Henry Nicholls’ superb unbeaten century saw New Zealand into an utterly dominant position against England in the second Test at the Oval on Friday.
The Avalanche's Toughest Offseason Decision Isn't as Simple as Trading Valeri Nichushkin
Every offseason produces at least one difficult decision, and this one might define the Colorado Avalanche's pursuit of another Stanley Cup.
Valeri Nichushkin is simultaneously one of the team's biggest strengths and one of its biggest uncertainties.
When he's healthy and on the ice, few power forwards in the NHL can match the combination of size, speed and relentless puck pursuit that has made him such an integral part of Colorado's identity. But injuries and off-ice setbacks have repeatedly interrupted what could have been one of the league's most dominant careers, leaving the Avalanche to answer a question that doesn't have an easy solution.
Do you move one of the best playoff performers in franchise history while he still carries significant value? Or do you trust that a healthy offseason finally allows him to become the player everyone inside the organization knows he can be?
There's a compelling case for both.
When Nichushkin is healthy, he is one of the most efficient and impactful skaters on Colorado's roster. He can score in bunches, and when he finds his rhythm, he has a tendency to take over games.
Nichushkin finished the season with 17 goals and 32 assists for 49 points in 72 games. He scored in just 12 of those contests, but four of them were multi-goal performances, including a hat trick on New Year's Eve in a 6-1 rout of the St. Louis Blues — the same night Nathan MacKinnon scored his 400th career NHL goal.
Beyond the production, Nichushkin does countless things that don't always show up on the scoresheet. He has underrated puck skills that allow him to carry the puck into the offensive zone with possession, his speed makes him one of Colorado's best forecheckers, and his combination of size and hockey IQ helps him win battles along the boards and extend offensive-zone time.
He's exactly the type of power forward every contender wants.
The problem is that he isn't always available.
In fact, Nichushkin shares an unfortunate distinction with Hockey Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux: he has never played a full 82-game season. The closest he came was during the 2013-14 and 2015-16 campaigns with the Dallas Stars. Throughout his career, injuries have consistently interrupted his seasons, and in recent years, so have off-ice issues.
On April 22, 2023, Avalanche staff found a heavily intoxicated woman in Nichushkin's room at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle before Game 3 of Colorado's first-round playoff series against the Kraken. The team doctor called emergency services, the woman was transported to a hospital, and Nichushkin abruptly left the team.
No criminal charges were filed against Nichushkin, but he returned to Denver and did not play again as Colorado's Stanley Cup title defense ended in seven games. Nichushkin later revealed he would have returned had the Avalanche advanced to the second round.
Less than a year later, in January 2024, Nichushkin entered the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and the Avalanche announced he would be away from the team indefinitely.
The program consists of four stages. Stage 1 involves an initial in-patient treatment program with no disciplinary penalty. A violation of the Stage 1 treatment plan moves a player into Stage 2, where he can be suspended without pay during active treatment before becoming eligible for reinstatement.
Stage 3, which follows a violation of the Stage 2 treatment plan, carries a suspension without pay for at least six months before reinstatement can be considered. Stage 4, following a violation of the Stage 3 treatment plan, results in a suspension of at least one year, with no guarantee of reinstatement.
Nichushkin completed treatment in late February 2024 and entered follow-up care under the Stage 2 treatment plan. He returned to the Avalanche on March 8 and still managed to finish the regular season with 28 goals.
Then came another setback.
After scoring nine goals in eight playoff games during Colorado's first-round series victory over the Winnipeg Jets, Nichushkin failed a drug test, was suspended for six months without pay, and entered Stage 3 of the Player Assistance Program.
Since returning, however, there have been no public issues. Head coach Jared Bednar repeatedly said throughout this past season that Nichushkin was in a great place mentally and had become an important presence inside the locker room.
That part of the story is often overlooked.
Nichushkin isn't someone who seeks the spotlight. If Nathan MacKinnon is quiet around the media, Nichushkin is even more reserved. Yet Bednar has spoken about how younger players gravitate toward him because he's approachable and easy to relate to. It's also no secret that he and goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood have developed a close friendship.
His statistical decline this season wasn't entirely his fault.
After Colorado's 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 11, Nichushkin had five goals and seven assists for 12 points in 17 games. In that game, though, he blocked a shot and suffered a lower-body injury that sidelined him for nearly a month.
Only a month after returning, Nichushkin was involved in a car accident on his way to the rink and missed a 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. He later dealt with an upper-body injury in early April before suffering another lower-body injury in Game 3 of the Western Conference Final. He missed the final 22 minutes of that game and Game 4 as Colorado was swept by the Vegas Golden Knights.
There may not have been a player more ready for the offseason than Nichushkin.
A healthy summer devoted entirely to recovery and conditioning could set him up for another productive campaign.
People also tend to forget what he has already sacrificed for the organization. Nichushkin has fought for this team, played through pain for this team and helped deliver a Stanley Cup.
During the 2022 Stanley Cup Final, he played Game 6 with a broken foot and still produced four goals and two assists in the series. Those four goals tied a franchise record shared by Joe Sakic and Alex Tanguay for the most in a Stanley Cup Final.
That's the version of Valeri Nichushkin the Avalanche are betting still exists.
Colorado could certainly explore moving his $6.125 million cap hit after creating additional flexibility with the Ross Colton trade. A left-shot defenseman or a younger, more physical forward could make sense on paper.
But there's another way to view it.
Nichushkin is 31 years old, not 36. His recent postseason numbers — five goals over his last two playoff appearances — don't erase the 19 goals he scored in the previous three postseasons, nor do they erase the reality that, when healthy, he remains one of the NHL's most dominant playoff wingers.
That's why the smarter approach may simply be patience.
Give Nichushkin a healthy offseason. See what he looks like over the first half of next season. If he returns to the player Colorado knows he can be, the Avalanche keep one of the league's most unique forwards. If not, his combination of production and contract certainty still makes him a valuable trade asset at the deadline.
If the Avalanche can find a way to retain Jack Drury and Brett Kulak while working within the nearly $7 million they have left in cap space, even better. The downside, however, is that it could leave Brent Burns as the odd man out.
But for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, moving on from Valeri Nichushkin now might be the bigger gamble.
"Thankful I Got To Play With a Player Like Him": Jonathan Toews Singles Out Red Wings' Patrick Kane in Retirement Speech
On Friday morning at the Jonathan Toews Sportsplex in Winnipeg, one of the most emotional moments of an already deeply moving retirement speech came when Toews began working his way through the teammates who defined his historic NHL career, and the first name mentioned was one that surprised nobody in Patrick Kane.
The two arrived in Chicago together, were drafted back to back in 2006, and spent the better part of 16 seasons as the engine behind one of the most celebrated dynasties in 21st century hockey.
From their rookie season in 2007 all the way through Kane's trade to the New York Rangers in 2022-23, Toews and Kane were one of the best duos the sport has ever seen, winning three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks and built a bond that clearly ran far deeper than the rink.
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"Kane came in with me as a rookie, we're kind of an odd couple for a lot of those years, especially when we were rooming together," Toews laughed.
"Going through the journey with a young player like himself definitely took the pressure off me, but at the same time, a guy like that is going to push you to get better and his commitment to the game and the career he's had. I get to look back and be thankful I got to play with a player like him."
Toews closed his NHL career having played 1,149 games, recording 383 goals and 529 assists for 912 points, numbers that tell only part of the story of a player whose value was always measured in championship rings and leadership as much as individual statistics.
Kane, meanwhile, is not yet finished writing his own chapter as the Detroit Red Wings winger put together a strong 2025-26 campaign, posting 57 points in just 67 games, and is widely expected to return to the ice next season despite not yet signing an extension with Detroit.
When he does return, he will carry a distinction that no other player in the league can claim, as the last remaining active player from those legendary Blackhawks teams, a living piece of hockey history skating on into a new era while his former partner steps away from the game for good.
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Slumping Braves need Martin Perez magic as they host the Brewers and the Miz
Well, the slump is on. While it’s not surprising for any team to slump for a few games, and even less surprising for an injury-laden squad to do so, it’s still been quite a turnaround for a team that held baseball’s best record for quite a while. After going 1-6 in their last seven games, with three consecutive series losses (two shortened by rain), the Braves are now a full game behind the Dodgers in the best record race. They’re a half-game ahead of the Brewers, who come to town for a holiday weekend series.
If you were hoping that maybe the Braves could change their fortunes with a new series, well… uh… maybe shunt those hopes onto tomorrow. Because, tonight, the pitching matchup involves Martin Perez and Jacob Misiorowski.
The Miz, as he is affectionately called these days, has basically been eating MLB batters for dinner. He already had an impressive debut in 2025, putting up 1.2 fWAR and a 104/88/89 line (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) in 15 appearances (14 starts), but 2026 has been worlds apart. Through 14 starts, Misiorowski has completed 87 innings with a 33/40/49 line. We used to talk about Chris Sale and Spencer Strider video game numbers, and, honestly, these are even better than those numbers. The Miz has 3.9 fWAR and it’s not even July yet; he leads MLB in pitching fWAR, FIP-, and xFIP-, and is second by a smidge in ERA- to boot. While his April was very good, things have taken a turn for the sublime when the calendar turned to May. In his last eight starts, Misiorowski has an 80/9 K/BB ratio, and a 4/18/38 line. Those don’t even seem like real numbers.
He’s coming off one of the greatest MLB pitching performances ever, a near-perfect game where he faced the minimum (but had a hit off him) and threw just 95 pitches while striking out 15 Phillies. Those Phillies weren’t mired in terrible offensive doldrums and the Miz diced ‘em up. What will happen to the Braves? Well, watch and witness, I guess.
To do battle against Misiorowski, the Braves will deploy Martin Perez. At one point, this was tabbed as a Chris Sale-Miz matchup, but the Braves are definitely not yet (or ever?) in the “give Chris Sale as many starts as humanly possible” operating mode, so… Perez it is. To his credit, Perez has taken over the “unexpectedly pretty good starter” position from Bryce Elder, and his season line now sits at 0.8 fWAR and a 70/93/94 line in 62 total innings, which is certainly way better than anyone was expecting out of him. Due to the phenomenon I still think of as Perez pachinko, it’s pretty hard to know exactly what you’re going to get out of him other than a relatively short outing, but maybe he can help keep the score fairly close if nothing else.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, June 19, 7:15 p.m. EDT
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV: BravesVision
Streaming: MLB.tv
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan
Jonathan Toews Officially Retires After Historic 17-Year NHL Career
On Friday morning at the Jonathan Toews Sportsplex in Winnipeg, the hometown hero officially announced his retirement from the NHL, closing the book on a 17-year career that cemented his legacy as one of the greatest winners the sport has ever produced and arguably the finest athlete Manitoba has ever given the world.
Toews admitted he was more nervous than he expected to be, but spoke with the same calm, measured presence that defined him throughout his playing days, working his way through a lengthy and heartfelt speech that touched on the people, the moments and the memories that shaped everything he became.
He began with the Chicago Blackhawks, the organization that drafted him third overall back in 2006 and gave him the stage to become a legend. Toews described his time in Chicago as going by in the blink of an eye, calling it a special chapter he remains deeply grateful for.
He thanked former general manager Stan Bowman and head coach Joel Quenneville before reflecting on the three Stanley Cups that defined the Blackhawks dynasty, recalling the surreal feeling of winning the first one and the almost incomprehensible moment of bringing the Cup home to Winnipeg, describing the experience of having it sitting in his living room and barely being able to process that any of it was actually happening.
As the first teammate he wanted to single out, Toews turned to Patrick Kane, his longtime linemate and the other half of one of the most celebrated duos in modern NHL history.
"Patrick Kane came in with me as a rookie. We're kind of an odd couple for a lot of those years, especially when we were rooming together," Toews laughed.
"Going through the journey with a young player like himself definitely took the pressure off me, but at the same time, a guy like that is going to push you to get better and his commitment to the game and the career he's had, I get to look back and be thankful I got to play with a player like him."
Toews also extended gratitude to Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Patrick Sharp, describing the veteran core as big brothers who helped shape his understanding of leadership and what it meant to be a captain in the NHL. He thanked the Chicago faithful as well, noting that the pace of the game rarely allowed him to stop and appreciate what was happening around him.
Toews reflected on how the NHL demands you always be focused on what comes next, leaving little time to smell the roses, but said the ovations he received from the Chicago crowd caught him off guard and that being able to skate around and soak it all in served as a powerful reminder of just how special his years with the Blackhawks truly were.
Toews finished his tenure with the Blackhawks with 372 goals and 511 assists for 883 points in 1,068 games, adding 119 points in 137 playoff games across 16 seasons.
When he turned his attention to the Winnipeg Jets, Toews began by singling out Jets chairman Mark Chipman, calling him a hero and crediting his work in bringing the NHL back to Winnipeg as nothing short of monumental.
"Thank you for giving me the opportunity to live out my dream of pulling on that Jets sweater and playing in front of my hometown community, my family, my friends, all the people that have supported me over the years. It meant a lot to them and it means a lot to me," Toews said.
He thanked general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Scott Arniel for taking a chance on a player who had been away from the game for two years and represented something of an unknown commodity.
"I know I was kind of a wild card, not knowing what this year would look like, having been away from the game for two years," Toews explained.
"It's a business and you guys are out there to win and I can't thank you enough for your patience and your support, helping me find my way and be part of this locker room and this team."
Toews spoke warmly about his Jets teammates, laughing as he noted he had collected more nicknames in one season in Winnipeg than in his entire career before it, and was quick to praise the culture Cheveldayoff and Arniel have built within the organization, noting it was not something that happened overnight.
"Even though I feel like I struggled on the ice and didn't quite contribute the way I wanted to at times this year, you guys made me feel part of the group right away."
He spoke to the resilience of the group throughout a season that did not end the way any of them had hoped, and offered words that carried the weight of someone who has lived through both the highest highs and lowest lows the game has to offer.
"I wish I could have done more, I wish we would have had a little bit more team success. I think we all wanted that this year, and you guys just kept showing up every day, ready to work and have fun and that starts with you guys."
Toews went on to thank the training staffs of both the Blackhawks and Jets before reflecting on the personal journey that brought him to this moment, one that included prolonged health battles that left him uncertain whether he would ever play again.
"I think, when you're heading into the unknown a little bit and your whole life has kind of been structured and predictable from one year to the next, it is not easy. Sometimes I catch myself wishing that things had gone differently, and I could have finished my career on a different note these last five years or so, but truth be told, I'm grateful for the struggle and the learning experiences I've been through," Toews noted.
"Ironically, I feel like I've learned so much more about myself and about life through the low points than I ever did when my career was at its height."
He closed by thanking his family for consistently putting their own needs aside to support his dream, and offered a final word to the city that raised him.
"The old saying goes, it takes a village. In my case, it couldn't be more true. Too many people to name, my coaches, childhood friends, people all over the city of Winnipeg. It was super special this year to reconnect and cross paths with people I haven't seen in 15, 20 years. It's just special to see what the Jets and hockey means in the city and thank you all for everything."
To close out his speech, Toews spoke directly to Jets fans one final time.
"Lastly, thank you to our loyal Jets fans and the city of Winnipeg. Something special about being from this city. I'm so proud to be from Winnipeg and thank you guys for making this year so special. I hope I represented you guys well over the years, so thank you very much."
Among the most decorated players of his generation, Toews leaves the game with a resume that will make Hall of Fame voters take little time in making their decision. He won three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015 with the Blackhawks, capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2010.
At the international level, he was equally dominant representing Canada, winning two Olympic gold medals with Team Canada in 2010 and 2014, a World Junior Championship gold medal and a World Championship gold medal, becoming one of the rare players in hockey history to complete the Triple Gold Club.
Individually, he was a Frank J. Selke Trophy winner as the league's best defensive forward, a Mark Messier Leadership Award recipient and was named Winnipeg's Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominee this past season.
It was a fitting final scene for a player who began his hockey journey with the Winnipeg Warriors U15 AAA and the Winnipeg Jr. Jets, and who ends it in the same city, having represented it with distinction every step of the way.
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NBA Offseason Trade/Free Agent Rumors 2026: Pistons linked as third team in Antetokounmpo to Heat trade
We are four days out from the NBA Draft, when a lot of trades are expected to go down — including the biggest one on the board — and just 11 days out from the start of free agency. The NBA Rumor Mill could not be spinning faster. Here are just some of the latest headlines.
Pistons third team in Antetokounmpo to Heat?
It has long been assumed that Portland will end up being the third team in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade to the Miami Heat — and that trade remains the clear frontrunner if the Bucks are going to meet co-owner Jimmy Haslam's self-imposed deadline of having the Antetokounmpo situation wrapped up by the NBA Draft (June 23). Portland makes sense because they have some of Milwaukee's future first-round picks that the Bucks would like back.
However, we should "monitor" the Pistons in those talks as a third team, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
Detroit is on the hunt for a secondary shot creator and shooter to put next to Cade Cunningham and Tyler Herro would be a perfect fit. Herro has long been projected to head to Milwaukee in an Antetokounmpo trade. In this scenario, the Bucks would flip Herro to Detroit, and Detroit would likely send back picks and potentially players such as Ron Holland, Marcus Sasser or Caris LeVert.
Other players the Pistons might chase if they miss out on Herro (or the Lakers' Austin Reaves, another target) are the Hornets' Coby White, Oklahoma City's Isaiah Joe, and Sacramento's Zach LaVine, according to Stein.
Kawhi Leonard, Ja Morant Heat backup plans
To be clear: Miami remains the frontrunner to land Giannis Antetokounmpo if the Bucks stick to their plan to have this saga wrapped up by the draft.
However, if the Heat strike out on the Greek Freak, keep an eye on them going after Kawhi Leonard or Ja Morant, something first reported by Jake Fischer at The Stein Line and now backed up by Sam Amick at The Athletic.
The problem here is that Kawhi Leonard isn't available. At least not right now. Reports out of Southern California suggest team owner Steve Ballmer is opposed to trading Leonard, and owners generally get their way. Ballmer wants to work out a contract extension that keeps Leonard home in LA. That said, two things could change the dynamic. First, the findings of the Aspiration investigation might alter a lot of things around the Clippers, but we don't yet know what they are.
Then there are contract talks. Leonard has one year at $50.3 million left on his deal, but if he wants to stay with the Clippers, he's going to have to take a serious cut in that salary. ESPN's Tim MacMahon laid it out in the latest The Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip Bleacher Report).
"My understanding is if there's going to be an extension, there's going to be some legitimate negotiations. This isn't just, 'Can you take a little haircut?' He's going to have to take a pay cut, I believe, to extend with the Clippers. So, we'll see. I think it's extend him with a pay cut or explore the trade market. I think those are the two real options. And obviously with this youth movement, they've positioned themselves to where hey, if it's explore the trade market, they've already kind of started the post-Kawhi transition despite the fact that they still have some picks that they owe."
If Leonard became available, there would be suitors from Golden State to Miami.
Morant is available. The primary concern with him is health and availability.
Celtics eying Trey Murphy III
Boston still comes up in the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talk, although league sources speaking to NBC Sports continue to question how serious the Celtics really are in that pursuit. Boston might be down if this were a straight-up Jaylen Brown for Antetokounmpo swap, noted by Sam Amick at The Athletic, but the Bucks need more than that in a deal.
If Boston doesn't win the Antetokounmpo sweepstakes, they may turn their attention to pairing Trey Murphy with Jayson Tatum and Brown, Amick reports.
To that end, league sources say the Celtics are among the many teams with interest in the New Orleans Pelicans' Trey Murphy III (if they don't land Antetokounmpo).
One other Celtics-related note from Amick: If Boston is open to trading Derrick White, coming off a season where he struggled with his shot (but helped the Celtics in a lot of other ways), the Timberwolves are interested.
Also, league sources say the Minnesota Timberwolves — whose pursuit of Antetokounmpo also appears to have cooled — have strong interest in the Celtics' Derrick White.
White has two fully guaranteed seasons at $63 million total on his contract, plus a player-option year after that.
“Beef Stew” available
The Detroit Pistons are making physical, elite defensive center Isaiah Stewart available this summer, reports Amick at The Athletic.
Stewart is a little undersized (6'8"), but he is incredibly physical, blocked 1.6 shots per game, held players to a league best 43.8% shooting at the rim when he was the primary defender, and scored 10 points a game on 55% shooting. He could help a lot of teams looking for rim protection and physicality in the paint.
Detroit has to pay Jalen Duren this summer and is going to trust Paul Reed as his backup and see what the market is for Stewart. What Detroit will want back in a trade is shooting and playmaking.
Other Trade Notes
• Rui Hachimura to Spurs? With the Lakers focused on retaining Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard, Rui Hachimura may be the odd man out (despite him stepping up in the playoffs and averaging 17.5 points per game while shooting 56.9% from 3-point range). The Spurs may be a team trying to swoop in and pick Hachimura up as a free agent, reports Michael C. Wright at ESPN.
San Antonio could use a backup stretch big as it reloads for next season, and a combo stretch big man who can start and possibly play alongside Wembanyama in bigger lineups such as Rui Hachimura.
• Fox is still Spurs' starting point guard. One of the talking points during the NBA Finals was how long before Dylan Harper has to start and De'Aaron Fox gets moved to the side in San Antonio. Not so fast, my friend, reports ESPN's Wright. He says that Fox had an All-Star season, that he settled the young team down, and that he is not losing his job, at least to start the season. If you're thinking the Spurs should trade Fox, remember that his four-year, $229 million contract extension kicks in this season and not a lot of teams are looking to take that on.
• Portland interested in Jaylen Brown. This is a long shot (at best), but Amick mentioned it, and we'll throw it in here: If Boston decides to make Brown available via trade, Portland is interested. New owner Tom Dundon wants to make a bold move and announce his presence with authority, so expect the Trail Blazers to come up in a lot of rumors.
Red Sox Minor Lines: Un-Tsung Hero
Lehigh Valley IronPigs 5, Worcester Red Sox 4 (BOX)
After falling behind 3-0 early, the Woo Sox battled back to tie the game on three solo home runs. Max Ferguson hit his first of the year, Tyler McDonough his second, and Tsung-Che Cheng his seventh. Cheng had a big day, going 3-for-5. Mikey Romero and Allan Castro also contributed two hits apiece, part of a 13-hit effort from the Woo Sox. Kristian Campbell (.217 BA) was 1-for-4.
Starter Raymond Burgos went five innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out four. Devin Sweet fell to 1-4 in relief, allowing two runs in the sixth inning to the IronPigs (PHI) for the loss.
Worcester will play at 6:45 this evening and has not yet announced a starter.
Portland Sea Dogs 7, Somerset Patriots 6 (BOX)
The Sea Dogs matched the Woo Sox effort with 13 hits of their own against Somerset (NYY) on Thursday, and were able to pull out a one-run affair. Portland got two-hit efforts from Marvin Alcantara, Will Turner, Brooks Brannon, and Stanley Tucker. A home run from Will Turner capped a four-run second inning, as well.
Hayden Mullins struggled in the start for the Sea Dogs, allowing nine baserunners and three runs in three innings. Michael Sansone got the win, going 5 ⅔ innings, and allowing three runs, before giving way to Cade “don’t call me George” Feeney for the save. Yes, Mister Matthews.
John Holobetz (3-3, 4.70) will toe the rubber at 6:00 tonight.
Jersey Shore BlueClaws 8, Greenville Drive 5 (BOX)
A 1-1 game entering the fifth, things got ugly fast against the BlueClaws (PHI), when they exploded for a seven run inning. Tyler Davis allowed six of those runs, getting the loss. The Drive fought back a bit in the eighth inning with four runs, including a Luke Heyman home run, part of a two-hit day. Yophery Rodriguez also homered, his 11th, in the loss.
The Drive will send Kyson Witherspoon (2-3, 5.28) to the hill at 7:05.
Salem RidgeYaks 10, Fredericksburg Nationals 5 (BOX)
The RidgeYaks had just six hits on the day, but still managed to get ten runs, thanks to eight walks from Fredericksburg (WAS) and two errors.
Salem got three runs apiece in the second, seventh, and ninth innings. Right fielder Andrews Opata homered in the ninth inning to break the game open. Avinson Pinto and Andruw Musett each had two RBI games.
Control was not the story of the day in this one, as Salem pitching walked twelve, to go along with the eight from the Nationals. Six of those walks came from reliever Joey Gartrell. Cole Tolbert didn’t allow an earned run in three innings as the starter, and Harry Blum got the win with 2 ⅔ hitless innings.
Brady Tygart (0-0, 5.79) takes the mound at 6:35 tonight for the ‘Yaks.
2025-26 Anaheim Ducks: By the Numbers, Part 3
The Ducks' 2025-26 season has been over for just over a month and with the 2026 NHL Entry Draft just around the corner, it feels like a good time to start recapping this past season for each player in the organization.
Today's edition of 'By the Numbers' will feature players who wore Nos. 11-20 this season.
If you missed the previous edition of 'By the Numbers', you can click here to read it.
Mason McTavish
2025-26 was a very mixed bag for McTavish. He missed the start of training camp due to a contract dispute, but got off to a hot start in October and November while playing on a line with fellow youngsters Cutter Gauthier and Beckett Sennecke.
However, the second half of his season was a bit more inconsistent. Some of that can be attributed to being split up from Gauthier and Sennecke, but McTavish was also given the opportunity to fill in as the top line center while Leo Carlsson was recovering from surgery to remove a Morel-Lavallée lesion and still wasn't able to produce consistently, even with the increased ice time.
An upper-body injury in late January sidelined McTavish for six games, and things didn't get much better for him upon his return as he managed just 11 points in the final 26 games of the regular season. A shift to the wing and a couple of healthy scratches in mid-March and twice during the playoffs have caused trade rumors to crop up this summer.
Anaheim Ducks Offseason Rumor Roundup: 6/19/26
With McTavish under contract for five more years, this situation feels much different from what transpired last June, when Trevor Zegras was dealt for the Philadelphia Flyers for Ryan Poehling. Moving on from McTavish now would signal that general manager Pat Verbeek does not believe McTavish is capable of being the Ducks' 2C behind Leo Carlsson. 2025 10th overall pick Roger McQueen may get a look during training camp this fall, but it's unfair to expect him to come in right away and have an immediate impact like Sennecke did last October.
Mikael Granlund is more than capable of acting as a second line center, but he is 33 and missed 24 games this past season due to various injuries. The aforementioned Poehling can also fill in in a pinch, but is more suited for a third line role on a perennial playoff contender, which the Ducks hope to be moving forward.
Improving his foot speed and defensive habits are two focus points that McTavish touched on during his exit interview in May. A faster, more defensively-inclined McTavish, while maintaining his offensive abilities, would dissuade any worries that have started.
Jansen Harkins
When Harkins signed a two-year contract with the Ducks on the second day of Free Agent Frenzy in 2024, not much was made of it. It appeared to be a simple signing to strengthen the Ducks' AHL depth. But just four games into the regular season, Harkins was recalled by the Ducks after Frank Vatrano returned home for the birth of his second child. After being sent down following that game, Harkins was again recalled 11 games later and remained on the NHL roster for the rest of the season.
Harkins likely would have been on the 2025-26 opening night roster if he hadn't suffered an upper-body injury during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings. He missed a month with the injury before returning to the NHL roster and was a regular fixture in the bottom-6 up until December. He, along with Nikita Nesterenko, was a healthy scratch for almost the entire month.
Upon his re-insertion into the lineup on Dec. 22, Harkins once again became a regular in the bottom-6 before suffering a hand injury in late March. Hand surgery ruled him out for a minimum of four weeks and he didn't return to game action until Game 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Harkins is a pending UFA and, at his best, is a reliable depth forward who forechecks well, brings energy and can play on the penalty kill. He is also capable of playing all three forward positions. His price tag shouldn't be too high in the event of a return, but there are also several players from AHL San Diego who need to get NHL action at some point or be moved on from (Ex: Nathan Gaucher).
Ryan Poehling
As mentioned above, Poehling was acquired from the Flyers in the Trevor Zegras deal and demonstrated his ability to be a jack of all trades during his first season with the Ducks. He began the season as the team's fourth line center, but was elevated to the third line after Granlund suffered a lower-body injury eight games into the season.
Granlund's return in November ironically coincided with Poehling being sidelined due to a back injury. He missed seven games with the injury before returning, but continued to nurse it throughout the season. Poehling continued to provide secondary scoring in his role as a bottom-6 forward, even getting elevated to the second line for a bit in February. His stellar debut season with the Ducks was good enough to earn him a four-year contract extension, which was signed on Mar. 5. His contract carries an AAV of $3.75 million.
Depending on how things shake out with McTavish this summer, Poehling will likely be the Ducks' third line center next season. He is a vital part of the penalty kill, forming a tandem with Alex Killorn on the top unit. His season came to a premature end after he was on the receiving end of a violent hit from defenseman Brayden McNabb in Game 5 of their playoff series against the Golden Knights. Poehling has a history of concussions, so there was concern about the after-effects. Fortunately, the Ducks announced in their season-ending injury report that Poehling did not have any lingering symptoms.
Jeff Viel
Another player whose addition to the roster initially received mixed reactions, Viel was acquired from the Boston Bruins on Jan. 16 for a 2026 fourth-round pick and made his Ducks debut the very next day against the Kings. He did his best to have an immediate impact, fighting Samuel Helenius in the first period. He would then have three points (two goals) in the next three games, quickly endearing himself to the Anaheim faithful.
A gritty forward, Viel found himself playing all over the lineup, with head coach Joel Quenneville finding plenty of ways to deploy him. But Viel saved his best for last. For the first round of the playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers, Quenneville chose to run a line of Viel, Tim Washe and defenseman-turned-forward Ian Moore against one of the NHL's best players in Connor McDavid. Their job would be suppressing the Oilers star as best as they could, and they did quite well. Viel also had two big goals in Games 3 and 4, both of which the Ducks won. His impact wasn't as profound in the Vegas series, but he did provide two assists, with both again coming in Anaheim victories.
Viel is also a pending UFA and finds himself in uncharted territory after setting a new career high in games played. His sandpaper style of play is attractive to many teams and his performance on the national stage surely will not go unnoticed. It's possible that he prices himself out of the Ducks' price range thanks to those performances.
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Report: Canadiens Not Among Teams Pursuing Rangers Star Center
The Montreal Canadiens are in need of an upgrade at their second-line center spot. Because of this, they have been viewed as a potential fit for New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck, who is one of the NHL's top trade candidates.
While Trocheck would have the potential to be a nice pickup for Montreal's 2C spot, it appears that he is not on the Canadiens' radar.
According to The Athletic's Vincent Z. Mercogliano, the Canadiens are not among the teams targeting Trocheck this off-season.
"Many of the teams believed to have interest are the same as The Athletic reported in March, but others have emerged as potential suitors in recent weeks. The Montreal Canadiens are not one of them, according to a league source, who noted there has been no contact between the two clubs about Trocheck," Mercogliano wrote.
With this update, it seems very unlikely that the Canadiens will be the landing spot for Trocheck this off-season. While the Pittsbrgh, Pennsylvania native could be a nice pickup in theory for the Habs, he is also 32 years old, and the Rangers want a lot for him in a move. Due to this, it would make sense for the Canadiens to explore other options who would be a long-term fit on their roster.
In 67 games this past season with the Blueshirts, Trocheck had 16 goals, 37 assists, and 53 points.
First of all, Jose Alvarado got to get paid
Just when we thought everything was rosy and the Knicks were on their way to never dealing with a loss for the remainder of eternity, things went south, or at least a bit southwest.
First, it was James Dolan who dropped the bomb right before a historic ticker-tape parade took place in the Canyon of Heroes, making it very clear—albeit we’re still debating whether or not he knows what he’s talking about—he’s not interested in pushing his franchise into the second apron for the 2026-27 season.
That, of course, comes with the consequence of, inevitably, losing one—if not both—of unrestricted free agents Mitchell Robinson and Jose Alvarado.
And hey, the Boricua is reasonably and completely understandably saying what we would all say as he approaches free agency, having a player option in his deal worth $4.5 million, but likely having suitors with more dough waiting on the wings.
Alvarado appeared on The Breakfast Club and revealed his early-offseason plans, as well as discussing many other interesting stuff. This is what he said when asked if, after winning the championship, he still has the chip on his shoulder and how he’s getting ready to get his first big contract.
“Hell yeah, I got it. First of all, I got to go get paid. Hopefully, God willing (I’ll get the big deal). I want to be in this for a long time. I love this life, I love the NBA life. It feeds my family and it puts me in rooms where I can never be at. I’m here with y’all, you know what I’m saying? So, I got to work.
“I always made my way. So, it was always like, ‘Yo, every time I got to come here, I got to prove to myself.’ And that’s what my life is about, and that’s fine with me, though.”
Did Alvarado say he’s leaving? Nope. Did Dolan hint at not paying him, not at least as much as he might deserve and want? You bet.
So, there’s that. What do you think about the free-agency situation? Will Dolan relent and let Leon Rose cook his way? Will he put the clamps on the FO and limit their operation, bringing a sudden-and-sad end to the Knicks’ winning team? Let us know in the comments section below!
Giants-Marlins Series Preview: The Marlins’ best hitter was (briefly) a Giant
You probably don’t remember the hiccup in time when infielder Otto Lopez was a San Francisco Giant, but it did happen. For 5 weeks or so, the team had a 25-year old second baseman who had hit .300/.365/.413 in 2,255 minor league plate appearances. Then, they designated him for assignment and he was claimed by the Marlins. Since then, he’s hit .275/.322/.395 across 2+ seasons (1,343 plate appearances) and with some well above average defense has amassed 7.8 fWAR. This year, he’s playing at an All-Star level: .336/.368/.473 (132 wRC+), 2.9 fWAR. He’s been exactly as valuable as Luis Arraez, but was this another miss by the previous front office?
You know, it’s pretty interesting to chart how we got to the “Aw, geez, I’m just trying to figure it out; baseball is hard” dynamic of the current front office. A general disgust and distrust of computer numbers and “phantom” value, certainly some anti-Dodger sentiment mixed in, and the inability to find a proper post-Bochy figurehead in the dugout; but mainly, the missteps and misfires piled up. I think six seasons was good and plenty for that experiment, but I’m starting to wonder if Buster Posey & Zack Minasian are simply speedrunning the Zaidi era.
Both Posey & Zaidi were both wiz kids in their respective areas of the industry. Both hired similarly inexperienced GMs to work under them. Both hired new managers after their first season on the job — those managerial choices were extremely controversial (for wholly different reasons, of course). Those managers were both well-groomed and appearance-focused. They both were prone to word salad. They both ticked off beat writers and fans alike for basically the same reason. Their managerial choices were somewhat inscrutable, though Gabe Kapler’s strategizing worked out more often than Vitello’s has. But, Buster has undermanaged and understrategized with the roster while Zaidi overmanaged and overstrategized. Both have had managers receive their vote of confidence only to see that manager lose control of the clubhouse (or, in Vitello’s case, never really seem to have had it at all). The key difference might be the upcoming minor league talent, which appears to be thriving a lot more under the new regime.
I mention all this because the Miami Marlins, led by Peter Bendix as the President of Baseball Operations, and now Gabe Kapler as their GM, seem to be what it would’ve looked like if the Zaidi era had gone right. A steady stream of important trades and savvy waiver & rule 5 pickups coalescing into a scrappy team that doesn’t cost much but stays competitive. Part of that is “analytics,” sure, but I’m not blind to the Marlins having a lot of useful inventory to sell over the years and get back some quality, well-scouted (both by human scouts and data analysts) major league talent. Their primary starting lineup does not scream home grown:
C —1st round pick (2021)
1B — Acquired in trade with Orioles for Trevor Rogers (2024)
2B — Acquired in trade with Rays for a pair of minor leaguers (2022)
3B — International free agent signing (2019)
SS — Waiver claim (2024)
LF — Acquired in trade with Orioles for Trevor Rogers (2024)
CF — Acquired in trade with Padres for Luis Arraez (2024)
RF — Acquired in trade with Cubs for Edward Cabrera (2026)
DH — Rule 5 pick (2024)
For this, the Marlins have a middle of the pack lineup (97 wRC+). I didn’t look at the pitching side, but that’s the 10th best in MLB heading into this series. If you’re the Marlins, you need to be able to stay on top of the roster by constantly reinventing it, but if you’re the Giants, all you really have to do — and, it’s not easy, as they’ve shown — is build a roster that is then supplemented by free agents rather than need to rely on them. A quick comparison.
C — Rule 5 pick (2025)
1B — Acquired in trade with the Red Sox for a bunch of dudes (2025)
2B — Free agent (2026)
3B — Free agent (2024)
SS — Free agent (2024)
LF — 2nd round pick (2020)
CF — Gilbert: trade, Bader: free agent
RF — Free agent (2023)
DH — 1st round pick (2023)
Of course, the real comparison point is the results. Since Buster Posey took over, the Giants are 112-124. The Marlins over this same span are just 116-121. Well, okay, that’s not right. The other comparison point is the cost. The Giants have committed $376.2 million since the start of last season while the Marlins have only committed $144.7 million. There’s also a bit more of a lottery ticket/upside play going on with the roster — and if any of the younger players really blossom, they become trade bait that can help refresh the system and the cycle can start anew.
Has the Marlins’ approach been better? Hard to say. But the Giants have been penny wise and pound foolish. Ditching the thought of Kevin Gausman only to spend a lot more money finding a #2 starter. Their inability to draft, develop, or acquire younger players has necessitated resorting to free agency again and again.
But this ship has sailed. The Giants have turned away from the analytical approach and the notion of building a roster from the bottom up — unless, of course, Randy Winn has really transformed the Giants’ farm system into a real winner, because that would really be nice, and there wouldn’t have to be much too much consternation when a player leaves the Giants and is productive elsewhere.
Who: San Francisco Giants (31-43) at Miami Marlins (37-38)
Where: loanDepot park | Miami, Florida
When: Friday at 4:10pm PT, Saturday at 1:10pm PT, Sunday at 10:40am PT
National broadcasts: None
Projected starters
Friday: Landen Roupp (RHP 5-7, 4.24 ERA) vs. Lake Bachar (RHP 0-0, 2.97 ERA)
Saturday: Trevor McDonald (RHP 2-4, 4.64 ERA) vs. Max Meyer (RHP 7-0, 2.75 ERA)
Sunday: Logan Webb (RHP 4-4, 3.46 ERA) vs. Ryan Gusto (RHP 0-2, 7.24 ERA)
Players to watch
Marlins
Liam Hicks: In June, he’s been just slightly better than Otto Lopez, posting a 159 wRC+ to Lopez’s 152. He’s done so by hitting for a bit more power (.189 ISO) and a higher on base (.422) thanks to impressive walk and strikeout rates (13.8% and 10.8%, respectively). On the season, he’s hitting .280/.362/.477 with 13 home runs and 52 RBI, a 10.2% walk rate and 9.5% strikeout rate. The Marlins got him in the Rule 5 draft from Detroit. The 27-year old left-handed first baseman/catcher has been another impressive find by the Marlins’ front office.
Kyle Stowers: He was the main piece of the Trevor Rogers deal with the Orioles back in 2024 and quickly became their middle of the lineup hitter, posting an impressive .912 OPS last season in 457 PA. He started this year on the IL and got off to a fast start (6-for-his-first-15), but it was a rough April and May after those first four games (.198/.276/.331 in 134 PA). However, in June, he’s picked it back up, with a line of .241/.323/.537 in 63 PA. He’s hit 4 homers and driven in 16 over this span, too. He has an .841 career OPS against the Giants, too (44 PA).
Lake Bachar: Don’t be fooled by the name. He might sound like a sixth-billed sitcom star from the 80s, but he has swing-and-miss stuff throughout his arsenal. A ~95 mph four-seamer hitters have just a .190 BA against; a 2,669 rpm slider with a 45.5% Whiff rate, a similarly wipeout sweeper, a curveball that has a 37.5% whiff rate, a splitter, and a sinker. He’s basically a reliever, but because the Marlins have two starters on the IL (Janson Junk and Eury Perez), they’ve resorted to opener/bullpen game situations, and you can see how this arsenal makes him a perfect option. This month, Bachar has appeared in 5 games, starting 3 of them, and in 10.2 innings combined he’s struck out 13, walked 3, allowed just 3 hits and a run (0.84 ERA / 1.78 FIP).
Giants
Jung Hoo Lee: .364/.391/.364 in 6 games (23 PA) at loanDepot park and in the last calendar month (so, since May 17th; 80 PA) he’s hitting .468/.475/.597 with a homer, a triple, 5 doubles, 3 stolen bases, just 1 walk (oof), but only 3 strikeouts.
Luis Arraez: .349/.385/.454 in 105 games (446 PA) at loanDepot park is a good sign, I think. Also, in the last calendar month (so, since May 17th; 129 PA), he’s hitting .339/.362/.513 with a pair of homers, 4 triples, and 6 doubles. He spent about 7 months in a Marlins uniform but was an All-Star for them in 2023 (.354/.393/.469 over the whole season). Chances are he’ll be the Giants’ sole representative this season… unless he’s traded before the All-Star Game.
Logan Webb: He certainly looks like he’s returned to form after that IL stint. He’s made just 2 starts in his career at loanDepot park (yes, the ‘p’ in park is lower case), but they came in 2022 & 2023; so, is his 6.35 ERA in 11.1 innings a portent or a fluke? The Giants are hoping for the latter, of course, and Miami’s middle of the pack strikeout rate and high groundball rate for a lineup (43.8% — 5th in MLB) certainly suggests that a Logan Webb who’s on point will be setup to have another great game.
Prediction time
This section sure has gone off the rails, hasn’t it? I blame myself, of course, but it would be nice if I could put a poll down here in place of any rambling narrative I think up at the last minute, don’t you think? Anyway, the Giants took 2 out of 3 from the Marlins back in April, which seems impossible given how bad the team has been this season, and the Giants have also taken the series in Miami the last two seasons, which also seems impossible, given how tough the Marlins have been on the Giants, historically.
Yhe Marlins are running out two relievers to stanch the bleeding in their rotation, but they’re also 23-16 at home this season with a +30 run differential. Hmm. But the Giants also have their two best starters going in the series, and even if one of them is unsalvageable bigot, I’ll still say the Giants manage to win the series.
A center with ‘fantastic' hockey sense could give Flyers option to trade down
A center with ‘fantastic' hockey sense could give Flyers option to trade down originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
For the first time in a while, the Flyers are coming off a playoff run.
That, of course, makes life a little different for the club’s amateur scouting staff leading up to the 2026 NHL draft. Barring a trade, the Flyers will pick at 21st overall. It’s their lowest first-round spot since 2020.
But that was when the Flyers drafted a foundation piece, grabbing Tyson Foerster at 23rd overall.
So the Flyers know the draft is still critical to what they want to do, even when they’re lower in the order.
“We’ve said it for a long time, we wanted to build a team that was going to be here for a long time; not just to go for it for a year or two,” general manager Danny Briere said last month. “That’s still the same approach on my end.”
After the recent trade with the Maple Leafs, the Flyers have only four picks in this draft, which will be held June 26-27. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at 11 a.m. ET.
“I’ll tell you how I feel about drafts and I’ll be totally blunt with you,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said June 2 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s f—ing bulls–t when I hear about, ‘Oh, this draft isn’t as good.’ Here are the numbers. Approximately 45 players from any draft will play 350 games or more in the NHL. It might be 47 one year, 42 another year. That’s the number — you get 45 players that’ll play 350 games or more with varying degrees of success.
“And I know this about the draft. The teams that get good players from the draft say it was a good draft. The teams that don’t get good players from the draft say it wasn’t a good draft. So when people start telling me about a draft ahead of time, I call bulls–t.”
Last summer, the Flyers made nine selections, with six coming over the first two rounds. Porter Martone was their headliner at sixth overall. Now the Flyers will try to hit on a pick in the 20s.
“What you’re trying to do is find a player that you feel has the potential to be an NHL player,” Button said. “That might be a third-line center, that might be a second-line scoring winger. Hey, listen, maybe you get David Pastrnak, who’s a superstar (drafted 25th overall in 2014).
“But the focus has to be on, ‘OK, what type of player do we like, what type of player do we think the guy can be?’ And then get after it and understand what the development path is, and then try to help that player be the best he can be. Put a stake in the ground and celebrate who you’re drafting.”
Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Egor Shilov
Position: Center
Height: 6-foot
Weight: 177
Shoots: Left
Team: Victoriaville
Scouting report
Shilov is highly skilled and under control when the puck is on his stick. He’ll survey the ice and generate offense with creativity. He also possesses a sneaky shot.
“I feel like he’s best when he plays the game a little slower and he can slow things down and make those right decisions,” Daily Faceoff associate editor and prospect analyst Steven Ellis said last Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Because he doesn’t make a lot of bad decisions. Like, I think his hockey sense is actually fantastic and I think he’s a really good playmaker.”
The 18-year-old Russian led all QMJHL rookies with 82 points (32 goals, 50 assists) in 63 games for Victoriaville. He had two hat tricks and a pair of five-point performances.
“When he goes 1-on-1, he doesn’t really miss many plays, he doesn’t make many mistakes,” Ellis said. “He can go up there and he’ll pull off a quick move and defensemen seem to really struggle with that.”
Shilov’s methodical pace may elicit concerns from NHL teams. Will he be able to make plays through contact and with far less time and space? Can he do it along the boards? The QMJHL is geared toward offense and open ice.
“He’s afraid of going anywhere near a physical player,” Ellis said. “He does really shy away from that. I think there are just points where I want to see him make plays at a higher speed and quicker. … The real question is did he get a lot of points this year because he’s a good player or did he get a lot of points because he was playing against lower than average QMJHL defensemen? I think that’s what makes it interesting.”
But Shilov is pretty sound in his two-way approach. He won 54.8 percent of his faceoffs and had a minus-11 rating on a team that sported a minus-69 goal differential. He’s the 26th-ranked player on Ellis’ final top-120 draft board.
“He has got the ability to shut down guys when he really wants to; it’s just being able to do that every single time,” Ellis said. “The one name that gets thrown around a lot is you’re hoping he kind of has a Matvei Gridin development where he has got that talent and if he could just show it every shift.”
Gridin went to the Flames at 28th overall in 2024. He had 20 points in 37 games for Calgary this season.
Shilov is No. 18 on Button’s June 17 list and No. 26 on EliteProspects.com. Among North Americans (because he played in the QMJHL), he’s No. 19 on NHL Central Scouting.
(Alex Garneau/Victoriaville Tigres)
Fit with Flyers
If the Flyers like Shilov and they feel he’s a reach at No. 21, they could trade back to grab him later in the first round. Considering the Flyers have only four picks in this draft, it would give them an opportunity to gain another one.
Shilov plays a premium position and the Flyers could use more options down the middle in their system. He’d also be able to relate to Matvei Michkov and potentially play on his line in the future.
But it’s fair to wonder if the Flyers will target a player with more speed and size to his game.
More targets
• Could Lawrence’s early jump to college have him fall to Flyers in draft?
• Will Flyers eye 6-foot-4 forward with ‘goal-scoring hands’ at No. 21?
• Palmieri ‘type of player’ may be available for Flyers at No. 21 in draft
• Russian center with pro build has interesting case for Flyers at No. 21
• Lin has ‘Brandon Montour profile,’ but will he be there for Flyers at No. 21?
• D-man with ‘unbelievable maturity to his game’ could be option for Flyers at No. 21
• ‘Second-line center all day long’ should intrigue Flyers in draft
• ‘This kid is a hell of a player’ — Flyers could draft 45-goal, 104-point winger
• Is Novotny, a winger that’s ‘so dangerous around the net,’ a fit for Flyers?
• A Drysdale type of defenseman for the Flyers at No. 21 in the draft?
• Another OHL first-rounder for Flyers? Klepov, with 97 points, has tons of appeal
3-time Stanley Cup winner Jonathan Toews announces his retirement
Chicago Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews (19) reacts to a call during the second period of Game 6 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Coyotes in Chicago, Monday, April 23, 2012. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
AP
Jonathan Toews announced his retirement Friday, ending a decorated NHL career that included three Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals and a comeback season with his hometown Winnipeg Jets.
The 38-year-old center returned to the NHL in 2025-26 after a two-year absence related to Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and long COVID, recording 11 goals and 18 assists while appearing in all 82 games for Winnipeg.
Toews spent 15 seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, captaining the franchise to Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013 and 2015 while winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2010.
He finished his NHL career with 383 goals and 529 assists in 1,149 regular-season games and was recognized as one of the league’s premier two-way forwards.
Toews also starred for Canada on the international stage, winning Olympic gold twice in 2010 and 2014, the World Cup in 2016, a world championship in 2007 and consecutive world junior titles in 2006 and 2007.
His final season allowed one of Manitoba’s most accomplished hockey players to complete a full-circle return home before stepping away from the game.
Penguins Hire Ron Francis For Front Office Role
It appears the Pittsburgh Penguins are adding a franchise icon to their front office staff.
On Friday, president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas announced that the team has named Ron Francis as Special Advisor, Hockey Operations. According to the press release from the Penguins, Francis will "assist the Penguins' hockey operations leadership group with strategic planning, roster construction and optimization of all internal systems and processes to help further implement best practices within the organization."
He will also support the minor league and player development staff, and he will play an advisor role in next week's NHL Entry Draft as well as free agency, training camp, and the trade deadline.
"Ron's playing experience, management experience, and familiarity with the Penguins and Pittsburgh will be a great benefit to our organization and all members of our management team," Dubas said in the press release. "We look forward to having a person of Ron's experience and character in our front office as we continue to work to build the Penguins back into a perennial Stanley Cup contender."
A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Francis's NHL career resume speaks for itself, as the two-time Stanley Cup champion finished his 23-year NHL career with 549 goals and 1,798 points, which ranks fifth all-time. He spent eight seasons with the Penguins from 1990-98, winning both of his Stanley Cups in Pittsburgh in 1991 and 1992 and notching the best season of his NHL career in 1995-96 with 119 points.
He is a three-time Lady Byng Trophy winner (1995, 1998, 2002) and also won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2001-02 as well as the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward in 1994-95.
Most recently, Francis was with the NHL's newest team, the Seattle Kraken, starting in 2019 as their general manager and as their president of hockey operations in 2025-26. Prior to that, he spent 12 years as a member of the the Carolina Hurricanes' front office staff from 2006-2018.
What Should The Penguins Do With Their 22nd Overall Pick? Here's The Case For Each Scenario.The 2026 NHL Entry Draft is officially eight days away, and speculation is beginning to run rampant for a lot of teams. Trade rumors are flying high. Draft boards are populating social media and various substack sites. Names are circulating like crazy.
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
Exeter threaten Northampton’s title ambitions in final where underdogs thrive
Despite finishing third in the regular season table Exeter Chiefs are confident they can cause an upset at Twickenham
Prem finals do not always unfold as anticipated. Six of the last seven editions have been settled by six points or fewer and favourites are not guaranteed to have it their own way. Remember Freddie Burns’ late drop-goal to edge Leicester past Saracens in 2022? Or Harlequins coming from behind against Exeter the previous year? In Twickenham’s summer heat – it’s uncanny how often the weather plays ball – the best of plans can easily go awol.
In 2024 Bath were undone after Beno Obano’s first-half red card and 12 months ago Michael Cheika’s Leicester came within a couple of points of causing a big upset. The common denominator? Finals can be unpredictable occasions and, under pressure, what looked a dead cert last week becomes as relevant as last year’s lottery numbers.
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