Nate Duffett Articles - Page 3

What are the Toronto Blue Jays’ chances of actually winning the World Series after being the first American League team to clinch a spot in the postseason? The Blue Jays have been the most surprising team in the majors this season, but things haven’t been looking as positive over the past two weeks. The concerns […]

It was a return that no one saw coming. After missing three of the past five seasons due to complications from long COVID, Jonathan Toews signed with his hometown Winnipeg Jets to embark on a return story that everyone is rooting for. Toews dressed for the first time since 2023 in the Jets’ preseason game […]

The St. Louis Blues didn’t have many spots up for grabs at the start of 2025 training camp. That was good news for head coach Jim Montgomery, as it meant the culture he was building last season would have most of the same players returning. Montgomery led the Blues on a miraculous run to the […]

No one is expecting the San Jose Sharks to contend for a Stanley Cup this season. The organization has been accumulating prospects and draft capital, and it’s only a matter of time before some of those assets start bringing the Sharks back to relevance. The question for the Sharks as they entered this 2025 training […]

No one is teetering on the brink of contention more than the Calgary Flames heading into the 2025-26 NHL season. With long-term deals signed for some of their brightest young players, like Dustin Wolf, and a solid group of veterans leading the way, Calgary should be nearing the chance to contend for a playoff spot. […]

The Chicago Blackhawks have an intriguing training camp battle in 2025, but it might not be for the same reason as other teams. While the contending teams are the ones whose battles depend on which players get their team closer to a Stanley Cup, the Blackhawks know they are still a few years away. However, […]

It’s hard for a list of the greatest Boston Bruins players to have many from the modern era considering they just celebrated 100 years. However, Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Marchand’s run through the 2010s earned them a spot on this list. The Bruins have an extensive history, as shown this past season with […]

The Hughes brothers have been at the forefront of the NHL media cycle, with training camps set to begin this week. With Quinn Hughes’ struggles last season, some wonder whether the New Jersey Devils would ever consider uniting him with his brothers, Jack and Luke. However, before that happens down the road, the Devils need […]

It isn’t the first time that Jack Eichel’s contract extension talks will be front and center, which is why he and the Vegas Golden Knights shouldn’t worry about it getting done. After everything Eichel has been through with the organization, the only question now, according to Pierre Lebrun via The Athletic, is how much the […]

There are specific jobs in the National Hockey League that players covet. These opportunities can be the golden ticket for a player’s future, which is why everyone in the Colorado Avalanche’s 2025 training camp will be itching for the chance to be Nathan MacKinnon’s linemate. Those particular jobs aren’t plentiful in the league, with the […]

Kyle Davidson took care of some business early for the Chicago Blackhawks when he re-signed Spencer Knight to a three-year contract extension on Saturday morning. The pact will carry an annual cap hit of $5.83 million. It’s the second significant extension for the Blackhawks this summer, as they also locked in Frank Nazar earlier in […]

No team may have ever been under as much pressure as the Edmonton Oilers are right now. They have a short amount of time to prove to Connor McDavid that the best choice for his future is with their organization. If they aren’t able to do that, then McDavid could be out the door when […]

The “Core Four” jokes ended this offseason when Mitch Marner took his talents to the Vegas Golden Knights. Only Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares remain to get the Toronto Maple Leafs over the hump. The question people could ask is how they’ll do it without their regular season points leader from last season. […]

It could be a challenging year for Pittsburgh Penguins fans. Rumors are running rampant that Sidney Crosby might eventually leave the team, and Evgeni Malkin could also be in his final year. The Penguins’ 2025-26 training camp will reveal a lot about where this team is heading, if it isn’t already clear enough. The Penguins, […]

Rick Tocchet will have no small task in bringing the Philadelphia Flyers back from the depths of John Tortorella’s disaster. Things went south quickly for Torts last season, which led to him and the organization mutually parting ways. The Flyers delved into their history to hire one of their former players, Tocchet, who hopes to […]

Kirill Kaprizov could’ve been the highest-paid NHL player if he had accepted the Minnesota Wild’s rumored contract offer. However, the Russian superstar had no interest at this time in committing long-term to the organization. “Sources say #mnwild superstar Kirill Kaprizov’s camp turned down an extension offer,” Frank Seravalli reported on social media. “Believed to be […]

Connor Bedard doesn’t seem too concerned about his contract extension talks with the Chicago Blackhawks. It shouldn’t be surprising that the stoic budding superstar is taking a calm approach to the talks. The media surrounding the Blackhawks will make it seem like the lack of an extension is a concern. However, Connor Bedard knows that […]

The Montreal Canadiens jumped way ahead of schedule in 2024-25 when they surprisingly made the playoffs. It was a season full of highs and lows, but they caught fire and snuck into the last spot in the East. It was a quick exit at the hands of the Washington Capitals, but the experience their young […]

It’s hard to imagine Sidney Crosby in anything other than a Pittsburgh Penguins jersey, but it doesn’t stop people from imagining possible trade scenarios. Crosby has always disregarded it when his name came up in rumors, but it’s hard to block out the noise with the Penguins heading for a rebuild. The legend discussed the […]

The San Jose Sharks are still a couple of years away from competing for the Stanley Cup. They have one of the most exciting young rosters in the league, complete with budding superstars like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, stud prospect defensemen like Sam Dickinson, and a solid goaltender in Yaroslav Askarov. The future is […]

Dustin Wolf answered all questions about his future as the Calgary Flames’ goaltender last season by starring in his rookie year, and the team rewarded that success by signing him to a long-term contract extension on Tuesday morning. Calgary agreed to a seven-year, $52.5 million extension with Wolf, solidifying him as their starting goaltender for […]

No one is wishing for Connor McDavid to leave the Edmonton Oilers more than the Los Angeles Kings. It has been four consecutive years that the world’s best player has beaten the Kings in the first round, and the team is slowly running out of answers. As their core gets older, the mountain has never […]

General Manager Craig Conroy and the Calgary Flames took care of an essential piece of business on Friday afternoon. The Flames confirmed rumors from Thursday, signing forward Connor Zary to a three-year contract. Zary was still a restricted free agent for the Flames heading into training camp. Calgary is low on scoring talent up front, […]

It’d be a safe prediction to make that the Edmonton Oilers will be competitive again this season. The Pacific Division hasn’t shown significant improvement over the past three years. However, Stan Bowman hasn’t done much to improve his team either, and some off-ice storylines around captain Connor McDavid might steal the headlines. The Oilers lost […]

The NHL and the Players Association quietly agreed to a new deal during last year’s playoffs, easing concerns among those worried about a labor stoppage. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh have a good relationship, which helped move the deal along. The two sides even agreed to accelerate some of the […]

Death, taxes, and the Toronto Maple Leafs crashing and burning in the playoffs. The good news for the franchise is that they’ve cleared the first-round hump by advancing in two of the past three years, but the bad news is that they haven’t been able to progress any further. With last year’s leading point-getter, Mitch […]

Losing to your most hated rivals in the playoffs isn’t the best way to make your postseason return, but the Ottawa Senators know that contention is a marathon, not a sprint. The Senators made the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17 last season, but a first-round elimination to the Toronto Maple Leafs left them […]

Time is getting short for NHL free agents to find a home for the 2025-26 season. While most of the top free agents have found a place, some players who struggled last season are still mulling their options. One of those players is Klim Kostin, who has NHL experience with the St. Louis Blues, Edmonton […]

What can the Edmonton Oilers do to get past the massive roadblock that is the Florida Panthers? They’ve fallen to the Panthers two years in a row in the Stanley Cup Final, and the Oilers’ cap situation doesn’t offer a whole lot of room to improve in the 2025-26 season. Edmonton returns with relatively the […]

Matthew Tkachuk wasn’t at 100 percent when the Florida Panthers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup. He still made an impact, but it wasn’t quite as significant as the one he made the first time around. The lack of production stemmed from an adductor injury he suffered at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and the Panthers […]

The St. Louis Blues took some massive steps forward in 2024-25 after hiring former Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery. The Blues hit a lull with their offense under Drew Bannister, and Montgomery’s attacking approach was a breath of fresh air. The 2025-26 season looks like it could be another step in the right direction […]

It’s often surprising to discover just how extensive a professional athlete’s support system is. Long gone are the days of it being just the athlete, his family, and his agent. There are now many different people available to advise the athlete, including people who help pick out their outfits. Dan Solomon assumes this role for […]

Adonis Spicer might not help athletes with their on-court production, but if they have any interests off the court, he’s the right person for the job. Spicer owns his own public relations company called Spicer PR, and he wears many hats. He is a publicist and image consultant with his company, but he has been […]

Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final had to be the worst possible time for the Edmonton Oilers to play their worst game in weeks. The Oilers had been rolling since dropping the first two games of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings. However, in one of their most crucial games of the […]

The Florida Panthers return the same top-six from last year when they defeated the Edmonton Oilers to win their first Stanley Cup. The stars are apparent, as Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, and Matthew Tkachuk must show up for Florida to have a chance against the high-powered Oilers in the rematch. However, if the Panthers want […]

The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers prepare to meet again in the Stanley Cup Final. Game 1 drops the puck on Wednesday evening, as the NHL has gifted the teams with an extended break after they finished their respective conference finals with five-game victories. While both teams have looked dominant in their first 12 victories, […]

The Edmonton Oilers thought they had their old goaltender back when Stuart Skinner recorded back-to-back shutouts in the second round. A red-hot goaltender combined with the Oilers’ depth scoring surge was a recipe for plenty of success. It went well again in Game 1 against the Dallas Stars until the third period, when Skinner allowed […]

The Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars will kick off their third-round series on Thursday night. After the Oilers’ win in 2024, it is the second straight year that the two teams have met in the Western Conference Finals. The Oilers have been missing a key piece on their blue line, as Mattias Ekholm has been […]

The Carolina Hurricanes will not apologize for playing “boring hockey” if they win the Stanley Cup this season. They completely swallowed one of the top offenses in the league in this second-round series, and it has the Washington Capitals wondering if their success this season was all just a mirage. How far are Alex Ovechkin […]