
Letters: The Stanley Cup Final is the greatest of all sports championships
When the month of June comes along each year, I welcome it with open arms. Not for the nice weather or summer activities, but for the greatest of all sports championships, the Stanley Cup Final. The NHL is stacked with some of the best and most underpaid athletes in the world. They are also, for the most part, a humble collection of young men when they are not competing on the ice (just listen to their interviews between periods; it's never about themselves but about the team).
As I took a seat in my living room for Game 1 between the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers, I was once again reminded why I love this series so much. As protocol requires, when a U.S. hockey team plays a team from Canada, the national anthems of both countries are sung. Game 1 was no different, as the Oilers selected a fan (with obvious singing experience and a beautiful tenor voice) to sing both anthems from his seat, surrounded by fans in his section. He performed the Star Spangled Banner flawlessly, but the real head-turner was when he sang 'O Canada.' I think he sang the first three lines of O Canada when he realized that the entire arena was singing with him. At that point, he stopped singing and let the Edmonton crowd, both young and old, perform in his place. He simply held up the mic for those tuned-in to listen. Talk about goosebumps, smiles and tears all at the same time. This was an example of the pride Canadians have for their country and for the Oilers. I was absolutely amazed!
At that moment, I thought to myself, 'would that ever happen in this country?' Would our fellow countrymen and women show that kind of pride in the United States of America? Moreover, can I be sure that almost every fan in a U.S. arena would know the Star Spangled Banner without a cheat sheet? I'm not even sure if our current president or many in his administration could sing our national anthem without notes. I only say this because of the amount of unconstitutional executive orders President Donald Trump has signed; he obviously didn't ace his seventh grade Constitution test.
Right about now, some of you are crumpling up the paper this op-ed is written on. But ask yourselves, 'Are you truly satisfied with the way the United States is viewed around the world and by our own citizens?' If you are, you will probably never understand the meaning of 'do unto others as you would have done to you.' For me, I'll bask in the pride of the Edmonton fans and hope that same pride and humility returns to this country. Go Oilers.Your June 5 editorial, 'A new chance for school choice in Illinois,' (June 5) makes it sound like tax-credit scholarships are the answer to almost every education challenge. On the surface, it sounds reasonable — who wouldn't want every child to attend the best possible school? But this argument doesn't hold up when you look at the facts.
A 2024 report commissioned by the Illinois State Board of Education found that public school students actually outperformed recipients of the Invest in Kids tax-credit scholarships on state standardized tests. In 2023, 35% of public school students were proficient in reading, compared to just 22% of scholarship recipients. In math, 27% of public school students were proficient, compared to 16% of scholarship recipients. This data suggests that, in many cases, we're using tax dollars to help send kids to private schools that aren't even performing as well as the public schools they're leaving.
I appreciated the Tribune's recent editorial, 'When school boards ride in limousines and students lack the basics,' (June 2) highlighting wasteful spending by some Illinois school boards. Waste should absolutely be addressed. But where's the same scrutiny of private schools receiving tax dollars through scholarships? They often operate with far less accountability than public schools, even though they benefit from public funds.
I understand that many families are desperate to find better options for their kids, especially when public schools are underfunded. But let's be honest: the struggles of public schools are often the result of years of disinvestment and constant efforts to undermine them in favor of privatized alternatives. The Tribune's own coverage seems to keep reinforcing the narrative that public schools are the problem and private schools are the solution. But when we look at the data, that's just not the whole story.
Instead of shifting money to private schools that can pick and choose which students they serve, let's focus on strengthening every public school so that every child — no matter where they live — has access to a high-quality education.Recently you published a piece about Walden Pond, (On this Day, June 6) which took me back in time. In the late '50s and specifically in 1960, I spent many delightful hours swimming with my family and cousins at Walden Pond. My family paid a small fee to have parking and access to the beach which provided a bathhouse, a lifeguard, and lots of sand (trucked in, I'm sure). There were no public pools available to families like mine, and the local lakes were all we had. We loved it. I was around 12 years old when I began to reflect on the natural beauty of the place, and wondered where Henry David Thoreau's cabin was. It wasn't lost on me that Walden was an inspirational place. I don't think Walden lost anything by providing that swimming area to the public.Conservatives couldn't be clearer: They want 'legal' immigrants, not 'illegal' immigrants. This could not be more contradicted by reality if they tried: immigrants with legal residence status are being detained and deported at their immigration hearings, meetings and even citizenship tests. For all we hear about the need for immigrants to 'follow the process,' it is now evident that people like Donald Trump and Stephen Miller want no immigrants of any kind.
If the government can detain and deport people with legal status in this country, all of us are at risk. If undocumented people have no right to due process, then the right of any of us to due process is under threat. If the government can send people to Salvadoran prisons, none of us is safe. There is no better way for us to forfeit our rights than by refusing to extend those rights to others. If the government is allowed to take away the rights of one group, it is the epitome of naïveté to think that it can't or won't take away the rights of other groups. Fighting for the rights of immigrants is fighting for your own rights.
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New York Times
21 minutes ago
- New York Times
NHL rumblings: Latest on Kreider, Marchand, Tavares, Pettersson, more as the trade market heats up
The potential Chris Kreider trade from the New York Rangers to the Anaheim Ducks has kicked off what should be a rather intriguing summer. Intriguing because as I made calls over the Past few days, taking time away from the Stanley Cup Final to get caught up on offseason affairs, one central theme popped up: Where are the sellers? Advertisement The landscape in the NHL is changing with long-established rebuilding clubs like the Ducks, Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings all wanting to add — and even teams further down the pecking order like the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks wanting to get better by adding pieces as well. 'Almost everyone is looking to add or get better, pretty much,' one NHL general manager said Wednesday. 'There's almost no one purely selling.' Or as another NHL GM put it: What team is entering a new rebuild right now? Instead, it seems teams that need to get younger are looking at the fantastic re-tool the Washington Capitals pulled off over the past few years and deciding that's the model they want to follow. In a more traditional offseason, several teams would be entering a rebuilding phase, saying, 'Take our veteran players off our roster' for future assets. But there really isn't a single franchise ready to implode its roster. The Pittsburgh Penguins could be considered that team, in some ways. They are listening on pretty much everyone other than their legacy guys. Bryan Rust is the guy most teams are calling on. Rickard Rakell is also a name to monitor. It could put the Penguins in an interesting position with the lack of sellers to cash in on that leverage. But overall, it's really interesting how many teams, regardless of their place in the standings, are looking to add to some degree. It's a one-sided market, at least at the onset of this offseason. What else I'm hearing from around the league: • On Kreider, a potential trade first reported by Frank Seravalli, there were more discussions Wednesday. The deal is agreed to, but Kreider would need to waive as Anaheim is on his No list. Kreider was doing his homework on Anaheim on Wednesday and will make a decision. I assume his old pal Jacob Trouba is selling him hard on it. Advertisement • Apparently Brad Marchand has decided he's going to score in every single game of the Stanley Cup Final. I'm kidding of course, but I mean, could anyone have anticipated this kind of playoff performance from the 37-year-old? His rejuvenation coincides perfectly with his pending free agency, and there's no question that contenders are licking their lips hoping to make him an aggressive offer come July 1. The door isn't closed on staying with the Florida Panthers, but with pending unrestricted free agent and Conn Smythe contender Sam Bennett a top priority for the Panthers and Aaron Ekblad also a pending UFA, it's probably most likely Marchand is going to market where total dollars will be the top probity moreso than the actual average annual value. I think he's going to get three or four years and easily north of $8 million a year. And yes, as others have wondered, I do believe the Toronto Maple Leafs will be among the possibilities for Marchand. I mean, he mentioned during the second-round series with Toronto that he grew up a Leafs fan. But to be clear, there are multiple teams in play for Marchand if and when he hits the market. • The Calgary Flames, the Vancouver Canucks and the Canadiens are among the Canadian teams looking for a young No. 2 center, but I would say among those three, the Canucks have the most interest in Wild center Marco Rossi. The Flames have mild interest (they would rather get a center with more size), and I don't think the Habs are on that very much at all. • Speaking of centers, there's a long list of teams eager to see where things go with the New York Islanders under new GM Mathieu Darche when it comes to Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat. Could either center become available? The answer is no. Darche has communicated with both star players that they're staying put. That's going to be disappointing for teams who were hoping to make offers on either. I think Montreal would have probably been one of those teams. But keeping both Barzal and Horvat is part of Darche's decision to not undergo a massive, long-term rebuild. He sees a team that can compete for a playoff spot next year. Advertisement Of course, there are going to be roster changes. I think the overall theme will be to get younger when possible. But overall, the idea is he's not dropping a grenade on the roster. Darche and head coach Patrick Roy are aligned on wanting to play a higher-pace brand of hockey, and certainly Barzal and Horvat are at the heart of that. • Pat Brisson, the agent for Jonathan Toews, has heard from multiple teams regarding interest in his client, who is returning to the NHL next season. But Brisson is keeping the list of real suitors down to three or four teams, max. The Winnipeg Jets, as discussed before, are one of those teams. I wonder about the Colorado Avalanche as an option as well, but regardless of where it goes, Brisson already has it narrowed down to a tight list. • Never say never, but all signs point to the Canucks keeping Elias Pettersson, whose full no-move clause kicks in July 1. The Canucks are encouraged by Pettersson's approach this offseason. While production over the past two years hasn't matched his $11.6 million salary (he's got seven more years on his deal), there were teams monitoring that situation given how thin the UFA market is. But it sounds like Vancouver wants to keep him. • The Carolina Hurricanes, not surprisingly, are ready to make a splash. They've got $30 million to spend under the salary cap. The Canes intend to inquire on pending UFA Mitch Marner, as many contending teams do, but their eggs are not all in that basket. They are ready to take a run at several free agents and also are inquiring on the trade front. Get ready to see Carolina mentioned in a lot of speculation over the next four weeks. They also need to add on defense with the expectation that pending UFA Dmitry Orlov will go to market. • Utah is looking to take a big swing. It's listening on the No. 4 pick, but you just don't see top-five picks traded very often, and while I think GM Bill Armstrong is genuinely fielding calls on it, I don't think that pick moves. But Utah absolutely wants to be aggressive in upgrading, and I believe it would be among the more serious suitors for Sam Bennett if he goes to market. (I still think he probably re-signs in Florida.) • The Nashville Predators won't be setting off July 1 fireworks after two consecutive years of adding big names. The Predators want to let their roster settle. They might make a subtle signing or two, but nothing too flashy. They've got several players entering the last year of their deals (guys like Micheal Bunting, Colton Sissons, Michael McCarron, Jeremy Lauzon) so if they don't bounce back, they could sell at the March trade deadline, but otherwise it's about keeping the path open for some of their top prospects. • The Chicago Blackhawks are exploring options to add to their forward group. They feel like they're in a good spot on the back end with their young guys and set in goal. They want to start turning the team over to their younger players overall, so while they would like to add a player or two up front this offseason, they also don't want to hinder their younger players' path to quality playing time. So while the Hawks are looking to add up front, I don't think they're going to chase something unreasonable or do anything that doesn't make sense in terms of the path they're on. Advertisement • The Kings continue to have discussions with Vladislav Gavrikov's camp. This one is hard to read right now. I think there's a pretty robust market on July 1 for the pending UFA defenseman, given how thin the position is in free agency this year. The list is eight or nine teams deep that I believe would be making Gavrikov an offer July 1. (I would put the Rangers in that group of suitors.) But the door hasn't been closed on L.A. to this point, either. All things being equal, though, this feels like Gavrikov is more likely going to market than not. • Jamie Benn's agent, Bayne Pettinger, was slated to speak with Stars GM Jim Nill about the pending UFA captain before the end of this week. There's mutual interest in getting a deal done. Ditto with pending UFA Matt Duchene as far as ongoing discussions; his preference would be to stay in Dallas if possible. • The Leafs and John Tavares' camp continue to talk and touched based again this week. There remains mutual interest in getting something done, but finding that sweet spot on a fair deal isn't quite there yet. The idea that Tavares might sign for a bargain $5 million AAV seems like a stretch to me. It's going to have to be above that to get it done given the year he just had, although term is part of the equation as well. • In non-player news, I reported Wednesday that league sources have informed me that Ron Burkle, Mario Lemieux and David Morehouse have decided to explore the possibility of buying back the Penguins from Fenway Sports. Burkle and Lemieux sold the Penguins to Fenway in 2021. Fenway made public several months ago that they were seeking to sell a minority share. But the intention here from the Burkle, Lemieux and Morehouse group, as I understand it, would be the buy back the entire team. I've also heard that Fenway had been in talks with another potential group. We'll see where this all goes, but it sure is interesting to hear that Super Mario wants back in. • In CBA news, the NHL and NHL Players' Association had another bargaining session Wednesday and continue to get closer and closer to a CBA extension. I'm told that there are still a handful of issues that need ironing out but that the feeling is, barring a major setback, there could be a CBA done by the end of the month and perhaps in time for the June 25 Board of Governors meeting. • And finally, one of the by-products of having a decentralized draft is how much impetus it put on NHL team execs and player agents to get their face-to-face time at the recent combine in Buffalo. One NHL GM said it was the busiest combine he can remember in terms of taking meetings to prepare for the trade and free-agent market. One veteran agent said he had 20 meetings in a few days. Never seen anything like it, he said. Advertisement And that's because for the June 27 and 28 NHL Draft, GMs will be at their team headquarters across the 32 markets, not in one place. So from here on out this month, it's all phone work. It's still too early for most of the high-profile trade conversations to go next level. So much of what happened in Buffalo was planting seeds and trying to get a sense of the market. But the first round of the draft on June 27 will act as the first deadline, of sorts, of the offseason as far as trades that may involve first-round picks. (Top photo of Nate Schmidt, John Tavares and Brad Marchand: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)


Washington Post
22 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Healthier Panthers are nearing full strength in the Stanley Cup Final against the Oilers
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The bumps and bruises and worse started to pile up midway through the Florida Panthers' third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Matthew Tkachuk only returned for the playoff opener after sitting out the final two months of the regular season with the injury he suffered at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February and seems to still be gutting through it. Sam Reinhart and Niko Mikkola each missed time during the Eastern Conference final, and A.J. Greer's injury he tried playing through eventually sidelined him.
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Abbotsford Canucks: Travis Green knows 'it's not a race' for Manny Malhotra to run an NHL bench
Travis Green knows taking the time to reach an NHL career objective is comforting. Ten years ago, he guided the Utica Comets to the Calder Cup Finals, the first time an AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the championship series. The Comets fell in five games to the favoured Manchester Monarchs — three one-goal contests and two that required overtime — but the players and Green were much better for the experience. Green parlayed four seasons as Utica bench boss into head coach of the Canucks in 2017, transitioned to the New Jersey Devils, and is now at the helm of the vastly improved Ottawa Senators. The Abbotsford Canucks open their Calder Cup title quest Friday in Charlotte, N.C. with rookie head coach Manny Malhotra in the spotlight. He has been widely saluted for a seamless transition to the demanding position and has a confidant in Green to live in the career moment and not dwell on the future. Green knows you have to look before you leap. Timing should be everything for Malhotra. What would Green tell the 45-year-old Malhotra as he preps to face the Checkers in the AHL championship? Malhotra served as a Canucks assistant to Green for three seasons before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in the same capacity. He was also a Canucks centre for 159 games over three NHL seasons. That's a pretty good book of work. Any advice, Travis? 'Doesn't look like he needs much right now,' Green chuckled Wednesday during an interview with Postmedia. 'Just keep doing what he's doing. He's obviously doing a hell of a job. I'm not giving him advice. He doesn't need it. I just sent him a note the other day to wish him luck and congratulate him on getting to the finals. 'I didn't know Manny before I got to Vancouver, but I consider him a good friend now. I'm happy and really proud of him.' That's where time can become a factor. Malhotra is the talk of the town as a hot NHL bench-boss prospect. He was a finalist here to replace the departed Rick Tocchet, but the Canucks pivoted to Adam Foote. That didn't stop speculation. As soon as Pete DeBoer was dismissed by the Dallas Stars on Friday, one betting site had Malhotra as a 3-to-1 favourite to supplant the veteran head coach. But the Stars have five key unrestricted free-agent forwards north of 30 years in age. The better bet would probably be a proven NHL bench boss to finally get Dallas over the hump and into the Stanley Cup Finals. Then again, if the Stars braintrust was curious about Malhotra, he was down the road in Cedar Park, Texas last week for three games against the parent club's AHL affiliate in the Western Conference final series. Green once thought he had a serious shot at a Anaheim Ducks vacancy, and an opening with the Colorado Avalanche, the summer before he signed in Vancouver. Patience paid off. He could have also leapt at assistant NHL posts long before leaving Utica. However, he stayed put for two more seasons after that Calder Cup Finals run in 2015. 'It's not a race,' stressed Green. 'I know that personally, and even going back to junior (Portland, WHL), I went there to learn to coach. It's much like making the NHL as a player. It take years of working on your craft. Same thing as coaching. Manny was a great hire by the Canucks. 'You're seeing between Ryan Johnson (Abbotsford general manager and Canucks AGM) and Manny two guys who will be a GM and coach in the (NHL) at one point.' Victoria native Spencer Carbery, 43, turned his second season running the Washington Capitals bench in 2024-25 into the Jack Adams Award. He was a unanimous winner as the league's top head coach over runner-up Scott Arniel of the Winnipeg Jets. Green finished sixth. Carbery's acknowledgement came after doing predatory work as a Leafs assistant for two seasons and earlier running an AHL bench with the Hershey Bears for three seasons. The Capitals went 51-22-9 this season, improved by 20 points, and won a Stanley Cup playoff series for the first time since 2018. They finished second in goals per game (3.49) in the regular season after being ranked 28th last season (2.63). They were also tied for eighth in goals against per game (2.79) after tied for 16th in 2023-24 (3.07). Washington was fifth on the penalty kill (82.0 per cent), first in comeback wins (25), and tied for first in road points (53). 'A lot of (NHL) coaches have come through the AHL,' noted Green. 'Part of it is earning your stripes. The AHL is not always an easy place to coach. You've got injuries, call-ups, and some teams are just based on playing young guys. And, sometimes, your hands get tied a little bit, but for me, it was the greatest place to learn.' It's also where you have players on the way up the career ladder and some on the way down. 'You have to adjust your lines, the messages to your team, and rally them at certain moments,' added Green. 'You play a tough schedule and find way to have energy, even as coach, when you're tired. It challenges you in great ways and is such a good breeding ground for coaches.' Like Malhotra. bkuzma@ What you need to know about the Abbotsford Canucks' Calder Cup chase Abbotsford Canucks: Will Lockwood has Calder Cup incentive with red-hot Charlotte Checkers