Sports

Ottawa Senators fire GM Pierre Dorion after ‘last straw’

Published

1 year ago

November 1, 2023

The Ottawa Senators’ new owner, Michael Andlauer, right, and Steve Staios, the newly hired president of hockey operations, hold a press conference at the Canadian Tire Centre Wednesday to announce that the team’s general manager, Pierre Dorion, has been shown the door after eight years in the role. Photo by JULIE OLIVER /Postmedia

The Ottawa Senators have shown Pierre Dorion the door.

Less than a month after the club brought in Steve Staios in the role of president of hockey operations, he and new owner Michael Andlauer made the decision to fire the 51-year-old Dorion on Wednesday.

Andlauer and Staois made the announcement Wednesday afternoon during a hastily called news conference at the Canadian Tire Centre. Andlauer told reporters he had dinner with Dorion on Tuesday night and they mutually agreed to part ways.

The news conference came only hours after the NHL announced the Senators had forfeited a first-round pick for a botched deal involving the Vegas Golden Knights. Andlauer confirmed that was the last straw because the Senators were at fault after he read the NHL’s 73-page report.

The Ottawa Senators' new owner, Michael Andlauer, right, and Steve Staios, the newly hired president of hockey operations, hold a press conference at the Canadian Tire Centre Wednesday to announce that the team's general manager, Pierre Dorion, has been shown the door after eight years in the role. — The Ottawa Senators’ new owner, Michael Andlauer, right, and Steve Staios, the newly hired president of hockey operations, hold a press conference at the Canadian Tire Centre Wednesday to announce that the team’s general manager, Pierre Dorion, has been shown the door after eight years in the role. Photo by JULIE OLIVER /Postmedia

“I always talk about accountability and giving the tools to have accountability,” Andlauer said. “In this case, at the end of the day, we’re at fault for what transpired. We can argue about how harsh this penalty was, but ultimately this could have been avoided.

“Accountability is part of our hockey club and Pierre was responsible for the hockey operations. You said last straw and there’s some things … As I said in my first press conference I wanted to learn and, to me, let’s put it this way, a lot of the decisions that have been made and a lot of the situations that we’ve had could have been avoided.”

This firing was called a resignation.

“Ultimately, I came down with a decision and I sat down with Steve and suggested I might consider making a move. I discussed with Pierre if he had a contingency plan,” Andlauer said. “This was never anticipated. I made it very clear I like that two-headed monster.

“This whole issue could have been avoided. Collaboratively, there’s so much to do in hockey operations. I discussed it with Pierre and how I couldn’t come with a lesser penalty. It was decided over dinner it was best to part ways.”

Coming off a 5-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena, Andlauer and Staios felt they needed new leadership in the general manager’s chair, so Dorion’s run comes to an end in his seventh season and his 17th year in the Ottawa organization.

Coach D.J. Smith and his staff — who are without three of their top defencemen and a top-nine forward — will remain in their roles. They’re in the final year of their contracts and have an option year on their deals, but this decision won’t help their futures.

“The players respect D.J., they play hard, they’ve never cheated us on effort and they never look organized going into games,” Staois said. “If you asked D.J., are there areas of improvement? He’d say sure. We’re dealing with injuries and adversity but I have confidence this will move in the right direction.”

The Senators closed out the month of October with a 4-4-0 record, but Andlauer and Staios have been working hard behind the scenes to determine what direction they want to take with this organization.

“My first priority is to instill stability and confidence in the group,” Staois said. “I think when changes like this happen, and we’ve been hit with a few things we’ve had to deal with, we have to give the group, staff and players the confidence. We have to continue to support and build.”

Pierre Dorion of the Ottawa Senators during question period at Canadian Tire Centre on Sept. 20, 2023. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

Andlauer is a big believer in accountability and that’s why he let Dorion make the decisions during the off-season. But sources say Andlauer and Staios weren’t pleased with the way the situation involving suspended centre Shane Pinto was handled by the organization.

While Pinto was unsigned when the league banned him for 41 games for breaking the NHL’s rules around gambling, the Senators didn’t have the cap space to sign him and were going to have to sweeten a deal by giving up an asset to get a contract off the books.

Dorion’s future was sealed by the league’s decision to penalize the Senators a first-round pick for a deal involving Dadonov in March 2022.

The Golden Knights had tried to send Dadonov to Anaheim because Vegas was under the impression that deal could be made. But the Knights didn’t have the proper ‘no trade’ list from the Senators and that responsibility falls on Dorion.

Dorion, 51, was hired as the club’s eighth GM in franchise history on April 10, 2016. He succeeded the late Bryan Murray, who was moved into a role as a senior advisor. Dorion helped lead the club to the Eastern Conference final against the Penguins in 2017.

Staois said the club will begin a search for a new GM. A name at the top of the list will be Tampa Bay Lightning assistant GM Mathieu Darche. Until a new face put in place, Staois will carry out the day-to-day duties.

“I’ll do what’s best for the Ottawa Senators,” Staois said. “Before that starts to unfold, we’re going to take a longer look at what our options might be.”

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

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AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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