The Flyers suffered another loss with a 2-1 decision Thursday night to the Senators at Canadian Tire Centre.
But despite being 0-3-2, the Flyers will hope this loss was a step in the right direction.
Sure, call it a moral victory, but the Flyers have been desperate for just some positive signs. And they had some against Ottawa (more on that below).
Carter Yakemchuk scored the game-winning goal on a power play for the Senators with just under seven minutes left in the action.
Matvei Michkov tied the game at 1-1 in the second period. His goal snapped an 0-for-12 start for the Flyers’ power play. Michkov tapped in a loose puck behind Ottawa netminder Linus Ullmark.
Rick Tocchet’s club had a golden opportunity to grab the lead in the third period with a 5-on-3 power play for 27 seconds. The Flyers couldn’t convert, though, and came up empty at 5-on-4, too.
The Flyers have dropped five in a row to start the season for the first time since 2008-09, when they lost six straight out of the chute (0-3-3). That team ended up making the playoffs, finishing with 99 points at 44-27-11.
Thursday night was the Senators’ home opener. Ottawa improved to 3-1-0.
• Joseph Woll continued to do his part, converting 24 saves on 26 shots.
The 28-year-old had a massive stop with a 11:06 minutes left in the third period when Michael Amadio had a shorthanded breakaway. A little over two minutes later, with the game back at even strength, Woll turned away Fabian Zetterlund in close.
Yakemchuk’s game-winner on the power play was off a blast from deep with traffic.
The Flyers had a pretty solid start, outshooting the Senators 6-1 through the opening 6:39 minutes. But they totally stalled the momentum by committing four consecutive penalties. The infractions came in a span of 6:30 minutes. Travis Sanheim had two of them, while Michkov and Simon Benoit had one apiece.
Tocchet’s club survived the first period with just a 1-0 deficit. The Flyers were burned by a tough bounce just after they killed off the first penalty. Cam York was unable to take away the stick of Nick Cousins, who deflected one past Woll.
Ullmark stopped 28 of the Flyers’ 29 shots.
• The Flyers at least created some chances offensively and shored things up defensively. They worked harder and they were more connected.
Those were all positives. We didn’t really see those things from this team through the first four games.
But against Ottawa, the Flyers had a plus-3 shot differential and 10 more shots than what they were averaging. They started to look more like the team from down the stretch last season.
• Travis Konecny was shown on the NBC Sports Philadelphia broadcast going up the tunnel with around nine minutes left in the third period. But he was able to return to the game and finished with 17:04 minutes.
The Flyers’ alternate captain appeared to be shaken up after taking a check to his right leg.
• Michael Bunting had the costly penalty that set up the Senators’ game-winning goal. He was whistled for hooking.
Two days after signing with the Flyers, the 31-year-old winger joined the fourth line and played 10:56 minutes. He had a couple of shots and was noticeable, but the penalty came at a bad time.
The Flyers switched up their line combinations and defensive pairs in an attempt for a spark.
Trevor Zegras moved to the wing on a line with Christian Dvorak and Owen Tippett. Denver Barkey played down the middle between Michkov and Tyson Foerster.
On the back end, Jamie Drysdale joined Sanheim on the top pair. York played alongside David Jiricek.
Declan Rice’s future role in England’s midfield was questioned by Gary Lineker after Alex Scott’s impressive first senior international start in the 7-0 thrashing of Croatia. But the decision to withdraw from Thomas Tuchel’s squad in an attempt to manage his workload made sense after Rice had only three weeks off post-World Cup before returning to pre-season training. The 27-year-old has struggled with persistent back problems after suffering a hamstring injury last December and Mikel Arteta will hope that the rest has done Rice – who is thought to be close to agreeing a lucrative new contract at the Emirates – the world of good as they prepare to resume the defence of their Premier League title against Leeds on Saturday. Ed Aarons
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 06: Chaney Johnson #31 of the Brooklyn Nets dunks the ball in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets during their preseason game at Spectrum Center on October 06, 2026 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 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 Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There’s only so much stock you can put into a preseason game, but a 34-point win is never a bad thing. It Brooklyn nailed 20 of 37 from deep and dished out 31 assists without Mikel Brown Jr., while stars made the most of the minutes. Now, the Nets head home to Barclays Center for the first (and only) time the preseason.
On the flip side, the star-studded 76ers come in with a preseason win of their own — a 120-97 blowout over the Knicks on Monday. Both teams are 1-0, which is about as much as anyone should read into October. The storyline tonight? We’ll get to see LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid playing together.
Keep an eye on the minutes. Most of the Nets’ starters were finished by halftime in Charlotte, and these are professionals playing as a team while also battling for their own minutes.
Game Info & Broadcast Details
Who: Philadelphia 76ers at Brooklyn Nets
What: Preseason
Time: 7:30 PM ET
TV/Streaming: YES Network/DAZN
Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Injury Report: Who’s Out?
Nets: Michael Porter Jr. (left wrist soreness), Day’Ron Sharpe (left shoulder soreness), Mikel Brown Jr. (ankle recovery) and Joshua Jefferson (lower back).
💬 Discussion
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CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 8: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics on March 8, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Cavs basketball is back, or at least preseason basketball is. We’ll see how the team looks in their first time taking an NBA floor since last May.
Share your thoughts as the game unfolds. If you aren’t a member of the community, sign up so you can talk to your fellow Cavalier fans and make your voice heard!
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 3: Josh Hart #3 and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks box out Kyshawn George #18 of the Washington Wizards during the game on February 3, 2026 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The World Champion Knicks (0-1) return to Madison Square Garden tonight for their first home appearance since defeating the Spurs in June. Monday’s 120-97 loss in Philadelphia featured brief starter minutes, 20 Knicks, and a ton of missed threes. Mike Brown wants more physicality tonight, and some made shots would be nice, too.
Washington (0-0) makes its preseason debut with Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and top pick AJ Dybantsa leading the latest rebuild. The Wizards finished last season 17-65. This one won’t count, but beating Trae is always a worthwhile activity.
Game time is 7:30 on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Bullets Forever. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams. Be kind to each other. And go Knicks!
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 07: Devin Booker #15 of the Phoenix Suns looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the first half of the preseason game at the United Center on October 07, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Do you know what the most annoying thing about the preseason is? Trying to figure out what the hell actually matters. And am I allowed to have an opinion on any of it? If you do and it’s perceived as negative, you’re a hater. If it’s positive, you’re a fan boy. What happened to watch, process, and report?
I get it. The games don’t count in the standings. The rotations are incomplete. Starters aren’t playing 36 minutes, coaches are experimenting with combinations that may never see the light of day once the regular season begins, and winning is rarely the primary objective. It makes evaluating what we’re watching an exercise in selective interpretation. You see something you like, you convince yourself it’s a sign of things to come. You see something concerning, you remind yourself that it’s only October.
We’ve been down this road before. The Phoenix Suns have gone 4-2 in the preseason, giving us plenty of reasons to believe that something special was brewing, only for those performances to mean absolutely nothing once the games started counting. I’m looking at you, 2016-17. There’s a reason we approach these exhibitions with skepticism. History has taught us to.
And yet, here I am, two games into the preseason, trying to make sense of what I’ve watched. I’ve spent much of the offseason expressing optimism about this team. I believe in the identity they’re attempting to establish. I believe continuity, culture, defensive intensity, and a commitment to playing a more physical brand of basketball can provide a legitimate pathway to success. But optimism has a funny way of allowing you to overlook the things you already know are going to be problems.
We entered this season understanding that the Suns have deficiencies. There are areas of the game where their roster construction creates legitimate concerns, challenges that effort and enthusiasm alone won’t necessarily overcome. We can talk ourselves into believing that defensive intensity will create additional possessions, that continuity will improve execution, and that a renewed culture will help swing close games in their favor. And perhaps all of that will prove true.
Still, through two preseason games, we’ve begun seeing glimpses of the very issues we spent the offseason trying to rationalize away. That’s what makes evaluating this team so fascinating, and occasionally frustrating. There are encouraging developments worth acknowledging, concerning trends that deserve attention, and a few things that could become downright ugly if they carry into the regular season.
So, with the appropriate preseason disclaimer firmly attached, let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of what we’ve seen from the Phoenix Suns thus far.
The Good: The depth is starting to show
I’ve mentioned previously how inspiring the second unit has looked. They elevate the energy and tenacity whenever they enter the game, and I think that collective intensity has the potential to create havoc throughout the season. If they can sustain it, they’ll provide another layer of success for this team.
Unfortunately, we haven’t seen much of Miles Bridges, but the early indications surrounding his addition have been positive as well. He tweaked his ankle eight minutes into Wednesday night’s game against the Chicago Bulls, limiting our opportunity to see how he fits within the starting lineup.
Through 21.9 minutes of preseason action, Bridges is 4-of-9 from the field and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc, totaling eight points, six rebounds, five assists, one steal, and only one turnover. He’s also grabbed two offensive rebounds. That additional dimension he can bring offensively is something I’ve been theorizing about throughout the offseason. And while the sample size is incredibly small, the early returns appear to be trending in the right direction.
Then there’s Collin Gillespie, who looks like he’s preparing to take another leap as a player, something I’m ecstatic about. I believe Gillespie has the potential to become more than our version of T.J. McConnell coming off the bench. If things don’t work out with Jalen Green in his current role and the Suns eventually decide to move in another direction, they have options. Because Gillespie is beginning to look like somebody who could legitimately start at point guard in this league.
Through 30.7 minutes of preseason action, he’s shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, adding three assists and four rebounds. The five turnovers have been ugly (we’ll get into that shortly), although that puts him in the company of seemingly everybody else on this roster through the first two games.
Still, there’s plenty to be encouraged about with Gillespie. His confidence, efficiency, and growing command of the offense are all reasons to believe another step forward could be coming.
The Bad: The shooting concerns are holding up
This is probably one of our biggest concerns, especially considering the Suns lost both Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale this past offseason. That’s 371 of their 1,210 three-point makes from last season walking out the door, with those two combining to shoot 45.1% from deep.
Strategically, the theory behind replacing that production is that newly acquired Luke Kennard will shoulder a greater shooting responsibility, while Collin Gillespie should be able to contribute as well. But the starting five is going to have its challenges from beyond the arc.
What is the combined career three-point percentage of a potential Suns starting five of Jalen Green, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, and Mark Williams?
Through two preseason games, the combination of Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Miles Bridges, and Dillon Brooks is shooting 9-of-34 from deep, good for 26.5%. Booker’s 0-of-8 performance against the Chicago Bulls certainly skews that number, but it remains an area of concern. Why? Because it doesn’t matter whether you’re playing in the preseason, regular season, Summer League, or your local rec league at the YMCA. You don’t suddenly become a better shooter because the calendar transitions from the preseason to the regular season. Yes, improvements can be made through time, effort, and repetition. But collectively, this is going to be a vital area of opportunity for Phoenix this season, and thus far, the concerns appear valid.
The same would be true if the numbers were reversed. If those four players were collectively shooting 40% from deep through two preseason games, we’d be pointing toward that production as an early indication of improvement and questioning whether our concerns entering the season were warranted.
The Suns will certainly do their part schematically to create open looks. And I believe the addition of Miles Bridges, with his ability to attack the rim and put pressure on defenses, will make it more difficult for opponents to account for Phoenix’s perimeter shooters as they collapse into the paint.
The opportunities will be there. But ultimately, you have to knock down the shots.
The Ugly: You can’t win by giving the ball away
This one has to go to ball security. Through the first two games of the preseason, the Suns are averaging 29 turnovers per game, dead last among the 24 NBA teams that have played a preseason game thus far. We’ve witnessed 32 turnovers against the Pistons and 26 against the Bulls.
On the surface, that’s concerning, especially when you consider the potential challenges this team could face with overall facilitation and ball distribution. Ball security absolutely needs to become a point of emphasis as the regular season approaches.
Take the preseason opener against the Detroit Pistons, for example. The starting five combined for only five turnovers, although they played between 15 and 16 minutes apiece. Against the Chicago Bulls, however, things got considerably uglier. Dillon Brooks and Devin Booker played 23 minutes, Jalen Green played 22, Oso Ighodaro played 17, and Miles Bridges played eight. That starting group combined for 13 turnovers. No matter how you slice it, that’s ugly basketball.
"Playing good first halves, but not putting a whole full game together. Turnovers are a big thing right now."
Dillon Brooks on Suns 0-2 start to preseason after 124-117 loss to Bulls.
Committed 26 turnovers that led 36 Bulls points. Had 32 Monday at Detroit that led to 37… pic.twitter.com/ojiiX5TFqN
Sure, the preseason is designed for exactly this. It’s an opportunity for the coaching staff to experiment with different schemes, put players in unfamiliar situations, and see how what they’ve been working on in practice translates to live game action. These five games are about getting your legs underneath you, building conditioning, and testing players in roles they might not be entirely comfortable with.
But should this become a concerning trend as we approach the regular season? Think back to last year, when the Suns averaged 16 turnovers per game during the preseason. How did that translate once the games started counting? Phoenix averaged 14.5 turnovers during the regular season.
There’s also the reality that three preseason games remain, providing plenty of opportunity for that overall number to come down if ball security becomes a priority. And it must become a priority. The way the Suns intend to beat opponents this season is by outworking and outhustling them, creating extra possessions through defensive pressure, offensive rebounding, and relentless effort. That’s the identity they’re trying to establish.
But those extra possessions lose their value when you’re giving the basketball right back. For a team that plans to manufacture advantages through effort, giving away possessions could ultimately mean giving away games.
That’s the challenge facing Phoenix as the preseason continues. The good gives us reasons to believe. The bad reminds us that roster construction comes with consequences. And the ugly exposes mistakes that could undermine everything this team is trying to accomplish. There’s still time to address these concerns, and nobody should be drawing definitive conclusions after two exhibition games. But the Suns have shown us enough to recognize where the work needs to happen.
Optimism is warranted. So is a healthy dose of reality.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 05: Ty Jerome #2 of the Memphis Grizzlies drives to the basket as Aaron Wiggins #2 of the Atlanta Hawks plays defense during the second quarter of the preseason game at State Farm Arena on October 5, 2026 at State Farm Arena 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 Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Hawks hit the road for the first time this preseason and take on the San Antonio Spurs.
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Where, When, and How to Watch and Listen
Location: Frost Bank Arena, San Antonio, TX
Start Time: 8:00 PM EDT
TV: N/A
Radio: Sports Radio 92.9 the Game (WZGC-FM)
Streaming: NBA League Pass, Youtube TV (NBA League Pass)
When Australia’s Test team walks out in front of a hostile South African crowd for the first time since the infamous 2018 series, the man caught with sandpaper in his pocket — and later down his pants – will surely wonder how different things might have been.
BOSTON, MA - MAY 2: Baylor Scheierman #55 and Hugo Gonzalez #28 of the Boston Celtics react during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round One Game Seven of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 2, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
CLEVELAND — The Celtics will rest most of the roster in their preseason opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser, Ron Harper Jr., and Payton Pritchard are all out.
Mike Conley, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, Jordan Walsh, and Luka Garza will start, with Chris Cenac Jr., Dillon Mitchell, and Amari Williams all available to sub in. Exhibit-10 players Devin Carter, Gabe McGlothan, Milos Uzan, and Tucker DeVries are all available to play as well.
Thursday will mark the Celtics debuts of Conley, Cenac, and Mitchell; George and Robinson’s will wait.
For the Cavaliers, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Jaylon Tyson, Payton Watson, and Meleek Thomas will start the game.
Tony Dobbins and DJ MacLeay will coach the game
On top of the limited rotation, the Celtics will be coached by assistant coach Tony Dobbins for the first half and assistant coach DJ MacLeay for the second half.
“I want to give them the opportunity to be able to just build themselves as coaches,” Joe Mazzulla said at shootaround on Thursday morning. “Both those guys had head coaching interviews this past summer, and I want them to be able to build on that.”
Before the game, Dobbins expressed his excitement for the opportunity to coach several players’ first NBA games.
“I’m excited to get started with this group that we have, and then for me, there’s some guys who it’ll be their first time stepping on the NBA court, and that’s exciting,” Dobbins said. “Like you get to be a part of somebody living out their dream, and that would be the case whether I was coaching or whether Joe’s coaching — but just not taking those moments for granted. You’ve got a person, a family, who has worked for this moment, as long as they can remember, and they have an opportunity.”
MLB teams looking to get into the spirit of the season with their players need to do so before Dec. 2, otherwise, the league is telling teams they should avoid sending holiday cards once the lockout begins.
While the playoffs are in full swing, the likely lockout has cast a cloud over the MLB postseason, with Major League Baseball executive Dan Halem issuing a 34-page memo to owners and high-level team execs explaining how they should act during a labor stoppage.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks to members of the media following an owners’ meeting, Thursday, June 15, 2023, at MLB headquarters in New York. AP
“Sending Players holiday cards or gifts would not be permissible during a Lockout,” Halem wrote in the memo. “Clubs could send holiday cards or gifts to players prior to Dec. 2.”
Among the items Halem outlined in the memo was how MLB’s digital arm would create alternate club websites that scrub any trace of the players’ likeness, though teams will still be able to sell merch with players’ names and images on them.
It also says that team staffers can attend players’ weddings that they have been invited to, but they cannot discuss business and if a club official runs into a player in public, they “should be cordial.”
The MLB collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1 at 11:59 p.m.
Halem did write in the memo that the league’s “commitment has been and remains to exhaust every realistic option to achieve our goal of reaching an agreement with the Players Association.”
On Thursday, MLB made several proposals to the MLB Players Association, which included shortening the regular season to 154 games, extending the division series from best-of-five to best-of-seven and allowing the higher-seeded teams in the wild-card and divisional rounds to select their opponent.
However, all of that would be contingent on the players agreeing to a salary cap.
The MLBPA called the proposed changes “anti-player” as the league “once again made clear that all of its proposals are contingent on players’ agreement to a salary cap, a system that guts player rights and compensation, as well as its other anti-player proposals.”
An MLBPA statement added: “Players will weigh in on these proposals and we will respond at the bargaining table.”
One of the Sheffield Shield’s most prolific recent batters has continued his form surge - but he won’t be able to turn it into an Australian Test call-up anytime soon.
New York Rangers manager Mike Sullivan looks on from the bench while coaching his 1,000th NHL game during the Boston Bruins season home opener at TD Garden in Boston, Sept. 29, 2026. The Bruins defeated the Rangers 3-0.
The Rangers will carry the longest active win streak in the NHL (four games) into their matchup with the Capitals on Friday night in Washington, D.C.
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At this point in the season last year, the walls of the 2025-26 campaign were already beginning to close in on the Blueshirts as they went their first three home games without a single goal and had already lost three of their first five games by infuriating margins.
Head coach Mike Sullivan can already feel how the early success has affected his team.
“I think it makes a world of difference,” the second-year Rangers coach said before the club ventured to the nation’s capital following practice. “When you can stack wins on top of one another, it breeds confidence. Confidence is required to have success. I think the group has done a great job in just buying into the team game. Everybody’s accepting of the roles we’ve cast them in. There’s a level of enthusiasm around the group that, for me, is a whole lot of fun to be a part of.
“We can feel it. We can feel it in the locker room. We can feel it inside of our confines. When we go out, we’re playing the game, it’s tangible. You can hear it on the bench. An indication of it for me, you look at our third periods. Playing with leads. Just our continued ability to play on our toes and bring an aggressive approach in a responsible way. Not playing not to lose. We’re playing to win.
New York Rangers manager Mike Sullivan looks on from the bench while coaching his 1,000th NHL game during the Boston Bruins season home opener at TD Garden in Boston, Sept. 29, 2026. The Bruins defeated the Rangers 3-0. Getty Images
“It’s fun to watch these guys play and perform that way. I think there are great lessons in that. We’re going to try to continue to encourage them in some of the things we’re doing well and why we’re having success. There are areas where we know we can grow and improve and get better, and we’re working with those as well.
“This is the journey, every year, when you go to start training camp and it’s a clean slate. A new season. It’s a whole new journey. It’s been a whole lot of fun to coach these guys to this point.”
It’s still early in the season, but the Rangers have led (184:15) or been tied (111:58) in 296:14 of 300 minutes so far.
With the 20-year-old Cole Beaudoin recalled from Hartford, the Rangers officially have the youngest roster in the NHL with an average age of 26.47.
Allowing two or fewer goals in all four games he’s played, the most among all goaltenders so far this season, Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin is off to an electric start.
Since the 2019-20 season, the 172 times Shesterkin has allowed two or fewer goals rank fifth among all NHL goalies. He has also allowed one or fewer goals 94 times in his career, which amounts to the third most among goalies in that same span.
The Islanders’ first crack a lineup without Alexander Romanov came with a reshuffling instead of a call-up.
Coach Pete DeBoer kept Matthew Schaefer on the right and inserted Scott Mayfield into the lineup for Thursday’s match against the Blackhawks at UBS, moving Logan Stanley to the top pair alongside Schaefer and Tony DeAngelo to his off side on Mayfield’s left.
Those were the first and third pairs; the second featured the reunion of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock.
New York Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov (28) skates with the puck during training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“We’re gonna start this way, and we’ll see,” DeBoer said. “And then from there, nothing’s set in stone. We might move guys around, so I think probably a lot like our line combinations, I’m not married to anything. But I think the initial thought was, we’ve got puck movers with guys that think defense first.”
With Romanov likely to miss the entire season after tearing his ACL in Tuesday’s loss to the Rangers, it’s a safe bet this is only the first attempt at sorting out the defense pairs. It’s instructive, though, that DeBoer kept Schaefer on the right, which Schaefer said came after a conversation between the two.
That is another sign in a series of them that the organization might see Schaefer as a long-term option on the right — which would be a way of balancing out a lefty-heavy pool of defensemen both on the roster and in the prospect pipeline.
“Of course [DeBoer’s] gonna talk [to me] and see what I feel comfortable with,” Schaefer said. “At the end of the day, I like just being on the ice. If it’s left, if it’s right, whatever makes the boat go faster. It’s gonna be awesome.”
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) controls the puck in the third period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden in New York, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
DeBoer, for his part, said he’s comfortable with Schaefer anywhere — so much so that he can build the rest of the lineup first and then insert the defenseman on whichever side is needed.
With Schaefer on the right and Romanov done for the year, the left side has quickly become much thinner than it looked just a few weeks ago, a fact underscored by Stanley playing on the top pair so soon after signing.
DeBoer and teammates alike used words such as “devastating” in relation to Romanov, who was just three games into his return from shoulder surgery and now needs to spend another season rehabbing.
New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield skates during training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow, N.Y., Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I just feel awful for him,” Bo Horvat said. “It’s been two tough years for him in that sense. I just feel sick for him. I know how hard he worked in the summertime to get back into the shape that he’s in, and he looked great. A couple games in, I’m heartbroken for him.”
For Mayfield, this is also a critical chance to earn back a lineup spot he failed to defend in training camp, resulting in three consecutive healthy scratches to start the season.
The veteran defenseman might be called into action on the penalty kill as well, should DeBoer want to continue keeping Schaefer off the 4-on-5 unit in an attempt to keep the 19-year-old’s minutes at least somewhat in check.
“Obviously not playing, all you want to do is be out there with the guys and be competing,” Mayfield said. “Excited to be out there tonight.”
A strong showing right away would do a lot for Mayfield given there is plenty of internal competition. Matt Kessel, another righty, is on the roster too. Isaiah George and Kashawn Aitcheson, both lefties, are in AHL Hamilton but could be in line for call-ups should a need arise.
“What I like about [Mayfield], he didn’t pout about the situation,” DeBoer said. “He handled it like a pro. He’s got great leadership, and he worked hard. Now, he’s got an opportunity to get back in. That’s all part of hockey, it’s how you respond to adversity.”
Knicks guard Tyler Kolek’s girlfriend, Lexi Sousa, recounted his run-in with police after they mistook him for a fan during the team’s championship parade in New York — and she revealed that it actually happened twice.
Knicks guard Tyler Kolek and his girlfriend, Lexi Sousa, at the Knicks’ championship parade in New York City on June 18, 2026. Instagram/Lexi Sousa
Lexi, who is a mental health counselor, did not get into the details of Kolek being stopped by police for a second time during the June 18 parade.
At the time, the 25-year-old Kolek was running along the parade route and greeting fans while holding a Michelob Ultra in one hand when he was stopped by two police officers who grabbed him.
One officer was seen shaking his head, appearing to say “no,” while another turned him around and pointed for him to leave the area.
That’s when others intervened to inform the officers that Kolek was a member of the championship team.
Tyler Kolek VIPs, former and current players, and New York Knicks fans arrive at City Hall in Manhattan to attend a keys to the city ceremony after a ticker tape parade, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in New York. Stephen Yang for NY Post
He averaged 4.4 points and 2.7 assists per game last season.
Kolek — who was a second-round pick out of Marquette by the Trail Blazers in the 2024 NBA Draft — spent the 2024-25 season with the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G-League affiliate.
The Knicks open the 2026-27 regular season on Oct. 20 at home against the 76ers.
Instead of going the stereotypical "pink it and shrink it" route, the pieces utilize the team colors and embrace the current trend of oversized silhouettes. The hoodies are especially of note, as the logos and wordmarks are the same color as the base, giving fans a fashion-forward monochromatic look.
The Wild Collective brand is founded by Whitney Bansin and has been licensing sports apparel for nearly a decade. She got her first sports gig with the Vegas Golden Knights when the team debuted in Sin City in 2017. The brand has since worked with the NFL, NBA and WNBA and has partnerships with Target and Anthropologie.
"It was through that initial collection with the Golden Knights that really just sparked it all," she told NBC's 3 News in Las Vegas. "I had no intention of going down the sports route. I had no intention of getting every league and doing programs for everyone. That was just not in the forefront. I just wanted to make cool stuff that people in Vegas could wear to these games."
