Posts

Posted on

Carlos Mendoza encouraged by Ryan Helsley’s brief outing in Mets’ win over Tigers

Ryan Helsley had another up-and-down outing on Monday as he works to fix his pitch tipping.

The Mets' hard-throwing right-hander entered trying to protect four run lead in the bottom of the seventh.

He was immediately thrown into danger, though, as Tigers All-Star outfielder Riley Greene led off the inning with a double off the right field fence. 

Helsley was able to retire the next two batters easily, but he allowed Detroit to creep closer as Zach McKinstry lifted an RBI single to right. 

Carlos Mendoza then pulled him for Brooks Raley, who ended the frame. 

Helsley’s ERA is now up to an ugly 9.31 mark in 13 outings since being acquired from the Cardinals. 

He’s allowed a baserunner in 11 of those appearances, and he's given up at least one run in six of them. 

Despite another shaky showing, Mendoza actually liked what he saw from Helsley on Monday.

“I honestly thought he was better,” the skipper said. “They came out aggressive, a lot of first-pitch swinging. The groundball gets through and then the soft line drive, but he attacked and threw strikes, they just came out swinging and got him for a run.

“The fact that he threw strikes and was attacking hitters is a positive.”

For the Mets to make some noise down the stretch, they’ll need Helsley to get back to being the dominant late-inning arm he was for St. Louis.

Posted on

Rangers Exciting Forward Is Prime Breakout Candidate

Brett Berard ( © Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images)

While the 2024-25 season was a tough year for the New York Rangers, Brett Berard was a nice bright spot from it. The 22-year-old forward played in his first 35 NHL games with the Rangers in 2024-25, where he posted six goals and 10 points. He also performed well while down in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, recording nine goals and 23 points in 30 games.

Overall, Berard took a nice step in the right direction in his development this past season. More importantly, he showed clear promise when given the chance to play for the Rangers. Now, as we head into the 2025-26, he is undoubtedly a clear breakout candidate for the Blueshirts. 

Berard has the upside to become a very solid forward in the NHL, and it would be significant for the Rangers if he taps into his potential more in 2025-26. It is not a secret that the Rangers' top nine could use a boost, and Berard taking that next step would certainly help things on that front. 

It is going to be interesting to see what kind of season Berard has from here, but it is hard not to feel excited about his future with the Rangers. 

Rangers Superstar Nearing 2 Big Milestones Rangers Superstar Nearing 2 Big Milestones Since his arrival in the NHL during the 2015-16 season with the Chicago Blackhawks, Artemi Panarin has been a star. This remains the case today with him being 33 years old, as he recorded 37 goals and 89 points in 80 games this past season with the New York Rangers. This was after he set career highs with 49 goals and 120 points with the Blueshirts in 82 games in 2023-24.
Posted on

Braves claim 29-year-old infielder Ha-Seong Kim off waivers from Rays

CHICAGO — The Atlanta Braves claimed infielder Ha-Seong Kim off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.

Atlanta also activated shortstop Luke Williams from the 10-day injured list before its series opener against the Chicago Cubs. Right-hander Rolddy Muñoz was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, and infielder Austin Riley was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Active major league rosters expanded from 26 to 28 players on Monday.

The 29-year-old Kim, who can play shortstop, second base and third, is expected to join the Braves on Tuesday. He has been on the IL with lower back inflammation since Aug. 21.

He signed a two-year, $29 million contract with Tampa Bay in February that includes a $16 million player option for next year.

Kim has been limited to 24 games this year. He is batting .214 with two homers and five RBIs.

Kim made his big league debut with San Diego in 2021. He hit .242 with 47 homers, 200 RBIs and 78 stolen bases in 540 games over four seasons with the Padres.

Williams, 29, had been sidelined by a left oblique strain. Riley, 28, had season-ending core surgery last month.

Posted on

Trevor Story gets strange home run at Fenway Park, as ball hits RF’s glove, ticks off Pesky Pole

BOSTON — Boston’s Trevor Story had a strange Fenway Park homer in the sixth inning against Cleveland on Monday when the ball went off an outfielder’s glove and then the Pesky Pole.

Facing right-hander Jakob Junis, Story hit a 306-foot fly down the right-field line, where Jhonkensy Noel tried for a leaping catch. The ball ticked off Noel’s glove and then the pole as Story stopped at second and umpires gathered to discuss the play.

Umpires ruled the ball foul, then conducted a video review. Crew chief Jordan Baker then announced the call had been overturned, giving Story his 23rd homer and Boston a 6-3 lead in a game it went on to win 6-4.

“It was nice. It was obviously cool to get one on the Pesky Pole, I think that’s the first one I got,” Story said. “It was crazy. I didn’t know what was going on at first and then finally the last few (replays) I saw it hit the pole. I felt good about it.”

Story said it felt strange waiting on second because he initially thought it would be a ground-rule double.

“It’s weird for sure. You’re trying to stay locked in in case it’s a foul ball,” he said. “It’s just kind of a weird time. After I saw the last couple of clips, I felt good about it.”

It ended up being the shortest (non inside-the-park) homer in the MLB this season. The previous shortest was a walk-off past the Pesky Pole by his teammate Ceddanne Rafaela on June 4.

Posted on

Chicago Cubs add two more veteran players in 1B Carlos Santana and RHP Aaron Civale

CHICAGO — Carlos Santana was contacted by a couple teams after he was released by Cleveland last week. Once he heard from Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell, he knew what he wanted to do.

“The day before I come here, he called me and said ‘Hey, I need you here,’” Santana said. “I say ‘Oh, yes,’ I don’t think twice.”

Santana joined Chicago on Monday after signing a one-year contract. The Cubs also added Aaron Civale to their roster one day after they claimed the veteran right-hander off waivers from the White Sox.

Outfielder Kevin Alcántara was recalled from Triple-A Iowa, and outfielder Owen Caissie was sent down. With Pete Crow-Armstrong slumping at the plate, Alcántara could be used in center field against left-handed pitching.

Santana joined the contending Cubs in time to be eligible for the team’s playoff roster. The MLB deadline used to be midnight ET at end of Aug. 31, but it was changed in the offseason to noon ET on Sept. 1. Active major league rosters also expanded from 26 to 28 players on Monday.

“We just think adding kind of some veteran players to strengthen, fortify, offer some insurance to the roster is really what we’re looking for,” Counsell said before Chicago’s game against Atlanta. “Not anticipating, frankly, big roles, but should things happen, then their roles could expand.”

The 39-year-old Santana was let go by the Guardians on Thursday, ending his third stint with the franchise.

Chicago has Michael Busch at first base, and Seiya Suzuki is the team’s primary designated hitter. But the addition of Santana puts an experienced switch hitter on Counsell’s bench.

Santana batted .225 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs in 116 games with the Guardians after signing a $12 million, one-year contract in December. The former Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner is the majors’ active leader with 1,330 career walks.

Santana played for Counsell at the end of the 2023 season, after he was traded from Pittsburgh to Milwaukee.

“I come to here for hope, for making championship,” Santana said. “Before I retire, I want to make a champion. ... I’m open for any situation that (Counsell) needs me.”

Santana has appeared in 30 playoff games, batting .205 with five homers and 13 RBIs. He made it to the 2016 World Series with Cleveland, losing to the Cubs in seven games.

“I think he’s at a stage of his career where he’s interested in one thing, just being a part of fun, being a part of winning,” Counsell said. “And he’s earned a great reputation in the game, and it’s always good adding people like that.”

Civale is 3-9 with a 5.26 ERA in 18 starts this year. He was traded from the Brewers to the White Sox for first baseman Andrew Vaughn on June 13.

The Cubs plan to use Civale in a bulk role out of the bullpen, keeping him stretched out in case he is needed in the rotation at some point.

“Not a lot of pitching went on the waiver wire in August,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “But Civale is a guy that we had talked about at the (trade) deadline also. He was having a solid year as a starter there and pitching well.”

The 30-year-old Civale is 42-44 with a 4.18 ERA in 135 career starts, also playing for Cleveland and Tampa Bay. He was moved to the bullpen by the Brewers, but he said he wanted to continue to start — leading to the trade to the last-place White Sox.

“It’s a good opportunity,” Civale said of joining the Cubs. “Just doing my best to take advantage of it and trying to come in here and help the team.”

Posted on

WNBA Preview: Playoff picture, five matchups to watch this week

As the 2025 WNBA regular season nears its conclusion, four playoff spots are secured, and four remain open. The ensuing 11 days will feature numerous intriguing matchups, with the results having implications for how the postseason bracket shapes. Yet, for all that remains unknown, the most recent week of WNBA action provided some clarity for certain teams.

The Aces locked up a playoff spot with their 79-74 win over the Sky. Here’s a long overdue hat tip to them, because — wow. Las Vegas surpassed New York’s and Minnesota’s nine-game winning streaks from earlier this season, now holding a WNBA-best 12 straight wins. Over the 12, Becky Hammon’s squad has delivered the league’s best offense (113.1 offensive rating) behind complete two-way dominance from A’ja Wilson. At the same time, Chelsea Gray and Jackie Young continue to thrive as versatile shot-makers and facilitators. Between the Aces’ play in clutch situations and overall strong play on both ends of the floor, they are currently showing glimpses of a team that could make noise in the postseason, something that seemed far-fetched prior to the All-Star Break.

With a win on Friday over the Wings, the Dream joined the Aces and Lynx as one of three teams to clinch a playoff spot, before the Mercury clinched a day later with a victory over the Liberty. Neither organization is unfamiliar with the postseason, as each team reached the playoffs in 2024. Yet, both teams’ consistent play since the start of the season has kept each team near the top of the standings throughout. Phoenix’s success is worth another mention, given the nearly complete roster turnover from 2024 to 2025 – Alyssa Thomas and her MVP-caliber season have played a significant role in it.

However, positive news was not the only type of information spread to WNBA organizations last week. The Mystics, one of the surprise teams of the first half of the season that produced three 2025 all-stars (two rookies!), saw their once-promising campaign receive an expiration date after suffering a blowout loss to the Valkyries on Saturday. The loss grouped them with the Sky, Sun, and Wings as four teams who are officially eliminated from playoff contention. The group of four is set to take in one additional member, which will be determined very soon.

Here are the games worth paying attention to during the last full week of the regular season.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Los Angeles Sparks @ Seattle Storm

(Monday, September 1st at 10 p.m. ET on NBA TV)

Arguably, the biggest game of the week comes on the first day of the month. The Sparks went into Seattle on August 1 and came away with a double overtime victory thanks to a Dearica Hamby game-winner. Nine days later in Los Angeles, history repeated itself as the Storm, with a newly acquired Brittney Sykes, fell victim to another Hamby game-winning shot. Now, the seventh-seeded Storm, separated by just one game in the loss column from the ninth-seeded Sparks, will square off again in a critical game for the standings. Given their recent history and the stakes, there’s a good possibility tonight’s matchup ends up being as good as the previous two.

Indiana Fever @ Phoenix Mercury

(Tuesday, September 2nd at 10 p.m. ET on NBA TV)

There are several talking points ahead of Tuesday’s game — DeWanna Bonner vs. her former team, Alyssa Thomas’ MVP case, Caitlin Clark’s health — but none more important than how this meeting impacts the standings. There’s a chance the Mercury and Fever could meet in the first round of the 2025 postseason. On Tuesday, Phoenix will likely have the luxury of rolling out the same starting five that took the court in the first two matchups, including the most recent 35-point win over Indiana. Meanwhile, Indiana will have a different group of five this time around — a group that has experienced some highs and lows recently over one of the most critical stretches of the season. The Fever are fighting to hang onto the eighth seed while the Mercury are trying to climb up the top half of the playoff picture. A competitive and entertaining matchup should follow.

Minnesota Lynx @ Las Vegas Aces

(Thursday, September 4th at 10 p.m. ET on Prime Video)

The Aces have a 15-3 record post-All-Star Break. One of the three losses was a respectable 10-point defeat at the hands of the Fever, while the other two were season-altering, 31 and 53-point losses to the Lynx within eight days of one another. The first loss (31 points) prompted a change to the Aces' starting unit, and the second (53 points) may have scared the Aces straight, given their undefeated record since. Meanwhile, Cheryl Reeve’s team has lost three of its last five games, and although a one-seed for the playoffs is locked up, building some momentum and recapturing some of its prior success ahead of the postseason seems necessary. In addition to the battle between the league’s top two teams, fans who tune in will get to see two MVP hopefuls go at it.

New York Liberty @ Seattle Storm

(Friday, September 5th at 10 p.m. ET on ION)

When will the defending champions finally return to full health? It seems like one key player can’t return from injury unless another player sustains one and has to exit the rotation. At the time of this writing, New York’s main starting lineup of Jones-Stewart-Ionescu-Cloud-Fiebich has only tallied 107 minutes together across 10 games. They’re in fifth place in the WNBA standings following a road loss to Phoenix — two games in the loss column behind the Mercury and two above the Valkyries. While their championship nucleus of a year ago remains mostly the same, they’ll want to at least get more reps together down the stretch of the season. Seattle is 2-0 against New York this year, however. Moving to 3-0 against the defending champions would prevent the Storm from falling any spots in the standings, which is important with only a handful of regular-season games remaining.

Dallas Wings @ Los Angeles Sparks

(Sunday, September 7th at 6 p.m. ET on NBA TV)

If the Wings can make it to this game with a healthy Paige Bueckers, fans should be in for a fun viewing experience, regardless of who else is available to play. The likely Rookie of the Year frontrunner went into Crypto.com Arena in mid-August and walked out with the highest-scoring game of any WNBA player this season and one of the best rookie performances in league history — those alone should be enough for folks to want to catch Sunday’s contest. However, the bigger story here concerns Los Angeles’ side. The Sparks are still on the outside of the playoff bracket and need to make up ground – losing games would not help them achieve that.

Posted on

Don LaGreca's Rangers Memories

Anne-Marie Caruso/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Don LaGreca, who will become the New Jersey Devils-MSG Networks play-by-play when NHL play begins, has had a long history doing Rangers telecasts. 

Blueshirt fans have enjoyed his play-by-play work on radio and television. They'd love him to stay in New York but his new gig is a dream-come-true for this pro's pro.

Kind enough to answer questions delivered by my sidekick Solon Mihas, we offer you the first of several reminiscing questions about LaGreca's Blueshirt days and nights. For openers we asked Don what he considered the "broadcasting high" during his Rangers'  (Take it away, Don.)

"It would definitely have to be Game One of the Rangers-Kings 2014 Stanley Cup Final. Doc Emrick was supposed to do the game on NBC but his father-in-law had passed away so he couldn't do it. Kenny Albert replaced Doc and I got to replace Kenny on radio. 

"I had done a ton of playoff games before, but had never done a Cup Final. And what made it extra special was that the Rangers hadn't been in the Final up to that point for 20 years; which, for me, made it surreal.

"What still had to be determined was who the Rangers would play; because the Blackhawks and Kings were still in their Conference Final. I was rooting for Chicago because if the Hawks won it also would mean I'd also get to see the Mets at Wrigley Field. 

"I'm a big Mets fan and to see them at Wrigley Field would have been something, but the Blackhawks lost  and I wound up flying to L.A. to get ready for the Stanley Cup Final. (I had been to Cup Finals before but never to actually call a game.)

"That Game One in L.A. was an amazing experience for me, especially near the end of regulation with the game still tied. I had a great call as the Rangers were short-handed and the Kings were on the verge of scoring on a power play. 

Honoring Labor Day With Some Hardest Working RangersHonoring Labor Day With Some Hardest Working RangersLabor Day was designated to honor workers. The Maven would like to honor four hard-working Rangers from yesteryear:

"Then our penalty-killer Hagelin had a breakaway but he was stopped by Quick and  we went to overtime. I felt it would be really cool to call a Cup Final winner for the Rangers but Justin Williams scored for the Kings and it was over.

"Even though the Rangers lost it still was an amazing experience and definitely the number one broadcasting highlight for me."

(TOMORROW: What it was like for LaGreca – a lifelong Devils' fan – working Rangers games for years.) 

Posted on

Red hot Juan Soto putting Mets on his back when they need it the most

Juan Soto is on one of those tears. 

With the Mets’ pitching struggling, the star outfielder has decided it’s time to put the team on his back.

Soto had his hands all over Monday afternoon’s win over the Tigers. 

He gave the Mets the lead in the top of the fourth, crushing a 1-2 curveball from veteran right-hander Charlie Morton deep to right-center for a grand slam. 

It was his team-leading 36th homer of the season, but his first with more than one man on-base. 

It was also somehow only the second grand slam of his career. 

Detroit would rally to even things up against Sean Manaea, but Soto struck again a few innings later, this time lacing a go-ahead two-run triple down the right field line to put New York back in front for good.

He also drew a pair of walks on the day, reaching four times and matching his career-high with six RBI.

Soto now has the most career games (116) with a home run and a walk before turning 27 years old, passing Yankees legend Mickey Mantle (115), h/t Sarah Langs.

“I haven’t changed anything,” he said. “I’m just getting more lucky, more balls are landing and I’m just doing the same thing up there -- just trusting my swing and the ability that I have to go up there and do damage.”

Soto has gone deep four times and has driven in 11 runs over the last four games. 

His OPS has quickly risen to .915 on the season.

“Pretty impressive,” Carlos Mendoza said. “I don’t think anybody is surprised by it, but when you see it day in and day out for a long period of time it’s like man, this guy can really put a team on his back and carry it, and that’s what he’s doing right now.

“The grand slam, then the triple down the line in a tough left on left matchup. Just his ability to control the strike zone, it’s a show, every time he’s at the plate you want to watch that -- he’s pretty special and I’m glad he’s on our team.”

Posted on

Four Major Storylines This Month At Ottawa Senators Training Camp

It’s finally September, and for many of us in this city, that means it’s a) time to make our kids someone else’s problem for the next 10 months and b) time to really start concentrating on the upcoming hockey season that we pretended not to think about this summer.

With training camp fast approaching, here are a few things that are rolling through my head when it comes to the Ottawa Senators:

What exactly is Claude Giroux’s role on this team?

Giroux is going to be a benefit to have on your hockey team until the day he decides to retire. He helps out in so many facets of the game, and there are a lot of late-career Alfie similarities you can point to. You want him to be a part of this group.

The question is, where does he fit at this point?

I don’t know if there is any correlation between Steve Staios making this one of the most hardline contract negotiations in his short history here and how the team feels about Giroux’s place in the pecking order. Either way, there does not appear to be a specific line spot he’s slotted into.

Giroux’s versatility serves him well and if I were a betting man, I’d say having him start as a LW on a second line with Dylan Cozens and Drake Batherson (who are both many things, but defensive stalwarts not one of them) makes some sense. But I could also easily be convinced they go back to the safety blanket of him with Brady and Timmy, or even in a new third line checking role. Both those options seem equally as likely as him getting his car stolen again, so it’ll be a fun story to track during camp.

What about the organizational goaltending depth?

Some will focus on Leevi Meriläinen’s promotion to full-time backup, but I’m not overly concerned with how he’ll do. There’s a level somewhere between “Anton Forsberg” and “looking like the second incarnation of Dominik Hasek for a month last season” that I’m certain he’ll fall into and Sens fans will be pretty happy with.

But what if they have to dip into the minors during the season?

Coaches and GMs are very fond of saying that you need at least 10 NHL D-men to get you through the year, but no one talks about how often you have to play goalies past your two NHL options. We are not that far removed from the 2022–23 season where the Sens had to start seven different goalies. SEVEN! That’s a little ridiculous, but it makes sense to pay attention to what the Sens have below Ullmark and Meriläinen. And when your first option is Mads Søgaard—who, I am afraid, has not progressed very far past “he’s super tall” in his 6 years in the organization—then I’m going to be focused in on the newly signed Jackson Parsons and especially Hunter Shepard. Shepard has two Calder Cups on his résumé and looks like someone you could potentially count on to play some NHL games if needed.

As always, the statement “goalies are voodoo” remains evergreen, so who knows what to expect, and everyone (including teammates and coaches) just has to deal with the fact they are flaky when it comes to on-ice performance and personality. I mean, we have Linus Ullmark saying stuff like “Marshmallows are a lot like snow if you think about it and that’s why I love this city” (not a real quote), and everyone’s reaction is basically “Ah, goalies, am I right?” which would not be the same response if that quote came out of, say, Nick Jensen’s mouth.

Ottawa Senators Sign Lars Eller, Offseason NHL Additions Are Now 'Most Likely' CompleteOttawa Senators Sign Lars Eller, Offseason NHL Additions Are Now 'Most Likely' CompleteSenators general manager Steve Staios didn't do a lot on day one of free agency, but there was something familiar about his performance. For the second year in a row, Staios went out and acquired a free agent veteran role player, who's won a Stanley Cup.

Will the Sens grant my wish and roll out an old-man 4th line?

I don’t know if a line of Nick Cousins, Lars Eller and David Perron would be the oldest line in the league, but it’s got to be up there. It would certainly be the oldest line in recent memory for the Sens. I don’t even think this is necessarily a bad thing because age is just a number, and out of the three, the only player I’d classify as having below-average NHL speed would be Perron. And as long as you aren’t “old and slow,” you can be classified as “experienced and crafty,” which is infinitely better. The Sens may choose to mix and match with different types for their 4th line, but honestly, if the forward group is entirely healthy, I like my chances of getting this trio to start the season.

How good is Jordan Spence, really?

I do not count myself as a regular viewer of LA Kings games, but in the handful that I did watch last season, I did notice Jordan Spence and he looked pretty great. If the Sens were to slot him into the role he played with the Kings (bottom-pairing D with sheltered minutes), especially with a partner like Tyler Kleven, I am fairly confident that pair would tilt the ice significantly while they were out there. Spence is a puck-retrieval machine and a great transitional player, which would complement Kleven’s best attributes (hitting guys really hard and wiring shots through the mesh in the back of the net) in a nice way.

The question many have is, can he be more than that? What’s he look like playing tougher minutes with more responsibility? I imagine we’re going to find out this season because neither Artem Zub nor Nick Jensen have shown they can play close to a full season at anything approaching good health. I really look forward to the day where we could see a Sanderson/Spence pairing because I’m not entirely sure they have developed on-ice analytic metrics that will be able to measure how high the possession numbers would be.

I’m sure as camp arrives and the ever-exciting preseason games start, we’ll have new storylines to discuss, but for now, these are the ones I’ll be following. See, Sens Nation, I made it through an entire Sens training camp piece without mentioning Carter Yakemchuk’s name once (except for this time just now), and the world continues to spin. It can be done!

By Tyler Ray
This article was first published at The Hockey News-Ottawa

More Sens Headlines at THN:
Senators Still Own Formenton's NHL Rights – What's Next?
Our One-On-One With Drake Batherson
Senators Confirm Extension For Pinto Won't Happen Until After Season Starts
Staios: 'We're Not Dismissing That Yakemchuk Makes Our Team Out of Camp'
Could Arthur Kaliyev Be The Senators' Next Adam Gaudette Story?
Ottawa Senators: Ranking The Six Best At Each Position

Posted on

The Wraparound: Who Will Make The Hockey Hall Of Fame In 2026?

Kick off September with rapid-fire NHL and hockey topics on The Wraparound.

Who Will Make The Hockey Hall Of Fame In 2026? by The WraparoundWho Will Make The Hockey Hall Of Fame In 2026? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and Adam Kierszenblat discussed in today's episode:

0:00: Does Ivan Demidov deserve to be the early favorite to win the Calder?

5:40: Which WHL team looks to be the early championship favorite this season?

9:51: Should the Chicago Blackhawks be concerned with prospect Mason West’s commitment to playing football?

15:13: Will Quinn Hughes or Cale Makar end up earning more on their next contracts?

21:54: Breaking down notable players eligible for Hockey Hall of Fame consideration in 2026

27:15: Which players signed to PTOs have the best chance of making NHL lineups?

31:20: Which NHL team will have the most intriguing goaltending battle at training camp?

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Podbean

iHeartRadio

Amazon

Posted on

What Defines The NHL's Modern Pest And Rat?

It’s an acquired skill in the NHL to be a thorn in your opponent's side as a player who can score and be incredibly annoying. 

Throughout NHL history, the game has been filled with rats and pests, those hated by the opponents and their fans but loved by their teammates and their fans. 

But it’s not such a bad thing to be considered a rat or pest in today's game, as former NHLer Drew Shore described it on The Hockey News Big Show.

“I think there’s not many of them in the NHL that are skilled and can play that hard in that kind of fashion,” said Shore. “The Sam Bennetts, the Marchands, the Tom Wilsons of the world, and I think that’s why those guys are so impactful, because there are very few of them.”

Brad Marchand, Matthew Tkachuk and Bennett, funnily enough, are all Florida Panthers and have been called rats throughout their careers.

They are responsible for starting scuffles and injuring players, resulting in a combined 14 suspensions. Marchand has been suspended eight times in his career, Tkachuk four times and Bennett twice. Dating back further, players like Sean Avery, Claude Lemieux, and Matt Cooke have had their fair share of controversy.

Sam Bennett, far left, and Brad Marchand, far right, aren't afraid to get involved after the whistles. (Geoff Burke-Imagn Images)

A pest or rat – someone like Brandon Hagel, Nazem Kadri, Wilson, Travis Konecny, Brendan Gallagher and Corey Perry – might not fight as often as an enforcer but plays physically and uses chirps and extracurricular activity to knock their opponents off their game, even if they do cross the line at times.

The NHL has seen not only players who mastered the role of being a pest, but it has also seen players show no mercy or fear in taking it to the next level, becoming what some refer to as more of a rat. History shows that both definitions can lead to personal and team success. With the current dominance of the Panthers, it wouldn’t be shocking to see more players embrace that element of their game.

Times have changed, though.

Previously, being considered a pest or rat was a negative connotation, even if it was a valued role. They played on the fourth line and weren’t considered skill guys.

The need for enforcers or goons has dwindled, but the rise of the pest has changed the game. 

“I feel like it’s shifted a lot since I was playing,” said Shore, who played 98 games in the NHL from 2013 to 2021. “I felt like when I was playing, that was kind of thought of like a fourth line guy who would run around, hit people from behind and wouldn’t really fight. Now it’s kind of evolved into this thing where these elite players who also play hard and are able to get under people’s skins are so impactful on the game.”

It’s hard to win in the NHL. Finding any advantage is needed, which is why pests will always serve a role.

We’ve seen Marchand win the 2016 World Cup and 2025 4 Nations Face-Off playing on Sidney Crosby’s wing and Wilson win a Stanley Cup playing in a top-six role with Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. We’ve also seen Tkachuk change the trajectory of an organization and Bennett win a Conn Smythe trophy playing with the Panthers.

No sport in the world may be more reliant on the team aspect of the game, with each player filling a role. The best teams and players fight for both the physical and mental edge.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Posted on

Juan Soto blasts grand slam, powers Mets to 10-8 win over Tigers

Juan Soto tied his career-high with six RBI to power the Mets to a 10-8 win over the Detroit Tigers on Monday afternoon.

Here are the key takeaways

-- New York loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth inning thanks to a Jeff McNeil double, a walk, and a bloop single. It looked like they were going to waste away another scoring chance, but Juan Soto came through with his first grand slam in a Mets uniform to make it a 6-3 game. Despite it being his 237th career homer, it was just his second grand slam.

With the game tied at 6-6 in the sixth inning, Soto stepped up in the clutch again with a two-out, two-run triple (his first of the season) to put the Mets up 8-6. He came around to score on Brandon Nimmo's single as the Mets took a 9-6 lead.

-- Sean Manaea delivered a fastball over the middle of the plate to Jahmai Jones on his first pitch of the game as the Tigers took a quick 1-0 lead. The lefty let up two more hits in the second inning, but got a pair of groundouts to avoid further damage. Manaea gave up another home run in the third inning, this time a two-run blast on a flat slider to righty Wenceel Pérez as the Tigers took a 3-2 lead.

The struggles continued in the fourth, allowing a RBI-triple to Zach McKinstry and another hit to Jones as the Mets' 6-3 lead became 6-5 in the blink of an eye. Manaea surrendered another single before Carlos Mendoza pulled him after 3.2 IP. He allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk with six strikeouts over 83 pitches.

-- The Mets failed to capitalize with RISP in the first inning after Francisco Lindor and Soto both walked, but found a way to get on the board in the second. Cedric Mullins, starting for a third straight game with Tyrone Taylor out, dropped a sacrifice bunt with runners on first and second and then Luis Torrens made it a 2-1 game with a double down the third base line. Although, that's all they'd score in the frame, leaving two on base.

-- Gregory Soto relieved Manaea and got the final out of the fourth inning. He was pulled with runners on the corners and one out in the fifth as Ryne Stanek entered and immediately threw a wild pitch, allowing Detroit to get even at 6-6. Tyler Rogers worked around a leadoff single for a scoreless sixth inning.

-- After being recalled earlier in the day, Luisangel Acuña pinch ran for McNeil in the seventh and stole second base right away. He advanced to third on Torrens' sac-bunt and scored on Brett Baty's groundout, tacking on another to make it 10-6. Ryan Helsley gave a run back in the bottom of the seventh as his struggles continued, throwing just 0.2 IP and needing to be replaced by Brooks Raley for the third out. 

Raley allowed another tun to cross in the eighth inning, making it a 10-8 game, before handing the ball to Edwin Diaz for the four-out save. Diaz got a fly out to end the eighth and sent the Tigers down in order in the ninth to seal the victory.

Game MVP: Juan Soto

Soto's grand slam gave him 36 homers and the two-run triple pushed him to 90 RBI on the year. He finished 2-for-3 with a walk and the six RBI. Soto now has the most career games (116) with a home run and a walk before turning 27 years old, passing Yankees legend Mickey Mantle (115), h/t Sarah Langs.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets and Tigers continue their three-game series on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. on SNY. 

Nolan McLean (3-0, 0.89 ERA) makes his fourth career start, while Detroit has yet to decide on a starter.

Posted on

Kings’ Darcy Kuemper Ranked Top 10 Goaltender on EA Sports NHL 26

With the new instalment of the EA Sports NHL game coming out shortly, rankings have been released and overalls have been getting posted to social media. 

Fans are already criticizing parts of the game that have been revealed over the last month, but for most, the excitement is ramping up as the season inches even closer. 

While fans pushed back on just about every single part of the overalls that were posted, the Los Angeles Kings may have something to celebrate. 

Kings’ goaltender Darcy Kuemper was given an 87 overall, which places him 10th overall, just behind Juuse Saros and Thatcher Demko, who were given an 88 overall rating. 

Kuemper wasn’t in the top 10 last season, so for him to get that recognition is awesome, after a solid year between the pipes for the Kings. 

Early access for NHL 26 begins on September 5th, while the full release for those who didn’t purchase the early access version is September 12th.