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Maple Leafs' Craig Berube Would ‘100 Percent' Like To Retain Pending Unrestricted Free Agents Mitch Marner, John Tavares

Maple Leafs' Craig Berube Would ‘100 Percent' Like To Retain Pending Unrestricted Free Agents Mitch Marner, John Tavares

Yahoo2 days ago

Look, Ma! No NHL Division Winners In The Conference Finals. What Went Wrong?
For the first time since 2020-21, there will be nary a regular-season division winner in the NHL's Eastern and Western Conference finals. So let's take a moment to remember the Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights and Toronto Maple Leafs.

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Five things to know about the Oilers-Panthers Stanley Cup final rematch
Five things to know about the Oilers-Panthers Stanley Cup final rematch

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Five things to know about the Oilers-Panthers Stanley Cup final rematch

The Oilers will face the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup final for the second straight year, starting with Game 1 in Edmonton on Wednesday. The Panthers won last season's showdown in seven games to collect their first-ever NHL title. Here are five things to look for in the rematch: SO CLOSE The Oilers looked down and out in last season's Cup final before rallying from 3-0 down to force a Game 7. And the decisive game came down to the slimmest of margins, with Sam Reinhart's second-period goal standing as the winner in a 2-1 Florida triumph. Had the Oilers managed to complete the comeback, they would have been the first Canadian team to win a Stanley Cup since 1993 and just the fifth team — and second in a Cup final — to come back from a 3-0 series deficit. Advertisement --- HIT PARADE The Panthers have built their identity around being a hard-hitting team. With the likes of Sam Bennett, Eetu Luostarinen and Brad Marchand patrolling the ice, the physical Panthers lead the playoffs in both hits (812) and penalty minutes (279). The Oilers can also throw the body and sit second in hits with 648. But they will have to make up for the loss of Zach Hyman against Florida. Hyman led the playoffs with 111 hits before undergoing surgery on an unspecified injury. --- GOING DEEP Bennett leads the playoffs with 10 goals, but the Panthers have had offensive contributions throughout their lineup. Nineteen players on their roster have scored in the post-season, and their defence is responsible for 15 goals in 17 games. But while the Panthers are known for their depth, 19 players have also scored for Edmonton during this playoff run. Not bad for a team once considered too reliant on superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Advertisement --- ELDER STATESMEN The Panthers picked up some playoff grit and veteran savvy when they acquired Marchand, the former Boston Bruins captain, at the trade deadline. Marchand, who turned 37 earlier this month, helped the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011 and is heading into his fourth final. Impressive, except when stacked against 40-year-old Edmonton forward Corey Perry. He is heading into his fifth final in six years. While he has come up short in his last four Cup finals, he helped Anaheim win it all in 2007. --- DYNASTY DAYS The state of Florida has been the undisputed epicentre of NHL success for the last six years. Between the Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, teams from the Sunshine State have appeared in six straight Stanley Cup finals, winning three so far. But the combined success of the Panthers and Bolts hasn't quite reached the level of the high-flying Oilers of the 1980s, led by Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and other stars. Between 1982-83 and 1989-90, the Oilers won five Cups and were runners-up another time, creating one of the NHL's legendary dynasties. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025. The Canadian Press

Knicks Could Target 'Landmark' Player in Offseason After Falling Short of NBA Finals: Report
Knicks Could Target 'Landmark' Player in Offseason After Falling Short of NBA Finals: Report

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timean hour ago

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Knicks Could Target 'Landmark' Player in Offseason After Falling Short of NBA Finals: Report

Knicks Could Target 'Landmark' Player in Offseason After Falling Short of NBA Finals: Report originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Knicks have a crucial offseason ahead of them after they fell short of reaching the NBA Finals. Advertisement New York fell just two wins short of making the NBA Finals as they were eliminated in six games in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Indiana Pacers. While it was not the end to the season that the Knicks had hoped for, it was still a successful campaign as their offseason additions of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges helped them reach the Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11), forward OG Anunoby (8), and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32)© John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images Now the Knicks face a pivotal offseason, especially with them entering next season as one of the top teams in the East along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Indiana Pacers due to Jayson Tatum's injury for the Boston Celtics. Advertisement Because of this, New York is in prime position to upgrade their roster and make a championship push next season and ESPN's Shams Charania is not ruling out them going after another star player. 'I'm told the Knicks have internal meetings this week to evaluate everything from the roster, different changes they could make around everything, but especially the roster… Whether it's a landmark player that you could bring in there or definitely depth on that bench,' Charania said. This is a major report by Charania and one that makes complete sense for New York, though they do lack tradeable assets, especially draft picks. Advertisement Of course, there are potentially multiple stars that could be on the move this offseason with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant headlining them, both of whom have been linked to the Knicks. Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34)© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images For the Knicks to land another star next to Jalen Brunson, they may have to move on from Towns, Bridges or OG Anunoby to land them but a potential new big three in New York could end up propelling them to a championship next season. If they decide not to go after another star, expect the Knicks to upgrade their depth to have a better chance of winning a title next year. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.

Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt
Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt

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time2 hours ago

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Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt

Forward Jarred Vanderbilt quickly became a fan favorite when the Los Angeles Lakers acquired him in the February 2023 trade that mercifully jettisoned Russell Westbrook. He became a contributor as they made their run to the Western Conference Finals that year, even as his limitations became clear. But last season, he was riddled with injuries. A heel ailment forced him to miss the first several weeks of the schedule, and just when he was hitting his stride, he injured his foot in early February and was forced to sit the rest of the way. Advertisement That foot injury caused Vanderbilt to miss the first couple of months of this season, which made fans pessimistic that he would return at all. But he made his season debut on Jan. 25 and remained relatively healthy the rest of the way. Jarred Vanderbilt's season stats In 36 regular-season games with the Lakers, Vanderbilt averaged 4.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in 16.1 minutes a game while shooting 48.8% from the field. In the first round of the NBA playoffs, he averaged 1.4 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12.0 minutes a game while shooting 33.3% from the field. Overall analysis Vanderbilt, the 6-foot-8 forward in his seventh season out of the University of Kentucky, continued to be a spark plug off the bench for Los Angeles. He would often box out hard and help out on the boards, which was something the team badly needed. Defensively, he continued to show his versatility and effectiveness by guarding players at multiple positions. Advertisement However, his weaknesses remain intact. He shot 28.1% from 3-point range, and he's the type of player opposing teams would almost practically pay to shoot the ball from the perimeter. He isn't a strong finisher at the rim in traffic, and sometimes, his effort and energy aren't fully consistent from game to game. Figuring out how to best use Vanderbilt on the offensive end continues to be a process for the Lakers. He can handle the ball in transition and finish fast breaks fairly well, but in the halfcourt game, he often seems nearly useless offensively. What's next for Vanderbilt? The forward signed a contract extension prior to last season, and that extension runs through the 2027-28 season. While he will make between $11.5 million and $13.29 million for the rest of that contract, he may not be an easy player to trade due to his very limited offensive game. Advertisement Still, expect to see his name in trade rumors and mock trades over the next few weeks until the Lakers' roster for next season takes shape. Overall grade: B-minus/B This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers 2024-25 season player grades: Jarred Vanderbilt

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