This time last season, the New York Sirens were on their way to their second straight last-place finish. Despite plenty of talent on the roster, the club had just suffered nine consecutive losses — a skid spanning the entire month of February — and had yet to string together more than two wins in a row.
The 2025-26 squad looks like a whole different team. And in many ways, it is. And as they prepare to hit the ice against the Ottawa Charge on Sunday (noon ET / 9 a.m. PT on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+), the Sirens are very much in the mix with a big opportunity to leapfrog Ottawa and land themselves in playoff position as teams prepare for the stretch run to come.
The successful climb up the standings we’re seeing in New York now is a direct result of a series of bold moves made by general manager Pascal Daoust, who pulled off a rapid rebuild almost entirely in one evening back in June.
Here’s a closer look at the chain of events that led the Sirens into relevance.
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Looking at the Sirens’ top five scoring leaders from last season tells a pretty interesting story. Sarah Fillier led the way in her rookie season — her 29 points in 2024-25 not only earned her rookie-of-the-year honours, but the co-lead in league points. Filling out the top five behind her last year are four players who now represent other teams: Jessie Eldridge, Alex Carpenter, Abby Roque, and Ella Shelton.
Forwards Eldridge and Carpenter were both snatched up by the Seattle Torrent via the expansion process last summer. Losing two players of that calibre can bring seismic shifts to any roster, but for a franchise still struggling to hit its stride two years into its existence, it could’ve marked an ill-affordable setback in team building. Instead, the losses launched New York into a pair of moves that further blew up the core entirely.
The departures of Roque — who, like Carpenter, was one of three foundational signings made by New York ahead of the inaugural season — and Shelton, the first player selected by New York at the first-ever PWHL draft, soon followed as Daoust set into motion a franchise-altering series of events at the 2025 PWHL Draft.
Expansion losses set stage for draft-night gains
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The 2025 PWHL Draft started out with an easy decision. For the second straight year, the Sirens held the first overall pick. And for the second straight year, they targeted an offensive powerhouse. The selection of Czech forward Kristýna Kaltounková at No. 1 last June was a victory in itself, but Daoust doubled down on the strong draft class by trading Shelton to the Sceptres in exchange for Toronto’s third overall pick and a fourth-rounder. The deal marked a win for both sides, with the Sceptres landing a local star to be a leading presence on their blue line while the Sirens used their second first-rounder of the night to bring in another elite forward in Casey O’Brien. The 2025 Patty Kazmaier Award winner was considered a strong contender to go first overall, so landing both O’Brien and Kaltounková was an impressive feat. (The signing of free agent defender Jincy Roese one week prior to the draft immediately helped lessen the loss of Shelton.)
With Toronto’s fourth-round pick, the Sirens selected another forward in Maddi Wheeler.
All three rookies have more than lived up to their billing. Eighteen games into their respective tenures, Kaltounková leads the league in goals (11) — much the way Fillier took the league by storm in her rookie year last season — and shares the team lead in points with O’Brien. The duo often suit up on the same line. Wheeler’s eight points have her sitting fourth in team scoring, behind Fillier. The fact that three of New York’s top five scorers are rookies has not only raised the scoring ceiling and lowered the average age of the roster, but also transformed the squad’s offensive identity in the process and injected a heavy dose of speed and grit. This is a core that’s only just getting started.
Not long after the first-round dramatics, Daoust pulled off another consequential trade when he sent Roque to Montreal in exchange for forward Kristin O’Neill and a fourth-round pick. O’Neill’s leadership and strong puck-battle abilities have made her a valuable depth forward on this roster on the rise, while the selection of goaltender Callie Shanahan with the pick brought some insurance in net.
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In addition to signing Roese in free agency, Daoust also made sure to solidify the roster with some smart extensions. He re-upped forward Taylor Girard and extended Fillier early on, and further stabilized the blue line in November by extending Jaime Bourbonnais and captain Micah Zandee-Hart. He handed the crease over to Kayle Osborne, who has started all but one game this season and has been excellent, and signed her to an extension that will see her backstop the Sirens through 2027-28.
What’s next for New York?
The Sirens are about to face their toughest tests yet. Sitting in the middle of the standings with a chance to jump above the playoff cutoff line, nearly every game from now on holds playoff implications. The nature of the PWHL’s 3-2-1 scoring system means things can change quickly. Of New York’s remaining 12 games, nine are against opponents either currently in playoff position or a mere two points outside. After a statement-making off-season, the Sirens are now well-positioned to make noise down the stretch.
Oct 12, 2024; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Mississippi Rebels defensive tackle Walter Nolen (2) reaches to knock the ball loose from LSU Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
As we get further into the 2026 NFL Draft, a big question teams will be forced to ask themselves is “when is the right time to target a QB?”
Obviously, Fernando Mendoza likely will end up being the No. 1 overall pick, but after that, it’s a bit of a tossup as to when the rest of the QB class could begin going off the board. One of the quarterbacks hoping to get his name called sooner than later is LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier.
Background
Oct 18, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Louisiana State Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (18) stands in the pocket against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the first half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Nussmeier spent three seasons as a backup quarterback at LSU, including spending a year behind former No. 2 overall pick Jayden Daniels. Nussmeier finally got his chance to start for the Tigers in 2024, and he took full advantage with an explosive year.
That prompted some extraordinarily high expectations heading into 2025, but instead of taking another leap forward, Nussmeier regressed. It didn’t help that he suffered a pretty serious injury prior to the season that may have been misdiagnosed. Now, he is widely viewed as a mid-round pick after spending much of last offseason as a candidate to rise into the first round.
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Strengths
Oct 25, 2025; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Louisiana State Tigers quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (18) throws during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
Nussmeier has a very quick, repeatable release, so he has many of his throwing mechanics down at this point. That snappy release leads to a lot of completions in the short and intermediate portions of the field.
If you watch Nussmeier’s play in 2024 before his injury, you’ll notice a ton of velocity on throws and an ability to really push the ball downfield. However, that wasn’t as evident in 2025, which could be a cause for concern heading into the NFL.
Finally, Nussmeier has some underrated athletic ability in the pocket. He definitely can scoot for some yards when he needs to, and he has some strong footwork to dance around pressure in the pocket.
Weaknesses
Nov 8, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (18) throws before the game with Alabama at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images
As aforementioned, it might be tough for NFL teams to fully trust Nussmeier given how different he looked in 2025 following his injury compared to pre-injury in 2024. He obviously was hampered by his abdominal injury, so perhaps a full offseason to recover can help (there is evidence that this could be the case following his Senior Bowl performance).
The LSU product isn’t exactly a conservative quarterback, either. He’s more than willing to try and fit throws into tight windows. Sometimes it works, and sometimes a throw away would have been better. Less speed on these tight-window throws in 2025 resulted in results leaning more towards the latter.
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Nussmeier’s size will also raise some eyebrows at 6’2″ and just 203 pounds. He’s already suffered a significant injury at the collegiate level, so that could become a problem while taking NFL punishment.
2026 NFL Draft Projection
Nov 8, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (18) throws a pass during the second half of the game with Alabama at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated LSU 20-9. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images
NFL Draft Projection: Day 3 (Early-Mid Round 4)
Team Fits: Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets
Nussmeier has shown flashes of talent to develop into an NFL starter, but right now, he is almost certainly better off in a position where he can sit behind a veteran and really hone in his skills before taking the reins of an offense.
Editor’s Note: Statistics from Pro Football Focus helped with this article.
Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey
The closure of the US Embassy in Jordan has heightened the frustrations of Jordanian football fans hoping to see their team make their World Cup debut in three months’ time.
While the US-Israeli and Iranian attacks that caused its shuttering on Friday dominate headlines and thoughts, fans looking forward to an escape are left in the dark. The US embassy site simply says that “all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa appointments are canceled until further notice”.
Having spoken to a number of Jordanian fans, DW understands that many had already had visa applications rejected for the tournament, in which their national team is to play all three group matches in the US. Many more still wait, some having shelled out thousands for tickets. They all want answers from the US or the tournament organizers, FIFA.
Gianni Infantino’s organization did not respond to a DW request for comment, and former Jordan international, Mohammad Khair, said many fans felt frustrated by the lack of clarity.
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Bigger tournament, greater frustrations
“When FIFA decided to add more teams to this World Cup, they should have also made sure it is easy for everyone to go and force the host country to smooth out the visa process,” he told DW.
FIFA’s consistent line on visa issues has been to defer to US immigration and state that such things are outside its remit. The organization also points to the FIFA Priority Appointment Scheduling System (FIFA PASS) available to ticket holders.
“America welcomes the World. We have always said that this will be the greatest and most inclusive FIFA World Cup in history – and the FIFA PASS service is a very concrete example of that,” said Infantino on its launch in November.
Jordan qualified for their first World Cup in June last yearImage: Ameen Ahmed/NurPhoto/IMAGO
But with FIFA having opened a surprise extra 48-hour ticket window at the end of February — despite previously saying it had sold all available tickets — and further batches expected to come to market ahead of the June 11 tournament opener, Jordan fans without tickets must either buy a ticket and hope for the best or miss out. Those with tickets but no visa may have to take a financial hit on resale.
“We were waiting for this dream to come true. I pursued every possible way to go and support our team, but the visa procedure is really tough,” Jordan fan Mahmoud Obaidat told DW.
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“Plus, there is this random draw (lottery), so you might plan and pay, and then you won’t get any tickets,” he added, referring to fans booking their travel on the off chance they could get lucky. “I applied for a visa three months ago and got rejected.”
Not having obtained a ticket yet, either, Obaidait’s chances of supporting his team in the US appear negligible.
Jordan fans ask for US help
Obaidat at least has the certainty of rejection, unlike many of his compatriots who were waiting on a judgment even before the closure of the embassy. Those fans, like Ghazi Al Samouee, can only appeal to the US and FIFA to hear their plea.
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“The dream of seeing our national team in the World Cup is here, but with heavy hearts, we ask for help from the US Embassy to look closely at the Jordanian fans’ applications. We applied, but we didn’t hear any answer until now. Our applications are stuck there.”
Al Samouee is the leader of the Ultras (hardcore supporters) of Jordanian club Al Ramtha SC and is on the list of fans eligible to apply through the country’s football association. Such fans are usually able to travel to tournaments with minimal fuss and access cheaper tickets.
Contacted by DW, the Jordanian FA declined comment on the matter.
No travel ban but reason for rejection
While Jordan is not under the kind of blanket US travel ban that will prevent fans from Senegal, Ivory Coast, Haiti and Iran (if the team do not boycott) from traveling, it was on the list of 75 countries from which the US has stopped processing immigrant visas earlier this year. The Trump administration said that immigrants from Jordan had “a high rate of collecting public assistance at the expense of the US taxpayer.”
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While this ban does not directly affect World Cup travel visas, it may reflect the US administration’s attitude towards foreigners. A number of fans DW spoke to in Amman were reluctant to voice their fears about such matters publicly. But one said the message from the US embassy was that they “could not be sure that those who go to the United States will return to Jordan after the World Cup is over.”
With travel bans and visa issues, as well as the high price of tickets preventing supporters from making their way to the US to follow their teams, the stands for many matches could be filled with fans from various diaspora populations already in the country. Jordan’s games in California and Texas now appear likely to be among them.
“We, as Jordanians, are hoping to get support from Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinians who live in the USA to cheer for our team, as the Jordanian diaspora is not very large there,” said former player Khair.
While US citizens with links to nearby countries may help FIFA fill their seats and their coffers, it will be tough to stomach for those Jordanians forced to watch their country’s World Cup debut from afar.
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Dana Sumlaji and Sami Jarwan contributed to this report.
Tyson Fury has doubled down on his desire to enter a trilogy showdown with Oleksandr Usyk, but equally admits that he would be fighting an uphill battle.
The 37-year-old will return to action against Arslanbek Makhmudov on April 11, headlining a Ring Magazine event at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium live on Netflix.
This represents his first outing since losing to Usyk in December 2024, when the masterful Ukrainian defended his undisputed crown with a unanimous decision victory.
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Earlier that year, the pair had engaged in a far more dramatic encounter, with Fury losing a split decision after suffering a ninth-round knockdown.
But while many feel that Usyk deserved to emerge triumphant on both occasions, ‘The Gypsy King’ seemingly remains convinced that he was ‘robbed’ of two monumental victories.
This, it seems, is partly why he announced his retirement at the beginning of last year, referencing his two defeats to Usyk by saying “Dick Turpin wore a mask”.
Fury cannot help but view a potential trilogy clash with a degree of scepticism, believing his opponent will get the decision regardless unless he knocks him out.
“I want a third fight but, the thing is: I know if he stands up at the end of it, I’m not going to get a decision.
“For me, it’s like you may as well give him the fight. Before we even box, give him the W [win] and just give me the money, because that’s what’s going to happen anyway – if I don’t knock him out.
“If I could’ve knocked him out, I would’ve done already. He’s a tough man and, every time he gets hurt, he can sort of nip and run away with his speed and agility.
“So yeah, I’m not going to get a decision; it’s not going to be a fair result.”
First, the 39-year-old must defend his WBC world heavyweight title against kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23, before targeting the winner of Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois, which takes place for Wardley’s WBO world title on May 9.
After that, Usyk has insisted that he would be eager to face Fury once again, having potentially reclaimed his undisputed crown.
Aberdeen have made an approach to Scottish Premiership rivals St Mirren for manager Stephen Robinson.
The Pittodrie club have announced they have “been officially given permission to enter formal talks” with the 51-year-old Northern Irishman about their managerial vacancy.
Peter Leven has been in caretaker charge since Aberdeen sacked Jimmy Thelin in early January.
But they suffered a bruising 3-0 defeat by second-tier Dunfermline Athletic in Saturday’s Scottish Cup quarter-final and have won just once in eight outings.
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Robinson, meanwhile, led St Mirren to their second cup semi-final of the season on Sunday as the Paisley side defeated Partick Thistle having already gone on to lift the League Cup in November.
He led the Buddies to top-six finishes in his previous three seasons, although they currently sit 10th, one place and five points below Aberdeen, just three ahead of Kilmarnock in the relegation play-off spot.
Old Park Star (15/8) got favourite backers off to a winning start in the Grade 1 Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.
The winner, a 78th at the Festival for trainer Nicky Henderson and his Seven Barrows team, was ridden by Nico de Boinville.
The well-touted Irish-trained representatives disappointed in the opening race, where British-handled winners filled the first four places.
Sober Glory (9/2) was runner-up, one and a half lengths behind the winner.
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The third-placed Mydaddypaddy, ridden by Dan Skelton, was third, a nose behind the runner-up. He may have been the unlucky runner in the race as he found himself sandwiched between the winner and runner-up inside the closing stages.
El Cairos best of the Irish
Best of the Irish was the Gordon Elliott-trained El Cairos (15/2) who came home in fifth place for Jack Kennedy.
Too Bossy For Us, the mount of Paul Townend following the earlier withdrawal of Leader D’Allier, was next best of the Irish-trained runner, with Talk The Talk next to cross the line in seventh.
The first Irish-trained winner of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival came courtesy of Kargese (7/1) in the Grade 1 Arkle Trophy Novice Chase.
Ridden by Danny Mullins, the Kenny Alexander-owned mare, brought up a 1-2 to Closutton handler Willie Mullins, as she beat her stable companion, Kopek Des Bordes (11/8).
Billed as a clash between the Cork-owned pair of Lulamba (11/10 favourite), owned by Joe Donnelly, and last year’s SkyBet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle victor, Kopek Des Bordes, Kargese, second in the Irish Arkle, was seen as next best in the market.
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Jumping is the name of the game and both Lulamba, in the hands of Nico de Boinville, and Kopek Des Bordes, with Paul Townend in the saddle, both made mistakes which ultimately provided crucial.
The latter’s final error of three over the two-mile Grade 1 contest came at the final fence, when he looked as though he might defeat the mare.
Without enough time to regain momentum, Danny Mullins drove clear aboard Kargese as she ran out a two and a half length winner.
The Charles McCarthy-owned Kopek Des Bordes had two and a half lengths in hand on Lulamba at the line.
Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen was overcome with emotion on Tuesday night after fans of the Turkish club displayed a touching banner in his honour before their Champions League clash with Liverpool F.C.
Moments before kick-off at Rams Park, supporters of Galatasaray S.K. raised a huge tifo showing a portrait of Osimhen and his late mother. The banner also carried a message that read: “We are family and family is everything.”
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The Nigerian striker looked visibly emotional as he lined up with his teammates ahead of the match. Osimhen was seen wiping away tears while being comforted by teammates, including midfielder Lucas Torreira.
The moment quickly spread across social media as fans praised the Galatasaray supporters for the powerful tribute to the 27-year-old forward.
Osimhen has often spoken about the difficult moments he faced while growing up in Nigeria, especially the loss of his mother at a young age. The striker has said that football became his escape from hardship and helped him support his family.
The emotional scene at Rams Park showed the strong bond between the player and the Galatasaray fans, who continue to celebrate his impact at the club.
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Many supporters inside the stadium applauded the striker as he prepared to lead the line for the Turkish champions in the crucial Champions League encounter.
DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage is an elusive item required to complete the Journey to Heaven quests. This item is a random drop from the DIO Raid battle and Legendary Chests, contributing to its elusiveness. Since it is a crucial item for getting the Made in Heaven Stand, endgame players will be looking to add this Diary to their collection.
Here’s how you can get DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage.
Getting DIO’s Diary in Bizarre Lineage
Clear the DIO Raid for a chance to get DIO’s Diary (Image via Roblox)
As mentioned earlier, there are two ways of getting DIO’s Diary: the DIO Raid battle and Legendary Chests. While it is the more challenging option, the DIO Raid battle is one of the required quests for completing the Journey to Heaven quests. So, since you will be defeating the Raid boss numerous times for the SSS Rank, you will most likely get the Diary in the process. This is an efficient way to get the Diary without having to grind for it separately.
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If that fails, you will also get a large number of Legendary Chests in the process. Open them for a random chance to get DIO’s Diary. Note that since DIO’s Diary is a Mythical item, the odds of getting it through Chest openings are extremely low. So, we only recommend relying on Chests as a last resort.
DIO’s Diary serves a single purpose: to evolve C-Moon into Made in Heaven. The item is used in the final step of the evolution process: the Journey to Heaven 4 quest. After completing all preceding Journey to Heaven missions, take the Diary to Pucci inside the cathedral near Bus Stop 18. Give the Diary to Pucci to initiate the transformation of your C-Moon Stand into Made in Heaven.
Note that you can only use the Diary if you have C-Moon as your active Stand. If you wish to acquire Made in Heaven, the strongest Stand in the game, refrain from using Stand Arrows and Lucky Arrows while C-Moon is active.
Norwegian club Molde FK has released an official statement regarding former Nigeria U-20 midfielder Daniel Daga after his recent sentencing.
The club addressed the situation while explaining its position and the steps it has taken as the legal process continues.
In a statement, Molde described the situation as difficult for everyone involved and stressed that the club has a duty to handle the matter responsibly.
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“This is a very difficult case for everyone involved.
Molde Football Club has a responsibility as an employer to take care of our employees in a responsible manner, while also having great respect for the seriousness of the case and the burden it places on all affected parties,” the club said.
The Norwegian side also confirmed that the Nigerian midfielder will not take part in matchday activities for now.
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“In light of the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the matchday squad until further notice.”
Molde had earlier announced in December that Daga would be withdrawn from both training sessions and matches while the legal proceedings were ongoing.
The club says it will continue to monitor the situation as the case develops.
The recent court ruling involving Nigerian midfielder Daniel Daga has sparked serious discussion in the football community. However, despite the six-month prison sentence handed down by a Norwegian court, I remain confident that justice will prevail when the case goes to appeal.
Daga, a Nigeria U-20 international and player for Molde FK, was sentenced to six months in prison by the Nordmøre og Romsdal District Court after being convicted of committing a sexual act against a person who did not consent.
In addition to the custodial sentence, the 19-year-old midfielder was ordered to pay NOK 10,000 in legal costs, which is about ₦1.45 million.
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However, the case is far from over. Daga’s legal team has already filed an appeal, meaning the verdict is not final under Norwegian law.
His lawyer, Astrid Bolstad, made it clear that the player strongly disagrees with the ruling and continues to maintain his innocence.
“He is terribly sorry that the verdict was the way it was. He believes he is innocent and that everything happened with consent,” Bolstad said.
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“He will appeal the verdict. The verdict is not final. He will be treated like everyone else until he is sentenced.”
From what has been presented so far, Daga admitted that he had a sexual encounter with the lady involved, but he insists that it was consensual. According to his position, the claim that it was not consensual is simply not true.
Sadly, football has seen situations before where accusations have damaged the reputation and careers of players before the full truth emerged. There have been cases where footballers were accused of similar offences but were later cleared after long legal battles.
This is why I strongly believe that the appeal process will give the court another opportunity to carefully examine the facts of the case. Justice requires patience, and appeals exist precisely for situations like this.
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Another very important point is the position of his club, Molde. Unlike many clubs that quickly distance themselves from players facing legal problems, Molde have chosen to stand by Daga while respecting the seriousness of the case.
The club said in a statement:
“This is a very difficult case for everyone involved. Molde Football Club has a responsibility as an employer to take care of our employees in a responsible manner, while also having great respect for the seriousness of the case and the burden it places on all affected parties.”
Molde also confirmed that the midfielder will not be involved in matchday activities while the legal process continues.
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“In light of the situation and the ongoing legal process, the club has decided that the player will not be part of the matchday squad until further notice.”
This support from the club is significant. It shows that Molde still believe in their player and are prepared to allow the legal process run its course.
It is also important to clarify that because the case has been appealed, the legal process is still ongoing and the verdict is not final. The appeal will determine the final outcome.
For me, the key issue is simple: justice must be based on facts and truth. I remain convinced that when the appeal process is completed, Daniel Daga will clear his name and return to football stronger.
