Stokes shouldn’t lose his job for breaking curfew when the ECB’s failings run so much deeper
Midnight bedtime was entirely a public relations exercise to reconnect with fans – the same fans the ECB invites to one long piss-up at Lord’s
The laws of cricket run to 200-and-some pages. The International Cricket Council’s Test playing regulations fill another 125, the anti-doping code packs another 66, the code of conduct is 44 more, illegal bowling actions 37, kit and equipment 36. You’d be hard pressed to find one single rule anywhere among them as silly as the one we know Ben Stokes has just broken, which stipulates that players can’t stay out past midnight. And yes, that does include ICC clothing regulation 19.45, which says that the maximum size of the manufacturer’s label permitted on ankle of players’ socks is two square inches.
So far as we know, the only thing Stokes has done wrong is break this self-imposed curfew. That may change. The investigation may reveal more details about his alleged involvement in an altercation involving a rugby player. But if there was one very clear lesson from the last time Stokes was involved in a situation like this, at Embargo nightclub in 2017, it’s that it’s worth waiting for the facts. But the drums have already started thumping. Dread phrases like “hanging by a thread” and “hard to see how he can continue” were all over the press.
Continue reading...Golden Knights eye a 3-1 edge as a wild Stanley Cup Final heads to Game 4
LAS VEGAS — In a Stanley Cup Final filled with more twists and turns than a Six Flags roller coaster, it’s difficult to imagine what more could be in store when the Carolina Hurricanes visit the Vegas Golden Knights for Game 4.
There certainly is plenty at stake.
Should the Golden Knights win and take a 3-1 series lead, they will be in an almost unbeatable position. Teams with such an advantage in the final are 38-1, the one defeat occurring 84 years ago when Detroit lost a 3-0 lead and fell to Toronto.
A Hurricanes victory would not only even the best-of-seven series, but regain home-ice advantage potentially with two of the three remaining games in Carolina.
Good luck trying to predict where this series will go. What largely was expected to be a high-checking, low-scoring championship round has been wide open at times, with each team capitalizing on the other’s mistakes. The teams have combined to score 25 goals, the highest total through three games in the final since the New York Islanders and Minnesota North Stars had 30 in 1981.
There have been blown leads of at least two goals in each game. Vegas rallied from such a deficit in Game 1 and Carolina did it in Game 2.
Then came the real doozy in Game 3 when the Golden Knights led 4-0 well into the third period before the Hurricanes scored three goals in a record 39 seconds. Carolina eventually forced overtime, but the Golden Knights won in double OT when Shea Theodore bounced a puck off the boards that caromed off goalie Brandon Bussi’s skate.
Because of course it did.
Bussi, who hadn’t played in two months, entered in the third period after coach Rod Brind’Amour had seen enough of Frederik Andersen. The Golden Knights couldn’t figure out Bussi until that final wacky shot, so he might start in Game 4. Brind’Amour said he knows who will start, but isn’t letting on.
Golden Knights among greatest NHL expansion franchises even if they don’t beat the Hurricanes
LAS VEGAS — The line to get into the Golden Knights’ practice stretched well outside the door at the rink, and Vegas fans have had plenty to celebrate in its team’s nine seasons.
Back in the Stanley Cup Final for the third time, the Golden Knights are two victories away from winning their second championship in four years.
Carolina will have plenty to say about whether the Golden Knights get there, and the Hurricanes will try to even the series at 2-2 and reclaim home-ice advantage when the teams meet in Las Vegas. A win by the Golden Knights puts them in a commanding position.
Hockey historian Eric Zweig said Vegas is on the short list of top expansion franchises in NHL history, and another Stanley Cup should put the Golden Knights in the conversation as the best.
“It’s hard to compare,” Zweig said. “Frankly, in a 32-team league — I guess it was only 31 when they started — anything you do now is harder than it had to have been before. It just is. There’s so many more rounds of playoffs to go through. There’s so many more teams that you have to be better than to get there.”
The Golden Knights have a locker room full of players who have lifted the Stanley Cup, and their experience especially is valuable when the goal of winning it again is so close.
“I think it goes a long way,” said forward Brett Howden, who has a playoff-leading 13 goals. “Just the experience that we have in his locker room, the leadership, the way we’ve gone through adversity, the way our team stays composed. It just speaks volumes to our locker room.”
Howden was on the 2023 team that won the Cup, but there are a number of notable players still chasing their first title. Players such as Mitch Marner, Rasmus Andersson and Tomas Hertl.
Hertl came close in 2016 with San Jose, reaching the Cup Final before losing in six games to Pittsburgh. The Sharks made the Western Conference Final in 2019 — along the way eliminating the Golden Knights in seven games — before falling to St. Louis in six games.
“In the third season when I got to the Cup, I was like, ‘I’ll be right back,’” Hertl said. “You have a couple of good runs. You have a couple of years missing the playoff. You’re like, ‘Will it ever come again?’ You come here and it’s a great team in the first two seasons. We’ve been in the playoff, but we never get far. And now we’re sitting there, we have two wins to the Cup Final.
“Hopefully, we finish this the right way and it will be remembered forever.”
And, likely, among the greatest expansion franchises.
Zweig said the Golden Knights already are in the company of the Flyers, Islanders and Oilers.
— Philadelphia entered the league in the 1967-68 season and made the playoffs in its first two seasons and three of its first four. The Broad Street Bullies won the Cup in 1974 and 1975 and lost in the Final in 1976.
— New York debuted in the 1972-73 season and began a 14-year streak of making the playoffs in its third year. That included winning four Cups in a row starting in 1980.
— Wayne Gretzky-led Edmonton was part of the World Hockey Association merger with the NHL in 1979 and made the postseason in each of its first 13 years in the new league. That included five Cups over seven seasons, though the last in 1990 didn’t include The Great One, who was traded to Los Angeles two years earlier.
The New York Rangers and Blues are other expansion franchises that could be considered. The Rangers began play in 1926 and made the playoffs in 15 of their first 16 seasons and won three Cups. St. Louis was part of a new six-team division in 1967, and by winning it the first three years automatically made the Cup Final. The Blues were swept in all three series.
“There’s been so much expansion since the ‘90s,” Zweig said. “Vegas is head and shoulders above all of those.”
The Golden Knights aren’t overly concerned about history, but they are trying to survive what has been an unexpectedly high-scoring series against the Hurricanes filled with whiplash-inducing momentum swings. The Golden Knights just as easily could be down 2-1 or even 3-0 in this series, but they overcame an early two-goal deficit in the opener and escaped in double overtime of Game 3 after blowing a four-goal lead.
“There was no panic,” coach John Tortorella said. “The only way I can explain it is (the players) get it, they’ve been there. A lot of this team has won and gone through the process of going through playoffs, and they rely on that. I think they challenge themselves. It isn’t a physical skill, it’s a mental skill, and we have that. I don’t know if we win the series, but I know we have that in this organization.”
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin reportedly submits 3-team trade list of Florida, Minnesota and Vegas
Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has requested a trade by submitting a three-team list of desired destinations, a person familiar with discussions confirmed to The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity because talks are private. The Detroit Free Press first reported the development earlier in the day.
Larkin has a full no-trade clause as part of his contract, and his list was limited to being dealt to Vegas, Minnesota and Florida. He has five years left on an eight-year, $69.6 million contract, which carries an annual salary cap hit of $8.7 million.
The 29-year-old’s trade demand comes after completing his 11th season in Detroit, and 10th straight without a playoff berth. The Red Wings’ decade-long postseason drought now stands as the NHL’s longest active run after the Buffalo Sabres qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 15 years this season.
The Red Wings faltered down the stretch in becoming the NHL’s second team to have 69 points through 53 games only to miss the playoffs.
From Waterford, Michigan, Larkin enjoyed success in his Olympic debut, by winning a gold medal representing the U.S. at the Milan Cortina Games in February.
The challenge for Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is working out a deal with any of the three teams, who each are projected to be in the bottom half of the NHL in having $15.2 million or less in cap space available entering next season, according to spotrac.com.
And they include the Golden Knights, who rank 31st among the NHL’s 32 teams in currently having just $4.6 million of space available.
It’s unclear whether Larkin would be open to potentially expanding his list.
Larkin has spent his entire career in the Detroit area. He played collegiately at Michigan, and was selected by Detroit with the 15th pick in the 2014 draft. He’s a six-time 30-goal scorer, and coming off a season in which he had 67 points, including a career-best 34 goals in 74 games.
Rod Brind’Amour not disclosing goaltender decision for Game 4 of Stanley Cup Final
LAS VEGAS — Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour is wearing his poker face well in Las Vegas.
Brind’Amour has decided who will be in net against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.
He’s just not telling anyone.
“It’s always a suspenseful thing around here that I have to hold on to,” Brind’Amour said after practice. “It seems to have taken a life of its own, so I kind of enjoy it.”
Vegas leads the series 2-1 after a wild 5-4 double-overtime win in Game 3. The teams split the first two games in Carolina.
Starting goaltender Frederik Andersen didn’t practice, which Brind’Amour described as a maintenance day, but backup Brandon Bussi was on the ice along with Pyotr Kochetkov. All three were in rotation over the first three months of the regular season.
Asked what the coaches were telling him about his chances of playing in Game 4, Bussi smirked: “You know, Rod’s our coach, right?”
Andersen was brilliant for the Hurricanes, playing every minute of their first 15 playoff games before Bussi replaced him after Vegas took a 4-0 lead after the second period of Game 3.
Bussi shut down the Knights until Shea Theodore’s game-winning shot caromed off the end boards and went in after the goaltender inadvertently deflected it with his left skate 5:38 into the second overtime.
Brind’Amour told reporters he didn’t anticipate “a lot of changes” to the lineup, but would “see how (Andersen is) feeling.”
The coach quashed the notion that Andersen may have suffered a head injury when Ivan Barbashev’s left hip viciously collided with the netminder’s head. Andersen dropped to the ice face-first, where he lay flat with his arms sprawled out.
Bussi, who hadn’t played since April 14 before replacing Andersen, said his mindset doesn’t change on how to prepare for a game, whether as a backup or starter.
“It’s the same thing for me every day,” Bussi said. “I put my head down, I work hard. I just do the same thing every time. It’s easier that way.”
Meanwhile, the Hurricanes said they have confidence in whoever leads the team onto the ice inside T-Mobile Arena on Tuesday night.
“Freddie has been unbelievable, Bussi’s been unbelievable this year, and Koch, before he got injured, he was incredible,” Nikolaj Ehlers said. “So we got a ton of confidence. We want to play the same hockey that we know we can play. In the end it doesn’t matter who’s in the net, we’re going to do our best to limit their chances and give them less hard work to do during the games.
“It doesn’t matter. We have full confidence in all three goalies.”
Taylor Hall said the smaller intangibles to consider might be the goaltenders’ styles of play and how to react when an explosive team such as Vegas is firing on net.
“Bussi plays an aggressive style, so I would say it’s more about taking away the other options around the ice a bit more so that he can just focus on that shot if we do give up a chance,” Hall said. “Where Freddie’s more patient, and he’s more of a, ‘let’s see what happens.’ He’ able to kind of save some backdoor plays and things like that.”
In other injury news, forward William Carrier skated at practice after missing the third period and OT after appearing to injure his arm during a check on Jeremy Lauzon.
3 Penguins Make Best NHL Pending UFAs List
The Pittsburgh Penguins are entering the summer with several pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs). Now, three of them have been ranked among the NHL's best pending UFAs.
The Athletic's Chris Johnston recently ranked the NHL's top 50 pending UFAs for this summer. Anthony Mantha, Stuart Skinner, and Ryan Shea all made the cut.
Mantha was given the No. 8 spot, and it is pretty easy to understand why. While he had a disappointing post-season for the Penguins, he thrived during the regular-season. In 81 games this campaign with Pittsburgh, he recorded 33 goals and 64 points. After a season like this, he will generate a lot of interest if he tests free agency.
Skinner landed the No. 20 spot on Johnston's list. When noting that he is one of the top pending UFA goalies who can test free agency this summer and has a ton of playoff experience, he should have a good amount of suitors. In 50 games this season split between the Edmonton Oilers and Penguins, he had a 23-17-9 record, an .888 save percentage, and a 2.92 goals-against average.
As for Shea, he was given the No. 23 spot on Johnston's rankings. The 29-year-old just had a breakout year for Pittsburgh, setting new career highs with six goals, 29 assists, 35 points, and a plus-30 rating. Now, he is due for a new contract, and he should land himself a very nice raise. That remains the case whether he re-signs with the Penguins or signs elsewhere.
Hurricanes vs Golden Knights Props & Stanley Cup Final Game 4 Best Bets
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Taylor Hall has been a driving force for the Carolina Hurricanes throughout the playoffs.
He has continued to excel in this series, which is why he headlines my Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights props and NHL picks for Game 4.
Be sure to read our full Hurricanes vs. Golden Knights predictions for June 9.
Best Hurricanes vs Golden Knights props for Game 4
| Player | Pick |  |
|---|---|---|
 Taylor Hall | Over 0.5 points | -105 |
| Jalen Chatfield | Over 1.5 blocks | -130 |
 Noah Hanifin | Over 2.5 blocks | +135 |
Game 4 Prop #1: Taylor Hall Over 0.5 points (-105)
Taylor Hall ranked first or second on the Carolina Hurricanes in scoring chance contributions in each of the first three rounds, and he’s been arguably their best player in the Stanley Cup Final.
Hall has generated 21 shot attempts and nine scoring chances at 5-on-5, most among all Hurricanes players.
The Hurricanes have dominated the run of play during his minutes, winning the shot-attempt battle 58-28 and controlling a team-high 66.68% of expected goals.
I see a lot of value in backing Hall and would play him to get a point up to -130.
Game 4 Prop #2: Jalen Chatfield Over 1.5 blocks (-130)
Jalen Chatfield is being thrown to the wolves against the Vegas Golden Knights. He has logged the second-most ice time of any Hurricanes player while seeing extreme defensive usage.
Nobody has started more shifts in the defensive zone, nor been on the ice for more defensive zone faceoffs. Chatfield is being spoon-fed difficult assignments and starting a lot of sequences in his own zone.
That has led to an uptick in blocked shots. He has blocked multiple in nine straight, including three or more in each Finals game.
Playable to -150.
Game 4 Prop #3: Noah Hanifin Over 1.5 blocks (+135)
Noah Hanifin has been on the ice for 91 shot attempts in 62 minutes at 5-on-5. He is bleeding shots — and blocking plenty of them along the way.
He blocked four shots in each of the first two games, and still picked up two blocks despite missing a good chunk of Game 3 with an injury.
Hanifin played a regular shift during overtime periods, suggesting he should see his normal usage moving forward.
This is a generous price for someone who has cleared this line in four of the past five games he played start to finish.
Bet to +125.
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Where the Flames Rank Among NHL's Longest Stanley Cup Droughts
The Calgary Flames haven't qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs for four seasons, last reaching the second round in the 2021-22 campaign.
However, the Flames' Stanley Cup drought is now at 37 years, with their lone title coming in 1989. Heading into the 2026-27 season, Calgary now maintains the NHL's sixth-longest Stanley Cup drought, one year ahead of their provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers.
Considering the Flames are rebuilding and looking towards the future with hopes of contending when Scotia Place opens for the 2027-28 season, the organization could reach 40 years before another Stanley Cup parade.
Right now, the Flames are experiencing their third-longest playoff drought in team history, one season away from tying the five-season stretch from 2009 to 2014.
OnThePowerplay on InstagramThe longest active Stanley Cup droughts 😬 Will the Hurricanes end t...After qualifying for the postseason in 21 of their first 24 seasons, including 16 consecutive years from 1975 to 1991, they dropped out of the postseason by 1996 and missed the playoffs from 1996 to 2003, a record seven seasons.
Yet that figure doesn't even compare to the other five NHL franchises currently ahead of them on the list.
Longest Stanley Cup Droughts
10. Montreal Canadiens - 33 seasons
- Last Stanley Cup: 1993
- Last Stanley Cup Final: 2021
- Total Titles: 23
9. Ottawa Senators - 34 seasons
- Last Stanley Cup: Never
- Last Stanley Cup Final: 2007
- Total Titles: 0
8. San Jose Sharks - 35 seasons
- Last Stanley Cup: Never
- Last Stanley Cup Final: 2016
- Total Titles: 0
7. Edmonton Oilers - 36 seasons
- Last Stanley Cup: 1990
- Last Stanley Cup Final: 2025
- Total Titles: 5
6. Calgary Flames - 37 seasons
- Last Stanley Cup: 1989
- Last Stanley Cup Final: 2004
- Total Titles: 1
5. New York Islanders - 43 seasons
- Last Stanley Cup: 1983
- Last Stanley Cup Final: 1984
- Total Titles: 4
4. Philadelphia Flyers - 51 seasons
- Last Stanley Cup: 1975
- Last Stanley Cup Final: 2010
- Total Titles: 2
3. Vancouver Canucks - 55 seasons
- Last Stanley Cup: Never
- Last Stanley Cup Final: 2011
- Total Titles: 0
2. Buffalo Sabres - 55 seasons
- Last Stanley Cup: Never
- Last Stanley Cup Final: 1999
- Total Titles: 0
1. Toronto Maple Leafs - 58 Seasons
- Last Stanley Cup: 1967
- Last Stanley Cup Final: 1967
- Total Titles: 13
Are you surprised to see all six Canadian teams on the list? Which one of them will bring the Stanley Cup north of the border? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Hart Trophy, Selke Trophy Among NHL Awards Never Won by a FlameAs the NHL concludes its annual award announcements, it's time to look back at which trophies have eluded the Calgary Flames in their history, including the Hart Trophy and Frank J. Selke Trophy. Miles Russell, 17, qualifies for US Open with Tiger Woods’s son Charlie as caddie
Pair are friends and will play golf together at college
Tournament will start at Shinnecock Hills next week
Miles Russell was among two 17-year-olds who earned a spot in the US Open on Monday. Still to be determined was whether Russell brings his caddie from the 36-hole qualifier – the son of three-time champion Tiger Woods – to Shinnecock Hills next week.
Russell, the No 10 amateur in the world, survived a bogey on the first playoff hole and grabbed the fourth and final spot from the Florida qualifier. Charlie Woods is one of his close friends who has the same commercial agent and is following Russell to Florida State to play college golf.
Continue reading...County cricket: Surrey v Hampshire day three – live
Live Championship updates from 11am UK time
Lehmann and Prest in the middle; Topley, leaping up and down at the top of his mark, to finish his over. And the sun is out.
Just realised I’ve been watching the covers on day two on the stream. No wonder it all looked so familiar. Play is actually about to start at The Oval!
Continue reading...Stacey King Tells A Danny Ferry Story
Former Oklahoma and Chicago Bulls star Stacey King died Sunday, apparently after what is being termed a “serious fall” at his home. Just 59, he seems far too young to die of a fall, but you never know what is going on in a person’s life, let alone his health problems.
We mention King because on Monday, we saw this very funny clip featuring the former Bull (he won three rings in the 1990s).
We decided to post it because it’s a funny story featuring former Duke star Danny Ferry.
According to King, Ferry came into a game between the Cleveland and Chicago, and his sole purpose, supposedly, was to take a shot at Bulls star Michael Jordan. Jordan got ready to fight, but the Cavaliers took Ferry out after that, and the Bulls had to wait for their revenge.
They got it the next time they played. We’ll leave the rest of it for King to tell, but it was pretty entertaining. We can see why Bulls fans loved the man. It’s a pretty entertaining story.
- Longtime Bulls announcer Neil Funk pays tribute to Stacey King: ‘He just loved life’
- Basketball world pays tribute to Oklahoma legend Stacey King
- ‘Loved being a Bull’: Chicago Bulls icon Stacey King dies at age 59, team announces
- Former Chicago Bulls Star Stacey King Dies After a Serious Fall Leaving Fans and NBA Community in Mourning Broadcaster
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Itoje left out of England training squad with summer rest expected
Captain to miss Nations Championship barring injuries
Feyi-Waboso could recover in time for tour after surgery
The chances of Maro Itoje touring with England this summer continue to diminish after the national captain was left out of Steve Borthwick’s latest June training squad. It is understood England would ideally like to give Itoje a rest barring a sudden rush of injuries which affects the number of other second row candidates available to Borthwick.
Despite his club Saracens having failed to make the Prem play-offs, Itoje is not among the 26 players gathered in Bagshot to prepare for a fixture between an England XV and a France XV in Vannes on Friday week. Other senior players including Jamie George, Ben Earl and Tom Curry are involved, however, alongside uncapped hopefuls such as Gloucester’s Afolabi Fasogbon and Ben Redshaw and the Bristol centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg.
Continue reading...Five Serious Remaining Candidates In Race For Maple Leafs Head Coach Position
The Toronto Maple Leafs are reaching the second phase in their search to hire the 42nd head coach in franchise history.
According to TSN's Pierre LeBrun, the Maple Leafs' second phase of the process is believed to include "about five candidates."
A few names have been removed from the Maple Leafs' radar since they fired Craig Berube in May. Manny Malhotra was hired by the Vancouver Canucks, and on Monday, the Los Angeles Kings hired Peter Laviolette, a coach who was believed to be among the finalists for the Maple Leafs' position, and even the Edmonton Oilers.
Aside from confirmed hires in other markets, David Carle seems like another bench boss who won't be joining Toronto after reports about him respectfully declining an interview.
Bruce Cassidy, one of the biggest head coaching names available, doesn't seem to be a favorite in the running for the Maple Leafs' vacancy. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman has mentioned multiple times that he doesn't see a fit for Toronto and Cassidy, meaning a marriage between the two doesn't seem likely.
Mike Van Ryn reportedly interviewed for the Maple Leafs job, and though he is an internal candidate, he's been with the organization for three years, and it's clear the organization is looking to make changes.
Not only does Van Ryn not have any head coaching experience in the NHL, but as an assistant in charge of the team's defensemen, it's hard to say he held up his end of the bargain when his team allowed the second-most goals in the NHL this past year. Therefore, doesn't seem like he'd be the final decision GM John Chayka makes for the team's head coaching gig going into next season.
With that said, who remains in the race as a serious head coaching candidate for the Maple Leafs? With the latest reports in mind, here is a list of five NHL coaches who could be among the final five, in no particular order.
Report: Another NHL Coaching Candidate Off The Board As Maple Leafs Lose Peter Laviolette To KingsAfter losing Manny Malhotra last week, the Toronto Maple Leafs have another coaching candidate come off the board, as the Los Angeles Kings hire Peter Laviolette.Jay Woodcroft
There have been conflicting reports regarding Jay Woodcroft's status with the Maple Leafs and where he stands in getting the job.
Earlier this off-season, Frank Seravalli reported that Woodcroft was set to be interviewed by Toronto. But not long after, Friedman pushed back on that report, saying, "I do not believe Toronto has asked permission to talk to him."
Regardless, LeBrun added his two cents on Monday.
"I think Jay Woodcroft probably is," he said of Woodcroft's position among the remaining candidates for the Maple Leafs. He also added that he doesn't have that report 100 percent confirmed.
At any rate, Woodcroft would still be a worthy candidate given his tenure with the Oilers, leading the superstars of Edmonton to a 50-win regular season in his one full campaign with the organization. The Toronto native also took the Oilers beyond the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs in the two post-seasons he was there for.
Most recently, he spent the past year as an assistant coach alongside veteran head coach Joel Quenneville. Woodcroft helped the Ducks defeat his former Oilers in the first round of the 2026 post-season and is an effective offense-minded bench boss.
Derek Lalonde
Derek Lalonde may not be the hottest pick to be Toronto's next head coach, but he is certainly qualified to guide the Maple Leafs from behind the bench and has been interviewed for the job, for that matter.
Lalonde is an internal candidate, and though management has been making changes with Toronto's staff, Lalonde has been with the Leafs for one season and was excellent at his job.
The 53-year-old was in charge of the team's penalty kill last year, which was one of the few bright spots for the Leafs. Toronto was among the top 10 in the NHL for its penalty kill, converting at an 81.2 percent rate.
He's also won two Stanley Cups as an assistant coach during his four-year tenure with the Tampa Bay Lightning, meaning he knows what a winning team looks like.
Report: Maple Leafs Interviewed Internal Candidates, Lalonde, Van Ryn, For NHL Head Coaching PositionThe Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly interviewed Derek Lalonde and Mike Van Ryn for an NHL head coach position, confirming earlier reports from TheHockeyNews.comAs a head coach, he didn't have the best record with the Detroit Red Wings, coaching them through two-and-a-half seasons.
In total, his NHL record is 89-86-23 across 198 games behind the bench. However, in his best year with Detroit, 2023-24, the Red Wings missed the playoffs by a tiebreaker to the Washington Capitals. In different circumstances, Lalonde could've been the one to end Detroit's NHL post-season drought. But even since Todd McLellan came in, the Wings still don't have a post-season appearance to show for it after 10 years of missing the dance.
Joe Pavelski
Though the Maple Leafs indeed have Joe Pavelski on their radar for their vacant head coach position, he's certainly a surprising candidate. With that in mind, there is a fair reason for Toronto to be considering him.
Seeing how successful the hire of Martin St-Louis has been for the Montreal Canadiens, other teams may want to mimic the ideology of hiring a coach who was an NHL star, despite NHL coaching experience.
St-Louis coached minor hockey, as Pavelski has with the Madison Capitols U-15 AAA team, coaching his son, Nate.
Why The Maple Leafs Are Reportedly Interested in Former NHLer Joe Pavelski For Head Coaching PositionCould Joe Pavelski follow the Martin St. Louis blueprint and go from coaching his son's minor hockey team to behind an NHL bench?It's certainly a risk, but it could also pay off with the hockey mind that Pavelski possesses. Even with his lack of experience as a head coach in hockey, he appears to be a real serious candidate for the Maple Leafs.
"It's been confirmed to me… Pavelski is among those five remaining candidates that is scheduled for in-person interviews this week with the Toronto Maple Leafs," LeBrun said on OverDrive.
It would be a huge challenge for Pavelski stepping into his first-ever crack at being a head coach, for the biggest hockey market in the NHL, and in a crucial upcoming season that could determine how the organization operates in the next few years.
Nonetheless, if Pavelski didn't feel comfortable in that situation, he wouldn't keep himself in the running. So even though he's played in smaller markets, the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars, he seems confident in the possibility of leading Toronto from behind the bench.
Patrick Roy
Patrick Roy is another former star player in the mix for the Maple Leafs' head coach role. However, he also comes with multiple years of experience as a coach in the NHL.
His latest tenure with the New York Islanders ended near the end of this past regular season. In what was his third year with the Isles, Roy was fired with four games remaining in the campaign to make way for Pete DeBoer.
However, Roy's dismissal at an odd time of the season shouldn't highlight his time in Long Island.
Though he never made the playoffs with the Islanders, he was on a great path this past year, exceeding the team's expectations going into 2025-26. With the help of the 2025 first overall pick, Matthew Schaefer, the Islanders were competing for the post-season until the very end. In fact, the day before Roy was let go, New York was actually in a playoff spot.
Roy deployed Schaefer effectively, putting the rookie in positions to succeed, which ultimately led to him winning the Calder Trophy and setting the stage for what looks to be a long and successful NHL career.
That reputation may be enough for Chayka and the rest of Toronto's brass to seriously consider hiring Roy as the Leafs' next head coach.
"Patrick Roy is still in this process, I'm told," LeBrun reported.
Also, with the goaltending talent and depth that the Maple Leafs organization have in their system, who better to guide them than Roy, one of the best goaltenders in NHL history.
John Gruden
John Gruden is a candidate who hasn't been confirmed to be among the final list of candidates for the Maple Leafs, but there could be a very good reason for that.
Gruden is currently in the midst of a deep AHL Calder Cup run, as his Toronto Marlies have just advanced to the final following Sunday's win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, eliminating them in six games.
Because of this important stretch for the Marlies, it would make sense if the Maple Leafs kept any contact with Gruden under wraps. Any talk of a potential role in the NHL could become a distraction for the Marlies and hurt what could be a Calder Cup-winning campaign, which would only strengthen Gruden's case.
Are The Marlies Staff, Players Destined For Maple Leafs And NHL Roles?: Comparing This Year's Marlies To The 2018 Calder Cup ChampionsWith the Toronto Marlies advancing to the Calder Cup final, how does this team compare to the 2018 Calder Cup champions, and what staff members or players are destined for the NHL?The 56-year-old has never been a head coach in the NHL, but does have experience as an assistant bench boss with the Islanders and Boston Bruins for five straight years before joining the Marlies in 2023-24.
But it's worth noting that coaches who go on to win the Calder Cup typically get a chance at coaching at the NHL level. That would apply to the likes of Jon Cooper, Jared Bednar, Jeff Blashill, Manny Malhotra, Sheldon Keefe, Ryan Warsofsky, and plenty more.
So, while no reports can confirm Gruden to be among the remaining names for the Maple Leafs' head coaching position, it wouldn't be absurd or shocking if he is a finalist.
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Orioles minor league weekly recap: Keys slug their way back to first place
As is our Tuesday tradition here at Camden Chat, it’s time for our recap of the last six days of minor league baseball, with a particular focus on Camden Chat’s top 20 Orioles prospects.
Triple-A Norfolk Tides
- Last week: 3-3 at Gwinnett Stripers (Braves)
- Coming week: vs. Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals)
- Season record: 25-38, ninth place (13.5 GB) in International League East
Creed Willems has been a bit of an overlooked prospect as he’s moved up the minor league ladder, but he’s trying to make sure we don’t forget him. We certainly won’t forget his hair. He’s been crushing the ball in his first season at Triple-A, batting .283/.370/.511, and this week he added his 12th and 13th home runs to his tally. His AVG, OBP, and SLG are all the highest of his professional career. The O’s aren’t in urgent need of a first baseman or catcher, Creed’s two primary positions, so they can afford to let him cook at Triple-A for a while longer. But his breakout year means the Orioles may well add him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft (which they declined to do last year, but he went unselected).
Beyond Willems, the Norfolk lineup is a mishmash of former prospects and veteran journeymen. Former Reds prospect Christian Encarnacion-Strand continues to hit, bashing three homers this week. He has a .949 OPS for the Tides this year and could be the next man up if the O’s have an infield injury. Heston Kjerstad was 7-for-27 with seven strikeouts and no walks. With a .669 OPS, he’s not exactly beating down the door for a big league promotion, even if Tyler O’Neill is beating down the door to be released.
On the mound, Trey Gibson (#5 prospect) was the only Tides pitcher to record a quality start — 6.1 innings, two runs, prior to returning to the majors yesterday — while Nestor German (#11) and Trace Bright delivered identical 5.2-inning, three-run outings. The weirdest pitching line was that of Yaqui Rivera, who allowed seven hits and four walks in five innings, but somehow no earned runs (though he did give up four unearned ones). Lefty reliever Andrew Magno continued to shine with two scoreless outings, lowering his ERA to 0.72 in 22 games. Could the 28-year-old, who spent seven years in the Tigers’ organization without a call-up, finally make his MLB debut this season?
Double-A Chesapeake Baysox
- Last week: 3-3 vs. Akron RubberDucks (Guardians)
- Coming week: at Altoona Curve (Pirates)
- Season record: 23-33, last place (14.0 GB) in Eastern League Southwest
Just like with the Tides, the best hitter on the Baysox is a catcher. In this case it’s Ethan Anderson, the Orioles’ second-round pick in 2024, who’s rocking an .866 OPS and 11 home runs in 47 games after hitting three more dingers this week. Anderson had all but fallen off the Birds’ prospect lists after a forgettable 2025 in which he OPS’d .677 and hit just four homers in 90 games, but he’s taken a big step forward this year.
Infielders Aron Estrada (#13 prospect) and Frederick Bencosme each had a seven-hit, two-homer week. Estrada has turned his season around in a big way after posting a paltry .176 AVG and .490 OPS through his first 18 games; he’s now up to .277 and .791, not far off from his career averages. And he’s doing it while being nearly three years young for the Double-A level. Not too shabby.
But enough about that; how did Joseph Dzierwa (#14) do? I’m pleased to report that the Orioles’ fastest-rising pitching prospect delivered another quality start, holding Akron to one run in 6.2 strong innings. I may be tempting fate by saying this, but Dzierwa has really never had a bad outing in his professional career. He hasn’t given up more than three earned runs in any of his 11 starts. Across High-A and Double-A, he’s sporting a 2.51 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 11.46 K/9. The lefty strikes out a ton of batters, doesn’t walk many, and doesn’t give up homers. Just stay healthy, buddy, and the sky’s the limit.
High-A Frederick Keys
- Last week: 4-2 vs. Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees)
- Coming week: at Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets)
- Season record: 35-19, first place (1.5 games ahead) in South Atlantic League North
The offense was alive for Frederick this week, as it’s been for most of the year. The Keys tallied double-digit runs in half of their games this series, including blowout wins of 16-3 and 10-3 and a barnburner of a 14-13 defeat. It was enough for the Keys to reclaim first place in the division after briefly falling into second a week ago.
Slugging first baseman Victor Figueroa crushed four homers and leads all O’s minor leaguers with 15 roundtrippers this year. The 22-year-old was part of the five-player package the Orioles received from San Diego in the Ryan O’Hearn/Ramón Laureano trade last year, and while he’s more of a lottery ticket than a real prospect, that power is undeniable. Time to move him up to Double-A and see what happens.
Enrique Bradfield Jr. (#7 prospect) has heated up as he rehabs a left hand injury. He was a spark plug atop the lineup, reaching base 12 times, scoring 10 runs, and stealing five bases. He should be ready to return to Norfolk shortly. Another rehabbing outfielder, Douglas Hodo III, hit three homers as he prepares to head back to Double-A. And hey, it was even a good week for the much-maligned Vance Honeycutt. The struggling former first rounder hit two dingers and struck out only three times in 18 at-bats.
Surprisingly missing from the offensive surge were Ike Irish (#4) and Wehiwa Aloy (#6), each of whom had just four hits in the series. Aloy is in a 4-for-32 rut if you include his three games before that. Even still, both guys had seven RBIs, tied for the most on the team this week besides Figueroa’s 10.
As for the pitchers, righty Yeiber Cartaya continued to cruise through 2026 with a five-inning, one-earned-run effort that featured seven strikeouts and no walks. The 23-year-old Venezuelan has a 1.42 ERA in 44.1 innings. Elsewhere, Twine Palmer worked five scoreless innings of bulk relief. But 6-foot-8 lefty Boston Bateman, who’d been on a nice roll in May, opened June with a tough outing, giving up three runs and walking four in three innings.
Low-A Delmarva Shorebirds
- Last week: 5-1 at Augusta GreenJackets
- Coming week: at Columbia Fireflies (Royals)
- Season record: 22-35, last place (19.0 GB) in Carolina League North
Break up the Shorebirds! They’re riding a five-game winning streak and just bagged their first series win since the end of April. It didn’t get them out of last place, but, you know. Baby steps.
Pitching led the way for the Shorebirds, who held Augusta to three or fewer runs in all but one game. It was a true team effort, with 17 different Delmarva pitchers taking the mound this week, 12 of whom gave up no earned runs. The Shorebirds got a boost from newcomer Stephen Still, a 24-year-old lefty signed by the Orioles after two years in independent ball. I’d like to learn more about him, but my Google search keeps defaulting to Stephen Stills from Crosby, Stills and Nash. Anyway, this Stephen Still debuted with 5.1 scoreless innings and nine strikeouts. Nice!
Another pitcher I’m not familiar with, Andrew Herbert, dazzled with nine scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts. It would’ve been especially awesome if it all happened in one game, but it was two long relief appearances. It’s still impressive! The 25-year-old righty is another recent addition from the independent league, signed the same day as Still on May 21.
No Shorebirds batter had more than five hits this week, but four of Edwin Amparo’s went for extra bases, including two homers. And 2025 fifth-round pick Jaiden Lo Re also homered in his first week at Delmarva. He’s a natural fit at this level, because “Lo Re” rhymes with “Low-A.” When he gets moved up to the next rung, he’ll have to change his name to Jaiden Hi Re. It’s the rules.
**
Creed Willems was the runaway winner in last week’s player of the week poll, earning 67% of the vote. He joins previous winners Payton Eeles, Braylin Tavera, Caden Hunter, Ike Irish, and Wehiwa Aloy. There have been no repeat winners, and there still won’t, because there are two new candidates on the ballot this week. Who gets your vote?