HE RUNS THE SHOW

BY MIKE RIFKIN

Yes it is June and football season is still a few months away, but Mandatory mini camps have begun this week. This is where the team meets for the last time before training camp and begins their grind to win a Super Bowl. Usually most players attend mini camp, now we have seen guys not participate due to injury or contract negotiations. But that’s not the case for Jets Quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

According to the Jets Rodgers told them he wouldn’t be attending mini camp due to an “event that’s important to him.” Head Coach Robert Saleh said “ Aaron and I spoke before OTAs started. He’s been very good with communication, he’s been here the whole time. It’s inexcused, but he had an event that’s very important to him, which he communicated.” Saleh also added that Rodgers is subject to a fine for missing camp. Now the event has still not been disclosed and we may never know what it is, people will ask does it matter if Rodgers missing mini camp matters and while most people will say no, it does matter for a few reasons. 

The biggest reason this matters actually came from Rodgers in January where he discussed the team’s culture. Rodgers said “Anything in this building that we’re doing that has nothing to do with winning has to be assessed.” Rodgers added there’s bull**** that needs to be cut out. Again we don’t know what the event is, but does skipping minicamp for an event sound like something that has to do with winning? 

In my opinion there’s not a team in the NFL under more pressure this season than the New York Jets. They have the longest current playoff drought of any team in the NFL at 13 seasons. When the Jets acquired Rodgers they thought they’d be competing for a Super Bowl, well last year that dream got snatched from them four snaps into their season as Rodgers tore his achilles and missed the season. But that didn’t come without distractions from Rodgers himself who kept telling people he was trying to get back in case the team was in contention for a playoff spot, and in my opinion it was a disservice to the Quarterback Zach Wilson. 

Saleh said today “Aaron and I are on the exact same page. There’s no issue between Aaron or his teammates, for that matter. We addressed it. It’s more of an issue for everyone outside the building than it is inside.” Of course it is because Aaron Rodgers is running the show here. When the Jets bent over backwards for the four time MVP winner, they gave him control of everything. By the way Saleh has to say it because he hasn’t won anything since taking over the team. He’s 18-33 as the Jets head coach, and got a benefit of the doubt for last year since Rodgers got injured. We know that if the Jets don’t win in 2024 Rodgers, Saleh along with GM Joe Douglas will all be out in Florham Park. 

Yes, it’s June and the regular season doesn’t start for a couple of months, but Aaron Rodgers, like he has the last year and a half, is doing whatever he wants. And if the Jets don’t win this year the Rodgers experiment along with everything else they’ve done for him will blow up in their face. But hey at least you’ll get the year and a half of a future Hall of famer. All that matters here is winning.

Bobrovsky Continues Proving Doubters Wrong in 2024 Stanley Cup Final

By Nathan Moser

The first two games of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final are in the books. If the hockey world voted on who they believed should be the current leader in the Conn Smythe Trophy voting, Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky would be winning that vote. He has been absolutely dominant in net and he has stifled the Edmonton Oilers’ offense to just one goal in two Cup Final games. Connor McDavid has been held to just one assist, and despite his offensive skills like skating and puck-handling, Bobrovsky has stopped him every step of the way so far.

This is the type of play that the Panthers wanted out of Bobrovsky when they signed him to a seven-year contract with them back in 2019 free agency. He had already put up significant numbers, such as being a two-time Vezina Trophy winner before as well as leading the NHL in shutouts for 2018-19. However, there was a time since he had joined Florida that the contract looked like a mistake. The Panthers have been paying him each season as one of the best in the league, and there were times when those results did not make the deal he signed. He was not living up to making $10 million a season for them. This was frustrating for management and the fanbase when the Panthers were not getting the right amount of solid play from him to justify the contract. Trying to get rid of him was going to be hard if they went down that route, given that the contract was monstrous.

Fortunately for the Panthers and their fans, they did not part ways with the 35-year-old netminder as he has been phenomenal for them in the crease. Even before getting to this playoff run specifically, the man they call “Bob,” had a tremendous 2021-22 season. He put up a record of 39-7-3 in 54 games played. He has not stopped making an impact, as Bobrovsky has been a significant part of Florida’s run to the Cup Final for the second time in a row. As the stats stand right now, Bobrovsky has a 2024 postseason record of 14-5. His goals-against average (GAA) so far is 2.02, while his save percentage (SV%) is currently .916. He also has two shutouts on this playoff run, including in Game One of the Cup Final when the Panthers beat the Oilers 3-0.

Many people in the hockey world had their doubts at times with Bobrovsky on the Panthers. There were times when I thought Florida was going to move in another direction and feel strong enough about it that they would retain half of his salary. He has proven the doubters wrong and should be the top choice for the Conn Smythe Trophy if he continues to be a brick wall in net for them.

Florida is only halfway there though, and they have had the benefit of playing the first two games of the series at home. Now, they head to Edmonton to take on the Oilers in Games Three and Four. Playing in front of the Oiler faithful might be a harder task, but Bobrovsky and the rest of the Panthers will make a huge difference if they can skate away with at least one win while in the province of Alberta.

Speaking of the rest of the Panthers, the group in front of Bob deserves credit for helping him out as well. Longtime NHL head coach Paul Maurice has put together a game plan that the rest of the roster has executed well. They make Bob’s job easier. Forwards like Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, and Evan Rodrigues (specifically in this series) have been carrying some of the offense. Meanwhile, the defense held down the fort in front of Bobrovsky on this run. Gutsav Forsling, Brandon Montour, Aaron Ekblad, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Niko Mikkola, and Dmitry Kulikov have done what they can to result in only one Oiler goal so far in this series. To do that to an Oiler team that has McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard, Evander Kane, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins among others is impressive. The team in front of Bob deserves its fair share of credit. Bobrovsky, the last line of defense for this Florida squad, has just managed to stand out the most. When all is said and done and the Cup is officially won, I think Bobrovsky skates away with the Conn Smythe Trophy. He has stood on his head throughout the playoffs, has played a massive role in helping shut down other star players, and he is a matchup nightmare for all opposing offenses. The Oilers have a little bit of time to plan out their next attack before Game Three. They need to execute it almost to perfection. If they are not successful and Bobrovsky and the Panthers take Game Three, that may basically be a wrap for this Cup Final series.

Loyalty

By Mike Rifkin

On Monday it was announced that UCONN coach Dan Hurley turned down an offer to be the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers reportedly offered Hurley a six year contract worth 70 million dollars. Had he taken the offer Hurley would’ve been one of the highest paid NBA coaches. 

The Lakers job is not the only one that Hurley turned down. Earlier in the offseason he turned down the opportunity to replace John Calipari at the University of Kentucky. Hurley decided staying at UCONN and try to win a third consecutive National Championship is more important than the money. We live in an era of sports that says money is the root of most things, but for Danny Hurley bringing UCONN back to a national powerhouse has mattered more and shows a great deal of loyalty in a sport that sees a lot of turnover. 

Winging It

By Mike Rifkin

When the Rangers were eliminated by the Florida Panthers, one thing became crystal clear, they needed a top line right winger to play with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. At his end of season press conference GM Chris Drury discussed looking at internal and external options to play the right side, so let’s deep dive on some of the potential targets. 

Internal 

Filip Chytil : Now this depends on where the organization sees Chytil playing after his injury derailed his regular season. But if you go back and watch the Panthers series the Zibanejad Kredier duo had their best games with Chytil playing on the right side. 

Alexis Lafreniere : The former first overall pick had a career year with 28 goals and 57 points playing with Artemi Panarin. While Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere was the Rangers’ most consistent line all season (including playoffs) maybe tinkering Lafreniere with Zibanejad and Kreider in training camp is something you see. 

Kaapo Kakko – Kakko started the season as the right winger on this line, but a knee injury made Kakko miss 21 games. The Rangers have been waiting on the former second overall pick to produce in a big way, and that has yet to come. Now there’s also a chance Kakko isn’t on the roster as his name has surfaced in trade rumors. 

Will Cuylle – Cuylle had a solid rookie season with 13 goals and 21 points. He plays a very heavy game, and still has a lot of upside. I wouldn’t mind seeing him get some run on the top line in training camp. 

Brennan Othmann/ Brett Berard – Between these two and Cuylle let’s call those the longshots. Othmann and Berard were the top two goal scorers in Hartford this season. Othmann did play in a regular season game and didn’t register a point. Both Othmann and Berard both finished their first seasons in Hartford, so time will tell in training camp if they’re ready.  It doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be on the roster, just not playing on the top line.

External

Jake Guentzel – The star of the trade deadline, and the Rangers had interest in Guentzel before the Hurricanes acquired him. Now there are reports that the Hurricanes are shopping Guentzel’s negotiating rights for a mid round pick. Chris Drury should push his chips to the table and acquire the two time Stanley Cup Champion. 

Pavel Buchnevich – Hello, old friend the Rangers traded Buchnevich to the Blues before the 2021-22 season. Buchnevich has scored 25+ goals the last three seasons. Buchnevich is now 29 years old and has one year left on his contract at 5.8 million, maybe a return to Broadway can help Chris Drury correct one of his worst decisions as GM. 

Nikolaj Ehlers – Ehlers played 82 games for the first time since 2017-18 and put up  25 goals and 61 points. Ehlers has a lot of speed and will turn 29 next February. Ehlers has one year left on his contract at six million dollars. 

Vladimir Tarasenko – Hello, old friend Tarasenko was acquired at last season’s trade deadline by the Rangers and put up eight goals and 21 points in 31 games. You can also make the case Tarasenko was the Rangers best player in the first round against the Devils. There were rumors last summer Tarasenko wanted to return to New York, but because of the cap situation couldn’t and wound up in Ottawa (Now in Florida after the trade deadline). With the cap rising and a potential second Cup, would Tarasenko  sign a one year deal to return?

Andrew Mangiapane – Magiapane put up 14 goals and 40 points for the Flames this season, but he’s two seasons removed from putting up 35 goals and 55 points. Mangiapane, who turns 29 in April, has one year left at 5.8 million dollars. With Calgary “retooling” you have to wonder about the cost here. 

Rabbit Hole ideas ( Love to see it but highly unlikely)

Brady Tkachuk – The Senators captain is signed through 2028-29 at over eight million dollars. There have been rumors that Ottawa would be listening to offers ( the Sens have denied that report) for Tkachuk. Brady’s grandfather Walt played his whole career for the Rangers and had 227 goals and 678 points. 

Clayton Keller : The new Utah franchise is going to want to make a splash and not trade away their best player. Keller led the Arizona Coyotes last season in goals (33) and points (76). Keller has hit the 30 goal mark the last two seasons. Keller is 25 years old and is signed through 2028-29 at 7.15 million dollars. 

Jonathan Marchessault – I’m putting this here and not external just because Marchessault has expressed a desire to stay in Vegas. Jonathan Marchessault had a career high 42 goals this season and has been one of the faces of the Golden Knights since they came into the NHL. If Vegas doesn’t re-sign Marchessault, Chris Drury should consider last season’s Conn Smythe winner who will be 34 in December.

WHAT COMES NEXT: DALLAS STARS STATEMENT ADDRESS

BY MIKE RIFKIN

The Dallas Stars were the best team in Western Conference and have a very bright future ahead of them. The Stars were ousted by the Oilers in the Western Conference Final in their second straight trip there.  For Dallas having the top seed in the West was not a gift at all as they had to play the Vegas Golden Knights and the Colorado Avalanche prior to playing the Oilers in the Conference Final. So how does Dallas get over the hump? 

The Stars will have 18.4 million dollars in cap space this summer and will add to a nucleus that’s been to two consecutive conference final. GM Jim Nill will be looking to add to a nucleus that includes Jason Robertson, Wyatt Johnston, who had a coming out party in the playoffs, Roope Hintz, Miro Heiskanen and Jake Oettinger. 

Johnston, Hintz, and Robertson are the next wave of great Stars forwards, but one player who’s production they’ll have to replace is Joe Pavelski, who said at locker room clean out day that this season was probably his last. Pavelski had 27 goals and 67 points in 82 regular season games. Pavelski had one goal and four points in the playoffs, and found himself unlucky often. But with Pavelski gone, other Star veterans Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin will have to replicate what they did last season. Benn and Seguin combined for 46 goals and 112 points and you can make the case Seguin was the Stars best player in the Conference Final. One other question for the Stars is would they bring back Matt Duchene? After being bought out by the Predators, Duchene put up 25 goals and 65 points for the Stars. 

Jake Oettinger is one of the best goalies in the NHL and at some point will win a Vezina trophy. Oettinger was good for the Stars going 35-14-4 with a 2.72 GAA and .905 save percentage and three shutouts. His play carried over into the playoffs, where he had a 2.24 GAA and .915 save percentage. 

KEY FREE AGENTS WITH REGULAR SEASON STATS

UNRESTRICTED : MATT DUCHENE (25 GOALS 65 PTS), CHRIS TANEV (1G 5 PTS 19GP), JANI HAKANPAA (2G 12 PTS), SAM STEEL (9 G 24 PTS), CRAIG SMITH (11 G 20 PTS), Scott Wedgewood (16-7-5 2.85 GAA, .899 SAVE PERCENTAGE)

RESTRICTED : THOMAS HARLEY (15 G 47 PTS), NILS LUNDKVIST (2G 19 PTS), TY DELLANDREA (2 G 9PTS)

RE-SIGN :  DUCHENE, TANEV, STEEL, HARLEY ( LONG TERM), LUNDKVIST.  So I think Duchene should be a slam dunk to come back after the season he had, and there should be mutual interest in a reunion. Harley, if they sign long term can give the Stars a little discount on the AAV and with the cap rising that would be beneficial. The only question is Tanev vs Hakanpaa, but I do think the Stars should bring one back, Tanev might be the cheaper option at 34 years old. 

Additions : Alex Nedeljkovic or Casey DeSmith, Kevin Labanc. Look I don’t think the Stars need a massive splash this summer. But if Matt Duchene walks, maybe Dallas enters the Sam Reinhart or Jake Guentzel sweepstakes but for now, I wouldn’t change much if I’m Jim Nill.

2024 Stanley Cup Final Preview: Florida Panthers vs. Edmonton Oilers

By Nate Moser

The 2024 Stanley Cup Final matchup is set, and Game 1 is almost here. It is a clash between the Florida Panthers, who are making their second straight Cup Final appearance after losing last postseason to the Vegas Golden Knights. It is the third Cup Final appearance overall for the franchise and they are hoping that the third time’s the charm so they can get their first Cup championship. This time around, they have to face Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers were last in the Cup Final back in 2006 when they lost a seven-game series to the champion Carolina Hurricanes. The last time the Oilers won a Cup was back in 1990. A Canadian team in general has not hoisted the Cup since the Montreal Canadiens back in the 1993 Final. It has been a long road for the Oilers and their fanbase getting back this far in the playoffs. Now, one of these two teams will be getting the Cup. Here are a few notes heading into this Cup Final matchup.

The 2014 Draft Representation

The top picks in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft are all playing in this Cup Final. Defenseman Aaron Ekblad went first overall that year, forward Sam Reinhart went second overall to the Buffalo Sabres, Sam Bennett went third to the Calgary Flames, and fourth overall was Leon Draisaitl to the Oilers. Reinhart and Bennett have since joined Ekblad in Florida, while Draisaitl has been the best player on the team not including McDavid. Reinhart had a breakout season for goals. He has become a significant contributor to the Panthers, and the impending unrestricted free agent will be making a lot of money on his next contract. Below are all his stats ever since he was traded from the Sabres to the Panthers:

  • 2021-22: 33 goals and 49 assists for 82 points in 78 games
  • 2022-23: 31 goals and 36 assists for 67 points in 82 games
  • 2023-24: 57 goals and 37 assists for 94 points in 82 games

A crazy side note is the fact that Reinhart did not even have the most goals in the league this season. That went to Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews who netted 69 goals. 57 isn’t too shabby either. Panthers general manager Bill Zito should do everything he can to make sure that Reinhart does not leave to go elsewhere, come July.

Currently, in the postseason, Reinhart has eight goals and four assists for 12 points in 17 games. That is good for fourth on the team behind Matthew Tkachuk (19 points), Carter Verhaeghe (17), and Aleksander Barkov (17). Bennett, meanwhile, has 10 points in 12 games (six goals and four assists). Ekblad has five assists in 17 games on this playoff run.

On the other side, Draisaitl is second on the team in points with 28 in 18 games on this playoff run (10 goals and 18 assists). Only McDavid has more points with 31 (five goals and 26 assists). Draisaitl was the fourth pick out of the group from the 2014 Draft in this Cup Final, but he has been a superstar accruing points out of the rest. McDavid is the face of this era for the Oilers, but Draisaitl very much deserves his share of credit. He is a star in his own right. Below are the stats he has put up in the last few regular seasons:

  • 2018-19: 50 goals and 55 assists for 105 points in 82 games
  • 2019-20: 43 goals and 67 assists for 110 points in 71 games
  • 2020-21: 31 goals and 53 assists for 84 points in 56 games
  • 2021-22: 55 goals and 55 assists for 110 points in 80 games
  • 2022-23: 52 goals and 76 assists for 128 points in 80 games
  • 2023-24: 41 goals and 65 assists for 106 points in 81 games

McDavid putting up 100+ points is more expected. Draisaitl also becoming a player who can produce that much per season is crazy and also a great decision on the Oilers management who drafted him. If the 2014 Draft was redone, Draisaitl is most likely going higher than Reinhart and is most definitely going higher than Bennett and Ekblad. Draisaitl has become a face of that draft, and if it was not for McDavid being his teammate, he would be the face of this era of the Oilers.

All four of these talents from the 2014 Draft will be called upon to be keys to their respective teams winning the series. Ekblad, Reinhart, and Bennett need to take care of their business, while Draisaitl tries to do that for Edmonton.

Trying to Stop McDavid

This is the first taste of a potential Cup championship for McDavid since arriving to the NHL back in the 2015-16 season. There has been a lot of disappointment throughout McDavid’s time in Edmonton, but the wait could very well be worth it if the Oilers can win four more hockey games. Anytime a team has to play against McDavid and his absolutely insane playing style, it is a nightmare. That concept is cranked up a few notches considering this is the final round deciding a winner. If the Panthers want to take the Cup home, they are going to have to find a way to hold off his production. Seeing the way McDavid skates, stick handles, and shoots can make that seem like a monumental task, but it is not impossible. Whichever defensemen are out there matched up against him are going to have their work cut out for them. They also are going to be the pivotal blueliners who can help turn the tide in Florida’s favor.

Previously discussing Draisaitl, the Panthers also must prioritize holding off his production too. Not to mention, keeping eyes on McDavid and Draisaitl mean that other great players for Edmonton have opportunities to capitalize. Winger Zach Hyman notched 54 goals and 77 overall points in 80 regular-season contests for 2023-24. Defenseman Evan Bouchard tallied 18 goals and 64 assists for 82 points in 81 games. In the postseason, the points have continued to flow for both Hyman and Bouchard. Hyman in 18 playoff games has 14 goals and four assists for 18 points. Bouchard, meanwhile, has six goals and 21 assists for 27 points in 18 games. That is not even talking about Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Evander Kane, and others.

The Oilers, simply put, are a matchup nightmare and McDavid is a matchup problem on his own. Planning for him specifically means taking eyes off other Oilers talent. It’s a juggling act almost in a sense. Panthers head coach Paul Maurice and his staff are going to have to figure out how to balance their defensive attack against McDavid, Draisaitl, and the rest of the Oilers’ offense. It’s a hockey version of playing chess in a way. Best strategy will win.

Regular Season Series Results

The Panthers and Oilers squared off against one another twice, both matchups being late in 2023. The first game took place in Florida, where the Panthers won by a 5-3 score. The Panthers goals came from Kevin Stenlund, Carter Verhaeghe, Bennett, and two from Niko Mikkola. The goals for Edmonton were two from McDavid and one from Evander Kane. The second game was in Edmonton, but Florida still won by a bigger margin this time. Panther goals were generated by Verhaeghe who had two, Bennett with one, Montour with one, and one by Aleksander Barkov.

The Oilers are going to need to figure out how to get four wins after not being able to at least split the regular season series. The Cup Final is a whole different stage though, and no doubt both teams will be ready to do whatever it takes to try and hoist the Cup. I do not expect any blowout wins for either team. I think there will only be close games, similar to the 5-3 one that happened in the first matchup of the regular season. The games may also have less scoring. That will depend on how Sergei Bobrovsky and Stuart Skinner look. This could be a series that has a massive amount of scoring or a series where every goal scored is going to be crucial.

Prediction

The winner for the 2024 Cup Final will be the Panthers. The Oilers have had a great run to the Final. They will certainly have a great chance to bring the Cup back to Edmonton. I feel like the Panthers are the hotter team. Their offense can really take over and while the Oilers have talents like McDavid and Draisaitl, I think Florida finds a way to shut them down enough where they will win the series in six games. I am curious to see how Bobrovsky and Skinner play under the big lights of this stage. One of them is going to be a champion after this series.

I think being in the Cup Final last postseason will help the Panthers. They are still fresh off not lifting the Cup the previous year. It is very hard to make it back to the Cup Final after being in it the previous playoff run. Being able to make the Final two postseasons in a row happens to special teams, and this Panthers team is special. The fans have waited a long time for their first championship. The third time in the Final could indeed be the charm. As for the Oilers, they want to bring the Cup back to Canada. The Canadian team Cup drought has gone on a long time now, with other franchises like the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames missing on their opportunities to capitalize and end it. The Oilers have not won the Cup since 1990. Their wait could be over soon. One fanbase will not have to wait for the Cup any longer. This series should be a great one. Buckle up everyone, this could be quite the ride.

ChatGPT creates the ultimate Forbidden Door PPV

Since WWE and AEW are opening their doors to other promotions. I thought what if all the best promotions in the world collided into 1 epic ppv. Here is what ChatGPT created with some updates from me.

Creating a “Forbidden Door” dream pay-per-view (PPV) featuring talent from WWE/NXT, AEW/ROH, NJPW, CMLL, AAA, and TNA is an exciting and ambitious project. Here’s a possible card with a mix of dream matches, showcasing top talents from each promotion:

Forbidden Door Dream PPV

1. Opening Match: High-Flyer Showcase

  • Rey Fenix (AEW) vs. Ricochet (WWE) vs. Hiromu Takahashi (NJPW) vs. Laredo Kid (AAA) vs. Axiom (NXT) vs. Vikingo (CMLL)

2. Women’s Four Way

  • Bayley (WWE) vs. Mercedes Mone (AEW) vs. Jordynne Grace (TNA) vs. Mayu Iwatani (NJPW)

3. Tag Team Dream Match

  • The Usos (WWE) vs. The Young Bucks (AEW) vs. Guerrillas of Destiny (NJPW) vs. Lucha Bros (AAA)

4. Mens 4-Way Match

  • Cody Rhodes (WWE) vs. Kenny Omega (AEW) vs. Shingo Takagi (NJPW) vs. Rush (ROH/CMLL)

5. Legends Showcase

  • Chris Jericho (AEW) vs. AJ Styles (WWE) vs. Minoru Suzuki (NJPW)

6. Hardcore Match

  • Jon Moxley (AEW) vs. Darby Allin (AEW) vs. Sami Callihan (TNA) vs. Penta El Zero M (AAA)

7. Junior Heavyweight Championship Match

  • Will Ospreay (NJPW) vs. Santos Escobar (WWE) vs. Bandido (ROH)

8. Mixed Tag Team Match

  • Orange Cassidy and Kris Statlander (AEW) vs Bianca Belair and Montez Ford (WWE)

9. World Heavyweight Championship Match

  • Roman Reigns (WWE) vs. Kazuchika Okada (NJPW) vs. MJF (AEW) vs. Moose (TNA)

10. Special Attraction: Battle Royal

  • Featuring: Randy Orton (WWE), Adam Page(AEW), Tetsuya Naito (NJPW), Josh Alexander (TNA), Claudio Castagnoli (AEW), Keith Lee (AEW), Johnny Gargano (WWE), Tomasso Ciampa (WWE), Oba Femi (NXT), Carmelo Hayes (WWE) Adam Cole (AEW), Jay Lethal (ROH), KENTA (NJPW), Pentagon Jr. (AAA), Roderick Strong (AEW), Mark Briscoe (ROH/AEW), Samoa Joe(AEW), Sami Zayn (WWE), Kevin Owens (WWE), Bron Brekker (WWE), Mustafa Ali (TNA), Nic Nemeth (NJPW/TNA/AAA), Matt Riddle (NJPW), Kushida (TNA), etc.

Main Event: Dream Match

  • Anarchy in the arena match: Team AEW/ROH: Eddie Kingston, Swerve Strickland, Adam Copeland, Bryan Danielson, and Jay White vs Team WWE/NXT: Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Braun Strowman, Trick Williams, and Gunther

This lineup brings together top stars from each promotion, offering a mix of high-flying action, technical prowess, hardcore violence, and legendary showdowns. Each match is designed to showcase the unique talents and styles of wrestlers from around the world, creating an unforgettable PPV event.

The Pressure Is On, Sabres Need to Break Playoff Drought Under Ruff, Adams

BY Nate Moser

April 26, 2011, was the last time the Buffalo Sabres played in an NHL postseason game. It was a Game 7 against the Philadelphia Flyers, and the final score was 5-2 Flyers. The only two goals that the Sabres mustered for that series-deciding clash were from defenseman Tyler Myers and veteran forward Brad Boyes. The Flyers goals came from Braydon Coburn, former Sabre captain Danny Briere, James van Riemsdyk, Ville Leino (before coming to play for the Sabres), and Daniel Carcillo. I remember watching that game like it was yesterday and feeling like that Sabres team was absolutely drained. They did not look as dominant as they had earlier in the series. They had some nice bouts with Philadelphia and even managed to get all three opposing goalies changed out of the net in the series (Brian Boucher, a young Sergei Bobrovsky, and Michael Leighton). As previously mentioned, that feels like it was yesterday. However, that was over 13 years ago! 13! This is June of 2024 when this is being written. How time does indeed fly!

Now, to try and go through everything that has happened between April 26, 2011 to today for the Sabres organization would take too long. To put things in full perspective, I was wrapping up my freshman year of high school when the Sabres were eliminated by the Flyers. I am about to turn 28 years old on June 6th. It has been a long time and there has been a bunch of hirings and firings among that management group in Buffalo. Head coaches and general managers have come and gone. Pat LaFontaine, who has his number 16 hanging in the rafters of KeyBank Center, was at one point the President of Hockey Operations for the team. That did not even last a full calendar year before he was gone and out of the organizational structure. Overall, it has just been a mess these last bunch of years.

One of the most frustrating parts about this whole playoff drought other than the fact that there was somehow room for another one of those for Buffalo in general after a 17-year one in football with the Bills, is the fact that every NHL postseason, there is a former Sabre on each of the teams in it. That includes this upcoming 2024 Stanley Cup Final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers. The Panthers are probably the team with the most former Sabres on them. There is Sam Reinhart, who should get paid very well this offseason; Kyle Okposo, who was the Sabres captain and was shipped out before this past trade deadline; Evan Rodrigues; Dmitry Kulikov, and Brandon Montour; who had an absolute monster 2022-23 season. For players like Reinhart and Montour, they already went to last year’s Cup Final so they know what to expect. The Panthers did not win the Cup last postseason because that belonged to former Sabre star Jack Eichel and the Vegas Golden Knights. This Cup Final, while Vegas did not make it back to try and defend their trophy, the Edmonton Oilers have former Sabre winger Evander Kane gunning to win his first Cup in his career. Combining both Florida and Edmonton’s teams, there are quite a few former Sabres who are fighting for their first Cup, and at least one is going to get their first championship.

Every Sabres fan is tired of being out of the postseason. It has been so long that some Sabres fans have basically never experienced postseason Sabres hockey. I have been fortunate enough that I was able to attend Game 1 of the 2006 NHL quarterfinals between Buffalo and Philadelphia. I remember former Sabres defender Brian Campbell laying a massive hit on Flyers forward RJ Umberger. Fast forward to the following postseason run in 2007. I was in the building in Buffalo for Game 5 between the Sabres and New York Rangers. Game was 1-0 Rangers in the dying seconds of the game until Sabres co-captain Chris Drury tied the game with about seven seconds left on the game clock. The building erupted with crowd noise. There were people outside the arena jumping up and down with signs. It was insane. Then, in overtime, Maxim Afinogenov wins the game. The electricity was incredible from those moments. There are kids who were not born yet when the Sabres were last in the playoffs. That has to change.

Two men are responsible for playing a big role in ending this Sabres postseason drought in 2024-25. It is general manager Kevyn Adams and head coach Lindy Ruff. With Ruff, I am glad to see him back as the coach. It was heartbreaking watching his farewell press conference after he was relieved of his duties the first time around back in 2013 (even this was more recent than a playoff appearance for the team). It is no secret to the fanbase how important it is for Ruff to win a Cup, and it means that much more for him if he can help pull that off for the Sabres and the city of Buffalo itself. The first step has to be making the playoffs again. If anyone can help end the drought, it is him. He was, after all, the last coach to take them to the playoffs in 2011. The person in a more critical position, for me, is Adams. He is living a Buffalonian dream – he is the general manager for the franchise he grew up rooting for. As a Sabres fan though, Adams knows how important winning a championship is. After the team just missed making the playoffs by a point at the end of 2022-23, Adams had the opportunity to capitalize on the growth and success by bringing in enough talent to take the next step. Many fans believe Adams did not do enough last offseason. He knew he had to address the blueline, which he did by signing free agents Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton, but there was reason to try and pull off more change. Yes, he was able to get Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power locked up long-term and those were two crucial pieces of business that needed to be handled. However, there was not enough aggressiveness for some people. It is hard to argue that these people were not right after the team took a step backward following what was a promising 2022-23 campaign. The expectations rose and the franchise did not reach them. Adams deserves a certain amount of criticism for that. All this being said, Adams has another chance to take care of business and set the Sabres up for future success. The team has a stockpile of prospects. Matt Savoie was not with the organization and will be playing for either Buffalo or their AHL team Rochester Americans. Then, there are other prospects who have already been growing their game with the Americans, such as Jiri Kulich and Isak Rosen. Either one of those two has the possibility to fight their way through to claim a roster spot. The problem becomes that there are only so many roster spots to give to players. Tage Thompson is locked up long-term, Dylan Cozens is locked up long-term, Jeff Skinner has a few years left on his deal and I do not see the Sabres buying out his contract at this time. That is not even mentioning the fact that one of the open spots that appeared prior to last season went to 2023-first-round pick Zach Benson. The prospects that cannot fit on the Sabres should be traded for NHL talents who can fill in holes on other parts of the roster. Making a trade can go a long way.

Adams can also look at free agency. The Sabres do not have a lot of credibility given where they have been in the last number of seasons, but that should not scare them away from trying to make things work and reaching out to a number of very good players. Go take a shot at Jake Guentzel from Carolina. Is there a chance he says no, absolutely. Does that mean you should not try to contact him at all: No! The Sabres also have a lot of left-handed defensemen. They have Dahlin, Power, recently acquired Bowen Byram, and Mattias Samuelsson. That is not even including young defender Ryan Johnson. Go have a conversation with right-handed defenseman Brett Pesce. He is from Tarrytown, New York; so he can possibly be closer to home than rejoining the Hurricanes or going to another free agent destination. Does that mean Pesce will sign? No, of course, he could always say no. Keep trying with these different free agents. Not all of them are going to say no. Try to add some talent that will help take the Sabres to the next step – the playoffs. If Ruff and Adams cannot get this club on track and it becomes a 14-year playoff drought, it might be the end of the Kevyn Adams Era at GM.

Things have felt dire with the Sabres for a while. In the beginning, it was amplified with the Bills as both teams were in their own respective playoff droughts. Now, while the Bills still do not have a Lombardi Trophy to their name yet, they at least keep making the playoffs and fight through some competitive games and opponents. They have transformed their identity from the drought years thanks to head coach Sean McDermott, general manager Brandon Beane, and quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills are at least in the conversation to have a shot at winning a Super Bowl. The Sabres have not been able to get their ticket punched to the tournament. There have been so many times during this playoff drought where it seemed like rock bottom. The most recent example of this was when Eichel left and went to the Vegas Golden Knights. What was supposed to be a new era and becoming a contender became a mess that had to be cleaned up. Now, the pieces who were supposed to be part of the new era are all winning Cups. Ryan O’Reilly did it with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, Eichel did it with Vegas last postseason, and now either Reinhart or Kane are going to be next. It has been a nightmare these last 13 years. However, if Adams and Ruff take care of what they need to do between this offseason and in 2024-25, the fanbase may have a new era to look forward to. A refreshing era with more winning potential. It will certainly be interesting to see what happens in the Adams-Ruff tenure.

Gambling Men

BY Mark Halpern

     I hate to start it this way but, at the rate these players that are being caught for gambling Pete Rose’s case for the Hall of Fame will end up on the back burner now. There are multiple lifetime bans for betting on their respected teams and 4 minor leaguers get a year suspension for players who bet on the sport but not on their teams. This comes on the same day as it was announced that Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud and will receive up to 33 years in prison. 

    Now Tucupita Marcano of the San Diego Padres has received a LIFETIME BAN for betting on Pirates games while he was a member of the team. Now he isn’t the only player to receive a lifetime ban but, in the NBA Jontay, Porter of the Toronto Raptors was caught betting on games while a member of the Raptors and is the first NBA player to be caught.

 While we have two lifetime bans, we also have four one-year suspensions handed down to Oakland A’s Michael Kelly, Diamondbacks pitcher Andrew Saalfrank, Phillies infielder Jose Rodriguez and Padres pitcher Jay Groome for betting on baseball. We also know that David Fletcher, who was good friends with Ohtani, is now being investigated into whether violated league rules regarding betting. Funny enough most of all the lines regarding betting are heading towards the illegal bookmaker and more attention than this guy wants.

This is the rule in the official Major League Handbook

According to Rule 21.(d) in the MLB official handbook regarding misconduct: “Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared permanently ineligible.”

It’s right there black and white and as simple as day. However, there are ways around things (so they all thought.) This is just the beginning and with recent findings that are closed and with findings enclosed the question is how deep the Rabbit hole goes.

  Gambling has been around whether legal or illegal, people find a way to bet. FanDuel, DraftKings, MGM, Caesars, Underdog and Fanatics are just a small sample of gambling sites that offer big rewards with bonus bets, trips and any way to lure a person in. I definitely can say that during the Pandemic DraftKings and FanDuel saw significantly larger returns with people not wanting to go out so betting on sports became bigger.  I understand why players should not be allowed to gamble on the sport they are in. Yes, they have friends that can give them inside information or can guarantee they will do something to increase the chance of a bet to win. If the NFL, NBA, NHL, NBA, WNBA, PGA and I can go on and with more sports and get very technical but, if you’re reading this then you know what I am getting at. There has to be a common ground and I really don’t see one. If a person who is directly related or an acquaintance is caught placing a bet that eventually returns to him. Then it’s good night, Irene. 

   The big thing now and I hate to put it out there but what if a class action is now brought against all of these players and anyone who bet on those games and lost due to it. It would be the most expensive lawsuit in a long time. This is just the first step of a long hundred steps this slinky of a story is going to take to conclude.

Long Term vs Short Term

By Mike Rifkin

To describe the New York Mets first half of the season it’s been a roller coaster ride. Since he took over the franchise Steve Cohen has discussed making the Mets into an east coast version of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Last year’s trade deadline Steve Cohen used his big wallet to eat the contracts of future Hall Of Famers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in order to acquire better prospects from the Rangers and Astros respectively. 

After last season Cohen hired David Stearns to be the President of Baseball Operations and General Manager. Stearns and Cohen have reiterated time and time again that the goal of this team is to make the playoffs and not punt on the season. And if you look at what the Mets did during the winter, they signed a lot of one year deals, that’ll give the team some financial flexibility with an eye towards 2025. At 26-35 the Mets have a month to decide what they’ll decide to do at the trade deadline. 

So one of the things I hate in sports is the term “selling”. If a team is out of it at the trade deadline they trade pieces off for a prospect/young player. I like to call this a long term buy, because let’s face it we don’t know how prospects will pan out, sometimes they’re awesome and it works, other times the player doesn’t turn into what the organization thought. 

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN the Chicago White Sox are considering trading Center Fielder Luis Robert Jr. The Chicago White Sox are 15-46, the worst record in MLB and are not close to what we thought they were going to be just a few seasons ago. 

Robert returned to the White Sox lineup on Tuesday after missing a month with a hip flexor strain and hit a home run. Robert in 2023 hit 38 homers and drove in 80 runs with a slash line of .264/.315/.542 for a team that lost 101 games last season. 

Robert will turn 27 in August and is signed through 2028. Robert will make 15 million dollars next season, before two 20 million dollar club options the following years. If Robert is indeed available the Mets should look into the possibility of a deal. Of course there’s a price they won’t want to pay but they have to do their due diligence. If the Mets were to re-sign Pete Alonso (they should) Robert would be fantastic protection, something Alonso hasn’t really had in his career. 

For the Mets this is about the long term vs the short term. Robert is signed for the next three seasons and could be a very good player for the Mets, and they have some options. But if the Mets want to make a positive splash at the trade deadline, Robert would be the guy I’d go after.