2025 NHL Draft player poll: 50 top prospects give their own NHL projections

This season, The Athletic's prospects writers Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman set out to do something ambitious: pull off a 2025 NHL Draft player poll similar to the player polls our staff conduct in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB.
In the fall, they settled on 10 questions — three on the record and seven anonymous — and spent the season gathering as many responses as possible. Out of it, 50 of the top prospects in the 2025 NHL Draft class were surveyed by year's end for our inaugural NHL Draft player poll.
Here are the responses from when they asked the prospects, 'What NHL player do you realistically think you could become?' The goal was to have the players think honestly and answer candidly about a projected outcome for themselves, rather than asking them for usually lofty player comparables.
Carter Bear: I think a player comparison for me is Zach Hyman. … His motor and his intensity in all zones, and then obviously he has a scoring touch, and I think that I have that too. And also just his play without the puck, he's relentless on (the) puck.
Adam Benak: Clayton Keller and Brayden Point.
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Justin Carbonneau: I think I can become Adrian Kempe. … He's a big guy, he has speed and a good shot, and he grinds. That's the type of player I want to become. … It's my grind and my compete level that gets me to my offense, and then I use my skills. But I would say it starts with my compete.
Braeden Cootes: I like to watch Wyatt Johnston on Dallas, the way he plays. … And Brayden Point, a guy like that. I think they just play a great overall game, and they can obviously score goals, and they're great in the playoffs, too.
Ethan Czata: I like Dylan Larkin or one of the Tkachuk brothers. … I like Larkin because he's a 200-foot player and does all of the right things, but also likes to be physical.
Caleb Desnoyers: I think I can be a Jonathan Toews type. A complete player, versatile, can play in every situation. He's a winner who has won Stanley Cups, and I'd love to become that type.
Victor Eklund: Travis Konecny for sure. … He has a high motor, he's pretty physical out there, and it feels like he never runs out of energy. That's pretty much like me.
Conrad Fondrk: I like to watch the Wild a lot. Kaprizov. Boldy. I don't know if I exactly replicate those guys' games, but I love watching those guys and taking things from their game and putting them in mine.
Anton Frondell: My game is compared to (Aleksander) Barkov. Captain. Good guy. Good size. Good hockey sense.
Eddie Genborg: Matthew Tkachuk.
James Hagens: I think a Jack Hughes. Just kind of the way he skates, the way he handles the puck, and the way he plays.
William Horcoff: Brady Tkachuk.
Jakob Ihs-Wozniak: I would say Filip Forsberg. I feel that we're the same type of player, and I model my game after him a little bit. … He's good at scoring, he's good at finding areas where he can score, and I'm striving to become as hard-working as him in the intensity and stuff like that.
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I feel like it has gotten better and better. Of course, the Hlinka was tough for me, but after that, it has just gone in a positive direction, I would say. It's getting better and better all the time, and I think I'm taking steps.
Ben Kevan: I'd say Jordan Kyrou. Me and him have kind of the same build. Not super big but not undersized type winger. Both of us can get up the ice quick and make quick plays off of the rush and in the zone, so I think that's my comparable. … I'm always trying to stay fast. I played a lot of soccer growing up, too, so that's where I got a lot of my leg strength from.
Ben Kindel: I'd say a guy like Nick Suzuki on upside and the offensive side — a very smart player, two-way center. I'd also say I could become a guy like Phillip Danault. Kind of a third-line checking center in a shutdown role. … (Because of) my hockey sense, my ability on faceoffs, my defensive awareness and my ability to strip pucks and play in the defensive zone.
Lynden Lakovic: I think I could realistically become a top-six player who can contribute scoring. I think I could be a good playoff player who can be physical if the time comes, just growing into my body and physically maturing my game. … A player comparable I use is Tage Thompson. That's someone that I think I can become, and I think we play a lot alike with our frame, our skill sets are pretty similar, and at my age, I think I definitely had better skating, and he definitely has the better shot. I'm not saying my shot's bad, I have a good shot. … I'm definitely more used to the wing, but I think I'm smart enough that I could play center.
Ryker Lee: William Nylander's probably the biggest one for me. Guys like that. David Pastrnak. … Their understanding of time and space, their hands. They're playmakers, but they can shoot the puck for sure.
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Brady Martin: I like to think Matthew Tkachuk. Just a clutch guy, an instigator who is always in the scrums and everything.
Porter Martone: I like Corey Perry and Matthew Tkachuk. You can see Matthew Tkachuk is such an impact player with the Florida Panthers on a deep run to the Stanley Cup. Corey Perry's older now, but the way he had a knack for creating offense and just helping his team every night and being a hard player to play against and just really leaning on his team. They put up good numbers and they're hard players to play against and a pest on the ice. … It's just in my character and the way I finish my checks and get to the net front. I think I just play the right way and then that comes.
Michael Misa: I like to think I play a lot like Kirill Kaprizov, just the way he distributes the puck offensively. But he's a 200-foot player, and he's someone that I think I can model my game after. … It's just the way he plays, but I think I'm more of a center.
Will Moore: Matt Boldy. … Tall, super poised, super creative, but has a great scoring touch.
Jack Nesbitt: Tom Wilson. I love Tom Wilson. … He's a physical guy and he can move the puck well. He's a great leader, and I plan to be like him.
Eric Nilson: I feel like I model my game after Jack Eichel. I love to see him play. He uses his ability to skate and his skill to the inside. I use my skating ability and skills.
Jake O'Brien: I think I can become Wyatt Johnston because of my hockey IQ and my passing ability.
Cullen Potter: I hear (Mathew) Barzal, and I think that's realistic for me.
Cole Reschny: I think I could definitely become a player like Brayden Schenn, or Ryan O'Reilly, or Brayden Point. I think they're just very strong, 200-foot centermen, they think the game well and they're very fast. You see the high-end plays that they can make at the speed of the game, that's just something that I've always had, my hockey IQ and taking pride in the defensive zone just as much as the offensive zone and then in the offensive zone setting up a teammate or shooting the puck.
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Luca Romano: Dawson Mercer. … He plays heavy. Two-way game. Good on pucks. Skill. And he's fast.
Cameron Schmidt: He hasn't been in the league long, but I'd say (Logan) Stankoven, just the size similarities and his scoring ability that he has. Two years ago, we played in the first round, and I went and watched that.
Malcolm Spence: A player I try to play like is Carter Verhaeghe. I like his game a lot. He's a fast player, he can play anywhere in the lineup, he can play penalty kill, he can play power play, he's on at the end of a game if you need a goal or if you have a lead and you're trying to keep it. And I think Ryan O'Reilly as well. I know he's a centerman most of the time, but I like his details, and I think he's a good player.
Theo Stockselius: I really like Joel Eriksson Ek from Minnesota. … I think we have the same size, and he wasn't the best skater when he was my age. I really like him for his skating and his speed and he's good defensively and offensively.
Shane Vansaghi: I think like Josh Anderson in Montreal. He's a big power forward who plays that north-south game that I would consider myself to play as well. He's physical and effective on the forecheck, and I see him take pucks to the net all the time, and that's what I try and do, and I feel like I do a pretty good job of that.
Mason West: I think Tage Thompson with his size and athletic ability. I think I really play like an athlete and I think he really worked on his shot, which I'm really trying to do and work on my body control and edges, which he does a really good job of. So I think I'd just say Tage Thompson. I think I can kind of become that type of player and also do different things that he doesn't.
Bill Zonnon: Adrian Kempe. I think we're pretty similar. He's good both ways. He's got good size. He's pretty dynamic offensively. He's a big boy. I'd like to be a player like him in the NHL.
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Kashawn Aitcheson: Charlie McAvoy. … I think I'm a great skater, good IQ, and I play a really shutdown defensive game and can stop other teams' top lines, but also create secondary offense. … I think I can grow into (a power-play guy) for sure.
Quinn Beauchesne: That's a tough question. Someone I try to model my game after is someone like Charlie McAvoy, a good skater and good puck-moving defenseman who can join the offense and shows a physical side when he needs to. … For me, it's just really trying to model my game and not setting any limits on myself and just trying to become the best player that I can become. I think he's just good at everything, so it's really just trying to watch and learn. He's a great puck-moving D, he can skate really well, and he plays really well with his stick.
Sascha Boumedienne: Miro Heiskanen.
Blake Fiddler: I think I could become a big two-way, top-four defenseman in the NHL. … Shea Theodore's a guy I model my game after.
Milton Gastrin: Maybe Landeskog. … He works hard, he's good offensively and good defensively. That's the way I play.
Reese Hamilton: I would like to become like a Miro Heiskanen from Dallas. Smooth-skating defenseman, I'm pretty mobile. … It really has nothing to do with his draft and where he went; it has more to do with his playing style. We both have pretty good feet, and he's pretty good in the defensive zone as well as the offensive zone. Eventually, down the road, I think it's realistic.
Logan Hensler: Jake Sanderson. Not the flashiest guy, but great skater and how efficient and reliable he is. That's a big piece I'm trying to grow into.
Radim Mrtka: I would say Moritz Seider. … I think that we are kind of the same. He's high IQ, we play a two-way game, and I've always found we're really similar.
Jack Murtagh: Mikko Rantanen or Matthew Tkachuk.
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Max Psenicka: I think in the future I think I can be something similar to Victor Hedman … I think we both are similar heights. I need to get stronger to get to his size, but I think I can probably be him.
Cam Reid: I'd say someone like Morgan Rielly. He moves his feet well and he thinks the game well. It's something I model my game after, and I think that will carry me.
Jackson Smith: I feel like I could become like a Miro Heiskanen. He's a big, good-skating, 200-foot defenseman, and I feel like that's what I am.
Matthew Schaefer: I like to model my game after Cale Makar, so hopefully a Cale Makar. But I want to be a two-way defenseman and kind of just play my game. … I feel like I look at Makar for a lot of things with his skating ability and hockey IQ, but I feel like Heiskanen's another one and I just want to be a two-way defenseman that can play both offense and defense when needed. There's maybe not one guy; there's a lot of guys you watch and take from each of their games.
Simon Wang: I think there's a lot of guys that are tall and mobile with the wingspan: (Colton) Parayko, (Victor) Hedman, (Brandon) Carlo.
Jack Ivankovic: I like Juuse Saros. He's not a big goalie, but he's one of the best goalies in the world. He's definitely the big one for me. I take pride in my skating and work on it all the time, and I watch his skating and watch him play and think, 'I can do that.' He wins games for his team, and that's something I want to do at the next level.
Joshua Ravensbergen: I think maybe one day become something like a (Jake) Oettinger. He's big like me, he uses his size well, and I think there's a reality where I can become something like that.
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; photos of Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Martin and Porter Martone: Brian Babineau/NHLI, Kevin Sousa, Michael Miller/ISI Photos / Getty Images)

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New York Times

32 minutes ago

• New York Times

Are Canadiens buying or selling? Plus, ranking the defence and Kirby Dach's future: Mailbag

It's been a very long time since I've done one of these, and there was a flood of questions in the mailbag as a result. So, I'll break this into two parts and address some more questions later this week. This is a big week for the Montreal Canadiens, with the NHL Draft on Friday night and Saturday and the expectation that there could be some movement, even if those expectations don't appear to be rooted in reality right now. Advertisement The trade market is challenging for Montreal because many other teams are seeking exactly what they are looking for, and because the teams that might be willing to move players are looking for NHL players in return, rather than magic beans. But one thing is certain: Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes are working hard in this less-than-ideal market. The Canadiens' decision-makers are leaving no stone unturned and are aggressively trying to work this market, a league source said. But there's a difference between being aggressive and being stupid, and the Canadiens are not willing to be stupid. So, we'll see what happens this week. But while we wait, let's get to the first batch of your questions. With the recent trend of teams all trying to get better at the same time, how much do you think HuGo are taking this broader picture into account? Should the Canadiens stay put this year, sell future UFAs this summer and aim for another high pick? Lots of championship teams had bumps on the road while rebuilding, and all those teams trending up is an opportunity to bank on? – Carl P. This is not a bad way of looking at it, Carl. Zigging when everyone else is zagging, yes? Especially with the potential prize of Gavin McKenna staring you right in the face if you can put together one more terrible season. But my sense is the Canadiens are not thinking in these terms. They don't want to take a step back right now, much like almost the entire rest of the NHL. In terms of future UFAs they could sell, you're only really looking at Patrik Laine and Mike Matheson. I have no doubt they would listen if a team wanted to take a run at Laine, but Matheson is more complicated. Matheson is an important part of the team's defence right now. He plays on both special teams and logs a ton of difficult minutes. Trading Matheson would change the short-term dynamic on the blue line drastically, and I'm not sure the Canadiens would entertain that thought. Advertisement As Marc Antoine Godin reported, there was a long meeting between Matheson, Gorton and Hughes in Buffalo at the NHL scouting combine, and I believe both sides are at least starting to consider a contract extension, what that might look like and what both sides would be comfortable with. So, no, I don't think the Canadiens will go into sell mode to take advantage of this seller's market, largely because the players other teams would be interested in buying are largely not for sale. However, there is also a bit of a longer game that might be in play this year, and McKenna has something to do with it. If some teams get off to a bad start, the idea of an impromptu tank becomes that much more appealing with a potentially franchise-altering talent such as McKenna available. So, it's at least possible that some teams could pull the plug on the season a little earlier than usual, and teams that conserve cap space and trade assets could pounce at that time and add talent that will suddenly be available for trade that's not necessarily available right now. I don't know if Montreal will do this, but it's something I could see several teams monitoring. It serves as some incentive to be patient and not jump into a stagnant market too hastily this offseason. How would you rank the Habs defencemen in terms of how untouchable they are? Prospects included. With some of the buzz surrounding the Habs interest in Nic Hague, it got me thinking about how they view some of the depth they have on the blue line. Curious to see how you view their core on defence moving forward and which players you might think the team views as expendable. – Zachary C. Let's make one thing clear: Zachary is asking for my opinion and not necessarily how the Canadiens view things. Which is a good thing, because I have no idea how the Canadiens view it. Advertisement But what's obvious to me, and probably the Canadiens as well, is they have a surplus of young defencemen and a shortage of forwards. So, the question is extremely valid. If the Canadiens do make a trade for some immediate help in the top six (again, a very unlikely turn of events but one they are actively pursuing), it would likely mean there would be a young defenceman or two heading out. As far as I'm concerned, I would not trade Lane Hutson, barring some sort of exceptionally talented return coming back. He is my most untouchable Canadiens defenceman because the possibilities are so great and we have no real idea what his ceiling can be. But if his rookie season set his floor, that's a keeper for me. One rung (slightly) lower, I'd put Kaiden Guhle and David Reinbacher because they are the types of defencemen teams win with. In Reinbacher's case, of course, we still have no idea what he can be in the NHL, but he's here because of everything he's done in Laval, despite awful luck with injuries since being taken with the No. 5 pick in the 2023 draft. The unknown and the potential make him so appealing. Guhle, on the other hand, has already shown what he can become in the NHL. The only question that remains with him is whether he can stay healthy. In both cases, it would take a lot for me to even consider moving them. Alexandre Carrier is in a tier of his own because he is extremely valuable to the Canadiens and has another year left on his contract. He's pretty far from untouchable, but Carrier being traded for a forward would leave a hole that would be near impossible to fill on the blue line, perhaps even more impossible than the hole Matheson would leave behind in a hypothetical trade for a forward. The next tier is Matheson because of his contract and his relative potential value on the trade market. A lot of teams would love to add his skating and versatility, even if it comes with some brain cramps. Everyone else in the organization, to me at least, is very tradeable. Now, would I jump into an Arber Xhekaj trade for the sake of it? Absolutely not. I think he is part of the Canadiens' future, and I think that's how they see him. But he is a rare commodity, and that makes his trade value perhaps higher than his actual value. Jayden Struble, Logan Mailloux, Adam Engström — these are guys who could just as easily represent a part of the future in Montreal or elsewhere because it is difficult to see a future with all these guys playing together for the Canadiens, especially with Guhle, Hutson and Reinbacher seemingly around for the long-term. How's Kirby Dach's rehab and preparation going? I see him as the ultimate bird in the hand at 2C. In this playoff we've seen Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart and Pierre-Luc Dubois all being celebrated as reclamation projects. Bennett's PPG in his first six seasons was .35. Kirby's is .45. Why wouldn't the Habs platoon Dach and Alex Newhook next year at 2C until at least the trade deadline? – Andrew G. Arpon, everyone seems convinced that Kirby Dach can't be the No. 2 centre for the Canadiens. I agree his injury problems and disappointing start to the season last year put that in question. However, it would seem wise to me to not overspend in free agency, or in a trade, to fill that need until he has another chance to play a full season. Don't you think that between Newhook, Oliver Kapanen, Jake Evans, and potentially Owen Beck, the team has enough contingency to give him one more legitimate shot at it? Or, is it a matter of trying to take some pressure off him while he tries to reestablish himself? – Eric B. Do you think there's a parallel between the 'development' of Kirby Dach and that of Dylan Strome? – Gabriel Charlebois-Plante This, again, for a second consecutive offseason, is a critical question for the Canadiens. Advertisement The positive for the Canadiens is that, unlike several of the other teams looking for a No. 2 centre, they have a decent backup plan, as uncertain as that backup plan might be. I was told Dach's rehab is going very well. He is doing monthly health checkups with the team, and some of his conditioning metrics are at an all-time high. So, that's good news. The way Gorton and Hughes both talked about Dach at their end-of-season news conference appeared to put the onus on Dach to do everything he can to arrive at training camp ready to attack the upcoming season and put his best foot forward much earlier than he did last season. Some people behind the scenes questioned his conditioning early on last season, so hearing that he's doing his part early in this offseason should be encouraging. This is the last year of Dach's contract, and as Hughes said at the end of the season, there is still some belief in the organization that he will realize his enormous potential. But that potential will need to be realized, at least to some extent, by the end of this season for this relationship to continue. I liked Gabriel's question on Dylan Strome because I had a chance to talk about his journey and the success he's found with the Washington Capitals. Like Dach, Strome was a No. 3 pick (in the 2015 draft), and it took him joining his third team to find success and belief in himself as being worthy of that pick. Strome signed with the Capitals in 2022, coming off a season with the Chicago Blackhawks that did not exactly begin well. 'I got scratched a lot in that 2021-22 season, and then I finished the season on a good note — I played the last 60 games or something,' Strome said back in April. 'I was feeling confident, feeling good about my game. I felt like I knew what kind of player I was, just stringing a couple of good seasons in a row together. I felt like I solidified myself as a good NHL player, and luckily, I got that opportunity in Washington and just tried to run with it.' Advertisement Strome's draft position wasn't a burden, he said. But as he answered, he kind of admitted it was. 'I don't really think it's a burden. I think it gives you more opportunities later on in your career,' he said. 'When you're a high pick, the skill level and the talent's there, it's just about finding the right fit and executing at the NHL level. 'But of course, when you see everyone else that got drafted around you do really well, you want to be doing the same thing. I think it's human nature. I always believed in myself as an NHL player, but when it doesn't happen for a while, you start to wonder if it ever is going to happen.' Strome was drafted right after Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel and just ahead of Mitch Marner and Noah Hanifin in 2015. Dach was not surrounded by the same superstar talent in the 2019 draft – he was taken one pick after Kaapo Kakko and just before Bowen Byram and Alex Turcotte, but you have to imagine what Strome said about wondering if it would ever happen for him is starting to creep into Dach's mind at this point. The opportunity Strome got in Washington, however, can be seen somewhat similarly to the opportunity Dach might have ahead of him in Montreal. The Canadiens need a top-six centre. They hope to surround that top-six centre with strong talent that starts with Ivan Demidov playing his rookie season and perhaps another acquisition on the wing to significantly change the dynamic Dach played between this season. The Canadiens probably don't feel all that comfortable going into next season with Dach pencilled into the 2C slot. But it's not the disastrous situation a lot of fans probably look at it as. There is still a lot of potential in Dach, he should play with urgency because his contract expires at the end of next season, and Demidov's arrival could be a serious game-changer for how that second line works. We've seen what Dach looks like when he's at his best. It was brief, and it was a long time ago, but that version of Dach over the second half of the 2022-23 season showed enormous potential. Perhaps the confluence of urgent career circumstances next season will pull that version of Dach out of him. Advertisement And, as mentioned before, if it doesn't, there could be another trade window that opens up if some teams decide the 2025-26 season is not worth further investment and other options at centre suddenly become available. See you for Part 2 of this mailbag soon. (Photo of Kirby Dach: Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images)

New York Times

an hour ago

• New York Times

What should the Edmonton Oilers do with Evander Kane?

Edmonton Oilers winger Evander Kane led the team in goals per 60 (1.12) at five-on-five during the 2025 postseason. His six goals in the game state ranked him No. 5 among all NHL forwards in the playoffs this spring, via Natural Stat Trick. He also amassed 30 minutes in penalties in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, taking himself from a feature spot in the lineup to a marginal player at the end of the depth chart. Kane was in trouble with the officials as early as the first minute of Game 2, and the tight calls kept Kane from playing his natural style during the series. Advertisement Kane is a unique player, but there are factors that may make him expendable this summer. He's entering the final year of his contract, and his no-trade restrictions have eased. There's a window of opportunity to trade him. Kane didn't play a single regular-season game in 2024-25, and the idea of bringing him back isn't an easy decision. Here's a look at one of the most impactful players in the game and why keeping him might be the best play for the team. Kane has a substantial skill set that includes the ability to beat a goaltender clean from a distance. He's 33, but still possesses above-average foot speed, via NHL Edge. He uses that speed to produce offence and to hammer defencemen on the forecheck. Kane's hits land hard and have a cumulative impact on opposing players. Kane isn't an expert passer, but he can make plays, and his assist total in the playoffs (six) matched his goal total. His five-on-five on-ice goal share (55 percent, 54 percent expected) reflected a successful postseason run. He's a unique player in today's NHL. Although Kane doesn't fight much, he's an enormous physical presence and one of the league's most intimidating players. Injuries are the major issue regarding Kane's resume, and he's just coming off a campaign in which he missed the entire regular season. Added to the missed games are the periods where Kane isn't able to play with his normal abandon because he's playing through an injury. Beyond that, his rambunctious style can lead to too many penalties, and there was a cost in the series against the Panthers. Kane has been able to walk that fine line in the past, but the Florida series was awash early with penalty calls, and Kane was one of the players who paid a price. Here's a summary of his last three regular seasons. Key point: Kane has delivered as a five-on-five goal scorer, one of the toughest jobs in the league. All numbers five-on-five, via Natural Stat Trick The scoring rates were strong all three seasons, although outscoring faded when injuries hit the big winger. Over the three years of regular seasons, Kane's 1.01 goals per 60 trailed only Zach Hyman and Connor McDavid among regulars. The four playoff runs have seen similar success. All numbers five-on-five, via Natural Stat Trick Kane's scoring in these four seasons (1.20 goals per 60) trailed only Hyman among Oilers forwards. His injury issues in some of the playoff runs are also evident here. The bookend seasons, where Kane was healthy and effective, show an extraordinary enforcer who is still able to deliver on the biggest stage. That's the player Edmonton management may be hesitant to offload this summer. Advertisement With those playoff numbers fresh in everyone's memory, why not run it back with Kane for the final season of his deal? The $5.125 million AAV isn't out of line with the kind of season Kane might bring, so what's the problem? For Edmonton, it's threefold: injury, an aging roster and the need to make room under the cap. The Oilers didn't get any regular-season games out of Kane in 2024-25. The skill lines at left wing were occupied most often this year by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (440 minutes with the McDavid line five-on-five) and Vasily Podkolzin (498 minutes with the Leon Draisaitl trio). Some of those minutes would have gone to Kane, especially when Jeff Skinner didn't win the confidence of the coach in the first two months. Not having Kane available for long stretches has to be a consideration. The Oilers don't have an up-and-coming left winger to replace Kane, but Trent Frederic appears to be on his way to a new deal. They don't have identical playing styles, and Frederic was also hurt for a lengthy period last year, but he's a younger man who can be productive through the end of the decade. Edmonton is carrying plenty of age on the wings, with a pile of no-movement clauses attached. Kane's contract is one of the few on the roster (among forwards) that allows a trade this offseason. The cap is a major pressure point. Evan Bouchard's next contract, which will kick in this fall, could be $10 million or more. PuckPedia has the Oilers with $12 million in cap room with 19 of 23 players signed. Add Bouchard, and the team has $2 million left for three players, and heavy rumours surrounding Frederic (and others) returning. The question should be asked, because Kane is a more substantial offensive player than Frederic, and the reported gap in AAV next season might be just a little over $1 million. Advertisement If the Oilers sign Frederic and he does not deliver enough offence, the club is left with a bottom-six utility forward making between $3.5 and $4 million over multiple seasons. There's risk here. If the Oilers keep Kane, his final season will cost $5.125 million, and he could play on a skill line, on merit, when healthy. It would appear the die is cast. The Frederic signing rumours are heavy in the air, and the Kane contract is one of very few the Oilers can move (fairly) easily this summer. The Oilers have to make a tough call. Signing Bouchard for next season is the immediate goal, and after that, finding cap room becomes a priority. Some of the room to wheel may well come from dealing Kane. There are reasons to do it, but it isn't clear that it would be the right decision.

New York Times

2 hours ago

• New York Times

For NBA Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, balance leads to brilliance

Balance. The maintenance of equilibrium. The management of contradicting forces and interacting properties. The harmony of tension and stillness, strength and surrender. It's the secret sauce of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It's at the core of his shifty drives — the change of direction, the sudden stops, the odd-angled stepbacks. It's critical to his majestic midrange jumper, which often feels automatic. It's foundational to his persona, the brand he's gradually concocted over the years. Advertisement His persona is a balancing of the dichotomy at his core. His manner is reserved, composed. He's always been the type to survey before proceeding. Internal with his processing. Calculated with his moves. Canadian youth basketball figures remember the calmness he displayed as a youth and his cerebral approach. Simultaneously, and unmistakably, Gilgeous-Alexander owns a drive fit for a legend. Behind those scoping eyes and his Cheshire smile churns a quiet yearning for a greatness humble people aren't supposed to fathom. An ambition that for most fades away with daydreams. 'As a kid, you dream,' he said. 'Every kid dreams. But you don't ever really know if it's going to come true.' No way this could've been expected. Gilgeous-Alexander finished high school ranked No. 35 in ESPN's Top 100 for 2017. His cousin and high school teammate Nickeil Alexander-Walker was No. 21 in a senior class topped by Marvin Bagley III and Michael Porter Jr. Gilgeous-Alexander was the ninth-ranked point guard on the list, behind Collin Sexton and Trae Young. Yet, SGA's ambition gained strength without being fueled by hype. He nurtured these dueling natures into a stabilizing force, keeping him centered while climbing. And now — at the end of his seventh season, the first five of which were spent in relative anonymity — Gilgeous-Alexander arrives in the stratosphere he dared to dream. Some three weeks shy of his 27th birthday, the NBA MVP is now an NBA champion, having sealed the deal on the Oklahoma City Thunder's historic season. He breached the clouds of ordinary greatness and ascended to scarcely occupied territory. The equipoise of SGA produced fruit. He spent much of Sunday's Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers trying to steady his breathing, suppress his nerves, conserve his energy and keep his teammates in the moment. But when his name was announced as the NBA Finals MVP, he finally let go. His teammates swarmed him, coaxing down his guard with their glee. Composure gave way to joy. The weight shifted from his shoulders to his hands, which gripped the 11-pound Bill Russell Trophy. With his gold signature Converse draped over his shoulder, Gilgeous-Alexander hoisted the finals MVP trophy above his head with both hands and a smile wider than his wingspan, ending his fast from a sense of accomplishment. 'This isn't just a win for me,' he told the packed arena inside Paycom Center. 'This is a win for my family. This is a win for my friends. This is a win for everybody that was in my corner growing up. This is a win for the fans, the best fans in the world.' Arriving at this pinnacle from Hamilton, Ontario, required the juggling of many elements. Being the franchise star to finally deliver a championship to Oklahoma City, a region all too familiar with thunderous heartbreaks, demanded a masterclass of stewardship. With the Thunder's overflowing contingent of young talent, including a pair of unproven co-stars, and a boy genius in coach Mark Daigenault wading into deep waters, Gilgeous-Alexander needed to coalesce it all — while also capitalizing on the superstardom calling. Advertisement With Oklahoma City's season on the brink, when it faced becoming one of league history's biggest disappointments, the balance of Gilgeous-Alexander saved the Thunder. He redistributed the weight onto himself. He was sturdy enough to keep them from falling. 'You just know that he won't fold,' teammate Lu Dort said. 'When the pressure's high, you know he's still there and ready to go. It sets a tone. When you see your best player like that, the other guys will just follow and (know) we're in a good position. We're good.' He finished Game 7 with 29 points and 12 assists, five rebounds and two steals in OKC's 103-91 victory. He finished the series averaging 30.3 points, making him the 18th player to average 30 or more in the NBA Finals. His 3,172 total points in 2024-25 — regular season and playoffs combined — is the ninth-most in a season and most since Jordan had 3,207 in 1992-93. Only 13 players have scored 3,000 points in one single season. Gilgeous-Alexander is now the 15th player in NBA history to win the MVP and an NBA championship in the same season. The first to do it since Stephen Curry in 2015. He is the 11th player to win regular-season and finals MVP in the same season. The first to do it since LeBron James in 2013. He is the fourth player to win a scoring title, regular-season MVP and finals MVP in the same season. The first to do so since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000, and the first international player to pull it off. And no doubt, the first who could don fur and stunna shades. 'Yeah, it's hard to believe that I'm part of that group,' Gilgeous-Alexander said. 'It's hard to even fathom that I'm that type of basketball player sometimes.' Balance. The deliberate distribution of weight to remain upright. The choreography of opposing forces, aligning what pulls with what resists. Not simply avoiding a fall, but a constant negotiation between gravity's pull and the will to stand. 'I swear, one time, his knee hit the ground,' Thunder forward Jaylin Williams said. 'And he still stayed on his feet and hit the shot. His balance is crazy.' Advertisement Perhaps his signature shot of these NBA Finals came on a drive down the left side. When he got near the baseline, Gilegous-Alexander stepped toward the paint and pressed his right forearm into Aaron Nesmith's chest, re-directing the momentum of the Pacers guard. But SGA's lead foot was clipped as Nesmith fell backwards, disrupting the plant on SGA's stepback. He stumbled, crouching on his left foot as he turned his focus towards the basket. He maintained his peering eyes on the rim as the rest of his faculties worked to keep him upright. His one-two step into the shot looked almost clumsy, his toe dragging on the second step. It gave Andrew Nembhard the time to hustle over and help. But once SGA got both feet on the ground, he reclaimed his stability. He rose for the baseline jumper and buried it from 14 feet, over Nembhard. He gave OKC its first lead of the second half, and it would never trail again. He gave Indiana 15 points over the final 4:38 down the stretch of Game 4. He gave the basketball world something to chew on. Is he this good? Does he belong in the same breath as the greats? The accolades he accumulated this season alone are worthy of Hall of Fame credentials. But him producing like this in the playoffs, in the finals, starts to reek of undeniable. The Thunder are champions, though, because of his versatility. Winning requires flexibility. Gilgeous-Alexander, who said he first stepped on a basketball court at 6 with hopes of winning, has the arsenal for such elasticity. The great ones know how to employ their repertoire. Their feel is special, instincts superior. They can sense the moments, understand what's needed and adapt accordingly. In Game 5, SGA bore the burden of delivering the Thunder. His read: His elite scoring was in order. Down four with 3:52 remaining, Gilgeous-Alexander ran off seven straight points to change the tenor of crunch time. On Sunday, the heaviness of Game 7 had its effect. He didn't look as smooth. His shot didn't fall with his trademark ease. Yet, his aggressiveness didn't wane. He mixed up his approach, became a playmaker. Advertisement His 27 shots were the most since Game 1. But his attacking to score produced the desired effect by collapsing the defense. So he set up his teammates. Gilgeous-Alexander likes to drive and hold onto the ball as long as he can, through his deceleration and Eurosteps, for as long as he can hang in the air, until the defense responds to him — then he dumps it off to a teammate like a belated gift. The defining run came in the third quarter on Sunday, the score tied at 56. Gilgeous-Alexander faked a drive after a high ball screen and stepped back into a 3 before Pacers forward Pascal Siakam could do anything. This is where SGA would start cooking. But he knew Indiana thought the same thing, so he used it. The next time down, he posted up Nembhard, SGA's nemesis all series. He stepped back for his patented midrange, hung in the air long enough for the help defender to come, and then hit Chet Holmgren for an open 3. The next time down, Gilgeous-Alexander went to work again. A crossover left got Nembhard to move, setting up SGA's spin back to the middle. He glided towards the rim, having shed Nembhard, hanging in the air as he sized up the arc on his floater, buying time for Pacers center Myles Turner and Siakam to close in on him. It was all to set up the open look for Jalen Williams, whose 3-pointer rattled in. This 9-0 run wasn't the takeover of Game 5, but it was engineered by SGA. A product of knowing when to dominate and when to lead. The duality of being the point guard and one of the best scorers in the league. The balance of SGA, knowing how to do both and when to be either. The face and the voice of Oklahoma City. Its might and its measure. 'At the end of the day,' Holmgren proclaimed, 'that's going to go down in history as one of the greatest seasons that's ever been had by a player. It's amazing to be a part of that, to witness somebody going through it, succeeding in so many different ways. 'He really makes it a joy to be around. It's never about him. It's always about us. It's always about winning. His talent shines through all of that. We saw that all year. He's a hell of a basketball player, but he's an even better person. I'm proud to call him my teammate. Proud to call him my friend. I'm so happy that we were able to put a shiny cap on what he did this year.' Balance. The achievement of agreement between fluid elements. The force keeping chaos from spilling over. The invisible thread that connects motion and meaning, chaos with clarity. It's long been a strength of SGA. Perhaps no greater example exists than in the summer of 2016. Gilgeous-Alexander received a prestigious invite: the CP3 Elite Point Guard Camp. Chris Paul annually invites a group of proteges to his basketball academy to learn from the Point Gawd himself. That June, 15 of the best point guards in college, and 21 from the high school ranks, were anointed with a coveted spot in the three-day camp. Prep stars Trae Young and De'Aaron Fox joined the camp. Monte Morris and Dennis Smith Jr. highlighted the collegiate floor generals. Advertisement SGA wasn't highly touted at the time. In November 2015, he committed to the first school to offer him a scholarship, the Florida Gators, as an under-the-radar recruit. He'd just finished his junior year at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tenn., his first season in America. So the exposure and the experience at CP3's camp were a big deal. A no-brainer for most. But Gilgeous-Alexander would have a breakthrough before heading to North Carolina. He took part in a six-day tryout for the Canadian Men's National Team before his senior year of high school. Canada was preparing for a FIBA tournament to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. In the practice facility of the Air Canada Centre, as the home of the Toronto Raptors was called then, he'd put himself on the map of his nation's hoop scene. 'I remember one of the practices,' said Joe Raso, a highly regarded coach, international scout and unofficial historian of Canadian basketball. '(Kentucky coach John) Calipari was in the gym. Shai was giving Cory Joseph and Tyler Ennis fits. They were NBA guys, and he was a high school kid.' Gilgeous-Alexander earned one of the 12 roster spots. So he had a choice to make. Options to weigh. He could attend Chris Paul's camp, where future All-Star Victor Oladipo helped teach, and some dozen NBA scouts attended. He left Canada to finish high school ball in America in search of tougher competition. This was a prominent chance to show out against proven talent. Or, he could skip the splashy opportunity and hit the road almost immediately with the national team. A five-game exhibition tournament in Italy prepared the squad for the qualifying tournament in the Philippines. But this option included one caveat: the high schooler wouldn't play much. An early clash of his dichotomy. The push of clandestine development. The pull of a splashy opportunity for growth. Nearly a decade ago, at a pivotal juncture, Gilgeous-Alexander found himself measuring options. Advertisement He chose Canada. 'Because I was going to play with pros,' SGA said Sunday night. He didn't play a single minute in the Philippines. But every day, before the team practice, he put in work. Away from the spotlight. With Steve Nash. 'I didn't know much about Shai at all when he came to camp,' said Nash, who was general manager of Canada's men's national team at the time. 'He was heading to Kentucky as a late commit. I knew within two practices that he was an NBA player because of his feel, pace and length. I had no idea the player he'd turn into. His work ethic and focus are outstanding, and he's proof that you never know what's possible unless you commit wholeheartedly with vision and go after it every day.' He chose quiet work as his way to make noise. He captured clout by ignoring the covetousness it inspires. SGA could always silence the noise so he could see the right path. It's why he was a punctual and reliable student. It's why in high school and college, he'd hit the gym hours before school. His coach, Dwayne Washington, got emotional when SGA asked for access to the gym at 6 a.m. Working before work began. Some of his teammates at Kentucky, including Kevin Knox and Jarred Vanderbilt, tapped into the tradition. Even when he entered the league, he worked in the shadows. Drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers at No. 11 in 2018, he spent his rookie season learning from veterans like Lou Williams, Patrick Beverley and Avery Bradley. He was traded to Oklahoma City and took a backseat to the bounty of picks the Clippers sent with him for Paul George. When no one was paying attention, he bonded with Chris Paul and learned even more than he'd missed three years earlier. When Oklahoma City won 46 games over two seasons in a rebuild, SGA was working on his jumper, improving his free-throw percentage and honing his midrange. So when he dropped his first of three straight seasons averaging 30-plus points per game, he felt out of nowhere. But the whole time, he was grooming. Advertisement Curating his swag and sharpening his game. Finding his voice and developing his brand. Building his own family and leading his team. Stacking wins and appreciating moments. Now he's at the mountaintop after putting it all together. 'As far as face of the league,' Thunder wing Alex Caruso said, '… he's got that capability. Clearly, the year he's had — MVP, Western Conference finals MVP, finals MVP, champion — I don't think anyone will question his ability. I think the thing that sets him apart is he'll probably be hungry for more. He probably won't be satisfied with winning this one time. He'll want to be better. He'll want to see how he can tweak and maneuver his game to a better fit and take advantage of the way people guard him. That's just the special ability that he has mentally to be competitive and want to be great.' This is just the beginning. The first championship isn't the pinnacle, but the key to accessing another level. SGA will experience a new level of fame. The demands on his time will increase. The responsibility of stardom falls on his shoulders. Oklahoma City is on the map now. More national games are coming. The prime slots and showcase games. As the NBA begins new partnerships with NBC and Amazon, Gilgeous-Alexander is now in a position to be a fresh face to promote. With more opportunity comes greater expectations. With more exposure comes increased scrutiny. More demands on his time. More pressure to perform. More attacks on the chemistry and potency of the Thunder. The reward for his brilliance at managing everything is now even more to manage. Staying at the top demands even more of his special sauce. Balance.