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Oct 27, 2025, 09:44 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — A fan at Monday night’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and St. Louis Blues was taken to a hospital after falling from the upper concourse at PPG Paints Arena.

The incident happened early in the first period after Anthony Mantha’s goal gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead.

Emergency personnel treated the fan, a man who was not identified, before taking him to Mercy Hospital, located a few blocks from the arena.

Play was not halted while the man was being treated. Pittsburgh police told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the man was in critical condition.

“Our concerns remain with the individual and his family at this time,” the Penguins said in a statement.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who became the ninth player in NHL history to score 1,700 points, said the team found out about the fall after the game.

“It doesn’t feel right to be talking about points when you hear something like that,” Crosby said. “Obviously, our thoughts and prayers are with that person and their family and hopefully they’re OK.”

Penguins coach Dan Muse echoed Crosby’s sentiments.

“We all come here for a sport and a game, and when you hear something like that, it kind of puts everything else aside,” Muse said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.”

The fall was the third such incident at a Pittsburgh sporting event this year.

In May, Kavan Markwood fell over the railing atop the 21-foot-high Clemente Wall and onto the field at PNC Park late in a game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs. Markwood spent several days in the hospital but recovered. An acquaintance of Markwood was later charged with providing alcohol to Markwood, who was 20 at the time of the incident.

On Saturday night, a worker at Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, suffered injuries to his legs when he fell approximately 50 feet while doing work near the stadium’s scoreboard.

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West Indies vs Bangladesh West Indies created history in one-day international cricket by bowling 50 overs of spin against Bangladesh in their second ODI on Tuesday. The visitors won the match in a super over after both teams scored 213 runs.The match featured 92 overs of spin bowling, setting a new ODI record. The previous record stood at 78 overs.West Indies made a strategic decision to drop pace bowlers Jayden Seales and Romario Shepherd from their lineup. Bangladesh chose to bat first in Mirpur, facing five West Indies spinners who bowled 10 overs each.Gudakesh Motie led the bowling attack with three wickets for 65 runs. Alick Athanaze impressed with two wickets while conceding only 14 runs, and Akeal Hosein claimed two wickets for 41 runs.Roston Chase and Khary Pierre completed their 10-over spells, giving away 44 and 43 runs respectively. The team chose not to use their sole pace option, Justin Greaves.This performance surpassed Sri Lanka’s previous record of 44 overs of spin bowling in a 1996 match. The all-spin strategy marked a significant departure from West Indies’ traditional fast-bowling heritage.Bangladesh’s bowling attack primarily relied on spin, with Mustafizur Rahman being the only pace bowler. He conceded 40 runs in his eight overs, while the remaining five bowlers were spinners.The super over victory helped West Indies level the three-match series 1-1, scoring 10 runs and winning by a narrow margin of one run.

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For younger football fans, Rory Delap is probably more famous as the father of Chelsea striker Liam Delap, but ask any fan of a certain age about him and you’ll get a very different answer.

That’s because father Rory was the man who turned the humble throw-in from a functional part of the game to a deadly set-piece. If for whatever reason you don’t believe us, then we challenge you to find another footballer with a longer ‘throw-ins’ section on their Wikipedia page than the 941-word opus that Delap’s page has at the time of writing.

It was during his five-and-a-half-year spell at Stoke City that Delap hit the mainstream, but this weapon was a long time in the making.

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Rory Delap on his long throw-ins

Here comes another one… (Image credit: Getty Images)

So just when did Delap realise his throw-ins were something special?

“When I was playing for Carlisle’s youth team,” he tells FourFourTwo. “I used it at every club during my career but in different ways – at Stoke it only became notorious because we had eight or nine players who were 6ft 4in and very brave.

Delap’s throw-ins were a deadly set-piece for the Potters (Image credit: Catherine Ivill/AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)

“But I used it at Carlisle, Derby and Southampton under Gordon Strachan – he used to like it if I threw it as high as possible, so the opposition couldn’t clear it. I used it for Ireland too.”

Delap’s throwing prowess was also born out of the skills he showed on both track and field as a kid.

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“I got really good at 800m and javelin – I competed at county level and cleaned up in javelin. I think my personal best was 55 metres when I stopped at 14 or 15 and football took over instead.”

That journey saw him rise through the ranks at Carlisle, before going on to make more than 100 appearances at both Derby County and then Southampton.

Pulis’ Stoke City were not everyone’s cup of tea (Image credit: Getty Images)

A short spell at Sunderland followed, before he joined Stoke initially on loan in October 2006, with a permanent move following 14 months later.

Tony Pulis’s side would go to ruffle more than a few Premier League feathers, with FourFourTwo ranking their 2009/10 side at no.9 in a list of the 30 most-hated teams ever in British football.

Delap has teamed up with bookmaker William Hill for their prediction game Final One Standing this season

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TTAM will be organising the Level 2 Table Tennis Coaching Course 2025. Details are provided below for your reference.

1. Date: 07 – 12 November 2025

3. Course Fee RM600 (included TTAM Level 2 Manual and TTAM Registration Fee RM100).

4. Each participant is responsible for his/her own food and accommodation.

5. All participants who have obtained the TTAM Level 1 or ITTF Level 1 Certificate (Sijil Kelulusan) for more than 2 years are eligible to attend.

6. Course Conductor: Christina Chee (ITTF/TTAM Level 3 Conductor & Trainer)

Please contact your coach accordingly and remember that registration must be completed no later than 25th October 2025 (Closing Date). A copy of the TTAM/ITTF Level 1 Certificate (Sijil Kelulusan) must be sent together with the Registration Form.

Please use the link below to register your online entry.

Details of registration and the Course Time Table will be sent after confirmation of the candidates attending the course. We are targeting a maximum of 20 Level 1 coaches on a first come, first servebasis.

The course is open to all State TTAs and Certified Level 1 coaches. Please encourage your Level 1 coach to join and advance their coaching knowledge both theoretically and practically.

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  Greg WyshynskiOct 10, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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  Greg Wyshynski is ESPN’s senior NHL writer.

Can a superstar still be a breakout player?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has warned it could take most of the season for Rodri to get back to his best as he backed understudy Nico González to keep improving.

Rodri played an hour of Wednesday’s 2-2 Champions League draw in Monaco after sitting out City’s two previous fixtures, with Guardiola having to carefully manage his star midfielder who missed almost all of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Guardiola has indicated the 29-year-old will be fit for Sunday’s trip to Brentford but the process to get him back to the player that won the Ballon d’Or last year will take much longer.

– City’s Guardiola: Rodri had ‘lot of pain in knee’
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“Rodri has been and is an outstanding player,” Guardiola said. “Everybody knows it. But I said to Rodri, and maybe he struggled to understand: it’s not about six months or seven months [after the injury]. ‘Ah, [after] eight months I’ll play and be the Rodri of before.’ No.

“Rodri will be good at the World Cup with Spain [next summer]. In the World Cup it will be the best Rodri and next season will be the best Rodri. This season will be how we handle it, step by step.

“It’s normal, it was one year on the massage table. The body changes, the rhythm changes. It’s a question of time. If he’s healthy and works with what he has to do, he will be back.”

Rodri has returned from injury but is yet to hit top form. Alex Grimm/Getty Images

Rodri was replaced by González, a £50 million ($67.38m) signing from Porto in February, on Wednesday night, but the 23-year-old was then guilty of conceding the disputed late penalty which Eric Dier converted to deny City victory.

González has yet to fully establish himself in City’s midfield since arriving on the final day of the winter transfer window last season but Guardiola took issue with a suggestion that his introduction in place of Rodri might have contributed to City’s failure to win.

“Nico in those [last] 30 minutes [against Monaco], he was the player that won more balls recovered, and we concede less in the transition than when Rodri was playing in the first half,” Guardiola said.

“I’d love to tell you, yes, because Rodri wasn’t on the pitch we conceded the goal but I can’t prove that because if I felt it, Rodri would be on the pitch.”

González has started in four of his eight City appearances this term, three in the Premier League as well as the 2-0 Carabao Cup win at Huddersfield, after which Guardiola called him over for some post-match coaching on the pitch.

“He is so young,” Guardiola added of the Barcelona academy product. “Rodri has been with us seven years. He is not [here] even one year and in a tough period. There are many things that step by step he is going to take, because he is open-minded and incredibly coachable.

“Not all the players are. He is and he will get it…

“Even Rodri — in the first season — struggled. It’s normal. New environments and you need a process to understand it. Nico is Nico. He has to use his talent as Nico. He can improve a lot.”

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Tyrrell Hatton has urged European supporters not to lower themselves to the level of US golf fans when the Ryder Cup heads to Adare Manor in 2027.

Europe’s players were boorishly abused, with Rory McIlroy and his American wife, Erica, targeted for particularly vile treatment, as Bethpage turned ugly. Hatton, who secured the half in the Sunday singles that guaranteed victory for Europe, has told home fans not to seek retribution in Ireland in two years’ time.

“If it was my choice, and what I say isn’t really going to affect how people behave, I don’t really think that the insults are the way forward,†Hatton said. “Some guys on the team had it a lot worse than others. For me, there were a lot of insults maybe around height or hairline or weight, some of which I pretty much say to myself anyway, so it wasn’t like anything new.

“But I would much prefer it to be a respectful atmosphere. You let the guys play and the best team wins – rather than trying to affect the outcome by trying to put off players or things like that. I don’t think it will be as hostile as maybe it was last week. I’d like to think that it will be very respectful.â€

The US captain, Keegan Bradley, who refused to condemn the “passionate†home fans at Bethpage, claimed behaviour at the New York course was no different to that in Rome two years ago, when Europe last hosted. Hatton, who went unbeaten for a second successive Ryder Cup, disagrees.

“Personally I don’t think they were close at all,†the Englishman said. “Certainly with what I heard last week, I don’t think Rome comes anywhere near that. I think they are quite far apart.â€

The PGA of America chief executive, Derek Sprague, told the Golf Channel he intends to contact McIlroy in person to apologise for what he and his wife went through. “I do plan on sending them an email with my heartfelt apologies for what occurred,†Sprague said. “There’s no place for that in the Ryder Cup or in the game of golf.

“I can’t wait to reach out to Rory and Erica and really, quite frankly, the entire European team. The whole European team should not have been subjected to that. And because of that, I feel badly and I plan on apologising to them.

“When it [the Ryder Cup] started in 1927, it was about sportsmanship and integrity of the game, and that’s what we want it to be and continue to be and it’s unfortunate that people crossed the line last week.â€

However, Matt Fitzpatrick called out the organisation’s president, Don Rea, on Wednesday for his churlish reaction to the 15-13 home defeat at the trophy presentation. “I don’t want to speak on behalf of everyone but we did feel there was a little bit of bitterness when they presented the trophy,†Fitzpatrick said.

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“Me and Rosey [Justin Rose] both looked at each other as if to say: ‘That wasn’t a very heartfelt congratulations.’ He said we only retained it but actually we won it.â€

As Hatton and Fitzpatrick return to action on Thursday alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Bob McIntyre at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland, Luke Donald is mulling over whether to stay on for a third term as Europe’s captain. Fleetwood believes the job should be Donald’s if he wants it after back‑to‑back triumphs, but that Europe have a ready-made successor in his vice‑captain Francesco Molinari.

“The ball is probably in Luke’s court and I think he’s earned that,†Fleetwood said. “I’ve spoken to Francesco about it numerous times. I think the respect he has from his peers and the players, his accomplishments and his experience, I think goes a long way to being a Ryder Cup captain.â€

QUEBEC CITY — It’s been nearly two years since Steve Staios took over as GM of the Ottawa Senators, and in that time the franchise has risen from a fledgling soap opera to one on the rise with all kinds of promise and potential. In his first full NHL season in charge, Staios got the Senators into the playoffs after hiring a new coach in Travis Green and adding key veterans such as David Perron, Nick Jensen and Michael Amadio.

Now Staios’ challenge is to ensure Ottawa isn’t just a one-year playoff wonder.

Ahead of the new season, Sportsnet.ca interviewed Staios one-on-one when the team was in Quebec City for a portion of their pre-season.

(This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.)

SN:How have you evolved as Senators GM the past two years?Â

Steve Staios: I don’t really know how to answer that. With more experience and more time in the league, you grow more comfortable, but you get a better feel for things, for sure. But I’ve sort of taken the same approach, same principles and same approach, that I learned as a manager and came through the Ontario Hockey League, and it’s just on a much different scale.

SN: You talk about not making rash moves and being process orientated: whatâ€s the balance between action and inaction?

SS: I’m very eager in trying to help improve the team. We look at a lot of things, so we’re very eager in our approach, and then we’re sort of more patient in making those decisions. The way I saw this group from the beginning was a strong core of young players who were still just scratching the surface, and everybody wants to get there quickly. I know our fan base does, certainly. And my approach with that was just to make sure that we surround them with the right people and veterans as well, guys with some experience. Because there’s nothing like having a teammate who has been through some of those situations to be able to help guide them along. Thatâ€s where I think I can’t say if I was managing a different team, would my approach be different? But for this group in particular I was convinced that was the right approach.

SN: Where do you believe this team is on a timeline to ultimately be hoping to win a Stanley Cup?Â

SS: That’s a hard one to answer. Really they continue to move in that direction. I think that was evident through last year. You watch how they come into training camp, and the fitness and the commitment, so you hope that there’s going to be–you feel like there should be–another step with this group. It’s hard to really put a timeline on it. Does the experience of playing in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year catapult them? These progressions are never in a straight line.Â

I feel like there’s a maturity and a real high level of professionalism with this group now that wasn’t here on day one.

We’re happy with that step last year, but we’re certainly not satisfied.

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SN: If this teamâ€s playing well and in a playoff spot, how aggressive are you going to be?Â

SS: Ultimately, the players will tell us for sure, and then it’s my job to be able to execute on anything that they may need to take that next step.

SN: What are the areas that you can improve upon?

SS: That remains to be seen, because I think that–and I’ve used the term probably too many times–but internal growth. I have belief and faith that each individual will get better. And I’m not just talking about that core group of players, because they certainly have it, but I saw how fit Claude Giroux and David Perron came into camp. You can get better at any age. I certainly feel like we have the right coach and coaching staff to do that. Travis (Green) has a history of getting the most out of individuals as well.

SN:How much of a benefit is it having your young core of players locked up to long-term contracts (outside of Shane Pinto)?Â

SS: Yeah, certainly. They’re growing together. When you come into a situation as a manager, you assess it properly and diligently in detail, and then you come up with a plan. There were good things, and then a lot of things that we needed to improve on. The core group of players that are signed give some stability to that group moving forward.

SN: How close to the cap do you expect to spend as it rises in the next few years?

SS: We’ll address that when we get there. We have some cap space this year. I’m focused on that. We have a plan for future years and what we believe our team is going to look like cap wise. If this team is in good shape and moves in the right direction and we have an opportunity to add to it, we will. I think every year, we’ll assess it individually.

SN: Where do things stand in terms of contract negotiations right now with Shane Pinto?Â

SS: There’s good positive dialogue. What was relayed back to me was that heâ€d want to let the season start and it not to be a distraction for Shane. So, I’m open to negotiating a contract for Shane. Iâ€ve been clear that I want to make him part of this group longer term, and I think there’s benefits for the player in that regard. I won’t negotiate through the media. Whenever they’re willing to get going on a conversation, I’m open to it.

SN: Do you have a preference in terms of short or long term?

SS: Weâ€re open (to either short or long term) in our approach.

SN: How involved is Michael Andlauer in hockey decisions?Â

SS: We have great dialogue daily.

He’s an incredible leader to where he has great knowledge in the business and in hockey. And he always asks great questions and will always challenge me. I think just in my process and way of thinking, he gets you to continually think about it. So, he’s got great leadership ability that way, where he plays devil’s advocate, asks all the tough questions, but also allows us to make decisions on hockey ops. So, involved is an interesting word, because I think if I say yes, he’s involved, people would tend to think that he’s making the decisions, but that would be the best way for me to describe it. He’s certainly involved in the conversation.Â

SN:How important is it for you as a GM that Andlauer does let you make the final decision?

SS: Heâ€ll be the first one to say that that’s the only way to be able to hold someone accountable. And it’s no different (from) my approach with, as an example, Travis. We discuss and  I ask questions, I offer my opinion, but ultimately Travis is held accountable, whether itâ€s system play, style of play, how lines roll out. So that’s our approach across the board. Obviously, I’m held accountable too.

SN: What level of emphasis do you have on development for Carter Yakemchuk this season over playing NHL games?Â

SS: We have some time to make that decision, and ultimately it’d be up to him, and that’s one thing that I had reminded him of when we went out to make a trade for Jordan Spence. I wanted to clear (Yakemchuk’s) head, to come in and try to make the team. And ultimately, if he does make the team, then I have a decision to make. And if we feel like he’s the best player to come in and play in that spot then he will. Of course, I’m mindful. You look at history on these types of players, and is it good for them to have a little bit of time in the American Hockey League again? I think time will tell. We haven’t made our minds up, because we ultimately want to be honest with Yak and tell him that, like, if you come in, you earn a spot, you’re going to play.

SN: What’s the challenge of trying to develop players while also trying to win?

SS: Ultimately, we’re here to win games. If they’re developing while helping us win, great, which I think we are doing. But if they need time to develop with more ice time in the American League, we’ll take that approach.Â

SN: How tough is it as a coach for Travis Green going into year two, when you’ve set a culture that expects to take the next step?

SS: I’ll take you back to the interview process when I was identifying our next head coach here in Ottawa. And I think the elements that you’re seeing from Travis are what intrigued me the most about him. We’re aligned in how we create culture and environment. We’re aligned on accountability. As far as him taking the next step, it’s a question you can ask him, but certainly with the majority of the group returning, you can just even see it through practice and through training camp. It’s fast. The execution has been better because we set the template of how we want to play and how we want to practice. I’m hoping that that’s an advantage.Â

SN:How impressed are you by Thomas Chabotâ€s ability to adjust to his new role on the second pair?Â

SS: It speaks to the character of the individual. He’s a highly skilled, highly talented player, but he’s a team first guy. So (I) never hear him complain about being on a second pair or a second unit.

In looking back and not really watching Chabotâ€s progression as a player closely not being here, but you could see that he was getting better. But it was clear he needed a defence partner that would settle things down and complement him. And that was a big thing with (Nick) Jensen coming, and I think it allowed Thomas to play his game and not worry too much.Â

SN: How much confidence do you have in Linus Ullmark heading into the season?Â

SS:Linus is his harshest critic. We all have full belief in Linus. And so, it’s amazing the goaltending position, because if we have one of our players, a forward, who has an off day or an off week, there’s a lot of support around him. But goaltending is interesting and different but we have belief in Linus. Heâ€s driven and a great teammate.Â

SN: How open are you to adding a goaltender before the season?

SS: Leeviâ€s a young goaltender, and Mads is a young goaltender. I think they both have great talent. The goaltending position is where there’s ups and downs with it, and I think both those guys are capable and so (weâ€ll) continue to watch and see, but at this point in time, I have no interest.

SN: How much do you feel this team’s contention window is tied to Brady Tkachukâ€s remaining three years on his contract?

SS: Bradyâ€s Brady.

He’s the ultimate driver, and he continues to get better. And it’s been really impressive to watch not only his game grow, but he is always a good leader, so just to watch his leadership grow. And as far as the window, like I’m hoping, the window (with Brady) is a lot longer than (three years).Â

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The Dodgers needed to win that World Series last year.

Not just for the legacy of an all-time great — and previously ringless — player in Shohei Ohtani.

Not just for a front office and ownership group that had invested gobs of money into the roster.

Not just for the fans. And not just for the bragging rights against the Yankees.

But also to quiet the critics who had called the Dodgers†2020 triumph in the COVID bubble a “Mickey Mouse title,†or whatever other pejoratives were plastered on the internet.

See, when October arrives, it means different things to different teams. While every playoff entrant obviously wants/needs/craves that precious Commissionerâ€s Trophy, there are factors like aging curves, pending free agents and franchise history that can increase the urgency for some squads more than others.

Thatâ€s why we have the Urgency Index (UI) — a scale of 1 (least urgent) to 10 (most urgent) – to demonstrate how important a World Series title would be to a particular club.

This is all super scientific stuff, so letâ€s urgently get to it! Weâ€ve included every team still in contention for a postseason spot.

Mariners
UI: 11, a scale-breaking figure that also serves as the number of postseason games Seattle has won this century

The NHL has six franchises that have yet to advance to its championship round. The NBA has five. The NFL has four.

Combine this with the Mâ€s recent penchant for just barely missing October, the fact that their lone entry in a generation (in 2022) resulted in them playing only a single home game (a Division Series-clinching loss to the rival Astros), the fact that catcher Cal Raleigh is having an absolute banger of a season that history tells us will probably be impossible to repeat and the heavy lifting this club did at the Trade Deadline, and the time is absolutely now for the Mariners.

Padres
UI: 10.67, or the average rank, within the Padres†system, of the six prospects dealt this summer for Mason Miller, Ryan Oâ€Hearn and Ramón Laureano

The Padres traded nine prospects total at last yearâ€s Deadline. They traded eight at this yearâ€s Deadline. AJ Preller will apparently never run out of legit prospects to trade for immediate help, and the fans†enormous support helps San Diego maintain payroll levels that were once unimaginable for this franchise.

Still, how many bites at the apple do you get with a particular core? When will all the wheeling and dealing get the Padres past the NLCS (which, in this era of contention, theyâ€ve reached only once)? And how long must the championship drought that extends for the life of the ballclub continue?

This club should show as much urgency as its GM does at the Deadline.

Guardians
UI: 10, because this would be Clevelandâ€s 10th postseason appearance this century with no titles to show for it in that time

Donâ€t let Clevelandâ€s ridiculous late-season surge fool you into thinking the Guardians are playing with house money and that anything that happens from here is a bonus.

Nah. This franchise hasnâ€t won it all since 1948, and having the third-best regular season record in baseball since 2013 (behind only the Dodgers and Yankees) has netted one AL pennant and a whole lot of fall frustration. Plus, José Ramírez just turned 33. Thereâ€s nothing left to do but win the whole freaking thing.

Brewers
UI: 9.13, for the team that was the first to clinch a postseason spot this year (on 9/13)

Our finely calibrated UI Machine took a fraction of a point off the Brewers†score because they have so much 20-something talent and, despite payroll limitations that have led them to wave bye-bye to so many good players through the years, always seem to find their way to October. This will be the Brew Crewâ€s seventh appearance in the last eight years, which is pretty crazy.

But the Brewers have never won it all and they’ve reached the World Series only once, back in 1982. So if you want to dispute the UI Machineâ€s findings and call it a 10, feel free.

Blue Jays
UI: 9, or Max Scherzerâ€s age when the Blue Jays last won it all in 1993

Extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the start of the 2025 season kept the Blue Jays from putting up a 10 here, because it prevents them from going with a total teardown/rebuild project at yearâ€s end — something that didnâ€t necessarily seem a certainty after last yearâ€s last-place finish.

But yes, the urgency is high here. The Blue Jays†era of contention that began when Guerrero and Bo Bichette arrived to the big leagues has been marked by underachievement, and now Bichette is venturing into the great unknown of free agency. The Jays ranked 20th in MLB Pipelineâ€s latest farm system rankings, and, while the club can expect to leave no stone unturned in supporting Vladdy, we all know how difficult routine contention can be in the AL East.

Phillies
UI: 9, or the number of seasons that managing partner John Middleton has been the Phillies†control person

Middleton, along with president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, has made his mark and done all he can to get this team pointed to the Promised Land. The Phillies have responded with four straight postseason appearances, including an NL pennant in 2022.

But the Phils havenâ€t been able to finish the job, and time is ticking with this particular core that — in keeping with our UI listed here — has nine players north of 30 who have been worth at least one Win Above Replacement this season, per Baseball-Reference. The Phillies will do all they can to keep Kyle Schwarber, closer Jhoan Duran was not a rental addition (heâ€s under wraps through 2027), and hopefully theyâ€ll have Zack Wheeler back healthy next season. But thereâ€s no time like the present in a sport that skews younger and younger.

Yankees
UI: 8.7, or Aaron Judgeâ€s average 162-game Baseball-Reference WAR in his career

The Yankees were a 10 on this scale last year, given that it was their only season of contractual control with Juan Soto. You could argue they are again a 10 after last yearâ€s frustrating Fall Classic appearance — the franchiseâ€s first since 2009. Especially with Judge in his age-33 season.

All fair. But itâ€s the Yankees. Maybe they win it all, maybe they donâ€t. Either way, next year, theyâ€ll presumably get Gerrit Cole back, theyâ€ll field another lineup that puts up well north of 200 homers, theyâ€ll have periods of poor play that cause fans and hosts to lose their minds on WFAN and then, one year from now, theyâ€ll be right back here, in the October field, ready to try again. Weâ€ll put the UI high because of the Judge factor, but weâ€re not maxing it out.

Tigers
UI: 8.6, or Tarik Skubalâ€s strikeouts per nine (9.5) minus his walks per nine (0.9) in last yearâ€s postseason

Forgive the tortured means by which the UI Machine included Skubal, but this ranking is all about Skubal. Heâ€s a generational pitcher on a generational run — possibly the first AL pitcher to win back-to-back Cy Young Awards in a quarter century. And heâ€s eligible for free agency after 2026.

Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris has publicly dismissed the notion of a “Skubal window†and said he sees the Tigers as a potential “powerhouse†for years to come. He might not be wrong. But given the injury rate, premier pitching is a fickle mistress, and, though the Tigers didnâ€t show a great deal of urgency at the Trade Deadline (or in their play after it), they have to maximize their Skubal opportunity, however long it lasts.

Cubs
UI: 8, or how many postseasons have passed since the Cubs last won it all

Eight sure sounds better than 108, doesnâ€t it? If the number is at nine by this postseasonâ€s end, itâ€s not the end of the world for a franchise that has a real financial edge on its NL Central opponents.

But the Cubs gave up a lot to get one year of Kyle Tucker, they’re paying a lot for Craig Counsell, they rank 19th in MLB Pipelineâ€s farm system rankings and they didnâ€t get the dynasty so many of us thought was on tap when that 2016 team won it all. So, the UI is ramped up at Wrigley.

Mets
UI: 6, or how many past Mets teams reached the postseason without reaching the World Series

Befitting this delightfully strange franchise, this UI is a strange result. After all, the Mets reached the NLCS last year and added Juan Soto to a club that now carries a roughly $340 million payroll. Itâ€s a World Series-or-bust situation.

And yet, the Mets played so poorly for so long this season and had to rely so much on rookies in their rotation that theyâ€ve somehow recast themselves as underdogs, a la 2024. Falling short would probably just compel them to amp up the aggression in the offseason again.

The UI, quite frankly, doesnâ€t know what to make of all this, so somewhere just north of middle of the scale seems about right.

Reds
UI: 5, or how many postseason games the Reds have won since capturing the World Series in 1990

Terry Francona took over a team that had averaged 86 losses in the previous four years and had a lot to sort through, roster-wise.

Reaching the World Series for the first time since Franconaâ€s last season as a player would obviously be nice, but late-season contention is a nice stepping stone, and, should they qualify, the Reds first would have to take the next logical step of actually winning a playoff game for the first time since 2012.

Red Sox
UI: 4, or how many titles the Red Sox have won this century

Sure, itâ€s been a while (relatively speaking) since Boston won it all. But if the Sox fall short this postseason, an objective observer could cry no tears for a team that has enjoyed so much postseason success since 2004, traded its best hitter in June, extended Garrett Crochet and called up the since-injured Roman Anthony. The Red Sox are good, on the whole, but they seem to still be in the early stages of figuring out what their next truly great team will look like. When taken within the context of all that was said and assumed at the time of the Rafael Devers trade, a World Series title this year would qualify as a pleasant — even humorous — surprise.

Astros
UI: 2, or how many World Series titles theyâ€ve won in the last decade

People have been forecasting the end of this Astros era for years now, and yet, they keep contending. They were limping to the finish line this year, and maybe time is finally catching up with them. But seven division titles between 2017-24, plus four pennants and two titles in that span, is a marvel in the modern game, with so many postseason rounds. Anything else that comes on the tail end of that run is gravy.

Dodgers
UI: 1, or how many years since their last World Series title

Itâ€s hard for a defending champ to have a UI much higher than one. The Dodgers might pose an argument to rank higher, given their enormous financial outlays, their dynastic visions, their 30-something MVP core of Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman and the pending retirement of Clayton Kershaw.

But that sort of nuance doesnâ€t sway the UI Machine, which simply sees a team with all the resources in the world trying to win its third World Series of the decade. Not very urgent, really.

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Image credit:
JJ Wetherholt (Photo by Jared Blais/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

To complement our overall Minor League All-Star Team and player of the year picks for all 30 organizations, Baseball America also selects all-stars at each level of the minor leagues.

Our goal with these teams is to recognize the prospects who had the best seasons at each level, from Triple-A to Rookie ball.

Triple-A All-Stars

International League • Pacific Coast League

PosPlayer, TeamOrgAgePAHRSBAVGOBPSLGCSamuel Basallo, NorfolkBAL20321230.270.377.5891BJonathon Long, IowaCHC23607202.305.404.4792BJordan Lawlar, RenoARI223001120.313.403.5643BCody Freeman, Round RockTEX24426198.336.382.549SSJJ Wetherholt, MemphisSTL22221109.314.416.562OFDylan Beavers, NorfolkBAL234181823.304.420.515OFOwen Caissie, IowaCHC22433225.286.386.551OFJustin Crawford, Lehigh ValleyPHI21506746.334.411.452DHLuis Campusano, El PasoSD26475252.336.441.595

Player of the Year: Dylan Beavers, OF, Norfolk (Orioles)

A quieter, more rhythmic swing helped Beavers dominate Triple-A and reach MLB.

PosPitcher, TeamOrgAgeIPHRBBSOWHIPERASPMick Abel, Lehigh Valley/St. PaulMIN2398.16401141.112.20SPJoe Boyle, DurhamTB2586.07411141.011.88SPNolan McLean, SyracuseNYM2387.1838971.102.78SPIan Seymour, DurhamTB2686.010201041.142.62SPRobby Snelling, JacksonvilleMIA2163.2417810.991.27RPJosh White, JacksonvilleMIA2439.1211570.972.29

Pitcher of the Year: Robby Snelling, LHP, Jacksonville (Marlins)

Since reaching Triple-A on July 10, Snelling led the level in ERA and strikeouts.

Double-A All-Stars

Eastern League • Southern League • Texas League

PosPlayer, TeamOrgAgePAHRSBAVGOBPSLGCCooper Ingle, AkronCLE2340390.273.391.4411BRyan Clifford, BinghamtonNYM21437244.243.355.4932BJett Williams, BinghamtonNYM214211032.281.390.4773BSal Stewart, ChattanoogaCIN213291013.306.377.473SSJJ Wetherholt, SpringfieldSTL22275714.300.425.466OFKemp Alderman, PensacolaMIA224541520.282.337.447OFWalker Jenkins, WichitaMIN20235711.309.426.487OFRyan Waldschmidt, AmarilloARI22300919.309.423.498DHFelix Reyes, ReadingPHI243951513.335.365.572

Player of the Year: JJ Wetherholt, SS, Springfield (Cardinals)

The 2024 seventh overall pick showed all five tools in a big year in upper minors.

PosPitcher, TeamOrgAgeIPHRBBSOWHIPERASPHenry Baez, San Antonio/MidlandATH22109.03351001.052.39SPIxan Henderson, SpringfieldSTL23132.05511341.142.59SPTy Johnson, MontgomeryTB23110.15381490.942.61SPShane Murphy, BirminghamCWS24110.2815820.831.38SPJonah Tong, BinghamtonNYM22102.02441620.921.59RPAlimber Santa, Corpus ChristiHOU2257.0223631.021.26

Pitcher of the Year: Jonah Tong, RHP, Binghamton (Mets)

Eastern League batters had their hands full with the Pitcher of the Year’s deadly fastball and changeup.

High-A All-Stars

Midwest League • Northwest League • South Atlantic League

PosPlayer, TeamOrgAgePAHRSBAVGOBPSLGCJosue Briceño, West MichiganDET20244151.296.422.6021BEsmerlyn Valdez, GreensboroPIT21314202.303.385.5922BMichael Arroyo, EverettSEA20306153.269.422.5123BJacob Reimer, BrooklynNYM21268811.284.384.502SSKonnor Griffin, GreensboroPIT19234733.325.432.510OFCarson Benge, BrooklynNYM22271415.302.417.480OFMax Clark, West MichiganDET20330712.285.430.427OFBo Davidson, EugeneSF223351012.309.412.507DHKevin McGonigle, West MichiganDET2017173.372.462.648

Player of the Year: Konnor Griffin, SS, Greensboro (Pirates)

BA’s Player of the Year hit seven of his 21 homers and stole 33 of his 65 bases while at High-A.

PosPitcher, TeamOrgAgeIPHRBBSOWHIPERASPKyle Carr, Hudson ValleyNYY23119.16471041.071.96SPDavid Davalillo, Hub CityTEX2251.0211680.822.12SPDaniel Eagen, HillsboroARI2297.27411321.062.49SPJosh Hartle, Lake CountyCLE22103.12371001.052.35SPElmer Rodriguez-Cruz, Hudson ValleyNYY2183.2137991.062.26RPGarrett Hawkins, Fort WayneSD2544.0113600.681.43

Pitcher of the Year: Daniel Eagen, RHP, Hillsboro (Diamondbacks)

Eagen looks like another mid-major find for the D-backs, a la Brandon Pfaadt.

Low-A All-Stars

California League • Carolina League • Florida State League

PosPlayer, TeamOrgAgePAHRSBAVGOBPSLGCAlfredo Duno, DaytonaCIN19495186.287.430.5181BVictor Figueroa, Lake ElsinoreSD2123273.262.375.4562BLuis Peña, CarolinaMIL18309641.308.375.4693BCaleb Bonemer, KannapolisCWS194321027.281.400.458SSKonnor Griffin, BradentonPIT19231926.338.396.536OFSlade Caldwell, VisaliaARI19216313.294.460.454OFTheo Gillen, CharlestonTB19324536.267.433.387OFEduardo Quintero, Rancho CucamongaLAD193951435.306.426.533DHRaudi Rodriguez, Inland EmpireLAA215601438.281.372.470

Player of the Year: Eduardo Quintero, OF, Rancho Cucamonga (Dodgers)

Quintero hit 14 homers, stole 35 bases and led the Cal League with a .960 OPS.

PosPitcher, TeamOrgAgeIPHRBBSOWHIPERASPJacob Bresnahan, San JoseSF2093.02431241.182.61SPCaden Scarborough, HickoryTEX2075.0719950.922.88SPLucas Elissalt, LakelandDET2065.1420770.982.48SPDavid Shields, ColumbiaKC1871.2315811.022.01SPRyan Sloan, ModestoSEA1970.2215771.153.44RPBenny Thompson, Inland EmpireLAA2361.11431001.211.91

Pitcher of the Year: Jacob Bresnahan, LHP, San Jose (Giants)

Acquired from the Guardians in the 2024 Alex Cobb trade, Bresnahan led all Low-A lefties with 124 Ks.

Rookie-Level Complex All-Stars

Arizona Complex League • Florida Complex League • Dominican Summer League

PosPlayer, TeamOrgAgePAHRSBAVGOBPSLGCRainiel Rodriguez, FCL CardinalsSTL188071.373.513.8311BDavid Beckles, FCL Blue JaysTOR2123782.304.388.4832BDauri Fernandez, ACL GuardiansCLE18176616.333.398.5583BJuan Sanchez, DSL Blue JaysTOR1725384.341.439.565SSYandel Ricardo, ACL RoyalsKC18145217.342.438.533OFRoldy Brito, ACL RockiesCOL18209322.368.445.555OFEdward Florentino, FCL PiratesPIT1811366.347.442.642OFChing-Hsien Ko, ACL DodgersLAD1822645.367.487.539DHEdgar Montero, DSL AthleticsATH18244911.313.484.580

Player of the Year: Edward Florentino, OF, FCL Pirates

The 6-foot-4 lefthanded hitter showed profile power in a breakthrough season.

PosPitcher, TeamOrgAgeIPHRBBSOWHIPERASPArgenis Cayama, ACL GiantsSF1848.0018551.062.25SPKeyner Martinez, ACL GiantsSF2047.1110671.101.90SPEsteban Mejia, FCL OriolesBAL1840.1025531.312.45SPJavier Perez, FCL AstrosHOU2142.238480.981.69SPFranco Zabaleta, DSL AthleticsATH1852.2014440.850.51RPRoberto Perez, ACL MarinersSEA2125.308330.751.42

Pitcher of the Year: Keyner Martinez, RHP, ACL Giants

Martinez led all Rookie-level pitchers with 67 strikeouts before heading to Low-A.

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