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US Open: Daniil Medvedev fined $42,500 for racket meltdown

  • Russian enraged by umpire decision in first-round exit

  • Former world No 1 destroyed racket after match

Daniil Medvedev was fined $42,500 by the US Open on Wednesday – more than a third of his $110,000 prize money from this year’s singles at the tournament – for his meltdown after a photographer wandered on to the court at match point.

Tournament referee Jake Garner docked Medvedev $30,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and another $12,500 for racket abuse. When Sunday’s first-round match ended in defeat for Medvedev he repeatedly smacked a racket against his chair, destroying the equipment.

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Dawn Staley confirms she interviewed for Knicks head coaching job, would have accepted it

Multiple NBA front office personnel have told NBC Sports that Dawn Staley is the name to watch as the first woman hired as a head coach in the NBA. She has proven her coaching chops, leading the South Carolina women to three NCAA titles and coaching the USA women to a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics. Additionally, she is an eight-time WNBA All-Star and a three-time Olympic gold medalist as a player. More than all that, the executives say Staley has the presence to command an NBA locker room and would have the respect of the players.

The Knicks gave her an interview during their head coaching search this summer, Staley said on the Post Moves podcast with Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston (hat tip Hoops Rumors).

"I interviewed for the Knicks. It was the same interview that everybody else that was in their candidate pool. Same thing... I thought I did pretty well. I was well prepared... If the Knicks would've offered me the job, I would've had to do it. Not just for me, it's for women. … To break open that. And it's the New York Knicks, and I'm from Philly, but it's the freakin' New York Knicks."

After firing Tom Thibodeau despite his leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years, the Knicks cast a wide net in their search for Thibodeau's replacement. Adding Staley to that mix was the smart move. Knicks' president Leon Rose interviewed a number of people for the job, and a couple of coaches without prior head coaching experience got deep into the process. However, in the end, the Knicks went with a proven and well-traveled coach in Mike Brown.

Staley said she may have cost herself the job by asking pointed questions about whether the Knicks were ready for the attention and pushback that hiring a woman would cause. "Because it would. It would. Because you're going to be asked questions that you don't have to be asked if you hire a male coach," Staley said on the podcast.

Staley didn't get this job — and said she wouldn't take just any NBA job offered — but she's a name to watch when the NBA coaching carousel spins around again. NBA front offices have their eye on her.

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Pirates at Cardinals prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for August 28

Its Thursday, August 28 and the Pirates (59-75) are in St. Louis looking to take a third game in their four-game series against the Cardinals (65-69).

Braxton Ashcraft is slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh against Miles Mikolas for St. Louis.

The Bucs were held to three hits last night but squeaked two runs across the plate and that was enough for a 2-1 win. Rookie Bubba Chandler won his first career game allowing just one hit in four scoreless innings. Sonny Gray was the hard-luck loser allowing just the two runs - one earned run - over seven innings.

Lets dive into 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 Pirates at Cardinals

  • Date: Thursday, August 28, 2025
  • Time: 2:15PM EST
  • Site: Busch Stadium
  • City: St. Louis, MO
  • Network/Streaming: SNP, FDSNMW

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 Pirates at the Cardinals

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Pirates (+108), Cardinals (-129)
  • Spread:  Cardinals -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Pirates at Cardinals

  • Pitching matchup for August 28, 2025: Braxton Ashcraft vs. Miles Mikolas
    • Pirates: Braxton Ashcraft (4-2, 2.70 ERA)
      Last outing: August 22 vs. Colorado - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 1 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
    • Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (6-10, 5.17 ERA)
      Last outing: August 22 at Tampa Bay - 13.50 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 10 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 1 Strikeouts

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 Pirates at Cardinals

  • In his last 5 starts Miles Mikolas has an ERA of 6.43
  • The Pirates have covered in their last 3 games against the Cardinals
  • The Pirates are 4-1 in their last 5 games
  • Miles Mikolas has struck out just one hitter in three of his last four starts...and just three in the other start
  • Bryan Reynolds is 4-13 (.308) in this series

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 today’s game between the Pirates and the Cardinals

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

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 Thursday's game between the Pirates and the Cardinals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pittsburgh Pirates at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page fromNBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Rockies at Astros prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 28

Its Thursday, August 28 and the Rockies (38-95) are in Houston to take on the Astros (73-60).

Kyle Freeland is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Jason Alexander for Houston.

The Astros rebounded from a loss Tuesday night and evened the series at a game apiece with a 4-0 win over the Rockies last night. Framber Valdez bounced back from a rough start against the Tigers last week allowing just three hits over seven innings to earn his 12th win of the season. Yordan Alvarez homered for the first time in just his second game since returning from the disabled list (hand) earlier this week.

Lets dive into 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 Rockies at Astros

  • Date: Thursday, August 28, 2025
  • Time: 2:10PM EST
  • Site: Minute Maid Park
  • City: Houston, TX
  • Network/Streaming: COLR, SCHN, MLBN

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 Rockies at the Astros

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Rockies (+192), Astros (-235)
  • Spread:  Astros -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Astros

  • Pitching matchup for August 28, 2025: Kyle Freeland vs. Jason Alexander
    • Rockies: Kyle Freeland (3-13, 5.31 ERA)
      Last outing: August 23 at Pittsburgh - 9.00 ERA, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
    • Astros: Jason Alexander (4-1, 18.00 ERA)
      Last outing: August 21 at Baltimore - 3.38 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts

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 Rockies at Astros

  • 7 of the Rockies' last 8 games in Houston have stayed under the Total
  • The Astros have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 2.36 units
  • The Astros have won 11 straight home games against the Rockies
  • The Astros have won Jason Alexander's last 5 starts and 7 of his 8 starts this season
  • Christian Walker is 7-25 (.280) over his last 6 games

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 today’s game between the Rockies and the Astros

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

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 Thursday's game between the Rockies and the Astros:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Colorado Rockies at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page fromNBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Diamondbacks at Brewers prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for August 28

Its Thursday, August 28 and the Diamondbacks (65-69) are in Milwaukee looking to take a second straight against the Brewers (83-51).

Nabil Crismatt is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Jose Quintana for Milwaukee.

It was an old-fashioned pitchers' duel last night as Ryne Nelson and three Arizona relievers combined to allow ten hits but just two runs to the Brewers in a 3-2 win. Aaron Ashby started in a bullpen game and Erick Fedde took the loss for Milwaukee.

Lets dive into 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 Diamondbacks at Brewers

  • Date: Thursday, August 28, 2025
  • Time: 2:10PM EST
  • Site: American Family Field
  • City: Milwaukee, WI
  • Network/Streaming: ARID, FDSNWI, MLBN

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 Diamondbacks at the Brewers

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Diamondbacks (+142), Brewers (-170)
  • Spread:  Brewers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Brewers

  • Pitching matchup for August 28, 2025: Nabil Crismatt vs. Jose Quintana
    • Diamondbacks: Nabil Crismatt (1-0, 1.00 ERA)
      Last outing: August 23 vs. Cincinnati - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
    • Brewers: Jose Quintana (10-4, 3.32 ERA)
      Last outing: August 22 vs. San Francisco - 3.38 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts

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 Diamondbacks at Brewers

  • Nabil Crismatt has allowed 1 run in 9 innings over 2 starts since arriving in Arizona
  • Christian Yelich has hit in 6 straight games (10-23)
  • Corbin Carroll had his 13-game hitting streak stopped last night
  • The Brewers have won 13 of their last 20 home games against teams with losing records

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 today’s game between the Diamondbacks and the Brewers

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

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 Thursday's game between the Diamondbacks and the Brewers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Arizona Diamondbacks at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page fromNBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Top 10 Devils Players In NHL 26 Revealed

EA Sports has revealed the top 10 New Jersey Devils players in NHL 26, as the game's release date approaches. 

The best Devils player on NHL 26 is unsurprisingly Jack Hughes, as the superstar center has been given a 93 overall rating. When noting that he averaged over a point per game for his fourth consecutive season, him getting such a high overall is understandable.

Hughes is not the only Devils player with a 90-plus overall rating, as star winger Jesper Bratt has secured a 91 overall rating after his excellent 2024-25 season. In 81 games this past campaign, Bratt scored 21 goals and set new career highs with 67 assists and 88 points.

Devils captain Nico Hischier is the third-best New Jersey player in NHL 26, as he has been given an 89 overall rating. From there, star blueliner Dougie Hamilton is up next, as he has been given an 87 overall rating. 

Following Hamilton are Jacob Markstrom, Jonas Siegenthaler, and Timo Meier. All three Devils players have been given 87 overall ratings in NHL 26. Devils defensemen Brenden Dillon, Brett Pesce, and Luke Hughes then complete the top 10, as they each have received 86 overall ratings.

Do you agree with these Devils overall ratings in NHL 26? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Devils New Forward Is Interesting AdditionDevils New Forward Is Interesting AdditionThe New Jersey Devils have added a handful of new players to their roster this summer. Among their most intriguing additions from this off-season is forward Evgenii Dadonov. 
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Red Sox at Orioles prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 28

Its Thursday, August 28 and the Red Sox (74-60) are in Baltimore this afternoon looking to sweep their four-game series against the Orioles (60-73).

Garrett Crochet is slated to take the mound for Boston against Cade Povich for Baltimore.

Last night Roman Anthony went deep in the first inning and Ceddanne Rafaela went yard in the ninth and the Red Sox won their third straight over the Orioles, 3-2. Brayan Bello and three relievers combined to allow two runs on five hits for Boston. Aroldis Chapman earned his 26th save. The veteran closer has not allowed a hit since July 23. That streak spans 10.2 innings over 13 appearances.

Lets dive into 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 Red Sox at Orioles

  • Date: Thursday, August 28, 2025
  • Time: 1:05PM EST
  • Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
  • City: Baltimore, MD
  • Network/Streaming: NESN, MASN

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 Red Sox at the Orioles

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Red Sox (-185), Orioles (+153)
  • Spread:  Red Sox -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Orioles

  • Pitching matchup for August 28, 2025: Garrett Crochet vs. Cade Povich
    • Red Sox: Garrett Crochet (14-5, 2.38 ERA)
      Last outing: August 23 at Yankees - 1.29 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 11 Strikeouts
    • Orioles: Cade Povich (2-7, 5.13 ERA)
      Last outing: August 22 vs. Houston - 7.71 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts

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 Red Sox at Orioles

  • The Red Sox have won 4 of 5 games on the road against divisional opponents
  • The Orioles' last 3 games against the Red Sox have gone under the Total
  • Trevor Story is 2-12 (.167) against the O's in this series
  • Alex Bregman is 1-11 (.091) against the O's this week
  • Garrett Crochet has struck out at least 8 in 4 of his last 5 starts

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 today’s game between the Red Sox and the Orioles

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

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 Thursday's game between the Red Sox and the Orioles:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Top 10 Blues Players In NHL 26 Revealed

With NHL 26 being released in two weeks, EA Sports has revealed the top 10 St. Louis Blues players in the game. 

The best Blues player in the game is star center Robert Thomas, as he has been given an 89 overall rating. Defenseman Colton Parayko and forward Jordan Kyrou are right behind Thomas, as they each have an 88 overall rating in the game. 

Next up is Blues breakout forward Dylan Holloway, as he has been given an 86 overall rating. Jordan Binnington will also be 86 overall in the game, which is understandable given the solid year he put together in 2025-26. 

Blues players Brayden Schenn, Justin Faulk, and Pavel Buchnevich have all received 85 overall ratings in NHL 26. Then, to round off the list, defenseman Cam Fowler and winger Jake Neighbours have both been given 84 overall ratings.

Do you feel these overall ratings are accurate for these Blues players? Let your thoughts be known in the comments. 

Blues' Projected Defense Has Interesting LookBlues' Projected Defense Has Interesting LookThe NHL's official Facebook account shared its defense projections for each team in the Central Division. Here is how they see the St. Louis Blues' defense looking at the start of the 2025-26 season.
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Florida Panthers to be featured on 15 nationally televised games in 2025-26

The Florida Panthers are going to get some national exposure this season.

On Wednesday, the NHL’s national television broadcast schedule was released, and the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions are being treated as such.

Out of the Panthers 82-game regular season schedule, 15 games will be broadcast to a national audience.

There will be six games featured on ESPN, six on TNT and three on ESPN+.

They include the season opener on Oct. 7 against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Winter Classic, when Florida hosts the New York Rangers at loanDepot Park in Miami on Jan. 2.

All other Panthers games will be broadcast locally on Scripps Sports and stream on Panthers Plus.

The full national broadcast schedule can be seen below:

Oct. 7 – Panthers vs. Blackhawks, 5 p.m. ET on ESPN

Oct. 15 – Panthers @ Red Wings, 7 p.m. ET on TNT

Oct. 21 – Panthers @ Bruins, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Nov. 6 – Panthers @ Kings, 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+

Dec. 2 – Panthers vs. Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+

Dec. 11 – Panthers @ Avalanche, 9 p.m. ET on ESPN

Jan. 2 – Panthers vs. Rangers, 8 p.m. ET on TNT

Jan. 6 – Panthers @ Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT

Feb. 4 – Panthers vs. Bruins, 7 p.m. ET on TNT

Feb. 5 – Panthers @ Lightning, 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+

March 1 – Panthers @ Islanders, 6:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

March 3 – Panthers @ Devils, 7 p.m. ET on TNT

March 5 – Panthers @ Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN

March 26 – Panthers vs. Wild, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN

April 15 – Panthers vs. Red Wings, 7 p.m. ET on TNT

LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA

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Panthers Prospect Gracyn Sawchyn Invited To NHLPA Rookie Showcase

Photo caption: Jun 12, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Overview of fans in the stands during warm up between the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers in game four of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

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Blackhawks Improve But Still Come In Last In New Standings Prediction

Every year, everyone likes to predict what the NHL standings are going to look like by year’s end. There are usually some “hot takes” involved, but a lot of it is as expected based on the team’s makeup. 

For the Chicago Blackhawks, most folks around the league remember how this team has had a draft pick in the top three in each of the last three seasons. Great teams don’t select that high in the draft. 

“JFresh” revealed a standings prediction for 2025-26 on Wednesday. Their model is based on data and current rosters. 

JFresh (@JFreshHockey) on XJFresh (@JFreshHockey) on Xundefined

According to them, the Blackhawks are going to finish in last place in the Central Division with 75 points. Last place isn’t great, but the division is filled with teams that believe they can compete, and it’s a 14-point improvement over their 2024-25 season that ended with 61 points. 

This 75-point finish on the model has them as the fourth-worst team in the Western Conference. The Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, and San Jose Sharks all project to be worse. In the Eastern Conference, only the Philadelphia Flyers project worse.

This scenario would give Chicago the fifth-best odds at landing Gavin McKenna with the first overall pick. No matter how it happens, landing that superstar would enhance every franchise in the NHL. 

In a perfect world, the young stars on Chicago's roster take a big step, the team looks improved over the course of 82 games compared to a year ago, and the team still has a chance to make a top-five pick in a loaded draft class. 

If they somehow compete for a Wild Card spot, that will be a great experience for the youth as well. No matter what the finish looks like in the standings, there is potential for 2025-26 to be a great developmental year.

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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Former baseball commissioner Bud Selig says salary caps are 'working well' in other sports

Former MLB commissioner Bud Selig speaks before a baseball game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cincinnati Reds Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Former MLB commissioner Bud Selig speaks in 2022. (Aaron Gash / Associated Press)

The commissioner who called off the World Series as striking players fought off a salary cap still sees merit to a salary cap in Major League Baseball.

“Three of the other major sports all have salary caps, and they’re working,” former commissioner Bud Selig said on the MVP Podcast. “And they’re working well.”

Former Angels first baseman Mo Vaughn, the 1995 American League most valuable player for the Boston Red Sox, is the host of the MVP Podcast.

Selig’s tenure as commissioner ran from 1992 to 2015. The players went on strike in 1994 when owners insisted on a salary cap. Selig had to call off the World Series, and the players returned in 1995 without a salary cap.

Baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2026 season, and several owners already have called for a salary cap, claiming competitive balance cannot truly be possible when teams like the Dodgers and New York Mets spend five times on payroll as teams such as the Athletics and Miami Marlins.

Read more:They said baseball was dying. How Rob Manfred and MLB officials revived it

The players’ union adamantly opposes a cap, arguing owners are more concerned about restricting spending and about how the sale prices of teams are not appreciating as greatly as those in other sports.

Selig did not directly advocate for a salary cap as much as he did for dialogue between owners and players. Rob Manfred, the current commissioner, has called an offseason lockout a negotiating tool that does not harm the sport so long as regular-season games are not lost.

“The last 22 years of my commissionership, we had no lockout, no strike, no nothing,” Selig said. “And that really helped us.

“I think, when you look back, some of the labor problems that we had really hurt us. So we have to be careful.”

Vaughn’s current business ventures include serving as an advisor at Perfect Game, which distributes the podcast. As he talked over old times with Selig, the former commissioner realized everything old is new again.

“We had a strike that cost the World Series,” Selig said, “and it was over things that they’re still fighting about.”

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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Buster Posey remains committed to Giants' core despite down 2025 MLB season

Buster Posey remains committed to Giants' core despite down 2025 MLB season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants, perhaps for the first time in a while, have a formidable core of star players.

Unfortunately for San Francisco, it has not resulted in as many wins as it initially hoped when it added slugger Rafael Devers to a nucleus of Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, Heliot Ramos, Jung Hoo Lee and starting pitchers Logan Webb and Robbie Ray earlier this season.

However, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey remains committed to the team’s core moving forward.

“I believe in the nucleus,” Posey told KNBR 680’s “Murph & Markus” on Thursday. “What makes me feel good is the character of these players. Each year can be different. And again, we’ve got 30ish games left, and you never know what can happen, so we’re focused on this year, for sure. But yeah, we have total belief in this nucleus and understand this is the first year of them playing together, with Rafi not even having a full year.

“Excited about their leadership and the players around them on both sides of the ball that we’re going to get to watch going forward and continue to work and get better.”

The Giants (65-68) still have 29 games remaining this season, but likely are too far out of playoff contention, as they sit seven games back of the New York Mets (72-61) for the third and final National League wild card spot.

Despite the 2025 season likely ending without a playoff appearance for the fourth consecutive year, Posey does not foresee the Giants “blowing it up” this offseason and trading pieces of their core.

“As a front office we’ll look and see how we see best to put the best team on the field in [2026], but as far as ‘majorly blowing it up,’ whatever that means … I don’t see that happening,” Posey added.

It’s safe to say fans can expect to see, more or less, the same core players in 2026.

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