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Ex-Canucks star Ryan Kesler back

Published

5 years ago

February 13, 2020

For the first four seasons of his National Hockey League career, Bo Horvat watched Henrik Sedin conduct a master class in imaging and branding.

Henrik, like his brother Daniel, wouldn’t phrase it that way and that was never the intent of the message he conveyed. But from the moment he was named Vancouver Canucks captain, Henrik stood up on a daily basis and answered questions simply and honestly, usually in a way that reflected well on the organization and his teammates.

This exercise usually took about five minutes. On Wednesday, the night the Sedins jerseys were retired, Horvat stood up for just under five minutes in the Canucks’ dressing room and answered questions simply and honestly, which reflected well on the Canucks and his teammates.

Horvat, age 24 and in his first season as the team’s captain, was asked about what he learned from Henrik over those four years.

“His positivity was the biggest thing,” Horvat said. “Win or lose, he was always ready to face the media. I think that’s the thing I respect about him most. He never came to the rink and had a bad day.”

Which brings us, in a roundabout way, to our topic du jour: Ryan Kesler.

Kesler, the estranged former Canucks’ star, took part in the ceremony on Wednesday at the invitation of the twins and was warmly received by the sellout crowd. His appearance at the Sedins’ big night also followed a concerted effort on Kesler’s part to rehabilitate his relationship with the faithful, a relationship that was fractured when he was traded away nearly six years ago at his request.

All seems forgiven now.

Look, we all love the story of a reformed sinner and, as part of his penance, Kesler conducted a series of interviews in which he was honest, introspective and, in the end, very human. Those interviews weren’t exactly consistent with the popular image of Kesler, who seemed to make surliness a point of pride during his years with the Canucks, but he isn’t the first athlete to wake up one morning and realize he should have handled his business differently.

You just wonder why it takes some of them so long.

As Horvat learned from Henrik — and as we learned from watching figures like Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby over the years — an image can be built on five minutes and a few well-chosen bromides. None of these stars is especially quotable. They certainly aren’t controversial. But they became venerated figures in the game largely because they’re so damned pleasant.

Kesler, sadly, never learned that lesson until it was too late. Now he’s trying to make up for lost time and you hope the goodwill tour has the desired effect because Kesler, the player, should be celebrated in this town and honoured by the franchise.

Canucks centre Ryan Kesler tangles with San Jose Sharks defenceman Dan Boyle in the second period of Game 5 of the 2010-11 NHL Western Conference Finals at Rogers Arena. Kesler tore the labrum in his hip in that game, and wasn’t the same in the rest of that post-season run that went to Game 7 — a loss — in the Stanley Cup Final.Ian Lindsay /

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An ailing Canucks centre Ryan Kesler returns to the bench after sustaining an injury in Game 5 of the 2010-11 NHL Western Conference Final against the San Jose Sharks at Rogers Arena.Ian Lindsay /

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Here’s a reminder. In their 50-year history, the Canucks have never had a player like the 2009 to 2011 version of Kesler: A size-and-skill centre with a physical edge who played Selke-calibre defence while scoring 41 goals in his best season. Come to think of it, few teams have ever had a player like that.

It is one of the great misfortunes in Canucks history, in fact, that we only saw that player for two seasons. At the absolute peak of his powers, Kesler got tangled up with San Jose defenceman Dan Boyle during Game 5 of the 2011 Western Conference final and tore the labrum in his hip.

He actually returned and scored the tying goal with 13 seconds left in the win that sent the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Final — did we mention he tore his labrum? Kesler then gutted it out in the final with the aid of cortisone shots, but he was a shadow of the player who had dominated the playoffs.

There’s no doubt in my mind that injury cost the Canucks the Stanley Cup and Kesler the Conn Smythe Trophy. You can also make the case it cost him a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Ryan Kesler walks through the bowels of Rogers Arena to the visiting team’s dressing room prior to an Anaheim Ducks game against the host Vancouver Canucks in December 2016.Jeff Vinnick /

NHLI via Getty Images files

He came back and played three more seasons in Vancouver before asking out prior to the 2014 trade deadline. There was a lot of background noise at the time and it was another situation Kesler could have handled better. But it was allowed to fester and when he was dealt to Anaheim in the off-season, the well was poisoned in Vancouver.

Kesler, of course, didn’t help things in subsequent visits with the Ducks and seemed to thrive on his image as a heel. But somewhere along the line, all that animosity just becomes wearying for all concerned.

That seemed to be the point at which Kesler arrived on Wednesday night. He was tired of wearing black. He wanted to be remembered, not as a bad guy, but a player who bled for this franchise, who was an indispensable part of the best Canucks team ever.

Yes, he could have made things easier on himself and everyone else if he’d seen the light before this week. But that doesn’t seem terribly relevant now. It’s time to remember what Kesler meant to this franchise. After all those years, that other stuff seems easy to forget.

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Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.

Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.

He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.

Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.

Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.

Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.

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Veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin lead Canada’s team at WXV rugby tournament

Published

6 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.

WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).

Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.

“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.

“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”

Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.

Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.

Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.

Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.

The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.

Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.

The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.

WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.

The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.

Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad

Forwards

Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);

Backs

Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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Vancouver Canucks star goalie Thatcher Demko working through rare muscle injury

Published

6 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.

The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.

He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.

Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.

He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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