Worldwide Sports News

After some speculation following Minnesota's stunning loss in the NCAA Tournament, Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel are coming to Chicago. 

Each signed a three-year entry-level contract with a cap hit of $950,000 and will begin their pro-hockey careers. Both Moore and Rinzel will join the Blackhawks immediately. 

Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) on Xwelcome to Chicago, Oliver Moore and Sam Rinzel‼️ Moore and Rinzel agree to terms✍️ ➡︎ https://t.co/GMF2tvn0kI

This is big for the Blackhawks as they were both willing to finish the deal within a few days of being eliminated. Now, they will make their NHL debut sometime before the season ends. 

Moore, a forward, brings speed and skill to any team he plays for and should see a bottom-six role to begin his NHL career. 

As for Sam Rinzel, he is a number-two defenseman at minimum who could blossom into a star. With Artyom Levshunov, Alex Vlasic, and others in the mix, the Blackhawks have a special group developing on the back-end. 

Both of these guys put up big numbers at Minnesota this season. Moore had 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points in 38 games. Rinzel had 10 goals and 21 assists for 31 points in 39 games for the Golden Gophers. 

Each was a part of the 2024 World Junior Championship Gold Medal-winning Team USA squad. Moore won back-to-back Gold Medals, as he also won it with them in 2023. They've experienced both big-time winning and heartbreaking losses. Each is good for their development. Now, it's time for the NHL. 

It is unlikely that they both spend the entire 2025-26 season in the NHL, as the AHL will be used for development too. That method has served the Blackhawks well with a lot of their recent top prospects. They can only skate in the NHL to end this year, though.

Chicago's next game comes against the Utah Hockey Club on Sunday afternoon at the United Center. We will see if this is their first opportunity to jump into the lineup. 

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

The development path for an NHL defensemen can be quite long, having to add multiple elements to their game. For some, the transition happens almost seamlessly, like Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes or Miro Heiskanen, but for others, a season or two before it all clicks in is expected. Recently, defensemen like Thomas Harley, Brock Faber and Rasmus Sandin have taken advantage of developing in other leagues before becoming impact players in the NHL. 

It’s quite rare for a defenseman to burst onto the scene and dominate, but these five defensemen are doing just that.

Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks

LaCombe was the 39th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and would spend four years at the University of Minnesota. The decision to stay for all four years proved to be a wise one, as it allowed him to mature and refine his game before joining the Ducks organization, who were in a massive rebuild. 

His rookie season saw him average 19:23 of ice time, scoring two goals and 17 points. His sophomore campaign has seen him reach new heights, and it likely could get even better. The 24-year-old has scored 13 goals and 41 points, ranking in the top 10 in goals among NHL defensemen. 

The Ducks are among the youngest teams in the NHL, and it’s partially why LaCombe has recorded just 28 assists. As the young Duck forwards get older and gain more experience, they’ll be able to turn LaCombe’s playmaking into goals. The Ducks are building a star-studded defensive core, headline by LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger.

Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators

Sanderson’s route to the NHL was quicker than LaCombe’s, spending just two seasons at the University of North Dakota. The fifth overall pick would make his NHL debut in the 2022-23 season, scoring four goals and 32 points in 77 games. Although the offensive numbers were quite impressive for a 20-year-old rookie defenseman, Sanderson had a plethora of issues in his own end.

His sophomore season saw improvements both offensively and defensively, earning an eight-year, $64.4-million contract extension per Puckpedia. While many argued that the contract was handed out too soon, Sanderson has put those critics to rest, scoring seven goals and 48 points in 70 games, averaging 24:23 of ice time and earning a nod to Team USA’s 4 Nations Face-Off roster, where he scored a goal in the final. 

Thomas Chabot had been the Senators' No. 1 defenseman for quite some time but the play of Sanderson has changed things. The turning of the leaf began in the 2023-24 season and it’s come into full effect this season. The next step for Sanderson’s development is to be more aggressive and seek out his shot, but with the tools Sanderson has at his disposal, there’s no reason why he can’t be a double-digit scorer each year.

Alex Vlasic, Chicago Blackhawks

Vlasic followed a similar route to LaCombe, playing three years at Boston University. He never had his offensive breakout during his NCAA days, and it’s likely why he was never selected to play for Team USA’s world junior team. Despite that, the 43rd overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft was a defensive stalwart, using his 6-foot-6 frame to his advantage.

The 23-year-old spent the 2022-23 season playing with the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL, where he tapped into his offensive game for the first time. He replicated that production in his first full season, earning himself a six-year, $27.6-million contract extension, and now, in the 2024-25 campaign, he's flourishing. 

His four goals and 28 points, coupled with his defensive game, have allowed him to average 23:27 minutes of ice time on a Blackhawks blue line that will soon feature Artyom Levshunov, Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro and Sam Rinzel. Korchinski and Levshunov will likely be the offensive contributors on the backend, but if Vlasic can add more offense to his game without sacrificing his defensive game, the Blackhawks will be a difficult team to play against. 

Simon Edvinsson, Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings have been incredibly patient with Edvinsson, first allowing him to develop in the SHL before keeping him in the AHL for an additional two seasons. Heading into his first full campaign, Edvinsson had 25 games of NHL experience and has now revolutionized the Red Wings’ blueline.

Moritz Seider’s following seasons after winning the Calder Trophy were underwhelming. Playing alongside Ben Chiarot, the pair struggled greatly in the consistency department. Although the pair have still spent most of the season together, Seider’s best results are when he plays with Edvinsson. Seider’s expected goals percentage with Chiarot is 41.96 percent, and with Edvinsson, it’s 48.57 percent.

Edvinsson is a tremendous skater and offensive player for a 22-year-old listed at 6-foot-6, and as his ice time grows, the offensive numbers are sure to follow.

Dante Fabbro, Columbus Blue Jackets

Fabbro is the oldest player out of the five – already 26 years old – but since he was claimed off of waivers by the Blue Jackets, he’s revived his career. During his tenure with the Nashville Predators, Fabbro never averaged over 20 minutes of ice time, and in 52 games with the Blue Jackets, Fabbro is averaging nearly 22.

He’s set a career-high in goals, recording six goals and 20 points, proving to be the perfect partner for Zach Werenski, a Norris Trophy candidate this season. 

Gustav Forsling was a surprise breakout candidate for the Florida Panthers, and Fabbro looks to be following the same trajectory as an astute defender with good feet and puck-moving ability. 

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

LOS ANGELES — It's one of those moments that can happen to any goaltender. This time, Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Joseph Woll made a mistake.

'We've Got To Be Better, Goalie Included': Maple Leafs Salvage Point But Struggle In Shootout Loss Against SharksSAN JOSE, Calif. — The Toronto Maple Leafs fell to the San Jose Sharks 6-5 in a shootout at SAP Center on Thursday. Although they picked up a crucial point in the standings, it was yet another example of the Leafs struggling to pounce against a team at the bottom of the NHL standings as they gear up for a playoff run next month.

The Maple Leafs were trailing the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Thursday in the second period when Woll had the puck. In an attempt to clear or pass the puck, the goaltender instead bounced it off of Sharks forward William Eklund and into the back of the Toronto net.

Woll explained the incident from his point of view following Toronto's practice on Friday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

"I'm not too sure. Just a bad play. Sometimes you make bad plays," Woll said. "I think I was thinking looking up ice and brain turned off for a second. It's unfortunate."

Woll is not the first NHL goaltender to have a blunder like that and certainly won't be the last.

Perhaps one of the biggest goalie mistakes in Leafs history came against the Islanders when Rob Davison sent a bouncing puck toward goaltender Vesa Toskala, who had difficulty following the bounces.

Fortunately for Woll, the Leafs erased a two-goal deficit in the third period and salvaged a crucial point in the standings before falling 6-5 in a shootout.

Woll is expected to get one of the next two starts in goal as the Maple Leafs finish out their three-game road swing through California with a pair of games against the Los Angeles Kings, following up a game on Sunday against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center.

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

DETROIT—It's been a grim month of March in Hockeytown, with the beloved Red Wings limping through the stretch run.  Again.  Yet despite a 3–10–0 record since the calendar turned over from February, Detroit remains within spitting distance of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.  Of course, grabbing that spot requires the Red Wings to start stringing together wins in a hurry, beginning Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena against the Boston Bruins.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

"We've been lucky enough, I guess you could call it, that no one's really seized that spot, and it's tough games this time of the year," forward Lucas Raymond told The Hockey News after Saturday morning's skate.  "I think that shows, but not playing good the way we've been wanting to and still being in it is huge, and we gotta seize that opportunity."

"We haven't gotten the results we've wanted over the last 10 games or so, but we're still right in it, so we know that if we play our game...we might not technically control all our own destiny, but we feel like if we take care of our business, we'll be in pretty good shape," added defenseman Justin Holl.

Coach Todd McLellan likened Detroit's recent struggles to golf, saying his team needs to learn to not allow one mistake spiral into disaster.  "You're on the golf course and you have a bad tee shot, it doesn't mean you have to have a bad round," McLellan said after Saturday morning's skate.  "You go from playing birdie golf to playing par golf during that time. You clean things up, you get on the green, you try to play safe and put it in, and you take your par instead of your birdie. When we get into a bad drive situation, all of a sudden we're swinging away and it gets worse, instead of managing it."

Trending Red Wings Stories

Clock Ticking on Red Wings' Playoff Hopes After 4–3 Loss to OttawaDETROIT—Not quite 13 minutes into the Red Wings' 4–3 loss to the Ottawa Senators Thursday night, Senators captain Brady Tkachuck caught up to Detroit forward Lucas Raymond as he rushed the puck through neutral ice, dumping Raymond to the ice, then pinning him there with an arm around his neck.  With Tkachuk and Raymond still entangled, Ottawa rushed the puck the other way until Tim Stutzle used a burst of speed to get around Moritz Seider and beat Alex Lyon with a well-placed wrist shot.  The goal made it 2–0 Senators, though the Red Wings had a 10–3 edge in shots, but that was the story of the night for the home team: Bullied away from the puck and beaten with it, even if the final score suggested a narrow margin.

Despite Goaltending Struggles, Red Wings Don't Perceive Cossa as Solution (Yet)

Red Wings Trade For Mrazek Doesn't Add Up Now

Every Expiring Detroit Red Wings Contract

Lineup

As they look to revitalize their season, Detroit will be offering a slightly different look to its forward lines, reminiscent of the combinations that McLellan used to close out Thursday's loss to the Senators.  Wingers Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane will now flank Dylan Larkin on the top line, while Lucas Raymond and Michael Rasmussen will now skate on Marco Kasper's wings on line two.

Lines at morning skate:
DeBrincat-Larkin-Kane
Rasmussen-Kasper-Raymond
Berggren-Compher-Tarasenko
Watson-Motte-Smith

Chiarot-Seider
Edvinsson-Petry
Johansson-Holl pic.twitter.com/WRLrxWvk2w

— Sam Stockton (@_samstockton) March 29, 2025

"Well not just Dylan and Raymond, the group as a whole," explained McLellan, when asked whether the tinkering was meant to spark his top two scorers.  "We started last game with a set of lines and by the time we got to the third, we pulled them apart, but the most energy and jump and attack time that we had was with lines that look similar to what we are going with today."

Cam Talbot will start in net for the Red Wings.

Injury Update

On the injury front, McLellan did not have an update on Petr Mrazek, who remains unavailable after suffering an upper body injury in Utah.  Meanwhile Elmer Soderblom remains out as well, but he is at least closer to getting back to action. 

"Elmer is still gonna be day-to-day, but I don't see him playing in St. Louis," McLellan said, alluding to the Red Wings' Tuesday night game against the Blues.  "I don't know for sure though.  That's how close he is, but how far away he is."

Re-Tooling Bruins Pose Unique Challenge

Following the trade deadline, the Bruins are a different team to the one that beat Detroit 3–2 in Boston on Dec. 3.  Most notably, erstwhile captain Brad Marchand is off to Florida, where he made his Panthers debut Friday night, assisting on the overtime winner, but Marchand is not alone amongst the departures.  Charlie Coyle, Brandon Carlo, and Trent Frederic are all also out the door.

McLellan pointed out Saturday morning that while those sorts of departure theoretically deplete a roster, it can also invigorate the players who remain, with bigger roles. 

"Well they're a different team now," said McLellan of the current state of the B's.  "For me personally, having come out here, I know them with all the pieces that they've had in the past...There's a lot of players there [now] that are getting opportunities, that have moved up the lineup a little bit as they retool.  When players get that chance and they take advantage of it, they can be a handful, because they've been sitting in the weeds and wanting more and asking for more and trying to play for more, and now it's in front of them, so they can be a real dangerous team when those types of players get hungry."

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites.