College Sports
NHL Playoffs 2025: Stanley Cup Final schedule, bracket, scores, as Panthers take pivotal Game 5 in Edmonton
The Florida Panthers are one win away from their second straight Stanley Cup after beating the Edmonton Oilers, 5-2, in Game 5. Brad Marchand and the Panthers took control of the game early, and they never gave the Oilers any life. At the age of 37, Marchand is playing some of the best hockey of […]

The Florida Panthers are one win away from their second straight Stanley Cup after beating the Edmonton Oilers, 5-2, in Game 5. Brad Marchand and the Panthers took control of the game early, and they never gave the Oilers any life.
At the age of 37, Marchand is playing some of the best hockey of his career. He scored two goals in Game 5, and both of them were of the highlight reel variety. With his two goals, Marchand now has 10 in the postseason and six in the Stanley Cup Final. He also joins Mario Lemieux as the only players in the modern era to score five or more goals in two Stanley Cup Final series.
The other story of the night was the Panthers’ defense thwarting everything the Oilers tried to do offensively. Edmonton rarely got the puck to a dangerous area, and even when it did, Sergei Bobrovsky made a couple of big saves. Considering the atmosphere in Rogers Place, Game 5 might have been the Panthers’ best defensive showing yet.
The Oilers got a couple of goals in the third period, but they were never really a threat to come back. Leon Draisaitl had two shots on goal, and neither one of them stood out as quality chances. Connor McDavid buried one of his two shots, but Florida made both of those superstars non-factors in a critical Game 5.
Edmonton has already come up with one big answer — the Game 4 comeback — but it needs another one now. The Oilers have to go into enemy territory with their season on the line on Tuesday, and the Panthers will want to prevent a Game 7.
For the complete schedule and results for the Stanley Cup Final, follow along right here at CBS Sports.
Stanley Cup Final
Edmonton Oilers vs. Florida Panthers
Game 1: Oilers 4, Panthers 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 2: Panthers 5, Oilers 4 (2OT) | Recap
Game 3: Panthers 6, Oilers 1 | Recap
Game 4: Oilers 5, Panthers 4 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Panthers 5, Oilers 2 | Recap
Game 6: Tuesday, June 17 | at FLA | 8 p.m. | TNT, truTV
*Game 7: Friday, June 20 | at EDM | 8 p.m. | TNT, truTV
Western Conference Final
(2) Dallas Stars vs. (3) Edmonton Oilers
Game 1: Stars 6, Oilers 3 | Recap
Game 2: Oilers 3, Stars 0 | Recap
Game 3: Oilers 6, Stars 1 | Recap
Game 4: Oilers 4, Stars 1 | Recap
Game 5: Oilers 6, Stars 3 | Recap
Eastern Conference Final
(2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (3) Florida Panthers
Game 1: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 2 | Recap
Game 2: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 0 | Recap
Game 3: Panthers 6, Hurricanes 2 | Recap
Game 4: Hurricanes 3, Panthers 0 | Recap
Game 5: Panthers 5, Hurricanes 3 | Recap
Round 2
(1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (3) Florida Panthers
Game 1: Maple Leafs 5, Panthers 4 | Recap
Game 2: Maple Leafs 4, Panthers 3 | Recap
Game 3: Panthers 5, Maple Leafs 4 (OT) | Recap
Game 4: Panthers 2, Maple Leafs 0 | Recap
Game 5: Panthers 6, Maple Leafs 1 | Recap
Game 6: Maple Leafs 2, Panthers 0 | Recap
Game 7: Panthers 6, Maple Leafs 1 | Recap
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (2) Carolina Hurricanes
Game 1: Hurricanes 2, Capitals 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 2: Capitals 3, Hurricanes 1 | Recap
Game 3: Hurricanes 4, Capitals 0 | Recap
Game 4: Hurricanes 5, Capitals 2 | Recap
Game 5: Hurricanes 3, Capitals 1 | Recap
(1) Winnipeg Jets vs. (2) Dallas Stars
Game 1: Stars 3, Jets 2 | Recap
Game 2: Jets 4, Stars 0 | Recap
Game 3: Stars 5, Jets 2 | Recap
Game 4: Stars 3, Jets 1 | Recap
Game 5: Jets 4, Stars 0 | Recap
Game 6: Stars 2, Jets 1 (OT) | Recap
(1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (3) Edmonton Oilers
Game 1: Oilers 4, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 2: Oilers 5, Golden Knights 4 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Golden Knights 4, Oilers 3 | Recap
Game 4: Oilers 3, Golden Knights 0 | Recap
Game 5: Oilers 1, Golden Knights 0 (OT) | Recap
Round 1
(1) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (WC1) Ottawa Senators
Game 1: Maple Leafs 6, Senators 2 | Recap
Game 2: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Maple Leafs 3, Senators 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 4: Senators 4, Maple Leafs 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Senators 4, Maple Leafs 0 | Recap
Game 6: Maple Leafs 4, Senators 2 | Recap
(2)Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (3) Florida Panthers
Game 1: Panthers 6, Lightning 2 | Recap
Game 2: Panthers 2, Lightning 0 | Recap
Game 3: Lightning 5, Panthers 1 | Recap
Game 4: Panthers 4, Lightning 2 | Recap
Game 5: Panthers 6, Lightning 3 | Recap
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (WC2) Montreal Canadiens
Game 1: Capitals 3, Canadiens 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 2: Capitals 3, Canadiens 1 | Recap
Game 3: Canadiens 6, Capitals 3 | Recap
Game 4: Capitals 5, Canadiens 2 | Recap
Game 5: Capitals 4, Canadiens 1 | Recap
(2) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (3) New Jersey Devils
Game 1: Hurricanes 4, Devils 1 | Recap
Game 2: Hurricanes 3, Devils 1 | Recap
Game 3: Devils 3, Hurricanes 2 (2OT) | Recap
Game 4: Hurricanes 5, Devils 2 | Recap
Game 5: Hurricanes 5, Devils 4 (2OT) | Recap
(1) Winnipeg Jets vs. (WC2) St. Louis Blues
Game 1: Jets 5, Blues 3 | Recap
Game 2: Jets 2, Blues 1 | Recap
Game 3: Blues 7, Jets 2 | Recap
Game 4: Blues 5, Jets 1 | Recap
Game 5: Jets 5, Blues 3 | Recap
Game 6: Blues 5, Jets 2 | Recap
Game 7: Jets 4, Blues 3 (2OT) | Recap
(2) Dallas Stars vs. (3) Colorado Avalanche
Game 1: Avalanche 5, Stars 1 | Recap
Game 2: Stars 4, Avalanche 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 3: Stars 2, Avalanche 1 (OT) | Recap
Game 4: Avalanche 4, Stars 0 | Recap
Game 5: Stars 6, Avalanche 2 | Recap
Game 6: Avalanche 7, Stars 4 | Recap
Game 7: Stars 4, Avalanche 2 | Recap
(1) Vegas Golden Knights vs. (WC1) Minnesota Wild
Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Wild 2 | Recap
Game 2: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 3: Wild 5, Golden Knights 2 | Recap
Game 4: Golden Knights 4, Wild 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Golden Knights 3, Wild 2 (OT) | Recap
Game 6: Golden Knights 3, Wild 2 | Recap
(2) Los Angeles Kings vs. (3) Edmonton Oilers
Game 1: Kings 6, Oilers 5 | Recap
Game 2: Kings 6, Oilers 2 | Recap
Game 3: Oilers 7, Kings 4 | Recap
Game 4: Oilers 4, Kings 3 (OT) | Recap
Game 5: Oilers 3, Kings 1 | Recap
Game 6: Oilers 6, Kings 4 | Recap
College Sports
HBCU establishes fund to support athletes amid House settlement commitment
Prairie View A&M announced the launch of a newly established fundraising initiative designed to bolster support for the school’s 350 student-athletes. The introduction of the Panther Athletic Fund comes as colleges nationwide brace for significant changes in the world of collegiate sports. Rising program and scholarship expenses, evolving revenue-sharing models, and expanding Name, Image, and […]

Prairie View A&M announced the launch of a newly established fundraising initiative designed to bolster support for the school’s 350 student-athletes.
The introduction of the Panther Athletic Fund comes as colleges nationwide brace for significant changes in the world of collegiate sports.
Rising program and scholarship expenses, evolving revenue-sharing models, and expanding Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities are reshaping the financial and competitive landscape.
The recent House vs. NCAA settlement, which redefined athletic departments’ fiscal responsibilities, further underscores the need for innovative funding solutions.
All 12 SWAC schools opted into the settlement in June.
“The Panther Athletic Fund marks a new era for Prairie View A&M Athletics,” said Anton Goff, Director of Athletics. “The playing field in college sports is changing rapidly, and our ability to compete starts with how we support our student-athletes and our coaches. Through the Panther Athletic Fund, Panther Nation has a direct way to impact the lives of our student athletes and programs and ensure PV is prepared to lead in this new landscape.”

At the heart of the Panther Athletic Fund are four strategic giving priorities, the school said, which includes:
Champions Society: This premier philanthropic group unites leadership donors who pledge $25,000 or more (at least $5,000 per year, payable over up to five years). Members provide transformational support and receive exclusive engagement opportunities and year-round recognition.
Sport-Specific Excellence Funds: Donors can earmark contributions for their favorite teams, supporting areas such as academics, nutrition, recruiting, equipment, team travel, and technology. These funds are essential for building competitive and sustainable programs.
Sport-Specific NIL/Revenue Share Funds: Contributions to these funds empower PVAMU to recruit and retain top-tier talent by providing resources for student-athletes to grow their personal brands and benefit from NIL opportunities.
Purple & Gold Fund: This unrestricted annual fund addresses the most immediate and high-impact needs across all athletic programs, ensuring that PVAMU Athletics remains agile and competitive in a rapidly changing environment.
“This isn’t just about fundraising — it’s about building the infrastructure for sustained success,” said Megan Reed, Director of Development for PVAMU Athletics. “Whether you’re supporting NIL, our sport-specific funds, or joining the Champions Society, every gift to the Panther Athletic Fund drives the future of Panther Athletics. Our donors are more than supporters — they are strategic partners in our mission.”
College Sports
Hot Seat: CBS Sports ranks SEC Football head coaches’ seats from hottest to coolest
Every coach enters this season, regardless of their programs’ expectations, with a job to do on the field. However, the pressure can be on quickly for the sixteen head coaches in a conference like the SEC. Earlier this week, CBS Sports released its annual hot seat rankings for every single head coach in the FBS. […]

Every coach enters this season, regardless of their programs’ expectations, with a job to do on the field. However, the pressure can be on quickly for the sixteen head coaches in a conference like the SEC.
Earlier this week, CBS Sports released its annual hot seat rankings for every single head coach in the FBS. Nine experts ranked a coach’s job security on a scale. Five on the scale represented unsafe, while zero represented safe.
The SEC has about half of the head men under more pressure than the rest, with a trio in ‘start improving now,’ who are among the top five in all of college football this upcoming season. Then, a quartet in ‘pressure is mounting’ and one in ‘all good…for now.’ The rest left the vote feeling good about where they stand, with six being ‘safe and secure’ and a pair of coaches reaching to ‘untouchable.’
With that, here’s where their 16 head coaches rate as far as the hot seat according to those at CBS Sports:
Venables isn’t just the coach under the most pressure in the Southeastern Conference. He’s the one with the highest rating on the hot seat overall in the FBS, with his number being at 4.67, which is more than double what it was at this time last year when he was at a 2.0 and is two decimal points higher than the next coaches on the list in the 4.4s.
This is an obvious one, with OU being 22-17 (.564) through three seasons of his tenure, two of those being losing records at 6-7, including last year during their debut in the SEC. Now, with the investment they’ve made this offseason into this year’s team, the Sooners could be looking for a new coach next offseason if they disappoint again after what would be the program’s most disappointing run since the turn of the century.

In a three-way tie for fourth place is where Pittman finds himself at 4.22. That’s actually down from being a full-on five a year ago as the Razorbacks went 7-6 to get him at least to another season in Fayetteville.
That said, Pittman is by no means safe at 30-31 (.492) over a half decade as head coach of the ‘Hogs. At least another bowl berth, if not more, considering how routinely they’ve found themselves at just .500, could be what’s needed for this to continue on for a seventh season at Arkansas.
Also in that tie for fourth is Freeze at 4.22. Like Venables, Freeze also more than doubles the pressure on him after being a 2.0 last year. That’s after two seasons on The Plains, where the Tigers are 11-14 (.440), including a slight step back even this past fall at 5-7.
Things appeared to be trending well here with this season targeted as the first signs of success for the program of this tenure, and this decade for that matter, with what they’d done off the field. However, with that record paired with the recent headlines about him this summer, Freeze could have more time to work on his golf swing if this year doesn’t go well for him at Auburn.
Napier has been on a hot seat for some time now, specifically with how last season ended, taking him off it just a bit as he’s down from 4.0 to 3.67 after finishing at 8-5. He’s still in the Top 10, though, which represents the pressure he’s still under in Gainesville.
Being 5-7 in their final seven games, including four straight with a pair of big upsets to end the year, the Gators showed a sign of life but still only have Napier’s record at 19-19 (.500) with the Gators. Continuing that trajectory from the end of last season, if not better with dark horse hopes here for them to contend for a playoff spot, could now be what’s needed for him to stay on in the Swamp.

Stoops is the longest-tenured coach in the SEC with an all-time run leading the program in Lexington as the Wildcats are 77-73 (.513) under him since 2013. Even so, a new name could be the longest-tenured in the league by next offseason if things don’t get better in the bluegrass.
UK is trending down overall as it has followed two finishes at 7-6 with last season’s record of 4-8. That has taken Stoops from safety and security to more than double the pressure now as he’s in the Top 10 as well, with this season being a pivotal one for this once successful tenure at Kentucky.
Rounding out the top six is Kelly, who’s in a four-way tie with three other power-level coaches in Florida State’s Mike Norvell, USC’s Lincoln Riley, and Virginia’s Tony Elliott. That’s with Kelly, as well as Norvell, tying for the biggest mount in pressure as both went from untouchable at zeros to averages of 3.33.
It’s hard to think a coach who’s 29-11 (.725) with the Tigers and has the second-highest win percentage among active head coaches at (.728) would have a seat that is getting hot. That’s just the level of expectations at LSU, with a loss in its lone appearance in the SEC Championship and no berths into the College Football Playoff under him being failures for Kelly so far in Baton Rouge.
Remaining hot-seat ratings for head coaches in the SEC:
Mississippi State’s Jeff Lebby – 3.0
Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer – 2.33
Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea – 1.78
Texas A&M’s Mike Elko – 1.67
Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz – 1.11
Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin – 1.11
South Carolina’s Shane Beamer – 1.11
Tennessee’s Josh Heupel – 1.11
Texas’ Steve Sarkisian – 0.44
Georgia’s Kirby Smart – 0.11
College Sports
Alabama football 2025: Is the kicking game a potential Achilles’ heel?
Happy Friday, everyone. The new NIL clearinghouse is already flexing its muscles a bit. Letters were sent to several top tier programs explaining that existing agreements with players run afoul of the rules. Some explanation: The letter explained that if a collective reaches a deal with an athlete to appear on behalf of the collective, […]

Happy Friday, everyone. The new NIL clearinghouse is already flexing its muscles a bit. Letters were sent to several top tier programs explaining that existing agreements with players run afoul of the rules. Some explanation:
The letter explained that if a collective reaches a deal with an athlete to appear on behalf of the collective, which charges an admission fee, the standard is not met because the purpose of the event is to raise money to pay athletes, not to provide goods or services available to the general public for profit.
The same would apply to a deal an athlete makes to sell merchandise to raise money to pay that player because the purpose of “selling merchandise is to raise money to pay that student-athlete and potentially other student-athletes at a particular school or schools, which is not a valid business purpose” according to the NCAA rule.
A deal, however, could be approved if, for instance, the businesses paying the players had a broader purpose than simply acting as a collective. The letter uses a golf course or apparel company as examples.
“In other words, NIL collectives may act as marketing agencies that match student-athletes with businesses that have a valid business purpose and seek to use the student’s NIL to promote their businesses,” the letter said.
So, essentially, a collective’s role will be to distribute the capped $20.5M in payments to players, and to help broker deals between boosters and players for legit NIL agreements. The collective can no longer offer NIL deals to players, because the collective exists for the sole purpose of paying players. This makes sense, and if existing “NIL” deals with a collective are deemed noncompliant, then that money would theoretically count against a team’s salary cap.
This is what Auburn is counting on, but it seems to be wishful thinking. All the collective has to do is find a booster to pick up the check for part of the committed money. I am skeptical that the clearinghouse will be denying deals with private businesses based on the amount offered because it’s rather obvious that doing so wouldn’t hold up in court. As long as the clearinghouse sticks to policing collectives, it should survive. But not much will have changed if that’s the case, it’ll just be local boosters supplementing the pay for play salary cap and showing a legitimate business reason for doing so.
And Auburn will continue to suck.
Colin Gay evaluated Alabama’s special teams.
With the loss of Burnip to the NFL, California freshman Alex Asparuhov, who missed spring with an injury, and Colorado School of Mines transfer Blake Doud are expected to battle for starting reps in the fall. And with Nicholson gone, Conor Talty, who worked kickoffs for the Crimson Tide last year, is expected to take on place kicking duties.
Alabama lost both Henderson and Law to the transfer portal. But both of the Crimson Tide’s primary punt returners — Adams and Williams — are back for 2025 along with Jaylen Mbakwe, who had two punt returns and one kickoff return in 2024.
To be frank, we have no idea whether Alabama will be able to kick the ball in any form this season. There are plenty of athletes to compete in the return game as long as they can catch the ball cleanly. I’d rather not see Ryan Williams doing it though.
Chase Goodbread decided to compare Kalen DeBoer’s first offseason in Tuscaloosa to Hugh Freeze’s on the pasture.
There are plenty of ways the second-year moves of Freeze and DeBoer aren’t to be compared, but by changing offensive coordinators after just one season, they put themselves in similar boats. It’s a shakeup from the top down; one that speaks to the demand for quick results.
For Freeze, Auburn’s offense under Nix represented a significant forward stride — AU jumped from 90th to No. 29 in total offense — but at 19.1 points per game in SEC play, the scoreboard didn’t quite reflect the improvement in yardage. The team flailed its way to another losing record at 5-7, and with DeBoer currently running offseason circles around his rival counterpart in recruiting, the Freeze might be slowly melting on a hot seat.
For both coaches, the bottom line is wins.
Herb Jones got paid.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones has agreed to a three-year, $68 million contract extension with the franchise, representatives Mark Bartelstein and Kieran Piller of Priority Sports told ESPN.
Jones now has a total of five years and $97 million on his Pelicans deal, with a new player option in 2029-30.
The 26-year-old has risen from a second-round pick in the 2021 NBA draft to a two-way stalwart for the Pelicans, being named to the 2023-24 All-Defensive first team. He is one of eight players with 350 steals and 150 blocks since he entered the league. Jones has ranked in the top 10 in defense against isolations over the past two seasons among players to defend 150 isolations, per GeniusIQ.
Not many dudes play defense in the NBA, and even fewer love it like Herb.
Najee Harris had a Little Ralphie moment on July 4, but sounds like he will be OK.
“Najee Harris was present at a 4th of July event where a fireworks mishap resulted in injuries to several attendees,” Hendrickson said in a statement, via Rapoport. “Najee sustained a superficial eye injury during the incident, but is fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season.”
The Mercury News first reported Harris’ accident.
Rapoport added that Harris is likely to miss the start of training camp, which begins July 17 for the Chargers.
Last, Nick Kelly has a cool story about how Labaron Philon surprised his teammates and coaches.
Mallette’s phone also rang one night in late May. He didn’t recognize the number, though. It was a group FaceTime call, though. Included on the video call he saw all the returners: Latrell Wrightsell Jr., Aden Holloway and Aiden Sherrell, plus one unknown number.
The unknown number: Philon’s. He had changed it. But that wasn’t the biggest surprise. No. The true surprise was he revealed his plan to return.
“I didn’t know he was coming back,” forward Aiden Sherrell said. “Coach kept it a secret from us. When we found out, we were super excited.”
As part of the call, Philon also had a message to send.
“His whole mindset when he came back, what he told us on the phone and told us in the locker room is we have unfinished business,” Mallette said. “We want to win the whole thing. We want to win it all. We feel like we came up short on our goals. That’s kind of the attitude of our locker room: We’re really hungry. I think he’s incredibly hungry. He’s going to do great.”
If that dude reaches his full potential next year, this team is going to be hell.
That’s about it for today. Have a great weekend.
Roll Tide.
College Sports
NorthPointe hosts elite gymnastics camp in West Michigan
NorthPointe Gymnastics in Michigan hosts a top-tier gymnastics camp with over 60 athletes and acclaimed clinicians. FREMONT, Mich. — A small-town gym in West Michigan is hosting big talent this week, as NorthPointe Gymnastics welcomes more than 60 competitive athletes and top-tier clinicians from across the country for its first-ever Team Gymnastics Camp. The three-day […]

NorthPointe Gymnastics in Michigan hosts a top-tier gymnastics camp with over 60 athletes and acclaimed clinicians.
FREMONT, Mich. — A small-town gym in West Michigan is hosting big talent this week, as NorthPointe Gymnastics welcomes more than 60 competitive athletes and top-tier clinicians from across the country for its first-ever Team Gymnastics Camp.
The three-day camp, running July 11–13, includes USA Gymnastics-certified coaches from states like Colorado and Ohio, along with a nationally recognized Olympic team choreographer.
Ellen Gibbie, owner of NorthPointe Gymnastics, said bringing this level of opportunity to Fremont has been years in the making. She got her start in the sport at a young age and eventually turned her lifelong passion into a career.
“I got introduced to gymnastics at Gymnastics Unlimited back in the day when I was probably six, seven years old, and then was a competitive gymnast into my teen years, and then moving into Fremont, Michigan,” Gibbie said. “I got my occupational therapy degree in college and decided to open NorthPointe Gymnastics back in 2013–14. It was about 1,800 square feet, and it was just really small. And we continued to build and build and build and then moved here. 2019 we built here.”
This week’s camp brings together not just skill-based training, but also resources in nutrition, injury prevention, strength training and mental performance — things Gibbie said have made a huge difference.
“Honestly, it’s been a dream and on a bucket list that we really, really wanted to have some amazing clinicians come to our area, bring this to have the athletes be able to experience it,” she said. “To actually see it come to life, and see the benefit of the nutrition, along with the sports education and the injury prevention and the strength training along with the skills for so many people in the area — it’s been really cool to see it be here for the community.”
Among those clinicians is Nicole Langevin, an international gymnastics expert who has worked with federations in North America and Europe. She said her passion for the sport began in childhood, just like many of the gymnasts now attending the camp.
“I started gymnastics because I was destroying the furniture and flipping off couches, which is probably what most of these kids did,” Langevin said laughing.
She explained that gymnastics training has shifted dramatically over the years, especially when it comes to preparing athletes holistically — not just physically.
“Back in the day, quote, unquote, the mental training aspect especially, but also things like nutrition and injury prevention, have really come a long way,” Langevin said. “Those were kind of used to put out fires rather than to prevent forest fires, and that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to prevent forest fires, so that we can do this as long as possible.”
That comprehensive approach is something Gibbie believes sets the camp apart and makes an impact well beyond the gym floor.
“I love that having the collegiate athletes, along with our university coaches here, just brought to life what they could possibly do, brings to life what their dreams could be,” Gibbie said.
With a strong turnout and plans to expand, Gibbie said the camp will likely become a yearly tradition.
“We definitely plan on doing it again,” she said.
College Sports
Ice Hockey – Summer League w/ Riverview-Cabrini United, Downriver Unified, and New Boston United – The News Herald
After a week off from play due to the MHSAA dead period, local high school ice hockey teams were back in action at the Kennedy Recreation Center for week three of the annual summer league on Thursday. It was a night where three of the programs playing across the slate of three games featured co-op […]

After a week off from play due to the MHSAA dead period, local high school ice hockey teams were back in action at the Kennedy Recreation Center for week three of the annual summer league on Thursday.
Originally Published:
College Sports
BLOG: Howard feeling prepared to make jump to NHL next season
After making the move from the University of Minnesota Duluth to Michigan State in 2023-24, the 21-year-old who wants his first name to be pronounced as ‘Ike’ over ‘Isaac’ put up eight goals and 28 assists in 36 games for the Green & White before exploding offensively the following year, winning the Hobey Baker Award […]

After making the move from the University of Minnesota Duluth to Michigan State in 2023-24, the 21-year-old who wants his first name to be pronounced as ‘Ike’ over ‘Isaac’ put up eight goals and 28 assists in 36 games for the Green & White before exploding offensively the following year, winning the Hobey Baker Award with 26 goals, 26 assists and 52 points in 37 games and an average of 1.41 points per game.
Howard also goes by the nickname ‘Iceman’ from a combination of his name, deadly offensive ability with the puck and cool confidence away from the rink, having worn a white suit and USA belt buckle during the 2022 Draft when the Lightning took him 31st overall, followed by a memorable TV interview with ESPN’S Emily Kaplan where he called himself “the best-looking guy here.”
“I just really tried to buy in,” Howard said. “I thought I had a solid sophomore season. I thought I could’ve done much more in my junior year, and I tried to buy in and listen to the coaches about what I needed to work on. I think improving in areas away from the puck helped me this year to create more offensive chances. I think ultimately, just finding the back of the net, I had more of a scoring mentality this year.”
Howard was the joint top scorer at the 2024 World Juniors, showing his natural goalscoring ability by helping lead the United States to a gold medal with seven goals (nine points) in seven games. He also had the opportunity to embed himself with Team USA for four games at the 2025 World Championships, recording one assist in four contests against heightened competition, with his confidence beaming for an opportunity to break through at the NHL level.
All that experience has Howard feeling confident he can make the jump to the NHL next season and fill a much-needed scoring role in Edmonton’s top six.
“I’ve got a lot of buddies who’ve been in similar spots, and a handful playing in the NHL have made that jump,” he said. “I got a cool opportunity at the World Championships this year to just be engraved in that kind of system of pro hockey, seeing how those guys act and stuff like that. So that was super valuable. It’s obviously a lot to do with your mindset. It’s going to be faster and stronger, and it’s the league that everyone’s goal is to get to and play in.
“A lot of it stems from a mindset and being confident in your abilities and just embracing it.
Along with his potential as a young and impactful scoring winger, Howard says that the energy he brings to the locker room is one of the many intangibles he can bring to the table immediately for an Oilers team that’s made back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final and has high ambitions to win it all next season.
“I’m just going to try and be myself,” he said. I love the game. I have great passion. I think that’s one thing that I do well is bring energy to practice and workouts, and I just love what I do. I believe that can rub off on people in a good way with positive energy around the rink and stuff like that, and obviously on the ice, using my speed, my shot and my IQ to do whatever I can to help the team. Hopefully, we’ll be able to accomplish our collective goal.”
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