F1 chief wants to see record-breaking Silverstone stay on calendar for good

  • ‘Silverstone has the right characteristics to stay for ever’

  • Domenicali to raise Brexit ‘complications’ with Starmer

The Formula One chief executive, Stefano Domenicali, has said he would like the British Grand Prix at Silverstone to remain on the F1 calendar for ever, with the event set to host what is expected to be the largest meeting in the sport’s history, reaching half a million people over four days this weekend.

The British GP, which has been on the calendar since F1 began in 1950, is expected to sell out with record numbers and Domenicali acknowledged it was part of a large and thriving F1 business in Britain, which he hopes can be improved by working closer with the UK government when he meets the prime minister, Keir Starmer, and other government officials at Downing Street on Wednesday afternoon.

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Rangers Sign Veteran Center Justin Dowling To A Two-Year Contract

Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have signed forward Justin Dowling to a two-year contract. 

It’s a one-way deal the first year, two-way the second year. During the first season, Dowling will earn $775,000 while he’ll make $775,000 during the second season when at the NHL level and a minimum of $450,000. 

Dowling has played seven seasons in the NHL for the Dallas Stars, Vancouver Canucks, and New Jersey Devils.

In 152 career games, the 34-year-old center has recorded nine goals, 17 assists, and 26 points while averaging 10:37 minutes. 

Dowling is coming off a season where he played 52 games for the Devils, the most throughout his NHL career.

Blue Jackets Sign Center Isac Lundeström

The Columbus Blue Jackets are signing center Isac Lundeström to a two-year contract. The contract will be worth $1.3 million per season. 

Lundeström has 337 NHL games under his belt, all for the Anaheim Ducks. He's scored 35 goals and totaled 84 points in his career. 

One scouting report said of Lundeström, "Powerful skater... ability to carry the puck deep using good puck protection on both sides to then put dangerous pucks in front from down low."

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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Blue Jackets Lose Justin DanforthBlue Jackets Lose Justin DanforthBob McKenzie has reported that forward Justin Danforth has signed with the Buffalo Sabres on a two-year deal with an AAV of $1.8 million. Columbus Brings Back Owen Sillinger On A One-Year DealColumbus Brings Back Owen Sillinger On A One-Year DealColumbus has brought back Owen Sillinger, signing him today to a one-year, two-wat contract.

Blackhawks And Connor Bedard's Camp Are Talking Extension

Connor Bedard is the most important figure in the Chicago Blackhawks organization. He is one of the NHL's brightest young stars with the potential to be a superstar in the league. 

As of July 1st, he is eligible to extend his contract with the Chicago Blackhawks. This is a deal that will come with a big raise, but a well-earned one for an incredibly productive teenager. 

By the middle of Bedard's first non-entry-level contract, it may be seen as a bargain based on his production. General Manager Kyle Davidson may overpay him a little bit at first to get some of his prime locked up at a fair number.

Through 150 career NHL games, Bedard has 45 goals and 83 assists for 129 points. That is one of the most productive starts to a career for a teenager in recent NHL history. The fact that he hasn't even come close to reaching his potential as a player speaks volumes.

If he can develop the intensity and 200-foot game that comes with being a top-line center, the Blackhawks will have hit a home run with the 2023 first overall pick. 

On Tuesday, after Day 2 of Development Camp wrapped up, Davidson spoke to the media, and Bedard's next contract was a topic of conversation. He talked about extensions with not only Bedard, but also other players who are a year away from being a restricted free agent. 

"We have had some conversations with a couple of those players," Davidson said. "Nothing imminent. I think the new salary cap marketplace is going to stall some of that. It is going to make some of these a little more drawn out than maybe they would have been in the past on a more flat cap." 

Part of developing good young players is having to pay them when their time comes. Bedard and his teammates are no exception. 

When talking about Bedard specifically, Davidson confirmed that he is in contact with the player and his camp. 

"We are talking," Davidson said. "I think that's an indicator of an openness to discuss. I think he made his thoughts very clear at the end of the season and then subsequently in interviews about (how) he's committed to Chicago and wants to be here long term. We obviously want him long term, so there is mutual agreement there."

If the Blackhawks are going to take a step in the rebuild at any point in the next handful of years, it will have to be with Connor Bedard leading the way. The coaches know that, management knows that, and the rest of the league knows that. 

"If we're able to get something done, that would be fantastic," Davidson said. "If we don't, I think it's probably more so out of the uncertainty around how the league and the system is going to be growing or impacted moving forward than anything player/team related."

It isn't a contract that is going to get done quickly, but the early stages of it are underway. 

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

Montreal Canadiens Sign Sammy Blais To One-Year Contract

The Montreal Canadiens have signed forward Sammy Blais to a one-year contract worth $775,000, per TSN's Chris Johnston

Blais recorded 40 points in 51 regular season games with the Abbotsford Canucks before a tremendous playoff performance where he had 19 points and 77 penalty minutes in 23 games to help the Canucks win the Calder Cup. 

The 29-year-old last played in the NHL in 2023-24 and notched seven points in 53 games with the St. Louis Blues. 

The Montmagny, Que., native has 71 points in 257 career NHL games and 145 points in 199 career AHL games. He will fight for a bottom-six role with the Canadiens and can be relied upon to produce offense with Laval if he ends up in the AHL next season. 

Blais has a winning track record, he was a member of the 2019 Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues. He also recorded eight points in 10 games, including two goals in the gold medal game, to help Canada win the gold at the 2023 World Championship. 

Check out The Hockey News' Montreal Canadiens team site for more updates. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.  

Photo Credit: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Mets ace Kodai Senga nearing rehab assignment

Sean Manaea is nearing a return to help the Mets' beleaguered starting rotation, and Kodai Senga might not be far behind.

Senga, who has been out since injuring his hamstring on June 12, faced hitters on Sunday during "an up-and-down" live bullpen session, manager Carlos Mendoza said on Tuesday.

Mendoza added that Senga is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Wednesday, which will include some fielding practice for the right-hander.

According to Mendoza, a rehab assignment could be the next step for Senga following Wednesday's BP session.

Senga was leading the majors with a 1.47 ERA at the time of his injury.

After Senga went down, both Tylor Megill (elbow) and Griffin Canning (season-ending Achilles injury) suffered injuries that have thrown New York's rotation into disarray.

The rotation has recently featured regular members Clay Holmes and David Peterson and just got Frankie Montas back, but has also been relying on an inefficient and ineffective Paul Blackburn and rookie Blade Tidwell.

If Manaea and Senga make it back when anticipated and no one else in the rotation suffers an injury before then, it's fair to believe they'll take the rotation spots of Blackburn and Tidwell.

Canadiens Close Sordid Chapter, Continue To Kill It In The Off-Season

The chance to acquire a 20-30-goal scorer for a depth defenseman is the kind of deal a good GM is going to make seven days a week.

And it's exactly the trade Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes made on Canada Day when he acquired winger and Trois-Rivieres native Zach Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues for defenseman Logan Mailloux.

It's not that it was a bad trade for St. Louis – Mailloux has all the markings of a solid NHL defenseman – as it was a great trade for the Canadiens, acquiring a potential top-six forward for a guy who didn't really fit into their long-term plans because of the logjam on the Habs' blueline. And, if anyone recalls the circumstances under which Mailloux was taken 31st in 2021, you'll also know this closes a rather sordid chapter for them.

Juraj Slafkovsky and Zack Bolduc (Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

It's another sign that the rebuilding phase is over in Montreal and that this team has – and should have – designs on making noise in the Eastern Conference. Now that they've made the playoffs and meekly bowed out in the first round, next on the docket is being competitive in Round 1 and possibly even winning it. Then you continue the process until you're a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, meaning you're a threat to advance to the conference final every year.

So far, the Canadiens have made moves that suggest they're on that path. Watch today's video column for more.

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Blue Jackets Lose Justin Danforth

Bob McKenzie has reported that forward Justin Danforth has signed with the Buffalo Sabres on a two-year deal with an AAV of $1.8 million.

Danforth played 183 games with the CBJ over the last four seasons. He scored 31 goals and totaled 64 points. 

Don Waddell told the media today that he tried to sign Danforth, it just didn't work out. 

Danforth has a great story on his path to the NHL, and he will be missed by the fans. 

The joy he provided to CBJ fans on March 1, cannot be understated. Watch it again below. 

Columbus comes up CLUTCH in final minutes of Stadium Series ����Columbus comes up CLUTCH in final minutes of Stadium Series 😱🥳Justin Danforth breaks the tie late in the 3rd period and Adam Fantilli nets the empty-netter to seal the Blue Jackets' 5-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wing...

Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!

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Columbus Brings Back Owen Sillinger On A One-Year DealColumbus Brings Back Owen Sillinger On A One-Year DealColumbus has brought back Owen Sillinger, signing him today to a one-year, two-wat contract. Blue Jackets Sign Defenseman Christian Jaros Blue Jackets Sign Defenseman Christian Jaros The Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Christian Jaros to a one-year, two-way contract today.  Former Blue Jackets Defenseman Jordan Harris Signs With BostonFormer Blue Jackets Defenseman Jordan Harris Signs With BostonFormer Blue Jackets defenseman Jordan Harris will sign with the Boston Bruins per Elliotte Friedman.

Clayton Kershaw’s push for 3,000 strikeouts a reminder that longevity on the mound is fading fast

It’s a big number for one of the biggest baseball stars of this generation — three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is closing in on 3,000 strikeouts.

He needs just three more punchouts to reach the mark, meaning it likely will happen in front of an adoring home crowd at Dodger Stadium when Los Angeles hosts the Chicago White Sox. Kershaw would become just the 20th pitcher in MLB history — and one of three active pitchers along with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer — to hit the milestone.

It’s a time for celebration. It’s also a time for wistful contemplation.

Are we nearing the end of these kinds of career celebrations — particularly for pitchers?

Kershaw is one of the final holdovers from his generation, one that included guys who threw at least 200 innings year after year, piling up wins and strikeouts thanks to consistent excellence. In his prime from 2010 to 2015, the 6-foot-4 lefty led the National League in ERA five times, in strikeouts three times and wins twice.

His peak arguably came in 2014, when he finished with a 21-3 record, 1.77 ERA and 233 strikeouts to win both the Cy Young and Most Valuable Player in the National League.

Kershaw, now 37, isn’t the same pitcher these days, though his success over the past month is a testament to the knowledge, grit and sheer willpower that only an 18-year veteran can possess. He is 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA through eight starts since returning from injury, providing an injury-riddled Dodgers rotation with a spark despite a fastball that barely hits 90 mph on a good day.

“He has given us a shot in the arm,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’re sort of ailing on the starting pitching side. Coming in and giving us valuable innings. I just love that kind of edge that he gives on start day.

“We certainly feed off that.”

Kershaw’s twilight is coinciding with the final years of Verlander and Scherzer, and the trio is primed to join the Hall of Fame over the next decade. The group symbolizes what might be the last gasp of long-term excellence on the pitcher’s mound.

The 42-year-old Verlander has won 262 career games while Kershaw and Scherzer — who turns 41 — both sit at 216. After that, the career leaderboards fall off dramatically.

It’s fair to wonder if any other MLB pitcher ever will reach 200 career wins again, much less 300, which was the gold standard for generations and last reached by the likes of Randy Johnson, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens in the 2000s and 2010s.

Consider this: The current career wins leader for a pitcher under 30 is the 28-year-old Logan Webb, who has a grand total of 62.

Getting to 3,000 strikeouts is a little more realistic given the sport-wide increase in pitch velocity, but even that’s in question. Atlanta’s Chris Sale (2,528 Ks) is 36 and could get there with a few more healthy seasons. New York’s Gerrit Cole (2,254) has a chance, too — if the 34-year-old can bounce back from elbow surgery.

But again, the list of pitchers piling up strikeouts in their 20s is conspicuously absent.

The 29-year-old Dylan Cease is the under-30 leader with 1,133 career Ks, but he likely will need a decade of good health to get close. By comparison, Kershaw had 2,120 strikeouts entering his age-30 season.

There are some young, promising arms that might emerge in the future — think Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal — but the trends aren’t pointing in the right direction.

It seems like every few days, another star pitcher goes down to Tommy John elbow surgery or a similar procedure, leaving them out of action for at least a year.

Surely, career-altering injuries have been a part of baseball forever, but this feels different.

To dominate in today’s game, velocity is paramount. So is movement. The main goal is to make the baseball move as quickly and violently as possible, and today’s pitchers are throwing nastier pitches than ever before. A big fastball used to be anything in the 90s just a few decades ago. Now, that number is closer to 100.

The big problem is that most human arms don’t seem to be able to handle the stress — particularly for the lengthy amounts of time needed to chase 300 wins, 3,000 strikeouts or many of the other career milestones that once defined greatness.

Over the next generation, the metrics that determine which pitchers enter Cooperstown will likely change dramatically. Arizona righty Zac Gallen — who has 58 career wins and turns 30 in August — said last year that it’s possible some pitchers from the current generation will be left out of the Hall of Fame as the definition of excellence changes.

It should be a fascinating transition.

But for at least one more night — probably in Los Angeles in front of roughly 50,000 fans — Kershaw will carry the torch for traditional pitching greatness.

Enjoy it, because that light appears to be fading fast.

Penguins Re-sign Forward Connor Dewar To One-Year Contract

After non-qualifying all but one of their pending-restricted free agents (RFAs), it appears that the Pittsburgh Penguins are bringing at least one of them back on a free agent contract.

On Tuesday - Day One of unrestricted free agency - the Penguins re-signed forward Connor Dewar to a one-year deal, first reported by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

The contract carries an average annual value of $1.1 million.

Dewar, 26, was acquired by the Penguins at last season's trade deadline - along with defenseman Conor Timmins, who was traded to Buffalo Friday during the 2025 NHL Draft - from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a fifth-round pick. Despite registering only three points on the season prior to joining Pittsburgh, Dewar put up four goals and seven points in 17 games with the Penguins.

He figures to be part of Pittsburgh's bottom-six next season, as he proved effective in that role and on the penalty kill. Dewar is just two years off of putting together a 10-goal, 14-point campaign with the Minnesota Wild. 

According to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, forward Philip Tomasino - another non-tendered RFA - is expected to re-sign soon as well.


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Feature image credit: John Jones - Imagn Images

2024-25 AHL Willie Marshall Award Winner Matej Blumel Signs With Boston Bruins

2024-25 AHL league leading goal scorer Matej Blumel has signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Boston Bruins, per TSN's Darren Dreger. The contract is worth $875,000. 

Blumel captured the Willie Marshall Award as the league's goal leader after recording 39 goals and 72 points in 67 games with the Texas Stars. 

The 25-year-old has 70 goals over the last two seasons, he was an AHL All-Star in 2024 and was named to the AHL First All-Star Team in 2025. 

The Tabor, Cze., native has two goals in 13 career NHL games, all with the Dallas Stars. He has 89 goals and 178 points in 197 career regular season AHL games and 26 points in 27 career AHL playoff games. 

Blumel also captured a bronze medal with Czechia at 2022 World Championship. 

This is a low-risk, high upside play for Boston and Blumel has earned a chance for more NHL ice time after his last two AHL seasons. 

Make sure you bookmark The Hockey News' AHL Page for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more.   

Photo Credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Islanders General Manager Mathieu Darche On Retaining DeAngelo, Free Agent Signings

The New York Islanders made three official signings on the first day of NHL free agency. 

Defenseman Tony DeAngelo re-signed on a one-year deal worth $1.75 million annually after proving to be a strong player in Patrick Roy's system.

Mathieu Darche: "We wanted to get Tony DeAngelo done. Tony, you saw it last year, he played really well when he came here. He can run a power play, so we're excited to bring him back at a number that makes sense for us and the term that makes sense for us."

Goaltender David Rittich isn't coming in to serve as the backup to Ilya Sorokin -- that job still belongs to Semyon Varlamov -- but he provides a nice insurance policy at $1 million for one year.

Mathieu Darche:"We just wanted to get more depth at goalie [...] You saw last year, the goalies this team used. So you never have enough goalies. [Varlamov's] rehab is going well, but we still have to prepare in case something happens, right? So David is a veteran around the NHL. He is a is a very capable NHL goalie, so we're excited to have him and increase our depth in net."

The last official signing of the day was forward Jonathan Drouin, who will be playing a top-six role for the Islanders and helping out tremendously on the power play.  He comes in on a two-year deal at $4 million annually. 

Mathieu Darche: "We wanted to bring in a bit of talent up front, especially to help the power play. And that's what Jonathan Drouin is going to do. Like he's an elite power-play player. He can bring some offense. He'll play in our top six. And he's a veteran guy too, without committing to too much term. It's a two-year contract for Drouin. So he fits a need we had, and obviously, we want to improve the power play from last year. He's definitely a very good power-play player, and our new coach, Ray Bennett, had him in Colorado last year, so he actually knows his strength, also how to use him on the power play."

Darche also shared that he's confident he wil get his restricted free agents done, with one signing very close.

Defenseman Mike Reilly and forward Hudson Fasching, his remaing two unrestricted free agents, will not be back. 

Darche also added that his goal was to bolster his depth without locking players to long-term deals. He'll also be signing some two-way deals -- that's Ethan Bear and Matthew Highmore. 

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

PHOTO: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Giants at Diamondbacks Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 1

It's Tuesday, July 1 and the Giants (45-40) are in Phoenix to take on the Diamondbacks (42-42). Hayden Birdsong is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Zac Gallen for Arizona.

The Diamondbacks took game one of the series yesterday 4-2. Ryne Nelson was dominant on the mount. He struck out seven batters and only gave up two earned runs in 6.2 innings pitched.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Giants at Diamondbacks

  • Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2025
  • Time: 9:40PM EST
  • Site: Chase Field
  • City: Phoenix, AZ
  • Network/Streaming: Dbacks.TV, NBCS BA

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Giants at the Diamondbacks

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Giants (+115), Diamondbacks (-137)
  • Spread:  Diamondbacks -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Diamondbacks

  • Pitching matchup for July 1, 2025: Hayden Birdsong vs. Zac Gallen
    • Giants: Hayden Birdsong, (3-2, 4.13 ERA)
      Last outing (Miami Marlins, 6/26): 4.0 Innings Pitched, 7 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 1 Strikeout
    • Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen, (5-9, 5.75 ERA)
      Last outing (Chicago White Sox, 6/25): 5.1 Innings Pitched, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Giants at Diamondbacks

  • With Zac Gallen starting the Diamondbacks have won 5 of their last 7 home matchups against the Giants
  • The Under has cashed in 6 of the Diamondbacks' last 8 games with Zac Gallen starting
  • The Giants have failed to cover the Run Line in 12 of their last 15 games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Giants and the Diamondbacks

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Giants and the Diamondbacks:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Arizona Diamondbacks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Francisco Giants at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

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Bruins' flurry of moves to start free agency didn't address team's top weakness

Bruins' flurry of moves to start free agency didn't address team's top weakness originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney did a very good job maximizing the value of veteran players at the trade deadline back in March. He also was universally praised last week for the team’s 2025 draft class, a group headlined by Boston College star James Hagens.

He signed right wing Morgan Geekie, defenseman Mason Lohrei and several other Bruins restricted free agents to team-friendly contracts over the last two weeks.

Sweeney was firing on all cylinders in his mission to build another winning roster in Boston.

And then NHL free agency opened, and that positive momentum was halted.

If you’re looking for a word to describe the moves the Bruins made on Day 1 of free agency, puzzling is a good one.

The Bruins were one of the league’s worst offensive teams last season. They ranked 21st in goals scored, 29th in power-play percentage, 31st in high-danger chances and 29th in shots on net at even strength. They had the fourth-worst power play. Only two players who finished the season on the roster — David Pastrnak and Geekie — scored more than 17 goals.

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And yet, despite a severe lack of scoring depth and high-end talent, the Bruins decided to acquire several bottom-six forwards Tuesday with little offensive upside. Depth is nice to have, but the Bruins need true difference-makers to get back to the playoffs. And even if the free agent class lacked difference-makers, that doesn’t mean you have to spend money on mediocre (or worse) players.

“At times last year, even when we had our (full) group, we were an easy out. I just can’t stand for that. So we are going to re-establish that,” Sweeney told reporters Tuesday at a press conference.

The Bruins don’t need a lot more toughness. They went into last season as the second-tallest and heaviest team in the league. It didn’t go well. They even ranked third in both fighting majors and hits last season.

Being hard to play against is great. The Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers are very difficult to play against. But the Panthers also can score a ton of goals — 4.09 goals per game in the 2025 playoffs, for example.

The Bruins’ problem last season — as noted in the table above — was that they couldn’t put the puck in the back of the net on a consistent basis.

Boston’s first move Tuesday was trading for Edmonton Oilers left wing Viktor Arvidsson. The 32-year-old veteran is coming off a down season with the Oilers in which he scored 15 goals in 67 games. But he does have five 20-goal seasons in his career, and his contract has only one more year remaining with a $4 million cap hit.

Arvidsson potentially could be a second-line player, but he’s really a third-liner. Overall, though, it’s not a horrible addition, and the cost to get him — a 2027 fifth-round draft pick — was minimal.

Unfortunately for the Bruins, the rest of the day got progressively worse.

The stunner was a five-year, $17 million contract for Tanner Jeannot. Multiple teams have bet on his potential in recent seasons and lost. The Bruins could be the latest to suffer that fate.

Jeannot scored 24 goals with the Predators in 2021-22. It’s the only time he has ever scored 10-plus goals in a season. He has scored only 20 goals over the last three seasons combined. His scoring total last season with the Kings was just 13 points (seven goals, six assists) in 67 games. Jeannot doesn’t score many goals and he doesn’t create scoring chances for teammates.

Jeannot is a physical forward. He has the sixth-most hits of any player over the last four years. He fights, too. But giving a bottom-six player with limited offensive potential a five-year deal and a $3.4 million cap hit is just baffling. And he’s not likely to contribute to the power play or penalty kill, either.

If the Bruins valued tough, physical players in their bottom-six, why not just keep Trent Frederic or Justin Brazeau? Boston dealt both of them before the trade deadline in March. Brazeau signed a cheap two-year, $3 million deal with the Penguins on Tuesday.

The Bruins also added bottom-six forwards Sean Kuraly, Michael Eyssimont and Matej Blumel on Tuesday. Blumel scored 39 goals in 67 games with the AHL’s Texas Stars last season. He’s well worth a gamble on a one-year, $875,000 deal. Eyssimont is a pain to play against and shoots the puck a ton. Kuraly was a fan favorite in Boston before departing as a free agent in 2021.

These are solid depth players, but none of them should be expected to make much of an impact offensively.

They also aren’t likely to be major upgrades over the young players and prospects already in the Bruins organization. The real problem with signing a bunch of veteran bottom-six forwards is that they can block the development path of younger, more talented players. How many minutes is Matt Poitras going to get now? What about Fabian Lysell and Georgii Merkulov? How does Fraser Minten fit into the team’s plans?

The Bruins have Marat Khusnutdinov, John Beecher, Mark Kastelic, Arvidsson, Poitras, Minten, Jeannot, Kuraly, Eyssimont, Blumel, Merkulov and Lysell vying for six spots between the third and fourth lines. Even if someone like Arvidsson plays in the top-six, that’s still way too many bottom-six players. Are the Bruins going to waive someone? Will we see a trade or two?

For many years, the Bruins have prioritized veteran, low-scoring, physical bottom-six forwards over giving younger players enough minutes to prove themselves. And based on Tuesday’s moves, it looks like we’ll see more of the same next season.

Acquiring elite offensive talent needed to be the Bruins’ top objective this offseason. You can’t win in the playoffs with only one high-end forward. Outside of Pastrnak, none of Boston’s forwards are going to strike fear into opposing defensemen. If you look at the four teams that reached the conference finals — Oilers, Panthers, Stars, Hurricanes — all of them had at least two elite offensive players. The Oilers, Panthers and Stars have three or four apiece.

Most of the players the Bruins signed Tuesday aren’t afraid to shoot the puck. And for a team that ranked in the bottom third of several shot metrics last season, it made sense to find players who will increase the team’s volume of shots.

That said, you also need players who can finish, and the Bruins have very few of those guys.

We’re still in the early stages of the offseason. Sweeney could make a few trades in the coming weeks and months to add a bonafide top-six forward.

But right now, it’s hard to figure out the Bruins’ plan up front. If no significant additions are made before Opening Night in October, the Bruins had better hope starting goalie Jeremy Swayman has a bounce-back season. Boston is not currently built to win high-scoring games.

“I do believe when you put the full group together, what they’re capable of doing, we’ll score enough if we play the right way, and we’ll defend a hell of a lot better, and I expect our goaltending to be significantly better,” Sweeney said.

Flyers Built to Survive Tyson Foerster Injury

Tyson Foerster could miss the start of the 2025-26 season. (Photo: Dennis Schneidler, Imagn Images)

Standout Philadelphia Flyers winger Tyson Foerster could miss the start of the new season with an offseason bicep injury, and that's ok.

Recent reports have indicated that Foerster, 23, suffered a potential long-term bicep injury while training last month, and even so, they're built to survive any potential extended absence from one of the cornerstones of the rebuild.

Update: Flyers GM Danny Briere has clarified that Foerster suffered an injury while playing at the summer World Championships, came down with an infection, and needed to have the infection surgically removed. No recovery timeline has been established at this time.

As has been discussed ad nauseam, the Flyers have an overabundance of right wings, which had pigeonholed Foerster into a left-wing role anyway.

The former first-round pick's growing presence on the Flyers' special teams and defensive impact will be sorely missed for however long he's out, but the injury, at worst, just creates more opportunities for other players.

For example, Owen Tippett ended the season on the Flyers' third line, and prospect Devin Kaplan made his NHL debut in Game 82. Bobby Brink, of course, played alongside Foerster for a prolonged period last season.

Right wing prospect Samu Tuomaala made a solid case for making the roster last training camp, only to suffer an injury towards the end, have an underwhelming season, and ultimately suffer a season-ending injury for the second year in a row.

NHL Free Agency: Flyers Quickly Knock Out 3 Big NeedsNHL Free Agency: Flyers Quickly Knock Out 3 Big NeedsThe Philadelphia Flyers are on a crusade to start NHL free agency, quickly signing multiple players, including Christian Dvorak, to address some big team needs.

Other prospects who could reasonably push for an NHL role to fill in the void of Foerster include NCAA champ Alex Bump, who the Flyers love, and the affable-but-menacing Nikita Grebenkin.

And, to his benefit, Grebenkin already has a handful of games of NHL experience, which endeared him to former Flyers coach Craig Berube during his short time with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.

There's also the unlikely but perfectly plausible scenario where top prospect Porter Martone wows Rick Tocchet in training camp and makes the Flyers outright.

Martone will turn 19 shortly after opening night, and you'll remember that the Flyers, albeit with a completely different coaching staff, gave Jett Luchanko a four-game tryout at the start of this past season. It's not out of the question for Martone, especially given his size and skillset that the Flyers don't have much of.

That all said, it's not like the Flyers are hurting for wingers or pieces to fill in the gaps without Foerster.

In the worst case, Foerster tore his bicep, and the recovery for this typically ranges between three and six months depending on severity and rehab. Assuming this injury happened a few weeks ago, an early outcome would see Foerster return towards the end of the NHL preseason.

A six-month recovery timeline takes Foerster and the Flyers into December, which could make for a 30-game absence, give or take. So, a little more than a quarter of the season, in other words.

The Flyers are in a rebuild, after all, and the "next man up" mentality will help carry them through Foerster's injury.