The Edmonton Oilers’ resurgence placed Connor McDavid back in the NHL MVP conversation, along with teammate Leon Draisaitl. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Boston’s David Pastrnak made their case, too, during a pandemic-shortened season. And don’t forget Artemi Panarin, a late entry in the discussion after the New York Rangers finished 11th in the Eastern Conference,
Canada
With so much uncertainty, Larry Quinn can’t predict just how severe the NHL’s financial losses might be due to the coronavirus pandemic. That doesn’t stop the former Buffalo Sabres managing partner from providing a bleak assessment, at least for the short term. “They’ve got big challenges ahead,” Quinn said. “And the problem is that you
Jonathan Drouin says he’s always raised his game when the stakes are highest. It started in minor hockey, continued when he graduated to junior — just look at his stat lines from three post-seasons as a member of the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads — and kept going early in his NHL career. With the Montreal Canadiens
KITCHENER—The Ontario Hockey League has launched an investigation after former Kitchener Rangers forward Eric Guest says he was forced to use cocaine by an older player while playing for the club during his rookie season. The explosive allegation was part of a video lasting 14 minutes and 59 seconds posted to Guest’s Instagram account in
The Ontario Hockey League says it plans to launch an investigation into allegations made by a former player who says he was forced to use drugs by a teammate at a house party. Eric Guest played for the Kitchener Rangers from 2016 to 2019. In a video on his personal Instagram on Sunday evening, and
CALGARY—Seven players from this year’s gold-medal-winning squad and the underage Canadian Hockey League rookie of the year highlight the roster for Canada’s national junior team development camp next month. Forty-one players have been invited to the virtual camp, July 27-31. A traditional on-ice camp in one location will not be held because of the COVID-19
On second thought, Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula weren’t pleased with general manager Jason Botterill continuing to oversee their franchise. Citing a lack of communication and philosophical differences over the direction of a franchise in the midst of a nine-year playoff drought, the Pegulas reversed course in making the abrupt decision to fire
Toronto’s bid to become a hub city for the NHL’s return to play this summer got a huge boost on Tuesday with backing from both the federal and provincial governments. “We have indicated that we are comfortable with moving forward on an NHL hub in one of three Canadian cities that are asking for it,”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is “open” to the NHL operating a hub city in Canada, so long as it’s allowed by local health authorities. Trudeau said Tuesday that the decision will need to be made by the NHL and the provincial and municipal governments where the league wishes to operate. The
The NHL continues to inch toward a return to action. The league and its players’ association announced Thursday training camps will open July 10 — provided medical and safety conditions permit, and the sides can reach an agreement on resuming the season. The start of camps for the 24 teams included in the NHL’s return-to-play
The Vegas Golden Knights signed tough guy Ryan Reaves on Monday to a two-year contract extension worth $3.5 million. He’ll count $1.75 million US against the salary cap in each of the next two seasons. Reaves announced the new deal in a video on the Golden Knights’ Twitter page. Ryan Reaves has some news for
Brian Boyle is a 35-year-old grizzled veteran of 13 National Hockey League seasons who grew up outside Boston. After seeing video of George Floyd’s death, Boyle wanted to say something. The Florida Panthers forward, though, wasn’t sure how and didn’t want it to come off the wrong way. He wound up calling former teammate J.T.
Youppi!, the Montreal Canadiens’ official mascot, has become the first character from a Canadian-based club to be inducted into The Mascot Hall of Fame. In a virtual ceremony on Sunday, the furry orange character synonymous with the NHL club and the defunct Montreal Expos baseball franchise was formally inducted into the Hall. Youppi! is the
Like many sports fans hungry for something, anything, to watch during a spring of self-isolation and physical distancing, Darnell Nurse tuned into “The Last Dance” with keen interest. The documentary provided fascinating insight into the drama, relationships and controversy surrounding the final season of the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty, one that dominated the NBA for much
Brian Boyle is a 35-year-old grizzled veteran of 13 National Hockey League seasons who grew up outside Boston. After seeing video of George Floyd’s death, Boyle wanted to say something. The Florida Panthers forward, though, wasn’t sure how and didn’t want it to come off the wrong way. He wound up calling former teammate J.T.
Turning down an offer to play for the NWHL’s Toronto Six was difficult for Kristen Richards. The 27-year-old Toronto teacher was tempted by a guaranteed spot on a quality women’s hockey team, plus the chance to earn a few thousand dollars. Refusing that opportunity means Richards will compete against national-team players for inclusion on the
Like many sports fans hungry for something, anything, to watch during a spring of self-isolation and physical distancing, Darnell Nurse tuned into The Last Dance with keen interest. The documentary provided fascinating insight into the drama, relationships and controversy surrounding the final season of the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty, one that dominated the NBA for much
If the folks who run the Greater Toronto Hockey League require a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing racial slurs to be hurled during youth hockey games with scarce consequence — and there have been recent suggestions it couldn’t hurt — Paul Smithers has a story for them. Smithers still remembers the racial epithets