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Should The Panthers Prioritize Winning The Atlantic Division?

The Florida Panthers have dominated the NHL playoffs in the past three seasons, winning the Stanley Cup twice and reaching the finals another.

They've consistently levelled up their game when the post-season rolls around, but surprisingly, they haven't dominated the regular season like you might have expected. 

Dating back to 2022-23, when they first appeared in the Stanley Cup finals, the Panthers were the eighth seed when the regular season concluded, upsetting the record-setting Boston Bruins in the first round before defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes. Upon reaching the final round, the Panthers were severely beaten up and succumbed to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games. 

The following season, the Panthers carried that momentum into the regular season, beating the Bruins by one point to claim the Atlantic Division crown. In the playoffs, they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Bruins, the New York Rangers and the Edmonton Oilers to win the franchise's first Stanley Cup. 

The most recent campaign witnessed the Panthers repeat as Stanley Cup winners, but the regular season wasn't always smooth sailing. They finished third in the Atlantic Division, recording 98 points and finishing just a point ahead of the Ottawa Senators. The Panthers were without home ice advantage in each series, but they took care of each opponent nonetheless.

Niko Mikkola and William Nylander (John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)

The Panthers' post-season success hasn't been defined by regular season success, but that doesn't necessarily indicate that the Panthers should throw in the towel during the regular season and not care about playoff seeding. Home ice advantage can be an important factor in the playoffs due to the momentum from the crowd, as well as last change.

The Panthers have played a lot of hockey in the past three seasons, far more than any other team in the NHL. Fatigue is destined to catch up to the Panthers in some sort of fashion, and ensuring easier matchups earlier in the playoffs, as well as home ice advantage for line matching benefits, could be what helps the Panthers three-peat. 

Winning the division is no small feat. The Maple Leafs and the Lightning will be gunning for the crown, and it's possible the Senators and the Montreal Canadiens could be surprise challengers. Without Matthew Tkachuk for a large part of the season, the Panthers will be missing out on plenty of offense, but their depth should allow them to compete with those teams.

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Orlando’s God Shammgod says Banchero, Wagner, Magic 'ready to make their mark'

For the past few years, God Shammgod — the New York playground legend who is your favorite hooper's favorite hooper — has been coaching in Dallas, working with a couple of players who have some of the best handles in the game.

"I love Kyrie [Irving], you know what I mean?" Shammgod said while discussing his new book, “Word of God.” "I know his whole family, so I knew him since he was young. Luka Doncic, of course, Luka's like amazing."

Now is in Orlando, helping teach his dribbling wizardry — the man has a crossover named after him — and coaching up a young and promising Magic team stacked with All-NBA level talent such as Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. It's a team a lot of pundits (*raises hand*) project to make a leap up to the top three of the East — if there is a team poised to make an Indiana-style run this season, it's the Magic.

Shammgod sees that.

"Paolo and Franz and them, they're coming into their own right now," Shammgod told NBC Sports "They're at the right age where they still young, but they, they young enough to dare. Dare to be great. And I, I believe like Paolo and Franz is going to be great, but Desmond Bane, Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, we got Tyus Jones. Now we got, we got so many great players.

"And they all right. And I feel like right now they all are ready to make their mark. So I'm just happy and honored to be a part of it."

Orlando was a .500 team last season, not a bad record considering both Banchero and Wagner missed considerable time with matching oblique strains. The Magic had the second-best defense in the NBA and that propelled them into the No. 7 seed and the playoffs, but they couldn't get by the Celtics (who still had a healthy Jayson Tatum at that point). The focus of Jeff Weltman and the rest of the Magic front office this summer was to upgrade the offense. Part of that involved adding guards like Bane and Jones, but also bringing Shammgod and his wisdom onto the staff.

It wasn't just the players that drew Shammgod to Dallas, it was their coach, Jamahl Mosley. As quickly becomes evident when reading “Word of God,” Shammgod has great stories and connections with people across the NBA, and Mosley is one that goes way back.

"I knew him when we both was teenagers, because when I was a freshman at Providence, he visited Providence. So that's full circle," Shammgod said of Mosley. "Like for me and him coaching at Dallas together, he just got such a great passion and such.

"He's so about the work. You know what I'm saying? There's not too many people I could say, that's all about the work. Like, forget all the accolades, forget all that stuff. Like, he's all about the work and all about winning and all about pouring into the kids. And I think that's what me and him share in common the most."

It's that connection that the players relate to and get them to buy in, whether it's Shammgod improving their handles or Mosley with the bigger picture themes.

This season, when the Magic come into the spotlight and we see Banchero flashing a new dribbling move, or Wagner breaking ankles on the way to the rim, just remember that Shammgod, with his legendary handles, is coaching them now and they are finding a new flow.

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Willy Adames, Matt Chapman ejected after Rafael Devers homer causes Giants brawl

Willy Adames, Matt Chapman ejected after Rafael Devers homer causes Giants brawl originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Chaos erupted during the Giants’ game against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday before an out even had been recorded at Coors Field.

San Francisco slugger Rafael Devers hit his third home run in as many games in the top of the first inning — a two-run shot that was followed by an exchange of words with Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland, which then led to an all-out brawl between both teams.

After things had cooled down, the umpire crew engaged in a lengthy delay while they decided who would be punished for the altercation, where some slapping and shoving took place. All in all, the game paused for about 13 minutes.

Giants third baseman Matt Chapman and shortstop Willy Adames — whose birthday is Tuesday — both were ejected from the game for their part in the fight, along with Freeland. And in the end, Devers got to finish his home run trot with San Francisco up 2-0.

On defense, Devers moved from first to third, Dominic Smith came in to play first base, Casey Schmitt came in to play second and Christian Koss moved from second to shortstop.

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Chris Froome suffered life-threatening injury to his heart in training crash

  • Tour de France winner sustained a pericardial rupture

  • Kooij wins opening stage of 2025 men’s Tour of Britain

Chris Froome suffered a life-threatening injury to his heart in the training crash in France last week that left him hospitalised with a broken back and broken ribs. The four-time Tour de France winner also sustained a pericardial rupture, a tear to the sac that surrounds the heart, in the crash.

“It was obviously a lot more serious than some broken bones,” his wife, Michelle Froome, told the Times. “He’s fine, but it’s going to be a long recovery process. He won’t be riding a bike for a while.”

Continue reading...
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Islanders Hire Ian Laperriére As Pro Scout

The New York Islanders have hired Ian Laperriére as a pro scout, industry sources have confirmd with The Hockey News, first reported by The Daily Faceoff's Anthony DiMarco.

Laperriere, 51, had spent the last four seasons as head coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the AHL affiliate for the Philadelphia Flyers. Prior to that, he served as an assistant on the Flyers bench for nine seasons. 

Rocky Thompson, who the Islanders hired as head coach for their AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders, had previously spend the last two seasons as an assistant coach for the Flyers, so he knows Laperriere well. 

Back in May, the Flyers hired Laperrié as an advisor to their hockey operations department after being let go by Lehigh, but has, clearly, since decided to take on more of a hands-on job with the Islanders. 

Drafted in the seventh round (No. 158) in 1992 by the St. Louis Blues, Laperriere played 16 years in the NHL with five different teams. He played 1,083 regular season cames, recording 121 goals and 215 assists for 336 points, while racking up 1,956 penalty minutes. 

With Mathieu Darche now the general manager of the Islanders, there have been a ton of changes, with the addition of Laperriere being the latest. 

Laperriere will report to Ryan Bowness, who was hired this summer as the Assistant General Manager and Director of Player Personnel, who will oversee the entirey of the pro scouting department. 

We have confirmed that Islanders legend Ken Morrow, who has been a pro scout with the Islanders since 1992, will remain as a scout. 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

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Basketball Hall of Famer George Raveling, who influenced Michael Jordan’s Nike deal, dies at 88

George Raveling, a Hall of Fame basketball coach who played a role in Michael Jordan signing a landmark endorsement deal with Nike, has died. Raveling's family said Tuesday in a statement that he had “faced cancer with courage and grace.” “There are no words to fully capture what George meant to his family, friends, colleagues, former players, and assistants — and to the world,” the family statement read.

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Five-Time AHL All-Star Cal O'Reilly Signs In Swiss NL

Five-time AHL All-Star and two-time Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award winner Cal O'Reilly has signed a contract with the SCL Tigers of the Swiss NL until the end of October with an option to extend. 

One of the most prolific players in AHL history, O'Reilly recorded 177 goals, 606 assists, and 783 points in 1022 games over parts of 18 seasons. He has the eighth most games played in league history, sits sixth all-time in assists, and is 18th all-time in points. 

The 38-year-old recorded 11 goals and 49 points in 68 games to lead the Milwaukee Admirals in scoring last season and was an assistant captain. 

A fifth round selection of the Nashville Predators in 2005, O'Reilly has 16 goals and 49 points in 145 career NHL games with the Predators, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Buffalo Sabres, and Minnesota Wild.

O'Reilly is known as a fantastic leader and won the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award as the AHL player who best exemplifies sportsmanship in 2021 and 2025. He served as captain with four different AHL franchises over his career. 

An AHL All-Star in 2009, 2010, 2015, 2016, and 2019, O'Reilly led the Calder Cup Playoffs in assists in 2015. 

While he is only signed until the end of October there is a good chance we have seen O'Reilly's Hall of Fame AHL career come to an end. 

Check out our AHL to KHL signing tracker and AHL Free Agency signing tracker.

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Two Giants prospects highlighted in Baseball America's weekly Hot Sheet ranking

Two Giants prospects highlighted in Baseball America's weekly Hot Sheet ranking originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants’ farm system has had an impressive 2025 season, making the largest jump of any organization in MLB.com’s August rankings.

This past week, two Giants prospects particularly showed out to earn recognition in Baseball America’s Hot Sheet, which highlights the 20 hottest players in the minor leagues.

The hype around Marco Luciano has faded after he was a mainstay among the MLB’s top 100 prospects for several years. But the 23-year-old slugger had a huge week with Triple-A Sacramento to earn the No. 20 spot on this list.

Now primarily playing in left field, Luciano went 9-for-22 with four extra-base hits and eight runs across five games. His massive home run to center field on Sunday only went 436 feet (not 508 feet as initially listed by Statcast) for his 23rd of the season.

“With weeks like this, it’s easy to still hold out a flicker of hope for Luciano, the Giants’ former top prospect whose star has faded in recent years as he’s scuffled at Triple-A,” Baseball America’s Josh Norris wrote. “He hasn’t torn it up this year, but his last two months have provided reason for optimism. Since July 1, Luciano, who is days away from turning 24, has hit .252/.411/.585 with eight doubles, 11 home runs and nearly as many walks (34) as strikeouts (36).”

At No. 9 is a new face in the Giants’ organization, outfielder Parks Harber. The 23-year-old was acquired at the MLB trade deadline when San Francisco sent Camilo Doval to the New York Yankees.

Playing with the Giants’ High-A affiliate in Eugene, Harber batted 9-for-24 with a whopping five home runs in just one week.

“Harber, acquired from the Yankees in the Camilo Doval trade, brings a power-first profile to the organization,” Jesús Cano detailed. “He launched 20 homers during his senior season at North Carolina, and that raw strength has continued to translate in pro ball. That power erupted this week with a five-homer outburst. If he can build on that momentum, Harber could become a slugging threat.”

Though Harber currently isn’t listed among the Giants’ top 30 prospects according to MLB Pipeline or Baseball America, the organization will hope he can continue this momentum through the rest of the season and beyond.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Three NHL Calder Candidates Flying Under The Radar

The NHL's Calder Trophy race is always one of the most unpredictable storylines heading into the NHL season.

While much of the spotlight tends to shine on hyped rookies and high draft picks, history has shown that lesser-discussed players can emerge as serious contenders.

Artemi Panarin, Kirill Kaprizov and, most recently, Dustin Wolf, are just a few of the stars who have proven that opportunity, situation and timing can be just as important as raw talent.

The 2025-26 NHL rookie class is stacked with potential difference-makers, such as Ivan Demidov and Zeev Buium. But let’s look at three players who may be flying under the radar for potential Calder Trophy consideration.

Sam Rinzel, D, Chicago Blackhawks

Calder Trophy winner odds on BetMGM: 41.00 (+4,000)

Sam Rinzel is joining a crowded dressing room of young defenders within the Chicago Blackhawks organization.

The Blackhawks have eight defensemen who played NHL games last year under contract heading into the 2025-26 season, not including RFA Wyatt Kaiser. Seven of them are younger than 25. It’s far too early to cement anyone’s role within the lineup, but Rinzel possesses the skill set to be the team’s top offensive defenseman this season.

Rinzel joined the Blackhawks for the team’s final nine games of last season and showed some real offensive promise, finishing with five assists, three of which came on the man-advantage. He led the Blackhawks in ice time per game in that stretch (23:22) and was immediately thrust onto the team’s top power-play unit.

It’s a short sample size, but that level of production would give Rinzel 45 points over an 82-game season, which would likely put him near the top of rookie defenders in scoring.

Unfortunately, the Blackhawks will likely not be near playoff contention this season, making it difficult for him to make a case for himself to have improved a franchise as much as other rookies. While it will be difficult for him to stand out, it shouldn’t rule out his chance completely.

Jimmy Snuggerud (Jeff Le-Imagn Images)

Jimmy Snuggerud, RW, St. Louis Blues

Calder Trophy winner odds on BetMGM: 18.00 (+1,700)

Jimmy Snuggerud made his NHL debut on April 1 and played in seven regular-season games with the St. Louis Blues, where he recorded a goal and three assists.

However, the Minneapolis, Minn., native was also an integral part in all seven of the team’s first-round playoff games against the Winnipeg Jets, picking up two goals and two assists in the series.

Snuggerud was slotted on the Blues’ top line alongside Robert Thomas and Pavel Buchnevich, and that role appears to be his to lose heading into training camp this fall. He even took some shifts on the top power-play unit, which could give him every opportunity to be a top offensive contributor for the Blues this season.

Snuggerud, 21, enters the season as one of the older rookies eligible for the Calder Trophy, putting him in a much more advantageous position over this rookie class of forwards. He’s also already earned the trust of coach Jim Montgomery with his offensive instincts and scoring ability, as he was playing just over 17 minutes per game in the playoffs.

There’s not a ton of competition for Snuggerud’s role with Jordan Kyrou being glued to the wing of Brayden Schenn on the team’s second line. If he can replicate the same level of production over 82 games and solidify himself as a top-line player, there’s a strong chance he’ll be a finalist for the Calder when the season concludes.

NHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Catch Up On Every Team’s PipelineNHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Catch Up On Every Team’s PipelineThe NHL prospect pool overview series is our annual summer series breaking down every team's prospect pipeline.

Leevi Merilainen, G, Ottawa Senators

Calder Trophy winner odds on BetMGM: 61.00 (+6,000)

The goaltending situation in Ottawa will be intriguing this season.

Leevi Merilainen, a third-round pick in 2020, suited up 12 times for the Senators last season and had an impressive .925 save percentage and 1.99 goals-against average. His 8-3-1 record in that span helped the Senators end a losing skid and put them back on course for a playoff spot.

That short stint would indicate that he’s undoubtedly earned himself the chance to play a larger role throughout the regular season, now that backup Anton Forsberg signed with the Los Angeles Kings.

Obviously, the Senators have a commitment to Linus Ullmark for the next four years with a hefty $8.25-million cap hit, but his injury history, age and overall durability would suggest that Ottawa may have a tandem this season as opposed to Ullmark carrying a heavy workload.

In his 10-year NHL career, Ullmark’s career high in games played is 49, coming with the Boston Bruins in the 2022-23 season. His statistics have been remarkable within the 40-to-50 game range. But if Merilainen continues to have positive outings, then there’s less pressure on coach Travis Green to have Ullmark overwork himself in favor of having him well-rested for a potential playoff run.

It will be a crowded field of players for the Calder Trophy, and with only three goaltenders winning in the last 25 years, the odds are stacked against Merilainen. However, if the Senators can build off their 2024-25 campaign and remain in post-season contention, there’s a good chance he played a big part in that success and could be a worthy candidate for the award.

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

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Where Jonathan Kuminga's contract saga with Warriors stands entering September

Where Jonathan Kuminga's contract saga with Warriors stands entering September originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The ongoing saga between the Warriors and restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga has persisted past Labor Day. NBA training camp is in four weeks, and the Oct. 1 deadline for Kuminga to accept the qualifying offer is under a month away. So, where are the two sides?

Still miles apart it appears. 

The one-year, $7.9 million qualifying offer remains the most attractive offer to Kuminga at the moment, sources continue to tell NBC Sports Bay Area. The Warriors have offered a two-year contract worth roughly $45 million, but are holding strong to a team option for the second year, while Kuminga and his camp have made it clear they want a player option for Year 2.

To ensure Kuminga doesn’t sign the qualifying offer, which essentially would eliminate any option of trading him this season and severely hurt roster building, the Warriors will have to convince him what they’re proposing is that much better than the last resort. The first way to do that is ceding the team option for a player option. The second is simply to give him more money up front, making the team option less of a sticking point in the end.

Year 1 of the Warriors’ offer is $21.75 million, per sources, but because of the base salary compensation rule, Kuminga’s outgoing salary is equal to half of that. So, much of this entire situation comes down to control. 

Through four years, Kuminga and the Warriors have yet to find common ground on who he presently is as a player, who he can be with more opportunities and who he will be in the future. The way this offseason has played out only has furthered Kuminga’s desire to control his own destiny and how his future plays out. Kuminga wants to make sure that no matter who his next employer is, he’s comfortable and confident he is being set up for success from the start.

There has been confusion as to why Kuminga would hold steady to the inherent no-trade clause of a qualifying offer, as well as a player option for the second year with the assumption he wants to be somewhere else aside from the Warriors. Kuminga doesn’t want to be used as a “pawn” for a team where he has seen himself as the scapegoat, and he still doesn’t fully know what his role will be going into his fifth NBA season with the likelihood that he still isn’t a starter and might not close games.

Signing the qualifying offer is a risk for Kuminga. His agent, Aaron Turner, isn’t discrediting that. However, the risk is much more on the Warriors. 

With an aging core of Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, letting Kuminga sign the qualifying offer would take away the Warriors’ best asset at the NBA trade deadline for another big-time name. Kuminga then would have zero trade value because no team can extend off that. Golden State loses his Bird Rights, Kuminga’s Warriors tenure would be done after this next season without getting anything back for him after spurning multiple trade offers for him in previous years, and the situation would make Kuminga a distraction, at least in a media sense, all season because of the nature of the qualifying offer. 

The nightmare scenario the qualifying offer presents digs a far bigger hole for the Warriors than it does for Kuminga. 

The main example of the qualifying offer risks for Kuminga is Nerlens Noel. The Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 2017 initially offered Noel a four-year, $70 million contract that he spurned in hopes of signing a maximum contract offer that never came. He then instead signed a $4.1 million qualifying offer with the Mavs, but greatly disappointed in an injury-filled season where Noel only played 30 games and averaged 4.4 points. 

Noel signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder the next offseason on a two-year, veteran’s minimum contract.

Here’s the difference: Noel already missed his entire rookie year because of a torn ACL, and missed 31 games the season going into his contract dispute. At the time of turning down $70 million, Noel had averaged 10.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while averaging 27.6 minutes. He never was the scoring option Kuminga is and was in a different contractual world than him.

Kuminga doesn’t have a $66 million gap between the contract he’s being offered and the qualifying offer. The gap really is a little more than $13 million when looking at the one-year qualifying offer and the first year of the contract the Warriors currently have on the table. He surely would have insurance policies to lessen the risk, too. The former No. 7 overall pick turns 23 years old on Oct. 6 and is confident his next contract easily will exceed $13 million annually.

The Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns both offered Kuminga long-term contracts, empowering him with a starting role and making it known he’d be their power forward of the future. Contracts from the Kings and Suns included a player option, according to sources, but both were dependent on the Warriors agreeing to a sign-and-trade that never enticed their front office enough to do so.

None of the NBA’s four restricted free agents – Kuminga, Josh Giddey, Cam Thomas and Quinten Grimes – have signed a contract yet. The first domino must fall soon. Nothing is close between the Warriors and Kuminga, sources say, with both sides waiting for someone to blink first.

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As only team with cap space, Brooklyn remains open to taking on salary for future picks

Brooklyn Nets general manager Sean Marks has been doing this all summer long: He took on the contracts of Denver's Michael Porter Jr., Atlanta's Terance Mann and Miami's Haywood Highsmith this summer and got a couple of first-round picks — one used in June to select Drake Powell — and what is expected to be a high second.

Marks may not be done, reports Brian Lewis at the New York Post.

The Nets are the only team with remaining cap space, about $14.3 million, and Lewis said don't be surprised if the Nets use that space to take on a player and contract another team does not want at the price of another first-round pick. The problem is the Nets are pushing up against the 15-player limit once Day'Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams' contracts are inked, and if the team signs Ricky Council IV, as rumored, that would have them up against the limit.

The one potential hurdle is the ongoing restricted free agency dance with Cam Thomas. The Nets would use up most of that cap space if Thomas took the two-year, $24 million offer the team put on the table, however, he thinks that is insultingly low and could play for his $6 million qualifying offer to become a restricted free agent next summer. Either way, that would eat into the team's cap space and roster spots.

Marks and the Nets surprised the league by using all five of their draft picks back in June, rather than trading one or two, but the Nets are all in on their youth movement, and adding more picks as part of that could happen.

Which means don't think the Nets are done.

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Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving And Darren Ferris Discuss Free Agent — Could It Be Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk?

Even after the Mitch Marner saga, player agent Darren Ferris says it’s business as usual with Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving.

The agent appeared on the 100% Hockey Podcast with Daren Millard and John Shannon last week to discuss Marner’s departure from the Maple Leafs and his arrival with the Vegas Golden Knights after a sign-and-trade in late June.

Toronto and Marner agreed to an eight-year, $96 million contract before sending him to Vegas in exchange for Nicolas Roy. Marner’s exit from the Maple Leafs was, and still is, a massive talking point amongst fans within Toronto.

However, during the interview with Millard and Shannon, Ferris indicated that nothing had changed within the relationship between the agent and GM, adding that the two had spoken about a free agent recently.

“[The relationship is] still cordial. I’ve known Brad quite a while. He’s a good man, and he’s got a tough job in front of him. Toronto’s not an easy organization to work in with all the noise on the outside, but he seems to weather it. Everything’s fine between us,” said Ferris. 

“We were talking about a free agent that I have currently that’s still out there, just recently acquired, and we just had a discussion, and we continue to, I mean, it’s business as usual.”

Among the free agents still available under Ferris is defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. The 31-year-old is coming off a full season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he tallied one goal and 40 points while averaging 20:37 of ice time on the blue line.

Grzelcyk had the second most points among Penguins defensemen, and if he were on the Maple Leafs, he’d have been one point off Morgan Rielly for the team lead. This past season with Pittsburgh was his best year to date, as he registered career highs in assists and average ice time.

Would bringing in Grzelcyk make sense for Toronto?

If there’s anything different about the upcoming season for the Maple Leafs, it’s the amount of quality defensemen they already have within the organization.

Any team, of course, would love to have as many defenders as possible, just in case injuries pop up, and the Maple Leafs have that. They’ve got the six defensemen (Rielly, Brandon Carlo, Chris Tanev, Jake McCabe, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Simon Benoit) who just helped push the Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers to seven games.

Toronto has also brought in Henry Thrun from the San Jose Sharks in the Ryan Reaves trade, plus they have Matt Benning, Dakota Mermis, Philippe Myers, Marshall Rifai, and William Villeneuve waiting in the ranks.

The only reason Toronto should bring Grzelcyk in is if they’re afraid of losing a couple of defensemen to waivers at the beginning of the season, which could very well occur. 

Benning has mentioned he’d like a chance in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, or elsewhere. He could be a candidate to move if he has a strong training camp with Toronto and doesn’t make the team. 

The Maple Leafs kept Myers as depth for most of last season, which I’d assume they’d do again after signing him to a two-year, $1.7 million contract in January. I could see them doing that with Thrun instead, depending on which player has a better training camp.

Adding Grzelcyk wouldn’t necessarily be a bad move, especially if he comes in on a professional tryout, similar to how Max Pacioretty and Steven Lorentz did last training camp. As it stands currently, though, the Maple Leafs have $1,919,722 in cap space, according to PuckPedia.com.

Would you rather see Toronto spend that on another depth defender like Grzelcyk, with the chance of losing a couple of defensemen at the start of the season to waivers? Or would you like to see Treliving keep that money for an addition at the trade deadline?

Either way, these last few weeks before training camp could be fascinating to watch if you’re a fan of the Maple Leafs.

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Padres' Jason Adam, the pitcher the Dodgers can't score against, is out for the season

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 01: Jason Adam #40 of the San Diego Padres grimaces in pain after huring himself on a pitch during the seventh inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Petco Park on September 01, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
San Diego Padres pitcher Jason Adam ruptured a quad tendon while trying to field a comebacker against the Baltimore Orioles at Petco Park on Monday. (Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)

San Diego Padres pitcher Jason Adam is out for the season after he ruptured a quad tendon Monday when planting his left foot while trying to field a comebacker.

Now we know what can tilt a pennant race between two teams whose performance has been roughly even with a month to go before the playoffs.

An injury is never celebrated, but it can prompt a feeling of relief, which is probably the Dodgers' unspoken reaction.

Adam, you see, is untouchable when pitching against the Dodgers. He has never given up a run to them in 15 appearances dating back to 2019.

A 6-foot-3, right-handed reliever with a funky, short-armed delivery, Adam hasn't been scored on in six appearances against the Dodgers this season, five appearances last season — including three in the National League Division Series — two more in 2023 and two in 2019.

Dodgers hitters are seven for 51 (.137) with one double, two walks and 16 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings against Adam, who usually pitches the seventh or eighth inning, although he does have 24 career saves.

Read more:What's behind Clayton Kershaw's pitching revival in his 18th season? 'The bowl'

Adam is tough for anyone to hit, despite being particularly dominant against Los Angeles. Acquired by the Padres from the Tampa Bay Rays at the 2024 trade deadline, he is 11-4 with a 1.37 earned-run average in 92 appearances since then.

Now, though, he is sidelined until 2026, and the Padres recognize that the loss is profound.

“When that happens, you focus on the big picture, his health, what it means to the team,” Padres outfielder Gavin Sheets told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “It definitely puts a dark cloud over the day for all of us.”

The Padres — like the Dodgers — have lost key players to injury. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts is on the injured list with a fracture in his left foot. All-Star right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. pulled his right hamstring Sunday and did not play Monday.

General manager A.J. Preller fortified the roster at the trading deadline, and Adam told him after the injury Monday that he was grateful for the addition of dynamic reliever Mason Miller.

Read more:Dodgers Dugout: What to do about Tanner Scott?

"I told A.J., I’m really glad he went out and got Mason," Adam told reporters. "I’m excited to cheer those guys on.

"Knowing this group, the mental toughness they have, the skill, there is everything in this clubhouse to win the World Series. You want to be a part of that.... That’s the hardest part."

The Dodgers figured they had tilted the bullpen balance in their direction when they signed Padres closer Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72-million free-agent contract during the offseason.

But Scott has been disappointing, posting a 4.44 ERA with eight blown saves for the Dodgers, including giving up a three-run home run Sunday.

Miller, meanwhile, has a 1.64 ERA in 11 appearances with the Padres. All he could think about Monday was his teammate Adam.

"Really heartbreaking.... obviously, it sucks losing him, not only for what he does on the mound but the type of person he is," Miller said.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Kyle Harrison getting called up to Red Sox, likely to debut Wednesday: Reports

Kyle Harrison getting called up to Red Sox, likely to debut Wednesday: Reports originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Though the Red Sox have thrived since trading away Rafael Devers in June, they haven’t had much to show for the deal in terms of the players they acquired making meaningful contributions in Boston.

The team is hoping that will change this week, as left-hander Kyle Harrison reportedly is due to make his Red Sox debut.

Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported Tuesday that Harrison is being called up to Boston. MassLive’s Christopher Smith added shortly thereafter that Harrison is likely to make his Red Sox debut on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians.

MLB.com’s Ian Browne further clarified that while the starting pitcher for Wednesday’s game has yet to be decided, Harrison projects to be pitching either as a starter or in relief in the series finale against the Guardians.

When rosters expanded on Monday, the Red Sox called up pitcher Zack Kelly and catcher Ali Sanchez. Kelly, who has a 5.56 ERA and 1.456 WHIP in 17 appearances for Boston this season, could be the choice to send back down to Worcester to make room for Harrison on Wednesday.

A 24-year-old lefty, Harrison does have big league experience, having made 39 appearances (35 starts) with San Francisco since 2023. He’s just 9-9 with a 4.59 ERA and 1.297 WHIP in those outings. Since joining the Red Sox organization, he’s pitched for Triple-A Worcester, going 4-2 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.561 WHIP in his 11 starts.

Walks have been an issue, with Harrison issuing 26 free passes in his 49.1 innings of work, limiting him to a 1.85 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He also hasn’t been able to go too deep into games, averaging just over 4.1 innings per start.

Yet Harrison has been solid for Worcester after a shaky adjustment period, when he allowed 11 earned runs over 13 innings (7.62 ERA) in his first three starts. Since then, he’s allowed just nine earned runs over 36.1 innings (2.23 ERA) over his last nine starts.

Alex Cora and the Red Sox have been monitoring that progress, with the manager telling the media in mid-August that Harrison was part of the team’s potential solutions to issues with the rotation.

Since then, the team released veteran starter Walker Buehler and promoted top pitching prospect Payton Tolle, who electrified Fenway Park last Friday night — albeit in what turned out to be a painful loss to the Pirates.

Given his ample major league experience, Harrison does not qualify as a prospect. Nevertheless, the Red Sox are hoping for another positive injection of youth to the rotation as they continue their push toward a postseason berth.

As for the rest of the return for Devers, Jordan Hicks has a 6.38 ERA and 1.800 WHIP in 20 relief appearances. The Red Sox traded the outfielder acquired in the Devers trade (James Tibbs III) as part of the package to acquire Dustin May (1-4, 5.68 ERA in five starts), while 20-year-old Jose Bello has been pitching for Single-A Salem since being acquired.

When Harrison joins the Red Sox, he’ll do so in the midst of a heated playoff race in the AL East. Boston enters Tuesday tied with the Yankees for the top wild-card spot in the American League, while both teams also sit just 2.5 games behind Toronto in the AL East.

While facing a big-league team is never “easy,” Harrison shouldn’t have the roughest welcome back to the majors against the Guardians, who own an MLB-worst .223 team batting average and 29th-ranked .660 team OPS. Those numbers are even worse against lefties, with the team batting just .219 with a .631 against southpaws.

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It's time for Mets to add Brandon Sproat to the starting rotation situation

Before the Mets outlasted the Tigers on Monday in Detroit, Sean Manaea had another disappointing outing, allowing five runs on eight hits in just 3.2 innings.

In nine starts this season, Manaea -- who has a 5.60 ERA and 1.24 WHIP -- has pitched into the sixth inning just once. And he has failed to complete five innings in three of his last six outings.

Pitching the day before Manaea, Kodai Sengaallowed five runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings against a bad Marlins team.

It's been a tale of two seasons for Senga, who has a 5.90 ERA (5.75 FIP) in 39.2 innings over nine starts since returning from his hamstring injury -- and who has been trying to get his mechanics right for quite some time.

Against the backdrop of Manaea and Senga struggling (while often putting the team behind the eight ball and taxing the bullpen) is the Mets' new six-man rotation, which also features David Peterson, Clay Holmes, and rookies Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong. 

After Senga's recent start, manager Carlos Mendoza seemed to hint that he might not make his next one. But following Monday's game, Mendoza said both Senga and Manaea remain part of the rotation.

What that means specifically is anyone's guess. Perhaps one of them will have a start skipped. Maybe one or both will be used in a piggyback situation. 

What doesn't seem to be happening is either one landing on the IL. 

Sep 1, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea (59) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Comerica Park.
Sep 1, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Sean Manaea (59) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the first inning at Comerica Park. / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Manaea, who is pitching with loose bodies in his left elbow, says he's fine. And there is seemingly nothing physical ailing Senga.

No matter how the Mets attempt to get Senga and Manaea back on the right track, though, it's time to add the flamethrowing Triple-A Syracuse right-handerBrandon Sproatto the rotation situation.

Sproat, who watched both McLean and Tong reach the majors before him (with Tong needing just two Triple-A starts before being deemed ready), made an emphatic statement in his latest start following a blip last week when he was used in relief.

While firing 7.0 shutout innings on Saturday, Sproat allowed just three hits while walking two and striking out nine.

Since making a change ahead of his start on June 28 -- basically deciding to be more aggressive and let it fly -- Sproat has a 2.44 ERA in 59.0 innings.

He's also been missing bats at a higher clip, racking up eight or more strikeouts on five occasions since then after not doing so at all over his first 15 games of the season.

There are two big questions regarding Sproat.

The first is when to possibly insert him into the rotation, while the second obviously revolves around how he'll perform in the majors.

Mar 6, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Brandon Sproat (91) pitches against the Houston Astros at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Mar 6, 2025; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Brandon Sproat (91) pitches against the Houston Astros at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / © Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

With New York in the heat of a pennant race and facing the Tigers, Reds, and Phillies during a current 10-game road trip, there really isn't a safe landing spot to toss Sproat into the mix.

But that should not be a deterrent for a team that has watched Senga and Manaea struggle, has seen Peterson wobble a bit lately, and is smartly treading carefully with Holmes as he continues to add more innings to a season total that is already more than 70 past his prior career-high.

As far as how Sproat will fare if given the chance, there's only one way to find out.

McLean has been dominant since being called up and Tong showed moxie in his strong debut, but -- as Mendoza explained last week before Tong's debut when he was trying to smack down any Tong/McLean comparisons -- these prospects should not be compared to one another. 

In any event, it could make sense for the Mets to have Sproat start Friday's series-opener against the Reds in Cincinnati, use Tong on Saturday, have Peterson go on Sunday, and skip Senga's turn to allow him time to work on some things.

In order to fit Sproat on the 28-man roster, the Mets could conceivably choose one of Brandon Waddell or Justin Hagenman to be sent back to Triple-A.

As far as how to fit Sproat in for the remaining three weeks or so of regular season games, that might be a bit of a juggling act. But it's an act worth doing as the Mets attempt to secure a postseason berth. They cannot simply keep trotting Senga and Manaea out there every sixth day and hope for different results.

If the Mets do indeed make the playoffs, Sproat can easily be added to the roster if he's deemed to be a fit.

The first step, though, is getting Sproat to the majors. And it's a step that should be only a few days away.