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The Carolina Hurricanes are down 3-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals, and now, Rod Brind'Amour has called out his star players for their struggles.
After rolling through their first two series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Carolina Hurricanes are now on the back foot, falling to 0-3 against the Florida Panthers as they have now lost 15 straight games played in the Eastern Conference Finals.
With Game 4 set to take place in Florida, the odds are completely stacked against the 'Canes after big series wins over the Washington Capitals and the New Jersey Devils, and the frustration is clearly getting to this team.
After the Game 3 defeat by a one-sided score of 6-2, Rod Brind'Amour called out some of his biggest names, as he had this to say in the post-game press conference with their season now on the line.
'Can't be Jordan Staal and Martinook being our best players, and they are every night'
These comments were not made to shade either Jordan Staal or Jordan Martinook, as they've both been solid in this series, but no one would consider them the two best players on the team, as Brind'Amour is likely calling out the play of guys like Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho, who simply haven't been difference makers in this series so far.
While those two lead the team in scoring this post-season with a combined 25, they are a combined -5 thus far in three games against the Panthers, and with those top stars being outperformed at every moment in this series, it's just given them no chance to put good performances up on the board.
Ultimately, the Panthers chances of coming back from a 3-0 deficit are slim to none, and while a road win in Game 4 would give them a chance, unless Aho, Jarvis and young names like Logan Stankoven and Alexander Nikishin can produce something special, this series is all but over.
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Maple Leafs’ Offseason Departures Not Named Mitch Marner
With no disrespect to new faces like Matias Maccelli, Nicolas Roy, and Dakota Joshua, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ offseason has been defined by their departures. Just four days after the club was ousted in Game 7 of the Second Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Florida Panthers, it was announced that team president Brendan Shanahan’s contract would not be renewed, thus ending the ‘Shanaplan’ era. The early summer was dominated by the divorce between the Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner, culminating in a sign-and-trade that saw the team’s reigning leading scorer land with the Vegas Golden Knights. Somewhere along the way, key assistant coach Lane Lambert was hired by the Seattle Kraken to be their new bench boss. With those departures (particularly Marner) dominating the headlines, it was easy to miss the less significant but still noteworthy personnel losses from the organization. Toronto should still be just fine with Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Matthew Knies, and John Tavares in tow, but it’s worth noting some of the outgoing players while trying to understand why they are no longer with the club. Pontus Holmberg Of all the players from the 2024-25 Maple Leafs’ roster who are no longer with the club, Pontus Holmberg may be the biggest head-scratcher. The versatile 26-year-old earned the praises of head coach Craig Berube (and even, at one point, a promotion to the second line) for his two-way play and ability to draw penalties, demonstrating his value even while managing only seven goals on the season. He even saw action in all but one of the team’s 13 postseason games. To make matters all the more confounding, Holmberg wasn’t even an unrestricted free agent. General manager (GM) Brad Treliving and the Maple Leafs opted not to extend a qualifying offer to the Swede, leaving him to sign a two-year, $3.1 million contract with the division rival Tampa Bay Lightning amidst reports that he was highly sought-after. Treliving has since admitted concerns over what Holmberg might have cost the organization in arbitration and whether they could fit him in under the cap. Max Pacioretty Ahead of last season, Max Pacioretty earned a spot on the Maple Leafs on a professional tryout in training camp and was signed to a one-year deal. The 35-year-old veteran of 939 NHL games rewarded the club with some standout moments in blue and white, including three clutch playoff goals. Unfortunately, the six-time 30-goal scorer also stayed true to his injury-prone reputation, suiting up for just 37 regular season games. The fact that Pacioretty has not yet returned to the fold does not seal his fate with the Maple Leafs organization. There is still time for him to sign a low-risk one-year deal as a respected veteran in the locker room who can still produce when healthy. The former Montreal Canadiens captain proved last season that he still had some gas left in the tank, so he will likely find an NHL home before opening night. Whether that home is in Toronto or not will likely depend on the club’s roster and cap situation, and his fit within it. Ryan Reaves The departure of a player probably shouldn’t be a big news story when said player is coming off a season of 35 games, no goals and a measly two assists, but that’s a testament to the force of personality that is Ryan Reaves. The long-time enforcer earned some fans over two seasons in Toronto by being loud and brash while dropping the gloves on occasion. However, the writing was on the wall for the 38-year-old when he was assigned to the Toronto Marlies back in March. Quite simply, there was no room for him on the Maple Leafs’ roster and the $1.35 million remaining on his contract could be put to better use elsewhere. Treliving did well to find a home for him in San Jose while adding some valuable defensive depth in 24-year-old Henry Thrun. Toronto will need to find a new face for their pre-game scoreboard pump up video, but swapping out Reaves for Thrun was a tidy bit of business that saved the club $350,000 while bringing in a more useful player. Marlies Forwards Sure, the Maple Leafs are poised to feel the loss of Marner, but let’s not diminish the impact of this summer’s moves on the Marlies. The American Hockey League club has lost three of its top six scoring leaders up front from a season ago, watching Alex Steeves reunite with Fraser Minten in Boston, Nick Abruzzese land in Tampa Bay, and Joseph Blandisi sign in Russia. Furthermore, Kyle Clifford recently opted to hang up the skates and transition into a front office role with the organization. Steeves had a memorable 2024-25 campaign, becoming the Marlies’ all-time leading scorer during a 36-goal campaign and notching his first career NHL goal as well. The 25-year-old would likely have been in contention for a spot on the NHL roster to start the season, making his exit a surprising one. While none of Blandisi, Abruzzese, or Clifford was expected to play a meaningful role with the Maple Leafs, their absence will surely be felt at Coca-Cola Coliseum this season. With Blandisi gone, who is left to charge off the ice like a madman at the end of warm-ups? You Might Also Like Jani Hakanpaa Assuming we’ve reached the end of the road for Jani Hakanpaa and the Maple Leafs, then what a curious one-year journey it was. First he was signed, then he wasn’t, then he was again. And all that whole offseason of confusion amounted to was two games played, as the 33-year-old defenceman was limited by the same knee problems that held up his signing in the first place. At his end-of-season media availability, Treliving addressed the Hakanpaa signing and admitted, “There was always a risk. We took a swing and it didn’t work out.” Given that assessment of the club’s one-year experiment with the Finnish blueliner, it’s highly unlikely that we will see him in blue and white again. Matt Murray The Maple Leafs (then under GM Kyle Dubas) raised eyebrows when they acquired Matt Murray from the Ottawa Senators to shore up their goaltending situation in the summer of 2022. They drew another curious reaction when, after two underwhelming seasons, they re-signed the free agent netminder last summer. Three seasons, however, appears to be enough, as the oft-injured goaltender signed with Lambert and the Kraken in July. Murray struggled with injuries and underperformance in his first season in Toronto. In year two, he was healthy for all of three games with the Marlies. He actually played well for the franchise’s AHL affiliate last season (10-5-4 record with .934% save percentage and a 1.72 goals against average), but it wasn’t enough to keep him around. With Dennis Hildeby and Artur Akhtyamov poised to take the reins between the pipes with the Marlies, it remains to be seen whether the organization will add further veteran goaltending depth behind Maple Leafs netminders Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll. Marlies’ Finnish Contingent Earlier, we discussed departures from the Marlies amongst the forward corps. That doesn’t even include the hits that the AHL team took to their back end – and pretty much all from one part of the world, no less. Indeed, it was a tough summer if you were a Finnish defenceman in the Maple Leafs’ system. Beyond the outgoing Hakanpaa, Topi Niemela, Roni Hirvonen, and Mikko Kokkonen all signed contracts overseas. Niemela and Hirvonen each received qualifying offers from the Maple Leafs, allowing the club to retain their NHL rights even as they head to Finland and Sweden, respectively. Kokkonen, however, has departed the organization entirely. Either way, the fact that all three youngsters (Niemela and Hirvonen are 23, Kokkonen is 24) will be playing elsewhere next season demonstrates that the shine has come off what were once top prospects and that Treliving probably didn’t hold them in the same regard as Dubas, who selected them early in the 2019 and 2020 NHL Entry Drafts. It goes without saying that none of these losses carry the emotional weight or on-ice impact of Marner. But in a city where even fourth-line grinders can be household names, each of these aforementioned absences will be felt in one way or another.
Commanders sign multiple veteran players
Daryl Worley has reached an agreement to join a 10th NFL team. The veteran defensive back, whom the Titans turned to as a fill-in starter last season, is joining the Commanders, per The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala. Washington, which also added wide receivers River Cracraft and Mike Strachan (via Jhabvala), is bringing in Worley after a recent workout (h/t KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson). Worley, who spent three seasons with the Ravens, will return to the mid-Atlantic region as a Commanders DB option. None of Worley’s previous stops involved Dan Quinn or GM Adam Peters, though Worley did stop through Dallas in 2020. Worley, 30, has seen action for the Panthers, Raiders, Cowboys, Bills, Lions, Ravens and Titans. This nomadic career also included brief Eagles and Cardinals stopovers. This is not quite Josh Johnson pace, but the double-digit team club is certainly a milestone in journeyman lore. Perhaps some discussions can commence on this topic, as the quarterback joined the Commanders this offseason. While Worley (54 starts from 2017-20) found himself a regular Ravens practice squad callup — en route to being a PFR “Minor NFL Transactions” staple in those years — he logged seven starts for the Titans last season. A former cornerback in his regular starter days, Worley has transitioned to safety. He spent most of his Tennessee stint as a free safety or in the box for the struggling team, making 52 tackles, notching a forced fumble intercepting a pass. With Washington, the ex-third-round pick joins Will Harris, Quan Martin, Percy Butler and special teams ace Jeremy Reaves at safety. Cracraft, 30, served as a minor Dolphins receiving contributor over the past three seasons. Following Mike McDaniel from San Francisco to Miami, Cracraft caught 25 passes for 289 yards and three TDs in Miami from 2022-24. The former UDFA, whose 49ers stint came during Peters’ time in San Francisco, has now seen game action in each of the past seven seasons. He will vie for a backup job with Washington.
Tennessee's groundbreaking Adidas deal a game-changer for college sports in NIL era
The Tennessee Volunteers are going back to Adidas as its primary apparel provider after a decade of wearing the Nike swoosh. On Wednesday, Adidas announced a $100M, 10-year deal to be the exclusive apparel provider for the school's sports teams. The deal is set to begin on July 1, 2026, following the expiration of the current agreement with Nike. On the surface, it's just another apparel deal between two popular brands, but in the era of NIL (name, image and likeness) in college sports, it's a game-changing agreement. As part of the agreement, Adidas will establish a fund for NIL deals between the University of Tennessee and student-athletes. The German-based company will provide Tennessee with at least $10 million annually for the NIL deals, which, as of now, is about half of the $20.5 million that schools participating in the revenue-sharing model are allowed to give directly to student-athletes. That figure will almost assuredly increase with each passing year, meaning both current and future Tennessee Volunteers will benefit directly from this deal. Adidas will aim to make top student-athletes brand ambassadors by giving them national marketing campaigns and signature shoe lines. With NIL deals becoming a centerpiece of how college athletic departments attract top recruits, this deal is a bellwether for how apparel deals will be renegotiated across the world of college sports. Of course, at the center of this deal is football, as it remains the most popular sport in the country. According to The Athletic, the Volunteers' football program is estimated to be valued at $1.37B, the ninth-highest valuation in college football. It's only natural, then, that Adidas wants to get its logo back on Tennessee football jerseys. Adidas sponsored the team for 20 years before the university switched to Nike in 2014. While some fans were hoping Tennessee would re-up their partnership with Nike, fans who remember the 1998 National Championship team will probably feel good seeing the Adidas logo on the jersey again. Adidas also sweetened the deal by providing assurances that Tennessee athletics can design its apparel in-house, in collaboration with the company. Aside from nostalgia and big business, Tennessee and Adidas both know that for the school to remain one of the top programs in the country, they'll need star recruits. Before the ascendance of NIL deals, recruiting top talent was a mix of promising top-of-the-line facilities and flaunting the pedigree of the program. NIL money has changed that equation and already impacted Tennessee. In April, star quarterback Nico Iamaleava shocked the school by not reporting to spring practice and transferring to UCLA. Reports suggested part of the disagreements between Iamaleava and the school was over his NIL deal. How Iamaleava plays this season will make Tennessee wonder if it should've allocated more NIL money to keeping him happy. If that's the case, it's safe to wonder if Tennessee will tap into this deal as much as possible to keep future stars away from the transfer portal. This deal with Adidas certainly opens new doors for athletes to maximize their branding and will test the NIL distribution system over the next decade. Expect these types of deals to become the norm, too, as universities seek every competitive advantage against one another.
Six NBA players most likely to be traded
NBA teams won't assemble for training camp until September, but some players may not be on those teams for long. Here are six NBA players likely to get traded in the upcoming season. 1. Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz Some NBA teams go all-in. The Utah Jazz have gone all-out, ditching veterans Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson and John Collins this summer. Their lone remaining high-priced player is Lauri Markkanen, a 2023 All-Star who has four years and $196M left on his contract. He had a down year in 2024-25, playing just 47 games and dropping to 19 points per game, but the Jazz were also holding Markkanen out so much that they got fined. Markkanen's shooting would fit on nearly any NBA team, and he's still only 28 years old. The Jazz have amassed a lot of future draft picks, but many of them aren't great — pick swaps with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves, and a 2027 Los Angeles Lakers first-rounder. Trading their Finnish superstar could get them a huge return, especially if NBA teams are seeing him dominate in EuroBasket exhibition games. 2. Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors It seems like a foregone conclusion that Jonathan Kuminga will resign with the Golden State Warriors and equally inevitable that the Warriors will then try to trade their 22-year-old forward. The only holdup is that the restricted free agent and his team can't agree on a new contract. The Warriors need to get something back for their former lottery pick, but they also need to preserve his salary slot. Kuminga and his agent couldn't work out a sign-and-trade this summer, but once free agents who signed this summer can be traded Dec. 15, far more trade options will open up. Kuminga doesn't want to be on the Warriors. The Warriors don't want to guarantee him playing time. The breakup looks like it's coming. 3. Anfernee Simons, Boston Celtics In a year where the Boston Celtics have dramatically slashed their payroll in Jayson Tatum's absence, they have a huge incentive to deal Anfernee Simons, the guard acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers in the Jrue Holiday trade. Getting rid of Simons gets them under the luxury tax, which is worth tens of millions of dollars, while also keeping the Celtics out of penalties for repeatedly being a tax team. It all depends on whether the Celtics will settle for the financial savings or hold out to get assets back for the impending free agent. But Simons is almost certainly headed somewhere. 4. P.J. Washington, Dallas Mavericks P.J. Washington was a huge part of the Dallas Mavericks' run to the NBA Finals in 2024. Unfortunately, he plays the same position as the guy the Mavericks just took with the No. 1 pick in the draft, Cooper Flagg. The Mavericks also have Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and the newly-extended Daniel Gafford. Washington and his expiring contract are now expendable. 5. CJ McCollum/Khris Middleton, Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards took on McCollum and Middleton in trades in the past year, moves that were primarily made to shed the long-term salaries of Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma. But even though those players were both born in 1991, they should still be able to contribute to winning teams in 2025-26. The Wizards may value their veteran leadership, but they also have a roster full of recent draft picks who need playing time — and you can never have too many future draft picks.
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