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With 25 years of coaching experience, the Chicago Blackhawks hired Tampa Bay Lightning assistant coach Jeff Blashill for his second NHL head coaching gig. Chicago’s future has Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov, and more. Therefore, this job is an exciting opportunity for Blashill, who spent seven seasons with the Detroit Red Wings from 2015-22 as the bench boss.
Despite Blashill’s great opportunity, the Lightning are left with a vacant role in their coaching staff heading into the summer of 2025. However, there are plenty of good candidates out there to fill the position. Let’s explore some early options to replace the Lightning’s assistant coach.
Derek Lalonde
The first option for an assistant coach replacement is a familiar face. Detroit fired Derek Lalonde mid-season (Dec. 26) and replaced him with Todd McLellan. Before his head coaching position in Detroit, Lalonde was an assistant coach on Jon Cooper’s staff in Tampa Bay for four seasons from 2018-22. He helped Tampa Bay reach three Stanley Cup Finals and win two Stanley Cup championships.
With Lalonde out of work, a reunion in Tampa Bay is one of the best options available. After all, his climb up the ranks to become an NHL coach is unbelievable. He started as an assistant coach for Division 1 college hockey, followed by working his way up through major junior and minor league teams, even winning the United States Hockey League (USHL) title with the Green Bay Gamblers in his first season as a head coach in 2011-22. In summary, the track record of success and familiarity when Lalonde was with the organization make him an intriguing option for the Lightning next season if he’s interested in returning.
Drew Bannister
Drew Bannister is another coach who’s worked hard to get to the head coaching position at the NHL level. He got promoted to an interim head coach role for the St. Louis Blues in 2023-24, where he posted a record of 30-19-5, turning the Blues’ season around. However, he lost his job the following fall to Jim Montgomery after St. Louis got off to a sluggish 9-12-1 under his expertise. Despite Montgomery completely transforming the Blues, Bannister has the potential to be a good coach in the league one day.
Under the guidance of one of the best in Cooper, Bannister can learn under him for a few seasons and then get another shot at a full-time head coaching role. Look at Blashill, who lost his head coaching job in Detroit but now has another opportunity in Chicago. Bannister brings experience from coaching three different American Hockey League (AHL) teams and may be worth taking a flier on to fill the Lightning’s vacant role.
John Tortorella
Lastly, we couldn’t finish this list without including one of the most infamous coaches in NHL history. John Tortorella served as the Lightning’s bench boss for the 2004 Stanley Cup championship. Bringing him back to the organization is a possibility this summer. The Philadelphia Flyers fired Tortorella mid-season (March 27), and he still has some valuable coaching qualities to apply to the modern NHL. While some argue his tactics as a head coach might be outdated, he was able to squeeze a lot out of an underwhelming Flyers’ roster in his time there.
Rumors floated around Tortorella returning to the New York Rangers coaching staff in a lesser role recently, where he served as their head coach for a portion of his career. A crowd of Lightning fans argue the defensive structure was worse after Lalonde’s departure. Therefore, Tortorella could be a solution to tighten up Tampa Bay’s defensive zone as an assistant coach.
Closing Thoughts
While all these assistant coaching options are well-known names, the Blashill hire is fresh news, and the Lightning have yet to be linked to a new candidate. However, with time, expect Tampa Bay to close in on some candidates and replenish their coaching staff. Following three straight first-round exits, this could be a positive change for the Lightning, who will look to get back to the later rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022.
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Veteran wideout announces retirement from NFL
Mohamed Sanu‘s playing days have officially come to an end. The veteran receiver announced on Friday that he has retired. “After 10+ years in the NFL, my playing chapter is closing,” Sanu wrote on X. “Grateful for every coach, teammate fan. Excited to give back through coaching share the game in a new way with the Facts Over Stats podcast. The Journey continues.” Mohamed Sanu hasn't played in years Sanu last played a regular-season game in 2021, and he very briefly spent time with the Dolphins the following summer. Given the time that has elapsed since Friday’s announcement, it is certainly an unexpected one. Nevertheless, it marks an end to the 36-year-old’s career as a player. Selected in the third round of the 2012 draft, Sanu played out his rookie contract with the Bengals. He established himself as a starting-caliber receiver during that period, a status that remained consistent throughout his Falcons tenure (2016-19). In the 2018 campaign, Sanu set a new personal mark with 838 receiving yards; that season also marked the only time one of his eight career pass attempts (four of which resulted in a touchdown) fell incomplete. After a midseason trade saw him finish the year with the Patriots, the Rutgers product split his time between the 49ers and Lions the following campaign. Sanu saw a downturn in usage and production during that span, and he remained a part-time contributor upon returning to San Francisco for 2021. After being released by the Dolphins in August 2022, no known visits took place, and no further playing opportunities presented themselves. Multiple years removed from his final playing action in the NFL, Sanu will now officially turn his attention to other pursuits. In all, he played 145 combined regular and postseason games and amassed nearly $32M in career earnings.
Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman has message for Chris Ash after Purdue game
The defense has been the story of No. 24 Notre Dame through the first three games of the season. First-year defensive coordinator Chris Ash has struggled to pick up where Al Golden left the unit when he bolted for the Cincinnati Bengals after the national championship game. On Saturday, the Irish defense gave up 23 points to Purdue in the first half before Notre Dame ran away in the second half to win their first game of the season 56-30 in front of 77,622 fans at Notre Dame Stadium. Following the contest, Irish head coach Marcus Freeman told the media that Ash needed to do a better job of matching pressure with his coverage scheme. "Marcus Freeman says Notre Dame needs to do a better job of 'marrying up' coverage with pressure from the defensive front," wrote Tyler Horka of On3 Sports. Notre Dame was panicking on defense Freeman added that the defense was panicking when they changed coverage schemes, but couldn't stop Purdue in the first half. Boilermakers quarterback Ryan Browne diced up the zone coverage, much like Marcel Reed did in Texas A M's 41-40 win over the Irish in Week 2. Freeman defended Ash after the loss to the Aggies, saying the defense's execution was more important than the play calling. The head coach had the same message for his players after beating Purdue. "I don't think they're confused," Freeman said of the defense. "We just aren't executing. But it isn't like our guys don't know what they're doing. They know what they're doing." Freshman quarterback CJ Carr and the offense look capable of going undefeated for the rest of the regular season and competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff. But the defense is going to have to get better if they want to play meaningful football in December-January. Notre Dame's defense was a problem in Week 1 in Miami. Even though the Hurricanes were held to 27 points, Miami could have put up more points if quarterback Carson Beck had been allowed to play as aggressively in the fourth quarter as he had earlier in the game. When Ash calls zone, he's going to have to find a way to generate a pass-rush. All three quarterbacks Notre Dame has faced this season have shown an ability to find open spots in the secondary when they have time to throw in the pocket.
Brewers announce pitcher who will take Brandon Woodruff’s turn through the rotation
Over the weekend, the Milwaukee Brewers announced devastating news that Brandon Woodruff was being placed on the injured list with a lat strain. He first felt the discomfort during a bullpen over the weekend, the strain has been labeled moderate, and there is not much optimism that he will be ready for the playoffs. With just a week remaining in the regular season and the NLDS set to begin on October 4, the long-term focus for Woodruff is clearly his postseason availability. In the short term, however, the Brewers had a more immediate challenge: finding someone to step into his spot in the rotation. Milwaukee Brewers announce which pitcher will take Brandon Woodruff’s turn through the rotation On Saturday, the Brewers designated Joel Payamps for assignment and selected the contract of Bruce Zimmermann. The 30 year hasn’t made a big league appearance since 2023, but in a twist of fate he is now slated to start Tuesday against the San Diego Padres, which originally was Woodruff’s day to pitch; As Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reported, Zimmermann was told straight up that he was coming up for one day with the Brewers. However, with Woodruff being diagnosed with a lat strain that same day, plans changed, and he now will start at least one game for Milwaukee. Notably, with Zimmermann scheduled to pitch on Tuesday, he lines up to start the Brewers’ final regular season game against the Reds. Even if he doesn’t get the start, he’ll be available to pitch, giving Milwaukee the option to use him for bulk innings without risking another last-minute injury to one of their key arms heading into the playoffs. Zimmermann brings some experience to the table, with 27 career big-league starts under his belt. As a starter, he had a 4.11 ERA in Triple-A this season. While his role may seem minor in the shadow of the Woodruff injury, his performance could still play a meaningful part in helping the Brewers secure the best record in baseball, which would guarantee them home field advantage throughout the playoffs. He also could have a hand in whether or not Cincinnati makes the post season or not.
Rival Teams 'Upset' With Dodgers Due to Shohei Ohtani Rule
However the Dodgers decide to use star pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani in the postseason, the generational talent gives LA a massive advantage. Because of a unique rule that applies only to players as unique as Ohtani, the Dodgers could turn their superstar into an even bigger advantage. Every team in MLB is limited to a maximum playoff roster of 26 players, with no more than 13 spots reserved for pitchers. Ohtani will be able to enter the postseason as a designated hitter and will not take up one of the 13 spots as a pitcher despite the Dodgers planning on utilizing Ohtani as a starting pitcher. "Teams are upset that the Dodgers will have one more pitcher than everyone else on their roster since there’s a special exemption for Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player," USA Today's Bob Nightengale wrote. "If Ohtani is a starting pitcher, he can remain in the game as a DH once he’s replaced on the mound. But if he starts the game as a DH and pitches out of the bullpen, the Dodgers would lose the DH once his relief appearance is over. The only way Ohtani could stay in the game would be moving to the outfield, where he hasn’t played since 2021." Ohtani has expressed his willingness to play in the outfield if it means giving the Dodgers a roster advantage in the postseason. However, it is likely, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, that Ohtani will not be making a surprise appearance in the outfield. One factor that will be at play with Ohtani's ability to contrtibute as a starting pitcher will be his longevity. After recovering from a torn UCL in the 2023 season and serving as a designated hitter exclusively in 2024, Ohtani returned to the mound in 2025. While Ohtani has performed well with a 3.29 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, he hasn't pitched more than five innings in a single start. Ohtani's limited use is a strategy by the Dodgers to save their superstar's arm for the big moments that are offered in October. Ohtani has one more scheduled start for the regular season when the Dodgers travel to Arizona to face the Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. Latest Dodgers News
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