Connect with us

Published

on

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The NHL All-Star Game brought together 44 of hockey’s greatest players, offering an ideal chance to gather their opinions on a variety of topics on and off the ice.

Here are 13 All-Stars on whether they’d change NHL rules or the Stanley Cup Playoff format; where they’d add the next expansion franchise; their favorite non-hockey athlete, cheat meals and other points of interest.

But first, we asked them to give some love to their own teammates.


Player on your own team who is underrated/underappreciated?

Josh Morrissey, Winnipeg Jets: I would say [Connor Hellebuyck], actually. I know he’s here [as an All Star] and has that recognition. But we’re not in the place we are without him every night. Especially as a defenseman, I appreciate how good he is and what he does for our team.

Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres: I would say Casey Mittelstadt is never getting any credit. He’s always doing the right things out there.

Mitch Marner, Toronto Maple Leafs: I don’t know if it’s underrated, but obviously 88 [William Nylander], just what he’s done this year has been awesome to be a part of. He’s made our team very successful. I don’t know if it’s undercover or anything, but Willy’s obviously done some great things for us.

Johnny Gaudreau, Columbus Blue Jackets: You’ve got Nick Blankenburg, Kent Johnson, Yegor Chinakhov; there’s Kirill Marchenko. I think they have the opportunity and the ability to be at [All-Star] weekends like this.


Should the NHL expand the playoff field?

Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche: I think keep it at 16 teams. You have to make it really hard to make it. I think 16 is a good number. Eight and eight.

Brock Nelson, New York Islanders: I like it the way it is. I don’t know how much more expanding it would bring to it, but I’m open-minded.

Andrei Svechnikov, Carolina Hurricanes: I think 16 is good. You gotta deserve the spot in the playoffs. That’s the reality.

Troy Terry, Anaheim Ducks: I think more, as a sports fan in general, watching the NBA format with the play-in game, it would be fun to watch [that way]. It does bring an extra round of excitement. It’s not a full seven-game series, but I think when they play one game in that elimination [format] in that little play-in game, I think it’s exciting.

Chandler Stephenson, Vegas Golden Knights: I think 16 is good. You’re pretty beat up and exhausted at the end of it. It’s a good sweet spot that they found.

Morrissey: That’s an interesting proposition. There’s an argument around how deep our league is now and all the parity. If you look at the teams just outside of the playoffs, there’s some teams that, if they got in, could challenge. You see that every year. It could be an option, for sure. But I think that’s out of my jurisdiction.


If the NHL expands again, what city deserves a team?

Nazem Kadri, Calgary Flames: Anywhere in Canada, really. Quebec is always intriguing to a lot of people, but I’d like to see it in a bigger town too, maybe like Houston. Expand the game and market the game in a big state.

Stephenson: That’s a tough one. I haven’t done a whole lot of traveling. I guess somewhere tropical. Just being [in South Florida], obviously a hockey team is here with this weather. And in Vegas, one of the things you love about it is the weather and how nice it is.

Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings: I’d love to see an NHL game in Mexico City, whether it’s a Global Series or whatever.

Terry: I went to Quebec City when I was a peewee. That was always a city I found really cool. I think there’s even a new rink there now. But regardless, just the city and the history and everything I found really cool.

Seth Jones, Chicago Blackhawks: I’ll stick with America. … Shoot, I don’t know. Somewhere warm weather I’d imagine. [Reporter: “Honolulu?”] Hawai’i? The travel would be insane. I was trying to make it more realistic.

Morrissey: It would be nice to see more teams in Canada. Quebec City has been wanting one for a while. I’ve heard Houston tossed around. When I played in the minors, Austin was a great city that’s growing like crazy too.

Nelson: I’d say Houston. I’m a big fan of Dallas, so let’s go with Houston.

Gaudreau: I got to play in Quebec at the [2016] World Cup of Hockey for an exhibition game. They had awesome fans, it was a great city to play in. So I think that’d be pretty cool.

Svechnikov: Good question. Anywhere in the United States. It’s a hard one, to be honest, because I only go where we’re playing against other teams.


Commissioner for a day: What rule do you change?

Marner: I think all the rules make a lot of sense. But if you wanted it to be a bit crazy, you could definitely do no offside and have it kind of free-flowing and people cheating a little more for offense and maybe get the games a little more offensive.

Jones: I would change the shootout. Extend the overtime. Make overtime 10 minutes, keep it 3-on-3. I think you’d see a lot of games end.

Nelson: I actually think extending overtime would be pretty cool.


Who’s a non-hockey athlete you love?

Kadri: LeBron [James] is up there. You talk about longevity, the guy is [almost] 40 years old and still putting up amazing numbers. As an athlete, I know how hard that is and I respect it. I just try to watch him as much as I can because he’s a living legend. The game is going to miss him when he’s gone.

Morrisey: I love watching Tiger Woods. In recent years, Rory McIlroy too. Steph Curry, I’m a big fan of his. I love sports in general, so you could probably go to any sport and I could have a favorite guy.

Dahlin: I like soccer. I like the World Cup. I like to see all the best guys. [Kylian Mbappé] is up there. He’s a lot of fun to watch. I don’t know if this guy is going to keep playing but [Zlatan Ibrahimovic], he’s top of my list.

Gaudreau: I like to watch the Eagles, I like to watch Jalen Hurts. Love to watch Joel Embiid and the Sixers. And then golfers. I got to play with Corey Conners [at an event] and it was just crazy to see how good he was.

Stephenson: I’d say either [Michael Jordan] or Tiger. I like golf. And ever since that “Last Dance” documentary came out on MJ, it was pretty spectacular what he did. Just kind of the dynasty that they had in Chicago.

Kevin Fiala, Los Angeles Kings: Roger Federer was always my idol. He’s not active anymore, but he’s always been the big icon for me.

Nelson: Probably Rafael Nadal. I’m big tennis guy. How hard he works. How hard he grinds. He goes out there and he competes and he never gives up on anything. It looks like he’s having a good time. Might have been the logo, too — big fan of the headband. As a lefty, he has a different style. Federer is an all-timer too, but I pull for Nadal.

Morrissey: Big golf fan, even though we don’t get the chance too often during the season in Winnipeg to hit the links and keep our game sharp. Loved Tiger over the years. Love Rory McIlroy. In the NBA, I’m a big Steph Curry fan. Those are the guys, I think.


What’s your go-to cheat meal?

Marner: This body can eat a lot of cheat meals, to be honest with you. It burns a lot of calories. I can eat a lot. So the go-to cheat meal is always a burger for me, [from] Five Guys or Burger Priest. A nice bacon cheeseburger always fills my spot.

Nelson: Chick-fil-A. Spicy chicken and some fries. Can’t pass up the waffle fries.

Fiala: There’s a lot I like in L.A. So many good Mexican restaurants. But I like In-n-Out, you know? I like to get it after games sometimes. Just a standard Double-Double [burger].

Morrissey: Well, you know it’s all about trying to get pucks in deep. But there are definitely times you can enjoy a cheat meal. [Laughs] I think the usual stuff. Some pizza. I also have a little bit of a sweet tooth, so I try to stay away from that before it gets the better of me. Not so much a candy guy as pastries and things like that.

Continue Reading

Sports

2025 MLB All-Star Game: Everything you need to know

Published

on

By

2025 MLB All-Star Game: Everything you need to know

For the first time since the turn of the century, MLB’s All-Star Game will be held in Atlanta — the first ever at Truist Park since its opening in 2017.

All-Star festivities begin July 11 and culminate in the Midsummer Classic on July 15, as the National League looks to gain just its second win since 2013 while the American League aims to extend its dominance.

Following the first phase of All-Star voting, we know the top overall vote-getters in each league — Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani — automatically earned the starting spot at their positions, outfield and designated hitter, respectively. Now, the starting lineups have been revealed, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers leading the way each with three starters, followed by the Chicago Cubs with two. Four players named as starters — Cal Raleigh, Jacob Wilson, Ryan O’Hearn and Pete Crow-Armstrong — are first-time All-Stars.

Stay tuned, as we’ll have everything you need to navigate All-Star Week — from event schedules and full rosters to All-Star Game analysis.

Vote for the All-Star starters: All-Star Ballot 2025

Latest news and analysis

How does MLB All-Star voting work?

2025 MLB All-Star roster predictions, biggest debates

Which slugger will win the HR Derby? Breaking down the field

All-Star schedule

(All times ET)

July 2: MLB All-Star starters reveal at 7 p.m. on ESPN

July 6: MLB All-Star full rosters announced at 5 p.m. on ESPN

July 11: HBCU Swingman Classic at 8 p.m. on MLB Network

July 13: MLB Draft at 6 p.m. on ESPN and MLB Network

July 14: MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game at 1 p.m. on MLB Network

July 14: MLB Home Run Derby at 8 p.m. on ESPN

July 15: All-Star Red Carpet Show at 2 p.m. on MLB Network

July 15: MLB All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on FOX

Continue Reading

Sports

Rangers activate Burger from IL, demote Jung

Published

on

By

Rangers activate Burger from IL, demote Jung

The Texas Rangers reinstated first baseman Jake Burger from the 10-day injured list before Wednesday night’s series finale against the visiting Baltimore Orioles.

Burger, 29, missed the Rangers’ past 10 games with a left oblique strain. He is batting .220 with 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 65 games this season, his first with Texas.

Burger is a career .246 hitter with 82 home runs and 214 RBIs in 409 games with the Chicago White Sox (2021-23), Miami Marlins (2023-24) and Rangers.

The Rangers optioned All-Star third baseman Josh Jung to Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move. Jung, 27, is batting .237 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 75 games this season.

Jung is hitting .152 with one homer, eight RBIs and 13 strikeouts in his last 11 games.

Drafted No. 8 overall by Texas in 2019, Jung made the American League All-Star team in 2023 and is a career .252 hitter with 43 home runs and 135 RBIs in 269 games.

Continue Reading

Sports

Outfielder Pillar retires after 13-year career

Published

on

By

Outfielder Pillar retires after 13-year career

Kevin Pillar, an outfielder who spent the majority of his 13-year major league career with the Toronto Blue Jays, announced his retirement on Wednesday.

Pillar confirmed his decision during an appearance on the Foul Territory podcast, about a month after he was released by the Texas Rangers. After rehabilitating from offseason thumb surgery, Pillar played in 20 games for the Rangers – his 10th major league team – with nine hits in 43 at-bats.

Pillar, 36, was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 32nd round in 2011 and made his debut in 2013. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants early in the 2019 season, which was his best in the big leagues. He batted .264 with 21 home runs, 87 RBI and 14 steals for the Giants that year, before signing with the Boston Red Sox in 2020.

“You will always be our Superman,” the Blue Jays said in a congratulatory social media post.

Continue Reading

Trending