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USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Porter Martone to play at Michigan State hockey after Flyers picked him No. 6 in draft
Michigan State hockey is adding some NHL-level talent ... sort of. Porter Martone, the 18-year-old winger selected by the Philadelphia Flyers as the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, will play for Michigan State in the upcoming 2025-26 season according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Martone played in the 2024-25 season for the Ontario Hockey League's Brampton Steelheads, where he put up 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) in 57 games played. There had been questions about whether Martone would play college hockey in the United States or continue his career on the junior circuit. The addition of Martone is a big pickup for the Spartans, who lost forward Isaac Howard on July 8 after the Hobey Baker Award winner signed an entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers. Howard was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning with the 31st overall pick in 2022, but was traded to the Oilers following his junior season at Michigan State. PROSPECT DECIDES Gavin McKenna, top prospect in 2026 NHL Draft, will play college hockey at Penn State Unlike in the other major North American professional sports, players drafted to an NHL team are allowed to continue their college careers while their professional team retains the player's draft rights. The Spartans won their second consecutive Big Ten title in the 2024-25 season, beating Ohio State 4-3 in double overtime in the Big Ten championship game with Howard scoring the winning goal. However, the No. 2 overall seed Spartans lost to Cornell 4-3 in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, which was eventually won by Western Michigan. Players from one of the three Canadian junior hockey leagues (Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, Western Hockey League, OHL) were originally banned from playing NCAA hockey since the NCAA previously considered them professionals, eliminating their amateur status. However, the NCAA ruled on Nov. 7, 2024, that some players from the Canadian junior leagues would be eligible to play NCAA hockey.
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
NHL trade tracker: Stars trade Matt Dumba to Penguins, plus other moves
Most of the NHL's top free agents have new contracts. But there are also trades to be made as NHL teams acquire or move players to improve their immediate future or get their salary cap situation under control. The Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins pulled off the latest deal on July 10, with veteran defenseman Matt Dumba and a draft pick heading to Pittsburgh for defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok. The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes pulled off the biggest trade of July 1 with Carolina acquiring defenseman K'Andre Miller and signing him to an eight-year contract. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights also made a major deal on June 30, sending Mitch Marner to Vegas, which signed him to an eight-year, $96 million deal,. The Golden Knights sent forward Nicolas Roy to the Maple Leafs. Tracking the latest trades from the NHL offseason: July 10: Stars trade Matt Dumba to the Penguins This deal helps the Stars' cap situation because Dumba makes $3.75 million and is in the final year of his contract. They also send a 2028 second-round pick to Pittsburgh. According to PuckPedia, the Stars now have about $2 million in cap space. Dumba, 30, had only 10 points last season, but did have 70 hits and 60 penalty minutes. Kolyachonok, 24, who makes $775,000, had seven points in 35 games between the Penguins and Mammoth last season. July 8: Oilers acquire Hobey Baker winner Isaac Howard The Oilers acquired the rights to Michigan State forward Isaac Howard from the Lightning and signed him to a three-year entry-level contract in a trade of prospects. Howard was the No. 31 overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft. He had 26 goals and 26 assists in 37 games last season to win the Hobey Baker Award as top men's college hockey player. He's considered NHL-ready and could play alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Edmonton sent forward Sam O'Reilly, the 32nd overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, to the Lightning in the trade. He helped the London (Ontario) Knights win the 2025 Memorial Cup title and reach the final in 2024. July 1: Hurricanes acquire K'Andre Miller from Rangers The Hurricanes landed 25-year-old defenseman Miller and gave up defenseman Scott Morrow, 22, a conditional first-round pick and a 2026 second-rounder. Carolina signed Miller to an eight-year deal with a $7.5 million cap hit. Trading Miller gave the Rangers the cap space to sign Vladislav Gavrikov, the top defenseman in the free agent class. The Hurricanes were changing up their blue line with veterans Dmitry Orlov and Brent Burns hitting free agency. The Hurricanes also signed free agent defenseman Mike Reilly. July 1: Sharks acquire Alex Nedeljkovic from Penguins Nedeljkovic is entering the final year of his contract and he struggled this past season with a 3.12 goals-against average and .894 save percentage. He and Yaroslav Askarov could split time in San Jose. July 1: Blackhawks acquire Sam Lafferty from Sabres The forward is returning after previously playing in Chicago for parts of two seasons. He struggled in Buffalo with seven points in 60 games. The Sabres get a 2026 sixth-round pick in return. July 1: Bruins acquire Viktor Arvidsson from Oilers The Bruins acquire forward Viktor Arvidsson from the Oilers for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick, Arvidsson had signed a two-year deal with Edmonton last season and did not work out. He was in and out of the lineup in the playoffs. But he did score 26 goals two seasons ago and could fill a middle-six role in Boston. Edmonton saves $4 million in cap space. July 1: Canadiens-Blues trade The Canadiens acquire forward Zachary Bolduc for defenseman Logan Mailloux. Bolduc adds secondary scoring after scoring 19 goals and 36 points in his first full season. Mailloux, who was taken in the first round of the 2021 draft despite asking not to be drafted, has played eight NHL games. The Canadiens recently acquired Noah Dobson, who fills the role of offensive defenseman. June 30: Golden Knights acquire Mitch Marner from Maple Leafs The sign-and-trade deal allows Marner to sign an eight-year deal and lands them the top free agent in the 2025 class. Toronto was going to lose Marner for nothing in free agency, so they did well to get a roster player. Roy is signed through 2027 at a $3 million cap hit. June 30: Red Wings trade Vladimir Tarasenko to Wild Tarasenko has won two Stanley Cup titles, but he disappointed with 33 points in his lone season in Detroit, while averaging less than 15 minutes a game. He has another year on his contract at $4.75 million, so the Wild get secondary scoring at a reasonable price. Detroit gets future considerations in the deal. June 30: Maple Leafs acquire Matias Maccelli from Mammoth The Mammoth get a conditional 2027 third round pick in return. Maccelli, 24, gets a fresh start after dropping to 18 points in 55 games this past season. But he can provide secondary scoring for Toronto after totaling 106 points over the two seasons before that. If he gets 51 points this season and the Maple Leafs make the playoffs, the third rounder becomes a 2029 second-round pick. June 30: Predators-Golden Knights trade The Nashville Predators acquire defenseman Nicolas Hague and a conditional third-round pick from the Golden Knights in exchange for forward Colton Sissons and defenseman Jeremy Lauzon. Nashville will retain 50% of Sissons' salary. If Vegas wins two rounds in the 2026 playoffs, the Golden Knights will move a second-round pick instead. June 28: Red Wings acquire John Gibson from Ducks The Detroit Red Wings acquire goalie John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks for goalie Petr Mrazek, a 2027 second- round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick. Gibson had been mentioned in trade rumors for years and the Red Wings have needed better goaltending for years. Lukas Dostal has emerged as a No. 1 goalie in Anaheim and needs a new contract as a restricted free agent. Mrazek is a better fit financially at $4.25 million than Gibson at $6.4 million. Gibson, who will get more playing time in Detroit, had a solid season with a 2.77 goals-against average and .911 save percentage, a little better than how Cam Talbot and Alex Lyon performed. June 28: Senators acquire Jordan Spence from Kings Spence's ice time had dropped, particularly in the playoffs, so the trade gives him more opportunity. The defenseman is only 24. Los Angeles had drafted a defenseman, London's Henry Brzustewicz, in the first round. The Kings receive a 2025 third round pick and a 2026 sixth-rounder. June 28: Sabres, Penguins swap defensemen The Buffalo Sabres acquire defensemen Conor Timmins and Isaac Belliveau from the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Connor Clifton and a 2025 second-round pick.. The Sabres are changing up their defense after earlier acquiring Michael Kesselring. Clifton is entering the final year of his contract. Timmins is four years younger. Also: The Washington Capitals acquire defenseman Declan Chisholm and a 2025 sixth-round pick from the Minnesota Wild for defenseman Chase Priskie and a 2025 third-rounder. June 27: Blue Jackets acquire Charlie Coyle, Miles Wood from Avalanche The Avalanche get back 20-year-old forward Gavin Brindley, a third-round selection (77th overall) in the 2025 NHL Draft and a conditional 2027 second-rounder. This move helps the Blue Jackets' depth. Wood has a lot of speed and kills penalties. Coyle, acquired by the Avalanche at the trade deadline, had 25 goals two seasons ago. The Avalanche clear cap space. June 27: Canadiens acquire Noah Dobson from Islanders Dobson, a restricted free agent, signed an eight-year, $76 million extension as part of the deal, according to Friedman. Dobson, a skilled offensive defenseman, had 70 points two seasons ago and joins a Montreal blue line that features rookie of the year Lane Hutson. Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche gets two picks in the middle of the first round. Could he use the 16th and 17th picks as part of a package to move up in the draft? He didn't, drafting Victor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson. Heineman, whom the Islanders acquired from the Canadiens as part of the deal, is known for his speed and two-way ability. June 26: Mammoth acquire JJ Peterka from Sabres The Utah Mammoth will be aggressive this offseason as they head into their second season in Salt Lake City. Peterka is coming off a career-best 68 points and totaled 55 goals the past two seasons. The 23-year-old was a restricted free agent and signed a five-year deal with the Mammoth after the trade. The Sabres, who need to adjust their roster to try to end a 14-season playoff drought, get back defenseman Michael Kesselring and forward Josh Doan. Kesselring, 25, had a career-best 29 points as he got more ice time because of injuries on the Utah blue line. Doan, 23, is the son of former Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan. He has another year left on his contract. June 26: Panthers acquire Daniil Tarasov from the Blue Jackets The Panthers give up a 2025 fifth-round pick for Tarasov, 26, a restricted free agent who became available with Jet Greaves emerging in Columbus. Current backup Vitek Vanecek is a pending unrestricted free agent. Tarasov has a career 3.44 goals-against average but those numbers should come down while playing behind a better Panthers defense. Sergei Bobrovsky will be 37 next season and has a year left on his contract. General Bill Zito potentially has found his future No. 1 goalie. Also: The Seattle Kraken acquired two-way center Frederick Gaudreau from the Minnesota Wild for a 2025 fourth-round pick. ... In a free agency move, the Dallas Stars re-signed captain Jamie Benn for one year at $1 million, plus an additional $3 million in potential performance bonuses June 25: Oilers trade Evander Kane to Canucks This was a salary cap move, saving more than $5 million with the Oilers needing to re-sign defenseman Evan Bouchard. The Oilers get back a fourth-round pick. Kane, a Vancouver native, adds help on the wing with the Canucks expected to lose Brock Boeser to free agency. June 25: Oilers trade Evander Kane to Canucks This was a salary cap move, saving more than $5 million with the Oilers needing to re-sign defenseman Evan Bouchard. The Oilers get back a fourth-round pick. Kane, a Vancouver native, adds help on the wing with the Canucks expected to lose Brock Boeser to free agency. June 23: Flyers acquire Trevor Zegras from Ducks Zegras wanted to play center and the Ducks didn't have room for him there in their top six. The Flyers land a creative forward who has scored several lacrosse-style goals but also has dealt recently with injuries. The Ducks get back center Ryan Poehling, who wins faceoffs and kills penalties, two areas where Anaheim needed improvement. They also receive a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder. Also: The Seattle Kraken acquired two-way center Frederick Gaudreau from the Minnesota Wild for a 2025 fourth-round pick.
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Edmonton Oilers unveil jersey number for former Spartan Isaac Howard
New #Oilers jersey numbers 👀 Michigan State hockey star Isaac Howard is heading to the Edmonton Oilers and we now know which jersey number he'll be wearing with his new NHL squad. Howard was traded from the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Edmonton Oilers earlier this week, effectively ending his college career with the Spartans. The news of the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner moving on from Michigan State was bittersweet as the loss of Howard will certainly hurt the Spartans moving forward next season. But he at least was able to end up with a solid franchise and should be able to contend for a Stanley Cup right away next season. So what number will he be wearing with the Edmonton Oilers going forward? We now know it'll be No. 53, per the Oilers' official social media X account. Check out the new look for Howard in the post from the Edmonton Oilers below: Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.
Edmonton Journal
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
'The potential to kill it': Edmonton Oilers country on sugar high over new winger
Article content This in from Oilers Now host and team insider Bob Stauffer, his take on what incoming forward Isaac Howard — voted the Hobey Baker Award winner as the best player in U.S. college hockey last season — might bring to the Edmonton Oilers in 2025-26: Article content 'I don't want to set unrealistic expectations, but he could slot in on the first and second line and have a wonderful year because he's going to be playing with really good players.' Article content Article content Article content Howard was by far the best offensive player at Michigan State, the best team in the Big Ten conference, Stauffer said, with double the amount of goals of any of his teammates. 'He had 20 more points on a very deep and talented Michigan State team than anybody else. He had north of three points per 60 at even strength. Usually if you're above two (per 60), those are real good numbers. He was over three. Nobody else on the team was over two in terms of points per 60 at even strength. So he was driving things. He was the player they rallied around come crunch time.' Article content Article content 1. I agree with Stauffer that as early as this coming season Ike Howard could be a strong top-line forward in the NHL. I also applaud Stauffer for qualifying his statement, warning us against unrealistic expectations and over-selling. Because at this very moment Edmonton Oilers country is on a sugar high when it comes to Ike Howard, with some fans flying to the moon with supreme certainty that Howard will have a massive impact. Article content Article content 2. Some fans are predicting that Howard will score more goals than Auston Matthews this season, that with Howard on board the Oilers are set up to compete for Stanley Cups into the 2030s. They list off recent Hobey Baker Award winners like, Jack Eichel, Cale Makar, Cole Caufield, Adam Fantilli and Macklin Celebrini. But they fail to note that all those great players won the award as teenagers in their first or second year of U.S. college play, not in their third year, as happened with Howard. Article content 3. Players who recently won it in their third or fourth year include Johnny Gaudreau, Jimmy Vesey, Will Butcher, Adam Gaudette and Scott Perunovich, and Dryden McKay. Only one of those players turned out to be a star, Gaudreau. He was good right out of the gate for Calgary in 2014-15 with 64 points in 80 games.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Connor McDavid's patience tested as Oilers trade key prospect amid rising 2025-26 expectations
Oilers' bold trade move could backfire and leave Connor McDavid questioning franchise direction (Getty Images) In a surprising mid-July prospect swap, the Edmonton Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning executed a trade that could have long-term implications beyond just player development. The Oilers shipped off their 2024 first-round pick, Sam O'Reilly (No. 32 overall), to Tampa in exchange for Isaac Howard, the Lightning's 2022 first-rounder (No. 31) and the 2024 Hobey Baker Award winner. Oilers' trade gamble sparks concern for Connor McDavid 's future ahead of 2025-26 pressure season This wasn't a casual shuffle of prospects. It was a calculated move by Edmonton—one clearly influenced by the urgency of their championship timeline. O'Reilly, who tallied an impressive 28 goals and 71 points in 62 OHL games last season, was widely regarded as the Oilers' No. 2 prospect. He's coming off back-to-back Robertson Cups and a Memorial Cup win with the London Knights. Despite this, Edmonton chose to part with him, a sign of their all-in mindset heading into the 2025-26 season. Oilers Trade O'Reilly to Tampa for Howard, Hakstol Added to Avs Coaching Staff On the other side of the deal is Isaac Howard, a name that's already causing buzz in Oil Country. NHL insider Frank Seravalli remarked that Howard is 'more NHL-ready than O'Reilly' in the eyes of many around the league. That's a key detail for a team like Edmonton, who aren't just building for the future—they're desperate to win now. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo The motivation behind the trade goes beyond roster depth. It's also about sending a message to franchise cornerstone Connor McDavid. With the superstar center becoming an unrestricted free agent after the season, the Oilers must prove they're serious about winning. 'Finally capturing that Cup he so desperately covets is the best chance of securing him for the long term,' Seravalli emphasized. Howard may not have suited up in an NHL game yet, but his arrival is already being viewed as a move to address Edmonton's offensive shortcomings—especially those exposed in their recent struggles against the Florida Panthers. Whether or not he can meet the lofty expectations remains to be seen, but the message is clear: Edmonton isn't waiting around. Anything less than a Stanley Cup is bound to disappoint a city longing for a return to the Gretzky-era glory days. And if Howard can rise to the occasion, he might just become the unexpected catalyst in Edmonton's push for greatness—and McDavid's decision to stay. Also Read: Ex-NHL player Nick Tarnasky caught in violent golf course brawl, an internal investigation will take place Catch Manika Batra's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 3. Watch Here!
