In what is shaping up to be a race to the bottom in the battle for a roster spot on defense, injured Philadelphia Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk is, unfortunately, missing out on a big opportunity.
Players like Helge Grans and Noah Juulsen, two favorites for a roster spot due to their right-handedness, have largely flattered to deceive or played poorly outright in training camp and the preseason thus far.
Egor Zamula appears to have plateaued, and Emil Andrae has only appeared in one preseason game to this point; he'll play against Boston on Monday night.
An underwhelming roster battle has left the Flyers in a precarious position with only a few preseason games left on the schedule, and you have to wonder what a healthy Bonk could have done for himself going against this group.
Bonk, 20, was deemed day-to-day by the Flyers with an upper-body injury on Thursday, along with forwards Lane Pederson and Karsen Dorwart, and has technically been day-to-day since the Flyers' first announcement on Sept. 18.
The 2023 first-round pick was meant to play in the rookie series games against the New York Rangers, too, only to be held out of those before training camp started.
Considering Bonk was also left off the ice during development camp in July to recover from a long season, he's quietly missed a decent amount of on-ice development with NHL coaches and NHL-caliber players this year.
The timing of it all has been awful, frankly, as Rasmus Ristolainen is expected to miss time well into the start of the season (potentially as late as November as of now)
Given that Ristolainen will inevitably return at some point, this would have been an easy opportunity to see Bonk play a month or so's worth of NHL games and how he holds up doing so.
The same premise applied to Grans, in a way, where the 23-year-old is no longer waivers-exempt. If the Flyers want to get a real good look at Grans, there was no better time to do so than while Ristolainen can't play.
By all accounts, it would seem that Bonk is destined to start his 2025-26 campaign - his first as a professional player - in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Most likely, he would've spent most of the season there anyway, but you can't help but feel a healthy Bonk makes this Flyers team out of training camp to glean some valuable experience while Ristolainen is on the shelf.
The Dodgers pursuit of back-to-back World Series titles starts Tuesday at Chavez Ravine when they open their Wild Card series against the Cincinnati Reds.
For the bulk of the regular season, the Dodgers (93-69) appeared disinterested. That said, all seems in order to start the postseason as LA won its final five games of the regular season, outscoring their opponents 27-10. The Reds (83-79) won seven of their final ten games to outrace the Mets to the finish line and claim the final Wild Card berth in the National League.
Hunter Greene (7-4, 2.76 ERA) gets the start in Game 1 for the Reds. The right hander has been quite good over his last two starts allowing just two runs on six hits in 15 innings. LA has yet to officially announce their hurler for the series opener but a good bet is Blake Snell (5-4, 2.35 ERA). The Cy Young winner has been excellent of late giving up just one run in his last three starts (19 innings) with 27 strikeouts.
Lets dive into Game 1 of the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Reds at Dodgers
Date: Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Time: 9:08PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: ESPN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Reds at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Cincinnati Reds (+167), Los Angeles Dodgers (-206)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (+109)
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Dodgers
Pitching matchup for September 30, 2025:
Reds: Hunter Greene (7-4, 2.76 ERA) Over his last two starts (15 innings), Greene has struck out 16 hitters while walking just 3
Dodgers: Blake Snell (5-4, 2.35 ERA) Snell made just 11 starts this season but appears to be healthy now throwing 401 pitches over his last 4 starts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Dodgers
The Dodgers have won 7 of their last 9 home games against the Reds
The Under is 67-34-10 in Reds' games against National League opponents this season
The Dodgers have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 2.36 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s game between the Reds and the Dodgers
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Reds and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Reds at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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Seven teams placed a combined 22 players on NHL waivers Monday.
The Vancouver Canucks placed Jiri Patera, MacKenzie MacEachern, Joe Labate and Jimmy Schuldt on waivers.
The New York Rangers' four are Anton Blidh, Justin Dowling, Trey Fix-Wolansky and Derrick Pouliot.
The Minnesota Wild waived Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Ben Gleason, Ben Jones and Matt Kiersted.
In Nashville, the Predators waived Kevin Gravel, Jake Lucchini, Matt Murray, Navrin Mutter and Jordan Oesterle.
The Hurricanes have Skyler Brind'Amour and Ronan Seeley on waivers as well, while the Philadelphia Flyers waived Helge Grans. The Winnipeg Jets round out the waiver action with Phillip Di Giuseppe and Mason Shaw.
For each player, the other 31 NHL teams can put in a claim for them in the next 24 hours, by 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
Patera, 26, was claimed off waivers twice last year. After signing a two-year contract worth $775,000 annually with the Canucks on July 1, 2024, the Boston Bruins claimed the goaltender in early October while they awaited a new contract for starter Jeremy Swayman. Five days later, the Canucks claimed him back.
Dowling, 34, has played 152 career NHL games, including 52 last season with the New Jersey Devils. The center put up seven points with them and 26 in his career.
Aube-Kubel, 29, is a Stanley Cup champion, playing 14 playoff games for the Avalanche when they won in 2022. The right winger has played 304 career NHL games, putting up 32 goals and 48 assists for 80 points. Last season, he played 22 games split between the Buffalo Sabres and Rangers, recording two points.
Gravel, 33, is in his fourth season with the Predators organization. The defenseman played 61 AHL games last year and six NHL contests, recording one point in the top level. He's been in 139 career NHL games, recording a goal and 15 points.
Brind'Amour, a 26-year-old center, played most of last season for the AHL's Chicago Wolves, scoring 24 points in 68 games. The son of Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour played his first two NHL games at the end of the regular season, scoring once.
Grans, 23, played his first six NHL games in 2024-25, recording an assist. The defenseman was a second-round pick in 2020 for the Los Angeles Kings, which traded him to Philadelphia in 2023.
Di Giuseppe, 31, played the last three seasons with the Canucks organization before signing a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Jets this summer. He has 28 goals and 53 assists for 81 points in 302 career NHL games, including a goal and six points in 20 games last year.
All 23 players who were placed on waivers on Sunday cleared, making them eligible to be sent to the minors. They include Montreal Canadiens prospect Sean Farrell, Columbus Blue Jackets veterans Hudson Fasching and Brendan Gaunce and Dallas Stars bubble defenseman Kyle Capobianco.
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The Vancouver Canucks have placed four players on waivers in order to send them down to the Abbotsford Canucks. The four players are goaltender Jiří Patera, defenceman Jimmy Schuldt, as well as forwards Joseph LaBate and MacKenzie MacEachern. In total, 22 players were placed on waivers across the NHL, including former Canucks forward Phillip Di Giuseppe, who was signed this off-season by the Winnipeg Jets.
LaBate, MacEachern and Schuldt were all signed by Vancouver this past off-season. As for Patera, he joined the organization during the 2024 off-season. All four players were projected to be sent to the AHL and should play big roles for Abbotsford this season.
Sending these four players down on Monday also ensures that they will be ready for the AHL Canucks' Training Camp. This year, Abbotsford will hold practices at the Abbotsford Centre from October 1 to 3, while a scrimmage will be played at the Chilliwack Coliseum on October 4. According to the Canucks, all Abbotsford Training Camp events will be open to the public.
As for the NHL club, Vancouver has two more pre-season games before they kick off the 2025-26 season on October 9. The Canucks will take on the Calgary Flames on October 1 before playing their final pre-season game against the Edmonton Oilers on October 3. Game time for Wednesday is scheduled for 6:00 pm PT from the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
Guessing what's gonna happen in the NHL is a precarious business but we do it every year because it's fan-type fun.
What makes it even more fun is when we're in a position to compare last year's genius picks with the ones our heavily-admired pollsters say this time around.
Here's what The Hockey News Yearbook forecasters wrote about our Met Area teams at this time last year.
The Devils would finish on top of the Met Division with the Rangers right behind. The Islanders were tabbed for fourth in the Met.
The Panthers were tabbed to lead the Atlantic Division but not to win the 2025 Stanley Cup.
Edmonton and Dallas got the nods in the Pacific and Central Divisions. And The Hockey News projected a New Jersey-Dallas Final with a Stars Cup win.
Nice try all around, guys, and now we go to this season: Of the trio of Met teams, The Devils are placed second, Rangers fourth and Islanders – Yikes! – seventh! Florida gets top billing again in the Atlantic while the Canes lead the Met.
On the other side, Dallas is slotted first in the Central Division with Edmonton rulers of the Pacific.
The Hockey News Yearbook has Vegas defeating Carolina in the Cup Final. The Maven's Off-The-Wall Predictions Come In The Adjoining Column: (Hint: You may not like all of them; neither do I!)
Grans was one of the Flyers' prospects looking to earn a spot on the NHL roster out of training camp. However, now that Grans has been put on waivers, the rest of the league has the opportunity to claim him if they wish to.
If Grans clears waivers, the Flyers will be able to assign him to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. However, with Grans being a big and still young right-shot defenseman, it is fair to wonder if another team could claim him.
Grans played in his first six NHL games this past season with the Flyers, where he recorded one assist and two penalty minutes. In 66 games during the 2024-25 season with the Phantoms, he recorded eight goals, 15 assists, 23 points, and 42 penalty minutes.
Wide receiver Monshun Sales (Indianapolis, Indiana/ Lawrence North High School) was officially honored as a 2026 Navy All-American by America’s Navy and NBC Sports representatives during a live jersey presentation as part of the Road to the Dome tour.
The postseason is upon us, and while a Mets-Dodgers Wild Card series would have been a great way to kick it off, especially bookended against the Yankees-Red Sox matchup, this still figures to be a wild October.
That is, it feels like anybody could win it all after a season in which no team won 100 games, and the expected super-team Dodgers have to fight their way through a Wild Card series.
With that in mind, here are nine bold playoff predictions:
Brewers can't get it done
It’s a nice story, the small-market Brewers posting the best record in baseball this season, with 97 wins, but their history of failure in the postseason in recent years puts a lot of pressure on them going into October, and I think it will be more of the same.
They’re the ultimate grind-it-out team, putting the ball in play, out-hustling teams on a daily basis. But talent usually wins in the postseason, and the San Diego Padres, after defeating the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card round, will simply out-talent them.
Garrett Crochet sets the tone
Crochet had a Cy Young-worthy season coming over to Boston, and he dominated the Yankees along the way, going 3-0 with a 3.29 ERA in four starts against them. The Yanks scored five runs in one of his starts but only five combined in the other three, including a seven-inning gem in the Bronx in August.
As such, I think he sets the tone for the Wild Card series by winning Game 1 at Yankee Stadium, outpitching Max Fried and dominating through seven innings.
Judge had his moments against the Red Sox this season, with five home runs and a 1.008 OPS in 13 games against them, but he also struck out 22 times in 56 plate appearances as Boston pitchers attacked him inside. And Crochet was especially tough on him, so I think the Yankees’ captain will have to wait a little longer for his breakout October.
And as well as the Yanks finished the season, it’s hard to forget how poorly they played against good teams for most of the season, or that the Red Sox were especially tough on them, winning nine of 13 games -- including five of seven in the Bronx.
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) waits on deck during the third inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
It should be an entertaining series, likely going three games, but I think the Yankees’ bullpen will cost them at least one game, and it’s hard not to like Alex Cora over Aaron Boone in such a short series.
It’s Cal Raleigh’s year
It’s very close, but I’d give the MVP to Judge, who had another historic season, with a combination of high batting average and power that should be rewarded. Yet I think Raleigh will stamp this as his year with a big October, building on those 60 home runs he hit in the regular season.
Raleigh was clutch all season for the Mariners, slugging over .600 with an OPS over 1.000 hitting with runners in scoring position, with two outs and RISP, and high-leverage situations as well, as defined by Baseball Reference. So I’m saying he hits some big home runs that makes this a memorable October for him.
Dodger blues
The Los Angeles Dodgers were supposed to be unbeatable this season, after spending another gazillion dollars in the offseason, yet they won only 91 games, third-best among NL division winners, meaning they have to play a Wild Card series against the Cincinnati Reds.
As an aside, it’s a shame the Mets aren’t part of this. It would have made for great fun if they had done their part to earn the third Wild Card spot and give them a shot at knocking out the Dodgers in a rematch after last year’s NLCS.
I don’t give the Reds much of a chance, despite their strong starting pitching. The Dodgers should advance, setting up a big-stage NLDS against the Phillies. And while LA’s high-powered starting pitching is the healthiest it has been all season, it’s the bullpen -- their Achilles heel all season -- that will cost them a shot at repeating as champs.
The Dodgers’ pen had a 4.27 ERA this season, ranking 21st in the majors, with 26 blown saves. Tanner Scott, the most sought-after free agent reliever last winter, has been a bust, and there have been plenty of other culprits. As a result, LA may use starter Tyler Glasnow out of the 'pen, at least in the Wild Card series, as well as fellow starters Emmett Sheehan and Roki Sasaki, who was injured for most of the season.
Shohei Ohtani shines
It won’t be enough to save the Dodgers from a disappointing October, but Ohtani will stamp himself as the most remarkable player in baseball history, as he takes his two-way talents into the postseason.
To a large extent, Ohtani has already done that, hitting 55 home runs this season while returning to the mound from elbow surgery in the second half, pitching to a 2.87 ERA over 47 innings.
Aug 23, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) rounds the bases on a walk-off grand slam home run for his 40th of the season in the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea - USA TODAY Sports
Now he’s expected to line up as the Dodgers’ No. 3 starter in the postseason, behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell. He seems built for the biggest moments, famously striking out Mike Trout to win the World Baseball Classic for Japan in 2023, and he’s a good bet to make this a memorable October, at least on a personal level.
Jhoan Duran the difference-maker
Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski rather famously has a win-now mentality as a GM, more willing than most these days to give up top prospects in pursuit of a championship. And the case in point this year was his trade deadline deal to get Duran from the Minnesota Twins.
That deal, along with the late-season signing of David Robertson, were just what the Phillies needed for a bullpen that has cost them in postseasons past. The Mets likely could have had Duran if they’d been willing to trade better prospects than they gave up for Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers, and it’s fair to say that decision was a big part of why they fell short of the postseason.
Duran hasn’t been perfect for the Phillies, but he’s been mostly dominant, pitching to a 2.18 ERA with 16 saves in his two months since the trade. And I think he’ll be big reason the Phillies win what should be a heavyweight NLDS against the Dodgers.
Kyle Schwarber steps up
Schwarber had regular a spectacular season, hitting 56 home runs and totaling 132 RBI, and his knack for delivering in the clutch (1.252 OPS with two outs and RISP) fees like it could put the Phillies over the top in the NL and get them to the World Series.
It would be quite a feat, considering they lost ace Zack Wheeler to a season-ending shoulder injury, but the Phillies have the depth in the rotation to overcome it, and they have a team of October-tested veterans that should thrive in this postseason.
So I have them knocking off both the Dodgers and Padres to get to the World Series, with Schwarber leading the way and setting himself up for a huge payday as a free agent this winter.
The Mariners? Yep, the Mariners
Why not? This might be the most wide-open postseason ever in baseball, with no super powers in sight, so in that sense it would be fitting for the Seattle Mariners to finally break through.
They’ve been underachievers for much of their existence, going all the way back to 2001, when they set the modern major league record by winning 116 games during the season, only to lose meekly to the Yankees in the ALCS in five games.
Since then they had only reached the postseason once before this season -- in 2022 -- and promptly got swept by the Houston Astros. But this year feels different. They went on a 17-1 roll in September to lock up the AL West title, sweeping the Astros in Houston last week to win the division.
With Raleigh leading the way, their offense is dangerous, and their strong starting pitching is mostly healthy after dealing with injuries during the season. But if Bryan Woo’s pectoral strain keeps him out of the rotation, that could hurt the Mariners’ chances.
All in all, it feels like anybody’s year. And nobody personifies anybody quite like the Mariners.
Michael Keane put Everton ahead, but Jarrod Bowen’s equaliser, West Ham’s first goal under Nuno Espírito Santo, earned them his first point
Seeing as Michael Keane is playing, here’s one of my favourite goals of recent times.
West Ham, meanwhile, will look to play off Fullkrug, with Bowen coming off the flank in support while, down the left, Summerville keeps the width and behind, Paquetá prompts. I don’t think they’re anywhere near as bad as their league position suggests, but i do worry about the centre of their defence – which is why is makes sense to bring Magassa in for Ward-Prowse.
Offensive lineman Kaeden Scott (San Antonio, Texas/ Theodore Roosevelt High School) was officially honored as a 2026 Navy All-American by America’s Navy and NBC Sports representatives during a live jersey presentation as part of the Road to the Dome tour.
Tight end Matt Ludwig (Billings, Montana/ Billings West High School) was officially honored as a 2026 Navy All-American by America’s Navy and NBC Sports representatives during a live jersey presentation as part of the Road to the Dome tour.
St. Louis Blues defensemen Cam Fowler and Colton Parayko played just over half of the NHL season together. Although their time together has been limited, they've shown excellent results and have the potential to be among the best defensive pairings in the NHL.
Parayko, standing 6-foot-6, 228 pounds, is one of the best defensive defenseman in the NHL, but he quietly moves around the ice with efficiency, and is more than a capable puck-mover. The 32-year-old set a career-high in goals with 16 and points with 36, despite playing just 64 games.
The full package of Parayko was on display last year, averaging 23:45 while affecting the game on both sides of the puck.
While Parayko's play was stellar even before Fowler joined the team, it skyrocketed when he began playing alongside the smooth-skating, offensive-minded Fowler.
Fowler played 51 games with the Blues last year after he was acquired from the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman Jeremie Biakabutuka and a second-round pick in 2027. In those 51 games, the 33-year-old notched nine goals and 36 points, including two goals and 10 points in seven playoff games, a Blues franchise record.
Fowler and Parayko are both all-around defenseman, without many glaring weaknesses in their game, but their strengths improve their partners' game.
Fowler stands 6-foot-2, 213 pounds; by no means is he small, but the physical aspect of his game isn't something he is looking to show all that frequently. Parayko, on the other hand, loves to be engaged physically, using his weight to move opponents away from his net and in puck battles around the boards.
Although Parayko showed more initiative to jump into the play, Fowler excels at it. He can kick-start transition opportunities or sneak in as the third or fourth player, firing a shot on goal or making a pass for a better chance.
The duo quickly gelled, and the results followed. In 484 minutes together, the Blues' top pairing recorded an expected goals percentage of 55.5 percent, according to MoneyPuck.com. In the post-season, they clicked at 60.4 percent, playing 113 minutes together.
“I’m going to have to give that (credit) to the coaches,” GM Doug Armstrong said of the Fowler Parayko pairing. “What I like about them is they both have excellent feet, they can both skate, they have a massive wind span, so they kill a lot of plays down low with their stick and then they have the ability to get to loose pucks. And then again, moving forward, you have the size of Broberg that can do that, and Mailloux can do that. I think having reach and skating ability is an asset, and now I think we have four guys, some of them under contract, and some of them restricted free agents, so we’re in a good spot.”
“Once it went together, the way they are able to shut down top lines and contribute offensively, I think both of them had almost career years in the sense of that,” assistant coach Steve Ott said. “The rebirth of ‘Fowls’ basically since he came on the trade and ‘Pary,’ he scored 15-16 goals last year, and they became a duo that played a 200-foot game. The trust level that we have as a coaching staff, we know when they go over the ice, the job gets done."
Fowler and Parayko will be a staple on the blueline for the Blues, and the organization is in great hands with those two at the helm.
If he’s being honest, Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark probably would have preferred a tougher workload in his second preseason game. Ullmark and the Senators defeated the New Jersey Devils 2–0 on Sunday afternoon in Quebec City, and if you just looked at the scoreboard, you might assume Ullmark is already in mid-season form.
But you could almost place an asterisk beside this result. Ullmark faced only 14 shots from a Devils squad that, at a glance, barely met the league's preseason rule requiring a minimum of eight NHL veterans on the roster. Most of New Jersey’s opening-night roster was back home in Newark, playing the Capitals at the same time.
Still, Ullmark won’t ever complain about a shutout.
“I thought we did a pretty good job. Speaking about me, there are some things to clean up, but I’m not surprised that it’s like that as well. First (full) game of the season, you’re playing a team away, and here in Quebec as well. There were a lot of variables. But I’m always happy when I don’t have to look behind me and grab a puck and throw it up into the middle. And on top of that, you get a win.”
Ullmark admits it can be tough to stay sharp when he isn’t seeing much rubber, but he’s learned over the years how to handle it.
“Now I have a little bit easier time of relaxing when the play is not really in our zone. I’m better at dialling it in when things are actually coming my way. Because that’s something as well. You can’t just stand there and be on and on and on for 60 minutes. You have to find times to relax, breathe, and just kind of dial it in when it’s needed. And it’s easier when you get 30, 35 shots because you kind of constantly have a feel for it, you know all the pucks are.”
Ulmark admits that his training camp has been a struggle, but he also says, surprisingly, he enjoys the struggle.
“It’s not fun to be struggling in a way, but the satisfaction of understanding yourself and getting to know yourself, and also realizing, 'Oh, this is what I’m doing wrong now, and this is not how I was supposed to do it.' When that clicks, it’s so satisfying.
"And we had one of those days on Saturday where I was not happy really with the practice. I just stayed out there and we just kept shooting, shooting, shooting. And then all of a sudden a light bulb turned on and you start feeling good about it. You get a little bit more swagger into your game and I kind of brought it into (Sunday’s game) as well.”
It was a much different feeling than Ullmark’s first preseason appearance, when he allowed three goals on eight shots in a 4–3 loss to Toronto. The Senators dominated the Leafs in shots, 35–20, but, as in last spring’s playoffs, they couldn’t recover from an early 3-0 hole.
Ullmark, as he does with most things in his life, has kept all of it in perspective.
Shifting Goaltending Picture
Ottawa’s goaltending setup will look a little different this season. Last year, Ullmark split duties with Anton Forsberg. Both are Swedes, both are 32, and both battled injuries last season. That opened the door for 22-year-old Finn, Leevi Meriläinen, to step in and impress. Meriläinen went 8-3-1 with three shutouts, a 1.99 goals-against average, and a .925 save percentage.
While nothing has been made official, Meriläinen is expected to be the full-time backup after Forsberg departed in free agency to sign with the Los Angeles Kings.
Much has been made of Ullmark never playing more than 49 games in a season, but most number one NHL goalies, on average, play roughly 55 games, and no one played more than 63. So he's really not that far off the pace.
Would a platoon situation, or something close to it, provide the best-case scenario? Ullmark thrived in Boston in a three-year timeshare with Jeremy Swayman, winning the 2023 Vezina Trophy in the process. Could a similar partnership with another promising young goaltender bring out the best in him again? Possibly, but at the same time, with Ullmark's new pay grade, you'd like to think you could rely on him to be mostly studly for 55-60 games a season.
Ullmark had stretches of brilliance last season, winning seven games in a row in December and going 9-2-1 in March. But he also dealt with stretches of inconsistency, which may have been influenced by a few bouts with injury. He finished 25-14-3 with a .910 save percentage and 2.70 GAA. Now that he's Ottawa’s second-highest paid player, the expectations are higher than ever.
If the Senators are going to take another step forward this season, they’ll need Ullmark to do the same.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Images of Aleksander Barkov hoisting the Stanley Cup are scattered all over the Florida Panthers’ team facility. It’s the ultimate reminder of the last two championship seasons: the team captain being the first one to lift hockey’s chalice.
Now, the Panthers face perhaps the ultimate challenge: Doing it again — without Barkov.
The Panthers were the consensus favorite to win the Stanley Cup a week ago; their odds are now behind about a half-dozen teams, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, now that Barkov is expected to miss seven to nine months because of tears to the ACL and MCL in his right knee. That timeline basically means the entirety of the regular season and maybe the entirety of the playoffs as well.
And just like that, a back-to-back champion is certain to be doubted. That may be a good thing.
“Look, you can’t replace this guy,” said Bill Zito, the president of hockey operations and general manager. “So, we have to do things differently. It’s just going to be different. And we’re going to have to figure out ways for all of us to be better, myself included. And it’s going to be a fight. It’s going to be a battle. We’re going to have to scratch and claw.”
Simple stats don’t come close to explaining Barkov’s value to the Panthers.
The Finnish star hasn’t even led his own team in scoring since the 2018-19 season. He was tied for 41st on the NHL scoring list last season, tied for 27th the season before that, tied for 35th the season before that and has never finished any season better than 10th. Since Barkov entered the league 12 years ago, he’s 17th in points, 31st in goals and 16th in assists.
Look deeper, the Panthers say. Barkov sets the pace on the ice. He sets the tone in the locker room, as proven by his wearing of the “C” — the biggest indicator of hockey leadership — on the left shoulder of his sweater. If there’s a spectacular play to be made with a game on the line, the Panthers know the guy wearing No. 16 will likely deliver. And if there’s a player who is more effective on both ends of the ice, Florida can’t think of one.
Last season, Barkov won the King Clancy Trophy in recognition of leadership on and off the ice combined with humanitarian work, as well as the Selke Trophy that gets presented to the NHL’s best defensive forward.
“He’s the best two-way player in the game,” Panthers forward Brad Marchand said. “You’re not going to replace that guy.”
And yet, the Panthers still believe.
Zito has built a team with depth; Florida had 11 players with at least one game-winning goal in last season’s playoffs alone, tying for the second-most by any team in any postseason run in NHL history. That depth is going to be seriously tested; besides Barkov, forward Matthew Tkachuk is likely out until at least December and Tomas Nosek — a fourth-line center who had a big role in the playoffs a year ago — is out indefinitely with a knee injury.
“There’s no easy games in this league and then losing Barkov makes it that much harder,” defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. “That’s something we’re going to have to embody, a day-by-day mindset — almost like the playoffs. Come in every day, do a job and do it together.”
There will be more opportunities for certain players now.
Anton Lundell — who some on the Panthers have openly compared to a young Barkov anyway — likely takes Barkov’s spot on the top line. Mackie Samoskevich, someone who the Panthers say is much better than he was as a rookie a year ago, will be asked to do more. Evan Rodrigues has been on all four lines at various times over the last two seasons, and he’ll likely be asked to bounce around as needed again. Even players like Sam Reinhart (who had four goals in the Stanley Cup-winning Game 6 victory over Edmonton last season) and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett are capable of more, the Panthers insist.
“This is true in a number of players: they’re not 22 anymore, but they’re still trying to get better,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “They’re still trying to add things to their game. They’re coming to the rink to get better.”
Barkov will be around the team. His voice will still be heard in the locker room. The only difference is he won’t be on the ice.
And if that leads some to doubt the Panthers, Marchand said that’s fine with them.
“I don’t think this group needs fuel,” Marchand said. “We know who we are. We know what our goals are and what we’re looking at doing this year. Looking down the road at winning the Stanley Cup is the last thing you want to do right now. There’s such a long road before that and there’s so many different things you need to overcome.”
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