Hot Takes From The 2025 NHL Draft
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Here are seven Hot Takes From The 2025 NHL Draft:
1. The Islanders were the overall winners for these reasons: A. They got the best player available; B. Matthew Schaefer could make the Isles varsity; C. GM Mathieu Darche was not suckered into sentimentality to take the Long Island prospect.
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2. The Sharks added to their extremely young core with forward Michael Misa. In a handful of years, San Jose will become a team to reckon with.
3. The Rangers' choice of left winger, Malcolm Spence could have been a first-rounder. He'll prove to be a pleasant sleeper.
4. Mason West, the Blackhawks 29th overall selection, is the most interesting pick of the draft. The 6'6', 218 pound forward, is also a Division I recruited quarterback and committed to play hockey at Michigan State.
5. Nashville's fifth overall selection, Brady Martin surprised me. Nashville left a lot of talent on the board. That makes me wonder, did they fall in love with the person or the player?
An Intensive Opinion On Rangers Drafting 2025
An Intensive Opinion On Rangers Drafting 2025 Except for the first four or five "Automatic" Draft choices, opinions differ when the 2025 edition is examined.
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6. The Canadiens took a chance on LJ Mooney, cousin of Utah's Logan Cooley, and he won't disappoint. Montreal has a thing for developing smaller players, and Mooney is next.
7. Ethan Wyttenbach is an overlooked pick from the draft. The inaugural winner of The USHL's Gaudreau Award, got drafted by the Flames. The same team that drafted Johnny, 14 years ago.
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New York Times
36 minutes ago
- New York Times
Xabi Alonso's new training methods are surprising and exciting at Real Madrid
Since replacing Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid manager late last month, Xabi Alonso has repeatedly stressed the importance of time on the training ground to implement new ideas. The 43-year-old Spaniard only had time for a handful of sessions at Madrid's Valdebebas training ground before leaving for the Club World Cup, and even then, several of the senior players were missing. Instead, everything has started in earnest over in the United States. Advertisement There, observers and sources close to the squad, speaking anonymously to be able to talk openly, have been impressed by the pace and energy of each session, and some have commented on how the intensity appears greater than under Ancelotti. The veteran Italian mostly observed training sessions pitchside, while assistants Davide Ancelotti and Francesco Mauri ran the activities and drills. The head coach then got involved when there was something very specific he wanted to get across. At Madrid's makeshift training ground near Miami, Alonso has been a constant presence right in among the players, always moving, always talking. When players did strength work attached to a rubber belt, Alonso was the one throwing the ball for Lucas Vazquez to head back at the end of each sprint. During reduced-size practice games, he has been with the squad on the pitch, following the play, stopping it when required to issue instructions. In footage shared by the club, Alonso can be seen feeding the ball into 'rondos' — where players form a small circle or box and zip the ball among each other, while team-mates in the centre try to intercept — or teeing up Jude Bellingham to shoot during a finishing drill. Madrid's first sessions in the U.S. began with assistant coach Sebas Parrilla shouting out numbers for players to instantly form groups of that size. Those not quick enough to find a group had to do press-ups. The idea was for everyone to be switched on from minute one. Multiple former players from Alonso's previous teams, Real Sociedad B and Bayer Leverkusen, have spoken admiringly about how he would get involved with them during exercises when they worked under him. 'Xabi is still fit, he could easily still be playing,' Leverkusen and Spain left-back Alex Grimaldo told The Athletic in March 2024. 'Every time he gets involved in a tactical exercise, a 'possession game', he accelerates the rhythm, so the team sees the rhythm we have to play at.' Advertisement Alonso and his staff continually emphasise to their players how every detail of every exercise really matters. During one session in Miami, The Athletic overheard the Basque coach enthusiastically congratulating defender Eder Militao for a short, apparently simple pass by shouting: 'Good one, Mili, good one!' Conversely, Alonso is not so happy when players lose concentration or switch off from what they should be doing. Throughout his coaching career, he has not been afraid to call out individuals who let standards drop during sessions, to make sure they know this is not acceptable. 'Xabi is very demanding, but with respect,' Grimaldo told The Athletic last year. 'If you misplace a pass at training, he says, 'Come on, you can't make that mistake'.' Alonso's Leverkusen team, who won an unbeaten German league and cup double in the 2023-24 season, were renowned for their compact organisation, quick counter-pressing and rehearsed patterns of play that moved the ball forward with precision and structure. That required lots of repetitive work on the training ground, with players fully buying into what their coaches were asking them to do. The Basque has brought most of his Leverkusen staff with him to Madrid, including Parrilla, analyst Alberto Encinas, and fitness coach Ismael Camenforte Lopez. Along with Benat Labaien (an analyst and assistant coach, another new hire) and coach Luis Llopis (Madrid's goalkeeping coach since 2021), they form a close-knit group, planning each session with a clear purpose, something specific they want the players to do differently or better. This can involve working one-on-one with a particular player, or a group of several players, or by lines on the pitch — defence, midfield or forwards. An objective in early sessions at Madrid has been making the team more cohesive and compact in both attack and defence, with players thinking and moving as one. Sessions have then tended to conclude with seven-on-seven games in smaller spaces. Some of the most noticeable changes under Alonso have come during warm-ups and physical work. In recent seasons, those areas were overseen by Antonio Pintus, whose old-school methods included long runs to build fitness. Sources familiar with the approach of fitness coach Camenforte Lopez, who has a background at Barcelona's La Masia youth academy, point to his interest and knowledge of football tactics. Each fitness exercise is designed to also prepare the team for particular match situations. This makes for more interesting drills for players, but also means they must be mentally switched on throughout each session. Alonso also often uses video to teach his players what he wants from them. Drone footage is captured at each training session and analysts record each game from high in the stadium. '(Video) plays a fundamental role,' Alonso said in response to a question from The Athletic in Miami. 'On the field, it's very hot and not always possible. In the afternoon, at the hotel, we use the videos. We use it a lot, collectively, by lines, individually. It's a dynamic not just for now, but for the whole season.' ⚡️👀 Real Madrid have hired a company to work with the drone that records the training sessions under Xabi Alonso in Palm Beach. Two people from this company are in charge of flying the drone during the sessions.@TheAthleticFC — Mario Cortegana (@MarioCortegana) June 29, 2025 The big question is how Madrid's galactico-filled squad will react to the demands of their new boss. Detail-focused coaches who micro-manage training have historically struggled to gain acceptance from the Bernabeu dressing room. Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane had their own tactical ideas, but showed flexibility in empowering important players to make their own decisions, and both guided the team to multiple Champions League titles. Advertisement 'I respect and value Carlo's work a lot, but now we're beginning a new stage,' Alonso told reporters on the eve of the Club World Cup. 'We've a good base to work with, but we'll do things our way. There are things we're going to correct, to make the team better.' Arriving at the end of a long season, and immediately having to play competitive matches in challenging, hot conditions, is another challenge for Alonso. 'Everything has had to be sped up,' he told reporters on arrival in Miami, pointing to having just three sessions with his full squad before their first game against Al Hilal. 'Alonso wants to see his way of playing, a different way to defend and a different way to attack,' Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said after that opener finished 1-1. 'We were with Ancelotti for four years. Changing to what the new coach wants doesn't happen in four days. We're trying, we're watching videos, talking a lot, and it will get better.' After their second game against Mexican side Pachuca, when Madrid won 3-1 despite playing most of the game with 10 men, midfielder Bellingham said: 'It's incredible to learn from someone like Xabi. 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New York Times
38 minutes ago
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Wilyer Abreu powers Red Sox's historic night with grand slam, inside-the-park HR
BOSTON — It was supposed to be a pitcher's duel. It ended with a catcher on the mound with a lopsided score in the final inning. A match-up of Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet against Cincinnati Reds top prospect Chase Burns, who made history in his debut last week against the New York Yankees, striking out the first five batters he faced, figured to be the main show. Advertisement Instead, Burns got lit up in the first inning of his second start, recording just one out as the Jekyll-and-Hyde Red Sox offense ignited for seven runs, sending 13 men to the plate. That set the tone for one of the team's best offensive games of the season, starring Wilyer Abreu, who hit not only an inside-the-park homer in the fifth, but also a grand slam in the eighth as the Red Sox pummeled the Reds 13-6. Abreu is only the fifth player since 1901 to hit a grand slam and inside-the-park homer in the same game as two different home runs, the most recent coming in 1958 from Kansas City's Roger Maris. 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Advertisement And there are reinforcements on the way. Masataka Yoshida begins a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday. He'll serve as the designated hitter for two games before playing the outfield on Thursday. When Worcester heads on the road, Yoshida may move to Double-A Portland to continue his rehab. Meanwhile, Alex Bregman, who's been out since May 24 with a quad strain, offered a positive update on Monday, noting he feels 100 percent with running and baseball activities. 'Today was the best that I've felt during the rehab process, the fastest I ran,' Bregman said. Bregman suggested he might not need a rehab assignment given how much work he does with the Trajeckt machines that simulate major-league pitching, though Cora was less definitive in his assessment. The six-week mark for Bregman's injury is Saturday, and Cora said the team will conduct strength tests to determine his next steps. Bregman said it's 'possible' he could return to the team before the All-Star break on July 14. 'I think all options are on the table,' he said. 'Really, whether it's going on a rehab assignment or not going on one, and just going straight to playing up here and maybe kind of easing the way back in at this level. It's honestly whatever they want me to do, really.' Getting Yoshida and Bregman back would only lengthen the lineup. A more immediate boost to the club came in the debut of reliever Jordan Hicks, acquired in the Devers trade. Hicks recorded three quick outs on 10 pitches, four of which clocked in at 100 mph or greater. 'Today was one of those days that we've been talking about the last few years, we've got velocity now,' Cora said, noting Hicks' presence alongside Aroldis Chapman and Jorge Alcala. The offensive onslaught, ironically, gave Crochet his first win of the season at Fenway Park in one of his worst starts of the year. He allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits and a walk, striking out nine. The seven hits and five runs tied season highs. But given how good he's been, his ERA only bumped up to 2.26. Advertisement 'We definitely owed him this one,' Story said. 'He'd been nails for us all year, literally all year, and we haven't given him much support.' The left-hander entered the game second in the majors in strikeouts (135) and innings pitched (109 1/3), and while he didn't have his best stuff on Monday, he didn't need it for the win. 'Wish it could have been a better start,' he said. 'But wins are wins, and right now, we'll take them any way that we can get them.'
Forbes
41 minutes ago
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Derrick Rose On New York Knicks Firing Tom Thibodeau: ‘Everybody Was Surprised'
Derrick Rose was "surprised" the New York Knicks fired his former longtime head coach Tom Thibodeau. ... More (Photo by) Derrick Rose was as surprised as everyone when he heard news of Tom Thibodeau's firing. The New York Knicks parted ways with Thibodeau after he led them to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000. Despite leading the Knicks to back-to-back 50-win seasons for the first time since 1995, Thibodeau found his way out on the outs after their six-game series loss to the Indiana Pacers. Rose played under Thibodeau for a number of years, including during their time with the Chicago Bulls and more recently with the Knicks, where Rose last played for him during the 2022-23 season. There's perhaps no NBA player more familiar with Thibodeau than Rose. The three-time All-Star guard became the youngest MVP in NBA history when he played for him during the 2010-11 season. "I think everybody was surprised," says Rose in a one-on-one interview. "There's no bad blood and he's in great spirit out still here on the East Coast, living life." The 67-year-old head coach is known as an old school, hard-nosed type. Thibodeau began his NBA coaching career as an assistant for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1989 and won a championship as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics in 2008. He has routinely led teams deep into the playoffs as a head coach and has won the Coach of the Year award twice, the first time during the 2010-11 season with the Bulls and the second time during the 2020-21 season with the Knicks. Both times were with Rose on the roster. "He put a lot of pressure on and that's why I love him because I've never wanted to crack -- I never wanted him to see me crack," says Rose. "He knew how good I was, and I wanted the challenge. He used to challenge me certain games about certain point guards or certain matchups. I took on that challenge." Under Thibodeau, the Bulls never won less than 45 games in a single season and they made it to the playoffs every year. While with the Knicks, Thibodeau led the franchise to the playoffs in four out of five years, including to at least the semifinals in each of the past three years. It's been their greatest three-year run since the turn of the millennium. "Thibs helped with me becoming a student of the game," says Rose. "Me watching film, because we watched a ton of film, the terminology of the game, time management, the history of the game, hearing him talk with other coaches, talk about just the history of the game and certain plays and certain games. He's a historian, especially when he gets around people that he's thoughtful with." Rose became one of the best guards in the NBA very early on in his career under Thibodeau's tutelage. Although they had a good relationship, Thibodeau wasn't the type of coach to hand out a lot of compliments. It kind of goes hand in hand with his old-school style approach of tough love. 'Trying to impress him on the court when I did do certain things, because he was hard to impress as a coach,' says Rose of playing under Thibodeau. "But our relationship — we had like a quagmire relationship — where I don't even think after the MVP year, I rarely heard him say, 'Congrats.' That's not in a bad way." Despite the contrast in personalities, Rose says he "loved" his relationship with his former head coach. Rose played a total of eight seasons under Thibodeau. "We just had a funny relationship, where on the court, we both wanted to win, win every game, and we knew how passionate each other was about the game of basketball," says Rose. "How much we both put into it, but we both have two totally different personalities, which a lot of people look at as weird, but I loved our relationship. I love our relationship now." Rose is less than a year removed after retiring from the NBA, but he's enjoying his post-basketball life. The 36-year-old is partnering with Panini for an exclusive multi-year partnership. The partnership includes new autographs from Rose on trading cards, which is the first time in more than a decade that he'll have autographed cards available. The former Bulls great details why he stopped signing autographs years ago and how it actually ended up helping the value of his autographs. "I stopped signing a while back, and that kind of helped me with my value of my signature, because I stepped away from signing," Rose explains. "Once you come in, you sign right away, where you have the deals, and some people they go to the black market and they sign and I kind of stayed away from that, because I was going through a lot of things at the time. "Financially I was stable," Rose continues to say. "That helped me. It prevented me from going out and killing the value of my signature by overloading the market, and it helped me know the importance of this business by me slowly walking into it as a collector, because I'm collecting now too also." Rose, who was speaking at an activation event in New York City at Dave & Adams Store in New York, is a big chess player. He's keeping busy in his post-NBA career with a chess event going on in Las Vegas on July 12 and 13. The purpose of the event is not just for competitive purposes, but to put more eyes on the sport. "We're going to try to put eyes on the game and the visibility," says Rose. "That's one thing, but the biggest part is putting the capital in player's pocket. They dedicate their whole lives to this sport. It's only right that get paid the right way and get seen the right way. That's one of the reasons why I have joined freestyle chess and Magnus Carlsen — a five-time World Chess champion -- because we have the same approach and the same common goal, and that's to put the eyes on the game."
