The Minnesota Timberwolves have plenty of reason to run back the same roster after reaching the Western Conference finals for the second straight time. “We feel very happy with the core we have. We don’t feel like there’s tremendous pressure to do much,” president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said. Connelly later added: “Those organizations that can show patience tend to have a really high level of success. But patience shouldn’t lead to risk aversion. If there’s something that if we have to shake it up and make us a better team, we’re certainly open to that.” The most pressing matters for Connelly and the front office over the next month will be negotiations with the agents for Julius Randle and Naz Reid, the two power forwards with vastly different styles and backgrounds who both face the same decision on whether to exercise a contract option for 2025-26 or decline it to become a free agent. Randle’s is for more than $30 million. Reid’s is for about $15 million, making him at age 25 more likely to opt out in favor of a larger and longer deal. But that doesn’t mean the Timberwolves won’t be aggressive about trying to bring the fan favorite back. Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be an unrestricted free agent. Connelly gave no indication he’ll be limited by ownership in what he can commit to player salaries. Bringing back Alexander-Walker as well as Randle and Reid without again passing the second apron might be impossible. “Super happy here. It’s been great — not just as working with the team, but this whole community really feels like home,” Connelly said. “I think you guys are stuck with me. ”

In one of the most emotional moments of the NHL season, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Sean Monahan was named the 2025 recipient of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. Monahan, 30, received the award at his home outside Toronto, in a surprise orchestrated by none other than Meredith Gaudreau, widow of Johnny Gaudreau, Monahan’s longtime best friend and former Flames teammate who died tragically last August in a bicycle accident alongside his brother, Matthew. Both were struck by an alleged drunk driver in Salem County, New Jersey. “You don’t hear John’s name without thinking of Sean,” Meredith said. “They’re best friends, they’re brothers. ” “John knows I don’t like the spotlight,” Monahan said. “So I feel like he’s probably watching that moment and laughing at me.” “Having Meredith come down… was a lot of emotions right away and very special.” A $2,500 donation will be made to the Bill Masterton Scholarship Fund in Monahan’s name. “It’s a real big honor,” Monahan said. “There’s a lot of special names on that trophy. The meaning behind it is something I take great pride in — being on a team, being a father, a husband.” In Meredith’s words: “Sean, you persevered through one of the hardest things. This one’s just celebrating your character… I know John is so proud of you.” And now, with his name etched into Masterton history, Monahan stands not only as a symbol of perseverance on the ice but of enduring love and friendship off it.

The Toronto Maple Leafs added experience to their bench on Friday by hiring Derek Lalonde as an assistant coach. The move comes just over five months after Lalonde was dismissed from his role as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings. Lalonde led the Red Wings for two seasons (2022–2024), compiling an 89-86-23 record but falling short of the Stanley Cup Playoffs both years. He was let go on December 26 and replaced by veteran coach Todd McLellan. Before Detroit, Lalonde built his reputation under Jon Cooper as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Lightning, helping guide the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2020 and 2021. His résumé also includes international experience with Team USA at the IIHF World Championships in both 2023 and 2024. Lalonde now joins head coach Craig Berube’s staff in Toronto. Berube completed his first season behind the Leafs bench with a 52-26-4 record and a first-place finish in the Atlantic Division. However, the team fell in seven games to the Florida Panthers in the second round of the playoffs. Toronto had a vacancy on its coaching staff after assistant Lane Lambert was hired as head coach of the Seattle Kraken on May 29. The Leafs are looking to reshape their coaching group in hopes of finally ending that historic drought.