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Maple Leafs name John Chayka GM, Mats Sundin senior adviser

NHL: Global Series-Toronto Maple Leafs at Minnesota WildNov 19, 2023; Stockholm, SWE; Mats Sundin during a Global Series NHL hockey game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Minnesota Wild at Avicii Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs hired John Chayka as their next general manager and confirmed team legend Mats Sundin will join the front office in an advisory role Sunday.

The tandem will be introduced in a press conference Monday afternoon.

“Today is an important day for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization,” Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley said in a statement. “I’m thrilled to welcome John and Mats to their roles, two great hockey minds that will strengthen our entire hockey club. From the start of this process, it’s been about building a championship-caliber team for our fans and our city and today is an important step towards that goal.”

Chayka, 36, was general manager of the Arizona Coyotes from 2016-20, the youngest GM in the NHL at the time. A native of Ontario, Chayka has not worked in the league since stepping down abruptly in July 2020 and receiving a suspension from the NHL the following year.

Chayka was found to have “breached his obligation to the club” by terminating his Coyotes’ contract with three years remaining to pursue other jobs. Later, the NHL docked two high draft picks from Arizona after learning Chayka and the club held a private scouting combine for prospects in violation of league regulations.

During his tenure with the Coyotes, they ended an eight-year playoff drought by making the postseason field during the COVID-impacted 2019-20 season.

“I’m honored to join the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and excited to work alongside Mats and the entire organization,” Chayka said in a statement. “This is one of hockey’s most historic franchises, with a passionate fan base who want to win. I’m focused on building a team that is competitive, driven and relentless — one that is in the best position to win for our fans and for the city of Toronto.”

Sundin, 55, will return Toronto and assume the title of senior executive adviser of hockey operations. The Maple Leafs said in their announcement that Sundin will “provide support across hockey operations, with a focus on team culture, player development and leadership support.”

Sundin is the Leafs’ all-time leader in points (987), a Hockey Hall of Famer and a fan favorite.

“This fan base deserves greatness and I am grateful for the opportunity to help this team, organization and city achieve that,” Sundin said in a statement. “My love for the Maple Leafs and the city of Toronto is an important part of who I am and who I will always be. I look forward to working closely with John as we both recognize the incredible opportunity and responsibility to win here in Toronto.”

–Field Level Media

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Rays place LHP Steven Matz (elbow) on 15-day IL

MLB: New York Yankees at Tampa Bay RaysApr 10, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Steven Matz throws a pitch during the first inning against New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays placed left-hander Steven Matz on the 15-day injured list Tuesday with elbow inflammation and selected the contract of right-hander Chase Solesky from Triple-A Durham.

Matz, 34, is coming off one of his best starts of the season when he allowed one run on four hits over six innings Sunday against the San Francisco Giants. He is 4-1 with a 3.86 ERA over seven starts during his first season with Tampa Bay.

The IL move for Matz is retroactive to Monday.

In 12 major league seasons, Matz is 64-63 with a 4.18 ERA over 253 outings (179 starts) for the New York Mets (2015-20), Toronto Blue Jays (2021), St. Louis Cardinals (2022-25), Boston Red Sox (2025) and Rays.

Solesky, 28, is set to make his major league debut after seven seasons in the minor leagues. In his first season in the Rays’ organization, he is 2-1 with a 6.57 ERA in six starts at Durham.

–Field Level Media

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Matt Fitzpatrick advising brother as he brings win streak to Truist

PGA: RBC Heritage - Third RoundApr 18, 2026; Hilton Head, South Carolina, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick watches his drive on the third hole during the third round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Two weeks ago, Matt Fitzpatrick helped his brother Alex earn his PGA Tour card through 2028 with their dual victory at the Zurich Classic pairs event.

This week at the Truist Championship in Charlotte, they’ll play alongside each other as full-time PGA competitors for the first time at Quail Hollow Club.

For Matt, who has much more PGA Tour experience while Alex was playing full-time on the DP World Tour until his Zurich victory, the 31-year-old feels an obligation to take his brother, who is four years younger, under his wing.

“Definitely. I think it would be wrong of me not to (play practice rounds) with him and help him out as much as I can. He’s been thrown in the deep end straight away and it’s all happening very fast so I feel like I have an obligation to help him too,” Matt Fitzpatrick said. “I’ve already said to him, ‘If you don’t want that, you can tell me to mind my own business.’ I don’t want to feel like I’m getting involved in all these decisions and stuff, that’s his thing. I just kind of want to offer my two cents, if you like, and see where it goes.”

Alex did plenty well without his brother around last week at the Cadillac Championship, finishing in a tie for ninth in his first event since earning his card.

Matt took last week’s signature event off after winning consecutive events the prior two weeks at the RBC Heritage and Zurich. While it was a week away from golf, it was not the celebratory week off people may have expected given his impressive recent form.

“I spent last week at home in Florida with my wife and my parents. We had a little bit of off-course stuff to do with the house that I bought and stuff,” Fitzpatrick said. “I think that kind of occupied me for most of the week, which was nice to not have to think about golf for a little bit.”

Matt’s debut win on tour came at the 2022 U.S. Open and he followed with a 2023 win at the RBC Heritage. An extended drought without a title followed, though, as he went winless until this March’s Valspar Championship.

His three wins in a span of five weeks are more than he had in his first 11 years on tour combined, sending him surging up to fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking.

“My DNA is definitely different. The makeup of my game at that point in time was pretty much great driving of the golf ball, like really, really, really good. I was long and straight at that point. I hit my irons pretty well at that point too,” Matt Fitzpatrick said of reflecting on how his game has changed since his U.S. Open victory four years ago. “I would say now I feel like I’m driving it probably just as well, maybe not quite as long, but I’m driving it just as straight if not straighter and my irons are another level above. So I feel like that combination alongside me putting well, which has always been a strength in the past, is obviously a nice mix.”

Matt also has recent success at Quail Hollow, finishing in a tie for eighth at last year’s PGA Championship at the same course.

–Field Level Media

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Louis Munteanu's brace lifts D.C. United past sliding NYCFC

MLS: D.C. United at New York City FCMay 3, 2026; New York, New York, USA; D.C. United celebrate the goal by D.C. United forward Louis Munteanu (11) during the first half against New York City FC at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Louis Munteanu scored his second and third career MLS goals and short-handed D.C. United earned a 2-0 victory at New York City FC on Sunday afternoon.

Munteanu’s brace completed a third consecutive multi-goal performance after the Black and Red (4-4-3, 15 points) had failed to score in four consecutive league matches.

It came on an afternoon Tai Baribo, D.C.’s leading scorer with six goals, was unavailable because of a thigh injury, while attacker Gabriel Pirani was left out of the team in a coach’s decision.

Sean Johnson made four saves to keep his fourth clean sheet of the season, coming against his former club. That was enough to ensure D.C.’s first consecutive league victories of the season.

New York City (3-5-3, 12 points) held 65% of the possession, but failed to translate that advantage into chances as their league winless run extended to seven matches.

D.C. led 19-8 in overall shots and 7-4 in efforts on target.

Munteanu joined D.C. this offseason from CFR Cluj in his native Romania for a reported $7 million transfer fee, but had mostly been used off the substitute’s bench while the 23-year-old acclimated to a new league and culture.

But Baribo’s absence opened the path for a starting role in last weekend’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Orlando City, in which he scored an 84th-minute equalizer, and he got the nod again from manager Rene Weiler on Sunday.

His first goal came in the 29th minute on an instinctive finish from Jared Stroud’s long throw-in from the right.

The throw dropped in the area of teammate Kye Rowles and then appeared to take a deflection off an NYCFC defender. Munteanu reacted quickly to reach it inside the 6-yard box and poked a first-touch finish past goalkeeper Matt Freese (five saves).

Munteanu’s second came from the penalty spot in the 75th minute.

Referee Ismail Elfath whistled Keaton Parks for a foul on Lucas Bartlett, appearing to signal that Parks had grabbed Bartlett’s neck area.

NYCFC players protested, but replays showed no decisive angles that would’ve led to an overturn. Munteanu stepped up and finished coolly past Freese into the bottom right corner.

–Field Level Media

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