It just wasn’t a good enough one to beat a Carolina Hurricanes team that was an NHL-best 22-7-0 this season when coming off a loss.
The Hurricanes hadn’t yet had to rebound through the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, though. Their full-throttle steamrolling of the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers in eight games gave the hockey world a taste of just how good they are at their best, and after a night on which they were far from it to start the Eastern Conference Final, they rebounded as expected — with a win.
What was the difference in this one versus the 6-2 Game 1 loss the Canadiens handed the Hurricanes?
“I think it was mostly them,” said Canadiens defenceman Alex Carrier. “I think they played a great game. They were hard on pucks. They didn’t give us much time and space with the puck…”
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And the Canadiens didn’t manage to break from that pressure quite as often in order to do the things that made them so dangerous with the puck in Game 1. They spent nearly 30 of the first 60 minutes chasing it around their own end in Game 2, according to SportLogiq. And even if they only gave up 24 shots and two goals to that point, they didn’t have enough energy or precision to take advantage of successfully exiting their zone in control of the puck 75 per cent of the time.
When Oliver Kapanen became the fourth Canadiens player to fail to get the puck deep into Carolina’s zone in overtime, Nikolaj Ehlers raced down the right wing, took a pass from Mark Jankowski and shot the puck past goaltender Jakub Dobes for the goal that made it 3-2 Hurricanes and tied the series 1-1.
Andrei Svechnikov predicted they’d do it.
On Saturday morning, referencing a strong second period in Game 1, the Russian winger said to reporters at Lenovo Center, “We were dominating them, and that’s what we’re going to do tonight.”
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The Hurricanes followed suit. Immediately.
Eric Robinson scored his second of the series on Carolina’s first shot on net, 2:33 into the first period.
After Josh Anderson tied it on Montreal’s first shot of the game, which came 11:11 in, the Hurricanes regained control and didn’t relinquish it before Ehlers gave them a 2-1 lead 17:03 into the second period.
Anderson’s second tying goal, in the 13th minute of the third, gave the Canadiens momentum they were chasing all night.
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But they didn’t hang onto it long enough.
On the whole, the game felt like a good example of how the resilient Canadiens could take a haymaker and stay on their feet.
They just didn’t find a way to counterpunch as much as they needed to.
“I felt we could’ve created space a little better and had a bit more time to execute,” said Mike Matheson.
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“I thought we didn’t possess it through the neutral zone as well,” said Nick Suzuki.
“We missed a bit of execution that didn’t permit our defencemen to join the wave,” added Martin St. Louis. “Our lack of execution kept us from attacking as much.”
And yet the Canadiens were in this game the whole way.
“Overall, it was a battle out there. I thought we competed,” said St. Louis. “It’s a fine line between winning and losing.”
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The Hurricanes found a way to straddle it better, as they expected they would.
As a group, they were much more connected on their patented five-man forecheck. They disrupted much more of Montreal’s flow up the ice, particularly in the neutral zone. And they limited the Canadiens to 12 shots on net, blocked another 19, and made Frederik Andersen’s job much easier than it was in Game 1.
Individually, Andersen wasn’t the only one to bounce back. Jaccob Slavin, the ever-steady defensive conscience of his team, rebounded from an uncharacteristically bad performance that left him minus-4 and blaming himself for the loss on Thursday. He notched an assist and finished plus-3 over 29 of the best shifts anyone played on Saturday night.
And Jordan Staal’s line, with Jordan Martinook and Ehlers, did a number on Suzuki’s with Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky, who were dominant in Game 1 away from that hard matchup.
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Those three were relatively muted offensively in Game 2, as were the Canadiens as a whole.
“We’ve just got to adjust a bit more,” said Carrier.
The speed at which he and the Canadiens executed on Thursday was lacking Saturday. As was the poise with which they made their plays. And while the Hurricanes could take the lion’s share of the credit for that, Carrier and his teammates owned some of it too.
Still, they defended hard and absorbed all that Carolina pressure to hold the Hurricanes to only nine slot shots.
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By the end of regulation, the Canadiens had generated seven of their own and out-chanced Carolina off the rush 6-2. SportLogiq had them at a 45 per cent win probability, despite the heavy territorial advantage for the Hurricanes.
It’s why when Matheson was asked if the loss was at all confidence-rattling for his team, he responded, “No.”
“I still feel like we did a lot of good things,” Matheson added.
The Canadiens just didn’t do enough of them to win.
New York Giants outside linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux warms up before a regular season matchup on Sept. 26, 2022, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Thibodeaux entered the season as one of the NFL’s most intriguing young pass rushers after arriving in New York as a highly touted first-round draft pick from Oregon. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
With the Minnesota Vikings’ regular season kicking off on Sept. 13 in Minneapolis against the Green Bay Packers, and training camp less than 10 weeks away, the full schedule is finally set. Along the way, VikingsTerritory returns with the latest chatter from the rumor mill.
Minnesota’s rumor mill has fresh material on a Giants pass rusher, its new quarterback, and a former Vikings defender.
As June approaches, this marks the second of our two weekly rumor batches of the weekend.
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A Splashy Trade Idea Leads the Latest Vikings Rumors
The Purple Rumor Mill for May 24th, 2026.
New York Giants linebackers Brian Burns (0) and Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) celebrate after sacking Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott on Sep. 26, 2024, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Giants’ pass-rushing duo helped pressure Prescott throughout the divisional matchup while energizing New York’s defense during a nationally televised NFC East showdown. Mandatory Credit: Julian Guadalupe-NorthJersey.com
Rumor: If Kayvon Thibodeaux is gettable via trade, the Vikings should inquire.
Fansided‘s Jake Beckman pinpointed one trade candidate per NFL squad this week, and on Thibodeaux to Minnesota, he wrote, “The Vikings traded Johnathon Greenard to the Eagles during the draft, and now they’re going to be missing out on a whole lot of snaps and even more production. Luckily for them, the Giants are sitting there with a plethora of defensive ends and edge rushers.”
“New York might be saying that they’re not going to trade Kayvon Thibodeaux, but that’s what every team says, so they don’t lose leverage in any potential trades. If the Vikings wanted to go and get him, they’d definitely be able to… However, if you’re a Vikings fan, that’s probably not what you want.”
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In 2022, Thibodeaux was considered one of the next premium EDGEs in the league.
Beckman continued, “Sure, Thibodeaux would end up being awesome, but I don’t necessarily want my team to make any trades when they don’t have a general manager. Especially after they just traded a player like Greenard for the low price of two third-round picks.”
Trading for Thibodeaux would be wonderful for the Vikings — if they can find the cap space for his eventual extension. They could not do that for Greenard. How would Thibodeaux be different?
Rumor: Warren Moon questions Kyler Murray’s motivation, though he thinks Murray can play well in MIN.
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Moon chatted with Kay Adams this week and wasn’t shy, delivering bittersweet takes about Murray: “He never looks like he’s motivated. Maybe he is inside, but he just doesn’t give you that demeanor. He doesn’t give you that demeanor. I hope he’s learned over the last couple of years, with all the criticism that he’s taken, with the injuries that he’s gone through. I have to give more of myself to my football team.”
“I have to show people more about what I’m feeling and thinking. You have to do that as a quarterback in order to get people to follow you. Murray is so dynamic. He makes so many plays that you go, ‘Wow.’ And then, all of a sudden, he goes through phases where he doesn’t even look like the same guy.”
The Vikings signed Murray in March to a $1.3 million 2026 contract, a steal of a deal for a productive starting quarterback.
Moon added, “I hope that coming into this situation, he’s re-motivated to show what he can do. He’s been out of the game for a while with injury. He’s going to a great place with a great coaching staff, and he has really excellent weapons to throw the football to. It’s all in his possession if he wants it.”
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“But J.J. McCarthy is right there, too. I don’t think he’s going to make it easy.”
Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon speaks during a press conference announcing the finalists for the 2012 Hall of Fame class on Feb. 4, 2012, at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, Indiana. Moon addressed reporters during Super Bowl week festivities while participating in events honoring the game’s greatest players and contributors. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
This is a familiar Murray grievance: some think he’s a lazy videogame player who doesn’t truly love football. He’ll have to beat those allegations as early as now.
Rumor: Patrick Jones may not make the roster cut down in Carolina.
Maurice Moton at Bleacher Report decided to size up a surprise cut casualty for each NFL team last week, and in Carolina, Jones II got the unfortunate honor.
He explained, “The Carolina Panthers signed a top-tier free agent in Jaelan Phillips. He’ll likely start opposite Nic Scourton on the edge. As a third-rounder from the 2025 draft, Princely Umanmielen could see more time on the field in his second year.”
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“With an established pass-rusher and two high-upside outside linebackers on the depth chart, Patrick Jones II may be in a battle for a limited role after he missed 13 games with a back injury last season. Don’t be surprised if Carolina cuts him and saves $4.75 million in cap space.”
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Patrick Jones II (91) enters the field before facing the Chicago Bears on Jan. 8, 2023, at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. Jones prepared for the regular season finale while continuing his role as a rotational EDGE defender and special teams contributor within Minnesota’s defensive front. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
For Minnesota, Moton nominated veteran safety Theo Jackson as the roster-cut surprise.
Not for nothing, if Moton is right and the Panthers drop Jones II, he could end up back in Minnesota for OLB3 or OLB4 duty. That’s possible.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Lifting the Coupe des Mousquetaires for a fourth time would send the 39-year-old clear as the player with the most major titles.
Djokovic’s last Grand Slam title came at the US Open in 2023, and every subsequent major has been claimed by tennis’ two new dominant forces—Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz.
With double-defending champion Alcaraz missing through injury, Djokovic will enter his first-round match in the night session on Stade Philippe Chatrier against France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard knowing this may well be his best chance of claiming a record-breaking 25th crown.
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“It’s been a lot of hours spent on the court and trying to perfect the game and the body and enable myself physically and game-wise to be ready for best of five (sets),” Djokovic told reporters Friday of his preparations as he returns from a shoulder issue.
“Let’s see. I don’t know whether that’s going to be the case for the entire tournament, however long that tournament will be for me.
“But Grand Slams have been, and I have said this many times, always the priority list, particularly in the last couple of years… So I can’t wait to get on a court and start competing.”
The third-seeded Serb enters the tournament with little match practice on clay after only competing in the Italian Open, where he was eliminated in his opening match earlier this month.
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Djokovic is a different beast when it comes to Grand Slams. Despite his reduced participation in ATP tournaments in recent years, he has nonetheless reached at least the semi-finals at each of the past five majors.
He has, however, been handed a tough draw in the French capital.
First on the menu is former world number 29 Mpetshi Perricard, who, in addition to having one of the biggest serves on the tour, will also enjoy raucous home backing on Roland Garros’ centre court.
Second seed Alexander Zverev will also be in action on the opening day as the German faces home hope Benjamin Bonzi.
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Rising stars Joao Fonseca of Brazil and Czech Jakub Mensik will both open their bids on Court Simonne Mathieu.
‘Never tricky’
Russia’s Mirra Andreeva will be the highest-ranked woman playing on Sunday. The eighth seed meets French wildcard Fiona Ferro on Philippe Chatrier.
“Of course it’s never tricky to play a French player, especially in Paris,” Andreeva joked.
“Because obviously the crowd is gonna support her as much as they can, and that’s totally okay. I mean, I have some experience even from last year when I played quarters, so I pretty much know what to expect.”
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Last year, the 19-year-old stormed through to the last eight before falling to French sensation Lois Boisson in a match in which Andreeva received a warning from the umpire for blasting the ball into the crowd.
Swiss 11th seed Belinda Bencic will open play for the tournament on Philippe Chatrier against Austrian qualifier Sinja Kraus.
Former Grand Slam champions Sofia Kenin, Barbora Krejcikova and Emma Raducanu all start their French Open campaigns too.
Lilli Tagger of Austria, the 2025 junior champion who has drawn comparisons to four-time Roland Garros winner Justine Henin for her elegant single-handed backhand, will make her bow in the senior draw on court nine against Chinese 32nd seed Wang Xinyu.
The Delhi High Court has directed that wrestler Vinesh Phogat be allowed to participate in the Asian Games 2026 selection trials scheduled for May 30 and 31. The Court also ordered that the trials be video-recorded and monitored by independent observers from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
A Division Bench comprising of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia passed the directions while hearing Phogat’s appeal against an interim order of a single judge Bench, which had not granted her interim relief in the pending writ petition challenging the Wrestling Federation of India’s (WFI) selection policy and a show cause notice issued against her.
The Court directed that Phogat shall be permitted to participate in the selection trials, the entire process shall be video-recorded by WFI, and two independent observers nominated by SAI and IOA shall oversee the trials and submit a report before the Single Judge hearing the matter.
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While granting interim relief, the Bench made significant observations on maternity rights of female athletes. The Court observed that motherhood cannot be treated as a professional impediment or a circumstance warranting adverse treatment. It further said that a legal or regulatory framework that disadvantages a woman athlete due to pregnancy or post-partum recovery would violate the principles of equality and dignity under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
The Bench noted that female athletes face extraordinary physical challenges during pregnancy and the post-partum period, which are often insufficiently acknowledged in sporting frameworks. The Court said motherhood deserves accommodation and institutional sensitivity, and should not become a ground for exclusion or marginalisation.
Phogat had challenged the WFI’s Asian Games Selection Policy dated February 25, 2026 and a subsequent circular dated May 6, 2026, which restricted eligibility for the selection trials to medal winners from specified domestic tournaments conducted in 2025 and 2026.
According to the order, Phogat had informed the International Testing Agency (ITA) in December 2024 that she was taking a sabbatical on account of pregnancy and intended to return to competition later. She gave birth to her first child in July 2025 and resumed training thereafter. The ITA subsequently confirmed that she would be eligible to compete from January 1, 2026 onwards.
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The Court observed that because of her maternity-related absence, Phogat could not participate in the championships that formed the basis for eligibility under the WFI policy, resulting in her exclusion from the selection trials. The Bench prima facie found the policy and circular to be arbitrary and discriminatory as they restricted participation only to medal winners from specific events, thereby excluding athletes like Phogat.
The Court also made strong remarks against the observations made by WFI in the show-cause notice issued to Phogat over the Paris Olympics 2024 weigh-in controversy. Referring to remarks describing the incident as a “national embarrassment,” the Bench termed such observations “deplorable” and said they appeared vindictive and premeditated, particularly when the Court of Arbitration for Sport had already observed that there was no wrongdoing on Phogat’s part. (ANI)
At the same time, the Division Bench clarified that it had not expressed any final opinion on the merits of the case and that the pending writ petition before the Single Judge would be decided independently on its own merits.
The New York Knicks took a commanding 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday as the franchise eyes its first NBA Finals berth since 1999.
Jalen Brunson scored 30 points to lead New York to a 121-108 win over Cleveland, while Mikal Bridges added 22 as the Knicks never trailed in Game 3.
The New York Knicks bench reacts during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game three of the Eastern Conference finals at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 23, 2026.(David Richard/Imagn Images)
New York is the seventh team in NBA history to win at least 10 straight during a postseason run. The last team to do it was the Boston Celtics, who also went on a 10-game run on their way to the 2024 title.
All but one of the Knicks’ wins have been by double digits, with an average margin of victory of 22.5 points.
Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell finished with 23 points in 38 minutes, while teammate James Harden added 21. Cleveland shot 12 of 41 from 3-point range and 12 of 19 from the foul line.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) during the first quarter in Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on May 23, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio.(Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Cleveland rallied and tied it at 50-all on a jumper by Harden before the Knicks countered with a 10-1 run. They went into halftime with a 60-54 advantage.
Music superstar Taylor Swift was courtside for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night alongside fiancé and Ohio native Travis Kelce.
Swift and Kelce, who recently signed a three-year, $54 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, took their seats in Rocket Arena shortly before the opening tip.
Singer Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce attend Game Three of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 23, 2026.(Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
With the Cavs trailing 91-82 at the end of the third quarter, Kelce and Swift were shown on the arena’s giant scoreboard. Fans cheered wildly as Kelce showed off his team cap and wine-and-gold shirt.
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Game 4 is set for Monday night at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. The series will return to Madison Square Garden for Game 5 on Wednesday, if necessary.
Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs will host the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 on Sunday night. Oklahoma City enters the matchup with a 2-1 series lead.
New Akeem Busari began his time as Flamingos coach with an impressive victory as Harmony Chidi scored a first-half hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Guinea women’s national under-17 football team in a 2026 FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup qualifier.
Harmony Chidi opened the scoring in the first minute before adding more goals in the 13th and 40th minutes to complete her hat-trick.
Oluwakemi Adegbuyi also got on the scoresheet in the 37th minute, while Mary Dunstan added the fifth goal in the 56th minute.
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The match was played in Abidjan after Guinea failed to provide a suitable stadium for the qualifier.
The second leg will take place in Nigeria on May 30.
Oleksandr Usyk scored a controversial stoppage win over Rico Verhoeven at the Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, to cling on to his undefeated record. If the fight had carried on, would he have been dealt the first loss of his career?
After dialling up the aggression in the championship rounds, the opportunity came. Usyk landed an uppercut to drop Verhoeven. ‘The King of Kickboxing’ was hurt, but made it to his feet and fought on. During another barrage on the ropes, referee Mark Lyson stepped in to stop the action, noted at 2:59 of the round, but that has been disputed.
Many fans shared the frustrations of Verhoeven’s team, believing the challenger deserved the chance to carry on and come out for the twelfth. Had he done so, it would have been an extremely close affair.
The official scorecards, as obtained by Dan Rafael, show that two judges had the fight 5 rounds to 5 even at the end of the tenth, with the third having Verhoeven 6-4 up. Given the knockdown in the eleventh, Usyk would have turned the tide and been ahead with just three minutes left to fight.
It is as yet unclear what the 39-year-old heavyweight world champion will do next, though he is not short of options. He has a mandatory challenger in Agit Kabayel waiting for his deserved shot, and now calls to give Verhoeven a rematch. There is also the consideration of retirement, which, despite not being in his pre-fight plans, may be a realistic option now.
Teenager Anna Huang became the youngest player to win three tournaments in Ladies European Tour history with victory at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco.
The Canadian, 17, had been six shots off the lead going into the final round but six birdies and an eagle in a closing round of 66 meant she pipped overnight leader Kelsey Bennett by one shot on 14 under par.
Her win on Royal Dar Es Salam’s Blue course follows her back-to-back titles in September at the La Sella Open and Lacoste Ladies Open de France and means she has broken the record of Jeeno Thitikul, who was aged 18 when she landed her third title.
“I’m honestly just so shocked right now,” Huang said.
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“To get my third win on tour in only my second year is incredible. I’m just trying to enjoy the moment!”
It capped a fine few weeks for the teenager, during which she qualified for the US Women’s Open before finishing tied for third at last week’s Amundi German Masters.
English defending champion Cara Gainer finished tied for sixth on eight under.
Pep Guardiola has left the door open to potentially returning to Manchester City in the future or leading the England national team
Pep Guardiola refused to rule out one day returning to Manchester City or potentially taking the England national team job, as he spoke following confirmation he will leave the Etihad this summer.
Guardiola has called time on his incredible decade at City and will take charge of the Blues for the final time when Aston Villa visit for Sunday’s Premier League finale.
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City are set to appoint Enzo Maresca as Guardiola’s successor with the Catalan set to take an extended break from the game. But, at 55, this is not yet a retirement and while he will now conduct some work as an ambassador within the City Football Group, a return to management remains a possibility in the future.
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Guardiola has often spoken about his respect for English football and didn’t close the door on the national job should the opportunity arise down the line.
“I don’t have any absolute plan about my future,” said Guardiola. “I start to rest and go to recover my time that I missed with my kids, they are growing and many things I’ve not done I want to do. So, I don’t think for one second thinking about anything football related for the next time, for the next years. I don’t think about it.
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“I need to rest, I need to reflect, I need to see what happened in my 17, 18 years (in management.) And after we see what happens. I don’t have a plan, just to rest and do a lot of things I want to do that I didn’t do in the past, stupid things that I want to do.”
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The Blues boss has said plenty of times in the past that he would not return to lead Barcelona, where he was a player and manager with huge success, but he stopped short of making the same guarantee with City.
“Why you ask me that question?” he said with a smile. “For a while, I will not be manager. That is the only thing. Otherwise I would be here, still here. I deserve, honestly, to take a break”
A Minnesota Vikings helmet rests along the sideline before a divisional matchup against the Detroit Lions on Jan. 2, 2011, at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The image captured a quiet pregame moment as the Vikings closed out the 2010 regular season during a transitional stretch for the franchise and its roster. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-Imagn Images
Bold predictions, by design, are supposed to be headline-grabbing, outlandish, and a little weird. And with the Minnesota Vikings’ summer operations mere days away, it’s time to get some of those on record.
Minnesota’s summer will bring clarity, drama, and probably at least one roster move that feels uncomfortable.
Georgia Bulldogs punter Brett Thorson (92) punts the football against the Texas Longhorns during the first half of the SEC Championship game on Dec. 7, 2024, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Thorson handled punting duties for Georgia during the high-profile conference title matchup while showcasing the powerful leg strength that later drew NFL attention. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
1. Brett Thorson Clears
Did Thorson hold field goals and extra points in college? He did not. Is that a problem? It is.
Still, Thorson might’ve been the best punter in college football last year, depending on the eye of the beholder, and the Vikings can’t just cut a guy like that because they employ an old specialist (Johnny Hekker) who used to be really, really good.
Thorson will prove his punting talent supersedes Hekker at training camp, and special teams boss Matt Daniels will have all summer to figure out the holding situation.
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2. Vikings Sign Leonard Floyd
On April 24, the Vikings executed a trade, sending Jonathan Greenard and a 7th-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for two third-round selections (one in 2026 and one in 2027).
The deal rocked Minnesota’s OLB setup. With Greenard, Minnesota’s EDGE room boasted considerable talent. His departure leaves Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner as the primary pass rushers, but it also highlights a notable lack of depth. A single injury could quickly create a precarious situation at the position.
So, the Vikings likely need to acquire an OLB3, with free agency presenting the most apparent solution.
Floyd emerges as a strong candidate, fitting the ‘familiar face’ profile. His existing connections with Minnesota’s coaching staff are a significant advantage, particularly when pursuing free agents late in the spring. Kevin O’Connell could conceivably reach out to Floyd directly, bypassing the usual complexities of late-stage free agency negotiations.
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O’Connell and Floyd won the Super Bowl together in Los Angeles five years ago.
3. Garrett Bradbury Arrives via Trade
The New England Patriots traded Bradbury to the Chicago Bears in March for a 5th-Round pick. Six weeks later, the Bears turned around and drafted Iowa center Logan Jones, who will be 25 during the regular season. Second-round centers should start sooner rather than later, and 25-year-old 2nd-Round centers should be ready Week 1.
Minnesota Vikings center Garrett Bradbury (56) stands on the sideline before facing the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 13, 2022, at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Bradbury prepared for another regular season start while continuing his role as the anchor of Minnesota’s offensive line during Kevin O’Connell’s first season as head coach. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
That puts Bradbury on the bench or on the trade block if Chicago doesn’t get weird with its offensive line plan.
Meanwhile, the Vikings are on track to start Blake Brandel at center, and while he might play just fine, converting a tackle turned guard turned center to a new spot rarely works out for the long haul, unless the guy is young.
Needing a better center solution, Minnesota will ship a 6th-Rounder to Chicago for Bradbury, even if trading with Chicago violates NFC North taboos.
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4. The QB1 Camp Battle Is Window Dressing
Last summer, the Vikings hosted no quarterback battle at training camp. Months later, they regretted it and even fired their general manager in January as a result.
In 2026, the club is advertising a quarterback battle, but it will be abundantly clear through a few days of training camp that the QB1 job emphatically belongs to Murray. In fact, by September 1st, folks will look back and consider the possibility of McCarthy ousting Murray from the top spot as a laughable take.
Murray is faster, more accurate, has a stronger arm, and has more experience than McCarthy. The quarterback competition won’t be a sham, but Murray will prevail with the snap of two fingers.
5. Rookie Gavin Gerhardt Emerges
Gerhardt may not start Week 1 — that’s reserved for Brandel — but by the time training camp ends, fans will have a warm and cozy feeling about Gerhardt.
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Cincinnati offensive lineman Gavin Gerhardt speaks with reporters during Big 12 Football Media Days on Jul. 8, 2025, at The Star in Frisco, Texas. Gerhardt entered the spotlight as one of Cincinnati’s experienced offensive linemen while discussing expectations for the upcoming season and his development within the Bearcats’ offensive front. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Minnesota very vividly needed a center during the draft; the coaching staff even told reporters before the event that the draft had several intriguing options. Then, the Vikings drafted zero centers until Round 7.
They seem to have big plans for Gerhardt. When the regular season rolls around, Gerhardt will either be tapped on the shoulder to start or be the immediate backup center if Brandel misses a game or two.
A to Z Sports‘ Tyler Forness noted on Gerhardt after the draft, “This is an interesting pick. Gerhardt is a four-year starter who has played 3,374 snaps for the Bearcats. He’s a decent athlete with experience at the position, and it offers the Vikings another option at center.”
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Ahead of the commencement of the 2026 French Open Tournament, Naomi Osaka co-hosted the first-ever ‘Black Party’ alongside Taylor Townsend. The list of attendees included Coco Gauff, Gaël Monfils, Asia Muhammad, and Chris Eubanks.
The Japanese star has frequently used her platform to voice her opinions on racial justice, diversity, and inclusion in sports. Her ‘Black Party’ is symbolic and meaningful, given it’s a rare sight. She also shared a brief message, reflecting on the time when she felt isolated because there weren’t many Black tennis players.
Thanks for the submission!
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She further stated that since the Black players are usually underrepresented, they support and understand each other because they share similar experiences.
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“Growing up, there weren’t a lot of tennis players I could look up to that looked like me. Being a minority in a sport like tennis is very isolating but the positive is that you keep tabs on everyone that … being blunt, is black. There’s a fellowship, a camaraderie that doesn’t need words to describe. You just feel at peace knowing that there’s another person who has experienced similar things to you and you feel less alone,” the quote read.
“The black party (RG edition) 🖤 Side note: my first time ever co-hosting a dinner/party and let me tell you, no better company to share time with.”
Gauff and Townsend reacted to the glimpses of the party shared by the four-time Grand Slam champion, with the former adding a series of hearts. Townsend wrote:
“Just the beginning🖤✔️🗝️”
Screenshot of the Instagram post’s comment section.
Osaka will kick off her French Open run against Laura Siegemund.
Naomi Osaka makes her feelings known about Gael Monfils retirement
Naomi Osaka of Japan during the Gael & Friends exhibition in Paris, France (Photo by Getty Images)
Naomi Osaka made her feelings known about Gael Monfils during the ongoing French Open. The Frenchman is expected to compete in his last Roland Garros before retiring at the end of the 2026 season. He has been a home favorite in France and has received a wildcard entry for this year’s edition.
Ahead of the main draw, the tournament arranged a farewell celebration, “Gael & Friends,” which was a star-studded affair with Osaka, Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Elina Svitolina, and Alexander Zverev participating. When asked to reflect on the Frenchman’s retirement, Naomi Osaka said:
“For me, what the player represents has always been important; on the women’s side, we’ve always had Venus and Serena, so I’m very grateful to them. On the men’s side, I’ve always admired Gael and Tsonga for a long time; they were very important, obviously generating a wave of black French players that are emerging now. They were an inspiration, I know that for sure. Regarding Gael, I love his way of being, he’s a cool guy.” (via puntodebreak.com)
Monfils will take on Hugo Gaston in his first faceoff at the 2026 French Open.
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