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Friday, 21 February 2025
Canucks, Kevin Lankinen agree to terms on five-year contract extension
The Vancouver Canucks‘ most surprising bright spot this season has earned a raise.
The team announced Friday that they agreed to terms with goaltender Kevin Lankinen on a five-year, $22.5 million contract.
“Kevin has done a great job for us in net this season,” said Allvin in a statement released by the team. “Right from the start of the year, he has shown a strong desire to compete and a willingness to do whatever it takes to win hockey games. A good leader and teammate, we wouldn’t be in the position we are in right now without his strong play.”
Per The Athletic‘s Thomas Drance, the contract contains a full no-move clause for the netminder during the first two years, then a modified 15-team no-trade clause for the final three years.
The 29-year-old has taken on a starting role for the Canucks as the team worked through an injury to Thatcher Demko to begin the season and has appeared in 34 of the team’s 55 games. During that time, he’s posted a .905 save percentage and 2.53 goals-against average with four shutouts. He made NHL history this season as the first goalie to start the season 10-0-0 on the road.
Most recently, Lankinen represented Finland — along with Juuse Saros — at the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
The Canucks return to regular-season action on Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights.
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UFC announces Canada’s Malott vs. Radtke at UFC 315 in Montreal
Another Canadian has officially been added to UFC 315 in Montreal.
Mike “Proper” Malott will step into the octagon on May 10 at the Bell Centre to take on Charles “Chuck Buffalo” Radtke for a welterweight bout, the promotion announced on Friday.
The Waterdown, Ont. native enters the matchup following a bounce-back win over Trevin Giles in November. He picked up a unanimous decision victory on that Fight Night card in Edmonton, and now enters the matchup against Radtke having won four of his last five bouts.
Malott’s addition to UFC 315 makes him the second Canadian officially on the card. Quebec City’s Marc-Andre Barriault will fight in his home province for the first time under the banner when he faces Bruno Silva in a middleweight bout.
Both Malott and Barriault are going to hope to change their fortunes in May, compared to the last time the UFC made a trip north of the border for a pay-per-view event. At UFC 297: Strickland vs. Du Plessis in Toronto last January, Malott was defeated by Neil Magny via third-round TKO while Barriault lost to Chris Curtis by way of split decision.
UFC 315 will be the 33-year-old’s third pay-per-view matchup on home soil. Before UFC 297 in Toronto, Malott fought at UFC 273 in Vancouver. He won that bout, picking up a first-round TKO victory over Mickey Gall in 2022.
May’s Montreal card is quickly turning into a star-studded affair. Aside from the Canadian representation and two ranked matchups — No. 1 women’s flyweight Alexa Grasso versus No. 5 Natalia Silva and No. 8 welterweight Gilbert Burns vs. Micahel Morales — two championship bouts will headline the event.
Valentina Schevchenko, women’s 125-pound champion will defend her belt against No. 2-ranked Manon Fiorot. Meanwhile, Belal Muhammad will defend the 170-pound title for the first time, against No. 4 Jack Della Maddalena, since he dethroned Leon Edwards at UFC 304 in July.
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Thursday, 20 February 2025
Yankees sign manager Aaron Boone to two-year contract extension
The New York Yankees have rewarded manager Aaron Boone with a two-year contract extension.
The Yankees announced the deal Thursday that will run through the 2027 season.
Boone is entering his eighth season on the bench with the Yankees.
The team finished first in the American League last season with a 94-58 record and reached the World Series, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.
Boone, 51, has managed 1,032 games with the Yankees and holds a career 603-429 record.
The former infielder played 12 years in the majors including one season with the Yankees in 2003. He hit a walk-off home run that year in Game 7 of the ALCS against the Boston Red Sox to lift New York into the World Series.
Boone was named manager of the Yankees after the team fired Joe Girardi in December 2017. New York reached the post-season during the first five seasons with Boone on the bench.
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Wednesday, 19 February 2025
USA’s Brady Tkachuk absent from practice
Team USA got some good and bad news at its last full practice before Thursday’s 4 Nations Face-Off final versus Canada.
The good news was that both Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk were on the ice at Wednesday’s practice after they both missed Monday’s game against Sweden.
The bad news? Brady Tkachuk did not practice with the team.
On Tuesday, U.S. head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters he expected both the Tkachuk brothers and Matthews to be available for Thursday’s championship.
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Canada vs. USA in 4 Nations Face-Off final on Sportsnet
Fierce rivals Canada and the U.S. collide in Boston on Thursday for the 4 Nations Face-Off final. Watch the game on Sportsnet, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
Matthew Tkachuk and Matthews appear to be trending in the right direction, while Brady’s status appears to be a little more up in the air.
With Brady absent from practice, Kyle Connor skated in his place on a line with Matthew and Jack Eichel.
Brady exited early against Sweden for precautionary reasons after he slammed into the post while going in on net.
Matthew suffered a lower-body injury in Saturday’s fight-filled win over Canada. The 27-year-old skated just 1:13 in the third period after testing out something that seemed to bother him. He appeared to tell assistant coach John Tortorella at one point that he “couldn’t go.”
Finally, Matthews was “battling something,” according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and was given the night off against Sweden to rest.
You can watch the highly anticipated rematch between the northern rivals on Thursday live on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ with coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT.
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Canadian men to face Wales after Romania in September international window
The Canadian men will play Wales in Swansea in a Sept. 9 international friendly, Canada Soccer announced Wednesday.
News of the game against the 29th-ranked Welsh comes one day after word that the 31st-ranked Canadians will face No. 38 Romania in Bucharest four days earlier during the September FIFA window.
“We’re excited to be playing another high-quality opponent in Wales in September,” Canada coach Jesse Marsch, said in a statement. “Most of their players are playing in the (English) Premier League and (second-tier) Championship which will make for an excellent test for our group.”
While Canada has never played Romania before, it is 2-1-0 all-time against the Welsh.
Canada won 2-0 and lost 3-0 when the two sides met in Toronto and Vancouver, respectively, in May 1986 ahead of Canada’s debut trip to the World Cup. The Welsh won 1-0 in Wrexham in May 2004
The Sept. 9 game will take place at Swansea.com Stadium.
Next up for the Canadian men is the March 20 CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against No. 19 Mexico in Inglewood, Calif., with the winner moving on to either the 16th-ranked U.S. or No. 36 Panama in the March 23 final.
Canada will also be competing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer.
Wales begins 2026 World Cup qualifying next month in a group that includes No. 8 Belgium, No. 67 North Macedonia, No. 110 Kazakhstan and No. 204 Liechtenstein.
Like Canada, the Welsh have participated in two World Cups with a lengthy gap between appearances — 1958 and 2022 for Wales compared to 1986 and 2022 for Canada.
And like the Canadians, Wales failed to advance out of the group stage in Qatar, losing to Iran (2-0) and England (3-0) after drawing the U.S. (1-1).
Wales missed out on Euro 2024, losing a penalty shootout to visiting Poland in a playoff final.
Wales is unbeaten in six games (3-0-3) since Craig Bellamy, a former Welsh captain who played for Liverpool and Manchester City, took charge in early July. The Welsh defeated Iceland 4-1 last time out in November, winning promotion to the UEFA Nations League top tier.
The Welsh women’s side is coached by former Canadian international Rhian Wilkinson.
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Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Quinn Hughes joining USA for 4 Nations Face-Off final vs. Canada
Team USA is getting a major boost to its lineup for Thursday’s 4 Nations Face-Off against Canada.
Vancouver Canucks defenceman Quinn Hughes will be joining his country as an injury replacement for the final, American head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters on Tuesday.
More to come.
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Canada, Romania men to meet for first time in September friendly in Bucharest
Canada will face Romania in Bucharest in an international friendly during the FIFA September international window.
The Sept. 5 game will mark the first-ever meeting between the two sides. The Canadian men rank 31st compared to No. 38 for Romania.
“Romania are a really strong team that finished top of a difficult group at Euro 2024,” Canada coach Jesse Marsch said in a statement. “It will be yet another important challenge for our team on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
Romani made it to the round of 16 at Euro 2024, losing 3-0 to the Netherlands after topping a group that included Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine.
Canada Soccer said another September friendly will be announced Wednesday.
Next up for the Canadian men is the March 20 CONCACAF Nations League semifinal against No. 19 Mexico in Inglewood, Calif., with the winner moving on to either the 16th-ranked U.S. or No. 36 Panama in the March 23 final.
Canada will be competing in the CONCACAF Gold Cup this summer.
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Maple Leafs recall forward Alex Steeves from AHL
The Toronto Maple Leafs recalled forward Alex Steeves from the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League on Tuesday.
Steeves has appeared in four games with the Maple Leafs this season, registering zero points.
He leads the Marlies in scoring with 46 points (29 goals and 17 assists) in 40 games.
Steeves signed with Toronto as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
The 25-year-old has one assist in 11 career games over four seasons with the Maple Leafs.
Toronto (33-20-2) returns to action Saturday at home against the Carolina Hurricanes following the conclusion of the 4 Nations Face-Off.
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Monday, 17 February 2025
Armia replaces Teravainen in Finland’s lineup against Canada
Joel Armia will draw back into Finland’s lineup for the team’s round-robin finale at the 4 Nations Face-Off against Canada.
Armia, who played in Finland’s opening game against the USA, replaces Teuvo Teravainen for Monday’s must-win game.
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Canada takes on Finland in 4 Nations Face-Off on Sportsnet
Canada and Finland look to book their ticket to the 4 Nations Face-Off final. Watch the game on Sportsnet starting at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT.
The 31-year-old Armia played 9:52 during Wednesday’s 6-1 loss to the USA.
He was called for two minor penalties and recorded one shot on goal.
Armia has 24 points (10 goals and 14 assists) in 54 games with the Montreal Canadiens this season.
Finland can guarantee a spot in the final with a regulation win over Canada. If Finland wins in overtime or the shootout, then it’ll need anything but a regulation win by Sweden in the evening against the U.S.
Watch Canada and Finland clash live on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ with coverage starting at 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT.
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Sunday, 16 February 2025
Saturday, 15 February 2025
Canada’s Binnington to start vs. USA at 4 Nations Face-Off
Canada will once again turn to Jordan Binnington in net.
After declining to announce a starter on Friday, Canadian head coach Jon Cooper confirmed after Saturday’s morning skate that Binnington will get the start in the highly anticipated matchup with the U.S.
It’s the second straight start for Binnington, who allowed three goals on 26 shots in Canada’s tournament-opening 4-3 OT win over Sweden on Wednesday.
Adin Hill of the Vegas Golden Knights and Samuel Montembeault of the Montreal Canadiens are Canada’s other goalies.
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Canada-United States renew rivalry at 4 Nations Face-Off on Sportsnet
Canada and the U.S. will go head-to-head in best-on-best Saturday night at the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal. Watch the game on Sportsnet starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
Goaltending was considered Canada’s biggest concern heading into the tournament.
Cooper has opted for the more experienced Binnington, and while he may have wanted a goal or two back in the opener, he did make some huge saves down the stretch to give Canada a chance to win.
The Americans, as expected, will go with Connor Hellebuyck in net after the Winnipeg Jets goalie made 20 saves in a 6-1 win over Finland on Thursday.
Watch the Canada-USA game on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Sportsnet or Sportsnet+.
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Kakko replaces Armia in Finland lineup vs. Sweden
Finland is switching things up on its fourth line Saturday against Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Seattle Kraken forward Kaapo Kakko will be slotting in on the wing for Montreal Canadiens’ Joel Armia, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Armia played 9:52 in Finland’s 6-1 loss to the USA on Wednesday, registering a minus-1 rating, was called for two minor penalties and recorded one shot on goal.
Kakko will skate alongside Erik Haula and Teuvo Teravainen as the Finns look to get in the win column in Montreal, according to Finnish journalist Sami Hoffrén.
The 24-year-old Kakko has nine goals and 31 points across 54 NHL games this season. He was traded to Seattle by the New York Rangers in December.
You can watch as Finland and Sweden square off on Saturday afternoon on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+. Coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.
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Sinner’s deal with WADA to accept ban criticized by Kyrgios as ‘sad day for tennis’
LONDON — Jannik Sinner’s deal with the World Anti-Doping Agency to accept a three-month ban for positive doping tests has been criticized by Australian player Nick Kyrgios, with the Professional Tennis Players Association citing a “lack of transparency” in the system.
Sinner, the top-ranked men’s player, said Saturday he accepted the ban which means he won’t miss any Grand Slam tournaments. The French Open, the season’s next major, starts May 25.
“Obviously Sinner’s team have done everything in their power to just go ahead and take a 3 month ban, no titles lost, no prize money lost,” Kyrgios said on the social network X, noting that WADA had previously sought to ban Sinner from the sport for at least one year.
“Guilty or not? Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis does not exist,” Kyrgios wrote.
WADA challenged a decision last year by the International Tennis Integrity Agency not to suspend Sinner for what the ITIA judged was accidental contamination by a banned anabolic steroid last March.
Sinner’s explanation — that trace amounts of Clostebol in his doping sample was due to a massage from a trainer who used the substance after cutting his own finger — was accepted.
Hours after the settlement was announced, three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka posted on X: “I don’t believe in a clean sport anymore …”
The Professional Tennis Players Association, which was founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, also weighed in on X, where it posted a statement criticizing the parties involved in the decision-making process: the ATP, WTA, Grand Slams, ITA, and WADA.
“The ‘system’ is not a system. It’s a club. Supposed case-by-case discretion is, in fact, merely cover for tailored deals, unfair treatment, and inconsistent rulings. It’s not just the different results for different players. It’s the lack of transparency. The lack of process. The lack of consistency. The lack of credibility in the alphabet soup of agencies charged with regulating our sports and athletes,” the PTPA wrote.
It accused the agencies of unacceptable bias “for all athletes and shows a deep disrespect for every sport and its fans. It’s time for change.”
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Canada’s Cale Makar back at practice ahead of USA showdown at 4 Nations Face-Off
Star defenceman Cale Makar was back at practice Saturday as Canada prepares to take on the United States in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Makar was absent during Friday’s skate due to illness.
The NHL and NHLPA agreed Friday morning to allow Thomas Harley to join Canada’s workouts in Montreal in case Makar is not able to go Saturday.
Harley was scheduled to meet Canada in Boston, where the team faces Finland on Monday, after defenceman Shea Theodore sustained a tournament-ending injury during Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win over Sweden. He is considered a standby defenceman in case of another injury.
Canada was allowed to put a player or two “on notice” after the Theodore injury.
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Canada-United States renew rivalry at 4 Nations Face-Off on Sportsnet
For the first time in 11 years, Team Canada and Team USA will go head-to-head in best-on-best Saturday night at the 4 Nations Face-Off in Montreal. Watch the game on Sportsnet starting at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT.
Makar played a game-high 28:06 in ice time during Wednesday’s win to kick off the event. He finished with an even plus/minus, recorded two shots on goal and blocked three shots.
The 2021-22 Norris Trophy winner skated with his Colorado Avalanche defence partner Devon Toews.
Makar, 26, leads all NHL defencemen in scoring this season with 22 goals and 63 points in 57 games.
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Friday, 14 February 2025
Canada calls up Stars’ Thomas Harley as standby defenceman
After an injury forced defenceman Shea Theodore to the sidelines for the remainder of the 4 Nations Face-Off, Canada is calling on some reinforcements.
Team Canada is requesting that Dallas Stars’ Thomas Harley travel to the Boston area as a standby defenceman in the event of further injury, Sportsnet can confirm.
Harley, 23, has nine goals and 29 points in 53 games for the Stars this season.
Tournament rules dictate that Canada is not permitted to replace Theodore and that Travis Sanheim, who was on Canada’s roster as the seventh defenceman, will take Theodore’s place on Saturday against the United States.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported on Wednesday night, however, that the tournament will allow Canada to put a player or two “on notice” in the event of another injury.
Sportsnet can confirm that Harley will arrive in Boston on Saturday. The tournament will shift to Boston on Monday after four games are played in Montreal.
The 4 Nations Face-Off tournament continues Thursday night when the United States takes on Finland. Catch the action on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
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Blue Jays’ Kloffenstein won’t throw for ‘handful of days’ due to shoulder fatigue
Adam Kloffenstein will be a little bit behind in the ramp up for the regular season.
The Toronto Blue Jays right-hander suffered “a little bit of shoulder fatigue,” according to manager John Schneider.
Kloffenstein had an MRI that revealed no structural damage, but the 24-year-old won’t be throwing “for a handful of days” at spring training.
Toronto brought back its former farmhand on a minor-league deal this off-season with an invite to big-league camp after trading him to the St. Louis Cardinals at the 2023 trade deadline as part of the package for Jordan Hicks.
Kloffenstein was originally selected by the Blue Jays in the third round of the 2018 draft.
He spent the majority of 2024 pitching in triple-A with the Cardinals organization. Kloffenstein posted a 4.74 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 89.1 innings with the Memphis Redbirds.
The six-foot-five hurler also made his MLB debut with St. Louis last summer, pitching a scoreless frame against the San Francisco Giants on June 20.
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TGL updates hammer rules, each team to start with three per match
The TGL’s popular hammer rule is getting an adjustment coming out of the mid-season break.
Each team will now start with three hammers at the beginning of each match, the TGL announced on Friday.
A team can only throw one hammer per hole, and the maximum a hole can now be worth is three points if both teams choose to throw a hammer on the same hole.
The hammer, which is actually a small orange flag, makes a hole worth an extra point when thrown. If a team throws the flag before the teams tee off on a hole, it has to be accepted.
It’s an adjustment from the previous rule where there was only one hammer flag per match. Before Friday’s update, once a team threw the flag down, it would change possession to the other team.
With the old rules, there was no real incentive for a team in the lead to throw down the hammer flag. But with the new adjustments, the trailing team now has a better opportunity to work its way back into the match.
The TGL returns to action on Monday with three matches and then a fourth on Tuesday. You can watch every match live on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.
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Stars sign forward Sam Steel to two-year, $4.2M extension
Sam Steel is staying in Dallas.
The Stars announced Friday they have signed the forward to a two-year, $4.2-million extension.
Steel, 27, has four goals and 13 assists in 53 games this season. He also leads all Stars forwards in short-handed ice time.
“We are thrilled to extend Sam for the next two years,” Stars GM Jim Nill said in a statement. “His versatility on both ends of the ice have proven to be a huge asset for our team. He is a player that we can count on to make a positive impact and do the little things that lead to wins.”
The six-foot, 189-pound native of Ardrossan, Alta., has 134 points (47 goals, 87 assists) in 392 career games with the Stars, Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks.
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Thursday, 13 February 2025
Kings sign former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento Kings signed former No. 1 overall draft pick Markelle Fultz for the remainder of the season.
The team announced the deal with Fultz on Wednesday night as the Kings seek more depth at point guard after recently trading away star De’Aaron Fox.
Fultz was drafted first overall by Philadelphia in 2017. He has played 234 career games with the 76ers and Orlando, averaging 11.1 points, 4.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game.
Fultz last played in the 2023-24 season for the Magic.
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Three men found guilty in attempted blackmail of Michael Schumacher’s family
WUPPERTAL, Germany — Three men have been found guilty in a case of attempted blackmail against Formula 1 great Michael Schumacher’s family.
The perpetrators demanded 15 million euros ($15.6 million) from the family to avoid releasing hundreds of private photos and videos of the family as well as digitized copies of Schumacher’s medical records.
A district court in Wuppertal, western Germany, sentenced the main defendant to three years in prison, while his son received a six-month suspended sentence and a fine of 1,200 euros, news agency dpa reported on Wednesday. The main defendant had previous convictions.
Another defendant, a former security guard for the family, received a two-year suspended sentence and a fine of 2,400 euros for aiding and abetting the other two men. Judge Birgit Neubert said the former security worker made the most significant contribution to the crime through his breach of trust, dpa reported.
The Schumacher family was threatened with the release of the private material on the darknet. The public prosecutor’s office said some 900 pictures and nearly 600 videos of the family and Schumacher’s digitized medical records were confiscated from the perpetrators. A hard drive remained missing.
Representing the Schumacher family, lawyer Thilo Damm said the family will appeal in the case against the former security guard, against whom they wanted a four-year prison term.
While the other two defendants confessed to the charges, the security guard’s lawyer denied the charges and demanded an acquittal. He said his client had not stolen the sensitive data.
The family has shielded Schumacher from public view since his serious skiing accident in December 2013. Schumacher was skiing in the French Alps at Meribel when he fell and his head hit a rock, resulting in a near-fatal brain injury. Since being transferred from hospital in September 2014, the seven-time F1 champion has been cared for privately at a family home in Switzerland.
Schumacher retired from F1 in 2012 after winning 91 races, and five straight titles with Ferrari from 2000-04. The German driver’s other two titles were with Benetton in 1994-95.
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The Detroit Lions are signing veteran tight end Zach Ertz ahead of Sunday’s NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers, accordin...
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