KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 05: Kansas City Royals fans pose for a photo during Baltimore Orioles batting practice at Kauffman Stadium on April 5, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yesterday was School Day at the K, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Kansas City-area children were attending their first Royals game (and learning early on that being a Royals fan means seeing a lot of losing!) Despite the loss, it was a beautiful day in a beautiful ballpark, and they got to see a couple of dingers. Hopefully they’ll be back.
Most of you have probably been to Kauffman Stadium dozens, if not hundreds of times. But do you remember the first game you attended? I think my parents may have taken me to see the Royals when I was very young, but I do not remember. The first game I really remember was in April of 1988, when I had just become a rabid baseball fan. Because of the details I can recall, I have been able to pinpoint exactly when the game was. What I remember was:
The Baltimore Orioles were in the middle of an epic losing streak to begin the season, and the Royals were losing to them before coming back.
The Royals pinch-hit Thad Bosley, and people around me groaned. I learned what a “pinch-hitter” was that day. I also learned Royals fans can be very sarcastic and use salty language!
The Royals won in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off hit. No fireworks back then though!
Using the power of the internet, I can find it was this game on April 23. Thanks for the game-winner, Kurt Stillwell! That Orioles team lost their first 21 games of the year. Woof!
Do you remember your first Royals games? What do you remember about the game? About seeing the stadium in person for the first time? Share your memories!
Apr 3, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; The exterior of Chase Field prior to the Atlanta Braves versus Arizona Diamondbacks game. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images
The New York Mets (14-23) travel to the desert to face the Arizona Diamondbacks (17-19) in a three-game series. While the Mets have won their last two series against bad teams, they still co-own the worst record in baseball and have a lot more work to do before convincing fans that they’re a serious baseball team.
All one needs to do is look at yesterday’s lineup and pitchers used to tell the story about why this team is in trouble. Austin Slater bating fourth? Andy Ibañez batting sixth? Craig Kimbrel coming into a tie game? Come on now.
Now part of this was clearly a result of injury and part of it was trying to maximize right-handedness against a left handed starter. But a lineup that included Slater, Ibañez, Tyrone Taylor, and Vidal Brujan is a March 7 spring training lineup, not a May 7 lineup. It is much easier said than done to improve a team in the first seven weeks of a season, but part of the frustration that Mets fans feel is due to the fact that nothing has really been done to address the team’s struggles.
This is not a call to fire Carlos Mendoza, but rather a plea to do anything to shake things up a little bit. Until that happens, there is very little that will convince fans that the organization is taking the situation as seriously as it should.
That said? If the Mets can keep winning series, all of this will be moot. And while beating the Angels and Rockies shouldn’t be lauded too loudly, it is better than the alternative. The Mets will face the Yankees in one week, and that is easily the best team in their upcoming schedule, so it is imperative that they hold their own against Arizona, the Tigers, the Nationals, and the Marlins in the next few weeks. There’s every chance that the Mets are near .500 by the end of the month if they can rattle off some wins, and then this is a very different conversation on June 8.
Fortunately for the Mets, the Diamondbacks have hit a skid after a hot-streak in early to mid-April. Losers of 11 of their last 17, the Snakes have won just one of their last six series. The Mets are also getting the D-backs’ two worst starters (but also their best) and the Mets are throwing their two best pitchers (and an unknown) in the series. This seems like a series that is very winnable for the Mets, and would be a nice way to wrap up this road trip.
Standing in their way are Corbin Carroll and Ildemaro Vargas, both of whom are off to hot starts, as well as the always dangerous Ketel Marte, who is off to a slow one. When the D-backs have won lately, it has been by large margins (9-0 against he Pirates, 12-7 over the Padres, 11-7 over the White Sox), but those days seem few and far between.
The Mets have only won one of McLean’s seven starts thus far, but none of that is McLean’s fault. Two of those losses have come in extra-innings affairs, and in five of his seven starts, he’s given up two or fewer earned runs. McLean is more than just holding his own in the rotation, much like a young Jacob deGrom did with minimal run support.
Nelson had an all-time bad start against the Blue Jays on April 19th, lasting just one-third of an inning but giving up a staggering eight earns runs on eight hits. His next start went longer, but yielded six earned runs. He settled down agains the Cubs last week, but he has had a rough go as of late.
I don’t think anyone expecting Holmes to be this good a year plus into his transition to starting, but the results speak for themselves. He’s pitched into the sixth in all but one start and into the seventh in three starts. In his last two starts, he’s given up just one earned run and seven hits over 12 and tw0-thirds innings.
Kelly’s first start of the year came in April 14, and he had a good one: five and a third innings pitched, two earned runs, three strikeouts. But since then, it’s been real bad. Each start has seen at least five earned runs, no more than five innings pitched, and he’s walked as many batters as he’s struck out.
Rodriguez is having the best start of any Diamondback to the season, and he just had his best start of the year against the Pirates where he pitched seven innings of two-hit, shutout baseball. He’s waking more folks than he should, but so far he’s limiting the damage by not allowing many hits and limiting home runs, aside from one game when the White Sox took him deep twice.
PHOENIX, AZ - DECEMBER 06: Grand Canyon Antelope guard Jaden Henley (10) looks on before the Jerry Colangelo Classic college basketball game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Grand Canyon Antelopes on December 6, 2025 at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
We don’t dip our toes into the NBA waters very often, but we’re less than two months away from the 2026 NBA Draft! Once again, there are multiple former Mountain West players testing their waters, specifically in the G-League combine, which will begin Friday and last through Sunday in Chicago, Ill.
What do these two prospects need to do to improve each of their respective stocks?! Let’s examine!
Jaden Henley, G, Grand Canyon:
Skinny: Henley had the best season of his career in 2025-26 with Grand Canyon. Bouncing around with four different programs in four years, Henley averaged career highs across the board, tallying 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game on 46.6 percent shooting and 56.2 percent true shooting.
The All-Mountain West first team honoree was a very explosive rim finisher; his ballhandling was good-not-great, but he did a good job exploding from his lower half through contact. He didn’t care if the low man was 6-foot-5 or 7-foot-5 — he was going to the rack with mean intentions.
Henley also defended well in Grand Canyon’s scheme defensively, which was aggressive at the point of attack with sound help principles. At 6-foot-7, 200 pounds, he has an NBA-ready body and will have some defensive versatility. He can guard multiple positions, and I project that to be his ceiling at the next level.
Where Henley must improve, however, is his shooting and playmaking. He wasn’t a good shooter, shooting just 26.8 percent from 3-point range on 3.8 attempts. For his career, he’s just a 30.7 percent long-range shooter on 2.5 attempts. Teams are smarter at scheming non-shooters now more than ever, so Henley’s going to have to clean up his mechanics and efficiency to excel offensively at the next level. If he can show some growth during the G-League combine, then that should bode better for the future, although it’s easy for anyone to shoot 5-on-0 compared to 5-on-5.
M.J. Collins, G, Utah State:
Skinny: Collins, an All-Mountain West first team honoree, broke out in his lone season with Utah State, averaging a career-high 17.5 points on 62.0 percent true shooting. He was a microwave scorer, capable of getting hot from anywhere at any moment, helping ignite the Mountain West’s best offense this season.
Standing at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, Collins was effectively able to score from all three levels. One of my favorite traits of his was his off-ball movement. You’d be hard-pressed to find many possessions where Collins wasn’t moving, trying to find every crease and crack to exploit. He has fairly good understanding of screen leverage and how to attack those advantages. When he was able to attack as a secondary creator, Collins had pretty good feel, lift and a high release point on his jumper
Similar to Henley, Collins was an explosive leaper around the rim. He also improved as a 3-point shooter, canning 36.1 percent of his attempts after failing to exceed 29.3 percent over his first three seasons at Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt. He shot 78.4 percent from the free-throw line from 2022-25 and 81.0 percent last year; personally, I’m not super concerned. But Collins must show that wasn’t an aberration.
Investigation too late for Saturday’s game at the Riverside
Boro want process sped up amid sanctions uncertainty
Middlesbrough remain furious with Southampton after catching a man they believe is a member of Tonda Eckert’s backroom staff allegedly spying on a vital training session ahead of Saturday’s Championship playoff semi-final first leg at the Riverside Stadium.
Boro have reported the incident to the English Football League, as spying on opposition training is in breach of its regulations. The EFL is investigating the alleged misconduct and, as of Friday, was still waiting for an explanation of what happened from Southampton. Boro want the disciplinary process to be expedited but, as things stand, expect Saturday’s game to proceed as planned.
The Athletic's Chris Johnston recently ranked the top 20 pending unrestricted free agents heading into the summer. Two Buffalo Sabres were among the players ranked: Alex Tuch and Logan Stanley.
Tuch was given the No. 3 spot on Johnston's rankings. The only two players who were ranked ahead of him were Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh and Vegas Golden Knights blueliner Rasmus Andersson.
When looking at how well Tuch has played this season, it is not surprising to see him be named among the best pending UFAs. In 79 regular-season games for the Sabres this year, he had 33 goals, 33 assists, and 66 points. He has also been continuing to make an impact during the playoffs, as he has four goals and seven points in seven games.
With Tuch continuing to stay hot and being the NHL's top pending UFA forward, he is undoubtedly setting himself to land a big payday. This remains the case whether he re-signs with the Sabres or goes elsewhere.
As for Stanley, he was given the No. 14 spot on Johnston's rankings. When noting that the 27-year-old defenseman had a career year at the right time, it is understandable that he has been named a top pending UFA.
Stanley set new career highs with nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points in 76 regular-season games this year split between the Winnipeg Jets and Sabres. He also had 110 hits and 128 penalty minutes, so there is no question that the 6-foot-7 defenseman's toughness adds to his appeal as well.
Apr 1, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA;Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) looks on against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Hold on, I need to start this out with a pep talk to myself.
Deep breaths. This is a safe space. We are among a few thousand of your closest friends. Even considering this will break your heart and brain and could quite possibly traumatize many others. But you are supposed to be a quasi-objective writer that considers all sides and asks difficult questions. You can do this.
Ok, let’s get this over with.
The Boston Celtics need to improve their roster. That much was made clear by the exasperatingly short playoffs and was hammered home by Executive of the Year Brad Stevens in his comments this week. We’ve already talked about the seismic shift option of dealing Jaylen Brown. On the other end of the spectrum would be making smaller moves around the edges and counting on free agent exceptions or trade exceptions to make impactful improvements. We will likely spend a lot of time this summer talking through those options.
The next logical category to consider is trades involving rotation players not named Tatum or Brown (no, I will not consider trading Tatum and I’m not sorry). Stevens did such a good job of shedding bloated salaries that there simply aren’t a lot of salary matching options left on the roster. So I’m very, very reluctantly broaching the subject of using Derrick White and his $30M salary slot to see if there are any trade fits that make this roster better. Specifically better at attacking the rim.
Much has been said about White’s concerning shooting struggles this season. That’s a real thing and a legitimate concern going forward. I tend to think (or hope) that he will find his stroke again next year. I would also submit that all the other positives he brings to the basketball court far exceed any shortcomings he has shooting the ball. However, the Celtics’ superpower of bombing 3’s from all over the court becomes a fatal flaw if a key rotation player is streaky at best shooting from deep. At his best, White can provide some rim pressure, but he typically prefers floaters over layups and dunks.
So are there options for trading Derrick White to provide this roster with more rim attacking? There are bigs that could be available on the trade market. Perhaps Jarrett Allen or Isaiah Hartenstein could be available. I don’t really want to get into the Domantas Sabonis business. There are cheaper options, but those wouldn’t require White’s salary. So here’s a bit of a zag. Why not a guard that attacks the rim?
Fox is an elite slasher that uses his speed to blow by point of attack defenders and bend the court to himself. The more that Dylan Harper and Stephon Castle emerge, the less they’d need Fox at point guard. White provides them with elite role player energy and would fit in seamlessly. It would also be a chance for him to “go home” to where his career started. Hauser’s value as a cost effective shooter is obvious.
The Celtics would still need to address the center position, but they can use one of their exceptions to accomplish that. It should also be noted that Fox isn’t exactly known for his outside shooting, which is a concern here as well. But there are only so many players in the world that are good at shooting and slashing and they typically make max paychecks. So you have to pick your poison at some level.
This isn’t the only trade option the Celtics would have. I’m just using it as a conversation starter or food for thought. Feel free to suggest your own ideas in the comments. Oh, and please go easy on me, this was not easy for me to consider.
Nobody would be happier if Brad Stevens could figure out a way to improve the team in other ways and keep Derrick White on the Boston Celtics. I’ll be a fan of his for the rest of his career, wherever that leads him. I’m just trying to consider all the options.
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 04: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers warms up before the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on April 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mookie Betts is starting a minor league rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City, and will play for the Comets on Friday and Saturday, the team announced on Thursday. Saturday marks the five-week mark since Betts strained his right oblique.
BREAKING: Eight-time All-Star, four-time World Series champ and former MVP Mookie Betts is scheduled to play for the Comets Friday & Saturday as part of a Major League Rehab Assignment!
Kiké Hernández is already with Oklahoma City and has played two games so far for the Comets, manning third base on Tuesday and on Thursday, five innings in each game. Hernández is on the 60-day injured list and can’t be activated until May 24 at the earliest, so his rehab will last a little while.
Betts is likely a more immediate return, health permitting of course. When he missed two months in 2024 after breaking his hand, Betts didn’t play in any rehab games at all before getting activated. Betts hasn’t played in a minor league game since August 9, 2015 for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs while on the injured list with the Boston Red Sox, and that rehab assignment lasted all of one game.
The Dodgers have been deliberate with his rehab, backing off various drills or batting practice depending on how his oblique responded. That he’s ready to play in rehab games suggests he’s turned a corner.
“There’s no magic formula to this. You can do as much rehab as you want. Obliques just take time, it’s always four to six weeks, no matter however you want to twist it,” Betts said at Dodger Stadium last week. “We’re close, and after that it’s going to get a lot better.”
With Betts out, Hyeseong Kim has taken the lion’s share of playing time, starting 22 games at shortstop with Miguel Rojas starting seven times. Alex Freeland has remained at second base, the job he won in spring training, and do date has started 29 of 37 games at the position this season, with Rojas starting at second base five times and Santiago Espinal three times.
When Betts gets activated, someone on the roster has to go, with likely another roster move needed in two and a half weeks or so when Hernández is ready to go. But for now let’s focus on the near term.
Freeland and Kim can be optioned to the minors. Espinal, who has also started three times at third base, has over five years of service time and cannot be sent to the minors without his consent, so he’d need to be designated for assignment if the team wants to move on. Here’s how they’ve done do date:
Freeland: .253/.330/.363, 97 wRC+, 105 PA, .314 wOBA, .307 xwOBA, +2 fielding run value
Kim: .314/.372/429, 126 wRC+, 78 PA, .356 wOBA, .338 xwOBA, +2 fielding run value
Espinal: .185/.185/.259, 17 wRC+, 29 PA, .195 wOBA, .272 xwOBA, +1 fielding run value
Today’s question is which Dodgers player will be jettisoned from the active roster when Mookie Betts returns from the injured list?
After losing the first game of their second-round series against the Buffalo Sabres 4-2, the Montreal Canadiens need to bounce back and do what they did in the first round: find a way to win on the road. Given Lindy Ruff’s coaching style, it should be less of a challenge than it was against the Tampa Bay Lightning when Jon Cooper was hell-bent on keeping Anthony Cirelli stuck to Nick Suzuki.
Martin St-Louis didn’t seem worried at all when he spoke to the media on Thursday. The coach said he was at the helm of a confident group that has a short-term memory and knows how to move on from a loss. They always bounced back from a defeat against Tampa, and that served them well, but they’ve put themselves in a situation where alternating wins and losses won’t work by losing the first game of the series.
On Thursday, even though the Habs had an optional skate, Cole Caufield spent over an hour on the ice, working on his shot. The sniper knows his team is counting on him, and it’s obvious that he’s desperate to find the back of the net.
If the Sabres had an impeccable record historically in the first game of a series, it’s not the case for the second game. Buffalo is 12-29 in Game 2 over the years for a .293 win percentage, although they are 7-10 (.412) when the game is played at home. However, their record is much better when they lead 1-0 in the series; they’re 15-11 overall (.577) and 9-3 (.750) when the series started at home.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens have done well historically in the second game of a series with an 82-44 record for a .651 winning percentage. When the game is played on the road, they are 24-23 (.511). However, those numbers plummet when they are trailing 1-0; overall, they have a 17-33 (.340) record, and it’s even lower on the road, where they are 9-23 (.281).
Caufield is not the only player who will be looking to bounce back in this second game. Lane Hutson, who had his worst game of the playoffs on Wednesday, will be looking for redemption in Game 2. As for the defense corps, it will have to do a better job in front of Jakub Dobes so he can see shots coming. It will be interesting to see if St-Louis decides to make any changes to his lineup. The Canadiens looked like they were getting used to the Sabres’ style of play in the third period when they dominated 11-1 in shots, but they were unable to score on Alex Lyon.
To get a better result, they’ll have to take the Sabres’ goalie’s line of sight away by putting bodies in front of the net. Of course, that’s easier said than done with Buffalo having such a big-bodied blue line that will work hard to clear the front of the net, but if the Habs battle hard enough, those big bodies will also get in Lyon’s line of sight.
Despite having good advanced stats numbers, the second line didn’t find the scoresheet, and Montreal desperately needs some offense from its top six. Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook could do with a more offensive center on their line. Jake Evans is a good player, but he lacks a finishing touch. If the Canadiens manage to get the win tonight, they’ll come back to Montreal having won home-ice advantage, but that’s not an easy task.
Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on HBO MAX, TNT, SN, TVAS, and CBC. Jean Hebert and Trevor Hanson are set to officiate, while Ryan Daisy and Shandor Alphonso will be the linemen. After the game, the Canadiens will finally head back to Montreal and get ready for Game 3, which is scheduled at 7:00 PM on Sunday night.
The Western Conference Semifinals shift to Orange County tonight as the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks meet in Game 3.
My Golden Knights vs. Ducks player props are eyeing Leo Carlsson to flourish, along with Jack Eichel and Chris Kreider.
Read more in my Golden Knights vs. Ducks predictions and NHL picks for Friday, May 8.
Best Golden Knights vs Ducks props for Game 3
Player
Pick
Leo Carlsson
Over 3.5 SOG
+110
Jack Eichel
Over 0.5 assists
-140
Chris Kreider
Over 0.5 assists
+175
Game 3 Prop #1: Leo Carlsson Over 3.5 SOG
+110 at BET99
Leo Carlsson continues to do his thing in these playoffs for the Anaheim Ducks. He’s notched nine points in only eight games played, and the youngster has cashed the Over in SOG in seven of eight in the postseason.
Carlsson put four pucks on net in Games 1 and 2, and he found the back of the net in Game 2 as the Ducks walked away with a victory. In three home games in the playoffs, Carlsson is averaging 3.33 SOG.
Game 3 Prop #2: Jack Eichel Over 0.5 assists
-140 at BET99
Jack Eichel had an impressive 63 helpers during the regular season, and he’s added another nine in the playoffs, serving as one of the Vegas Golden Knights’ top playmakers. Eichel set up his team’s lone goal in Game 2.
The American has hit the Over in helpers in four of his last five contests, and he’s already grabbed five assists in only three road games in the playoffs.
Game 3 Prop #3: Chris Kreider Over 0.5 assists
+175 at BET99
The Ducks got production from Chris Kreider in Game 2 as he set up one of their two goals. The winger has compiled five helpers in the postseason and three in his last three contests. Kreider notched two helpers in the series-clincher against the Edmonton Oilers at home.
In fact, he’s hit the Over in assists in two of three games at the Honda Center in the playoffs, and 21 of his 28 regular-season helpers were on home ice.
Playing on the top line with lethal finishers like Carlsson and Troy Terry, he has a really high chance of tallying another assist in Game 3.
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Art López could always hit. Despite an injured throwing arm that limited his effectiveness in the outfield, a diminutive stature, and little fanfare, he played until the age of 36, winning championships in six different countries. A hit tool can carry a ballplayer quite a long way, and despite his brief MLB career, the man had a fascinating life.
Arturo “Art” López Rodríguez Born: May 8, 1937 (Mayaguez, Puerto Rico) Yankees Tenure: 1965
López grew up in Mayaguez, a city on the west coast of Puerto Rico. In addition to excelling in volleyball, he took an early interest in baseball, playing third base in sandlot games and closely following the Puerto Rican Winter League. The López family moved to New York in the late ‘40s, settling in in the Bronx, where young Art attended Morris High School. He quickly became a Yankees fan, later recalling the autographs he secured from the likes of Phil Rizzuto and Vic Raschi.
As was the norm in that era, López played not only high school ball but softball and stickball with neighborhood kids. A burgeoning baseball career was temporarily interrupted by four years of service in the Navy. Upon his return, he joined the Central Park League, playing amateur ball around New York, including a stint under manager John Candelaria Sr. (father of the longtime MLB pitcher who played for the Yankees in 1988 and ‘89).
López hit well enough to draw the attention of Yankees scout Art Dede, who invited him to a showcase at Yankee Stadium in addition to watching him play in several Central Park League games. In one of those games, López threw his bat in frustration after a strikeout but later homered. “When you strike out, don’t throw the bat,” Dede chided him after the game. Three days later, the scout showed up at López’s home and offered him a pro contract.
The outfielder steadily rose through the Yankees’ system, hitting .338 at Single-A in 1963 and .315 at Triple-A the following season. After an outstanding spring training performance that netted him the James P. Dawson Award for best performance by a Yankees rookie in 1965, López made the Opening Day roster for his beloved Yankees. He debuted in the season’s first game, pinch-running for a 33-year-old Mickey Mantle and coming around to score. He’d end up splitting the season between New York and Triple-A Toledo, recording just seven hits and one walk in 51 plate appearances in what would end up being his only MLB action.
After another season spent back in the minors, López accepted an offer from the Tokyo Orions that would make him the first Puerto Rican to play pro ball in Japan — even if the Orions initially thought they were signing his Yankees teammate, Hector López.
Despite the confusion at the outset of the deal, it turned into a happy ending. It was here that the erstwhile Yankee would play his best baseball. In four seasons with the club (which changed its name to the Lotte Orions in 1969), López hit .300 with 91 home runs, making two All-Star teams and helping lead the 1970 Orions to the pennant. He played two more years for the Yakult Atoms before handing up his spikes at the age of 36.
López reached out to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner inquiring about employment opportunities from his former club but never heard back. Instead, he launched what would be a long and fruitful second act in banking and insurance, eventually earning three master’s degrees and going into education. On the occasion of his 89th birthday, join us in wishing a very happy birthday to a man whose brief stint in pinstripes was just one chapter in an extraordinary life.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
The Anaheim Ducks are two games into the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, a spot not many predicted them to be in at the start of the 2025-26 season. They will bring a 1-1 series back to Orange County, where they’ll host the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday evening.
The Ducks’ path to the playoffs has been long and winding, but the personnel that has them where they are is only eclipsed in confusion by the personnel that hasn’t.
Exactly a year ago, the Ducks hired Joel Quenneville as their next head coach. In attendance at his introductory press conference were Ducks players Troy Terry, Frank Vatrano, and Ryan Strome.
The latter two surprisingly had an extremely difficult time carving a role out for themselves on the Ducks depth chart in 2025-26 after playing such prominent roles over the previous three seasons for the organization.
Strome entered the season with an oblique injury that cost him the first 15 games of the season for Anaheim. He only suited up for 33 games after the injury and scored just nine points (3-6=9). He was moved to the Calgary Flames at the trade deadline in exchange for a seventh-round pick.
Vatrano, like Strome, had difficulty impacting games from lower in the Ducks’ lineup for the first half of the season. He sustained a shoulder injury in late December and took some time away from the team due to personal reasons.
He played very little down the stretch of the regular season, often serving as a healthy scratch, in a greatly limited role, and finished with nine points (5-4=9) in 50 games. Vatrano is in the first year of a three-year, $18 million contract extension that, due to deferred salary, carries an AAV of $4.57 million.
Another Ducks player who has struggled mightily this season is young, talented forward Mason McTavish. McTavish endured an extended contract negotiation after coming off his ELC that lasted well into Ducks training camp.
The two sides agreed to terms on a six-year contract with a $7 million AAV, but McTavish missed roughly half of camp, setting him back when it came to learning the intricacies of a new system, a new coaching staff, and several new players. He finished the regular season with a career-low 41 points (17-24=41) in 75 games and was healthy scratched a couple of times late in the year.
Surprisingly, defenseman Ian Moore has been a staple of the fourth line, playing right wing, for the latter part of the season and was a fixture in that position in the Ducks’ opening-round six-game series win over the Edmonton Oilers.
Through the Ducks’ first eight games of the playoffs, Vatrano has yet to suit up, serving as a healthy scratch.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Ducks lost Game 1 of each of their series, and just like he did in the first round, Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville made a last-minute lineup adjustment after running through morning skate and warmups with a seemingly set lineup for Game 2.
In the first round, it was a simple swap of first and third-line left wingers, Chris Kreider and Cutter Gauthier. In the second round, the adjustment was far more dramatic.
Again, after running through typical line rushes, Quenneville scratched Ian Moore and Mason McTavish in favor of physical forward Ross Johnston and high-motor, versatile forward Jansen Harkins.
“It’s never easy. Never an easy decision,” Quenneville said after Game 1. “It’s not punishment, it’s that we want to have more troops in this series. We think we’re going to need everybody. That was basically the reason.”
The Ducks won Game 2 by a score of 3-1, and Quenneville typically doesn’t change a winning lineup unless injury or outside circumstances dictate.
Vatrano was signed to his contract extension on Jan. 5, 2025, and McTavish signed his on Sept. 27, 2025. At the time of their signings, both players were seen as important pieces of the Ducks’ present and future. Less than 18 months later, they’re healthy scratches in the second round of the playoffs, the organization’s most important games in nine years.
The duo represents $13 million in actual annual money and an annual cap hit of $11.57 million; a lot of money was sitting in the press box for Game 1 and projects to be in Game 2 as well. Questions about their futures with the Ducks franchise moving forward are, and will likely remain, understandably in question.
Though Vatrano’s contract seems unappetizing for opposing teams coming off the year he had in 2025-26, in the three prior seasons, he scored 22, 37, and 21 goals for the Ducks. He’s 32 years old and has two years left on his contract.
The Ducks were able to move on from Strome, who was outscored by Vatrano in his first three seasons with the Ducks and had a higher cap hit, at the deadline, without having to retain. A limited free agent class could drive a team to inquire about Vatrano, and the Ducks likely wouldn’t have to part with assets or retain to move on from him.
If the Ducks intend to move on from him, McTavish’s trade value likely isn’t close to what it was at this time last year. However, his combination of youth (23 years old), size, skill, previous success, and lingering draft pedigree likely indicates it may not be completely diminished.
There is some precedent in this scenario. Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek previously moved on from Trevor Zegras when his value was at its lowest. While the trade brought back Ryan Poehling to join the roster, Eric Nilson at the 2025 Draft, and another 4th round pick on the way, it’s fair to question the timing of the deal, as seemingly more could have been had if Zegras had played any amount of games under Quenneville or Verbeek had simply waited until free agency was over and teams were more desperate to add.
This upcoming summer became far more interesting when it comes to the future of the Ducks organization, as they’ll have several high-profile decisions to make, whether that be the projected big-money extensions for Leo Carlsson and Cutter Gauthier, extensions for RFA blueliners Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger, potentially re-signing veterans Radko Gudas, John Carlson, and Jacob Trouba, and now the futures of Frank Vatrano and Mason McTavish.
For the Ducks at this present moment, their focus is presumably narrowed on the current task at hand: success in their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.
It can be assumed that the second the Ducks’ season is over, Verbeek will be one of the busier GMs in the NHL, as he aims to further build on this season’s success and flesh out the roster on their journey to becoming a perennial Cup-contending team for the foreseeable future.
The Ducks’ contending window is now fully open, and a multitude of high-profile decisions are on the ever-nearing horizon.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are howling with homecourt advantage after splitting the first two games of their Round 2 series with the San Antonio Spurs.
Game 3 tips off in the Target Center tonight, and I'll sink my teeth into the player prop odds, feasting on any value in the game-to-game adjustments.
Here are my best Spurs vs. Timberwolves props and NBA picks for Friday, May 8.
Best Spurs vs Timberwolves props for Game 3
Player
Pick
Mike Conley Jr.
Over 3.5 assists
+120
Rudy Gobert
Over 1.5 blocks
+105
Victor Wembanyama
Over 12.5 rebounds
-110
Game 3 Prop #1: Mike Conley Jr. Over 3.5 assists
+120 at bet365
The Minnesota Timberwolves can’t afford to keep coughing up the ball and setting up the San Antonio Spurs with extra possessions. The Spurs flipped 22 T-Wolves’ turnovers into 19 points during their Game 2 squash.
Veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. was responsible for only one of those turnovers in his 16 minutes of action, in which he also recorded three assists.
I expect Conley's floor time to pick up tonight, given his steady hand and multiple injuries to Ayo Dosunmu (questionable for Game 3) and the lack of depth in the backcourt.
Minnesota’s style will be slower, trying to keep this game in a half-court set, rather than running with San Antonio. That suits the aging legs of Conley just fine, allowing him to create shots for his teammates.
Conley dished out six dimes over 24 minutes in Game 1 of this series and also had six helpers in the Game 6 win over Denver in Round 1.
I believe Conley will serve a big playmaking role, and I love the plus-money return on Over 3.5 dimes.
Game 3 Prop #2: Rudy Gobert Over 1.5 blocks
+105 at bet365
Minnesota center Rudy Gobert failed to register a block in Game 2, which speaks more to the style of the Spurs’ offense than anything. San Antonio scored in transition and on fast breaks, not allowing the T-Wolves’ shot swatter to set up in the paint.
If Minnesota is to avoid another blowout, it can’t let the Spurs set the tempo and must force them into a half-court battle. That means protecting the perimeter and funneling drives into Gobert's length at the rim.
The multi-time Defensive Player of the Year recorded two or more blocks in three of the final four games against Denver and finished with one swat in the series opener against San Antonio.
With the Timberwolves slowing things down and making an effort to get back on defense, I like Gobert to turn away at least two field goal attempts tonight.
Game 3 Prop #3: Victor Wembanyama Over 12.5 rebounds
-110 at bet365
At this point, we almost have to blindly bet Victor Wembanyama to top his rebound total. The Spurs’ 7-footer is cleaning the glass like Windex, grabbing 15 boards in each of the first two games of the series.
Wembanyama wrangled 15 rebounds in just 26 minutes thanks to the T-Wolves’ shit shooting in Game 2, which skews his stats a bit. Focusing on his 15 rebounds over 40 minutes in Game 1, those came from 23 rebounding chances at a pace that will likely mirror the tempo of Game 3.
Minnesota must be careful about its aggressiveness on the offensive glass, or it could allow the Spurs to push the pace with numbers in transition. As a result, don’t expect San Antonio to face much resistance on the defensive boards.
Wemby has snatched 13 or more rebounds in three straight games and in 10 of his last 14 outings. His game models range from 11.2 to 15.3 boards in Game 3, and I’m leaning toward the higher end of those projections tonight.
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Early in the morning on Friday, it was announced by Metallurg of the KHL that Roman Kantserov would terminate his contract in an effort to come to North America to play in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Kantserov had one of the best seasons by a 21-year-old (or younger) in the KHL. He led the league with 36 goals in 63 games while also showing off his ability to be tenacious and strong on every single shift he takes.
It is unclear what positions Anton Frondell and Frank Nazar will play in 2026-27, but Kantserov is sure to play on the wing in the top six alongside one of them or Connor Bedard. Right away, thanks to his ability to score in bunches, it should be an improved group simply based on his addition alone.
The Blackhawks selected Kantserov in the second round (44th overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft. Now they have convinced him to leave his KHL squad to pursue opportunities in the world's best hockey league.
Kantserov will turn 22 just ahead of the 2026-27 season, so he fits in perfectly with his future teammates, who are all young and ready to take a step in their development.
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ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Stanley Cup playoffs can change a team. The high stakes and the frenzied crowds annually inspire hockey players who can handle them to ever-higher levels of grit, guile and greatness.
The Anaheim Ducks are the latest young team growing and thriving under the weight of its first taste of postseason pressure.
Although they ended their franchise’s seven-year playoff drought, the Ducks were not a good defensive team during the regular season, too often settling for indifferent backchecking and mediocre goaltending that frequently didn’t hurt them because of their offensive excellence. Anaheim allowed the fourth-most goals in the NHL, easily the most given up by any playoff team, before surrendering 21 goals to similarly wide-open Edmonton in the first round.
But when the Ducks had to protect a 2-0 lead over the playoff-tested Vegas Golden Knights with less than seven minutes left in Game 2 of the second round, they showed how much the postseason means.
During one frantic goalmouth scramble, three penalty-killing Ducks dived to the ice to block multiple shots — Mikael Granlund even made one block with an outstretched toe — while goalie Lukas Dostal went side to side with extraordinary desperation, jokingly saying he was “playing more soccer goalie than hockey goalie out there.”
The extra playoff exertion was palpable, and their teammates on the bench leaped to their feet in excitement. Anaheim hung on for a 3-1 win, evening the series and adding another layer of experiential bedrock to the foundation of a young team that intends to be in Stanley Cup contention for years to come.
“A lot of us are going through it together for the first time ... and the whole experience is just bringing us closer together,” Ducks forward Troy Terry said. “I think what you’re seeing, we can feel in our room, just how much we’re coming together at this time of year. Whether it’s a blocked shot, a goal, whatever it is, you can feel the closeness. All of us have just been so hungry for this opportunity. We were all well aware of what it would take to be successful in the playoffs, but you never really know until you get in these positions.”
The playoffs resume with the Montreal Canadiens visiting the Buffalo Sabres before Anaheim hosts Vegas in Game 3.
Much of the Golden Knights’ core has been together for years, building the camaraderie and accountability necessary to give its best effort in the postseason.
This is all new to the Ducks, and they’re embracing it. Anaheim only has allowed four goals in two games by Vegas, and they include an empty-netter in Game 1 and a meaningless power-play goal with 5.6 seconds left in Game 2.
“I know this team had some growing pains we had to go through, but all year long we said, ‘I just can’t wait to get to the playoffs so we can see just how good these guys can be,’” coach Joel Quenneville said. “Across the board, I would have to say for sure we’re playing the best hockey we’ve shown all year.”
Anaheim went 3-0 at Honda Center in the first round against the Oilers. Orange County fans haven’t seen hockey in May since 2017, when the Ducks made the Western Conference finals.
Montreal Canadiens at Buffalo Sabres
When/Where to Watch: Game 2, Friday, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT, HBO MAX).
Despite some lapses, the Buffalo Sabres played to their speedy, up-tempo attacking identity in winning Game 1 against Montreal.
It’s the Canadiens’ turn to rediscover their identity while adapting to a different-styled foe following a 4-2 loss.
However resilient and capable Montreal was in the first round while grinding out a seven-game win over the slower, heavier and tight-checking Tampa Bay Lightning, the Canadiens need to switch gears against Buffalo.
“I can’t say that I learned anything yesterday, but I will tell you that I know we can play with them,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “We’re just going to have to do some things a bit better.”
A better start would help, as the Sabres built a 2-0 lead in the first period. Although Montreal outshot Buffalo 11-1 in the third period, most of them came from the perimeter.
Otherwise, the outcome -- from the Canadiens’ perspective -- was decided on a few unfortunate breaks.
Defenseman Lane Hutson fell and coughed up the puck in a turnover that led to Buffalo’s opening goal. Mike Matheson’s clearing attempt was then batted down by Buffalo’s Ryan McLeod, setting up Bowen Byram’s goal that made it 4-1 midway through the second period.
“It’s a little bit different, but we know what to expect now,” forward Cole Caufield said in comparing Tampa and Buffalo.
After scoring a team-leading 51 goals in the regular season, Caufield placed the emphasis on himself to regain his touch amid a four-game point drought.
“As a whole, not where I want it to be. I expect more out of myself, and my teammates do too,” he said. “Just trying to get better every game and just trying to make a difference.”
Montreal has yet to win or lose two straight this postseason, and it’s coming off a series against Tampa Bay in which all seven games were decided by one goal — including four in regulation.
The Sabres also believe they can be better following an outing in which they were limited to a playoff-low 16 shots.
“Some of our puck decisions, I thought, weren’t up to the level that we had,” coach Lindy Ruff said, noting a four-day break between games might have played a factor.
“I hate to say rust — but you haven’t been up and running, your game tempo isn’t quite there,” he added. “Some of our puck decisions led to opportunities, what I call giving up free offense. It wasn’t from lack of effort.”
When the Dallas Mavericks concluded their 2025-2026 campaign — one of the worst seasons in franchise history with a 26-56 record — all eyes turned to the NBA draft. Fans are hoping the team can notch a top pick like they did last season when their 1.9% chance to get the No. 1 pick turned into reality in May.
At 3 p.m. E.T. on Sunday, they’ll have a chance, and a better one than they had last year, to repeat history.
Dallas has the 8th-best odds of claiming the No. 1 overall pick, coming in at 6.7%. The Mavericks have a 29.0% chance t0 move into the top four picks. Mavericks legend Rolando Blackman and co-general manager Matt Ricardi will be representing the team in Chicago for the lottery. The duo also represented the Mavericks at last year’s draft lottery.
It is most likely the team will remain at No. 8 (32.9%) or drop one slot to No. 9 (31.1%), and there is a slim chance the team drops to No. 10 (6.6%). If the team gets incredibly unlucky, there is a 0.4% chance they could fall to 11, and a less than 0.1% chance they fall to 12.
Cut all the math out of it and it comes to this — if you flip a coin twice and it comes up heads both teams, that’s about the likelihood of Dallas jumping to the top 4.
All 14 non-playoff teams are entered into the lottery every year to decide which teams get the top four picks. After the lottery, the rest of the first round goes in reverse order of record. The worst three teams each get a 14% chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick and the odds go down from there.
This system has been ever evolving since its inception in 1985 and will likely change next season, as ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported on changes to the draft lottery odds to disincentivize tanking in the league.
This may be the last year the lottery looks like this. So take a second, dip away from your family, mothers, spouses, and children on Mother’s Day, and gather round the television to watch the NBA’s deputy commissioner, Mark Tatum, announce the results of the 2026 Draft Lottery at 3 p.m. E.T., since apparently there was no other time they could’ve scheduled this.
Leo Carlsson
Jack Eichel
Mike Conley Jr.
Victor Wembanyama
