CLEVELAND — Steven Kwan wasn’t looking at the American League Central standings in early July when the Cleveland Guardians were eight games under .500, in fourth place and 15 1/2 games behind the Detroit Tigers.
The All-Star outfielder wasn’t about to look on Wednesday night, even though the Guardians have staged the biggest comeback in baseball history.
Cleveland moved into sole possession of first place with a 5-1 victory over Detroit and became the first major league team to overcome a deficit of 15 1/2 games and take the lead in either division or league play, beating the Detroit Tigers 5-1.
Cleveland (86-72) has a one-game lead over Detroit (85-73) with four games to play. The Guardians also have the tiebreaker by taking the season series. The last time the Guardians had sole possession of the division was on April 22, when they were 14-9 and a half-game ahead of the Tigers.
The 1914 Boston Braves were 15 games back in the National League on July 4 and rallied to win by 10 1/2 games according to Elias. Since baseball went to division play in 1969, the biggest deficit overcome was 14 games by the 1978 New York Yankees to win the AL East.
“Ignorance is bliss. You kind just keep your head down and don’t worry about those kind of things,” Kwan said. “It is a long, long season, so I think if you get caught up in those things early on, you’re going to be doomed.
“Just keep pushing, keep doing what we do. Can’t jinx it either. I mean, we’ve been doing what we’ve been doing for so long, it’d be a little silly to look forward too far.”
According to FanGraphs, the Guardians had a 2.9% chance to make the postseason and a 0.2% chance to win the division on Sept. 1. After improving to an MLB-best 18-5 in September, they have a 92.3% chance for the postseason and 80.7% to take the division for the second straight year.
“It feels good, but there’s no prize for having that spot today. I’m really proud of what our guys have done to get themselves back into it and give us a chance to get into the postseason,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “We have a lot of work left to go. It’s exciting. Sure, we’re going to enjoy the win for a few hours, but we got another game tomorrow going to come out ready to go.”
A key to the Guardians’ hot September has been their pitching. The starting rotation has allowed two or fewer runs in 19 consecutive games, matching the 2019 Tampa Bay Rays and 1916 New York Giants for the second-longest streak since the mound was moved.
The 1917 Chicago White Sox have the mark at 20, according to Elias.
Guardians starters are 12-0 with a 1.35 ERA during their 19-game run. Tanner Bibee improved to 3-0 in September, allowing only one run in six innings.
“I’ll be honest, I don’t think about the streak at any moment other than when you guys bring it up to me. We’re out here to win games each and every day, and those guys compete with each other,” Vogt said. “The truth is that when they take the mound, they want to give us a chance to win. And man, have they stepped up the last few weeks.”
Even though All-Star third baseman José Ramírez provided another big hit with a two-run double in the seventh inning, the Guardians have been getting unlikely contributions from the rest of the lineup.
George Valera — who made his big-league debut Sept. 1 after eight years in Cleveland’s minor-league system — hit a two-run homer in the third inning to give the Guardians the lead.
“I mean it’s great. We are playing baseball that matters right now and we’re doing everything we can to make a push,” said Valera, who has reached base safely in eight of 10 starts.
The Guardians finish with Detroit before hosting Texas in the final regular-season series.
As is usual, the Maple Leafs will dress mostly second-string players alongside the mandated minimum of NHL veterans. The Canadiens are expected to ice an NHL-loaded lineup.
Noteworthy is the inclusion of Easton Cowan, who will play in his third consecutive pre-season game. Toronto’s top prospect has impressed through the first week of training camp, earning praise from teammates and head coach Craig Berube.
Maple Leafs lines at morning skate ahead of preseason game vs. Montreal:
Goaltender Dennis Hildeby is slated to start in Montreal, drawing attention following Joseph Woll's indefinite departure to tend to a personal family matter. Hildeby made 23 saves on 23 shots in 40 minutes of work during Toronto’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena.
Puck is set to drop at 7:00 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on TSN4 in Toronto’s viewing region, while Canadiens fans will tune in on TSN2.
What the Leafs can expect from the Canadiens tonight
The Leafs' veterans like Lorentz and Laughton will have a tough test on their hands going up against Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson, acquired from the New York Islanders, in addition to the likes of Russian star Ivan Demidov.
Canadiens projected lines/lineup vs Leafs tonight (bottom six might be lined up a bit different but it's a best guess)
"I know Dobson's been around a little bit, but this Demidov kid seems pretty electric when he's got the puck on his stick," Lorentz said Thursday morning "So it's going to be a good test for the veterans that we got in the group tonight, it's going to be a good test for the young guys to see what these young world-class players are really all about."
Laughton, acquired by the Maple Leafs at the NHL trade deadline from the Philadelphia Flyers, will get his first taste of Toronto vs. Montreal.
"I haven't been part of much here so far, so I'm excited to get into it. Great building to play in, so it's always fun going there," Laughton said. "I haven't seen too much of those new guys there (in Montreal), they've got some skill up front. They got a ton of speed, and adding Dobson, I think, helps their back and big guy that can move the puck. And they got a good goalie. So it's a good team and a younger team, but, yeah, excited to go there today."
Last week, Ben Kuzma of The
Provincereported the Detroit Red Wings were among the
clubs monitoring Quinn Hughes' situation with the Vancouver Canucks
this season.
The Canucks aren't shopping Hughes, who
is signed through 2026-27. However, this season could be crucial in
determining his fate. If they miss the playoffs again, the
25-year-old defenseman could be reluctant to sign a contract
extension, forcing the Canucks to consider trading him.
Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now pointed
out Hughes' ties to Michigan, including playing for the USA Hockey National
Team Development Program in Plymouth and with the NCAA's Michigan
Wolverines.
If Hughes were interested in playing
for the Red Wings, Duff believes they should make a serious trade bid
next summer. That would include offering up top prospect Axel Sandin
Pellikka in a package deal.
PuckPedia indicates that Hughes lacks
no-trade protection, meaning the Canucks can ship him to the highest
bidder. However, if the Wings become one of them, they must ensure
he's willing to sign an extension.
Turning to the Calgary Flames, they
seemed headed toward an amicable parting of ways with Rasmus
Andersson.
The 28-year-old defenseman is
UFA-eligible next July, and contract extension talks broke down in
June, sparking speculation about possible trade destinations.
Andersson denied he only wanted to be
traded to the Vegas Golden Knights, calling it “fake information.”
While this season could be his last with the Flames, he doesn't
believe it will distract his teammates.
TSN's Pierre LeBrun believes Andersson
is likely to be moved by the March 6 NHL trade deadline. However, he
reported that neither side has fully closed the door on a contract
extension.
LeBrun believes Andersson might be open
to an eight-year contract, but doesn't think the Flames are willing
to go that long. Andersson turns 29 in October, which explains their
reluctance.
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The Anaheim Ducks are now a week into their 2025-26 training camp and are still reportedly far apart in negotiations with projected second-line center Mason McTavish on a contract extension.
The Ducks don’t have many position battles to speak of heading into the season, at least not in terms of impact roles.
With McTavish in the lineup, the Ducks’ top nine forward group is relatively set, consisting of himself, Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Troy Terry, Alex Killorn, Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano, Chris Kreider, and Mikael Granlund.
Through the unknown duration of McTavish’s absence, however disappointing on a macro level, it allows an opportunity for a hungry forward to earn a look in the top nine.
Beckett Sennecke
The most substantial benefactor could come in the form of 2024 third-overall draft pick Beckett Sennecke, who played back-to-back games to open the exhibition season, including in Monday’s 6-1 win over the Utah Mammoth, when he scored tenaciously off the rush. He was slotted on a potent line centered by Leo Carlsson and opposite Chris Kreider.
“He’s got some skill. He’s got a lot of nice things to his game,” Ducks new head coach Joel Quenneville said of Sennecke after Monday’s win. “The growth in a young player taking that next big step is their consistency. Learn how to be a good pro.
“The tendencies from junior, you gotta make sure you take the right habits with you. But, he showed some really good flashes and we like the way he’s progressing in camp.”
After signing his ELC in the summer of 2024, Sennecke’s only options for the 2025-26 season are to either play in the NHL or head back to the CHL to play for the Oshawa Generals.
To make the team out of camp, Sennecke needs to prove, beyond any doubt, that he’s not only NHL-ready but can have a positive nightly impact. Especially because the stated mandate from the team is to make the playoffs this season.
To this point, he’s left something to be desired. He’s flashed his trademark skill, has had some extended puck touches, and appeared dangerous multiple times, but his puck management and fundamental defensive tendencies have proved costly at both the “Golden State Rookie Faceoff” and in his two preseason games.
As with anything, these are only exhibition games and not many overarching conclusions should be reached, but these are the opportunities for young players like Sennecke to earn spots on NHL rosters.
Sam Colangelo and Nikita Nesterenko
Though spending the majority of the 2024-25 season in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls, both Nikita Nesterenko and Sam Colangelo were given extended looks with with Ducks last season.
Nesterenko tallied six points (4-2=6) in 20 games over two separate NHL stints, while Colangelo notched 12 points (10-2=12) in 32 games over three stints.
Neither player has a prototypical fourth-line skill set, though they’ve both worked tirelessly to improve those aspects of their games; they are perhaps more suited for traditional top-nine roles.
Colangelo has added levels of battle and puck possession prowess while showing a scoring touch at every level he’s played.
“I think I proved last year I could play in the top nine, but that doesn’t really mean anything now,” Colangelo said at training camp. “It’s a fresh slate, a new coaching staff, so I’m just trying to bring it every day and take that spot.
“Obviously, it sucks with Mac not being here as one of my best friends, but like everyone said, it’s kind of part of the business, and I know when he shows up, he’ll be ready to go.”
Nesterenko uses his feet to create plays and provides more of a transition element with layers of playmaking and creativity.
Ryan Poehling
The Ducks brought in Ryan Poehling as the NHL piece of the trade that sent Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers.
The anticipation was (and remains) that Poehling would slot into the fourth-line center spot. However, he, like Nesterenko and Colangelo, has shown more offensive upside to his game than that of a typical fourth-liner, as he’s coming off of his most productive season a year ago, when he scored 31 points (12-19=31) in 68 games.
“I pride myself on a 200-foot game, and defense is something that’s very important to me and something that can help this team win. We’ve got a lot of skill guys on this team, a lot of guys that can put pucks in the back of the net.
“For myself, I think it’s just playing a 200-foot game and helping out offensively when I can, but more importantly, just shutting down the other team defensively.”
He’s a detailed fleet-of-foot center who can have an impact in every zone as well as in transition. If the Ducks decide to load up a top six with the majority of their firepower, he could, in theory, contribute to a more defensive-oriented third line with some scoring upside, a la Yanni Gourde during the Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup years.
The hope is that McTavish’s contract dispute is settled as soon as possible, but this window could be seen as an audition of sorts for those third/fourth line bubble players should injury occur at some point in the season.
The Providence Bruins are going to have a boatload of talent going into next season, specifically offensively. For the 2025-24 campaign, their top-six forward group, and maybe even deeper, will be littered with NHL-fringe players.
Last season, Providence finished eighth in the overall AHL standings, registering 90 points and a 41-23-8 record. With that, they advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs, but were eliminated by the Charlotte Checkers in the Atlantic Division semifinal, losing in five games.
The Bruins’ offense was already one of their strong suits last season. They finished fifth overall in goals scored with 240, averaging 3.33 goals per game. They also had the best power-play percentage in the Eastern Conference - third-best in the entire league - registering 21.4 percent.
Providence lost two of its top five scorers from last season in Vinni Lettieri and Tyler Pitlick. However, center Georgii Merkulov, their leading scorer from last season with 54 points, remains. On top of that, center Patrick Brown and Riley Tufte are also sticking around as they signed one-year contracts in the off-season.
Coach Ryan Mougenel won’t have to worry about making up for lost scoring because they’ll be receiving a few players who will only bolster their attack.
Along with the previously listed players, Providence will still have Matthew Poitras, Fraser Minten, Fabian Lysell and others on the roster. But still coming in are center Alex Steeves and right winger Matej Blumel.
Steeves is coming off the best season of his four-year pro-hockey career. He scored 36 goals and 62 points in 59 games for the Toronto Marlies last season. He finished second in the league in goals and eighth in points. He also made a few NHL appearances for the Toronto Maple Leafs in each of those four years.
The one player who had more goals than Steeves last season was also picked up by the Bruins organization in Blumel. The Czech right winger scored a league-leading 39 goals, but also ended up second in the AHL in points with 72 to his name. He was just one point behind San Jose Barracuda center Andrew Poturalski, who is now a member of Omsk of the KHL.
There’s no denying that a handful of those players who make up Providence’s scoring depth will get looks with the NHL’s Boston Bruins. But, in the big picture, this team should be reaching new heights this coming season.
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With three games remaining in the regular season, the Mets are looking to secure the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League.
The Reds hold the tiebreaker over the Mets due to winning the season series. The tiebreaker between the Mets and Diamondbacks will likely be based on intradivision record since the two clubs split the season series.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of play on Sept. 26...
Mets: 82-77, 1.0 game up on Reds and 2.0 games up on Diamondbacks for third Wild Card
Next up: @ Marlins, Friday at 7:10 p.m. on WPIX (Brandon Sproat vs. Sandy Alcantara) Latest result: 8-5 win over Cubs on Thursday Remaining schedule: 3 @ MIA Odds to make playoffs: 78.1 percent
Reds: 81-78, 1.0 game back of Mets
Next up: @ Brewers, Friday at 8:10 p.m. (Zack Littell vs. Quinn Priester) Latest result: 2-1 win over Pirates on Thursday Remaining schedule: 3 @ MIL Odds to make playoffs: 19.7 percent
Diamondbacks: 80-79, 2.0 games back of Mets
Next up: @ Padres, Friday at 9:40 p.m. (Zac Gallen vs. Yu Darvish) Latest result: 8-0 loss to Dodgers on Thursday Remaining schedule: 3 @ SD Odds to make playoffs: 2.1 percent
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- These
days when entering the St. Louis Blues locker room, veer to the right
and there’s defenseman Tyler Tucker, low-keyed as usual.
But
there’s a difference these days: there’s smiles and laughter to
go along with it, and for good reason.
For
the first time in his NHL career, the 25-year-old can finally feel a
bit comfortable with his surroundings; he can feel comfortable what
he’s doing and most importantly, he can finally feel at home.
The
NHL has always been the destination, but it’s been quite the
journey for the Blues’ seventh-round pick
in the 2018 NHL Draft.
This
is Tucker’s eighth training camp, and in the previous seven, it’s
always been about proving himself. There’s never been a guarantee
he would land a job in the NHL.
But
that’s all changed in the past year or so, so much so that instead
of chasing after someone else’s job, now other’s are chasing
Tucker’s position, and that’s OK with him. Because since he
arrived at his first Blues training camp in 2018, it’s been quite
the ride.
“It’s
been a long journey but well worth it,” Tucker said.
Through
ups and downs, learning on the fly and good and bad play, recalls and
options back to the American Hockey League to exceptional play,
especially last season under Jim Montgomery and when inserted into
the playoffs, Tucker has arrived on the scene as one of the boys.
“I
feel like I’ve obviously taken a lot of steps and then had a little
setback,” Tucker said. “Just kind of keep on proving throughout
the camp and into the preseason and what not. Just trying to get
better every day is big for me, and playing with confidence.”
Confidence.
It’s a word players often speak of, but it’s so vital to one’s
success. Tucker’s confidence has obviously soared within the past
year and he felt the momentum on his side finally. And instead of
shying away from it, he’s looked back on seven-plus years of blood,
sweat and tears and learned to embrace the pot of gold.
“He
definitely has worked for everything he’s got, and he’s done it
the hard way,” Blues
captain Brayden Schenn said of Tucker.
“The hard way is fighting guys, blocking shots and playing a hard
game, obviously which he needs to play. And then a little bit of up
and down and up and down. You can tell he feels more comfortable and
I think you’re going to get a really good ‘Tucks’ this year.
He’s one helluva teammate and normally me saying it, the majority
of the guys in this locker room would say you’d take Tyler Tucker
as a teammate every single day of the week.
“He
actually has one of the best sticks of getting guys, and getting in
guys’ faces and just being reliable with his body and his stick and
breaking up plays and he’s very good at it.”
Tucker’s
momentum built with a strong showing with Springfield of the AHL last
season when he put up 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 19 games
and a plus-6. When he got recalled on Dec. 19, 2024 and Montgomery
was hired a week later on Dec. 25, there was no turning back. He
played 38 games in the regular season and put up seven points (three
goals, four assists) averaging 14:35 minutes per game but a steady,
reliable skater on the Blues’ third pairing.
“I
got to play a lot of games with a very experienced D-partner in
(Ryan) Suter, and that was a big help,” Tucker
said.
“I feel like you learn a lot of little things. Not the flashy
things or anything, but just simple, little things that you take and
they go a long way, I feel like, throughout a series or throughout
multiple games. So I think that’s the biggest thing. Other than
that, confidence is one of the biggest things for me.”
Tucker
didn’t open the series against the Jets but entered it in Game 2
and had he not been injured, likely would have stayed in the entirety
of that series. His style of play helped change the complexion for
the Blues that ultimately turned it into a seven-game series after
losing Games 1-2 on the road.
“He
played to his strengths. He knows who he is,” Montgomery
said.
“He was physical, but also, he’s a hockey player. He’s around
the puck. His instincts take him to where the puck’s going to be.
So he’s either ending plays defensively or offensively, he’s
keeping pucks alive for us.”
But
when Tucker’s right knee buckled toe-picking a check in the D-zone
corner against Brandon Tanev, his playoff and season ended in a snap.
“Obviously
tough,” Tucker
said.
“I felt like I was playing real good hockey towards the end. Tough
to go down, obviously kind of in a meaningless game towards the end
of the period. Just sucks, but happy to be back, happy with all the
rehab and what not, hard work, stuff I did in the summer paid off and
just happy to be back on the ice.”
Tucker
is healthy, and barring any change in tactics, he will open the
season on the third D-pairing with newly-acquired Logan Mailloux.
“I’ve
played against him in the minors,” Tucker
said.
“Obviously see what he did in junior. Very, very talented player.
Big guy with a lot of skill. Those are very hard to come by.
Obviously just try and get him the puck and he’ll do good things
with it. We’ve spent a lot of time here in the last month or so. I
feel like I know him pretty well. He came in and we’ve been friends
right away. It’s been nice. He’s super easy to get along with.
I’m sure everyone can tell you it’s been a real easy transition
for him.
“I
feel good,
really good. Obviously a long summer, a lot of rehab, a lot of boring
stuff. I feel ready to go. Obviously first game in a while in
Columbus there (last
Sunday),
but it felt good. Everything with the knee is going well.
“It
definitely took some time. Probably two-, two-and-a-half months
before I kind of started back to regular training and what not.
Obviously I was in the gym, but doing more so rehab and knee-specific
exercises and trying to rebuild my muscles and what not rather than
just lifting with the other guys, team aspect of the gym in the
summer. It went well. Obviously very thankful for the team to help me
get back.”
The
Blues know who Tucker is, big, strong, physical and willing to drop
gloves. But what about his offense? Did he show something last season
that can help putting pucks into the net on a more frequent basis? This shot against Connor Hellebuyck and the Jets that turned out to be the game-winner in Game 4 speaks volumes:
“I
think it’s very underrated because the things he did offensively
last year, I don’t know if he had three or four goals,
but he had opportunities to have a lot more and he gets pucks through
and we had a lot of almost-tips,” Montgomery
said.
“He’s looking for sticks and stuff. Very underrated offensively.”
“Whenever
I’ve gotten the opportunities to be an offensive guy, I like doing
that,” Tucker
said.
“It’s kind of how I played in juniors, but I’m just worried
about taking care of my own end first and then if those opportunities
present themselves, I’ll take them.”
Now
the big question: how does Tucker build off that strong momentum
gained last year? If he can find that success again, his ceiling is
waiting.
“I
think just continue where I left off,” he
said.
“Towards the end of the summer, I felt like I was a little behind.
So just trying to ramp things up, keep getting better every day,
trusting myself and playing with confidence is a big key for me. I
thought especially down the stretch last year, that was a huge thing
in my game is I felt confident with the puck, playing and doing
things … not to say I normally don’t feel comfortable with but
not as comfortable. I think just building and keep going in the right
direction, trusting myself, trusting my instincts, just simple
things. Obviously when you get hurt, you feel like you’re a long
ways out. But I feel like I’m right around the corner.”
Yegor Chinakhov, Jake Christiansen, Kent Johnson, and Dante Fabbro provided the offense, and Jet Greaves stopped 24 of 25 Pens shots in the 4-1 CBJ win on Wednesday night.
Jet Greaves got to play the entire 60 minutes and played really well at times, flashing his lightning-quick glove more than a few times.
Head Coach Dean Evason raved about the play of defenseman Jake Christiansen's play the last two nights. Evason said, "We just had a lengthy conversation about how well he played yesterday and today, how hard he played, how detailed he played, how gritty he played." Kent Johnson also said that although he has an offensive side to his game, he knows his role in the NHL and does it well.
Jake Christiansen is going to make Don Waddell and Dean Evason's jobs hard.
Final Stats
Player Stats
Yegor Chinakhov scored his first goal of the preseason and had an assist.
Jake Christiansen scored his first goal, which was on the power play.
Kent Johnson scored a power play goal.
Dante Fabbro scored a shorthanded empty net goal and had an assist.
Zach Werenski recorded two assists.
Kirill Marchenko had an assist.
Charlie Coyle tallied his first assist.
Jet Greaves made 24 saves on the night.
Team Stats
The Jackets power play went 2/7 on the night.
The Columbus PK stopped all five Penguin power plays.
Columbus won 52% of the faceoffs.
Up Next: The Blue Jackets travel to Pittsburgh on Saturday night to take on Marc-André Fleury and the Pens.
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Despite four preseason games remaining, several questions have been answered.
No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer will be making the team -- there's no if, and's or but's about it.
He'll at least start with veteran defenseman Scott Mayfield, who has been communicating tremendously with the 18-year-old, whether it's during a drill in practice or during a preseason game.
How quickly will Schaefer force head coach Patrick Roy's hand into playing more minutes?
It may just come down to Schaefer needing to play higher in the depth chart -- maybe with Ryan Pulock, given how much of a game-changer he can be, immediately or soon after.
The Islanders elected to move Mathew Barzal back to center after a few seasons on Bo Horvat's wing, and so far, so good for No. 13. He looks tremendous in training camp, as going back to center "is like riding a bike", per Barzal. His chemistry with team captain Anders Lee and Kyle Palmieri is strong.
The Islanders' top line of Jonathan Drouin and Maxim Shabanov is likely to remain intact over the next two weeks. Still, we need to see a bit more from the European free agent signing, who is working extremely hard to acclimate to the speed of the NHL game.
When it comes to the Islanders' third line, Anthony Duclair has really impressed in camp. Despite still working his way back from a torn groin, his skating looks sharp, and he looks more like the guy who played the first five games with the Islanders to start last season, not the player who returned too early from the injury. He, alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom, is another line that's sticking.
As for the fourth line, Emil Heineman seems to have won a job. The question is, has Maxim Tsyplakov won the spot to Casey Cizikas's right?
Tsyplakov is currently day-to-day (maintenance) and, like Heineman, has Marc Gatcomb, Kyle MacLean, and Calum Ritchie breathing down his neck.
Speaking of Ritchie, he looks like a kid on a mission to make this team, whether it's at center or wing. I think he needs to be a center -- Roy certainly agrees -- but unless Barzal is moved back to Horvat's wing or Cizikas is being shifted to the wing, as we saw in 2024-25, Ritchie will likely start in Bridgeport.
As for the defense, the six starters seem to be locked in:
Alexander Romanov-Tony DeAngelo
Adam Pelech-Ryan Pulock
Matthew Schaefer-Scott Mayfield
It seems that Adam Boqvist will serve as the seventh defenseman, but Isaiah George is certainly right there. Ideally, the Islanders don't want George not playing, as it makes more sense for him to be in Bridgeport playing big minutes than serving as a seventh defenseman.
When it comes to the Islanders' goaltending situation, Ilya Sorokin is the clear starter, and David Rittich seems poised to be his backup. However, Marcus Hogberg is trying to prove he should be the No. 2, with both looking strong in their first preseason showings, each playing half the game.
Rittich has looked stronger in training camp, but Hogberg impressed a tad more in his preseason slate.
The Islanders face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night before a quick turnaround, hosting the New Jersey Devils on Friday night at UBS Arena.
Which Boston Celtics player will walk away with some hardware during the 2025-26 season?
With Jayson Tatum sidelined to start the new campaign, his run of four straight All-NBA First Team nods will end. Might someone else slot among the 15 best players in basketball this season? Is there a surprise nominee for a Celtics All-Star candidate? Can someone besides Derrick White muscle their way onto an All-Defense team?
For Day 19 of our Ramp to Camp series, we asked our panel to make one bold awards prediction involving a Celtics player.
Our intrepid pick: Josh Minott for Most Improved Player.
We checked out the odds over at DraftKings and there are six Celtics players on their preseason MIP board, and none of whom are nicknamed The Lawn Mower. You can get Payton Pritchard (+2200), Chris Boucher (+5000), Anfernee Simons (+5000), Derrick White (+6000), Neemias Queta (+7000), or Luka Garza (+15000). Quick aside: Queta at +7000, while potentially elevating to a starting role and after a rock-solid EuroBasket tournament, almost made us recast our selection.
But we’re sticking with a breakout year for Minott.
Given the Celtics’ need for size and rebounding, we can see Minott kicking down the door to heavy playing time. The 22-year-old has averaged 2.3 points and 1.0 rebounds over his three NBA seasons, meaning even a modest stat line this season is going to pop when comparing his year-over-year increases.
Sure, MIP typically goes to a more established player, often someone who went from key role player to All-Star presence. Maybe we’re a year or two early on Minott’s award. And maybe that’s why Pritchard is so high on the preseason odds list. But we’re staying bold.
We love Minott’s potential. We love his nickname. There’s a chance he can help fill the void in our heart that’s been vacant since Robert Williams III’s departure.
And we think Minott is going to start his climb to key contributor on Boston’s next title-contending team with his play this season.
Brown has long espoused the importance of playing on both ends and takes immense pride in his defense. While he’ll be expected to shoulder a larger offensive load this season, we could see Brown making a point to bring it on the defensive end, and with a larger spotlight on him, he’ll finally get rewarded for his efforts with an All-Defense nod.
Michael Hurley, Web Producer
I’m sure everyone would love for it to be Derrick White winning DPOY, but isn’t the most likely scenario Payton Pritchard winning a second straight Sixth Man of the Year? That just feels right.
Five players have won the award multiple times, but only three of them — Kevin McHale, Detlef Schrempf and Lou Williams — have won it in back-to-back seasons. Pritchard belongs there.
Plus, the Celtics are in a tie with the Clippers for most Sixth Man winners in history with five. Pritchard can break that dreaded tie and finally give the Celtics recognition as being a more successful franchise than the Clippers. This is massive.
Sean McGuire, Web Producer
Derrick White will be named an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career.
White, who deserved the honor last season, will take on a larger role without Tatum. I can’t help but think that will lead to his best season yet and, ultimately, the recognition that comes with it.
Josh Canu, Media Editor
Derrick White for Clutch Player of the Year.
Without Tatum, there will be a lot more end-of-game opportunities to go around, and I think most teams will look to contain Jaylen Brown. So, White seems like an obvious choice to step up. And I think he will be up to the task.
Kevin Miller, VP, Content
Jaylen Brown lands on one of the top two All-NBA teams.
I think there’s the possibility that Brown’s points-rebound-assist totals scale over 40 per game this season, with increased playmaking and rebounding. If he does that, then he’ll be on one of the first two teams.
Adam Hart, EP, Content Strategy
Joe Mazzulla wins Coach of the Year, because this award always goes to the coach whose team exceeds expectations.
Doc Rivers won Eastern Conference Coach of the Month THREE TIMES in 2007-08, and lost the entire season award to Byron Scott (one month as West Coach of the Month). It defies logic.
Anyway, Mazzulla will finally win the award he should’ve won in 2023-24.
Kayla Burton, Celtics Pregame Live host
Derrick White makes an All-NBA team.
I know it’s not hardware, but White actually rises to become the No.1 guy with Tatum out and makes more headlines than Jaylen Brown.
