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New York Times
11 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Should Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall have been nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year?
Lucas Bergvall may be the Premier League's best teenager. A year on from joining Tottenham Hotspur from Djurgarden in his native Sweden for £8.5million ($10.8m), his reputation has increased to such a degree that should Spurs inconceivably consider moving him on, they could justifiably demand a tenfold increase. The 19-year-old collected a clean sweep of the club's player of the season awards, becoming the first teenager since Glenn Hoddle to do so, and is viewed as an essential part of the present and future. The arrival of Thomas Frank, a proven developer of young players, should only help Bergvall. So, how has he not made the shortlist for the PFA's Young Player of the Season award? Before arguing Bergvall's case, this is not in any way intended to diminish the excellent young players who are under consideration. Liam Delap and Dean Huijsen earned moves to Chelsea and Real Madrid, respectively, off the back of excellent debut Premier League seasons with Ipswich Town and Bournemouth. Milos Kerkez looks set to leave Bournemouth for Liverpool too. Advertisement Morgan Rogers is now a star player for Aston Villa and an established England international, and Myles Lewis-Skelly appears to be on his way to becoming Arsenal and England's left-back for years to come. His team-mate Ethan Nwaneri lit up the Emirates Stadium with sparks of his exceptional talent, scoring nine goals from 37 appearances in all competitions. They are all worthy candidates for an award won by Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale, Harry Kane and Dele Alli (twice) — after all, it's voted for by the players. Still, Bergvall's omission indicates they have somehow overlooked his quality and potential. His influence is not underrated in the stands at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. As rumours circulated on social media of his ankle injury before the Europa League semi-final, fans panicked as if they were losing a key player. That's because they were. As evidenced by his awards, Bergvall was Spurs' outstanding player and a key part of their Europa League success. Statistics can only go so far in quantifying the value of a player like Bergvall, for whom almost everything about playing in midfield at Premier League level comes naturally. He had a pass completion rate of 89 per cent in his debut season, only marginally beaten by Yves Bissouma (89.3) among Spurs midfielders to have started 10 games or more. Compared to players in Europe's top five leagues and the Champions League, Bergvall ranks within the 85th percentile or higher for progressive carries (2.12), successful take-ons (1.62) and interceptions (1.62) per 90 minutes. While unfamiliar to most English fans on his arrival, Tottenham had to fight off significant interest from Newcastle United and Eintracht Frankfurt. Barcelona sporting director Deco even had lunch with him and his family to convince him to leave Sweden for the Camp Nou. Advertisement His season really kicked into gear in early January during the 1-0 win over Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final, with Bergvall scoring a late winner shortly after escaping a second yellow card. From that point, the gifted, physically imposing (affectionately described as a 'lump' by team-mate James Maddison) teenager became Ange Postecoglou's most reliable midfielder. At his technical best, he's a dribbler who can skip past challenges and weave through midfield. When needed, he can lean on his physical qualities and be destructive between both boxes and has the quality to be a match-winner in the final third. He may end up as the deep-lying controller that was seen sparingly, where he demonstrated an ability to control matches from deep and navigate the opposition press with composure and vision. 'I don't think he's left (Dejan Kulusevski's) side since he's been here, and Deki (Kulusevski) is in the gym all the time,' former head coach Postecoglou said in March. 'He's a great role model for him, and if nothing else, Deki has forced him to get in there and work hard on his game. 'He's also an outstanding technical player. His technical proficiency is still his greatest asset. He's growing; you've got to remember he's only just turned 19. He's still a very young man, and if he keeps building up physically as well, to the standard you need in the Premier League, particularly in that midfield position, if you have that physical ability and that technical proficiency, then you've got a decent player on your hands.' It is testament to his progress that he is already capable of fulfilling these roles to a high standard with so much to come too. That he only made 11 starts in the Premier League (Nwaneri made 11) is perhaps justification enough to overlook him. Bergvall was sidelined at the end of the season and had he taken the Europa League final by the scruff of the neck in the manner that he did in the quarter-finals against Frankfurt, his peers may have included him. Next season and with such a high ceiling, it is not implausible that we will be talking about him as a contender for the main award after a second-season leap.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Official: Samuel Dahl joins Benfica on permanent deal
Roma have officially parted ways with Swedish fullback Samuel Dahl. The club released the following statement on their official website: 'AS Roma have announced that Samuel Dahl has joined Benfica. Having moved to the club in 2024 from Djurgarden, the Swede featured three times in total for the Giallorossi, between Serie A and the Coppa Italia. He spend the latter half of the 2024-25 season on loan, joining Benfica on 4 February.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Final 2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Ryan Kennedy's Top 100
The 2025 NHL draft is fast approaching, and with that, it's time to drop some final rankings. The top 100 you'll find below are very similar to the ones you will find in The Hockey News' Draft Preview because, duh, I wrote them both. But with the benefit of a few more weeks, I did tweak these – including in the top 10. Advertisement I will also point out that in the past few years, I've done a final 120. I've trimmed it this time because there were players I talked to scouts about who were seen as 'non-drafts' altogether, and I would rather have a top 100 with the least amount of uncertainty possible (as if that's possible, ha ha). I don't want to just list "guys" for the sake of. Final note: Perhaps the biggest X-factor in the class is Minnesota high school center Mason West. The big Edina Hornets star is also an elite football quarterback, and while he says he's focused on hockey, he also recently revealed he will be playing high school football again in the fall before heading off to the USHL. When I talked to scouts about this possibility during the season, they did not like it – they would have preferred to see him playing college hockey next year. How will this ultimately impact his draft stock? Well, it only takes one team to step up and take him, so we shall wait and see. In the meantime, here's how I see things: Matthew Schaefer (Brandon Soto / OHL Images) 1. Matthew Schaefer, D, Erie (OHL): An elite blueliner with great hockey IQ and skating acumen who can make an impact in all three zones. Schaefer brings a ton of skill to the ice, but also a lot of character. He's a pick you can build a franchise around. Advertisement 2. Michael Misa, C, Saginaw (OHL): Absolutely destroyed the OHL this season, winning the Red Tilson Award as most outstanding player in the process. Misa has one of the best shots in the draft, and he really improved his 200-foot game this season. 3. Porter Martone, RW, Brampton (OHL): A power forward in the mold of the Tkachuk brothers, Martone is a beast of a teen who earned time at the IIHF World Championship once his OHL year was done, playing on the same Canadian team as Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon. 4. Anton Frondell, C, Djurgarden (Swe.): Helped Djurgarden's pro team win the biggest series in Swedish history in getting promoted to the SHL over rival AIK. Frondell is a big center with a great shot who plays a very team-friendly game. 5. James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA): A super-smart and talented center who put up admirable numbers as a freshman in college, Hagens doesn't have ideal size, but he did play on Team USA's top line en route to world junior gold. Advertisement 6. Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton (QMJHL): Took his Wildcats to a QMJHL championship and a Memorial Cup berth. Desnoyers is a smart, 200-foot player with great details, and he can also blow your doors off in terms of offensive production. 7. Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL): A suspected back injury had scouts a little leery, so we'll see who takes him on draft day. A healthy McQueen is a titan-sized center who skates well, drives the net and plays with a lot of skill. 8. Victor Eklund, RW, Djurgarden (Swe.): Frondell's teammate on that instant-legend Djurgarden squad, Eklund doesn't have a lot of size but plays like he does. He's got an excellent motor and already has a world juniors under his belt, where he was one of Sweden's best producers. 9. Brady Martin, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL): Farm-boy strong, Martin is just scratching the surface, and the early returns are already impressive. He was massive for Canada at the World Men's Under-18s and carried a Soo team that didn't have a lot of other options this season. Advertisement 10. Jackson Smith, D, Tri-City (WHL): Another World Under-18s standout, Smith got hot at the end of his WHL season and put up nice offensive numbers. But his skating and defensive work are really his calling cards, making him an attractive asset on the blueline. Draft Preview 2025 | The Hockey News Archive Draft Preview 2025 | The Hockey News Archive The Hockey News has been providing the most comprehensive coverage of the world of hockey since 1947. In each issue, you'll find news, features and opinions abo... 11. Jake O'Brien, C, Brantford (OHL) 12. Kashawn Aitcheson, D, Barrie (OHL) 13. Braeden Cootes, C, Seattle (WHL) 14. Radim Mrtka, D, Seattle (WHL) Advertisement 15. Carter Bear, LW, Everett (WHL) 16. Logan Hensler, D, Wisconsin (NCAA) 17. Justin Carbonneau, RW, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) 18. Lynden Lakovic, LW, Moose Jaw (WHL) 19. Cameron Reid, D, Kitchener (OHL) 20. Jack Nesbitt, C, Windsor (OHL) 21. Malcolm Spence, LW, Erie (OHL) 22. Ivan Ryabkin, C, Muskegon (USHL) 23. Jakob Ihs Wozniak, RW, Lulea Jr. (Swe.) 24. Milton Gastrin, C, Modo (Swe.) 25. Cullen Potter, LW, Arizona State (NCAA) 26. Joshua Ravensbergen, G, Prince George (WHL) 27. Ben Kindel, C, Calgary (WHL) 28. Cole Reschny, C, Victoria (WHL) 29. Bill Zonnon, RW, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) 30. Shane Vansaghi, RW, Michigan State (NCAA) Advertisement 31. Henry Brzustewicz, D, London (OHL) 32. Cameron Schmidt, RW, Vancouver (WHL) 33. Blake Fiddler, D, Edmonton (WHL) 34. William Moore, C, U.S. NTDP (USHL) 35. Eric Nilson, C, Djurgarden Jr. (Swe.) 36. Haoxi (Simon) Wang, D, King (OJHL) 37. Vojtech Cihar, LW, Karlovy Vary (Cze.) 38. Eddie Genborg, RW, Linkoping (Swe.) 39. Will Horcoff, LW, Michigan (NCAA) 40. Jack Murtagh, LW, U.S. NTDP (USHL) 41. Luca Romano, RW, Kitchener (OHL) 42. Jacob Rombach, D, Lincoln (USHL) 43. Ryker Lee, RW, Madison (USHL) 44. Matthew Gard, RW, Red Deer (WHL) 45. Theo Stockselius, RW, Djurgarden Jr. (Swe.) 46. Ben Kevan, RW, Des Moines (USHL) Advertisement 47. Vaclav Nestrasil, LW, Muskegon (USHL) 48. Tomas Poletin, LW, Pelicans (Fin.) 49. Daniil Prokhorov, RW, Dynamo St. Petersburg Jr. (Rus.) 50. Cole McKinney, C, U.S. NTDP (USHL) 51. Kurban Limatov, D, Moscow Dynamo (Rus.) 52. Charlie Trethewey, D, U.S. NTDP (USHL) 53. Kristian Epperson, RW, Saginaw (OHL) 54. Viktor Klingsell, LW, Skelleftea (Swe.) 55. Sascha Boumedienne, D, Boston U. (NCAA) 56. Theodor Hallquisth, D, Orebro (Swe.) 57. Adam Benak, C, Youngstown (USHL) 58. Aleksei Medvedev, G, London (OHL) 59. Peyton Kettles, D, Swift Current (WHL) 60. Pyotr Andreyanov, G, CSKA Moscow (Rus.) 61. Conrad Fondrk, C, U.S. NTDP (USHL) Advertisement 62. Lucas Beckman, G, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) 63. Francesco Delle'Elce, D, UMass (NCAA) 64. Mason West, C, Edina (MN HS) 65. Brandon Gorzynski, C, Calgary (WHL) 66. Zachary Morin, LW, Saint John (QMJHL) 67. Dakoda Rheaume-Mullin, D, Michigan (NCAA) 68. Tyler Hopkins, C, Kingston (OHL) 69. Jack Ivankovic, G, Brampton (OHL) 70. Max Psenicka, D, Portland (WHL) 71. Hayden Paupanekis, C, Kelowna (WHL) 72. Sean Barnhill, D, Dubuque (USHL) 73. Lasse Boelius, D, Assat (Fin.) 74. Ethan Czata, C, Niagara (OHL) 75. Maceo Phillips, D, U.S. NTDP (USHL) 76. Jan Chovan, C, Tappara (Fin.) 77. Nathan Behm, LW, Kamloops (WHL) Advertisement 78. Owen Griffin, C, Oshawa (OHL) 79. David Bedkowski, D, Owen Sound (OHL) 80. Filip Ekberg, LW, Ottawa (OHL) 81. Alexander Zharovsky, RW, Ufa Jr. (Rus.) 82. Carlos Handel, D, Halifax (QMJHL) 83. Evan Passmore, D, Barrie (OHL) 84. Michal Pradel, G, Tri-City (USHL) 85. Reese Hamilton, D, Regina (WHL) 86. Carter Amico, D, U.S. NTDP (USHL) 87. Mans Goos, G, Farjestad (Swe.) 88. Luka Radivojevic, D, Muskegon (USHL) 89. Karl Annborn, D, HV71 (Swe.) 90. Atte Joki, C, Lukko (Fin.) 91. Matias Vanhanen, LW, HIFK (Fin.) 92. Semyon Frolov, G, Spartak (Rus.) 93. Louis-Antoine Denault, G, Quebec (QMJHL) 94. Caeden Herrington, D, Lincoln (USHL) Advertisement 95. Emile Guite, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL) 96. Mason Moe, LW, Madison (USHL) 97. Alex Huang, D, Chicoutimi (QMJHL) 98. Lev Katzin, RW, Guelph (OHL) 99. Trenten Bennett, G, Owen Sound (OHL) 100. Oliver Turner, D, St. Andrew's (PHC) For in-depth scouting reports on the top 100 prospects for the 2025 NHL draft, check out The Hockey News' Draft Preview issue. You'll also find Team Reports on all 32 NHL clubs looking at the short- and long-term needs. Plus, we have feature stories on Matthew Schaefer, Anton Frondell, Michael Misa, Jackson Smith and the Nashville Predators, and we look at the impact of PWHL expansion and break down the upcoming draft.
New Straits Times
05-06-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Finland mistakenly call up 51-year-old for international duty
HELSINKI: Finland women's national team manager has apologised for mistakenly calling up a long-retired 51-year-old for this week's game against Serbia. When submitting the lineup, manager Outi Saarinen mistakenly entered former player Stina Ruuskanen instead of 23-year-old Djurgarden defender Nanne Ruuskanen. The error was not discovered until past deadline. Ruuskanen, who received her call-up 29 years after playing two senior internationals for Finland, took the mix-up in good humour. "I'm definitely ready if the call comes! Just yesterday I was playing in a hobby league match ... so my game feel is good," she told the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat. The younger Ruuskanen, who is no relation, was unable to take part in the Nations League match, a 1-1 draw in Helsinki on Tuesday. "Nanne was, of course, disappointed but took the news very well considering the circumstances," Saarinen said in a statement from the Finnish Football Association. "I am very sorry for the mistake." - REUTERS
Scottish Sun
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Finland women accidentally call up long-retired 51-YEAR-OLD for international clash with 23-year-old pro now banned
Veteran had incredible response to shocking blunder SHE'S FINNISHED Finland women accidentally call up long-retired 51-YEAR-OLD for international clash with 23-year-old pro now banned Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FINLAND accidentally called up a retired 51-YEAR-OLD for international duty. And it meant her namesake missed out on a crucial Nations League match. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Nanne Ruuskanen was supposed to be named in the Finland team for the Nations League Credit: Alamy 2 Instead the Finland manager named her 51-year-old namesake who last played for her country 29 years ago Credit: Alamy Finland women's manager Outi Saarinen apologised for the incredible blunder. Saarinen named Stina Ruuskanen in the squad for Finland's clash with Serbia. However, Ruuskanen was born in 1974 and has long been retired. Instead, she was supposed to include her namesake Nanne Ruuskanen - a 23-year-old defender who plays for Djurgarden. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL IT'S JUST NOT RON Major security breach as Cristiano Ronaldo is grabbed by pitch invader The pair are not related. But with the error not spotted until after the team sheet deadline, it was too late to make the change - meaning Nanne could not play in the 1-1 draw, one of Finland's last matches before Euro 2025. Stina earned two caps for Finland in the 1990s - with the latter coming a whopping 29 years ago. That is why she was on Uefa's database system, leading to the clerical error - forcing Nanne to wait to make her senior national team debut. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Stina took it well and joked to Finnish reporters: "It's amazing to still be called up to the national team at this age. "It's a must-win match tonight so that's probably why I've been selected. Germany vs Portugal Nations League clash DELAYED as players are forced to protect themselves from hailstones "I'm definitely ready if the call comes. "Just yesterday I was playing in a hobby league match... so my game feel is good." Saarinen, meanwhile, expressed her sincere regret over the unfortunate incident. She said: "Nanne was, of course, disappointed but took the news very well considering the circumstances. "I am very sorry for the mistake."
