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What we learned as Rafael Devers homers twice in Giants' blowout win vs. Cubs

What we learned as Rafael Devers homers twice in Giants' blowout win vs. Cubs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — With two outs in the bottom of the fifth and the Giants nursing a one-run lead, Dominic Smith hit a single to center. Rafael Devers eased into third, and then looked around in confusion as the ball rolled around near the bag. 

Had Chicago Cubs rookie Matt Shaw fielded the throw cleanly, Devers might have been out because he slowed down as he approached the bag. Instead, he scored a few seconds later on Matt Chapman’s bloop single, and then turned and watched as Smith scored, too, after a throw from right field hit Chapman’s helmet and bounced all the way to the backstop.

It was the type of sequence that would have fit right in with games of April or May. Right now, everything once again is going right for the Giants, who crushed the Cubs 12-3 to clinch a second straight series against an NL Central team headed for the MLB playoffs. 

The Giants’ own postseason odds haven’t improved much in recent days since the New York Mets picked up steam at the exact same time. They completed a sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies earlier Wednesday, leaving the Giants seven out with 29 to play.

Stranger things have happened, but right now they’re happy to just be back on the right track. Their fourth straight win got them to 65-68, and they’ll go for a sweep Thursday behind ace Logan Webb. 

Devers Demolishes

Here’s how Rafael Devers’ night went: 106 mph homer, 107 mph double, walk, 106 mph homer, single. 

The first blast went to dead center and got the Giants on the board in the first inning, and the second one was a three-run shot to left in the sixth that got them to double-digits. With the two-homer night, Devers reached 27 homers on the season. 

Devers won’t really break the long-running 30-homer drought since most of that damage happened with the Boston Red Sox, but he certainly looks capable of doing it next year. When he’s right, Devers is the kind of hitter who can make even Oracle Park feel small. 

W for Whis

Willy Adames’ athletic double play got Carson Whisenhunt through the fifth and allowed him to pick up his second big league win. It wasn’t easy, but Whisenhunt twice got double plays with the bases loaded. 

Whisenhunt gave up five hits, walked three and hit one, but allowed just three earned over those five innings. The Giants are watching everything he does right now, and that includes dealing with adversity. Wednesday wasn’t the cleanest night, but Whisenhunt found a way to limit the damage, which is a positive sign as he tries to lock up a long-term rotation spot. 

Double Trouble

Jung Hoo Lee caught a break in the fourth when left fielder Willi Castro misjudged his liner to left. It went for a double, his 30th of the year, and that put him in a small club.

Lee became the fifth San Francisco Giant to pick up 30 doubles and 10 triples in a single season, joining Willie Mays, Bobby Bonds, Garry Maddox and Angel Pagan. Lee is second in the National League in triples and now ranks eighth in doubles. 

While there have been some home runs, most notably in New York, peppering the gaps is what the Giants expected when Lee signed a long-term contract. He had just four doubles and no triples as a rookie, but he has found his stride in the second half of his sophomore season. Lee has now picked up a hit in 21 of 23 games this month. 

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Top 10 Blackhawks According To EA Sports NHL 26 Player Ratings

The EA Sports NHL franchise is a big part of hockey culture. Whether people still buy the annual edition of the game or not, it is synonymous with real-life NHL fans. People care about the teams, the game modes, and most importantly, their favorite players. 

Player ratings are based on what EA believes is going on in real life, so everyone argues over the results as if they are rankings. The better teams have more highly ranked players, and the lousy teams lack the depth, just like in the actual NHL. 

For the Chicago Blackhawks, it isn’t pretty in the upcoming installment, NHL 26. That is to be expected for a team that has been drafting in the top five for several years in a row now. 

Connor Bedard leads the way with an 88 rating. For reference, Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers is the highest-rated player in the game with a 97. Leon Draisaitl (Edmonton Oilers), Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche), and Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay Lightning) are tied for second with 96. 

Bedard will likely be in the low-mid 90s one day with the other superstars in the league, but he has a lot of work to do in his development to get there. Once you get into the 89s and 90s, you start to see the perennial all-stars around the league.  

Alex Vlasic, Ryan Donato, and Teuvo Teravainen are all tied for second with an 84 overall. Connor Murphy and Spencer Knight are tied for 5th with an 83. Then you have Frank Nazar, Jason Dickinson, Nick Foligno, and Tyler Bertuzzi rounding out the top ten with 82 overall. 

Like Bedard, all of Alex Vlasic, Frank Nazar, and Spencer Knight have plenty of runway to improve their stock as the years go along. Everyone else is likely to plateau or take a dip.

Once the prospects like Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, and Anton Frondell, amongst others, get in and start leveling up, the Blackhawks will look like a much better team again. 

You can preorder NHL 26 today before its September 5th release. 

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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Brandin Podziemski reveals how Warriors' locker room views Jonathan Kuminga saga

Brandin Podziemski reveals how Warriors' locker room views Jonathan Kuminga saga originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Jonathan Kuminga saga has dominated Warriors and NBA discourse throughout the offseason.

But how do Golden State’s players actually feel about the situation? Third-year guard Brandin Podziemski revealed how he and his Warriors teammates view the Kuminga noise in a conversation with 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” on Wednesday.

“Obviously, everybody on our team knows it’s the media’s job to try to nitpick and find things to write and talk about and separate teammates so they have a story to write,” Podziemski told Mark Willard and Dan Dibley. “Like, we all know that’s how it works; especially the guys who have been around it for 10 to 15 years, they know how it works.

“Everybody in the locker room knows no matter how that situation’s resolved, it doesn’t change our viewpoint of JK as a person [and] as a player. Obviously, we all want him to be in Golden State; that’s the whole point. But it doesn’t change anything.”

To no one’s surprise, Podziemski has his teammate’s back.

It is no secret that Golden State, the lone franchise that has yet to make an offseason move, likely has transactions in wait because of the Kuminga situation. But it’s also well known that Kuminga and the Warriors are at an impasse in contract negotiations. 

At the end of the day, games will be played, and Podziemski will be obligated to lace up his shoes regardless of Kuminga’s status. The guard simply is focused on what he can control.

“The media is going to portray it one way to try and make people think differently of it,” Podziemski told Willard and Dibley. “But it doesn’t change my perspective. I know all I can control is being the best version of Brandin Podziemski that I can be going into my third year, and everything else is going to fall how it may.”

Podziemski said he and his Warriors teammates want Kuminga back for the 2025-26 NBA season. However, it’s uncertain how much Golden State’s front office agrees with that sentiment, if it does at all.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

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Florida Panthers announce 2025 NHL Prospect Tournament roster

The new hockey season is just around the corner, and soon it will be time for the youngest Florida Panthers to kick things off.

In just a couple short weeks, the Panthers will join the Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville predators at the 2025 NHL Prospect Tournament.

This year, it will be held at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, just north of Tampa.

The round-robin tournament will kick off on Friday, Sept. 12 and wrap up on Monday, Sept. 15.

On Wednesday, the Panthers released their official 24-man roster for the tournament, which features 15 forwards, six defensemen and three goalies.

Florida’s youngsters are expected to arrive in Fort Lauderdale earlier that week for a few days of training and practice time before heading north to Wesley Chapel.

All games at AdventHealth Center Ice will be open to the public and free to attend, and they will also be available via steam, according to the Panthers.

Florida’s three-game schedule is as follows:

Friday, Sept. 12 at 2:00 p.m. vs. Carolina

Saturday, Sept. 13 at 5:00 p.m. vs. Tampa Bay

Monday, Sept. 15 at 12:00 p.m. vs. Nashville

You can check out Florida’s full tournament roster below:

(Florida Panthers)

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Photo caption: Florida Panthers prospects skate against the Tampa Bay Lightning during a 2023 NHL Prospect Tournament game at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida. (David Dwork)

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Two Suns minority owners sue team, focused on owner Mat Ishbia, over transparency

When Mat Ishbia purchased a controlling interest in the Phoenix Suns, he offered to buy out any of the team's 16 minority owners (using the $4 billion valuation of the team to set the price). Fourteen of those owners took him up on the offer.

The two that did not — Kisco WC Sports and Kent Circle Investments – have taken the Suns to court in Delaware over frustrations about transparency and access to information, NBC Sports has confirmed.

"Our clients sued to obtain records to which they are entitled as minority owners of the Suns," said attorneys Michael Carlinsky and Michael Barlow of Quinn Emanuel, who are representing the minority owners. "They are concerned by the manager's [Ishbia's] approach towards minority owners, and want more information about certain spending and capital raises in which the manager has engaged. Transparency with minority owners is not optional, and our clients think it is critical to the success of the Suns."

In the court papers, Kisco and Kent Circle claim they have not had access to view basic information about the franchise, including how it has been run and some of the investments that Ishbia and the Suns have made, such as a new practice facility. With that, the minority owners don't believe they have an understanding of what their shares are worth. They are asking the court to allow them to investigate what they perceive as potential violations of the limited liability company agreement, as well as conflicts of interest.

There are somewhat conflicting reports that one or both of the minority owners are looking to sell their shares and get out (it is known that Kisco and Ishbia discussed a buyout at one point). If true, this suit could be in part an effort to gain leverage in those talks. Suns Capital Group LLC sent a letter to the minority owners stating that it does not have a problem with the two groups selling their shares to outside groups, but the owners cannot demand that Ishbia and the Suns LLC buy them out at a higher valuation than the team was purchased for, reports Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports.

For Suns fans, this will have no impact on the court or on how the fans experience their favorite team. For fans with questions about Ishbia's ownership, it's simply something to note for now.

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The unique quirks, oddities and head-scratchers of Red Sox' 2026 schedule

The unique quirks, oddities and head-scratchers of Red Sox' 2026 schedule originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The National Football League likes to make a spectacle out of its schedule release date, teasing the moment as must-see TV for months and generating enough hype to actually squeeze some ratings out of the ordeal.

Major League Baseball, meanwhile, just dumps the thing on a random weekday while the current season is still taking place.

It’s a decision. We can say that all right.

In any event, considering that schedule release came on the aforementioned random weekday, it’s possible you didn’t have time to lay out the calendar and analyze everything that made an eyebrow or two rise around Boston. Fortunately, we can fix that.

Opening Day in Cincinnati

In theory, having a historic franchise like the Red Sox open the season in Cincinnati, which marked the location of the first game of the MLB season for 100 years or so, is pretty cool. In actuality? It’s tough to get excited about a Red Sox-Reds game in March.

That season opener — on March 26! — kicks off a six-game road trip to start the season, with the Red Sox heading to Houston after Cincinnati.

(A bonus to this matchup is Terry Francona managing the Reds. Yet the novelty of the Red Sox facing Francona wore off some time during his 1 million games managing Cleveland.)

No Yankees in September

Do you love a good rivalry game in September, when a chill hits the air, the sun sets early, and everybody knows the game just mean a little bit more?

Well, too bad! No soup for you.

The Red Sox and Yankees will wrap up their season series the weekend of Aug. 28-30, leaving the final month without any potential playoff-implication matchups.

The final month of the season is devoid of most AL East competition, too, with only six of 24 games coming against divisional opponents (three in Baltimore, three in Tampa). The Red Sox’ final home series against an AL East opponent will take place July 24-26 against Toronto.

That’s all good for the sake of variety, but it could theoretically make it difficult for the Red Sox to gain ground if there’s a race for the division playing out over the final two months of the season.

Season finale vs. the Cubs

Interleague play has been around for almost 30 years. With pitchers no longer batting in the NL, and with interleague series taking place at all times, it’s become a very normal part of Major League Baseball.

Still. The Red Sox close out their regular season at home against the Cubs. Which means, by necessity, the Cubs are closing out their season on the road against the Red Sox.

It’s weird.

A Red Sox-Cubs series is always a big deal, with fans of both teams dishing out big bucks to make pilgrimages to both Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. They used to be very rare, but next year will mark the fifth straight season with a Cubs-Red Sox matchup.

The oversaturation and the fact that it could be a meaningless series for both teams drains quite a bit of juice out of this one.

Home opener against the Padres

Keeping it with the interleague-is-a-little-strange theme, the Red Sox will open Fenway Park on Friday, April 3, against the … San Diego Padres.

On the one hand, Red Sox fans will (most likely) get to finally say hello to Xander Bogaerts, who’s yet to return to Boston as a vistor.

On the other … there’s something discomforting about an interleague series opening the home slate for the Red Sox, even if it happens quite often. It happened this year, with St. Louis visiting Boston and getting swept by the Red Sox. It also happened in 2017, when the Red Sox swept the Pirates (one game got postponed, but the Red Sox later won that one, too), and in 2015, when the Red Sox took two out of three from the Nationals. But the Brewers swept the Red Sox in their first home series in 2014, so the results haven’t been perfect.

Either way, given the fact that it’s happened quite often, you’d think everybody would be used to an interleague series for the home opener by now. But … we’re not.

(By the way, after the Padres leave Boston, the Brewers will head to town, and then the Red Sox will visit St. Louis. The Red Sox may be honorary National League members in April.)

On the road for the Fourth of July

If you like catching a Red Sox game as the appetizer before your evening of Boston Pops and fireworks, you’ll have to readjust. The Red Sox are in Los Angeles to play the Angels on July 4, in the early part of a nine-game road trip ahead of the All-Star break.

After a series finale against the Nationals on July 1, Fenway won’t host a baseball game again until July 17. Sounds like Concert Season.

Raffy returns

The Rafael Devers trade was a bit messy. Its full impact won’t be judged for years. Yet the early indications are that somehow, the Red Sox have been better off without him, and the Giants are worse with him. That’s an odd early result for a three-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger in the prime of his career.

In any event, most fans stuck with Devers even as he refused to play first or third base after getting moved to DH this year. When he comes back as a visitor, will they cheer for the 2018 champion? Or will they boo him for the ugly and abrupt ending?

We’ll all find out together when the Giants visit Fenway Park from Aug. 21-23.

Unique visitors and potential road trips

For all of the complaining about interleague play, it’s still fun to occasionally see some jerseys inside Fenway Park that you don’t see too often. Likewise, when fans plan out potential road trips, variety is always a good thing.

Teams visiting Fenway that fit that bill:

  • San Diego (April 3-5)
  • Milwaukee (April 6-8)
  • Philadelphia (May 12-14)
  • Atlanta (May 26-28)
  • Washington (June 29-July 1)
  • Arizona (Aug. 17-19)
  • San Francisco (Aug. 21-23)
  • Chicago Cubs (Sept. 25-27)

And the potential NL road trips:

  • Cincinnati (March 26-29)
  • St. Louis (April 10-12)
  • Atlanta (May 15-17)
  • Colorado (June 22-24)
  • New York Mets (July 10-12)
  • Los Angeles Dodgers (July 31-Aug.2)
  • Pittsburgh (Aug. 14-16)
  • Miami (Aug. 24-26)

Scheduled double-header

You don’t see scheduled double-headers too often, but the Red Sox have one in Seattle on June 20.

There’s a hot dog-themed video about it all

The Red Sox announced some of their home series in a video starring hot dogs.

Some of the homages and references make more sense than others.

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Nashville Predators announce roster for 2025 NHL Prospect Tournament

The Nashville Predators' future will be showcased on a league stage in September as the team announced its roster for the 2025 NHL Prospect Tournament.

The tournament will take place at AdventHealth Center Ice in Tampa, Florida, and will run from September 12 to September 15. The Predators' prospects will face the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, and Florida Panthers. 

Players will report to Nashville on Sept. 11 for practice before heading to Tampa. 

The showcase will feature the following prospects: Joakim Kemell (2022), Brady Martin (2025), Kalan Lind (2023), Reid Schaefer, Hiroki Gojsic (2024), David Edstrom, Joey Willis, Cole O'Hara (2022), Matthew Wood (2023), Ryder Rolston, Alex Kostov, Austin Roest (2023), Oasiz Wiesblatt, Tanner Molendyk (2023), Jack Matier (2021), Cameron Reid (2025), Ryan Ufko (2021), Hayden Barch, Andrew Gibson, Alex Huang (2025), Ethan Haider (2019), T.J. Semptimphelter and Jakub Milota (2024). 

Martin returns to Nashville after recently signing his entry-level contract with the Predators. The center from Elora, Ontario, was selected fifth overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Predators' highest pick since 2013. 

The tournament will also feature 2025 draft picks Cameron Reid (21st overall) and Alex Huang (122nd overall). The 26th overall pick, Ryker Lee, will not be playing as he is currently at Michigan State. 

All the Predators games from the Prospect Tournament can be streamed at NashvillePredators.com. 

Following the Prospects Tournament, NHL training camp will commence on Sept. 17 with physicals and team meetings. On-ice practices begin Sept. 18 and the Predators will play their first preseason game against the Florida Panthers, which will be a split-squad doubleheader, on Sept. 21 at Bridgestone Arena. 

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Stanford Men’s Basketball 2025-26 Non-Conference schedule revealed

One day after Stanford women’s basketball revealed their non-conference slate for the 2025-26 season, Stanford men’s basketball followed suit as well. Stanford men’s basketball has often not had an exhibition, so for them to have an exhibition and have it be against another high major opponent is something that immediately jumps out if you are one that follows the program.

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Yankees launch six homers, use nine-run third inning to rout Nationals and secure sweep

The Yankees tromped the Washington Nationals 11-2 on Wednesday afternoon in the Bronx. 

New York secured the three-game series sweep and has now won four in a row. 

Here are some takeaways...

- The Yankees took full advantage of this three-game set with the lowly Nationals pitching staff, getting their bats back into a groove. They outplayed them from beginning to end, putting up double-digit runs twice, including in Wednesday afternoon's blowout series finale. 

- Trent Grisham's leadoff homer set the tone in what ended up being a complete shellacking in the Bronx. Grisham turned on a third pitch fastball from Cade Cavalli and lifted it over the short porch to build on his new career-high of 26 long balls on the season.

- The biggest blow, though, came in a monster third inning that lasted a total of 45 minutes. Aaron Judge (two-run) and Cody Bellinger (solo) went back-to-back to get things started, Jasson Dominguez had a pair of run-scoring hits (double, single), Ryan McMahon lifted a three-run shot, and Ben Rice a solo blast.

Rice finished the day 3-for-4 with the homer and two singles, continuing his red hot month of August. 

Judge (41), Grisham (26), and Bellinger (25) are just the second Yankee outfield trio with 25+ HR in a season.

- Austin Wells got in on the fun as well, lifting New York's sixth home run of the game leading off the bottom of the fourth. While the other four were good to see as well, it was certainly encouraging for him and McMahon to be able to snap out of their funks at the plate. 

- After being handed the early cushion, Max Fried was able to build off his success from his last time out facing a familiar opponent. He was extremely efficient, retiring the first 11 Nationals hitters he faced before issuing a two out walk to Riley Adams in the top of the fourth.  

Fried worked around another walk in the fifth, before allowing his first hit of the game in the sixth. Three straight singles from Washington broke up the no-hitter and shutout, but the lefty escaped without further damage thanks to a strikeout and double play. 

Josh Bell lofted a two out single to right, but Fried struck out Brady House looking to end his day on a positive note and close his final line with just the one run allowed on four hits and two walks while punching out six. 

- Paul Blackburn put the finishing touches on this one, only giving up a double and solo homer over the final two innings.

- Anthony Volpe continues to struggle mightily at the plate. His well-struck lineout stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the first. He then made two of the team's three outs in the nine-run third, lining out again with a man in scoring position, and later striking out with the bases loaded to end the inning.

The youngster grounded out to short in the fifth, and struck out swinging in the eighth to finish 0-for-4.

Volpe was the only Yankee who didn't reach base on the afternoon, stranding seven men. He is now an ugly 1-for-38 over his last 11 games, bring his average down to .204 on the season to go along with a .662 OPS. 

Game MVP: The third inning

I know, I know that isn't a player. 

This was a complete shellacking from the Yanks offense from top-to-bottom, and they put it away for good with the nine-run marathon frame. 

Highlights

What's next

The Yanks start a seven-game road trip with a meeting with the White Sox on Thursday at 7:40 p.m.

Will Warren (7-6, 4.47 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Bombers, and Chicago hasn't announced a starter. 

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Ex-Flyers Trade Acquisition Joins Division Rival

(Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)

As the NHL offseason rapidly comes to a conclusion, one former Philadelphia Flyers trade acquisition has joined the Metropolitan Division rival Carolina Hurricanes on a professional tryout offer.

Longtime AHL-NHL tweener and enforcer Givani Smith, added by the Flyers in the trade that sent Stanley Cup champion defenseman Erik Johnson back to his beloved Colorado Avalanche, joined the Hurricanes on a tryout offer Wednesday afternoon.

Smith, 27, never played for the Flyers despite replacing a player on the NHL roster in Johnson.

Instead, the 6-foot-2 former second-round pick finished his season with the AHL Lehigh Valley Phantoms, scoring one goal and one assist in 10 games.

Smith appeared in seven playoff games for the Phantoms, racking up 19 penalty minutes and a -4 rating.

Ironically, Smith will best be remembered by Flyers fans as the player who fought... Erik Johnson in a Nov. 11 game between the Flyers and San Jose Sharks after attempting to start a problem with rookie sensation Matvei Michkov.

Johnson, of course, threw off his gloves, stepped in, and took care of the rest. The two were traded for each other a few months later.

Smith has found his next NHL destination, while Johnson, 37, remains a free agent late into the offseason.

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Allen Americans Announce New NHL/AHL Affiliation

The Allen Americans, along with Head Coach and General Manager Steve Martinson, announced the team has signed an agreement with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators and AHL’s Belleville Senators for the 2025-26 season.

The Americans will begin their 17th season of professional hockey this October. Over the previous 16 years, first in the Central Hockey League and then in the ECHL, the Americans have made five trips to the league finals and won four championships.

“We’re proud to once again team up with the Allen Americans as our ECHL affiliate for the 2025-26 season,” Belleville Senators general manager Matt Turek said in a statement. “Having a solid affiliate will be significantly beneficial to both clubs and provide a clear pathway to the NHL.

“We have the utmost trust in the leadership of Coach Steve Martinson and his staff, and we’re confident they’ll provide the right atmosphere for Senators players to continue to grow.”

This marks the third time the Americans and Senators have signed an affiliation agreement. Allen worked with Ottawa/Belleville in 2022-23, and 2023-24.

Several key players have made stops in DFW during that span, including Goalie Leevi Merilainen, who has played a total of 14 games with the Ottawa Senators. 12 of the 14 came last year when he produced a record of 8-3-1 with a 1.99 GAA.

Defenseman Donavan Sebrango and Goalie Kevin Mandolese have also seen action at the NHL level.

Since becoming a Double A franchise in 2009-10, the Americans have worked with the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche while in the Central Hockey League, and the Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, Seattle Kraken, and Utah since joining the ECHL.

“This affiliation has so much potential for the Americans,” Martinson noted. “Having many conversations with Matt Turek (Belleville Senators GM), and Sean McCauley (Manager of Hockey Operations Ottawa Senators), we know that they like the same style of play as we do in Allen. It’s great to be able to work in concert to add elite players to our roster.”

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One Last Ride? Six 38-Plus NHL Veterans Who Are On Expiring Contracts

NHL players know full well that nothing lasts forever.

Even the best of the best will eventually have to hang up their skates and look back on the old memories of their careers.

Speculation about retirement intensifies when older NHL veterans reach the end of their contracts, suggesting it may be an appropriate time to retire. However, that isn’t the case for every player, with the rare exception of some playing into their 40s.

Here are six NHL players who are at least 38 years old and going into the final year of their contracts.

Alex Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time regular-season goals leader, is entering the final year of his five-year, $9.5-million contract. Ovechkin is one of the game's greatest players and is still performing at 39, turning 40 on Sept. 17.

Last season, the Washington Capitals captain scored 44 goals and 73 points in 65 games, his best goals-per-game average since the 2019-20 season when he recorded 48 tallies and 67 points in 68 appearances.

In late May, the Capitals corporate sales department made an error in an email to season ticket holders. The promotional email said the 2025-26 season would be Ovechkin’s “final NHL season.” However, Washington’s PR team quickly stepped in to say that it was a mistake and that no decision had been made.

All eyes will be on Ovechkin next season to see what he decides to do at the end of his current contract. He remains an essential part of the Capitals as they try to win the Cup, although Ovechkin's odds of winning the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP make him a long shot at 501.00 (+50,000), according to BetMGM. The next two players on this list have the same odds.

Can Ovechkin Break Gordie Howe's Single-Season, Age-40 NHL Record?Can Ovechkin Break Gordie Howe's Single-Season, Age-40 NHL Record?Alex Ovechkin, the Washington Capitals’ ageless wonder, seems to set a different scoring record every year.

Evgeni Malkin, C, Pittsburgh Penguins

While he's spent his career with franchise legend Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin will go down as one of the best Pittsburgh Penguins and Russian-born players to play in the NHL. The 39-year-old is entering the fourth and final year of his contract at a $6.1-million cap hit.

Malkin dealt with upper- and lower-body injuries last season, forcing him to play in only 68 games for the Penguins. He recorded 16 goals and 34 assists for 50 points, finishing fifth on the team in scoring.

"He's probably the most underrated player, maybe, to ever play," Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said earlier in August on the Cam & Strick Podcast. "I think just because of the fact that he has always kind of been a little bit in the shadow of Sid, but – at his best – one of, if not the best, player in the league."

In 19 years with Pittsburgh, Malkin has won three Stanley Cup championships, the Conn Smythe Trophy, Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy twice, Calder Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award. It’s safe to say he’ll earn a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame when his time comes around.

Dubas told NHL.com the Penguins' focus is on treating Malkin right and continuing to communicate with him on where he stands with the squad in the future. He also said at some point, the team must usher in the youth movement.

This could be Malkin's last year with the Penguins, but whether he signs elsewhere or retires remains an uncertainty.

Anze Kopitar, C, Los Angeles Kings

Anze Kopitar is one of the longest-tenured captains among active NHL players. He’s worn the “C” for the Los Angeles Kings for the last nine seasons. However, Kopitar is entering the last season of a two-year contract worth $7 million annually.

Kopitar has long been one of the best two-way centers in the NHL. On top of his two Stanley Cup championships, he’s won the Selke Trophy twice as the best defensive forward in the NHL.

With that, the 38-year-old has been consistent throughout his 19-year career. Aside from the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020-21, he’s scored at least 60 points in the last eight campaigns. He’s only missed four games across those eight seasons, showing no signs of slowing down.

Kopitar's average ice time dropped to 18:57 from 19:39 and 20:18 in the two years beforehand, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him stay with the Kings past the end of 2025-26.

Kopitar has the third-best odds of winning the Lady Byng Trophy at 8.00 (+700) and the ninth-best odds of winning the Selke again this upcoming season, at 29.00 odds (+2800), according to BetMGM.

Corey Perry, RW, Los Angeles Kings

Corey Perry has had an impressive career, and he is not done yet. Perry has played in six different Stanley Cup finals, winning the Cup in his first appearance with the Anaheim Ducks in 2006-07.

The rest of his Stanley Cup final appearances came after he turned 35. His latest attempts at the Cup were with the Edmonton Oilers in the last two seasons. This past spring, he scored 10 goals and 14 points in 22 playoff games.

Now, at 40, he signed his sixth-career one-year deal at $2 million. Perry will be looking to guide the Kings to yet another Stanley Cup final appearance in what could be his final opportunity.

Jonathan Quick, G, New York Rangers

Jonathan Quick is gearing up for a third season with the New York Rangers after signing another one-year extension on March 12. He’ll earn $1.55 million as the Rangers’ backup to Igor Shesterkin.

Quick is the winningest American goaltender in NHL history with 404 victories. He has 13 more wins than Ryan Miller, who sits behind him on that list.

Quick, 39, is also 13th on the NHL’s all-time wins list. With 20 more wins, Quick would sit alone in 11th in the rankings, surpassing Glenn Hall and Tony Esposito. Considering his last 20-plus-win campaign was in 2021-22, he may need to stick around for an extra season if he wants to earn that accomplishment.

That said, Quick had a 3.17 goals-against average and .893 save percentage with three shutouts last season. He'll need to improve a bit to remain an effective backup goalie.

Why The NHL's Stanley Cup Favorites Could Or Couldn't WinWhy The NHL's Stanley Cup Favorites Could Or Couldn't WinEntering a new NHL season, all 32 teams begin with the same record, but each of them has different goals.

Brent Burns, D, Colorado Avalanche

The final name on this list is the only player who hasn’t already won a Stanley Cup. 

This off-season, the 40-year-old Burns signed a one-year, $1-million contract with the Colorado Avalanche in an effort to finally win a Stanley Cup to sign off on a storied career.

Burns has played 1,497 games across 21 seasons for the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes. Burns has come close to a Stanley Cup, including one final appearance and three conference finals appearances.

Who knows how much Burns has left in the tank, but joining the Avalanche puts him in a great spot to potentially hoist the Cup before he hits the end of the road.  The Avalanche have the second-best odds of winning the Cup in 2025-26, at 9.00 (+800), per BetMGM.

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Mets are calling up their No. 4 prospect to make MLB debut on Friday

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 12: Jonah Tong #16 of the New York Mets throws a pitch in the second inning during the 2025 All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The Mets' Jonah Tong, delivering a pitch during the 2025 All-Star Futures Game, is scheduled to make his MLB debut on Friday against the Marlins. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The New York Mets are calling up pitcher Jonah Tong, their No. 4 prospect and No. 44 overall, who leads the minor leagues in strikeouts and earned-run average.

The 22-year-old right-hander will make a start Friday against the Miami Marlins, according to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. Tong will join a team that finds itself in the middle of a playoff race. The Mets are behind the Philadelphia Phillies by 5 games in the National League East and hold a 3½ game lead for the last wild card spot.

“This went fast for Jonah,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said during a news conference Tuesday. “But to his credit, he really conquered everything we put in front of him. He exceeded our expectations throughout this year, and he put himself in a position where he deserved to be considered for a day like this.”

The Mets’ seventh-round draft pick in 2022 opened the season in double-A Binghamton, where he made 20 starts. Tong struck out 162 batters and led the league with a 1.59 ERA when he was promoted to triple-A Syracuse in earlier this month.

Tong will make a start with the big league team after pitching 11.2 innings in Syracuse without giving up a run while striking out 17.

The Mets are in the middle of a season-long 16 games in a 16-day stretch and the front office wanted to have a sixth starter to give its starting pitchers an extra day of rest.

“He earned it, man. He earned it,” Mendoza told reporters. “I’m excited. We are all excited.”

Tong and the Mets will face Eury Pérez and the Marlins on Friday at 4:10 p.m. PDT at Citi Field.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.