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Penguins' Goaltending Future Looks Bright — And The Success Of Their Rebuild Depends On It

During the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins saw a changing of the guard at the goaltending position after Tristan Jarry had held that starting post for the better part of six-plus seasons. 

In shipping Jarry off to the Edmonton Oilers in mid-December, they received veteran Stuart Skinner in return. They also had rookie goaltender Artūrs Šilovs via a trade from the Vancouver Canucks during the summer of 2025, staying afloat and playing well enough to keep making appearances throughout the season. 

And, for the rest of the regular season, Skinner and Šilovs experienced some peaks and valleys, both posting .888 save percentages. Of course, Šilovs lived up to his big-game reputation in three games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, giving the Penguins a chance to come back from down 3-0 against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round with a .939 save percentage and 1.52 goals-against average. 

As promising as Šilovs's playoff performance was, there is even more promise in the Penguins' system, so much so that it's becoming more apparent that they may have multiple options at the NHL level.

Well, at least, that's the hope — and, really, the Penguins' hopes kind of depend on it. 

Of course, it starts with 22-year-old Sergei Murashov, the most NHL-ready goaltending prospect in their system and, by a wide margin, their most promising up to this point. And Murashov is certainly proving himself in the Calder Cup Playoffs with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), putting up a .938 save percentage with a 1.84 goals-against average in 11 postseason games. 

There is a ton of pressure on Murashov to live up to lofty expectations, especially as he's already been annointed as the next "great" Penguins' goaltender by many fans despite playing in just five NHL games so far. And, not only that, he has an internal target on his back, too. 

4 Prime Offer Sheet Candidates For Penguins To Consider4 Prime Offer Sheet Candidates For Penguins To ConsiderAlthough Pittsburgh Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas isn't known to dabble in the RFA offer sheet market, there may be a few situations for him to consider this offseason.

Joel Blomqvist, 24, fell into a bit of a backup role behind Murashov by the time playoff time came around, but he still posted a respectable .913 save percentage and 2.40 goals-against average in 26 regular season games this season. Taylor Gauthier put together another outstanding season in the ECHL for the Wheeling Nailers with a .929 save percentage in 36 regular season games and a .922 save percentage in 17 Kelly Cup Playoff games, also breaking the franchise's regular season shutout record. 

Then, there is Gabriel D'Aigle — unrefined yet as quick and athletic as Murashov in addition to being 6-foot-5 in the goal crease. The 19-year-old got peppered on a nightly basis with the Victoriaville Tigres of the QMJHL and still had a .908 save percentage in 39 appearances, and he joined Wheeling at the end of his junior season and appeared in three games, facing 106 shots on goal and recording a .925 save percentage in the process. He turns 20 this year, so there's a good chance he will play in Wheeling next season. 

With all this goaltending depth in their system, it seems like the Penguins are pretty set. If things don't work out with Šilovs or Murashov, they have Blomqvist, Gauthier, and D'Aigle behind them. Right now, they have depth at the position to spare.

And that's a good thing because the future success of the franchise depends on at least one of these guys panning out. 

3 Potential Defense Trade Targets Named For Penguins3 Potential Defense Trade Targets Named For PenguinsShould the Penguins look to bring in one of these three defensemen?

Yes, goaltending isn't the end-all, be-all, but it's typically the x-factor in what separates a mere playoff contender from a true Stanley Cup contender. The Penguins don't win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 without the lights-out play of rookie Matt Murray. The Tampa Bay Lightning don't back-to-back in 2020 and 2021 without Andrei Vasilevskiy in his prime as the best goaltender in the league. The Vegas Golden Knights don't win in 2023 without Adin Hill and his .932 save percentage.

The teams with the best goaltending are the teams that are not only able to perenially contend, but also get over the hump and hoist the Stanley Cup. That places an immense amount of expectation and pressure upon the young Penguins' goaltenders, fair or not. 

At the end of the day, the biggest factor in whether or not the Penguins and Kyle Dubas will rebuild successfully and contend sustainably lies between the pipes. And teams with a solid tandem have an even better chance at success. 

No matter what it entails, the Penguins need to be fully invested in the proper development of their netminders. There is a whole lot of potential, but potential is all it is at this point — and it is up to the organization to give these guys the best chance to succeed and march Pittsburgh back to sustained contention. 

IIHF World Championship: Canada Eliminated in Semi-Final, Will Play For Bronze SundayIIHF World Championship: Canada Eliminated in Semi-Final, Will Play For Bronze SundayTeam Canada endured its fourth-straight international disappointment when they were defeated by Finland in the 2026 IIHF World Championship Semi-final Saturday.

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Penguins' Draft Prospect Profiles: Nikita Klepov

The 2026 NHL Draft is quickly approaching, and that means it's time for another Pittsburgh Penguins' prospect profile. 

It's also great timing, since the NHL Combine is set to be held in Buffalo starting this Monday and running through Saturday. It will be a great chance for teams to meet with some of the top prospects in the draft and get to know them. Teams will also be able to review players' medical reports.

It's also a chance for teams to kickstart trade conversations since the full offseason is set to get underway in a couple of weeks, but the main order of business is getting to meet with the top prospects.

I kicked things off with defenseman Ryan Lin last week, who would be a really solid pick if he were to fall to No. 22 overall, and we're now shifting to forward Nikita Klepov. 

Klepov spent the 2025-26 season with the OHL's Saginaw Spirit and had a tremendous campaign, finishing with 37 goals and 97 points in 67 games. It was his first season with the Spirit after spending the 2024-25 season with the USHL's Sioux City Musketeers. 

Klepov plays on the right wing and the first thing that stands out is his skating. It's extremely powerful and he absolutely flies up the ice once he gets going. He'll also showcase some dangles that players won't see coming and his shiftiness is one of my favorite attributes of his game. 

His playmaking skills are through the roof, and he has excellent vision, especially on the power play. His office on the man-advantage is the right circle and made some outstanding passes that led to goals from there this season. 

Don't sleep on his one-timer, either. He can really rifle the puck and scored some sick goals from the right circle this season as well, including one against the Flint Firebirds. The Spirit were trailing 3-0 at the time when Klepov passed the puck to the left point before drifting over to his office. He got the puck back a few seconds later and uncorked a one-timer to make it 3-1. The Firebirds' goaltender had no chance on it. 

Another example of his nasty one-timer came from the Spirit's game against the Brampton Steelheads. It was a 1-1 game in the second period when Klepov changed that with an unbelievable shot from his office on the power play. The puck went in and out of the net in what felt like a millisecond. 

Klepov also isn't afraid to drive to the net and get to the dirty areas. Yes, he does a lot of his best work a bit further out, but he's more than willing to get his hands messy and score/set up some greasy goals. 

Outside of his play on the power play and at 5v5, Klepov also showed the ability to play on the penalty kill at times, making some nice shorthanded plays that showcased his speed and deception. 

Klepov does a lot right offensively, but I wasn't overly impressed by his two-way game on tape. It definitely needs some improvement, and he'll have the chance to work on that when he plays for Michigan State during the 2026-27 season.

IIHF World Championship: Canada Eliminated in Semi-Final, Will Play For Bronze SundayIIHF World Championship: Canada Eliminated in Semi-Final, Will Play For Bronze SundayTeam Canada endured its fourth-straight international disappointment when they were defeated by Finland in the 2026 IIHF World Championship Semi-final Saturday.

MSU is one of the top college hockey programs in the country, and for good reason. It knows how to churn out some really good NHL players.

Heck, Flyers forward Porter Martone played for MSU during the 2025-26 season, and look how that turned out for them. Martone was fantastic for the Spartans before making his NHL debut at the end of the year, and he helped the Flyers make the playoffs, compiling 10 points in nine games. 

Overall, I'd be thrilled if the Penguins had the chance to select Klepov in the first round. He's a hard-working, electric winger with a ton of offensive upside and is still developing. He wouldn't be ready right away like Ben Kindel was this year, but he'd have the chance to crack the NHL roster in a couple of years if everything went right. 

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Mets' Francisco Alvarez set to start rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Syracuse

Francisco Alvarez is set to start his rehab assignment this week, Carlos Mendoza said Sunday after the Mets' 10-1 win over the Miami Marlins.

"As of right now, the plan is for him to play Tuesday in Syracuse," Mendoza said, referencing New York's Triple-A affiliate.

Syracuse is set to host the Yankees' Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders Tuesday at 6:35 p.m.

The Mets placed Alvarez on the 10-day injured list with a right meniscus tear May 13. He last played May 12 in New York's 10-2 win over the Detroit Tigers.

Alvarez has been catching bullpens, blocking, running and throwing.

"Just two weeks removed from surgery, it's pretty amazing to see," Mendoza said before Friday's game.

Alvarez underwent surgery May 14.

"Alvarez, I mean, this guy is unbelievable," Mendoza said last Monday. "He's already hitting, he's already doing catching. We were talking about eight weeks. I'm not sure about that now. This guy is built different. ... There's a lot of positive from him, too."

Through 37 games this season, Alvarez is slashing .241/.317/.393 with four home runs and 10 RBI.

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Liberatore and Dobbins pitch the Cardinals to a 5-1 victory over the Cubs

ST. LOUIS — Matthew Liberatore took a shutout into the sixth inning and Masyn Winn hit a two-run single as the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 5-1 on Sunday night.

JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera each had two hits and scored twice for the Cardinals, who took two of three from their NL Central rivals after entering the series on a four-game losing streak. Alec Burleson drove in two runs.

Alex Bregman homered for the Cubs, who are 3-2 since a 10-game skid.

Liberatore (3-3) allowed three hits and one walk in 5 1/3 scoreless innings after giving up at least three runs in each of his previous three starts. He struck out four.

Hunter Dobbins relieved Liberatore hours after being recalled from Triple-A Memphis and yielded one run on four hits with four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings for his first professional save.

Bregman hit his fifth homer this season to left field off his former Boston teammate in the sixth to spoil the shutout and extend his hitting streak to 11 games.

Burleson blooped an RBI single off reliever Ethan Roberts that landed just in front of left fielder Ian Happ to make it 3-0 in the third. Winn added a two-run single that extended the margin to 5-0.

Jordan Walker had an RBI single for the Cardinals in a two-run first.

Jordan Wicks (0-2) was charged with three runs and four hits in two-plus innings. He was removed after Wetherholt reached on an infield single leading off the third.

St. Louis opened a 2-0 lead after Wetherholt, Herrera and Walker all singled to start the bottom of the first.

Up next

Cubs: RHP Jameson Taillon (2-4, 5.37 ERA) will face Athletics LHP Gage Jump (0-1, 7.20) to open a six-game homestand Tuesday night.

Cardinals: RHP Michael McGreevy (3-4, 2.98 ERA) faces Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom (3-4, 3.77) to begin a three-game series Monday night.

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Purple Row After Dark: May Rockie(s) of the Month

May 30, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; A general view in the fourth inning between the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

May is in its final hours, and the Colorado Rockies ended on a high note after scuffling hard for most of the month. After going 14-18 to start the season, they went 8-20 in May, but did finish by winning the series against the San Francisco Giants. Unfortunately, the series (and month) ended with a thud as they were outscored 19-6.

That said, it wasn’t all bad.

  • TJ Rumfield hit four home runs and continues to be an NL Rookie of the Year candidate
  • Jake McCarthy hit three homers of his own — including back-to-back games against the New York Mets — and is now hitting .301/.330/.494
  • Ezequiel Tovar has started to get out of his slump, including a two-homer performance on Friday night (that included the Rockies’ first walk-off win of 2026)
  • Brett Sullivan had as many hits (3) as pitching appearances (3) in May. While the hitting struggled, the three pitching appearances he made were scoreless and saved the bullpen against Texas Rangers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers. He also became the first non-Ohtani pitcher to homer this year, and nearly became the first pitcher in the history of MLB to homer twice in the same inning.
  • Antonio Senzatela continues to shine and is making a case to be a valuable trade candidate and/or an All-Star
  • Tomoyuki Sugano remains the Rockies’ most consistent starter, especially among a rotation that’s been decimated by injuries
  • Jaden Hill has been one of the Rockies’ most under-the-radar relievers, often falling behind only Senzatela in a number of statistical categories

So here’s the question for tonight: Who are your Rockies player(s) for the month of May? Let us know!

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Yankees enter June with 'lot of positives' as breakthrough at Athletics stamps late-month surge

The Yankees ended May on a high note with Sunday's 13-8 win at the Athletics. New York (36-23) is a game and a half behind the 36-20 Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East, winning six of its past seven game as it gets Monday off and returns to Yankee Stadium for this week's six-game homestand.

"Anytime you win five out of six on the road, it's a really good trip," Aaron Boone said, referencing the combination of the Yankees' three-game sweep at the Kansas City Royals earlier this week and New York's 2-1 series in West Sacramento, Calif, against the A's (28-31). "So, you take that. I feel like, for the most part, we played well. Today was one of those crazy games that I don't know what it was, but it was a win. So, obviously, a good way to go back cross country into an off day."

The Yankees' 13-run third inning created a 13-3 lead before the A's hung around with a four-run seventh and one-run eighth. New York ultimately enters this week's three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians, which starts with Cam Schlitter set to start Tuesday's 7:05 p.m. opener, on the upswing after a 16-12 month.

"Lot of positives," said Aaron Judge, whose 1-for-4 afternoon featured the RBI single in the third inning that gave the Yankees their first lead of the game as they piled on the 13-run frame. "You can take a lot of positives from the first two months here. ... It kind of starts with our pitching staff, especially the starting rotation, getting a lot of key guys back. It kind of is the main part of our team."

Judge enters June slashing .248/.375/.533 with 17 home runs and 38 RBI through 59 games, but those around him in the Yankees' order have made a difference.

"A lot of people kind of banged on us about bringing the same guys back," Judge said. "But you bring back Cody Bellinger -- he's been so efficient for us, just probably one of the best players in the game right now. And then Ben Rice, the emergence of him -- I know he had a great year last year, but he just continues to make strides."

Rice, who brought in four runs Sunday, is tied with Judge for the team lead in homers while slashing .306/.397/.658 with 44 RBI through 54 games. Bellinger, meanwhile, is slashing .271/.378/.476 with eight long balls and 38 RBI through 58 games of his second season in pinstripes.

"There's a couple things you need to clean up -- maybe a couple things defensively or couple times where, like I said, our offense isn't clicking the way it should be," Judge said. "But I like where we're at. I love this team. A lot of guys are ready to go out there and compete, and all the guys competing for a job -- so, when you do that, good things happen."

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Canucks Prospect Gabriel Chiarot And The Kitchener Rangers Win 2026 Memorial Cup

Vancouver Canucks prospect Gabriel Chiarot and the Kitchener Rangers have won their third Memorial Cup in franchise history. 

After a dominant round-robin that saw them win all three of their matchups against the Everett Silvertips, Chicoutimi Sagueneéns, and Kelowna Rockets, Kitchener advanced to their seventh Memorial Cup Final and took the WHL champion Silvertips down by a score of 6-2. This is Kitchener’s first Memorial Cup win since 2003. 

Six different players found the back of the net for the Rangers in today’s win, with goals coming from Luke Ellinas (Ottawa Senators), Dylan Edwards, Jared Woolley (Los Angeles Kings), Jack Pridham (Chicago Blackhawks), Sam O’Reilly (Tampa Bay Lightning), and Christian Humphreys (Colorado Avalanche). On Everett’s side, 2026 draft prospect Matias Vanhanen continued his stretch of solid play by scoring a goal, as did Detroit Red Wings prospect Carter Bear. 

Kitchener advanced to the 2026 Memorial Cup after winning the 2026 OHL championship with series wins against the Saginaw Spirit, Sault St. Marie Greyhounds, Windsor Spitfires, and Barrie Colts. During their OHL playoff run, Kitchener did not lose more than one game per series, sweeping both Saginaw and Barrie. The Rangers finished the 2025–26 regular season with the second-best record in the OHL with 101 points (47–14–5–2). 

Photo Credit: Steve Dunsmoor-CHL
Photo Credit: Steve Dunsmoor-CHL

Chiarot, who was selected 175th overall in the 2025 NHL Draft by Vancouver, made an impact in his team’s dominant Memorial Cup run by scoring a goal and an assist in four games. He played on Kitchener’s top-line featuring O’Reilly and Edwards. 

"Just the resilience and the belief in this group was unreal. All game, I know they had their moments, had their pressure on us, but we stick to the fight, and we found a way to get it done, and that's what this team's been all about, just finding ways to get it done," Chiarot told The Hockey News post-game. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.

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Sens Rewind: The Year That A Broken Stick Cost The Senators A Spot In The Stanley Cup Final

Even if the Senators break through next season, they'll still be ten years removed from winning their last playoff series. So it can be easy for Sens fans to feel like they cheer for a hard-luck franchise.

But it hasn’t always been that way.

In 2002-03, the Senators finished with a 52-21-9 record and 113 points, capturing the NHL's Presidents' Trophy as the league's top regular-season team. Led by head coach Jacques Martin, Ottawa finally avoided another playoff collision with Toronto when the Philadelphia Flyers eliminated the Leafs in the first round.

The Senators would go on to defeat both the Islanders and Flyers, reaching the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in franchise history. Looking back now, it was the high-water mark of an era that featured stars such as Daniel Alfredsson, Marian Hossa, Zdeno Chara and Patrick Lalime.

One of the team's greatest strengths was on the right side, where Alfredsson, Hossa and Martin Havlat gave opponents matchup nightmares.

“Our right side was awfully scary,” winger Shaun Van Allen said. “We had basically three number one right-wingers right there. On one team. So it didn’t matter who you tried to cover. Someone’s getting a very good matchup.

“We were deep. We weren’t really missing a whole lot. Maybe just a bit of experience, but talent was definitely not a problem. And you don’t win the league without being really consistent and really good.”

Despite their dominant regular season, there were still nerves heading into the playoffs. Ottawa opened with a 3-0 loss to the Islanders before winning four straight. Centre Todd White said their expectations were huge.

“I think every year you always think that you have the team to get it done," White recalled. "Because 16 teams make it, and usually all 16 teams are capable. I know LA won it from the 8th seed. St. Louis won it after being dead last in December.

“I remember Game 1 against the Islanders. It was kind of a stinker (a 3-0 loss). I think Garth Snow was the goaltender for the Islanders and they shut us out in our rink. And, it was kind of like, ‘Uh-oh, is this gonna happen again?’ We were fortunate we were able to end up winning the next four games and get through them. But it was definitely a little bit of nerves in that first game.”

One of White's favourite memories remains his double-overtime winner in Game 3 on Long Island.

“That was my most exciting individual moment ever,” White said. “We go back to New York, the series is tied, and being able to get the overtime winner, I don’t think I ever had a feeling like that on the ice.”

After dispatching Philadelphia in six games, Ottawa finally broke through to the conference final.

“The second round had been kind of a roadblock for us,” White said. “I think once we got through there, we were pretty excited, in terms of seeing what we’d be able to do. And that was a big moment for the fans as well to get to the conference finals and playing further than the team has ever gone. So it was pretty exciting.”

The city embraced the team like never before.

“Everywhere you went in the city, it was all about the Sens,” Van Allen said. “It gives you an extra jolt. Like, there’s nothing better. Before the game starts and you step on the ice and the flags are going, the people are going crazy. The whole city was involved. It was a community affair and you didn’t want to let them down because they were so supportive of us.”

Ottawa opened the Eastern Conference Final against New Jersey with an overtime victory, thanks to Van Allen.

“That’s the backyard rink or street hockey dream,” Van Allen said. “To score an overtime goal in the playoffs. It was a D to D pass, then up to Peter Schaefer, over to me, I passed it back to Marty Havlat, and then just went to the net. And Marty put it right on my tape like he does all the time. And then it’s just a tap in.”

But the Devils responded by winning the next three games.

“I think we were pretty disappointed,” White said. “It wasn’t like we’d played terribly in the next three games, but the Devils had a way of finding ways to win. And it’s not necessarily the best team that always wins games, but they would find a way to make the right play at the right moment.

“And I remember Game 4, we were tied going into the third period and we ended up losing that game. So it was a real disappointing time, knowing how close we were to every player’s ultimate dream and it was kind of slipping away. I remember we obviously still had belief but, at the same time, it seemed like it was such a huge mountain to climb.”

“We missed the boat on Games 2, 3 and 4,” Van Allen said. “We won the first one. I think we just played okay in that game. We needed to raise our game just a little bit more, which is a lot easier said than done. And we tried to do that, but it’s tough to beat experience and New Jersey definitely had that.”

“I think that we gave away two games too easily to the Devils in that series,” Sens winger Magnus Arvedsson said. “I still think about what a great chance we had created for ourselves. I think about the atmosphere, the fans, and the hype in the city around the club. That was something really special.”

The Senators refused to quit. Jason Spezza helped spark a Game 5 win before Chris Phillips delivered one of the most iconic goals in franchise history, scoring in overtime of Game 6 to force a deciding Game 7.

Fans still remember Gord Wilson's famous radio call:

"I don't know where he knifed in from, but he knifed in!"

Back in Ottawa for Game 7, the Sens got off to a perfect start when Arvedsson scored just three minutes in.

“At that point, I was like, ‘Oh boy,’” Van Allen remembers. “Usually, when we get that lead and momentum like that. Like, it’s coming. Two, three goals… we’re gonna blow these guys out.”

Arvedsson still thinks about another chance he had later in the game.

“Later on, I passed up on a great chance to score,” Arvedsson said. “I decided to pass the puck instead, and that would maybe have put us up 2-0 in that game.”

The Devils rallied to take a 2-1 lead, leaving Ottawa with one final period to save its season.

“We were down 2-1 going into the third,” Van Allen said. “I remember us saying in the dressing room, we’d just played about 100 games to get here. And to get back here, we’re going to have to play another 100. So we gotta pour everything we can into this last 20 minutes. But New Jersey was as tough a defensive team as you’re probably gonna play and it’s not easy to score. And that’s why everything has to fall right when you’re playing those teams.”

Radek Bonk tied the game early in the third, and it was bedlam in the Ottawa rink.

But with just over two minutes remaining, Sens fans had their hearts ripped out when Jeff Friesen scored the goal that ended Ottawa's season.

White says he later learned the setup of the winning goal was partly accidental.

“Two years later, we were at a charity event down in the Utica area,” White recalled. “Grant Marshall was there, and he was telling us he was actually trying to shoot the puck there, and his stick actually broke. So when his stick broke, instead of it being a shot at the net, the puck slid through Wade's feet and ended up being a perfect pass to the guy streaking to the net. And I’m guessing that Patty (Lalime) probably thought it was a shot as well.

“Obviously, it’s sports and anything can happen. But there’s luck involved as well, because who knew that a broken stick shot attempt would end up being the perfect pass to a guy for a mini-breakaway? And he was able to put it in.”

More than 20 years later, the players still remember both the excitement and the disappointment.

“I hate to say it, it’s kind of what might have been,” Van Allen said. “What would the city be like? We would be remembered a lot differently in the city other than just being a good team. We would be recognized as a great team if we went on to win the Stanley Cup.”

“For me, it’s the disappointment of being so close,” White said. “I think it’s so easy to think about what might have been. I think back on whether there was something you could have done a little bit differently to change the outcome. From the time I started to play hockey, it was my dream to be able to win a Stanley Cup and to be that close is pretty difficult.”

Despite the heartbreak, the spring of 2003 remains one of the most memorable, exciting seasons in Ottawa Senators history, and it all might have ended quite differently if not for a single broken hockey stick.

*Portions of this flashback article originally appeared in Faces Magazine.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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Clippers mock draft roundup: LA gets rising star in latest version

The Los Angeles Clippers don’t necessarily have to hit the reset button after a mediocre 2025-26 season but will need to make the right decisions to replenish their roster for the future.

The Clippers will enter the NBA draft with the fifth overall pick on Tuesday, June 23.

It's the franchise’s lowest draft selection since picking Oklahoma's Blake Griffin with the No. 1 overall pick in 2009.

The Clippers likely will consider a guard with their first-round pick.

Even though the team acquired guard Darius Garland before the trade deadline during the season, the Clippers will consider their options from a guard-heavy list of draft prospects.

A forward could also be considered despite Kawhi Leonard’s likely return to the Clippers.

There’s still a chance that Leonard could be moved, but interested teams would have to be willing to make a trade offer and look past any potential punishment by the NBA for Leonard and the Clippers for their alleged involvement in a “no-show” agreement with a company to funnel extra compensation to the player.

L.A. Clippers experts' mock draft selections

USA TODAY Sports: Kingston Flemings, Houston, guard

CBS Sports: Keaton Wagler, Illinois, guard

ESPN: Keaton Wagler, Illinois, guard

Bleacher Report: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas, guard

NBAdraft.net: Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas, guard

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Clippers mock draft: LA gets rising star in latest version

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Soon-To-Be Former Blackhawks Prospect Jack Pridham Wins Memorial Cup With Kitchener Rangers

Soon-to-be former Chicago Blackhawks prospect Jack Pridham is a Memorial Cup champion. He won it with his Kitchener Rangers teammates over the Everett Silvertips with their 6-2 victory in the Memorial Cup Final. 

In the win, Pridham had one goal and one assist. From the beginning of the season through to the very end, he has been a driver offensively. 

Winning the Memorial Cup is one of the highest honors a developing player can achieve with his team. Pridham and Kitchener will remember this win forever. 

Now that the season is over for Pridham, there is a bit of a storyline surrounding his hockey future. If he doesn't commit to the NCAA, presumably Boston University, by Monday, June 1st, or sign and entry level deal with Chicago, he will re-enter the draft. 

He is almost certainly not signing his entry-level deal with the Blackhawks before the night of his Memorial Cup win is over, and it is unlikely that he re-commits to BU before the night is over either. 

The Blackhawks selected Pridham with a third-round pick (92nd overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft. This is a moderately big loss for the Blackhawks, who have seen Pridham develop well since selecting him. 

Pridham's ceiling projects to be a solid middle-six forward who can score goals in bunches. Playing with a playmaking center will serve him well once he makes the transition to pro. Sadly for the Blackhawks, it is likely not going to be in Chicago. 

Landon DuPont

Landon DuPont, a defenseman on Everett, may have lost the Memorial Cup Championship, but being a runner-up in this tournament is never something to hang your head over. 

DuPont was granted Exceptional Status by Hockey Canada so he could have an early start to his career in Major Junior, and his six points in the Memorial Cup are the most a player with that status has ever had.

He is projected to be the first overall pick in the 2027 NHL Draft, which shouldn't be considered out of the question for the Chicago Blackhawks. 

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St. Louis Cardinals Win, Mang! Bats Come Alive as They Beat the Cubs 5-1

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - MAY 31: Masyn Winn #0 of the St. Louis Cardinals hits a two-run single against the Chicago Cubs in the third inning at Busch Stadium on May 31, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I can finally say something that I’ve rarely been able to say this season. A Cardinals pitcher got past the 5th inning without dealing with a train wreck. The truth is Matthew Liberatore was as sharp as he’s been all year. That fact combined with the St. Louis Cardinals bats waking up resulted in a series-winning victory Sunday night at Busch Stadium with the ultimate “mang” Albert Pujols in the TV broadcast booth.

The Cardinals welcomed Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jordan Wicks to Busch Stadium by cracking 3 consecutive hits in the top of the 1st inning by JJ Wetherholt, Iván Herrera and Jordan Walker. Walker’s single drove in Wetherholt giving the Cardinals a quick 1-0 lead. After Nelson Velázquez grounded into a fielder’s choice, Alec Burleson hit a infield popup that landed just behind the pitcher’s mound, Herrera scored from third giving St. Louis a 2-0 lead.

For once, the St. Louis offense would not go on pause as they rallied for 3 more in the bottom of the third inning. JJ Wetherholt and Iván Herrera singled to start the inning. After Jordan Walker struck out and Nelson Velázquez lined out, Alec Burleson hit a clutch single to left scoring JJ. Then, Masyn Winn singled right up the middle giving the Cardinals 2 more runs making it 5-0 St. Louis.

Matthew Liberatore gave the Cardinals exactly the type of start they needed. He was taken out after he got Pete Crow-Armstrong out to start the 6th inning by manager Oli Marmol. His stat line for the night was 5 1/3 innings giving up no runs and allowing only 3 hits while striking out 4 and walking only 1. New callup Hunter Dobbins was brought in to keep the Cubs faces in the dirt. Unfortunately, the first batter he faced, Alex Bregman, hit a home run into the left field bullpen getting Chicago on the board making it 5-1 Cardinals. He settled down after that and struck out Suzuki and got Ian Happ to ground out to close out the 6th.

Both the Cubs and Cardinals would threaten to score in the 7th inning, but neither team could get it done. In the top of the 7th, Michael Busch hit a one-out single before Michael Conforto doubled to left, but Busch was only able to take third on the play. Hunter Dobbins would get out of the jam by coming back from a 3-0 count to strike out the mega-struggling Dansby Swanson and then getting Nico Hoerner to ground out to end the Cubs 7th. St. Louis would be equally unable to turn a rally into runs after JJ Wetherholt walked (OBP for the win) and then stole 2nd base and advanced to 3rd base on a wild pitch. Ivan Herrera would also walk, but Jordan Walker sadly hit a ball to Alex Bregman at third who quickly turned that into a double play ending the Cardinals hopes of adding to their lead.

Hunter Dobbins did a good job keeping the Cubs under tabs not just through the 8th inning, but the 9th also. His only wart was the Alex Bregman home run, but he struck out 4 and didn’t walk anybody. Solo home runs every now and then are much easier to tolerate than an abundance of walks especially in a game you’re leading, so well done, Mr. Dobbins. Congratulations getting your first career save, too.

The St. Louis Cardinals return to Busch Stadium Monday night as the Texas Rangers come to town. Let’s make sure they see all of our 2011 pennants as their bus arrives. Is David Freese available for valet service I wonder? Michael McGreevy will start for the Cardinals while Jacob deGrom will give it a go for the Rangers. It’ll be nice to see Skip Schumaker again, if nothing else. First pitch is set for 6:45pm central time with the broadcast available on Cardinals.tv.

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A Quick Glance: Golden Knights Set For Third Trip To Stanley Cup Final In Franchise History

The Golden Knights return to the Stanley Cup Final for the third time since debuting in the NHL for the 2017-18 season, as they'll meet the Carolina Hurricanes, who are also making their third appearance in the Cup Final.

Both teams are 1-1 in the Stanley Cup, with the Golden Knights hoisting the Cup in 2023, and the 'Canes winning in 2006.

Here's a glance at what you need to know with this series:

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES

Oct. 20: Golden Knights 4-1 in Vegas

Oct. 28: Golden Knights 6-3 in Carolina

ALL-TIME SERIES NUMBERS

RECORD: Golden Knights are 7-6-3 against Carolina

GOALS: Golden Knights 51, Hurricanes 47

RECORD (in Vegas): Knights are 3-3-2

GOALS (in Vegas): Golden Knights 22, Hurricanes 22

RECORD (in Raleigh): Knights are 4-3-1

GOALS (in Raleigh): Golden Knights 29, Ducks 25

HURRICANES STRENGTHS

If anything, Carolina will be one of the most complete teams the Golden Knights have faced during the postseason, and realistically, all season. The Hurricanes' strengths show up both in numbers and in how they play on the ice. Coach Rod Brind’Amour has the Hurricanes playing with a disciplined and system-driven style that saw them turn in a 12-1 mark during the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Hurricanes provide a strong emphasis on forechecking, puck possession, and defensive responsibility, a structure that makes them consistent each game and tough to break down. This team has a balanced scoring attack with multiple scoring threats, including Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall, Jackson Blake, Nikolaj Ehlers and Sebastian Aho - the team's top five goal scorers during the postseason. The Hurricanes ranked second in the league during the regular season with 291 goals scored, and ranks fifth in the postseason with 42. The team's structured defense limits chances by keeping pressure on opponents, which is why it ranked tied for fifth during the regular season in allowing 236 goals. Goaltender Frederik Andersen ranks first in the postseason with a 1.41 goals-against average.

HURRICANES WEAKNESSES

Because Carolina plays a structured system based on speed and skill, rather than a bruising one, it could struggle if Vegas employs its physicality and decides to play heavy with its bruising forwards and big defensemen. Carolina's finesse game opens the door for a bully-like team to crowd the crease, win board battles and disrupt puck movement. With physicality ramping up in the Cup Final, and the Knights bringing experience in from their 2023 championship team, they could have the edge in that area. Also, by playing with their controlled pace and with clean breakouts, the Hurricanes might struggle in broken-play situations amid chaos. The Knights tend to wreak havoc in front of the net, and it might limit Carolina's chances with rebounds. So despite high-shot volume, finishing inconsistency on the part of the Hurricanes could prove to be a detriment.

SCHEDULE (all times pacific)

1. Tuesday, June 2, 5 p.m., Raleigh, NC

2. Thursday, June 4, 5 p.m., Raleigh, NC

3. Saturday, June 6, 5 p.m., Las Vegas, NV

4. Tuesday, June 9, 5 p.m., Las Vegas, NV

*5. Thursday, June 11, 5 p.m., Raleigh, NC

*6. Sunday, June 14, 5 p.m., Las Vegas, NV

*7. Wednesday, June 17, 5 p.m. Raleigh, NC

* if necessary

PHOTO CAPTION

Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) gets the shot away against Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Domenick Fensore (89) during the third period at Lenovo Center on Oct. 28, 2025.

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Cubs Minor League Wrap: Matthew Boyd rehabs for Iowa

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MAY 3: Matthew Boyd #16 of the Chicago Cubs pitches in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field on May 3, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs lost to Indianapolis (Pirates), 8-1.

Matthew Boyd started this game on a rehab assignment and it went well. Much better than his final line would indicate. Boyd pitched 4+ innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits. Two of those runs came after he allowed two singles to start the fifth inning, after which Boyd exited after reaching his 60 pitch limit. Both of those runs came around to score. Boyd struck out two and walked one.

Here’s the Statcast breakdown of Boyd’s afternoon.

Iowa only managed four hits. Right fielder Brett Bateman doubled home shortstop Ben Cowles in the eighth inning for the only Iowa run. Bateman was 1 for 3 with a walk and Cowles was 1 for 4.

Bateman came just short of a home run.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies clouded the vision of the Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds), 4-2. The win moved the Smokies to within a half game of first-place Chattanooga in the Southern League North Division.

Brooks Caple turned in another good start, going five innings and allowing just one run on four hits. Most impressively, Caple struck out seven and walked just one.

The win went to Jace Beck, who pitched the next two innings and did not allow a run or a hit. Beck did walk one while striking out three.

Vince Reilly gave up a leadoff home run in the eighth to the first batter he faced, but threw the final two innings and got the save. The final line on Reilly was one run on one hit and three walks over two innings. Reilly also struck out three.

Knoxville didn’t even have a hit in this game until the sixth inning, but they scored one run in the sixth and three more in the eighth to get the win. Third baseman Jefferson Rojas had an RBI single in the sixth and another one in the eighth. He was 2 for 4 and also scored once.

Left fielder Carter Trice and first baseman Edgar Alvarez had back-to-back RBI singles in the eighth. They were both 1 for 4.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs cracked the Ft. Wayne TinCaps (Padres), 7-5. The win moves South Bend’s record on the year to 30-17 with a 4.5 game lead over second-place Wisconsin.

Will Sanders started this game on a rehab assignment as he tries to work his way back to Iowa. Sanders pitched 4.2 innings and allowed three runs, all in the first inning, but only one of the three runs was earned. Sanders gave up four hits. He walked one and struck out two.

Nazier Mulé threw three middle innings, didn’t allow a run and got the win. Mulé gave up one hit. He walked two and hit one while striking out five.

Ethan Bell came on to pitch the ninth in a non-save situation with South Bend leading 7-3. But he couldn’t find the plate—giving up a single and four walks—and exited the game after giving up two runs and leaving with the bases loaded and two outs. So Kenton Egbert relieved Bell and got a one-pitch save by inducing a fielder’s choice on a grounder to short.

Right fielder Miguel Useche hit a solo home run in the fourth inning for South Bend’s first run. Useche was a triple shy of the cycle, going 3 for 4 with a double and the home run. He drove in three runs and scored twice.

Catcher Justin Stransky was 2 for 3 with a walk and a run batted in.

Shortstop Ty Southisene was 2 for 4 with a walk and one run scored.

Useche’s fourth home run on the year.

RBI single for Useche.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans got their wings clipped by the Wilson Warbirds (Brewers), 10-1.

Pierce Coppola started and took the loss, although he pitched better than the guys who came after him. Coppola allowed one run on one hit over three innings, but he did have control issues as he walked five and had a wild pitch. Coppola struck out four.

The Pelicans managed just four hits. Right fielder Eli Lovich was 1 for 4 with a double. Second baseman Alexis Hernandez went 0 for 2 with two walks and he scored the one run.

The one run scored after Lovich’s double sent Hernandez to third and he scored on a groundout.

ACL Cubs

Off day.

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Mile-high mirage

May 31, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Bryce Eldridge (8) celebrates after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Unfortunately you can’t spread runs around.

Goal differential or aggregate scoring doesn’t decide a series in baseball. If it did, the Giants 19-6 pile on against the Colorado Rockies would’ve secured them a sweep with some runs to spare.

Alas, what’s done is done. This ain’t religion: the sins of Friday and Saturday can’t be erased with the mea culpas and genuflects of Sunday — no matter how many Hail Mary doubles a team hits. 

The Giants did hit a lot of those. Nine in fact by six different hitters. Rafael Devers collected three, Bryce Eldridge peppered two off the wall in center and left, and recent call-up, Jonah Cox, bagged a two-bagger for his first Major League hit in his first Major League at-bat — off a position player, but who cares?  

San Francisco’s 19 runs and 25 hits on the day were the most single game total for any MLB team so far this season. 13 of those knocks went for extra base hits, eclipsing the year’s previous high of 10 (hit by the Yankees earlier this week). Every Giants player who logged an at-bat earned a hit in this game, and 10 of the 11 knocked in a run. As a team, they went 10-for-22 with runners in scoring position. Five hitters collected three or more hits. Bryce Eldridge finished a triple shy of the cycle, his four hits shot his average up from .192 to .241. Jung Hoo Lee claimed his first five-hit night of his career (including two in one inning), giving him 13 total hits over his first three games back from the IL. He’s now batting .304 with a .774 OPS.  

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Good for him and for him and for him and for him and for him… but after the week this team just put us through, you’re allowed to feel jaded about this one. This team has made us grouches and curmudgeons and skeptics of us all, and the timing of this Coorsy slugfest just feels a little bit in poor taste. At times it felt like watching a self-indulgent experimental art film with a three-and-a-half hour runtime. It begged the question: Who is this for really? Nothing like a blow-out to pad the individual stats, skew the season averages, and store away some hits for a rainy day.  

This team has had a lot of these types of games: Sunday steamers that are all hoo-rah and exclamation points that make us forget the cruel chill of the coming Monday. Offensive surges that are all sound and fury, but signify nothing. 19 runs at Coors Field — yeah, got to be another blip, right?

Right. The only thing that might refute that is time,  if we can look back on this outlier as the game the team re-discovered their legs and took their first step up the basement stairs and out of the cellar.

If we were being our most optimistic selves, what would those signs of life be? Perhaps this game will serve as a major boost for Bryce Eldridge in his early career. He had been putting together some great at-bats, making solid contact, but his slash line didn’t have much to show for it. That changed today. Results started to come. He led off the 2nd with a double on the eighth pitch of the AB from starter Tanner Gordon. He twice laid off 2-strikes change-ups below the zone, and twice fought off fastballs, before drilling another offspeed pitch to the wall in deep center. He’d work the count full again in the 4th and backspin a sinker to the opposite field corner. The only time he chased out of the zone was after a 3-1 sinker above the belt that swatted 453 feet to dead center.   

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As a whole, the order responded well to a rather embarrassing two-error, two-run flub by starter Robbie Ray in the 4th that whittled San Francisco’s lead to just one run at the time. A one run lead in Denver essentially means you’re behind, and Ray had taken all of San Francisco’s momentum and airmailed it over first base into right field. It was the kind of mistake that had ruined San Francisco — and much better teams — before. Instead, four pitches into their next-ups, a pair of doubles from Lee and Matt Chapman had taken back one of those runs. Six consecutive Giants reached base with two outs later in the 5th, scoring six more runs thanks to Willy Adames’s grand slam. They didn’t stop there either, but continued to add on in each of the remaining frames because there’s no such thing as “overkill” in the Mile-High city.

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Encouraging things happened that might lead to other encouraging things as the Giants make their way down the mountain and back to the land of reality…but don’t hold your breath. This offense likes to get hot and then go real cold real fast. Maybe it becomes more consistent and dynamic with more reliable contributions from Eldridge and Lee. Sure! And also, the offense isn’t really what worries me. It’s the pitching, and Robby Ray, that worries me.

I know it’s never fair to judge the arms in a rout, especially in Colorado — but Ray did not look sharp from the get-go. He needed 96 pitches to record 12 outs. Rockies bats just wrung him out like a dish towel just as they did to Adrian Houser yesterday. They put him in the stretch and had him stressed about runners in scoring position in every frame. They stole three bases behind him, and easily too. He did well to manage the threat, allowing one earned run on a sac fly while striking out 6, but 10 three ball count and 8 full counts, including two 10+ pitch plate-appearances, took their toll. Willi Castro’s 11-pitch battle with two on and two outs in the 4th nearly killed him. 

An inside sinker shattered Castro’s bat and produced a comebacker, but by that point, Ray was so gassed that he couldn’t bend down far enough to field the ball. He eventually recovered the baseball after it glanced off his glove, but in his haste to make the play, the throw sailed over Devers’ head. Two runs scored. Ray did hold the Rockies hitless in  8 at-bats with RISP, yet they still scored 3 runs thanks to a wild pitch set up a sacrifice fly and that disastrous throwing error. 

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Even after the 7-run cushion provided by the offense, Ray couldn’t come out to pitch the 5th and put himself in line for a win. His four innings of work was the shortest outing of the year so far, and his fourth consecutive start in which came up short of five complete.

His recent inability to go deep into games tasks an inexperienced and weak relief corps with covering a lot of innings that no one feels comfortable with them covering. Tristan Beck took the hill in the 6th and with an 11-3 lead struggled to attack the zone. He needed 26 pitches to get through the inning, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk. The lack of sharpness in the middle-late innings wasn’t consequential today, but we’ve certainly seen it become a problem in the not-so-distant past.

Colorado isn’t real. 19-run games aren’t real. Problems with the rotation and bullpen are real. Milwaukee is real, and that’s where the Giants are going next.

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Stanley Cup Final Schedule Set; Series To Open On Tuesday

The Carolina Hurricanes and Vegas Golden Knights will be going head-to-head for the Stanley Cup, as the final two teams remaining in the 2025-26 season.

It's the third Stanley Cup Final appearance for each franchise and both teams are also looking to capture their second ever Stanley Cup.

Every game will be broadcasted on ABC in the U.S. and Sportsnet, CBC and TVA Sports in Canada.

As the higher seed, the Hurricanes will open up the series at Lenovo Center on Tuesday.

Here's the full schedule:

Game 1: Tuesday, June 2 at 8 p.m. (Lenovo Center)
Game 2: Thursday, June 4 at 8 p.m. (Lenovo Center)
Game 3: Saturday, June 6 at 8 p.m. (T-Mobile Arena)
Game 4: Tuesday, June 9 at 8 p.m. (T-Mobile Arena)
Game 5: Thursday, June 11 at 8 p.m. (Lenovo Center)
Game 6: Sunday, June 14 at 8 p.m. (T-Mobile Arena)
Game 7: Wednesday, June 17 at 8 p.m. (Lenovo Center)

*All start times are in Eastern Standard Time

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