Feb 20, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) talks with referee Suyash Mehta (82) in the second quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Anthony Edwards scored 40 points on 16-for-30 shooting, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held on for a 122-111 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night in Minneapolis.
Rudy Gobert notched a double-double with 22 points and 17 rebounds for Minnesota, which won its third game in a row as it returned from the All-Star break. Naz Reid scored 21 points off the bench, and Julius Randle contributed 13 points.
Khris Middleton scored 18 points to lead Dallas, which lost its 10th consecutive game. Naji Marshall and Marvin Bagley III finished with 15 points apiece.
Edwards shined throughout the game, including the final minutes with the Timberwolves’ lead in the single digits. He scored seven points in the last 2:27 on a floating jump shot, a pull-up jumper from the elbow and a 3-pointer from the left corner.
The Timberwolves closed the game on an 11-4 run after Dallas cut the deficit to four.
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Earlier in the fourth quarter, Dallas went on a 12-2 run to tie the score at 103-all with 6:55 to go.
Minnesota led 69-57 at the half.
The Timberwolves jumped to a 40-25 lead at the end of the first quarter. Donte DiVincenzo buried a trio of 3-pointers in the first six minutes to help Minnesota grab the early lead.
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Reid provided a highlight-reel dunk late in the first quarter. He dribbled behind his back before elevating for a thunderous right-handed slam over a leaping Daniel Gafford, who stands 6-foot-10 but was overpowered by the leaping Reid.
The Mavericks played without star rookie Cooper Flagg, who remained sidelined because of a sprained foot. The injury forced Flagg to miss the NBA All-Star activities last weekend.
Gobert picked up a flagrant foul after striking Bagley during a battle for a rebound in the second quarter. He surpassed the limit for flagrant fouls on the season and will be suspended for Sunday’s home game against the Philadelphia 76ers unless the league reassesses the call and downgrades the flagrant foul violation before then.
Former WWE employee Janel Grant recently made a huge public appearance. She had earlier filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon.
A huge lawsuit against Mr. McMahon rocked the WWE. The former WWE paralegal in her 2024 lawsuit detailed that Vince McMahon sexually abused and trafficked her during her employment in the company. The former CEO and Chairman denied the claims but had to step away from his roles in the company.
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In a 16-minute address to the press, Miss Grant detailed that many employees at the WWE Headquarters in Stamford, CT, remain intimidated, despite McMahon stepping away from the company years ago. She also recalled the terrifying moment she knew that the media would be publishing her story, and she would not be able to talk about it openly.
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“So imagine me getting a phone call I didn’t expect, saying that at any minute the Wall Street Journal would be publishing a story about me, Vince McMahon, and a non-disclosure agreement. I was told, if anybody asks me about this, I can’t make a comment, I can’t acknowledge it, I can’t say I’m not okay, and if anybody approaches me, I can’t acknowledge years of life to people who saw me live it. And it was like somebody set fire to my home intentionally with me still inside of it.” (H/T Post Wrestling)
The former WWE employee went on to describe how she tried to end her life, but someone saw her and stopped it from happening.
Janel Grant spoke about the NDA with Vince McMahon
During the address, Janel Grant argued that non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) were being misused to hide harmful behavior rather than protect privacy. She suggested that when NDAs are used this way, they allow misconduct to continue and affect future victims.
Grant described feeling isolated and financially strained by what happened to her. She said the NDA allowed exploitation to continue without checks. She also recalled rejecting an alleged effort to call her relationship with Vince McMahon consensual.
Tensions might be brewing within the MFTs after Shinsuke Nakamura confronted Tama Tonga backstage this week on WWE SmackDown. The two superstars have a lot of history with one another.
Tonga is in his second reign as the WWE Tag Team Champions. He won the titles with MFT leader Solo Sikoa and went on to pick up two huge singles wins, with the first being against Nakamura on SmackDown. This week on the blue brand, Tonga defeated Ilja Dragunov.
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Backstage, Sikoa congratulated Tonga on his win and said that one day he would win the United States Championship. But, for now, the 43-year-old superstar needed to focus on The Wyatt Sicks, who have been feuding with the MFTs for months. This led to another exchange between Nakamura, who walked into the MFTs locker room and told Tonga that he was in Sikoa’s shadow and would never be a man of his own.
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Check out the exchange between Nakamura and Tonga:
Tama Tonga shared a three-word message after beating Shinsuke Nakamura on WWE SmackDown
Tama Tonga shared a three-word message after he beat Shinsuke Nakamura on SmackDown. The two locked horns several weeks ago, with Tonga walking out with the win.
On social media, he shared a video of himself working out after the win and shared a three-word message. The tag team champion wrote:
“Pressure stays on. #BackToWork,”
Tonga has been loyal to Solo Sikoa from the first day he arrived in the WWE. He debuted post-WrestleMania XL, attacking Jimmy Uso and replacing him in Sikoa’s newly formed Bloodline.
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After an absence from television due to injury, Tonga returned to align with the MFTs, as Sikoa rebranded the group from the new Bloodline to the MFTs. The reigning tag team champion has had his sights on the United States Championship for a while.
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson takes the field before kickoff against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 10, 2023, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, preparing for his regular-season debut as the franchise’s young signal-caller while fans fill the stadium for an AFC South matchup. Mandatory Credit: Jenna Watson-USA TODAY NETWORK.
NFL free agency is 16 days away, and many of the rumors in the Minnesota Vikings’ orbit will receive verdicts. Until then, the rumor mill continues, focusing this week on quarterback and — you guessed it — free agents.
Three Vikings rumors to track: Richardson as an upside swing, Hilton as a Flores fit, and McCarthy trade buzz rising.
An offseason is markedly more interesting when a football team doesn’t have an official general manager.
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The Purple Rumor Mill before the NFL Combine
A peek at the purple gossip for the week.
Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. delivers a throw during training camp on July 28, 2025, at Grand Park in Westfield, Indiana, working through drills as coaches evaluate timing, footwork, and arm strength ahead of the preseason while teammates cycle through reps in a competitive summer practice environment. Mandatory Credit: Mykal McEldowney-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
Rumor: Anthony Richardson is a serious trade option for the Vikings.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay mapped out four possible landing spots for Richardson, and alongside the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, and Pittsburgh Steelers, the Vikings made the list.
He scribed, “After going 14-3 with Sam Darnold at the helm in 2024, the Minnesota Vikings could be in the market for another rehabilitation project. Richardson would fit the bill as a promising talent who hasn’t come close to meeting the lofty expectations set by his first-round draft position.”
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“While Minnesota will be working to build up J.J. McCarthy after a rough sophomore campaign, the No. 10 overall pick in 2024 has proved to be injury-prone early in his NFL career. He already missed his entire rookie season and seven games in 2025, making quarterback depth a priority this offseason.”
Richardson doesn’t profile as a seamless fit in Kevin O’Connell’s current scheme, yet the physical upside remains obvious. The arm strength, mobility, and off-platform flashes still intrigue many.
Kay added, “O’Connell seems to believe Richardson has real potential to develop into a superstar despite the rough start to his career. After his Vikings bested the Colts midway through the 2024 season — a game Richardson spent on the bench backing up Joe Flacco — O’Connell went out of his way to heap praise upon the young QB.”
“Richardson could do far worse than landing in the Twin Cities this offseason. He’ll have a fantastic opportunity to develop his game and could even end up starting if McCarthy goes down with another injury in 2026.”
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The scenario hinges on how aggressive Minnesota wants to be at quarterback. The Vikings may explore upside swings like Richardson if they don’t prefer a more experienced veteran passer. Will Levis falls in this category, too.
Rumor: Minnesota could target veteran corner Mike Hilton in free agency.
Pro Football Focus‘s Mason Cameron broke down ideal landing spots for the NFL’s top five free-agent cornerbacks this week, and Hilton somehow popped up as a fit for Minnesota. That raised some eyebrows, given Hilton isn’t typically grouped among the splashier names in this year’s class. Cameron, however, sees the Vikings as a natural fit. .
He wrote, “Best Landing Spot: Minnesota Vikings. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has a reputation for running the most aggressive, blitz-heavy defenses in the NFL. That scheme requires multifaceted cornerback play, particularly in the slot, where the Vikings frequently deploy Byron Murphy Jr. Although talented, Murphy struggled inside in 2025, ranking in the sixth percentile in slot PFF coverage grade (49.3).”
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“Adding a full-time slot cornerback to better fill out the roster would allow Murphy to remain outside, where he’s far more effective. While Mike Hilton saw limited time on the field in 2025, his overall profile suggests he has far more to contribute in the right situation.”
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton reacts after a defensive stop in overtime against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 16, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, celebrating a turnover on downs during a tense late-game sequence that shifted momentum in a tightly contested matchup. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports.
Hilton’s calling card has long been his willingness to attack. He thrives near the line of scrimmage and fits comfortably in pressure-heavy structures, which makes the Flores connection logical rather than surprising.
Cameron added, “Hilton could step in and man the slot role to a high level, evidenced by his 76.3 slot PFF coverage grade since the start of 2023 — the seventh-highest mark in the NFL over that span.”
“Additionally, the veteran cornerback could be used as a versatile weapon in blitz packages, as he has been in previous stops with the Bengals and Steelers, with whom he generated seven or more pressures in each full season of his career.”
Hilton, as a 2026 addition, would serve as a short-term stabilizer rather than a long-term solution. At 32, he’d be a steady presence who can solidify the slot and elevate pressure packages.
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But he’s not a long-term remedy.
Rumor: Per ESPN, J.J. McCarthy already needs a change of scenery.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz named a player from each team this week who needs a “change of scenery.” For Minnesota, Schatz picked McCarthy.
Schatz explained, “This is likely never going to happen, because it would be ridiculous for the Vikings to unload a player who still has first-round upside after 10 starts. However, a fresh start for McCarthy with a different organization might be the best thing for his career.”
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“Yes, you want a young quarterback to be with an offensive mind such as Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell for the purposes of his development. However, things went so badly for the Vikings with McCarthy last season that it might be best to get him out of the shadow of Super Bowl winner Sam Darnold.”
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy embraces a fan following the game against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 2, 2025, at Ford Field in Detroit, sharing a postgame moment after a divisional battle as supporters linger near the tunnel to greet players exiting the field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images.
The only way to give McCarthy a chance of scenery right now — he has up to three years left of team control on his rookie deal — would be a trade, presumably one in which the Vikings package a player for a better quarterback.
Schatz’s idea is unlikely, but it’s not absolutely out of the realm of possibility.
Former UConn football standout and Texas laboratory owner Keith J. Gray was convicted Thursday for his role in a wide-ranging genetic testing fraud scheme, the Justice Department announced Friday.
According to investigators, the cardiovascular testing scheme generated up to $328 million in fraudulent claims. Gray, who never appeared in a regular season NFL game, owns Axis Professional Labs and Kingdom Health Laboratory.
He was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks, five counts of violating the anti-kickback statute. Gray also faces three counts of money laundering, a news release from the DOJ confirmed.
Texas lab owner and former NFL player Keith J. Gray was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks. Gray faces five counts of violating the anti-kickback statute and three counts of money laundering.(Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
Prosecutors said Gray knowingly billed Medicare for “medically unnecessary genetic tests designed to evaluate the risk of various cardiovascular diseases and conditions.” According to officials, Gray provided kickbacks in return for referrals of DNA samples and executed test orders authorizing the procedures.
Marketers would seek out Medicare beneficiaries and “doctor chase” to uncover the identity of the beneficiaries’ primary care physicians. Prosecutors said that once an individual’s identity was obtained, a doctor was believed to have been pressured into approving the tests.
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Fabricated documents and invoices were used to try and conceal payments that listed charges for “marketing” hours. Another aspect of the operation involved Gray allegedly mischaracterizing the payments as “software” expenses or labeling them as non-existent loans.
Keith Gray of the Carolina Panthers poses for his 2009 NFL headshot at photo day in Charlotte, North Carolina.(NFL Photos )
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence including text messages between Gray and a co-conspirator. The messages appeared to be enthusiastic exchanges between the two over the anticipation of the money they were gaining from Medicare.
“$ent, you should have it any minute if you don’t already. Get it?” Gray then replied by saying, “Sorry I was filling my bathtub with ones. Yes lol.”
Texas lab owner and former NFL player Keith J. Gray was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to pay and receive health care kickbacks. Gray faces up to 10 years in prison for each count.
Axis and Kingdom billed Medicare an estimated $328 million for false claims, while Medicare paid claims totaling approximately $54 million. A sentencing date for Gray was not immediately announced. He faces up to 10 years in prison for each count.
Spending extended periods with Mark Walker’s Cranbourne operation has only heightened the stable’s appreciation for Geegees Mistruth.
Last spring, the Tasmanian-bred four-year-old moved from Stuart Gandy’s yard to join Walker.
Having secured six wins from 15 starts, Geegees Mistruth is still seeking her first mainland victory, with the Walker team optimistic about the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on Caulfield’s Saturday card.
Assistant-trainer Ben Gleeson indicated the preparation focused on maintaining freshness for the mare in this race.
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Gleeson highlighted how the reduced field suits Geegees Mistruth perfectly.
The mare notched placings in all three of her outings for the Walker stable.
She opened her recent preparation third over 1000m at Caulfield on January 24 before resuming jump-outs with a win on February 9.
“She trialled up impressively and we’ve intentionally gone a month between runs, second-up, which her record is two wins, two seconds,” Gleeson said.
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“She flies with that little bit of freshness in her.
“She couldn’t have trialled any better and her gallop on Tuesday was excellent.
“The less than capacity field suits as she can find trouble in the run, but the extra 100 metres is good and hopefully those gaps come easier for her.”
Gleeson noted Geegees Mistruth’s training challenges, but emphasized improving control as time progresses in the stable.
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“We’ve tried a few different things with her training, and we think that it’s working,” Gleeson said.
“She’s a trick to train, but we love her, and we think we’ve got the best of her now and hopefully on Saturday she shows it.”
The reunion between jockey Jye McNeil and Buckaroo, who placed in the Cox Plate, occurs for the gelding’s autumn campaign opener at Caulfield.
On Saturday, Buckaroo resumes in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield under McNeil’s guidance.
Out of Buckaroo’s 31 starts to date, McNeil’s sole previous ride came in last spring’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes, run over Saturday’s track and distance.
In that Memsie Stakes, Buckaroo grabbed third spot behind Treasurethe Moment and Mr Brightside, then notched placings in the Underwood Stakes, the Might And Power along with Cox Plate – all Group 1 contests – ending with a tail-end finish in the Melbourne Cup.
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Following the Memsie Stakes, Buckaroo had Blake Shinn, James McDonald, Mark Zahra and Craig Williams as his jockeys in those next four appearances.
Buckaroo prepared with two Sydney trials and appeared at Caulfield on Tuesday morning partnered by McNeil.
“Last campaign I rode him first-up in the Memsie over the same distance and he surprised a few people by running really well,” McNeil said.
“He was third behind Treasurethe Moment and Mr Brightside, and if he can put a run together like that, I think the team would be very happy.
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“He seems fantastic in the work he did. I didn’t work him going into last campaign, but he seems very well.
“I’m not sure how long I’ll be partnering him but I’m looking forward to the opportunity on Saturday.”
Buckaroo is expected to handle any Saturday track upgrade from the anticipated Good 4, per McNeil.
“The track was on the firmer side on Tuesday morning, but we didn’t do too much, just held him together, and he felt fine,” McNeil said.
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View the best online bookmakers for betting markets on Buckaroo in the Futurity Stakes.
‘The Mexican Monster’ was initially expected to return with another title defence for his next bout as he looked to affirm his status as one of the best 175lbs fighters in the world, but he surprised everybody when he announced his intentions to move to cruiserweight.
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He heads to the 200lb division to take on unified WBA and WBO champion Ramirez, and the bout has now been made official for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday 2 May.
Ramirez will be returning after a near one-year absence, with his last bout coming in June 2025 when he successfully retained his titles with a unanimous decision win over Yuniel Dorticos.
A victory over Benavidez would undoubtedly be the biggest win of Ramirez’s career so far, who has suffered just one loss in his 49 professional fights, coming when he campaigned at light heavyweight at the hands of Dmitry Bivol back in November 2022.
Benavidez would become a three-weight world champion if he is triumphant in May, having previously also reigned as WBC super-middleweight champion on two occasions.
Conor Benn has made a shock change to his career after it was announced he has signed with Zuffa Boxing and Dana White.
Benn had been promoted by Matchroom Boxing for his entire tenure after making his professional debut back in 2016, and has established himself as one of the biggest names in Britain.
Those bouts ended a difficult chapter for Benn, who in October 2022 was forced to pull out of his initially planned fight date with Eubank after a failed drugs test, leading to a several year battle in an attempt to clear his name.
Matchroom and Eddie Hearn stood by Benn throughout that saga, and had big plans for the future following the win over Eubank, but Benn will now make those plans alongside his new promotional outfit Zuffa Boxing.
“First and foremost, I want to thank Eddie and the entire team at Matchroom for everything they’ve done for me over the past decade. From guiding me when I first turned pro, to headlining stadium shows. They were not only with me for those highlight moments but stood shoulder to shoulder with me during the tough times.
“It’s been a journey beyond anything we could have imagined, and for their belief, support and guidance, I will always be truly grateful, but Zuffa Boxing presented me with an opportunity I simply couldn’t refuse. I’d love Eddie to continue to be part of my team and for our partnership to evolve in this new chapter.
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“I’m filled with excitement and hunger for what’s ahead with Zuffa Boxing. I want the legacy fights, the biggest nights, the biggest stages. I fear no man at any weight, and I’m ready to give the fans the fights they’ve been calling for. I’m in my prime, and together we have bold, ambitious plans.”
‘The Destroyer’ had targeted fights with a number of big names, including the winner of Saturday’s WBC title fight between Mario Barrios and Ryan Garcia, along with newly-crowned WBO champion Shakur Stevenson, with Zuffa now the ones tasked with making those bouts.
Hockey fans on social media reacted as Team USA booked its spot in the gold medal game at the Olympics.
On Friday, the United States delivered a dominant performance, defeating Slovakia 6-2 in the semifinal. Team USA will now battle for gold against rival Team Canada, which edged Finland 3-2 in a thrilling comeback victory.
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This will be the second straight high-stakes final between the USA and Canada after the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. Here’s how fans on X (formerly called Twitter) reacted.
One tweeted:
“Let’s go team USA! We need this win, so we can make Canada cry for a second time in a matter of a few days.”
“USA vs Canada for a gold medal is a travesty for the sport of hockey.”
Here are some of the other top reactions on X:
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“Women’s hockey just ain’t for me. All due respect to these lovely ladies but this USA vs Canada gold medal match has been BRUTAL. Are they skating with cement filled boots or something?” a third fan wrote.
“Watching the Canadians cry after losing is satisfying now. I never would have felt that way before Trudeau & Carney,” one X user wrote.
“And against Canada….Wouldn’t want it any other way. Go get the gold, boys!!” another chimed in.
“All that for Midtthews to lose another winner take all game,” added another.
Team USA advanced to the gold medal game after defeating Slovakia 6-2 in semifinal at Olympics
Dylan Larkin opened the scoring for the United States after putting them ahead 1-0 at 4:19 of the first period. With less than a minute remaining in the period, Tage Thompson scored on the power play to make it 2-0 before heading into the second period.
Jack Hughes scored at 12:14 of the second period to increase the lead to 3-0. Jack Eichel made it 4-0 at 12:33, before Hughes scored his second of the night to make it 5-0 for Team USA before the final period.
Juraj Slafkovsky scored for Team Slovakia, cutting the deficit to 5-1 at 4:55 of the third period. Brady Tkachuk scored at 10:52 to make it 6-1 for the United States. Pavel Regenda scored for Slovakia at 13:17 for the final scoreline of 6-2.
Team USA will be up against Team Canada for the Olympic gold medal game on Sunday.
Terry Dunfield only took to the field once for Manchester City in the Premier League, but off the pitch the club saved his career.
His story is one of travel, trauma and turnarounds. Leaving Canada as a 14-year-old to break through at City, suffering a horrible injury while playing for Bury that left his career in the balance before rebuilding, rehabilitating and returning to forge a successful career in England and his homeland that culminated in international recognition.
But it’s behind the scenes at City, in the depths of his injury nightmare, that proved the pivotal period in Dunfield’s footballing journey, and it was club physio Robin Sadler who saved the day.
“Without him we are probably not talking now,” says Dunfield, speaking to the MEN from the other side of the Atlantic. “He was there when I was in the academy and he took me under his wing. Following a second surgery, I remember being in parks by his house training and at Carrington using the facilities when the lads left for the day. I owe Robin for my life.”
The broken kneecap was sustained in a game for Bury, where Dunfield had joined after choosing to leave City as a 20-year-old, and having impressed with the Shakers in the fourth tier a move higher up the pyramid looked likely.
“The part that was really hard for me was that I had started to get my s**t together when I was at Bury and got injured three days before the transfer window,” he explains. “I believe that January I would have moved on. I was probably tracking to be playing higher than where Bury was, with all due respect. Everything was going well and it was taken away so it was double amplified.
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“Your support network becomes your teammates, that never disappeared. But it was always whether I would get another chance because of my knee, when I did I didn’t take it for granted but man was I going to make the most of it.”
And make the most of it he did.
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A move to Macclesfield, where Dunfield was living and who had his former City reserve team boss Asa Hartfield on the staff, followed and impressive performances saw him join Shrewsbury Town and play at Wembley in the League Two play-off final before he returned home to play for fledgling MLS franchise Vancouver Whitecaps and latterly Toronto FC.
“The Whitecaps were coming into MLS and that was my hometown and they found a way back to bring me home,” recalls Dunfield. “The opening game for the Whitecaps, there was 30,000 there, the only problem was that I played a bit too well against Toronto and got traded there six months later.”
After 17 years, Dunfield’s career ended in Canada, but it started in Manchester. Spotted by City playing in a youth tournament in Staffordshire, he joined at 14 and progressed through the ranks to a first team debut on the final day of the 2000-01 season. City, under Joe Royle, had already been relegated and Dunfield came on for an injured Jeff Whitley in the first half.
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It was the culmination of seven years of hard work, of a teenager travelling halfway across the world to pursue his dream away from friends and family. Canada to the Premier League in the early 2000s was not a particularly well-trodden path.
“This is what you had to do if you wanted to follow your dreams,” said Dunfield. “My family would come back and forth. I went to school in Macclesfield, I moved into digs with Shaun Wright-Phillips and Michael Brown in Bramhall.
“I think being in England normalised pretty quickly because I got to do what I loved to do every day, at 14 I never thought further ahead of when is the next training session.
“One thing that helped was that I quickly adapted to Manchester culture, I quickly lost my side parting, got a Manchester haircut and even picked up the accent!”
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Dunfield was not just settling off the pitch but on it as well. He impressed coaches and under Royle made the first-team breakthrough with that debut against Chelsea. The hope was it was another stepping stone in his City career rather than the final chapter.
“It went well,” said Dunfield. “A new contract followed and Kevin Keegan came in at the end of the season, I was part of the plans in pre-season.
“The opportunity came to go on loan to Bury and I just enjoyed playing and was ready to play. Probably the worst decision of my life was asking to leave to sign for Bury. Andy Morrison (on the staff at Bury and a former teammate of Dunfield’s at City) was hard to say no to! If I could do things differently I would probably have stayed a bit longer but it was an incredible ride.”
So what was the motivation for moving?
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“It was probably ‘I’ll go prove you wrong’. I had mates in City’s academy who had gone out on loan, probably a bit of impatience as well. Thinking back I had Ali Benarbia and Eyal Berkovic ahead of me.
“But I think going to Bury was a great way to grow up and I loved it but unfortunately I had a really bad injury. I was able to get over that but at that point it was finding a way to have a career rather than playing with a ton of freedom and pushing the limits of my potential.”
Not only did Dunfield, with more than a little help from City, find a way. He became a Canada international, winning 14 caps.
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He spent three seasons as a player with Toronto FC and, following his retirement in 2015, transitioned into coaching at the club, including a spell as caretaker manager and a year as an assistant coach. That progression led to opportunities with the national team at age-group levels, building up to an assistant coach role at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Dunfield is well placed to look ahead to this summer’s World Cup, which is being co-hosted by Canada.
“It’s really exciting,” he said. “When we qualified for Qatar, players like Jonathan David and Alphonso Davies had began to kill the stigma that Canadian players should be playing ice hockey.
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“There has been growth since 2022 and we’re tracking in the right direction, the big question here is how do you capture everything that is coming here and ensure there is legacy and long-term development beyond 2026?
“There is a system now for players to follow their dreams, whereas when I was young, to be a pro and have a career each of us had to find a way. Each player’s story was very different.”
Dunfield’s story is certainly different, a career made and saved in Manchester.
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