I Dig Sports
Who are the top players outside the NHL? Ranking the top 50 prospects
The NHL prospect pipeline rankings for all 32 went out last week, which looked at each team's future from a broad perspective. This week, it's the top 50 team-affiliated prospects -- the best players outside the NHL, but who have been drafted by an NHL team.
As with the pipeline rankings, players who are rookies but are expected to play primarily in the NHL this season are excluded (that includes players like Macklin Celebrini, Matvei Michkov, and Conor Geekie). Some players listed here are currently with their NHL team, but are not expected to remain there throughout the 2024-25 campaign.
Not every team has a prospect on this list, though a handful of teams have multiple prospects in the top 50, including the Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks.
Here's the top 50 as it stands in October, 2024:
1. Ivan Demidov
RW/C, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)
NHL team: Montreal Canadiens
Drafted: No. 5, 2024
Demidov is supremely talented, a true difference maker. His elite skill set gives him the highest probability of becoming a superstar in the NHL. There's a good chance he blossoms into an elite offensive talent, notching more than a point per game for a decade in the NHL.
The most talented player outside of the NHL, without a doubt.
Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden has admitted feeling burnt out at the end of last season has contributed to his slow start to the new campaign.
The midfielder was on the scoresheet in City's 5-0 win over Sparta Prague on Wednesday.
It was only his fourth start of the season and Foden said he is still getting up to speed after last season's marathon campaign which started in early August and finished with the Euro 2024 final in mid-July.
"Last year there were so many games," Foden said.
"I put everything I could into it. I came back a little bit fatigued, which is normal. Rodri came back like that as well, a few players.
"It's normal how many games we play -- you have to burnout at some point. I'm making steps in the right direction and trying to get back to my best."
Foden played 69 games for club and country last season. He was named the Premier League's best player after scoring 19 goals to help City to a record fourth title in a row, but he has found opportunities harder to come by this term and has only made one league start -- in the 3-2 home win over Fulham earlier this month.
"I had a bit of fatigue coming back from last year, a bit of illness," Foden added.
"A few niggles as well. A few things added together. But if you speak to any player they've all been through it, the ups and downs of football. It was just a bump in the road if you like, I'm delighted I'm back and enjoying my football."
Meanwhile, Matheus Nunes said he is finally settling at City more a year after his move from Wolves.
The midfielder spent most of last season on the bench following his 53 million ($69m) switch. But after impressing from the start against Sparta and scoring a penalty to wrap up the 5-0 win, the 26-year-old said he is feeling more at home at the Etihad.
"I feel like I have settled in the best this season," Nunes said.
"I am more calm, don't put so much pressure on myself. I think that's clear for everyone since the start of the season. I just have to keep working like this. Just trying to play my best every time I am chosen to do so."
Gillespie frustrated by lack of clear communication in role as Pakistan coach
"I think there's always frustrations from time to time," Gillespie said, in an interview with Sky Sports. "For me, when I came on board with Pakistan cricket, I was told there was a long-term plan, and we need to make sure our communication's spot on. I made that a real focus and so you can get frustrated if those things aren't done how you would like.
"It wasn't what I signed up for, I'll be completely honest. But this is one of those situations in which you just need to go with the flow. As I said, I'm in a different environment and things are done differently. One can agree or disagree with how things are done, but ultimately I'm here to help the Pakistan team do well, help the players get better, improve. So I've put all my focus and energy into that."
"A lot's changed. Since I've been involved, we're already on our third selection panel. These are the things you just got to take it all in your stride and understand that we're in a different environment and go with the flow. I ask a lot of questions and ask for clarity, which as head coach I'm well within my rights to ask.
"But I want to make it really clear that everyone in Pakistan wants what's best and there's a lot of very passionate people here. That's driving me to continue to help the players, and it's been a great experience so far working with them. I really excited about what the future holds and as a coach."
Gillespie also acknowledged there was a learning curve to his own experiences, and felt it was only natural it would take time for him to settle at the PCB.
"Lots of things change in Pakistan at the drop of a hat. You just sort of take that in your stride and understand that this is the environment you're in. I've got to always remember that I'm a foreigner in Pakistan and I've got to respect that and that things are probably done differently to what I'm used to or what I expect in the environment I've come from in Australia. So not saying one way is the right way or the wrong way or whatever, it's just different and you just have to adjust and adapt."
"He's had a bit of a lean patch, but I don't think there's many great players around that have never had a lean patch. I'm very confident Babar will be back scoring a lot of runs for Pakistan in all formats."
Gillespie backs Babar to make a strong comeback
Gillespie's relationship with the players, though, has never really been in question. He praised captain Masood as "the epitome of calm", and said he viewed taking care of the players as his primary role. It is a note he has struck through his brief tenure, and one he asked former Pakistan players to help him with.
"I'm very protective of players and very protective of staff I work with and just want to make sure that the environment that we're trying to create is a safe space for everyone and if that gets eroded then that can lead to a bit of frustration.
"A lot of former players have their own space on social media, YouTube, whatever, and they're paid to have an opinion. One thing that I have noticed here is that the players notice everything and if they get some positive feedback from former players they idolised as kids, that goes a long way when they get some positive reinforcement. But it can have the opposite effect, too if there's a lot of criticism of by those former players."
"What I will say is that Babar is a fine player. He's had a bit of a lean patch, but I don't think there's many great players around that have never had a lean patch. I'm very confident Babar will be back scoring a lot of runs for Pakistan in all formats. He's just too good a player, works really hard at his game, is very precise with his preparation. I fully expect him to have a huge role going forward in the next little while for Pakistan."
Danyal Rasool is ESPNcricinfo's Pakistan correspondent. @Danny61000
KL Rahul unlikely to stay with LSG; set for mega auction
Will Rahul be among LSG's retained players? Does he not want to stay with the team? Will they keep him but not make him captain? These were some of the questions raised ever since LSG finished seventh in IPL 2024, after making the playoffs in their first two seasons.
Rahul is LSG's top-scorer across three seasons. He was the second highest run-scorer in IPL 2022 with 616 runs, before missing the second half of the 2023 season with an injury, but was once again LSG's top-scorer in 2024 with 520 runs. However, while the volume of Rahul's runs has always been high, his strike rate - which was 136.12 in IPL 2024 - has often come under scrutiny, especially as the league has seen much higher scoring rates in the last two seasons.
It is understood that during a meeting with LSG's owners recently Rahul had not committed to accepting if a retention offer was made. ESPNcricinfo has learned that a final decision will be taken in a few days.
Markram hopes Mirpur win will end South Africa's Asia hoodoo
It also may spark some memories of a time, not that long ago, when South Africa were superior in the subcontinent. Between 2007 and 2014, they played 15 Tests in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and the UAE and lost only three, racking up series wins over everyone except India, against whom they drew twice. In the same period, Australia won just one out of 15 Tests in the subcontinent and England won three out of 16. Apart from India and Sri Lanka, South Africa were, by far, the most successful team in Asia over that period of time.
That ended in 2015, when South Africa were outspun 3-0 in India in a series which started a significant slide. After their win in Galle in 2014, South Africa played 14 more Tests in the subcontinent before this one, and lost ten. Six of those defeats were in India but they were also blanked 2-0 by Sri Lanka in 2018 and Pakistan in 2021.
Of the 144 balls delivered to Verreynne, 115 were from spinners, which amounts to 80%. The work Verreynne has done on the sweep shot was evident as ESPNcricnfo's ball-by-ball data recorded that he scored almost half his runs, 49, with sweeps - conventional, reverse and slog - and maintained a strong scoring rate too.
Overall, Verreynne struck at 79.16, and against Taijul, he was particularly aggressive with 49 runs off 53 balls.
"Kyle sweeps really well, swept for a lot of his innings and he ended up doing well," Markram said. "So it's nice to see the guys backing those sorts of strengths. He's a good player of spin and for him to score a hundred in his first Test match in the subcontinent is a really special feat."
While Verreynne traveled with the South African squad to Pakistan in 2021, he only made his debut later that year in West Indies. He competed with Heinrich Klaasen for the role of South Africa's first-choice wicket-keeper but Klaasen's Test retirement in January has meant Verreynne has the opportunity to make the spot his own. "He's had a bit of backing now from the management, and he just looks really comfortable now in the environment," Markram said.
Having Verreynne's spot fairly secure ramps up competition with reserve keeper Ryan Rickelton, who has gone six Tests with a top score of 42. If regular captain Temba Bavuma recovers from an elbow niggle in time to play the second Test, one of Rickelton or Matthew Breetzke will have to make way and both could end up sitting out if South Africa opt for a fifth frontline bowler.
Having Rabada fresh and firing also vindicates CSA's decision to rest him between August and now, and leave him out of white-ball series in the UAE, and it shows how the two national coaches are working together. Test coach Shukri Conrad and white-ball coach Rob Walter jointly plan selections so that each of them has the best players available when it matters most.
For the next two-and-a-half months Test cricket is the focus and Rabada, and to an extent Markram, who was released from the UAE early, have been allowed to focus on that.
It has also given them confidence ahead of their return to the subcontinent next year to begin the next cycle with two Tests against each of Pakistan and India, where even tougher challenges await.
"The biggest thing we take from it is the belief and the confidence that we actually can do well here as a team," Markam said. "I believe that's where a lot of the game is played, from a confidence and belief and a mental side of things. It will help the team a lot as far as moving forward and seeing if we can put back-to-back performances together goes."
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo's correspondent for South Africa and women's cricket
Clippers fan 'Wall' baffles KD, but Suns prevail
INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- With 10 minutes left in regulation of the LA Clippers' first regular-season game at the Intuit Dome, Kevin Durant found himself at the free throw line facing something he hasn't experienced in his 17 seasons as a pro.
The Phoenix Suns star went up against The Wall. And The Wall won, at least on this particular moment, as the 88.4% career free throw shooter missed two, sending the sellout crowd at Intuit Dome into a frenzy.
Durant scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter but could have had two more if not for the distraction of The Wall, a steep section of fans behind the basket closest to the visitor's bench.
Durant, though, would get the Clippers and their fans back, drilling a 15-foot fadeaway late in regulation to force overtime before the Suns spoiled the Clippers' historic night with a 116-113 win before 18,300 fans.
"Yeah, it was crazy," Durant said of The Wall. "I was just staring at it the whole time. You're not used to that."
It has 51 uninterrupted rows of seats, but the first 13 rows are filled with Clippers diehard fans whose fandom is vetted by the franchise beforehand. The fans in those first 13 rows are expected to stand and chant for the entire game and create an atmosphere similar to a college student section.
This was Clippers owner Steve Ballmer's vision when he went over designs for the $2 billion arena. He wanted a homecourt advantage unlike any other in the NBA and it nearly helped the Clippers pull out its first-ever win in the state-of-the-art building.
The Wall and the high-tech 4K Halo board -- the largest-ever double-sided halo display in an arena setting that is almost a full acre long -- are perhaps the two biggest features that make Intuit Dome unlike any other arena in the NBA.
"It's the experience, the feel of the bowl and the scoreboard," Ballmer told ESPN last week about what he loves about Intuit Dome. "I actually love our standing room only section [in The Wall]. It worked great at preseason. Let's see what it works in the game, but it gave you a little bit of a college gym feel... that's going to feel like a student section because that's what students do."
Ballmer opened the evening by standing in The Wall amongst fans and starting what the Clippers hope will be a ritual with a dance and chant.
"Welcome home, Clipper Nation!" Ballmer screamed at the top of his lungs into a microphone.
With star Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely as he continues to strengthen his right knee, James Harden poured in 29 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists but also had eight turnovers. He gave the Clippers a two-point lead with 41.5 seconds left with two free throws but Durant tied the game with his big shot over Harden and Amir Coffey with 21.2 seconds left in regulation.
Harden had a chance to win the game but his driving floater fell off the rim. In overtime, Harden had a chance to tie the game but he missed the second of two free throws with 4.8 seconds left. Jusuf Nurkic then sank two free throws.
With 1.6 seconds left, the Clippers could not get the inbound to Harden as Grayson Allen stole the ball to seal the Suns' first win of the season.
Afterward, Durant and Devin Booker spoke glowingly about the Intuit Dome's Wall.
"I missed a free throw," said Booker, who fouled out late in the fourth quarter. "I was pissed. I think K missed two down there too. So that s--- might work."
Asked if The Wall left an impression on him, Booker responded, "Hell yeah."
"You spend $2 billion, put a wall up," Booker said.
When Durant missed those two foul shots in the fourth quarter, it brought Intuit Dome to life because whenever an opponent misses two consecutive free throws, fans get free Chick-fil-A sandwiches.
"I think I experienced that [once before]," Durant said of The Wall. "Oklahoma State has somewhat of an arena like that, obviously not that big. But to see something go straight up, and I always thought that was cool. The noise sounds a little different. It's going to be a tough road environment for anyone who comes in here."
Harden just wishes the Clippers were able to give their fans something to truly remember about opening night.
"I'm so disappointed that we didn't get the win," Harden said. "That's like one of the most frustrating things. Like just history in Inglewood. The Intuit Dome. The fans showed up and we got the short end of the stick.
"But I think they gave us a great, great energy tonight and I think the more they continue, that the better our results will be. So, we appreciate the fans. We got to do our part and they definitely did theirs tonight."
Boulter is looking to finish a season where she has won two WTA titles with a flourish and has reached her first quarter-final since Eastbourne in June.
The clinical victory over Okamura sets up an intriguing clash with Canadian wildcard Bianca Andreescu.
Andreescu, 24, won the 2019 US Open as a teenager but has been plagued by injury problems since.
"Bianca is an incredible fighter, won a Grand Slam and is playing some good tennis," said Boulter, who has no ranking points to defend and could move back into the top 30 this week.
"It's a free swing for me at the end of the year and I have nothing to lose."
Boulter is seeded ninth at the WTA 500 event in the Japanese capital, with China's Zheng Qinwen, Russian Daria Kasatkina, Diana Shnaider and Canada's Leylah Fernandez left in the draw as higher-ranked players.
Bristol's home form is an "annoyance", director of rugby Pat Lam has admitted as the club looks to end its Ashton Gate win drought against Northampton on Friday.
The Bears have won their three away games so far this season but lost both of their home matches, by three points to Gloucester and two points to Saracens.
Their last home Premiership win was against Newcastle on 21 April.
"We desperately want a win at home - we've had five games, three away, but with the two at home we haven't quite nailed [it]," Lam told BBC Radio Bristol.
"We've lost both in the last minute of the game really so we're determined to be better than we have been to ensure we get a victory at home that's for us and our supporters."
Bristol play reigning champions Saints, who are one position and five points behind the Bears in fifth, in their final match before the international break.
Lam said the form was not a concern but "probably annoyance" due to the fine margins in both losses.
"The penalties [against us] to actually lose the game at the end weren't necessarily the right calls - we know we could be sitting here with 25 points but we're not," Lam said.
"But we're doing so much right. We're in the top four, we're averaging just under four [league] points a game. We have a great opportunity to finish this block well and [be] truly locked in the top four before we take a break."
Mandhana-led India bat, debuts for Hasabnis, Thakor
Toss India chose to bat vs New Zealand
India missed their captain Harmanpreet Kaur due to a niggle, and in her absence Smriti Mandhana won the toss and opted to bat in the opening women's ODI against New Zealand. This is the first women's ODI in Motera, Ahmedabad since April 2013.
New Zealand lined up similar to the way they had in their successful T20 World Cup campaign. Lauren Down, who made a comeback from maternity break earlier this year, was part of the lower middle order while tall fast bowler Molly Penfold also got a go. Fast bowler Lea Tahuhu, part of the experienced troika that includes captain Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, was rested.
This series is important for New Zealand, who are in search of crucial ICC Women's Championship points.
India: 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Yastika Bhatia (wk), 4 D Hemalatha, 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Tejal Hasabnis, 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Radha Yadav, 9 Arundhati Reddy, 10 Saima Thakor, 11 Renuka Singh
New Zealand: 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Lauren Down, 8 Isabella Gaze (wk), 9 Jess Kerr, 10 Molly Penfold, 11 Eden Carson
US Open Squash 2024: Mazen Hesham calls for more rests days
World No.5 Mazen Hesham produced a scintillating spell of attacking squash to overcome defending champion Paul Coll in five games and advance to the semi-finals of the Comcast Business US Open Championships 2024.
Hesham, who had previously never beaten Coll from eight attempts on the PSA Tour, fought back from one game down, 8-1 down in the second, to eventually advance by a 5-11, 11-9, 2-11, 11-5, 11-4 scoreline at the Arlen Specter US Squash Center in Philadelphia.
As was the case in his second-round match against Joel Makin, Hesham was slow out of the blocks, with the first game-and-a-half of play being dominated by World No.3 Coll.
However, as has become custom in recent years, Hesham managed to ignite his attacking game in a flash, with his deception down the backhand wing, in particular, troubling the movement and rhythm of Coll.
The Black Falcon came from 8-1 down to pinch the second game from Colls grasp, before once again stealing the momentum of the match to power his way back from 2-1 down and progress to the semi-finals in Philadelphia.
You have so many semi-finals and finals ruined because somebody had 2-3 hard matches early in the tournament we need more rest days!
Do you agree with the @Thesquashfalcon?
Hear the Egyptians full U.S. Open QF post-match interview #USOpenSquash pic.twitter.com/XNMoIEBqs3
PSA Squash Tour (@PSASquashTour) October 24, 2024
After the match, Hesham said: Paul was doing really well in the first two games. I didnt do much wrong; I just had to tell myself that I needed to get him away from the T and just try to push him a little bit into the back corners.
I had to hang in there in the second and just try to get more rallies in. As soon as I got like four or five points, I thought I was in it again and just tried to push him and test him mentally. I think I did that really well for the rest of the match.
World No.1 Ali Farag awaits Hesham in the semi-finals of the PSA Squash Tour Platinum event after the Egyptian came through a stern examination from Youssef Ibrahim to advance in four games.
Farag, the runner-up at the 2023 U.S. Open, was forced to display his very best defensive skills to withhold the attacking threats of Ibrahim, notably fighting back from two game balls down in the fourth game to seal victory on the all-glass court inside the Arlen Specter US Squash Center.
Meanwhile, in the womens event, American No.1 Olivia Weaver progressed to her second consecutive semi-final at the U.S. Open Championships after defeating rising star Fayrouz Aboelkheir in four games.
The World No.4 was the only American player left in the draw going into the quarter-finals, but faced a tricky test in the form of 18-year-old Aboelkheir, who had upset Georgina Kennedy in round one.
After losing a tight opening game 11-8, Weaver drew on the home crowd to great effect, finding her targets more effectively and clinching a tight second game 11-9 to draw level.
From there, the momentum of the match continued to move in Weavers favour, with the No.4 seed moving away in the mid-phases of the subsequent two games to advance to the semi-finals in her home town of Philadelphia.
After the match, she said: Its not the ideal start time when you get on late, but this is part of the job, you have to be flexible, you have to be ready to go whenever.
I was disappointed not to sneak out that first game but I was happy with how I didnt panic and I just went back to my game plan. I just tried to find my targets on the court, which I dont think were great in the first game.
If you leave anything in the middle, shes going to put it away, so I really just wanted to shut the court down, and Im happy with how I adapted throughout the match.
World No.1 Nour El Sherbini will be Weavers opponent in the last four after the defending champion held off No.8 seed Rowan Elaraby in a challenging five-game duel.
In a see-saw match that saw momentum switch hands on numerous occasions, it was El Sherbini who managed to eventually stretch her winning run over Elaraby to nine matches, taking the encounter by a 9-11, 11-1, 11-2, 11-13, 11-8 scoreline.
Results: Mens Quarter Finals U.S. Open Championships 2024
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) bt Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) 3-1: 11-7, 9-11, 11-7, 12-10 (59m)
[5] Mazen Hesham (EGY) bt [3] Paul Coll (NZL) 3-2: 5-11, 11-9, 2-11, 11-5, 11-4 (64m)
Results: Womens Quarter Finals U.S. Open Championships 2024
[1] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) bt [8] Rowan Elaraby (EGY) 3-2: 9-11, 11-1, 11-2, 11-13, 11-8 (60m)
[4] Olivia Weaver (USA) bt Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) 3-1: 8-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-5 (42m)
Draw: Mens Quarter Finals (Bottom Half: To Be Played October 24)
[4] Diego Elias (PER) v [8] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG)
Aly Abou Eleinen (EGY) v [2] Mostafa Asal (EGY)
Draw: Womens Quarter Finals (Bottom Half: To Be Played October 24)
[3] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) v [7] Tinne Gilis (BEL)
[5] Nele Coll (BEL) v [2] Nouran Gohar (EGY)
Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: 
Email: 
