Sports Express | October 31, 2026: Kucherov requests trade, Lightning say no

1. Kucherov tells Lightning he won't re-sign, requests trade

Nikita Kucherov, the NHL's reigning MVP, has informed both his teammates and the Tampa Bay Lightning organization that he will not re-sign with the club and would like to be traded, according to multiple sources. The news broke on Friday afternoon, and the exact reasons are unclear at this point.

Kucherov is in the final season of an eight-year, $76-million contract. Last week he passed Steven Stamkos as the leading scorer in franchise history.

Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois released a statement on Friday night: "We are aware of the media reports regarding the future of Nikita Kucherov with the Lightning. We unequivocally have no intention of trading Nikita." Dan Milstein, Kucherov's agent, declined to comment.

Source

2. Canada 'strongly opposes' Russia's return to IIHF competitions

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled on Friday that Russia must be allowed back into international hockey, overturning a ban imposed following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Secretary of State for Sport Adam van Koeverden both condemned the ruling the same day.

Speaking from Atlanta, where she attended the G20 foreign ministers' meeting, Anand said Canada is "extremely disappointed by this decision to allow Russia to compete in these junior hockey events." She added: "We strongly oppose this outcome. We will continue to maintain our own restrictions on the participation of Russian athletes at events hosted in Canada that receive federal funding." Canada is "exploring further options" to hold the Russian government accountable, she said.

Hockey Canada said it was disappointed and was in contact with the IIHF about the implications, including the world junior men's championship that begins Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer. The IIHF said the ruling will affect five international tournaments in 2027, including the 2027 women's world championship in Quebec City. Russia's hockey federation indicated it plans to play in Alberta.

Source

3. Red Wings suspend Larkin without pay after he says he won't play

The Detroit Red Wings suspended Dylan Larkin without pay and took him off the roster after they said his agent told the team the center will no longer play for the franchise, months after he asked for a trade.

"We are disappointed by his decision, particularly given his obligations to the organization and his teammates," interim general manager Shawn Horcoff said in a statement Thursday. Larkin asked for a trade in the offseason after the franchise extended its postseason drought to a decade, and began this season still on the team but stripped of the captaincy.

The 30-year-old has five years remaining on an eight-year contract with an annual salary cap hit of $8.7 million and a full no-trade clause. He will forfeit roughly $41,000 a day while suspended. He is the second NHL player suspended without pay this fall after requesting a trade — Winnipeg did the same with goaltender Connor Hellebuyck before sending him to New Jersey last week.

Source

4. Verstappen and Lawson handed grid drops after practice clash

Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson have both been given one-place grid penalties by the stewards following their contact in second practice for the Mexico City Grand Prix, with a penalty point apiece.

The stewards' document said that on the approach to Turn 12, Verstappen was on a preparation lap and Lawson on a cool-down lap, and that "the drivers of both cars behaved in a manner that was considered unacceptable," particularly given a warning issued at the Team Managers meeting earlier that day. Both drivers admitted the moves were unnecessary and "clumsy."

The contact came through the stadium section, with Verstappen bouncing over the kerb and rejoining alongside the New Zealander, damaging the Red Bull's floor and the Racing Bulls' front wing. A red flag was thrown to recover the debris. Verstappen finished the session fifth, Lawson ninth.

Source

5. UConn, Dan Hurley agree to extension through 2032

UConn announced Friday that men's basketball coach Dan Hurley has agreed to a new six-year contract that will keep him in Storrs through 2032. He previously had four years remaining on the six-year, $50 million deal he signed in 2024, so this is effectively a two-year extension.

According to the Associated Press, the new deal keeps Hurley's salary around $8 million, keeping him among the highest-paid coaches in college basketball; Kansas' Bill Self leads at $8.9 million.

The Huskies won back-to-back titles in 2022-23 and 2023-24 and returned to the national championship game earlier this year before losing to Michigan. Athletic director David Benedict called Hurley "the very best coach in men's college basketball." UConn ranks fourth in the preseason AP Poll and opens against Gardner-Webb on Monday.

Source

6. CFL East semifinal: Argonauts host Blue Bombers

The Toronto Argonauts (9-9) host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (9-9) on Saturday at 1 p.m. ET at BMO Field in the East semifinal, with the winner advancing to Montreal to face the Alouettes in the East final on Nov. 7. The Argonauts are a 4.5-point favourite on BetMGM.

The teams split their two regular-season meetings, both in Winnipeg. The Bombers won the first 30-21, highlighted by a 129-yard missed-field-goal return touchdown from Trey Vaval. Toronto responded with a 30-28 win behind Chad Kelly, who connected with Tyler Kahmann for a 56-yard touchdown and Damonte Coxie for an 84-yard major.

Winnipeg will start Dru Brown at quarterback with Zach Collaros sidelined by injured ribs; Brown threw two touchdown passes in relief in last Friday's win over B.C. The forecast for BMO Field is mostly sunny and mild with a high of 14 C.

Source

7. Coronato's four-point night powers Flames past Kraken

Matt Coronato had a goal and three assists, and the Calgary Flames defeated the Seattle Kraken 6-2 at Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday. It was the first four-point and three-assist game of his fourth full NHL season.

Joel Farabee added a goal and two assists, Morgan Frost and Matvei Gridin each had a goal and an assist, and Dustin Wolf made 20 saves. The Flames won their fifth straight game at home and their fifth in the past six. Seattle had beaten Calgary 6-1 in both of their previous meetings this season.

Mackie Samoskevich had a goal and an assist for the Kraken. Philipp Grubauer stopped 10 of 14 shots before being replaced by Joey Daccord at 10:40 of the second period. The teams meet for the fourth and final time this season on Saturday in Seattle.

Source

8. Jets fall to Panthers for eighth straight loss

Anton Lundell had a hat trick and Seth Jones had a goal and two assists as the Florida Panthers sent the Winnipeg Jets to their eighth straight loss with a 5-2 win in Sunrise, Fla.

Jones finished October with 18 points (two goals, 16 assists), breaking the record for most points by a Florida defenceman in any month; Keith Yandle had 17 in March 2018. It was Florida's fifth hat trick already this season, with Lundell completing it with an empty-netter with 1:39 left.

Winnipeg is 0-6-2 in its past eight games. Kyle Connor had his team-best 11th goal. "That one was a lot closer to how we needed to play for 60 minutes," Jets head coach Scott Arniel said. "But now we gotta get over the hump."

Source

9. Four keys for the Commanders against the Eagles

The Washington Commanders host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 8 coming off a bye, while the Eagles have lost five games in a row. The Commanders Wire preview argues this is the perfect time for Washington to start collecting wins.

Jalen Hurts is out for the season, and Cam Jurgens and Lane Johnson are no longer on the team. The Eagles are 27th in rushing yards per game, 26th in passing yards per game and 29th in points per game; quarterback Tanner McKee hasn't thrown for more than 215 yards in either start, and Dontayvion Wicks and DeVonta Smith are both out.

The keys include containing Saquon Barkley and Dameon Pierce on the ground — the Eagles are 27th in run defence and allowed the Cowboys to rush for over 200 yards last weekend — protecting the quarterback against a diminished pass rush, and exploiting turnovers, with Washington among the league's best in differential and Philadelphia among the worst.

Source

10. Canadiens finish perfect road trip without Suzuki

The Montreal Canadiens beat the Dallas Stars 5-2 on Thursday to cap a 4-0-0 road trip despite missing captain Nick Suzuki, Ivan Demidov, Mike Matheson and a functional power play.

Goaltender Jacob Fowler made 46 saves in a shutout at St. Louis on Tuesday. In Sunday's Heritage Classic against the Jets, defencemen Kaiden Guhle and Lane Hutson scored the goals that gave Montreal a lead it never relinquished. Against Dallas, Alex Newhook scored twice and Jakub Dobes made several penalty-kill saves.

The Canadiens had blown two-goal leads in three of four games before the trip, but led in each of the four road games and won all of them in regulation. "We came together a lot during this road trip to find results and protect leads and find ways to win," Newhook said.

Source