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Peyton Graham’s six hit game sparks SeaWolves’ rout of Akron

Toledo Mud Hens 7, Iowa Cubs 4 (box)

The Hens bounced back with a solid victory on Wednesday night.

The Hens jumped out to a big lead in the bottom of the first. Max Clark led off with a walk, and Max Anderson doubled him to third. Eduardo Valencia walked to load the bases, and Corey Julks drew a walk to force in the game’s first run. Trei Cruz singled in Anderson, and Tyler Gentry drew a walk to force in the third run. Tomas Nido reached on an error to score another run, and the Cubs wild pitched in one more before the inning ended.

Nido would double in the bottom of the third, and score on an Andrew Navigato single for a 5-0 lead.

Sawyer Gipson-Long cruised for three innings, but allowed a pair of runs before wrapping up the fourth. Enmanuel de Jesus allowed a two-run homer in the sixth to make it a 6-4 game, but in the bottom of the sixth, Valencia launched his 15th home run to make it 7-4.

Scott Effross was good out of the pen in the seventh and eighth, striking out four. Woo-Suk Go continues to dominate out of the pen, and he picked up his second save in this one.

Anderson: 2-5, R, 2B

Clark: 1-4, R, 2B, BB

Nido: 2-4, R, RBI, 2B, K

Gipson-Long: 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 7:05 p.m. ET start in Toledo on Thursday.

Erie SeaWolves 18, Akron RubberDucks 9 (box)

The SeaWolves pounded out 22 hits and drew six walks to crush Akron on Wednesday.

Max Alba got the start, and he gave up a run in the bottom of the first.

In the top of the third, the SeaWolves tore the RubberDucks apart. E.J. Exposito, Seth Stephenson, and Peyton Graham singled to start the inning, loading the bases for Thayron Liranzo. The catcher smoked a one-hopper through the right side for an RBI single.

Chris Meyers then singled in two runs. Garrett Pennington singled to load the bases, and there were still no outs as Justice Bigbie walked as well, forcing in a run. A disengagement violation pushed across the fifth run of the inning, and then Andrew Jenkins followed with a two-run single. Max Burt singled as well, this was just a parade of singles, when finally Exposito struck out for the first out in the frame. Peyton Graham would single in Jenkins before the inning ending, stealing his 44th base of the season before Liranzo finally grounded out to end the inning.

So it was 8-1 SeaWolves, but Alba allowed four runs in the bottom half to make it 8-5 SeaWolves.

Stephenson singled in Burt and Exposito in the top of the fifth. Two more walks and a Pennington double made it 12-5.

Reliever Yoniel Curet allowed two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Peyton Graham doubled in Stephenson in the sixth. Tanner Kohlhepp allowed two runs in relief in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the seventh, Bigbie tripled and scored on a Burt sacrifice fly. That got us to 14-9 SeaWolves.

They’d add on four more in the top of the ninth, with Graham’s sixth hit on the day plating their 17th run. Graham has nine hits and four doubles in the past two games. Bennett Lee’s RBI single completed the scoring.

Graham: 6-7, R, 3 RBI, 2B, SB

Stephenson: 3-7, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2B, K

Jenkins: 2-5, 2 R, 3 RBI

Liranzo: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB

Alba: 4.0 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 7 H, BB, 2 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Thursday night.

West Michigan Whitecaps 10, Lake County Captains 7 (box)

Ben Jacobs was knocked around badly in this one, but the offense stormed back with a late rally to win on Wednesday.

Jacobs wasn’t wild in this one, but everything seemed to find a hole as he surrendered four runs on 10 hits, without allowing a walk. He did punch out five along the way, but couldn’t get out of the fourth inning.

The ‘Caps got a run back when Stephen Hrustich led off the bottom of the third with a single, and Bryce Rainer smashed a double to right field to plate him. In the bottom of the fourth, Clayton Campbell led off with a single. With two outs, Andrew Sojka launched a two-run homer. That made it 4-3 Captains.

A Sojka sacrifice fly in the sixth scored Campbell after he’d singled to lead off the inning.

Unfortunately, that 4-4 tie didn’t survive long. Preston Howey allowed two runs in the seventh, and Jalen Evans allowed one in the eighth.

So it was 7-4 Captains heading into the bottom of the eighth.

Luke Shliger led off the frame with a walk, but was erased on a fielders choice as Samuel Gil reached first. Sojka walked and Hrustich was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Juan Hernandez struck out, but Jackson Strong, Rainer, and Ricardo Hurtado all walked to force in runs and tie the game. Campbell came up and singled in two runs, knocking the second Captains reliever out of the game. The new reliever walked Shliger for the second time in the inning, and it was on a wild pitch, scoring Hurtado to make it 10-7.

Evans locked down the ninth, earning the victory.

Campbell: 3-5, 2 R, 2 RBI

Rainer: 1-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B, 2 BB, 2 K

Sojka: 1-2, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, BB

Jacobs: 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 10 H, 0 BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:35 p.m. ET start on Thursday, with the series tied up 1-1.

Lakeland Flying Tigers vs. Palm Beach Cardinals (postponed)

They’ll play two on Thursday, starting at 4:00 p.m. ET after they were rained out on Wednesday.

FCL Yankees 9, FCL Tigers 8 (box)

For the second straight start, Jhonan Coba was mauled on Wednesday as he struggled to find the strike zone. He gave up eight runs between the first and the second inning, and didn’t make it out of the latter.

Marco Jimenez tossed a perfect inning of relief with two strikeouts in his rehab assignment.

Cristian Perez and Enderson Delgado each homered for the Tigers.

Perez: 2-4, R, 5 RBI, HR, BB, 2 K

Madero: 2-5, R, RBI, K

Cris Rodriguez: 0-2, 2 R, 3 BB, SB

Coba (L, 0-3): 1.1 IP, 8 ER, 5 H, 5 BB, 2 K

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Today on Pinstripe Alley – 7/2/26

Jul 1, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) reacts after striking out to end the fourth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Yankees are agony right now. They flirted with winning yesterday, going so far as to look as though they were about to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, erasing a 2-0 ninth-inning deficit against the Tigers. Instead, they welcomed defeat like an old friend yet again, the seventh-consecutive game that they’ve done so. They drift three games back of the Rays, and we will sit through this off-day licking our wounds and hoping that, once some players start to come of the IL this weekend, maybe the team will be able to stabilize.

In any event, we’ll have lots on the site today to get you through the off-day. Our monthly check-in series continues, as Matt profiles the NL Central, Michael takes a look at the NL East, and Sam runs down the NL West. Also, Sam recaps the day that was in the American League yesterday, John continues our trade deadline preview with an analysis of the Angels as a potential trade partner, and Matt remembers Jose Canseco’s wild career on the occasion of his 62nd birthday.

Today’s Matchup:

Off-day.

Questions/Prompts:

1. Will the likely returns of Trent Grisham and Ryan McMahon do anything to turn the tide right now?

2. Did you watch Team USA’s World Cup win last night? How do you think they’ll fare playing Belgium next week without their best scorer, Folarin Balogun?

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Islanders Free Agency News: Anders Lee to Utah, Darche talks 2027-28

Trust the punt. | NHLI via Getty Images

The Islanders made a few depth signings on the first day of free agency, and evidently, one was to replace the departing Max Shabanov, who very understandably chose not to return. But the big splash (or unsplash?) was the confirmation that captain Anders Lee was existing after 923 regular season plus another 46 playoff games with the organization that drafted him.

Lee, who reports indicated was only offered short term (a year…maybe two late?) by the Islanders, left to take a three-year deal at age 36 with Utah, who also added Vincent Trocheck from the Rangers. A reasonable deduction would be that Lee expects to be able to play at least three more NHL seasons, and he didn’t want one of those to be here if he was just going to be cast away next summer.

For GM Mathieu Darche, the name of the game was flexibility, as each addition he made was for one year, and he referenced an expected $40 million in cap space available next summer.

The Signings

More on Darche’s remarks below, but first, the additions:

  • A depth goalie: Vitek Vanicek was inked to a one-year deal, taking on the David Rittich role in that he can be in the AHL if and when Semyon Varlamov is healthy but can be the backup if Varlamov has a setback. [Isles]
  • A depth defenseman: Matthew Kessel joins after several seasons as a callup/7th-8th D with the Blues. He’s perfectly fine as a guy who can step in, likely with more of a coach’s trust than Adam Boqvist was able to garner. [Isles]
  • A middle-six forward: Matias Maccelli joins, most recently from the Leafs. He’s a creative Finn who plays “the right way” and Pete DeBoer said he liked his game when both were out West. Here are 7 facts about Maccelli (relax, relax, he’s not Italian). [Isles]
  • Another depth forward: Mitchel Chaffee joins with just 109 NHL games at age 28. [Isles] He’ll be a callup/injury fill-in type.
  • An AHL forward: Matt Luff was also re-signed at age 29. He was with Bridgeport late last season after yet another Blues-Islanders exchange. It’s a two-way deal, so maybe he sees some NHL time in an injury crisis, but otherwise he’s an experienced AHL (sometimes All-Star) for…Hamilton. [Isles]

Oh, but prospect camp was also underway:

  • Catching up with Victor Eklund. [Isles]
  • Notes and observations on a few guys from the Blue & White scrimmage. [Isles]

Back to free agency and Lee’s departure: Darche spoke with media, confirming the previously reported gap between Lee and the team on term and setting the context for what the GM did on July 1. [Newsday | Post | THN]

With the captain gone, it’s likely Bo Horvat and Brayden Schenn (whose $6.5M cap hit for the next two years is above what Lee just got) will be the veteran leaders now, with a side of Kyle Palmieri.

The Islanders comms staff was ready with a tribute video to Lee. Damn, he’s done a lot for this organization.

View Link

Elsewhere

  • After all that drama, the Blue Jackets and Zach Werenski kissed and made up. [Athletic | NHL | ESPN]
  • Tee hee: the Leafs bet big on Sergei Bobrovsky’s aging years. [NHL]
  • Ranking the day’s best and worst deals (Maccelli’s is seen as a win): Zuccarello to the Kings for just $1 million somehow, while the Sharks gave Jacob Trouba four years at $8.25 million(!). WTF. [Athletic]
  • The Oilers did a lot of shuffling, including adding goalie Frederik Andersen and finding a no-salary-retained taker for Darnell Nurse. [NHL]
  • The Canadiens extended Ivan Demidov for eight years and $73 million, starting a year from now. [Sportsnet]
  • The Panthers didn’t stop with Brady Tkachuk, and they’re happy with their shuffle. [NHL]
  • John Carlson signs for two years in Tampa, continuing a tradition of players who choose the Lightning over the Hurricanes. [Sportsnet]

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Tigers add pitching depth with USF’s Kaden Smith

BATON ROUGE, LA - APRIL 17: Alex Box Stadium during a game between the LSU Tigers and the Texas A&M Aggies on April 17, 2026, at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Less than a week after receiving the surprising news of Marcos Paz’s departure, Jay Johnson and his staff brought in RHP Kaden Smith from South Florida. He took to Instagram to announce his decision.

In his sophomore year, Smith posted a 4.24 ERA in 46.2 innings pitched. He struck out 52, while walking 25. Of his 16 appearances, 8 of them were starts. He allowed less than a hit per inning with his total of 41, which suggests that command is his biggest issue. Hitting 17 batters further solidifies that conclusion.

As a freshman in 2025, Smith began his collegiate career at TCU and made 14 appearances for the Horned Frogs. He threw 12.0 innings with a 5.25 ERA, while striking out 12 and walking 6.

Following Landon Hood and Diego Velazquez, Smith becomes the third pitcher that Johnson and co. have added in the portal, along with incoming freshman Braxton Beaty. It w0uld appear that the to-be junior is coming in to bolster a bullpen that is seeking drastic improvement after a disastrous 2026 season, but the starting experience is certainly a plus.

Smith mostly deploys a 3-pitch mix, including two different breaking balls and a fastball that can get in to the mid-to-high 90s, according to Jacob Rudner of Baseball America.

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Yankees news: Judge calls out “lack of focus”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 30: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees looks on from the dugout during the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium on June 30, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: The Yankees’ sidelined captain delivered a pointed analysis of the team’s recent performance in his absence. “Well, it’s not great,” Aaron Judge said said before Wednesday’s game. “Just a little lack of focus. We just gotta dial it in.” His public comments, the first since he landed on the IL on May 31, serve as a rare critique of not just performance but motivation amidst a now-eight game losing streak. Manager Aaron Boone was more measured, acknowledging a “terrible week” but giving a vote of confidence that “the group’s in a good place, as far as their preparation goes.”

New York Post | Greg Joyce: The Yankees have been hit with another setback, this time of a more tangible variety. Several Bombers have been afflicted by food poisoning or a stomach bug, including Spencer Jones, who was scratched from Wednesday’s game, and Ryan McMahon, who had to sit out a rehab game. Boone declined to reveal all the Yankees affected, but made clear the issue was widespread. “We got IVs going and everything today,” Boone said. “Yeah, it’s been an interesting week on a lot of fronts. I had a lineup [Tuesday] night and kind of had to make some tweaks to it. Hopefully as the day unfolds, we got everyone available.”

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner: ($) The malady taking its toll on the Yankees played a role in Boone’s decision-making during Wednesday’s loss. With Max Scheumann fully unavailable, he chose to stick with Oswaldo Cabrera with a chance to win the game in the ninth instead of inserting Paul Goldschmidt. The skipper’s reasoning was that he did not want to be forced into using the 38-year-old at second or third (though relinquishing the DH and moving Amed Rosario to third would have been another option). After the defeat, Jazz Chisholm Jr. echoed his captain’s comments from earlier in the day. “I feel like we’ve got to lock in, do all the small stuff,” the second baseman said. “We make a lot of mistakes, and I feel like we beat ourselves.”

MLB.com | Sam Dykstra: Two Yankees prospects have been selected to the 2026 All-Star Futures Game roster. Shortstop George Lombard Jr., the team’s top prospect, and fireballer Carlos Lagrange, who slots in at number four, will have the opportunity to participate. The exhibition, held the Sunday before the All-Star Game, is an opportunity for MLB to showcase its most promising young talent still working their way through the minors.

View Link

We close with a couple housekeeping notes. Trent Grisham is on his way back to the Yankees after being sidelined with a hamstring strain. He was activated for a quick rehab assignment last night by the Double-A Somerset Patriots, playing center and going 1-for-3 with a double and a walk. Since he wasn’t gone from the team that long, it sounds like he should be back in a Yankees lineup that could really use him by tomorrow.

And Yovanny Cruz went back to Triple-A following yesterday’s loss. David Bednar missed the Tigers series on paternity leave and should be back with the Yankees for their next game.

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76ers snatch Jaylen Brown from Celtics in blockbuster steal

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - MARCH 30: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during a game at State Farm Arena on March 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

When the offseason began, it felt inevitable that Jaylen Brown would spend the summer answering questions about his future, whether it happened in Boston, Milwaukee, or elsewhere.

What nobody expected, however, was that those questions would end with Brown wearing a Philadelphia 76ers jersey.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Celtics traded Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks.

Now, being entirely honest, the writing was very much on the wall. Just a few days after trying to include Brown in a Giannis Antetokounmpo package, after endless rumors and commentary on the Celtics’ plans to get rid of Brown, and even after Brown himself never said he wanted out of Boston, we all knew where this was going.

Again, waht no freaking body could see coming was a trade that sent the 2024 Finals MVP to the team that knocked it out of the playoffs last May.

If Brown had been traded for Giannis, most people would’ve understood it, and nobody would have batted much of an eye. Instead, Boston pivoted to deal after deal, asked teams for up to four or five first-round picks, and ultimately found no real market for a seemingly overvalued player that ended up near-dumped by the C’s.

For context, Brown averaged career highs in 2026 with 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists while leading the Celtics to 56 wins, even with Jayson Tatum missing most of the season recovering from his Achilles injury. He finished sixth in MVP voting and made Second Team All-NBA.

In exchange for that Brown, all the Sixers sent the other way was a package centered around a 35-year-old Paul George (who missed ample time last season with a suspension and is more injured than not) and four future draft picks (definitely not the ones the Celtics wanted).

There’s been nonsensical trades this season, but this one puts the cherry on top of the poop sundae Boston has been carefully preparing. Shout-out, Philly, you got a good one here.

George is still a very good player when he’s available, but availability has become an inevitable part of the PG8 equation. He played just 37 games last season, only more than 56 once since he left OKC in 2019, and he’ll turn 36 before next year’s playoffs. Will the draft picks help Boston? Probably, but this is most definitely not another KG-Nets-like trade for the C’s.

For the Sixers, not only do they get rid of Paul George and replace them with a younger, ten-times better player, but Brown also gives them another star capable of carrying the offense when Joel Embiid isn’t on the floor, which they know will happen at some point during both the regular season and the playoffs.

Brown also joins VJ Edgecome and Tyrese Maxey, none of whom will need to create that much by themselves anymore, let alone after Brown proved he can be a 1A leader after becoming Boston’s primary option last year. The former Leprechaun has also played at least 63 games in each of the last five seasons, a bill of health Philadelphia isn’t accustomed to seeing around those places.

As for the Knicks, this trade feels a little like a wash. I wouldn’t call it a win, but with a little bit of time to let it marinate, I might end up leaning that way.

For one, Boston signed Mitchell Robinson from the Knicks on Wednesday, and the lineup was looking complete with a healthy Tatum ready to go. Now, the PG-Celtics are definitely worse than they were 12 hours ago. Not only that, but the Celtics have replaced a player smacked right in the middle of his prime with one nearing the end of his.

The Sixers, on the other hand, are definitely much better. But there’s always a but, and we all know what the but is here. Maxey is a budding star. VJ is another one. Embiid was one. Brown is a superstar. Have you seen all Sixers play together for more than two games in a row? I bet you’ve not. Let’s see how the joints hold up heading into April and go from there.

I was going to write a bit about the impact of the trade in the broader Eastern Conference picture, but I’m doing that in a separate post because this one is running too long.

Let me finish with this. The Knicks are 7-3 against the Celtics in the last two seasons. They are 14-2 against Philly. I just don’t see those records flipping any time soon.

You can follow Antonio on Twitter at @chapulana.

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Bazball ends with a whimper to expose emptiness of English men’s cricket | Jonathan Liew

Trent Bridge was not just the end of Ben Stokes’ international career, it was further confirmation that the Bazball project stood for nothing

By the very end, Trent Bridge was practically empty. This felt bleakly appropriate. If the age of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum lived by re-engaging a sceptical public, winning big series, doing the unprecedented and elevating Test cricket above its three-an-over purgatory, then this was exactly how it had to die: the first England team in history to lose a home three-match series after being 1-0 up. The run rate on that final day? Exactly three runs an over.

But then if we have learned anything from Stokes and McCullum over the last few years, it is that details – like preparing for an Ashes tour – are for losers and weak men. Is demoting Emilio Gay to No 6 in his third game really the best way of saving a Test? Was there a way for Harry Brook to face more than nine balls in England’s second innings? Can we really expect a Brook side – Hazball – to behave any differently? But these questions do not concern the England management, and so by extension they should not concern you either.

Continue reading...
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Winners, losers from Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George trade

It's hard to describe just how out of left field this trade felt when it landed, so let's let Tyrese Maxey handle it.

When we woke up on July 1, all the talk — including from league sources speaking to NBC Sports — was about how there was no market for a Jaylen Brown trade. The question was whether Brad Stevens and the Boston front office would be forced to tell Brown there was no trade and that they needed to work things out, or whether the relationship was too fractured. Well, we got that answer.

Let's pick the winners and losers from this trade, but first a reminder of who was involved.

Philadelphia receives: Jaylen Brown
Boston receives: Paul George, two first-round picks (2028, 2031), two second-round picks (2028, 2030)

Winner: Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia was already a win-now team (Joel Embiid is already 32, the clock is ticking), and it just landed an All-NBA player in his prime, someone who just finished sixth in MVP voting last season. And as a bonus, they got off a contract considered one of the worst in the league in Paul George.

Philadelphia got the best player in this trade, and now look at their starting five:
PG: Tyrese Maxey
SG: VG Edgecombe
SF: Jaylen Brown
PF: Dean Wade
C: Joel Embiid

There is a price for Philadelphia here, and that starts with Brown being owed more than Paul George, a little over $180 million across the next three seasons — and he's eligible for a two-year extension worth over $140 million. Then there is giving up the draft picks, there is real value in two first-round picks.

But that's the cost to turn a team into a contender, the 76ers would gladly pay it. And if Embiid is healthy, this team can compete with the Knicks (and maybe Detroit or Indiana or anyone else) to win the East.

That's the definition of a win.

Loser: Boston Celtics

The Celtics flat out got worse with this trade.

This was a team that won the title a couple of years ago and entered this year's playoffs as the betting favorite. This trade made them actively worse while Jayson Tatum is in his prime. They are not as bad as some pundits want it to sound — they still have Derrick White, Tatum, George (if he's healthy), Payton Pritchard and more. This is still a top-six team in the East. But they got worse and are not contenders as we stand here.

I'm not in the room and it's hard to get my head around what Brad Stevens and company were thinking. According to the reporting from people close to the Celtics, Brown did not ask for a trade. Stevens said multiple times that he and Brown had a good relationship. Yet this relationship was somehow so broken that Stevens felt forced to make a below-market offer in what feels like a panicked, rushed trade.

It's not all bad. Boston got two very valuable picks, and George is a solid role player at this point in his career who can help the Celtics, but I don't get giving up an All-NBA player for this package. It's not enough. And that the Celtics let it get to the point that they felt they had to make this trade is an indictment of them.

Winner: Baylor Scheierman

Maybe we should throw Hugo Gonzalez into this mix as well, but the Celtics' young backup wings had earned more run based on their play last season. Now, they are about to be thrust into a much bigger role and get a real opportunity. They earned the chance, we'll see what they do with it.

Winner: Jaylen Brown

I don't know that Jaylen Brown wanted out of Boston. What I do know is he said this past season — with the ball in his hands as the primary shot creator, the guy on the top of opponents' scouting reports — was his favorite in the NBA. Then he should love this next season. It's not that Philadelphia doesn't have other shot creators and guys who need touches — Maxey, Embiid — but Brown is going to get the chance to be the headliner of a contender. You don't trade for Brown to play a role, you trade for him to take charge, and that's what the 76ers will ask him to do.

Loser: Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum is in his prime and wants to win — and his team just took a step backward. I don't pretend to know how tight Tatum and Brown are, or what Tatum says about Brown away from the cameras, but he cannot be happy about his team trading away a Finals MVP and turning a division rival into a contender. More is going to fall on Tatum's shoulders, and while that may be good for his personal stats, it's not going to be good for the team. Or helping them win another ring.

Winner: 76ers fans

Do I even need to explain this one? Philadelphia fans have every reason to be hyped up heading into next season because their team just made the leap to contender status. That's not a ring, but there is a genuine hope for one now and that's all a fan can ask for.

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Canucks Pick Up Jamie Oleksiak On First Day Of Free Agency

Jamie Oleksiak, who came to the Kraken in 2021 as part of the expansion draft, will be headed to the Vancouver Canucks for the 2026-27 season.  The 6’7”, 252 pound defenseman has skated in 758 NHL games over 13 seasons, the past five of those in Seattle.

During his time in Seattle, Oleksiak appeared in 389 regular season games.  He posted 17 goals for a total of 89 points.  He hit a career-high 9 goals (25 points) in the 2022-23 season.  Known primarily for his size, Oleksiak’s control and agility mean he moves like a much smaller skater as he out-maneuvers the opposition to move the puck up ice.  

Courtesy of Seattle Kraken
Courtesy of Seattle Kraken

Selected by the Dallas Stars in the first round (14th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Oleksiak has played with the Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Kraken.  The veteran defenseman agreed to a 2-year, $5 million AAV contract with the Canucks.  

Related:

Jaden Schwartz Heads To Colorado Jaden Schwartz Heads To Colorado The Avalanche bolster their veteran presence, locking down the former Kraken forward with a three-year deal to bring playoff experience and scoring depth to Denver’s lineup.
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Devils Sign Winger Riley Tufte to 1 Year, $850,000 Deal

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - NOVEMBER 28: Riley Tufte #10 of the Boston Bruins checks Adam Fox #23 of the New York Rangers during the third period at the TD Garden on November 28, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Rangers won 6-2. (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) | Getty Images

In one of the more under the radar moves today, the Devils announced the signing of 28-year-old winger Riley Tufte to a one-year, one-way NHL contract. A link to the press release can be found here.

A 6’6”, 245lb behemoth, Tufte has been one of the most prolific scorers in the AHL, finishing tied for third in the league last season with 32 goals in only 64 games as Tufte missed some time in the minors during a call-up to the big club. Tufte has played 28 games total in his NHL career as a journeyman tweener splitting time between the Stars, Avalanche, and most recently, the Bruins, and has three goals and an assist at the highest level on his resume.

All in all, it’s a no risk signing. At worst, the Utica Comets, who failed to score over 200 goals as a team last year, should have some much needed goal scoring next season. At best, the Devils found a diamond in the rough, who was being underutilized and never really given a long look at the NHL level.

What do you think? Post your comments below.

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Minor League Recap: Columbus Only Team Victorious

Clippers 5, Bats 4

Justin Campbell’s awaited AAA debut wound up ending before it could even start. He was scratched from his start after injuring his oblique in warmups. As someone who was waiting all week to watch this start, it was very disappointing but I am also very glad that it appears we avoided the worst case scenario here. Trent Denholm got the start in place of Campbell and pitched pretty well considering the circumstances. He tossed 6 innings and struck out 8 batters and allowed 3 earned runs on 6 hits. Franco Aleman lowered his ERA to 0.32 after striking out the side and recording his 9th save of the season.

The offense was powered by Angel Genao’s 4-5 performance that included an RBI single and a double. He is now hitting .283 with an .823 OPS since being promoted to AAA. P:etey Halpin also had a big game, going 3-5 which included a triple and an RBI double. Juan Brito and Dayan Frias also had multi hit performances.

RubberDucks 9, SeaWolves 18

This was the other debut I was excited to watch tonight, as Braylon Doughty had his first start in AA! It went better than Campbell’s debut, but not by too much, as he allowed 8 runs over 2.1 innings pitched. Welcome to AA kid! Doughty is an extremely talented prospect who I have no doubt will bounce back from this and I can’t wait to see his next start.

Alfonsin Rosario just keeps trucking along, going 2-4 with his 14th HR of the season. He is now hitting .260 with a .913 OPS on the season. He is starting to prove that he may be ready for a promotion to AAA. Jaison Chourio and Jose Devers also had multi hit performances. Bennett Thompson made quite a bang in his AA debut! He recorded just one hit but that hit happened to be a grand slam in the bottom of the 3rd inning.

Captains 7, Whitecaps 10

Despite losing tonight’s game, the Captains still recorded 15 hits on offense. Welbyn Francisca continues to be scorching hot at the plate, going 2-4. Nolan Schubart went 2-5 with his 17th HR of the season. Both him and Welbyn have OPS’s over .900 on the season. We also saw multi hit performances from Tommy Hawke, Jeffrey Mercedes, Esteban Gonzalez, and Tyler Howard.

Jacob Zibin fared much better in his second High-A start, allowing three runs in 5 innings and striking out four.

Howlers 5, Woodpeckers 9

We saw multi hit performances from Jonathan Martinez and Gabriel Rodriguez in this one. Juneiker Caceres went 1-4 with a walk. Cannon Peebles went 1-3 with a walk and a 2 RBI double.

Ryan Prager didn’t have his best stuff tonight, but was still able to limit the damage to just two runs over 3.2 innings pitched. He wound up walking five batters and striking out four, which is not what we are accustomed to seeing from him.

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Giants Finally End Skid with 6-4 Triumph

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 01: Starting pitcher Zac Gallen #23 of the Arizona Diamondbacks walks off the field after a pitching change in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Chase Field on July 01, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I’ve always loved the idea of a “stopper” in a baseball rotation – a guy who can be counted on to stop a losing streak or provide a much-needed win in a crucial part of the season. In my mind, it’s a different role than an ace who might be expected to provide a specific type of run-prevention performance rather than one that gives the team a chance to win on their night to pitch. Unfortunately, Zac Gallen has seemingly taken on the role of an “anti-stopper” where instead of blunting negative momentum, he blunts positive momentum. Entering tonight’s play, the team has gone a discouraging 6-11 in Gallen starts which isn’t all that surprising given his 6.15 ERA and 1.575 WHIP on the season. He’s not the only player fulfilling that role as fellow veteran Merrill Kelly has also been a net drag on the team, going just 5-9 in Kelly’s turns in the rotation. But it is frustrating to see just how far away Gallen is from the pitcher who came in the top-five of Cy Young voting in consecutive years back in 2022 and 2023.

Through the first four innings of tonight’s game though, he looked exactly like that pitcher with a biting slider and a four-seamer that found its way past hitters and just one two-out single on his ledger. But he got ambushed in the fifth with four straight hits, including two home runs – a solo shot from Heliot Ramos to lead off the inning and a two-run shot from Victor Bericoto that gave the Giants a three-run lead. Gallen looked back in control in the sixth, collecting two easy strikeouts before committing the ultimate pitching sin: a two out walk, this one to Rafael Devers who quickly came in to score on a deep drive from Ramos that nearly left the yard and was just beyond a leaping Corbin Carroll. Ramos himself would be driven in four pitches later when Jung Hoo Lee shot a ground ball through the infield to end Gallen’s night as Torey Lovullo opted to bring in Ryan Thompson to face Bericoto. The pitching move did not pay off as Thompson gave up consecutive singles to Bericoto and Drew Cavanaugh to plate San Francisco’s sixth and final run of the night before mercifully ending the inning.

To their credit, after looking completely lifeless against Giants starter Trevor McDonald – making just his 13th career start but managing to surrender exactly one baserunner over six innings – the D-Backs finally managed to find some traction amidst the woeful San Francisco bullpen in the home half of the eighth. Nolan Arenado led off the inning with a single and came around to score on a sharp single from Pavin Smith, but Ketel Marte’s 18th double of the season was the biggest blow – plating Smith and allowing Tommy Troy to reach third. But a poor relay throw from Christian Koss doinked off Troy and out of play, scoring Troy and advancing Marte all the way to third with no outs. Sadly, Geraldo Perdomo and Carroll could only muster up a sacrifice groundout between them to score Marte for the D-Backs’ fourth and final run.

Tonight’s loss returns the team to .500 – a mark the team has struggled to escape since they swept these same Giants back at the end of May. Since then, the team has gone a dismal 12-19, the third-worst record in that time in the major leagues. While this team is clearly talented and has plenty of potential, I find myself lacking much confidence in their ability to play up to their opponents. They have feasted on bad teams with a 29-10 record against teams with sub-.500 records compared to just 14-32 against winning clubs. That does not feel like a team that is capable of making a run towards the playoffs and might find themselves overmatched if they did. They will need to find another gear if they hope to force Mike Hazen’s hand in adding to this team rather than subtracting from it with the Trade Deadline just over a month away.

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Carlson Signs With Lightning and Andersen With the Oil – Day 2, Open Thread

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 14: Goaltender Frederik Andersen #31 and left wing Nikolaj Ehlers #27 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate winning the Stanley Cup and their Danish background after game six of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Carolina Hurricanes on June 14, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matthew Bolt/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Defenseman John Carlson, whose rights the Carolina Hurricanes made a trade for with their final pick during the NHL Entry Draft on Saturday, ended up signing with the Tampa Bay Lighting. After all the rumors about the starting price for him being $10 million times two, or more, he ended up signing for $8.5 million AAV for two years.

Things like this usually work out for the best and he might have worked out well in Carolina, but maybe he wouldn’t have. Bottom line, the Canes probably matched that offer and he chose Tampa. So be it.

In other big news, Frederik Andersen signed a one year deal with the Edmonton Oilers. Andersen had a tremendous playoffs for the Hurricanes this postseason until he got hurt in Game two of the Finals. He had a rough regular season and overall had an up and down career with Carolina.

In the five years with the Canes, he posted a .906 save percentage, but the last two seasons he was at .874 and .899. He started 51 games in year one in Carolina, but then started 33, 16, 22, and 35 after that due to a variety of injuries or issues. His base salary in Edmonton is $1 million with another $1.8 million in performance bonuses.

Andersen was the consummate professional, was always open to the media, and was a great teammate in the room. He will be missed.

There were several other signings yesterday, you can check them out here as well as who is still available.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/free-agency/

While they lost Carlson and Zach Werenski has taken himself out of trade talks, the Canes still have work to do.

Will they be able to re-sign Nikishin or will they trade him? Are they still kicking the tires on Connor Hellebuyck? Do they have another trick up their sleeves?