Golden Knights Prospects Hit The Ice For 2025 Rookie Camp

Starting today, the Golden Knights’ roster of promising young players will hit the ice for the team’s 2025 Rookie Camp. 

From September 12-14 the roster will hit the road, traveling to Denver, Colorado, to take part in the 2025 Rookie Showcase at the South Suburban Family Sports Center. The tournament will feature top prospects from both the Colorado Avalanche and Utah Mammoth, alongside the Knights. 

2025 ROOKIE CAMP SCHEDULE

Thursday, September 11

Practice, 10 a.m. PT (City National Arena)

 Friday, September 12

Practice, 9 a.m. PT (City National Arena)

Saturday, September 13 

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Utah Mammoth, 3 p.m. MT (South Suburban Family Sports Center)

Sunday, September 14

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Colorado Avalanche, 1 p.m. MT (South Suburban Family Sports Center)

Fans can stream the tournament live in each market and FOX Sports Las Vegas 98.9 FM /1340 AM will broadcast the Golden Knights’ two games in Denver. 

The roster includes several familiar faces from the 2025 Golden Knights Development Camp earlier this summer. Among them are the 2025 draft selections Mateo Nobert and Alex Weiermair and the 2024 first-round pick Trevor Connelly, plus a few fresh additions. There are a total of 24 players, comprising 15 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders.

2025 ROOKIE CAMP ROSTER

FORWARD (15): Braeden Bowman, Mathieu Cataford, Trevor Connelly, Joe Fleming, Jordan Gustafson, Jackson Hallum, Ben Hemmerling, Mateo Nobert, Matyas Sapovaliv, Sloan Stanick, Andreas Straka, Trent Swick, Kai Uchacz, Tuomas Uronen, Alex Weiermair

DEFENSEMEN (7): Peteris Bulans, Artur Cholach, Viliam Kmec, Mazden Leslie, Samuel Mayer, Carter Sotheran, Bronson Ride

GOALTENDERS (2): Carl Lindbom, Cameron Whitehead

 NUMERICAL ROSTER:

8 Mathieu Cataford Forward

18 Alex Weiermair Forward

24 Trevor Connelly Forward

25 Matyas Sapovaliv Forward

30 Carl Lindbom Goaltender

37 Tuomas Uronen Forward

38 Jordan Gustafson Forward

39 Cameron Whitehead Goaltender

42 Braeden Bowman Forward

43 Mazden Leslie Defenseman

45 Mateo Nobert Forward

47 Artur Cholach Defenseman

50 Joe Fleming Forward

56 Carter Sotheran Defenseman

57 Bronson Ride Defenseman

59 Jackson Hallum Forward

63 Ben Hemmerling Forward

68 Peteris Bulans Defenseman

70 Andreas Straka Forward

76 Trent Swick Forward

77 Kai Uchacz Forward

79 Viliam Kmec Defenseman

92 Sloan Stanick Forward

96 Samuel Mayer Defenseman

Golden Knights Development Camp Spotlight: Trevor Connelly Golden Knights Development Camp Spotlight: Trevor Connelly The Vegas Golden Knights Development Camp is underway, showcasing the organization’s young up-and-comers and what they could bring to the team’s future. One of the standouts from Monday’s ice session was 2024 first-round draft pick Trevor Connelly. Golden Knights Trade Up To Select Mateo Norbert With 85th Overall PickGolden Knights Trade Up To Select Mateo Norbert With 85th Overall PickThe Vegas Golden Knights traded up for the second time on Saturday, grabbing Pittsburgh's pick in the 85th overall slot in exchange for the picks 91 and 154. Golden Knights Select Alexander Weiermair And Gustav Sjoqvist With Back-To-Back Picks At 186 And 187Golden Knights Select Alexander Weiermair And Gustav Sjoqvist With Back-To-Back Picks At 186 And 187The Vegas Golden Knights wrapped up their 2025 NHL Draft in Round 6 by selecting Alexander Weiermair and Gustav Sjoqvist. 

Canadiens Get Big Praise For Major Trade

Noah Dobson (© Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)

The Montreal Canadiens have had a busy off-season, and it is understandable when noting that they took a major step in the right direction this past campaign. Due to this, they brought in multiple new players this summer. However, there is no question that the Canadiens' top addition of the summer was defenseman Noah Dobson. 

The Canadiens acquired Dobson from the New York Islanders in exchange for forward Emil Heineman, the 16th overall pick of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft (Victor Eklund), and the 17th overall pick of the NHL Entry Draft (Kashawn Aitcheson). The Canadiens then signed Dobson to an eight-year, $76 million contract after the move, so he will be sticking around in Montreal for a long time. 

Now, the Canadiens have received some major praise for pulling off this blockbuster move. 

In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Adam Gretz ranked the Canadiens' trade for Dobson as the best move of the entire NHL off-season.

When noting that Dobson is a legitimate star when playing at his best, it is easy to understand why Gretz ranked it as the top move of this off-season. This is especially so when noting that the Canadiens were able to quickly lock up Dobson long-term after it, and that the Canadiens' right side needed a boost. 

Dobson appeared in 71 games this past season with the Islanders, where he posted 10 goals and 39 points. This was after he had a monster 2023-24 campaign, scoring 10 goals and setting career highs with 60 assists and 70 points in 79 games. With numbers like these, there is no question that he has the potential to provide serious offense from the point, and it will be huge for the Habs if he does just that from here. 

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Mets 2025 MLB Wild Card Watch: Playoff odds, standings, matchups, and more for Sept. 11

With 16 games remaining in the regular season, the Mets are looking to hold off a handful of teams for the final Wild Card spot in the National League.

Here's everything you need to know ahead of play on Sept. 11..


Mets: 76-70, 2.0 games up on Giants and Reds for third Wild Card

Next up: @ Phillies, Thursday at 7:15 p.m. (David Peterson vs. Jesus Luzardo)
Latest result: 11-3 loss to Phillies on Wednesday
Remaining schedule: 1 @ PHI, 3 vs. TEX, 3 vs. SD, 3 vs. WSH, 3 @ CHC, 3 @ MIA
Odds to make playoffs: 83.7 percent
*Mets hold tiebreaker over Giants by virtue of winning the season series, while Reds hold tiebreaker over Mets

Reds: 74-72, 2.0 games back of Mets

Next up: @ Athletics, Friday at 10:05 p.m. (Brady Singer vs. J.T. Ginn)
Latest result: 2-1 win over Padres on Wednesday
Remaining schedule: 3 @ ATH, 3 @ STL, 4 vs. CHC, 3 vs. PIT, 3 @ MIL
Odds to make playoffs: 10.1 percent

Giants: 74-72, 2.0 games back of Mets 

Next up: vs. Dodgers, Friday at 10:15 p.m. (Justin Verlander vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto)
Latest result: 5-3 loss to D-backs on Wednesday
Remaining schedule: 3 vs. LAD, 3 @ ARI, 4 @ LAD, 3 vs. STL, 3 vs. COL
Odds to make playoffs: 6.5 percent

Diamondbacks: 73-74, 3.5 games back of Mets

Next up: @ Twins, Friday at 8:10 p.m. (Brandon Pfaadt vs. Pablo Lopez)
Latest result: 5-3 win over Giants on Wednesday
Remaining schedule: 3 @ MIN, 3 vs. SF, 3 vs. PHI, 3 vs. LAD, 3 @ SD
Odds to make playoffs: 1.5 percent

Cardinals: 72-75, 4.5 games back of Mets

Next up: @ Brewers, Friday at 8:10 p.m. (Andre Pallante vs. Quinn Priester)
Latest result: 4-2 loss to Mariners on Wednesday
Remaining schedule: 3 @ MIL, 3 vs. CIN, 3 vs. MIL, 3 @ SF, 3 @ CHC
Odds to make playoffs: 0.6 percent

Mathew Barzal's First Comments To Islanders No. 1 Overall Pick Matthew Schaefer

On Wednesday night, the New York Islanders dropped episode one of "On The Island", their behind-the-scenes footage of the 2025 NHL Draft. 

After the Islanders drafted Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick, he received calls from Anders Lee, Bo Horvat, and then Mathew Barzal. 

“Matty, what's up, you stud?" Barzal said as soon as Schaefer answered the one phone.  "We’re going to be dancing out there.”

Barzal has been showcasing his excitement for Schaefer anytime he's been asked about him, whether it's been on Frankie Borrelli's podcast or on NHL Sirius XM. 

Having a dynamic defenseman like Schaefer is something that plays right into Barzal's skillset, which is what Barzal was alluding to in his phone call. 

"He skates like the wind," Barzal said on NHL Network Radio while representing the Islanders at the 2025 NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour.

Catch episode 1 of "On The Island" below: 

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

Francona’s Return to Managing Pays Dividends for Low-Budget Reds

SAN DIEGO – Last year at this time, Terry Francona didn’t have  a care in the world. He was one year into his retirement after 23 years of managing in Major League Baseball and loving it.

“It was wonderful,” the man, who’s nicknamed Tito after his ballplaying father of the same name, said this week during several interviews at Petco Park. “I had no intention of coming back. I was thinking about what I wanted to do, because I was doing nothing. But I was not thinking about managing.”

Then, the Cincinnati Reds came calling, and that all changed. 

“They flew out to talk to me in my rocking chair,” Francona, 66, said. “It just seemed right.”

A year ago, the Reds lost 85 games, and incumbent manager David Bell was fired before the season was over. With less than three weeks to go in this regular season, the team’s current 74-72 record is a significant improvement. They’d have to go 3-13 in their final 16 games to match last season’s record. It could happen but probably not.

Same goes for making the playoffs—the team is two games behind the New York Mets, who hold the National League’s last wild-card spot, tied with the San Francisco Giants. It could happen but maybe not.

It wouldn’t surprise San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt, though, if they do it with Tito managing the team.

“Winners win,” Shildt said Wednesday night after the Reds came from behind for a 2-1 victory to take the last two of the three games in the series here.

This season, Francona has done what he does best: take a low-payroll team and exceed expectations. The Reds have a luxury-tax payroll of $140.8 million, 22nd in the league and fourth in their own NL Central. In 11 seasons managing Cleveland, he dwelled in baseball’s bargain basement and still made the postseason six times, a stark departure from the Boston Red Sox, which spared no expense when building the Francona teams that won the World Series in 2004 and 2007.  His Indians lost to the Chicago Cubs in a thrilling seven-game 2016 Fall Classic.

Francona said he doesn’t mind dealing with the low payroll as long as he has some autonomy over decisions on the field.

“I’m at an age where doing it in a place I prefer is probably more meaningful than having a high payroll,” he said. “I mean, I’ve been treated great. Nobody ever tells me what lineup to make out or things like that. I don’t mind input, but I’m probably too old for that.”

The Reds are generally a faceless team save for Elly De La Cruz, one of MLB’s best young players, but finishing his third season earning a scant $770,000, just $10,000 above the league minimum. He has 19 home runs and 34 stolen bases, but hasn’t hit a homer since July 31. He had the game-tying eighth inning single Wednesday night.

The Reds don’t have a player on the team with more homers than De La Cruz, which makes what they’re doing more remarkable. But they claim to be having a having a great time playing for Francona.

Earlier in the season, the team celebrated Francona’s 2,000th win as a manager. At 2,024 he’s 12th on the all-time list. There are only 13 managers above 2,000, and Francona is second among active managers behind Bruce Bochy (2,248), who has the Texas Rangers in the playoff hunt.

“It’s been special playing for Tito,” Reds starter Hunter Greene said in an interview. “His reputation speaks for itself. He’s deeply entrenched in the baseball world and its history. To be as young as I am and to have his leadership is pretty special to me.”

Baseball needs the old, crusty managers like Francona, Bochy and Ron Washington. They offer expertise and experience, having made decades of in-game decisions under myriad circumstances. Though they’ve adapted to changes like the three-batter minimum rule for a relief pitcher—“I was told the reason that put that in was because of me,” Francona said—they tend to emphasis basics like defense and proper base-running. 

To that point, Francona had first base coach Colin Cowgill going over some drills on the right way to run bases, relayed outfielder Austin Hays.

And then there’s Francona’s self-deprecating sense of humor. Cowgill finished up by presenting a video saying, “Tito wanted me to put this on here showing what not to do.”

The video showed Tito as a player going from first to third stumbling around the bases. “He wound up eating it about 15 feet before getting to the [third base] bag,” Hays said. “We all got a good laugh out of it.” Francona had a promising career as an outfielder derailed because of injuries to both knees, which have since been replaced. In 1984 for the old Montreal Expos, he batted .346 with a 136 OPS+. He later joked that he probably couldn’t have played for the Red Sox team he managed because of his low .300 career on-base percentage, a staple of modern day analytics.

Francona said that’s the key to getting the most out of a young team like the Reds. Keep it light, but make your point.

“It’s my responsibility to take the parameters and see how good we can get,” he said. “That’s why I never bitch about what our payroll is. That’s not my responsibility. It’s my responsibility to see how much I can get from our players. Sometimes we do better than others.”

Right now, the Reds are doing just fine. 

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EFL in talks over expanding Championship playoffs to six teams

  • EFL wants to add National League-style eliminator

  • Plan could be expanded to Leagues One and Two

The English Football League is in talks over adding an eliminator round to the Championship playoffs and increasing the number of participants from four to six.

The proposal is a similar format to the one used by the National League. In the Championship the team that finish fifth would play the eighth-placed team and sixth would meet seventh in one-off ties at the higher-ranked team’s home stadium.

Continue reading...

Henrik Zetterberg Discusses His New Advisory Role with Timrå in Sweden

Yesterday it was announced that former Red Wings player Henrik Zetterberg is returning to his childhood club Timrå IK as an advisor. The news created a lot of excitement in Sweden, and Zetterberg did several interviews throughout the day following his appointment to the new role. Among others, Henrik spoke with the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. The original interview can be found here.

After spending a year in Detroit following the end of his playing career, Zetterberg has settled down in Sweden. He has made his home in the south of the country and has lived a quiet life in the years since retiring from hockey. Gaining more attention is not the purpose of his new role, and the humble Zetterberg said that the attention wasn’t something he was seeking when the role was announced.

“It’s not the public attention I’m seeking by taking on this role as an advisor. I’ve actually had this role for about a year now in Timrå, but we haven’t really made much of it publicly. I love hockey and have a strong connection to Timrå. Now we’ll be a team working to push Timrå forward, and I’ll focus on being a sounding board for young players and their coaches in the club to help them develop. I’ll also continue supporting Kent Norberg (GM of Timrå) with thoughts and opinions on potential signings. It’ll be fun to see what kind of development we can achieve together,” says Henrik Zetterberg.

Several of his former Detroit teammates have gone on to start careers in management and coaching. Zetterberg was asked about his future plans and whether a role as a sporting director or GM is something he envisions down the line. However, he was quick to play down those speculations.

“I have no plans to take over after ‘Nubben’ (current GM at Timrå) that’s not something I’m thinking about at all. I want him to stay in Timrå forever, and I think he’s doing a fantastic job. My passion lies in helping younger players make the same journey that I once did.”

Henrik Zetterberg was also asked about his connection with the Red Wings and whether he might use his current role to help Detroit. His former captain and fellow Swede Nicklas Lidström is also based in Sweden while serving as Detroit’s Vice President of Hockey Operations. The connection to Detroit is still there, but there is no official collaboration between Zetterberg and his former club at this point.

“Of course I’ll probably have thoughts and questions during the season. I have people around me who have worked in hockey and have a lot of experience. Almost everyone on the Red Wings staff today are my former teammates, and I feel like I always represent Detroit since I played there for so many years. But we’ll see how that can help me in my professional role.”

Finally, Zetterberg was asked how he expects Timrå to perform this season. The team has lost valuable pieces during the offseason, including Filip Hållander and Oliver Kapanen, who have both left for the NHL.

“There’s no denying that losing Filip Hållander and Oliver Kapanen is a big blow for the club. They did a lot for the team last season. But we have other guys who are very talented and maybe flew a bit under the radar last year. Now it’s up to them to take the lead and push the club forward. Timrå is in a good position to surprise, but they might not be a top team just yet. There are many strong top teams. I don’t need to name them, it’s obvious who they are.”

Oliver Kapanen played 18 games for the Montreal Canadiens last season but returned to Timrå on loan. The season was a success for Kapanen, who recorded 15 goals and 35 points in 36 games. It’s an impressive points tally in the defensively minded SHL.

Filip Hållander returns to Pittsburgh with the ambition of earning a roster spot with the Penguins. He has played in three NHL games for Pittsburgh and has also appeared in 104 AHL games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Swedish center is coming off a brilliant SHL season, finishing second in the league in both goals and points with 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games for Timrå.

Ex-Maple Leafs Prospect Fraser Minten To Participate In Bruins Rookie Tournament Despite Ending Last Season In NHL

Despite having 25 games of NHL experience over two seasons, Fraser Minten was announced as part of the Boston Bruinsrookie tournament roster this week. Speaking to reporters at Warrior Ice Arena, Minten was asked how it came to be that he would take part in the tournament. It turns out Minten didn’t volunteer. He’s just following Bruins GM Don Sweeney’s orders.

“I got a phone call saying you will participate,” Minten said with a smile.

Minten, originally selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with their first pick (38th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, impressed the club enough that he made Toronto's opening night roster during the 2023-24 season. He played in four games before being returned to the junior league. The following season, Minten looked more polished, putting up two goals and two assists in 15 games.

Fraser Minten's Remarkable Journey From Under the Radar Before Training Camp to the Maple Leafs' Opening Night RosterFraser Minten's Remarkable Journey From Under the Radar Before Training Camp to the Maple Leafs' Opening Night RosterThe Maple Leafs didn't expect their second-round pick to make the team this year, but Fraser Minten's performance at training camp was hard to deny.

But as the Maple Leafs sought to add depth for a playoff push, the club traded Minten to Boston along with a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft in exchange for defenseman Brandon Carlo. As it became clear the Bruins weren’t destined for the postseason, they called up Minten. He played in six games and scored one goal.

'More Backcheck And There'll Be A Greater Paycheck': Maple Leafs React To Losing Players And Prospects On Trade Deadline Day'More Backcheck And There'll Be A Greater Paycheck': Maple Leafs React To Losing Players And Prospects On Trade Deadline DayDENVER — The Toronto Maple Leafs made some big moves ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade deadline. The Leafs acquired forward Scott Laughton from the Philadelphia Flyers and defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins.

Minten didn’t take part in the development camp the Bruins held in the summer that featured a lot of prospects his age. Given he’s about to embark on his first training camp in Boston, he understood the reasoning for the early attendance.

“I haven’t been here for a while, even for me but for them they haven’t seen me play a ton as much as other guys,” Minten said. “It just gives them a chance to get a look at me and my game.”

A look at Boston's depth chart shows a third-line center spot ripe for the taking for Minten, the role he played in Toronto. As the Bruins go through a bit of a rebuild after eight consecutive seasons of being in the playoffs, the opportunity is there for the former Maple Leafs draft pick to take another step in his development.

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Brad Marchand has long dreamed of playing for Team Canada at Winter Olympics

Florida Panthers forward Brad Marchand is hopeful to do something next year that has been on his checklist for a long time.

The 37-year-old NHL veteran and future Hockey Hall of Famer wants to suit up for Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

Marchand was one of 26 forwards and 42 total players who were invited to Hockey Canada's Orientation Camp last month in Calgary.

He was also one of five Panthers players to receive an invite, along with forwards Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart and Carter Verhaeghe, and defenseman Aaron Ekblad.

The last time NHL players participated in the Olympic Games was in 2014 in Sochi.

Canada won gold, but Marchand was not there.

Like this year, Marchand was also part of that team’s orientation camp, but that was as far as his Olympic dream would go that year.

To say he’s been feeling the hunger to represent his country and compete for a gold medal in the time since would be an understatement.

"There's nothing I want more than to play for the Olympic team," Marchand said during last month’s camp in Calgary, per NHL.com. "That drive has been there since I went to that (orientation) camp in (2013) and didn't make that team. Since then, it's been my goal, my driving force every year, every summer. That's why I was so disappointed in '18 and then the next one. Everything I have done for the last 12 years has been for this tournament."

Now fully healthy and fresh off an incredible run with Florida during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as well as a strong showing for Team Canada at February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, Marchand is ready to make his Olympic dream come true.

If and when the opportunity comes, Marchand understands just how rare and unique a position it would be for him to find himself.

"I think you really understand how fragile these opportunities are," he said. "They're not a given. Even when you think you're going to go, it doesn't mean you're going. The last one we thought we were going for sure. It's the end of December, a month and a half before we're leaving, and it gets pulled from us. The one before that, someone's decision allows us to not go again. You could have an unbelievable NHL career and play for a very long time and not have an opportunity to play in these games."

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Photo caption: Feb 17, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Brad Marchand (63) skates during the first period in a 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey game against Team Finland at TD Garden. (Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images)

Flyers Decline to Comment on Potential Carter Hart Reunion

(Photo: Eric Hartline, Imagn Images)

In spite of recent reports, the Philadelphia Flyers are not prepared to comment on any potential reunion with or interest in former goalie Carter Hart.

On Wednesday, during their state of the franchise press conference, Flyers president Keith Jones and governor Dan Hilferty fielded questions on all things Flyers.

Hart, 27, was recently acquitted of sexual assault and is a free agent, though the NHL has not officially reinstated him or the other four players involved in the Hockey Canada trial in London, Ontario.

That's about as much as the Flyers know, too, despite a recent report that claimed they were one of many teams interested in the veteran goalie.

"Well, at this point, we're going to make no comment on that situation. The NHL's made it clear that they'll speak first. But, right now, we're not prepared to comment at all about the Carter Hart situation," Hilferty said. "The NHL has told us they are running the show."

Hilferty and Jones were specifically asked as to whether they would consider inquiring on Hart and if the Flyers were allowed to talk to their former player if reinstated, but Hilferty, with the answer quoted above, shut those questions down as reasonably as possible.

Flyers: Where Is Egor Zavragin?Flyers: Where Is Egor Zavragin?Top Philadelphia Flyers goalie prospect Egor Zavragin has yet to play for his KHL club, SKA St. Petersburg, in the early goings of the 2025-26 season.

The Flyers already have a bit of a logjam working in goal anyway, with Sam Ersson and Dan Vladar expected to be the two main netminders on the NHL roster and Aleksei Kolosov and Ivan Fedotov working in behind them.

Plus, Hart is nearly two years removed from his last competitive hockey game and NHL appearance at this point, so any potential reunion, which already lies in the hands of the NHL, is not going to be straightforward.

Until the NHL makes its decision, the show will go on in Philadelphia, with Vladar debuting for the Flyers imminently and Ersson hoping for a return to form.