PWHL Seattle names Steve O'Rourke first-ever head coach
PWHL Seattle has named Steve O'Rourke its first-ever head coach ahead of its inaugural season, the team announced Friday.
'We're proud to welcome Steve as the first head coach in PWHL Seattle's history,' general manager Meghan Turner said in a release. 'He brings a great hockey mind, a clear vision for the game, and a strong commitment to developing both our team and our players as individuals. We're confident in his leadership and excited to start this next chapter with him behind the bench.'
Advertisement
O'Rourke most recently coached the OHL's Oshawa Generals, serving as an assistant coach for two years before being promoted to head coach for the 2024-25 season. He was stunningly fired in December while the Generals were in first place in the East Division.
'I'm incredibly excited to be joining the Professional Women's Hockey League,' O'Rourke said in the team's release. 'This is something I've thought about since the league was first announced. To now be given the opportunity to work with the best players in the world and be part of a professional league that is thriving both on and off the ice is truly amazing. Being from the West and having played hockey in Washington State, I've seen first-hand how much the game has grown in this region. The passion and support for hockey here is real, and I'm proud to now be part of it in a new way. To have the opportunity to help shape the Seattle team alongside Meghan Turner and the players is something I don't take for granted. It's an exciting challenge, and I'm looking forward to building something special with this group.'
The PWHL recently announced its expansion to Seattle and Vancouver and held its expansion draft on June 9. PWHL Seattle will debut this fall at Climate Pledge Arena, home of the NHL's Seattle Kraken.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Grizzlies Legend Sends Message to Ja Morant After Personal Issues
Grizzlies Legend Sends Message to Ja Morant After Personal Issues originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Back in 2023, the NBA suspended Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant for 25 games due to what they called "conduct detrimental to the league" after multiple off-court incidents involving displaying firearms on social media. Though this incident occurred a couple of years ago, many fans and basketball personalities still discuss it, and it is a big part of the discourse surrounding Morant. Advertisement Recently, a Grizzlies legend sent a message to the Murray State alum regarding his off-court incidents just a few months after the team's early playoff exit in the first round at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder. Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) © Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Despite the discussions surrounding him, there is no doubt that Morant is one of the top guards in the NBA today and is crucial to Memphis' career. This sentiment is also shared by former Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph, who offered some encouraging words to the 25-year-old. In a recent appearance on The Big Podcast, Randolph said Morant will "be alright" and that he must keep his "head up high." Advertisement 'I just tell him, you going to be alright, just keep your head up high because I've been through [expletive]…It's about how you bounce back," Randolph said about Morant. After playing in just nine games for the Grizzlies in 2023-24, Morant played 50 games for the team this past season. On the year, he averaged 23.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. Though they had a disappointing end to their latest campaign, the Grizzlies are aiming to bounce back in 2025-26 and re-establish themselves as legitimate contenders in the West. In order for them to do so, they must continue to rely on Morant, who is just two seasons removed from an All-Star season. Advertisement Related: Desmond Bane's Honest Reaction to Grizzlies-Magic Trade Surfaces Related: Kevin Durant to Grizzlies Trade Report Receives Major Update This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Pacers vs. Thunder odds: Best bets, predictions for NBA Finals Game 7
The Indiana Pacers won their 10th game as an underdog this postseason on Thursday night, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 in Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals and covering as 5.5-point underdogs. The game stayed under the total for the fourth time this series. Indiana opened the series as a huge +550 underdog at BetMGM, while Oklahoma City was a massive -800 favorite. If the Pacers end up winning Game 7, it would be one of the biggest finals upsets in NBA history. Advertisement The Thunder opened as 8.5-point home favorites in Game 7, but the line has drifted back to -7.5. The total is the lowest in the series at 215.5. Yahoo Sports asked handicapper Jon Metler for his thoughts on Game 7 of the Finals and some best bets: Game 7: Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-7.5, 215.5) Metler: "Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's assists prop opened at 5.5 with increased juice to the over. That's a really low total for SGA in general, but when you consider the spot, it really jumps off the page. The Thunder will want the ball in SGA's hands as much as possible in Game 7, and he'll likely play 40-plus minutes. Advertisement "SGA's assists prop has dropped throughout the series because he's had a few rough games in that department, but the final box scores don't fully reflect what's happening. Game 4 is a perfect example: He recorded zero assists, but had eight potential assists — they just didn't convert. In Game 6, he had only two assists, but again tallied eight potential assists. The low conversion rate, combined with reduced minutes due to a blowout, skewed the numbers. "These games have tanked his assists line in the market, but that's good for us — it's opened up a chance to attack the lower total and even take a shot at the alternate over of 6.5 (+132), which I believe should be trading closer to -115. There's solid value on this number, and the fact that his role players and shooters are back home should help, too. In the last home game (Game 5), they converted 10 assists for SGA." Best bet: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over 6.5 assists (+132) Metler: "Just pause and think about this for a second: You're getting Tyrese Haliburton over 7.5 assists at +144. Imagine if I told you this price during the regular season. I know it's the Thunder defense, but 7.5 at +144? Come on. You were typically seeing 9.5 or even 10.5 for Haliburton's assists prop, with the over trading around -110 back then. Advertisement "Similar to the SGA prop, look at the spot — it's Game 7 of the NBA Finals, where his usage and minutes should be as high as possible. Yes, Haliburton is nursing a calf injury, but I thought he looked completely fine in Game 6. If anything, the injury is what's creating this value. "His totals dropped heading into Game 6 due to uncertainty around his minutes and the injury, and they didn't adjust much after Game 6 because he only played 23 minutes due to the blowout. If Haliburton plays 35 minutes in that game, he likely smashes all of his totals — and the numbers for Game 7 would look very different. "I believe this prop should be trading closer to -120 for Haliburton in Game 7, which is why I'm hitting the button on +144." Best bet: Tyrese Haliburton 8+ Assists (+144)
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dodgers Insider Provides Insight into Shohei Ohtani's Rehab Timeline
Dodgers Insider Provides Insight into Shohei Ohtani's Rehab Timeline originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Shohei Ohtani's initial rehabilitation plan did not have him starting on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday. Advertisement He was initially set to make his first pitching appearance since 2023 after this year's All-Star break. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts then told reporters there was a "north of zero" chance he could return before mid-July. Finally, the news broke late on Sunday night that Ohtani would once again grace an MLB mound in less than 24 hours in the Dodgers' series opener against the San Diego Padres. The move made sense. Ohtani could not go on a traditional rehab assignment – making a few starts in the minor leagues, or even heading to the team's training complex in Arizona for extra work – because it would leave the Dodgers without his potent bat in the lineup. The true reasoning for Ohtani's accelerated timeline, according to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez, came down to the trust Ohtani had in his own body and, in turn, the Dodgers' trust in Ohtani. Advertisement "They feel like he's so attunely aware of what his body requires and what he needs on a given day, and he's the only one who has ever done this, that there's a trust there," Gonzalez said on Dodgers Territory. "If Shohei Ohtani ultimately told them, 'Look, these sim games are really taxing on my body. I'd rather just do it in a Major League game,' I think they trust him to do it responsibly." Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) enters the dugout after warming up for the game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Gonzalez was told by Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior that the club's original plan was to have Ohtani pitch in simulated games until he could reach the 60-to-70-pitch range before putting him into a regular-season contest. According to Gonzalez, Ohtani threw 44 pitches in his most recent simulated game before Monday's start. "The Dodgers were adamant, from their perspective, that they didn't want to rush this, regardless of how many pitchers were injured. They were going to just try to absorb this stretch and try to get through it until Blake Snell comes back, until Tyler Glasnow comes back," Gonzalez said. Advertisement "They felt like it was so important for his two-way future, for his chances of being an effective pitcher for years hereafter – not just in this one – that he built up enough endurance, that he strengthened the muscles around his elbow." Gonzalez acknowledged that the Dodgers still have issues regarding the management of their pitchers, given that so many of their starters are hurt. But he believes Ohtani was the source behind his own quick return. "They keep having to do these bullpen games. Their relievers lead the majors in innings. This is not sustainable, but I don't know that they wanted that to guide the Ohtani part of it," Gonzalez said. "I think it was Shohei Ohtani sort of driving this himself." Advertisement Related: Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Could Break Babe Ruth Record This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
