Latest news with #Hagel
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
KU professor joins lawsuit to pressure New Jersey to allow DNA testing of Lindbergh evidence
Jonathan Hagel, an assistant professor of history at the University of Kansas, is among plaintiffs in a New Jersey lawsuit filed to compel opening of a documentary archives tied to the kidnapping and murder of aviator Charles Lindburgh's son. Hagel and other researchers seek permission to expose certain documents to modern DNA testing. (Submitted) TOPEKA — An assistant professor at the University of Kansas is a plaintiff in a New Jersey lawsuit seeking modern DNA testing of state archive materials tied to the kidnapping and murder of the infant son of trans-Atlantic aviator Charles Lindbergh. The 200-page Mercer County Superior Court suit was filed amid controversy about decisions by New Jersey State Police to block access to the case archive. The plaintiffs — KU historian Jonathan Hagel, author Catherine Read and retired teacher Michele Downie — said their Open Public Records Act request related the 1932 kidnapping was rejected. Hagel, a New Jersey native who has studied the Lindbergh case, said DNA analysis of ransom notes or envelopes could contribute to understanding whether Bruno Richard Hauptmann, who was executed in 1936 after convicted of first-degree murder, acted alone in the high-profile crime. It is among questions that have riveted scholars and investigators since Hauptmann's trial. 'There were more than a dozen ransom letters overall, and they were sent through the post,' said Hagel, a New Jersey native who has studied the Lindbergh case. 'If Hauptmann's DNA is on it, then he definitely is not innocent of being involved. But, if there is other DNA, that would confirm other people's involvement.' Twenty-month-old Charles Lindbergh Jr. was abducted from the family estate near Hopewell, New Jersey. The family was contacted through ransom notes and parcels, and a demand for $50,000 was paid. The toddler's remains were subsequently discovered adjacent to a roadside several miles from the Lindbergh home. 'There are those who think we're likely to find Charles Lindbergh's DNA on the materials,' Hagel said. 'They believe there was some kind of accident, and he orchestrated this as a way to deflect responsibility.' At least one previous lawsuit unsuccessfully sought to compel New Jersey to allow DNA testing of documents associated with the case. A state appellate court said New Jersey law didn't guarantee a public right to physically examine archive materials. In 2023, the State Police said access was restricted to preserve contents of case files. 'My take is that states or police organizations, like any bureaucracy, just like to protect their stuff,' Hagel said. 'There are others who think the state police are embarrassed they may have botched it quite badly and been involved in a railroading.'
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Ekblad talks suspension, Hagel hit. And Panthers lineup changes ahead of Game 2 vs. Toronto
Florida Panthers Ekblad talks suspension, Hagel hit. And Panthers lineup changes ahead of Game 2 vs. Toronto Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) warms up for his first game back after suspension before Game 3 of the first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. askowronski@ Aaron Ekblad will return to the Florida Panthers' lineup on Wednesday for Game 2 of their second-round Stanley Cup playoffs series against the Toronto Maple Leafs — and hopes this time it's for good. Ekblad has missed 22 of Florida's past 24 games due to a pair of suspensions — first 20 games for violating the terms of the NHL and NHLPA performance enhancing substances program and then another two for elbowing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel Game 4 of their first-round series. 'It has been a whirlwind of a season,'' Ekblad said after morning skate. 'Not the way I scripted it, but we're here now, in the playoffs, and it's a great opportunity to play hockey.'' Hagel last week during the Lightning's locker cleanout day had strong words for Ekblad regarding the hit, including calling the hit 'as purposeful as you could possibly see a headshot to say the least.' Ekblad disagreed with the notion that he intended to injure Hagel, but said the Lightning forward's comments comments were a 'reasonable response.' 'That's how he feels,' Ekblad said 'We'll move on.'' Ekblad said he was not aiming for Hagel's head on the hit — the same message he told the NHL Department of Player Safety during his hearing before being suspended — although his hand came off his stick when he made contact. 'Going down the wall there, I'm trying to make a hit every single time I do that,'' Ekblad said. 'I do that all season. I was aiming for his chest, I caught him in the chin, and that's unfortunate. It was not my intention. I am never out to hurt anyone on the ice, and it's unfortunate the outcome happened. But it is what it is.' Ekblad will return to his usual spot on Florida's top defense pairing with Gustav Forsling and be a heavy part of the Panthers' penalty kill. He was on Florida's second power play unit in Game 4 against Tampa Bay before the suspension. 'We get him back [and] we'd like to keep him from more than a couple games, so we'll take it now,' Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. 'We've missed him, and he's a big part of what we do.' Florida Panthers right wing Mackie Samoskevich (25) skates with the puck as Utah Hockey Club center Nick Schmaltz (8) defends in the first period of their NHL game at Amerant Bank Arena on Friday, March 28, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. Photo by Matias J. Ocner mocner@ More lineup changes In addition to Ekblad returning, 22-year-old rookie forward Mackie Samoskevich will draw back into the Panthers' lineup on Wednesday after sitting the past three games as a healthy scratch. He will replace A.J. Greer as the left winger on Florida's fourth line with center Nico Sturm and right wing Jesper Boqvist. 'Definitely pumped up to get back in with the guys and play the game that I know,' Samoskevich said. Samoskevich played in the Panthers' first three games against the Tampa Bay Lightning, serving as a winger on the second line with center Sam Bennett right wing Matthew Tkachuk, but his time on ice decreased significantly after the first two games. He played less than 10 minutes in Game 3 against the Lightning before being taken out of the lineup for the final two games against Tampa Bay and the second-round series opener against Toronto. 'We put them in a challenging situation,' Maurice said. 'I think that Tampa has the most dynamic rush game in the league in terms of stretching, bringing the puck back and speed on the off side. The reads are very, very advanced for forwards and takes some experience, and then you throw on top of that it's your first playoff game. You cannot explain to a young player — or at least I don't have the ability to articulate — the difference between a regular-season game and a playoff game. So we asked a lot of him and I think he learned a lot.' What exactly did Samoskevich learn? 'It's definitely a faster game,' Samoskevich said. 'Just try to be more responsible. It's a roller coaster of emotions in the playoffs. So I think just managing those is definitely something I took away.' The Panthers saw flashes of Samoskevich's talent this season. In 72 regular-season games, Samoskevich scored 15 goals and had 31 points overall. His offensive game is driven by high-end speed and a quick release on his shot, and he has learned to thrive in the physical aspects of the game as well as the season progressed. 'In some ways,' Maurice said, 'the pressure is off him. He gets to come back in and just play.' No Stolarz Maple Leafs goaltender Anthony Stolarz will not play Wednesday after leaving with injury in Game 1 on Monday. Joseph Woll will start for Toronto with Matt Murray as the backup. 'He's recovering,' Toronto coach Craig Berube said of Stolarz, adding there was no timetable on Stolarz's return.
New York Times
01-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Is NHL playoff physicality out of hand?
Red Light newsletter 🏒 | This is The Athletic's hockey newsletter. Sign up here to receive Red Light directly in your inbox. Good morning! Today is Day 13 of the NHL playoffs. Three teams are eliminated and only Game 6s and 7s are left in Round 1. Buckle up 💥🚗 Eulogies for the Devils, Habs and Bolts The badly injured Devils and plucky Canadiens exiting stage left first and second isn't much of a surprise, as those were two of the more predictably lopsided series coming in. Expect both teams back with better showings a year from now, given their young talent. But the Lightning getting dumped in five games is a significant surprise, even at the hands of the defending champion Panthers. Tampa Bay looked like a serious contender all year, with the NHL's seventh-best record this season and second-best goal differential. Andrei Vasilevskiy was back as a Vezina Trophy candidate and Nikita Kucherov led the league in scoring. Advertisement Now they're done after managing one measly playoff win. In part, it shows how important winning your division and avoiding that nasty 2-3 hole can be in this format. But there will have to be some soul-searching in Tampa, as it's an older team and has lost in Round 1 three years in a row. The Lightning have had so much success, but with an ownership change coming and the Panthers seemingly going to be formidable for a while, you wonder if that group has another Cup run in them. One other note on what we've seen in the opening round … Is the NHL taking dirty hits seriously enough? I wrote a spin-around-the-league column earlier this week, and one of the things that really stood out was how many readers were upset in the comments about missed calls and cheap shots. It highlighted one of the things I haven't loved about the first round so far: just how many players have taken late hits or blows to the head and had to leave games. • The Hurricanes lost starting netminder Frederik Andersen to a goal-mouth collision that could have been called. • Brandon Hagel couldn't play for Tampa last night in an elimination game after experiencing Aaron Ekblad's forearm to the face. • Leafs veteran John Tavares took an uncalled elbow to the head and went to the quiet room in overtime of Game 4. • And the Jets lost Mark Scheifele last night after a hit from Brayden Schenn when he didn't have the puck. Then there were the other cheap, late hits traded in the Panthers-Lightning series: Hagel on Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk on Jake Guentzel and Niko Mikkola on Latvian Gretzky Zemgus Girgensons. I know the league brass and fans want the physicality the playoffs bring, but there's been too much line-crossing already. It was encouraging that both Hagel and Ekblad were suspended, but there could have been more significant penalties on the other plays. It's something to monitor as we head deeper into the playoffs and the war of attrition becomes a bigger factor. No one wants to see stars missing games for bad hits and suspensions, and no one wants that to be what decides a series. Sorting the contenders from pretenders Here's a quick rundown of where every team stands after the Jets eked out a Game 5 win over the upstart Blues last night in whiteout Winnipeg. Teams in bold played last night: • Advanced: CAR, FLA, WSH • Up 3-2: DAL, EDM, TOR, VGK, WPG • Down 2-3: COL, LA, MIN, OTT, STL • Eliminated: MTL, NJD, TBL Now that we're down to 13 teams playing for the Stanley Cup, some matchups in the next round are already coming into focus. Advertisement The Capitals earn a date with the Hurricanes for the Metro crown, while Florida awaits the winner of Leafs-Sens in the Atlantic. The West is far less settled with every series still going, but if the teams up 3-2 move on, we'd get two amazing matchups: Jets-Stars and Golden Knights-Oilers. It certainly pays to be in the East this year, as whoever comes out of the West will be limping after so many long, hard series. Expect Round 2 to get going ASAP as the league races to award the big mug before late June. Click here for Dom Luszczyszyn's updated probabilities after last night's games. Teams with the best Cup odds on May 1 Who's leading our MVP watch? With three series wrapped and the rest of Round 1 winding down, it's time for our weekly Conn Smythe ranking. Extra points go to players on teams that have advanced or are ahead in their series. Direct all complaints to Sean McIndoe on social media: ❓Shayna Goldman digs into all of the key matchups to watch in the many Game 6s coming up. Somehow the Leafs versus their playoff demons didn't make the list. 🥅 The PWHL is expanding to Vancouver and Seattle. Hailey Salvian has a great explainer that gets into how that will work given the distance between those two new teams and, well, everyone else. 🏒 The wild story of how top Hurricanes prospect Alexander Nikishin finally got to Carolina, by way of Saudi Arabia (!?). It'll be fascinating if he becomes a factor for them in Round 2, given the Hurricanes were one of the East's contenders without the KHL star. 🍁 ICYMI: Canada has a new Prime Minister. And he used to be a goalie. Fluto Shinzawa has this fun profile of Mark Carney, who'll now need to stop the knucklepuck that is tariffs and tarnished U.S. relations. 📢 Our newsletter co-conspirator DGBee will make you laugh and cry as he breaks down how this latest Maple Leafs mess could end. TBD if anything gets lit on fire in the next few days; I don't think I'm parking downtown for Game 7. 🎙️ Check out 'The Athletic Hockey Show' throughout the NHL playoffs as our cast and crew, with special guest Frank Corrado, analyze the action. 📺 Maple Leafs @ Senators 7 p.m. ET on TBS / SN Last week when we told you to stay tuned to this game, the big storyline was whether there would be a sea of blue-and-white Leafs fans in the crowd. That did not happen … and the narrative has shifted to dramatics on the ice. Will the underdog Senators push this one to Game 7? Can the Leafs avoid the ignominy that would come with blowing a 3-0 series lead? Must-see TV, either way. Advertisement 📺 Golden Knights @ Wild, Stars @ Avalanche, Kings @ Oilers 7:30 to 10 p.m. ET on ESPN / TBS / SN Four Game 6s in one night is an embarrassment of hockey riches. The only shame is with games overlapping, it'll be hard to watch them all — although kudos to the NHL for staggering the start times for us channel flippers. With Minnesota, Colorado and Los Angeles all facing elimination, expect great hockey as they try to earn a Game 7 on the weekend. The full NHL playoff schedule is here. Try streaming games like these for free on Fubo. Breaking: Ovechkin loves goals You may have heard Alex Ovechkin bested Wayne Gretzky's career regular-season goals mark during the season, but he managed to match another Hall of Famer last night, too. His goal in the Capitals' win moved him to 76 career postseason tallies, tying him with Mario Lemieux for 12th in NHL history. Ovechkin has his work cut out to catch Gretzky in this stat, however. The Great One's record of 122 postseason goals is 46 more than Ovechkin has as the league's active playoff goals leader. The next-highest players who are still active this postseason? Corey Perry and Brad Marchand, who both have 56 career playoff goals, good for 44th all time. • Speaking of Perry, he's approaching some heady company in career playoff games played. Tonight's Game 6 in Edmonton will be his 221st postseason game, tying him for 11th in NHL history with Bryan Trottier. • If the Oilers go on a long run, Perry can climb as high as fourth this spring, passing luminaries like Mark Messier and Larry Robinson. Perry turns 40 in a couple weeks, however, so it feels unlikely he can take a run at Chris Chelios' all-time mark of 266. 📫 Love Red Light? Check out The Athletic's other newsletters. Streaming links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication. (Top photo of Brayden Schenn: Cameron Bartlett / Getty Images)
CBC
30-04-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Panthers' Ekblad suspended 2 games for elbowing Lightning's Hagel in the head
Florida defenceman has already been suspended 20 games this season for violating PED policy Florida defenceman Aaron Ekblad has been suspended for two games for elbowing Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the head midway through Game 4 of the Panthers' first-round playoff series against Tampa Bay. The NHL's Department of Player Safety announced its ruling after a phone hearing with Ekblad earlier Tuesday. He will be out for Game 5 and either Game 6 of this series or the Panthers' first game next round. No penalty was called when Ekblad hit Hagel in the chin with his right elbow and forearm with just under nine minutes left in the second period on Monday. Hagel left the ice and did not return, and Ekblad scored the first of two goals in 11 seconds late in the third to give the defending Stanley Cup champions a comeback victory and a 3-1 series lead. Coach Jon Cooper said Hagel would not play in Game 5. Hagel was suspended for Game 3 for his late hit that knocked Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov out of Game 2. The Belle River, Ont., native missed the first two games and the final 18 of the regular season after being suspended for violating the league and NHLPA's performance-enhancing drug policy. Florida got accustomed to playing without Ekblad. "If it's the first time it happens, there's even questions from the coaching staff about what's the right adjustment to make in your lineup and how will that play out — there's a lot of unknowns," coach Paul Maurice said. "Because we've been through it so much when Aaron's out we know what the D-pairs are — let's assume — if he's out of the lineup."
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NHL Announces Multi-Game Suspension After Panthers-Lightning
The Florida Panthers will have to face the Tampa Bay Lightning without one of their best player for the next two games, if the Bolts can extend the series past Game 5 on Wednesday. Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will miss at least one game against the Lightning, depending on the next match result, after the NHL Department of Player Safety handed him a two-game suspension for elbowing Brandon Hagel in the head during Game 4. Advertisement The hit occurred midway through the second period of Monday's 4–2 Florida win over Tampa Bay. Hagel was playing the puck near the boards when Ekblad approached him from the right, raised his forearm, and delivered a direct blow to Hagel's head. Hagel's helmet struck the ice as he fell, and he left the game due to concussion concerns. No penalty was assessed on the play. The league described the hit as 'a direct blow to an opponent's head with an extended elbow, delivered with requisite force.' Ekblad was allowed to finish the game and later tied the score at 2-2 with under four minutes remaining. Seth Jones scored the winner 11 seconds later. In doing so, the pair of Panthers blueliners set a Stanley Cup Playoffs record. Advertisement 'We've been through it with Aaron out,' Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said before the suspension was announced, anticipating the league's punishment. 'Let's assume he's out of the lineup.' Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad (5) warms up before a R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Lightning head coach Jon Cooper confirmed Hagel will miss Game 5 before the league announced the suspension. 'Hagel's not going to play,' Cooper said Tuesday. The hit followed an earlier incident in the series when Hagel was suspended for a high hit on Aleksander Barkov in Game 2. That play forced Barkov to miss the remainder of the game. The Panthers lead the series 3-1. Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday night in Tampa. If necessary, Ekblad would miss Game 6 or the first game of the next round, depending on Wednesday's outcome. Advertisement Related: Panthers' Brad Marchand Sends 'Dangerous' Message After Game 4 Comeback Related: Lightning Captain Sends Clear Message on Aaron Ekblad's Hit
