Day 1 – Kings Play Acuff and Sharp

The post How Did the Kings’ Rookies Perform at the California Classic? appeared first on The Lead.

On May 2, the Connecticut Sun played at PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford for the final time. While the night ended with an 86-83 loss to the Dallas Wings, it certainly was a win for Connecticut basketball. 

Before fans even began filling the seats, Dallas Wings General Manager Curt Miller noted his predictions of it feeling like a Dallas Wings home game. This is especially due to the Wings’ backcourt duo, Azzi Fudd and Paige Bueckers, making their way back to Connecticut one last time. 

The Backcourt is Back

“They’re both generational players,” Miller said pre-game. “They’re certainly cornerstones of what we’re building, and we think it’s going to be a very special time for the Dallas Wings.”

Bueckers then went on to have one of her best games so far this season, finishing with 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. 11 of those points came from the fourth quarter alone. 

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It was Bueckers’ and other UCONN alums’ last night playing basketball in Connecticut. The closeness and competitive matchup in itself was only a nutshell of what that arena has meant to Connecticut basketball over the years. 

“It was just great to be a part of that impact,” said Sun forward Aaliyah Edwards. “Not only here in the pros, but from my college days. To play against my former teammates is pretty cool. It was the first time I played against Azzi in the pros, and I’ve obviously played against Paige before, so it was nice. I got the and-one on Paige, so I’m definitely going to call her out on that one.”

The UCONN-WNBA Pipeline

PeoplesBank Arena being one of two home locations for UCONN Basketball brought in several UCONN-specific fans. 

“We want to bring that WNBA product closer to people that maybe couldn’t make the drive,” Connecticut Sun President Jen Rizzotti said ahead of the game. “There’s a lot more people that live up in this area than down in southeastern Connecticut, so I think you’ll see that in the crowd tonight.”

Sure enough, that arena had more than 14,500 fans in attendance. 

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A Fandom to Remember

So much of this season has been about legacy within the team’s present and past contributors. Although one of the biggest contributors that deserves equal focus is that of the fans. 

Much of the current Connecticut Sun fandom comes from the UCONN pipeline. Getting to watch a couple of games this season at PeoplesBank Arena made that connection complete. 

“To be able to welcome Huskies to our roster and then also from the opponent teams back to Connecticut is a fun experience. These fans get a chance to celebrate their favorites,” Rizzotti said. “And learn about new favorites.”

The post How Did Playing in Hartford Strengthen the Sun Legacy? appeared first on The Lead.

For years, the Yankees have survived by leaning entirely on Aaron Judge.

When Judge is healthy, there are a few players in baseball who can carry an offense as he can. He is one of the greatest right-handed hitters of this generation. He’s putting up seasons that share real estate with legends. Now, the New York Yankees are lifeless without him. They’re not just in a slump. They’re spiraling out of control, letting the division slip away.

Judge has been out of the lineup since May 31st with a right rib fracture. While lingering with the injury since late April, the three-time MVP still slugged out 17 home runs in 59 games this season. Though he wasn’t having his expected season of pure dominance, the Yankees were 36-23 up to that point.

Since being put on the injured list, they are 14-17. Without him, the lineup looks completely lost. An offense built on the shoulders of a giant is crashing down rapidly.

Worst of all, Judge isn’t even close to returning. ESPN’s Buster Olney said on Just Baseball Media that, “If you told me that he played next in mid-August or the beginning of September, that wouldn’t be a surprise,” when discussing Judge’s timeframe to return.

A Judge-less Offense

The Yankee offense has declined so much that it’s impossible to ignore how desperately they rely on Judge’s presence. Over the past two weeks, they have been the worst offense in baseball. Every team slumps, but fans are watching a team completely forget how to hit in real time.

Up until the time Judge went on the IL, the Yankees were bludgeoning opponents. They were averaging 5.32 runs per game while posting one of the best run differentials in the league. Since their loss to the Cincinnati Reds on June 20th, their runs per game have evaporated to just 2.88.

Worst of all, they’re not even running against a gauntlet of elite teams. The Yankees have faced one team with a winning record in this 16-game stretch and still managed to go 4-12.

An Offensive Coma

This miserable 16-game stretch consists of the Yankees having the worst average, on-base percentage, slugging, runs scored, strikeouts and wRC+. They are dead last in every offensive category.

Top sluggers in the lineup have simply not shown up. Out of 189 qualified hitters since June 20th, the Yankees have seven players anchoring near the bottom of the leaderboard by wRC+. The best hitter in this scenario is shortstop Jose Caballero, who ranks 158th with a 70 wRC+. His two-homer game on Monday boosted him up a few spots, but this team hasn’t had one above-average hitter in over two weeks.

The worst among Yankees is Cody Bellinger, who posts a bleak 16 wRC+ and ranks 187th of 189 players. In that mix are everyday players such as Ben Rice, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe who have fallen victim to the team’s power outage.

Even in Monday’s win in Tampa, they struck out 17 times. Every game feels like there is a mandatory script for them to either trail early or get no-hit for the first five innings. A lineup-wide paralysis has taken hold, and there is no end in sight.

Deja Vu of 2023

This isn’t the first time the Yankees have been forced to survive without Judge for an extended period. Back in 2023, Judge missed 42 games after running into, and through, the outfield wall at Dodger Stadium.

Eerily similar to this season, the 2023 Yankees were 35-25 before Judge went on the injured list. Judge would miss almost the entirety of June and July just like he will this season. Without him, the team cratered, going 19-23 over a 42-game stretch.

The parallels don’t stop there, though. The Yankees in May that year were a juggernaut, going 19-9. The team as a whole hit 53 home runs and had an OPS+ of 112. Then it all came crashing down without their captain as the offense vanished. Over the stretch of June and July, the Yankees hit just 59 homers with an OPS+ that was 30 points below their May total. It’s exactly what fans are seeing today with the offense.

Not to scare Yankee fans, but when Judge came back in August, he did not cure the summer swoon. If anything, it got worse. Judge struggled mightily, putting up horrific numbers. He hit just .196 in 28 games that month. The team went on to lose 18 games, completely crushing their playoff aspirations. The 2023 collapse should serve as a warning that big names need to step up, as no savior is coming anytime soon.

Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger Must Step Up

In this abysmal offensive stretch, both Rice and Bellinger have gone ice cold at the worst possible time. These were the Yankees’ lifelines for a scenario where Judge gets injured, but neither has answered the call yet.

Baseball is analytically driven, but no analytics can show how much a player like Judge protects these guys from their flaws. Without Judge looming in the heart of the order, pitchers can expose hitters. They don’t need to force strikes to Rice or Bellinger and essentially can minimize any threat they possess at the plate. So, since Judge has been out, Rice and Bellinger have felt the domino effect of not having him protecting them.

Before the collapse, Rice was in MVP form, hitting for a .303 average with 17 home runs. Since Judge landed on the IL, however, he’s hitting just above .200 in this grueling stretch of 31 games. The same goes for Bellinger, who was red-hot, showing that his new contract was worth every penny, but now can’t put solid contact on pitches.

If the Yankees want to get out of this rut, both Rice and Bellinger are going to have to find it at the plate sooner rather than later. This historically bad slump can’t last forever, but these two are the key to making sure that it ends quickly. The more time these two take to get out of their funk, the more games the Yankees and the Rays will be separated by come Judge’s return.

The post The Yankees Can’t Keep Waiting for Aaron Judge to Save Them appeared first on The Lead.

Two months ago, the Cincinnati Reds entered the month of May first in the NL Central with a 20-11 record. Setting a franchise record for most wins before May, it felt like winning baseball was back in Cincinnati.

Since then, the ball club has fallen to last in their division due to a miserable May and June. During that span, the Reds posted the second-worst record in the majors at 19-34. Although the season is far from over, it feels like the sky is falling in Cincinnati.

No Lead in the MLB Is Safe

Hard to believe that at one point, this Reds bullpen was the best in the MLB. After 31 days of baseball, the bullpen staff had a 2.59 ERA, which ranked first in the MLB. Peaking at a 2.31 ERA in April, it felt like every time the pen doors opened, the Reds were in a great position to finish the game. The bullpen was so good that the Reds had started the season 12-0 in games decided by two runs or less, which tied the 1987 Brewers for the most all-time.

Fast forward to today, Cincinnati’s bullpen holds a 4.66 ERA, which ranks 24th in the MLB. If you take out the historic months of March and April, they sit at 28th with a 5.33 ERA. The biggest issue contributing to the high ERA is the walk rate the bullpen is surrendering. Walking 5.47 batters per nine innings this season is last in the league by a large margin. This weakness plagued the unit against the Pirates when they walked an MLB record-tying seven consecutive batters.

What was once a great bullpen has turned completely around. Leads are no longer safe, and rally opportunities aren’t created.

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Cincinnati Reds Always Have Stress in the Bullpen

Although a lot of the blame is on the bullpen, the starters haven’t been effective either. The first men out are repping a 20th-ranked 4.51 ERA. Besides Cy Young candidate Chase Burns, who has allowed two or fewer runs in 14 of his 17 starts this season, the first guy on the bump hasn’t shown much consistency. The walk rate remains an issue for the starters. Walking 3.84 batters per nine, ranking 26th in the league, it’s forcing the first man up to see more batters and throw more pitches. The Reds’ starters are throwing a fourth-worst 17.29 pitches per inning, and it’s forcing them to get pulled earlier than expected. This is forcing the relievers to be called on the second-most in all of baseball.

Cincinnati is in desperate need of its starters to last more than four or five innings, so the bullpen doesn’t have to be relied on. If they can find some consistency and longevity from their starters, success could begin to blossom among the arms of this staff.

Lack of Situational Hitting

Scoring runs has been an obstacle that this Reds team has been trying to overcome all season long. You would think a team that ranks 13th in total home runs this season at 107 wouldn’t have a problem bringing guys around the bases. The problem they are having is that when the ball leaves the yard, most of the time it’s only the one who hit it that is touching home.

With a total batting average that is second to last in baseball (.227), getting on base via the bat has been an offensive struggle. Even with the Reds being 7th in the MLB in walk percentage, when batters get on base, bringing them home has been a huge issue.

The Reds currently sit at dead last in all of MLB in batting average with runners in scoring position, with a .221 average. Even in situations where putting the ball in play would score a run, the Reds’ offense stalls. The ball club is striking out at a rate of 25%, the second highest in the majors. Hard to put the ball in play when you can’t make contact with it. This has contributed to 7.03 runners stranded per game this year.

Until this team finds a way to have success at situational hitting, it doesn’t matter how badly the pitchers are throwing when you can’t put runs on the scoreboard.

Reds’ Batting Lineup Inconsistencies

For most of the season, the lineup for this Reds team has been all over the place. Roster shuffling has had some players batting in different spots in the order. A common theme for their lineup is that players are batting constantly in different spots in the order. Trying to find consistency in the bats has been a challenge for manager Terry Francona. He has been trying out guys in different batting spots for a good chunk of the season.

This continues months after Francona mentioned he doesn’t play “lineup bingo,” but often posts different lineups each game. With injuries to key infielders and outfielders, positions need to be filled. This has led to players being put in positions they are not used to playing in the majors. Playing new positions can create new challenges for any player.

Reds Players Are Having to Play New Positions

In Sal Stewart‘s first full year in the big leagues, he has been moved to third base. Spending all his time in the minor leagues at first base, Stewart is finding a new home on the other side of the infield. Edwin Arroyo, a true shortstop called up in June, is being used a lot at second base. Not a huge change for these young infield talents, but learning anything new can take some time. A bigger shift for some players is going from the infield to the outfield.

Spencer Steer, Noelvi Marte, and Matt McLain have been asked to take on different roles. The newly converted outfielders are now being asked to track fly balls and make plays in a much larger area of the field. These plays might look routine for a full-time outfielder, but they are not as easy as they seem. Playing this many players out of position can take these guys out of their comfort zone and has led to some big mistakes on the defensive side.

Combining slumping pitching, struggling offense, and inconsistent defense is a recipe for disaster. The Reds’ hot start has quickly evaporated into a season to forget. With the wild card break fast approaching, playoff chances are slipping away. The Reds are currently seven games back from the final spot behind five teams. Still a long way to go in this 2026 campaign. If they want to change the outcome of this season, they will need a win streak.

The post What Caused Cincinnati Reds to Go From First to Worst in Two Months? appeared first on The Lead.

The PGA Tour travels overseas to The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, this weekend. This event serves as a preview for the fourth and final major of the year, The Open Championship. Players will be using the Scottish Open to fine-tune their game on a course that plays similarly to The Open.

Co-sanctioned with the European Tour, the 44th Genesis Scottish Open will host a loaded field of the best players in the world from the DP World Tour, PGA, and LIV.

What Is the Renaissance Club?

For the eighth year in a row, The Renaissance Club is hosting the Scottish Open. The par-70, 7,282-yard course puts a modern spin on how links golf is played. The pot bunkers, long grass lining the fairways, gorse, and wide-open areas give the course its links-style personality. Due to the spacious land, lack of trees, and Firth of Forth to the north, wind could play a factor. If the weather cooperates, the wide fairways and large greens allow players to play aggressively and attack the hole locations.

The course has a unique layout, holding five par threes. Highlighted by a short 147-yard par-three 6th hole, a drivable 338-yard par-four fifth hole, and three of the four par fives reachable in two, there are plenty of opportunities for the field to fire low scores. With the last three winners of this tournament finishing at double digits under par, if the wind is not a factor this week, the course could be in for another low-number winner.

New Familiar Faces in the Field

Due to this being a co-sanctioned event, the tournament will be hosting top talents from all pro tours. LIV Tour golfers Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will be participating in their first non-major PGA Tour event in quite some time. Both can participate because of their DP World Tour memberships. This will be Rahm’s first PGA Tour event since the 2023 Tour Championship, and Hatton’s first since the 2024 Sony Open. The golf community will have many eyes on them as they look to make statements in their return.

Former LIV golfers Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed will also be in the field. The former major champions have been slowly easing their way back into the PGA Tour landscape. Koepka has been flashy at times, but has only been able to crack the top 10 once this year at the Cognizant Classic back in February (T9).

Reed has only played in three events this year, all being major championships. He played well in two of them, while missing the cut in the U.S. Open. Reed finished T12 at the Masters and T10 at the PGA Championship. As the final major of the season draws near, these familiar faces will need to find their swing if they want to compete.

The Defending Champ, Chris Gotterup, Is Coming off a Win

Last year, before the Scottish Open, Chris Gotterup wasn’t a household name. Gotterup was playing in the Scottish Open for the second time in his career, where he had missed the cut the previous year. After he shot a bogey-free 61 in the second round last summer, he put the golf world on notice. Tying the course record with that score, he would go on to win the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open for his second win on tour.

After holding off and defeating some of the best golfers in the world, he proved to himself and showed the world that Gotterup is a name to look out for for the rest of the season and beyond.

This time around, Gotterup is fresh off a win at the John Deere Classic. Unlike the last time he took the trip to Scotland, now the world knows his name. He has won three times on tour since his breakout victory at The Renaissance last year, all in 2026. Gotterup will aim to continue his hot streak and look to defend his title. He will once again need to compete with and beat the likes of the best golfers in the world. With some momentum and confidence on his side, he’s in a great position to repeat.

The Genesis Scottish Open is the last stop until The Open Championship, and players are going to give it their all. The Tour Championship is on the horizon, and players will be making a push for their position come August. With the combination of the DP World Tour, PGA Tour, and LIV, this year’s Scottish Open is shaping up to be an unforgettable tournament. We will see where the dominoes fall and who will play well enough to lift the trophy come Sunday.

The post Can Chris Gotterup Beat Co-Sanctioned Field at the Genesis Scottish Open? appeared first on The Lead.

With a busy draft week and the start of free agency in the rearview mirror, the St. Louis Blues moved on from two forwards while adding four. In GM Alex Steen’s first weeks at the helm, many wonder if he has something bigger up his sleeve.

As the 2025-26 season quickly devolved into one to forget, the Blues began unleashing the kids. This was especially the case up top, as captain Brayden Schenn was sent to the Islanders. Doug Armstrong prioritized giving opportunities to players aged 25 or younger, including a full-time role for Dalibor Dvorsky, the debut of Otto Stenberg, and waiver claims for Jonatan Berggren and Jack Finley.

All of those players are still on the team, including Berggren, who signed a one-year extension. One departing forward is Jonathan Drouin. After being part of the Schenn trade, the former No. 3 overall pick was bought out of his contract, a move Armstrong never made in his time running the Blues.

The Blues Added Quality and Quantity

Since the season ended, the Blues traded Jordan Kyrou to the Capitals in exchange for a package that included Connor McMichael. Additionally, they brought in Mason McTavish, signed Ross Johnston, and signed Dillon Dube, who spent this past season with AHL Springfield, to a one-way contract.

As it stands, the Blues will have 15 NHL-caliber forwards on their roster when RFA McMichael signs a contract extension. That number doesn’t include 2025 first-round pick Justin Carbonneau, who scored 51 goals in the QMJHL last season.

If Carbonneau doesn’t see the NHL this season, it’s not a problem for the Blues. It’s a very common practice for teams to bring in depth pieces to add competition for a spot. Last year, the Blues brought in Pius Suter and Nick Bjugstad with Dvorsky waiting. This year, they traded for Brandon Carlo with Adam Jiricek on the cusp of starting his NHL career. Not only does this create competition in camp, but it also provides a safety net to prevent a young player from being put in a role they’re not ready for.

Someone Will Have To Miss the Cut

The Blues will most likely carry 14 forwards and seven defensemen to start the season. There are more prospects in the AHL, like Zach Dean, Dylan Peterson and Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, who could all fight for a fourth-line spot but could also fall victim to the numbers game. The two most likely candidates appear to be Stenberg or Suter.

Stenberg impressed in 32 NHL games last season, with 10 points, but he’s an easy choice given the numbers. The Blues have plenty of wing options, with McMichael likely slotting into the second-line left-wing role. Stenberg could get the 2024-25 Zach Bolduc treatment, where he starts the season as the odd man out but, once he gets his opportunity, never gives it up for the rest of the season.

Suter Is a Possible Casualty

Suter, meanwhile, could serve as a trade candidate. The Swiss centerman is 30 and has one year left at a reasonable $4.125m cap hit. Right now, with Robert Thomas, McTavish and Dvorsky locked in at center, he likely slots as the Blues’ fourth-line center. Is that worth his cap hit? 

He could play the wing as well, but isn’t the strongest skater and doesn’t drive much of his own offense. He thrives as a third-line, 200-foot, responsible center – a player archetype teams are constantly searching for.

It’s important to note that these additions are valuable to the Blues. Johnston is a fourth-line heavyweight who will have no issue standing up for the young players. The Blues haven’t had a true enforcer in recent years, but there’s still a place for them in the league. Dube has obvious baggage from his role in the 2018 Hockey Canada trial, but on the ice, he is an improvement as a potential fourth-line winger, if nothing else.

Steen, much like his predecessor, has been coy about whether or not more moves are coming. They are connected to Alexander Nikishin from the Hurricanes, but nothing is imminent. The St. Louis Blues are continuing to build organizational depth and have three months to assemble the best roster they can.

The post The St. Louis Blues Have a Logjam up Front appeared first on The Lead.

On July 1, the first day of NHL free agency, Ivan Demidov signed his first extension with the Montreal Canadiens. The Russian youngster signed an eight-year, $73 million contract.

Demidov’s Impressive Rookie Season

This signing comes after a strong performance in Demidov’s rookie year. In 82 games, Demidov led rookies in points with 62 and 19 goals. Demidov quickly became an important part of the Canadiens’ offense, posting 127 shots on goal this season. He has quick feet, elite playmaking ability, and can be incredibly deceptive with the puck.

Additionally, this season Demidov was moved up to the Canadiens’ first power-play unit. After Demidov’s second game on the first unit,  Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said, “[Demidov’s] always finding plays, finding seams, he’s got a good shot, and he’s probably run every single power play he’s ever been on…” Demidov led rookies in power-play points with 20.

Demidov’s accomplished all of these things in his first year in the league, earning him second place in Calder Memorial Trophy voting for the Rookie of the Year award. Demidov contributed in important moments through a successful season and an Eastern Conference Final appearance. Demidov has proven that he is important to the Canadiens organization in their pursuit of winning the Stanley Cup.

While his season could have earned him a more lucrative contract than the one he signed, that is not what he wanted.

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A Team-Oriented Contract

The most important offseason task for the Canadiens was, by far, the signing of Demidov to a long-term contract. The Canadiens organization accomplished this for an average annual value (AAV) of less than $10 million, which is impressive. In fact, no Montreal player makes more than ten million dollars AAV.

Immediately after news of his signing was made public, Demidov told the media, “…for me, the main thing is hockey. It’s the No. 1 in my life. That’s what I think. Money is never going to be over hockey in my life.” Demidov’s decision gives the Canadiens room financially to build a contending team. The Canadiens currently have over $14 million in cap space.

The Canadiens have a group attitude that prioritizes winning over taking the highest payday. As a result, the Canadiens have locked up their core until 2030, with Demidov signed until 2035.

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Canadiens Window of Contention

The attitude of this Canadiens team has been overwhelmingly team-first. In the current free-agent market, there are offers in the $18 million AAV range. These deals can gut cap space and make it harder for teams to contend. In Montreal, this is not going to be a problem for the foreseeable future.

Ivan Demidov said it best: “[The Montreal Canadiens] have a good core, and everyone is similar age, and everyone wants to win the Cup…” With Demidov’s team-friendly signing, the Canadiens have put themselves in the best position possible to begin their window of contention.

As the 2026-2027 season approaches, keep the Montreal Canadiens and their young talent in mind as a contender in the East.

The post Ivan Demidov’s Extension Reflects Canadiens’ Winning Culture appeared first on The Lead.

On June 25, 2025, the Utah Mammoth swung for the fences by acquiring JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres. To get the young winger, the Mammoth departed with fan favorite Josh Doan. In a previous article, the Lead discussed which team won that trade. It’s safe to say Buffalo did. Doan went on to have an incredible season, helping the Sabres in a deep playoff run.  

Peterka did put up good regular-season numbers but disappeared in the playoffs. In exit interviews, Mammoth GM Bill Armstrong seemed fine with bringing the winger back. However, on Draft Day, the Mammoth dealt Peterka to the Boston Bruins for two first-round picks. With new ammo obtained, the Mammoth used one of those picks to acquire goalkeeper Sebastian Cossa.

Replacing a Scorer

Though Peterka didn’t perform up to his potential in Utah, he still produced enough points to help the Mammoth reach the playoffs. The center ranked fourth on the team in goals scored (25) and sixth in assists (22) last season. 47 points is not easy to make up, so the Mammoth will need another player to step up and take his place–especially with the front office setting the goal of making the playoffs again. 

Free agency and training camp give the Mammoth a few options for replacing Peterka’s production. 

Vincent Trocheck

Having Western teams on his no-trade list, Vincent Trocheck seemed destined for an Eastern contender. However, he changed his mind and accepted a trade to Utah. The Olympic gold medalist brings a seasoned veteran presence to the team. Known for his physical game, Trocheck brings much-needed toughness. A trait the Mammoth sometimes lacked in the playoffs. 

With 37 assists, 16 goals, totaling 53 points, Trocheck overshadowed Peterka’s production (47) last season. Besides offensive stats, the center helps on the defensive end. He ranked second on the New York Rangers in hits and third in takeaways.

Anders Lee

After 14 seasons with the New York Islanders, Anders Lee finally moves on to a new team. According to reports, Lee picked Utah over potential contender Minnesota Wild. Lee brings steady leadership to the young Mammoth locker room. Having captained the Islanders for many years, Lee can help coach up prospects like Tij Iginla if they make the roster.

The veteran also towers over his opponents at 6-foot-3. This provides the Mammoth with another physical option for both offense and defense. Much like Trocheck, Lee is a bruiser on the ice when it comes to winning back the puck. Plus, Lee scored 42 points this past season, putting him on par with Peterka’s regular-season production.

Tij Iginla  

The most interesting replacement for Peterka is Iginla. Now in his fifth year in the WHL, Iginla looks poised to make the leap to the NHL this upcoming season. With training camp only weeks away, he’ll get his chance. Goal scoring comes naturally to Iginla. In 57 games with the Kelowna Rockets this season, Iginla tallied 48 goals, seven of which were scored in the playoffs. 

Much like Trocheck, he helps others score. Iginla garnered over 54 assists, helping his team reach the second round of the WHL playoffs. However, they lost quickly in the second round to the Everett Silvertips. Though their season ended in heartbreak, Iginla’s 102-point season propelled the Rockets’ fun year.

If the center’s skills transition to the NHL game, the Mammoth could have a superstar on their hands.

Is the Risk Worth the Reward?

On paper, the additions of Trocheck and Lee more than make up for Peterka’s production. Both players can get you at least 20 goals per year, and more assists to back it up. There is one caveat, however. Both players are aging out of their prime, which means their games might taper off. In the sports industry, Father Time can be cruel. At some point, even the greatest of players have to hang up their jersey.

At 24 years old, Peterka still has a lot of time to grow in his career. Though he didn’t fit in with the Mammoth system, he matched the team’s timeline better than Trocheck and Lee. If their game does drop off, Iginla can take their place. However, the young center has no NHL experience whatsoever. This pales in comparison to Peterka, who has a year of playoff experience under his belt.

Different Looking Mammoth

The Mammoth are entering into a new era of competitive hockey. For all the help he provided the Mammoth, JJ Peterka’s skills and personality didn’t fit in with the Mammoth players and staff. It’s sad to see him go, but the new players coming in have a chance at making the Mammoth formidable. For Mammoth fans’ sake, let’s just hope this swing for the fences isn’t another strikeout.

The post How Will the Utah Mammoth Replace JJ Peterka? appeared first on The Lead.

Newly hired Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker is entering this season with some of the highest expectations of any team that missed the playoffs last season.

But why is that? It’s because of Parker and the changes he is making to the Cowboys’ defense. 

“You build it around the players,” Parker said of a defensive structure. “Of course, you want to have your core principles and foundational beliefs. But as you kind of move forward in the process, what do your guys do well?” 

Last season, Dallas posted one of the worst statistical defensive finishes in franchise history under ex-defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. While they didn’t have the most complete roster, they can only go up from here.

Why Matt Eberflus Failed 

Some might say Eberflus was the real problem, not the players. Eberflus put the Cowboys’ defense in a box by running a strict 4-3 Cover 3 scheme with little to no flexibility.  

The position a player was listed on the roster was the position he played 100% of the time. As a result, versatile players like DeMarvion Overshown and Donovan Wilson — who have the ability to play multiple positions — spent the 2025 season being underutilized. 

Since then, Dallas has completely overhauled its defense and defensive coaching staff, with the most important addition being Parker. He plans to move away from the Cowboys’ traditional 4-3 defense to a far more versatile 3-4 scheme. 

The biggest difference between the two formations is the number of down linemen and linebackers. A 3-4 uses three down linemen and four linebackers — two inside and two outside — while a 4-3 uses four down linemen and three linebackers: the Will, Mike and Sam. 

But how does a simple formation change make a defense that much better? 

A 3-4 defense is known for its versatility, allowing defenses to send multiple linebackers as pass rushers while also being able to drop them into coverage by disguising coverage and blitzes. Third-year linebacker Marist Liufau is a perfect example. Liufau is a hard-hitting linebacker with a knack for making plays. 

After making the switch from middle linebacker to outside linebacker, he has become exactly the kind of player Dallas can move around in different packages. This makes it difficult for opposing offenses to know whether he’s rushing the quarterback or dropping into coverage. 

Key Players to the New Look Defense

Dallas officially has all the pieces of the puzzle to put together a strong defense once again. The Cowboys invested heavily in free agency by signing versatile safety Jalen Thompson, who can play deep in coverage while also stepping into the box to help stop the run.  

They also have three quality cornerbacks capable of playing both on the outside and in the slot, with Daron Bland and Shavon Revel leading the group. Free agent addition Cobie Durant adds even more depth to the secondary, giving Dallas another quick, ball-hawking cornerback. 

The biggest improvements, however, came in the front seven. The Cowboys are getting green-dot linebacker Overshown back from injury after he proved he can do it all at the position. They also traded for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dee Winters, who has worked with the first-team defense throughout OTAs and minicamp. 

Along with strengthening the linebacker corps, Dallas added even more firepower to the defensive line by trading for run-stopping edge rusher Rashan Gary. Entering his eighth NFL season, Gary has proven time and time again that he can be a productive veteran while also mentoring young edge rushers like Donovan Ezeiruaku, who showed flashes of his potential last season. 

Cowboys Rookies Should Make an Impact

While the Cowboys added proven veterans throughout the offseason who can contribute immediately, they also invested in their future through the draft. Dallas’ rookie class has the potential to make an immediate impact, especially on the defensive side of the ball, where the Cowboys spent nearly every draft pick on.

Almost all of Dallas’ rookies are projected to contribute right away, with first-round pick standout Caleb Downs already making headlines. Downs is an elite do-it-all safety who possesses outstanding coverage skills, footwork and the ability to play downhill, making him one of the best safety prospects seen in years. 

That reputation has already followed him to Dallas, as defensive coordinator Parker called Downs “as advertised” and “a natural football player” during minicamp. 

The Cowboys didn’t stop there. They also selected Malachi Lawrence, a raw but athletic edge rusher who displays elite bend around the corner. They followed that by drafting Jaishawn Barham. He’s a physical downhill linebacker with elite speed and physicality, which allows him to play sideline to sideline. 

Later in the draft, Dallas added cornerback Devin Moore. Moore is a quick and twitchy defensive back. Lastly, they selected LT Overton, a strong, physically gifted run-stopping edge defender. 

By combining experienced veterans, key contributors returning from injury, and a promising rookie class, the Cowboys’ defense now has talent and depth. If rookies develop as expected and the unit stays healthy, the Cowboys will once again have one of the NFL’s top defenses.

The post How Can the Dallas Cowboys Turn Their Defense Around? appeared first on The Lead.

Of the 32 NHL teams, several front offices stand out amongst the rest. These organizations consistently make moves to put their teams in positions to contend for a Stanley Cup. Their general managers are bold, gambling and winning through free agency, trades and the NHL Draft.

It should be no surprise that these teams are the cream of the crop in the current NHL. Some of these teams also have a leg up in attracting free agents due to state income tax laws, weather or the fun of the city.

But success, whether through skill or luck, and being born on third base, are part of life, and thus part of hockey. It’s impossible to exclude these factors. In this sense, sports have never been fair. But this list will be as fair as it gets.

7. Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes made a number of moves in the past 15 years that set them up for long-term success. They drafted Jaccob Slavin, a defensive cornerstone, in the fourth round of the 2012 NHL Draft. They drafted a steal in Sebastian Aho in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft. Then they selected Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis in 2018 and 2020, respectively.

Arguably, their best decision was signing Rod Brind’Amour as their coach in 2018. They haven’t missed the playoffs since and have one Stanley Cup from this year to show for it. Brind’Amour has them use an aggressive forecheck and pepper the opposing goalie with shots, a playstyle that has proven effective 90% of the time.

6. Minnesota Wild

While the Hurricanes primarily built their team through the draft, the Wild have used a healthy balance of the draft and trades. Their biggest recent draft steal was Kirill Kaprizov in 2015, who somehow fell to the Wild at pick No. 135. The Wild have also drafted major pieces in Joel Eriksson Ek, Matt Boldy and Jesper Wallstedt.

The Wild’s biggest blockbuster moves have come via trade. They traded Mikael Granlund for Kevin Fiala, who was later dealt for standout defenseman Brock Faber. Initially, people thought the Wild were insane for trading Granlund, only to see Granlund struggle and Fiala improve.

Faber became a bona fide defenseman, and the Wild also got a draft pick in the Faber trade. They drafted Liam Ohgren, whom they later shipped off for arguably the best defenseman in the NHL, Quinn Hughes.

The Wild have made mistakes in the past, with their biggest blunders being trading Nino Niederreiter for Victor Rask and trading Alex Tuch, who blossomed into a top-six forward, to the Vegas Golden Knights. However, Minnesota’s swindles in trades make up for these poor choices.

5. Dallas Stars

The current version of the Dallas Stars has been built over the course of two decades. They drafted their captain, Jamie Benn, in the 2007 NHL Draft. They robbed the Boston Bruins in a 2013 trade to acquire Tyler Seguin, a move that paid dividends that are still paying out. While Seguin has been riddled with injuries the past two seasons, he is still productive when healthy.

The Stars have also been the best drafting team in recent memory. They drafted Roope Hintz with the 49th pick in 2015, and somehow landed Miro Heiskanen, Jake Oettinger and Jason Robertson all in the same draft in 2017. Thomas Harley was another excellent pick in 2019.

Dallas hit the jackpot again in 2020 by drafting Wyatt Johnston, who led the league in power-play goals last season, and Logan Stankoven, whom they dealt to the Hurricanes for Mikko Rantanen in 2025. 

Speaking of Rantanen, the star right-winger is hands-down the best trade acquisition in the Stars’ history. The Stars traded for Rantanen and signed him to an eight-year extension after two other teams also on this list dropped the ball.

The Avalanche traded him to the Canes due to concerns about re-signing him. Then, the Canes couldn’t reach an agreement on an extension for Rantanen, so he became the Stars’ treasure.

The fiasco would really come back to bite the Avs in the rear, as Rantanen scored “the first third-period hat trick in a Game 7 in NHL history” to take out his former team.

The Stars have been no slouch in free agency either, as they signed now-retired Joe Pavelski to an excellent deal in 2019, and signed and extended Matt Duchene in recent years.

The Stars’ biggest mistakes over the years include signing Martin Hanzal, drafting Julius Honka over David Pastrnak and Dylan Larkin and Denis Gurianov over Matthew Barzal and Kyle Connor. But the Stars’ massive front office wins far outweigh the losses. After all, there’s a reason why general manager Jim Nill three-peated as GM of the year.

4. Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche front office has had two large mistakes in recent memory: the Mikko Rantanen blunder mentioned above and trading for Alexandar Georgiev.

Goalie Darcy Kuemper helped the Avs win a Stanley Cup in 2022, and when he left, the Avs traded for Georgiev, his replacement. While Georgiev had one good season, it was downhill after that, as he would become one of the worst goalies in the league.

Other than that, though, the Avs front office has been a juggernaut. They drafted multiple stars in the 2010s, including Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Mikko Rantanen. Captain Gabriel Landeskog, who they selected in 2011, was always a core player even if he wasn’t always a star.

While the Avs got their biggest stars through the draft, their depth was built through free agency and trades. In 2019, the Avs signed Valeri Nichushkin after he had just finished three unsatisfactory seasons in Dallas.

In the eight seasons since, the Avs have developed him into an impactful two-way player. They recently traded Nichushkin, who underperformed in the playoffs, to the Columbus Blue Jackets, creating cap space while acquiring draft picks.

Colorado traded for Nazem Kadri twice (once in 2019, once in 2026) and Devon Toews in 2020. Toews is now half of the league’s best defensive pair alongside Cale Makar.

Over the next few years, they would trade for Artturi Lehkonen, Casey Mittelstadt, Martin Necas and Brock Nelson. The Avs got both Necas and Nelson to fill the hole left by Rantanen, and while neither is as good, both of them are phenomenal in their own right.

The post Which NHL Franchises Have the Best Front Offices? Part 1 appeared first on The Lead.