"He cares a lot about the people around him and the veterans in our area. He's put a lot of effort into his foundation and it was really cool to go to his event and see the impact he's making first-hand."
I kind of bit on the shot [by Frost] and he threw it backdoor. I just put my glove out there, tried to cover space. And I got fortunate... I caught a piece. That's a remarkable accomplishment in this game, and it just speaks volumes for how good of a goaltender he is.
When Smith took over the Senators, the franchise was basically a construction site. There was no foundation, with just a pile of high‑end draft picks and a lot of hope they would grow into a Stanley Cup contender. However, during his tenure, Smith became known as the ultimate "player's coach." He could relate to stars like Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stützle, pushing them to play a heavy, hard-hitting brand of hockey while the roster was still maturing.
With the NHL not happening due to the 2026 Winter Olympics, more eyes were on the AHL All-Star Showcase taking place during their break. And the Toronto Maple Leafs' representative absolutely shone above the rest. Toronto Marlies netminder Artur Akhtyamov was chosen to be the member of the Leafs organization that went to Rockford, Illinois to play in an East vs. West matchup and during the skill competition went completely off. The 24-year-old Russian goalie shut the door in just about every opportunity he had.
Playing mostly in the AHL, Quillan is putting up solid numbers for the Toronto Marlies through the first five months of this year. In 30 games played, he has nine goals and 20 assists, tallying nearly a point per game. His goalscoring pace reflects only a slight improvement over last year, but he's already passed last season's assist total (19) in less than half as many games. Quillan is evolving as a playmaker without losing his ability to grind out crucial goals.
I'm not sure I thought I'd ever see the day when an American hockey player who has only worked in Vancouver and St. Paul would be getting covered by E! News, or serve as the lure in catfishing attempts. Quinn Hughes, mainstream celebrity? What a world. Being the subject of memes that allege he's haunted by the ghost of a Victorian child, and acknowledging said meme, helps. Being the best defenseman in the world doesn't hurt.
Friday's game was against the New York Rangers, who have put up the for-sale sign on some of their veteran players, and had won just one of their last eight before their game at SAP Center. With that backdrop, the Sharks did what they had to do, getting two first period goals from Macklin Celebrini and a solid performance from goalie Alex Nedeljkovic in a 3-1 win over the Rangers before a sellout crowd of 17,435 at SAP Center.
As mentioned, there were expectations for him to be a top blueliner on the Leafs, along with former young prospect Rasmus Sandin, who was also envisioned as a top blueliner for the team. Niemela was mainly praised for the way he moves the puck as a defenceman. He also showed great vision and was able to make a pass whenever it was possible. He was also seen as someone who wasn't afraid to take a shot on goal and walk into the slot.