Sports Express | November 4, 2026: Canada Blocks Russia from World Junior Hockey Championship

1. Canada blocks Russia from World Junior Hockey Championship

Source: The Kyiv Independent

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Nov. 3 that Russia will not be allowed to compete at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship in Alberta, despite a Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling ordering Russia's reinstatement to international hockey. "So if you're asking specifically about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there," Carney said at a press conference in Antigua, according to Reuters.

The Oct. 30 CAS ruling overturned Russia's exclusion, and the International Ice Hockey Federation said it was disappointed but would work to implement it. Canada's government said it will use its authority under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from entering the country to compete under their national symbols. The CAS ruling does not supersede Canada's immigration laws, and athletes competing as neutrals may still be admitted on an individual basis.

Global Affairs Canada said in a statement that "Canada's position has not changed because Russia's actions have not changed," adding that neither Russia nor Belarus should be formally represented in international sport while the war against Ukraine continues. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha had urged governments to deny Russian athletes entry, and several European hockey federations have said they would refuse to compete against Russia. The tournament runs from Dec. 26, 2026 to Jan. 5, 2027 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.

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2. Jets erase 4-0 deficit in final three minutes, beat Canadiens in OT for NHL record

Source: Yahoo Sports

The Winnipeg Jets snapped a nine-game winless streak on Tuesday with one of the most unlikely wins in NHL history. Trailing the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 with less than three minutes remaining, Winnipeg won 5-4 in overtime on Dylan Samberg's winner. Per ESPN, it is the latest four-goal comeback in NHL history, breaking the mark held by the 2007-08 Los Angeles Kings, who began their rally with 7:14 remaining.

Tyrel Bauer scored the Jets' first goal with 2:38 left in the third, Morgan Barron added another with 1:57 remaining, and Kyle Connor made it a one-goal game with 1:00 left. An Alexandre Carrier tripping penalty gave Winnipeg a power play, and Connor converted with 33 seconds left to force overtime. ESPN also noted it was the Jets' quickest four-goal sequence since 1984.

"There's no sugarcoating" it for Montreal, as Caufield put it afterward: "Some of us thought the game was over. We had a four-goal lead. There's no excuse for this. It's terrible." The Jets entered the game at 4-8-3, had lost 7-0 to Carolina on Sunday and traded their Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender less than two weeks ago. The Canadiens have been without captain Nick Suzuki for six straight games due to a hand injury.

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3. MLB proposes salary cap starting in 2028 with $180.2M floor and $258.2M ceiling

Source: Sportsnet

Major League Baseball proposed on Tuesday afternoon pushing back implementation of a salary cap to 2028 while introducing various player benefits next year, its latest attempt to bring the players' association into an economic system it steadfastly rejects. The offer would start a cap with a floor of $180.2 million and a hard ceiling of $258.2 million after the 2027 season.

Based on this season's Competitive Balance Tax payrolls, eight teams — including the Toronto Blue Jays — would need to cut salary, while 12 clubs, among them World Series champion Milwaukee and finalist Tampa Bay, would need to spend more. The current CBA expires Dec. 1.

As an inducement, MLB said benefits would begin in 2027: free agency after five years of service instead of six for players at least 30 years old; elimination of draft-pick forfeiture for signing a free agent who received a qualifying offer; and a minimum salary of $900,000 that could reach $1 million through the pre-arbitration bonus pool. The union said owners "continue to propose blowing up the current system." MLB spokesman Glen Caplin said the plan provides more money for players while levelling the playing field.

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4. Flames legend Jarome Iginla reveals neurological health issues

Source: Calgary Herald

Calgary Flames legend Jarome Iginla revealed on Tuesday that he is battling health issues. Speaking with Sportsnet's Eric Francis, the 49-year-old said he has spent more than a year getting tests and consulting medical professionals. "Unfortunately, I have been battling some health issues," Iginla said. "Some neurological issues. I'm not entirely sure what it is, it may be from metal toxins from reaction to the cobalt hip."

Iginla had hip replacement surgery after retiring from the NHL in 2018 and said complications followed. "I need more time to figure it all out, but I'm still hopeful that I will recover fully," he said. "Things are slowly getting under control, thanks be to God."

Iginla is the franchise's all-time leader in games played (1,219), goals (525) and points (1,095), and starred on the Flames team that reached the 2004 Stanley Cup final, losing Game 7 to Tampa Bay. He joined the organization as a special advisor to GM Craig Conroy in 2023, and the team drafted his youngest son, Joe, this summer. His comments came a day after a video filmed before the NHL Draft prompted fans to note his voice sounded different and that he had lost weight.

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5. Haas drops Ocon for rest of 2026 F1 season

Source: The Race

Haas has permanently dropped Esteban Ocon for the remainder of the Formula 1 season, with Rafa Camara replacing him at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix. Ocon was benched in the middle of last weekend's Mexico event after a reported confrontation with team boss Ayao Komatsu on Friday after practice.

It was a sudden escalation in a relationship that was going to end this year anyway, after Haas opted to replace Ocon with F2 title contender and Ferrari junior Camara in 2027. That will now happen early. "We have now notified Esteban Ocon that he will not return to a race seat with TGR Haas F1 Team this season," Komatsu said. "Such decisions are never taken lightly, as was the case in Mexico City — but then, as now, we feel this is firmly in the best interests of the team moving forward."

Ocon had complained on the radio about tyre strategy during Mexico FP2, but the real backdrop was his impending exit and internal clashes. Ocon denies any physical violence, which some reports including one in French newspaper L'Equipe implied, and Haas will not comment on exactly what occurred. Ryo Hirakawa, who was informed at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, stood in at Mexico and scored an unexpected point.

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6. Dumont family buys out Adelson's shares, becomes controlling owner of Mavericks

Source: Dallas News

Patrick Dumont and his wife, Sivan Ochshorn, have purchased Miriam Adelson's Mavericks shares, a spokesman told The Dallas Morning News on Tuesday. The sale, which ESPN first reported, occurred last month, making the Dumont family the controlling owners of the franchise with a 69% share.

"We are deeply committed to building a championship team, supporting our fans and growing the organization's impact in the local community," the Dumont family said in a statement. Adelson purchased the Mavericks with her daughter Ochshorn and son-in-law Dumont from Mark Cuban in December 2023; she has had minimal day-to-day involvement since, with Dumont holding final say over major decisions.

Cuban maintains a 27% share, and Mary Stanton, widow of an original shareholder, owns 4%. Cuban has said he regrets selling the team, and Dumont could still purchase another 20% from Cuban at the original $3.5 billion valuation. Dumont, 52, is CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp. and chairman of Sands China Ltd. He has overhauled the front office, hiring Masai Ujiri as team president and building around Cooper Flagg, and plans a new arena at the former Valley View Mall site in 2031.

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7. Valkyries' Game 7 averages 3.3 million viewers, a WNBA playoff record

Source: Bleacher Report

The WNBA announced Tuesday that the Golden State Valkyries' Game 7 win over the Atlanta Dream averaged 3.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched WNBA playoff game ever and the second-most-watched WNBA game since 1997. It was the first Game 7 in WNBA Finals history.

The game delivered: it was tied with just over two minutes to play when Gabby Williams hit a deep three to give Golden State the lead. The Valkyries extended the advantage to seven, Atlanta's Allisha Gray answered with a clutch three to cut it to four, and Golden State iced the game at the line to win its first title in just its second season as a franchise.

Williams led the way with 30 points and took home Finals MVP honours. The league said the hype around the WNBA continues to grow every year, and an exciting finish to the 2026 campaign will only build momentum heading into next season.

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8. David Bell steps down as Blue Jays assistant GM, VP

Source: TSN

David Bell's time with the Toronto Blue Jays is over. Bell confirmed to The Athletic that he has stepped down as the team's assistant general manager and vice-president of baseball operations. Bell, 54, spent two years in the role.

"I decided to step away and reassess where I can make the greatest impact, on and off the field," Bell said in a statement. "The Toronto Blue Jays are a first-class organization. I have a deep appreciation for the people I've worked with over the past two years." A Cincinnati native, he appeared in 1,403 games as a player for Cleveland, St. Louis, Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Milwaukee across 12 seasons from 1995 to 2006.

He began coaching at the Double-A level with the Reds in 2008, joined the Chicago Cubs' major league staff in 2012, spent four seasons with the Cardinals and then moved to the Giants' front office. He managed the Reds from 2019 until he was fired in the final week of the 2024 season, finishing 409-456 (.479) with one playoff appearance in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

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9. Alphonso Davies returns to Canada's men's team for Nations League quarterfinal

Source: CBC

Captain Alphonso Davies will be back when Canada's men's soccer team takes on Guatemala in the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals this month. The 26-year-old Bayern Munich defender is one of 23 players on the roster unveiled by head coach Jesse Marsch on Tuesday.

Davies played limited minutes at this summer's World Cup as he recovered from a hamstring injury, and he missed Canada's three friendlies in late September and early October for his honeymoon. He has played 13 games for Bayern this season, with three goals and three assists. Goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau also rejoins the squad after missing the fall friendlies following the death of his father.

Canada will be without Marseille centre back Derek Cornelius, who was taken to hospital after a hip injury in training in late September, Celtic right back Alistair Johnston (hamstring) and Southampton striker Cyle Larin (undisclosed). Canada, ranked 27th, visits No. 95 Guatemala on Nov. 13 before hosting the second leg at Toronto's BMO Field on Nov. 16. The winner earns a place in the Nations League Finals in Los Angeles in March 2027 and qualifies for the 2027 Gold Cup.

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10. Bills release 'high-maintenance' C.J. Gardner-Johnson, reversing course

Source: NBC Sports

The Bills said they'd be keeping safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson. And now they're not. Tuesday's surprise move to release the veteran defensive back directly contradicts public comments made by coach Joe Brady on the same day Gardner-Johnson received a one-game suspension for spitting on an opponent during the Week 6 game against the Raiders.

"Look, C.J.'s a member of the Buffalo Bills," Brady said on October 19. "We brought him here for a reason, and we know that he knows that he has to play better." As one source explained it to PFT, the Bills decided Gardner-Johnson was simply too "high-maintenance" — and that the talent and production didn't justify the headaches.

Gardner-Johnson has hopscotched around the league, from the Saints to the Eagles to the Lions to the Eagles again to the Texans to the Ravens to the Bears to the Bills. He has been good enough to get more chances, but not good enough to keep him around in light of the issues he brings. The Bills hoped to harness his attitude to give the defence a lift; in the end, the baggage outweighed the boost. He becomes a free agent again.

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