×
List of FIFA World Cup 2026 match officials: Argentina, Brazil have highest representation FIFA on Thursday announced a comprehensive list of match officials who will be in action at the upcoming 2026 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico, starting June 11.The contingent of the referees called the ‘FIFA Team One’ includes 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials, who hail from all six confederations and 50 Member Associations.The list also includes six female officials, the same as the last edition which was held in Qatar.Match officials Abdulrahman Al Jassim, Khalid Al Turais, Yusuke Araki, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, Pierre Atcho, Ivan Barton, Dahane Beida, Juan Gabriel Benitez, Juan Calderon, Raphael Claus, Ismail Elfath, Espen Eskas, Alireza Faghani, Yael Falcon Perez, Drew Fischer, Cristian Garay, Katia Garcia, Mustapha Ghorbal, Alejandro Hernandez, Dario Herrera, Jalal Jayed, Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh, Istvan Kovacs, Francois Letexier, Ning Ma, Adham Makhadmeh, Danny Makkelie, Szymon Marciniak, Maurizio Mariani, Hector Said Martinez, Amin Mohamed, Oshane Nation, Glenn Nyberg, Michael Oliver, Omar Al Ali, Kevin Ortega, Tori Penso, Joao Pinheiro, Ramon Abbati, Cesar Ramos, Andres Rojas, Sandro Schaerer, Ilgiz Tantashev, Anthony Taylor, Gustavo Tejera, Facundo Tello, Abongile Tom, Clement Turpin, Jesus Valenzuela, Slavko Vincic, Wilton Sampaio, Felix Zwayer Assistant Referees Amos Abeigne, Mahmoud Abouelregal, Mostafa Akarkad, Mohammed Al Abakry, Mohamed Al Hammadi, Mohammad Al Kalaf, Saoud Al Maqaleh, Taleb Al Marri, Ahmad Al Roalle, Lyes Arfa, Kyle Atkins, Carlos Barreiro, Micheal Barwegen, Isaak Bashevkin, Mahbod Beigi, Juan Pablo Belatti, Gary Beswick, Daniele Bindoni, Marco Bisguerra, Zakaria Brinsi, Bruno Boschilia, Bruno Pires, Stuart Burt, Eduardo Cardozo, Gabriel Chade, Danilo Manis, Nicolas Danos, Stephane De Almeida, Jan De Vries, Maximiliano Del Yesso, Christian Dietz, Boris Ditsoga, Jan Erik Engan, Rodrigo Figueiredo, Timur Gaynullin, Mokrane Gourari, Alexander Guzman, Ahmed Hossam Taha, Jerson Santos, Bruno Jesus, Robert Kempter, Tomaz Klancnik, Andraz Kovacic, Adam Kupsik, George Lakrindis, James Lindsay, Tomasz Listkiewicz, Walter Lopez, Luciano Maia, James Mainwaring, Mihai Marica, Brooke Mayo, Jun Mihara, Juan Carlos Mora, David Moran, Tulio Moreno, Alberto Morin, Cyril Mugnier, Jose Enrique Naranjo, Cristian Navarro, Kathryn Nesbitt, Elvis Noupue, Adam Nunn, Michael Orue, Benjamin Pages, Corey Parker, Antonio Pupiro, Rafael Alves, Christian Ramirez, Sandra Ramirez, Mehdi Rahmouni, Jose Retamal, Miguel Rocha, Facundo Rodriguez, Milciades Saldivar, Diego Sanchez, Zakhele Siwela, Andreas Soderkvist, Hessel Steegstra, Nicolas Taran, Alberto Tegoni, Isaac Trevis, Andrey Tsapenko, Ferencz Tunyogi, Jorge Urrego, Caleb Wales, Abbes Akram Zerhouni, Fei Zhou Video Match Officials Khamis Al-Marri, Abdullah Alshehri, Mahmoud Ashour, Ivan Bebek, Jerome Brisard, Bastian Dankert, Carlos Del Cerro Grande, Marco Di Bello, Joe Dickerson, Rob Dieperink, Hamza El Fariq, Shaun Evans, Fu Ming, Nicolas Gallo, Antonio Garcia, Jarred Gillett, Leodan Gonzalez, Tatiana Guzman, Dennis Higler, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, Juan Lara, Hernan Mastrangelo, Erick Miranda, Mohammed Obaid Khadim, Guillermo Pacheco, Fedayi San, Juan Soto, Rodolpho Toski, Bram Van Driessche, Armando Villarreal #List #FIFA #World #Cup #match #officials #Argentina #Brazil #highest #representation

List of FIFA World Cup 2026 match officials: Argentina, Brazil have highest representation

FIFA on Thursday announced a comprehensive list of match officials who will be in action at the upcoming 2026 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico, starting June 11.

The contingent of the referees called the ‘FIFA Team One’ includes 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials, who hail from all six confederations and 50 Member Associations.

The list also includes six female officials, the same as the last edition which was held in Qatar.

Match officials

Abdulrahman Al Jassim, Khalid Al Turais, Yusuke Araki, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, Pierre Atcho, Ivan Barton, Dahane Beida, Juan Gabriel Benitez, Juan Calderon, Raphael Claus, Ismail Elfath, Espen Eskas, Alireza Faghani, Yael Falcon Perez, Drew Fischer, Cristian Garay, Katia Garcia, Mustapha Ghorbal, Alejandro Hernandez, Dario Herrera, Jalal Jayed, Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh, Istvan Kovacs, Francois Letexier, Ning Ma, Adham Makhadmeh, Danny Makkelie, Szymon Marciniak, Maurizio Mariani, Hector Said Martinez, Amin Mohamed, Oshane Nation, Glenn Nyberg, Michael Oliver, Omar Al Ali, Kevin Ortega, Tori Penso, Joao Pinheiro, Ramon Abbati, Cesar Ramos, Andres Rojas, Sandro Schaerer, Ilgiz Tantashev, Anthony Taylor, Gustavo Tejera, Facundo Tello, Abongile Tom, Clement Turpin, Jesus Valenzuela, Slavko Vincic, Wilton Sampaio, Felix Zwayer

Assistant Referees

Amos Abeigne, Mahmoud Abouelregal, Mostafa Akarkad, Mohammed Al Abakry, Mohamed Al Hammadi, Mohammad Al Kalaf, Saoud Al Maqaleh, Taleb Al Marri, Ahmad Al Roalle, Lyes Arfa, Kyle Atkins, Carlos Barreiro, Micheal Barwegen, Isaak Bashevkin, Mahbod Beigi, Juan Pablo Belatti, Gary Beswick, Daniele Bindoni, Marco Bisguerra, Zakaria Brinsi, Bruno Boschilia, Bruno Pires, Stuart Burt, Eduardo Cardozo, Gabriel Chade, Danilo Manis, Nicolas Danos, Stephane De Almeida, Jan De Vries, Maximiliano Del Yesso, Christian Dietz, Boris Ditsoga, Jan Erik Engan, Rodrigo Figueiredo, Timur Gaynullin, Mokrane Gourari, Alexander Guzman, Ahmed Hossam Taha, Jerson Santos, Bruno Jesus, Robert Kempter, Tomaz Klancnik, Andraz Kovacic, Adam Kupsik, George Lakrindis, James Lindsay, Tomasz Listkiewicz, Walter Lopez, Luciano Maia, James Mainwaring, Mihai Marica, Brooke Mayo, Jun Mihara, Juan Carlos Mora, David Moran, Tulio Moreno, Alberto Morin, Cyril Mugnier, Jose Enrique Naranjo, Cristian Navarro, Kathryn Nesbitt, Elvis Noupue, Adam Nunn, Michael Orue, Benjamin Pages, Corey Parker, Antonio Pupiro, Rafael Alves, Christian Ramirez, Sandra Ramirez, Mehdi Rahmouni, Jose Retamal, Miguel Rocha, Facundo Rodriguez, Milciades Saldivar, Diego Sanchez, Zakhele Siwela, Andreas Soderkvist, Hessel Steegstra, Nicolas Taran, Alberto Tegoni, Isaac Trevis, Andrey Tsapenko, Ferencz Tunyogi, Jorge Urrego, Caleb Wales, Abbes Akram Zerhouni, Fei Zhou

Video Match Officials

Khamis Al-Marri, Abdullah Alshehri, Mahmoud Ashour, Ivan Bebek, Jerome Brisard, Bastian Dankert, Carlos Del Cerro Grande, Marco Di Bello, Joe Dickerson, Rob Dieperink, Hamza El Fariq, Shaun Evans, Fu Ming, Nicolas Gallo, Antonio Garcia, Jarred Gillett, Leodan Gonzalez, Tatiana Guzman, Dennis Higler, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, Juan Lara, Hernan Mastrangelo, Erick Miranda, Mohammed Obaid Khadim, Guillermo Pacheco, Fedayi San, Juan Soto, Rodolpho Toski, Bram Van Driessche, Armando Villarreal

#List #FIFA #World #Cup #match #officials #Argentina #Brazil #highest #representation

Sports news , , , , , , ,

FIFA on Thursday announced a comprehensive list of match officials who will be in action at the upcoming 2026 World Cup, set to be co-hosted by USA, Canada, and Mexico, starting June 11.

The contingent of the referees called the ‘FIFA Team One’ includes 52 referees, 88 assistant referees and 30 video match officials, who hail from all six confederations and 50 Member Associations.

The list also includes six female officials, the same as the last edition which was held in Qatar.

Match officials

Abdulrahman Al Jassim, Khalid Al Turais, Yusuke Araki, Omar Abdulkadir Artan, Pierre Atcho, Ivan Barton, Dahane Beida, Juan Gabriel Benitez, Juan Calderon, Raphael Claus, Ismail Elfath, Espen Eskas, Alireza Faghani, Yael Falcon Perez, Drew Fischer, Cristian Garay, Katia Garcia, Mustapha Ghorbal, Alejandro Hernandez, Dario Herrera, Jalal Jayed, Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh, Istvan Kovacs, Francois Letexier, Ning Ma, Adham Makhadmeh, Danny Makkelie, Szymon Marciniak, Maurizio Mariani, Hector Said Martinez, Amin Mohamed, Oshane Nation, Glenn Nyberg, Michael Oliver, Omar Al Ali, Kevin Ortega, Tori Penso, Joao Pinheiro, Ramon Abbati, Cesar Ramos, Andres Rojas, Sandro Schaerer, Ilgiz Tantashev, Anthony Taylor, Gustavo Tejera, Facundo Tello, Abongile Tom, Clement Turpin, Jesus Valenzuela, Slavko Vincic, Wilton Sampaio, Felix Zwayer

Assistant Referees

Amos Abeigne, Mahmoud Abouelregal, Mostafa Akarkad, Mohammed Al Abakry, Mohamed Al Hammadi, Mohammad Al Kalaf, Saoud Al Maqaleh, Taleb Al Marri, Ahmad Al Roalle, Lyes Arfa, Kyle Atkins, Carlos Barreiro, Micheal Barwegen, Isaak Bashevkin, Mahbod Beigi, Juan Pablo Belatti, Gary Beswick, Daniele Bindoni, Marco Bisguerra, Zakaria Brinsi, Bruno Boschilia, Bruno Pires, Stuart Burt, Eduardo Cardozo, Gabriel Chade, Danilo Manis, Nicolas Danos, Stephane De Almeida, Jan De Vries, Maximiliano Del Yesso, Christian Dietz, Boris Ditsoga, Jan Erik Engan, Rodrigo Figueiredo, Timur Gaynullin, Mokrane Gourari, Alexander Guzman, Ahmed Hossam Taha, Jerson Santos, Bruno Jesus, Robert Kempter, Tomaz Klancnik, Andraz Kovacic, Adam Kupsik, George Lakrindis, James Lindsay, Tomasz Listkiewicz, Walter Lopez, Luciano Maia, James Mainwaring, Mihai Marica, Brooke Mayo, Jun Mihara, Juan Carlos Mora, David Moran, Tulio Moreno, Alberto Morin, Cyril Mugnier, Jose Enrique Naranjo, Cristian Navarro, Kathryn Nesbitt, Elvis Noupue, Adam Nunn, Michael Orue, Benjamin Pages, Corey Parker, Antonio Pupiro, Rafael Alves, Christian Ramirez, Sandra Ramirez, Mehdi Rahmouni, Jose Retamal, Miguel Rocha, Facundo Rodriguez, Milciades Saldivar, Diego Sanchez, Zakhele Siwela, Andreas Soderkvist, Hessel Steegstra, Nicolas Taran, Alberto Tegoni, Isaac Trevis, Andrey Tsapenko, Ferencz Tunyogi, Jorge Urrego, Caleb Wales, Abbes Akram Zerhouni, Fei Zhou

Video Match Officials

Khamis Al-Marri, Abdullah Alshehri, Mahmoud Ashour, Ivan Bebek, Jerome Brisard, Bastian Dankert, Carlos Del Cerro Grande, Marco Di Bello, Joe Dickerson, Rob Dieperink, Hamza El Fariq, Shaun Evans, Fu Ming, Nicolas Gallo, Antonio Garcia, Jarred Gillett, Leodan Gonzalez, Tatiana Guzman, Dennis Higler, Tomasz Kwiatkowski, Juan Lara, Hernan Mastrangelo, Erick Miranda, Mohammed Obaid Khadim, Guillermo Pacheco, Fedayi San, Juan Soto, Rodolpho Toski, Bram Van Driessche, Armando Villarreal

Source link
#List #FIFA #World #Cup #match #officials #Argentina #Brazil #highest #representation

Tag
Previous post

Collected: Vintage Chanel Jackets – Julia Berolzheimer

Next post

Why Olaivavega Ioane is the ultimate helper in the 2026 NFL Draft <div id="zephr-anchor"><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The final score was 38-14.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Penn State had just lost their fifth game of the 2025 college football season on the road to Ohio State, their fifth Big Ten loss in a row. Head coach James Franklin had already been dismissed, and the heckling fans at The Horseshoe were serenading the visitors with chants of “0-and-5” as the players made their way to the locker room.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">That’s when this happened:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">It is just one moment in time, but it speaks volumes about Penn State draft prospect Olaivavega Ioane.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">And the player he will be at the next level.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Between the lines, there is a lot to love about Ioane’s game, and several traits you can point to when making the case he will be the first interior offensive lineman taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, and perhaps stands out as the best offensive line prospect overall. Lance Zierlein at <em>NFL.com </em><a href="https://www.nfl.com/prospects/olaivavega-ioane/3200494f-4145-1705-abd0-88b0de9bf2ad">called him</a> a “[p]rototypical guard for physical run schemes with thick limbs, a broad frame and plus core strength.” <em>Bleacher Report’s </em>Brandon Thorn, one of the preeminent experts on offensive line play, <a href="https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25258484-nfl-draft-2026-scouting-report-penn-state-iol-olaivavega-ioane">wrote that</a> “his patience, balance and power profile project to an early NFL starter who can control the pocket inside and become a tone-setter in a downhill or balanced run scheme.” At <em>T<a href="https://theringer.com/todd-mcshay/players/olaivavega-ioane">he Ringer</a></em>, Todd McShay declared that Ioane “is the best offensive line prospect in this class, and he is arguably the best guard prospect since 2018 sixth pick Quenton Nelson. He’s a top 10 player overall, but positional value could cause him to fall into the teens.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Those opinions are shared by the greater scouting community. When <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/post/1W3nyus5EaZn">we asked NFL fans about the players</a> they loved in the 2026 NFL Draft class, Ioane was one of the more common responses:</p></div><div class="duet--article--block-placement jgpyd51 jgpyd50 duet--article--article-body-component"><div style="position:relative"><div class="_1nfb3k4j"><div class=""><div style="background-image:none" class="duet--media--content-warning _1i91r6b0"><div class="duet--article--image-gallery-image _1eezmj00" style="aspect-ratio:5.132653" id="c2IyOmltYWdlOjExMDk5NDY="><a class="_1eezmj01" href="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" data-pswp-height="98" data-pswp-width="503" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><img alt="" data-chromatic="ignore" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="w91vxg0" style="position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='/%3E%3C/svg%3E")" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px" srcset="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=256 256w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=376 376w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=384 384w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=415 415w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=480 480w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=540 540w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=640 640w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=750 750w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=828 828w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1080 1080w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1200 1200w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1440 1440w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1920 1920w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2048 2048w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400 2400w" src="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.34.50AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400"/></a></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="duet--article--block-placement jgpyd51 jgpyd50 duet--article--article-body-component"><div style="position:relative"><div class="_1nfb3k4j"><div class=""><div style="background-image:none" class="duet--media--content-warning _1i91r6b0"><div class="duet--article--image-gallery-image _1eezmj00" style="aspect-ratio:5.57732" id="c2IyOmltYWdlOjExMDk5NDc="><a class="_1eezmj01" href="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" data-pswp-height="97" data-pswp-width="541" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><img alt="" data-chromatic="ignore" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="w91vxg0" style="position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='/%3E%3C/svg%3E")" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px" srcset="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=256 256w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=376 376w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=384 384w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=415 415w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=480 480w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=540 540w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=640 640w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=750 750w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=828 828w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1080 1080w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1200 1200w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1440 1440w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1920 1920w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2048 2048w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400 2400w" src="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.35.17AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400"/></a></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="duet--article--block-placement jgpyd51 jgpyd50 duet--article--article-body-component"><div style="position:relative"><div class="_1nfb3k4j"><div class=""><div style="background-image:none" class="duet--media--content-warning _1i91r6b0"><div class="duet--article--image-gallery-image _1eezmj00" style="aspect-ratio:5.108696" id="c2IyOmltYWdlOjExMDk5NDg="><a class="_1eezmj01" href="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" data-pswp-height="138" data-pswp-width="705" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><img alt="" data-chromatic="ignore" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="w91vxg0" style="position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='/%3E%3C/svg%3E")" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px" srcset="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=256 256w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=376 376w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=384 384w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=415 415w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=480 480w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=540 540w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=640 640w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=750 750w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=828 828w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1080 1080w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1200 1200w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1440 1440w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1920 1920w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2048 2048w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400 2400w" src="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.00AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400"/></a></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="duet--article--block-placement jgpyd51 jgpyd50 duet--article--article-body-component"><div style="position:relative"><div class="_1nfb3k4j"><div class=""><div style="background-image:none" class="duet--media--content-warning _1i91r6b0"><div class="duet--article--image-gallery-image _1eezmj00" style="aspect-ratio:5.690476" id="c2IyOmltYWdlOjExMDk5NDk="><a class="_1eezmj01" href="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" data-pswp-height="126" data-pswp-width="717" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><img alt="" data-chromatic="ignore" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="w91vxg0" style="position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='/%3E%3C/svg%3E")" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px" srcset="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=256 256w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=376 376w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=384 384w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=415 415w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=480 480w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=540 540w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=640 640w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=750 750w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=828 828w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1080 1080w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1200 1200w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1440 1440w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1920 1920w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2048 2048w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400 2400w" src="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.36.38AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400"/></a></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="duet--article--block-placement jgpyd51 jgpyd50 duet--article--article-body-component"><div style="position:relative"><div class="_1nfb3k4j"><div class=""><div style="background-image:none" class="duet--media--content-warning _1i91r6b0"><div class="duet--article--image-gallery-image _1eezmj00" style="aspect-ratio:4.623457" id="c2IyOmltYWdlOjExMDk5NTA="><a class="_1eezmj01" href="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" data-pswp-height="162" data-pswp-width="749" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer"><img alt="" data-chromatic="ignore" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="w91vxg0" style="position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent;background-size:cover;background-position:50% 50%;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-image:url("data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' %3E%3Cfilter id='b' color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3CfeColorMatrix values='1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 100 -1' result='s'/%3E%3CfeFlood x='0' y='0' width='100%25' height='100%25'/%3E%3CfeComposite operator='out' in='s'/%3E%3CfeComposite in2='SourceGraphic'/%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur stdDeviation='20'/%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage width='100%25' height='100%25' x='0' y='0' preserveAspectRatio='none' style='filter: url(%23b);' href='data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mN8+R8AAtcB6oaHtZcAAAAASUVORK5CYII='/%3E%3C/svg%3E")" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 100vw, (max-width: 1023px) 50vw, 700px" srcset="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=256 256w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=376 376w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=384 384w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=415 415w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=480 480w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=540 540w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=640 640w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=750 750w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=828 828w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1080 1080w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1200 1200w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1440 1440w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=1920 1920w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2048 2048w, https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400 2400w" src="https://platform.sbnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-08-at-10.37.09AM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400"/></a></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Let’s dive into some of those traits, starting with that clip of Ioane in motion.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Yes, this is certainly fun to see, and a demonstration of his power on the field, but he will not always be put in motion when he gets to the NFL.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Which is why moments like this are critical for his evaluation:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">This is a short-yardage play against Nebraska on the goal line, and Ioane is tasked with handling the defensive tackle across from his left guard alignment in a one-on-one situation. Penn State is running right behind Ioane on this gap design, and the left guard bullies his assignment away from the play, and into the turf.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Here is another key interior block on a power design, coming on the inside against Michigan State:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Take this play against Ohio State, where he gets to the nose tackle right after the snap and controls him right at the point of attack:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Some of his best work in the run game comes with him on the move as a puller, as he is on this play against Northwestern. Watch him dip around the right edge, identify the crashing downhill threat, and rock that defender back off the line to spring a big run:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Plays like these also help Ioane address the athleticism question, which is perhaps the one area of debate in his draft profile. But when you see him on the move like he is here against Nebraska, getting into space and taking on a safety downfield, you start to see that part of his game come to life:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">And that athleticism does help him on zone-blocking assignments. While he might be best suited — or ideally suited — for a gap-heavy offense, there are flashes of Ioane standing out on both inside zone and outside zone run plays. And part of Ioane’s evaluation should note that Penn State ran more gap/power designs, so there are not as many examples of him executing zone blocks</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">But there are examples, such as this 53-yard run where Ioane climbs to the second level and cuts off the angle from the Rutgers linebacker:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Or on this snap against UCLA, where he has to execute a “reach” block on a defensive tackle to his outside. Watch as Ioane’s footwork gives him the angle, and from there he seals off the defender to create a rushing lane:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Of course, life for a lineman in the NFL means lots of pass-blocking snaps. Ioane’s footwork and ability to anchor stand out here as well. On this play against Rutgers, watch as he mirrors an inside move from his defender, sliding his feet before anchoring on a third-down play:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Here is that ability to anchor again, on a snap against the national champions:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Finally, here is a great example of Ioane working until late in the play, anchoring and re-anchoring on this pass against Oregon:</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">These are the traits, and the examples, that have so many in the scouting community high on the Penn State interior offensive lineman.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">But as you all know, there is more to the draft evaluation than some clips pulled from watching games.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">There is the player himself.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">That brings us back to where we began, and a 38-14 loss to Ohio State midway through the college football season. It was a dark moment in a season filled with them for Penn State, and the jeers that rained down on Ioane and his teammates were sadly the norm for the Nittany Lions a year ago.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Even in that moment, Ioane found a way to help a teammate.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“Simple as one of my teammates, just a different version,” Ioane <a href="https://www.psucollegian.com/football/simple-as-one-of-my-teammates-penn-state-lg-vega-ioane-s-viral-moment-embodies/article_acab2c32-b323-4d6c-8854-5cccaa45ac1f.html">said</a> after the Ohio State game. “A lot of people, who are outside the building, don’t know that we don’t run without them guys like that. We can’t practice without them. We can’t go to games without them. Just as simple as helping out our teammate.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">The moment went viral, as you can tell, with more than 100K likes on X alone. But when asked more about that moment, Ioane deflected the credit elsewhere.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“My mom was a little emotional about it, but very proud. So was my dad,” Ioane said. “They never thought their son would go viral for something like that, but a pretty cool moment for my parents to see. A little bit of the outcome that was their hard work.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">He also returned to the idea of helping others, especially in difficult times.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">“It’s a big part of us moving forward,” Ioane said. “Like I said, we don’t move without them, so same thing as them, they can’t move without us. We got to be all in it together as a family. That’s what we are, because you got to keep going together.”</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">And it is this component of his evaluation that might just stand out above all.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Because when you get right down to it, the job of an offensive lineman is to help. To help secure rushing lanes for your running backs, to help keep you quarterback clean in the pocket. To get tough, get dirty, and find a way to get the job done.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Even in the darkest moments.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">Ioane’s play on the field is what will make him a first-round pick.</p></div><div class="duet--article--article-body-component"><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1nfb3k4i _16w9vov1 _16w9vov0 ls9zuh1">But it is what he showed in that moment at Ohio State that will make him something even better in the NFL.</p></div></div> #Olaivavega #Ioane #ultimate #helper #NFL #Draft

Related Posts

Deadspin | Stanford star G Ebuka Okorie enters NBA draft Mar 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) on the court in the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Stanford star guard Ebuka Okorie said Thursday that he is declaring for the NBA draft after leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring as a freshman. Okorie was overlooked by top-flight programs during the recruiting process but was a big hit with the Cardinal. He ranked eighth nationally with a 23.2 scoring average to go with 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals and was earned honorable mention All-America status. “A year ago you guys took a chance on a kid from New Hampshire with zero high major offers, welcoming me with open arms and allowing me to be the best version of myself on and off the court,” Okorie said on Instagram. “… I’m truly blessed and humbled with this opportunity, and I’m thankful to Stanford for helping me chase my dreams.” Okorie scored 719 points this season, third most in Stanford history. He finished behind Chasson Randle (724 in 2014-15) and leader Adam Keefe (734 in 1991-92). Okorie recorded eight 30-point outings, surpassing the mark of Duke’s Marvin Bagley III (seven in 2017-18) for ACC freshmen. Okorie, who shot 46.5% from the field, is rated as a first-round pick with a possibility of moving into the lottery. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Stanford #star #Ebuka #Okorie #enters #NBA #draftMar 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) on the court in the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Stanford star guard Ebuka Okorie said Thursday that he is declaring for the NBA draft after leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring as a freshman.

Okorie was overlooked by top-flight programs during the recruiting process but was a big hit with the Cardinal. He ranked eighth nationally with a 23.2 scoring average to go with 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals and was earned honorable mention All-America status.

“A year ago you guys took a chance on a kid from New Hampshire with zero high major offers, welcoming me with open arms and allowing me to be the best version of myself on and off the court,” Okorie said on Instagram. “… I’m truly blessed and humbled with this opportunity, and I’m thankful to Stanford for helping me chase my dreams.”


Okorie scored 719 points this season, third most in Stanford history. He finished behind Chasson Randle (724 in 2014-15) and leader Adam Keefe (734 in 1991-92).

Okorie recorded eight 30-point outings, surpassing the mark of Duke’s Marvin Bagley III (seven in 2017-18) for ACC freshmen.

Okorie, who shot 46.5% from the field, is rated as a first-round pick with a possibility of moving into the lottery.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Stanford #star #Ebuka #Okorie #enters #NBA #draft">Deadspin | Stanford star G Ebuka Okorie enters NBA draft Mar 10, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Stanford Cardinal guard Ebuka Okorie (1) on the court in the second half at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Stanford star guard Ebuka Okorie said Thursday that he is declaring for the NBA draft after leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring as a freshman. Okorie was overlooked by top-flight programs during the recruiting process but was a big hit with the Cardinal. He ranked eighth nationally with a 23.2 scoring average to go with 3.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals and was earned honorable mention All-America status. “A year ago you guys took a chance on a kid from New Hampshire with zero high major offers, welcoming me with open arms and allowing me to be the best version of myself on and off the court,” Okorie said on Instagram. “… I’m truly blessed and humbled with this opportunity, and I’m thankful to Stanford for helping me chase my dreams.” Okorie scored 719 points this season, third most in Stanford history. He finished behind Chasson Randle (724 in 2014-15) and leader Adam Keefe (734 in 1991-92). Okorie recorded eight 30-point outings, surpassing the mark of Duke’s Marvin Bagley III (seven in 2017-18) for ACC freshmen. Okorie, who shot 46.5% from the field, is rated as a first-round pick with a possibility of moving into the lottery. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Stanford #star #Ebuka #Okorie #enters #NBA #draft

Max Verstappen’s long-time Formula One race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is to leave Red Bull and join McLaren ‌in a supporting role to team principal Andrea Stella.

There was no immediate ​comment from either team on Thursday, but senior insiders confirmed the move, ⁠first reported in Dutch media, to Reuters.

The news was also reported by the BBC and Sky Sports, with 2028 given as the likely start date for a man who has been working with ‌Verstappen since 2016 and has played a key role in helping the Dutch driver to four world championships.

Lambiase, 45, had also been linked with Silverstone-based Aston ‌Martin, whose team principal is former Red Bull star designer Adrian Newey.

Stella set to stay as Principal

While Aston Martin has endured a nightmare start to the season, ⁠struggling to even finish races with an uncompetitive Honda engine, McLaren won both titles last year with champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri.

Lambiase is expected to become head of race engineering at McLaren once a ​potentially long period of ‘gardening leave’ comes ‌to an end, with former Ferrari engineer Stella continuing in his position.

Stella, who worked with Michael Schumacher in a golden era at Ferrari in the early 2000s, has a multi-year contract with McLaren and no intention of returning to Maranello despite some media ‌speculation about his future.

The close but forthright relationship between Verstappen and ‘GP’ over the ​team radio has become a familiar part of Formula One, similar to the pairing of Lewis Hamilton and Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington during the seven-time world ⁠champion’s spell at Mercedes.

Former Red Bull boss Christian Horner, fired last July, once compared the relationship to that of “an old married couple arguing about what to watch on television.

READ: F1 technical heads to meet, discuss new engine rules

“The dynamic between ‌the two is so intense that in between you have to ask yourself who is supposed to be the driver and who is supposed to be the engineer here.”

Losing the Briton will be a blow to Verstappen after the departure of other important figures in recent seasons and once-dominant Red Bull’s waning performance on track, but the 28-year-old has also increasingly cast doubt on his own longevity in the sport.

“I’m thinking about everything inside ‌this paddock,” he said in Japan last month.

Verstappen is no fan of the sport’s new engine era and ​rules that force drivers to manage energy deployment and take corners at less than full speed.

In 2021, when they won a first title together, the ⁠Dutchman went so far as to say that he would not continue without Lambiase.

“I have said ⁠to him I only work with him. As soon as he stops, I stop too,” he told Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport. “We can be pretty strict with ‌each other sometimes, but I want that. He has to tell me when I’m being a jerk, and I have to tell him.”

McLaren already has former Red Bull ​employees Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay in senior roles as chief designer and sporting director, respectively.

Published on Apr 09, 2026

#Verstappens #race #engineer #Lambiase #leave #Red #Bull #McLaren">Verstappen’s race engineer Lambiase to leave Red Bull for McLaren  Max Verstappen’s long-time Formula One race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is to leave Red Bull and join McLaren ‌in a supporting role to team principal Andrea Stella.There was no immediate ​comment from either team on Thursday, but senior insiders confirmed the move, ⁠first reported in Dutch media, to Reuters.The news was also reported by the BBC and Sky Sports, with 2028 given as the likely start date for a man who has been working with ‌Verstappen since 2016 and has played a key role in helping the Dutch driver to four world championships.Lambiase, 45, had also been linked with Silverstone-based Aston ‌Martin, whose team principal is former Red Bull star designer Adrian Newey.Stella set to stay as PrincipalWhile Aston Martin has endured a nightmare start to the season, ⁠struggling to even finish races with an uncompetitive Honda engine, McLaren won both titles last year with champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri.Lambiase is expected to become head of race engineering at McLaren once a ​potentially long period of ‘gardening leave’ comes ‌to an end, with former Ferrari engineer Stella continuing in his position.Stella, who worked with Michael Schumacher in a golden era at Ferrari in the early 2000s, has a multi-year contract with McLaren and no intention of returning to Maranello despite some media ‌speculation about his future.The close but forthright relationship between Verstappen and ‘GP’ over the ​team radio has become a familiar part of Formula One, similar to the pairing of Lewis Hamilton and Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington during the seven-time world ⁠champion’s spell at Mercedes.Former Red Bull boss Christian Horner, fired last July, once compared the relationship to that of “an old married couple arguing about what to watch on television.READ: F1 technical heads to meet, discuss new engine rules“The dynamic between ‌the two is so intense that in between you have to ask yourself who is supposed to be the driver and who is supposed to be the engineer here.”Losing the Briton will be a blow to Verstappen after the departure of other important figures in recent seasons and once-dominant Red Bull’s waning performance on track, but the 28-year-old has also increasingly cast doubt on his own longevity in the sport.“I’m thinking about everything inside ‌this paddock,” he said in Japan last month.Verstappen is no fan of the sport’s new engine era and ​rules that force drivers to manage energy deployment and take corners at less than full speed.In 2021, when they won a first title together, the ⁠Dutchman went so far as to say that he would not continue without Lambiase.“I have said ⁠to him I only work with him. As soon as he stops, I stop too,” he told Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport. “We can be pretty strict with ‌each other sometimes, but I want that. He has to tell me when I’m being a jerk, and I have to tell him.”McLaren already has former Red Bull ​employees Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay in senior roles as chief designer and sporting director, respectively.Published on Apr 09, 2026 #Verstappens #race #engineer #Lambiase #leave #Red #Bull #McLaren

F1 technical heads to meet, discuss new engine rules

“The dynamic between ‌the two is so intense that in between you have to ask yourself who is supposed to be the driver and who is supposed to be the engineer here.”

Losing the Briton will be a blow to Verstappen after the departure of other important figures in recent seasons and once-dominant Red Bull’s waning performance on track, but the 28-year-old has also increasingly cast doubt on his own longevity in the sport.

“I’m thinking about everything inside ‌this paddock,” he said in Japan last month.

Verstappen is no fan of the sport’s new engine era and ​rules that force drivers to manage energy deployment and take corners at less than full speed.

In 2021, when they won a first title together, the ⁠Dutchman went so far as to say that he would not continue without Lambiase.

“I have said ⁠to him I only work with him. As soon as he stops, I stop too,” he told Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport. “We can be pretty strict with ‌each other sometimes, but I want that. He has to tell me when I’m being a jerk, and I have to tell him.”

McLaren already has former Red Bull ​employees Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay in senior roles as chief designer and sporting director, respectively.

Published on Apr 09, 2026

#Verstappens #race #engineer #Lambiase #leave #Red #Bull #McLaren">Verstappen’s race engineer Lambiase to leave Red Bull for McLaren 

Max Verstappen’s long-time Formula One race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase is to leave Red Bull and join McLaren ‌in a supporting role to team principal Andrea Stella.

There was no immediate ​comment from either team on Thursday, but senior insiders confirmed the move, ⁠first reported in Dutch media, to Reuters.

The news was also reported by the BBC and Sky Sports, with 2028 given as the likely start date for a man who has been working with ‌Verstappen since 2016 and has played a key role in helping the Dutch driver to four world championships.

Lambiase, 45, had also been linked with Silverstone-based Aston ‌Martin, whose team principal is former Red Bull star designer Adrian Newey.

Stella set to stay as Principal

While Aston Martin has endured a nightmare start to the season, ⁠struggling to even finish races with an uncompetitive Honda engine, McLaren won both titles last year with champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri.

Lambiase is expected to become head of race engineering at McLaren once a ​potentially long period of ‘gardening leave’ comes ‌to an end, with former Ferrari engineer Stella continuing in his position.

Stella, who worked with Michael Schumacher in a golden era at Ferrari in the early 2000s, has a multi-year contract with McLaren and no intention of returning to Maranello despite some media ‌speculation about his future.

The close but forthright relationship between Verstappen and ‘GP’ over the ​team radio has become a familiar part of Formula One, similar to the pairing of Lewis Hamilton and Peter ‘Bono’ Bonnington during the seven-time world ⁠champion’s spell at Mercedes.

Former Red Bull boss Christian Horner, fired last July, once compared the relationship to that of “an old married couple arguing about what to watch on television.

READ: F1 technical heads to meet, discuss new engine rules

“The dynamic between ‌the two is so intense that in between you have to ask yourself who is supposed to be the driver and who is supposed to be the engineer here.”

Losing the Briton will be a blow to Verstappen after the departure of other important figures in recent seasons and once-dominant Red Bull’s waning performance on track, but the 28-year-old has also increasingly cast doubt on his own longevity in the sport.

“I’m thinking about everything inside ‌this paddock,” he said in Japan last month.

Verstappen is no fan of the sport’s new engine era and ​rules that force drivers to manage energy deployment and take corners at less than full speed.

In 2021, when they won a first title together, the ⁠Dutchman went so far as to say that he would not continue without Lambiase.

“I have said ⁠to him I only work with him. As soon as he stops, I stop too,” he told Dutch broadcaster Ziggo Sport. “We can be pretty strict with ‌each other sometimes, but I want that. He has to tell me when I’m being a jerk, and I have to tell him.”

McLaren already has former Red Bull ​employees Rob Marshall and Will Courtenay in senior roles as chief designer and sporting director, respectively.

Published on Apr 09, 2026

#Verstappens #race #engineer #Lambiase #leave #Red #Bull #McLaren
Deadspin | Canes not looking past Blackhawks in quest for No. 1 seed Apr 7, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) watches the play against the Boston Bruins during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images The Carolina Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division title and remained on track to secure home-ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs with Tuesday’s overtime victory against visiting Boston. On Thursday, Carolina (50-22-6, 106 points) will aim to keep its focus as it meets the slumping Chicago Blackhawks in the opener of a four-game road trip to close the regular season. Atlantic Division foes Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Montreal each entered Wednesday with 102 points and are the Hurricanes’ closest competitors for the top spot in the East. If defenseman Jaccob Slavin’s reaction to the division crown is any indication, Carolina need not worry about looking ahead. “We put in a lot of work this season, and to do that is still a big accomplishment,” Slavin said. “But that’s just one step along the way.” Slavin scored the game-winning goal — his first goal of the season — at 1:13 of overtime to beat Boston 6-5. Four Hurricanes earned multiple points, as Taylor Hall and Andrei Svechnikov each had a goal and assist and Jackson Blake and Sean Walker both had two assists. Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour, whose club has won four of five, feels the team is hitting its stride for the stretch run. “I thought we played really well,” he said. “We had some breakdowns, and we had a couple where they made us pay. But I liked the way our group responded on everything. Overall, it was real positive.” Chicago (28-36-14, 70 points) has lost six of seven and is in search of its first home victory since March 9. Thursday marks the start of the Blackhawks’ four-game homestand to conclude the regular season, with each coming against teams that either have clinched playoff berths or remain in contention for wild-card spots. The Blackhawks are coming off a loss Monday to one such club. The host San Jose Sharks, part of a congested Western Conference wild-card chase, edged the Blackhawks 3-2. Ryan Donato and Frank Nazar tallied goals for Chicago, while Connor Bedard earned his fourth assist in the past three games. That raised Bedard’s career points total to 200. He’s the first Blackhawk to achieve the feat before age 20, joining 12 other players in league history, including current players Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos. Bedard had the secondary assist on Donato’s goal in the first period. “I thought we were moving the puck well. (Bedard) up top works really well. He sees the ice really well,” said Nazar, who added an assist. Added coach Jeff Blashill: “(Bedard’s) the guy you want with the puck in his hands.” Blackhawks forward Andrew Mangiapane (upper-body injury) returned against the Sharks after missing the past nine games. Visiting Chicago edged Carolina 4-3 in a shootout on Jan. 22. Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight stopped 28 shots in regulation and overtime. Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and assist. Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (lower body) left the Boston game in the third period, but Brind’Amour didn’t have an immediate update. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Canes #Blackhawks #quest #seedApr 7, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) watches the play against the Boston Bruins during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division title and remained on track to secure home-ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs with Tuesday’s overtime victory against visiting Boston.

On Thursday, Carolina (50-22-6, 106 points) will aim to keep its focus as it meets the slumping Chicago Blackhawks in the opener of a four-game road trip to close the regular season.

Atlantic Division foes Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Montreal each entered Wednesday with 102 points and are the Hurricanes’ closest competitors for the top spot in the East.

If defenseman Jaccob Slavin’s reaction to the division crown is any indication, Carolina need not worry about looking ahead.

“We put in a lot of work this season, and to do that is still a big accomplishment,” Slavin said. “But that’s just one step along the way.”

Slavin scored the game-winning goal — his first goal of the season — at 1:13 of overtime to beat Boston 6-5.

Four Hurricanes earned multiple points, as Taylor Hall and Andrei Svechnikov each had a goal and assist and Jackson Blake and Sean Walker both had two assists.

Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour, whose club has won four of five, feels the team is hitting its stride for the stretch run.

“I thought we played really well,” he said. “We had some breakdowns, and we had a couple where they made us pay. But I liked the way our group responded on everything. Overall, it was real positive.”

Chicago (28-36-14, 70 points) has lost six of seven and is in search of its first home victory since March 9.


Thursday marks the start of the Blackhawks’ four-game homestand to conclude the regular season, with each coming against teams that either have clinched playoff berths or remain in contention for wild-card spots.

The Blackhawks are coming off a loss Monday to one such club. The host San Jose Sharks, part of a congested Western Conference wild-card chase, edged the Blackhawks 3-2.

Ryan Donato and Frank Nazar tallied goals for Chicago, while Connor Bedard earned his fourth assist in the past three games.

That raised Bedard’s career points total to 200. He’s the first Blackhawk to achieve the feat before age 20, joining 12 other players in league history, including current players Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos.

Bedard had the secondary assist on Donato’s goal in the first period.

“I thought we were moving the puck well. (Bedard) up top works really well. He sees the ice really well,” said Nazar, who added an assist.

Added coach Jeff Blashill: “(Bedard’s) the guy you want with the puck in his hands.”

Blackhawks forward Andrew Mangiapane (upper-body injury) returned against the Sharks after missing the past nine games.

Visiting Chicago edged Carolina 4-3 in a shootout on Jan. 22. Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight stopped 28 shots in regulation and overtime. Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and assist.

Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (lower body) left the Boston game in the third period, but Brind’Amour didn’t have an immediate update.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Canes #Blackhawks #quest #seed">Deadspin | Canes not looking past Blackhawks in quest for No. 1 seed Apr 7, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin (74) watches the play against the Boston Bruins during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images The Carolina Hurricanes clinched the Metropolitan Division title and remained on track to secure home-ice advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs with Tuesday’s overtime victory against visiting Boston. On Thursday, Carolina (50-22-6, 106 points) will aim to keep its focus as it meets the slumping Chicago Blackhawks in the opener of a four-game road trip to close the regular season. Atlantic Division foes Tampa Bay, Buffalo and Montreal each entered Wednesday with 102 points and are the Hurricanes’ closest competitors for the top spot in the East. If defenseman Jaccob Slavin’s reaction to the division crown is any indication, Carolina need not worry about looking ahead. “We put in a lot of work this season, and to do that is still a big accomplishment,” Slavin said. “But that’s just one step along the way.” Slavin scored the game-winning goal — his first goal of the season — at 1:13 of overtime to beat Boston 6-5. Four Hurricanes earned multiple points, as Taylor Hall and Andrei Svechnikov each had a goal and assist and Jackson Blake and Sean Walker both had two assists. Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour, whose club has won four of five, feels the team is hitting its stride for the stretch run. “I thought we played really well,” he said. “We had some breakdowns, and we had a couple where they made us pay. But I liked the way our group responded on everything. Overall, it was real positive.” Chicago (28-36-14, 70 points) has lost six of seven and is in search of its first home victory since March 9. Thursday marks the start of the Blackhawks’ four-game homestand to conclude the regular season, with each coming against teams that either have clinched playoff berths or remain in contention for wild-card spots. The Blackhawks are coming off a loss Monday to one such club. The host San Jose Sharks, part of a congested Western Conference wild-card chase, edged the Blackhawks 3-2. Ryan Donato and Frank Nazar tallied goals for Chicago, while Connor Bedard earned his fourth assist in the past three games. That raised Bedard’s career points total to 200. He’s the first Blackhawk to achieve the feat before age 20, joining 12 other players in league history, including current players Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos. Bedard had the secondary assist on Donato’s goal in the first period. “I thought we were moving the puck well. (Bedard) up top works really well. He sees the ice really well,” said Nazar, who added an assist. Added coach Jeff Blashill: “(Bedard’s) the guy you want with the puck in his hands.” Blackhawks forward Andrew Mangiapane (upper-body injury) returned against the Sharks after missing the past nine games. Visiting Chicago edged Carolina 4-3 in a shootout on Jan. 22. Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight stopped 28 shots in regulation and overtime. Ilya Mikheyev had a goal and assist. Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (lower body) left the Boston game in the third period, but Brind’Amour didn’t have an immediate update. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Canes #Blackhawks #quest #seed

Post Comment