds
Moneyline: Maple Leafs +155 | Senators -180
Puck Line: Maple Leafs +1.5 (-155) | Senators -1.5 (+135)
Over/Under: Over 6.5 (-105) | Under 6.5 (-115)
Maple Leafs vs Senators trend
The Toronto Maple Leafs have only covered the puck line in 11 of their last 25 games (-10.75 Units / -27% ROI). Find more NHL betting trends for Maple Leafs vs. Senators.
How to watch Maple Leafs vs Senators
Location
Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON
Date
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Puck drop
7:30 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Maple Leafs vs Senators latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran made an obscene gesture to a fan during the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday, April 14, flipping off a fan as he jogged back to the dugout at Target Field.
Duran said the fan made a comment that crossed the line.
"Somebody just told me to kill myself," Duran told reporters after the game. "I'm used to it at this point, you know? I mean, I'm going to flip somebody off if they say something to me, but it is what it is. I shouldn't react like that, but that kind of stuff is still kind of triggering."
Duran has been candid about his mental health struggles, revealing in a 2025 Netflix documentary about the Red Sox that his on-field difficulties during the 2021 and 2022 seasons led him to a dark place where he contemplated and attempted suicide.
The incident on Tuesday is not the first time Duran has had a run-in with a fan over the subject. Earlier this season, a Cleveland fan made an inappropriate comment referencing his mental health struggles in the middle of the seventh inning and was ejected from the game.
"Honestly, it's my fault for talking about my mental health because I kind of brought in the haters. So I've just got to get used to it," Duran said. "I was just trying to hold it in and not really bring that up to the team. I mean, we're trying to win a game. I shouldn't even bring that up to anybody. It just happens."
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he had not seen the gesture or any video of it. Duran finished hitless in four at-bats against the Twins and the Red Sox fell to 6-11 on the season with the loss.
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - JANUARY 21: Head Coach Rick Tocchet of the Philadelphia Flyers talks on the bench during the second period of their game against the Utah Mammoth at the Delta Center on January 21, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Flyers ended a full-season six-year playoff drought and will play in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, where they lost to the Penguins in the first round. Simply getting back to the postseason is quite the accomplishment based on the past month when Philadelphia was sitting in sixth place in the division behind Washington, Columbus and the NYI Islanders on March 10th and well behind the playoff line.
The Flyers made the playoffs after sitting nine points out of the second Wild Card spot on March 10. Per NHLStats, Philadelphia became the first team in NHL history to make the playoffs after facing that large of a point deficit through 60 or more games played in a season. pic.twitter.com/Ln429yNLqX
— Flyers Media Information (@FlyersMediaInfo) April 14, 2026
Here’s a little more under the hood for the team from Hockeystats.com:
The biggest change from this season compared to last year is that the Flyers are out-scoring the opposition 163-149 at 5v5 in 2025-26. Last year that was at an ugly 166-195 deficit. That’s visible as the white bar in the top-right portion of the above graphic taking a dramatic turn upwards in the last season.
In that way, the two PA teams are alike in that new coaches helped change things up and spur improvement at 5v5. The Penguins were down at a 157-195 combined 5v5 score in 2024-25 that improved all the way up to 196-168 this season prior to last night’s game.
For the Flyers, defense has been the name of the game – doing well to limit expected and actual goals against at 5v5. Curiously that hasn’t applied to special teams where their PK is below average (and the power play is dreadful). Their overall goalie rating has been brought down by backup Samuel Ersson having one of the worst seasons at his position in the league this year, starter Dan Vladar has played to a much higher level, as profiled yesterday.
One of the Flyers’ best attributes which helped them get to the playoffs but won’t be of any use now was the ability to extend games to overtime. Philadelphia went 6-8 in games decided in 3v3 OT sessions and then did even better with a 10-4 record in games decided by the shootout gimmick to award an extra point. Part of Philly’s success (which, hey, credit to them for doing it) was simply having 28 out of the 82 games (34% of the season) go into gimmicky 3v3/penalty shot hockey, where they took an overall 14-12 record to find enough points to qualify for the playoffs despite having only 26 regulation wins — the third fewest RW in the 16-team Eastern Conference. The Flyers are just 27-27 in games decided in regulation, which might key some into the low win total but it’s also important to note it’s been difficult to put Philadelphia down within 60 minutes.
While the Flyers won’t get the benefit of having a shootout decide the outcome of an NHL playoff game to pad win totals, one area to consider as a potential positive is that the frequency of games played shows this team is used to being in closely contested games. They’re used to the pressure of playing in games where the score is tied and mistakes are heightened and probably won’t be panicking if the games don’t start out well. That should be second nature for them by now, given that they only rank 22nd in time spent ahead in games.
NHL teams with the most time spent leading a game this season:
1. Colorado 2. Carolina 3. Pittsburgh 4. Buffalo 5. Columbus 6. Minnesota 7. Ottawa 8. Tampa Bay 9. Dallas 10. Boston 11. Utah 12. Washington 13. Montreal 14. Edmonton 15. Winnipeg 16. Calgary 17. NY Islanders 18.…
The Flyers aren’t usually a ‘take the lead, ride to a win’ type of team. They often have to claw back, in games as they did in the season in general from being in sixth place on March 10th. The Flyers have only scored the first goal in 32 games this season (tied for lowest in the NHL prior to yesterday). Falling in a hole by giving up the first goal hasn’t made a major difference, Philadelphia still has a .400 winning% (6th best in league) and 20-22-8 record when they fall behind in games 1-0. On contrast, the Penguins only have a .286 w% with a 10-18-7 record when they give up the first goal in a game this season. The Flyers are certainly a scrappy team that is used to not holding leads and having to keep working to try and make sure the score is at least tied up at the end of 60 minutes, which could present an interesting and unique challenge for a Pittsburgh team that has had many troubles this season converting leads into wins at times.
As of today, the Flyers aren’t a great team. There’s a reasonable case that they are at the bottom of the playoff teams in the East as far as strength goes. They didn’t win a lot in regulation. All of those items are true but that doesn’t necessarily mean an easy series is ahead for the Penguins. Philadelphia has been a strong team over the last month, building in confidence as they go. The Pennsylvania rivalry always brings out heated emotions and is prone to huge swings of games rocking from big leads by one team turned into a furious comeback by the other. On paper, you’d probably have to like the Pens chances, but their opponent is coming into this series with nothing to lose and a lot to prove. That should make for another worthy chapter to the storied history of the Penguin/Flyer rivalry.
As he's done so many times before, Kenley Jansen preserved a one-run lead in the ninth Tuesday night to nail down a save.
With the potential tying run at second base, the Detroit Tigers closer induced an easy fly ball to center field to complete a 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals on April 14 for save No. 479 of his career, moving him into third place on the all-time list.
Only Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman have recorded more.
"It's awesome," Jansen told reporters afterward. "It tells me that no matter the adversity you go through in life, in your baseball career, at some point, you think you're done, but you always have that fight in you. You just have to keep believing in yourself, even if you don't that day."
The milestone was so important to Jansen that he addressed the team during its postgame celebration.
"The speech he gave to the team after, it was really cool to listen," said rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle, who scored the go-ahead run in the eighth that gave Jansen the opportunity. "He talked about his career, and how it was a grind. It’s easy to quit, but never give up. Guys like that, you’ve got to listen, anytime they talk."
LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 14: New York Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (88) reacts to striking out with two runners in scoring position in the 8th inning of the MLB game between the New York Mets and the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 14, 2026 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Meet the Mets
The Mets lost their seventh game in as many days, falling to the Dodgers 2-1 in a true pitcher’s duel. Francisco Lindor provided the team’s sole run, hitting his first home run of the season to lead off the game, recording his first RBI of the season in the process. Nolan McLean had a transcendent start, pitching seven innings of one-run baseball, striking out eight and allowing just two hits and two walks. His sole run was given up in the first, when a Freddie Freeman dribbler up the first base line allowed Kyle Tucker to score from third. But Yoshinobu Yamamoto was just as fantastic, going 7.2 innings, allowing four hits and striking out seven. Brooks Raley took the loss, allowing a run in one inning of work, where one hit made the difference after two walks.
Nolan McLean’s pitch mix is quite unique, as is his ability to create spin when he throws.
The Mets’ current offensive rut can’t be placed solely on the absence of Juan Soto, and in fact goes much deeper than that.
Prior to last night’s game, the Mets called up Austin Warren and placed newly called up reliever Joey Gerber on the 15-day injured list with a right finger blister.
Jared Young has been dealing with some left knee discomfort, and is awaiting the results of some testing to determine a possible injured list stint.
Around the National League East
The Phillies traded former top pitching prospect Griff McGarry to the Dodgers.
The Nationals beat the Pirates 5-4, with CJ Abrams getting three hits—including a home run—and driving in two runs.
The Phillies were handed a smackdown by the Cubs in a 10-4 loss, with Tim Mayza taking the loss after giving up four runs (only three earned) while only recording a single out.
The Braves eked out a 6-5 win against the Marlins, with Dominic Smith driving in three runs in the bottom of the eighth to put the Braves ahead in the eleventh hour.
Around Major League Baseball
The key to a great pinch-hitter may come down to the length of the batter’s swing, at least according to Rangers manager Skip Schumaker.
The Milwaukee Brewers have taken a big hit to their lineup with Christian Yelich now expected to be out until at least the middle of May, if not longer.
Mayor Ken Sim has called for a bid for an expansion team to be given to the city of Vancouver.
Lucas Giolito is still on the free agent market, but he might not be for much longer with multiple teams in desparate need of pitching.
Orioles’ manager Craig Albernaz may be bruised and have several broken bones, but he’s already back after taking a foul ball to the face and a trip to the hospital.
Tatsuya Imai has admitted to having some trouble adjusting to an American lifestyle, both within and outside of the world of baseball.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
Steve Sypa is up to his third Mets Minor Leaguers of the Week roundup.
Today in the Feed
This Date in Mets History
29 years ago today, MLB held the first ever Jackie Robinson Day at Shea Stadium, with several big names in attendance including President Bill Clinton and Robinson’s widow Rachel Robinson.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 13: Zack Gelof #20 of the Athletics strikes out in the bottom of the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Sutter Health Park on April 13, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday, A’s fans. Today, the Athletics—and every other MLB team—will wear No. 42 in honor of the legendary Jackie Robinson.
After beginning the season 1-5, the Athletics responded with a five-game winning streak to finish their challenging opening 15-game stretch at an even 8-8. That streak came to an end Monday in the opener of the team’s second home series against the Texas Rangers. Having spent the majority of the season on the road, this weeklong home stand offers a chance to settle in and pick up some wins at Sutter Health Park.
With Brent Rooker on the injured list due to an oblique strain, the A’s have already tapped into their organizational depth. Zack Gelof earned a promotion from the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators after batting .366 with four home runs and 10 RBIs. Primarily a second baseman, Gelof also received playing time in the outfield in Triple-A. He made his first MLB start in right field yesterday in the A’s 2-1 bounce-back victory over the Texas Rangers. Gelof did not make a catch; the only ball hit his way was Rangers right fielder Brandon Nimmo’s double. At the plate, he struck out twice, with a sacrifice bunt in between.
Gelof may not be the last call-up from Las Vegas. Outfielder Colby Thomas and catcher Brian Serven are also hitting well and both could be in line for opportunities this season.
On the pitching side, reliever Joel Kuhnel has impressed with two saves in two opportunities, while fellow call-up Jack Perkins has also helped stabilize the bullpen. Notably, the A’s have yet to place a pitcher on the injured list this season. When that changes, pitching prospects Kade Morris and Gage Jump could be candidates for their MLB debuts.
At Double-A Midland, top prospect Leo De Vries grabbed headlines Sunday with his first two home runs of the season. He will likely be promoted to Las Vegas at some point this year, and if he continues to play well, a jump to the majors is not out of the question. Third baseman Tommy White and left-handed pitchers Jamie Arnold and Wei-en Lin are also worth monitoring.
Further down the system, High-A Lansing pitchers Zane Taylor and Steven Echavarria stand out, along with outfielder Devin Taylor, the A’s second-round selection in the 2025 MLB Draft. In Low-A Stockton, 18-year-old Venezuelan outfielder Breyson Guedez is trending up after an impressive spring. Following his 450-foot home run off San Diego Padres starter Michael King during Cactus League play, Guedez has carried that momentum into the season, tallying 12 hits in his first 41 at-bats.
Overall, the Athletics possess promising talent at every level of the organization, a positive sign as the franchise prepares for its move to Las Vegas in 2028.
How often do you expect the A’s to rely on minor league reinforcements this season? And which prospect do you think will make the biggest impact?
Left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Springs continued his early-season dominance last night. It seems like the A’s have a strong chance to win every time he takes the mound.
19-year-old elite shortstop prospect Leo De Vries is heating up at Double-A. He had two more hits last night. How long should the Athletics keep him on the Midland Rockhounds before promoting him to Triple-A?
Today is a special day in baseball, as the sport honors the man who heroically broke MLB’s color line. However, more work still needs to be done, as A’s right fielder Lawrence Butler is among the small percentage—about 6.8%—of African American players in Major League Baseball
DYK: Ken Griffey Jr. switched from No. 24 to No. 42 on the inaugural Jackie Robinson Day, April 15, 1997.
Ten years later, he asked for permission to wear the number again.
That led to a Jackie Robinson Day tradition since 2009 – every Major Leaguer wears No. 42 on that day.… pic.twitter.com/aZ5BzjnUrN
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 08: Will Warren #29 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Athletics at Yankee Stadium on April 8, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Recency bias can be a heck of a thing, and a concept that may not serve Yankees righty Will Warren all that well. In his most recent outing on Monday against a forgettable Angels lineup, Warren failed to escape the fourth inning, and although they were all unearned, Los Angeles plated four runs under his watch. Although he was not on the hook for any earned runs, it was not a pretty start, but it would be hard to deny the good things in there.
On the whole, that is often the case with Warren. He does not pitch deep into games, and may not always produce the most eye-popping lines, but there is plenty of value in what he brings to the Yankees. Although his role is not set in stone in the future, from the beginning of the 2025 season until now it has been vital to the Yankees. Although that start against the Angels was brief, it was productive in a lot of ways, as he struck out six and walked just one, while technically being off the hook for any of the Halos’ four runs. In fact, a lot of his starts have looked like this, as he’s reached a maximum of 5.2 innings in a start this season, with that being the only time he’s pitched beyond the fifth. It may not be the most satisfying baseball, but it certainly isn’t bad.
On the season (four starts), Warren has posted a 2.45 ERA and a 3.57 FIP, while striking out more than a batter per inning. The six walks he’s allowed would also suggest an improved rate, though it is obviously very early. Either way, the likely outcome is that the Yankees simply get a Will Warren similar to the one they saw in 2025. There is a valid argument that this would be just fine.
Perhaps Warren’s most valuable asset in 2025 was the fact that has was able to start 33 games for the Yankees, one of just eight big league pitchers to do so. Beyond just simple dependability, which has become an overlooked skill, Warren was a solid major league arm through it all. The now 26-year-old managed a 4.07 FIP in his 162.1 innings of work, and although he completed seven innings in just one of those 33 starts, the Yankees could at least count on trotting him out there every fifth day without needing to worry.
That season was his only real full-time big league work to this point, and at his age, a breakout to some degree would not be the most surprising thing in the world. Given his deep pitching repertoire, highlighted by good off-speed stuff, and a four-seam/sinker combo that can get him by, Warren has a reasonable ceiling, with a floor that is sturdy thanks to his proven durability. Even if huge steps are never really taken, a mid-to-end-rotation arm who can rack up some strikeouts and generally stay out of major trouble can be hugely valuable. For the Yankees, in their current situation, they can see exactly why. With both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón on the shelf early in 2026, Warren’s presence, whatever it may be, is proving valuable.
Whenever those two All-Star level pitchers return, Warren’s role could change as the 2026 season progresses. But they say you can never have enough pitching, and if Warren can remain healthy and continue to make regular starts for New York, he’ll keep doing his thing as a quietly valuable part of this roster.
Will Warren’s time on the mound may not always be lengthy or particularly flashy, but its value comes from dependability. It’s been only a year-plus of time, but if Warren can maintain his league-average or better production as someone who can consistently trot out every fifth day, the floor is high for a righty that’s proving quite valuable to the Yankees.
Mets star Juan Soto took a big step on his road back from a calf strain, beginning a running program on Tuesday.
SNY broadcaster Gary Cohen first made note of the progress during Tuesday night's game, then team owner Steve Cohen later confirmed the news on social media.
This is certainly very encouraging progress for all sides.
Soto has been participating in baseball activities such as hitting and playing catch since days after suffering the injury, but he hadn’t resumed running up until this point.
New York, of course, won't activate the star outfielder until he is back to 100 percent.
Carlos Mendoza did note earlier this week that they still expect him to be able to meet the two-to-three week threshold they put out upon placing him on the 15-day IL on April 6.
If he continues to follow that timeline, it'd put him on track to return at some point next week.
When asked about the possibility of a rehab assignment, the skipper said that the team could get creative with Soto, which could mean bringing minor league pitchers to Citi Field to throw live ABs.
Either way, the Mets' offense could certainly use him back sooner rather than later.
After falling to the Dodgers 2-1 on Tuesday, they've now scored just once over their last three games and 10 times over the course of their seven-game losing streak.
With 83-degree heat and wind blowing out, this is prime carry weather. The San Francisco Giants starter has already allowed 16 hits in 14 2/3 innings, basically a hit per frame.
De La Cruz has cleared his total bases prop in three of his previous four games, and needs just one gap shot or one big swing to cash this plus-money prop.
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC Sports Bay Area, Reds.TV
Oneil Cruz Over 1.5 total bases (-115)
Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Oneil Cruz is on an absolute tear, slashing .328/.400/.597/.997 with elite barrel rates and exit velocity that shows he crushes mistakes. Tonight, Cruz gets Washington Nationals pitching at PNC Park, where Jake Irvin brings a 7.07 ERA and serious hard contact issues. It does not get better after that, as the Nats' bullpen has been the worst in baseball.
Cruz projects to cruise well past this prop number for our MLB picks, with nine innings of hittable pitching from first pitch to last out.
New York Mets starter Clay Holmes leans heavily on his sinker, and Tucker has feasted on right-handed pitching throughout his career, posting an .871 OPS with serious power, and the winds are blowing out tonight.
He has already taken Holmes deep before and knows the look. One sinker left up, and the Dodgers slugger can leave the yard in a hurry.
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
Where to watch: ESPN
Phil Naessens' 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 1-1, +0.20 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 14: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates in the dugout after leaving in the eighth inning of play against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium on April 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the best pitching duel the Dodgers have seen so far this season, Yoshinobu Yamamoto went toe-to-toe with New York Mets right-hander Nolan McLean and continued the trend of starting pitching giving Mets hitters headaches.
Yamamoto got ambushed immediately by Francisco Lindor, allowing a leadoff home run on his third pitch of the game, but he retired 20 hitters in a row and went on to toss 7 2/3 innings while allowing just four hits and one walk, striking out seven. His outing continues a dominant display from the Dodgers rotation against New York, as he and Justin Wrobleski have limited a Mets team now in the midst of a seven-game losing streak to just six hits and one run over 15 2/3 innings.
Yamamoto spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA following the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over the Mets on Tuesday, where the right-hander spoke about dueling McLean and bouncing back after allowing the leadoff home run.
“Every outing, I’m starting to feel better and better. Today, the home run was really regrettable,” Yamamoto told Watson. “In terms of the pitching sequence, I communicate with the coaches in between innings, because sometimes I feel like my stuff coming out of my hand feels different. I make the adjustments as the game moves along.”
Links
As for Wrobleski, he has performed marvelously in his two starts this season, with the latter being an eight inning gem against the Mets where he faced one batter over the minimum in a 4-0 shutout win.
The difference to where Wrobleski was last year around this time compared to this year is night and day, and Maddie Lee of the Los Angeles Times writes about the adjustments the left-hander made to be more effective pitching at the big league level both out of the bullpen and in the rotation.
“He was at a crossroads and chose a hard path to go down there and self reflect and gain some confidence and bring it back here,” Roberts said. “There is talent but there is also what’s practical, what plays at the big league level, and that is strike-throwing, being able to sequence, miss barrels, put it on the ground, create soft contact, work with efficiency. Those are things that help a championship team win games. And he has a really good grasp of that.”
Edwin Díaz was not brought on for the ninth inning in Tuesday’s win over his old team, as Alex Vesia came in to record the save. Dave Roberts spoke with Watson about Díaz’s condition, noting that he is fine health-wise and that his availability for Wednesday’s series finale will be determined on how his bullpen session goes. Díaz had previously been listed as day-to-day due to a decline in his velocity.
“Talking to the training staff and pitching staff, they want to see [Díaz] throw a bullpen… We didn’t go to him in the ninth tonight, but tomorrow, if he comes in after this bullpen, then he’ll be ready to go.”
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 4–3 overtime win against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Kings were by far the better team from an analytics perspective. Los Angeles finished the night with a 30-18 even-strength scoring chances advantage while also winning the even-strength high-danger scoring chances battle 15-5. If not for Kevin Lankinen, this game could have been a blowout for the Kings.
As for the heatmap, it shows that good things come when teams crash the net. Five of the goals scored on Tuesday were from right outside the crease, including Jake DeBrusk's overtime winner. More traffic in front of the net should be a focus for the Canucks next season, as it has been a problem area for the organization at times.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Los Angeles Kings, April 14, 2026, Natural Stat Trick.
To wrap the final home game of 2025-26 up, Nils Höglander led all of Vancouver's skaters with an even-strength xGF% of 46.37. Ultimately, Tuesday may have been Höglander's best game of the season as he also picked up an assist. While it has been a tough season for Höglander, it was a positive to see him put forth a strong effort on Tuesday night.
Apr 14, 2026; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Los Angeles Kings goalie Darcy Kuemper (35) and forward Trevor Moore (12) react as Vancouver Canucks forward Elias Pettersson (40) and forward Jake DeBrusk (74) celebrate DeBrusk’s game winning overtime goal in the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
The Canucks will wrap up their season on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers. This season, Vancouver has beaten Edmonton just once in three attempts. Game time is scheduled for 6:00 pm PT.
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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SUNRISE, FLORIDA - JUNE 24: Sunny Mehta and Bryan McCabe of the Florida Panthers celebrate their Stanley Cup victory in Game Seven of the 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena on June 24, 2024 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The New Jersey Devils are searching for a new general manager.
They also may be looking for a separate, new President of Hockey Operations.
It remains to be seen whether or not the Devils hire one person to handle both roles or if they’ll have two people work together as they restructure their leadership in the hockey ops department. Either way, the Devils will likely cast a wide net as they try to determine who the best person or people are to lead them moving forward.
Presumably, other candidates will become known as the candidates interview and want to make it known that they’re interviewing for the Devils job. Once they do, we can discuss their merits, what they bring to the table, and whether or not the Devils should consider hiring them.
For now though, I think its worth taking a look at the candidates that we do know about, their strengths, and their potential flaws.
Brendan Shanahan
Shanahan has deep ties to the Devils organization, as he was their 2nd overall pick way back in 1987. He wound up playing five of the 21 seasons of his Hall of Fame playing career in New Jersey, won three Stanley Cups as a player with the Detroit Red Wings, and was named one of the NHL’s 100 greatest players in 2018.
Since retirement, he has carved out an impressive career as an executive. He’s worked for the league as a senior VP and oversaw the Department of Player Safety prior to joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014 as their president, overseeing hockey operations.
Shanahan had a direct hand in Toronto’s last rebuild. After jettisoning the coaching staff and most of the front office, he brought in Mike Babcock as head coach, Lou Lamoriello as the GM, and Kyle Dubas as an assistant GM. It should also be noted that the Maple Leafs have one of the largest analytics departments in the NHL thanks in part to Shanahan. The Maple Leafs drafted Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Both players would become key core members of the Maple Leafs, along with 2014 8th overall pick William Nylander, 2012 5th overall pick Morgan Rielly, and prized free agent signing John Tavares in 2018.
Toronto returned to the playoffs in 2016-17 and became a consistent playoff team under Shanahan’s leadership right up until his departure from the organization after the 2024-25 season. The problem with Shanahan, and Toronto in general, was their inability to get over the hump. Toronto only made it to the second round twice.
It’s tough to say where the blame for Toronto’s playoff failures ultimately lies, and I would understand if one wanted to pin that on Shanahan as he ultimately oversaw everything. But I do think its worth looking deeper into their losses.
Toronto got knocked out of the playoffs three times by Boston, twice by Florida, and once by Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay won the Stanley Cup that year. Florida reached the Cup Final both times and won once. Boston reached a Cup Final in 2019. Even in the other years, the Leafs ran into a Montreal team that also reached a Cup Final, a Capitals team where Braden Holtby posted a .925 save percentage, and a Columbus team where Joonas Korpisalo posted a .956. I’m not saying that Toronto’s losses weren’t deserved as there were plenty of questionable games here and there throughout that run, but between getting goalie’d and simply running into better teams, I do think there’s some aspect of bad luck involved as to why they failed to get over the hump.
Toronto would wind up changing just about everything other than the core. Sheldon Keefe replaced Babcock. Craig Berube would wind up replacing Keefe. Lamoriello would leave for the Islanders job, which saw Dubas promoted. Dubas would ultimately be dismissed and replaced by Brad Treliving. The supporting cast around the core was consistently shuffled in and out. Futures were constantly traded for the sake of winning now, except Toronto never won now. Marner eventually became the one core member who was the odd man out, leaving this past offseason in a sign-and-trade with Vegas. And for what its worth, in Toronto’s first year post-Shanahan, the bottom fell out. Toronto missed the playoffs, Treliving has been fired, and Craig Berube is likely to follow.
Shanahan might have ultimately stuck with the Maple Leafs core too long, but part of me wonders how much of that was him personally being attached to them and how much of it was decision making coming from above him at MLSE. Part of me wonders how much being in the pressure cooker of the Toronto market and the subsequent dysfunction as a result impacted things with the team. It’s tough to say since its speculative, but between that and the lack of playoff success, its not a positive mark on his resume.
That said, I do think there’s a lot of good under Shanahan’s watch that can’t be ignored. The Leafs continued to hit on their fair share of draft picks over the years (whether or not they held on to said players is another story). Toronto went 408-214-78 between 2016-25, topping 100 points six times in nine seasons. The floor of what that team has been was high, and certainly higher than anything the Devils have done consistently since their run to the Cup Final in 2012. Shanahan has deep connections throughout the league between his time as a player and executive. I wouldn’t consider him personally to be analytically-driven, but I do think there’s something to the idea of knowing what you don’t know and hiring smart people. Kyle Dubas was one of Shanahan’s first hires and he’s gone on to help the Penguins return to the playoffs. I don’t know what the upside would ultimately be, but the Devils could certainly do a lot worse hiring a CEO-type than Shanahan, and I’ve yet to see a better alternative option in this cycle.
If the Devils hire Shanahan, they won’t have to build a core like he did in Toronto as the core is more or less already in place. He also won’t necessarily be as attached to the players as Fitzgerald might have been. I would suspect that Shanahan, the presumptive new President of Hockey Ops, would ultimately let whoever the GM is figure out what players to move on from and who they should keep to build around, but a lot of the legwork in terms of building the roster is already done.
Sunny Mehta
There probably isn’t a hotter candidate in this GM cycle than Panthers AGM Sunny Mehta.
Mehta, who was born in Michigan but grew up in Wyckoff, New Jersey, is a name that should be familiar to most Devils fans. He was hired in 2014 to as the Devils director of hockey analytics and created the first full-time analytics department in the NHL.
If you’re looking for a GM who can potentially find diamonds in the rough, maximize the draft, and win on the margins, Mehta is a strong choice.
While with the Devils in 2016, Mehta’s model had Jesper Bratt ranked as the #3 player in that year’s draft class. Fast forward a decade later and only four players from that class have had more points in the NHL than Bratt….#1 overall pick Auston Matthews, former lottery picks Matthew Tkachuk and Clayton Keller, and second rounder Alex DeBrincat.
Bratt went 162nd overall in the draft that season.
After leaving the Devils, he joined the Florida Panthers in 2020 and worked his way up through their organization to earn the title of AGM. Mehta, under Panthers GM Bill Zito, had a hand in them acquiring many of the players who ultimately became key contributors on the team that won back-to-back Stanley Cups. The key being most of those acquisitions being of the unheralded at the time variety. Gus Forsling? Waiver claim. Carter Verhaeghe? A pending RFA who was not tendered a contract. Sam Bennett? Acquired for a second-round pick and the rights to Emil Heineman. Sam Reinhart? A first round pick and Devon Levi. The Panthers have done a good job on buying low on players like Evan Rodrigues, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Nate Schmidt, Niko Mikkola, and Dmitry Kulikov where they just fit in and play well. Of course, people will point to the Matthew Tkachuk trade being the move that put Florida over the top, and they’re not wrong to do so, but Florida had a really good base off of which to work.
Bill Zito obviously deserves a ton of credit for what he has done in Florida, but it would be short-sighted to solely credit him. Mehta, along with the rest of the Florida braintrust, has had a big part in that as well. And everyone in Florida knows that. Paul Maurice has given Mehta his flowers, as has Zito. Mehta has earned the respect of that organization for his ability to present the data in a manner that is digestible for the players and coaching staff to understand. There’s a reason why he’s high on Toronto’s and Nashville’s lists as well to be their next potential GM.
Times were different back in the 2014-2018 window that Mehta was with the Devils, as they were transitioning from the end of the Lou Lamoriello era to the Ray Shero era, so its tough to say how much influence Mehta actually had with the Devils. I already mentioned the Jesper Bratt pick, but keep in mind, the Devils passed on him seven times in that draft. They took players like Brandon Gignac, Mikhail Maltsev, Evan Cormier, and Yegor Rykov over him. Knowing what we know now, that would never happen again. That said, hitting on late picks like that is what separates good teams from the great teams. The Devils did eventually take Mehta’s recommendation and make the pick, and Bratt is the last man standing from the Devils 2016 draft class that is still in the organization.
I don’t know how much I would read into the rumors that there was a ‘falling out’ with Mehta and the Devils and whether or not it even matters though. Ray Shero is no longer with us, Tom Fitzgerald is no longer with the organization, the Devils reportedly have a lot of front office staff on expiring deals, and Mehta would presumably bring in his own people that are more closely aligned with his vision.
The one potential knock I could see with Mehta is that he would be a first-time GM. Fitzgerald was a first-time GM and that really didn’t work out the way the Devils hoped. I think that matters to an extent but if it were a disqualifier, we’d run out of GM candidates really quickly as everybody is a ‘first timer’ at some point.
I’m not in the room, so its tough to say what exactly Mehta is doing when he’s not looking at his model or spreadsheets. But he strikes me as a sharp guy given his background and what we know about him. I’m sure he has built up some relationships around the league in his time as an AGM simply from working the phones and talking to people. I’m sure he knows who to call and what to do if he has to make a trade. I know I like to pretend I’m an expert but I wouldn’t know those things if I got hired as the GM tomorrow. Mehta has put in the time as an AGM and worked his way up for an opportunity like this.
I wouldn’t say the Devils should hire Mehta solely because he grew up in New Jersey as a Devils fan. I wouldn’t say they should hire him because he’s already worked here. I wouldn’t say they should hire him because he brought the Stanley Cup back to Jersey when he had his day with the Cup. But I do think he understands this market and this fanbase. He understands what the expectation is and he won’t be too attached to the pieces already in place to not make the changes he deems necessary.
Ideally, I’d prefer to pair him with an experienced President of Hockey Ops who has those relationships around the league, but that’s also not a dealbreaker…..you can accomplish the same thing with a good AGM hire. Either way, Mehta would be my #1 choice, barring an unforeseen candidate entering the fray.
Tyler Dellow
Of course, Mehta isn’t the only analytically-driven candidate with ties to the Devils that could be in the mix to be their next general manager.
Dellow was with the Devils for five seasons as their Senior VP of hockey strategy and analytics before leaving the organization two years ago to joins another data-driven executive in Eric Tulsky in Carolina as their AGM.
At least in the regular season, Carolina had been a successful organization over most of the last decade. The Hurricanes have reached the conference final three times since 2018-19 and have won a playoff round in seven of the last eight seasons. A lot of that predates Dellow, but seeing as the Devils have plucked from the Carolina tree a few times over the last few seasons in terms of players (Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Stefan Noesen), it wouldn’t be surprising if they did so again to “bring home one of their own”.
J.P Gambatese did a good breakdown on his Substack on Carolina’s transactions since Dellow has come aboard, and the two things that stand out to me are Carolina’s tendency to buy low on players and their track record of below market value contracts. Seeing as Dellow has been managing the salary cap for Carolina and we’re coming off of a Tom Fitzgerald regime where the cap was mismanaged, that actually matters a lot. Aside from Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who predates Dellow, I’m not sure there’s a bad contract on Carolina’s books.
Like with Mehta, it’s tough to say how much influence Dellow has had on transactions between his time in New Jersey and Carolina. Dellow was with the Devils when they pulled off trades like the acquisitions of Tyler Toffoli, Timo Meier, and John Marino. He was with Carolina when they acquired, and traded away, Mikko Rantanen.
I don’t view the Devils salary cap situation as dire, but I do think they need more flexibility in the coming years. Especially if they wind up extending Nico Hischier, if they intend on being players for Quinn Hughes, or both. They’ll get some cap flexibility organically after next season with seven players on the NHL roster slated for UFA, but those players will need to be replaced. In that respect, I appreciate Dellow’s work in getting some of Carolina’s key players to sign what will surely be below market value deals while simultaneously not overpaying their depth players.
Dellow would also be another first-time GM, so like with Mehta, I’d prefer to pair him with someone with a bit more experience if that were to be the direction that the Devils want to go in. I also think with Dellow, there’s a small added bonus of him being in Carolina. Given how the Hurricanes have owned the Devils the last few seasons, he probably has some insights as to why that’s the case, what Carolina (and other teams for that matter) is doing to slow the Devils down, and from a Devils perspective, what needs to be done to counter that.
Dellow isn’t my first choice, but I do think he’s a strong candidate and I would not be upset if that is the direction the Devils choose to go in.
John Chayka
Of all of the known candidates, the only one with actual experience as an NHL general manager is John Chayka.
Hired by the Arizona Coyotes back in 2016, the analytically-driven Chayka made the playoffs once in four seasons as their GM before abruptly resigning in 2020. His tenure was marred by the illegal draft workout scandal that saw Arizona docked a first round draft pick and Chayka suspended from the league.
I think when it comes to Chayka, its important to remember how bad the Arizona situation was in general. Arizona had the worst ownership in the league, the worst arena situation in the league, and a small but diehard fanbase. They did not have a long track record of success before he got there and haven’t had a ton of success since, although they’re doing much better under better ownership in Utah nowadays. But back then, Arizona was not a free agency destination for those reasons. That’s not to excuse Chayka for his transgressions with the draft workouts or any shortcomings as a GM, but its worth mentioning just to give additional context to what he was up against.
I do think Chayka deserves some credit though. Clayton Keller was a home run of a pick for them at 7th overall in 2016 and they added Jacob Chychrun nine picks later. Other notable draft hits under Chayka’s watch include Barrett Hayton, Kevin Bahl, Ty Emberson, and Matias Maccelli. He was there as the team oversaw the development of players like Lawson Crouse, Conor Garland and Adin Hill, among others. Chayka made the Dylan Strome for Nick Schmaltz trade. Arizona did go for it in 2020 with the acquisitions of Taylor Hall and Phil Kessel, but their ‘success’ in 2020 was short-lived and they wound up undergoing a multi-year scorched earth rebuild under his successor Bill Armstrong.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the Devils have tried to hire Chayka in some capacity.
There were reports a few years ago that Josh Harris and David Blitzer wanted to hire Chayka to oversee the analytics departments of all of the HBSE properties at the time, not just the Devils. Supposedly, Arizona didn’t want him to take his job and between that and the hammer coming down with the aforementioned draft workout violations, that was what led to Chayka stepping down as Coyotes GM.
Again, I don’t know that I necessarily hold it against Chayka that he was looking for an escape from Arizona. He knew the inner workings of that organization weren’t good, that they were operating as a floor team for much of his tenure, and that the deck was stacked against him succeeding. I can get looking for any competitive edge where he can find one, but I wouldn’t excuse the workout violations either. But he is a sharp mind and would certainly ‘fit’ what the Devils might be looking for when it comes to someone more data-driven. He has experience in knowing how the league operates. I also don’t think he should necessarily be blackballed for the draft workouts. Not in a league that is willing to welcome back Stan Bowman or Joel Quenneville with open arms for transgressions that are FAR worse.
I do think Chayka could be better the second time around as a general manager in an organization with a lot less ‘stuff’ going on in the background. For all of their critiques, the Devils have stable ownership that has shown a willingness to spend to the cap ceiling. They have a stable arena situation. They’re also not a barren cupboard in terms of win now players that one can build around and prospects coming down the road. He wouldn’t necessarily be my first choice for the Devils, and Gary Bettman would probably flip over a table the second a team tells him they want to hire John Chayka, but I could see him getting another shot again. I wouldn’t even rule out it being in New Jersey given how close HBSE might’ve been to hiring him in the past. That said, I prefer the other candidates in this article over him.
Jamie Langenbrunner
Another name with Devils ties that is in the mix is their one-time former captain turned Bruins assistant GM, Jamie Langenbrunner.
After retiring from the NHL in 2014, Langenbrunner joined the Bruins organization in 2015 and started working his way up the ranks on the management side. He worked as the head of player development and has since been promoted to AGM. He’s had a hand in helping develop prospects as long as identifying players who could help the Bruins if they were to get a larger role.
Those last few sentences are particularly notable as Langenbrunner has been in Boston for quite some time now. He got to work closely with David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy as they went from being former first round picks to players who ultimately reached their potential. Boston has been able to take guys such as Morgan Geekie off of the proverbial scrap heap and find another level to their game. They also identified players such as Marat Khusnutdinov and Fraser Minten who can thrive with a larger role. Obviously, Don Sweeney and new coach Marco Sturm deserve a lot of credit for Boston’s turnaround this year, but Boston has generally been one of the more successful teams in the league since 2015. They reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in 2019, set an NHL record for points in a season with 135 in 2022-23, and have made the playoffs 8 of the last 9 years before returning to the playoffs this season. Langenbrunner has been a part of their success to some extent.
Some longtime Devils fans might take issue with Langenbrunner given the way he ultimately departed the organization as a player. They’ll remember him having problems with legendary coach Jacques Lemaire. They’ll remember the dip in his production in 2010-11. They’ll remember a bunch of lifeless, lethargic performances from that season while he wore the captain’s “C”. They’ll remember him being one of the leaders of the Devils in the post-Scott Stevens and post-Stanley Cup winning teams era in general. Teams that ultimately came up short in the playoffs and particularly, the team that blew it in Game 7 against Carolina in 2009.
It’s not my place to tell you how to you should feel about something that happened over 15 years ago at this point, but I at least understand if people don’t want to deal with Langenbrunner’s “baggage” after how things ended here. Fans have long memories and Langenbrunner, fairly or unfairly, probably won’t get nearly as much goodwill going in as some other candidates might. I also don’t think it helps matters that Darren Dreger has mentioned that Martin Brodeur’s history with Langenbrunner is the connection to him being a candidate. Given that Martin Brodeur’s two biggest contributions to the Devils in his post-playing career are Dave Rogalski and the “Jersey” jersey, that doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
That said, just because Martin Brodeur has endorsed a bad goaltending coach and has shown to have terrible fashion sense with the third jerseys doesn’t necessarily mean he’s wrong when it comes to Langenbrunner. Langenbrunner is certainly as qualified as anyone interviewing for the position. He’s paid his dues on the player development side and worked his way up. He’s also a two-time Stanley Cup winning player who had a key role on two different championship teams by playing the game the right way. I’m generally not a fan of hiring your “team legends”, and using the term “legend” to describe Langenbrunner as it pertains to the Devils might be a bit of a stretch anyways. But he does know what it takes to win from his days as a player, and I don’t think that should be outright dismissed either.
Apr 14, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Starling Marte (0) hits a single in the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The Royals have scored two or fewer runs in six of their last seven games, but managed a pair of wins when starters Kris Bubic and Michael Wacha blanked the White Sox on Friday and Saturday, with seven and eight scoreless innings, respectively.
Kansas City pitchers have almost no margin for error right now.
Ragans was asked about the frustrations he and the other starters could be feeling, but dismissed that, saying, “Ahh, yeah, I mean, we know what we’ve been doing well, and what we haven’t. We’ve been through stretches like this before, and tomorrow’s a new day. That’s the beauty of baseball.”
The question is both if and when the team will come out of it. I think we saw last year that they likely will come out of it. But the problem last season came that they dug themselves such a hole in the first three months that even being one of the 10 best offenses in baseball for the last three didn’t even get them to average. So they need to figure this out sooner than later because later likely means another season like last year. Nobody will complain about another winning season, but the goals are much loftier this year than that. But, maybe against better judgment, I think they’ll be okay.
The biggest reason why I think that is the easiest one to understand. There isn’t a lot of science or stats to back this one up, but the Royals simply currently aren’t getting anything out of Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez, their three and four hitters. Sometimes people say things like that and it’s hyperbolic, but the Royals are actually getting essentially nothing.
The underlying proposal would allow City Manager Mario Vasquez to negotiate a deal of up to $600 million for a $1.9 billion stadium project at Washington Square Park near Crown Center and Union Station. “We look very much forward to the continued process,” Sherman told reporters. “We’ll continue our work with Mario and his staff toward an agreement, as was put forth in the ordinance today.” He added that “this stuff isn’t easy,” an apparent reference to the team’s years-long search for a new stadium that has frustrated and exhausted political leaders and fans alike.
While the City Council is likely to approve the proposal on Thursday, that vote would not officially solidify the team’s move near downtown. The funding deal itself would have to go back before the council at a future date once the proposal is fleshed out, city staff told council members on Tuesday. Tuesday’s finance committee meeting offered members of the public their first chance to weigh in on the stadium proposal. One by one, opponents and supporters stepped up to a microphone to address the deal in front of council members. Local business advocates and organized labor groups touted the potential stadium as a major boost to the city’s downtown landscape and construction jobs. Meanwhile, members of some progressive groups framed the proposal as corporate welfare for rich team owners. More than one speaker referenced economic studies that have shown stadiums are not major engines for economic development.
Through the Royals’ first 16 games, Witt has 16 hits and 10 walks for an on-base percentage of .371. Additionally, he has stolen a league-leading eight bases, so while he’s not hitting for much power yet (only 3 XBH’s, all doubles), he’s still getting into scoring position.
And yet, he has scored precisely one run, back on March 29 against Atlanta.
Witt scored 99 of the Royals’ 651 runs last year. That’s 15.2 percent, a pace only exceeded by five other players: Shohei Ohtani (17.7, Dodgers), Aaron Judge (16.1, Yankees), José Ramírez (16.0, Guardians), Fernando Tatis Jr. (15.8, Padres) and Juan Soto (15.7, Mets).
The 651 runs ranked 26th out of 30 teams last year. This year, they’re tied for 26th. So it’s not like there’s been a drastic change in runs scored. It’s just not Witt scoring them, for some inexplicable reason.
Roccaforte has some solid upside, possessing a rare blend of speed and power, and has plus CF potential. His big gain this season has been in lifting the ball: he’s (probably unsustainably) reduced his GB% to 17.4%, which aligns well with his plus power. Because of his age/level combo (he just turned 24 and is in Double-A), our model has him as unlikely to make an impact in the show, especially with below-average strikeout and contact rates. The tools are intriguing, though, and his good glove gives him a floor that is higher than most older prospects.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 12: Kyle Karros #12 of the Colorado Rockies bats during the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on April 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s easy to panic early in the regular season.
As the sample size of plate appearances continues to grow and success isn’t consistent, the temptation to pull the rip cord on certain young players grows ever more tempting. However, there is a difference between a player floundering and a player who just isn’t catching the breaks of success. A few weeks into the season, I find myself placing Kyle Karros in the latter category and asking this question: When can he break out?
Karros’ quick rise through the Colorado Rockies system since being drafted in the fifth round out of UCLA in 2023 has been remarkable. Quickly displaying his elite glove talent in the field from the get-go, Karros snagged MVP honors in the Northwest League in his first full season in 2024 with his bat for the High-A Spokane Indians. Despite some injuries, he found success in Double-A the following year, leading to an explosive stint in Triple-A for a few weeks before settling in as the Rockies’ primary third baseman to close out the 2025 season.
There was a question whether the son of former Dodger great Eric Karros would prove capable of handling the hot corner regularly in 2026 and produce at the plate as his father did. The Rockies hedged their bets by bringing in the versatile Willi Castro as well as picking up Edouard Julien at second base. Youngster Ryan Ritter is also capable of playing third, so there were plenty of options heading into spring training.
Luckily for the Rockies, Karros had a strong spring training at the plate while continuing his elite work in the field, winning the job on Opening Day and at least showing the signs that he could handle the rigors of everyday work in the big leagues.
Which brings us to this point in time.
A quick look at his slash line, and it’s easy to scoff at Karros’ production. Entering the Houston series on Tuesday, he has batted .182/.294/.205 in 51 plate appearances over 16 games. He is 8-for-44 with just one extra-base hit and one RBI to his name.
Looking at those numbers, it’s reasonable to jump to the conclusion that he “isn’t ready,” but a deeper look into his performance warrants some grace and inspires some optimism that he can figure things out.
Karros has always been a player with solid plate awareness, particularly in the walk department. In his 43-game stint last season, he drew 15 walks (9.6% walk rate), which happened to be the 10th-most by a Rockies hitter last season. This season, he appears right on track to be able to replicate something along those lines as he leads the team with seven walks (13.7% walk rate). What helps is that he has seen the second-most pitches per plate appearance on the team at 4.07 P/PA.
On the flip side, he has generally struck out around 20% in the minors while averaging a 26.1% strikeout rate in the big leagues. Obviously, that is higher than league average and will hopefully improve with more time and experience, but it is tempered by his ability to draw walks. His 13 strikeouts rank fifth on the team, just ahead of T.J. Rumfield (12), but a 2:1 walk-to-strikeout ratio isn’t too shabby all things considered. He is a player who doesn’t typically chase out of the zone (16%) and generally is good at making contact on pitches inside the strike zone. Also, of his 13 strikeouts, six have come from swinging, while seven have been caught looking.
Karros’ main struggles have come against the breaking ball, where he’s slashing .111/.215/.167 with a 51.5% whiff rate. He’s also continuing to pound the ball into the dirt with a 45.5% ground ball rate and has managed just a 9.7% fly ball rate. Which means, he is smoking plenty of line drives at a 35.5% clip with a 38% hard-hit rate, but it’s just not doing anything to find the holes or do damage.
So what is to be done, and can he break out?
A look at his chart on Baseball Savant indicates the areas where Karros can work to improve.
His expected stats show he should have more success than he is getting, but for the most part, he is plateauing around being a league-average hitter at the moment in most categories.
The number that stands out the most is the bat speed.
As we’ve discussed in the past about bat tracking, a slower bat speed, combined with a shorter swing, generally lends itself to being a high-average contact hitter (see: Luis Arráez). On the other side of the spectrum, a fast bat with a long swing generally lends itself to a high slugging power hitter (see: Giancarlo Stanton).
When you get some sort of amalgamation of a slower bat speed with a longer swing, like Karros, you get a player who doesn’t necessarily excel in either area at the big-league level. They can become split between two different types of players as they struggle to find a footing. We can see Karros is elite at finding the launch angle sweet-spot on the bat, but the lack of oomph behind it due to bat speed is what is turning his batted balls into quick line drive outs.
He certainly isn’t floundering at the plate, but finding an edge in one direction or the other could go a long way for him.
At 23 years old, Karros is the youngest player on the Rockies, just behind Chase Dollander and Ezequiel Tovar. His massive frame and physical potential point to a player who should be capable of doing damage at the plate and be good for 15-20 home runs over time. He is still maturing and growing as a player, and he has the mental aptitude and physical tools to be an elite player at the plate.
So, when it comes to Kyle Karros, patience must be exhibited because he may just be a few adjustments and multi-hit games away from finding his footing and becoming the player that the Rockies hope he can be in 2026.
A late-game surge wasn’t enough to overcome rough early pitching for the Isotopes in their loss in the series opener. Luis Peralta served as the “opener” for Albuquerque and was tagged for five runs on just one hit in 1.2 innings as he walked four batters and gave up a grand slam. Ryan Miller and Carson Skipper filled up the next few innings, combining to give up four runs in the next four innings. Luckily, the pen managed to keep things scoreless after that to give the offense a chance to respond finally. After managing just two runs through six, the Topes busted out a four-run seventh inning to close the gap. Cole Carrigg led the offense with a pair of hits and an RBI, while Adael Amador drove in a pair as part of his two-hit night. Unfortunately, the Isotopes went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position and had just two extra-base hits, both of them doubles. They did draw nine walks against seven strikeouts, though.
It was a rough night for Hartford’s pitching as every arm allowed at least one run in the loss. Connor Staine started the game and allowed five runs over three innings, while the four other relievers combined for six runs. The offense was rather lifeless through most of the game, scoring just two runs through the first eight innings. They then put up five in the bottom of the ninth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit. Dyan Jorge went 2-for-5, as did Bryant Betancourt, who delivered a three-run homer in the ninth. Aidan Longwell also drove in a pair as part of a two-hit night. Jorge and Longwell both had a double while Benny Montgomery delivered a triple in the game.
Quality pitching and a couple of big flies helped propel the Indians to victory. Brody Brecht started on the bump for Spokane and was dominant with six strikeouts against one walk and allowed just one run on three hits, but he worked just three innings. Of the 57 pitches he threw, 37 were for strikes. He gave way to Stu Flesland III, who worked four solid innings, allowing just two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Offensively, the Indians got home runs from Kelvin Hidalgo and Alan Espinal, both of whom produced most of the hits. Hidalgo went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Espinal went 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Tanner Thach had a game to remember as he drove in about 10% of the Fresno Grizzlies’ runs in their victory over Ontario. Thach had four hits in the game, including a double and two home runs, a grand slam in the second and a two-run homer in the seventh, to drive in seven RBI on the night. The offense as a whole had 11 hits, with Derek Bernard producing three and Clayton Gray contributing two hits and two RBI. On the mound, Izeah Muniz allowed four runs, one earned, in 3.2 innings with six strikeouts. Brady Parker followed with 3.1 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts. Yanzel Correra closed the game out with two scoreless innings.
This week, Evan Lang and I talk about the Penner Sports Group buying a 40% stake in the Rockies before talking about the previous week’s games and players we’ve been impressed by thus far, and those we are a little worried about.
Andrew Dill joins the calls of people clamoring for Charlie Condon to get the call from Albuquerque after the struggles of the Rockies’ offense and his own hot start in Triple-A.
(Original Caption) Jackie Robinson of the Dodgers slides home safely on his steal in the eighth inning of this series opener at Yankee Stadium. This was the play that touched off a heated hassle when Yankee catcher Yogi Berra put the tag on Robinson, before the latter's play to the plate. Umpire Ron Summers, who called the play, said his decision prevailed. The Yanks nevertheless won with 6-5.
The number 42 is prominently displayed in every stadium across MLB. On this date 29 years ago, acting commissioner Bud Selig casually informed some 57,000 fans at the old Shea Stadium that Jackie’s iconic number would be retired throughout baseball.
For many (me included) this proclamation carried more significance than playoff expansion, the advent of interleague play or construction of new ballparks. I asked a trio of diamond legends what Jackie Robinson meant to them on his special day.
Dave Stewart. 3x World Series Champion. World Series MVP. A.L. Wins Leaders in 1987.
“When I came into professional baseball in 1975, drafted by the Dodgers, I knew a little about Jackie Robinson before I arrived but then learned a lot about him from Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella.
Those guys opened my eyes to what he meant to us not only as a baseball player, but as a human being. Jackie set an example for them, and they set those examples unto me and guys like Dusty Baker, Reggie Smith, Davey Lopes, and Al Downing.
He was about strength, humility, and consistency. He set the standard for how I wanted to be, first as a human being, then as a baseball player. That in a nutshell is what Jackie meant to me.”
Steve Garvey. 10x All-Star. Former MVP. 1981 World Series Champion.
“In the spring of 1956, I’m growing up in Tampa Florida. My dad was a greyhound bus driver and had a chance to drive the Brooklyn Dodgers from the Tampa airport to St. Petersburg for an exhibition game against the Yankees.
My Dad was a Dodgers fan, and my mom was a Yankees fan. I had the opportunity to be bat boy that day. In the middle of the game, all of a sudden, I’m sitting next to Gil Hodges and Pee Wee Reese. Then, all of a sudden, Jackie Robinson goes and literally sits on my lap. I told that story at school the next day but no one believed me!
I’ve always thought that the two most iconic men in the 20th century that affected baseball were Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth. Babe Ruth was the essence of power and Jackie, of course, broke the color barrier with grit and style.
He fought every moment not only for the game, but for his race. I think when we look back at the history of America, Jackie Robinson will always be the upper echelon of people who affected our history. It was an honor to be a bat boy for him and the Brooklyn Dodgers. He was a wonderful man who truly set an example for all of us.”
Andre Dawson. Hall Of Famer. Played 21 seasons. 8x All Star. ROY. MVP.
“Jackie Robinson paved the way for generations of ballplayers to have hope and a vision to pursue a dream.”
Elly Da La Cruz
Oneil Cruz
Kyle Tucker
