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  Kristen ShiltonOct 1, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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  Kristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN.

SUMMERLIN, Nevada — Enter the Vegas Golden Knights practice facility and you’re met by a barrage of team logos, mascot drawings and even a faux brick-wall backdrop to the ice sheet reflecting the club’s established — and beloved — “Fortress” theme.

It’s the team store, though, that’s putting the team’s present — and future — on full display. Amid a selection of VGK-branded hoodies and jackets lined up outside, there’s only one player’s jersey in sight: Mitch Marner’s.

Hardly a surprising choice, given that Marner is already the talk of the town.

“You heard of this new guy they got?” the taxi driver asks when he sees that the Golden Knights’ arena is the destination. “Mitch Marner. He’s supposed to be pretty good.”

The winger’s reputation clearly preceded him to the desert. At this point, Marner had yet to even suit up in one of Vegas’ preseason games but there was anticipation to see him in action — or even get a glimpse of him at the rink.

Fans in Marner sweaters crowded the floor to watch one of Vegas’ morning skates and see him flanking new linemates Jack Eichel and Ivan Barbashev. Afterward, they waited for him on the sidewalk outside — one fan holding a hand-painted picture they hoped he’d see and sign — to show their enthusiasm over the arrival of Vegas’ projected new star.

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The hype is befitting of Marner’s departure from his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs to join the Golden Knights in a sign-and-trade deal culminating with the signing of a massive eight-year, $96 million contract on June 30. At the time, Marner was a pending unrestricted free agent who, as the 2024-25 season wore on, appeared increasingly unlikely to re-sign in Toronto, for reasons that Marner later revealed included increasing harassment toward his family from local fans. So, the Leafs found a suitor in Vegas and received depth forward Nicolas Roy in return for their 102-point contributor.

A tough blow for Toronto? Absolutely. But Marner seemingly has no regrets as he embarks on this next chapter.

“Can’t complain; I’m liking life,” Marner told ESPN in September. “It’s been good. There is nice weather, and no traffic has been a nice little treat [coming from Toronto]. I’ve had a lot of love shown to [my family] so far through our time here, which has been amazing. A lot of excited fans. I want to go out there and do my thing and try to just keep doing what I’ve been doing the past years and contributing to help the team win games.”

Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon bet big on Marner being able to do just that. He’d been eyeing the 28-year-old since the NHL’s trade deadline in March, calling him an “elite playmaker and tremendous passer” who is expected to elevate Vegas’ top-line attack.

That sort of talent doesn’t come cheap, though, and it wasn’t until the Golden Knights put defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injured reserve with a potentially career-ending leg issue that Vegas had enough cap space to make Marner one of the highest-paid players in the league.

Marner has the regular-season résumé to back up that sort of financial commitment. Since entering the league in 2016-17, Marner has recorded 520 assists (fifth most among all NHL players) and 741 points (eighth most). But translating that success into the postseason has been a different story, at least in Toronto. And that’s only one narrative Marner will have to overcome if he’s to fulfill the lofty expectations in Vegas.

“He was our target; he was the player we wanted,” McCrimmon said. “I think [his addition] will improve our team tremendously.”

IT’S A RARITY in today’s NHL that a marquee player such as Marner actually moves on.

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Toronto drafted him No. 4 in 2015 to actualize his childhood dream of one day being a Maple Leaf. He spent nine seasons as part of the organization’s infamously dubbed “Core Four,” a moniker applied to Marner, Auston Matthews, William Nylander — all Leafs’ draftees — and John Tavares when he came on board as a free agent in 2018. It was Tavares who, previous to Marner, made arguably the league’s most scrutinized free agent decision in recent years when he left the New York Islanders — as their captain no less — to sign with his hometown Leafs instead.

In time, Toronto would invest over half of its salary cap in those four skaters without getting the returns for which it had hoped. Pressure to perform intensified around that group each year that Toronto floundered in the postseason, having now recorded seven first-round or qualifying-round playoff losses in the nine straight years they claimed a playoff spot.

In particular, Marner and Matthews bore the brunt of criticism for the Leafs’ lack of achievement when it mattered most. Their impact wasn’t high enough. They didn’t mirror the opponent’s top skaters. Too invisible. Too disappointing.

Marner and the “Core Four” Leafs never found much team success in the postseason. Claus Andersen/Getty Images

On the heels of an especially crushing finish to another postseason run last spring — in which the Leafs blew a 2-0 second-round series lead over the Florida Panthers to fall in seven games — Marner was primed for a fresh start, even as the Leafs made their own aggressive pitches to keep him in the fold.

The lure of Las Vegas loomed.

“Once I heard they had interest, we were pretty interested right back,” Marner said. “This team, they’ve got a lot of skill. They got a lot of guys that really know what to do to win and buy into it. All I heard was amazing things about it here.”

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Still, transitioning to another lineup after nearly a decade alongside the same teammates isn’t easy, especially when there’s certain standards to uphold. The Golden Knights are coming off another strong season in which they finished third overall in the league standings — one spot ahead of the Leafs — and had the fifth-best offense (averaging 3.34 goals).

Marner’s task will be finding ways to make Vegas even more fearsome up front. Coach Bruce Cassidy paired Marner with Eichel immediately in training camp and they’ve worked hard to build a rapport along with Barbashev. Eichel went into the partnership with an open mind and some familiarity with Marner from their past as part of the same draft class — Eichel was selected No. 2 that year by Buffalo. He has been impressed by Marner when they’ve battled on the ice in the years since then.

“I always had a really high respect for his game,” Eichel said. “So, nothing has surprised me about him coming in here. I knew the type of player he is. He could make a lot of plays, and he’s got a really creative hockey mind, and he moves so well. There’s a lot to love about his game. But he’s obviously a great guy, too. He’s really easy to get along with. He keeps it pretty light. He’s been a great addition to our locker room.”

Marner is hoping to follow Eichel’s lead there as well. The Golden Knights have a certain character that appeals to Marner, one that’s loud and familial and propelled by some well-placed barbs he’s looking to match.

“Jack’s pretty good at chirping,” Marner said with a laugh. “I’m going to join the group here soon enough doing more of that. I like to hear it too. Lot of loud mouths in here, which is great. I like that. And I like the high energy and the back and forth. If you want to be a part of a team, you want to have guys poking one another. It’s been a lot of fun to be here.”

Jack Eichel (9) and Marner hope that the fist bumps and celebrations this preseason will be followed by many more in the regular season and Stanley Cup playoffs. Zak Krill/NHLI via Getty Images

That’s not to say Marner and Eichel also haven’t been putting in the work. Marner has benefited from playing with Matthews — one the NHL’s elite centers — for all of his career to date. Eichel is a top-tier pivot in his own right, but finding a rhythm with Marner has called for its own adjustments — and patience.

“You’re going to see things differently at times, and it’s just being open with your dialogue,” Eichel said of creating chemistry. “Just listening, reading off each other a bit, and just trying to jell and become closer off the ice as well. I always think that helps.”

Marner acknowleged it’s “a bit of a challenge” to find the right timing with a new center. The two were able to connect when they did finally appear in a preseason game, with Marner notching an assist on Eichel’s goal against Utah last Thursday. Marner had admired how Eichel carried himself even before that exhibition play. Cassidy’s decision to start them on a line was probably inevitable, but Marner could see independently that their skill sets would naturally align.

“He’s got that aura, just got the swagger into him,” Marner said. “He’s got that calmness out there. It looks like he’s not moving so fast, but his speed is outrageous. He gets really going quickly. And for me, it’s just trying to utilize that as much as I can, trying to find him in spots where maybe it’s not a direct pass, it’s laying a puck in the area and trusting his speed to get in. I’ll find areas that he can make plays into because his vision and his ability to make plays is really high-end.”

THERE’S A LIGHTNESS and excitement to Marner’s tone as he talks about his role with the Golden Knights, whether stationed with Eichel at 5-on-5 or quarterbacking Vegas’ top power-play unit. That spot is generally occupied by a defenseman, but Leafs coach Craig Berube eventually made Marner the man up top in Toronto last season, and he excelled.

Vegas wasn’t necessarily looking to upgrade its power play — it ranked No. 2 in 2024-25 at 28.3% — but given Marner’s experience, Cassidy slotted him there again as the club got to work on special teams in camp.

Cassidy leaned on his own instincts and recent past when it came to finding a home for Marner. Cassidy ran the power play for Team Canada at the Nations Face-off in February, doing a deep dive on his players — including Marner — to piece together optimal units. He had also seen the Leafs’ power play frequently — in the regular season and twice during playoffs — while coaching the Boston Bruins from 2017 to 2022, giving him a unique perspective on Marner’s evolution there.

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“Midway through the year [in 2024-25], they used him on the top, as a five-forward look,” Cassidy said. “When I was in Boston, he was on one of the flanks. Was on a lot on his forehand when Mike Babcock was coaching him [in Toronto]. Matthews was a forehand guy. They’ve always had Tavares in the bumper. I probably know way too much about Toronto’s power play [by now] … [but] we had a very good power play last year. We’re mindful of that, so we want to build off that without tearing that down. But obviously we have a new piece that’s very good.”

Cassidy wants the “best fit” for Marner. If the player has any say, that will include being Vegas’ proverbial eye in the sky on the man advantage going forward.

“I find I can walk the line pretty well and make plays,” Marner said. “I’m not really trying to overshoot to score. I’m trying to shoot for sticks and make plays. It’s not like I have the craziest, hardest shot of all time, obviously. But if there’s an opportunity that I could walk in and try to find it and pick a spot, I’m going to try to do that and be tricky.”

Marner’s playmaking ability led to his being used as the power-play quarterback in Toronto — a role he could reprise for Vegas. David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images

Deception might be a hallmark of Marner’s playmaker mentality on the ice. He tried to be straightforward about why he left Toronto behind.

In an interview with TSN at Hockey Canada’s Olympic orientation camp in August, Marner opened up about harassment he and his family — including his wife, Stephanie, and newborn son, Miles — were subjected to over the final years of his Leafs’ tenure. He detailed how fans were posting his address online following the Leafs’ 6-1 loss in Game 7 of their second-round series against Florida last May, and his agent Darren Ferris said on the “100% Hockey Podcast” that they had to hire former NHL security personnel to deal with situations like “people throwing stuff in [Marner’s] yard.”

Leafs’ general manager Brad Treliving responded to Marner’s comments with assurances that the organization is fully committed to protecting its players.

“In our business, your No. 1 priority is looking after your players, and I think we do a really good job of it,” Treliving said. “I don’t have any concerns that we don’t do everything humanly possible to make sure that they’re looked after.”

Marner said being targeted by fans wasn’t the only reason he wanted out of Toronto. But it did make it “tough” to consider staying.

“When your family’s safety comes into question, especially having a new son, I don’t think it’s acceptable,” he told TSN.

THE MARNERS HAVE SINCE received a warm reception in their new community, and found they’ve fit right in. Most of the Golden Knights live in similar neighborhoods near the practice facility, and it has made for easy bonding.

“We are settled in now,” Marner said. “Getting to know the group really well. The family’s obviously settling in too, which is very important. We’re getting there. We’ve unboxed the whole house. We’re feeling at home now. The wives have been really open and accepting and very kind to [Stephanie], inviting her out, getting to know them.

“Our area, there’s about six or eight of us [teammates] around each other, so that’s been nice. She’s been going for nice walks with them, and all the kids, the dogs. So, it’s been good for her. We’re really enjoying it.”

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Another factor for Marner was the chance to capitalize on the Golden Knights’ often relentless pursuit of a championship. Vegas appeared in the Cup Final during its inaugural 2016 season and won the trophy in 2023. The Golden Knights have been to the playoffs in seven of their first eight seasons as a franchise, and advanced to the second round or beyond in five of those appearances.

That pedigree as a perennial contender with a willingness to do whatever it takes was hard to ignore.

“Definitely, I think you see it every year, that they are not afraid to go for it and make big moves,” Marner said. “So that’s something that excites you as well, and it’s what you want to be a part of. There’s a lot of guys in this locker room that [won] before a couple years ago, and that energizes you too.”

It’s a good thing Marner feels that way — because Eichel is blunt about where the Golden Knights see themselves now that he has one of the league’s premier wingers on his flank.

“Our expectation,” Eichel said, “is to win the Stanley Cup.”

Many of the Golden Knights who won the Cup in 2023 remain on the roster. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

That journey will begin in earnest when the new NHL season begins for the Golden Knights on Oct. 8 at home against the Los Angeles Kings. It’ll be Marner’s first real taste of playing for some place other than Toronto, with months to go before a meeting against his former teammates on Jan. 23.

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That leaves plenty of time for Marner to emotionally prepare for a return — and whatever reception he receives from a passionate fan base that missed out on seeing him help Toronto end its league-high 57-year Cup drought.

And there are also the Olympics to consider. Marner relished his time helping Team Canada to gold at 4 Nations, and he’s also a strong contender to make the country’s roster for the 2026 Games in Milan.

That possibility isn’t top of mind for Marner right now. He’s just ready to embrace the moment at hand in Vegas: a new opportunity, a clean slate, and the chance to make the most of new memories.

“It’ll be really exciting, I know I’ve got a lot of family coming into town for that one,” Marner said of Vegas’ opener. “I know Miles will be on the glass, which will be a lot of fun to see him for the first time, just his facial expressions and stuff like that will be really cool.

“I’m just excited to see the building rocking. It’s always a loud building, it’s always pretty rowdy and crazy and I’m excited to feel the love on the other side of it.”

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Kuldeep Yadav is an Indian international cricketer and a left-arm unorthodox spinner. He represents Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket and the Delhi Capitals in the IPL. He was part of Indiaâ€s winning squads in the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. He earlier played for India in the 2014 Under-19 World Cup and made his Test debut against Australia in March 2017.

On 18 December 2019, he became the first Indian bowler to take two hat-tricks in international cricket. In January 2020, he became the fastest Indian spinner to 100 ODI wickets, achieving the mark in 58 innings. He was also the highest wicket-taker for India in the 2018 Asia Cup, helping the team win the title.

Kuldeep Yadav Parents: Who are His Father And Mother?

Kuldeep Yadav was born to Ram Singh and Usha Devi. His father, Ram Singh Yadav, owns a brick kiln in Kanpur. His mother is a homemaker. He is very close to his parents and often shares pictures with them on social media, including special posts on Fatherâ€s Day and Motherâ€s Day. His family has supported him throughout his cricket journey.

Kuldeep Yadav Father – Ram Singh

Kuldeep Yadavâ€s father is Ram Singh Yadav. He is a brick kiln owner in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Ram Singh Yadav is proud of his only sonâ€s cricket journey and often recalls the struggles Kuldeep faced before reaching the Indian team. When Kuldeep made his Test debut against Australia in Dharamsala in March 2017 and took four wickets on the first day, his father expressed his happiness, saying that his son had worked very hard to reach this stage and hoped there would be no looking back for him.

Kuldeep Yadav Mother – Usha Yadav

Kuldeep Yadavâ€s mother is Usha Devi. She lives in Kanpur with her family and has always supported her sonâ€s cricket journey. During Kuldeepâ€s ODI hat-trick against Australia at Eden Gardens in September 2017, she was performing Durga Puja at home because she felt tense when he did not get early wickets. She later saw the replay after family members started celebrating. Usha Devi called the hat trick the “biggest gift†for her son and family during Navratras.

Does Kuldeep Yadav have a sister?

Kuldeep Yadav has three sisters: Anushka Singh Yadav, Anita Yadav, and Madhu Yadav. In 2019, he shared an emotional post from his sister Anushkaâ€s wedding, expressing his love and support as she began a new chapter in her life.

Kuldeep Yadavâ€s sister, Anushka Singh Yadav, is an advocate. Her Instagram bio (@anushka.singh336) mentions, “Be a lawyer in the world of liars †and she runs it as a personal blog. She often shares updates from her personal and professional life with her followers.

FAQs

Q. Who bought Kuldeep Yadav in the IPL?

A. Kuldeep Yadav plays for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League

Q. What does Kuldeep Yadavâ€s father do?

A. Ram Singh Yadav, Kuldeep Yadavâ€s father, was a brick kiln owner

Q. Where was Kuldeep Yadav born?

A. Kuldeep Yadav was born in Unnao, and he grew up in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh

Q. Is Kuldeep Yadav engaged?

A. Kuldeep Yadav engaged his childhood friend Vanshika on the 4th of June 2025 in Lucknow

Q. How wealthy is Kuldeep Yadav?

A. Kuldeep Yadavâ€s net worth is estimated to be approximately ₹32–35 crore

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Kuldeep Yadav is an international cricketer who plays for the Indian National Cricket team as a left-arm unorthodox spinner. He started his cricket career by playing domestically for Uttar Pradesh. He started playing in the Indian Premier League for the Mumbai Indians in 2012 and then joined the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014. Currently, Yadav plays for the Delhi Capitals. He was also a part of the Indian team when they won the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Kuldeep was born on 14 December 1994 in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. His parents are Ram Singh and Usha Devi. Ram Singh was a brick kiln owner. Kuldeep Yadav faced many challenges early in his career, which included not being selected for the Uttar Pradesh under-15 team. He admires Shane Warne and modeled his wrist-spin bowling on him. Outside cricket, Kuldeep enjoys football, supports FC Barcelona, plans to start football academies in India, and runs a YouTube channel focused on football.

Kuldeep Yadav fiancee: Who Is She?

Kuldeep Yadavâ€s fiancee is Vanshika. She is a childhood friend from Kanpur who now lives in Shyam Nagar, Lucknow. She works as a professional with LIC. Kuldeep and Vanshika got engaged on June 4, 2025, in an intimate ceremony in Lucknow. Their wedding was postponed due to Kuldeepâ€s England tour, but fans have been drawn to their long-standing and sincere relationship.

More About Vanshika

Vanshika is a childhood friend who works with the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), and they have been friends since childhood. They got engaged on June 4, 2025, at The Centrum, Sushant Golf City, Lucknow, in an intimate ceremony.

Vanshika wore a white gown for the Christian-style part of the event and an orange lehenga with gold embroidery for the Indian-style celebration, while Kuldeep wore a black suit and a cream-hued bandhgala suit for the respective events. She currently resides in Melbourne, Australia, though some reports mention Shyam Nagar, Lucknow, as her hometown. Kuldeep briefly shared their engagement pictures on Instagram but later deleted them. Vanshika remains away from the public and social media spotlight.

When did Kuldeep Yadav and Vanshika get engaged?

Kuldeep Yadav and Vanshika got engaged on June 4, 2025, in Lucknow.

FAQs

Q. What is the fastest delivery of Kuldeep Yadav?
A. Kuldeep Yadav bowled his fastest bowl at a speed of 114 km/h to Daryl Mitchell in the 2023 Cricket World Cup

Q. Who inspired Kuldeep Yadav?
A. Kuldeep Yadav was inspired by Wasim Akram and Zaheer Khan when he first joined a cricket academy in Kanpur.

Q. What type of spinner is Kuldeep Yadav?
A. Kuldeep Yadav is a left-arm wrist spinner. He uses his wrist to spin the ball sharply and can bowl variations like googlies, making him a “mystery spinner.â€

Q. Where did Kuldeep Yadav study?
A. Kuldeep Yadav studied at Karam Devi Memorial Academy World School in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Q. How many hat tricks does Kuldeep Yadav have?

A. Kuldeep Yadav has taken two hat tricks in his international career, taking his first against Australia in 2017 and his second hat trick came against the West Indies in 2019.

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Jasprit Bumrah is an Indian cricketer and one of the world’s top fast bowlers. He was born on 6 December 1993. Domestically, he represents Gujarat and plays for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, where he is the highest wicket-taker with 181 wickets in 142 matches and has helped MI win five titles. Bumrah is the first bowler to top the ICC rankings in all three formats.

Bumrah made his international debut in January 2016 during India’s tour of Australia, becoming the leading wicket-taker in that T20 series. He made his Test debut in 2018 against South Africa. He has been ICC’s top performer in T20Is, ODIs, and Tests and has received the Polly Umrigar Award thrice, inclusion in ICC Teams of the Year, and Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2022. Since December 2023, he has served as India’s Test vice-captain and has captained in Rohit Sharma’s absence.

Jasprit Bumrah Wife: Who is She?

Jasprit Bumrah’s wife is Sanjana Ganesan, a sports presenter and former model. Their relationship began in private during 2019, and they first met at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, where Sanjana was anchoring and Bumrah was India’s lead bowler. From that, their friendship grew into a romance, and despite both of their busy schedules, they managed to keep their relationship private until their wedding.

They currently divide their time between Bumrah’s Ahmedabad mansion (worth about ₹3 crore) and their Mumbai apartment (worth around ₹2 crore). Their lifestyle includes a luxury car collection featuring a Mercedes-Maybach S560, Nissan GT-R, Range Rover Velar, Toyota Innova Crysta, and Hyundai Verna.

More About Sanjana Ganesan

Sanjana is an Indian sports journalist, anchor, and former model. She studied at The Bishop’s School and earned a B.Tech from Symbiosis Institute of Technology, Pune. A Miss India finalist and MTV Splitsvilla 2014 participant, she later joined Star Sports as a presenter. She has covered the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup, the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup, and the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup.

Sanjana Ganesan Instagram Account: Is She On?

Sanjana Ganesan can be found on Instagram under the handle @sanjanaganesan. She has 1.8 million followers, has made 1,533 posts, and follows 510 accounts. She works as a sports presenter and digital insider for the ICC.

When did Jasprit Bumrah and Sanjana Ganesan get married?

Bumrah and Sanjana got married in a private ceremony in Goa on 15 March 2021.

How many kids do Bumrah and Sanjana have?

Jasprit Bumrah and Ms Ganesan have a son named Angad. He was born on September 4, 2023.

FAQs.

Q. What is the salary of Jasprit Bumrah’s wife?
A. Sanjana Ganesan earns between ₹20 lakh and ₹40 lakh for each TV appearance as a sports media person.

Q. What is the age gap between Jasprit Bumrah and his wife?
A. Jasprit Bumrah is about 2 years and 10 months younger than Sanjana.

Q. Who was Sanjana Ganesan’s ex?
A. Sanjana previously dated Ashwini Koul, who was her co-contestant from MTV Splitsvilla 7 in 2014.

Q. How old is Sanjana Ganesan?
A. Sanjana is 34 years old, she was born on May 6, 1991.

Q. Do Jasprit Bumrah and Sanjana have kids?
A. Jasprit Bumrah and Sanjana welcomed their first child on September 4, 2023.

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FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — The ball tumbled into the cup, then Shane Lowry leaped and got huge air.

A moment later, the green, white and orange Irish tricolor came flying from the stands. Lowry, still shaking after a putt that punctuated a high-drama afternoon at Bethpage Black, snatched it up and held the flag high.

No wonder he lives for the Ryder Cup.

With a sure thing slipping from Europe’s grasp Sunday, Lowry hit a perfect drive straight down the 18th fairway, hit the approach to 6 feet, then drained the putt that gave his team the harder-than-expected 14th point it needed to bring the cup home.

Walking up the fairway, Lowry told his caddie “I have a chance to do the coolest thing in my life here. And like, the Ryder Cup means everything to me.â€

Europe went on to win 15-13. A bonus for the 38-year-old Irishman — Europe will defend the cup two years from now in Limerick, Ireland.

What a great two years it will be for Lowry, who adds his name to a long list of Irish golfers who have come up big at the Ryder Cup: Paul McGinley, Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell, Christie O’Connor, Phillip Walton.

The Ryder Cup is, of course, bigger than one country — in Europe at least — and nobody has bought into the importance of this biennial event more than the brawny Irishman who recorded one of the most memorable draws in the history of the cup.

He won his only major, The Open, at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. Now, he’ll go down as the man who saved the day at Bethpage.

“I’ve been so lucky to experience amazing things in this game,†Lowry said. “That was the hardest couple of hours of my whole life, honestly.â€

This was expected to be a drowsy Sunday, thanks in part to Lowry’s putting over the first two days of the tournament. With his partner, Rory McIlroy, fending off a hostile crowd, it was Lowry who made testy putts of 8, 5 and 5 feet over the last four holes to hang onto a 2-up victory in Saturday fourballs.

At the time, it looked like piling on. Europe started singles with a 12-5 lead, the biggest ever under the current format that dates to 1979.

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Watch the most clutch moments from the final day of the 2025 Ryder Cup, including Shane Lowry’s clutch retaining putt that led to a European win.

When European captain Luke Donald tabbed Lowry to go off in the eighth match against Russell Henley, who had struggled all week, it had the makings of a match that would conclude long after the victory cigars had been lit.

As it turned out, Europe won only one match the entire day, and needed every point, and half-point, it could get.

“We knew this would be tough,†Donald said. “We didn’t know it would be this tough.â€

With Europe’s lead down to three, Lowry was facing a 2-down deficit walking to the 15th tee box.

He drew within one with an approach to four feet for a birdie. Lowry headed to 18 needing to win the hole to pull out the crucial half-point. Henley drove into an uphill lie in a bunker but hit his shot to 10 feet. Lowry then stepped up and put his approach inside of Henley’s, but four feet closer on the same line.

A few minutes later, he was celebrating a victory that had seemed sure when the day started, but turned into one of the more dramatic wins in the history of the cup.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering their third season under the guidance of GM Brad Treliving, their second with coach Craig Berube at the helm and the first since 2015-16 without Mitch Marner on the team.

It will be fascinating to see what it all adds up to.

Any time you lose a player of Marnerâ€s level, youâ€re going to feel it. Since he entered the league in 2016-17, the only full-time wingers with more points than Marnerâ€s 741 are Nikita Kucherov (845), Artemi Panarin (793) and David Pastrnak (780). And, for what itâ€s worth, none of those guys have ever come close to being a Selke Trophy finalist like Marner was in 2023.

Still, those in a rush to write off this Buds squad do so at their own peril, as the bones of a quality team remain.

While Joseph Woll is currently on a leave from the club for personal reasons, he and Anthony Stolarz — if they can stay even reasonably healthy — should form a formidable goalie tandem. And two guys who joined the Leafs at the trade deadline last season — defenceman Brandon Carlo and centre Scott Laughton — will now get a full run with the team and should settle into becoming important players on this squad.

And what about this winger who played on the first line the past couple years and is still very much in the fold? Matthew Knies inked a six-year deal with Toronto in the summer and, at 22 years old, the six-foot-three, 232-pounder feels like heâ€s just fully entering beast mode.

Between Knies, William Nylander, John Tavares and Auston Matthews, the Leafs could very easily have four guys who bury 30-plus goals this season, with Matthews and Nylander extremely capable of pushing toward 50.

Even without Marner, offence shouldnâ€t be a problem. As always, though, Toronto will be trying to show it can do enough in other areas of the game to be a top-tier contender.

Our look at 32 NHL teams in 32 days continues with the most-watched team in hockey.

• 
• 32 Thoughts: The Podcast

  Hockey fans already know the name, but this is not the blog. From Sportsnet, 32 Thoughts: The Podcast with NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman and Kyle Bukauskas is a weekly deep dive into the biggest news and interviews from the hockey world.

  Latest episode

Acquired for a third-round pick in the final season of his three-year contract, Matias Maccelli could get a golden opportunity to make his next NHL deal a banger.

One season removed from a 57-point showing with the Arizona Coyotes in 2023-24, Maccelli is in the mix to start on the Leafs†top line with two guys — Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies — who grew up watching the Coyotes franchise Maccelli used to represent. Whether we call them the ‘Arizona 3†or simply the ‘4M Line,†you can see the potential for fireworks.

Maccelli may not have the same skill level as the old M.M., who used to twirl on that trio, but he could still prove to be a very threatening skater playing beside more talent than he ever did in the desert or mountains.

McMann spent a chunk of last season skating with John Tavares and William Nylander on the second line and is going to get a top-six crack again this fall. The late-blooming McMann, 29, hit the 20-goal barrier for the first time in his NHL career last season and, at six-foot-two and 215 pounds, coach Craig Berube would love to see the Alberta boy provide a pugnacious element to a line with a couple of really talented players.

“Bobby could take another step in his game,†Berube said during the first full week of training camp. “Especially playing with those two guys. Getting those guys the puck more, getting to the net more, things like that. I like a big guy with those guys to forecheck, get in there and create loose pucks.â€

In a perfect world, the Leafs would have Knies making life miserable on goalies and defencemen with the first line, while McMann could do some version of the same thing on the second unit.

It was two years ago now that Cowan, after being a surprise first-rounder by the squad, burst onto the scene during training camp in 2023. Heâ€s dominated major junior hockey since then and will turn pro — whether with the Leafs or AHLâ€s Marlies — this fall.

Before Cowan was a monster point-producer with the OHLâ€s London Knights, he forged his identity as a dog-on-bone worker who would do anything to help the team. Even if you donâ€t believe heâ€ll be a high-end producer right away in the NHL — and, hey, who knows? — Cowan can be the kind of relentless player who chips in offence and smothers opponents in a middle-six role.

“Physically, he looks a lot stronger,†said Leafs winger Steven Lorentz, who lined up beside Cowan in a pre-season game. “His play with the puck and the passes he makes, the vision he has, is world-class. So, itâ€s only a matter of time. If itâ€s not right away, itâ€ll be very soon.â€

Indeed, it feels like even if Cowan doesnâ€t break camp with the club and heads to the AHL, itâ€s only a matter of time before he makes his big-league debut — and stays put for a long, long time.

1. What, exactly, will life without Mitch Marner look like?

Until the Leafs start playing games for real, itâ€s impossible to know all the ways Marnerâ€s absence will hurt the squad. The rubber will simply have to meet the ice on this one before things fully crystallize.

While weâ€ve touched on both Matias Maccelli and Bobby McMann above, itâ€s also worth noting that Max Domi will factor into the top-six-winger conversation as well. With the Leafs now quite deep at centre — Auston Matthews, John Tavares, Scott Laughton and Nicolas Roy, who came over from Vegas as part of the Marner sign-and-trade to Vegas — Domi will surely spend most of his time on the flank.

The Leafs’ only true puck-mover had a rough 2024-25, registering 41 points in 82 games for his lowest points-per-game mark (.50) since the 2016-17 campaign.

The good news, though, is that Rielly was paired with righty Brandon Carlo after the latter was acquired at the trade deadline, and the duo took. According to Moneypuck, Rielly and Carlo played roughly 220 minutes together and had an expected goals percentage of 58.5 per cent, the best number posted by any Leafs pair that skated at least 200 minutes together.

In the playoffs, Rielly and Carlo played another 172 minutes together and had a team-best expected goals percentage of 49.3 per cent.

In the past, Rielly has suffered from having to flip over and play the right side as a lefty. With Carlo now entrenched as his partner, maybe the 31-year-old can get closer to being the defenceman who collected some Norris Trophy votes three seasons ago in 2021-22.

One area where life could really improve for Rielly is on the power play. With Marnerâ€s departure, the Leafs will abandon the five-forward PP1 they used last year and install Rielly as PPQB on the blueline. If he can get off to a strong start there, maybe the points — and overall good vibes — will snowball.

3. Will this be an ‘on†year for Auston Matthews?

Matthews†goal totals have yo-yoed the past few years, going from 60 in 2022 to 40 in â€23, way up to a mind-blowing 69 in 2024 and back down to 33 in an injury-marred 2024-25 campaign.

On one hand, without Marner, you might assume Matthews will have trouble becoming a 60-goal guy again. I mean, thatâ€s a lot to ask of anyone in any circumstances.

That said, this is a three-time Rocket Richard winner who possesses one of the deadliest releases the league has ever seen. Obviously, both Matthews and the team would love to see him play 80-plus games this year. If he does, regardless of who heâ€s skating beside, a goal-scoring crown should be on the table.

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Bishop Dyer remains motivated as ever to prove he can hang with the best pro wrestling has to offer. The former WWE superstar known to fans as Baron Corbin for 13 years works to reinvent himself in the next chapter of his career. He didnâ€t waste any time making his presence felt in Major League Wrestling starting at Battle Riot VII.

“Iâ€m doing it backwards,†Dyer said of his journey. “I think for the most WWE talent, at least a vast majority of it, they did the independent scene prior to coming to WWE. Thatâ€s how they built their name. Thatâ€s how they built equity in their character and social media to get the attention of WWE. Whereas I was lucky and fortunate to get a tryout and made it that way.

“So, I never got to experience the wild west, if you will, of the independent scene. For me, when my career ended, I know I missed a lot in that aspect. I wanted to wrestle in some of these bigger independent companies because there is a ton of talent on these rosters, especially when you look at an MLW roster. The list of talent they have is amazing. Itâ€s up-and-comers, itâ€s guys that are independently established, and true legends like [Satoshi] Kojima.â€

The veteran considers himself lucky to be able to control where he works. This includes dates on the independent scene. His criteria for taking bookings comes down to how a particular promotion treats their talent and takes care of them. Dyer decided to work for MLW due to the way the company tells stories across continuous programming rather than just one-off matches. Controlling his schedule has also helped the dedicated husband and dad be home more.

“My wife works full-time. She owns her own company, so she is very busy as well,†Dyer explained. “When I was on the road with WWE, she would work five days a week. Then sheâ€d come home to be a mom because I would be gone. A lot of times too Iâ€d be gone on the weekends, which really sucked for her. When weâ€re doing full tours, Iâ€m leaving the house Thursday, and coming home Monday or Tuesday. She works all week and has to keep the kids entertained Saturday and Sunday. They are young, 3 and 6, so they are busy bodies. For me to be home, Iâ€m taking two shows a month, relatively. I told myself I would really enjoy this year and pump the brakes on things and be a part of it all. Iâ€m very good at home at being that family man and being with my kids because thatâ€s all that matters to me at the end of the day.â€

He continued, “So, now Iâ€m getting to take my kids to school every day, picking them up every day. Itâ€s elevating a lot of stress from her. Itâ€s also giving me a lot of joy because I get to be here and a part of everything. Iâ€m not missing birthdays, school functions, and school events. Those kinds of things. I really do it as a blessing. Having the ability to go and wrestle twice a month, it doesn’t bother them like it used to when I was leaving every single weekend. They are excited for me. They are excited when I’m telling them who Iâ€m working and where Iâ€m working. Iâ€ll show them videos of the guys because they are so used to the WWE thing and just know the main names. My daughter asked about John Cena all the time like theyâ€re friends, which is hilarious. I think they are excited. I think with that too, if Iâ€m doing shows in fun places, I can bring them and stay a few days. Like my wife’s favorite thing to say now is we can plan things.â€

Outside the ring Dyer has also been able to explore his other interests. Whether itâ€s providing cook tips on TikTok or winning 14 gold medals through ju-jitsu, the performer is living his best life. Adding to his other business ventures along with working as an analyst and host for Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 on Sirius XM is a budding coffee business.

“Itâ€s called Open Air Coffee where we sell through ecommerce, but I’m building a facility in Tampa,†Dyer said. “I have 8,000 sq. ft. and Iâ€m building a coffee roastery, a community roastery for all the coffee shops in the area, even Orlando…Weâ€re doing something cool here. With that, not having that WWE paycheck consistently, it can add some stress when youâ€re financially building a company and things like that. It can be stressful, but I have the time to do that now. Also, exploring new things..

“Weâ€re also getting to go to more concerts now, which I love so much because we can plan stuff again. Having that freedom to do my thing is really fun and allows me to be creative again. When youâ€re in that cog of WWE, the creativity of the talent gets lost a little bit. Someone else is writing the stories and helping you evolve your characters where as now, especially in the wrestling world I can do it all myself. Iâ€m building the ‘Nomad†Bishop Dyer. I can wear what I want to wear. Iâ€m not wearing weird suit vests and stuff like that. Iâ€m really getting to do me and be creative from social media to food to coffee to jiu jitsu to planning activities with the kids.â€

Dyer has enjoyed his time in MLW, reconnecting with Dominik Dijak to form The Skyscrapers. Together the two imposing figures won the MLW Tag Team Championship alongside their savvy manager Saint Laurent.

“Working with Dijak is great because we were sharing the ring before in NXT,†said. “We were both grinding and always trying to better ourselves. When I got the email about the plan and that they were going to put me and Dijak together as a team as The Skyscrapers, instantly I smiled because what a really cool ode to the past. They do a great job of incorporating things from the past.

“Pairing me with him and giving us The Skyscrapers name, I was worried at first. But it has gotten a great reception. People love it because we have the same type of aura if you will. Weâ€re big dudes who can move. Weâ€re very athletic. We can be very violent and physical with our opponents. Itâ€s a really cool thing. Having Saint Laurent as our manager, itâ€s extra heat poured on. Iâ€ll take as much as I can get. We do a great job with that. Itâ€s fun and exciting, but itâ€s nice too at MLW because youâ€re not pigeonholed to just that tag team. Iâ€m also competing in the Opera Cup where Iâ€m facing Kojima. Iâ€m getting to do multiple things with one company with 95 percent of the roster Iâ€ve never worked with.â€

Dyer still remains a fan, watching pro wrestling across the board weekly. Not only to stay on top of things for his “Busted Open†work. He is proud to see his former tag team partner Bron Breakker continue his ascent to the top in WWE.

“I like him in The Vision, but I donâ€t like him in The Vision,†Dyer explained. “I think he is such a star. He carries so much personality, athletic ability, and with what he can do in the ring he is truly special. Obviously, Iâ€m partial to him because we created The Wolf Dogs, and that woke a lot of people up to how good I am as well. We were doing some pretty incredible matches, and I think I did a good job bringing a little bit of personality out. Not just being the tough angry guy, but having fun with it. I think it helped him evolve. We bettered each other. So, when I see him in the background of a group because you have [Paul] Heyman, Seth [Rollins], Becky [Lynch], and then Bronson [Reed] and Bron are a step behind them.

“He is not a background player. I know itâ€s buying time and getting him reps, but you kind of just put him in another tag team. He is a singles star all the way through. The day he turns on Seth Iâ€m going to be so happy whenever that happens because I think he is going to headline a WrestleMania at some point. I love supporting him and what he is doing and the stuff he is putting out there. He is out of his mind, and I love it. He does these crazy things, and Iâ€m just like just be safe. Itâ€s exciting. Itâ€s fun to support guys.â€

Despite WWE deciding to part ways with Dyer, he still has love for his former employer. The 41-year-old is grateful for the opportunities given. He stays in touch with colleagues there to catch up and share news like getting to wrestle the legendary former MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima coming up at Slaughterhouse on October 4. The Long Beach event will air on YouTube and beIN Sports.

“When I found out I was wrestling Kojima, Iâ€m texting [CM] Punk, Iâ€m texting Finn Balor,†Dyer said. “Guys who appreciate it. It was really cool to get that response from them of how cool that is that I get to do this now.â€

The talent is looking forward to stepping up against Kojima. Wrestling in Japan is also on Dyerâ€s to-do list because he finds his style likens to theirs.

“For me, itâ€s a test of am I as good as I think I am and I feel like I would have a lot of success over there,†Dyer said. “This will be a test to say yeah you will or keep working. Itâ€s one of those things. Iâ€m always under the mindset I can get better every day. I was training at Nattieâ€s gym Wednesday continuing to get better. Iâ€m always bouncing ideas off of TJ [Wilson] because I want to make sure I give him the best opponent I can give him being the legendary he is. I think itâ€s definitely a place to plant my flag and say Iâ€m for real. I respect him and look up to Kojima as a superstar and the things he has done and the physicality he brings.

“He has beaten countless people by a clothesline. Thatâ€s as old school and rough as it gets. For me, it’s an honor to step in the ring with him, but when the bell rings, Iâ€m going to set all of that aside and weâ€re going to fight. This is to continue to the next level of the Opera Cup. Thatâ€s the ultimate goal, to walk away with that. If I have to put Kojima down in the process, I will. And I will give him his respect afterward and prior to. But between those bells, this is what we do. Weâ€re prize fighters in a sense and will go to war. For me too, I think it will open peopleâ€s eyes that Bishop Dyer is for real. That Iâ€m just not some WWE guy. He is out here making a name for himself, accomplishing big things, and continuing to further his career between those ropes.â€

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Sanju Samson is an Indian international cricketer. He was born on 11 November 1994 in Pulluvila, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Samson is the captain of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL and Kerala in domestic cricket. Samson plays as a right-handed wicket-keeper-batter for the Indian cricket team. He started his career in 2021, when he made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe, and then, after a few weeks, he made his ODI debut in July 2021. He scored his maiden ODI century against South Africa in November 2023.

From 2024 onwards, Samson became one of Team India’s top T20 batters, scoring multiple centuries in international T20s. He made 111 against Bangladesh and three centuries on the South Africa tour, including consecutive centuries, setting records for the fastest and highest scores by an Indian wicket-keeper-batter. In November 2024, he became the first Indian to score three T20I centuries in a calendar year and set a 210-run unbeaten partnership with Tilak Varma.

Sanju Samson Wife: Who Is She?

Sanju Samson’s wife is Charulatha Samson. She is from Kerala and was born on August 7, 1995. She used to study at Arya Central School in Thiruvananthapuram and completed her higher education at Mar Ivanios College and Loyola College of Social Sciences, earning a B.Sc. in Chemistry and a postgraduate degree in Human Resources. Professionally, Charulatha is an entrepreneur. Her estimated net worth is between INR 50 and 60 lakh.

After her weight loss, Charulatha Samson is very vocal on social media about body neutrality. She stresses valuing her body for what it can do, rather than focusing on appearance or the idea that being slimmer is better. Charulatha shares her journey on Instagram, trying to motivate others to appreciate their physical selves independently of external expectations or criticism based solely on looks.

Is Charulatha Samson on Instagram?

Charulatha Samson is on Instagram under the handle @charulatha_remesh. She has 208 posts, 146K followers, and follows 72 accounts with “Charu” written on her bio. He is very active on social media, as he helps to spread awareness about appreciating your own body.

When did Sanju Samson and Charulatha Samson get married?

As of 2025, Sanju Samson and Charulatha Samson have been married for more than 5 years. They were reportedly married at a resort in Kovalam, Kerala, on December 22, 2018. She met Sanju during college and married after more than four years of private dating.

FAQs

Q. What is the job of Sanju Samson’s wife?
A. Charulatha Samson is an entrepreneur. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a Master’s degree in Human Resources.

Q. What is Sanju Samson’s religion?
A. Sanju Samson is a Christian, born into a Malayali Christian family in Kerala.

Q. How did Sanju Samson meet his wife?
A. They met in college at Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram. Sanju sent her a Facebook friend request, which started their relationship.

Q. What is Sanju Samson’s IPL salary in 2025?
A. Sanju Samson earns ₹18 crore per season from the Rajasthan Royals, and from the BCCI, he earns ₹1 crore per year.

Q. Is Sanju Samson playing in the Asia Cup?
A. Sanju Samson has been a part of Team India’s every single match in the 2025 Asia Cup.

Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.

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Ann Jones CBE is remembered worldwide as a Wimbledon champion and British tennis icon, but her story began with a very different racket. Before she stepped onto the grass courts of London, she grew up in a family where table tennis wasnâ€t just a sport—it was a way of life.

Her father, Adrian Haydon, her mother, Doris Jordan, and her aunt, Marjorie Haydon, all represented England at the international level. With such a remarkable family legacy, itâ€s no surprise that Ann picked up the game early, embracing table tennis as both a passion and a family tradition.

By the age of just 15, she had already made her mark at Wembley, reaching the womenâ€s doubles final at the World Championships. That debut signaled the start of a decorated career: world medals, European titles, and, later, an incredible transition into tennis, where she would climb to the very top, lifting the Wimbledon trophy.

What makes Annâ€s journey so inspiring is not just her talent, but the foundation her family provided. Their belief in her abilities, and their shared love for the sport, fueled a determination that carried her through two careers at the highest level.

As the ITTF prepares to celebrate 100 years of the World Championships, Ann Jonesâ€s story reminds us that champions are not made in isolation. They are often shaped by the families and communities who nurture their dreams, turning passion into legacy.

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Image credit:
Danny Graves (Photo by Aaron Doster/Getty Images)

Danny Graves arrived at the University of Miami in the fall of 1991 as an undersized righthander surrounded by a deep recruiting class of standout arms and wondering what heâ€d gotten himself into.

“Not that I had any lack of confidence, but (what are) the odds for a little freshman—I looked like I was about 12, and I was a little chubby,†Graves said. “I canâ€t believe that I signed to go here, and all these pitchers are here. Turtle Thomas, our recruiting coordinator back then, was infamous for doing that, bringing in a lot of arms and seeing what sticks. And, thankfully, I stuck.â€

Graves did more than stick. He cemented himself as a mainstay in the Miami bullpen from day one, posting a 0.89 ERA with 21 saves as the Hurricanes’ closer on their 1994 College World Series-bound team.

Just three years removed from wondering if he could stick at Miami, Graves was at the top of his game. He had set himself up to vault into pro baseball, as the Indians selected him with their fourth-round pick in the 1994 draft, and he arrived in Omaha looking to end his college career with a bang.

Instead, he tore his ACL during the College World Series, throwing that future in doubt.

“The first thing I thought was, ‘There goes all the money,â€â€ Graves said. “At the time, I was
thinking I might have to go back to school.â€

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His fears wouldnâ€t come to pass, however, as the Indians honored Graves†pre-injury bonus request. They were quickly rewarded. Graves was just as lights out in the minor leagues as he was at Miami, and he debuted with the big league club in 1996 before being flipped to the Reds in a trade deadline deal as a part of the package for Jeff Branson and John Smiley.

Graves took his lumps early in his big league career, learning that he needed more than just good life on his pitches to get MLB hitters out.

“I felt like for so long I would get by with stuff,†Graves said. “When people donâ€t see a lot of you,
especially in the minor leagues, your stuff can dominate for a little while. When you get to the
big leagues, you need more than just stuff.â€

Graves set about not just fine-tuning his arsenal, but learning how to effectively use it. By his age-25 season, heâ€d earned the Reds’ closer job and made his first all-star team in 2000 at age 26. Even with the ACL setback in college, the game had brought Graves nothing but joy, and he relished shutting things down in the ninth.

However, in 2003, Graves’ toughest professional year coincided with his toughest year off the field.

“I was going through a divorce at the time,” Graves said. “Itâ€s really hard to have a family when youâ€re a big league player. People think itâ€s all glory because you make a lot of money, but you have a family because you love your family and you want to be with your family. When theyâ€re not with you all the time, you get lonely.â€

Things at home were difficult, and after being converted to a starter by Reds management,
things on the mound werenâ€t much better. Years of elite performance in the bullpen were replaced
by a season of struggling in the rotation.

“I would have some good starts, but then have one or two bad innings that just blew stuff out of
proportion,†Graves said. “I went back to the bullpen the next year and made the all-star team,
but it still wasnâ€t fun. It was a struggle to pitch.â€

By 2007, Graves was on the wrong side of 30, pitching with diminished stuff for the independent
Long Island Ducks. He was a long way from being a big league all-star, but unwilling to let go of being a
professional baseball player.

“Thatâ€s what my identity was in my eyes,” Graves said. “I was nothing else but a baseball player. What happens if I donâ€t play anymore? If I say no to the Long Island Ducks, then Iâ€m not going to
play, and then what am I? Who am I? Thatâ€s why I kept trying to play, even knowing in the back of my
mind I had no shot of getting back to the big leagues.â€

After stints in the minor leagues and with Navojoa of the Mexican League, Graves walked away
from baseball, leaving behind the game and any joy associated with it.

“I took a couple years away from the game completely,” Graves said. “I was just a dad at home. I got
remarried to a wonderful lady. I wanted nothing to do with baseball.â€

That mightâ€ve been it for Graves and the game he loved—if baseball hadnâ€t come back for him.

Graves was approached about broadcasting, an opportunity he has since parlayed into stints with Reds Radio Network and his current role calling ACC baseball for ESPN. With a new job behind the mic instead of on the mound, it allowed Graves to find an identity in the game that had nothing to do with getting hitters out.

“All of a sudden, I get this opportunity to get back in the game on the media side,†Graves said.
“And thatâ€s when I knew, ‘Now I can be a former player and be ok with it.’â€

In the broadcast booth, Graves has rediscovered the baseball joy from his Miami and early Reds days. In 2023, he capped both journeys on a high note, going back to complete his Miami degree
and being inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame the same year.

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