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Brandon Sproat coming up to start for Mets against Reds this weekend

Right-handed pitching prospect Brandon Sproat is coming up to make his major league debut against the Reds this weekend.

SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino was first to report earlier Thursday that Sproat was in "strong consideration" for a start this weekend.

The belief is that Sproat will start on Sunday.

Sproat, 24, is coming off one of his best starts of the season for Triple-A Syracuse, where he fired 7.0 shutout innings while allowing three hits, walking two, and striking out nine.

Since making a change ahead of his start on June 28 -- basically deciding to be more aggressive and let it fly -- Sproat has a 2.44 ERA in 59.0 innings.

He's also been missing bats at a higher clip, racking up eight or more strikeouts on five occasions since then after not doing so at all over his first 15 games of the season.

While he relies heavily on a four-seam fastball that sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and touches 100 mph, Sproat also has a sinker, sweeper, gyro slider, and changeup.

The Mets' rotation is in a bit of flux, with the team waiting to see if Kodai Senga will accept a temporary assignment to the minors -- where he would be able to work on his mechanics and other things that have ailed him during his recent rough stretch.

David Peterson will start Friday's series-opener against the Reds in Cincinnati, while Jonah Tong gets the ball on Saturday in what will be his second big league start.

After facing the Reds over the weekend, the Mets head to Philadelphia for a four-game series against the Phillies before returning home to open a three-game series against the Rangers on Friday, Sept. 12.

If the Mets reach the playoffs, Sproat can easily be added to the roster if he's deemed to be a fit despite not being on the 40-man roster by Sept. 1.

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Ottawa Senators Re-sign One Of Their Final Remaining Free Agents

Ottawa Senators general manager Steve Staios got most of his offseason business done early this summer. But with the start of training camp now just days away, one of the items still on his to-do list was re-signing 23-year-old restricted free agent defenseman Donovan Sebrango.

According to PuckPedia, Sebrango agreed on Wednesday to a one-year, two-way deal with the club for $775,000 (NHL) or $140,000 (AHL), and the Senators made it official on Thursday morning. That leaves defenseman Max Guenette as the last man standing among 2025 RFAs the Sens are still likely to re-sign. 

Sebrango played 50 games for the Belleville Senators last season, putting up eight goals and 20 points. He also made his NHL debut in Ottawa, appearing in two games. The Ottawa native was acquired in 2023 as part of a package deal with the Detroit Red Wings for winger Alex DeBrincat, who had made it clear he wasn’t planning to re-sign in Ottawa as he entered the final year of his contract.

Sebrango's early development as a pro may have been affected by the circumstances of COVID.

With the OHL shutdown for 2020-21, Sebrango jumped right into the pros as an 18-year-old playing for Detroit's AHL team in Grand Rapids, where he spent most of the next three seasons until his trade to Ottawa. If a newly drafted 18-year-old doesn't make his NHL team, his development is not only better off (usually) with a return to junior, but the rules of the CHL-NHL Transfer Agreement demand it.

Ottawa Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk: 'We Want More'Ottawa Senators Captain Brady Tkachuk: 'We Want More'The Ottawa Senators opened their doors at Canadian Tire Centre on Wednesday, inviting local media and Sens content creators for a first look at what’s in store this season. The event highlighted upcoming promotions, ticket information, and even a bit of hockey talk.

That said, Sebrango's re-signing, along with his brief ascension to the NHL last season, suggests he may now be coming into his own at 23. At 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, he certainly brings good size to the table, and Staios has a fondness for big. Sebrango's athletic bloodlines are strong as well. His father is Eduardo Sebrango, a former MLS star with the Montreal Impact.

Donovan was among the best of his peers in junior, representing Team Canada at the 2022 World Junior Hockey Championship and was a third-round pick by the Red Wings in the 2020 NHL Draft. The Senators are set to have five players from that 2020 Draft on their opening night roster: Tim Stützle, Jake Sanderson, Ridly Greig, Tyler Kleven, and Leevi Meriläinen.

Perhaps Sebrango will one day emerge as another key NHL piece from that class.

By Steve Warne
This article was first published at The Hockey News-Ottawa

More Sens Headlines at THN:
Four Major Storylines This Month At Ottawa Senators Training Camp
Senators Still Own Formenton's NHL Rights – What's Next?Our One-On-One With Drake BathersonSenators Confirm Extension For Pinto Won't Happen Until After Season StartsStaios: 'We're Not Dismissing That Yakemchuk Makes Our Team Out of Camp'

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Cam Thomas reportedly to sign $6 million qualifying offer with Brooklyn, become free agent next summer

Cam Thomas wasn't going to wait around for another month to see if things changed. He made his call.

The restricted free agent is rejecting the offers Brooklyn put in front of him and is signing the qualifying offer: A one-year, $6 million contract that gives him a no-trade clause for this season, then makes him an unrestricted free agent next summer, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN.

Brooklyn's offer to Thomas reportedly was maxed out at two years, around $28 million, with a team option on the second year of that deal — a very trade-friendly contract. Thomas, who averaged 24 points a game last season, sees himself as one of the NBA's elite scorers and wanted a multi-year contract that started well above $20 million a season and did not involve team options. However, with the Nets having leverage in the negotiations — no team had the cap space to give Thomas an offer sheet like he wanted, which Brooklyn likely would have matched anyway as was their right with a restricted free agent — the Nets offered a contract starting at about mid-level exception money of $14.1 million.

Thomas has bet on himself. He is betting that another season of putting up numbers — he and Michael Porter Jr. will have an all-you-can-eat shots buffet on a rebuilding Nets team in need of scoring this season — will have teams jumping at him as a free agent next summer, when as many as 10 teams are expected to have significant cap space.

However, that comes with risk. The first is simply money on the table: Thomas has made $10.5 million total in four NBA seasons; the Nets offer, even in its lowball form, was for 140% more money next season than his career earnings. That's a lot of cheddar to leave on the table, hoping it can be made up later.

The second big question: Is Thomas' demand what he thinks it will be? Thomas sees himself as the guy who averaged 24 points a game last season, who is an improved creator out of the pick-and-roll, who shot 39.4% from 3 last season and draws double teams. The perception in league circles is that he is more of a volume scorer, with questions about his efficiency in getting those buckets and his defense. Thomas has a valuable skill as a bucket getter, but teams don't see him as a long-term building block and are not willing to pay him as such. When The Athletic’s Fred Katz polled 16 executives about what would be a fair contract for Thomas, results were all over the map, with one executive willing to go up close to $30 million a season, but the average was $16.7 million. And to a man, nobody wanted to do more than a two-year contract. As one executive said to Katz, Thomas' scoring is very eye of the beholder.

Thomas has pushed back hard against that perception, calling out The Ringer's Zach Lowe for saying front offices see him as "an empty calorie ball hog.

Except that is the perception in a lot of front offices. Thomas has bet big on himself, now having a year to win over front offices and secure himself a big bag next summer when he becomes a free agent.

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Can Olympics Impact Players During Season? Devils' Keefe Provides Insight

The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 are only months away, and for the first time since 2014, NHL players will participate. Several New Jersey Devils have been named to preliminary rosters, including Nico Hischier, Timo Meier, Jonas Siegenthaler, Simon Nemec, and Ondrej Palat. 

The men's tournament will start with preliminary games Feb. 11, with the gold-medal game scheduled for Feb. 22. 

Last season's 4 Nations Face-Off tournament created additional excitement for the upcoming Olympics. It was a massive success as teams representing Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States played each other in a round-robin format. 

For Hischier, 26, this is his first opportunity to represent Switzerland in the Winter Games.

"I feel that as an athlete in general, this is something that you want to experience," he said to David Pagnotta and Dennis Bernstein of SiriusXM NHL Network Radio during the NHL/NHLPA European Player Media Tour. "For me, obviously, (the Olympics) are something I always dreamed of and something I have never been able to experience yet."

With many players set to make their first appearances, The Hockey News recently asked Devils' head coach Sheldon Keefe if the impending tournament will impact his players during the season. 

"I don't know," he said. "I mean, it is going to be a first for me. Obviously, we had the 4-Nations last year, which is somewhat similar in some sense, except there are many more players who are going to be involved this go around. 

"I think there are a couple of things," he continued. "I think you have guys who are going to be competing for spots for (their respective) countries, who are going to be wanting to get off to great starts and do well and be confident going into that evaluation, and ultimately be named to the team. Then you have others who have either already been named or it is somewhat inevitable that they will be named, and those guys are going to want to have their games in order and make sure that they are healthy." 

The Devils will play over 50 of their 82 games before the Olympic break, and Hischier knows that while the Olympics may be on his mind, his focus needs to be on the team that drafted him first overall in 2017.

"I know there is work to do before (the Winter Games), and that it starts with going back to Jersey, having a great training camp, and having a good season start," he told SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. "My focus is working out and skating and preparing myself for the season start in Jersey, and when the time is right to focus on the Olympics, I will."

Once training camp kicks off on Sept. 17, the Devils will look to improve their mediocre 2024-25 season, where the club finished third in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 42-33-7 and 91 points. New Jersey was eliminated in five games in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes. 

© James Guillory-Imagn Images<br>

This season will be different with February's events in mind. It may be new territory for Keefe and his players, but the main objective of a deeper playoff run in New Jersey remains at the top of mind as they navigate these unknown waters. 

"Everyone in the league (players, coaches, managers) is going to have to make sure that our players are primed and ready for (the Olympics)," Keefe said. "At the same time, we are making sure that we are focused on our primary goals with the New Jersey Devils and the NHL."

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes

Hischier's Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He's Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily

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NBA All-Star Game format changes up again for L.A. in 2026

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 16: Kevin Durant #35 of Team Shaq and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of Team Chuck go up for the opening tip off during the 74th NBA All-Star Game as part of NBA All-Star Weekend on Sunday, February 16, 2025 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)
Kevin Durant, No. 35 of Team Shaq, and Karl-Anthony Towns, No. 32 of Team Chuck, go up for the opening tipoff during the 74th NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 16 at Chase Center in San Francisco. (Chris Schwegler / NBAE via Getty Images)

The NBA's quest to "create an All-Star experience that we can be proud of and our players can be proud of" continues in earnest and with a new partner.

NBC joins the effort to inject life into what has become a moribund endeavor. Under the NBA's new broadcast deal, the network will air the Feb. 15 game that will be hosted by the Clippers at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

Commissioner Adam Silver and others in the know floated a trial balloon Wednesday evening, revealing that the 2026 All-Star Game is likely to be a round-robin tournament consisting of three eight-player teams — two composed of U.S.-born players and one of players from other countries.

The NBA and the players' union presented the format to the league's competition committee on Wednesday and the response was positive, according to several media outlets.

Silver acknowledged that the convoluted format used this year "was a miss." Three eight-man all-star squads and a fourth team of rookies and sophomores played a tournament of untimed games to a target score of 40 points.

Read more:NBA probing allegations that firm paid Kawhi Leonard $28 million to evade the salary cap. Clippers strongly deny claims

Pitting U.S. All-Stars against those from other countries has long been an appealing concept to Silver. However, the league is about 70% American and 30% international, complicating a traditional one-game All-Star format. Creating two teams of eight U.S. all-stars and one team of eight from other countries would solve the numbers issue. The three teams would play one another in 12-minute-quarter round-robin games.

The impetus to devise a new All-Star Game format escalated when the final score in 2024 was a ridiculous 211-186. There was no defense for a game in which nobody played any defense.

Asked about the lack of effort in preventing the other team from scoring, then-Lakers center Anthony Davis shrugged and said, “It’s an All-Star Game."

The simple East-West format of that game was an effort to get away from the musical performances, prolonged introductions and rosters drafted by team captains that had plagued the event for years.

Silver was searching for a way to generate effort from the players and excitement from the crowd, saying before the game, "we’re not necessarily looking for players to go out there as if it’s the Finals, but we need players to play defense, we need them to care about this game. And the feeling was that maybe — and I’ll take responsibility for it; as you know, I used to run something called NBA Entertainment — that we’d gotten carried away a little bit with the entertainment aspect.”

Read more:Lakers brass shows up at EuroBasket 2025 in Poland, watch Luka Doncic's Slovenia team lose

A combined 397 points didn't cut it, especially the part about playing defense. The format tried in March was a flop, with Silver admitting, "We’re a bit back to the drawing board."

Should the competition committee green-light the new format, fans in L.A. will be able to decide in February whether the NBA has finally created an All-Star event that appeals to players enough for them to make an effort.

Television ratings might increase simply because the All-Star Game will be aired on NBC during the Milan Winter Olympics. The game will be played in the afternoon rather than the evening and is expected to be followed by NBC's daily Olympics prime-time show from Milan.

"[The Olympics] present an enormous opportunity for us to do something with an international competition instead of the traditional All-Star formats that we've used," Silver said last spring.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Former Blackhawks Forward Signs With New Team

For the second season in a row, former Chicago Blackhawks forward Tanner Kero will be playing overseas. 

The Kolner Haie of Germany's Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) have announced that they have signed Kero to a one-year contract. 

Kero spent this past season in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with HV71, where he posted nine goals, 13 assists, and 22 points in 52 games. This was after he spent two previous seasons exclusively in the American Hockey League (AHL), first with the Texas Stars and then the Colorado Eagles.

Kero kicked off his NHL career with the Blackhawks during the 2015-16 season. In 72 games with the Blackhawks over three seasons from 2015-16 to 2017-18, he recorded eight goals, 14 assists, and 22 points. This included setting career highs with six goals, 10 assists, and 16 points in 47 games with the Blackhawks in 2016-17.

The last time Kero played at the NHL level was with the Dallas Stars during the 2021-22 season. During that campaign, he recorded three assists, 12 hits, and a minus-5 rating. 

Blackhawks Rookie Named Under-The-Radar Calder CandidateBlackhawks Rookie Named Under-The-Radar Calder CandidateWith the Chicago Blackhawks now being a few years into their rebuild, they have a very strong prospect pool. They have plenty of exciting youngsters in their system, and a good chunk of them have the potential to be regulars in their lineup in 2025-26. 
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Canadiens' Goalie Tandem Receives New Ranking

In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Joe Yerdon ranked each NHL team's goalie tandem. The Montreal Canadiens' tandem of Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes at the No. 20 spot. 

By grabbing the No. 20, the Canadiens' goalie tandem was ranked better than teams like the Vancouver Canucks (Thatcher Demko & Kevin Lankinen), Utah Mammoth (Karel Vejmelka, Vitek Vanecek & Connor Ingram), and the Edmonton Oilers (Stuart Skinner & Calvin Pickard). 

Teams that were ranked ahead of the Canadiens were the Boston Bruins (Jeremy Swayman & Joonas Korpisalo), Detroit Red Wings (John Gibson & Cam Talbot), and the Colorado Avalanche (Mackenzie Blackwood & Scott Wedgewood). 

Montembeault is coming off a strong season with the Canadiens, as he posted a 31-24-7 record, a .901 save percentage, a 2.82 goals-against average, and four shutouts. Dobes, on the other hand, had a 7-4-3 record, a 2.74 goals-against average, a .909 save percentage, and one shutout in 16 games for the Habs last season. With numbers like these, he left a strong first impression. 

Overall, while the Canadiens' goalie tandem received the No. 20 spot on Bleacher Report's rankings, there is plenty to be optimistic about with Montembeault and Dobes. Montembeault proved that he can be an impactful starting goalie last season, while Dobes should only improve as he continues to gain more experience. It will be interesting to see what kind of year these two have from here. 

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Winnipeg Team Was Not Apart of League Plans (1995)

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Winnipeg Team Not Apart of League's Plans - May 19 1995 - Volume 48, Issue 35 - Rob Vanstone

Brandon’s Marty Murray is close to signing with Calgary.

The imminent departure of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets creates a hockey void in the Manitoba capital.

Might the Western League come to the rescue?

“Right now, (Winnipeg) doesn’t fit into our equations,” said WHL president Ed Chynoweth. “We don’t even know if there will be future expansion. We’ve got three or four other cities which have inquired. All of a sudden this comes up and it’s news? I’m not so sure.”

The owners of minor-league baseball’s Winnipeg Goldeyes inquired last autumn about landing a WHL franchise.

More Winnipeg Jets: Jets First-Round Pick Gears Up for First Pro Season in the AHL

“I have no idea how it’s going to unfold,” Chynoweth said. “It’s just another piece in the puzzle of where we’re going in the next five years.”

Winnipeg has not had a WHL franchise since the Winnipeg Warriors moved to Moose Jaw in 1984.

The addition of the Calgary Hitmen gives the WHL 17 franchises.

SIGN OF TIMES: Brandon Wheat Kings’ center Marty Murray-the WHL’s most valuable player for 1994-95-was close to signing with the NHL’s Calgary Flames.

Calgary picked Murray in the fourth round of the NHL’s 1993 draft. If Murray, 20, did not reach an agreement before the July 8 draft, he would have been eligible to go back into the draft.

“Everything’s close,” Murray said. “It’s just a matter of getting a day or two to sit down and dot the I’s and cross the T’s.”

Murray had 128 points-including a league-high 88 assists-in 65 regular-season games.

  Brandon’s Marty Murray is close to signing with Calgary

NEW HOME?: Prince George Cougars’ owner Rick Brodsky is salivating over the prospect of moving into a new arena.

A 6,000-seat facility, which has yet to be named, is slated for completion in September.

“It should be open for the start of the season,” Brodsky said. “The city hasn’t expressed 100-per-cent confidence that it will be open, but it should be ready by the middle of September.”

This past season, Prince George sold out all 36 of its home games at the 1,860-seat Coliseum. Brodsky moved the Cougars from Victoria to Prince George after the 1993-94 season.

SUTTER SERIES: The Lethbridge Hurricanes claimed center Shaun Sutter in the sixth round of the 1995 bantam draft.

His father, Brian Sutter, is the Boston Bruins’ coach-and one of six Sutter brothers to have played in the NHL.

Shaun Sutter lives in Boston, at least for the time being.

“The next step is to get him playing in Canada,” said Lethbridge GM Bob Bartlett. “We hope as early as next season.”

The bantam draft is for players bom in 1980. They are not eligible to play in the WHL until the 1996-97 season.

HEY, HEY, HAY: The Tri-City Americans picked defenseman Darryl Hay in the first round of the bantam draft. He’s the 15-year-old son of Kamloops Blazers’ coach Don Hay.

PLAYOFFS

Image

More Winnipeg: Winnipeg Youth Hockey Player in Running For Sports Illustrated Youth Athlete of the Year

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Red Wings Release Roster Ahead Of NHL Prospect Games Versus Stars

Red Wings set stage for Future Prospects Showcase versus Dallas Stars with roster reveal

The Detroit Red Wings have officially announced their 24-player roster for the 2025 NHL Prospect Games, set to take place September 13 and 14 in Frisco, Texas. The annual event, hosted at Comerica Center, will feature Detroit’s top young talent against the very best young talent from the Dallas Stars in a two-game series that offers a sneak peek at the franchise’s future.

More Red Wings: Detroit AHL Coach Believes New CBA is "Good for Both Sides"

This year’s squad is stacked with promise, headlined by four recent first-round picks in Nate Danielson (9th overall, 2023), defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka (17th overall, 2023), right wing Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (15th overall, 2024) and left wing Carter Bear (13th overall, 2025). 

Beyond the first-round standouts, the roster includes an intriguing mix of late-round draft picks, free-agent invites, and international prospects. Rudy Guimond, a goaltender who went undefeated (16-0-0) during his QMJHL campaign with Moncton, posting a 1.73 GAA and a .940 save percentage. Kevin Bicker, a German winger and DEL Rookie of the Year with Löwen Frankfurt. Emmitt Finnie, a seventh-round steal who led the Kamloops Blazers with 84 points before a short stint in Grand Rapids.

Also of note is Shai Buium, a towering defenseman taken in the second round back in 2021, who The Hockey News recently did a sit-down interview with on his off-season and future goals with the Red Wings. Now 22, Buium logged 25 points last season in the AHL and will be one of the elder statesmen on this youthful roster.

Four players from Detroit’s newest set of prospects from the 2025 draft class will get their first taste of Red Wings competition, including defenseman Will Murphy, center Grayden Robertson-Palmer, and goalie Michal Pradel. The roster also features several undrafted invitees, including Liam Kilfoil, Carson Bantle, and Justice Christensen, each looking to turn a tryout into a contract.

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

Full Roster: 

Shai Buium - D, Grand Rapids (AHL)

2021 2nd round (36th overall)

Michael Brandsegg-Nygård - RW, Skellefteå AIK (SHL)/Grand Rapids (AHL)          

2024 1st round (15th overall)

Nate Danielson - C, Grand Rapids (AHL)

2023 1st round (9th overall)

Carter Bear - LW, Everett (WHL)

2025 1st round (13th overall)

Axel Sandin-Pellikka - D, Skellefteå AIK (SHL)/Grand Rapids (AHL)          

2023 1st round (17th overall)

Carl-Otto Magnusson - D, Frölunda HC (SHL)

Free Agent Invitee

Ondřej Becher - C, Grand Rapids (AHL)

2024 3rd round (80th overall)

Emmitt Finnie - C, Kamloops (WHL)/Grand Rapids (AHL)

2023 7th round (201st overall)

Kevin Bicker - LW, Löwen Frankfurt (DEL)

2023 5th round (147th overall)

Landon Miller - G, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

2024 4th round (126th overall)

Jacob Truscott - D, Michigan (B1G)

Signed by Griffins

Alexandre Doucet - LW, Grand Rapids (AHL)

Signed by Red Wings

Carson Bantle - LW, Grand Rapids (AHL)/Toledo (ECHL)

Signed by Griffins 

Rudy Guimond - G, Cedar Rapids (USHL)/Moncton (QMJHL)

2023 6th round (169th overall)           

Liam Kilfoil - C, Halifax (QMJHL)

Free Agent Invitee

Vincent Collard - C, Moncton (QMJHL)

Free Agent Invitee

Florent Houle - RW, Sherbrooke (QMJHL)

Free Agent Invitee

Michal Pradel - G, Team Slovakia (Slovakia2)/Tri-City (USHL)

2025 3rd round (75th overall)

Jakub Rychlovský - LW, Grand Rapids (AHL)

Signed by Red Wings

Justice Christensen - D, Prince Albert (WHL)

Free Agent Invitee

Maxim Dirracolo - D, Kitchener (OHL)

Free Agent Invitee

Wyatt Kennedy - D, North Bay/Windsor (OHL)

Free Agent Invitee

Will Murphy - D, Cape Breton (QMJHL)

2025 6th round (172nd overall)

Grayden Robertson-Palmer - C, Phillips Academy Andover (USHS-MA)

2025 7th round (204th overall)

More Red Wings: Exclusive: Red Wings Prospect Shai Buium Eyes NHL Roster Spot: “Make It a Hard Decision”

Where To Watch: 

TICKETS: Tickets for all NHL Prospect Games are free but are on a first-come first-serve basis. Tickets will be available on Sept. 5 at DallasStars.com/ProspectGames

STREAMING: The 2025 NHL Prospect Games vs. Dallas will be streamed live on DetroitRedWings.com and the Detroit Red Wings App

Game 1: Saturday, Sept. 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET — Dallas vs. Detroit

Game 2: Sunday, Sept. 14 at 7:00 p.m. ET — Detroit vs. Dallas

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5-star PG Deron Rippey Jr. down to 10 schools, cuts Indiana & Kansas

Deron Rippey Jr., one of the top point guards in the 2026 class, has trimmed his list, removing Indiana and Kansas from consideration. The 6-foot-2 point guard out of Blair Academy (NJ) now has a top ten of Alabama, Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Syracuse, Tennessee, and Texas. Rippey, a five-star prospect, had previously included both the Hoosiers and the Jayhawks in his […]

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Rangers Head Coach Jussi Ahokas Has NHL Teams Intrigued

Kitchener Rangers Head Coach Jussi Ahokas looks on from the bench. Photo credit: Natalie Shaver

Kitchener Rangers’ Jussi Ahokas became the first European head coach in OHL history when he joined the franchise in 2023. He’s entering his third season behind the bench for the blueshirts, and is coming off a 47-15-6 season where he took home the 2024-25 Matt Leyden Trophy for OHL Coach of the Year. 

The Rangers exceeded expectations last season, considering the fact that they lost several key roster players from the year prior — Carson Rehkopf, Hunter Brzustewicz, and Matthew Sop, to name a few. 

Many people expected Kitchener to take a step back and finish in the middle of the pack for the 2024-25 campaign. However, the team finished second overall behind the eventual OHL Champions, the London Knights, and lost in the Western Conference Finals to them. 

The Strength of the Rangers last year was their depth. Only one player recorded 30 or more goals — Adrian Misaljevic with 31 — and only two players with 60 or more points — Misaljevic with 69 and Golden Knights prospect Trent Swick with 61. 

Having all that depth is great, but it means nothing if the boss who puts together the lines doesn’t develop the right chemistry between his players. That’s where Ahokas comes in.

Ahokas has done a magnificent job of finding the right balance throughout his lineup with his players, and after two highly successful seasons as their head coach, the Finnish coach has NHL teams interested in his skills. 

Waterloo Region-based reporter Josh Brown, who covers the Kitchener Rangers, reported that Ahokas this summer interviewed for a coaching position in the NHL. And it’s the second consecutive summer he has interviewed for a job in the NHL.

Although he informed Brown that the interview process for an assistant coaching position with an unnamed NHL club progressed well, he ultimately did not get the job. He is now returning to Kitchener, where he has two years remaining on his contract.

The Oulu, Finland, native has an impressive coaching resume, and it’s only a matter of time before he lands in the NHL.

Internationally, as the head coach for Finland, he has won a gold medal at the IIHF Men’s U18 World Championship and a gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship. In his first year as a head coach at the top Finnish men’s league (Liiga), he was voted the Coach of the Year, after helping the KooKoo organization achieve a 37-16-6 record for fifth-best in the league, before it was forced to shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Rangers organization recently announced that they have been named a finalist, along with the OHL’s Guelph Storm, to host the 2027 Memorial Cup. What better way to showcase yourself than in the biggest junior tournament, that isn’t the World Juniors? 

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Expanded Coach's Challenge Review System Coming To The OHL; Summary Of New 2025-26 Rule Changes Expanded Coach's Challenge Review System Coming To The OHL; Summary Of New 2025-26 Rule Changes The OHL has implemented six rule changes for the upcoming 2025-26 season. The league has partnered up with a Swedish sports tech company named Spiideo. Their technology is deployed in over 6,000 venues, including the NHL, NBA, and top-tier soccer leagues such as the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Serie A.  Maple Leafs Offering Prospect A Second ChanceMaple Leafs Offering Prospect A Second ChanceA player selected in the NHL draft has two years to demonstrate that they deserve an NHL contract. If they cannot secure a deal during that time, the NHL team loses their rights to the player, and they re-enter the draft for one final opportunity. If no team selects them, they become a free agent and are free to sign with any NHL team. Sebastian Dell'Elce Excited About New Chapter In Niagara, Drawing Inspiration From Older BrotherSebastian Dell'Elce Excited About New Chapter In Niagara, Drawing Inspiration From Older BrotherAs the Niagara IceDogs get set to open up their 2025 pre-season against the Flint Firebirds on Saturday, Aug. 30, the pack will have several new faces in their lineup. There will be eyes on 2025 first-rounder Ryerson Edgar and recently acquired Vancouver Canucks prospect Riley Patterson. However, the organization has a new member on their blueline who is ready to follow in his older brother’s footsteps. 
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NHL Rumor Roundup: Updates On Jack Eichel, Kirill Kaprizov And Jack Roslovic

The ongoing speculation over whether Connor McDavid will sign an extension with the Edmonton Oilers before the start of training camp continues to dominate headlines.

Meanwhile, the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild could be getting closer to signing their two pending UFA superstar forwards.

We noted last week that there was little to report on the status of Jack Eichel's contract extension negotiations with the Golden Knights. However, Bleacher Report's Frank Seravalli believes the 28-year-old center will sign a new deal before the start of the regular season.

Seravalli also thinks left winger Kirill Kaprizov will re-sign with the Wild before the regular season begins. However, he feels that Eichel will sign first, predicting the Golden Knights center will receive an average annual value in the $13 million to $13.5 million range.

Kaprizov has more leverage with the Wild because they rely so heavily on his scoring. That has Seravalli forecasting an average annual value of $15 million for the 28-year-old.

That's lower than what Wild beat writer Michael Russo of The Athletic recently predicted for Kaprizov. He stated last week that he thinks they'll pay him an average annual value in the range of $16 million.

That would give Kaprizov the league's highest annual cap hit for 2026-27, but McDavid's will likely be much higher than that, regardless of where and when he signs. Nevertheless, Wild owner Craig Leipold told The Athletic's Joe Smith that Kaprizov's new contract will be “a huge deal, likely the biggest in the NHL ever.”

Jack Roslovic (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

Meanwhile, the top player remaining in this summer's depleted UFA market remains linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs. We mentioned last month that there was conjecture indicating they were among several teams tied to former Carolina Hurricanes center Jack Roslovic.

The Vancouver Canucks were also believed among Roslovic's suitors. However, we noted last week that this was no longer the case, possibly due to his inconsistent play.

On Aug. 26, Seravalli said he'd heard the Leafs were still in contention for Roslovic. He indicated that there isn't a deal in place between the two sides, but the Leafs are keeping tabs on the versatile 28-year-old forward.

The Leafs have $1.919 million in cap space. It was reported earlier this summer that they might have to clear some salary to sign Roslovic. Trade candidates could include David Kampf ($2.4 million) or Calle Jarnkrok ($2.1 million).

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From Draft Day To Loan Move: Why Islanders' Daniil Prokhorov Is Back In Russia For 2025-26 Season

New York Islanders 2025 second-round pick Daniil Prokhorov has been loaned back to Dynamo Moscow for the 2025-26 season, sources told The Hockey News. The Islanders have confirmed. 

Prokhorov, 18, was selected 45th overall by the Islanders and then 65th overall by the OHL's Sarnia Sting in the CHL's Import Draft. 

The Russian forward had completed a Professional Tryout with the KHL's Dynamo Moscow, signing a two-year, two-way deal once it came to an end. 

However, once he signed his three-year entry-level deal, the contract was no longer valid due to an NHL contract opt-out clause in the deal. 

That would have allowed him to play for Sarnia in the 2025-26 season, which was something Sarnia had hoped to see happen. 

What Prokhorov's loan back to the KHL means is that he can play for Dynamo Moscow or their MHL affiliate (KHL's AHL). Because he is 18, he is still eligible to play in the VHL, which is juniors. 

So, you may be wondering, why would he sign in the KHL, then sign his ELC to get out of his KHL deal just to be loaned back to the KHL?

Good question. 

The most important news here is that, because of the ELC slide rule, the Islanders will not be losing a year of control. It's always good to have draft prospects under contract anyway, so no harm there. 

The reason why the Islanders likely waited to sign him to his ELC was because who knew what would happen with his PTO. 

Having an 18-year-old to make a KHL squad wasn't a likely outcome, but it would have been tremendous for Prokhorov's development. 

When Prokhorov's PTO ended, it wasn't the Islanders who allowed Dynamo Moscow to sign him to a two-year deal. They didn't have a say in that regard.

But, following that announcement, the Islanders were well aware of the opt-out clause and likely wanted to allow Prokhorov to have as many options as possible to further his development. 

That gave the Islanders and Prokhorov's camp more time to evaluate where he is at and what is a better course of action. 

Ultimately, it seems that the Islanders and Prokhorov's camp believe that his playing in Russia against men -- not if he goes back to juniors, which isn't likely -- is a stronger path than going to the OHL and playing against 16 to 20-year-olds. 

It's hard to argue that. 

It's worth mentioning that Prokhorov was eligile to play in the AHL, which could be a likely landing spot for the 2026-27 season. 

While the Islanders could have always signed Prokhorov to his ELC following this season, having him out on loan for one season allows them to reassess following the 2025-26 season. 

Yes, they could have always done that, whether he was still under contract for two years, but there's more control on the Islanders' side now. 

If Prokhorov is playing in the KHL, his season begins Saturday. If he plays in the MHL, his season begins on Friday.

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