Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski has won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top all-around player at his position following a stellar regular season.
The 28-year-old finished ahead of Colorado Avalanche star Cale Makar and Buffalo Sabres blue-liner Rasmus Dahlin in the final voting.
Makar was seeking his third Norris Trophy, while this marks a maiden victory for the Michigan native after finishing as runner-up during the 2025-26 campaign.
Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association vote on the award at the conclusion of the regular season.
The franchise record-holder was surprised with the accolade during a family gathering as part of a new league initiative to create viral moments.
Offensive dominance drives historic win
The American enjoyed an outstanding offensive campaign, registering 22 goals and 59 assists for 81 points.
He averaged 26 minutes and 37 seconds of ice time per game, representing the second-highest workload in the league.
The standout blueliner finished second overall in points by a defenceman and tied for the league lead in even-strength goals at his position alongside Washington’s Jakob Chychrun.
Olympic gold caps milestone year
This accolade arrives during his 10th season in the league, all of which have been spent representing Columbus.
He is already the all-time assists leader for the Blue Jackets with 330 and sits second in total points for the Ohio-based organisation.
Securing the NHL’s top defensive honour completes a remarkable calendar year for the defenceman, who recently won Olympic men’s hockey gold with Team USA at the Milan Cortina Games in February.
He becomes only the sixth American player in history to be named the league’s best defenceman.
Bouchard misses out despite points lead
Edmonton Oilers standout Evan Bouchard narrowly missed out on a finalist spot, finishing fourth in the voting despite leading all defencemen with 95 points in 82 games.
Meanwhile, New York Islanders sensation and NHL rookie of the year Matthew Schaefer appeared on eight ballots to finish 12th overall.
Two World Cup players are being investigated by their respective national federations over alleged spot-fixing and irregular betting patterns related to domestic league fixtures.
Independent integrity experts have referred the unnamed internationals to authorities following highly suspicious gambling activity surrounding deliberate yellow cards.
Spot-fixing differs from traditional match manipulation by targeting specific micro-events within a game, such as bookings or throw-ins, rather than the final overall result.
The massive surge in global sports markets has heightened fears that criminal syndicates are increasingly targeting these isolated, highly lucrative incidents.
Suspicious tactical suspensions and betting alerts
The first incident involves allegations that one of the athletes intentionally received a caution earlier this season to trigger a calculated suspension.
Serving this deliberate ban ensured the individual was cleared to play in a subsequent high-profile derby match, but the scheme was reportedly discussed extensively beforehand.
Monitoring systems were immediately triggered when an unusually high volume of wagers were placed on the player to be booked in that specific fixture.
A second case emerged last month after bookmakers flagged irregular betting patterns regarding a separate international receiving a first-half caution.
The competitor in question was duly booked before the interval after committing three rapid fouls in the space of just five minutes.
Governing body reiterates zero-tolerance stance
With major international tournaments generating unprecedented betting activity, the threat of market manipulation remains a severe and ongoing concern for the sport’s administrators.
FIFA has a zero-tolerance policy against match manipulation and provides a dedicated, highly secure and web-based whistleblowing system so that individuals can report any form or knowledge of potential match manipulation or integrity-related misconduct.
The global governing body continues to monitor intelligence reports in close collaboration with official betting operators to safeguard the fundamental integrity of the sport.
Pep Guardiola has firmly rejected an approach from Inter Miami following his departure from Manchester City, instead setting his sights on a future role in international management.
The 54-year-old recently concluded a decade of unprecedented dominance at the Etihad Stadium and is now fully committed to taking a sabbatical to recharge with his family.
However, the Catalan tactician has privately expressed a burning ambition to lead a nation to World Cup glory when he eventually returns to the dugout.
The prospect of managing the England national team remains highly appealing to the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss.
FA interest remains despite Tuchel appointment
The Football Association originally pursued the serial winner following Gareth Southgate’s resignation earlier this year, although an immediate deal proved impossible.
Thomas Tuchel is currently under contract to guide the Three Lions through to Euro 2028, having recently assumed control of the squad.
Despite this apparent security, the FA reportedly continues to keep the highly decorated coach at the top of their wishlist should future opportunities arise.
Beckham snubbed as City search continues
Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham had made the legendary manager his primary target to replace Javier Mascherano in Major League Soccer.
The Florida-based franchise even delayed appointing a successor in a desperate bid to convince the tactical mastermind to relocate to the United States.
Those hopes have now been extinguished, with the outgoing coach signalling to the Miami hierarchy that attempting to change his mind would be a waste of time.
Back in Manchester, the Premier League champions are yet to name a permanent replacement, though former assistant Enzo Maresca is considered the frontrunner.
While stepping away from frontline coaching, the iconic figure will retain a connection to his former employers by becoming a global ambassador for the City Football Group.
Haitian footballer Woodensky Pierre has secured a United States visa from the Trump administration, allowing the nation’s only home-based player to travel to Florida this week for the upcoming World Cup.
Thecieux Jeanty, a spokesperson for the Caribbean nation’s football federation, confirmed the midfielder’s scheduled departure on Tuesday.
His participation had previously been in serious doubt due to expanding travel restrictions imposed on several countries by the American government.
“It was a great moment for him, a moment of happiness.”
Thecieux Jeanty, Haiti soccer federation spokesperson
Historic return to the global stage
The rest of the national squad arrived in America last week to begin preparations for only their second appearance at the prestigious tournament.
It has been more than half a century since the island nation last qualified for football’s biggest international competition.
While awaiting clearance, the Cite Soleil native was forced to maintain his fitness by training with local clubs in an upscale district of Port-au-Prince.
Rampant gang violence in the capital had previously rendered the team’s primary stadium too dangerous to use, forcing them to host home qualifiers in nearby Curaçao.
Tough tests await in the United States
The squad will conclude their warmup schedule with a pair of friendly matches against New Zealand and Peru over the coming days.
Their competitive campaign officially begins on 13 June when they face Scotland in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
A daunting encounter against five-time champions Brazil follows in Philadelphia on 19 June, before a final group-stage clash with Morocco in Atlanta.
The underdogs will be hoping to defy the odds this summer and secure one of the 32 available places in the knockout rounds.
England are weighing up a Test debut for fast bowler Sonny Baker in Thursday’s series opener against New Zealand at Lord’s following their recent Ashes defeat.
Head coach Brendon McCullum has indicated the 23-year-old is competing for a place in a revamped pace attack.
Josh Tongue and the returning Ollie Robinson are expected to occupy two of the seam bowling slots.
This leaves the Hampshire quick going head-to-head with Gus Atkinson for the final bowling berth.
Pace and passion catch the eye
Atkinson boasts an exceptional record at the home of cricket, having taken 19 wickets at an average of 10.94 in his two previous appearances.
However, Baker’s superior speed and skiddy bouncers have brought him firmly into contention as management assess a mixed weather forecast.
The hosts are already blooding one newcomer in opener Emilio Gay for their first outing since the conclusion of a difficult Ashes campaign five months ago.
“He’s quick, and I think he’s going to be a cricketer that the country really gets behind. You can see he charges in and leaves everything out there.”
Brendon McCullum, England Head Coach
The head coach praised the young prospect’s deep passion for the game, describing his high-energy style as full noise.
McCullum also noted that the right-armer possesses the ability to touch 90 miles per hour and swing the ball both ways.
Bouncing back from white-ball struggles
If selected, the paceman will be hoping for a change of fortune following punishing international debuts in both limited-overs formats.
The fiery seamer conceded 76 runs in his solitary one-day international against South Africa and shipped 52 runs during his only Twenty20 appearance against Ireland.
Despite still awaiting his maiden international wicket, a lively start to the county season has convinced the national hierarchy of his resilience.
“He’s one of those customers that learns from tough experiences, and I think it strengthened him to be honest. I feel like he’s come back a better, stronger, and more complete cricketer.”
Brendon McCullum
The 43-year-old manager believes those early setbacks have ultimately forged a much tougher competitor.
Conditions to dictate final selection
The final decision between raw pace and proven Lord’s pedigree will depend heavily on the overhead conditions and pitch assessment later this week.
A flatter pitch under hot weather could heavily favour the extra air speed provided by the inexperienced speedster.
Alternatively, overcast skies may tempt the hosts to stick with their tried and tested bowlers who can naturally extract movement from the famous London slope.
Regardless of whether the selection comes this week, management remains adamant that the promising talent’s time will eventually come.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has admitted their start to the 2026 Formula 1 season has fallen below expectations after dropping 113 points behind Mercedes.
The Woking-based outfit have suffered a difficult opening five rounds to their constructors’ title defence.
A pointless outing for both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in Canada dealt a major blow to their championship aspirations.
Mercedes currently dominate the standings, holding a 72-point advantage over Ferrari and a massive 113-point lead over the reigning champions.
Reliability woes plague title defence
Various technical and sporting issues have hampered the British team across multiple race weekends.
“The start of the season has been challenging. We have had issues of a different kind,” said Stella.
“If you think the first race, we had the issues with Oscar in the laps to the grid, then China, it was a painful one with a problem on the electrical side of the power unit.”
The Italian boss highlighted that the recent Canadian Grand Prix featured problems across all racing and reliability departments.
Despite the severe setbacks, team management noted encouraging signs regarding car development and power-unit exploitation.
Upgrades planned for Monaco return
The papaya squad had previously shown strong form by challenging for victory in Japan and Miami.
Norris successfully claimed a sprint race victory ahead of his Australian team-mate in Florida.
However, a highly anticipated new front wing was unexpectedly removed from the car following practice sessions in Montreal.
The British driver confirmed this upgraded component will return either around the streets of Monte Carlo or at the subsequent Spanish Grand Prix.
Championship fight remains alive
While acknowledging the substantial points deficit, the defending champions refuse to concede defeat to their German rivals.
“We don’t think very much of what’s been. We just try to learn every day such that, for the next race, we are as prepared as possible,” stated Stella.
“We are definitely believers that the championship is not signed off. We want to be in this championship and we want the championship to be decided in Abu Dhabi.”
The historic racing brand will now look to bounce back and repeat their 2025 Monaco triumph this coming weekend.
Emma Raducanu faces an uphill battle to be seeded for Wimbledon after a first-round exit at the French Open caused her world ranking to drop to 39th.
The 2021 US Open champion slipped two places following a disappointing defeat to Solana Sierra at Roland Garros.
It leaves the British number one outside the crucial top 32 required to guarantee a protected draw at the All England Club.
The 23-year-old will now turn her attention to the forthcoming grass-court swing in a bid to salvage her seeding prospects.
Queen’s Club crucial for grass preparations
Historic successes on grass provide a glimmer of hope for the former teenage sensation.
She is scheduled to begin her preparation at the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club on 8 June.
A strong run in West London is now essential before the main event commences in SW19 on 29 June.
McEnroe condemns ‘absurd’ umpiring fine
Elsewhere, a significant controversy has overshadowed the action in Paris regarding Adolfo Daniel Vallejo.
The Paraguayan world number 71 was handed a massive $65,000 (£50,000) fine for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Vallejo controversially claimed his five-set defeat to Moise Kouame should not have been officiated by female umpire Ana Carvalho.
Speaking to Clay, the South American player stated his controversial viewpoint.
“It has to be refereed by a man, because it’s a very demanding crowd and you need a lot of strength to go against the crowd.”
Seven-time major champion John McEnroe has fiercely criticised the severity of the punishment.
The American tennis legend suggested the penalty was wildly disproportionate to the player’s earnings.
“Here’s the thing: 65,000 to say something asinine? That seems absurd. I can [see] $5000, maybe $10,000.”
John McEnroe, speaking on TNT Sports
French Open draw blown wide open
Meanwhile on the Parisian clay, the men’s tournament has witnessed a dramatic shift.
Early eliminations for Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner have completely altered the landscape.
An injury withdrawal from Spanish star Carlos Alcaraz has further depleted the field.
Alexander Zverev is now widely considered the favourite to secure his first grand slam title.
The German must first navigate a tricky quarter-final encounter against rising Spanish talent Rafael Jodar.
In the women’s draw, top seed Aryna Sabalenka remains on course after defeating Naomi Osaka.
The Belarusian powerhouse will face Diana Shnaider in the last eight after the Russian dispatched Madison Keys.
The Afghan women’s football team has gathered for a training camp in New Zealand to prepare for international matches against the Cook Islands, marking a historic return after escaping the Taliban regime.
Twenty-three members of the Afghan Women United programme are currently training in Auckland ahead of their upcoming fixtures.
The squad’s journey back to the pitch has been a perilous one following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.
That regime change immediately halted all women’s sports across the nation, forcing the players into hiding before a frantic evacuation effort.
Finding refuge and Fifa recognition
Thirteen members of the exiled roster ultimately found sanctuary in Australia, where they have continued to live and train.
Despite the Afghan football federation refusing to recognise them, football’s world governing body recently stepped in.
Fifa officially granted the displaced team eligibility for international competition this April.
“It was a special day that we heard that Afghanistan can represent again our flag in international tournaments,” said midfielder Mona Amini.
“This is the result of hard work that we did in the past four or five years.”
Rebuilding a fractured national squad
While a core group settled down under, other squad members are now scattered across Europe and the United States.
Coach Pauline Hamill has been tasked with organising talent identification camps to bring the dispersed players back together.
The resilient side already secured a symbolic victory seven months ago by defeating Libya in a friendly tournament.
For Melbourne-based goalkeeper Fatima Yousufi, regaining official status means everything to a group that lost their homes.
“We’re going to have the national team! That’s the greatest thing ever that could have happened,” she explained.
“It was super important to us, especially thinking of the time when we arrived in Australia and we had lost everything: family, our childhood memories and that national team.”
Playing for those left behind
The shot-stopper fled her homeland with just a single backpack to ensure her safety.
Now, the memories of those dark days serve as a powerful motivator for the entire group.
The athletes are determined to represent the women and girls who remain trapped under oppressive rule in their native country.
These upcoming matches in Auckland will be their first official competitive fixtures since 2018.