San Diego, CA - April 12: Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres and Bryce Johnson #29 run off the field after a 7-2 win against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park on April 12, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Arizona was break-even after a week and a half, but last week won a pair of road series against postseason hopefuls, winning two of three against both the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. But the Padres turned things up a notch with six wins in seven games, including the last five in a row.
Game of the week
Thursday night at Petco Park saw the Padres and Colorado Rockies in lockstep with each other all night. The each scored one run in the third inning, then nothing else through nine innings. Then they each scored single runs in both the 10th and 11th, and left a combined eight runners on base in those four half-innings.
After the Rockies left two more on in a scoreless top of the 12th, Colorado opted to intentionally walk both Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado to load the bases. Xander Bogaerts made them pay with a walk-off grand slam.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 8: Roman Anthony #19 of the Boston Red Sox, lright, and Wilyer Abreu #52 are congratulated by teammates and manager Alex Cora #13, left, after their win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Fenway Park on April 8, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
If there’s anything that I learned over the past week of watching the Red Sox, it’s that baseball can—believe it or not—be fun! God, remember what it was like to actually enjoy this team’s play?
After many in Red Sox Nation (myself included) started to worry about the trajectory of the 2026 season, Boston has won two straight sets against NL Central clubs. A series win against a very good Brewers team got things going, and a two-outta-three swing in St. Louis immediately afterwards helped get the club back on track (relatively). Just like that, guess who’s two games back of the Yankees (some other teams as well, sure, but I think that narrative more) while posting a positive run differential?
The bats have woken up (more on that in a few paragraphs), the defense looks far better, and starters are actually pitching into the fifth inning—or, hell, even later! By the time we sit here next week, we could be back north of .500 after some existential questions regarding this project were being asked. Granted, we could also be right behind the eight ball again if we fail to take care of business against the Twinkies and the Motor City Kitties in the coming days.
Weird game, baseball.
Regardless, I’m just happy to see some quality play at long last. So let’s talk about some of that while we still can.
It’s Monday Morning Brushback time, y’all.
Have to wake up bats
No way to sugar coat it: the Red Sox’s offensive output in the first few weeks of the season was subpar. After dropping the first game to the Cardinals on Friday, Boston ranked 25th in the league in total team OPS; not a great sign for a team that plays half of its game at a hitter-friendly park and has played at other yards that allow for more offense such as Cincy and Houston.
However, an interesting tweet from Thomas Nestico (great follow) crossed my desk this weekend—one that certainly caught me by surprise. That post pointed out that the Red Sox’s hard hit rate has actually been pretty good so far this season, ranking within the top 10 across MLB prior to the start of play on Friday.
Again: those hard hit numbers don’t account for the crooked numbers our guys put up on Saturday and Sunday to secure their second consecutive series win. Entering play Sunday, the Sox’s hard hit percentage went up by just over a percentage point to 42.7% per Savant. What it looks like after Sunday’s victory…….I’m not sure, since I don’t believe that the site has been updated, but the trends are positive for us!
That information did give me some relief from what we’ve seen in terms of the run output thus far. Yeah, the offense has looked anemic at points, but the offensive profiles I had been optimistic about before the season still remain. Prior to Sunday’s finale, a total of nine Red Sox hitters had a hard hit rate that ranked within the 50th percentile league-wide or better. A good cohort of those same guys rank within the top half of MLB in other under-the-hood metrics; xwOBA, expected slugging, barrel rate, all that fun stuff.
One name notably not towards the top of those metrics: Roman Anthony, who’s been slow out of the gates when compared to the expectations many had for him at the season’s start. To reemphasize the point about profiles, though, that’s not someone I worry about. I still think he’s gonna come around in 2026 and be a great bat at the top of the order. I still think Willson Contreras projects to be a key part of this lineup (and you’ve really seen that come to fruition over the last few games). While he won’t keep up with the incredible pace he’s had to start the year, I think Wilyer Abreu’s breakout is here in earnest.
The skeleton of a solid (maybe not incredible, granted) offense is there, and the underlying metrics show it. During an entire season, those quality-of-contact traits should start to win out. This offense was never going to be as bad over the course of 162 games that we saw in the first 10. Perhaps this weekend was the shot in the arm this lineup needed to really get things cookin’. Or, maybe they’ll keep up with the backbreaking strikeouts and revert right back to their old ways. Who knows?
I’m willing to stick my neck out for the former, though. I’m not saying this is the ‘27 Yankees, and there are still fair questions to ask (Trevor Story and Caleb Durbin, let’s get some more consistent production with the lumber please) but I like enough of the pieces here in Boston and believe we’ll see a competitive lineup this season.
Suarez steps up
After a couple of false starts, let’s just go ahead and declare Saturday as the true start of the Ranger Suarez era! Best we just forget those first two appearances, right?
In all seriousness, nice job by the newest member of the rotation to bounce back following a pair of bad outings to start his tenure in Boston. Across six shutout innings in the Gateway City, Suarez struck out six Cards while surrendering just a trio of hits and a pair of walks. Things seemed like they were going to get hairy early on, but after a prolonged first inning he was able to lock in and efficiently work his way to a quality start.
It isn’t a secret as to how Ranger was able to produce a nice start in St. Louis, because it’s the thing that got him a nine-figure deal in the first place. He could make for a great real estate agent, because Suarez’s game comes down to three words: location, location, location.
And yet, we really didn’t get to see that bread and butter until Saturday. I’m glad we eventually saw the blueprint for what works for Suarez, though! After having Location+ figures of 97 and 102 in his first two starts, that mark jumped up to 107 in Ranger’s third—and so far, best—outing.
You can read more about Suarez by taking a look at the great Matthew Gross’ article that was posted onto OTM the other day, but Ranger’s charmed me with this most recent appearance. Once more, this is the profile of a pitcher that I’m not worried about long term. That’s the word of the day—profile—because I still trust in him to be a strong deputy to Garrett Crochet in the pitching staff considering his track record. Suarez isn’t the type of demon that can mow batters down like it’s nothing thanks to an incredible ability to miss bats, like Crochet, but he doesn’t have to.
Locate that junk and mix up the pitches. That’s how we win, Ranger.
For Whom The Bell Tolles
A quick word on southpaw prospect Payton Tolle to wrap things up, as all accounts show that he’s been cooking down in AAA and could be knocking on Boston’s door once again for a call up soon.
With the WooSox this weekend, Boston’s top prospect logged six punch outs across five innings and 75 pitches. He gave up three hits and issued only one free pass, while he initiated whiffs on 25% of his pitches. The piglet to Crochet’s pig, indeed.
LHP Payton Tolle (GG #1) with Triple-A Worcester today:
5 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 0 ER, 6 K • 9 whiffs (25%) • 27% CSW
Simply mowed down hitters with ease. Limited QoC well and pounded the zone with strikes. FF T99 mph. FA-trifecta led the charge in terms of usage. pic.twitter.com/OyuFl3w8Pc
What’s interesting about this stat, to me, is the amount of times he threw his cutter: 20 times, to be specific, so just over a quarter of the time. For reference, Tolle threw his cutter 42 total times (a rate of nearly 14%) in his 16.1 innings of MLB ball in 2025.
Payton Tolle was stellar in his AAA start today, striking out 6 over 5.0 IP
Tolle continues to flex a more refined arsenal as he patiently awaits for his return to Boston. Now this is the best LHP pitching prospect in baseball! pic.twitter.com/RabrXuBi7Z
I think we all knew that the secondary offerings had to come before Tolle could be fully entrenched within Boston’s pitching staff. The four-seamer is incredible, yes, but he was throwing it about two-thirds of the time during his cup of coffee. Something with glove-side movement and a change of pace like that cutter, along with the breaking curve and the arm-side bite of a sinker, can keep batters honest. It’s simple analysis, but it seems to be coming to fruition.
I forget what date for a call up would guarantee the Red Sox another year of team control for Tolle, but I think it’s approaching in a matter of weeks. I’m sure we’ll be seeing him soon enough.
And if the pitching thing doesn’t work out, at least Tolle can fall back on his history teaching as a career option.
Song of the Week: “Going Shopping” by The Strokes
The boys are back, baby.
Same time and same place next week, friends! Go Sox.
Midfielder has again been Napoli’s star but ageing squad has taken club backwards and Conte’s future is uncertain
Was this the end of the Serie A title race? On a weekend when the last two teams pursuing them both slipped up, Inter delivered another statement victory, recovering from two goals down to win 4-3 away to a Como side who had been playing some of the best football in the division.
When the final whistle went, manager Christian Chivu celebrated like a man who knew exactly what it meant, hugging an assistant so hard he lifted them off the floor. Inter were nine points clear now in first place, with six games to go. But when the cameras arrived for post-game interviews, he played coy.
Boston Bruins top prospect James Hagens made his much-anticipated NHL debut Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and the 19-year-old forward played very well.
It wasn’t a meaningless game, either. Yes, the Bruins had already clinched a playoff spot, but their final seed remains TBD despite beating the Blue Jackets 3-2 at Nationwide Arena. And Columbus really needed a win as it tries to earn the third and final playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.
Against a desperate opponent, Hagens played a strong 200-foot game. The best example came on the Bruins’ second goal.
After starting the rush up ice with a clean breakout pass in the defensive zone, Hagens aggressively forechecked, pinned a Blue Jackets player to the boards and allowed the Bruins to regain puck possession. Sean Kuraly then fed the puck to Henri Jokiharju, who beat Blue Jackets goalie Jet Greaves to give Boston the lead.
Hagens earned a secondary assist for his first career point as a Bruin.
The play was an example of the defensive details and all-around jump that Hagens made at Boston College as a sophomore this past season.
“His offensive game was always there, and he still continues to develop it,” BC head coach Greg Brown told NBC Sports Boston last week. “He’s only 19 years old now, but I think he took huge steps in the rest of his game, becoming a 200-foot player, defensive awareness, defensive detail — all those things that you’re going to need to play in the NHL, James really improved on this year, so it’s great to see.”
Hagens, who skated on a line with Fraser Minten and Marat Khusnutdinov, finished with one assist, one shot on net, and three shot attempts in 13:08 of ice time. He also took a hooking penalty in the first period. The one area where we didn’t see Hagens was the power play because the Blue Jackets didn’t take a single penalty.
“It was super cool,” Hagens told reporters postgame. “Really cool building to be able to get that win. It was special. Maybe stay out of the box. But it was a really cool game.”
"It was super cool…to be able to get that win, it was special." — James Hagens reacts after his NHL debut
His line produced more shots, more shot attempts, more scoring chances and more high-danger chances than it gave up. There weren’t any major mistakes from Hagens. He didn’t dominate, but he very much looked like he belonged at the NHL level.
“I thought he was good. I thought the whole line was great,” Bruins head coach Marco Sturm told reporters postgame. “They used their speed. They were not afraid to make plays. They made a lot of good decisions. They never really got into trouble. Coming into Columbus, it’s a tough building. I was curious how James would handle it, and I thought he did a good job.”
Sturm even had enough confidence to put Hagens out on the ice when the Bruins were protecting a one-goal lead in the third period with less than two minutes left on the clock.
What went into that decision?
“It’s because he gave me a reason for it,” Sturm said. “So it’s not just because of his name and he’s a high pick. No, I put him out there because I trusted him and the whole line did a great job, so they deserved to be out there.”
Hagens obviously has the least amount of experience among the forwards in the mix for bottom-six roles, but he has the best combination of speed and offensive skill in that group. He also isn’t going to be pushed around, either. He’s not the biggest player at 5-foot-11 and 177 pounds, but he’s sneaky strong and knows how to play defensively at a level higher than a lot of forwards his age.
Hagens’ next opportunity to display his skills will come Tuesday when the Bruins wrap up their regular season schedule against the New Jersey Devils at TD Garden. After that, Boston’s next matchup will be Game 1 of the first round.
Keeping Hagens in the lineup for the playoffs — at least for the first two games in Round 1 — would be the best decision for the Bruins. You never know how a rookie is going to handle the intensity of the playoffs, but it’s not like Hagens hasn’t played in big games at other points in his hockey career. And he has the maturity and even-keeled mindset that you need to play well in those pressure-packed environments.
All four of the Bruins’ potential first-round opponents have good goaltending and/or defend well, so the B’s are going to need players who can create offense for themselves and others. Hagens fits that description well, whether it’s at even strength or the power play. And until Sunday’s win over the Blue Jackets, the Bruins’ third and fourth lines hadn’t produced much offense since the Olympic break.
If the Bruins were a veteran team and a top contender (like 2023, for example), then maybe it wouldn’t make sense to throw a 19-year-old prospect into the postseason fire.
But this Bruins team wasn’t expected to compete for a playoff spot, let alone get into the tournament. They will be underdogs in every series they play, so why not give Hagens some valuable experience at the highest level?
ELMONT, NY -- The New York Islanders will be playing for pride on Tuesday night when they host the Carolina Hurricanes after being eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday.
Head coach Pete DeBoer was asked about his game plan for Tuesday.
"I'll talk to Mathieu [Darche], and we'll come up with a plan," DeBoer said. "I would like to see as many guys as possible. We took Palat out tonight and put Duclair in. I wanted to give him an opportunity. I haven't seen him yet, so I'll have to talk to Mathieu [Darche] about the roster. But for me, the more guys I can see in game action that are potentially part of this going forward, I think that's important."
The Bridgeport Islanders clinched a playoff spot on Sunday night and don't play again until Wednesday, Apr. 15, so the Islanders' season finale doesn't get in the way of their push for a higher seed.
So, who could we see in Tuesday's lineup based on what DeBoer said?
There is a strong chance that 2026 No. 16 overall pick, forward Victor Eklund, gets to make his NHL debut. The 19-year-old has been dominating AHL ice since coming over following the conclusion of his SHL season. He has nine points (two goals, seven assists) through his first seven games.
Adam Beckman (28 goals, 21 assists), Matt Luff (18 goals, 33 assists), and Liam Foudy (25 goals, 21 assists) deserve a crack given how well they've played this season.
Matthew Maggio, albeit a healthy scratch for nine games before entering the lineup on Sunday night, has had a career season with 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) through 60 games.
On the blue line, DeBoer may want to see what Long Island native Marshall Warren, who got eight games with the Islanders this season under head coach Patrick Roy, can do, given his mobility.
The same can be said for Isaiah George, who has been up as the seventh defenseman since March 24, getting into one game, a loss to Carolina on April 4.
One of the biggest reasons why Bridgeport is heading to the playoffs is because of the play of goaltender Henrik Tikkanen (17-8-1, 2.60 GAA, .899 SV%, 1 SO).
Could the 2020 seventh-round pick (No. 214) get a chance to face NHL shots, especially with backup goaltender David Rittich a pending unrestricted agent, and Semyon Varlamov's status (two knee replacements) going forward is anything but certain?
Reminder: While there's no limit on how many players can be on a roster, teams must be cap-compliant. The Islanders only have $2.682 million in available cap space, but could create more if any players need to be placed on long-term injured reserve, if you catch my drift.
Puck drop against the Carolina Hurricanes at 7 PM ET.
Hello and happy Monday, folks. Hope your weekend went well; I was able to wear a t-shirt for the first time outside since, like, 2011.
The Red Sox will be going for their first three-game winning streak of the season tonight in the land of 10,000 lakes, as the Minnesota Twins will be hosting us at 7:40 p.m. EST.
Taking the bump for Boston will be a guy by the name of Garrett Crochet. One stinky start from him in 2026 has been sandwiched between two good-to-great appearances.
So, the question of the day is simple: What will he do tonight? Is another masterclass in the cards? Do the somehow solid Twins get to him tonight? Let me know in the comments below.
ATLANTA, GA - APRIL 10: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves flips his bat after hitting a home run in the sixth inningduring the game against the Cleveland Guardians at Truist Park on April 10, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sundays have not been the most successful days in recent years for the Braves, but last night provided one of the more satisfying Sunday performances in recent memory. The Braves defeated the Guardians 13-1, thanks mainly to the bottom of the order and an awesome performance from Chris Sale.
It also was the most impressive win for the Braves this season. They are now the only team in baseball to not lose a series so far this year, and the offense remains a big reason for their success. With plenty of division games coming up over the next few weeks, Atlanta could really create a favorable position as it enters a tougher stretch of the schedule.
Braves News
The Braves designated Martin Perez for assignment and called up Dylan Dodd before Sunday’s game. It proved to be an astute move, as Dodd finished the game for the Braves and gave much needed rest to the other relievers.
Bowman also looks at Matt Olson becoming the “Iron Man” of active MLB players. Further details on just how historic Olson’s consecutive games streak has become are below.
Mason Marchment (19) and Adam Fantilli (24) scored the only goals in a 3-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Sunday night. Jet Greaves made 19 saves in the loss.
The Columbus Blue Jackets' Stanley Cup Playoff hopes are officially on life support. For the second year in a row, the CBJ will go down to the wire and will most likely be eliminated. It's not officially over, but it's close.
The Philadelphia Flyers now need to lose both of their remaining games, and the Jackets need to beat the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night to clinch a playoff berth. The Flyers play back-to-back on Monday and Tuesday against the Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens.
Last season, in a game that the CBJ needed the Habs to lose, the Hurricanes played a mostly AHL lineup and got beat by Montreal, to knock the Blue Jackets out of contention.
In a strange bit of irony, it will again be up to the Carolina Hurricanes to help the Blue Jackets out by beating the Flyers, to give Columbus one last sliver of hope come Tuesday night.
Quotes
Rick Bowness - "We're all very, very disappointed in how it went tonight. We are. The guys are heartbroken. We're heartbroken. Now we've lost total control of what's going to happen. There's nothing we can do now. We'll just have to sit back and see what happens tomorrow night in Philly."
Adam Fantilli - "This one, it's a gut shot. We understand and understood everything going into this game, and we didn't get it done. The level of disappointment is pretty high right now."
Zach Werenski - "Yeah, especially when they take the lead, we really
didn’t give him too much in the 3rd until that goal. I felt like Mo has a big goal to tie it up, we’re playing well, and you know, a good
shot by him, and ends up being 3-2, and then after that we have to step up a little
bit more. I mean, after that we had, like I said, a couple of grade A's from the
slot, we got to find a way to score and tie it up. I mean, that could be our season."
Team Notes Per CBJ PR
Columbus (0-2-1) and Boston (3-0-0) completed their season series tonight.
The Blue Jackets finished the 2025-26 season with a 13-6-5 record against the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference following tonight’s action.
The Jackets scored the first goal of the game for the 49th time this season (32-10-7) and for the 28th time at Nationwide Arena (18-7-3).
Columbus has scored first 24 times since Jan. 13 (17-4-3), tying Buffalo for the most instances in the league since then.
The Blue Jackets skated in front of their sixth-straight and 15th sellout crowd of the season tonight.
Final Stats
cbj app
Player Stats & Notes
Mason Marchment scored his 19th goal, and 15th goal as a Blue Jacket, and has points in six of his past seven games played (2-6-8). His goal also gives him 4-6-10 in 11 career matchups against Boston, with points in four of his past five (3-6-9) and 4-2-6 in six career home games vs. the club.
Adam Fantilli scored his 24th goal of the year and won 55.6% of his faceoffs. He has points in consecutive contests (1-2-3) and in three of his past four games (2-2-4). He improved to 3-2-5 in nine career games against Boston with all points in his past six matchups.
Dante Fabbro picked up his 6th assist.
Boone Jenner recorded his 25th assist and won 50% of his faceoffs. He now has notched 10-5-15 in 25 career contests against the Bruins, with 3-4-7 in his past nine overall and has points in four of his last five at home (1-4-5).
Danten Heinen got his 5th assist and was a plus-2. He has points in 3 of his last 4 games.
Zach Werenski had 8 shots on goal and played 30:27.
Charlie Coyle won 66.7% of his faceoffs.
Team Stats
The Jackets went 0/3 on the power play.
The Columbus PK didn't have to work, as the Jackets didn't take a penalty.
Columbus won 54.4% of the faceoffs - 31/57
The Blue Jackets had 20 hits and 4 blocks.
Next Up For Columbus: The Blue Jackets welcome the Washington Capitals into Nationwide Arena in what could be the final game of the season.
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You’d think that after the season he’s having, Jaylen Brown would be relatively immune to rumors that put him on the trading block, yet as this week showed, there’s no end to them.
I don’t know of any leading Celtic player over the last 40 years that has been more consistently shopped by fans and media speculators alike. In fact, he may hold the dubious distinction of being the best player in the team’s history to be consistently dangled as trade bait by fans and media.
Let’s put this in context. We’re not talking about something as heretical as suggesting that the C’s trade Havlicek during Russ’s heyday, or trading McHale during the Bird years. No, we’re talking about something even crazier. We’re talking about trading a player who is barely distinguishable from Tatum in terms of his impact on the game.
Ainge drafted two gems in 2016 and 2017, and rather than appreciate both of them, a significant chunk of the Celtics fanbase seems to think that one of them is disposable, that he should be shipped out for something “better.” When Brown was drafted, there was a significant subset of the fanbase—and the media—that thought that Boston should’ve traded that pick, and while membership in that “club” has changed somewhat over time, the club’s never really been dissolved.
The latest installment of this rather silly belief came with a report that Boston “has interest” in Giannis.
I always find these reports fascinating, not for what is said, but for what isn’t said. Rarely—if ever—do you find out if these reports are coming from the buy-side or the sell-side, but my instincts are that they are almost always leaked by the sell-side in an effort to drive up the price of the asset being traded.
Let’s go back to 2014, when Kevin Love was being shopped by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
A persistent rumor at the time was that the Warriors had offered Klay Thompson for Kevin Love.
The reality is that the Wolves were always in pursuit of Thompson, and that the Warriors never made him available in a trade package.
So let’s apply that to talk that the Celtics have “interest” in Giannis.
If you’re the Bucks, there is no better team than the Celtics to have as a stalking horse for talks on Giannis. The C’s are loaded with young talent, they have two marquee players, and they are under the luxury tax. Unless draft picks are in question, the Celtics could trump every offer out there for Giannis—if they were prepared to go all-in on him.
This is the team that you want other teams to be afraid of if you’re trying to trade Giannis. You want the rest of the league to think that they have to outbid Boston to get Giannis.
But from Boston’s perspective, there’s little incentive to trade for Giannis given the team’s current and future prospects.
I know that may sound crazy, because the Greek “Freak” is such a remarkable individual talent. But consider that Giannis has only played in 36 games this season. Now he may have been held out of some of these games against his will, but that should still give any team looking to acquire him pause. He’s been a pretty durable player and he’s only 31, but that still makes him older than Jaylen and Jayson. That he’s had a sudden drop off in playing time due to a number of nagging injuries is concerning for a guy who relies on his athleticism to such an extent, and more than anything else, there’s the question of fit.
I look at the Celtics as being a well-oiled machine comparable to the 60s teams. Fit is important for incoming talent, and I don’t know how well Giannis fits into the current roster.
Now you could argue that with a talent like Giannis, you build the roster around him, but that’s easier said than done. A team trading major assets for Giannis, with the goal of rebuilding around him, is potentially going to sacrifice the rest of Giannis’s prime in a multi-year effort to get the right pieces around him.
And that gets us to the other rumor that we heard this week. Sam Amick, who told us that Boston “has interest” in Giannis also said that if the C’s have another second round exit they would “look at the landscape” meaning that they could be thinking about another major lineup overhaul.
I find this rumor even sillier than the statement that Boston has “interest” in Giannis.
First of all, people buying into this forget that Boston blew up their championship winning lineup just last summer!
As far back as last May, this season was being called a “gap year” and now we’re being told that if the C’s don’t make it to the ECF, the team is going to seriously consider blowing it all up again?
This is a team with two All-NBA players, a deep and young roster, no luxury tax bill, and the second seed in the Eastern Conference. What part of this setup screams “look at the landscape”?
I mean, criminy, folks, Tatum ain’t even fully healthy yet, and we’re talking about blowing up the team before we even see what it’s capable of?
A team that nobody expected anything of is going to come within hooting distance of 60 wins, and the take that got traction late last week is that the top brass would consider “looking at the landscape” if there’s a second-round exit?
This is, categorically, Not. How. Boston. Does. Things.
If this is how Boston did things, then Joe Mazzulla wouldn’t be coaching the team right now, having blown the ECF in 2023 in his first year as head coach, on another occasion where the team wildly exceeded expectations going into the season.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are set to host the Dallas Stars in their final home game of the regular season on Monday, but they wake up to a favourable out-of-town result. They currently have a 32-34-14 record, which puts them in a precarious but potentially advantageous position for the draft lottery.
The Calgary Flames defeated the Utah Mammoth 4-1 on Sunday to pick up another two points in the standings and move into the fourth-worst spot in the NHL. With 75 points in 80 games (33-38-9), they have an identical record to the third-worst New York Rangers, but the Flames moved ahead thanks to having more regulation wins, the first tiebreaker in the NHL. That means the Leafs are now just three points away from both clubs.
If both of those teams can pick up three out of four or more points in their last two games, and the Leafs earn zero or one point in their final two games, Toronto could finish as low as the third-worst team in the NHL. That is significant because finishing with the third-worst record would guarantee that the Leafs retain their 2026 NHL Draft pick. Under lottery rules, they would not be able to finish any lower than fifth for the draft set for May 5.
The Maple Leafs traded their 2026 NHL Draft pick on a conditional basis, along with Fraser Minten, to the Boston Bruins in exchange for veteran defenseman Brandon Carlo. The Leafs will retain their pick and give up a future unconditional first-rounder instead if they finish with a top-five selection. While finishing with the fourth or fifth-worst record does not guarantee they keep the pick, finishing third-worst would.
The Rangers visit the Florida Panthers on Monday. Meanwhile, Toronto’s games are certainly must-lose; if the Leafs were to win both of their remaining games, they could conceivably move as high as the eighth-worst in the NHL, which would be less than ideal for their draft goals.
Still reeling from the loss of Noah Dobson, the Montreal Canadiens had to bounce right back up as they were facing the New York Islanders in the 81st game of their regular season. With Dobson ruled out for at least two weeks, Kaiden Guhle was back in the lineup, and David Reinbacher, freshly called up from the Laval Rocket, was playing his first NHL game, on the third pairing alongside Arber Xhekaj. That also meant that Adam Engstrom came out of the lineup.
Joe Veleno was also scratched to allow Zach Bolduc to return, while Brendan Gallagher had to sit out another game. As for Alex Newhook, he was back on the second line while Kapanen landed on the third. There’s no denying that Martin St-Louis is holding auditions right now to find out the right combinations for the playoffs.
For a second night in a row, the Canadiens were pitted against a team that was desperately fighting for its survival. The Islanders needed a win to remain in playoff contention after a costly loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.
After a dull first frame in which both teams were extremely prudent, which wasn’t surprising given what was at stake, Montreal managed to break the deadlock at 15:56 of the second frame, through none other than captain Nick Suzuki, who got his 100th point in style. It’s the first time since 1985-86 that a Canadiens player reaches the century mark; Mats Naslund was the last one to do it. The 26-year-old becomes just the fifth player in Habs history to reach the 100-point mark in a season after Guy Lafleur, Pete Mahovlich, Naslund, and Steve Shutt, and it’s the 11th time that has happened.
Bienvenue à notre capitaine dans le club des centenaires
They were barely done celebrating when he got an assist on the next goal, scored by Ivan Demidov, just like Lane Hutson. With a helper on both games, Hutson had 66 assists, tying Larry Robinson’s record for most assists in a season by a Canadiens’ defenseman. The mark had been set in 1976-77. With another game to play, the youngster might even have time to break the record.
Newhook then added a third goal in 55 seconds for the visitors, and Reinbacher got the secondary assist, recording his first NHL point in his first game. The goal scorer immediately grabbed the puck, all too aware of its significance.
Despite not being overly tested in the first two periods, only having to turn aside 14 shots in 40 minutes, rookie netminder Jacob Fowler had to hold the fort in the final frame. Down by three goals and with elimination looming, the Islanders started to put more pucks on net and more traffic in front of the masked man. Still, they could only manage to score once when Casey Cizikas deflected a point shot, which Kirby Dach failed to block. With so many bodies in the way (Arber Xhekaj, Jayden Struble, Cizikas, and Kyle MacLean), it was pretty much impossible for the youngster to see the puck.
With a lead cut down to just two goals, Fowler didn’t let that phase him and was irreproachable for the rest of the game. Under tremendous pressure, he stayed as cool as a cucumber and played a big role in the Islanders’ elimination.
Bolduc Impressed
After being a healthy scratch for the last two games, the sophomore had plenty of energy on the ice. He played very well on both sides of the puck, was a nuisance on the forecheck, landing five hits on the night and was also rewarded offensively with a goal and an assist.
If he could play that brand of hockey every night, he wouldn’t have to worry about having to sit for another game as the Canadiens get ready to embark on their playoff journey. For now, though, he’s done more than enough to ensure that he’s in the lineup on Tuesday when the Canadiens take on the Philadelphia Flyers in their last game of the regular season.
It’s also worth mentioning that Reinbacher’s father, his girlfriend, and one of his best friends were in the building to see him get his first NHL point despite the short notice about his first NHL game. The right-shot blueliner did well in the 11 minutes and change he spent on the ice.
With the win, the Canadiens take back second place in the Atlantic Division. They have 106 points, just like the Buffalo Sabres, who are first, but the Habs only have 34 regulation wins, while the Sabres have 41. Both Buffalo and the Tampa Bay Lightning have two games left to play, while the Canadiens have only one; it’s going to be a tight finish.
Welcome to this edition of the Vancouver Canucks post-game analytics report. This recurring deep dive breaks down the analytics behind each Canucks game as recorded by Natural Stat Trick. In this article, we look back on Vancouver’s most recent 4–3 overtime win against the Anaheim Ducks.
The Ducks were by far the better team on Sunday from an analytics perspective. Anaheim won the even-strength scoring chances battle 28-13 while also picking up a win for even-strength high-danger scoring chances created by a count of 12-7. In the end, though, the Canucks' ability to not just score twice on the power play, but also once shorthanded, made the difference as Vancouver skated away with a win.
As for the heatmap, both teams crashed the net hard all night. Two of the Canucks' goals were scored from right in front of the crease, while the Ducks buried two from close range. In the end, Tolopilo was the difference maker as he stopped nine of 10 high-danger shots he faced.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Anaheim Ducks, April 12, 2026, Natural Stat Trick.
To wrap this win up, Curtis Douglas had what many call a legacy goal. He scored his first career goal, won a fight and led Vancouver with an even-strength xGF% of 78.24. While he has only been with the organization for a few weeks, Douglas has already become a fan favourite and someone that many would like to see re-signed this off-season.
The Canucks return home on Tuesday to play their final home game of the season. Their opponent will be the Los Angeles Kings, who are looking to secure a playoff spot. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm PT.
Apr 12, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Vancouver Canucks center Teddy Blueger (53) fights with Anaheim Ducks defenseman Radko Gudas (7) during the first period at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images
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Apr 12, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) reacts after scoring a three point basket during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Last Sunday evening, all 30 NBA teams played in an effort to unveil matchups as close to one another as possible.
At the postgame press conference, it was announced that the Spurs first game takes place this Sunday. Almost immediately, social media erupted with a schedule.
The Spurs play the last game on Sunday, April 19 at 8:00 p.m. CST. Their opponent will either be the 7th seed Phoenix Suns or the 8th seed Portland Trail Blazers.
The play-in between them takes place Tuesday night at 9:00 p.m. CST. The winner faces the Spurs, and the loser slugs it out against the winner of the 9th/10th play-in contest between the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors for the opportunity to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.
In his postgame presser, Spurs forward Carter Bryant said he’d be glued to his TV, phone off, and taking notes as the Spurs await the results. The rookie is excited for the postseason. Last Wednesday, Spurs Head Coach Mitch Johnson confirmed Bryant will have minutes in the playoffs. Watching the former Arizona Wildcat come into his own late in the season, the decision was easy for Johnson.
If Bryant continues to posterize MVPs the way he did Nikola Jokic on Sunday night, his minutes are guaranteed.
Stephon Castle mirrored what Bryant shared that it doesn’t matter who they are facing, they must be ready for anything.
For the Spurs, many players are entering their first playoffs. But they are not without postseason exposure.
Mason Plumlee and Harrison Barnes (71 games), Kelly Olynyk (48 games), Luke Kornet (43 games), Bismack Biyombo (40 games), Jordan McLaughlin (13 games), De’Aaron Fix (7 games), Lindy Waters III (3 games) all have varied levels of playoff experience.
Unfortunately, with the exception of Fox and Barnes, the players with games under their belts are on the lower half of the roster for minutes.
Of course, Luke Kornet (2024) and Harrison Barnes (2015) have already won titles. They possess knowledge that will come in handy throughout the process.
Until then, the Spurs are watching and waiting.
Go Spurs Go!
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This Minnesota Timberwolves season has felt like three different seasons combined. For fans, it probably felt more like 10. It’s been anything but smooth, however the good news is that we’ve finally come to the end. Wait, they’re telling me there’s more basketball to be played? Oh god, it’s not over yet?
Here we go.
Before we officially move into the postseason, let’s hear how you felt the first 82-games went. The Wolves finished the season 49-33 which weirdly feels just about right. What were your bright spots?
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – FEBRUARY 20: Anthony Edwards #5 celebrates with Bones Hyland #8 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Target Center on February 20, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Mavericks 122-111. 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 David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Canis Pulsus Vol. 48!
For those of you who have been ignoring this series since the 2021 season — Canis Pulsus is designed to give our Canis Hoopus community a published voice.
A pulse, if you will.
We all know that if CH occupied all seats of the Minnesota Timberwolves front office, we would be celebrating our 36th consecutive championship this year. But for now, it’s time for us to exercise our right vote. How would you grade the performance of our pups?
It’s a simple concept, really. Just submit your vote as honestly or sarcastically as you would like. All individual submissions will remain anonymous so no one will know if you were the one voter who gave Enrique Freeman an A+. Once the polls close, the results as a whole will be published on Canis Hoopus and (in theory) be sent to The Athletic’s front page.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - APRIL 08: Head coach Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks reacts during the second half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on April 08, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. 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 Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks had a miserable season by basically every metric. Right from the beginning, as the Mavs endured Anthony Davis injuries, point Cooper Flagg and countless clutch losses, you knew where this season was heading. The Mavericks themselves admitted this, firing Nico Harrison for his negligence in November, then promptly trading away the crowned jewel of his trade last year in Anthony Davis.
This frontcourt is the poster child of poor planning from the Mavericks<p>(Photo by David Dowt/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
With all that in mind, the Mavericks organization had every reason to race to the bottom. This is a team that got just a handful of games out of their dream front court, with both Davis and Dereck Lively being out of commission for the majority of the year. They ran out Cooper Flagg at point because D’Angelo Russell simply can’t play. They had countless injuries the whole year. Unlike the Jazz and Grizzlies, who are artificially nuking somewhat decent basketball teams, the Mavericks stunk out loud.
So, surely the Mavericks will enter the draft with a great chance at a top four pick, right?
Unfortunately for fans who wanted to see Dallas pair Cooper Flagg with an elite co-star in this draft, the Mavericks played this season about as poorly as you could have. After the Davis trade, they had several veteran players who could’ve been useful for other teams in the playoffs. Guys like Klay Thompson and Naji Marshall, who could’ve been traded before the deadline for several second round picks. By the time Dallas is ready to compete again, those guys will likely be aged out of the rotation. Why keep them in the name of winning a few games you don’t really want to win?
(Photo by Brandon Todd/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Then you have Khris Middleton, who was acquired in the trade with Washington. Middleton is very useful, as he showed when scoring 35 points in an eight-point win over the Grizzlies on March 12. You don’t think that loss could’ve been nice to have now?
The Dallas Mavericks organization is aimless and lacks leadership. From ownership on down, this season was a damning indictment on how this organization failed on almost every level. The coach is snaking around, covering up his role in the Luka trade and potentially aiming for the open GM role. The interim GM’s were only able to take a half measure at the deadline because ownership wanted to wait and fire the previous GM mid-season. Led by Patrick Dumont, this ownership group of non-basketball people have only shown to be a hindrance on building a championship level team. Granted, things could change with the new general manager being brought in. But if how you do one thing is how you do everything, Patrick Dumont and his family will neuter Cooper Flagg for years to come.
Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
In the here and now, this team exiting with the seventh or eighth best odds at the top selection in the draft is a huge middle finger to the fans. The Mavericks had their chance to build like the Spurs, with multiple high level lottery picks. Instead, this franchise has failed to maximize the chance they had to put a real, high level guard next to Flagg in this draft. From the top down, they failed not only to execute a plan, but they failed to even implement one. For all of this season’s suffering, the Mavericks didn’t get enough out of it to make it worthwhile. Now, they must rely on lady luck to bail them out of their own poor decisions once again.
