Winners, losers and surprises of the 2024 NHL draft
The 2024 NHL draft is complete. After Macklin Celebrini went first overall to the San Jose Sharks, there were many twists and turns throughout the event.
From certain prospects dropping to others going well above their pre-draft ranking to the Utah Hockey Club making major trades on Day 2, it was a wild weekend.
Now that all 225 selections have been made, what stands out the most? ESPN reporters Ryan S. Clark, Kristen Shilton and Greg Wyshynski identify the picks, trades and moments we’ll remember most — for better or worse.
WINNERS
Holding the draft at Sphere
Hockey fans should take a moment to thank UFC for helping to create the most aesthetically impressive NHL draft ever held.
The NHL knew it had one weekend on which to schedule the draft, because of the late end of the Stanley Cup Final and the beginning of free agency on July 1. The NHL knew it wanted to hold the even in Las Vegas, as both a popular destination for team personnel and a banger of a farewell party if this is the last in-person draft. One problem: T-Mobile Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights and the logical place for the draft, was booked for UFC 303.
So Steve Mayer, NHL chief content officer, and his group pursued a more ambitious alternative: Sphere in Las Vegas, the James Dolan-owned entertainment orb previously best known to hockey fans as the place where the Nashville Predators didn’t get to watch U2 perform. The result was an NHL draft like no other and a landmark moment for the facility, which hosted its first (of many) sporting events.
The league used the height of Sphere to create incredible imagery, from a draft board that cascaded into the sky to moving images of hundreds of draft picks in a giant collage. Every pick felt epic, both inside Sphere and outside, where they were broadcasted to the rest of The Strip on the exterior of the building.
But the most memorable use of the building was, of course, the trade horn. Fans like the NHL draft for the deals as much as as prospects. Leaning into that, the NHL had an ostentatious goal horn sound and graphics take over Sphere when a trade was announced. From the blockbusters to the pick swaps, every deal caught the fans’ attention with the loudest arena gimmick since the Columbus Blue Jackets goal cannon. From sights to sounds, Sphere was a singular experience. — Wyshynski
The San Jose Sharks
Free agency hasn’t even started, and the argument could be made that the Sharks have had one of the strongest offseasons in the NHL because they added a pair of top-six centers. That’s what it meant for them to draft Boston University freshman center Macklin Celebrini with the first pick after signing Boston College freshman center Will Smith, their first-rounder from last year, to an entry-level contract.
Back when the Sharks started their rebuild, the goal was to center it around the sort of elite players they felt could become franchise cornerstones, similar to what’s been done in Colorado, Edmonton, Dallas and Florida.
Celebrini reiterated that he would weigh his options when it comes to either signing with the Sharks or returning to BU, while Smith will be in training camp. Whatever Celebrini decides, general manager Mike Grier added a pair of top-six centers who will be on team-friendly contracts whenever Celebrini does join the team.
And remember, they strengthened their farm system significantly by adding defenseman Sam Dickinson with their second first-rounder. High marks all around for Grier and his front office. — Clark
It was the most wholesomely unwholesome moment from Friday’s first round when the Anaheim Ducks announced Beckett Sennecke as their third overall pick — and a stunned Sennecke mouthed “what the f—?” to his equally shocked parents before they embraced.
Naturally, Sennecke’s reaction made the social media rounds. At a draft where the No. 1 overall pick was all but confirmed for months ahead of time, it was a delightful contrast to see Sennecke’s honest astonishment at seeing his own dream come true far more quickly than he anticipated it would. — Shilton
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Beckett Sennecke has amazing reaction to being drafted No. 3 by the Ducks
Beckett Sennecke is chosen by the Anaheim Ducks with the No. 3 pick in the 2024 NHL draft.
College hockey
The victories college hockey had in Las Vegas started Thursday at the NHL Awards, when NCAA products Connor Hellebuyck (Vezina Trophy) and Quinn Hughes (Norris Trophy) took home hardware. It kept going into Friday with Celebrini going first and the Chicago Blackhawks selecting Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov No. 2. Together, Celebrini and Levshunov became the second college hockey players to go 1-2 at a draft since 2021 when University of Michigan teammates Owen Power and Matty Beniers were selected with the first two picks.
Another layer to Celebrini and Levshunov going 1-2 is how the college game continues to attract elite players beyond the United States. In Celebrini’s case, he became the fifth first-round pick from Canada since 2016 who either played college hockey or was committed to a college program in their draft year. It’s a group that includes Cale Makar, Owen Power, Kent Johnson and Adam Fantilli. It’s a bit of a trend now, considering there were only three Canadians that either played college hockey or were committed to a program who were taken in the first round between 1993 and 2015.
Celebrini, Levshunov and Zeev Buium were the three college players who went in the first round. But there were also six USHL players who went in the first round, and all of them are currently slated to play college hockey in addition to St. Andrew’s College center Dean Letourneau, who is set to play at Boston College in the fall. — Clark
Norwegian hockey
There have been only nine Norwegians who’ve ever made it to the NHL. And yet the nation had four players get drafted in 2024, with two of them coming in the first round. It started when the Detroit Red Wings drafted Michael Brandsegg-Nygard with the 15th pick, becoming the first Norwegian to ever go in the first round. Eight picks later, the Ducks drafted another Norwegian, Stian Solberg.
Just for context, the first Norwegian to play in the NHL was Bjorn Skaare, who played once for the Red Wings during the 1978-79 season. It’s a path that was later traveled by Espen Knutsen, Andreas Martinsen and current Norwegian national team captain Peter Thoreson, before Mats Zuccarello became the nation’s most prominent player, with 636 points in 835 games.
Zuccarello and Tampa Bay Lightning prospect defenseman Emil Martinsen Lilleberg were the only Norwegians to play in the NHL during the 2023-24 season. But with Brandsegg-Nygard and Solberg going in the first — while four Norwegians as a whole were drafted — it appears this could be something of a golden age for Norwegian hockey. — Clark
The Utah Hockey Club
Welcome to the NHL!
Owner Ryan Smith noted that the league’s newest team was getting boos from the crowd without having played a single game yet — maybe the first inkling of a geographic rivalry between Vegas and Salt Lake City. If UHC wanted to make a big first impression, then mission accomplished. GM Bill Armstrong selected one of the most prominent names in the first round in Kelowna forward Tij Iginla, son of Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla.
Then he opened Day 2 with the weekend’s biggest blockbuster, acquiring defensemen Mikhail Sergachev from the Tampa Bay Lightning and John Marino from the New Jersey Devils.
As Armstrong said, his team can score, but needed help on the back end, and boldly sought it out at the draft. My how times have changed: Could you ever imagine Armstrong trading for a player with seven years and $56.59 million left on his contract as GM of the Arizona Coyotes? Free agency should be fun times in Salt Lake City. — Wyshynski
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Utah Hockey Club selects Tij Iginla with first-ever pick
Tij Iginla becomes the first player to be drafted by the Utah Hockey Club expansion franchise.
The Golden Knights had truly impeccable timing, trading goaltender Logan Thompson to Washington on Saturday morning right before Thompson was set to do an autograph signing session for hometown fans at Sphere. Thompson said he was at home in bed when GM Kelly McCrimmon called to share news of the deal, and the goaltender could have easily skipped out on following through with the meet and greet.
But Thompson kept it classy and went to Sphere anyway to cycle through a long line of Golden Knights’ faithful who came for his signature — and now, a chance to say goodbye (and thanks). Credit to Thompson for making the most of an unexpectedly poor situation and honoring one final commitment in Vegas before his next chapter begins. — Shilton
Logan Thompson is a champ for staying to sign autographs and take pictures with fans 30 minutes after being traded. pic.twitter.com/sJ2QByxorT
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) June 29, 2024
LOSERS
Goaltenders in the first round
No goaltenders were taken in the first round this year. No goaltenders were taken in the first round last year. There wasn’t a goaltender taken in the first round in 2022, either. Altogether, it means there hasn’t been an NHL team that’s taken a goalie in the first round since 2021. Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s Ilya Nabokov was the first goalie off the board, drafted No. 38 overall by the Colorado Avalanche.
Red Wings prospect Sebastian Cossa and Minnesota Wild prospect Jesper Wallstedt were the two goalies who were first-round picks in 2021. What is it about goaltenders that has led to them being shut out of the first round? Could it be possible that it has something to do with the fact that more goalies taken in the later rounds are having success? None of this season’s Vezina Trophy finalists were first-round picks, while the last three Vezina Trophy winners were drafted no higher than 118th.
While there hasn’t been a goalie drafted in the first round since 2021, there was a time when it was a fairly common occurrence. There was at least one goalie drafted in the first round from 2019 through 2021. But in terms of what the figures have looked like since 2014? The NHL has had five drafts (2015, 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021) when a goalie went in the first round, with six drafts (2014, 2016, 2022, 2023 and 2024) in which a goalie wasn’t taken until Day 2. — Clark
Having to rationalize a problematic pick
When Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon described his 19th overall pick Trevor Connelly, he described the player’s high-end talent and offensive skill. Absent was anything about his character, until he was asked about it.
“We have a comfort level that this is a player that will represent our organization as we’d expect any player to do so,” he said.
Many believe Connelly fell to No. 19 because of two incidents as a younger player. When he was 16, he posted an image to Snapchat of a swastika made with building blocks in the children’s area of a library. According to The Athletic, his team the Long Island Gulls dropped him after that. In 2021, he was accused of directing a racial slur at an opponent during a game and was suspended, although the California Amateur Hockey Association lifted the ban when it couldn’t corroborate the accusation. Connelly has denied using a slur.
McCrimmon wouldn’t elaborate on what Connelly told him to ease any concerns, although Connelly himself told the Associated Press that he informed teams that “I’ve put in a lot of work in myself and done a lot of things in the community and volunteered a lot.”
That kind of vague hand-waving might have worked in the past, but fans are demanding more from teams that make this kind of pick today. It’s one thing for McCrimmon is say his team’s “due diligence is very extensive” and that Connelly had “some growth and some recognition of areas where he made mistakes.” It’s another to explain what any of that actually means, given the circumstances. — Wyshynski
Swedish hockey
While Norway had a moment, Sweden had its lowest number of players selected since the 2015 draft, when just 19 Swedes were selected. This season, that number was 22 players from Sweden taken, fourth most behind Canada (87), the U.S. (39) and Russia Federation (27).
Perhaps the biggest indication that this wasn’t the most robust year for Swedish prospects: They didn’t have a player selected in the first round of the draft. The first Swede drafted was center Lucas Pettersson of MODO Jr. at No. 35 overall to the Anaheim Ducks.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, 2010 was the last previous year that a Swedish player wasn’t taken in the first round. It’s the fourth time it’s happened in the last 25 years (2024, 2010, 2004, 2003). Prior to this year, the last time no Swede was picked in the top 10 was 2015; Joel Eriksson Ek was the first Swedish player taken, 20th overall that year. — Wyshynski
No player trades on Night 1
The NHL had installed a kitschy goal horn graphic (and sound effect!) at Sphere to be used when clubs made a trade. But it took a while for that thing to get any use — because not one general manager made a significant trade during Friday’s first round.
And that was a bummer. Player trades are the lifeblood of a draft after about the 10th pick, when you know the number of prospects being taken who will actually see NHL action in the next season or two is dwindling.
In years past, we’ve seen trades go down even before the draft’s opening bell that gave us all something to talk about long into the night ahead. Alas, that wasn’t the case this year.
Kudos to Utah’s GM Bill Armstrong and Tampa Bay’s Julien BriseBois for bringing the heat to start off Day 2, though. That goal horn was blowing loud and proud out of the gate at the pre-9 a.m. hour local time, no doubt electrifying all those who had an enjoyable time in Sin City the night before. — Shilton
No QMJHL players in the first round
This was another draft cycle that saw the QMJHL have more than a dozen players get selected. This was also another draft cycle that saw the QMJHL fail to produce a first-round pick; the second year in a row. Prior to that, the previous time the QMJHL didn’t have a first-rounder was the 2008 draft, when goaltender Jake Allen was a second-round pick by the St. Louis Blues.
Granted, the year Allen was drafted came off a draft cycle that saw the QMJHL produce four first-rounders. And since then, the QMJHL has had three years in which they had the No. 1 pick, with Nathan MacKinnon (2013), Nico Hischier (2017) and Alexis Lafreniere (2020). They’ve also had draft classes that saw as many as five players go in the first round. That came as recently as 2020, the same year that Lafreniere was selected with the first pick.
Altogether, this is the fourth time since 2000 that the QMJHL didn’t have a first-round pick, and the first time in league history that it’s gone consecutive years without a first-round pick, according to the QMJHL’s records. – Clark
The timing of the draft and free agency
Not that a weekend in Las Vegas is some sort of punishment, but it’s also not an ideal situation for a number of front offices either. Why? Because of the extremely tight turnaround they face with trying to get back home as they seek to have everything in order before free agency opens Monday at noon ET.
But this is also the NHL, where managing the small window between the draft and free agency has become a rite of passage. It was like that last season when teams traveled from an albeit more centralized city in Nashville where they had two days to prepare. Back in 2022, the NHL had to readjust because of the truncated 56-game schedule it played while navigating the pandemic. That year, the draft ended July 8 with free agency starting July 13 — a four-day window in between.
It’s what makes the decision to move to a decentralized draft next season something that could plausibly benefit more front offices. Instead of traveling to a central location, teams will be able to operate from their respective facilities. One amateur scouting director told ESPN last week that the decision to move to a decentralized draft resulted in “a divided opinion.” On the other hand, another amateur scout said they were in favor of the new approach, because it allowed teams to openly explore their options in a private room rather than in a more public setting like the draft floor. — Clark
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Victoria Matiash
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Victoria Matiash
Fantasy Hockey
- ESPN.com Fantasy Contributor since 2010
- Part-time anchor at NEWSTALK1010
Another week, another No. 1 landing spot for the Winnipeg Jets in the ESPN NHL Power Rankings. But who finishes 2-32?
Plus, it’s another fantasy hockey takeover week, with Sean Allen and Victoria Matiash identifying one player per team who is off to a slow start (relative to his teammates or expectations) and advising fantasy managers whether to have patience or panic at this time.
And as a reminder, it’s not too late to join ESPN Fantasy Hockey. Sign up for free and start playing today!
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list here.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Nov. 8. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 88.24%
Cole Perfetti, LW (28.9% rostered in ESPN Fantasy leagues): As difficult as it is to find fault with anything Jets-related these days, Perfetti isn’t quite meeting 2024-25 fantasy expectations yet. But the 22-year-old remains cemented on the Jets’ second scoring line and power play, and he has pitched in enough multipoint showings to merit another look in deeper leagues. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ FLA (Nov. 16), vs. FLA (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 73.33%
Brent Burns, D (69.5%): The writing had been on the wall, faintly sketched with a carpenter’s pencil, but now it’s been retraced in ink. Shayne Gostisbehere has the power play on lock, and Burns doesn’t put up the points without it now. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. OTT (Nov. 16), vs. STL (Nov. 17), @ PHI (Nov. 20), @ NJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 67.65%
Gustav Forsling, D (68.8%): Playoff heroics can inflate rostership numbers even this far into the future, but Forsling isn’t a must-have fantasy contributor. You can find a defenseman with a higher ceiling among your league’s free agents. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. WPG (Nov. 16), @ WPG (Nov. 19), @ CHI (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 78.13%
Marc-Andre Fleury, G (51.8%): As long as Filip Gustavsson continues to perform dependably well, the veteran No. 2 isn’t going to play much. There are other lesser-rostered backups in the league — Jake Allen and Jonathan Quick come to mind — who offer more fantasy punch than Fleury. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DAL (Nov. 16), @ STL (Nov. 19), @ EDM (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 70.00%
Matt Roy, D (45.6%): After a breakout fantasy campaign with the Kings last season, cut Roy some slack. He has had only a handful of games to get used to his new teammates, and the minutes are there to get the job done. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ COL (Nov. 15), @ VGK (Nov. 17), @ UTA (Nov. 18), vs. COL (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 70.00%
Mika Zibanejad, C (95.6%): Zibanejad has had slow starts before — 1.78 FPPG in 2021-22 and 1.93 FPPG last season — yet still finished over 2.00 FPPG. His current 1.58 FPPG isn’t alarming. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 17), @ VAN (Nov. 19), @ CGY (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 68.75%
Brayden McNabb, D (52.3%): Returning to his selfless ways — highlighted by five blocked shots against the Ducks Wednesday — McNabb is already working back into his fantasy managers’ good graces. While hardly a prolific producer, the veteran should start pitching in a few more points, too. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ UTA (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 17), @ TOR (Nov. 20), @ OTT (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 65.00%
Luke Hughes, D (39.1%): He did an admirable job filling in for an injured Dougie Hamilton as a rookie last season, but unless that situation arises again, it looks as though Hughes is out of the limelight for this campaign. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ TB (Nov. 16), vs. CAR (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 66.67%
Roope Hintz, C (79.8%): Some bad puck luck, illustrated by his 6.7% shooting percentage through six recent contests (career: 16.5%), is partially to blame for Hintz’s current skid. But the perennial 30-plus goal scorer is bound to get back on track soon, especially once Peter DeBoer inevitably juggles his lines again. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ MIN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 18), vs. SJ (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 63.33%
Filip Hronek, D (51.9%): He’s averaging approximately a single shot and blocked shot per game. Unlike last season, the compensatory scoring isn’t there to make up for those shortcomings. Hronek appears far more valuable to the Canucks as Quinn Hughes‘ defensive partner than to his fantasy managers. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. CHI (Nov. 16), vs. NSH (Nov. 17), vs. NYR (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 58.33%
Quinton Byfield, RW (43.2%): The lack of a single power-play point is one concern, along with his removal from the top unit. Through the fantasy lens, so is Byfield’s third-line role. If all remains as is, we might be in for another season of inconsistent fantasy returns. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 16), vs. BUF (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 61.11%
Matthew Knies, LW (42.4%): He has been making hay while the sun shines, so to speak, as he gets first power-play unit access while Auston Matthews is out. The confidence boost should carry over to when Matthews returns, and they are linemates again. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. EDM (Nov. 16), vs. VGK (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 55.88%
Jeff Skinner, C (45.0%): Afforded the opportunity to compete alongside just about every Oiler up front, including two of the best centers in the biz, the veteran winger has nonetheless failed to offer much of a productive presence. Now Skinner appears relegated to Edmonton’s fourth line. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ TOR (Nov. 16), @ MTL (Nov. 18), @ OTT (Nov. 19), vs. MIN (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 56.67%
Jake Guentzel, LW (98.8%): Guentzel’s overall output is fantastic already, but with just two power-play points so far, he has yet to add his usual production with the man advantage. If he does, his already strong fantasy profile could get a big boost. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NJ (Nov. 16), @ PIT (Nov. 19), @ CBJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 52.94%
Devon Toews, D (66.7%): While it has taken the defender time to warm up after a delayed start to 2024-25, Toews now appears back in his groove: blocking shots, contributing to the score sheet and skating more minutes than nearly everyone else. Cale Makar‘s partner hasn’t averaged 0.58 points per game throughout his career by accident. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. WSH (Nov. 15), @ PHI (Nov. 18), @ WSH (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 53.13%
Linus Ullmark, G (84.8%): The Senators are showing signs of competing, and we know Ullmark is capable of being among the best. Patience might already be paying off with some of his recent road outings against tough division rivals. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ CAR (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 19), vs. VGK (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 55.88%
Nazem Kadri, C (78.4%): While no one is scoring much for the Flames these days, including their No. 1 center, this too shall pass. Perhaps it’ll play out like last season, when Kadri collected two points in October before erupting for 13 in November, then maintained that scoring pace for the duration of the season. Also, he shoots the puck a lot. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NSH (Nov. 15), vs. NYI (Nov. 19), vs. NYR (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 50.00%
Charlie McAvoy, D (89.9%): The Bruins’ offense might be slower this season, but McAvoy’s 1.64 FPPG is still too low. Give him time. Not enough has changed to drop him far from his 2.29 FPPG average over the past three seasons. Verdict: Patience
Next seven days: vs. STL (Nov. 16), vs. CBJ (Nov. 18), vs. UTA (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 53.13%
Barrett Hayton, C (17.5%): According to analysis by Evolving Hockey, the third-line center (for now) should be scoring more goals in accordance with the quality of his shots. That offers some comfort in light of his current skid. While Hayton certainly needs to play more minutes and shoot on net more often, he doesn’t merit giving up entirely in deeper fantasy leagues. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. VGK (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 18), @ BOS (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 52.94%
Brock Nelson, C (76.9%): The Isles’ collective offense isn’t weaker than it has been for several years. Nelson has averaged 2.03 FPPG across the past three seasons. He’ll come around. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 16), @ CGY (Nov. 19), @ DET (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 50.00%
Patrick Kane, RW (66.3%): If the Red Wings’ power play were in the dumps, maybe we could preach patience for Kane. But it’s not, and it might be time to move on from Kane in fantasy. He is getting all the opportunities required and is just not producing. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ ANA (Nov. 15), @ LA (Nov. 16), @ SJ (Nov. 18), vs. NYI (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%
Dylan Cozens, C (49.3%): It is time to move off Cozens. He had that banner 2022-23 but is now matching the reduced fantasy production that lasted all of last season. Even an uptick in performance might not be enough to get to fantasy relevance from his current 1.41 FPPG. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ PHI (Nov. 16), @ LA (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 50.00%
Adam Larsson, D (60.5%): Despite the relative drought, the top-pair defenseman still blocks a sufficient number of shots to merit rostering in deeper standard leagues. Plus, he’ll soon fall back into his usual (however relatively modest) scoring groove. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NYI (Nov. 16), vs. NYR (Nov. 17), vs. NSH (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 44.12%
Jordan Binnington, G (55.1%): After winning the season opener against Seattle, the Blues’ No. 1 has yet to beat anyone outside of the Atlantic Division. Shouldering a 4-7-0 record, .887 save percentage and 3.26 goals-against average, Binnington has cost his fantasy managers a total net loss of 1.8 points. Yes, negative points. There are likely brighter days ahead for the banged-up Blues, but when? Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ BOS (Nov. 16), @ CAR (Nov. 17), vs. MIN (Nov. 19), vs. SJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 47.06%
Joel Farabee, LW (50.7%): Farabee, Tyson Foerster, Scott Laughton; Take your pick of Flyers who were just picking up some fantasy momentum in their career but have been buried on the depth chart by the new core group. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. BUF (Nov. 16), vs. COL (Nov. 18), vs. CAR (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 38.24%
Teuvo Teravainen, RW (41.4%): The Blackhawks’ offseason acquisition has one goal and zero assists in his past 11 games, and he isn’t shooting with any consistency. Even back on a scoring line with Connor Bedard, Teravainen can’t be counted on to contribute regularly enough. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ VAN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 19), vs. FLA (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 41.67%
Erik Karlsson, D (94.1%): It’s been a season and a quarter now, so what we see from Karlsson as a Penguin might be what we get. He’s not the sole source of offense, so downgraded fantasy output is just the new normal. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ CBJ (Nov. 15), vs. SJ (Nov. 16), vs. TB (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 40.00%
Ivan Provorov, D (19.2%): No one on the Blue Jackets is underperforming in a big way, but even 20% rostership is too high for Provorov. If he’s not on the first pair, you can safely pretend he’s not there. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. PIT (Nov. 15), @ MTL (Nov. 16), @ BOS (Nov. 18), vs. TB (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 38.24%
Gustav Nyquist, RW (16.6%): Once replaced by Steven Stamkos on the Predators’ top line, Nyquist lost most of his fantasy charm. It’s no coincidence the winger was at his most productive when skating alongside Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ CGY (Nov. 15), @ VAN (Nov. 17), @ SEA (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 40.00%
Lukas Dostal, G (60.7%): The Ducks allow the most shots against (35.5 per game) while scoring the fewest goals (2.20 per game). Plus, a healthy John Gibson is back to share Anaheim’s crease. Dostal’s successful fantasy run was fun while it lasted. It’s time to move on. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 15), @ DAL (Nov. 18), @ CHI (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 36.11%
William Eklund, LW (56.2%): The sophomore is playing a ton of minutes, pitching in assists and now skating on a scoring line with Mikael Granlund. Which is a good thing. Yes, we’d all like to see him shoot more. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ PIT (Nov. 16), vs. DET (Nov. 18), @ DAL (Nov. 20), @ STL (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 35.29%
Sam Montembeault, G (22.3%): The Habs don’t look like they’ll win enough for Monty to shine in redraft leagues, but if you drafted him for a keeper league, there are positive signs for the future. Verdict: Patience, at least for the long term.
Next seven days: vs. CBJ (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 18)
LAS VEGAS — Left-handers Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s Comeback Player of the Year awards on Thursday.
Cleveland right-hander Emmanuel Clase won his second AL Reliever of the Year award and St. Louis righty Ryan Helsley won the NL honor.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani joined David Ortiz as the only players to win four straight Outstanding Designated Hitter awards. Ohtani and the New York Yankees‘ Aaron Judge won Hank Aaron Awards as the outstanding offensive performers in their leagues.
Major League Baseball made the announcements at its All-MLB Awards Show.
Sale, 35, was 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts in 177⅔ innings for the NL’s first pitching triple crown since the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in 2011. He earned his eighth All-Star selection and first since 2018.
Sale helped Boston to the 2018 World Series title but made just 56 starts from 2020-23, going 17-18 with a 4.86 ERA, 400 strikeouts and 79 walks over 298⅓ innings. He was acquired by Boston from the White Sox in December 2016 and made nine trips to the injured list with the Red Sox, mostly with shoulder and elbow ailments. He had Tommy John surgery on March 30, 2020, and returned to a big league mound on Aug. 14, 2021.
Sale fractured a rib while pitching in batting practice in February 2022 during the management lockout. On July 17, in his second start back, he broke his left pinkie finger when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of the Yankees’ Aaron Hicks. Sale broke his right wrist while riding a bicycle en route to lunch on Aug. 6, ending his season.
Crochet, 25, was 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA over 32 starts for a White Sox team that set a post-1900 record of 121 losses, becoming a first-time All-Star. He struck out 209 and walked 33 in 146 innings.
He had Tommy John surgery on April 5, 2022, and returned to the major leagues on May 18, 2023. Crochet had a 3.55 ERA in 13 relief appearances in 2023, and then joined the rotation this year.
Sale and Crochet were chosen in voting by MLB.com beat writers.
Clase and Helsley were unanimous picks by a panel that included Hall of Famers Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers, along with John Franco and Billy Wagner. The AL award is named after Rivera and the NL honor after Hoffman.
A three-time All-Star, Clase was 4-2 with a 0.61 ERA, 66 strikeouts and 10 walks in 74⅓ innings, holding batters to a .154 average. The 26-year-old converted 47 of 50 save chances, including his last 47.
Voting was based on the regular season. Clase was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in the playoffs, allowing three home runs, one more than his regular-season total.
Helsley, a two-time All-Star, was 7-4 with a 2.04 ERA and 49 saves in 53 chances. He struck out 79 and walked 23 in 66⅓ innings.
Ohtani became the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. A two-way star limited to hitting following elbow surgery, Ohtani batted .310 and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs while stealing 59 bases.
Ortiz won the DH award five years in a row from 2003-07.
The DH award, named after Edgar Martinez, is picked in voting by team beat writers, broadcasters and public relations departments. MLB.com writers determined the finalists for the Aaron awards, and a fan vote was combined with picks from a panel of Hall of Famers and former winners to determine the selections.
Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers and 144 RBIs while hitting .322.
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Adam Rittenberg, ESPN Senior Writer
Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos, who lost his starting job earlier this week, will not be returning to the team, he announced Thursday night.
Castellanos, who started 12 games last season and retained the top job under new coach Bill O’Brien, wrote on X that “unfortunately, all good things come to an end, even though it’s sooner than I would like.” He did not mention the transfer portal in his departing message and has not officially entered it. The junior from Waycross, Georgia, started his career at UCF and appeared in five games in 2022.
O’Brien said Tuesday that Grayson James, who replaced Castellanos in last week’s win against Syracuse, will start Saturday when Boston College visits No. 14 SMU. Castellanos “wasn’t real thrilled” with the decision, O’Brien said, adding that the quarterback decided to step away from the team for several days.
Castellanos had 2,248 passing yards and 1,113 rushing yards last season under coach Jeff Hafley, passing for 15 touchdowns and adding 13 on the ground. He had 18 touchdown passes and only five interceptions this season, but his accuracy dipped in recent weeks, and he completed only 2 of 7 passes against Syracuse before being replaced.
In his statement, Castellanos thanked both coaching staffs he played for at Boston College and wrote that he had “some of the best experiences of my life in the Eagles Nest and I will truly cherish these memories forever.”
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