The Winnipeg Jets signed forward Cole Perfetti to a five-year, $30 million contract on Wednesday and avoided an arbitration hearing.

Perfetti, 24, filed for arbitration as a restricted free agent on July 5, with a hearing date to be announced.

Perfetti recorded 32 points (12 goals, 20 assists) with a minus-9 rating, 20 penalty minutes, 33 blocks and 54 hits in 68 games last season while dealing with a high ankle sprain.

For his career, Perfetti has 157 points (59 goals, 98 assists), a plus-29 rating, 68 penalty minutes, 125 blocks and 203 hits in 290 regular-season games since the 2021-22 season.

He also has six points (three goals, three assists) in 14 career playoff games.

Winnipeg selected Perfetti with the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

–Field Level Media

Sporting Kansas City hope new faces can improve their Western Conference-worst standing as they resume their 2026 MLS season against host St. Louis City on Thursday night.

Sporting KC (3-9-2, 11 points) has added defenders Emir Karic and Moises Mosquera, amid a vow from majority owner Peter Mallouk to make a substantial investment to improve the club’s fortunes.

A Kansas native, raised in the Kansas City area and the son of Egyptian immigrants, Mallouk may have his eyes on a bigger prize. Kansas City is reported to be the “top MLS suitor” — albeit a “longshot” — for Egypt international and former Liverpool legend Mohamed Salah. Whether or not it materializes, the players already acquired can set the team up for success, said Sporting KC head coach Raphael Wicky.

“I know that these players will make us better. I’m 100% convinced of that,” Wicky said.

Adding to the stakes of Thursday’s match is the rivalry aspect, with the Midwestern foes separated by about four hours on Interstate 70.

“We’ve had a few meetings and spoke about the rivalry, the importance, and I think that gave the players, the ones who are not from here, a good picture,” Wicky said.

After just one win in its first 10 regular-season matches, St. Louis (4-6-4, 16 points) went into the World Cup break with a 3-0-1 mark, allowing just two goals in that span.

“Now, we want to start really strong (in) the second part of the season,” St. Louis head coach Yoann Damet said. “So it’s more that mindset of like, ‘OK, we need to start on the front foot and see what we can do, if we can pick it up like where we left it.'”

Midfielder Tomas Ostrak, whose last appearance was in a U.S. Open Cup match on April 15, is ready to be integrated into the team after injury, Damet said.

“He’s been training really well for the past five weeks. I’ve been really happy with what I’ve seen,” he said. “For someone that hasn’t been involved for the first five months, he’s in a good place.”

St. Louis midfielder Chris Durkin (yellow-card accumulation) is suspended for Thursday’s match.

Sporting Kansas City leads the all-time series 4-3-3, including playoffs, but St. Louis has a 3-1-1 edge at home. Kansas City went unbeaten against St. Louis in 2025, winning 2-0 at home on April 5 before a 2-2 road draw on May 14.

–Field Level Media

England suffered yet another World Cup disappointment at the hands of Argentina, 2-1, on Wednesday in Atlanta. However, head coach Thomas Tuchel expressed “no regrets” over the strategy that led them there.

After controlling much of the early play and taking a 1-0 lead in the 55th minute, England seemingly went into a shell, attempting to pack the back end and protect its lead while losing the aggressiveness that got it the lead in the first place.

Argentina scored twice in the closing moments of the game, in the 85th and 92nd minutes.

“You can discuss this with a million coaches (but) I have to make a decision on the pitch,” Tuchel told the BBC. “I analyzed the match and I did it a certain way so that’s my responsibility. In the moment, no regrets. The team gave everything and we were very, very close.

“It’s not the moment to analyze the full tournament, we just went out because we lost a crucial match.”

In addition to adopting a more defensive posture, England’s late substitutions were also defensive in nature. In the 72nd minute, goalscorer Anthony Gordon was subbed out for defender Ezri Konsa.

On the broadcast after the game, Tuchel defended the strategy and the substitutions.

“We went to a back five to close the gaps inside and be strong in the air because straight after our goal, with no substitutions, we just conceded way too many crosses and way too many chances,” he said. “We tried to help but of course, the responsibility is on the coach and if it doesn’t go well, it’s easy to say it was wrong.”

–Field Level Media