Wide receiver Devin Carter (Douglasville, Georgia/ Douglas County High School) was officially honored as a 2026 Navy All-American during a virtual jersey presentation as part of the Road to the Dome tour.
Wide Receiver Aaron Gregory Honored as a 2026 Navy All-American
Ryan Clark apologizes for Kyren Lacy innocence statement after police release new video
FSU’s Ethan Pritchard released from hospital more than month after he was shot
Pennsylvania football coach steps down, claims family was threatened by team parents
(10-9-25) Wild-Blues Gameday Lineup
ST. LOUIS – From the moment that agonizing, excruciating loss against the Winnipeg Jets ended their season in May, the St. Louis Blues have counted down the days until they can begin the process of growing from such an experience and rectifying the agony.
That time has come with the 2025-26 season opener on Thursday when the Blues entertain the Minnesota Wild (7 p.m.; FDSNMW, ESPN 101.1-FM).
When the puck drops, the Blues want to get off on the front foot and regain the momentum they had at the end of the regular season when they made it into the playoffs as the second wild card but lost to the Jets in seven games, a 4-3 double overtime loss, despite leading game 7 3-1 with two minutes remaining.
That stench probably sits in many players’ minds, and knowing it all gets going for real tonight makes it even more meaningful to start off on the right foot.
“It makes your life a lot easier when you start out good,” Blues center Robert Thomas said. “I think every team wants to get a good start so they don’t have to do that on the back half. We feel like we can keep that momentum going from last year. The majority of the team’s the same except for a couple new pieces who are really excited. We’re really excited to have them. We feel like we can keep that momentum going and put ourselves in a good spot in December, January.”
Enterprise Center will be loud. It was loud during the playoff series against the Jets, and Blues coach Jim Montgomery said home ice dominance will be imperative.
“We know we love playing in front of our great fans,” he said. “We know it’s going to be loud here tonight. It’s our job to make sure they stay loud.
“I think it’s really playing on your toes and trying to get to our identity as quick as we can. Teams like Minnesota, they got to their identity right away. They had a great start. That’s the way you want to start is get to your identity. Having watched a lot of games over the last two nights, you see some teams that are playing slow and the teams that are playing fast and to their identity know what they’re doing when they get to the puck. They’re playing fast and it’s pretty evident that they’re a little bit ahead of the curve.”
There’s been a certain style of play that makes Montgomery feel good that this group can, and will, start off well.
“How sharp our goalies and defensemen have been,” the coach said. “I think that’s what gives me confidence that we’re going to start off well and we’re going to get to our identity pretty quick. Our defensemen are long, they skate pretty well, their gaps have been really good and our physicality has gone up in our D-corps. That gives me a lot of confidence and when you have (Jordan) Binnington in there, someone that is just serene in nets how calm he makes the rest of us. That’s something that obviously gives you confidence you can get off to a good start.”
- - -
Since the Blues know what they’re going to get from the defense and goaltending, or at least Montgomery believes, they could use a jolt from their top-line players, like Thomas, Pavel Buchnevich and Jimmy Snuggerud, who will be looked upon to supply a load of the firepower.
And what needs to happen for that to be optimal?
“I think possession, having the puck, being all over the puck,” Thomas said. “There’s nights where even if you’re trying to make a play, it gets tipped but you’re so quick and you’re on it again. That’s what makes us really successful is we can make plays off the rush and we can do that every night, but in the zone, those broken plays, being on pucks, spreading it around, making teams try and defend us, I think that’s what creates our really good nights.”
It was pretty clear that Thomas and Snuggerud have developed quite the chemistry already.
“It’s pretty easy. He’s got a great shot. He’s fast,” Thomas said. “He can make that extra move to get into a scoring chance and shoot it. Me and ‘Buchy’ have played together four years. It definitely takes time, but we’re happy to have him, he’s going to be a big part of our future. It’s a great time to get it rolling.”
For Snuggerud, who has the potential to be a Calder Trophy candidate, just be ready to shoot the puck.
“Expect the puck at all times, that’s No. 1. And No. 2, get yourself in position to score, whether it’s off the rush, driving backdoor, whether it’s in the offensive zone getting inside the dots, not outside the dots so when he gives it to you, you’ve upgraded your scoring opportunity,” Montgomery said.
And for Buchnevich?
“I think he’s done everything he has to do as far as being in real good shape, being healthy right now,” Montgomery said. “And then the rest is just trusting his instincts. Another guy with high-end offensive and defensive instincts. Him just trusting what he sees and natural second- and third-effort with his health, I think we’re going to get the type of player that complements those guys well and they complement him really well.”
Thomas will put up the numbers, undoubtedly, but what about those tough matchups, like the one he will get with Kirill Kaprizov, who just recently signed the biggest contract in NHL history ($17 million average annual value for eight years)?
“Obviously he’s one of the top players in the league, so creative,” Thomas said of Kaprizov. “He finds ways to score, not just by shooting but by tips, by positioning himself. He’s very slippery, he finds those quiet areas really well and everyone kind of looks for him. It’s a really tough test, it’s exciting to get a test like that right off the first game of the season. I’m excited for it.
“Whatever helps get the win. Every night’s different, whether you try and produce more or try and just be overall better. It kind of depends on the night. If you can come out with a win and either of those happen, then you can be happy with it.”
On Kaprizov, Montgomery said, “What separates him, I don’t know if it separates him from the great players. The great players, they’re all ultra-competitive, they all want the puck, they don’t stop until they get the puck. His ability to drive offense as a winger is very similar to (Artemi) Panarin and (David) Pastrnak, guys that even if they don’t have, and I’m not saying he doesn’t have it, I’m just saying all these guys I’ve seen them do it without your prototypical {Aleksander) Barkov, (Nathan) MacKinnon or (Connor) McDavid at center, they assume role and they carry the puck through the neutral zone. So they almost as a winger, they act like a center. And then just how dangerous he is everywhere. He scores goals, the beautiful goals, the one-timers, the off-the-rush goals and he’s really dangerous and really persistent in getting to the net front in the O-zone. There’s a lot of ways and you have to be aware of him. Defensemen have to be aware of him, forwards have to be aware of him.”
- - -
Thursday marks the debut of defenseman Logan Mailloux, who was acquired from the Montreal Canadiens for Zack Bolduc, who scored in his Canadiens debut on Wednesday, on July 1.
Mailloux will be paired with Tyler Tucker, and has enjoyed every minute since his arrival.
“It’s more excitement than anything,” Mailloux said. “I think I’m just looking forward to getting some games and then get back to the schedule of a season. I haven’t played 82 games either so it’s going to be a lot. It’s good because after the summer break, you’re kind of itching to get back to playing games and stuff like that. I’m definitely more excited than nervous.
“It’s definitely a different style of play (in St. Louis). I feel like all of the defensemen are pretty involved here, whether it’s jumping in the rush. I’m not saying that they aren’t in Montreal. Obviously there’s some skilled offensive defensemen there, but I feel like it’;s how our system works where it’s a five-man unit. All the guys are going whether it’s off of breakouts or in the O-zone play.”
- - -
Blues Projected Lineup:
Pavel Buchnevich-Robert Thomas-Jimmy Snuggerud
Dylan Holloway-Brayden Schenn-Jordan Kyrou
Jake Neighbours-Pius Suter-Mathieu Joseph
Alexey Toropchenko-Nick Bjugstad-Nathan Walker
Cam Fowler-Colton Parayko
Philip Broberg-Justin Faulk
Tyler Tucker-Logan Mailloux
Jordan Binnington will start in goal; Joel Hofer will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Alexandre Texier and Matthew Kessel. Oskar Sundqvist (lower body) is considered week to week and will miss at least the first three games.
- - -
Wild Projected Lineup:
Kirill Kaprizov-Marco Rossi-Matt Boldy
Marcus Foligno-Joel Eriksson Ek-Vladimir Tarasenko
Yakov Trenin-Ryan Hartman-Marcus Johansson
Liam Ohgren-Hunter Haight-Vinnie Hinostroza
Jacob Middleton-Brock Faber
Zeev Buium-Jared Spurgeon
Zack Bogosian-David Jiricek
Filip Gustavsson will start in goal; Jesper Wallstedt will be the backup.
Healthy scratches include Daemon Hunt and Danila Yurov. Jonas Brodin (upper body), Mats Zuccarello (lower body) and Nico Sturm (back) are out.
Fan is suing LeBron James for 'fraud, deception' after Lakers star teased 'Second Decision'
A fan who spent hundreds of dollars for tickets to what he thought would be one of LeBron James' final NBA games is looking to recoup the money in small claims court after it turned out "The Second Deicision" teased by the Lakers superstar had nothing to do with his retirement.
Norwalk resident Andrew Garcia filed a claim Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court that states that James owes him $865.66 because of "fraud, deception, misrepresentation, and any and all basis of legal recovery."
Garcia told The Times that he spent that amount for two tickets to the Lakers' game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 31, 2026, at Crypto.com Arena , thinking it would be the 40-year-old NBA icon's final game against the team that drafted him in 2003.
He and other basketball fans were under that impression after James posted Monday on X that he would be announcing "the decision of all decisions" the next day. The post included a video clip teasing "The Second Decision," a clear reference to 2010's "The Decision," in which James famously announced he was going to "take my talents to South Beach" to play for the Miami Heat.
Read more:Plaschke: LeBron James is 'maybe' retiring? This is going to be fun
Garcia said he purchased the tickets within 10 minutes of James' social media post.
"I was like, 'Holy s—, LeBron is going to retire! We've got to get tickets now,'" the 29-year-old Garcia said. "Like, literally, because if he formally makes this announcement, you know, there's gonna be some significant price changes, right?"
Garcia is a huge fan of the Lakers and James, as well as an avid basketball fan in general, so he thought it would be cool to see the NBA's all-time leading scorer play for the last time against the team with which he started his career and brought its first title in 2016 after his return from Miami.
"Moments like that, I understand the value," Garcia said. "There still may be some moderate value [to the tickets], however it's not the same without him retiring. I remember Kobe's last year, it was kind of what this would have been, per se, where every ticket was worth a lot. Every game had value. …
"I missed out on that. I was a little bit younger at the time. I obviously wasn't in a position to where I could just buy tickets unfortunately at that age. I believe I was like 18 or 19 at the time. And that's one of my biggest regrets as a sports fan. I really wish I could have gotten the Kobe's last year. So I see this as a potential to kind of make up for what I lost with Kobe."
Read more:Natalia Bryant makes her debut as a creative director with Lakers short film
But "The Second Decision" ended up having nothing to do with retirement. It was merely a Hennessy ad.
So now Garcia wants his money back.
"There is no circumstance absent him saying he's gonna retire that I would have bought tickets that far in advance," Garcia said. "I mean, I buy tickets, but I don't buy tickets five months' advance. I'm the kind of person that buys tickets five hours in advance. It was solely, solely, solely based on that. So that's why I was really thinking, 'You know what, this might be grounds for a case.' "
The Times reached out to an attorney said to be working with James related to the claim but did not receive an immediate response.
In light of everything that has happened this week, though, Garcia said he'd still be willing to pay the same amount of money to see James play during his eventual retirement tour.
"Of course," Garcia said. "I would probably spend more, because life is all about memories and experiences."
Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Heat's Erik Spoelstra expected to be named head coach of USA Basketball for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is the leading candidate and is expected to be named the head coach of USA Basketball's men's team for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and the 2027 World Cup in Qatar, according tomultiple reports.
A contract has yet to be signed and finalized, but could be before the month is out. Tim Reynolds at the Associated Press notes any deal would have to be approved by the USA Basketball board of directors, who are set to meet later in October.
Spoelstra would take over for Steve Kerr, who stepped away after the team won gold at the Paris Olympics, the fifth consecutive gold medal for the American men's team. Spoelstra served as an assistant coach on Kerr's staff in Paris and at the World Cup before that. Spoelstra had said previously he would be honored to be considered for the job, and he would be the first Heat coach ever to hold the position.
Entering his 18th NBA season, Spoelstra is the longest-tenured head coach in the NBA (by six years, Kerr is the second-longest tenured). Spoelstra was just voted the "best coach in the NBA" in the annual poll of general managers, who also said he is the best manager and motivator of players in the league.
Spoelstra has led the Heat to six NBA Finals appearances, winning two (with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh) in 2012 and 2013.
USA Basketball has to select a coach who elite players want to play for, someone for whom the game's best are willing to spend their summer with him in a gym. Someone above the petty fray of agents and shoe politics that can try to influence decisions. Spoelstra fits that mold, he is highly respected by players.
This report comes just days after USA Basketball announced that Duke coach Kara Lawson will coach the USA women’s national team for the next Olympic cycle and the Los Angeles Games.
Buster Posey explains desired traits in search for next Giants manager
Buster Posey explains desired traits in search for next Giants manager originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Another offseason for Giants brings another search for a new manager.
The search is new territory for president of baseball operations Buster Posey as the team fired manager Bob Melvin, just short of the one-year anniversary of Posey being named to his current position.
Posey outlined what qualities make a good manager during an interview with Kerry Crowley on The San Francisco Standard’s “Section 415” podcast.
“I still think the job of the manager, ultimately, is to set the tone every single day. It starts in spring training [and] carries all the way through the year,” Posey told Crowley.
It goes without saying that decisive leadership is important for a manager to have. But couth and interpersonal skills are highly important for Posey as well.
“[It] has to be somebody that can read a room really well, understanding that there’s a lot of different personalities that you have. When you do measure those personalities, then being able to be decisive about understanding what makes each guy tick,” Posey said. “I think that can serve as potential for accountability conversations, some motivation that can be emphasized by the manager.”
Naturally when headhunting, the candidates that immediately come to mind are individuals with prior relationships with those who are performing the recruitment. While Posey acknowledges that a prior connection makes the process convenient, it is not a criterion that is absolutely necessary.
“One of the benefits [of] having a team in the front office is that if maybe if I haven’t come across somebody personally, somebody else in the front office has,” Posey explained to Crowley. “… there’s a lot of relationships that I’ve made, but there’s also a lot of people in our inner circle who have also made relationships.”
While there likely is list of candidates that Posey already has a strong connection with, it appears that he won’t close himself and the front office’s search to those options alone.
Bob Melvin checked a lot of the same boxes for Farhan Zaidi’s managerial search ahead of the 2024 MLB season. He was experienced and highly regarded as a popular manager in the clubhouse, but the on-field product ultimately did not meet the Giants’ standards.
Nevertheless, Posey will be looking for similar attributes, as do most front offices, in his search for San Francisco’s third manager in four seasons.
Injuries Still Impacting J.T. Miller and Artemi Panarin As They Both Look To Get Back To Regular Form
Both J.T. Miller and Artemi Panarin had to shake off some rust during the New York Rangers’ season opener on Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Miller suffered a lower-body injury during the second half of training camp and missed the last few games of the preseason and multiple practices.
On Tuesday night, Miller just didn’t look right, and he admitted that he’s still working through his injury.
“Not great. Kind of what I expected,” Miller said about how he was feeling during the Rangers’ first regular-season game. “Legs were heavy today. I haven’t been having a whole lot of reps, but that'll come with time. I know I'll be better next game.”
Panarin also suffered a lower-body injury during training camp, which caused him to miss the entirety of the preseason.
It’s unclear whether Panarin is one hundred percent healthy or not, but the months without participating in any game action were clearly evident in his play.
“It’s not an excuse, but obviously first game played in like five months, it’s not easy, but it is what it is,” Panarin said. “Try being better next game.”
Mike Sullivan is not worried about his two-star forwards.
The Rangers' head coach believes the time Miller and Panarin missed did impact them, but it’s only a matter of time before they return to their regular form.
“We're gonna have to take it day by day. Obviously, J.T. missed a fair amount of training camp, as did Bread,” said Sullivan. “So, those two guys are jumping on a moving train, and when you miss that much time, it's not easy to jump back into an NHL game at NHL pace, even from a conditioning standpoint.
“I think those guys will get better with every game they play. I think they'll get better with timing and reads and all of those things. We'll take each day as it comes, and we'll try to manage it accordingly.”
Miller and Panarin are both set to play on Thursday night against the Buffalo Sabres.
NHL Rookies Who Made Opening Day Lineups In The East: Demidov, Wings Trio And More
The new interesting batch of NHL rookies look to make their mark early in the season.
Whether it's a Calder Trophy front-runner or a surprise addition to the roster, over two-thirds of the NHL's squads had rookies on the opening day roster.
After looking at the Western Conference earlier, let’s examine those in the Eastern Conference.
Boston Bruins
Fraser Minten (C/LW)
Minten appeared in the Bruins' season opener on Wednesday. Although he was held off the scoresheet, he generated a couple of scoring chances, according to naturalstatrick.com. The Bruins acquired him from the Toronto Maple Leafs last trade deadline, and while he projects as a third-line center down the road, he may have already earned that role. Minten can make some simple but smart plays on offense.
Carolina Hurricanes
Alexander Nikishin (D)
Nikishin joined the Hurricanes for the playoffs last year after scoring 46 points in 61 KHL games, but he'll play his first regular-season NHL matchups this fall.
Nikishin had the most goals by a defenseman in the KHL in 2023-24 and the most points by a defenseman in 2023-24 and 2024-25. In the pre-season, he had a goal and three points in four games. While it may be tougher to score from the blueline in the NHL than the KHL, we'll see whether Nikishin can keep up his scoring on a pair with Shayne Gostisbehere.
Detroit Red Wings
Emmitt Finnie (LW), Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (RW), Axel Sandin-Pellikka (D)
With three rookies on the roster to open the season, the Red Wings are finally inserting the young talent fans have been waiting for. The most surprising of the bunch is 2023 seventh-round pick Emmitt Finnie. His hard-working game and the chemistry he’s shown with the Wings’ top players has given him not only the chance to make the roster but play on the top line. He’s going to be the worker in the corners and at the net front, allowing the stars to do their thing, but he’s playing his role.
Brandsegg-Nygard and Sandin-Pellikka making the roster already was a bit of a surprise, but they certainly earned it in camp.
Brandsegg-Nygard is a true do-it-all winger who can play in the middle six and provide a nice blend of skill and physicality. Sandin-Pellikka is a silky smooth puck-moving defender who can be used on the power play as well as driving some offense from the back end at even strength. The two first-rounders are set to be exciting additions to this team and could be the type of pieces that help get them back into post-season contention.
Montreal Canadiens
Ivan Demidov (RW), Oliver Kapanen (C), Jakub Dobes (G)
The Calder Trophy is Ivan Demidov’s to lose in the eyes of most around the hockey world. The incredibly dynamic and skilled Russian winger showed us exactly why he was such a highly touted prospect when he joined the Habs last season. He immediately electrified the Habs' fan base and brought a level of skill to the lineup that they haven’t had in a long time. Demidov’s rookie season could be one of the best we’ve seen in years. It’s certainly going to be fun to watch.
Oliver Kapanen made the lineup as a moderate surprise, but his responsible two-way play and sound pro-style game earned him a spot in camp. He got a shot on the second line with Demidov and Alex Newhook in the season opener. Kapanen will be the defensive presence for two guys who can fly up and down the ice.
New Jersey Devils
Arseny Gritsyuk (RW)
The Twittersphere has long been a fan of the uber-skilled and silky smooth Arseny Gritsyuk. His highlights have been a fixture online for a few years now, so there are heightened expectations for the young Russian now that he’s in New Jersey. He’ll start in the bottom six, but expect him to find his way into scoring roles as the season goes on.
New York Islanders
Matthew Schaefer (D), Maxim Shabanov (LW)
The first overall pick this past June is going from 26 total games spread over the OHL and international competition last season to a likely top four role in the NHL. Schaefer is a stellar two-way defender who has the mobility and intellect to jump right into the league. He could assert himself as the Isles’ best defenseman by season’s end.
Shabanov joins the Islanders as a 25-year-old rookie after a few really solid years in the KHL. Although undersized, his skill and hockey sense allow him to constantly find himself in position to make plays in the offensive end. He could be a sneaky dark horse Calder candidate.
New York Rangers
Noah Laba (C)
Despite Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann being expected to make the team, the Rangers seemed to shock everyone when those two were sent to the AHL and Noah Laba was the lone rookie to play for them on opening night.
Laba joined the AHL's Hartford Wolfpack last year after his junior college season and looked solid. His pre-season was very good with the Rangers, and he earned him a bottom-six center role to open his first full pro season. He must continue to earn his spot, but the Rangers may have found a sneaky addition.
Philadelphia Flyers
Adam Ginning (D), Nikita Grebenkin (RW), Jett Luchanko (C)
After making the roster out of camp last year before getting sent back to the OHL, Jett Luchanko looks to be in a similar spot as last season. He isn’t promised a spot, and he will have to earn his role, likely in the bottom six.
He and Nikita Grebenkin appear to be healthy scratches to start the season, but we could see both of them unseat veterans on the way to full-time spots in the lineup.
Adam Ginning is a bit of a surprise to make the roster, but a weak blueline and a strong camp earned him a job on the third pair.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Ville Koivunen (LW), Ben Kindel (C/W), Harrison Brunicke (D), Arturs Silovs (G)
The Pens are welcoming in a trio of young, talented players, headlined by Ben Kindel, the 11th overall pick in this past June’s draft. A highly talented playmaker who really seems to understand the nuances of how to generate offense, Kindel has had an outstanding training camp and earned the third-line center job.
Ville Koivunen was acquired in the Jake Guentzel trade a couple of years ago, and he’s been gifted the opportunity to play alongside Sidney Crosby to start the season. His intelligence and tactical play could make him a perfect fit alongside the franchise legend.
On the back end, Brunicke has found his way onto the roster a year after being drafted. His game is built around his skating and mobility. It will be interesting to see how he handles the physicality of the NHL.
Brunicke and Kindel may only see the nine games a player can see without burning a year of their entry-level contract, but it will be invaluable experience for both of them.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Jack Finley (C)
The Lightning need some young talent to play roles in their lineup as the Stanley Cup core starts to age. Finley won’t be a stud for this team, but he has been on the rise over the last couple of seasons, and now, he looks like a guy fully capable of playing minutes in the bottom six. He has been getting plenty of praise in camp for his faceoffs and his power game.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Easton Cowan (RW)
The Toronto Maple Leafs haven't added an impact rookie in quite some time. Easton Cowan has the potential to be that kind of player, but it might be a year early. He looks slated to play in the bottom six after looking very good alongside Steven Lorentz and Scott Laughton. With the injury to the latter, Cowan is a victim of the roster shuffle it seems as he starts as the 13th forward. If he doesn't find his way into the lineup, the AHL could be the landing place, but for now, he's on the NHL club.
Washington Capitals
Ryan Leonard (RW)
We saw glimpses of the bull in a china shop that Ryan Leonard is at the end of last season but it never fully came together offensively for the former NTDP star. With a full summer of training and the experience of a short stint to end last season, we should see Leonard take a big step as he plays a full-time role with the Washington Capitals. His blend of physicality and skill is unbelievable at times and if he can find his groove, he’s going to be a handful.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
Bill Belichick, Arch Manning, CFP and more. Our Insider answers your burning questions
Islanders At Penguins Preview: Penguins Looking To Spoil Matthew Schaefer's NHL Debut
The Pittsburgh Penguins will try and get to 2-0-0 this season when they host the New York Islanders on Thursday night.
This will be the home opener for the Penguins after they defeated the New York Rangers 3-0 on Tuesday. The Penguins did a great job limiting the Rangers' offensive attack and hardly gave up any prime scoring chances. Justin Brazeau scored two goals in the win, including the game-winner at the end of the first period. Blake Lizotte also added a goal at the end of the third period to ice the game.
There will be a couple of lineup changes for the Penguins on Thursday, including one up front. Filip Hallander is set to make his season debut on the third line with Benjamin Kindel and Tommy Novak. Philip Tomasino was rotating on the fourth line during Wednesday's practice and could be the odd-man out for Hallander.
Tristan Jarry will also replace Arturs Silovs in goal after Silovs recorded a shutout against the Rangers on Tuesday.
Here's a look at the expected lines and pairings:
Forwards
Koivunen-Crosby-Rakell
Mantha-Malkin-Brazeau
Novak-Kindel-Hallander
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
Defensemen
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Shea-Letang
Jones-Brunicke
Goaltenders
Jarry
Silovs
The Penguins will get to go against 2025 first overall pick Matthew Schaefer in this contest. He made the Islanders' 23-man roster out of training camp and is set to play on the third pair with Scott Mayfield.
The Islanders won three of the four meetings against the Penguins last year and have won seven of the last 10 regular season games against them.
Puck drop for Thursday's game will be at 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh.
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
4 Days Until Opening Night At NWA: The History Of Jersey #4
The Columbus Blue Jackets have 4 days until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Jersey #4 is one of the more popular numbers to be worn.
Let's take a look at who wore 4, and where they are now
Lyle Odelein - 2001-2002 - Drafted by Montreal in 1986.
The first-ever Captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Odelein played 146 games and had 33 points. He retired in 2006 as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Bryan Berard - 2006-2007 - Drafted by Ottawa in 1995.
Berard played 55 games as a Blue Jacket and had 35 points. The former #1 overall pick in 1995 had an up-and-down career and retired in 2009 after playing a year in the KHL.
Clay Wilson - 2008-2009 - Undrafted out of Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota.
Wilson played 7 games in Columbus and had three points. He retired in 2020 after playing one season in the Ukraine.
Nathan Paetsch - 2010 - Drafted by Washington in 2001 and then drafted by Buffalo in 2003. (re-entry)
He played 10 games as a Jacket and had zero points. He never played another NHL game after Columbus and retired in 2019 after spending several seasons in the AHL.
Sami Lepistö - 2011 - Drafted by Washington in 2004.
Lepistö played 19 games and had 5 points. He left for Europe in 2012 and played there until he retired in 2023.
John Moore - 2012-2013 - Drafted by Columbus in 2009.
Moore only played 86 games in Columbus and had 8 points. On April 3, 2013, Moore was included in the Derick Brassard deal with the New York Rangers that brought Marián Gáborík to Columbus.
He last played for the Anaheim Ducks.
On March 19, 2022, Moore was involved in a trade that sent him to the Anaheim Ducks along with Urho Vaakanainen in exchange for Hampus Lindholm. The Ducks then attempted to trade both Moore and the rest of Ryan Kesler's contract to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Evgenii Dadonov and a conditional second-round pick at the NHL trade deadline on March 21, 2022. However, the deal was disputed due to a no-trade clause in Dadonov's contract. On March 23, the NHL officially cancelled the trade; therefore, Moore remained in the Ducks' organization.
Kevin Connauton - 2015-2016 - Drafted by Vancouver in 2009.
Connauton played 81 games and has 27 points as a CBJ. He currently plays for the Tucson Roadrunners of the AHL.
Scott Harrington - 2018-2022 - Drafted by Pittsburgh in 2011
Harrington played 185 games for the Blue Jackets after being traded to Columbus by Toronto with a conditional pick in 2017 NHL Draft for Kerby Rychel on June 25, 2016. Those 185 games would be spread out over six seasons, with 2018-19 being the year he played the most games at 73. He scored 7 goals and totaled 37 points in his career with Columbus, with the 18-19 season being his most productive with 17.
During his time in the Columbus organization, he would also play 52 games for the Cleveland Monsters, scoring 7 total points.
Harrington would sign with San Jose in 2022 and then be traded to New Jersey in February of 2023. New Jersey would then put him on waivers a few days later, where he would be picked up by Anaheim and play 17 games.
In 2023, Harrington would leave for Europe and play for the ZSC Lions of the Swiss League. After playing just 14 games in 23-24, he would return to North America for the 24-25 season and play for the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL.
Harrington is signed to play with the Belleville Senators of the AHL for this season.
Vladislav Gavrikov - 2023 - Gavrikov was drafted in the 6th round of the 2015 NHL Draft.
Gavrikov played 256 games for the Jackets over the course of 4 seasons. He totaled 15 goals and 73 points. Gavrikov is widely considered one of the best late-round picks to ever play for the Jackets, despite his short time in Columbus. He played great defense and would always seem to show up on the scoreboard.
After he signed a three-year, $8.4 million contract extension with the Blue Jackets in November of 2020, former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen would make the decision to trade Gavrikov to the LA Kings in March of 2023. A decision that a lot of CBJ hated and wondered why it happened. Kekäläinen knew Gavrikov was going to want a hefty raise and didn't want to pay him.
Gavrikov signed a two-year extension with LA just a couple months after the trade. In the summer of 2025, Gavrikov would get his big contract. He signed a 7-year. $49-million deal with the New York Rangers, which will take him into his mid-30s.
Cole Sillinger - 2024-2025 -Drafted in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Silinger wore #34 for two years before switching to #4 before the 23-24 season. It's hard to believe that Cole Sillinger is going into his 5th NHL Season already.
After scoring 31 points as a rookie, his second season was anything but good. Totaling just 11 points, he only played in 64 games and was demoted to AHL Cleveland. His third season was definitely a bounce-back year for young Sillinger. He would score 13 goals and total 32 points.
Last season, even though his point total was just one better than the career-high 32 he hit the year before, it was considered a breakout year for Cole. He had 11 goals, which was 5 off of his career-high of 16, but he had 22 assists, which set a new career-high. He also set a career-high by playing 16:55 a game. He is the kind of player that Dean Evason loves.
Sillinger is going into the final year of a two-year deal he signed a couple of years back, and then he will be an RFA. He will be looking to have another good year so that he can get a long-term deal. How many points will he get in 25-26?
He will more than likely be asked to play the wing as well as center if needed. Should he be willing to play anywhere, he could be an extremely valuable player for the Blue Jackets.
There are four days left until opening night at Nationwide Arena. Who was your favorite #4?
Let us know what you think below.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.
More From THN Columbus