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Manchester City delay decision on John Stones’ future due to fitness concerns

  • England defender is out of contract in the summer

  • Stones played only 11 Premier League games last season

John Stones’s Manchester City future will be reliant on the defender’s fitness, according to Pep Guardiola. The England international’s contract expires in the summer and the club must decide if he deserves an extension after an injury-hit spell at the Etihad Stadium.

The 31-year-old recently said he contemplated retirement last season due to fitness problems, which resulted in him making only 11 Premier League appearances and missing the final three months of the campaign with a hamstring injury. Stones was an unused substitute for City’s past two league matches but will hope to return to the starting lineup against former club Everton on Saturday, having featured twice for England during the international break.

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3 observations after Embiid comes back, Edgecombe shines in Sixers' preseason finale

3 observations after Embiid comes back, Edgecombe shines in Sixers' preseason finale originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers concluded their 2025 preseason with a win and Joel Embiid’s first appearance in many months.

The team closed out a 1-3 preseason Friday night by notching a 126-110 victory over the Timberwolves at Xfinity Mobile Arena. 

In his first game since late February, Embiid tallied 14 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals. 

Tyrese Maxey had 27 points and seven assists. VJ Edgecombe added 26 points, six rebounds, three assists and five steals.

The Sixers were still down Paul George (left knee), Jared McCain (right thumb) and Trendon Watford (right hamstring). Veteran Kyle Lowry also sat. 

The team’s regular-season opener is next Wednesday against the Celtics. Here are observations on the Sixers’ win over Minnesota:

Embiid’s return  

Seconds after the opening tip, Embiid took a pull-up jumper that grazed the front rim. He got everything properly calibrated soon enough, making his next try from the left elbow.

Outside of scoring, Embiid had several bright moments in the early going. He swiped a steal and then tossed a long-range outlet pass that set Maxey up for an and-one layup. 

The Sixers’ half-court offense largely revolved around Embiid in the middle of the floor. Embiid facilitated well, initiating two-man games with his guards, spotting open cutters and capitalizing on the Timberwolves’ aggressive double teams. 

When Embiid rested at the 5:44 mark of the first quarter, the Sixers held a 20-11 lead. His conditioning appeared to be good throughout his 19 minutes on the floor.

In terms of health, Embiid generally did not look bothered by his left knee. The big man did have a somewhat worrisome play in the third quarter when he committed a charge, fell awkwardly and was slow to get up.  He stayed in the game but subbed out about a minute later.

Starting nod for Bona 

Embiid started the night with Maxey, Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Adem Bona. 

Sixers head coach Nick Nurse acknowledged pregame that his current plan is to start the 20-year-old Edgecombe on opening night. All signs have been pointing toward thatthis preseason.

Bona’s start was less expected, although it wasn’t a complete shocker. The Sixers played Bona and Embiid together Sunday in their Blue-White scrimmage and Nurse suggested he wanted to experiment further with the double-big frontcourt. 

Bona steered clear of foul trouble and had an excellent offensive rebounding game. He posted four points, seven boards and a block in 23 minutes.

Dominick Barlow still seems to be firmly in the rotation picture with George and Watford out. The 22-year-old was the first player off the bench Friday and started the second half in Bona’s place. He played 20 minutes and had six points and five rebounds. 

As far as rotation projections, it’s notable that the Sixers’ only four bench players until the fourth quarter were Barlow, Quentin Grimes, Justin Edwards and Jabari Walker. Edwards had the smallest first-half role of that group, playing just three minutes in the second quarter. 

Edgecombe does it all

Edgecombe brought the ball up often Friday. 

Nurse wants greater offensive variety and movement this season. One important aspect of that vision is more Maxey off-ball reps and less onus on the sixth-year guard to create offense from thin air. It will be interesting to see how Edgecombe deals with the ball pressure and split-second decision-making that come with NBA point guard work. 

Edgecombe’s transition talent pops every time he plays. He capped the third quarter with a buzzer-beating fast-break layup. The home crowd encouraged him to sprint ahead of the pack and fly high in the fourth. Edgecombe did so at every possible opportunity. At a bare minimum, the Sixers should have elite speed when Edgecombe shares the floor with Maxey.

The No. 3 overall pick has also continued to look promising in quite a few other departments, including cutting and offensive rebounding. He already has a knack for impacting the game in both eye-popping and subtle ways.

Defensively, Edgecombe got beaten on a couple of occasions by T-Wolves guard Rob Dillingham. However, he’s frequently shined on defense. Edgecombe had several rock-solid 1-on-1 sequences and those five steals. 

As Maxey’s final stat line indicates, he enjoyed playing off the ball and found plenty of shots in his wheelhouse. Not too shabby a preseason finale for the Maxey-Edgecombe duo.

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2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Draft Strategy Mega Guide

For some of you, this weekend is when you'll select your fantasy basketball teams for the upcoming season. But if you're like the Rotoworld crew, you would have gotten some of your drafts done well beforehand. However, there's still the need to pay attention to the final preseason games while scouring the waiver wire for value. Noah Rubin and Raphielle Johnson provide their thoughts on approaching the draft, including strategies and some of their favorite picks for each round.

NBA: Preseason-Charlotte Hornets at Oklahoma City Thunder
2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Draft Prep Guide: Rankings, strategy, sleepers, mock draft results, and more
Your one-stop-shop for Rotoworld’s fantasy basketball draft coverage.

Who is your favorite pick in each round?

Round 1

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder - I love SGA's skill set and production, and he's a player who allows for versatility when building out your fantasy roster. Add in the fact that the Thunder are unlikely to be able to coast through the regular season, given the depth of the Western Conference, and I don't think you can go wrong with drafting Gilgeous-Alexander. - Raphielle Johnson

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks - Avoiding the consensus top-four, Giannis is my favorite pick of the first round. He has his obvious limitations, but Antetokounmpo should be in for a big season with the Bucks. Some people may shy away from being forced to punt free throws and three-pointers in round one, but I’m happy to lean into those. - Noah Rubin

Round 2

Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers - Of the 76ers' "big three," he's the one I trust the most regarding fantasy basketball due to the availability concerns for Joel Embiid and Paul George. While Maxey's 2024-25 season ended prematurely due to injury, playing in 52 games, he's been available for the entire preseason. That should alleviate any concerns, and Maxey played at least 60 games in each of his first four seasons. If you can get him in the second round of your draft, do so. - RJ

Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets - I’m all in on Thompson’s breakout this season. I was excited about him prior to Fred VanVleet’s season-ending knee injury, and now I think he has first-round upside. First All-Star appearance is on the way. - NR

Round 3

Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers - The Pacers were already in a challenging spot when Tyrese Haliburton was ruled out for the entire 2025-26 season with a ruptured Achilles tendon. During the preseason, they lost T.J. McConnell to a hamstring injury, and Delon Wright suffered a nasty head injury. While Andrew Nembhard will be the point guard, I can envision Siakam having more playmaking responsibilities out of necessity, raising his fantasy ceiling. - RJ

Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks - Johnson enjoyed a breakout year that was cut short by shoulder injuries. Those aren’t recurring issues to worry about like knees and ankles; it’s just a random occurrence. However, I think he has another level to reach, and he can get there this season. -NR

NBA: Preseason-Charlotte Hornets at Oklahoma City Thunder
2025-26 Fantasy Basketball Draft Prep Guide: Rankings, strategy, sleepers, mock draft results, and more
Your one-stop-shop for Rotoworld’s fantasy basketball draft coverage.

Round 4

Myles Turner, Milwaukee Bucks - After ten seasons with the Pacers, Turner moved to a Central Division rival this offseason. While his scoring decreased last season, I don't think that will be an issue on a Bucks team that will need more offensive production from Turner. And he'll provide valuable floor spacing in a lineup headlined by Giannis Antetokounmpo. After averaging 5.5 three-point attempts per game last season, Turner may take even more in Milwaukee, and the blocks will always be there. - RJ

Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks - The rookie has been starting at point guard for Dallas even with D’Angelo Russell healthy. He may have the same efficiency issues that many players have during their first season, but he should be a strong source of rebounds, assists, steals and blocks with the upside to contribute in other categories. -NR

Round 5

Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets - Injuries limited Miller to 27 games last season, but he's mostly been excellent when on the court. Having a reasonably healthy LaMelo Ball on the floor will also help the third-year wing, who averaged 21.0 points per game last season. If he stays healthy, Miller can put together a top-50 fantasy season in Charlotte. - RJ

Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz - Following a down year in Utah, I’m buying the Markkanen bounceback. The Jazz need to increase his trade value, whether they want to actually move him or not. I think they’ll emphasize him early and often. -NR

Round 6

OG Anunoby, New York Knicks - Despite providing fourth-round per-game value in his first full season with the Knicks, Anunoby's ADP would place him in the sixth round of 12-team drafts. That may be too low for him, especially with Mike Brown taking over as head coach. Brown's desire to ramp up the pace did not come to fruition during the preseason, as the Knicks were dead last in that category, but the talent is there to make things happen once everyone gets comfortable with the system. And I think the wings, especially Anunoby, will benefit if they can have the ball in their hands a bit more than they did last season. - RJ

Jordan Poole, New Orleans Pelicans - Poole was really good last season in Washington, but it went under the radar because the team was so bad. Now, he’s on a team that isn’t expected to be good but doesn’t have their own pick. Poole shouldn’t be considered a shutdown candidate, and if New Orleans is going to get back to the postseason, he’s going to have to shine. -NR

Round 7

Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks - Last season wasn't easy for Bridges, as many did not hesitate to bring up what adding him to the roster cost the Knicks. Year two should be easier for him, for multiple reasons. He's solidified his contract situation, and Bridges is one of the players who may benefit from the change to Mike Brown as head coach. He's had the ball in his hands more during the preseason, which could raise Bridges' ceiling if that carries over into the regular season. Also, you know he'll be available, as he's yet to miss a game in his NBA career. - RJ

Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons - Amen broke out last year, and I think it’s Ausar’s turn. He’s the best defender on the team and was really good down the stretch of last season. I’m happy to take him two rounds before this; that’s how confident I am in Thompson this year. -NR

Round 8

Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets - Braun's third NBA season was by far his best, as he more than doubled his scoring average from the season prior. Transitioning from bench contributor to starter, he looks like a player who can offer more in 2025-26. Of course, playing in a lineup headlined by Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray limits his ceiling, but I like Braun's floor, especially with an eighth-round ADP. - RJ

Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers - Clingan was really good in limited action during his rookie season and is now the full-time starter in Portland. He’ll play a career-high in minutes and put up a ton of double-doubles and blocks while maintaining a sky-high field goal percentage. -NR

Round 9

Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs - If I can get Vassell in the ninth round of a draft, sign me up. Since being limited to 38 appearances in 2022-23, he's played 68 and 64 games the past two seasons, so injuries should not be a significant concern for fantasy managers. While the Spurs have a deep perimeter rotation when healthy, few options provide the versatility on both ends of the floor that Vassell does. - RJ

Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers - I’ve loved Camara for a while, and he’s one of the most important players in Portland this season. The Trail Blazers are good enough to compete for a play-in spot, and Camara should provide plenty of threes and steals. -NR

Round 10

Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors - What Podziemski was able to do after the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler III last season should not be overlooked, especially when gauging his fantasy value for this season. In 27 games (24 starts), he averaged 14.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.4 three-pointers while shooting 45.8 percent from the field. That's excellent value, especially for a player who may be available in the 10th round based on his current ADP. - RJ

Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies - He’s injured to start the season, but Memphis is going to be focused on running pick-and-rolls with Ja Morant and Edey when both are healthy. Even if Morant is hurt, Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. will be there to feed Edey down low. -NR

Who is your least favorite pick in each round?

Round 1

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks - With the additions the Hawks made this offseason, this will likely be the best team Young has played on since entering the NBA. However, while adding Kristaps Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and others to the roster while getting Jalen Johnson back strengthens the roster, this may negatively impact Young's scoring. He led the NBA in assists last season while scoring 24.2 points per game, but he also did so while shooting a career-worst 41.1 percent from the field. - RJ

Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks - I like all of the first-round options this year, but I just feel that Davis is the riskiest. Sure, he’s elite when he’s healthy, but he’s back at power forward, which likely means a slight drop in rebounds. Honestly, it’s not the talent here. I think he’ll easily return first-round value, but it’s the injury risk that makes me hesitate. -NR

Round 2

Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks - While Brunson is coming off another exceptional season, his ADP (22.3 as of Friday morning) may be a bit high. Considering the head coaching change and an offensive system that may take the ball out of Brunson's hands more often, I can see his fantasy value taking a hit. Not to the point where he becomes a poor selection, but to where using a second-round pick on him would not be the best approach. - RJ

Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings - The hamstring injury strengthens my case, even if it ends up being a minor injury. I’m fine with Sabonis in certain builds, but there are so many other players in the second round that I’m really excited about this season. Plus, I just don’t feel confident in Sacramento having a good season, which makes me want to steer clear when I can. -NR

Round 3

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers - Despite being sidelined by sciatica, James still has a third-round ADP heading into the final weekend before the regular season. I understand the man's greatness, but the ADP is too high considering the circumstances. The Lakers will prioritize ensuring James, who turns 41 in December, is healthy for the stretch run. That could make him a more challenging player to rely on during the "dog days" of the NBA season. - RJ

Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors - I still like Barnes long-term, but he’s looked rough during the preseason, and there are so many ways that this season can go south for Toronto. Playing alongside Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram could also limit Barnes’ touches. Hopefully, he’s able to make up for it with bonus defensive production. -NR

NBA: Atlanta Hawks at Milwaukee Bucks
Fantasy Basketball Category Punt Guide for 2025-26
Depending on the category you’re willing to punt, players like Giannis Antetokounmpo will have greater fantasy value.

Round 4

Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies - Sadly, fellow South Carolina native Zion Williamson is another option for this spot, as both have struggled to remain healthy during their NBA careers. In Morant's case, it feels like a safe bet that he'll have at least one extended absence during the season, and he sat out the preseason with an ankle injury. One would hope he'll stay relatively healthy, but Morant played 59 games the prior two seasons and has not surpassed 65 games since his rookie campaign. - RJ

Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Clippers - Zubac is coming off the best season of his career. He took legitimate steps forward, but the lack of an effective backup center forced him into a career-high for minutes. With Brook Lopez and John Collins in town, I’m confident that Tyronn Lue doesn’t play Zubac quite as much as he did last year. -NR

Round 5

Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz - Due to his skill set, selecting Markkanen in the fifth round can represent excellent value. The issue for me is the franchise he plays for. Utah said all the right things during the offseason regarding competing after a few seasons or tanking, but how high can they finish in the West? Add in a 2026 draft class that appears very strong at the top, with BYU's AJ Dybanta in the mix to go first overall, and I'm not sure they'll let established players like Markkanen "run through the tape" this season. - RJ

Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls - If you don’t like taking risks, this is probably a fine pick for you. Vucevic started off playing at a high level last season, but he cooled off as the year progressed. He’s pretty reliable, but he's 35 years old. I’m not confident that he’ll return fifth round value. -NR

Round 6

Josh Hart, New York Knicks - Hart returned excellent fantasy value last season. Boasting Yahoo! ADP of 116, he finished the year just outside the top-25 in nine-cat per-game value. Unfortunately, Hart has been banged up during the preseason, dealing with an aggravation of a prior finger injury and a back issue. Add in the likelihood that Mitchell Robinson will replace him in the starting lineup, and Hart's ceiling appears to be considerably lower than last season's when he was a starter. - RJ

DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento Kings - DeRozan regressed late last season, but people seem happy to take him in the top-75. I just think the risks outweigh the rewards. On a team with Sabonis, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Dennis Schroder and now Russell Westbrook, is there enough touches to go around? I could see DeRozan taking a pretty significant step back this season. -NR

Round 7

Jalen Green, Phoenix Suns - Green is currently dealing with a hamstring injury and won't be available when the regular season begins. Beyond that, I'm not sold on his fantasy potential, especially as part of a Suns roster that seems stuck between rebuilding and trying to sneak into the postseason. Green will undoubtedly have opportunities, but the inefficient shooting is an issue. - RJ

Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers - I think I’ll just let someone else take George here. He’s gonna miss the start of the season, and when he was available last season, he wasn’t as good as he had been. There’s tremendous upside with this pick if he is able to return to who he was two years ago, but I’m just not a believer in that happening. -NR

Round 8

RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors - As of October 17, Barrett had a Yahoo! ADP of 91.4, which is too high for me. Not only has he never been a top-100 player in per-game or total value, but he has just one top-150 season to his credit. Add in Brandon Ingram being healthy, and I don't see Barrett returning top-100 fantasy value this season. - RJ

Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat - Ware has started in two preseason games for the Heat, but they were both games where Nikola Jovic didn’t play. Though Ware has looked good during the preseason, he has been a reserve. I don’t dislike many picks in this range, and I don’t absolutely hate selecting Ware here, but I’d rather wait a little bit to add a backup big. -NR

Round 9

Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons - Ivey was playing good basketball last season at the time of his leg injury, which ended his 2024-25 campaign on New Year's Day. Unfortunately, a knee procedure unrelated to the fractured fibula suffered last year will keep Ivey out for at least four weeks. Combined with Ausar Thompson's emergence, that may conspire to limit Ivey's fantasy value this season. He certainly would not be a "bad" pick, but there's reason for concern. - RJ

Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets - This is not a talent issue; Claxton can be a borderline top-25 player in category leagues when he’s in the right situation. This Nets team simply isn’t that. Brooklyn is going to be bad (by design), which makes Claxton a shutdown candidate. Plus, even though Brooklyn added a bunch of ball handlers, he isn’t going to have an elite pick-and-roll operator to set him up at the rim. This is a recipe for a disaster season for Claxton, though it will likely lead to him being a value pick next year. -NR

Round 10

Dennis Schröder, Sacramento Kings - As great as Schröder looked in leading Germany to EuroBasket glory this summer, I'm not too big on his fit in Sacramento, especially with the Kings signing Russell Westbrook. The starting lineup includes two wings in Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan who like to play with the ball in their hands, and center Domantas Sabonis also has playmaking abilities that he can showcase. Schröder has been a top-150 player once in the last five seasons, during the 2023-24 campaign. - RJ

Keyonte George, Utah Jazz - George has been starting during the preseason, but Isaiah Collier hasn’t been healthy. I assume that Collier will be the starting point guard when he’s available, but even if George starts, he hasn’t been effective in category leagues. He’s an inefficient scoring guard that doesn’t get defensive stats. The assists have been decent at times, but he’s not a player I’m looking to draft this year. -NR

What is your favorite punt build, and why?

Punt turnovers

I like punting this category because it keeps so many roster-building options open. High-usage players benefit the most from this approach, whether you're talking about point guards or post players. I'm not passing on Cade Cunningham or Anthony Edwards because of their turnover numbers; I'm fine losing that category. - RJ

Punt threes and frees

This works out well with Giannis! Some of my favorite players to watch and draft are athletic freaks that rack up defensive stats and get to the rim. Usually, they’re below average shooters. Plus, you can add shooters in the last few rounds to at least give yourself a chance to win threes any week. There are way more elite shooters than elite defenders that are available at the end of drafts. - NR

What is your least favorite punt build, and why?

Punt points

Maybe you can get away with this in Yahoo's new High Score game, but I'd prefer not to do this in traditional fantasy formats. Things can get really weird when punting the points category. Of the top 24 players in fantasy basketball last season, only one averaged less than 18.5 points per game: Atlanta's Dyson Daniels. For this reason, I prefer not to punt points. - RJ

Punt defense

Defense wins championships, or something like that. It’s certainly a strategy, but it’s honestly pretty boring to punt both steals and blocks. Plus, players that don’t play defense can be taken off the floor if their offense isn’t offsetting those issues. -NR

How do you identify value in drafts?

The first step for me is to identify the categories in which a player can provide solid production. The more, the merrier, especially when drafting in the early rounds. I'd prefer to avoid a scenario in which I'm selecting a player who's deficient in multiple categories, but that's unavoidable at times. You can usually pick off a "specialist" or two in the later rounds to help address production gaps, so I'd prefer not to do that early. I try to to worry too much about the ADP data that may be displayed on a draft board, as that can be somewhat deceiving. - RJ

Zig when others zag. When other people are loading up on specific categories or positions, add what nobody else is adding that round. Try and balance getting “your guys” with players that may have slipped further than they should. There aren’t really any “bad players” in fantasy basketball, but there are bad picks. I have zero interest in drafting Paul George this year, but at what point has he fallen far enough for me to take him? Pick 90? Pick 100? Everyone will have a different number for that. -NR

How do you leverage rankings to your advantage while drafting?

Rankings help, but having a proper understanding of player roles and places within their team's rotations is of far greater importance. How much did a preseason injury impact the player's role? It's not enough to have the numbers (rankings); you also have to know what's influencing them. If you have that information and the other managers in your league don't, that goes a long way toward being able to win. - RJ

Most people you draft with are going to draft players close to where they’re ranked on the platform you’re drafting on. It’s just natural. Sometimes, I fall victim to it as well. That helps you get a nice range of when you need to reach for someone. If you’re at pick 49 and know your next pick is 72, but “your guy” has an ADP of 74, you may need to consider reaching to ensure you get that player, especially if everyone you’re drafting against is aware of your biases. - NR

How soon do you reach for your guys? Describe your approach to reaching in general.

I tend to be more conservative when it comes to reaching. The third round is when I'll begin to consider doing something wild, depending on how the draft board has played out. The other area where I'll reach is in the final two or three rounds, which may be what a lot of drafters look to do. If taking a swing works out, you've got a player who may help you win the league. If not? You aren't losing out on too much from a value standpoint if you have to drop a late-round pick. - RJ

Typically, I try not to reach early in drafts. As the draft progresses, I’m more likely to reach further down the board. In the first couple rounds, I’ll reach a few spots. In the middle rounds, I’ll reach by a round or two. Once it gets past pick 90-100, it’s a free-for-all. Also, it helps to even things out. If you reach for a player in round six, make a value pick in round seven to help mitigate the risk. - NR

Name 3 players you’re much higher on than consensus.

OG Anunoby - I think the Knicks wings are in for excellent seasons with Mike Brown at the helm. Anunoby was a top-40 player last season, yet still has an ADP in the sixties. - RJ

Devin Vassell - While the scoring did decrease last season, I think Vassell is in for a bounce-back season. Instead of focusing on getting healthy, he was able to focus on improving his game this summer, which should pay dividends. - RJ

Trey Murphy - His Yahoo! ADP places him in the fourth round of 12-team leagues, which is respectable. But I think he'll be even more productive than he was during the 2024-25 campaign, even with Zion Williamson back in the mix. Don't be surprised if Murphy puts up a top-25 season. - RJ

Ausar Thompson - It’s breakout season for Ausar. I think we can be talking about him as a round three pick at this time next season. - NR

Jordan Poole - For dynasty managers, Poole’s value has a clock on it, but he’s going to be really good this season. - NR

Brandin Podziemski - Podz was a top-75 player in category leagues over the final two months of last season, but he’s going outside the top-120 in Yahoo! leagues. That doesn’t make sense to me. Steve Kerr will continue to toy with the Warriors’ lineup, which will be a headache, but he’s worth a top-100 selection. - NR

Name 3 players you’re much lower on than consensus.

Domantas Sabonis - His ADP has decreased somewhat after being just outside the top-10, but the team situation still concerns me. Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan will need their touches, as will new point guard Dennis Schröder. And now the Kings have added Russell Westbrook? Sabonis' points and assists may take a hit this season. - RJ

Ivica Zubac - Zubac is coming off a career year, but Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue has already said during the preseason that he believes his starting center played too much last season. To that point, the Clippers added John Collins and Brook Lopez during the offseason, which may push Zubac back below 30 minutes per game (he averaged nearly 33 minutes in 2024-25). - RJ

Jaylen Brown - Due to Jayson Tatum's Achilles injury and the departure of multiple rotation players, Brown's role will expand. However, will his percentages and turnovers improve? That's been the issue for him in the past regarding fantasy value, and I'm not sold on Brown being able to improve in those areas while leading a roster that's taken a step back. - RJ

Jalen Brunson - I think Brunson is really, really good. I just don’t think things are set up in New York for him to return second-round value, which is where he’s going in Yahoo! leagues. Mike Brown is likely going to manage his minutes and usage more than Tom Thibodeau did. - NR

Josh Giddey - I understand why people are high on Giddey this season. He was phenomenal down the stretch of last season. I just don’t think I’d take him until the fourth round, but he’s been going in round two of most of the recent drafts I’ve participated in. He’ll be a quality source of rebounds and assists this year, but I’m not confident that he’ll do enough elsewhere to make him worth your second selection. - NR

Jalen Green - I think a fresh start will be good for Green, but I don’t think that means he’s going to be better than he had been previously. It’s not like he didn’t have a green light in Houston. We’ve seen Green in a high-usage role, and that’s what he’s going to play in Phoenix. I don’t see why he’s a top-75 pick now. - NR

Which 3 players have the biggest range of outcomes this season?

Joel Embiid - At his current ADP, he can be a league-winner if reasonably healthy due to the ability to provide elite fantasy value. However, there's also the possibility of another significant injury that would put him on the shelf. Embiid could be anywhere from top-5 to a player who can't be rostered due to the injury concerns. - RJ

Scottie Barnes - The overall skill set is such that he can be a solid fantasy option, even with the lack of three-point shooting. However, Barnes struggled during the preseason and seems to have regressed as a perimeter shooter. Add in Brandon Ingram, and Barnes' ceiling and floor are separated by a significant amount. - RJ

Mark Williams - The Suns center has a seventh-round ADP in Yahoo! leagues, but there's no telling when he'll be cleared to play in games. When available, he has top-50 fantasy potential. However, Williams played 43, 19 and 44 games in his first three NBA seasons. Betting on him being able to stay relatively healthy is a major risk, even in the middle rounds of drafts. - RJ

Alperen Sengun - Sengun appears poised for a breakout season, and he could average career-highs across the board and bounce back after a drop in field goal percentage last season, which could result in elite value. However, he has yet to finish in the top-50 in nine-cat leagues, and there is a scenario where the emergence of Amen Thompson and addition of Kevin Durant prevents Sengun from breaking out. I’d lean towards the first option, but the second is a real possibility. - NR

Joel Embiid - This one’s obvious. He’s capable of being a top-five player in fantasy basketball, but the injury question marks are real. He could win you leagues, and he could lose you leagues. - NR

Lauri Markkanen - Markkanen is coming off a rough season, but I think he’ll bounce back. After two straight top-20 seasons, he finished barely inside the top-100 last year. Either could happen this year, though I’d lean towards him being a top-50 player. - NR

Name 3 late-round fliers you love taking.

Ryan Kalkbrenner - He may not be guaranteed to be the Hornets' starting center on opening night, but he's the best option as far as fantasy basketball is concerned. And good luck keeping a 7-footer who was a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year off the floor. And you've probably seen my reaction to being sniped on Kalkbrenner by now. - RJ

Brandin Podziemski - Referring to Podziemski as a late-round flier feels weird, but he qualifies based on his ADP. He fit well in the Warriors' starting lineup after the team acquired Jimmy Butler III in February, and I see no reason for that to change this season. - RJ

VJ Edgecombe - Another rookie makes the cut for me. Due to the combination of his athleticism and Jared McCain's most recent injury, Edgecombe is well-positioned to hit the ground running in Philadelphia, whether he starts or comes off the bench. Cooper Flagg is the betting favorite to win Rookie of the Year, but I fully expect Edgecombe to be, at minimum, a finalist for the award. - RJ

Taylor Hendricks - Somebody’s going to have to play defense in Utah. Hendricks has upside to be a productive offensive player, but he’ll at least be on the floor and able to provide defensive stats. - NR

Nikola Jovic - He’s starting, and he’s able to provide well-rounded production. I get that Kel’el Ware being there scares people off, but he could end up starting all season. - NR

Ryan Dunn - Much like Hendricks, Dunn’s defense is going to keep him in the starting lineup. The offense is shaky, but it was much better as a rookie than we expected. Draft him for the defense and enjoy whatever offense he can give as a bonus. - NR

Describe Your Favorite Draft Strategy.

No dice rolls until the third round

I play it relatively safe in the first two rounds, looking to go with "best available" in the first and then a solid complementary option in the second who can fill any apparent gaps. After that, I'm rolling the dice. That leads to some risks, but the reward outweighs the risk for me. If you're right, that may be what pushes your team to the top of the league. And if not, there's always the ability to make trades, provided you don't wait too long to make a move. - RJ

Get your guys, and then even things out

Early on, get your favorite player in the first few rounds. Can't go wrong either way. In the middle rounds, take a few swings, but when you're not reaching, take the value pick. It helps make you feel a little better about taking a risk. As I said earlier in the article, the worst feeling is to leave your draft without that guys that you just have to have because you were playing it too safe. Set yourself up to take a risk by taking the value picks when you can. - NR

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Screen Shots: How NHL Players Decompress – Plus Tusky And Growing The League

Welcome back to Screen Shots, an ongoing THN.com series in which we break down a number of hockey topics into shorter sequences.

Let’s get right to it.

When hockey players finish up with their daily on-ice routines – be they in games or practices – there are certain things they do to wind down.

After a recent Toronto Maple Leafs practice, THN.com spoke to a couple of Maple Leafs players about how they decompress and maintain a healthy life away from the game.

But thinking that any one player does the same thing day in and day out between playing is a mistake. Some hockey players are creatures of habit, but having a good variety of activities makes it easier for NHLers to decompress.

Leafs left winger Steven Lorentz is one such player.

“There’s nothing I really do that’s set in stone,” Lorentz said. “I’m pretty high-strung, so I don’t really decompress. It’s kind of more of a slow, kind of gradual thing over the course of the day. Once I get back home, I usually go with my wife for a walk. We like to stay active. So it’s just kind of winding things down, and after dinner, it’s probably watching a movie.”

Asked what his favorite movie is, Lorentz counts himself as a major fan of war movies and shows.

“Saving Private Ryan, Band of Brothers, The Pacific – anything like that is something I’ll watch,” Lorentz said. “I like all the (war) shows and documentaries. I even watch them in other languages and turn the subtitles on.”

For his part, Lorentz’s teammate Bobby McMann does a number of different things to decompress. 

“I try and read – probably should try a little more,” McMann said. “But I’m more of a show guy, shows and movies. And I like thrillers, thriller movies.”

The recent release of a new thriller on Netflix also caught McMann’s attention, but he leans on a tried-and-true TV staple as a regular show to tune into.

“The Girlfriend is a new thriller show I watched lately,” McMann said, referring to the Robin Wright thriller series. “But it’s not the easiest thing to decompress. Usually I’ll throw on Friends or something after a game to try and settle down. But when I’m home, after dinner, I’ll probably usually watch a thriller movie.”

Tusky (Rob Gray-Imagn Images)

The Utah Mammothunveiled their new mascot this week – Tusky, a 6-foot-5 Mammoth character that looks like it has emerged right out of the snowy tundra. 

Tusky is going to be challenged to be as successful as Philadelphia Flyers icon mascot Gritty – but given how popular the Mammoth organization has been since relocating from Phoenix in 2024, the team needed to quickly move on a mascot that was family friendly and true to the team name.

In fact, they might have created a new mascot rivalry that would be fun for the league to buy into.

"A baby blue prehistoric animal... how orignal," Nashville Predators mascot Gnash posted on X Wednesday. 

Gritty became a cultural phenomenon, and that’s a hard bar for every other mascot to clear. Nobody is reinventing the wheel here with Tusky, but it’s nice that Salt Lake City and the Utah hockey community get the full NHL experience – and that includes having your own mascot. 

Finally, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke out in the strongest terms yet regarding growing the league beyond North America. 

"We're focused on what we can be doing more outside of North America to continue to grow the game on a worldwide basis," Bettman told NHL.com following the league's board of governors meeting on Wednesday. "That's becoming an increasing focus and priority for us because we believe we're the most international, certainly with our player composition, of the four major sports in North America, and we think there's a great opportunity. But even more than the opportunity, we'd like to see the game continue to grow."

If You Ever Get A Chance To See A Hockey Game In Prague, Take ItIf You Ever Get A Chance To See A Hockey Game In Prague, Take ItWhen you walk into the O2 Arena in Prague to cover a hockey game, one of the first things they give you is a ticket, which allows you to redeem it for a sausage and a beer.

Deputy commissioner Bill Daly had previously given a strong indication the NHL is aiming to expand its footprint deeper into Europe and beyond and grow its product in a slew of big-city, big-money markets overseas. The latest announcement in that regard is a media deal that will broadcast 21 NHL games in Australia.

That said, Europe is the more significant area the league can extend its product into. While we won’t see NHL European teams anytime soon, you will see more games being staged there and more progress in growing the game where there’s a promising hunger for it.

"We're not talking about starting a league," Bettman said. "It's more about playing games, media, grassroots programs, providing content – the things we do in North America on a regular basis and we've been doing to some extent in Europe. But this is about investing more of ourselves in building."

That makes a lot of sense for the league. We’ve been a longtime proponent of any movement that grows hockey in Scandinavia and beyond – places where there are established markets for the sport – and these moves mark the first step toward eventually growing the NHL game to previously unthinkable heights.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

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The Panthers Den: First road trip of season brings troubling results

The first two weeks of the NHL season have been quite different for the Florida Panthers.

After picking up three wins in their first three games, all on home ice, the Panthers hit the road this week and the results have not been great.

Playing three games in four nights, Florida scored a total of four goals while dropping all three by a combined score of 12-4.

To the Panthers’ credit, the games were all much closer than the final scores would indicate, as Florida was either tied or within one goal of each until the late stages of the third period.

We also learned that defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, who was injured during the second game of the season, would be out for around five months after having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder.

It wasn’t all bad for the Cats though, as several players stood out for some good reasons, including youngster Mackie Samoskevich and new goaltender Daniil Tarasov.

Every week, The Hockey Show co-hosts Roy Bellamy and David Dwork pay a visit to the Panthers Den, where they discuss the week that was and go over all the Panthers news and happenings that occurred.

This week’s edition of the Panthers Den can be seen below. Let us know in the comments what you think!

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On the Mets and Tarik Skubal

Thursday’s report in the New York Postthat the Detroit Tigers and Cy Young Award-winner Tarik Skubal were $250 million apart on contract value landed as a significant development in this winter’s starting pitching trade market -- a market in which the Mets will be involved.

If team and player are that far apart 12 months before Skubal hits free agency, it is logical to assume that the Tigers will explore trades.

Might Skubal remain with Detroit next season? Sure. But the Post story seemed like a big move in the other direction. A subsequent report in the Detroit Free Press added that the Tigers last year offered Skubal a four-year contract for less than $100 million.

Leaks like this more frequently precede baseball breakups than they do marriages.

The Mets are looking for pitching. In fact, they would love to have a best-in-class ace as soon as possible.

Paul Skenes is the dream target for any club seeking an ace, but teams that would be interested do not expect the Pittsburgh Pirates to make Skenes available. The Mets should call the Pirates just to be sure, but now Skubal seems far more attainable.

If (when?) the Tigers do take calls on Skubal, expect the Mets to be motivated and involved. While I don’t think the Mets would deal Nolan McLean for one year of any player -- McLean is part of the future, not a trade piece -- the Mets surely know that they would have to discuss just about any other prospect or young player to land Skubal.

Because the Tigers are in their window to win, they would probably want MLB talent in addition to top prospects like Jonah Tong and Jett Williams. For what it’s worth, Detroit has expressed interest in Brett Baty in the past.  

The Mets like Baty, but in general are willing to shake up their current position player group. For a pitcher like Skubal, any team would part with good players.

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Doug Christie outlines former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook's role with Kings

Doug Christie outlines former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook's role with Kings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Running the second unit isn’t typically the job description for a former NBA MVP, but new Kings point guard Russell Westbrook is ready for the task at hand.

Coach Doug Christie was asked how he sees Westbrook fitting into the Kings’ rotation.

“I want Russ to be Russ first and foremost,” Christie told reporters Friday. “Behind Dennis [Schröder], making sure that we are stable and running that second unit at a high level.”

The 36-year-old veteran came off the bench for most of the 2024-25 NBA season last year with the Denver Nuggets, where he averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game.

Christie will be Westbrook’s 10th NBA head coach. The nine-time All-Star has bounced around quite a bit, but every locker room he has been in has benefited from his contributions, as he often is able to guard multiple spots on the floor.

“At the same time, Russ plays multiple positions,” Christie continued. “I just want Russ to be Russ. Really, that’s the biggest thing. Be all the beautiful things I’ve seen him be for all these years.”

Malik Monk had high praise for his former teammate as well when he addressed reporters on Thursday.

“I feel like Russ has been playing an undersized 4,” Monk said. “He can guard a 4. I think that’ll give us a little more versatility on the offensive and defensive end … switching a little more. He’s been in the league how long? He knows how to play the game, knows how to win. And he’s a competitor, so he’s going to help us.”

When Westbrook is playing freely, the results seem to follow. He has averaged double-digit points in every season so far during his 17-year NBA career.

The newest member of the Kings is headed to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; it’s only a matter of time. For now, he looks to give an uncertain Kings team direction and leadership.

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Reasonable Expectation For Savoie and Howard Moving Forward

Isaac Howard and Matt Savoie are generating buzz in Edmonton, and with good reason. The Oilers need them to contribute this season. But let's be realistic about what "contribute" actually means for two 21-year-olds making the jump to full-time NHL duty.

The hype around both players is understandable. Howard won the Hobey Baker Award last season with 52 points in 37 games at Michigan State. Savoie had 54 points in 66 AHL games with Bakersfield and appeared in four games with Edmonton. Those are impressive numbers at their respective levels. But there's a massive difference between dominating college hockey or the AHL and being a consistent contributor in the NHL.

Start with the reality: these are rookies or near-rookies on a team trying to win a Stanley Cup. The pressure's real, the competition's better, and the margin for error is thin. Expecting either one to come in and immediately produce like established NHL players is setting them up for unfair scrutiny when they hit inevitable rookie walls.

A reasonable expectation for both Howard and Savoie is somewhere in the 15-goal, 35-40 point range. That's solid production for rookies playing bottom-six or middle-six minutes. If either one exceeds that, great. But penciling them in for 20 goals and 60 points because they dominated at lower levels is asking for disappointment.

Savoie developed into an effective penalty killer with Bakersfield, which matters more than people realize. The Oilers need depth that can contribute in all situations, not just guys who rack up points when playing with McDavid or Draisaitl. If Savoie can be a reliable penalty killer who chips in offensively, that's valuable. That's the kind of contribution that helps teams win games in April, even if it doesn't make highlight reels in October.

Howard's situation is trickier. He's never played professional hockey before. The jump from college to the NHL is massive—longer season, better competition, faster pace, more physical play. Early observations suggest Howard looked "a little behind the play" in his first NHL game, which isn't surprising for someone making that transition. That doesn't mean he won't figure it out, but it does mean patience is required.

Bouchard’s Brutal Night Amplifies Oilers’ Self-Inflicted 4-2 Loss to IslandersBouchard’s Brutal Night Amplifies Oilers’ Self-Inflicted 4-2 Loss to IslandersEvan Bouchard had what will likely be the worst game of his 2025-26 season as the Oilers lost to the New York Islanders.

The concern with Howard isn't talent—it's readiness. College hockey doesn't prepare you for an 82-game grind against NHL competition. There will be stretches where he looks overwhelmed. There will be games where he's a healthy scratch. That's normal for rookies, especially ones jumping straight from college. If Howard ends up spending time in the AHL getting professional seasoning, that's not a failure. That's smart development.

Savoie has the advantage of professional experience. He knows what the AHL grind feels like. He's had a taste of the NHL. He's already shown he can make "nice moves and nice plays" at the NHL level. The question is whether he can do it consistently over a full season while handling increased responsibilities.

The realistic expectation for both players is inconsistency. There will be games where they look like they belong. There will be games where they look overmatched. There will be stretches where the puck goes in, and stretches where nothing seems to work. That's rookie hockey. The key is whether they can contribute enough during the good stretches to help the team while not hurting them too badly during the rough patches.

Did The Oilers Dodge A Bullet With Carter Hart?Did The Oilers Dodge A Bullet With Carter Hart?Carter Hart signed a professional tryout with the Vegas Golden Knights today, and the timing couldn't be more telling. He won't be eligible to suit up until December 1st due to disciplinary measures from the league. And yet, Vegas is betting on a goaltender who hasn't played meaningful hockey in nearly two years to potentially solve their crease issues.

Here's what reasonable success looks like: Savoie plays 70+ games, kills penalties effectively, chips in 15-20 goals and 35-40 points while playing responsible defensive hockey. Howard plays 50-60 games between the NHL and AHL, shows flashes of his college scoring ability, and ends the season looking more comfortable than he did at the start. Both players finish the year having proven they belong in the organization's plans moving forward.

What's not reasonable is expecting either one to be impact players right away. The Oilers have Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and other veterans to carry the load. Howard and Savoie should be complementary pieces, not foundational ones. If they exceed expectations and become more than that, fantastic. But the baseline should be "solid depth contributors who show promise," not "immediate top-six impact players."

The other reality is roster competition. With Zach Hyman eventually returning from injury and the Oilers carrying experienced depth, there might not be consistent top-six minutes available for rookies. Both Howard and Savoie might find themselves playing 12-14 minutes a night on the third line rather than 18 minutes with prime offensive opportunities. That affects production expectations significantly.

Did Oilers Get An Official Trade Offer For Connor McDavid?Did Oilers Get An Official Trade Offer For Connor McDavid?Before Connor McDavid signed his extension in Edmonton, teams were eager to see what he'd do. Did the Oilers ever get an official trade offer?

The temptation in Edmonton is always to rush prospects because the championship window is urgent. McDavid's two-year extension creates pressure to win now. But forcing Howard and Savoie into roles they're not ready for doesn't help anyone. Better to bring them along properly, even if that means some growing pains and inconsistent ice time, than to ruin their development by expecting too much too soon.

Reasonable expectations: 15 goals, 35-40 points, reliable penalty killing from Savoie. Inconsistent but promising play from Howard with potential AHL time. Both players showing they belong in the organization's future plans without being asked to carry significant responsibility on a championship-contending team.

That's not exciting. That's not what fans want to hear when they're hyped about top prospects finally getting their shot. But it's realistic. And if Howard and Savoie can meet those reasonable expectations while helping the Oilers win games in smaller ways, that's a successful rookie season. Anything beyond that is a bonus.

Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss the latest news, game-day coverage, and more.   Add us to your Google News favourites, and never miss a story.

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Kopitar Out Week-To-Week With Foot Injury, Kings Announce

The Los Angeles Kings announced on Friday that captain Anze Kopitar will be out week-to-week with a foot injury.

Kopitar suffered this injury during the team's contest against the Minnesota Wild on Monday, as he took a puck to the foot.

On Thursday night, the Kings played against the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Kopitar was a game-time decision for that contest. However, he didn’t come out for warmups and decided not to suit up for LA.

Los Angeles went on to lose that game 4-2 in disappointing fashion as they had a 2-0 lead earlier in the outing, and the Penguins scored a shorthanded goal, which turned out to be the game-winning marker.

After the game, head coach Jim Hiller provided a brief update on Kopitar.

Kings Coach Hiller Points To Penguins' Goaltending And Special Teams As The Difference In 4-2 LossKings Coach Hiller Points To Penguins' Goaltending And Special Teams As The Difference In 4-2 LossLos Angeles Kings head coach Jim Hiller points to what he thinks went wrong against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The opposition's goaltending is at the top of the list for him.

“We’re going to take a closer look at it still probably in the morning and then maybe we might have a better update for you tomorrow,” Hiller told reporters after their 4-2 defeat. “We’re still kind of evaluating where it’s at.”

Kopitar hasn’t missed many games recently for the Kings. In the last eight seasons ahead of this 2025-26 campaign, LA’s captain has only missed four games across the regular season and post-season.

Anze Kopitar (James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images)

Not to mention, this is Kopitar’s final NHL season before retirement, as he mentioned going into this campaign.

The Kings have five games in the next nine days, and with Kopitar listed as week-to-week, chances are he could miss all those contests.

Two big matchups include LA’s tilt against the undefeated Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday, and the Dallas Stars next Thursday, who have visited the Western Conference final three times in a row.

This will be a big loss for the Kings, both on the ice and in the dressing room, as the team’s leader.

Nonetheless, it opens up an opportunity down the middle of the ice for players such as Quinton Byfield and Alex Turcotte to grow and mature into consistent centermen in the NHL.

The Kings have lost four out of the first five games of this season and are dropping down the standings early. A loss like this could only drag the team further down unless Hiller’s team can find solutions from within.

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'Everyone Hates Vegas, So It's One More Thing To Hate': Fans React To Carter Hart Signing

They’ve spent years embracing their "Golden Misfits" moniker by skirting the salary cap and poaching big-name talent all in the name of winning. But if you didn’t dislike the Vegas Golden Knights before, you probably do now after the team signed Carter Hart to a professional tryout on Thursday.

Hart, who was one of five players acquitted of sexual assault allegations stemming from a 2018 Hockey Canada gala, was cleared by the league to resume his NHL career as early as Dec. 1. The presiding judge found nothing criminal in the allegations, but the NHL called the overall events disturbing.

Of course, so far he’s the only player who has actually signed.

That it was Vegas that reached out when others wouldn’t — Philadelphia, Carolina and Edmonton were just some of the teams that reportedly passed on the former No. 1 goalie — was hardly surprising.

This is, after all, a team that drafted Trevor Connelly in the first round in 2024. He underwent diversity training and volunteer work after posting an image on Snapchat depicting a friend posing in front of building blocks in the shape of a swastika. They also signed Kai Uchacz after he was passed up in the draft for racist actions directed toward a teammate in junior hockey, requiring education and training on anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

In other words, they don’t call Vegas “Sin City” for nothing — a label that Golden Knights fans are certainly embracing with the Hart signing.

Golden Knights Season Ticket Holders, Both Mothers Of Daughters, Scoff At Online Vitriol For Signing Of Carter HartGolden Knights Season Ticket Holders, Both Mothers Of Daughters, Scoff At Online Vitriol For Signing Of Carter Hart"He was acquitted, so he should be able to live his life without all the noise," Golden Knights season-ticket holder and mother of three daughters, Ronnie H.

"We are a second-chance team," one season-ticket holder told The Hockey News’ W.G. Ramirez. "We started with throwaway players that no one thought would go far, and yet here we are … Everyone hates Vegas, so it’s one more thing to hate, I guess."

Expect more hate, now that Hart has signed.

A petition urging the Golden Knights not to sign Hart received 2,181 signatures (a similar petition may have prevented the Hurricanes from signing him). On social media, the reaction was mostly negative, with @chefbrier tweeting: "feels like a real slap in the face to women." 

Chances are, the Golden Knights knew this was coming. Based on their history, they probably aren't paying too much attention.

Even before this controversial move, Vegas was a team that was unafraid of public perception.

Are Online Petitions Really Preventing NHL Teams From Signing Carter Hart?Are Online Petitions Really Preventing NHL Teams From Signing Carter Hart?The earliest NHL teams can sign one of the five players acquitted in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial is Oct. 15. But that hasn’t stopped fans from organizing online petitions and threatening to cancel their season tickets in hopes of pressuring ownership to pass on them.

In three seasons, the Golden Knights placed Mark Stone on LTIR until the playoffs — a move that allowed the team to exceed the salary cap and pick up big-name reinforcements at the trade deadline. While he was injured, the cap-circumventing moves won't happen as much now that the playoffs will have a salary cap system. But in some ways, this signing is another example of Vegas doing whatever it takes to gain an advantage.

"What I love about the Knights is they don’t care about the scandal as much as they care about building a competitive roster," another season-ticket holder told The Hockey News' Ramirez.

Indeed, the decision to sign Hart was based on winning: nothing more, nothing less.

"I'm beyond grateful, excited and honored to be part of the Golden Knights," Hart told reporters. "It's been a long road to get back to this point, getting back to playing the game of hockey, the game that I love. I've been out of the game for a year and a half now. I've learned a lot. I've grown a lot. Just excited to move forward."

Like trading for Mitch Marner in the summer, this should help the Golden Knights win a championship. Say what you want about Hart, who has not played in almost two years. But he makes Vegas better.

How much better will be determined by how quickly he can get back to his earlier form. And whether he can unseat Adin Hill and Akira Schmid as the starting goalie. And, of course, if he can block out the negativity that surrounds his controversial signing or prove that he's grown and learned.

If he can, then Vegas might win another championship.

Until then, they gained another misfit.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.

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Blues To Make Logan Mailloux Healthy Scratch

MARYLAND NEIGHTS, Mo. -- When St. Louis Blues practice ended on Friday, there were three guys left on the ice.

And once Dylan Holloway and Jimmy Snuggerud left, only one remained. At the opposite end of the ice, by himself, head down, working with the puck.

It was defenseman Logan Mailloux.

The 22-year-old will be a healthy scratch on Saturday when the Blues (2-2-0) host the Dallas Stars (3-1-0) on Saturday.

It’s probably the expected outcome after Mailloux, playing in his fourth game with the Blues this season and just his 12th in the NHL, was a minus-4 playing 15:49 on Wednesday in an 8-3 loss against the Chicago Blackhawks. He is a minus-7 in four games this season with no points.

Matthew Kessel will replace Mailloux and play alongside Tyler Tucker, but the Blues, who were hoping Mailloux would be shot out of a cannon and be an immediate impact, has shown signs of good play, but it’s obvious that the long-term vision has come into focus again and something that has never been cast aside.

“When you think about players’ development in the league, it’s always goaltenders take the longest,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “That’s why they play to the oldest average age. Defensemen are second. Forwards finish the youngest, especially in the modern era. Forwards usually at the age of 32, they’re starting to decline. For a defenseman, it’s more like 34-35 and goaltenders, it’s more like 37. It’s just the way it seems like it’s been.

“And that being said, have you guys heard of Fabian Brunnstrom? A 2008 free agent signing. Everybody wanted to sign him. First game in the league, scored three goals. Everybody was like, ‘Here’s the new Jari Kurri or Mats Sundin in the National Hockey League.’ You guys haven’t heard of him. There’s a reason, right? And then there’s other guys … this is a hard league to break into, especially at that position. We’re thinking the long game with Logan Mailloux. Sometimes you need a reset. You go up in the press box, watch a game, you see how much time you have, you see how to take away time and we’re going to work with him. We have a plan and when he gets back in the lineup, I don’t ever expect him to come back out.”

Fans have already voiced displeasure at the trade that brought Mailloux from the Montreal Canadiens for Zack Bolduc, who scored in his first three games with the Canadiens and had an assist, becoming the seventh Canadiens player in their history to score in his first three games with the club.

Twitter PublishTwitter Publish

That’s why not only will the club make sure to nurture Mailloux on the ice but off it as well.

“As a coach, you have to look after everybody mentally. It’s part of the job,” Montgomery said. “To be able to support these guys, sometimes you’ve got to kick them in the rear end. You need to build them up so that they understand that you believe in them, but ice time, I love the line from Bobby Knight: there’s nothing that teaches people better than ass meet bench, bench meet ass. That’s the only tool a coach has always had to get a player’s attention when they’re not playing to the team standard, and that’s not the case with Logan Mailloux, but it’s often been the case at times in the past. Not with him, but with other players.”

The Blues won’t allow the outside noise to disrupt their overall vision for Mailloux, who has the backing of his teammates.

“He’s going to be a great player,” Blues defenseman Colton Parayko said. “You watch him skate, you watch him shoot, he’s steady, he’s strong back there. There’s no doubt about that. I’m looking forward to watching that guy grow and become a dominant force back there. I have full faith in him. He’s a great player. We’re just all looking forward to watching him grow, but at the end of the day, it’s a group effort no matter what. That’s the bottom line. We’re all wearing the Bluenote together.

“It’s got to be difficult obviously going to a new team and you want to play well and things like that. He’s a great player. I have full confidence in him. I’m just looking forward to watching him continue to grow and just keep building.”

Captain Brayden Schenn said, “He's played 11 games or 12 games,” Schenn said. “There's a lot of pressure on him coming from outside. I believe in Logan Mailloux, we believe in Logan Mailloux, and the organization does. I think people are always going to look at this one-for-one. It's not a one-for-one. It's a long-term plan, and he's a great player.

“Like I said, he's played four games for us and it's a new organization ... new coaching, new system, there's a lot of stuff that goes into it. Honestly, I think he's getting ... there's no reason to put pressure on the kid. He's young, and he's getting his feet wet, and he's going to be a good player for a long time, and I firmly believe that.”

There will come a time, whether it be the next game on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings or even further along the line when Mailloux returns and has that game where he figures out he belongs in the league. The Blues know it will come tomorrow, the day after, next month, maybe next year, whenever it happens, it will come.

“Everybody’s different when they have that ah-hah moment,” Montgomery said. “His ah-hah moment hasn’t happened yet, and there’s always a moment for every player where it’s like, ‘not only can I survive in this league, but I can thrive in this league,’ and it’s going to happen for him. He’s too talented, he’s too good. When I meet with him, I always leave excited about how future’s going to be.”

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Minnesota Wild Acquire Former Top Prospect From San Jose Sharks

Before its game against the Washington Capitals tonight, the Minnesota Wild announced a trade. The Wild have acquired former top prospect Oskar Olausson.

The San Jose Sharks got defenseman Kyle Masters in return for Olausson.

Masters, 22, was the Wild's 118th pick from the 2021 NHL Draft and had spent the last two years in the Wild's organization. He had one goal and five assists in 35 AHL games the last two years for the Iowa Wild.

Olausson, 22, was the Colorado Avalanche's 28th overall pick from the 2021 NHL Draft. He was once considered a top prospect for the Avalanche but only skated in four NHL games in his career since.

Last season the 6-foot-1 forward recorded 11 goals and 26 points in 62 games for the Colorado Eagles. He has 33 goals, 33 assists and 66 points in 163 career AHL games across four seasons.

It is a pretty low risk move for the Wild. If Olausson can get back to what he was projected to become, that would be great for Minnesota. If not, it's still good to have some young depth in the American League.

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Scott Morrow Reflects On Training Camp And Opportunity Currently In Front Of Him With The Rangers

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

With the New York Rangers dealing with a couple of injuries on the back end, the team called up Scott Morrow from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. 

While his services on the ice haven’t been needed just yet, Morrow is back in an NHL environment, which he’s ecstatic about. 

“It’s always good to stay ready,” Morrow said. “I'm happy to be back, and it's fun being out here with these guys.”

The Rangers acquired Morrow from the Carolina Hurricanes over the summer in a sign-and-trade deal that included K’Andre Miller.

During training camp, Morrow was given an opportunity to thrive, as he was put in a role quarterbacking the power play and had the opportunity to suit up in multiple preseason games. 

The 22-year-old showed some impressive flashes over the course of training camp, but he was ultimately sent down to the AHL. 

When addressing his training-camp performance, Morrow emphasized that he was pleased with some aspects of his game. 

However, he knows there’s still a different gear he could hit. 

“My performance I would say was pretty solid. I think I have a higher level of offense I could bring maybe than what I showed in training camp, although I thought I did a solid job on a power play when I got those opportunities,” Morrow said. 

“I think I could push myself to create a little bit more. As a younger defenseman in the NHL, your first responsibility is to defend, so that's what's going to get me here, so I need to focus on that just as much, if not more. I would say I had a pretty solid training camp. I think I showed well and showed my skill set, but I have a higher level to reach.”

Mike Sullivan and the Rangers’ coaching staff left Morrow with a positive message upon sending him down to Hartford, as they made it clear that he wasn’t far off from making the opening-night roster.

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“As far as feedback from the coaching staff, they just said I'm close and just got to keep working on a couple little things, being more physical, and just try and knock the door down and force them to play me,” Morrow said.

This call-up for Morrow is an opportunity regardless of whether he plays in a game or not. It’s important for him to show the coaching staff his level of professionalism and maturity. 

Everything happens for a reason, and now it’s on Morrow to seize this opportunity, whatever may come of it.

“You always have something to prove,” Morrow said. “Even guys who are making a lot of money, who played 500,000 games in the NHL. They always have something to prove, and your job is on the line every day, so I would say my mentality hasn't changed.”