Carter George looking to help pen Canada’s world junior redemption story


The Canadian goaltender did his part at last year’s world junior hockey championship in Ottawa — a tournament on home soil that looked poised to be a career highlight.

It instead turned into a nation’s capital nightmare.

Canada crashed out at the quarterfinal stage for a second time in 12 months with a disastrous performance that resulted in top-to-bottom criticism and a subsequent program overhaul. George, meanwhile, dusted himself off — getting back with the Ontario Hockey League’s Owen Sound Attack provided an early boost — and is thankful for another crack at international glory.

“I learned lots about myself and lots about how to handle those kinds of situations,” said the Thunder Bay, Ont., product. “It was frustrating and super difficult that next week and a bit. It didn’t really sink in right away. Once it did, that’s when it was pretty tough.”

George topped last year’s tournament field with a .936 save percentage, 1.76 goals-against average and two shutouts, but the netminder’s teammates found a way through the oppositions’ goalies just nine times in four games after a 4-0 victory over Finland before fading quietly into the crisp January air.

A champion at the under-18 level and a second-round draft pick of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, George had never experienced anything like the soul-crushing heartbreak of failing to even make the medal round at an event he had circled since minor hockey.

“It’s a blessing to be able to get a second chance,” said the 19-year-old. “Every guy in that room and all the staff is going to do anything to make sure we win gold.”

Canada opens round-robin action at the annual showcase Friday in Minneapolis against Czechia — the team that ended its hopes the last two years.

Alan Millar, the general manager of the men’s under-20 program, said there’s a poise in George’s approach.

“Plays the right way,” Millar said last week at training camp in Niagara Falls, Ont. “He’s got a real good mind for the game in terms of never too high, never too low.”

Star forward Gavin McKenna, who like George is one of six returnees from last year’s roster, said the goaltender never wavers.

“In those high-stakes moments, you might expect him to fold,” said the player many observers expect to go No. 1 at the 2026 NHL draft. “But he’s always just so calm, no matter the situation. It’s hard to come by.”

Mark Hunter, part of Canada’s management group and GM of the OHL’s London Knights, said George’s ability to push through in difficult moments stands out.

#Canada tabs former NHLer Kyle Turris for shootout tips ahead of world juniors.


Every time a linesman placed the puck at centre ahead of a shootout attempt, the former NHLer was a man with a plan. The confidence flowed from there as pressure lapped at his skates.

Canada is hoping some of that calm and poise rubs off ahead of the world junior hockey championship.

The men’s under-20 program brought the retired forward into the fold at training camp to help with shootout approach and mindset should the team once again find itself in that high-stakes situation.

“There’s actually a lot to it ... a lot more than people think,” Turris said earlier this week in Niagara Falls, Ont. “Having a plan is really important, and then executing on the details to give yourself the highest probability of success.”

The 36-year-old, who played 14 NHL seasons, would spend five to 10 minutes before each game pre-scouting opposing goaltenders solely for shootout purposes — just in case.

“See tendencies and how he moved and what I thought would be open,” explained Turris, who helped Canada win gold at the 2008 world juniors. “I always knew what I was doing.”

The process bore plenty of fruit. Turris retired in 2022 tied for 16th on the NHL’s all-time shootout list (minimum 75 attempts) with success rate of 38 per cent (30-for-79).

Hockey Canada invited Turris, who has stayed tightly connected to hockey, including work with the under-17 and under-18 programs, to share his institutional knowledge as the country looks to rebound off consecutive quarterfinal exits at the showcase set to begin Boxing Day in Minnesota.

The ugly performance last year in Ottawa was accented by a stunning 3-2 loss to Latvia in the preliminary round where Canada went 0-for-8 in the shootout, putting the hosts in a difficult spot for the medal round.

“It just gives them different ideas,” head coach Dale Hunter said of having Turris around for camp. “The kids are just absorbing it.”

During one session at the end of a long practice, Canada’s potential takers took shot after shot, with some speaking to Turris before and after each attempt. The goal is to have a pool of shootout names ready based off camp performance and past success.

“A lot of the strategy,” said forward Jett Luchanko. “It’s a game within a game.”

Gavin McKenna, one of six returnees from last year’s flop in the nation’s capital, was among the unlucky eight against Latvia some 12 months ago.

“Shootouts are a big key,” he said. “We want to have every little detail down.”

Turris, whose official title is shootout and goal-scoring consultant, said the fact he was even at camp speaks to how much coaching has changed since his time with the junior program. Canada also brought in former NHL centre Mike Eagles to work on faceoffs.

“When I came up, the coach would speak to the team as a whole and would never speak individually to a player,” Turris said. “Now coaches have to have individual relationships with the players to get the most out of the player, to contribute that performance to the greater sum of the whole team. It’s a very different mentality.

“It results in having more coaches and more resources to encourage those relationships.”

The No. 3 overall pick by the Phoenix Coyotes at the 2007 NHL draft finished with 425 points (168 goals, 257 assists) in 776 games with four teams, including parts of seven seasons with the Ottawa Senators and two more with the Edmonton Oilers. He added 32 points (18 goals, 14 assists) in 69 playoff contests.

After hanging up his skates, Turris finished a business degree from the University of Wisconsin.

He followed that up with time as a consultant for the BCHL’s Burnaby Express and a six-month internship with the Vancouver Canucks. He was recently named general manager of the North Shore Winter Club — his former stomping ground, and where current NHL stars Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini used to roam the halls — in North Vancouver, B.C.

“I just can’t sit still,” said Turris, who has three children with wife Julie. “I constantly want to be working at something or towards a goal.”

It’s a path he hopes one day leads back to the NHL.

“I’m trying to accrue experiences in every aspect,” he said. “So when I have an opportunity, I’ll be more well-seasoned.”

Turris took a shootout attempt at the end of one session this week, beating goaltender Carter George on a move off his right skate before firing inside the post to loud cheers and raised arms.

One thing Turris isn’t able to teach his charges, however, is handling the emotions of a shootout when thousands of eyes — and millions more on TV — are trained on your every movement.

“They’ve been in a ton of high-pressure situations,” he said. “It’s just working through it. You find out who can and can’t at some point.”

Turris certainly could.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2025.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press

Former NHLer Willie Mitchell denies sexual assault allegations in civil lawsuit. Former National Hockey League defenceman Willie Mitchell has denied allegations of sexual assault made against him in a civil lawsuit, laying out his version of events surrounding a night of drinking in Tofino, B.C., in September of 2022.

Mitchell, a one-time Vancouver Canuck who played in the NHL from 1999 to 2016, was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed in October by a woman identified in court records as S.D.K. The plaintiff alleges she was sexually assaulted by Mitchell after becoming intoxicated during a social evening connected to a fishing tournament in the coastal B.C. community.

Woman alleges former Canuck Willie Mitchell sexually assaulted her in 2022

In a response filed Nov. 20 in the British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, Mitchell denied assaulting the plaintiff and disputed key portions of her claim, asserting sexual activity was consensual and that he had no reason to believe the plaintiff lacked the capacity to consent.

S.D.K.’s statement of claim and Mitchell’s response present sharply different accounts of what occurred on Sept. 11–12, 2022. The plaintiff’s allegations have not been tested in court.

According to Mitchell’s response, he attended the annual Race for the Blue fishing tournament in Tofino on Sept. 11, 2022, an event that included social activities and gatherings throughout the community.

#Canadian tennis star Mboko named WTA Newcomer of the Year

Powerball climbs to estimated US$1.25 billion after there were no big winners in Monday’s drawing.

While no one secured the grand prize, two tickets sold in Arizona and California matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes. The drawing also produced 43 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and 14 tickets that won $200,000 prizes, Powerball said.

This is the second jackpot to hit at least $1 billion this year and the 12th to cross the $1 billion threshold in the past five years.

The largest jackpot this year was in September, and was valued at $1.787 billion before taxes. That went to two winners from Missouri and Texas who split the prize. They took the lump sum, $410 million before taxes, and other lottery winners have done the same.

“Powerball has only seen back-to-back to billion-dollar jackpots twice, and this one has arrived just in time for the holidays,” said Matt Strawn, Iowa Lottery CEO and Powerball Product Group Chair. “While it’s exciting to see the jackpot climb to this level, please remember to play responsibly. A single $2 ticket gives you a chance to win, while also supporting good causes in your community.”

Whether winners actually take an advertised jackpot value depends on how they choose to be paid. The estimated $1.1 billion offered in Monday’s drawing would have come only if a winner opted for 30 escalating installments – which lotteries offer through an annuity accounting for interest – over 29 years.

Otherwise, a winner could choose a lump sum representing what’s in the actual jackpot pool on the day of the drawing, which in Wednesday’s drawing is an estimated $572.1 million.

The next drawing is set for Wednesday at 10:59 p.m. ET. The odds of winning Powerball’s jackpot are 1 in 290.2 million.

By Toni Odejimi, Karina Tsui, CNN

Salah back in action for Liverpool after outburst. The Egypt forward was introduced to loud cheers in the 26th minute after defender Joe Gomez was forced off injured.

The home team were leading 1-0 at Anfield after Hugo Ekitike scored in the first minute.

Salah accused Liverpool of throwing him “under the bus” after he was left on the bench for last week’s 3-3 draw at Leeds -- the third match in a row that he did not start.

He also said he had no relationship with Slot when he spoke to reporters after the match at Elland Road.

He was omitted from the midweek Champions League trip to Inter Milan, which Liverpool won 1-0.

Slot said at Friday’s pre-match press conference that he would speak to the forward later in the day.

“I have no reasons not wanting him to stay,” he said.

Salah, who signed a new two-year contract at Liverpool in April, is due to join the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations after the Brighton match.

The length of his absence depends on how far Egypt go in the competition in Morocco, with the final taking place on Jan. 18.

Salah, third in Liverpool’s all-time scoring charts with 250 goals, has won two Premier League titles and one Champions League crown during his spell on Merseyside.

He scored 29 Premier League goals last season as Liverpool romped to a 20th English league title but has managed just four league goals this season.

Liverpool started their match against Brighton 10th in the table after a shocking run.

Nathan MacKinnon named NHL’s first star of month as Avalanche dominate November.

NEW YORK — Colorado centre Nathan MacKinnon has been named the NHL’s first star of the month after leading the league-leading Avalanche to an 11-0-2 record in November.

MacKinnon tied for first in the league with 26 points (11 goals, 15 assists), increasing his league-leading total to 44 points (20 goals, 24 assists) in 25 games.

Dallas Stars left-wing Jason Robertson and Chicago Blackhawks centre Connor Bedard were the second and thirds stars, respectively.

Robertson led the NHL with 13 goals in 15 #games.

Bedard had 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 14 games for the resurgent Blackhawks.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt was named rookie of the month after posting a record 6-0-0 with an NHL-best 1.14 goals-against average, .967 save percentage and three shutouts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2025.

The Canadian Press

Homan and Jacobs post victories in openers of best-of-three finals at Trials

Safa’s alleged breach of a R25 million contract has emerged as the primary factor behind the collapse of the KwaZulu-Natal #Football Academy, according to documents obtained

Ferrari president John Elkann issued a plea on Monday to the misfiring team's two drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, calling on them to focus on driving, not talking.