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SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors are two games into the NBA preseason, and as they glance ahead they can see at least one caution light blinking.

The light that gauges the effectiveness of their perimeter defense, particularly at the point of attack.

That element is one of several essentials to Golden Stateâ€s success, and it has been considerably less than stellar. Opposing guards, some speedy and others shifty, are penetrating with regularity, resulting in paint points, free throws or kickouts to open shooters behind the arc.

That was visible Wednesday night in the first half – with all minutes going to starters and rotation players – of a 129-123 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. It took a massive fourth-quarter comeback by the far end of the bench to wipe out a 16-point halftime deficit.

Moses Moody started in the role of primary POA defender against Portland, with coach Steve Kerr pairing him with Stephen Curry in the backcourt. This vulnerability also was visible last Sunday, when Brandin Podziemski started alongside Curry in a 111-103 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

While itâ€s unreasonable to expect fantastic defense in the first week of the preseason, the Warriors canâ€t be delighted with a defense that allowed 39 points in the first quarter and 73 in the half.

“They were flying by us,†Kerr said. “And then we were collapsing, probably too much.  And then they had a ton of threes. I think they made 10 threes in the first half.â€

Wrong, coach. The Blazers drained 12 triples in the first half. They also posted a 24-16 edge in paint points.

This was Golden Stateâ€s first look at a starting lineup that might start the 2025-26 NBA regular season. Curry and Moody in the backcourt, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green at forward and Al Horford at center. All five posted negative plus/minus numbers in the first half.

“I didnâ€t think we were ready to play,†Kerr said. “I donâ€t know that we got a good enough look at that lineup to really know. It should fit, with Alâ€s shooting and we have a lot of length. Moses on the ball. They took it to us right away.â€

Starting Moody against the Blazers was logical because heâ€s a rangy defender (6-foot-5, 7-foot wingspan) and a good 3-point shooter. The possibility of him as lead bird dog emerged late last season, after the Warriors traded Andrew Wiggins as part of the deal to acquire Jimmy Butler III, as Kerr explained before tipoff.

“He got to guard the ball,†Kerr recalled of Moody. “He got to be in the starting lineup, and he became our point of attack defender, like Wiggs was before. And so, with Wiggs leaving, that opened a void on this team, because Jimmy’s not that.â€

Moody has the potential to be all of that, but itâ€s clear heâ€s still trying to master the art of staying in front of quick guards. Itâ€s a tough assignment. He has made 74 starts over four NBA seasons, but starring in that role took Klay Thompson about 300 starts.

“They came out and hit us early,†Moody told NBC Sports Bay Area. “It felt like a different game than [against the Lakers]. “We didnâ€t do much game planning and preparation. But I think their speed, especially in transition, got us.â€

Portland guard Shaedon Sharpe finished with a game-high 22 points in 23 minutes, on 9-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-8 from deep. He was plus-14 for the night. Backup guard Blake Wesley, blasting into the paint with relative ease, finished with nine points and six rebounds.

Three nights earlier, four Lakers scored in double figures on Sunday – and all were guards: Gabe Vincent (team-high 16 points), Dalton Knecht (12), R.J. Davis (11) and Jack LaRavia (10). Along with their 49 combined points, they accounted for 12 assists.

Golden Stateâ€s POA defense so important because there is no Victor Wembanyama waiting at the rim. There is no Anthony Davis or Rudy Gobert or Chet Holmgren. Not even a Donovan Clingan

The preseason is a time for experimenting, for seeing what might work and what shouldnâ€t even be tried. Itâ€s a work in progress, and there is plenty of time to patch it. But the early returns are worth watching.

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If the Warriors are to reach their goals in the 2025-26 NBA season, Jonathan Kuminga figures to be a big reason why.

But, as Golden State coach Steve Kerr sees it, thereâ€s still a sizable hurdle for Kuminga to clear: playing effectively with Warriors stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler. And in Sundayâ€s 111-103 preseason win against the Los Angeles Lakers, Kerr wasnâ€t impressed.

“Well, there wasnâ€t much spacing, which is the big concern,†Kerr said of the Kuminga-Big Three lineup in his post-practice press conference Tuesday. “But weâ€ve got to continue to give them some looks.â€

Kuminga finished with five points in 15 minutes on Sunday, days after signing a two-year, $48.5 million contract to remain with Golden State after a prolonged restricted free agency. However, the Warriors†offense seemed to sputter when he shared the floor with the teamâ€s other stars.

“It still feels to me like if weâ€re trying to play Jimmy, JK [and] Draymond, just from the other night, immediately…the spacing was not great,†Kerr said. “And it puts pressure on our offense to really have to execute. But itâ€s early in camp, too.â€

Neither Kuminga, nor Green nor Butler, is considered to be a strong 3-point shooter, which limits how far the Warriors can stretch opposing defenses when they all are on the court. Kerr is hoping that the addition of center Al Horford will help solve that problem and let Kuminga find lineups to thrive in.

“I think Al kind of changes the equation here,†Kerr said. “Iâ€m really intrigued to put Al and JK together with Draymond or Jimmy. That lineup makes perfect sense.â€

Kerr added that the Warriors will continue to explore every option in an effort to unlock the 23-year-old Kuminga.

“If we can execute the stuff weâ€re trying to operate, then it can be effective,†Kerr said. “Itâ€s just not a smooth fit.â€

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The addition of center Al Horford figures to pay dividends for the Warriors in several ways during the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season.

As coach Steve Kerr sees it, one of those ways could be helping a 22-year-old budding star break out.

“Maybe Al and JK [Jonathan Kuminga],†Kerr answered Friday when reporters asked which Horford combination excites him most. “You know, I think thatâ€s a two-man combo that could make some sense.â€

Kerr and the Warriors have long searched for a way to get more consistent production from Kuminga, who has flashed immense potential but also experienced bouts of ineffectiveness throughout his career.

Per Kerr, Horford could be the key to finally stabilizing Kuminga and turning his lineups into winning combos.

“With JK, we want to give him space when heâ€s got the ball,†Kerr said. “Al can do that. So, if JKâ€s at the four, Alâ€s at the five and we put shooters around those guys, that could be an interesting combination.â€

Horford enters his 19th NBA season as the Warriors†biggest offseason addition. A veteran center who can space the floor and play quality defense, the 39-year-old could give Golden State a dimension theyâ€ve lacked in recent years under Kerr.

“The defensive wherewithal that Al has, just the accumulation of so much knowledge and experience in his career, is definitely going to help him and help us,†Kerr said. “Another big, athletic rim protector can only help.â€

Plus, Kerr added, Kuminga wonâ€t be the only direct beneficiary of Horfordâ€s presence.

“Al, with anybody, is going to be good,†the Warriors†head coach said. “It doesnâ€t matter if itâ€s Draymond [Green], Jimmy [Butler]…he could even play with Trayce [Jackson-Davis] or QP [Quinten Post]. So, the beauty of Al is the versatility he gives us from a lineup standpoint.â€

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Dub Nation, the greatest shooter in NBA history will take the floor in the Warriors†2025-2026 NBA preseason opener.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, coach Steve Kerr revealed star guard Steph Curryâ€s minutes strategy during Golden Stateâ€s preseason opener on Oct. 5 against the Los Angeles Lakers at Chase Center.Â

To no surprise, Kerr and Co. will restrict Curryâ€s minutes, but the Chef will play, nonetheless.

“I talked to Steph today and Rick [Celebrini]. [Steph] is going to play 15 minutes probably,†Kerr told reporters on Friday.Â

Last season, Curry, with a massive scoring responsibility on his shoulders, recorded his 14th season with more than 32 minutes of average playing time.

Kerr also added that stars Jimmy Butler, who co-carried a substantial scoring load since being traded to the Warriors in February, and Draymond Green will also have their minutes limited.

“And the same plan will be there for Draymond and Jimmy, pending how they are feeling on Sunday,†Kerr added.

“We are going to scrimmage tomorrow as well. We will have to talk to the guys before the game Sunday, but 15 minutes sounds about right for that group, if they are playing.â€

With a key issue for the Warriors being surviving non-Curry minutes, it appears the best strategy is managing the Chefâ€s workload from the get-go.

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SAN FRANCISCO — After three months of contentious free agency negotiations, Golden State Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga signed his contract in Cleveland on Tuesday night, flew to San Francisco on Wednesday and will join the team for practice on Thursday afternoon.

The next question looming over the Warriors will be about Kuminga’s immediate buy-in to the mission at hand — elevating the Warriors back to title contention before the end of the Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler era.

Coach Steve Kerr will be in charge of guiding Kuminga back into the fold. He reiterated twice after Wednesday’s practice that he has a fine personal relationship with Kuminga and doesn’t believe the player is the type “to come in and tear a team down.”

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“Jimmy is an alpha,” Kerr said. “Steph and Draymond are alphas. They run that locker room. I’m not worried about anything.”

Kuminga spent the offseason searching for either a better contract or a sign-and-trade to a different team. He has made it clear he believes his career could flourish with more opportunities elsewhere.

But the dynamics of restricted free agency led him back to the Warriors on a two-year, $48.5 million deal that includes a team option on the second season and a 15% trade kicker. Kuminga’s agent, Aaron Turner, made it clear that Kuminga was seeking a player option.

Throughout the negotiations, both sides acknowledged the awkward fit with each other and ultimately landed on this contract structure because it is designed to be more easily moved come Jan. 15, when Kuminga will be trade eligible again.

“We feel like we have a player that can be really good,” general manager Mike Dunleavy said. “I don’t feel like there’s a need to make a move. Now, we’ll see how the season unfolds. This time last year I would have said we need to get better. I don’t feel that right now. It could change. We have a lot of guys in the team that have value around the league and could be traded, but I think the structure is more so what works for us and the player.”

Turner made many of the details of the negotiations public, including a 40-minute sit-down podcast with ESPN’s Hoop Collective that included the revelation of the transparent nature of the sign-to-trade contract.

Dunleavy said he would keep his own version of the negotiations “behind closed doors.”

“From my end, as a former player, understanding there’s a shelf life on your career, I’ve got no issues with guys doing whatever they can to get the deals they want,” Dunleavy said. “The money, the team, the role, all those things you’re looking for as a free agent. However you want to go about doing it, I have no issues. Would I do it that way? No. But I’ve got no issues. The offseason is time for business. During the season is time for basketball.”

Kerr was in contact with Kuminga during the process, checking in on the fifth-year forward.

But Kerr, a former general manager in Phoenix, sat out of the contract portion of the conversations.

“I told [Dunleavy] there was a reason I hated being a GM,” Kerr said. “Those 92 days were a great example of that. I’d much prefer being a coach and letting management handle all the contract stuff.”

But now the job falls to Kerr, who has toggled Kuminga in and out of his rotation for four seasons. Kerr said he plans to have a long conversation with Kuminga in the coming days to discuss what transpired this summer, the basketball scars of the previous four seasons and what lies ahead.

“It may not be the contract he was hoping for, but that’s life-changing money,” Kerr said. “The whole idea is to get him to get better, help him become the player he can become and sign a few more contracts. That’s what he has to focus on and I have to focus on — the getting better part. That’s been the thing that’s held him back — what we need verse what he wants to do. There’s no denying that’s been an issue.”

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This golden era of Golden State Warriors basketball is in its golden years. The franchise’s current championship window is quickly closing. Head coach Steve Kerr is well aware.

Kerr, a five-time champ in his playing days who has led the Warriors to four NBA titles since the start of the 2014-15 season, is in the final year of a two-year, $35 million extension he signed in February 2024.

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He told reporters Tuesday he’s “very comfortable” entering the 2025-26 campaign on an expiring deal.

“I’m not the slightest bit concerned about it. I don’t think about it,” Kerr said, per ESPN. “I just think it makes perfect sense for all of us [to wait].”

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Kerr said he’s in lockstep with owner Joe Lacob and general manager Mike Dunleavy.

“However this ends it’s going to be done in a really quality way,” Kerr said, according to ESPN. “It’s going to happen the right way. If it’s meant for me to keep going, I’m going to keep going. If it’s meant to be for the team to move on to someone else, there will be nothing but gratitude and appreciation. This makes it easy for everybody. Let’s see where we are at the end of the year.”

The Warriors still have two of the three biggest stars from their dynasty, which began in the mid-2010s and leaked into the 2020s. Sharpshooting guard Klay Thompson agreed to a three-year, $50 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks ahead of last season, as part of a multi-team sign-and-trade. But transcendent point guard Stephen Curry and do-it-all forward Draymond Green remain with the organization and, since last season’s trade deadline, have teamed up with a championship-hungry Jimmy Butler.

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Curry is 37. Butler is 36. Green is 35. They’re all on contracts that run through the 2026-27 season, giving the Warriors’ veteran threesome at least two years to make a title push.

Tuesday’s report of 22-year-old wing Jonathan Kuminga reaching a two-year $48.5 million deal to return to the Warriors is promising news for his older counterparts — either the Warriors finally get the best out of Kuminga, or they benefit from trading him once he’s eligible to be dealt in January.

While Kerr went into the 2023-24 season with an expiring deal as well, he eventually received his record-breaking midseason extension. This time around, those kinds of in-season negotiations aren’t expected.

“I’m so aligned with Mike and Joe. We talked about this — there’s no reason for discussion or concern,” Kerr said, per ESPN. “This is kind of a point in our relationship where let’s just see how it is at the end of the year.”

He added: “I love my job. I love what I’m doing every day. I can’t wait to get to the building. Hopefully I’m here for another few years. But I think it makes sense for the organization and for me to see where this thing is at the end of the year — where they are and where I am.

“Hopefully that means we run it back, we keep going with this group, that’d be awesome. But I like the fact we can do it how we want it.”

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Sep 30, 2025, 06:10 PM ET

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is entering the final season of his current contract, the typical time in a contract cycle when established NBA coaches demand or at least discuss an extension.

But that isn’t Kerr’s current plan, he said on Tuesday afternoon after the team’s first practice of the season. He has no issue letting his contract expire before cementing his future.

“I’m very comfortable going into the season with a year left,” Kerr said. “I’m so aligned with [general manager] Mike [Dunleavy] and [owner] Joe [Lacob]. We talked about this — there’s no reason for discussion or concern. This is kind of a point in our relationship where let’s just see how it is at the end of the year.”

The Warriors’ three star players — Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green, aged 37, 35 and 35 — all have two years remaining on their current contracts. That’s an alignment that Curry has called beneficial, allowing them to focus on a two-year window at another title.

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There’s been some internal wonder whether Kerr would push to get his contract lined up with his three stars. He is entering his 12th season coaching Curry, Green and the Warriors and, sources said, remains the preferred head coach for both of his longtime stars. They’ve won four titles together.

But Kerr said he is feeling no urgency to get any security beyond this season.

“I love my job,” Kerr said. “I love what I’m doing every day. I can’t wait to get to the building. Hopefully I’m here for another few years. But I think it makes sense for the organization and for me to see where this thing is at the end of the year — where they are and where I am. Hopefully that means we run it back, we keep going with this group, that’d be awesome. But I like the fact we can do it how we want it.”

Kerr entered the 2023-24 regular season on a similar expiring deal, but there were significant negotiations ongoing behind the scenes. Kerr signed a record two-year, $35 million extension in February of that season.

That’s not the plan this time around.

“I don’t anticipate any negotiation during the season,” Kerr said. “Who knows — maybe it all comes up at some point, and they come to me. But I’m not the slightest bit concerned about it. I don’t think about it. I just think it makes perfect sense for all of us [to wait].”

Wrapped within Kerr’s transparent discussion of his expiring contract was a clear acknowledgement that the end of this golden era of Warriors basketball is nearing, and he intends to walk away gracefully.

“However this ends it’s going to be done in a really quality way,” Kerr said. “It’s going to happen the right way. If it’s meant for me to keep going, I’m going to keep going. If it’s meant to be for the team to move on to someone else, there will be nothing but gratitude and appreciation. This makes it easy for everybody. Let’s see where we are at the end of the year.”

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In the New Testament, Paul told the Corinthians: “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”

“Seven employees told me [Leonard’s Aspiration deal was in place to circumvent the salary cap],” Torre posted in mid-September. “One finance [department] employee went on tape in Part I [of the docuseries on the matter]. Another went on tape in Part III.”

It’s not easy to get seven people to agree on anything. And though Torre hasn’t been able to name any of these sources, it’s fair to assume the NBA and the firm it hired to investigate will interview them.

And while this situation won’t be litigated in front of a jury, it can be helpful to think about it as though it would.

If Torre and/or the league were able to put seven witnesses in front of an impartial jury panel and have all of them testify that Leonard’s deal was a form of cap circumvention, it might be difficult for Leonard and/or a defense team to overcome.

Ditto for the growing mound of circumstantial evidence.

Those on L.A.’s side have been quick to point out that there’s no “smoking gun” yet, but federal courts are typically clear on the value of circumstantial evidence.

Federal (and most states’) pattern jury instructions include something along the following lines: “Either can be used to prove any fact. The law makes no distinction between the weight to be given to either direct or circumstantial evidence.”

More importantly, the NBA’s current collective bargaining agreement, under “Article 13 Circumvention,” reads, in relevant part: “A violation… may be proven by direct or circumstantial evidence, including, but not limited to, evidence that a Player Contract or any term or provision thereof cannot rationally be explained in the absence of conduct violative of [these sections.]”

Such rational explanations are getting harder to find with each passing day and week. And that’s just for those of us who have access to what’s already been made public.

That doesn’t necessarily mean the NBA is going to drop the hammer on the Clippers. And any punishment they might receive isn’t likely to come until after they host the 2026 All-Star game.

But we’ve seen enough already to suggest L.A. could (though not necessarily will) face some consequences.

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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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After missing the playoffs, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen broke his silence and addressed the team’s disappointing finish to the 2025 season.

Cohen posted a lengthy apology to Mets fans, admitting, “We didn’t do our part,” and calling the end result “unacceptable.”

After having the best record in MLB earlier this season at 45-24, the Mets bottomed out and finished with an 83-79 record. The team would’ve made the playoffs with a win in Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Miami Marlins but disappointingly lost 4-0.

Cohen did all he could to try to build the Mets into a World Series contender, signing star slugger Juan Soto to the richest contract in sports history this offseason. Adding him to a team that made a surprising run to the National League Championship Series a year ago initially looked like it paid off, but it turned into another chapter of disappointment for New York.

The Mets now face multiple questions entering the offseason, most notably regarding impending free agent Pete Alonso, who has been the face of the franchise for years. Cohen has never been afraid to spend big, but it’s clear that the team needs a different strategy if it hopes to win a World Series for the first time since 1986.

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