Oilers vs. Stars Stanley Cup Semifinals Game 4: Injured players, inactives, latest updates
The Edmonton Oilers (48-29-5) are keeping their eye on four players on the injury report heading into Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals against the Dallas Stars (50-26-6) at Rogers Place on Tuesday, May 27 at 8 p.m. ET.
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Oilers vs. Stars game info
Date: Tuesday, May 27, 2025
Tuesday, May 27, 2025 Time: 8 p.m. ET
8 p.m. ET TV channel: ESPN (Watch LIVE with Fubo!)
ESPN (Watch LIVE with Fubo!) Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta Venue: Rogers Place
NHL odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Monday at 9:37 p.m. ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
Favorite: Oilers (-170)
Oilers (-170) Underdog: Stars (+140)
Stars (+140) Total: 6.5
Oilers injury report May 27
Calvin Pickard | G (Out)
Injury: Undisclosed
Undisclosed Games played: 36
36 Stats: 763 saves, 22-10-1 record
Alec Regula | D (Out)
Injury: Knee
Knee Games played: 0
0 Stats: 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 points
Mattias Ekholm | D (Day-To-Day)
Injury: Undisclosed
Undisclosed Games played: 65
65 Stats: 9 goals, 24 assists, 33 points
Connor Brown | RW (Day-To-Day)
Injury: Undisclosed
Undisclosed Games played: 82
82 Stats: 13 goals, 17 assists, 30 points
Stars injury report May 27
Roope Hintz | C (Day-To-Day)
Injury: Lower Leg
Lower Leg Games played: 76
76 Stats: 28 goals, 39 assists, 67 points
Nils Lundkvist | D (Out For Season)
Injury: Upper Body
Upper Body Games played: 39
39 Stats: 0 goals, 5 assists, 5 points
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NFL Power Rankings: What Teams are Best Positioned to Win in 5 Years?
National Football League NFL Power Rankings: What Teams are Best Positioned to Win in 5 Years? Published Aug. 19, 2025 8:00 a.m. ET share facebook x reddit link Five years ago, the Cleveland Browns won 11 games and made the playoffs. The New Orleans Saints won 12 and won the NFC South. The Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions finished dead last in their respective divisions. Looking back, it feels like it was the NFL's version of The Upside Down. That's how fast things change in this league. So imagine how different things will look five years from now. On second thought, don't imagine. FOX Sports has that covered with a look into our crystal ball. We know exactly how the NFL's 32 teams — assuming there's still only 32 — will look five years in the future, even if we're not quite sure where Arch Manning and Aaron Rodgers will be playing by then. And we figured it out scientifically, basing our 2030 NFL Power Rankings on five key pillars of NFL success: Quarterback: Nothing was more important than being able to project that a team will still have its franchise quarterback in place, and in his prime by 2030. Head coach: Do they have a coach that could still be around in five years, or are they likely headed toward a change? Management team: Stability in the front office matters, because a GM change can upend an entire franchise philosophy. Of course, competency in the front office matters, too. Talent on rookie deals: Having young stars/starters now doesn't guarantee they'll all be with the team in five years, but at least they give their club some potential building blocks to possibly re-sign down the road. Franchise history: Some franchises simply can't get out of their own way. It could be karma or curses, though sometimes it's just bad ownership — like being too cheap with players or too quick to blow everything up. (One thing that wasn't considered: the salary cap. There is just no way to reasonably project where the cap will be in 2030, as revenues continue to skyrocket and with a new labor deal expected sometime before the 2030 season begins.) ADVERTISEMENT Obviously, there are still a lot of unknowns. The vaunted quarterback class of 2026 could have a huge impact on this order. And if teams like the Atlanta Falcons (Michael Penix Jr.), Tennessee Titans (Cam Ward) and New York Giants (Jaxson Dart) really did hit on their new quarterbacks of the future, they could take big leaps too. And don't forget that Bill Belichick's contract at North Carolina expires after the 2029 season. He'll only be 78! Until then, we can only consider the evidence of things seen. And based on that, here's how FOX Sports projects the NFL's 32 teams will rank heading into the 2030 season. There was no doubt that this was the least attractive and hardest head coaching job available last offseason, so best of luck to Kellen Moore, who might need a few years to figure this out. His biggest job will be finding a quarterback. He knew Derek Carr wasn't his long-term answer even before he retired, but is anyone sure that soon-to-be-26-year-old rookie Tyler Shough is the answer? After drafting him in the second round (40th overall), the Saints might spend a couple of years finding out, though if they're bad enough this year, there is a vaunted QB class waiting for them in the 2026 draft. Just as problematic is the lack of young talent on their aging roster. If they can keep WR Chris Olave that would help, but he'll be very expensive. Same for DT Bryan Bresee and CB Kool-Aid McKinstry. Of course, Moore has to find a way to make his team attractive enough that they want to stay. And GM Mickey Loomis, entering his 24th season and already 69 years old, has to do a better job of building through the draft. His record on that isn't great since Sean Payton left town 3.5 years ago. Change is coming to Indianapolis, and it's hard to see a way for anyone to avoid it. There was a lot of talk that it was about to happen last offseason, but the franchise decided instead to stand pat. There is obviously some uncertainty after the passing of owner Jim Irsay. But the status of both GM Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen was shaky before that, after the last few mediocre years. What really hurts the Colts is their quarterback mess. Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick of the 2023 draft, hasn't been anything close to what they envisioned. Now he's being pushed by Daniel Jones, the failed franchise QB of the Giants. In other words, expect them to be searching for a new franchise quarterback in the near future. They do have some interesting young players on the roster, but none who have really done anything yet, outside of maybe CB Jaylon Jones and S Nick Cross. But if a new regime takes over in the next year or two, they're going to blow everything up. Again. They mortgaged a lot of their future to acquire QB Deshaun Watson, and when that predictably blew up, they were left with quite a mess that they somehow keep managing to make worse. Whether it's on GM Andrew Berry or owner interference from Jimmy Haslam, it doesn't really matter. And that's a shame for Kevin Stefanski, who still remains a well-regarded head coach around the league. Now, on the bright side, they did seemingly start rebuilding with five draft picks in the first 100 this year. But that's really the extent of the good news. They don't have a lot of young talent. In fact, their best players — edge Myles Garrett and CB Denzel Ward — will be in their mid-30s in 2030. And while they probably will have sorted out their self-created, Dillon Gabriel-Kenny Pickett-Shedeur Sanders quarterback mess by then — probably — the odds of it ending well for them aren't high. Until they find a QB — one QB — and stop making unforced errors, they've got a residency in the NFL's Bottom Five. They built one of the fastest teams in the NFL, but that speed doesn't actually seem to be getting them anywhere. The promise of two straight trips to the playoffs under Mike McDaniels evaporated with two first-round losses and last year's 8-9 disappointment. And GM Chris Grier seems squarely on the hot seat after just five winning seasons and three playoff berths in nine years. They even have questions at quarterback with Tua Tagovailoa, who'll be 32 in 2030. But he'd need a new deal to stay past 2028, and with his injury and concussion history, plus his on-field performance, would a new Dolphins regime be willing to invest in him? That's hard to see. What's not hard to see is this franchise blowing it all up in the next year or two, especially if they fall short of the playoffs this season. And what will the next regime inherit? One of the oldest teams in the NFL. Outside of RB De'Von Achane and edge Chop Robinson, what young talent do they really have? They are an odd franchise to try and decipher, both for the short and long term. They certainly don't look like a short-term winner. And long term … well, Pete Carroll will be 79 in 2030 and their current QB, Geno Smith, will be 39, so the odds are pretty good of a franchise reset long before then. Maybe new GM John Spytek is the right guy to run things, and maybe Tom Brady's influence will really help. But it's hard to count on stability under the unpredictable Marc Davis. On the bright side, there's some good, young talent like TE Brock Bowers and RB Ashton Jeanty. Even Maxx Crosby would only be 33 then, though his current megadeal would have to be extended. But who knows who'll be running the show in Vegas by then? They have put absolutely everything into winning with QB Aaron Rodgers this year, but even he's not crazy enough to believe he'll still be playing in 2030 at age 46 … right? Well, his crazy plans aside, the bigger question for the Steelers is: Will Mike Tomlin still be around? The Steelers, of course, are the NFL's model of stability with just three head coaches in the past 56 years, so he's not getting fired anytime soon. But he is entering his 19th season, and it has to be frustrating that he hasn't won a playoff game in nine years. He's only 53, though, so project his absence at your peril. And given the Steelers' history of stability, GM Omar Khan will likely be there a while, too. But they are really, really built to win right now, though. Whatever happens in 2025, they are looking at a big reset in the next couple of years. And keep in mind, they have absolutely no idea who their post-Rodgers quarterback is going to be. That is a very big problem. Whatever promise you think the Panthers have has to be tempered by this sobering fact: Since David Tepper bought the team seven years ago, they have cycled through three general managers and seven head coaches. They've had 10 different starting quarterbacks in that time, too. Now, maybe they're really on to something with GM Dan Morgan, coach Dave Canales and QB Bryce Young. Maybe. But they were 5-12 last season, and you really have to squint to see Young's progress. Plus, never forget that Tepper's patience has proven to be notoriously low. They do have some interesting young talent, but none that has really accomplished much yet outside of CB Jaycee Horn. Few teams have been better over the past few years at accumulating young talent. They can't keep them all until 2030, but their list of promising players on rookie deals includes WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, CB Devon Witherspoon, DT Byron Murphy, RBs Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet, T Charles Cross and edge Derick Hall. So, why aren't they higher on this list? It's because nothing in the NFL is more important than the quarterback. So if you believe Sam Darnold will be what he was for most of last year in Minnesota, and he'll still be doing it at age 33, then vault them up the list. More likely, by then, they'll have given rookie Jalen Milroe a shot. And maybe he'll be good. But until he proves that, he was still the fourth quarterback taken in what was generally regarded as a poor quarterback class, and went late in the third round. That doesn't preclude him from being elite, but it makes it hard to forecast greatness. GM John Schneider clearly has an eye for talent, though, and coach Mike Macdonald got off to a good start last year. If they get the QB spot right, this ranking will prove to be way too low. They are loaded with promising young talent, they feel like they've got a smart, young GM in place, and their new head coach is serious about building a winning culture. Please, stop me when you've heard all this before. What's different about the Jets' attempted reset this time around? It's hard to say. They are loaded with youth. WR Garrett Wilson and CB Sauce Gardner are both 25. They have three starting linemen under 25. Running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen are both under 25. Heck, even the Williams brothers (DT Quinnen and LB Quincy) are 28 and 27 and could have long-term futures in New York. So yeah, they've got the young pieces. The early reviews on GM Darren Mougey are positive. Everyone seems to love the fire and smarts of new coach Aaron Glenn. But, as always, this puzzle is missing the biggest piece. They've banked this season, and maybe next, on 26-year-old QB Justin Fields, who almost certainly isn't the long-term answer for them, which means they've got to find a franchise QB and develop him sometime in the next couple of years. And history shows that rarely goes well for the Jets. Drafting a QB No. 1 overall always feels like a reset for a franchise and gives them a promising outlook five years down the road. But while the reviews on Cam Ward are generally good, he's also considered a level below most of the top QBs drafted the year before. Also, another reset may be looming. When new GM Mike Borgonzi was hired in January, there were a lot of rumors that he might quickly move on from coach Brian Callahan. He didn't, but if Ward struggles this season, the former Chiefs executive will surely look elsewhere. They do have youth on the offensive line in front of Ward, which is smart. But this team is still an odd mix of veterans brought in to help stabilize things and unproven young players with potential. So the outlook of the early stages of the Ward era is hopeful, but hazy. This will be a very telling season for Kyler Murray, because after two injury-plagued seasons, he bounced back nicely last year. Now, nearly three years removed from his torn ACL, he should be even better. And that's big for him because he's signed through 2028, when he'll turn 33, and it might take some big years to convince the Cardinals to give him a new deal and keep him through 2030 and beyond. His presence in five years is obviously important, because otherwise the Cards will be in transition. General manager Monti Ossenfort has helped build a young core of talent, with some high draft picks over the last couple of years. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. obviously stands out, but they have a promising trio of corners too (Garrett Williams, Max Melton and rookie Will Johnson). A strong season by Murray could do wonders for the future of Jonathan Gannon, too, since he's only 12-22 in his first two years as head coach. There'll be pressure on him to win this season, too. After seven straight losing seasons, hopes are high in Atlanta that the Falcons are finally on the cusp of winning again. The organization definitely has some promising young talent. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr., RB Bijan Robinson, WR Drake London, CB A.J. Terrell and potentially the two edge rushers they drafted in the first round in April (Jalon Walker, James Pearce Jr.) could make for a nice core if they stick around. But Penix's potential is unclear, even after three decent starts at the end of last season, and there are questions about his accuracy. Also, do the Falcons have the right coaching staff to develop him? Raheem Morris, entering his second season, is certainly well respected, but he's had one winning season in five years as a head coach. With a GM, Terry Fontenot, who has presided over four losing seasons and was responsible for the Kirk Cousins contract fiasco, this is another franchise that could be looking at short-term change if things don't go well as soon as this year. For the first time in a long time, the future looks bright in New York. GM Joe Schoen has re-shaped the franchise and stacked it with young talent like WR Malik Nabers, edge rushers Kayvon Thibodeaux and Abdul Carter, and RB Tyrone Tracy. Even DT Dexter Lawrence and edge rusher Brian Burns are only 27, though they'd need new deals before 2030. And yes, they do have a quarterback of the future in Jaxson Dart, though it's hard to even guess on his potential until he throws his first NFL pass. But the pieces are there if Dart is the right guy. The one big problem about their future: Coach Brian Daboll might need to win this year to avoid being fired, especially since John Mara hasn't been very patient with coaches over the past decade. If he gives Daboll some more time, they could be on to something. But without a turnaround in 2025, more change likely looms for this franchise. Laugh at them if you want, but they do have a pretty deep roster of young talent. They've built a young line with potential, including four starters under 25. Even stars like WR CeeDee Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons are only 26. The big question for the future will be their QB, though. Dak Prescott will be 37 in 2030, but more importantly, he's only signed through 2028. Would the Cowboys really commit to another long-term deal with him if he hasn't at least gotten them to a Super Bowl by then? More likely, they'll be beginning the transition to whoever is next. Also, keep in mind, no one is sure that they have their guy in new coach Brian Schottenheimer yet. And Jerry Jones will be 87 in five years. Whether he's still actively in charge, or whether it's all being run by his son, Stephen, could have a huge impact on the direction of this franchise in both the long and short term. Sean McVay is only 39 years old, but few around the NFL think he'll be coaching into his 50s — not after he's already flirted with retirement once. If he sticks around, he'll have some rebuilding to do over the next five years, especially with QB Matthew Stafford likely in his final season or two. The good news is GM Les Snead has been able to find some young talent, like WR Puka Nacua, RB Kyren Williams and edge rusher Jared Verse — no small feat considering his habit of trading away high draft picks. He's also proven to be aggressive about getting the players McVay needs. So they won't fade until oblivion in the next few years. But finding that next QB will really be key. They have a very strong management-coach team in place with Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O'Connell. And it is very much in their favor that O'Connell has proven to be something of a quarterback whisperer, able to get the best out of just about anyone. His current quarterback, though, is mostly an unknown. J.J. McCarthy missed all of last season with an injury, so this will essentially be his rookie season. The Vikings do have other young stars and building blocks, like WRs Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, plus tackle Christian Darrisaw. The defense is vet-heavy and will need to be reset. But their future is really all about McCarthy. If O'Connell works his magic with him, Adofo-Mensah will find enough talent to keep Minnesota in regular contention. They are a great example of the unpredictability of the NFL. Three years ago, it looked like they had the coach, the QB, a stable of young talent and were on their way, and probably would have ranked high on any futures list. Now? Well, they do still have a lot of promise in QB Trevor Lawrence, who'll still only be 30 in five years. And they still have an impressive array of young talent in players like WR Brian Thomas Jr., edge rusher Travon Walker, RB Tank Bigsby, and, of course, WR/CB Travis Hunter. It's also generally a positive sign that GM Trent Baalke was replaced, albeit with untested 34-year-old James Gladstone. But is Liam Coen really the answer at head coach? And is Lawrence the QB they always thought he would be? The answers to both those questions are to be determined. But at least there's potential for the Jaguars to be a lot higher on this list. Of course, there's the potential for this to all blow up in a few years, too. They are getting the benefit of the doubt here that they are headed in the right direction, because if they're not, they are looking at a restart sometime in the next two years. General manager Ryan Poles' teams have been pretty terrible for his three seasons, but getting former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as his new coach was a coup. Johnson might be more likely than anyone to help last year's No. 1 overall pick, QB Caleb Williams, reach his full potential. If that happens, the Bears could be on a quick ascent. They also have some potential young building blocks around Williams, too, with WR Rome Odunze, edge rusher Dayo Odeyingbo and rookie tight end Colston Loveland. So if they do have to reset with a new GM in the near future, at least the cupboard isn't bare. They just locked up QB Brock Purdy through 2030 and coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch aren't going anywhere, anytime soon. So that's a good start, considering they've been to two NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl in the past four years. Clearly, they've got some work to do with the cast surrounding Purdy, but the Lynch-Shanahan tandem has been pretty good at roster building over their eight years together. Their current project is just starting as their core begins to age — especially on offense. But they've built up a lot of trust over the years. They could have as many as five under-25 starters on defense this year, so that'll be a tell as to how things are going. Here's the big lesson from the Patriots dynasty (and really, the Chiefs dynasty, too): find a great coach, a great quarterback and it's easy to figure out the rest. Well, the Patriots aren't sure if they've found greatness yet, but they're at least on the right track with Mike Vrabel and second-year QB Drake Maye. Vrabel is a terrific coach who'll restore some much-needed professionalism over the next few years, and based on Maye's rookie year, they have a chance to win a lot of games together. General manager Eliot Wolf can help them figure out the rest. And he's already started with young studs like CB Christian Gonzalez and OT Will Campbell, and some young receivers from the last two drafts who have shown some promise, too. And best of all, this franchise won't have the shadow of the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady Era looming over them anymore. Too much time has passed. This is a little bit of a leap of faith, because the Broncos aren't loaded with 25-and-under talent, and no one is sure if Sean Payton, at age 61, is planning to be in Denver long term. But what gets them this high is the impressive work that GM George Paton and Payton did to quickly turn the franchise around, despite the disastrous contract they gave QB Russell Wilson two years ago. They appear to have quickly found a franchise quarterback in Bo Nix while also building a top-10 defense. Nix is only 25 and so are CB Patrick Surtain and edge rusher Nik Bonitto, but the Broncos might have to do a little more building to still be on the rise in five years. As long as Payton doesn't quit, though, and as long as Nix is everything he showed he was as a rookie, the Broncos should be just fine. This is a maddening franchise to figure out because it has a lot of the personnel pieces in place for long-term success — particularly Joe Burrow, who is easily one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL. But there's just no way to trust this organization. Just look at how the Bengals handled the Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart holdouts this offseason. And sure, while they are notoriously cheap, they did re-sign WRs Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, but both will need new deals before 2030 to stick around. With Dick Tobin running the front office, it's hard to have faith the Bengals will do what it takes to have staying power in the standings. They also might need to eventually move on from Zac Taylor, too. But as long as they have Burrow locked in, they'll always be at least hovering around the top 10. They went all-in on the Tom Brady era to get their Super Bowl championship, and everyone braced for a big collapse afterward. The fact that it never happened, and that they're a Super Bowl contender again, is a testament to GM Jason Licht & Co.'s eye for talent. It also helps that the chance they took on QB Baker Mayfield paid off, as he became the player he was always supposed to be. The Bucs now need to re-sign him, and he'll be 35 in 2030, but there's no reason to think he'll slow down. And they've got a nice array of young talent to grow, including RB Bucky Irving, and WRs Emeka Egbuka and Jalen McMillan. The biggest question is with the coaching staff. They have turned over a lot of offensive coordinators, and Todd Bowles' record is mediocre. There's the potential for some change there if they don't make noise in the playoffs in the next few years. After too many years of being mired in mediocrity, despite sometimes having the talent to be more, they look to have finally taken steps in the right direction with the hiring of coach Jim Harbaugh — a proven winner everywhere he's gone. But how long will he stay? He did last nine years at Michigan, but before that only four years each with the 49ers and at Stanford. He's 61 now, but it seems likely he'll hang around to try to become just the fourth football coach in history to win both an NCAA championship and a Super Bowl. And he should still have the talent to do it by 2030. Justin Herbert has all the tools and will only be 32 then. Plus, the Chargers boast impressive young players like OT Joe Alt and WRs Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston. There's really no question that Harbaugh will build them into a winner and perennial contender. The only mystery is whether he can lead the Chargers to a title. In the last 33 years, since Mike Holmgren and Brett Favre first took over Green Bay in 1992, the Packers have had just five losing seasons. And no organization in history has been better at seamlessly running through franchise quarterbacks from Favre to Aaron Rodgers to their most recent one, Jordan Love. He'll only be 32 in five years, and almost certainly playing on a new contract. And there should be no doubt about GM Brian Gutekunst's ability to surround him with talent, or with Matt LaFleur's ability to coach it. Yes, the Packers have historically had trouble taking the next steps to becoming a championship-level team. But they will almost certainly remain close. And they have a nice stable of young talent to grow their franchise, including some intriguing potential on defense and promising receivers like Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed. As long as LaFleur and Love are there, they'll be good for many more years. Maybe at some point they'll even be great. When Josh Harris bought the franchise and flushed out Dan Snyder, it really did usher in a new era in Washington. They've got a great GM (Adam Peters) in place with a terrific head coach (Dan Quinn) and a quarterback (Jayden Daniels) who exceeded all expectations as a rookie. They rebuilt this franchise so quickly — the NFC Championship Game in Year 1 — it would be foolish to think it wasn't just the beginning. Daniels is obviously the linchpin to the Commanders' future, and it sure looks like they boast the best of a star-studded QB class. But they've also got young offensive linemen in place, young weapons like WR Luke McCaffrey and TE Ben Sinnott, and young defenders with potential like CB Mike Sainristil and DT Johnny Newton. Add in Peters' masterful work with the salary cap, and the strong core in Washington could turn this former laughingstock into a league power very quickly. OK, the Chiefs might deserve to be a little higher on this list. The problem with projecting their future, though, is that the NFL has been on retirement watch with head coach Andy Reid for several years. Will he still be on the sidelines in 2030 at age 72? If the answer is yes, put the Chiefs at No. 1 or 2, because they'll still have QB Patrick Mahomes (who'll be 35), and a great front office that has made this a model franchise. If it's no … well, there are plenty of examples to show how hard it is to replace a coaching legend. A small step back from their dynasty era would probably be inevitable. They do have some young talent to keep their championship train running — WR Xavier Worthy, CB Trent McDuffie, edge George Karlaftis to name a few — but their elite standing is really about the remarkable tandem of the QB and the coach. Their incredibly durable, talented QB, Josh Allen, will be 34 in 2030 and still playing under his current contract. He'll probably have more MVP trophies on his shelf, too. And GM Brandon Beane isn't going anywhere since he's the architect of the most successful Bills era since Bill Polian built the team that lost four straight Super Bowls in the early 1990s. Sean McDermott probably has a long lease on the coach's office, but that isn't a lock. Even with seven trips to the playoffs in eight years, don't rule out a change if he doesn't get this team to the Super Bowl in the next couple of seasons. Even with a coaching change, though, the expectations would remain that high. That's Mostly because of Allen, but the Bills do have some young defensive players in their core, such as newly re-signed RB James Cook and edge rusher Greg Rousseau. They have been a model of stability since they hired John Harbaugh in 2008, and there's no reason to think that's going to change. Yes, he's already been their coach for 17 years, but there's no indication he won't still be roaming their sidelines in five years at age 67. They obviously have a stable front office behind GM Eric DeCosta, a Ravens lifer in his 11th season. And while they will have to deal with Lamar Jackson's contract after next season, he'll only be 33 and probably still just as dangerous in five years. They'll have to replace some key pieces in the next few years, like RB Derrick Henry, but the Ravens do a good job of reloading on the fly. They also currently have seven former first-round picks on defense — four of whom are 26 or under. Some of them will be a part of their future defensive core. After decades of dysfunction, it's crazy to think the next five years could be a Golden Age in Detroit. Clearly, the Lions got the right people in place with GM Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell. And QB Jared Goff, who still somehow remains incredibly underrated, will only be 35 when the 2030 season begins. Detroit is also loaded with young talent: DE Aidan Hutchinson, OT Penei Sewell, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, CB Terrion Arnold, WRs Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, and TE Sam LaPorta, to name a few. Honestly, the Lions' biggest problem is going to be that there's just no way they can keep them all. But they'll obviously keep enough of them to maintain a strong base. That blockbuster Deshaun Watson trade in 2022 has a chance to set up the Texans the way the Herschel Walker trade once jump-started the Cowboys dynasty. Maybe they won't reach the same Super Bowl heights so quickly, but GM Nick Caserio is building a power down there, and he seems to have the perfect coach in DeMeco Ryans to put it all together. They've clearly got the quarterback in C.J. Stroud, who is still only 23. Add in young talent like edge rusher Will Anderson and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., and with good health and a little luck, the Texans have a chance to crack the small group of elite teams in the AFC. The last decade has shown the Eagles to be right up there with the Chiefs as the best organization in football, and as long as their 50-year-old GM Howie Roseman wants to keep working, that's not going to change. They also have long-term stability with a Super Bowl-winning coach in Nick Sirianni. And while they would still have to re-sign QB Jalen Hurts sometime in the next four years, he'll only be 32 in 2030 — so, right in his prime. What puts Philly over the top, though, is the fact that Roseman has turned the club into a conveyor belt of young talent. The Eagles will have to reload the offensive line, but they always do. And they are loaded with young talent on defense, like DT Jalen Carter and CBs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. The offense is starting to age, but does anyone want to bet against Roseman remedying that in the next few years? Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano . Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. What did you think of this story? share
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NHL offseason hype-o-meter: Marner in Vegas, Olympics return and more to get excited about
It's been a painfully slow offseason. The 2025 NHL Draft flopped. Few stars reached free agency, and most restricted free agents were extended early enough to crush any offer sheet buzz. Plus, the trade market completely underwhelmed. So while it's easy to be negative and dramatic with little-to-no NHL news to fill the airwaves, there are still some things to get excited about — besides just the end of a boring offseason. Advertisement It's time to crank up the hype-o-meter™️ and look at some interesting developments building up this summer. Hype-o-meter: 6/10 The coaching carousel spins fastest in the NHL, with the average tenure of all 32 teams just cracking the two-year mark. So when coaches like Mike Sullivan last over nine years with one franchise, it's pretty noteworthy. Before departing the Penguins, he was the second-longest tenured coach in the league, behind only Jon Cooper. Now, that elite group at the top with five-plus years in their current position is down to just three: Cooper, Jared Bednar and Rod Brind'Amour. Can Sullivan climb back up the ranks over the next five years and add some stability behind the bench in New York? The Rangers have only added to the ever-changing coaching landscape in recent seasons, with four different head coaches over the last five years. Two things are true in New York: coaches have a relatively short leash under Chris Drury, and the hires were flawed to begin with (which subsequently led to more frequent changes). Can Sullivan break either of those trends? As strong as his Pittsburgh track record may be, with two Stanley Cup rings to show for it, that alone won't give him longevity in New York. So not only does Sullivan have to fuel the Rangers' turnaround as head coach, he also has to evolve and grow with the position to maintain it. Unlike his Pittsburgh tenure, he'll have more stability in net, but he won't have a Sidney Crosby to carry an underperforming team, either. Hype-o-meter: 6.5/10 It's rare for a star player to reach free agency in the first place, let alone walk from their team. So Mitch Marner signing in Vegas already has that buzz behind it. Now factor in how his skill set — from his slick playmaking and creativity to his two-way game — will look alongside Jack Eichel, who has progressed into a Selke-caliber center. It's an ideal stylistic fit for a team that craved an elite winger, which should help maintain top-nine balance. That's key, as the Golden Knights had to stack some of their best this past postseason. Advertisement Another element to consider is how Marner's game might look outside of the Toronto market. Leaving the Maple Leafs won't automatically make Marner a playoff player; he is going to have to work through the physical and mental demands of a postseason environment, and do a better job of translating his regular-season ability into a demanding, high-pressure situation. However, the move should take some weight off his shoulders. It seemed to help free up Eichel a few years ago; his playoff pedigree was in question when he arrived in Vegas from Buffalo, simply because he didn't have any Stanley Cup playoff experience to that point. In his first playoff, however, he put up Conn Smythe-caliber play on his way to a championship. Hype-o-meter: 7/10 As fun as it is to watch projected contenders play up to expectations, up-and-coming teams that disrupt the playoff picture tend to generate a ton of hype. Just take the Blue Jackets, Canadiens and Blues last year. Columbus' inspiring playoff push was one of the best storylines of the season and will put more eyes on Kirill Marchenko's and Adam Fantilli's development this season. The Blues' turnaround under Jim Montgomery brought them to the playoffs, changing the expectations. And the Canadiens followed up an exciting post-4 Nations Face-Off surge with a bold offseason. ÉLE🇨TRIQUE Keep your friends close and Nick Suzuki closer#GoHabsGo — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) April 26, 2025 How will that trio of teams build on last year's success, and who will shake up the standings this year? Sometimes those risers and disruptors are the most exciting parts of the season and steal the national spotlight, even if the adventure doesn't end in a playoff appearance. Maybe the Sabres and Red Wings can finally make some noise in the Atlantic. The Mammoth's skilled top six could fuel a return to the playoffs, as the team keeps building roots in Utah. Or maybe the Dustin Wolf-led Flames will head up the Western Conference playoff race. Advertisement Hype-o-meter: 7.5/10 Does winning back-to-back championships make the Panthers a dynasty? It depends on who you ask. A trifecta of Stanley Cups should quell any doubts, though. Just how difficult is it to win three straight? Sometimes the teams perceived to be the strongest don't even make it past Round 1, let alone to the Final. The Panthers' string of dominance has resulted in three Final appearances, two of which ended with rings. However, no team has won three straight since the 1983 Islanders, and a few have tried — the Oilers in the '80s; the Red Wings in the 2000s; the Penguins in the '90s, 2000s and 2010s. The Lightning came close, with a return to the Final after back-to-back wins, but fell short to the Avalanche. Considering the challenge ahead, the Panthers' quest for history is a tantalizing story on its own. However, trying to project how another team can stop this run of dominance is also interesting. Many around the league are likely tired of the Panthers' antics — from their physical playing style to their cap gymnastics, team-friendly contracts and outright dominance. Opposing general managers have had a few years to study Florida and find ways to either emulate or counter its team-building strategies. So, what wins out this year? Hype-o-meter: 8/10 Pressure may be a privilege, but it still isn't easy for top picks to deal with — especially those who had to follow in the footsteps of Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. McDavid and Matthews set the bar extremely high after making instant impacts in the NHL in 2015 and 2016. Few top picks have measured up since. A less-than-stellar rookie season isn't necessarily damning for a player's arc; Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Rasmus Dahlin have proven the importance of patience for players drafted No. 1. However, a player jumping into the league and already showing glimpses of star power can be electrifying. Celebrini's first impression in the NHL was eye-catching, and the hype only grew as his rookie year progressed. His impact was greater than just 25 goals and 63 points in 70 games on a rebuilding team that took a pretty big hit after the trade deadline. His All Three Zones tracking data showed he stood out below the surface, relative to the rest of the league. Between his scoring chance creation, playmaking and play in transition, he is already showing signs of being an elite offensive creator at five-on-five. Celebrini ➡️ Smith 🚨#TheFutureIsTeal — San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) December 28, 2024 Maintaining that level in his surroundings may be difficult, given how daunting the rebuilding process can be. However, the vibes were different in San Jose last year, and the team looks invested in continuing that. That should help Celebrini (and other up-and-comers like Will Smith) continue to blossom as a franchise cornerstone and one of the best rising stars in the league. Advertisement Hype-o-meter: 9/10 At the junior level and in the women's game, there are opportunities to play best-on-best international hockey every year. That isn't the case at the men's professional level. The World Championship conflicts with the NHL playoffs, and those outside the postseason bubble don't always participate. That's part of what makes the Olympics so special — it's the one consistent opportunity for men to play international hockey at the highest level. This season, after a 12-year gap, NHL players are finally returning to the Olympics. The 4 Nations Face-Off was a gauge for interest around international games, both from a viewership and player standpoint. And that was just a taste — 4 Nations wasn't only a lesser version of Olympic action, but also a step down from the competition of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. However, that didn't stop anyone from giving their all while representing their home country. For some, like Crosby and Victor Hedman, it's the chance to return to the Olympics one more time after missing out on PyeongChang and Beijing. For others, like McDavid, Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Aleksander Barkov, it's the opportunity to debut on one of hockey's grandest stages. The only thing holding this back from a perfect 10/10 score on the hype-o-meter™️ is that there likely won't be the same level of physicality and snarl of the 4 Nations, due to IIHF rules. The intensity of long-awaited, true best-on-best international hockey should more than make up for it, though. Data via Evolving-Hockey, HockeyViz, HockeyStatCards, All Three Zones and Natural Stat Trick. This story relies on shot-based metrics; here is a primer on these numbers. (Photo of Mitch Marner: Gavin Napier / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
