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Winning the championship once is a hard thing to do. But when you’re OpTic Texas playing in the Call of Duty League Championships, the odds seem to dip a little in your favor in achieving history. That is what the 2024 and 2025 champions have done as they defeated the Vancouver Surge in a massive showdown to conclude the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 season. No one would have had this on their cards considering how hard it has been for a team to repeat in the CDL. And yet, OpTic has proven that the odds doesn’t always have to be in their favor to begin with before they can try to repeat as champions and show that they are still the best team in the league. Now that the victory on domestic stage is secured, OpTic now shifts its focus on the global stage – where they will battle in Riyadh for the Esports World Cup 2025 – which will also be the final tournament running for the Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 before another one will begin with the next installment of the game. A Remarkable Feat Fans at Kitchener, Ontario hoped for a fantastic finish in the tournament, and so they saw one to remember. The atmosphere was electric, the stakes were sky-high, and both teams came ready for war. OpTic struck first, opening the series with a dominant 250-151 win on Hacienda Hardpoint. Vancouver Surge, unfazed, answered back by taking the second map in flawless fashion with a 6-0 sweep on Dealership Search & Destroy. The two teams traded blows through the next few rounds, but when the series reached its crucial final stretch, OpTic rose to the occasion. After a tightly contested Control map that ended 3-2 in their favor and a convincing 6-2 win on Hacienda Search & Destroy, they closed out the championship with a 250-215 win on Rewind Hardpoint. This win didn’t just earn OpTic another trophy—it reshaped the CDL landscape. In a league known for parity and surprise upsets, no team had ever successfully repeated as champions until now. With this historic back-to-back, OpTic has cemented itself as the defining franchise of the modern CDL era. Dominance Continues The individual performances throughout the tournament were equally impressive. Mercules, who entered the season as a promising talent, exploded onto the main stage with an MVP-worthy showing that captivated the fanbase. Meanwhile, Shotzzy, already a household name, further solidified his legacy by becoming the youngest player to win three world championships across both Halo and Call of Duty. Behind the scenes, legendary former player and now coach Damon “Karma” Barlow added yet another accolade to his resume, securing his fifth world title—two as a coach and three from his playing days. OpTic's Grand Final also broke viewership records. Over 353,000 fans tuned in live, making it the most-watched CDL event of all time. For a franchise with one of the largest and most loyal fan bases in esports, it was a moment of pride and affirmation. For OpTic, it’s not just about defending their title. It’s about dominating every stage they step on, proving that excellence isn’t seasonal—it’s who they are. In an esports world filled with unpredictability, one thing is certain: OpTic Texas isn’t just winning games. They’re making history, and this is the best way they can do it – to beat the odds and win it all.

It cannot be denied that BetBoom is on the rise once more with the way it has evolved as one of the toughest teams to beat in Dota 2. So far, their success in the PGL Wallachia Season 5 championship was a huge feat, and being able to take down the Gaimin Gladiators is a sign of solid dominance that they are mounting up in the big stage. This triumph marks the third tournament won by BetBoom – and the second overall this year. It can be remembered that the squad has seen some tough stretches with three years of inconsistent runs where they have lost and won from time to time. Now that they are back on the winning track, it seems that the European squad is getting to a bigger run now more than ever. On top of that, BetBoom has largely improved well in their games. They did have some poor performances in the past few tournaments, but this win in the PGL stage was a great look for the team considering that they had a lot of tough stretches. After coming up as a runner-up in DreamLeague Season 26, BetBoom has triumphed and earned its place at the top once more. A Big Win for BetBoom BetBoom took a commanding 3-1 victory in the Grand Finals of the PGL Wallachia Season 5, making it look easy against the Gaimin Gladiators – despite the tough competition that was seen from both teams for most of the tournament. BB took home a whopping $300,000 as the lion’s share of the prize money for the tournament. It was a strong outing for BetBoom in the whole tournament – they did have a struggle in the Group Stages when underdogs such as Edge and Natus Vincere nearly put them at the brink of elimination. They did bounce back later to tally just enough wins to push through, taking down Virtus.Pro, Xtreme Gaming, and Team Tidebound to blast their way into the playoffs. No struggles followed after that for the team. They took down Team Spirit in the first round before falling to Team Liquid in the next round. Luckily, they only fell to the lower bracket, which is still a good look for the team as they sent NAVI and Team Spirit before finally avenging their loss against Liquid once more in the same bracket. Grand Final Showdown BetBoom did not slow down in the Grand Final clash with the Gaimin Gladiators. They cruised for a strong win in 30 minutes for the first game, and then snowballed a start in Game 2 before claiming a 2-0 lead in 31 minutes. Gladiators did try to respond and took Game 3 with a better control of the lane to stay alive. However, BetBoom did not let themselves lose two games in a row and wrapped up the showdown after an hour in Game 4. As one of the rising powerhouses in Dota 2, BetBoom deserves a lot of praise for its impressive performances in PGL Wallachia Season 5. After all, they do have to make up for lost time as they seek to come up with strong campaigns that will see them emerge as a contender in the coming months. With the 2025 Esports World Cup and The International also closing in, it does seem that BetBoom has a lot to grind for and find a way to win big once more.

Defense has always been the pride for the Denver Broncos in the past few years, and the 2024 season was no exception to that as well. After finally clinching double-digit wins for the first time last season since the 2015 campaign, it seems that linebacker Alex Singleton is expected to anchor the defense to bring Denver to the top of the league like they did before. The Broncos are one of the teams slowly moving towards elite playoff contention. They are building on last year’s successes and proving that they still have what it takes to be a top team to look out for. For starters, it seems that the 2015 Broncos are a promising benchmark to begin with. After all, that same squad was also the last version of Denver that managed to reach the Super Bowl and win it all. And that’s what the 2025 Broncos are eager to follow through with: the hopes of proving their worth now more than ever. This is the best they can aspire to be, and even Singleton knows that there are a lot of expectations heading into the campaign. Mile High City on the Rise Denver is one of the teams that have been known for its strong defensive performances in the league over the years, and the current iteration of the team is certainly built for that matter, and now they are chasing bigger goals with the hopes of winning titles at the end of the day. The Orange Crush in the 1970s and ‘80s has all shown that they have what it takes to win. So did the 1997-98 squad that went back-to-back in the championships. If that isn’t a landmark of defensive success at the top, then that’s what the Broncos need to follow as well. "It's one of those things where it's like, 'Let's be better than the 2015 defense.' Stuff where like that's what we need to chase," Singleton said in an interview with DNVR last week. "You have to chase it when we start practice. ... We have to be the best every single day to get where we want to go." For starters, the 2015 Broncos were a notable squad as it ranked 1st overall in total yards, passing yards, average yards per rush, and sacks. It featured elite stars such as future Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware and that year's Super Bowl MVP, Von Miller. A Chance at a Title? The Broncos were a promising team in 2024. They had a stellar defense led by eventual AP Defensive Player of the Year cornerback Patrick Surtain II. They’ve also managed to keep their key pieces such as D.J. Jones and Justin Strnad and lost only linebacker Cody Barton – with the latter eventually replaced by Singleton himself. "I think this year - a lot of guys, including in the building, didn't fully expect to add so much to the defensive side this offseason and when we got it it was like, 'Oh this is going to be fun,'" Singleton said. "We just went somewhere that a lot of teams don't ever go, we're really, really excited." Fans are yet to see the full strength of this Broncos defense on the biggest stage and against the toughest teams out there. With the season coming in hot, expect a lot of odds to start swaying into Denver’s favor as they try to win big.

After yet another exit in the first round in the playoffs, LeBron James opts in with the Los Angeles Lakers with his player option to play one more year with the Purple & Gold as he seeks to come up with another championship run heading into the 2025-26 NBA season. With this decision, James now becomes the first player to play a 23rd season in the history of the league. James is slated to earn $52.6 million on his final deal with the Los Angeles Lakers and will become a free agent by July 2026 provided that he does not sign any other deals with the Lakers or other teams. On top of that LeBron also returned to on-court workouts this week after taking some time to recover from his sprained knee ligament that he suffered in Game 5 of the First Round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. In that regard, it seems that Los Angeles will be keeping its main star for one more year as they hope to come up with a promising campaign that will have them ready for another competitive run. After all, James is still seeking his first NBA title since winning last 2020, and that would be a legendary finish to his already majestic NBA career. Was There Any Doubt? Ahead of the final games of the 2025 NBA Finals, James has released a few videos detailing his future and hinting at one more season to play in the NBA at the very least. LeBron, at the very least, didn’t have any doubts about staying in the league as he still has a very healthy finish compared to most players. “I have a lot of time to take care of my injury, my knee, the rest of my body and make sure I’m as close to 100% as possible when training camp begins in late September,” James said in that interview. James is known well for his longevity in the league. He has rarely missed a lot of games in a single season, and is rarely hurt and struck by major injuries that we have seen from the likes of Tyrese Haliburton most recently. So far, it seems that LeBron is keen to return to play one more year for now. While talks about his retirement are still largely buzzing, this decision by the four-time MVP is certainly going to trim a lot of those discussions moving forward into the offseason. Big LeBron Run Coming Up As he is set to return, LeBron will now be playing alongside his co-star Luka Doncic for the first time in a full year. Doncic was traded last February to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. While they did made better strides en route to the playoffs, Los Angeles eventually fell to Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round in five games. Still, the Lakers finished at a satisfactory pace as the third seed in the West. James is also set to turn 41 this December – although it is unlikely to affect his level of play. If you are not impressed, note that James has averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in the previous campaign – that is way better than many other young players in the league right now. Oh, and he is still slated to add more to his points tally as the NBA’s All-Time scoring leader.

João Fonseca’s journey to Wimbledon 2025 is already one for the ages. At just 17 years old, the Brazilian phenomenon has embarked on a path that has seen him rewrite history and electrify tennis audiences worldwide – and now, he’s set to make his much-anticipated main-draw debut at the sport’s most venerated stage. Just six months ago, Fonseca was little more than a promising junior, ranked outside the top 200. But that began to change at the Australian Open, where in his very first Grand Slam main-draw match he defeated world No. 9 Andrey Rublev in straight sets – a stunning breakthrough that made him only the second teenager since 1973 to beat a top‑10 player in his debut match. It was a moment that sent shock waves through the tennis world – and one that served notice: Fonseca was not simply a rising talent, he was a force. His rapid ascent continued as he became the youngest Brazilian ever to crack the ATP top 100, soaring from No. 651 to No. 99 within a few months. In February, he clinched his first ATP title in Buenos Aires – becoming his country’s youngest tour-level champion and only the seventh-youngest ATP champion since 2000. The Testament to Growth in Tennis All of these successes by Fonseca is just proof that he thrives well under pressure – showing grit, resilience through adversity, and maturity well beyond his years. As the grass-court season commenced, Fonseca continued to break new ground. He displayed gritty determination at the Halle tournament, narrowly losing a well-fought three-set opener, and used it as critical experience to prepare for Wimbledon. His grass game showed significant progression – during practice sessions alongside two-time defending Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz, Fonseca demonstrated an uncanny ability to match the rhythm and intensity of one of the sport’s elite. “For me this tournament is a dream. Everything you can see is perfect, even the flowers. Every detail is just perfect. When you come here, you just see how amazing it is,” the 18-year-old Fonseca said. “It's just a dream come true. It's for sure my favourite Grand Slam because of the culture and the history of Wimbledon. Every kid that plays tennis and wants to be a professional wants to come here.” Wimbledon represents another milestone. Growing up in Rio de Janeiro, Fonseca dreamt of playing on its manicured lawns. Now, he’s walking out onto Court One, that dream materialized, filled with the cultural weight of Wimbledon’s tradition. Reuters reports him acknowledging that everything he sees, the manicured grass and the storied flowers – all feel extraordinary; it is his dream realized. And as he steps onto the grass, he’s not just a debutant; he’s a history-maker in the making. A History Waiting to be Written Of course, the path forward remains uncertain. Grass is unforgiving, and the margins are razor-thin. But Fonseca has shown a willingness to learn, adapt, and evolve – qualities that underpin greatness. His coach notes he “likes playing with pressure,” channeling it into performance. He’s entering Wimbledon as more than just a talent; he’s armed with belief, grounded by family, and buoyed by global applause. So when the first serve is struck on Court One, João Fonseca won’t just be making history – he’ll be continuing it. From junior world No. 1, to a Grand Slam debut that shocked the sport, to becoming Brazil’s youngest tour-level champion, and now crossing the iconic threshold at Wimbledon, his trajectory is nothing short of cinematic.

Nothing has been easy for Walker Buehler so far, and his continued struggles on the pitching side have been quite disappointing given the way he has played so far. While there are still a lot of games to play in the season, the Red Sox star has been quite on the fence about his chances to improve his play, and finally get back on track with his level of play now more than ever. If there’s going to be a list of struggling players in the 2025 MLB season, it seems that Buehler would definitely be topping the list with the way he is playing right now. He has been struggling to find ways to win in his games, and it is clear that he could not come up with a promising stretch that would see him thrive on the biggest stage now more than ever. Buehler is a great player in his own right, but it is the untimely struggles, albeit a hint of promising pitches from time to time, that have bothered his game. So far, this is expected to be the big issue in his game, and consistency is going to be quite a serious matter if he is going to stay in the lineup. Struggles Happen in MLB Despite being one of the most experienced players in the game, Buehler has seen the toughest stretch of his career now more than ever. In that regard, the two-time World Series winner has lost his rotation spot and could not find a way to break out of his slump. But then again, if injuries can happen – struggles are definitely more possible as well. “Yeah, I think I'm fighting for my spot in the game honestly,” said Buehler. “I think at some point, the way that I’ve thrown, there’s not a lot of places for 7 ERA starting pitchers in the big leagues. I don’t know what the next step is, and obviously I want to take the ball every fifth day and keep going and keep fighting.” There was even a day when Buehler even gave up four hits and four runs – and walking three and striking out three on 72 pitches. At this point, his ERA has swelled up to 6.45. Even for manager Alex Cora, it is not the time to think about Buehler’s spot in the Red Sox’s rotation. Can Buehler Bounce Back? Boston’s rotation depth, fortunately, is messed up enough to the point that they are buying Buehler some time to get back on his best game now more than ever. Tanner Houck is yet to come up with a great return from rehab, and Hunter Dolphins is still dealing with right elbow soreness. However, all of these help Buehler stay in the team – at least for now. “At the end of the day, we have depth and talent in this organization and there are realities in this game,” Buehler said. “I’ll kind of keep going and keep trying to figure it out. I think I kind of owe that to my family and to myself, given the rehab that we go through, and what that does to you. I’m going to find it and have a run. I just don't know when or where that'll be.” But he’s still grinding. After all, his one-year, $21.05 million contract in December isn’t endless.

With his contract almost up, the Edmonton Oilers are mulling their options as they now prepare to offer everything they’ve got to keep their main star Connor McDavid with the hopes of keeping him for good. However, they will have to wait until the star center is ready to engage in contract discussions before they can put up a lucrative deal now more than ever. Most of the discussions with McDavid in the past few weeks after being eliminated in the Stanley Cup Final was all about how the team can improve its chances, what they need to work out on this offseason – but way never about the contract that he needs to stay with the team for the years to come. At the age of 28, McDavid is coming off back-to-back losses in the Stanley Cup Final. He is still in his prime years, and he is also approaching the final year of his eight-year, $100 million deal that he signed way back in July 2017. This just means that he could either sign yet another big deal, or the worst-case scenario – see how the coming season will turn out for the Oilers before inking a deal, or try out his worth in the free agency market. A Big Season Coming Up The 2025-26 NHL season will be the biggest for McDavid. Entering his 11th year in the squad, the center has become quite a phenomenal performer – tallying 1,082 points (361 goals, 721 assists) in 712 regular-season games and 150 points (44 goals, 106 assists) in 96 playoff games. He has also won the Hart Trophy (MVP) three times. He also ended up winning the Ted Lindsay Award four times. Perhaps the best of his feats – the Art Ross Trophy five times and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the finals MVP of the 2025 Playoffs. However, all of these mean nothing unless he adds the final trophy he’s missing in his already historic career – the Stanley Cup. Reaching the top at the best time of his career is definitely one of the historic moments a player can enjoy. McDavid is certainly keen to reach that point and show that he can be an elite performer when it matters most. This just says a lot about how Edmonton needs to focus on keeping their main star satisfied and actively pursuing the goal. “This core has been together for a long time, and we’ve been building to this moment all along,” McDavid said. “The work that’s gone on behind the scenes, the conversations, the endless disappointment, and some good times along the way obviously as well. We’re all in this together trying to get it over that finish line. More Work to Do Whether or not Edmonton will pursue a new deal with McDavid, the team still has a total of six players entering the free agency market this week. Talents such as forwards Corey Perry, Jeff Skinner, Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen, and Derek Ryan, and defenseman John Klingberg are all going that way – as unrestricted free agents. If they want to keep McDavid, the team also has to surround him with the right talent to win. Luckily, Leon Draisaitl is secured, so there’s no need to come up with more talks around him. Evan Bouchard is currently a restricted free agent, and contract talks are underway. So there’s that. Until it is possible that McDavid would have a championship core heading for next season locked in, he may not be willing to start contract negotiations as well.

You know what they say about teams in sports – defense wins championships. Indeed, that’s how it proved to be a true factor as USMNT clinched a semifinals berth in the CONCACAF Gold Cup with a 4-3 win in penalties against Costa Rica thanks to an explosive performance from Matt Freese, who held the line with his impressive performances, proving that he could lead the squad even when holding the fort on the goalpost. Had it not been for the superb defense of Freese, the USMNT might have faltered in full-time. Instead, his defense went on to hold the line when the offense could not play it well. So when it came to the penalties, Freese stepped up well and made sure to save if not disrupt many of the key shots that could have gave the game away to the Central American underdogs. Instead, Freese went on to save three of the six attempts that Costa Rica had in the penalties. That was enough to secure the victory for the American side, who were fortunate enough to score four goals of their own. On top of that, USMNT also avoided the huge upset that both Canada and Panama suffered in the previous weekend. A Show of Character Freese was placed in the game in place of veteran keeper Matt Turner ahead of the tournament. So Far, that has turned out well for the team and the young goalkeeper. Freese has been able to shine in big games, and USMNT’s defense was so impressive to the point where they were able to clinch wins thanks to defense. But when they entered this showdown against Costa Rica, not a single soul anticipated this intense clash that would end up in the penalties. Even USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino was thrilled with the overall result. “It's always stressful when you go to the penalties, no? Anything can happen,” coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters in his press conference afterwards. “They showed great character today. I think it's good for this group of players to have this type of experience,” he said of his squad, which had never trailed in their three group-stage matches. “It's priceless, because that is the reality when you go in a big tournament, that thing can happen, and it's important that they start to build the experience together.” Fortunately, it was the USMNT’s win. It has proven to be great, and their run in the Gold Cup continues to be one of the most special runs that this team has enjoyed so far. Freese On the Rise With this effort, Freese seems to have earned a bigger role on his own. Sure, the team has great keepers, but then, not everyone can come up with elite performances – or even step up in the clutch where everything matters. And that is what made Freese special at this point. Even in the win where he is celebrated, he could still stay humble and put his own teammates first. “Full team effort,” said Freese. “I think it really shows the energy and the mentality of the group to come back from 1-0, go up 2-1, and then they get an equalizer, and then we hold on, we're pushing for a goal at the end. And then everyone steps up for PKs and does a great job.” That is the kind of mentality that you would want in your squad, and USMNT is definitely lucky enough to have him on the prowl.

In the aftermath of Aaron Rodgers' signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New York Giants now allude to focusing on having two leaders in Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, to run their offense and move forward for a chance at a bigger glory in the game while also getting a shot at bigger wins now more than ever. So far, nothing has been easy for the Giants – who had a wild offseason and took multiple trips just to make the most of the merry-go-round in the hopes of chasing Rodgers. They did, however, end up landing Wilson as the Giants’ top choice at this point, and it cannot be denied that there was indeed a limbo of speculations before they brought him in. But as the season looms in just a few months, the Giants seem to know who their leader is – or leaders to be exact. In fact, the Giants are leaning on both Wilson and Winston, despite the new signing being the rumored top choice to run the offense. So far, it has been an interesting buzz, and fans are expecting to learn more as the NFL season closes in now more than ever. Multiple QB Leaders? That’s even strange to type to begin with, However, the approach that the Giants are considering seems to be in place for what is expected to be a double-layered offense, and it is said to be one of the most elaborate yet daring attempts to prove their worth on the big stage. According to running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., he is seeing a different pattern at this point, and it is yet to bear fruit – but will have excellent progress in the coming campaign. "I think the first thing that you want to pick out is that the leadership in the room will really help out everybody in the locker room and on the team," Tracy said of the leadership structure. "Obviously, you've got Russ, Mr. Unlimited. Then, you've got Jameis - he's the one who has the personality. They bring a lot of different pieces that we need, and that's what we need as a football team.” Both players bring different forces to the table for the team. Wilson brings a vocal leadership, while Winston, on the other hand, offers a stable approach to the game while also rallying the rest of the squad. Despite Wilson being the bigger veteran on paper, that doesn’t automatically make him the top dog in the dressing room at this point. Ready for Domination? By all accounts, this squad is definitely stronger than it was before, and it cannot be denied that there’s more to expect from their chances of winning now more than ever. Of course, on paper, they do seem to be a super team to begin with. However, none of that will matter if the Giants can’t make the proper approach to the campaign. New York is one of the stacked teams in the league to begin with, but it lacked direction and guidance that would have made it such a promising contender. But now that the team has made some of the necessary tweaks, it is easy to expect that the Giants are finding their way to that bigger level of play. And if that turns out to be the big break that they have been waiting for in a long time – a championship may soon be in order.

Carlos Alcaraz is set to begin his title defense in the grand stage of Wimbledon – where he was also triumphant with a bang last year. This time, however, the Spanish star insists that he is not putting that much pressure on himself and is pushing towards a shot at a bigger goal of continuing his pace on the Tour and being true to his highly impressive game. This will be Alcaraz’s third attempt to notch a third straight title at the All England Club, where he has been excellent in his games and has proven to be a menace not just on clay, but also on grass. So far, this has been a promising look for Alcaraz, and he is certainly not backing down from the challenge that people throw at him. Alcaraz needs a few more victories to directly challenge world no. 1 Jannik Sinner for the top spot, and it seems that he is keen to put the pressure on, especially with the fact that Wimbledon has been his best stage in the game so far, save for the Roland Garros. Still, there’s a lot of expectations for the extraordinary young talent, and this is something that many fans are hoping to see now more than ever. Indeed, there’s no bigger stage than Wimbledon at this point. At the End of the Fortnight Alcaraz has been one of the shining players this season, and it cannot be denied that he is gaining steam for what seems to be a majestic finish. He has enjoyed the best season so far in the ATP Tour, and one can say that Alcaraz can find ways to win and beat his toughest rivals should he ever come across them. “Most of all, I’m in no doubt that I have nothing to prove,” said the No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings. “It’s my life and I live it the way I think is correct. The key is not to think about what people say, or their expectations, but to focus on what I really need and what makes me feel good.” At the end of the fortnight, there is indeed a chance that he may share the same stage as he did in the previous tournament with the top players such as Novak Djokovic, Alex de Minaur, Flavio Cobolli, and Joao Fonseca. This time, however, contenders such as Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Jack Draper, and Taylor Fritz are all coming for a chance at the title as well. By the Numbers: Where Do the Odds Stand? Of course, Alcaraz stands as the heavy favorite to win it all in Wimbledon at +110. However, he isn’t alone on the easy numbers as the Italian world no. 1 Sinner also follows suit at +190. Djokovic lags behind at +700, Draper at +1800, Zverev at +3100, and Alexander Bublik at +3700. Fritz is somewhat far behind the odds race at +4100. However, it seems that Wimbledon is going to be a warzone for these top players, and it seems that Alcaraz will have a lot of tight competition if he is going to repeat for the third time around and prove his critics wrong with his high level of play. History awaits Alcaraz at the top of Wimbledon once more. This time, however, he has to put up a fight and deliver stunning finishes to make it happen.

It could have been much worse, considering that the New York Islanders weren’t one of the fortunate teams to make a deep run last playoffs. But now armed with the 1st overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, it does seem that fortune favors the bold after all, as the team now sets its eyes on the future and hopefully comes up with a promising selection that would help them become competitive in the coming years. Nothing has been easy for the Islanders over the past few years. The last five years have seen them struggle to stay relevant on the playoff stage. To start, the team has yet to win a single playoff series in that span. They lost to the Tampa Lightning in seven games back in 2021, then missed out on the following year. New York would then go on to lose back-to-back playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023 and 2024. This year? Perhaps another disappointing stretch as they missed out on another playoff campaign, so there’s that. But maybe this time would be a different run as they hope to present themselves with the best chance, armed with the 1st overall pick in the draft. Hauling in the Future The Islanders are expected to select Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick. Coming from the Ontario Hockey League, the defenseman is ranked 1st in the scouting reports and remains the consensus no. 1 selection had the pick gone to another team in the league. So far, it seems that the Islanders will waste no time in bringing him in too, which says a lot about the expectations for the team moving forward. However, it is worth noting that the 17-year-old prospect only played a total of 17 games in the previous season. He had to endure a fractured clavicle back in December 2024 when he played for Team Canada in the IIHF World Junior Championship. Those circumstances, however, don’t seem to affect his draft value. "We're extremely excited about putting together a team that gets younger and faster and exciting," Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky said. "I think the fan base wants to see that, and this is the first step. It's going to be a new day in that respect and I think (GM) Mathieu (Lamoriello) supports that, which is the most important thing. You need to have the support of your hockey operations people in that regard and Mathieu understands how that works." The Excitement of the Draft It is clear that the Islanders will not be trading the no. 1 pick (I mean, who would even do that?). That paves the way for a Draft Party set by the Islanders at the UBS Arena and would also feature current players such as Ryan Pulock, Casey Cizikas, Jean-Gabriel Pagea, and Scott Mayfield. All of the hype is leading up to the 1st pick being delivered is showing hope for the team at this point. The future is now for the Islanders, and it seems that they will need to grind hard if they want to make the most of their chances and see how they can fuel their winning chances for the next campaign. Who knows, maybe this is going to be a wonder season for New York, and we are coming along for the ride towards greatness in the NHL.