For the first time in history, the United States has successfully defended gold at the IIHF world junior championship.

Outstanding performances were the story of the tournament this year. For the first time in recent memory, there were no complaints of “too many blowouts” or “not enough parity.” Every team in the tournament was capable of a competitive game, making for a very unpredictable round robin and medal round.

From surprise upsets to last-minute goals to overtime thrillers and a shootout that lasted far too long, Ottawa put on a fantastic tournament from top to bottom.

In addition to the team competition, this was also a showcase for top prospects (both drafted and those who will be selected in 2025 and 2026), with execs and scouts from all 32 NHL teams in attendance. Here’s a look at players who stood out the most for each team, along with my take on each country’s overall performance:

Jump to a team:
Canada | Czechia
Finland | Germany
Latvia | Slovakia
Sweden | Switzerland
United States

Right-hander Justin Verlander and the San Francisco Giants are in agreement on a one-year, $15 million contract, sources told ESPN on Tuesday, continuing the future Hall of Famer’s career at age 42 in one of the pitcher-friendliest stadiums in baseball.

Verlander, entering his 20th major league season, is considered perhaps the best pitcher of his generation, with the most innings pitched, strikeouts and wins among active players. A three-time Cy Young Award winner, Verlander is coming off the worst season of his career and joins a Giants team likewise looking for better results than 2024. The deal is pending a physical.

Shoulder and neck injuries limited Verlander to 17 starts, and over his last seven he posted an 8.10 ERA. With a falling strikeout rate and climbing home run rate, Verlander began to show signs of aging after a career in which he seemed impervious to it.

After a dominant 13-year stretch with the Detroit Tigers, Verlander found a second life after joining the Houston Astros in 2017. He won Cy Youngs in 2019 and 2022 — and after the latter signed a two-year, $86.6 million contract with the New York Mets. Verlander spent 16 starts with the Mets before being traded back to the Astros in August 2023.

Over his career, Verlander is 262-147 with a 3.30 ERA over 3,415⅔ innings. He has struck out 3,416 batters, walked 952 and won a pair of World Series with the Astros.

Returning to Houston wasn’t an option for 2025. With Oracle Park a dream for pitchers, Verlander gravitated toward the Giants, whose rotation includes right-hander Logan Webb, left-handers Robbie Ray and Kyle Harrison, and a number of other options for the fifth spot, with right-hander Hayden Birdsong seen as the likeliest candidate.

The Giants had spent a month with limited action before signing Verlander. A month ago to the day, they agreed with shortstop Willy Adames on a seven-year, $182 million contract.

San Francisco, which hired former star catcher Buster Posey as its president of baseball operations in September, went 80-82 last season and finished in fourth place in the National League West, which is arguably the best division in baseball.

After a historic season, Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty is declaring for the 2025 NFL draft, he announced Tuesday.

“The opportunity to play in the NFL is a dream of mine,” Jeanty wrote in social media post. “I’m proud to represent Boise State and all of those who have helped me along the way at the next level.”

In 14 games this season, Jeanty totaled 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns, averaging seven yards per carry on 374 carries. Jeanty’s rushing total is the second highest for a running back in FBS history, behind only Barry Sanders’ 1988 campaign (2,628 yards).

Bronco 4L🐴💙 #deuce pic.twitter.com/gtrKJUcDOd

— Deuce 2️⃣ (@AshtonJeanty2) January 7, 2025

The junior is projected as the top running back in the upcoming draft, according to ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid.

Jeanty, 21, has had a unique path to the pros. The Jacksonville, Florida, native moved to a naval base in Naples, Italy, at age 12 and played football there for one season as a high school freshman. He returned stateside and played high school football in Texas for three years before committing to the Broncos.

Jeanty saw limited snaps during his freshman campaign in Boise but made a leap in his sophomore season (1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns) that set up his iconic junior year.

It was clear once the 2024 season began that Jeanty was going to be the fulcrum of the Broncos’ offense. In the season opener, Jeanty had 267 yards and six touchdowns. He didn’t look back, barreling his way through nearly every defender and defense he saw on his way to jaw-dropping runs and a College Football Playoff appearance.

After carrying the ball a whopping 750 times over three seasons, Jeanty finished his college career with 4,769 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns.