The Ottawa Senators have hired Sam Gagner as director of player development, the club announced Thursday.
Gagner, 35, just wrapped up his pro career, spending the 2024-25 season with the Senators’ AHL affiliate in Belleville, where he notched 10 assists in 19 games.
He was hired for the role by Steve Staios, a former Edmonton Oilers teammate of three years who took over as the Senators’ president of hockey operations and general manager ahead of the 2023-24 season.s
“Sam had an incredible career as a player and we look forward to launching his next chapter,” says Staios. “A true character individual, Sam has contributed to the success of his organizations, both on and off the ice.”
Gagner was drafted by the Oilers sixth overall in the 2007 season, spending parts of nine seasons with the team over his 18-year pro career. His first seven years were in Edmonton, scoring 101 goals and 295 points in 481 games. The Oilers then traded him to the Tampa Bay Lightning in June 2014 for forward Teddy Purcell, getting flipped the same day to the Arizona Coytotes.
It kicked off a tumultuous time in his career where he bounced between teams, having stints in Arizona, Philadelphia, Columbus and Vancouver before returning to Edmonton in the 2018-19 season in a trade that saw them send Ryan Spooner the other way. He lasted just a season and a half before he was traded from Edmonton again, this time to the Detroit Red Wings in a deal that brought back Andreas Athanasiou.
He remained in Detroit for three years, spending the 2022-23 season with the Winnipeg Jets, before signing with the Oilers for his final NHL stint in 2023-24. He played in 28 games in the regular season that year, spending the playoffs as one of the Oilers’ Black Aces.
It was a difficult time for Gagner, who said last year during the Stanley Cup Finals he had to learn how to accept failure.
“I think my relationship with failure has come a long way,” he said. “I understand more now that that’s part of it, that’s part of having success.
“I’ve overcome some challenges in my career that have helped me understand that perspective, and now I almost get excited when I go through adversity because it’s just another challenge. It’s kind of really helped me to frame it that way, and it’s why I’ve been able to continue to play.
“You have to enjoy doing hard things, and this is really hard. But I’ve learned to love it over the years.”
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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.
Most Cleveland Browns fans do not expect to see Deshaun Watson play another snap for their beloved yet perpetually tortured franchise. He is not going anywhere until after the 2025-26 season, however. Will this controversial, declining and largely unhealthy quarterback have a chance to audition for another job at some point in this upcoming campaign? Before answering that question, the three-time Pro Bowler has to get on the practice field. And that will take a while. As expected, the Browns placed Watson on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 29-year-old ruptured his right Achilles tendon in an Oct. 20 loss versus the Cincinnati Bengals. He then suffered a re-tear in January, causing many to wonder if he will suit up at all this season. Watson is nonetheless maintaining a presence in Cleveland’s QB room and is determined to return in 2025. Second-year defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. joins him on the PUP list, and wide receiver David Bell is landing on the Active/Non-Football Injury list. Rounding out the series of roster moves, the Browns are waiving WR Jaelen Gill. The team begins training camp practice on Wednesday, with plenty of matters to address. Although Watson will command attention as long as he is on Cleveland, fans are eager to know who the starting quarterback will be when the Brownies host the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. A tight and intriguing QB competition is set to unfold, following a confounding offseason. Browns have to figure out their QB situation Cleveland acquired former first-round pick Kenny Pickett in March, signed veteran and 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Joe Flacco in April, selected Dillon Gabriel in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft and then snatched Shedeur Sanders in the fifth. Given the assets the organization spent to obtain the three younger signal-callers, the cleanest thing to do is part ways with the 40-year-old Flacco and head into the season with three quarterbacks. And yet, because of his wealth of experience, many would probably argue that the Super Bowl 47 MVP deserves to start under center until one of the others earns the job. Pickett appears to be the early favorite, but there could be plenty of twists and turns before summer’s end. The Deshaun Watson element also adds another layer to this perplexing saga. If the 2016 national champion does return to action during the 2025-26 campaign, then Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski will have a decision to make. It may not be a difficult one, however. During his first three years with the Browns, Watson has completed only 61.2 percent of his passes for 3,365 yards and 19 touchdowns. The squad is 9-10 in games that he starts. Regardless of how his recovery progresses, it seems safe to say that No. 4 and his five-year, $230 million contract will serve as a black eye on a Browns organization that is already covered in gashes.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have brought in a bunch of new faces, bringing a fresh sense of excitement and optimism ahead of the upcoming season. As the organization continues to make moves and finalize its roster, it seems like they’re tying up loose ends and preparing for this upcoming season. However, the changes might not be finished just yet, as a Steelers insider predicts a few potential cuts on the horizon. On a recent episode of the Chipped Ham Football podcast, Steelers insiders Brian Batko and Ray Fittipaldo talked about how the team looks heading into the rapidly approaching training camp. When the conversation shifted to potential roster cuts, Batko named four players who could be at risk, adding that he believes one or two of them are likely to be let go by cutdown day. "To me, I look at it as there's three L's here," Batko said. "[Isaiahh] Loudermilk, [Dean] Lowry, [Logan] Lee. Actually, four L's. Loudermilk, Lowry, [DeMarvin] Leal, Lee. I think one or two of those guys unfortunately for them, are probably going to take an L on cutdown day." Cutdown Day in the NFL is when teams have to shrink their rosters from the offseason maximum that can be around 90 players to just 53 for the regular season. It usually happens at the end of preseason and is a big moment for players fighting for a spot. Some make the team, some get released, and others might be moved to the practice squad. It’s a stressful and emotional time, as one decision can change a player’s entire career. During the podcast, Batko noted that the defensive line and linebacker groups are the most likely areas for surprise cuts. With a crowded defensive line room, it’s clear the Steelers have made a strong push to bolster that unit, which could lead to some tough roster decisions. The Steelers used their highly valued first-round pick in this year's NFL Draft to select Derrick Harmon, a talented young defensive tackle from the University of Oregon. While it's common for rookies to spend time developing before earning significant playing time, Harmon seems to be the exception. Early indications from the team suggest that he’s already in line for a starting role, highlighting both his potential and the confidence the coaching staff has in his ability to make an immediate impact. The Steelers’ defensive line has some big questions as the season starts. Veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward, who is 36, still plays well and brings experience. However, beyond him, most of the players are young draft picks or longshots who haven’t proven themselves yet. Since the team didn’t sign any big free agents, they’re relying on Harmon and other young players to quickly step up and help Heyward hold down the defense. Heyward has been a key piece of the Steelers’ defense for years, with an insider even ranking him among the top three defensive linemen in franchise history. However, now at 36, the Steelers know they need to prepare for the day when Heyward is no longer on the field. That’s why they’re focusing on developing younger players to eventually fill his role. Finding the right balance between veteran experience and promising talent is a tough thing, but it’s a strategy the Steelers have used across their entire roster this offseason. The Steelers Are Putting In The Work With offseason programs underway and training camp quickly approaching, now is the perfect time for players like Batko mentioned that are on the cusp to show why they deserve a spot on the roster. Cutdown days are always tough, but ultimately, the NFL is a business. The Steelers have to make the best decisions to ensure they have the strongest roster possible heading into the season, but fans are excited and hopeful for this team this year.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex's Netflix deal is reportedly coming to an end. The couple signed an agreement with the streaming giant - said to be worth around $100 million - after stepping back as senior members of Britain's royal family and carving out a new life in California but a new report now suggests the lucrative contract will not be renewed after it expires in September. A source told The Sun newspaper: "The deal is done; no more shows will be made. Netflix feel they’ve got all they can from the couple ... They’re not unhappy with how things turned out — they got those initial hits, and produced one of the most talked-about shows of all time. "There’s no animosity from either side. Things have just run their course." Another insider told the Daily Mail newspaper: "They're just waiting for the credits to roll. They're letting it expire without drama. There's no appetite for anything new." The couple created a number of shows for Netflix including their tell-all documentary Harry and Meghan as well as the Duchess' lifestyle series With Love, Meghan and Harry's sport show Polo. Meghan is believed to be focusing on building her lifestyle brand As Ever, which has sold jam, teas, and biscuits and a rose wine since its launch but she previously announced she was pausing new product launches until she had a strategy in place to scale up production. Speaking to guest Tina Knowles on her Confessions of a Female Founder podcast, she said: "You can say, 'Oh, I made this in my house' ... I'm going, 'I just picked these strawberries, and it's so great! "Look, I just put a little bit of sugar and some Meyer lemon', and you try to scale that up and you're wanting to manage expectations, but you want to share the thing you've worked so hard on." Meghan compared the launch to a "sneaker drop" and noted that while the “scarcity mentality at the beginning might be a hook for people”, she didn't want to annoy shoppers. She added: “I don’t want you to eat that jam once every six months. I want that to be on your shelf all the time. "So for me at the moment, with As Ever, it was great. We planned for a year and then everything sells out in 45 minutes. "Yes, amazing – great news. Then what do you do? And then you say ‘OK, we planned as best as we could’. Are we going to replenish and sell out again in an hour? Or is that annoying as a customer? "I’m looking at it saying ‘just pause’. That happened. Let’s wait until we are completely stable and we have everything we need."
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