Jacob Misiorowski is dominating on the mound in his sophomore campaign, and one of the game's all-time great arms is taking note. CC Sabathia showered the Brewers' ace with praise on the latest episode of his podcast, MLB According to CC.
"He's a top-two pitcher and not number two. Right now, he's one of the best pitchers in the game."
Misiorowski currently leads all qualified starters with a 1.34 ERA, 48 points better than any other starter. The 24-year-old sits atop the leaderboards in WHIP (0.71), strikeouts (131), and opponent batting average (.140). Reaping the benefits of their young star, the Brewers hold a 4.5-game lead in the NL Central.
This isn't the first time Sabathia has shouted out Milwaukee's flamethrower. Back in May, the Hall of Famer emphasized cutting down on walks and being "aggressive in the strike zone" in order for Misiorowski to reach the upper echelon of starting pitchers. Since then, he has done just that, allowing 2+ walks in just one of his last six starts.
Sabathia was an early believer in the Miz, saying he "absolutely" had the chance to become baseball's No. 1 starting pitcher. After facing the minimum in a complete game shutout against the Phillies on June 12 (with 15 strikeouts to boot), Misiorowski may have already proved he is the game's best.
New episodes with CC and Ahmed Fareed drop every Wednesday on NBC Sports NOW, NBCSN, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Who makes the Mount Rushmore of New York City sports?
On today’s episode of MLB According to CC, legendary Yankee CC Sabathia discussed his top four “modern era” New York athletes, alongside his cohost, Ahmed Fareed who made his own “legends” top four list. Sabathia gave the number one spot to five time World Series winner with the Yankees, and his teammate of five years, Derek Jeter.
"Derek Jeter's got to be No. 1 with five rings."
Next, the former pitcher selected former Giants quarterback, Eli Manning, pointing to his destruction of the unbeaten 2007 Patriots’ Super Bowl dreams. In the number three slot, Sabathia selected newly minted NBA Champion, Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson.
Knicks need to “put the statue in front of MSG" for Jalen Brunson.
Rounding off the former Cy Young winner’s “Mount Rushmore” was another former teammate who spent their whole career in the pinstripes, iconic Yankees' closer Mariano Rivera. Sabathia praised Rivera, saying he “embodies what it means to be a Yankee.” Sabathia also mentioned Brooklyn Dodger and sports legend, Jackie Robinson for “what he did for Brooklyn and the game of baseball.”
Fareed’s selections for his legends “Mount Rushmore” included names such as Yankees icons Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, Giants' defensive gamewrecker Lawrence Taylor, and Islanders' stalwarts Mike Bossey and Denis Potvin.
New episodes with CC and Ahmed Fareed drop every Wednesday on NBC Sports NOW, NBCSN, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Kendrick Perkins didn’t shy away from ripping into Victor Wembanyama.
The former NBA player and ESPN analyst eviscerated Wembanyama for his play in the Spurs’ NBA Finals loss to the Knicks during an appearance on a Yahoo Sports show Wednesday.
“Wemby was soft… let’s keep it real, he was soft and he was scared, especially in the big moments,” Perkins said. “He did a whole lot of barking in the interviews, but he did no biting whatsoever.”
“If I’m in the locker room and they bring me in, the first thing I’m going to do is actually tell him to embrace being the big man first with guard skills,” Perkins added. “After Game 1 and Game 2, they made an adjustment and started hiding Wemby so that he didn’t have to guard Karl-Anthony Towns. We’re talking about the Defensive Player of the Year… you’re [7 foot 5], you can be the most dominant player in the league by just embracing being a big man.”
Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) goes up for a shot as San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) defends. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
"He was soft and he was scared." @KendrickPerkins sounds off on Victor Wembanyama's NBA Finals performance.
Perkins wasn’t the only person critical of Wembanyama’s offensive play in the Finals, however.
Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor also believed the Spurs star was exposed offensively in the Finals.
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs looks on during the game against the New York Knicks during Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals on June 13, 2026 at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. NBAE via Getty Images
“The inability to create a shot, the strength, it does go to show how far he still has to come as a player, particularly on the offensive end of the floor,” O’Connor said on his show. “He does not have a go-to move, he does not have a go-to spot that he wants to get to on the floor.
“Too often, I still feel like he falls in love with the jumper.”
Wembanyama, who finished third in MVP voting this season, averaged 26 points per game in the Finals, but shot just 42 percent from the field and around 27 percent from downtown.
The San Jose Sharks traded for a defenseman on Wednesday, June 17 and also changed where they will select in the first round of this month's NHL draft.
The Sharks acquired Michael Kesselring from the Buffalo Sabres. As part of the trade, they will move seven spots down in the 2026 draft, giving up their 20th overall pick for Buffalo's No. 27 pick. The 20th pick was previously acquired from Edmonton in the Jake Walman trade.
Kesselring was limited to 34 games because of injury and had only two assists. But he had seven goals and 29 points in 2024-25 with Utah, which sent him to Buffalo with Josh Doan in the J.J. Peterka trade.
The Sharks were in need of defensive depth with John Klingberg, Mario Ferraro, Nick Leddy and Vincent Desharnais potentially heading to unrestricted free agency. Kesseling is a restricted free agent.
The Sharks will now select second and 27th in the first round of the June 26-27 draft. They got the No. 2 overall pick in the second draft lottery drawing.
Sharks-Sabres trade grades
Sharks: B-
The Sharks need defensive depth and Kesselring showed promise during his time in Utah. They still hang onto their two first-round picks but will select 27th instead of 20th with their second pick.
Sabres: B
Kesselring didn't pan out in Buffalo because of an injury. They move him rather than re-sign him and jump seven spots in the draft.
Jun 12, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Jr. Ritchie (60) reacts after throwing a runner out at first base in the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
The Braves are firmly mired in their first extended skid of the 2026 season.
After an uncompetitive 7-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants — who have the second-worst record in the National League —in a game concluded Wednesday after it was delayed a few innings in on Tuesday, the Braves have lost five of their last six games.
To put it in perspective, they hadn’t even lost four games of a six-game span before this slump.
Atlanta turns to rookie righty JR Ritchie (1-1, 3.82 ERA) to look to earn a Wednesday split and set up a Thursday rubber match, weather permitting.
Ritchie was sent back down to Gwinnett last month after making his first five career major league starts. It wasn’t clear if Ritchie was going to be a starter or reliever upon his return to Atlanta, but Spencer Strider being sidelined with elbow inflammation made that choice for the Braves, thrusting Ritchie back into the rotation for the time being.
His first outing back was a relief appearance, just the second of his professional career. It was also his best career major league outing to date as he replaced Strider and allowed two hits and two walks over five scoreless innings —his first outing without allowing a run — while striking out five.
The hope is that appearance can be something to build around as he enters his first career game against a NL West team.
The Giants will be starting a similarly new pitcher to this level in Carson Whisenhunt, who will be making his season debut at the major league level in this start. The 25-year-old 11th-ranked prospect in the Giants organization made his first five starts in the majors last season, posting a 2-1 record and 5.01 ERA with 16 strikeouts, 12 walks and six home runs allowed in 23 1/3 innings.
The southpaw has a 5-2 record and 3.65 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) this season for Triple-A Sacramento, with 77 strikeouts and 30 walks in 69 innings.
No member of the Braves’ offense has faced Whisenhunt, just like no Giants player has faced Ritchie.
DUBROVNIK, CROATIA - JUNE 13: Basketball Player and Team AlUla Co-Owner, Lebron James looks on in the E1 Owners Suite during the E1 Series Dubrovnik GP on June 13, 2026 in Dubrovnik, Croatia. (Photo by Joe Portlock/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers achieved one of the most memorable NBA Finals victories a decade ago when they overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the 73-9 Golden State Warriors to secure the city’s first professional championship in over half a century.
To celebrate, six members of that championship team are spending a few days in the United Kingdom golfing. Fortunately for us at home, they’ve decided to keep us updated on what’s going on through social media.
LeBron James is back with the Cleveland Cavaliers — at least for a few days — as the 2016 team reunited for a luxurious European vacation to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of their iconic NBA Finals victory. pic.twitter.com/uWdLnvlDx8
So far, there’s been plenty of great content shared on this trip.
First of all, we have J.R. retrieving his lost ball in the pond. That’s something we’ve all had to do, considering the price of quality golf balls these days.
As much fun as it’s been to follow their golf trip, it’s also worth noting the one starter that isn’t there: Kyrie Irving. The Cavs don’t win the championship without Irving’s stellar player, including his 41 points in Game 5 and game-changing three late in Game 7.
The 2016 championship team will always have a special place in the hearts of Cleveland sports fans. For once, a Cleveland team overcame the impossible and stole victory from the jaws of defeat on the very biggest stage. And they did so in the most dramatic way possible, led by the greatest player of all time, who just so happened to be from the area as well.
Long before he was striking out hitters in Yankees’ pinstripes, Carlos Rodón was mowing them down on the South Side. | (Matt Marton/Imagn Images)
The White Sox are looking to bounce back from last night’s 12-2 thumping. Standing in their way is an old friend, Carlos Rodón, who has quietly put together another strong, albeit brief, season since returning from left elbow surgery.
First, though, the Sox need a solid outing from Anthony Kay. The southpaw’s season has been a roller coaster. April was rough, May was excellent, and June has gotten off to a rocky start. The veteran definitely has an intriguing profile. His average fastball velocity of 95.5 mph ranks above average for a lefty, and his 71st-percentile chase rate shows he has the stuff to entice hitters into swinging at pitches outside the zone. The challenge has been converting those chases into outs.
Kay’s 5.65 xERA ranks among the bottom tier, and his strikeout numbers aren’t great. His 21.9% whiff rate and 17.6% strikeout rate both sit well below league average as well, meaning hitters are often making contact when they decide to swing. Against a Yankees’ lineup that demonstrated exactly how dangerous it can be when putting balls in play last night, that is not an ideal recipe.
The good news is that Kay’s 9.0% walk rate is manageable, and he generates ground balls at an above-average clip. If he can get Yankees hitters to chase while keeping the ball on the ground, the White Sox have a chance to keep this one close.
On the other side stands Rodón, whose profile is almost the exact opposite. While Kay’s underlying metrics suggest a pitcher searching for answers, Rodón’s numbers paint the picture of a legitimate front-line starter. Opponents own only a .184 expected batting average against him, ranking in the 97th percentile. He still misses bats at an elite rate, striking out 26.4% of hitters while generating a 27.8% whiff rate.
The velocity isn’t quite what White Sox fans remember from his dominant 2021 campaign. Rodón now averages 94.1 mph rather than the upper-90s heat he once featured. Yet his fastball remains one of the game’s most effective weapons, ranking in the 87th percentile in run value.
If there is a crack in Rodón’s armor, it is his control. His 14.7% walk rate ranks among the worst in baseball, and that may provide the White Sox with their clearest path to victory. Chicago has done a better job this season of grinding out at-bats and forcing pitchers to work, but that approach will be tested tonight. If the Sox come out chasing early-count pitches and expanding the zone, Rodón’s swing-and-miss arsenal could make for a very long evening. If they stay patient, force him into hitter’s counts, and capitalize on the free passes he occasionally offers, they may be able to drive up his pitch count and expose the Yankees’ bullpen.
Here is the Sox lineup that skipper Will Venable hopes can grind out some offense against Rodón.
The matchup tonight feels like a battle of opposites: Kay needs hitters to chase, while Rodón needs hitters to swing. The team that best executes its offensive approach may very well decide who walks away with the W.
First pitch is at 6:05 p.m. CST. Tune in to the TV broadcast on CHSN or listen in at ESPN Chicago AM 1000.
During a conversation with USA TODAY Sports, former BYU star AJ Dybantsa stated that he is confident he will go No. 1 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft.
However, in this one-on-one interview, Dybantsa also admitted that he knows there is a wide range of outcomes that can happen at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 23.
"I'm super confident in myself being the No. 1 pick. But you never know. There's been crazy stuff that happens on draft night," Dybantsa told USA TODAY Sports.
However, per Charania, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson has only visited with the Wizards and does not plan to grant any other franchise a workout. Charania reported that both players expect to hear their name called at No. 1 overall.
Dybantsa told USA TODAY Sports why he, unlike Peterson, chose to visit with both of the teams selecting at the top of the draft. The Julius Erving Award winner has long ties to Utah: He played collegiate basketball at BYU (where Jazz governor Ryan Smith and CEO Danny Ainge are alumni and boosters) and he attended Utah Prep Academy for his final year of high school.
"You never want to just be too stuck on just on going to visit one team, in my opinion. You want to visit different teams and see what they have to offer," Dybantsa explained.
On an episode of The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN's Brian Windhorst shared a photograph that AJ's father, Ace Dybantsa, sent him via text message. In the picture, there is a T-shirt for both the Wizards and Jazz.
Washington's front office will control the cards and are reportedly not expected to make a final decision on their preferred pick until closer to the night of the draft, according to The Athletic. Utah's front office, meanwhile, will have an immediate decision to make when they're on the clock.
Additionally, per The Athletic, the Jazz are "genuinely torn" between Dybantsa, Peterson and national collegiate player of the year Cameron Boozer. They reportedly "won't hesitate" to select Peterson if they feel he is the best fit despite not conducting a pre-draft workout with the guard.
"You're not really in control. The team's in control," Dybantsa said. "Any team I go to, I'm going to bring a bunch of versatility, offensively and defensively. If it's the number one team, if it's the number ten team, I'm going to bring the same thing."
Boston, MA - January 28 - Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) lets the ball get loose as Boston Celtics guards Jordan Walsh (27), Hugo Gonzalez (28) and Baylor Scheierman (55) surround during the second half of a NBA game at the Garden. (Photo By Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images). | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Celtics fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The big name in any Celtics trade rumor right now is Jaylen Brown’s. After a career year and another All-NBA season, he’s been linked in a deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo and his max contact could also be broken up into more manageable pieces if the front office decides to priority depth.
However, Boston could package other players together in order to land a big fish. In an unexpected 56-win season, young players like Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Ron Harper Jr. proved that they could be contributors to a winning team.
BOSTON – MAY 7: (L-R) Paul Pierce #34, Rajon Rondo #9, Kevin Garnett #5, Ray Allen #20 and Kendrick Perkins #43 of the Boston Celtics huddle together in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2010 NBA Playoffs on May 7, 2010 at TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Cavaliers won 124-95. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2010 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
When Danny Ainge made the move to get Kevin Garnett back in 2007, Rajon Rondo was a redline in negotiations with the Timberwolves. A young RR and Kendrick Perkins would later join the Big Three in the starting lineup and raise Banner 17 the following summer.
So, if you’re Brad Stevens and looking to reshape the roster, who are you not including in a trade? The everyman in Scheierman that can do a little bit of everything? How about Walsh and his A-plus defense a la Tony Allen? Did Gonzalez show enough in his rookie season to make him untouchable?
The 2026 NHL Draft is quickly approaching, and while the Detroit Red Wings don't currently have a selection in the opening round, the top news story surrounding the organization is the future of captain Dylan Larkin.
Earlier this month, NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman reported that Larkin had requested a trade from the Red Wings despite having affirmed his commitment and desire to win the Stanley Cup with the organization in April.
Since then, numerous reports have surfaced over Larkin's alleged short three-team trade list, though newer reports indicate that his representation is willing to entertain expanding that list.
In the meantime, former Red Wings four-time Stanley Cup winner Darren McCarty stated his belief that Larkin was turning his back on the club that selected him with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. Now, McCarty's longtime Detroit teammate Chris Osgood is weighing in.
Speaking on the "Ozzy and Keats" podcast, which he co-hosts with former broadcaster John Keating, Osgood admitted that Larkin's trade request caught him by surprise.
"That's tough, it's real tough," Osgood said. "I'm surprised for sure. Both sides - it's difficult, it's hard when you give three teams. I believe his agent, he has Vegas, Florida, and Minnesota. The thing with that is, you're Steve Yzerman - and he's been through this before with Martin St. Louis and Jonathan Drouin, he's going to be patient."
Osgood then pointed to GM Steve Yzerman's tenure with the Tampa Bay Lightning, when he navigated trade requests from captain Martin St. Louis and Jonathan Drouin.
Yzerman ultimately dealt St. Louis to the New York Rangers in exchange for Ryan Callahan, while taking a much more patient approach with Drouin before eventually moving him to Montreal for Mikhail Sergachev.
"It's one thing to make the request, but in the end, it's Steve's job to make sure the Wings get what they expect back in a deal," Osgood said. "I think it's going to go on for quite some time to be honest, John. I just don't see a path with any of those teams."
While many have speculated that the Red Wings could deal Larkin at some point during the NHL Draft later this month, there remains the possibility that Yzerman chooses the patient approach with this situation until he feels he gets the best possible return for Larkin.
There's also the very real possibility that Yzerman doesn't receive what he feels is an adequate offer from another club for Larkin and ultimately retains him.
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The Big Red Machine - Jan. 12 2009 - Vol. 62, Issue 14 - Ken Campbell
THINGS ARE NOT SUPPOSED to be this way. As the domestic auto industry finds itself hanging by its fingernails, the gap between the Detroit Red Wings and the rest of the NHL continues to widen.
When THN conducted its first-ever NHL franchise ranking last season, the Red Wings finished ahead of the pack by a considerable margin, then went out and won the Stanley Cup, then signed the most sought-after free agent of the summer after he pursued them. So much for parity in the new salary-capped NHL.
Last season, the Red Wings’ margin of victory in our overall totals was 14.5 points over the Ottawa Senators, but this season they’ve bulged that lead to 21.5 points, this time over San Jose.
Yup, things are looking absolutely rosy for the Red Wings, that is until you step outside the Joe Louis Arena. If the Big Three in Detroit were near as solid and successful as the Wings’ Big Three of Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, they wouldn’t be on the verge of bankruptcy and holding out their hands for a government bailout. Detroit relies on the auto industry as much as any city does on its main employer and when the defending Cup champions have to sell tickets for some games for as low as nine bucks and still can’t fill the building for all of them, well, these are very difficult times.
There has been enormous amounts of speculation about what would happen to Detroit if one or more of the Big Three was forced to close its doors. It’s a scenario Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch does not want to contemplate.
“I can’t anticipate the automakers not being a part of the Detroit scene – let alone the U.S. economy – and so I don’t even want to speculate on that,” said Ilitch in an email. “I’m hopeful the president and the others in Washington will work with the auto industry to make sure the U.S. keeps a strong manufacturing base at home.”
There are, oh, about 25 other teams who would be doing cartwheels if they had the Wings’ attendance problems – they couldn’t even sell out the building for a Dec. 18 showdown against the Sharks – but their average numbers through 15 contests were still a robust 19,630 per game.
“I would say that given everything that has gone on to this point, we’re thrilled with our support,” said Red Wings GM Ken Holland. “Do I worry about it? Yeah, because I live it every day. I feel for people when I pick up the paper and see people losing their jobs.”
Holland is quick to point out, however, that if the Red Wings played in an 18,000-seat arena, they’d be selling out every game. The Red Wings play in a market where there are professional baseball, basketball and football (well, sort of) teams and huge athletic program at the University of Michigan. They have 3,600 more seats to sell per game than the Edmonton Oilers, “and they only have one team,” Holland said.
The economy aside, things haven’t looked this good for the Red Wings in some time. Ask any pro scout on the circuit and he’ll tell you the Wings have as many as a half-dozen NHL-caliber players on their minor league roster in Grand Rapids and their stable of young players is solid. They’ve been perennial contenders, dominant in the regular season and very good in the playoffs, have one of the best owners in hockey and the undisputed strongest front office in the game, have drafted and developed players very well and despite the fact they have filled a 20,066-seat rink only eight of 15 games this season, attendance is still a strong point.
Holland attributes some of the Red Wings’ success to luck, but that’s like saying the best poker players in the world somehow get the best cards all the time. The Wings make much of their own luck and their ability to put together a perennial Cup contender is what made Marian Hossa choose them last summer.
The Red Wings rarely sign bad contracts, which gives them flexibility with the salary cap and if they do have to make a trade, it gives them a valuable player and doesn’t force them to trade one headache to acquire another one. At some point in the New Year, Detroit will almost certainly announce it has signed Henrik Zetterberg for the balance of his career.
All of which makes it difficult to believe that the Red Wings will fall from their perch anytime soon. They may not win the Stanley Cup every year, but it’s difficult to believe they’ll fall off the map the way previous finalists such as Carolina, Edmonton, Tampa Bay and Ottawa have.
Every team in our franchise rankings was graded in nine categories and we concentrated primarily on the seasons spanning from 2002-03 through 2007-08. Our categories are: front office continuity; attendance; regular season finish; ranking in last year’s THN Future Watch; playoff performance; entry draft record; how teams are doing this season; franchise values; and, quality of ownership.
1 FRONT OFFICE CONTINUITY
Sure, you can debate this one. After all, the Nashville Predators have had the same GM and the same coach since they were a cuddly little expansion team and they haven’t won squat.
But we still believe there is a lot to be said for front office stability. Teams earn a maximum of 10 in this category and the Predators, Minnesota and Buffalo did that on the strength they’ve had the same GM and coach the past five seasons.
Teams that had three coaches and/or GMs were awarded eight points; four received five points; five got three points; six received one point; and, Chicago, which has had three GMs and four coaches since 2002-03, received a bagel.
Those who filled in for coaches or GMs on an interim basis were not included in the totals.
2 ATTENDANCE
Attendance is a bit of a mug’s game in the NHL because nobody knows what the actual figures are in many American markets. For example, the Canadiens draw 21,273 for each game and every seat is bought and paid for, but a number of southern U.S. teams have thousands of free giveaways, which inflates numbers.
In this category, teams received a maximum of 10 points based on their attendance figures for this season and the past five seasons.
The points were given for attendance with respect to percentage of capacity of the arena rather than straight attendance numbers. The Edmonton Oilers aren’t penalized for playing in a small building, but the Chicago Blackhawks, who tried until last season to fill the cavernous United Center with a bad team, take a hit here.
Teams averaging 100-percent-or-better capacity received 10 points, something all the Canadian teams but Montreal managed to do, along with the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers. Those drawing between 98.9 to 99.9 capacity received nine; 96-98.8 received eight; 90-95.9 got seven; 97-89.9 earned six; 84-86.9 received five; 80-83.9 earned four; and, 70-79 got three.
3 REGULAR SEASON
Yes, it probably has something to do with the fact that for the past three seasons, the Red Wings have hada pretty steady diet of St. Louis, Chicago and Columbus, but we’re very confident the Wings would pile up points no matter which division they inhabited.
As it is, their regular season success over the past half-decade has been nothing short of astounding. The Wings ran away with this category on the strength of capturing three Presidents’ Trophies the past five years and finishing no worse than third overall in any season since 2002-03. How dominant have the Red Wings been in the regular season? Well, consider that their average of 114 points per season is nine points better than second-place Ottawa and Dallas.
The score in this category was determined by teams’ regular season finish in each of the past five seasons. Clubs were assigned a numerical value based on where they ranked in the league each season, earning 30 points for finishing first overall down to one for the 30th-place team. That total was then divided by five to determine average placing per season since 2002-03.
The Red Wings received 30 points for each of their Presidents’ Trophies in 2003-04, ’05-06 and last season, and they earned 28 points for finishing third overall in ’02-03 and 29 for being second in ’06-07. That gave them a total score of 147, which averages out to 29.4, almost five points ahead of the second-place Senators.
For the second straight year, the Blue Jackets pull up the rear with just 5.2 points.
4 FUTURE WATCH
The Phoenix Coyotes didn’t do a very good job of drafting players in the first half of the decade, but things are undoubtedly looking up on that front.
Here at THN, we take a lot of pride in our annual Future Watch issue, which ranks each NHL organization on the quality of its prospects and NHL roster players under the age of 22.
Teams could earn a maximum of 10 points in this category and the Coyotes, Blackhawks and Penguins did just that by being the top three teams in last season’s edition. Teams ranked 4-6 received nine points; 7-9 got eight; 10-12 was worth seven; 13-15 was worth six; 16-18 received five; 19-21 was worth four; 22-24 received three; 25-27 received two; and, 28-30 one point.
So what do the Penguins, Coyotes and Blackhawks have in common? They’ve all had a bevy of high picks in recent drafts.
You know there’s parity in the NHL when the team that wins this category has won just one Stanley Cup and has fewer than half the available points in the category.
In this portion, we examined each team’s playoff performance from the spring of 2003 through last season. We awarded 12 points for a Cup; eight for a final appearance; six for making it to the conference final; four for getting into the second round and two for qualifying.
The Anaheim Ducks, with their Stanley Cup and appearance in the final in 2003, took this category with 28 of a possible 60 points.
Since they lost the Cup final to the New Jersey Devils in ’03 (eight points), the Ducks missed the playoffs (zero), lost in the Western Conference final (six), won the Stanley Cup (12) and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs (two). Despite winning the Cup last season (12 points), the Red Wings are two behind the Ducks in this category after losing in the Western Conference final (six), losing in the first round twice (two points each) and losing once in the second round (four).
We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Panthers and Coyotes, who kept us from having to use our fingers, an abacus or any other calculating device by missing the playoffs each of the past five seasons.
6 ENTRY DRAFT SUCCESS
The path to the Stanley Cup starts in June at the draft table. That maxim has been proven time and time again by successful teams. Teams that draft and develop well always have a stable of young players who can push for jobs or be used in trades to fill a hole in the lineup.
Scores in this category were determined by each team’s performance in the five drafts from 2000 through 2004, the logic being the players from those drafts have separated themselves as either full-time NHLers or minor-leaguers by now.
We examined each of those drafts and awarded one point for each player who either is or has been an NHL regular. The team drafting the player receives the credit for the player even if he established himself with another organization.
If a player was drafted twice after re-entering the draft – and he became a regular – both teams that drafted him receive credit for the player.
The Sabres, who have had a remarkable run of success in producing big-league talent, lead the league with 11 NHL players over that period in Paul Gaustad, Jiri Novotny, Derek Roy, Jason Pominville, Keith Ballard, Daniel Paille, Denis Wideman, Thomas Vanek, Jan Hejda, Nathan Paetsch and Drew Stafford.
The Coyotes, who produced just Fredrik Sjostrom and Ben Eager, are last in this category.
7 2008-09
It would be impossible to rank the into account how franchises as of right now if we didn’t take they’re doing this season.
And to the surprise of no one, the record-setting San Jose Sharks are the top team.
In this category, we came up with the score based on where teams stood in the NHL standings as of Dec. 16. Since teams had played a different number of games, we based our rankings on winning percentage and not points accrued.
As was the case with our five-year analysis, we assigned a numerical value based on each team’s position in the standings, with 30 for first place down to one point for last. But since the season was barely one-third complete, we felt giving 2008-09 the same weight as the first two categories would skew the rankings. So, we took the scores and divided them by three, meaning the Sharks received 10 points in this category.
At the time of our ranking, Tampa Bay and the Islanders were tied for last place, so we assigned them two points each for being 29th – just 0.7 points out of 10 when divided by three.
8 FRANCHISE VALUE
Very straightforward. We took the franchise values for this season according to Forbes magazine and teams received one point for each increment of three that they were on the list. This season, the Rangers, Leafs and Habs were the top three teams, so they each got 10.
9 OWNERSHIP
It’s not a coincidence that the teams that make a habit of being successful have strong ownership. When it comes to on-ice success, it truly starts at the top. This category was ranked out of 10 and five teams earned perfect marks.
The Red Wings are owned by Little Caesar’s pizza baron Mike Ilitch and for the past 20 seasons they have set the standard for NHL ownership. Ilitch is involved enough without being a bother to the coach or manager and his commitment to the community will help the Red Wings through what promise to be difficult economic times.
Ilitch and Peter Karmanos were rivals on the Detroit minor hockey scene through the 1980s; as an NHL owner in Carolina, Karmanos has proven to be Ilitch’s equal in virtually every way. Karmanos’ teams have struggled since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006, but he remains committed to a non-traditional hockey market in Raleigh.
In Calgary, the Flames are owned by a group of Calgary oilmen led by former NHL chairman of the board Harley Hotchkiss, a group that has ushered the Flames into an era of unparalleled prosperity.
They proved in Edmonton that ownership by committee could work, then made a seamless and encouraging transition by selling to a local and passionate billionaire in Daryl Katz, whose biggest challenge is finding a way to build an arena with only $100 million of his own money.
A group led by former Rangers executive David Checketts now runs the St. Louis Blues and while the results haven’t come quickly on the ice, the Blues are back to selling out on a regular basis.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 17: Peter Lambert #38 of the Houston Astros reacts during the third inning against the Detroit Tigers at Daikin Park on June 17, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Peter Lambert (W, 6-4) almost wasn’t a part of this team. He’s been their second best starting pitcher despite not making the team out of Spring Training.
Lambert was nails for the Astros yet again, in a terrific 7 inning performance in which he allowed just one run on 2 hits, he struck out 5 and did not walk a batter. He threw 60 of his 89 pitches for strikes, leading the Houston Astros (35-41) to a series-clinching 4-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers (30-44) at Daikin Park.
Jeremy Pena got the Astros on the board first in the bottom of the third with a 2-out solo shot to left for his 4th HR of the season, giving Houston a 1-0 lead.
The Astros would tack on 2 more in the bottom of the 5th. After Christian Vazquez singled to lead off the inning, Yordan Alvarez drilled a one-out RBI double to drive Vazquez home. After Christian Walker lined out, the Tigers replaced SP Casey Mize (L, 2-4) with Kyle Finnegan.
Isaac Paredes greeted Finnegan with an RBI double to score Alvarez, and make it a 3-0 lead for Houston.
In the 6th, the Astros loaded the bases for Jeremy Pena, who delivered an RBI single scoring Joey Loperfido to increase the lead to 4-0.
In the top of the 7th, the Tigers would finally get to Lambert, as Kerry Carpenter snuck a fly ball into the Crawford Boxes for his 10th HR of the season, cutting the lead to 4-1. That HR would not have been a HR in any other park except Daikin.
In the 9th, Josh Hader (S, 4) was brought in to close the game out. Hader was working on back-to-back days for the first time since coming off the IL. He allowed a solo HR to Kevin McGonigle that went all of 3 feet further than Carpenter’s Crawford Boxes special, and followed it up by striking out the next 3 batters on 14 pitches with 7 swings and misses. It was the first run Hader has allowed this season.
With the win, the Astros are back to 6 games under .500. They are currently 4 games behind the Seattle Mariners, who play later this evening. They are 2.5 games behind the Athletics for the final Wild Card spot in the American League. The Athletics also play later this evening.
NOTES:
Cristian Javier is expected to make one more rehab start before being activated. Javier pitched for the Sugar Land Space Cowboys last night, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits (including a HR) in 3.1 IP. He walked 1 and struck out 6.
Javier worked the first two innings primarily with a fastball at 92-93, hitting 94 once. In the last two innings of his appearance, his velocity deteriorated to 91-92.
Mike Burrows will have his next turn through the rotation skipped, and will be available out of the bullpen. He is ready to piggyback on Tatsuya Imai on his next turn in the rotation which is scheduled for Friday.
Astros probables for the upcoming series with the Cleveland Guardians that runs Fri-Sun:
Fri: Tatsuya Imai (3-3, 6.43) vs Tanner Bibee (2-7, 3.96)
Sat: Spencer Arrighetti (7-2, 2.57) vs Joey Cantillo (5-3, 4.38)
Sun: Kai-Wei Teng (3-6, 4.31) vs Slade Cecconi (3-5, 4.60)
Kyle Leahy battled spotty command in the early going. He ends up working through to a quality start with 6 IP, 3 runs allowed with 7 strikeouts. But the Cardinal offense musters but a single run on a ground, losing multiple runners on the bases in a game where there weren’t a lot of base runners. The Cardinals were outhit 14-6 on the day.
Pre-game notes
Here we are again on a Wednesday. A day game. Getaway day. You probably don’t want to hear their record on such days.
The Cardinals go for a home sweep over the San Diego Padres. Perhaps you would not like to hear their record on “sweep day”.
It is also their fourth crack at vaulting to the mark of ten games over .500. You definitely don’t want to hear their record on days when they are 9 games over .500.
So, with the odds stacked against them, Kyle Leahy toes the rubber and leads the team to battle against…TBA? Turns out to be Bradley Rodriguez as the opener. I expect him to be followed by Griffin Canning, who if I recall mesmerized in San Diego twice through the line-up and then blew up the third time through. That was a different line-up, though.
Speaking of line-ups, today will be a typical L-R-L lineup.
For those that track such things, Fangraphs now projects the Cardinals to win 84 games, which would be the result of a projection that has them playing slightly less than .500 baseball the rest of the way.
Marinaccio is unavailable today. He pitched last night and takes his suspension day. Without him and Miller, the Padres bullpen seems short.
The first innings
The Padres came out swinging against Leahy. A fine stop by Blaze saved a bigger inning, but a Leahy walk complicated the inning and ultimately scored on a SacFly following an advancing single. I hate walks! Leahy navigates the first three innings, working around 3 hits and a walk, with a lot of hanging pitches that a poor offense could do little with. He did accumulate 4 K’s in the early going.
In the Cardinals’ first, Herrera nearly decapitated the pitcher with a hit, then made two base running mistakes to remove the advantage. The first mistake was he started and stopped when trying to steal second, but got away with it when the C threw the ball into CF. Herrera was unable to advance (never make the third out at third base is a good rule of thumb). But, then he promptly ran into the 3rd out at third when Walker hit a nubber to the third baseman, who had to do nothing other than tag the incoming Herrera.
Griffin Canning indeed replaced Rodriguez in the second, and he mesmerized again. Through four innings, the Cardinals mustered 3 singles and a walk, none in the same inning.
The middle innings
More hits and more hanging pitches combined to add to the Padres score in the fourth inning. A double play builds Leady a pathway out of the inning, though. A single on a 0-2 count and a misplay by Church in CF scores a third Padre run in the fifth. It was scored a double, but it was a poor read and route taken.
Blaze Jordan gets his first MLB walk as he leads off the fifth. Church follows that with a single. Wetherholt advances them with an infield out. The Cardinals lose a runner at the plate on Herrera’s infield out. Burleson gets a nice 2-out RBI single, extending his hitting streak to 17 games. After five innings the score is 3-1 Padres.
Leahy ends up with a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth. Overall, he battles through six innings, giving up 7 hits, 1 walk and 3 runs. He recorded 7 K’s as well. 81 pitches. His command appeared to improve as he got deeper into the game.
In the sixth, Winn walks and gets picked off. Been difficult to get any offensive continuity today.
The decisive and bitter end
Svanson effectively pitches the seventh and 1 out into the eighth. Bruihl then comes in for the left-right matchups. Sure enough, he gets the RH hitter and loses the LH hitters. Hey, wait a minute….
Roycroft comes in for Bruihl. HBP on the first hitter but retires the next of a fly to left to end the 8th inning.
Very little occurred offensively in the later third. An eighth inning HBP on Herrera (again!) is quickly erased by a GIDP.
The Padres tack on runs in the ninth against Roycroft. In a surprising turn of events, Roycroft had an inning spin out of control. A single followed by another single off the wall by Tatis Jr. who was thrown out (by Walker) trying to make it a double but still garners the RBI, followed by another single and a long home run by Merrill. Then a walk. Roycroft was out on an island with no one warming. Then another walk. Then came an error on a routine grounder by Winn to continue the misery. A strikeout to the ninth batter of the inning brings a merciful end.
Nootbaar leads off the ninth with a single, but Winn quickly erases him with a GIDP. Pages ends the game with a ground out. Padres win 6-1. Back to 8 games over .500.
Post-Game Notes
Check out Today on the Farm – Wednesday 6.17 for updates on MiLB action.
The Cardinals head to Kansas City for that crucial cross-state, inter-league rivalry match-up with the Royals. Games are Thursday, Friday and Sunday with an odd Saturday off to accommodate a soccer game.
It’s funny how a bullpen can go from over-used to well-rested and rusty in such a short span, huh? And back again…
Have you noticed the trend of openers against the Cardinals? That seems to me to be a league-wide recognition of the top 3-4 hitters in the line-up. Teams find value in trying to neutralize them the first time through that line-up. Seems like the investment is a scripted one inning appearance with the chosen matchups and payoff is you give the starter a shot to go two times through the line-up and get deep enough into the game to avoid the chase/bridge guys and go straight to the leverage/closer guys.
I think we need an update on Blaze Jordan’s defensive prowess at third base. He has been better than advertised.
The Buffalo Sabres have announced that they have traded defenseman Michael Kesselring and the 27th overall pick of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for the 20th overall pick of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Kesselring had been the subject of trade rumors since the completion of the Sabres' season. Now, he is heading to San Jose, and the Sabres have moved up seven spots in the first round because of it.
A change of scenery was definitely needed for Kesselring, as he struggled during his lone season with the Sabres. He was limited to only 34 games this regular-season with Buffalo, where he had two assists and 50 penalty minutes. He was also scratched for all but one playoff game for the Sabres this spring.
With this, it is not surprising that the Sabres have moved on from Kesselring. He will now be looking to bounce back on the Sharks, where he should have a more prominent role.
Kesselring was acquired by the Sabres last off-season with Josh Doan in the deal that sent JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth. While Kesselring's time in Buffalo is over, that trade has certainly been a good one for the Sabres due to Doan's big breakout year.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 28: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers guards LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena on January 28, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Lakers 129-99. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking for ways to improve their roster after being swept in the Eastern Conference Finals by the eventual champion New York Knicks. One of the players that could provide an instant upgrade for the Cavs would be 41-year-old free agent LeBron James, who’s still playing at an All-Star level.
However, a third stint in Cleveland doesn’t seem to be on the horizon. All signs point to James re-signing with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Bringing James back to Cleveland would’ve been tricky. They’re currently over the second apron and wouldn’t be able to bring him back on anything above a veteran minimum contract. However, if there is interest on both sides, it would be possible to make something work.
As of now, the Cavs haven’t shed the salary they would need to make a reunion with James possible. Trading role players like Dennis Schroder or Max Strus (who will be entering the last year of his contract) would be the first steps if you wanted to clear salary space for a possible James reunion. At the same time, trading either or both players may be in the best interest of the team anyway, given their cap situation.
Things can change quickly in the NBA. But as of now, it seems like James won’t be coming back to save the Cavs for a third time.
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds on .515/.317/.737 shooting splits in 60 games last regular season. In the playoffs, James produced 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 6.7 rebounds on .458/.327/.746 shooting splits for a shorthanded Lakers team that was missing Luka Doncic in the postseason.
