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Stay or Go: Should the Mets trade David Peterson?

As the 2025 Mets devolved from a team with World Series hopes to one that missed the playoffs, the main culprit behind their fall was the pitching -- the starting rotation specifically. 

Among the issues?

The season-ending injuries suffered by Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill in June, the summer struggles of Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga, and the transition from reliever to starter that led to truncated starts by Clay Holmes.

When it comes toDavid Peterson, it was a tale of two seasons.

The left-hander charged out of the gate and maintained his excellence through Aug. 1, earning his first All-Star nod along the way.

Things changed after that, with Peterson regressing to the point where he wasn't a serious consideration to start the Mets' final game of the season against the Marlins in Miami, which he was on regular rest for. 

Peterson is arbitration-eligible for the final time ahead of 2026, and will be set for free agency after the season.

Should he be part of the Mets' starting rotation calculus, or is it time for New York to explore a trade?

New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) reacts after allowing a grand slam home run to San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Citi Field
New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) reacts after allowing a grand slam home run to San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Citi Field / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images

WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO TRADE PETERSON

The last nine starts of Peterson's season were alarmingly bad, as he posted an 8.42 ERA while allowing 52 hits in 41.2 innings.

If you include just the last five starts, he had a 12.54 ERA while allowing 33 hits in 18.2 innings.

The ERA cited above is a inflated a bit due to the clunker Peterson had on Sept. 23, when he surrendered five runs on five hits in just 1.1 innings against the Cubs in Chicago. That was his last appearance of the season.

Peterson's issues down the stretch were shocking after the way he pitched over the first four months (when he posted a 2.83 ERA), but they were also a reminder that he has never put together back-to-back strong seasons.

Here's Peterson's ERA by year:

2020: 3.44
2021: 5.54
2022: 3.83
2023: 5.03
2024: 2.90
2025: 4.22

Peterson also hasn't been an innings-eater, with the 168.2 frames he threw in 2025 being the highest total of his career by far.

Before this past season, Peterson's previous high was 121.0.

Jul 10, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Mets pitcher David Peterson (23) delivers during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Jul 10, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New York Mets pitcher David Peterson (23) delivers during the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Mitch Stringer - Imagn Images

WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO KEEP PETERSON

While the last few months of Peterson's season were unsightly, there's reason to believe he was also the recipient of bad luck on balls in play.

Peterson's ERA over his final nine starts was 8.42, but his FIP was 3.88 -- suggesting that lots of bounces did not go his way and that poor defense behind him played a part. 

It's also fair to wonder whether the innings increase was partially to blame for how poorly he performed in August and September, with Peterson's downturn going pretty much hand-in-hand with him passing his previous career high for innings in a season. 

There's also Peterson's contract status to take into account.

With Peterson entering his final season of arbitration, his expected salary is $7.6 million. That means he is low-risk, high-reward.

In the event Peterson struggles, he can easily be replaced without the Mets having to think too hard about it. One way or the other, there is no commitment beyond 2026.

Health should also be considered here.

Unlike Manaea and Senga, Peterson -- whose last major injury came in 2023 and resulted in offseason hip surgery -- made 30 starts in 2025 as he took the ball every turn without issue. 

New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park.
New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

VERDICT

I theorized the following in our stay or go piece revolving around Senga:

Using logic and deductive reasoning, it's fair to believe that three pitchers might be penciled in right now as members of the Mets' 2026 rotation: Holmes, Manaea, and Nolan McLean.

That would leave room for two (or three, if the Mets use a six-man rotation) other members of the starting staff.

As the front office factors in the other young starters (Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong), they'll likely also add one, if not two, members to the rotation externally -- with a trade arguably being the most sensible way to import a top of the rotation starter.

But even with New York potentially having lots of options, they learned the hard way this past season that you can truly never have enough starting pitching.

In a world where the Mets are pitching-rich and feel comfortable, they can always explore a trade of Peterson during the 2026 season. They could also utilize him in relief, where he excelled during the 2024 postseason. Or perhaps he's just good and needed and sticks in the rotation. 

That's why it should be an easy call to retain Peterson this offseason, whether the team envisions him beginning the year in the rotation or not. 

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These 5 MLB teams have never won the World Series

These 5 MLB teams have never won the World Series originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The World Series has been around for more than 120 years, but some teams are still waiting for their chance to lift the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Teams like the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox and Athletics have been crowned champions plenty of times in their history. Other teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals and, most recently, the Texas Rangers have gotten their first taste of World Series glory in the 21st century.

Several teams are still chasing their first championship in 2025, though. Could this be the year that another first-time champion joins the club?

Let’s look at the MLB teams that have never won a World Series title: 

Which MLB teams have never won the World Series?

After the Rangers won their first title in 2023, there are still five MLB organizations have never won the World Series — including two that are still alive in the 2025 postseason.

  • Milwaukee Brewers*
  • Seattle Mariners*
  • San Diego Padres
  • Tampa Bay Rays
  • Colorado Rockies

Milwaukee and Seattle are both seeking their first World Series as they battle in the NLCS and ALCS, respectively. If they can both advance to the World Series, we will be guaranteed to have a first time winner.

MLB teams with multiple World Series appearances but no titles

Two of the teams that have never won the World Series have played in it multiple times.

Among the teams without a title, the Rays have the most recent World Series appearance. Tampa Bay made its World Series debut in 2008 and lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. It got back to the World Series in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Then there are the San Diego Padres. The team reached the World Series for the first time in 1984 and got back in 1998. The Padres made it to the NLCS in 2022, but it was the Phillies that reached the Fall Classic thanks to a gentleman’s sweep. The last two years have ended with losses in the NLDS (2024) and NL Wild Card (2025).

MLB teams with one World Series appearance but no title

The Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies each have one World Series appearance under their belts.

Milwaukee’s came in 1982, back when it was in the American League. The Brewers took a 3-2 series lead over the Cardinals before dropping Games 6 and 7 in St. Louis. Now, the Brewers are seeking their first World Series appearance in 43 years as they face the Dodgers in the 2025 NLCS. Their closest call to making it back came on the same stage against the Dodgers in 2018 when they lost in Game 7 of the NLCS.

The Rockies stormed into the 2007 World Series after sweeping their way through the NLDS and NLCS. They got a taste of their own medicine in the World Series, though, as the Red Sox broke out the brooms in four games. Colorado has won just one postseason game since clinching the 2007 NL pennant, and it hasn’t finished above .500 in a season since 2018.

MLB teams with no World Series appearances

The World Series has never taken place in Seattle — but that could be changing in 2025.

The Mariners are the only MLB team that has yet to reach the Fall Classic, though they have come close.

The team reached the ALCS three times from 1995 to 2001. The 2001 ALCS defeat at the hands of the Yankees came after the Mariners tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs with an MLB-record 116 regular season wins. Their closest calls came in 1995 and 2000, when they lost in six games.

Reaching the playoffs, let alone the World Series, has been a struggle ever since. Seattle went through a 20-year playoff drought before clinching a berth in 2022, where it won a Wild Card Series over the Toronto Blue Jays before getting swept by the Astros in the ALDS. Now, they’ll have to defeat the Blue Jays again in the 2025 ALCS to make their Fall Classic debut.

An earlier version of this story was published in October 2023.

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These 5 MLB teams have never won the World Series

These 5 MLB teams have never won the World Series originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The World Series has been around for more than 120 years, but some teams are still waiting for their chance to lift the Commissioner’s Trophy.

Teams like the New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox and Athletics have been crowned champions plenty of times in their history. Other teams like the Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals and, most recently, the Texas Rangers have gotten their first taste of World Series glory in the 21st century.

Several teams are still chasing their first championship in 2025, though. Could this be the year that another first-time champion joins the club?

Let’s look at the MLB teams that have never won a World Series title: 

Which MLB teams have never won the World Series?

After the Rangers won their first title in 2023, there are still five MLB organizations have never won the World Series — including two that are still alive in the 2025 postseason.

  • Milwaukee Brewers*
  • Seattle Mariners*
  • San Diego Padres
  • Tampa Bay Rays
  • Colorado Rockies

Milwaukee and Seattle are both seeking their first World Series as they battle in the NLCS and ALCS, respectively. If they can both advance to the World Series, we will be guaranteed to have a first time winner.

MLB teams with multiple World Series appearances but no titles

Two of the teams that have never won the World Series have played in it multiple times.

Among the teams without a title, the Rays have the most recent World Series appearance. Tampa Bay made its World Series debut in 2008 and lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. It got back to the World Series in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Then there are the San Diego Padres. The team reached the World Series for the first time in 1984 and got back in 1998. The Padres made it to the NLCS in 2022, but it was the Phillies that reached the Fall Classic thanks to a gentleman’s sweep. The last two years have ended with losses in the NLDS (2024) and NL Wild Card (2025).

MLB teams with one World Series appearance but no title

The Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies each have one World Series appearance under their belts.

Milwaukee’s came in 1982, back when it was in the American League. The Brewers took a 3-2 series lead over the Cardinals before dropping Games 6 and 7 in St. Louis. Now, the Brewers are seeking their first World Series appearance in 43 years as they face the Dodgers in the 2025 NLCS. Their closest call to making it back came on the same stage against the Dodgers in 2018 when they lost in Game 7 of the NLCS.

The Rockies stormed into the 2007 World Series after sweeping their way through the NLDS and NLCS. They got a taste of their own medicine in the World Series, though, as the Red Sox broke out the brooms in four games. Colorado has won just one postseason game since clinching the 2007 NL pennant, and it hasn’t finished above .500 in a season since 2018.

MLB teams with no World Series appearances

The World Series has never taken place in Seattle — but that could be changing in 2025.

The Mariners are the only MLB team that has yet to reach the Fall Classic, though they have come close.

The team reached the ALCS three times from 1995 to 2001. The 2001 ALCS defeat at the hands of the Yankees came after the Mariners tied the 1906 Chicago Cubs with an MLB-record 116 regular season wins. Their closest calls came in 1995 and 2000, when they lost in six games.

Reaching the playoffs, let alone the World Series, has been a struggle ever since. Seattle went through a 20-year playoff drought before clinching a berth in 2022, where it won a Wild Card Series over the Toronto Blue Jays before getting swept by the Astros in the ALDS. Now, they’ll have to defeat the Blue Jays again in the 2025 ALCS to make their Fall Classic debut.

An earlier version of this story was published in October 2023.

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Draymond Green seemingly torches Lakers' Dalton Knecht with trade deadline jab

Draymond Green seemingly torches Lakers' Dalton Knecht with trade deadline jab originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers’ preseason matchup Sunday night featured a familiar sight — Draymond Green taunting an opponent.

Midway through the game, Los Angeles center Deandre Ayton stepped to the line for a pair of free throws. After Ayton sank the first, cameras appeared to catch rookie forward Dalton Knecht seemingly trash-talking the Golden State veteran near the paint.

Green — never one to back down — quickly fired back.

“He talking s—t like he ain’t get traded and sent back. F—k wrong with him,” Green said.

The moment Green referenced came from one of the strangest twists of last season. In the span of just a few days, Dalton Knecht went from being a Los Angeles Laker, to a Charlotte Hornet, and back to a Laker again — all before he’d even unpacked.

At the February trade deadline, the Lakers agreed to send Knecht, Cam Reddish, a 2030 pick swap and their 2031 first-round pick to Charlotte in exchange for 7-foot center Mark Williams. But the deal collapsed after Williams reportedly failed his physical, nullifying the trade and sending Knecht back to Los Angeles.

Knecht later told reporters the whirlwind felt “like a movie” — a surreal experience of being traded, traveling to meet his new team, and then returning to the same locker room days later.

Green, known for his fiery competitiveness, clearly hasn’t forgotten.

Preseason or not, Green showed once again he doesn’t need the regular season to bring his usual regular-season energy.

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Pogacar rules cycling world with total pedal power after brushing off mid-season blues

A fifth successive Il Lombardia triumph completed another dominant season for the Slovenian, while on the women’s tour Pauline Ferrand-Prévot divided opinion

Tadej Pogacar’s command of world cycling now seems limitless. The Slovenian ended 2025 as he began it, dominating a coveted Italian classic, Il Lombardia, to win the “race of the falling leaves” for the fifth time straight.

The 27-year-old had started his European season by winning the Tuscan gravel race, Strade Bianche. He closed it having matched Italian icon Fausto Coppi’s record of five Lombardy wins and Eddy Merckx’s achievement of winning three “monument” races, the Tour de France and the world road race title in the same year.

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Columbus Blue Jackets (2 pts) vs. New Jersey Devils (2 pts) Game Preview

The Blue Jackets host the New Jersey Devils at Nationwide Arena tonight in the home opener. 

The home opener for Columbus is always a great event. Before, during, and after the game is always a fun time in the arena district. I encourage you to attend. 

Now for the game. The Blue Jackets seem to always have a hard time winning against the Devils, so this one could be tough. The CBJ are coming in off a crazy game in Minnesota, where they gave up four power play goals and took 8, yes 8, penalties. That cannot happen again if they stand a chance against the NJD.

The Devils come into Columbus having beaten the Tampa Bay Lightning by a score of 5-3 on Saturday. Connor Brown scored a pair of goals in the win. Jacob Markstrom has started both games for New Jersey so far and expect him to get the nod in favor of Jake Allen tonight. 

CBJ defenseman Erik Gudbranson took a hard shot from Marcus Foligno that sent him from the game on Saturday night. We'll find out later if he can go, or if Jake Christiansen will need to step in. 

Blue Jackets Stats

  • Power Play - 25% - 9th in NHL
  • Penalty Kill - 58.3% - 30th in NHL
  • Goals For - 8 - T-4th in NHL
  • Goals Against - 6 - T-2nd in NHL

Devils Stats

  • Power Play - 0% - 28th in NHL
  • Penalty Kill - 85.7% - 12th in NHL
  • Goals For - 8 - T-4th in NHL
  • Goals Against - 9 - T-7th in NHL

Series History vs. The Devils

  • Columbus is 29-21-1-3, and 17-11-0 at home all-time vs. New Jersey
  • The Blue Jackets went 1-2 vs. the Devils last season, and lost the only game played at NWA.
  • The CBJ have killed 27 of the last 30 Devils power plays over the last 14 games at NWA.

Who To Watch For The Devils

  • Luke Hughes leads the Devils through two games in assists and points with 4.
  • Jesper Bratt leads NJD with two goals.
  • Jacob Markstrom is 1-1 with an .837 SV%.

CBJ Player Notes vs. Devils

  • Sean Monahan has 25 points in 20 career games against NJD.
  • Zach Werenski has 9 points in 24 games against the Devils.
  • Boone Jenner has 20 points in 36 games against New Jersey

Injuries - None

TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 0

How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FanDuel Sports Network. Steve Mears will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 The Fan, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.

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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Islanders Send Top Forward Prospect Calum Ritchie To Bridgeport

The New York Islanders have sent forward prospect Calum Ritchie to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League. 

The 20-year-old was rather impressive during training camp and the preseason, but due to a lack of an opening in the top nine, especially at the center position, it was unlikely that he'd make the team.

Calum Ritchie Continues Making Waves In Bid for Islanders Roster SpotCalum Ritchie Continues Making Waves In Bid for Islanders Roster SpotNEW YORK, NY -- The chances of New York Islanders prospect Calum Ritchie making the team out of training camp are slim -- it's not zero. 

Because Ritchie sustained a minor lower-body injury in the Islanders' preseason finale against the Philadelphia Flyers, he began the season on Season-Opening Injured Reserve. 

The belief was that when he was healthy, if the Islanders were healthy, he'd be heading back to Bridgeport, where he could play big minutes for head coach Rocky Thompson and a new and improved AHL squad.

Ritchie had practiced the last two days, so it was only a matter of time before he was optioned to the AHL.

Last season, after making the Colorado Avalanche out of training camp, Ritchie played seven NHL games -- all on wing -- scoring one goal, which happened to come against Ilya Sorokin.

The Avalanche returned him to the OHL's Oshawa Generals for the remainder of the season, as he was not eligible due to his age to play in the AHL.

He'll likely get his first taste of that league, when Bridgeport on Friday, Oct. 2 host the Providence Bruins at 7 PM ET. 

Bridgeport is coming off a 6-2 win over the Belleville Senators and is 1-0-1-0 on the young season. 

Defenseman Marshall Warren is tied atop the AHL leaderboards with four points (two goals, two assists).

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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Mazzulla makes emphatic point about Celtics' preseason rebounding woes

Mazzulla makes emphatic point about Celtics' preseason rebounding woes originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

An often exasperated Joe Mazzulla spent much of his Sunday night pointing down the bench for subs each time his team failed to secure a defensive rebound against the star-less Cleveland Cavaliers.

During one sequence midway through the second quarter, Mazzulla called for three subs in less than 20 seconds as his team gave up three consecutive offensive rebounds before a 24-second violation mercifully ended the possession.

Anfernee Simons got caught out of position and Mazzulla pointed to Derrick White to replace him. Neemias Queta couldn’t corral the next misfire and Mazzulla called for Josh Minott to sub in. When rookie Hugo Gonzalez failed to secure the next rebound opportunity, Sam Hauser joined the growing cluster at the scorer’s table.

It felt like a bit the scene in Christmas Vacation where Clark Griswold brings a gift to his boss, Frank Shirley. An annoyed Shirley doesn’t have time for small talk and picks up his office phone and tells his secretary, “Get me somebody. Anybody. And get me someone while I’m waiting!”

Boston’s defensive rebound rate this preseason is 64.3 percent. That’s 7.4 percent below the team’s 71.7 defensive rebound rate last season, which ranked seventh in the NBA. The Celtics’ current 64.3 percent mark would have been 3.5 percent worse than last-place Philadelphia for the entirety of the 2024-25 season.

Mazzulla has had a short leash on his players all preseason for their miscues, particularly on the glass, and it was on full display on Sunday night. The Cavaliers attempted a staggering 102 field goal attempts, making just 36. That’s 66 misfires, with Boston securing just 39 offensive rebounds. (The Cavs had 21 offensive rebounds.)

Boston’s defensive rebound rate of 59.7 percent on Sunday was its worst of the preseason. The first two games were nothing to write home about, either (68.5 percent vs. Toronto; 66.1 percent vs. Memphis)

Mazzulla, already seemingly riled up after answering a postgame query about 3-pointers, bristled at multiple postgame questions surrounding the team’s rebounding woes. He repeatedly noted the team simply needed to, “Find five guys that will rebound.”

The Celtics produced a 31-point preseason victory on Sunday night, and you would have through they lost by 31 based on Mazzulla’s postgame tone. But this team has always emphasized process over results.

After the offseason departures of Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, and Al Horford, rebounding was bound to be in the spotlight to start the new campaign. The Celtics have received positive output from some of their new faces, including the trio of Chris Boucher, Luka Garza, and Josh Minott. But how the big-man rotation will shake out remains unclear just nine days before the start of the season.

Neemias Queta had an excellent summer playing for Portugal at EuroBasket but has had two rough showings to start the preseason. Newcomers Boucher and Garza have been sharper, but no combination of players has quite solved Boston’s rebounding issues.

Mazzulla has experimented this preseason starting double-big lineups with Boucher at one of the big man spots, then went single big with Boucher on Sunday night. It was 6-foot-4 Derrick White who led the Celtics with seven rebounds against the Cavaliers.

Mazzulla has set a tone of accountability with his quick hooks in these games. The Celtics seem hell-bent on making up for some of Boston’s talent drain by playing harder and smarter. Mazzulla, with his penchant for the margins, will not allow his team to beat itself by not putting in the effort necessary to finish defensive possessions.

Maybe that will force the team to play bigger to start the season, potentially pairing Boucher with another big up front. Minott and Garza have been two of the team’s better rebounders at various times this preseason and can help the team shore up that area. But the bottom line is that, when you lose two experienced 7-footers and one of the smartest 6-foot-9 guys in the league, then you just need to work harder on the glass.

We suspect Monday’s film session will focus a lot more on what went wrong than what went well. That’s too bad because the Celtics’ offense has been humming, Simons has shown he can get hot in a hurry, and Boston has plenty of reasons to be optimistic about its ability to remain competitive during the 2025-26 season.

But Mazzulla knows that the margin for error is slimmer while waiting for Jayson Tatum to get back to full health, and that the Celtics can’t gift their opponent extra possessions.

On Sunday night, Mazzulla made his point. The Celtics have to show they listened with their effort on the glass moving forward.

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Brydon Carse reveals Stokes and Wood are close to 100% and raring to go for Ashes

  • England duo trained in nets on injury comeback trail

  • Carse insists he’s looking forward to Australia fan verbals

Ben Stokes and Mark Wood are expected to be “raring to go” for the start of the Ashes next month, offering England a timely boost that sits in contrast to Australia’s ongoing concerns over the fitness of Pat Cummins.

As the two seamers with prior experience of playing Test cricket in Australia, Stokes and Wood are central to England’s plans this winter. Stokes missed the fifth Test against India with a shoulder injury, however, while Wood sat out the entire English summer following knee surgery back in March.

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NHL Waiver Wire: Flyers Should Take a Chance on Recently Cut Sharks Defenseman

(Photo: John E. Sokolowski, Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers badly need adequate reinforcements on defense, and what better way to get them than for free from the NHL waiver wire?

After passing on Victor Soderstrom towards the end of training camp and the preseason, the Flyers again will have an opportunity to claim a young player with some pedigree and throw a dart at the void that is their defense.

On Sunday, it was announced that the San Jose Sharks had placed defenseman Jack Thompson on waivers, exposing him to the Flyers and the other 30 NHL teams.

Yes, he was just cut from the Sharks, of all teams, but at just 23 years old, there's plenty to like about Thompson and what he could potentially bring to the table, even for a brief cameo.

After appearing in just three NHL games prior, Thompson broke through for the Sharks last season, playing 31 games in San Jose and scoring four goals, six assists, and 10 points while bouncing around between the Sharks and the AHL Barracuda.

Between the AHL and the NHL, the former third-round pick scored a total of seven goals, 17 assists, and 24 points in 58 games.

In the 2023-24 season, playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch, Thompson produced a solid five goals, 27 assists, and 32 points in 46 games.

At 6-foot-2, Thompson is neither particularly nimble nor physical; his skating metrics from last season rank below the 50th percentile in nearly every category, according to NHL EDGE, while he made just 12 hits in 31 games with the Sharks.

What Thompson can bring the Flyers, however, is the ability to move the puck and defend at a level that was high enough to look decent on a team like San Jose.

The right-shot blueliner could conceivably carve out an NHL career as a bottom-four defenseman with some improvements to skating and/or the addition of a physical element, which the Flyers were looking for and haven't gotten from Helge Grans yet.

Jack Thompson was rock-solid offensively and defensively in limited NHL action with the Sharks last season. (Evolving-Hockey)

The Egor Zamula, Adam Ginning, and Noah Juulsen experiments haven't worked out at all so far, and the Flyers have already decided they'd rather see Emil Andrae than Dennis Gilbert on the NHL roster after the first two games of the year.

Should the Flyers successfully claim Thompson off waivers from the Sharks, they add another young and fairly experienced player to the fold with some semblance of offensive upside.

That's more than what they can say about most other internal options at the position at the moment.

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'We FaceTimed The Next Night': Maple Leafs' Easton Cowan Reacts To Fraser Minten's Overtime Winner With Bruins

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan has been keeping tabs on good friend Fraser Minten.

Minten, who was the Maple Leafs' second-round (38th overall) pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, joined the Boston Bruins after being traded with a conditional 2026 first-round pick and a 2025 fourth-round pick for defenseman Brandon Carlo.

The 21-year-old was drafted a year before Cowan, who was a first-round (28th overall) pick by Toronto in 2023. Minten and Cowan developed a strong relationship off the ice as two of the Maple Leafs' top prospects in the system.

Cowan, set to make his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on Monday afternoon, revealed ahead of rookie camp that he's renting Minten's place. Minten had bought a place in Toronto while splitting last season between the AHL and NHL before being traded to Boston in March.

Minten got off to a strong start with the Bruins, scoring the overtime-winner against the Chicago Blackhawks in the second game of the season. It was his second goal with Boston after scoring one in six games last year.

"I watched (the overtime-winner) live, actually," Cowan smiled. "Then we FaceTimed the next night, so it was good. Obviously, such a great player and just really good to see that he's succeeding over there."

It's Minten's fourth goal through 28 career NHL games split between the Maple Leafs and Bruins. Minten is currently occupying the third-line center spot on the Bruins, a spot in the lineup that people had him projected to play during his years as a prospect in the Maple Leafs organization.

As Cowan prepares for his NHL debut, what has he learned from Minten over the years about being a consistent player at the pro level?

"Just details. Like everyone says, you got to be good on the boards and stuff like that, and I feel like I've done a great job of that so far," Cowan said. "So just gotta keep going, like I said, and I'll give him a call, let him know I'm in (Toronto's lineup), so he'll be pumped."

Cowan is set to make his NHL debut on the Maple Leafs' top line with Matthew Knies and Auston Matthews. The Bruins and Maple Leafs will play their first game of the season against each other on Nov. 8 in Toronto.

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Sam Rinzel Is A Long-Term Chicago Blackhawks Core Piece Going Forward

Sam Rinzel, a 2022 first-round pick, is developing into one of the best young defensemen in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Blackhawks. Even Kyle Davidson would admit that Rinzel has exceeded all expectations up to this point. 

On Saturday night, Rinzel scored his first career NHL goal. It was an impressive goal as he was the recipient of a good play made by Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teravainen before he skated through a lane to the net and sniped it. It’s the type of goal that serves as evidence that he could be a dynamic star on the back-end. 

"To get the first one, it feels good," Rinzel said after the game. "It definitely gives you some confidence for sure."

With this goal, Rinzel has 6 points (1-5–6) in 12 career games. That type of production, if kept up or even built on, would make him one of the best offensive defensemen in the world. However, his positioning and defense have been special, too.

Rinzel is an all-purpose player. He plays well at even strength, he is the quarterback of the top power play unit, and he can kill penalties. With an average of 23:26, he leads the Blackhawks in time on ice by almost two minutes. For being 12 games into his career, it is impressive to see how quickly he has earned the trust of the coaching staff.  

The organization has made it obvious that Rinzel is in the long-term plans. His first career NHL goal was just a small milestone compared to the expectations that are on him as a defenseman in the long term. He is now in the conversation with guys like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov, Anton Frondell, and Alex Vlasic, amongst others, as a core piece. 

Vlasic, whom the Blackhawks also really like and is second on the team in average time on ice, is Rinzel's defense partner to start the year. With Vlasic, who also has the capabilities of a two-way player despite leaning towards a defensive mindset, Rinzel is free to play the position how he feels comfortable. It is apparent early that they feed off each other. 

If Rinzel continues to stack up points, lead Chicago in ice time, and prove himself as a great player in his own end, the NHL may begin to talk about him in the Calder Trophy conversation.

Now, Rinzel can completely focus on playing hockey the right way while continuing to get better. With that mentality, goals, assists, and so much more will come. 

It must be remembered that he is still very young and inexperienced. There will be rookie mistakes that make you wonder. However, the process is correct, and he is already well beyond his years. 

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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Panthers kick off five-game road trip in Philadelphia against winless Flyers

Fresh off a strong three-game homestand in which the Florida Panthers collected all six possible points in the standings, the Cats are hitting the pavement for an extended road trip.

The first stop for Florida will be on Monday night in the City of Brotherly Love as the Panthers will face the Philadelphia Flyers for the second time in the young season.

It was Thursday night when the Cats defeated Philly in what was the season opener for the visiting squad, a 3-2 victory that saw Florida dominate in several areas.

If not for an outstanding effort in goal by Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar, the score would have been much more lopsided.

In the time since, Philly made a stop in Carolina, dropping a 4-3 effort in overtime against the Hurricanes on Saturday night, before arriving back in Philadelphia for their home opener.

Now they’ll have to face the defending champs again.

Florida has done well in recently against their friends from Philly, with wins in four of the past five meetings.

The Cats also appeared to adjust well to their first game without defenseman Dmitry Kulokov.

Uvis Balinskis seamlessly slid into Florida’s lineup, playing on a pairing with Jeff Petry and gobbling up 17:40 of ice time that included a shift on the penalty kill.

One thing that will be interesting to keep an eye on this week, as the Cats will play four games over the next six days, is how they manage their goaltenders.

Sergei Bobrovsky has played each of Florida’s first three games, skating to a sparking 1.67 goals against average and .925 save percentage while allowing only five goals over the three wins.

At some point, and likely soon, new backup Daniil Tarasov will see his first action in a Panthers sweater, but Florida may want to hold off at least one more game.

That’s because Bobrovsky, who broke into the NHL with the Flyers all the way back in 2010, has an excellent record against his former club.

Bob owns a 21-8-1 record when facing the Flyers, along with a 2.37 goals against average and .920 save percentage.

Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Monday’s matchup in Philly:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Bennett – Brad Marchand

Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart

Mackie Samoskevich – Evan Rodrigues – Jesper Boqvist

A.J. Greer – Luke Kunin – Jonah Gadjovich

Gus Forsling – Aaron Ekblad

Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones

Uvis Balinskis – Jeff Petry

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Photo caption: Oct 9, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes a save against Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (39) during the first period at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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Shaikin: Why 'Average Joe' Brewers beating big-market Dodgers would be good for baseball

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts watches his team work out on the field at American Family Field in Milwaukee, WI.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts watches his team work out at American Family Field on Sunday ahead of Game 1 of the NLCS on Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Pat Murphy, the gregarious manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, was in no hurry to wrap up his news conference Sunday.

He compared Mookie Betts playing shortstop to Stephen Curry playing forward. He anointed Freddie Freeman as his favorite player even though “he’s ruined Brewers history many times.” He read off names from an eight-year-old Dodgers scouting report that included Yasiel Puig, Rich Hill and Curtis Granderson.

“I love Kenley Jansen,” Murphy said. “You guys miss him?”

All good things must come to an end, even a manager working his audience with the rapport of a standup comedian. The Dodgers’ time in the press conference room was fast approaching.

“I don’t want to take up any of the Dodgers’ precious time,” Murphy cracked. “They’re on a shoestring budget.”

Murphy is only too happy to play into the predominant story line for the National League Championship Series: The defending World Series champions, with a payroll three times that of the Brewers, against a plucky little outfit representing baseball’s smallest market.

If he can say anything that puts a little more pressure on the Dodgers, good for him. Back in July, when the Brewers swept the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, Murphy told a roomful of reporters: “No disrespect to the great fans of Japan baseball, but they can’t name five guys in our lineup.”

Christian Yelich. Jackson Chourio. Hmmm, does Ryan Braun still play here?

“We’re always the underdogs,” Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff told reporters Saturday.

Let’s get real, though: The NLCS opens here, not at Dodger Stadium, because the Brewers won more games than the Dodgers — and every other major league team — this season. And the Brewers did that because they swept the season series from the Dodgers — a sweep in Milwaukee right before the All-Star break, then a sweep in L.A.

On Saturday, after the Brewers won the division series, Murphy kicked off the clubhouse celebration with this toast: “All year long, they called us the Average Joes. Today, you’re the not-so-fricking Average Joes.”

The Dodgers learned that the hard way this summer. They aren’t buying what Murphy is selling.

“I’m not falling for the Average Joes. They’re not,” said Blake Snell, the Dodgers’ Game 1 starting pitcher.

Said infielder Miguel Rojas: “They showed the whole league and the world that they were the best team in the league during the regular season. They deserve it.”

But back to Murphy, who pointed out the Dodgers players are the ones that appear on your screen not only in games, but in commercials.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy stands on the field before a game.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy knows there's nothing "average Joe" about the Dodgers. (Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

“They have the star power,” he said, “and they’re great players.”

And his Brewers?

“You can’t look on paper and say, ‘How many of our position players would be on the Dodgers?’ You can’t really project that many of them would,” Murphy said. “But somehow they find a way.”

The Dodgers, though ...

Murphy on Shohei Ohtani: “He’s one of the all-time greats.”

Murphy on Snell: “I’ve been very disappointed when he’s pitched and I’m in the stadium. He’s really good.”

Murphy on the Dodgers’ newfound closer, Roki Sasaki: “Throwing 100 with a split? That shouldn’t be fair. We’re going to try to petition the league and see if we can get him suspended for something.”

That last part was a joke, but this is not: The league website ranked the top starting pitchers remaining in the playoffs. The ranking included four Dodgers before any of the Brewers.

And this is no joke, either: On Sunday, Fangraphs projected the Dodgers’ chance of winning the World Series at 44% and the Brewers’ chance at 11%.

The good fans of Milwaukee were not amused by the pronouncements of Times columnists Dylan Hernández (“The Dodgers are returning to the World Series.”) and Bill Plaschke (“The rest of their journey should be the easy part.”).

At one point Sunday, Murphy referred to the Dodgers as “America’s team.” I’d argue the Brewers should be America’s team, the poster boys for how a team with smart and stable management can compete with a team with an unlimited payroll.

Would you prefer for your team to be owned by someone whining about the Dodgers and their payroll, or someone dedicated to beating them?

Still, consider baseball’s final four: The Dodgers, the defending champions, gunning for their third title in six years. The Toronto Blue Jays, 32 years removed from their last championship. The Brewers and Seattle Mariners, each with no championships.

“I know, being from Seattle,” Snell said, “how important a World Series is there, and the fans, how excited they are, and how crazy the city was in Seattle when they beat Detroit.”

L.A. bleeds Dodger blue. Perhaps the rest of the country — two countries, in fact — is ready for some fresh blood.

Shohei Ohtani works out at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Sunday.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani works out at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

“I think they’re happy to see us,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

The Dodgers led the majors in road attendance this season, and last season too.

“People love for fresh blood,” Roberts said, “until you potentially see TV ratings.

“But I think they love seeing the Dodgers, whether they like rooting against us or for us.”

The Brewers beating up the big-market bully really would be good for baseball. Milwaukee is not a fluke like, say, the 2021 San Francisco Giants. The Brewers are in the playoffs for the seventh time in eight years. They are a model franchise.

They are not, however, about to face the Dodgers they faced in July. That team ran Michael Conforto, James Outman and Esteury Ruiz through two outfield spots, and that team never deployed Snell or Ohtani on the mound against Milwaukee.

Dodgers in five.

Read more:Why Dodgers are pushing Shohei Ohtani's next pitching start to later in the NLCS

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.