Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson waits for the snap during fourth-quarter action against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 10, 2024, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, giving Minnesota its top playmaker on the field as the offense worked through a late-game sequence in a road matchup against an AFC opponent. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images.
Remember how the Minnesota Vikings shipped Randy Moss out via trade after seven seasons about 20 years ago? One website claims that could happen again, but with Justin Jefferson. In the spirit of recent Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Garrett trades, two heavyweights leaving their existing franchises, CBS Sports nominated top-notch NFLers who could follow suit.
And per Garrett Podell, that’s Jefferson, among others.
Vikings’ Playoff Pressure Makes the Rumor Worth Tracking
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson gestures to fans while walking off the Lambeau Field turf after facing the Green Bay Packers on Sep. 29, 2024, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Jefferson’s postgame moment captured a familiar NFC North scene, with Minnesota’s star receiver acknowledging the road crowd after another rivalry chapter. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.
Podell: Jefferson Could Be Next to Demand Trade
On a list that included Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, among others, Jefferson got the nod as a player who could request a trade.
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Podell wrote, “Prediction on whether or not Jefferson will eventually ask for a trade: Yes, by the 2028 NFL offseason. The McCarthy-Murray competition will fail to bear long-term fruit at football’s most important position, leaving Jefferson dissatisfied entering the final season of his four-year, $140 million deal in 2028.”
“Out of guaranteed money, Jefferson will be looking for a new, multiyear deal at the age of 29, but he’ll aim to get his next batch of guaranteed cash elsewhere. Compensation to get the deal done: First-round pick and third-round pick. It’s a similar package to the one the Patriots used to acquire Brown from the Eagles, but instead of a fifth-round pick, Minnesota gets a third-round draft choice since Jefferson doesn’t come with the same attitude and fluidity questions.”
Jefferson has never wavered about his commitment to the Vikings, but a playoff-less season in 2026 might change his mind.
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“Likely landing spot: Las Vegas Raiders. It’s hard to project how the NFL landscape will look years down the road, but the Raiders make plenty of sense for a multitude of reasons,” Podell added.
“Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, will need a true WR1 to complement All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, and Las Vegas has shown a willingness to trade for a superstar wide receiver at the back of the end their 20s: The Raiders traded a first-round draft choice and a second-round draft choice to the Green Bay Packers in 2022 in exchange for a 29-year-old Davante Adams.”
If Vikings Don’t Make Playoffs or Win Playoff Game — Yep.
Trading Jefferson now would be premature. The real challenge lies nine months ahead. Should the Vikings miss the playoffs again in 2026, the situation in Minnesota will become uncomfortable for all involved. While Jefferson is currently expressing loyalty, as most star players do, that patience typically wanes if the team gives them a reason to reconsider.
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Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson reacts after a first-quarter play against the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Oct. 5, 2025, in Tottenham, United Kingdom. The international-stage snapshot showed Jefferson working through another Vikings drive overseas, with Minnesota’s offense chasing rhythm in front of a London crowd during a rare regular-season matchup. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
That is where the Damian Lillard comparison in the NBA becomes relevant. Portland recognized the impending issue for years. Lillard remained loyal, often carrying mediocre teams, until he reached a point where continued loyalty no longer made sense. Such decisions are not sudden. But they do build and intensify.
For the Vikings, the crux of the issue is their quarterback situation. Jefferson’s Minnesota requires one of its quarterbacks, Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy, to elevate the offense to a competitive level.
McCarthy previously had an opportunity, but his efficiency metrics were poor, compounded by injuries. That paved the way for Murray. If Murray underperforms, discussions about Jefferson’s future will intensify rapidly.
The Would-Be Trade Haul for Jefferson
If Jefferson posts Jeffersonian numbers in 2026 while Minnesota misses the postseason or gets blown out in the first round, the playmaker will almost certainly fetch a 1st-Rounder via trade — if it comes to that.
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The Philadelphia Eagles were able to squeeze a 1st-Rounder and 5th-Rounder out of the New England Patriots this offseason for Brown. There’s no reason to believe Jefferson would be less. In fact, Minnesota might charge extra juice because Jefferson is a better football player than Brown.
The safest price from a summer of 2026 outlook is Jefferson would probably be a 1st- and 3rd-Rounder. Twenty-one years ago, the aforementioned Moss fetched a 1st-Rounder (Troy Williamson), a player (Napoleon Harris), and a 7th-Rounder.
All Up to O’Connell
Whether Jefferson is traded anytime soon rests squarely on Kevin O’Connell’s shoulders. The Podell theory will not come to fruition if the Vikings make an impressive playoff run this season. All Jefferson wants is to win, which likely translates to the first postseason triumph of his career. It’s a reasonable ask. The last time Minnesota won a playoff game? Six years ago — the 2019 stunner down in New Orleans when Minnesota walked off the Saints courtesy of Kirk Cousins and Kyle Rudolph. The Vikings drafted Jefferson three months after that moment.
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The Athletic senior NFL insider Dianna Russini interviews Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell during training camp in Eagan, Minnesota, on Aug. 15, 2025. Their conversation covered O’Connell’s Coach of the Year season and Minnesota’s roster outlook, with the franchise’s quarterback plan driving much of the broader Vikings discussion that summer in Eagan. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
O’Connell must get Jefferson a playoff win to keep him satisfied.
Otherwise, Jefferson could ask for a trade in the 2027 offseason, and no one would fault him for it. It’s why signing Murray in free agency was so crucial — to prove to Jefferson that the franchise is not content with 9-8 seasons that don’t net playoff berths. They mean business.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
WWE star Sami Zayn has used Johnny Gargano as a sounding board for his complaints over the last few weeks on “Friday Night SmackDown.”
Gargano, known as “Johnny Wrestling,” has been lying face down during most of his segments for months. He hasn’t spoken to anyone nor has he been in a wrestling ring since Stand & Deliver all the way back in April. The only signal to know that Gargano is actually alive is when Zayn has spoken to him.
Myles Borne competes against Johnny Gargano during NXT: Stand and Deliver at The Factory in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 4, 2026.(Bradlee Rutledge/WWE Via Getty Images)
Zayn talked about Gargano and what it would take to get him moving again in an interview with Fox News Digital before he won the Undisputed WWE Championship at Night of Champions.
“I think he’s an immensely talented person. Anyone who’s followed his career, actually watched his work especially in NXT, knows what he’s capable of,” Zayn said. “Some people when they come to the main roster never really got to showcase what they’re made of and I definitely think he falls into that category. …
Sami Zayn enters the ring during a WWE live event at Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid, Spain, on June 4, 2026.(Andrew Timms/WWE)
“He’s almost in this sort of vegetative state or whatever and he just needs like the Prince Charming or whatever is to come around and swoop him and get him out of it. … I think something just needs the right spark to get him to remember who he is and I do think if, and when, that happens we’re gonna get to see a side of him that’s very exciting, that hasn’t been seen in a very long time.”
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Gargano is one of the best pure wrestlers on the roster.
He put on some of the best matches in NXT history. He’s won the NXT Championship, NXT North American Championship and the NXT Tag Team Championship, which made him the first NXT Triple Crown champion.
Brazilian megastar Allycia Hellen Rodrigues survived the toughest test of her championship reign at The Inner Circle 19. In fact, the atomweight Muay Thai queen had to dig into reserves she had never been forced to touch before to keep her gold intact.
The defending ONE women’s atomweight Muay Thai world champion edged Thai warrior ‘The Queen’ Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom via split decision in their five-round world title showdown in Bangkok’s legendary Lumpinee Stadium on June 19.
She got her hand raised after a solid showing in the championship rounds — but it was the middle rounds that truly tested the Brazilian queen’s championship pedigree.
Allycia Hellen Rodrigues had started strong, only for Phetjeeja to flip the script in the third frame with a relentless body assault and a perfectly timed elbow that cut the champion. The road back required everything she had.
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Speaking to ONE Championship after retaining her crown, the Phuket Fight Club athlete reflected on the moment she clawed her way back into the contest.
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“For sure, she’s one of the strongest opponents of my life, but I felt good in the fight. In the beginning, I felt really great, and things were going really well. In Round 3, the fight became harder, but we came back and took the win,” Allycia Hellen Rodrigues said.
The 28-year-old continued, “The fight became harder at some point, but then I overcame it and kept clinching. Phetjeeja started running away, and that’s when the fight started going [my way.]”
Allycia Hellen Rodrigues continues to prove why she truly is the atomweight Muay Thai queen
Phetjeeja threw everything but the kitchen sink throughout their action-packed 15-minute fight in Bangkok, but Allycia Hellen Rodrigues did enough to get her hand raised.
The Brazilian’s defense may have been exposed during certain stretches of the contest, but it also allowed her to tap into her reserves to find a more creative way past Phetjeeja’s world-class defense in the championship rounds.
It was far from a clean win for the Phuket Fight Club athlete, but true world champions do anything – fight beautifully, make it a dirty fight, and tap into their vast IQ – to ensure victory favors them.
That is exactly what Rodrigues did to extend her reign as the ONE women’s atomweight Muay Thai world champion at The Inner Circle 19.
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Phetjeeja will definitely work her way back into a rematch, but Rodrigues should use this fight as a blueprint to ensure she completely overwhelms the Thai if and when they do cross paths on the global stage again.
Piero Hincapie was sent off for covering his mouth in a conversation with a Mexico player at the end of Ecuador’s last-32 defeat on Tuesday night.
The Arsenal defender, a key player for his national team, lost his composure in second-half stoppage time when speaking to Mexico’s Santiago Giménez.
Hincapie covered his mouth in conversation, which under a new rule for the World Cup, is an automatic red card. After VAR review, the referee confirmed the decision to the crowd at the Azteca Stadium.
Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron was the first player to fall victim to the new rule when he was sent off against Turkey, resulting in a one-game suspension.
Regardless of Hincapie’s dismissal, Ecuador were outclassed by the co-hosts on Tuesday night after a first-half onslaught.
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Julian Quinones scored a belting 22nd-minute opener before teeing up Ralul Jimenez to make it two in the 31st minute amid a boisterous atmosphere in Mexico City.
It means Mexico win their first knockout match in 40 years and will face either England or DR Congo in the last-16, back at the Azteca, on Sunday night.
Trainer Rex Lipp, based in Toowoomba, was far from satisfied with the performance of his stable star Cifrado in the recent Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich. This dissatisfaction has prompted a change of rider for Cifrado’s upcoming start in the Listed Glasshouse Handicap at Sunshine Coast this Saturday.
Lipp voiced his displeasure concerning Boris Thornton’s ride at Ipswich, highlighting that Cifrado was impeded on multiple occasions and finished the race with plenty in hand, having been badly checked approximately 100 metres from the finish line.
The five-year-old gelding will now be guided by Ben Thompson on Saturday. Lipp conveyed that the Group 2 BRC Sires victor is currently in the best form of his career.
“He’s got over his problems he had last preparation,” Lipp confirmed. “I don’t think the horse has looked better for twelve months – I think he’s going as good as I’ve ever had him.”
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Commenting on the previous ride, Lipp added, “He (Thornton) knows, he’s ridden the horse before and you don’t go looking for runs on him unless you can drive a bus through because he winds up, he’s not a stop-start horse as you can see from his two previous runs. But anyway, we’ll put that down as ‘don’t let it happen again’.”
Cifrado’s initial outing was over 900m at Gold Coast during his juvenile season. He went on to secure victories in both the Sprit Of Boom Classic and the BRC Sires at Group 2 level, with additional stakes wins recorded at ages three, four, and five. While Lipp harbours aspirations for a third Group 1 triumph, he is currently content with placing Cifrado in races that suit his capabilities.
“If I can find the right race later on I’ll take him South (to Sydney),” Lipp indicated. “He ran fifth in The Hunter at Newcastle beaten a length and a half and had a chequered run but anyway, that’s the story of Cifrado, he should’ve won. Anyway, he worked nice and strong on the bit on the course proper Tuesday morning at Toowoomba and I’m very happy with him ahead of Saturday.”
Cifrado was among 36 nominations for the 1400m Glasshouse Handicap on Saturday. He was installed as the second favourite in the all-in betting at $6, behind Bjorn Baker’s Midnight Dynamite, who is also entered for the Winter Stakes at Rosehill Gardens. Consider exploring online bookmakers for the best betting markets for the race.
Manchester City have five players entering the final year of their contracts, with some major decisions to be made.
The Blues are entering a new era with Enzo Maresca in charge after a decade of Pep Guardiola and it remains to be seen how the new manager will want to set up his squad. The Blues will complete the £116million signing of Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Elliot Anderson in the coming days and could yet add another midfielder, while a right back and winger are also on the shopping list.
But there is uncertainty around plenty of players at the Etihad with Spurs keen on Savinho, Ruben Dias and Rodri being linked with Real Madrid and uncertainty around the likes of Nico Gonzalez, Omar Marmoush and Tijjani Reijnders.
City have the foundation of a squad capable of challenging on all fronts, as evidenced by winning a domestic cup double last season while taking the Premier League title race to the final week of the season. But there are questions that need answering with the out of contract five’s future among them. Here’s a snapshot of where things are at with the quintet.
Nathan Ake
The defender is expected to depart in search of more regular game time. He’s just been knocked out of the World Cup with the Netherlands and so decisions on his future will likely be made in the next few weeks but the 31-year-old has admirers.
What comes next for Ake could also be influenced by Ruben Dias with the Portugal international linked with a move to Real Madrid. City want to keep Dias and he could well be named club captain next season. But if he does depart Ake could fill the void of a fourth senior centre back with Marc Guehi, Abdukodir Khusanov and Josko Gvardiol firmly part of the picture.
Phil Foden
He is perhaps the one on this list with the most concrete outlook for next term. Foden struggled for form in the second half of last season and hasn’t hit the heights that carried him to the Premier League Player of the Year honour in 2024, but he has shown patches of why he can a often viewed as a generational talent and club and player have broadly agreed terms over a new contract. The 26-year-old is a boyhood Blue and is set to continue his time with the club.
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Mateo Kovacic
The midfielder barely featured last season due to injuries but was preferred to Nico Gonzalez during the run in. He has the experience and discipline to offer a holding midfield option but the arrival of Elliot Anderson adds more competition in the middle of the park. It seems unlikely Kovacic will get a new deal and so player and club must establish whether the parting of the ways comes this summer or next.
Rodri
The great unknown. The midfielder’s future has been speculated about plenty in recent months, not helped by the player himself speaking candidly about potentially playing in Madrid while on international duty. City would love to keep the 30-year-old and in an ideal world extend his contract while the need for surgery after the World Cup will surely put off any potential suitors.
Anderson’s arrival could take some of the burden off his shoulders and there were signs in the closing weeks of last term that the Spain international was starting to return towards his best after the cruciate injury. You suspect Real Madrid’s interest will remain and while he’s seemingly more likely to stay this summer than go you wouldn’t stake too much on it, and that doesn’t answer the question of what happens in 2027.
Marcus Bettinelli
The veteran stopper is filling the very modern day Premier League spot of a homegrown qualified player who is happy with a watching brief, while providing an experienced hand if required and a knowledge base and leadership to help set and maintain standards in training. Seems certain to stay at the club before a decision is taken next summer over whether the then 35-year-old departs or potentially agrees a new 12-month contract.
Former NCAA Swimmer Paula Scanlan reacts to the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold transgender sports bans, expressing both relief and a call for further legislative action nationwide. Scanlan highlights the physical disparities seen in cases like Lia Thomas’s, advocating for universal protections across all 50 states to ensure fairness and safety in women’s sports for future generations of female athletes.
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The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a historic win to the “Save Women’s Sports” movement on Tuesday, ruling 6-3 to uphold state laws that ban biological males from competing with girls and women.
The decision was met with celebration by women’s sports activists, including several high-profile Olympians.
Leah O’Brien-Amico, three-time gold medalist in softball for the U.S.
Softball player Leah O’Brien-Amico poses for a portrait during the USOC Media Summit at the Marriott Marquis in New York, N.Y., on May 15, 2004.(Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling is a victory for every girl who has ever dreamed of competing at the highest level,” O’Brien-Amico told Fox News Digital.
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“As a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, I am deeply grateful that I had the opportunity to compete on a level playing field with other biological females. The integrity and safety of women’s sports must be protected in every way. We can continue to find ways to honor the dignity of every person while protecting the spaces that generations of women worked so hard to build.”
MyKayla Skinner, U.S. silver medalist gymnast at Tokyo 2020
Mykayla Skinner and Simone Biles of Team United States pose for a photo during Women’s Podium Training ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on July 22, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan.(Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
“People from the far left… hopefully they wake up and just realize just how many girls are affected by this. It’s a real thing, and I think sometimes it just goes over their head and they don’t see what’s going on with the girls,” Skinner told Fox News Digital.
USA’s Kaillie Humphries holds an USA flag after competing to win bronze in the bobsleigh women’s monobob heat 4 at Cortina Sliding Centre during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo on Feb. 16, 2026.(Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)
“Women’s sports has changed my life, providing opportunities and a career I couldn’t have got elsewhere. I get to do what I love because people fought to create and protect a space for biological women. The female category was established so biological women can compete on a level playing field,” Humphries told Fox News Digital.
“Today is a win for the generations of girls that will step on to a field, court, track, or rink. We can now all Dream Big knowing we are safe and have a fair environment to compete in any sport at all levels. It’s a big win for women’s sports in this country.”
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Nancy Hogshead, three-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer for the U.S.
Jenna Johnson, Nancy Hogshead, Carrie Steinseifer and Dara Torres of United States celebrate winning the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games at Olympic Swim Stadium.(Porter Binks-USA TODAY NETWORK)
“Today’s decision is a step in the right direction for female fairness & safety in sport! Still, it doesn’t go as far as the UK Supreme Court — it doesn’t define the meaning of ‘sex’ in law. Allowing 27 states to establish boundaries around female sport categories should give sports governance a sigh of relief; they don’t need to worry about very expensive litigation sucking their resources,” Hogshead told Fox News Digital.
“But Sport cannot have a state-by-state web of laws. Even age group and Little League athletes travel across state lines. Further, will sport governing bodies award national competitions to states like California, who do not protect females? In short, Democrats aren’t done with this issue impacting elections, power and everything else on their agenda.”
Donna de Varona, three-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer for the U.S.
President Ronald Reagan with Donna De Varona (blue dress) as they address the Women’s Sports Foundation.(Getty Images)
“Today the Supreme Court decision upholds the significant role biology plays in the lives of all women. Safeguarding girls and women’s spaces is just, fair and humane,” de Varona told Fox News Digital.
Martina Navratilova, a Czech-American former professional tennis player, during a join press conference with Chris Evert of the USA, on Day 5 of the GNP Seguros WTA Finals Cancun 2023 part of the Hologic WTA Tour, on November 2, 2023, in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico.(Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“The Supreme Court made the proper decision today, allowing 27 states to continue formally protecting girls’ and women’s sports. Democratic politicians and blue states need to wake up to the biological reality of a female’s sex,” Navratilova said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital by Hogshead.
Katie Uhlaender, U.S. skeleton athlete, five-time Olympian
Katie Uhlaender of Team United States poses for a portrait during the Team USA Beijing 2022 Olympic shoot on September 12, 2021 in Irvine, California.(Tom Pennington/Getty Images for Team USA)
“Today’s Supreme Court ruling is inspiring because it recognizes that protecting women as a biological class is not discrimination. It affirms that fairness matters, that reality matters, and that women shouldn’t have to apologize for asking for fair and safe competition. Without Fairness, there is no sport,” Uhlaender told Fox News Digital.
“Recently, a respected academic and clinician, told me that acknowledging biological sex is discriminatory. They directed me to respected institutions like the American Psychological Association, and I was shocked to find misleading information on it. The APA suggested that the role of testosterone isn’t proven to enhance athletic performance. The causal effects of testosterone on human physiology have been understood for decades. Suggesting otherwise gives the public an inaccurate picture of the science. Things like that have made it incredibly difficult for women to advocate for fairness.”
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for Fox News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
Despite a public back-and-forth with Shakur Stevenson for a catchweight bout, Haney must now face Keyshawn Davis should he want to keep his title.
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After confirming that Davis was next in line recently, WBO President Gustavo Olivieri today issued the following statement:
“The WBO Championship Committee has officially ordered the commencement of negotiations for the WBO Welterweight Mandatory Championship Title Defence between World Champion Devin Haney and the WBO’s #1 world-rated contender & mandatory challenger Keyshawn Davis.
“Pursuant to the Committee’s ruling and the WBO Regulations of World Championship Contests, the parties are granted twenty (20) days to reach an agreement. Failing such agreement, purse bid proceedings may be requested, with the purse split to be distributed 75% to the Champion and 25% to the Challenger, in accordance with the WBO Rules.”
Davis is yet to fight at 147lbs, but is well-ranked due to holding the WBO belt at lightweight in the past. He only just made the super-lightweight limit for his latest fight – a unanimous decision win over Nahir Albright – and signalled shortly after that he would be moving up.
The match-up is an intriguing proposition for fans, with Davis’ speed and calculated aggression potentially a true test of Haney’s elite defence.
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All eyes now turn to Haney, who may be content to drop the belt and continue in his pursuit of bigger fights against the likes of Stevenson or even a returning Gervonta Davis.
Centre Nick Cousins is set to re-sign with the Senators on a two-year, $3.175 million contract, worth 1.5875 million in average annual value, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Periodreported Tuesday.
Cousins, 32, was a big part of the Senators’ physical group, finishing with 169 hits — third most among skaters — and a team-leading 92 penalty minutes.
On the scoresheet, he added nine goals and 14 assists in 81 games while playing 11:25 ice time per night.
A third-round pick by Philadelphia from 2011, the Belleville, Ont., native has 86 goals and 132 assists in 723 career NHL games split between the Senators, Flyers, Arizona Coyotes, Montreal Canadiens, Vegas Golden Knights, Nashville Predators and Florida Panthers.
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He joined the Sens as a free agent ahead of the 2024-25 season and re-signed with them last summer on a one-year deal.
Trainer David Pfieffer is hopeful that Whinchat, a free-wheeling frontrunner, is on the verge of a maiden stakes race victory, buoyed by the gelding’s improved recent performances.
After being pressured into a fast pace by Phearson first-up in the Luskin Star Stakes (1300m), Whinchat was able to dictate terms from an outside draw in the Civic Stakes (1400m), ultimately finishing a commendable second to Midnight Dynamite.
“I was really happy and proud of my bloke’s performance. It’s good to see him show what he can do for us,” Pfieffer shared. “I’d just love to see him win a stakes race. He’s run a couple of placings (in that grade), so hopefully it can come in his next couple of starts.”
Whinchat has amassed seven wins from 20 career starts and has a proven record over the Winter Stakes’ course and distance. While his pre-race behaviour can be a concern, his effectiveness when allowed an uncontested lead is undeniable.
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This weekend’s assignment at Rosehill sees Whinchat drawn in barrier eight, a significant advantage over Midnight Dynamite, who will jump from gate 11 in the field of 15. Pfieffer believes this barrier reversal could be the key to Whinchat reversing the placings.
“When this horse gets out in front and gets his own way, gets unchallenged, he is always going to be hard to run down,” Pfieffer stated. “With the likes of Midnight Dynamite, he got a good gate last start so it allowed him to get a nice run in transit, where drawn a bit wider, he’s got to use himself a bit more mid-race. That’s ultimately how races are defined a lot of the time, by barriers. Especially in big fields and we look like getting that on Saturday.”
The gelding will be third-up into the Rosehill feature and is also nominated for the Winter Challenge (1400m) later this month, with consideration for stepping up in distance. Pfieffer’s long-range plan is to target races later in the year when the major carnival horses are spelling.
“We’ll most likely race this Saturday then go around in the Winter Challenge two weeks after,” Pfieffer said. “Then we’ll consider a country Cup. I’d like to see him out over a mile at some stage. There are some nice races later in the year for him. We’re not going to be in the thick of spring or autumn, so we’ve got to go around where he can be most competitive.”
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General Salute will carry the top weight of 58.5kg in the Winter Challenge, with five runners, including the promising Glorious Moments for trainers Jim and Greg Lee, set to carry the minimum 53kg.
Consider placing your bets on the upcoming races with betting sites and explore the available racing betting markets.
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