Jun 21, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pinch hitter Rowdy Tellez (11) reacts after hitting a two run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
After another lifeless offensive performance in Monday’s series opener at San Diego, the Braves look to level the series and force a Wednesday rubber match in Tuesday night’s 9:40 p.m. EDT game at Petco Park.
Atlanta turns to rookie JR Ritchie on the mound, while the Padres are expected to counter with Wandy Peralta as the opener followed by Griffin Canning.
The good news is that after tonight, there are only two more games that start after 9 p.m. on the East Coast.
The better news is the Braves commentary crew is back on the call tonight after whatever that ESPN broadcast was on Monday.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 18: Shane Baz #34 of the Baltimore Orioles prepares to throw out a runner during the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 18, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Orioles have won three games in a row several times this season. They are yet to win four games in a row. That could change tonight as the O’s send Shane Baz to the mound in search of their fourth consecutive win in the Los Angeles area. The team took the final two games they played with the Dodgers and opened this series against the Angels with a 6-1 win on Monday night.
While Baz has not been spectacular overall in his first season with the Orioles, his performance has been better recently. Across his last six outings, Baz has a 2.39 ERA and 3.02 FIP over 37.2 innings. Usually, if he limits walks, he has a good night.
Ryan Johnson starts for the Halos. The 23-year-old has 19 total appearances under his belt, and only two of them have been starts. His most recent appearance, on June 18, was the longest of his MLB career. He lasted five innings and allowed five runs on eight hits, two strikeouts, and one walk. Games aren’t played on paper, but you would have to give the Orioles the pitching advantage.
Blaze Alexander and Jackson Holliday are both on the bench, and there was no IL news regarding either one. So it seems like the team isn’t too worried.
Alexander and manager Craig Albernaz both made comments after the Monday night win that suggested he may have been able to get back into the game if they had just a few more minutes. They didn’t, so he was pulled. But they weren’t ready to reinsert him into the lineup today.
Holliday has not played in three days due to his groin injury. Despite a favorable pitching matchup tonight, he misses again. That is a bit concerning. It seems like he wasn’t even an option on Monday, which suggests the Orioles are playing a man down. They can’t do that for much longer, especially if they need to be careful with Alexander.
SAN FRANCISCO — Rafael Devers’ interpreter, the Giants’ Spanish-language announcer Erwin Higueros, was halfway through translating his answer into English when the Giants’ first baseman interrupted him. He had something more to say.
“And, and, and, and, and, and,” Devers said in Spanish, winding up for a Donald Trump-style rant against the media.
“I think what it is, the media in general, you guys just blow everything out of proportion. I think it’s a reflection that I really don’t talk to you guys. I really don’t talk to the media. So because I don’t talk to the media, things like this happen. So you guys gotta write everything and try to blow everything out of proportion.”
It’s true: Devers doesn’t really talk to the media.
Rafael Devers had something to say about his actions during a game against the Marlins. Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
It’s not like he didn’t have his opportunity to explain himself and provide the clarity he sought to Tuesday, two days after he openly disrespected manager Tony Vitello by wagging his finger, attempting to shoo away a speedier pinch runner and storming back to the clubhouse.
Devers was asked after Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the Marlins to provide his perspective.
He declined.
Matt Chapman and Vitello were left to address the eyebrow-raising incident in the ninth inning of their third loss in three games in Miami. On Tuesday, president of baseball operations Buster Posey said he would have liked to see more accountability from his star first baseman who’s expected to anchor their lineup for another eight seasons.
“I think everybody has to be themselves,” Posey said. But, he continued, “I do think ultimately he understands there’s got to be some accountability. Sometimes it’s not fun. It’s not fun to stand in front of a camera or a microphone, but that’s something he’s going to need to work on.”
Devers was asked after Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the Marlins to provide his perspective. He declined. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Devers, to his credit, answered questions for five minutes before the Giants began their homestand against the A’s. More importantly, he also cleared the air with Vitello.
Devers’ explanation expanded on what Vitello said after Sunday’s game — that it was all a miscommunication and he thought he was being lifted for Jonah Cox because of a hamstring issue that led Vitello to DH him earlier in the series.
Nevertheless, Posey described Devers’ actions as a “misstep.”
“We’re all prone to have missteps at times,” the former catcher turned top baseball executive said. “You could tell he’s frustrated. Look, the way the season’s gone, everybody’s frustrated. I think that’s a byproduct of frustration.”
Devers said he was trying to let his manager know that he was good to run, even though he still represented a far worse option as the potential tying run than the speedy Cox, who is on the roster almost for that express purpose.
Still, Devers said he apologized to Vitello, just in case “if he felt that I was disrespecting him.”
Vitello said after the game that he didn’t feel the need to speak with Devers about the incident, despite the star slugger openly undercutting the rookie manager’s authority.
It wasn’t the first time: Devers rejected former Red Sox manager Alex Cora’s request to play first base, leading to his trade to the Giants last June.
Devers was asked if he understood that this was a “bad look.”
Devers said he apologized to Vitello. Rhona Wise-Imagn Images
“No, I don’t think so,” he said. “I know the type of person that I am, I know the type of person [Vitello] is. Like I said it wasn’t meant for me to be disrespectful to him.”
The optics alone raised questions about Vitello’s respect within the clubhouse, particularly coming from one of their most important and highly compensated players.
“I think he’s a great person, as a manager and a person,” Devers said of Vitello, chalking up his actions to the heat of the moment. “Obviously he’s getting a lot of experience. But we all respect and will just continue doing the things that he wants and having him lead us.”
Devers said he was trying to let his manager know that he was good to run AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
Still, Vitello appreciated the gesture from Devers and said they hashed things out on what was surely an unpleasant six-hour flight home from Miami following a sweep against the Marlins.
“It was needed,” Vitello said Tuesday. “We were going to have a conversation. But it was a great talk. It was good of him to come back. We sat there and hung out for a little bit. I told you where I stand on that guy.”
Vitello was clear about his feelings toward Devers, who he said has a “great” relationship with his dad, Greg. They often run into each in the team hotel, Vitello said.
“I’m good to go into battle with him anytime. As a person, with how he treats my family, especially my dad, I’ll go to battle anytime with him off the field, too,” Vitello said, dipping into his rolodex of movie references for a line from “The Town.”
“If he came over to my condo and said I need your help, [but] you can’t ask about it, we’re gonna do some damage, all I’d say is who’s car are we going to take?”
The hits just keep coming for the struggling Mets.
Juan Soto is officially day-to-day after leaving Tuesday's game against the Chicago Cubs in the fifth inning with what the team called left side back tightness.
Soto appeared to wince after swings in each of his first two at-bats, and that's when Carlos Mendoza could tell that something was off with his star outfielder.
"It got to a point where it was bothering him to throw and just to get his A-swing," the skipper said. "At that point, I thought it was best to just get him out of the game, have the trainers look at him, and as of now we're day-to-day."
Soto did undergo treatment and was spotted back in the Mets' before the end of the night.
The team will wait and see how he feels when he gets to the ballpark ahead of Wednesday's doubleheader before deciding if he'll have to undergo further testing.
"We'll see where he's at tomorrow, and we'll go from there," Mendoza said.
Losing Soto for any amount of time would be a significant blow to a Mets lineup that's expected to get Francisco Lindor back in the mix at some point over the next few days.
Lindor came out of his potential final rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday feeling fine, but the team still hasn't decided if he'll be activated on Wednesday or not.
Soto and Lindor have played together in just nine of the Mets' 77 games thus far this season.
New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec (17) controls the puck during a game against the Washington Capitals.
The Devils added some draft capital on Tuesday, dealing defenseman Šimon Nemec to the Flames in exchange for a pair of conditional first-round draft picks in 2027 and 2028, as well as a second-round pick in this week’s NHL draft.
The Devils will also receive 21-year-old defensive prospect Etienne Morin and the Flames will get former Islander Maxim Tsyplakov.
The conditional picks are top 10 protected.
New Jersey Devils defenseman Simon Nemec (17) controls the puck during a game against the Washington Capitals. AP Photo/Nick Wass
Nemec is coming off a season in which he put up a career high 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists) in 68 games for New Jersey and had wrapped up his third season in the NHL since being drafted No. 2 overall in the 2022 NHL Draft by the Devils’ previous general manager, Tom Fitzgerald.
Tuesday’s deal is one of the first sizeable moves made by new GM Sunny Mehta as the Devils prepare for this week’s draft.
Nemec was set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer after completing his rookie contract, and the deal indicates that Mehta opted not to engage with what likely would have been a pricey extension and move Nemec while interest was there.
The Devils have a dearth of defensemen at the moment in Luke Hughes, Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Brenden Dillon, Jonas Siegenthaler and Johnathan Kovacevic.
The team also had prospect Seamus Casey and signed their No. 10 overall pick in 2024, Anton Silayev.
If Nemec turns into a high-end defenseman, the deal could come back to haunt Mehta and the Devils, but for now, the team has essentially seen enough for the organization to be comfortable making Tuesday’s deal.
Devils General Manager Sunny Mehta speaks at a press conference at Prudential Center on April 21,2026. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The added draft picks could make for an interesting Friday and Saturday for the Devils, with the possibility that they could use them to make a trade.
The Devils have roughly $13.1 million in cap space at the moment, according to PuckPedia.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres throws to first base on a ground out by Mike Yastrzemski #18 of the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Petco Park on June 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Atlanta Braves (48-29) at San Diego Padres (40-37), June 23, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PST
Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying it
Remember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity site
Out of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threads
CINCINNATI, OHIO - MAY 31: Nick Lodolo #40 of the Cincinnati Reds throws a pitch against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park on May 31, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It has been a brutally unlucky season so far for Cincinnati Reds lefty Nick Lodolo so far in 2026. First, blister issues cost him the first month of the season, and even after he returned he looked a bit lost on the mound – uncomfortable throwing his breaking pitches the way he’d used to given that it was that series of grips that had caused the blisters in the first place.
On Tuesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers, though, he finally looked as if he was right again. He held Milwaukee hitless the first time through the order while also facing the minimum, and he was rewarded in just about the most unfortunate way possible in the 4th.
The first ‘hit’ he allowed? A 107 mph comebacker off the bat of Jackson Chourio that hit him square in his left (pitching) wrist.
There is a slight bit of good news here. He stayed in the game, for one, and despite loading the bases eventually finished the inning having allowed nary a run. However, he was still pulled after the inning as a precaution as he needed 32 pitches to get through the inning and odds are he’ll be swollen and bruised the moment the adrenaline begins to wear off.
Initial reports (and simply watching it all unfold) suggest he can’t be injured too badly, but the Reds are obviously going to take this with as many precautions as possible. As a result, Lodolo exited after 4.o IP having allowed nary a run on 2 H with a lone walk and 6 K (75 pitches).
It was the best he’s looked all season, and also the worst luck he’s had all season. Hopefully, this isn’t something that’ll become a bigger problem.
TORONTO, ON - JUNE 22: Joey Loperfido #10 of the Houston Astros looks on after striking out in the fifth inning during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on June 22, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a day of the long ball, resilience, extra innings and jubilation. In the end, Houston would hang on in a back-and-forth affair, defeating Toronto by a score of 9-7. The hero would ironically be a former Blue Jay, Joey Loperfido, who Houston reacquired for moments such as these. In the bottom of the 11th, Loperfido would launch a 3-run blast breaking the 6-6 tie.
The longball would serve as the story for Houston at different intervals on this day. Shane Bieber would run into a buzzsaw during his season debut. The Astros would tee off on the former Cy Young Award winner in the 4th inning with a barrage of home runs, featuring a trifecta of solo shots from Yainer Diaz, Cam Smith and Taylor Trammell. Trammell’s 421-foot blast would reach the upper deck, ultimately forcing Bieber to the showers a few batters later. The last time the Astros hit three homeruns in consecutive fashion was back on July 19th, 2019, versus the Rangers. The Astros have never lost when hitting back-to-back to-back homers. They are 8-0 in franchise history.
After the barrage of blasts, Toronto would respond on their home half of the 4th. Daulton Varsho, who led things off with a double and would score on a Luis Urias homer, cutting the lead in half at 4-2. It was Urias’s debut as a member of the Jays. Peter Lambert would exit in the bottom of the fifth. In addition to the pair of allowed runs, Lambert would strike out six, walk three, and scatter six hits.
Prior to the fireworks in the fourth, Jose Altuve began smacking his 12th double of the season. He’d advance to third on a wild pitch, eventually coming home on Isaac Parades’ 2 out RBI single to center, scoring the game’s first run. Altuve batted leadoff in place for Jeremy Pena who made an impromptu exit yesterday after sustaining a hamstring cramp in his right leg. Pena would return as a pinch hitter in the 8th for Trammell and would draw a walk. That walk would load the bases in the 8th but Brice Matthews, mired in a 1-18 slump, struck out and Raynel Delgado popped out ending any threat.
Nate Pearson would come on in the 8th and would commit costly mistakes. After issuing a walk to Springer, Vladimir Guerrero would reach on Pearson’s throwing error. Kazuma Okamoto would then drive them in. Okamoto now has 48 rbi’s on the year.
In the 9th, Altuve, Alvarez, and Paredes would load the bases. Joey Loperfido would reach on catcher interference which scored Altuve. Cam Smith would execute a sac fly bringing in Alvarez and once again, things were tied up, this time 6-6. Josh Hader would come in the bottom of the ninth and rack up a 1-2-3 inning. In the 11th, the magic happened and now the Astros are in position to win their fourth consecutive series with a win tomorrow. Logan VanWey earns his first win in relief.
Mike Burrows returns to the rotation after a brief stint in the bullpen to close out the series tomorrow. He’ll get the start and is opposed by Trey Yesavage. First pitch is set for 6:07pm CDT.
Odds & Ends:
Issac Parades has an 8-game hitting streak.
Christian Walker went 0-6 on Tuesday with 3 strikeouts.
One year ago, at the midway point, the Astros record stood at 48-33. They had a 6 1/2 game divisional lead.
Jun 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners third baseman J.P. Crawford (3), right, is congratulated by right fielder Rob Refsnyder (30) after scoring a run during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Authors Note: This post contains sponsored content from Fan Duel Sports Book
By some miracle, despite being just a hair above .500, the Mariners have maintained a tenuous grip on first place in the American League West. If you were a casual observer, you could be forgiven for thinking this Mariners team is actually pretty good, but beneath the surface, the Mariners are muddled in mediocrity. As is tradition across all sports, these types of team performances tend to draw the ire of even the most casual of Mariners fans. The calls for roster changes are certainly being made, and none are louder than those surrounding Rob Refsnyder. Now, Refsnyder was explicitly brought in to hit lefties, and, uh, well, he’s not doing it. As a result, many have begun to question his place on the roster with the hot bat of Dominic Canzone and the imminent return of Randy Arozarena. A part of that could be bad luck, a part of that could be nagging injury, a part of that could just be being a fringe utility player on the wrong end of 35. Regardless of the reason, the Mariners are still left to make a decision. Nick Vitalis discussed the Mariners’ options earlier this week; for the sake of this piece, I’ll keep it simple: Does Reyfsnyder have a place on this team for the remainder of the season? Let us know what you think through the poll and comments below.
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Mariners fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
With the All-Star game quickly approaching, I wanted to get an idea of how other people voted in this thing. Frankly, most of the time I forget to vote for the All-Star game. Most of the time I can’t even be bothered to watch these days because the All-Star Game is on some new slop streaming service that I’m not gonna pay for. I have MLB TV I should be able to watch whatever game I want. But whatever, that’s a conversation for another time. Now we did want to know who you wanted to see at the All-Star game, and the results came back as a surprise to me:
It seems Cole “Cole Young” Young has captured the hearts of Mariners fans everywhere. I did not expect his to eclipse Julio at all. Seems like Young’s rise as aface-of-the-franchisee type player for the Mariners is just getting started.
I also wanted to know how other people vote. Personally, I’ve never been a fan of when fan bases stuff the ballot boxes and we get all of one team in the infield or something like that. It dilutes the overall purpose and experience of the game. I have no interest in seeing Brandon Belt take at-bats in the All-Star Game. I want to see the stars; that’s what the starting spots should be for! Most of you seem to agree with me:
Now don’t get me wrong, I always vote for all Mariners at least once, but I definitely mix in a few ballots of who I actually think deserves to go…unless they’re a Yankee or Astro.
It's finally time for the 2026 NBA Draft, which means players such as AJ Dybantsa and Darryn Peterson will finally hear their names called as they begin their professional careers.
After months of anticipation, we will soon have answers about the future of the top prospects in basketball. Like with any draft, it is impossible to predict exactly which pick will make a front office look smart down the road and which could potentially cost someone their job.
But we still are going to make a valiant effort to try, so that's exactly what we are here to do. We've given our predictions about where each player will land, we've read all of the experts. We've even interviewed some of the biggest names like Caleb Wilson, Keaton Wagler, and Mikel Brown Jr. as part of the pre-draft process.
Now, it's time to offer up our best attempt at analyzing how each player is going to fit with their new teams:
The Washington Wizards are officially first on the clock to announce their decision at No. 1 overall.
1. Washington Wizards
(This section will be filled out after the Wizards make their pick.)
Jun 17, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Sean Sullivan (45) throws the ball against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images
The Colorado Rockies have won three of four games so far on their current home-stand, and all three of those games have come with late innings hijinks. After two ninth-inning nail-biters against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Rockies decided that more shenanigans were in store for their series opener against the visiting Boston Red Sox.
Down by two runs in the top of the eighth, the Rockies strung together four straight singles and failed to score a run due to base-running mishaps. However, they came back to walk the Red Sox off with another four straight hits in the bottom of the ninth. Two singles, a bunt single, and a bases clearing triple by Jake McCarthy came against one of the best closers in Major League Baseball.
Tonight the Rockies will look to cement a series win against the Red Sox… Hopefully without causing their fans a lot of undue stress in the late innings.
Rookie lefty Sean Sullivan will be making the third start of his young Major League career, and ideally it will go a bit better than the first two. In his first start, a visibly ill and laboring Sullivan pitched just three–albeit solid–innings. In the second, he gave up eight earned runs in four innings of work with two walks and two strikeouts. Seven of those runs came in just one inning. If Sullivan can take the best parts of his two performances so far, the third time might just be the charm.
On the bump for Boston is the three-time All-Star and 14-year right-handed veteran Sonny Gray, who is making his 14th start of his first season with the Red Sox. Through his first 13 starts and 69.1 innings, Gray has a 3.12 ERA with 55 strikeouts.
Gray has surprisingly little history against the Rockies, having made just two starts with 11.2 total innings. In those starts he has allowed four earned runs on seven hits with seven walks and 14 strikeouts. He has not given up a home run. The 36-year-old has a very well-balanced arsenal of pitches consisting of a cutter, a low 90s four-seam fastball, a sweeper, a curveball, and a sinker.
First Pitch: 6:40 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)
With the Brady Tkachuk trade to the Florida Panthers, there is some shakeup in the top 10 of the 2026 NHL Draft. The Chicago Blackhawks, however, will not see their fourth overall pick impacted by that move.
They still have to wait to see how things unfold with the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, and Vancouver Canucks ahead of them.
Early in the process, there was some chatter that the San Jose Sharks would take a defenseman, which could leave Ivar Stenberg for the Blackhawks if the Canucks took Manny Malhotra’s son, Caleb.
Now, the whispers are that the Canucks may not draft the son of their new head coach. This is what the draft could look like if Stenberg is not available to Chicago because Vancouver flipped the script at the last minute:
1. Toronto Maple Leafs - Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State
The Toronto Maple Leafs selecting Gavin McKenna would add another star to their crop of great forwards. Assuming they don't trade any of them, he would be wonderful on a power play unit with Auston Matthews, Matthew Knies, William Nylander, and Darren Raddysh.
2. San Jose Sharks - Chase Reid, D, Sault St. Marie
The San Jose Sharks made some moves that suggest they are changing their thinking, but they could still use a high-end defenseman at the top of the draft. Chase Reid would provide them with that.
3. Vancouver Canucks - Ivar Stenberg, LW, Frolunda
The Vancouver Canucks pass on their coach's son here and select Ivar Stenberg. They have a strong history with Swedish forwards becoming stars, and Stenberg has that type of ceiling.
4. Chicago Blackhawks - Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford
With Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg off the board, the Chicago Blackhawks select the third-best forward in the draft, which is Caleb Malhotra. A selection like this would move one of Anton Frondell or Frank Nazar back to the wing.
5. New York Rangers - Keaton Verhoeff, D, North Dakota
The New York Rangers take a chance on Keaton Verhoeff's high ceiling with this selection at fifth overall. With Adam Fox's speed in question, Verhoeff would be a great compliment to him.
6. Calgary Flames - Carson Carels, D, Prince George
The Calgary Flames just traded for Simon Nemec, which adds a great young defenseman to their pool. Carson Carels is another one with an incredibly high ceiling to consider adding to that mix.
7. Seattle Kraken - Alberts Smits, D, Jukurit
The Seattle Kraken get what could turn out to be a star in Alberts Smits, who helped Latvian hockey take a big step in the Olympics and World Championships. They are desperate for stars, so taking a chance on this player with star potential is the perfect idea for them.
8. Winnipeg Jets - Daxon Rudolph, D, Prince Albert
Things fall off a bit in terms of potential when it comes to defensemen following the selection of Smits, but Winnipeg is brilliant at taking young defensemen and turning them into great players. Daxon Rudolph would fit right in there.
9. San Jose Sharks via Ottawa Senators via Florida Panthers - Viggo Bjorck, RW, Djurgarden
This 9th overall pick, which originally belonged to the Florida Panthers, has done some traveling. First, it was traded to the Blackhawks, but it was top-ten protected. Then, Florida used it in the Brady Tkachuk trade with the Ottawa Senators. Finally, the Senators traded it to the Sharks for William Eklund. Now, in this mock, they use it on Viggo Bjorck after using the second overall pick on a defenseman. Bjorck was impressive all season, whether it was with Djurgarden, the World Juniors, or the World Championships.
10. Nashville Predators - Tynan Lawrence, C, Boston University
The Nashville Predators had somewhat of a bounce-back year, but it wasn't enough to keep them from finishing with a top-ten pick. Tynan Lawrence, who may be a center or wing in the NHL, is the perfect project for them. At one point, he was projected to be a top-three pick, so taking a chance on his skills at 10 is perfect for Nashville.
11. St. Louis Blues - Ryan Lin, D, Vancouver
This is the first of three picks for the St. Louis Blues in the 2026 NHL Draft. Selecting a defenseman in Ryan Lin makes sense for them organizationally, but they could probably use a bit of everything at this point.
12. New Jersey Devils - Wyatt Cullen, F, USDP
Wyatt Cullen is a speedy forward who fits what the New Jersey Devils try to do offensively. His ceiling would allow him to play with one of Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier, which is a reason that they'd take a chance on him.
13. New York Islanders - Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor
Ethan Belchetz, who will play for Michigan State in 2026-27, is in a great spot for him to work on his abilities. The New York Islanders would have two successful first rounds in a row if they made a selection like this.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets - Adam Novotny, LW, Peterborough
Adam Novotny is a forward who has some very good goal-scoring skills, and the rest of his offensive game is solid. The Columbus Blue Jackets, who have some wonderful young players, are still trying to build up. This makes Novotny's ceiling worth considering for their long-term plan.
15. St. Louis Blues via Detroit Red Wings - Oscar Hemming, RW, Boston College
The St. Louis Blues acquired the 15th overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft in the Justin Faulk trade ahead of the deadline. On Tuesday, they traded Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals, which makes adding a high-end forward prospect enticing. Oscar Hemming is a great option for them if he makes it to 15.
16. St. Louis Blues via Washington Capitals - Malte Gustafsson, LD, HV71
The Blues received the 16th overall pick in the Kyrou trade, which makes it back to back selections in the mid-teens and three in the top half of the draft. They do need a lot of help all over the roster, but there may be some extra emphasis on defense this year. Malte Gustafsson is one to consider with this selection.
And one team in the Eastern Conference hopes it has found the missing piece to the puzzle.
The Capitals on Tuesday acquired forward Jordan Kyrou in a trade with the Blues in exchange for forwards Connor McMichael and Milton Gastrin and a 2026 first-round pick (No. 16).
Kyrou, 28, broke through during the 2021-22 season with a career-high 75 points — and an All-Star Game appearance — before recording three straight seasons of 30-plus goals, leading the team in scoring each year.
St. Louis Blues right wing Jordan Kyrou (25) skates the puck out from behind the net during an NHL game where the St. Louis Blues hosted the Winnipeg Jets on April 9, 2026, at the Enterprise Center. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
However, his production dipped this past season with just 18 goals and 28 assists for his lowest point total (46) since his third year in the NHL.
The Capitals, who finished with 95 points and missed the playoffs this year, made clear they are thrilled to acquire a player of Kyrou’s goal-scoring and offensive ability.
“Jordan is an exceptionally talented and dynamic offensive player who will make an immediate impact on our club,” general manager Chris Patrick said in a statement. “His skill, creativity, and ability to generate offense at an elite level will be a tremendous addition to our group. At just 28 years old and under contract for the next five seasons, Jordan is entering the prime years of his career. We believe he is an ideal fit for our team both now and for the long term.”
Connor McMichael of the Washington Capitals seen in action during the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on April 14, 2026 in Columbus, Ohio. Getty Images
Kyrou signed an eight-year extension worth $65 million before the 2022-23 season, so he’s under contract through the 2030-31 campaign, in theory giving Washington a top-flight forward for years to come.
In McMichael, the Capitals lose their 2019 first-round pick, who, ironically enough, finished with 46 points last season. Gastrin, a center from Sweden, was a second-round pick last year and has yet to make his NHL debut.
On Monday, former Calgary Flames President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke earned induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. With a career spanning almost four decades, including a Stanley Cup championship with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, this is one of the highest honors for Burke, who recently served as the Executive Director of the PWHL.
— Hockey Hall of Fame (@HockeyHallFame) June 22, 2026
In the NHL, Burke held many leadership positions with several clubs, including the Vancouver Canucks, Hartford Whalers, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, and, of course, the Flames.
After serving as President, General Manager, and Senior Advisor with the Maple Leafs, he became the Flames' President of Hockey Operations on Sept. 5, 2013. Within three months, Burke fired then General Manager Jay Feaster, assuming the role for the remainder of the season.
Behind the bench, Bob Hartley was in his second season with the club, securing a 35-40-7 record for 77 points, improving upon a 19-25-4 record from the shortened 48-game 2012-13 campaign. However, the Flames finished sixth in the Pacific Division.
Interestingly, in the Flames' first trade under Burke, they acquired Joe Colborne from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sep. 29, 2013. Shortly after the season began, Calgary made its second-ever trade with its provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, acquiring Ladislav Smid and Olivier Roy for Roman Horak and Laurent Brossoit on Nov. 8, 2013.
On Apr. 28, 2014, Burke hired Brad Treliving to be the Flames' eighth General Manager. At the 2014 NHL Draft, Burke's first with the Flames, they selected Sam Bennett with the fourth overall pick. Unfortunately, the rest of that year's draft class was a miss, as none of the five others ever played an NHL game.
In the 2014-15 season, the organization rebounded, qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs with a 45-30-7 record, defeating the Canucks in six games before losing to the Ducks in five, both organizations with deep connections to Burke. Yet the success was short-lived, as the team missed the playoffs again in 2015-16, posting an opposite record of 30-45-7. The inconsistencies led to Glen Gulutzan replacing Hartley for the start of the new season.
At least the Flames found some success in Burke's second draft in 2015. Without a first-round pick, they ended up selecting Ramus Andersson at 53rd overall, along with Oliver Kylington (60th overall) and Andrew Mangiapane (166th overall). Meanwhile, one of the biggest trades in franchise history took place on June 26, 2015, when the Flames acquired defenseman Dougie Hamilton from the Boston Bruins for three draft picks: a first- and two second-round picks in the 2015 NHL Draft.
While Calgary advanced to the playoffs for the second time under Burke's watch in 2016-17, losing to the Ducks in four games after posting a 45-33-4 regular season record, the franchise's future took shape at the 2016 NHL Draft. That year, the Flames selected Matthew Tkachuk with the sixth overall pick, following that up with Dillon Dube at 56th overall and future Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox at 66th overall. As many recall, all three eventually left the organization, with Fox the only one never dressing with the team.
In 2017-18, the Flames scraped by with a 37-35-10 record, missing the playoffs for the third time since Burke's hire. Moreover, the team cycled through goalies, with Burke and Treliving acquiring Niklas Backstrom, Brian Elliott, and Mike Smith while dealing away Chad Johnson and Eddie Lack. Additionally, on Feb. 27, 2016, they traded away fan favorite Jiri Hudler to the Florida Panthers.
At the 2017 NHL Draft, the Flames used their first round pick on Juuso Välimäki (16th overall) and then used their next pick on Adam Ruzicka at 109th overall. Their last three picks in the later rounds never made it into the league.
Despite many ups and downs, Burke stepped down as President of Hockey Operations on Apr. 27, 2018. However, in one of the final moves he oversaw before departing, the Flames relieved Gulutzan of his coaching duties and hired Bill Peters as head coach on Apr. 23, 2018. Under Burke's watch, the Flames went 197-178-35 and only won a total of five playoff games.
Despite the lack of overwhelming success during his time with the club, Burke is the one who hired Brad Treliving, who would go on to leave his fingerprints all over today's roster. Eventually, Treliving would trade Tkachuk for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar and lose Johnny Gaudreau to free agency. On the other hand, he drafted Dustin Wolf, Connor Zary, Martin Pospisil, and Matt Coronato, pillars of today's rebuild.
Burke becomes the latest inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame with connections to the Flames, including the late Cliff Fletcher, Jarome Iginla, Joe Nieuwendyk, Mike Vernon, Al MacInnis, Joe Mullen, Doug Gilmour, Brett Hull, Sergei Makarov, Martin St. Louis, and Lanny McDonald.
