By STEPHEN WHYNO, AP Hockey Writer

The 4 Nations Face-Off in February was meant to provide a taste of international competition a year before the Winter Olympics because it had been nearly a decade since the NHL’s top players were able to represent their countries in the same tournament.

Instead, the pace and quality of games captivated sellout crowds, with millions tuning in to watch. In the immediate aftermath of his team beating the U.S. i n the final in overtime, Canada general manager Doug Armstrong met up with American counterpart Bill Guerin in the hallway, shook hands and had a message that was bigger than one game.

“He said it best: Hockey was the big winner,” Guerin recalled. “Obviously Canada won that championship, but the sport of hockey, the game, was the big winner.”

Hockey is seeing a surge in popularity and buzz, fed by the 4 Nations tournament, Alex Ovechkin’s stirring run to the NHL career goals record and the Florida Panthers repeating as Stanley Cup champions to set up a threepeat bid next season. Up next are the draft and free agency, with Mitch Marner and playoff MVP Sam Bennett among the top players available, and anticipation is building for the NHL’s return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.

“For all of us, I think we’re just really proud of being a part of this bigger picture and growing the game and getting it more on the forefront,” Guerin said. “The game’s never been in a better spot.”

The NHL and NHLPA wanted to stage a World Cup but plans were pushed back until this year with a pared-down version involving the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland.

Commissioner Gary Bettman referred to it as an appetizer, and no one knew exactly what to expect.

“We all went in hoping it was going to be a great event,” Armstrong said, “and it ended up being better than anyone could have expected.”

Canada’s star-studded power play of Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Sam Reinhart connecting on a tic-tac-toe passing goal less than a minute into the opening game against Sweden served notice that the play would be at the highest level. The U.S. and Canada had three fights in the first nine seconds, and geopolitical cross-border tensions with crowds booing anthems and more put the 4 Nations in an unexpected spotlight. Fans were riveted.

The final became one of the hottest tickets in Boston sports history, and more than 9 million watched in the U.S. and nearly 11 million in Canada. Not bad for a tournament that never happened before and may never happen again.

Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals took center stage as he chased down Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals, a feat that had long seemed unapproachable. Despite missing more than a month earlier in the season because of a broken left leg, he was in striking distance by late March.

Still scoring at an absurd pace at 39 years old, Ovechkin went on a tear and tied the mark at home on a Friday night that became a celebration of his career. Two days later, he got No. 895 in New York against the Islanders, with Gretzky, Bettman, his mother, wife, children and more there to congratulate him.

“(It is) the biggest accomplishment that the world of hockey has seen a very long time,” longtime teammate T.J. Oshie said. “This record is going to be here for a while.”

Ovechkin, now at 897 goals, is set to play his 21st NHL season and add to his total.

Florida had the 11th-most points out of the 16 teams that reached the playoffs and started each round on the road. Didn’t matter. The Panthers got through Tampa Bay in five games, Toronto in seven and Carolina in six to reach the final for a third consecutive year. They then beat McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers again, this time in six to go back to back.

“Everybody wrote us off from the start of the playoffs,” veteran winger Brad Marchand said after becoming a two-time champion. “They had everybody beating us in every round. We just had that fire. We knew we had something special.”

Matthew Tkachuk, whose arrival in the summer of 2022 along with coach Paul Maurice coincided with Florida becoming an NHL powerhouse, went as far as to use the “D” word.

“We’ve got to be dynasty now,” Tkachuk said. “Three years in a row finals, two championships. This is a special group.”

Retired goaltender Cory Schneider called the Panthers “one of the best teams I think I’ve seen in my lifetime.”

“They’re the epitome of depth, skill, structure,” said Schneider, who worked the final as an NHL Network analyst. “A lot of teams have good players. but it takes the attention to detail and the sacrifice to do it all the time. Teams want to play easy hockey sometimes and get their chances, but Florida does that while also committing to playing a complete brand of team hockey.”

BetMGM Sportsbook lists the Oilers as a slight favorite to win next season’s championship over the Panthers. The NHL hasn’t had a three-peat since the New York Islanders won four in a row from 1980-83.

The league is having its first in-person, de-centralized draft in Los Angeles on June 27-28. The New York Islanders after winning the draft lottery have the first pick, and new general manager Mathieu Darche could pick defenseman Matthew Schaefer, an inspirational story off the ice.

With the salary cap getting the first of several big jumps thanks to record attendance and revenue (increases to $95.5 million this summer), player movement could be fast and furious.

Free agency opens July 1, and teams in markets from New York and Toronto to Los Angeles, Anaheim and Utah have cap space to use.

The 12 countries taking part — Russia is banned — have already unveiled the first six players on their Olympic rosters. The International Ice Hockey Federation has released the schedule of games, with the men’s tournament starting Feb. 11,

“When you’re growing up when you’re watching as a kid, it’s Stanley Cup finals and it’s Team Canada,” said Reinhart, who scored four goals in Florida’s Cup-clinching game the day after getting named to Canada’s roster. “Those are the two things that you dream about playing for. To have that opportunity is pretty exciting.”

The NHL went to five consecutive Games from 1998-2014, then skipped 2018 and pulled out in 2022, leaving teams those years without any active league players. Milan-Cortina will be the first Olympics for players like McDavid, MacKinnon, Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel.

“Getting another opportunity to bring generations that have a Sidney Crosby and a Connor McDavid together to play internationally, it’s just great for the fans and great for hockey,” Armstrong said. “Players are so excited to be part of this. … It’s neck and neck with the Stanley Cup right now of wanting to win that event.”

Tkachuk was named to the U.S. team along with brother Brady. With the two becoming household names for new fans after the fight-filled 4 Nations, it feels a little like hockey is in its Tkachuk era. Italy is the next stop on their journey.

“4 Nations was good, and hopefully Olympics will be great, as well,” said Matthew after becoming a two-time Cup champion. “I feel I’ve been the luckiest guy in hockey.”

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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Hockey is back for the Utah Mammoth — kind of.

The team will host its development camp from June 29 through July 3, during which Mammoth prospects — and possibly invited undrafted free agents — will receive NHL coaching instruction both at and away from the rink. The camp offers the opportunity for players to show their progress and get a taste of the pro pace, and for the organization to get an up-close look at the assets in its system.

The on-ice sessions are set for June 30 and July 1 at Park City Ice Arena and happen in two groups (scheduled for 9:45-11:45 a.m. and 12:15-2:15 p.m.). Those practices will be open to the public.

Development camp will conclude on July 3 with a scrimmage at Utah’s Olympic Oval. The prospects will play in a four-on-four, intra-squad competition to simulate a mock game with officials. While the scrimmage is closed to the public, the Mammoth will host 500 youth hockey players from the Utah Amateur Hockey Association to watch.

A full roster for development camp will be released following the NHL draft (which is June 27 and 28). Until then, here are eight top prospects who are expected to attend and what you need to know about them.

Tij Iginla

Tij Iginla was the sixth pick for the Utah Mammoth in the 2024 NHL Draft — and the first-ever selection for the franchise after last April’s relocation. The organization has high expectations for the 18-year-old forward, however, Iginla was dealing with an injury the last time he was in Salt Lake City.

Iginla was sidelined for the majority of the Mammoth’s rookie and training camp last season with that lower-body injury and eventually underwent successful hip surgery in December. He played 21 games for the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League before the surgery and posted 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists) as an alternate captain. The season prior, when Iginla skated in 64 games, he had 84 points (47 goals, 37 assists).

The past few months have been all about rehabilitation for Iginla and he should be ready to go for development camp and everything that is to come after. Utah will see what a fully healthy Iginla is like and how he could fit in on its team. Iginla stands at 6 feet, 182 pounds and can play both center and the wing. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract in July 2024.

Dmitri Simashev

Dmitri Simashev is one of Utah’s most highly anticipated prospects. The 20-year-old defenseman was the sixth overall pick by the Arizona Coyotes (now Mammoth) in the 2023 NHL Draft and signed his three-year, entry-level contract with the team in late May.

Simashev has spent the last three years in the Kontinental Hockey League (in Russia) with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and recently won the league championship before deciding to turn pro. The 6-foot-4, 198-pound blueliner had six points (one goal, five assists) in 56 games this season. He also set new career highs in blocked shots (54) and ice time per game (15:57).

Despite his towering stature — which is a positive for Utah — Simashev is a strong, swift skater. The Mammoth believe there is room for improvement in Simashev’s offensive game but the immediate upside is his responsible and aggressive defense. He will be fighting for an opening-night roster spot come October.

Daniil But

Daniil But has a similar path as Simashev, except that he is a forward. But, the 20-year-old winger, has been teammates with Simashev on the KHL’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and also got to raise the Gagarin Cup in May. But signed his matching three-year, entry-level contract the same day as Simashev and now the two will enter the next stage of their hockey careers together.

But was the 12th overall pick by the Coyotes in the 2023 NHL Draft and has the potential to bring size and a powerful shot to the Mammoth’s forward group if he can break through. At 6-5, 203 pounds, But logged 28 points (nine goals, 19 assists) in 54 games this season and set new career highs in assists, points, power-play goals (two) and TOI (11:47).

Cole Beaudoin

Cole Beaudoin arguably had one of the best training camps of any young player for Utah last season and now it is time for him to further prove himself. The 19-year-old center was the 24th overall pick by the Mammoth in the 2024 NHL Draft, following Iginla.

Beaudoin — who is 6-2, 209 pounds — was an alternate captain for the Ontario Hockey League’s Barrie Colts this season and had 51 points (22 goals, 29 assists) in 52 matchups. The Ottawa, Ontario native has a strong two-way game, high compete level and skates with an edge while also producing. He can offer the Mammoth depth down the middle in the coming years if things pan out well.

Beaudoin signed his entry-level contract in July 2024.

Michael Hrabal

Michael Hrabal is Utah’s top goaltender prospect in the pipeline. He was selected in the second round (38th overall) by Arizona in 2023 and has been developing in the NCAA with UMass Amherst’s Division I program.

The 20-year-old netminder has a unique build for his position — Hrabal is 6-7, 216 pounds — but has been able to use it to his advantage. In his first two seasons with UMass, Hrabal worked to find consistency in his play and finished his sophomore showing with a .924 save percentage and 2.37 goals against average in 36 games. The plan is for Hrabal to return for his junior year in college hockey.

The World Juniors stage is another place where Hrabal has strengthened his game. He has represented Czechia in international tournaments for the last four years and earned Bronze at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Gabe Smith

Utah signed Gabe Smith to a three-year, entry-level contract at the end of May after the 18-year-old forward had an impressive run in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League this season with the Moncton Wildcats.

Smith (6-foot-5, 207 pounds) had 39 points (20 goals, 19 assists) in 52 regular-season games before garnering 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) in 19 playoff games. It helped Moncton win the Giles-Corteau Trophy (league championship). Smith set career highs in goals, assists, points, power-play goals (four) and game-winning goals (four) this year, too.

Smith was selected in the fourth round (103rd overall) by the Mammoth in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Tomas Lavoie

Tomas Lavoie is another product of last year’s draft. The 19-year-old defenseman was selected in the third round (89th overall) by the Mammoth and signed his three-year, entry-level contract in April.

Lavoie was an alternate captain for the Cape Breton Eagles in the QMJHL this season and had 55 points (15 goals, 40 assists) in 60 games. The numbers alone show his offensive capabilities on the backend. Lavoie is 6-4, 215 pounds.

Will Skahan

Will Skahan was a second-round pick (65th overall) for the Mammoth in the 2024 NHL Draft. The 19-year-old defenseman just finished his freshman season of NCAA hockey with Boston College.

Skahan had seven points (two goals, five assists) in 30 games for the Eagles. He, at times, was the seventh defenseman because of the depth Boston College had — the team was ranked No. 1 in the nation for the majority of the year before falling in the regional tournament. However, Skahan got to learn from the veterans on his team and will likely get more opportunities in the next few seasons.

The 19-year-old — who is 6-foot-4, 216 pounds — was teammates with James Hagens at Boston College. Hagens is a highly-touted player in this year’s draft who could be in Utah’s range at No. 4.

We’re two weeks into the Top 25 moments of the 2000s for the Michigan Wolverines, and we have officially approached elite territory with the final 15.

Today, we will cover a series of Cinderella stories where, against all odds, the Wolverines made history. Here’s No. 15-11.

15. Michigan runs over Penn State with zero 2nd-half passes (2023)

As the team was mid-flight heading to Happy Valley to face a top-10 Penn State team, the Big Ten suspended Jim Harbaugh for the last three games of the regular season. Everyone across the country was shocked by the unprecedented decision, but the players rallied behind it, with the entire team tweeting a simple word: “Bet.”

Blake Corum came out onto the field wearing a ski mask that said “Michigan vs. Everybody” and then ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. Michigan needed every one of them, as it didn’t even attempt a pass in the second half to beat the Nittany Lions, 24-15, in one of the most emotional wins of the national championship campaign.

14. Women’s Gymnastics wins NCAA Championship (2021)

The 2021 season was a historic moment for the Michigan athletics department on so many levels. It was the women’s gymnastic’s first national championship, and the first ever by a Big Ten program, breaking a long-term dominance by the SEC and Pac-12.

On the run, Michigan beat powerhouses like Oklahoma, Florida and Utah, which all had multiple national titles. Head coach Bev Plocki was crowned the WCGA National Coach of the Year after accomplishing what was considered one of the largest upsets in the history of the sport. The 11-time Big Ten Coach of the Year had won the conference eight times, finishing in the Super Six 10 times. The national title has cemented the Michigan program as a powerhouse and solidified Plocki’s legacy.

13. Samantha Findlay hits 3-run bomb in 10th to win national title (2005)

It’s hard to get more impossible than what the Michigan women’s gymnastics team did in 2021, but the 2005 softball season was a true storybook finish. Legendary coach Carol Hutchins had built a winner in the midwest, something that was deemed impossible due to West Coast dominance.

The Wolverines ranked No. 1 in the country for most of the year, but entered the Women’s College World Series as an underdog to UCLA. The Bruins boasted 10 national titles and were led by two-time National Player of the Year Natasha Watley.

In a winner-take-all Game 3, tied 1-1 in the 10th, freshman Samantha Findlay crushed a ball to left that wound up being the difference-maker.

This was the first national championship for Michigan softball, the Big Ten, and any team east of the Mississippi River. Twenty years later, and the Wolverines are still the only program in the conference to stake claim in a national title.

12. Tommy Henry throws CWS shutout to reach championship series (2019)

The Michigan Cinderella stories continue with what was an unbelievable stretch of baseball for the Wolverines in 2019. They entered the season as a nearly consensus top-25 program, but fell out of the rankings in Week 6 and finished second in the Big Ten to Indiana. Michigan made the NCAA Tournament as the No. 3 seed in the Corvallis Regional.

The Wolverines beat No. 22 Creighton twice to take the Regional, knocked off No. 1 UCLA on its home turf in the Super Regional, and then beat No. 8 Texas Tech twice — along with a dominant complete game shutout from Tommy Henry over Florida State — to make the championship series.

After beating No. 2 Vanderbilt in Game 1, the Wolverines were a game away from winning it all, but dropped consecutive games to the Commodores to just miss glory. Nevertheless, the program reached its first College World Series since 1984, and it was the first Big Ten to reach the finals in over 50 years.

11. Michigan wins Big Ten Tournament after plane crash (2017)

When you think of some of the most unbelievable sports stories in your lifetime, Michigan’s men’s basketball’s 2017 run through the Big Ten Tournament has got to be damn near the top of the list. In desperate need of a strong tournament to make the NCAA Tournament, the team’s plane skidded off the runway at Willow Run Airport, severely damaging the plane. Luckily, no one was injured.

However, the Wolverines didn’t arrive at the Big Ten Tournament in Washington, D.C. until 90 minutes before the scheduled first-round game against Illinois. The team wore practice jerseys because the regular jerseys didn’t make the trip.

All the Wolverines did was jump to a 31-11 lead, crushing the Illini by 20 points in the opening round and never trailing in the game. With the win, John Beilein became the all-time winningest coach in program history.

The next day, the Wolverines took on the top-seeded Purdue Boilermakers. D.J. Wilson’s 26 points were the difference in a game that had 18 lead changes, resulting in a 74-70 overtime win. A day later, it was Derrick Walton’s turn to take over, scoring a career-high 29 points as the Wolverines beat Minnesota, 84-77. For the third time in program history, Michigan made the Big Ten Tournament Championship.

Walton’s dominance continued into a title bout with Wisconsin, a top-25 program and NCAA Tournament shoe-in. Walton had 22 points and seven assists as the Wolverines took it, 71-56, to win their first Big Ten Tournament title since 1998.

Michigan is still the lowest-seeded team (No. 8) to ever win the Big Ten Tournament.

For more in this series: