The 2025 NHL free agent market was not one conducive to the Philadelphia Flyers saving money or driving bargains, but, historically, the Flyers haven't negotiated favorable contracts anyway.
Based on contract data and player performance put together by Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic, the Flyers rank below NHL average in average discounts on contracts signed over the last five years.
According to Luszczyszyn's information, the Flyers pay an extra $0.5 million on average, which ranks 19th in the NHL. Just three (Pittsburgh, Calgary, and Vancouver) of the 12 teams that saved money on average over the last five seasons missed the playoffs last year.
In fairness to the Flyers, they have negotiated quite a few decent contracts in recent months. For example, the Tyson Foerster and Cam York contracts were extremely team-friendly and allow for plenty of flexibility, both now and in the future.
On the other hand, contracts given to Joel Farabee (traded), Owen Tippett, Sean Couturier, Travis Konecny, Rasmus Ristolainen, Ivan Fedotov, and Christian Dvorak all fit the timeline criteria and have left room for debate to different degrees.
Dvorak hasn't played a game for the Flyers yet, but the online consensus seems to largely be that his one-year, $5.4 million deal was an overpay for an older, bit part player.
These are the types of contracts that push the Flyers towards the bottom of the league.
To nobody's surprise, Florida and Vegas, two states with no income tax, top Luszczyszyn's model, but also towards the top are the New Jersey Devils.
New Jersey is one of the most punishing states in terms of taxes, and many of its players reside in expensive parts of North Jersey outside of Newark.
It makes for an interesting dynamic given that a good number of Flyers players also reside in New Jersey, in towns like Haddonfield and Cherry Hill, for example, and have to play by the same rules.
The Devils, as a young but more exciting team overall, benefit from having drafted Nico Hischier, Jack Hughes, and Jesper Bratt and signed them all early.
It makes them an attractive destination for free agents (Dougie Hamilton, for example) looking to win and be part of something long term.
With the recent additions of Trevor Zegras, Porter Martone, Matvei Michkov, and Jamie Drysdale, the Flyers are hoping the project they're building can have the same effect.
But only time will tell if these players can bond together on the ice and/or reach their full potential in the NHL.
The Chicago Blackhawks have one of the best farm systems in the National Hockey League. That comes as a result of being in the basement of the league for a handful of years in a row and making lots of trades to acquire more high-end draft picks.
Guys like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Alex Vlasic don’t count as true prospects anymore due to the number of games played at the highest level. Even without them, however, the Blackhawks still have a pipeline that ranks amongst the best.
Of all the players that they have working toward becoming full-time NHL players, this is the top 25 based on where they’re at in their development, how close they are to making it to the NHL roster, and their overall skill:
1. Sam Rinzel
After a great year at the University of Minnesota, Sam Rinzel looked like he could be a number one defenseman in the NHL during his short end-of-season stint. Nobody improved their stock more in 2024-25. He comes in at number one as a result.
2. Anton Frondell
The Blackhawks just selected Swedish forward Anton Frodnell with the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He has his eyes set on being just like Aleksander Barkov, but for now, he'll have to settle for the second-best Chicago Blackhawks prospect.
3. Artyom Levshunov
Artyom Levshunov, the second overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, was excellent in his first year pro. Whether it was for the Rockford IceHogs or the Chicago Blackhawks, he was noticeable. If he's healthy, Levshunov will play more than a quarter of the NHL season.
4. Sacha Boisvert
Sacha Boisvert was one of the best college freshmen in 2024-25. At the University of North Dakota, he showed that he's an impressive two-way player who can bring high-end skill in all three zones. He has transferred to Boston University, where he will develop even further on a team that has a chance to win the National Championship.
5. Kevin Korchinski
A couple of defensemen have passed Korchinski up on this list, but that doesn't take anything away from the overall talent that he possesses. He is still working on the defensive side of the game, which is always hard for young offensive guys, but there is no denying his elite puck skills. Expect more opportunities for him in the NHL going forward.
6. Nick Lardis
Nick Lardis scored 71 goals during his 2024-25 season in major junior. Now, he’s ready to turn pro. Like Rinzel, his stock improved by a wide margin due to his play last year. It won’t be long before he’s scoring goals in the NHL. His shot should translate quickly.
7. Oliver Moore
Oliver Moore is a very talented player. His speed may be the best of any prospect in the organization. He had four assists over his short NHL stint following his year at the University of Minnesota. He may start 2025-26 in the AHL, but being a middle-six forward in the NHL may come sooner than later.
8. Roman Kantserov
Roman Kansterov had a great year in Russia as a young player. He will return in 2025-26 and then play in North America in 2026-27. With more development under his belt next year, he should gain what he needs to become an impactful player in the NHL.
9. Ethan Del Mastro
Ethan Del Mastro is a solid defenseman who isn't far from being removed from this list, as he played 24 games last year. He isn't elite at anything, but he's solid at everything. His skating, stick work, and offensive awareness should allow him to have a long NHL career as a middle pair guy.
10. Drew Commesso
It's hard to rank Drew Commesso higher than ten because he's currently the third guy in the organization. Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom will likely be the duo that has the net in 2025-26, but Commesso is on the come-up. In the second half of last season, he went on a tear that went into the Calder Cup playoffs. Commesso has a great shot at becoming a full-time NHL goalie shortly.
11. Mason West
Some may have the football quarterback turned hockey player ranked lower, but there is no denying his overall talent. Mason West skates like the wind, has incredible puck skills, and can see the ice as well as any young player. Once he fully commits to hockey after his senior year at Edina High School, the Blackhawks are hoping that these skills allow him the chance to become a great player. If he does pan out, Kyle Davidson will look like a genius for taking the risk on him.
12. Colton Dach
Colton Dach is a little bit like his brother Kirby in terms of their ability to be plagued by injuries. He will be allowed to become an NHL player if he plays well in training camp and the preseason. He is a lot grittier than a lot of the players in the organization, which is something they need on the roster.
13. Ryan Greene
Ryan Greene is never going to have 40 goals or 100 points. However, he is a very reliable bottom-six forward who can bring some offensive jam here and there. Greene made his NHL debut at the end of last season, and he is likely to be on the team out of camp.
14. Marek Vanacker
Kyle Davidson took a chance when he traded back into the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft to select Marek Vanacker. He was injured to begin the 2024-25 season, which slowed down his progression. He didn't have the year he wanted to have, but he finished strong. With almost certainty that he will go back to the OHL's Brantford Bulldogs, he is preparing to keep those good vibes going and have a much better season.
15. Vaclav Nestrasil
The Blackhawks surprised some people when they selected Vaclav Nestrasil in the first round (25th overall) of the 2025 NHL Draft. It became clear that they were going for size up front, which they will have in the 6-foot-5 Nestrasil. He will attend UMass in 2025-26.
16. Nolan Allan
Nolan Allan found himself playing in 43 NHL games last season. Although he had to go back to Rockford due to his play combined with other players coming up, he should be happy with how much he got to develop. Look for Allan to come out strong with his defensive game at the start of next year, whether it's with Rockford or Chicago. You can never have enough depth at this position.
17. AJ Spellacy
AJ Spellacy made people think that he would make the Blackhawks' opening night roster with his play during camp and the preseason last year. Instead, they stayed the course and sent him back to the OHL, where he was just okay. After attending the World Junior Summer Showcase, Spellacy will give it his all when it comes to trying to make it to the NHL.
18. Samuel Savoie
In a different way than Colton Dach, Samuel Savoie is a physical player who knows how to infuriate players he's going against. He won't come to the NHL and tear it up offensively. He couldn't even do that in the AHL (22 points in 72 games played). What he can do, though, is impact the game in a way that allows others to create offense.
19. John Mustard
John Mustard is a very fast player who will go back to Providence, play for a good team, and look to develop into a pro.
20. Jack Pridham
Jack Pridham, as a Kitchener Ranger, was so good and fit in so well that he decided not to attend Boston University in favor of going back there for another year.
21. Martin Misiak
Martin Misiak was a second-round pick by the Blackhawks in 2023, so they have high hopes for him. After a decent season with the Erie Otters, but nothing special, he hopes that the pro game (likely with the Rockford IceHogs) will help him move along in his career.
22. Nathan Behm
Nathan Behm was a third-round pick, 66th overall, by the Blackhawks in 2025. He is a long-term project, but has skills that could allow him to become a full-time player in the NHL one day. He's not close to that pro level yet, however, so he finds himself at 22 for now.
23. Gavin Hayes
Gavin Hayes, like Behm, was the 66th overall pick. His selection came in 2022. After a strong career in the OHL, he started to play pro in 2024-25 with the IceHogs. He'll make his NHL debut at some point, but he needs to be noticeable to stick around.
24. Aidan Thompson
Aidan Thompson, also a third-round pick from 2022, had an outstanding year at Denver, where he came very close to another NCAA title. After having 55 points in 44 games played, he is ready for pro hockey. He played in four AHL games last year after the NCAA season ended, but a full season awaits him in 2025-26.
25. Taige Harding
Taige Harding is a massive 6-foot-7 defenseman who played college hockey at Providence College in 2024-25. He will look to bring that size and skill to the IceHogs next year. His size alone gives him a chance to become an NHL player one day, but his development curve would need to continue pointing up.
The Boston Bruins made the wise decision to stockpile prospects and draft picks by trading away veteran players at the 2025 NHL trade deadline in March.
The Bruins were able to add some talented players in the 2025 draft, including first-round pick James Hagens. And after drafting four centers, the Bruins now have a lot of depth at that position in their prospect pool. This is an encouraging development for the franchise because it currently does not have a true top-six center on its NHL roster, with the possible exception of Elias Lindholm.
That said, the overall level of talent in Boston’s prospect pool remains fairly weak. The Athletic ranked the Bruins’ prospect pool No. 30 out of 32 teams in its annual rating in January. Even after the most recent draft, the Bruins likely would still rank in the bottom third.
Drafting and developing has not been one of the Bruins’ strengths over the last 10 years. That needs to change if the franchise is going to be a Stanley Cup contender in the next three to five years.
Let’s take an updated look at the top 10 prospects in the Bruins organization. (Only players 23 years old and under were considered for this list, which excludes players like Georgii Merkulov and Michael DiPietro.)
10. Chris Pelosi, Center
Age: 20
Team: Quinnipiac (NCAA)
It took Pelosi a little while to adjust from playing in the USHL to playing for Quinnipiac last season, but he found his stride in the second half of the season and finished with a very respectable 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 38 games as a freshman. He had 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) in the final 23 games of the campaign.
He also was among the final cuts for Team USA ahead of the 2025 World Junior Championships.
Pelosi has a good two-way skill set, and he plays physical without taking bad penalties. A Year 2 jump at Quinnipiac could vault Pelosi much higher on this last at this time in 2026.
9. Frederic Brunet, Defenseman
Age: 21
Team: Providence (AHL)
Brunet is a good skater and not afraid to jump into the rush and crash the net. His playmaking ability really improved in Providence this past season, evidenced by his career-high 20 assists (double his previous high).
Overall, Brunet tallied 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 69 games with the P-Bruins, earning himself the team’s award for best defenseman. He made his NHL debut in the final game of the 2024-25 season versus the New Jersey Devils.
"I worked hard for it…the first call is always special."
On an all-new #BruinsAcademy, we catch up with #NHLBruins defense prospect Frederic Brunet to look back on his NHL debut.
Brunet likely will start the 2025-26 campaign in Providence, but if Boston’s blue line depth is tested due to injuries, the Quebec native would be one of the best candidates to call up.
8. Philip Svedeback, Goaltender
Age: 23
Team: Providence College (NCAA)
Svedeback is the best 23-and-under goalie prospect in the Bruins’ system. He went 14-8-4 with a .911 save percentage and a 2.42 GAA for Providence last season. He has posted a .909 save percentage or higher in three of his first four years with the Friars.
Checked in with Philip Svedeback, heading into his senior year in the PC net
He's excited about the way this year's team is shaping up and he was talking up the 30 Swedes selected in the NHL Draft
With Jeremy Swayman signed long term, Joonas Korpisalo signed for three more years, and Michael DiPietro ready to compete for a backup job in the NHL, it might be difficult for Svedeback to climb up the organizational depth chart. But he’s a pretty talented goalie, and the Bruins’ depth at this position will allow them to take their time with Svedeback and let him develop at the best pace.
7. William Moore, Center
Age: 18
Team: Boston College (NCAA)
The Bruins took Moore with the No. 51 overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NHL Draft. Some experts had Moore ranked as a top-35 prospect in this class, so the Bruins were fortunate to get him in the middle of Round 2.
Moore ranked second on the U.S. Under-18 Team with 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists) in 64 games. He needs to get a little stronger and add some muscle to his 6-foot-2 and 175-pound frame, but there’s a lot to like about his offensive skill set.
Moore will play for Boston College as a freshman next season, like several other B’s prospects on this list.
6. Dean Letourneau, Center
Age: 19
Team: Boston College (NCAA)
The Bruins took Letourneau with the No. 25 pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft. He has tremendous size at 6-foot-7 and 220 pounds. He plays a physical, power forward-type of game. Unfortunately for Letourneau, the jump to college hockey was a difficult one for him last season. He scored zero goals with three assists in 36 games for the Eagles.
He told reporters at Bruins Development Camp last week that he had a broken hand in the first half of the season. Not being able to impact the game as much as you want offensively can be frustrating for a young player, but Bruins player development coordinator Adam McQuaid liked the way Letourneau dealt with the adversity.
“He honestly handled it really well,” McQuaid told reporters on June 30. “There were days of disappointment where he felt like he could and wanted to impact more. We were preaching smaller details like protecting pucks and being physical, and he started to get a little bit of time on the penalty kill. He got much better with his stick — just little details.
“He took all that in stride but was still like, ‘I wanna do more, I wanna impact more. I believe I can do more.’ Those are all positive things. At the end of the year, he was like, ‘I’m going back to BC. I’m going to compete for a spot.’
“Nothing’s going to be given to you. He knows that, and it says a lot about him. So I learned a lot about his character. Adversity at a young age — a lot of these guys haven’t seen it. So for him to go through it now, there’s always going to be some critics and adversity faced. And for him, being here in Boston probably magnifies it a little bit. He’s handled it really well.”
With a year of experience, and several BC forwards having recently graduated or left for the NHL, Letourneau has a tremendous opportunity to make a huge sophomore leap with the Eagles in 2025-26.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Dean Letourneau was the No. 24 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
5. Will Zellers, Left wing
Age: 19
Team: North Dakota (NCAA)
The Bruins acquired Zellers — a 2024 third-round pick — from the Colorado Avalanche as part of the Charlie Coyle back in March.
Zellers doesn’t have tremendous size (5-foot-10 and 175 pounds), but he has a very impressive offensive skill set, including a great shot and plenty of speed. His 44 goals were the most of any USHL player last season, and his 71 points ranked third.
Two years ago, Will Zellers scored in his USHL debut. This season? He shattered Green Bay's goal record, led the league in scoring, and was named USHL Player of the Year.
Now, he's the Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year.
Zellers will play at the University of North Dakota as a freshman next season. He is one prospect Bruins fans should keep a close eye on.
4. Dans Locmelis, Center
Age: 21
Team: Providence (AHL)
Locmelis arguably improved more than any Bruins prospect last season. He tallied a career-high 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) in 40 games for UMass-Amherst, and then he played six regular season games for the Providence Bruins and dominated with 12 points (three goals, nine assists).
Locmelis also starred for Latvia at the World Championships.
The 2022 fourth-round pick probably will start next season in Providence, but he’s definitely a candidate to push for an NHL roster spot if he impresses during training camp and the preseason. It would be surprising if he doesn’t make his Boston debut at some point in 2025-26.
3. Fraser Minten, Center
Age: 21
Team: Boston Bruins (NHL)
Minten was a 2022 second-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs and was acquired by the Bruins as part of the Brandon Carlo trade in March. He should be in the mix for Boston’s third-line center competition during training camp and the preseason thanks to his two-way skill set. He’s a smart, reliable player with decent offensive upside.
Minten didn’t score a ton in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies, but he did tally seven points (three goals, four assists) in 11 games for the Providence Bruins after the trade.
Minten played six games in Boston toward the end of the season and held his own defensively. He has 25 games of NHL experience overall.
2. Matt Poitras, Center
Age: 21
Team: Providence (AHL)
Poitras’ impressive rookie season in 2023-24 was cut short due to a shoulder injury that required surgery. He began last season with the Bruins but struggled with one goal and three assists in his first 14 games. The Bruins sent Poitras to Providence in November as a result.
Poitras ended up playing 19 more games in Boston from Jan. 14 through March 6 and scored zero goals with seven assists during that span. He spent the final portion of the season in the AHL, finishing with 41 points (17 goals, 24 assists) in 47 games for Providence overall.
Poitras is a skilled playmaker with slick hands and a good shot. He needs to be a little stronger on pucks and improve in the faceoff circle, but he definitely has the potential to be a useful middle-six forward for the Bruins. Similar to Minten, Poitras should be among the candidates vying for the third-line center role.
Poitras has shown flashes of his potential in the NHL. Whether he can be a consistent offensive player at that level remains to be seen.
1. James Hagens, Center
Age: 18
Team: Boston College (NCAA)
The Bruins were very fortunate that Hagens — once considered the top prospect in the 2025 draft class — fell to them with the No. 7 overall pick in last month’s draft.
Hagens has No. 1 center potential as an elite playmaker, a gifted skater and the ability to score goals in a variety of ways. From a skill set and size perspective, he plays a lot like New Jersey Devils star center Jack Hughes.
Hagens tallied 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) as an 18-year-old first-line center for the Eagles last season. He also was one of Team USA’s best players at the World Junior Championship and scored in the gold medal game.
Another year of development at BC would be the smartest route for Hagens to take. The Bruins shouldn’t rush Hagens’ ascent to the NHL. He is their only elite prospect.
The Boston Celtics watched an entire stable of championship big men depart this offseason with the losses of Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet, and (presumably soon) Al Horford. Even the most ardent fans of Luka Garza, Neemias Queta, and Xavier Tillman would admit there’s a pretty noticeable void at the big-man spot.
The Celtics needed someone — anyone with height — to emerge as a potential future prospect at the NBA Summer League in Vegas, and the most intriguing prospect might have been a last-minute addition.
The 24-year-old Bassey has a very obvious skill set. He uses a 7-foot-3 wing span to disrupt shot attempts and is a rebounding fiend. He can subsist on putbacks and has excellent finishing ability around the basket.
As Bassey reintroduces himself to the NBA world in Vegas, the question is whether the Celtics might be able to extend this look at him.
The Celtics already have a fully stocked 15-man roster and Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said last week that the team is comfortable carrying this group into the 2025-26 season. There is some flexibility, however, as players like Queta and JD Davison are on non-guaranteed deals.
The Celtics still have some maneuvering to do to get back off the second apron after signing Garza and Josh Minott to minimum deals this offseason. That maneuvering could open another spot to add a player to the parent roster before the season tips.
Bassey should be intrigued by the potential for opportunity in Boston. The question is whether another team, alerted by his summer performance, might swoop in with the sort of guaranteed spot that the Celtics cannot immediately offer.
Bassey feels like the type of player whom Boston should want to take a swing on with hopes that he might blossom in a new setting, much like Queta did (and Kornet before him).
Asked about the state of the center position last week, Stevens noted, “That group will not be the group that people will single out — based on paper, on what they’ve done with their careers thus far — as our strongest position. But it’s up to them to prove it otherwise.”
Bassey has appeared in 113 games over his four NBA seasons, including 36 games (and one start) with the Spurs last season. His numbers in San Antonio don’t exactly leap off the page — 4.7 points, 4.3 rebounds over 12.1 minutes per game — but his advanced numbers are intriguing. Last season, opponents shot 6 percent below expected output on all shots inside six feet when defended by Bassey, per NBA tracking data.
Bassey blocked 30 shots in 376 total minutes last season. His block rate of 4.1 percent ranked in the 98th percentile among big men, per Cleaning the Glass data. Bassey rebounded 15.6 percent of his team’s missed shots while on the court, which also ranked in the 98th percentile among all big men.
Injuries have hindered his basketball development. The joke here would be that injuries have rarely deterred the Celtics from rolling the dice on big men (see: Robert Williams III and Porzingis).
It’s also important not to overreact to a small sample, particularly at Summer League. And given his four years of NBA experience, it’s probably not a big surprise that Bassey has put up eye-catching numbers against a collection of rookies and roster hopefuls.
But the Celtics do need to uncover some gems. They might have to roll the dice on players who haven’t fully tapped into their potential, or have been limited by injury or opportunity. Garza and Minott will get every chance to show what they can do in a new setting. Queta played important minutes in each of the past two seasons. Tillman, if he survives any roster tinkering, is going to invariably play more than he did last season.
Bassey is an intriguing option. Whether his Celtics stay extends beyond Vegas ultimately might hinge on the interest he’s created for himself outside the Celtics organization.
Our photographer looks back at two glorious weeks of tennis in SW19 and has picked out some of his favourite photos from the thousands he took during Wimbledon 2025. The tournament culminated with two new names being engraved on the singles winners’ trophies as Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner added the Wimbledon titles to their previous grand slam victories
Cruz, 26 years old; Nationals outfielder James Wood, 22; and Rays infielder Junior Caminero, 22, are all making between $750,000 and $800,000 this year under MLB’s collective bargaining terms for players with fewer than three years of top-level service.
“When I was like 12, I did some Home Run Derbys,” Wood recently told The Washington Post. “The prizes were like a bat, so it’s a little different now.”
Under the terms of the CBA, the derby runner-up receives $500,000 while the six other participants each go home with $150,000. The batter with the longest home run pockets an additional $100,000.
Cruz is among bettors’ favorites for the event, along with Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh. Braves first baseman Matt Olson will be swinging on home soil, joined by Twins outfielder—and Georgia native—Byron Buxton, Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm and Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker.
Buxton has the second-biggest blast of 2025 so far, a 479-foot homer against the Rangers. Mike Trout’s 484-foot roundtripper from April still leads the league. Raleigh enters Monday’s competition with a league-leading 38 home runs.
The derby’s $2.5 million overall prize pool was increased in 2019 as part of an agreement with the players association. While then-31-year-old Teoscar Hernandez took home the prize last season, the event has otherwise been a young man’s game; the winner hasn’t been older than 26 since 2015. Giancarlo Stanton (2016), Aaron Judge (2017), Bryce Harper (2018), Pete Alonso (2019, 2021), Juan Soto (2022) and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (2023) won the previous seven editions before landing even bigger paydays for their day jobs. All six hitters will likely be represented in Sportico‘s list of the Top 15 Highest-Paid MLB Players once Guerrero’s new deal fully kicks in.
Judge has said he’d only participate again if the All-Star Game was in New York City, while Shohei Ohtani, who has the third-most homers in the league, cited the current knockout structure in explaining his absence. “With the current rules in place, I don’t think it’s feasible for me to compete well,” Ohtani said in June. The Japanese superstar previously competed in 2021, and the derby format was updated last year. Competitors are now limited to three minutes or 40 swings in the first round, with the top four moving on to a pair of two-minute or 27-swing knockout rounds.
In 2021, Ohtani handed his $150,000 to Angels employees while Alonso has used a portion of his derby earnings to support multiple nonprofit causes.
The 2024 home run contest averaged 5.45 million viewers, up against Republican National Convention coverage. The All-Star Game averaged 7.44 million viewers. Each player on the winning All-Star Game side gets $25,000. The 2025 Home Run Derby airs on ESPN and ESPN2.
Discussing his decision to join the fray, Cruz said he’s in it for more than the dollars.
“I’m really, really happy, just because that’s what I do,” Cruz said on Tuesday. “I like to hit balls far. I think I’m going to enjoy it a lot.”
After years of targeting position players early in the MLB Draft, the Boston Red Sox are doing their best to balance out their prospect pool.
The Red Sox used three of their four selections on Day 1 of the 2025 MLB Draft on pitchers, headlined by Oklahoma right-hander Kyson Witherspoon, taken in the first round at No. 15 overall. Witherspoon is the first pitcher selected by Boston in the first round since Tanner Houck in 2017.
Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow added another arm in Round 2, selecting Tennessee righty Marcus Phillips at No. 33 overall. After landing a middle infielder — Virginia’s Henry Godbout — with the No. 75 pick, Breslow went back to the pitching well in Round 3 with LSU right-hander Anthony Eyanson (No. 87 overall).
The Red Sox’ work is far from done, as they’ll make a plethora of additional picks over 20 total rounds. Check out the chart below for a live tracker of each Red Sox draft pick, followed by more information on their top selections.
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Witherspoon, 20, was ranked seventh on Baseball America’s draft board and 10th on MLB Pipeline’s board. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder reaches 99 mph with his fastball and also boasts three above-average secondary pitches: a slider, cutter, and curveball:
Last season for the Sooners, Witherspoon posted a 10-4 record with a 2.65 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 124 strikeouts, and 23 walks in 16 starts (95 innings).
“Kyson is a guy we valued highly entering the draft, and we believe he is one of the top college arms in the class,” Red Sox director of amateur scouting Devin Pearson said in a statement. “We think he fits in nicely with our development strengths and has the right makeup to pitch at Fenway park. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to Red Sox Nation.”
Round 2, Pick 33: Marcus Phillips, RHP, Tennessee
Phillips, 20, posted a 4-5 record with a 3.90 ERA in 17 starts for the Volunteers last season. The 6-foot-4, 246-pounder struck out 95 batters over 83 innings for Tennessee and boasts a mid-to-high-90s fastball that occasionally reached 100 mph.
Phillips, MLB.com’s No. 61 prospect, was a reliever for the Volunteers in 2024 and could find a major-league role as a hard-throwing bullpen arm.
Round 2, Pick 75: Henry Godbout, INF, Virginia
Godbout, 21, is a well-rounded hitter who slashed .309//397/.497 with eight home runs and 37 RBI in 50 games for the Cavaliers in 2025. He played primarily second base for Virginia last season but also has experience at shortstop and third base.
The No. 72 prospect on MLB.com’s Top 100, Godbout joins a crowded group of middle infielders in Boston’s farm system.
Round 3, Pick 87: Anthony Eyanson, RHP, LSU
Eyanson, 20, transferred from UC San Diego to LSU in 2025 and had a stellar campaign for the College World Series champion Tigers, posting a 12-2 record with a 3.00 ERA over 18 starts while striking out 152 batters over 108 innings.
Eyanson was the No. 40 prospect on MLB.com’s Top 100, which projects his ceiling as a “No. 3 starter if he can improve his fastball shape” while noting he “could wind up as a reliever who relies heavily on his breaking pitches.”
Round 4, Pick 118: Mason White, SS, Arizona
Round 5, Pick 148: Christian Foutch, RHP, Arkansas
Perhaps you have a few questions about the upcoming MLB All-Star Game.
Who is the active leader in All-Star Game selections behind Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw? One player on this year’s roster is closing in.
Is Shohei Ohtani the only player in Major League Baseball history to make the All-Star team as both a hitter and pitcher? Yep, and he has done it multiple times.
Perhaps you’re simply wondering who has the most hits and home runs in All-Star Game history. Or who has been struck out the most. Or who holds the Midsummer Classic record for hitting into the most double plays.
Well, here are the answers to all of those questions, and many other fun facts about the MLB All-Star Game:
1. The first All-Star Game was played at Chicago’s Comiskey Park in 1933, with the American League winning 4-2. The National League wore gray NL uniforms, while the AL wore the home uniform of their respective team. The first home run was hit by Babe Ruth, who launched a two-run shot in the bottom of the third inning.
2. The American League has gone 48-44-2 against the National League in the All-Star Game, with last year’s 5-3 victory being their 10th win in the last 11 years. The AL, in 2023, had their nine-game winning streak snapped with the NL’s 3-2 victory in Seattle. The AL fell two victories shy of the NL’s record of 11 consecutive wins (1972-1982). The All-Star Game ended in a 1-1 tie in 1961 in San Francisco due to rain and a 7-7 tie in 2002 in Milwaukee when the game went 11 innings and the teams ran out of available pitchers.
3. Hank Aaron had a record 25 All-Star selections during his 23-year career. Confused? Between 1959 and 1962, MLB had two All-Star Games each season.
4. Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Stan Musial have played in the most All-Star Games with 24 appearances apiece.
5. The MLB All-Star Game has been canceled twice: in 1945 due to travel restrictions during World War II and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.
6. From 2003 to 2016, the winner of the All-Star Game between the American League and National League determined which league would have home field advantage in the World Series. The AL won the first seven of those home-field deciding All-Star matchups, the NL won the next three and the AL won the final four. Beginning in 2017, home field was given to the World Series representative with the best regular-season winning percentage.
7. Willie Mays has the most hits in All-Star Game history with 23 and most plate appearances with 82.
8. Charlie Gehringer (29 plate appearances) and Ted Kluszewski (14) have the highest career batting average in All-Star Game history at .500. They are followed by Derek Jeter at .481 (29 plate appearances).
9. Lefty Gomez leads all All-Star pitchers in wins with three.
10. Mariano Rivera owns the most All-Star Game saves with four.
11. Roger Clemens pitched in the most All-Star Games with 10 appearances.
12. Longtime Yankees manager Casey Stengel has managed the most All-Star Games with 10 appearances. He also owns the record for most managerial losses with six. Dodgers manager Walt Alston has the most wins with seven.
13. In 1957, Cincinnati fans stuffed the ballot box to elect eight Redlegs, as they were known at the time, to starting positions. Commissioner Ford Frick replaced Gus Bell, Wally Post and George Crowe with Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Stan Musial.
14. Most Valuable Player of the All-Star Game was first awarded in 1962, with Maury Wills of the Los Angeles Dodgers named the first MVP.
15. Derek Jeter is the only player to win All-Star Game MVP and World Series MVP in the same season, doing so in 2000.
New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter holding the All-Star Game MVP trophy in 2000. (Photo by Chuck Solomon /Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
16. Five players have been named All-Star Game MVP on two occasions: Willie Mays, Steve Garvey, Gary Carter, Cal Ripken Jr. and Mike Trout.
17. The youngest player to win MVP of the All-Star Game was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at 22 years and 119 days old in 2021, moving ahead of Ken Griffey Jr. (22 years and 236 days in 1992).
18. Three father-son combos each have hit home runs in an All-Star Game: Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.; Bobby Bonds and Barry Bonds; and Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr.
19. Five sets of brothers have been All-Star teammates: Wilson and William Contreras (2022 NL); Roberto and Sandy Alomar (1991, 1992 AL), Joe and Dom DiMaggio (1949 AL), Dixie and Harry Walker (1947 NL) and Mort and Walker Cooper (1942, 1943 NL).
20. Fred Lynn, in 1983, hit what remains the only grand slam in All-Star Game history. Lynn’s grand slam scored Manny Trillo, Rod Carew and Robin Yount to give the American League a 9-1 lead in the third inning.
21. The most earned runs allowed by a pitcher in a single All-Star Game is seven by Atlee Hammaker, who in 1983 gave up the grand slam to Fred Lynn. Hammaker, making the lone All-Star appearance of his career, lasted 2/3 of an inning.
22. Gary Sheffield (Padres, Marlins, Dodgers, Braves, Yankees) and Moises Alou (Expos, Marlins, Astros, Cubs, Giants) have represented the most teams in All-Star Game history with five each.
23. Dwight Gooden became the youngest All-Star in league history when he was selected as a rookie in 1984 at 19 years old. He also has the most balks in All-Star Game history with two.
24. The oldest pitcher to play in an All-Star Game is Satchel Paige, who threw one inning in 1953 at 47 years old. The youngest pitcher to start an All-Star Game is Jerry Walker, who tossed three innings in 1959 at 20 years and 172 days old.
25. The oldest position player to appear in an All-Star Game is Pete Rose, who grounded out as a pinch hitter in 1985 at 44 years old. The oldest player to get a hit in the All-Star Game is Carlton Fisk, who singled in 1991 at 43 years old.
26. Pete Rose holds the record for most positions played in All-Star Game history with five: first base, second base, third base, left field and right field.
27. The longest All-Star Game in history was in 2008 when it went four hours and 50 minutes. The game was played at Yankee Stadium and went 15 innings, tying the ASG record set in 1967 for most innings played.
28. The most hits by a player in a single All-Star Game is four by Joe Medwick, Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski.
29. Five players have hit two home runs in a single All-Star Game: Gary Carter, Willie McCovey, Al Rosen, Arky Vaughan and Ted Williams. Rod Carew is the only player to hit two triples in a single All-Star Game.
30. Al Rosen and Ted Williams are tied for the most RBIs in a single All-Star Game with five. Williams has knocked in the most career All-Star Game RBIs with 12.
31. Don Drysdale, Lefty Gomez and Robin Roberts have each started five All-Star Games, the most for a pitcher. Max Scherzer leads active pitchers with four starts. Drysdale, an eight-time All-Star, has also pitched the most innings (19 1/3) and struck out the most batters (19) in All-Star Game history.
32. Seven pitchers have taken the loss in two All-Star Games: Mort Cooper, Whitey Ford, Dwight Gooden, Catfish Hunter, Clade Passeau, John Smoltz and Luis Tiant.
33. Four pitchers share the record for most strikeouts in an All-Star Game with six: Larry Jansen, Carl Hubbell, Fergie Jenkins and Johnny Vander Meer. Pedro Martinez holds the record for most strikeouts to open a game with four, fanning Barry Larkin, Larry Walker, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire in 1999.
34. Mel Harder played in four All-Star Games and owns the record for most innings pitched without allowing a run with 13 scoreless frames.
35. Whitey Ford, having played in six All-Star Games, has allowed the most earned runs with 11. Vida Blue (two All-Star Games) and Catfish Hunter (six) have allowed the most home runs with four each.
36. The Detroit Tigers, who currently have the league’s best record, have the most 2025 All-Stars with six: OF Javier Báez, LHP Tarik Skubal, OF Riley Greene, 2B Gleyber Torres, INF Zach McKinstry and RHP Casey Mize. The team with the most All-Star representatives has not won the World Series since the 2021 Atlanta Braves.
37. Shohei Ohtani in 2021 became the first player to start an All-Star Game as both a hitter and a pitcher. Ohtani is the only player in MLB history to be selected to the All-Star Game as both a position player and a pitcher, and he did so for three straight seasons.
Shohei Ohtani pitching and batting in the 2021 All-Star Game. (Getty Images)
38. Mickey Mantle, who played in 16 All-Star Games, struck out 17 times, the most all-time.
39. Joe DiMaggio and Pete Rose are the only two players to ground into double plays three times in All-Star Game history. Bobby Richardson is the only player to ground into two double plays in a single All-Star Game, doing so in 1963.
40. In 2022, Giancarlo Stanton and Byron Buxton became the seventh set of players to hit back-to-back home runs in the All-Star Game. They joined Al Rosen and Ray Boone (1954), Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle (1956), Steve Garvey and Jimmy Wynn (1975), Bo Jackson and Wade Boggs (1989), Derek Jeter and Magglio Ordonez (2001) and Alex Bregman and George Springer (2018).
41. Five players have led off the All-Star Game with a home run: Lou Boudreau, Frankie Frisch, Bo Jackson, Willie Mays and Joe Morgan.
42. Three players have hit walk-off home runs in the All-Star Game: Ted Williams (1942), Stan Musial (1955) and Johnny Callison (1964).
43. Only one player has hit an inside-the-park home run in the All-Star Game: Ichiro Suzuki (2007).
44. Stan Musial has hit the most home runs in All-Star Game history with six.
45. Willie Mays has the most All-Star Game stolen bases with six.
46. Clayton Kershaw was named as a “Legend’s Pick” for the 2025 All-Star Game by Rob Manfred. It was the pitcher’s 11th All-Star selection, which ties the active lead held by Mike Trout. Freddie Freeman, with his 2025 selection, pulled into a tie for third most at nine appearances with Jose Altuve, Craig Kimbrel, Salvador Perez and Justin Verlander.
47. The most runs scored by an All-Star team is 13, which the AL has done three times (1983, 1992, 1998). The most combined runs scored by both teams was 21 in 1998, with the AL defeating the NL 13-8. The most runs scored in a single inning during the All-Star Game is seven by the AL in 1983.
48. The fewest hits by an All-Star team were two by the National League in 1990 during a 2-0 loss. The two hits were by Lenny Dykstra and Will Clark.
49. The largest attendance in All-Star Game history was 72,086 at Municipal Stadium in Cleveland in 1981. The smallest attendance was 25,556 at Braves Field in Boston in 1936.
50. New York has hosted more All-Star Games than any other city, having done so nine times in five different stadiums. Three active stadiums have hosted three All-Star Games: Wrigley Field, Fenway Park and Angel Stadium. Only one active Major League Baseball team has never hosted the All-Star Game: the Tampa Bay Rays.
SAN FRANCISCO — The executive’s suite at Oracle Park was empty Sunday. Buster Posey, Zack Minasian and others were in Arizona to join Michael Holmes and the amateur scouting staff for the first day of the 2025 MLB Draft, which led to an interesting situation.
Because the draft took place in Atlanta, site of the MLB All-Star Game, it started at 3 p.m. on the West Coast. And because the Giants went to extra innings against the Dodgers, their lead executives had one eye on the TV as they watched the first round unfold.
The Giants ended up making their first selection about 10 minutes after the final pitch at Oracle Park. With both of their picks, they took collegiate hitters who ideally will help prevent some of what happened Sunday, when the lineup twice failed to score a runner from second in extra innings.
The focus with Sunday’s two picks was on getting players with elite bat-to-ball skills. First-rounder Gavin Kilen has one of the best contact profiles in the draft, and while third-rounder Trevor Cohen was taken earlier than expected, the Giants were drawn to his history of limiting strikeouts and making solid contact at Rutgers.
“I think it’s always something we desire,” Holmes said. “Look, last year a guy like Dakota Jordan had a little swing-and-miss to his college game, but there were things we believed from a player development perspective that we could help him correct some of that based on his tool set, and we’re really happy with the way he’s playing right now.
“It’s not that we’re afraid to not take a guy, but I think first and foremost (contact hitters are) a type of player that we’re attracted to.”
Kilen, 21, is a left-handed hitter who was named a first-team All-American after batting .357 with 15 homers, a .441 on-base percentage and a .671 slugging percentage. In 53 games, he drew 30 walks to 27 strikeouts, and while some view him as a second baseman, the Giants will initially develop him as a shortstop.
“It’s elite bat-to-ball skills and we’re talking about a career 10 percent strikeout rate for him in his college years and more walks than strikeouts,” Holmes said. “We think that he’s more of a line-drive hitter but he’s a guy that was able to hit 15 home runs this year so we think there’s some power to come. We’re just really excited to have him.”
Cohen was a three-year starter at Rutgers and struck out just 62 times in 163 games. He hit .387 with a .460 on-base percentage as a junior, although he hit just two homers and had four in college overall.
The left-handed hitter primarily played right field — Peyton Bonds, the nephew of Barry, was the center fielder — but the Giants believe Cohen can play center field as a professional. Holmes said Cohen blew the Giants away during his interview at the pre-draft combine.
“(He’s a) guy with a career eight percent strikeout rate. Another guy that touches the baseball, puts it in play, elite contact skills,” Cohen said. “We think he can play center field. We like living in the middle of the diamond and like guys that make elite contact and we think we accomplished both of those with these guys.”
The picks were the first two of the Posey Era, although Holmes has been running the draft since 2019. He said not much has changed in the draft room from previous years.
“He was great, super-supportive of not only myself but my entire draft, asked a lot of good questions and was right there in the room with us and involved with all the conversations,” Holmes said of Posey. “There’s just a real calming presence to him … but as far as the draft mechanics, there was not a lot of change but there was definitely a new presence and it was a lot of fun in our room to have him.”
The Giants did not have a second-round draft pick Sunday because they signed Willy Adames in the offseason after he turned down a qualifying offer. They won’t have a pick in the fifth round when the draft resumes Monday morning, although they’re getting used to drafting this way. They were docked two picks last year after signing Matt Chapman and Blake Snell, but they were able to go over-slot for Jordan, who now is their fifth-ranked prospect. First-rounder James Tibbs III was sent to Boston in the Rafael Devers trade.
“The worst part of the day was the waiting game between 13 (Kilen) and 85 (Cohen),” Holmes said. “I didn’t think it would ever get there. But (we made) sure that we spent time on the players that we felt fit and identified those. I think we’ve learned from it, and it’s something I thought our guys and our group have done a really good job of.”
Wallabies star plays down feud with Sione Tuipulotu
21-year-old was sent off in State of Origin debut for NSW Blues
Wallabies gun Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has avoided throwing fuel on the fire ahead of a possible spicy rematch with British and Irish Lions centre Sione Tuipulotu in Saturday’s opening Test in Brisbane
The star league recruit and the Melbourne-raised Scotland captain had to be separated in a skirmish in their first meeting at Murrayfield last November.
Irishman explains the emotion of winning Claret Jug at Portrush in 2019 after the ‘toughest 24 hours of my sporting life’
The gable end of a house on Causeway Street in Portrush delivers a reminder of Shane Lowry’s Open triumph in 2019. The fantastic mural not only depicts Lowry with the Claret Jug in hand, but how Ireland, whether north or south, unites behind its sportspeople. Lingering memories from six years ago recall Lowry stretching away from the field towards the end of round three. He was in an unassailable position.
The subsequent epic, week-long celebrations are another key reference point; the new Open champion showed the sporting world how to party and it fuelled a misconception, a tired cliche of the bearded, drinking Irishman.
The Pittsburgh Penguins weren't big spenders during free agency last year and took a similar approach this year. They signed players to short-term contracts with the hope of giving them good value before potentially trading them to a contender at the trade deadline.
One of the players they brought in on July 1 was defenseman Parker Wotherspoon. He was signed to a two-year, $2 million contract.
Penguins general manager/president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas really hammered home during multiple media sessions that he wanted to improve the left side of the defense going into next season, and he hopes that Wotherspoon can be part of the solution.
He spent the previous two seasons with the Boston Bruins after starting his NHL career with the New York Islanders in 2022-23. Wotherspoon has played in 108 games, compiling one goal and 16 points. Offense isn't his specialty, but he's a good skater and can defend his own zone well. Those two things are what the Penguins will be looking for from him since they weren't good in their own zone last year.
As it stands, the defense as a whole isn't very good but Wotherspoon is still an upgrade on the left side over some of the options they had at their disposal last year.
Arkansas pitcher Zach Root delivers during a game against Washington State on Feb. 14. Root was selected by the Dodgers in the first round of the MLB draft on Sunday. (Michael Woods / Associated Press)
The Dodgers' first two picks in this year’s MLB draft came consecutively at Nos. 40 and 41 overall.
Turns out, their two selections came from the same school, as well, with the team taking left-handed pitcher Zach Root and contact-hitting outfielder Charles Davalan out of the University of Arkansas.
Root, a junior for the Razorbacks this year, went at No. 40. A transfer from East Carolina, he had a 3.62 earned-run average this season with 126 strikeouts in 99⅓ innings. Scouting reports lauded his versatile pitch mix, which includes a slider, curveball and changeup from a funky low arm-slot delivery.
Davalan, a sophomore who was draft-eligible, also transferred into Arkansas last year after one season at Florida Gulf Coast. He hit .346 for the Razorbacks with 14 home runs, 60 RBIs and more walks (35) than strikeouts (27).
Both players were part of an Arkansas team that won 50 games and reached the College World Series.
Both figure to be key pieces of the Dodgers’ future, as well.
Though the Dodgers once again were boxed out of a high draft pick — picking outside the top 30 for the third time in the last four years because of competitive balance tax penalties — the team did acquire an extra selection in what is known as “Competitive Balance Round A,” securing the No. 41 overall selection as part of the trade that sent Gavin Lux to the Cincinnati Reds.
That meant, for the first time since 2019, the Dodgers made two top-50 selections.
And when their selections were on the clock, they identified the pair of Southeastern Conference teammates.
Root is a Fort Myers, Fla., native who was the No. 31-ranked recruit in the state coming out of high school, according to Perfect Game.
After starting his college career at East Carolina, where he had a 9-5 record and 4.43 ERA in two seasons, he found immediate success upon joining Arkansas, earning first-team All-SEC honors and second- and third-team All-American nods.
Though he grew up in Florida, Root said he was a childhood Dodgers fan — thanks in large part to another certain left-handed pitcher.
"Growing up, my dad always made me watch [Clayton] Kershaw and learn to pitch like him,” Root said. “So I've just been watching Dodger baseball ever since I can remember, because of Kershaw."
Davalan took a decidedly more circuitous route to the Dodgers.
Arkansas batter Charles Davalan runs to first base during a game against Arkansas State on April 8. (Michael Woods / Associated Press)
Originally a childhood hockey player from Quebec, Canada, Davalan moved to Florida when he was in high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, enrolling in a specialized high school that allowed him to spend much of his days training as a baseball player.
“With COVID, a lot got shut down in Canada,” Davalan said. “So decided to go live in Florida, where the restrictions [weren't there] and you could play 12 months of the year.”
From there, the undersized Davalan — who is listed at 5-foot-9 and 190 pounds — got one D-I offer from FGCU, impressed enough there to transfer to Arkansas, and then blossomed into “one of the best hitters in the draft class, I think,” Root said of his teammate. “Getting him at pick 41 is just a big steal for the Dodgers."
Davalan offered similar praise about Root, calling him “kind of an old-school pitcher” who “really filled the zones up good, but can still get his punchouts when he needs to get out of the jam.”
“Old-school” was also an adjective Davalan used to describe himself.
“I like to win. I like to play hard,” he said. “So that's what I'm going to try to do. And I'm sure that knowing the organization, it's filled of players like that, so I'm super excited just to get to meet new people.”
And, of course, be reacquainted with one from his recent past.
“He's one of my best friends because of Arkansas,” Root said. “He's a really great dude.”
“I guess I'm going to have to live with him in a couple more years,” Davalan joked. “He's awesome.”
Some of the greatest players in NHL history have donned the Winged Wheel, and over the years, Red Wings fans have been able to count themselves as some of the most fortunate in professional sports.
After all, there are multiple fan bases who would do just about anything to witness their team win the Stanley Cup just once in their lifetimes, let alone four times in 11 years like the Red Wings did from 1997 to 2008.
It could have been five in 12 years had the outcome of a certain Game 7 in June of 2009 at Joe Louis Arena gone a different way, but that's a topic for another day.
Several of those aforementioned legends of the game were drafted by and spent their entire NHL careers with in Detroit. Names like Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk, and Henrik Zetterberg never played a game in the NHL for any team other than the Red Wings.
But there were also plenty of other legendary figures who were part of multiple Stanley Cup-winning editions of the Red Wings who got their starts elsewhere.
While there are multiple players who fit that bill, here are the first four we'll look back on.
Brendan Shanahan
One of the most clutch goal scorers the Red Wings boasted in the last 30 years, Shanahan originally began his career on the East Coast after being selected by the New Jersey Devils with the second overall pick in 1987.
He would eventually sign with the St. Louis Blues in 1991, and his goal scoring began to take off. In his second and third seasons with the Blues, he scored 52 and 51 goals, respectively. And after a brief tenure with the Hartford Whalers, the Red Wings decided to make one of the most impactful deals in their history.
Shanahan was obtained on October 9, 1996 after the Red Wings had already started the 1996-97 season. Detroit sent future Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey along with forward Keith Primeau back to the Whalers, and Shanahan would arrive at Joe Louis Arena literally minutes before the Red Wings hit the ice for warmups in their 1996 home opener against the Edmonton Oilers.
The rest, as they say, is history. Shanahan scored 47 goals in his first season with the Red Wings and would play an integral part of their 1997, 1998, and 2002 Stanley Cup-winning teams. During his time in Detroit, he scored 309 goals in regular season play and 33 playoff goals.
While he would depart Detroit after the 2005-06 season after saying he felt was more identified with the team's past instead of the future, he would later be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a member of the Red Wings.
Larry Murphy
By the time the Red Wings acquired Murphy from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 1997 NHL Trade Deadline, he was in the midst of his 17th season and had already won the Stanley Cup twice in a row as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991 and 1992, the latter of which was under future Detroit coach Scott Bowman.
Murphy began his career with the Los Angeles Kings, who made him the fourth overall pick in the 1980 NHL Draft. He later played for the Washington Capitals and Minnesota North Stars before arriving with the Penguins in a 1990 trade.
Murphy was in his second season with the Maple Leafs when he was essentially rescued by the Red Wings, as the Maple Leafs were one of the worst clubs in the League at the time. Murphy was immediately paired with fellow future Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, and won the Stanley Cup in consecutive seasons for the second time in his career.
He retired in 2001 after 1,615 career games played, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Kris Draper
One of the least expensive acquisitions in NHL history, Draper was traded from the Winnipeg Jets to the Red Wings in 1993 for literally $1.
Draper was originally selected by the Jets in the 1989 NHL Draft with the 62nd overall pick, and he had a modest 20 games of NHL experience by the time he arrived in the Motor City.
He would go on to be one of the key elements of Detroit's famous "Grind Line" with Kirk Maltby and Darren McCarty, and would get his name on the Stanley Cup four times by the time he retired from the NHL in 2011.
Draper now works for the Red Wings as their director of amateur scouting and assistant general manager under his longtime teammate, Steve Yzerman.
Igor Larionov
One of the smartest players to ever lace up the skates in the NHL, Larionov began his professional hockey career in his native Russia before he helped to lobby (with his future Detroit teammate, Slava Fetisov) for the defection of Soviet players to the NHL.
Larionov, who was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1985 NHL Draft with the 214th overall pick, was finally allowed to relocated to North America and joined the Canucks in 1989.
He would eventually claimed by the San Jose Sharks in the 1992 NHL Expansion Draft, and would ironically be part of the 8th seeded Sharks club that stunned the Red Wings with a seven-game series win in the opening round of the 1994 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Larionov was then traded to the Red Wings in the 1995-96 season, and would become part of Detroit's famed "Russian Five". He played an integral role in helping the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup consecutively in 1997 and 1998, but would leave the Red Wings to sign with the Florida Panthers in the 2000 offseason.
His time in Florida was brief, as he would be traded right back to Detroit in late December of 2000, where he would play for another two and a half seasons, which included another Stanley Cup win.
Larionov scored one of the most famous overtime goals in Red Wings postseason history in triple overtime of Game 3 of the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes. His goal after nearly two full games worth of playing time gave the Red Wings the series lead for good.
After one final NHL season with the New Jersey Devils in 2003-04, Larionov retired and would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.
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