The Carolina Hurricanes landed the biggest remaining name on the free agent list when winger Nikolaj Ehlers agreed to terms on a six-year deal averaging $8.5 million a year.

Though Jack Roslovic, Matt Grzelcyk, Ilya Samsonov and other unrestricted free agents remain out there, teams will focus on their restricted free agents. Eleven players chose on July 5 to have their 2025-26 salaries determined by a neutral arbitrator.

Among unrestricted free agents, Mitch Marner went to the Vegas Golden Knights in a sign and trade on June 30, and several key players re-signed, including Florida’s Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand, plus Detroit’s Patrick Kane. Vancouver’s Brock Boeser and New Jersey’s Jake Allen decided on the July 1 free agency opening day to stay.

In addition to Ehlers, Mikael Granlund, Vladislav Gavrikov, Pius Suter, Brent Burns and others have changed teams.

Here are the signings, trades and other news that have taken place since free agency opened:

July 5: 11 file for salary arbitration

The NHL Players’ Association announced that 11 players have filed for salary arbitration. Hearings will be held from July 20 to Aug. 4, though both sides usually reach an agreement beforehand.

The biggest names are Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal, who will be the clear-cut No. 1 netminder after the trade of John Gibson to the Red Wings, and Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi, who set career bests with 27 goals, 34 assists and 61 points for the NHL’s top regular season team. Two other Jets players filed.

The full list:

Morgan Barron(Winnipeg Jets)
Lukas Dostal (Anaheim Ducks)
Drew Helleson (Anaheim Ducks)
Kaapo Kakko (Seattle Kraken)
Nicholas Robertson (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Dylan Samberg(Winnipeg Jets)
Arvid Soderblom (Chicago Blackhawks)
Jayden Struble(Montreal Canadiens)
Conor Timmins (Buffalo Sabres)
Maksim Tsyplakov (New York Islanders)
Gabriel Vilardi (Winnipeg Jets)

July 3 signings

Capitals re-sign Anthony Beauvillier

He’ll average $2.75 million in the two-year deal. The Capitals bring back their trade deadline acquisition after falling short in the Nikolaj Ehlers sweepstakes.

Hurricanes agree to terms with Nikolaj Ehlers

The Hurricanes had acquired a skilled offensive player the last two seasons via trade only to see Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen go elsewhere. This signing means Carolina has Ehlers locked in until 2031. He’s known for his speed and he takes a lot of shots, which fits in well with Carolina’s system. His goal production is consistently in the mid to high 20s. He could hit 30 if he gets more than the 16-plus minutes he averaged with the Jets. Ehlers has been named to the Danish Olympic team, along with his new teammate, goalie Frederik Andersen.

Sharks sign Dmitry Orlov, claim Nick Leddy off waivers

He’ll average $6.5 million in his two-year deal. Orlov is the third veteran defenseman that the Sharks have added this season after signing John Klingberg and claiming Nick Leddy off waivers. Orlov, 33, had 28 points and 101 hits with the Hurricanes in 2024-25. He won a Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018 and Leddy won with the Blackhawks in 2013. The additions of Orlov and Leddy bring the Sharks up to the salary cap floor and they have room to make other moves if they want.

July 2 signings

Avalanche agree to terms with Brent Burns

The 40-year-old defenseman gets one year. Sportsnet reports it’s a $1 million deal and he could get another $3 million in bonuses. Burns has the longest active consecutive games streak in the NHL at 925 games. He last missed a game in 2013-14. His offensive numbers have dropped the past two seasons (he had 29 points in 2024-25), but he has a booming shot and averaged nearly 21 minutes a game in the regular season and nearly 23 in the postseason. He’s still looking for his first Stanley Cup title. The Avalanche could give him a chance.

Red Wings sign Mason Appleton

The Wings gave Appleton two years at $2.9 million average, a hefty price for a forward who topped out at 14 goals in one season in 2023-24 while a member of the high-octane Jets. Appleton had 10 goals in 71 games last season with the Jets. He has 57 goals and 138 points in 400 career NHL games. Appleton played at Michigan State from 2015-17. – Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

Devils re-sign Cody Glass

The center will average $2.5 million in the two-year deal. The restricted free agent was acquired at the trade deadline from the Penguins.

Jets sign Gustav Nyquist

Nyquist landed a one-year, $3.25 million contract. He had 28 points in 79 games between the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators last season but had a 75-point season in 2023-24. The Jets are losing Ehlers in free agency.

Islanders sign Maxim Shabanov, Emil Heineman

The Islanders signed Kontinental Hockey League free agent forward Shabanov, 24, to a one-year entry-level deal. He averaged more than a point a game last season with Chelyabinsk and had 25 goals the season before. The Islanders also signed Heineman, acquired in the Noah Dobson trade, to a two-year contract.

Blues sign Pius Suter

The forward will average $4.125 million over two years. Suter set career highs with 25 goals and 46 points in 2024-25 with the Canucks while tying his career best of 21 assists. The Blues earlier placed defenseman Nick Leddy on waivers.

Penguins sign Anthony Mantha

The Penguins have signed forwards Anthony Mantha ($2.5 million) and Rafael Harvey-Pinard ($775,000) to one-year contracts. Mantha was limited to 13 games in 2024-25 because of ACL surgery.

Oilers sign Curtis Lazar

Lazar gets a one-year, $775,000 deal for a likely bottom six role. The NHL veteran played his junior hockey in Edmonton and has 47 goals and 78 assists in 572 career games.

Connor Bedard, Blackhawks talking extension

Bedard, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 draft, and the Blackhawks are talking about an extension. He’s eligible for one because he’s entering the final year of his contract.

“I probably don’t want to get too far into it, but we are talking,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said, according to NHL.com. “So, I think that’s an indicator of an openness to discuss. He made his thoughts very clear at the end of the season and subsequently in other interviews, that he’s committed to Chicago and wants to be here long-term and we obviously want him here long-term, so there’s mutual agreement there.”

Bedard won rookie of the year in 2023-24 and has 45 goals and 123 points through 150 games over two seasons.

July 1 signings

Oilers sign Andrew Mangiapane

He’ll average $3.6 million in the two-year deal. The Oilers needed scoring depth after trading Viktor Arvidsson. Mangiapane did score 35 goals in 2021-22, though mostly he’s in the 14 to 18 range, including 14 this past season with the Capitals. The Oilers got to see Mangiapane a lot when he played for the Flames from 2017-24.

Hurricanes sign K’Andre Miller after trade with Rangers

The Hurricanes signed defenseman K’Andre Miller to an eight-year deal with a $7.5 million cap hit after acquiring him in a trade with the Rangers. Carolina gives up defenseman Scott Morrow, a conditional first-round pick and Carolina’s 2026 second-rounder in the trade. The Rangers dealt Miller, 25, to free up the space to sign top free agent defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov.

Miller gives the Hurricanes a young defenseman for their roster with Dmitry Orlov and Brent Burns hitting free agency. ‘Right now, I do not anticipate either of them being back with us,’ general manager Eric Tulsky said. ‘Obviously that could change with one phone call.’

The Hurricanes also signed free agent defenseman Mike Reilly to a one-year, $1.1 million deal. He played for the Islanders last season.

Rangers re-sign Will Cuylle

New York locked up its top restricted free-agent priority to a two-year, $7.8 million deal on July 1, as first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. It will carry an average annual value of $3.9 million. Cuylle’s coming off a sophomore NHL season in which he scored 20 goals while breaking the franchise’s single-season record with 301 hits. – Vince Z. Mercogliano, lohud.com

Sharks sign John Klingberg

The veteran defenseman gets a one-year, $4 million deal. He had played for the Oilers last season, suiting up for 19 playoff games and four in the final. The Sharks also signed forwards Philip Kurashev (one year, $1.2 million) and Adam Gaudette (two years, $2 million average) and traded for goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.

Devils sign Evgenii Dadonov

He’ll get a one-year, $1 million deal that could grow with bonuses. He’s coming off a 20-goal season in Dallas, but his ice time shrank in the playoffs.

Stars sign Radek Faksa

His three-year deal will average $2 million. Faksa played his entire career in Dallas, except for 2024-25, when the depth forward played for the Blues. He won 57% of his faceoffs this past season and he kills penalties. The Stars also are bringing back forward Colin Blackwell on a two-year deal with a $775,000 cap hit.

Mammoth sign Vitek Vanecek

The goalie signs a one-year, $1.5 million contract. He split time between San Jose and Florida last season, getting to lift the Stanley Cup. Utah backup goalie Connor Ingram is out indefinitely after entering the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program.

Ducks sign Mikael Granlund

He gets a three-year deal, with a reported $7 million cap hit. Granlund played on an all-Finland in Dallas after arriving in a trade, but the Stars didn’t have the cap room to keep him. The Ducks continue to be aggressive in trying to get back to the playoffs after earlier trading for Chris Kreider.

Wild sign Nico Sturm

He’ll average $2 million in the two-year deal. Sturm is strong on faceoffs and kills penalties. He spilt time the past between the Sharks and Panthers, winning a Stanley Cup with Florida. He started his career in Minnesota.

Islanders sign Jonathan Drouin

He gets a two-year contract with a reported $4 million average. He averaged 0.76 points per game in two seasons in Colorado but missed nearly half of the 2024-25 season.

Devils sign Connor Brown

He’ll average $3 million in the four-year deal. Brown has reached the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons with the Oilers. He can move up and down the lineup and teams appreciate that versatility.

Mammoth sign Brandon Tanev

He’ll average $2.5 million in the three-year contract. The forward is fast, kills penalties and has the league’s best team head shots.

Red Wings sign James van Riemsdyk

The forward gets a one-year, $1 million contract. His 16 goals this past season were his most since 2021-22.

Kings sign two defensemen, goaltender

Defenseman Cody Ceci (four years, $4.5 million average) and Brian Dumoulin (three years, $4 million average) will fill the roster spots of Vladislav Gavrikov (signed by Rangers) and Jordan Spence (traded to Senators). Goalie Anton Forsberg gets two years at a $2.25 million cap hit. Kings goalie David Rittich signed a free agent deal with the Islanders.

Kings sign Corey Perry, Joel Armia

Perry, 40, had 10 playoff goals during the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. He has been to the final five times in the last six seasons, losing all five (he won in 2007). But for a Kings team that has lost four years to the Oilers. they’ll gladly accept a player who regularly gets past the first round and more. Armia is a penalty killing forward with 17 career short-handed goals.

Perry gets a one-year, $2 million contract and can earn other $2 million in bonuses. Armia averages $2.5 million his two-year deal.

Mammoth sign Nate Schmidt

The defenseman will average $3.5 million in the three-year deal. Schmidt had been bought out in Winnipeg last summer and joined coach Paul Maurice in Florida, where he played a key role in the Stanley Cup run. The Mammoth were in need of a defenseman after trading Michael Kesselring to the Sabres. The Mammoth also signed defenseman Scott Perunovich and forward Kailer Yamamoto to one-year, two-way deals.

Blackhawks acquire Sam Lafferty from Sabres

The forward is returning after previously playing in Chicago for parts of two seasons. He struggled in Buffalo with seven points in 60 games. The Sabres get a 2026 sixth-round pick in return.

Kraken sign Ryan Lindgren

The defenseman will average $4.5 million over four years. He kills penalties and is known for putting his body on the line, but that takes its toll. The team later signed goalie Matt Murray to a one-year, $1 million contract.

Flyers sign Christian Dvorak

He’ll get $5.4 million in the one-year deal. He kills penalties and wins faceoffs. The Flyers ranked 20th in penalty killing and were just below 50% in faceoff winning percentage.

Sharks give William Eklund contract extension

The three-year deal, starting in 2026-27, will average $5.6 million. He finished second on the Sharks this past season with 58 points. His brother, Victor, was just drafted by the Islanders.

Bruins sign Tanner Jeannot

He’ll average $3.4 million in the five-year contract, per reports. Jeannot is a rugged forward with 211 hits in each of the past two seasons. He scored 24 goals in his second season but hasn’t had more than seven goals since.

Rangers sign Vladislav Gavrikov

He’ll average $7 million over seven years, according to multiple reports. He was the top defensive defenseman in the free agent pool and can slot in next to Adam Fox. The Rangers needed shoring up defensively and Gavrikov (140 blocked shots) will fill that role. He also had 30 points, second best in his career. Does this mean K’Andre Miller gets moved out?

Flyers sign goalie Dan Vladar

He’ll average $3.35 million in the two-year deal. Goaltending was an issue with the Flyers last season, and Vladar will make sure that Samuel Ersson has a steadier backup.

Capitals extend Martin Fehervary

He’ll average $6 million in the seven-year extension that kicks in during the 2026-27 season. He had career highs with 20 assists and 25 points this past season.

Avalanche re-sign Parker Kelly

He’ll get four years at a reported $1.7 million average.

Canucks re-sign Brock Boeser

He’s staying with a seven-year deal worth $7.25 million a year. That’s key for the Canucks after he scored 40 goals two seasons ago. His agent, Ben Hankinson, posted that the deal was reached ‘in the final minutes, really, did you expect him to sign anywhere else?’

Free agency officially open

It’s noon and teams can officially pursue players on other teams.

Bruins-Oilers trade

The Bruins acquire forward Viktor Arvidsson from the Oilers for a 2027 fifth-round draft pick, Arvidsson had signed a two-year deal with Edmonton last season and did not work out. He was in and out of the lineup in the playoffs. But he did score 26 goals two seasons ago and could fill a middle-six role in Boston. Edmonton saves $4 million in cap space.

Canadiens-Blues trade

The Canadiens acquire forward Zack Bolduc for defenseman Logan Mailloux. Bolduc adds secondary scoring after scoring 19 goals and 36 points in his first full season. Mailloux, who was taken in the first round of the 2021 draft despite asking not to be drafted, has played eight NHL games. The Canadiens recently acquired Noah Dobson, who fills the role of offensive defenseman.

Jake Allen staying with Devils

He’ll average $1.8 million over five years and will remain in a tandem with Jacob Markstrom. That will disappoint teams that may have been looking for a goalie. He was the top netminder out there.

Islanders re-sign Tony DeAngelo

The defenseman gets a one-year deal worth a reported $1.75 million. His offensive role will grow with the Islanders trading Noah Dobson to the Canadiens.

Hurricanes’ Logan Stankoven gets extension

He’ll average $6 million in the eight-year deal. Stankoven, 22, was the key return when the Hurricanes traded Mikko Rantanen to the Stars. He scored five game-winning goals last season. The contract kicks in during the 2026-27 season.

Panthers sign Daniil Tarasov

The goalie, recently acquired from the Blue Jackets, will get one year at $1.05 million, according to reports.

Canucks sign Thatcher Demko, Conor Garland to extensions

Demko will average $8.5 million in his three-year contract and Garland will average $6 million in his six-year contract. Both deals will take effect in 2026-27. Demko has dealt with injuries but was a Vezina Trophy runner-up in 2023-24. Garland is a two-time 50-point scorer.

Panthers re-sign Tomas Nosek

He’ll get one year at $775,000. Nosek joined the lineup with the Panthers down 2-0 to the Maple Leafs in the second round. The new-look fourth line helped lead the Panthers’ comeback and the team rallied around Nosek after his overtime delay of game penalty proved costly in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Panthers have all 12 forwards from their clinching game under contract.

Maple Leafs announce Matthew Knies deal

He’ll get six years at a reported $7.75 million per year. Knies, a restricted agent, played on the top line with Auston Matthews and just-departed Mitch Marner. He had a career-best 29 goals, 29 assists and 58 points.

Golden Knights make Mitch Marner deal official

The Golden Knights officially announced the Mitch Marner deal on July 1. He was acquired from the Maple Leafs for center Nicolas Roy and will get an eight-year, $96 million contract. The $12 million average makes him Vegas’ top-paid player ahead of Jack Eichel ($10 million). Marner will wear No. 93, his junior hockey number with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights.

Ailing defending champion Barbora Krejcikova was knocked out of Wimbledon on July 5 when she was beaten 2-6 6-3 6-4 by American 10th seed Emma Navarro in a disjointed Court One contest.

Czech Krejcikova, seeded 17, led by a set and a break of serve but faded badly and looked physically drained in the final set in which she required treatment from the doctor.

A distressed Krejcikova, who has had a difficult season plagued by a back injury, battled on but appeared to be in tearsas she prepared to serve to stay in the tournament at 3-5 in the decider, bravely holding serve to prolong the contest.

But Navarro held her nerve to seal victory and ensure that, for the eighth Wimbledon in a row, the women’s singles champion will be a first-time winner.

Navarro, who reached the quarterfinals last year, will face 18-year-old seventh seed Mirra Andreeva in the next round.

A 15-minute interruption for drizzle after two games and a blustery breeze hardly helped the flow of an untidy contest in which Navarro struck only 13 winners to Krejcikova’s 34.

But the American managed to focus through the distractions, with Krejcikova at times bent double between points in the third set after having her blood pressure and pulse checked.

‘It was tough out here today, neither of us played our best tennis, she was dealing with some injuries and I wasdealing with whatever I was dealing with,’ Navarro said on court.

‘It’s not easy to be composed (when your opponent is struggling). Part of you is saying just put a bunch of balls inthe court and that’s all you need to do. But then you trick yourself into not playing the way you want to play.’

After the early rain stoppage left the players twiddling their thumbs on court with officials opting not to shut the roofor cover the grass, Krejcikova settled better and reeled off four games in a row on her way to taking the opening set.

Krejcikova broke serve for a 2-1 lead in the second set but, unlike earlier when she went on a roll, she lost the momentum as Navarro began to dig in her heels.

‘I like to play scrappy and get a few more balls back in the court,’ Navarro said of her change in fortunes.

Navarro broke serve twice on her way to levelling the match with Krejcikova then going off court for a comfort breakand Navarro having a long pep talk from her coach Peter Ayers.

The 24-year-old saved five break points in the second game of the third set and Krejcikova looked mortified when shewas broken in the next game, staring into space as her hopes faded.

Krejcikova broke back, but then lost her own serve immediately as Navarro found the corner with a sweetly-struckbackhand. After being checked over by the doctor, Krejcikova dragged herself back to the baseline and even found some inspiration to level the set at 3-3.

Despite the support of a sympathetic crowd, Krejcikova looked close to collapse at times in the finals stages as herWimbledon reign came to a bitter end.

Bryan Braman, a former NFL linebacker who played seven seasons with the Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, is battling an aggressive form of ‘life-threatening cancer,’ according to a GoFundMe set up in his benefit by William Jones.

Braman, 38, has had multiple surgeries while being treated for the disease in Seattle, which has put financial strain on the Spokane native and his family.

‘He is required to have a 24-hour caregiver, but his insurance doesn’t pay for housing for this program,’ Jones’ first GoFundMe update in February read. ‘He has no home currently as he has had to pay out of pocket for much of his treatment, and even sold his last vehicle to raise the money for the motel [for] this week.’

The GoFundMe for Braman had raised more than $65,000 as of 11 a.m. ET on Saturday. That included a $10,000 donation from Braman’s former Texans teammate, J.J. Watt, and donations from other former teammates including Chris Long, Duane Brown, Brian Cushing, Brent Celek and Rasul Douglas, among others.

Braman’s treatment has included CAR T-cell Therapy – which the American Cancer Society describes as ‘a way to get immune cells called T cells (a type of white blood cell) to fight cancer by changing them in the lab so they can find and destroy cancer cells’ – according to an update posted to the GoFundMe on June 20.

‘His cells did re-infuse themselves, and did in fact start reproducing within his bone marrow,’ Jones wrote. ‘At first the mass did start to shrink, but then the cancer started fighting back.’

Braman has since had chemotherapy treatments but has struggled to bounce back from the surgical procedures he has had due to lowered immunity from the treatments.

Despite this, Braham remains ‘determined to never give up,’ according to the GoFundMe. That hasn’t been a surprise to Sean Stellato, his long-time agent.

‘At Stellato Sports, Bryan Braman has always stood for strength, resilience and leadership,’ Stellato told KPRC 2 in Houston. ‘He is a pillar and a staple of the underdog. Now, in the face of cancer, he embodies those qualities more than ever.’

‘If there is one person that I know that can beat cancer, it is Bryan Braman, who I have always considered family. He’s in the fight of his life.’

The Indiana Fever are perhaps playing their best basketball of the season, having won three in a row with the Los Angeles Sparks coming to town on Saturday.

All three of those victories, including a win in the Commissioner’s Cup against Minnesota, have been without All-WNBA guard Caitlin Clark, who will miss her fifth straight game due to a groin injury.

The Fever’s recent success has been due to their work on the defensive end, holding opponents to a league-low 27% percent from the 3-point line. In their last game, an 81-54 rout over Las Vegas on Thursday, the Aces had their 16-game winning streak against Indiana snapped after being held to 26% shooting.

The Sparks (5-13) are led by veteran guard Kelsey Plum, who is averaging 20.1 points and 5.7 assists per game. The last time the two teams played was on June 26 in Indianapolis, with Los Angeles winning 85-75.

How to watch Los Angeles Sparks vs. Indiana Fever: TV, stream

Date: Saturday, July 5
Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
TV: NBA TV
Live stream:  Fubo

The game will be available to view on demand on WNBA League Pass after it concludes.

Watch Fever vs Sparks with Fubo

The highs and lows of the MLB season were on display for the Los Angeles Dodgers this week.

After celebrating pitcher Clayton Kershaw’s 3,000 strikeout on Wednesday, July 2, the Dodgers were handed one of their biggest losses on Friday, July 4.

The Houston Astros’ bats proved to be too much, delivering an 18-1 loss for the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium, with the 17-run defeat representing the largest for the team in stadium history.

The Astros had already built up a 7-1 lead in the fifth inning before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called for Noah Davis out of the bullpen. Davis struck out Mauricio Dubón to end the inning, but things didn’t get much better for the pitcher. Davis allowed 10 runs in the sixth inning.

Jose Altuve went 3-for-3 with five RBIs, four runs and two home runs for the Astros. Christian Walker went 4-for-5 with four RBIs, three runs and a home run.

‘Yeah, that was one you want to flush as soon as possible,’ Roberts said after the game.

While the Dodgers did avoid being shut out on Friday night, the team had already suffered its worst home shutout loss in franchise history this season. The Chicago Cubs picked up a 16-0 victory over the Dodgers on April 12.

It was also the Dodgers’ largest defeat since suffering a 20-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 5, 2001.

Astros vs. Dodgers highlights

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The measuring stick for new New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown is obvious.

Do better than Tom Thibodeau.

Which means a spot in the NBA Finals.

You don’t fire Thibodeau, who coached the Knicks to back-to-back 50-win seasons for the first time since 1993-94 and 1994-95 and led them to the conference finals for the first time since 2000, to replace him with a coach who maintains the status quo – or worse.

And if you fire Thibodeau, you better replace him with a coach who has the gravitas across several fronts to justify a new coach.

The Knicks got a coach in Brown who checks several boxes:

Experience coaching in a big market (Los Angeles) and stars (LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, De’Aaron Fox).
Versatile: Known earlier in his career as a defensive-minded coach, he has expanded his offensive repertoire, guiding the Sacramento Kings to the No. 1 offense in 2022-23.
Playoff success: 50-40 overall in the playoffs, including a Finals appearance in 2007, two Eastern Conference finals appearances and he was an assistant coach for Steve Kerr on three Golden State championship teams.
Credibility with players: Players know Brown, and he’s a coach who can balance being a player’s coach with the appropriate authority.

Brown takes over a team that doesn’t need a lot of change in terms of commitment. The culture of hard work and championship expectations have been established.

It’s about getting the most out of the roster, individually and collectively with Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart leading. But it’s imperative that Brown develop a rotation that utilizes bench players and gives him options.

One just needed to watch the NBA Finals between Oklahoma City and Indiana to understand the importance of depth and options. It’s one reason why Thibodeau is no longer the Knicks coach.

This job needed a coach like Brown. I am a proponent of giving unproven coaches like Mark Daigneault, Joe Mazzulla and Ime Udoka chances to coach championship-caliber teams or teams headed in that direction.

But a young coach without previous NBA head coaching experience would not have been a good fit for this version of the Knicks – the expectations are too high, the pressure too much to go in that direction.

So, the Knicks reached a deal with Brown, and he knows what the job entails.

The Knicks built what they believe is a championship roster. Brown doesn’t need to get the Knicks to the Finals in 2026, but he does need to get him there if he wants to keep the job beyond this contract.

Each season that passes without the Knicks improving on what they did under Thibodeau will be viewed with sideways glances.

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You ask former U.S. men’s national soccer team standouts Marcelo Balboa and Stu Holden about the Concacaf Gold Cup final, and the competitive spirit just oozes from their soul.

Especially since USMNT will face its biggest rival, Mexico, in the Sunday, July 6 match at NRG Stadium in Houston.

“Listen, you never want to lose to Mexico,” Balboa, 57, told USA TODAY Sports, before he joins the Gold Cup’s Spanish-language broadcast on Univision, TUDN and ViX. “I’m retired. I haven’t played against Mexico a long time. Even when I play in the old legends games, I don’t want to lose to Mexico.”

Holden – who will be on the Gold Cup call alongside play-by-play announcer John Strong on FOX – still remembers how humiliated he felt after playing in USMNT’s 5-0 loss to Mexico in the 2009 Gold Cup final.

“Man, I would give anything to step on that field on Sunday,” Holden said. “And I’m going to step on the field – I just won’t be allowed to kick a ball.”

Coach Mauricio Pochettino, breakout star Diego Luna and the USMNT have a golden opportunity to rewrite the team’s narrative ahead of next summer’s FIFA World Cup.

They could end a tumultuous summer on a high note by lifting a trophy, setting the stage for a World Cup where they could at least be competitive against some of the best national teams in the world.

A loss, however?

Well, here’s where it’s important to maintain some perspective.

USMNT has been a club on the fly before the World Cup – hiring Pochettino last September, and trying to field a capable roster that won’t embarrass itself when the U.S. co-hosts the tournament next summer with Canada and Mexico.

By no means are they ready for the World Cup just yet. But they’ll have to be when next summer rolls around.

Star Christian Pulisic is one of several players not with USMNT during the Gold Cup this summer – his decision to rest upsetting several former players turned analysts, especially after the U.S. lost friendlies to Turkey (2-1 on June 7) and Switzerland (4-0 on June 10) before the tournament.

During the Gold Cup, the U.S. beat Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 on June 7, beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 on June 19, beat Haiti 2-1 on June 22, advanced past Costa Rica 2-2 (4-3 on penalty kicks) on June 29 and topped Guatemala 2-1 on July 2 to reach the final.

Pochettino has 10 wins in 15 matches since taking the job, a run that included a four-game losing streak going into the Gold Cup. Would another loss to Mexico – in the Gold Cup final – be a failure for Pochettino and USMNT?

“No, not at all. The fact that this team got there, I think it’s very valuable for Pochettino and his coaching staff,” Balboa said, adding it’s a prime opportunity for the players pushing for a roster spot to play for USMNT in the World Cup.

“Listen, nobody wants to lose. Is it a failure? I wouldn’t think it’s a failure at all. I think it’s just one of those games that it could go either way. One mistake could cost you the game. But at the end of the day, you can’t say one game that you lose to Mexico in the final, the tournament was a failure.”

Holden said he’s cautious to put a label like “failure” if this group of USMNT players fall to Mexico because “it would be me getting a little bit lost in the moment.”

This Gold Cup experience is about Pochettino finding his way as the USMNT coach.

It’s about players like Luna, who scored both goals against Guatemala, making a name for themselves.

It’s about others like forwards Brian White and Patrick Agyemang, midfielders Max Arfsten, Jack McGlynn and Sebastian Berhalter, defenders Chris Richards and Alex Freeman, and goalkeeper Matt Freese solidifying their chances to make the World Cup roster.

Holden believes a Gold Cup win could solidify USMNT’s belief in itself, and send a message to its pool of players that the club is heading in a clear direction under Pochettino’s leadership.

“That means: You fight like hell on Sunday, and you beat your fiercest rival, and you cap off a great month, and we have a great storyline to tell for the next year,” Holden said.

Novak Djokovic is hoping to tie Roger Federer’s record of eight men’s single titles at Wimbledon in 2025.

Even if Djokovic achieves that goal, he still won’t have the most overall singles titles at tennis’ oldest and most prestigious majors. That honor belongs to one of the greatest women’s tennis players in the sport’s history.

Who has the most women’s Wimbledon titles? Here’s what to know about the event’s winningest participant and its history.

Who has the most women’s Wimbledon wins?

Martina Navratilova has the most Wimbledon singles titles – both among women and overall – in the event’s history. She won the title nine times during her career, half of her 18 total Grand Slam titles. Her first Wimbledon victory came in 1978 while her last was in 1990.

Navratilova won Wimbledon six consecutive times between 1982 and 1987. She also won seven doubles and four mixed doubles titles at the major during her competitive career.

No current players are close to challenging Navratilova’s women’s record. Among active players, only Petra Kvitova has won multiple Wimbledon titles. She lost in Round 1 of the 2025 tournament to 10th-seeded American Emma Navarro.

And in the overall category, only Djokovic is in striking distance. The 38-year-old would need to win Wimbledon twice more to tie Navratilova for the most overall singles titles in the event’s history.

Most Wimbledon women’s titles full list

A total of 16 women have won Wimbledon at least three times. They are as follows (includes pre-Open era):

Martina Navratilova: 9
Helen Wills Moody: 8
Dorothea Lambert Chambers: 7
Steffi Graf: 7
Serena Williams: 7
Blanche Bingley: 6
Suzanne Lenglen: 6
Billie Jean King: 6
Charlotte Cooper Sterry: 5
Lottie Dod: 5
Venus Williams: 5
Louise Brough: 4
Maria Bueno: 3
Maureen Connolly: 3
Margaret Court: 3
Chris Evert: 3

Shedeur Sanders is preparing for his rookie season with the Cleveland Browns after being selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Sanders joined a crowded Browns quarterback room that was already comprised of 40-year-old veteran Joe Flacco, 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett and third-round rookie Dillon Gabriel. The four men are expected to battle both to be Cleveland’s starting quarterback while also jockeying for position on the depth chart as whole.

While much of the focus surrounding Sanders is about his first season in Cleveland, the Browns aren’t the only professional football team that owns his rights. The Toronto Argonauts – a long-time member of the CFL – have Sanders on their negotiation list, meaning they are the only team that can sign the former Colorado quarterback should he ever want to play in the league.

Here’s what to know about the CFL’s negotiation list and why Sanders is one of many young, NFL quarterbacks on it.

Which CFL team owns rights to Shedeur Sanders?

The Toronto Argonauts currently own the exclusive CFL negotiation rights to Sanders. Should the current Browns quarterback ever want to play in Canada, he would have to negotiate a contract with Toronto to make that happen.

It isn’t clear how long the Argonauts have owned Sanders’ rights, as CFL teams are allowed to add college players to their negotiation lists. The league made the full negotiation lists public for the first time on Wednesday, July 2.

What is the CFL’s negotiation list?

Each of the CFL’s nine teams maintains a negotiation list of ‘up to 45 players who are currently either unsigned or are playing in the NFL, in another professional league, or in college,’ according to the CFL’s official website.

Teams hold the exclusive CFL negotiating rights to the players included on their lists. Players can be added or removed from the list at any time, and teams are also allowed to trade the rights to players on their negotiation lists to other clubs within the league.

Is Shedeur Sanders going to the CFL?

Just because Sanders is included on one of the CFL’s negotiation lists does not mean he is going to play in the league. It simply means the Argonauts will retain his CFL rights if he ever does decide to play north of the border.

But if Sanders accomplishes his goal and carves out a long-term NFL career, he will not join the Canadian league.

Other QBs on CFL’s negotiation list

Sanders is far from the only NFL quarterback on a CFL team’s negotiation list. Many of the league’s clubs stockpile the rights to high-end college quarterbacks and back-end NFL roster candidates in the hopes one will eventually decide to join their teams.

Sanders is among the most notable, with Saskatchewan Roughriders stash Trey Lance – the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft – also being among the best-know candidates on the combined lists.

Below is a look at the quarterbacks on the CFL’s negotiation list for all nine teams, along with their alma maters or the most recent college program for which they played.

BC Lions

Beau Brungard, Youngstown State
Ben DiNucci, James Madison
Noah Fifita, Arizona
Cole Gonzales, Western Carolina
Mikey Keene, Fresno State
Gevani McCoy, Oregon State
Chandler Morris, TCU
John Mateer, Washington State
CJ Montes, Fordham
Chris Oladokun, South Dakota State
Tommy Rittenhouse, Illinois State
Kaidon Salter, Liberty
Demond Williams Jr., Washington

Calgary Stampeders

Garrett Greene, West Virginia
Jake Haener, Fresno State
Tommy Mellott, Montana State
Ben Woolridge, Louisiana

Edmonton Elks

Byrum Brown, USF
Malik Cunningham, Louisville
Devon Dampier, New Mexico
Jalen Raynor, Arkansas State
Collin Schlee, Kent State
Jacob Zeno, UAB

Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Thomas Castellanos, Boston College
Jalon Daniels, Kansas
Logan Fife, Montana
Adrian Martinez, Kansas State
Austin Reed, Western Kentucky
Blake Shapen, Baylor
Kedon Slovis, Pitt

Montreal Alouettes

Brett Gabbert, Miami (OH)
Seth Henigan, Memphis
Josh Hoover, TCU
EJ Perry, Brown
Derek Robertson, Monmouth
Lindsey Scott, Incarnate Word

Ottawa Redblacks

Zach Annexstad, Illinois State
Zach Calzada, Incarnate Word
Matt Morrissey, Eastern Kentucky
Reese Poffenbarger, Albany
Drew Pyne, Bowling Green
Nick Vattiato, Middle Tennessee State
Kekoa Visperas, Eastern Washington
Hajj-Malik Williams, UNLV

Saskatchewan Roughriders

Anthony Brown, Oregon
Alonza Barnett III, James Madison
Andrew Edwards, Henderson State
Trey Lance, North Dakota State
Jordan McCloud, James Madison
Alex McGough, Florida International
Tanner Mordecai, SMU
Maverick McIvor, Abilene Christian
Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
John Rhys Plumlee, UCF
Will Rogers, Washington
Brayden Schager, Hawaii
Zach Zebrowski, Central Missouri

Toronto Argonauts

Jason Bean, Kansas
Max Duggan, TCU
Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech
Jarrett Guarantano, Washington State
Kevin Jennings, SMU
Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
Matthew Sluka, James Madison
Donovan Smith, Houston
EJ Warner, Fresno State
Jake Willcox, Brown

Winnipeg Blue Bombers

Ian Book, Notre Dame
Brady Cook, Missouri
Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State
Haynes King, Georgia Tech
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt

To see the full negotiation lists for every team, click here.

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