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New Depth Panthers Players Hoping To Help Continue Success

The Florida Panthers signed forward Luke Kunin and defenseman Jeff Petry to one-year deals in the off-season, and the veterans are hoping to help the Panthers continue their recent success.

With each off-season in the NHL, players depart from teams and new players are brought in, and the Panthers signed two veterans who are in search of Stanley Cup glory. 

Petry is entering his 16th NHL season, and despite a successful career that has been spent with the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings, the 37-year-old is still without a Stanley Cup. 

“It truly feels like everybody really cares about everybody in the room,” said Petry after meeting his new Panther teammates. “It's not just words, it’s the actions.”

Petry notched one goal and eight points in 44 games last year, but the right-handed defenseman feels he has more to offer. Throughout his career, Petry has been considered an offensive defenseman with the ability to quarterback a power play unit. He possesses a strong shot and has the capability of being a puck distributor from the blueline. 

“What excited me when the opportunity came was seeing those guys come back,” said Petry.

Kunin, on the other hand, isn't as proven as Petry. The 27-year-old is entering his ninth season in the NHL but has transformed into a steady two-way, bottom-six forward. 

Luke Kunin (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Kunin recorded 11 goals and 18 points in 63 games with the San Jose Sharks before he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Kunin was never really able to get his feet under him, and as the Blue Jackets chased a playoff berth, Kunin failed to record a goal or point in 12 games.  

In a new environment and being able to partake in training camp with the Panthers makes this season feel different for Kunin.

“It’s obviously a special group,” said Kunin. “Happy to be part of a winning culture and do whatever I can to help the team continue to have success.”

Kunin joins the Panthers as a fit stylistically, but he also comes with a connection to Matthew Tkachuk. The duo are St. Louis natives who consider each other great friends. 

“He’s one of my best friends,” Kunin said of long-time friend and fellow St. Louis native Matthew Tkachuk. “It’s pretty cool we get to play together.”

With new teams and new aspirations, Kunin and Petry are excited to help the Panthers continue to have success. 

'It was a no-brainer': Defenseman Jeff Petry speaks on decision to join Panthers, pursue Stanley Cup'It was a no-brainer': Defenseman Jeff Petry speaks on decision to join Panthers, pursue Stanley CupIt’s no secret that in recent years, good things have happened when players have joined forces with the Florida Panthers.
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How Steph Curry mentored Tyrese Haliburton on Team USA at 2024 Paris Olympics

How Steph Curry mentored Tyrese Haliburton on Team USA at 2024 Paris Olympics originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Star Warriors guard Steph Curry wasn’t just an iconic scorer for Team USA men’s basketball during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

He also was a phenomenal teammate and leader — just ask Tyrese Hailburton.

The 25-year-old face of the Indiana Pacers and fellow Team USA guard shared how Curry mentored him during the Olympics in Thursday’s edition of “The Young Man and The Three” podcast with filmmaker Spike Lee.

“He is so unbelievable the way he can like, he remembers people, he cares about people,” Haliburton told Lee. “I mean, I just, I can’t say enough good things about Steph. And then, like, through the Olympic experience, for me, I didn’t play a ton, so a lot of it was for me to learn, and pick guys’ brains, and Steph was just that guy for me.”

As he said himself, Haliburton didn’t play much during Team USA’s successful quest for gold.

But Curry still admirably took the up-and-comer under his wing and showed him what it’s like to dominate on the sport’s biggest international stage.

Curry led the Americans to glory after scoring 60 points over the team’s final two games, sinking eight 3-point shots — including the “Golden Dagger” — in the dramatic gold medal game win over Victor Wembanyama and Team France.

It is no wonder that Haliburton soaked in every moment with Curry.

“After every practice, I’m like, ‘I got to work out with Steph,’” Haliburton said. “I got to do what he’s doing and kind of take things from him, and he was always like, before he would start, if I’m on the other end of the gym, he’ll be like, ‘Come on, Ty, we’re going to work out.’ So for me, I can’t say enough good things about him.”

Haliburton took Curry’s mentorship and ran with it based on his performance during the ensuing 2024-25 NBA season. 

He led the underdog Pacers to the NBA Finals, where Indiana lost to the deep-rostered Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games. Haliburton, of course, tore his right Achilles tendon early in Game 7, exiting what always will be remembered as a “what-if.”

Curry’s influence and mentorship clearly have rubbed off on Haliburton. And no one is doubting the Pacer’s ability to recover — after he’ll miss the 2025-26 season — and reassume his role as franchise cornerstone.

Surely Curry, who has dealt with his fair share of injuries over his 16-year Golden State career, has more advice for Haliburton as his journey continues, too.

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Guardians’ David Fry hospitalized after being hit in face by pitch during crucial win over Tigers

CLEVELAND — For a frightening moment, the AL Central race hardly mattered.

Guardians designated hitter David Fry was expected to be hospitalized overnight after he was hit in the face by a pitch from Detroit’s Tarik Skubal in the sixth inning of Cleveland’s 5-2 win over the Tigers, a victory that deadlocked the division.

Fry squared around to try to bunt a 99 mph fastball from Skubal and the pitch struck him in the nose and mouth area. As Fry collapsed in the batter’s box and immediately grabbed his bloodied face, a visibly shaken Skubal threw off his glove and cap as Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt and trainers rushed onto the field.

Fry laid in the dirt for several minutes before being slowly helped to his feet. He gave a thumbs-up signal as he sat up and was driven off in a cart.

The Guardians said Fry was being transported from Lutheran Medical Center to the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus for further testing and observation. The team said it would update Fry’s condition Wednesday morning.

“It was straight to the face,” Vogt said, describing the impact on Fry that shook everyone inside Progressive Field. “We’re all thinking about David and his family right now. Obviously, we’re glad he is OK, but obviously it’s a really scary moment.”

Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, paced around the infield as Fry was being assisted. Following the game, Skubal, who allowed just two hits through the first five innings, said seeing Fry in distress was difficult.

“Really tough,” said the left-hander. “I’ve already reached out to him. I’m sure his phone is blowing up. I just want to make sure he’s all right. Obviously, he seemed like he was OK coming off the field and hopefully it stays that way.

“I know sometimes with those things that can change. So hopefully he’s all right. I look forward to hopefully at some point tonight or (Wednesday) morning getting a text from him and making sure he’s all good because there’s things that are bigger than the game and the health of him is more important than a baseball game.”

That’s how Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan felt after watching Fry, an All-Star in 2024 who underwent offseason elbow surgery and didn’t join the team until late May, go down.

“Definitely really scary,” Kwan said. “For David to even try something like that (bunt), that’s just who he is. Selfless kind of guy, and especially in a position like that, he’s a tough guy. Thankfully he had some humor when he came up, but you don’t want to see a guy that’s been with you pretty much the whole year.

“Obviously energy-wise, just who he is as a teammate, he’s meant so much to us as a team. It’s really scary, but thankfully he had some humor coming off the field, so hopefully we get some good news.”

Following the incident, Skubal threw a wild pitch to George Valera, who replaced Fry, allowing Cleveland to score. Skubal also had an error — he inexplicably tried to make a blind throw to first between his legs — and was also called for a balk in the sixth inning as the Guardians rallied for three runs to take a 3-2 lead without hitting a ball out of the infield.

With its 16th win in 18 games, Cleveland caught Detroit atop the division after trailing the Tigers by 15 1/2 games on July 8. The Guardians were still 12 1/2 games back on Aug. 25, but have gone 17-5 in September.

The Tigers, meanwhile, have dropped seven straight and 10 of 11.

“I feel like we’ve been this way for a couple of series now,” catcher Dillon Dingler said. “It’s not quite pressing but we definitely feel some of the pressure and we’ve got to mitigate it. We’ve got to eliminate it. We’ve still got to find ways to stay loose, focus in and hone in on what we need to do and go out there and do it.”

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What’s in a name? Prem loses some letters but hopes to keep gaining viewers

Season-opener between Sale and Gloucester promises to be a cracker in English rugby’s new frontier

Th ne PREM seas sta o Thursd nigh wi Sal Shar hosti Glouce befo Harleq enterta Bat an Newcas Re Bul fac Sarac on Frid.

That is a sentence, as uneasy on the eye as it may be, of which you can just about make sense. Much like the Premiership’s decision to lose a few letters as part of its rebrand.

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Pre-camp Sixers questions: After setting lineups record, which unit will be best?

Pre-camp Sixers questions: After setting lineups record, which unit will be best?  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: After setting the starting lineups record last year, which unit will be the Sixers’ best? 

The Sixers’ lineup stats tell the story of their 2024-25 season. 

Injuries were everywhere and the Sixers started an NBA-record 54 different lineups. On opening night, head coach Nick Nurse went with Tyrese Maxey, Eric Gordon, Kelly Oubre Jr., KJ Martin and Andre Drummond. He closed the season with Jared Butler, Quentin Grimes, Lonnie Walker IV, Marcus Bagley and Adem Bona.

The team’s two most-used lineups outside of garbage time played a mere 148 possessions together, according to Cleaning the Glass. They were:

  • Maxey-Oubre-Paul George-Caleb Martin-Guerschon Yabusele (Plus-25.0 net rating)
  • Maxey-Gordon-Oubre-Justin Edwards-Yabusele (Minus-14.4 net rating) 

Nurse knows all about adjusting the basics on the fly.

“My reaction (was) the same as it’s been most of the year,” he said after a slew of players were scratched for a Jan. 14 loss to the Thunder. “You take a little gut punch, and then you regroup and figure out the starting lineups, figure out the rotations, figure out what needs to change on the game plan as quickly as possible. And go play.”

In projecting ideal, healthy scenarios for this season, restricted free agent Grimes remaining unsigned is notable. However, if we pencil Grimes back on the Sixers’ roster, he’d be a logical starter alongside Maxey, Oubre, George and Joel Embiid. 

One or two of the Sixers’ young players could easily shake up that idea. Jared McCain started just eight games in his rookie season, but he obviously has the talent to thrive when handed tons of minutes. McCain averaged 23.8 points and 4.3 assists as a starter, and he shot 39.2 percent from three-point range on 9.3 attempts per game. 

Perhaps a youthful role player like VJ Edgecombe or Edwards will wind up meshing nicely with the Sixers’ high-usage stars and earn a starting spot. 

The Sixers could also lean into their guard-heavy nature, neglecting size at times in favor of offensive firepower and pace. The 6-foot-4 Grimes and 6-5 Edgecombe could defend bigger forwards on occasion in units with Maxey and/or McCain. Having Embiid as a rim protector would be helpful defensively in those lineups, although the Sixers could also play the shot-swatting Bona at center and encourage him to join the fun in transition offensively. 

Trendon Watford has only made 30 career NBA starts, but the Sixers believe the 24-year-old forward will keep improving and he could be pressed into heavy minutes on nights without George. 

Nurse will hope that he doesn’t have to scrap plan after plan, but there’s no doubt he’ll have many options in mind. 

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Thin NHL Trade Market Will Only Help The Pittsburgh Penguins

Big trades at the beginning of an NHL season are already uncommon, but this fall already stands out.

After the first seven months of 2025 saw Mikko Rantanen, Mitch Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers, Brad Marchand and Noah Dobson switch teams, there aren't many notable names available to acquire as the 2025-26 season nears.

That means the Pittsburgh Penguins – which have the third-worst odds of winning the Stanley Cup, according to BetMGM – are in an excellent position, in a seller’s market, to reap the rewards of moving some veterans as they focus on the future.

The most likely Penguins veterans to be dealt are a pair of right wingers – Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell – who have affordable cap hits for most teams and could fetch a large return. So whether the Penguins trade them soon or later, this thin NHL trade market will only help the team

Rust, 33, doesn't have any trade protection in his contract, and he had a career-high 31 goals and 65 points last season. Rakell, 32, only has an eight-team no-trade clause, which means there are still 23 teams Penguins GM Kyle Dubas can trade Rakell to without getting his permission. The right winger also had a career-high 35 goals and 70 points last year.

Given that Rust is signed for $5.125 million per year and Rakell carries a $5-million cap hit, at a time when the cap ceiling will rise until further notice, Dubas will continue to be one of the most popular GMs on the trade front.

Rakell and Rust are under contract for two seasons after this one, making them cost-controlled, highly valuable assets.

NHL's Biggest Trade Bait With 2025-26 Season Almost HereNHL's Biggest Trade Bait With 2025-26 Season Almost HereIt is an exciting time for hockey fans with the new season approaching. Soon, NHL teams will be back to playing regular-season hockey, as it officially begins Oct. 7. 

Look around the rest of the NHL, and you’ll see there are very few players of their caliber presumed to be available via trade. Calgary Flames veteran defenseman Rasmus Andersson is the exception. So too could be Nashville Predators right winger Jonathan Marchessault, but GM Barry Trotz dismissed those rumors in June, and Marchessault has four years left on his deal at $5.5 million per year, making him harder to move.

Other than that, there’s a clear dearth of high-end talent available. So the price for Rakell and Rust will continue to be sky-high, and teams may not be willing to meet the asking prices for them – at least, right now.

Once the season begins and holes start to open up for organizations, you’re going to get more GMs who are willing to pay the price GMs like Dubas are asking to acquire in return for those players. But if the Penguins have a strong start to the season, it might be even tougher for teams to pry Rust or Rakell away from Pittsburgh.

Report: Price For Penguins' Top Winger 'Especially High'Report: Price For Penguins' Top Winger 'Especially High'With few intriguing forward pieces remaining on the free agent market, many teams are turning to the RFA market and the trade market to upgrade their top-six.

There’s nothing wrong with GMs who have movable pieces waiting to trade them until weeks and months down the line. Teams like the Penguins, Flames and Predators can bide their time before someone comes across with a high-end package of draft picks and prospects to help them with their respective rebuilds. Nobody is forcing them to make those moves right now, so patience will be a virtue for teams with veterans who can be difference-makers.

If the Pens, Preds or Flames shock the NHL and come out of the gate very strongly, it will be easier to keep their veteran players around at least until the trade deadline. But at present, the future of some veterans is going to be cloudy for the short term. The GMs who control the future of those players are going to wait for the most opportune time to move them.

So, don’t hold your breath that teams will make notable trades anytime soon. For several reasons, teams are reluctant to make major deals at this stage of the hockey calendar. The lack of available talent will also make the price for the players who are available extremely costly. 

But if some ambitious team does convince one of those clubs to trade those players now, it will be massive news in the NHL.

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.

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Roman Anthony not close to being able to resume baseball activities

Roman Anthony not close to being able to resume baseball activities originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Red Sox pulled off a big win on Tuesday night in Toronto, dropping their magic number to make the playoffs to three. With five games left in the regular season, Boston controls its postseason fate.

That’s the good news. The not-so-good news is that if or when the Red Sox open up postseason play, they’ll almost certainly be without Roman Anthony.

The rookie star hasn’t played since straining his oblique on Sept. 2, an injury that carried an initial timetable of four to six weeks for recovery. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow issued an update on Anthony at the three-week mark, and he indicated that a return is not imminent.

“There’s still quite a bit of room to get to in terms of baseball activity,” Breslow said, per The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey.

Breslow provided some detail, noting that Anthony is “getting more comfortable” and appears to be in less discomfort than the days after first suffering the injury. Yet with the Wild Card Series scheduled to begin next Tuesday — the four-week mark of the injury — a return for Anthony does not appear to be on the table.

“This is an injury that we knew is going to take some time to heal and for him to get back on the field,” Breslow said, per Healey. “He and the medical staff are working as hard as they can to accelerate the timeline to the extent possible.”

The 21-year-old Anthony only played in 71 regular-season games for the Red Sox but has a case for being one of the most valuable players on the team this season. He batted .292 with an .859 OPS, hitting 18 doubles, a triple and eight home runs while driving in 32 runs. Only Rafael Devers — who posted a .905 OPS in his 73 games before being traded — posted a better OPS with Boston this season.

The Red Sox were 32-35 (.478 winning percentage) when Anthony was called up from Worcester in early June, and they went 46-27 (.630) with the rookie on the big league roster before his placement on the injured list. They’ve gone 14-9 (.560) since his injury.

After Anthony suffered the injury, manager Alex Cora said he told the outfielder to envision an at-bat in the American League Championship Series during his rehab work. Breslow’s recent update suggested that Red Sox fans should likely anticipate the same timeline — provided, of course, the team can first make the playoffs and then win two series to provide Anthony that opportunity.

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Jonathan Kuminga not at Jimmy Butler-led Warriors minicamp amid contract saga

Jonathan Kuminga not at Jimmy Butler-led Warriors minicamp amid contract saga originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With training camp less than one week away, the Warriors met in San Diego this week to bond both on and off the court.

Well, all except one player.

Jonathan Kuminga, who remains a restricted free agent with the 2025-26 NBA season a month away, did not attend the team minicamp in San Diego put together by Warriors veteran forward Jimmy Butler, ESPN’s Shams Charania shared Wednesday on “NBA Today.”

“Jimmy Butler is actually holding a team minicamp in San Diego this week. This is the first full year of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler all together,” Charania explained to host Malika Andrews. “One player who is not there, the only player on the potential Warriors roster that isn’t there, is restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. My understanding is he is not appearing at this team function, this camaraderie minicamp in San Diego. It’s still at a stalemate.

“I spoke to Aaron Turner, Kuminga’s agent, today, and he told me that the player option still remains critical in these conversations. We know about the three-year, $75 million offer, or the two-year, $45 million offer, both still have team options in them. Him, just like [Quentin] Grimes, has until Oct. 1, before his decision, but these sides are still at a stalemate.

“Jonathan Kuminga did not appear at the first team-related event that the Warriors players had today.”

NBC Sports Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson later confirmed Kuminga was not in attendance, though the Warriors had hoped he would be.

As Charania mentioned, a player option remains significant to Kuminga and his camp, but as of now, it is not something the Warriors have been willing to do.

Turner, while speaking to multiple media members last week, said there’s no drama or bad feelings between Kuminga and his teammates, particularly the veteran stars such as Butler, Curry and Green.

While Kuminga wasn’t in sunny San Diego on Wednesday, he’s still been putting in the work on the hardwood as he prepares for Year 5.

However, who that is with and what that looks like remains in question.

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Blackhawks Make First Wave Of Roster Cuts, Sending 4 Players Back To Junior Teams

On Wednesday, following their first preseason game of the season, the Chicago Blackhawks announced their first wave of roster cuts. It is a small one, as they sent four players back to their respective major junior teams. 

• F Nathan Behm (Kamloops Blazers/WHL)

• F Parker Holmes (Brantford Bulldogs/OHL)

• F Jack Pridham (Kitchener Rangers/OHL)

• F Marek Vanacker (Brantford Bulldogs/OHL)

Pridham and Vanacker each played a limited role in the first preseason game, while Holmes and Behm will go back to junior without any NHL preseason action for this year. 

This is all a part of the process for these four players, who all have bright futures in pro hockey ahead of them. The Blackhawks will continue to make roster cuts as camp goes along.

Marek Vanacker and Parker Holmes will be teammates with the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL, which has become a prominent team for the Blackhawks organization lately, as they've had a handful of Blackhawks prospects come through.   

Nathan Behm, who the Blackhawks drafted at the 2025 NHL Draft, will play for the Kamloops Blazers this season before playing for Arizona State in 2026-27. Behm announced his decision to move onto the NCAA after this year on his social media. 

Jack Pridham was supposed to play college hockey this year at Boston University, but he de-committed to stay with the Kitchener Rangers, where he feels more comfortable in his development. 

Following these cuts, Chicago's roster now sits at 49 players (26 forwards, 17 defensemen, and 6 goalies).

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

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NHL Rumor Roundup: Carter Hart Narrowing Down Potential Destinations, Oilers Linked To Yegor Chinakhov

NHL teams seeking goaltending depth for the coming season are rumored to be turning to Carter Hart for help.

Hart, 27, was among the five members of Canada's 2018 world junior team who were acquitted in July of sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in London, Ont., in 2018. They are eligible to have contracts registered with the NHL by Oct. 15, but they won't be able to play until their suspensions end on Dec. 1.

It was rumored that the Philadelphia Flyers might be interested in bringing back Hart, who played with them from 2018 to 2024. However, GM Daniel Briere indicated the goalie's representative informed them that it would be better for his client to have a fresh start elsewhere.

The Edmonton Oilers were rumored to be a potential destination for Hart, but GM Stan Bowman ruled out that option. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas shrugged off a rumor linking his club to Hart.

On Monday, Chris Johnston of The Athletic reported Hart had narrowed down his choices to a handful of teams, including the Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights.

Johnston indicated that Hart wants to find a destination where he can get playing time on a team built to succeed. The Golden Knights have qualified for the playoffs in seven of the last eight seasons, while the Hurricanes reached the Eastern Conference final in two of the last three seasons.

The Utah Mammoth were also thought to be a suitor for Hart, but Johnston reported they're no longer in the bidding.

Yegor Chinakhov (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Speaking of the Oilers, Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journal reported some recent speculation tied them to Yegor Chinakhov of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Chinakhov, 24, created a stir in July when his agent requested a trade, citing “misunderstandings” with Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason. The young forward is participating in training camp but hasn't rescinded his request.

Leavins observed that Chinakhov is in the final season of his two-year contract with a cap hit of $2.1 million. However, the Oilers' limited cap space and Chinakhov's injury history are among the reasons why he's unlikely to land in Edmonton.

The Hockey News' Jason Newland recently reported Chinakhov seems open to staying with the Blue Jackets. In a response to a question from The Athletic's Aaron Portzline, Chinakhov told reporters he and Evason have a better understanding following a recent meeting between the two.

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.

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Drake Batherson Joins Ottawa Senators List Of Preseason Injury Concerns

The Ottawa Senators' first week of training camp isn't off to an ideal start in the injury department.

Winger Drake Batherson has now joined the list of injury concerns after "pulling something" during Tuesday morning's skate, forcing him to leave practice early. Sens head coach Travis Green said he wasn't sure exactly what happened with Batherson, only that he pulled something. 

Batherson has been a model of health for the Senators, not missing a single game in the past three years. In fact, if you look at his track record over five full years in the league, the only season when he's missed some time was 2021-22, and it only happened because of a cheap shot. Batherson suffered a high ankle sprain when goalie Aaron Dell stepped into the winger's skating lane and shoved him into the end boards.

** Update: According to TSN 1200, the Sens announced at practice on Wednesday that Batherson pulled a muscle somewhere in his upper body and will miss at least two weeks. That means he's out of commission until the regular season begins on October 9th. And the words "at least" certainly put his availability for opening night in doubt.

Batherson is only the latest name on the Sens list of injury concerns.

On Sunday, Sens defenseman Tyler Kleven got dinged up due to an awkward fall into the end boards during the preseason opening 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Green said on Tuesday the prognosis was good and that Kleven should be back on the ice in the next day or two.

Finally, the Senators entered training camp a week ago today with injury concerns about Nick Jensen and Lars Eller, who weren't ready to start camp on time.

Eller and Jensen are skating with the team, but it's unclear whether they'll be available to start the season. Eller had a minor abdominal procedure in the offseason, and the Sens don't seem to be too fazed by it. Jensen had hip surgery in May, which he described quite thoroughly after yesterday's skate. It sounded exactly like the kind that Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Kane had at the same age in June 2023 and he couldn't play again until December of that year.

Kane, who'll be 37 in November, is still going strong after the surgery, but his six-month recovery timeline suggests that an opening night return for Jensen, which would be roughly the five-month mark, may be an overly ambitious target. While Green remains encouraged by Jensen's progress, he said on Tuesday that he hasn't even thought yet about whether he'll use him in a preseason game.

The good news is, the four dinged-up Senators still have 15 days of healing time before the games begin to count.

In the meantime, as camp continues, the club is now preparing for a preseason trip to Quebec City with games there on Sunday and Tuesday. With 49 players still in camp, fans should expect a major cutdown between now and then.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
Shane Pinto Plays Hero In Senators Preseason Overtime Win Over Leafs
Senators Send Prospect Gabriel Eliasson And Two Others Back To Junior
After Two Broken Clavicles, Kaliyev Targets Capital Comeback
Senators Lose 2025 Preseason Home Opener To Toronto
Senators Winger Fabian Zetterlund Ready To Prove Himself This Season
Ranking the Senators' 10 Best Prospects

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Islanders Return Kashawn Aitcheson To OHL After Two NHL Preseason Games

EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders announced on Wednesday morning that they had sent defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson back to the OHL’s Barrie Colts. The 17th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft played in two preseason games, totaling 35:57, recording four shots on goal and a hit.

Aitcheson Right Back In Islanders Lineup After Sunday's Injury; Preseason Lines vs. New Jersey DevilsAitcheson Right Back In Islanders Lineup After Sunday's Injury; Preseason Lines vs. New Jersey DevilsEAST MEADOW, NY -- After sustaining a lower-body injury in the New York Islanders' 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday, there were concerns about Kashawn Aitcheson's availability for the rest of training camp.

The fact that Aitcheson was able to play on Tuesday night against the New Jersey Devils after being knocked out of Sunday night's game against the Philadelphia Flyers due to a knee-on-knee hit shows his willingness and competitive level. 

"He's a great guy. He plays the same style as me," Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov said. "He hits hard. He's just young, but a great player. They're all going to be top NHL players, but they're just young right now."We didn’t get to see any of Aitcheson’s open-ice hits, but we did see a player with a bright future—if he can improve certain aspects of his game, such as his skating.

"I'm very happy with him," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. "I like his physicality out there. I mean, it was a lot for him [against the Devis]. Let's not kid ourselves. It was like this from my first NHL training camp. I was happy. I went home, and I knew I could play in the league, and I'm sure he feels the same, you know? I'm sure he learned a lot. I'm sure he's going to go back to juniors with a big cheese on his face and feel excited about how things went for him."

Aitcheson returns to Barrie to serve as a top defenseman, playing big minutes. He was suspended for three OHL  preseason games for a hit to the head, serving that suspension while at Islanders training camp. 

Islanders Prospect Kashawn Aitcheson Suspended Three Preseason Games For Illegal Check To The HeadIslanders Prospect Kashawn Aitcheson Suspended Three Preseason Games For Illegal Check To The HeadBack on Sept. 1 against the Owen Sound, New York Islanders No. 17 overall pick at the 2025 NHL Draft and current Barrie Colts defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson received a major penalty for an illegal check to the head during a preseason game on Sept. 1.

Depending on the NHL rule for the 2026–27 season, there’s a chance that at 19 years old, he’ll be eligible to play in the AHL.

Expect Acheson to sign his entry-level contract following the conclusion of this season.

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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Martin, Wood continue to make case for Opening Night roster spots

As Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz moves toward making his roster younger, Brady Martin and Matthew Wood are doing their best to accelerate that plan.

Both have looked solid in training camp, and boosted their stock even more in Tuesday night’s 3-2 shootout loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

If neither player is on the Predators’ opening night roster, it won’t be because they didn’t make the most of their opportunities.

Finding The Net

. Stephen Kerr/The Hockey News

Martin has been turning heads since he was taken fifth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft. Tuesday night, he not only scored his first (unofficial) NHL goal, but put himself on hatty watch.

Wood, the Preds’ 15th overall draft pick in 2023, picked up an assist on Martin’s first goal after notching three points against Florida last Sunday.

The 18-year-old Martin almost got that first goal in the opening period. After taking a nice pass from Cole Smith, Martin attempted to go to Lightning netminder Brandon Halverson’s glove side, but was stopped.

Martin wasn’t to be denied in the second period, however. Following a turnover on a forecheck, Martin received a pass from Matthew Wood at the goal line.

This time, Halverson had no answer for Martin, who went top-shelf to put the Predators in front 1-0 at the 2:13 mark.

Just over two minutes later, Martin lit the lamp a second time, this one coming on a power play. Michael Bunting fed Martin from the left goal line, who fired a one-timer too high for Halverson to make the save. Nashville took a 2-0 lead, and the hatty watch for Martin was officially on.

“He moves great,” Bunting said after the game, referring to Martin. “He skates really well for a bigger kid, he thinks the game really well and has that offensive touch. He's not really afraid. It doesn't seem like he's shying away at all out there.”

Alas, a Martin hat trick was not in the cards on this night. But that didn’t lessen the impact the young prospect had on Brunette.

“He’s putting his best foot forward, making hard decisions for everybody,” Brunette said during his post-game presser.

Martin’s two goals may not officially count, but it was a thrill to get them, especially in front of the home crowd.

“It’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever played in front of,” Martin said. “Pretty cool to score in front of a crowd like that.”

Apr 14, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Utah Hockey Club goaltender Matt Villalta (31) blocks a shot by Nashville Predators right wing Matthew Wood (52) during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Wood Chips In

Wood, meanwhile, picked up an assist Tuesday after potting two goals and a helper in the second game of Sunday’s split-squad doubleheader sweep over the Florida Panthers. He also showed great poise while overseeing the Predators’ penalty kill on Martin’s second goal Tuesday.

Unlike Martin, Wood has a handful of NHL regular-season games under his belt. He skated in six contests for the Predators last season, and while he didn’t tally a goal, he did record an assist and created numerous other chances to score.

With Luke Evangelista currently away from the team while he negotiates his next contract, the door for those final roster spots has cracked open a little wider for Martin and Wood. No matter what happens by the time the Preds break camp and those final roster spots are nailed down, both players are making a statement that they belong in the conversation.

“It’s fun to see every time you see Brady and ‘Woody’ play,” Brunette said. “They’re really pushing here. So, that’s fun to be a part of.”

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Mets at Cubs: How to watch on Sept. 24, 2025

The Mets continue a three-game series against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Wednesday at 8:05 p.m.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

Mets Notes

  • Pete Alonso is hitting .340/.385/.623 with eight home runs in 117 plate appearances over 26 games dating back to Aug. 26
  • In 10.2 innings over nine appearances this month, Edwin Diaz has allowed one run on five hits while walking three and striking out 17
  • Jonah Tong was stellar in his last start, allowing one run (unearned) on four hits while walking none and striking out eight
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How can I watch the game online?

To watch Mets games online via ESPN, you will need a subscription to a TV service provider or to ESPN+. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone browser, or via the ESPN App.