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Five Storylines To Watch For The Penguins In 2025-26

Apr 8, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) and right wing Ville Koivunen (41) congratulate defenseman Erik Karlsson (65) on his 200th career NHL goal against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

NHL fans have been counting down the days to the 2025-26 season ever since the Florida Panthers raised the Stanley Cup for a second consecutive season back in June.

Some offseasons - like that of the Panthers - have been quite short, while others have been two months longer. And in many ways, that longer wait has added even more anticipation.

For the Pittsburgh Penguins, there may still be a lot of summer business left. But, no matter what happens the rest of the summer, there are going to be several storylines to be on the lookout for once the puck drops on their regular season on Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers.

Here are five of those storylines to watch for during 2025-26 season:

1. How high can Crosby climb?

Apr 6, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) warms up before a game against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images

Given the fact that the Penguins are in a period of transition, one of the main events for folks to look forward to - as always - is watching their captain take the ice on a nightly basis.

And he has the chance to reach some pretty big heights this season on the all-time scoring list.

Right now, Sidney Crosby sits ninth all-time in scoring with 1,687 points - just 36 points behind fellow Penguins’ legend Mario Lemieux at 1,723. But Crosby has an opportunity to climb even higher than that as long as he remains healthy and assuming he doesn’t experience a significant dropoff in production in his age 38 season. 

Ahead of Lemieux at 7th and 6th, respectively, is Steve Yzerman (1,755) and Marcel Dionne (1,771). He would need 85 points to pass Dionne and sit sixth all-time heading into 2026-27 - which seems entirely reasonable given his straight-line production the last several years. 

Penguins: Where Sidney Crosby Ranked On New Top Centers ListPenguins: Where Sidney Crosby Ranked On New Top Centers ListPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby may be entering his 21st NHL season, but he is still a legitimate superstar. He had another fantastic season in 2024-25 for the Penguins, as he recorded 33 goals, 58 assists, and 91 points in 80 games. This was the 20th season in a row that Crosby produced at an over a point per game pace, which is an NHL record.

If Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell stick around - and Crosby shows the same kind of chemistry with youngsters Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty that he did at the end of last season - 85 should be attainable. Next up would be Ron Francis at 1,798.

Crosby should also pretty handily enter the top-15 all-time in goal-scoring, as he is just 15 shy of Dave Andreychuk (640 goals) - who sits directly at No. 15.

2. Who takes the net?

Jan 3, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks goalie Arturs Silovs (31) skates during warm up prior to a game against the Nashville Predators at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images

WIth the newly acquired Arturs Silovs in the mix, the goaltending battle should be one of the most intriguing stories to keep an eye on this season. Presumably, it will be Silovs and Tristan Jarry jockeying for positioning at the NHL level.

But, even the tandem at the NHL level is not guaranteed. And the battle at the AHL level is wide open.

Joel Blomqvist, 23, made his NHL debut last season and had two shorter-term NHL stints with mixed results. He should, presumably, be in the mix for an NHL spot as well, but it’s unlikely that the Penguins carry three goaltenders, especially with the logjams they already have at forward and defense.

Penguins Facing Uncertain Goalie Split Entering 2025-26 SeasonPenguins Facing Uncertain Goalie Split Entering 2025-26 SeasonOnce again, the Pittsburgh Penguins face goaltending questions heading into a season. 

If he isn’t in the NHL mix, he will be added to an AHL battle with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) that also includes Filip Larsson, Taylor Gauthier, and the raw but high-upside Sergei Murashov. All four goaltenders certainly belong at the AHL level - and Gauthier, interestingly, signed an AHL contract despite being in Wheeling the past two seasons.

The Penguins have a lot of young goaltending depth, and it will be interesting to see how everything shakes out following camp and throughout the season.

3. Where will the kids call home?

Apr 5, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; The Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate after center Sidney Crosby (87) scores a gol against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

It’s been discussed at length that the Penguins got pretty good looks at defenseman Owen Pickering and forwards McGroarty and Koivunen last season. All three showed that they should probably be playing in the NHL full-time next season, and they all seem ready to take the next step in their development.

But - again, as we’ve discussed at length - it’s not that simple.

According to PuckPedia, the Penguins currently have 13 forwards and eight defensemen on their active roster - which doesn’t include any of those three. The fact of the matter is that Pickering, McGroarty, and Koivunen will all need to put together standout camps in order to break the NHL roster and force Kyle Dubas’s and the Penguins’ hand with some of their veterans. 

Of course, injuries are inevitable, as are changes. Even if none of the three break camp, they will almost certainly be the first to get called upon when the need arises. Still, where they call “home” for most of the season is very much up-in-the-air, even if it should be a relatively obvious conclusion.

What Are Realistic Expectations For McGroarty And Koivunen This Year?What Are Realistic Expectations For McGroarty And Koivunen This Year?The Pittsburgh Penguins have a pretty decent forward group entering the 2025-26 season, especially if they don’t make any trades between now and October 7, when they open the regular season against the New York Rangers. 

4. Who will be on borrowed time?

Apr 11, 2025; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Rickard Rakell (67) during the first period against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

If one thing is for certain - especially if there is no movement prior to the start of training camp - all eyes will be on the trade board throughout the season.

Dubas got the ball rolling early last season when he traded center Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals in November, so it’s reasonable to expect he won’t be trigger-shy if the right offer comes about for any player of value. This will be especially true if the Penguins start off as poorly as many expect their season to go.

If all of Rust, Rakell, and Erik Karlsson are on the roster to begin the season, it’s safe to bet that all three won’t be on the roster by the end of it.

Do The Penguins Need To Make A Trade Before Training Camp?Do The Penguins Need To Make A Trade Before Training Camp?The date is Aug. 21, and the Pittsburgh Penguins still have not traded Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust, or Erik Karlsson.

5. Can they tank hard enough for McKenna?

Image Credit: Randy Feere - Medicine Hat Tigers

Well this is the ultimate storyline, isn’t it?

What is the plan for next season? Are the Penguins trying to tank, or are they okay with being in the mushy middle again?

At this point - with the roster as-is - it’s hard to say they’re going full-tank. But that may change quickly depending on how the team starts. Either way, watching Dubas's approach to the roster and to the trade market should say a lot, regardless of how the team ends up performing.

Do The Penguins Have A Legitimate Shot At McKenna In 2026?Do The Penguins Have A Legitimate Shot At McKenna In 2026?WIth the 2025-26 NHL season just around the corner, teams are looking ahead to their respective training camps beginning in mid-September.

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Dodgers lose to Padres in two-hit flop and fall out of first place: 'We got to do more'

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani looks on after striking out against the San Diego Padres.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani walks back to the dugout after striking out in the first inning of a 5-1 loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday at Petco Park. (Derrick Tuskan / Associated Press)

Dave Roberts does not believe his Dodgers team, amid another unexpected skid that has dropped them into second place in the standings, is suffering from a lack of effort.

What the manager did acknowledge, in the wake of a 5-1 loss to the San Diego Padres on Saturday night, is that their intent might be misplaced.

Right now, it’s clear the Dodgers are going through their latest offensive funk.

In two games against the Padres this weekend, they have managed only two runs (both via home runs from rookie infielder Alex Freeland) and five hits. They have failed to adjust against crafty veteran pitchers who, for the most part, have given them very few good pitches to attack.

As a result, they have squandered the division lead they retook just a week ago, going from two games up in the National League West after last weekend’s sweep of the Padres, to one game behind their Southern California rivals in the wake of consecutive and stunningly abject offensive displays at Petco Park.

Read more:Shaikin: The Padres aren't dead, and the Dodgers have plenty to lose in baseball's best rivalry

And suddenly, they are facing a look-in-the-mirror moment, needing to recalibrate their approach with a more team-first mindset.

“This time of the season, it's not about the mechanics, your swing,” Roberts said. “It's about how, 'Can I help the team win?'"

Lately, in the case of too many stars throughout the lineup, the former is outweighing the latter.

Saturday brought the dynamic into clear focus.

A night after Yu Darvish navigated the Dodgers’ lineup in a six-inning, one-run, one-hit gem, Nestor Cortes — he of infamous October history, after giving up Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series last year with the New York Yankees — had a similarly clear plan of attack.

Or, more accurately, non-attack.

Rather than challenge the Dodgers over the plate with diminished stuff in just his fourth start since returning from an early-season elbow injury, the veteran left-hander pitched them carefully. Cutters and changeups away to a right-handed-heavy lineup. Sweepers to the other side of the zone against the Dodgers’ few lefty threats.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nestor Cortes delivers against the Dodgers in the third inning Saturday.
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nestor Cortes delivers against the Dodgers in the third inning Saturday. (Derrick Tuskan / Associated Press)

Effectively, he dared them to be patient, to shorten up their swings, to take what he was giving them and try to build rallies slowly and methodically — rather than with long balls that have primarily fueled the Dodgers’ offense, perhaps to a fault, for much of the season.

“He just kind of stayed away from us the whole time ... just picking at the outside corner the whole night,” catcher Will Smith said. “Credit to him. He pitched well. He certainly didn’t give us anything to hit.”

But rather than adjust, the Dodgers played into his hands. They tried to slug. They took big hacks at pitches that required more of a contact approach. And, while they did hit some balls hard — none more so than a deep fly ball from Freeman in the second inning that died at the warning track — all they came away with in Cortes’ six scoreless (and nearly perfect) innings was a sixth-inning single from Miguel Rojas.

In each of the Dodgers' other 19 at-bats against the Padres trade deadline acquisition, they recorded nothing but outs.

“[We have to] find a way to move the line forward, get hits, spoil pitches, compete,” Roberts said, after just the Dodgers’ second two-hit performance this season. “There’s a different level of trying. I think everyone's trying. But I think that [we need] the next level, of going with whatever swing you have that particular night and fighting and willing yourself to get some hits, get on base, create innings and score runs.

“It's not a lack of talent. Certainly not a lack of try. But we got to do more,” Roberts added. “You got to kind of understand what's happening in a ballgame and make your adjustments."

Read more:News Analysis: The Dodgers have an outfield problem. But do they have the options to fix it?

Indeed, the Dodgers’ recent inability to adjust at the plate has put them in a bind entering the stretch run of the season.

Even if they avoid a series sweep Sunday, they will only be tied atop the division. If they lose, they will face a two-game deficit in the standings with 31 games to go.

In either scenario, they will face a closing month that will demand more consistent offense in order to win the NL West.

Given the mechanical issues much of their lineup is facing at the moment — from Smith and his seven-for-50 slump over the last 15 games, to Teoscar Hernández and his 33% strikeout rate in August — the pressure to provide more competitive, team-minded at-bats is starting to mount.

“We are who we are. We've got a lot of guys that can leave the ballpark and that can hit homers,” Rojas said. “But we all know, too, that we can play better baseball than the way that we've been playing the last couple days. I feel like the offense is kind of inconsistent at times. We can always get better. We all know we need to get better if we want to win games in a consistent way."

By the time Rojas exemplified that approach in the sixth inning, shooting an 0-and-1 cutter the other way for the team’s first hit (and baserunner) of the night, Saturday’s game was already a lost cause.

Tyler Glasnow gave up three runs in the fourth, when bad command led to two walks that helped load the bases, Ramón Laureano laced a two-run single the other way, and Jake Cronenworth added a sacrifice fly.

Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers against the Padres in the fifth inning Saturday.
Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers against the Padres in the fifth inning Saturday. (Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)

The Padres’ dominant bullpen was looming, with Freeland’s pinch-hit homer in the eighth proving to be the only damage allowed.

What already felt like an unlikely comeback bid was then officially dashed by Xander Bogaerts’ two-run double off Justin Wrobleski in the eighth — giving the Padres (74-56) enough cushion to avoid using closer Robert Suarez for a second-straight game in the ninth.

“We needed to jump on [Cortes], put some runs up early on him,” Smith said. “But we just didn’t do that.”

Moving forward, however, Saturday’s game might have provided lessons. Even if the Dodgers aren’t swinging the bats the way they want to, there are still other ways to generate offense.

“I feel like a lot of swings that we took today weren't really good swings to get on base,” Rojas said. “It was a little more to do damage early in the count. And [Cortes] was able to capitalize on that.”

Again, Roberts didn’t necessarily fault his club for falling into such a trap. He knows he has a team that — when right — is built on slugging the baseball and punishing mistakes opposing pitchers make against them. He noted the personal work hitters are putting in every day to try and get their mechanics on track.

At the same time, though, “we're at the end of August,” he noted. “It's just about getting the job done and finding a way to find some production.”

“You have to, again, take what the pitcher gives you and try to create something. You can't always go for that big swing. You got to kind of shorten up [sometimes]. We have it in there, and we do it at times. But I just don't see us doing that collectively.”

The good news: Roberts could already feel a shift postgame. As he traversed a somber clubhouse, he said he heard smaller conversations among players featuring “some good things from our guys along those lines.”

“Players are saying the right things,” he insisted. “It's gonna change. It'll change."

Still, as a group, the reality is nonetheless clear.

The Dodgers (73-57) are once again a second-place team. For them, playoff baseball effectively starts now.

That means adjustments have to be made to opposing pitchers’ game plans. Mechanical impurities can no longer be an excuse for wasted at-bats.

“It’s a reminder — let’s just get back to being who we are, and doing those little things; scratching and clawing; finding ways and willing yourself, your team, your offense to score some runs,” Roberts said. “I do believe that that kind of desire will manifest itself. I do."

It better. Because there will be many more games like the past two, and the Dodgers (who reside in the second NL wild-card spot, five games clear of the cut line) might find themselves limping into October, facing a potentially daunting postseason path.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Socceroos star Nestory Irankunda scores first goal for Watford with stunning free kick

  • Teenager curls home goal in another strong performance for new side

  • He says his ambition is to ‘make the crowd go wild’ at Vicarage Road

The young Socceroos star Nestory Irankunda has scored his first goal for the Championship side Watford with a stunning free kick.

The 19-year-old winger, who starred at Adelaide United but struggled to get game time at Bayern Munich, curled home a glorious 25-yard free kick to give the Hornets the lead at Swansea in the 35th minute of their 1-1 draw on Saturday.

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Sharapova enters tennis Hall of Fame with surprise cameo by Serena Williams

  • Williams surprises Sharapova at induction

  • 23-time major winner hails fierce rivalry

  • Bryan brothers, Sharapova join 2025 class

Serena Williams made a a surprise – and early – appearance at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, emerging from behind the stage to introduce “former rival, former fan and forever friend” Maria Sharapova for her induction on Saturday night.

Williams, a 23-time grand slam champion who will be eligible for her own enshrinement in 2027, drew gasps and shrieks from the crowd at the Newport shrine.

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Mets smash six home runs, Clay Holmes solid in 9-2 win over Braves

The Mets smashed six more home runs on Saturday and Clay Holmes pitched six innings for the first time in more than two months as New York defeated the Braves, 9-2, in Atlanta.

New York has hit 29 home runs in their last 11 games, including Saturday. Four Mets pitchers held the Braves to two runs on just five hits.

Here are the takeaways...

-After a 21-hit barrage on Friday, the Mets' lineup wouldn't go that nuclear on Saturday, but they continued to get knocks against Cal Quantrill. Francisco Lindor extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a third-inning single to lead off. After a Juan Soto walk, they executed a double-steal to put runners on second and third and no outs. Pete Alonso grounded to the left side for the first out before Mark Vientos struck out swinging. The Mets were in danger of not getting a run, but Jeff McNeil, starting for the first time in three games, launched a towering three-run blast just inside the right field foul pole. 

-The Braves almost answered the Mets' three-run third with a big inning of their own in the bottom half of the inning. After Holmes couldn't come down with the toss from Alonso, putting runners on first and third with one out, Starling Marte -- making just his sixth start in the outfield this season -- caught a fly ball in left before throwing a seed to Hayden Senger and getting Nacho Alvarez Jr. at home.

It wouldn't get easier for Holmes in the fourth. He walked back-to-back batters to start the inning and got Michael Harris II to hit a grounder to McNeil, who turned to try and get Ronald Acuña Jr. at second, but the former NL MVP slid in safely before the ball got there -- after it was overturned by replay. With the bases loaded and no outs, Marcell Ozuna got a sac fly to give the Braves their first run of the game. Drake Baldwin hit a slow chopper to Holmes to drive in another on the groundout. Holmes got Ozzie Albies to fly out to end the threat, but Atlanta picked up two runs without getting a hit in the fourth.

A 1-2-3 fifth and some stellar defense by Lindor and Tyrone Taylor in the sixth helped Holmes get through six innings for the first time since June 7. Coincidentally, the Mets had gone 62 games before a starter other than David Peterson went six-plus innings when Nolan McLean broke that on Friday. And now Mets starters have done so in back-to-back games. 

Holmes had retired 10 straight batters before a one-out single in the seventh and left after a quality start. The right-hander tossed 94 pitches (54 strikes) through 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits, two walks and striking out four.

-After that three-run shot by McNeil, the Mets' offense was kept at bay by Quantrill and Braves relievers until the seventh, when Alonso hit a towering blast just inside the right field foul pole with Soto on first base to give the Mets a 5-2 lead. Vientos followed with a no-doubt homer to left field to put the Mets on top, 6-2. 

It's Alonso's first home run (43 ABs) since the two-homer night when he broke Darryl Strawberry's franchise record. The Mets weren't done in the seventh as Marte hit a solo shot to give New York a four-spot in the inning. Marte was removed from left field in the seventh for Cedric Mullins, who played center and Taylor shifted to left. Vientos and McNeil would cap off the Mets' scoring with ninth-inning solo shots, the second of both slugger's games.

-In relief of Holmes, Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers and Edwin Diaz -- who hadn't pitched in a week -- picked up the final eight outs. Here how it broke down:

  • Soto: 0.2 IP, 1 BB, 1 K
  • Rogers: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 K
  • Diaz: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K

-The 6-9 hitters went a combined 12-for-20 with six RBI in Friday's game, but didn't have the same success on Saturday. That part of the lineup went 4-for-17 with one RBI. Three of those hits came from Marte. Brett Baty, who had four hits, went hitless, while Taylor picked up just one hit after picking up three on Friday.

-Mets stole four bases on Quantrill, Marte having two of them. It's the first time they stole four bases in a game this season.

Game MVP: Starling Marte

The veteran outfielder not only went 3-for-3 with a homer, two stolen bases, but that assist in the outfield changed the tenor of the whole game.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets and Braves finish their three-game set with an afternoon game in Atlanta. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. on WPIX.

David Peterson (8-5, 3.18 ERA) will take on Bryce Elder (5-9, 6.29 ERA)

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Sabres 2025-26 Expectations: Can Newcomer Goalie Lyon Help Buffalo End Playoff Drought?

Alex Lyon (Lon Horwedel, USA TODAY Images)

The  Buffalo Sabres will need all hands on deck this season if they're to end their Stanley Cup playoff drought at 14 years. And this is why THN.com's Sabres site is beginning a new series in which we analyze every player on the roster and what we should expect from them in the 2025-26 NHL regular-season.

We began the series Friday with a look at veteran goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, and in the latest file, we turned our attention to first-year Sabres goalie Alex Lyon. The former Detroit Red Wings goalie signed a low-cost, two-year contract, and  he's essentially netminding insurance for Luukkonen. 

But we want to hear from you -- what should the expectations be for Lyon next year? Weigh in through the comment section below. And feel free to register as a community member.

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Have Your Say: Can Dylan Larkin Get Red Wings Over The Hump?

There is no player on the Detroit Red Wings who more badly wants postseason hockey to return to the Motor City than Dylan Larkin, the longest-tenured member of the team.

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

Larkin also is the only Red Wings player left from the 2015-16 roster that most recently played beyond the 82nd game of the regular season; it was also his rookie campaign. 

Larkin was recently challenged by NHL Network Insider Mike Rupp, who said that he needed to essentially put the club on his back and "drag them" to the playoffs.

Will this be the season that the Stanley Cup Playoffs come to Little Caesars Arena for the first time in the venue's existence? 

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From the Archives: Give Credit To Detroit's Foot Soldiers

The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

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Give Credit To Detroit's Foot Soldiers - May 5, 2000 - Volume 53, Issue 34 - Chuck Carlton

All the Detroit Red Wings understand is everybody plays and everybody contributes and that’s why they win. Stars know their roles and role players can become stars.

Consider the first round sweep of the Los Angeles Kings and how the stats turned upside down.

Martin Lapointe scored as many goals as Sergei Fedorov. Kris Draper finished with more goals than Brendan Shanahan. And Tomas Holmstrom got one more than Steve Yzerman.

“Whoever wins in the playoffs gets goals from everybody,” Yzerman said. “You don’t rely on one line or one individual. When we won the two (Stanley) Cups, everybody was successful. If you want to go far, you have to have the depth.”

The Kings concur. They shut down all the marquee names and got burned by the supporting actors. In Game 1, Darren McCarty returned from missing 16 games with a groin pull to register a game-high 10 hits and set the early tone by plastering Garry Galley against the end boards.

Game 2 saw Lapointe net his first playoff hat trick. Draper, with just nine goals in his past 141 games counting the playoffs, added two more.

Holmstrom personally decided Game 3 in less than seven minutes of ice time. He drew Kings’ captain Rob Blake into a penalty with the Kings already down a man to set up the first goal and deflected a Nicklas Lidstrom shot past Stephane Fiset for the winner in a 2-1 victory.

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

“I look at this team and say openly, ‘What team in the NHL can match them with skill, scoring, grittiness and tenacity up front?’ And I can’t come up with a team,” said ESPN analyst Darren Pang. “Depth-wise, I think this team is as confident and as good as ever. When you have a fourth line consisting of a Draper, a Lapointe and a (Kirk) Maltby, that’s just remarkable.”

As expected as the contributions have become for the Red Wings, they relied more than usual on the top scoring line of Yzerman, Shanahan and Pat Verbeek in the regular season as injuries and slumps ate away at the depth.

McCarty missed 24 games this season because of groin problems and managed just six goals. A contract holdout saw him miss training camp and the death of his father, Craig, made for a trying regular season.

“Everything that has happened, no matter what, is rubbed clean; this is like a new season, a fresh start,” McCarty said. “Everything is behind me. I’ve come to grips with everything and accepted everything. Now it’s time.”

The challenge was different for Lapointe.

He weighed 234 pounds after last season on a 5-foot-11 frame. He joked that he would “look at a bag of potato chips and gain five pounds.” Room service wasn’t a convenience, it was a way of life.

Now he’s down to a chiseled 210, still as physical and strong, but quicker. He looks more like the guy who scored nine playoff goals in 1998.

Draper might be the best fourth line center in hockey, but was worried about his position just before the playoffs, especially after a broken wrist earlier this season.

Then there’s Holmstrom, who doesn’t enjoy the pain that comes with assuming personal residence in front of the opposing goalie, as much he accepts it. He not only takes one for the team, he takes two or three or four.

Like early in the season against Vancouver, when a Donald Brashear check left him with a sprained knee. Or March 29 against Vancouver, when Holmstrom got cross-checked in the mouth and took a puck in the cheek, suffering a concussion. Or Game 1 of the playoffs, when Blake played target practice with his head. Or Game 3, when Blake cross-checked him in head instead. Holmstrom’s smile looks like the grill of a Plymouth Fury after a demolition derby.

“He’s a beauty, isn’t he?” McCarty said. “How can you not love that guy? Everybody thinks he’s Swedish, but he’s actually Canadian, he’s up from the Arctic or somewhere like that. He’s got a heart the size of Sweden. He’s a valuable guy on our team. You talk about unsung heroes, he’s definitely one of them with the abuse that he takes.”

But he’s not alone.

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