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After an arbitration hearing on Monday, the third-party arbitrator released a decision on Wednesday, July 24, awarding defenseman Spencer Stastney a two-year contract. The first year is a two-way deal with a salary of $825,000 at the NHL level and $400,000 at the AHL level with the second year being a one-way contract at $850,000.
According to Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, the Predators requested a two-way, two-year deal with an NHL salary of $775,000 for both seasons and a $125,000 AHL salary for the 2024-25 season and a $175,000 AHL salary for the 2025-26 season. Stastney entered arbitration with the desired result of a one-way, one-year deal at $950,000. Earlier I predicted a two-way, one year deal at $850,000. This is splitting the difference for both parties. Not a bad deal all around.
While I have discussed the Predators’ salary cap situation previously, it’s important to note that the distinction between one-way and two-way deals has zero impact on a player’s waiver status or the in-season salary cap hit.
For waivers status, the determination is based on when the player signed their entry-level contract and how many seasons and/or games that player has accumulated in the NHL. Stastney remains waiver exempt until he plays 42 more NHL games or after the completion of the 2024-25 regular season, whichever comes first. Whether he signs a one-way or two-way deal is irrelevant.
In the offseason, two-way deals impact the offseason salary cap on a pro-rated basis based on the number of games the player played in the NHL the previous season, while a one-way salary is fully applied to the offseason salary cap hit. However, when it comes to in-season salary cap, all that matters is how many days that player is on the NHL roster. If a player is sent to the AHL, the salary cap is not counted unless that player’s salary is higher than the NHL’s burying threshold ($1.15M for 2024-25).
In short, I would expect a lot of paper transactions on off days this season for Stastney to activate that AHL salary.
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Sabres' only hope for success is if Terry Pegula sells the team
Bad teams that are always bad tend to stay bad for a reason. You just have to pinpoint what that reason is. It usually starts at the top of the organization. That is the case for the once-proud Buffalo Sabres franchise, which has been completely sabotaged and turned into a league-wide laughing stock by the ownership of Terry Pegula. Sabres need an ownership change more than anything else The Sabres were humiliated on Friday afternoon, losing a 5-0 decision to the New Jersey Devils in front of a sellout crowd in Buffalo. That loss kept the Sabres at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, where they are the only team that does not have a points percentage of at least .500 or better. As the minutes ticked away in the third period, the Sabres fans who remained in the building started chanting for the team to fire general manager Kevyn Adams. It is probably a necessary change given how bad his general manager tenure has been and how far away the team remains from serious contention. The problem is that a general manager change will not matter, because the stink that occupies the Buffalo Sabres offices is coming entirely from the owner's chair. The chant from fans should be "sell the team." Pegula purchased the Sabres in February 2011 and watched as the team finished the season with 43 wins and made the Stanley Cup Playoffs, eventually losing in the first round to the Philadelphia Flyers. That was the last time the Sabres organization qualified for the playoffs. Their now 14-year playoff drought is the longest in the history of the NHL and is tied with the NFL's New York Jets for the longest active playoff drought in professional sports. That means that in every full season Pegula has owned the Sabres, his team has failed to qualify for the playoffs in a league where half of the teams qualify every year. Since the start of the 2011-12 season, every other team in the NHL has played in at least 14 playoff games, including the Seattle Kraken, who are only in their fifth year of existence as a franchise. If you exclude the Kraken, every other team in the NHL has played in at least 25 playoff games during this time period. The Sabres remain at zero. From a regular season standpoint, the Sabres' .454 points percentage since the start of the 2011-12 season is also last in the NHL. Notice the line below where Pegula purchased the Sabres? Notice what has happened since then? It is staggering. Pegula has had four different general managers during his watch. He has had eight different head coaches. The rosters have been built and rebuilt several times. They have had two No. 1 overall picks (defensemen Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power) and two No. 2 overall picks (Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel). None of it has mattered. Adding to the insult, several prominent players have left Buffalo and almost immediately won Stanley Cups with new teams, including Eichel (Vegas Golden Knights), Reinhart (Florida Panthers), Ryan O'Reilly (St. Louis Blues), Brandon Montour (Florida) and Kyle Okposo (Florida). It is a combination of a rotten culture, bad decision-making and hiring, and an ownership that does not even spend all the way to the salary cap. This is the second year in a row the Sabres have had more than $5 million in salary cap space despite having several needs all over the lineup and what should be a desperate desire to build a winning team for a fiercely loyal fan base. They deserve better than this and there is only one way for them to eventually get it. It is with anybody other than Terry Pegula continuing to own them.
Details emerge on Francisco Lindor's alleged incident with Mets teammate
Mr. Smile apparently wasn’t smiling too much about one of his teammates last season. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor had a "heated confrontation" with teammate Jeff McNeil last June, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported on Friday. Puma writes that Lindor began verbally attacking McNeil on June 20 over a defensive lapse that McNeil had during that day’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The confrontation, which was only verbal and never got physical, came in the midst of a seven-game losing streak by the Mets at the time. Puma also reports that the flashy Lindor clashed personalities during the year with the business-like Juan Soto during the season as well. Interestingly enough, the five-time All-Star Lindor also had a confrontation with McNeil in the dugout during a game in the 2021 MLB season. That confrontation did turn physical, and Lindor later offered an extremely unconvincing excuse for the incident. Meanwhile, the incident last June underscored the Mets’ struggles to get on the same page with one another during the 2025 campaign. Despite having a mammoth $342 million payroll, the Mets completely collapsed in the final weeks of the season and missed the playoffs altogether. Now there are rumors that the Mets could make some big changes this offseason, including a potential trade of McNeil. After another apparent confrontation between the veteran utilityman and the four-time Silver Slugger Award winner Lindor, it is clear that something is not quite working right now in that clubhouse.
Jerry Jones claims Jets turned down absurd trade offer involving Micah Parsons, Quinnen Williams
Cardinals' Richard Fitts Reveals Reaction To Getting Traded By Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox made their first major trade of the offseason earlier this week, and Richard Fitts was on the business end of the deal. Fitts started this season in the Red Sox rotation, but injuries and struggles both took a toll. He wound up with a 5.00 ERA in 45 innings, and briefly flirted with a move to the bullpen late in the year before elbow neuritis ended his year early. Now that he's been dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals as part of the package for three-time All-Star Sonny Gray, Fitts is looking forward to competing for a spot in a less experienced rotation. If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google. Fitts talks trade, Cardinals opportunity Fitts recently shared his mindset on the trade, admitting that he likely had a better chance to stick in the St. Louis rotation than he would have if he'd remained in Boston. “With this opportunity (with the Cardinals), if I am able to stay healthy, I think it’s just going to be a great fit and a way for me to stay in a rotation,” Fitts said, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. “I feel like I really grew as a pitcher with the Red Sox. "When I came over from the (New York) Yankees to the Red Sox, it was like, ‘Oh, this would be cool if I get to be a big leaguer over here.’ And now, moving to this opportunity, it’s like, ‘I am a big leaguer. How can I fit into (the Cardinals) rotation?’” Though he would have been buried on the depth chart a bit, the Red Sox definitely weren't happy to see Fitts go. He showed No. 4 starter promise during his September call-up a year ago, including a scoreless start against the Yankees, and he was a spring training darling this year, adding significant velocity and showcasing three breaking balls. While Gray gives the Red Sox a significantly higher floor than they had to start the week, the Red Sox know they incurred some long-term risks by moving on from Fitts and Brandon Clarke. But the beauty of building pitching depth over the past couple of years is that it allows them to take some risks.
Alex Bregman sends message to Cody Bellinger after Yankees report
Both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees enter 2026 with well-positioned rosters capable of making a run, but each faces the challenge of addressing two high-profile free agents. Outfielder Cody Bellinger and infielder Alex Bregman are both in need of new deals or replacements. Both are represented by agent Scott Boras as they look to secure contracts this offseason. Each is coming off a strong year. Bellinger posted a .272 batting average, a .334 on-base percentage, an .813 OPS, 29 home runs and 98 RBI across 152 games while providing elite defense in the outfield for the Yankees. Bregman, in his 2025 season with Boston, recorded a .273 batting average, .360 on-base percentage, .821 OPS, 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 114 games. Both Bellinger and Bregman joined their respective teams in 2025, and with free agency now underway, last season could prove to be their only year in pinstripes or with the Red Sox. As Bregman and Bellinger enter the offseason, their focus has shifted toward staying healthy and sharpening their skills for 2026. Neither player is on an active roster, yet both have made it clear they are committed to maintaining peak condition while navigating free agency. In recent weeks, the two stars have been spotted training in Arizona, appearing to work out together or at least at the same facility. Their offseason program has been highlighted by sessions with Nemesis Baseball, a sports performance community that promotes itself on Instagram as “Sports Performance community for those who seek to reach their full potential / Built By Athletes For Athletes.” Bregman and Bellinger recently shared photos of their workouts, giving fans a glimpse into the intensity of their preparation. The posts quickly drew attention, not only for the training itself but also for the interaction between the two free agents. Bregman responded to Bellinger’s post with a simple message, “Dialed .” This interaction comes after a report from Mark Feinsand of MLB.com predicting Bellinger's next team. According to Feinsand, "New York is the clear favorite to sign Bellinger." While the Yankees appear positioned to retain their star outfielder, Bregman’s future is less certain. The Red Sox have expressed interest in bringing him back, but they have not yet been identified as clear front-runners, leaving open the possibility that Boston could lose its veteran infielder after just one season. Over the course of their careers, both players have built impressive track records that place them among the most decorated stars of their era. Bregman has been named to three All-Star teams, won two World Series titles with the Houston Astros, collected a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger and earned All-Star Game MVP honors. Bellinger’s accolades include National League MVP, Rookie of the Year, two All-Star selections, a Gold Glove, two Silver Sluggers and a World Series championship with the Dodgers in 2020. His best years came in Los Angeles, while Bregman’s peak was with the Astros. Both were key figures in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, yet that chapter appears behind them, as they now train together and show genuine camaraderie.
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