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Cubs BCB After Dark: Could the Cubs trade for Steven Kwan?

CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 17: Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a Single during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game four of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field on October 17, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s Tuesday here at BCB After Dark: the boppin’ home base for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the fall air. There’s no cover charge. If you’ve got a coat, we can check that. There are still a couple tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.

BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.

Last night, I asked you if the Cubs should make a change to the pitching coaches. I think Tommy Hottovy and Casey Jacobson are glad you’re not running the team, because 42 percent said “yes” and 38 percent of you said “no.” The other twenty percent said it didn’t make a difference either way.

On Tuesday nights, I don’t do any movie stuff. But I always have time for jazz and that time is now.

So I sort of lied when I said there would be no movies tonight, because I do have a clip from the 1936 film Pennies from Heaven. The film starred Bing Crosby, but the clip we have here is Louis Armstrong and his band performing “Skeletons in the Closet.”

So here’s a good classic to get you in the holiday mood. There’s a little Bing Crosby in here too.

Welcome back to everyone who skips the music.

So I was going to wait until the World Series was over to post tonight, but I don’t think this Brewers/Rays game is never going to end. I guess it doesn’t make much difference because even with a Rays win, the Brewers are overwhelming favorites to win it all.

So I thought I’d ask you about a trade candidate. The Cubs are looking at losing both of their corner outfielders to free agency, so they need to pick someone up to play right and left field if Ian Happ and/or Seiya Suzuki don’t return. The problem is that there aren’t a lot of good free agent outfielders out there and the Cubs may prefer to stay away from making a major commitment to one anyways as Josiah Hartshorn and Kane Kepley are two of their best prospects and both may be knocking on the door for a major league job in 2028. Behind them are Caden Sorrell and Ethan Conrad, both of whom could also be good starting outfielders soon enough.

So maybe the trade market is the way to go. I found this article by Mark Feinsand on MLB dot com from last month and one name struck me as intriguing—the Guardians Steven Kwan. Kwan doesn’t have much power. He had 14 and 11 home runs in 2024 and 2025, but he managed just three home runs last year and a .349 slugging percentage. However, Kwan does a lot of other things well. He makes a ton of contact and gets on base. Last year he had a career-high on-base percentage of .382. His strikeout percentage last year was a ridiculously low eight percent. He’s an excellent defensive left fielder. He runs the bases OK, stealing ten bases in 13 attempts last year.

Looking at Kwan’s Statcast page, you can see it’s a matter of extremes.

Terrible bat speed, slugging and exit velocity. Elite launch angle, chase, whiff and walk rates. Elite defender.

So why would the Guardians want to trade Kwan? Simple. He’s a free agent after this upcoming season. With this upcoming season in doubt, it makes sense for Cleveland to get something for Kwan rather than lose him to free agency. For the Cubs, that works out as Kwan wouldn’t be blocking any of the Cubs outfield prospects.

It’s hard to say what it would take for the Cubs to trade for Kwan. They definitely want someone cheap with years of control. Would it be worth it for the Cubs to trade Matt Shaw for him? Shaw has been disappointing, but he’s still young and he still has room to grow. He’s also very versatile and that’s pretty valuable. But with the emergence of Pedro Ramírez, maybe the Cubs can afford to part with him more than a prospect like Harsthorn or Owen Ayers.

So if there was a proposed trade of Matt Shaw for Steven Kwan, who says no?

If you think Shaw is too much for Kwan, then propose your own deal in the comments.

Thank you for stopping by tonight. Let’s hope we have more baseball soon. Get home safely. If you checked anything, let us get it for you now. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow night for more BCB After Dark.

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Watch rookie Cooper Pratt's go-ahead World Series home run for Brewers

Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt launched a solo homer to right field off Tampa Bay Rays reliever Ian Seymour to break the tie and give the Brewers a 3-2 lead in the top of the 12th inning.

Pratt's homer was his fourth hit in Game 4 of the World Series.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Watch rookie Cooper Pratt's go-ahead World Series home run for Brewers

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Clippers fan’s LeBron James trash talk backfires in brutal fashion

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Philadelphia 76ers player standing on the court during a game against the Detroit Pistons, Image 2 shows A female reporter holding a microphone and interviewing a man holding a basketball on the court
A Clippers fan blasts LeBron James during a game.

Sometimes fans should consider thinking before they speak.

Especially when you’re going to call out a future Hall of Famer like LeBron James.

During an intermission segment at a Clippers game, a fan called out James’ age before he began a shooting contest at Intuit Dome.

“I feel good and I’m gonna show LeBron how a 40-year-old is supposed to do it,” the fan said.

During an intermission segment at the Clippers vs. Lakers game on Friday night, a Clippers fan called out James’ age before he began a shooting contest at Intuit Dome. X / @Shane00

After calling out James, the fan took his place on the free-throw line at Intuit Dome and began attempting to shoot the ball into the basket near the right corner of the rim.

Before his first shot, the fan was already stumbling on the court as he appeared off-balanced in his shooting form.

Once he found a comfortable position, he started shooting and needed four attempts to make his first basket.

The fan went to the front left side and attempted to shoot again, but missed three in a row.

Before the fan finished the challenge, the video came to an end.

Austin Reaves ignites a 16-4 run against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

The feeling of his second-hand embarrassment emerged on X when the account @Shane00 posted the video with the caption, “Perfect representation of LeBron haters.”

Six hours after the video appeared, it garnered 184,700 views, with 62 comments, 238 reposts, 2,800 likes, and 298 saves.

Basketball fans started entering the comments of the post and began trolling the man for his comments.

@IshbakaTheDemon wrote, “I mean that is how 40 year is supposed to do it��buddy was not wrong.”

LeBron James against the Pistons on Tuesday night. Getty Images

“He’s right that’s how a 40 year old is supposed to do it,” @Alagie04 wrote.

James and the fan both got trolled by @Vaslive12 when they mentioned James’ performance in the 2011 NBA Finals by writing, “Well, to be fair, he did look like LeBron in that Heat-Mavs series.”

As of now, the Clippers and Lakers rivalry is at an all-time low right now, James is off to new endeavors, playing in his 24th season in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers. Through three games, he’s averaged 16.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists.

The two teams met for the first time this season on Friday night, and the Clippers suffered a 125-117 loss that featured Austin Reaves sparking a 16-4 run in the third.

The Clippers will get a shot at redemption on Wednesday night, when they host the Lakers at 7:30 p.m. PT.

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Lakers rookie takes major step toward debut after frustrating injury setback

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Cameron Carr of the Los Angeles Lakers arrives at the arena wearing a team sweatshirt and sweatpants, carrying headphones, Image 2 shows Cameron Carr of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during a game, Image 3 shows Cameron Carr of the Los Angeles Lakers stands on the court during a game against the Golden State Warriors

Cameron Carr took a step in the right direction with his recovery from a strained right oblique. 

The Lakers rookie practiced with the franchise’s G League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Lakers, on Tuesday before being recalled to the NBA team.

Cameron Carr has been sidelined since the preseason because of an oblique injury. NBAE via Getty Images

Carr has been sidelined since the first week of the preseason because of the injury, sitting out of the last three exhibitions and first four regular season games, including Tuesday’s matchup against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday. 

Coach JJ Redick responded “still working through that” when asked if there was an update on when Carr could make his regular season debut. 

Cameron Carr hasn’t played since Oct. 6. NBAE via Getty Images

“He was able to do a full practice,” Redick said. “Five games in seven nights, we’re not going to be able to practice this week, and wanted to be cognizant of his ramp up and what he needed to do to be back in our lineup.”

Tuesday was the first night of a back-to-back set for the Lakers, who’ll play the Clippers on Wednesday at Intuit Dome.

They’ll play the Warriors in San Francisco on Friday before another back-to-back against the Raptors (Sunday) and Heat (Monday) in Los Angeles.

Cameron Carr of the Los Angeles Lakers stands on the court during a preseason game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026. Getty Images

The Lakers’ practice opportunities are limited over the next couple of weeks with the amount of games through early November, leading to them using their G League affiliate to get No. 24 pick in June’s NBA draft on-court work.

Carr had a brilliant preseason debut, scoring 19 points in the Oct. 5 win over the Kings before playing 15 minutes in the Oct. 6 loss to the Warriors.

“We needed him to be able to get through a full practice,” Redick said. “So that’s probably a very important step. Obviously, he was able to do some level of conditioning because it was an upper body injury. But want to make sure he’s able to take hits and be in shape.”

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Houston Rockets vs. Milwaukee Bucks game preview

HOUSTON, TEXAS - APRIL 01: Ousmane Dieng #21 of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket against Tari Eason #17 of the Houston Rockets in the first half at Toyota Center on April 01, 2026 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Houston Rockets are 4-0 for the first time in over a decade.

The NBA got rid of the “four games in five nights” thing that everyone hated, but the Rockets are about to get the next-best thing: three games in four nights! It’s already the second time Houston is getting this fun treat after opening the season with the same setup. Another quirk? Houston doesn’t play a game on Thursday until January. That’s usually a day reserved for national television games, but it’s still odd.

Anyway, time to move on to the opponents. The Milwaukee Bucks are 1-3 after picking up their first win of the season against the Indiana Pacers on Monday night. Amen Thompson’s nemesis Tyler Herro scored 23 points and had seven assists to lead the way while Myles Turner added four blocks against his former squad.

Of course, Herro is now with the Bucks after Milwaukee traded Giannis Antetokounmpo after two years of Giannis whispering that he wanted to be traded because he didn’t want to be hated by the fans for demanding a trade. Eventually, everyone moved on and Giannis is with the Heat. With the Heat 0-4 to start the season, many are already declaring Milwaukee the winners of the trade, which is a bit silly. The Bucks did get back a decent haul, but not necessarily anything that will anchor a contender in the near future. Along with Herro, the Bucks received Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jaucionis, the 13th pick in the 2026 draft (Nate Ament), first round picks in 2031 and 2033, a first round swap in 2030, and a second round pick in 2033. Again, it’s a great haul, but it’s the picks that loom largest.

Each of the players mentioned are contributing to the Bucks at the moment. Herro and Jaquez Jr. are starting, and Ament, Ware, and Jakucionis are coming off the bench. The Bucks also drafted Brayden Burries out of Arizona, who is also getting minutes early in the season.

Tip-off

7pm CT

How To Watch

Space City Home Network

Injury Report

Rockets

Alperen Sengun: OUT

Steven Adams: OUT

Marcus Smart: GTD

Bucks

None

The Line (as of this post)

N/A

Check here for updates

Schedule Advantage Counter

Rockets: 0

Opponents: 1

Looking ahead because we can

Friday night in Dallas against the Mavericks

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Nets let first win slip away in heartbreaking fashion to Celtics, lose in OT, 125-124

BOSTON, MA - OCTOBER 27: Mikel Brown Jr. #0 of the Brooklyn Nets makes the game tying shot against the Boston Celtics on October 27, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets got about as close you can get to your first win of the season without actually getting it tonight. It was as encouraging and heartbreaking as it sounds.

Adding to the bittersweet sentiment, Brooklyn’s prized rookie was in the driver’s seat for this one’s most pivotal moments. He took us up, down, side to side, and deeper into the night than we originally anticipated. Here’s how we got there…

The Nets began tonight’s contest with a different starting five for the first time all season, making a change at the point guard spot. No, I’m not talking about Mikel Brown Jr. As Bane harrowingly said in the opening sequence of The Dark Knight Rises, that comes later.

It was actually Nolan Traoré who made his first start of the season this evening against the Boston Celtics. And, the Frenchman looked confident and collected early on, with little-to-no hesitation attacking inside after coming around screens. He made his first four shots to put up nine first quarter points, and even left Jayson Tatum in the dust on one of his drives…

Brooklyn also got a lift from an energized Day’Ron Sharpe in the first, who’s active hands helped the Nets mount a stingy first quarter defense for a second straight game. It wasn’t another seven steal opening frame, but Boston possessions that didn’t involve Brooklyn deflections were difficult to come by.

Speaking of the Celtics, for them, this was the second half of a back-to-back, and they didn’t do much to hide it. Boston, the best 3-point shooting team coming into tonight, began the contest just 2-of-15 from deep, more often than not missing short on their attempts.

Between that, Traoré‘s aggressiveness, and impactful contributions from Mo Wagner and Chaney Johnson, who combined for 23 points on 8-of-9 shooting in the first two periods, Brooklyn controlled almost the entire first half. The only Celtic they couldn’t keep under wraps was Jayson Tatum. Shocker, right? He had a game high 16 points at half while dishing four assists, but the Celtics still trailed going into the break by five.

We’d hear more from him later, but the second half’s opening minutes were our last chance to applaud Traoré, who again came out on the attack. He had arguably his strongest take of his career only a few minutes into the third, seemingly setting the tone for another strong half…

But unfortunately, “seemingly” is the key word in that sentence. Even in Boston, a city known its historical defiance of legislation, the law of averages had to be obeyed. After their dreadful first half, the Celtics shot 8-of-14 from deep in the third, eventually retaking the lead with 1:07 to go in the period. Their second-to-last make in that frame came off the hands of a well-covered Tatum from the top of the key, which just ate you up inside.

As Boston made its run at the lead, the YES broadcast reported that Traoré asked for a sub while indicating that he had been cramping, which Fernández confirmed to be true postgame. Traoré did play a little over a minute in the fourth, but no further, and with little impact on the game. He finished with 15 points and three assists while shooting 6-9 from the field and 1-of-2 from deep.

Day’Ron Sharpe picking up his fourth foul around the time of Traoré’s exit didn’t help either. Brooklyn had found some defensive success earlier with Mo Wagner in drop coverage, although that largely just helped them take care of the defensive glass, and Boston had simply stopped missing. The Nets’ six turnovers in the period also didn’t help.

But in the fourth, The Juniors did. Michael Porter Jr. and Mikel Brown Jr. combined for 25 points in the final frame while shooting 7-11 from downtown. Some of their haves looked like they came all the way from Dorchester. They found the bottom of the net regardless…

After trailing by as many as eight in the quarter, the Nets tied things six separate times, and even snagged the lead for themselves twice, as both groups went back and forth down the stretch.

However, as time ticked away, the game slowed, and that favored the more experienced team, the home team. After Brown Jr. snuck in a high, lefty finish that knotted up the game with under a minute to play, White got free on the next possession for an and-one finish that gave his team the lead back, now with only 33 seconds to go. Then, it was time to play the foul game, and Boston didn’t seem to know the rules.

After another string of misses from Brooklyn, Tatum went to the stripe to put his team up five with three seconds to go. He made the first free throw, but then missed the second as Neemias Queta committed a loose ball foul on Randle. That put Randle at the line, needing to make one shot to pull within three, and then miss in the hope someone would coral the rebound and hit a game-tying three.

Off the miss, the ball instead found Mitchell Robinson’s hands, but that wasn’t so bad either. The career 50.7% free throw shooter proceeded to miss both of his shots at he stripe, giving the Nets the ball back and the chance to hit a game-tying three with three seconds to play. Mikel Brown Jr. did that…

And, to overtime we went. With a new lease on life, the Nets came out swinging in the extra period. Randle pitched in a quick four points to establish an early lead while Porter Jr. registered two blocked shots to help defend it. Brown Jr. kept firing away as well, hitting one triple but missing three others.

Those blanks, however, left the door open for Boston. After Brown Jr.’s next miss, Randle, again going for an offensive rebound, fouled Paul George, who sank both of the free throws from it and made it a one point game with under a minute to go.

After Brown Jr. and Tatum traded misses, the Nets still possessed a one point lead and the ball, but with 28 seconds to go. Brown Jr. drove, hoping to ice it, but missed. Day’Ron Sharpe was originally called for an offensive foul after bumping into Luka Garza while going for the rebound, but a Jordi Fernández challenge overturned it.

So, with a fresh shot clock, a lead, and only six seconds remaining, the Nets just needed to inbound the ball and run out the clock to win.

Well, they did one of those things. After getting the ball into Brown Jr., he quickly found himself under the basket, and put up a shot. He missed. The Celtics then secured the rebound, called a timeout, and let Tatum work for his own look in isolation. He did not miss…

“Obviously on that layup, Mikel, you want to dribble it out because you want to take more time out of the clock and then they’ll foul you,” Fernández said postgame. “Good intentions, but if you go for the layup, you got to make it. But even if you make it, it’s still a one possession game. But he’ll learn from it. I just told him that he was not happy with himself and it’s a lot. But the kid also was a reason why we were there. He got it going and he showed that when the big lights are bright and they’re on, he can perform. So a lot of good things, a lot of the good things as a unit, and got to move on to the next one. I know it’s tough, but I take the positives.”

MBJ put it more succinctly in a tweet…

His father and childhood coach, Chris Brown Sr. praised his son for taking accountability for the losss…

After the game, Fernández also said that Brooklyn switched onto Tatum when they weren’t supposed to, leading to a better look than what they had hoped to give up.

“We’re not supposed to switch there because we wanted to keep a bigger body on him,” Fernández said. “We did switch. He bumped. Keon tried to contest and he got a shot that he can make… We wanted to maintain the matchup on Tatum with Noah Clowney because he’s big… And then he bumped and then he shot over. And then Keon, who was on the ball, was supposed to track and contest that or help a little bit because we knew that most likely the shot was for him.”

For Tatum, it was one of his biggest moments since coming back from his torn achilles late last year. He finished with 40 points, eight assists, and five rebounds while shooting 10-20 from the field. He also made 18-22 free throws.

For Brown Jr., who finished with 17/5/5 while shooting 5-17 from the field and 4-11 from three, it was the epitome of a “rookie moment.”

For the Nets, though, it’s just another loss.

Final: Boston Celtics 125, Brooklyn Nets 124 (OT)

Injury Update

Egor Dëmin exited this one in the second quarter and was later ruled out with a right leg contusion. He appeared to bump into Paul George, which may have caused it. However, he brushed it off postgame, telling Erik Slater of ClutchPoints it’s nothing serious and he’d be good to go in a couple of days.

As mentioned, Fernández also confirmed postgame that Traoré had been cramping.

“Yeah, he was cramping and then I felt like he was not moving well,” Fernández said. “And as you guys know, Nolan is a guy that has great energy, can touch the pain anytime. And just for that reason, I felt like I didn’t want to change anything. And I know he wanted to because he wanted to battle through it, but I almost just felt like I had to save him for myself.”

Traoré dealt with muscle cramps that last year as well. If there’s anything more to related to his health, we’ll update this report.

Next Up

Do you care about the NBA Cup yet? Either way, it’s coming to a TV or arena near you soon. Brooklyn will play its first Cup game of the year at home on Friday night against the Detroit Pistons. The Nets went 1-4 against Cade Cunningham and company last year. Brooklyn is 5-7 all-time in NBA Cup play. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. EST.

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Bucks likely to benefit from Kawhi Leonard injury

TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 21: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors looks on against the Chicago Bulls during the second half in the game at Scotiabank Arena on October 21, 2026 in Toronto, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Per Shams Charania, Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard will miss “a period of weeks” with left knee swelling.

“An MRI on Leonard’s knee showed no structural damage, but both sides will use the time to ramp up Leonard. The 35-year-old had an uncommon offseason, as he could not join the Raptors until after a resolution was reached in the NBA’s investigation into the LA Clippers’ salary cap circumvention case.”

The Bucks play the Raptors in their first NBA Cup game (see here for their full NBA Cup schedule) on November 6, which, if the multi-week recovery timeline holds up, means Leonard will miss it. Of course, the Raptors are still a formidable outfit without Leonard, but you’d still rather play them with the seven-time All-Star in street clothes. The Bucks need every advantage they can get!

Notably, the swelling is in Leonard’s left knee, which is not the knee he has previously had issues with; the 35-year-old has had multiple surgeries on the meniscus and ACL in his right knee.

Leonard issued a statement on Twitter, writing “it’s always frustrating missing time.”

“I came back to compete with this team and I’m focused on getting back to 100. Toronto, I’ve appreciated the love since I’ve been back. Returning soon.”

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Knicks get first win of season with convincing victory over Pistons

NEW YORK – Maybe there is such a thing as a championship hangover.

At least for one night and three quarters of nearly flawless execution, the New York Knicks avoided an embarrassing history, and it might signal that the NBA champions are not ready for an extended stint in basketball rehab.

Over the first three games of this new season, the Knicks looked nothing like the team that earned adulation and praise after snapping a 53-year title drought.

After a 111-97 win at Madison Square Garden over the Detroit Pistons, handing them their first loss, the 1969-70 Boston Celtics remain the last defending champs to start the season by losing each of their first four games. That team went 34-48 in its first season after legend Bill Russell retired.

New York, which snapped a six-game regular-season losing streak to Detroit, entered the game with the league’s least efficient offense, with a 40.8 field-goal percentage ranked only ahead of the Chicago Bulls.

“Close to 48 minutes of basketball the way we know we can play and like to play," Knicks head coach Mike Brown said after the game. "We had some lulls where we weren't as physical as we should've been, during the course of the game, but we had some really good moments. We had more good moments in this game than we did in the totality of the first three games, and that's why we got the win."

In the first quarter, those bad trends held true to form as Detroit, with victories already over fellow Eastern Conference contenders the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers, raced out to a 38-25 first quarter lead, doing the things that they lacked in getting them bounced from the second round of the playoffs last season despite having the conference’s best record.

The Pistons relied on a balanced attack, with three different leading scorers in those three games, plus finding long-distance shooting, hitting 42% from downtown and scoring 118 points a game.

Their shooting abandoned Detroit after the first 12 minutes, as an 18-5 run by the Knicks in the second quarter tied the score at 43, led by reserve Landry Shamet, who scored 10 points during that stretch, as the Pistons only scored a combined 25 points in the second and third quarters and found themselves down by 25 entering the final quarter.  

The Knicks scored the first 11 points of the third quarter and took their biggest lead, as part of a 15-4 stretch that essentially put the game away as the home team ran its lead up to 27, and finished the road-weary Pistons off with a 12-2 flurry, as they missed 15 of their 19 shots coming out after halftime.

Karl-Anthony Towns led six Knicks in double figures with 27 points and 20 rebounds, his fifth 20-20 game as a member of the Knicks. Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, who went 1-for-10 in the first half, finished with 23 points (13-16 FT) and seven assists.

Almost like laying bricks for a new foundation at the World’s Most Famous Arena, New York shot 35% in the first quarter; then the bench came on, the Knicks heated up, and they started forcing the issue on both ends of the floor as Detroit went cold. Both teams finished shooting 43%, as the game got bogged down with a flurry of fouls and free-throw misses, especially by the Pistons.

Knicks coach Mike Brown called out his team for their lack of effort early in the season, saying they looked lethargic and were slow to get upcourt in transition, which contributed to their next-to-last pace in the league. Brown was singing a different tune after a thorough victory.

Brown said he challenged Towns at halftime and told him that Paul Reed, who replaced the injured Duren in the starting lineup, was getting the best of him in their matchup.

"KAT's a grown man, he's obviously a perennial All-Star. I just told him the truth." Brown added. "The guy is killing us in the paint. Anything he gets, he's putting it back. Catch him on the perimeter, guard him. And he did those things. I gotta take my hat off. I thought his shift in mindset was really big for us in the second half."

Detroit again played without All-NBA center Jalen Duren, who sat out with a hamstring injury, as Cade Cunningham had 19 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists. Reed led the Pistons with 22 points, but they hit a pitiful 9-for-37 (23%) from the 3-point line.

While their shooting woes continue, New York turned it on, especially defensively, when they needed to much like their championship series against the San Antonio Spurs, when they were down at least double digits at some point in each of the five games.

“This is a long season and we can have hiccups, but that’s what the season’s for: so they can correct it come playoff time so we can do what we need to do," Brown said.

Even Brunson joked during his television interview following the victory when asked, "You said the first few weeks of the season, you'll learn who you guys are. Who are you?"

Brunson calmed stated, "Uh, we're the Knicks, actually. But most importantly, we got to remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. This is a new year, new team. Adversity started early, and so we just got to fight back."

The NBA champions, indeed.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks get first win of season with convincing victory over Pistons

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Devils beat Stars 5-1 as Connor Hellebuyck wins his New Jersey debut

DALLAS (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck stopped 16 of the 17 shots he faced to win his New Jersey debut, Nico Hischier scored two goals, and the Devils beat the Dallas Stars 5-1 on Tuesday night.

Hellebuyck, the three-time Vezina Trophy winner, started four days after being traded by the Winnipeg Jets following his suspension for failing to report to training camp. It was his first win since April 9 at St. Louis, 3-2.

The Hughes brothers, Jack and Luke, and Jesper Boqvist, also scored for the Devils, who have won four consecutive games.

Justin Hryckowian scored for the Stars, who had a five-game winning streak snapped. Casey DeSmith, making his third start of the season, made 22 saves after allowing only two goals in each of his previous outings.

The five goals are the season high against Dallas, which went into play leading the NHL with a 1.68 goals-against average.

Hischier, the team captain in his 10th season with New Jersey, provided a 2-0 lead at 2:41 of the first period and 38 seconds into the second. Dallas’ challenge for goaltender interference against Timo Meier on the first goal was denied. Hischier has a team-high seven goals and two two-goal games.

Boqvist made it 3-0 midway through the second. After Hryckowian’s deflection pulled Dallas back within two goals at 16:08 of the second, Luke Hughes answered 28 seconds later.

BLUE JACKETS 4, FLYERS 3, OT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kent Johnson scored his second goal of the game 2:22 into overtime and Columbus beat Philadelphia after coughing up a three-goal lead.

Columbus scored three goals in a 2:46 span of the first period to lead 3-0 after one.

Johnson set up Adam Fantilli for the first goal at 10:58 of the first period, and then deflected Zach Werenski’s shot past Flyers goalie Dan Vladar at 12:54. Denton Mateychuk scored for Columbus 50 seconds later. Cam Talbot made 28 saves for his third win this season.

Johnson scored the overtime winner on a two-on-none breakaway, following a give-and-go with Fantilli. It was Johnson’s sixth goal of the season.

Philadelphia forced overtime by outshooting Columbus 28-6 over the final two periods.

Noah Cates scored his first goal of the season by poking a loose puck past Talbot, while Trevor Zegras cut the deficit to 3-2 with just under five minutes left in regulation. Zegras slid a pass to Tyson Foerster, who fired a shot on Talbot that Jamie Drysdale tipped into the net with 11 seconds remaining.

Vladar made 11 saves.

BLACKHAWKS 2, KINGS 1

CHICAGO (AP) — Wyatt Kaiser snapped a third-period tie, Spencer Knight made 25 saves and Chicago beat Los Angeles.

Chicago stopped a three-game slide while improving to 3-4-0 on a seven-game homestand. Roman Kantserov scored in the second, and the Blackhawks killed off a double-minor penalty on defenseman Sam Rinzel for high-sticking.

Kaiser picked up his first goal of the season at 7:17, beating Anton Forsberg through the goaltender’s legs with a well-placed shot from the left circle. It was the 11th goal for the defenseman in 187 career games.

Samuel Helenius scored for Los Angeles in the finale of a 3-2-0 trip. Forsberg stopped 25 shots.

Kings captain Drew Doughty and forward Corey Perry were scratched after they played in Monday night’s 6-3 victory over the New York Rangers.

The Blackhawks played without defenseman Bowen Byram, who missed his fifth consecutive game with an upper-body injury.

CANADIENS 2, BLUES 0

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jacob Fowler made a career-high 46 saves for his second shutout of the season, and Zachary Bolduc and Florian Xhekaj scored as Montreal defeated St. Louis.

Mike Matheson had two assists as the Canadiens (7-3-2) improved to 4-1-1 on the road this season with their third straight away victory. Fowler’s shutout was his third in 24 career starts.

The Blues (5-6-1) fell to 3-2-1 at home as they were shut out for the second straight game. They lost 4-0 to visiting Carolina on Saturday.

Bolduc put the Canadiens ahead with 11:23 left in the second period, slapping a one-timer from the right circle for his fifth goal of the season. Bolduc’s first goal against his former team was assisted by Matheson and Alexandre Texier.

A first-round draft pick in 2021 by St. Louis, Bolduc scored 19 goals for the Blues during the 2024-25 season before being traded to the Canadiens for defenseman Logan Mailloux. The 23-year-old right winger had 12 goals and 30 points for Montreal in 78 games last season.

HURRICANES 2, BRUINS 1

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sebastian Aho’s third-period goal gave Carolina a win over Boston in a matchup of early leaders in the Eastern Conference.

Pyotr Kochetkov made 14 saves to improve his record to 8-0-0, matching the longest season-opening winning streak by a goalie in franchise history. He tied former teammate Frederik Andersen, who set the mark five years ago.

Jackson Blake also scored for the Hurricanes, who were in their first home game in two weeks following a 3-1-1 road trip.

Carolina killed two power plays in the final five minutes, helping it halt Boston’s eight-game points streak.

Pavel Zacha scored for the Bruins, who had a two-game winning streak snapped. Jeremy Swayman made 28 saves.

Aho’s eighth goal of the season came with 9:41 remaining shortly after Boston’s Matthew Poitras hit the post with a backhanded attempt on an open net. Aho has a team-high 19 points for the team with the best record in the league.

Zacha scored 1:31 into the game on a power play, but the Bruins failed to convert the rest of the game.

ISLANDERS 4, PREDATORS 3, SO

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Kyle Palmieri and Bo Horvat scored in a shootout to lead New York to a victory over Nashville.

Horvat, Anthony Duclair and Brayden Schenn scored in regulation for New York. Semyon Varlamov made 20 saves and denied both Nashville attempts in the shootout to record his first win since Nov. 14, 2024.

Filip Forsberg had a goal and an assist, Alexander Kerfoot and Ryan O’Reilly scored and Juuse Saros made 25 saves for Nashville, which fell to 0-5 in games that have extended beyond regulation this season.

The Islanders led 3-0 early in the second before the Predators drew even.

Duclair scored at 3:07 of the opening period and Schenn followed at 8:07 of the first. The goal was the 300th of Schenn’s career.

Horvat’s goal at 1:08 of the second came on a one-timer off of a cross-ice pass from Matthew Schaefer, who has points in five straight games.

The Islanders had lost their previous seven games at Nashville, with their last victory coming on Oct. 28, 2017.

PANTHERS 5, JETS 1

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Carter Verhaeghe scored twice, Matthew Tkachuk had four assists and Florida extended Winnipeg's slide to six games.

Brady Tkachuk had a goal and two assists, Niko Mikkola had a goal and assist, and Sam Reinhart rounded out the scoring for Florida, which scored three times on the power play. The Panthers salvaged their four-game trip with a pair of wins after opening with back-to-back defeats. Seth Jones had three assists.

Akira Schmid made 24 saves for his fourth victory in five starts.

Adam Lowry scored for Winnipeg, his second of the season and first short-handed. The Jets haven’t won since opening the season 4-1-1.

Clay Stevenson stopped 19 shots.

The Jets’ power play has gone stale at 0 for 14 over their last five games and 2 for 18 at home this season.

Florida scored three times by the 10:18 mark of the first period. The Tkachuk brothers have combined for 35 points in the first 13 games this season.

WILD 3, MAMMOTH 1

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Kirill Kaprizov scored his NHL-leading 14th goal of the season and added an assist, Jesper Wallstedt stopped 26 of the 27 shots he faced, and Minnesota beat Utah.

Joel Eriksson Ek and Maxim Shabanov also had goals while Quinn Hughes had two assists for the Wild, who have won three straight and went 3-1-1 on a five-game road trip.

Utah’s Logan Cooley scored with 1:21 to play to spoil Wallstedt’s shutout bid.

Kaprizov scored on the power-play just 48 seconds into the second period to give the Wild a 2-0 lead. He has multiple points in three consecutive games and has scored a goal in eight of his last nine games.

Kaprizov is also tied with Alexander Ovechkin for the fifth-most goals scored in October in NHL history.

Eriksson Ek also scored on the power play with less than five minutes to play in the first period and has eight points (3 goals, 5 assists) in his last seven games.

Karel Vejmelka made 27 stops for the Mammoth, who have lost three of their last five games.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS 4, SENATORS 1

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Raphael Lavoie scored his first career goal, a tap-in eight minutes into the third period to put Vegas ahead for good in its victory over Ottawa, ending the Golden Knights’ three-game losing streak.

Braeden Bowman scored a power-play goal for the Golden Knights, and William Karlsson and Jack Eichel each added an empty-netter. Nic Dowd got his 200th career point with a secondary assist on Lavoie’s goal.

Adin Hill stopped 25 shots, including a daring charge out of the net. Fellow goalie Carter Hart did not play after sustaining an undisclosed injury at the morning skate.

Shane Pinto scored on a power play for the Senators, who opened a five-game trip. Jonas Johansson made 25 saves.

CANUCKS 6, DUCKS 5, OT

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Filip Hronek scored a power-play goal with 11 seconds to go in overtime to cap a run of four consecutive goals by Vancouver, who snapped a 10-game losing streak with a comeback win over Anaheim.

The Canucks, who won for just the third time all season, trailed 5-2 after Anaheim’s A.J. Greer scored his second goal of the game with 7:37 to play in regulation.

But Jamie Oleksiak pulled Vancouver within 5-3 just 31 seconds later.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki then scored twice less than a minute apart — the second with 1:57 left in regulation — to send the game into overtime.

In addition to his winning goal, Hronek also had an assist. Liam Ohgren and Brock Boeser also had goals for Vancouver, while Elias Pettersson added a pair of assists. Leevi Merilainen made 18 saves.

The Ducks jumped to a 4-1 lead after two periods. Greer scored in the first period, then Jeff Malott, Beckett Sennecke and Leo Carlsson added second-period goals. Sennecke’s came on the power play.

Jackson LaCombe had three assists for the Ducks and Lukas Dostal made 27 saves.

SABRES 2, SHARKS 0

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Colten Ellis made 23 saves in his first appearance in more than two weeks to lead Buffalo to a victory over San Jose.

Olen Zellweger scored in the second period and Ellis did the rest to earn his second career shutout, robbing Kiefer Sherwood from point-blank range with 4:01 left in the game. Ellis had gotten pulled in the second period of his last start for Buffalo on Oct. 12 against Florida.

Zach Benson added an empty-net goal for the Sabres.

The Sabres beat the Sharks for the eighth time in the last nine meetings between the teams, including a shutout win last March in San Jose.

Yaroslav Askarov made 38 saves for San Jose in the first game back from a six-game road trip. The Sharks have only one regulation win in 13 games this season.

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Preview: Injury Plagued Utah Jazz Clash With the Spurs

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 26: Mo Bamba #44 of the Utah Jazz looks on during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on October 26, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It could be a very different looking Utah Jazz team when they step out onto the court on Wednesday night to face the surging San Antonio Spurs, especially in the front court. After a physical game on Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, Jaren Jackson Jr. is out for at least six weeks with a torn MCL in his right knee. Both Lauri Markkanen (wrist) and Jaxson Hayes (shoulder) are game time decisions and Jusuf Nurkic is still nursing a partial plantar plate tear in his right foot, leaving the team very short in the tall department.

Not a good situation when Victor Wembanyama is coming to town. The Spurs will be on the second night of a back to back, but may be well rested after a lopsided 130-103 throttling of the lowly Sacramento Kings. We can hope that Utah’s altitude may slow Wemby down, but then the French phenom has an altitude all his own. Who can the Jazz start to battle Wemby down low?

Enter Mo Bamba. Coming off a gritty 14 point, 7 rebound and 4 block performance against the Grizzlies, Bamba is finally getting an opportunity to contribute important minutes and the lights only get brighter on Wednesday night. To be clear, Zach Edey is not Victor Wembanyama. The challenge is about to get exponentially harder. But the way Bamba, Keyonte George and Ace Bailey rallied the troops on Monday night, almost stealing an unlikely victory when all the odds seemed stacked against them, says a lot about the fight in this under-manned squad.

Wednesday night will also provide a showdown between number 2 draft picks: Dylan Harper from 2025 and Darryn Peterson from 2026. Harper came off the bench most of last year, but was a vital piece in the Spurs’ run to the NBA finals. He has now earned a starting role on this year’s team. Peterson is still finding his legs in the pro league, has looked a little lost at times, but has also shown flashes of his potential. We can only hope that his trajectory follows Harper’s. Wednesday night will be a big test as he goes head to head with one of the young rising stars of the league.

The game can be seen on KJZZ TV beginning at 7pm MST, with the pre-game at 6:30pm.

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Carter Verhaeghe scores 2 goals and Panthers extend Jets' slide to 6 games with 5-1 win

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Carter Verhaeghe scored twice, Matthew Tkachuk had four assists and the Florida Panthers extended the Winnipeg Jets' slide to six games with a 5-1 victory on Tuesday night.

Brady Tkachuk had a goal and two assists, Niko Mikkola had a goal and assist, and Sam Reinhart rounded out the scoring for Florida, which scored three times on the power play. The Panthers salvaged their four-game trip with a pair of wins after opening with back-to-back defeats. Seth Jones had three assists.

Akira Schmid made 24 saves for his fourth victory in five starts.

Adam Lowry scored for Winnipeg, his second of the season and first short-handed. The Jets haven't won since opening the season 4-1-1.

Clay Stevenson stopped 19 shots.

The Jets' power play has gone stale at 0 for 14 over their last five games and 2 for 18 at home this season.

Florida scored three times by the 10:18 mark of the first period. The Tkachuk brothers have combined for 35 points in the first 13 games this season.

Reinhart one-timed a pass by Brady Tkachuk over the shoulder of Stevenson and under the crossbar for Florida's third power-play goal of the night and a 4-1 lead. The Jets have scored more than three goals just once this season — a 5-2 victory over Minnesota on Oct. 13.

The Panthers went 3 for 5 on the power play, giving them 13 goals with the man advantage in their last eight games.

Up next

The Panthers host Winnipeg on Friday in the second of back-to-back games in Florida for the Jets, who visit Tampa Bay on Thursday.

___

See AP’s full NHL coverage here

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Varlamov Gets First Win Since Injury, Islanders Finally Beat Predators In Nashville With 4-3 Shootout Win

NASHVILLE, TX -- For the first time since Oct. 28, 2017, the New York Islanders (6-4-2) won in Nashville, defeating the Predators 4-3 in a shootout to snap a two-game skid. 

Goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who made his fourth start of the season, made x saves on x shots to earn his first win since Nov. 14, 2024, when he made 24 saves on 26 shots in a 5-2 win against the Vancouver Canucks. 

Here's how it happened:

The Islanders got the party started at 3:07 of the first period when Jean-Gabriel Pageau, at 4-on-4, found a crashing Anthony Duclair in the low slot:

Exactly five minutes later, Ondrej Palat found Brayden Schenn wide open at the back post to make it a 2-0 game:

That was Schenn's 300th goal of his NHL career. 

The Islanders scored their third unanswered goal at 1:08 of the second period after Bo Horvat ripped a Mathew Schaefer one-timer home:

That goal extended Schaefer's point streak to five games (two goals, three assists) and put him tied with Scott Stevens for the sixth most points by a teenage defenseman in NHL history, with 70:

Filip Forsberg got the Predators on the board at 3:07 of the second period while on the power play after he buried a backdoor feed from Jonathan Marchessault:

The Predators inched closer at 8:07 of the middle frame with Alex Kerfoot burying a loose puck after Varlamov made two strong saves on Nils Hoglander following a Matthew Schaefer turnover. 

The Predators evened the score at 4:16 of the third period after Ryan O'Reilly buried his own rebound, a loose puck sititng behind Varlamov. 

The game went to overtime where the Islanders found themselves on a power play but couldn't score.

The game would need a shootout where Kyle Palmieri and Horvat scored, with Varlamov denying both shots that came his way for the 4-3 win. 

UP NEXT: Islanders face the Minnesota Wild at 8 PM ET on Thursday to conclude their three-game road trip. 

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Knicks 111, Pistons 97: Scenes from win number one

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 27: Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks reacts after a three-point shot during the first quarter against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden on October 27, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Josh Hart took just two shots tonight, but swished ‘em both—and the second was a clutch bomb that saved a blowout from becoming a very uncomfortable final two minutes at MSG.

When the New York Knicks (1-3) hosted the Detroit Pistons (3-1) at the Garden, the world champs were not necessarily desperate for a win. A fourth loss would surely have caused meltdowns across the nation, however. These Pistons are no pushovers, either, and although we’d read that Ausar Thompson would sit with a bad ankle, he suited up. Because real hoopers don’t pass up a chance to play on basketball’s biggest stage.

After surrendering 38 points in the first quarter, New York held Detroit to 25 over the next two quarters with a reassuring return to their defensive form. Jalen Brunson overcame a horrid shooting night with 13 points at the free-throw line, and Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a whopping 27-20 double-double as New York reached a 27-point lead in the fourth. Detroit chipped and chipped, however, until a mere 11-points separated the score. That’s when the otherwise gunshy Hart stepped in. Thanks to his bomb, New York could breathe a sigh of relief and finish the night victoriously. Final score: 111-97.

We love jinxes in our favor. The broadcast reported that Detroit had not trailed in a week. New York broke that dominant streak with four opening points. A certain sanity seemed restored to their offense, too. Early on, Karl-Anthony Towns stood tall at the left elbow and fed passes to slicing wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. The latter was blocked at the rim but took a positive turn by connecting from deep, ending his own streak of ten consecutive misses to start the season.

Detroit stunk on the perimeter, bricking five of six tries. Cade Cunningham and John Collins crashed the glass, though, and four separate Pistons notched a block over the first eight minutes. Their defenders were extra-handsy with Jalen Brunson, who repeatedly failed to get significant separation. They were the second-best defense last season, after all.

After J.B. Bickerstaff called a timeout to settle his crew, they rode a 12-6 run to an eight-point lead, then stretched it to 11 and eventually 13. Following triples by Kevin Huerter and Daniss Jenkins, Anunoby made his first longball to slow the bleeding. But Paul Reed, filling in for an injured Jalen Duren, had a sizzle-touch and made his fifth bucket to secure a 38-25 lead at the buzzer.

The Knicks shot badly in the first quarter and did so again in the second. The guests were generous with their misses, too, and when Bridges connected on his second(!) triple, Bickerstaff needed another timeout.

KAT committed two fouls in six seconds, Cunningham hit from deep, and the deficit returned to double digits. The Knicks tightened their defense, though, and a run fueled by Shamet, Drummond, and a KAT tip-in tied the score near the four-minute mark. Detroit had missed almost everything this quarter, and Brunson’s shots weren’t falling either: he missed nine of his first ten. He, KAT, and OG combined to shoot just 1-of-14 from yard in the half. At least they attempted shots, which Josh Hart declined to do. Despite his shooting woes, Cap was nearly perfect at the line, netting two freebies that put his crew ahead 51-50 at intermission.

The guests shot 3-of-21 in the second quarter and were outscored 26-12. Whatever they did right in the half occurred around the basket: they won the paint 20-16, won the glass 30-23, and blocked nine shots. Making 13 of their 14 free throws kept the Knicks afloat, because their shooting sure didn’t. Neither team could make a three (NYK 26%; DET 24%). Reed topped the first-half scoresheet with 16 points. Brunson led the Knicks with 11.

Our heroes rocketed out of the locker room with a 13-2 run. Detroit’s frustration began to come out sideways. After a Duncan Robinson make, Towns and Reed got tangled under the rim. KAT bristled at an elbow to the back of his head and stepped toward the Piston. They had to be separated, Reed received a flagrant-one, and KAT made both freebies.

Plenty of time remained, but Detroit was coming unglued. Reed collected his fifth foul, Collins caught his second, Cunningham missed twice at the stripe, and Motown trailed by 18. The lead wasn’t just New York’s biggest of the night, but of the season. And for the first time this season, we saw the throttling effort that won a championship. They limited Detroit to six points through the first seven minutes of the half. Shamet’s corner dagger and free throws by Brunson inflated the advantage to 23. After an ugly final sequence, Josh Hart took his first shot of the night, a buzzer-beater three to close the period, 88-63.

New York went up by 27 in the fourth. It was a blast. Tyler Kolek got to play again with Jose Alvarado out and showed a little Grand Theft action of his own:

I always thought Coach Bickerstaff had some Thibodeau in him. So I scratched my head when, with eight minutes left and the deficit a not-out-of-reach 21, J.B. emptied his bench. The Pistons and Knicks were both playing the first game of a back-to-back, and the veteran coach seemed content to rest his guys to fight again tomorrow.

Mike Brown was less confident in the outcome and still had three starters on the floor midway through the quarter, with the lead at 18. Then 17. Bridges passed the ball behind Hart’s back, and Detroit capitalized on the gift with a layup. Brown needed a timeout at 5:24 with the score 99-84. During the timeout, Bickerstaff reconsidered his position. Smelling blood, he sent Thompson, Cunningham, Robinson, and Reed back in. The latter scored on a layup to cut the lead to 13.

Brunson and Cunningham traded buckets. Thompson got dinged for goaltending when he held the rim to avoid crashing into Anunoby, who was staring up at the iron and angling to shoot. OG made both. Robinson responded with a triple and a layup, and the difference was 13 with three minutes left. An OG turnover became a Holland dunk—an 11-point difference. They needed a score to keep the noose loose, and Hart drilled his second shot of the night for his second three. That sealed it for Bickerstaff, who gestured for his subs again. Soon after, the Knicks starters finally got to exit, too, and received an ovation for their second win of the campaign.

Up Next

Mo’s applying a layer of frosting on his recap. Our heroes travel to Chicago for a game tomorrow night. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

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Islanders nip Predators in shootout to give Semyon Varlamov first win since 2024

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Semyon Varlamov makes a save on Nils Hoglander during the Islanders' 4-3 shootout win over the Predators on Oct. 27, 2026 in Nashville, Tenn

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Seven-hundred and twelve long, testing days later, Semyon Varlamov skated off the ice Tuesday evening with an NHL victory in hand.

The last one, all the way back on Nov. 14, 2024 in Vancouver, was under a different coach and a different general manager and with a roster that included current Islanders front office advisor Matt Martin. Varlamov got hurt at the end of that month.

Since then, he’s undergone two partial knee replacements, months of endless rehab and faced the near-universal expectation that his career was over.

So, yes, there’s plenty to unpack about the Islanders’ 4-3 win over the Predators, and all of that is going to need to wait a beat. It’s hard to speak definitively about these things, but Varlamov is almost certainly the first professional athlete to return to play after such serious procedures.

Semyon Varlamov makes a save on Nils Hoglander during the Islanders’ 4-3 shootout win over the Predators on Oct. 27, 2026 in Nashville, Tenn. NHLI via Getty Images

Earning a win — and Varlamov did earn it on Tuesday, making 20 saves and playing the most confident, controlled game of the four he’s started so far this season — is an awesome achievement in the word’s most literal sense.

“A year ago, to be honest with you, I didn’t see this coming,” Varlamov said in the dressing room, after every single one of his teammates spilled off the bench to envelop him in hugs after Bo Horvat’s shootout winner. “It was such a grind the last two years to get to this point where you have an opportunity to play and compete at the highest level in the world.

“I’m very thankful for this opportunity again. And then just wanted to thank everybody who was involved in the rehab and the surgery and everything and just very, very proud of everybody.”

Much as Varlamov would probably like for everyone to stop treating his every start like a big deal, he could admit that this one was special. Even as he’d played well in losses to the Senators and Kings, he’d wondered when the first win would come.

The Islanders had put a lot of faith in him. General manager Mathieu Darche said that after watching Varlamov put everything into his rehab last season, “there’s no way I could not have given him a chance.” The Islanders signed Vitek Vanecek as insurance but after Varlamov made two AHL starts at the end of last season, Darche planned as if he would be the backup. Varlamov wanted to — still wants to — prove him and the rest of the organization right.

“Discussions in the summer, I don’t think anyone was sure [about it],” coach Pete DeBoer said. “It was such an unheard-of comeback, with what he had gone through. That was the reason we signed the goaltending depth we did, because I don’t think anyone was sure until he got to camp and started to play and you talked to him after he scrimmaged or played and had no ill effects and there was no swelling.

Bol Horvat scores on a shootout goal on Juuse Saros during the Islanders’ victory over the Predators. AP

“None of us went into camp with an easy feeling that we were gonna have him for the whole season. We really weren’t sure what we were gonna get.”

DeBoer admitted that it took until Varlamov made it through his first regular-season game, and came in the next day reporting no complications, for him to fully believe this would work.

“There’s nothing like live bullets like that,” DeBoer said. “That’s when I started to feel comfortable that he could actually do this.”

Brayden Schenn (10) scores a goal on Juuse Saros during the Islanders’ shootout win over the Predators. NHLI via Getty Images

It’s only a month in. But so far, Varlamov is holding up his end of the bargain, with admirers across the organization and around the league. Darche, speaking after the game Tuesday, said Avalanche GM Joe Sakic had passed on good wishes to Varlamov on Monday. Barry Trotz, working in Nashville as a senior advisor, had too when he caught up with the Islanders following their morning skate.

“If someone would have scored five goals tonight, the guys would have been happier that Varly got the win,” Darche said. “I’m so happy for him.”

Varlamov, not usually an emotional person, couldn’t help but feel the love.

“Everybody who supported me through the last two years, I know it’s been a long journey to come back and win the first game,” he said. “I’m just very humbled and very thankful.”

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Connor Hellebuyck turns in stellar debut as Devils rout Stars for fourth straight win

New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck blocks a shot.
New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck blocks a shot by the Dallas Stars during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Dallas.

New Jersey gave the Stars Hell(ebuyck). 

Connor Hellebuyck made his Devils debut in Dallas on Tuesday, just days after the Devils pulled off the blockbuster trade to acquire the Olympic gold medal-winning goaltender and end a long-running standoff with the Jets, from whom he requested a trade. 

New Jersey easily dispatched the Stars 5-1, as Hellebuyck made 16 saves, only allowing a second-period goal.

Tuesday’s game with the Stars was Hellebuyck’s first start in an NHL game since April 13, 2026 — the final regular-season game for Winnipeg during the 2025-26 season — and kickstarted a new era in the Garden State.

New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck blocks a shot by the Dallas Stars during the first period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, in Dallas. AP Photo/Julio Cortez

Hellebuyck made six saves in the first period during his Devils debut as his new team jumped out to a 1-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.

“It was a lot of fun. I thought the guys in front of me just played a perfect game for me to get acclimated,” Hellebuyck said after the win. “Low amount of shots, blocking everything, keeping everything to the outside. Letting me see things, letting me touch the puck a lot. I have to work through a little bit of the rust, but I just thought it was a perfect gam top to bottom.”

Nico Hischier scored twice, and Jack Hughes and Luke Hughes added a goal and an assist each for the Devils, who won their fourth straight.

Hellebuyck is a three-time Vezina Trophy winner and helped Team USA win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, but he had not played in an NHL game amid the standoff with the Jets. 

The American netminder made his trade request public in late August, even though he had five seasons left on his contract. He did not report for training last month. 

New Jersey Devils goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) blocks a shot in the first period against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. Getty Images

The Jets suspended him for not appearing at camp. 

Following his first practice with the Devils on Monday, Hellebuyck said that he was “really looking forward to this day for a while now” and that “it felt good getting acclimated with a new group and having some fun out there.”

“I’m just really excited to play hockey again,” Hellebuyck said. “That was the hardest part about all of this, wanting to go back and not being able to.”

New Jersey Devils center Evan Rodrigues (17) celebrates with defenseman Luke Hughes (43) after a second-period goal at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. Getty Images

The Devils ended Tuesday night in second place in the Metropolitan Division.