College Sports
Mulligan like an MVP for P-Bruins
Staff Writer | Standard-Times As Hartford Wolf Pack coach John Paddock scouts key members of the Providence Bruins during their Calder Cup semifinal playoff series, he’d be smart to write down the name Tom Mulligan. A 25-year-old New Bedford native who played defense on his high school hockey team, Mulligan set a record this year […]

As Hartford Wolf Pack coach John Paddock scouts key members of the Providence Bruins during their Calder Cup semifinal playoff series, he’d be smart to write down the name Tom Mulligan.
A 25-year-old New Bedford native who played defense on his high school hockey team, Mulligan set a record this year for assists, but not with his hockey stick. He carries bandages, tape and surgical scissors on his belt.
Mulligan, you see, is the P-Bruins athletic trainer.
“We were thinking about giving him the team MVP,” assistant coach Bill Armstrong said after a recent practice.
“We couldn’t do it, but if anybody deserved an MVP it would be him,” agreed head coach Peter Laviolette. “Tommy’s done a great job, phenomenal.”
When a player misses a game with an injury, the statistician marks it down as one man-game lost for the team.
During last year’s dream season that ended with an AHL championship, Providence lost 76 man-games. This season the P-Bruins exceeded that total by the end of November.
An AHL record 70 players have skated for the P-Bruins this season, and the total of man-games lost climbed throughout the winter like the price on the gas pump.
The P-Bruins current total of man-games lost due to injury alone is around 400. Combine that with suspensions and all the recalls by the similarly-battered Boston Bruins and the total for man-games lost exceeds 830.
“You learn by doing,”‘ Mulligan said.
“If you learn by doing,” Laviolette said, “he should be a genius in the field of medicine by now.”
Mulligan didn’t feel too smart on the final weekend of the regular season when newcomer Mike Sylvia was knocked unconscious during a game at Springfield, Mass. Along with the standard how-many-fingers question, Mulligan asked Sylvia “What’s my name?”
“Then it dawned on me – wait a second,” Mulligan told himself. “He probably doesn’t know my name. I just met him yesterday.”
During the season Mulligan spends seven days a week in the bowels of the Providence Civic Center. On game days he arrives at 8 a.m. and doesn’t go home until 11 p.m. Even on non-practice days, players stroll in for injury rehabilitation and to get their aching muscles massaged.
With hockey players’ ever-growing fear of concussions, the trainer has to be a good listener. Gone are the days when a player gets knocked cold and argues his way back onto the ice in 10 minutes.
“Some guys make a big deal out of the littler things, and some guys don’t pay attention to some things that they should,” Mulligan said. “That’s half the battle, the psychological issue.”
“Tommy’s good with people, that’s one of his strengths outside of being knowledgeable in what he does,” Laviolette said. “He’s a good person and he’s a good communicator. People like Tommy, they respect him. He’s a young kid taking care of guys who are 31, 32 years old.”
“We have a great atmosphere here in the locker room and Tommy’s a big part of it.”
Mulligan’s work load intensified even more this season when the man-games lost spread off the ice.
“We even lost our equipment manager (Vinny Ferraiuolo),” he said. Ferraiuolo had to assist in Boston after its equipment manager, Peter Henderson, was sidelined with an illness.
That left Mulligan with a college intern and half the work of the equipment manager, including sewing holes in hockey socks and new name tags onto jerseys for players being recalled from Greenville, S.C. (ECHL) or signed to tryout contracts.
“They stay here as late or later than we do,” Laviolette said of Mulligan and Ferraiuolo.
After graduating Quinnipiac College in 1997 with a degree in physical therapy, Mulligan interned with the Boston Bruins under fellow Quinnipiac alumnus Tim Trahant and there he fulfilled a life-long dream of meeting Ray Bourque.
“I grew up living and dying by the Bruins,” he said. “When I started in Boston, I had never really met a professional athlete.”
Mulligan was at the Bruins practice facility in Wilmington when Rob DiMaio and other players came into the trainer’s room and introduced themselves.
“He was talking to me like a regular person. It didn’t really faze me, then all of a sudden Ray walks in and I just stood there and froze,” Mulligan said. “He walked out. About five minutes later he comes back in. He walks over to me, taps me on the shoulder, goes ‘Hey, you the new kid?’ I went ‘hum-a-da-hum-a-da…’
“Since I was 5-years-old, he was my idol. For me now, if I see him and say ‘Hey Ray, how ya doing?’ He’d say ‘Tom, how are ya?’ That’s amazing to me.”
Mulligan is glad he joined the P-Bruins when there was ample opportunity to learn the many administrative duties the trainer must perform, including detailed documentation of all treatment for legal purposes.
He realized very early how different this season was going to be.
“In training camp,” he said. “Keith McCambridge had one of his hamstring tendons skated over.” And rookie winger Jeff Zehr came to camp with a recurring knee injury that still threatens his career.
Providence’s season was barely a month old when tough-guy winger Aaron Downey was accidentally stabbed in the groin by teammate Johnathan Aitken’s stick.
Unless they repeat as Calder Cup champions, the gore on the ice that night will be the signature moment of the P-Bruins’ season.
“We were going to sandwich (the defenseman), we were going to knock him off the puck,” said Downey, who crashed together with Aitken and sustained a horrific injury. He thought he had a painful charley horse until blood began squirting out of his leg onto the ice.
“I was going towards Aitken and he wasn’t moving,” Mulligan recalled. “As I maybe got to the faceoff circle I saw this streak of blood… I tried to go underneath (Downey’s hockey pants), I wasn’t sure where it was coming from. I went to his main artery in the groin area and our doctor (Jack Bevivino) came out there. He used his belt as a tourniquet.”
“‘m fortunate that the great doctor in the stands, Jack Bevivino, did what he did,” Downey said. “I’m just fortunate there’s great help here, that’s for sure.”
“Seventy-plus players in and out of the line-up, plus Tommy’s had his hands full all year. We broke the transactions record this year.”
An athletic trainer in the AHL earns anywhere between $25,000 and $40,000 and from $40,000 and $110,000 in the NHL, depending on experience and on which end of the organization is signing the paychecks. Mulligan is signed with Providence.
He hopes in the future for a healthier squad and the lighter schedule that comes with it.
In the meantime, his fianc?e Kellie Charbonneau has been patient. She wasn’t a hockey fan when they met.
“She is now,” Mulligan said. “She’s unbelievably supportive, she knows I love this.”
College Sports
Sharks Foundation + Tech CU Provide $15,000 Grant
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sjsharks.com is the official website of the San Jose Sharks. San Jose Sharks name and primary logo are registered trademarks of San Jose Sharks, LLC. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL All-Star logo and NHL All-Star Skills Competition name and logo are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks as well as all other proprietary materials depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective NHL teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. Copyright © 1999-2025 San Jose Sharks, LLC and the National Hockey League. All Rights Reserved. If you are using a screen reader and are having problems using this website, please call (408) 287-7070 for assistance.
College Sports
Tech trio named All-America Scholars
NORMAN, Okla. – Texas Tech’s Charlie DeLong, Ben Gregg and Calum Scott were named 2024-25 Cobalt Golf All-America Scholars, revealed Tuesday by the Golf Coaches Association of America. To be eligible for a Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar nomination: An individual must be a sophomore, junior, or senior both academically and athletically must participate in 50 […]

To be eligible for a Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar nomination:
- An individual must be a sophomore, junior, or senior both academically and athletically
- must participate in 50 percent of their team’s competitive rounds
- own a stroke average under 76.0 in NCAA Division I, and maintain a minimum cumulative career grade-point average of 3.2
- must also be of high moral character and be in good standing at their college or university.
Scott, a senior in 2024-25, finishes his Texas Tech career earning the All-America Scholar honor all three years of his career. DeLong, also a senior, took home the honor both seasons as a Red Raider while Gregg, a sophomore in 2024-25, earned the honor after his first year eligible.
In total, 556 NCAA Division I athletes from 190 schools earned 2024-25 Cobalt Golf All-America Scholar honors.
About Cobalt Golf
Cobalt is a direct-to-consumer golf brand focused on developing premium laser rangefinders for golfers who demand the best out of their gear. We take pride in producing highly accurate, durable, easy-to-use products and delivering high-performance optical quality at a better price. For more information, please visit www.cobalt-golf.com.
About GCAA
Established in 1958, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) is the professional organization of men’s collegiate golf coaches. The GCAA’s mission is to support its member coaches from six divisions, including the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA, by creating educational opportunities, providing resources, and promoting its members with the purpose of enhancing their overall performance as coaches, mentors, and teachers. The GCAA also recognizes the excellence and achievements of its members and their student-athletes in academic, athletic, and civic endeavors.
– TECH –
College Sports
Star Power: AJ Dybantsa Has College Hoops Fans Fighting And Losing Their Damn Minds Over A Viral Shot Of Him Jumping Out Of The Gym
In case you somehow haven’t heard of AJ Dybatnsa yet, welcome. He’s likely going to be the face of college basketball next year. He’s also going to BYU, which hard to imagine why you’d pick BYU: And now you have him showing off his vert. Sure, it’s a weird angle that’s designed to show him […]

In case you somehow haven’t heard of AJ Dybatnsa yet, welcome. He’s likely going to be the face of college basketball next year. He’s also going to BYU, which hard to imagine why you’d pick BYU:
And now you have him showing off his vert. Sure, it’s a weird angle that’s designed to show him looking like a damn freak, but he still jumped 42 inches.
But the real sign he’s going to be a star? People fighting about this, a simple picture.
And on and on we go with a lot of the same stuff. But the fact is it’s July and people are willing to fight over a college basketball player. That’s how you get people to like my sport. I don’t care how high he can jump. Sure it makes for viral clips and all that shit, but that doesn’t mean anything if he struggles. I don’t think he will, the dude can play.
All this is good for college basketball. You have 3 big time guys coming into the sport, all of who are listed as the possible No. 1 pick for the NBA Draft with him, Darryn Peterson and Cam Boozer. You have big names coming back, people caring and willing to fight in the comment section. That’s awesome for a sport that deserves more attention than feast week and 3 weeks in March. Weird to see BYU loading up on talent, playing a true national schedule and being one of the teams listed first this year, but welcome to the new era.
College Sports
The College Test: What Porter Martone’s NCAA Decision Could Mean for His NHL Future
(Header/feature image courtesy of Kirby Lee-Imagn Images) When the Philadelphia Flyers selected Porter Martone with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, they didn’t just draft a player—they bet on a vision. A physically mature, detail-oriented forward with a pro-ready toolkit, Martone came into the draft with the polish of a player who […]

(Header/feature image courtesy of Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
When the Philadelphia Flyers selected Porter Martone with the sixth overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, they didn’t just draft a player—they bet on a vision. A physically mature, detail-oriented forward with a pro-ready toolkit, Martone came into the draft with the polish of a player who might only need a year—or less—before turning pro. But in a decision that reflects his maturity just as much as his potential, Martone chose to take the NCAA route and commit to Michigan State for the upcoming season.
On the surface, it might look like a detour. But for Martone, it could be the perfect path to long-term success—and for the Flyers, a quietly brilliant development move.
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So what can fans expect from Martone’s first NCAA season, and how might it help mold him into the kind of top-six forward Philadelphia needs?
Who is Porter Martone? A Quick Refresher
He’s not flashy in the traditional sense, but his game has layers: strong hockey sense, a pro-caliber shot, responsible play off the puck, and a frame that allows him to win battles and drive the middle of the ice.
In many ways, he’s already built like an NHL player. But Martone’s decision to attend Michigan State suggests he’s looking for more than a quick path to the show.
Why Michigan State?
The Spartans have become one of the most compelling developmental programs in the NCAA. Under head coach Adam Nightingale, Michigan State has shifted toward a fast-paced, skilled, and structured brand of hockey, mirroring many of the principles found in today’s NHL systems.
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Here’s what makes MSU an ideal fit for Martone:
1. Puck Possession Focus
Martone brings a tantalizing combination of size (6-foot-3, 205 pounds), smarts, and skill. He’s the type of player who doesn’t just score—he dictates. A right-shot forward who can play either wing or center, he’s been praised for his poise with the puck, his ability to protect it in traffic, and his vision as a passer.
Michigan State plays a control-heavy style built around keeping the puck, supporting it through layers, and generating offense from below the dots. Martone’s strengths—his puck protection, timing, and vision—align beautifully with that philosophy. He’ll be empowered to hang onto the puck, make plays, and use his frame to create space in high-danger areas.
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2. Defensive Structure and Accountability
Nightingale has emphasized two-way responsibility and intelligent puck management. For Martone, that means continued development as a 200-foot player—an area already considered a strength, but one that could be refined even further against older, more physically developed opponents.
3. Strong Supporting Cast
Martone won’t be alone in East Lansing. He’ll be joining fellow Flyers 2025 draftee Shane Vansaghi, a hard-nosed, physically assertive forward with a motor that never quits. That chemistry could translate into a dynamic duo that balances skill and grit.
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Additionally, the Spartans return a solid veteran core and talented underclassmen, including players like Isaac Howard (EDM), giving Martone the chance to both drive a line and play within a competitive environment.
4. Top Facilities and Resources
Michigan State has invested significantly in its program—on and off the ice. With top-notch strength training, recovery, analytics, and video tools, Martone will have every resource he needs to continue growing—not just as a player, but as a professional.
How the NCAA Path Could Shape Him Differently
Many Flyers prospects in recent years—have taken the CHL (Tyson Foerster, Oliver Bonk, Denver Barkey) or NTDP (Cam York) routes. Those leagues offer constant game reps and high-octane competition, but the NCAA presents a unique development opportunity—and it’s one that’s so far served Philly’s young talents quite well. (After all, Alex Bump and Bobby Brink did both win national championships in college with Western Michigan and the University of Denver, respectively.)
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Although Martone did start out in the OHL with the Brampton Steelheads, here’s how college could seriously benefit his development:
1. Time to Build Physically and Mentally
The NCAA’s shorter schedule (34–40 games plus playoffs) means more time for off-ice development. That allows Martone to continue building strength, stamina, and explosiveness in a structured way. With many of his qualities being close to or arrived at NHL-ready, this time can be spent refining balance, acceleration, and agility—areas that could push him from “ready” to “dominant.”
Mentally, the college environment also cultivates leadership, time management, and maturity. Martone, who’s always been described as detail-oriented and driven, seems to value that.
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2. More Practice Time, More Structure
College hockey offers significantly more practice and strength training time than junior leagues. That’s valuable for a player like Martone, whose game is built on nuance and decision-making, and who will surely welcome any chance to build up his physique for the big leagues. The increased opportunity to work with coaches, watch video, and drill systems will help sharpen his reads and execution.
3. Facing Older Competition
In the CHL, Martone would be going up against teenagers. In the NCAA, he’ll face men—players aged 21–24, many of whom have NHL futures themselves. It’s the kind of test that doesn’t just challenge skills, but forces adaptation. How do you handle forecheck pressure from a 23-year-old? How do you hold the puck along the boards against someone with five years of college muscle?
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These aren’t just reps—they’re refinements.
What This Means for His NHL Readiness
Martone is already physically mature, yes, but the jump from junior hockey to the NHL is steep in pace, detail, and discipline. If Martone dominates at Michigan State the way many expect, he could make the transition after just one year—maybe even joining the Flyers late in the 2025–26 season, much like Cam York did coming out of the University of Michigan.
The key difference? Martone plays a heavier, more NHL-style game already. College hockey will reinforce the habits needed to make his transition seamless.
What to Watch This Season
For fans tuning into Michigan State this fall, here are the key markers to track:
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Is he consistently impacting games? Look for shifts where Martone dictates pace, controls possession in the offensive zone, and makes smart plays in transition.
Can he elevate teammates? Martone isn’t just there to score—he should be the player that others play better alongside.
Is he defensively reliable? Watch his positioning on the backcheck, his decision-making in the defensive zone, and his ability to win puck battles down low.
Powerplay role: Expect Martone to be featured prominently, likely as a bumper or net-front presence where he can use his size and hands.
Faceoff responsibility (if he plays center): This could determine how the Flyers project him long-term. If he wins draws consistently and anchors his line, his future down the middle becomes more certain.
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Final Thought: A Modern Power Forward in the Making
Porter Martone, with all of the hype and excitement he brought with him when the Flyers took him at sixth overall this year, is the kind of young player worth waiting for. He’s the kind of player who makes winning plays. Smart. Patient. Heavy on pucks. Technically sound. Hard to play against.
His decision to go to Michigan State isn’t a delay—it’s a deliberate step forward. It’s a signal that Martone, like the Flyers, is thinking long-term.
Because when he arrives in Philadelphia, he won’t just be “ready.” He’ll be prepared to thrive.
College Sports
Kai Trump teases the president in video promoting Accelerator energy drink
First granddaughter and golf sensation Kai Trump teased her grandfather over his preferred caffeinated beverage in a video promoting her NIL deal with Accelerator Active Energy. In the ad, the 18-year-old rising high school senior and University of Miami golf commit slaps a wicked drive off a tee and then makes her way to the […]

First granddaughter and golf sensation Kai Trump teased her grandfather over his preferred caffeinated beverage in a video promoting her NIL deal with Accelerator Active Energy.
In the ad, the 18-year-old rising high school senior and University of Miami golf commit slaps a wicked drive off a tee and then makes her way to the cart where a crispy looking can of Diet Coke — President Trump’s go-to drink — and a can of the energy drink sit.
“Sorry grandpa,” Kai Trump said while choosing to sip from the Accelerator Active Energy drink.
Kai Trump announced her NIL deal with Accelerator earlier this month.
The energy drink brand also has sponsorship deals with college gymnast and social media influencer Livvy Dune and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend and Superbowl winning Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
“It’s pretty cool, especially being partners with such great athletes and being up there with them,” Kai Trump told Fox Business about the deal.
The daughter of first son Donald Trump Jr. became a breakout star of the Republican National Convention last summer where she delivered a well-prepared speech to throngs of adoring GOPers.
Commenting on his daughter’s popularity after the speech, Donald Trump Jr. said to Fox News last year, “Get away, you little b-stards, and stay away.”
Earlier this year, the teen opened up about life with a Secret Service detail.
“It’s tough because you’re in high school and you want to have your privacy,” the golf phenom said in a video posted to her YouTube page.
“But I feel on matter what I’ll probably never have the privacy as other kids my age so I kinda just have to deal with it,” she told her dad in the video.
Last month, Secret Service agents arrested 23-year-old Anthony Thomas Reyes as he scaled the wall surrounding Mar-a-Lago — who told cops he was there because he wanted to marry Kai Trump.
College Sports
Seventeen men’s hockey players are 2024-25 All-American Scholars
Story Links Ninth Annual AHCA All-American Scholars Release Seventeen members of the Hamilton College men’s hockey team were recognized as 2024-25 American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Krampade All-American Scholars on Thursday, July 17 when the organization released its list of honorees. To […]

Seventeen members of the Hamilton College men’s hockey team were recognized as 2024-25 American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Krampade All-American Scholars on Thursday, July 17 when the organization released its list of honorees.
To qualify for All-American Scholars, a student-athlete must have attained a 3.75 grade point average for each semester of the 2024-25 academic year, and had to appear in 40 percent of the team’s games. Exceptions were granted to injured players and back-up goaltenders. Schools were required to be members of the AHCA.
This is the ninth straight year the AHCA has honored collegiate hockey players for academics. The list of Hamilton student-athletes can be found below.
Tyler Bloomfield ’28 (Hudson, Mass./Noble and Greenough School)
Lucas Constantine ’27 (Los Angeles, Calif./Kimball Union Academy [N.H.])
Alex Danis ’26 (Calgary, Alberta/St. Mary’s HS)
Devon de Vries ’27 (Saint-Lazare, Quebec/Stanstead College)
Grisha Gotovets ’25 (Minsk, Belarus/Shattuck-St. Mary’s [Minn.])
Carson Hall ’26 (York, Pa./Northwood School [N.Y.])
Sebastian Hamming ’28 (Regina, Saskatchewan/St. George’s School)
Jacob Ierfino ’27 (Chateauguay, Quebec/Portsmouth Abbey School [R.I.])
Noah Leibl ’27 (Del Mar, Calif./Shawnigan Lake School [B.C.])
Cameron Miranda ’26 (Mendon, Mass./Loomis Chaffee School [Conn.])
Josh Nadler ’26 (Montreal, Quebec/Trinity College School)
William Neault ’25 (Mont-Tremblant, Quebec/Newbridge Academy)
James Philpott ’25 (Calgary, Alberta/Centennial HS)
Aksel Reid ’27 (Minneapolis, Minn./The Blake School)
Liam Varmecky ’28 (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland HS)
Brendan Waivada ’27 (Cedar Knolls, N.J./Seton Hall Prep)
Ben Zimmerman ’26 (Englewood, Colo./Deerfield Academy [Mass.])
Philpott was also a first team all-American. Neault was an All-American Scholar all four years.
The Continentals (21-7-1 overall) won a team-record 21 games and their first New England Small College Athletic Conference title. Hamilton earned its second NCAA Division III championship appearance and advanced to the quarterfinals for the second time after a 4-2 win at University of New England on March 15. The Continentals were ranked eighth in the final USCHO.com Top 15 poll and ninth in the NCAA Power Index under Head Coach Rob Haberbusch.
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