Florida Sports Wires

JACKSONVILLE - The Jacksonville Icemen, ECHL Affiliate of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and the AHL’s Iowa Wild, announced that forwards Drew Kuzma and Blake Biondi, along with defenseman Reilly Webb, have been assigned to Jacksonville by the Iowa Wild. Defensemen Jaden Condotta and forwards Will Hillman and Brandon Yeamans were released from their training camp try-out contracts with the Wild as well. All six men will be available for Icemen training camp beginning on October 5. Kuzma, 23, played 13 games for the Greensboro Gargoyles in the ECHL last season while recording five goals and three assists for eight points. 6-6, 218 lb native of St. Albert, Alberta, he played four years of NCAA college hockey at Lindenwood University from 2022-2-26. Eventually rising to be the team’s captain his senior season. Biondi, 24, brings both size and experience to the Icemen this season. A former 4th-round draft pick (109th OVR) by the Montreal Canadiens in 2020, Biondi is a veteran of 36 AHL contests ...

From Florida Sports Wires JACK SONVILLE (www.jaxsportsnews.com)  – Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp outfielder Cam Cannarella and infielder Juan Matheus have earned the Miami Marlins’ Minor League Player and Student of the Year awards, respectively, the Marlins announced Friday.   Outfielder Matthew Etzel was named the Jacksonville Team MVP, with current Jumbo Shrimp outfielder Brandon Compton earning the same honor for Double-A Pensacola.  Cannarella began the 2026 campaign with High-A Beloit, batting .394/.439/.577/1.039 in 19 games before earning a June 2 promotion to Pensacola. The Hartsville, S.C., native continued to excel with the Blue Wahoos, hitting .344/.453/.607/1.060 in 34 games prior to earning a promotion a month and a half later to Jacksonville.  The Marlins’ supplemental first round pick (43rd overall) out of Clemson in 2025, Cannarella reached base in 41 of the 45 games he played with the Jumbo Shrimp, slashing .282/.393/.420/.813 with 15 doubles, three ho...

By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wires The Jaguars’ 20-13  loss in Denver Sunday clearly was a game of two halves. It also was an early wake-up call and a stiff reminder. As simple as the cliche suns, you have to play for four quarters, or at least until you have it under control. The Jags thought they had one in the win column in Denver. In the opening half, they were crisp on offense and aggressive on defense. Trevor Lawrence again looked like he was locked in, as he was in the opener in Cleveland. Lawrence was 12 of 17 for 78 yards, and Parker Washington caught six passes.  Their defense was stellar overall, and impressive in their three-down, goal-line stand before Denver settled for a field goal, their lone scoring in the first two quarters. Jourdan Lewis had a photo-op, leaping interception in the corner of the end zone. Cam Little banged home a 44-yard field goal just before halftime, and the Jags sprinted to the locker room with a 10-3 lead that appeared to be larger in...

  By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wires JACKSONVILLE - Was that the Trevor Lawrence we all have been awaiting? Over the years, we have heard that same phrase before, and have been teased with some epic showings. It resulted with his trademark untimely interception or bad game.  You remember when Lawrence was billed as the next greatest college quarterback in 2021? He was the league’s next generational signal caller.  Well, six seasons later through some injuries and inconsistencies that plagued him over the years, Lawrence may have finally reached that lofty anticipated status. In the Jaguars' season and home opener 34-10 rout against a bad Browns’ team, Lawrence arguably had one of his best performances.  Lawrence looked calm, cool, and composed, completing 18 of 23 passes for 245 yards, but more importantly, he connected on 78.3 percent of his passes for an average of 10.7 yards per catch. The last two stats are the impressive ones. He put on a clinic and had plen...

By Jeff Moeller, Florida Sports Wire JACKSONVILLE (www.jaxsportsday.com) - The Jacksonville Jaguars will again win the AFC South. Remember, this team won 13 games last year, and had a hiccup against Josh Allen and the Bills in a playoff game.  Should you take it to the bank? No. However, the Jags have a real chance to make a deep run in the postseason. In order to do that, they have to be on their A-game. (Trevor Lawrence can’t throw that untimely interception.)  On paper, Denver may be the best team in the AFC. They have all the tools and the coach in Sean Payton. You can’t count out Seattle, who will see how the season plays out. Cincinnati and Buffalo also should be near the top this season.  Kansas City lost some key personnel on their defense, and they don’t have the same offensive weapons. Yes, Patrick Mahomes is still Patrick Mahomes, even though he is coming off a knee injury. But the Chiefs, like tight end Travis Kelce, are getting old. New England had the benef...

Special to Jax Sports News NORFOLK, Va. (www,jaxsportsnews.com) – Deyvison De Los Santos blasted two home runs, but a five-run Norfolk sixth turned the Tides to a 9-3 victory over the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp on Tuesday at Harbor Park. The Jumbo Shrimp (66-65, 24-33) led 3-2 with one out in the sixth. Brandon White (3-8) walked Payton Eeles before yielding a go-ahead two-run homer to Rece Hinds. After a hit by pitch, the Tides (50-80, 22-33) took a 6-3 lead on a two-run shot from Brandon Butterworth. Jud Fabian then walked and advanced to third on a Sam Huff single before scoring on a wild pitch. Norfolk put the finishing touches on in the eighth. Huff walked with two outs before Bryan Ramos reached on an error. Enrique Bradfield Jr. followed with a two-run triple to set the final margin at 9-3. Jacksonville took an early lead in their first at-bats. With one out, Jonathon Long walked, Matthew Etzel reached on an error and De Los Santos walked to load the bases. Kemp Alderman lifted ...

  By Jeff Moeller JACKSONVILLE (www.jaxsportsnews.com) - Jacksonville Jaguars’ GM James Gladstone made some last-minute eye-popping moves to his team’s final  53-man roster in preparation for their season opener against Cleveland Sept. 13. Trust in Gladstone, Jaguars’ fans. Just when you thought veteran Nick Mullens was going to be the backup to Trevor Lawrence, he wasn’t. Gladstone acquired Miami quarterback and former Texas’ star Quinn Ewers to serve the role for a 2028 sixth-round pick, and Mullens eventually ended up on the practice squad.  This one was a stumper.  Ewers played in four games and threw for 622 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions in between the Tua Tagovailoa saga. He didn’t exactly overwhelm the Dolphins’ brass last season.  Gladstone must have seen something in him. Mullens is still within arm’s reach as well as rookie Joey Aguilar.  The GM also sent  veteran tight end Hunter Long to the Cardinals for a 2028 sevent...