For the first time since the start of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, a team has a chance to close out the series and hoist the historic trophy.
That team is the Florida Panthers, and they’ll look to take down the Edmonton Oilers for the second year in a row and claim the Stanley Cup on their home ice at Amerant Bank Arena.
Last season, Florida defeated the Oilers in front of their home fans in Game 7, a thrilling season-ender that came on the heels of the Panthers blowing a 3-0 series lead.
This time it’s been a much more traditional, back and forth affair between the high-powered Oilers and suffocating Panthers.
Two of Florida’s three wins have by at least three goals while both of the Oilers victories have come in overtime, both of which requiring multi-goal comebacks.
Overall, three of the five games have gone to overtime, and only two of the five games have been won by the home team.
Ironically, the last team to win back-to-back Stanley Cups, and clinch each series on home ice, was the Oilers back in 1987 and 1988.
Before that, the last team to do it was…the Oilers, in 1984 and 1985.
The big question surrounding Edmonton as they prepare for their first elimination game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is which goaltender will get the starting nod, Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard.
Oilers Head Coach Kris Knoblauch has also made several lineup changes throughout the series, so don’t be surprised to see him make another tweak or two ahead of Tuesday’s affair.
As for Florida, as long as they remain healthy, Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice has been very comfortable rolling out the same lineup night after night.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Game 6 against Edmonton:
Photo caption: Jun 14, 2025; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) celebrate win with teammates against the Edmonton Oilers in game five of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place. (Sergei Belski-Imagn Images)
They've now lost four straight games after being swept by the Red Sox in Boston over the weekend and have scored just five runs over the last five games. Manager Aaron Boone was asked after Monday's loss what's preventing the team from scoring, saying there's multiple factors while acknowledging the team's struggles to come through with a big hit.
"Yeah, a little bit of everything," Boone. "I mean, right now, when you're not scoring runs, they're keeping us in the ballpark. Tonight was a little bit of both, you know, where I thought we had a number of balls on the screws, even there late. Cody [Bellinger] just misses a couple to right, Goldie [Paul Goldschmidt] stepped on that ball to left center, so we were barreling some balls up.
"But then, but that said, we're not punching any across, not hitting the home run, you know. And we had a couple situations where we could have produced a run there late and weren't able to take advantage of it."
New York has gone 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position and have left 12 men on base during this losing streak. Their last run came in the top of the ninth inning of Saturday's 4-3 loss with Anthony Volpe driving in one on a groundout.
Boone went on to credit Angels starter Jose Soriano and his "bowling ball sinker", as the right-hander allowed six hits over seven scoreless innings. Although, he knows the team needed to "take advantage of situational things that come up" when they can't rely on the home run.
The Yanks had a scoring chance in the 11th with the bases loaded, but Volpe swung on the first pitch and grounded into the force out at third base for the game's final out. Boone defended the choice to not take a pitch against the new reliever Hunter Strickland, saying the hitter needs "to be ready to go" in those types of situations.
"Not necessarily, first pitch is the best one to hit sometimes," Boone said. "I didn't see if it was off the plate, not a good pitch to go after, that might be the case, but we got to be ready to go there."
New York is now 42-29 on the season and holds only a 2.5 game lead in the AL East over the Tampa Bay Rays, who've won 19 of their last 25 games. They'll look to get back on track Tuesday when Will Warren takes the mound against the Angels.
Aaron Boone was asked if he would've preferred for Anthony Volpe to take a pitch in the 11th inning (he grounded out on one pitch with the bases loaded)
OKLAHOMA CITY — For three and a half quarters, Game 5 had some Game 1 vibes. Oklahoma City was the better, more aggressive team; their defense was smothering, and they rediscovered their 3-point shot. Still, the Thunder could not pull away, and while the lead reached 18 at one point in the second quarter, the Pacers just kept hanging around within striking distance.
Then, behind an epic T.J. McConnell 13-point quarter, the Pacers cut the lead to two in the third and waves of concern washed over the Paycom Center. Thunder fans had seen this movie before and did not enjoy the ending.
Two things kept this from being Game 1.
First, Tyrese Haliburton tweaked his calf in the first half and was not the player who could cap off a comeback. Haliburton slipped on a second-quarter drive and appeared to aggravate his left calf, the same one that had him limping slightly after Game 2. He left the game, went back to the locker room, came out about five minutes later and eventually returned to the court, playing 34 minutes on the night. Still, after he came back, it looked like he had trouble pushing off with his right leg.
Tyrese Haliburton injured his right leg and went back to the locker room after this play.
"He's not 100%, it's pretty clear," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said postgame. "But I don't think he's going to miss the next game. We were concerned at halftime, and he insisted on playing. I thought he made a lot of really good things happen in the second half. But he's not 100%."
Haliburton was not limping after the game, walking into his press conference.
"It's the Finals, man. I've worked my whole life to be here and I want to be out there to compete," Haliburton said. "Help my teammates any way I can. I was not great tonight by any means, but it's not really a thought of mine to not play here. If I can walk, then I want to play."
Haliburton said this injury, whatever the medical definition, was in the same spot as the injury he suffered in Game 2, but he didn't know if they were related. They likely are. Indiana will need more out of him come Game 6 on Thursday. Haliburton finished the night with four points on 0-of-6 shooting, all his points came from the free throw line.
The second reason Game 5 was not a redo of Game 1: This was Jalen Williams' best game of the playoffs. The Thunder's No. 2 option was their best player Monday night, scoring 40 points.
JDUB DELIVERS A GAME 5 MASTERPIECE
⚡️ 40 PTS (playoff career high) ⚡️ 24 PTS in 2H ⚡️ 14-25 FGM ⚡️ 3rd-straight 25+ PT game@okcthunder are now just 1 win away from an NBA Championship! pic.twitter.com/XQHbkCB2rz
The result was a 120-109 Oklahoma City win that has the Thunder one win away from their first championship (we're not counting the Seattle one in these parts). Indiana heads home for a must-win Game 6 on Thursday back in Indianapolis.
Indiana may need more Haliburton in that game, but it also needs to take better care of the ball — Indiana had 23 turnovers that led to 32 Oklahoma City points.
"That's the game. We've got to do a heck of a lot better there," Carlisle said.
The Pacers did get a lift from Pascal Siakam, who scored 28 and took over Indy's scoring in the fourth quarter, scoring nine of their first 12.
"I think we didn't make the necessary plays at the right time," Siakam said of the Pacers' offense in the clutch. "Some rebounding or turnovers there that they converted into buckets. They made some tough shots. Tough shots after tough shots in those moments. We weren't able to get anything really going offensively at that point."
Oklahoma City got another big night from their MVP, who scored 31 points with 10 assists, and he got to the line 14 times.
SHAI WITH A ONE-OF-A-KIND FINALS PERFORMANCE
31 PTS 10 AST 4 BLK Only 30/10/4 Finals game since 1974
This felt like the Thunder's night from the start. OKC came out and forced four quick turnovers that became six points, and they started out shooting 8-of-8 at the rim, plus on top of all that their defensive rotations are sharp. All of that pushed the Thunder out to a 10-point lead midway through the first. Those trends continued for much of the first, but that Game 1 vibe was alive early as the Thunder could not pull away. The Pacers made some plays, the Thunder missed some shots, and it was a 10-point OKC lead, 32-22, after one quarter.
The second quarter continued the trend of the Thunder looking like the better team, largely due to their ability to drive to the rim — scoring 22 first-half points in the paint — which led to kick-out open 3s. The Thunder shot 8-of-17 from 3 in the first half of Game 5, one game after going 3-of-16 in all of Game 4.
Then there was the OKC defense. The best sign of how well the Thunder were locking up the Pacers was not the turnovers: The average Pacers possession took 15.7 seconds in the first half, much longer than they want (usually around 12.5 seconds).
Even with Haliburton not himself, the Pacers were still the Pacers and cut the Thunder lead to seven behind a monster third quarter from T.J. McConnell, who scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting in the frame.
MCCONNELL ADDS ANOTHER BUCKET!!
18 PTS in 17 MIN. 13 PTS in the 3Q. 13 of Indy's last 17 PTS.
In the fourth, the Pacers got the lead down to two, but without Haliburton not himself, Indiana couldn't close the deal. The Thunder went on a 21-8 run, and that was the ballgame.
Oklahoma City has a chance to celebrate an NBA championship on their opponent's floor, but if we know one thing, it's that the Pacers will not go away.
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani gave up a pair of two-strike hits and a run in his Los Angeles Dodgers pitching debut against the San Diego Padres on Monday night, 21 months after the two-way superstar had elbow surgery.
Ohtani threw 28 pitches — 16 for strikes — in the first inning as fans hung on every one of them. They oohed when a fastball was clocked at 100.2 mph — the second-hardest pitch thrown by a Dodgers hurler this season.
Ohtani appeared to be laboring on the mound, his face sweaty. He warmed up to his usual music, Michael Bublé’s version of “Feeling Good.”
After retiring Xander Bogaerts on a grounder for the third out, Ohtani walked over to an umpire who checked his hands and glove. He didn’t enter the dugout. Instead, he put on his batting gloves and other equipment near the railing and walked to the on-deck circle to prepare to lead off the bottom of the inning.
Ohtani struck out swinging against Padres starter Dylan Cease, but then tied the score at 1 with an RBI double to left-center in the third.
“He’s ready, he’s adamant, he feels good, strong, ready to pitch a major league game,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “I think everyone in that clubhouse, I think the fans, media, we’ve been waiting for this moment.”
Ohtani faced Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arráez, Manny Machado, Gavin Sheets and Bogaerts in the first. Tatis flared a single to center field and went to second on Ohtani’s wild pitch. Arráez singled and Machado’s sacrifice fly scored Tatis. Sheets and Bogaerts grounded out.
That was it for Ohtani on the mound. Anthony Banda replaced him in the second.
“I think I got the best seat in the house to watch it and to watch this guy start and then take an at-bat,” Roberts said. “This is bananas. I’m thrilled.”
Major League Baseball made the game available for free on streaming site MLB.tv.
The Japanese right-hander was pitching in a big league game about three weeks after facing hitters in simulated at-bats for the first time. All the while, Ohtani was still wielding his powerful bat in the lineup for the NL West leaders.
“It got to the point where, hey, it feels like we should take that next step and almost look to finish the rehab at the major league level because of the taxing nature of what he was doing,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said.
Typically, pitchers returning from injuries go on minor league rehab assignments, but Ohtani is an exception.
“It’s been really encouraging overall the way he’s bounced back and been able to continue to feel good doing both,” Gomes said.
Roberts said: “You’ve got to hear the player and trust the player.”
Roberts briefly considered not having Ohtani bat leadoff, but the slugger assured his manager he was fine with it.
“It could change going forward,” Roberts said, “but right now he feels very comfortable with taking the mound and coming in the dugout and getting on his stuff to go take an at-bat.”
Gomes acknowledged the team is in a unique situation, trying to balance Ohtani’s offensive prowess with his pitching ability while erring on the side of caution.
“We don’t know how he’s going to come out, if his legs are going to be tired. We have to make sure that we’re also keeping one of our best hitters in the lineup,” Gomes said. “It has to be an ongoing conversation and making sure that Shohei is the one driving this conversation.”
The three-time MVP began the night batting .290 with 25 homers, which led the National League, 41 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in the leadoff spot.
While Ohtani won’t be throwing deep into games at first, just his presence on the mound figures to bolster a staff that has been decimated by injuries. The Dodgers have eight starters, including Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, and six relievers on the injured list.
Roberts said he and the coaches would watch Ohtani’s command, delivery, and ability to repeat his mechanics.
“Like he always does, he’s going to give everything he has and we expect a high-quality outing,” Gomes said.
Ohtani is already on the roster as the designated hitter, so the Dodgers are essentially adding an extra pitcher without having to make a corresponding roster move.
“It’s not going to be a once-every-five-day situation, so there’s going to be plenty of time to recover,” Roberts said. “We also have the luxury of pitching him as much as we want as far as in a particular outing.”
Ohtani helped the Dodgers win their eighth World Series title — and his first — last season, the first of a $700 million, 10-year contract. He earned his third MVP award and first in the National League.
He hadn’t pitched since 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels. He was 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 23 starts that season. His last mound appearance was on Aug. 23, 2023, when he got hurt during an outing against Cincinnati.
Ohtani had Tommy John surgery on Oct. 1, 2018, and is recovering from a second major operation on his right elbow Sept. 19, 2023.
As a pitcher, he entered 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings during his major league career.
“The main goal is obviously to have him strong down the stretch run and through October,” Gomes said.
Out since spring training due to tendinitis in both elbows, Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton made his season debut Monday night, going 2-for-4 with a double in the team's 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
The five-time All-Star told reporters after the loss that he felt good at the plate and will need to continue working on his swing timing.
"Great to be back,” Stanton said. "Obviously wanted to win. But yeah, it’s good to be back out there. Thought I saw the ball pretty well besides one at-bat. So we just working on that, making sure my timing’s geared up. Get rolling."
Stanton came up to bat for the first time with two outs and two runners on base, but hit a hard groundout to third base (101.5 mph exit velocity). He singled in the bottom of the fourth, ripping a grounder 111.1 mph past the shortstop into left field. Stanton later struck out his third time at bat on three straight knuckle curves from Jose Soriano.
He bounced back leading off the bottom of the ninth, doubling to left field on a sharply hit grounder off veteran reliever Kenley Jansen. Jasson Domínguez
came in to pinch-run for him, but the Yanks couldn't capitalize and failed to score.
“Thought he was great,” manager Aaron Boone said of Stanton. “First at-bat too, first and second there, again off Soriano, who’s tough to get the ball in the air, especially for righties. He smokes that ball to third. You watch [Luis] Rengifo play it, that thing’s gaining on him in a hurry.
"Then two more, gets the base it and smokes the double to get us going there in the ninth. Yeah, I thought he looked really good.”
Overall, Boone was pleased with what he saw from the former MVP.
“I thought he moved well on his double," Boone said. "Where I’ve seen, it seems like as he’s been getting his live ABs and then the rehab stint, I feel like his timing with the fastball has been good. Now it’s just about continuing to do it over and over and seeing how he bounces back every day. I thought he looked sharp.”
Stanton agreed that the four games with Double-A Somerset, including three straight, were "important" for his comeback and checked off some boxes. As for how he'll prepare for more games, it'll be an emphasis on seeing the ball.
“Make sure I’m ready, make sure I’m ready for 100 mph," Stanton said. "With not as many at-bats under my belt, that’s gonna be the most important, see the ball early. Normal things you would say mid-season, but emphasize it a little more now.”
Now with Stanton back, Boone will have to figure out the playing time rotation with him, Ben Rice, and Paul Goldschmidt. Stanton will DH, with the other two DH-ing and splitting time at first base. Rice has 12 homers, 11 doubles, and 26 RBI over 63 games, while Goldschmidt is hitting .309 with 31 RBI over 71 games. Stanton was asked about his role and made it clear he's willing to help the team however he can, especially while the Yankees have scored just five runs in the last 49 innings and dropped four straight games.
“Whatever’s best for us to win, that’s the most important," Stanton said. "And the guys that aren’t going to be starting are gonna be coming in in huge pinch-hit spots. In that opportunity, it’s usually a spot a chance to win the game anyway. Yeah, we’ll work with it.”
Jalen Williams scored a career playoff-high 40 points in Oklahoma City’s win on Monday in Game 5 of the NBA finals.Photograph: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
The Oklahoma City Thunder moved within one win of their first NBA championship in 46 years on Monday night, beating the Indiana Pacers 120–109 in Game 5 of the NBA finals to take a 3-2 series lead.
Jalen Williams erupted for a career playoff-high 40 points, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 points and 10 assists, and the Thunder held off a furious Indiana rally to secure a chance at clinching their first title since 1979 in Game 6 on Thursday in Indianapolis.
It was the 10th time this postseason that Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams combined for more than 70 points in a game. Williams was 14-of-25 from the field and added six rebounds and four assists, including several key buckets late in the fourth as the Thunder weathered a Pacers push.
Schedule
Best-of-seven-games series. All times US eastern time (EDT).
In the US, all games will air on ABC. Streaming options include ABC.com or the ABC app (with a participating TV provider login), as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, fuboTV, DIRECTV STREAM, and Sling TV (via ESPN3 for ABC games). NBA League Pass offers replays, but live finals games are subject to blackout restrictions in the US.
In the UK, the games will be available on TNT Sports and Discovery+. As for streaming, NBA League Pass will provide live and on-demand access to all Finals games without blackout restrictions.
In Australia, the games will broadcast live on ESPN Australia. Kayo Sports and Foxtel Now will stream the games live, while NBA League Pass will offer live and on-demand access without blackout restrictions.
“That was honestly the same exact game as Game 1,” Williams said. “Learning through these finals, that’s what makes a team good.”
For three quarters, it looked like the Thunder were learning fast. Oklahoma City led by as many as 18 late in the second quarter and carried a 59–45 advantage into half-time. But as they’ve done all postseason, the Pacers clawed back. Indiana, who have has come back from double-digit deficits to win five times during their charmed playoff run, outscored the Thunder 34–28 in the third behind a surge from backup point guard TJ McConnell.
McConnell scored 13 of his 18 points in just under seven minutes of the third period, helping the Pacers cut the deficit to five. Early in the fourth, Pascal Siakam, who finished with 28 points on 9-of-15 shooting, hit a pair of free throws to bring Indiana within four. A minute later, his three-pointer made it 95–93.
But Oklahoma City responded with championship mettle. Gilgeous-Alexander drew contact to get to the line and knocked down key free throws, while Williams drilled a three and a mid-range jumper to extend the lead. Cason Wallace and Aaron Wiggins also contributed timely buckets off the bench. The Thunder outscored Indiana 25–14 over the next seven minutes to put the game out of reach.
Oklahoma City finished with 14 made threes and connected on over 43% of their attempts from beyond the arc while committing just 11 turnovers. Their defense forced 23 Pacers giveaways leading to 32 points, limiting Indiana to just 11-of-30 from deep.
“That’s a really good team over there,” Williams said of the Pacers. “You just don’t trip into the finals.”
Indiana’s hopes took a devastating hit in the form of star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who appeared to aggravate a lingering lower leg injury in the first quarter. He briefly exited and returned with his calf wrapped, but was largely a non-factor offensively. He finished with four points, all on free throws, while missing all six of his shot attempts. It was the first time in his playoff career he was held scoreless in a half.
Haliburton added seven rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes, but the Pacers never quite looked the same with their floor general hobbled. The Thunder defense, led by Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort and Isaiah Hartenstein, clamped down and turned missed shots into transition opportunities. Oklahoma City scored 17 fast-break points to Indiana’s 13.
Indiana have now lost back-to-back games for the first time since mid-March. It also marks the first time in these playoffs that the Pacers have trailed in a series, having defeated Milwaukee, Cleveland and New York without ever falling behind.
The historical odds now favor Oklahoma City, whose first and only NBA title came in 1979, when the team was known as the Seattle Supersonics. Teams that win Game 5 of an NBA finals tied 2–2 have gone on to win the title 74% of the time. Teams with a 3–2 series lead are 40-9 all-time in finals history.
Game 6 is Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, where Indiana are 9–1 in the playoffs. Should the Pacers force a winner-take-all Game 7, it will be played Sunday night back in Oklahoma City.
Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivers in the first inning of a 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Monday night. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
All eyes are on Shohei Ohtani, as he made his long-awaited return to the pitching mound and delivered his first pitches as a member of the Dodgers on Monday night in a 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani last pitched on Aug. 23, 2023, while with the Angels. He underwent his second Tommy John surgery the following month.
Ohtani is 38-19 with 3.01 earned-run average over 86 starts in his MLB career entering Monday's game and finished fourth in the AL Cy Young Award voting in 2022, when he went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA. He is expected to help bolster a depleted Dodgers starting rotation that has been missing Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, among others, for extended stretches this season.
Shohei Ohtani pitches for the Dodgers against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)Shohei Ohtani delivers against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)Shohei Ohtani pitches against the San Diego Padres on Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani in Phoenix in February. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws during spring training in Phoenix in February. (Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani enters the field at the Tokyo Dome for a workout ahead of the Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs in March. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani warms up during a baseball spring training workout in Phoenix. (Matt York / Associated Press)Fans head up some stairs wearing Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto jerseys before the game between the Dodgers and the Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium on March 27. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani runs onto the field during introductions during the Dodgers' home opener in March. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani throws a live batting practice before a game against the New York Mets on May 25. (Adam Hunger/AP)The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani throws in the outfield before a game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium on June 4. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)Dodgers coaches keep a watchful eye as Shohei Ohtani throws in the bullpen before the game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium on June 4. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)Dodgers fans watch as Shohei Ohtani throws in the outfield before the game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium on June 4. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani plays catch before the Dodgers take on the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium on June 2. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)Shohei Ohtani walks past a throng of journalists before the Dodgers play an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants at the Tokyo Dome in March. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Thanks to the previous regime's involvement in failing to accurately verify the status of Evgenii Dadonov's modified no-trade clause and list of teams that he could not be moved to, the Ottawa Senators were punished by the league - having to forfeit a first-round selection by the 2026 NHL Draft.
In the aftermath of the Draft Lottery that was conducted live on May 5 from the NHL's offices in Secaucus, N.J., the Senators had 48 hours to notify the league of their intentions of keeping the 21st overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft.
In electing to hold onto this year's selection, the Senators raised some eyebrows around the league.
I spoke with Cam Robinson, the content director and director of film scouting for Elite-Prospects, about that choice and the 2025 NHL Draft.
"In a vacuum, it's a somewhat surprising decision," explained Robinson when describing the choice to keep the pick. "But, it can be justified in a couple of ways.
"The first is that the organization either knows something we do not or are simply hoping that they are let off the hook in a similar way that New Jersey was let off the hook for the Ilya Kovalchuk contract punishment."
After being dealt from the Atlanta Thrashers to the New Jersey Devils, Ilya Kovalchuk signed an extension for 17 years and $102 million. Within 48 hours, the league stepped in and vetoed the agreement citing that its structure was designed to circumvent the salary cap.
It was hard to argue with the decision as Kovalchuk was slated to earn $95 million across the first 10 years of the deal before earning just $7 million across the contract's final seven seasons when Kovalchuk would be in his 40s and unlikely to be playing.
Eventually, Kovalchuk would sign a new 15-year extension that was not radically dissimilar from the one he had signed, but because of the Devils' attempt to circumvent the cap, they were punished by the league. The organization was fined $3 million and lost two draft selections: a 2011 third-round pick and first-round pick of its choice for one of the 2011, 2012, 2013, or 2014 drafts.
New Jersey's punishment was ultimately lessened, with half the fine being repaid to the organization. After delaying the forfeiture of a draft selection until the final year, the league returned a 2014 first-round pick back to the Devils with conditions. The Devils would not receive the selection based on placement in the standings but would inherit the final selection of the first round that they were not permitted to trade.
That this error occurred under previous ownership by a general manager who was quickly forced to resign a little over a month into Michael Andlauer's ownership and that the league and estate downplayed the events and its potential ramifications during the sale process, it would be hard to blame Andlauer for being miffed at this harsh punishment.
Andlauer has previously expressed hope that their punishment could be reduced in time, but Robinson highlighted a possibility that general manager Steve Staios has echoed.
"The less conspiratorial thought is that the club is betting on its upwards trend and betting on the guys in the room," said Robinson. "The 21st overall pick this year will help them sooner, and they'll continue to grow and perhaps end up giving up a later pick in 2026."
Progress does not always have to be linear, however, and that is the gamble the Senators are taking. Given the talent of their young core and the experience they gained by playing in the postseason for the first time, it is easy to fall into the assumption that the team will continue to get better.
The real risk is that the league may ultimately decide not to return the Senators' next year's selection.
If the Senators take a step back, this prospective 2026 pick may be exponentially more valuable than this year's iteration.
Robinson shed some light on this year's draft class stacks up.
"Generally, this class should be considered slightly below average," he explained. "It lacks a generational, or near-generational talent to anchor the top of the class. The high-end has more risks than normal and the overall depth is on the weaker side.
"However, it's not a 'bad' draft. It has the feeling of the 2017 class with lots of centre options early. Some will hit. Some will miss."
Centres Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick, and Elias Pettersson were taken in the 2017 top-five, but value was found later in the draft in Martin Necas (12th), Nick Suzuki (13th), Josh Norris (19th), Robert Thomas (20th), and Filip Chytil (21st).
With the 21st overall selection, the Senators are situated where they will have to make a calculated choice.
"This is the portion of the draft where teams will have to 'settle,'" Robinson stated. "By that, I mean they will be accepting a player with risks or warts. It's just a matter of picking your poison.
"You can likely get a high-octane winger who lacks size and simple translatability - like a Cole Reschny or Ben Kindel. Or you can target a more 'sure thing' that lacks higher impact - like a Logan Hensler."
There are a few sleepers that Robinson is higher on than some of the consensus picks who should be available in the Senators' range - Vaclav Nestrasil, Jacob Rombach, and Shane Vansaghi.
"(Nestrasil)'s a 6'5" winger who is raw and unrefined, but flashes terrific upside. He handles the puck extremely well in tight, has a good release, moves well despite much more strength needed. An intriguing asset."
If the Senators want a big defenceman, they could pivot take Rombach.
"Rombach is a 6'6", left-shot defender who has immaculate retrieval habits and is able to collect, direct, and transition the puck very quickly. He has massive stopping potential here but with a more limited offensive toolkit."
The Senators do have Jake Sanderson, Thomas Chabot and Tyler Kleven slotted on the left side, so that is not a pressing area of need right now.
The organization has continued to emphasize drafting the best available talent over need, but there are no blue-chip forwards in their pipeline. The opportunity to add one now may make more sense, which could lead to a Vansaghi selection.
"Vansaghi is a sizeable, power winger with adequate speed and a love for inflicting pain through the body. He has flashed enough skill to think he could be a unique, middle-six type that teams love in the postseason."
In consideration of how the Senators ran their first draft with general manager Steve Staios at the helm, Robinson will be keen to watch if one trend continues for the organization.
"I think the obvious takeaway was a focus on size over skill," said Robinson while reflecting on last year's picks. "(Carter) Yakemchuk over (Zayne) Parekh and (Zeev) Buium. (Gabriel) Eliasson over Cole Hutson, Andrew Basha, Harrison Brunicke, and Ryder Ritchie.
"Not to say that Yak doesn't have skill, but the projection clearly left upside on the table and tenfold with Eliasson. I did love the Blake Montgomery selection, though. As far as drawing parallels to this year's class, we'll have to see if those decisions are replicated before assuming it's a mandate and not just a result of how the cookie crumbled in 2024."
Shohei Ohtani delivers during his pitching debut for the Dodgers against the San Diego Padres on Monday night at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Roughly four hours before first pitch Monday night, Shohei Ohtani sat at his locker in the Dodger Stadium clubhouse and prepared for his biggest game of the season.
First, the reigning MVP unwrapped the black compression sleeve he wears when pitching, and pulled it over his prized right arm. Then, he grabbed his bat and a pair of hitting gloves and headed toward the cages.
On this day, each piece of equipment was needed.
For the first time in almost two years, the two-way star would be playing both ways again.
In the Dodgers’ 6-3 win against the San Diego Padres on Monday, Ohtani made his long-awaited return as a pitcher from a September 2023 Tommy John operation, taking the mound in a Dodgers uniform for the first time as the club’s starter while also continuing to serve as their leadoff hitter in the lineup.
Ohtani’s pitching outing was brief, lasting just one inning and 28 pitches. He yielded one run on two hits (a pair of flare singles from Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez) and a sacrifice fly from Manny Machado. And while he touched 100 mph with his fastball, his form was far from flawless.
Ohtani’s command looked rusty, the right-hander missing the zone 12 times including one wild pitch. While he got three swing-and-misses, he failed to finish any of his five two-strike counts with a strikeout (though Machado nearly went around on a two-strike sweeper, needing a generous check-swing call from an umpire before lifting his sac fly).
When Ohtani finally retired the side, it felt more like a sigh of relief, with his climbing pitch count already leading to action in the bullpen.
Yet, the occasion was momentous nonetheless; marking the first time since August 2023 that Ohtani had pitched in a major-league game, and showing that even after a second career Tommy John surgery there’s still plenty of life left in his arm.
“To take this on — the physical [toll], talent-wise, the psychology of it — this is a big undertaking,” manager Dave Roberts said. “As people say, he’s a unicorn.”
Initially, it appeared the Dodgers would have to wait at least another month before seeing Ohtani pitch in a game. Despite some optimism before spring training that Ohtani could resume pitching in April or May, the team had been slow-playing his pitching program ever since the start of the regular season, long ago targeting some timeafter the All-Star break to add him into their rotation.
“This is such a unique scenario,” general manager Brandon Gomes said. “[We were] making sure we're not doing anything to put the offensive side in jeopardy.”
In the last couple weeks, however, that calculus started to change.
First, Ohtani impressed coaches and executives in three different live batting practice sessions, working his way up to three innings and 44 pitches in his most recent one in San Diego last week.
Then, in meetings with team officials, Ohtani expressed some concern with continuing to build up in more simulated pregame sessions, relaying the toll it took on his body to pitch several innings in an afternoon before ramping up to DH later the same night.
Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivers against the Padres on Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“The getting hot, throwing a live at 1:30, 2:00, cooling down, coming back, getting ready to lead off the game — I can't even imagine how taxing that is,” said Gomes, a former big league reliever. “There is no playbook for this. So it had to be an ongoing conversation, and making sure that Shohei is the one driving this conversation."
In recent days, Ohtani began to direct such conversations in a different direction; especially after the Dodgers indicated that, thanks to his status as a two-way player who wouldn’t take up a pitching roster spot, they were open to bringing him back as a pitcher even if he would initially only throw one or two innings.
“It [was] more of like, ‘Well, I don’t think there’s anything else to do. I’m ready to go. What else do I need to do to get back on a major-league mound?’” Roberts recalled of Ohtani’s message to the team. “You try to treat him like a normal pitcher and a normal ramp-up or buildup. But if [he only needs to be built up for] an inning or two, it’s, ‘Well, I’ve already done that.’”
Thus came the pivotal question.
“‘Can I pitch now?’” Roberts recalled Ohtani asking.
The answer, the Dodgers decided over the last two days, was yes, slotting Ohtani in as an opener in front of bulkman Ben Casparius for Monday’s visit from the Padres.
“It got to the point where [it was], ‘Hey, feels like we should take that next step,’” Gomes said, “and almost look to finish the rehab at the major league level, because of the taxing nature of what he was doing.”
Shohei Ohtani hits a run-scoring single in the fourth inning against the Padres on Monday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Ohtani’s return to pitching caused a stir around Chavez Ravine. Fans flocked down the left-field line when he emerged around 6:30 p.m. to begin warming up in the outfield. As he threw his pregame bullpen session, more spectators leaned over the railing to watch him. Behind the mound, teammates Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tony Gonsolin gazed on, as well.
In pregame introductions, Ohtani was announced twice: Both as the starting pitcher and designated hitter (MLB’s rules for two-way players, which were adopted a few years ago in the wake of Ohtani’s rise to stardom, allow for such a distinction in order to let Ohtani keep hitting once he leaves the mound).
And after Ohtani completed the top of the first, he never even stepped foot in the dugout, instead receiving his batting equipment from a ball boy at the top step before going to the plate to lead off the bottom half of the frame.
As a hitter, Ohtani struck out in his first at-bat, but then tied the score with an RBI double in the third before contributing to a five-run rally against Padres starter Dylan Cease in the fourth with an RBI single.
Moving forward, Ohtani will likely continue to serve as an opener roughly once per week; building up to two innings, then three, and so on until he’s able to handle a normal starter’s workload.
The exact plan will depend on how he responds to his return to two-way duties, with the Dodgers remaining wary of pushing him too hard on the mound before the stretch run of the season.
“As we said before, this is a unique situation, and making sure that he's in a good place and we're just taking it small bites along the way as far as what comes next is incredibly important,” Gomes said. “At each step, we'll have those discussions and make sure that that is the guiding light, to make sure that he's feeling as good as possible come October."
Still, for one night, one inning of watching Ohtani pitch was more than enough.
“We saw it from the other side, from afar, when he was with the Angels,” Roberts said. “So now, I think I got the best seat in the house to watch this guy start and then take an at-bat. This is bananas. So I’m thrilled.”
The numbers are brutal for Yankee batters: 1-for-18 with runners in scoring position (the lone knock an infield hit), left 12 men on base, and have now been kept scoreless for the last 20 innings. Over a five-game stretch, New York has scored just five runs over their last 49 innings.
With a fourth straight defeat amid a brutal stretch at the plate, the Yanks are now 42-29 and 21-13 at home. The Angels improved to 34-37 on the year.
Here are the takeaways...
- Schmidt allowed a pair of singles right up the middle, the second by Mike Trout, to give the visitors a scoring chance with one out in the first. After a 3-2 pop-out to first, Zach Neto caught the Yanks napping and swiped third with Schmidt standing on the rubber. But the righty blew a 96 mph fastball on the outside corner past Jorge Soler to end the threat.
Schmidt took advantage of the weak Angels batters and had a streak of 16-straight retired (starting with those two down in the first) before Nolan Schanuel blooped a two-out single to left in the sixth. Trout put a charge into one, but Trent Grisham ranged to the right-center gap to make the grab just before the warning track.
The righty got his fifth 1-2-3 inning to close the seventh on just 87 pitches, and he got the ball in the eighth. He needed nine offerings for the first two outs, but Aaron Judge came up empty with a dive on a sinking line drive for a two-out triple by the Angels’ Christian Moore, a Brooklyn native in his fourth big league game.
Moore’s first career hit ended Schmidt’s night after 7.2 innings, the first time he went more than six innings since he had eight scoreless frames in April 2024. Fernando Cruz hung a splitter, but Neto swung through it to end the inning.
- After Cruz out of the bullpen, Devin Williams got the top half of the ninth in a scoreless game, allowed a one-out infield single to Trout and a two-out single to Soler to make the Yankee Stadium faithful sweat before retiring Logan O'Hoppe with a nice play by Volpe up the middle.
In the 10th, Jonathan Loaisiga needed just 12 pitches for a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts, leaving the ghost runners stranded. Loaisiga needed one pitch to get Neto out on a bad bunt, but Schanuel hooked a soft liner down the third base line for an RBI double. Aaron Boone walked Trout intentionally, and Taylor Ward worked a walk on a full count. But Loaisiga knuckled down to get two soft liners to leave 'em loaded.
- Down 1-0 in the bottom of the 11th with the ghost runner at second, LA manager Ron Washington walked Judge intentionally for the second time of the game to put the winning run on first. Cody Bellinger’s flyout to the warning track in right got the tying run to third, but against the drawn-in infield, Jasson Dominguez's broken bat looper to second saw Paul Goldschmidt cut down at the plate. Down to their final out, Jazz Chisholm Jr. reached on an infield single to second to load the bases.
The Angels brought in Hunter Strickland to face Anthony Volpe, but on the first pitch, he bounced out to third, rolling over on a slider away, to end the game.
- The Yanks had a chance in the first when Ben Rice lofted a single off the end of the bat into center with one down and Judge, coming off a horrendous series in Boston, followed with a rocketed single (109.7 mph) to left. But Bellinger tapped out to second and Giancarlo Stanton, in his first at-bat of the season, hit it hard (101.5 mph), but for an easy 5-3 putout. The three first-inning groundouts were expected, as Angels starter Jose Soriano entered the night with a 67.4 ground ball rate (99th percentile in MLB).
In seven innings against Soriano, the Yanks hit nine balls with exit velocities of 100 mph or higher, but couldn’t break through as they went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and left six on base. He finished with six hits and a walk allowed and six strikeouts.
- The big coring chances after the first: Chisholm roped a line drive (110.4 mph) on the ground that got into the right-center gap for a leadoff double in the second, but advanced no further. He also bounced into a 4-6-3 double play to end the fourth after Stanton notched his first hit of the year, smoking a 3-2 pitch 111.1 mph through the left side of the infield.
Chisholm cracked a single to start the seventh, going with a Soriano pitch on the outside corner. He moved to second on a Volpe sacrifice bunt, but Austin Wells went down swinging on a high 99 mph fastball and DJ LeMahieu grounded out to second.
With two down in the fifth, LeMahieu worked a walk and Grisham singled up the middle, but Rice waved at a knuckle-curve to end the inning. Making the start at first base, Rice was 1-for-3 with two strikeouts.
- Stanton led off the home half of the ninth and rocketed a double (102.9 mph) off Kenley Jansen into the left field corner on a ball that was smashed past the third baseman. With one out and pinch-runner Jasson Dominguez running on the pitch, Volpe's grounder to third saw Luis Rengifo get the ball and tag out Dominguez in one motion. Volpe would steal second on the first pitch to Wells, but he went down swinging on an eye-level 96 mph sinker to send the game to extra innings.
- The Yanks had tough luck in the 10th, after LeMahieu struck out, Grisham drove one to center (101.7 mph) for an out and Goldschmidt (in his second at-bat after pinch-hitting for Rice) just missed ending the game with a 396-foot drive (104.3 mph). It would have been gone in four parks.
- Judge walloped the first pitch he saw his second time up (110.7 mph, 401 feet), but LA center fielder Jo Adell ranged back and caught the ball on the warning track. The 24-degree launch angle meant the slugger had just a loud, laser beam out despite the .990 xBA. He finished the day 1-for-3 with two intentional walks.
The reigning MVP is now 3-for-20 in his last six games with two solo home runs. His average has gone from .396 to .377. His base hit did give him 100 on the season, the first player to the century mark.
- Bellinger went hitless in five at-bats, and he is now mired in a 4-for-29 funk over his last seven games.
Game MVP: Clarke Schmidt
Schmidt did enough to be a winner, delivering 7.2 scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and no walks with three strikeouts on 97 pitches (64 strikes). He has now pitched 18.1 straight innings of scoreless baseball, lowering his ERA to 3.16.
The Yanks and Angels are right back in action on Tuesday night with a 7:05 p.m. first pitch.
Right-hander Will Warren (4.84 ERA, 1.365 WHIP in 63 innings) will make his 15th start of the season. He will look to carry over from his last outing against Kansas City, no runs on four hits over 5.2 innings.
The visitors hand the ball to veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks (5.20 ERA, 1.324 WHIP in 71 innings) for his 14th start of the season.
Before every home playoff game, the Florida Panthers invite a special guest to get the fans inside Amerant Bank Arena pumped up.
They do this by banging a massive drum to the beat of a Let’s Go Panthers chant.
So far during this year’s Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers have invited local sports stars Bam Adebayo from the Miami Heat and Hall of Famer Jason Taylor of Miami Dolphins fame to thrill the fans with their drumming skills.
We don’t know yet who will be in the spotlight before the Panthers host Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Tuesday night, but there may have been a big clue left on social media.
Former Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo, a Hockey Hall of Fame member and current special assistant to Florida General Manager Bill Zito, was last on the drum almost exactly a year ago.
It was before last year’s Game 7 that Luongo was handed the mallet and let the emotions fly while urging the fans into a pregame frenzy.
Photo caption: Jun 24, 2024; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Former Florida Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo bangs the drum prior to the start of the during the first period against the Edmonton Oilers in game seven of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)
