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The 2025 Stanley Cup Final matchup has been set, with the Florida Panthers taking on the Edmonton Oilers. This is a rematch of last season, when the Panthers took down the Oilers in a dramatic seven-game series.
This is a matchup that not many people predicted, with each team looking much less formidable entering the postseason. But they both have persevered, and now they will have a chance to hoist the trophy up.
One playoff prediction that caught attention entering the playoffs came from NHL legend Wayne Gretzky. Gretzky predicted that the Oilers would make it back to the Stanley Cup Final, but that they would be facing off against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Ironically, for Gretzky, the Panthers took down the Lightning in the first round of the playoffs. But his pick of the Oilers remains very much alive.
Gretzky changed his preseason pick, and if he had kept it, it would have been correct. The Great One had these two teams in the rematch to begin the season, but at least he got one of the two teams correct.
It's been a LONG season so now we have to look back at the guys' Stanley Cup picks from Opening Night pic.twitter.com/JeetN4ZUfb
— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) April 19, 2025
Florida finished third in the Atlantic Division and will start this championship series on the road. The Panthers have not held home-ice advantage through the postseason so far, but they have found a way to push through.
Edmonton will have home-ice advantage for the first time this postseason, and is hoping that it will change things for them this time around. The Panthers held Game 7 in their building last year, and the Oilers fell just short of winning the title.
Game 1 between the two sides is set to begin on Wednesday, June 4, at 8 p.m. ET.
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Mason West is a talented prospect of the future for the Chicago Blackhawks, but it appears he may look to leave hockey for big opportunities in football. The Chicago Blackhawks landed Anton Frondell with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, but it was perhaps their second first-round pick that drew the most intrigue, as they drafted centre Mason West out of the USHL. That pick was intriguing for many reasons, with the 6-foot-6 centre having potential with his talent and his physicality, but now, the team may be in danger of losing the talented 17-year old. According to a report from The Athletic, the No. 29 overall pick has been drawing interest from several NCAA programs to join their team as a football player. Standing at 6-foot-6, the Minnesota native is a star in both hockey and football, tallying 49 points in 31 games at the high school level while also being a star Quarterback, and after putting up 9 points in 10 USHL games with the Fargo Force, the future is bright for him in both sports. Ultimately, at 17-years of age, the future is very bright whichever way West ends up going, but given that the Blackhawks used a first-round pick on him in this past seasons draft, they're clearly confident that they can not only keep him in hockey, but make a good NHLer out of him moving forward.
Broncos make big move with Bo Nix's No. 1 target
The Denver Broncos are solidifying their future with the favorite target of second-year quarterback Bo Nix. Wide receiver Courtland Sutton and the Broncos agreed to a four-year, $92M contract extension Monday, via NFL Media's Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. Before the reported extension, the WR had one year left on his deal. Extending Sutton isn't risk-free for the Broncos. The 2018 second-round pick turns 30 on Oct. 10, the point when wideouts can fade. But his close relationship with Nix may outweigh that concern. Nix and Sutton like spending time together. In an April Instagram post sponsored by FedEx, the WR-QB tandem offered Denver rookies care packages. Nix also detailed why he has so much confidence in Sutton in November 2024. "He's just reliable, he's just always there when you need him," the QB said, via ESPN's Jeff Legwold. "He's smart. He's savvy. He makes plays when the ball is in the air. You can trust him. When it's up in the air, it's his or nobody's. It's not going to be a pick." Sutton proved reliable for Nix throughout the 2024 season. The one-time Pro Bowler led the Broncos in targets (135), receptions (81), receiving yards (1,081) and touchdown catches (eight) in 17 regular-season games. Nix, meanwhile, tossed the league's sixth-most TD passes (29 in 17 starts), finishing third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels. The Broncos' receiving corps lacks explosive playmakers. Except for Sutton, no Denver WR finished with more than 503 receiving yards last season. This offseason, the Broncos took Illinois WR Pat Bryant (pick No. 74) in the NFL Draft and signed TE Evan Engram to strengthen their passing attack. Engram made the Pro Bowl for the Jacksonville Jaguars during the 2023 season. Those moves may give Nix more options, but expect him to still lean heavily on his top weapon in 2025.
Minnesota Twins Receive Promising Catching Prospect in Trade With Detroit Tigers
The Minnesota Twins made their first big move of trade season Monday afternoon, sending starting pitcher Chris Paddack to the Detroit Tigers. In order to complete the divisional swap, the Tigers agreed to send back 19-year-old catcher Enrique Jimenez, per FanSided's Robert Murray. The switch-hitting Venezuelan teenager was ranked as the No. 14 prospect in Detroit's farm system. Minnesota's top-two catching prospects, Ricardo Olivar and Khadim Diaw, were ranked No. 17 and No. 19 in their organization. Jimenez made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2023, then spent 2024 and 2025 in the Florida Coast League. Through 137 career games, Jimenez is batting .255 with 10 home runs, 30 doubles, six triples, 12 stolen bases, 68 RBIs, 73 runs, 75 walks and a .776 OPS. MLB Pipeline has Jimenez's hit and power tools pegged at 45, his arm and field tools at 50 and his run tool at 40. The Twins have leaned on Christian Vázquez and Ryan Jeffers at catcher this season. The former is set to hit free agency in November, while Jeffers' contract runs out at the end of next season. Had Paddack not fallen off over the past few weeks, perhaps the Twins could have gotten more than Jimenez in return. The 29-year-old pending free agent was 2-4 with a 2.25 ERA and 0.953 WHIP between April 12 and June 7, but 1-4 with an 8.55 ERA and 1.723 WHIP between June 12 and July 18. On the whole this season, Paddack is 3-9 with a 4.95 ERA, 1.279 WHIP, 6.7 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.9 WAR. He has stayed healthy so far in 2025 after missing most of 2022 and 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery and losing the end of 2024 with a forearm strain.
Former NBA champion shares shocking opinion on Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic is preparing for his first full season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The superstar forward was traded to the franchise in a shock move ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline. General manager Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office knew they were taking a risk, as Doncic only had one additional guaranteed year on his contract. That's why the Lakers have been so proactive in building a team around Doncic's skill set and involving him in the new additions to the roster. They want him to re-sign. 2008 NBA champion Brian Scalabrine, speaking via Sirius XM NBA Dash Radio on July 28, shared his belief that the Lakers have challenged Doncic to get into shape. "I do believe that Luka will sign an extension for the Lakers," Scalabrine said. "...I also believe that the Lakers told him, 'We're not giving you an extension unless you get into shape.'... I don't have any sources on that or anything like that, but I know that JJ Redick talked about it. I would assume that Rob Pelinka and the new ownership of the Lakers are like, 'We want to pay you. We want to give you the keys to the franchise. We want to get Deandre Ayton that you want, and Marcus Smart. But you owe us something too. And you owe us taking care of your body. No more drinking and fried foods and whatever you did before ... You're a world-class player. Let's get you in world-class shape.'" Doncic is clearly in the best shape of his NBA career heading into the new season. He's just been featured in Men's Health magazine for his body transformation. The likelihood that his increased fitness translates to a potential MVP season is high. The Lakers are a team that understands how to deal with superstar talent. Doncic isn't the first world-class player to don the purple and gold jersey. The promise of a big payday and becoming the featured franchise player was likely enough to entice him into making the change. Of course, being jettisoned from the Dallas Mavericks is likely playing a part in his summer of swole, too. Doncic is highly likely to sign a new deal with the Lakers. They've pulled out all the stops to make him feel at home. In return, they're getting the most in-shape version of the star possible. From the outside looking in, it seems like a win-win.
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