Egyptian superstars to continue rivalry in new season opener
By SEAN REUTHE

Top Egyptian duo Ali Farag and Mohamed ElShorbagy – the men’s World No.1 and No.2, respectively – are seeded to meet in the final of the J.P. Morgan China Squash Open after the draws for the PSA World Tour Gold event held in Shanghai were released today.

The China Open is the first PSA World Tour event of the 2019-20 season and will take place from September 4-8, with action from the second round onwards taking place in a glass show court atop The Peninsula Shanghai, overlooking the famous Shanghai Bund.

Farag and ElShorbagy are expected to contest the title decider in what will be their 17th meeting on the PSA World Tour. The pair won 10 titles between them and six of the seven PSA Platinum titles on offer during the 2018-19 campaign.

Harvard graduate Farag had the upper hand in their head-to-head record last season, winning three matches to ElShorbagy’s two. He is seeded to play ElShorbagy’s younger brother, Marwan, in the quarter-finals, and is drawn on the same side of the draw as Indian No.1 Saurav Ghosal.

Meanwhile, ElShorbagy is predicted to line up against defending champion Mohamed Abouelghar in the semi-finals, 12 months after Abouelghar defeated New Zealand’s Paul Coll to lift his biggest PSA title to date.

Reigning champion Raneem El Welily heads up the women’s draw and she is seeded to face World No.4 Nouran Gohar in the final.

El Welily beat France’s Camille Serme in last year’s title decider, and will look to avenge a quarter-final defeat to Gohar in May’s British Open.

El Welily, the current World No.1, enjoyed the most successful season of her career in 2018/19, and after closing out the season with victory at the PSA World Tour Finals, will look to kickstart the new campaign with silverware in Shanghai. She is predicted to meet New Zealand’s World No.6 Joelle King in the semis.

Gohar, meanwhile, has reached the final of the China Open three times before and will look to finally get her hands on the trophy. She is seeded to face England’s Victoria Lust and World No.5 Nour El Tayeb en route to the final.

Local player Li Dongjin is set to face Egyptian teenager Hania El Hammamy in round one, while men’s wildcard Zhitao Zhou will also take on an up-and-coming Egyptian youngster in Mostafa Asal.

A total of $224,000 worth of prize money is on offer in Shanghai, where matches will be split between The Peninsula Shanghai and the SECA Academy Jinqiao.

J.P. Morgan China Squash Open .

Men’s Draw:
[1] Ali Farag (EGY) [bye]
Ivan Yuen (MAS) v [9/16] Youssef Soliman (EGY)
[9/16] Mostafa Asal (EGY) v [WC] Zhitao Zhou (CHN)
[5] Marwan ElShorbagy (EGY) [bye]
[8] Adrian Waller (ENG) [bye]
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) v [9/16] Mazen Hesham (EGY)
[9/16] Tsz Fung Yip (HKG) v Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (QAT)
[4] Saurav Ghosal (IND) [bye]
[3] Mohamed Abouelghar (EGY) [bye]
Iker Pajares Bernabeu (ESP) v [9/16] Greg Lobban (SCO)
[9/16] Tom Richards (ENG) v Alan Clyne (SCO)
[6] Omar Mosaad (EGY) [bye]
[7] Cesar Salazar (MEX) [bye]
Todd Harrity (USA) v [9/16] Leo Au (HKG)
[9/16] Lucas Serme (FRA) v Karim Ali Fathi (EGY)
[2] Mohamed ElShorbagy (EGY) [bye]

Women’s Draw:
[1] Raneem El Welily (EGY) [bye]
Milou van der Heijden (NED) v [9/16] Low Wee Wern (MAS)
[9/16] Donna Lobban (AUS) v Nada Abbas (EGY)
[8] Salma Hany (EGY) [bye]
[5] Annie Au (HKG) [bye]
[WC] Li Dongjin (CHN) v [9/16] Hania El Hammamy (EGY)
[9/16] Zeina Mickawy (EGY) v Hollie Naughton (CAN)
[4] Joelle King (NZL) [bye]
[3] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) [bye]
Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) v [9/16] Rachael Grinham (AUS)
[9/16] Nadine Shahin (EGY) v Haley Mendez (USA)
[6] Alison Waters (ENG) [bye]
[7] Victoria Lust (ENG) [bye]
Julianne Courtice (ENG) v [9/16] Yathreb Adel (EGY)
[9/16] Joey Chan (HKG) v Danielle Letourneau (CAN)
[2] Nouran Gohar (EGY) [bye] 

Report by SEAN REUTHE (PSA). Edited by ALAN THATCHER.

Pictures courtesy of PSA

Former Leicester second row Steve Mafi is to join London Irish.

The Tonga international, who played at the 2015 World Cup, will join early in the new season, having most recently been with French side Castres.

The Australian-born forward has also played for Western Force in Super Rugby and made more than 80 appearances for Leicester between 2010 and 2014.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for me to return to England and test myself in the Premiership," Mafi said.

He is the ninth international to join Irish this summer following the club's promotion back to the top flight after one season in the Championship.

Paddy Jackson, Sean O'Brien, Nick Phipps and Waisake Naholo are among the other newcomers.

"We know how demanding and challenging the Gallagher Premiership is, so it is important that we assemble a squad to meet the demands," Exiles director of rugby Declan Kidney told the club website.

"Steve has a wealth of experience and the ability to cover several positions in the second and back row."

CONCORD, N.C. – Roush Fenway Racing has inked a three-year partnership with Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection specializing in the development of on-premises and cloud-based backup, disaster recovery, secure file sync and share, and data access solutions.

The multi-year relationship will serve as both a marketing platform and technology partnership, with Roush Fenway utilizing the Acronis’ tools to enhance its racing operations.

The Acronis brand will make its on-track debut at Watkins Glen in August, serving as the primary partner for the Ford Mustangs of both Ryan Newman and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at the famed road course event in upstate New York.

Acronis will also serve as the primary partner on Newman’s No. 6 Ford at the Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway night race on Aug. 17 and at Dover Int’l Speedway on Oct. 6.

“It’s great to bring Acronis on board and we are looking forward to having them on both of our cars at Watkins Glen,” said Newman. “They are the standard in cyber protection and we are looking forward to working with them both as a marketing and technology partner.”

In addition, the partnership will help expand Roush Fenway’s technological capabilities with advanced cloud backup and disaster recovery services, cutting-edge file sharing, and robust computer power simulations.

Acronis designs its solutions to address the Five Vectors of Cyber Protection — ensuring the safety, accessibility, privacy, authenticity, and security of data (SAPAS). This unique approach allows Acronis to deliver easy, efficient, and secure cyber protection.

As a result, the company is now the technology partner of choice in several motorsports, including Formula 1, Formula E, and NASCAR.

These same solutions will help Roush Fenway Racing ensure the security and safety of the team’s systems, applications, and data – both at the track and at the race shop. At the same time, Acronis will be showcasing its capabilities to help grow its business worldwide.

“Acronis technology meets the efficiency and reliability requirements demanded by motorsport teams that compete at the highest level. Through this partnership, Acronis will enable Roush Fenway Racing to focus on developing their car and achieving results on the racetrack without having to worry about the safety of their data. We are looking forward to a long successful partnership together,” said Dan Havens, Acronis Growth Officer.

“We are very pleased to announce our partnership with Acronis,” added Roush Fenway President Steve Newmark. “Acronis is a world leader in the fields of cyber protection and disaster recovery, and we are excited about the capabilities that the partnership brings to Roush Fenway.”

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Too much of a good thing is, well, not a good thing.

Currently there are 21 races on the Formula One calendar and team personnel are stretched to their absolute limit and spending too much time away from their homes and families.

Now, Formula One’s commercial owner, Liberty Media, has gone on record as saying that the goal is to have 25 races in a season.

Right now, it’s not too bad for some of the European rounds — there are 10 — because some of the crew members can fly out early Thursday morning and return home Sunday night or Monday morning.

However, six of those races are paired in three groups of back-to-back events. In these cases, many of the crew members travel straight from one country to another, so that means 11 days away from home.

For the “flyaways,” which are the 11 races outside of Europe, the crews usually leave on Monday and return the following Monday. But there are two back-to-backs on the schedule, which means about 15 days away for each of those.

The crew members, of course, fly in cramped economy class. It’s only senior team personnel and the drivers who travel in business or first class. And drivers such as Lewis Hamilton have private jets.

Vietnam joins the calendar next year and Formula One’s CEO Chase Carey is keen to add races in the U.S. and Africa in the future.

A big chunk of F-1’s commercial income comes from promoters paying the fees — up to $50 million annually — to host a grand prix. More races equal more money for both the teams and Liberty. But what about the strain on the crew members and their families?

“I don’t care about the families,” said Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost. “We can have 26 races. If we get the money for all the races, that’s important. Then I don’t have a problem.”

However, more races come at a human cost because it means more time away from home and families for traveling team personnel. The big teams can afford to hire extra people to rotate the staff that goes to races, but the smaller teams can’t.

“I care about the families,” Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said. “Because then the people working are happy.”

There is also a point of saturation and too much of a good thing. Will F-1 continue to be special if there are so many races?

“Do you limit the races to 18 and charge more for them because there is more demand?” asked Racing Point’s team principal Otmar Szafnauer. “But then you have to know how much more demand and how much more you can charge if 18 is more exclusive than 25. With TV as well, you might get a bit more money if you can show it 25 times a year than 18. I remember when we did 16 races — it was a bit more exclusive then.”

Liberty’s plan is to initially compress the weekend by moving some of the media commitments plus the car tech inspection from Thursday to Friday. In the longer term, there could be two-day race weekends.

The theory is that by freeing up an extra day per weekend — say over 25 races — it creates 25 days at home for team staff. But it doesn’t really work out that way for races outside of Europe and any back-to-back pairings.

From the promoters’ point of view, two-day weekends may work at venues like Bahrain and Azerbaijan, where there is minimal spectator turnout. But many tracks depend on and need the extra income that Friday on-track action provides for them.

The fan turnout on a Friday at a venue like Montreal’s Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is massive.

Tracks like Montreal, the Hungaroring and Spa also draw a large number of fans for a pit walk on Thursday. And those fans are paying customers at the concession and souvenir stands, as well.

In short, a shorter race weekend will mean the promoters will lose money, while at the same time not really reducing the human cost to the teams.

There can be too much of good thing.

CONCORD, N.C. — Brad Sweet banked $175,000 for winning the Kings Royal sprint car race at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway and strengthened his position atop the National Sprint Car Rankings.

With two victories during a four-race week, Sweet’s average finish dropped to 4.977 in 43 starts this season. Sweet has 12 victories.

Donny Schatz, who also won twice at Eldora over the weekend, ranks second with an average finish of 5.256.

Lance Dewease ran his 20th race and enters the rankings for the first time in third spot with an average finish of 5.35.

Logan Wagner also made his 20th start and ranks fourth with a 5.7 average finish.

Danny Dietrich, who picked up his 12th win of the season in the Mitch Smith Memorial at Pennsylvania’s Williams Grove Speedway, ranks fifth with an average finish of 6.256. Dietrich is the first driver to make 50 starts and can begin dropping his worst finishes.

Dietrich leads the Eastern region on the strength of 12 victories, while other regional leaders are Buddy Kofoid (Great Lakes), Nick Omdahl (Great Plains), Dominic Scelzi (West), Jacob Patton (Mid-America) and Jack Sodeman Jr. (Ohio-PA).

Ninety-two drivers have combined to win 209 features run through July 21.

ROCK HILL, S.C. – North Carolina dirt-track racer Colt Gilliam, 29, has landed a ride for the upcoming NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series Dirt Derby at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway.

Gilliam, who competes regularly in the Super Street division at Carolina Speedway in Gastonia, N.C., will pilot the No. 8 Chevrolet Silverado for NEMCO Motorsports during the seventh edition of the Gander Trucks’ annual excursion onto the half-mile Ohio dirt track.

The Aug. 1 event will mark Gilliam’s first foray into one of NASCAR’s three national touring series.

“The past few days have been crazy,” said Gilliam. “There have been a lot of restless nights just thinking about what we’re going to get to do next week. I still get butterflies jumping into a street stock or anything else, so I can’t imagine what it will be like when we get ready to go truck racing next week.

“I’m excited. There’s been a lot going on as we prepare to do this, but it’ll all sink in pretty quickly when we get to the race track and get going next Wednesday.”

It’s the realization of a racing dream for Gilliam, who has pictured having a career-defining moment such as the opportunity he’s being afforded by team owner Joe Nemechek for as long as he’s been racing.

“Not only am I getting to drive a truck, but I’m getting to drive at Eldora Speedway,” Gilliam noted. “That’s insane for me to think about. Really, it’s letting me kill two birds with one stone. It’s incredible and I’m thankful for the opportunity from everyone at NEMCO who’s allowing me to go and do this.”

Gilliam explained that his connection with the NEMCO team came about in part due to a family connection that led to a phone call about the ride, when Nemechek’s son John Hunter became unable to compete in the Eldora event due to other obligations with GMS Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

“My stepdad had some involvement in NASCAR in the past, and he was over at PME getting some engines done and decided he’d go over and talk to Joe a little bit,” recalled Gilliam. “Joe’s son, John Hunter, was going to run the truck … but ended up with another obligation he has to do before he goes to Watkins Glen (Int’l), and he called me up because they had a tire sponsor already in place and asked if I wanted to come and drive it.

“When I got that phone call, it was an out-of-this-world, completely out-of-the-blue moment,” he added. “It was just a case of everything lining up at the perfect time.”

While Gilliam is setting modest goals for his NASCAR debut, his team is behind him to the fullest extent, and the South Carolina driver noted that they believe he can surprise some people next week.

“Joe has helped me a lot in getting ready,” he added. “He was the first one to jump in and tell me what to expect and helped me get comfortable in the seat. It has been a process to get to this point, but we feel ready and we’re going in hoping for some magic.

“I told Joe that I just wanted to make the show, and he told me, ‘You won’t have any problem doing that; we’re going there to win the race.’ We’ll just see what happens.”

Editor’s Note: This piece originally appeared on Racer.com.

INDIANAPOLIS – The phone rang Monday morning and the voice said: “Did you hear about K.O.?”

Immediately I thought, “Oh no, he’s finally done it. Kevin Olson — ageless midget racer; noted author; lover of the old school; and friend to all on four wheels — has finally succeeded in killing himself in a race car.

“Where did he eat it?” I asked.

“No, he’s fine,” came the response. “He won last night at Sun Prairie.”

What? This loveable loon and former USAC midget champion won at one of the fastest, raciest tracks in the Midwest … at the age of 68?

Yep, on the same weekend that 63-year-old Sammy Swindell sat on the pole for the Kings Royal sprint car show at Eldora, Olson made it to victory lane at the place where he started racing 50 years ago.

I dialed him up Monday afternoon for confirmation and he answered from a bar in Evansville, Wis.

“It’s true,” he hollered above the noise. “I started at Angell Park (Sun Prairie’s other name) in 1970 in an old Kurtis chassis. I haven’t won anything since 1998 because I’m 100 years old and I can’t see any more, but I got lucky.

“I didn’t quit partying until dawn. I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been drinking Crown Royal all afternoon, so I’m buzzed and I’m still buzzing, but I can die tonight with a smile on my face because I won again at the Prairie.”

RELATED: Dickerson Goes From USAC Wrench To NASCAR Owner

In the past couple of decades, K.O. has worked for the IMS Radio Network (and conducted some of the funniest interviews ever); written a book about his life in racing (“Cages Are for Monkeys”); pens a monthly column for Sprint Car & Midget Magazine; and showed up at the Chili Bowl with his open-face helmet and the hopes he could somehow make it to the C-main.

But in his day, Olson was a damn good midget racer. He captured Turkey Night at Ascot Park, the Hut 100 at Terre Haute, and a total of 23 USAC features, in addition to owning a pair of USAC championships in 1982 and 1987.

“It was a nothing race – a little midget race nobody gives a s*** about – but to me it was as big as Turkey Night or the Hut 100 because I’ve been washed up for years. I wanted to win one more time at Angell Park before I died, though, even if I had to run until I was 90,” said the native of Rockford, Ill., who now has 47 midget wins at Sun Prairie and is in the Midget Racing Hall of Fame.

“I got the lead running the bottom because I’m not the brave guy any more, but it was an old man’s track and you had to search around for traction,” he added. “Scott (Hatton) was running high and we kept trading the lead, and I just barely nipped him.”

Naturally, he had to confess what really helped prepare him.

“I was drunk before both of my big wins at Ascot and Terre Haute and Jack Calabrase and I got hammered for two days before Sunday’s race,” admitted Olson. “Tom Bigelow once told me that if you’re hung over you’ll want the race to end sooner so you’ll go faster.

“It worked.”

The win also ended what had become a painful July tradition.

“I broke my neck in a midget race on July 19 and my back another time in a crash on July 20,” recalled Olson. “Then an engine hoist fell on me on July 19 a couple years ago, and I was in a motorcycle crash on July 20 last year. So I think July 21 has ended the curse and now I’m good to go for at least another year.”

It’s not easy to get hired at age 68, but Donnie Kleven bought a Spike chassis with a Ford engine for K.O. to campaign this year at Angell Park.

Olson also got some help from Denny Lamers (his car owner when he won the Hut 100) and Honest Jack’s Used Cars (I think he might have made that one up).

He grew up racing with Stan Fox, Tim Pangborn and Scott Dennison before becoming buddies with Sleepy Tripp, Jeff Heywood and Nick Gomeric. They raced, laughed and partied together up and down the Midwest highways in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Sadly, Foxie died in 2000 in a passenger car accident. All the others have long since hung up their helmets. We’re all hoping this win in the way-past-sundown of his career will make K.O. finally walk away.

“I was gonna quit, but then I woke up this morning and said, “Hell I can still do this and I’ve got a new deal, so let’s keep going,” Olson rebutted.

It’s pretty hard to kill you off these days, because the seats and cars are so good and it’s pretty safe. I do think there’s a lot of false bravery out there because of that, and the real men raced back in the ’60s with no roll bars or cages.

“I’m not one of those real men like A.J. or Parnelli, but I gotta say it was so cool to hear the grandstand all pulling for me at The Prairie,” said K.O. “I think they were hoping I’d win so then I’d go away. But that ain’t gonna happen.”

It’s also a great excuse for a new round of K.O. T-shirts celebrating his latest entry into racing immortality.

We finally got one. After years of threats, teases, rumors and innuendo, the NHL saw an actual offer sheet handed to an actual young star player when the Montreal Canadiens got Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho to sign one on July 1.

What a thrilling few moments those were, when the hockey world scrambled to comprehend the mechanics of that deal ... until it became quickly apparent that the deal wasn't large enough, and maybe never would have been, to deter the Hurricanes from matching.

"You're never surprised when there's enough chatter that it's going to happen," one NHL general manager recently told ESPN. "But no one wants to be in a position of weakness."

What the Aho contract did, however, was set a benchmark for the restricted free-agent market. So did Jacob Trouba's deal with the New York Rangers, and Timo Meier's deal with the San Jose Sharks. These are deals that RFAs and their agents will point to and proclaim as comparable to what they're seeking.

But NHL teams don't always see them the same way.

"It's hard to call it a 'market.' Some teams are going to do something totally different than what you'd do, so how can you be held accountable for that?" an Eastern Conference general manager wondered aloud. "How does one bad contract become the market? That's what we're all up against sometimes."

As we hit midsummer, here's a look at the big names still seeking contracts (and potentially more offer sheets), those on the arbitration docket, and the restricted free agents who have signed. Thanks to Evolving Hockey, Natural Stat Trick and Cap Friendly for the resources.

The unsigned, big-ticket RFAs

Brock Boeser, RW, Vancouver Canucks
Previous AAV: $1,491,667

Timo Meier of the Sharks has 54 goals and 54 assists in 193 games. Boeser has 59 goals and 57 assists in 140 games. Meier was given a contract for four years, worth $6 million annually from the Sharks, with a salary that jumps to $10 million in the final season, which means a blockbuster qualifying offer after it expires. There's talk Boeser wants a four-year term, but at around $7 million AAV. Would he go for that grand finale of a final season, too?

Kyle Connor, LW, Winnipeg Jets
Previous AAV: $1.775M

Is six years and around $6.8 million in AAV, which is the Evolving Wild projection, in the cards for Connor? There has been offer-sheet scuttlebutt regarding Connor, who was second only to Mark Scheifele on the Jets in goals above average. But GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has made it clear the Jets intend to match any offer he might consider signing.

Brandon Carlo, D, Boston Bruins
Previous AAV: $894,167

A steady presence on the Boston blue line, and arguably its second-best defenseman behind Charlie McAvoy at this point. If the Bruins can get him in at around six years and $4.5 million annually, that would be a coup.

Travis Konecny, LW/RW, Philadelphia Flyers
Previous AAV: $1,106,667

A bridge contract would appear to be the right move for both parties. Konecny had had two solid seasons of 24 goals for the Flyers, establishing himself in a top-six role. He's the third-best forward on the team in terms of goals above average, making his mark on the power play as well. A couple more seasons like this, and he could really earn some term and dough.

Patrik Laine, LW/RW, Winnipeg Jets
Previous AAV: $3.575M

Only five players have scored more goals than Laine in the past three seasons. Of the five, Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning has the smallest AAV at ... $9.5 million. So that's what the Jets are looking at here, as Laine seeks his next contract, even as Evolving Wild sees Laine's deal at around $7 million over seven seasons. Will the term resemble that of draftmate Auston Matthews, whose five years walk him up to unrestricted free agency? Or will he sign a max deal with the Jets? (And why hasn't there been more smoke about a Laine offer sheet? Isn't this the kind of player you poach?)

Mitch Marner, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
Previous AAV: $1,744,167

There was nothing more awkward than watching the 23-year-old Leafs star make the media rounds recently, trying to pump up interest in his Marner All-Star Invitational charity even while ducking questions about his contentious contract talks with Toronto. "I'm just trying to stay away from the talk," he said, adding that his agent has "been dealing with everything and has done a great job."

What has his agent been dealing with? Shopping for an offer sheet that has yet to materialize, for one. An offer sheet that GM Kyle Dubas has said the Maple Leafs might not necessarily match if the compensation is too enticing; a warning shot to Marner, whose ultimate desire is to remain in Toronto.

On an eight-year term, Evolving Wild projects a cap hit of $9.613 million for Marner. But Auston Matthews makes $11.634 million against the cap. John Tavares make $11 million against the cap. These are the comparables that Marner is reportedly eyeing on a contract that would make him the highest-paid winger (via the cap) in NHL history. The Leafs currently have $3.7 million in cap space.

What term could the contract end up being? Matthews took five years. The Leafs are reportedly seeking to bridge Marner at three years. Marner said he'd like to attend Leafs training camp, but would "probably not" without a contract. Oh, this is going to be fun to watch.

Is Marner the thread that'll unravel the rest of the market? "I don't know if they're waiting for one guy, but Marner is a significant piece. I'm not sure if he's the one holding it up because he seems to be the one out looking for an offer sheet," one NHL GM said.

Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Bruins
Previous AAV: $1,258,333

There's probably a contract McAvoy is looking for that he won't yet find with the Bruins. Yes, he's one of the better all-around young defensemen in the NHL. But those mega-deals usually go to players who score a little more than McAvoy does, especially on the power play, and are on the ice a little more than McAvoy has been in his two-year NHL career. D.J. Bean of NBC Sports Boston cautioned against a bridge deal, however, citing what happened with Montreal and P.K. Subban. Since McAvoy doesn't have the games played to get an offer sheet, the Bruins have a lot of leverage. How long do they want to go? Could it be eight years and $7.5 million annually, like Aaron Ekblad signed with Florida?

Brayden Point, C, Tampa Bay Lightning
Previous AAV: $919,167

One of the summer's biggest revelations is that despite the precarious cap situation with the Lightning, where a targeted offer sheet would have either pried Point loose or caused major roster restructuring for them to keep him, the 23-year-old center apparently fancies Tampa so much that he had no desire to sign one. Maybe, because of that, other executives expect he'll sign sooner than later.

"Point seems like he's going to be the first to go. Once he falls, maybe the other ones start falling," one general manager said. Point didn't sign an offer sheet with Montreal. The intrigue here is how the RFA that did sign one -- Sebastian Aho -- will affect the price of Point for the Lightning, with the caveat that the tax situation in Tampa is far different than that in Montreal.

Ivan Provorov, D, Philadelphia Flyers
Previous AAV: $1,744,167

The 22-year-old defenseman had an underwhelming third NHL season, but that probably won't deter GM Chuck Fletcher from tendering a contract that gobbles up some UFA time. Fletcher said the Flyers and Provorov are waiting for other RFA defensemen to sign before they figure out their deal. With Jacob Trouba off the board, one assumes they mean Zach Werenski and Charlie McAvoy.

Mikko Rantanen, RW, Colorado Avalanche
Previous AAV: $1,627,500

The phenomenal Finn is poised to become the Avs' highest paid player -- the current leader is Nathan MacKinnon's bargain-of-the-decade $6.3 million AAV -- on this next contract. Colorado has oodles of cap space with which to work, so GM Joe Sakic is confident it'll get done. "Sit back and relax and wait for him to get back to me. Nothing urgent. Training camp's not until Sept. 12 or 13," Sakic told the Denver Post. "I think the more guys that get signed and you see the comparable numbers, the easier it's going to get."

Matthew Tkachuk, LW, Calgary Flames
Previous AAV: $1.775M

The Calgary Sun predicts that Tkachuk, the pugnacious forward who hit 34 goals and 77 points last season, will become the highest-paid player on the Flames. Evolving Wild sees a six-year deal with an AAV that crests over $7.8 million annually. Calgary has just over $9 million in open cap space for Tkachuk, Dave Rittich and Sam Bennett.

Zach Werenski, D, Columbus Blue Jackets
Previous AAV: $1.775M

We imagine it would be a welcome change for Blue Jackets fans to see a free agent from last year's roster actually sign on to return. Werenski had an average year last season, taking a step back at even strength. But as a top-pairing defenseman, the Jackets are going to sign him up long term. The question is whether they help set that market. One thing is clear: With the threat of a potential offer sheet, and with Columbus needing a win, Werenski has some leverage.

Players who are arbitration-eligible

Of the 40 players who elected for salary arbitration, a handful have a hearing on the docket. Here are some of the most prominent ones:

Sam Bennett, C, Calgary Flames
Previous AAV: $1.95 million | Hearing on July 27

Danton Heinen's $2.8 million AAV didn't help the Flames in trying to keep Bennett's cap hit down in this next contract, sparking speculation they could move the 23-year-old forward who has yet to match the heights of his rookie season in 2015-16.

Pavel Buchnevich, LW/RW, New York Rangers
Previous AAV: $925,000 | Hearing on July 29

There always has been a zealotry among Rangers fans about Buchnevich, a 24-year-old forward whose prowess on the power play helps buoy some less-than-ideal results at 5-on-5. The Rangers are in a cap crunch, but the expectation is that Buchnevich won't be a casualty from it.

Will Butcher, D, New Jersey Devils
Previous AAV: $3.775M | Hearing on Aug. 2

While Butcher didn't match his rookie season in his sophomore campaign, his underlying numbers (third on the team in goals above average) were strong, especially on the power play. What that's worth to the Devils is a mystery, considering the incentive-laden first contract he signed that pumped up his average annual value. Neal Pionk signed at $3 million AAV with Winnipeg. That might be the floor for Butcher.

Joel Edmundson, D, St. Louis Blues
Previous AAV: $3M | Hearing on Aug. 4

This would seem like a spot for a long-term deal between the Cup champions and their 26-year-old defenseman, with Jay Bouwmeester probably coming off the books next summer. Evolving Wild projects a six-year term at $4.6 million AAV.

David Rittich, G, Calgary Flames
Previous AAV: $800,000 | Hearing on July 29

This has "two-year bridge contract" written all over it. Of the 25 goalies who played more than his 45 games last season, only five made less than $3.5 million against the cap. One assumes that's the floor for Big Save Dave.

Evan Rodrigues, C, Buffalo Sabres
Previous AAV: $605,000 | Hearing on July 23

Memo to NHL teams: This is the kind of player that you should be considering for an offer sheet. The 25-year-old is coming off his best NHL season (29 points), was outstanding on the penalty kill and above average at 5-on-5. He wanted about $2.65 million.

Players with new deals

Many RFAs have already signed new deals this summer, and here are the most notable among them:

Sebastian Aho, C, Carolina Hurricanes
The deal: Five years, $8.454M AAV

The Canes' hands were forced by the offer sheet that Aho signed with the Montreal Canadiens. The cap hit is right around what you'd expect for a contract that doesn't eat up any unrestricted free agency years, and therein lies to problem with it: The deal walks him right up to UFA status. It also pays him over $22.5 million in the first two years, with over $21 million of that in signing bonuses. Not ideal, but also not a contract that was going to dissuade the Canes from matching.

Joel Armia, C, Montreal Canadiens
The deal: Two years, $2.6M AAV

He's a good two-way forward (1.96 expected goals against per 60 even-strength minutes) and this deal could look good if he leaves the Finnish Line (with Artturi Lehkonen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi) and plays up with Max Domi next season as an Andrew Shaw replacement. Although that would mean breaking up a very good line.

Jordan Binnington, G, St. Louis Blues
The deal: Two years, $4.4M AAV

One of the most fascinating contract negotiations of the summer: How does one find comparables for a rookie who played himself into the Calder Trophy finalists in 32 games and then backstopped his team to the Stanley Cup? This deal would seem to greatly benefit Binnington, as it gets him an AAV he probably doesn't get in arbitration and walks him up to unrestricted free agency where, if he's not just a trivia question two years after the Cup win, he will break the bank. Meanwhile, the Blues get Binnington at a reasonable annual cap hit, and don't go long term in case he's not what he appeared to be last season. It's still hard to believe they're committing $8.85 million to their goaltending next season between Binnington and Jake Allen, but here we are.

J.T. Compher, RW/C, Colorado Avalanche
The deal: Four years, $3.5M AAV

Compher, 24, checks a lot of boxes for the Avalanche. He's a right-handed shooting forward. He can put the puck in the net at a rate few players in their bottom six can. He can kill penalties. And his versatility at forward will allow him to fit on the wing or, most likely, at center. This is one of those signings where, around four years from now, we'll be asking "Joe Sakic got that guy for that contract?"

Danton Heinen, F, Boston Bruins
The deal: Two years, $2.8M AAV

Smart signing for both sides. The Bruins know what they have in Heinen: a 24-year-old defensive whiz with solid offense (1.64 points per 60 minutes at even strength) with the potential to be even better. Heinen knew his stats last season were off his rookie campaign rates across the board, so it's best to sign and avoid that arbitration hearing.

Alex Iafallo, LW Los Angeles Kings
The deal: Two years, $2.425 million AAV

A bridge deal that connects him with UFA status at the end of it. There are things to love about Iafallo (his forechecking and puck possession) and some things that give you pause about him (a lack of power-play production), but that money for a winger that Anze Kopitar loves having on his line is good value.

Artturi Lehkonen, LW/RW, Montreal Canadiens
The deal: Two years, $2.4M AAV

The surprise here is that the Canadiens didn't want to do something longer term with the productive 24-year-old, who had 31 points last season and was fourth among Habs forwards in even-strength goals above average (9.7). But he's still an RFA at the end of this bridge deal.

Timo Meier, RW, San Jose Sharks
The deal: Four years, $6M AAV

The Sharks needed to get the 22-year-old in at a cap-friendly deal in the near term, due to their current financial obligations on the veteran-laden roster. His production, and his consistent improvement, make that cap number a stellar one for the team. To get it, they had to raise his salary to $10 million in the final season, meaning that a qualifying offer for him in his last year of RFA status would be $10 million. Essentially, this is a five-year deal worth $34 million ... although the cap implications in that fifth year will be interesting.

Cedric Paquette, C/LW, Tampa Bay Lightning
The deal: Two years, $1.65M AAV

A gritty fourth-liner who takes too many penalties (1.22 minor penalties per 60 even-strength minutes, the 10th-highest rate in the NHL) and shot a rather unsustainable 14.9% to get to 13 goals last season. This contract was a shade higher than you'd expect the Bolts to go here, considering their cap situation, but he has been a good defensive fourth-liner and a better penalty killer for them.

Neal Pionk, D, Winnipeg Jets
The deal: Two years, $3M AAV

Pionk was the player who moved along with a first-rounder to Winnipeg for Jacob Trouba. He's demonstrably a sub-replacement level player at even strength, but an exceptional player on the power play (7.14 points per 60 minutes, by far the best for any player on the Rangers last season). At the very least, he can help make up that difference with Trouba gone, if not much else for a suddenly suspect Winnipeg back line. But let's be real: Points and ice time are the bread and butter for defensemen in arbitration, so he would've probably gotten this anyway.

Colton Sissons, C, Nashville Predators
The deal: Seven years, $2.857M AAV

GM David Poile loves his long-term contracts, doesn't he? Eight years for Ryan Johansen and Ryan Ellis, seven for Matt Duchene, six for Kyle Turris, Mattias Ekholm and Calle Jarnkrok. That last contract is most applicable to this one for Sissons, as Poile locks up a depth forward with a miniscule cap figure in perpetuity. He's 25 and developing into a really solid two-way pivot who was second on the team in goals above average (9) among forwards.

Oskar Sundqvist, C/RW, St. Louis Blues
The deal: Four years, $2.75M AAV

He waited four seasons to get a crack as a regular and took full advantage of it in a revelatory season with the Blues. There are some concerns about his breakout -- that 12.4 shooting percentage might not be the norm, and that faceoff percentage (42.0) is less than optimal -- but a $2.75 million cap hit for a fourth-line stalwart with upside on a Cup team is solid.

Jacob Trouba, D, New York Rangers
The deal: Seven years, $8M AAV

I hate the "he would have gotten this as an unrestricted free agent anyway" argument but ... he would have gotten this as an unrestricted free agent anyway next summer. He's also younger than every other defenseman at this cap number. I'm not the biggest Trouba cheerleader -- I think he's a touch overrated and want to see his chops as a power-play QB before really buying in -- but his underlying numbers, age and that 50-point campaign last season point to this being around the value he'd end up with, especially with four years of a no-movement clause and $22 million in signing bonus money up front in the first three years.

Barcelona still hope to bring in another €150 million in player sales this summer as they continue to seek exits for Philippe Coutinho, Malcom and Rafinha Alcantara, sources at the club have told ESPN FC.

Bids would also be considered for Ivan Rakitic, Samuel Umtiti and Arturo Vidal, but Barca are not actively looking to move any of those players on at the moment.

The Spanish champions set a target of making more than €250m in sales in April, as revealed by ESPN FC, to help balance the club's accounts and fund moves for the likes of Frenkie de Jong and Antoine Griezmann. So far, they have received over €80m for Jasper Cillessen, Andre Gomes, Denis Suarez, Marc Cucurella, Marc Cardona and Sergi Palencia.

- When does the 2019-20 La Liga season start?

There has not yet been a single concrete offer for Coutinho, Malcom or Rafinha but Barca remain optimistic that bids will arrive.

Coutinho moved to Camp Nou for a fee which could rise to €160m but Barca are prepared to sell him for around €105m. Several teams have shown an interest through intermediaries but there have still been no bids.

One option Barcelona are contemplating is including him in a deal to bring Neymar back to the club from Paris Saint-Germain. Failing that, they hope a Premier League club will come in for him, although the transfer window in England closes on Aug. 8.

Malcom has hardly featured under coach Ernesto Valverde but still has plenty of suitors around Europe. Barcelona paid €40m to sign him from Bordeaux a year ago and are looking to sell for a similar amount. A source close to the player told ESPN FC there is "not yet a firm proposal [from any club] but things could move on once Barca return from Japan at the weekend."

Everton, who have a good relationship with Barcelona after signing Yerry Mina, Lucas Digne and Andre Gomes during the last 12 months, are one of the clubs who have asked about Malcom, while Arsenal and Napoli have also been linked with him.

Meanwhile, Rafinha has an agreement in place with Valencia but Los Che have not yet matched his €15m pricetag. Sources said that Fiorentina are also interested in the midfielder, who is out of contract in 2020 and whose father, Mazinho, played for the Italian club.

In terms of exits, there remains an internal debate about Rakitic. The Croatian has played an important role under Valverde but, at 31, some at the club feel it may be the right moment to cash in on him.

Umtiti has been linked to Manchester United but has benefitted from Barca missing out on Matthijs de Ligt, after the defender joined Juventus. There are currently only four centre-backs in the Barcelona first team, including unproven youngster Jean-Clair Todibo, but sources said the club would listen to any offers for Umtiti as they still have doubts about his left knee.

As for Vidal, Barcelona are delighted with his input since he joined but would think about letting him leave if a big offer came in. There's interest from China and Inter Milan but, as with the players previously mentioned, there have been no offers