2025 Prep Football Preview: Hermantown looks to reload, not rebuild
“We have a lot of experienced returners this year in a lot of skill positions and a line that wants to set the tone.” Hawks coach Mike Zagelmeyer
Sports
Gascon, Kraemer and Larocque invited to Canada’s National Women’s Hockey Orientation Camp
The three-day, off-ice orientation camp brings together players and staff from all levels of Canada’s national programs. The event includes team-building activities, presentations and planning sessions ahead of the 2025-26 international season.
Travis Whitlock — The Harbor Monsters' center, enforcer and fan favorite
Whitlock might be the league’s last blue-collar folk hero — playing for free so his younger teammates can earn more. “I just want the other guys to get paid and have a shot at their dreams,” he said. “I play because I like it.”
Samberg cashes in, but the big money may still be ahead
This isn’t the final payday — it’s the one that tees up the monster deal. And if he keeps trending up, someone’s going to open the vault.
K.J. Felder Jr. might just have one of the biggest hearts in Duluth
“Oh, my biggest strength is my speed. Knowing how to hit gaps, vision, and just being a playmaker. Being a dog. My size doesn’t stop me from doing anything.” -- K.J. Felder Jr.
Golf Notebook: Mellin wins Arrowhead; Chamber, Enger Park events
The event marked the 99th running of the Arrowhead, widely regarded as the region’s signature amateur match-play tournament. Ridgeview’s firm greens and classic layout again proved a worthy stage, offering players a stern test over three days of competition.
Howie: Wild facing a tipping point next season
Now it’s about whether this roster — a blend of hungry youth and hardened leaders — can break through the ceiling that’s held the franchise in place for nearly a decade. If they do, Kaprizov stays. If they don’t, buckle up.
Howie: An open letter to Justin Jefferson
The Wilfs — and let’s just call it like it is — chose not to invest in your prime. They picked the cheaper path, then wrapped it in branding and buzzwords and Kevin O’Connell’s “quarterback lab” fantasy. You’re now the face of a franchise that seems more focused on optics than outcome.
Howie: The quiet collapse of the Vikings brand — and the question every fan should be asking
Are the Wilfs actually in this to win? Because if you strip away the branding, the marketing jargon, and the empty optimism, the facts paint a troubling picture: the ownership group is acting like financial strategists, not football visionaries.
UMD men's hockey freshmen earn NCHC academic honors
A total of 11 University of Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey newcomers, including 10 freshmen, were named to the 2024-25 NCHC Academic All-Conference Team. Eight freshmen also earned the NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete designation. The honorees include Callum Arnott, Blake Bechen, Harper Bentz, Adam Gajan, Ty Hanson, Adam Kleber, Max Plante,
UMD to induct nine new members into Athletic Hall of Fame
UMD’s Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1991 and inducted its first class on Sept. 20, 1991, marking 61 years since the university’s first varsity athletic contest. With this year’s inductees, the Hall of Fame will grow to 151 members across 21 sports.
10 Things I’m Watching in Vikings Training Camp
EAGAN — You can slap a fresh coat of purple optimism on it, you can flood the team site with highlight reels and slo-mo cutups of third-stringers catching wobblers in shorts, but make no mistake — this Vikings camp ain’t a reload. It’s a teardown in denial. And the folks
Howie: Jim Malosky wouldn’t recognize today’s game — but lord knows it still needs him
Maybe he would’ve learned to explain the why. Maybe not. But I know this: he would’ve still found a way to win. Because tough coaching still has its place, and young men still want to be challenged, led, and held to a standard.
Dylan Samberg’s next contract will be a big one — and deservedly so
Advanced metrics tell the story loud and clear. Samberg ranked among the Jets’ leaders in defensive-zone starts, shot suppression, and expected goals against per 60 minutes at even strength. In simpler terms: when Samberg was on the ice, the puck didn’t go in the Jets’ net.