‘It's a beautiful story.' Maple Leafs pitcher Ayami Sato throws two hitless innings in her historic debut
On a cloudless, breezy spring Sunday, an energetic baseball team wearing crisp white uniforms took to the field at Dominico Field in Christie Pits, eager to start their season in front of a healthy crowd splayed across blankets on the hillside.
Most fans were there to see a diminutive but stoic figure standing on the mound for the Intercounty Baseball League's Toronto Maple Leafs. Ayami Sato, the flame-throwing right-hander from the Japanese island of Amami Ōshima, became the first woman to play professional baseball in Canada on Sunday when she fired a pitch to the Kitchener Panthers' Nick Parsons, who weakly tapped it back to Sato. She threw him out with ease.
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National Post
14 hours ago
- National Post
SIMMONS: Wanna bet that Vegas is the landing spot for Mitch Marner?
Article content At first glance, the Golden Knights don't appear to have the cap space available to work in Marner's favour. But this is where George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon, the club president and general manager, enter the process, already having earned a reputation for making the financially impossible possible. They have a history of doing what other teams can't do or won't do. Article content The future of star defenceman Pietrangelo already is in question regarding the Golden Knights future. There are those in front offices around the NHL who wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Pietrangelo has played his last NHL game — and that the long-term injury relief from the final two years of his $10 million per year contract would put the Knights in position to be able to afford Marner. Article content Pietrangelo, who was named to Canada's 4-Nations Face-Off team and is expected to be part of the coming Olympic team, pulled out of the tournament last February to get himself ready for playoffs. He has missed 29 games over the past two seasons to injury and was thought to be playing hurt in the playoffs. He turns 36 next season. Article content What can the Leafs get for Marner in a sign-and-trade of sorts? Next to nothing, I am told. Article content They might be able to get a third- or fourth-round draft pick by dealing his rights before July 1, but the question remains: Is it worth doing a possible sign-and-trade for Marner's benefit, doing him a favour, giving him an extra year on his contract if negotiated that way, when there is next to no benefit for the Leafs themselves? Article content This is part of the equation that remains hard to figure and the relationships between the Marner camp and the Leafs has been rather prickly at times. Marner negotiated a no-movement clause with the Leafs with the previous general manager, was later seemingly unhappy about how he was being treated in the market and how he was being singled out for Maple Leafs blame. Article content And yet, when the Leafs provided him with the opportunity to leave and play elsewhere, on a contender in Carolina, he said no, he wouldn't consider it. This was Marner playing both sides against the middle, which has worked in his favour, but not necessarily for the Leafs. Article content Article content If he hits free agency, there is little doubt that young hopeful teams such as San Jose, Columbus, Chicago and Anaheim — all with money to spend — will be bidding on Marner. And others — maybe Utah, maybe Detroit, maybe Pittsburgh — will be in the process as well. And probably a semi-contender like Los Angeles might get involved, as would Tampa Bay, where coach Jon Cooper is a huge Marner fan.
Toronto Sun
14 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
SIMMONS: Wanna bet that Vegas is the landing spot for Mitch Marner?
Toronto Maple Leafs all-star playmaker is set to reach free agency in just three weeks. Get the latest from Steve Simmons straight to your inbox Toronto Maple Leafs' Mitchell Marner protects the puck from Vegas Golden Knights' Shea Theodore. The Canadian Press Mitch Marner has been blessed to play most his entire career with either Auston Matthews or John Tavares as his centre. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account In fact, over the past two seasons alone, Marner — the setup specialist — has 53 assists on goals scored by Matthews and 21 on goals scored by Tavares. That's 74 of his 187 points coming because he was able to combine his playmaking magic with centres and goal scorers of significant NHL consequence. Which is something Marner has to be taking into account as free agency approaches in three weeks time and there is every likelihood that he won't be playing for the Maple Leafs any longer. Where do you find a centre of quality to play with through free agency? Not just where, but how? What's the team? What's the city? What's the payroll? What's the salary? There is so much to consider in the short term and for the long term for a player who will be signing up for t least seven seasons with his new contract. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. What matters most to Marner? Who knows? He never answers anything directly. What motivates him: Is it winning? Some fiction writers have attached Marner's name to the great Florida Panthers, which would be nice fit for him, except for the fact the Panthers are hoping to bring Sam Bennett back and probably now hoping to sign veteran winger Brad Marchand. That's a lot of spending for the Panthers, who also have veteran defenceman Aaron Ekblad unsigned for next season and unlikely to return. Interestingly enough, both Bennett and Marner, the two big prizes of this free-agent class, are represented by the same agent, Darren Ferris, who likes to push his clients to July 1 rather than get deals done earlier and conveniently. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The most logical destination for Marner is Vegas, where the Golden Knights have been watching him with interest rather closely for years. The Knights have a history of going big at acquisition time. Over the years, they've picked up Alex Pietrangelo, Jack Eichel and Mark Stone in bold signings or trades that other teams have not been as willing to take part in. Eichel is probably the best possible centre match for Marner. He's not a Matthews-type shooter — who is? — but he's an offensive player of similar skill. Marner just had his best season with 102 points while Eichel had his best season with 94. That match has a certain symmetry to it. Vegas lacked offence in their playoff loss to Edmonton, lack creativity, being shut out in the final two games of the series. In total, they scored just 10 goals in five games against the Oilers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. At first glance, the Golden Knights don't appear to have the cap space available to work in Marner's favour. But this is where George McPhee and Kelly McCrimmon, the club president and general manager, enter the process, already having earned a reputation for making the financially impossible possible. They have a history of doing what other teams can't do or won't do. The future of star defenceman Pietrangelo already is in question regarding the Golden Knights future. There are those in front offices around the NHL who wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Pietrangelo has played his last NHL game — and that the long-term injury relief from the final two years of his $10 million per year contract would put the Knights in position to be able to afford Marner. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Pietrangelo, who was named to Canada's 4-Nations Face-Off team and is expected to be part of the coming Olympic team, pulled out of the tournament last February to get himself ready for playoffs. He has missed 29 games over the past two seasons to injury and was thought to be playing hurt in the playoffs. He turns 36 next season. What can the Leafs get for Marner in a sign-and-trade of sorts? Next to nothing, I am told. They might be able to get a third- or fourth-round draft pick by dealing his rights before July 1, but the question remains: Is it worth doing a possible sign-and-trade for Marner's benefit, doing him a favour, giving him an extra year on his contract if negotiated that way, when there is next to no benefit for the Leafs themselves? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Read More This is part of the equation that remains hard to figure and the relationships between the Marner camp and the Leafs has been rather prickly at times. Marner negotiated a no-movement clause with the Leafs with the previous general manager, was later seemingly unhappy about how he was being treated in the market and how he was being singled out for Maple Leafs blame. And yet, when the Leafs provided him with the opportunity to leave and play elsewhere, on a contender in Carolina, he said no, he wouldn't consider it. This was Marner playing both sides against the middle, which has worked in his favour, but not necessarily for the Leafs. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. If he hits free agency, there is little doubt that young hopeful teams such as San Jose, Columbus, Chicago and Anaheim — all with money to spend — will be bidding on Marner. And others — maybe Utah, maybe Detroit, maybe Pittsburgh — will be in the process as well. And probably a semi-contender like Los Angeles might get involved, as would Tampa Bay, where coach Jon Cooper is a huge Marner fan. And this is where you will learn something about Marner. Is he motivated to win or bring home the most dollars? Is he motivated to play in the best possible situation or in a place where he can hide and avoid the pressures of an intense hockey market? The bet here, with three weeks to go, is that Vegas is the team that can pull this off. ssimmons@postmedia,com NHL Toronto Blue Jays Columnists Columnists Relationships
Japan Forward
2 days ago
- Japan Forward
Exclusive: Retired Star Satoko Miyahara Still Seeking Future Path
Satoko Miyahara took time from her busy tour schedule to discuss her illustrious career, current work, and thoughts about the future in an exclusive interview. Satoko Miyahara dazzles during her performance in one of the 2025 Rock Stars on Ice tour stops. (©TRI NGUYEN) SAN JOSE, California ― Three years removed from her competitive career, Satoko Miyahara is just entering the prime of her life and the possibilities going forward are limitless. The 27-year-old Miyahara recently completed a grueling month-long tour of Canada and the United States with "Rock Stars on Ice." This marked the fourth year that the four-time Japan champion has skated with the group, which included the likes of two-time world champion Ilia Malinin and fellow world titlist Alysa Liu. Miyahara took time out from the busy tour schedule for an exclusive interview with Ice Time, where she discussed her illustrious career, current work, and thoughts about the future. Ice Time asked the two-time world medalist how she came to be the only Japanese skater with the Stars on Ice troupe. "When I retired from competition, I really wanted to do shows overseas," Miyahara stated in a quiet room inside the SAP Center before a Sunday afternoon show. "I was skating as a guest skater in Stars on Ice Japan. That was the very first connection. My agent contacted the producer of SOI and asked if I could join the Canadian tour, and the answer was positive." Satoko Miyahara in a recent file photo. (SATOKO MIYAHARA/via INSTAGRAM) Renowned for her beautiful line and edge on the ice, I wondered whether she enjoyed competitions or show skating more. "I think I like shows better, but I really like the training process toward competitions," Miyahara commented. "So it's hard to decide which. Just talking about the actual performance, I like to perform in shows. "I think at competitions I pressure myself too much and I never thought that I did my best programs at competitions. But when it comes to shows, it is more about how you perform, and you can do the programs you really want to do." Satoko Miyahara (JACK GALLAGHER) Her successful career has brought her a legion of fans in various parts of the globe, and along the way she has earned several nicknames. Ice Time wanted to know which one was her favorite. "I adore them all," Miyahara remarked. " 'Satopi' is from (former training partner) Ayaka Hosoda and it's my oldest nickname. 'Satton' comes next because one of my friends who trained with me gave me that name. "It's so funny, to say our nicknames in Western Japan, it's a very Kansai nickname. The pronunciation is Sat-ton, but the people in Kanto cannot really pronounce it right. Even between skaters we always have fun talking about that." The final moniker is believed to have been originally bestowed upon her by foreign fans. " 'Tiny Queen' I love because my fans gave me that name and it always brings me the feeling that I should be honored about myself and be like a tiny queen. I tend to shrink and feel like I am not good enough. 'Tiny Queen' brings the feeling that I should be proud of myself and show my best." Satoko Miyahara Added Miyahara, "I don't know if it was foreign fans or Japanese fans who came up with the nickname, but everybody knows it means me." Satoko Miyahara competes in the women's short program at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. (©SANKEI) When one has had as decorated a career as Miyahara has, I was interested in hearing her memories of the Pyeongchang Olympics, where she came in fourth in 2018. "I was very, very, very happy with both the team event (Japan finished fifth) and my individual event," Miyahara proclaimed. "Both were a great result. For me, the Olympics were the biggest goal, so I was so happy that I was able to get that opportunity to participate in the competition. The whole event felt like I was in a wonderland. That is my biggest memory." Ice Time was in Pyeongchang and vividly remembers Miyahara's outstanding performance, where she finished behind Russians Alina Zagitova and Evgenia Medvedeva, and Canada's Kaetlyn Osmond. From left, runner-up Satoko Miyahara, gold medalist Elizaveta Tuktamysheva and third-place finisher Elena Radionova in the women's singles competition at the 2015 World Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai. (DAVID W CARMICHAEL/CC BY-SA 3.0/via WIKIMEDIA COMMONS) Miyahara, a two-time Grand Prix Final medalist, considers the 2018 Games to have been the pinnacle of her career, but also cited a couple of other competitions as being high on her list of favorites. "The Pyeongchang Olympics was my highlight," Miyahara recalled. "Also, the very first worlds (2015), where I got the silver medal, those were my two highlights, thinking of the results. "But program-wise, the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona (where she placed second in 2016)," she continued. "I really felt like I was doing my programs without any doubts, [and] I felt really free. Program-wise, performance-wise, that was my best." Rock Stars on Ice performer Satoko Miyahara has participated in its shows in North America since 2022. (JAMES BENNETT) After addressing the glorious moments of a career that earned her seven medals at the Japan Championships, Ice Time wanted to know if she had any competitive regrets. "I don't have any competitions that I regret, but if I can say one, the very last season of my career," Miyahara remembered, referring to her fifth-place finish at the 2021 Japan Championships. "It was the selection competition for the Olympics. I fell on my [triple] lutz and, I don't know, but if I landed it, I might have been selected for the Beijing Olympics." Miyahara continued: "I still question if I had landed it, but it is what it is and I don't regret it at all. I'm so happy right now, so I have no regrets." Satoko Miyahara in 2018. (ⒸSANKEI) To call Miyahara's family successful is a bit of an understatement, as both of her parents are doctors. Ice Time asked for specifics on their fields of practice. "My mom is a hematologist and my father is a lung surgeon," Miyahara noted. Growing up around that high level of professional achievement, I wondered if she felt any anxiety about life after skating. "I don't feel any pressure, because my parents really respect my opinions," Miyahara commented. "They say, 'You should do whatever you want to do.' " She then said, "They support me a lot. Maybe a tiny bit they would like me to attend medical school. I don't know. This is my guess. They really respect me and I respect them." Miyahara, who won the Four Continents Championships in 2016, confessed that she does not have a firm plan about her future path at this time. "I actually do not know what I want to do," Miyahara remarked, adding, "I just want to experience whatever I can. Whatever comes along my path, I would like to try everything and see what I want to do and what I don't want to do. I am searching for what I want to do." Added Miyahara, "I just have to see what I want to do in the future. I think because I don't know what I want to do after skating, that is making me feel worried a little bit." Satoko Miyahara (front row, center) and other members of the 2025 Rock Stars on Ice tour. (SATOKO MIYAHARA/via INSTAGRAM) As she continues her career as a professional skater, Miyahara has begun to dabble in choreography, including creating a new exhibition program for three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto. Ice Time wanted to learn the origin of that arrangement. "I recently started to work with some kids and I did one show program with a senior girl, Miyabi Oba," Miyahara stated. "She's my great, great friend. Because I did that a lot of skaters thought, 'Oh, you do choreography?' Kaori was one of the skaters, and she just texted me, 'Is it OK if I ask you to make my exhibition program?' "I was like, 'It is such an honor, but are you sure that you want me to make your exhibition program?' Miyahara recalled. "And she was like, 'I would love you to.' " Miyahara admitted she had some trepidation about the task. "I was a bit nervous, but I wanted to take on that challenge," Miyahara said, adding, "I really love Kaori, so I accepted it." While she enjoys doing choreography, Miyahara isn't considering it as a primary vocation looking ahead. "I don't see myself doing choreography as a main job in the future. But as a life experience and to bring it to my next career," Miyahara stated. "I think it is going to be a great opportunity and experience. For now, I really enjoy working on choreography and studying about it. It could be a side job in the future." The 152-cm Miyahara was coached by Mie Hamada for her entire career. Ice Time asked for her thoughts on the legendary mentor, who is still going strong. Mie Hamada (KYODO) "She started coaching me when I was seven and a half," and "basically brought me to the Olympics. Baby to the Olympics. She taught me all the basic skills and skating skills, and how to practice, how to train, how to train off ice." Satoko Miyahara on mentor Mie Hamada Added Miyahara, "She brought me to all the amazing choreographers overseas, jump coaches, spin coaches. [And] she took me everywhere that we could go. I think that made me a good skater. I really appreciate her." Having learned under a prominent coach for so many years, the question of whether Miyahara would someday like to coach herself was broached. "Not for now," Miyahara stated. "I have been thinking about if I really want to coach after finishing competing. But so far, I never felt that I wanted to be a coach. It is very difficult." One new assignment that Miyahara has taken on is that of a director for the Japan Skating Federation, which she assumed in September 2024. I asked how that opportunity came about and what it entails. "Ito-san (JSF chief Hidehito Ito) called me and he asked me if I would like to try or not," Miyahara recalled. "He asked if it was OK if he selected me as a director. I had no idea at that time what I could do. [And] I thought it might be a good chance to contribute to the skating world. So I thought I would like to try it." Miyahara then gave a brief description of what her role with the JSF is. "There are a few faculties in the JSF," she noted. "I am in the headquarters. There are meetings and I attend those meetings. We talk about events and how the event went. We discuss how we can make things better. That is what I am doing now. I am still learning about how it all works. We meet once a month, in Tokyo or online." Miyahara's popularity among the skating public and her fellow skaters is well known. Her sublime skating skills, dedication to her craft, and ability to interact with her fellow competitors through the years have made her a highly respected figure in the sport. Kaori Sakamoto (left) and Satoko Miyahara are seen at the Fantasy on Ice show at Makuhari Messe in Chiba on May 31. (KYODO) Ice Time queried Miyahara on who she considered her best friends in skating after all these years. "That is such a hard question," Miyahara replied. "In Japan, probably Kaori, Wakaba [Higuchi] and Rika Hongo. Those three are the closest. Of the boys, Kazuki [Tomono] and Koshiro [Shimada]. I am pretty close to them." Miyahara then said, "I grew up competing with Shoma [Uno], so I know a lot about him. I am very close with [coach and choreographer] Stephane Lambiel, [and] I am also close with the Stars on Ice family members." From left, Japanese skaters Yuzuru Hanyu, Satoko Miyahara, Akiko Suzuki and Takahito Mura are seen in this commemorative photo at a Noto Peninsula reconstruction charity performance in September 2024 in Kanazawa. (©Toru Yaguchi/via SANKEI) Miyahara said she has enjoyed the annual multi-city tours of Canada and the United States with the SOI team. "It's really fun because I like to travel and see the city," Miyahara commented before adding, "it's very interesting to see all the places. I don't really know exactly on the map which city is where, but it's so amazing that I can see all the places and skate there. It's hard to say which city is the best." Miyahara mentioned that the evening performances give her a chance to explore the different stops on the tours. "It's amazing because I get to see all the different venues and rinks," she noted. "We have the shows. Usually Sundays are matinees. Weekdays it is from 7 PM, so I have time during the mornings to walk around." Having spent so much time outside Japan for training, competitions, and shows in her career, Ice Time wanted to know if she was interested in living abroad at some point in the future. "I would like to have the chance to live overseas someday," Miyahara replied with a smile. Author: Jack Gallagher The author is a veteran sports journalist and one of the world's foremost figure skating experts. Find articles and podcasts by Jack on his author page , and find him on X (formerly Twitter) @sportsjapan .
