We have now reached the slow portion of the NHL offseason and while there are still a few interesting players waiting to be signed – Alex Nylander and Oliver Kylington come to mind – and almost certainly a significant trade or two to come – looking at you, Martin Necas – the rosters that we have now are largely going to be the rosters we’re dealing with in September. As a final wrap on the transactions of the last couple weeks, I want to go over the teams that have change my perception with their offseason shuffling. We could call them ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ but that’s a bit too simplistic. Rather, it’s just some thoughts on changes made, what it tells me about the improvements/declines that might come, and looking ahead to the 2024-25 season.
One last caveat: these are just preliminary thoughts. My own rankings won’t be ready for at least a couple months, so a lot will probably change between now and then. For more complete thoughts before then, pre-order your copy of the 2024 Dobber Hockey Fantasy Guide, which is set for release at the end of the month!
Boston Bruins
The two big additions Boston made were Elias Lindholm and Nikita Zadorov, which is kind of funny because my personal opinion is that they’re two of the more overrated players in offseason signing contention. However, the term ‘overrated’ doesn’t mean ‘bad’, it simply means not as proficient as their public perception.
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Regardless, these are clearly upgrades for Boston. Zadorov effectively takes the roster spot of Matt Grzelcyk, and that’s a huge boost defensively for the team. Maybe they didn’t necessarily need to get better defensively, but if they’re not going to be a high-powered offence (they won’t), then tightening things up even more defensively is a good idea.
The same goes for Elias Lindholm. I don’t think he’s a high-end, first-line centre; I also think he’s an upgrade over using Pavel Zacha as the top-line centre, allows the team to use Charlie Coyle in a third-line role, and provides flexibility for how they want to use Matthew Poitras. This is a team that really was one of the best in the East and whether they are good enough to really surpass a team like Florida is fair to ask, but even while losing Jake DeBrusk and Linus Ullmark, they are better now than they were three months ago.
Boston’s offseason certainly is tremendous news for anyone with Jeremy Swayman in dynasty leagues. Ullmark is gone and this should be a top-5 defensive team in the league. Imagine Swayman’s ratio stats but with 55 starts instead of ~40.
Nashville Predators
Perhaps no team did more to shake up the roster than Nashville. They shipped out Ryan McDonagh, added Brady Skjei in his place, and shored up a second scoring line by signing Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault. If there was one Achilles heel for this team in 2023-24 – something that kept them from being among the upper-echelon of the West – it was a lack of depth scoring. They have that now, and may even have a productive third line when looking at names like Luke Evangelista, Cody Glass, and Philip Tomasino. I am not ready to say they’re in the Colorado/Dallas/Edmonton tier of teams yet, but they’re certainly above the mushy middle of teams like Minnesota and St. Louis.
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The real question for me is how good this team will be defensively. Neither Stamkos nor Marchessault are defensive stalwarts, guys like Glass and Evangelista aren’t that yet, and Skjei is a mixed bag, at best. In 2023-24, Juuse Saros had the worst save percentage of his career. If this team declines even just a bit defensively, from a fringe top-10 team to the middle of the league, it’ll make Saros’s rebound season a little bit of a higher hill to climb.
Washington Capitals
It seemed pretty clear that Washington was at the very bottom of the playoff teams and needed some luck to even get there. I was curious if they were going to pull the plug and go full rebuild; they did the opposite.
The addition of Pierre-Luc Dubois allows the Capitals to run him and Dylan Strome as their top-6 centres, push Connor McMichael into a third-line role (if they don’t use him on the wing), and leave Nic Dowd in his very useful fourth-line role. Trading for Andrew Mangiapane gives them a legitimate second-line scorer that the team desperately needed, as Matt Roy gives them a much-needed defensive boost to their top-4 defencemen. Throw Jakob Chychrun into the mix and this goes from a team that may have found themselves at the bottom of the division in 2024-25 to one that may be in playoff contention again.
It should be stated just how far Washington needed to go to be competent offensively. Their 2.6 goals per 60 minutes in 2023-24 finished 28th in the league, but they were closer to teams like Seattle and Anaheim than they were to teams like St. Louis and Montreal. If they were to improve their goal scoring by 20% – a huge single-season jump – they’d be a middle-of-the-road roster. Washington is better, but they have a long way to go.
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Utah
Back in May, when I did a dive into then-Arizona’s season, the one thing that stood out was that changes to the blue line were necessary. Well, they traded for Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino, and they signed Ian Cole away from Vancouver. JJ Moser went to Tampa Bay in the Sergachev deal, but now they have half of a new blue line to add to Sean Durzi, Juuso Valimaki, and their depth. The one thing that needed an overhaul indeed got that overhaul, and replacing Mathew Dumba and Josh Brown with Sergachev and Marino is a massive upgrade.
This is a fascinating team. In that dive, I said they’re probably only a couple of years away from playoff contention. I stand by that, but if they get solid goaltending, improve the penalty kill, and young players like Logan Cooley, Matias Maccelli, and Dylan Guenther keep improving, they can make some noise in 2024-25. They might not be a playoff squad, but they’re much closer to teams like Los Angeles and Nashville than they are to San Jose and Chicago.
New Jersey Devils
There is a big shift going on in New Jersey considering they fired head coach Lindy Ruff, traded John Marino, and added Brett Pesce and Brenden Dillon on the blue line. Injuries decimated New Jersey’s rearguards last year, and that’s not a concern that goes away, but it’s clear the team is shifting from a fast-paced, counter-attacking squad to one that should play a bit more of a controlled game and try to make life easier on new goaltender Jacob Markstrom. It is good news for Markström, at least.
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Had the team just run it back, it would be hard not to be bullish on top guys like Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, and Luke Hughes. There are still plenty of reasons to be bullish on those guys for fantasy purposes, I just wonder if a stronger team-wide commitment to defensive play doesn’t lower the ceiling of their top stars. To be clear: a stronger defensive commitment doesn’t mean neuter fantasy value, as the Edmonton Oilers have shown recently and Tampa Bay Lightning a few years before that. However, we don’t need to look much further than teams like Buffalo and Florida to see how a commitment to defence can lower the fantasy value of top players. Florida won the Stanley Cup, and that’s what matters to them, but guys like Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk also had three-year lows in points per game (and Tkachuk a three-year low in points per minute). They just transferred some of that offence to Sam Reinhart, I guess.
This could be one of those situations where New Jersey improves significantly in real-world terms, but it doesn’t necessarily translate to elite fantasy success (just a healthy team may have done that anyway). There is still a lot of upside for their top players, but maybe it’s not as high as it would be if they had just added Markström and stood pat elsewhere, both on the ice and behind the bench.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks lost the Connor Bedard sweepstakes, but they now have both Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith to go with William Eklund and Quentin Musty. Those four should be a Core Four forwards for this team for years to come. None of them have proved that yet, but it wouldn’t be the least bit surprising to see them be offensive forces ranging from very good-to-elite for the next decade-plus. They signed Alex Wennberg and Tyler Toffoli while also bringing in Jake Walman and Carl Grundstrom. Whether all of Celebrini, Smith, and Musty are in the lineup for the entire 2024-25 season remains to be seen, but even just two of those three, plus the veteran signings, make this a much better roster in 2024-25 than what we just saw. They are nowhere near a playoff team, but they won’t be a complete doormat.
I will be very interested to see who is in camp and what their lineup looks like come September. There may be some guys I think will be on the roster that head to the AHL, they may still add to the blue line, and there are still players that need to prove they belong. All the same, this feels like an exciting time to be a Sharks fan and they will likely have some value at fantasy draft tables when the time comes.
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Conditions worsened by a drought last year, which continues in 2026, had a dramatic impact on wildfires in New Jersey, according to the state’s inaugural wildfire report.
However, of 1,322 wildfires that burned 27,229 acres statewide in 2025, nearly all were caused by humans, according to the report. That includes the massive Jones Road Wildfire in Ocean County that took 20 days to contain as the result of a bonfire set by youth.
» READ MORE: N.J.’s biggest fire in more than a decade started in area known for illegal bonfires
The figures represent a 22% increase in the number of wildfires and an eye-popping 116% increase in acreage burned compared with the 20-year average.
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To date in 2026, New Jersey has logged 589 wildfires that burned 648.5 acres.
Overall, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service’s first wildfire report details a historic, challenging, and highly destructive 2025 for the state’s wildlands.
That came after a demanding fall fire season in 2024. Severe blazes in 2025 not only stretched firefighting resources but also forced thousands of residents from their homes.
“Our wildland firefighters responded to an increased number of wildfires and spent weeks at a time battling fires, often under challenging weather conditions,” Bill Donnelly Sr., chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, wrote in the report, which was released Thursday.
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A major wildfire in New Jersey is classified as any blaze reaching or exceeding 100 acres. While the state typically averages 4.75 major fires annually, crews battled nine major wildfires in 2025.
The drought had a big impact as it created tinderboxes in areas such as the Pinelands. Not only did the dryness help spread fires, but it also forced the forest fire service to drastically reduce the amount of acres it intentionally burns in advance.
Firefighters use those prescribed fires, or controlled burns, in strategic areas to reduce dry brush and other vegetation, thus denying future fires fuel.
The drought continues into this June despite some recent heavy downpours. Data from the National Weather Service’s Middle Atlantic River Forecast Center show that Camden County is running a 13-inch rain deficit over the last 12 months.
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» READ MORE: South Jersey heads into another summer already parched under the worst rainfall deficit in 20 years
Residents of the state are living amid a prolonged drought warning — the third of four levels of dryness monitored by officials. Parts of South Jersey have been under a drought warning since fall 2024.
But the biggest issue has been people.
Human activity was responsible for an overwhelming 99.6% of New Jersey’s wildfires in 2025, stemming from both accidental and intentional acts, according to the report.
“Whether through accident, carelessness, or even at times intentional acts, human behavior continues to be the primary driver of wildfire activity in our state,” Donnelly said.
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Equipment use was the leading cause of fires by volume, sparking 486 individual wildfires that collectively burned 527.5 acres. Lawnmowers, weed trimmers, chain saws, welding tools, grinders, and agricultural harvesting machinery can all create sparks that ignite brush.
However, illegal and improperly managed campfires were responsible for the most devastating destruction, scorching a massive 15,263.75 acres statewide.
The largest incident of the year, the Jones Road Wildfire in Ocean and Lacey Townships, burned 14,949 acres and prompted the evacuation of 7,000 people.
Triggered by an illegal bonfire, the massive blaze threatened more than 1,300 structures and forced the closure of major thoroughfares, including the Garden State Parkway and Route 9. It destroyed a commercial building and triggered power outages affecting 30,000 residents.
Other large incidents included the Mines Spung Wildfire in Burlington County, which consumed 6,610 acres and closed portions of the Batona Trail, and the California Branch Wildfire in Camden County, which burned 2,336 acres.
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Firefighters faced increasingly difficult environmental conditions throughout 2025. The report noted a growing trend of prolonged emergency operations, stating that 44% of the major wildfires in 2025 required more than five days to contain due to persistently dry weather.
In response to the escalating wildfire threat, the state’s fiscal year 2026 budget allocated an additional $1 million to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, funding that is expected to be maintained in future budgets. That allowed the addition of six full-time positions.
The remaining $700,000 was used to buy equipment, including a bulldozer and fire engines, and to expand air base operations. The service is also upgrading its communication network by transitioning to a 700 MHz radio system to improve coordination with local and state agencies.
Additionally, the state opened the new Veterans Fire Tower in Jackson Township.
The $2 million, 133-foot structure replaces the decommissioned Lakewood tower and will serve as a vital vantage point to protect nearly 200,000 homes and more than 516,000 residents across Ocean and Monmouth Counties.
Brazil selected the Red Bulls’ new Morris Township complex as its World Cup base
Facility unites Red Bulls first team, academy and Red Bulls II operations
RWJBarnabas Health partnership adds advanced sports medicine resources
Center strengthens NJ’s role in the global soccer landscape
The RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center is more than a training facility. It is where Red Bull New York‘s first team, Red Bulls II and academy system now operate under one roof, creating a centralized hub for player development, performance, recovery and innovation. The complex will also serve as the home-away-from-home for one of the top national teams competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Officially opened in April, the 80-acre Morris Township campus represents the culmination of a yearslong effort to build an environment capable of supporting every stage of a player’s journey — from academy prospect to first-team player.
The team held a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the facility and provided tours of the newly completed complex, where club officials, healthcare leaders and other key stakeholders described a project designed not only to support today’s players but also to shape the future of the organization.
“The RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center will serve as a centerpiece for the continued growth of the game in our region and across the country,” said Marc de Grandpré, president and general manager of Red Bull New York.
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de Grandpré
For de Grandpré, an NJBIZ Power 100 honoree, the project represents more than a new home for the organization. “This facility brings our entire pathway together, from academy to first team, and creates an environment where players can train, develop, and compete at the highest level every day,” said de Grandpré. “It reinforces our commitment to building from within and developing the next generation of players.”
That sentiment echoed throughout the debut event. While the facility’s scale is immediately apparent, executives repeatedly emphasized that the true value lies not in the buildings or fields themselves, but in what they are designed to produce: healthier athletes, stronger player development and a clearer pathway from the club’s already robust academy system to the professional ranks.
Years in the making
The opening of the performance center marked the completion of a vision Red Bull New York leaders spent years pursuing.
Construction began in 2024 on the Morris Township property, but club officials noted during the ribbon cutting that the effort to identify, secure and develop a permanent home for the organization’s soccer operations stretched back far longer – around a decade.
The project brought together a team that included Gensler Architects, March Construction, The LandTek Group and interior design agency Drive21.
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The RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center sits on 80 acres in Morris Township. – PROVIDED BY RED BULL NEW YORK
The result is an 88,400-square-foot main building spread across two levels and anchored by eight full-size soccer pitches. Six are Kentucky Bluegrass fields grown in New Jersey, one is a Tahoma 31 Bermuda grass field and another is a turf surface. Five of the fields are heated to allow year-round use, while four are illuminated for evening training sessions.
The facility now serves as the permanent home for the club’s first team, Red Bulls II, academy and youth programs.
Main objective
For de Grandpré, bringing the entire organization together was always the objective. “At its core, this facility is about more than infrastructure. It’s about what happens inside – and on these pitches,” he said. “It’s where our first team will prepare to compete at the highest level, where our second team and academy players will develop with a real pathway ahead, and where we will create an environment for people to grow and reach their full potential.”
At its core, this facility is about more than infrastructure. It’s about what happens inside – and on these pitches. – Marc de Grandpré, president and general manager, Red Bull New York
A walk through the campus reveals a complex designed around virtually every aspect of athlete performance (see more in the slideshow above). The building houses multiple gyms serving both professional and academy players, team meeting rooms, educational spaces, dining facilities, medical areas and recovery resources. Dedicated academy spaces include classrooms, study areas and coaching clinic rooms, allowing youth players to balance their athletic development with educational responsibilities.
Nutrition also plays a prominent role. A full-service kitchen was designed to provide high-performance meals for players, while a demonstration kitchen allows chefs and nutrition specialists to provide meal preparation education to both academy and professional athletes.
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High-tech campus
Outside, the fields are equipped with multi-angle camera tracking systems that allow coaches and analysts to monitor performance and support player development.
In full swing
Bookmark this page – and check back often – for NJBIZ’s complete World Cup coverage.
In fact, technology is embedded throughout the campus. The entire property is covered by high-speed Wi-Fi, allowing staff to collect and analyze performance data through platforms such as Kinexon, which tracks player movement and workload, and GameOn, a video analysis platform used by coaches and performance staff.
The recovery resources are equally extensive. The first-team locker room connects directly to hydrotherapy areas that include hot and cold plunge pools, a temperate treatment and physical therapy pool and a sauna. Players throughout the organization have access to resources designed to support preparation, rehabilitation and recovery.
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Taken together, the facility reflects the growing role sports science plays in modern professional athletics. “I can see how impressive this building is, how big the statement is,” said Jürgen Klopp, Red Bull’s head of global soccer. “This is not about the role soccer played in the past in this country, it’s about the role soccer will play in the future.” Klopp is a renowned former player and coach who led Liverpool to English Premier League and UEFA Champions League titles.
Under one roof
Throughout the ribbon-cutting ceremony, speakers returned repeatedly to one theme: development. The facility was intentionally designed to bring players at every stage of the Red Bulls pipeline into the same environment.
Academy prospects now train, learn and develop just steps away from professional players. Coaches, analysts, trainers and medical staff operate within the same ecosystem, creating what club officials view as a clearer pathway to the first team.
Red Bull New York cut the ribbon on the RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center in Morris Township on April 22. – PROVIDED BY RED BULL NEW YORK
Red Bull New York Head of Sport Julian de Guzman said that connection is critical. “Every player’s journey looks different. It’s our job to create the best environments and scenarios for each of them to grow, to develop into their strengths, to understand that there is a real road from where they are to that first team,” said de Guzman. “This facility is that road.”
Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber described the complex as a resource for the next generation of players. “The future of this game and the people here – this is for you,” said Garber while addressing academy players attending the event. “We expect you to win trophies, to represent our country and your countries.”
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Garber then offered perhaps the strongest endorsement of the project delivered during the ceremony. “This building is not just one of the best ones in North America,” said Garber. “This rivals the best development cities of any football soccer club in the world.”
Partnership on display
The facility also stands as the most visible symbol of Red Bull New York’s growing relationship with RWJBarnabas Health. Announced in January, the long-term partnership made RWJBarnabas Health the naming-rights partner of the performance center while also establishing the health system as the official hometown health care system and EMS provider of Sports Illustrated Stadium, Red Bull New York, Red Bulls II, academy programs and youth initiatives.
At the ribbon cutting, RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO Mark Manigan said the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to performance, innovation and community impact. “This is a partnership built on shared values and common cultures, a belief in innovation and a simple desire to be the very best,” Manigan said.
“This is a partnership built on shared values and common cultures, a belief in innovation and a simple desire to be the very best,” RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO Mark Manigan said at the ribbon cutting for the RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center. – PROVIDED BY RED BULL NEW YORK
RWJBarnabas Health is not only the naming-rights partner of the performance center but also of the RWJBarnabas Health Athlete Wellness Lab, a 5,000-square-foot gym and recovery space that serves as a focal point for athlete care throughout the facility. Designed for daily recovery, rehabilitation and preventative care, the wellness lab is used by players, athletic trainers, team physicians and performance staff as part of routine preparation and maintenance. The space supports a range of treatment protocols, including manual therapy, soft tissue work, recovery modalities and return-to-play programming.
The performance center also includes a comprehensive medical suite, innovation lab, physiotherapy spaces and wellness resources designed to support injury prevention, rehabilitation and long-term athlete health.
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The RWJBarnabas Health Athlete Wellness Lab is a 5,000-square-foot gym and recovery space that serves as a focal point for athlete care throughout the facility. – PROVIDED BY RED BULL NEW YORK
Additional features include aquatic therapy spaces, fatigue-detection tools, advanced diagnostic resources and orthobiologic capabilities intended to support advanced treatment and clinical care.
Healthy, fueled and well-rested
Manigan argued that top performances begin long before kickoff. “For the Red Bulls, success means winning. And that’s how we at RWJBarnabas Health measure success, too. But here, success isn’t just what occurs on the pitch – it’s all the things that happen before they walk on and after they walk off,” said Manigan.
He added: “Making sure the players are checked and healthy. Making sure they’re properly fueled. Making sure they rest and recover. And, when an injury does happen, making sure they get back out there stronger than before. When you put it all together, the RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center is purpose-built for success.”
Manigan described the opening as an exciting milestone. “What began as a shared vision is now a world-class facility that will support elite athlete performance, advance innovation in sports health and serve as a source of pride for community,” said Manigan.
From left: Marc de Grandpré, president and general manager, Red Bull New York, and Mark Manigan, president and CEO, RWJBarnabas Health at the April ribbon cutting for the performance center. – MATTHEW FAZELPOOR/NJBIZ
Dr. Gerardo Chiricolo, the Red Bulls’ chief medical officer who works closely with the club’s training staff and athlete care team, said the facility represents a significant advancement in athlete care. “The RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center represents a major step forward in how we care for professional athletes and the next generation,” said Chiricolo. “This facility isn’t just about treating injuries; it’s about preventive care, optimizing recovery and supporting each athlete’s long-term well-being.”
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On the ‘World’ stage
The facility’s quality has already attracted attention well beyond Major League Soccer – globally.
Brazil, five-time World Cup winners, reportedly selected the Morris Township venue earlier this year, and the decision was officially announced in May when the Brazilian Football Confederation confirmed it would use the complex as its Team Base Camp training site during the 2026 tournament, which kicked off over the weekend. The team arrived in New Jersey June 2 and have been practicing at the facility, which will operate under the name Columbia Park Training Center.
Pictures and videos of Brazil and its many star players, such as Neymar, practicing at the center and being spotted around New Jersey, have been making the rounds on social media.
“We are proud to welcome the Brazilian National Team to Columbia Park as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup,” said de Grandpré when the selection was announced. “Our Performance Center was built to serve the highest levels of the global game. Brazil’s decision to base here reflects the quality, innovation, and competitive standards embedded in this facility.”
Brazil Head Coach Carlo Ancelotti said the team was drawn to the facility’s modern design and amenities. “We are very pleased with this decision,” said Ancelotti. “The Training Center is new, modern and offers all the conditions for our work, before and during the World Cup. I want to thank Red Bulls for welcoming us and showing us all the space, which was also sought after by other teams.”
Hosting 4 national teams
The selection also represents a win for New Jersey as it takes on a leading role in the world’s largest sporting event, hosting eight matches – including the Final on July 19 – and serving as base camps for four national teams, including Brazil.
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“New Jersey is excited to welcome the world to our state for eight World Cup matches, including the World Cup Final,” said Gov. Mikie Sherrill. “We are thrilled that Brazil, Haiti, Morocco, and Senegal have decided to call the Garden State home.”
Team Morocco’s base camp site for the FIFA World Cup 2026 is located at The Pingry School in Basking Ridge. At the May 5 announcement are (from left) Alex Lasry, CEO, FIFA World Cup 26 NYNJ Host Committee, Gov. Mikie Sherrill, Moroccan Ambassador Youssef Amrani and Tim Lear, head of The Pingry School. – PROVIDED BY NJ GOVERNOR’S OFFICE/TIM LARSEN
During the facility’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, NYNJ Host Committee Board Chair and former First Lady Tammy Murphy pointed to both Sports Illustrated Stadium and the new performance center as assets that helped elevate the region’s standing within the global soccer community.
“I will tell you that without the participation of Red Bull, I’m not sure we would have landed a lot of the games we did here in New Jersey,” said Murphy. “I can tell you that Red Bull, the quality of the stadium, Sports Illustrated Stadium, and now this incredible venue. Those are two really important factors that are attractive to Gianni Infantino and many at FIFA, and it’s one of the big reasons I really do believe that we are awarded with the Final.”
The future of soccer
For Red Bull New York, Brazil’s selection serves as an early endorsement of a facility built to compete with the best in the world. The facility also represents a foundational shift — bringing every level of the organization into a single environment designed to streamline development and elevate performance. For RWJBarnabas Health, it extends a growing footprint in professional sports here in New Jersey that connects clinical expertise with high-performance athletics.
And for Morris Township, it anchors one of the most advanced training complexes in North America — a facility already attracting global attention, and one that will continue to shape how the club develops players for years ahead.
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“This partnership reflects our deep commitment to building a healthier New Jersey—on and off the field—and we are proud to invest in a state-of-the-art facility that will inspire excellence for generations to come,” said Manigan.
Said de Grandpré, “This is where the future of our club takes shape.”
