The NHL is set to release the 2025-26 season schedule on Wednesday, July 16th, but we’ve seen a copy of the Montreal Canadiens’ schedule already, and a few comments come to mind.
As is often the case, the Canadiens will kick off their season on the road, starting with an Original Six back-to-back against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings on October 8th and 9th, followed by a Saturday night game in Chicago against the Blackhawks.
The Canadiens’ first home game is scheduled against the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, October 14th, followed by a match-up with the Nashville Predators on Thursday, and a visit from the New York Rangers on Saturday, the 18th. With all due respect to the Kraken, this is hardly the most exciting opening night opponent. Kudos for the three original matchups on the road; however, that’s an interesting start to the season. Montreal will only host four home games in October, the final one being against the Buffalo Sabres on the 20th. Then, the Habs will wrap up the month with a western trip with halts in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and Seattle.
The Canadiens will have eight home games in the following two months, the November schedule featuring a first game against old rivals, the Boston Bruins, and a duel with last year’s first-round opponents, the Washington Capitals, in Montreal on November 20th. The month will also end with a road trip, this one featuring battles with the Utah Mammoth, the Vegas Golden Knights, and the Colorado Avalanche.
December will start with a home back-to-back against the Ottawa Senators and the Winnipeg Jets. Zach Bolduc will get to face his former St. Louis Blues teammates on December 7th, and Canadiens fans will welcome Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins on December 20th. Montreal will then spend Christmas on the road, as is the tradition.
January will be the busiest month with 17 games crammed in in readiness for the quiet month of February, when the NHL will shut down to allow the players to take part in the Milan Cortina Olympics in Italy. The Canadiens will play only four games that month, two on the road against the Minnesota Wild and the Jets, and two at home against Noah Dobson’s former team, the New York Islanders, on the 26th, followed by a visit from the Caps on the 28th.
March will be a busy month with 15 games, and the Canadiens will wrap up their season on April 12th. However, they’ll still play seven games in the month with a final home stretch of four games, which will wrap up on April 11th, meaning the Habs will finish their season with a back-to-back, challenging circumstances if they are fighting for a playoff spot. Although by then, they should be used to it, since they will be taking part in no less than 17 occurrences of two games in two nights. This is an intense schedule to say the least, but it was to be expected with the Olympic Games break. It will be interesting to see if all teams have as many back-to-backs.
Photo credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images
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The Mets' starting rotation situation this year has been wild.
They started off with so much depth that there were questions about how they'd fit everyone in. By the middle of the season, though, a rash of injuries had them reaching into the minors for spot-starters, pondering whether to promote their top pitching prospects, and eventually deploying bullpen games for two of the three Subway Series matchups against the Yankees in early-July.
While the injury to Griffin Canning was season-ending and Tylor Megill's possible return is TBD, things have normalized over the last week.
The Mets are now finally using the rotation they envisioned would be their starting five on Opening Day:
Beyond those five pitchers are some intriguing options in Triple-A Syracuse. There's Blade Tidwell, who has been called upon a few times in his rookie year, and two prospects who have the potential to develop into top of the rotation arms: Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat.
Speaking earlier this month, president of baseball operations David Stearns said he was reluctant to use top prospects for spot starts. But it's possible McLean and Sproat both debut later this summer when they're deemed ready for long-term roles.
Still, while it's nice to picture a future where McLean and Sproat are mainstays in the rotation, it's impossible to rely on them in the heat of a pennant race in what will be their first taste of the majors.
Combine that with an injury question surrounding Manaea (pitching with a loose body in his elbow) and the workload question hanging over Holmes (who has already thrown more innings this season than any other), and New York should be placing a high priority on adding another legitimate starting pitcher via trade.
Should they target Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara?
Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) pitches against the Colorado Rockies during the sixth inning at loanDepot Park / Sam Navarro - Imagn Images
PROS
When Alcantara is at his best, he is quite literally the top pitcher in baseball.
During his Cy Young campaign in 2022, Alcantara led the majors in WAR (8.0) and innings pitched (228.2) while posting a 2.28 ERA and 0.98 WHIP.
While Alcantara isn't a strikeout machine, he has an overpowering fastball that averages around 97 mph (he throws a four-seamer and a sinker). He also features a slider, changeup, and curve, and has a tendency to make hitters pound the ball into the ground.
In addition to being masterful when he's on, Alcantara is young (in his age-29 season), relatively inexpensive (making just $17.3 million this season), and under team control through 2027.
Aside from undergoing Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss all of 2024, Alcantara has been very reliable when it comes to taking the ball.
In each of his four full seasons, he has thrown at least 184.2 innings.
Put it all together and you get an almost ideal trade target. Except...
CONS
Since returning from Tommy John surgery at the start of this season, Alcantara has not been himself.
Mar 27, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (22) looks on against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at loanDepot Park. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Alcantara is near the bottom of the league when it comes to pitching run value, xERA, xBA, average exit velocity, chase percentage, whiff percentage, strikeout rate, and hard hit percentage.
Meanwhile, his four-seam fastball (his second-most used pitch) is getting clobbered, with batters slugging .551 against it.
The huge caveat here is that it sometimes takes pitchers until their second season back from TJS to round back into form. But the depth of Alcantara's struggles in a pretty large sample this season should be extremely concerning.
It will also take a massive package to obtain him.
When you combine Alcantara's Cy Young upside, his relative youth, his cost, and the team control, it becomes a situation where the Marlins can pit teams against one another until they get an offer that bowls them over. If not, they can hold him until the offseason and hope he rediscovers his Cy Young form between now and then.
The exact return for Alcantara will depend on the type of prospects the Marlins are seeking to headline a deal (pitchers or position players) and their preference when it comes to those prospects' proximity to the majors (are they prioritizing guys who are close to contributing or not).
And it's fair to believe the Mets would lose not just one of their most valued prospects, but two or three of them.
VERDICT
In a world where Alcantara dominates over his next several starts leading up to the July 31 deadline, I could see it making perfect sense for the Mets to swallow hard and hand over a handful of their most prized prospects for him.
Saving that, however, it is impossible to envision a scenario where it would be wise to part with the type of package it would take to get Alcantara when so many questions remain about which version you're getting.
The Warriors hear it all, no one more than Stephen Curry. Small ball no longer succeeds. The NBA has passed them by. They need to reset their roster. And then there is the strong undercurrent beneath the pessimism: Their core is too old to win a championship.
Curry is 37, will be 38 when the 2025-26 playoffs arrive. Jimmy Butler will be 36, as will Draymond Green. The pessimism is fair, as no team with such a venerable core has won an NBA Finals.
“We heard it, so to the point like it’s all it all comes down to health. I mean, if you look at every team . . . [Oklahoma City] had a relatively healthy run. And that’s what you need. Like, vets get through a regular season. Try to be in a position where we’re not chasing anything down the stretch.”
That was the case last season, when it’s reasonable to believe a furious pursuit of a playoff berth in the final two months caught up with the Warriors. They finished seventh in the Western Conference, landing in the play-in tournament they’d hoped to avoid.
After slipping past Memphis in the play-in game and taking a 3-1 series lead over the young, physical Rockets in the first round, the Warriors fumbled their chances for an extended break by losing Games 5 and 6. Winning Game 7 at Houston sent them into the conference semifinals with one full day to recover before Game 1 against the Timberwolves.
A Game 1 victory at Minnesota was tarnished by a hamstring injury sustained by Curry in the second quarter. Golden State was swept in Games 2 through 5.
“I know I got hurt,” Curry said. “But you just want to build off that for another year to build chemistry with Jimmy. You know Draymond will do his thing. Hopefully, some of our young guys are able to take another step. That’s every-year process. Just take what we did great, know we’re going to have to elevate that and do it more consistently for a whole year.”
If Curry seems optimistic to the level of fantasy, it’s significant to comprehend his mentality. He believes when others do not. He was too small to thrive at a major college, too delicate to thrive in the NBA and too susceptible to injury to have a long career.
He became a certified star as a sophomore in college, leading tiny Davidson College (generally about 2,000 students) to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. Entering the NBA draft after his junior year and drafted seventh overall – behind two other point guards – in 2009, Curry won his first MVP award in 2015 and topped it the following season with the first unanimous vote in league history.
“It’s been that way my whole career, pretty much through high school,” Curry said of being doubted. “But those narratives take a life of their own. I just want to win. That’s it.”
Curry, who will be entering his 17th season in October, is a four-time NBA champion and the most influential basketball player since Michael Jordan.
Ever mindful of skeptics, he has built a Hall of Fame career banishing their lack of faith. After all he has accomplished, might he still be motivated by the doubters?
“At this point?” he replied. “It is white noise because I’m self-motivated enough. I don’t really need any outside motivation to the point where, like, I still love to play the game. And if I have that and I have great teammates and I have a great culture and organization, then I can just be in that space.
“I don’t really need any outside noise to motivate me.”
The oddsmakers generally place at least eight teams ahead of Golden State in the race to the 2026 championship. Five of those teams are in the West: The defending champion and still very young Thunder, the Denver Nuggets, the Rockets, the Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Even the Atlanta Hawks, perpetually mediocre in the vastly inferior Eastern Conference, are generating better odds than the Warriors.
All of which warms Curry’s heart.
“We’re excited about the opportunity,” he said. “You know. being in that fight . . . there is nothing like it. And we’ve kind of kicked away for the time for a long, long while. So hopefully we do it for another couple years.”
Before writing off the Warriors – or Curry – it might be worth remembering that early in his career, during the leanest of times, he vowed there would be a prosperous future. And delivered.
Matt Chapmanusually knows what pitches are coming when playing third base because shortstop Willy Adames has the PitchCom in his Giants hat and relays pitches like a quarterback reading aloud plays.
But that wasn’t the case for a few minutes during San Francisco’s 5-2 extra-innings loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park on Saturday. Instead, Chapman’s routine with Adames was disrupted when the Roku Channel had the Giants’ third basemen wear an earpiece for an in-game interview during the top of the sixth inning.
And ironically, Chapman was asked on the broadcast how he approaches his defensive alignments and preparation, specifically when playing behind San Francisco right-handed starting pitcher Robbie Ray, Saturday’s starter.
“With Robbie, I think right-handers are going to try to hit something off-speed,” Chapman explained. “The fastball is more of a fly-ball pitch. The off-speeders are the pitches a lot of the right-handers hit off Robbie — sliders or changeups down where they’re reaching for it a little bit.”
“I usually get [the pitch] from Willy [Adames], but the fact that I got my left ear with an earpiece in, I’m having a hard time hearing what pitch is coming,” Chapman added when asked about how he knows what pitch is coming.
"I usually get it from Willy. But the fact that I got my left ear with an earpiece in, I'm having a hard time hearing what pitch is coming."
Fortunately for all parties involved, the Giants exited the sixth unscathed, and there were no defense lapses, let alone anything involving Chapman.
Surely that’s a relief the broadcaster, considering how Chapman truly does rely on Adames to relay the calls, as he thoroughly detailed in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Rich Aurilia from June 9.
“Willy lets me know when off-speed pitches are coming, which really gives me an advantage over at third base. I don’t wear the PitchCom, so Willy tells me what pitch is coming, keeps us communicating; we’re talking about what base we’re throwing to, what to do in certain situations.”
Imagine if Chapman misplayed a ball that cost San Francisco the game because he couldn’t hear Adames relay a pitch? The argument against in-game interviews would have gotten stronger.
Garrett Crochet has been one of the best pitchers in all of Major League Baseball through the first half of the 2025 season, and he’s one of the primary reasons why the Boston Red Sox are going into the All-Star break as the hottest team.
Crochet’s latest start came Saturday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. The Red Sox managed to score only one run, but that was enough for Crochet, who tossed his first career complete game. He allowed zero runs on just three hits with zero walks while striking out nine batters.
It was one of many dominant performances he has given the Red Sox in his first season with the team.
Crochet’s impact goes beyond his elite pitching on the mound, though. He’s also helping the team in a profound way off the field.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora explained Crochet’s impact when speaking to reporters before Saturday’s game.
“The leader, to be honest with you,” Cora said, per Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. “Every five days, we know he’s going to be on the mound. But what he’s doing in the clubhouse — you see him in the dugout, he’s always into the games and talking to pitchers. Yesterday, (Greg) Weissert came out, he didn’t like the slider, they were talking about grips and all that.
“He’s very similar to Alex (Bregman) in that sense. Him and Walker (Buehler), well, Walker has more experience obviously, but he is very smart. With the contract (extension), stuff comes with the territory. You have to be that guy. We haven’t had a guy like that in a while. We’ve had some good ones throughout the years. Now that he is here, he is on the Red Sox, he’s doing an amazing job.”
Crochet made his major league debut in 2020 and he’s only 26 years old. But you don’t have to be a 10-year veteran to be a respected leader. And judging by what Cora said above, it sounds like Crochet has fully embraced the leadership role.
This is a very encouraging development for a Red Sox franchise that has a lot of young players it’s trying to develop. One way to accelerate that development is to surround these talented young players with leaders who will set a good example on and off the field. That’s why it is so important to have guys like Bregman and Crochet around.
The Red Sox have taken a 10-game win streak into the break, and as a result, they sit in the second wild card spot in the American League and trail the first-place Toronto Blue Jays by just two games in the AL East division race.
However, the Red Sox have the toughest remaining schedule in the AL, per Tankathon, and they begin the second half of the season with series versus the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers.
For the Red Sox to keep this momentum alive and secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2021, they’ll need Crochet to maintain his Cy Young-level performance. He doesn’t show any signs of slowing down, but he’s already pitched 129 1/3 innings, which is only 17 below his career high for an entire season. Can he stay dominant with a larger workload? Time will tell.
With every day that passes, it becomes ever so slightly more likely that the Montreal Canadiens will start the 2025-26 season with Kirby Dach as their second-line center. So far, he hasn’t been a successful option, but he remains the most likely option.
The free agency class was thin at center, experienced veteran Matt Duchene elected the re-sign with the Dallas Stars just like John Tavares chose to stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs, comeback “kid” Jonathan Toews decided to go home and sign with the Winnipeg Jets, Mikael Granlund landed with the Anahem Ducks and Pius Suter with the St. Louis Blues. There were so few options down the middle that Christian Dvorak, who the Canadiens didn’t retain, signed a contract with a $5.4 M cap hit with the Philadelphia Flyers.
When asked about the fact that they were unable to sign a second-line center, the Habs brass replied that it was never going to come from a free agent signing. That seems to indicate two things: they agreed the free agency class wasn’t very deep, and they might have had a target on the trade market, but they were unable to get them…yet in any case.
Could the answer be just to be a little bit more patient? After all, there will be another free agency class after the upcoming season. The UFA class does include some huge names: Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid, Vegas Golden Knights’ Jack Eichel, and Los Angeles Kings’ Anze Kopitar highlight the class.
Realistically, however, could the Canadiens manage to pry McDavid away from the Oilers? It’s hard to imagine the Oilers standing idly by while the best player in the world slips through their fingers. That being said, they’ve not done much to improve their contending team, and as things stand, if they made the Cup Final for a third time in a row, it’s hard to see how it could play out differently.
Eichel is a different story, though. Vegas has been known to go from one flashy new toy to another, and if they don’t make any progress this coming season, they might be tempted to replace Eichel with an upgrade, especially if McDavid hits the market.
As for Kopitar, he will be nearly 39 years old and has never worn another uniform than the Kings'. I struggle to see how he could decide to up and leave, having won two Cups already. Evgeny Malkin is also set to hit the market; he was Ivan Demidov’s favourite player growing up, but he will be nearly 40 years old and is injury-prone.
There will be some interesting names when it comes to RFAs, but would Hughes be ready to deal with what they entail? I’m not sure; while offer sheets are legal, they tend to lead to bad blood, and it’s not something you need. Making trades is already complicated enough.
Still, the class could include Martin Necas, Connor Bedard, Logan Cooley, and Leo Carlsson, to name a few, if they don’t get extended before then. As harsh as it may sound, whether the free agency class is good or not, landing a player with such a significant role is not easy. The best course of action might be to draft and develop them internally, which, again, requires patience and luck for the prospects to turn out as hoped. There’s no secret recipe or magic beans.
Right now, the Canadiens have Oliver Kapanen and Owen Beck with the Laval Rocket, who will be pushing for a job this season, but on paper, neither is suited to a top-six role. Vinzenz Rohrer can also play center, but he’s only 5-foot-10 and 161 pounds; it would be surprising if he could fill that role.
As things stand, the Canadiens better hope that Michael Hage turned into what their scouting report suggested he could be. Or could it be that Zach Bolduc can, in fact, play center?
Photo credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
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There is no doubt that many Toronto Maple Leafs fans miss having a forward like Nazem Kadri around. The Calgary Flames center has been at the center of rampant speculation as Toronto looks to add another top-six forward, and while a reunion might be a perfect fit, there doesn’t appear to be anything on the front burner in terms of an actual deal.
Still, that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill swirling, and Kadri has definitely heard the chatter. Speaking at The 12th Annual Nazem Kadri Charity Golf Classic, the London, Ontario, native took the time to speak with Mike Stubbs and Kyle Grimard on ‘The Knight Shift’ – a podcast centered around the OHL's London Knights. In the podcast, Stubbs brought up some of the chatter in Ontario that has surrounded the player.
“Unless I live in a box, I think I would hear it. I've certainly heard lots of speculation for sure,” Kadri admitted. “It's happened quite often. Over the last couple of months, so it's a bit bizarre just scrolling around and seeing your face and name pop up. Obviously, the rumor mill is pretty strong, especially around these parts, and a lot of the time, these rumors can catch fire, and that fire turns into bigger fires.”
Drafted seventh overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2009 NHL Draft, Kadri scored 161 goals and added 196 assists in 561 games over 10 seasons with the club. Kadri dealt with similar speculation when the Leafs had sought to move him, first blocking a trade to the team he plays for now before Toronto sent him to the Colorado Avalanche in a deal for defenseman Tyson Barrie and forward Alex Kerfoot. Kadri ended up winning a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.
As Toronto looks for players who thrive under the pressure of playing in the spotlight, especially in the wake of star forward Mitch Marner’s departure to the Vegas Golden Knights, Kadri is clearly a player unperturbed by the noise, and the speculation didn’t appear to bother him in the interview.
“You know what? And why not? I mean, there's not a whole lot in terms of sports going on right now,” Kadri said. “I think it's definitely a topic to talk about, and hey, why not talk about it?”
MUST LISTEN!
Nazem Kadri was interviewed on the Knight Shift podcast and this is what he said when asked about the rumours of coming back to the #LeafsForever :
“It’s definitely a topic to talk about so why not talk about it”
Current Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving is the one who signed Kadri to a seven-year $49 million contract in the summer of 2022. Treliving became GM of the Leafs one year later in a departure that hasn’t been the smoothest since leaving Calgary, as he left for a job with Toronto before his contract officially expired. Toronto was forced to keep Treliving away from the NHL Draft floor until the Flames made their first-round selection, as part of the agreement for him to join the Leafs.
Korolnek and Feschuk discuss the possibility of the Maple Leafs getting in the mix to construct a deal for Kadri in Toronto.#LeafsForeverpic.twitter.com/1cLTOma7yV
Given that Kadri plays the role of 1C in Calgary and is coming off a career-high 35 goals, it’s hard to see any deal being consummated from a realistic standpoint.
Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby has been a summer staple for decades as a predecessor to the annual All-Star Game. With the league’s top sluggers at the plate, the event has also been home to some record-shattering swings.
Fans in all levels of the outfield bleachers have gotten a chance at a souvenir over the years. In rare cases, players have been able to send home runs out of the stadium entirely.
Ahead of the 2025 edition in Atlanta, here is a look at the longest homers in MLB Home Run Derby history.
Longest Home Run Derby homers in the Statcast era
MLB introduced Statcast in 2016 as an accurate way of measuring home run distance and other action on the diamond. It was truly put to the test in 2021, when sluggers made the most of the thinner air at Coors Field in Denver.
Pete Alonso came out on top in the event, but Juan Soto stole the show with a record-setting home run. The then-Nationals outfielder launched a 520-foot blast that nearly cleared the upper deck in right-center field.
Longest Home Run Derby homers in the Statcast era outside of Coors Field
Soto, Alonso and the rest of the 2021 Home Run Derby field got the advantage of Mile High altitude during their event. When it comes to the seven Statcast-era Derbies held outside of Coors Field, two current Yankees have shown the greatest power.
Before he was the single-season AL home run king, Aaron Judge was clobbering baseballs in the Home Run Derby. He crushed four homers over 500 feet, including one that measured in at 513 feet, before taking home the 2017 Home Run Derby crown.
Judge owns the first four spots when it comes to distance at non-Coors Field Home Run Derbies in the Statcast era, while Giancarlo Stanton rounds out the top five.
Longest Home Run Derby homers before the Statcast era
It’s tough to verify any home run distance prior to Statcast. That said, there were plenty of tape-measure mashes at the Home Run Derby before 2016.
Sammy Sosa put on a power display like never before at the 2002 Home Run Derby in Milwaukee. Slammin’ Sammy supposedly hit seven homers that traveled more than 500 feet, including one that went an estimated 524 feet.
Jason Giambi wound up winning that year’s event, but it is still remembered for Sosa’s offensive fireworks.
Frank Thomas, Josh Hamilton and Bobby Abreu are among the other participants to demolish supposed 500-foot homers at the Derby. Here’s where they rank among the farthest in the pre-Statcast era.
The Chicago Blackhawks have one of the best farm systems in the National Hockey League. That comes as a result of being in the basement of the league for a handful of years in a row and making lots of trades to acquire more high-end draft picks.
Guys like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Alex Vlasic don’t count as true prospects anymore due to the number of games played at the highest level. Even without them, however, the Blackhawks still have a pipeline that ranks amongst the best.
Of all the players that they have working toward becoming full-time NHL players, this is the top 25 based on where they’re at in their development, how close they are to making it to the NHL roster, and their overall skill:
1. Sam Rinzel
After a great year at the University of Minnesota, Sam Rinzel looked like he could be a number one defenseman in the NHL during his short end-of-season stint. Nobody improved their stock more in 2024-25. He comes in at number one as a result.
2. Anton Frondell
The Blackhawks just selected Swedish forward Anton Frodnell with the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He has his eyes set on being just like Aleksander Barkov, but for now, he'll have to settle for the second-best Chicago Blackhawks prospect.
3. Artyom Levshunov
Artyom Levshunov, the second overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, was excellent in his first year pro. Whether it was for the Rockford IceHogs or the Chicago Blackhawks, he was noticeable. If he's healthy, Levshunov will play more than a quarter of the NHL season.
4. Sacha Boisvert
Sacha Boisvert was one of the best college freshmen in 2024-25. At the University of North Dakota, he showed that he's an impressive two-way player who can bring high-end skill in all three zones. He has transferred to Boston University, where he will develop even further on a team that has a chance to win the National Championship.
5. Kevin Korchinski
A couple of defensemen have passed Korchinski up on this list, but that doesn't take anything away from the overall talent that he possesses. He is still working on the defensive side of the game, which is always hard for young offensive guys, but there is no denying his elite puck skills. Expect more opportunities for him in the NHL going forward.
6. Nick Lardis
Nick Lardis scored 71 goals during his 2024-25 season in major junior. Now, he’s ready to turn pro. Like Rinzel, his stock improved by a wide margin due to his play last year. It won’t be long before he’s scoring goals in the NHL. His shot should translate quickly.
7. Oliver Moore
Oliver Moore is a very talented player. His speed may be the best of any prospect in the organization. He had four assists over his short NHL stint following his year at the University of Minnesota. He may start 2025-26 in the AHL, but being a middle-six forward in the NHL may come sooner than later.
8. Roman Kantserov
Roman Kansterov had a great year in Russia as a young player. He will return in 2025-26 and then play in North America in 2026-27. With more development under his belt next year, he should gain what he needs to become an impactful player in the NHL.
9. Ethan Del Mastro
Ethan Del Mastro is a solid defenseman who isn't far from being removed from this list, as he played 24 games last year. He isn't elite at anything, but he's solid at everything. His skating, stick work, and offensive awareness should allow him to have a long NHL career as a middle pair guy.
10. Drew Commesso
It's hard to rank Drew Commesso higher than ten because he's currently the third guy in the organization. Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom will likely be the duo that has the net in 2025-26, but Commesso is on the come-up. In the second half of last season, he went on a tear that went into the Calder Cup playoffs. Commesso has a great shot at becoming a full-time NHL goalie shortly.
11. Mason West
Some may have the football quarterback turned hockey player ranked lower, but there is no denying his overall talent. Mason West skates like the wind, has incredible puck skills, and can see the ice as well as any young player. Once he fully commits to hockey after his senior year at Edina High School, the Blackhawks are hoping that these skills allow him the chance to become a great player. If he does pan out, Kyle Davidson will look like a genius for taking the risk on him.
12. Colton Dach
Colton Dach is a little bit like his brother Kirby in terms of their ability to be plagued by injuries. He will be allowed to become an NHL player if he plays well in training camp and the preseason. He is a lot grittier than a lot of the players in the organization, which is something they need on the roster.
13. Ryan Greene
Ryan Greene is never going to have 40 goals or 100 points. However, he is a very reliable bottom-six forward who can bring some offensive jam here and there. Greene made his NHL debut at the end of last season, and he is likely to be on the team out of camp.
14. Marek Vanacker
Kyle Davidson took a chance when he traded back into the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft to select Marek Vanacker. He was injured to begin the 2024-25 season, which slowed down his progression. He didn't have the year he wanted to have, but he finished strong. With almost certainty that he will go back to the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs, he is preparing to keep those good vibes going and have a much better season.
15. Vaclav Nestrasil
The Blackhawks surprised some people when they selected Vaclav Nestrasil in the first round (25th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft. It became clear that they were going for size up front, which they will have in the 6-foot-5 Nestrasil. He will attend UMass in 2025-26.
16. Nolan Allan
Nolan Allan found himself playing in 43 NHL games last season. Although he had to go back to Rockford due to his play combined with other players coming up, he should be happy with how much he got to develop. Look for Allan to come out strong with his defensive game at the start of next year, whether it's with Rockford or Chicago. You can never have enough depth at this position.
17. AJ Spellacy
AJ Spellacy made people think that he would make the Blackhawks' opening night roster with his play during camp and the preseason last year. Instead, they stayed the course and sent him back to the OHL, where he was just okay. After attending the World Junior Summer Showcase, Spellacy will give it his all when it comes to trying to make it to the NHL.
18. Samuel Savoie
In a different way than Colton Dach, Samuel Savoie is a physical player who knows how to infuriate players he's going against. He won't come to the NHL and tear it up offensively. He couldn't even do that in the AHL (22 points in 72 games played). What he can do, though, is impact the game in a way that allows others to create offense.
19. John Mustard
John Mustard is a very fast player who will go back to Providence, play for a good team, and look to develop into a pro.
20. Jack Pridham
Jack Pridham, as a Kitchener Ranger, was so good and fit in so well that he decided not to attend Boston University in favor of going back there for another year.
21. Martin Misiak
Martin Misiak was a second-round pick by the Blackhawks in 2023, so they have high hopes for him. After a decent season with the Erie Otters, but nothing special, he hopes that the pro game (likely with the Rockford IceHogs) will help him move along in his career.
22. Nathan Behm
Nathan Behm was a third-round pick, 66th overall, by the Blackhawks in 2025. He is a long-term project, but has skills that could allow him to become a full-time player in the NHL one day. He's not close to that pro level yet, however, so he finds himself at 22 for now.
23. Gavin Hayes
Gavin Hayes, like Behm, was the 66th overall pick. His selection came in 2022. After a strong career in the OHL, he started to play pro in 2024-25 with the IceHogs. He'll make his NHL debut at some point, but he needs to be noticeable to stick around.
24. Aidan Thompson
Aidan Thompson, also a third-round pick from 2022, had an outstanding year at Denver, where he came very close to another NCAA title. After having 55 points in 44 games played, he is ready for pro hockey. He played in four AHL games last year after the NCAA season ended, but a full season awaits him in 2025-26.
25. Taige Harding
Taige Harding is a massive 6-foot-7 defenseman who played college hockey at Providence College in 2024-25. He will look to bring that size and skill to the IceHogs next year. His size alone gives him a chance to become an NHL player one day, but his development curve would need to continue pointing up.
The 2025 NHL free agent market was not one conducive to the Philadelphia Flyers saving money or driving bargains, but, historically, the Flyers haven't negotiated favorable contracts anyway.
Based on contract data and player performance put together by Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic, the Flyers rank below NHL average in average discounts on contracts signed over the last five years.
According to Luszczyszyn's information, the Flyers pay an extra $0.5 million on average, which ranks 19th in the NHL. Just three (Pittsburgh, Calgary, and Vancouver) of the 12 teams that saved money on average over the last five seasons missed the playoffs last year.
In fairness to the Flyers, they have negotiated quite a few decent contracts in recent months. For example, the Tyson Foerster and Cam York contracts were extremely team-friendly and allow for plenty of flexibility, both now and in the future.
On the other hand, contracts given to Joel Farabee (traded), Owen Tippett, Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, Rasmus Ristolainen, Ivan Fedotov, and Christian Dvorak all fit the timeline criteria and have left room for debate to different degrees.
Dvorak hasn't played a game for the Flyers yet, but the online consensus seems to largely be that his one-year, $5.4 million deal was an overpay for an older, bit part player.
These are the types of contracts that push the Flyers towards the bottom of the league.
To nobody's surprise, Florida and Vegas, two states with no income tax, top Luszczyszyn's model, but also towards the top are the New Jersey Devils.
New Jersey is one of the most punishing states in terms of taxes, and many of its players reside in expensive parts of North Jersey outside of Newark.
It makes for an interesting dynamic given that a good number of Flyers players also reside in New Jersey, in towns like Haddonfield and Cherry Hill, for example, and have to play by the same rules.
The Devils, as a young but more exciting team overall, benefit from having drafted Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt and signed them all early.
It makes them an attractive destination for free agents (Dougie Hamilton, for example) looking to win and be part of something long term.
With the recent additions of Trevor Zegras, Porter Martone, Matvei Michkov, and Jamie Drysdale, the Flyers are hoping the project they're building can have the same effect.
But only time will tell if these players can bond together on the ice and/or reach their full potential in the NHL.
It’s no secret that the Florida Panthers are a unique team.
Over the past several seasons, Florida has morphed into a team that utilizes just as much physicality as they do skill.
They are something of a hybrid, combining quite a bit of high-end talent with a gritty, in-your-face style that teams across the NHL have yet to come up with an answer to.
It’s led to a good amount of conversation and debate, including a story that was featured on The Hockey News.
Longtime hockey journalist Sam Carchidi, who knows a thing or two about covering teams who played with a chip on their shoulder, took a look at teams who have done two things in the same season.
Those things are win the Stanley Cup and lead the league in penalty minutes.
Florida certainly qualified for that honor this year, leading the NHL during the regular season with 853 PIMs and then again during the playoffs, with another 370.
Would you believe that the Panthers are only the fifth team over the past 50-plus years to pull of this feat?
Even more impressive is that Florida did it without dropping the gloves a ton, earning only the tenth most fighting majors in the NHL last season.
You can check out Sam’s full story, including how Florida stacks up against the other penalty-leading Cup winners, by clicking here.
Photo caption: Jun 9, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; A fight breaks out during the third period between Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers in game three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)
The Boston Bruins made the wise decision to stockpile prospects and draft picks by trading away veteran players at the 2025 NHL trade deadline in March.
The Bruins were able to add some talented players in the 2025 draft, including first-round pick James Hagens. And after drafting four centers, the Bruins now have a lot of depth at that position in their prospect pool. This is an encouraging development for the franchise because it currently does not have a true top-six center on its NHL roster, with the possible exception of Elias Lindholm.
That said, the overall level of talent in Boston’s prospect pool remains fairly weak. The Athletic ranked the Bruins’ prospect pool No. 30 out of 32 teams in its annual rating in January. Even after the most recent draft, the Bruins likely would still rank in the bottom third.
Drafting and developing has not been one of the Bruins’ strengths over the last 10 years. That needs to change if the franchise is going to be a Stanley Cup contender in the next three to five years.
Let’s take an updated look at the top 10 prospects in the Bruins organization. (Only players 23 years old and under were considered for this list, which excludes players like Georgii Merkulov and Michael DiPietro.)
10. Chris Pelosi, Center
Age: 20
Team: Quinnipiac (NCAA)
It took Pelosi a little while to adjust from playing in the USHL to playing for Quinnipiac last season, but he found his stride in the second half of the season and finished with a very respectable 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 38 games as a freshman. He had 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) in the final 23 games of the campaign.
He also was among the final cuts for Team USA ahead of the 2025 World Junior Championships.
Pelosi has a good two-way skill set, and he plays physical without taking bad penalties. A Year 2 jump at Quinnipiac could vault Pelosi much higher on this last at this time in 2026.
9. Frederic Brunet, Defenseman
Age: 21
Team: Providence (AHL)
Brunet is a good skater and not afraid to jump into the rush and crash the net. His playmaking ability really improved in Providence this past season, evidenced by his career-high 20 assists (double his previous high).
Overall, Brunet tallied 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 69 games with the P-Bruins, earning himself the team’s award for best defenseman. He made his NHL debut in the final game of the 2024-25 season versus the New Jersey Devils.
"I worked hard for it…the first call is always special."
On an all-new #BruinsAcademy, we catch up with #NHLBruins defense prospect Frederic Brunet to look back on his NHL debut.
Brunet likely will start the 2025-26 campaign in Providence, but if Boston’s blue line depth is tested due to injuries, the Quebec native would be one of the best candidates to call up.
8. Philip Svedeback, Goaltender
Age: 23
Team: Providence College (NCAA)
Svedeback is the best 23-and-under goalie prospect in the Bruins’ system. He went 14-8-4 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.42 GAA for Providence last season. He has posted a .909 save percentage or higher in three of his first four years with the Friars.
Checked in with Philip Svedeback, heading into his senior year in the PC net
He's excited about the way this year's team is shaping up and he was talking up the 30 Swedes selected in the NHL Draft
With Jeremy Swayman signed long term, Joonas Korpisalo signed for three more years, and Michael DiPietro ready to compete for a backup job in the NHL, it might be difficult for Svedeback to climb up the organizational depth chart. But he’s a pretty talented goalie, and the Bruins’ depth at this position will allow them to take their time with Svedeback and let him develop at the best pace.
7. William Moore, Center
Age: 18
Team: Boston College (NCAA)
The Bruins took Moore with the No. 51 overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft. Some experts had Moore ranked as a top-35 prospect in this class, so the Bruins were fortunate to get him in the middle of Round 2.
Moore ranked second on the U.S. Under-18 Team with 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists) in 64 games. He needs to get a little stronger and add some muscle to his 6-foot-2 and 175-pound frame, but there’s a lot to like about his offensive skill set.
Moore will play for Boston College as a freshman next season, like several other B’s prospects on this list.
6. Dean Letourneau, Center
Age: 19
Team: Boston College (NCAA)
The Bruins took Letourneau with the No. 25 pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. He has tremendous size at 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds. He plays a physical, power forward-type of game. Unfortunately for Letourneau, the jump to college hockey was a difficult one for him last season. He scored zero goals with three assists in 36 games for the Eagles.
He told reporters at Bruins Development Camp last week that he had a broken hand in the first half of the season. Not being able to impact the game as much as you want offensively can be frustrating for a young player, but Bruins player development coordinator Adam McQuaid liked the way Letourneau dealt with the adversity.
“He honestly handled it really well,” McQuaid told reporters on June 30. “There were days of disappointment where he felt like he could and wanted to impact more. We were preaching smaller details like protecting pucks and being physical, and he started to get a little bit of time on the penalty kill. He got much better with his stick — just little details.
“He took all that in stride but was still like, ‘I wanna do more, I wanna impact more. I believe I can do more.’ Those are all positive things. At the end of the year, he was like, ‘I’m going back to BC. I’m going to compete for a spot.’
“Nothing’s going to be given to you. He knows that, and it says a lot about him. So I learned a lot about his character. Adversity at a young age — a lot of these guys haven’t seen it. So for him to go through it now, there’s always going to be some critics and adversity faced. And for him, being here in Boston probably magnifies it a little bit. He’s handled it really well.”
With a year of experience, and several BC forwards having recently graduated or left for the NHL, Letourneau has a tremendous opportunity to make a huge sophomore leap with the Eagles in 2025-26.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Dean Letourneau was the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
5. Will Zellers, Left wing
Age: 19
Team: North Dakota (NCAA)
The Bruins acquired Zellers — a 2024 third-round pick — from the Colorado Avalanche as part of the Charlie Coyle back in March.
Zellers doesn’t have tremendous size (5-foot-10 and 175 pounds), but he has a very impressive offensive skill set, including a great shot and plenty of speed. His 44 goals were the most of any USHL player last season, and his 71 points ranked third.
Two years ago, Will Zellers scored in his USHL debut. This season? He shattered Green Bay's goal record, led the league in scoring, and was named USHL Player of the Year.
Now, he's the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year.
Zellers will play at the University of North Dakota as a freshman next season. He is one prospect Bruins fans should keep a close eye on.
4. Dans Locmelis, Center
Age: 21
Team: Providence (AHL)
Locmelis arguably improved more than any Bruins prospect last season. He tallied a career-high 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) in 40 games for UMass-Amherst, and then he played six regular season games for the Providence Bruins and dominated with 12 points (three goals, nine assists).
Locmelis also starred for Latvia at the World Championships.
The 2022 fourth-round pick probably will start next season in Providence, but he’s definitely a candidate to push for an NHL roster spot if he impresses during training camp and the preseason. It would be surprising if he doesn’t make his Boston debut at some point in 2025-26.
3. Fraser Minten, Center
Age: 21
Team: Boston Bruins (NHL)
Minten was a 2022 second-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs and was acquired by the Bruins as part of the Brandon Carlo trade in March. He should be in the mix for Boston’s third-line center competition during training camp and the preseason thanks to his two-way skill set. He’s a smart, reliable player with decent offensive upside.
Minten didn’t score a ton in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies, but he did tally seven points (three goals, four assists) in 11 games for the Providence Bruins after the trade.
Minten played six games in Boston toward the end of the season and held his own defensively. He has 25 games of NHL experience overall.
2. Matt Poitras, Center
Age: 21
Team: Providence (AHL)
Poitras’ impressive rookie season in 2023-24 was cut short due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. He began last season with the Bruins but struggled with one goal and three assists in his first 14 games. The Bruins sent Poitras to Providence in November as a result.
Poitras ended up playing 19 more games in Boston from Jan. 14 through March 6 and scored zero goals with seven assists during that span. He spent the final portion of the season in the AHL, finishing with 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 47 games for Providence overall.
Poitras is a skilled playmaker with slick hands and a good shot. He needs to be a little stronger on pucks and improve in the faceoff circle, but he definitely has the potential to be a useful middle-six forward for the Bruins. Similar to Minten, Poitras should be among the candidates vying for the third-line center role.
Poitras has shown flashes of his potential in the NHL. Whether he can be a consistent offensive player at that level remains to be seen.
1. James Hagens, Center
Age: 18
Team: Boston College (NCAA)
The Bruins were very fortunate that Hagens — once considered the top prospect in the 2025 draft class — fell to them with the No. 7 overall pick in last month’s draft.
Hagens has No. 1 center potential as an elite playmaker, a gifted skater and the ability to score goals in a variety of ways. From a skill set and size perspective, he plays a lot like New Jersey Devils star center Jack Hughes.
Hagens tallied 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) as an 18-year-old first-line center for the Eagles last season. He also was one of Team USA’s best players at the World Junior Championship and scored in the gold medal game.
Another year of development at BC would be the smartest route for Hagens to take. The Bruins shouldn’t rush Hagens’ ascent to the NHL. He is their only elite prospect.
The Boston Celtics watched an entire stable of championship big men depart this offseason with the losses of Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, and (presumably soon) Al Horford. Even the most ardent fans of Luka Garza, Neemias Queta, and Xavier Tillman would admit there’s a pretty noticeable void at the big-man spot.
The Celtics needed someone — anyone with height — to emerge as a potential future prospect at the NBA Summer League in Vegas, and the most intriguing prospect might have been a last-minute addition.
The 24-year-old Bassey has a very obvious skill set. He uses a 7-foot-3 wing span to disrupt shot attempts and is a rebounding fiend. He can subsist on putbacks and has excellent finishing ability around the basket.
As Bassey reintroduces himself to the NBA world in Vegas, the question is whether the Celtics might be able to extend this look at him.
The Celtics already have a fully stocked 15-man roster and Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said last week that the team is comfortable carrying this group into the 2025-26 season. There is some flexibility, however, as players like Queta and JD Davison are on non-guaranteed deals.
The Celtics still have some maneuvering to do to get back off the second apron after signing Garza and Josh Minott to minimum deals this offseason. That maneuvering could open another spot to add a player to the parent roster before the season tips.
Bassey should be intrigued by the potential for opportunity in Boston. The question is whether another team, alerted by his summer performance, might swoop in with the sort of guaranteed spot that the Celtics cannot immediately offer.
Bassey feels like the type of player whom Boston should want to take a swing on with hopes that he might blossom in a new setting, much like Queta did (and Kornet before him).
Asked about the state of the center position last week, Stevens noted, “That group will not be the group that people will single out — based on paper, on what they’ve done with their careers thus far — as our strongest position. But it’s up to them to prove it otherwise.”
Bassey has appeared in 113 games over his four NBA seasons, including 36 games (and one start) with the Spurs last season. His numbers in San Antonio don’t exactly leap off the page — 4.7 points, 4.3 rebounds over 12.1 minutes per game — but his advanced numbers are intriguing. Last season, opponents shot 6 percent below expected output on all shots inside six feet when defended by Bassey, per NBA tracking data.
Bassey blocked 30 shots in 376 total minutes last season. His block rate of 4.1 percent ranked in the 98th percentile among big men, per Cleaning the Glass data. Bassey rebounded 15.6 percent of his team’s missed shots while on the court, which also ranked in the 98th percentile among all big men.
Injuries have hindered his basketball development. The joke here would be that injuries have rarely deterred the Celtics from rolling the dice on big men (see: Robert Williams III and Porzingis).
It’s also important not to overreact to a small sample, particularly at Summer League. And given his four years of NBA experience, it’s probably not a big surprise that Bassey has put up eye-catching numbers against a collection of rookies and roster hopefuls.
But the Celtics do need to uncover some gems. They might have to roll the dice on players who haven’t fully tapped into their potential, or have been limited by injury or opportunity. Garza and Minott will get every chance to show what they can do in a new setting. Queta played important minutes in each of the past two seasons. Tillman, if he survives any roster tinkering, is going to invariably play more than he did last season.
Bassey is an intriguing option. Whether his Celtics stay extends beyond Vegas ultimately might hinge on the interest he’s created for himself outside the Celtics organization.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports