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Phillies' night sours in 7th inning of series-opening loss to Nationals

Phillies' night sours in 7th inning of series-opening loss to Nationals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

WASHINGTON — For the first time since being swept in late June by the Astros, the Phillies have a true losing streak.

They fell to a third consecutive defeat Thursday night at Nationals Park, dropping a 3-2 game to Washington in the opener of a four-game series. 

The 69-52 Phillies have totaled three runs during the three-game streak. The team is now 4-3 on its 10-game road trip. 

Starter Jesus Luzardo dipped to 11-6 on the season. He went six-plus innings and allowed four hits and three runs. Luzardo struck out seven and walked three. 

Luzardo’s sweeper was especially sharp in the early going. He notched five strikeouts over the first two innings, four on sweepers.

The sweeper is a new pitch for Luzardo this season and it’s been elite. Entering Thursday, batters had a .189 average and 43.8 percent whiff rate against it, according to Baseball Savant.

The Phillies didn’t need any loud contact against Nationals righty Brad Lord to take the lead in the third inning. Bryson Stott led off by squibbing a double over the third-base bag and Trea Turner followed with an infield single. After Kyle Schwarber struck out, Bryce Harper tapped an RBI ground ball to shortstop. 

Washington tied it up an inning later. Paul DeJong cracked a first-pitch Luzardo fastball just over the left-field wall. 

The Phils bounced right back with two outs in the fifth. 

Turner picked up another infield hit, and this one came with a shattered bat. Schwarber then clubbed a 3-1 heater off the right-center wall and Turner scored the go-ahead run. He added a third infield knock in the seventh inning. 

Luzardo’s seventh was not smooth at all.

DeJong walked, Riley Adams doubled and Daylen Lile walked. Luzardo exited and Orion Kerkering entered with no outs and the bases loaded.

He couldn’t escape the inherited trouble. Jose Tena ripped a one-out hit to left-center through the Phillies’ drawn-in infield and Washington went on top.

The Phillies threatened to even the game in the top of the ninth but couldn’t manage it. 

Max Kepler singled and Edmundo Sosa got him to second base with a sacrifice bunt. Bryson Stott then grounded out to first and the game ended with Turner waving at a Cole Henry sinker in on his hands. 

Bohm’s rehab stint 

Alec Bohm went 2 for 5 in Triple-A Lehigh Valley’s Thursday night game. That puts him at 3 for 17 overall with a homer and a triple in four rehab outings as he works his way back from a fractured left rib. 

How much longer will Bohm’s rehab assignment last? 

“Through tomorrow for sure, and then we’ll see,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said pregame. 

Pitching plans 

The scheduled starters Friday night are the Phils’ Zack Wheeler (10-5, 2.68 ERA) and the Nats’ MacKenzie Gore (5-12, 4.09 ERA). 

With the Phillies moving to a six-man rotation for the time being, Taijuan Walker will start Saturday and Aaron Nola will return Sunday. Ranger Suarez is set to pitch Monday in Philadelphia against the Mariners. 

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Canucks Go Up 2–0 In First Round Of 2020 Playoffs Vs. St. Louis Blues: Five Years Ago Today

Five years ago today, the Vancouver Canucks took a commanding 2–0 series lead against the St. Louis Blues in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This came after the Canucks defeated the Minnesota Wild in four games of their qualifying series in order to officially advance to the playoffs. 

Vancouver had a tough task ahead of them in their first official playoff run since 2015. They were tasked with defeating the defending Stanley Cup Champions, a Blues team who had previously clawed their way back from being dead-last in the standings mid-season to defeating the Boston Bruins in seven games to clinch their first championship in franchise history. For Vancouver, winning this series would prove to those around them that their successes from the regular season weren’t just based on luck. 

Game 1 was a pleasant surprise for Canucks fans. Up until the third period, Vancouver and St. Louis kept their audience on the edge of their seats. Canucks captain Bo Horvat opened the series scoring with a power play tally less than five minutes into the game. Around 10 minutes after, David Perron tied things up while also on the man-advantage, settling the score at 1–1 by the end of the first. Elias Pettersson gave Vancouver the lead on the power play once again, though his goal was quickly neutralized by one from Jaden Schwartz. 

Despite the 2–2 score heading into the third period, from then on, Vancouver took things over. A little more than five minutes into the final frame, Troy Stecher found the back of the net to score what would ultimately be the game-winning goal. Horvat got his second goal of the game three minutes after that. Finally, J.T. Miller scored Vancouver’s third power play goal of the game to help the Canucks to a final score of 5–2 in Game 1. 

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Game 2 was a little more nerve-wracking. Horvat opened the scoring while shorthanded, tucking home his fifth goal of the playoffs seven minutes into the first period. Tanner Pearson added to Vancouver’s goal count on the man-advantage, scoring his third of the postseason and extending the Canucks’ lead to two. Ryan O’Reilly cut the Blues’ lead to one while on the power play, sending his team into the third period with only one more goal to score. 

In the third period, Pettersson scored Vancouver’s third power play goal of the game, bringing the Canucks’ lead back up to two goals. With Game 2 on the line, Sammy Blais scored with 10 minutes left to cut his team’s deficit to one, while Schwartz scored the game-tying goal with only seven seconds left in the game to send both teams to overtime. 

Only a couple of days before this game, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Columbus Blue Jackets played in five overtime periods before Brayden Point finally scored to end the game. Luckily for Vancouver and St. Louis, neither team had to wait as long for their game to conclude. It was Horvat who was on the receiving end of an up-ice pass from Quinn Hughes, tearing away from the Blues and scoring on Jordan Binnington to end the game at 4–3 for Vancouver. This was Horvat’s sixth goal of the postseason and second of the game. 

Aug 14, 2020; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat (53) scores a short handed goal against St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington (50) as defenseman Colton Parayko (55) and left wing Jaden Schwartz (17) help defend during the first period in game two of the first round of the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News. 

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Nets' 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule

After a disappointing 2024-25 season, the Nets are on the rebuild and hope to turn the franchise's direction around.

Brooklyn finished the regular season 26-56, the sixth-worst record in the league, but wound up with the No. 8 pick after falling in the NBA Draft Lottery. GM Sean Marksselected guard Egor Demin from BYU and then drafted guard Nolan Traoré, wing Drake Powell, guard Ben Saraf, and big man Danny Wolf to round out the first round with a record five picks.

Marks also traded for wing Michael Porter Jr. from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for three-point specialist Cam Johnson, and acquired veteran wing Terrance Mann prior to the NBA Draft. They, along with five rookies, will join some returning players like Nic Claxton and Day'Ron Sharpe. Plus, Brooklyn hopes to have scoring guard Cam Thomas on the roster as well, but he's yet to sign his qualifying offer or a contract extension with the team. It's possible he could be a sign-and-trade candidate before the season tips off.

The NBA announced the regular season schedule on Thursday, so here are a few notes on what Nets fans can look forward to in 2025-26:

-- Brooklyn opens the regular season in Charlotte against the Hornets on Wednesday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m.

-- The Nets have just two nationally televised games on the slate: home against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, Nov. 3, on Peacock and Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, against the Chicago Bulls on ESPN.

-- They'll face off against the cross-town rival Knicks four times: Nov. 9 at New York, Nov. 25 at home, Jan. 21, 2026, at The Garden, and March 20, 2026, at the Barclays Center.

-- Some notable matchups against star players and top teams around the league include: at San Antonio vs. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on Oct. 26, followed by a trip to Houston vs. the Rockets and former Net Kevin Durant on Oct. 27, and home against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors on Dec. 29. The Dallas Mavericks, No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, and potentially former Net Kyrie Irving (depending on injury recovery), visit Brooklyn on Feb. 24, 2026.

Here's the entire Nets' 2025-26 regular season schedule:

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Sabres Dahlin Ranked In The Top Ten Of NHL Defensemen

Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is among the highest-paid players in the NHL, and is expected to be a central figure in Sweden’s hopes for success at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano - Cortina, Italy next February. In a pre-season ranking of the league’s top blueliners, the Sabres team captain was ranked seventh by NHL Network. 

The 25-year-old was selected first overall in 2018 and in his seventh season with the Sabres finished fourth in the NHL in defensive scoring with 68 points (17 goals, 51 assists) in 73 games, behind Norris Trophy winner Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche, and the other two Norris finalists, Quinn Hughes of the Vancouver Canucks, and Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets.   

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Miro Heiskanen of the Dallas Stars, fellow Swede Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Josh Morrissey of the Winnipeg Jets were ranked ahead of Dahlin, who scored in double figures for the fourth year in a row last season. Jacob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes, Roman Josi of the Nashville Predators, and Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers filled out the top ten.

Despite Dahlin’s offensive consistency over the last four years, the Sabres are going to need him to play equally as proficiently at the defensive end of the ice for them to challenge for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference next season, along with seeing bigger contributions from fellow top overall pick Owen Power, the recently signed Bowen Byram, and newly acquired Michael Kesselring.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

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2025-26 Clippers schedule: Season opens on the road, closes with four of last six at home

Clippers guard James Harden holds back teammate Kawhi Leonard during a playoff game against the Denver Nuggets.
Kawhi Leonard and James Harden return to lead the Clippers through their 2025-26 schedule. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and Chris Paul are poised to lead the Clippers through a 2025-26 schedule that opens on the road but closes with four of its final six games at the Intuit Dome.

2025-26 Clippers schedule

OCTOBER

22: at Utah, 6; 24: vs. Phoenix, 7:30; 26: vs. Portland, 6; 28: at Golden State, 8; 31: vs. New Orleans, 7:30.

NOVEMBER

3: vs. Miami, 7:30; 4: vs. Oklahoma City, 8; 6: at Phoenix, 7:30; 8: vs. Phoenix, 7:30; 10: vs. Atlanta, 7:30; 12: vs. Denver, 7:30; 14: at Dallas, 5:30; 16: at Boston, 12:30; 17: at Philadelphia, 4; 20: at Orlando, 4; 22: at Charlotte, 10 a.m.; 23: at Cleveland, 3; 25: at Lakers, 8; 28: vs. Memphis, 7; 29: vs. Dallas, 7.

DECEMBER

1: at Miami, 4:30; 3: at Atlanta, 4:30; 5: at Memphis, 5; 6: at Minnesota, 5; 17: at Oklahoma City, 5; 20: vs. Lakers, 7:30; 23: vs. Houston, 8; 26: at Portland, 7; 28: vs. Detroit, 6; 30: vs. Sacramento, 8.

JANUARY

1: vs. Utah, 7:30; 3: vs. Boston, 7:30; 5: vs. Golden State, 7; 7: at New York, 4:30; 9: at Brooklyn, 4:30; 10: at Detroit, 4:30; 12: vs. Charlotte, 7:30; 14: vs. Washington, 7:30; 16: at Toronto, 4:30; 19: at Washington, noon; 20: at Chicago, 5; 22: vs. Lakers, 7; 25: vs. Brooklyn, 6; 27: at Utah, 7; 30; 30: at Denver, 7.

FEBRUARY

1: at Phoenix, 5; 2: vs. Philadelphia, 7:30; 4: vs. Cleveland, 7:30; 6: at Sacramento, 7; 8: at Minnesota, noon; 10: at Houston, 5; 11: at Houston, 5; 19: vs. Denver, 7:30; 20: at Lakers, 7; 22: vs. Orlando, 6; 26: vs. Minnesota, 7.

MARCH

1: vs. New Orleans, 6; 2: at Golden State, 7; 4: vs. Indiana, 7:30; 6: at San Antonio, 6:30; 7: at Memphis, 5; 9: vs. New York, 7; 11: vs. Minnesota, 7:30; 13: vs. Chicago, 7:30; 14: vs. Sacramento, 7:30; 16: vs. San Antonio, 7:30; 18: at New Orleans, 5; 19: at New Orleans, 5; 21: at Dallas, 5:30; 23: vs. Milwaukee, 7:30; 25: vs. Toronto, 7:30; 27: at Indiana, 4; 29: at Milwaukee, 12:30; 31: vs. Portland, 8.

APRIL

2: vs. San Antonio, 7:30; 5: at Sacramento, 6; 7: vs. Dallas, 7:30; 8: vs. Oklahoma City, 7; 10: at Portland, 7; 12: vs. Golden State, 5:30.

All times Pacific

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Mets Notes: Carlos Mendoza discusses bullpen plan for Frankie Montas, issues vote of confidence in Clay Holmes

Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza met with reporters ahead of Thursday's rubber game with the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field.

Here's what the second-year manager had to say...

Frankie Montas available out of the bullpen

Mendoza confirmed that Thursday night's game will mark the first time that starter-turned-reliever Frankie Montas will be available to pitch out of the bullpen, given the fact that he would be pitching on his standard four days rest. 

And while the club anticipates using him in a Paul Blackburn-esque role as a long man, Mendoza made it clear that life in the bullpen isn't always that straightforward. 

"That’s the one thing when we were talking to him, we’ll do our best to give him more time to get loose, but life in the bullpen, things happen fast," Mendoza said. "Right now, his spot is in the bullpen and whenever we call his name, we’re counting on him. So, he’s going to play a big role for us up there, and he’ll step out."

"He’s on regular rest," Mendoza said later. "…Probably a multi-inning guy, like the long man out of the bullpen, but you never know. Things happen, and who knows if we play extra innings and he’s pitching because of where we’re at. As of right now, I see him more in the Blackburn role, length, but there are going to be days that, depending on where we’re at bullpen-wise, he might be asked to pitch multiple innings."

Nothing changing with Clay Holmes' role

With Clay Holmes' season innings count now at 126.0, the righty is closing in on doubling his previous career best of 70.0 innings in 2021. And while there was never a doubt that Holmes would blow past his previous innings numbers, given that this is his first full season as a starter, some signs of fatigue are beginning to show. 

Holmes has pitched to a 5.79 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP over his last seven starts, and he has not made it past the sixth inning since June 7. 

Still, Mendoza believes that Holmes is in a good place physically, noting that he checks in with he training staff after every outing, as does every other starter.

"He continues to check those boxes, and in talking to him, he keeps saying he’s fine," Mendoza said. "The numbers and everything keep saying that he’s in a good place. We will continue to monitor it, but nothing differently."

So Holmes will remain in the starting rotation?

"Yeah," Mendoza said. "I mean, he’s going to keep getting opportunities."

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Louis Rees-Zammit signs for Bristol to complete return to rugby from NFL

  • Winger left sport to go to US in January 2024

  • Player says Bristol was ‘the obvious choice’

Louis Rees-Zammit has sealed his return to rugby from American football after signing for Bristol. The 24-year-old, who has been capped 32 times by Wales, announced in January 2024 that he was quitting rugby to join the NFL’s international player pathway program. He signed for the Kansas City Chiefs and then the Jacksonville Jaguars, but failed to make a breakthrough and has opted to return to his roots.

Rees-Zammit said on the club website: “Bristol Bears was the obvious choice for me. I want to get fans out of their seats, create exciting moments and help people fall in love with the game. I’m excited to return to rugby at a club that demands those values.”

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Report: College basketball point shaving investigation nearing end, focused on ‘Southern schools’

A federal investigation into alleged point shaving and game fixing in college basketball is nearing its end, Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde and Michael Rosenberg reported. The inquiry is focused on “Southern Schools,” according to SI. Investigators from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania conducted interviews with players suspected of influencing their […]

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2025-26 Lakers schedule: Lakers open at home and later face formidable Grammy road trip

LeBron James enthusiastically embraces teammate Luka Doncic late in the team's win over the Mavericks as fans cheer.
LeBron James, center, and Luka Doncic are set to lead the Lakers through an NBA schedule that includes the season opener and a Christmas game at home. (LM Otero / Associated Press)

As LeBron James enters his record-setting 23rd NBA season and superstar Luka Doncic returns for his first full season in L.A., the Lakers are tied with the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, the Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks for the most nationally televised games in the league.

The NBA announced the regular season schedule Thursday, and the Lakers’ slate highlights the league’s growing number of broadcast partners. The Lakers open the season at home against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21 on NBC, have ABC/ESPN’s 5 p.m. prime-time slot against the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day and will welcome a familiar face back to Crypto.com Arena on Nov. 28 on Prime.

Anthony Davis’ return to L.A. with the Dallas Mavericks at 7 p.m. on Nov. 28 will wrap up NBA Cup group play. The former Lakers star forward was injured during what was going to be his return to L.A. last season after he was sent to the Mavericks in a shocking trade.

Now in its third year, the NBA Cup will begin on Oct. 31 with the Lakers playing at Memphis in West Group B that also includes the New Orleans Pelicans, the Clippers and the Mavericks. The Lakers have their second group game at New Orleans on Nov. 14 before playing the Clippers on Nov. 25 in Inglewood, where the game is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. PST on NBC, the latest starting time for any in-season tournament game.

Read more:LeBron James exercises $52.6-million option and will be first to play 23 NBA seasons

The NBA released only 80 of 82 regular-season games for each team as the final two games in December will be announced based on NBA Cup standings. The knockout rounds for the tournament begin Dec. 9.

The Lakers’ annual Grammy trip will have a hometown interlude as the two-week-long road trip includes a game at the Clippers on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. But the meeting in Inglewood doesn’t necessarily ease the travel load as it is the second of the nine-game trip, sandwiched between games at Denver (Jan. 20) and Dallas (Jan. 24).

After returning from the trip, the Lakers have an eight-game home stand, highlighted by a Feb. 22 game against the Boston Celtics, when the franchise will unveil a Pat Riley statue outside Crypto.com Arena, the team announced Thursday. The coach of the Showtime Lakers, who guided the team to four NBA championships, will be the 14th statue in the arena's Star Plaza.

The Lakers begin training camp Sept. 29 before playing six preseason games, beginning in Palm Springs on Oct. 3 against the Suns. The slate also includes a game against the Mavericks in Las Vegas on Oct. 15.

Read more:'Just the beginning': Luka Doncic on why he agreed to a three-year, $165-million contract extension

2025-26 Lakers schedule

OCTOBER

21: Golden State, 7; 24: Minnesota, 7; 26: at Sacramento, 6; 27: Portland, 7:30; 29: at Minnesota, 6:30; 31: at Memphis, 6:30.

NOVEMBER

2: Miami. 6:30; 3: at Portland, 7; 5: San Antonio, 7; 8: at Atlanta, 5; 10: at Charlotte, 4; 12: at Oklahoma City, 6:30; 14: New at Orleans, 5; 15: at Milwaukee, 5; 18: Utah, 7:30; 23: at Utah, 5; 25: at Clippers, 8; 28: Dallas, 7; 30: New Orleans, 6:30.

DECEMBER

1: Phoenix, 7; 4: at Toronto, 4:30; 5: at Boston, 4; 7: at Philadelphia, 4:30; 18: at Utah, 6; 20: at Clippers, 7:30; 23: at Phoenix, 6; 25: Houston, 5; 28: Sacramento, 6:30; 30: Detroit, 7:30.

JANUARY

2: Memphis, 7:30, 4: Memphis, 6:30; 6: at New Orleans, 5; 7: at San Antonio, 4:30; 9: Milwaukee, 7:30; 12: at Sacramento, 7; 13: Atlanta, 7:30; 15: Charlotte, 7:30; 17: at Portland, 7; 18: Toronto, 6:30; 20: at Denver, 7; 22: at Clippers, 7; 24: at Dallas, 5:30; 26: at Chicago, 5; 28: at Cleveland, 4; 30: at Washington, 4.

FEBRUARY

1: at New York, 4; 3: at Brooklyn, 4:30; 5: Philadelphia, 7; 7: Golden State, 5:30; 9: Oklahoma City, 7; 10: San Antonio, 7:30; 12: Dallas, 7; 20: Clippers, 7; 22: Boston, 3:30; 24: Orlando, 7:30; 26: at Phoenix, 6; 28: at Golden State, 5:30.

MARCH

1: Sacramento, 6:30; 3: New Orleans, 7:30; 5: at Denver, 7; 6: Indiana, 7:30; 8: New York, 12:30; 10: Minnesota, 8; 12: Chicago, 7:30; 14: Denver, 5:30; 16: at Houston, 6; 18: at Houston, 6:30; 19: at Miami, 5; 21: at Orlando, 4; 23: at Detroit, 4; 25: at Indiana, 4; 27: Brooklyn, 7:30; 30: Washington, 7; 31: Cleveland, 7:30.

APRIL

2: at Oklahoma City, 4:30; 5: at Dallas, 4:30; 7: Oklahoma City, 7:30; 9: at Golden State, 7; 10: Phoenix, 7:30; 12: Utah, 5:30.

All times Pacific.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Fantasy Basketball: 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule release takeaways

At long last, most of the 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule is known.

All 30 teams know 80 of their 82 games, with the two exceptions being the contests played after the conclusion of the NBA Cup group stage. During that "open" week, all teams are guaranteed two games, and the two teams that reach the NBA Cup final will play a third game that does not count toward official league records/stats or fantasy basketball results.

Because of the uncertainty caused by the NBA Cup, Yahoo! leagues will once again feature two "combo" weeks, one of which will bookend All-Star Weekend.

Below is a breakdown of the 2025-26 regular season schedule from a fantasy standpoint.

2020 NBA Finals schedule
NBA returns to NBC, debuts on Peacock: Check out the full slate of more than 100 games
NBC will showcase opening night, and there also will be Sunday Night Basketball, Peacock NBA Monday and Coast 2 Coast Tuesday.

Five teams will play a league-high 16 back-to-backs

Charlotte, Denver, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington are scheduled to play 16 back-to-backs, which is especially notable for the 76ers. Not only did the team's "big three" of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George all see their 2024-25 seasons end prematurely due to injury, but so did guard Jared McCain. In Embiid's case, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse said Thursday that he was unsure if the center would be a full go when training camp opens in late September. Injury management days can significantly impact fantasy basketball, and one would assume that there may be a few of those days in the cards for Embiid, given his injury history.

The Hornets will play five back-to-back games in October and November, beginning with games against Philadelphia and Washington on October 25-26. Will LaMelo Ball, who has not hit 50 games played since the 2021-22 season, be allowed to play back-to-backs immediately, or will the Hornets look to manage his workload early on? Charlotte added Collin Sexton via trade and re-signed Tre Mann, two players who will be of added interest in fantasy leagues if Ball is not playing back-to-backs immediately.

However, there is a silver lining in the 76ers’ scheduling “cloud.”

According to Positive Residual’s scheduling data, the 76ers are one of three teams with 14 games in which they'll have the advantage from a rest standpoint, with Utah and Sacramento being the others. Toronto and Detroit will have the rest advantage for 13 games. On the other side of the coin are the Warriors, who have 14 games in which they'll be at a disadvantage regarding rest. Eight teams, including the 76ers, Timberwolves, and Nuggets, will be at a disadvantage for 12 games.

The Golden State Warriors and the LA Clippers are among the teams that will play 15 back-to-backs

The Warriors and Clippers have two of the older cores in the NBA, with the latter being the oldest based on average age. The good news for Los Angeles is that Kawhi Leonard has been able to focus on sharpening his skills this summer instead of recovering from another injury. Will that impact his usage once the regular season begins, or will he and the Clippers continue prioritizing him being fresh for the postseason? Similar questions can be asked of James Harden and Chris Paul, even if they don't have the same injury concerns as Leonard.

Golden State will have Jimmy Butler on board from the start, which should help from a chemistry standpoint. However, he, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are all 35 or older heading into the 2025-26 season. And this doesn't consider the expected addition of Al Horford, as the 39-year-old has to wait for the Warriors to reach a solution with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga (De'Anthony Melton is also on hold). Miami and Portland are also scheduled to play 15 back-to-backs, two teams that don't hold the same age concerns as the Warriors and Clippers.

Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Indiana, Minnesota and Oklahoma City play a league-low 13 back-to-backs

This group includes the reigning champs, two expected contenders in Houston and Minnesota, a Hawks team that hopes to work its way into the mix, and the Celtics and Pacers, who appear to be headed for a "bridge year" with Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton recovering from Achilles tendon tears. The Hawks and Rockets will get some help schedule-wise, as they're working in Kristaps Porzingis and Kevin Durant, respectively. Both players have struggled with injuries in recent seasons, but KD did play 62 games for the Suns last season (and 75 the year prior).

The two “double weeks” are December 8-21 and February 9-22.

In Yahoo! public leagues, there are two instances in which two game weeks will count as one from a scoring standpoint. The first occurs in December due to the need to finalize schedules after NBA Cup group play concludes. For the first part of that "week," only two games will count for each team, including the two that reach the NBA Cup final. Once again, that game will not count toward official records, stats or fantasy scoring. The other double week sandwiches the All-Star break, with All-Star Weekend scheduled for February 13-15 in Los Angeles. Among the teams that will play a back-to-back immediately out of the break are Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver and LA Clippers.

Five teams have a five-game week, including the Lakers and 76ers.

The Lakers (Week 13), Heat (Week 14), 76ers (Week 21), Suns and Wizards (Week 22) all have a week in which they're scheduled to play five games. The latter three teams stand to impact fantasy basketball the most, as weeks 21 and 22 will likely be playoff weeks for many leagues. Philadelphia will be a team of interest due to the injury history of the team's star players, most notably Embiid and George. The Lakers' five-game week concludes on January 18 with a home game against the Raptors before the team embarks on an eight-game road trip. Miami will be on a five-game road trip out west when it plays its "loaded" week, beginning with a January 19-20 back-to-back against the Warriors and Kings.

If, for some reason, your league includes April’s entire schedule, the Knicks and Trail Blazers are the teams to avoid.

Twenty-eight of the 30 teams will play either six or seven games in April, but the Knicks and Trail Blazers only play five. Given how many teams have handled their rosters in recent seasons, there's no need for a fantasy league to include April. But, in case your league does, New York and Portland's role players are at a disadvantage due to the schedule. Also of note for April is that the entire league will play on April 10 and 12, the final two game days of the regular season. Games on Sunday, April 12 will begin at either 6 pm Eastern (seven Eastern Conference matchups) or 8:30 pm Eastern (seven Western Conference games and one interconference matchup).

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Sabres Prospect Profile – Samuel Meloche

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results. 

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 40 NHL games. 

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#30 - Samuel Meloche - G (Rouyn-Noranda - QMJHL)

The Sabres continued their practice of selecting goalies, but after taking Topias Leinonen in 2022, Scott Ratzlaff in 2023, and Ryerson Leenders in 2024, the club selected a pair of netminders at the 2025 NHL Draft. With their seventh round pick, they took Belarusian Yevgeni Prokhorov, who has a longer development window in the KHL, but with the second to two fourth-round picks, Buffalo selected QMJHL goalie Samuel Meloche. 

The 18-year-old broke into the Q with Rouyn-Noranda as a 16-year-old, and leading into his draft year played 51 games for the Huskies, posting an excellent 30-14-6 record. In the playoffs, he went 8-3-2, leading Rouyn-Noranda to the QMJHL semi-final, where they lost to Moncton in a four-game sweep. 

Elite Prospects said that Meloche had an ”ability to stay composed, even when things broke down in front of him rather frequently, and that his “play reading and composure pair well with his athleticism. He’s able to make up for rare mistakes in save selection with quick, explosive reflexes” and is “one of the better puckhandling goalies in this draft.”

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

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Knicks' 2025-26 NBA regular season schedule

The 2024-25 season was by all means a success for the Knicks, as the team won 51 games and reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. But it ended in disappointment, as they fell short of the NBA Finals and lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games. 

The New York front office decided if they are going to take the next step, there needs to be a change. Head coach Tom Thibodeau was fired after five seasons on June 3 and Mike Brown was officially hired on July 7. The veteran coach is now tasked with leading Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Co. over the hump in pursuit of the franchise's first championship since 1973.

With the NBA announcing it's regular season schedule on Thursday, here are some notes on the Knicks 2025-26 schedule:

-- New York opens at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN.

-- They stay home to face the Boston Celtics, who'll be without Jayson Tatum this season due to injury, on Friday, October 24 at 7:30 p.m. on Prime. The Knicks and Celtics face off again on December 2 in Boston, but then not again until Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026 in Boston, followed by their third-to-last game of the year on April 9.

-- The Knicks will play Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs again on Christmas Day at 12:00 p.m. at the Garden

-- Some notable matchups against other top teams in the league include at the Dallas Mavericks and No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg on Nov. 19, at San Antonio and Spurs star Victor Wembanyama on Dec. 31, home against LeBron James and Luka Doncic's Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 1, 2026, and two games against reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the defending NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder in March (3/4/26 at home, 3/29/26 on the road).

Here's the rest of the New York's 2025-26 schedule:

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NBA returns to NBC, debuts on Peacock: Check out the full slate of more than 100 games

Crank up the Roundball Rock!

For the first time in 24 years, the NBA has returned to NBC — and is debuting on Peacock — with more than 100 games, featuring the biggest stars, some playoff rematches, and some of the NBA's classic rivalries all taking their turn in the spotlight.

Many of those games will be highlighted in the big three nights of games on NBC and Peacock every week: Peacock NBA Monday, Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, and Sunday Night Basketball (starting after the NFL season).

Everything tips off on the NBA's opening night, Oct. 21, with a double header on NBC and streaming on Peacock. First, the Houston Rockets visit the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, marking the night the players receive their rings and OKC raises its championship banner. In the second game of the night, it's Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors visiting LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in a showdown of two NBA icons.

After that dramatic opening, we get into the weekly games.

Peacock NBA Monday

Starting on Oct. 27 and every Monday throughout the season, as many as three games will be streamed exclusively on Peacock. This Monday night series opens with a must-watch doubleheader: Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers travel to Detroit to take on the fast-rising Pistons led by Cade Cunningham. In the second game, two of the West's top teams face off when Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets travel to Minnesota to take on Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves.

Another Peacock NBA Monday game to circle on your calendar comes on March 9, when the last two MVPs — the Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Nuggets' Jokic — face off when Denver travels to Oklahoma City.

Check out the full Peacock NBA Monday schedule:

Date
Game
Time (ET)
Platform
Mon., Oct. 27
Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m.
Peacock
Denver Nuggets at Minnesota Timberwolves
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Nov. 3
Minnesota Timberwolves at Brooklyn Nets
7 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Nov. 10
Washington Wizards at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Nov. 17
Milwaukee Bucks at Cleveland Cavaliers
7 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Nov. 24
Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto Raptors
7 p.m.
Peacock
Houston Rockets at Phoenix Suns
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Dec. 1
Chicago Bulls at Orlando Magic
7:30 p.m.
Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Los Angeles Lakers
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Dec. 8
Sacramento Kings at Indiana Pacers
7 p.m.
Peacock
San Antonio Spurs at New Orleans Pelicans
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Dec. 15
TBD
TBD
Peacock
Mon., Dec. 22
Charlotte Hornets at Cleveland Cavaliers
7 p.m.
Peacock
Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Dec. 29
Cleveland Cavaliers at San Antonio Spurs
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Dallas Mavericks at Portland Trail Blazers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Mon., Jan. 5
New York Knicks at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m.
Peacock
Denver Nuggets at Philadelphia 76ers
8 p.m.
Peacock
Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Jan. 12
Boston Celtics at Indiana Pacers
7:30 p.m.
Peacock
Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Jan. 19
Milwaukee Bucks at Atlanta Hawks
12 p.m.
Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers
2 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks
5 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Mon., Jan. 26
Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers
7 p.m.
Peacock
Portland Trail Blazers at Boston Celtics
8 p.m.
Peacock
Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Feb. 2
Houston Rockets at Indiana Pacers
7 p.m.
Peacock
Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Feb. 9
Milwaukee Bucks at Orlando Magic
7:30 p.m.
Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., Feb. 23
San Antonio Spurs at Detroit Pistons
7 p.m.
Peacock
Utah Jazz at Houston Rockets
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., March 2
Boston Celtics at Milwaukee Bucks
7:30 p.m.
Peacock
Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., March 9
Denver Nuggets at Oklahoma City Thunder
7:30 p.m.
Peacock
New York Knicks at Los Angeles Clippers
10 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., March 16
Atlanta Hawks at Orlando Magic
7 p.m.
Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Boston Celtics
8 p.m.
Peacock
Los Angeles Lakers at Houston Rockets
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., March 23
Memphis Grizzlies at Atlanta Hawks
7 p.m.
Peacock
Golden State Warriors at Dallas Mavericks
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., March 30
Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat
7 p.m.
Peacock
Detroit Pistons at Oklahoma City Thunder
9:30 p.m.
Peacock
Mon., April 6
New York Knicks at Atlanta Hawks
7 p.m.
Peacock

Coast 2 Coast Tuesday

One week after the NBA season tips off, Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, Oct. 28, with doubleheaders on NBC and Peacock.

Tuesday nights will begin with a 30-minute studio show leading into the double header. The first game starts at 8 p.m. ET and will be presented on NBC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones. That will be followed by an 8 p.m. PT game shown on NBC stations in the Pacific and Mountain time zones. Both games will stream on Peacock.

Coast 2 Coast Tuesday tips off Oct. 28 with a doubleheader of the New York Knicks at the Milwaukee Bucks at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the Los Angeles Clippers at the Golden State Warriors at 8 p.m. PT. Here are some of the other games not to miss on what will be a weekly showcase of the best in the league.

• Nov. 4, the Orlando Magic at the Atlanta Hawks (8 ET). Two teams that had some of the best offseasons in the NBA and two teams with top-four aspirations in the East meet in an early-season showdown. Trae Young and Paolo Banchero are always worth tuning in to see.

• Nov. 25, the Orlando Magic at the Philadelphia 76ers (8ET). If Paul George, Joel Embiid and the core of the 76ers are healthy, this is one of the best teams in the East, but will they be? Good test around Thanksgiving against the fast-rising Magic.

• Jan. 20, the San Antonio Spurs at the Houston Rockets. This is going to be one of the big rivalries in the NBA in the coming years, and we get to see Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson and the Rockets' deep roster try to attack a defense led by Victor Wembanyama (the preseason favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year). Also, it's a chance to check in on No. 2 pick Dylan Harper and how he is progressing in San Antonio.

• March 10: the Dallas Mavericks at the Atlanta Hawks. The No. 1 picks of the last two seasons — Dallas' Cooper Flagg and Atlanta's Zaccharie Risacher — face off.

Check out the full Coast 2 Coast Tuesday schedule:

Date
Game
Time (ET)
Platform
Tues., Oct. 28
New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Los Angeles Clippers at Golden State Warriors
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Nov. 4
Orlando Magic at Atlanta Hawks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Clippers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Nov. 11
Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Denver Nuggets at Sacramento Kings
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Nov. 18
Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Portland Trail Blazers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Nov. 25
Orlando Magic at Philadelphia 76ers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Dec. 2
New York Knicks at Boston Celtics
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at Golden State Warriors
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Dec. 23
Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Houston Rockets at Los Angeles Clippers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Dec. 30
Philadelphia 76ers at Memphis Grizzlies
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sacramento Kings at Los Angeles Clippers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Jan. 6
Miami Heat at Minnesota Timberwolves
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Dallas Mavericks at Sacramento Kings
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Jan. 13
Minnesota Timberwolves at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Golden State Warriors at Portland Trail Blazers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Jan. 20
San Antonio Spurs at Houston Rockets
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Los Angeles Lakers at Denver Nuggets
10 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Jan. 27
Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Clippers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Feb. 3
Boston Celtics at Dallas Mavericks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Portland Trail Blazers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., Feb. 24
New York Knicks at Cleveland Cavaliers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Minnesota Timberwolves at Portland Trail Blazers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., March 3
San Antonio Spurs at Philadelphia 76ers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Sacramento Kings
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., March 10
Dallas Mavericks at Atlanta Hawks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Minnesota Timberwolves at Los Angeles Lakers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., March 17
Cleveland Cavaliers at Milwaukee Bucks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
San Antonio Spurs at Sacramento Kings
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., March 24
Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Phoenix Suns at Denver Nuggets
10 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., March 31
New York Knicks at Houston Rockets
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Tues., April 7
Minnesota Timberwolves at Indiana Pacers
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Houston Rockets at Phoenix Suns
11 p.m.
NBC, Peacock

Sunday Night Basketball

Sports fans have come to expect the best games being on Sunday, and that will be no different when Sunday Night Basketball is launched on Feb. 1, 2026. That coverage starts after NBC's NFL coverage but will pause for two weeks — on Feb. 8, NBC and Peacock will broadcast Super Bowl LX, and on Feb. 15, there will be coverage of the NBA All-Star Game, and the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics — but will restart on Feb. 22 with some fascinating games (all of which also will be streamed on Peacock).

Among the must-watch games on Sunday Night Basketball are:

• Feb. 1, a double header featuring LeBron and the Lakers traveling to Madison Square Garden to take on the Knicks (7 pm ET) — LeBron has a long history of showcase games in that building — which will be followed by a showdown between two of the last three NBA champions, Oklahoma City at Denver.

• Feb. 22, the Boston Celtics at the Los Angeles Lakers, a renewal of the league's greatest historic rivalry.

• March 8, Kevin Durant and Houston travel to San Antonio to take on Victor Wembanyama and the fast-rising Spurs in a West showdown. These Texas teams could form the NBA's best rivalry for the rest of this decade.

• April 5, Luka Doncic returns to Dallas wearing Lakers colors as he takes on Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis and the Mavericks.

Here is the full Sunday schedule on NBC and Peacock:

Date
Game
Time (ET)
Platform
Sun., Feb. 1
Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks
7 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets
9:30 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., Feb. 22
Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers
6:30 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., March 1
Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas Mavericks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., March 8
Houston Rockets at San Antonio Spurs
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., March 15
Golden State Warriors at New York Knicks
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., March 22
Minnesota Timberwolves at Boston Celtics
8 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., March 29
New York Knicks at Oklahoma City Thunder
7:30 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Golden State Warriors at Denver Nuggets
10 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Sun., April 5
Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas Mavericks
7:30 p.m.
NBC, Peacock
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors
10 p.m.
NBC, Peacock

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Quadrupleheader

Some of the NBA's biggest names — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Donovan Mitchell, Cooper Flagg, Jalen Brunson, Jaylen Brown and more — will be featured as NBC Sports will present a quadrupleheader on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 19, 2026. All four games will be streamed on Peacock. Those games are:

• 1:00 p.m. ET: Milwaukee Bucks at Atlanta Hawks (Peacock exclusive)
• 2:30 p.m. ET: Oklahoma City Thunder at Cleveland Cavaliers (NBC/Peacock)
• 5:00 p.m. ET: Dallas Mavericks at New York Knicks (NBC/Peacock)
• 8:00 p.m. ET: Boston Celtics at Detroit Pistons (NBC/Peacock)

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'How Big Are His Feet?' How Hockey Scouts And Agents Predict A Teen Prospect's Growth

It may be the dead of summer and a quiet time in the hockey world, but I've still been to the rink once a week thanks to a numberofcamps, either skills-based or for international tournaments.

Because I'm watching teenagers, I know that most of them still have a lot of growing to do – but how much? 

If a kid is already huge, such as 2026 NHL draft prospect Ethan Belchetz of OHL Windsor (he's already 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds), there's no need to worry. But a lot of the kids at Canada's U-17 camp, eligible for the 2027 NHL draft, are harder to forecast. 

A 5-foot-9 defenseman would have to be really special to make the NHL, but that same kid could easily grow three inches in the coming years, and no one would have any questions about his viability.

Famously, Mitch Marner was listed at 5-foot-7.5 and 130 pounds when the London Knights took him 19th overall in the 2013 OHL draft. Marner, now one of the most dangerous forwards in the NHL, grew up to be six-feet tall and 180 pounds, according to NHL.com. On the other hand, some players never shoot up, and it doesn't matter anyway – Johnny Gaudreau and Cole Caufield being prime examples.

But just for funsies, I asked a bunch of scouts and agents (whose job it is to convince scouts their clients are still growing) what their favorite unscientific way is to guess if a teen player is going to get a lot taller in the coming years. Here's a cross-section of responses:

"How big are his feet? A shorter kid with big feet is going to grow."

"Look at his skate size."

"Look at Mom and Dad, or look at the feet and hands."

"Look at the mom."

"Brothers."

"I've tried it enough to see there's no concrete way of predicting it. I usually look at Mom and Dad and try my best to see which parent the kid takes after the most. Grandparents are looked at, too. I know a guy who swears it's Grandpa on the mom's side, but I have counter-examples of that."

"Take the height difference in inches between the dad and mom, divide by three and add to the kid's height at 16 or 17."

"It's all guesswork."

Mitch Marner was listed at 5-foot-7.5 and 130 pounds when he was drafted into the OHL in 2013. He's now six-foot. (Aaron Bell-OHL Images)

I suppose if there were a tried-and-true answer, it would be a lot easier to predict which players will have both the talent and size to become NHL stars one day. In the meantime, teams will continue to take leaps of faith on kids they like, or simply value safe size – as prospect writer Jerome Berube noted after the 2025 NHL draft, not a single sub-six-foot defenseman was taken this year. But I'll leave the last word to one scout who lives by a very strong axiom:

"If the kid is 5-foot-6 and he shaves every day – he's cooked."

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