More than 80 civil rights and labor groups sent a letter to FIFA on July 1 expressing ‘deep concern’ over the U.S. government’s immigration policies ahead of the 2026 World Cup in men’s soccer.

In the letter, which was first reported by The Athletic, the groups cited President Donald Trump’s executive order banning visitors from 12 countries as well as the ongoing raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in communities across the country, some of which are slated to host World Cup matches next summer. They called on FIFA to ‘use its influence to encourage the U.S. government to guarantee the fundamental rights of the millions of foreign visitors and fans.’

‘If FIFA continues to stay silent, not only will millions be placed at risk, but the FIFA brand will also be used as a public relations tool to whitewash the reputation of an increasingly authoritarian government,’ the civil rights and labor groups wrote.

Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the American Civil Liberties Union and the NAACP were among the most prominent national organizations to sign the letter, which was also endorsed by eight fan clubs of soccer teams.

The United States is currently hosting the FIFA Club World Cup for men’s soccer.

FIFA did not immediately reply to an e-mail seeking comment on the letter. The organization and its president, Gianni Infantino, have repeatedly said foreign spectators and teams will have no issues entering the country next summer.

‘The world is welcome in America,’ Infantino told reporters on May 15. ‘Of course, the players, of course, everyone involved, all of us, but definitely also all the fans.’

The Trump administration has echoed that sentiment, albeit with the caveat that fans will not be allowed to overstay their visas or otherwise remain in the country following the tournament.

‘I know we’ll have visitors probably from close to 100 countries,’ Vice President J.D. Vance said in May. ‘We want them to come, we want them to celebrate, we want them to watch the game(s). But when the time is up, they’ll have to go home, otherwise they will have to talk to (U.S. Homeland Security) Secretary (Kristi) Noem.’

FIFA also faced questions and criticism from human rights advocacy organizations ahead of the last men’s World Cup, in Qatar. The 2026 edition of the event, which will be co-hosted by Canada and Mexico, begins June 11.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @tomschad.bsky.social.

No Caitlin Clark, no problem. 

The Indiana Fever defeated the Minnesota Lynx 74-59 in the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final to claim the Fever’s first in-season tournament championship. The Fever, who were without Clark (groin) for the third consecutive game, held the Lynx to season-lows in points (55) and field-goal percentage (35.7%). 

Natasha Howard was named the unanimous Commissioner’s Cup MVP after recording 16 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block.

“It feels great. We knew we had to come out here with energy,” said Fever center Aliyah Boston, who finished with a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double despite starting 0-of-6 from the field. 

The Lynx jumped out to a 13-point lead over the Fever in the second quarter, but the Fever responded with an 18-0 run of their own to take the lead and hold it until the end. With the victory, the Fever will split a prize of $500,000 and continue the Commissioner’s Cup streak of home teams going down in the final. The visiting team has won each time, aside from the inaugural Commissioner’s Cup final that was played at a neutral site in 2021.

USA TODAY Sports had coverage of the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final. Scroll below for a recap and highlights:

Fever vs. Lynx highlights

Caitlin Clark crashes interview, reacts to win

Clark may have not been on the court, but she was cheering on her teammates from the sidelines. Following the Fever’s Commissioner’s Cup win, Clark tweeted, ‘My girls did their thing !!!!!! So proud!!’

While Boston was giving a postgame interview, Clark burst onto the screen with a triumphant scream and chest bump in celebration.

Fever drink from Commissioner’s Cup, celebrate

End of Q3: Fever 52, Lynx 42

The Fever have a 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Natasha Howard leads the way with a game-high 16 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Kelsey Mitchell and Aari Mcdonald both reached double digits with 10 points each. Aliyah Boston’s struggles have continued as she’s been held to four points, shooting 2-of-10 from the field.

Alanna Smith leads the Lynx with 15 points, while Napheesa Collier has eight points and four rebounds.

Halftime: Fever 32, Lynx 27

Now it’s the Fever’s turn to go on a run. Indiana trailed the Lynx by as many as 13 points in the second quarter, but the Fever went on an 18-0 run to take their first lead since earlier in the first quarter. The Fever’s Kelsey Mitchell has a game-high eight points. Aliyah Boston is on the board with two points after starting the night 0-for-6 from the field.

The Lynx were outscored 20-7 in the second quarter and were held scoreless for over eight minutes in the period. The Lynx are up to nine total turnovers that the Fever has cashed in for 11 points.

Alanna Smith has a game-high seven points, while Napheesa Collier is up to six points (3-of-9 FG, 0-of-1 3PT). Smith and Collier failed to score in the second quarter.

End of Q1: Lynx 20, Fever 12

The Lynx jumped out to an eight-point lead over the Fever in the first quarter of the 2025 Commissioner’s Cup final. The Fever’s turnovers spurred the Lynx’s offense. Minnesota went on a 12-0 run that was fueled by three consecutive Fever turnovers. Indiana gave up seven points off five total first-quarter turnovers. 

The Fever leads the league in points in the paint with 40.4 per game, but Minnesota has done a good job taking away the Fever’s inside looks so far and has forced Indiana into some tough shots. The Fever collectively shot 27.8% from the field, while the Lynx shot 60% in the first quarter. 

Aari Mcdonald leads the Fever with five points. Aliyah Boston was held scoreless, shooting 0-for-4 from the field.

Alanna Smith has a game-high seven points, while Napheesa Collier is up to six points. 

How to watch 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final

The fifth-annual WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final will be decided on Tuesday. A $500,000 prize pool is up for grabs.

Date: Tuesday, July 1
Time: 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT)
Location: Target Center (Minneapolis)
TV: None
Steaming: Prime Video

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

Will Caitlin Clark play in Commissioner’s Cup final?

No, Clark will not play against the Minnesota Lynx in the Commissioner’s Cup final, the Fever announced hours before the game. Clark had been considered day-to-day after alerting the Fever coaching staff of a groin injury on June 25th following the Fever’s 94-86 win over the Seattle Storm on June 24. She missed the Fever’s loss vs. Los Angeles on June 26 and Indiana’s win at Dallas on June 27 with the injury.

Indiana Fever starting lineup

The Fever is sticking with the same starting lineup that took the court in Indiana’s 94-86 win over the Dallas Wings on Friday. Aari McDonald will make her second start of the season after resigning with the Fever in June.

Minnesota Lynx starting lineup

The Lynx’s starting five includes Napheesa Collier, Bridget Carleton, Alana Smith, Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams. This unit has started nine previous games together and have gone 8-1.

WNBA Commissioner’s Cup champions, by year

Here’s every team that has won the WNBA’s in-season tournament since it began in 2021:

2024: Minnesota Lynx def. New York Liberty
2023: New York Liberty def. Las Vegas Aces
2022: Las Vegas Aces def. Chicago Sky
2021: Seattle Storm def. Connecticut Sun

Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier named WNBA All-Star captains

Clark and Collier will go head to head in the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final on Tuesday and the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will mark Round 2.

On Sunday, June 29, the WNBA announced that Clark and Collier will serve as captains of this year’s All-Star Game after picking up their second and fifth career All-Star nods, respectively. Clark, the reigning Rookie of the Year, and Collier, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, earned the honor by receiving the most fan votes.

The All-Star Game starters were revealed on June 30.

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In stunner on Day 2 of Wimbledon, No. 2 seed Coco Gauff was eliminated in the first round of Wimbledon by Dayana Yastremska. Gauff had won the French Open last month.

Gauff became the fourth woman in the top 10 rankings to lose in the first round, joining No. 3 seed Jessica Pegula and No. 5 seed Qinwen Zheng, who were also upset on Day 2, and No. 9 seed Paula Badosa, who was eliminated on on Day 1.

‘Playing against Coco it is something special. I played with her already three times, of course now four. It’s 3-1 for her. And a great person and we’re in very good relationship,’ Yastremska said after her Wimbledon victory.

Gauff was clearly short of grasscourt practice while her opponent had reached the final of the Nottingham tournament as well as the quarterfinals at Eastbourne in the run-up to Wimbledon. Gauff served a total of nine double faults and made 29 unforced errors, shaking her head in disbelief as she lost her serve three times in the second set.

Yastremska, on the other hand, looked composed and confident, her searing backhand often fizzing past the stranded Gauff.

‘It was pretty unexpected but it has been a great season for me,’ Yastremska said. ‘I love playing on grass, I feel like this season we are friends.’

This year’s Wimbledon marks the first time since the Open era began in 1968 that two of the top three women’s seeds were eliminated in the first round. Pegula, the other top American, was soundly beaten by No. 116 Elisabetta Cocciaretta, 6-2, 6-3.

Gauff won her second career Grand Slam singles title on June 7, beating world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to take home the French Open title.

Who is Dayana Yastremska?

Dayana Yastremska, currently ranked No. 42 in the world, is from Odesa, Ukraine. She has won three WTA singles titles: the 2018 Hong Kong Open, the 2019 Hua Hin Championships, and the 2019 Internationaux de Strasbourg. Yastremska achieved her best Grand Slam performance at the 2024 Australian Open, where she reached the semifinals.

How to watch the 2025 Wimbledon tournament?

The 2025 Wimbledon tournament will be broadcast on ESPN, ABC, and the Tennis Channel. Fans wanting to stream the action can watch all matches on ESPN+.

Acrobat Red Panda, a popular halftime performer known for juggling various items while riding a 7-foot unicycle, suffered a scary fall while performing during the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup game at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Red Panda, whose real name is Rong Niu, is well known for her halftime performances at various NBA and WNBA games. Niu’s act involves catching and balancing bowls on her head and feet while riding a unicycle, but Tuesday’s performance at the Commissioner’s Cup game between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx took a scary turn shortly after it began.

This isn’t the first time Niu has suffered an injury. She previously broke her arm after falling off her unicycle.

‘At the beginning, I was riding unicycles two-and-a-half feet high. Then, once you get better, you change the height. After riding like a year or two, you don’t feel the fear any more. You’re getting used to it. But then a few years ago, I fell and broke my arm. That made me feel that fear again. But after a while, you get over that,’ she said during an interview with SB Nation in 2018. ‘I was in a cast for 10 months without practice.’

Niu, who has been a halftime performer since 1993, recently performed during Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. She appeared on Season 8 of ‘America’s Got Talent’ in 2013 and advanced to the quarterfinals before withdrawing due to personal reasons.

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While the Washington Commanders hope to one day make the RFK Stadium site home again, it’s the D.C. Council that is playing games on that famed plot of land.

Nothing ever comes easy in politics, especially when the nation’s capital is involved. The case involving the Commanders is no different as budget battles and political one-upmanship are on full display – setting up a fight between Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. Council, with the team caught in between.

On July 1, the mayor appeared on The Team 980 with Kevin Sheehan, where she was asked about her feelings surrounding the deal, which has not yet been approved.

‘I’m concerned right now that everybody buckle down and get to work,’ Bowser said. ‘I’m not concerned about our deal. Our deal is solid. It pays off for D.C. And at the end of the day, I think everybody wants the same thing.’

Sheehan pushed Bowser to put her level of concern on a scale of zero to five, with five being the most concerned.

‘I would put my level of concern – because when you’re a big city mayor you’re concerned about everything – I’ll put it at a four,’ Bowser said.

The Commanders have been targeting a stadium opening date in 2030, allowing them enough time to host some big events in the future – notably games in the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Without approval soon, the team claims those plans will be put in danger, forcing the D.C. area to miss out on those marquee dates.

As illustrated in the current deal that was announced on April 28, the city would provide $1.1 billion in public funds to help build the stadium on the old RFK site. The Commanders would contribute $2.7 billion in what figures to be a nearly $4 billion project.

Washington’s team leadership held a dinner on Monday night for councilmembers to discuss the situation, which needs seven votes to approve. According to the Washington Post, there are currently four councilmembers in favor of the deal.

There is currently a July 15 deadline in place as outlined in the exclusive negotiating window. With public hearings set for July 29 and 30, it appears the council is in no rush to move the legislation forward. More importantly, the council is slated to go on recess from August until mid-September, meaning no deal on the intended date could put the project in danger of falling apart.

Fox 5 Washington DC reported on July 1 that Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has heard talks of a potential Plan B from the Commanders, which could include going to President Donald Trump and members of Congress to make the deal happen in time.

This comes on the heels of a decision by Mendelson to separate the stadium deal from the 2026 budget process. A Commanders spokesperson released a statement in response to the news on June 25:

The Washington Commanders are committed to working with the Council around the clock to keep this project on schedule and deliver a world-class stadium for the District by 2030. This is about more than just a stadium: it’s an investment in families, local workers, and long-term economic opportunity that will transform this community, District, and the region.

Any substantive delays will jeopardize D.C.’s ability to attract premier concerts, global talent, and marquee events—including the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Most importantly, it will slow new jobs at a time when the District needs them the most. We are hopeful the Council will continue to work in an expedited way to approve this deal and deliver a significant win for the people of D.C.

Mendelson has indicated there will be no vote while the council is on recess, which could delay the project’s fate until September or later.

‘It would be incredibly extraordinary to call the Council back in August,’ Mendelson said, via NBC4 Washington. “I can’t think of one time in 50 years of home rule that we have called the Council back.’

He also would not commit to a vote in early September.

‘I’m not gonna budge from this, and that is that we are working well with the Commanders and as diligently as possible to try to get to a point where the Council can vote as quickly as possible,’ Mendelson continued.

The Commanders franchise left the RFK Stadium site in 1996 for FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland – where they still currently play home games at what is now known as Northwest Stadium.

While there is no indication that the Commanders would leave and relocate to another city like other NFL teams have done when faced with similar issues from local officials, there is always a chance they could opt for another site in the surrounding area.

Maryland, where the Commanders currently play, and Virginia have shown interest in a new stadium for the team in the past.

For now, the goal remains focused on making the return to RFK a reality.

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The federal investigation into the University of Pennsylvania surrounding transgender athletes reached a resolution that will wipe out the school records of Lia Thomas.

The U.S. Department of Education announced the resolution on July 1, stating the university will comply with Title IX after it allowed Thomas, a transgender athlete, to be part of the women’s swimming team. Now, the university must not allow transgender athletes to compete in female athletic programs, in addition to erasing Thomas’ achievements.

The agreement comes as President Donald Trump has made it a point of his presidency to ban transgender athletes from competing female sports. He’s passed executive orders and threatened legal action regarding the issue, and it’s resulted in changes to college sports.

Did NCAA allow transgender athletes in women’s sports?

Yes. Thomas began transitioning in 2019 with hormone replacement therapy and followed the then-established NCAA and Ivy League rules. In 2022, the NCAA updated its transgender athlete policy. The update took a sport-by-sport approach that ‘preserves opportunity for transgender student-athletes while balancing fairness, inclusion and safety for all who compete.’ At the time, it aligned with decisions by United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, as well as International Olympic Committee.

Under the policy, at the start of the 2022-23 academic year sports calendar, transgender student-athletes had to document sport-specific testosterone levels at the beginning of their season, six months after the first and four weeks before championship selections.

Thomas won the NCAA Division I title in the women’s 500-yard freestyle event in the spring of 2022 before the policy went into place.

How Trump Administration impacted transgender athletes

Trump had emphasized during his president campaign his goal of blocking transgender athletes from competing in women’s sports. On Feb. 5, less than a month into his presidency, Trump signed an executive order that bars transgender women and girls from playing on school sports, and it would cut off federal money for schools that don’t comply.

In April, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced legal action against Maine for refusing to ban transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. In June, Trump threatened fines in California and the Justice Department threatened to sue the state’s public high schools after a transgender athlete was allowed to compete and won two medals at the track and field state championship.

Did NCAA transgender athlete policy change?

Yes. One day after Trump’s executive order, the NCAA changed it’s policy to only allow student-athletes assigned female at birth could compete in women’s sports. The policy was ‘effective immediately and applies to all student-athletes regardless of previous eligibility reviews under the NCAA’s prior transgender participation policy.’

The updated policy states a student-athlete assigned female at birth ‘who has begun hormone therapy” may not compete on a women’s team, and if they participated in any NCAA competition, the team would not be eligible for NCAA championships. The organization did state individual schools have the autonomy to determine athletic participation on their campus.

“We strongly believe that clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today’s student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions. To that end, President Trump’s order provides a clear, national standard,’ NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement.

How many transgender athletes are in the NCAA?

The number reflects a similar percentage to how many transgender athletes compete in sports, starting at youth sports. According to the UCLA Williams Institute, transgender youth make up only 1.4% of American teenagers. A 2017 study of 17,000 young people found that about 1 in 10 transgender boys said they played sports, and it is roughly the same figure for transgender girls.

Lia Thomas records: What happens to them?

What happens to Thomas’ NCAA records is unclear. The NCAA did not respond to a request for comment. Thomas won the women’s 500-yard freestyle event in 2022, and she tied for fifth in the women’s 200-yard freestyle and eighth in the 100-yard freestyle.

However, Thomas’ records at Penn will be erased. She currently holds the records for:

100 freestyle (47.37)
200 freestyle (1:41.93)
500 freestyle (4:33.24)
1,000 freestyle (9:35.96)
1,650 freestyle (15:59.71)

NHL free agency officially opened at noon ET Tuesday, but general managers had been busy whittling down the list beforehand.

Gone was top target Mitch Marner, who headed to the Vegas Golden Knights after a sign-and-trade deal Monday. Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito reached deals with Aaron Ekblad and Brad Marchand, three days after signing playoff MVP Sam Bennett, giving his team a chance at another title.

In a bit of a surprise, Brock Boeser stayed with the Vancouver Canucks as the clock hit noon ET on Tuesday.

But there were other impactful players out there. Mikael Granlund signed with the Anaheim Ducks and Vladislav Gavrikov signed with the New York Rangers, who traded defenseman K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes. Forward Nikolaj Ehlers hadn’t signed as of 9 p.m. ET.

Follow along as USA TODAY tracks signings and trades that take place at the start of NHL free agency July 1:

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 from 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, per reports

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, per report

He’ll average $7 million over seven year, 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. Goaltender was an issue with the Flyers last season, and Vladar will make sure that Samuel Ersson has a steady 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.

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NHL free agency signing period officially begins at noon ET Tuesday.

The City of Detroit is responding to Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham after she questioned the WNBA’s decision to expand the league to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia by 2030.

‘I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit,’ Cunningham said on Tuesday, ahead of the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final, in response to the WNBA’s expansion news on Monday.

‘There’s more opportunities, so I get that aspect, but I also think you want to listen to your players too. Where do they want to play? Where are they going to get excited to play and draw fans?’ Cunningham said. ‘I’m not so sure what the though process is there.’

Cunningham offered up a number of other cities, saying, ‘Miami would’ve been a great one, Nashville is an amazing city, Kansas City— amazing opportunity with a huge arena downtown that no one’s using.’

Cunningham’s comments reached the city of Detroit, which is home to many professional sports teams, including the NFL’s Detroit Lions, NBA’s Detroit Pistons, MLB’s Detroit Tigers and NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. Detroit was formerly home to the three-time WNBA champion Detroit Shock from 1998 to 2009, but the franchise relocated to Tulsa, Oklahoma from 2010 to 2015 and eventually rebranded into the Dallas Wings in 2016.

‘The last time we were home to a WNBA team (Detroit Shock) we ranked top five in attendance for five straight seasons, No. 1 in attendance for three straight seasons and set a single-game attendance record of 22,076 fans at Game 3 of the 2003 WNBA Finals,’ the official X account for the City of Detroit tweeted in response to Cunningham.

The city’s social media account reminded that ‘Detroit is a sports town,’ noting that ‘more than 775,000 people were excited to come to Detroit for the 2024 NFL draft,’ an attendance that broke the previous 2019 record.

‘We’re sure we’ll see the same excitement for the WNBA returning,’ the City of Detroit added.

On Monday, the WNBA announced it will establish new franchises in Cleveland (2028), Detroit (2029) and Philadelphia (2030), joining previously announced cities Portland and Toronto, which will begin play next season.

“The demand for women’s basketball has never been higher, and we are thrilled to welcome Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia to the WNBA family,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “This historic expansion is a powerful reflection of our league’s extraordinary momentum, the depth of talent across the game, and the surging demand for investment in women’s professional basketball.’

The expansion plan now goes to the WNBA and NBA Boards of Governors for final approval.

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