Ryan Wedding, a former Canadian Olympic snowboarder who allegedly became the head of a billion-dollar drug trafficking organization, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges against him Monday and was ordered detained as his case proceeds.
Wedding, who authorities say was in hiding for more than a decade and on the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list, was arrested last week. He faces 17 felonies in two separate indictments.
During the court hearing at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse in Santa Ana, Wedding, who wore a beige jail uniform and black Crocs, scanned the gallery and occasionally smirked. Hulking and tattooed, the 6-foot-3 Wedding towered over his attorney and the deputy marshals standing guard in the courtroom.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Early ordered Wedding jailed without bond and set the next hearing for Feb. 11.
The judge set a tentative trial date in March, although Wedding’s attorney, Anthony Colombo, said it would likely take more time for the case to unfold.
Colombo did not argue for his client’s release on Monday afternoon, later citing “the whirlwind” Wedding had experienced since his apprehension.
“It takes time to put the sureties in place, to have the information for the court to establish that there’s a condition or combination of conditions that could secure his release,” Colombo told reporters. “We were not in the position today to do that and we anticipate addressing that at a later date.”
Colombo said he first met with his client several days ago, after his arrival in the U.S., and described him as being “in good spirits.” Colombo disputed claims from federal authorities that Wedding had been in hiding out in Mexico.
“Hiding out and living somewhere are two different things,” Colombo said. “I would characterize him as living, the government can characterize it their way.”
Colombo added that his client was arrested and “he did not surrender.”
Wedding, who was known by many aliases, including “El Jefe” and “Public Enemy,” is accused of becoming a major trafficker of cocaine into Canada and the United States and a ruthless leader who ordered killings, including one of a witness in a 2024 federal narcotics case against him. The alleged order resulted in the victim being shot to death in a restaurant in Medellín, Colombia, in January 2025, prosecutors said.
The former Olympic snowboarder was charged in a 2024 indictment with running a continuing criminal enterprise, assorted drug trafficking charges and directing the murders of two members of a family in Canada in retaliation for a stolen drug shipment.
“Just to tell you how bad of a guy Ryan Wedding is, he went from an Olympic snowboarder to the largest narco trafficker in modern times,” Patel said in a news conference Friday announcing the arrest. “He is a modern-day El Chapo, he is a modern-day Pablo Escobar. And he thought he could evade justice.”
When questioned about authorities likening his client to El Chapo and Pablo Escobar, Colombo said, “I think it’s overstated, that’s their spin.”
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said last week that Wedding’s alleged global drug trafficking organization “used Los Angeles as its primary point of distribution.”
Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles FBI field office, said after Wedding’s capture that his alleged organization shipped approximately 60 metric tons of cocaine through Southern California on its way to Canada.
Authorities have arrested 36 people in connection with their role in the transnational organization and the U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned 19 people, including Wedding, according to Davis.
Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi previously said Wedding’s operation was responsible for generating more than $1 billion a year in illegal drug proceeds.
Wedding competed for his home country, Canada, in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
An experienced attorney, Colombo previously represented Rubén Oseguera González, also known as “El Menchito,” the son of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, “El Mencho,” the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Oseguera González was sentenced last year to a term of life in prison plus 30 years to run consecutively for his role in a major drug trafficking conspiracy.
It may well have been a bargain worth making for countries such as Canada. But now, since the U.S. has decided to dispense with even the veneer of equality, and instead has committed itself to the principle that, as Stephen Miller, one of Trump’s top advisers, put it recently, we inhabit a world that “is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power,” countries like Canada no longer get to make that bargain. They are told what to do, and tough if they don’t like it.
So, as Carney explained, those middle countries had best learn to stick together, and to stand up in something like coördinated fashion to the bully, since as individual nations they are simply too vulnerable. “You cannot ‘live within the lie’ of mutual benefit through integration when integration becomes the source of your subordination,” he said. Instead, nations will need to engage in “risk management,” strengthening themselves against attack and building new, more provisional, alliances. Carney, for instance, signed new trade pacts in recent weeks not just with South American nations but also with China, allowing limited imports of E.V.s in return for reduced tariffs on canola oil. On such things will the world now turn, but, if countries decide to go it alone, they will eventually lose. “In a world of great-power rivalry, the countries in between have a choice: compete with each other for favour or to combine to create a third path with impact,” Carney said.
And what made his vision something more than Thucydidean realism was his reminder that these “middle powers” by and large still represent the core of values that America is now abandoning, and that they can build their unions at least in part on those shared ideas. Canada, he pointed out, “is a pluralistic society that works. Our public square is loud, diverse, and free. Canadians remain committed to sustainability.” (That last point is no small thing on a rapidly heating planet.) He added that, together, these nations “can build something better, stronger, more just.”
One can fault Carney on how well he’s kept his own promises domestically. Last fall, one of his cabinet ministers, a former environment minister, resigned because the Prime Minister had cut a deal with the oil-patch province of Alberta to let it build new oil pipelines to the Pacific Coast for shipment to Asia. I find it hard to believe that Carney—who is, remember, an economist—really believes there will be a market for that crude. Just last week, Mitsubishi and Shell were reportedly looking into selling part of their stakes in big Canadian liquid-natural-gas projects, as the demand for solar power surges across Asia. My guess is that Carney may be trying to thwart Alberta’s separatist impulses—there is a campaign for a secession referendum later this year, one that Trump’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been doing his best to encourage.
But that’s internal politics. In the larger world, Canada is emerging as the most levelheaded player out there: far firmer than the United Kingdom, led by Keir Starmer, and less mercurial than France under Emmanuel Macron. Trump certainly realizes this. In his own Davos address, on Wednesday, in between mixing up Iceland and Greenland, he had a message for the Canadians: “I watched your Prime Minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful. They should be grateful to us, Canada. Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
What really bothers Trump, I think, is just the notion of a world order in which other countries decide to band together and to play by the rules, instead of letting themselves be picked apart by him. In Carney’s modest vision, there’s at least the hint of what could happen in the much hoped-for future where Trumpism ceases to be a major factor. There’s no guarantee, of course—a decade from now, a J. D. Vance or a Marco Rubio may still be throwing the nation’s diminishing weight around. But let’s at least pretend that, someday, reason will again prevail below the Forty-ninth Parallel.
If that blessed day arrives, there will be no way that America can simply step back into its commanding role in the international order. For one thing, we’ve immeasurably strengthened China; for another, no one is ever going to forget that we were an unstable nation that elected an obvious idiot to be its leader. Which, in a way, would actually be O.K. We obviously no longer deserve world leadership, and it might be a relief to become something of a dependable middle power ourselves. By size and wealth we’ll always be large, and there will always be a domestic political market for American glory, but it’s at least possible to imagine many Americans deciding that we’d like to be a reliable part of something that we don’t run. Perhaps we, too, will decide to become a middling power, full of sensible citizens that care about things like health care and education, not things like territorial expansion. Maybe we could just be an oversized Belgium, hemming ourselves in with the same rules that we’ve applied to others. (Most Americans, I think, might take this deal—polling, for instance, shows that only nine per cent favor seizing Greenland.) Modesty might actually seem attractive, after the nerve-jangling, always-on-tenterhooks Trump years. No one has to think about Mark Carney around the clock, worried that he’s going to do something ugly. We could be a southerly Canada, a de-facto eleventh province. Wouldn’t that be calm? ♦
Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally, who is overseeing Alberta’s online gambling overhaul, says the province has already drawn strong interest from numerous online sportsbook and casino operators. She noted that a “double-digit” number of companies have so far expressed interest in obtaining an iGaming license from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC).
Alberta iGaming Framework Is Nearing Completion
The Canadian province of Alberta is preparing to launch a regulated iGaming market sometime in 2026, but the exact launch date for it still remains to be decided. However, according to some of Nally’s comments, operators could go live in the new regulatory framework before the start of the next NFL season.
The new framework is intended to allow multiple private-sector operators, making Alberta the second province in Canada (after Ontario in 2022) to open its regulated internet gambling market. In contrast, all other Canadian provinces grant government-owned lottery corporations exclusive control over iGaming.
At present, Alberta operates under a single-operator model, with the AGLC’s Play Alberta platform as the only authorized betting site. Despite this, many Albertans already use online sportsbooks that are regulated outside the province or overseas, rather than by Alberta itself.
These are often referred to as “grey” or “black” market operators. Bringing some of those operators into a regulated system is a key motivation behind the province’s online gambling reforms. This would allow Alberta to capture and regulate activity that is already taking place outside provincial oversight.
What Obligations Would Operators Have?
Of course, channelizing the iGaming traffic will involve several major steps for operators wishing to work within the province. For starters, interested operators will be required to pay a one-time application fee of $50,000, along with an annual registration fee of $150,000. Once licensed, operators must also enter into contractual agreements with the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC). Both agencies will publish a list of approved operators at a later date.
Operators will also be required to pay a share of their gaming revenue to the province. In Ontario, this share is set at 20%, and it’s expected that it would be the same in Alberta. Before revenue is split between operators and the province, 1% will be allocated to responsible and problem gambling initiatives, with an additional 2% directed to First Nations in Alberta.
After this 3% allocation, the remaining revenue will be divided on an 80/20 basis, mirroring Ontario’s model. This means Alberta’s regulated operators will take 80%, and the 20% left will go to the province. While this equates to a nominal 20% tax rate, the effective rate will be slightly higher once the initial deductions are factored in.
Lastly, all operators will work with a dedicated self-exclusion tool, which will be ready to launch as the iGaming market in the province goes live. This means that bettors would be able to exclude themselves from all online gambling sites and brick-and-mortar casinos relatively easily. It’s interesting to note that Ontario is still working on such a tool, despite there already being a very active iGaming market in the province. According to Nally, Alberta’s tool is a source of pride as the province seeks to protect existing gamblers and not create new ones.
President Trump said Thursday that Canada is no longer invited to join his international Board of Peace, following days of tension between the president and the United States’ northern neighbor.
The president announced the move in a message to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Truth Social, saying the Board of Peace “is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time.”
CBS News has reached out to the White House and Global Affairs Canada for clarification.
The decision came after Mr. Trump formally launched the Board of Peace at an event early Thursday in Davos, Switzerland. The board’s official mandate is to help oversee the Gaza Strip under an Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal brokered by the Trump administration last year, though Mr. Trump has hinted at broader ambitions, and exactly how it will operate remains unclear.
Representatives from more than a dozen countries — not including Canada — appeared at a signing ceremony for the board’s charter.
Carney told reporters last week that he agreed “in principle” to join the Board of Peace, but he noted that key details on how the board would work and how it would fund Gaza’s reconstruction remained unsettled. He also called “unimpeded aid flows” to Gaza a “precondition for moving forward.”
His government also ruled out paying to get a seat on the board. A U.S. official previously told CBS News that countries can contribute $1 billion to become permanent members of the Board of Peace rather than having a three-year membership, though payment was not required as a condition of joining. Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne told reporters earlier this week that “Canada is not going to pay if we were to join the Board of Peace.”
It’s not clear why Mr. Trump rescinded Canada’s invitation. But the U.S. leader has exchanged harsh words with Carney in recent days, adding to a monthslong dispute between the two neighboring countries over trade and Mr. Trump’s tariffs.
In a speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos on Tuesday, Carney warned that the world is “in the midst of a rupture.” He pointed to the growing use of “tariffs as leverage,” the decline of international institutions and the risk that “[i]f great powers abandon even the pretense of rules and values for the unhindered pursuit of their power and interests, the gains from transactionalism will become harder to replicate.”
Carney didn’t name-check Mr. Trump, but the speech was widely interpreted in part as a response to Mr. Trump’s approach to foreign policy, which has drawn scrutiny in recent days due to his push for the U.S. to take over Greenland.
A day later, in his own speech in Davos, Mr. Trump lashed out at Carney, accusing him of showing ingratitude toward the U.S. despite getting “a lot of freebies from us.”
“I watched your prime minister yesterday. He wasn’t so grateful. But they should be grateful to us,” the president said at one point. “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
Carney fired back on Thursday, saying: “Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”
The stars of the popular Canadian hockey drama “Heated Rivalry” are headed to the Olympics.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will be among the torchbearers carrying the Olympic flame for the Milan Cortina Games in February.
Williams plays Shane Hollander and Storrie plays Ilya Rozanov in the Crave-produced show. Williams is from Kelowna, B.C., and Storrie is American.
Hollander and Rozanov are two of the best hockey players in the world and rivals on the ice who struggle to contain their feelings for each other off it.
‘Heated Rivalry’ sparks conversation on identity, inclusion in sports
“Heated Rivalry” will start airing in Italy on Feb. 1 on HBO Max, which is also one of the official Olympic rights holders for the Milan Cortina Games. Viewers in Canada can continue to watch it on Crave.
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There are 16 more days left in the torch’s journey to the Olympic opening ceremony on Feb. 6.
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“Heated Rivalry” has already been renewed for a second season after its runaway success on streaming platforms in Canada and the United States.
The six-episode series is based on a gay hockey romance series called “Game Changers” by Rachel Reid. The screen adaptation was written by Jacob Tierney for Crave.
Tierney is the co-writer, director, and executive producer of the sitcom “Letterkenny” and an executive producer and director on the hockey comedy “Shoresy.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 22, 2026.
Which Canadian city can claim ‘Heated Rivalry’ star Conner Storrie?
NUUK, Greenland — President Trump retreated Wednesday from his most serious threats toward Denmark, easing transatlantic tensions and lifting Wall Street after rejecting the prospect he would use military force to annex Greenland, a Danish territory and the world’s largest island.
Instead, the United States struck a “framework” agreement in talks with NATO’s secretary general regarding the future of Greenland, “and in fact, the whole Arctic region,” Trump wrote on social media. He did not immediately provide details on the contents of the plan.
The whiplash of developments followed weeks of escalating threats from the president to control Greenland by any means necessary — including by force, if left with no other choice.
Now, “the military’s not on the table,” Trump told reporters at the economic forum in Switzerland, acknowledging sighs of relief throughout the room.
“I don’t think it will be necessary,” he said. “I really don’t. I think people are going to use better judgment.”
It was a turn of events that came as welcome news in Nuuk, where signs hang in storefronts and kitchen windows rejecting American imperialism.
“It’s difficult to say what are negotiating tactics, and what the foundation is for him saying all of this,” said Finn Meinel, an attorney born and raised in the Greenlandic capital. “It could be that joint pressure from the EU and NATO countries has made an impact, as well as the economic numbers in the states. Maybe that has had an influence.”
President Trump speaks during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Wednesday.
(Evan Vucci / Associated Press)
In his speech at Davos, Trump took note of the market turmoil his threats against Greenland had caused entering the conference. Announcing the agreement framework on social media Wednesday, he said he would pause punitive tariffs planned against longstanding European allies that had refused to support his demands.
Prominent world leaders — including from Canada, France and the United Kingdom, among Washington’s closest allies — had warned earlier this week that Trump’s militant threats against a fellow NATO member were ushering in a new era of global order accommodating a less reliable United States.
For years, Trump has called for U.S. ownership over Greenland due to its strategic position in the Arctic Circle, where ice melting due to climate change is making way for a new era of competition with Russia and China. An Arctic conflict, the president says, will require a robust U.S. presence there.
While the president rejects climate change and its perils as a hoax, he has embraced the opportunities that may come with the melting of Greenland’s ice sheet, the world’s largest after Antarctica, including the opening of new shipping lanes and defense positions.
The United States already enjoys broad freedom to deploy any defense assets it sees fit across the island, raising questions in Europe over Trump’s fixation on outright sovereignty over the land.
“We want a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it. We’ve never asked for anything else,” Trump said, addressing members of the NATO alliance.
“I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force,” Trump said. But Europe still has a choice. “You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative,” he continued, “or you can say no, and we will remember.”
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The day before Trump’s speech, allies warned about a “rupture” in a global order in which the United States could be relied upon as a force of good. Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, in a speech Tuesday characterized Trump’s push to acquire Greenland as an example of why “the old order is not coming back.”
Trump apparently took note of Carney’s remarks, and told the crowd on Wednesday that Canada “should be grateful.”
“But they are not,” Trump said. “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
The president struck a similar tone with his demands for Greenland, repeatedly characterizing the United States as a “great power” compared with Denmark in its ability to protect the Arctic territory. At one point, he cited the American military’s role in World War II to justify his demands, telling the eastern Swiss audience that, “without us, you’d all be speaking German, or a little Japanese perhaps.”
It was a slight carried forward by the president’s treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, who derided Copenhagen for its decision to divest from U.S. treasuries. “Denmark’s investment in U.S. treasury bonds like Denmark itself is irrelevant,” the secretary said.
In several instances, Trump framed the transatlantic alliance as one that benefits other countries more than the United States.
“We will be with NATO 100%, but I’m not sure they will be there for us,” Trump said. But NATO Secretary Gen. Mark Rutte responded to the concern in their meeting, noting that the alliance’s Article 5 commitment to joint defense has only been invoked once — by the United States, after the September 11th attacks. “Let me tell you: they will,” Rutte said.
But Trump expanded on his thinking over Greenland in his speech to the summit, describing his fixation on Greenland as “psychological,” and questioning why the United States would come to the island’s defense if its only investment was a licensing agreement.
“There’s no sign of Denmark there. And I say that with great respect for Denmark, whose people I love, whose leaders are very good,” Trump said. “It’s the United States alone that can protect this giant, massive land – this giant piece of ice – develop it, and improve it, and make it so that it’s good for Europe, and safe for Europe, and good for us.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom was among the people in the audience reacting to Trump’s remarks in real time. The president’s speech, he told CNN afterward, was “remarkably boring” and “remarkably insignificant.”
“He was never going invade Greenland. It was never real,” Newsom said. “That was always a fake.”
Wilner reported from Nuuk, Ceballos from Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump will deliver a speech today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, focusing on a plan to make housing more affordable, while his comments about acquiring Greenland continue to stir tensions with European allies.”This will be an interesting trip. I have no idea what’s going to happen, but you are well represented,” Trump told reporters before departing the White House for Switzerland.The speech comes shortly after he threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and seven other allies due to their opposition to his interest in acquiring Greenland. Trump announced that the tariffs would start at 10% next month and increase to 25% by June. The tensions over the U.S. interest in the Danish territory have already affected Wall Street, with stocks rattled on Tuesday.In Davos, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney warned global leaders that the world is “facing a rupture,” emphasizing the risks of countries trying to avoid conflict by compliance. “There is a strong tendency for countries to go along to get along, to accommodate to avoid trouble, to hope that compliance will buy safety. Well, it won’t,” Carney said.Carney also added that Canada opposes tariffs over Greenland. Trump’s speech is expected to focus largely on housing, and following his address, he will meet with leaders at the forum, according to the White House.Home sales in the U.S. are at a 30-year low with rising prices. Reports show elevated mortgage rates are keeping prospective home buyers out of the market. Rent, for several years, has been the largest contributor to inflation.This comes as Trump announced his plan to buy $200 billion in mortgage securities to help lower interest rates on home loans. He’s also called for a ban on large financial companies buying houses. Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:s
WASHINGTON —
President Donald Trump will deliver a speech today at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, focusing on a plan to make housing more affordable, while his comments about acquiring Greenland continue to stir tensions with European allies.
“This will be an interesting trip. I have no idea what’s going to happen, but you are well represented,” Trump told reporters before departing the White House for Switzerland.
The speech comes shortly after he threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and seven other allies due to their opposition to his interest in acquiring Greenland.
Trump announced that the tariffs would start at 10% next month and increase to 25% by June.
The tensions over the U.S. interest in the Danish territory have already affected Wall Street, with stocks rattled on Tuesday.
In Davos, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney warned global leaders that the world is “facing a rupture,” emphasizing the risks of countries trying to avoid conflict by compliance.
“There is a strong tendency for countries to go along to get along, to accommodate to avoid trouble, to hope that compliance will buy safety. Well, it won’t,” Carney said.
Carney also added that Canada opposes tariffs over Greenland.
Trump’s speech is expected to focus largely on housing, and following his address, he will meet with leaders at the forum, according to the White House.
Home sales in the U.S. are at a 30-year low with rising prices. Reports show elevated mortgage rates are keeping prospective home buyers out of the market. Rent, for several years, has been the largest contributor to inflation.
This comes as Trump announced his plan to buy $200 billion in mortgage securities to help lower interest rates on home loans. He’s also called for a ban on large financial companies buying houses.
Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:
WestJet announced Friday it is canceling a new aircraft layout plan that involved adding more seats to some of its planes.
WestJet, a partner of Delta Airlines and Canada’s second-largest carrier, said it added the seats to ease ticket prices. Instead, it fueled passenger frustration.
A video of a couple crammed into the seats of their WestJet flight took off on social media, with over one million views since their daughter, Amanda Schmidt, posted it about three weeks ago.
“If they’re selling a seat for a human, it should fit a human,” Schmidt told CBS News. “It’s inhumane, basically, to make people travel like this.”
WestJet said it had added an extra row of seats to nearly two dozen aircraft since last October, claiming it would help bring down ticket prices. The reconfiguration removed about two inches of space between rows.
In its about-face Friday, WestJet said in a news release it will end “densified seating” and “return to its prior standard seat pitch for economy cabins on these recently reconfigured aircraft by removing one row of seats.”
“WestJet tried seat pitches that are popular with many airlines around the globe as they serve to provide affordable airfares,” WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech said in a statement. “It’s in our DNA to try new products. At the same time, it is just as important to react quickly if they don’t meet the needs of our guests.”
WestJet isn’t the only airline trying to fit more people on board. Spirit Airlines has long had seats that don’t recline, while Frontier Airlines advertises that its seats are “pre-reclined.”
There are no requirements in the U.S. for airplane seat size or the space between seats.
“The low-cost carriers are actually trying to cram as many people in an airplane as they possibly can,” former National Transportation Safety Board chair Robert Sumwalt, a CBS News transportation safety expert and analyst, said.
According to Sumwalt, having tight seating could potentially cause issues in an emergency situation.
“It certainly stands to reason that if you decrease the amount of space between the seats, it’s going to make it more difficult for someone to get out in the event of an emergency,” Sumwalt said.
WestJet does not have a timeline for when the work will be completed. It said impacted aircraft will have their seating reduced from 180 to 174 seats.
Shane Hollander may have felt a little sheepish about hiring a stylist, but Heated Rivalry star Hudson Williams appears to be much more at ease in high-fashion circles: After accessorizing his silky Armani dinner jacket with roughly four acres of sternum and Bvlgari jewelry at the Golden Globes 2026 last weekend, Williams made his runway debut in Milan on Friday, the very first official day of Milan Fashion Week.
Williams, who hails from British Columbia, took to the catwalk on behalf of Dsquared2, a line helmed by Canadian-born identical twin brothers Dean and Dan Caten and based out of Milan. The house frequently features celebrities in its runway presentations: In 2025, for the brand’s 30th anniversary celebration, Doechii opened the show, and Christina Aguilera, Brittany Murphy, and Naomi Campbell have all walked for them in the past. The Catens even designed wardrobes for Beyoncé’s 2016 Super Bowl halftime show and the Formation Tour, as well as Britney Spears’ 2009 Circus Tour, among other major celebrity collaborations.
Fans of Heated Rivalry, the steamy show that has the world’s social media algorithms in a (consensual) chokehold, are already in a seemingly permanent state of tizzy, but when a glimpse of a board featuring the headshots of the show’s models, Williams included, appeared in the background of an Instagram reel posted by the brand, the frenzy only increased. The sweat, she dripped.
Hudson Williams walks the runway at the Dsquared2 fashion show on January 16, 2026 in Milan, Italy.Daniele Venturelli
Appropriately enough, the set design for the show was a hockey-themed winter wonderland, featuring frosty white steps for the models’ entrances, and snow-tipped firs, as well as boards on either side of the runway printed with the Canadian flag’s signature maple leaf and bold red and blue “D2” emblems. Williams not only walked in the show, but led the charge by being first on the runway in the opening look. He wore coated denim jeans, tall winter boots with a red maple leaf detail, and a mixed-material top that appeared to be, like, six jackets all bonded into one rat-king superjacket.
Breaking with the United States, Canada has agreed to cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on Canadian farm products, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday.
Carney made the announcement after two days of meetings with Chinese leaders. He said there would be an initial annual cap of 49,000 vehicles on Chinese EV exports to Canada, growing to about 70,000 over five years. China will reduce its total tariff on canola seeds, a major Canadian export, from 84% to about 15%, he told reporters.
Carney said China has become a more predictable partner to deal with than the U.S., the country’s neighbor and longtime ally.
“Our relationship has progressed in recent months with China. It is more predictable and you see results coming from that,” Carney said.
Carney hasn’t been able to reach a deal with President Trump to reduce some tariffs that are punishing some key sectors of the Canadian economy and Mr. Trump has previously talked about making Canada the 51st state.
The prime minister, speaking outside against the backdrop of a traditional pavilion and a frozen pond at a Beijing park, said meetings in China have been historic and productive.
Earlier Friday, he and Chinese leader Xi Jinping pledged to improve relations between their two nations after years of acrimony.
Xi told Carney in a meeting at the Great Hall of the People that he is willing to continue working to improve ties, noting that talks have been underway on restoring and restarting cooperation since the two held an initial meeting in October on the sidelines of a regional economic conference in South Korea.
“It can be said that our meeting last year opened a new chapter in turning China-Canada relations toward improvement,” China’s top leader said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Jan. 16, 2026.
Xie Huanchi/Xinhua via Getty Images
Carney looks to improve global governance
Carney, the first Canadian prime minister to visit China in eight years, told Xi that better relations would help improve a global governance system that he described as “under great strain.”
Later, he said at the news conference that the system may give way at least in part to country-to-country or regional agreements rather than the global ones that have underpinned economic growth in the post-World War II era.
“The question is: What gets built in that place? How much of a patchwork is it?” he said.
The new reality reflects in large part the so-called America-first approach of Mr. Trump. The tariffs he has imposed have hit both the Canadian and Chinese economies. Carney, who has met with several leading Chinese companies in Beijing, said ahead of his trip that his government is focused on building an economy less reliant on the U.S. at what he called “a time of global trade disruption.”
A Canadian business owner in China called Carney’s visit game-changing, saying it re-establishes dialogue, respect and a framework between the two nations.
“These three things we didn’t have,” said Jacob Cooke, the CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, which helps exporters navigate the Chinese market. “The parties were not talking for years.”
Canada had been aligned with U.S. on tariffs
Canada had followed the U.S. in putting tariffs of 100% on EVs from China and 25% on steel and aluminum under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Carney’s predecessor.
China responded by imposing duties of 100% on Canadian canola oil and meal and 25% on pork and seafood. It added a 75.8% tariff on canola seeds last August. Collectively, the import taxes effectively closed the Chinese market to Canadian canola, an industry group has said. Overall, China’s imports from Canada fell 10.4% last year to $41.7 billion, according to Chinese trade data.
Carney tried to address the concerns of Canadian automakers and autoworkers by saying the initial cap on Chinese EV imports was about 3% of the 1.8 million vehicles sold in Canada annually and that, in exchange, China is expected to begin investing in the Canadian auto industry within three years.
More than half of the Chinese EVs exported to Canada would have an import price of less than 35,000 Canadian dollars ($25,000) within five years, he said, making them accessible to consumers.
“We’re building (a) new part of our car industry, building cars of the future in partnership, bringing affordable autos for Canadians at a time when affordability is top of mind, and doing it at a scale that allows for a smooth transition in the sector,” he said.
“For the exchange of a small piece of the Canadian market, we have a commitment. We are waiting for an investment commitment in Canada. The real leaders of the new industry. So it’s an agreement that will create the future for our industry.”
China sees an opening under Trump
China is hoping Mr. Trump’s pressure tactics on allies such as Canada will drive them to pursue a foreign policy that is less aligned with the United States.
Carney, though, noted Canada’s relationship with the U.S. is much more multifaceted, deeper and broader. Canada and China have different systems and disagree on issues such as human rights, he said, limiting the scope of their engagement even as they seek ways to cooperate on areas of common interest.
The Canadian leader leaves China on Saturday and visits Qatar on Sunday before attending the annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in Switzerland next week. He will meet business leaders and investors in Qatar to promote trade and investment, his office said.
A new arrest has been made in connection to the notorious 2023 gold heist in which millions of dollars’ worth of gold bars were stolen at Toronto Pearson Airport, Canadian police said Monday.
Officers arrested and charged 43-year-old Arsalan Chaudhary when he arrived at the Toronto airport Monday on a flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, police said in a news release.
Chaudhary is charged with theft, two counts of possession of property obtained by crime, and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. He was held for a bail hearing in Brampton, in the greater Toronto area, police said.
On April 17, 2023, a flight from Zurich, Switzerland, landed at the Toronto airport carrying a cargo shipment that included approximately 400 kilograms (about 880 pounds) of .9999 pure gold bars, worth more than $20 million Canadian (about $14.4 million in U.S. dollars), and $2.5 million Canadian in foreign currency.
The shipment was reported missing the following day from the Air Canada warehouse.
The police soon found that a suspect who arrived at the warehouse with a truck and a fake airway bill had loaded the gold shipment onto the truck and stolen it.
The Peel Regional Police, who are responsible for the airport area, launched an investigation they dubbed “Project 24K.”
“This investigation demonstrates the dedication and expertise of Peel Regional Police in tackling complex, high-stakes crime,” Peel Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said in a statement. “Project 24K is a clear example of how our officers, working alongside national and international partners, can disrupt sophisticated criminal activity and hold those responsible accountable. Let it be known: no matter where you try to run or hide, we will find you.”
According to police, it was the largest gold heist in Canadian history.
To date, 10 people have been charged or are wanted, and two individuals remain outstanding, including one subject to an extradition request who is believed to be in India.
One of the suspects, Durante King-Mclean, was arrested in Pennsylvania in 2023, accused of driving the truck.
The police have recovered less than $100,000 in melted gold and some cash so far.
An investigation by CBS News’s Canadian partner, CBC News’s Fifth Estate, said that based on documents, authorities believe the heist was planned and executed by a highly organised group that mainly relied on an insider.
Police told CBC News’s investigation that Chaudhary was “the most involved in the planning the theft,” described as the “Top Dog.”
Williams and Storrie got prime seating placement at the Globes, sitting at a table with Paul Mescal, Charli xcx, Keegan-Michael Key, and Justin Hartley—and right next to the table where Leonardo DiCaprio was seated. They did red carpet interviews: Storrie wearing a black Saint Laurent suit with a thin black tie, draped in Tiffany and Co. jewelry, and Williams in a black and white Armani tuxedo—cummerbund included—Louboutin shoes, and Bulgari jewelry. Williams didn’t need a tie, choosing instead to decorate his neck with, well, his neck, leaving his shirt unbuttoned halfway down his chest.
The two even got to enjoy that very specific awards show rite of passage: a joke written into the host’s banter.
“I don’t want to get too serious, but stories like these don’t always get told,” host Nikki Glaser said in reference to their decidedly NSFW queer saga, calling it “proof that American audiences are ready for more stories about… hockey.” Touché.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie attend the 83rd Annual Golden Globe Awards on January 11, 2026.Michael Kovac/Getty Images
Before the duo presented the award for best supporting female actor in a TV series, as they headed backstage, VF overheard Williams telling Storrie, “Let’s go, baby boy.” Once onstead, Storrie put on an adorably wide-eyed show of being blown away by the audience, while Williams told him to “Jjst take a deep breath and picture everyone in the audience…you know.”
“Yeah, I don’t really know if that works, considering everyone’s seen us…you know,” Storrie retorted—a reference to their characters’ frequent nudity and the show’s famously graphic sex scenes.
When Williams wondered if his costar meant that everyone had seen Heated Rivalry, joining them in the cottage several times, Storrie clarified: “That’s a maybe. But their trainers have, and their moms have. Their daughters have. Hi moms! Hi daughters!” He was greeted in return with whoops and cheers.
Those trainers, moms, and daughters evidently also crowded in to say hi the night before the ceremony. Storrie attended the Vanity Fair and MGM Amazon Studios pre-Globes party at the Bar Marmont Saturday, decked out in a Louis Vuitton suit. Storrie told VF at the event that he was still feeling bowled over by the kind of stars who are approaching him since the show’s success. “Awkwafina came up to me last night and said, ‘I love you,’ and I was like, ‘I cannot believe you’re talking to me right now,’” he said. “These were people who were really big when I was in high school.”
Jakara Anthony has soared to yet another World Cup moguls victory claiming gold at the Val Saint-Côme event in Canada and moving to the top of the overall standings.
Teammate Matt Graham claimed a second podium in a row, finishing second to also move to the top of the men’s overall standings.
It is the first time in World Cup history that the leader of both the women’s and men’s competitions have been Australian.
Competing for the first time in a month after the cancellation of the Idre Fjäll event in mid-December, Australia’s Olympic medal-winning skiers both proved the lay-off over Christmas did little to reduce their edge with just 27 days to go before the Milano-Cortina Games.
Jakara Anthony claimed her second moguls win of the year. (AP Image: The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)
Thick fog which obscured visibility caused the cancellation of the women’s finals, meaning Anthony claimed victory by way of her qualification performance.
“It was a different victory tonight, pretty weird competition day,” the 27-year-old Anthony said.
“But having put it down in qualifications worked out for me with finals cancelled.”
The men’s competition was allowed to take place though, with Mikaël Kingsbury making history by winning his 100th World Cup gold medal.
Canadian legend Kingsbury missed the opening two rounds of the season with injury, making his victory on home soil all the sweeter.
“It’s unreal, I cannot find the words,” said the 33-year-old Quebec native, who claimed his first victory as an 18-year-old.
“To do this in front of my home crowd, my family, I kinda lost hope with the injury that it might be possible to do it at home.
“It’s insane. What a day. I can’t believe I’m at 100 [wins].”
Matt Graham earned silver behind Mikaël Kingsbury. (AP Photo: The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)
Finishing second behind Kingsbury was Australian Graham, who is in exceptional form this season.
Graham, a silver medallist from the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games in 2018, behind Kingsbury no less, is firming as a real contender when the Olympic moguls competition gets underway next month in Livigno.
“Obviously a good day, really happy with way I adapted given the conditions,” the 31-year-old said.
“It pretty much rained all day with big delays before the qualification round.
“We had to sit around for two hours, and then to buckle up to do the qualification round is always challenging.
“At that point in time we were not sure if it would be a one run event or finals would happen, so had to lock in and put in a performance that would give me a good result.
“It was huge for Mikaël to get his 100th World Cup win.
“I was glad I was able to share that moment with him. We have competed against each other for a long time and shared a lot of podiums together.
“Happy I have slowed him up from winning on three separate occasions, but I am super happy for him and his family.”
Anthony’s win puts her one victory behind Jacqui Cooper’s all-time record.
“Very exciting to be back in the yellow jersey I haven’t worn that since the 2024/2025 season,” Anthony said.
“Even more special to have Matt in the yellow jersey at the same time. I think that’s a first for Australia.”
Elsewhere in the men’s field, George Murphy (19th) and Cooper Woods (21st) missed out on the final, while Jackson Harvey finished seventh in the final.
In the women’s field, Charlotte Wilson finished 17th and Emma Bosco 27th.
Across the border in the US at Aspen, Valentino Guseli finished in fourth place in the snowboard halfpipe World Cup event, missing out on a spot on the podium by just 2.5 points.
Fellow Aussie Joey Elliss finished in 48th spot.
In the women’s competition, Amelie Haskell finished eighth in what was her first World Cup final appearance, with Emile Arthur (18th) and Misaki Vaughan (20th) also in action.
Choice Hotels International has announced the expansion of its Ascend Collection brand in Canada, with six new properties set to open in Québec early this year.
This development forms part of a multi-unit agreement and represents the company’s first significant step following the consolidation of Choice Hotels Canada.
The Ascend Collection Canada expansion aims to increase the brand’s presence in Montréal and resort destinations.
The new properties include Hotel Brossard with 139 rooms and suites; Hotel Cheribourg in Orford featuring 123 rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, jacuzzis, a mini farm, and an indoor kids’ playroom.
Hotel du Domaine in Thetford Mines offers more than 100 rooms, ready-to-camp pods and lakeside chalets. The 92-room Hotel Montréal Metropolitan includes an on-site Cuban restaurant.
La Cache du Lac Champlain in Venise en Québec is a 56-bedroom property that provides a spa and an 18-hole golf course, while Manor Des Sables in Orford includes 141 rooms, athletic amenities, spa facilities and pools.
With these additions, the Ascend portfolio in Canada will grow by 20%, reinforcing its footprint in high-demand areas.
Choice Hotels president and CEO Pat Pacious said: “Our transition to a direct franchising model in Canada set the stage for rapid growth, and these latest deals mark an exciting milestone in our expansion plans.
“Growing Ascend Collection in Canada complements the significant gains we’ve achieved globally this year and positions us to deliver even more distinctive stays for travellers worldwide.”
Choice Hotels has plans to launch additional brands in the Canadian market next year, including the introduction of Cambria Hotels in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
In August 2025, Choice Hotels International purchased InnVest Hotels’ remaining 50% share in Choice Hotels Canada, shifting to a fully direct franchising model in the country from the previous master franchising framework.
“Choice Hotels to open six new Ascend Collection properties in Canada” was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand.
The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
President Trump isn’t denying the possibility of further American expansion, intervention or annexation efforts in the Western Hemisphere after the military’s success in plucking former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from Caracas over the weekend to face drug trafficking charges in the U.S.
In the past, he’s threatened to annex Greenland and Canada and predicted the governments in Cuba and Colombia would fall. Now, Mr. Trump is making similar comments again and raising new questions about what he plans to do next.
Mr. Trump said Saturday that under his administration, “American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again” — dubbing his approach the “Don-roe Doctrine,” a spin on the 19th century foreign policy concept.
It’s not clear whether the president will act on his threats against other countries.
Here’s the latest on countries and territories that have been the subject of interventionist comments by the president:
Greenland
Mr. Trump has long coveted Greenland and has said it’s necessary for U.S. national security, a point he made again Sunday.
“We need Greenland from a national security situation. It’s so strategic. Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” he said. “We need Greenland, from the standpoint of national security.”
“Denmark is not going to be able to do it, I can tell you,” Mr. Trump continued. “To boost up security in Greenland, they added one more dogsled.”
Administration officials are discussing a “range of options” to acquire Greenland, including using military force, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday.
The president also named Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry to serve as special envoy to Greenland last month to represent U.S. interests on the island, which is an autonomous territory of Denmark. Landry said in a social media post addressed to Mr. Trump, “It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the U.S.”
In March, Vice President JD Vance visited Greenland and told a reporter while he was there that “what we think is going to happen is that the Greenlanders are going to choose through self-determination to become independent of Denmark, and then we’re going to have conversations with the people of Greenland from there.”
Leaders of both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly stated that the huge Arctic island isn’t for sale and that it will decide its future itself.
A post on Saturday by Katie Miller, the wife of top White House aide Stephen Miller, showed Greenland covered in an American flag accompanied by the comment “Soon,” which prompted some to wonder if its annexation is on the horizon.
Asked by CNN on Monday if he could rule out that the U.S. is going to try to take Greenland by force, Stephen Miller said, “There’s no need to even think or talk about this in the context that you’re asking — of a military operation. Nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.”
Mr. Trump told reporters on Air Force One over the weekend that while nothing is imminent, “we’ll worry about Greenland in about two months. Let’s talk about Greenland in 20 days.”
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen chided Mr. Trump in a social media post, calling suggestions of annexation “fantasies” and writing: “That’s enough now.”
On Tuesday, the leaders of Europe issued a statement saying “security in the Arctic must therefore be achieved collectively, in conjunction with NATO allies including the United States, by upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders. These are universal principles, and we will not stop defending them.”
Iran
Escalating protests over the desperate economic conditions in Iran have been taking place for over a week, and there have been reports that dozens of people have been killed. In response, hours before the Venezuela operation began, Mr. Trump posted on social media that if Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue.” He said the U.S. is “locked and loaded.”
The president said Sunday of the demonstrations in Iran, “We’re watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States.”
In June, the U.S. carried out airstrikes against Iran’s major nuclear facilities, Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, in an effort to destroy its nuclear enrichment capacity.
Cuba
On the way back to Washington Sunday, Mr. Trump told reporters, “Cuba looks like it’s ready to fall,” adding that he didn’t know “if they’re going to hold out.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks Saturday indicated Cuba’s leaders should be worried: “If I lived in Havana and I was in the government, I’d be concerned at least a little bit.” A day later, on NBC News’ “Meet the Press,” he said of Cuba, “they’re in a lot of trouble.”
Though he didn’t detail any plans for Cuba or its leaders, Rubio said, “I don’t think it’s any mystery that we are not big fans of the Cuban regime, who, by the way, are the ones that were propping up Maduro.”
Rubio highlighted the close ties between Venezuela and Cuba, noting that Maduro had relied on Cuban bodyguards for protection and said they were in charge of the Venezuelan government’s “internal intelligence.” The Cuban government said 32 Cubans were killed during the military operation to capture Maduro.
For now, Mr. Trump seems content to see how things play out on the island.
“I don’t think we need any action” in Cuba, he said, pointing out that Cuba “now has no income — they got all of their income from Venezuela, from the Venezuelan oil. They’re not getting any of it. And Cuba literally is ready to fall.”
In the past year, Cuba’s oil imports from Venezuela fell by 15%, to 27,400 barrels per day, according to Reuters, which also said that Cuba’s supply from Mexico over the same period, from January to October, had dropped by 73%, to just 5,000 bpd.
Colombia
The president appears to have less patience for Colombian President Gustavo Petro, whom he has accused of illegal drug production and trafficking.
“Colombia is very sick, too, run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States, and he’s not going to be doing it very long, let me tell you,” Mr. Trump told reporters Saturday. Asked whether he was threatening to undertake a military operation in Colombia, the president replied, “It sounds good to me. You know what … they kill a lot of people.”
The Trump administration has claimed that cocaine production has spiked during Petro’s presidency, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced sanctions on Petro in October because he “has allowed drug cartels to flourish and refused to stop this activity.”
Petro has accused the U.S. of violating international law with its attacks on alleged drug boats, which have now killed at least 115 people, and he suggested that some innocent civilians may have been killed in the strikes. The U.S. denies that any innocent civilians have been killed in any of the boat strikes.
Petro — who once belonged to a guerilla group — warned Mr. Trump against taking action in his country, writing on X that he “swore never to touch a weapon again,” but “for the homeland I would take up arms that I don’t want.”
Canada
While Mr. Trump has in the past talked about making Canada the “51st state,” he has not brought it up again since the Venezuela operation.
But Mr. Trump has imposed punishing tariffs against Canada, raising the tariffs to 35% in August, though a large share of goods are exempt because they’re covered by the 2020 U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement.
In October, Mr. Trump threatened to end trade negotiations with Canada after an anti-tariff ad using Ronald Reagan’s voice ran in Ontario. Ontario Premier Doug Ford pulled the ad, saying “our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses.”
Panama Canal
Mr. Trump argued earlier in his term that the U.S. should regain control over the strategic Panama Canal — drawing flak from Panama’s government. The U.S. oversaw the canal’s construction in the early 20th century and controlled it for decades, but began handing the canal and surrounding land back over to Panama in 1979.
He claimed in March that he was “reclaiming the Panama Canal,” referring to a deal by a U.S.-led consortium to buy a controlling stake in the company that operates ports near the canal. Panama’s president accused Mr. Trump of “lying again.”
What is the Monroe Doctrine?
In 1823, America’s fifth president, James Monroe, outlined before Congress the U.S.’ policy toward its neighbors in the Western Hemisphere. It was initially intended to ward off European colonialism, but the Monroe administration also wanted to increase the U.S.’ influence and trading alliances.
During the Cold War, the U.S. cited the Monroe Doctrine to be used as a defense against the expansion of communism in Latin America.
The phrase “Don-roe Doctrine” first appeared on the cover of the New York Post last year.
BRUSSELS, Jan 6 (Reuters) – Finance ministers from the Group of Seven nations will meet in Washington on January 12 to discuss rare earths supplies, three sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
One of the sources added that price floors for rare earths would be a point of discussion, among other critical mineral topics.
G7 countries, except Japan, are heavily or exclusively reliant on China for a range of materials from rare earth magnets to battery metals. In June last year, the G7 agreed on an action plan to secure their supply chains and boost their economies.
(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki in Tokyo, Julia Payne in Brussels and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Nelson was named to the United States hockey team Friday morning for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. He will be a third-generation Olympian in his family. Nelson’s uncle, Dave Christian, won gold in 1980 with the “Miracle on Ice” team at Lake Placid.
His grandfather and great-uncle, Bill and Roger Christian, were members of the 1960 U.S. team that won gold in Squaw Valley, Calif. One of their brothers, Gord, won a silver medal with the 1956 U.S. team in Italy.
Nelson was a marquee acquisition for the Colorado Avalanche just before the trade deadline last season, then he signed a three-year contract with the club in early June. He has been Colorado’s No. 2 center since the day he arrived from Long Island after a long, productive tenure with the New York Islanders.
“The center ice position is such an important position,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “You have to be a four-line team in order to win and your top six has to to be really good. If you’re missing that piece, it almost doesn’t matter how good your wingers are. We’ve got elite wingers on our second line.
“But if you’re missing that middle piece — take (Nathan) McKinnon off the first line, put a different center there — it’s not the same. If you take Nelson off the second line, put a different center there, it’s not the same. You need the production out of those guys. You need them to be able to play against anybody, and you need them to be able to defend against anybody. Brock does that, and then he touches every aspect of our game — power play, penalty kill — on top of that.”
Nelson’s all-around play is a huge reason why he will play for the Americans in Northern Italy. He was on Team USA for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off this past February, which lost to Canada in overtime in the final.
His play in that short tournament, and his age — Nelson will turn 35 years old in April — led plenty of prognosticators to leave him off projected Olympic rosters for much of the past 11 months.
Nelson also got off to a slow start, production-wise, in his first full season with the Avalanche. But he’s been on a tear at just the right time.
The rangy center has 16 goals and 30 points in 39 games for the Avs this season. He has 13 goals and 25 points in his past 23 contests, in which Colorado has gone 20-1-2.
At 6-foot-4 with great skating ability, Nelson has arguably been even better on the defensive side of the puck for the Avs. Colorado has produced 61.1% of the expected goals with Nelson on the ice at 5-on-5, despite Bednar often leaning on his line to match up against the other team’s top players.
That’s second on the team among the forwards, behind only Valeri Nichushkin, and fourth in the NHL among forwards with 300-plus minutes played at 5-on-5.
Nelson is also third among the Avs’ forwards in time on ice on the penalty kill, which is ranked No. 1 in the NHL at 85.7%.
“He’s huge,” Avs captain Gabe Landeskog said. “He’s been so solid for us at both ends of the rink. He’s been getting rewarded here with some goals.
“You can tell he’s playing with a lot of confidence. It’s fun to see. He’s just as important to this team as anybody else.”
The tournament begins Feb. 11. Nelson and the Americans will face Latvia on Feb. 12, Denmark on Feb. 14 and Germany on Feb. 15 in the preliminary round.
Canada, which will feature a trio of Avs — Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Devon Toews — will be looking to defend its 4 Nations crown but also win gold at the Olympics for the third straight time when NHL players participate.
TORONTO — The new year couldn’t arrive soon enough for the Nuggets.
Already down four starters, including three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, they were hanging on for dear life to a third-quarter lead Wednesday in Toronto. Then, as the final hours of 2025 ticked away, one more cursed injury beat the buzzer. As spontaneously as if he was struck by lightning, Jonas Valanciunas pulled up with a sudden limp between possessions and reached for his right leg — a non-contact calf strain.
Jokic’s replacement was done before he could finish a stellar performance in his first start of the season, and the Nuggets were missing more than half of their usual rotation for the last 16 minutes of game time at Scotiabank Arena. What followed was a New Year’s Eve miracle under the circumstances: a 106-103 win over the Raptors despite shooting 28.2% as a team in the second half.
Bruce Brown missed a pair of free throws with three seconds left when making just one would have clinched the game. Toronto didn’t have a timeout, but Scottie Barnes seized the rebound and fired ahead to Brandon Ingram — “absolutely unbelievable pass,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said afterward — who then buried an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime. Multiple Nuggets players thought Ingram got the shot off as they watched the play in real time.
It would have stretched them even thinner for an extra five minutes. Instead, the review process revealed the ball was still on Ingram’s fingers when the clock struck midnight.
“I was really close to telling Spencer (Jones) to get back to match up with him,” Adelman said, “and then the other part of me thought, Bruce just missed one, am I really gonna wait 15 more seconds for Bruce to shoot it? … I knew it was really close. Right away, guys behind the bench said it wasn’t good, so that did calm me down a little bit.”
“I really wasn’t thinking too much about whether he got it off in time or not. Just gotta think about the next minutes, prepare for that,” Jones told The Denver Post. “But we got the win either way. We deserved the win. We fought our (butts) off. We’ll go out and celebrate and have a good new year.”
The Nuggets (23-10) missed 12 of their last 15 field goal attempts but escaped Canada with a messy win in their first game without Jokic, only at the cost of another center. DaRon Holmes II finished the game as Denver’s healthiest remaining option at the five.
“I don’t know how serious it is. We’re just getting used to this,” an exasperated Adelman said. “It just seems like every night, somebody has something. The cool thing about it is there’s somebody else to get an opportunity from it. And that’s how you have to look at it. Hopefully Jonas heals up correctly. Hopefully it’s not serious, just like I’ve said the other 19 times this month.”
Face-guarded, double-teamed and full-court pressed throughout the night, Murray patched together 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists in his home country. Watson was the team’s leading scorer with 24 points, hunting shots with the sort of reckless abandon his team needed.
Valanciunas amassed 17 points (on six field goal attempts), nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks before he limped off as the latest casualty of the highly contagious injury bug going through Denver’s locker room. He left the arena in a boot, but early indications were that he didn’t suffer an Achilles injury.
“He was great. … He’s been sick,” Adelman said. “I saw a much different energy from him tonight. … If he ends up playing the 32 minutes I thought I was going to play him, you’re probably looking at 25 (points) and 12 (rebounds). That’s what he can do, especially when teams have small-ball lineups like they do.”
The Nuggets needed contributions from everyone in Adelman’s makeshift eight-man rotation just to carry a 63-54 lead into halftime, and that was before Valanciunas went down. Jalen Pickett started at shooting guard, while Tim Hardaway Jr. slid back to the bench to create the illusion of reinforcements. Four starters were in double figures at the break, and the fifth (Spencer Jones) was a team-best plus-10 despite scoring. He played more minutes than anyone for either side.
Valanciunas set the tone by scoring Denver’s first four points and was impactful across the board in his first nine-minute stint, which ended when he picked up his second foul. As he took his seat, he had already supplied eight points, six boards, two assists, a steal and a block. He was replaced by DaRon Holmes II, who joined forces with Jones in the frontcourt for the next seven minutes.
It was a rag-tag duo — one player on a two-way contract, another who’s on a standard rookie deal but has spent most of his season developing in the G League. Yet they made it work together, winning their first-half minutes together by three. Denver’s limited sources of shot creation when Murray isn’t on the court will be a major topic for the next month, so Holmes’ confidence driving and kicking multiple times — including once to assist a Pickett 3-pointer — was an important variable.
Holmes also knocked down a corner three of his own and delivered a bruising screen to free up Bruce Brown for a floater, a play that kick-started a 5-0 mini-run without Murray or Valanciunas in the game. Those small surges of momentum will be crucial for a team trying to survive without so much talent. After Brown’s floater, Jones forced a live-ball turnover and found Hardaway in transition for a side-step three, forcing a Toronto timeout.
The Raptors made runs throughout the night but couldn’t find consistent rhythm. Denver survived a 13-1 push to start the second half and a 9-0 run early in the fourth quarter, both of which gave Toronto brief leads.
Holmes struggled on the glass during the latter run, giving up a pair of offensive rebounds on free throws, but that was after he made an instant impact with his energy upon replacing Valanciunas late in the third. He finished with 11 points, three boards and a block.
The Nuggets went ice cold in the fourth. But so did their hosts. Toronto missed 15 of its last 17 shots from the field. The highlight, game-saving plays for Denver were of the hustle variety, such as Watson’s diving loose-ball rebound to draw a foul on the ground with 1:46 to go.
Watson missed a dunk, and Holmes was off-target on a 3-pointer that would have given the Nuggets a two-possession lead in the last minute, but after the Raptors cut it to 102-101, Jones knocked down a pair of high-pressure free throws with 19.5 seconds left. Then the Nuggets inbounded the ball over the top to Murray for a lead-extending layup with 13.7 seconds to go, eventually setting up Ingram’s close-but-no-cigar heave.
As the preliminary round of the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship reaches its climax, Canada and Finland square off in what could decide the top seed in Group B and shape quarterfinal matchups. Canada enters the contest riding high after a dominant 9-1 victory over Denmark, showcasing a potent blend of depth and scoring punch led by top prospects like Gavin McKenna and Michael Hage, both among the team’s leading point producers. The Canadians have shown glimpses of their offensive explosiveness throughout the tournament, combining skill, speed, and size, and will be looking to carry that momentum into this marquee showdown. A win here not only secures bragging rights but also could provide a more straightforward path through the knockout rounds.
Finland, meanwhile, has carved its own path through the group with disciplined play and strong team balance. The Finns have been impressive on both ends of the ice, including a resounding 8-0 victory over Latvia, and boast multiple contributors in their forward corps as well as steady goaltending from Petteri Rimpinen. Their methodical puck possession and willingness to grind through defensive structure have kept them unbeaten in regulation, making them a dangerous foe capable of upsets if Canada’s top unit isn’t sharp. Historically, this matchup has favored Canada, but Finland’s all-around performance this tournament suggests this New Year’s Eve clash will be competitive and potentially pivotal for momentum heading into the playoff rounds.
This is a great matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
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