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The ECHL-protected list is set to be released within the next week. As teams prepare to review the list, the Tulsa Oilers will find themselves with a spot to fill. Left Wing Conner Roulette, in a significant decision, has chosen to further his education. He will be joining the University of Saskatchewan in the USports Conference, a move that deserves our support and understanding.
— Huskie Men's Hockey (@HuskieMHKY) June 4, 2025
SIGNED
Please welcome @ECHL forward Conner Roulette to the Pack!
A dynamic forward and the @tulsa_oilers Rookie of the Year, Conner also brings five years of @TheWHL experience with the @spokanechiefs, @BladesHockey, and @SeattleTbirds!@NutrienLTD is hiring. Apply today! pic.twitter.com/VyrX78eLhy
History
Conner Roulette, a 22-year-old from Winnipeg, Canada, has already carved out a remarkable career. His exceptional skills were evident from his early teens. This skill led to him being named Player of the Year following his U15 AAA championship season. In that season, Roulette’s performance was nothing short of extraordinary, with 34 games, 52 goals, 49 assists, and 101 points. The following season, he continued to impress, earning the title of Manitoba Midget Hockey League Rookie of the Year with 43 games played, 41 goals, 47 assists, and 88 points.
Roulette would start his Major Juniors climb in the 2018-19 season, joining the WHL. From the end of the 18-19 season, Conner would spend three seasons in Seattle, followed by a season on the Saskatoon Blades and one on the Spokane Chiefs. During his time in the WHL, Conner played 259 games with 118 goals, 170 assists, and 288 career points. During 2021, he was a member of the team that won the Canada U18 World Junior Championships gold, followed by being drafted by the Dallas Stars in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
In 2024, Roulette made the transition to the ECHL, joining the Tulsa Oilers at the end of their season. During his time with the Oilers, he played 69 games, scoring 18 goals, 18 assists, and 36 points. Now, as he prepares to return to school, we can only respect and appreciate his decision to balance his career with furthering his education.
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Could this young forward answer multiple questions for the Rangers?
Through much of his time with the New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad has been too good to be a second-line center, yet not quite a top liner for a contender. Now aging out of his prime, his play has dropped off the past two seasons, only rebounding when moved to the wing next to midseason acquisition J.T. Miller. That presents a problem for New York. The Rangers are not deep down the middle. Moving Zibanejad back to center provides that depth, putting Vincent Trochek back in his appropriate 3C role. But does Zibanejad again suffer without Miller? It also leaves the Blueshirts thin on the right side. Zibanejad can’t play two positions at once and the Rangers cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. There is a solution, however: Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. Anaheim and New York already have strong front office ties, with a pair of trades in the past eight months. The cross-continental line should be open. McTavish is precisely the player archetype that Rangers general manager Chris Drury has sought in this past year. The 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) and plays with a grit that Drury adores. An old-fashioned power forward in the making, McTavish hunts bodies, making life miserable for defenders on the forecheck and finds pockets of space when off the puck, where he unloads a cannon of a shot. An all-situations player, McTavish digs in the corners and is developing nicely as an offensive driver. McTavish is a hard worker who shows leadership traits. New Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan loves to play with speed and relentless pressure, a mantra that suits McTavish down to the ground. For a second-line center, McTavish’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but 52 points (22 goals) in 76 games for a bad Ducks team is nothing to sneeze at. In New York, he would also presumably get to play with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Given the playmaking ability of those wingers and McTavish’s heavy shot, 30-plus goals could be on the cards. Bleacher Report has stated that the Ducks are unlikely to extend McTavish an offer sheet, instead willing to match whatever offer comes his way. Does that mean he is on the trade block? At the very least it means that Anaheim will likely be willing to listen to offers. That said, it would take an almighty package to pry the former No. 3 pick out of Orange County. The Ducks would rightly command a first-round pick — if not two — and a highly-rated prospect. New York has its own first-rounders in store, as well as a, likely, late first-rounder next year, with second-round picks each year except 2027. Would New York part with a first, a second and a pair of its top prospects? The Rangers are loaded with left wing prospects. Whilst Gabe Perrault is likely off the table, Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora and Brett Berard should be discussed, as should defenseman E.J. Emery. Would picks and a pair of prospects be enough for Anaheim, though? Here’s a thought experiment: a deal centered around Will Cuylle. As mentioned, the Rangers have a raft of left wingers coming through and Lafreniere is also a natural left winger. Would trading Cuylle for McTavish solve the Rangers' issues at the pivot, allowing Zibanejad to help fix the right-hand side and give the team room to develop more youngsters on the left? Could this solve three issues in one swoop? It would be a, potentially, seismic move, but it might just make sense for both teams, especially if the Ducks are not looking to keep McTavish around long-term. It would complete a remarkable offseason for Drury.
Emerging Texans star likely to miss 2025 season
Texans wide receiver Tank Dell is likely to miss the entire 2025 season as he continues his recovery from last year’s brutal knee injury, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. Dell dislocated his knee and tore his ACL, MCL and LCL in a Week 16 loss to the Chiefs in December. With such a severe injury, Houston’s focus is on Dell’s health and long-term career outlook. The team wants him to get healthy rather than rushing back to play this year. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said (via Wilson) that Dell is “crushing the rehab,” but declined to offer a specific timeline. His comments hinted that the team is not counting on Dell to return this season. Injuries were always the biggest concern surrounding Dell. His 5-foot-7, 165-pound frame was already undersized by college standards; in the NFL, it’s minuscule. Sitting out this season will set up a major contract year in 2026. Dell will need to prove that he is back at full health and can remain there for an entire season while maintaining his production. Dell was placed on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, along with teammates Trent Brown and Jimmie Ward.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin's Secret Comments About George Pickens Exposed By ESPN Analyst
The Pittsburgh Steelers, in back-to-back offseasons, traded away a talented wide receiver. Heading into the 2024 NFL season, the team made the surprising decision to move on from Diontae Johnson, sending him to the Carolina Panthers. It was a bold move that left questions about depth behind George Pickens, but the Steelers appeared to have a long-term plan in mind. This week, fans got a clearer picture. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky had told Louis Riddick a story and Riddick exposed it on Get Up on Wednesday and shared a never-before-told story about Head Coach Mike Tomlin’s relationship with Pickens. According to Riddick, Tomlin once passionately defended his coaching approach to Orlovsky when questioned about how he handled Pickens, offering a glimpse into the challenges the Steelers faced behind closed doors. "I sat in a TV production meeting where Mike Tomlin chastised Dan Orlovsky for asking about George Pickens and why George Pickens wasn't maybe being reprimanded a little bit harsher," Riddick said. "And Mike in no uncertain terms, said, 'Look, you don't give up on talent like this at this point.' So trust me, he knew what he had on his hands, too. As far as the upside of this young man." While the full story behind Pickens’ departure may never be known, it’s becoming increasingly clear that off-field concerns weighed heavily on Tomlin’s mind. The Steelers knew Pickens was a rare talent, and that’s why Tomlin didn’t punish him as much as he probably could have. It wasn’t because he thought Pickens was good enough to get away with it, but because his coaching style is different for every player. In Tomlin’s mind, he still had faith that Pickens would mature, but it appears that growth just didn’t happen fast enough. "We were all, were like, whoa," Riddick said of the panels reaction to Tomlin's secret comments in that production meeting. "Mike was not playing around. He was like, 'Y'all know how this business works now.'" Riddick described the moment as tense, and as the quotes are now being shared, Steelers fans are likely picturing exactly how that meeting went down. Tomlin is known for being a direct, no-nonsense leader. If something bothers him, he speaks up, and it appears he did not appreciate being questioned by Orlovsky about his coaching style when it came to Pickens. Steelers Fans Starting To Understand More Details Behind The George Pickens Trade According to Riddick, Tomlin firmly defended his approach during the exchange. He explained that his coaching style depends on the individual player, and with Pickens, he chose to be patient rather than overly critical. Tomlin believed Pickens could grow with time and guidance. In his mind, treating every player the same does not always produce the best results, and he trusted that Pickens would eventually mature. Despite Tomlin’s belief in his potential, that growth never fully happened. As a result, the Steelers chose to make a change. With Pickens now gone and Metcalf brought in to lead the wide receiver room, Pittsburgh is turning the page. Still, the story behind Pickens’ exit is one that will stick with fans, especially as more behind-the-scenes details continue to surface.
Chicago Bears cut veteran following Day 1 of training camp
On Tuesday, the Chicago Bears announced they were signing veteran cornerback Tre Flowers ahead of their first day of practice for training camp. On Wednesday, the Bears announced they were parting ways with a veteran cornerback following Wednesday’s practice at Halas Hall in Lake Forest, Illinois. Per a post on X by the Bears, the team released cornerback Tarvarius Moore. Chicago extended Moore’s contract in March. He’s appeared in 72 games and started in 13 games. The San Francisco 49ers selected the Southern Miss standout in the third round of the 2018 draft. He played with the 49ers through 2022 before spending time with the Green Bay Packers in 2023. Tarvarius Moore played 11 games for the Chicago Bears Moore appeared in 11 games for the Bears in 2024. He was used primarily as a special teams player for Chicago and made seven tackles for the unit last season. Moore, 28, has recorded 115 tackles, one tackle for loss, six passes defensed, and two forced fumbles in his career. He had a notable moment in Super Bowl LIV when he picked off Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Following the release of Moore, the Bears have eight cornerbacks on the 91-man roster: Jaylon Johnson, Kyler Gordon, Zah Frazier, Josh Blackwell, Nahshon Wright, Nick McCloud, Shaun Wade, and Flowers.
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