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Alex Huang is a skilled defenceman who has shown flashes of real offensive upside throughout his draft year. Huang recorded seven goals and 40 points in 64 games with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League this season and was a stellar presence at last summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Huang descended on many draft boards this year in part due to some concerns about his strength but he’s a talented skater who flies out of his own end with relative ease, and would help satisfy a major need for the Toronto Maple Leafs moving forward.
Here’s what Daily Faceoff’s Steven Ellis wrote about Huang:
Some scouts love him – others aren’t totally convinced. But Huang is a productive blueliner who’s tracking to finish with 40 points while being one of Chicoutimi’s more creative puck movers. He’s not big or strong, but he moves well, activates on the rush and is effective in all three zones. At the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, it looked like Huang was a bit more reliant on Matthew Schaefer to make things happen. But on his own in the Q, it looks like Huang is a lot more confident in himself, and the results this year were solid. He’s just a bit too hot-and-cold for me right now.
Huang won’t be expected to make the Maple Leafs immediately and he’s committed to play at Harvard for the 2026-27 season. The 18-year-old will almost certainly return for another season with Chicoutimi, where there’s a reasonable expectation that he should be among the highest-scoring defencemen in the league — this is also true of Halifax Mooseheads defenceman Carlos Handel, a player that the Maple Leafs should also consider at this spot.
Toronto needs to add defencemen to its barren prospect pool, with 2024 first-round pick Ben Danford as the only player that projects to make a notable impact at the NHL level down the line. Huang boasts excellent pace and ability to switch gears while carrying the puck into the offensive zone, capable of making easy exits and reads. He’ll have ample time to add strength but you can’t teach innate offensive instinct.
Hearing Alex Huang has committed to play at Harvard in 2026-27.
Harvard and Michigan had previously recruited Huang before he’d decided to go to Chicoutimi in the QMJHL. He’ll go back next year.#2025NHLDraft
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) June 15, 2025
It’s more than possible that Huang will be available in the third round as well, and if he’s the player that the Maple Leafs are targeting, there’s a case to trade down. You bet on offensive upside every time at this spot as Huang clearly thinks the game well, with plenty of time to refine the rest of his game, add strength to his 6-foot, 170-pound frame and become more consistent in his decision-making at the major junior level.
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Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
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.
Luis Diaz tells Liverpool to accept Bayern Munich offer if contract promise is not honoured
Luis Diaz has told Liverpool he expects them to accept Bayern Munich’s offer unless the club follow through on their promise of a new contract, according to reports from Colombia. The winger, who turns 29 in January, is said to have grown frustrated after Anfield chiefs failed to follow up on discussions from May, when they reportedly assured him his deal would be improved. Luis Diaz appears to be pushing for a move to Bayern Munich Bayern are now preparing to formalise a bid, and Diaz has made it clear he wants to take the opportunity to move to Germany if Liverpool aren’t willing to honour their previous word. The report comes from Colombian journalist Pipe Sierra, who says Diaz has now “requested” that Liverpool accept Bayern’s offer if a contract renewal isn’t happening. That aligns with yesterday’s Bild report (via Falk, Altschaeffl Agardi) which claimed personal terms with Bayern are already agreed and the German club are “confident” a deal can be reached. Liverpool could lose a regular starter just weeks before the new season Diaz has been part of Arne Slot’s side during pre-season, despite missing the friendly with Stoke City — but there’s growing doubt over whether he’ll be at Anfield for the Premier League opener. He still has two years left on his current deal, so Liverpool aren’t under pressure to sell. But with no extension on the table and the player now pushing for an exit, the club could be drawn into negotiations on Bayern’s terms. The winger joined from Porto in January 2022 and has made over 100 appearances for us, scoring 24 goals. Last season, he assisted 13 goals in all competitions and helped secure the Premier League title. This latest update only increases the pressure on the Liverpool hierarchy to either act decisively or risk losing another first-team name this summer.
Browns make official Deshaun Watson move before training camp
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.
Knicks Predicted to Part Ways With Karl-Anthony Towns in Blockbuster Three-Team Trade
The New York Knicks are looking to make more moves to upgrade their depth as they figure to be one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference next season. Of course, the Knicks made their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000 last season and with the amount of injuries to top players in the East, the Conference is wide open entering next season. Because of this, the Knicks have emerged as one of the favorites to win the East thanks to their core led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Despite this, Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell and Rohan Raman recently created a three-team mock trade that would see the Knicks move on from Towns. In the trade, the Knicks would add Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams III and a 2028 first-round pick via the Portland Trail Blazers while they would send Towns and Pacome Dadiet to Portland. The Trail Blazers would also send Duop Reath to the Atlanta Hawks in this proposed mock trade. While the Knicks are looking at ways to improve their depth, moving on from Towns would be a tough decision for them to make despite his struggles, especially on the defensive side, during the playoffs last season. It would also be a tough decision to swap Towns for Williams III due to his injury history, especially with Mitchell Robinson’s injury history as well and the Knicks’ lack of true center depth. While that may be the case, adding a veteran point guard in Holiday to the second unit could be a good addition to the Knicks’ bench and Williams III would also give them more size. Despite this, it is highly unlikely that the Knicks will move on from Towns this summer and likely into next season as they see their core being able to help them compete for a championship next season.
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