Preview: Abbotsford Canucks Versus Texas Stars Western Conference Finals
'I Do Wonder if Anaheim Takes a Shot at This': How the Anaheim Ducks Fit as a Possible Destination for Jonathan Toews Comeback
It has been reported this week that two-time World Junior gold medal champion, two-time Olympic gold medal champion, Conne Smyth Trophy winner, Selke Trophy winner, three-time Stanley Cup champion, and long-tenured captain of the Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Toews will be attempting a return to the NHL for the 2025-26 season.
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Refinery29
14 minutes ago
- Refinery29
One Day Of Rugby Taught Me To Stop Chasing Perfection & Start Showing Up
I remember growing up when the most popular high school sports for girls were track and field, volleyball, basketball, soccer, softball, cheerleading and cross-country. But Rugby? It was never even part of the conversation. So when I was asked to participate in an Olympic training experience with the United States women's national rugby sevens team, I didn't hesitate. I was all in. Admittedly, I was nervous. However, that changed the moment I received the roster and recognized not one but two women who looked like me. Two Black women, smiling from ear to ear, standing tall as part of an Olympic history-making team. My anxiousness gave way to curiosity and pride. Rugby has long been perceived as a predominately white sport. A 2020 report by The Guardian found that fewer than 8% of players identified as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background. And if you isolate that figure to solely Black athletes? The percentage drops even lower. With representation so limited, the challenge isn't just physical—it's mental. It's knowing you're one of the few. It's pushing your body to its limits while also carrying the invisible weight of visibility. But it's also a gift to compete, to create space and to reshape the narrative in real time. As two-time Olympian and Bronze medalist Ariana Ramsey reminded me after training during a lunch hosted by Quest Nutrition, "Great and hard work shapes you into the athlete you're meant to be. Your willingness to go to practice every day and be consistent is a life skill you'll always need and use." Those words stuck with me because, as a Black woman athlete, or in my case, a journalist, showing up is only half the battle. It's never just about the game or profession; it's about rewriting what's possible, even when the narrative was never written with us—Black women and many others from historically marginalized backgrounds—in mind. Is it about being seen? Yes, absolutely, but it's also more than that; the older I get, the more I realize it's about making sure the next little brown girl sees herself, too. Being in the center of it all at Chula Vista Elite Training Center, one of the top Olympic training campuses in the country, the game itself challenged every physical limit I thought I knew. It was exciting, yes, but it also sparked something deeper. It created an internal shift from imposter syndrome to embodied power. I began to understand that true strength in all forms isn't just about physical ability. I missed a few kicks. My athleticism definitely didn't kick in the way I hoped. And when it was time to race, did I come in first place? Absolutely not. (laughs) But the real win had nothing to do with numbers. It was in letting go of the mental chains, silencing the inner critic and quieting the outside noise that sometimes held me back (and at times continues to do so) in my everyday life. The silent whispers of discouragement, defeat or doubt. The lingering question of 'What if I'm not enough?' What if things don't go as I planned? "What if I'm not ready or live up to the expectation?" That day, I didn't just show up on the field. I pushed through the noise. And not only did I show up for Dontaira K. Terrell in her full entirety—I proved something to myself and no one else. Even if I didn't make the field goal, land the tackle or run my fastest race—I laughed through it all. No pressure. I was present. I enjoyed the moment. I took what I couldn't do and turned it into a lesson, not a curveball. ' When everyone else seems to be gaining momentum, racking up wins or living their so-called best lives, it can leave you crashing out and wondering, ' What about me?' ' It took time to get here. For so long, I carried the weight of trying to be perfect. To be a winner. To overachieve, no matter the cost. That pressure has caused me more harm than good. But letting go of those limiting beliefs? That was the freedom. Who cared if I didn't catch on as quickly as the person next to me? That was the push I didn't know I needed. If I'm honest, I grew up in a household of excellence. College-educated parents. High-achieving siblings. World travelers. Trophy winners. My older sisters aren't just entrepreneurs and businesswomen—two are attorneys, and one is an audiologist (in fact, the first Black woman to receive a Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degree in the Midwest). So, as you can imagine, anything less than my best never felt like an option. "Growing up, I worked really hard but didn't immediately see the payout, so it kind of made me feel like what I was doing wasn't worth it," American rugby union player Nia Toliver said, reflecting on the advice she'd give to her younger self. "But when I think about where I am now, it's because of the work I put in. It was a long-term gain—not immediate success." Talk about words that resonated. In today's society—from television to TikTok, Instagram and everything in between it's easy to feel like you're falling behind. When everyone else seems to be gaining momentum, racking up wins or living their so-called best lives, it can leave you crashing out and wondering, ' What about me?' We're in a microwavable culture. Everything looks instant. But real success? Real alignment? It takes time. And that's why I've had to learn to separate the two to put things into perspective. Just as Maya Angelou reminded us: 'All great achievements require time.' That's why I'm adamant about celebrating the small wins. They're the proof of grit, grind and perseverance behind closed doors. The effort you're putting in when no one is watching. When the applause is quiet. When the likes on the 'Gram are few and far between. I know firsthand that those moments are the hardest. It's about reframing the narrative: you don't have to be perfect, but you do have to keep going and keep showing up. After spending the day with the team, when it came time to leave the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site, another realization struck me. The roles of coaches, sports psychologists, team nutritionists, personal trainers and the list goes on in rugby mirrored something I've come to understand in my own life: your support system matters just as much as your skill set. If you want to win at anything on the field or in real life, let me tell you, that foundation has to be solid. That encouragement, that accountability, that belief in you when you're doubting yourself? That kind of support is top-tier because no matter how gifted you are, you can't do it alone. To win in this thing called life, both on and off the playing field, you need people who help you stay in the game, even when life is doing the absolute most.
Miami Herald
25 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Will Panthers make lineup changes for Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final? What Maurice said
The Florida Panthers are sticking with the status quo. Panthers coach Paul Maurice said pregame Friday that there will be no lineup changes for Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers after Florida dropped the series opener 4-3 in overtime on Wednesday. 'I'm not changing anything,' Maurice said. The only potential change that could have come would have been forward A.J. Greer drawing in on the fourth line, but he remains out with a lower-body injury that hobbled him during the Eastern Conference final. 'He's on track but he won't go tonight,' Maurice said, 'but we think if he tracks out, he could be available for Game 3.' That means Jesper Boqvist will stay on Florida's fourth line as the left winger with Tomas Nosek at center and Jonah Gadjovich at right wing. Boqvist played just 7:58 in Game 1 and took two shot attempts — one was blocked, the other missed the net — and had one hit. Through 12 playoff games, Boqvist has five points (two goals, three assists) with 38 hits and four blocked shots. Florida's lineup should look as follows for Game 2 on Friday... Forward lines Evan Rodrigues-Aleksander Barkov-Sam Reinhart Carter Verhaeghe-Sam Bennett-Matthew Tkachuk Eetu Luostarinen-Anton Lundell-Brad Marchand Jesper Boqvist-Tomas Nosek-Jonah Gadjovich Defense pairs Gustav Forsling-Aaron Ekblad Niko Mikkola-Seth Jones Nate Schmidt-Dmitry Kulikov Goaltenders Sergei Bobrovsky Vitek Vanecek Maurice reacts to DeBoer firing The Dallas Stars on Friday announced they fired coach Peter DeBoer, a little more than a week after his team lost to the Oilers in the Western Conference final — Dallas' third consecutive season losing in the series before the Stanley Cup Final. 'After careful consideration, we believe that a new voice is needed in our locker room to push us closer to our goal of winning the Stanley Cup,' Stars general manager Jim Nill said in a statement. 'We'd like to thank Pete for everything that he has helped our organization achieve over the past three seasons and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.' Maurice and DeBoer have a relationship going back nearly 40 years, since they were teammates at the junior hockey level in the mid-1980s. 'He'll be all right,' Maurice said. 'With elite teams, you have to push them real hard to where they get to and at some point, you get a summer off, new spot, he's going to be OK.' Nosek talks overtime penalty Nosek on Friday spoke for the first time since his delay of game penalty in the final minutes of overtime in Game 1 that led to the Oilers' eventual game-winning power-play goal by Leon Draisaitl. 'You don't want to be the one guy who costs us a game,' Nosek said Friday. 'Obviously, anybody can make a mistake. It happened in a bad time in overtime and cost us a game. It's in the past and now I'm looking forward to just keep doing my job and focusing on the next game.' Nosek said his teammates have been 'really helpful' with getting him to turn the page and prepare for Game 2. 'Most of the guys came to me and said 'Don't worry about it.'' As for what's key to turning the page after a costly mistake like that? 'I don't think there is one,' Nosek said. 'Everybody makes mistakes. It's a part of the game. It's sport. Just focusing on the same and preparing like any other game.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
2025 U.S. Nationals: 16-year-old swimmer Luka Mijatovic sets two new records with historic 400m freestyle
Luka Mijatovic continues to set records at the U.S. Nationals. (Photo by) Luka Mijatovic continues to turn heads at the U.S. Nationals. A few days after breaking a record previously set by Michael Phelps, the 16-year-old Mijatovic was at it again Friday. This time around, Mijatovic decided to break his own record in the 400m freestyle. Mijatovic turned in a 3:45.89 performance, beating his previous record — which he set in March — by three seconds. That time not only set a new record for the 15-16 age group, but also broke a record for the 17-18 age group. Larsen Jensen previously held the record in the 17-18 age group with a 3:46.08 that he set in 2004. Advertisement Mijatovic accomplished the same feat Wednesday in the 200m freestyle. He swam the event in 1:45.92, breaking the record in the 15-16 age group. That figure also broke the record in the 17-18 age group, which was previously held by Phelps. The sky appears to be the limit for Mijatovic, who is considered the top high-school swimmer in California. Mijatovic was already a name to watch for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. His performance at the U.S. Nationals — which began Tuesday — further solidified his status as an Olympic-hopeful. The 2025 U.S. Swimming Championships will run through Saturday at the Indiana University Natatorium. A number of Americans, including Katie Ledecky and Bobby Finke, have turned in fantastic performances at the event. Winners of individual events will qualify for the World Championships in July and August.
