Sunaya Sapurji

    Sunaya Sapurji is the junior hockey columnist for Yahoo! Sports Canada. Sunaya previously worked at the Toronto Star for 10 years as a copy editor and writer covering the Ontario Hockey League.

  • Jamaican bobsled team crowdfunds for coach

    Winston Watts of Jamaica pilots a bobsleigh practice run ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at the Sanki Sliding Center. This might be the sequel to Cool Runnings everyone has been waiting for. The Jamaican Bobsled team needs a coach and with John Candy’s fictional character of Irv Blitzer nowhere to be found, the squad has started a Go Fund Me page to try and fund/find a coach.

  • Gamblers to let $28K won on Packers game ride in Vegas

    Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers reacts after scoring a touchdown in the first half during the NFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on January 15, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. According to ESPN, there are two bettors – Brian Yankelevitz and Russ Axelrod – who decided prior to U.S. Thanksgiving to make the Green Bay Packers their team to wager on. Thanks to the Packers 34-31 last minute win over the Dallas Cowboys, that winning ticket is now worth $28,213.60 – and the pair say they have no plan to cash out.

  • Mini-Pacioretty takes practice shots at Price, cuteness ensues

    Cuteness Overload Alert: On Sunday, Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty took his young son Enzo out to practice with the NHL team. Enzo, 3, is apparently a huge Carey Price fan, so the father and son took a few minutes to work on shooting with the Montreal netminer and it’s adorable.

  • Watch Sharks stars Thornton, Burns in hilarious beard ad

    The San Jose Sharks have upped their marketing game this season with a number of hilarious ads. Their latest hypes Saturday’s game against the Colorado Avalanche – which also happens to be Joe Thornton Chia Pet Giveaway Night.

  • Wickenheiser's legacy leaves a lasting impression on hockey

    Hayley Wickenheiser, a four-time Olympic gold medallist and Canadian hockey legend, announced her retirement Friday. A few summers ago, Hayley Wickenheiser participated in a summer camp in Cole Harbour, N.S. The camp was run by hockey coach Brad Crossley, well-known for his work with NHLers like Sidney Crosby. After working alongside Wickenheiser on the first day of camp, Crossley went home and told his young hockey-playing daughter about the scrimmage.

  • NHL heavyweights Boll, Reaves square off in epic fight

    In a day and age where concussions and head injuries are leading the news, the old-fashioned heavyweight hockey bout has been on the decline. The roles carried out by the enforces of yore – -the Hammers, Probies, Tigers, Grim Reapers, Knuckles, Missing Links, etc. — are no more.

  • Auston Matthews' game-worn jersey sells for big bucks

    There’s no question Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews has become a legitimate NHL star playing in Toronto. The first overall pick in the NHL draft last June has lived up to the hype and collectors are taking note. On Sunday, the jersey that Matthews wore in the outdoor Centennial Classic — for the first period of play — sold at auction for $11,400 (all funds U.S.), not including sales tax.

  • Derek Jeter building bigger fence to keep gawkers at bay

    It’s become such a problem for former New York Yankees star Derek Jeter and wife Hannah Davis, that they needed to request special permission from Tampa city hall to build a bigger fence. Jeter knows a lot about fences. Now he’s building one eight-feet high to keep the paparazzi and gawking fans away from his more than 30,000-sq. ft. home on Davis Island in Tampa.

  • Great Dane sets badminton record for world's fastest smash (Video)

    There’s a new fastest gun in the badminton world as Denmark’s Mads Pieler Kolding has entered the record book with the world’s fastest smash. Kolding, who is listed at 6-foot-9, was clocked sending the birdie shuttlecock back to his opponents at 264 mph, setting a new record for tournament play. Badminton has always been considered a fast sport, but just to give you an idea, the Guinness Book of Records has tennis player Sam Groth listed for “the fastest serve of a tennis ball”  at 163.4 mph. A cheetah, named Sarah, ran 100m in a time of 5.95 seconds –  at 61 mph. And major-league pitcher Aroldis Chapman – then with the Cincinnati Reds – holds the record for fastest pitch, clocking in at 105.1 mph.

  • Patrik Laine's mom helps set up birthday surprise for Jets fan

    In the right hands, though, it can also be an amazing tool as seen in the case of a young fan named Lucas, who had his birthday wish of meeting Patrik Laine come true. It turns out, Lucas – a soon-to-be 8-year-old – had written a letter to his favourite player, Winnipeg Jets star Patrick Laine. The letter was an invitation to Lucas’ birthday party on Jan. 7.

  • Czech, Russia U18 women's teams brawl at Worlds (Video)

    It’s not often you see a full-scale brawl in a women’s game, or at a world championship tournament. Russia will play the U.S. in the semifinal, but they’ll have to do so without two players – including captain Nina Pirogova (No. 13 in the video) – who was suspended one game by the IIHF disciplinary panel for “repeatedly punching” Natalie Mlynkova (No. 15) of the Czech Republic in the head. Pirogova, a defender, was reportedly upset with the liberties the Czechs were taking with Russian goaltender Valeria Merkusheva and decided to send a message.

  • Hurricanes play epic prank on teammate Ryan Murphy (Video)

    Poor Ryan Murphy. The Carolina Hurricanes defenceman was the target of an epic prank carried out by his teammates which was posted to Twitter on Thursday.

  • New L.A. Chargers logo ripped on social media

    When the San Diego Chargers announced they were moving to L.A. on Thursday, the news didn’t come as much of a surprise. The team had been rumoured to move for years.

  • Canadiens forward scores with early candidate for goal of the year

    The new year is not even two weeks old, but Montreal Canadiens forward Phillip Danault has taken the early lead for best goal of 2017. In Wednesday night’s 7-4 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, the Habs winger scored twice and his second goal was a thing of beauty. The 23-year-old goes end-to-end, picking up the puck behind his own net and weaves his way past four Jets — including defencemen Dustin Byfuglien who might as well be standing still — before beating goaltender Michael Hutchinson.

  • Chargers headquarters pelted with eggs after report of team move

    In the immortal words of Ron Burgundy: Stay Classy, San Diego.

  • Mayweather offers advice to Rousey following UFC 207 loss

    Floyd Mayweather wants Ronda Rousey to keep her head up after her stunning loss to Amanda Nunes. Ronda Rousey’s relationship – if you can even call it that – with Floyd Mayweather is definitely complex. It wasn’t too long ago that the two were trading barbs, with Rousey – at the height of her fame – calling out Mayweather (and his long history of domestic violence) at the ESPY Awards after being named ‘Best Fighter’.

  • Report: IIHF could axe shootouts for gold medal games

    Canada loses WJC final to Team USA 5-4 in a shootout. At the recent world junior championships, there were two pivotal games decided by shootouts – one that sent the Russia to the bronze medal match (Team USA won that semifinal) and, of course, the gold medal game that gave the U.S. a 5-4 victory over Canada in 60-plus minutes of thrilling hockey. Former NHLer and one of USA Hockey’s greatest players – Mike Modano – might get his wish.

  • Lionel Messi statue cut in half in act of vandalism

    A Lionel Messi statue in Buenos Aires was vandalized by being cut in half. A statue erected to honour Argentinian soccer star Lionel Messi in Buenos Aires has been cut in half in a strange act of vandalism. The bronze statue, which was placed in the capital city’s Paseo de la Gloria in June, had its head, arms and torso removed.

  • Former Flyers star Brian Propp to skate in alumni game months after stroke

    It has been a long, arduous haul for former Philadelphia Flyers star Brian Propp. It’s a little awe inspiring, then, to find out Propp will be one of the stars skating in Saturday’s alumni game for the Flyers against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

  • Timeless Jaromir Jagr thinks he could play until 55

    Jaromir Jagr of the Florida Panthers says he wants to play another 10 years. After moving into second place on the NHL’s all-time scoring list, 44-year-old Jaromir Jagr says he’s got more left in the tank.  Previously, the Florida Panthers star had said he would play until 50, but now he’s apparently adding another five years to his timeline. “I go to 55,” Jagr told northjersey.com.