‘The sickest tournament ever’: Why this WBC could make history
AS TEAM USA raised the World Baseball Classic trophy in 2017, Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout felt the FOMO wash over him.
“It looked like they were having so much fun, making the plays and winning,” said Trout, who was watching on TV from spring training camp in Tempe, Arizona. “That’s what I regretted. I should have been out there.”
The fourth World Baseball Classic was a milestone for the United States, the first time the event’s host country won the international tournament. The Americans racked up iconic performances, from Adam Jones’ home-run-robbing catch that sent the U.S. to the semifinal, to Marcus Stroman‘s six no-hit innings against Puerto Rico in the championship game that earned him MVP honors.
The victory also marked a sea of change in how American-born players view the event. Trout announced at the 2022 All-Star Game that he would compete in the WBC and serve as captain, and his inclusion started a domino effect.
“We don’t get to share the field very often,” said Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, who was influenced by Trout’s decision. “So to be on the same side playing with him and all the other guys, really, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
For many other American players, like Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner, the international buzz and excitement for last year’s soccer World Cup — the final drew 25.78 million viewers on Fox and Telemundo, the most watched men’s World Cup match in American history — fueled a desire to put on a Team USA jersey.
“Everybody wants a taste of that,” Turner said. “If you can do it in your own sport, that’s pretty cool too.”
That kind of excitement has long been standard on other international squads, including among MLB players. But American players have been less enthusiastic at times.
In 2017, then-New York Mets ace Noah Syndergaard showed active disdain for the event.
“Ain’t nobody make it to the Hall of Fame and win the World Series playing in the WBC,” Syndergaard said.
That attitude rubbed those from outside the United States the wrong way. A dozen players — three Americans and nine international — told ESPN on the condition of anonymity that the unwillingness of some American stars to participate in previous WBCs held the event back.
“Players from Japan, players from Puerto Rico, players from so many countries came out and put their best foot forward because the World Baseball Classic is important to them,” said one player on Team Israel. “Many of the best American players viewed themselves as bigger than the WBC.”
But there’s a sense things are shifting. As usual, the biggest international stars will be attending in 2023, like Shohei Ohtani for Japan, Juan Soto for the Dominican Republic and Francisco Lindor for Puerto Rico — but there’ll be 20 teams in the tournament, up from 16. Team USA has built on its championship squad of 2017, and this year it will be captained by Trout, a generational icon, with a roster featuring three MVPs — Trout, Betts and Paul Goldschmidt — and 20 All-Stars. Its starting lineup could be the best ever assembled, with 57 total All-Star Games and five MVP trophies on the roster, the most for an American team in the WBC since the inaugural event in 2006.
As the fifth WBC — delayed two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic — begins, clubhouses around baseball are buzzing. The fan excitement is peaking, too, with one Facebook group dedicated to the event featuring nearly 145,000 people from around the world dissecting the tournament.
The enthusiasm surrounding this WBC is of special interest to Major League Baseball, which has made the event a central part of its growing international ambitions. The league envisions the tournament becoming a global phenomenon like the World Cup. And with a potentially historic group of players — particularly on Team USA — the league believes the 2023 WBC will help fuel interest in Major League Baseball around the world like never before.
DESPITE THE FOCUS on new rules this spring to attract younger national audiences, the biggest area of growth for Major League Baseball isn’t in the United States. It’s in the rest of the world.
“International growth is a huge driver of our business and for our strategic goals and focus areas, that’s front and center,” said MLB chief operations and strategy officer Chris Marinak. “Mexico is a big market we think has shown a lot of growth potential. Asian countries, Japan, Korea, there’s a number of countries we think going and making a statement in that market is super important. We think we can exploit a lot of growth opportunities in those markets.”
That challenge came to the forefront for Major League Baseball in the 1990s. Baseball had become an official Olympic sport in 1992 — but with amateurs only, and it slowly fizzled before being removed entirely after the 2008 games. That meant the league needed to find a better way to reach out.
But unlike soccer, basketball and hockey — where playing for Team USA represents one of the sport’s pinnacles — international baseball never carried the same weight. Teams like the 1992 United States Olympic men’s basketball Dream Team or the 1980 Miracle on Ice Olympic men’s hockey team are iconic — and there is no international baseball equivalent.
MLB executives knew the spectacle of international games could draw fans.
“And we also knew there wasn’t anything akin to a baseball World Cup,” said MLB senior vice president Jim Small, who oversees the WBC.
By Labor Day 1999, the league offices had put together a business plan for a World Baseball Classic, greenlit by then-commissioner Bud Selig. Team owners identified the potential of the event and hopped on board, and over the next six years, MLB worked to convince other leagues, like Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, Cuba’s National Series and South Korea’s KBO, to carve time into their schedules for the tournament. In 2006, the WBC launched with a 16-team field.
For MLB, the Classic represents one of the biggest opportunities for fans around the world to watch their own country’s stars face off against the best from other nations. The hope is that such a high-level competition — not to mention some national pride — will get fans around the world more invested in MLB’s star players — and more likely to become hooked into Major League Baseball itself.
“America is the only country in the world where the biggest sporting event is club versus club and not country versus country,” Small said. “We’re moving in that direction.”
“With fan expectations particularly on TikTok and Instagram, we’re looking for those standout moments that you don’t really see on a regular basis and that’s what the WBC is,” Marinak said. “We want to see the biggest stars against the biggest stars, Shohei Ohtani pitching to Mike Trout. Those are the moments the public has gravitated toward since the last WBC in 2017. It gives the game more opportunities to be displayed globally.”
But after an initial wave of enthusiasm, the United States struggled, posting a 10-10 record heading into the 2017 tournament. In 2013, the event was almost invisible on its home turf, with just 843,000 watching the championship game on MLB Network, a million fewer viewers than the average regular-season NBA game in the same year. For some American players, the event offers little upside. If they win, they’ve done what they are expected to do. If they don’t, there’s potential embarrassment.
“We got to remember, this is pretty new,” said Goldschmidt, who played for Team USA for the first time in 2017. “Every time we’ve done it, guys have gotten more comfortable with it. Hopefully, that’s encouraged guys to play.”
Winning is a big motivator. As the 2017 American team embarked on a thrilling path to hoisting its first World Baseball Classic title, the interest in the United States increased. The WBC received 32% more American viewership than in 2013, with 2.3 million tuned into MLB Network to watch the final. MLB executives anticipate bigger American viewing audiences for the 2023 WBC with games available on Fox.
But the tournament still faces obstacles.
Many MLB teams tolerate the event’s existence, knowing that it could help grow the game, but remain concerned with its potential risk. But to many front offices, according to team sources, it doesn’t justify the risk of serious injury jeopardizing a team’s chance to win the World Series. That contrasts dramatically with the World Cup, where players become immortal international legends by leading their team to victory, from Pelé to Lionel Messi to Kylian Mbappe.
In some cases, that’s because of the lack of standardized insurance coverage, as FIFA provides to club teams whose players participate in those competitions. Insurance coverage would protect teams from having to pay a player for time missed because of an injury from the tournament.
Miguel Cabrera was deemed uninsurable because of his injury history, but signed to play anyway, thanks to approval by the Detroit Tigers. But Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who was slated to pitch for Team USA, had to withdraw after he was deemed uninsurable.
“It was super disappointing,” Kershaw said. “I’m frustrated. I really wanted to do it.”
For a team like the Dodgers, with World Series aspirations, it’s hard to justify putting a star pitcher’s season at risk. But his absence helps explain why although there are more star position players suiting up for Team USA, the biggest weakness for the Americans remains pitching. For many American pitchers who are closing in on a big contract or are already being paid big money to be an ace for a World Series contender, ramping up for the World Baseball Classic is a bridge too far.
“The risk doesn’t seem to matter for Sandy Alcantara or Shohei Ohtani. They have as much to lose as the next guy,” said Mets reliever Adam Ottavino, who will pitch for Team USA. “But the importance of the tournament is going to have to feel super strong before you’re seeing Gerrit Cole, Max Scherzer or Jacob deGrom pitching in it and willing to risk injury.”
MLB has gathered injury data from four WBCs, and the league office says “there is no correlation between being hurt and playing in the WBC” but would not share the data.
A study conducted by Washington University in 2017 released days after the previous WBC determined that tournament participants missed an average of 2.35 more days because of injury after a WBC, with the numbers ticking up to 4.07 days for pitchers, working off a sample of three tournaments.
“It has the ability to be right there with the World Cup,” said Boston Red Sox shortstop Enrique Hernandez, who played for Puerto Rico in 2017 and will play again in 2023. “There’s no other tournament like it, and sure it takes time, but it’s also been almost 20 years since the first time. So if that’s not time, what’s time?”
LATE LAST MONTH, at Red Sox camp in Fort Myers, Florida, the 2023 World Baseball Classic announced itself in the form of a trumpet blasting across the practice fields at 9 a.m.
With the first games of the WBC approaching, manager Alex Cora had assigned a bit of homework to outfielders Alex Verdugo and Jarren Duran, both of whom will represent Mexico. Cora asked Verdugo and Duran to put together a presentation, as if they were back in high school. So Verdugo crafted a poster featuring facts about Mexico, from its history of chocolate to a selection of local beers to homages to Mexican baseball legends Fernando Valenzuela and Vinny Castilla.
Next, Verdugo turned to Google, finding a mariachi band from nearby Cape Coral — called Mariachi Villa de Guadalupe — that made the early-morning trip to JetBlue Park and blasted its rendition of “Volver, Volver” by Vicente Fernández — Verdugo’s walk-up song — via trumpet, fiddle and guitar. Verdugo and Duran then made their presentation to a standing ovation from their teammates.
“I was more nervous there than I was in the postseason or any type of baseball atmosphere,” Verdugo said.
Cora had handed out the assignment to help his clubhouse better understand Mexican culture, but also begin to grasp the meaning of the tournament to the outside world, where it is already a hit. In 2013, the championship game peaked at 63% of all available TV viewers in the Dominican Republic and 64% of viewers in Puerto Rico, with large watch-party gatherings at movie theaters and public spaces. In Japan, 51% of all available TV viewers watched their team’s semifinal loss to Puerto Rico, while one-third of all televisions viewed the country’s three first-round games in Fukuoka. Taiwan registered 15.5% of viewers for a game against Japan, the highest-rated cable program in the country’s history at the time.
In Japan, where 34.6% of households watched a World Cup game with Croatia last year, the WBC can be an even bigger draw than the global soccer event.
The takeaway? An international audience waiting to watch MLB’s best talent already exists. This WBC is the best showcase of that talent to date, and will prove crucial for MLB’s hopes to grow internationally. While not imminent, expansion into Mexico, London and even Asia are a topic in meetings.
“Before we can grow the MLB brand, we need to have the underlying sport of baseball to be more popular,” Small said. “If we want to grow fan engagement and the popularity of our brand, it comes down to increasing participation, having good content to deliver, live events, big spectacles. The WBC fills that role for us in a very unique way.”
While baseball initially spread internationally through American military occupation, the World Baseball Classic funds programs trying to get kids to play baseball around the world. Youth programs worldwide receive government funding to develop players to compete in the WBC, with the biggest impact felt in countries that historically have not played baseball, like China, the Czech Republic and Pakistan. According to a league source, international baseball programs have received more than $100 million in government funding because of participation in the WBC.
“That’s a really important byproduct of this, it’s driving more money, more resources going into the game that we won’t necessarily see for many, many years,” Small said. “But it’s going to have a cumulative effect. Smaller countries will have better baseball programs because of this.”
That government funding provides crucial backing for countries in the early stages of developing baseball infrastructure. For the United Kingdom — which had around 10,000 children playing baseball in some form in 2022 — the sport receives funding from Sport England, part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and UK Sport, a government agency that invests in Olympic sports.
Great Britain general manager Liam Carroll, who will be the manager of the Red Sox’s Single-A affiliate in Salem, Virginia, hopes that the growing baseball infrastructure will eventually develop a team that can surprise the world like Croatia did at last year’s World Cup, stunning the world by finishing in third place and beating powerhouses like Brazil. The Czech Republic has already made a splash just by qualifying for its first WBC, beating a Spain squad full of Caribbean talent, and featuring players with full-time jobs like firefighting, real estate and teaching. They will now go up against Ohtani and Japan in Pool B.
Carroll said without the government funding due to a marquee international baseball event like the WBC, growing baseball would be difficult in the United Kingdom.
“I’m hoping we can inspire coaches, and then from here, we can develop a player who makes it to the major leagues,” Carroll said. “That would inspire a generation.”
The league has already found success with The Netherlands. Countries like Curacao and Aruba have grown their baseball programs because of funding from the WBC and Little League World Series and developed major leaguers such as Xander Bogaerts, Jurickson Profar and Didi Gregorius. The success has created a domino effect, with players like Gregorius and his family’s foundation now building fields to further develop young players and create more game opportunities.
“I used to play 20-something games during the season even though it’s sunny and 80 degrees all year in Curacao,” Gregorius said. “Funding and creating fields for more games will help set up more young players to succeed once they sign.”
The goal is for more countries to compete in the WBC with a baseball-informed fanbase ready to put its full support behind its national team. To find an example of how a country can rally around the World Baseball Classic, Team USA doesn’t need to look beyond its borders. For Puerto Rico, the WBC represents a pinnacle of sports and as a result, players and fans treat the event with reverence.
During the 2017 World Baseball Classic, all members of Team Puerto Rico dyed their hair blond. The trend caught on back on the island, where bleach and gold hairspray sold out most everywhere. When Puerto Rico made it to the championship game, 70% of televisions on the island were tuned in.
“For us Latin American countries, there’s nothing better than representing our country,” Hernandez said. “It’s an even bigger deal than being on a big league roster.”
Mets closer Edwin Diaz will represent Puerto Rico after signing a five-year, $102 million deal this offseason, the richest contract ever for a reliever. There is concern within the Mets’ organization that Diaz will pitch on back-to-back days in the WBC, something the team does not want ahead of the 2023 season. Diaz says he does not plan to do that, but he said he has no hesitation about representing his home in the WBC, regardless of the Mets’ World Series aspirations or his new contract.
“This is the most waited-for event in Puerto Rico,” Diaz said. “Everyone is always waiting for the WBC. People already started dying their hair blond. Everybody is ready to go.”
Lindor said the increased level of talent in the WBC makes him as excited as he’s ever been for the tournament. Seeing the United States bring out its best drives other teams in the WBC.
“It’s the sickest tournament ever,” the Mets shortstop said. “We’ve got to take care of business.”
Across the Mets locker room, first baseman Pete Alonso will represent the United States in the WBC, meaning one of the MLB’s best sluggers and Diaz, arguably its top reliever, could face off in a showdown that could not happen in the regular season. For Diaz, the opportunity to shut down a teammate is just as exciting.
“I told Pete, if I face you guys, you will not have a chance with me,” Diaz said. “America, this team’s so much better than the last one. I want to face them.”
And while Lindor is excited about players like Trout and Betts deciding to play in the tournament this year, he thinks the potential for the sport to bring people together is what matters most.
“There are two things that unite the world. Music and sports,” Lindor said. “You don’t need to speak the language. We have an opportunity right now, so if we could unite the world through sports, f—, let’s do it.”
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Pete Thamel, Senior College Sports Insider
Former Florida State and Alabama wide receiver Malik Benson, who has an extra year thanks to the recent NCAA ruling on junior college players, told ESPN that he has committed to play at Oregon next year.
Benson told ESPN on Tuesday that he picked the Ducks because he was impressed with the coaching staff and was intrigued by the opportunity to play with quarterback Dante Moore, who projects as Oregon’s starter next year.
Until the ruling on Diego Pavia‘s eligibility changed the paradigm for junior college players, Benson had been set to start training for the NFL draft process.
“I’m just glad that the Lord blessed me with another opportunity and another year,” Benson told ESPN upon entering the portal. “I will not take this for granted.”
Benson began his college career at Hutchinson Community College, where he emerged as the nation’s top junior college prospect regardless of position. He played one season at Alabama, where he had 13 receptions in 14 games for 162 yards and a touchdown.
He transferred to Florida State, where he caught 25 balls for 311 yards and a touchdown this season. On his career, he averages 12.5 yards per catch.
Oregon’s receiving room lost star Tez Johnson to the NFL and is awaiting on an NFL decision from Evan Stewart, who missed the Rose Bowl with a back injury and slumped late in the year for the Ducks.
They do bring in the country’s top receiving prospect in Dakorien Moore, who is ESPN’s No. 3 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting class.
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Greg Wyshynski, Senior NHL writer
Some NHL awards races are actual races. There are leaders, but ones that are looking over their shoulders at a pack of candidates closing in fast.
Other NHL awards races currently look at lot like when Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt would race: Everyone is just going to have to be content with second place because their leads are that insurmountable.
Again, the operative word is “currently.” This is the NHL Awards Watch for January. We have a lot of season to go.
We’ve polled a wide selection of Professional Hockey Writers Association voters anonymously to get a sense of where the wind is blowing for the current leaders. We’ve made sure it’s a cross-section from the entire league, trying to gain as many perspectives as possible.
Bear in mind that the PHWA votes for the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng finalists; broadcasters vote for the Jack Adams; and general managers handle the Vezina.
All stats are from Hockey-Reference.com, Natural Stat Trick and Evolving Hockey.
Jump ahead:
Ross | Richard | Hart
Norris | Selke | Vezina
Calder | Byng | Adams
Art Ross Trophy (points leader)
Click here for the updated point-scoring standings.
Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard Trophy
Click here for the updated goal-scoring standings.
Hart Trophy (MVP)
Leader: Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild
Finalists: Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers; Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche
A couple of things happened since the last NHL Awards Watch.
After leading the MVP race last month, Kaprizov’s lower-body injury put him out of the Wild lineup. Through Sunday, he had missed six of Minnesota’s 40 games this season. His stats remain stellar — 23 goals and 27 assists for 50 points — but other Hart contenders haven’t spent that kind of time off the ice.
The other significant happening was the entirety of Nathan MacKinnon’s December. The Avalanche star had seven goals and 18 assists for 25 points in 13 games, helping Colorado go 10-3-0 while being named the NHL’s first star for the month. Through 40 games, MacKinnon led the NHL with 65 points and 51 assists and led the Avalanche in scoring by eight points over Mikko Rantanen.
MacKinnon won the Hart last season. The NHL hasn’t had back-to-back MVPs since Alex Ovechkin won the award in 2007-08 and 2008-09. The way MacKinnon’s going, it could happen again.
And yet, Kirill Kaprizov still got the majority of the first-place votes from those canvassed this month.
“In the true spirit of the award, there is just no way Minnesota is anywhere close to the unexpectedly good team they are this year without Kaprizov,” a voter said.
But the MVP race behind the Wild star has changed dramatically. Last month, Kaprizov finished atop the Hart straw poll with 88% of the vote. This month, he earned only 37% of the first-place votes. MacKinnon is right behind him. So are the other players who received first-place votes this month: Draisaitl, Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov and Toronto Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner. All of them have compelling MVP cases.
“It’s getting crowded at the top, but Kaprizov is still producing more at even strength than any other player,” a Kaprizov voter declared. “MacKinnon has Rantanen, Draisaitl has McDavid, Kucherov is too power-play dependent.”
“I’m picking Kirill Kaprizov,” another noted. “But if Colorado gets their stuff sorted for good and takes off, MacKinnon might run away with it. Central Division is where it’s at.”
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Kirill Kaprizov scores goal for Wild
Kirill Kaprizov nets goal for Wild
MacKinnon won the Hart last year with 51 goals and 140 points. He’s nowhere near that goal pace, but his points-per-game pace (1.63) isn’t far off from his pace in his MVP season (1.71). He was the clear second choice with 26% of the first-place votes. MacKinnon was in the top three in the November Awards Watch, didn’t receive a first-place vote in December and has come roaring back this month.
“MacKinnon’s surge and Kaprizov’s injury changed the face of that Hart race,” a voter concluded.
“He not only leads the NHL in scoring but kept the Avalanche afloat long enough for them to swap out both goalies and look more like a serious contender,” another explained.
Draisaitl was third in the voting (16%), right ahead of Eichel (11%). The Oilers star led the NHL in goals through Sunday with 29 tallies, well ahead of the five players tied with 23 goals. His 59 points were second to MacKinnon for the NHL lead. According to Evolving Hockey, Draisaitl leads the NHL with 22.6 expected goals above replacement.
Draisaitl helped keep the Oilers on point as teammate Connor McDavid dealt with an injury. But McDavid has played only three fewer games than Draisaitl — and trailed him by only five points for the team lead. The season Draisaitl won his only Hart Trophy (the COVID-shortened 2019-20), he played seven more games than McDavid and tallied 13 more points.
Eichel’s having the best regular season of his career. Through Sunday, the 28-year-old center led the Golden Knights with 52 points in 39 games — nearly 20 points clear of the second-highest scorer, Mark Stone (33 points).
That Eichel had played 14 more games than Stone is exactly the point: As Vegas has had more guys out of action than a casino where the house always wins, Eichel has been the constant, playing every game and playing extremely well. His career high for points is 82 in 2018-19 with Buffalo. He’s on pace for over 109 points this season.
“He’s the best player on the best team, but most impressive is how Eichel has emerged as a defensive force,” one Jack backer explained.
They’re right about his defense, which has been improving each season since his 200-foot game earned accolades during the 2023 Stanley Cup run. Internally, Vegas has talked about Eichel getting a Selke push this season. The Knights give up just 2.16 goals-against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 with Eichel on the ice. It should be noted, however, that Kaprizov has him bested in goals-against per 60 (1.88) and expected goals against per 60 (2.05) this season.
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Jack Eichel scores goal vs. Sabres
Jack Eichel scores goal vs. Sabres
Kucherov, who won the Hart in 2018-19, has led the Lightning in scoring all season. Through 35 games he had 55 points, 10 points better than the team’s second-leading scorer Brayden Point.
Marner received a first-place vote for holding down the fort while Auston Matthews was out with an injury. Marner has 56 points in 41 games, 13 more than the Leafs’ second-leading scorer William Nylander, while continuing to be an exceptional defensive forward, too. It’s a heck of a case he’s making in a contract year.
Marner has never finished in the top 10 for the Hart. Quinn Hughes was seventh for the award last season, when he won his first Norris Trophy. So he’s on the radar in the MVP race and pulled in one first-place vote.
In a tumultuous season for the Canucks — from infighting to injuries — Hughes has easily been their best player: 42 points in 34 games, including 34 assists. He’s not leading all defensemen in points nor ice time, but he’s leading the Canucks in both. Hughes leads Conor Garland (29 points) by 13 points for the team lead.
So it’s a very crowded field and could become even more crowded if Connor Hellebuyck starts getting the credit for the Winnipeg Jets‘ outstanding season. The NHL hasn’t had a goalie win MVP since Montreal’s Carey Price in 2014-15.
“I was this close to putting Hellebuyck down for MVP,” said a voter who ultimately broke for Kaprizov instead.
While he didn’t earn a first-place vote, it would be foolish to discount McDavid from the race. He’s won NHL MVP three times and been a finalist for the award six times in 10 seasons. With 54 points in 36 games — his 1.50 points per game average is fourth in the NHL — he’s just a stride behind the rest of these players.
Norris Trophy (top defenseman)
Leader: Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche
Finalists: Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks; Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
No major changes in the Norris race order, which we’re sure will go over well in Vancouver.
Makar’s lead has narrowed from earning 75% of the first-place votes to 58% from our panelists this month. His 49 points in 40 games led all defensemen through Sunday’s games. That’s impressive, but not nearly the total Makar’s incredible start (24 points in 15 games) seemed to portend. He’s a plus-13, skating more on average (25:31) than Hughes (25:08) but less than Werenski (26:28).
After getting dinged for his defense in last season’s Norris voting, Makar’s underlying numbers are strong: The Avalanche are giving up 2.04 goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 when he’s on the ice and have an expected goals-against of 2.14. Makar won the Norris in 2021-22 and finished third in the next two seasons.
One Makar voter anticipated some backlash for their choice. “Blah, blah, blah, you only pick points. But the dude is unreal and controls the game from the blue line. A total freak show,” they quipped.
“He leads all blueliners in goals and assists,” another Makar voter noted. “Quinn Hughes’ injury may prove the difference in what was shaping to be a tight race.”
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Cale Makar tallies goal vs. Sabres
Cale Makar tallies goal vs. Sabres
Hughes, last season’s Norris winner, missed four games after Christmas with an undisclosed injury. His return is imminent, which is good news for a Vancouver team whose offense struggled to score just seven goals in his absence. Hughes (42 points in 34 games) had a razor-thin points-per-game lead (1.24) on Makar (1.23) entering Monday’s games.
Another factor for Hughes: He’s second in the NHL in expected goals above replacement (18.5) and has added three wins to the Canucks, per Evolving Hockey. Makar (13.7 xGAR, 2.3 WAR) was a distant fifth in both categories.
Hughes garnered 26% of the votes.
“The Canucks’ performance without the injured Hughes over the past few games underscores his importance to the team and gives him a slight edge over Cale Makar this time around,” a Hughes voter noted.
“It’s hard to argue with a plus-18 goal differential at 5-on-5,” another added.
Hughes play a ton at 5-on-5 (21:12) — more than Makar, in fact (19:34). He doesn’t play much at all on the penalty kill (11 seconds per game), while Makar does (2:12).
Werenski also plays in all three situations for the Blue Jackets. In fact, he plays more than any other skater in the NHL, at 26:28 per game on average. Werenski has 12 goals and 33 assists in 40 games. He entered Monday second to Makar in goals and points on the season.
“More people should be talking about Zach Werenski,” a Makar voter declared.
“The thing that stuck out to me the most [since December’s Awards Watch] was how much better the Blue Jackets are with Zach Werenski on the ice,” a Werenski voter said. “His impact is noticeable on both ends of the ice — the way he drives play, his defensive ability — and that is how he manages to be a plus-player on that bad of a team. He should be rewarded for that.”
“The Columbus Blue Jackets sit nowhere near sniffing-distance of a playoff spot if Werenski isn’t averaging 1.13 points per game while logging almost 27 minutes every night,” another Werenski voter pointed out.
These three defensemen dominated our voters’ ballots. The only other two names mentioned were Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey, who was seventh for the Norris last season after finishing fifth one year earlier; and Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson, who continues to thrive under head coach Spencer Carbery. He was second for the Norris in 2019-20.
Calder Trophy (top rookie)
Leader: Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks
Finalists: Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens; Matvei Michkov, Philadelphia Flyers
Last month, we likened Macklin Celebrini to a marauding T-Rex chasing a Jurassic Park jeep, as Matvei Michkov frantically glanced in his side mirror to discover that objects may be closer than they appear.
In other words, it was only a matter of time before the San Jose Sharks rookie had the body of work voters needed to put him over the Philadelphia Flyers rookie in the Calder race, and here we are.
“Sometimes, the obvious answer is the correct answer,” a Celebrini voter concluded.
After finishing second to Michkov in the December NHL Awards Watch, Celebrini pulled nearly 90% of the first-place votes from our panelists to take control of the rookie of the year race.
“A must-watch player already,” a Macklin backer said. “He’s absolutely electric despite having little help around him.”
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Macklin Celebrini lights the lamp for Sharks
Macklin Celebrini lights the lamp for Sharks
Entering Monday’s action, Celebrini (28 points) trailed Michkov (29 points) by one point despite playing eight fewer games thanks to an early-season injury. Celebrini’s 0.93 points-per-game average was tops among all rookies. He also led all rookies with 13 goals, one more than Michkov.
“Matvei Michkov had the head start, but the wonder kid in San Jose has made up for lost ground,” a voter said.
Celebrini is seeing significantly more ice time (19:48) than the Flyers rookie (16:31) on average. In fact, Celebrini is second only to Hutson, a defenseman, in average ice time for rookie skaters.
“Not many rookie forwards skate almost 20 minutes per game,” a voter declared.
“I lean Macklin over Michkov because of the two-way skill and effort he regularly shows on a lesser team,” another added.
Michkov still has a strong case and could end up sweeping the goals and points titles among rookies, both of which have been harbingers for forwards winning the Calder. He’s feasted on the power play for the Flyers, with five goals and 12 points, which led all rookies. While Celebrini has managed to keep up with Michkov as far as highlight-reel moments, Michkov has thrived under — or despite? — the “tough love” of John Tortorella’s coaching.
“Michkov has restructured a broken power play with ease. He’s reminded us the extent of impact one majestic player like him can truly have on a team’s complexion,” a voter explained. “I anticipate changing this to Celebrini by the end of the year, but I’m also anticipating an extremely close call.”
Michkov is the only other player to earn first place votes for the Calder. Based on the number of mentions he received on voters’ ballots, we’re comfortable putting Hutson in that third spot just ahead of Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf.
Hutson has 27 points in 39 games while skating 22:34 per game for the Canadiens. To put into perspective how much Hutson has lapped the field among rookie defensemen: The next highest scoring rookie defenseman, Nolan Allen of Chicago, is 21 points behind.
The Canadiens defenseman is a minus-8, fourth worst on the Habs for players with at least 15 games played. That’s with Montreal having sheltered him with 63% of this zone starts coming in the offensive zone.
Wolf, who was third overall last month, is 12-6-2 in 20 games, with a .913 save percentage and a 2.63 goals-against average, to go along with two shutouts. Those are easily the best numbers for any rookie goalie with at least 10 appearances. With the Flames in the thick of the wild-card race, he should not be counted out for Calder consideration.
But right now, it’s just “consideration.” It remains Celebrini vs. Michkov, with Celebrini clearly ahead in the race.
Vezina Trophy (top goaltender)
Note: The NHL’s general managers vote for this award
Leader: Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Finalists: Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey Devils; Logan Thompson, Washington Capitals
This is Connor Hellebuyck’s Vezina to lose, but our voters didn’t make it unanimous.
Hellebuyck is 24-6-2 for the dominant Jets, with a .926 save percentage, a 2.09 save percentage and five shutouts — leading the NHL on all of those categories for goaltenders with at least 20 appearances.
He won his second Vezina Trophy last season and looks very much poised to win a third. Since 1981 — when the NHL changed the criteria of the Vezina Trophy to no longer just honor the goalie who played the most games on the team that gave up the fewest goals — only three goalies won the Vezina more than twice: Dominik Hasek, Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy. All legends and all Hockey Hall of Famers.
“It is ‘Helle-back?’ Perhaps ‘Helle-back-to-back?'” a voter quipped.
“Five shutouts and the season isn’t half over. He’ll be on Hart ballots, too,” another voter predicted.
There was another goalie that snagged a first-place vote and it was a surprise: Thompson, the Capitals netminder who came over from Vegas in the offseason.
The Capitals have been one of season’s best teams and Thompson has been a big reason why. In 20 games, he’s an incredible 16-2-2, with a .916 save percentage and a 2.39 goals-against average. Compare those numbers to what Washington’s other netminder Charlie Lindgren has posted (10-8-1, .900 and 2.70) and the contrast is stark.
“Thompson has been so incredibly efficient. Sixteen of his 20 appearances qualify as quality starts (80%),” the Thompson voter noted. “When the goals dried up for the Capitals following their hot start — and Alex Ovechkin was injured — Thompson kept them on track.”
The other Vezina spot could go to Filip Gustavsson of the Minnesota Wild, who was in the top three in last month’s NHL Awards Watch. He certainly has the numbers: 18-6-3 in 27 games, with a .926 save percentage and a 2.20 goals-against average. He also leads the NHL with 13.5 goals saved above expected per Stathletes.
But the goalie with the highest down-ballot mentions was Markstrom. He’s 19-8-2 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.18 goals-against average. He hasn’t been perfect, and has just 3.1 goals saved above expected this season, but a handful of voters believe he belongs in the Vezina conversation, such as it is.
“This is not a conversation by any stretch of the imagination,” a Hellebuyck voter opined.
Selke Trophy (best defensive forward)
Leader: Aleksander Barkov, Florida Panthers
Finalists: Nico Hischier, New Jersey Devils; Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs
Barkov earned 42% of the first-place votes, which slightly down from his total last month (50%) but puts him in position to win back-to-back Selke trophies and his third Selke in five seasons.
The Panthers have a 2.06 goals-against and a 1.87 expected goals-against per 60 minutes with Barkov on the ice. The Panthers get 60% of the high-dander chances. He’s also winning an exceptional 61% of his faceoffs this season while putting in work on the penalty kill as well.
“Aleksander Barkov is still the guy,” a voter concluded.
While Barkov remains on top of the Selke leaderboard, the finalists from the December Awards Watch have changed. Out are Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers; in come Hischier and Marner.
Hischier was second in the Selke voting in 2022-23. He wins 55.8% of his faceoffs and leads the fifth best penalty kill in the NHL, as the forward with the most short-handed ice time on average for New Jersey. His underlying numbers aren’t stellar from a defensive standpoint, although he wins a good amount of puck battles. But he’s a player that certainly passes the eye test as a defensive force for New Jersey.
The same goes for Marner, a winger whose speed and tenacity make him a terrific defensive player. He leads the NHL in turnovers created (8.67) and steals per 60 (2.18) for players with at least 700 minutes of ice time, per Stathletes. He’s the ice time leader for the eighth best penalty kill in the NHL.
It’s here we note that a non-center hasn’t won the Selke Trophy since 2002-03, when Dallas Stars winger Jere Lehtinen captured the award for the third time.
Reinhart was one of five other players to receive a first-place vote, is listed as a center although he plays on Barkov’s wing. He has slightly better defensive metrics than his center, and also plays on the penalty kill.
Cirelli also received a first-place vote. He wins 51.7% of his faceoffs and he’s an outstanding penalty killer, with two goals and two assists shorthanded. His underlying numbers (3.51 expected goals against per 60 minutes) don’t mount a strong argument at the moment. Keep in mind that Cirelli was selected for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off as a defensive specialist, and that certainly raises his profile.
Anze Kopitar won the Selke in 2015-16 and 2017-18. He’s having an outstanding season for what might be the best defensive team in the NHL. The Kings have a 1.66 goals-against per 60 minutes when Kopitar is on the ice.
Jordan Staal has been searching for his first Selke win for 15 years, and finished second for the award last season. He’s once again the linchpin at forward defensively for the Hurricanes, who have a 1.69 goals-against average per 60 minutes when the center is on the ice.
The other player to receive a first-place Selke vote was Jack Eichel. As mentioned earlier, the Golden Knights believe his name should be in the hat for this award. Vegas gives up 2.16 goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 with Eichel on the ice, and he’s an effective penalty killer, too.
Barkov leads, but this is certainly still a competitive race.
Lady Byng Trophy (gentlemanly play)
This is the part where I mention that the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly play should be voted on by the league’s on-ice officials or by the NHL Players’ Association instead of the PHWA.
Traditionally, this award goes to a player with a top 20 point total and the lowest penalty minutes among those players. Brayden Point is 16th overall in scoring with 45 points, and had only two penalty minutes through 33 games. But keep an eye out for Anze Kopitar, who won the award in 2015-16 and 2022-23. He’s 34th in scoring (39 points in 38 games) and also has just two penalty minutes. What a race!
Jack Adams Award (best coach)
Note: The NHL Broadcasters’ Association votes on this award.
Leader: Spencer Carbery, Washington Capitals
Finalists: Dean Evason, Columbus Blue Jackets; John Hynes, Minnesota Wild
Alex Ovechkin has 19 goals in 23 games this season. When he fractured his leg in November, there wasn’t just concern about the state of his NHL all-time goals record chase. There was concern that it might derail what had been a stellar start for the Capitals, who went 13-4-1 with Ovechkin in the lineup through Nov. 18.
In between his injury and Ovechkin’s triumphant return to the lineup on Dec. 28? The Capitals went 13-6-2, thanks in no small part to the steady leadership and strong fundamental systems of Spencer Carbery.
The second-year coach had Washington with the Eastern Conference’s top points percentage heading into Monday’s games. They were the top scoring team in the league (3.72 goals per game) and sixth in goals against (2.64).
Perhaps that’s why Carbery was the only unanimous choice in any category in this month’s NHL Awards Watch.
“He’s going to run away with this, and for justifiable reasons,” a voter declared.
While Evason and Hynes didn’t get any first-place votes, they both received a lot of love down the ballot from our voters.
Hynes coached the Wild through some injury adversity to get near the top of the Central Division, with strong underlying defensive numbers.
“Hynes deserves a little love here,” a voter argued.
Evason, in his first season with the Blue Jackets, has Columbus right at the Eastern Conference wild-card bubble after 40 games. He also has something that other candidates don’t have: an emotional backstory, as Evason helped lead this Blue Jackets team through its grief following the tragic death of star forward Johnny Gaudreau before the season.
“The job Dean Evason is doing in Columbus, given everything that franchise has endured, is remarkable. To have them remotely close to a playoff spot is a huge feather in his cap,” a voter explained. “If Columbus gets in, he may beat Carbery and Hynes, but those two have their teams playing consistently solid hockey.”
Other coaches mentioned by our voters include Los Angeles Kings first-year coach Jim Hiller, Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper and Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar. The Winnipeg Jets‘ Scott Arniel, who was in the top three last month, did not receive a mention.
“Steven Stamkos is gone, Mikhail Sergachev was traded and they’re one of the highest scoring teams in the league, one of the top in goal-differential, and radically turned their 5-on-5 play around,” a Cooper backer noted.
“Considering injury list and goaltending woes, though, Jared Bednar should get more love in this category,” another voter said.
Other coaches will get love. But it’s hard to imagine any one of them breaking through the infatuation with Carbery this season.
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Jeff Passan, Senior MLB Insider
Designated hitter Brent Rooker and the Oakland Athletics are in agreement on a five-year, $60 million contract extension, sources told ESPN late Monday night, continuing a winter of uncharacteristic spending with a long-term deal for the late-blooming slugger.
Before he joined the A’s in 2023, Rooker had bounced among three teams without finding consistent playing time. The A’s saw Rooker blossom into an All-Star in his first season with them, a 10th-place MVP finisher last year and the receiver of the second-largest extension in franchise history.
The A’s, who will play in Sacramento for the next three seasons before a planned move to Las Vegas after leaving Oakland, already had spent $67 million this winter to sign right-hander Luis Severino and added left-hander Jeffrey Springs in a trade with Tampa Bay. The deals, as well as Rooker’s, continue to push the A’s payroll toward the $100 million range. If they do not spend at least 1½ times the revenue-sharing money they receive, the A’s run the risk of a union grievance.
The deal signals the latest in an attempt to rebuild after years of minuscule payrolls and lackluster results. Though the A’s were a success story of a team that managed to succeed in spite of meager support from ownership, recent seasons with slashed payrolls have yielded awful results and coincided with vitriol toward owner John Fisher as A’s bid the city of Oakland farewell.
Rooker becomes the lone A’s player under contract through their planned Las Vegas debut in 2028. The deal, which was first reported by The Athletic, will pay him $30 million over the first three seasons and includes a sixth-year vesting option for $22 million that can escalate by $10 million. The previous largest extension had gone to star third baseman Eric Chavez, who also held the record for largest contract at $66 million until Severino exceeded it.
The deal buys out a potential three years of free agency for Rooker, who three years ago wasn’t sure how much longer his big league career would remain afloat. After debuting with Minnesota in 2020, Rooker struggled and eventually was traded to San Diego in April 2022. Four months later, the Padres dealt him to Kansas City. Three months later, the Royals designated him for assignment, and the A’s claimed Rooker off waivers.
In his first season with the A’s, Rooker nearly doubled his previous career plate appearances and hit 30 home runs. He was even better last season, hitting .297/.365/.562 with 39 home runs and 112 RBIs.
The A’s surprised teams at the July trade deadline when they declined to discuss Rooker in trade discussions. Rooker was similarly off-limits this winter, as Oakland understood an extension for him would further push their payroll toward the number needed to avoid collective-bargaining issues. Rooker was set to make around $5 million in arbitration, but the contract will count for $12 million because that’s its average annual value.
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