South Carolina may be emerging as the program to beat for four-star quarterback Landon Duckworth.
Reaction: Penguins Take Will Horcoff As 24th Overall Selection
After a long night of anticipation, the Pittsburgh Penguins made what is presumed to be their final draft selection in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft.
With the 24th overall pick, the Penguins selected center Will Horcoff out of the University of Michigan.
Horcoff, 18, recorded four goals and 10 points in 18 games with Michigan last season. The 6-foot-5, 203-pound centerman may not be known for his footspeed, but he plays a physical, straightforward game, and he has a shot that could play at the NHL level.
Horcoff's father, Shawn, played parts of 15 seasons in the NHL for the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Anaheim Ducks from 2000-16. Drafted in the fourth round (99th overall) by the Oilers in 1998, Shawn registered 186 goals and 511 points in 1,008 NHL games.
Dubas and the Penguins - after their trade earlier in the draft that sent the 12th overall pick from the New York Rangers to the Philadelphia Flyers for picks 22 and 31 - traded up to 24 for Horcoff. While he wasn't rated super high on draft boards, the Penguins clearly valued center depth.
Overall, I like this selection. The Penguins got size and upside with this pick, which never hurts.
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‘It’s likely he’ll play’: Smith pushing for second Test return to boost battling Aussie top order
Steve Smith is poised to return to Australia’s XI for the second Test against the West Indies in Grenada starting Friday, according to Australian head coach Andrew McDonald.
Knicks Notes: What to know heading into free agency, potential targets
A few notes on free agency, the coaching search and the Raptors...
The Knicks are at $199,779,182 in team salary, per Yossi Gozlan’s on the capsheets.com website.
This leaves them roughly $8 million shy of the second apron and roughly $4 million over the first apron.
They can use the $5.6M taxpayer exception to sign free agents. Contracts signed with this exception can be no longer than two years and contain five percent raises. You can split the exception to sign multiple players.
If they decline PJ Tucker’s option, the Knicks could also sign-and-trade their free agents to bring back a player under contract, making up to the $5.6 million exception.
If you use the exception to sign a free agent, you are hard-capped at the second apron. This means you can’t spend more than $207.8 million in team salary. At their current team salary, the Knicks are roughly $8 million below the second apron.
The Knicks can also use the veteran’s minimum exception to sign free agents.
So, they have a couple of tools at their disposal in free agency.
Who are possible targets?
I think the Knicks will take a look at the guard market for a bench player. Also, ESPN reports that Celtics veteran Al Horford will have a robust market this offseason. I think the Knicks will also at least check in on Horford’s situation in Boston. The Celtics shed salary by trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis and they certainly want Horford back, but are limited in what they can offer the veteran big man.
Just as an aside: Horford has a close relationship with Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Knicks also have to decide on Ariel Hukporti’s team option for 2025-26. (Logic says they will pick it up, unless they have a bigger move in mind that requires more financial flexibility.)
What about rookie Mohamed Diawara? The Knicks could use the second-round exception to sign him, but that would put them $1.3 million closer to the second apron. They could also sign Diawara to a two-way deal.
COACHING SEARCH
James Borrego is the fourth known interview the Knicks have conducted for their head-coaching search. Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins and Micah Nori have also interviewed for the job. I’d be lying if I said I knew where things stood entering the weekend, but I know Brown has made a good impression during the interview process and garnered support.
The Knicks have also had interest in Billy Donovan and Jason Kidd. Donovan reportedly has agreed with the Bulls on an extension. Mavericks GM Nico Harrison said definitively on Wednesday that Kidd would be coaching in Dallas next season. I still expect the Knicks to end up with a coach with prior head-coaching experience.
SHAKEUP IN TORONTO
The Raptors parted ways with lead executive Masai Ujiri on Friday. Opposing executives have long believed that the Raptors’ new majority ownership, Rogers Communications, could make a change at the top with Ujiri. Raptors officials downplayed the possibility, with Ujiri saying in April that everything was operating normally under the new structure. Ujiri was under contract for one more season.
The speculation around his future stemmed, in part, from some previous disagreements between Ujiri and executives from Rogers. It also stemmed, in part, due to the sentiment that the Rogers ownership would be hesitant to pay Ujiri the large salary that he was earning on his current deal.
Ujiri is reportedly earning $15 million per year. The team announced that general manager Bobby Webster was given a contract extension.
The Raptors finished 30-52 last season and missed the playoffs.
“We are confident that the Raptors organization, under the guidance of Bobby and his team, is in a great place,” Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley said in a statement. “They have a plan in place for next season and beyond as the team continues its rebuild, and we have confidence in their ability to execute and ultimately, to excel.”
Ujiri built the Raptors into an NBA champion (2019). He joined the Raptors in 2013 as executive vice president and general manager. He was promoted to team president in 2017 and Webster assumed GM duties.
2025 NHL Draft: Where Things Stand With The Devils
On Saturday, Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft will begin at noon ET and feature Rounds 2-7. The New Jersey Devils have seven selections, including two in the second round. Below are all the picks the club will begin the day with.
Round 250th overall 63rd overall (from Edmonton Oilers via Utah Mammoth)
Round 390th overall (from Vegas Golden Knights)
Round 4
99th overall (from Nashville Predators)114th overall
Round 6161st overall (from San Jose Sharks)178th overall
**The Devils did not have a first-round selection as their 2025 pick was traded to the Calgary Flames as part of last season’s Jacob Markstrom trade.
It is worth noting that Day 2 of the 2024 NHL Draft proved to be a busy one for the Devils. It was on that day the club acquired forward Paul Cotter from the Vegas Golden Knights and sent defenseman John Marino to the Utah Mammoth with a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft for a second-round pick in 2024 and a second-round pick in 2025.
After a disappointing playoff exit in a Round 1 series against the Carolina Hurricanes, changes are expected. Thus far, general manager Tom Fitzgerald signed forward Juho Lammikko to a one-year, one-way contract worth $800,000 and traded veteran Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators for Jeremy Hanzel and a fourth-round pick in 2025 NHL Draft.
With regards to Devils restricted free agent (RFA) Cody Glass, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman provided an update on the 26-year-old center.
"New Jersey indicated that they weren't going to qualify him," Friedman said on 32 Thoughts: The Podcast. "I think their goal was to sign him to a smaller deal that wasn't as high as an arbitration number or qualifying number. I have heard there is a lot of interest in Glass, a right-shot center. Obviously, he is not going to break the bank or anything like that, but I heard it is going to be hard for the Devils to be able to do that."
Glass is one of three RFAs joining defenseman Luke Hughes and forward Nolan Foote. The list of unrestricted free agents (UFAS) include Nathan Bastian, Justin Dowling, Curtis Lazar, Daniel Sprong, Brian Dumoulin, and Jake Allen.
Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
Hischier's Manager Patrick Fischer: 'He's Driven to Succeed, but Not Easily Satisfied'
Photo Credit: © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Yankees Notes: Cody Bellinger offers unique protection, Will Warren fights through adversity
There was little reason to believe that Will Warren would provide much length. The pitch count told the story on Friday night -- the Yankees' right-hander needed a whopping 36 pitches to complete a peculiar first inning against the Athletics that included three walks and three strikeouts.
But the shaky start to Warren's outing didn't perturb him or force early movement in the bullpen. The rookie proceeded to throw 39 pitches across his next three innings, and his seven strikeouts over five scoreless frames did just the trick in the team's decently paced 3-0 victory in the Bronx.
The recovery job demonstrated further growth from Warren, who passed another big-league test as a reliable arm in the Yankees' rotation. He finished June with a sharp 2.86 ERA (five starts, 28.1 innings), and among AL pitchers who've logged at least 80 innings, his K/9 rate (11.54) currently ranks first.
"It's baseball. [That first inning] is going to happen. You try to take the positives," Warren said after the win. "Sometimes I'm good at executing the corners. Tonight, I was kind of spraying the ball a little bit. So it's like, 'Alright, let's throw it to the bigger part of the plate and let them put the ball in play'... I think we had a good game plan going on and we executed it."
Warren now owns a 4.37 ERA through 17 starts this season, and his 103 strikeouts rank first among AL rookies. The 26-year-old also leads the majors in called punchouts (38), and his fWAR ranks third among all rookies.
Judged for a walk?
Cody Bellinger bumped the Yankees' lead to 2-0 in the third inning with an RBI single to center that drove in Anthony Volpe. It was also a matchup that the Athletics wanted.
With one out and Volpe on second, the Athletics elected to intentionally walk Aaron Judge, and by taking the bat out of the superstar slugger's hands, Bellinger stepped up to the plate with a chance to do damage. He did just that, providing what turned out to be their first insurance run.
Nobody can seriously blame the Athletics for offering Judge a free pass to first -- creating a force out at any base -- and taking their chances with Bellinger in the box. But the lefty slugger has made opponents pay for that particular move. He's now 6-for-15 (.400) with two extra-base hits and seven RBI following an intentional walk to Judge this season.
"Understandable. [Judge is] the best hitter on the planet," Bellinger said. "For me, it's just like any other at-bat -- what's my plan and how can I execute in this situation? A baseball season is full of ups and downs... I like where we're at. I love this group of guys... I'm excited for the future, and just going to keep on rolling."
Funny enough, the Athletics were forced to pitch to Judge with the bases loaded in the fourth, but starter Mitch Spence worked out of the jam by striking out the Yankees' captain on an elevated cutter.
Stroman ready to return
Before the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone wasn't willing to appoint Marcus Stroman as their starter for Sunday, but there's no longer any curiosity on the matter. Boone confirmed after the win that the veteran right-hander will be activated from the injured list and pitch the series finale.
Stroman, who went on the shelf in mid-April with left knee inflammation, didn't look too sharp during his June rehab assignment. In 10.1 total innings with Double-A Somerset (three starts), he allowed eight earned runs on 10 hits and five walks with nine strikeouts.
The 34-year-old struggled prior to his injury, producing a ghastly 11.57 ERA across 9.1 innings (three starts). He gave up five runs on four hits and three walks and logged only two outs against the Giants back on April 11.
Far from their best, Dodgers find a way to beat Royals and move into MLB wins lead
Dave Roberts has a high bar for his $400 million baseball team.
Sure, the Dodgers entered Friday winners of 13 of their last 17, tied for the best overall record in baseball and leading the National League West by six games.
Sure, they already have one guaranteed All-Star in Shohei Ohtani, and seven other finalists who advanced to the second stage of fan voting that will begin next week.
But, in the eyes of their manager, “I still just don’t believe we’re playing our best baseball,” Roberts said Friday afternoon. “I don’t think we’ve played complete baseball for a stretch.”
On Friday night, that remained the case. Dustin May managed just four innings in a four-run start. The lineup produced only four total hits. Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández made run-scoring defensive blunders in the outfield. And the bullpen danced in and out of trouble down the stretch.
Read more:Why Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have struggled at the plate lately for the Dodgers
But amid this soft portion of the team’s schedule, flawed performances have often still been enough.
And in Friday’s 5-4 win over the badly slumping Kansas City Royals, that once again proved to be the case.
May gave up a run in the first after Kiké Hernández airmailed a throw to the plate with two outs, negating Ohtani’s leadoff blast (his 29th home run of the season, and eighth to lead off a game).
The Royals added three more in the third after Teoscar Hernández let a hard-hit, but very much catchable, line drive get over his head in right to score one run, and Bobby Witt Jr. added a two-run homer with two outs in the inning.
“Obviously, tonight Dustin wasn’t sharp,” Roberts said. “And we certainly didn’t help him out defensively.”
And yet, the Dodgers (52-31) still wound up with the lead entering the latter innings. Max Muncy continued his two-month-long tear with a two-run homer in the second, giving him 12 long balls and 46 RBIs in his last 42 games.
Ohtani tied the score with an RBI triple in the fifth, before being driven home on a Mookie Betts single in the next at-bat.
In the fourth, fifth and seventh innings, the Royals (38-44) stranded a runner in scoring position — frustrating missed chances for a team trying to snap a 10-game home losing streak.
Then, in the bottom of the ninth, the game came down to a bases-loaded, one-out opportunity, with struggling rookie prospect Jac Caglianone at the plate.
Caglianone, the sixth overall pick in last year's draft, swung at a first-pitch slider from Tanner Scott that was up and out of the zone. His ground ball went right to second baseman Tommy Edman, who initiated a game-ending double play that required Freddie Freeman to make a sprawling scoop at first base.
“That was a sweet double play,” said Scott, who has converted eight straight saves this month with a 1.35 earned-run average. “Freddie’s pretty good. He’s got a Gold Glove for a reason. He’s a special player.”
“Incredible," Muncy added. "I don’t know how he did that one."
Freeman, of course, has also epitomized the Dodgers’ inconsistent play of late, going 0 for 4 on Friday to lower his batting average over the last 21 games to .152. Betts, too, has been slumping, hitting just .194 over his last 18 games despite his go-ahead single Friday.
“We haven’t gotten everyone to click at the same time,” Muncy said. “But we’ve had enough guys to take over on certain nights, that we’ve been able to kind of roll through it.”
May, meanwhile, has fallen into an extended funk, giving up 15 earned runs in his last 21 innings to raise his season ERA to 4.68.
“I mean, it’s just [crappy] all around,” he said, after yielding six hits and three walks in his 84-pitch outing. “Don’t know what to say.”
Mix in the bad defense, and virtually nonexistent offense from the lineup late in the game (a ninth-inning walk from Muncy was the team’s only base runner after Betts’ go-ahead single), and the Dodgers found themselves in what’s been a familiar situation of late: grinding through a dogfight against an inferior opponent. Playing the type of sloppy baseball that usually portends a mid-season slump. Yet doing just enough anyway to take sole possession of the best record in the majors.
As summed up by Roberts, who seemed unimpressed with the performance but took consolation in the victory: "We’re finding ways to win baseball games, which is most important.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Moose Jaw Warriors Lynden Lakovic Drafted 27th Overall By The Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals have selected Lynden Lakovic 18th overall in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old was the eighth WHLer selected and the sixth forward drafted. Listed at 6'4", 190 lbs, Lakovic showed major improvement in his game and has rounded out a lot of his skills.
Although Lakovic missed a chunk of the year due to inury, the career Warrior showed off a 19-point increase in points from the 2023-24 season, despite playing 21 fewer games. The Kelowna product could have a future as a middle-to-top six role in the NHL.
Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
Victoria Royals Cole Reschny Drafted 18th Overall By The Calgary Flames
Tri-City Americans Jackson Smith Drafted 14th Overall By The Columbus Blue Jackets
Everett Silvertips Carter Bear Drafted 13th Overall By The Detroit Red Wings
Calgary Hitmen Ben Kindel Drafted 11th Overall By The Pittsburgh Penguins
Brandon Wheat Kings Roger McQueen Drafted Tenth Overall By The Anaheim Ducks
Mets, David Peterson cite pitch execution, mechanics as reasons for southpaw's current rough stretch
With the recent rash of injuries to the Mets' rotation, David Peterson has become the one arm the team should be able to depend on to have quality outings, but that hasn't been the case of late.
After he allowed five runs in his last start against the Phillies, Peterson took the mound against the Pirates on Friday night and had a similar ineffective performance.
His stuff was flat and the Pirates hitters were all over Peterson's pitches as he gave up a four-run inning en route to the Mets' eventual 9-1 loss to start the weekend series.
Heading into the Phillies game, Peterson was sporting a 2.60 ERA. Even after his dud against the Phillies, Peterson still had a sub-3.00 ERA, but his back-to-back poor outings are a bit concerning for a Mets team that needs him to guide this rotation until reinforcements arrive.
So, what exactly happened to Peterson on Friday? Manager Carlos Mendoza had a few thoughts.
"The fastball, he’s having a hard time locating on the glove side," he said after the game. "The changeup is just floating in the strike zone, he’s having a hard time seeing that fade and the same thing with the slider. The sharpness, getting backdoor to the right-handed hitters. Just one of those stretches, back-to-back outings, we’ll get to go back, watch film and make some adjustments."
In that four-run inning, the Pirates had eight batted balls and seven were hit at 101 mph or harder.
Mendoza was asked if he had the same assessment after the Phillies start, and the second-year skipper said he did. Philadelphia produced a ton of hard contact on Peterson's pitches and everything was up in the zone, just like on Friday.
"When he’s good, he’s able to get the changeup [down]," Mendoza explained. "Weak groundball, weak contact [is what we saw] the past couple of outings. In general, felt like he was fighting to find the sharpness on his pitches."
The Mets left-hander agreed with his manager's take on his performance on Friday.
"Didn’t feel like I had my best command, didn’t execute some pitches and they took advantage," Peterson said.
Took advantage is exactly what the Pirates did, as they scored five runs on seven hits and three walks across 4.2 innings against the left-hander. It's the second start this season in which Peterson has allowed at least five runs. He didn't have any such outing a year ago.
Mendoza said he's sure Peterson is healthy when he was asked, but pointed out that he believes there's a mechanical issue with his pitcher. Peterson and Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner have been working on his mechanics in between starts in the bullpen, but it didn't translate on the field Friday.
Peterson said his sessions with Hefner are nothing new and that it's just things he and the staff check back on constantly throughout the season, but acknowledged his mechanics were off.
"I didn’t necessarily stay on line and got too rotational in the second inning," he said. "Just trying to square that away and we’ll work on it again."
The Mets entered the weekend series with a half-game lead in the NL East over the Phillies, and going up against a below-.500 club in the Pirates was supposed to help New York collect wins. If the Mets are to weather this current storm of injuries to their pitchers, Peterson needs to be better and the left-hander knows it. But he's ready to work on his mechanics before his next time on the mound.
"I look at it one start at a time. It’s about getting back to good mechanics and feeling like I’m in the right spot," Peterson said. "I take what I need to do better, take what I did well from tonight and move on and prepare for the next one."
Nashville Predators select forward Ryker Lee with 26th overall pick in NHL Draft
With their third and final pick of the first round of the NHL Draft, the Nashville Predators selected Madison Capitols forward Ryker Lee with the 26th overall pick.
A 6-foot, 170-pound winger, he scored 68 points in 58 games with Madison in the United States Hockey League, which was ranked fourth in the league and was USHL Rookie of the Year. He is from Wilmette, Illinois.
Lee is committed to play for Michigan State in the fall.
A college season will for sure help Lee in his development as a productive winger. Considering the success he had in the USHL, the NCAA is the next step and that will give Nashville a better gage as to where Lee's development is.
While Brady Martin, the fifth overall pick, is a strong center, Lee gives a scoring edge that shows promise for Nashville's future.
You probably shouldn't leave Ryker Lee alone with the puck 🤷#GoCapsGohttps://t.co/rr3GJeJDIxpic.twitter.com/LiRC5t9Hgq
— Madison Capitols (@MadCapsHockey) February 9, 2025
The Predators traded the 23rd overall pick and the 67th overall pick to the Ottawa Senators for the 21st overall pick. They used the move-up the board to select defenseman Cameron Reid from the Kitchener Rangers (OHL).
He led OHL defenseman under the age of 17 in points per game, scoring 54 points in 67 games and 40 penalty minutes. Reid has a 6-foot, 193-pound build, really fitting into Nashville's traditional defenseman image.
He is from Aylmer, Ontario.
In his highlights, Reid is a player who is not easily pushed off the puck and is a playmaker. Forty of his 54 points this past season came off assists. This is a strong pick, aligning with Nashville's team identity and laying the groundwork for the future.
The Predators had the fifth overall pick in the draft, selecting center Brady Martin from the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds.
In his second season with the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL, Martin scored 72 points in 57 games and had a plus/minus of 25. He also logged 68 penalty minutes.
The Elmira, Ontario, native also represented Canada at the 2025 IIHF U-18 World Championship, scoring 11 points in seven games and winning a gold medal.
Martin was not in attendance at the NHL Draft as he was working on his family's farm.
Reaction: Penguins Select Forward Bill Zonnon With 22nd Overall Pick
The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially made their second of three first-round selections in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.
With the 22nd overall selection, the Penguins selected forward Bill Zonnon out of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL.
At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, Zonnon has some qualities of a future power forward, as his strong puck skills, versatility, speed, and hockey sense, and physicality are all trademarks of his game. He registered 28 goals and 83 points in 64 games with the Huskies last season, and his production - as well as his offensive game as a whole - keeps getting better and better.
Next up, the Penguins will select 24th overall, as they traded the 31st and 59th overall picks acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers earlier in the draft to the Los Angeles Kings.
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Feature image credit: Michael Augello-The Hockey News
Panthers General Manager Bill Zito snubbed again for Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award
Bill Zito did not win the 2025 Jim Gregory NHL General Manager of the Year Award.
For the second year in a row, the Zito-constructed Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup.
And for the third year in a row, Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill won the Jim Gregory NHL GM of the Year Award.
Now, Zito will be the first person to tell you that the only thing that matters is winning the Stanley Cup.
He’ll now have his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s Cup a second time, and looking at the team he’s built, there’s no reason to think it won’t continue to happen.
The way that Zito has constructed the Panthers has been amazing to witness.
It hasn’t just been about adding the most talented players.
Sure, many the guys he’s acquired and signed have blossomed into the best versions of themselves while playing in South Florida, but that has had as much to do with their skills as it does their willingness to put in the work.
Character and skill hold equal value when it comes to playing for Zito’s Panthers, and the results speak for themselves.
Not only that, but Zito has also taken those players and signed many of them to long-term, team-friendly deals.
They want to play for the Panthers, and they’re willing to take less money in order for the team to be better.
It’s an incredible situation that has been cultivated in South Florida, and Zito is at the head of it.
So yeah, it’s a little annoying that while Zito has been a finalist for the Jim Gregory GM of the Year award in three straight years and in four of his five at the helm of the Panthers, he’s still yet to win one.
To be fair, the frustration is dulled a bit by those aforementioned Stanley Cups.
It’s still bothersome. Exasperating. Aggravating.
Build the statue already.
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Photo caption: Panthers General Manager Bill Zito places the Stanley Cup on a table on Wednesday August 14, 2024 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. (© Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Nashville Predators trade for 21st overall pick, select defenseman Cameron Reid
The Nashville Predators make a slight jump up the board, trading their 23rd overall pick and 67th overall pick to the Ottawa Senators for the 21st overall pick.
Moving up the board, the Predators selected defenseman Cameron Reid from the Kitchener Rangers (OHL).
He led OHL defenseman under the age of 17 in points per game, scoring 54 points in 67 games and 40 penalty minutes. Reid has a 6-foot, 193-pound build, really fitting into Nashville's traditional defenseman image.
He is from Aylmer, Ontario.
In his highlights, Reid is a player who is not easily pushed off the puck and is a playmaker. Forty of his 54 points this past season came off assists. This is a strong pick, aligning with Nashville's team identity and laying the groundwork for the future.
A responsible two-way defender who is already demonstrating tremendous poise as an #NHLDraft prospect for the @OHLRangers, Cameron Reid has a high ceiling on the blueline 🎥 pic.twitter.com/g1kUkaF5HX
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) June 16, 2025
The Predators had the fifth overall pick in the draft, selecting center Brady Martin from the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds.
In his second season with the Soo Greyhounds in the OHL, Martin scored 72 points in 57 games and had a plus/minus of 25. He also logged 68 penalty minutes.
The Elmira, Ontario, native also represented Canada at the 2025 IIHF U-18 World Championship, scoring 11 points in seven games and winning a gold medal.
Martin was not in attendance at the NHL Draft as he was working on his family's farm.
Nashville will select 26th overall to close out the first round of the NHL Draft.
2026 NFL draft: Top player at every position heading into the CFB season
With the college football season just around the corner, here is our top prospect at every position for the 2026 NFL draft
“I Compare Myself To Barkov In Florida”: Anton Frondell Has Lofty Expectations
The Chicago Blackhawks selected Anton Frondell with the third overall pick. The Swedish forward was the highest-rated international prospect coming in.
Part of his media tour following his selection was a Zoom with the media in Chicago. He immediately made it known that he was ecstatic to join an organization like the Blackhawks at this time.
"It's an amazing feeling," Frondell said. "I'm still shocked. It was a blackout when I heard my name."
He had to know that his name was going to be called relatively early in the draft, but it never seems to be real until you hear it out loud. Frondell appears to be incredibly grateful to be in the position that he's in.
The 2025 NHL Draft is not seen as one that is producing a day one NHL star, as we've seen in previous years, but a handful of guys may make a push during training camp and the preseason.
"That's my dream," Frondell said of playing for the Blackhawks in 2025-26. "That's what I'm doing this every day for." He admitted that if he's not good enough, he will go back to Djurgarden.
Frondell would have to dominate to make the team out of camp, but we've seen it done before. It isn't like the Blackhawks don't have spots to compete for at this stage of the rebuild.
The hype around Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar as offensive leaders going forward is well documented. However, they are both smaller, shifty players who are solely focused on creating offense. Frondell, according to himself (and the eye test), is a bit different.
“I compare myself to [Aleksander] Barkov in Florida,” Frondell said when asked about his game.
That's a lofty expectation to place on yourself, but it's a good attitude to have. That is certainly a good player to model your game after, as Barkov plays the game the right way in all three zones. He is one of the greatest two-way players in the history of the sport.
Is Frondell going to win the Selke Trophy three times? Is he going to win the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years with a Final runner-up appearance before that? That is unlikely.
However, building a reputation as a high-end two-way center is possible. If he's in the conversation for the Selke Trophy and helps the Blackhawks make deep playoff runs by being a perfect fit with the other young players, it will be a home run pick. Even if he's just a solid forward for the Blackhawks during a winning stretch, it will still go down as a solid selection.
Frondell is a highly motivated kid with a high-effort motor, offensive skills, and a winning attitude. He will work well with all of the youth that the Blackhawks have been putting together throughout their rebuild.
Whether this Barkov expectation is realistic or not, it is good to know that he has confidence in his game as he attempts to become an NHL star.
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