The Toronto Maple Leafs' top prospects are set to face off against the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators in a pair of rookie games this weekend. Following the team’s second day of on-ice preparation, we have a clearer sense of what the lines will look like, as reported by our own Nick Barden.
On the defensive end, the top pairing will feature Ben Danford skating alongside Noah Chadwick. The rookie tournament is a crucial opportunity for these young players to make a strong impression and earn a spot at the main training camp, which begins next week. The competition will be fierce, with players like Danford and Chadwick looking to prove they can play at the next level.
The Maple Leafs also focused on special teams during Friday's practice. Forward Miroslav Holinka and defenseman John Prokop joined the top unit, showcasing the team's depth. Toronto signed the 19-year-old Holinka to a three-year entry-level contract after his strong performance at development camp this summer. The 23-year-old Prokop was also signed in March to a one-year deal following his season with Union College in the NCAA and even played three games with the Marlies last season.
Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and the rest of the Dodgers lineup increased their production this week. But, Betts admits, "for a little while, we were having just some bad at-bats." (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
To Andrew Friedman, something like this was a virtual impossibility.
“If you had said that we would have a six-week stretch where our offense would rank 30th in baseball, I would have said there was a zero percent chance,” the Dodgers president of baseball operations said last month.
“I would have been wrong,” he quickly added.
Over a five-week stretch from July 4 to Aug. 4, the Dodgers inexplicably ranked 30th (out of 30 clubs) in scoring. And though they’ve been slightly better in the five weeks since, questions about their supposed juggernaut lineup still abound.
In the first half of the season, the Dodgers boasted the best offense in the majors, leading the majors in scoring (5.61 runs per game), batting average (.262), OPS (.796) and hitting with runners in scoring position (.300) and went 56-32 over their first 88 games.
Since then, however, everything has flipped.
It started with a July slump that was as stunning as it was unforeseen, with the Dodgers averaging just 3.36 runs in a 25-game stretch commencing with Independence Day. Since then, there have been only marginal improvements, with the Dodgers entering Friday ranked 24th in scoring (4.21 runs per game), 25th in batting average (.237), 18th in OPS (.718) and 22nd in hitting with runners in scoring position (.245) over their last 58 games — a stretch in which they've gone 26-32.
“Not scoring runs,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said last week, “it's just not who we are.”
On the surface, the root causes seemed rather obvious. Much of their lineup was either on the injured list or scuffling in the wake of previous, nagging injuries. Healthy superstars were grinding through flaws with their swings. What little depth they had failed to compensate.
To that end, the team is hopeful it has turned the page.
Shohei Ohtani, after a midseason lull, is back to his MVP-caliber norms. Mookie Betts is back to looking like himself at the end of an otherwise career-worst season. Max Muncy and Tommy Edman have returned from injuries, providing the batting order with much-needed length. Significant playing time is no longer going to the likes of Buddy Kennedy, Alex Freeland, Estuery Ruiz or any of the other anonymous faces that populated the clubhouse during the campaign’s darkest days.
“Our lineup, our team, looks more whole,” manager Dave Roberts said this week. "I think that we've all been waiting for our guys to come back to health, and see what we look like as the ballclub that we had all envisioned.”
Still, when asked whether the Dodgers’ second-half slump could just be pinned on personnel issues, Roberts and his players said it wasn’t that simple.
The Dodgers might not have been whole. But they weren’t doing fundamental things — like stressing opposing pitchers, driving up pitch counts, or executing in leverage situations — either.
“We'd lost sight of playing the game the way we're capable of playing,” Roberts acknowledged.
“For a little while,” Betts added, “we were having just some bad at-bats.”
This is the dynamic the Dodgers have honed in on fixing, hoping to turn their summer-long frustrations into a valuable learning experience as October nears.
In recent days, a renewed and deliberate emphasis has been placed on the importance of competitiveness at the plate. Daily hitters’ meetings have included film sessions reviewing situational at-bats from the previous night. In-game dugout conversations have centered on a more basic message.
“It’s more about your approach, your plan,” Freeman said. “That’s been the focus.”
This week, the team took what it hopes are important first steps, ambushing the Rockies with seven- and nine-run performances in which they advanced baserunners, capitalized on scoring opportunities and built the kind of big innings that been missing over the two months beforehand.
“We said a few games ago, ‘This needs to be like how we focus for the playoffs,’” Freeman said. “Focus on the little things that help win games.”
The Dodgers, of course, have seen what a broken offense looks like before.
And they know what happens when it doesn’t get rectified before the playoffs.
Late in 2022, as co-hitting coach Aaron Bates recalled this week, the team slipped into bad habits while nursing a massive National League West lead: “It felt like that whole month of September was swing camp, or spring training,” he said, “in the sense of guys working on their swings individually too much, as opposed to playing the game in front of them.”
The results then were costly: A four-game NL Division Series elimination to the San Diego Padres in which the Dodgers repeatedly failed with runners in scoring position.
The next year was more of the same: The team losing its identity while coasting down the stretch, before being swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in three listless games.
Last season, the Dodgers finally avoided such pitfalls. They batted .278 with runners in scoring position during their postseason run to the World Series. Their tying and go-ahead runs in the Fall Classic clincher came on a pair of productive at-bats in the form of sacrifice flies.
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani has showed his MVP form in recent games, homering twice in Sunday's win against the Baltimore Orioles. (Eric Thayer / For The Times)
But this summer, after a first-half outburst that met every lofty expectation of their $400-million roster, more troubling patterns began to resurface again.
Betts’ slow start devolved into a career-worst slump, bottoming out with a .205 average during July. Freeman began to fade right alongside him, with his .374 season average at the end of May plummeting to .292 less than two months later. Edman and Teoscar Hernández struggled after returning from first-half injuries. Michael Conforto never found his footing while Andy Pages endured an extended sophomore slide.
When coupled with Muncy’s prolonged absence — he missed 48 of 56 games because of a knee injury and oblique strain — the Dodgers suddenly had a lineup of players either grinding to rediscover their swing, or struggling to make up for the firepower they were missing.
And as easy scoring dried up, their inability to work consistent “team at-bats” quickly became magnified.
“It happened incrementally, every day, little by little,” Bates said. “Where it’s like, you’re a little off, you want to see what’s wrong with your swing, and you don’t realize that it snowballs. Before you know it, you’re thinking so much about your swing, you’re off of the situations out there.”
It was a problem, Bates insisted, borne of good intentions. Most of the roster was battling swing flaws. Too much daily energy was spent on players trying to individually get their mechanics right.
It led to mindless swings that were wasted on bad pitches. It caused scoring opportunities to carelessly, and repeatedly, go frustratingly by the wayside.
“Guys just got so internal with their mechanics,” Bates said, “they weren’t able to shift their focus once the game starts to just competing in the box.”
Bates started sensing the trend while watching the team from afar, gaining a different perspective during a two-week medical absence in early August to address blood clots in his leg.
In the clubhouse, players began voicing similar observations after particularly puzzling offensive performances in recent weeks.
“I feel like a lot of swings that we took today weren't really good swings to get on base,” veteran infielder Miguel Rojas said after the Dodgers managed only one hit in six innings against Padres left-hander Nestor Cortes on Aug. 23. “We know we're more than capable of putting up better at-bats and more hits together to create some traffic.”
“We individually are trying to find ways on our own to make sure that we’re just hitting better than we are,” Ohtani echoed, through an interpreter, after the Dodgers’ one-run performance in a series opener in Baltimore last weekend. “But I think the side effect of that is, we’re a little too eager, and putting too much pressure on ourselves.”
Thus, this week, the team endeavored to make changes.
In their daily pregame hitters’ meetings, the club has started holding what fellow co-hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc described to SportsNet LA as “NFL-style” film sessions; in which players were asked to review situational at-bats from the night before, and analyze their ability to execute their plan of attack.
“The game rewards you for having those ‘team at-bats,’ ” Bates said. “So you just preach to them by holding each other accountable, talking about them after the fact, not shying away from it.”
Freeman added that, in the dugout, players have also made an effort to emphasize that message among themselves.
“Don’t get upset because your swing didn’t feel good,” he said. “Like, if you go 0-for-four but move a runner over four times, that’s a great game for us. It might not be for your stats. But you gotta throw that out the window. That’s what we’ve been trying to clean up.”
The hope is that this renewed focus will naturally help hitters sync up their swings.
On Monday night, for example, Betts moved a runner to third base with a fly ball in the sixth inning, before coming back to the plate and roping a tie-breaking two-run single with two outs in the eighth.
“He said it in the hitter’s meeting [the next day],” Freeman relayed, “how that little positive thing of moving [a runner] over helped him build confidence going into his next at-bat.”
Little moments like that, the Dodgers hope, will help kick-start their offense as they come up on the playoffs. They might not have been able to envision the struggles of the last two months. But now, between better health and improving at-bat quality, they finally see a way to fix their ailing offense.
“Now, we're at least having good at-bats, getting a walk, extending innings, finding ways to manufacture runs,” Betts said.
“I do think that presently, the guys are engaged,” Roberts added. “Guys are playing as one right now."
The New York Rangers have signed defenseman Andrej Sustr to a professional tryout contract.
Sustr hasn’t played in the NHL since the 2021-22 season, as he has spent the last three years playing in Europe in various leagues.
Through his eight seasons in the NHL, Sustr played for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Anaheim Ducks.
In 361-career NHL games, the 34-year-old defenseman has recorded 11 goals, 58 assists, and 69 points.
Sustr joins forward Conor Sheary as the two players to be signed to a PTO by the Rangers. Both players will compete at training camp to make the Blueshirts’ opening-night roster.
Gameplay wise the L2/LT glitch, hip check, and reverse hitting have had their power reduced and can no longer be exploited.
The number of X-Factors have been drastically reduced and it is now easier to see when an ability is active.
Over 80 new goalie animations have been added along with new player reactions.
ICE-Q 2.0 looks to incorporate real-life tendencies into the game using NHL EDGE data.
Changes to Be A Pro include the introduction of the World Junior Championship, the ability to be sent down to the AHL, new cutscenes , cinematics, and voice acting, and more impactful conversations.
Changes to HUT include the introduction of a new ranked ladder system, offline Cup Chase, new UI, more content and more rewards.
Berkly Catton is entering his second rookie camp and training with the Seattle Kraken, but this time around, his intentions are greater, hoping to earn a roster spot.
It will be a challenging task for Catton, as the Kraken lineup appears to be fairly set, but the 19-year-old has a skillset rivalled by few players.
Last year at training camp, Catton had hopes of making the team, but knew it was a long shot and was trying to take everything in, watching and picking the brains of several veterans on the roster. This year, he's put in real work in the off-season, with serious intentions of being on the Kraken's opening night roster.
"Last year with the draft and all that stuff, it's a really short summer, it goes by quick," said Catton when asked what a successful September would look like. "There's not as much time to just settle down and work on getting a little stronger and a little bigger. I think this past summer, I spent lots of time doing that and working on little aspects of my game. I'm feeling really confident. Coming into this September, it's just about putting my best foot forward and showcasing myself the best that I can."
The eighth overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft stands 5-foot-10, 179 pounds. Although it can be considered undersized in today's game, Catton is aware of the need to be stronger. Adding muscle to his frame will allow him to improve on elements outside of his skating and puck skills.
"It kind of just ties into winning stick battles and stuff like that," said Catton. "I think this summer I was skating with lots of NHL guys, so it's a different kind of breed going into the corner with an older guy versus a guy in the Western League, so I think just learning how to use my body properly and the strength I have gotten. Use that in the corners and come out with the puck."
Those aspects of Catton's game are always important, but now, possibly more than ever, are they important to the Kraken. Coach Lane Lambert is proud of his defensive system and his ability to get his players to buy into it. Lambert won't care if Catton was a top 10 pick or went undrafted; effort on the defensive end is a must. Avoiding being physically outmatched by his opponents will go a long way for him.
The confidence with the puck and in his body to compete with NHL players are key factors, but Catton now feels like there isn't an adjustment period heading into camp. The Saskatoon, Sask. native felt star-struck sitting next to players like captain Jordan Eberle, but now, he's looking at them as peers.
"I think the first time when you see all the NHL guys, it's kind of like a wow factor, your idols like Jordan Eberle and all of a sudden you're sitting beside him before a game, so I think this year, that kind of aspect is ruled out a little bit," said Catton. "I understand what it's going to be like, I know the guys a little bit more, so I think there's more confidence in that sense."
Catton will play the 2025-26 season in the NHL or back with the Spokane Chiefs in the WHL. Catton feels that he's proved everything he needs to in the Western Hockey League and is ready for the next step in his career, but earning that right will be no small feat.
The Knicks have added quality point guard depth in a deal with former Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon. However, to keep him another move — possibly a trade — has to happen.
The Knicks and Brogdon have agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN via Brogdon's agent, and has since been confirmed by multiple other reports.
Brogdon, 32, is entering his 10th NBA season and averaged 12.7 points and 4.1 assists with the Wizards. Plus, he is a career 38.8% shooter from beyond the arc. New Knicks coach Mike Brown will want to lean into that shooting and Brogdon's playmaking skills — he was the Sixth Man of the Year in 2023 — in a point guard rotation behind Jalen Brunson with Miles McBride.
This signing comes one day after the Knicks signed wing Landry Shamet to a contract. The problem for New York is that it is hard capped at the second apron of the luxury tax and is up against that number — it can't keep both Shamet and Brogdon as the roster is currently constructed.
First, the Knicks likely will be patient heading into training camp to make sure Brogdon is healthy — he played just 24 games in Washington last season and has played in less than 40 for three of the past four seasons. If he is not, this is a non-guaranteed contract and a cruel business.
However, the expectation is that the Knicks will make a trade, moving one of the other guaranteed contracts on the roster, to clear out the space to keep both Brogdon and Shamet, something suggested by the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy. This has the vibes of already being in the works because Brogdon had options and he wasn't going to take a non-guaranteed offer — even from a contender like the Knicks — over guaranteed money unless there was an understanding he wasn't going anywhere. New York doesn't have to rush into a move, they can make it during training camp, but something is coming.
With that, expect Brogdon to be a Knick on opening night.
Apr 14, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Utah Hockey Club goaltender Matt Villalta (31) blocks a shot by Nashville Predators right wing Matthew Wood (52) during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
It may not count in the standings, but there's a hockey game Friday afternoon.
Following a practice on Thursday, rookies from the Nashville Predators traveled to Tampa Bay and will face the Lightning in the first game of the NHL Prospect Tournament Friday afternoon at AdventHealth Center Ice.
There's no such thing as getting your feet wet for the 24 Predators prospects who reported to rookie camp Wednesday. After today's game, they will face the Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes over the next four days.
As in previous years, the coaching staff of the Predators' AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, will lead the prospect camp. Ads head coach Karl Taylor heads the group, along with assistants Greg Rallo and Matt Donovan. Predators general manager Barry Trotz will be on hand to observe.
While winning may not be the ultimate objective in these games, it's certainly a part of the competitive nature of these young players as they hope to turn heads and make a good impression on the Predators' brass.
"The first 10 minutes are probably going to be a gongshow out there,but you never want to lose," defenseman Andrew Gibson told reporters following Thursday's practice. "I've been competitive my whole life, no matter what it is. I always want to win. So, it's going to be a big factor going into this weekend, and hopefully, we win all three."
Two of Nashville's three first-round picks in this year's NHL Draft are competing in the tournament: fifth overall pick Brady Martin and defenseman Cameron Reid (21st overall). Ryker Lee, Jacob Rombach and Jack Ivankovic, who were also selected in the 2025 Draft, committed to play in the NCAA this season and are not in attendance.
Forwards Matthew Wood and Joakim Kemell, along with defenseman Ryan Ufko, made their NHL debuts in 2024-25 and are competing in the tournament. Each is hoping to grab a roster spot in 2025-26.
"I know there's a lot of guys going down to Tampa that really want to make the team, and I’m definitely one of them," Wood, who skated in six games for the Predators last season, said Thursday. "It's going to be a lot of fun.”
Teams will dress a total of 20 players during the tournament, including 18 skaters and two goaltenders. Each game will feature three 20-minute periods, with a five-minute, 3-on-3 overtime if the score is tied. A shootout consisting of five playrs will conclude each contest regardless of the final score.
This is the 10th time in the last 11 years that a team of rookies is taking part in a tournament. In 2024, the Predators hosted the tournament at Ford Ice Center Bellevue. It marked the third time Nashville hosted the showcase after doing so in 2017 and 2019 at Ford Ice Center Antioch.
Puck drop for Friday's game against the Lightning is set for 4 Pm CT, and the game will be streamed on NashvillePredators.com.
NEW YORK — Aaron Judge hit his 361st career home run, tying Hall of Fame outfielder Joe DiMaggio for fourth place in New York Yankees history.
The two-time AL MVP went deep twice in the first three innings of a 9-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers, with at Yankee Stadium on the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
“Joe DiMaggio, Joe DiMaggio, it feels like that’s been there forever,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Joe DiMaggio in a lot of ways transcended baseball. So to be next to him on the list and as he’s going to be waving as he’s going by, it’s impressive and a bit of privilege having a front-row seat to that.”
“It’s just an important day for all of us to come together, so it’s just kind of a surreal moment, surreal day,” Judge said.
Judge launched homer No. 360 in the first inning, a 413-foot drive to left-center field off Tyler Holton that put New York up 1-0.
Judge matched DiMaggio in the third inning by driving a 1-0 fastball from Sawyer Gipson-Long to the back of the Tigers’ bullpen in left-center for his second homer of the game.
That solo shot gave New York a 4-1 lead. It had an exit velocity of 114.9 mph and traveled 434 feet.
It was Judge’s 45th career multihomer game, one behind Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle for second place in Yankees history. Babe Ruth’s 68 multihomer games are the most.
Judge reached 361 homers in his 1,129th game. DiMaggio played 1,736 games and hit his last homer on Sept. 28, 1951, at the end of a 13-year career that was interrupted for three seasons because he served in World War II.
Judge’s 46th homer of the season raised his major league-best batting average to .322, three points ahead of Athletics rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson.
“He’s probably the best player in baseball,” Yankees rookie pitcher Cam Schlitter said about Judge.
Holton and Gipson-Long became the 272nd and 273rd pitchers to allow a homer to Judge, who has six multi-homer games this season.
Judge, the Yankees’ captain, broke a tie with Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra for fifth on New York’s career list in a 12-2 loss when he hit a solo shot off Casey Mize in the first inning.
“Just two legends, greats in the game, all-time Yankees,” Judge said. “Pretty cool being on a list with them.”
Ruth (659 homers), Mantle (536) and Lou Gehrig (493) are the only players ahead of Judge on the Yankees’ career home run chart.
Due to the state of the franchise during his tenure with the team, Marc-Andre Fleury didn't do much winning with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Fleury played with Chicago for just a tick over half a season. He played 45 games in 2021-22 before being traded to the Minnesota Wild at the deadline. During those games, he went 19-21-5 with a .908 save percentage and 2.95 goals against average. Had they not had Fleury that year, their place in the standings might have been even lower.
The Blackhawks and Wild, along with the Vegas Golden Knights, are the three teams to have Fleury since his departure from the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he became a legendary goalie.
While with Pittsburgh, Fleury was a part of three Stanley Cup championships, and formed an all-time great core with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Chris Kunitz. To be a good team-guy, Fleury waived his no-move clause so the Vegas Golden Knights could select him in the 2017 Expansion Draft.
Since Fleury retired at the end of last season, he hasn't had the chance to have a proper send-off from the Pittsburgh Penguins. On Friday, however, the Penguins announced how they plan to rectify that.
Fleury has signed a PTO with the Penguins, and he will play in one pre-season game for them. That will take place in Pittsburgh on September 27th, when they take on the Columbus Blue Jackets. It is sure to be a special night for the franchise that selected Fleury first overall in the 2003 NHL Draft.
The Chicago Blackhawks were a very small part of Fleury's journey in the NHL, but everyone in the organization who had a chance to know him and learn from him is better for it. Now, all hockey fans will get to witness a very special moment later this month.
You don't see an honoring like this very often, where they get to actually suit up, which adds to the intrigue. Fleury deserves all of his "flowers".
Pittsburgh Penguins fans are getting their wish to see Marc-Andre Fleury one more time in Pittsburgh.
The Penguins signed Fleury to a professional tryout on Friday, allowing him to retire as a Penguin. He will come into town at the end of the month and practice with the team on September 26 before playing in part of the Penguins' preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on September 27.
“The entire Penguins organization is honored to welcome Marc-Andre Fleury back to the ice in Pittsburgh," Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas said in a statement. "This past year, everyone witnessed how beloved and respected Marc is in the game of hockey, but the adoration goes beyond his accolades and career. Marc means so much to our team, our fans, and the City of Pittsburgh because of the person he is and the example he set. The Penguins feel he and his family are most-deserving of this opportunity to celebrate this full-circle moment back where it all started in front of the black and gold faithful."
Fleury spent the first 13 seasons of his career with the Penguins and helped them win three Stanley Cups before he spent time with the Vegas Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks, and Minnesota Wild.
He's one of the best goaltenders in NHL history and will get to have one final moment with Penguins fans before riding off into the sunset.
All eyes are on Easton Cowan as he heads to the Toronto Maple Leafs’ rookie tournament in Montreal this weekend. The prospect will play professional hockey for the first time this season. His performance this weekend and at the Leafs’ upcoming training camp will determine if he plays in the NHL with the Leafs or in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies.
If Cowan doesn’t make the Leafs roster, however, it won’t be because of his size. Toronto’s first-round pick (28th overall) in the 2023 NHL Draft has brought his weight up to 190 pounds and stands at almost six feet tall.
Cowan spent his summer working out in London and recently joined the Leafs at their practice facility over the last three weeks, and his teammates have noticed.
“He’s maybe not the tallest guy but I feel like he’s a pit bull,” Maple Leafs prospect Ben Danford said. “When he has the puck he’s low on the ice and hard to knock off”.
Cowan is coming off yet another successful season with the London Knights, helping the team win the 2025 Memorial Cup, where he was named tournament MVP.
Toronto Marlies head coach John Gruden, who is leading the prospects to Montreal for rookie games against the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators, is impressed with how Cowan has found time to add strength after a long junior season including the 2025 World Juniors.
“You gotta understand like he was with Team Canada, their development camp all those times playing at the Memorial Cup two years in a row, winning it. It's a lot on a young man,” Gruden said.
The path for Cowan to the NHL will be tough, and he will need to show he can keep up with the defensive demands of hockey’s highest level.
“I just gotta be a worker, gotta be a hound, get pucks in, get pucks out, play simple because me and the Leafs organization know that if I do that my offense will take over. So just focus on defense first and the offense will come,” Cowan said.
There’s been lots of attention on Nicklas
Bäckström’s SHL comeback this upcoming season. Behind him, Magnus Hellberg is
looming as one of the biggest signings ahead of the season.
Hellberg returns to Sweden and Djurgården
after thirteen years abroad. During that time, he played 7 games in the NHL and
259 games in the AHL. He also spent several seasons in the Russian KHL, where
he made 169 appearances over the years.
Djurgården’s sporting director Niklas
Wikegård is pleased to bring in such an experienced goaltender. In an interview
with the club’s own media channels, he shared his thoughts on Hellberg and what
he believes he can add to the team this coming season.
“We’re bringing in one of the most
experienced goaltenders in the country, with many years of playing abroad at a
very high level. Magnus has represented some of the top clubs in the KHL and
been close to the top clubs in the NHL, and on top of that he has produced
strong results in the AHL in recent years,” said Niklas Wikegård.
In addition to Hellberg, Djurgården has the
talented Hugo Hävelid in goal. Hävelid is undrafted but has represented Sweden
at the junior international level. Here’s what sporting director Wikegård said
about Hellberg as a complement to Hävelid.
“Magnus will be an extremely important
piece for us to bring home. He is a goaltender we feel secure with and who
upgrades us, together with the defensive line we are putting together. We are
also creating a very exciting goalie duo with 21-year-old Hugo, who can get
fantastic training from Magnus over the coming years,” says Wikegård.
Hellberg followed Djurgården from a
distance last season and, like so many others, was impressed by the club’s fan
support. Djurgården won the second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan last season and
earned promotion to the SHL.
“I followed the team very closely last
season and am very impressed by the journey, with the fans’ support and help. A
full Hovet or Avicii Arena with all the awesome tifos and atmosphere and the
pressure that comes with it is something I look forward to sharing with you.
I’m super excited to come home, help Djurgården win hockey games and create
great memories together with all of you,” says Magnus Hellberg.
In addition to Hellberg, Djurgården has
several other players with NHL experience. Most notably, they have Marcus
Krüger, who won two Stanley Cups with Chicago during their dynasty years. They
also have Jacob Josefsson, formerly with the New Jersey Devils, who has made a
comeback and adds further experience to the team.
When it comes to young players, Djurgården
also has a strong group. Among them are two 17-year-old prospects, Marcus
Nordmark and Viggo Björck. The team also features 2025 NHL Draft first-round
picks Victor Eklund and Anton Frondell.
Marc-Andre Fleury is playing one last game with the Pittsburgh Penguins this pre-season.
Fleury, who announced last season would be his final in the NHL, signed a professional tryout with the Penguins, GM Kyle Dubas announced Friday.
The 40-year-old will practise with the Penguins on Friday, Sept. 26, before playing in parts of Pittsburgh's exhibition game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, Sept. 27, in front of the home fans at PPG Paints Arena.
The Penguins drafted Fleury first overall in 2003, and together, they won three Stanley Cup championships. He last played for them in 2017 before getting claimed in the Vegas Golden Knights' expansion draft, then later playing for the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild.
After finishing his NHL season with the Wild, he reunited with Penguins captain Sidney Crosby on Team Canada at the World Championship.
"The entire Penguins organization is honored to welcome Marc-Andre Fleury back to the ice in Pittsburgh," Dubas said in a news release. "This past year, everyone witnessed how beloved and respected Marc is in the game of hockey, but the adoration goes beyond his accolades and career. Marc means so much to our team, our fans and the City of Pittsburgh because of the person he is and the example he set.
"The Penguins feel he and his family are most-deserving of this opportunity to celebrate this full-circle moment back where it all started in front of the Black and Gold faithful."
Fleury spent 13 of his 21 NHL seasons with the Penguins and set franchise records along the way.
He leads all Penguins netminders, past and present, with 691 games played, 375 wins and 44 shutouts. As for goalies with at least 100 games played on the team, Fleury's 2.58 goals-against average ranks first, and his .912 save percentage is tied for second behind Matt Murray (.914).
As for playoff numbers, Fleury's 115 games played, 62 wins and 10 shutouts also rank first in Penguins history.
Fleury also won the Vezina Trophy and William M. Jennings Trophy, but it came in 2020-21 with the Golden Knights, four seasons after he last played for the Penguins.
That said, Fleury's more than a goalie.
"It was so apparent in October when Minny came to Pittsburgh (for Fleury's final game against Pittsburgh), just what he means to people," Dubas told The Athletic in May. "Not just the staff or the players. I’m talking more about the fans, the reaction they had to him. It was incredible."
Known for his many high-effort pranks and funny personality, Fleury's also known for his charitable efforts. With the Penguins, he received two Edward J. Debartolo Community Service Awards.
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Easton Cowan Headlines Maple Leafs Roster For Prospects Showdown in Montreal, Schedule Of GamesThe Toronto Maple Leafs rookie roster is set to take on the rookies of the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators at the 2025 Prospect Showdown this weekend at the Bell Centre in Montreal.
