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Islanders Prospect & Long Island Native Marshall Warren Impresses With Confidence, Physicality In Preseason Debut vs. Flyers

ELMONT, NY -- New York Islandersdefense prospect and Long Island native Marshall Warren was excited pregame to skate in his first-ever preseason game after not getting the chance last training camp.

Long Island Native, Islanders Fan Marshall Warren About To Live Out A DreamLong Island Native, Islanders Fan Marshall Warren About To Live Out A DreamEAST MEADOW, NY -- Long Island native Marshall Warren is about to live out a dream when the New York Islanders host the Philadelphia Flyers for their first preseason game. 

However, even with all the excitement, the Laurel Hollow native couldn't have expected what would happen in front of his parents, his sister, friends, and family on Sunday night. 

After laying a big hit in his own zone in the second period, Warren jumped up on the rush with forward Mathew Barzal, creating a 2-on-1 chance.  From the high slot, Barzal sent a cross-seam pass to Warren, who caught the puck in the left circle before roofing the rubber for the 2-1 go-ahead tally:

"Yeah, it was cool," Warren told The Hockey News. "I would have loved to get the win, but...it didn't really feel that surreal, honestly. It felt like a normal day, like playing hockey. But, yeah, it's cool."

Warren is always cool, calm, and collected in interviews. But we can tell you that he was grinning ear to ear while chatting with us. 

When asked if that goal sequence defined him as a player: "I'm a two-way defenseman, so it's good to show I can make hits and also make plays. So that's the biggest thing, just going forward, just being able to showcase the abilities I have. So yeah, I think it was a good game, but obviously we didn't win."

In the 11-round 3-2 shootout exhibition loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, Warren recorded one assist, two shots, and three hits in 16:45 minutes of action, skating alongside Cole McWard. 

"I was happy for him. I mean, he had a really good camp last year, and I thought he had a great game today," head coach Patrick Roy said. "I mean, he scored that second goal for us and jumps in the rush. And I was very impressed with him. I thought he had a really good game."

As mentioned, Warren did not get into a preseason game last year. He was brought to Philadelphia, took warmups, but did not get into the game. He had to earn it. 

In his first full season in Bridgeport -- he did suffer an injury -- Warren recorded 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 53 games.

His growth from last season to this season, when it comes to his decision-making, is what stood out to Roy and what ultimately gave him a preseason opportunity this time around. 

"I feel like he's free out there in a way that he's not afraid," Roy said. "Last year, there was maybe a bit of hesitation in jumping in on the rush, which is normal. You're a young guy, but I felt like today, the goal that he scored, it's an example. He was not afraid. He just said, "Well, I'm going there, and I want to create that 2-on-1 on with Barzy.'

"What I love is the check he made in that first period. That was a great hit. I liked the way that he defended, the way that he moves the puck. I could see, in general, how good he feels out there and how confident he is. And I think the year in the AHL last year was really good for him."

Warren won't be making the Islanders out of training camp. But, he does have a tremendous opportunity to be a leader down in Bridgeport, play big minutes and hey, you never know. 

Look at Isaiah George last season, who, due to injury got a chance at the NHL level, a chance that lasted 33 games. While the call-up was more out of necessity due to injury as George had only played in four total professoinal hockey games, his play in preseason last year is what gave the Islanders confidence that he could be an option.

Hopefully, Warren continues to do the same as training camp and preseason action continue. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

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‘I’m starting to get jealous’: Shane Lowry on McIlroy, ambition and the Ryder Cup

Irishman does not fear the New York crowd and wants to avenge heavy loss the last time the match was in the US

Rory McIlroy nudged Shane Lowry at a recent European Ryder Cup team gathering as footage of the 2006 football World Cup final was shown. “‘We watched that match together,’” Lowry says McIlroy reminded him. “I was like, ‘What?’ He said, ‘Yeah, European Youths’ Team Championships. Sotogrande.’ From that to sitting at a Ryder Cup dinner, 19 years later is pretty cool.” Next stop, Bethpage.

Lowry has told his close friend that he envies him, in the nicest possible sense. The 38-year-old looked on with smiles, but green eyes, as McIlroy claimed the Masters – completing a career grand slam – and produced heroics to win a second Irish Open this month. “I said to him the other day, I am starting to get really jealous,” says Lowry. “I also said to him that I hope Irish people realise how lucky they are to have Rory at that level, coming back to play the Irish Open every year.

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Doan Hoping To Find His Scoring Touch With Sabres

The key piece in the trade that sent winger JJ Peterka to Utah just before the NHL Draft was defenseman Michael Kesselring, who the Buffalo Sabres are depending on to be an effective physical blueline partner to Owen Power, but the Sabres also will need to get something from winger Josh Doan, who had two impressive seasons in the AHL and a quick start to his NHL career close to his hometown of Scottsdale, AZ, but the 23-year-old struggled in his sophomore campaign and is hoping to recapture his scoring touch. 

"It's been a couple years now, where I've had a little bit of success here, and it's taken a bit, In Tucson, I kind of found my offensive stride." Doan said on Saturday. "At the end of the day, this league is really skilled, and you're getting an opportunity to produce with no matter who you're on the ice with. I've worked on a lot this off season, watching videos of guys like (Sam) Reinhart, or (Sam) Bennett, for those guys who are good around the net and scoring goals, and kind of taking a queue from them and hope to produce a little bit more this year."

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Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

The son of Arizona Coyotes legend and current Toronto Maple Leafs Special Assistant to the GM Shane Doan has shown a scoring touch at all levels, with the Chicago Steel of the USHL, in two years at Arizona State University, in two seasons with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners, and in his brief stint at the end of the 2024 season with the Coyotes, where he scored five goals in 11 games. Last season, his numbers dipped to seven goals in 51 games in Utah. In Buffalo, head coach Lindy Ruff is looking for the 6’2”, 198 lb. winger to step up his physical play and work ethic to create more opportunities for himself.  

"That's something you got to take pride and something that, as a kid, it was kind of preached to me, is, no matter what happens, you're going as hard as you can, and it's something that I can look back on since I was five or six years old." Doan said. "There's still parts of my game that I wanted to grow in, but that's something that no matter what I'm working on, it is going to be something that's built into me and who I am." 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram  @MikeInBuffalo

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Islanders Prospect Kashawn Aitcheson Avoids Major Injury After Hard Hit vs. Flyers

ELMONT, NY --New York Islanders' 17th overall pick in this past draft, Kashawn Aitcheson, left Sunday's preseason game against the Flyers in the third period after being on the receiving end of a center-ice check by Noah Juulsen. 

Rob Taub (@RTaub_) on XRob Taub (@RTaub_) on XHere is the hit on Kashawn Aitcheson that knocked him out of the game

Aitcheson had to be helped off the ice by the trainers with 7:39 to go in the game and did not return.

Everyone feared the worst but Roy allowed the fan base to breath. 

"He is fine. He's gonna be day to day, and it's a lower body injury. He'll be fine."

Even though the hit wasn't late, it looked like a knee-on-knee -- that's what head coach Patrick Roy thought -- so we'll see if anything comes of it from NHL Player Safety, but you shouldn't expect anything. The referees didn't call it a penalty on the play.

Reminder: Even if the referees don't call a penalty, the hit is still reviewable by NHL Player Safety. 

Aitcheson has had a very strong training camp and played solid in his 18:03 minutes on Sunday night. He skated the puck up the ice often. He got shots through, recording four, and made some strong defensive plays. 

Hopefully, Aitcheson feels good enough to go following a day off. 

Exclusive: Islanders’ First-Rounder Kashawn Aitcheson Talks Physical Edge, Leadership & DevelopmentExclusive: Islanders’ First-Rounder Kashawn Aitcheson Talks Physical Edge, Leadership & DevelopmentEAST MEADOW, NY -- During Day Two of New York Islanders Rookie Camp, it was hard not to notice No. 17 overall pick Kashawn Aitcheson.  His cross-overs were sharp. His shot was on the money. And you could see his excitement once the physical drills were introduced. 

Aitcheson will be returning to the OHL's Barrie Colts whenenver his time at training camp is complete. 

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2 Rangers Stars Ranked Among NHL's Best Players

Artemi Panarin & Igor Shesterkin (© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

NHL Network has revealed rankings No. 30 to No. 21 for their latest Top 50 Players Right Now List over the weekend, and two New York Rangers stars have made the cut: Artemi Panarin and Igor Shesterkin.

Panarin was given the No. 27 spot this year by the NHL Network. This was after the 33-year-old winger recorded 37 goals, 52 assists, and 89 points in 80 games with the Rangers during the 2024-25 season. With this, he produced at an over a point per game pace for the eighth season in a row. 

However, Panarin dropped on the NHL Network's list compared to last year. This is because Panarin was ranked as the 15th best player in the NHL by them ahead of the 2024-25 season. This was after he set career highs with 49 goals and 120 points in 82 games with the Rangers in 2023-24. 

Shesterkin, on the other hand, was given the No. 26 spot on the NHL Network's list. In 61 games this past season for the Rangers, he recorded a 27-29-5 record, a 2.86 goals-against average, and a .905 save percentage. 

Like Panarin, Shesterkin had a better ranking in the NHL Network's previous Top 50 Players Right Now list. This is because he was ranked at the No. 6 spot last year. 

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Pre-camp Sixers questions: Can Sixers avoid another disastrous start to season?

Pre-camp Sixers questions: Can Sixers avoid another disastrous start to season? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers will travel to Abu Dhabi for preseason games vs. the Knicks on Oct. 2 and Oct. 4. They’ll begin their regular season by facing the Celtics on Oct. 22. 

Before the action commences, we’re looking at key questions for the 2025-26 Sixers. 

So far, we’ve covered: 

Next up: Can the Sixers avoid another disastrous start to the season? 

In retrospect, the Sixers’ 2024-25 season was over almost as soon as it started. 

The injuries and losses escalated. When they were available, veterans performed poorly. The team’s game-to-game energy was uneven and frigid shooting stretches clearly seeped into the Sixers’ defensive effort. 

“It’s been affecting us all year that way. … It’s hard,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said after a Nov. 24 blowout loss to the Clippers. “Just at the start of the game, when you see that you’re actually doing some good things and some of your better players are getting those looks and they just continually don’t go in, I think it does affect your defense in a couple of ways.

“One, you’re playing off a long rebound. And then you’re playing a little bit off of some disappointment that you did all that work to get a great shot and then it didn’t go in again. But hopefully, those will start going in.”

Nurse’s team dropped to 3-14 in its next game, an overtime defeat to the Rockets. The Sixers then strung together their best month of the season — 10-3 between Nov. 30 and Dec. 30 — but it wasn’t sustainable and the injury deluge never subsided. 

As usual, the most important variable will be the health of the Sixers’ stars. The team has shown Joel Embiid and Paul George out on the floor in recent social media posts. Embiid had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April, George in July.

Upgraded health is no guarantee, but it’s also a rather low bar to clear after the Embiid-George duo totaled 60 games last season. The Sixers hope their youngsters help mitigate the injuries that inevitably pop up throughout the year. 

As far as the Sixers’ early-season schedule, there’s pros and cons:

  • The Sixers will play the Jayson Tatum-less Celtics three times in their first 11 games.
  • They’ll face bottom-five Eastern Conference teams last year in four of their first nine games.
  • Over the Sixers’ first 15 games, they have four back-to-backs.
  • The Sixers don’t have a road trip over three games until a five-gamer between Dec. 26 and Jan. 3.
  • Their first extended homestand is a six-game stay in Philadelphia from Jan. 14 to Jan. 24. 

It feels like much more than two years ago, but the Sixers had a very strong start to Nurse’s first season. Following an opening-night loss to the Bucks, they won eight games in a row and sat at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. 

While that sort of turnaround would exceed expectations, it’s obvious the Sixers need some sort of bounce-back start. 

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Panthers prospects get taste of NHL as Predators veterans skate in annual preseason doubleheader

The Florida Panthers opened their 2025 preseason slate with their annual doubeleader against the Nashville Predators.

This year, the Cats and Preds faced off at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, and with the NHL shrinking its preseason schedule to two games next season, it could very possibly be the final time we see the twin billing.

Florida opened training camp last week with an eye-popping 72 players on the roster, and with many of the unsigned prospects expected to return to their respective junior teams in the coming days and weeks, it was mostly those younger guys who made the trip to Nashville.

The idea is to give those players a taste of NHL hockey, and boy did they get it on Sunday.

Florida may have been playing their younger, inexperienced players, but Nashville apparently did not get that memo.

Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Ryan O’Reilly Juuse Saros and Roman Josi were all among the players who suited up for Nashville as they swept the doubleheader from the Panthers, taking the first game 5-0 and the nightcap 5-3.

“I thought these were very difficult games to play in for young players to play in, because there are some NHLers on the other side,” said Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice. “And they’re all brand new, right? There’s no line combinations out there.

“I thought in the first (game), you get to young players’ instincts,” he continued. “They haven’t been here long enough for systems or any kind of idea of that, but you get to see their individual instincts. The second game, there was a little more continuity to that group, they had spent some time together. It’s good we stayed in the battle and found our way to fight back in a game. It’s a difficult thing to do in this league.”

Brett Chorske gave Florida a 1-0 lead during the opening frame of game two, then Mike Benning scored a pair of third period goals that brought the Panthers back within a goal of the host Predators, who had jumped out to a 4-1 lead.

O’Reilly deposited the puck into an empty net during the game’s final minute to seal the victory for the home team.

“It took a little bit to get used to it, but the guys found it in the last little bit there and made a push, but we came up short,” said Benning.

Florida will continue their preseason schedule on Wednesday when they face the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center in Raleigh.

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Photo caption: Sep 19, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice speaks to his players during training camp at Baptist Health IcePlex. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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Flyers Survive Islanders; Trevor Zegras Impresses in Philly Debut

(Photo: Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images)

Although it wasn't perfect, the Philadelphia Flyers started off their preseason with a 3-2 shootout win over the New York Islanders, with key players like Trevor Zegras standing out exactly like they needed to.

Zegras, 24, made his Flyers debut against the Islanders on Sunday night, and while he didn't score a goal or pick up an assist, he was arguably the most impressive player on the ice.

Much has been made of whether or not Zegras can play center again at the NHL level full-time, and the Flyers' big trade acquisition passed the early test with flying colors.

Zegras made a number of defensive plays on the evening, coming way down low in his own zone to support puck battles and even stripped Mat Barzal of the puck from behind on a breakaway in overtime.

I've long believed that the idea that Zegras cannot play center is just a narrative-driven myth, and while the questions about his defensive game are legitimate, he showed well in the exhibition game.

Overall, Zegras was a +1 in his Flyers debut with four shots on goal and a penalty and went 4/9 on faceoffs (a solid 44.4%) in 23:09.

Zegras's two linemates, Nikita Grebenkin and Matvei Michkov, were also effective players, even if the trio as a whole understandably lacked chemistry.

Grebenkin was his typical effective self in the corners and below the goal line, holding onto pucks and showing off his creativity with some of his pass selections.

Flyers Forward Exits Islanders Matchup InjuredFlyers Forward Exits Islanders Matchup InjuredThe Philadelphia Flyers have announced that Lane Pederson will be out for the remainder of the club's preseason matchup against the New York Islanders after suffering an upper-body injury.

Michkov tied the game for the Flyers at 2-2 with just over a minute left in the third period, burying a Jamie Drysdale rebound with an empty net.

Michkov was also perhaps unfortunate to have not received a penalty shot in overtime, but star Islanders rookie Matthew Schaefer was able to cleanly disrupt him from behind without committing a foul.

The 20-year-old Russian did also score for the Flyers in the shootout and looked to have won it, only for Barzal to go down the other way and score on his attempt to keep the game going.

Other forwards who stood out to me include Denver Barkey and Jack Nesbitt, who each played a bit of power play and penalty kill as well.

Barkey's size and lack of experience may limit his chances, but he's looked really good to the point where I would consider him in the picture for an NHL roster spot.

I find him more versatile than an Alex Bump in terms of being able to play in a bottom-six role in addition to playing in a scoring role. Now might not be the time, but Barkey is going to be a player for the Flyers sometime soon.

Nesbitt still struggles with his skating at times, but his hockey IQ and puck skills are top notch. He forced a neutral zone turnover that ultimately led to Rodrigo Abols's first-period goal, giving Nesbitt his first unofficial assist as a Flyers player.

Flyers Training Camp: Potential Defensive Changes Could Be for the BestFlyers Training Camp: Potential Defensive Changes Could Be for the BestIf the first few days of training camp are anything to go by, the Philadelphia Flyers could have a new-look defense under first-year head coach Rick Tocchet.

My only knock of Nesbitt's performance is his lack of success in the faceoff dot; he went 3/10, though he, Zegras, and Noah Cates were all average at best in that regard.

Defensively, Spencer Gill looked like he belonged, and Jamie Drysdale and Emil Andrae were in command all night long. Adam Ginning also massively improved on his dire preseason performance last year and was remarkably steady on a pairing with the inexperienced Gill.

Noah Juulsen was probably the least effective of the Flyers defensemen, though he did open some eyes with a big hit on Kashawn Aitcheson late in the game. We'll see how Helge Grans performs in the next preseason game with the other group of players, but Juulsen's stock is definitely trending down early in camp.

On the date of Bernie Parent's tragic passing, goalies Aleksei Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason were outstanding for the Flyers in goal, combining for 32 saves on 34 shots in the shootout win.

Both Islanders goals came against Kolosov, but the first came on a rebound that wasn't cleared, and the second came on a 2-on-1 when Juulsen was unable to prevent the cross-ice pass from making it across the ice to the shooter.

Bjarnason stopped all 17 shots he faced and locked it down in the shootout, allowing only three goals on the 11 attempts that came his way.

It was an encouraging start for the Flyers' presumed AHL goaltending tandem, and for the Flyers as a whole. The Rick Tocchet era is so far off to a flawless start.

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‘Not fair’: Bernardo Silva accuses fixture planners of hindering City at Arsenal

  • City played in Champions League on Thursday night

  • Captain says schedule lacks ‘respect’ and ‘common sense’

Bernardo Silva has accused the fixture schedulers of lacking respect and common sense, saying they put Manchester City at such a physical disadvantage for Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Arsenal that it was “not fair” and “just not right”.

The City captain said he and his teammates could not be at their best level for one of the biggest games of the season after being asked to play in the Champions League on Thursday night; they beat Napoli 2-0 at home.

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Hernández: Roki Sasaki a playoff reliever? Don't put it past desperate Dodgers

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 17, 2025: Dodgers injured starting pitcher Roki Sasaki runs.
Dodgers injured starting pitcher Roki Sasaki runs in the outfield before a game against the San Diego Padres in June. The Dodgers' dreadful bullpen might force Dave Roberts into using Sasaki as a reliever in the playoffs. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

There’s desperate, and there’s desperate to where you’re looking for Roki Sasaki to be the answer to your team’s late-inning problems.

The same Roki Sasaki who hasn’t pitched in a major league game in more than four months because of shoulder problems.

The same Roki Sasaki who posted a 4.72 earned-run average in eight starts.

The same Roki Sasaki who last week in the minors pitched as a reliever for the first time.

The Dodgers’ exploration of Sasaki as a late-inning option is a reflection of the 23-year-old rookie’s upside, but this isn’t a commentary of Sasaki as much as it is of the roster.

Read more:Dodgers fall to Giants in regular-season home finale, plan to return in the playoffs

The team’s bullpen problems have persisted into the final week of the regular season, and the potential solutions sound like miracles, starting with Sasaki’s audition for a postseason role as a reliever.

Sasaki pitched twice in relief for triple-A Oklahoma City, touching 100 mph in a scoreless inning on Thursday and retiring the side on Sunday.

Manager Dave Roberts said Sasaki would rejoin the Dodgers for their upcoming road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The earliest Sasaki would be available to pitch would be on Wednesday.

With only six games remaining in the regular season, Sasaki figures to pitch no more than twice for the Dodgers before the playoffs. That being the case, do the Dodgers plan to use him in high-leverage situations to learn how he performs in late-inning situations?

“We’re still trying to win games, and this would be his third outing in the ‘pen, first in the big leagues, so not sure,” Roberts said.

Then again, what’s the alternative? Continue to run out Blake Treinen?

The most dependable reliever on the Dodgers’ World Series run last season, the 37-year-old Treinen was re-signed to a two-year, $22-million contract over the winter. He missed more than three months of this season with a forearm strain and hasn’t rediscovered the form that made him a postseason hero. Treinen is 1-7 with a 5.55 earned-run average for the season and has taken a loss in five of his last seven games.

Treinen cost the Dodgers another game on Sunday when he inherited a 1-0 lead, only to give up three runs in the eighth inning of an eventual 3-1 defeat.

Roberts was booed when he emerged from the dugout to remove Treinen, but whom did the fans want the manager to call on to pitch that inning instead?

Tanner Scott?

Kirby Yates?

Alex Vesia is the most trustworthy bullpen arm, but if he pitched the eighth inning, who would have pitched the ninth?

Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen, right, reacts after giving up a bases-loaded walk to the Giants.
Dodgers pitcher Blake Treinen, right, reacts after giving up a bases-loaded walk in a 3-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Roberts acknowledged he was basically reduced to holding out hope that when the postseason starts Treinen would magically revert to being the pitcher he was last year.

Wouldn’t it be unsettling to have to count on Treinen without seeing him pitch better in the regular season?

“Certainly, I’d like to see some more consistent performance,” Roberts said. “But at the end of the day, there’s going to be certain guys that I feel that we’re going to go to in leverage [situations] and certain guys we’re not going to.”

Evidently, Treinen is still viewed as a leverage-situation pitcher.

Roberts said: “My trust in him is unwavering.”

There aren’t many other choices.

Maybe Will Klein, who was called up from the minors for the third time last week. Klein struck out the side on Saturday and gave up a leadoff double in a scoreless inning on Sunday.

Maybe Brock Stewart, who has been sidelined with shoulder problems for the majority of the time since he was acquired at the trade deadline. Stewart will rejoin the Dodgers in Arizona.

Or maybe Emmet Sheehan or Clayton Kershaw, who are expected to be pushed out of the postseason rotation by Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow. Sheehan started on Sunday and pitched seven scoreless innings.

The playoff picture is unlikely to change for the Dodgers between now and the end of the regular season, as they are four games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the No. 2 seed in the National League and three games ahead of the second-place San Diego Padres in the NL West. Nonetheless, Roberts said he was unsure of how high-leverage innings over the next week would be allocated, which spoke to the degree of uncertainty about the bullpen. Should these innings be used to straighten out previously-successful relievers such as Treinen and Scott? Or to experiment with unknown commodities such as Sasaki and Klein?

Just a couple of weeks ago, the door for Sasaki pitching in the playoffs was locked and bolted. The Dodgers have been rocked by the dreadful performance of their bullpen, so much so that a door that was once slammed shut is now wide open.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Lorenzo Pellegrini strikes to settle derby but his future may lie beyond Roma | Nicky Bandini

Ultras have disowned the homegrown hero but a precious winner against Lazio can help to rebuild their relationship

Lorenzo Pellegrini was supposed to be anywhere but the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday. Roma tried to get rid of him in January, offering him to Inter as a makeweight in their unsuccessful bid to sign Davide Frattesi. They pushed even harder in August, contracting intermediaries to find him a new home. Talks were held with teams including West Ham and Besiktas, but none were able to strike a deal.

How had it come to this? Pellegrini was once a beloved club captain. A Rome-born Roma supporter, who joined the club’s academy before his 10th birthday, he was the heir to Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi – latest in a line of homegrown skippers.

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Carolina Hurricanes vs. Tampa Bay Lightning Preseason Game 1: Lineups, Game Preview and How to Watch

What - Preseason Game 1
When - 7 p.m., Monday, Sept. 22
Where - Lenovo Center; Raleigh, NC
How to Watch - hurricanes.com (only viewable in the local TV viewing area) 

The Carolina Hurricanes will play in their first "game" of the 2025-26 season tonight after a long summer off.

The Canes are opening up their preseason slate, the first of six games, with a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Hurricanes will play each of the Lightning, Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers twice, both home and away, before the start of the regular season.

Carolina is going to be icing a roster consisting primarily of AHL guys, with a few PTOs and NHL regulars sprinkled in as well.

Streaks

  • N/A

Milestone Watch

  • N/A

Game Notes

  • Oliver Kylington, Kevin Labanc and Givani Smith will all be playing in their first "games" in a Hurricanes sweater. The trio all signed PTOs with the team for training camp hoping to showcase their skills and potentially land a roster spot somewhere.
  • Other first timers include Gavin Bayreuther, Cayden Primeau and Joel Nystrom.

Key Matchups

Projected Starting Goalies

  • Cayden Primeau: 2-3-1, 0.836 Sv%, 4.70 GAA (NHL) / 21-2-3, 0.927 Sv%, 1.96 GAA (AHL)

Hurricanes Projected Lineup

Taylor Hall - Logan Stankoven - Jackson Blake
Givani Smith - Tyson Jost - Kevin Labanc
Bradly Nadeau - Justin Robidas - Felix Unger Sorum
Josiah Slavin - Skyler Brind'Amour - Noel Gunler

Alexander Nikishin - Charles-Alexis Legault
Gavin Bayreuther - Oliver Kylington
Domenick Fensore - Joel Nystrom

Cayden Primeau
Ruslan Khazheyev

Injuries and Scratches: Shayne Gostisbehere, Jalen Chatfield, Mike Reilly, Jordan Staal, Ryan Suzuki, K'Andre Miller, Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Sean Walker, Nikolaj Ehlers, William Carrier, Andrei Svechnikov, Aleksi Heimosalmi, Jordan Martinook, Ivan Ryabkin, Eric Robinson, Juha Jaaska, Dominik Badinka, Bryce Montgomery, Gleb Trikozov, Jaccob Slavin, Mark Jankowski, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Ronan Seeley, Frederik Andersen, Pyotr Kochetkov, Amir Miftakhov, Nikita Quapp

Lightning Projected Lineup

*Not yet provided

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Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

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Ramp to Camp: Predicting the Celtics' starting five on opening night

Ramp to Camp: Predicting the Celtics' starting five on opening night originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

With the departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Luke Kornet, and (eventually) Al Horford — combined with the absence of a rehabbing Jayson Tatum to start the season — the Boston Celtics are without a group that combined to start 234 games last season and 474 games over the past two seasons.

The Celtics’ starting five on opening night of the 2025-26 season will feature at least three new players. Will some familiar faces slide into those spots? For the 16th installment of our Ramp to Camp series — and kicking off “Predictions Week” — we asked our panel to predict the opening night starting five for the Celtics.

Our five: Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, and Neemias Queta.

We’re basically trotting out the remaining core of the 2024 title team and leaning heavily into both their familiarity and skill. It’s one of the few groupings that we have some actual data on from past seasons. 

Our starting five has played 67 minutes together over the past two seasons with a +9.6 net rating. That includes a sizzling 144 offensive rating, per PBPstats tracking. That group shot 41 percent on 3-point attempts with a 68.7 true shooting percentage.

The bad news: That five-man unit was pretty rough on defense, giving up 168 points in 125 defended possessions. Opponents shot 41.5 percent on 3s with a 62.2 true shooting percentage.

It’s hard to pluck too much from that sample, especially when you consider their 67 minutes together was over the course of 18 games. This five never played more than nine minutes together in a game.

We have obvious concerns about rebounding with this lineup. It’s rather undersized and puts a lot of pressure on Queta to control the glass (though we’ve often joked that Pritchard might lead the team in total rebounds with his penchant for chasing down offensive caroms).

We like the idea of putting as much shooting as possible around Brown to start games, then letting newcomer Anfernee Simons get ample touches with reserve pairings. If Pritchard elevates to a starting role, the Celtics do need someone who can be the glue for a younger second unit, and it will be intriguing to see who earns Joe Mazzulla’s trust in that bench group. 

Maybe you need to slide Pritchard or Hauser to bench role at some point to best balance the rotation. Maybe the Celtics need to go bigger and add size at the starting power forward spot. But to start the season, this group is getting the first crack and Mazzulla can tinker from there. 

Training camp reps will be vital to figuring out exactly which players accentuate each other’s talents.

Let’s see what our panel came up with for starting fives:

Darren Hartwell, Managing Editor

Derrick White, Anfernee Simons, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta.

This was a harder exercise than I expected. In the backcourt, I’m choosing not to mess with a good thing and let Sixth Man of the Year Payton Pritchard be a super-sub, while White can help offset any of Simons’ defensive limitations. You could make the argument for going double-big with Chris Boucher and Queta, but Hauser’s experience earns him the nod as a stretch four for now.

Michael Hurley, Web Producer

I guess I’d go with Derrick White, Anfernee Simons, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta? 

Like many, I’m still not entirely convinced Simons will be in Boston to start the season, but I still like the idea of Payton Pritchard coming off the bench, even if he sees a big bump in minutes.

I’ve had some fairly high expectations for the team in terms of finishing with a winning record and winning a playoff series. But now that you’ve made me spell out the starting five like this, I’m tempted to adjust ever so slightly. Brown is going to have to do so much heavy lifting.

Josh Canu, Media Editor

Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Jaylen Brown, Neemias Queta.

This seems like the obvious choice with the way this team is constructed. Five carry-over players who Joe Mazzulla will trust and we know all can play together. An undersized lineup for sure, but I think we will have to get used to that this season.

Kevin Miller, VP, Content

Payton Pritchard, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Chris Boucher, Neemias Queta.

A focus on shooting with this lineup. Queta needs to be an aggressive offensive rebounder, while Brown needs to be an aggressive defensive rebounder.

Adam Hart, EP, Content Strategy

Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Chris Boucher, Neemias Queta.

I like the idea of Anfernee Simons leading the second unit and spreading the offensive firepower, versus packing that starting five.

Kayla Burton, Celtics Pregame Live host

Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Anfernee Simons, Neemias Queta. 

I struggled coming up with a starting five because I want to throw Payton Pritchard in there, but I think he is such a spark off the bench and thrives in that role. They also need bigger guys out there as a physical presence in the frontcourt.

Joe Mazzulla may play with the lineup early in the season to figure out his puzzle.