Defensive lineman Titan Davis (St.
Red Wings' Patrick Kane Close To Setting Historic Milestone
Patrick Kane is back for another season with the Detroit Red Wings after agreeing to another one-year extension, and he could soon set NHL history.
Kane, who has amassed 1,343 career points, is only 32 from passing Mike Modano's record of 1,374 points to become the highest scoring U.S.-born player of all time.
Looking ahead to 2025-26
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) July 17, 2025
Patrick Kane of the @DetroitRedWings sits 32 points away from passing Mike Modano for the most all-time by a U.S.-born player. Modano has held the mark since passing Phil Housley on Nov. 7, 2007. #NHLStatspic.twitter.com/nE8kYsYgWa
Modano spent the final season of his NHL career with the Red Wings in 2010-11, though he missed multiple weeks after suffering a frightening wrist injury against the Columbus Blue Jackets in November 2010.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Kane, who only needs eight more goals to reach 500 for his career, has spoken glowingly about his time with the Red Wings, which was made easier when he first signed in December 2024 thanks to the presence of his former Chicago Blackhawks teammate and good friend Alex DeBrincat.
“It’s been great,” Kane said of his time with the Red Wings toward the end of last season. “Obviously really appreciative of Steve (Yzerman) and the organization to take a chance on me coming back from the surgery, and I think even last year it maybe didn’t so much feel like it was home, or like it was my team, or the team I played for. But coming into this year, and especially now, I definitely feel like a Red Wing now. It’s been a great place for me to continue my career, and I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Following a slower start than he or the Red Wings would have liked last season, Kane immediately returned to his dangerous form when Todd McLellan took over behind the bench in late December.
McLellan soon began skating Kane on a line with DeBrincat centered by rookie Marco Kasper, a combination that Red Wings fans can likely expect to see at the start of next season.
The Red Wings will need Kane at his best next season if they are to have a chance at bringing playoff hockey to Little Caesars Arena for the first time next spring.
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Stanley Cup finds its way to South Florida staple Flanigan's
The Stanley Cup is back in South Florida.
After spending some time in Quebec with A.J. Greer and Roberto Luongo once it was engraved with the names of the 2025-26 Florida Panthers, the Stanley Cup made the trip back to Broward County this week for some fun in the sun.
On Wednesday, longtime Panthers equipment manager Scott Tinkler took his turn with the historic trophy.
Tinkler, who has been with the Panthers since their first season all the way back in 1993, did one of the most South Florida things you could do with the Stanley Cup.
He brought it to Flanigan's.
According to a video posted by Flanigan's on social media, and photos posted by @maimiguydylan on X, the Cup was filled with several of the restaurant’s staple items.
We’re talking chicken wings, the banzai brownie dessert and, of course, Flanigan's famous rib rolls.
While there have been plenty of exotic and memorable Panthers’ Stanley Cup days over the past year-plus, this is one of the more localized ones.
Flanigan's has been staple in South Florida since opening in the 1950s.
The image of Joe “Big Daddy” Flanigan on the eatery’s large, green plastic cups are famously seen all over the region, from parties on the boats and the beach to random kitchen cabinets, and even in the Amerant Bank Arena press box during Panthers games.
If you’re from South Florida and don’t have a Flanigan's cup somewhere in your home, you might be one of the only ones.
And that being the case, close your computer or put down your phone right now and drive to the nearest Flanigan's.
You won’t be sorry, and hey, you might run into the Stanley Cup while you’re there!
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Photo caption: The Stanley Cup made an appearance at the Flanigans in Hallandale Beach on Wednesday. (Photo source: @miamiguydylan on X)
10 Can’t-Miss Vancouver Canucks Games In 2025–26
The Vancouver Canucks’ schedule for the 2025–26 season has officially been released. The team begins 2025–26 at home on October 9 against the Calgary Flames, and concludes the regular season on April 16 on the road against the Edmonton Oilers. Let’s take a look at some of Vancouver’s can’t-miss games occurring throughout the season.
October 9: Home Opener Versus Calgary
As mentioned, the Canucks start the 2025–26 season at home against the Flames, with this game beginning at 7:00pm PT. This is the second year in a row that Vancouver has started their season at home against Calgary on October 9, as they had the exact same season-opening date and matchup the year prior. Many remember last season’s opening blunder in which Vancouver got off to an early 4–1 lead in the first period only to lose 6–5 in overtime. In 2025–26, the team will look to repair this with a win to start off their season.
October 11: First Match Against Edmonton
Vancouver’s next game in 2025–26 is none other than a match against the Oilers in Edmonton. Edmonton is coming off their second straight Stanley Cup Finals loss to the Florida Panthers, meaning they’ll be coming into the season with revenge on their minds. Previous Canucks and Oilers matchups have been very entertaining — for example, the January 18 game in Vancouver in which both Connor McDavid and Tyler Myers were suspended for three games due to some end-of-game action.
Another aspect of this game that makes it intriguing is the fact that this will be newly-acquired Canuck Evander Kane’s first game against his former team. It’s no secret that Kane plays with an edge, so any in-game scrappiness could be due to something he starts. Regardless, Canucks vs. Oilers games are always exciting ones for both fanbases to watch.
October 17: Kiefer Sherwood’s Revenge
On March 15, in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks in Vancouver, former Canuck Jason Dickinson threw a dirty hit on Filip Chytil that crunched the latter painfully into the boards. Chytil was taken out of the game and ultimately did not play again for the rest of the season. Postgame, a few players expressed their disdain for the hit, but none more than newcomer Kiefer Sherwood.
“[Dickinson’s] going to have to answer the bell next year because I know we don’t play them again. That was a dirty hit,” Sherwood had said at the time. “And then he doesn’t have the ‘whatever’ to step on the ice afterwards. [Forbort] asked him [to fight] and it is what it is. We’ll get him next year.”
With this in mind, Vancouver’s first game against the Blackhawks during the 2025–26 season is on October 17 in Chicago. Whether Dickinson fights or not is something that will remain answerless until both teams step on the ice, but regardless, Vancouver clearly has plans to exact their revenge.
October 28: J.T. Miller Returns To Vancouver
October 28 may be one of the highest-awaited games of the Canucks’ calendar year. Former Canuck J.T. Miller will be playing at Rogers Arena for the first time since being traded, with his last game in front of Canucks fans being January 25 against the Washington Capitals. With how popular Miller was in his time with Vancouver, it’s likely that he’ll be getting a pretty long tribute video when he arrives.
Sentimental aspects aside, it’ll surely be a game to watch when the Canucks take on the New York Rangers for the first time in Vancouver with Miller in the lineup. With a healthy Elias Pettersson hopefully in the lineup, many will likely be comparing the two players’ performances against one-another.
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November 5: Connor Bedard Comes To Vancouver
It’s always fun when a superstar rolls into town. For Vancouver, one of the most exciting players to watch at Rogers Arena is Connor Bedard. The forward, who is originally from North Vancouver, is expected to play against his hometown team on November 5 when the Blackhawks come to Vancouver. Bedard has already played at Rogers Arena twice in his NHL career, both in the 2024–25 season, which will make this matchup his third.
November 17: First Match Against The Back-To-Back Stanley Cup Champions
As part of their usual annual trip to Florida, the Canucks will take on the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Panthers on November 17. Florida is coming off their second straight Stanley Cup. Despite many of their players being eligible for free agency in 2025, the Panthers retained all of their key free agents, meaning their championship core will stick around for quite some time. Last season, Vancouver secured their first win of the season against the Panthers in Florida.
December 30: Rick Tocchet Returns To Vancouver
Vancouver’s December 30 match against the Philadelphia Flyers is important for more than just the fact that it’s their last game of 2025. This game also marks the return of former Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet, who will be coaching the Flyers in his first game back in Vancouver since April 16. Accompanying Tocchet back to Vancouver will be former Canucks assistant coach Yogi Švejkovský and former Canucks defenceman Noah Juulsen.
January 23: The Hughes Bowl
On January 23, one of the more recent NHL traditions will take place — the Hughes Bowl. The New Jersey Devils, the team of Jack and Luke Hughes, will come to Vancouver and face the Canucks and their captain, Quinn Hughes. The first Hughes Bowl of 2025–26 will take place earlier in the year, on December 14 in New Jersey. This installment will be the first to occur in Vancouver since the Canucks were crushed 6–0 by the Devils on October 30, 2024.
Vancouver Canucks Announce 2025-26 Regular Season ScheduleThe Vancouver Canucks have announced their schedule for the 2025-26 season. Just as last year, the Canucks will open the season at home, while the league will pause in February as players head to the 2026 Winter Olympics. Here is a look at Vancouver's schedule this season:
January 25: Artūrs Šilovs’ Return To Vancouver
Just two days after the Hughes Bowl, Canucks fans will welcome back a former fan favourite. Artūrs Šilovs, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday, will return to Rogers Arena alongside his new team on January 25. It’s currently unknown whether Šilovs has a chance at starting in that game or not, but regardless, there’s a chance the Calder Cup champion could still be in the building for his first game back.
April 14: Vancouver’s Final Home Game
Vancouver ends the 2025–26 regular season on the road, meaning their last home game will take place a little earlier than some other teams’. The Canucks will host the Los Angeles Kings on April 14 in their final regular season game in front of their fans. With that being said, there’s always the possibility that they could be back in the building after this date, but they’ll need to qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs in order to do so.
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Red Wings Prospect Trey Augustine's Stock Skyrockets In Latest Ranking
The Detroit Red Wings haven't had a true, homegrown goaltender since the days of both Jimmy Howard and Chris Osgood, both of whom got their starts after being drafted by the club by working their way up through Detroit's minor-league affiliates.
Osgood ultimately won the Stanley Cup three times with Detroit, twice as a starter. And while Howard unfortunately wasn't able to do so, he still ranks third all-time in franchise history in victories and games played.
The Red Wings are hoping that both Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine, who are two of the more highly-regarded goaltending NHL prospects today, will fit the bill.
Cossa has already begun his professional career with the Grand Rapids Griffins, amassing a total record of 43-24-15 over the last two combined seasons. He also picked up his first NHL victory in a relief appearance for the Red Wings last December in what has been his only appearance in the big show to date.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Augustine, who has decided that he'll be returning to play his junior season with the Michigan State Spartans, has received attention from a recent NHL.com ranking of the best goaltenders 25 years old and under, clocking in at No. 6 overall.
The puck stops here 🙅♂️ #NHLYoungStarsWeek
— NHL (@NHL) July 17, 2025
Read more from @NHLdotcom ➡️ https://t.co/l0ZQ2r2jN6pic.twitter.com/MiWZ1tEIz1
Additionally, Augustine was ranked third overall by The Athletic's Scott Wheeler in his recent rankings of the best drafted NHL goalie prospects; Cossa came in at No. 8 overall.
My annual top 20 drafted NHL goalie prospects ranking is out at @TheAthletic!
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) July 15, 2025
Featuring full evaluations, projections, tiers, and more, all packaged in our user interface.
The 2025 edition: https://t.co/RTNrl8MyQ1pic.twitter.com/efFBmUQjjw
Augustine put together a sparking 19-7-4 record in his sophomore season with the Spartans, complete with an equally solid .924 save percentage and 2.08 goals-against average. Oh, and he was also named the 2024-25 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year.
His skills have also been put to the test in international competition. He's a five-time medal winner, including consecutive gold medals at the 2024 and 2025 IIHF World Junior Championships. In doing so, he became the winningest goalie in United States history at the IIHF World Junior Championships.
A 2023 second-round Draft pick of the Red Wings, Augustine's career trajectory thus far shows no sign of not being able to eventually become a highly successful goaltender for Detroit in the future.
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Flyers' Egor Zavragin Badly Underrated in Latest Prospect Rankings
Despite an excellent rookie season in the KHL, Philadelphia Flyers goalie prospect Egor Zavragin has yet to prove himself in the eyes of some experts.
After starting the season 3-3-0 with HK Sochi and owning a .941 save percentage, Zavragin, 19, re-joined his parent club, SKA St. Petersburg, and effectively became the KHL powerhouse's full-time starter.
The Flyers' 2023 third-round pick played a total of 37 regular season games for SKA, posting a 2.55 GAA, a .912 save percentage, and a 17-11-3 record to go along with three shutouts.
Zavragin's fellow netminders, Artemi Pleshkov and Pavel Moysevich, combined for 17 wins in the 41 games played between them, and Zavragin is younger than both.
But those stats at that age with that kind of responsibility didn't do much for him in the eyes of Scott Wheeler, one of The Athletic's NHL prospect experts.
In Wheeler's latest rankings of the top 20 drafted goalie prospects, Zavragin managed to rank just 17th, ahead of only Carl Lindbom, Jakub Dobes, and Lucas Beckman.
But, what's interesting is that Zavragin still placed in Wheeler's second tier, which spanned from No. 3 goalie Trey Augustine down to No. 18 goalie Lindbom.
Philadelphia Flyers Leave NHL Draft with 2 Fatal FlawsThe Philadelphia Flyers did well at the 2025 NHL Draft, but they were painfully close from going from good to great.
Despite his low ranking, Wheeler was plenty complimentary of Zavragin's game and didn't note any negatives, which should come as good news for Flyers fans eagerly anticipating the Russian prospect's arrival in the coming years.
Still, given his extremely young age (still 19 despite being drafted in 2023, born Aug. 23, 2005), Zavragin has a much longer developmental runway than some of his counterparts on the list, and he's already nearing a dominant level of play in a league like the KHL.
Some of this year's draftees, like Joshua Ravensbergen, Pyotr Andreyanov, and Jack Ivankovic, all placed inside of the top-10.
And, somehow, Devon Levi, the second-oldest player on the list, placed seventh despite failing to cement his place in the NHL on a team like Buffalo.
Effectively, yes, while all these goalies are talented, it's hard not to feel like Zavragin was slighted, even just a little bit, in the rankings, but the Flyers and many of their younger prospects are happy to be the underdogs.
Flyers' Egor Zavragin Repeats Rare KHL Club AchievementTop Philadelphia Flyers prospect and SKA St. Petersburg goalie Egor Zavragin continues to build on an impressive debut season in the KHL, accomplishing a rare feat that has only been done twice.
As an aside, Wheeler ranked five 2025-drafted goalies ahead of Zavragin, and many of you who follow me online or followed my draft coverage here know that I was adamant about the Flyers taking a goalie with one of their top picks, including as high as the first round, with the poor performances all throughout the organization and perceived uncertainty around the NHL futures of Aleksei Kolosov and Ivan Fedotov.
And Zavragin is actually the most recent goalie the Flyers have drafted, too (alongside draft classmate Carson Bjarnason), so, it makes you wonder. Philadelphia basically has all its eggs in those two baskets right now.
MarJon Beauchamp scores 28 points, Knicks' comeback falls short in 91-88 loss to Pacers in Summer League action
The Knicks mounted a heroic 17-point comeback that ultimately fell short in a nail-biter against the Indiana Pacers in their fourth Las Vegas Summer League game, 91-88.
Here are some takeaways...
-MarJon Beauchamp had another huge night with 28 points on 6-of-11 shooting from three, and Tyler Kolek added 14 points, five assists and five turnovers.
-The Knicks were without top prospects Kevin McCullar Jr., Pacome Dadiet, Ariel Hukporti or Mohamed Diawara. They got some step-up games from Dink Pate, who scored 11, Anton Watson, who scored nine and Yudai Baba, who had nine points.
Kam Jones had a monster night for the Pacers with 21 points and 11 assists on 9-for-19 shooting from the field. Enrique Freeman recorded 18 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
-After appearing for only three minutes combined in the Knicks' last three games, center Lance Ware got the start and made an early impact with a slam and some drawn fouls in the opening minutes. Beauchamp continued his momentum from his breakout third game, hitting an inside floater, leaking out for a dunk and nailing a three for seven points in the first quarter.
Despite the early offense, the Pacers kept their defense in rotation and it was a close affair throughout the first. Ultimately, Indiana led 17-16 going into the second.
The Pacers got off to a 16-0 run behind a stalled New York offense and some strong deep shooting on the other end. Enrique Freeman went 5-5 and scored all 12 of his first-half points in the second quarter, including a monster alley-oop.
-Beauchamp was the only Knick with the knack and aggressiveness offensively, getting inside for the assist and converting a block into a transition and-one, even hitting a pull-up three. He had 19 at the half, however, the Knicks as a team once again struggled creating and converting from deep, going 5-for-15 to Indy’s 8-for-17 in the first half as they trailed at the break 52-38.
Baba, who got the start tonight, got himself going to start the second half, hitting a three and a reverse layup. New York’s offense still looked stilted with a quiet game out of Kolek following his banger in game three.
-They managed to find some success burning Indiana on back cuts and feeding Beauchamp some more, sparking a 9-0 run late in the period. He hit another couple of threes in the third as the Knicks cut the Pacers' lead to 68-59 going into the fourth.
New York’s momentum carried into the fourth. Dink Pate hit a three, scored a lay-up and followed up with another three, plus the foul, totaling all 11 of his points in the final frame.
Anton Watson threw down a one-handed poster on Freeman to cut the Pacers' lead to two with just over two minutes to play, setting off the crowd and announcers. With 90 seconds left, Kolek hit an ankle-breaking step-back middie to tie it up.
After a Pacers free throw, Kolek drove the lane off a nasty spin to hit the and-one lay-up to put the Knicks up two. A Freeman finish evened the score, and after a Beauchamp miss, the Pacers retook the lead on free throws from an off-ball foul and a blown defensive rebound on a missed free throw from the Knicks.
Now down three, Kolek missed a quick two and a Beauchamp look from three, but Indiana missed two free throws. With one more shot at sending the game to overtime, Kolek missed a turnaround three as the Pacers escaped.
Highlights
kolek ➡️ beauchamp pic.twitter.com/ALYGoSwf5H
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) July 17, 2025
beauchamp on both ends 💪 pic.twitter.com/JNfvn7XgNv
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) July 17, 2025
Pushin 🅿️ate pic.twitter.com/st1iDmzwc8
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) July 17, 2025
ANTON WATSON ON HIS HEADTOP 🔨 pic.twitter.com/UqBJdoI8Lw
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) July 17, 2025
KOLEK‼️@jalenbrunson1 what do you think of this? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/1DeBhUYHFi
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) July 17, 2025
NBA concludes its Kevin Porter Jr. investigation, suspension covered in time already missed
Mar 24, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. (3) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The NBA has concluded its investigation into the 2023 domestic violence case against Kevin Porter Jr., which eventually led to a plea bargain, and suspended him for four games, with that time already having been served in the more than a year he was out of the league following the incident, reports Law Murray of The Athletic.
News @TheAthletic
— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) July 17, 2025
The league’s investigation into Kevin Porter Jr.’s 2023 domestic violence incident has concluded, resulting in a four-game suspension.
Based on the facts and circumstances, the NBA and NBPA have agreed that the suspension is deemed to have been served.
In September 2023, then Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. was arrested in Manhattan and charged with second-degree assault and strangulation due to a domestic violence dispute. The incident took place at a hotel not far from Times Square and the victim, who had a relationship with Porter Jr., was taken to a local hospital. Porter Jr. eventually reached a plea deal where he pled guilty to misdemeanor assault and a harassment violation and completed a domestic violence intervention program.
At the time, Porter Jr. was under contract with the Rockets, but before the season started, he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, who immediately cut him. Porter Jr. played that season in Greece, and as a result, the NBA suspended its investigation of him because he was not an NBA player under their jurisdiction.
Last season, Porter Jr. signed a contract to play for the Clippers, and with that, the NBA investigation resumed. At the deadline, the Clippers traded Porter Jr. to the Bucks, and this offseason he signed a two-year, $10.5 million contract to stay in Milwaukee (the second year is a player option).
He is expected to be with the Milwaukee Bucks in training camp in September.
Seven Signature Games Highlight Sabres Schedule
The Buffalo Sabres revealed their 2025-26 regular season schedule on Wednesday, with the club opening the 82-game schedule against the New York Rangers at Key Bank Center on Thursday, October 9. The Sabres schedule is home-heavy early in the season, but each month has a game that is intriguing.
Here are seven home games for each month of the season:
October - Friday 10/24 vs. Toronto - Narrowly beating out the first meeting with the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the first Leafs-Sabres match with Key Bank Center loaded with Toronto fans is always a signature event. Buffalo regularly dominated the Leafs on home ice, but Toronto has fared better in recent years.
November - Tuesday 11/4 vs. Utah - Possibly the most anticipated game of the season, with JJ Peterka returning to Buffalo for the first time since forcing his way out. It will also be Michael Kesselring and Josh Doan’s first chance to play against the newly-named Mammoth.
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December - Monday 12/1 vs. Winnipeg - The Sabres only play four games at home in December, and the other three are against non-playoff teams (Philadelphia, NY Islanders, and Boston), so the game against the President’s Trophy-winning Jets wins by default.
January - Monday 1/12 vs. Florida - The best of eight home games in January is against the Stanley Cup Champions, with three former Sabres in Sam Reinhart, Dmitri Kulikov, and Evan Rodrigues sporting a ring on each hand.
February - Thursday 2/5 vs. Pittsburgh - Slim pickings in the year’s shortest month, since the Sabres play only once at Key Bank Center because of the Olympic break, but at least we get to see Sidney Crosby before he hops on a plane to Italy.
March - Tuesday 3/3 vs. Vegas - There is still a buzz in the air when Jack Eichel comes to town, and now that Mitch Marner has joined the former Sabres team captain, the Golden Knights may be the most hated club in the Niagara Peninsula.
April - Monday 4/6 vs. Tampa Bay - One of only three home games and the last Atlantic Division game at KBC in the regular season, something that the Sabres hope means something for playoff implications down the stretch.
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Blackhawks Promising Goalie Gets Big Praise
The Chicago Blackhawks have plenty of promising young players on their roster. Goaltender Spencer Knight is one of them, as he has the potential to emerge as a very impactful goalie at the NHL level.
Knight has already shown promise over his four-year NHL career thus far, as he has recorded a 49-33-9 record, a 2.83 goals-against average, and a .904 save percentage in 95 games. Now, after being traded to the Blackhawks from the Florida Panthers in the Seth Jones deal, he will have the opportunity to finally be a full-time starter.
Knight's potential and success so far at the NHL level have now landed him some serious praise. In a recent article for NHL.com, Kevin Woodley ranked Knight as the second-best goalie in the NHL who is under 25 years old heading into the 2025-26 season. The only goalie Woodley had ahead of him was Calgary Flames rising star Dustin Wolf.
Overall, when looking at what Knight has done so far during his career, it is certainly fair that he has earned the No. 2 spot on Woodley's list. The 2019 first-round pick has the tools to become something special for the Blackhawks as they look to take that next step, and it will be fun to see what kind of campaign he has in 2025-26 from here.
Blackhawks Sign Intriguing New Goalie ProspectThe Chicago Blackhawks have added a new goalie prospect to their system.
Photo Credit: © Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
Damian Lillard heading back home to Portland, near to deal to join Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard is headed back to Portland. The city he loves and where he is a franchise icon.
Lillard is a free agent after being waived and stretched by the Milwaukee Bucks (to free up room for them to sign Myles Turner), and he is deep in negotiations to return to Portland, a story broken by Zach Lowe of the Ringer and Bill Oram of the Oregonian. Then Lillard confirmed the news on Instagram.
Damian Lillard announces his return to Portland on Instagram. https://t.co/fXj0hCpBIv
— Bill Oram (@billoram) July 17, 2025
Lillard reportedly will sign a three-year, $45 million contract with a player-option in the third year and a no-trade clause. The idea is that he will spend this coming season rehabbing from his torn Achilles before playing two more years in Portland.
From the moment Milwaukee waived him, a return to Portland was always considered a possibility in league circles — it's where he always wanted to be, and that ended up outweighing chasing a ring somewhere else. Portland is where Lillard's home and family are, and it's where his heart always has been.
Lillard played 11 seasons for the Trail Blazers where he was a seven-time All-NBA and All-Star player, as well as the 2013 Rookie of the Year. He averaged 25.2 points and 6.7 assists a game while with the Blazers, as well as developing a reputation as one of the best clutch players and best leaders in the league.
Lillard's leadership is something Portland could use, particularly with a young roster that includes guards Scoot Henderson and Toumani Camara, as well as the recently drafted center Yang Hansen from China. The Trail Blazers also traded for Jrue Holiday this offseason and have held on to him as a mentor for their young guards — Lillard and Holiday were traded for each other back in 2023 and are now teammates. With Lillard sidelined for this season recovering, questions about rotation minutes and how all the guards fit together are not pressing. Holiday could be traded to a contender at the deadline or next summer, or other things will happen that will change the guard dynamic in the next year.
The Trail Blazers traded Lillard two summers ago in an effort to jump-start a rebuild and get him to a team where he could contend. That deal worked out for the Blazers, who got Holiday, Deandre Ayton, Camara, and the Bucks 2029 first-round pick in the deal. However, that trade never quite came together as envisioned for Milwaukee, as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard never quite meshed. After Lillard tore his Achilles this postseason, it was the Bucks who decided to move on, stretching Lillard's nearly $113 million remaining on his contract over five years to free up short-term cap space (but have $22 million in dead money on their books for each of the next five years).
Clippers rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser showing growth in Summer League
Yanic Konan Niederhauser received the pass near the half-court line from a Clippers teammate who had just stolen the basketball. The 6-foot-11 center maneuvered down the court, his long strides allowing him to use just two dribbles before he took flight outside the circle and threw down a thunderous dunk over helpless Lakers defender Cole Swider.
The crowd inside Thomas & Mack Center went into a frenzy, including Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who leaped out of his courtside seat, pumped his fists and yelled.
At that moment Monday night, Niederhauser displayed his agility, speed and ballhandling skills. It was another step taken in his progress while playing in the NBA Summer League on the campus of UNLV.
The Clippers had used the 30th and last pick in the first round of the NBA draft to select Niederhauser out of Penn State because they saw potential.
That exciting, and in many ways unexpected, play was an encouraging sign for the Clippers.
“I didn’t see Mr. Ballmer because I was in the moment,” Niederhauser, laughing, said late Monday night. “That’s the guard skills I was talking about and I had a couple of fast breaks these last few days and I passed the ball away. Now I said, ‘Naw, man. I can go up by myself.’ I told myself I was going to dunk it and I did.”
Read more:Clippers to land Bradley Beal after Suns buy out his contract
In his first three games in the NBA Summer League, Niederhauser has shown different skills.
It was his defense and rebounding in the first game, against the Houston Rockets in which he blocked four shots and collected 10 rebounds. Though he missed all four of his shots and scored just one point, Niederhauser found other ways to contribute.
It was a little bit of everything in his second game, against the Milwaukee Bucks in which he had two points, three rebounds, two steals and one block.
It was his offense in the third game against the Lakers in which he scored 10 points, grabbed two rebounds and had two steals.
“He just sticks with it,” Clippers assistant and Summer League coach Jeremy Castleberry said. “No matter if it’s going good or bad, he sticks with it. He’s trying his best to do everything we ask him to do. And just like I said after the last game, he continues to get better. From the last game [against the Bucks] to this game [against the Lakers], he was a little bit better than he was last game. He’s getting the dunks, catching the basketball, finishing it, being a rim-protector, consistently running the floor. Like, you can see the progress.”
Niederhauser was born in Bern, Switzerland, a town of about 135,000 an hour from Zurich. Even so, at 15, the Clippers’ international scouts became aware of Niederhauser when he played on the under-16 Switzerland national team. At that time, he was a 6-1 guard.
Niederhauser had a growth spurt at 17 that pushed him into playing center position. He said he was 6-5 when he broke his knee and was forced to sit out for a year.
“I was like out for a whole year and once I came back, after a whole year of sitting out and I get back on the court, now I’m 6-11,” he said. “Yeah, in one year, I had to change my whole game from being like a forward/guard to being a center. So, yeah, I had guard skills. That’s why sometimes I be dribbling the ball.”
Niederhauser laughed, agreeing those guard skills helped him make that electric dunk against the Lakers.
His size, weight (242 pounds) and youth (22) are all part of the package the Clippers like.
“We think there’s plenty of upside,” Clippers general manager Trent Redden said. “You know, the famous draft word, obviously. But for a guy that’s his age, he’s still learning and growing into his frame that he hasn’t really had his whole life. We just haven’t had a guy that size at that position in a backup role that’s young that we can feed into and give to our developmental staff.”
As a kid growing up in Switzerland, Niederhauser learned to speak four languages — Swiss, German, French and English.
His parents, Dominique and Nadege Niederhauser, made sure their son was well-versed.
“Since I was a baby, I was speaking all those languages,” Niederhauser said. “My mom, she speaks French. She’s from the Ivory Coast and that’s where I learned French, and my dad speaks mostly German and so that’s how I learned my German.”
Now that Niederhauser is with the Clippers, he’ll have tutors to teach how the NBA game is played.
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He will be able to learn from centers Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez.
Lopez is 37 and a 17-year veteran who signed with the Clippers this summer.
He mentioned how he played with great players like Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Now it’s up to him to pass on knowledge to Niederhauser like others passed on to him.
“I’m absolutely ready to get on the court, help him out and help him adjust and become a great player in this league,” Lopez said.
Niederhauser is soaking it all in while in Las Vegas, from the games to the practices to the conversations he’s had with Clippers coach Tyronn Lue.
“He’s been giving me advice. I can just tell that he has a lot of knowledge,” Niederhauser said. “I’m loving this. I’m in a great situation with experienced players to learn from. I’m just taking time to learn and get my experience. Everything is new to me so I’m just trying my best to soak everything in and just get better every day.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Former Blues Forward Traded To Maple Leafs
Former St. Louis Blues forward Dakota Joshua is on the move.
The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have traded Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a 2028 fourth-round pick.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the #Canucks have acquired a 4th round pick in the 2028 NHL Entry Draft from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for Dakota Joshua.
— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) July 17, 2025
DETAILS | https://t.co/1RN12Vv1zEpic.twitter.com/Wwb65BRum2
Joshua's name has been floating around the rumor mill this off-season as the Canucks look to shake up their roster. Now, the Pacific Division club has officially dealt him to the Maple Leafs, where he will look to be a solid part of Toronto's bottom six.
Joshua appeared in 57 games this past season with the Canucks, where he had seven goals, 14 points, 193 hits, and a minus-13 rating. This is after he set career highs with 18 goals, 14 assists, 32 points, and 245 hits in 63 games with the Canucks during the 2023-24 campaign.
This is a reunion of sorts, too, as Joshua was initially selected by the Maple Leafs with the 128th overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Yet, he never played a game with Toronto after being drafted by them, as he was traded to the Blues during the 2019 off-season for future considerations. Yet, with this trade, he will now get the opportunity to make his Maple Leafs debut 11 years after being drafted by them.
In 42 games over two seasons with the Blues from 2020-21 and 2021-22, Joshua recorded four goals, five assists, nine points, 100 hits, and a plus-3 rating.
Blues Made Sneaky Good Move Signing New ForwardEarlier this off-season, the St. Louis Blues signed forward Nick Bjugstad to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1.75 million. With the Blues needing more center depth, seeing them bring in Bjugstad ultimately made sense. This is especially so when noting that Radek Faksa ended up leaving St. Louis and going back to the Dallas Stars in free agency.
Photo Credit: © Stan Szeto-Imagn Images
Minor league baseball could be returning to Long Beach
Could the fourth time be the charm for minor league baseball in Long Beach?
On Tuesday, the Long Beach City Council is scheduled to consider whether to order city staff to work toward an agreement with the ownership group for a “new professional baseball team” that would play at Blair Field, the city’s storied ballpark.
The ownership group includes Paul Freedman, one of the co-founders of the Oakland Ballers, a successful independent league team launched last year amid the departure of the Oakland Athletics.
The new team would open play next season and participate as an expansion team in the Pioneer League, the same league in which the Ballers play. The league includes teams in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Wyoming.
“I got into this industry because of love for baseball and the community, and love for Oakland,” Freedman said. “I see a tremendous amount of parallels between the city of Oakland and the city of Long Beach, and I think the kind of community-oriented baseball that is working in Oakland can work in Long Beach as well.”
In minor leagues affiliated with major league organizations, those organizations sign and pay players, then assign them to a minor league team. In an independent league, the teams sign and pay players, most of whom hope to play well enough to earn a contract from a major league organization.
Read more:Shaikin: How to revitalize baseball's All-Star Game? Bat flips
Independent leagues also serve as labs for the major leagues: The “swing-off” that decided this week’s All-Star Game has been a rule in the Pioneer League since 2021.
Three independent minor league teams have come and gone in Long Beach over the last 30 years: the Barracuda (renamed the Riptide) in 1995-96, the Breakers (2001-02) and the Armada (2005-09).
Freedman said he believed the struggles reflected instability in the various leagues in which the teams played more than an inability of Long Beach to support a team.
“It’s a city with a huge baseball tradition,” Freedman said. “It’s a diverse city on the rise. It’s hosting the Olympics. I think now it’s time to have a team to represent the town.
“I think baseball has worked in Long Beach, and I think Long Beach is in an even better condition now to embrace a new kind of baseball.”
The Long Beach State baseball team, proudly known as the Dirtbags, attracted more fans last season than any of the other nine Big West Conference teams based in California. The Dirtbags are the primary tenant of Blair Field, and the motion before the city council would require city staff to work with Long Beach State on a “collaborative partnership agreement.”
A city spokesman did not return a call seeking comment.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Damian Lillard reportedly finalizing deal to return to Portland Trail Blazers
Damian Lillard is returning to the Portland Trail Blazers. The nine-time NBA All-Star is finalizing a three-year, $42m contract with the franchise where he spent the first 11 seasons of his career, ESPN reported Thursday. The deal includes a player option for the 2027–28 season and a no-trade clause.
Lillard, who turned 35 this week, was waived by the Milwaukee Bucks on 7 July. The team stretched the $113m remaining on his contract to make room for free-agent center Myles Turner.
The veteran guard is expected to miss the entire 2025–26 season after undergoing surgery in May to repair a torn left achilles tendon. He sustained the injury on 27 April in the first quarter of the Bucks’ Game 4 loss to Indiana in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. It was just his third game back after missing a month due to a blood clot in his right calf. He also sat out the final 14 games of the regular season.
Despite receiving interest from playoff contenders offering mid-level and veteran minimum deals, Lillard chose to return to Portland, where his family resides. Talks with general manager Joe Cronin and head coach Chauncey Billups intensified in recent weeks, with all sides aligned on a reunion. His agent, Aaron Goodwin, is finalizing the terms this week.
Between his stretched Milwaukee salary and the new Portland contract, Lillard will earn $70m next season and $141m over the next two years.
Lillard initially requested a trade in 2023 after the Trail Blazers began a rebuild. He was dealt to Milwaukee in a three-team blockbuster that sent Jrue Holiday and Toumani Camara to Portland. Holiday was later traded to Boston, then reacquired by the Blazers this offseason.
With Lillard’s return, the Blazers now boast a core that includes Holiday, Robert Williams III, Scoot Henderson, Camara and a stockpile of future picks and swaps.
Lillard averaged 24.9 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.7 rebounds in 58 regular-season games with Milwaukee. He owns career averages of 25.1 points, 6.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds over 900 games.
He ranks fourth all-time in made three-pointers (2,804) and eighth among active players in scoring (22,598 points). In Portland, he remains the all-time leader in points and threes and second in assists. He led the franchise to eight playoff appearances, including a run to the 2019 Western Conference finals.