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The field of participants for the BetVictor World Cup of Darts 2025 is complete. A total of 40 countries will compete from June 12 to 15 in Frankfurt for the prestigious title and a prize pool of no less than £450,000. Last weekend, Lithuania and Finland were the last to qualify through the PDC Nordic & Baltic ProTour in Vääksy, Finland.
For Lithuania, Darius Labanauskas, a former quarterfinalist at the World Cup, is back in the game. He forms a duo with Mindaugas Barauskas for the seventh year in a row. The Finns are represented by Teemu Harju and veteran Marko Kantele, as they did in 2024.
In addition to these countries, the remaining Nordic and Baltic tickets have also been distributed. Andreas Hyllgaardshus (Denmark), Valters Melderis (Latvia) and Kent Jøran Sivertsen (Norway) have secured participation after their performances at ProTour Events 7 and 8 of the PDC Nordic & Baltic Tour. Sivertsen will be the teammate of Cor Dekker, the native of the Netherlands who now holds a Norwegian passport. Hyllgaardhus will play with Benjamin Reus, and Melderis will form a duo with Madars Razma.
For countries whose players are listed on the PDC Order of Merit, such as England, the Netherlands and Wales, the final pairings will not be announced until later. Those will be determined after the conclusion of Players Championship 16, which will be played on Tuesday. For Spain, Gibraltar and Hungary, national qualifying tournaments will take place soon, after which the pairs will be formed there as well.
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Stanley Cup Final Game 2 takeaways: Panthers get even as Brad Marchand keeps building legacy
The 2025 Stanley Cup Final is off to an incredible start with back-to-back overtime games to open the series. On Friday, it was the Florida Panthers getting the double overtime win, 5-4, to even the series, as if shifts back to Florida on Monday. Here are some key takeaways from their win. Hate Brad Marchand all you want, he is clutch Brad Marchand is the classic love-hate player in the NHL. You love him if he is on your team. You hate him if he is not. No matter what your emotions are toward him, you do have to acknowledge that he has not only had a great career, but that he is also clutch. He kept adding to his postseason legacy on Friday night with two goals, including the game-winning goal in double overtime to tie the series at one game apiece. With his two goals on Friday, he has now scored 10 career goals in the Stanley Cup Final, which is more than any other active player in the NHL. His first goal of the night came in the second period and was of the shorthanded variety and gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead. It was also a case of deja for him There is something about June 6 for Marchand when it comes to scoring shorthanded goals in the Stanley Cup Final. Because he also scored a shorthanded goal on June 6, 2011, of the 2011 Stanley Cup Final when he was a member of the Boston Bruins. Corey Perry's clutch moment goes to waste The only reason this game ended up in overtime is because Edmonton's Corey Perry scored a clutch goal of his own to tie the game late in the third period. It was a noteworthy goal not only because it tied the game, but also because it was the latest game-tying goal in Stanley Cup Final history. Florida's trade deadline moves pay off The Panthers already had one of the best teams in the league and went all-in again at the trade deadline, adding Marchand and defenseman Seth Jones. Both players have made massive impacts since arriving in Florida, and that continued on Friday. Along with Marchand's two goals, Jones also had a huge game by logging 34 minutes of ice-time, scoring a goal, adding an assist, blocking two shots and finishing the game as a plus-two. Jones has had some ups and downs in his career, and his contract was a big liability for the Chicago Blackhawks, where he was miscast as a No. 1 defenseman. But getting onto a Florida team that was already loaded and allowed him to play more of a complementary role has been excellent for him. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl's brilliance also went to waste (for this game) Edmonton's superstar duo of McDavid and Draisaitl shone again on Friday, with Draisaitl scoring another goal and McDavid recording another three-point game. Their highlight of the night was Draisaitl's goal, which came off a stunning pass from McDavid. Plays do not get much prettier than that. It just was not enough for the Oilers in this game.
Possible Mitch Marner trade options popping up for Maple Leafs
If the Toronto Maple Leafs lose Mitch Marner, either through free agency or by trading his rights this summer, the team will need to seek a replacement option. Some believe the Leafs will not focus on one player but try to change the “DNA” of the roster by targeting a different mix. Having said that, some fairly prominent names are popping up in the rumor mill that may intrigue Toronto. Jason Robertson could be on the market The crew from Daily Faceoff recently noted that the Dallas Stars might be looking for more change beyond just firing their coach Peter DeBoer, which they did on Friday. Frank Seravalli noted, “I think everyone thinks there’s going to be some kind of change. Jason Robertson’s name was floating out there …” He added, “So a lot is happening in Big D after the Oilers knocked them out in the Western Conference Final for the second year in a row.” There is a belief that the Stars want to make some adjustments, while also freeing up cap space (they only have $5M). If they prioritize keeping Mikael Granlund or chasing someone like Aaron Ekblad, they need to move money. The Leafs could land Robertson, who is an elite scorer and would join his brother Nick Robertson, potentially elevating his game. Robertson is a left-winger who shoots left. That said, the Maple Leafs can use a top-line left-winger, and it just changes what side that point production comes from. Martin Necas isn’t happy in Colorado Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos is reporting that Martin Necas “wasn’t overly thrilled” with his experience in Colorado and wants to explore other options. Considering he just joined the team and had a relatively strong run, it’s a blow for the Avalanche if true. However, that loss could be Toronto’s gain. Signed for one more season after this one, if it’s clear he’s going to test free agency, the Avs will be looking to move him and trying to get what they can before getting nothing becomes a potential reality. Necas will produce, and the Leafs might be willing to give him a hefty raise while still saving big money over what they would have paid Marner on an extension. There will be other options as the NHL Draft nears and teams start thinking about changes. These are just two players, but others will pop up. Who should the Leafs look at if the options in free agency are slim and teams explore trade options?
Five potential stars in NBA Draft besides Duke's Cooper Flagg
In the NBA Draft, fans often obsess over which teams have the top few picks every year. But the best players rarely all come from the top of the draft. In fact, superstars can be found at any point — even in the second round. Here's where each of this season's first-team All-NBA players got drafted: Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (11th), Denver's Nikola Jokic (41st), Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo (15th), Cleveland's Donovan Mitchell (13th) and Boston's Jayson Tatum (third). So, while Duke’s guard-forward Cooper Flagg seems to be a stud and top prize in this draft, there’s a decent chance stars will be found near the bottom of the first round, too. Like Jokic, perhaps a star also will be found in the second round this year. Here are five players not named Flagg to monitor in the run-up to this season's draft (June 25, Barclays Center in Brooklyn): Rutgers guard Dylan Harper Heading into the college season, Harper and his teammate, Ace Bailey, were considered Flagg’s biggest threat as the top prospect. Both displayed flashes of brilliance, but ultimately each underwhelmed. Bailey doesn’t pass, so he wasn't in the ballpark for this list, but Harper intrigues. In his lone college season, Harper, who averaged 19.4 points, battled injuries and poor spacing — a problem he shouldn’t run into much in the NBA. He’s a 6-foot-5 power point guard who will be a great downhill attacker and playmaker. (He's similar to Pistons All-NBA third-team guard Cade Cunningham.) Harper, who is almost guaranteed to go second overall, will be a stud if he develops a jump shot. He might flourish if the Spurs, who have the second overall pick, trade it to a rebuilding team (Bucks or Jazz) that would hand him the ball from Day 1, giving him a chance to learn from his mistakes. Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears Fears, naturally, is a fearless point guard with superstar potential, and he won't turn 19 until Oct. 14. Last season, he averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. Fears, like former UConn star Kemba Walker, is one of those players who stands out for having an excellent feel for the game. The 6-foot-4 stud is quick and athletic enough to get anywhere he wants on the court. If he develops his jumper the way Walker did in his early 20s, watch out. Fears could go anywhere from fifth to 10th. Washington State wing Cedric Coward The comparison with Oklahoma City guard-forward Jalen Williams practically writes itself. Williams is 6-foot-6 and so is Coward. Williams' wingspan is 7-foot, 2 1/4, the same as Coward. Williams’ numbers in his last season in college were 18 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 4.2 APG and 51.3-39.6-81 shooting splits. Coward’s were 17.7 PPG, seven RPG, 3.7 APG and 55.7-40-80.9 shooting splits. Williams was a fast riser during the draft process and ended up going 12th to OKC. Coward is shooting up draft boards despite beginning his career in Division III at Willamette University. Guess who happens to have a pick in the middle of the first round? The Thunder. Forward Noa Essengue | Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany) Guard Ben Saraf | Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany) Essengue and Saraf are interesting case studies because most European draft prospects barely get minutes in top-level European leagues and are selected entirely upon potential, not production. Sometimes that yields a Dirk Nowitzki, a Hall of Famer; sometimes it yields a Nikoloz Tskitishvili, who averaged 2.9 points in four years in the Association. Every once in a while, an international prospect will play a larger role before entering the NBA Draft. Those guys tend to be studs in the NBA. (Think Luka Doncic, Ricky Rubio and Nikola Mirotic.) In this draft class, Essengue and Saraf are playing big minutes for Ratiopharm Ulm, a competitive team in Germany’s top basketball league. Essengue, a skinny 6-foot-10 forward who doesn't turn 19 until Dec. 18, plays with reckless abandon on drives to the basket and is averaging 12.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in 23.7 minutes a game. He’ll be one of the younger players in this draft. Squint a little closer and you could convince yourself that he has some Pascal Siakam to him. Teams picking near the back half of the lottery should seriously consider taking a flyer on Essengue. Saraf, who averages 12.8 points and 4.6 assists in 24.4 minutes a game, also plays with a ton of confidence for such a young guard. At 6-foot-5, the flashy lefty’s highlight tape makes you instantly think of some of the creative international guards who have come before him (Goran Dragic and Manu Ginobili). Like Dragic and Ginobili, there’s a chance Saraf could be available in the second round. That would be an epic steal.
Warriors 'very likely' to make head-scratching decision on Jonathan Kuminga
The Golden State Warriors enter the 2025 offseason with a clear need to improve their roster. Steve Kerr's team has solid depth, but lacks a legitimate big man and some additional ball-handling off the bench. However, before Mike Dunleavy Jr. can begin upgrading the current rotation, he must deal with Jonathan Kuminga's impending free agency. Interestingly, recent reporting has hinted at Kuminga's potential exit from the Bay Area. After all, he's struggled to earn a sustainable spot in the rotation and has been overlooked in big games. Yet, according to Warriors insider Monte Poole, the franchise is now "very likely" to keep the former lottery pick beyond this summer. "The scuttlebutt around the NBA is that the Warriors will very likely find a way to hang onto JK," Poole said. "It doesn't mean he's going to be a long-term answer. They can just move him later." Keeping Kuminga would be a head-scratcher for the Warriors. Steve Kerr recently admitted that he's struggled to find a role for the explosive forward in his rotation. "I've been asked to win," Kerr said in a recent episode of "The TK Show" podcast. "Right now, he's not a guy who I can say that I'm going to play 38 minutes with the roster that we have...Doesn't mean he's not a really good player. Doesn't mean he's not talented. It just means the fit. And with the roster that we have, it's tricky." If Kuminga doesn't have a defined role with the Warriors next season, keeping him around is borderline malpractice. Golden State needs upgrades at other spots on the floor. Just as importantly, Kuminga needs minutes to develop his game. The Warriors risk a player's future over their inability to pick a lane. Other young stars will take note of Kuminga's plight, which could hurt the franchise when looking for cost-controlled undrafted talent in future years. The Warriors should listen if other teams around the league produce viable sign-and-trade offers for Kuminga. The goal is to win a championship. Spending money on a player Kerr doesn't fully trust is nonsensical, especially as re-signing Kuminga could limit the team's flexibility in the free agent and trade market this summer. The Warriors need to have a plan and execute it. Right now, it feels like they're still trying to figure out the best path forward. And for a team with dreams of contending next season, that doesn't bode well.
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