Sports

5 Best Canadian Hockey Players Right Now

Published

2 years ago

December 16, 2022

Hockey is one of the most popular sports in Canada, with some of the country’s best players playing in the National Hockey League. Most of these players and their teams are represented in the Stanley Cup odds, and punters often stake on them to win real money.

This article discusses some remarkable Canadian athletes currently playing in the National Hockey League and why they’re the best in our books.

Connor McDavid

Connor McDavid is a talented professional hockey player competing in the NHL. He plays the center position and is captain of the Edmonton Oilers. McDavid was picked as the first overall player in the 2015 NHL Draft and has since proven his talent by delivering some of the most sensational performances on the field.

In addition, he has won the Art Ross Trophy on four occasions. His haul of individual awards also includes the Ted Lindsay trophy and the Hart Memorial Trophy, which he won unanimously in 97 years.

Nathan MacKinnon

Nathan MacKinnon is another elite ice hockey player who currently plays the center position and is the team captain for the Colorado Avalanche. Like McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon was drafted first in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

The 27-year-old player has shown the hockey world his fluidity on the rink. MacKinnon is currently one of the highest-paid NHL athletes after signing a contract that will pay him $6.85 million per season in 2023.

Brad Marchand

Brad Marchand is committed to the Boston Bruins as a left winger and alternate captain. He was drafted during the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and still maintains his relevance in the sport. He led his team to three Stanley Cup finals and won one. In addition, the player has made the NHL All-Star Team on two occasions (2017 and 2021) and going by his current form, there are indications he might be featuring in the team again in 2022.

Mitchel Marner

Marner was drafted in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft as fourth overall and currently plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He holds the right winger position and is the alternate captain for his team in the NHL. Marner has won many awards, including a Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy, a league MVP trophy, and the CHL Player of the Year, and is still going strong. He is undoubtedly one of the best Canadian hockey players of this moment.

Carey Price

Carey Price is a 35-year-old ice hockey goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League. Price is considered one of the best goaltenders in Montreal Canadiens’ history, with 361 wins in 15 years. In 2015, Price won the big 4 awards, including the Ted Lindsay Award, the Hart Trophy, William M. Jennings Trophy, and Vezina Trophy, making him the first goaltender in NHL history to win them all in a night.

Final Notes

These athletes aren’t just the best from Canada; they are also some of the leading stars in hockey internationally, with many awards to back that claim. They’ve also given Canadians some of the best memories in the sport and are highly revered.

Sports

Edler to sign one-day contract to retire as a Vancouver Canuck

Published

17 hours ago

September 17, 2024

Anne Joseph

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks announced Tuesday that defenceman Alex Edler will sign a one-day contract in order to officially retire as a member of the NHL team.

The signing will be part of a celebration of Edler’s career held Oct. 11 when the Canucks host the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Canucks selected Edler, from Ostersund, Sweden, in the third round (91st overall) of the 2004 NHL draft.

He played in 925 career games for the Canucks between the 2006-07 and 2020-21 seasons, ranking fourth in franchise history and first among defencemen.

The 38-year-old leads all Vancouver defencemen with 99 goals, 310 assists and 177 power-play points with the team.

Edler also appeared in 82 career post-season contests with Vancouver and was an integral part of the Canucks’ run to the 2011 Stanley Cup final, putting up 11 points (2-9-11) across 25 games.

“I am humbled and honoured to officially end my career and retire as a member of the Vancouver Canucks,” Edler said in a release. “I consider myself lucky to have started my career with such an outstanding organization, in this amazing city, with the best fans in the NHL. Finishing my NHL career where it all began is something very special for myself and my family.”

Edler played two seasons for Los Angeles in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He did not play in the NHL last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.

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Sports

Sixth-ranked Canadian women to face World Cup champion Spain in October friendly

Published

24 hours ago

September 17, 2024

Anne Joseph

The sixth-ranked Canadian women will face World Cup champion Spain in an international friendly next month.

Third-ranked Spain will host Canada on Oct. 25 at Estadio Francisco de la Hera in Almendralejo.

The game will be the first for the Canadian women since the Paris Olympics, where they lost to Germany in a quarterfinal penalty shootout after coach Bev Priestman was sent home and later suspended for a year by FIFA over her part in Canada’s drone-spying scandal.

In announcing the Spain friendly, Canada Soccer said more information on the interim women’s coaching staff for the October window will come later. Assistant coach Andy Spence took charge of the team in Priestman’s absence at the Olympics.

Spain finished fourth in Paris, beaten 1-0 by Germany in the bronze-medal match.

Canada is winless in three previous meetings (0-2-1) with Spain, most recently losing 1-0 at the Arnold Clark Cup in England in February 2022.

The teams played to a scoreless draw in May 2019 in Logroñés, Spain in a warm-up for the 2019 World Cup. Spain won 1-0 in March 2019 at the Algarve Cup in São João da Venda, Portugal.

Spain is a powerhouse in the women’s game these days.

It won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2022 and was runner-up in 2018. And it ousted Canada 2-1 in the round of 16 of the current U-20 tournament earlier this month in Colombia before falling 1-0 to Japan after extra time in the quarterfinal.

Spain won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and has finished on the podium on three other occasions.

FC Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati (2023) and Alexia Putellas (2021 and ’22) have combined to win the last three Women’s Ballon d’Or awards.

And Barcelona has won three of the last four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles.

“We continue to strive to diversify our opponent pool while maintaining a high level of competition.” Daniel Michelucci, Canada Soccer’s director of national team operations, said in a statement. “We anticipate a thrilling encounter, showcasing two of the world’s top-ranked teams.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024

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Sports

Maple Leafs announce Oreo as new helmet sponsor for upcoming NHL season

Published

1 day ago

September 17, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced cookie brand Oreo as the team’s helmet sponsor for the upcoming NHL season.

The new helmet will debut Sunday when Toronto opens its 2024-25 pre-season against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena.

The Oreo logo replaces Canadian restaurant chain Pizza Pizza, which was the Leafs’ helmet sponsor last season.

Previously, social media platform TikTok sponsored Toronto starting in the 2021-22 regular season when the league began allowing teams to sell advertising space on helmets.

The Oreo cookie consists of two chocolate biscuits around a white icing filling and is often dipped in milk.

Fittingly, the Leafs wear the Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s “Milk” logo on their jerseys.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.

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