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Related: I wore the Hoka Bondi 9s for a month and they're worth every penny
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New York Times
36 minutes ago
- New York Times
U.S. Olympic hockey: Projecting the men's First 6, stock watch on the rest of the roster
Bill Guerin has been preaching for years that it's incumbent on more American NHL players to participate in the World Championship if they're not playing in the postseason. Historically, it's been tough for USA Hockey to convince players after the grind of an 82-game season, plus the start of the playoffs for some, to suit up in red, white and blue. Advertisement Guerin was general manager of the U.S. 4 Nations Face-Off team that lost to Canada in overtime 3 ½ months ago and is GM for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan. His day job is managing the Minnesota Wild, and even in his season postmortem with Wild beat writers, he made an impassioned argument for players to go annually to worlds. 'When are we going to win that tournament?' the three-time Olympian said. 'We need to win that tournament soon. We need our best players, though. Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon are going. That should say something. Our team is good this year and we have a lot of good players going. I hope it's not just because it's an Olympic year. I get it. It is an Olympic year. But we need this more consistently from our players to go over and play and try to win that tournament.' Now, Guerin was talking a little out of both sides of his mouth. Obviously, he wanted the Americans to win the worlds. But last March, Guerin publicly — and no-so subtly — made it clear that if U.S. players blew off worlds, it could be remembered when he and his staff picked this past February's 4 Nations Face-Off roster. So clearly when it comes to picking next year's Olympic team, some American players heard the U.S. boss loud and clear, because this year's World Championship roster featured just two players who took part in the 4 Nations — Jeremy Swayman, who didn't play a game, and Zach Werenski — and a slew of Olympic hopefuls, including Tage Thompson, Clayton Keller, Alex Vlasic and Logan Cooley. The result? The Americans won their first gold medal since 1933 with the Buffalo Sabres' Thompson, a 4 Nations snub, scoring the Golden Goal in overtime. Good bet Thompson is now firmly on the radar to be an Olympian, as are others who didn't make the 4 Nations roster. 'Tage impressed me. Clayton Keller impressed me. A lot of guys did,' Guerin, who technically wasn't on the management team for worlds, told The Athletic. 'They just played really freaking well. They played like a team. Like when I was over there, you could feel that there was something good going on there. You could feel the guys had really come together.' Advertisement Olympic rosters don't have to be submitted until Dec. 31 for the Feb. 11 to 22 tournament. In late August, the United States is expected to hold an Olympic orientation camp in Plymouth, Mich. Guerin and his staff plan to invite up to 45 Olympic hopefuls. The worlds and the strong performances by some complicated the process, so the United States brass will again be keeping close tabs next season on which players get out of the gate strong and potentially earn themselves a roster spot, especially if some who made the 4 Nations roster sustain early-season injuries or struggle. 'It's a good problem to have,' Guerin said of having so many top-notch candidates. 'But it's not just that. It's the importance of the World Championships and the pride that we have to have in it and having more players go. Yes, it's an Olympic year. I'm glad I got a chance to see the guys play. But on top of that, it's making sure that we are putting a premium on that tournament. 'It was unbelievable. It was awesome to see us win. And on top of that, some guys really helped themselves potentially make the Olympic team.' Next week, as early as Monday, the first six players for each Olympic team will be revealed. Last June, the first six Americans named to the 4 Nations Face-Off were forwards Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk and Jack Eichel, and defensemen Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy and Adam Fox. Who will make it this time? Our projection has five of the six again chosen next week. Auston Matthews: The U.S. captain led the NHL in goals in three of the past five seasons for the Toronto Maple Leafs and won the Hart Trophy in 2022. Matthew Tkachuk: Tkachuk was a heart-and-soul guy in the 4 Nations before sustaining a significant injury that he tried to play through in the championship game. The Florida Panthers right wing won a Stanley Cup in 2024 and is vying for another. Advertisement Jack Eichel: One of the top two-way centers in the NHL won a Stanley Cup with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023. Quinn Hughes: The 2024 Norris Trophy winner and Vancouver Canucks captain had to bow out of the 4 Nations because of an injury, but the superstar defenseman is an Olympic lock. Charlie McAvoy: The Boston Bruins' top defenseman was having a terrific 4 Nations until he sustained a shoulder injury and then missed the rest of the tournament with an infection. He'd ultimately miss the rest of the season for Boston, but he's a shoo-in. Brady Tkachuk: Like his brother, Brady also got hurt in the tournament, but he may have been the United States' best player in terms of energy, physicality and big goals, tying Jake Guentzel for the team lead. Couple that with a tough tournament by defenseman Adam Fox that likely no longer makes the New York Rangers former Norris Trophy winner an Olympic lock, and there's just no way that there aren't two Tkachuks in the first six. In the Olympics, each team can have 25-player rosters, meaning the U.S. will likely have one extra forward and one extra defenseman. Up front, it's likely Chris Kreider is out after a tough 4 Nations and season with the Rangers. The same could be true for Brock Nelson, although coaches love his ability to win draws and kill penalties. That's also what makes right-shot center Vincent Trocheck valuable. It'll be interesting to see what happens with Kyle Connor, who started the tournament on the first line, was almost instantly demoted to the fourth line and scratched in the championship. He had one assist in three games. Here's betting the ginormous and versatile Thompson makes the team. From there, the U.S. will be watching a number of forwards next year. Keller would offer speed and offense and somebody who's exceptional from the right circle on the power play, but the Americans also have Jack Hughes, who was not very good in the 4 Nations, with one assist in four games, as well as Matt Boldy and Connor. They are all similar, and you probably don't want too many of the same style. Advertisement Other non-4 Nations forwards who could be invited to Plymouth include Cooley, Frank Nazar (who was outstanding at worlds with six goals and 12 points in 10 games), Jason Robertson, Alex Tuch, Bryan Rust, Patrick Kane, Conor Garland, Shane Pinto, Matty Beniers and Cole Caufield, who was conspicuous in his absence at worlds. The Americans could also invite youngsters such as Cutter Gauthier, Will Smith, Isaac Howard and Ryan Leonard. The U.S. was essentially a shot away from winning 4 Nations before Connor McDavid ruined its hopes. Could that change the roster construction? 'Look, we could say we're going to take the same team, but we don't know what's going to happen with injuries or guys not playing well at that time or what,' Guerin said. 'We've got to go through the process again. But the Canada-U.S. games, they weren't high scoring, but they were high-checking, and you've gotta be able to play that type of hockey. 'We're not gonna play Canada every night. So we're gonna have to be able to play a lot of different ways. The roster that we had has the ability to score goals. But the good thing is that we had the ability to check as well.' McAvoy, Hughes, Werenski, Jaccob Slavin, Brock Faber and Jake Sanderson are almost surely locks. That leaves two spots. Fox likely will have to play himself on the team at this point. He struggled mightily with the pace of the tournament and made multiple mistakes leading to McDavid's winning goal. But his new Rangers coach, Mike Sullivan, will coach the Olympic team, and his GM, Chris Drury, is part of the U.S. management group. So perhaps that will help. Noah Hanifin is also likely on the bubble. Who could pass Fox and Hanifin by? Vlasic has a real shot if he gets off to a good start with Chicago. Neal Pionk had a great season with the Winnipeg Jets. The Panthers' Seth Jones has been superb in the playoffs. And then there's Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson, who also didn't go to worlds, and youngster Zeev Buium, who didn't play a lot at worlds but scored one of the biggest goals in the tournament. Advertisement Other potentials include K'Andre Miller, Jackson LaCombe, Ryan McDonagh, Brady Skjei and Luke Hughes. The U.S. will likely return with the same goaltending cast of Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger and Swayman. Who gets the nod will be determined closer to the tournament, but even though Hellebuyck is coming off his third consecutive subpar postseason with the Jets, he was great in the 4 Nations and likely has the inside track. Oettinger started one meaningless game in the 4 Nations and played well, but lost. And even though his postseason with Dallas started terrifically, it sure ended poorly with him getting chased after allowing two early goals to the Edmonton Oilers in an elimination game during the Western Conference final. Swayman had a rough 2024-25 season after arriving late to the Bruins following a contract dispute, but if he has a solid start next season, his World Championship performance (1.69 goals-against average and .921 save percentage in seven games) could, shall we say, sway things. (Top photo of Matthew and Brady Tkachuk: Maddie Meyer / Getty Images)
New York Times
36 minutes ago
- New York Times
Canada Olympic hockey: Projecting the men's First 6, big questions about the rest of the roster
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — As one of the top performers in this Stanley Cup Final, Brad Marchand is obviously dreaming about winning a championship right now. But he also has another important item placed at the top of his list of short-term goals: pulling on a Team Canada sweater at the Winter Olympics in Milan next February. Advertisement 'It's one of the biggest things I think about and that I care about,' Marchand told The Athletic on Wednesday. An impressive playoff run where he's been just a shade under a point-per-game for the Florida Panthers will certainly help his cause. The fact that he's 37 years old and coming off a regular season where he endured some health setbacks will not. As a result, Marchand is not expected to be among the first six players named to the team when Hockey Canada finalizes those selections. The first six roster choices for each participating country could be announced as soon as Monday. However, he's still very much in the mix for a spot on the final 25-man roster, due to be picked by Dec. 31. The Olympic tournament is so prominent in Marchand's mind that he only plans to take a couple of days of rest following the conclusion of this Stanley Cup Final before diving into his offseason training regimen. Never mind that his actual season is going to extend into at least mid-June. Marchand is among the generation of NHLers hurt by the league's decision to pass on participating in the 2018 and 2022 Games because they fell in his prime and were held immediately after he made his best-on-best debut at the 2016 World Cup. 'I feel like we got robbed of going to the last two,' Marchand said. 'It's an opportunity that I never ever thought that I would even come close to having. When you get in the NHL, that's like the pipe dream. That's the be-all or end-all. To be considered for that Olympic team is such a completely different level than anything you could ever really dream of when you're younger. 'So, yeah, when it became a possibility it's one of the things that I strive for. That's one of the things that I think about when I'm training and when things get tough.' Marchand was among the first six players selected by Team Canada last June for the 4 Nations Face-Off. Advertisement However, the veteran winger also went through three separate surgical procedures over the summer to fix issues with his elbow, groin and abdominal area. He missed three months of training as a result and saw a dip in his production to 51 points in 71 games split between the Boston Bruins and the Panthers. Marchand has effectively erased memories of a challenging year with his superlative playoffs, which have included two overtime winners and a series-leading four goals in the Stanley Cup Final. Plus he says there were other mitigating factors — like the fact the Bruins struggled on the power play — that contributed to his offensive dip. 'You go from being a point-a-game guy to 0.75 and it's (viewed as) the end of the world, but there's a lot of different factors that go into that,' Marchand said. 'I never overthought that stuff. I don't get caught up in how the outside world perceives my play or anything like that. It's just about coming in, working hard. If you do the right things long enough sometimes you get the right bounces.' So who would replace Marchand if he's not a member of the first six players announced? Here's our projection. Connor McDavid: Safe to say the guy that scored the McGolden Goal at the 4 Nations will be this team's centerpiece in Italy. Sidney Crosby: Captain Canada will get to play with another roster full of teammates who grew up idolizing him. Nathan MacKinnon: The NHL's third-highest scorer across the past three seasons and the 4 Nations MVP is another easy selection. Brayden Point: A favorite of head coach Jon Cooper highlights what an embarrassment of riches Canada has down the middle. Cale Makar: Fresh off a second career Norris Trophy, Makar is a lock to represent his country for the next decade. Devon Toews: There are multiple attractive options to go with on the final pick, including Sam Reinhart and Mitch Marner, but locking in another defenseman who just happens to be Makar's regular partner in Colorado makes a ton of sense. Pietrangelo was initially named to the 4 Nations roster but wound up missing the tournament to deal with an undisclosed injury and then endured a difficult end to his season with the Vegas Golden Knights. That begs the question: Will the right-shot defenseman's body still allow him to compete at an Olympic level? Advertisement The same thinking applies to Doughty, who was a last-minute injury fill-in at the 4 Nations after missing several months recovering from a broken left ankle. He's a beloved national team player who will need to prove something to management with his play in the opening months of next season. Among the notable younger blueliners knocking at the door for an opportunity behind them? Start with Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars and Evan Bouchard of the Edmonton Oilers. It's pretty rare for a teenager to get the call from Team Canada, but Celebrini has a legitimate shot after capping an impressive rookie NHL season by hitting it off with Crosby at the IIHF World Hockey Championship. Some of Canada's most impactful hockey voices are already big fans of Celebrini's game – making the only real question 'when' he'll represent the country in best-on-best competition, not 'if' he will. However, the depth of Canadian talent at forward is enviable and management will be cognizant of using the final roster spots to fill specific roles. That Canada will bring 14 forwards to the event is worth noting because it opens the door to the possibility of carrying a younger player as an extra in case of injury or performance needs. Connor Bedard could theoretically be in the mix for that kind of job as well but would need to have a major breakout in the early part of next season for the Chicago Blackhawks. The consternation about the state of Canada's goaltending ended up being overblown because of how well Jordan Binnington played at the 4 Nations, particularly in the championship game against Team USA. We can safely pencil him into the No. 1 job for now with an important caveat that the position is often volatile and unpredictable. Advertisement That means the door remains open for any breakthrough performers in the first three months of the season to grab jobs. That includes Vegas' Adin Hill and Montreal's Samuel Montembeault, who were the Nos. 2 and 3 at the 4 Nations, but also a list that includes Vezina Trophy finalist Darcy Kuemper of the Los Angeles Kings and Logan Thompson, who had a strong year for the Washington Capitals. No matter how it shakes out, there should be fewer hot takes this time around about the challenges Canada is facing in the crease. (Photo of Brad Marchand: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
India's rugby sevens venture tries to convert Olympic dreams to reality
India launches a rugby sevens league this weekend in a bold bid to win fans and bolster dreams of the Olympics in a country where cricket is king. The 34-match Rugby Premier League (RPL) will be staged for two weeks from Sunday in Mumbai and has attracted greats of the game such as the United States' try-scoring machine Perry Baker. "Is there space for a sport outside of cricket in India? 100 percent," Rugby India president Rahul Bose told AFP as he hopes to convert sports fans into following the fast-paced, short-form version of rugby union. The RPL is run by GMR Sports, which owns a team in the cricket T20 behemoth that is the Indian Premier League (IPL). It combines Indian rugby players in six franchise teams alongside 30 globally experienced teammates, including current World Rugby Sevens Series stars such as Australia's Maurice Longbottom and Fiji's Filipe Sauturaga. Coaches include former USA mentor Mike Friday, New Zealand legends Tomasi Cama and DJ Forbes, and England great Ben Gollings. Bose, a former India rugby international and successful Bollywood actor, has big dreams. "An Indian (rugby) team getting into the Olympics, whether it's men or women, is inevitable," Bose said. Bose believes it could happen within a decade. And that could mean an India team taking part in a home 2036 Olympics, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared he wants to host. "There's a lot of money," Bose said, adding that the budget of the Mumbai-based national rugby federation had grown more than 30-fold. "There's a lot of opportunity." He is coy on precise funding, saying only that overseas stars in the RPL were being paid an "equitable" fee to what they receive in tournaments worldwide. - 'Dream come true' - India's overall record at the Olympics is poor, winning only 10 gold medals in its history. Cricket offers an obvious chance to increase that tally when it returns at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but India is keen to be competitive in other sports. Fiji scrum-half Terio Tamani, who will play for Hyderabad Heroes, believes rugby could offer an opportunity. "They have facilities, they have money for them to develop," said Tamani, whose country won Olympic men's rugby gold in 2016, Fiji's first Olympic medal of any colour. India captain Prince Khatri, also of Hyderabad, said training and playing with marquee stars he had previously seen only on television was "a dream come true". "I'm learning a lot," he said. "This is just the beginning." RPL says it has talent scouts going countrywide to draw youngsters into six regional training centres. "That's the real gold dust," said ex-USA coach Friday, now training Kalinga Black Tigers. "Because ultimately the league will happen for 14 days but it's about what happens after in the other 11 months." Baker, a two-time World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year, said the league will help fast-track local players. "Having these top-calibre players around will help elevate them," the American said. - Long history, niche sport - Kiran Kumar Grandhi, chairman of GMR Sports, said having "world class" rugby in India will foster grassroots development. GMR has the experience. Part of a New Delhi-based conglomerate spanning airports and highways, GMR owns the IPL's Delhi Capitals and franchises in India's popular Pro Kabaddi League and Ultimate Kho Kho League. India is pushing for both of those tag-type sports to be included in the Olympics. Rugby has a long history in India, dating back to 1871 during British rule. That was when the glittering silver Calcutta Cup was created and it remains the oldest trophy contested between international rugby union teams, in this case England and Scotland. But rugby has remained a niche sport. The RPL's home at the 7,000-capacity Mumbai Football Arena is not even a dedicated rugby pitch. But RPL organisers believe that, just as the IPL saw ratings surge with the T20 transformation of cricket, it can woo fans and sponsors with a version of rugby where matches are over in a fast-and-furious 22 minutes. "The sport is just built for spectators and television," Bose said, adding he ambitiously hopes for 10 to 15 million people to tune in via broadcast giants Star Sports and JioStar. India's Arpan Chhetri, who will play for Bengaluru Bravehearts, said players are focused on one ambition. "Our target is to get into the Olympics," he said. "We will keep going until we succeed." bur-pjm/dh/pst
