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Article content Every Christmas, John Tavares thinks of Ottawa. The last days of 2008, to be specific, and the first few of 2009. It soon will be 16 years since Tavares helped lead Canada to a gold medal at the world junior hockey championship, a triumph that was marked by Jordan Eberle’s stunning tying goal against Russia in the semifinals and Canada’s 5-1 romp over Sweden for gold. Tavares, whose work along the boards helped led to the goal by Eberle, was second in tournament scoring with 15 points, one behind Canada teammate Cody Hodgson, and was named most valuable player in the event. That came a year after Tavares helped Canada win world-junior gold in the Czech Republic. “I remember the atmosphere in Ottawa was absolutely tremendous,” Tavares told the Toronto Sun before the Maple Leafs began their three-day Christmas break. “A few games were pretty remarkable in how they unfolded. And that’s what makes the world junior great, is the unpredictability, the type of atmosphere, especially when it’s played in Canada. “Classics — it’s amazing how many classic hockey games have been played in those circumstances with what’s at stake.” Canada’s games in Group A at the 2025 world junior in Ottawa get underway on Thursday against Finland. Next comes Latvia on Friday and Germany on Sunday before Canada meets its arch-rival on New Year’s Eve, the United States, at 8 p.m. Tavares, naturally, will be paying close attention to what Easton Cowan does for Canada. Cowan and Czech forward Miroslav Holinka, a fifth-round pick by Toronto in 2024, are the lone Leafs prospects taking part in Ottawa. Holinka, a centre, has 21 points in 23 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League. Cowan is riding a 56-game point streak with the London Knights and as a returning player on the national team, will be expected to help carry much of the load on offence. It’s his second attempt at world-junior gold, as he was on the Canadian team last year that lost to the Czechs in the quarterfinals in Sweden. “It’s incredible talent, young players who are going through a lot and taking the next step,” Tavares said. “Wishing him nothing but the best. “I know my boys (sons Jace and Axton) will be really excited to watch the tournament and excited for him as they got to know him a little bit during the summer. We’re thrilled and really hope they bring home gold.” The majority of Leafs on the current roster participated in the world junior, and their experiences run a full range. Max Domi played a major role in Canada’s win in Toronto in 2015 and was named the top forward in the tournament in after he had 10 points in 11 games. A year later in Helsinki, Auston Matthews tied for the U.S. scoring lead with Matthew Tkachuk with 11 points each and was named to the tournament all-star team. Oddly, Matthews didn’t have a point in the bronze-medal game, despite the Americans’ 8-3 domination against Sweden. William Nylander suffered an upper-body injury for Sweden that year and played in just one game. Mitch Marner wouldn’t have fond memories of the 2016 event either, as Canada finished sixth after losing to Finland in the quarterfinals. The future Leafs superstar tied with Dylan Strome for the Canada scoring lead with six points each. Morgan Rielly was on the 2013 team that finished fourth in Ufa, Russia, a disappointing end for Canada considering National Hockey League players were locked out and countries had all junior-aged players available. The outcome was a lot more enjoyable for Jake McCabe, who was the captain of the U.S. team that beat Sweden for the gold medal. McCabe was named to the tournament all-star team. Joseph Woll was the backup on the 2017 U.S. team that beat Canada in the gold-medal final in a shootout in Montreal; a year later in Buffalo, Conor Timmins was on the ice for all three of Canada’s goals in a 3-1 win against Sweden in the gold-medal game. For Tavares, the chance to play for Pat Quinn in 2009 in Ottawa was a career highlight. Quinn, who passed away in 2014, coached Canada’s under-18 team to gold the year before he was named coach of the national junior team. “I grew up watching him coach the Leafs and then I got to have him as a coach in that stage and that event, and he was fantastic,” Tavares said. “It was amazing the way he kept us all under control, he was level-headed and he had a great sense of humour as well. I always remember that about him. “At that age, to have someone so accomplished as a player and as a coach, someone you looked up to, I’m very grateful for that experience with him.” If Tavares gets a chance to send a text of encouragement to Cowan, it sounded like he would know what he would say to the 19-year-old about the opportunity to play in Canada in the world junior. “Enjoy each and every second of it,” Tavares said. “It’s a great tradition we have in Canada and how much we love the tournament, the way people take to it. “I can only imagine — well, I know what it’s like — and I’m excited for those guys just because it’s a really special event and to do it on home soil is even better.” tkoshan@postmedia.com X: @koshtorontosun

NonePresident-elect Trump's nomination of Brendan Carr as the next chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is bringing both hope and fear to the media industry. For media executives, the hope comes in the promise of industry consolidation. Companies such as Fox Television Stations, Nexstar Media Group, Tegna and Gray Media are eager to buy more TV stations to better compete against deep-pocketed tech firms that are aggressively pursuing viewers and ad dollars. Carr is expected to support revisiting the rule on ownership of TV stations. The trepidation comes from Carr's open criticism of broadcasters and tech firms on behalf of Trump, who is famously hostile to journalists and outlets that criticize him. Carr, a Republican nominated to the FCC during Trump's first term in 2017 and again by President Biden in 2023, wrote the chapter on the FCC in the conservative policy blueprint Project 2025. During the election, he jumped on social media when Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on the Nov. 2 episode of NBC's "Saturday Night Live" to point out that the network also owed an invitation to Trump under the FCC's equal time provision. NBC obliged, giving Trump time at the end of a NASCAR race and following "Sunday Night Football." (Carr also received a public note from NBC parent Comcast congratulating him on his nomination.) Carr got the industry's attention again on Tuesday when he told Fox News that his recommendation on the Paramount Global merger with Skydance Media would consider recent accusations from Trump's camp that CBS News edited its "60 Minutes" interview with Harris to make her sound more coherent. "That news distortion complaint over the CBS '60 Minutes' transcript is something that's likely to arise in the context of the FCC's review of that transaction," Carr said. A representative for CBS had no comment on Carr's remarks. Big media companies are bracing for the possibility that he will do Trump's bidding when the president-elect threatens retribution against media outlets that are unfriendly to him. While the FCC is an independent agency that is overseen by Congress, Trump has suggested he wants to bring it under tighter White House control. During the campaign, Trump called for the agency to pull the broadcast licenses held by ABC, NBC and CBS because he was unhappy with their coverage. Carr recently said on X that he will ensure the FCC "will enforce" laws that call on broadcasters "to operate in the public interest." One station executive, who was not authorized to comment publicly, said there is active exploration within Trump's orbit about how the new administration should respond to the president-elect's belief that the media treated him unfairly during the campaign. (Some journalists are taking Trump's threats seriously. MSNBC hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski — former Trump friends who became harsh critics of his presidency and behavior — visited the president-elect at Mar-a-Lago to reestablish a relationship with him.) But Jeffrey McCall, a media studies professor at DePauw University, thinks Carr's remarks are "saber rattling" and doubts that the nominee would use the commission's control over the public airwaves as a political weapon. "I have a hard time believing that you could hold up some sort of merger because of what '60 Minutes' did in one broadcast over one interview," McCall said. McCall said Carr is "savvy enough to know that he can say, 'I'll take it into consideration.' " But he doesn't see the commissioner punishing a company over an editorial decision. Broadcast executives are encouraged that Carr is calling for greater regulation of the tech industry, which he outlines in a chapter he wrote for Project 2025. Carr wants tech companies to be more transparent about their algorithm changes and their decisions to block or demonetize users. "We must dismantle the censorship cartel and restore free speech rights for everyday Americans," Carr wrote on X after Trump appointed him. The stations believe they are at a disadvantage in having to following regulations not imposed on their digital competitors. Station ownership rules also hamper broadcasters as they try to compete with tech firms that are coming after more TV viewers and advertising dollars. The current rule says companies can own broadcast TV stations that reach no more than 39% of U.S. homes. The limit was set in 2004, years before streaming video started eating away at traditional TV's audience share. Media executives see this limit as antiquated in an age in which many consumers are fleeing traditional television for streaming. ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Warren Buffett Is Being Fearful When the Markets Are Being Greedy. Is This a Red Flag for Investors?