Tennessee Tech announced Wednesday that the school is switching to the Southern Conference on July 1, 2026, and leaving the Ohio Valley Conference, where the Golden Eagles had been members since 1949. “This historic move changes the trajectory of our athletic aspirations and makes a statement to our campus and our community that Tech sports will be a part of a vibrant conference with new geographic rivalries,” athletic director Casey Fox said in a statement. Tennessee Tech will have 14 of its 15 sports competing in the Southern Conference.
Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Defensive Prospect Continues To Grow All-Around Game
Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.
With more talent in the system than Pittsburgh has had in years - and 13 picks in the 2025 NHL Draft - top prospects lists are becoming more competitive and more difficult to discern. Since the prospect pool is deepening, The Hockey News - Pittsburgh Penguins takes a look at the top-20 prospects in the organization.
Next up is No. 16, as we take a look at defensive prospect Emil Pieniniemi, whose strong 2024-25 campaign turned some heads and has set him up nicely going forward.
#16: D Emil Pieniniemi
It was quite the season for Pieniniemi, 20, who came over to North America from Finland and completed a junior season with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In 60 games played this season, he registered 10 goals and 60 points, and he finished sixth in OHL scoring among defensemen.
He was also an alternate captain for Team Finland's 2025 World Junior Championship squad, when he recorded two goals and three points in six games. The 6-foot-3, 177-pound defenseman was the No. 1 defenseman for Finland, and he helped lead them to a silver medal in the tournament.
At the time of his selection in the third round (91st overall) of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Pieniniemi was more well-known for his shutdown defensive ability. But, since arriving in North America, he has shown his ability as a versatile two-way defenseman who can be deployed in all situations.
Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Young Forward Earns His SpotHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.
The intrigue in Pieniniemi's game is certainly in his upside potential offensively, as he became a glue guy for the Frontenacs on the power play and has the playmaking smarts and IQ to distribute the puck to the danger areas effectively. He's mobile, he's agile, and he knows how to man the offensive blue line.
Defensively, Pieniniemi gets in shooting lanes, does not shy away from physicality, and uses his frame effectively to win positioning on opponents. He isn't afraid to dish a booming hit or get mixed up in scourmishes, either, which is always something the Penguins would welcome.
He is also a left-shot defenseman, which is a glaring area of weakness for the Penguins organizationally. They can use as many of these upside left defenders as they can get their hands on.
ANOTHER GOAL FOR FINLAND 👀
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 6, 2025
Emil Pieniniemi gives Finland some insurance to make it 3-1.#WorldJuniorspic.twitter.com/1HAV7ereCm
Given the Penguins' current blue line situation, it's unlikely that Pieniniemi sees NHL ice this season. He is eligible for the AHL next season, however, so it will be interesting to see how Pieniniemi adjusts to the pro game.
This guy has some all-around tools, and he may only be 1-2 years away from full-time in the NHL. The only reason he wasn't higher on this list is, in part, because the Penguins had a huge influx of players from this year's draft, and the field is getting more clogged than it has been in a long while.
But don't overlook him. He may not have as high a ceiling as fellow Penguins' prospects Harrison Brunicke and Owen Pickering, but he's a perfect example of a player who could end up well-outperforming his draft positiioning if he develops the right way.
Top-20 Penguins' Prospects 2025: Oft-Forgotten Part Of Jake Guentzel Trade Has IntrigueHeading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shifted the focus to youth and development.
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Sabres Prospect Profile – Patrick Geary
The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results.
Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 40 NHL games.
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#31 - Patrick Geary - Defense (Michigan State - NCAA)
The Sabres selected Geary in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas and is another example of the club relying on familiarity and investing in players from Western New York. The Hamburg, NY native played his amateur hockey for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres and two seasons for Waterloo of the USHL before heading to Michigan State.
The 21-year-old was drafted after not being selected in two drafts and is a teammate of 2023 second-round pick Maxim Strbak. In his freshman year for the Spartans, Geary played mostly a shutdown defensive role and had 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 32 games. Last season, his offensive numbers declined to just seven points (1 goal, six assists) in 37 games.
According to the Elite Prospects Draft Guide, “the defining dimension of Geary’s game remains on the defensive side of the puck…..In the neutral zone, he closes on opponents early, sets up a tight gap, surfs inside-out, takes away the center lane with his stick, and then closes on the puck carrier with force.”
The Sabres have the luxury of time with Geary, as he has two more years in the NCAA before they will have to determine whether they want to sign him to a pro contract.
Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo
NHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Washington Capitals Prepare For New Era
The Washington Capitals are the second-last team featured in the NHL prospect pool overview series.
Tony Ferrari digs into Capitals’ strengths and weaknesses, the latest draft class, positional depth chart, next player in line for an NHL opportunity and more. A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer a prospect for these exercises, with few exceptions.
Initial Thoughts
It was just a few years ago that the Capitals had one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL, with basically no effective NHL prospects in the system.
Now, they have some intriguing young players who could help build the future of the franchise after they eventually move past the Alexander Ovechkin Era.
Thankfully for the Caps, they have been and will be able to integrate some of these young players while Ovechkin is still around, giving them a chance to rub elbows with the all-time leading goal-scorer in NHL history.
Their top prospect is Ryan Leonard, one of the most intense young wingers in the game. Leonard is as strong as an ox, and he loves to engage physically, with and without the puck. He personifies a bull in a china shop, looking to level defenders en route to the net before breaking out his impressive puck skill to dangle another defender.
Leonard showed quite a bit in his quick NHL stint at the end of last season and playoffs, but there is still so much of his game he still has to give. With an instant transition from college to the pros, he played into the most instinctual part of his game – his physicality. With a summer of training, Leonard should be ready to hit the ground running.
Once again, Ivan Miroshnichenko played most of the season in the AHL with an extended stint in the NHL. Although his four points across 18 NHL games weren’t world-beating, the young Russian looks ready to take a step up from the AHL. He’s an excellent finisher from distance and in tight, using his physicality, power and skill to make himself a versatile goal-scorer.
He’s been used to being one of the strongest people on the ice, and last year, he began to show that once again in his second AHL season. A good summer of training could lead to a role in the middle six with an excellent opportunity to score some goals and appear on the power play as well.
After finishing one of the most productive WHL careers in the last 30 years, Andrew Cristall is heading to play pro hockey, likely with the AHL’s Hershey Bears. His skating and pace have always been an issue, but Cristall has improved in both of those areas in his final couple of WHL seasons. If he can even get up to a passable NHL level, his offensive skill in all regards will make him a highly effective left winger.
Cristall is a lethal shooter who can dangle his way into the slot to get his shot off or evade pressure with his hands while drawing extra attention and then make a pass out of trouble to set up a scoring chance. The ceiling on Cristall’s game is quite high, and if he hits it, he could be a legitimate top-six scorer who puts up some impressive numbers.
Drafting and developing Aliaksei Protas worked so well, the Caps decided to double down and draft his brother, Ilya Protas. The younger Protas brother tore it up last season with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, putting up 124 points in 61 games. He’s not a burner by any means, but the 6-foot-5 forward has incredible hands and excellent instincts with the puck. He combines finesse and power quite well. Protas is set to jump to the AHL, which will test his skating. He could be a bit of slow burn developmentally, but he could be as effective as his brother with a bit more skill.
Drafting Terik Parascak 17th overall in 2024 was a bet on his tactical play and play recognition. Parascak relies on his linemates when it comes to puck transportation and driving the line, but when he’s in the offensive zone, he’s a high-end play-connector who can finish and make crisp passes all over the zone. His step back last season was a bit expected after a wildly productive draft year, but he needs to show he can bounce back.
Since the Capitals drafted Cole Hutson 43rd overall in 2024, he’s been one of the most impressive offensive blueliners outside of the NHL. His play with Boston University has been unreal, posting 48 points as a freshman to lead the nation’s defensemen in scoring. He builds his offensive game on his shiftiness and puckhandling, using his cohesive hands and feet to evade pressure. He must work on his defensive game, but that’s the one area of his game that might be more advanced at his age than his brother, 2025 Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson.
Swiss defenseman Leon Muggli is a smart, steady, mobile defender. His offensive game isn’t flashy, but he does a great job of advancing play when his team has the puck. Defensively, he makes good reads and seems to understand how to position himself and cut down plays. After a couple of seasons playing in the men’s league in Switzerland, Muggli will play his first full North American season in the AHL.
After helping the London Knights win the Memorial Cup, Cam Allen has reasserted himself as a legitimate NHL prospect after injuries slowed his development. He moves well and has utility at both ends of the ice, constantly scanning and keeping his options open. Allen should be making his AHL debut this fall when he will look to move forward with his development against pros. He had some off-ice issues this past season that should be monitored moving forward.
U-23 Players Likely To Be On NHL Roster This Season
Ryan Leonard (RW)
2025 NHL Draft Class
Round 1, 27th overall - Lynden Lakovic, LW, Moose Jaw (WHL)
Round 2, 37th overall - Milton Gastrin, C, MoDo Jr. (Swe.)
Round 3, 96th overall - Maxim Schafer, RW, Berlin (Ger.)
Round 5, 155th overall - Jackson Crowder, C, Chicago (USHL)
Round 6, 180th overall - Aron Dahlqvist, D, Brynas Jr. (Swe.)
The Capitals had a very solid draft in June, headlined by first-round pick Lynden Lakovic.
At 6-foot-4, Lakovic has the size NHL teams want, but the knock on him is that he doesn’t use it effectively enough. They want him to throw his weight around and impose himself as a power forward. While he does flash those things, Lakovic is an incredibly skilled forward with impressive handling ability.
He pairs that puckhandling with high-end skating. Lakovic can pull away from opponents and evade pressure with his edge work. He is an intelligent shooter, understanding where the most dangerous chances come from and getting the puck there as a passer or skater.
Lakovic is a true dual-threat offensive player. He could be the steal of the first round if he continues to be the fast, skilled forward he’s been while adding a touch of physicality.
In Round 2, Washington added Milton Gastrin from Sweden. He’s a strong, intelligent player who projects as a center long-term thanks to his facilitation ability and defensive IQ. He already plays the game with pro habits, which has allowed him to be a serviceable bottom-six forward in the Swedish League already when he got a cup of coffee. Gastrin has shown some flashes of higher-end skill, and if that ever becomes a bit more consistent, he could play as a second-line center in a pinch.
Third-round pick Maxim Schafer is a high-motor player who must refine his skill with the puck to reach his full potential. Schafer loves to get in on the forecheck and crash the net. He likes to get involved physically all over the ice and pushes himself to be a nuisance on the backcheck as well. He should get a more consistent look at the men’s level in Germany next season where he will look to build on his skill.
Jackson Crowder is built to be a bottom-six, crash-and-bang forward who makes life difficult on his opponents. His skating will need work, and he isn’t much of an offensive player, but he is always looking to be the hardest worker on the ice. He doesn’t have the upside that you look for in a top-six player, but his brute force is something NHL teams value.
The Capitals finished their draft class by adding 6-foot-4 bruising blueliner Aron Dahlqvist. He tracks play well and finishes all of his checks with force. He protects the net front quite well, doing a good job of keeping his goalie’s sightlines clean. Dahlqvist uses his length to close space and knock pucks free with his stick. Dalhqvist is a meat-and-potatoes defender coaches will love.
Strengths
Adding Lakovic at the draft to go with Cristall and Miroshnichenko gave the Capitals a trio of really solid and diversely skilled left wingers who could all play in the top six one day.
Cristall is the all-out offensive skilled player who can score and pass at a high-end level.
Miroshnichenko is the power forward of the trio, using his blend of strength and skill.
Lakovic is a raw ball of clay with incredible skill and speed as well as a 6-foot-4 frame to build on, and he could have the highest upside of the three.
Beyond them, Alexander Suzdalev and Ludwig Persson are interesting players in their own right. The Capitals’ face of the franchise for the past two decades is a left winger, so it’s almost poetic that the left wing is the strength of their pipeline.
Weaknesses
The Capitals have quietly built their prospect pool up to a respectable level, especially for a contender. After years of having one of the worst pipelines in the league, they have some solid prospects.
One glaring weak spot is the right wing.
Despite 2024 first-round pick Terik Parascak playing on the right side, the Capitals such a lack of talent at right wing that they traded for Justin Sourdif, who struggled to establish himself as an NHL option in the Florida Panthers’ system. Sourdif has become one of Washington’s more promising prospects on the right wing despite being on his last legs as a prospect at 23 years old. That said, if you’re going to have a weak point, the wing isn’t a bad spot to have it.
Hidden Gem: Ryan Chesley, D
After three solid years of development at the University of Minnesota, wearing the ‘C’ in his final NCAA campaign, Ryan Chesley signed his entry-level contract and joined AHL Hershey to finish last season.
Chesley is a physical blueliner who defends with his stick first before closing with his body. He isn’t a flashy player, but he moves well and understands how to make the right play at the right time. He doesn’t get beaten often.
His confidence with the puck also grew last year, becoming a serviceable puck-mover and facilitator from the blueline.
Heading into his first full pro season. Chesley should be one of Hershey’s better blueliners in the defensive zone.
Next Man Up: Ryan Leonard, RW
When Leonard finished his college season and signed his entry-level contract, he made an impact almost immediately.
Leonard was fast, physical and meshing with his teammates on and off of the ice. Leonard only ended up with a single goal in his nine-game stint to end the regular season before adding an assist in the playoffs, but his 200-foot play and instant injection of intensity was something Washington loved.
Coming into this season, Leonard will have a full summer of training after seeing what the NHL had to offer, and he should be able to hit the ground running. Leonard should be one of the Calder favorites heading into next season.
Prospect Depth Chart Notables
LW: Lynden Lakovic, Andrew Cristall, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Alexander Suzdalev, Ludwig Persson
C: Milton Gastrin, Ilya Protas, Patrick Thomas, Jackson Crowder, Miroslav Satan
RW: Terik Parascak, Justin Sourdif, Henrik Rybinski, Graeme Clarke
LD: Cole Hutson, Leon Muggli, Aron Dahlqvist, David Gucciardi
RD: Cam Allen, Vincent Iorio, Ryan Chesley, Brent Johnson
G: Garin Bjorklund, Chase Clark, Nicholas Kempf, Antoine Keller
For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.
Nylander Or McDavid: Which Player Deserves An X-Factor For Having 'Elite Edges'?
If it's in the game, then it's in the video game.
That's always been EA SPORTS' motto when it comes to its popular NHL video game franchise. And this year's edition, NHL26, is no exception.
A year ago, EA Sports introduced ICE-Q, a game play intelligence system that brought more realism and authenticity to a gaming controller. EA SPORTS has taken it up a notch this year by "incorporating the data-driven insights of NHL EDGE to impact how players perform in-game" for NHL 26, which comes out on Sept. 5.
For example, not every player in the video game will be able to skate like Connor McDavid, because, well, no one in real-life hockey can skate like McDavid. The same is true when talking about Alex Ovechkin's one-timer, Mitch Marner's passing ability or Leon Draisaitl's knack for scoring goal-line goals.
These X-Factors, as EA SPORTS describes them, is what separates the superstar from the 4th-line grinder.
With that in mind, The Hockey News' Ryan Kennedy (editor-in-chief) and former NHLer Drew Shore shared their picks for a range of X-Factors, including Quick Release, Backhand Beauty and Tape-to-Tape:
Quick Release
(Get shots off lightning quick with an extra fast shot release)
Chicago's Connor Bedard only scored 23 goals last season, but his ability to get shots off in traffic is why he potted a whopping 134 goals in 134 games in the WHL. "Since junior, he's got that crazy whippiness to his stick and he really gets it off fast," said Kennedy.
Another player who can get shots off in the blink of an eye is Winnipeg's Kyle Connor, who ranks sixth in the league with 217 combined goals in the past six years. "He's a guy who's scored a lot of goals in the last couple of years," said Shore. "He's the first name that came to my head."
Elite Edges
(Shake off opponents with explosive edge work)
Edmonton's Connor McDavid might seem like the obvious pick when it comes to all things that have to do with skating. But these days, McDavid has company when it comes to edge work and beating guys with his feet.
"I'll go with Cale Makar, who I guess is pretty obvious as well," said Kennedy. "He's an absolute elite skater in the NHL."
"William Nylander came to my head," said Shore. "He's a guy who's a very good skater, he's very elusive, he's able to kind of do a lot of that 10-and-2 and open up his hips in different spots on the ice and get away from guys."
Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk Revealed As EA Sports NHL 26 Cover AthleteFlorida Panthers superstar forward Matthew Tkachuk has been revealed as EA Sports’ NHL 26 cover athlete, becoming the first Panther to grace the cover since John Vanbiesbrouck on NHL 97.
One T
(Become the ultimate threat with increased one-timer shot power and accuracy)
The ability to blast a one-timer is a skill that can strike fear into opposing goalies and make defensemen think twice about blocking a shot. Just ask Washington's Alex Ovechkin, who broke Wayne Gretzky's seemingly unbeatable record for career goals this past season mostly because of his patented one-timer from the left face-off circle.
"I've got to go with Alex Ovechkin, in his office, even in the twilight of his career," said Kennedy.
"That was mine too," said Shore. "Obviously, he's been doing it for 25 years now. He's scored more goals there than anybody."
As for the next generation of big-time slappers, Edmonton's Evan Bouchard scored a combined 32 goals in the past two seasons — mostly, because of a point shot that gets called the "Bouch Bomb".
Backhand Beauty
(Catch opposing players and goalies off guard)
The backhand is a work of art, something that is increasingly more difficult to pull off these days because players are choosing to warp their blades like the shape of a banana. Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby, whose blade is as straight as they come, has long been the master of this shot.
"Oh yeah, it's Sid," said Kennedy.
"(Nikita) Kucherov might make the most plays in the NHL on his backhand," said Shore, "He might not necessarily score. I would say Crosby is the goal-scorer, but the amount of plays that Kucherov makes every single game on his backhand, when I think of backhands, I think of Kucherov."
Send It
(Spring your teammates by enhancing that pass receiver with a temporary boost of acceleration)
The breakout pass determines whether a team can exit its zone. And, more importantly, whether they exit with speed. A lot of that depends on having a defenseman who can find a forward in motion and hit him in stride with an outlet pass like a quarterback hitting a wide receiver.
"I'm going to go with Evan Bouchard," said Kennedy. "Going back to his draft year, I remember scouts telling me he was the best at stretch passes in the (draft) class. Now he's got McDavid and (Leon) Draisaitl to stretch it to, which is pretty good for him."
"I was going to go with (Cale) Makar," said Shore. "He's kind of got the (skating) ability too that gives him a little extra room on the ice, because guys are afraid of getting beat 1-on-1 … he obviously has more time than others to make those passes. And he executes them on a high level."
Panthers' Matthew Tkachuk Joined By Brother And Father On Deluxe Edition Of EA Sports NHL 26On Monday, Florida Panthers superstar winger Matthew Tkachuk was announced as the EA Sports NHL 26 cover athlete, becoming the first Panther to grace the cover since John Vanbiesbrouck on NHL 97.
Tape to Tape
(Feather saucer passes and make snappy passes in and out of vision)
Passes don't get the same level of attention as a goal. But without someone making a tape-to-tape pass, most goals wouldn't get scored. For each of the past two seasons, no one has picked up more assists than Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov, who tied Connor McDavid two years ago with 100 assists.
"When Stamkos was on that power play, the two of them were absolutely lethal. But I do marvel at some of the passes that Kucherov manages to get through on the other side of the ice."
Winnipeg's Mark Scheifele was outside the top-30 when it came to assists. But it's difficult to talk about Kyle Connor's goal-scoring ability without also mentioning the player who feeds him the puck most of the time.
"His ability, especially on the power play, to have that sauce pass to whoever is in the bumper spot I think has contributed to most of his spots over the course of his career," said Shore.
Nicolas Roy Gets Married To Wife, Laurie, Ahead Of First Season With Maple Leafs
A month and a half after being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Nicolas Roy and his family celebrated a huge life milestone.
The 28-year-old and his partner, Laurie, announced their marriage on Instagram on Tuesday evening. The couple tied the knot on July 19th, surrounded by family and friends at Manoir Montpellier, a wedding venue in Quebec, located between Ottawa and Montreal.
The two got engaged in November 2023, nearly five months after Roy and the Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup. The right-shot center scored three goals and eight assists in 22 games during the run with Vegas.
Roy is entering his first season with the Maple Leafs after being acquired by the club in a sign-and-trade for Mitch Marner. The former Toronto forward inked an eight-year, $96 million contract with the Maple Leafs before being shipped off to Vegas.
The Amos, Quebec-born forward has two seasons remaining on his five-year, $15 million contract he signed with the Golden Knights in August 2022. The annual average value of the deal is $3 million.
“It was a good feeling. Obviously, shocked a little bit at first,” Roy said in his first media availability after being acquired by Toronto. “So now I feel really good about it. I've got time to reflect and look at everything, and really excited to join the Leafs for sure.”
Roy is coming off his third-best season in the NHL, where he scored 15 goals and 16 assists in 71 games with Vegas. His best year came in 2021-22, when Roy put up 39 points (15 goals and 24 assists) in 78 games. His 15 goals, in both 2021-22 and 2024-25, are a career-high in the NHL.
Drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the fourth round (96th overall) during the 2015 NHL Draft, Roy has played 369 games over seven seasons, scoring 68 goals and 98 assists for 166 points in that span.
“I want to be part of a team that's winning and obviously watching just the playoffs last year, I think for the (Florida) Panthers, their biggest challenge was the Leafs,” added Roy. “I think this group is ready to win right now, and that's why I want to be part of a team like that for sure.”
Roy will wear number 55 with the Maple Leafs, since number 10, which he wore with the Golden Knights, was retired by the club back in 2016.
This article originally appeared on The Hockey News: Nicolas Roy Gets Married To Wife, Laurie, Ahead Of First Season With Maple Leafs
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The Hockey News Big Show: Who's The NHL's Best Pest?
The Hockey News Big Show breaks down recent NHL and hockey news as well as some other big topics as the off-season continues.
Who's The NHL's Best Pest? by The Big ShowundefinedHere’s what Michael Traikos, Ryan Kennedy and Drew Shore discussed in this episode:
00:57: Rating Happy Gilmore 2
3:40: Aug. 13 was supposed to be Johnny Gaudreau's 32nd birthday. What was Drew Shore’s favorite memory of him?
8:30: The Montreal Canadiens made arguably the biggest splash of the summer. What do you make of their off-season?
10:38: What is the challenge for Montreal being in the Atlantic Division?
12:22: The Florida Panthers re-signed all their big free agents. Nate Schmidt left, but Jeff Petry filled his spot. Are they better, worse or the same as last year?
18:58: What qualifies a player as a rat or a pest in the NHL nowadays?
21:25: Who is the best pest in the NHL today?
23:39: Did Drew Shore have any run-ins with pests during his career?
24:31: What are the rats like off the ice?
25:31: Who will be the next rat in the NHL?
26:46: Has there ever been a player like Brad Marchand who broke into the NHL and was a depth player for a long time before turning into a star?
28:27: Why does Team USA not send the USA Hockey National Team Development Program players to the Hlinka Gretzky Cup ?
30:27: How do scouts guess if a kid will grow in height?
34:07: Gerard Gallant's was introduced as KHL Shanghai’s newest coach in a Mortal Kombat style of video. Yay or nay?
37:13: EA Sports' NHL 26 "X-Factors" were revamped. Which NHL player best matches each one? We start with Quick Release: get shots off lightning quick with an extra-fast shot release.
37:48: Elite Edges: Shake off opponents with explosive edge work with increased acceleration and agility.
38:28: One T: Become the ultimate threat with increased one-timer shot power and accuracy.
39:04: Backhand Beauty: Catch opposing players and goalies off guard with increased backhand shot power and accuracy.
39:43: Send It: Spring your teammates by enhancing that pass receiver with a temporary boost of acceleration.
40:51: Tape to Tape: Feather saucer passes and make snappy passes in and out of vision with increased pass power and accuracy.
Subscribe to The Hockey News Big Show on your preferred platform.
Three Potential NHL Trade Destinations For Penguins' Rickard Rakell
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Rickard Rakell has been a popular name in the NHL rumor mill this off-season.
With the Penguins being in some sort of retool or rebuild, Rakell stands out as one of their top trade candidates.
There is no question Rakell’s trade value is higher right now, as he just had a career year with the Penguins. In 81 games with the Metropolitan Division club in 2024-25, he recorded new career highs with 35 goals and 70 points in 81 games. After a season like this, he will certainly generate interest from NHL teams looking for another top-six winger.
Rakell’s contract also adds to his value, as he has an affordable $5-million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season.
That said, the price to acquire Rakell is high. The Penguins want to return to playoff contention as soon as possible, and if they have a good start to the season, they'll likely want to keep Rakell for a while longer. So the ideal time to acquire Rakell might not be until during the season if the squad slumps out of the gate.
Let’s go over three potential NHL trade destinations for Rakell.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs stand out as a prime potential landing spot for Rakell during the season if they clear salary cap space.
While they brought in forwards Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy and Dakota Joshua this off-season, there is no question that they still could use a proven top-six winger to help lessen the sting of losing Mitch Marner.
Maccelli will likely get the first crack at replacing Marner’s spot on the right wing in the top six, but with 18 points in 55 games last year, there are no guarantees he will bounce back to the type of production he had with the Arizona Coyotes and hover around 50 points or more.
If the Maple Leafs acquired Rakell, he could work nicely playing on their first line with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies. Even if he played on the Maple Leafs’ second line with William Nylander moving to the first, Rakell would undoubtedly give their current forward group more proven goal-scoring and playmaking abilities.
The Maple Leafs have just under $2 million of cap space, so they can’t acquire him right now without clearing cap space.
The Penguins have over $13 million of cap space right now, so they could afford to take on more contracts in a potential trade with Toronto. This is especially so if it helps improve their overall return for Rakell. But Toronto can also accrue cap space during the season and make a push for Rakell around the NHL trade deadline if he’s still available – they could have about $8 million in space by then, according to PuckPedia.
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings brought in bottom six forwards Corey Perry and Joel Armia this off-season, but they could use a top-six scoring winger.
While they have a defensive-focused system that allowed the second-fewest goals in the NHL last season, they were only 14th in goals-for. Only Adrian Kempe had more points last season than Rakell, with 73, so adding Rakell should add more scoring power without ruining the team’s system.
If the Kings acquired Rakell from the Penguins, he could be a strong fit on their second line with Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala. However, due to his versatility, he could also replace Andrei Kuzmenko on L.A.’s first line at left wing. With this, the Kings would have multiple different options to consider if they acquired Rakell.
Similar to the Maple Leafs, the Kings would also need to either move money out or accrue cap space during the season to afford Rakell. They have roughly $2.6 million of cap space right now but could have more than $12 million by the trade deadline. That said, they have a surplus of bottom-six forwards, and they could part ways with at least one of them if it means landing an effective forward like Rakell.
Three NHL Teams That Could Use UFA Matt GrzelcykMatt Grzelcyk is arguably the NHL’s best UFA defenseman still available for the taking.
Winnipeg Jets
After losing star winger Nikolaj Ehlers to the Carolina Hurricanes in free agency, the Winnipeg Jets certainly could use another legitimate top-six forward. With this, it would not be surprising in the slightest if they kicked tires on Rakell.
While the Jets brought in veteran winger Gustav Nyquist this off-season, Rakell would be an upgrade over him in the Jets’ top six if acquired. The first line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi should stay as-is, but Rakell could slot in their second-line right wing spot alongside potential linemates Cole Perfetti and Jonathan Toews. He would also give them another scorer to work with on the power play – Rakell had nine goals and 19 points on the man advantage last season.
The Jets have just under $4 million of cap space left, so it would not be too hard for them to find a way to afford Rakell. However, the one potential obstacle in a possible Rakell trade is that he has an eight-team no-trade list. With this, he would need to either not have the Jets on his no-trade list or be willing to accept a trade to Winnipeg if he does.
The Hockey News' Kelsey Surmacz also listed four trade destinations for Rakell on THN.com/Pittsburgh.
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.
Australia punter playing at Nebraska breaks down while discussing homesickness
Nebraska freshman punter Archie Wilson, a native of Australia, tearfully discussed feelings of homesickness in a moving news conference
Rangers put struggling slugger Adolis Garcia on IL and activate Evan Carter
ARLINGTON, Texas — The wild card-chasing Texas Rangers put struggling slugger Adolis García on the 10-day injured list because of a sprained left ankle, and activated outfielder Evan Carter after he missed 10 games because of back spasms.
Texas made the moves with both outfielders before their series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Another outfielder, Wyatt Langford, was held out of the lineup because of forearm stiffness, but manager Bruce Bochy said he could be available to pinch-hit.
García is hitting .224 with 16 homers and 64 RBIs in 116 games. He hit .176 (6 for 34) during the nine-game homestand.
Carter, who turns 23 later this month, was in a 4-for-34 slump when he was placed on the IL on Aug. 2. He hit .238 with four homers and 21 RBIs in 55 games before then.
Cardinals’ Willson Contreras out of lineup with foot injury after being hit by pitch
ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Willson Contreras was not in the lineup against the Colorado Rockies a day after he was hit in the foot by a pitch and broke his bat in frustration.
Contreras, listed as day-to-day with a right foot contusion, was hit by Rockies starter Kyle Freeland’s 0-2 sweeper in the fourth inning. He then slammed his bat into the dirt and snapped it over his knee.
As he walked toward first base, the 33-year-old threw the two pieces of the broken bat toward the Cardinals’ dugout.
He remained in the game until the sixth inning, when he was replaced by Nolan Gorman.
The Cardinals said X-rays did not reveal any structural damage in Contreras’ foot.
Contreras has been hit by a National League-leading 18 pitches this season, trailing only Randy Arozarena and Ty France.
Contreras leads the Cardinals with 16 home runs and 65 RBIs.
Fantasy Baseball Steals Report: Corbin Carroll chooses not to run, Jakob Marsee aggressive versus Braves
As stolen bases continue to rise league wide, I’m here every Wednesday to help you track important stolen base trends so you can find more speed for your fantasy teams.
Stealing a base is as much about the opposing pitcher and catcher as it is the actual base runner themself. So, being able to spot which teams and pitchers specifically are being run on most frequently will help you to figure out who can swipe some bags over the next week.
Last week, I talked about Agustín Ramírez’s struggles behind the plate and four bases were stolen in the four games he caught over the last week.
Eric Samulski discusses five trending starting pitchers and how interested we should be for fantasy baseball.
Eric SamulskiBefore we get to this week’s important trends, here is the stolen base leaderboard over the past seven days.
The Marlins are stealing bases at will led by Xavier Edwards and Jakob Marsee, but more on that below.
Jordan Walker playing everyday (for the moment) and stealing any bases makes him attractive in deeper leagues.
Now, here is the overall stolen base leaderboard on the season.
José Caballero’s playing time has dried up, starting just twice in about two weeks since being traded to the Yankees at the deadline. He’s firmly a drop candidate.
Next, here are some players that we’d hoped would be more aggressive or efficient on the base paths.
Jackson Merrill hasn’t attempted a single stolen base since his concussion on one back in June. Don’t expect that to change any time soon either.
Now, let’s go over the most important stolen base trends over the past week.
Fantasy Baseball Stolen Base Targets
The Braves and Red Sox tied for the most stolen bases allowed this week with 10 apiece.
Because of a funny scheduling quirk and make-up game, the Braves just wrapped up a five-game series against the Marlins where Miami stole nine bases without being caught!
Drake Baldwin was the primary culprit, having eight bases stolen in his three games behind the plate while Sean Murphy had just one in two.
Also, Murphy caught their game against the Brewers last Wednesday and caught two would-be base stealers. He’s clearly the superior defensive catcher in this tandem.
Baldwin has been picked on a bit this season too – most stolen bases allowed by any catcher with fewer than 60 starts and a poor 13% caught stealing rate – but Erick Fedde can be blamed for most of the Marlins’ onslaught.
Miami stole five bags during the five innings Fedde was on the mound for. With that, he tied Sandy Alcantara for the most stolen against any pitcher this season with 28.
Like Alcantara, he’s slow to the plate and allows runners to take huge leads and get massive jumps. Be sure to pay attention to Fedde’s upcoming starts.
There’s less of a discernible trend to report with the Red Sox. Connor Wong was behind the plate for eight of the 10 stolen bases they allowed. He’s been completely adequate in terms of catching runners this season though.
The same goes for Lucas Giolito, who had three bags stolen in the one game he pitched over the last week. He’s been strong in the running game for years now and is generally quick to the plate, so this likely isn’t the beginning of a pattern.
Rather, Fernando Tatis Jr. swiped third base two separate times in that game, so this was much more about Tatis seeing something he could exploit and not any deficiencies from Giolito or Wong.
Corbin Carroll: Grounded?
After stealing 89 combined bases over the last two seasons, Carroll has just 14 this year in 18 tries. That’s fewer than Josh Naylor (20), Trevor Story (20, without being caught, Xander Bogaerts (19), and Juan Soto (18).
It’s a serious break from the player we’ve both seen and expected him to be. It’s hard to even cast blame on a mid-season wrist injury that kept him out for nearly a month because Carroll stole just one base through his first three weeks of play, 10 in 72 games before going out, and four in 31 games since.
The Diamondbacks recently flip-flopped him and Geraldo Perdomo in the batting order, sending Carroll back to the three-hole and Perdomo to the top, but who knows if this even gets his wheels turning.
A 20 stolen base ceiling would drastically change Carroll’s cost in drafts next season, especially after two consecutive seasons of a batting average below .250.
Amid unacceptable stretch, Giants left searching for answers after Padres sweep
Amid unacceptable stretch, Giants left searching for answers after Padres sweep originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — Willy Adames was playing about as far up the middle as is allowed under the new rules regarding shifts. The Giants shortstop was positioned perfectly.
When the ball left Jake Cronenworth’s bat at 61 mph, Adames took a couple of steps toward the bag. In his mind, he scrolled through all the different ways he might be able to turn an inning-ending double play. There was an obvious first choice: Scoop the ball on one hop, race to tag second, and then make a strong throw to first.
“Hell yeah,” Adames said later. “It was a double-play ball. It was a jam shot. You could have turned a double play in any direction.”
Adames never got the chance.
Cronenworth’s soft liner hit second base and ricocheted into the outfield, scoring two runs. By the end of the inning, the Giants trailed 7-0. The game effectively was over.
The Giants ended up falling 11-1, losing for the 13th time in 14 games at Oracle Park. Over their last five, all losses, they have scored five total runs.
It’s a stretch that defies belief, and the Giants have been left searching for answers. This won’t pacify anyone watching, but they truly, honestly, do not know what has happened. They are healthy, and when they hit the road, they occasionally still look dangerous. They took four of six on their last trip and the lineup looked like, well, a normal lineup.
But at home, the losses have been automatic. The frustration continues to build.
“It feels like for the last two months, it’s the same story,” Adames said. “It feels like for some reason nothing positive is coming. It’s either a jam shot hitting the base with the bases loaded [that was] a double-play ball. Something negative is in the air. We haven’t been able to figure out how to beat it and how to be better out there. It seems that it’s been the same story.
“It sucks. It’s bad, because we have a really good team in here but it hasn’t gone our way lately.”
Adames stood in front of a large pack of reporters for seven minutes on Wednesday afternoon and spoke openly about the skid that has all but mathematically ended the season. The Giants are three games under .500 for the first time and trail the first-place San Diego Padres by 10 games. They have been caught by an Arizona Diamondbacks team that has had unbelievably bad injury luck and went into full sell mode at the 2025 MLB trade deadline.
It has been an unacceptable stretch of baseball, one that leads to obvious questions about the future.
It wasn’t long ago that president of baseball operations Buster Posey picked up Bob Melvin’s option for 2026, but this is a brand of ball that does not reflect well on a manager or his coaching staff. This will not be a comfortable six weeks no matter what the contracts say.
Melvin on Wednesday began his postgame session by defending Heliot Ramos for spiking a throw into the grass during the seven-run second inning.
“It wasn’t his fault,” Melvin said. “It was more of how we were positioned for the cut-off.”
It was a fair explanation, but it brings to mind other questions. Why after 120 games are the Giants still so sloppy on defense? Why are people forgetting things like the infield fly rule? Why is the lineup, as Melvin talked about at length before the game, so poorly prepared to hit fastballs?
The mistakes are piling up, and that has to be particularly annoying to Posey. After he traded two of his best relievers and his starting right fielder at the deadline two weeks ago, Posey said he had talked to Melvin about the need to play a cleaner brand of baseball over the final two months.
“We talk about being a pitching and defense team. We’ve pitched well but our defense has not been good — really, all year,” Melvin said. “That’s the main part that we need to clean up. That’s the part that really looks bad, when you play games like this.”
Melvin has six weeks to get the ship in order, and Posey has that much time to evaluate. At the moment, it feels like he needs to take a closer look at just about every part of the organization, which is a baffling place to be for a clubhouse that was full of energy for the first three months of the season. They have no idea how it all went so wrong so fast.
“It’s just, like, every day, something happens,” Adames said. “Everybody feels the same way, or at least some of the guys feel the same way. It feels like in the dugout we kind of, like, lose the energy right away and from [there] it’s hard to come back when you don’t have it. It’s just tough. We have to be better. That’s the bottom line. We have to play better baseball, that’s how it is.”
Adames said this is the hardest stretch he has experienced as a big leaguer. He struggled at the plate early this season, but he was able to keep a smile on his face every day because the team was winning. Right now, just about the entire team is struggling, and it’s hard to find a light at the end of the tunnel.
At some point during his seven minutes, Adames repeated something that Giants ace Logan Webb said earlier this week, and that other veterans have mentioned. “I don’t even know how to describe it,” he said.
The Giants are at a loss. They show up every day thinking things will get better, because things have to get better. Nine innings later, they sit in a silent clubhouse, trying to make sense of another loss.
“It’s a tough spot to be in,” Adames said. “We’ve got to do something different. We’ve got to figure it out.”
Shaquille O'Neal talks about abusing painkillers, his regrets and his fragile kidneys
Shaquille O'Neal was never suspended for drug use of any kind during his decorated 19-year NBA career. The rugged 7-foot-1, 325-pound Hall of Fame center freely acknowledged playing through pain and openly worried about damage to his kidneys and liver from his prolonged use of legal anti-inflammatory medications.
He also recently recounted on "Inside the NBA" a bizarre story about testing positive for cocaine ahead of the 1996 Olympics. The result was thrown out — and never publicized — because O'Neal told officials he'd eaten a poppy seed muffin shortly before the test.
Never mind that while poppy seeds can trigger a false positive test for opioids such as morphine or codeine, they can't do the same for cocaine, which is identified in drug tests by the presence of its major metabolite, benzoylecgonine.
So in his recounting of an episode from nearly 30 years ago, O'Neal was wrong either about the illegal substance for which he tested positive or about what he ingested that caused the false positive. Perhaps he just meant to say codeine rather than cocaine.
Point being, recollections can be fuzzy, and O'Neal isn't immune to such fuzziness, something to keep in mind when listening to the four-time NBA champion 'fess up to his use of painkillers on this week's "Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard" podcast.
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O'Neal toggled between referring to opioid painkillers such as oxycodone and powerful, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as Indocin. He said he used opioids when recovering from injuries and took NSAIDs throughout his career.
But he also said his doctor told him he was addicted to painkillers, leading to "a heated discussion." O'Neal didn't feel high, he said, even when he would take more than the prescribed dose. "I would do homeboy math," he said. "If it said take one, I'm taking three."
"It was a club sandwich, fries and two pills for 19 years."
O'Neal first discussed painkillers during his four-part HBO documentary "Shaq," which premiered in 2022, and on the podcast Shepard mostly asked him to expand on what he'd said then about the potential damage to internal organs, the warnings from doctors and his current regrets.
In the documentary, O'Neal had this to say: "Sometimes I couldn't play if I didn't take it. All it did was mask the pain.... Had a lot of painkillers. I got limited kidney stuff now going on. I don't have the full range, but I took so many painkillers that [doctors are] saying, 'Hey, man, we don't need you taking that stuff now. You got to be careful.'
"My kidneys are kind of just chilling out right now," he continued. "I don't want to flare ‘em back up."
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Both opioids and NSAIDs can cause kidney and liver damage, and O'Neal didn't specify on the podcast which substances caused him the most concern. He said he struggled with accepting that he might have an addiction, eventually concluding, "I had to have them. So, is that addiction?"
And he hid the use of painkillers from his wife and kids, although he said "the trainers knew."
As far back as 2000 — a year when O'Neal was the NBA's most valuable player and led the Lakers to the first of three consecutive championships — he expressed concern about the dangers of anti-inflammatories.
O'Neal suspected that the kidney disease that threatened the life of fellow NBA star Alonzo Mourning might be the result of anti-inflammatories and said he would stop taking them.
Two years later, however, O'Neal had resumed NSAID use. After a stomach ailment he originally believed was an ulcer, diagnostic tests were done on his kidneys and liver.
He described the results to The Times thusly: “I’m not great, but I’m cool.”
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O'Neal was playing with a badly aching arthritic big toe, a sprained wrist and a handful of unlisted bangs and bruises. He needed the pills, although it was unclear whether he was referring to painkillers, anti-inflammatories or both.
“I tried to stay off of them, but if I don’t take them I can’t move or play,” he said in 2002. “I was taking them. When my stomach was giving me problems I had to get the test."
O'Neal has long championed nonprescription means of addressing pain. He's been the spokesperson for the topical analgesic Icy Hot since 2003 and he spoke on Capitol Hill in 2016, plugging efforts to give police better tools to recognize when drivers are under the influence of drugs. He pledged two years of funding for officers to become drug recognition experts.
O'Neal's comments on Shepard's podcast are a clear indication that his use of painkillers and NSAIDs continues to weigh heavily on his mind. He added that these days he relaxes with a different vice: a hookah.
“I’ve never been into weed,” he said. “Hookah, it enables me to follow the routine of sit your ass down."
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Get ready for the Dorsey Dons to do something different: Pass the football
Former USC running back Stafon Johnson, the head coach at Dorsey, finally has a quarterback in sophomore Elijah McDaniel.