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I always get a little sentimental around the holidays, thinking back on all the memories I made over the past year. And, to (mis)quote one of my favourite movies, how can you not be sentimental about sports too?
So, here are 12 photos — one for each month — and a few words to help us celebrate some of the best athletes and moments of 2025.
January: Philly special
The incredible Saquon Barkley rushed for 205 yards and two long touchdowns, including this 78-yard score in the fourth quarter, to power the Philadelphia Eagles past the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the NFL playoffs. Barkley, who became just the ninth player ever to run for 2,000 yards in the regular season, went on to help Philly batter Kansas City 40-22 in the Super Bowl.
February: Elbows up
At the height of Canadian fury over Trump’s tariff war, Brandon Hagel fired up his country by brawling with U.S. star Matthew Tkachuk in one of the three fights in the opening nine seconds of an electric 4 Nations Face-Off matchup in Montreal. The Americans won that preliminary-round game, but Canada exacted its revenge five days later in Boston when Connor McDavid scored in overtime to win the final.
March: Alexander the great
Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin celebrated a goal against Philadelphia that moved him closer to Wayne Gretzky’s all-time NHL record. Ovechkin would surpass the Great One with his 895th regular-season goal in early April before reaching the mythical 900-goal plateau this season.
April: Masterstroke
Rory McIlroy birdied Augusta’s 18th hole to win a sudden-death playoff against Justin Rose for his first green jacket, completing a rare career Grand Slam. The Northern Irishman added another emotional victory in September, helping Europe retain the Ryder Cup by beating the United States at hostile Bethpage in New York City.
May: The Cats came back
Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe celebrated his critical overtime winner in Game 3 of a second-round playoff series against Toronto. Florida trailed two games to none before rallying to eliminate the Leafs in seven and later defeat Edmonton in the Stanley Cup final for the second straight year.
June: Maple Jordan
Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander held off fellow Canadian Andrew Nembhard and the plucky Indiana Pacers to win a seven-game NBA Finals and complete one of the greatest individual seasons in history. SGA joined a club of just three other players, including Michael Jordan, who have captured the regular-season and Finals MVP awards and led the league in scoring in the same season. In December, he added his second Northern Star Award for Canadian athlete of the year.
July: Summer love
After winning three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics and breaking three world records in five days at this year’s Canadian trials, Summer McIntosh set her heart on an extremely ambitious goal: to become the only swimmer besides Michael Phelps to win five individual golds at the world championships. She fell just short, capturing four golds and a bronze in Singapore, but you have to admire the sheer audacity from someone who had yet to turn 19.
August: Veni, vidi, Vicky
Summer McIntosh wasn’t the only Canadian teen to conquer a big event this year. Eighteen-year-old tennis player Victoria Mboko shocked the world by beating four Grand Slam champions, including former No. 1 Naomi Osaka in the final, to win the Canadian Open in Montreal. Mboko, who started 2025 ranked outside the top 300 in the world, also won the Hong Kong Open in November and finished the year at No. 18.
September: Lights, Camryn, action
Canadian hammer thrower Camryn Rogers delivered another stellar performance at the track and field world championships in Tokyo, capturing her second straight world title to go with her Olympic gold from last year. Olympic men’s champ Ethan Katzberg also won his event to give Canada another hammer-throw sweep, while race walker Evan Dunfee grabbed his first world title, 800m runner Marco Arop nabbed a bronze and Andre De Grasse anchored his Olympic-champion men’s 4x100m relay team to a silver behind the stacked United States.
October: Hurt and Ernie
Yes, it was painful to watch the Toronto Blue Jays lose Game 6 and 7 of the World Series to the loaded L.A. Dodgers, letting an improbable championship slip from their grasp. But what a joy to spend October with the delightful Ernie Clement, who broke the major-league record for hits in a single post-season, and other Jays playoff heroes like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and rookie pitching sensation Trey Yesavage. Spring can’t come fast enough.
November: Green day
Veteran quarterback Trevor Harris hoisted the Grey Cup after leading the Saskatchewan Roughriders to their first championship in 12 years and just the fifth in the 115-year history of the club. Harris, 39, was named MVP of the CFL title game after throwing for 302 yards and completing a Grey Cup record 85.2 per cent of his passes.
December: Queen of the hill
Forty-one-year-old Lindsey Vonn celebrated her first victory since 2018 after taking a women’s downhill in St. Moritz, Switzerland to become the oldest skier ever to win an alpine World Cup race. A year into her comeback from a five-season layoff, the all-time leader in downhill wins has now reached the podium in five of her last six starts and will be a top contender for gold at this February’s Winter Olympics in Italy.
