Jets Extend Qualifying Offers To Seven Players; Let Two Players Go

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dylan Samberg (54) skates up the ice against the St. Louis Blues in the first period at Canada Life Centre. Mandatory Credit: James Carey Lauder-Imagn Images

The Winnipeg Jets have extended qualifying offers to seven players those being Tyrel Bauer, Isaak Phillips, Dylan Samberg, Morgan Barron, Parker Ford, Rasmus Kupari and Gabe Vilardi, but have not extended offers to Simon Lundmark and Mason Shaw.

Bauer, Phillips and Ford almost exclusively played in the AHL. Bauer, a 23-year-old right-handed defenseman, skated in 59 games with the Manitoba Moose, recording two assists. Phillips was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks during the season and played in 39 games with the Moose, scoring three goals and eight points. The 23-year-old is a 6'3 defensive defenseman with 56 games of NHL experience under his belt. 

Ford accumulated his first bit of NHL experience this season, scoring one goal in three games. In the AHL, the 24-year-old forward registered 14 goals and 21 points in 41 games. 

Samberg, Barron, Kupari and Vilardi are all restricted free agents who spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season with the Jets. Kupari will spend the next two seasons with Lugano HC in Switzerland, but extending him a qualifying offer will keep his rights with the team if he elects to make a return to the NHL when his contract concludes.

Barron played in 74 games with the Jets this season, scoring eight goals in 15 points and emerging as the fourth-line center the team needed. His size and physical brand of hockey are valued additions to the Jets' bottom six.

Samberg and Vilardi are the two big-name RFAs the Jets desperately need to sign. A recent report stated the Jets are engaged in ongoing negotiations with the 25-year-old, and both parties feel confident that a deal will formulate.

Samberg is just as, if not more important, to the Jets' success as Vilardi. The 2024-25 season emerged as a breakout campaign for the 26-year-old, averaging a career-high 21:08 of ice time and becoming recognized as one of the NHL's top defensive defensemen. 

Although it may be difficult, signing Vilardi and Samberg to long-term contracts would go a long way to extending the Jets' window for success. 

Lundmark and Shaw will become unrestricted free agents and still could re-sign with the Jets, although most signs point towards Lundmark leaving the organization. The 24-year-old was a second-round pick (51st overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft, but has yet to make his NHL debut. He finished his fourth AHL season with the Moose this year but has yet to record more than five goals and 17 points despite little defensive improvements. Several rumours have been shared linking Lundmark with a return to Sweden in the SHL.

Shaw is a 26-year-old forward who wrapped up his first season with the Jets organization, scoring 17 goals and 37 points in 72 AHL games. Shaw has played just 82 NHL games throughout his career and could be looking to sign with a team with a more visible path to the NHL next year. 

Qualifying offer price tags according to Puckpedia:

Vilardi: $3,600,000 (arbitration eligible)
Barron: $1,400,000 (arbitration eligible)
Kupari: $1,100,000 (arbitration eligible)
Ford: $813,750 (arbitration eligible)
Samberg: $1,500,000 (arbitration eligible)
Phillips: $813,750 (arbitration eligible)
Bauer: $813,750

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‘Better Than My Birthday’: Bobby Bonilla on His Special Day

The Los Angeles Dodgers have made an art of deferred contracts

The team currently has $1.01 billion in deferred contracts extended to eight players, including $680 million to Shohei Ohtani, and smaller amounts to pitcher Blake Snell, infielder/outfielder Tommy Edman, and reliever Tanner Scott, all of whom signed last offseason with the Dodgers.

“It’s a beautiful thing,” Bobby Bonilla, who boasts one of the most well-known deferred contracts in Major League Baseball, said about the Dodgers deferred deals. “It’s a reminder that I did the right thing by putting the money away.”

Bonillia has the granddaddy of all deferred deals, and July 1 is his biggest day of the year. The date has become synonymous with the former Major League outfielder, who now works for the MLB Players Association, because he will receive his deposit of $1.2 million from the New York Mets, the 15th of 25 payments that will extend annually to 2035.

“It’s bigger than my birthday,” Bonilla said when reached via phone at his home on the west coast of Florida. “People know this date more than they know my birthday. I think it’s very cool. People are just happy that I put the money aside.”

For the record, his birthday is Feb. 23, and he’s 62 years old. Bonilla’s 16-year career ended in 2001, but he’s more famous for his deferred contract than he is for his 287 homers and .279 batting average across eight teams. 

Bonilla’s deal, arranged by his then-agent Dennis Gilbert, worked well for the cash-poor former Mets owner Fred Wilpon at the time—but it worked even better for Bonilla, who will ultimately earn about five times the $5.9 million cash value of what was left on the contract because of an 8% interest rate. Bonilla collected his first dividends from the plan in 2011, and he’s scheduled to earn precisely $1,193,248.20 from the Mets each year until he’s 72 years old.

Bonilla, who was born and raised in the Bronx, said spending a lot of money as a player was never a big deal for him. The deferred money was not meant to protect him from squandering money.

“It was just being sure I put money away,” Bonilla said. “I wasn’t that much of a big spender. I never needed five of the same car or 17 houses. I never overdid anything. But the most important thing with Dennis, and I expressed that as a young player, I just wanted to have when I retired.”

Bonilla’s contract was not the first deferred contract paid by a club to a player. The San Diego Padres, under then-president Ballard Smith, signed shortstop Garry Templeton and closer Goose Gossage to long-term deals tied to annuities in the 1980s. In 1984, reliever Bruce Sutter inked a six-year, $9.1 million contract with the Braves that paid out $47 million, thanks to a 12.3% interest rate.

According to MLB rules, clubs must invest or set aside deferred money as if it is actually being paid in real time to the player, who doesn’t have to pay taxes on it until he begins to collect. Another way to circumvent the luxury tax process is to give players large upfront signing bonuses. Six of L.A.’s deals since signing Mookie Betts in 2020 include $207 million in bonuses, most of them up front, although the $65 million is being paid to Betts over 15 years. Ohtani didn’t get a bonus.

As far as the luxury tax is concerned,  deferred money is discounted annually during the term of the contract. Bonuses are actually amortized equally each year rather than being credited as a lump sum in the year paid.

For example, Ohtani’s $70 million over 10 years is being charged as $41.6 million toward the luxury tax because of the decreasing value of the dollar each year of the deferral. 

In the modern game, Bonilla gets the credit for getting it all started.

“A lot of times they call it the greatest contract of all time in a lot of people’s minds,” Bonilla said. “It wasn’t the first of its kind. I’m not going to say that before me people didn’t put money away. And now Dodgers players are doing it to their advantage. But my contract got particular traction, maybe because of the circumstances. It’s a fun day.”

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Yankees' Trent Grisham 'optimistic' after hamstring injury forced him to exit Monday's loss

Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham was optimistic about his hamstring after he was forced to exit Monday's loss to the Toronto Blue Jays for the bottom of the fifth inning.

"It's too early to tell," Grisham said from the locker room following the 5-4 loss in Toronto, the Yanks' 11th loss in their last 17 games.

Grisham said he sustained the injury in the home half of the fourth inning when his spike got caught underneath him when he decided not to make a diving attempt at a two-out single off the bat of Jonatan Clase. The outfielder said it "wasn't good enough... to keep going the rest of the game."

"I'm trying to be optimistic about it and really see how it wakes up in the morning," he answered when asked about his level of concern.

"I've dealt with hammy's before in the past, and it just didn't feel like any other one," Grisham said, before clarifying that he meant the discomfort wasn't "worse, just different."

Manager Aaron Boone said Grisham was not sent for any additional testing or an MRI after Monday's game, but was getting worked on by team trainers.

"Hoping it's not something that's too long, whether it's a day-to-day scenario, whether it's an IL, I'm not sure yet," Boone said.

After putting up poor numbers while sparingly in his first season in The Bronx (batting .190 with a .675 OPS in 76 games), Grisham has done much better while getting more consistent time in the lineup. Through his first 72 games, he is slashing .246/.348/.467 for a .815 OPS with 15 home runs and 32 RBI.

"He's been a great player for us," Boone added. "... but obviously he's been an outstanding two-way player for us all year. But whatever happens with it, we'll manage it and get through it. Hopefully it's not something that is too serious."

Grisham added he was "not expecting" to go for any testing on Tuesday morning. New York continues the four-game set with an afternoon (3:07 p.m.) first pitch.

Grisham went 1-for-2 with a run scored and a strikeout before he left the game. Jasson Dominguez, who entered to play left with Cody Bellinger moving to center, went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a strikeout.

Golden Knights Extend Qualifying Offers To Five Players

Vegas Golden Knights right wing Alexander Holtz (26) against the Calgary Flames during the third period at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

The Vegas Golden Knights have extended qualifying offers to five players, maintaining their restricted free-agent rights. The five players include Lukas Cormier, Alexander Holtz, Raphael Lavoie, Jonas Rondbjerg and Cole Schwindt. 

Cormier, a 23-year-old left-handed defenseman, was drafted in the third round (68th overall) in the 2020 NHL draft. Since the selection, Cormier has seen almost all of his action in the AHL but has accumulated two games of NHL experience. In the AHL, Cormier has scored 14 goals and 64 points in 139 games, continuing to round out his game on both sides of the puck. 

The 2024-25 season was difficult for Cormier, as he played just 19 games after recovering from an injury. With the recent news about Alex Pietrangelo's hip injury and Nicolas Hague's departure to the Nashville Predators, Cormier is likely the next man up to step into an NHL role.

Holtz's first season with the Golden Knights was up-and-down. In the NHL, he struggled to take a firm grasp of any role he was assigned, recording four goals and 12 points in 53 games. In the AHL, the 23-year-old netted seven goals and 13 points in just 16 games, proving to be too skilled at times for the minors. The 2025-26 season could be a career-defining season for the former seventh-overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft, as many predict he'll sign a one-year deal. 

Lavoie and Schwindt also played their first seasons as Golden Knights after the pair was claimed off waivers in the preseason. Lavoie spent the majority of the season with the Henderson Silver Knights, registering 17 goals and 27 points in 42 games. In nine games of NHL action, the 24-year-old failed to record a point. 

Schwindt served as the Golden Knights' fourth-line centre prior to his injury and additions at the trade deadline. The 24-year-old scored a goal and eight points in 42 games, gaining plenty of trust from HC Bruce Cassidy, averaging 9:15 of ice time. 

Out of the five, Rondbjerg is the longest-tenured Golden Knight, but he's struggled to break through the lineup and take a firm grasp of a roster spot. This season, Rondbjerg skated in 13 games but did not record any points. With the Silver Knights, the 26-year-old scored 11 goals and 26 points in 53 games. 

Price tags for each qualifying offer according to PuckPedia:

Cormier: $813,750
Holtz: $874,125
Schwindt: $840,000
Lavoie: $813,750
Rondbjerg: $813,750

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Orioles place right-hander Zach Eflin on the 15-day IL with low back discomfort

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Baltimore Orioles placed right-hander Zach Eflin on the 15-day injured list on Monday with low back discomfort.

The Orioles also lost catcher Chadwick Tromp during the opener of a three-game series at Texas. Tromp departed in the third inning because of lower back tightness.

Gary Sánchez moved from designated hitter to catcher, inserting pitcher Trevor Rogers into the lineup. Using a Ryan Mountcastle bat and his own helmet, Rogers struck out looking for the first out of the fourth.

The Orioles already were playing without catchers Adley Rutschman and Maverick Handley because of injuries.

Eflin got hurt Saturday during an 11-3 loss to Tampa Bay. He was tagged for four runs and five hits in one inning before he was replaced by Scott Blewett.

Manager Tony Mansolino said Eflin has a back strain.

“We’re kind of still sorting through everything right now,” he said before the game. "It’s hard to be optimistic or not be optimistic until we have all the information.”

Mansolino also said Charlie Morton is going to be pushed back a couple days because of “a very low-grade” elbow tendinitis. Brandon Young is slated to start on Tuesday, and Morton will pitch on Friday night at Atlanta.

The 31-year-old Eflin, Baltimore's opening-day starter, is 6-5 with a 5.95 ERA in 12 outings - part of a disappointing season for the last-place Orioles. He also was on the IL from April 8 to May 11 with a right lat strain.

Eflin is 0-3 with a 17.00 ERA in his last three starts, allowing 27 hits in nine innings.

Young was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before the matchup with the Rangers. The right-hander is 0-2 with a 7.11 ERA in three starts for the Orioles this year.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Golden Knights Release Update On Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and general manager Kelly McCrimmon have both issued statements regarding the two-time Stanley Cup winner’s status for the 2025–26 season.

Pietrangelo was set to compete for Team Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off back in February but withdrew due to undisclosed injuries, hoping to recover in time for the remainder of the regular season. However, he never returned. Since then, there has been widespread speculation and persistent questions, especially following reports of the surgeries he required.

“After exploring options with doctors as well as my family, it’s been advised to remove the intensity of hockey to see if my body can improve so that I can return to a normal quality of life,” Pietrangelo said in the statement. “The likelihood is low that my body will recover to the standard required to play, but I know this is the right decision for me and my family.”

Pietrangelo has played 17 seasons in the NHL, 12 with the St. Louis Blues, four in which he was captain, and five with the Knights. He has appeared in 1,087 regular-season games, putting up 637 points (148 Goals, 489 Assists) with a career plus/minus rating of +123 rating. In the postseason, he has played in 149 games tallying 80 points (15 Goals, 65 Assists) and a +26 rating. During those playoff runs he won the Stanley Cup twice, once with St. Louis in 2019 and again with Vegas in 2023. The 35-year-old defenseman’s 149 postseason appearances are the most by any player taken in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft; he was the Blues fourth overall pick. 

“Alex has given everything to the game and to the Golden Knights and has played through significant challenges in the pursuit of trying to win another Stanley Cup in Vegas,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “He is one of the most respected players in the league, not only for his elite talent but for his character, leadership, competitiveness, and professionalism.” 

PHOTO COURTESY: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports 

Dubas May Have Sought Quantity In This Year's Draft. But That Doesn't Mean He Missed On Quality.

Jun 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Members of the Pittsburgh Penguins 2025 draft class pose for a photo on the mound before the Pittsburgh Pirates host the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

In the aftermath of every NHL Draft, the analysis always comes due.

This is especially true for a rebuilding team like the Pittsburgh Penguins, who had 13 picks in the 2025 draft. There were many who thought - for sure - that the Penguins were not going to use all of those picks to draft, and - instead - would leverage some in trades for young talent or to move up in the draft. It was the highest volume of draft picks they've had since 1994, when they had 14.

But that wasn't the case.

Much of the discourse surrounding the work that general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas - as well as vice president of player development Wes Clark - did on Friday and Saturday involved discussions of "quality v. quantity." Many want to see the Penguins shift in the direction of accruing high-quality assets, so they were disappointed to see Dubas and Clark make the decision to trade down in the first round to acquire three first-round picks instead of drafting back-to-back at 11 and 12.

Yes, 13 is a large quantity of picks, no matter how you slice it. But don't assume that "quantity" and "quality" - in this case - are separate things.

There were a handful of players who folks hoped to see the Penguins draft back-to-back. Names like Victor Eklund, Justin Carbonneau, Jackson Smith, and Kashawn Aitcheson were still on the board when the Penguins were selecting at 11, yet they went a bit off-the-board by selecting center Ben Kindel.

Many saw that as a confounding, "galaxy-brain" move. But that's not giving enough credit to the caliber of player Kindel is.

The 5-foot-10, 176-pound center was highly touted by several Western Hockey League (WHL) scouts. His production - he had 35 goals and 99 points in 65 games last season for the Calgary Hitmen - matched, and even bested, some top-10 talents in the draft:

     - Eighth overall pick Jake O'Brien recorded 32 goals and 98 points in 68 games for the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL
     - Sixth overall pick Porter Martone posted 37 goals and 98 points for the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
     - Fifth overall pick Brady Martin registered 33 goals and 72 points in 57 games for the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL
     - Fourth overall pick Caleb Desnoyers had 35 goals and 84 points in 56 games for the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)

The only real, conceivable quality that was holding Kindel back from being a top-10 pick is his size. And - as many have been quick to point out - his ability to outsmart, outskate, and beat opponents one-on-one, coupled with his top-notch skill and scoring ability, has the high likelihood of making his size a non-factor.

Reaction: Penguins Select Center Ben Kindel 11th Overall In 2025 NHL DraftReaction: Penguins Select Center Ben Kindel 11th Overall In 2025 NHL DraftThe 2025 NHL Draft is finally upon us.

Kindel is, easily, now the best prospect in the Penguins' system. Other players like Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Harrison Brunicke, and Sergei Murashov have higher-end potential, but Kindel is the only one who could blossom into a star at the NHL level. And the Penguins need that - desperately need that - in their system.

However, Kindel isn’t the only quality prospect the Penguins added. The Penguins traded that 12th overall pick - given to them by the New York Rangers to satisfy the condition of the Marcus Pettersson and J.T. Miller trades - to draft two more players later in the first round, which resulted in Bill Zonnon at 22nd overall and Will Horcoff (after the Penguins traded back up from 31st overall) at 24th overall.

Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Bill Zonnon is selected as the 22nd overall pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The jury is out on Horcoff's ceiling, although he profiles as someone who has the potential to be an effective third-line center. But scouts everywhere have praised Zonnon, whose stock had risen considerably over the past year. 

The tough-as-nails, all-around forward registered 28 goals and 83 points in 64 games with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL last season, and many see him as a future middle-six forward with the potential to be in some Selke conversations. Zonnon has a complete toolset that includes strong puck skills, playmaking ability, versatility, hockey sense, defensive acumen, and physicality.

But it doesn't stop at the first round. Perhaps the two most underrated selections by the Penguins in the 2025 draft were both defensemen: Quinn Beauchesne and Charlie Trethewey.

Beauchesne - one of three fifth-round picks (148th overall) by the Penguins - is a great skater and has great defensive instincts. He is prone to turnovers and mistakes from time to time, but he's mobile, he has a good stick, he's good on the breakout, and he's got a good shot. 

Trethewey - who is a homegrown prospect of sorts due to his participation in the youth Pittsburgh Penguins Elite program and his father's family roots in the area - may end up being one of the biggest steals of the 2025 draft class, as he was projected as a first-rounder by most draft boards heading into the 2024-25 season. His booming shot, knack for physicality, and dynamic mobility already make him one of the Penguins' most intriguing defensive prospects.

Penguins Select Homegrown Defensive Prospect In Third RoundPenguins Select Homegrown Defensive Prospect In Third RoundIt will be a homecoming for one of the Pittsburgh Penguins' third-round draft selections.

There are other potential upside guys, too. Horcoff is one of them, as is defenseman Peyton Kettles. So, too, is goaltender Gabriel D'Aigle.

Is every one of these 13 prospects going to pan out? No. Are even half of them going to make it at the NHL level? Probably not. 

But, some of them - a few of them, at least - will make it. And they will pan out. The nice thing about having so many draft picks is that the numbers start to work in your favor. The higher the volume of prospects, the higher the chance that some of them will make a difference. 

The Pittsburgh Penguins' draft class of 2025. (Credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey News)

And, again - even when looking at sheer volume - that doesn't mean quality wasn't a focus. There are four higher-upside potential players in this draft class, which is four that the Penguins didn't have before. There is one star-potential player in this draft class, which is one more than the Penguins had before. 

"Quantity" doesn't always mean "quality." But, sometimes, those two things can coexist. 

"I think the 'quantity' part is objective that we drafted a lot of players," Dubas said. "Wes phrased it the other day, that, there's risk in all of them, regardless of first to the 200s. None of them are sure things.

"So, now, it's on us. We drafted them all for a reason. We all think they have a path to play in the NHL. Whether they become 'quality' is incumbent on the effort that they put in and the type of people that they are, but it's incumbent on us on the developmental side to get the most out of all of them."

'We’re Thrilled With The Players That We Have': 3 Takeaways From Penguins' Day One Draft'We’re Thrilled With The Players That We Have': 3 Takeaways From Penguins' Day One DraftDay One of the 2025 NHL Draft is officially wrapped, and the Pittsburgh Penguins were certainly one of the more active teams in the first round.

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Yankees waste away early lead, allow four sixth-inning runs in 5-4 loss to Blue Jays

The Yankees led early but allowed four runs to cross in the sixth inning and fell to the Blue Jays, 5-4, on Monday night in Toronto.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Carlos Rodón avoided first-inning damage after allowing a two-out double to slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Despite a hit-by-pitch, Rodón kept it a scoreless game through the second inning two with two strikeouts in the frame. The left-hander found himself in another tough spot in the third with two on and no outs, but got Guerrero to fly out and Alejandro Kirk to ground into a forceout.

Rodón continued to keep runs off the board in the fourth inning, striking out Will Wagner to escape the jam with runners on the corners. The lefty allowed his first run in the fifth after a wild pitch as Guerrero drove in Ernie Clement from third base on a groundout to make it 2-1. Rodón let up a leadoff double to Davis Schneider in the bottom of the sixth and that ended up being the last batter he faced.

Rodón's final line: two earned runs on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks over 96 pitches across 5-plus innings of work.

-- Putting a bow on his scorching hot June, Jazz Chisholm Jr. blasted a two-run home run on the first pitch he saw from Max Scherzer in the top of the fourth inning to give the Yanks a 2-0 lead. It's his fourth homer in the past five games. Since returning from injury on June 3, Chisholm is slashing .318/.378/.614 with seven home runs, five doubles, and 19 RBI in 88 at-bats.

-- Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer battled through five innings of work and 71 pitches, holding the Yankees' bats to just three hits while striking out seven. New York was 0-for-2 with RISP and left one on base (Anthony Volpe after a double) against Scherzer.

-- Trent Grisham exited the game before the bottom of the fifth inning as Cody Bellinger moved to CF and Jasson Domínguez entered in LF. It was later announced that Grisham left with left hamstring tightness.

-- Mark Leiter Jr. replaced Rodón with a runner on second and immediately found himself in a bigger jam when Myles Straw singled and advanced to second on Volpe's throwing error. Nathan Lukes then made it a one-run game, and after a strikeout and wild pitch, Leiter let up a game-tying single to Clement. Jonathan Loáisiga came in for relief but allowed a two-run single to Guerrero, giving the Blue Jays a 5-3 lead.

-- Aaron Judge was intentionally walked by LHP Brendon Little with a runner on first base and one out in the top of the sixth inning, and the move worked against Chisholm, but not Giancarlo Stanton. The slugger drove in Domínguez to make it a 3-1 game. Judge was intentionally walked for a second time in the top of the eighth with no outs after Bellinger homered (No. 12) to cut the Toronto lead to 5-4. Domínguez singled in the ninth to give NY a chance, but Bellinger flied out to end the game.

Game MVP: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Vladdy finished 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and three RBI to give him 15 RBI on the month and 44 RBI so far this year.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees and Blue Jays continue their four-game series in Toronto on Tuesday at 3:07 p.m.

Max Fried (10-2, 1.92 ERA) starts for the Yanks, opposed by Kevin Gausman (6-6, 4.21 ERA) for the Blue Jays.

Carolina Hurricanes 2025 Development Camp Gets Underway

The Carolina Hurricanes held the first official day of the 2025 prospect development camp on Monday.

I may hear you ask, what is the goal of development camp? Well Carolina AGM Darren Yorke put it best.

"The biggest thing is just introducing them to the organization and getting a sense of where they are today," Yorke said. "So our development coaches will meet with them and have already sort of been in communication with our scouts here to get a sense of what the player's strengths and weaknesses are. It's really to establish 1) a relationship and then 2) start to develop a development for them whether it's for off-ice fitness or whether it's specific areas of their game that we want the players to work on."

The first day of camp usually isn't too interesting and this year was no different than those in the past, as the focus was pretty much on off-ice fitness testing as well as some skating benchmark testing.

"The first drill is the 1080 Sprint," said Director of Player Development Peter Harrold. "It measures a lot of different variables and it helps our strength staff come up with more customized programs for them in the weight room. Force production and things like that. From a technical standpoint, we also videotape their skating to look at what their stride looks like and what their mechanics look like and so then we can have discussions with them and give them things to work on in order to come back and maybe just be that little bit faster."

"They’re watching how good we are at top speed," said 2024 draftee Noel Fransen. "They will know how good we are at skating and where we’re at. You want to be better every time. So you just go as hard as you can every time."

Nearly every player participated in the testing minus 2025 second-round picks Charlie Cerrato and Kurban Limatov.

Limatov took a spin on the ice before the testing began, but didn't take part in the actual drills while it seems like Cerrato will be a late arriver.

It is impressive that six of the seven players the Hurricanes drafted on Saturday were able to make it to Raleigh for camp though as there wasn't a ton of turnaround time between the events.

Luckily all of the Russian players that the Canes drafted already had their visas and were in the US, but for the two Swedish players (Viggo Nordlund and Filip Ekberg) there was a bit more of a chaotic turnaround.

"[Getting drafted] was an amazing feeling," Nordlund said. "I was home with my parents watching on TV and seeing my name pop up there was a real nice feeling. Then I got a call like five minutes after telling me that I was flying out the next day. Just started packing and got ready."

"I was at home with my family in my hometown, so it was just a quick step to the airport in Sweden," Ekberg said. "I flew to Toronto and then to here."

No worries about potential jetlag affecting your performances?

"I don’t feel like I have it but maybe there is," Ekberg said. "But I don’t feel it [now]. It’s a little bit nice though. Because you’re tired at 9 o’clock and you wake up at 6 o’clock by yourself. So that’s kind of nice actually."

Nothing like the first step toward your dream to keep you energized. 

Viggo NordlundFilip Ekberg

Development camp isn't just for the new faces in the organization either.

You'll always have a handful of prospects who took part in one or two prior camps and this gives the staff a great opportunity to reassess how their development has been progressing.

"A lot of these guys come in at 18 years old and they’re kids still," Harrold said. "A year of working out, a year of playing professional games and then they come back and are more mature in every sense of the word. It’s fun for me because you get to see the growth in those guys and that’s the part I love, but for them, I think they become more confident, more comfortable in their game and themselves. That’s big for them. Confidence is huge."

"I think I made progress on everything basically," said 2024 draftee Dominik Badinka who took part in camp last season. "It’s still hockey. You’ve played the game and sometimes the things on and off ice aren’t there, but I think I’ve made progress on everything. ... I hear from [the organization] all the time throughout the year too. Talking about my games and stuff on a weekly basis."

The camp also helps teach the players life lessons about nutrition and sleep habits and gives them a chance to get to know each other as well as the organization too.

"So far it’s been quiet, but it’s a great group," Badinka said. "We didn’t get a chance to talk that much, but I know some guys from last year.  But I feel so far that it’s a good group of guys. It’s been going well. Nobody is doing stupid things. Everybody is polite."

Day 2 of development camp, which falls on the same day as the opening of NHL Free Agency, will more than likely focus a bit more on puck and stick skills.

Dominik Badinka

Additional Notes

  • Nearly all of the Russian prospects (eight in total) were practicing as a group. Canes amateur scout Oleg Smirnov is here at camp to act as a translator and to help them get around and understand all that is being asked of and communicated to them. Harrold said that Smirnov has been "invaluable" to have at camp.
The Hurricanes' Russian prospects listen in to instructions for testing.
  • A few fans collected some autographs from the Canes prospects at the conclusion of their off-ice testing. These kids are already getting some spotlight treatment down in Raleigh. "It’s fun that they’re here," Fransen said. "Really good fans."
A few Carolina prospects sign some autographs for fans.

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2025 NBA free agent tracker: Latest signings and deal details

NBA free agency is off to a fast start. Many of the top free agents are already off the board. Keep track of the most notable free agent moves below.


Taurean Prince reportedly agrees to return to Bucks
Deal: 2 years, $7.1 million

Mason Plumlee reportedly signs deal with Hornets
Deal: 1 year, $3.6 million

Brook Lopez reportedly leaving Bucks for Clippers
Deal: 2 years, $18 million

Tyus Jones reportedly agrees to join Magic
Deal: 1 year, $7 million

Nickeil Alexander-Walker reportedly headed to Hawks in sign-and-trade
Deal: 4 years, $62 million

Caris LeVert reportedly agrees to sign with Pistons
Deal: 2 years, $29 million

Luke Kornet reportedly agrees to deal with Spurs
Deal: 4 years, $41 million

Clint Capela reportedly agrees to deal with Rockets
Deal: 3 years, $21.5 million

Ty Jerome reportedly agrees to deal with Grizzlies
Deal: 3 years, $28 million

Dorian Finney-Smith reportedly agrees to deal with Rockets
Deal: 4 years, $53 million

Kevin Porter Jr. reportedly re-signing with Bucks
Deal: 2 years, $11 million

Dennis Schröder reportedly signing with Kings
Deal: N/A

Bruce Brown Jr. reportedly reuniting with Nuggets
Deal: 1 year, veteran's minimum

Tre Jones reportedly returning to Bulls
Deal: 3 years, $24 million

D'Angelo Russell reportedly agrees to join Mavericks
Deal: 2 years, $13 million

Kevon Looney reportedly agrees to deal with Pelicans
Deal: 2 years, $16 million

Paul Reed reportedly will re-sign with Pistons
Deal: 2 years, $11 million

Jake LaRavia reportedly signing with Lakers
Deal: 2 years, $12 million

Santi Aldama reportedly agrees to new deal with Grizzlies
Deal: 3 years, $52.5 million

Grizzlies, Jaren Jackson Jr. agree to 5-year, $240 million extension
Deal: 5 years, $240 million

Rockets reportedly re-signing Jeff Green, Aaron Holiday
Deals: 1 year, veteran's minimum

Nicolas Batum reportedly returning to Clippers
Deal: 2 years, $11.5 million

Ziaire Williams reportedly returning to Nets on 2-year deal
Deal: 2 years, $12 million

Jabari Smith reportedly signing rookie extension with Rockets
Deal: 5 years, $122 million

James Harden declines option, reportedly re-signing with Clippers
Deal: 2 years, $81.5 million

Bobby Portis reportedly re-signing with Bucks
Deal: 3 years, $44 million

Ajay Mitchell reportedly re-signing with Thunder
Deal: 3 years, $9 million

Julius Randle reportedly agrees to stay with Timberwolves
Deal: 3 years, $100 million

Jaylin Williams reportedly agrees to extension with Thunder
Deal: 3 years, $24 million

Sam Merrill reportedly staying with Cavaliers
Deal: 4 years, $38 million

Davion Mitchell reportedly re-signing with Heat
Deal: 2 years, $24 million

Naz Reid reportedly re-signing with Timberwolves
Deal: 5 years, $125 million

Vancouver Canucks Prospects Recap Day 1 Of Development Camp

The Vancouver Canucks’ Prospect Camp runs from June 30 to July 3 this year, with newly-drafted players and local invitees all in attendance. Day 1, the introductory day, was filled with some on-ice drills and testing. Let’s see what the players thought of their first day of camp. 

Vancouver’s first-round pick of the 2025 NHL Draft, Braeden Cootes, was quick to point out how surreal the entire week has been so far. He was drafted 15th overall on Friday and almost immediately reported to prospect camp. 

“Crazy couple of days getting picked obviously, then coming straight here,” he said after the first practice on Monday. “When you go into an NHL room, you’re usually a fan looking around. Now you’re drafted by that team, it’s a lot different feeling, for sure, but it was super cool. The facilities are unreal and I’m just so excited.” 

One part of development camp that has already stood out to Cootes is the arsenal of NHL talent that is coaching them throughout the week, as Henrik and Daniel Sedin were both spotted on the ice with the players during the first day of practices. 

“It’s pretty crazy with the Sedins. And, you know, like, just trying to learn as much as I can from them. They’re obviously two unbelievable players.” 

While this is Cootes’ first prospect camp with the Canucks, Anthony Romani is no stranger to the process, having also taken part in last year’s. The forward, who moved from the North Bay Battalion of the OHL to the Barrie Colts, will be joining Michigan State University in the NCAA for the 2025–26 season. 

“It’ll be easier, for sure, just knowing them, being more comfortable talking to them,” he said of what this year’s camp could look like for him given his previous season of working with the coaches. “They’re all a bunch of ex-NHLers, so I think they have a lot to teach me. I’m super excited to keep learning from them.” 

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A player who will have a different outlook on prospect camp is Alexei Medvedev, Vancouver’s second-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. As a goaltender, Medvedev will be working closely with goaltending coach Marko Torenius. 

“Just getting to know each other,” he said of what he and Torenius, as well as director of goaltending Ian Clark, have discussed so far. “Just getting to know about how they work with their goalies and stuff like that, just the ideas they believe in and just getting to know that. And it’s been really great. So far, they’ve been really supportive. They’ve been helping me get used to new things. It’s been a blast.” 

Since it’s still early on in prospect camp, the majority of what Torenius has done with the goaltenders has been watching them, says Medvedev. “They’re not trying to make me think too much there, and I really appreciate that. Just kind of slowly getting used to things.” 

Vancouver Canucks prospects on the ice for development camp. 

Day 2 of Prospect Camp is Tuesday, July 1

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The Hockey News

Blackhawks Legend Patrick Kane Signs One Year Deal With Red Wings

It has been a big month for all-time great Chicago Blackhawks players. Jonathan Toews returned to the NHL by agreeing to a contract with the Winnipeg Jets, Brent Seabrook joined the Calgary Flames organization, and Duncan Keith was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame. 

Add Patrick Kane to the mix as he signed a one-year extension with the Detroit Red Wings, the team he's been with for the last two seasons. 

Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XDetroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XYOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS 🎬 The #RedWings have signed Patrick Kane to a one-year contract with an AAV of $3,000,000.

Chicago traded Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers during the 2022-23 season, but it didn't work out there long-term. Detroit has been his hockey home ever since. 

Kane is not the MVP-caliber player that he once was, but he is still a productive offensive player in the league. During the 2024-25 season, on a mostly struggling Red Wings team, Kane had 21 goals and 38 assists for 59 points in 72 games. That's excellent production for a 36-year-old. 

He will turn 37 over the 2025-26 campaign, but the Red Wings are banking on a similar level of production. With offensive stars around him like Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat, he should be able to succeed. 

Detroit will have a $3 million cap hit on Kane. He also has room to make $4 million in bonus money. If he plays 10 or more games, he gets $2.5 million, an extra $250 thousand for 30 and 50 games played, $500 thousand for reaching the playoffs, $250 thousand for a round one win, and $250 thousand for a round two win. 

Kane has had an incredibly decorated career. He won just about every individual award you can win, in addition to three Stanley Cups and the Conn Smythe Trophy. 

Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XDetroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XMORE OF THIS. 🎬

Despite his impressive resume that will make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Kane still has the drive to play at a high level. Whether the Red Wings will take advantage of his presence or not remains to be seen. 

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.

Clippers agree to two-year deal with Brook Lopez

Los Angeles, CA - March 20: Bucks center Brook Lopez, 11, left, and guard Ryan Rollins13, right, battle Lakers forward Markieff Morris, #88, second from left, and Lakers guard Jordan Goodwin, #30, for control of a rebound in the second half at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Thursday, March 20, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Bucks center Brook Lopez, left, plays defense against the Lakers last season. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

The Clippers got the backup center they have yearned for when Brook Lopez agreed to a two-year, $18-million deal, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

Lopez, who spent the last seven seasons with Milwaukee, averaged 13 points, 5.0 rebounds and shot 37.3% from three-point range.

Lopez will be the backup to starting center Ivica Zubac, and he gives the Clippers depth and experience at the position.

Read more:James Harden to sign two-year, $81.5 million deal with the Clippers

The 7-1 Lopez still is a good rim-protector, averaging 1.9 blocks per game last season. Lopez has won an NBA championship with the Bucks.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Devils Re-Sign Forward Ahead Of Free Agency

According to PuckPedia, the New Jersey Devils have re-signed forward Marc McLaughlin to a one-year, two-way contract extension. At the NHL level, he will carry a $775,000 cap hit.

McLaughlin was a pending Group 6 unrestricted free agent (UFA) for the Devils. However, after signing this one-year extension, he will be staying in New Jersey. 

McLaughlin appeared in two games with the Devils after being acquired from the Boston Bruins at the trade deadline, where he had one assist, five hits, and a minus-1 rating. He also recorded six assists and a plus-5 rating in 16 games with their AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. 

With this move, McLaughlin will continue to be a solid depth forward for the Devils to work with. With a strong training camp, he could make a case for himself to play in the Devils' bottom six, but we will need to wait and see what happens on that front. 

NHL News: Devils Change Minds With Notable RFANHL News: Devils Change Minds With Notable RFAEarlier this month, it was reported that the New Jersey Devils would not send pending restricted free agent (RFA) forward Cody Glass a qualifying offer and instead let him hit the market as an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1. However, it appears that they have now changed their minds on that front.

Photo Credit :© David Kirouac-Imagn Images