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Flyers vs. Canadiens: 3 Hopefuls Will Make Their Case for an NHL Roster Spot

(Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers will face the Montreal Canadiens for their second preseason game of 2025 with an entirely different roster, with the exception of two players.

Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed Tuesday morning that goalie Sam Ersson will start and play the whole game against the Canadiens, with Aleksei Kolosov serving as the backup.

As for the skaters, only Rodrigo Abols remains from the 3-2 shootout win against the New York Islanders on Sunday night.

"I love big guys that can skate. Can he fit a role? When you get a guy like that, I want to see how you can play two, three games in a row," Tocchet said of Abols. "I think it's an important game for him to see if he can be real consistent for us, and you never know. I just wanted to see him. That was kind of my call."

Joining Abols at the forward position will be veterans like captain Sean Couturier, star winger Travis Konecny, Owen Tippett, and Bobby Brink.

Center Christian Dvorak, the club's top free agent addition this offseason, will also be making his Flyers debut.

Flyers Stock Up, Stock Down Heading into Training Camp Week 2Flyers Stock Up, Stock Down Heading into Training Camp Week 2Heading into the second week of Philadelphia Flyers training camp, a number of key players have boosted their stocks and chances of making the NHL roster. Others? Not so much.

Three roster hopefuls are set to take the ice for the Flyers, too, in what will be a crucial game for them early on in training camp.

Winger Alex Bump is set to make his Flyers debut, partaking in a preseason game (and an NHL training camp) for the very first time.

Is he nervous? Is it a big moment for him in his fledgling career?

"Not really," Bump said sheepishly Tuesday. "The bigger moment would be the real season debut."

Flyers fans tuning into Tuesday night's game against the Canadiens will also want to keep an eye on 2024 first-round pick Jett Luchanko, who was interestingly listed on the game roster as a right wing instead of center, and defenseman Helge Grans.

Luchanko is in a precarious position as a player who will have to fight for an NHL spot or return to the OHL for another season, so showing growth in a competitive game setting will be key for his prospects of suiting up for the Flyers in October.

As for Grans, real opportunity exists at his position, but he has work to do in order to beat out players like Egor Zamula, fellow countrymen Emil Andrae and Adam Ginning, and newcomer Noah Juulsen, among others, for a place on the team.

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.

"When you're trying to make something, you got to separate yourself from other guys," Tocchet said of Grans and the other roster hopefuls. "Ideally, three rights [defensemen], and three lefts."

What Tocchet does with Travis Sanheim regarding playing the left or right side could improve or reduce Grans's chances, but the best thing the 22-year-old can do for himself is to start the preseason off with a strong performance against the Canadiens.

The same is true for Bump, who is perhaps facing unexpectedly strong competition from Nikita Grebenkin on the left wing. Luchanko and Denver Barkey are certainly in the mix, too.

Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Juraj Slafkovsky are all expected to play on Tuesday night, so a tough challenge is certainly in store for the young Flyers.

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Preview: Senators And Leafs Square Off Tuesday In Another Preseason Battle Of Ontario

As the Ottawa Senators get set for their second game of the preseason on Tuesday night in Toronto, they'll ice a much different lineup than they did in Sunday afternoon's 4-3 loss to the Maple Leafs. As the Senators take a look at some other players, only five men who played on Sunday – Arthur Kaliyev, Nick Cousins, Olle Lycksell, Donovan Sebrango, and Nik Matinpalo – will return for the rematch at Scotiabank Arena.

As the Leafs did on Sunday, the Sens will give a lot of their big guns the night off. Only 7 of the 18 skaters on Tuesday's roster are a lock to be in Ottawa this season. Based on morning practice, this is the group and the combinations we'll see in Toronto.

Forwards
Arthur Kaliyev-Dylan Cozens-Fabian Zetterlund
Nick Cousins-Shane Pinto-Michael Amadio
Olle Lycksell-Stephen Halliday-Tyler Boucher
Zavier Bourgault-Garrett Pilon-Hayden Hodgson

Defense
Jake Sanderson-Carter Yakemchuk
Tomas Hamara-Artem Zub
Donovan Sebrango-Nikolas Matinpalo

Goalies
Leevi Merilainen
Hunter Shepard

The Senators are giving Yakemchuk, their top prospect, every chance to succeed. The 20-year-old is expected to make his preseason debut alongside the 23-year-old Sanderson, the Senators' best defenseman. If things go according to Hoyle, those two will anchor this club's blue line for most of the next decade. But Yakemchuk still has work to do and heads to turn. He'd like to start by replicating last fall's preseason performance when he finished as the Sens' top scorer with 7 points in 4 games.

And the last time he played an NHL preseason game in Toronto, almost a year ago to the day, he did this:

Kaliyev and Lycksell are both candidates for the 13th forward this season, and both helped their cause when they each scored a goal in the Sens' preseason opener.

Matinpalo and Sebrango are both probably standing outside of the Sens' top six, but both could be right there as the next man up. Matinpalo could step in if Nick Jensen isn't ready, or if there's a new injury on the right side. Sebrango might be the top left side fill-in.

On that note, Tyler Kleven wasn't at practice on Tuesday after an awkward collision with the end boards on Sunday. Kleven left the game in the third period and didn't return, but Sens head coach Travis Green said on Tuesday that it isn't serious and expects him back soon.

As the Sens did on Sunday, the hometown Leafs will go with primarily an NHL-calibre lineup on Tuesday night. It's the first time in many years that you'd describe a Toronto lineup that way without the presence of Mitch Marner – now a member of the Vegas Golden Knights.

Based on their lines today, here's how Toronto will lay out their chess pieces, according to THN's David Alter.

Forwards
Knies-Matthews-Maccelli
McMann -Tavares - W. Nylander
Joshua - Haymes - Robertson
Lorentz-Laughton-Cowan

Defense
Rielly-Carlo
McCabe-Tanev
OEL-Danford

Goalies
Hildeby
Akhtyamov

Faceoff is set for 7 pm (TSN 4/5).

Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

More Sens Headlines From The Hockey News Ottawa:
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
Senators GM Steve Staios On Why He Brought Back The Same Group

Image credit: Ottawa Senators
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Knicks Notes: Mike Brown talks starting lineup, rotation plans as training camp begins

The Knicks enter the 2025-26 season with a new head coach but the same championship aspirations as a year ago, and things tipped off officially on Tuesday with the start of training camp. 

Head coach Mike Brown, as well as key players like Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges all met with the media on Tuesday, talking about the busy offseason that was and the exciting season to come. 

Here are the key takeaways...

Mike Brown on the starting lineup and rotation

The Knicks used the same starting five -- Brunson, Towns, Hart, Bridges, and OG Anunoby -- for just about all of the 2024-25 regular season. And while former head coach Tom Thibodeau was reluctant to make changes to the lineup, he ultimately did insert Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup ahead of Game 3 of Eastern Conference Finals against Indiana, moving Hart to the bench. 

With that in mind, the starting lineup heading into this season is already a topic of conversation. But according to Brown, it's too early to say who will make up the starting five.

"It will materialize throughout camp," Brown said. "I think it’s too early to go in and say ‘hey, this is what’s going to happen.’ The roster, Leon [Rose] and his group did a fantastic job putting together a talented, deep roster, and so you have to be methodical with your approach when it comes to declaring ‘Okay, these guys are going to start.’"

Thibodeau also notoriously used a very short rotation, and shrank it even more in the playoffs to around eight players.

Brown said he'll likely use more players, with everyone having a chance to contribute throughout the year. 

"If you look at what I’ve done in the past, it’s usually nine-and-a-half to 10 guys," Brown said. "I try to play as many guys as I can. Even when I was in [Sacramento] and we had an injury during the season, there was a point in time towards the end of the season where I started a two-way guy in Keon Ellis. So, I’m going to try to play who can help us win, and I’m going to try to give guys an opportunity. So, hopefully with as deep as our roster is, everybody will get an opportunity at some point during the season."

Brunson on Thibs' firing

Prior to Thibodeau's dismissal after the ECF loss to the Pacers, Brunson was one of his strongest defenders. 

Asked immediately after the Game 6 loss if Thibodeau was the right person to lead the Knicks, Brunson was adamant.

"Is that a real question right now?" Brunson said after the Game 6 loss to the Pacers. "You just asked me if I believe he's the right guy? Yes."

Asked about Thibodeau on Tuesday, Brunson expressed his gratitude to his former coach.

“Obviously it’s sad to see a man I’ve known for a long time part ways with this organization, but he’s meant a lot to me," Brunson said. "I’ve expressed that publicly and personally. But yeah, he’s meant a lot to my career, to this point."

Hart/KAT on offseason procedures, or non-procedures

On the health front, Towns disputed reports from June that he had procedure done on a finger on his left hand and his knee, saying emphatically "I did not get finger surgery or knee surgery."

One player who did undergo a procedure was Hart, who admitted to recently having a setback in his rehab while recovering from a procedure to a finger on his right hand, which will likely require him to wear a splint all season long.

"I was out for a little while. I’m just trying to get used to it and get through the season with it," Hart said.

"I don’t want to go into too much detail, but obviously got a procedure on it, and then kind of reaggravated it somewhat recently. I’ll probably just rock out with a splint this season and try to fix it again next summer."

Bridges on extension

Following an up-and-down first season in New York, Bridges signed a four-year, $150 million extension; however, he left some money on the table as he elected not to sign for the max of $156 million, saving the Knicks $6 million that went to building out the rest of the roster.

"Real excited, happy to be back, be here with everybody and be a part of this organization.," Bridges said. "Just happy we got it done, and really no issues, honestly."

He added: "The biggest thing is if I came here and preached how much I want to win and then tried to take every dollar and make it difficult for the organization, then I’d just seem like a fraud, and that’s not who I am.

"I want to win bad, and whatever it takes. Like I said, I love all the guys here, so why wouldn’t I want the next man up that needs some money, why would I not give them an opportunity to get paid as well? I think I got a good amount of money and I don’t think a couple more [millions] will change my life, so I think it would be better to help everybody else out."

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Penguins Announce 2025 Hall Of Fame Class

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced their 2025 Hall of Fame class on Tuesday morning. 

Scotty Bowman, Eddie Johnston, Kevin Stevens, and Ron Francis were named to the Penguins' Hall of Fame and will be honored with a special on-ice ceremony before the Penguins' game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 25. 

Bowman started as the Penguins' Director of Player Personnel during the 1990-91 season before transitioning to head coach for the next two seasons. He helped guide the Penguins to their second Stanley Cup in franchise history during the 1991-92 season.

Johnston has spent nearly five decades with the Penguins, holding numerous roles. He has served as the head coach, general manager, assistant general manager, and senior advisor throughout his time with the franchise. As the GM, he selected Mario Lemieux with the first overall pick in the 1984 NHL Draft and traded for Paul Coffey and Kevin Stevens. 

As the Penguins head coach, Johnston compiled 232 wins, which ranks third in franchise history behind Mike Sullivan and Dan Bylsma. 

Stevens played for the Penguins from 1987-95 and later from 2000-02. He helped the Penguins win back-to-back cups in 1991 and 1992, and finished his Penguins tenure with 260 goals and 555 points in 522 games. His best individual season of his career came with the Penguins in 1991-92 when he amassed 54 goals and 123 points in 80 games. 

Francis spent eight seasons with the Penguins after being acquired from the Hartford Whalers in 1991, and helped the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups. He won the Selke Trophy as a member of the Penguins during the 1994-95 season and appeared in 533 games with the Penguins, finishing with 164 goals and 613 points. 

He's currently the president of hockey operations for the Seattle Kraken and is fifth on the NHL's all-time points list with 1,798. 

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more! 

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20 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #20

The Columbus Blue Jackets have 20 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Today, we look at the history of jersey #20. 

Let's take a look.

Martin Špaňhel - 2001-2002 - Drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1995.

Špaňhel played 10 games for Columbus during the first two years of the franchise and scored two goals. He never played another game in the NHL after leaving for Europe in 2002, playing in Czechia, Denmark, and Norway. 

He returned to North America in 2011 and played in the ECHL but then retired soon after. Nowadays he's the Commissioner of the Columbus Adult Hockey League.

Lasse Pirjetä - 2003-2004 - Drafted by Columbus in 2002. 

Pirjetä played 108 games and had 31 points for the Jackets. He played his final NHL games with Pittsburgh after being traded on March 10, 2004. 

He retired in 2008 after playing in Switzerland, Sweden, and Finland. He was also an asst. coach in Finland for various levels. 

Mike Rupp - 2006 - Drafted by the New York Islanders in 1998, and then the New jersey in 2000. (re-entry)

The Cleveland, Ohio native played 39 games for the Jackets in 2005-06, scoring four goals and totaling six points, after being traded to Columbus on on October 8, 2005. 

Rupp famously played for the Danbury Trashers during the lockout of 04-05 in the UHL. If you haven't watched that documentary on Netflix - DO IT! He retired in 2014. 

Nowadays he can be seen on The NHL Network as an analyst. He was also a broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Penguins for 8 years.

Curtis Glencross - 2007-2008 - Undrafted out of  Kindersley, Saskatchewan.

Glencross played 43 games as a Jacket and had 12 points. He was traded to the CBJ from the Anaheim Ducks on January 26, 2007. He was traded to the Edmonton Oilers in 2008 in exchange for Dick Tärnström. 

He finished his career playing for the Flames and Capitals and had some very good years. On October 20, 2015, Glencross retired. 

Kristian Huselius - 2009-2012 - Drafted by Florida in 1997. 

Huselius played 189 games for Columbus and had 142 points, after signing a four-year, $19 million contract with the CBJ. 

The ending of Huselius' career was a bit controversial. Huselius said that the Blue Jackets rushed his recovery, and that he was not given ample time to recover from a chest muscle injury. He said that he was forced into game action too early, which resulted in him pulling his groin muscle, and forcing him to miss the rest of the season with a slow recovery.

On 8 January 2013, Huselius retired from hockey. 

Tim Erixon - 2013-2015 - Drafted by Calgary in 2009. 

Erixon came to Columbus in the deal for Rick Nash. He only played 52 games as a Jacket and had 11 points. He was traded to the Blackhawks in December of 2014. 

In 2019, he left for Sweden, where he would play for the Växjö Lakers HC for two seasons, and then with the Timrå IK, where he still plays today. He is currently listed as out indefinitely due to a herniated disc.  

William Karlsson - 2015 - Drafted by Anaheim in 2011.

It's a common misconception that Karlsson was drafted by the CBJ. Taken by the Anaheim Ducks in 2011, he was traded to the Jackets in March 2015. He played 165 games for Columbus and had 47 points, mostly as a fourth-line grinder and penalty killer.

He was chosen by Vegas in the expansion draft of 2017 and has been there ever since. His career in Vegas has been up and down, but he's managed to get 396 points playing for Vegas. In 2018, he won the Lady Byng, and in 2023, he helped his team win their first Stanley Cup. 

Brandon Saad - 2016-2017 - 

Saad played 160 games as a Jacket and had 106 points. Saad came to Columbus on June 30, 2015, in a trade with Chicago. On June 23, 2017, Saad was sent back to Chicago, along with Anton Forsberg for dynamic winger Artemi Panarin, Tyler Motte, and a sixth-round draft pick in 2017. 

He currently plays for the Vegas Golden Knights, and is signed through 25-26. 

Riley Nash - 2019-2021 - Drafted by Edmonton in 2007.

Played 179 games for the Jackets. He scored 10 goals and 33 points during his time in Columbus. He was traded to Toronto in 2021 and has bounced around since, playing for Winnipeg, Tampa Bay, Arizona, and New York. 

He announced his retirement on July 8, 2025 after suffering a season ending knee injury that caused him to miss the entirety of 2024-25.  

There are 20 days left until opening night at NWA.

The pre-season schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, Sept. 23 at Buffalo Sabres, 7 p.m. ET

Wednesday, Sept. 24 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET

Saturday, Sept. 27 at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET

Tuesday, Sept. 30 vs. Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

Saturday, Oct. 4 at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET

* Games in bold are home games * 

After that, the Blue Jackets will open the regular season on the road against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

Let us know what you think below.

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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Former Kings broadcaster Alex Faust to replace Bob Costas on TNT's MLB playoff coverage

Left, broadcaster Alex Faus. Right, Bob Costas.
Alex Faust, left, is taking over MLB playoffs announcing from Bob Costas. (Getty Images; Associated Press)

The successor to Bob Costas as play-by-play voice on TNT's Major League Baseball postseason games will be the same broadcaster who replaced the legendary Bob Miller in 2017 after Miller retired following a 44-year Hall of Fame career with the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL.

Yes, Alex Faust has experience replacing a titan of the airwaves.

Costas, of course, is another Hall of Famer, and he also retired after 44 years. His final MLB call was the 2024 American League Division Series in which the New York Yankees defeated the Kansas City Royals in four games.

Faust, 36, currently calls Friday Night MLB games streamed on Apple TV+. He also is the radio voice of the New York Rangers and has been part of hockey and tennis coverage at TNT Sports. Faust left the Kings in 2023 when their television deal with Bally Sports expired.

Costas will continue to appear on MLB Network but won't do play-by-play. His most recent appearance on the airwaves was as a guest on the NPR news quiz "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" on Sept. 13.

After telling stories about not making his high school baseball team and recounting an embarrassing, mildly profane gaffe he made on air early in his career, Costas answered all three game show questions about the Emmy Awards correctly.

Read more:2025 Emmy Awards: The complete list of winners

Costas joked that he had accomplished "the trifecta, the hat trick, the triple crown." Host Peter Segal asked what the show should call it when someone goes 3 for 3. Costas laughed and replied, "The Costi."

He probably should have an award named after him. Costas, 73, has received 29 Emmys and was the prime-time host of 12 Olympic Games from 1988 through 2016. He called three World Series and 10 MLB league championships.

Costas stepped down from MLB play-by-play in November, telling Tom Verducci of MLB Network that he had planned to retire for more than a year, saying, "I couldn't consistently reach my past standard."

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Hot Guardians look to complete historic comeback as they host Tigers with AL Central up for grabs

CLEVELAND — The Detroit Tigers left Cleveland on July 6 with a commanding 15 1/2-game lead in the American League Central after a series sweep of the Guardians, who had dropped 10 straight.

When the Tigers get to Progressive Field, they will be trying to avoid suffering the worst collapse since baseball went to divisions in 1969.

Detroit (85-71) has a 1-game lead going into the three-game series. The Tigers were up 10 1/2 games when September started, but have gone 5-13 and have dropped six straight and nine of 10.

“This last month, a lot of people could say we were out of it. I think (players) could have started to look at their numbers and just tried to look to the offseason,” Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan said. “But we’ve been playing some really unselfish baseball, grinding together, sticking together. It’s been really fun, and we’ve got a really exciting week coming up.”

Cleveland (84-72) is an MLB-best 16-5 this month and has won 10 of 11. It has also added momentum after sweeping a three-game series last week in Detroit.

The Guardians have a 6-4 lead in the season series and need a win in one of the three games for an advantage should tiebreakers come into play.

“We couldn’t be more excited to get back home. The boys are ready, we know what is at stake, and it’s going to be a lot of fun this week,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said.

Cleveland is the first team since the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers to have a 10-game winning streak and 10-game losing skid in the same season. However, it is looking to become the first AL team to make the postseason despite having a 10-game losing streak. The Guardians would join the 2017 Dodgers, 1982 Atlanta Braves and 1951 New York Giants.

Even though the Guardians lost 6-2 to Minnesota, they are tied with Houston for the final wild-card spot and hold the tiebreaker after winning the season series.

The Guardians have had the majors’ best pitching staff this month. Their 2.32 ERA is 1.01 better than the next closest team and a marked improvement from the 3.92 ERA it had the first five-plus months of the season.

The starting staff — 11-1 with a 2.02 ERA in September — has allowed two or fewer runs in a franchise-record 17 straight games. It is the first rotation to achieve that since the 2019 Tampa Bay Rays had a 19-game run.

Third baseman José Ramírez — who has his third career 30 home run/30 stolen base season — and Kwan have led the offense all season, but others have started to pick up the slack. Catcher Bo Naylor has an RBI in a career-high six straight games and has driven in 14 since Sept. 10.

Cleveland has a .740 OPS this month, which is third in the American League after being last for most of the season.

The Tigers are trying to avoid being compared to the 1978 Boston Red Sox, who squandered a 14-game lead in the AL East and lost a one-game playoff to the New York Yankees.

Detroit’s pitching staff had a 3.80 ERA through August, fourth-best in the American League. In its last 18 games, the ERA is 5.32, third-worst in the AL.

The Tigers’ offense has posted a collective .671 OPS thus far in September, which is 11th in the AL. The team’s OPS through August was .740, fifth-best in the AL.

Manager A.J. Hinch said after a 6-2 loss to Atlanta that he hasn’t seen his players pouting or conceding despite the rough month.

“I’m going to remind everybody that we’re a first-place team, and right now, it’s hard for everybody to look at us that way because of the way the last week was,” Hinch said. “But we’ve got an exciting week of baseball ahead and the biggest challenge this team has faced.

“Our destiny is controlled by us against a team that’s been as hot as you can get in baseball. We get to play them in a three-game series. Sign me up.”

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Alex Pietrangelo hopes to avoid surgery, possibly play for Golden Knights this season

LAS VEGAS — Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has not ruled out playing again for the Golden Knights — even this season — hoping to avoid surgery as he goes through rehabilitation on his injured hip.

Vegas placed him on long-term injured reserve earlier this year, which gave the Golden Knights room under the salary cap to sign prized sign-and-trade acquisition Mitch Marner.

At the time, it was announced that Pietrangelo would undergo surgery for bilateral femur reconstruction that most certainly would have ended any hopes of playing this season. Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon even doubted Pietrangelo would play again.

But the 35-year-old Pietrangelo said in a news conference he has responded well to rehab and was keeping an open mind about playing this season. He has two seasons remaining on a seven-year, $61.6 million contract.

“Nothing’s really concrete,” Pietrangelo said. “I’m going to take it day by day and go through my process and see where it goes.”

He said his hip has been a long-term issue, but particularly flared up last season.

Pietrangelo had planned to play for Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off at the NHL’s mid-season break, but withdrew from the tournament with the hopes of being healthy enough to contribute to a potential deep Golden Knights playoff run. It wasn’t an easy decision because Pietrangelo said he was disappointed that his wife and children didn’t get to see him play in that international event.

As for the Golden Knights, Vegas won the Pacific Division, but was eliminated in five games in the second round by eventual Western Conference champion Edmonton.

“Last year was when (the injury) really took a toll,” Pietrangelo said. “I couldn’t exactly pinpoint why. By the time it really started to get to me last year, to try and address it with how good of a team we had, it would’ve cut the whole year off for me.

“When you have a roster like we did and you have an opportunity you think to win, that’s a tough thing to give up. So that didn’t really cross my mind. I didn’t really know exactly what we were dealing with until the end of the season.”

He talked about the importance not only of keeping this chapter on his playing career open, but also of making sure he was healthy enough to do the things involved with being a good dad and husband.

Pietrangelo has remained in Las Vegas to be close to his teammates and maybe even help younger players either with the main club or the American Hockey League affiliate in nearby Henderson.

As a key member of two Stanley Cup championship teams — St. Louis in 2019 and Vegas in 2023 — Pietrangelo carries the gravitas of an accomplished veteran player. He also has 637 points in his 17-year career.

“I love being part of a locker room,” Pietrangelo said. “Anybody that’s played sports, especially at our age, to get together with the guys, it’s been really, really fun to come here and still see everybody and be part of the group.”

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San Diego Padres earn a playoff spot for the 4th time in 6 seasons

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres are headed back to the playoffs for the fourth time in six seasons.

The Padres clinched a playoff berth with a 5-4, 11-inning win against the three-time NL Central champion Milwaukee Brewers.

Freddy Fermin, acquired from Kansas City at the trade deadline on July 31, singled in automatic runner Bryce Johnson with one out in the 11th to set off a wild celebration in front of a sellout crowd of 42,371 at Petco Park.

The Padres pulled within 2 1/2 games of the idle Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West race and 2 1/2 games behind the idle Chicago Cubs in the race for the National League’s first of three wild card spots.

Manny Machado, shirtless, wearing sunglasses and drenched with beer and Champagne, says he feels good about the team’s chances in the playoffs.

“Everything is different. But we’ve got heart,” Machado said. “Everybody wants it. It’s always a challenge. Baseball’s a challenge. It’s hard.”

Fermin was being interviewed when Machado stopped by and poured a shot of tequila into his mouth.

“I believe with this staff we have, we are going to the World Series,” said Fermin, the catcher. “It is very special, this moment. I don’t have words for this moment. Very special. First step, we’ve got to keep rolling this.”

The Padres’ road appears to be tougher than last year, when they swept the Atlanta Braves in a home wild-card series to earn a shot at the rival Dodgers. San Diego led 2-1 before their bats went so cold that they didn’t score in the last 24 innings as they lost the series in five games. The Dodgers went on to win the World Series.

“What this group has done this year, and even last year, to put this into place, and for us to go to the postseason two years in a row for the first time since 2005-06, is truly special,” second baseman Jake Cronenworth said.

If the current standings hold, the Padres would visit the Cubs for a best-of-3 wild-card series. The winner would move into the division series against the Brewers, who clinched their third straight division title and are in the postseason for the seventh time in eight seasons.

It’s been an interesting season for the Padres, who led the division for much of April before slipping back as they played .500 ball in May and sub-.500 ball in June. The Dodgers never could open a big lead, but the Padres never could regain the lead, except for brief stretches in August.

General manager A.J. Preller pulled off a major overhaul at the trade deadline on July 31, acquiring reliever Mason Miller from the Athletics, catcher Fermin from Kansas City and outfielders Ryan O’Hearn and Ramon Laureano from the Orioles.

The Padres became the first big league team to send three relievers to the All-Star Game when Jason Adam, closer Robert Suarez and left-hander Adrián Morejón were selected for the Midsummer Classic. Adam went down with a season-ending quadriceps injury on Sept. 1.

The Padres were prone to offensive slumps, particularly on the road.

But there were some defensive highlights, including several home run robberies by right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr.

Tatis missed the clincher with an undisclosed illness, but Machado included his teammate in the postgame celebration via FaceTime on his phone.

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Former Rangers Star Debuts With New Team

Chris Kreider (© Danny Wild-Imagn Images)

Back in June, the New York Rangers traded forward Chris Kreider and a 2025 fourth-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for prospect Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick. This was after Kreider was the subject of trade rumors throughout the 2024-25 campaign.

The Rangers trading Kreider to the Ducks was certainly significant, as the Boxford, Massachusetts native had been an important part of their core during his 13-year stint with the Original Six club. However, after a tough 2024-25 season, the Rangers wanted to shake up their roster, and Kreider was moved because of it. 

On Sep. 22, Kreider made his preseason debut for the Ducks in their 6-1 win over the Utah Mammoth. The longtime Rangers forward did not record a point in his preseason debut for Anaheim, but he did throw one hit and had a plus-1 rating. 

Kreider introduced Ducks fans to his gritty style of play, as he got into a scrum with Mammoth top prospect Tij Iginla, who is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla. 

Kreider is now expected to be a key veteran for the Ducks as they look to take that next step in their rebuild. It is going to be very interesting to see how much of an impact he can make for the Ducks once the regular season is here. 

In 883 games over 13 seasons with the Rangers, Kreider recorded 326 goals, 256 assists, 582 points, and 1,593 hits. The Rangers' 2009 first-round pick was also a two-time All-Star during his time with the Blueshirts. 

Recent Rangers News 

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Toews Set For Jets Debut in Preseason Clash With Oilers Tuesday

The Winnipeg Jets play second preseason game Tuesday in an all-Canadian matchup versus the Edmonton Oilers. 

The Winnipeg Jets look to rebound after a loss in the preseason opener when taking on a Canadian rival in the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. The Jets have made a habit of slow starts, losing five of their last six preseason openers. They’ve had recent preseason success against Edmonton however, holding an 3-0-1 record over their last four exhibition matchups. 

The most notable storyline heading into Tuesday is the Jets debut of hometown native Jonathan Toews. He will be playing with his future linemates during the season in Cole Perfetti and Gustav Nyquist. 

In their 3-2 overtime loss to the Wild on Sunday, Winnipeg blew a 2-0 first period lead and with Morgan Barron and Danny Zhilkin scoring the Jets goals. It was a tough night for recent AHL signee Phillip Di Giuseppe, who was a -2 on the night and will be looking to redeem himself over the next few preseason games in hopes of earning a spot back on an NHL roster. 

A name to look out for as a possible contender to be on the Jets main roster is Elias Salomonsson, who was the primary assist on Barron's goal but still suffered a -1 rating on the night. He'll need to bounce back as he has a real chance to make the main roster and work in as a seventh defenseman. Salomonsson could even earn regular minutes if he slots in behind the 35-year-old Luke Schenn and the veteran gets injuried. 

The dynamic duo of Kevin He and Zhilkin was a sight to see in the opener as the two combined on a highlight reel goal and got fans excited about what the future may hold with the two young prospects. He was optioned back to the OHL to play with the Niagara Icedogs but Zhilkin will continue to get an extended look. The Russian winger has made a name for himself after recording two goals and two assists through two prospect games last week in Montreal. 

At training camp, Zhilkin was placed in a group with the likes of Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Gabe Vilardi, which is a good sign as many have noted that Zhilkin is a curious player that is always looking to improve his game and will ask questions with few better players to ask then the Jets elite top line trio. The Jets former third round pick in 2022, has since posted just 17 points in 97 games over two years with the Manitoba Moose but his continual desire to improve has made him a favorite among the coaching staffs. 

“[Zhilkin]’s had some conversations with people within our organization, not only (Moose head coach) Mark Morrison, but [Kevin Cheveldayoff], Jimmy Roy, different people have talked to him,” Arniel said following the preseason opener “That’s got him thinking about what it takes to play at this level, I watched that game in Montreal and I saw the highlights of the second game and he was one of our best players there and again, he was good tonight.”

Jets Make Six Roster Cuts, Send Kevin He Back to JuniorJets Make Six Roster Cuts, Send Kevin He Back to JuniorThe Winnipeg Jets announced six roster transactions on Monday afternoon. 

Salomonsson and many others will look to bring their best when hosting the defending back-to-back Western Conference Champions. Click Here if you want to check out more expanded storylines on the Jets training camp roster. 

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Flyers want Zegras (and the power play) in attack mode

Flyers want Zegras (and the power play) in attack mode originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

VOORHEES, N.J. — With fans huddled around the boards last Saturday for the Flyers’ training camp scrimmage, Trevor Zegras had everyone’s attention as he skated into a 2-on-1 opportunity alongside Matvei Michkov.

Zegras, a talented playmaker who loves to facilitate, pumped the brakes a bit and looked for Michkov. Eventually, the Flyers’ new center had to shoot, ripping one into the goalie’s leg pad.

While Rick Tocchet likes all the skill in Zegras’ game, he would have liked some decisiveness there, too. Maybe even some selfishness.

“I know he wants to pass to Michkov, he’s waiting, he’s waiting and at that point, he puts himself out of [space]. He has got to attack,” the Flyers’ new head coach said last Saturday. “I’ve got to get him to attack because he’s such a good little player. But that’s why we have training camp at the start of the year. He has got a lot of tools that we can work with, which excites our staff.

“But there are certain parts of the game, he has got to attack a little bit more inside, and he will. I’ve had him for three days, so I’m not worried about it. I will give him a lot of credit, he’s skating really well out here, really well, and it seems like he’s in pretty good shape.”

The Flyers made a headline-grabbing trade in June to acquire Zegras from the Ducks. The 2019 ninth overall pick was the runner-up for the Calder Trophy in 2021-22 and then scored a career-high 65 points the following season.

But he became a change-of-scenery candidate with Anaheim over the last two seasons. His production dipped, he battled injuries and he bounced to the wing. To open this season, it sure looks like the Flyers want to give him a shot at being a top-six center.

“I’ve played center my whole hockey career up until last season,” Zegras said last Thursday, “so I definitely feel a little bit more comfortable through the middle of the ice.”

To be more effective at center, the 24-year-old knows he’ll have to improve his game in the dot. He has a 40.1 career faceoff percentage. His new teammate Sean Couturier is one of the better faceoff guys in the league.

“I was laughing with him, I was playing the new video game (NHL 26) and his X factor is faceoffs,” Zegras said, “so I went right to him and was like, ‘What do you got for me?'”

The Flyers are hoping Zegras’ high-end vision and skill give them a significant boost on the power play. The club has sported an NHL-worst 13.7 power play percentage over the last four seasons combined.

New assistant coaches Yogi Svejkovsky and Jay Varady will team up to run the power play.

“They’re great communicators, excellent at teaching concepts,” Tocchet said last Friday. “We’re not about plays, we’re about concepts. … You don’t want to make these guys robotic. Sometimes power plays are robotic. Football, it’s like, ‘You’re going here.’ It’s a little different. If the [penalty kill] does this, what is your concept from that? … I think we’ve got to let these guys be carefree, but there are also concepts.”

At the start of last Saturday’s scrimmage, the Flyers worked on their power play. The first unit consisted of Zegras, Couturier, Michkov, Travis Konecny and Jamie Drysdale. The second unit had Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, Bobby Brink, Owen Tippett and Travis Sanheim on it, while Cam York and Christian Dvorak rotated in for some reps.

Similar to what he wants to see from Zegras, Tocchet will look for the Flyers’ power play to be assertive.

“You beat pressure, we have to attack the interior,” he said. “I didn’t see that much last year. You have to be able to take those shots from the middle of the point to open up power plays. You’ve got to take that shot, so we’ve got to make sure whoever’s up there, he’s going to bomb away if that’s what the team’s going to give us.

“Whatever the team gives you and it’s a Grade A, you take it. We’re not looking for tic-tac-toes. If they’re there, take it. To me, be aggressive. The best power plays are the teams that break pressure and they attack, so that’s what we’re going to do.”

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England lay down gauntlet after naming five 90mph seamers in Ashes squad

  • Wood, Archer, Atkinson, Carse and Tongue lead attack

  • Will Jacks gets nod over Rehan Ahmed as reserve spinner

Already the quickest scoring team in Test cricket, England will hit Australia with their fastest bowling attack in a generation – perhaps all time – after announcing their 16-man squad for this winter’s Ashes.

A late curveball from Rob Key’s panel is the inclusion of Surrey’s Will Jacks, offering an attacking option with the bat and serving as the reserve spinner to Shoaib Bashir. Otherwise the squad is largely as expected, including confirmation that Harry Brook, not Ollie Pope, will be vice-captain to Ben Stokes when the first Test begins in Perth on 21 November.

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Reds Overtake Mets in MLB Playoff Chase, With $222M to Spare

If MLB’s playoffs started today, the Cincinnati Reds would be in, and the New York Mets would be out.

The Reds and Mets both have an 80-76 record with six games to play; the only thing currently separating the two teams in the race for the National League’s final wild card spot is Cincinnati’s head-to-head tiebreaker. But their place in a ranking of baseball payrolls is a different matter altogether.

The Mets spent the second most on players this year—their $341 million salary ledger trails only the Dodgers’ $350 million mark. The Reds, meanwhile, are 22nd in player spending at $119 million, according to Spotrac. New York’s Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto make more between them than every active Cincy player combined. The $222 differential between the rosters would itself be the eighth biggest tab in MLB.

A similar battle is playing out in the American League. The Cleveland Guardians would be the lowest-paid team in the playoffs, with a $101 million roster, if they can hold off the Houston Astros, who are spending $233 million this year, the sixth most in MLB. The Guardians and Astros are tied at 84-72 entering Tuesday. Both clubs are also only a game behind the Boston Red Sox, who rank 12th with a $200 million payroll. The Sox number jumps to $245 million when including their luxury tax obligations.

In June, the Mets boasted MLB’s best record, but New York has lost 11 of its last 15 games—and control of its playoff destiny. Their slide has also kept the Arizona Diamondbacks alive. The Diamondbacks are one game back, though FanGraphs only gives the team a 6% chance of playing in October. 

Playoffs can be lucrative; Dodgers participants earned close to $500,000 each during their 2024 World Series run. That cash would be particularly meaningful for the 12 active Reds competitors getting less than $1 million in salary this season. 

The dueling wild card races are playing out amid increased chatter about the potential of a salary cap coming to MLB after the current collective bargaining agreement expires at the end of 2026. A cap was a key sticking point in the negotiations that ultimately led to the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. 

Mets struggles could help cool the clamor for a cap, especially with the Dodgers not currently looking like a juggernaut, either. LA currently has just a 1.8% chance to claim a bye, according to FanGraphs’ projections. At present, six of the top 10 highest-spending teams are slated for postseason appearances, with the Texas Rangers (seventh in payroll) and Braves (eighth) also on the outside looking in. 

“How do we compete?” one midsized-market team president told ESPN recently. “We try to do everything right. We draft well. We develop well. And then we get the s— kicked out of us by clubs that buy their players.”

One answer? Look to Ohio. 

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