Last Week around the Leagues
by Fran Stuchbury
June 10, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
This past week the Trois-Rivières Lions won their first ECHL Kelly Cup, the Canadian Football League kicked off its regular season, the Carolina League's Fredericksburg Nationals announced their sale to Diamond Baseball Holdings, and the Federal Prospects Hockey League's Mississippi Sea Wolves rebranded as the Biloxi Breakers.
Highlights from this week come from the ECHL, Federal Prospects Hockey League, United States Hockey League, Canadian Football League, United Football League, European League of Football, Indoor Football League, International League, Pacific Coast League, Midwest League, Major League Soccer, National Women's Soccer League, MLS NEXT Pro, Premier Lacrosse League, National Lacrosse League, Major League Rugby and Ultimate Frisbee Association.
HOCKEY
ECHL
The Trois-Rivières Lions captured the 2025 Kelly Cup title with a 4-1 win over the Toledo Walleye in Game 5 of the 2025 Kelly Cup Finals in front of a standing-room only crowd of 4,777 fans at Colisée Vidéotron. Trois-Rivières, which was appearing in the Kelly Cup Finals for the first time in team history, becomes the second Canadian team in ECHL history to win the title, joining the Newfoundland Growlers who won the Kelly Cup in 2019. Lions' goaltender Luke Cavallin earned the June M. Kelly Playoffs Most Valuable Player Award as the Most Valuable Player of the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Cavallin went 15-5 with a 1.53 goals-against average in 20 postseason appearances. He allowed two goals or less in 17 of his 20 outings.
The Trois-Rivières Lions have won the 2025 Kelly Cup as ECHL champions, beating the Toledo Walleye 4 games to 1, with an outstanding 48-save performance from Luke Cavallin in net.
The Cincinnati Cyclones announced that Riley Weselowski has been named the seventh head coach in franchise history. Weselowski joins the Cyclones from the Kansas City Mavericks where he served as the Associate Head Coach for the previous two seasons. "We are very excited to introduce Riley as the next head coach of the Cyclones," said Cyclones Owner and President Ray Harris. "His experience and enthusiasm for fostering a winning culture speaks volumes about his leadership. We are confident that Riley is the right man to help guide our hockey club back to its winning ways that we expect." Under Weselowski's leadership, the Kansas City Mavericks recorded 103 wins, and 217 points over the past two seasons, more than any other ECHL franchise. The Mavericks would claim the 2023-24 Brabham Cup, with the best regular season record that year and advanced to the 2024 Kelly Cup Finals. Additionally, he helped lead Kansas City to two division championships, and back-to-back appearances in the Kelly Cup Western Conference Final.
Interview with new Cyclones head coach Riley Weselowski
The Greensboro Gargoyles, proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes and the AHL's Chicago Wolves announced that Scott Burt has been named the first head coach in team history. Burt, 48, brings over 13 years of coaching experience to the Gargoyles. Burt comes to Greensboro after spending the past four seasons as Head Coach and General Manager of the Rapid City Rush (ECHL), earning 130 career coaching wins. "Scott brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of the league, which will be a valuable asset for a first-year team," said Zawyer Sports VP of Hockey Operations Joe Ernst. "He has a proven himself as both a player and a coach in this league and has earned the respect of many of the players he has coached over the years. We are excited for him to put his experience to work as we head into our inaugural season."
American Hockey League
Ontario Reign head coach Marco Sturm has accepted a new position as the head coach of the NHL's Boston Bruins. The sixth head coach to serve for the LA Kings AHL affiliate in Manchester or Ontario completed his time behind the Reign's bench with a record of 119-80-11-6. During 2024-25, Sturm led Ontario to a third-place finish in the Pacific Division for the second consecutive year with a record of 43-25-3-1. The team's 43 victories represented the second-highest win total in the club's AHL history. Sturm also led Ontario to two playoff series wins during the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs and a spot in the Pacific Division Finals after completing the 2023-24 regular season with a 42-23-3-4 record. The Reign appeared in the AHL's postseason in all three of Sturm's seasons with Ontario.
Federal Prospect Hockey League
A new name. A fresh brand. A stronger-than-ever presence on the Gulf Coast. It marks an exciting new chapter for the Mississippi Pro Hockey organization as we proudly present the Biloxi Breakers. A New Look, A Renewed Spirit Fans nominated new team names and the top three were put to fan vote. The Biloxi Breakers name was chosen to carry the tradition of hockey on the Gulf Coast into the future. Born from the waves and built to crash, delivering energy, force and impact on the ice - the Biloxi Breakers represent the fierce power of the Gulf. This rebrand reflects Southern grit and Coastal pride that are a part of the unique culture and energy of our loyal fan base. Majority Owner, Chris Bryniarski stated, "We are thrilled to reintroduce a new chapter of professional hockey to Biloxi this season. The fans' voices have been heard, and we are excited to deliver a fresh beginning. Here's to a successful season and an inspiring new outlook for the 2025-2026 season."
Mississippi pro hockey team unveils 'Biloxi Breakers' rebranding
United States Hockey League
The Chicago Steel announced that the team will relocate to the west side of Chicago and begin play in the new Championship Arena at Fifth Third Arena starting in the 2026-2027 season. The Steel will play the entire 2025-2026 season at Fox Valley Ice Arena in Geneva before relocating in the summer of 2026. The Steel will play and practice at the venue's new Championship Arena, part of a 135,000 square foot expansion project expected to be completed in 2026.
Western Hockey League
Red Deer Rebels Owner, President and General Manager Brent Sutter today announced the hiring of Marc Habscheid as the club's new head coach. The native of Swift Current, SK, becomes the tenth head coach in team history. In 18 years as a head coach in the Western Hockey League with Kamloops, Kelowna, Chilliwack/Victoria, and Prince Albert, Habscheid has 582 wins (6th most in league history) in 1166 regular season games (6th) for a .544 winning percentage. Habscheid has coached 139 WHL playoff games with 75 wins (8th) and a .540 winning percentage.
Ontario Hockey League
The Oshawa Generals have announced that Mario Pouliot will be the 37th head coach in franchise history. Pouliot joined the Generals as an associate coach near the end of the regular season last year, helping the team on their road to back-to-back Bobby Orr Trophies. The Gens' new bench boss takes over with a long list of coaching experience, including being the only coach in CHL history to win back-to-back Memorial Cups with different teams. "We are excited for the opportunity to bring Mario on as the head coach," said Generals owner Rocco Tullio. "He brings a winning pedigree, including two Memorial Cups, along with a ton of experience, which bodes well for our team moving forward, with the goal of bringing another championship to the great city of Oshawa!"
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League
The Cape Breton Eagles announced that Jason Clarke has been hired as head coach of the team. Clarke, 52, is the club's 11th head coach in franchise history and will take over from former head coach Louis Robitaille who had spent the last two seasons behind the bench. "We are very excited to have Jason take the reins moving forward with our club," said Eagles owner Irwin Simon. "Of all the great candidates we have met with over these last few weeks, Jason was certainly a standout. He has a plan, he has the experience, and he knows Junior hockey. He is passionate, focused and he has all the qualities we were looking for in a head coach. We truly feel he is committed to our team and he will be the one that will take us to some exciting places."
FOOTBALL
Canadian Football League
Marcus Crandell, who quarterbacked the Calgary Stampeders to the 2001 Grey Cup championship, has signed a one-day contract with the team in order to officially retire as a member of the Red and White. Crandell played four seasons - 2001-04 - with the Stampeders. Statistically, the 2002 campaign was his best as he threw for 4,072 yards and 26 touchdowns but it's for his heroics in 2001 that he will be most fondly remembered in Calgary. With the Stamps sitting at 5-9 in early October that season and in jeopardy of missing the playoffs, Crandell led the team to three wins in the final four games of the regular season to earn a post-season berth. Crandell was then nearly flawless in the Stamps' march to the Grey Cup as he threw nine touchdown passes without a single interception in wins over BC, Edmonton and Winnipeg. By tossing for 309 yards and connecting with Marc Boerigter and Travis Moore on TD passes, Crandell earned Grey Cup MVP honours as the Stamps stunned the heavily favoured Blue Bombers 27-19 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.
CFL Plays of the Week - Week 1, 2025
United Football League
UFL Top 10 Plays from Conference Championships
Former NFL player and current D.C. Defenders player, Kelvin Joseph, is facing charges for his involvement in a crash that killed a female motorcyclist on a Dallas-area freeway, The Dallas Morning News reported.
European League of Football
Top Plays of Week 3
Indoor Football League
Week 11 Plays of the Week
BASEBALL
Carolina League
The Silber family announced that it has agreed to sell the Fredericksburg Nationals to Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization that owns and operates select Minor League Baseball (MiLB) clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB). The FredNats will remain the Single-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals and continue to call Fredericksburg home as they join the Nationals' Double-A affiliate, the Harrisburg Senators, on the DBH roster. DBH will retain the FredNats' existing front office staff, led by General Manager Robert Perry. Seth Silber will remain with the club as its President and a minority shareholder. "Our family's experience in Fredericksburg since first coming to the community in 2018 has been nothing short of a dream come true. Together with the local community, we have created one of the best atmospheres for Minor League Baseball in the country," Art Silber said. "DBH prioritizes honoring community ties and lifting clubs to new heights, making them the perfect organization to build on our existing momentum. Our family is very confident that the club's impact on the community will only grow under their stewardship."
Eastern League
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats (26-30) swept the Altoona Curve (24-32) in dramatic fashion at Delta Dental Stadium on Saturday night, 4-0 and 5-2. Afternoon showers delayed the doubleheader nearly three hours before New Hampshire's Rafael Sánchez toed the rubber and threw New Hampshire's fourth no-hitter in franchise history and the first since 2012, becoming just the third Fisher Cats pitcher to do it in solo fashion. Sánchez joins Fisher Cats alums Jamie Vermilyea (2004) and Kyle Drabek (2010) to throw complete game no-hitters. Sánchez is the first Fisher Cats pitcher to throw three complete games; no previous pitcher had thrown two in a New Hampshire uniform until Sánchez did so in Binghamton on April 25 in a rain-shortened win in six innings.
International League
Blue Jays No. 23 prospect Yohendrick Pinango launches a 448-foot three-run home run to deep right-center field, his first for Triple-A Buffalo Bisons
Red Sox No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony demolishes a 497-foot grand slam for Triple-A Worcester Red Sox
Pacifc Coast League
Rangers prospect Dustin Harris hits for his first professional cycle during a five-RBI night for Triple-A Round Rock Express
Midwest League
Tigers No. 2 prospect Kevin McGonigle and No. 5 prospect Josue Briceño connect on back-to-back homers for High-A West Michigan Whitecaps
SOCCER
Major League Soccer
Messi Player of the Month! 7 GOALS + 4 ASSISTS
USL Championship
Detroit City Football Club is moving forward with plans for a new stadium after purchasing the site in Southwest Detroit last year.
National Women's Soccer League
Boston Legacy FC announces new logo during event on Boston Common
USL Super League
Brooklyn Football Club (Brooklyn FC) women has finalized the transfer of goalkeeper Neeku Purcell to the Seattle Reign. The move was completed for an undisclosed fee and marks the first transfer from the USL Super League to the NWSL. Neeku Purcell was a key part of Brooklyn FC's inaugural season starting 16 matches, making 41 saves, and earning four clean sheets.
MLS NEXT Pro
In this episode of Coaches Corner, MNUFC2 Head Coach Jeremy Hall sits down with April-Marie Aguilar to discuss how his thoughts on player development in MLS NEXT Pro, his transition to coaching, and much more!
LACROSSE
Premier Lacrosse League
Top 10 Highlights From Week 2
National Lacrosse League
NLL Wired: Finals Game 3
OTHER SPORTS
Major League Rugby
MLR Championship 2025 Behind the Scenes. Why EVERYONE'S Talking About Centreville Bank Stadium
Ultimate Frisbee Association
The Top 10 plays from Week 6 of the 2025 season!
Carolina League Stories from June 10, 2025
- Columbia Fireflies Roster Moves and Game Notes 6.10 vs Kannapolis - Columbia Fireflies
- Langhorne to Wisconsin; Dubanewicz from ACL Brewers - Carolina Mudcats
- Last Week around the Leagues - OSC Original by Fran Stuchbury
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
