Leon Draisaitl returned to his favourite stomping grounds, Bridgestone Arena in Nashville TN, and once again it was his Edmonton Oilers doing the stomping. The Oil pounded home 4 goals in the first period to drive star goalie Juuse Saros from the net, survived a brief blip early in the middle frame, then stretched their lead to 6-1 before playing out the string in mostly controlled fashion.
The underlying numbers suggest this was a close game, though score effects (Edmonton’s large lead) surely played a role in the flow of play. The Preds outshot the Oil by 43-30, while different measures of dangerous shots suggested it was dead even: Natural Stat Trick had high-danger chances at 9-8 Nashville and expected goals at 2.99 to 2.97 Edmonton, while we at the Cult of Hockey had Grade A shots dead even at 16-16 and 5-alarm shots at 8-7 Preds (running count).
The difference? This time around, Edmonton made their shots and got a bunch of saves. With both of those things, they also got their first win of the new season and none too soon after a pair of unsettling losses to Vancouver.
#2 Evan Bouchard, 7. A primary assist at even strength, a primary assist on the powerplay after first drawing the penalty. +2/-0 in 5v5 goals with excellent shot shares. A couple of fine stretch passes. A few dicey moments but that’s part of the package. Grade A shots: ES +3/-1; ST +2/-0,
#10 Derek Ryan, 6. Oilers fourth line spent a bit too much time in their own end, but produced a couple of solid shifts at important moments Set up Erne’s one-timer on a 2-on-1. Grade A shots: ES +2/-1; ST 0.
#13 Mattias Janmark, 6. Played 13 minutes at evens and 1:53 on the penalty kill to lead all forwards in that dept. Did some good work taking the puck deep into Nashville territory, then pinning it to the end wall while mates changed up and the penalty clock ticked down. Was sneaky good along the walls, winning and advancing the puck to good spots. Grade A shots: ES +3/-0; ST +0/-1.
#14 Mattias Ekholm, 7. A fine showing in his return to the arena he called home for a decade. Involved at both ends of the sheet, firing 3 shots on net and landing 3 hits. Was part of the problem on the lone Preds tally when he couldn’t clear the puck on the kill under heavy pressure. But put out way more fires than he started. Drew a penalty when he was dumped by his old buddy Filip Forsberg, with whom he’d had dinner the night before. Grade A shots: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-1.
#21 Adam Erne, 5. Up and down night for the newest Oiler. Some robust play with 3 hits, also dropped the mitts with Cole Smith late in the first. Had a couple of defensive lapses. A fine chance of his own when he broke in with Ryan 2-on-1, but couldn’t solve Preds backup Kevin Lankinen. Grade A shots: ES +1/-2; ST +1/-0.
#25 Darnell Nurse, 6. Played a team-high 25:30, with the Oilers “winning” his portion of the game 1-0. Some strong defensive plays, a couple of iffy moments with the most noticeable being a bad pinch that led fairly directly to a ten-bell chance, mere seconds after the one Nashville goal. 3 shots, 2 hits, 1 block. His greasy hit behind the Edmonton net rightfully earned a penalty; he plays a hard game and crosses the line at times. Grade A shots: ES +0/-3; ST 0.
#28 Connor Brown, 6. Fit in nicely with his new linemates McLeod and Holloway, using their speed to his advantage in terms of finding good spaces in their wake. Also clicked in the centre of a give-and-go with Foegele, presumably during a line change. Did a nice job controlling the puck in his skates. Some creative puck movement and sound positional play. Grade A shots: ES +1/-0; ST 0.
#29 Leon Draisaitl, 9. Dominant game, firing home 2 powerplay goals and adding a pair of helpers at even strength while putting on a passing clinic in all 3 zones. His 5 shots on net led all Oilers, but as is frequently the case it was his passing game that was especially eye-catching. On the 2-0 Drai made a gorgeous pass on the zone exit to tuck the disc through a narrow lane to RNH who broke in 2-on-1, then a terrific puck recovery and pass under heavy pressure to find Broberg right on the blueline in the o-zone to keep the play alive, finally feeding Bouchard in a dangeous spot for the shot that led to Hyman goal. Ended one extended d-zone pressure by corralling and instantly protecting the puck, holding his opponent at bay as he surveyed the scene, found the passing lane, and made a short safe dish to Nurse who walked it out. Made an incredible backhand pass right on McDavid’s tape that didn’t lead to a shot let alone the highlight reel, other than getting a few bumps of my personal 7-second rewind. Led Oilers forwards with 21:00 TOI and 7/11=64% on the dot. Became the Oilers’ all-time leader in powerplay goals with 128, needing just 641 games to surpass the old mark it took Glenn Anderson 845 games to reach and Ryan Smyth 971 to equal. Leon’s a stone cold killer on the PP, and that’s a fact. Grade A shots: ES +5/-2; ST: +3/-0.
#37 Warren Foegele, 8. Promoted to the second line, he responded in the best way possible with perhaps his finest game as an Oiler. Made a splendid defensive play not a minute in, with a full length dive to hook the puck out of danger from a possible breakaway. Wonderful cross-crease pass to RNH off the backhand side for the 3-0. Received a pass from the same player and wired home a well-placed wrist shot for the 6-1. Rang another bullet off the post early in the third. Flying all night. Grade A shots: ES +3/-0; ST 0.
#71 Ryan McLeod, 5. His stat sheet doesn’t show much — a missed shot, 2 giveaways, 5/9=56% on the dot. By eye he skated miles, the puck on his blade at times and generally going in the right direction. Made a good decision to shoot on a 2-on-1 opportunity, but missed the target. Was among those beaten on the lone Nashville (PP) goal. Grade A shots: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-1.
#86 Philip Broberg, 6. Some good moments, some not-so-good ones, with the former comfortably outweighing the latter. Got a bit sloppy in the late going. Showed some very nice skills on the breakout and along the offensive blueline. Played a tick short of 15:00, including a chunk of time on each special team. He appears increasingly fluid in his offensive movements, still picking his spots in terms of when to activate. Fired an excellent wrist shot through traffic from the top of the right circle. Grade A shots: ES +1/-3; ST 0.
#93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 8. Showed well at centre between the effective Hyman and Foegele. Earned 1-2-3 on the night, earning a powerplay assist on the 1-0 (after first drawing the penalty), scoring the 3-0 himself with a sharp finish of Foegele’s feed from a tough angle, and a fine pass to that same mate for the 6-1. Even managed to go 6/11=55% on the faceoff dot. Grade A shots: ES +4/-1; ST +1/-1.
#97 Connor McDavid, 8. His determination was on display early, when he overwhelmed Jusso Parssinen in the defensive corner with a crunching check, then made a splendid one-handed play to handle and then chip the puck up the boards to Draisaitl who walked it out. Scored a brilliant goal where he was knocked to one knee at the offensive blueline, did a 360° spin in the pike position, only to somehow come out of the crowd with the puck and promptly laser a precise shot just inside the far post. Took a cross-checking penalty in the first minute of the middle frame, leading to Nashville’s lone goal. Did some fine PK work of his own, where his 1:23 trailed only Janmark among Oilers forwards, and he was not only effective but extraordinarily dangerous. The sequence where he chased the puck the length of the ice and somehow emerged from the corner with it on his stick was breathtaking. Grade A shots: ES +4/-1; ST +2/-0.
MONTREAL – Canadian National Railway Co. told employees this week it plans to relocate its operations in Jasper to near Hinton, Alta., about 100 kilometres away.
In a memo sent to employees in the fire-ravaged town, the company said it’s aiming to increase efficiency by minimizing train stops between Edmonton and Blue River, B.C., which sits across the Rockies.
CN plans to close its Jasper bunkhouse and build a crew change facility east of Hinton, with workers slated to clock in at the new site starting in September 2025, according to the document obtained by The Canadian Press.
“CN has made the decision to implement operational changes to improve network fluidity,” regional vice-president Nicole James said in the memo.
The union representing rail workers criticized the relocation, which affects about 200 employees, though no layoffs are expected.
“This is another devastating blow to the town of Jasper, after this year’s catastrophic wildfires. Rail is one of the largest industries in Jasper, after tourism, and CN’s move will cripple this community even further,” said Paul Boucher, president of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.
“And for the workers who’ve already lost so much — some even their homes — this is a truly cruel blow.”
Union spokesman Christopher Monette noted that most residents or their spouses must work in town to qualify to live there under Jasper National Park’s residency rules. The company has told the union it will apply for an exception for the workers, he said.
CN spokeswoman Ashley Michnowski says the railway is committed to supporting employees through the transition and keeping them updated.
“These types of changes take time to fully plan out and implement. That’s why one of our initial steps was to have this discussion with our employees as well as advising the town of Jasper,” she said in an email.
A wildfire ripped through Jasper in July, destroying a third of the mountain town and displacing many of its 4,800 residents.
The blaze also caused smoke damage to the CN bunkhouse, which the company says it has worked to restore since it was allowed to re-enter the community with contractors on Aug. 16.
Engineers and conductors have been reporting for work in Hinton, roughly an hour away, since the wildfire.
With roots as a fur trade outpost, Jasper launched as a railway town in the early 20th century after tracks built by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway — CN’s predecessor — paved the way for the municipality.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.
Companies in this story: (TSX:CNR)
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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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AP NHL:
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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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