The Florida Panthers have swapped depth defensemen on the roster, assigning Tobias Bjornfot to the minor league and recalling Jaycob Megna per the AHL Transactions Log. Bjornfot will return to the minors after appearing in Florida’s last six games. He manageed no scoring, two penalty minutes, and a minus-five in the appearances.
Bjornfot is now up to no scoring and a minus-three through 14 NHL appearances this season. He’s had a bit better footing in the minor leagues, where he’s potted 16 points, 22 penalty minutes, and a plus-one in 43 games. Bjornfot has developed into more-and-more of a stay-at-home defenseman as his professional career progresses, though his lack of offense at the top flight has made him hard to routinely trust.
With a three-game road trip on the horizon, Florida will opt to instead reward Megna with the first call-up of his season. He’s matched Bjornfot’s AHL scoring, with 16 points in 64 games of his own. Megna adds to that 23 penalty minutes and a strong plus-26, which ranks second on the Charlotte Checkers. The six-foot-six defender appeared in 44 games with the Chicago Blackhawks last season – recording two assists, 22 penalty minutes, and a minus-15. He’s totaled 27 points in 185 career games in the NHL, and 114 points in 434 games in the AHL. Megna could be in store to step immediately into the NHL roster on this recall, headed for the third-line left-defender role that Bjornfot previously occupied.
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When Auston Matthews signed his four-year, $53 million extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs in August 2023, some fans breathed a sigh of relief. The franchise cornerstone had committed to staying. But for how long—and with what intent? If you’re reading the tea leaves, there’s an argument that this is Matthews’ final contract as a Maple Leafs player. Matthews Has Signed Several Short-Term Deals Unlike many other NHL superstars, Matthews has never signed a max-length deal with Toronto. His five-year extension in 2019 and his current four-year contract run counter to the 7- or 8-year commitments inked by the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, David Pastrnak, and even William Nylander. Matthews has always prioritized flexibility and maximum earnings—and that’s his right. But it also signals something: perhaps he’s not here for the long haul unless everything lines up in his favour. Matthews Hasn’t Given the Maple Leafs a Hometown Discount Matthews led the NHL in cap hit last season at $13.25 million. That’s more than MacKinnon, a Cup champion, and more than McDavid, a multi-time Hart and Art Ross winner. While Matthews’ total earnings trail those who’ve signed longer-term deals, he’s consistently positioned himself to maximize annual value. Toronto has accommodated that, in part through massive July 1 signing bonuses. But changes to signing bonus limits and tax implications could now work against the Maple Leafs’ ability to make such offers in the future. That may be more than just a financial footnote—it could tip the scales when Matthews decides on his next deal. The Maple Leafs Have a Diminishing Core and a Murky Future Then there’s the team around him. Mitch Marner—Matthews’ closest friend and long-time linemate—moved this offseason. He’s unlikely ever to return. By 2028, Morgan Rielly, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Chris Tanev will all be well into their 30s. John Tavares will be 37. And Toronto’s prospect pipeline is thin, with no elite reinforcements on the horizon. What kind of team will this be when Matthews’ deal expires? Probably not a contender. So, Why Would Matthews Stay in Toronto? That’s the real question. If Matthews wants to win—and he’s said repeatedly that he does—then staying in Toronto beyond 2028 seems unlikely. He’ll be 30 years old, still in his prime, and positioned to command one more major payday. Will he spend it in the twilight years of an aging, capped-out roster? It’s hard to imagine the answer will be Yes. A Final Thought About Matthews and Toronto Matthews has done well in Toronto as a player. While he could earn more in another, likely US city, he has done well financially playing in Canada. So, what’s the story with his loyalty to Toronto? Are there conditions? So far, since he’s been a regular, the city has been blessed with strong teams. Matthews has also built strong friendships and has had favourable financial terms. What if all three of these aspects erode? What, then, are the odds that when this deal ends, so too will his time as a Maple Leafs player? We could all see sooner rather than later.
The Cleveland Guardians got some bad news on top prospect Chase DeLauter Wednesday, as he is set to miss much of the rest of the season with injury. Per Zack Meisel of 'The Athletic:' Guardians prospect Chase DeLauter underwent surgery today for a fractured hamate bone in his right hand/wrist. He’s expected to miss 6-8 weeks. DeLauter, 23, was a first-round pick of the Guardians in 2022 out of James Madison. He had been expected to make his debut this season, but it's unclear if that's possible now. He's hitting .264 this season in 42 games, having already dealt with an injury prior. He has seven total home runs and 24 RBIs. An outfielder, he is the No. 31 prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline. The following comes from a portion of his prospect profile: Few players in the Minors can match DeLauter's combination of size (6-foot-3, 235 pounds), athleticism, ability to hit for both average and power, and plate discipline. He rarely strays from the strike zone and makes repeated hard contact against all types of pitches. He has an unorthodox left-handed swing that can get long and he'll get caught on his front foot at times, but his bat speed and strength allow him to pull pitches for power and drive them the other way with authority. The Guardians enter play on Wednesday at 50-50 through 100 games. After winning the American League Central last season, they are 2.5 games back of the third and final wild card spot in the AL. They'll take on the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. Related MLB Stories DOMINANT OUTING: Cristopher Sanchez threw a complete-game against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night, making rare history among Phillies lefties. CLICK HERE: 20/30 ONCE AGAIN: Jose Ramirez just keeps doing things that no player in Cleveland history has ever done. CLICK HERE: TURNING DOWN AN OFFER: According to reports, D-backs star Corbin Carroll will not play for Taiwan at the World Baseball Classic. CLICK HERE:
The NBA's summer leagues have quickly come and gone, and if there has ever been a truism about the showcase for rookies and other league longshots, it is this: Let what happens in summer league stay in summer league. For Lakers second-year player Dalton Knecht, that's certainly the hope. After struggling in the California Classic in San Francisco to start July, Knecht and the Lakers went to Las Vegas and there, the former No. 17 overall pick failed to turn around his fortunes. Knecht averaged 10.3 points in three games, shooting 27.9% from the field and 23.8% from the 3-point line. That showing, combined with a streaky rookie year (9.1 points, 46.1% shooting, 37.6% 3-point shooting) has left Knecht's future with the Lakers in some question. In fact, Jovan Buha of The Athletic noted this week that Knecht's stock has plummeted. Lakers Losing Value on Dalton Knecht? Remember, many considered Knecht to be a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA draft, but he fell all the way to the Lakers at No. 17, primarily on concerns about his age (he turned 24 in April) and defense. When the Lakers were set to trade Knecht in a package for Mark Williams of the Hornets last February, along with a future first-round pick, it was seen as the team giving up two first-rounders for Williams. But Buha said in his podcast that Knecht would not eb considered a first-rounder anymore. "Summer League has not helped Knecht's stock, and I don't think at this point he is valued as a first-round pick, in terms of an asset valuation," he said. "That was what I heard in Vegas from talking to multiple people, non-Lakers people, just gauging what would you give for Dalton Knecht? Or if the Lakers are putting Dalton Knecht in a trade, what is he worth? And the feedback I got was, no longer worth a first-round valuation." Dalton Knecht 'Can Shoot, He Has Value' But asked about Knecht's value, one Eastern Conference GM said that the summer did not change anything. "He is a shooter, and he has shown he can shoot," the GM said. "He needs to show he can do something else to get and stay on the floor, for sure. But his value has not gone anywhere, not based on a few summer games. Once you're drafted, it does not matter, no one is thinking of you as, 'You're a first-round pick, you're not a first-round pick.' It's what you can do to help us win. "Knecht can shoot, so that's his value. He rebounds his position. If he can be a better passer, and not be a big minus defensively, he is going to have a nice NBA career."
Prior to the team's first practice of training camp on Wednesday, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell spoke to the media for a second straight day. Whereas Tuesday's session with KOC and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah focused more on J.J. McCarthy and the big picture, this one saw O'Connell asked about more specific topics, including a variety of different players. Let's take a look at some of the quick-hitting areas he touched on. Year 2 Dallas Turner The hype around Turner's second season has been building for quite some time. Back in minicamp, he made an incredible play in coverage 20 yards downfield, showcasing some of the versatility he brings to the table. He showed up to the offseason program looking bigger. He drew praise from teammates and from defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who said he views it as three starters in the outside linebacker room with Turner alongside stars Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard. O'Connell echoed that idea on Wednesday and said he's expecting big things from last year's 17th overall pick. "He came back from the jump, in the offseason program, just his body, the shape he was in, just looks so strong," O'Connell said. "I think he's gained a lot of strength, I think he's gained a lot of understanding of the role. With two Pro Bowlers at the position, to say that we feel like we've got three starters, we really feel like that. That's a testament to the work Dallas has put in. He's gonna get a lot of opportunities, different personnel groupings. ... Dallas has had a great offseason. I'm expecting a huge jump for him, starting today." Contract year Jalen Nailor Nailor, a sixth-round pick in 2022, broke out with 414 yards and six touchdowns last season. It was a strong year as the Vikings' No. 3 receiver, albeit with a few too many drops. This year, heading into the final season of his rookie contract, Nailor showed up to the offseason program in great shape and ready to go. "He had a great year last year," O'Connell said. "There's always gonna be some plays here and there that you want back, but I thought just the ability for him to step in early after Jordan (Addison) gets the ankle (injury) against the Giants, to have the training camp that Speedy did to be able to handle what we asked of him, not only in the weeks that followed but in that game against the Giants, to basically assume multiple roles, I thought that was really a precursor to what was a great year for Speedy, showing such versatility." Sporting a new number (he changed from 83 to 1), Nailor is in line to reprise his role as the Vikings WR3 in 2025. And if Addison ends up being suspended by the league for 1-3 games to start the season, Nailor would find himself in more of an every-down role again. "We'll see how these first few weeks look, what type of personnel we're gonna have for those games when we get all the information on our group back," O'Connell said. "Speedy could be a huge, huge contributor early and often, all season long, and that's my expectation. He's primed and ready to play a huge role in our offense." Backfield deployment One interesting question surrounding the Vikings' offense is how they'll utilize their two main running backs. Aaron Jones set a career high with 306 touches last year during the regular season, but the Vikings don't want him seeing that much usage this year at age 30. That's why they went out and acquired Jordan Mason from the 49ers via trade. The safe assumption is that it'll be a 1A/1B situation in Jones' favor, at least to start the year. "I think you can look at it a lot of ways with looking at Aaron and Jordan, but how I just said it is how I see it, it's Aaron and Jordan," O'Connell said. "We feel like we've got, truly, a combination that will cause a lot of problems, between having two great backs that are different body types, maybe different skill sets, but they're complete backs. "Aaron Jones can run in between the tackles, he can catch the ball, he can block in protection, he can line up anywhere in the formation. Jordan Mason has proven already to be well ahead of new players in this system from a protection standpoint, and clearly, he's got the body type to be a physical presence. So I really see those guys playing off of each other where we can keep them both fresh, keep them both in attack mode when they're in there." O'Connell also mentioned Ty Chandler, who is third on the depth chart but did some good things in the second half of the 2023 season. And there's fullback C.J. Ham, who is in his tenth season and will continue to have some sort of role in the offense in addition to his special teams duties. He even floated the idea of using Jones and Mason simultaneously. "Maybe we activate some two-back groupings where we've got Jordan and Aaron in the game at the same time," O'Connell said. "There's a lot of things, schematically, that we're gonna try." O-line configuration On Tuesday, O'Connell talked about Christian Darrisaw and Will Fries, the Vikings' two starting offensive linemen who are coming off of major season-ending injuries. Both players did enough in the offseason to avoid needing to start training camp on the PUP list, which is encouraging. Still, they're working their way back and won't quite be ready for team drills right away. Thus, with camp beginning, the Vikings' first-team O-line will look the same as it did during the offseason program: Justin Skule in for Darrisaw at LT, Donovan Jackson at LG, Ryan Kelly at C, Blake Brandel in for Fries at RG, and Brian O'Neill at RT. The interesting thing to follow is what happens when Fries is ready to step back into full participation at right guard. Will Brandel be given a real chance to compete with the rookie Jackson at left guard, or will he be used more as a versatile backup? O'Connell seemed to hint at the latter, even mentioning that Brandel could see time at a non-guard spot (presumably left tackle). "Blake is ultra-versatile," O'Connell said. "So however the reps work for Will, for CD, I see Blake seeing as many as three spots this camp and taking reps in every way possible. Because we want to have the best five out there, but we want to have the most versatile, impactful eight or nine guys that we know we can go to bat with that first game and feel great about however it goes."
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