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Why The Maple Leafs Didn’t Qualify Pontus Holmberg As Player Signs With Lightning

Pontus Holmberg is moving on from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Holmberg agreed to a two-year contract with the Lightning worth $3.1 million. The annual average value of the deal would be $1.55 million. Holmberg exits the Maple Leafs organization after three seasons with the club.

The 26-year-old, who was a restricted free agent at the end of this season, wasn't qualified by the Maple Leafs. After a year which saw him score seven goals and 12 assists in 68 games, Toronto chose not to qualify Holmberg because he had arbitration rights.

"Well, once he gets into the market, he becomes open to everybody. And really, it wasn't necessarily a situation we didn't like the player, we did. He had arb rights," Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said on Tuesday afternoon.

"I think when you see players go free, sometimes people don't understand the rights that are associated with certain players. Up until 5 o'clock yesterday, if we were to qualify him, he then kicks into arbitration mode or he's attached to an arbitration filing, and that elevates the number. So we weren't able to, between us and Pontus's side, find a number that we felt fit for us.

"Now, once you get into the UFA, a lot of times that number will come down because you're not attached to the arbitration. So we like Pontus. We've had discussions and talked to each other prior to us not qualifying him, but I think it's probably a fair bet to say that he has hit the market and we'll see where it goes."

Why Matthew Knies 'Wanted To Go Long-Term' On Six-Year Extension With The Maple LeafsWhy Matthew Knies 'Wanted To Go Long-Term' On Six-Year Extension With The Maple LeafsToronto Maple Leafs forward Matthew Knies was never interested in signing an offer sheet.

And Treliving was right. Four hours after Holmberg hit the open market, the Lightning snatched up the forward.

Holmberg's time with the Maple Leafs ended after being drafted by Toronto in the sixth round of the 2018 NHL Draft. At the time, it was unknown what the forward would become, but as the years progressed, Holmberg played his way into a bottom-six role with Toronto.

In 159 games with the Maple Leafs, Holmberg scored 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 points.

The Lightning also signed former Toronto forward Nick Abruzzese to a one-year, two-way contract. Toronto's former fourth-round pick only played 11 NHL games with the Maple Leafs, scoring one goal and two assists in that span.

'My Favorite Player Growing Up Was Mats Sundin' Nicolas Roy Reacts To Be Traded To Maple Leafs In Mitch Marner Deal'My Favorite Player Growing Up Was Mats Sundin' Nicolas Roy Reacts To Be Traded To Maple Leafs In Mitch Marner DealNic Roy was on a trip with family and friends when he found out that he was being traded from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

After losing Holmberg, Abruzzese, and Alex Steeves to free agency, the Maple Leafs have re-signed Dakota Mermis and signed Michael Pezzetta and Benoit-Olivier Groulx to two-year deals with an $812,500 AAV. They also added Travis Boyd on a one-year, $775,000 contract.

(Top photo of Holmberg: Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)

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

Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

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

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

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

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

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

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Blue Jackets Sign Center Isac Lundeström

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Montreal Canadiens Sign Sammy Blais To One-Year Contract

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo Credit: © Bob Frid-Imagn Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Blue Jackets Lose Justin Danforth

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Columbus Brings Back Owen Sillinger On A One-Year DealColumbus Brings Back Owen Sillinger On A One-Year DealColumbus has brought back Owen Sillinger, signing him today to a one-year, two-wat contract. Blue Jackets Sign Defenseman Christian Jaros Blue Jackets Sign Defenseman Christian Jaros The Blue Jackets have signed defenseman Christian Jaros to a one-year, two-way contract today.  Former Blue Jackets Defenseman Jordan Harris Signs With BostonFormer Blue Jackets Defenseman Jordan Harris Signs With BostonFormer Blue Jackets defenseman Jordan Harris will sign with the Boston Bruins per Elliotte Friedman.
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Clayton Kershaw’s push for 3,000 strikeouts a reminder that longevity on the mound is fading fast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“We certainly feed off that.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It should be a fascinating transition.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

Feature image credit: John Jones - Imagn Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo Credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PHOTO: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

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

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

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

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Giants at Diamondbacks

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

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

Odds for the Giants at the Diamondbacks

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

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

Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Diamondbacks

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

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

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

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  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Flyers Built to Survive Tyson Foerster Injury

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Talisman Stokes at Edgbaston evokes Flintoff’s 2005 impact – but he is due a score

England team hang on their captain’s every word but he is on his longest run of Tests without a century

A day out from the second Test against India at Edgbaston and Andrew Flintoff was dog-sticking to England’s batters in the nets, his very presence bringing memories of 20 years ago flooding back. It was here where Flintoff wrote his name into Ashes folklore, igniting the afterburners for England’s statement first innings, rescuing the second with a six-laden counterattack, and then sending down a famous over on the third evening that vaporised Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting.

As well as driving England to that famous two-run victory, 141 runs and seven wickets across the four days made it Flintoff’s statistical peak as a fast-bowling all-rounder – the only time he went north of 100 runs and five wickets in the same Test. People often underestimate the physical and mental demands that the dual role places on those hardy enough to even attempt it; expecting both facets of their game to deliver consistently is unrealistic save for a handful of freakish greats.

Continue reading...
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WNBA Preview: All-Star starters and snubs; Liberty look to get back on track

There is a running joke on the internet that Mondays during the WNBA season often yield the most drama and news coming out of the league and its players. There's a reason for this: often there aren’t games on Mondays, although there are some weeks this season where there are. But for the most part, Monday is typically a day when the league is dark.

Well, yesterday was an example of that trend in practice. Not only did the league announce that it will be adding three more expansion teams in addition to the two more expansion teams in Toronto and Portland that will debut next season, but there was a trade, a surprise cut from the Golden State Valkyries, and the All-Star starters for the July 19 All-Star Game in Indianapolis were announced.

The league announced that Cleveland would be awarded the WNBA’s 16th team which will begin play in 2028, Detroit would earn the 17th, officially joining in 2029 and then Philadelphia would become the 18th franchise and would begin play in 2030. All ownership groups of these three new franchises paid a $250 million expansion fee, close to five times what Joe Lacob and Peter Guber paid for the Valkyries back in 2023.

Moments after all of that pomp and circumstance at the league office, the Las Vegas Aces traded for NaLyssa Smith which sent a Las Vegas 2027 first round draft pick back to the Wings. And as a result, the Aces had to waive rookie Elizabeth Kitley and veteran Tiffany Mitchell in order to make roster and salary room for Smith.

And then the Valkyries waivedJulie Vanloo, who was away from the team competing in EuroBasket. Vanloo missed her Belgian National team’s gold medal celebration after winning EuroBasket to make sure she was back in the Bay Area as soon as possible. She got news of being released merely moments after landing back in California. While Vanloo struggled at times during her minutes on court with Golden State, there are questions about the timing of the franchise letting her know of their decision before hopping on a long 14-15 hour flight back to San Francisco.

This all happened on a Monday and that’s in addition to the day before where Angel Reese put on another career performance scoring while shooting over 52 percent from the field in addition to 16 rebounds and seven assists, nearly her second triple double. She did all of this while her former childhood idolCandace Parker was in attendance and got her jersey retired by the Sparks prior to tipoff.

Who are the 2025 WNBA All-Star starters?

Before I preview the week ahead, let’s discuss the All-Star starters which were announced on Monday evening. The two highest fan vote getters, Caitlin Clark and Napheesa Collier, were named captains and automatic starters on Sunday. And then a day later, the final eight starters were announced by two different ESPN sponsored shows.

The final eight starters were determined by the weighted combination of fan votes, media votes and player votes. Fan votes were weighed at 50 percent with the media and peer votes counting for 25 percent each.

What jumped out immediately in the league’s weighted voting results was how Clark was ranked by her peers. The players ranked Atlanta’s Allisha Gray first, New York’s Sabrina Ionescu second and then Clark ninth.

This shouldn’t be a huge surprise especially considering that Clark has only played in nine of the Fever’s total 16 games so far this season, and she’s shot the ball very inefficiently (39% overall and 29.5% from three) in addition to averaging 5.9 turnovers. But this also isn’t the first time a very popular player was ranked lower by her peers as Ionescu got similar treatment two years ago and was ranked 19th by the players.

It’s incredibly hard to argue with the eight other starters that were selected. A’ja Wilson is still putting up All-WNBA numbers even if they aren’t as impressive as they were during her otherworldly 2024 MVP season. Gray has put together close to if not the best statistical season she’s had since entering the league in 2017. Nneka Ogwumike earned her 10th All-Star selection on another incredibly efficient start to the season shooting 53.1% on 13.4 attempts per game. She’s been even more efficient than MVP front-runner Collier.

Prior to Ionescu’s recent shooting slump, she and Liberty teammate Breanna Stewart were both putting up over 20 points a game and led their team in the Liberty to a 9-0 start prior to losing Jonquel Jones to an ankle sprain and Leonie Fiebich to EuroBasket.

The Mercury’s Satou Sabally has also put up a career season so far and took the brunt of the scoring load when Alyssa Thomas was out for two weeks with a calf injury. Aliyah Boston has the highest field goal percentage (59.7) among players who play over 25 minutes a game.

And last and certainly not least, Paige Bueckers leads all rookies in points and assists per game and is third amongst rookies in field goal percentage for first-year players who play over 25 minutes a game. She is scoring the eleventh-most in the league and seventh most among guards sitting right below Ionescu and right above Clark.

Who Are The WNBA All-Star Starter Snubs?

The point is, it’s incredibly hard to make an argument against any of these players starting in the All-Star game. The one that maybe there’s an argument against might actually be Clark. Who could have replaced her just based on statistical output alone?

Skylar Diggins comes to mind immediately just based on the fact that she’s the 7th best in scoring and third in scoring among guards. Also, she’s averaging the fourth most assists and is fifth in win shares (2.5) via Her Hoop Stats. She’s fourth in field goal percentage among guards that average over 30 minutes a game (46.3).

Another guard that could have been an All-Star starter is Kelsey Plum who has put up an impressive statistical season so far even as her Los Angeles Sparks continue to struggle in their journey to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Plum leads all guards scoring 20.6 points a game and is sixth among guards in average assists with 5.6.

In a league dominated by versatile forwards, it’s not a surprise that there wasn’t enough room for maybe one of the most versatile in Alyssa Thomas. Thomas has put up some of the best numbers of her career, leading the league in assists (9.3) and averaging more points than she did during her 2023 season, the one where Stewart beat her out in the MVP voting. The reason Thomas missed the boat is probably because of the two weeks she missed.

The final player who I think there’s an argument for to be an All-Star starter is Brionna Jones who while she doesn’t score in the 20s like her peers, she’s accumulated 2.3 win shares, the same amount that A’ja Wilson has and a bit more than Thomas and Sabally. She and Diggins are the only players within the top seven in win shares who didn’t become All-Star starters.

It would be shocking if any of these players who weren’t named starters don’t make the final All-Star team. Right now reserves are being voted on by the WNBA’s head coaches and those results will be revealed this Sunday July 6 at 12 pm et. Just a disclaimer, head coaches cannot vote for their own players.

The Week Ahead

Since this week features the Commissioner's Cup Championship game on Tuesday night, there are fewer games to choose from. The league goes on a mini hiatus on Wednesday before picking up again on Thursday. After the Commissioner’s Cup Final takes place in Minneapolis, the majority of the games to watch out for are rematches of recent matchups. Can the Fever get revenge on the Aces and can the Liberty redeem themselves against the Storm with Fiebich back from EuroBasket?

Commissioner’s Cup Final: Indiana Fever @ Minnesota Lynx

(Tuesday July 1 at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video)

Now that Clark has been ruled out officially, do the Fever have a shot at winning? It’s going to be a tough hill to climb for a team that almost fell to the Dallas Wings on Friday without Clark. This is the right move for Indiana looking at Clark’s long term health, but what makes this matchup worth watching is the very fact that these two teams haven’t played each other yet. The Lynx’s two losses this season came in games where they were outworked by their opponent and allowed at least 20 opponent points off their own turnovers. If the Fever play hard, they have a shot. But if the Lynx value their possessions, this should be a very winnable game and Minnesota would become the first back-to-back Commissioner’s Cup Champions in league history.

Las Vegas Aces @ Indiana Fever

(Thursday July 3 at 7 p.m. ET on Prime Video)

Even if Clark misses this game as well, it will be fascinating to see how much run newly acquired Aces forward NaLyssa Smith gets. The Aces won this matchup the first time around on June 22 with Clark on the floor for the Fever. But this will be the first test the Aces have to see if by adding Smith defenses actually guard her, which could open up more space on the floor. Las Vegas has often struggled when opposing defenses don’t even guard Kiah Stokes and load up on their other players.

Washington Mystics @ Minnesota Lynx

(Thursday July 3 at 8:00 p.m. ET on League Pass )

The Mystics will be looking for a win after dropping their latest 79-71 against the incredibly shorthanded Dallas Wings. But also the Lynx’s second loss of the season came to the Mystics on June 24. While both teams were without their best players in Napheesa Collier and Brittney Sykes, the Mystics still defended aggressively and earned that win by forcing 19 turnovers and scoring 26 points off those turnovers. Can the two-way play of versatile center Shakira Austin stifle Collier at all? If Collier struggles and the Mystics’ defense stays aggressive, I’d say this has the potential to be a really competitive game to pay attention to.

Golden State Valkyries @ Minnesota Lynx

(Saturday July 5 at 8 p.m. ET on League Pass)

The Lynx have a ton of fascinating matchups this week including one against the Valkyries. While Minnesota beat Golden State convincingly around a month ago, the Valkyries have somehow gotten better since they lost players to EuroBasket. (Presumably another reason why they waived guard Vanloo.) Following some New York Liberty struggles, the Valkyries now have the second best defense in the league which has powered them to a 2.7 net rating. Compare that to the -10.7 net rating that Golden State had when the Lynx last played the Valkyries.

Seattle Storm @ New York Liberty

(Sunday July 6 at 1:00 p.m. ET on CBS)

The New York Liberty have been going through it lately, losing four of their last five games as they continued to adjust to playing without 2024 WNBA Finals MVP Jonquel Jones and German wing Fiebich. One of those losses came to the Storm on June 22 when they only lost by 10 points 89-79. While Fiebich will most likely be available for this game and should provide more shooting and defense, it will be interesting to see how the Liberty continue to wade through their schedule before Jones returns presumably after the All-Star break. Can defeating a streaky Storm team get the defending champions back on track?