SETTABLOID

Edmonton Oilers enter spring amateur signing season with plenty of needs

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 10: T.J. Hughes #13 of the Michigan Wolverines plays against the Michigan State Spartans at Little Caesars Arena on February 10, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Earlier this week, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman published his annual list of noteworthy free agents from U colleges, CHL leagues and all of Europe.

For Edmonton Oilers fans, that list and the overall quality of the prospect pool is important.

It’s vital for the Oilers to add some of these names, and that will require an NHL deal and a possible fast track (based on performance) to NHL opportunities.

Peter Chiarelli signed college men Matt Benning and Drake Caggiula during his time as Oilers general manager, and Ken Holland had some success with Vincent Desharnais and James Hamblin.

Stan Bowman is in the manager’s chair today, and he will need to be aggressive during the spring signing season. An early signing like winger Gleb Veremyev (he’s on Pronman’s list) and Marc Lajoie (mentioned here) could signal an active spring from the Oilers.

The talent pool needs it badly. Five additions to the group that is going to graduate to pro hockey over the summer should be considered an adequate number.

The players Edmonton can sign

Through drafting and trades, the Oilers have acquired the signing rights to several players.

There are five who have to be signed this summer, and several who could be signed by Bowman with an eye to improving the quality in AHL Bakersfield.

Maxim Berezkin doesn’t have to be signed this summer, but he’s a KHL free agent. If the Oilers hesitate, the window may not open again for several years. He’s ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the system.

The five who must be signed (Luca Munzenberger and Joel Maatta from Vermont, Matt Copponi from Boston University, Nathan Day from the Flint Firebirds and Tomas Mazura, who recently signed a pro contract in Czech Extraliga) this summer are less impressive talents than Berezkin.

Munzenberger might be the most intriguing in the group, he has size and is a mobile defenceman. He is also left-handed, that’s an area of need in Bakersfield.

As is always the case, a new GM (Bowman) often looks past the work of the previous manager (Holland) and that could impact Munzenberger and others.

A player like Paul Fischer, acquired by Bowman since his arrival, might be a more likely summer signing among defenders.

March 1 is the first day NHL teams can sign free agents from various non-NHL affiliated leagues for next season. The Toronto Maple Leafs kicked things off, and there are about a dozen teams who usually sign at least one legit prospect during the spring.

Bowman needs to be in that mix. Here’s a quick look at the top players signed by the organization and likely ticketed for at least some time in Bakersfield during 2025-26:

Matt Savoie, right wing. He’s on the Oilers roster currently (three games, one assist) but might open the 2025-26 campaign in the AHL.
Beau Akey, right defence. He’s an exciting skater and a puck-moving defenceman. Condors fans will love him.
Noah Philp, right centre. A quality player at the AHL level, he may break camp with the big club in the fall. If he’s in the AHL, Philp is a difference-maker.
Roby Jarventie, left wing. An impressive skill winger. If he could stay healthy, he’d be in the NHL to stay.
Olivier Rodrigue, goaltender. One of the 10 best goalies in the AHL the last two-plus seasons, although recent performances have been troubling.
Max Wanner, a tough defender who may lack the foot speed to make an NHL impression.
Jayden Grubbe, a big, physical centre who has the same issue that could keep Wanner out of the NHL lineup.

All but Savoie and Akey are restricted free agents, but likely to return next season.

If we stretch the meaning of the word prospect, we can include Hamblin (smart centre, can score in the AHL but is shy offensively for the NHL).

The Oilers need to add goaltending, left defencemen and high-end skill forwards to the pro group who will play for the Condors next season.

Ironically, they are deeper at centre than usual, with both Philp and Hamblin capable in offensive and defensive roles.

Candidates

Veremyev is a worthy target for Edmonton. Pronman describes him as a “big, physical winger with intriguing athleticism for the pro level.” Veremyev hasn’t scored much in college but is a fine athlete and would represent a big upgrade on the NCAA free agents who have signed with the organization in recent seasons.

Lajoie is a legitimately intriguing prospect. He is a left-handed defenceman who brings size (6-foot-6 inches, 223 lbs) who brings a range of skills and is a substantial offensive player in every league he’s played in. He turns 22 in May and is playing this season in Edmonton with the Alberta Golden Bears.

TJ Hughes is a name Oilers fans should keep in mind over the coming weeks. He is from Hamilton, Ont., and plays for Michigan.

Canadian prospects who play American college hockey are historically more likely to sign with Canadian teams. Caggiula, Benning and Justin Schultz are examples who signed with the Oilers over the past dozen years.

Hughes is not a big winger (5-foot-11, 185 lbs) and that may reduce the number of teams bidding for his professional services. He’s 23 and has delivered in each of his three seasons with Michigan. If he signs with a Canadian team, Edmonton, Toronto or Montreal would seem to make the most sense.

Aggression

Bowman will need to be aggressive in all areas. There’s a sense among Oilers fans the franchise was indifferent about contending for bigger free agents on par with Schultz and Caggiula during the Holland years.

Getting Berezkin signed would be an indication the new general manager can get business done with a (so far) elusive draft pick.

Getting Lajoie under contract would continue a subtle but effective prospect tweak by the Oilers: signing players out of their own backyard. Philp came to the Oilers via the Golden Bears, and he is a bona fide NHL option for the team moving forward.

The target should be a player who can help the Condors right away and contribute at the NHL level during his entry-level season.

All free agents should be able to see the advantage when signing in Edmonton: There’s little competition between the AHL club and an NHL recall.

If the Oilers sign a player with the skill of Hughes, it could signal a new day for the team. Other options are mentioned her

Former Padres Pitcher Acquired in Blockbuster Trade Signs With NL West Rival

The Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to terms with former San Diego Padres right-hander Casey Kelly on a minor league deal

Kelly, 35, was selected by the Boston Red Sox as a first-round pick in 2008 and rapidly gained recognition in the minors, earning a spot as a consensus top-100 prospect. He was traded to the Padres, along with future All-Star Anthony Rizzo, in exchange for Adrian Gonzalez.

Kelly made his MLB debut with San Diego the following year but struggled in his first stint, posting a 6.21 ERA over 29 innings in s

More news: Dodgers Star Admits Padres Would Have Won World Series If They Beat LA in NLDS

After Tommy John surgery sidelined him in 2013, Kelly returned to the mound in 2015. It didn’t go well as he was torched. He recorded a 7.94 ERA in 11.1 innings of work and saw his time with the Padres come to a disappointing end.

Kelly bounced around after leaving San Diego, spending time with the Braves, Cubs, and Giants organizations over the next couple of seasons. His time in the big league with Atlanta was brief but in 2018, he found success with San Francisco.

The right-hander pitched only 23.2 innings in the majors that year, but his 3.04 ERA marked his first above-average performance in quite some time.

More news: Padres Superstar Says Getting Hurt Last Year Was ‘Best Thing’ That Could Have Happened

From there, Kelly spent the next six seasons in Korea where he posted a 3.25 ERA over 989.1 innings with the LG Twins from 2019 to 2024.

Kelly’s first four years were particularly strong, as he made at least 27 starts each season, with ERAs ranging from 2.54 to 3.32 and solid peripheral stats to match. However, Kelly began to show signs of decline in 2023, and by 2024, his struggles continued, with a 4.51 ERA in 19 starts. This performance led the LG Twins to release him in July of last year, marking the end of his KBO career.

When Kelly arrived stateside after being cut loose from the KBO in 2024, he signed a minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds, appearing in only two games. He gave up three runs over five innings.

Kelly was then outrighted to Triple-A Louisville in August and elected minor league free agency back in October. He now starts a new chapter with

Good News; Novak Djokovic reacts as Stefanos Tsitsipas ends unwanted ATP 500 final record with Dubai Tennis Championship win

Stefanos Tsitsipas said “I got myself a boat” for his “sinking” game, after ending an unwanted record in ATP 500 finals with victory at the Dubai Tennis Championship.

Tsitsipas downed Felix Auger-Aliassime – who is bouncing so far in the 2025 campaign with two titles and 16 match wins – in straight sets to pick up his first trophy since the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters in April of last year.

And not only does the triumph send Tsitsipas back into the ATP top 10, it also ends a personal hoodoo in ATP 500 tournaments.

The Greek star went into the Dubai final having twice lost at that stage, in that exact competition to Roger Federer in 2019 and Novak Djokovic in 2020.

What is more, Tsitsipas was bearing the weight of a remarkable 0-11 record in ATP 500 finals.

Finally putting an end to that run sparked social media plaudits from Djokovic, with the 24-time Grand Slam champion saying on Instagram: “No one beats @stefanostsitsipas98 12x in a row on 500 Tour level. Well done!”

Celebrating the 12th tour-level title of his career, Tsitsipas also took to social media, saying: “They said my game was sinking… so I got myself a boat”.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Tsitsipas was pleased with his ability to deal with the “emotions” of returning to the venue where he had twice previously fallen short at the final hurdle’

“It feels good to walk away with the title here,” he said. “I’ve had two finals, they weren’t easy to deal with, especially when you come so close to a title.

“There are a lot of things that go through your mind so I dealt with those emotions, those feelings, very well today.

“It makes a whole difference since those other finals in the past and the way I performed in them.

“I’m extremely proud with the way I fought, but also the way I conquered the court and dealt with those decisions at certain points – I had to come up with something good.”

After kicking off his campaign with an Australian Open first-round exit to rising American star Alex Michelsen, Tsitsipas said returning to the top 10 was not a priority, but a “great addition” to his Dubai title win.

“I’ve been in the top 10 before,” he said. “It’s not that it’s not great being back in the top 10, but I feel the focus right now is more the final redemption of getting back and winning the Dubai tournament, especially when I failed twice.

“You don’t want to be losing the final for the third time, so that was definitely something that was more a motivation to go out and win today. The top 10 comes with it, so it’s a great addition.”

Are Indian Wells and Miami more important for Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek or Coco Gauff?

With the Sunshine Swing about to get underway—the 2025 BNP Paribas Open begins on Wednesday, March 5—our writers and editors tackle the most important questions heading into Indian Wells and Miami.

Last up: Are Indian Wells, Miami more important for Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, or Coco Gauff?

DAVID KANE: Aryna Sabalenka arrived in the Middle East poised to take the two WTA 1000-level hard-court tournaments by storm and further increase her lead atop the rankings. While she made a modest addition to her total, she showed worrying signs of burnout after a flat loss to Clara Tauson in Dubai, admitting she lacked the hunger many have come to expect from the three-time Grand Slam champion, one coming off a heartbreaking loss in the finals of the Australian Open. With Iga Swiatek defending the BNP Paribas Open title, Sabalenka’s top spot is unlikely to be under threat in March, but Sabalenka will want to end the hard-court swing on a high note in the hopes of setting the tone for another competitive clay-court swing, where she reached back-to-back finals last year.

STEPHANIE LIVAUDAIS: After a three-year stint of dominating the WTA Tour, Iga Swiatek now finds herself seeking her first title in nearly 10 months—since her victory at 2024 Roland Garros. A strong showing in the Sunshine Swing would go a long way to silence doubters.

LIYA DAVIDOV: Coco Gauff. While all three haven’t enjoyed the dominance they appeared poised to share in January, Gauff has perhaps taken the most worrying backslide after her stirring run at the United Cup, where she led the U.S. team to the title. Significantly behind Sabalenka and Swiatek in the rankings race, a strong performance during the Sunshine Swing would boost Gauff back into the conversation.

Last up: Are Indian Wells, Miami more important for Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, or Coco Gauff?

JOEL DRUCKER: Along with California, Florida is America’s preeminent tennis state. The Sunshine State is also Coco Gauff’s home and she’s naturally eager to cap off March with a great run there. But in five appearances at the Miami Open, Gauff has never gone past the round of 16. Last year, seeded third in Miami, Gauff was beaten at that stage by the streaky Caroline Garcia. Indian Wells has been better, highlighted by a semifinal effort last year, Gauff lost a tight three-setter to Maria Sakkari. The thinking here is that the Sunshine Swing is not quite as important for multi-Slam winners Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. But after some frustrating early year results, Gauff is primed to generate significant results at both events.

JON LEVEY: All three come into the swing limping to a certain degree. Sabalenka appears to be struggling with an Australian Open finals loss hangover. Swiatek has a solid match record, but can’t put together a full tournament. However, it’s Gauff who is in the most need of a solid stretch. She won her first nine matches of the season, but unless she takes a last-minute wildcard somewhere, she’s going to be carrying a three-match losing streak into Indian Wells. It’s a small sample size, yet patches of untimely double faults continue to be an issue for Gauff. She also hasn’t had a great deal of success during her career at either stop, which would make a return to form and a dominant month of tennis all the more important.

NFL News: Jets reach Davante Adams decision after parting with Aaron Rodgers

Davante Adams is now among the players facing an uncertain future, much like Aaron Rodgers. However, his situation appears even more uncertain following the Jets’ latest move regarding his status with the franchise.

The New York Jets understand they need to make key adjustments ahead of the 2025 season, including critical roster decisions. With Aaron Rodgers set to leave the franchise soon, the team has now reportedly taken a major step regarding Davante Adams as well.

According to Ian Rapoport, the Jets have started listening to trade offers for Adams. “The Jets are now taking calls on star WR Davante Adams, open to trading him prior to the start of the league year. No surprise with his $38.2M cap number,” Rapoport wrote on X.However, moving on from Adams won’t be easy. If the Jets are unable to find a trade partner, they will have no choice but to release him. Rapoport further explained, “If they can’t get a deal, they are expected to release Adams, who could rejoin QB Aaron Rodgers with a new team.”

Dak Prescott injury update: Cowboys QB reveals target date for return

“I’m not gonna put a timeline on it, but I’ll be ready for the first game and when anything matters and very, very ready,” Prescott said earlier this week at the Cowboys’ launch of the Girl’s Flag Football League at AT&T Stadium. “I’m feeling good… doing more and more. The last two weeks have been huge and progressive for me.”

The hamstring injury Prescott sustained in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons required surgery. Nearly four months later, hasn’t experienced any setbacks.

“I wouldn’t say I’m running full speed yet,” Prescott added. “But everything’s on the right track, and I’m excited.”

Dak Prescott reacts to Cowboys hiring Brian Schottenheimer as head coach

Prescott, 31, had an up-and-down year after signing a lucrative contract extension ahead of the season, which made him the NFL’s highest-paid player. He completed 64.7% of his passes – the second-worst rate of his career – for 1,978 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Prescott returns to the field next season with a new head coach in place in Dallas. Gone is Mike McCarthy and in his place is Brian Schottenheimer, promoted from offensive coordinator. The Prescott-Schottenheimer relationship will be key in leading the Cowboys forward, coming off a 7-10 finish in 2024.

“I’m excited for him, this opportunity,” Prescott said last month. “Obviously, I’ve worked with him for the last couple of years and understand the type of coach he is, the type of man he is, the way that he approaches the game.

“… He’s not going to take anything about this game lightly. He enjoys the work in it. [He’s] kind of old-fashioned. I’m looking forward to the grind, and some things that we’re going to do and he’s going to add. Excited for him. I know he’s ready for it. He’s been an assistant for a long time.”

The NFL Combine is where teams start to decide on who their draft picks could be in two months’ time. That’s obviously not always the case, though, including for QB Bo Nix with the Denver Broncos.

At this year’s combine in Indianapolis, Sean Payton spoke with Peter Schrager on Sunday about the team’s focus on Nix in the draft process last year. He said they had not decided on selecting him coming out of the combine, as he actually recalled him performing poorly there, but did so later on after some more individual work with him on their own.

“We didn’t at that time,” said Payton. “I would say that decision probably was finalized or we felt real strong? It wasn’t just the – he had a pro day on Friday and then, Saturday, we had a private workout. I think, that Saturday after his private workout, we felt like that was our target.”

“Yeah, this time, at this point in time, we didn’t. And he really didn’t throw well,” Payton added.

Again, that’s not unusual when it comes to prospect at the combine. Payton noted multiple factors why that isn’t always where they have their best performances ahead of the draft.

“Here’s a couple things I can recall. So, for years in our league, the footballs were never broken in. They come right out of the box. That’s a challenge for a college quarterback. I mean, they’re slippery, they’re not broken in. And then you get in here, the temperature is maybe a little cooler than you think. It’s air-conditioned. So learning all of those things, getting adjusted to that,” said Payton. “The prep that they have now is, is so much different then just twenty years ago – the understanding of what’s to be expected, how to handle the interviews, how to handle the medical part of it, how to handle these drills. I’ve seen players that have bad ball skills that are outstanding through the gauntlet and they’ve just worked on it so much.”

Nix, coming out of five years in college at Oregon and Auburn, had solid reviews coming out of the combine. His stock then continued to improve as he was eventually the sixth of six quarterbacks to go in the first dozen picks of the 2024 NFL Draft.

However, Nix was arguably one of the two or three best as rookies this season in the NFL. He completed 66.3% of his throws for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. The passing yardage was twelfth in the league while the passing scores were fifth. Both of those were also the most among the five first-year quarterbacks from his draft class. Nix rushed for 430 yards and four more scores too while having a receiving score. All of that had him as a finalist for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

With that, Denver had their best season in nine years, in which they won Super Bowl 50 in 2015, with a record of 10-7 and making the playoffs. Nix was a big part of that as their offense was their best in a decade at 25 ppg. and 324.6 yards per game. The Broncos would then go on to lose at 31-7 in the AFC Wild Card at Buffalo.

The combine is key for evaluations of players at all positions coming into the draft in April. Still, it’s more than that with a month and a half still to decide what these teams want to do with their picks.

3 Burning Questions Facing the Philadelphia Phillies Midway Through Spring Training

DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Philadelphia Phillies once again have World Series aspirations in 2025, and seeds for a title run will have to be planted this spring.

Philadelphia boasts has a star-studded lineup and one of baseball’s top starting rotations, as has been the case for three years running. That core has come up in the playoffs each and every time, though, so something will have to change for the end result to be different.

Reporting live from spring training down in Florida, Fastball On SI staff writer Sam Connon broke down the three biggest questions hanging over the Rays midway through camp.

The Phillies lost a pair of All-Star relievers to free agency this winter, with Jeff Hoffman going to the Toronto Blue Jays and Carlos Estévez heading to the Kansas City Royals.

Jordan Romano is set to take over as closer after getting non-tendered by the Toronto Blue Jays in November. The two-time All-Star put up a 2.29 ERA, 1.076 WHIP and 8.4 WAR between 2020 and 2023, but he had a 6.59 ERA, 1.463 WHIP and -0.3 WAR during an injury-plagued 2024 campaign.

Romano has yet to take the mound in the Grapefruit League, so it remains to be seen if he has his mojo back.

Elsewhere in the bullpen, Joe Ross will join returning veterans in José Alvarado, José Ruiz and Matt Strahm. 23-year-old Orion Kerkering is also fresh off a breakout rookie year.

And with Jesús Luzardo arriving via a trade with the Miami Marlins to claim a spot in Philadelphia’s rotation, Taijuan Walker is set to take on a long relief role. He posted a 7.10 ERA and -1.6 WAR in 2024, pushing the Phillies to make the move for Luzardo.

Walker gave up two hits and one earned run in his spring training debut Sunday against the Blue Jays, seeming to get back into a groove. If he can be good for long outings out of the bullpen every now and then, the Phillies’ other relievers may avoid taking on more than they can handle.

Romano asserting himself as the undoubted closer would do the same, giving Philadelphia the chance to lock everyone else into consistent roles.

Kyle Schwarber has been dominating out of the Phillies’ leadoff spot for years now, but a change may be in the cards.

Manager Rob Thomson has left the door open to someone else taking over as his leadoff hitter in 2025. And while bumping Schwarber’s powerful bat down to the middle of the lineup would make sense, Thomson needs to land on a reliable replacement before making any moves.

Trea Turner could make the most sense as a leadoff hitter, as he hit .295 in 2024 and boasts a .296 batting average for his career. Turner was the Phillies’ leadoff man in their split squad spring training game against the Blue Jays on Sunday, so it’s clear that he is at least being considered.

In the 23 games he hit leadoff in 2022, Turner boasted a .337 batting average and .892 OPS. He filled that spot in the lineup 15 more times in 2023, only to hit .266 with a .674 OPS, so putting him in the position again in 2025 isn’t a no-doubter.

A speedster like Johan Rojas may be a fit, only he could lose his grip on a regular starting spot with Max Kepler coming in from the Minnesota Twins. Second baseman Bryson Stott is another option on the roster.

In the early days of camp, it seemed like Weston Wilson would sneak onto the Phillies’ Opening Day roster.

However, the utility man suffered an oblique strain in February and his status for the start of the regular season is suddenly in doubt. It isn’t as if Wilson is a superstar, but he has been able to produce at a high level in his limited big league action.

Catcher Rafael Marchán, infielder Edmundo Sosa and outfielder Rojas appear to have bench spots locked down, leaving one opening if Wilson hits the injured list.

Weight Loss of Philadelphia Phillies Reliever Could Trigger Bounce Back Season

There are cliches repeated at nauseum every year in preseason camp, and perhaps “best shape of my life” is the No. 1 thing that’s said.

But for Philadelphia Phillies star Jose Alvarado, that was actually the case.

The big left-hander is coming off the worst year he’s had with the Phillies since his first season with the team in 2021.

That year, he posted a 4.20 ERA and league average 100 ERA+ across his 64 outings and 55.2 innings pitched with 68 strikeouts.

In 2024, he had a similar 4.09 ERA and 100 ERA+ in 66 outings and 61.2 innings.

The glaring difference for Alvarado was his strikeout numbers were down, wringing up just 63 batters for a K/9 ratio of 9.2, the lowest of his career since his rookie season in 2017 when it was just 8.8 in 35 appearances.

One of the reasons for that was because he lost velocity on his pitches.

Per Baseball Savant, his dominant sinker averaged 97.8 mph in 2024 compared to 98.7 mph in 2023. His cutter, which he uses to play off his sinker, went from 93.1 mph with 6.3 inches of movement in 2023 to 92.5 mph with 5.5 inches of movement.

That might not seem like a huge difference, but in Major League Baseball where the margins between an out, a base hit and a home run are razor thin, it was enough for Alvardo to go from an elite reliever to an average one.

Philadelphia can’t have that this season.

They need Alvarado to turn back into what he was during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns when manager Rob Thomson could call upon the left-hander in any high-leverage situation with the confidence he would get the team out of the jam.

The good news is, Alvarado looked sharp in his spring debut.

He only threw one inning, but he didn’t allow a hit and struck out two batters.

Knowing he needed to bounce back after a down year in 2024, Alvarado said he focused on getting into better shape coming into camp.

“I had a great offseason. I changed my routine about eating. I lost weight. Latin people, we eat a lot of rice and beans. I switched for more protein, veggies. I came in in good shape and I’m so happy about the result today,” he said according to Corey Seidman of NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Alvarado seems to have found his velocity again.

He hit 100 mph on the radar gun during that outing, an impressive feat this early in the spring as pitchers ramp up in preparation for Opening Day.

The goal the big lefty had this offseason was to lose weight so he could come to camp in better shape to prepare himself for a bounce back performance.

So far, so good.

Alternative rankings list reveal Carlos Alcaraz will face new threats at Indian Wells

Carlos Alcaraz, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Tomas Machac

he Indian Wells Masters is about to get underway in California, with Carlos Alcaraz looking to win the title for a third successive year.

With world No 1 Jannik Sinner absent as he serves his three-month suspension for failing a drugs test at Indian Wells last year, Alcaraz is the first favourite to lift the title at a tournament where he always feels at home.

Yet a glance at the ATP Race standings suggests the young Spaniard could face some new threats from in-form players who will be keen to chase the big prize money and ranking points up for grabs in Indian Wells.

The ATP Race rankings are based on results in 2025, with this calculation producing an end-of-year top eight that gain entry to the ATP Finals in Turin next November.

Sinner tops the ATP Race rankings after he claimed 2,000 ranking points in the only tournament he played this year so far at the Australian Open.

World No 2 Alexander Zverev is in second place in the ATP Race rankings after his run to the Australian Open final, yet it is the names just below that who could be among worth watching at Indian Wells.

This Canadian opted against playing in the Davis Cup for Canada last November as he took some time away from the sport to recharge his energies ahead of the 2025 season.

That decision has repeated some impressive rewards this year as Auger-Aliassime has more wins on his record than any other player in the men’s game.

His run to the Dubai Final saw him take his match win tally for this season to 15 and he is heading to Indian Wells in confident form.

“I feel like I’ve been digging very deep and pushing my body a lot these last few weeks,” said Auger-Aliassime after he lost against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Dubai final.

“I feel like I need a bit of reset to rest, train again, work on my things and be outside of the match court for a few days. I’m positive after that I’ll have the right energy to step back into the competition.

“It’s been a great first two months. I can’t complain. Tennis is never perfect. Maybe Roger in 2005, ‘6. Never perfect. You try to improve all the time. You try to learn from matches like this. I’m positive I’ll have my chances to win big trophies this year’

PSG willing to make a lucrative offer for 20-year-old Barcelona star if his role diminishes under Hansi Flick – Report

This season, the midfield is one of the most competitive areas of the FC Barcelona team. Hansi Flick has up to seven players vying for the three midfield spots, and thus it is quite hard for any one of them to retain a starting spot.

Pedri has been a regular starter, while Frenkie de Jong and Marc Casadó are competing for the defensive midfielder role. The attacking midfield position is being contested by several players, including Dani Olmo, Gavi, Fermín López, and Pablo Torre.

Gavi started several games in this position after recovering from his injury, but lately, he has seen his importance decline in the team, especially with Dani Olmo back to full fitness. Still, there is no doubt that he remains one of Europe’s most exciting midfielders at just 20 years old.

As a result, other European clubs may attempt to lure him away. This already seems to be the case, as Fichajes reports that Paris Saint-Germain intends to submit an €80 million offer for him. If his importance in Hansi Flick’s team declines, they could look to take advantage of the situation.

PSG have moved for the Galacticos model that they deployed for many seasons and have now decided to bet in youth and promise. In Luis Enrique, they have an elite manager who knows how to improve players and they have been having a very good year so far.

The Spanish tactician knows Gavi well enough from their time together in the Spain national team and he could look to tempt the midfielder to join his exciting project at Parc des Princes. However, if there is any player who embodies Barcelona’s spirit, it is the 20-year-old.

Fans in football often seem to have a fickle memory and have already forgotten just how good Gavi was last season just before his ACL injury struck. They need to be cutting the Spaniard some slack as he works his way back to full fitness.

The players Edmonton can sign

Candidates

Aggression

Adams’ Short Stint with the Jets

Dak Prescott reacts to Cowboys hiring Brian Schottenheimer as head coach