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Yahoo
39 minutes ago
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- Yahoo
Winger from West St. Paul chosen 13th overall by Detroit Red Wings in NHL draft
West St. Paul's Carter Bear began his professional hockey journey Friday night when he was chosen by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2025 National Hockey League entry draft. A six-foot-tall forward who played left wing for the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League, Bear was selected with the 13th overall pick, making him the first Manitoban to be drafted. Bear led the Silvertips with 40 goals and 42 assists last year, despite playing only 56 games when his season was cut short by an Achilles injury. Bear was born in Winnipeg, but his parents are from Peguis First Nation. Shortly after he was chosen, the Southern Chiefs Organization sent its congratulations via social media, describing it as "a historic and proud moment for Carter, his family, and his Nation." The Winnipeg Jets held the 28th overall pick in the draft, where they took Swedish defenceman Sascha Boumedienne, who played much of his junior hockey in the United States, including last season with the Boston University Terriers. The six-foot-two Boumedienne scored three goals and added 10 assists in 40 games last year with the Terriers, advancing all the way to NCAA Frozen Four, where they were beaten 6-2 by Western Michigan in the championship game. The draft's first piece of Manitoba content came earlier in the first round, when lanky centre Roger McQueen was taken 10th overall by the Anaheim Ducks. The six-foot-five McQueen was a bit of a question mark going into the draft, after missing parts of the past two seasons with a back injuries. But when he did play, the Saskatoon-born forward showed a deft scoring touch, racking up 31 goals and 40 assists over 70 games in the two seasons combined.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fans Moved by Islanders' Meaningful Gesture Toward Matthew Schaefer
Fans Moved by Islanders' Meaningful Gesture Toward Matthew Schaefer originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The New York Islanders got their man in the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, as they used their No. 1 pick on defenseman Matthew Schaefer. It has been quite a ride to "The Show" for the 17-year-old Schaefer. Advertisement Back in December, he suffered a broken clavicle injury while representing Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa. Months before, Schaefer lost his mother to breast cancer. It would have been a greater night for Schaefer if his mom were around to witness him become just the fifth defenseman taken first overall in the NHL draft since 2000. Matthew Schaefer is selected as the first overall pick by the Islanders in the first round of the 2025 NHL Lee-Imagn Images For their part, the Islanders put a pink ribbon on the jersey that was presented to Schaefer on the stage after the pick was announced. The pink ribbon symbolizes awareness for breast cancer, and its appearance on Schaefer's Isles uniform struck an emotional chord with fans. "#isles ensuring there was a hockey fights cancer ribbon on the sweater was a first class gesture," said a fan on X. Advertisement Another one said: "The #Isles not only put a cancer ribbon on Schaefer's jersey, but also embroidered the inside of his collar with his mother's initials 'JS'. Amazing touch. 💜' From an X user: "The #Isles putting a cancer ribbon on Schaefer's jersey was an incredible touch. There are a lot more than Islanders fans rooting for him already.' 'Man- that ribbon got me 🙏,' a social media user posted. Via a different commenter: 'The breast cancer ribbon on the sweater is an amazing touch by @NYIslanders.' Said another: 'Him kissing the breast cancer awareness ribbon broke my heart 💔 What a beautiful moment. 🥺' Advertisement Schaefer joins the Islanders, who missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the 2024-25 NHL season after going 35-35-12 for 82 points. Before New York took him as its first pick overall since John Tavares in 2009, Schaefer played for 17 games with the Erie Otters and gathered seven goals with 15 assists for 22 points. Related: Matthew Schaefer's Immediate Reaction to Being Drafted No. 1 Overall This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
an hour ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Islanders Draft Star In Matthew Schaefer, Make Huge Deal With Habs
Matthew Schaefer, center, NY Islanders number one overall pick, Michael Misa, San Jose Sharks number ... More two pick and Anton Frondell, right, Chicago Blackhawks number three pick pose at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by) Generation Next is on its way to the National Hockey League. The New York Islanders, who were the surprise owners of the top selection spot in the NHL Draft by virtue of a victory in the draft lottery, opened the proceedings by calling the name of defenseman Matthew Schaefer. The poised young man will have an excellent chance of opening the season with the Islanders in the fall, but many of the first-round draft picks that followed will need time to develop their respective games in college, juniors or the minor leagues. Center Michael Misa, a noted scorer went second to the San Jose Sharks, and the Chicago Blackhawks took big Swedish forward Anton Frondell third at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Center Caleb Desnoyers went fourth to the Utah Mammoth, who had also moved up in the draft lottery. The Nashville Predators chose physical forward Brady Martin with the fifth pick. The Flyers selected right wing Porter Martone, who has size, good hands and the ability to go to the greasy areas and score. James Hagens had 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 37 games as a freshman with Boston College and he was selected by the Boston Bruins at No. 7. Schaefer is clearly a special player because he was clearly deserving of the top spot in the draft even though the 17-year-old played only 17 games last year. He scored 7 goals and 17 assists in those games before he broke his collarbone. There is no denying his skill. Sam Bennett signs big extension with Cats Sam Bennett of the Florida Panthers got rewarded for his great run during the Stanley Cup playoffs. ... More (Photo by) While the draft was the scheduled highlight of the day, it was not the only notable NHL event. The Florida Panthers, fresh off their second consecutive Stanley Cup, were not about to let star center Sam Bennett sidle off to free agency next week. They signed their aggressive leader to an eight-year, $64 million contract extension after he won the Conn Smythe Trophy for his brilliant performance this spring. Bennett scored 22 points in 23 playoff games, and that came after he tallied 25 goals and 26 points during the regular season. He is clearly a brilliant postseason performer, and the Panthers made sure he stayed in the fold Just as Bennett is staying in Florida, John Taveras is staying with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Taveras was the big prize in free agency in 2018 and the Maple Leafs won his services with a seven-year, $77 million deal at the time. It was widely expected that Taveras would sign with a new team at the start of free agency, but he did not want to leave his hometown team and he signed a team-friendly, four-year deal that averages $4.38 million. Taveras is coming off a 38-goal, 74-point season, and he is exceptional in the face-off circle. He was originally signed to help give the Maple Leafs a legitimate chance to win in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but that never happened. Toronto has not gotten past the second round during the Taveras run north of the border. While the Islanders made their biggest news with the selection of Schaeffer, they also traded star defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens for two first-round draft picks and forward Emil Heineman. It was a sign-and-trade deal for Dobson and he signed an eight-year, $76 million deal with his new team. The 25-year-old had a breakout season of 70 points in 79 games in 2023-24, but he was held to 39 points and a minus-16 rating last year. The Canadiens are betting that Dobson will return to his best form and help the team become a consistent playoff regular. The Colorado Avalanche traded forwards Charlie Coyle and Miles Wood to the Columbus Blue Jackets, freeing up much-needed salary cap space with free agency beckoning. Columbus general manager Don Waddell explained why the Blue Jackets made the deal. "Charlie is an experienced, two-way player that adds size and versatility to our group, while Miles is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL who provides great energy and physicality," Waddell said. "Beyond being outstanding players, both are high-character people who will fit in perfectly with our group and what we are building here in Columbus." The draft continues Saturday with rounds 2 through 7, starting at 11 a.m. ET. The Saturday coverage of the draft will be seen on the NHL Network. Every round will also stream on ESPN+ and Disney+.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Count Kings GM Ken Holland among those who prefer how NHL drafts used to be held
Henry Brzustewicz, left, stands with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman after being selected by the Kings at No. 31 overall in the NHL draft at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) For Ken Holland, the Kings' decidedly old-school general manager, new isn't necessarily better. Take the NHL draft, for example. Holland presided over more than a quarter-century of drafts with the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers, and they were generally held in one place, with everyone from the executives doing the drafting to the players being drafted on site. Advertisement On Friday, for the first time in a non-pandemic environment, the draft was conducted semi-remotely, with the top 93 draft-eligible players and their families filling some of the seats in the half-empty Peacock Theater in Los Angeles while team representatives made their selections from their home markets. Read more: Kings hire Hall of Famer Ken Holland as their new general manager And whatever the league was attempting to accomplish with the decentralized format, other than saving on travel, it didn't work. After each pick was announced on a giant video board that took up two-thirds of the theater's massive stage, players made their way up the aisle to be greeted by Commissioner Gary Bettman. They then pulled on a team jersey and hat before being led into the "Draft House" — a small virtual reality room in the center of the stage — for what amounted to a congratulatory Zoom call with the club's brass. The Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles hosts the NHL draft. (Juan Ocampo / NHLI via Getty Images) The young men were celebrating the biggest moment of their lives yet they came off like Dorothy speaking to the Wizard of Oz. Much of it was awkward, especially when James Hagens, the eighth selection, was left waving at Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney after the audio in the Bruins' war room in Boston went mute. That was just one of multiple technical glitches that included echoes and timing delays that left players and executives talking over one another. Advertisement When it became obvious the painfully slow-paced event would plod past 4½ hours, the Draft House was closed to some teams. Brady Martin, the fifth pick, didn't even bother to come to L.A. So when Nashville announced his selection — via a celebrity video taped at a golf course — the NHL showed a video of Martin working on his family's farm. Russian goaltender Pyotr Andreyanov wouldn't even get that treatment. When he was announced as the 20th overall pick, the NHL had nothing to show, making Andreyanov the first no-show of the no-show draft. Matthew Schaefer, a 17-year-old defenseman from Hamilton, Canada,, who was taken with the No. 1 pick by the New York Islanders, said being part of video draft did not spoil his big day. Matthew Schaefer stands between Michael Misa, left, and Anton Frondell after being selected 1-2-3, respectively, in the NHL draft at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Friday. (Bruce Bennett / Getty Images) 'I'm just honored to be picked,' said Schaefer who cried, alongside his dad and brother, when his name was called. 'I dreamt about it my whole life. It's such an honor. Especially the first pick overall.' Advertisement For Holland, however, none of that counts as progress. 'I'm old and I'm old fashioned. So I like the old way,' said the Kings general manager, whose view was shared by other GMs around the league. 'You draft some player in the sixth round and all of a sudden you hear 'yay!' way up in the corner. It's him, it's his family, and they're all excited to hear [his] name announced by an NHL team. 'This weekend, to me, is about the young players.' Aside from the technical difficulties, the actual draft went largely to form. The Ducks, as expected, took Roger McQueen, an 18-year-old forward from Saskatchewan, with their top pick, the 10th overall selection. The Kings, meanwhile, traded their first pick, No. 24 overall, to the Pittsburgh Penguins. After moving down seven spots they took right-handed-shooting defenseman Henry Brzustewicz, 18, a Minnesota native, with the penultimate pick of the first day. Advertisement Round two through seven of the draft will be conducted Saturday. Roger McQueen, second from right, poses for photos with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, right, and actors Joshua Jackson, left, and Marguerite Moreau, second from left, after being drafted by the Ducks at No. 10 overall. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) The Ducks, who had a top-10 pick for a seventh straight year, see the 6-foot-5 McQueen as a raw talent who can develop into a top-line center. 'He has a big body. But what goes along with that is his skill and skating ability,' said general manager Pat Verbeek, whose team has 10 picks this weekend. For the Kings, this draft was the first public move in what could be an intense couple of weeks. Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and winger Andrei Kuzmenko are unrestricted free agents and the team would like to re-sign both before they hit the open market Tuesday. Advertisement 'If we re-sign Gavrikov, there's not going to be a ton of change,' Holland said. 'If we don't, then there's going to be change.' Gavrikov, 29, emerged as a solid presence on the blue line, playing a career-high 82 games and posting the best goals-against average of the 17 defensemen to play at least 1,500 minutes. Former Kings GM Rob Blake made Gavrikov a contract offer last March, said Holland, who has since sweetened the deal twice. Replacing him, the GM said, could require a couple of signings. Kuzmenko, 29, reenergized the offense after coming over from Philadelphia at the trade deadline, with the Kings going 17-5 and averaging nearly four goals a game down the stretch. Kings fans cheer after Henry Brzustewicz is drafted by the team at No. 31 overall. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press) 'We like Kuzmenko. Kuzmenko likes it here; he likes his role,' Holland said. 'I'm talking to him. I talked two, three, four times this week with his agent. So we'll see.' Advertisement Signing both players would put a big dent in the Kings' $21.7 million in salary-cap space. 'We have a lot of cap space but it doesn't take much and it's gone,' Holland said. 'We've got to figure out how we want to spend our money and they need to figure out how much money they can get.' Aside from Gavrikov and Kuzmenko, the Kings don't have many loose ends to tie up. The team is confident it can get forward Alex Laferriere, a restricted free agent, to agree to a short-term deal and it has to decide whether to re-sign David Rittich, an unrestricted free agent, as the backup to starting goalkeeper Darcy Kuemper. Two players who could be moving on are forward Tanner Jeannot and defenseman Jordan Spence, both of whom are looking for more ice time and may have to leave to get it. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NHL Draft: Best Prospects Available After Round 1
The NHL draft never goes exactly the way anyone thinks. There are always a few surprises and twists that throw everyone for a loop. Every year, there are players that everyone expects to go in the first round of the NHL draft who fall to Day 2. Let's look at some of the most interesting and intriguing names remaining after the first round. Eric Nilson, C, Djurgarden (Swe.2) Nilson is one of the most intelligent and tactical centers in the draft. I've been high on him all year, and it took until the end of the year for the hype to begin to build, but it looks like it was a little too late. Nilson advances play with excellent decisions at both ends of the ice. He needs to bulk up, but the six-foot center has a ton of utility. He could be one of the first names off the board in the second round. Michal Svrcek, C/W, Brynas Jr. (Swe.) It's not shocking to see Svrcek's name on the board still, as he's an undersized forward who had a good but not great U-18s. Svrcek always drives excellent results, and he creates for teammates at a very high level. He has NHL-caliber speed and a relentless pace. He will have to continue proving people wrong about his size, but he could be a steal if he falls much more on Day 2. 2025 NHL Draft Tracker: Round 1 Picks, Reports, Rankings And More 2025 NHL Draft Tracker: Round 1 Picks, Reports, Rankings And More The 2025 NHL draft day is here. Check out the picks and scouting reports of the first round as they come in, as well as draft rankings and much more prospect coverage. Cameron Schmidt, RW, Vancouver Giants (WHL) Another undersized forward, Schmidt is an elite shooter who plays at top speed all the time. He doesn't let his size get in the way of trying to be a pest either, getting into players' faces, pushing guys around after the whistle and even laughing at defenders after he scores on them. The kid has a ton of moxie, and his play style is brash. Someone will get a nice prospect. Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) Fiddler is one of the most understated players in the draft. The defensive blueliner is a perfect complement to a skilled, offensively minded defender. He isn't a flashy or fun pick, but he is an effective and stout defensive player who can take the pressure off his defense partner. Malcolm Spence (Brandon Soto/OHL Images) Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie Otters (OHL) Spence not getting chosen in the first round was one of the bigger surprises. He is a very meat-and-potatoes kind of player. He has had some big moments internationally, and he is a rock-solid contributor in the OHL, but his game isn't consistently flashy. He is a crafty playmaker and a good shooter. Spence plays with a physical edge and understands how to play within a pro-style system. He could be a steal on Day 2. Shane Vansaghi, LW/C, Michigan State Univ. (NCAA) A physical, hard-working forward who lays it on the line every shift, Vansaghi is typically the kind of player NHL teams will call in the first round. His production at Michigan State is likely the reason he fell a bit. He was so close, so often when it came to finding the scoresheet in his freshman season, that there is room to believe a big sophomore year is in store. He's a pro-style forward, and someone will be ecstatic to draft him. Milton Gastrin, C/LW, MoDo Jr. (Swe.) Gastrin is smart and defensively responsible with legitimate moments of intriguing skill. He was on the edge of the first round on most draft boards, so it's not entirely shocking to not see him go on Day 1, but the versatility as a center and winger is enticing. He could be a sneaky good pick early on Saturday. Alexander Zharovsky, RW, Ufa Jr. (Rus.) Zharovsky, one of the most skilled and interesting players in the draft, skyrocketed up boards by the end of the season. There is a ton of risk because he needs some refinement in various parts of his game, but the intrigue had people discussing a possible first-round selection. We will have to see where he ends up because he's a big swing. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
