ERST LESEN! » a said teammate Martin Maldonado,

Heres our weekly look at the fortunes of some of the games brightest young stars. Behold, the latest under-24 player rankings.HotRyan Johansen, C, Nashville PredatorsThe Predators -- who have gone 8-3-0 in their past 11 games and moved into a tie for third in the Central Division -- are becoming the team many thought theyd be before the season. Goalie?Pekka Rinne is a key part of that: The veteran has been stellar for the past month or so. But also impressive has been the play of Johansen, a franchise center who is approaching his one-year anniversary in Nashville. The 23-year-old had just one goal in his first 18 games, but has scored four, along with three assists, in his past four games. And three of those goals were game winners.?Leon Draisaitl, C, Edmonton OilersEveryone knows that captain and NHL scoring leader Connor McDavid is driving the Oilers bus. He has 15 points in his past seven games, which has kept Edmonton in first place in the Pacific Division. But this teams ability to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006 will depend as much on its depth, and that is starting to shine through, most notably in the form of Draisaitl. The big 21-year-old was the third overall pick in 2014. He has five goals -- including four on the power play -- and five assists in the past seven games. The Oilers went 4-2-1 during that stretch.Dougie Hamilton, D, Calgary FlamesI rarely tire of Flames president Brian Burke when he gets a bee in his bonnet, and this week the bees buzzing around Burke and the Flames were trade rumors involving Hamilton, a 23-year-old who has struggled to find his way since coming to Calgary from the?Boston Bruins?in a much-heralded 2015 draft-weekend trade. Burke said that unless some team is coming to the table with 20 first-round picks, the Flames are not interested in moving Hamilton. Credit Hamilton, however, with pushing all this to the side as he collected six assists in his past eight games, including a three-assist performance against the?Detroit Red Wings.?The ninth-overall pick in 2011 has averaged north of 20 minutes a night of ice time in six of his past seven games as he and the Flames tried to claw back into the playoff discussion in the Pacific Division after a miserable start.NotAustin Czarnik, RW, Boston BruinsI love Czarnik. Hes undersized but has significant heart. The undrafted 23-year-old Washington, Michigan, native has forced the Bruins to open up a roster spot for him with his diligence and skills. But if hes going to stick around long-term, Czarnik will have to find ways to contribute for Boston, which has found scoring a difficult proposition on a nightly basis. (The Bruins are tied for 24th in goals per game and are tied for 21st on the power play.) Czarnik continues to get man-advantage time but has scored just one goal in his past 11 games and one assist in his past 10 games for a team that would be in the playoffs if the regular season ended today, but is by no means considered a lock.Connor Hellebuyck, G, Winnipeg JetsThe Jets are floundering again and until they get their goaltending situation sorted out, its hard to imagine them as a legitimate playoff contender in spite of its impressive offensive arsenal. Its clear head coach Paul Maurice has little confidence in backup Michael Hutchinson, given that Hutchinson has started just eight games and has just two wins. But starter Hellebuyck, 23, has also struggled, losing five of seven and allowing 20 goals in those five losses -- including giving up a six-spot Thursday night in a 6-3 home loss against the Oilers. Overall, Hellebuyck -- a member of Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey -- has a mediocre 2.76 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.Joonas Donskoi, RW, San Jose SharksLast spring, Donskoi, 24, emerged as a key contributor for the Sharks, who advanced to their first Stanley Cup finals. He chipped in six goals and six assists, including an overtime winner during the finals. San Jose is poised for a return to the playoffs -- and perhaps another deep run -- but Donskoi, the 99th pick in the 2010 draft, has struggled so far. He has just two goals in 24 games and has not scored since Oct. 29.?Young guns showdownRickard Rakell, RW, Anaheim Ducks versus?Connor McDavid, C, Edmonton OilersThis is a nice, juicy contest between two Pacific Division foes. The Ducks are starting to get their act together -- thanks, in part, to the arrival of young restricted free agents?Hampus Lindholm and Rakell, who didnt sign until Oct. 14. Rakell has been aces, scoring nine goals in his first 15 games and adding four assists. McDavid, of course, is on a tear and has opened up a six-point lead in the NHL scoring race over the?Tampa Bay Lightnings?Nikita Kucherov?through Thursday. Can the Ducks slow down the NHLs most dynamic player? Stay tuned.Randy Jones Padres Jersey . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. Rollie Fingers Padres Jersey . Shot outdoors against the stunning backdrop of Banff, Alta., the networks 30-minute original production airs tonight at 8pm et/5pm pt on TSN2. The four All-Star teams will play for $100,000 in prize money during TSNs annual skins game, airing live this weekend on TSN from The Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre. http://www.padressale.com/padres-rollie-fingers-jersey/ . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Manny Machado Jersey . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. Trevor Hoffman Padres Jersey . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country.MILWAUKEE -- One big swing released a little frustration for Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer.After an intentional walk loaded the bases for him with two outs in the sixth inning, Mercer hit his first career grand slam just over the wall in left-center to help the Pirates beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 Friday night.Puts a little chip on your shoulder, for sure, Mercer said.With runners on second and third with two outs, starter Matt Garza walked Francisco Cervelli to bring up the eighth-place hitter, Mercer.Garza got ahead in the count 0-2. Then he hung a pitch over the plate.I floated a slider in there, he said.He didnt get help from third baseman Jonathan Villar that inning. He committed errors on consecutive at-bats to open the sixth.Villar bobbled a bouncer by Andrew McCutchen, then threw wildly to second after making a diving stab on Gregory Polancos hard shot.Starling Marte followed with an RBI double off Garza (4-6) to break a scoreless tie. Three batters later, Mercer connected.You take advantage of those opportunities, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. In the big leagues, if you want to be an elite team, those are opportunities you need to cash in on.The Brewers rallied in the bottom of the sixth behind a three-run shot from rookie shortstop Orlando Arcia, his first in the big leagues.Pittsburghs problematic bullpen barely held on from there to back starter Ryan Vogelsong (3-3).NERVOUS NINTHDomingo Santana popped out to end the game with the potential tying run at second.Tony Watson escaped the jam for his ninth save. He had allowed a two-out single to Ryan Braun and a walk to Chris Carter, and they pulled off a double steal before getting stranded.The game boiled down to a couple of mistakes, a bad 0-2 pitch and that was the game, manager Craig Counsell said.MOUND MENA pair of veteran right-handers, Vogelsong and Garza, kept the bats quiet over the first five innings.VVogelsong won for the second time in three outings, allowing four hits in 5 2/3 innings while striking out six and walking four.dddddddddddd He has a 2.48 ERA in five August starts.Ive always been a guy that gets out of stuff, sometimes better than others, Vogelsong said. Most of the time, get some traffic and make pitches and get out of it.Garza struck out a season-high nine, but stomped off the mound after Mercers two-out blast.Thats a tough one to swallow for him over there, Hurdle said.ORLANDO BLOOMSVillar was the Brewers starting shortstop until a few weeks ago when top prospect Arcia was called up from the minors. Villar, who has 50 steals, is still working on the glove at third.Arcia, known for his defensive prowess, got a huge confidence boost at the plate. He was hitting .182 coming into the night.He pointed into the stands after crossing the plate. Somewhere in Miller Park, his sister and two friends were watching.Arcia said teammate Martin Maldonado, who was on deck, told him to watch for Jared Hughes to leave a sinker up in the zone.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: RHP Tyler Glasnow (shoulder) was scheduled to make his next rehab start on Saturday for Triple-A Indianapolis.Brewers: RHP Junior Guerra (elbow) was scheduled to make on rehab start before returning to the team, likely when rosters expand on Sept. 1. Counsell said the team will likely move to a six-man rotation when Guerra returns. ... 3B Will Middlebrooks (right leg) will start a rehab assignment at Double-A Biloxi this week.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (3-3) has a 2.25 ERA over his last eight starts, going at least six innings in each game.Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (7-13) is 5-2 in seven career starts against the Pirates with a 2.55 ERA.---Follow Genaro Armas at: https://twitter.com/GArmasAP ' ' '