On Facebook
On Flipboard
On Twitter
The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled forward Samuel Poulin from the AHL. This move reverses Poulin’s April 2 assignment, bringing the winger back to Pittsburgh before he could return to the AHL lineup.
Poulin is continuing to find his footing this season, after missing all of November with a high-ankle sprain and most of February with a separate lower-body injury. He played in his first three NHL games of the season in late March, recording two penalty minutes, two shots on goal, and a -1. He’s been much more effective in the minors, boasting 13 goals and 27 points in 36 games. Poulin’s 2022-23 season came to a very early close, as he took a personal leave of absence from December to April, limiting his workload to just 15 AHL games and three NHL games.
Pittsburgh is plenty confident in Poulin, taking him in the first-round of the 2019 NHL Draft. But his string of absences has so far kept him from receiving consistent ice time. He’s had a healthy streak as of late and is scoring at the highest rate of his pro career, but if that can carry into the NHL level is yet to be seen. Poulin will likely battle with Jesse Puljujarvi for a spot on the team’s fourth-line. Puljujarvi has served in a very minimal role recently, averaging roughly seven minutes of ice time over the Penguins’ last four games. He’s recorded one assist in that stretch – but Pittsburgh will need much bigger of a spark, currently three points outside of the Eastern Conference’s second wild card.
More must-reads:
- Carter Hart, others found not guilty in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial
- NFL Draft intel: NFC team covets these skills of Texas QB Arch Manning
- The 'Multiple 100-RBI MLB seasons' quiz
Breaking News
Trending News
TODAY'S BEST
How the Maple Leafs Will Deploy Easton Cowan This Season
He’s undoubtedly the next big thing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, in terms of prospects – especially after the trade that sent Fraser Minten to the Boston Bruins last season – but the next few months aren’t as transparent for Easton Cowan as some might want them to be. Coming off another strong season with the OHL’s London Knights, which included an OHL championship, a Memorial Cup championship and most valuable player honours in the Memorial Cup tournament, naturally Cowan’s next step would be to crack the Maple Leafs’ NHL roster. Right? But what if it isn’t that easy? There’s a reality here where Cowan misses out on the Maple Leafs’ roster again and starts the season elsewhere. Projecting the Maple Leafs’ Lineup As it stands, the Maple Leafs have four full lines with two other players ahead of Cowan on paper when it comes to the team’s depth chart – David Kämpf and Nick Robertson. The additions of Dakota Joshua, Nicolas Roy and Matias Maccelli have filled voids in the lineup and speculation around trading away Kämpf and Calle Järnkrok still linger. That said, even if Brad Treliving were to move on from Järnkrok and Kämpf, that would leave one spot in the current projected lineup for an opening night roster. Enter Robertson, who has an arbitration date early in August and could land that open spot. Even then, rumours have swirled that the Maple Leafs are still in the market for a potential top-six forward that could push players deeper in to the team’s lineup and, as a result, bump Cowan a little further down the depth chart. Middle Six Protection is Ideal for Cowan Upon NHL Arrival Even with his production in the OHL, given the projected lineup for the Maple Leafs, Cowan will have to truly stand out in camp to crack the opening night roster for the 2025-26 season. It’s not a commentary on his inabilities, nor a lack of skill. Rather it’s a discussion of the necessary development needed to help him be successful and stay in the NHL when that time comes. It would be detrimental to Cowan if the Maple Leafs were to start him in the NHL and for him to find himself in and out of the lineup to kick off his rookie campaign. Likewise, filling in a fourth line role would also hinder his development. How is he supposed to take the next step in his growth with seven to eight minutes of playing time? When the time comes that Cowan makes the jump to the NHL, his spot should be in a middle-six role, with some powerplay opportunities. Playing a middle-six role would allow him to see 12 to 15 minutes of ice-time per game while still protecting him from playing against opposing top lines, at least to start his career. Now, that’s not to say he can’t work his way up the lineup into a top-six role. But it goes back to the old Detroit Red Wings’ mentality – what’s the rush in developing your top prospects? Maple Leafs Can’t Develop Cowan Like Robertson The issue with bringing Cowan into a bottom-six role too early is one that could affect his overall development. While it’s hard to compare two players – with both having different mental approaches to the game, different abilities on the ice and just overall – the rush to get a prospect into the NHL prior to developing their game at the AHL level has some recency bias when it comes to the organization. Take Robertson for example. A drafted, home-grown, talented forward who has been in and out of the Maple Leafs lineup since his debut in the playoffs in 2019-20, Robertson’s journey to become a regular for the team has been well-documented. The argument can be made that injuries played a role in setting Robertson back at times in his career, but they were just a piece of the puzzle that has hindered his overall growth at times. For the Maple Leafs to repeat this process with Cowan, it would be a mistake. Cowan has been highly-touted by the organization ever since they drafted him – surprisingly to some – with the 28th overall pick in 2023. Since then, he’s gone on to have 165 points in 100 regular season games in the OHL with two OHL championships and a Memorial Cup win. But that doesn’t mean his path to the NHL is done just yet. Maple Leafs Should Set the Path for Cowan’s Climb A start elsewhere doesn’t mean that we won’t see Cowan in the NHL this season. Having signed his entry-level contract, Cowan is ineligible to play at the NCAA level. But there is another option. Cowan can kick off the season with a strong AHL program in the Toronto Marlies. He would still be in the city – a city that thrives on their hockey – and he would be right around the corner from the big club. This would provide him the opportunity to take the next step in his development without exposing him right away to NHL-level criticism and opposition. The jump from major junior to the NHL isn’t always as smooth as we make it seem. In saying that, it almost seems irresponsible if the Maple Leafs don’t have that conversation with Cowan before sending him to the Marlies. Let him know that he’s the next to be called up if he can show that same level of commitment to the Marlies that he has throughout his junior career. If he can, and the Maple Leafs either make a move early in the season or have a significant injury, then Cowan becomes the next guy on the list to don the blue and white. It’s not necessarily about giving him an opportunity to jump straight from the OHL to the NHL, rather it’s about having the team communicate with the player to let them know where their head is at. As for Cowan, he’s a competitive player that believes he should be in the NHL and wants to be in the NHL. That desire alone will get him there in due time. But it’s fair for the organization not to cheat the development process with this particular prospect. It’s time to do it the right way and make sure they set Cowan up for success – with a long and prosperous career as a piece to a winning organization in the Maple Leafs.
Aaron Rodgers Throws Interception on First Steelers Pass
The first training camp practice of the year didn't get off to a roaring start for Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. In a video posted by SteelersWRobbie on X, Rodgers can be seen getting intercepted by inside linebacker Patrick Queen while targeting wide receiver DK Metcalf on the first pass of team drills at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. Prior to that, however, Rodgers got in plenty of work with Metcalf without any defenders on the field as the pair continues building chemistry. While Rodgers throwing a pick on his first official attempt of camp isn't a good omen, it doesn't signal any impending struggles during what's likely to be the 41-year-old's final season of his career. The four-time MVP is still adapting to his new surroundings, and it wouldn't come as a surprise if he were to be a bit behind schedule as things get underway in camp. To liken the situation to baseball, it's rare to see pitchers have their best stuff or throw at maximum velocity in spring training. The same goes for Rodgers in this case, as it's unreasonable to expect that he'd be at the top of his game right off the bat. Though Metcalf's initial target from Rodgers as teammates produced a negative result, the pair should connect with regularity throughout the season. They held a throwing session at UCLA shortly after Metcalf was dealt to Pittsburgh from the Seattle Seahawks in March, and he was among the Steelers receivers who joined Rodgers for a workout in Malibu earlier this offseason. During an appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show" in June, Rodgers revealed that Metcalf was a major factor in him deciding to sign with the Steelers following his release from the New York Jets. "DK is a lead-by-example guy, and he's a big reason why I'm in Pittsburgh as well," Rodgers said. "Conversations that we had, and just the kind of person that he is." Rodgers, who threw for 3,897 yards and 28 touchdowns with the Jets last season, owns the lowest interception percentage in league history at 1.4, so Steelers fans shouldn't expect to see too many mistakes from the future Hall of Famer this season.
New Third Base Trade Options For Yankees Emerge
The Rolling Stones knew what they were talking about while belting out "You Can't Always Get What You Want." It's very possible New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman will find himself humming that tune ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline. The Yankees, like several contenders, are shopping for a power-hitting third baseman. Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star slugger Eugenio Suarez sits atop everyone's list. Running a distant second and third are Colorado Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon and Pittsburgh Pirates Gold Glover Ke'Bryan Hayes. After that, it could be slim pickings. Should Cashman find himself scrambling to make a deal, here are a couple of new names entering the conversation. "Amed Rosario would be a good fit for Yankees," the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported Monday. "Played a lot of 3B this year. .802 lifetime OPS vs. lefties (.845 this year). Suarez is top target but many would qualify as upgrades." Rosario is hitting .271 with five home runs and 18 RBIs this season for the Washington Nationals. But the nine-year veteran has big-market experience, making his MLB debut with the New York Mets in 2017. The 29-year-old is making $2 million this season and will be a free agent after the World Series, according to Spotrac. But wait, there's more. "Other possible third-base trade targets include Royals All-Star Maikel Garcia — in theory, Kansas City would have interest in one of the Yankees’ outfielders to play left field for them," The Athletic's Jim Bowden reported Monday. Garcia, who made the American League roster for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, is hitting .291 this season with eight home runs and 41 RBIs. The 25-year-old is in his fourth big-league season and is making almost $775,000 this season, according to Spotrac. Garcia still has four years of arbitration eligibility remaining, so he won't come cheap. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! MLB Trade Rumors: Yankees Linked To Red-Hot Reliever Yankees Linked to Former Outfielder in Juicy Trade Rumor Yankees Could Land Infielder With World Series MVP Comparison Will Yankees Use Red-Hot Prospect As Trade Bait? Yankees One-Stop Shopping Pirates?
Phillies Predicted to Strike Three-Team Trade with Yankees for Outfield Upgrade
The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be active ahead of the trade deadline, and one glaring need stands out above the rest: find a new center fielder. Philadelphia’s current outfield mix of Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, Max Kepler, and Johan Rojas has underwhelmed, sending the president of baseball operations, Dave Dombrowski, to the trade market to find an upgrade. While a long-term solution like Boston’s Jarren Duran or even a rental like Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins would be ideal, the Phillies may pivot toward a cheaper option. One name gaining traction is New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham, who CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa predicts the Phillies to acquire in a three-team trade at the deadline. "The Phillies badly need an outfielder. A center fielder, preferably," wrote Axisa. "The Yankees are rumored to be open to moving one of their three non-Aaron Judge outfielders (Grisham, Cody Bellinger, Jasson Domínguez) for a badly needed third baseman.” Axisa continues by explaining how a trade between the Phillies, Yankees, and Minnesota Twins could fulfill each team’s deadline needs. “The Phillies and Yankees don't match up well for an outfielder-for-third baseman trade, which is where the Twins come in. Rental Grisham for rental (Willi) Castro makes no sense for Minnesota. If they're selling, they won't want a rental. They'll want controllable young players, so a three-team trade in which Grisham goes to Philadelphia, Phillies prospects go to Minnesota, and Castro goes to the Yankees could be in the cards." Grisham is in the middle of a career year, already tying a personal best in home runs (17) and posting a career-high .833 OPS. For Philadelphia, acquiring the left-handed hitter would almost be perfect, outside of a blockbuster deal for the aforementioned Jarren Duran. The Phillies would replace Kepler in the lineup with Grisham and shift Marsh from center to left field, adding depth to the outfield in the process. Moreover, Grisham, an impending free agent, wouldn’t disrupt the club’s long-term plan for top prospect Justin Crawford to take over center field in 2026. He wouldn’t crowd an already packed outfield full of players vying for roles, either. While the move could further agitate Kepler—who’s already criticized manager Rob Thomson over limited playing time—the Phillies must act now. With their World Series window closing, they must capitalize on every opportunity to strengthen the roster.
Customize Your Newsletter
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
PRIVACY POLICY EDITORIAL POLICY CONTACT US
ABOUT YARDBARKER TERMS OF SERVICE
Use of this website (including any and all parts and
components) constitutes your acceptance of these
Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
This site is for entertainment purposes only.
There is no gambling offered on this site.
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
