Canada & World

The Tokyo Olympic torch relay was taken off public roads due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Kyodo News via AP)

Tokyo Olympic torch relay pulled off streets as COVID-19 cases rise

The relay is heavily sponsored by Toyota and Coca-Cola and has proceeded despite some calls a year ago to cancel it to save money

Winnipeg Jets’ Andrew Copp (9) and Edmonton Oilers goaltender Mike Smith (41) watch an incoming shot during second period NHL action in Winnipeg, Monday, April 26, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade

‘Very jealous’: Canadian teams can’t take advantage of NHL’s relaxed COVID-19 rules

League eased some tight COVID-19 health and safety protocols over the weekend for fully vaccinated clubs

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) makes a save on Winnipeg Jets’ Nate Thompson (11) during second period NHL action in Winnipeg, Monday, May 10, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Greenslade

Vancouver Canucks see NHL playoff hopes dashed despite 3-1 win over Winnipeg

Montreal Canadiens earn final North Division post-season spot

Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (97) celebrates his 100th point this season with Leon Draisaitl (29) against the Vancouver Canucks during second period NHL action in Edmonton on Saturday, May 8, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Edmonton superstar McDavid hits 100-point mark as Oilers edge Canucks 4-3

NHL scoring leader needs just 53 games to reach century mark

Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (97) celebrates his 100th point this season with Leon Draisaitl (29) against the Vancouver Canucks during second period NHL action in Edmonton on Saturday, May 8, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
Swimmer Brent Hayden speaks to reporters after training at the UBC Aquatic Centre in Vancouver, B.C., Thursday, May 24, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canada’s Tokyo hopefuls hit with credit card fraud on top of pandemic challenges

A number of Canadian athletes have discovered fake applications for a Walmart MasterCard were approved in their names

Swimmer Brent Hayden speaks to reporters after training at the UBC Aquatic Centre in Vancouver, B.C., Thursday, May 24, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Edmonton Oilers’ Alex Chiasson (39) and Vancouver Canucks’ Travis Hamonic (27) fight during second period NHL action in Edmonton on Thursday, May 6, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

Hamonic’s Gordie Howe hat trick lifts Canucks to 6-3 win over Oilers

Vancouver snaps six-game losing skid

Edmonton Oilers’ Alex Chiasson (39) and Vancouver Canucks’ Travis Hamonic (27) fight during second period NHL action in Edmonton on Thursday, May 6, 2021.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson
The Tokyo Olympics are set to open in just over three months. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Canadian athletes, coaches to get COVID-19 vaccine doses donated ahead of Tokyo

Pfizer and BioNTech are donating COVID-19 doses to inoculate athletes and officials preparing for the Olympics

The Tokyo Olympics are set to open in just over three months. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith (41) stops Vancouver Canucks’ Nils Hoglander (36), of Sweden, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Draisaitl, McDavid dominant as Oilers down beleaguered Canucks 4-1

Vancouver sees losing skid stretch to six games

Edmonton Oilers goalie Mike Smith (41) stops Vancouver Canucks’ Nils Hoglander (36), of Sweden, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (97) stickhandles past Vancouver Canucks’ J.T. Miller (9) and Alexander Edler (23), of Sweden, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver on Monday, May 3, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

McDavid has 4 points, Oilers clinch playoff spot with 5-3 win over Canucks

Edmonton star leads the NHL in scoring with 91 points

Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid (97) stickhandles past Vancouver Canucks’ J.T. Miller (9) and Alexander Edler (23), of Sweden, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver on Monday, May 3, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Ilya Mikheyev (65) collides with Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) on a breakaway during second period NHL action in Toronto on Saturday May 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Matthews scores 37th and 38th goals of the season, Leafs down Canucks 5-1

Vancouver has now dropped five of last six games

Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Ilya Mikheyev (65) collides with Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko (35) on a breakaway during second period NHL action in Toronto on Saturday May 1, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Max Rubin cheers and holds a sign in favor of the team name “Kraken” following the announcement of a new NHL hockey team in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Seattle Kraken make final payment, officially become 32nd NHL team

The team’s owners paid $650 million to become the 32nd franchise. The Kraken begin play next season.

Max Rubin cheers and holds a sign in favor of the team name “Kraken” following the announcement of a new NHL hockey team in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence passes against Ohio State during the first half of the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game in New Orleans, in this Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, file photo. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

NFL Draft: Jags take QB Lawrence with No. 1 overall selection

Quarterbacks taken with top three picks

Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence passes against Ohio State during the first half of the Sugar Bowl NCAA college football game in New Orleans, in this Friday, Jan. 1, 2021, file photo. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby (49) eyes the loose puck against Toronto Maple Leafs forward Pierre Engvall (47) during first period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Thursday, April 29, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Matthews scores No. 36, Leafs down struggling Vancouver Canucks 4-1

B.C. squad hasn’t won in Toronto since December 2011

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby (49) eyes the loose puck against Toronto Maple Leafs forward Pierre Engvall (47) during first period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Thursday, April 29, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Vancouver Canucks’ Nils Hoglander, left, and Ottawa Senators’ Victor Mete battle for the puck during first period NHL action in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Brady Tkachuk records Gordie Howe hat trick as Senators thump Canucks 6-3

Vancouver slides into North Division basement

Vancouver Canucks’ Nils Hoglander, left, and Ottawa Senators’ Victor Mete battle for the puck during first period NHL action in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 28, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Canadian race walker Evan Dunfee, of Richmond, B.C., takes part in the team's training session for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Tuesday, April 3, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Olympic athletes will be tested daily, and will be restricted to village and venue in Tokyo

All participants must pass two COVID-19 tests before leaving their home country

Canadian race walker Evan Dunfee, of Richmond, B.C., takes part in the team's training session for the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, Tuesday, April 3, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
FILE - Connecticut Whale defender Maggie LaGue (12) moves the puck up the ice as Minnesota Whitecaps forward Haley Mack (19) defends during the first period of a semifinal in the NWHL Isobel Cup hockey tournament in Boston, in this Friday, March 26, 2021, file photo. The National Women’s Hockey League made a potentially game-changing decision for the sport in approving to double its salary cap to $300,000 for each of its six teams on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, based on projections it is making strides in achieving financial stability entering its seventh season.(AP Photo/Mary Schwalm, File)

NWHL doubles salary cap to $300K, delays Montreal expansion

NWHL was established in 2015 as a four-team league and North America’s first to pay female players a salary

FILE - Connecticut Whale defender Maggie LaGue (12) moves the puck up the ice as Minnesota Whitecaps forward Haley Mack (19) defends during the first period of a semifinal in the NWHL Isobel Cup hockey tournament in Boston, in this Friday, March 26, 2021, file photo. The National Women’s Hockey League made a potentially game-changing decision for the sport in approving to double its salary cap to $300,000 for each of its six teams on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, based on projections it is making strides in achieving financial stability entering its seventh season.(AP Photo/Mary Schwalm, File)
An alligator walks across the Toronto FC practice field in Orlando, Florida on Monday April 26, 2021. Not that they needed a reminder that they're a long way from home, but Toronto FC players had an alligator crash their practice in Florida. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Toronto FC-Eric Giacometti *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Alligator crashes Toronto FC practice in Florida ahead of matchup with Cruz Azul

Soccer team about to tangle with one of Mexico’s most storied sides

An alligator walks across the Toronto FC practice field in Orlando, Florida on Monday April 26, 2021. Not that they needed a reminder that they're a long way from home, but Toronto FC players had an alligator crash their practice in Florida. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Toronto FC-Eric Giacometti *MANDATORY CREDIT*
Vancouver Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby defects the puck wide of the net as defenceman Quinn Hughes and Ottawa Senators centre Shane Pinto give chase during second period NHL action in Ottawa, Monday, April 26, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Batherson nets winner as Senators edge Vancouver Canucks 2-1

B.C. squad sits 10 points behind Montreal in chase for playoff spot

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby defects the puck wide of the net as defenceman Quinn Hughes and Ottawa Senators centre Shane Pinto give chase during second period NHL action in Ottawa, Monday, April 26, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Bianca Andreescu of Canada walks off the court as she retired during her finals match against Ashleigh Barty of Australia at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Saturday, April 3, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Barty won 6-3, 4-0, as Andreescu retired due to injury. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Canadian tennis star Bianca Andreescu announces she has tested positive for COVID-19

She said she won’t be playing in the upcoming Madrid Open

Bianca Andreescu of Canada walks off the court as she retired during her finals match against Ashleigh Barty of Australia at the Miami Open tennis tournament, Saturday, April 3, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Barty won 6-3, 4-0, as Andreescu retired due to injury. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Victoria teenager Quinn Ngawati, who became the first Canadian-born player to appear for the Toronto Wolfpack, interacts with fans after their game against the Gloucestershire All Golds in Kingstone Press League 1 rugby action in Toronto on Saturday, July 8, 2017. Ngawati now wears the colours of Rugby United New York. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Neil Davidson

Young Canadian back Quinn Ngawati enjoying life in Major League Rugby

Former Wolfpack coach Paul Rowley called Ngawati a ‘rough diamond’

Victoria teenager Quinn Ngawati, who became the first Canadian-born player to appear for the Toronto Wolfpack, interacts with fans after their game against the Gloucestershire All Golds in Kingstone Press League 1 rugby action in Toronto on Saturday, July 8, 2017. Ngawati now wears the colours of Rugby United New York. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Neil Davidson