Penguins Prospects Beyond McGroarty, Koivunen Eye NHL Roster Spots
Pittsburgh Penguins training camp is about a month away, and there are a lot of storylines to watch going into it.
The defense is a significant question mark heading into the season since nobody knows how the left side is going to shake out. The Penguins have options on that side, but the players will have to jockey for playing time once camp starts.
There will also be a battle for the third pairing spot on the right side of the defense, something I wrote about yesterday when I examined the right side of the defense as a whole. The backup goaltender spot will even be up for grabs after the Penguins traded for Arturs Silovs in July. He will compete with Joel Blomqvist, who made his NHL debut last season but struggled during his second stint later in the year.
Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen both made their NHL debuts last season and got to show what they can do in a top-six role, especially down the stretch. McGroarty made the team out of camp, but after two games, it was clear he wasn't ready, which led to him being sent down to the AHL for most of the year before being brought up in late-March with Koivunen.
They will be gunning for full-time spots when camp starts, but what about the other young players in the system? Let's take a look at a few of those players who will try to make the NHL roster this year.
Filip Hallander
Hallander spent the last two seasons in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) before the Penguins signed him to a two-year deal at the end of April. He got picked by the Penguins in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft and made his NHL debut with the Penguins during the 2021-22 season before going to Sweden in 2023.
He turned into a different player in Sweden, finishing the 2024-25 season with 26 goals and 53 points in 51 games. His 26 goals and 53 points ranked second in the SHL during the year. He has really worked on his playmaking and goalscoring ability and will try to bring both of those to camp and the preseason.
Even though there are a lot of forwards still on the roster, the Penguins won't hesitate to make room for Hallander if he shows enough in September.
Tristan Broz
Broz made his professional debut with the WBS Penguins last year and didn't look out of place, compiling 19 goals and 37 points in 59 games. He also had one goal and three points in two playoff games before the baby Penguins got eliminated.
Before that, he helped the University of Denver win the national title during the 2023-24 season and score the game-winning goal to send Denver to the National Championship Game.
He's down the pecking order at forward, but will have the opportunity to show the new coaching staff what he can do. Even if he doesn't make the opening night roster, there's still a world where he makes his debut during the season, especially if he is performing well in WBS.
Report: New Ownership Group In Mix To Purchase PenguinsOver the past several months, there have been whispers that Fenway Sports Group (FSG) - current majority owners of the Pittsburgh Penguins - are looking to sell at least a minority stake in the team.
Harrison Brunicke
Outside of McGroarty and Koivunen, Brunicke is going to be the prospect that a lot of fans have their eyes on next month. He wants to take the next step in his career and make the NHL team out of camp after coming so close last year. He got to the end of camp before he was one of the Penguins' final cuts.
Brunicke spent the year with his WHL team, the Kamloops Blazers, and finished with five goals and 30 points in 41 games before making his WBS Penguins debut at the end of the year. He had two assists in 10 regular-season games before finishing the playoffs with a goal and an assist.
WBS Penguins head coach Kirk MacDonald was super impressed with Brunicke's small sample size when he spoke about it during development camp last month.
"Huge. Honestly, it was. Credit to him, he figured it out quick,” MacDonald said. “Came in initially and in junior habits, where you can just skate by people and hold on to the puck for a long time; I thought he did a really good job. Last couple of regular season games and the playoff stint, he was moving pucks quick, jumping into the rush, the goal he scored in the playoffs was outstanding.”
“I thought his ability to kill plays, again, the less he does in certain areas, the more he accomplishes. I mean that by just making a really good first pass and then activating and jumping in the rush. We want our D to be aggressive and try to create offense, but it doesn’t mean necessarily having to skate through everybody. I think once he kinda recognized that, he was a little more patient with his game. The offense came to him. He did a great job.”
A nine-game trial could be in the cards for Brunicke if he picks up from where he left off at the end of the year.
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Coming off sweep, Dodgers can't stop Rockies from rallying to walk-off win
It’s a quirk of the schedule that has the Dodgers playing four games with the last-place Rockies in between two crucial series with the archrival Padres.
Colorado has the worst record in baseball and will finish last in the division for a fourth straight year. The Padres are the last team standing between the Dodgers and their 12th division title in 13 seasons. The Dodgers swept them last weekend at home and will play them again next weekend in San Diego.
Yet Dodgers manager Dave Roberts insisted there would be no overlooking the lowly Rockies and no looking ahead to the Padres’ series.
“Where we're at, mid-to-late August, all these games matter,” he said before Monday’s game. “So I don't expect a letdown.”
“We've got work to do here,” he continued. “We are in control of things, but we've got to focus on right now.”
Read more:Doing away with traditional leagues could be in MLB's not-too-distant future, Rob Manfred says
That focus was at best a little fuzzy in the series opener, with the Dodgers twice blowing leads in a 4-3 loss at Coors Field. The winning run scored with one out in the ninth inning when Warming Bernabel singled off reliever Justin Wrobleski (4-5) to drive in Ezequiel Tovar.
Tovar was on second after a gift double dropped between second baseman Alex Freeland and right fielder Teoscar Hernández with one out in the ninth. Three pitches later Bernabel bounced a single up the middle and Tovar bounced home with the winning run.
The victory was the Rockies’ first in seven games against the Dodgers this season and first in 11 games dating to last year, which came as a disappointment to the hundreds of fans who came out in crisp white Dodgers jerseys to see Shohei Ohtani play. And Ohtani, who came into the series hitting .391 with six homers, 17 RBIs and 17 runs in 17 games at Coors Field, didn’t disappoint, singling on the second pitch of the game from left-hander Kyle Freeland.
He knocked in his team’s second run on another single in the second inning, spinning Freeland around with a wicked shot back through the box. The Dodgers’ first run had scored two pitches earlier on a Dalton Rushing sacrifice fly that Mickey Moniak caught with a leap at the wall in right-center.
The Rockies got both runs back off Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the third. After retiring the first six batters, Yamamoto, pitching a day after his 27th birthday, walked third baseman Kyle Karros, the son of former Dodger star Eric Karros. Brenton Doyle followed with a single and continued to second on a throw to third that was too late to get Karros. Ryan Ritter then drove in both runners with a soft liner to right.
Freeland lasted just four innings, leaving with what appeared to be a blister on his left hand after giving up six hits and a walk but stranding four runners. Two innings later the Dodgers went ahead against reliever Jaden Hill, with Freddie Freeman opening the sixth with a walk, stealing second and scoring on a two-out double from pinch-hitter Alex Freeland.
Read more:Plaschke: Sweep Diego! Dodgers dominate stumbling Padres and prove they're better
Yamamoto, who matched a season high with seven innings pitched, failed to hold the lead again when Tovar evened the score with a solo homer one out into his last inning of work.
Roberts then turned the game over to his bullpen, which has rarely proved a wise decision. After Edgardo Henriquez worked a perfect eighth, the Rockies walked it off after just three batters.
Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Minnesota Vikings’ Josh Metellus just wants to be ‘a great football player’
Minnesota Vikings defender Josh Metellus plays numerous positions. He hopes that he's recognized for being a "great football player" above all else.
Top NHL Draft Prospect Adam Valentini Not To Honor OHL Commitment With Kitchener
Sour news hit the Kitchener Rangers organization, losing a high-end player just before training camp starts.
The organization released a statement from GM Mike McKenzie via their official X account announcing that forward Adam Valentini will not honor his commitment to the team. Valentini left the Chicago Steel of the USHL to sign with the Rangers ahead of the upcoming season back on Jun. 5.
Statement from General Manager, Mike McKenzie#RTown | #BattleBuiltpic.twitter.com/EyMPVYZIOs
— Kitchener Rangers (@OHLRangers) August 18, 2025
“I was informed today by the agent for Adam Valentini that Adam has chosen to revoke his commitment to play this season for the Kitchener Rangers and will instead be going to the University of Michigan,” said McKenzie via the statement.
Valentini was originally drafted by the Brampton Steelheads 13th overall in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection. He was regarded as a top-three pick but fell down the board due to his commitment to the NCAA. The Rangers acquired the rights to Valentini on Sept. 5, 2024, in exchange for four draft picks.
Kitchener getting the Toronto, Ontario, native to commit before heading to Michigan was arguably one of the most exciting signings of this off-season. He’s a projected first-round pick for the upcoming 2026 NHL draft and had the potential to play a top-six role in the OHL, further elevating his draft stock. However, revoking your commitment one week before training camp starts isn’t a great look.
Kingston Frontenacs Bolster Blueline With Top-Four Defenseman Jack Brauti We are just under two weeks away from the start of the 2025 OHL preseason. Training camps are just around the corner, and the Kingston Frontenacs recognized the need to add a top-four defenseman to their lineup ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Valentini's agent is Darren Ferris, who is known to be a tough negotiator. Ferris would've helped push his client to fast-track his education so he could play in the NCAA a year early. Will this be the right move for his development in such a pivotal year? Or will this set him up for a draft season met with struggles?
Because of the short notice, thankfully, the Rangers will not have to forfeit the second, third, and fourth round draft picks they gave to Brampton. Good for Kitchener, but I can’t imagine the Steelheads are pleased with Valentini’s choice here.
Valentini recently won a bronze medal representing Canada at the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He finished the tournament with two goals, two assists, and a +9 in five games.
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London Knights Bolster Lineup With Latest Two SigningsThere’s one thing that the London Knights don’t do: rebuild. Fresh off back-to-back OHL Championships, and several of their star players leaving the team due to graduating to the professional level or aging out of the league, don’t expect the Hunter brothers to stay quiet.
Niagara IceDogs Acquire Alex Hage, Younger Brother of Montreal Canadiens Top ProspectThe Niagara IceDogs and the Peterborough Petes have made a minor trade involving the younger brother of Montreal Canadiens’ top prospect Michael Hage.
Harvard Commit Luka Graziano Signs With Flint Firebirds Flint Firebirds GM Dave McParlan has been active this summer in bringing in new pieces to his blueline for the upcoming 2025-26 season. The additions continue to come with the signing of former OHL Cup champion Luka Graziano. Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: Sweeping Rebuilding Sharks Should Be No Problem For Buffalo
The Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 schedule has been out for a while now. And although Sabres fans have known when and where their team will be playing at any given time, it's still worthwhile to examine each Buffalo opponent next year -- and specifically, how the Sabres should fare against team NHL team in 2025-26.
We've made our way through the Atlantic, Metropolitan and Central Division teams thus far in this THN.com Sabres' site series, and of late, we've switched focus on the Pacific Division teams. And in today's file, we're looking at a team that was the league's worst team last season --the San Jose Sharks.
It wasn't as if San Jose was one or two standings points behind the next-best team in the NHL standings. The Sharks were a full nine points behind the 31st-overall team (the Chicago Blackhawks) last season, giving you an indication of how far San Jose is in their rebuilding stage. But should the Sabres sweep their season-series this time around? That's the focus on our "Know York Enemy" series. Read on below for our best guesstimate as to how Buffalo should be prepared to beat San Jose both times this year.
BUFFALO SABRES VS. SAN JOSE SHARKS
NEW SHARKS PLAYERS: Jeff Skinner, LW; Adam Gaudette, C; Ryan Reaves, RW; Filipp Kurashev , LW; Dmitry Orlov, D; Nick Leddy, D; John Klingberg
2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 1-1-0, San Jose 1-1-0
2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: March 10 at Buffalo; March 19 at San Jose
CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Sharks are in the midst of a full rebuild, but slowly but surely, they're putting a dynamic young core together. And that means the Sharks are going to be a very difficult team to play against and a Stanley Cup playoff team -- just not this coming season.
Instead, San Jose will be focusing this season strictly to be a team that consistently is a worthy opponent. And that's not going to be easy, as the Sharks are going to be throwing veteran bodies overboard as San Jose GM Mike Grier works on building out his core.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: New-Look Kings May Be Vulnerable In Sabres Series Next SeasonThe Buffalo Sabres' pursuit of its first Stanley Cup playoff appearance in 15 years means that there's no room for error for them, at any time of the season. A prolonged losing streak can and will knock down any team's post-season hopes, but the Sabres are particularly desperate, so Buffalo fans will be watching each and every game in the hope the Sabres can secure a playoff spot.
To wit: Grier has gone about signing up or acquiring players with one year on their contract coning into next season. Defensemen Nick Leddy and John Klingberg fall into that department, and up front, winger Jeff Skinner also is under contract for the 2025-26 season only, That means that, if Buffalo plays well but still isn't anywhere close to a playoff spot, Grier has the options of trading many veterans for prospects and draft picks,
It's a very good plan by Grier, but until such time as San Jose's young core emerges as difference-makers at the NHL level, it's going to be tough for this dog's-breakfast-of-a-Sharks team to give opponents a run for their money. And that means the Sabres have no excuses to lost to this San Jose squad.
As budding stars Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith continue their development, the Sharks eventually will find a way to get out of their woes. But at the moment, San Jose isn't going to be a realistic playoff contender, and the Sabres need to take care of their opportunities both times they square off against the Sharks.
Know Your Enemy, Sabres Pacific Edition: High-Octane Oilers Will Be More Than A Handful For BuffaloThe Buffalo Sabres are a 14-year reclamation project, and losing so consistently is currently the norm for the franchise. But every year brings some hope that things will change for the better, and the Sabres will have 82 opportunities to show they're an improved team that's finally going to make it into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The Sharks' games against Buffalo come in a nine-day span in mid-March, so the Sabres willl see them near the tail-end of their season. But the Sabres are likely to be pushing for a playoff berth at that point, so they can't see their games against the Sharks as "gimme" games or guaranteed wins.
Indeed, at that point in the year, the Sharks could be in spoiler mode, and that's potentially extremely dangerous for the Sabres. But Buffalo can't allow San Jose to surprise and upset them. The only thing that will be a positive for the Sabres is to beat the Sharks. Anything less that will be a hugely-disappointing part of their year,
Hawks poach restricted free agent center N'Faly Dante from Rockets
N'Faly Dante barely had a cup of coffee in the NBA last season, just getting in four games for the Rockets and playing a total of 51 minutes. However, the undrafted center out of Oregon showed promise in the G-League, averaging 15.1 points and 9.8 rebounds for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.
That was enough to get the Atlanta Hawks to make a qualifying offer to the restricted free agent Dante, a two-year, $4.5 million contract. The Rockets, with a full roster (including all three two-way spots) could not match the offer, reports Michael Scotto of Hoopshype. The offer was for $2 million next season and the Rockets are $1.3 million below a hard cap at the first apron.
That makes Dante an Atlanta Hawk.
We've signed center N’Faly Dante! pic.twitter.com/bGHlUE9vdt
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) August 18, 2025
This is a minimum contract and likely not guaranteed for the second year (the details of the contract are not yet known).
This is a real opportunity for Dante, although he is going to have to earn minutes behind projected starting center Onyeka Okongwu, the just-acquired Kristaps Porzingis, rookie Asa Newell, and Mouhamed Gueye, who played in 33 games for Atlanta last season.
Florida QB DJ Lagway takes another step toward returning from a strained left calf
Although still wearing a noncontact jersey, Lagway stepped on the field for 11-on-11 drills for the first time since straining his left calf.
Omaha basketball player Deng Mayar drowns in a Utah reservoir
Mayar, 22, was a graduate student who joined the Mavericks after playing two seasons for Summit League rival North Dakota.
Doing away with traditional leagues could be in MLB's not-too-distant future, Rob Manfred says
Rob Manfred normally does what many fans consider an annoyingly effective job of keeping Major League Baseball's strategic plans out of the public square.
So maybe the MLB commissioner was caught in an unguarded moment, staring down at a diamond from the ESPN "Sunday Night Baseball" booth in the cozy confines of Williamsport, Pa., and the Little League World Series.
Or maybe his comments were calculated. Either way, he spoke freely about how expanding from the current 30 teams could create an ideal chance to reset the way teams are aligned in divisions and leagues.
Manfred was asked on air for a window into the future. Expansion, realignment, both?
"The first two topics are related, in my mind," he replied. "I think if we expand, it provides us with an opportunity to geographically realign. I think we could save a lot of wear and tear on our players in terms of travel. And I think our postseason format would be even more appealing for entities like ESPN, because you'd be playing out of the East and out of the West."
Read more:Rays stadium drama and potential relocation could upend MLB's expansion plans
Taking that thinking to an extreme would put the Dodgers and Angels in a division with, say, the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Las Vegas Athletics and Seattle Mariners.
Would that collection — let's call it the Pacific Division — be part of the American or National League? Maybe neither. Instead, geographic realignment could result in Eastern and Western Conferences similar to the NBA.
Pushback from traditionalists might be vigorous. Call them leagues, call them conferences, geographical realignment would make for some strange bedfellows.
Former MLB player and current MLB Network analyst Cameron Maybin posted on X that making sure the divisions are balanced is more important than geography.
"Manfred's realignment talk isn't just about moving teams around, it tilts playoff balance," Maybin said on X. "Some divisions get watered down others overloaded and rivalries that drive October story lines we love, vanish. Baseball needs competitive integrity not manufactured shakeups."
Manfreds realignment talk isnt just about moving teams around it tilts playoff balance. Some divisions get watered down others overloaded and rivalries that drive October storylines we love, vanish. Baseball needs competitive integrity not manufactured shakeups.
— Cameron Maybin (@CameronMaybin) August 18, 2025
Yet Manfred makes a persuasive argument that grouping teams by geographic location would have its benefits.
"That 10 o'clock time slot where we sometimes get lost in Anaheim would be two West Coast teams," he said. "Then that 10 o'clock spot that's a problem for us becomes an opportunity for our West Coast audience. I think the owners realize there is a demand for Major League Baseball in a lot of great cities, and we have an opportunity to do something good around that expansion process."
Manfred said in February that he'd like expansion to be approved by 2029, his last year as commissioner. MLB hasn't expanded since the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays were added in 1998.
Expansion teams "won't be playing by the time I'm done, but I would like the process along and [locations] selected," Manfred said.
Several cities are courting MLB for a franchise, and the league is reported to be leaning toward Nashville and Salt Lake City as favorites. Portland, Orlando, San Antonio and Charlotte are other possibilities.
Read more:It's too late for buyer's remorse. Why L.A. can't back out of hosting 2028 Olympics
The Times' Bill Shaikin has pointed out that geographical realignment would be tied to schedule reform that could help kindle rivalries and encourage fans to visit opposing ballparks that are within driving distance.
The future home of the Rays is in flux, and that decision likely will precede MLB choosing expansion cities, even after the recent news that Florida developer Patrick Zalupski has agreed to pay $1.7 billion for the team.
Zalupski’s team of investors reportedly prefers to keep the Rays near Tampa. If that becomes gospel, MLB can turn its attention to choosing where new teams would call home.
And soon afterward, if Manfred's vision comes to fruition, geographical realignment would follow, and the Southern California Freeway Series could become just another series between divisional rivals.
Read more:Two arrests made after violent brawl between Angels and Dodgers fans at Angel Stadium
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Texas Tech running back Quinten Joyner suffers season-ending knee injury
Texas Tech running back Quinten Joyner suffered a season-ending knee injury during the Red Raiders' second preseason scrimmage on August 16
Five NHL Coaches With The Most To Prove In 2025-26
NHL coaches face sky-high expectations and short windows to accomplish them.
Only three active NHL coaches have been with their team for at least four years: the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Jon Cooper, Colorado Avalanche’s Jared Bednar and Carolina Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour. Of that trio, Cooper and Bednar brought their squads to Stanley Cup championships.
As for Brind’Amour, he’s one of five NHL coaches with the most to prove in 2025-26. He’s not necessarily on the hot seat – not every coach on this list is at an immediate risk of getting fired – but there’s a lot for them still to accomplish. Some of them are in the first season of their new role, while others have another step to take.
Here are the bench bosses in alphabetical order, beginning with a closer look at the third-longest tenured coach.
Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
Brind’Amour won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year, but that was back in 2020-21. As we know, the coaching industry in hockey’s top league is very much a “what have you done for us lately” line of work.
Brind’Amour undoubtedly faces pressure to bring the Hurricanes beyond the Eastern Conference final for the first time since 2005-06.
We’re not suggesting Brind’Amour will be fired during the season if the Hurricanes slump anytime before the Stanley Cup playoffs. He’s earned the landing strip he’s got, and Carolina’s lineup is as deep and dangerous as it’s been in nearly 20 years. But the churn-and-burn of the coaching business is a very real thing, and if the Hurricanes fail to at least win the Eastern Conference title next year, there will be questions again about Brind’Amour’s future with the squad.
Brind’Amour’s cachet will guarantee he quickly gets a new coaching job of his choice if he does move on from Carolina, but when you’ve had seven years with the same team and you haven’t won it all, your time with that team is likely nearing an end. Brind’Amour could be an exception, but either way, he would benefit greatly from showing progress with the Hurricanes.
Five NHL Wingers With The Most To Prove In 2025-26As is the case in every NHL season, certain players are coming in with something to prove. Whether it’s to justify a pay raise or a trade or to bounce back from a subpar year, some players have every motivation to improve on their results at any given time.
Adam Foote, Vancouver Canucks
Whenever you’re an assistant coach who is getting their first chance as a coach, you’ve definitely got something to prove.
That’s the case with Foote and the Canucks. Foote was an assistant from January 2023 through this past season.
Foote’s playing career as a Cup-winning defenseman has helped him earn his current coaching opportunity, and his experience with Vancouver’s roster no doubt played into Canucks GM Patrik Allvin giving Foote the chance to guide a team that was a letdown last season.
The Canucks fell from a Pacific Division-winning team in 2023-24 to a non-playoff squad last season, and bench boss Rick Tocchet chose to move on and coach the Philadelphia Flyers instead. But Vancouver’s lineup changes this summer and the potential for bounce-back seasons from star players, such as center Elias Pettersson, lay out a clear challenge for Foote – get this Canucks team back into the playoff picture immediately or face larger roster and possible management changes next off-season.
Foote must demonstrate that his experience as a head coach – including his time as the WHL Kelowna Rockets bench boss – gives him the expertise needed to turn around Vancouver’s competitive trajectory. If he can get the Canucks back into the playoffs next year, he’ll have a semblance of job security. But if Vancouver flames out and misses the playoffs for the second straight season, all bets are off.
Jim Hiller, Los Angeles Kings
Hiller joined the Kings as an assistant coach in July 2022, working under Todd McLellan. But when Los Angeles fired McLellan in February 2024, Hiller turned the interim coach role into becoming the Kings’ permanent coach.
Expectations for L.A. have risen for some time now as the team has a mix of older talent heading further away from their primes and younger players looking to take over.
Losing to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round for four straight years also shows there’s something more for the Kings to give. Hiller’s inability to get the Kings out of the first round for the past two seasons makes this next campaign a potential boom-or-bust year.
Also not working in Hiller’s favor is the fact that the man who hired him, Rob Blake, parted ways with the Kings in May. New Kings GM Ken Holland doesn’t have any connection or loyalty to Hiller, and the many changes Holland has made to L.A.’s roster are an indication of how considerable the pressure is on Hiller to show some type of progress in the post-season next year.
So long as the Kings are in a playoff position throughout the regular season, Hiller’s job is safe. But once the post-season begins, Hiller must either get Los Angeles out of the first round or be sent packing in favor of someone Holland hires himself. That may not sound fair, but that’s the reality of the NHL’s coaching business right now.
Five NHL Centers With The Most To Prove In 2025-26What makes sports, and hockey specifically, unique and intriguing are storylines. In the NHL, it's the off-ice drama, milestone-chasing and pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
Todd McLellan, Detroit Red Wings
When McLellan took over from fired Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde in late December of 2024, he initially had a stellar run with the Wings. But the longer the season played out, the worse Detroit looked, and the Red Wings failed to make the playoffs for the ninth straight season.
Needless to say, the pressure on McLellan to turn the Wings into a playoff team will be massive this coming year. McLellan has 17 seasons as an NHL coach under his belt, so if anyone has the experience to weather any storm the Red Wings will be facing next year, it’s him. But Detroit GM Steve Yzerman also is facing a ton of pressure to get this Wings team back into the post-season – and that means nobody’s job in Detroit is safe, McLellan’s job included.
Coaching in the highly competitive Atlantic Division means McLellan’s work is cut out for him. So the pressure on McLellan couldn’t be more evident, and he has just one goal – lead this group into at least a wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.
Mike Sullivan, New York Rangers
The Rangers hired Sullivan this summer partly because of his success as a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Even that achievement didn’t stop the Pens and Sullivan from parting ways after three straight playoff misses.
Now, he’ll be the top coach of an NHL team without superstar Sidney Crosby for the first time since he led the Boston Bruins from 2003 to 2006.
Joining an Original Six team – and the spotlight that goes along with it – means Sullivan will be watched like a hawk from Day 1 of his time steering the Rangers’ boat.
He’s got an obvious mandate in Manhattan – getting the Blueshirts back into the playoffs after they missed out on the post-season last year. The Rangers plummeted after winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2023-24, so the team has the talent to at least get back into the playoffs and potentially win a round.
Of all the coaches on this list, Sullivan might be the one who can survive missing out on the playoffs next season. But even then, if that’s the Rangers’ fate, Sullivan will face extraordinary pressure at this time next season to end the playoff drought at two years.
Drury fired Sullivan’s predecessor in NYC after only two years on the job, and that could prove to be what happens to Sullivan if he can’t turn things around. Sullivan has a veteran-laden Rangers team to look after, but he’s got to squeeze out progress from his lineup. And if he can’t do so, his job security will be tenuous.
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Phillies' Zack Wheeler has surgery to remove blood clot in upper right arm
PHILADELPHIA — Phillies ace Zack Wheeler had surgery Monday to remove a blood clot in his upper right arm, and the team says a timeline for his recovery remains unknown.
Manager Rob Thomson acknowledged the uncertainty, saying, “We don’t know,” when asked whether Wheeler would pitch again this season, or if the situation was career-threatening.
The Phillies said Wheeler underwent a thrombolysis procedure by Dr. Paul DiMuzio at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Wheeler, 35, a three-time All-Star currently leading the majors with 195 strikeouts, was placed on the injured list Saturday after experiencing worsening shoulder “heaviness” following his start in Washington the previous night.
His condition fell under the realm of thoracic outlet syndrome, a known risk for overhead-throwing athletes, where compressed blood vessels or nerves near the neck can lead to clot formation.
Treatment options vary depending on the root cause. In addition to clot-dissolving procedures, athletes often undergo extended blood thinner therapy - spanning months - or even rib resection surgery to prevent recurrence, with high return-to-play rates in cases where such interventions are successful.
Meanwhile, the Phillies are left without the anchor of their rotation with six weeks to go in the regular season. The NL East leaders are leaning on a group of arms, including Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, Taijuan Walker and Jesús Luzardo, to fill the void. Aaron Nola, who missed three months with ankle and rib injuries, returned to the rotation on Sunday.
“You could always rely on (Wheeler) every fifth day, but at the same time, I have confidence in our entire rotation,” Thomson said. “As tough as it is to lose Zack, I feel really good about our staff. I really do.”
In 24 starts this season, Wheeler is 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA. He has thrown at least 192 innings in three of the previous four seasons.
Beyond the immediate baseball implications, teammates have rallied around Wheeler.
“He’s the heart of this team, the heart of the staff ... you never want to see it,” reliever Matt Strahm said, emphasizing that Wheeler’s health is everyone's priority.
Heliot Ramos' roller-coaster day ends with big homer, Giants win vs. Padres
Heliot Ramos' roller-coaster day ends with big homer, Giants win vs. Padres originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN DIEGO — When Heliot Ramos walked up to the plate in the top of the fourth inning on Monday night, San Diego Padres fans showered him with boos. When he struck out, the cheers had a little extra juice behind them.
The Giants left fielder understood, to an extent, why he suddenly had become Public Enemy No. 1 at Petco Park. But he also thought it was a bit silly.
“It was not my fault,” a smiling Ramos said after San Francisco’s 4-3 win.
Ramos was getting booed because of an overturned call in the second inning. He had reached up for a Xander Bogaerts fly ball to the wall, but it trickled out of his glove and into the seats. A long review determined that Ramos had been interfered with. Bogaerts was called out, and in a game the Padres lost by one run, that certainly mattered.
Ramos wasn’t at all surprised that the call was overturned. He said the fan who reached directly over his head blocked his vision, and replay officials in New York ruled that the fan “clearly prevented the fielder from making the catch.” But for the fans at Petco Park, no explanation would have been deemed acceptable. The boos were there for Ramos the rest of the night.
“What am I supposed to do?” he said. “I didn’t overturn the call. Be mad at the umpire and mad at the fan that actually put the hand out there, you know? It’s not my fault.”
In an odd twist, Padres fans might not have actually been the most upset fan base on Monday. Earlier in the day, Ramos found himself in the kind of fast-moving storm that seems to be the main reason social media exists in 2025.
His comments to the San Francisco Chronicle were blown out of proportion, and Ramos, who thought he was just showing support for manager Bob Melvin, was shocked to find that some Giants fans had decided he took shots at the fan base. It didn’t help that a couple of local news outlets fanned the flames without realizing that the original story quietly had been edited to clarify Ramos’ meaning.
After batting practice, Ramos stood in the dugout and said over and over again that he loves Giants fans and the city of San Francisco. He also stands firmly behind his manager, who has come under some fire because of all of the recent losses.
“I love the fans and they always show me love in the field,” he said. “I have nothing against them. Every time I’m walking on the streets with my family, they love me and I love them back. All I’m trying to say is in the inner circle — obviously not even you guys that are reporters know what’s going on in the clubhouse — all I want to say is that Bob is a great manager … I’m just trying to have Bob’s back. I’m just trying to support [him].”
It was an odd controversy for a number of reasons, including the fact that nobody should really be surprised that Giants players are supporting their manager when they still have 37 games left to play. Ramos, especially, has good reasons to be back Melvin. The previous staff had seemed to give up on him, but he turned into an MLB All-Star last year under Melvin, and the manager has had his back through some difficult times this season.
Ramos probably would not have taken as much heat had he been duplicating last season’s results lately, but entering Monday, he had gone 34 games without a homer. That changed in the first, when he smoked a Nestor Cortes pitch into the seats.
Ramos was still celebrating in the visiting dugout when Rafael Devers went deep. They became the first set of Giants to go back-to-back to kick off a road game since 1964, and Wilmer Flores made it 4-0 with a two-run shot later in the frame.
“I feel like we haven’t done that for a minute,” Ramos said.
It was the kind of explosion that has been missing lately, particularly at home, and it held up. Robbie Ray threw 6 2/3 strong innings and Ryan Walker got four outs to take the lead to closer Randy Rodriguez, who clinched a second straight win.
Ramos was in the middle of all of it, for better or worse. An inning after his homer, he was caught up in the play at the wall. An inning after that, he chased down a long Bryce Johnson fly ball to prevent a leadoff double. There was only one way for this game to end: With the tying run on first in the bottom of the ninth, Ryan O’Hearn flew out to Ramos.
Ramos said the leadoff homer was a relief after everything that happened beforehand. It hasn’t been the easiest 48 hours for the left fielder, but for the team, the two wins have allowed everyone to take a deep breath.
“We know what we have going on here, we know that we want to win games and just stay in the present,” he said. “At the end of the day I just want to stay present with the guys and play good baseball and try to win for the fans and everybody and for ourselves. I don’t think anybody wants it more than us. That’s all I care about.”
Former Red Wing Mark Kirton Passes After Battle Against ALS
Former Detroit Red Wings forward Mark Kirton, who enjoyed the most productive seasons of his NHL career with the franchise, has tragically lost his battle against ALS and passed away Sunday at just 67.
Known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a nervous system disease affecting the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord for which there is no cure, nor is the exact cause known.
Today, the hockey world lost not only a talented player but a remarkable human being. Mark Kirton, former NHL player and tireless advocate for ALS awareness, has passed away.
— NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) August 18, 2025
Mark’s career in the NHL was defined by determination, teamwork, and heart. Off the ice, he brought… pic.twitter.com/clVodnnR82
Kirton, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2018, originally began his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who made him the 48th pick in the 1978 Draft.
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He was traded to the Red Wings in 1980 for goaltender Jim Rutherford, and he would go on to score 33 goals with 42 assists in 134 total games with the club. He would also play for the Vancouver Canucks after the Red Wings traded him for Ivan Boldirev; he ultimately appeared in 266 career NHL games, recording 57 goals with 56 assists.
He also racked up 123 goals and 202 assists in 458 career games in the American Hockey League.
Confound to a wheelchair in 2020, Kirton served on the board of ALS Action Canada.
“We've been living this nightmare for what, a few years now, and I can tell you, it's horrific, it's cruel, it's torture,” Kirton said in September 2024. “The challenges are not daily challenges, they’re like hourly challenges.”
Kirton is the second former NHL player to recently pass away from the degenerative illness, which also claimed the life of his former teammate, Börje Salming, a Hall of Fame defenseman who played for both the Maple Leafs and Red Wings, at age 71 in November 2022.
Additionally, the illness has recently claimed the lives of Calgary Flames assistant general manager Chris Snow along with former Senators assistant coach Bob Jones.
Kirton is survived by his wife Lisa and children Adam, Sarah and Taylor.
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