Michael Whitaker Articles - Page 20

It’s been a difficult last few weeks for the Columbus Blue Jackets, as they grapple with the shocking and sudden death of forward Johnny Gaudreau. Late last month, Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, were struck by a drunk driver and killed while cycling in New Jersey, just a day before they were set to attend […]

The Pittsburgh Penguins have enjoyed a remarkable run with their core trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, winning the Stanley Cup three times which included back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017. However, with all three players now on the wrong side of 35 and the team now having missed the postseason two […]

The New York Rangers came close to returning to the Stanley Cup Final last season, starting with a Round 1 sweep of the Washington Capitals and a hard-fought seven-game series win over the Carolina Hurricanes. However, their run was halted by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Finals, leaving captain […]

The Calgary Flames made significant changes to their roster during the 2022 offseason. They traded Matthew Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers for Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weegar, while also losing the late Johnny Gaudreau to free agency following a career-high 115 points. A key move by then-GM Brad Treliving was signing gritty forward Nazem Kadri […]

The Vancouver Canucks are heading into the 2024-25 season fresh off a Pacific Division title and an impressive 50-win campaign that was cut short in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the eventual Western Conference champions, the Edmonton Oilers. Injuries hit the team hard at the worst time, with goaltender Thatcher Demko […]

The Colorado Avalanche are set to begin training camp this week, with fans closely watching several young prospects vying to impress the coaching staff and secure a spot on the roster for the 2024-25 season. After being eliminated by the Dallas Stars in the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Avalanche will […]

The Colorado Avalanche lost a major part of their lineup during the Stanley Cup Playoffs earlier this spring, as Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for six months and entered Stage 3 of the NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He had already been in the program earlier in the season and missed several games while receiving treatment for […]

The 2024-25 NHL season is shaping up to be pivotal for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have already made significant leadership changes. Craig Berube has replaced Sheldon Keefe as head coach, and John Tavares has passed the captaincy to Auston Matthews. Tavares, entering the final year of the contract he signed under former GM Kyle […]

For the first time in decades, the Detroit Lions have entered the season as legitimate Super Bowl contenders, with head coach Dan Campbell playing a key role as he begins his fourth year. However, Campbell has had to make a major change in his personal life due to troubling behavior from some fans. Campbell and […]

The Dallas Stars begin Training Camp tomorrow, aiming to make 2024-25 their breakthrough season after falling short in the Western Conference Final the past two years. However, a key offensive player faces a concerning health update. According to general manager Jim Nill, Forward Jason Robertson is expected to miss the majority of Training Camp after […]

On the eve of the Washington Capitals training camp, the team released an unfortunate health update regarding veteran forward T.J. Oshie. The Capitals announced that Oshie is being placed on Long Term Injured Reserve after his physical examination revealed injury concerns. Both Oshie and Capitals Senior Vice President and General Manager Chris Patrick have released […]

One of the longest-tenured members of the Vancouver Canucks is calling it a career, but not before putting his signature on one last NHL deal. Defenseman Alex Edler, who played for Vancouver from 2006 to 2021, is signing a one-day contract to officially retire as a Canuck. The Canucks have also announced that they’ll be […]

The Minnesota Wild are set to begin Training Camp later this week, starting on Thursday, Sept. 19, at TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul. Among the 57 players participating, several prospects will be eager to make an impression and compete for a coveted NHL roster spot for the 2024-25 season. General manager Bill Guerin faces […]

There’s nothing wrong with a little good-natured fun at a teammate’s expense, and for Roope Hintz of the Dallas Stars, he’s finding that out firsthand. Upon his arrival back in North America from his native Finland, Hintz’s teammates noticed he was sporting a new haircut that they felt made him look very similar to rapper […]

It was one of the more surprising offseasons in recent memory when the Pittsburgh Steelers overhauled their entire quarterback position, parting ways with Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph as well as trading Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles. In their place, they signed both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, the latter of whom has started […]

The Los Angeles Kings entered the NHL during the 1967-68 expansion, introducing professional hockey to Southern California. Despite some early postseason exits, the team enjoyed moderate success. The franchise’s fortunes changed dramatically with the acquisition of Wayne Gretzky, regarded as the greatest player ever to lace up a pair of skates. Gretzky’s arrival significantly boosted […]

The Dallas Cowboys experienced a tough defeat in their home opener at AT&T Stadium in front of their fans yesterday afternoon, falling to the New Orleans Saints. The Saints secured a commanding 44-19 victory, with Dallas allowing a disappointing 35 points in the first half, tying a franchise record for most points conceded in a […]

The Pittsburgh Penguins have extended the contract of franchise icon and captain Sidney Crosby for two more seasons beyond the 2024-25 campaign, the final year of his current deal. Crosby’s new extension matches his jersey number, with an average annual value (AAV) of $8.7 million, the same as his previous contract. Immediately after the deal was […]

The Columbus Blue Jackets, despite being in the NHL for nearly 25 years, have struggled to establish themselves as consistent contenders. With only six playoff appearances and just one trip beyond the first round, their existence has often been characterized by underperformance and turnover in both coaching and management. However, the team has had moments […]

The Cleveland Browns evened their record in the young 2024 season to 1-1, getting past the Jacksonville Jaguars at Everbank Stadium by an 18-13 final score to help alleviate some of the bad feelings from Week 1’s 33-17 setback against the Dallas Cowboys. And it was a personal milestone for quarterback Deshaun Watson, who improved […]

The Detroit Lions’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon at Ford Field came with another setback, as linebacker Alex Anzalone suffered a concussion. He was later downgraded to “out” by the team as the game approached its conclusion. The injury occurred late in the third quarter when Anzalone was accidentally hit by […]

The Dallas Cowboys suffered a humiliating 44-19 defeat in their 2024 home opener against the New Orleans Saints, dropping their record to 1-1. However, star linebacker Micah Parsons was quick to dismiss any notion that the defensive lapses were related to the scheme put in place by first-year defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. Parsons immediately came […]

The Dallas Cowboys suffered a humiliating 44-19 defeat on their home field at AT&T Stadium this afternoon, falling to the New Orleans Saints and bringing their record to 1-1. After the game, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones didn’t hold back in his critique of the team’s performance in front of their home crowd. […]

A shocking tragedy occurred near Ford Field, where the Detroit Lions were in action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon. According to local law enforcement, a fan was killed and another one was critically injured after gunfire erupted during a tailgate party at Eastern Market, a famed marketplace in close proximity to the […]

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion issues resurfaced Thursday evening when he suffered another brain injury after lowering his head into a hit from Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. It was the third concussion of his career and the second that resulted in a frightening moment on the field during gameplay. The extent of Tagovailoa’s […]

The Detroit Lions aim to kick off the young 2024 NFL season with back-to-back victories as they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon at Ford Field. Ahead of the matchup, the team has announced two roster moves on the offensive side of the ball. Earlier this afternoon, the Lions announced on their X […]

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa faced another frightening moment on Thursday night, suffering a concussion during the game against the Buffalo Bills. This latest incident has once again raised concerns about the future of his playing career, as many in the football world are calling for him to walk away from the NFL. While the […]

The Dallas Stars have come close to reaching the Stanley Cup Final for the past two seasons, making back-to-back appearances in the Western Conference Final. In 2023, they were eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Vegas Golden Knights. The following year, in 2024, they were ousted by the Edmonton Oilers, who went on […]

The Carolina Hurricanes were part of the NHL’s push into non-traditional markets, following teams like the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the Dallas Stars and preceding the Nashville Predators. However, like Dallas, the Hurricanes originated in another city before relocating to their current home. Originally known as the Hartford Whalers when they joined the NHL […]

Since joining the NHL in the 2000-01 season, the Columbus Blue Jackets have had a challenging history, qualifying for the Stanley Cup Playoffs just six times in 24 years. Despite featuring some talented players over the years, the team has never quite managed to come together as a true championship contender. Despite their struggles, the […]

The Florida Panthers are still reveling in the glory of their first-ever Stanley Cup championship, a thrilling seven-game series victory over the Edmonton Oilers. After winning the first three games, disaster nearly struck as they dropped the next three, but they ultimately secured the title with a Game 7 win on home ice. With the […]

How much more hockey does veteran goaltender Martin Jones have left? Once considered one of the National Hockey League’s more capable starters, he has become a journeyman in recent years, playing for four different teams in as many seasons. Jones began his NHL career with the Los Angeles Kings as Jonathan Quick’s backup and earned […]

The Nashville Predators were the first of several forays by the National Hockey League into non-traditional markets, soon followed by the Atlanta Thrashers and Columbus Blue Jackets. Unlike the latter two franchises, however, the Predators have enjoyed relatively sustained success with a bevy of excellent players through the years, though it took some time to […]

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a significant gamble by signing quarterback Russell Wilson shortly after his release from the Denver Broncos. They also brought in Justin Fields to compete for the starting role, following the trade of Kenny Pickett and allowing both Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph to explore opportunities in free agency. But as the […]

The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs added some key depth to their offensive attack, signing former Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals running back Samaje Perine; the Broncos had recently waived him after he failed to make their squad out of training camp. And based on comments from Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, Perine […]

Officially founded in 1990, the San Jose Sharks began play in the 1991-92 season as the NHL’s 21st franchise. Unsurprisingly, their first two seasons were challenging, with the team winning just 18 of their first 164 regular season games. However, things began to turn around in their third season, and it wasn’t long before the […]

It’s not often that a professional sports franchise is formed due to the success of a Disney film, but that’s exactly what happened when Southern California welcomed its second National Hockey League team in the early 1990s. The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, owned by the Walt Disney Company and based on the 1992 Emilio Estevez […]

The 2023-24 season for the Los Angeles Kings brought a considerable change in leadership as head coach Todd McLellan was terminated and replaced by assistant coach Jim Hiller on an interim basis. He managed to lead them to a postseason spot, only to face the Edmonton Oilers for the third consecutive season. Unfortunately for Los […]

Since joining the NHL as an expansion team in 1970, the Vancouver Canucks have experienced both highly successful regular and postseason runs, as well as some difficult years. They’ve had the opportunity to compete for the Stanley Cup three times but unfortunately fell short on each occasion. Vancouver has also been fortunate to showcase some […]