Andy Farrell knows more about playing for the Lions against Australia than anyone in his squad. He faced Australia 15 times for Great Britain’s rugby league team, winning just four of those matches. Farrell only played in Australia twice for the Lions, captaining the team in Brisbane in 1999 and Sydney in 2002. Both matches were a nightmare, his team humiliated by an aggregate score of 106-16.
Farrell’s introduction to the team was more enjoyable. He made the first of his 34 appearances for Great Britain at Headingley against New Zealand in 1993. He was only 18 years old and he scored on his debut. Let’s hope he savoured that moment. His third Great Britain international, in 1994, was an epic. Farrell started in the second row against Australia at Wembley in an arm-wrestle for the ages. This wasn’t a run-of-the-mill Australia side. This was one of the all-time greats.
The Warriors have yet to make a move in free agency, and one former NBA champion is not a fan of what could be their first offseason addition.
Udonis Haslem had choice words Tuesday on ESPN’s “NBA Today” to describe Al Horford possibly landing in Golden State.
“You are not addressing length and athleticism by just bringing in Al,” Haslem said. “Love Al, but that is not the one that’s gonna push you over the hump.”
The Warriors were outmatched physically in the Western Conference semifinals last season against the Minnesota Timberwolves, losing the series in five games.
“You saw the lack of size glaringly against Minnesota last year,” Haslem continued. “You saw the lack of athleticism glaringly against Minnesota last year.”
Horford, a 39-year-old, six-foot-nine center, doesn’t give an advantage in quickness or size.
“When you talk about bringing in Al, I love Al. I would love for him to finish his career with a guy like Steph (Curry),” Haslem said. “He’s a guy who’s definitely gonna space the floor and knock down some threes, but he does not address your needs.”
“He does not address the need of athleticism. When you talk about bringing in another guy that is older, and he does not address the need of having size.”
The 18-year NBA veteran averaged nine points a game last season.
Golden State has been reluctant to make any key moves due to the situation with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, whose key attribute is athleticism.
Three goalie options after Detroit GM Steve Yzerman notes third goalie as a position of need.
During his press conference following free agency, Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman noted the team is still open to bringing in another goaltender as the third goalie.
This is because the AHL Griffins have a lot of young talent and not many NHL-ready goaltenders that could step up when John Gibson or backup Cam Talbot go down with injury. Goaltenders in Carter Gylander and Michal Postava both haven't seen enough starts at the AHL level. This leaves high-end prospect Sebastian Cossa as the teams current-best option but reports indicate they don't want to push him into the next level too quickly and they want Cossa to continue developing as Yzerman didn't mention him when discussing the third goalie spot.
The position is an important one as injuries will almost certainly happen and when every games count towards the end of the season, Detroit will want a reliable option. Here are three potential options for depth goaltenders that the Wings could go out and add.
The former Arizona Coyotes starter has found his way to be a solid third goalie option as he's played 12 NHL games over the last four seasons and has put together some solid numbers like a 6-5-0 record with a 2.86 goals against average of 2.86 and a .916 save percentage.
The recent stint includes six playoff appearances with the Pittsburgh Penguins back in the 2021-22 season and he managed to win half his starts but finished with a 3.65 goals against average. The 33-year-old Quebec native currently doesn't have an NHL contract and could work in as decent third goalie option that could also coach up the younger goalie talent in Grand Rapids.
Semyon Varlamov
Health is a concern as Varlamov was downed with an undisclosed injury but recent reports suggest he should be ready for training camp. The Islanders have seen Varlamov be a steady netminder over seven seasons and but the Russian has started to slowly lose his role.
New York has brought in more goalie depth this offseason by adding David Rittich and still have Marcus Hogberg as options behind regular starter Ilya Sorokin. This leaves Varlamov as the odd man out and the Islanders would like to clear Varlamov's $2.75 million cap hit off their books.
In a salary dump, the Red Wings could look to take on some of the contract with the Islanders hopefully able to retain some and could give Detroit another solid backup option. At 37 years old, Varlamov has proven to still be useful with a 28-21-9 record along with a 2.68 goals against average and a .912 save percentage over 59 appearances since taking on the role as the Islanders backup over the past three seasons.
Dustin Tokarski
The best potential one year rental available as the now 35-year-old Tokarski has a wealth of NHL experience that he can use to help the Red Wings win less than a handful of games if needed while also deploying wisdom on the younger goalie prospects. While reportedly working as a positive presence in the locker room, the Humboldt native started six games with the Carolina Hurricanes last season and was solid with a 4-2-0 record along with a 2.18 goals against average and a .918 save percentage.
He has spent a majority of his career at the AHL level but this could also work in their favor as their younger prospects that could be experiencing struggles like Cossa with his end to the season last year with the Griffins. Tokarski could be used to help build morale at both the AHL and NHL level while playing a meaningful role when called upon and being able to keep the team afloat if they run into bumps in the road.
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ATLANTA — The sport that gave fans the ghost runner on second base to help expedite regular-season games that go to extra innings also gave everyone the first home run swing-off in history to decide an All-Star Game on Tuesday night.
“First time of it, there was a lot of pressure, but I thought it was pretty exciting,” Aaron Boone, the manager of the American League, said after the extracurricular home-run session.
The new rule—if the All-Star Game is tied after nine innings, a home-run swing-off determines the winner—was implemented for the first time when the AL came back from a 6-0 deficit on Tuesday and tied the score 6-6 with two runs in the top of ninth at Truist Park in Atlanta. The National League prevailed when game MVP Kyle Schwarber mashed three long balls on the three pitches he faced.
“It was like a hockey shootout,” Schwarber said.
The new All-Star tie-breaking rule was memorialized in the last Basic Agreement to avoid long extra-inning All-Star Games; the 2002 Midsummer Classic in Milwaukee had to be halted tied 7-7 in 11 innings because both teams ran out of pitchers.
The rules are simple—the day before the game, both managers must designate three batters and an alternate to participate in the potential swing-off. They look for players with power who are going to play late in the contest, NL manager Dave Roberts said.
That’s why Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani weren’t available; they left the game early and weren’t designated for the swing-off assignment.
“[Roberts] asked yesterday, ‘if there was a tie would you do it?’” Schwarber said. “I said, ‘absolutely,’ not thinking we’re going to end up in a tie when I said yes.”
Each batter gets three swings in three concerted rounds, one batter from each league in each round. At the end, the homers are tallied for the final score. If it’s still tied after those three rounds, then it goes to sudden death—the swing-off ends on the next homer.
Boone designated Brent Rooker, Randy Arozarena and Jonathan Aranda. Roberts chose Eugenio Suarez, Schwarber and Pete Alonso, Rooker and Alonso both hit three-run homers earlier in the game.
Suarez was hit with a pitch on the tip of his left pinky during the top of the eighth and went for X-rays that Roberts said were negative. He remained in the game, but had doubts about swinging in the extra round.
“I have the rest of the season still to play,” Suarez said. “I didn’t want to take the chance.”
Instead, Roberts replaced him with his alternate, Kyle Stowers.
Rooker got the AL off to a quick lead with two homers in the first round. Stowers hit one for the NL. The AL was leading 3-1 adding an Arozarena blast when Schwarber came to the plate in the bottom of the second round. He hit each pitch out, one longer than the other.
“I was just thinking, ‘Well, if I can get two here, [Alonso] can just finish it off,’” Schwarber said. “I got two right away and was able to sneak that third one out.”
Aranda went homerless, meaning Alonso never had to hit. The unique proceedings was over.
“It’ll be interesting to see where this goes,” Boone said after the game. “There’s probably a world when you can see that on the field maybe in some regular-season mix, I don’t know. I wouldn’t be surprised if some people started talking about it like that. It’s a blast. You get to it and all of a sudden, here you go.”
Like the ghost runner, stranger things have happened.
While Horford joining Golden State appears most likely, per multiple reports, ESPN insider Marc Spears noted that retirement still is very much on the table for the 39-year-old.
Not without a say from Horford’s eldest child, Ean, though.
“But keep in mind, do you know who I think is going to be in this decision? His 10-year-old son, Ean,” Spears shared Tuesday on “NBA Today.” “He just started traveling with Al on the road about two seasons ago. Kid loves basketball. I know he’s like, ‘Dad! Steph Curry, dad!’ I can see Ean convincing his dad to keep playing.”
During Dennis Schröder’s short time in the Bay, the veteran point guard revealed that his son was ecstatic that his dad was going to be teaming up with his favorite player, Curry, on the Warriors.
He spent the last four seasons with the Boston Celtics, playing a crucial role in Boston’s status as a title contender throughout that period, culminating in a championship in 2024. His ability to shoot the 3-ball, defend at a high level and provide veteran leadership, among several other qualities, was very valuable to the Celtics’ ascension — and could benefit the Warriors and stretch the floor alongside Curry.
Spears shared another key note regarding Horford, stating that being far from home won’t play a factor in whatever decision he makes, as other teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Atlanta Hawks also have shown interest.
“Golden State expected him to sign last week, but he didn’t,” Spears said. Lakers, Milwaukee, Atlanta, I believe, are also interested in nearly a 40-year-old guy, who also has retirement on the table. He’s still considering retiring. He’s not in any hurry. He’s got a sixth kid coming on the way.
“He lives in Atlanta and Boston in the offseason, but I’m hearing whether it’s Golden State or, to a lesser extent, if it’s the Lakers, being away from the family, that far, isn’t going to be in that decision.”
Everyone wants to play with Curry at some point in their career, and even their children are having a say.
The NHL is set to reveal the rest of their regular season schedule on Wednesday, and it’s clear that every team’s social media accounts have been gearing up for their visual presentations. The Buffalo Sabres provided a sneak peek of what they were up to Tuesday by presenting all of their opponents as chicken wings, a Buffalo staple.
The Sabres certainly have a sense of humor, referring to the Maple Leafs as a 'choking hazard'. While Leafs Nation is all too familiar with playoff heartbreak, often ending in agonizing fashion, Buffalo's playful jab at their QEW rivals isn't a surprise at all. The choking hazard, of course, is a direct reference to the Maple Leafs' recurring struggles in the playoffs.
Our schedule drops tomorrow...so here are our opponents as wings. 🧵
However, this particular taunt feels a bit like a pot calling the kettle black. It’s one of those situations where those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones—especially given the Sabres hold the longest active playoff drought at 14 seasons. The pain of last season's Game 7 loss still lingers for Leafs fans, making this particular taunt hit close to home, but it also fuels the fire for the next battle on the ice against our cross-border foes.
In any event, it's great to see the social media teams of NHL teams getting in on the creative social media battles that other leagues have spearheaded over the last few years. Who could forget the Tennessee Titans' schedule reveal of people wrongly identifying other NFL clubs, which really set the stage for some healthy competition in creativity? Let’s see what every team’s got – and may the best team (on and off the ice) prevail.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have a few players on the roster who weren't picked in the NHL Draft, but have started to turn themselves into pretty good NHL players. But who's the best undrafted player on the current roster? Who's had the best career so far?
Let's take a look.
Zach Aston-Reese - 79 Games played for Columbus in 24-25 after being claimed off waivers by Columbus from Vegas, October 7, 2024. He scored 6 goals and totaled 17 points, being used primarily as a 3rd and 4th line penalty killer. On Jan. 13, 2025, Aston-Reese was signed to a one-year extension.
Career Stats: 389 games - 97 points.
Jake Christiansen - In his first full NHL season, Christiansen played in 68 games. He scored 1 goal and totaled 8 points being used as a third-pair defenseman. Many experts have said when Christiansen matures and gets some experience, that he's an everyday defenseman in the NHL.
Career Stats: 112 games - 15 points.
Mathieu Olivier - 82 games played for Columbus in 24-25. He was traded to Columbus by Nashville for a 4th-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, June 30, 2022. At the time, a very unassuming trade, but now, this trade made by former GM Jarmo Kekäläinen is paying serious dividends for both Olivier and the CBJ. Olivier set career highs in goals, assists, and points in 24-25, and also had a career-high in PIMs with 139. Olivier has had 32 fights since joining Columbus, and has become THE premier tough guy in the NHL. But last year, he showed that he can score and be a playmaker as well by scoring all those goals. On March 5, 2024, Olivier was signed to a 6-year, $18,000,000 contract with a cap hit of $3,000,000 per season. This contract is an absolute gem by GM Don Waddell.
Career Stats: 250 games - 66 points.
The Best Undrafted Player is: Mathieu Olivier
Why? Olivier has shown that he can do it all at this point. He can score, makes plays, but more importantly, he will ALWAYS protect his teammates. That part of his game alone should've earned him that paycheck.
Olivier is a huge piece of this team and has earned the title of "Best Undrafted Player" on the Blue Jackets!
Let us know what you think below.
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Bradley Beal is the latest All-Star on his way out of Phoenix.
The veteran guard agreed to a contract buyout with the Suns and plans to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers after clearing waivers, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday, citing Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein.
BREAKING: Three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal has agreed to a contract buyout with the Phoenix Suns and plans to join the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $11 million deal with a player option after clearing waivers, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/gxZB0ObSms
Several teams reportedly had interest in Beal outside of the Clippers, including the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, among others. In the end, he settled on a reported two-year, $11 million deal with Los Angeles that has a player option for the second season.
Beal had two years and $110.8 million remaining on his contract with the Suns, which he originally signed with the Washington Wizards. That deal also included a no-trade clause, making it extra difficult for the Suns to offload.
A breakup with the Suns became inevitable for Beal after a disappointing second season in Phoenix. Pairing Beal with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant (who was traded to the Houston Rockets last month), the Suns had high expectations entering 2023, when they traded away Chris Paul for Beal. That season ended by being swept in the first-round, and last season was even worse, missing the NBA Play-In Tournament all together.
Beal, 32, has taken a step back in recent years after making three All-Star teams in Washington. The St. Louis native averaged 17 points per game (his fewest since 2014-15) and came off the bench for 15 games (his most since 2015-16). The fit ultimately just did not work out in Phoenix.
Now, Beal joins a Clippers team that will have lower expectations for the veteran guard. Ty Lue’s squad won 50 games last season behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. But with the team trading away Norman Powell, there’s an obvious need for more scoring. The Clippers added John Collins and Brook Lopez to bolster the front line, and now Beal should improve the backcourt.
Bradley Beal is the latest All-Star on his way out of Phoenix.
The veteran guard agreed to a contract buyout with the Suns and plans to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers after clearing waivers, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday, citing Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein.
BREAKING: Three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal has agreed to a contract buyout with the Phoenix Suns and plans to join the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $11 million deal with a player option after clearing waivers, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/gxZB0ObSms
Several teams reportedly had interest in Beal outside of the Clippers, including the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, among others. In the end, he settled on a reported two-year, $11 million deal with Los Angeles that has a player option for the second season.
Beal had two years and $110.8 million remaining on his contract with the Suns, which he originally signed with the Washington Wizards. That deal also included a no-trade clause, making it extra difficult for the Suns to offload.
A breakup with the Suns became inevitable for Beal after a disappointing second season in Phoenix. Pairing Beal with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant (who was traded to the Houston Rockets last month), the Suns had high expectations entering 2023, when they traded away Chris Paul for Beal. That season ended by being swept in the first-round, and last season was even worse, missing the NBA Play-In Tournament all together.
Beal, 32, has taken a step back in recent years after making three All-Star teams in Washington. The St. Louis native averaged 17 points per game (his fewest since 2014-15) and came off the bench for 15 games (his most since 2015-16). The fit ultimately just did not work out in Phoenix.
Now, Beal joins a Clippers team that will have lower expectations for the veteran guard. Ty Lue’s squad won 50 games last season behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. But with the team trading away Norman Powell, there’s an obvious need for more scoring. The Clippers added John Collins and Brook Lopez to bolster the front line, and now Beal should improve the backcourt.
Palace chair ‘very hopeful’ of winning appeal to Cas
Club’s fans vow to take protest to Uefa HQ in Nyon
Steve Parish has suggested that Nottingham Forest are to blame for Crystal Palace’s demotion from the Europa League to the Conference League, and confirmed the FA Cup winners will appeal to the court of arbitration for sport over Uefa’s decision.
European football’s governing body ruled last week that Palace had breached its multiclub ownership rules, with Forest expected to be promoted to the Europa League in their place. It was revealed last month that Forest had written to Uefa to raise concerns that Palace could be in breach of regulations that bar clubs with the same owner from competing in the same competition if an individual or ownership group is considered to have a decisive influence over more than one of those teams.
The last time The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler published his Top 100 Drafted Prospects list, Ivan Demidov was in first place, and the Montreal Canadiens had five players on the list: Demidov, David Reinbacher (24), Michael Hage (35), Logan Mailloux (58), and Joshua Roy (82).
This time around, the Habs only have three players on the list. Logan Mailloux is still there, but he’s now in 70th position and a member of the St. Louis Blues. Joshua Roy has unsurprisingly fallen off the list.
Who remains on there for Montreal? Well, Demidov is the first member of the organization on the list, but he has now dropped to third place. Wheeler has put first-overall pick from the last draft, Matthew Schaefer, in first place and Michael Misa, the second-overall pick, in second place. While this is sure to ruffle some feathers with Canadiens fans, both players came with a certain level of hype, and it’s not a surprising move from Wheeler.
He describes Demidov as “a skill-first playmaking forward” who finished second in points with SKA St. Petersburg despite averaging just 13:45 of time on ice. He also defines him as “a true play creator,” the man you want to control the puck to create opportunities for everyone on the ice. This reminds me of Lane Hutson, who also likes to hold on to the puck to create opportunities, especially when a big goal is needed.
The Russian winger has impressed Wheeler with his ability to move along the boards and get to the middle in traffic while protecting the puck. He even adds that he’s the most dynamic and skilled prospect to come out of Russia in recent memory. He puts him ahead of Philadelphia Flyers’ Matvei Michkov because “his game has more of a pro style, competitiveness, and roundness to it” at the same age.
David Reinbacher is the second Canadiens on the list, but he has now dropped to number 39. Considering he lost most of last season to a knee injury sustained in his first preseason game last year, that was unavoidable. Still, he praises his” pro size, desired handedness, and a really strong foundation of skill that all guaranteed he’ll become a good NHLer.”
Wheeler sees him as a reliable two-way defenseman and believes he’ll be a good 3rd or 4th blueliner in the NHL. Given the fact that the Canadiens can now count on Noah Dobson as their top-pairing right-shot rearguard, the Habs would be just fine if that’s what he turns out to be.
It will be interesting to see how Reibacher does at camp. We’ve not seen him play much last season because of the injury, but for the Canadiens to send Mailloux off to St. Louis, they must have been pleased with what they saw in the Austrian, and that’s the opinion that truly matters. Even with Mailloux’s departure, there will be a lot of blueliners battling for a spot at camp, and making the lineup will be no easy task.
The final Canadiens’ prospect to make the list is Michael Hage, who ranks at number 51, a significant drop from last year’s 39th place. Perhaps that can be explained by the fact that Wheeler is not convinced Hage is NHL center material. He mentions that Hage must be suitable for a winger role in the big league, a bit like Blues’ Jordan Kyrou (interesting comparison since we’re still seeing Kyrou’s name all over the place lately).
It might be a bit early to make that assessment. Hage is still developing, and he still has time to bulk up. After a second season in the NCAA, a stay with the Laval Rocket probably wouldn’t hurt, and we’ll have a better idea then of what he projects as. Yes, the jump from the NCAA to the AHL is a big one, but both the opponents and the teammates will be better as well, which should help him reach a higher level.
The writer acknowledges that he spent the last season playing for a diminished Michigan team in the NCAA. As a result, he often had to take matters into his own hands, and he rose to the challenge. This year, he will be joined by former Eire Otters’ star Malcolm Spence, who has confirmed he will be leaving the CHL to enter Michigan.
Even though Wheeler doesn’t believe Hage is likely to be a top-six center for the Canadiens, he still expects him to be a top-six player in the NHL, which is not a given for a 21st overall pick.
Photo credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
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The 22-year-old was ranked eighth, ahead of Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis and Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov. Knies is coming off a career season, where he scored 58 points (29 goals and 29 assists) in 78 games with the Maple Leafs.
Ahead of Knies on NHL.com's list of top under-25 forwards were San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (7), Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard (6), Montreal Canadiens forward Cole Caufield (5), Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston (4), Minnesota Wild forward Matt Boldy (3), New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (2), and Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stutzle (1).
Knies is one of the most unique young forwards in the NHL due to his size and physicality. He finished behind only Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson (65 points, 233 hits) for the most points among players with 180+ hits last season. Ottawa Senators forward Brady Tkachuk trailed Knies by three points, but had 228 hits.
Drafted in the second round (57th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft, Knies is the lowest draft selection of the 10 players ranked by NHL.com.
His 182 hits were the third-most among Maple Leafs players last season, only behind Steven Lorentz (199) and Simon Benoit (204). The power forward's 58 points were fifth on Toronto, after John Tavares (74), Auston Matthews (78), William Nylander (84), and Mitch Marner (102).
Knies has 14 points (eight goals and six assists) in 27 playoff games, with half of those points coming earlier this spring against the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers in the first and second rounds.
The Phoenix, Arizona-born player was set to become a restricted free agent on July 1, but agreed with the Maple Leafs on a six-year, $46.5 million contract just before free agency opened. The annual average value of his contract is $7.75 million, making him the third-highest paid player on Toronto.
It may still be the middle of the summer, but the Florida Panthers roster is pretty much set for the upcoming season.
There will still need to be a move or two made in order for the team to be cap compliant, but that should sort itself out in due time.
For now, let’s take a look at one specific area of the Panthers roster and discuss how it may be deployed when the season begins.
Barring any unexpected trades, Florida’s will enter the season with seven defensemen on their roster.
They are Aaron Ekblad, Seth Jones, Gustav Forsling, Niko Mikkola, Dmitry Kulikov, Uvis Balinskis and Jeff Petry.
Thinking ahead to Opening Night, assuming everyone on the blueline is healthy, let’s look at how Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice may pair them up and utilize them on special teams.
It makes sense that Maurice would keep his top for from the Stanley Cup Playoffs intact, considering how effective they proved to be and the chemistry that exists between them.
That would keep Forsling and Ekblad together on the top pairing with Jones and Mikkola gobbling up similar minutes right behind them.
Regarding that aforementioned chemistry, it was fun to see the growing on-ice relationship between Jones and Mikkola start to blossom as the postseason went deeper.
It was no coincidence that Jones and Mikkola finished the playoffs a combined plus-15 while contributing seven goals and 15 points as the comfort level between them grew, particularly in Jones as he became more and more acclimated to Florida’s defensive systems.
The biggest question surrounding Florida’s defensive unit will be regarding how Maurice plays to utilize his third pairing.
Newcomer Jeff Petry will get a good look once training camp arrives, and his ability to fit in as well as the Panthers recent defensive signings have (Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Nate Schmidt come to mind) will go a long way toward solidifying the right side of that third pairing.
That would leave Dmitry Kulikov and Uvis Balinskis for the left side spot.
It seems logical that the veteran Kulikov has the inside track to at least starting the season with in the top six.
Since signing with Florida, Balinskis has kept his head down and worked his way up to being considered a reliable NHL defenseman.
The problem is the Panthers are so deep, and the signing of the right-shooting Petry seemingly only makes it more difficult for Balinskis to crack the lineup. Both Kulikov and Balinskis are lefties.
In terms of special teams, the returning five from Florida’s Stanley Cup top six from a summer ago all played key roles on the penalty kill.
Expect to see Ekblad, Forsling, Jones, Mikkola and Kulikov all play their share of shorthanded minutes, and don’t be surprised to see Petry get a look while down a man as well. He’s picked up plenty of experience playing on the PK during his 15-year career.
Shifting to the power play, Florida did something during their playoff run we hadn’t seen much of in recent years, and that’s use two defenseman on their top power play.
Ekblad and Jones seemed to gain confidence while fluidly moving the puck on the man advantage, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see them get another look when the season arrives.
Maurice has not utilized Forsling much on the power play over the past few seasons, but perhaps this will be his year to get that extra time on the second unit and see a nice little bump in his point production.
Training Camp is still about two months away.
We’ll see how things shake out once the defending champs hit the ice in September.
Photo caption: May 20, 2025; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) celebrates scoring against the Carolina Hurricanes during the first period in game one of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center. (James Guillory-Imagn Images)
Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, a perennial All-Star, flips his bat into the air after hitting a three-run homer against the Dodgers. During the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby, bat flips should become an integral part of the show, suggests Times columnist Bill Shaikin. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
We need bat flips.
The home run swing-off to end Tuesday’s All-Star Game was great. Whether you embrace it as a revelation or dismiss it as a gimmick, baseball needs more of that kind of imagination on the national stage. On the morning after the game, it’s what you’re talking about.
But baseball cannot count on a tie score every summer.
The All-Star Game cannot live off old glories. The All-Star Game cannot thrive simply because the NFL turned the Pro Bowl into a flag football game and skills competition while the NBA turned its All-Star Game into a week of parties and 48 minutes of a defense-free scrimmages.
Baseball can say its All-Star Game is the best, but the bar is as low as the final round of a limbo competition. Baseball needs the best players, not the best available players, in the game. And, in an era dominated by social media and short attention spans, baseball needs innovation in the Home Run Derby — not just in an All-Star Game tiebreaker, but in the actual Home Run Derby that is its own Major Television Event on the night before the game.
The first suggestion, from Brent Rooker, the Athletics’ All-Star designated hitter: “I had the idea that we would just stick PCA (the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong) and (the Athletics’) Denzel Clarke in the outfield during the Home Run Derby and just let them run down balls. That’s a fun idea that popped into our clubhouse a few weeks ago.”
An all-in-one Home Run Derby and skills competition of outfielders contorting their bodies in all directions to make highlight-worthy catches? That’s a cool thought.
The bat flip, once scorned as an instrument of disrespect, is now celebrated by the league itself. It naturally lends itself to the “Did you see it?” reels young fans share on Instagram and Snapchat.
The first round of Monday’s Home Run Derby was exhausting. It took nearly two hours, and what little flash there was felt forced. Besides, the sluggers you most wanted to see — Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge — declined to participate.
“I already did it,” Judge said Tuesday. “I don’t know what else you want from me. I think it’s time for somebody else to step up and do their thing and have fun with it. I love seeing new faces in the game go out and do their thing.”
Said Dodgers pitcher and Hall-of-Famer-in-waiting Clayton Kershaw: “It’s a lot of swings, man. It’s not easy to do. When I used to hit, I was tired after taking six swings. I can’t imagine doing that for three straight hours.
“If Shohei and Aaron Judge and those guys, if they had them all in there, it would be awesome. You can’t expect those guys to do it every single year.”
So keep the eight-man field but split it into two groups: four players in the traditional format, and four players in a one-round competition judged not only by how many home runs you hit but with how much flair you toss your bat after each one.
Dodgers veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw, tapping gloves with teammate Will Smith after pitching in the second inning during the All-Star Game. (Daniel Shirey / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The creative and outrageous dunks in the NBA's slam dunk competition go viral. The All-Star bat flips would too.
“With respect to an event like the Home Run Derby, we should continue to innovate,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said. “It’s fundamentally an entertainment product.”
There’s an idea, Rob. Run with it.
“The game piece of it? Fundamentally, I believe in the game,” Manfred said. “I think what we have to do is continue to work with our very best players to make sure that they’re here and showcasing themselves in front of a fan base that is really, really important to us over the long haul.”
Right now, all the very best players are not here. When MLB announced the All-Star rosters, the league selected 65 players. By game time, with all the replacements for players that withdrew, the All-Star count was up to 81.
That meant that, for every four players announced as an All-Star, one chose not to play.
“Usually, when you think All-Star Game, you think probably the best at the time in the game right now are going to be playing,” Phillies All-Star designated hitter Kyle Schwarber said.
Sometimes they are: On Tuesday, Schwarber was the most valuable player, with the winning swings in the swing-off.
Schwarber and Kershaw noted that, for the most part, the position players are here, and the pitchers dominated the list of missing stars. Pitchers throw harder these days. They need time to recover. Tony Clark, the executive director of the players’ union, talked about the need for players to find “opportunities on the calendar to take a breather.”
And, frankly, the All-Star Game does not mean nearly as much to players as it did before interleague play started 28 years ago. Winning one for the National League used to actually mean something.
“The All-Star Game then and the All-Star Game now are two completely different things,” Clark said. “The requirements for players, the travel and logistics for their family and support, the day to day of a 162-game season is more complex and it’s more challenging than it’s ever been.”
Yet in 1980, when the All-Star Game was played at Dodger Stadium, players had one free day before resuming the schedule. Today, players have two days.
And, in 1980, fans got to see the players they wanted to see. Should each team have an All-Star representative? Yes. Should managers feel compelled to use every one of those players? No way.
On Tuesday, the National League used 13 pitchers and the American League 11.
In 1980, each league used five pitchers. Steve Stone and Bob Welch each pitched (gasp) three innings. The top four batters in the American League lineup — Willie Randolph, Fred Lynn, Rod Carew and Reggie Jackson — each batted at least three times.
Today’s pitchers are reluctant to work even one inning in the All-Star Game if they pitched on the final weekend of the first half. So move the All-Star Game back one day to Wednesday, and move the Home Run Derby back one day to Tuesday. No longer would players have to scramble for Sunday night private jets to get to the All-Star Game by Monday morning.
As a bonus, MLB could play the Futures Game on Monday, when no other games are being played, instead of in relative invisibility because the league insists on putting what it says is a showcase event up against a full schedule of regular-season games.
“It would be great,” Clark said, “to just have a conversation around the All-Star Game and talk about the All-Star Game and the great players that we have, doing so in a way that truly highlights the Midsummer Classic and truly puts players in a position where they are sprinting to come to the game.”
