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Gavin McKenna, Favored Pick in NHL Draft, Charged with Felony Assault

February 05, 2026
Gavin McKenna, Favored Pick in NHL Draft, Charged with Felony Assault

Richard T Gagnon/Getty

People Gavin McKenna. Richard T Gagnon/Getty 

NEED TO KNOW

  • Gavin McKenna has been charged with felony aggravated assault

  • The projected No. 1 pick for this year's NHL draft was arraigned on four charges related to an altercation on Jan. 31 with another man

  • The incident resulted in the victim, a 21-year-old, to require facial "corrective surgery"

Gavin McKenna has been charged with aggravated assault.

Widely projected to be the first overall pick in the NHL draft this coming June, the 18-year-old Penn State forward was arrested and charged with four total counts, according to a press release from the State College Police Department on Feb. 4.

The charges, which include felony aggravated assault, all relate to an alleged altercation between McKenna and another man on Jan. 31.

The Pennsylvania criminal code defines felony aggravated assault — which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine — as an action that "attempts to cause serious bodily injury" or causes injury with "extreme indifference."

Additionally, the Canadian native has also been charged with misdemeanor simple assault, summary harassment and summary disorderly conduct.

Gavin McKenna in Tempe, Ariz. on Oct. 4, 2025 Chris Coduto/Getty

Chris Coduto/Getty

According to the release, the incident took place in the 100 block of South Pugh Street in State College around 8:45 p.m local time.

"It is alleged that McKenna struck a 21-year-old male in the face during the altercation resulting in facial injuries requiring corrective surgery," police stated of the incident.

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The 21-year-old lost a tooth in the altercation and had his jaw wired shut, reported Penn State's student newspaper,The Daily Collegian,which cited the criminal complaint.

McKenna was arraigned on the charges and released on $20,000 bail, according to the statement. He is set to appear in court on Feb. 11 at 8:30 a.m. at the Centre County Courthouse in the neighboring town of Bellefonte.

"We are aware that charges have been filed; however, as this is an ongoing legal matter, we will not have any further comment," a spokesperson for Penn State said, according toESPNandSports Illustrated.

Gavin McKenna. Jonathan Kozub/Getty

Jonathan Kozub/Getty

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On the same day as the alleged incident, McKenna joined the Nittany Lions at PSU's Beaver Stadium for a game against Michigan State. The home team last 5-4 to Michigan in overtime, and McKenna had a goal and two assists, ESPN reported.

The outlet reported NHL Central Scouting ranks McKenna as first out of all North American skaters. The NHL is aware of the charges, the organization told ESPN, but declined to comment as McKenna is not affiliated with them.

Read the original article onPeople

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Attorney: Georgia DT London Seymour arrested on 11 felony charges after participating in TikTok challenge

February 05, 2026
MOBILE, AL - FEBRUARY 01: A general view of a Georgia Bulldogs helmet during the American team practice for the Reese's Senior Bowl on February 1, 2024 at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama.  (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

An attorney for freshman Georgia defensive tackle London Seymour said Seymour was arrested on multiple felony charges for allegedly taking part in a TikTok challenge.

Seymour, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame member Richard Seymour, was arrested on Jan. 29 along with three others. He was charged with 11 felony counts of criminal damage to property for alleged incidents that took place on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 at a UGA residence hall.

Seymour's attorney, Kim Stephens,told the Athens Banner-Heraldthat Seymour was taking part in a "door kick challenge." The viral escapade that is similar to ding dong ditching, but involves kicking a door instead of ringing a doorbell.

News of Seymour's arrest emerged Wednesday night via multiple outlets reporting an erroneous number of charges despite the Athens-Clarke County jail site listing 11 charges on his booking profile.

Stephens told the paper that University of Georgia police "took 11 warrants in a case that they could have and should have taken a single warrant. … I expect Mr. Seymour's case will likely be dismissed upon completion of a Pretrial Diversion Program that would include paying for any damage to property."

The Georgia athletic department has declined to comment about Seymour's arrest.

The freshman is a walk-on from Suwanee, Georgia. He appeared in one game in 2025 as he played in the team's season-opening win over Marshall.

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Tigers won't keep Tarik Skubal. Signing Framber Valdez seizes opportunity now and later.

February 05, 2026
Tigers won't keep Tarik Skubal. Signing Framber Valdez seizes opportunity now and later.

TheDetroit Tigersare well-positioned to triumph in the land of the indifferent.

USA TODAY Sports

All it took was onehandshake with Framber Valdezand a short-term commitment to the left-hander to ensure the 2026 Tigers will be significant favorites in theAmerican League Central, where five teams worth a combined $8 billion typically engage in an annual ritual of seeing who can do less.

The Tigers decided to zag: While the modern fan has been conditioned into the loser mindset of "you better trade a guy before you get nothing," Detroit instead took the more appropriate tack of surrounding Tarik Skubal with another elite arm in his almost certainly final year in Motown.

And they even locked up a replacement when he walks. Novel, isn't it?

In signing Valdez to a three-year, $115.5 million contract, the Tigers immediately trot out the AL's most dominant 1-2 punch, a duo perhaps rivaled in Boston or Toronto or Seattle but still can't match the raw dominance of possessing the game's most dominant pitchers and also one of its rocks.

Framber Valdez is signing with the Detroit Tigers.

Skubal's greatness is well-documented. Valdez's is a little sneakier, his greatest value coming in the 180 to 200 excellent innings he typically provides every season. Lest we forget, he was the lead blocker in the 2022Astros' push to the World Series title, going 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA, the Astros winning all four of his starts.

Certainly, a late-season kerfuffle involving his catcher might have dampened his value on the market a tad, but that's the Tigers' gain. And besides, his $38.3 million deal is still the largest per annum for a left-handed free agent.

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You'd think stretching for a free agent prize might be out of the Tigers' realm. Then again, memories are short, and baseball's bean counters seem to like it this way.

This is a franchise that once extended future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander on a $202 million deal and also fellow Cooperstown lock Miguel Cabrera on a $292 million pact. Amid all that, they saw fit to sign free agent pitcher Jordan Zimmermann to a five-year, $110 million deal.

<p style=$765,000,000: Juan Soto, New York Mets (2025-39)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$700,000,000: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (2024-33)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$500,000,000: Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Toronto Blue Jays (2026-39)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$426.5 million: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels (2019-2030)* includes extension

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$365 million: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers (2020-32)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$360 million: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (2023-2031)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$350 million: Manny Machado, San Diego Padres (2023-33)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$341 million: Francisco Lindor, New York Mets (2022-31)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$340 million: Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres (2021-34)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$330,000,000: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies (2019-31)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$325 million: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins (2015-2027) – traded to New York Yankees in 2017

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$325 million: Corey Seager, Texas Rangers (2022-31)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$325,000,000: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers (2024-35)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$313.5 million: Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox (2024-33) - traded to San Francisco Giants in 2025

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$300 million: Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies (2023-33)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$292 million: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers (2014-2023)* includes extension

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$288,777,777: Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals (2024-34)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$280 million: Xander Bogaerts, San Diego Padres (2023-33)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$275 million: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees (2008-2017)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$260 million: Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies (2019-26) - traded to St. Louis Cardinals in 2021, traded to Arizona Diamondbacks in 2026

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$252,000,000: Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers (2001-10)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$245 million: Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals (2020-26)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$245 million: Anthony Rendon, Los Angeles Angels (2020-26)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$240,000,000: Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers (2026-29)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$240 million: Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels (2012-2021)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$240 million: Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners (2014-2023) – traded to New York Mets in 2019

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$225 million: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds (2012-2021)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $218,000,000: Max Fried, New York Yankees (2025-32) <p style=$217 million: David Price, Boston Red Sox (2016-2022) – traded to Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$215 million: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (2014-2020)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$215 million: Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers (2020-28)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$214 million: Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers (2012-2020) – traded to Texas Rangers in 2013

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$212 million: Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves (2023-32)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$210 million: Corbin Burnes, Arizona Diamondbacks (2025-30)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$210 million: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals (2015-2021)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$209.3 million: Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners (2023-34)

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> <p style=$206.5 million: Zack Greinke, Arizona Diamondbacks (2016-2021) – traded to Houston Astros in 2019

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> $202,000,000: CC Sabathia, New York Yankees (2009-17) <p style=$200 million: Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins (2023-28) - traded to Houston Astros in 2025

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

MLB's $200+ million contracts

$765,000,000: Juan Soto, New York Mets (2025-39)

That came in November 2015. Have baseball's revenues increased since then? (Don't answer that).

That money spends well in the Central, where the biggest-market team (Chicago) has never spent more than $75 million on a free agent, where Cleveland likes to pretend any star unwilling to sign a below-market extension must hit the trading block after three years, where Kansas City will nip around the edges until strong-arming any municipality that will have them into a new ballpark, where Minnesota takes on new investors and rotates family members as "control people" as if it doesn't have the greatest ballpark in the division.

No, opportunity is ripe and as we know, consistent access to the playoffs is the most important piece to winning a World Series. Signing Valdez - who can opt out of his deal after the 2027 season - and pairing him with Skubal almost guarantees the Tigers an October ticket, and a favorable set-up when they get there.

Even if it's just one year, what an opportunity. And the Tigers can always come back and reassemble after Skubal leaves. The door should still be left wide open.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tigers' Framber Valdez-Tarik Skubal duo equals World Series contention

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Russia and Ukraine hold a second day of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi

February 05, 2026
Russia and Ukraine hold a second day of US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Negotiators from Moscow and Kyiv on Thursday held a second day ofU.S.-brokered talksin Abu Dhabi on ending their war amidan escalationin Russia's winter attacks on Ukraine's power grid and after a sharp rise last year in Ukrainian civilians killed in the fighting.

Associated Press Finance Workers clean up damage at Darnytsia Thermal Power Plant after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Workers clean up damage at Darnytsia Thermal Power Plant after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Workers clean up damage at Darnytsia Thermal Power Plant after a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Russia Ukraine War

"We are working in the same formats as yesterday: trilateral consultations, group work, and further synchronization of positions," said Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council chief, who was present at the meeting.

The delegations from Moscow and Kyiv were joined in the capital of the United Arab Emirates by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, according to Umerov. They were also at last month's talks in the same place as the Trump administration tries tosteer the two countriestoward a settlement.

General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, was also present at the talks, according to a spokesman for the general who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged allied countries to press Moscow into ending itsall-out invasion, which began almost four years ago on Feb. 24 2022, and said his country needs security guarantees to deter any postwar Russian attacks.

Ukrainians must feel that there is genuine progress toward peace and "not toward a scenario in which the Russians exploit everything to their advantage and continue their strikes," Zelenskyy said on social media late Wednesday.

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Fighting has continued in parallel with the talks. Russia hashammered Ukraine's electricity network, aiming to deny civilians power and weaken their appetite for the fight, while a grinding war of attrition continues along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile)front linesnaking along eastern and southern parts of Ukraine.

Last year saw a 31% increase in Ukrainian civilian casualties compared with 2024, the advocacy group Human Rights Watch said in a report published Wednesday.

Almost 15,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and just over 40,000 injured since the start of the war through last December, according to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

Emma Burrows in London contributed to this report.

Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine athttps://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

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