The Florida Panthers are one win away from another championship after Saturday's 5-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers to take a 3-2 series lead. Here are some key takeaways from their Game 5 win.
This was a clinical performance by the Panthers
Everything about this game was the Panthers at their absolute best, and why they have been in three straight Stanley Cup Finals with a chance to win a second.
There was more clutch scoring from Sam Bennett.
There was great goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky when needed.
And there was absolute clinical defensive play to completely shut down one of the highest-powered offenses in the league. It was smothering, championship-caliber defense and play. There was not a team in the NHL that was beating Florida on this night.
Legacies are on the line in Game 6
For both teams.
When it comes to the Panthers, this is a chance for history. It's a chance to join the rare ranks of back-to-back champions and cement themselves as the best team of the 2020s.
But there's something bigger on the line for Edmonton. Specifically, the superstar duo of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
They have all of the individual honors and stat lines that any player could ever want. They are two of the best, most productive players of their era. But the one thing they are still lacking is their names on the Stanley Cup. Fair or not, this era of sports is defined by rings and championships and for players to take their place among the all-time greats, at least one championship seems to be a must.
McDavid and Draisaitl have been in the NHL for a decade and are still searching for a championship. If they go out without much of a fight in Game 6, it is only going to add to the pressure on them.
Florida's "rats" keep shining
And by rats, we mean their agitators of Brad Marchant and Bennett.
While they are known for their physical and frustrating style of play, they also keep establishing themselves as big-time clutch players. Bennett scored another goal on Saturday, while Marchand added two more to add to his Stanley Cup Final legacy.
It's going to be perfect timing for them as both are set to be unrestricted free agents this summer.
These types of performances stick with general managers, and with the salary cap set to rise this summer, both players are sure to cash in.
Especially if they are key components to another championship.
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The New York Rangers are adding to their forward depth ahead of their upcoming training camp. The Rangers are entering a new chapter of their organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan. After missing the postseason last year, the organization is trying to rebound and respond accordingly in 2025 and 2026. Former Stanley Cup champion forward Conor Sheary is the latest player to join the new-look Rangers. The veteran forward agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the club and will look to earn an NHL deal with his performance in training camp and the preseason. Sheary is a veteran of 593 NHL games. Originally an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins after completing his collegiate career. Following a year with the Penguins' AHL affiliate, he forced his way onto the NHL squad after posting 36 points in his first 30 games of the 2015-2016 season at the AHL level. His debut NHL season went better than ever expected, and he was a key part of the Penguins' lineup that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Sheary's coach at the time, both at the AHL and NHL levels, was Mike Sullivan. Now, he'll get the chance to reunite with the coach under whom he won two championships. In addition to playing for the Penguins, Sheary has played for three other NHL franchises. The Pens dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres before the 2018-2019 campaign, but he would return to Pittsburgh the following season at the trade deadline. After his second stint with the Penguins, he joined the Washington Capitals. He played three seasons in Washington, D.C. before landing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent the past two years. Over his 593 career games, he's compiled 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. His best NHL season came during the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the league. He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists for 53 points in 61 regular-season games.
The Green Bay Packers want to let training camp play out to see how their depth at cornerback is before making significant additions to the group. But after three days of practice, general manager Brian Gutekunst decided to sign another depth piece to create extra competition. On Saturday, beyond confirming the previously reported addition of running back Israel Abanikanda, the Packers also signed rookie cornerback Garnett Hollis Jr. He is a 6-0, 199-pound player. Undrafted, Hollis played three seasons at Northwestern before transferring to West Virginia before his final college season in 2024. Throughout his college career, the defensive back had 124 tackles (including five for loss), two interceptions, 12 passes defended, and one forced fumble. He spent some time with the Tennessee Titans after the draft. "I like our depth there," Gutekunst had told Cheesehead TV back in June. "I do think between Kalen King, Kamal Hadden, and Micah Robinson, there's going to be some really good competition for the back end into that roster. I'm excited to give those guys that opportunity to see." Bleacher Report's Cory Giddings projected Hollis as a fifth-round prospect, highlighting his aggressive and physical presence in the run game. "Garnett Hollis Jr. projects as a developmental prospect who will likely find his role as a physical outside cornerback in zone-heavy schemes. His size, length, and aggression make him an asset against bigger-bodied receivers and in run support, but his movement limitations and inconsistent tackling could cap his ceiling as a backup or rotational player. Hollis will need to refine his technique and improve his consistency to carve out a role at the next level." — Cory Giddings Competition on the roster In the first week of camp, the Packers have played with Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs outside, and safety Javon Bullard primarily in the slot. Carrington Valentine has also had significant time with the ones. The roster has Bo Melton, recently converted from wide receiver, Kamal Hadden, Kalen King, and Micah Robinson with more chances. The bottom of the depth chart has veteran Gregory Junior, Isaiah Dunn, and undrafted rookie Tyron Herring. Johnathan Baldwin is also officially listed as a cornerback, but he's practiced mostly at safety so far.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering the 2025 season with a new-look roster on the offensive side of the ball. The quarterback position has turned over once again, and DK Metcalf is now the top wide receiver in Pittsburgh after the organization decided to acquire him and then trade away George Pickens. Jonnu Smith has also entered the picture on offense, while Jaylen Warren will be taking over the duties as the lead running back. This is his first time taking on that role, as Najee Harris was the bell cow in Pittsburgh for the last four seasons and he never missed a game. Warren will be the main focus at running back, but the Steelers did a good job of filling out that room as a whole. Signing Kenneth Gainwell in free agency was a good way to bring a veteran presence into the room, and adding Kaleb Johnson in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft was an exciting pick with a ton of value. Head Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about the rookie running back following practice on Thursday, and he had nothing but good things to say about Johnson. "He does, he's highly conditioned and that helps development," Tomlin said. "When you're in really good shape, you can take additional reps and reps equals [getting] better. And so he handled the first leg of it. He's come in really good shape. He's really engaged and obviously he's got some talent. You guys saw that today." Tomlin said this when asked whether or not Johnson has a high floor as a rookie running back in the NFL, and the coach was clearly impressed with the way the rookie was prepared coming into camp. He also seems to know the playbook pretty well. It is hard to tell much from the early training camp practices, but he certainly stood out. The staff in Pittsburgh clearly has high hopes for Johnson, which could lead to more playing time early on. Johnson will begin the season behind Warren, but the two are expected to share the workload in some regard. The rookie has a high ceiling, and Pittsburgh is going to want to take advantage of the entirety of his cheaper, rookie deal. Many have speculated that Johnson will be the lead back by the time the 2025 season is over, with Warren returning to the role of being a third down back, similar to what he did when Harris was on the team. When Pittsburgh initially selected Johnson in the spring, some hated on the pick due to his slower 40-yard dash time. However, the back looks extremely fast on the field, and fans should get a better idea of the kind of player he can be when the Steelers put on the pads next week. Steelers’ Running Back Situation Will Be Interesting To Monitor Gainwell will likely be the third running back on the depth chart during the 2025 season, but he should have some packages and plays where he is the primary focus. He is dangerous with the ball in his hands, especially in the passing game. He and Warren have a similar skill set, while Johnson stands out in the trio. In addition to those three backs, Pittsburgh also has Cordarrelle Patterson on the roster. It was thought that he would be released by this point, but he remains in Pittsburgh for now. He could be cut at the end of camp, as it seems he is the clear fourth running back on the depth chart and he was one of the worst kick returners in the league during the 2024 season. It is known that Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith likes him and his versatility on offense. It’s his ability to play special teams as well that could keep him on the roster in 2025. What do you expect from Johnson in his rookie year?
The Chicago Bulls have made a concerted effort in the last year or so to get younger and not add much future salary to keep their books open. They let DeMar DeRozan walk in free agency, traded Zach LaVine midseason, and traded Lonzo Ball for Isaac Okoro to the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason. There are only two players remaining on the Bulls roster older than 28 years old: Jevon Carter and Nikola Vucevic. Carter doesn't have much value around the NBA with his $6.8 million salary, while Vucevic is 35 years old with a $20 million salary, which makes him hard to move. NBA insider Jake Vischer revealed on a Bleacher Report stream that "There hasn't been much of a market for Nikola Vucevic all along, dating back to last trade deadline. I think at this juncture, we're probably more likely to see a Nikola Vucevic buyout midseason than we are to see a trade." If the Bulls are only able to buy Vucevic out, it would be yet another example of poor asset management from this front office. They had trade offers for Vucevic a few years ago and decided not to take them, and they may now have to pay him to go away. It doesn't help that the Bulls traded Wendell Carter Jr. and two first-round picks, one of them becoming Franz Wagner, in order to get him. All of that to make the playoffs just once since Vucevic has been in Chicago. The Golden State Warriors were a team rumored to be interested in him at one point in time, but that interest has clearly cooled off.