Canada’s top junior male hockey players returned to the ice Tuesday following a 14-day quarantine, although there were fewer of them.
Five players were released from Canada’s selection camp roster in Red Deer, Alta., because they were “unfit to continue to play based on return-to-play protocols,” according to Hockey Canada senior vice-president of national teams Scott Salmond.
Canada’s camp halted Nov. 26 after two players and one non-core staff member tested positive for COVID-19.
Defencemen Matthew Robertson, Mason Millman and Daemon Hunt and forwards Ridly Greig and Xavier Simoneau were sent home before camp resumed.
“Those five players, obviously a very, very difficult position and situation,” Salmond said on a media conference call.
“This is not a hockey decision. This is a health decision based on return-to-play protocols. They were unable to continue with camp today. Feel horribly for those kids.”
Tournament starts Dec. 25
The world junior hockey championship opens Dec. 25 in Edmonton.
The nine other international teams are scheduled to arrive by charter flight Sunday.
Some are already minus players because of the virus.
Any player, coach or team staff member who tested positive for the virus after Nov. 29 is ineligible to enter Edmonton’s “bubble.”
Exhibition games are planned for Dec. 20-23.
Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Howard Njoo said discussions remain ongoing with the Alberta government and Hockey Canada.
“We’ve been in active discussions with officials in Alberta, both public health and Hockey Canada,” Njoo said during a press conference on Tuesday. “The protocols we see from a pure technical public health perspective — I think I mentioned this earlier — look good with respect to the fact they intend to use the same bubble concept as was successful for the NHL and also with the NBA with their playoffs last year.
WATCH | Feds to revisit world junior plan:
With COVID-19 cases on the rise in Alberta and Canadian, Swedish and German teams dealing with outbreaks, Canada’s Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo says they are “keeping an eye” on the situation and will “revisit” their protocols when players start travelling to Alberta. 1:45
International Ice Hockey Federation president Rene Fasel simultaneously announced Tuesday that he’s tested positive for the virus, and that the tournament will go ahead in Edmonton.
“Preparations will continue within the IIHF for the upcoming 2021 IIHF world junior championship,” Fasel said in a statement.
“The IIHF staff and officials that have been assigned to work at the tournament in Edmonton are currently undergoing the pre-departure quarantine protocol that is being followed by all participating teams and game officials.”
Germany’s hockey federation announced Tuesday in a social media post that a pair of forwards can’t attend camp because they’ve contracted the virus.
Swedish coaches Tomas Monten and Anders Lundberg and a video coach tested positive before their camp opened in Sundsvall.
“This is obviously worrying and a difficult situation where our ultimate responsibility is the safety of players and leaders,” Swedish federation secretary-general Johan Stark said in a statement on the organization’s website.
“This is a serious situation from a safety perspective and we must follow this hour by hour and we also have a close dialogue with the International Ice Hockey Federation to describe our situation and review our alternatives.”
An eight-team minimum is required for the tournament to go ahead, Salmond said.
“It’s difficult and you hold your breath every day,” he said. “You hope, not only for our sake, but others that they can get to Edmonton on the thirteenth, be healthy and have a real strong competition.”
Canada’s 25-player roster will be named following intrasquad games Wednesday and Thursday.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
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.”
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.
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.
