Inside the nuances of Jantelagen, the Swedish mantra of putting team before self
What’s your favorite thing about Rasmus Dahlin?
This is the question members of the Buffalo Sabres are being asked by their social media team after practice has ended.
They say Dahlin is really funny. They say Dahlin has great hair. They say Dahlin is extremely talented in a variety of ways. One teammate’s answer was that Dahlin is Swedish. Another went as far as to say Dahlin has always had his back. It eventually led to a few coaches and players wondering whether the 22-year-old star defenseman was asked what he liked about himself.
“Are you asking everyone this question?” Dahlin said. “Oh my God. No.”
Dahlin then walked back to the dressing room, which left everyone around him laughing. What he did in that moment was more than a polite way to get out of answering the question. The fact that Dahlin asked about the group first while placing himself second, then chose not to talk about himself, is rather significant in its own right.
Back home in Sweden, it’s referred to as Jantelagen.
What is Jantelagen exactly? Essentially, it’s putting the success of the group before the accomplishments of the individual, and it has been part of the traditional cultural belief system in Sweden for hundreds of years.
Sounds perfect, particularly in hockey, where one of the game’s staples is having a team-first mentality, right?
Not necessarily. Jantelagen can be more complicated than that.
“We don’t like to brag, we don’t like to put ourselves before the group. That’s how Sweden works, I guess,” Dahlin said. “But there’s also a good part about being yourself and not being scared to be yourself. It’s a huge question.”
“It’s probably more of a problem than it is a blessing, to be honest with you,” Nashville Predators winger Filip Forsberg said.
THE ORIGIN STORY of Jantelagen and its roots are nuanced.
Benjamin Bigelow, who is an assistant professor of Scandinavian studies at the University of Minnesota, said Jantelagen isn’t uniquely Swedish. Bigelow said the concept also exists within Danish and Norwegian cultures because of the overlapping history shared among the three nations. It also exists in Finland and Iceland.
It’s part of what can make pinpointing an exact origin story so challenging.
Kristian Næsby, a former Scandinavian studies professor at the University of Washington, said the concept originated in Denmark following the Napoleonic Wars. Næsby said the events of the war forced Denmark to realize it was no longer a power and “what was lost on the outside must be gained on the inside.”
“The co-ops and unions started growing at this time,” Næsby said. “The dedication to a really strong education for everyone started at this time. So did the first steps toward a welfare system because we cannot afford to leave anyone behind.”
Bigelow said the studies into Jantelagen’s impact into traditional Swedish society revealed what was a historically weak nobility. That led to farmers and peasants aligning themselves with the monarchy as a way of guaranteeing a level of autonomy and security.
From there, it eventually paved the way for Scandinavian nations to have social benefits such as paid parental leave and universal, highly subsidized health care.
As for the name itself? It originated in the 1933 satirical novel “A Fugitive Crosses His Tracks” by Danish-Norwegian author Aksel Sandemose, which provided a name for a shared Nordic experience in the fictional town of Jante. This is why there is some variation of the name in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden that essentially translates to the “Law of Jante.”
“Since Sandemose coined it, it’s been this handy way of describing this social reality that already existed,” Bigelow said. “It goes back to this long tradition of idealized Nordic farmers or peasants enjoying a fair amount of autonomy and political clout in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. But that’s also sort of painting it with a broad brush.”
“Not that it is necessarily explicit to one area, and it is talked about with how people come up in sports with the importance of being a good teammate,” said Næsby, who is Danish. “But the idea of equality and sameness is celebrated [in Nordic nations]. There are really strong ideas of community and ideas of trust and how everybody must contribute for a society or a sports team to be a success. Everyone must stay together.”
Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm said being raised in Sweden meant he grew up learning that everyone is equal, and should have access to the same opportunities and social programs. He also said growing up in Sweden meant there was an importance placed on kindness and being helpful to one another, as if the nation were one big team.
Or as Seattle Kraken winger Andre Burakovsky more bluntly put it: It’s knowing everyone is the same and that nobody is bigger than anyone else.
“It just comes natural. It comes from your parents, and probably a lot of Swedes take it for granted a little bit because you don’t think about it,” Kraken forward Alex Wennberg said while sitting next to Burakovsky. “But when you bring it up? You’re like, ‘Oh yeah, maybe that is different.’ I think with Swedish people, it’s the way we are. We’re a smaller country than the United States and we have a different approach to it.”
It’s an approach that easily aligns with an NHL team environment.
“I think we are all based on that team-first mentality, which translates pretty well once you get over here,” Forsberg said.
Minnesota Wild goaltending prospect Jesper Wallstedt was speaking to ESPN for a story about goalie tandems. Wallstedt, a first-round pick by the Wild in 2021, explained how he believed in doing what is best for the team even if that meant being on the bench.
Wallstedt said he has a two-pronged approach for why he is open to being on the bench if that’s what is required. The first is he wants to win. The second stems from Jantelagen and the experiences he had when he was younger.
Since turning pro as a teenager, he has typically been the youngest player on every team he’s been on by at least three or four years. Wallstedt said being that young meant showing humility and respect for those older teammates with the hope others do the same.
“Everyone in Sweden is so humble and the most important thing my dad taught me was to be humble around everyone,” Wallstedt said. “He told me, ‘Don’t be a selfish little s—. Don’t think only about yourself.'”
ASKING SWEDES AROUND the NHL about Jantelagen draws a variety of reactions. Not that talking about Jantelagen is anything controversial. New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad said that discussing Jantelagen is challenging because it can be hard to explain.
Dahlin asked a reporter what they knew about Jantelagen before fully delving into the subject, acknowledging the positives before digging a little deeper.
“But also Jantelagen takes away the good part about an individual,” Dahlin said. “In every group, there are successful individuals, too. It’s both ways. It’s a great thing to have in a group and everybody is equal and on the same page. That’s where I come from, but I also don’t want to be a part of it because it is both good and bad.”
Forsberg expressed similar sentiments.
“I think that’s something that goes both ways,” he said. “I do agree with some of the standards, but sometimes it gets a little too [much] even for my point of view.”
Constantly making the group the central focus also leads to some philosophical questions that could arguably be the most difficult aspect of Jantelagen.
How does one go about finding individuality, expressing individuality and becoming comfortable with their individuality? Is there a way to feel pride about one’s success without it coming across as arrogant?
The short answer: It’s extremely complicated for reasons that have everything and nothing to do with hockey.
“If you are good at something you are doing or if you have success, there are definitely different ways of expressing that,” Zibanejad said. “I don’t think you should feel ashamed or say sorry for something good that you’ve done. As much as it’s about the group, it’s about every individual reaching their highest potential. But at the same time … I don’t think anyone’s bigger than the team or the organization or the group that you are in. You can be a big part of that, but not bigger than everyone else.”
Being comfortable with one’s individual success while also practicing the parts of Jantelagen that provide a critical sense of structure is a challenge several players cited.
Forsberg offered a number of examples of what makes it so complex. He grew up playing youth hockey and handled losses differently than his teammates. Forsberg said his team could lose and his teammates were just happy they played a game. Asked how he reacted to a loss, Forsberg laughed and said he was “likely pissed and furious,” which could be seen as being in conflict with placing the group before the individual.
But the way Forsberg sees it, the drive he had as a child is what eventually helped him become a first-round draft pick and a three-time 30-goal scorer in the NHL. It’s also the reason, he said, his parents had to both scold and then console him after losses when he was a child.
“I don’t think anybody’s necessarily striving to be average, and I think that’s a little bit of the problem,” Forsberg said. “You’re allowed to be good. I think that’s the biggest part of it. You have to be allowed to compete, be allowed to try to achieve excellence and sometimes, the Swedish way is a little bit, ‘good is good enough,’ and I don’t necessarily agree with that.”
Forsberg referenced an ongoing discussion around Swedish youth hockey. In 2016, the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation introduced new rules in which there are no standings kept for children under 13. The Athletic, in a story about the nation’s development model, reported scores are kept during games but there are no written records of wins and losses. There are also no individual statistics kept for the regular season or tournaments at the U-13 level.
Anders Larsson, the federation president, told the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter at that time, “Children should be children, not young adults.”
“I think there is a fine line,” Forsberg said. “There’s definitely issues with being too young too, when you have U-8 elite hockey teams throughout the country like in the U.S. or Canada. You don’t want either. But I think competitiveness can never be left out of the game, whether it is young kids or older kids. I think that is still a big part of it.”
PETER WALLEN IS an NHL agent from Sweden who represents several Swedish players, including Colorado Avalanche winger Gabriel Landeskog and Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman.
He agreed with Forsberg’s assessment about why it is important to keep the competitive nature within youth sports. Wallen’s belief is that no nation has a better development model than Sweden, and it’s something that should be celebrated.
Nearly 11% of the players in the NHL are Swedish, which ranks third behind Canada (42%) and the U.S. (27.5%), according to QuantHockey.
“The kids know who scored, who won the game. Why hide it?” Wallen asked. “Why? Is that something bad and ugly we need to hide?”
Wallen also spoke to the complications that come with wanting to be proud of individual success within the scope of Jantelagen. He said in the U.S., there is a feeling of acceptance to talk about your success and how you made it happen. Wallen said in Sweden, it’s OK to have success, but there are certain aspects individuals should keep to themselves.
But how does that work in a business like Wallen’s, where agents have to sell their clients to teams or sell themselves to prospective clients? When it comes to speaking to teams, Wallen said he tries to show executives that his players can meet a demand.
“I never blow smoke up their a–es,” Wallen said. “I always have a backup for what I am saying. I also have the same backup when I am marketing my clients to the GMs because I think that is what the business is. Most of my clients don’t get too high on life from what I am seeing. We have conversations about that.”
How does that work for the players themselves? Yes, they play in a sport in which placing the group first is welcomed. But their individual performances matter, especially in key situations, when everyone is watching.
Is that why New Jersey Devils winger Jesper Bratt will celebrate his assists, but his goal celebrations are more subdued? Bratt said he enjoys setting up his teammates and it makes him excited to see other people find happiness in something he does.
“It’s a blast scoring goals and I love scoring goals, but maybe that side of me [Jantelagen] comes out a little bit on goal celebrations,” Bratt said. “I’ve had a lot of guys say that I should celebrate my goals a little bit more. Maybe I’ll put on a show next time.”
Bratt said he feels Jantelagen is something that applies more to his personal life rather than his life as a hockey player. He said living in North America has allowed him to feel more comfortable about the balance between being a team player and caring a little more about his individual contributions.
Ekholm said it is possible to have that balance of remaining humble, but also understanding that everyone who makes it to the NHL has to have “a little bit of an ego.”
“It’s really hard. I don’t think we teach people to be in that Jantelagen mentality but still have an ego,” Ekholm said. “But the people who make it to that level do have to have that ego. Whether they are born with it or not, it’s hard to say.”
Bigelow presented another item to consider: Is it possible Jantelagen is waning in a changing Sweden?
A number of players who spoke to ESPN outlined the challenges with Jantelagen, which further underscores the complexities.
Sweden is becoming more diverse, which has led to a rise in more diverse beliefs, Bigelow said.
Other factors beyond the demographics also are changing, most notably the global media landscape in which platforms such as Instagram, Twitter and YouTube are hyperfocused on the individual.
Is it possible all those factors could lead to some sort of shift in terms of Jantelagen?
“Does Jantelagen still describe modern Scandinavian society? Less and less so,” Bigelow said. “But if you are comparing it to America? Yes. Maybe it’s the pressure to conform or if you take the average Swede, average Finn, average Norwegian and compare them to the average American, Jantelagen is a way of looking at this traditional belief.”
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Sean Allen
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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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