Latest news with #NHLAll-StarGame
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Justin Bieber fires up Leafs Nation with a bold message to Auston Matthews amid his marriage troubles with Hailey Bieber
Justin Bieber shares message for Auston Matthews after thrilling Game 6 victory (Imagn Images) The Toronto Maple Leafs aren't the only ones celebrating their thrilling Game 6 win over the Florida Panthers—diehard Leafs fan and global pop sensation Justin Bieber made sure to share his excitement in a way only he can. Justin Bieber hypes Auston Matthews with bold message after Leafs' thrilling Game 6 win forces Game 7 Following the Leafs' clutch 2-0 victory Friday night, Justin Bieber took to Instagram to shower star center Auston Matthews with praise. The game-saving performance saw Matthews finally break through with a goal after being held scoreless in the series, and it couldn't have come at a better time. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3 Reasons to Plug This Into Your Home Today elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Learn More Undo Bieber posted celebratory photos of Matthews on the ice, paired with Bob Marley's iconic track 'Natural Mystic' playing in the background. But it was his caption that stole the show: "My captain Gets It Done. Game 7 Muthafkas." The message was bold, brash, and exactly what Leafs fans needed to feel the energy heading into the winner-takes-all Game 7. Justin Bieber and Auston Matthews share a unique bond on and off the ice This isn't the first time Bieber has publicly shown his admiration for Matthews. The Grammy-winning artist served as a celebrity captain for Team Matthews during the 2024 NHL All-Star Game, even joining Matthews, Mitch Marner , and Morgan Rielly during warmups. More recently, Bieber suited up for the LA Kings Celebrity Charity Game in February 2025, helping raise money for wildfire relief efforts in California. Justin Bieber Takes Part in ASG Warmups | NHL BTS: 2024 NHL All-Star His close friendship with Matthews, one of the NHL's premier talents, has become a source of buzz among hockey fans. It's clear the connection goes beyond fandom—it's personal. After the game, Matthews didn't bask in the spotlight for long. Instead, he focused on the team's resilience: "Feels good. Always feels good. But just to get that win feels got one more job to finish," he said. Matthews called it a 'gutsy' win, praising the entire lineup for their relentless effort. Also Read: Is $96M Mikko Rantanen just a playoff fraud? — Stars fans furious after Game 5 no-show With Game 7 set to unfold at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the Leafs will have home-ice advantage and a fired-up fanbase—including one of their most famous supporters—cheering them on. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Draft Lotteries Suck for Die-Hard Fans
Good morning and welcome to another edition of Free Agent! Be sure to help somebody with their bag today, and you too might get drafted second overall. But you wouldn't be drafted first overall by the Dallas Mavericks or the New York Islanders, the biggest winners of this season's losers. (I cannot believe the NBA includes the losers of the Play-In Tournament in the lottery). Today we'll talk about why fans should hate draft lotteries, an angry letter about the NHL All-Star Game, team names and trademarks, and a lackluster sports "documentary." Locker Room Links Tank This It's draft season, which also means it's draft lottery season, where so much of your favorite team's history and success may rest in the hands of a pingpong ball—and I hate that. (Maybe I'm just grumpy because my Detroit Red Wings have never moved up under the NHL Draft Lottery and the Detroit Pistons got screwed out of drafting Victor Wembanyama.) Advertisement The point of the lotteries is to reduce tanking so that every team is trying hard to make the playoffs every year. But if the worst teams don't get a high draft pick, it just prolongs their suffering in the league basement. I'm not the only one noticing this tension: Fans obviously don't tank, even if some (not me!) are capable of rooting for it. If the die-hard fans who stick with their team through their worst times have to suffer through the team being worst in the league, they should at least get some optimism from a first overall pick. Players also don't tank, at least not for draft purposes: They have their next contract in mind, plus any performance bonuses in their current contracts, and can hold out hope a good team will want to pick them up in a trade—just look at all the examples of teams that won late in the NFL season and blew their chance at the No. 1 pick. Lastly, coaches don't tank: If they lose a lot, they get fired. Management doesn't praise a coach for leading the team to a high draft pick. Management sometimes tanks, yes, by trading today's talent away for tomorrow's draft picks ("Trust the process!"). But basing a system on the "My team would never tank, but we need to stop rewarding their team for doing it!" belief is a bad idea. Advertisement The point isn't that tanking doesn't happen—it does, and there are tweaks leagues can make to discourage it. But from a fan perspective, if our team sucks in a given season, we want to believe something good can come of it, and that our team might be able to quickly bounce back. There's no draft lottery in the NFL, but a team can go from drafting in the first five to the Super Bowl within a couple of seasons. But in the NHL and NBA, people expect a rebuild to take five years. How's that going to keep a distraught fan engaged with their bad team? That's not solely because of the lottery system, but it's a factor to consider along with rookie contracts and minimum draft ages. Sports are random enough on their own, and often the draft is enough of a lottery on its own, especially in the NHL and MLB where young draft picks are usually a few seasons away from the big leagues. Then there's the varying quality in draft classes: No.1 picks are not created equal. There are plenty of interesting alternatives to draft lotteries to consider—too many to go into detail in one newsletter. I want to know what you think now: Click here for a quick and easy two-question survey on draft lotteries and alternatives, no fuss required. I'll share the results next week. 5 for Fighting This may be the most upset anyone has ever been about the NHL All-Star Game, of all things. Advertisement Next season's NHL All-Star Game was supposed to be at UBS Arena on Long Island, home of the New York Islanders. The league canceled the event, though, and replaced it with a yet-to-be-determined international send-off event for the 2026 Winter Olympics (which will still take place at UBS Arena). That did not sit well with Gov. Kathy Hochul (a Democrat). Hochul wrote to Commissioner Gary Bettman to express her "disappointment" over the decision, which she lamented was made "without consultation with the State of New York." (God forbid a business make a decision without asking for the government's permission.) Hochul's letter claimed the event was "expected to bring millions in economic activity to the region," which seems a bit rich for an event that yes, probably would have sold out, but likely with tickets sold almost entirely to the 20 million people living in the New York City metropolitan area. The Hochul letter also tries to guilt the NHL by pointing out New York State spent $100 million on a new Long Island Rail Road station to serve the arena, "the first new LIRR station in nearly 50 years," which says a lot about New York's ability to build new things. Also, there was already a station half a mile away. To close, Hochul points out what Bettman already knows: New York is home to "three NHL franchises and the league's headquarters." In a time when laws are so vast and complex that an institution like the NHL can be investigated, harassed, and punished by the state for almost anything, that feels a bit like a veiled threat. Advertisement It's a lot of political hullabaloo for an event that hardly anyone cares about. Which Yeti Am I Writing About? Utah Hockey Club is out, Utah Mammoth is in. The Salt Lake City–based NHL team announced its permanent name last week, one year after the franchise's move from Arizona. The name is a pretty good choice, especially considering some of the original options were Utah Caribou and Utah Powder. But it wasn't the best choice, which would have been Utah Yeti. The audible alliteration would have been great, plus the mascot and the logo would probably have been really cool. The name was apparently a front-runner, too. But using the name would have been against the law, because the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected the idea: It would have supposedly caused a lot of confusion with other products using yeti in their branding—most notably, YETI, the cooler company. Advertisement How this would have caused enough confusion to warrant rejection is beyond me. YETI has a distinct logo using a distinct font. As long as the hockey team used a significantly different font, it would have been no problem. Yes, the hockey team plays on ice, and yes, you put ice in YETI coolers, but that's about all they have in common. If America can figure out the difference between the Arizona Cardinals, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Louisville Cardinals, the Vatican's cardinals, and even the Stanford Cardinal, I think we can figure out the difference between a hockey team and a cooler company. Take a Seat—or Don't I usually recommend something to watch or do in this space, but this week I recommend something to skip: The Seat, a short documentary on Netflix about Formula 1 driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli taking over Lewis Hamilton's seat at Mercedes. Advertisement At 40 minutes, The Seat is basically a short episode of Drive to Survive—but we already had an episode of that focused on Antonelli (the same episode egregiously gave viewers the impression Mercedes driver George Russell won a race he was disqualified from). The Seat's marketing promised to take us inside Mercedes' decision making process, with access to previously unreleased WhatsApp messages. But the decision is made early in the documentary, and thanks to WhatsApp's sponsorship viewers get a subtle ad for using the messaging app for workplace purposes. (Did you know you can share lap times and files on WhatsApp? Your work messages can live right next to spam messages!) The Seat is basically a 40-minute promo video for Mercedes and Antonelli—who I already thought of as young and likeable, and still do. It's flashy and the visuals are pretty, but it doesn't provide much of anything new. Unless you're a Mercedes superfan, go ahead and skip. F1 drivers racing (and crashing) in life-sized LEGO cars, however, is obviously recommended. Replay of the Week We could all use a good dunk right now. Here's an insane one from Minnesota's Anthony Edwards, en route to a comeback victory against Golden State. That's all for now. Enjoy watching the real game of the week, Michigan against UCF on Friday in the NCAA softball tournament. The post Draft Lotteries Suck for Die-Hard Fans appeared first on
Time of India
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Boone Jenner and his steady partnership built over time
NHL star Boone Jenner and wife Maggie Jenner (Credit: Facebook) His role demands focus and discipline as captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets . Yet away from the game, his life tells a more personal story. Boone Jenner 's NHL career has spanned more than a decade. Jenner married Maggie Masar in July 2023. The couple's ceremony was shared publicly weeks later, giving fans a brief look into their personal celebration. Their relationship had remained largely private before the announcement. Even now, they appear focused more on their shared life than public attention. Maggie has a professional background of her own. She studied business at Western University in Ontario and has experience in real estate and customer care. Her work continues, even as her social media shares occasional glimpses of their life together. These include travel, family gatherings, and moments tied to Boone's hockey milestones. A Shared Life in Columbus, Ohio The couple lives in Columbus, where Boone has spent his entire NHL career. It's where their shared routine has developed, grounded in familiarity and consistency. Maggie is often seen supporting Boone at games, especially during special events. She was present for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game. As where Jenner played as part of Team McDavid. Despite the public nature of his job, their personal life remains low-key. There's little focus on fame or media attention. Instead, their partnership reflects a sense of balance. Boone continues to lead his team on the ice, while Maggie maintains a presence in her own career and interests. This equilibrium seems central to how they manage life under the spotlight. Beyond the Rink, A Life Marked by Love and Loss Boone Jenner's focus on the ice has long been admired. Off the ice, his dedication to family has been just as strong. In early 2024, Boone and Maggie were preparing to welcome their first child. It was a hopeful time, filled with anticipation. Tragically, their son was stillborn just one month before his due date. NHL star Boone Jenner and wife Maggie Jenner (Credit: Getty Image) The couple shared the heartbreaking news with quiet strength. The loss has deeply impacted their journey, and what was meant to be a joyful chapter became a time of unimaginable grief. Read more: Canucks face major concerns with unready young core Through it all, Boone and Maggie have remained close, leaning on each other during this painful time. Their bond, built on love and respect. This continues to carry them forward. In a life shaped by leadership and resilience, Boone Jenner now faces one of his most personal challenges. And through that, his story grows. Its not just as an athlete, but as a person navigating love, loss, and healing.
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Jake Guentzel: One of the NHL'S top stars, from rookie sensation to elite forward
Jake Guentzel #59 of the Tampa Bay Lightning skates against the Florida Panthers of Game One (Credit: Getty Image) In his very first game in the NHL, Guentzel scored two goals on his very first shot, against the Montreal Canadiens. However, when it comes to finding hard facts worthy of accounting, this was but a trivial event in comparison to his performance during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs . Leading all comers with 13 goals, tying the rookie record with 21 points, Guentzel set the Penguins on a path to winning the Cup. Guentzel became a fierce offensive juggernaut over the following seasons in the NHL. With his sharp instincts, quick release and ability to throw high-pressure moments, he enjoyed multiple years producing more than 40 goals and was present at the 2022 NHL All-Star Game . The chemistry he had with superstars such as Sidney Crosby made Guentzel a fan favorite in the city of Pittsburgh. A Career in Motion Lightning's Jake Guentzel Notches Seventh Career Hat Trick vs. Sabres by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Up to 200% Premium refund ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Get Quote Undo In 2024, Guentzel entered into a new chapter in his NHL history. The major-high-profile deal was for trade to the Carolina Hurricanes before he eventually found himself with the Tampa Bay Lightning . Added in this new chapter was a hefty seven-year, $63 million contract, a testament that said something about his new role in the future of the Lightning. On the international scene, he was already on a roll. He tussled with the United States towards the top in the competition called the 4 Nations Face-Off, where he proved his worth against some top names in the world. A very serious shoulder injury put Guentzel out for a long time in 2020 and made it look doubtful that he'd ever compete again, but he bounced back to form almost immediately. He started scoring and polishing up his defensive game. Emerging as a Leader Jake Guentzel #59 of the Tampa Bay Lightning celebrates a goal (Credit: Getty Image) Guentzel's leadership has increased over the years, though it may not have the loudest voice in the locker room. His experience in the playoffs and his ability to perform consistently make him an ideal role model for the younger players. Of course, his quiet demeanor and clutch play in high-stakes situations only further cement his trust and influence on and off the ice. Read more: Milan Lucic Opens Up About Father's Suicide and Healing Journey Off the Ice Away from the rink, Guentzel is part of a hockey family . His father was a collegiate coach, and every one of his brothers participated in the activity competitively. Last but not least, he tied his longtime girlfriend into a marriage, bringing his high-flying career down to earth with a steady personal life. Despite his fame, Guentzel has kept a humble heart, is focused, and committed to the game that shaped him. Jake Guentzel 's legacy continues to flourish in Tampa Bay; he is not only a goal-scorer or a Stanley Cup champion but will grow as one of the most consistent and clutch performers of his generation in the NHL.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Oilers Icon Draisaitl Had Meteoric Rise To Stardom
(JUN 1, 2020 -- VOL. 73, ISSUE 07) In his 10 NHL seasons, Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl has become a top-five NHL player. And in this cover story from THN's June 1, 2020 issue, editor-in-chief Ryan Kennedy penned a deep-dive profile on Draisaitl's rise through the ranks: GO WEST YOUNG MAN By Ryan Kennedy Nothing will get you in the good books of Edmonton Oilers fans faster than going after someone from the Calgary Flames. Leon Draisaitl certainly gave the fans what they wanted prior to the NHL All-Star Game when he proclaimed he didn't even want to be on the ice at the same time as Matthew Tkachuk, even though both were on the Pacific Division team. Tkachuk, of course, had a running feud going with Oilers heavy Zack Kassian, who caught a two-game suspension for attacking Tkachuk after the Flames agitator had taken several runs at him. Advertisement In the early going, it seemed as though Draisaitl would get his wish, as his 3-on-3 all-star linemates were Connor McDavid and relatively nicer Flames star Mark Giordano, while Tkachuk played with Vancouver's Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes. But an early line change resulted in Tkachuk and Draisaitl on the ice together, where they completed a devastating give-and-go for a goal. Staying in character, the two didn't even look at each other to celebrate, though after the game they said they were just having fun. As amusing as it all was, Draisaitl's 2019-20 campaign will be remembered for a lot of other highlights. For instance, he was well on his way to his first Art Ross Trophy, which he practically locked up in February when McDavid went down with a quadricep injury. In six games without the Oilers captain, Draisaitl put up 12 points in his buddy's absence. When the season was put on pause for the COVID-19 pandemic, he held a 13-point lead over McDavid. 'You see his confidence has grown and grown as he has played,' McDavid said. 'And he has developed into one of the best players in the world.' Edmonton has seen many heroes pass through its city over the years, and Draisaitl has now joined McDavid as the current flagbearers. Growing up in Cologne, Germany, Draisaitl couldn't watch NHL games on TV, so he relied on YouTube for clips of Pavel Datsyuk and Maxim Afinogenov to quench his thirst. The German junior league couldn't hold Draisaitl, as the 15-year-old went off for 192 points in just 29 games for Mannheim's under-16 squad, so after one more season in Germany, he left for North America, where the big boys played. Draisaitl went to Prince Albert, Sask., where the WHL's Raiders made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 import draft (behind future St. Louis Blues center Ivan Barbashev). Advertisement It was a match made in heaven, even if there was some culture shock. 'It's a different country, you're young, and you just follow your dream,' Draisaitl said. 'It was something I felt I had to do to become a better player and give myself a shot at playing in the NHL. Culture shock? Absolutely. Especially coming from a decently sized city in Germany to a tiny little town in Saskatchewan. But they took great care of me there and made it feel like home right away. I'm very happy I did that.' Not only was Draisaitl an impact player for the Raiders, but he made sure to help out in the community, something he has continued to do in Edmonton. 'You just want to give something back to them, right?' he said. 'They take you in and support you, so if there's a chance for us as players to give back, you want to jump on it. It's something I like to do, and it's the right thing to do.' Draisaitl wasn't an instant sensation with the Oilers and came up during a turbulent time in the organization. He was infamously held out of the 2015 world juniors by then-GM Craig MacTavish, only to get sent back to the WHL days after the tournament ended – and Germany getting relegated to a lower division. Draisaitl did get the opportunity to play on a big stage later that season when he was traded from Prince Albert to Kelowna, where he helped the Rockets make it all the way to the Memorial Cup final before ultimately falling in overtime to the OHL's Oshawa Generals. It didn't take too much longer for Draisaitl to become a dangerous NHLer, however. By his third big-league season in 2016-17 he was nearing point-per-game territory, and last season he hit 50 goals and reached the 100-point plateau for the first time. Advertisement 'You just grow as a player,' Draisaitl said. 'When you're 18 or 19 years old, most guys aren't established, and you're not at the top of your game. You try to get better, you work on things you're not good at and some years you take a bigger jump than other years. But all those jumps combined, they're all very important, and they make you into the player that you are today.' There aren't many NHL players who can claim to be better than Draisaitl today, and that will be proven when he very likely takes home the Hart Trophy for league MVP on top of the Art Ross. Now, you can make the argument that Draisaitl and McDavid cancel each other out in terms of excellence and that a singular talent such as Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon or the Rangers' Artemi Panarin fit the criterion better. But Draisaitl was there for the Oilers when McDavid went down and helped keep them on track with sublime performances. That sounds pretty valuable, does it not? Some pundits have also called into question Draisaitl's defensive play, but even detractors have admitted he's gotten better as the season has gone on. The presence of new coach Dave Tippett has been great in that respect. 'He's been awesome,' Draisaitl said. 'He gave us a clear structure in how he wants us to play, and we've all bought in to that. He has helped us all a lot. The whole coaching staff does a great job of preparing us for games and getting us the information we need.' Advertisement Thanks in large part to Draisaitl, the Oilers were also looking at their first playoff berth since 2017, something the city has been fiending for ever since. In the City of Champions, you have to at least get invited to the dance, and the Oilers have been left without a corsage too many times over the past two decades. Having said that, Draisaitl never got impatient. 'No, we're going in the right direction,' he said. 'The past couple of years haven't been perfect, but sometimes you have to go through that to be successful. We're going in the right direction, we're going on the right path. Hopefully we can get better game by game, year by year.' In the process, Draisaitl has proven that he is not merely McDavid's linemate. In fact, the two weren't even playing on the same line anymore, with Draisaitl lining up with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto. Having his own line hasn't diminished his offensive prowess. 'Everybody sees his goals and production, but his vision is elite,' Giordano said. 'He can really pass the puck, and he sees the ice really well.' So far, Western Canada has agreed with Draisaitl. From Prince Albert to Kelowna to Edmonton, he has found success on the ice. Off the ice he's gotten into country music, something you don't hear very often back in Germany. And while a lot of country songs are great for drowning your sorrows, Draisaitl has given Oilers fans something to cheer for: the future that just never seemed to come together for the team is all of a sudden looking like a very promising present.
