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The Braves are in. The Dodgers are in. The Rays and Orioles are in — and the Brewers and Twins aren’t far behind. Welcome to the stretch run!

With a week and a half left in the season, these teams have locked up their spots in the playoffs — but others still have a lot to play for.

Which of the three AL West teams vying for the division title will come out on top? And which of the five teams battling for a National League wild card — the Diamondbacks, Cubs, Marlins, Reds and Giants — will secure the remaining two slots?

Our expert panel has combined to rank every team in baseball based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle, Jesse Rogers and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 24 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings

Record: 97-55

Previous ranking: 1

That ugly sweep to the Marlins after clinching the division title has put the best overall record in jeopardy for the Braves as the Orioles are now breathing down their necks — although, with seven of their final 10 games against the Nationals, the Braves should be able to hold on. With an 11-strikeout performance in a win over the Phillies on Tuesday, Spencer Strider is up to 270 strikeouts, just six short of John Smoltz’s franchise record set in his Cy Young season of 1996. Strider’s 37.9% strikeout percentage is the second highest ever for a starter in a full season, behind only Gerrit Cole’s 39.9% in 2019. — Schoenfield


Record: 95-57

Previous ranking: 2

Manager Brandon Hyde told reporters this week that Jack Flaherty is being shifted to a bullpen role. The switch isn’t necessarily permanent, but even if it’s only a one- or two-game experiment, it’s one worth conducting. With John Means back in the rotation and looking solid, Baltimore has five viable starters, one more than it’ll need in a postseason context. Flaherty has a 6.68 ERA since joining Baltimore at the trade deadline and just wasn’t getting deep enough into games. He has made just five relief appearances in his career, so there isn’t much to go on in terms of his track record in that role. His 1.017 OPS allowed this season in first innings isn’t a great sign, but perhaps his stuff will play up as a reliever. Flaherty’s maximum velocity this season (97.2 mph) ranks in the 78th percentile among qualifying big league hurlers. — Doolittle


Record: 93-58

Previous ranking: 3

The Dodgers won their 90th game and clinched the NL West on Saturday, with 15 games remaining in their regular season. Their focus has since shifted to the playoffs, where their short-handed starting rotation could present problems. But let’s not jump there without appreciating what the Dodgers just did. This, if you remember, was supposed to be a transition year. They took a conservative approach to the offseason in order to create a runway for some of their younger players, and yet they breezed to their 10th division title in 11 years. Their bullpen had the fifth-worst ERA in the majors by the end of June, their rotation has been decimated by injuries all year — in addition to Julio Urias being placed on administrative leave in the wake of domestic violence charges — and yet the Dodgers just keep rolling. It’s truly remarkable. — Gonzalez


Record: 93-60

Previous ranking: 4

The four-game split with Baltimore last week had to register as a letdown in St. Petersburg after Tampa Bay won the first two games of the series. The split leaves the Rays still needing to make up sizable ground in the division race, the winner of which is likely to be the American League’s top seed in the playoffs. Besides the small problem of the Orioles continuing to play championship-caliber baseball is the disparity in remaining schedules. Sandwiched around two games at Fenway Park is a pair of three-game series against a very good Blue Jays team fighting for its postseason life. Meanwhile, the O’s have a four-game set at Cleveland before finishing up with six home contests against last-place teams: Washington and Boston. — Doolittle


Record: 85-68

Previous ranking: 5

Just two weeks ago, Houston manhandled division rival Texas to the tune of 39-10 over three games. The Astros vaulted into the AL West lead during that throttling for the first time this season. With their main weapons back on the field, it very much looked like Houston was situated for a stout defense of its World Series crown. Instead, the Astros have since played sub-.500 baseball and find themselves not just in a no-room-for-error three-team race for the division title, but just one short losing streak away from dropping out of the playoffs altogether. Meanwhile, manager Dusty Baker opted to give Yordan Alvarez a break, saying he didn’t like the way the star slugger looked at the plate or moving on the field. However it shakes out, the Astros’ stretch run looks more interesting than we would have anticipated. — Doolittle


Record: 86-66

Previous ranking: 6

The Brewers are close to securing another division title and playoff spot under manager Craig Counsell as they seem to be peaking at the right time, especially on the mound. Their pitching ranked near the top of the majors in ERA last week — they’ve given up five or more runs just once in their past 12 games. Brandon Woodruff has continued his solid return from injury, compiling a 1.06 ERA over his past five starts that included a complete game shutout followed up by a six-inning stint where he gave up just one run against the Nationals. If Rowdy Tellez and/or Carlos Santana (as a lefty) can get hot next month, Milwaukee could be a dangerous playoff team. — Rogers


Record: 83-69

Previous ranking: 8

The Phillies haven’t won three games in a row since late August as they struggle to officially secure that top wild-card spot. Michael Lorenzen has pitched himself out of the rotation and into the bullpen, so once the Phillies do lock up a playoff spot, it will be fascinating to see who manager Rob Thomson lines up as the next two starters behind Zack Wheeler in a wild-card series. Ranger Suarez has been the best of the rest of late with a 2.86 ERA over his past six starts, although the walk rate has been a little high (16 in 34 2/3 innings). Meanwhile, Kyle Schwarber is up to 45 home runs, following up last year’s 46-homer season. He’s the first player with consecutive 45-homer seasons since Ryan Howard did it with the Phillies in four consecutive seasons from 2006 to 2009. — Schoenfield


Record: 85-67

Previous ranking: 7

With Toronto one of four teams — along with Texas, Houston and Seattle — fighting for three AL playoff berths, it’s easy to fixate on the Jays’ remaining slate, which isn’t an easy one. Toronto’s stretch run consists entirely of AL East rivals: the Yankees and Rays. Both opponents have plenty to play for, with the Rays angling for a division crown and the Yankees trying to extend their epic streak of non-losing seasons. Perhaps more important than the schedule for Toronto is simply trying to figure out what this Jays team is about. Just this month, it has had three winning streaks of at least three games, but the Jays were also swept at home in a crucial four-game series against Texas. So more pertinent than the opponents down the stretch is the question: Which Jays team is going to show up for the most important games of the season? — Doolittle


Record: 84-68

Previous ranking: 10

A streaky second half continued for the Rangers last week as they swept the Blue Jays in a crucial four-game series in Toronto only to lose the next four, including a sweep at the hands of the below-.500 Guardians. Texas’ offense dried up in that series, scoring just six runs over the three games. Mitch Garver had the roughest week — going just 3-for-24 — while Corey Seager wasn’t much better, hitting just .217 over a seven-day span ending on Tuesday. The good news for Texas came in the return of Adolis Garcia from injury. He was out less than two weeks and now is ready for the stretch run — and this up-and-down offense needs him. Now, if their bullpen can lock in, the Rangers might have a chance. Otherwise, it’ll be a long offseason. — Rogers


Record: 84-68

Previous ranking: 9

Let’s give a big shoutout to J.P. Crawford, who has had an outstanding offensive season. Thanks to a .378 OBP and 50 extra-base hits, Crawford ranks seventh in the AL in offensive WAR. (Offensive WAR includes a positional adjustment, so it doesn’t mean Crawford has been the fifth-best hitter; he’s not in the top 10 in runs created, although he does rank right outside the top 10 in OPS+). Crawford has added more power, pulling the ball with authority much more often, but he works the strike zone better than any Mariners hitter in a long time with 88 walks and a low chase rate. — Schoenfield


Record: 81-72

Previous ranking: 12

As the Twins turn their attention to ending their record 18-game postseason losing streak, it’s a mystery what their postseason lineup might look like. Byron Buxton’s injuries are an old story, but it’s still possible he could be patrolling center field in October. Carlos Correa, meanwhile, hit the IL because of a worsening case of plantar fasciitis. He, too, might be back in time for the playoffs. Finally, breakout third baseman Royce Lewis turned up with a hamstring problem and is headed for an MRI to determine the extent of the issue. All of these players are now suspended in postseason limbo. Needless to say, Minnesota’s chances of finally getting a playoff win look a whole lot better with this trio than without it. — Doolittle


Record: 81-72

Previous ranking: 13

The way the D-backs navigated through last week served as a perfect encapsulation of how wacky and unpredictable the wild-card races have been this year. They lost three straight to the lowly Mets, with the Cubs on tap, set to match up the top of their rotation against the back end of Arizona’s. It seemed as if the D-backs were destined to fade down the stretch. Instead, they swept the Cubs over the weekend, vaulting into the second wild-card spot.

“We’re trying to win out,” D-backs first baseman Christian Walker said after Sunday’s game. “We want to give ourselves a no-doubt chance, and we understand how hard it is and how quickly things change.” Do they ever. — Gonzalez


Record: 79-73

Previous ranking: 11

A 1-5 road trip crushed the Cubs’ chances of winning the division or hosting a wild-card series, but they’re still in decent position to make the postseason. Cody Bellinger’s slump has coincided with the team’s issues scoring runs. He has slugged just .308 over a recent 10-game span in which the Cubs went 2-8. A weekend series sweep by fellow NL wild-card contender Arizona really hurt, too, as the Cubs lost all three games while pitching their top two starters and the Diamondbacks were missing both Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly. Marcus Stroman has returned from a rib cartilage injury and will pitch out of the bullpen. With Michael Fulmer and closer Adbert Alzolay on the IL, Stroman could get some meaningful innings down the stretch. — Rogers


Record: 79-74

Previous ranking: 16

A weekend demolition of the Braves kept the Marlins in the thick of the wild-card race. They scored 36 runs in the three-game sweep as Jazz Chisholm became the first Marlins player with grand slams in consecutive games and Luis Arraez ripped out eight hits, including three home runs. With an off-day on Thursday and another one on Monday, the Marlins will also be able to bypass a couple of starts from the bottom of the rotation, and a concluding six-game road trip against the Mets and Pirates isn’t the toughest of final weeks. Miami has a good shot at its first full-season playoff berth since 2003. — Schoenfield


Record: 79-75

Previous ranking: 14

The Reds are hanging around the playoff race and could make a push in the final week, considering their final eight games come against teams below .500. However, they haven’t had a late-season defining stretch just yet. After getting swept by the Cardinals recently, they won their next two series and took Game 1 against the Twins on Monday before losing on Tuesday and Wednesday. It’s been that kind of back-and-forth for them for quite some time. The team’s waiver claims haven’t exactly panned out, either, as Harrison Bader is on the IL and Hunter Renfroe was DFA’d this week. Bader hit .161 over 14 games for the Reds, who will have to rely on their young players to reach the postseason. The return of Matt McLain from an oblique injury will help. — Rogers


Record: 76-76

Previous ranking: 18

Spoilers is not a role that you’d traditionally associate with the Yankees, but that’s where they’re at. New York’s homestretch includes a number of games against teams engaged in close battles to get into the postseason — Arizona and AL East rival Toronto. When you tack on the Yankees’ quest to avoid their first losing record since 1992, New York’s remaining schedule will have a little drama around it. The quest for .500 is likely to come down to the final weekend when the Bombers finish their season with a three-game series against the triple-digit-losing Royals. It’s not likely to conjure old memories of George Brett against Goose Gossage but, hey, you never know. — Doolittle


Record: 76-76

Previous ranking: 15

The Giants lost for the 11th time this month on Tuesday night, but the biggest blow occurred in the third inning, when Alex Cobb exited with discomfort in his hip. The next day, he was placed on the IL, essentially ending his season. The regular season, at least. Cobb has put up a 3.87 ERA in 151 1/3 innings this year, joining Logan Webb as the only reliable, consistent starters in the Giants’ staff. On the night he went down, the Giants dropped to three games out of the final wild-card spot with three teams in front of them. Their path just got a lot more difficult. — Gonzalez


Record: 75-78

Previous ranking: 17

With Triston Casas joining Jarren Duran on the IL, and Boston searching for its next roster architect, it’s hard to look at the current Red Sox group with an eye toward the future. One player who will be there going forward is Masataka Yoshida, who’s wrapping up his first MLB campaign. He has mostly been as advertised, which is a tepid observation. He has hit for a decent average but displayed limited patience and only occasional power. It’s an overall above-average hitting profile. The problem is that Yoshida can’t run and that limits his value in the field and on the bases. The bottom line: He’s at just 1.0 bWAR as the season winds down. — Doolittle


Record: 75-78

Previous ranking: 19

With a 10-1 rout over the lowly A’s on Sunday, the Padres became the last team in the majors to win a fourth consecutive game. They proceeded to win their next three, running their winning streak to seven games and counting, which begs the question: Where was this earlier? Recent surge aside, the Padres find themselves 4 1/2 games out of a playoff spot with four teams to jump and only nine games remaining in their season. They could make this really, really interesting if they win out, but in all likelihood this will end up as one final tease before the conclusion of a thoroughly disappointing season. Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove have been shut down, Manny Machado has been relegated to DH duties because of a balky elbow, and the Padres, helped by a soft schedule at the end, are probably too late. — Gonzalez


Record: 72-81

Previous ranking: 20

Cleveland outfielders have combined for 18 home runs — more than 20 fewer than any other team — after hitting 28 last season (which wasn’t the lowest in the majors; Tigers outfielders hit 23). The last outfield with fewer than 20 home runs: the 1992 White Sox, featuring Tim Raines and Lance Johnson, who hit 19. The 1989 Astros hit 18, and the last team with fewer than 18 was the 1976 White Sox with 17. This blurb has been brought to you by Cleveland Public Power. — Schoenfield


Record: 71-81

Previous ranking: 22

One Tiger who wishes the season wasn’t going to end for Detroit in a couple of weeks is second-year slugger Spencer Torkelson — the former top overall pick is building the most sustained momentum of his young career. Since the All-Star break, Torkelson has hit .237/.319/.509 with 17 homers in 62 games. The pace has picked up even more in September, during which he’s at .265/.320/.544. Since the trade deadline, Torkelson’s OPS ranks in the top 30 of the majors. Going forward, one split you’d like to see ironed out in Torkelson’s profile is his awkward home/road disparity. So far as a big leaguer, Torkelson has a .790 road OPS but just .604 at Comerica Park where, you know, he plays half his games. — Doolittle


Record: 71-81

Previous ranking: 23

For all New York’s disappointing results this season, Kodai Senga has been one of the few Mets who has matched expectations — if not exceeded them. With a 2.95 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 155 1/3 innings, he’ll get some down-ballot Cy Young votes. Coming over from Japan, where pitchers normally start once per week, he was handled carefully by the Mets, as he has made just three starts on four days of rest. The ghost forkball has been as advertised and rates as one of the best wipeout pitches in MLB, as batters have hit .112 against it with no home runs and 104 strikeouts in 177 PAs that end with that pitch (through Tuesday). — Schoenfield


Record: 69-83

Previous ranking: 21

On Friday afternoon, Anthony Rendon revealed he has been dealing with a tibia fracture, a diagnosis — from a fifth doctor of his own choosing — that ran in contrast with the Angels’ description of a deep bone bruise over these past two months. Later that night, media returned to the clubhouse to find that Shohei Ohtani’s locker had been cleared out, the product, we learned the following day, of him shutting it down as a hitter and shifting his focus to elbow surgery. Mike Trout, meanwhile, is running out of time in his hopes of returning from the hamate fracture he suffered in early July.

The Angels are a mess of epic proportions, as illustrated by the state of their best players. Ohtani is heading toward free agency, Trout has struggled mightily to stay healthy these past three years, and Rendon’s contract, with $114 million remaining over the next three years, feels untenable. The Angels, meanwhile, have secured their eighth consecutive losing season, the longest streak in franchise history. — Gonzalez


Record: 71-81

Previous ranking: 24

The Pirates have not mailed it in down the stretch. After beating the Nationals three straight times last week, they played the Yankees tough in a series loss, getting outscored only 15-10 over the three games. They’ve pitched well over that timeframe, compiling an ERA just under 4.00 for the week ending on Tuesday. Once again, it was righty Mitch Keller leading the way. He tossed eight shutout innings in a 2-0 win against the Nats. It came after a blowup against the vaunted Braves offense. Take that game away and, much like the whole year, Keller has been fantastic in the final weeks of the season. He’s the unquestioned ace of the team moving forward. — Rogers


Record: 67-85

Previous ranking: 25

Adam Wainwright’s 200th win was a thing of beauty. He made it through seven innings on Monday while giving up four hits and two walks in a tight affair with the Brewers. Nursing a 1-0 lead most of the way, his curveball showed its old life, especially in the later innings when it looked like the veteran would not be denied. In the process, he surpassed 100 innings on the season over 21 starts. The 41-year-old is retiring after compiling a 7.40 ERA in 2023, but he’ll have his last outing in St. Louis as a lasting memory: a 1-0 win to secure No. 200. — Rogers


Record: 68-85

Previous ranking: 26

Jackson Rutledge, the 6-foot-8 right-hander who was the team’s first-round pick in 2019, had an up-and-down career in the minors with injuries and inconsistent results. After posting a 3.71 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A, the Nationals are giving him a look down the stretch. His MLB debut was rough as he allowed 10 hits and seven runs in 3 2/3 innings, but he bounced back against the White Sox, allowing two runs (both home runs) in 6 1/3 innings. His fastball has averaged 95 mph, but he’ll need to improve the changeup to give him another off-speed weapon. Batters are 8-for-16 against it with two home runs. He’s probably more of a deep rotation option for next season. — Schoenfield


Record: 58-95

Previous ranking: 27

Surprisingly, Mike Clevinger has been the team’s second most valuable — and consistent — player after Luis Robert Jr. His latest start was his best as he pitched a complete game against the Nationals on Monday, coming within one out of a shutout. It was the White Sox’s first complete game of the season and Clevinger’s third of his career. His 3.42 ERA over 22 starts would rank seventh in the AL if not for an early-season injury that prevents him from qualifying. He and the team have a mutual option for next season, but Clevinger isn’t likely to exercise his end of it. In a miserable season in Chicago, he has been very good. — Rogers


Record: 56-96

Previous ranking: 28

The Rockies are barreling toward their first 100-loss season in franchise history, but there has been one very clear bright spot lately — Nolan Jones, the rookie outfielder acquired in a swap of young position players with the Guardians last November, has slashed .286/.374/.524 in 96 games since his call-up in late May, hitting 17 home runs and stealing 17 bases. He’s the first rookie in franchise history to accumulate at least 15 homers and 15 steals in the same season, and he has a shot at 20/20 despite spending most of the first two months in the minor leagues. Two Mondays ago, he also recorded the fastest outfield assist of 2023. — Gonzalez


Record: 51-102

Previous ranking: 29

With Salvador Perez suffering a concussion and Freddy Fermin fracturing his finger, the Royals have two of the unlikeliest major leaguers of 2023 in catchers Logan Porter and Tyler Cropley. Porter, a former clubhouse attendant for the Royals’ rookie league team in Arizona, was signed out of Utah Tech in 2018 — with the idea that he would be a bullpen catcher. The Royals told him he might never get in a game — but he did. He hit .301 in the minors in 2022 and .232 this year in Triple-A before getting called up and hitting his first home run on Sept. 16. Cropley, meanwhile, began 2023 in Double-A … as the bullpen catcher. He was called up Sept. 9, but he didn’t get in a game and was designated for assignment two days later. Those injuries to Perez and Fermin gave Cropley another chance, and he started on Tuesday and went 1-for-3 with a sac fly. — Schoenfield


Record: 46-106

Previous ranking: 30

The A’s lost for the sixth straight time and for the 105th time this season on Tuesday night, but a stray dog also wandered into the visiting dugout and made friends with Mariners shortstop Crawford. That was sweet. It was a rose sprouting from concrete, a reminder that beauty can manifest itself anywhere, even within a sewage dump. One just has to actively seek it out. So, remember — there’s beauty somewhere in this miserable A’s season. If you figure out where it is, please let us know. We could all use some positivity. — Gonzalez

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The NHL’s small-sample shock teams: Who has under- and overperformed?

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The NHL's small-sample shock teams: Who has under- and overperformed?

Sports can provoke all sorts of emotions.

New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad, for example, couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry after his team was shut out in their first three home games of the season — something that had never happened previously in NHL history.

Overall, the Rangers are currently 2-3-0 under new coach Mike Sullivan; but those two wins came against the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins, so the jury is still out on whether the Rangers can be goal-scoring threats (who pumped in 10 over their pair of road victories) or if they can’t covert against tougher competition (specifically in their own barn).

Consider New York an early-season enigma. And they’re not the only group drawing all manner of overreaction from around the hockey world.

That’s our time-honored sporting tradition though, to build up and tear down teams after only a few outings in a months-long season. The 2025-26 NHL campaign is only in its second week, and there are things to discuss — such as, what clubs are overachieving early? Which ones are cringe-inducing off the bat? And of course, what’s going on in the mushy middle?

It’s a short shelf life for observations of a tiny sample size. Get the takes while they’re hot in a quick spin around the league to highlight a few teams in each category — starting with the happy ones.

POSITIVE SURPRISES

What’s happened: Boston jumped out to a 3-0-0 record — matching the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers for the best statistical start of the season. Not bad for a Bruins team that finished with 76 points last season, missed the playoffs and generally wasn’t saddled with high expectations going into this new season. Boston is wearing its underdog status with pride.

Why it happened: Well, it’s worth mentioning that last season was … odd in Beantown.

Jeremy Swayman vastly underperformed after a combative contract negotiation bled into the preseason. Charlie McAvoy and Hampus Lindholm suffered injuries that cratered Boston’s blue line prospects, and by March there wasn’t much GM Don Sweeney could do but send players elsewhere — including Brad Marchand to the aforementioned Panthers.

Somehow the lower expectations heading into 2025-26 have been freeing. Boston has benefitted from a light schedule thus far, topping the Chicago Blackhawks and Sabres out of the gate, but hey, you play who’s on the schedule. The Bruins are fifth in goals against, giving up just 2.25 per game, and that’s with Lindholm being out with an injury again.

David Pastrnak is averaging over a point per game, an excellent sign for Boston’s offense. And Swayman is 2-0, with a .966 save percentage. Even though the Bruins fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday for their first defeat of the season, it wasn’t an altogether bad effort. Just an indication that if Boston wants to stay on track, they’ll need to not be too self-satisfied by what they have achieved.

Will it continue? It would be easy to dismiss the B’s after their Lightning loss as incapable of stacking up against tougher foes. That may prove to be the case — especially when their starts are that lethargic. The best-case scenario for the Bruins from here is staying in the playoff contention mix, and working in as many prospects as they can to get experience when stakes are lower than they’ve been in some time for a perennial contender. They haven’t resigned themselves to falling for top draft prospect Gavin McKenna just yet.


What’s happened: Seattle went from bringing up the Pacific Division’s rear last season to scrambling their way up the standings with a strong push into this new campaign. That’s included already topping one key divisional opponent — the Vegas Golden Knights — and doing so without a singular superstar in the mix. Intriguing!

Why it happened: The Kraken have cracked down defensively. Seattle is tied for sixth-fewest goals against per game (2.33) and they’re averaging fewer than 30 shots on goal per game. Even when the Kraken are making errors, it’s in wildly entertaining games like their overtime thriller in Montreal that ended with Seattle’s first loss of the season.

The Kraken have gotten strong goaltending from Joey Daccord (.918 SV%), but the impressive thing about Seattle is they don’t exactly have a stable of top-end skaters. They appear to excel by the committee approach. Jared McCann and Vince Dunn pace the team with four points each, and the Kraken already have seven different goal scorers.

Seattle wasn’t meant to be a head-turner this season, but their slow and steady approach could yield more positive dividends.

Will it continue? The Kraken’s lack of elite talent may eventually catch up to them as other squads get their defensive games in order. Seattle has an uphill battle given who’s in their division — hello, Edmonton! — and they’ll need to keep proving themselves against tougher competition. The same could be said for other teams, though. Consider the Kraken to be an underdog who will at least contemplate making additions instead of subtractions prior to the trade deadline.


What’s happened: Nashville was not a good surprise last season. That could change this season.

The Predators sputtered about in 2024-25 despite Steven Stamkos coming aboard — in what was, admittedly, a disappointing individual campaign for him. Nashville vowed to regroup under now second-year head coach Andrew Brunette, and the Predators have looked (mostly) true to their word with a 2-1-1 record, a sensational goaltender, and stars ready to stay alight.

Why it happened: Don’t let that third period against Toronto define your opinion of the Predators. They were tied 2-2 with the Maple Leafs going into the third period on the second half of a back-to-back with No. 2 netminder Justus Annunen making his first start of the season. Nashville showed resiliency coming back from a 2-0 deficit and they grinded to the finish line.

What’s been working for the Predators is spreading the wealth offensively. Ryan O’Reilly is a commanding top-line center (with two goals in four games), while Erik Haula and Jonathan Marchessault (both with a pair of markers) are clicking on their third unit.

The real revelation though is goaltender Juuse Saros. He’s off to a 2-0-1 start with a .947 SV%. Saros has been Nashville’s savior in years past, and it’s hurt them to rely too heavily on his contributions. If Nashville can supplement it’s goaltending with solid defense — led by the often-impeccable Roman Josi — and even more offensive firepower — Stamkos and Filip Forsberg are still coming along — then the Predators can stay on the right side of surprise this time.

Will it continue? Nashville can’t afford to be one-dimensional. Saros can’t carry them to the point that they are winning one-goal games every time out. And at some point, the power play will have to get rolling (5.9% isn’t going to cut it).

What Nashville is showing so far is character. They’ve got some juice. How far does it take them? Possibly to a wild-card playoff spot — the Central Division is a beast, after all — and that’s more likely to happen if the Preds dedicate as strongly on the defensive side as they do offensively.


This team is having a whole lot of fun (and not just because they passed out some incredible Wild Wing-inspired masks to fans this week). Anaheim seems to have found new life under first-year head coach Joel Quenneville.

And so too has veteran forward Chris Kreider, who joined Anaheim in an offseason trade from the Rangers, and has four goals through three games. He’s been aided by rising star Leo Carlsson — one of those high draftees (second overall in 2023) who seemed destined to always be deemed “underrated” by those less engaged with the Western Conference — and Cutter Gauthier — who has found the fresh start he was looking for outside Philadelphia. The Ducks have the league’s fourth-ranked offense (averaging four goals per game) and the second-best power play, at 36.4%.

To splash a little water on the party, Anaheim is also allowing the sixth-most goals per game, and they aren’t exactly a defensive powerhouse yet, despite some seasoned veterans like Radko Gudas and Jacob Trouba on the blue line. Their 2-1-0 record to open the season is something to note as the Ducks perhaps begin sprinting towards daylight at the end of their rebuild.

SURPRISING STRUGGLERS

What’s happened: The Sabres weren’t necessarily counted among the elite Stanley Cup contenders heading into this season. But it took Buffalo fans all of three games to start “Fire Adams!” chants and wear paper bag adornments on their heads. So, aside from an out-of-character outburst on Wednesday night, not much good is going on right now.

Why it happened: Injuries have certainly played a role in Buffalo’s bumbling. Josh Norris — who arrived with health concerns when the Sabres acquired him in a trade last season for forward Dylan Cozens — is sidelined for at least eight weeks with an upper-body injury. Zach Benson was unavailable the first three games, defensemen Michael Kesselring and Mattias Samuelsson are out, starting goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is ailing and Jordan Greenway is still rehabbing from a summer surgery. That’s quite the full infirmary.

Regardless, Buffalo still has most of its top players available, and they aren’t doing nearly enough. The Sabres were outscored 10-2 in their opening 0-3-0 skid (to average a league-worst 0.67 goals per game). Their power play went 0-for-11 in that span. Alex Lyon has stepped up in net with Luukonen out, but he can’t make up for the Sabres’ lack of offense.

Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch have one goal apiece; Jason Zucker is the real standout, with three (!). and Rasmus Dahlin has tossed in a trio of assists. However, most of that output came in Wednesday’s game against Ottawa, where Buffalo showed signs of life against a team depleted by the loss of captain Brady Tkachuk.

Can that momentum translate against other clubs? We shall see. The Sabres haven’t shown they necessarily have the depth to account for their injured parties and it’s an indictment on Adams’ management (hence those jerseys flying onto the ice). Buffalo doesn’t have the defensive details to hold their opponents at bay without further goal support. And it’s put them behind the eight ball early.

Will it continue? The Sabres aren’t hurting for talent; they’re starved for execution. Benson returned for Wednesday’s game and that was a boost Buffalo needed. One bad week (or two) won’t define a season for Thompson, Tuch or Dahlin. It’s really whether the Sabres can command confidence through their struggles that might determine success from here.

It’s been 14 years since Buffalo made the playoffs. It’s not a benchmark players want to hear about every day, but that’s what comes up when your start is this shaky. Negativity can galvanize a group, though. If the Sabres can rally around one another and push back against their critics, they can stop their slide before it avalanches. Unfortunately, history isn’t exactly on their side.


What’s happened: The Canucks’ sputtering stars have led to a lackluster start that’s fallen well below what level their talent should be capable of achieving. As it is, Vancouver is 1-2-0 to hold a share of the Pacific Division basement.

Why it happened: Vancouver’s top line has been a disaster. Jake DeBrusk, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser clearly don’t complement one another. There’s no real “worker” on that unit to go in the corner and dig pucks out; all three are looking to score. Which is good — but only if you’ve got the puck long enough to do so.

In general, Pettersson isn’t proving to be the true first-unit pivot that Vancouver needs. The Canucks’ highest-paid player is coming off a woeful 2024-25 season where he scored just 15 goals in 64 games. Vancouver isn’t exactly reveling in a bounce-back showing now. Pettersson — with one assist and three shots to his credit — is mostly invisible on the ice offensively (although he’s only been on for one goal against). The Canucks can’t thrive without him finding a rhythm, with or without his current linemates.

Vancouver’s power play has yet to convert too, and that’s left them to languish with the league’s 24th-ranked offense (averaging 2.67 goals per game). The Canucks are fortunate to have an all-world defenseman in Quinn Hughes and a possible Team USA Olympian goaltender in Thatcher Demko, who is 1-1-0, with a .944 SV%. Until Vancouver’s offense generates a spark, the defensive efforts won’t be enough to carry the Canucks up the standings.

Will it continue? It’s fair to say there are growing pains for plenty of teams with a new coach. Adam Foote took over this season, and he’s still putting his mark on this group. Vancouver has the raw material. The Canucks’ fourth line has been particularly solid. Vancouver needs more of that work ethic from the rest of their skaters.

Self-inflicted wounds and giving up response goals have hurt the Canucks as well. It’s their details more than anything that aren’t sharp. Scoring breeds confidence though, and if Vancouver can light the lamp a little more — and serve up fewer odd-man opportunities the other way to torpedo their progress — there will be brighter days ahead here.


If we’re going to call out the Canucks for top-line chemistry issues, it’s only fair to note they are not the only Pacific Division club dealing with those difficulties.

The Golden Knights acquired Mitch Marner in a trade with Toronto then signed him to a massive eight-year, $96 million extension, with the intention Marner would ride shotgun with Jack Eichel to dominate offensively. That hasn’t happened — yet.

Eichel and Marner worked together throughout the preseason but after three games, coach Bruce Cassidy had to separate his stars — as least temporarily. Those two are pass-first players (and excellent ones at that), but someone must do the scoring, and it can’t be on Ivan Barbashev alone to get that job done when they’re a trio.

Cassidy must find some way to get Marner and Eichel to click. Vegas starting 1-2-0 probably wasn’t what GM Kelly McCrimmon was envisioning when he went after the star winger. The good news is that Vegas has endless potential; all that’s required is tapping into it.

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NHL breakout tiers: From Nazar to Snuggerud to Peterka, players set to level up

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NHL breakout tiers: From Nazar to Snuggerud to Peterka, players set to level up

Can a superstar still be a breakout player?

We ask because Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel looks like he’ll obliterate his career high in goals (36) while skating with Ivan Barbashev and the newly acquired Mitch Marner this season — a line with incredible chemistry already at the start of the season.

But ultimately, a superstar can’t be a breakout player. That’s reserved for players who are known but not yet household names. Or players we’ve been waiting to see blossom since their draft year. Or the rookies embarking on their first full season of service, ready to make an unexpected impact.

Here are 30 NHL players poised for a breakout in 2025-26, organized into tiers that explain the circumstances surrounding their potential emergence. Enjoy!

Jump to a tier:
New scenery
New linemates
Young star to superstar
The wait is over
Rookie sensations

Tier 1: New scenery

These players switched teams and could see their stock rise with new scenery.

Matias Maccelli is not Mitch Marner, nor is he expected to suddenly become a 100-point winger because he’s helping to replace Marner in Toronto.

But the 24-year-old former Utah forward, who was a frequent healthy scratch with the Mammoth last season, has a top-line role next to Auston Matthews. If he can be the playmaker he was two seasons ago in Arizona and retain this spot, Maccelli should clear his previous career high in points (57) even if he doesn’t reach the offensive heights of Marner’s years with the Leafs.


The Rangers didn’t want to pay Miller for potential, so they traded the restricted free agent to Carolina, where he signed an eight-year, $60 million deal.

Outside of Florida, no other NHL team has been as adept at leveling up acquired defensemen from other organizations — a credit to coach Rod Brind’Amour’s system and the work of assistant coach Tim Gleason, whose focus is on the blue line.

Miller’s offensive game dropped sharply over the past two seasons. He’ll be positioned to find it again in Carolina — and fulfill the rest of his potential.


Peterka landed on fans’ radars via NHL trade deadline boards, as the pending restricted free agent’s name was circulated last season. Now, fans know him as one of the most significant acquisitions of the nascent Utah Mammoth, who traded Josh Doan and Michael Kesselring to Buffalo for Peterka, 23, before signing him to a five-year, $38 million contract this offseason.

Peterka already had a plum gig in Buffalo, skating next to star center Tage Thompson. How much higher can Peterka’s numbers climb on a line with the explosive Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther on Utah’s top line?


GM Bill Zito has been fond of Tarasov’s potential since Zito’s time as an assistant general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Tarasov was the primary backup to Elvis Merzlikins for the past two seasons before his rights were traded to the Panthers in June.

The Stanley Cup champs lost Vítek Vanecek to Utah in free agency, and traded Spencer Knight to Chicago last season, creating a need to find a backup for and potential successor to Sergei Bobrovsky. Enter Tarasov, who goes from the 24th team in five-on-five defense to the fourth-best squad in the NHL.

If it’s ever going to happen for Tarasov, it’ll happen in Florida behind that system and with Roberto Luongo’s goaltending department to rely on.


When asked about what he wants people to say about him after Year 1 in Philly, Zegras told ESPN: “I want them to go from saying ‘he’s good at hockey’ to ‘he’s a hockey player.'”

Having the support and structure of coach Rick Tocchet should help. But Zegras said to recapture the magic he had when he started his career in Anaheim, he needs to have fun again.

Playing center on a line with Matvei Michkov would help him find his hockey joie de vivre.

Tier 2: New sidekicks

These players could thrive with new linemates.

Benson played a bit with Tage Thompson last season in Buffalo, but is expected to start the season with the Sabres’ top offensive player and Josh Norris, the center they acquired from the Ottawa Senators for Dylan Cozens last season.

The results last season were promising for Benson, 20, entering his third NHL season. If he earns the right to replace Peterka with Thompson, Benson could really pop offensively this season.


Carlsson appeared in this tier last season, but he is here again thanks to Chris Kreider, who was acquired from the New York Rangers in June, waiving his trade protection to join the Ducks. He had 326 goals and 256 points in 883 career games with the Blueshirts, but that output cratered last season because of injuries: just 22 goals and 8 assists in 68 games.

A relatively healthy Kreider, 34, could have an impact on both ends of the ice for Carsson, a 6-3 center who had 20 goals and 25 assists in 76 games for Anaheim last season, his second after being selected second overall in 2023.


Chris Kreider’s loss is Will Cuylle’s gain. Cuylle, 23, moved up to the Rangers’ top line this season with new captain J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad, Kreider’s longtime linemate.

Cuylle had 20 goals and 25 assists in 82 games last season, playing the kind of blunt physical style that immediately endeared him to fans in his first two NHL seasons. That would seem to fit well with Miller’s production as a top-line center.


Not many players finished stronger than rookie Goncalves last season. The rookie had 18 points in his final 33 games in 2024-25, and then added four more points in five playoff games for Tampa Bay.

He has earned the right to see copious amounts of time with Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel on the team’s second line this season. In limited minutes together last season, that trio generated a 63% expected goals rate.


With Matthew Tkachuk and Aleksander Barkov out for considerable periods of time, the Panthers will look for some offensive solutions from within.

One of them will be Samoskevich, the 22-year-old winger drafted 24th in 2021.

He had 15 goals and 16 assists in 72 games last season for the Stanley Cup champions, skating 13:19 per game. Already, he had two assists on opening night for Florida.

Seeing him have an increased role — and more famous linemates — isn’t out of the question with the short-handed Panthers.

Tier 3: Young star to superstar

You might already know these names. Get ready to hear them a lot more.

Dorofeyev was already slated for this tier before his opening night hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings. But that effort underscored what the 24-year-old can bring to the Golden Knights this season after breaking out with 35 goals in 82 games during 2025-26.

He’s one of the purest shooters on the roster, with a 13.8% shooting percentage on 254 shots last season.


Gauthier goes from the rookie tier to closing in on stardom with the Ducks this season. He had 20 goals and 24 assists in 82 games last season, almost all of them at even strength.

With increased power-play time and a more effective man advantage — Anaheim was a league-worst 11.8% on the power play last season — those numbers could increase dramatically.


“Who is Jackson LaCombe?” was one of the most frequently asked questions from casual NHL fans in the past few months, after his surprise invite to the U.S. Olympic Hockey Orientation Camp and his signing an eight-year, $72 million contract extension earlier this month.

After this season, everyone might know his name: The 24-year-old defenseman had 12 goals and 29 assists in 75 games last season. Though he spent the majority of his time with bruising veteran Radko Gudas, it’d be fun to see him have more time next to fellow youngster Olen Zellweger this season.


Perfetti is our only holdover from last season’s third tier. His season was impressive, with 18 goals and 32 assists in 82 games for the NHL’s best regular-season team. But he hadn’t quite reached the ubiquity of a true breakout yet.

His season has gotten off to a bumpy start, as Perfetti opens the campaign on injured reserve because of an ankle injury. But when he returns, he should be on the Jets’ second scoring line.


Stankoven was the key player coming back to Carolina from Dallas in the Mikko Rantanen trade. Stankoven had shown to be a tenacious, if undersized, forward for the Stars after scoring 12 goals during his rookie season.

The Hurricanes are hoping he can fill a critical hole in their lineup at second-line center.

The addition of Nikolaj Ehlers on the Canes’ top line means that Andrei Svechnikov will shift down to the second line, likely across from promising winger Jackson Blake. If Stankoven clicks with them, it’s good news for Carolina and for those waiting for the 22-year-old forward’s true breakout.

Tier 4: The wait is over

Players we’ve been waiting to see break out that finally will.

At some point, Clarke is going to force the Kings to take the training wheels off him. The 6-2 defenseman, drafted eighth overall in 2021, had 33 points in 78 games last season in 16:17 of average ice time.

He was on the plus side of shot attempts, shots created and expected goals percentage relative to his teammates last season. He’s always been the future of their blue line. Increasingly, that future is now.


Jackets fans have anticipated the moment when Jet Greaves takes flight and takes over the Columbus crease from incumbent Elvis Merzlikins. He was brilliant in 11 games last season, going 7-2-2 with a .938 save percentage and 14.5 (!) goals saved above expected.

He got the opening start for Columbus this week. It could be the first of many this season for the 24-year-old, who signed with the Jackets in 2022 as an undrafted free agent.


Kasper was set up for success in his rookie season, spending a good portion of his season (273 minutes) with Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond on the team’s top line. For an encore, Kasper will be asked to drive his own line this season, potentially in the middle of Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane.

That line actually produced strong defensive results (1.2 goals against per 60 minutes) last season to go along with its offensive pop.


Blackhawks fans probably exhaled a bit — as did a certain Chicago center drafted first overall in 2023 — when Nazar rolled to nine points in his last eight games and then 12 points in Team USA’s history-making win at the IIHF world championships.

Connor Bedard needs all the help he can get. Nazar enters the 2025-26 season as the team’s No. 2 center, driving a line that can help take the pressure off the phenom in the Windy City.


Savoie was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in July 2024 in the Ryan McLeod trade, and percolated with the Bakersfield Condors last season.

As the Oilers seek high-talent players with low-cost contracts to populate around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Savoie fits the template after a solid playmaking in the AHL.

He was drafted in 2022. This is finally the moment for the rookie make his mark after playing only five NHL games before this season.


Overlooked thanks to the Calder-nominated season from first overall pick Macklin Celebrini was an outstanding rookie campaign from his linemate Smith. The fourth overall pick in 2023, Smith had 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists) in 74 games for the Sharks, skating to a minus-15.

They should pair up again on the Sharks’ top line. Given the expectations around Celebrini taking another leap in points production, Smith should jump right with him.

Tier 5: Rookie sensations

First-year players who aren’t waiting for their breakout.

Once the goalie of the future in Nashville, the Sharks acquired Askarov in August 2024 as their new hope between the pipes. The majority of his action was with the AHL Barracuda last season, but the 13 games he played in San Jose were solid: Askarov was the only Sharks goalie to finish on the positive side of goals saved above expected outside of Mackenzie Blackwood.

It’s expected that the 23-year-old rookie could get most of the starts for coach Ryan Warsofsky’s team this season.


The preseason favorite to win the Calder Trophy, Demidov arrived in the NHL late last season after having been a human highlight reel in the KHL.

A creative puck handler and explosive offensive talent, the Canadiens are relying on him to provide goal-scoring spark for a team that was 17th in goals per game last season.


The 24-year-old made his NHL debut last postseason, appearing in four playoff games for the Hurricanes.

At 6-3 and around 220 pounds, he’s a ferocious hitter who could become one of the league’s best young defensemen if his offensive game blossoms.


A terrific puck-moving defenseman with a great hockey IQ. The anticipation is that Buium, 19, could become the Wild’s power-play quarterback before too long.

The Wild have him partnered up with steady veteran Jared Spurgeon to start.


If he sticks around rather than being sent back to the OHL, Parekh has the stuff to be one of the best young offensive defensemen in the NHL.

And one hopes he does stick around, because what does a defenseman who had 107 points in 61 games last season have left to prove?


Snuggerud gave the Blues a nice preview at the end of last season with four points in seven games after his career at the University of Minnesota was over.

The son of former NHLer Dave Snuggerud, the playmaking winger should bolster the Blues’ secondary scoring.


The 6-4 defenseman is going to have a big role this season in Chicago, playing top-pairing minutes and getting a chance to run the Blackhawks’ top power play.


The first overall pick in the 2025 NHL draft, Schaefer is an elite offense-driving defenseman with his passing and his skating. The fact that he’s going to bring a bit of charisma to the Islanders too is the cherry on top.


The 24-year-old earned a spot here not only for some tantalizing moments as a Canuck, but for his opening night shutout in Madison Square Garden.

Silovs was named one of Team Latvia’s first six players for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

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Panthers D Kulikov out 5 months after surgery

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Panthers D Kulikov out 5 months after surgery

Florida Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is the latest member of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions to suffer a long-term injury.

Panthers coach Paul Maurice said Wednesday that Kulikov will be out for five months after having shoulder surgery to repair a labrum tear that he sustained in their 2-1 win over the Flyers last Thursday in just their second game of the season.

The loss of Kulikov for five months is the latest in a long list of injuries for the Panthers in their bid to become the first team to win three straight titles since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980 to 1983. Since then, there have been six instances in which teams have won consecutive Stanley Cups but failed to win a third straight.

That list includes captain and star center Aleksander Barkov, who will be out seven to nine months with a knee injury. Then there’s star forward Matthew Tkachuk, who is out until at least December with a torn adductor muscle, while bottom-six forward Tomas Nosek is out with a long-term injury.

The earliest Kulikov could return to the Panthers lineup would be mid-March should the timeline with his prognosis hold.

Kulikov, who was drafted by the Panthers in 2009, came back to the club for a second stint at the start of the 2023-24 season. He had 20 points in 76 games while averaging more than 16 minutes per contest en route to helping the club win the first championship in its history. Last season saw him have 13 points in 70 games while averaging more than 19 minutes in a campaign that saw them win a second straight title.

Ever since he returned, Kulikov ranks third on the Panthers in short-handed minutes and is fourth in terms of total 5-on-5 minutes played going back to the 2023-24 season, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Overall, the Panthers still have their top-four defensive group in place with Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling on the top pairing with Seth Jones and Niko Mikkola are on the second pairing while Uvis Balinskis and Jeff Petry are expected to be their third-pairing option.

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