Josh Inglis still doesn’t know exactly where he’ll bat in his return to the Test team when Australia take on the West Indies in the early hours of Thursday morning AEST but all his white-ball experience has him confident he can bat anywhere.
Yankees struggle to produce big hit in 6-1 loss to Reds
The Yankees couldn't make the most of a few mid-inning rallies on Monday night, as they fell to the Cincinnati Reds, 6-1, in their series opener at Great American Ball Park.
Here are the takeaways...
-- The Yankees didn't waste much time drawing first blood against Reds starter Nick Lodolo. With two outs in the first inning, Aaron Judge crushed a fastball deep to left that landed in the second deck for a solo home run. The 398-foot moonshot was No. 28 on the season for Judge, who remains on pace for a second straight 58-homer campaign. He nearly connected on No. 29 in the third, but his flyout fell a couple feet shy of the wall in center.
-- With a rotation spot open due to Ryan Yarbrough's oblique injury, the Yankees called up Allan Winans from Triple-A to make his 2025 debut, and he provided mixed results. The 29-year-old right-hander worked effectively early on, facing the minimum through the first three innings on just 24 pitches. But he fell into trouble in the fourth, giving up a game-tying triple to Elly De La Cruz, an RBI sac fly to Spencer Steer, and a solo homer to Gavin Lux.
-- The Yankees had opportunities to inflict further damage on Lodolo -- who was pulled with one out in the fifth at 94 pitches -- but couldn't capitalize with traffic on the basepaths. They left six on base through five innings, going 0-for-8 with RISP. Winans returned for a fifth inning of work but didn't complete it, as another jam produced a fourth Reds run and forced him at 62 pitches with one out. Ian Hamilton was then tasked with cleaning up a bases-loaded mess, and he did just that by inducing a double-play grounder. Winans gave up those four runs on five hits and only struck out one.
-- Hamilton kept the Reds off the board in the sixth and seventh innings, registering a pair of strikeouts, but Tim Hill replaced him with one out in the latter frame and worked around a single by inducing an inning-ending double play. In the eighth, the Yankees had yet another prime chance to score following a leadoff double by Cody Bellinger -- his second of the game -- and a walk to Judge. But the threat didn't faze Reds reliever Tony Santillan, who proceeded to strike out Giancarlo Stanton and Jazz Chisholm Jr. and force Anthony Volpe into a groundout.
-- The Reds bumped their lead to 5-1 in the eighth, when De La Cruz smacked a sinker from Hill to the right-field seats for his 17th homer this season. Mark Leiter Jr. then entered in relief after the longball, and saw an inning-ending grounder plate a sixth Reds run due to an errant throw to first by Volpe. While the Yankees made Lodolo labor all night, they didn't make the Reds' bullpen sweat too much. They logged just two hits over the final 4.2 frames, striking out seven times. Overall, they fanned 13 times and went 0-for-12 with RISP.
Game MVP: Elly De La Cruz
The Reds' shortstop showcased his elite pop and speed, finishing 3-for-4 with a solo homer, game-tying triple, RBI single, and two runs scored. He's now hitting .272 this season with an .861 OPS -- currently career-high marks.
Highlights
Aaron Judge CRUSHES this one to the second deck for a solo homer! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3W18l8Btbx
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) June 23, 2025
What's next
The Yankees (45-33) will play the middle game of their series on Tuesday night, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
Carlos Rodón (9-5, 3.10 ERA) is slated to take the mound, opposite Reds top prospect Chase Burns, making his MLB debut.
Juan Soto homers, but wastes late opportunity as Mets fall to Braves in series opener
The Mets were defeated by the Atlanta Braves, 3-2, in the series opener on Monday night at Citi Field.
Here are some takeaways...
- As was the case in their meeting last week, the Braves were able to jump on Paul Blackburn, putting baserunners on in each inning against him. The righty was helped by a heads-up play from Jeff McNeil to escape without damage in the first, but a sacrifice fly brought home the first run of the game in the second.
Ronald Acuña Jr. led off the third with a solo shot to center, then a double and two walks loaded the bases with nobody out. Blackburn did a nice job of bearing down from there and was able to escape with just one more tally on the board via a sacrifice fly.
He finally put together a clean inning his next time out, but was pulled in the fifth after allowing an Austin Riley triple and a two-out walk. José Buttó entered and retired the first batter he faced to close Blackburn's line at three runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 4.2 innings.
It marked the fifth straight game the Mets received five innings or fewer from their starter.
- After they struck for four runs and two homers against him last week in Atlanta, the Mets weren't able to get much of anything going against Spencer Schwellenbach. They managed just two singles over the first five innings, but finally broke through in the sixth.
Juan Soto made the young right-hander pay for a two-out walk to Brandon Nimmo, demolishing an opposite-field, two-run homer to make it a one-run ballgame. It was Soto's 17th long ball of the season and the third of his career against Schwellenbach.
The star outfielder would step to the plate in a golden opportunity a few innings later -- Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo lined back-to-back two-out singles to push the tying run to third -- but Soto struck out on a nasty 3-2 slider out of the zone from left-hander Dylan Lee.
- Lee set down Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, and Tyrone Taylor to close this one out in the ninth.
- While it was for naught, the Mets' bullpen did a good job of keeping them in the game. Ryne Stanek let out a big roar after pitching his way out of a jam in the seventh, Reed Garrett struck out a pair in the eighth, and then Edwin Diaz worked around two hits in the ninth.
- Brett Baty has gotten off to a bit of a slow start since returning from the IL, but he put together a much-needed strong showing at the plate, picking up two of the four knocks against Schwellenbach.
- The Mets have now lost nine of their last 10 games and four straight against the Braves.
Game MVP: Dylan Lee
The southpaw set down the scorching Soto in the biggest spot of the game.
Highlights
Jeff McNeil traps Ronald Acuña Jr. in a rundown and he gets tagged out! pic.twitter.com/NbHSl3hxBV
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 23, 2025
José Buttó got some cheers from the Citi Field crowd after throwing up-and-in on Ronald Acuña Jr.
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 24, 2025
Buttó later struck Acuña out. pic.twitter.com/5VwmmKnVTt
JUAN SOTO GETS THE METS BACK IN IT WITH A TWO-RUN HOMER! pic.twitter.com/MP5N8s9Z6e
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 24, 2025
STRUCK HIM OUT!
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 24, 2025
Ryne Stanek lets out a roar as he strikes out Sean Murphy! pic.twitter.com/Q1s5jnM3Ct
Two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 inning for Reed Garrett 💪 pic.twitter.com/9u61bMx48M
— SNY (@SNYtv) June 24, 2025
What's next
The Mets and Braves continue their four-game set on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m.
Frankie Montas makes his Mets debut against Spencer Strider (2-5, 3.89 ERA) on SNY.
Mavericks reportedly reach three year, $54.7 million extension with Daniel Gafford
Daniel Gafford has agreed to an extension with the Dallas Mavericks — but he still could be traded this summer.
ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news that "Gafford intends to sign a three-year contract extension worth nearly $60 million." The reality is that Gafford's maximum extension off his current deal is $54.7 million, which is likely what this is for (with some very generous rounding up, you can get to "near $60 million"). This is three years added to the $14.4 million already on the final year of his existing contract, and the deal will now run through the summer of 2029. There is no option on the final year of the deal, it's a straight three years, reports Dallas-based writer Grant Afseth.
That's a lot of money for a backup center, but Gafford is not an average backup. Last season he averaged 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks a game and started 31 games for the Mavericks. He is a solid defender and scorer at the rim, but he does not space the floor — 69% of his shot attempts last season were in the restricted area, and he hasn't attempted a 3-pointer for three seasons. Shooting that much at the rim has its advantages, Gafford shot 70.2% from the field last season.
After the NBA Draft, Dallas will have a packed frontcourt with Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, P.J. Washington, Gafford and now Cooper Flagg.
Gafford's name has come up as a possible trade target for teams needing a center, including the Los Angeles Lakers, where Gafford could pair with his old running partner Luka Doncic. This extension, once signed (after July 6), would not preclude him from being traded. However, the Mavericks are going to be seeking a steep price to send Gafford to Los Angeles or anywhere else.
Analyzing every Nashville Predators first round NHL Draft pick: 1998-2002
While the Nashville Predators aren't the oldest franchise in the NHL, they have a lot of history of picking in the first round of the NHL Draft.
In its 27-year history, the Predators have selected 25 times in the first round. Amongst those first-round selections, some have had massive success in Nashville, others have found it elsewhere, and a few have been busts.
With the Predators picking fifth, 23rd and 26th overall in this year's draft, we take a look back at every first-round pick by Nashville.
1998: David Legwand (center, 2nd overall)
The original Nashville Predator, center David Legwand, was the organization's first-ever draft pick at second overall in 1998.
As one of the top prospects in his draft class, Legwand scored 105 points in 59 games for the OHL's Playmouth Whalers during the 1997-98 season.
He contracted mononucleosis during Predators training camp and ended up playing an extra season in the OHL, recording 80 points in 55 games.
Legwand spent the bulk of his career with the Predators, playing in 956 games and scoring 566 points. Legwand was traded to the Detroit Red Wings at the end of the 2013-14 season, which coincided with the expiration of his contract with Nashville.
He'd play 1,136 games in the NHL and score 618 points.
1999: Brian Finley (goalie, 6th overall)
It's always a risk to take a goalie so high, but the Predators took the jump in selecting Barrie Colts goaltender Brian Finley with the sixth overall pick.
It should be noted that the Predators passed on goalie Ryan Miller in this draft, who was selected by the Buffalo Sabres 138th overall and would go on to win the Vezina Trophy in 2010.
During the 1998-99 season, Finley posted a 23-14-1 record with the Colts, holding a 2.92 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. He'd play three more seasons in the OHL before joining the Predators during the 2002-03 season.
He'd played one game that season with the Predators, coming in relief of Tomas Vokoun. Finley allowed three goals on 13 shots. He'd spend some time with the Milwaukee Admirals, winning the Calder Cup in 2004.
Finley got his second shot with the Predators during the 2005-06 season, where he'd allow seven goals on 41 shots in a loss to the Florida Panthers. He signed with the Boston Bruins during the 2006 offseason, playing two games before retiring in 2007.
2000: Scott Hartnell (forward, 6th overall)
One of the most notable "tough guys" in NHL history, Prince Albert Raiders forward Scott Harnell got his NHL start with the Predators.
Amounting 230 penalty minutes in 128 games played in the Western Hockey League, Hartnell also proved that he could find the back of the net, scoring 91 points in that stretch.
He quickly made an impact as one of the Predators' heavy hitters, recording 48 penalty minutes in 75 games in his rookie year. Hartnell had three seasons with the Nashville Predators, during which he accumulated 100+ penalty minutes.
Hartnell still found ways to be productive. During the 2006-07 season, he had a plus/minus of 19. To the Predators' misfortune, he really hit his stride when he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2007.
With the Flyers, Hartnell eclipsed 140 penalty minutes in four straight seasons and had a career high 67 points in 82 games during the 2010-11 season. He also helped the Flyers reach the 2010 Stanley Cup Final.
He'd play over 1,200 NHL games, score 707 points and log 1,809 penalty minutes.
Hartnell returned to Nashville for the 2017-18 season, which was his final year. He recorded 24 points in 62 games and 82 penalty minutes.
2001: Dan Hamhuis (defenseman, 12th overall)
The first defenseman to be selected by the Predators in the first round, Prince George Cougars defenseman Dan Hamhuis put up some impressive junior numbers.
During the 2000-01 season, he had 59 points in 62 games. His second season with the Predators, coming out of the 2005 NHL lockout, was the best of his career. Hamhuis had 38 points in 82 games and a plus/minus of 11.
He was a consistent producer with the Predators, but, similar to Harnell, he found his stride when he left for another team. Hamhuis signed with the Vancouver Canucks in 2010 and the following season made a run to the Stanley Cup Final.
In back-to-back seasons with Vancouver, he had a plus/minus of 29 and just his second 30+ point season of his career in 2011-12. Hamhuis would also win a Gold Medal with Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Hamhuis returned to Nashville to play his final two seasons in 2018. He recorded 13 points in 117 games.
2002: Scottie Upshall (forward, 6th overall)
Six seems to be the magic number for the Predators, as three of five picks in the first round from 1998 to 2002 have been at the number six spot.
This time, the Predators went for Kamloops Blazers forward Scottie Upshall, who put up 83 points in 61 games in his draft season. He was also known for his tougher style of play, racking up 139 penalty minutes during the 2001-02 season.
Upshall struggled to find a consistent spot on the Predators' roster. Between 2002 and 2007, he bounced back and forth between Nashville and Milwaukee. His best season was in 2005-06, where he scored 34 points in 48 games and had a plus/minus of 14.
He still found himself back in Milwaukee the following season before he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2007 for two draft picks and Peter Forsberg.
Upshall found a permanent spot in the NHL playing 759 games between the Predators, Flyers, Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers and St. Louis Blues. His best season came in 2013-14, when he had 37 points in 76 games.
He played his final game in the NHL during the 2017-18 season with the St. Louis Blues. Upshall played one more professional season with Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss-A hockey league before retiring.
Celtics trade Jrue Holiday to Trail Blazers, acquire Anfernee Simons: Report
Celtics trade Jrue Holiday to Trail Blazers, acquire Anfernee Simons: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The NBA offseason is already in full swing.
Just a day after the NBA Finals ended, the Boston Celtics traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday night.
BREAKING: The Boston Celtics have traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/2ycXQicGkT
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025
Boston remain engaged in trade talks for multiple key players on its roster, Charania added.
Holiday was a key contributor to Boston’s 2024 NBA title, playing lockdown defense and being a playmaking hub on offense. The 35-year-old agreed to a four-year, $135 million extension in April of 2024.
Simons, 26, is on an expiring contract worth north of $27 million. The 2018 No. 24 overall pick has developed into a solid multi-level scorer, but Portland has struggled to build a playoff team in the post-Damian Lillard era.
Portland initially received Holiday in its 2023 trade that sent Lillard to Milwaukee before rerouting him to Boston.
This past season, Holiday averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists on a 44/35/91 shooting split. Simons with Portland averaged 19.3 points, 4.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds on a 43/36/90 shooting split.
Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton, Scoot Henderson and Deni Avdija were the other key scorers for Portland this past season, though the team doesn’t have a clear direction yet in terms of contending vs. building.
Boston seems to be retooling, letting go of a championship-caliber squad piece for a potential lead scoring guard as Jayson Tatum rehabs from a torn Achilles. With Boston seemingly eyeing more moves, how Simons fits into the wider scheme will be more clear.
This is a developing story and will be updated…
Celtics trade Jrue Holiday to Trail Blazers, acquire Anfernee Simons: Report
Celtics trade Jrue Holiday to Trail Blazers, acquire Anfernee Simons: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The NBA offseason is already in full swing.
Just a day after the NBA Finals ended, the Boston Celtics traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday night.
BREAKING: The Boston Celtics have traded Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/2ycXQicGkT
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025
Boston remain engaged in trade talks for multiple key players on its roster, Charania added.
Holiday was a key contributor to Boston’s 2024 NBA title, playing lockdown defense and being a playmaking hub on offense. The 35-year-old agreed to a four-year, $135 million extension in April of 2024.
Simons, 26, is on an expiring contract worth north of $27 million. The 2018 No. 24 overall pick has developed into a solid multi-level scorer, but Portland has struggled to build a playoff team in the post-Damian Lillard era.
Portland initially received Holiday in its 2023 trade that sent Lillard to Milwaukee before rerouting him to Boston.
This past season, Holiday averaged 11.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.9 assists on a 44/35/91 shooting split. Simons with Portland averaged 19.3 points, 4.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds on a 43/36/90 shooting split.
Shaedon Sharpe, Jerami Grant, Deandre Ayton, Scoot Henderson and Deni Avdija were the other key scorers for Portland this past season, though the team doesn’t have a clear direction yet in terms of contending vs. building.
Boston seems to be retooling, letting go of a championship-caliber squad piece for a potential lead scoring guard as Jayson Tatum rehabs from a torn Achilles. With Boston seemingly eyeing more moves, how Simons fits into the wider scheme will be more clear.
This is a developing story and will be updated…
Reports Link Marner to Golden Knights as Favorites
New reports suggest Vegas Golden Knights as heavy favourites to land Toronto's Mitch Marner.
The Mitch Marner sweepstakes have dominated headlines over the past few weeks with new reports coming everyday on where the superstar winger is considering going. We started to see more clarity with the frontrunners recently with reports coming out on top contenders but Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman dropped the biggest tidbit of information yet.
On Monday, he reported on his podcast "32 Thoughts" that the Vegas Golden Knights are now being looked at as the team to beat when it comes to signing Marner.
More NHL: Toews To Join Hometown Winnipeg Jets Next Season
We recently explained current betting odds on Marner and that it was good time to pull the trigger on a bet for him to go to Vegas and time may be quickly running out. Free agency opens up next Tuesday on July 1st and there's no telling when Marner will come to a decision.
Some insiders have noted it may be some time after that Marner decides who he wants to sign with, including a report from Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman saying there may be a team that will offer Marner a contract with a certain time limit for a decision as the team would like time to go out and make more decisions.
There's no telling who Marner will go with but the reports of him being interested in joining a Western Conference team, a contender and one that will be willing to pay him around $12-14 million per season all fit the Vegas mold.
The Golden Knights have just $9.61 million in projected cap space currently but many insiders have noted that Marner may be willing to take a shorter term deal to help accommodate whatever team he is signing with.
Vegas has also proven to be a hyper-aggressive franchise when it comes to making impactful roster moves and could very easily make a trade that would clear enough cap space to bring in Marner.
Nothing is ever confirmed until it happens but if betting odds are still available, you can feel comfortable in taking a shot at Marner joining the Golden Knights that is still listed at +185 on FanDuel Sportsbook.
More NHL: 2026 Stanley Cup Odds: Oilers, Panthers Lead Early Contenders But One Unexpected Favourite Emerges
Marner’s elite playmaking and two-way ability would slot perfectly into the Knights’ system, giving them another dynamic weapon alongside Jack Eichel and Mark Stone. With a proven championship core already in place, Marner could be the piece that puts them over the top, making +1200 odds a potential steal before any deal becomes official.
The Wraparound: How Creative Will The Maple Leafs Need To Be With John Tavares' Next Contract?
The Wraparound is here to discuss the NHL and more in rapid-fire topics. This episode looks at Monday's big trade before focusing on the Atlantic Division teams.
How Creative Will The Maple Leafs Need To Be With John Tavares' Next Contract? by The WraparoundundefinedHere's what Emma Lingan, Michael Augello and David Alter discussed in this episode:
1:00: Reacting to the Anaheim Ducks’ trade of Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers
4:00: Will Kevyn Adams and the Buffalo Sabres be able to take full advantage of the trade market for players like Bowen Byram and JJ Peterka?
9:00: Will the Montreal Canadiens trade or extend Patrik Laine? What about Mike Matheson?
14:05: What could a new contract look like for John Tavares and the Toronto Maple Leafs?
18:10: Is Vladimir Tarasenko a buyout candidate for the Detroit Red Wings?
22:00: Can the Florida Panthers afford to re-sign all three of their big free agents (Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand)? If not, who stays and who goes?
26:30: What will the free agent market look like for former Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Nick Perbix?
30:30: Did the Boston Bruins make the right choice extending Mason Lohrei for two years at $3.2 million average annual value?
33:05: What will a potential extension look like for Claude Giroux and the Ottawa Senators?
See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.
Promo image credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
NHL announces Predators 9 picks for upcoming NHL Draft
NHL Draft week is upon us, and the Nashville Predators will be staying busy, owning nine picks in this year's draft.
Monday, the NHL announced where the Predators will be selecting. Their first pick, which was earned in the NHL Draft lottery in May, will be fifth overall. It's the highest the Predators have selected since 2013 when they picked defenseman Seth Jones fourth overall.
The eight other picks are as follows: 23rd (first round), 26th (first round), 35th (second round), 55th (second round), 67th (third round), 131st (fifth round), 163rd (sixth round) and 182nd (sixth round).
This is the most the Predators have picked in a draft since the 2023 Draft, which they hosted, where they had 11 picks. The three picks in the first round are the most in franchise history.
Last year, Nashville had eight picks in the draft and selected center Yegor Surin with the 22nd overall pick. Surin was promoted from Yaroslavl Lokomotiv's junior team to their KHL team and won the Gagarin Cup.
Jones, who was the Predators' last top-five pick, won the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers this season. He spent two and a half seasons with the Predators before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2015-16 season.
He'd spend six seasons in Columbus before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021. Jones was in Chicago for three and a half seasons before getting traded to the Panthers this year.
Boston College center James Hagens is one of the popular names being thrown around as to who the Predators will select with their fifth overall pick.
Hagens had 37 points in 37 games with the Golden Eagles and won the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship with Team USA, scoring nine points in seven games.
Predators general manager Barry Trotz is expected to address the media ahead of Friday's draft on Tuesday at 3 p.m.
The NHL Draft will take place on Friday at 7 p.m. EST from Los Angeles.
How Can The Montreal Canadiens Improve On 2024-25?
The Montreal Canadiens will be one of the most intriguing teams to follow this NHL off-season.
The Canadiens may have overachieved in the minds of some this past season, but not in the minds of their management.
The Habs got into the playoffs last year by being a plucky, resilient group, but Canadiens brass won’t kid themselves when it comes to improving on that surprising playoff appearance. Being an Atlantic Division team means that it’s going to be extremely difficult for Montreal to keep up in terms of improving from year to year.
GM Kent Hughes will have to be aggressive on the trade front this summer to bring in the type of talent the Canadiens need not only to stay in the post-season picture but to vault even higher in the food chain.
That said, there are some hurdles for Montreal as it tries to solidify its position in the Atlantic. The Canadiens only have $6.1 million in salary cap space, and they have two notable UFAs in center Christian Dvorak and right winger Joel Armia, as well as RFA left winger Emil Heineman. Thus, Hughes must be creative in trades more than anything he can do in free agency.
Being a big-time player in trades makes a lot of sense for the Canadiens at this point in their competitive trajectory. Montreal has had to grit its teeth and be patient as the team underwent a basement-to-ceiling rebuild. They had three straight seasons where they finished dead last in the Atlantic and focused on drafting and developing their lineup.
Now, Montreal needs to move forward with youngsters, including budding stars Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov, as well as prospects Michael Hage, David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux, and firm up their core by acquiring a few veterans with a winning pedigree.
They can do that by trading some of the draft picks they’ve acquired, as in this summer’s draft, the Habs have two first-round picks, two second-rounders, three third-rounders and two fourth-rounders. Next summer, they have nine picks, including two second-rounders. Montreal doesn’t need to stockpile picks the way it’s done earlier in this rebuild. It’s time to pivot to being an organization focused on winning now.
The Canadiens should look at the Colorado Avalanche to see how to pivot. From 2011 through 2017, the Avalanche failed to make the playoffs in six of seven years. The Avs had one playoff year as a blip on their radar, but for the most part, they weren’t talented enough to be a playoff contender, let alone a Stanley Cup contender.
However, from 2017 onward, Colorado slowly built itself into a playoff powerhouse, adding important players, including Nazem Kadri, Devon Toews, Josh Manson, Valeri Nichushkin and Artturi Lehkonen to surround key components Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Cale Makar. And voila – they won a Cup in 2022.
That’s a template the Canadiens must follow. They don’t have to acquire someone like Pittsburgh Penguins icon Sidney Crosby – although that would be something, wouldn’t it? – but Montreal does need to add at least a few experienced-but-effective hands to complement core players Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Jake Evans, Kirby Dach and Kaiden Guhle.
If Hughes can do that, the Habs will have enough talent to secure a wild-card spot next season, and perhaps, move even higher in the division. From there, it’s all about learning lessons from playoff series – like the lessons they hopefully learned in their first-round loss to the Washington Capitals this past season – and evolving into a bona fide Cup threat.
The Canadiens should no longer be satisfied taking a back seat to most teams. Certainly, they’re not in a position to battle for first place in the Atlantic just yet, but finishing in the basement of the division is now completely unacceptable. Montreal has to set the bar higher, and if Hughes can go out and acquire some veterans to raise expectations next season, there’s a good chance the Habs will assert themselves as a team to reckon with.
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‘Don't regret it': Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton after torn Achilles in NBA Finals
‘Don't regret it': Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton after torn Achilles in NBA Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
A Cinderella run. Multiple game-winners. Several iconic photo frames. A chance at delivering a franchise’s first NBA title in a road Game 7. All vanished in the first quarter.
With five minutes to play in the opening period, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton tried to burst to the rim. But his right Achilles didn’t cooperate.
Haliburton fell to the floor and immediately appeared to be in pain, knocking on the hardwood in tears while voicing his emotions in the ensuing timeout.
He was helped off the court with no weight on his right leg. Eventually, the primary fear was confirmed: the star had torn his Achilles.
Indiana went on to put a fight, even leading 48-47 at halftime. But the Oklahoma City Thunder eventually pulled away in front of their home crowd, bringing the city its first NBA championship and plenty of elation with it.
But for Haliburton and Indiana, it was nothing but anguish and pondering the “What if?” Haliburton started off the game on fire, scoring nine points on 3 of 4 3-point shooting.
Should he have played through a calf strain suffered earlier in the series? Haliburton said on social media Monday night he doesn’t regret it for the “chance to do something special,” while telling Indiana fans they will “fight like hell” to be back on the big stage.
Here’s Haliburton’s full statement:
“Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.
Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the number of times people will tell me I’m going to “come back stronger”. What a cliche lol, this shit sucks. My foot feels like dead weight fam. But what’s hurting most I think is my mind. Feel like I’m rambling, but I know this is something I’ll look back on when I’m through this, as something I’m proud I fought through. It feels good to let this shit out without y’all seeing the kid ugly cry.
At 25, I’ve already learned that God never gives us more than we can handle. I know I’ll come out on the other side of this a better man and a better player. And honestly, right now, torn Achilles and all, I don’t regret it. I’d do it again, and again after that, to fight for this city and my brothers. For the chance to do something special.
Indy, I’m sorry. If any fan base doesn’t deserve this, it’s y’all. But together we are going to fight like hell to get back to this very spot, and get over this hurdle. I don’t doubt for a second that y’all have my back, and I hope you guys know that I have yours. I think Kobe said it best when in this same situation. “There are far greater issues/challenges in the world then a torn achilles. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, find the silver lining and get to work with the same belief, same drive and same conviction as ever.” And that’s exactly right. I will do everything in my power to get back right.
My journey to get to where I am today wasn’t by happenstance, I’ve pushed myself every day to be great. And I will continue to do just that. The most important part of this all, is that I’m grateful. I’m grateful for every single experience that’s led me here. I’m grateful for all the love from the hoop world. I don’t “have to” go through this, I get to go through this. I’m grateful for the road that lies ahead. Watch how I come back from this. So, give me some time, I’ll dust myself off and get right back to being the best version of Tyrese Haliburton.
-0
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.
Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the… pic.twitter.com/UyY0iFEp6Z
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) June 24, 2025
‘Don't regret it': Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton after torn Achilles in NBA Finals
‘Don't regret it': Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton after torn Achilles in NBA Finals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
A Cinderella run. Multiple game-winners. Several iconic photo frames. A chance at delivering a franchise’s first NBA title in a road Game 7. All vanished in the first quarter.
With five minutes to play in the opening period, Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton tried to burst to the rim. But his right Achilles didn’t cooperate.
Haliburton fell to the floor and immediately appeared to be in pain, knocking on the hardwood in tears while voicing his emotions in the ensuing timeout.
He was helped off the court with no weight on his right leg. Eventually, the primary fear was confirmed: the star had torn his Achilles.
Indiana went on to put a fight, even leading 48-47 at halftime. But the Oklahoma City Thunder eventually pulled away in front of their home crowd, bringing the city its first NBA championship and plenty of elation with it.
But for Haliburton and Indiana, it was nothing but anguish and pondering the “What if?” Haliburton started off the game on fire, scoring nine points on 3 of 4 3-point shooting.
Should he have played through a calf strain suffered earlier in the series? Haliburton said on social media Monday night he doesn’t regret it for the “chance to do something special,” while telling Indiana fans they will “fight like hell” to be back on the big stage.
Here’s Haliburton’s full statement:
“Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.
Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the number of times people will tell me I’m going to “come back stronger”. What a cliche lol, this shit sucks. My foot feels like dead weight fam. But what’s hurting most I think is my mind. Feel like I’m rambling, but I know this is something I’ll look back on when I’m through this, as something I’m proud I fought through. It feels good to let this shit out without y’all seeing the kid ugly cry.
At 25, I’ve already learned that God never gives us more than we can handle. I know I’ll come out on the other side of this a better man and a better player. And honestly, right now, torn Achilles and all, I don’t regret it. I’d do it again, and again after that, to fight for this city and my brothers. For the chance to do something special.
Indy, I’m sorry. If any fan base doesn’t deserve this, it’s y’all. But together we are going to fight like hell to get back to this very spot, and get over this hurdle. I don’t doubt for a second that y’all have my back, and I hope you guys know that I have yours. I think Kobe said it best when in this same situation. “There are far greater issues/challenges in the world then a torn achilles. Stop feeling sorry for yourself, find the silver lining and get to work with the same belief, same drive and same conviction as ever.” And that’s exactly right. I will do everything in my power to get back right.
My journey to get to where I am today wasn’t by happenstance, I’ve pushed myself every day to be great. And I will continue to do just that. The most important part of this all, is that I’m grateful. I’m grateful for every single experience that’s led me here. I’m grateful for all the love from the hoop world. I don’t “have to” go through this, I get to go through this. I’m grateful for the road that lies ahead. Watch how I come back from this. So, give me some time, I’ll dust myself off and get right back to being the best version of Tyrese Haliburton.
-0
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Man. Don’t know how to explain it other than shock. Words cannot express the pain of this letdown. The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.
Now that I’ve gotten surgery, I wish I could count the… pic.twitter.com/UyY0iFEp6Z
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) June 24, 2025
Red-hot Australians ‘definitely have something to prove’ at the World Cup after losing T20 crown
Having lost their T20 crown, the powerhouse Australian women’s cricket team returns to the subcontinent for this year’s World Cup with “something to prove”, according to bowler Kim Garth.
‘Look who’s back’: Poms’ Ashes warning as Aussie villain’s comeback bid gathers steam
For the first time in four years, Jofra Archer has taken a first-class wicket.