Former Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns will embark on a new opportunity at 40 years old.
After playing three seasons for the Hurricanes, Burns signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche.
Burns still has a desire to play hockey, as retirement is not currently on his mind.
"I just love it. I love coming to the rink every day and working. It really is the best," Burns said after signing with the Avalanche. "There's a lot of different reasons ... obviously, the biggest one for me is there's still something to chase. I'm still super motivated for that and there's one big goal still."
While Burns is no longer the Norris Trophy-winning defenseman he once was, he has adapted and knows the kind of role he needs to play.
“The game's changed. I feel like every year, it's a little different," Burns said. "You play with different people; you pick up different things. You're always adapting, on and off the ice. That's part of what I enjoy, just trying to figure that stuff out and always trying to get better and keep playing.”
Five years ago today, the Vancouver Canucks embarked on their first playoff (plus play-in) run in five years. Granted, this playoff series took place without the help of home-ice advantage and with extensive COVID-19 procedures in place — but it was still a playoff series nonetheless. Let’s take a look back at the 2020 Bubble Playoffs and how the Canucks performed during them.
The Bubble Playoffs were the first taste of playoff action that the majority of the Canucks’ young core had been exposed to at the time. Former Canucks captain Bo Horvat had only played in six postseason games back in 2015. Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Brock Boeser, and Thatcher Demko had no playoff experience. Prior to this run, J.T. Miller had 61 playoff games under his belt, while veterans and career Canucks (at the time) Chris Tanev and Alex Edler had 16 and 65 respectively (both of which included games played during the 2011 Stanley Cup run).
Because of the league-wide shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, no NHL teams were able to finish their regular season. As a result, the league introduced a play-in tournament that allowed teams to clinch their spot in the playoffs by beating another competitor in a best-of-five series. The top-four teams in each conference were automatically guaranteed a playoff spot, though they still had to take part in a round-robin tournament that would later determine playoff seeding. Vancouver finished their season seventh in the Western Conference with 78 points in 69 games, placing them in the play-in group. To officially qualify for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, they had to beat the Minnesota Wild in five games.
Vancouver got off to a poor start to their bubble playoff run, surrendering two power play goals to the Wild in what ultimately resulted in a 3–0 loss. Micheal Ferland and Marcus Foligno kicked the series off with a fight a little over a minute into the game. A little over a minute later, Edler took a tripping penalty that sent the Wild onto the power play, where Kevin Fiala captialized on the opportunity. The Canucks took two more penalties before the end of the first period, one on Tyler Myers for cross-checking, and one on the bench for too many men.
The Canucks’ second penalty didn’t come until halfway through the second period, when Tanner Pearson slashed Carson Soucy, sending Minnesota on the power play once again. This time, it was Jared Spurgeon who scored for the Wild. Spurgeon also got an empty-net goal near the end of the game to seal the deal for Minnesota, who left the game with a 1–0 lead in the series. By the end of the game, Vancouver had taken six penalties as well as Ferland’s fighting major and a game misconduct for Antoine Roussel.
This game’s result was not encouraging for Canucks fans. Minnesota goaltender Alex Stalock had stopped all 28 of Vancouver’s shots on net, with Horvat and Tyler Toffoli being held to none. The Canucks were not alone in their misery, however, as both the Nashville Predators and the Toronto Maple Leafs also lost their series-opening games on the same day.
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The Buffalo Sabres should be in the market for an impact top-six forward after dealing winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan, but the opening weeks of free agency did not provide GM Kevyn Adams with an opportunity to replace Peterka’s production, and with the two-year deal signed earlier this month with defenseman Bowen Byram, Adams will have to try to acquire a scoring forward with younger players, prospects, and/or draft picks.
The name of Columbus winger Dmitri Voronkov has continued to circulate in trade chatter in spite of the 25-year-old signing a two-year contract extension last month. The hulking 6’5”, 227 lb. forward was a fourth-round pick of the Blue Jackets in 2019 and spent four seasons in the KHL before breaking out with 18 goals with Ak-Bars Kazan in 2023. After signing a two-year entry-level contract, he posted the same number of goals as an NHL rookie in 2024 and set a career-high with 23 goals last season.
There are reasons to be skeptical of Columbus having any interest in trading Voronkov, as he is locked up for two more seasons at a $4.175 million AAV and is retainable for another year as an arbitration-eligible RFA. Unless he is not happy with the Blue Jackets like fellow countryman Yegor Chinakhov is, GM Don Waddell will want to make a hockey deal involving an NHL player.
What Would It Cost?
The Sabres again would have some insight on Voronkov with Jarmo Kekalainen as a senior advisor, and undoubtedly would be interested in the 24-year-old, since he has size and would be able to plug the hole created by the trade of Peterka to Utah. The cost would likely have to be a young forward with years of control, since the Blue Jackets have four defensemen making over $4 million signed for multiple years. Zach Benson, Jack Quinn or Jiri Kulich would have to be part of the deal.
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While Eldridge’s raw power is beyond enticing, don’t expect Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey to fast track MLB’s No. 17 overall prospect to the big leagues at the risk of hindering his development.
Posey cited his trust in the organization’s player development staff in determining when the right time for Eldridge to be called up will be.
“One of the luxuries now with having Rafael Devers is that we’re not as rushed with Bryce,” Posey explained. “Randy Wynn and Kyle Haines and player development I know feel strongly that it’s important for these guys to get their reps.”
But Posey didn’t outright close the door on Eldridge expediting his path to MLB promotion.
“We want them to beat the door down,” Posey said. “We really want them to beat the door down to get here and be ready to make an impact when they get here.”
While “beat the door down” certainly is subjective, Eldridge plikely will be making his Giants debut sooner rather than later if he continues hitting home runs at the rate he has since being elevated to Triple-A.
The Chicago Blackhawks have plenty of intriguing prospects in their system. One of them is goaltender Drew Commesso, as many feel that the 23-year-old netminder could become a nice part of the Blackhawks' future.
Commesso appeared in his first two NHL games this past season with the Blackhawks, where he sported a 0-1-0 record, a .846 save percentage, and a 3.36 goals-against average. The Norwell, Massachusetts native spent the bulk of the campaign in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs, however. In 39 games with the AHL squad in 2024-25, he had an 18-15-4 record, a .911 save percentage, and a 2.54 goals-against average.
During his first season with the AHL club in 2023-24, Commesso had a .906 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average in 38 games. Thus, the 2020 second-round pick took a bit of a step forward in his development this past season with Rockford. Now, his goal from here will be to continue to improve to increase his odds of getting more NHL time in 2025-26.
When looking at the Blackhawks' current goalie depth, it is likely that Commesso will start the season in the AHL. However, if he continues to trend in the right direction, it certainly should open the door for him to get more chances with the Blackhawks. The potential for him to become a good NHL goaltender is there, and it will be fascinating to see if he can hit a new level next season from here.
Blackhawks: 3 Teams Who Could Target Connor MurphyChicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy is a player to keep an eye on. The right-shot blueliner is entering the final season of his contract, so he certainly stands out as a potential trade chip for the rebuilding Blackhawks. This is especially so when NHL teams are often willing to pay more for big, right-shot defenseman.
The Philadelphia Flyers have been connected to a host of different centers in trade rumors this offseason, but there's still one nobody is talking about.
Young centers like Mason McTavish and Marco Rossi are drawing most of the attention these days, but rarely, if ever, does the Florida Panthers' Anton Lundell get brought up in these discussions.
But, why should he after winning the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years?
The answer is simple: the Panthers may not be able to afford to keep him due to their salary cap situation; they're currently $3.725 million over the cap ceiling.
Forward Evan Rodrigues has been floated as a trade candidate due to his $3 million cap hit. The Panthers can then make up the difference by assigning another forward to the AHL if and when necessary.
But, teams know the Panthers need to shed money to become cap compliant. That's where a team like the Flyers, with all their prospects and future draft capital, can strong-arm the Panthers into giving up a higher value asset like Lundell.
Lundell, 23, is signed through 2030 at a $5 million cap hit and doesn't have trade protection at any point in the deal.
Despite slotting in behind Sam Bennett and captain Sasha Barkov in the Panthers' lineup, Lundell has still impressively managed 44 and 45 points, respectively, in two of his four NHL seasons so far.
Most importantly, at least for the Flyers, is the Finn's playoff performances thus far.
Lundell has already played 77 playoff games, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in each of the last three years and winning the Cup in 2024 and 2025.
In those 77 games, the former No. 12 overall pick has 12 goals, 34 assists, and 46 points, including nine goals, 26 assists, and 35 points in his last 47 games, which culminated in two Stanley Cups.
As for a potential Flyers trade package, Philadelphia doesn't have much, at least for the sake of saving cap space, of use to Florida, though a player like Bobby Brink could make some sense, just not on his own.
The 24-year-old winger has one year remaining on his contract at an extraordinarily reasonable $1.5 million cap hit and will be an RFA upon its expiry next summer.
Brink quietly posted a career-high 41 points last season, even while primarily featuring on a checking line alongside Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster.
That would bode well for the Panthers, given the style they like to play.
So long as Brink continues to develop, or even maintains this level of play, he's as much of a long-term asset as Lundell, just at a different position.
It should be noted that the Flyers have their first three picks in each of the next three drafts, including two first-round picks in 2027.
They more than likely won't be willing to move their 2026 first-round pick, which could land them Gavin McKenna, but the Flyers have plenty of draft capital to pony up for the Panthers.
The Panthers can then, in turn, convert those assets into a player at the trade deadline to aid them in their quest for a three-peat and beyond.
Panthers GM Bill Zito is smarter than to be coerced into giving up a young stud like Lundell, but even Tom Brady had bad games.
Let's see how the next few weeks unfold if the Flyers attempt to stay active.
Russell Martin has managed just 270 minutes of football as Rangers head coach, and already he has left his players without a name.
After the Ibrox side's 1-1 draw at Motherwell in their opening Scottish Premiership fixture, Martin said his players were "lucky to get a point".
An "extremely disappointed and hurt" Ibrox head coach said the impressive Fir Park side were "braver" and "more aggressive" than his team.
He lambasted "two men on the pitch who want to do what they want to do" and said some of his players "have to drop their ego".
"The default is to revert to type," he added. "It's not really tactical, it's a mentality problem."
It is the third straight season in which Rangers have failed to win their opening league match. But the first time Martin has publicly unloaded on his players.
On Wednesday in Athens, Martin acknowledged that performances could have been better across Rangers' two-legged Champions League qualifying win over Panathinaikos, but he said he was "so proud" of his players.
Three days later, the mood has shifted remarkably.
Across two post-match interviews with BBC Scotland and Sky Sports, Martin chose not to hold back after his third game in charge of Rangers.
Here are the key lines from his furious reaction:
"I think we were lucky to get a point. We were nowhere near where we need to be. And I'm extremely disappointed and hurt by that. They were braver than us. They were more aggressive than us."
"The thing I can't accept is, whatever the tactics are, we got outfought and they were braver than us to play in certain moments.
"We pick and choose when we want to play properly and when we want to run hard. When the game's not going well, we have too many players that want to do their own thing and slip into self-preservation.
"This is not me blaming the players at all; I think it's a problem the club has had over the last few years. When it's going well, it's fine, and when it's not, there's a problem. It's not together enough on the pitch.
"I've said to the players, there is a default here at this football club to revert to type. When it's going really well, everyone's all in. When it's not going well, you protect yourself a little bit. You can't play for this club and just enjoy the really good moments. You have to be all in all the time."
"We had two men on the pitch today that want to do what they want to do. When you want to just jog around and do what you want to do, there's a big problem. So some of them have to drop their ego."
"There'll be people left behind if they don't want to come because they need to understand what playing for this football club will take and what it means."
"The lethargy and all that stuff is not acceptable. So I'm surprised by that. But I'm more angry than surprised."
"I will look at us tactically and accept my responsibility in it. But today, it's a mentality problem. And we got more than what we deserved, actually."
What did the pundits make of it?
Before Motherwell found their late equaliser, former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson has expressed deep concern about his old side's approach.
"At the moment there's nothing coming from Rangers; it's quite worrying," he said on BBC Sportsound. "I've not got a clue what their tactic is. I don't see it."
After Motherwell netted the leveller their play more than merited, Ferguson added: "I've got a real worry after watching that second half. They players still have a lot to prove to that Rangers support."
Speaking on Sky Sports, irate former Rangers striker Kris Boyd said: "It's the same things that keep happening time after time after time.
"It's early in the season. We know there are going to be players arriving. We know there are going to be players going out. But the alarming thing for is he's calling them out so early on."
Despite agreeing with Martin, former Celtic forward Chris Sutton was also taken aback by the Rangers boss' comments, saying the remarks "were extreme".
"For him to for him to do that first game of the season, he sees him every day in training, he must think they're rank rotten," he said on Sky Sports.
"Because why wouldn't there be a bit more balance there? When have you ever seen a manager do that first game of the season? That was extreme as extreme."
What do the stats tell us?
Former Motherwell forward James McFadden said "a draw was a good result for Rangers based on that performance".
The comment was perhaps made with tongue in cheek, but the stats back up it up.
Motherwell's expected goals tally by the end of the match was 2.21 to Rangers' 0.7.
Jens Berthel Askou's brave and expansive side finished the game with five big chances, according to stats provider Opta. Rangers had one.
The 17 shots Martin's side faced at Fir Park means his team have faced 51 efforts across just three games this season.
Over those three matches, Rangers have conceded only twice, but their opponents have amassed a total expected goals tally of 5.58.
That is simply unsustainable, and Martin will know that more than anyone.
What do the fans think?
Bill: It's very early, but I would be surprised if this Rangers team put in a challenge for the league title. Very poor.
Stevie: Anyone got paint on a wall drying? Better watch than Russell Martin's boring tactics.
George: Brutal. [Martin] does not have a clue. No style, no direction, no quality.
Graeme: Different manager, different team, same guff from Rangers.
Pete Alonso is one step closer to Darryl Strawberry’s Mets home run record.
The big man opened the scoring on Saturday afternoon by crushing a 1-2 fastball from Giants right-hander Kai-Wei Teng to deep left-center for a no-doubt three-run shot.
The first inning blast left the bat at a whopping 109.4 mph and carried 428 feet.
Alonso seems to be finding his way into a groove after a brutally cold stretch at the plate.
He has now gone deep in back-to-back days to open August, giving him 24 on the season.
He’s also up to 250 for his career, leaving him just two away from tying Strawberry’s record.
Alonso is the fifth player in MLB history with 250+ homers over their first seven big-league seasons.
He joins Ralph Kiner, Albert Pujols, Ryan Howard, and Eddie Matthews.
It is no secret that the Pittsburgh Penguins are open to making trades right now as they continue to retool their roster. Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson, and Rickard Rakell are three notable names who have been discussed heavily in the rumor mill this off-season. However, with the Penguins willing to make changes, it is fair to wonder if some of their depth players could end up moved, whether that is during the summer or the season.
When looking at the Penguins' roster, one player who has the potential to generate interest around the league is forward Blake Lizotte.
Lizotte is certainly a player to keep an eye on moving forward. The 27-year-old center is entering the final season of his contract and is a pending unrestricted free agent (UFA). With this, he could be a player who the Penguins make available if they do not view him as a long-term part of their plans. When noting that he has an affordable $1.85 million cap hit, there would likely be some suitors out there for him if he is shopped.
Lizotte just completed his first season with the Penguins after spending the previous six with the Los Angeles Kings. In 59 games this past season with the Penguins, he recorded 11 goals, 20 points, and 60 hits. When noting that he can provide decent secondary offensive production and grit, he could be a nice addition for a playoff club looking to boost its bottom six at the center position. He can also kill penalties, which adds to his appeal.
Nevertheless, it will be intriguing to see what the Penguins end up doing with Lizotte this season.
“Jimmy has been asking a lot of questions about how things work in the KHL and is seriously considering offers from the top European league,” Tuboltseva wrote.
Vesey spent the first three seasons of his career with the Rangers, and he actually made a return to New York in 2022 after playing for the Buffalo Sabres, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, and New Jersey Devils.
This past season, Vesey’s role with the Rangers diminished to the point where he was scratched out of the lineup for multiple games in a row.
His frustration ultimately got the best of him, and he spoke out about his limited playing time.
“I love being a Ranger, and I think everyone knows that. The six years I’ve been here have been the best and most fun I’ve had as a player,” Vesey said via Larry Brooks of The New York Post. “But this stretch where I haven’t dressed for the last [nine] games and have no indication that this is going to change, it’s been extremely difficult for me.”
“It seems that I’ve fallen out of favor and have just been cast aside over an extended period of time. It feels like I have no role or purpose on this team.
At around the time of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, Vesey, along with Ryan Lindgren, were traded to the Colorado Avalanche.
Marcus Stroman had a one word message after being cut loose by the Yankees.
The right-hander posted an Instagram story flashing his watch on his plane Saturday afternoon with a very brief caption: “Adios.”
Stroman, of course, was released Friday after two disappointing years with the club.
He pitched to a 4.31 ERA and 1.46 WHIP across 30 appearances last season, and ultimately found himself left off of the Bombers’ 26-man ALDS roster.
He was added back on for the ALCS and World Series, but didn't make an appearance.
Stroman missed time at the beginning of this season with left knee inflammation, and he hadn't quite been able to find his footing since making his return from the IL.
He allowed four earned runs on six hits over five innings of work in his last outing Thursday against the Rays, bringing his ERA to 6.23 for the year.
Luis Gil will rejoin the rotation on Sunday, so it was between Stroman, Will Warren, and Cam Schlittler for the final two spots, and the team decided to move forward with their young arms in the mix.
“Obviously, that was a tough decision we made today,” Aaron Boone said Friday. “The perception around Stro, for us, did not meet the guy we got to be around the last couple years -- he’s just an awesome competitor.
“It’s a case of we think Warren and Schlittler are ready to be in the rotation full-time. Just felt like with some more roster moves probably coming over the next few days at least, the timing was right.”
Stroman finishes his time with the Yankees with a 4.69 ERA over 39 appearances.
Coach Billy Napier has offered no timetable on his star player’s return. It’s the latest injury issue for Lagway, who missed spring practice with a shoulder injury after undergoing sports hernia surgery.
Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell went five innings in his return from injury Saturday against the Rays, striking out eight while walking none. (Chris O'Meara / Associated Press)
Blake Snell nearly had a flawless return from the injured list on Saturday afternoon.
If only the Tampa Bay Rays didn’t have slugger Yandy Díaz, or a quirky short right-field wall at their temporary home at Steinbrenner Field.
Making his first start since the second week of the season, when he went down with a shoulder injury that shelved him, Snell largely looked like the ace the Dodgers thought they were getting when they signed him to a $182-million contract this offseason.
Over a five-inning start that included eight strikeouts, no walks and a whole bunch of flailing swings by the Rays, the veteran left-hander flashed his two-time Cy Young Award-winning stuff and tantalizing late-season potential.
However, in the Dodgers’ 4-0 loss to the Rays, Snell gave up three runs on a pair of long balls to Díaz –– who twice took advantage of the ballpark’s short porch in right field.
After the Rays’ permanent home, Tropicana Field in nearby St. Petersburg, had its canvas roof shredded during Hurricane Milton this winter, the club relocated to Steinbrenner Field for this season; using the New York Yankees’ open-air, Tampa-based spring training park for its home schedule.
Since the 10,000-seat venue was modeled after Yankee Stadium in New York, its defining feature is a short right-field wall (similar to the one in the Bronx) that measures at just 314 feet down the line — eight feet shorter than the dimensions at Tropicana Field.
In the bottom of the first inning, Díaz took full advantage, golfing a 3-1 fastball the other way for a solo home run. According to MLB’s Statcast system, the ball traveled only 326 feet, and would have stayed in play at each of the league’s other 29 stadiums. But not here, and especially not on a sweltering summer afternoon with a first-pitch temperature of 91 degrees.
The first-row drive opened the scoring and it wouldn’t be the last souvenir Díaz sent that direction on the day.
Two innings later, Díaz came back to the plate with Snell seemingly in a groove, having retired seven of the next eight batters, including five on strikeouts.
However, on a 1-1 fastball that was up in the zone, Díaz launched one to the opposite field again, hitting a two-run blast on a 341-foot fly ball that would’ve been a homer in only two other parks (Yankee Stadium itself, and Daikin Park in Houston).
Frustrating results that overshadowed an otherwise auspicious day.
In the big picture, after all, the Dodgers’ main priorities for Snell are: 1) Stay healthy; 2) Pitch better than he did at the start of the season, when his bothersome shoulder contributed to two underwhelming outings that marred the start of his Dodgers career.
Tampa Bay's Yandy Díaz watches his solo home run off Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell during the first inning Saturday. (Chris O'Meara / Associated Press)
Down the stretch this season, the Dodgers’ biggest strength might be their rotation. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is in the Cy Young Award conversation. Tyler Glasnow has looked improved since returning from his own shoulder injury. Shohei Ohtani has showcased tantalizing talent in his return from a Tommy John procedure. And even Clayton Kershaw has been productive in his 18th season.
The biggest linchpin, though, likely remains Snell — whom the Dodgers targeted this offseason in hopes of avoiding the tightrope they walked last October, when their injury-ravaged rotation was almost completely depleted by the start of the postseason.
While the Dodgers had managed in Snell’s absence, maintaining a narrow lead in the National League West despite another prolonged stretch of patchwork pitching, manager Dave Roberts acknowledged they had missed his “presence” over the first two-thirds of the season.
Having guys like him and Glasnow back, Roberts added, could mean “everything” to the team’s chances entering the stretch run of the campaign.
“Last year, we found a way to do it, not having that [rotation depth],” Roberts said. “But having the starters healthy, pitching the way they're capable of, makes it a better quality of life for everyone.”
Outside of the Díaz home run, Snell offered plenty of promise in his return to action.
First and foremost, he filled up the strike zone, eliminating his habit of nibbling around the plate by throwing 57 strikes in 86 pitches. And, in another positive development, many of those strikes were of the swing-and-miss variety.
Snell racked up 19 whiffs on Saturday, tied for third-most by a Dodgers pitcher in a game this season. Seven came on 12 total swings against his changeup, a key offspeed pitch that showed no signs of rust even after his long layoff. Five others were courtesy of his slider, with the Rays coming up empty on all five swing attempts against it.
It wasn’t enough to help the Dodgers win on Saturday — when their lineup managed only six hits and squandered its best opportunity to rally on Teoscar Hernández’s bases-loaded, inning-ending double-play grounder in the top of the sixth.
But it did raise the hopes about the potential of the team’s late-season rotation, offering a glimpse of the dominance the Dodgers will need out of Snell the rest of the year.
“I think this is sort of what we envisioned,” Roberts said, with his pitching staff finally looking closer to its original design. “It hasn’t been linear, like it ever is, as far as how you get to a place. But … signs are kind of looking like the roster we all intended.”
How many 21-year-olds have the
chance to play alongside one of the greatest of all-time? Ville Koivunen
found himself occupying such rarefied air during his first taste of NHL
play with the Pittsburgh Penguins, operating on the top line alongside
Bryan Rust and future first-ballot Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby.
“When
I went to the NHL, it was like a dream come true,” Koivunen said. “It
was pretty nice and a lot of fun. And, of course, playing with Crosby
and Malkin, Rusty, those guys were pretty awesome.”
But Koivunen
skating alongside ‘The Kid’ wasn’t initially in the cards. While the
Oulu native has all the requisite tools to become a top-six attraction,
it appeared he’d spend his future plying his trade with the likes of
Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov after the Carolina Hurricanes
selected Koivunen in the second round of the 2021 draft, 51st overall.
Instead,
Koivunen – then in his third season with Liiga squad Karpat – became
the key prospect Pittsburgh coveted in the 2024 deadline deal that saw
winger Jake Guentzel head to Carolina. “It came out of the blue,” said
Koivunen, now 22. “I was pretty surprised when I woke up and saw the
trade. The first hour, I was a little bit shocked. Like, what’s going to
happen now? And what do I have to do now? But after one hour, I was
very excited about where I get to with the organization, what they have
done and what kind of players they have. And of course, the good part,
maybe getting chances to play in the NHL, too.”
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Koivunen
made an immediate impact in his first full season with the AHL’s
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, blowing past expectations to lead the
team with 56 points and tie for third in goals with 21 in 63 games,
earning a spot on the AHL’s all-rookie team. “They’re a great group,”
Koivunen said. “It was easy to play with them – a skillful group. And
coach Kirk (MacDonald) helped me a lot. He gave me a chance to play with
my strengths and use them, which was pretty great.”
"When I went to the NHL, it was like a dream come true."
- Ville Koivunen
After
being recalled from the AHL on March 28, Koivunen made his NHL debut
two days later in a 1-0 Pittsburgh win over Ottawa. And he showed no
sign of jitters, putting up seven assists in his seven games after being
held off the scoresheet in Game 1. With the NHL squad missing the
playoffs, Koivunen earned further big-game experience after returning to
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and banking two assists in as many games in the
Baby Pens’ brief post-season run. “Every game, I felt a little more
comfortable,” he said. “I felt like I could make more plays in every
game and have a lot of confidence. The game’s faster, of course. There’s
a lot of skill – like how they play with the puck. I just went there to
play with my strengths, and then you feel it, and it is a little bit
like a different level.”
Though Koivunen is not big at six-foot
and 172 pounds, he has a great complete level, and his smarts and
natural playmaking ability make him dangerous. He now must work on
rounding out his game and adjust to the rigors of North American hockey.
“I’m just trying to get more explosiveness and be faster, and also a
bit more strength on the battles, on the corners and trying to win the
puck battles more,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing I’m trying to
improve.”
And what has he learned from his brief time sharing a
dressing room with Crosby, Malkin and Co.? “I just try to watch how they
play and what they do off the ice,” he said. “Just try to do everything
as good as you can. I think that’s going to help me a lot there.”
"I just try to make the team. In the NHL, I think that's the biggest thing that I have to think about."
- Ville Koivunen
Back
home in Oulu, Koivunen spends his summer maintaining a consistent
training regimen while reconnecting with friends and family. “I just try
to practise hard, train hard and also be with my friends – hang out
with them,” he said. “I haven’t seen them the whole season, so that’s a
lot of fun. Also, with my girlfriend, I try to do something with her and
hang out with my family, too. I don’t see them a lot, either, so I try
to be with them. I also like to play every kind of ball game. I like to
play tennis, golf and also floorball sometimes.”
Koivunen is in a
prime position to benefit from a change in philosophy within a Penguins
front office that is increasingly focused on the future. With the Pens’
youth movement intermingling with the Crosby-led legacy squad, Koivunen
has every opportunity to establish himself as much more than an everyday
NHLer. “I just try to make the team,” Koivunen said of his mindset
going into next season. “In the NHL, I think that’s the biggest thing
that I have to think about. I just try to make the team.”
This article
appeared in our 2025 Champions issue. Our cover story focuses on
the 2025 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, specifically the elite
play of defenseman Seth Jones, along with a recap of each game of the
Cup final. We
also include features on Sharks center Will Smith and Kraken defenseman
Ryker Evans. In
addition, we give our list of the top 10 moments from the 2024-25 NHL
season.
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The Giants knew losing Tyler Rogers would sting, and of course with baseball being the comedic entity of a sport that it is, the reliever made his New York Mets debut against his former team while San Francisco’s own bullpen wounds still were fresh.
In perhaps a perfect microcosm of where both Rogers and his former employers currently stand, the Giants watched their once-dominant bullpen flounder while the submarining right-hander logged a scoreless inning in his first action for the Mets in San Francisco’s 12-6 loss to New York on Saturday at Citi Field.
Spencer Bivens and Tristen Beck got tagged for seven earned runs across three innings of work after the former took the mound with the Giants trailing just 5-4 in the sixth inning. Despite the ups and downs of the 2025 MLB season, the Giants previously attacked these situations from a place of strength, having the luxury of rolling out Randy Rodríguez or Rogers to keep San Francisco within striking distance. Now with a bullpen in limbo, the Giants are dealing with the immediate consequences of reshuffling the deck.
“Yeah, we knew we were going to see it at some point,” Melvin told reporters when asked if it was weird facing Rogers after Saturday’s loss. “I’m sure it was just as uncomfortable for him — or weird, put it that way.”
There always was a long-term component driving the decision to trade one of MLB’s best relievers, and yet the potential of striking gold on a prospect or two in the return haul serves merely as a coping mechanism in the interim as the Giants watched Rogers seamlessly do what he has done for years, delivering in a late-inning situation without so much as breaking a sweat.
Even amid their prolonged slump, there always existed the possibility of the Giants gritting their way into a playoff berth, where San Francisco could enter any prospective series with a moderate level of confidence boasting a three-headed monster at the back of its bullpen.
After all, this organization rattled off three World Series championships in five years following a formula that relied heavily on leveraging the Giants’ arsenal of elite bullpen arms to close out games under the bright October lights.
Those dreams, like Rogers, are long gone with San Francisco’s rotation in shambles and a depleted bullpen left to pick up the slack amid the departures of two of their longest-tenured arms.
With morale already waning from the Giants’ catastrophic July freefall, seeing Rogers take the mound for a competitor for the first time mere days after parting ways is something not even the most seasoned baseball veterans are conditioned to brush aside.
While it certainly had to have been an adjustment for Rogers, the 34-year-old reliever made it a priority to remain positive while balancing his debut for a new team with facing the only MLB organization he’d ever known until earlier this week.
“The adrenaline was there,” Rogers told The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser after Saturday’s game. “And then just to look up and see the Giants across in the batter’s box was another level, too. I was just with those guys couple days ago, it was cool. I just told myself to enjoy it. Baseball is funny in that way.”
Rogers has been dynamite this season, boasting a 1.76 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP while ranking second in MLB with 54 appearances. If Saturday’s outing is any indication, he will continue to shine for a first-place Mets team that appears to be on a crash course for a deep playoff run.
Any fantasies Rogers had of taking the mound in October in front of a sellout crowd adorned in orange likely will be a reality — just not the one that Giants fans hoped for.
San Francisco now is left to pick up the pieces while being stuck in a baseball purgatory of sorts, not quite eliminated from postseason contention but playing with a level of enthusiasm that doesn’t exactly inspire visions of San Francisco putting together the kind of run needed to make up ground in the packed National League playoff picture.
But hey, it’s baseball after all. Stranger things have happened.
Don Waddell Claims Adam Fox Committed To Future With Hurricanes Before Backing Out There was a time when Adam Fox committed to a future with the Carolina Hurricanes, believe it or not.
