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Who's A Good Fit For Each NHL Team With A Coaching Vacancy?

Rick Tocchet was an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins for three seasons. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

It’s only natural to see several coaches lose their jobs following the end of the season. With only 16 available playoff spots, the other half of the NHL is feeling disappointed and possibly seeking change. 

One of the easiest ways to search for change is by parting with a coach and hiring a new one. 

Seven coach vacancies exist after the New York Rangers took advantage of a Cup-winning coach hitting the open market, Mike Sullivan, and hired him to replace Peter Laviolette on Friday. If Sullivan can come into New York and get the best out of Alexis Lafreniere, Artemi Panarin, Adam Fox, J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck, there’s no reason they can’t compete for a playoff spot next season.

There’s still a strong market of available coaches, ranging from veterans to AHL or NCAA coaches looking for an opportunity. Let’s see which coaches whose names surfaced in speculation would be a good fit for each NHL team with a vacancy.

Philadelphia Flyers: Pat Ferschweiler

Ferschweiler recently coached Western Michigan University to a national men’s hockey championship in the NCAA, shocking Boston University in the final. Without many highly drafted NHL prospects, Ferschweiler needed his players to play a fast and structured game.

Despite playing a structured style, Ferschweiler embraced flexibility, which should bode well for the Flyers. With youngsters Matvei Michkov, Tyson Foerster, Jamie Drysdale, Cam York and more, a structured game will help them on the defensive side of the puck, but the flexibility will allow their offensive creativity to flow. 

Top prospect Alex Bump thrived under Ferschweiler with the Broncos and should be able to transform his game at the next level. 

Chicago Blackhawks: Jay Woodcroft

The Blackhawks looked like the ideal team to sign University of Denver coach David Carle, but the 35-year-old recently pulled his name out of the running for the vacant coaching job, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. 

With Carle no longer an option, the Blackhawks must look elsewhere, and Woodcroft would be a great addition to their coaching staff.

Connor McDavid had the most productive season of his career under Woodcroft's guidance, and he might be the best-equipped coach to get the same out of Connor Bedard. 

Bedard has been held back by the lack of talent on the Blackhawks, but the end of the 2024-25 season saw the franchise introduce several of its top prospects. Possibly adding a top-two pick would bolster the roster further, and Woodcroft’s offensive play style could get the best out of those young players.  

Pittsburgh Penguins: Rick Tocchet

The Penguins are refusing to surrender to a rebuild, and it’s understandable, considering Sidney Crosby scored 33 goals and 91 points this season and ranked in the top 10 in points.

Finding a coach who can instill a play style so strong that it can mask some of the issues a team faces is what the Penguins need, and Tocchet’s defensive style might be able to do so. 

With deep roots in Pittsburgh, Tocchet is likely the favorite to land in the Steel City.

Three Paths The Pittsburgh Penguins Can Take In Their Coaching SearchThree Paths The Pittsburgh Penguins Can Take In Their Coaching SearchThe Pittsburgh Penguins opened up a particularly appealing job after parting with coach Mike Sullivan on Monday. 

Anaheim Ducks: Joel Quenneville

Quenneville hasn’t coached in the NHL since 2021, when he resigned from the Florida Panthers.

That came after a report that revealed he was aware of sexual assault allegations surrounding the Chicago Blackhawks’ video coach in the 2010 playoffs but was part of an overall lack of response by the team. He was ruled ineligible to work in the NHL until July 2024, when the NHL reinstated him, Stan Bowman and Al MacIssac.

Quenneville’s teams won the Stanley Cup three times. Although the Ducks might not be at that contender level yet, they certainly aren’t short on young NHL-proven players and prospects. 

Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, Jackson LaCombe, Olen Zellweger, Pavel Mintyukov and Lukas Dostal all had excellent seasons and are barely a few years into their NHL career.

With established players like Troy Terry and Trevor Zegras still under the age of 28, the Ducks are ready to compete once again, and a veteran coach like Quenneville will help them get there. 

Boston Bruins: Jay Leach

Whether coaching the AHL’s Providence Bruins or working as an assistant coach for the Seattle Kraken or the Boston Bruins, Leach has done an admirable job in developing talent. He’s been patiently waiting and looks to deserve a chance as an NHL head coach. 

The decision the Bruins make depends on what the organization wants to do moving forward. They may look to hire a veteran coach and try to be competitive again next season, but with the major roster turnover, that might be a difficult feat.

Vancouver Canucks: Manny Malhotra

The Canucks are trying to get younger, looking to incorporate more players from their AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki, Aatu Raty and defenseman Elias Pettersson have slowly been integrated into the NHL lineup, and their familiarity with Malhotra will help them when they become full-time NHLers.

Vancouver Canucks' Six Potential Replacements For Coach Rick TocchetVancouver Canucks' Six Potential Replacements For Coach Rick TocchetIn the end, it came down to more than just money for Vancouver Canucks coach Rick Tocchet.

Tom Willander is one of the Canucks’ top prospects whose future with the team is uncertain. Hiring a coach with experience in developing players might help sway Willander to commit his future to the Canucks. Similarly to the Rangers, the Canucks are in a peculiar spot but have a deeper prospect pool, which should allow them to hire a younger coach. 

Seattle Kraken: Todd Nelson

Nelson and the Kraken organization have a history. The Hershey Bears, the team Nelson coaches, defeated the Coachella Valley Firebirds, the Kraken’s AHL affiliate, in the Calder Cup final in back-to-back seasons. 

Under Nelson’s tutelage, the Bears have been the most dominant AHL team, limiting the goals they allow and scoring a lot themselves.

The Kraken have been clear about what they want from their next coach, which is to develop their young players, such as Matty Beniers, Shane Wright and Ryker Evans. A coach with vast experience in the AHL seems like the perfect candidate to help a team with loads of talent in its prospect pool.

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Aston Villa 1-0 Fulham: Premier League – as it happened

Youri Tielemans scored to boost Aston Villa’s European hopes and damage Fulham’s

Richard Hirst, time-honoured Cottager, gets in touch: “Fulham need to bring Cairney on early then we can channel the 2018 play off final: Sessegnon to Cairney, 1-0. Although there won’t be the added delight of the pass beating John Terry.”

Unai Emery spoke to TNT ahead of the game: “We’re so focused to try to get Europe. Europe is the highest ambition we can dream of, and to play Champions League again.

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Jaylen vs. Jalen could be marquee matchup in Celtics-Knicks showdown

Jaylen vs. Jalen could be marquee matchup in Celtics-Knicks showdown originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jayson Tatum’s season-opening 3-pointer hadn’t even reached the twine and Jaylen Brown was already stalking in the direction of Jalen Brunson.

Thirteen seconds into the 2024-25 season, with Boston fresh off receiving their championship rings on opening night inside a delirious TD Garden, Brown perched himself at Brunson’s hip 90 feet from the basket and stayed Velcroed to him for the entire possession.

Six months later, we can’t help but wonder how much time Brown will spend glued to Brunson when the Celtics and Knicks tip off an Eastern Conference semifinal series on Monday night.

During the 2024-25 season, Brown only defended one player (Zach LaVine) for more possessions than Brunson, per NBA tracking. Brown logged 12 minutes, 33 seconds of total matchup time and 72.3 possessions defended. Those numbers could spike on a playoff stage.

Brown taking turns harassing an opposing team’s top scoring threat has become a playoff ritual that seemed to get magnified with his work against James Harden in the 2023 Eastern Conference semifinals. During last year’s title run, Brown earned a pair of MVP honors in large part due to his defensive efforts, especially his NBA Finals harassment of Luka Doncic.

Brunson, the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year who keyed New York’s first-round triumph over the Detroit Pistons with his late-game heroics, has been one of Brown’s toughest covers in recent seasons. No one scored more points against Brown this season, with Brunson totaling 26 points on 10-of-17 shooting with two turnovers, per NBA tracking.

No one on the Celtics truly had an answer for Brunson over the course of the season. Brunson generated 25 points on 10-of-24 shooting against the All-Defense tandem of Derrick White and Jrue Hoilday, though the Stock Exchange combo did a good job keeping him off the free throw line (only one shooting foul over 112 possessions defended).

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The Celtics almost will certainly give Brunson a bunch of different looks and coverages. Teams have no choice but to send multiple bodies his way, and Boston occasionally will live with the Josh Harts and OG Anunobys of the world getting decent looks to get the ball out of Brunson’s hands.

But our biggest question before the series tips is simply whether Brown can use his size and strength to make Brunson work for his points. After a poor showing in New York on April 8, Brown sat out the final three games of the Celtics’ regular-season slate due to knee woes.

Brown admitted there were nights in Round 1 where that knee limited him more than others, even as he averaged 23 points while shooting 49.4 percent from the floor and 44.4 percent beyond the 3-point arc during the five-game triumph over the Magic.

Do the Celtics trust that Brown is healthy enough to chase the shifty Brunson? What’s more, is Holiday healthy enough to do the same after sitting out the final three games of the Orlando series with a hamstring injury?

We suspect Brown is eager to take on the challenge of defending Brunson. The Magic were gritty defenders, but the Knicks can score points in bunches when Brunson is fueling the New York offense. Even if the Celtics are content to let Brunson get his points and force others to beat them, there will be a desire to make him work and try to get the ball out of his hands.

The Celtics enjoyed their best defensive success against Brunson in a February meeting in Boston. Brunson finished with 22 points on 9-of-19 shooting but didn’t attempt a single free throw — one of only two times all season he didn’t get to the charity stripe (the other was when he played just 23 minutes against the Pacers in mid-February).

Brunson had gotten to the line 13 times (and made all his freebies) during an earlier February meeting with the Celtics in New York. Brunson finished with 36 points that night, and while the Celtics still won, the priority this season clearly has been to defend Brunson without fouling.

Outside that game, Brunson generated just eight total free throw attempts in the other three games against the Celtics.

In that third meeting in which Brunson didn’t get to the charity stripe, the Celtics gave Payton Pritchard a bunch of turns as primary defender. Brunson was credited with 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting with Pritchard defending him, per NBA tracking. Coming off a solid defensive showing in Round 1 against bigger covers on the Magic, Pritchard should be eager to show that was an aberration.

The trio of White, Holiday, and Brown combined to hold Brunson scoreless on 0-for-7 shooting with three turnovers in that third regular-season meeting.

Again, no one defender can fully take away Brunson. Boston’s bigs have to be ready with backline help when he zigs and zags his way to the rim. Brown’s strength and size could be vital to offering resistance in Brunson getting where he wants to go.

The Celtics need to make Brunson work on the other end of the court and try to take advantage of his defensive limitations. It would also benefit Boston not to let games be close at the finish line where Brunson tends to go into turbo mode.

Brunson’s season started with Brown attached to his hip, and the Celtics probably wouldn’t mind if it ended the same way.

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Ronnie O’Sullivan plans new life in Middle East after sorry semi-final exit

  • ‘I’m moving out of the UK – a new life somewhere else’
  • Williams leads Trump 13-11 after morning session

Ronnie O’Sullivan is preparing to start “a new life somewhere else”, revealing he will soon be moving to the Middle East after crashing out of the World Snooker Championship with a heavy semi-final defeat.

O’Sullivan’s bid for an eighth Crucible crown ended in a humiliating 17-7 loss to Zhao Xintong with a session to spare on Friday after the Chinese star won all eight frames in the morning before finishing the job in the evening.

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Why Warriors must lean on more than experience in Game 7 vs. Rockets

Why Warriors must lean on more than experience in Game 7 vs. Rockets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Experience was supposed to be the Warriors’ winning factor going into the first round of the NBA playoffs against the much-younger Houston Rockets, and it was the theme Friday night following their 115-107 Game 6 loss at Chase Center. 

The Warriors had two straight chances at closing out the series after taking a three-games-to-one lead, and let both opportunities slip away. Now they’ll enter Sunday’s Game 7 in Houston with all the momentum gone, but history on their side.

It’s easy to assume everything feels faster in a Game 7. Heartbeats speed up and adrenaline is begging to burst. There’s truth to that in these pressure-packed situations, but the whole vibe is different than any player or coach can describe. The Rockets have home-court advantage, which also can produce 48 minutes of tense anticipation from a crowd witnessing a rock fight between two teams whose dislike for each other isn’t a secret.

Having gone through all those emotions multiple times, the Warriors trust they’ll be able to meet the moment. 

“Just confidence, belief,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I know our guys believe and they’ll be ready to go.”

Those same sentiments were shared by Kerr’s biggest stars.

The frustration of their Game 6 loss wasn’t gone. It just had to be flushed right away, shifting the focus to what could be their last game as a team together if they don’t rip Houston’s hearts out as they have done in the past. 

“A Game 7 is a Game 7,” Draymond Green said. “I think anytime you have the opportunity to play in Game 7, it’s fun, it’s exciting. It’s for all the marbles, so move on. We’ve moved on. 

“Learn from what we did wrong. It’s kind of obvious what we did wrong. Get ready for the game. I think Game 7s are fun.”

When the Warriors were last tasked with a Game 7, Steph Curry gave an impassioned speech to his teammates and dropped 50 points on the Sacramento Kings. Curry always has the ability to explode for a historic night under the bright lights. Not too high, not too low, he just wants the Warriors able to withstand anything back in Houston. 

“We need to be able to manage the emotions of the next 48 hours,” Curry said. “Again, not panic, but have a sense of urgency on the adjustments we need to make going into the Game 7. How to deal with a hostile environment. I think we’ve had one in that building before. You understand the crowd is going to be into it.

“How we start the game is going to matter. It’s going to be a long 48 minutes. Just stick with it and come with a level of aggressiveness, attention to detail, just the idea that it’s going to be a game of runs. You got to just embrace it, have fun with it, show up with kind of a killer instinct. Everybody got to be like that.”

Curry and Green have played five Game 7s together and are 3-2. Jimmy Butler has played four Game 7s in his career and is 2-2. On the other side, the Rockets have four players who have combined to play 10 Game 7s, with the rest of the roster never having been there before.

The past also can’t be the Warriors’ saving grace. If experience is what the series was going to come down to, the Warriors would have met the moment of Game 5 and slammed the door shut the last time they were in Houston. Instead, they played like they had a game to mess around with and trailed by as much as 31 points. Just three minutes into Game 6, Green was given a Flagrant 1 foul that the Rockets scored four points from. 

The Rockets, not the Warriors, were the more composed team Friday night. Curry had three turnovers in the first quarter, four in the first half and five overall in the loss. He now has 24 through six games, making up for them by averaging 24.3 points on 46.7 percent shooting and 39.1 percent from three, with 5.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. His longtime teammate has been nearly as careless with the ball. 

Green racked up four turnovers Friday night and is at 19 in the series. Offense is secondary for Draymond, but he has four more turnovers than made shots, and the Warriors will need a defensive masterclass out of him to help negate Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams. 

Jimmy Butler (27 points, nine rebounds and eight assists) easily was the Warriors’ best player in Game 6. As he continues playing through his pelvic contusion, the Warriors can’t ask for much more. But what about everybody else around their stars? 

“Make shots,” Curry said. “That’s me. That’s Jimmy. That’s everybody.”

Buddy Hield remained in the starting lineup for Game 6 and was a dud for the Dubs, going scoreless in 17 minutes. Hield scored 32 points between the Warriors’ wins in Games 3 and 4, but he has scored only 11 points the other four games. Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody both have low overall field goal percentages for the series but are shooting in the high 30s from deep. They’ll be left open, and they’ll have to make the Rockets pay, as Podziemski did in Game 4 and Moody has in the clutch earlier in the series. 

Kerr needed 17 minutes from 7-footer Quinten Post in Game 6, but he only had one rebound while being picked apart defensively, was whistled for five fouls and made one of his four 3-point attempts. The Warriors are shooting 22 percent from three when the Rockets use their two-big lineup of Adams and Sengun. 

Pairing Butler alongside Curry had Green guaranteeing a championship on national TV at the All-Star break. The Warriors always are confident when those three lead them to battle. They themselves have to rise to their latest Game 7 challenge, and those behind them can’t crumble under the pressure.

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Five Canadiens’ Prospects In The Hockey News Future Watch Top 100 Prospects

Apr 14, 2025; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov (93) plays the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks in the second period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

After exceeding the goal the Montreal Canadiens’ brass set for this season, the Habs will look to improve again in the 2025-26 campaign. They’ll need significant contributions from at least one rookie to do that, but a couple more could also make an impact.

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In this year’s edition of The Hockey News’ Future Watch, five Canadiens prospects are ranked in the league’s top 100 prospects. This is the exact total as in last year’s edition, but their identity and ranking differ.

In 2024, THN had David Reinbacher as Montreal’s top entry in its ranking, 13th place. Lane Hutson was the second entry, 49th place (in hindsight, that should have been much higher). Owen Beck was 60th, Joshua Roy 83rd, and Filip Mesar 89th.

Of the lot, only Reinbacher remains. Hutson is now an established NHLer and no longer available, while Beck, Roy, and Mesar have all been overtaken by other prospects. Without further ado, here are the five Canadiens’ prospects who have made the rankings for this year's edition.

Ivan Demidov

Coming in hot at number one is Ivan Demidov; he’s a new entry since he hadn’t yet been drafted when the list was compiled in 2024, but judging by how many scouts turned up at the Bell Centre to witness his debut, many wish he were theirs. The young Russian made an immediate impact with the Canadiens when he played the last two regular-season games and the five playoff tilts against the Washington Capitals.

His puck handling, hockey IQ, and compete level are through the roof. If this season was Hutson’s year in Montreal, the next campaign promises to be Demidov’s. His insertion on the first power play from the third game of the playoffs was a game-changer. Two incredibly creative players on the man-advantage unit immediately rejuvenated the Habs' power play. It became less predictable and a real threat.

David Reinbacher

In 17th place, we find the only name returning from last year’s edition: David Reinbacher. He only lost four spots, even though he was sidelined for most of the season with a knee injury, a true testament to how highly regarded he is by GMs, scouts, and directors of player personnel.

The Canadiens did their best to ensure Reinbacher didn’t waste any development opportunities, keeping him around the team until he was ready to return to action with the Laval Rocket. The organization is being very careful with the right-shot defenseman, not letting him skate more than once a day, no morning skate for the youngster, and no extra stress put on that surgically repaired knee—until Friday morning, that is. It looks like he’s turned a corner.

With David Savard hanging up his skates, the Canadiens will have a vacancy on the right side of defense, but will Reinbacher be ready to step into that role? Not yet. I think he could do with a full season in Laval just so the Habs can evaluate what they have in him. He played professional hockey in Switzerland, but the jump to the NHL is big.

Michael Hage

Another new entry for this edition, Michael Hage is 42nd on the THN’s list. He has plenty of potential and was impressive in his first season in the NCAA, scoring 34 points in 33 games. He was even named freshman of the year in the Big 10. He was fourth in points-per-game amongst all rookies in the NCAA with 1.03.

We already know that he’s going back to Michigan for a sophomore season, and he needs it. The 19-year-old is six feet one inch but only 190 pounds. He needs to add some muscle to his frame to be effective in the NHL.

The Canadiens drafted him 21st overall in the last draft, and the organization will have to be patient with him. Don’t expect him to make the jump to the NHL right away.

Logan Mailloux

Another new entry, Logan Mailloux, lands at number 58. His first season with the Laval Rocket was great; he scored 47 points in 72 games, but things were a lot harder in his sophomore campaign. In 63 games, he scored 33 points, which works out to 0.52 points per game, down from 0.65 in his rookie season.

The organization had hoped he could have been ready to make the jump to the NHL this season, but it was apparent at camp that he wasn’t quite there yet. This prompted Kent Hughes to turn to the trade market to replace Jonathan Kovacevic, whom he had thought expendable. Still, he managed to flip Justin Barron for Alex Carrier with the Nashville Predators, and it worked out well for the team.

Mailloux played seven games with the Canadiens this season, scoring four points, but he did not look like a finished product. He was still vulnerable defensively and could probably use more time in Laval.

Jacob Fowler

The fifth and final Canadiens on the list is newly signed goaltender Jacob Fowler. Hughes did well in signing him to an ELC, which only starts next season, and added an amateur tryout for the end of this year.

It has allowed a 20-year-old, 6-foot-4, 214-pound supersize goalie to play his first few professional games. He got three games in the regular season with the Rocket, going 2-1-0 with a 2.32 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.

Samuel Montembeault’s tearing his groin also meant that he was tasked with starting the playoffs with the Rocket since Cayden Primeau was acting as backup to Jakub Dobes. With the Canadiens now eliminated, one would have thought Primeau would have taken the reins back, but Fowler was in the starter’s net on Friday morning, with game two being played in the evening.

In his sophomore season with Boston College, he was a dominant force winning the Mike Richter award as the top goaltender in the NCAA. He finished his season with a 25-7-2 record, a 1.63 GAA and a .940 SP.

It remains to be seen if that dominance will translate well at the professional level, but what his showed so far definitively has Canadiens' fans excited. 

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5 NHLers On Finland’s Last Euro Hockey Tour Roster

Nashville Predators goaltender Jusse Saros playing for Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off. © David Kirouac-Imagn Images

Finland lost its first game of the final leg of the 2024-25 Euro Hockey Tour on Thursday night in Brno, Czechia 4-2 to the host Czechs. Finland’s goals were scored by Lenni Hämeenaho of Ässät Pori and defenseman Veli-Matti Vittasmäki of German club Kölner Haie – the latter was a late addition to the roster.

“The guy came on hard, maybe we weren’t quite ready and the game started off a little badly, but we were able to improve as the game progressed,” Hämeenaho said after the game. “Today’s game was tougher and more physical than the (previous exhibition) games against Sweden. I noticed that the level has risen.”

Juuse Saros stopped 30 of 33 shots in the Finnish goal – Jakub Lauko beat him in the third minute of the game and also scored a late goal into the empty net.

Pastrnak Will Play For Czechs In Worlds, But Not This Weekend In Euro Hockey TourPastrnak Will Play For Czechs In Worlds, But Not This Weekend In Euro Hockey Tour Multiple Czech media outlets reported on Monday that David Pastrňák has finally agreed to play for his home country in this year’s IIHF World Championship. Czech national team GM Jiří Šlégr confirmed the news after the team’s practise.

Finland’s roster currently includes five NHLers, including Saros and Nashville Predators backup goalie Justus Annunen. Also on the team are forwards Joona Koppanen of the Pittburgh Penguins, Juuso Pärssinen of the New York Rangers and Eeli Tolvanen of the Seattle Kraken.

Under previous coach Jukka Jalonen, Finland often relied on European-based players who were familiar with the team’s system ahead of NHLers, but it will be interesting to see if new coach Antti Pennanen decides to add any players who are eliminated from the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Report: NHL Teams Interested In Finnish D-Man Valtteri PulliReport: NHL Teams Interested In Finnish D-Man Valtteri Pulli According to Finnish media outlet MTV, multiple NHL teams are interested in the services of 23-year-old Finnish defenseman Valtteri Pulli, who currently plays in Switzerland for HC Lugano.

Goaltenders: Justus Annunen, Juuse Saros (both Nashville, NHL), Emil Larmi (Växjö Lakers, SWE).

Defensemen: Robin Salo, Lassi Thomson (both Malmö Redhawks, SWE), Atro Leppänen (Sport Vaasa), Tony Sund (IFK Helsinki), Mikko Lehtonen (ZSC Lions, SUI), Valtteri Pulli (HC Lugano, SUI), Rasmus Rissanen (Linköping HC, SWE), Vili Saarijärvi (SCL Tigers, SUI), Mikael Seppälä (HV 71, SWE), Jesse Virtanen (HC Ambri-Piotta, SUI), Veli-Matti Vittasmäki (Kölner Haie, GER).

Forwards: Eemil Erholtz, Lenni Hämeenaho, Jan-Mikael Järvinen (all Ässät Pori), Hannes Björninen, Patrik Puistola (Örebro HK, SWE), Jesse Kiiskinen (HPK Hämeenlinna), Petteri Puhakka (Tappara Tampere), Joona Ikonen (Malmö Redhawks, SWE), Waltteri Merelä (SC Bern, SUI), Joona Koppanen (Pittsburgh, NHL), Juho Lammikko (ZSC Lions, SUI), Ahti Oksanen (Lausanne HC, SUI), Juuso Pärssinen (New York Rangers, NHL), Harri Pesonen (SCL Tigers, SUI), Mikael Ruohomaa (Frölunda HC, SWE), Tommi Tikka (HV 71, SWE), Eeli Tolvanen (Seattle, NHL).

11 NHLers On Swedish Roster At Last Pre-Worlds Tourney11 NHLers On Swedish Roster At Last Pre-Worlds Tourney The NHL contingent on the Swedish national team has now risen to 11 as the team approaches its last tune-up before the IIHF World Championship, and that’s the Czech Hockey Games this weekend – the final leg of the 2024-25 Euro Hockey Tour.
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Steph hopes to repeat his epic 50-point Game 7 performance vs. Rockets

Steph hopes to repeat his epic 50-point Game 7 performance vs. Rockets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After the Warriors fumbled a 3-1 series lead against the Houston Rockets, they will play a do-or-die Game 7 in a hostile road environment Sunday at Toyota Center.

But Steph Curry has been here before, and if history repeats itself, Golden State should be in good shape.

The last time the Warriors played in a Game 7 was two seasons ago against the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. Similarly, the Warriors played the win-or-go-home Game 7 contest on the “road” 80 miles northeast at Golden 1 Center. Curry erupted for a then-historic 50-point flurry with seven made 3s to secure the victory and advance to the second round.

“That was just a great game overall,” Curry told reporters Friday as he recalled that historic night in Sacramento. “Hopefully, I can repeat that.”

Golden State had a 3-1 series lead over Houston after winning its first two games of the series at home, with a chance to close it out and send the Rockets packing in their house in Game 5. But a wonky start was too much to overcome as the Warriors fell 131-116.

The Warriors had yet another opportunity to advance to the Western Conference semifinals in front of their home Chase Center crowd Friday night, but the lack of consistent contributions from players not named Curry or Jimmy Butler affected their chances as they fell 115-107.

Curry and Butler combined for 56 points. The rest of the starters — Draymond Green, Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield — combined for 13.

But Curry and the Warriors know the focus immediately must shift to Sunday, when Curry expects the nerves to kick in under the bright lights but is looking forward to fully embracing it.

“It’s just the nerves and the adrenaline, and you understand the stakes,” Curry said. “If you don’t play your best game, you don’t figure out a way to win, you’re going home. But it’s also exhilarating because when you do, it brings the best out of you. There’s no better feeling of closing out a series with just the whole Game 7 vibe.

” … It’s what this league is about. It’s a great opportunity to show up when it matters most. And have an opportunity to move on. You don’t really do anything different. But you have to embrace the nerves and the adrenaline of it.”

The winner of Sunday’s Game 7 will advance to a second-round matchup with Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

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Rockets beat Warriors to set up game seven decider

Fred VanVleet high-fives Amen Thompson during Houston Rockets' game against Golden State Warriors.
Fred VanVleet led the scoring for the Houston Rockets with 29 points. [Getty Images]

Fred VanVleet scored 29 points as the Houston Rockets beat the Golden State Warriors 115-107 to level their NBA play-off first-round series at 3-3 and force a deciding game seven.

Experienced point guard VanVleet starred for the Rockets, adding eight assists and eight rebounds to his points haul, while Alperen Sengun recorded a double-double with 21 points and 14 rebounds.

The Warriors held a commanding 3-1 lead in the series but have twice failed to close it out, losing to the Rockets in game five on Wednesday and again in game six on Friday.

Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said of VanVleet: "He's had some really good stretches lately.

"He knows what it is. He's been a champion. Been there, done that. So I wouldn't expect anything less than that from him."

Warriors coach Steve Kerr added: "I thought we got some good looks against the zone but then, once they pulled away by 10 or 12, it was easier for them to run us off the line."

The Rockets will host game seven on Sunday, with the winning team to face the Minnesota Timberwolves who clinched a 4-1 win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Magic Weekend brings a divided sport together – for 48 hours at least

All 12 Super League clubs take the field at St James’ Park but away from the pitch the structure of the sport in England is under discussion

There are some weekends when Super League’s profile feels elevated and this is one of them. The 18th edition of Magic Weekend, with all 12 teams playing in the same venue over two days, returns to St James’ Park with the event being played out to a backdrop of excitement and uncertainty.

On the one hand, this has been an encouraging start to 2025. Attendances are up, viewing figures are trending the right way and there is the prospect of the best-attended Ashes series in a generation this autumn, with two of the three venues already sold out.

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Three Takeaways From Blues' 5-2 Win Against Jets In Game 6 Of Western Conference First Round

Nathan Walker (26) scored his third goal in two games to help the St. Louis Blues force a Game 7 against the Winnipeg Jets in the Western Conference First Round following a 5-2 win in Game 6 on Friday. (Connor Hamilton-Imagn Images)

ST. LOUIS – Honestly, this is so hard to decipher.

The discrepancy between the St. Louis Blues and Winnipeg Jets in this Western Conference First round series is quite home-dominated.

For the sixth straight game in this series, the home team held serve and there will be a Game 7 in this series after the Blues took control of Game 6 on Friday in the second period when they scored four times in a 5-2 win before another boisterous crowd at Enterprise Center.

Philip Broberg and Alexey Toropchenko each had a goal and an assist, Brayden Schenn, Cam Fowler and Nathan Walker each scored and Jordan Binnington once again bested Connor Hellebuyck with 21 saves.

The Blues have outscored the Jets 17-5 in the three games at home after a 7-2 win in Game 3 and 5-1 in Game 4.

The likely Vezina Trophy winner was chased in each of the games in St. Louis, and the Blues chased Hellebuyck again, this time after two periods when he allowed five goals on 23 shots.

It was second period blitzkrieg that saw the Blues seize control of the game and force a Game 7 on Sunday at 6 p.m. in Winnipeg.

So without further ado, let’s go straight to Friday’s Three Takeaways:

* Four goals in 5:23 was an onslaught – There were some nervy moments there when the Jets tied the game early in the second period on a Cole Perfetti power-play goal, but just like the two previous home games, the Blues hit the Jets in the mouth.

One goal, two goals, three goals, four goals.

Game over.

Walker at 11:34. Schenn at 12:27. Fowler at 13:40. Toropchenko at 16:57.

And that was that.

It happened fast, it happened furious, it happened with precision.

Hellebuyck was staggered (again), and the crowd was electric, and as Schenn said, “It felt like when Fowler scored it almost popped the roof right off. It’s an unreal place to play, I’ve always said that about St. Louis. The fans are electric, full building every night, and they come to cheer with their Blues jersey on and pretty special city. We definitely embrace their energy.”

Walker got the lead back when he was positioned at the top of the crease when Broberg put on a skating clinic down the left hand side and around the net, before slipping a little cheeky pass that Walker tucked away for his third goal in two games.

“Whenever you can contribute and get the win, that’s obviously better than not,” Walker said. “’Broby’ made a great play there and I was just in the right spot at the right time.”

Schenn’s goal came off a breakout play when Ryan Suter hit Jake Neighbours, whose precision little touch pass off the boards sprung Schenn in stride, and like a crafty veteran, he used Jets defenseman Neal Pionk as a screen to snap a shot by Hellebuyck on the glove side.

Fowler’s goal was also a momentum play and he took advantage of the kind of traffic that makes Hellebuyck uncomfortable, and it was Walker there setting the screen that Hellebuyck never saw.

And Toropchenko finished off the onslaught when Faksa hit him in stride and he potted a shot from the slot, this time to the blocker side.

“We utilized our speed and our physicality,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “I thought we were able to be physical down low, we were able to skate with some speed through the neutral zone and we were really committed to getting to the net front again. Those first couple of goals, they’re really good screen goals. That Faksa line was dominant tonight.”

* Faksa line sets tempo again, but is also now scoring – And that leads into the Faksa line.

Montgomery starts them seemingly every game, just like Craig Berube used to do with the Ivan Barbashev-Oskar Sundqvist-Alexander Steen fourth line of the Stanley Cup-winning team in 2019, and with good reason.

They do all the little things that make a line go and sets the tone for the rest of their linemates, but after collectively putting up four points in Game 5, the line had two goals and three assists in Game 6 and have 11 points in the series.

Faksa also had two assists to go with the contributions of Toropchenko and Walker.

“In a series, there’s the game within the game of a series,” Montgomery said. “They’re a load to handle. it doesn’t matter. They’ve scored goals against every D-pairing, so they’re hard to handle down low. Over and over it gets hard and they’re creating that identity that we look for that allows us to get to net fronts, to win races and get screened goals.”

It’s why teammates trust them in all situations.

“They’ve been the most consistent line all year with the way they play, pretty much right from Game 1,” Schenn said. “They don’t really get broken up that much and it’s almost like they play robotic because they’re so on the same page, they play on the goal line, they wear other teams down. They’re big, they can skate and they hold on to pucks and get to the net. Obviously good chemistry and guys that get along off the ice that’s translating on to the ice.”

Broberg added, "I think they've been great all year.  They work so hard and they play physical and they score goals, important goals, for us. And all three guys are great guys as well off the ice so you love to have them on your team, and they've been huge for us."

Oh, and hey Logan Stanley, 6-foot-7, 231-pound Logan Stanley ... 5-9, 187-pound Nathan Walker doesn't move that easily:

* Broberg’s goal timely – As for Broberg, his goal was so crucial.

There was a sense in the building that the Blues were somewhat tentative.

The Jets came out with a purpose, and the first five minutes or so, even though they didn’t get a high volume number of shots, they had an advantage with territorial possession of the puck.

But there was some footing with the Blues on that shift, and it was on a puck that got played by Justin Faulk behind the net while being challenged near the O-zone blue line, Jimmy Snuggerud found Robert Thomas, who in turn found Broberg in the high slot. And Broberg’s fluttering knuckle puck got through Hellebuyck as Pavel Buchnevich was doing a fly-by at the top of the crease that saw defenseman Dylan Samberg push Buchnevich into some contact.

“Yeah, I think they came out hard, for sure, and I think we responded well,” Broberg said. “After that, I think we played better and played to our strengths.”

It seemed to give the Blues some life and slowly but surely turn the tides in which they began to play more in the offensive zone and not allow Winnipeg, which was playing without Mark Scheifele due to his undisclosed injury in the first period of Game 5, to get to its forecheck and disrupt the Blues from transitional play.

“It was really important,” Montgomery said. “I thought it was a great play by Faulk to drive wide and that’s that speed we’re talking about and then we had people drive through and were able to go low to high and pound that puck. It was really important because I did not like the start of our first 8-10 minutes, then we started to come after that goal.”

* Bonus takeaway: Binnington made some precise saves – While a lot of the focus has been on Hellebuyck, Binnington was once again, with back against a wall, making timely saves.

It started with pushing from right to left on Nikolaj Ehlers 1:14 into the game. If the Jets score there, what kind of game are we talking about?

And there was another unbelievable save on Kyle Connor off a low-slot one-timer that he pushes left to right outstretched to keep a puck out.

“He’s the total package,” Fowler said. “He’s a huge reason why we are where we are and we’ll continue to lean on him because he’s shown everybody time and time again that he’s world class.”

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Mets Notes: Pete Alonso eager to conquer new month, Clay Holmes appreciates breathing room

Pete Alonso's roaring start to the 2025 season earned him NL Player of the Month honors from MLB on Friday afternoon, and just a few hours after the Mets' slugger received the accolade, he hinted that his May could look even better than his April.

While there was no shortage of offense for the Mets in their 9-3 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, it was typical power from Alonso that sparked a mid-innings outburst. The veteran first baseman delivered a clutch go-ahead, two-run homer off of Sonny Gray in the fifth that shifted momentum and helped New York secure a franchise-record ninth straight victory over St. Louis.

The calendar flipped, but Alonso didn't. He moved into sole possession of fifth place on the Mets' all-time RBI list (616) with a 2-for-5 night at the plate, and he's now 19 homers shy of surpassing icon Darryl Strawberry and becoming the club's new power king.

With an NL-best .473 on-base percentage and 20 extra-base hits, Alonso has been the catalyst to a first-place club. But he's not focused on the recognition and acclaim for a stellar April. He only wants to "contribute to winning." So far, so good.

"His ability to control the strike zone is probably the best I've seen it over last year and this early on," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Alonso after Friday's win. "We know the power is there and we know he's a good hitter. But he gets in trouble when he starts chasing. I feel like now, he's taking his walks and getting pitches to hit, and he's not missing them."

Holmes appreciates run support

Clay Holmes didn't wield his best stuff on Friday. While he completed six innings and earned a quality start for the second time this season, he allowed three runs on a season-high eight hits and struck out only three. The closer-turned-starter was required to navigate some jams -- he couldn't dodge a comebacker that struck his ankle in the second inning, however.

But ample and opportune run support placed Holmes in the win column for a fourth time, and he appreciated that cushion as a pressure reliever while his outing stretched to a season-high 92 pitches. Through seven starts (36.2 innings), the veteran right-hander has produced a sharp 2.95 ERA with 39 strikeouts.

"It's a team that puts the ball in play a lot -- I'm a contact guy," Holmes said. "I was able to start mixing my pitches, use the four-seam and cutter a little bit, the slider. Really trying to generate some weak contact and make the defense work. Huge response by our offense there...

"As long as I don't give free passes, it usually takes a few hits to beat me. It's a balancing act. I want to be in the zone and trust the weak contact and keep pitching to it. Maybe there's times when I could've gone for more chase with the slider or sinker..."

Best game yet for Alvarez

When the Mets were in desperate need of offense against the Nationals last weekend, they relied on power from Francisco Alvarez to narrowly escape with a win. And when the runs came in bunches against the Cardinals on Friday, Alvarez made sure that he was smack in the middle of their hit parade.

Batting out of the eighth spot, the young catcher finished the night 3-for-5 with a team-high three RBI, and his average now sits at .269 through 26 at-bats. Alvarez also helped Holmes settle down behind the dish in the second inning by gunning down Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn, trying to steal second.

Mendoza is pleased to see Alvarez allowing the ball to travel deep through the zone and properly timing his swing for impactful opposite-field knocks. Two of the 23-year-old's three hits against Cardinals pitchers were sent to right field.

"It's a good sign. We saw it a little bit in spring training before he went down," Mendoza said. "And not just flipping balls the other way -- hitting it hard. That's a good sign for a good hitter, and hopefully he takes off from there."

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Fred VanVleet and the Rockets force a deciding Game 7 by beating the Warriors 115-107 in Game 6

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry had just produced one of his fantastic flurries to get Golden State right back in the game when Fred VanVleet started the fourth quarter with a four-point play that stole the momentum right back.

VanVleet had 29 points, eight assists and eight rebounds, Alperen Sengun contributed 21 points and 14 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets kept their season alive by beating the Golden State Warriors 115-107 on Friday night and forcing a deciding Game 7 in their first-round playoff series.

Golden State went cold when it mattered most: The Warriors missed 13 straight shots between Draymond Green’s basket with 10:12 left and a 3-pointer by Curry at the 3:35 mark.

Now, everybody will get back on an airplane and head to Houston for Game 7 on Sunday for a chance to meet well-rested Minnesota in the Western Conference semifinals. That’s exactly what the Warriors were hoping to avoid with a chance to clinch at home in Chase Center.

“I think we just know how important it is, they do too,” Warriors forward Jimmy Butler said.

Curry scored 29 points but shot 9 of 23, going 6 for 16 from deep. Butler added 27 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.

Houston coach Ime Udoka improved to 5-1 when facing elimination. Golden State’s Steve Kerr, meanwhile, is 7-0 in first-round playoff series.

VanVleet converted the four-point play after the Warriors had pulled within two with Curry’s flurry to end the third. Jalen Green scored the next time down on a putback of his own miss. Then, VanVleet’s 3 from the top with 6:47 remaining put Houston up 101-89.

“We can’t give up a four-point play in a two-point game,” Draymond Green said.

Curry’s driving layup with 39 seconds left in the third made it a four-point game, firing up the home crowd in bright yellow playoff shirts with matching rally towels. He then made two free throws as the Warriors pulled within 86-84.

But the Warriors couldn’t keep it going. With a balanced effort on both ends — including 17 points and hustle plays by big man Steven Adams off the bench — Houston had an answer nearly every time Golden State threatened or made a big play.

The Warriors led 3-1 in the series but fell behind in a hurry in a 131-116 Game 5 loss Wednesday night as Houston’s offense rolled after averaging 98 points through the first four games of the series.

VanVleet was brilliant again. He shot 7 for 13 from the floor after consecutive games going 8 for 13, and he converted all nine of his free throws — he’s a perfect 22 of 22 at the line over the series. And from 3-point range the past three games, he’s 18 for 27.

That’s why Kerr went to defensive specialist Gary Payton II in the starting lineup in place of Brandin Podziemski.

Draymond Green picked up an offensive foul at the 8:53 mark of the first quarter for shoving Jalen Green. The play went to review and the foul was determined to be a flagrant-1. But after two straight games with dustups, both teams stayed poised.

“It was a mantra going into the series: Play through everything,” Udoka said. “It’s going to be a physical game. Don’t ask for anything. We want to be physical. So if the refs allow it or that’s how the style of game is played, that favors us more often than not.”