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On Monday, Vinny Lettieri and Oliver Wahlstrom were center Elias Lindholm’s linemates as the Boston Bruins defeated the San Jose Sharks 6-3 at TD Garden. Wahlstrom, who was claimed off waivers from the New York Islanders on December 14, was a healthy scratch for the Bruins’ two previous games. Lettieri was just recently promoted from the American Hockey League’s Providence as he makes his second tour of duty with the Bruins organization.
According to Natural Stat Trick, the newly-formed line recorded a 61.11 Corsi For rating in just under 11 minutes of ice time together. Lindholm was demoted to the third line after spending much of the season on the team’s first and second lines, mostly with Brad Marchand on his left wing. The former Vancouver Canuck has been mostly as advertised as a defensive stalwart with good faceoff skills. However, offensively Lindholm has not been able to find the magic touch that made him an 82-point producer during the 2021-22 season with Calgary.
The Bruins needed more when they signed Lindholm to a seven-year, $54.25 million contract on July 1. General Manager Don Sweeney stated that Lindholm had some similarities in his game to Patrice Bergeron. The 30-year-old center began the year with David Pastrnak on the wing, but that tandem could not find their game together. Lindholm’s time on the second line with Marchand has been better at times, but the production still isn’t there consistently.
The Bruins’ greatest need is a playmaking center. 20-year-old Matt Poitras has the skill set to fill some of that void but is still learning the NHL game. Boston is loaded with “centers,” but many of them have the same qualities. Without a true number-one center in free agency in the offseason, the Bruins opted for the next best thing. Unfortunately, it has resulted in a $7.75 million third-line center.
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Chicago Blackhawks analysts say last place isn’t the worst thing in the world
There’s a distinct possibility that the Chicago Blackhawks are the worst team in the NHL in 2025-26. They haven’t added many pieces from last year, when they had the second-fewest points in the sport. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily. Chicago Blackhawks insiders discuss last-place finish next season The CHGO Blackhawks team discussed what a last-place finish might mean. One analyst said, “I’m sick of being at the bottom of the standings. But at the same time, you also know that guys that matter for the future, this is going to be the… most we’ve seen them in the majority of the season. It’s going to come with growing pains.” He added that the “perfect scenario” is that all the young players take steps forward in their development, and it brings the team a little more success than they’ve had in the past and maybe more fun on the ice. But even if they’re not better, the analyst said the Blackhawks are at least lined up for Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg. The co-host said, “If you’re having good years from all your young players, and back-of-the-hockey-card years from your veterans, you’re not going to be the worst team in hockey. It’s almost impossible.” He added that if they are “bottom of the league” but Connor Bedard has 90 points, he would “accept that” since things are trending in the right direction. The Blackhawks have had a bottom-two record in terms of points the last two years, which makes up the entirety of the Bedard era. The hope is that with more young talent that has had some time to progress, the Hawks will be better in 2025-26. However, the team purposefully avoided signing any free agent veterans to the roster, even some that might’ve helped them win more this year with all the money they had signed up. This was because the Blackhawks want to play their young talent more. It just might not work out as well in the standings, but there are reasons that wouldn’t be the end of the world. If key players get better and they’re still the worst team in the NHL, then at least they saw some growth and will be in a position for someone like Gavin McKenna in the next draft.
2 Steelers first-stringers in danger of losing starting jobs ahead of 2025 NFL season
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a different look and a different feel coming into the 2025 season after bringing in Aaron Rodgers as their new starting quarterback. Poor QB play has haunted Mike Tomlin and company throughout the last few years ever since Ben Roethlisberger left his prime, and they are hoping that Rodgers helps fix that issue. While the future Hall-of-Famer is firmly cemented as the team’s starting quarterback, there are some other positions on the roster that are still up for grabs as the preseason rages on and Tomlin finalizes what his lineup for Week 1. The Steelers also brought in DK Metcalf in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason, giving Rodgers a true No. 1 option to throw the ball to. They also offloaded George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys in a separate trade, leaving that second wide receiver spot there for the taking. The Steelers also lost Najee Harris this offseason, making Jaylen Warren the presumed featured back. However, that spot could be in jeopardy as well if the returning running back isn’t careful. Earlier in training camp, the Steelers released their first unofficial depth chart of the season. Here are two players who showed up as starters in that release that could get caught for those spots in the coming weeks. RB Jaylen Warren Jaylen Warren has been splitting carries and touches with Najee Harris over the last couple of years, but with Harris gone he seemed destined to be the featured back for Tomlin and company. Not so fast. Insert former Iowa superstar Kaleb Johnson, who the Steelers drafted in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft. That was maybe a bit later than many expected Johnson to be selected after his spectacular 2024 season with the Hawkeyes, but that also means there is a chance that the Steelers got a steal. It won’t be easy to take the job from Warren, who does a lot of things well and can positively impact the offense both in the running game and as a receiver. In his three seasons in Pittsburgh, Warren has amassed 2,568 yards and six touchdowns. He has great burst but also solid power in between the tackles and runs very low to the ground, making it difficult to bring him down. However, Warren’s size makes it somewhat difficult to envision him being a true workhorse back, which could open the door for Johnson to become a bellcow on early downs. At 6-foot-1, 224 pounds, the rookie is a much bigger back who is built to withstand the rigors of getting a lot of touches every week. That was on full display at Iowa last season, when Johnson rushed for 1,537 yards and 21 touchdowns, leading the Big Ten in both categories despite playing in an offense that offered no threat through the air. If it weren’t for the spectacular season of Ashton Jeanty at Boise State, Johnson could have garnered more recognition for awards at the end of the season. Johnson looked a step slow in his preseason debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he still has the ability to become the main back on early downs for Tomlin and company before too long. WR Calvin Austin III This comes with a bit of a caveat that the Steelers list just two starting wide receivers on their depth chart along with two tight ends, which leaves room for a third wideout that could be a potential “starter” in Arthur Smith’s offense. Austin is listed as the second starter alongside DK Metcalf, but Smith could opt to go with veteran Robert Woods in certain situations and make Austin more of a third slot wide receiver. The primary reason for this is that Woods has built a reputation as one of the best run blockers in football at his position. Smith loves to run the football, and the Steelers project to have one of the highest run rates in the league this coming season. Woods doesn’t have the same juice as a receiver that he once did, but he could see the field more one early downs and in neutral situations while Smith looks to get the most he can out of his run game. Austin is also dealing with an injury during the preseason that has held him out of practice, which could hurt him in getting to 100% by the time the regular season starts. Still, Austin will be a big part of the offense when he does get healthy. He is one of the most explosive players on the team and gives the Steelers a big-play threat that can take the top off the defense at any time. Now that Pittsburgh should have its best quarterback play during Austin’s career, he could have a lot more big plays coming his way in the near future.
Browns may not be prepared for one thing with Shedeur Sanders
During a recent edition of the "Orange and Brown Talk Podcast," Cleveland Browns beat reporter Ashley Bastock of the Cleveland Plain Dealer suggested that Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski may not be prepared for the "potential fan backlash" that could arise regarding the team's handling of rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Stefanski seemed to say plenty about the subject when it was learned on Monday that Sanders remains fourth on the club's unofficial depth chart even though he enjoyed a solid NFL debut in the club's preseason opener at the Carolina Panthers on Friday night. Also on Monday, Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer made it known that Stefanski won't be in a rush to play Sanders or fellow first-year pro Dillon Gabriel ahead of schedule. "Stefanski and the other offensive coaches have a plan for the rookie QBs, and they’re not about to be swayed by public opinion and the Sanders-mania that’s sweeping the nation," Cabot wrote. "Yes, it was a great debut against the Panthers with two beautiful touchdown passes to first-year receiver Kaden Davis. But Stefanski always keeps things simple for his rookie quarterbacks in preseason games, and most have looked excellent in their outings under him. Therefore, he wasn’t ready Monday to start handing over those precious starting reps to Sanders when he’s unlikely to start Week 1 and doesn’t necessarily need that valuable time with the ones — yet." Neither Gabriel nor presumed backup Kenny Pickett played against the Panthers after they were slowed by hamstring injuries during training camp. Meanwhile, Sanders completed 14-of-23 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns in Cleveland's 30-10 victory over Carolina. Gabriel returned to the practice field on Monday, but Pickett reportedly could be sidelined "for a couple more weeks." It's unclear if either signal-caller will play in Cleveland's preseason matchup at the Philadelphia Eagles this coming Saturday. "They have had a process with Shedeur all the way through," Cabot added during the latest episode of the podcast. "And even when they were taking heat nationally from all kinds of pundits and experts saying that they were setting Shedeur up to fail, they stuck to their guns. And even after his really, really nice debut, they really haven’t changed the process." As recently as Tuesday morning, Zac Jackson of The Athletic mentioned that veteran Joe Flacco is still "the clear leader" to be Cleveland's Week 1 starter over Sanders, Gabriel and Pickett. As of Tuesday morning, FanDuel Sportsbook had Flacco as a -310 betting favorite to get the nod for the Browns' regular-season opener versus the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. Previous whispers indicated Stefanski will want to name his Week 1 QB1 before Cleveland wraps the preseason up with a home game against the Los Angeles Rams on Aug. 23. It certainly sounds like Stefanski won't lose any sleep over disappointing members of a passionate fan base who want to see what Sanders can do against live defenses in meaningful contests.
Six Major Toronto Raptor Storylines Heading into the 2025-26 NBA Season
Preseason rarely decides a season, yet it often reveals trends coaches and players embrace early. This preview matters for Toronto because a young roster is now defining roles and habits. Last year closed with optimism, tempered by lessons about process, health, and late-game execution issues. Six storylines stand out, tying together personnel returns, development surges, and evolving tactical preferences ahead. They offer a framework for what progress should look like when games start counting again. Fans should watch integration, depth, and defense, while noting how structure translates into efficiency nightly. Each section below traces a discrete focus, grounded in the team’s recent numbers and context. The picture that emerges is pragmatic, cautious about conclusions, yet clear about the necessary steps ahead. 1. Ingram’s Health and Fit With Toronto’s Core Toronto’s most significant variable is Brandon Ingram returning from the ankle sprain that stalled momentum. He received a plasma-rich platelet injection on April 9, with progress rechecked in May. Before the trade, he averaged 22.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.2 assists for New Orleans. He also signed a three-year, $120 million extension, underscoring organizational belief in his fit. Preseason minutes should emphasize chemistry with Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett on ball. Spacing, delay actions, and handoffs can spotlight his playmaking without stalling possessions. Medical clearance matters, but role clarity matters more for smoothing touches and decision-making tempo overall. If rhythm appears early, lineups featuring Ingram and Barnes could punish switches and rotations consistently, a factor sure to draw attention from odds makers and fans tracking lines on FanDuel Sportsbook. If timing lags, Toronto can throttle usage, preserving health while protecting core offensive principles early. 2. Poeltl’s Paint Protection and Coverage Tweaks Jakob Poeltl remains the stabilizer, anchoring paint coverage and orchestrating actions from the elbow every night. Early last season, he was asked to play higher in pick-and-roll, with mixed outcomes. Later, he dropped more often, protecting the rim and closing cracks more comfortably. Coaches leaned on his reads, toggling sets to lift shot quality for teammates. Poeltl, 29, is the oldest signed player, giving this group a needed veteran anchor presence. During the NBA preseason, the Raptors should frequently experiment with coverage depth, weakside tagging rules, and early-clock rim runs. His health matters, given a late-season metacarpal contusion that warranted careful management recently. If he anchors drop while wings chase over, rotations can tighten without sacrificing rebounding positioning. If the staff prefers higher coverage, second-line timing, and stunts demand crisp preseason reps, together. 3. Barnes’ Two-Way Ascension and Leadership Test Scottie Barnes enters camp as the fulcrum, balancing usage, efficiency, and defensive responsibility this preseason. He averaged 19.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists across 65 appearances last season. Toronto’s defense surged to second after the All-Star break, settling 15th on aggregate. Barnes anchored coverages, switching, rotating, and cleaning mistakes while energy stayed remarkably consistent. Coaches experimented with heavy on-ball responsibility, which produced lessons alongside occasional downturns in production. Preseason will spotlight decision speed, screening angles, and when to attack versus facilitate reads. Barnes also finished the year managing a metacarpal contusion, so the workload should be scaled prudently early. Leadership questions become far easier to answer if efficiency rises while defensive impact holds. If not, guard pairings and late-clock structure must support him without blunting aggression or creativity. 4. Rajakovic’s System: Process Gains vs. Scoring Output Darko Rajakovic kept modern principles, building motion, delay actions, and handoff sequences into habits. Toronto threw the sixth-most passes and ran the third-most cuts, emphasizing continual movement across possessions. Isolations were the fewest in the league, with handler-finished pick-and-rolls the fourth-fewest. Handoffs were frequent, ranking eighth, while Poeltl toggled sets cleanly to lift shot quality. Results lagged, with the offense finishing 26th, after placing 24th the prior season overall efficiency. Clutch stretches hurt further, as the group posted the second-worst overall net rating late league-wide. Preseason focus should test counters that preserve movement while generating cleaner pull-up spacing windows. Health for Immanuel Quickley, Barnes, and Ingram could turn process gains into actual scoring. Bench lineups must also sustain tempo, so structure persists even during substitution waves consistently. 5. Rookies and Newcomers Pushing a Defensive Identity Toronto doubled down on defense, adding prospects who can pressure, swarm, and finish possessions. Collin Murray-Boyles arrived ninth overall, after averaging 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks for South Carolina. At the combine, he measured 6-foot-6.5 with a 7-foot-0.75 wingspan and weighed 239 pounds officially. Second-rounder Alijah Martin posted 1.5 steals, measured 6-foot-1.5 without shoes, and weighed 208 pounds. Undrafted guard Chucky Hepburn signed a two-way contract after winning ACC Defensive Player honors. He averaged 2.4 steals as a senior, bringing on-ball toughness and turnover creation upside. Returnees Ja’Kobe Walter, Jonathan Mogbo, and Jamal Shead add continuity from last year’s rookie minutes. Toronto allowed 115.2 opponent points per game, ranking 18th, and addressed that with real depth. 6. Raised Expectations After a Rebuild Year Last season ended with a 30–52 record and a clear developmental mandate from leadership. Toronto finished seven games back of the final play-in, which strategically aligned with rebuilding priorities. The organization framed the year as the first phase in a three- to five-year project roadmap. That approach yielded a high pick, adding Murray-Boyles and retaining Brandon Ingram on extension terms. Players voiced playoff aims, but healthy availability and consistency must precede any ambitious targets. Preseason becomes a checkpoint, translating optimism into matchups, substitution patterns, and reliable closing groups nightly. What to Watch as Roles Solidify If these threads align, optimism turns concrete, and opening weeks become a launchpad rather than a tease: Use preseason to track availability updates, especially Ingram’s ankle and Barnes’ workload ramp timelines closely, Note how spacing evolves in delay actions when Quickley and Ingram effectively share initiator duties, Watch Poeltl’s coverage depth, then check whether wings sync rotations without conceding corner threes frequently, Track steals, deflections, and on-ball pressure from Murray-Boyles, Martin, and Hepburn in bursts against starters, Assess late-clock structure, given last year’s second-worst clutch net rating under pressure and pace control, Consider organizational signals, since leadership changed following the draft. That shaped accountability pathways for players and staff, Finally, substitution patterns should be monitored; a sustained tempo should survive bench minutes without drift or slippage. A Thrilling Raptors Preseason Ahead The Raptors enter the preseason with more clarity than a year ago but no shortage of questions to answer. Health for Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes, the integration of defense-first rookies, and fine-tuning Darko Rajakovic’s system will all shape how quickly Toronto can turn optimism into results. If depth, defensive buy-in, and late-game execution align, this young roster has a genuine chance to turn a rebuilding year into the foundation of a playoff push.
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