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Kurt Angle has revealed the vital role Vince McMahon played in the development of his character in WWE and its success.

Speaking on the Ariel Helwani Show, WWE Hall of Famer and Olympic Gold Medalist Kurt Angle credited former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon for creating his character and coming up with the Intensity, Integrity, and Intelligence catchphrase.

“Heâ€s (Vince McMahon) the one that came up with intensity, integrity, and intelligence,†Kurt Angle stated. “Heâ€s the one that came up with my character. He wanted me to talk about my accomplishments and not brag, but try to be modest, while still bragging.â€

Kurt Angle further stated that he played the gimmick perfectly due to McMahonâ€s involvement and contributed to its success.

“Vince is the one who came up with it, and I played it perfectly, because he kept on with it and worked extremely well.†[H/T Wrestlingnews.co]

Kurt Angle Also Reacted To A Former UFC Champion Using His Theme Music

In the same interview, Kurt Angle also reacted to former UFC Interim Welterweight Champion Colby Covington using his iconic entrance music over the past few years.

Angle stated that he gave the nod when Colby Covingtonâ€s agent contacted him, asking for permission to use the music. He also agreed to Ariel Helwaniâ€s claim that when fans chanted “You Suck†during Covingtonâ€s entrances, they were actually saying it to him.

“Oh, listen, he called me out of nowhere. His agent called me and said, ‘Hey, we want to use your music, will it be okay?†I said, ‘Yeah, Colby, heâ€s an a** kicker man, go ahead, tell him to do it.â€â€ But youâ€re right, I think when the fans chant ‘You Suck,†theyâ€re really saying it to me.â€

Read More: Kurt Angle Believes The Rockâ€s ‘The Smashing Machine†Deserves An Oscar

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It’s fair to call Max Scherzer a winning player. Besides his 221 regular-season victories, he has finished just three of his 18 MLB seasons on a team with a sub-.500 record. He has also reached the playoffs with six of those seven franchises, including the Blue Jays this year.

The two-time World Series champion got the ball for ALCS Game 4 on Thursday night in Seattle and came through with a stellar outing: 5 2/3 innings, two earned runs allowed and five strikeouts. That start made Scherzer the newest member of a very small group of well-traveled players with an enormous amount of playoff experience.

The Blue Jays are the sixth team that Scherzer has played for in October, along with the Tigers (2011-14), Nationals (2014, 2016-17, 2019), Dodgers (2021), Mets (2022) and Rangers (2023). Only four other players in MLB history have appeared in the postseason with that many clubs.

Here’s a look at that short list as well as the collection of players who have appeared in the playoffs for five franchises. Red Sox reliever Aroldis Chapman joined that group when he closed out Boston’s victory in Game 1 of its 2025 American League Wild Card Series against the Yankees.

Max Scherzer, six teams
Tigers (2011-14), Nationals (2016-17, 2019), Dodgers (2021), Mets (2022), Rangers (2023), Blue Jays (2025)

Scherzer has concluded five postseason starts with double-digit strikeouts, and his best such outing arguably came during the Nationals’ run to the 2019 World Series title. Scherzer struck out 11 Cardinals and allowed only one hit over seven scoreless frames in NLCS Game 2. The Nats would go on to win both of Scherzer’s starts during that year’s Fall Classic against the Astros. Four years later, he tossed three scoreless innings in World Series Game 3 for the eventual champion Rangers, although he had to depart that start early due to a back injury. Scherzer’s 26th and most recent playoff start — and his first as a Blue Jay — saw him deal 5 2/3 innings at age 41 in ALCS Game 4 versus the Mariners.

Josh Donaldson, six teams
A’s (2012-14), Blue Jays (2015-16), Cleveland (2018), Braves (2019), Yankees (2022), Brewers (2023)

The 2015 AL MVP collected three homers and six extra-base hits in 11 playoff games for Toronto that season. Donaldson was even better the following year, slashing .417/.462/.667 with seven XBHs through nine games. Alas, the Blue Jays’ World Series hopes were thwarted in the League Championship Series by Kansas City and Cleveland, respectively. Donaldson, who never reached the Fall Classic, couldn’t replicate that level of production with any of the other clubs he played for in the postseason. Outside of those two trips with Toronto, he batted .193 (21-for-109) with one homer and 38 strikeouts in the playoffs.

Fernando Rodney, six teams
Tigers (2006), Rays (2013), Cubs (2015), D-backs (2017), A’s (2018), Nationals (2019)

Rodney’s postseason résumé is pretty spotty: 5.71 ERA, 5.46 FIP and a 2.02 WHIP over 17 1/3 innings (20 games). He also went 0-for-2 in save opportunities after racking up 327 saves during the regular season. But he did get the final out in two win-or-go-home games, first for the Rays in their 2013 American League Wild Card Game at Cleveland and then for the D-backs in their 2017 National League Wild Card Game versus Colorado. Two years later — Rodney’s final one in MLB — he was merely a low-leverage reliever during the playoffs for the Nationals, but he was able to retire as a World Series champion.

David Wells, six teams
Blue Jays (1989, 1991-92), Reds (1995), Orioles (1996), Yankees (1997-98, 2002-03), Red Sox (2005), Phillies (2006)

Wells’ ERA was nearly a full run better in the playoffs (3.17) than it was during the regular season (4.13). Granted, some of that can be credited to when he was in the Blue Jays’ bullpen in 1989, ’91 and in their ’92 World Series title year. He allowed only two earned runs across 13 October innings over those three seasons. But once Wells was a part of a playoff rotation, first with the ’95 Reds, he was often reliable as a starter, too. The left-hander allowed one unearned run and struck out eight batters over 6 1/3 innings in his first postseason start as Cincinnati triumphed in Game 3 of the 1995 NLDS against the Dodgers.

His greatest playoff successes came with the Yankees, especially during their dominant run in 1998. Wells finished third in the AL Cy Young voting that season and was then named ALCS MVP after tossing 15 2/3 innings through two starts and striking out 18 Cleveland batters. His 11 K’s in Game 5 were his personal best in the postseason.

Kenny Lofton, six teams
Cleveland (1995-96, 1998-99, 2001, 2007), Braves (1997), Giants (2002), Cubs (2003), Yankees (2004), Dodgers (2006)

Lofton was playoff-bound in all but two years from 1995-2007. A prolific speedster, his 34 stolen bases in the playoffs are the most by any player, and his 11 bags for Cleveland in 1995 matched Rickey Henderson’s total for the 1989 A’s as the most in a single postseason. In Game 6 of the ’95 ALCS, Lofton’s speed put the finishing touches on Cleveland’s first pennant since 1954 as he scored from second base on a passed ball in the eighth inning against Randy Johnson and the Mariners. But his most impactful postseason moment arguably came with the Giants seven years later. That’s when Lofton lined a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth of NLCS Game 5 to send San Francisco to the World Series.

Players who made the postseason with five teams

• Don Baylor (Orioles, Red Sox, Angels, Twins, A’s)

• Carlos Beltrán (Astros, Mets, Yankees, Cardinals, Rangers)

• Bobby Bonilla (Braves, Orioles, Marlins, Mets, Pirates)

• Chad Bradford (Red Sox, White Sox, Mets, A’s, Rays)

• Ellis Burks (Red Sox, White Sox, Cleveland, Rockies, Giants)

• Orlando Cabrera (Red Sox, White Sox, Reds, Angels, Twins)

• Aroldis Chapman (Red Sox, Cubs, Reds, Yankees, Rangers)

• Octavio Dotel (White Sox, Tigers, Astros, Mets, Cardinals)

• Alan Embree (Braves, Red Sox, Cleveland, Padres, Giants)

• Curtis Granderson (Tigers, Dodgers, Brewers, Mets, Yankees)

• Rickey Henderson (Mets, A’s, Padres, Mariners, Blue Jays)

• Jason Heyward (Braves, Cubs, Astros, Dodgers, Cardinals)

• Danny Jackson (Reds, Royals, Phillies, Pirates, Cardinals)

• Craig Kimbrel (Braves, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, Phillies)

• J.D. Martinez (D-backs, Red Sox, Tigers, Dodgers, Mets)

• Pat Neshek (Rockies, Astros, Twins, A’s, Cardinals)

• John Olerud (Red Sox, Mets, Yankees, Mariners, Blue Jays)

• Tommy Pham (D-backs, Royals, Padres, Cardinals, Rays)

• Reggie Sanders (D-backs, Braves, Reds, Giants, Cardinals)

• Jim Thome (Orioles, White Sox, Cleveland, Dodgers, Twins)

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IND vs AUS:The India tour of Australia 2025 will get underway on October 19 in Perth. The Men In Blue will take on the hosts in a white-ball tour, comprising three ODIs and five T20Is.

All of these matches are important for different reasons. The ODI series signals the beginning of the Shubman Gill era as Indiaâ€s ODI skipper, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli now officially in the final stages of their international careers, as both seniors will now have to merit their places in the ODI XI as batsmen as the selectors begin preparing for the 2027 World Cup.

The T20I series is part of Indiaâ€s preparation for next yearâ€s T20 World Cup, which is indeed only a few months away.

India have historically fared half-decently in Australia when it comes to ODI cricket.

What is Indiaâ€s record in ODI cricket in Australia?

India played their first ODI on Australian soil in 1980 and their last one in 2020. In 99 ODIs in Australia, across bilateral series and multi-nation tournaments, India have won 40 matches and lost 53 ODIs, with two matches being tied and four ending in no result.

What is Indiaâ€s record in ODI cricket in Australia against Australia?

Indiaâ€s record in ODIs against Australia in Australia is poor. Out of 54 IND vs AUS ODIs in Australia, the hosts won 38 games, while India clinched only 14 ODI wins.

India, meanwhile, have played only three bilateral series in Australia against Australia, of which they won once, in 2019, and lost twice, in 2016 and 2020.

IND vs AUS: What Happened Last Time India Played ODI Series In Australia?

The last time India played an ODI series in Australia was on the 2020/21 tour. The tour began with a three-ODI series in December 2020, which Australia won by 2-1.

The first two ODIs of that series were held in Sydney, where hometown boy Steve Smith slammed centuries in both matches, helping his side pile up totals beyond 375 in both games, which the hosts won by hefty margins.

India claimed victory in the third ODI, in Canberra, by 13 runs, with Hardik Pandya recording his highest ODI score of 92*, which came off only 76 balls. Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja hit half-centuries in that game, while Shardul Thakur conjured a three-wicket haul.

The momentum of this win helped India substantially as they went on to win the T20I series that followed.

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  Tim MacMahonOct 15, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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  • Joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009
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SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD COOPER FLAGG had not yet played a single game for Duke when he walked into UNLV’s Mendenhall Center on the afternoon of July 8, 2024.

But he piqued the curiosity of the future Hall of Famers preparing for the trip to Paris to play for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics.

Flagg had been the most hyped and anticipated American high school prospect since LeBron James, who was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft more than three years before Flagg was born. James and the rest of Team USA were quite familiar with Flagg’s name, if not yet his game.

It had been more than a decade since an amateur had been invited to play for the Team USA select squad. Doug McDermott and Marcus Smart were accomplished collegians when they received the call in 2013.

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This scrimmage at Team USA’s training camp would be the biggest test yet for the teenage phenom. Would Flagg be intimidated facing perennial All-Stars he grew up watching on TV? Would he be jittery playing in a small gym with NBA coaches and executives surrounding the court?

The answer: absolutely not.

“Zero nerves,” 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis told ESPN, recalling his first impression of the 6-foot-9 forward who will start alongside him this season in the Dallas Mavericks’ frontcourt. “He went out and balled.”

Flagg is back in Las Vegas for one last tuneup entering his rookie season, as the Mavericks play the Los Angeles Lakers in their preseason finale Wednesday night at T-Mobile Arena. But Flagg’s welcome-to-the-NBA moment occurred 15 months ago about 2½ miles away, when he made it clear he could make an immediate impact in the league, although he’d have to wait a season to become draft-eligible.

Flagg was already the consensus favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft when he arrived at the Team USA training camp in Vegas. If there was any doubt that he’d go No. 1 in the draft, it was eliminated by the end of the scrimmage, when the Olympic squad survived a Flagg-fueled comeback to squeak out a 74-73 win.

It only amplified the anticipation for Flagg as he headed to Duke, where he again more than met expectations, earning national player of the year honors while leading the Blue Devils in every major statistical category en route to an ACC title and a Final Four appearance.

Now, after the veteran-laden Mavs stunningly cashed in 1.8% lottery odds to land Flagg with the No. 1 pick, the expectation is that Flagg can expand his game as a rookie while proving himself as the rare teenager ready to affect winning right away in the NBA.

“I don’t know if it was about proving anything to myself or just feeling comfortable and getting confidence from that experience,” Flagg told ESPN. “I definitely just had that feeling that I knew I belonged. I knew I could be out there.”

At age 17, Cooper Flagg caught the attention of several NBA players who were headed to the Paris Olympics after Flagg nearly led the select team to an upset of Team USA during a scrimmage in July 2024. Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

WHILE STUDYING TAPE of Flagg doing everything at Duke, Mavs coach Jason Kidd wondered if Flagg could do even more.

Kidd saw shades of another former Duke star in Flagg’s game: Grant Hill, who shared the Rookie of the Year award with Kidd in 1994-95, when the 6-foot-8 Hill ran the point a lot for the Detroit Pistons. Kidd saw the same phenomenal blend of feel and force in Flagg that Hill had coming out of Duke.

“I saw that, too,” Hill, who as managing director of Team USA invited Flagg to join the program’s select team and called some of his college games for CBS, told ESPN. “He tries to play the complete game. You look up and he’s got 22 points and it doesn’t even feel like he looked to score. He’s so unselfish. He defends. He just tries to do what’s necessary to win games.”

When Flagg arrived in Dallas, Kidd was determined to find out how he could handle point guard responsibilities. Kidd also wanted to see how Flagg would handle an unfamiliar role. That experiment started during his brief stint in the Las Vegas Summer League, which had mixed results as the Mavs split the two games that Flagg played at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Flagg shot poorly in the summer opener, going 5-of-21 from the field, but found his way to put his fingerprints on the defining sequence of the win over the Lakers. With a little more than a minute remaining, Flagg swooped in from the weak side to swat a layup attempt, pushed the ball in transition, drew three defenders in the paint and dished to a teammate for an open 3-pointer that gave Dallas the lead for good.

Flagg scored 31 points in 31 minutes in the second game, a loss to the San Antonio Spurs. The Mavs had seen enough — especially pleased with how Flagg handled pressure while bringing the ball up the court — and shut him down for the rest of summer league.

“He handled the situation as well as an 18-year-old could handle it,” said Kidd, who started Flagg at point guard in a jumbo-sized lineup in Monday’s preseason win over the Utah Jazz. “He has a talent about winning. It is in his DNA, and so it would be unfair not to make him uncomfortable.”

Flagg, the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft, will make his NBA debut on Oct. 22 when his Dallas Mavericks host the San Antonio Spurs. Richard Rodriguez/NBAE via Getty Images

THE MOST MEMORABLE moments of Flagg’s time at the national team’s training camp, according to Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley, who was in charge of the Team USA select squad, didn’t occur during the scrimmage. They happened during the few practices and meetings the select squad held beforehand.

Flagg’s inquisitiveness and intelligence impressed Mosley, who especially enjoyed an in-depth dialogue between Flagg and Magic guard Jalen Suggs about the intricacies of NBA defense.

“He asked a lot of questions,” Mosley told ESPN. “I think it’s huge for a young guy in this situation to be able to ask the right questions. He just wanted to understand what it looks like at the next level. He’s a communicator, and that said a lot to me about him. Guys like that with high basketball IQs that want to play the right way will ask questions.”

Then Flagg delivered a fearless performance in the scrimmage.

“He wasn’t afraid of the moment and who he was going against,” Mosley said. “He was himself. I think he walked in with the quiet confidence, but then when he got on the court with those guys, that demeanor didn’t change any at all.”

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If there is such a thing as a signature stretch during a scrimmage, Flagg put one together with a late scoring flurry as the select team rallied from a double-digit deficit. He hit a baseline turnaround from the left block over Jrue Holiday. He rose up from the right wing to drill an off-dribble 3 in Davis’ face. And Flagg flew in for an and-1 tip-in over Bam Adebayo, eliciting a roar from the entire select team bench.

Those three buckets came against a trio of defenders with a combined 16 All-Defensive team selections. Flagg didn’t celebrate any of them, maintaining a quiet, focused sense of calm. He called his select team stint “a big learning experience,” but nothing he did against the Olympians surprised Flagg.

“He was cooking,” Davis said. “He definitely stood out. Guys obviously were hearing the name, and we all knew who he was. But a lot of guys tend to, I don’t want to say be hesitant, but when you’re going against guys like myself, Bron, Steph [Curry], you see these guys and it’s like, ‘Oh s—.’

“You look up to and you idolize these guys, and now you got to go play against them. You kind of get nervous, which is normal. But for him, he has the utmost confidence in himself.”

Flagg’s scoring dominated the media coverage of the scrimmage, but that isn’t what made the strongest impression on Steve Kerr, the former Team USA coach. Kerr was wowed by Flagg’s command of the game at such a young age against elite competition.

“I just remember the force you felt,” Kerr told ESPN. “You immediately felt him. And it was as a basketball player. It wasn’t just like he had a huge dunk or something. No. It was the passing, the cutting, the late-clock, left-handed jump hook on the block when the offense had nothing else. It was so consistent.

“I’m coaching against him and we have the best players. He’s got incredible feel. He’s just huge but plays like a guard in terms of reading the game.”

Kerr recalled seeing Duke coach Jon Scheyer in the gym after the scrimmage.

“I said, ‘That had to make you feel good,'” Kerr said. “He just smiled.”

Kidd knows the feeling.

ESPN’s Anthony Slater contributed to this report.

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MILWAUKEE — Andrew Vaughn and Jacob Misiorowski were both in the minor leagues with separate organizations at the start of June, one on the way up and the other on the way down.

Four months later, they played key roles in helping the Milwaukee Brewers reach the National League Championship Series.

Vaughn hit a tiebreaking homer in the fourth inning that put Milwaukee ahead for good Saturday night in its 3-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the decisive Game 5 of their NL Division Series. Misiorowski earned his second win of the series by allowing just one run over four innings in relief.

“Itâ€s insane,†Misiorowski said during the Brewers†clubhouse celebration. “Itâ€s everything Iâ€ve worked for, and itâ€s a lot of fun.â€

Their arrivals in Milwaukee were indirectly connected.

When Misiorowski was promoted from the minor leagues in June, he took Aaron Civaleâ€s spot in Milwaukeeâ€s rotation. Civale reacted to the bullpen assignment by saying he wouldnâ€t mind getting traded to a team that would allow him to continue starting.

The Brewers then sent Civale to the Chicago White Sox in a deal that brought them Vaughn. Civale ended up finishing the season with the Cubs, and he pitched 4 1/3 shutout innings in this series.

At the time of the trade, there was little reason to believe Vaughn would become a major factor for Milwaukee this season. He had batted .189 with a .218 on-base percentage and .314 slugging percentage in 48 games with the White Sox, who eventually sent him to the minor leagues. The Brewers initially kept him in the minors after acquiring him.

But he got called back up to the majors July 7 after Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins went on the injured list with a sprained left thumb. Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy greeted Vaughn by letting him know he would probably get sent right back to the minors if he continued chasing pitches outside the strike zone.

Vaughn homered off Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto in his first at-bat with the Brewers and improved his chase rate in making a remarkable transformation. He batted .308 with a .375 on-base percentage and .493 slugging percentage in 64 games with Milwaukee.

“This guyâ€s a gamer,†Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said. “Heâ€s been through a lot, and heâ€s failed, just like all of us. Weâ€ve all failed in this sport. If you havenâ€t, you havenâ€t been doing it long enough. So weâ€ve all failed. For that guy to come in here and be himself and put the team on his back at times this year is really awesome.â€

Vaughn offered simple reasons for his dramatic improvement.

“Change of scenery, being around some different coaches, different stuff and just playing free,†he said.

Vaughn put the Brewers ahead Saturday by connecting on a 3-2 pitch from Colin Rea and hitting a 383-foot drive over the left-field wall with two outs in the fourth. That cleared the way for Misiorowski to earn the Game 5 win.

Misiorowski had his own ups and downs this season.

The flamethrowing right-hander burst onto the scene and made such an impact that he earned an All-Star Game selection after making just five starts, a stretch that included winning head-to-head pitching matchups with Cy Young Award favorite Paul Skenes and three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw.

Then the rookie went on the injured lift with a left tibia bruise. He returned in mid-August but allowed 22 runs over 32 2/3 innings the rest of the season, a slump that led to concern about how much the Brewers could trust the excitable right-hander in a postseason setting.

“We werenâ€t easy on him,†Murphy said. “I didnâ€t spend a lot of time trying to pump him up. I wanted to find out what he had, because I knew with that kind of stuff, he could really help us.â€

He helped them tremendously.

Misiorowski threw three shutout innings in a Game 2 victory while reaching a peak velocity of 104.3 mph and hitting at least 100 mph on 31 of his 57 pitches. Misiorowski entered in the second inning of Game 5 and immediately gave up a tying homer to Seiya Suzuki, but the 23-year-old silenced the Cubs from there.

He struck out three while allowing three hits and just the one run. He averaged 100.3 mph on his 17 fastballs, with 10 of them reaching at least 100 mph.

And for the first time in his brief major league career, Misiorowski didnâ€t walk a single batter.

Misiorowskiâ€s stellar NLDS performance virtually assures he will play a vital role when the Brewers face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series beginning Monday.

“You see how much Miz cares,†Arnold said. “Thatâ€s what itâ€s about. In a game like tonight, you can see heâ€s bleeding blue and gold.â€

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New York Giants rookie Cam Skattebo kept his mind clear before Thursday’s win over the Philadelphia Eagles by potentially playing NBA 2K26.

Amid rumors that he was playing online earlier in the day, Skattebo addressed the situation with a joke comment on X:

Even though Skattebo didn’t exactly confirm that the online player with his name and an avatar that bears some striking similarities to him, it would add to the first-year running back’s budding legend.

If we assume Skattebo was playing 2K, there’s no indication what team he was using nor if he won the online matchup.

It also makes for a great story that Skattebo was just chilling in his house or apartment in the morning, ventured over to MetLife Stadium in the afternoon and had the best game of his young career in the evening.

Skattebo ran for 98 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries in the Giants’ shocking 34-17 upset win over the Eagles. He is up to ninth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 493 through six games.

The vibes around Skattebo couldn’t be higher right now. He has injected life into the Giants since his role started to increase in Week 3. The 23-year-old has at least 90 yards from scrimmage in each of the past four games.

Based on how Skattebo played against the Eagles, Giants fans should encourage him to keep pregaming with NBA 2K26since it seemed to give him more luck. He might it need in Week 7 since the Giants have a tough matchup with the Denver Broncos defense at Empower Field.

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It was finally the last preseason game at the Bell Centre on Saturday night. When the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators published their rosters, fans feared theyâ€d be treated to another lot of shenanigans. Still, against all odds, the Senators played hockey despite their best players, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle, getting the night off.

For the Canadiens, it was last chance saloon for the players on the bubble, and with Ivan Demidov, Alex Newhook, and Oliver Kapanen having the night off, Samuel Blais, Owen Beck, and Florian Xhekaj were all hoping to make the most of their last opportunity.

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It was the second game in which Kirby Dach played alongside Brendan Gallagher and Joe Veleno, and one has to admit he looked terrific. The big center was committed to the forecheck and was actively looking to hit opponents. Playing with Gallagher and Veleno has done Dach a world of good, and while it was logical for Martin St-Louis to try a line that included him, Patrik Laine, and Demidov, the Canadiens†newfound depth allowed him to move on when it didnâ€t work.

One area that didnâ€t look better, unfortunately, was the draws. In the first frame, he took four faceoffs and only managed to come out on top once. That remains an area of concern in his game and something he really needs to work on; perhaps he could benefit from a séance with Patrice Bergeron, as Newhook did this summer.

Veleno also had a good outing. Thereâ€s no denying that he has excellent offensive skills, but as camp went on, weâ€ve seen him do more and more of the little things, the details that allow a player to perform at all times and not just when itâ€s time to pull a highlight reel play.

With the blueline more or less set from the start, Adam Engstrom has flown under the radar this camp, but tonight, he looked like he was everywhere and in all situations as well. The Swede showed great awareness and decision-making at both ends of the ice.

Is there room for him in Montreal right now? No, but if he continues to develop like this, who knows? In the second frame, he nearly went end-to-end on a power play, and it looked really effortless. If the Canadiens cannot find room for him, he is fast becoming an interesting bargaining chip and could be used to acquire reinforcements at positions of need.

Speaking about the young defenseman, the coach said:

He left a perfect calling card. You can see he took another step last season; he has everything to have a long career in the league.

– St-Louis on Engstrom.

The bench boss even went so far as to call him a gamer.

Martin St-Louis has hammered on with Arber Xhekaj that he needs to pick his moments, and the older Xhekaj has heard him loud and clear. Early on in the game, Cole Caufield hit Claude Giroux and was justifiably assessed a two-minute boarding call. It didnâ€t take long for a Senator to come to his aid, and Juraj Slafkovsky stepped in to support him. Last year, Xhekaj would have gone guns blazing and jumped in; this year, he approached and only pulled back a couple of guys from the scrum.

Later in the game, he was invited to drop the gloves but refused, allowing his team to enjoy a power play rather than falling into the trap that was set for him. Overall, this was a great camp from the rugged blueliner. His play has evolved, and so has his decision-making.

The Sens secured a 3-1 win tonight, thanks to goals from Shane Pinto, David Perron, and Lars Eller, in an empty net. At this stage, the result doesnâ€t really matter as everyone is ready for the real season to start and has had enough of dress rehearsal. However, itâ€s still worth mentioning that Travis Greenâ€s team was the dominant outfit tonight, even without some of their top guys in the lineup.

The Canadiens have already announced that, despite having a day off tomorrow, the cuts will be announced tomorrow morning; there is no sense in prolonging the uncertainty for those waiting to hear their fate.

Personally, I believe Oliver Kapanen has won the role of 12th forward, and I would see Joe Veleno as the 13th forward, provided Zack Bolduc is healthy; if heâ€s not, both will likely be in the lineup. We haven’t seen enough from Samuel Blais for him to secure one of those two roles, although he was a real impactful physical presence tonight, landing five hits; that wasnâ€t enough. Owen Beck led the team in hits on the night, but he wasnâ€t firm in other aspects of the game. If heâ€s not going to play in Montreal, he needs to be sent down to Laval. While that may not be what he would like, itâ€s ultimately whatâ€s best for him, and for Florian Xhekaj as well.

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There was “no way” Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson could have returned from his hamstring injury to finish Sunday’s 37-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, coach John Harbaugh announced on Monday.

Jackson left the game after taking a sack for a two-yard loss in the middle of the third quarter with his team down 27-10. The Ravens ended the drive with a field goal before the Chiefs responded with one of their own. Rush then took over near the end of the third quarter.

Jackson was listed as questionable to return after suffering a hamstring injury. Cooper Rush replaced Jackson under center and finished the game.

Jackson’s ailment was among numerous injuries on a disastrous day for the Ravens.

After the game, Harbaugh didn’t have many details on the nature of the injuries:

But as he revealed on Monday, Jackson was not going to be able to return regardless of the score.

Jackson, a two-time MVP, has thrown for 869 yardsand 10 touchdowns (one interception) so far this season, adding 166 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground.

Jackson has managed to stay healthy over the past two seasons, playing all 17 games a year ago and missing just one game in 2023. He missed a handful of games during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, but has, for the most part, avoided serious injuries throughout his career.

Both Jackson and the Ravens hope his recent injury won’t keep him off the field too long.

Should Jackson have to miss time, Baltimore will turn to Rush under center. Rush joined the Ravens over the offseason after spending the first seven years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys. Last season, he took over for the injured Dak Prescott and threw for 1,844 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions in 12 games.

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Sep 24, 2025, 11:08 AM ET

Nancy Leonard, the wife of former Indiana Pacers coach and general manager Bobby “Slick” Leonard who was considered the matriarch of the team, has died at the age of 93.

Leonard’s family confirmed her death in a statement Tuesday.

“With sorrow, the children of Bob and Nancy Leonard announce the peaceful passing of our mother last night,” the family said. “Her health steadily declined in recent months, but her will to get the most out of life never wavered as evidenced by her insistence on attending Pacers games this past season at 93 years young. She will always be the Pacers #1 fan.”

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Nancy Leonard served as the Pacers’ assistant general manager from 1976 to 1980 while working alongside her husband, who was coaching the team and took the general manager title when Indiana moved from the ABA to NBA in 1976. Nancy Leonard largely handled the administrative duties for the franchise while Bobby was coaching the team.

The Leonards also played a key role in saving the Pacers by organizing a 1977 telethon to sell season tickets that kept the team from financial ruin. Nancy was credited with the idea of the team holding a telethon.

“We are heartbroken to hear of Nancy Leonard’s passing. Quite simply, we would not be here without her,” the Simon family and Pacers Sports & Entertainment said in a statement. “From the earliest days of the franchise, Nancy poured her heart and soul into the team, not just as the wife of Slick Leonard, but as a female trailblazer who rallied the community when we needed it the most.”

Nancy Leonard continued to stay around the team in the ensuing years, including attending games during the Pacers’ run to the 2025 NBA Finals.

“The First Lady of Indiana basketball,” Tyrese Haliburton posted on X. “Before every game, I knew I could count on a wink and a smile behind the bench. There is no Pacers basketball without Nancy Leonard. Can’t wait to see the day her name is in the rafters where it belongs. RIP to a legend and a beautiful soul.”

Bobby Leonard, who also was a longtime broadcaster of Pacers games after his coaching career and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014, died in April 2021.

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