Shayna Goldman: The Rangers continue with the same theme: correcting a slow offseason, which included letting Tyler Motte go as a free agent. After the Tarasenko-Mikkola trade, the next thing for New York to address was their fourth line. Last night’s game against Calgary only emphasized that, when two-thirds of that line saw their night end early in the second period. In Motte, management found one of the better, less expensive options on the market — and a player they can be pretty confident will mesh well with their team considering his experience from last postseason. This time it costs Julien Gauthier and a seventh, after moving a fourth for him last deadline.
In today’s NHL, a fourth line shouldn’t be composed of defense-only forwards. That’s a reactive way of playing the game when the idea should always be to push the pace of play. The best defense legitimately is a good offense, and Motte helps add that element to New York’s depth. He’s a speedy, disruptive winger who can help both at even strength and on the penalty kill.
Motte’s arrival likely would have knocked Julien Gauthier out of the lineup in New York, so him being a part of the return does make sense from that perspective. That’s a player the team should have tried to maximize a bit more because the skill set is there, and he was never a fit for their fourth line. It seems like management has recognized whom the coaches are and aren’t willing to lean on, and (regardless of whether the dynamic should be this way) are working within those bounds to better the team. The question now is whether the Rangers are done. They crossed off another need from their checklist, but fourth-line players keep getting moved to top-six right wing. The bright side is that management has time to figure out how to proceed after seeing how the lineup looks with Motte back in the fold.
Since the Senators aren’t destined for the playoffs, it makes sense to move out pending free agents to ensure a return. Instead of just loading up on picks, given where Ottawa is right now, it makes sense to want younger, NHL-caliber talent. Gauthier’s ceiling probably isn’t as high as it was thought to be when he was drafted, but he’s a speedy winger who can drive to the quality areas of the ice. He could use some help to reach his potential and should get the opportunity with his new team. That’s not a bad return for a pending UFA who slots into a playoff team’s fourth line.
Rangers grade: B+ Senators grade: B
Sean Gentille: My biggest question here is whether Tyler Motte was with the Rangers long enough last year to rent an apartment. Maybe he can get the same one for his second go-round. Fit-wise, he makes perfect sense, just like he did in 2022.
He’s a bottom-six stuff-disturber with a defined skill set — skating, penalty killing, penalty drawing — that every playoff team could use, and the Rangers specifically need more of on their fourth line. It’s not as big a move for Chris Drury as trading for Vladimir Tarasenko was, and it’s not as important, but there’s some shared DNA, too. This was a team that had clear and obvious needs — a top-six, goal-scoring right wing who would push other players back down to their spots of best fit, a bottom-pair option and a player who’d make the fourth line a little more relevant.
In Tarasenko, Niko Mikkola and Motte, they’ve checked all the boxes. By sending out Gauthier, a player Motte might have sent to the press box anyway, they also preserved some salary cap space. The Rangers aren’t quite in step with the tippy-top of the Eastern Conference, but their lineup makes as much sense as anybody’s. This is a dangerous team, and a more playoff-ready group of skaters than the one that worked in front of Igor Shesterkin last season. Look out. Based on fit and opportunity cost, this grades out well for New York.
As far as Ottawa is concerned, the return is fine. Gauthier doesn’t have a track record to get excited about, but he’s 6-foot-4 and a decent skater. That’s worth a roll of the dice, especially for a pending UFA. The fit is good, but … it’s still Tyler Motte. If the goal was to add a player, rather than, say, a fourth-rounder, mission accomplished. I’m not totally sure that should’ve been the goal, but hey, who knows. (We’d mention that Gauthier was a first-round pick as a reason to like this move a little more for the Senators, but that was nearly seven years and two teams ago. At some point it ceases to matter. While we’re on the topic of stuff that doesn’t matter, he played on a junior team with Thomas Chabot.)
Rangers grade: B Senators grade: B-
(Photo of Tyler Motte during the second round of the 2023 playoffs: Jared Silber/ NHLI via Getty Images)
Montreal police say they’ve arrested a man in connection with the theft of tens of thousands of dollars in golf merchandise tied to the Presidents Cup PGA Tour being held this week in the city.
Police say that on Sept. 20 and Sept. 21 a person entered a downtown Montreal hotel and stole numerous official items and clothing “from a major golf tournament.”
The tournament is taking place at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in the city’s L’Île-Bizard–Ste-Geneviève’s borough through Sunday.
Police say a 46-year-old man was arrested in downtown Montreal on Thursday and was arraigned Friday on a number of charges including theft.
The accused remains detained until his next court appearance.
Police say the investigation is ongoing to locate the stolen golf items and apparel, adding that anyone with information is invited to come forward.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.
TORONTO – The Toronto Raptors are expected to confirm today that Vince Carter’s No. 15 will be the first number to be retired by the NBA franchise.
Carter will attend an MLSE Foundation event this afternoon at the renovated Vince Carter Court at a park in the city’s northwest end.
Raptors president and vice-chairman Masai Ujiri will also be on hand along with some current players and city officials.
Reports this week said that Canada’s lone NBA team would honour Carter on Nov. 2 when Toronto plays the Sacramento Kings at Scotiabank Arena.
Carter, an eight-time all-star, played parts of seven seasons with the Raptors. He was named NBA rookie of the year in 1999 and won the Slam Dunk Contest in 2000.
He was the Raptors’ first superstar and is credited for raising the profile of the team and igniting enthusiasm for basketball across Canada.
Carter guided the Raptors to the Eastern Conference semifinal in 2001. Toronto had a chance to beat the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 but Carter’s shot at the buzzer hit the rim and bounced out.
He asked for a trade in 2004 and was dealt to New Jersey in a mid-season deal that saw the Raptors receive little in return. The Nets, who are now based in Brooklyn, plan to retire Carter’s number in January.
Carter played 22 seasons in the NBA before retiring after the 2019-20 season. He’ll be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame next month.
The Raptors are celebrating their 30th anniversary this season.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 27, 2024.
NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit his major league-leading 58th home run, going deep for the fifth straight game to help the New York Yankees wrap up their second AL East title in three years with a 10-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.
Giancarlo Stanton had four RBIs that included his 27th homer, Alex Verdugo also homered and Gerrit Cole outpitched Corbin Burnes in a possible postseason preview. Judge and Stanton homered in the same game for the 14th time this year, tying Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris in 1961 for the most in Yankees history.
New York assured itself a first-round bye and home-field advantage in a best-of-five AL Division Series starting Oct. 5.
Baltimore, which clinched a postseason berth by winning Tuesday night’s opener of the three-game series, will be in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting Tuesday.
Stanton homered in the second to put the Yankees ahead and hit a three-run double in a six-run sixth.
Judge hit a two-run homer in the seventh against Bryan Baker and has 144 RBIs, the most in the major leagues since Ryan Howard’s 146 in 2008. Judge matched his career best by homering in five consecutive games.
Making his last start before the playoffs, Cole (8-5) allowed two hits in 6 2/3 innings, struck out five and walked one, lowering his ERA to 3.41. He struck out Anthony Santander with a 98.1 mph fastball that ended the eighth after plate umpire David Rackley called a ball on the previous pitch, a knuckle-curve that appeared to be just above the strike zone. Cole glared as the umpire as the pitcher walked back to the dugout.
Cole was given a standing ovation when he walked to the dugout with two outs in the seventh and tipped his cap to the crowd of 42,022.
Burnes (15-9) allowed two hits in five innings, one walk and nine strikeouts — including eight on cutters. Burnes came out after 69 pitches and is likely to start the Orioles’ postseason opener on Tuesday. He had a 1.20 ERA in five September starts.
Stanton lofted a slider at the bottom of the strike zone into the left-field seats after missing badly at a slider on the prior pitch.
Austin Wells, in a 4-for-42 slide, forced in a run when he walked with the bases loaded against Cionel Pérez. Stanton drove the next pitch on one hop to the wall in right-center for a 5-1 lead. Stanton has 72 RBIs after hitting 6 for 18 with two doubles, two homers and eight RBIs in his last five games.
Anthony Rizzo added a two-run single against Baker.
Emmanuel Rivera hit a ninth-inning sacrifice fly for the Orioles.
UP NEXT
Orioles: LHP Cade Povich (2-9, 5.59) starts a series opener at Minnesota on Friday, when LHP Pablo López (15-9, 4.11) will be on the mound for the Twins.
Yankees: LHP Carlos Rodón (16-9, 3.98), 7-2 with a 2.87 ERA since the All-Star break. starts Friday’s series opener against Pirates RHP Jared Jones (6-8, 4.14).
