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Lowry named Jets captain, replaces Wheeler

Published

1 year ago

September 12, 2023

Adam Lowry was named captain of the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old forward was selected by the Jets in the third round (No. 67) of the 2011 NHL Draft and has played his entire nine-season NHL career with Winnipeg.

“It’s extremely special to get the opportunity to lead an NHL franchise, and a Canadian market for that matter,” Lowry said. “It’s a huge honor to know that management, coaching staff and your teammates have the belief in you that you are the right guy and you’re going to be the guy to steady the ship when things don’t necessarily go our way, or when we hit some difficult patches throughout the season. I am really looking forward to taking on that challenge.”

Lowry replaces Blake Wheeler, who was removed as captain Sept. 16, 2022, and signed with the New York Rangers after having his contract bought out this offseason. The Jets opted for three alternate captains last season; Lowry, forward Mark Scheifele and defenseman Josh Morrissey. Coach Rick Bowness said Scheifele and Morrissey will remain alternate captains.

“When we took the [captaincy] away from Blake, we wanted to open up the room,” Bowness said. “So, we achieved that. Mark, ‘Mo’ and ‘Low’ did a great job last year taking over the room, and the communication within the room, which we were trying to achieve, it worked. So there were a couple of really good candidates. And sometimes there’s no wrong answer. So this is the right choice for us right now. And was it a difficult decision? Absolutely. It wasn’t one where we said at the end of the year, ‘OK, Adam’s our captain.’ That wasn’t the case at all. We had a lot of conversations over the summer with the staff, with management and everyone involved. So, ultimately we came to this conclusion.”

Morrissey, a teammate of Lowry’s in the American Hockey League before playing the last eight seasons together in Winnipeg, said he was excited for Lowry to have the role.

“He’s a great leader, I’ve played with him my whole career,” Morrissey said. “I think the main theme with him is that he’s a great person, he’s a great guy, he comes to work every day. He’s such a professional. He’s an unselfish guy and commands a lot of respect. He’s certainly willing to stand up for his teammates and just everything he does you respect as a teammate, and I think as an opponent as well, and he’s going to do a great job.”

Bowness said Lowry’s leadership ability is reminiscent of players he’s coached previously.

“I had Ray (Bourque) in Boston,” Bowness said. “Ray was very quiet. Didn’t say a whole lot. But man when the game was on the line and the complexion of the game had to change, Ray went out and did that. We had (Roberto) Luongo in Vancouver for a while, and we had [Henrik Sedin] take over there. Adam’s different than all those guys because Adam is more of a physical presence out there. His role is different. He’s not the top-line center. But regardless of his minutes and role, he’s dominant in what he brings to the table in terms of a competitor and sticking up for his teammates. So, those other guys were all the best players on the team. Adam, you wouldn’t put him in that category. But his importance to the team is at that level of your best players.”

Lowry had an NHL career-high 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in 82 regular-season games and five points (four goals, one assist) in five Stanley Cup Playoff games last season. He has 204 points (93 goals, 111 assists) in 621 regular-season games, sixth in Jets/Atlanta Thrashers history.

“I’ve had the fortune of watching Adam play since we drafted him in 2011,” general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said. “He was our second pick in that year. I’ve seen him grow and I’ve seen him play at many different levels, both in junior and at the American (Hockey) League level. I saw the level of leadership and what he provided at both of those levels. You could tell at that point in time that he had some special qualities.

“He’s a guy that’s earned his right to be in the National Hockey League. He’d be the first to tell you he’s not the most skilled, he’s not going to break the bank on the point side of it, but what he brings to a team, what he brings to a locker room, what he brings to a franchise, and what he brings to a city, those are all the things that you want. He leads by example and he drags people along with him when he plays and how he plays.”

Lowry said he’s learned from the captains he’s played with in Winnipeg, Wheeler and Andrew Ladd, and believes the important thing is staying true to the player he’s always been.

“I think the big thing is, as cliché as it sounds, is don’t change who you are just because the letter on your jersey changes,” he said. “I think part of what makes me a successful hockey player is playing hard, is competing, is trying to drag my teammates into the fight and sticking up for them and standing up for them on the ice and in the room. … I think just trying to find ways to impact the game, trying to find ways to kind of influence the game in a positive manner is the way I’m going to continue to try and play. Stand up for my teammates and make them play a little bigger.”

Lowry also can rely on his father, Dave Lowry, who was captain of the Calgary Flames from 2000-02.

“I think at that age I was just happy to be hanging around the rink, being in the locker room, going on the ice at practice and things like that,” said Lowry, who was 7 when his father was named Flames captain. “Now, being older, being able to talk to him, he’s a great sounding board. I know he’s with a different organization (Seattle Kraken assistant coach), but he certainly has some great advice for me. He’ll be someone I’ll certainly lean on and try to soak up as much of his wisdom as I can in dealing with the positives, the negatives that go along with the added responsibility and things like that. It certainly helps to know that he’s been through it in a Canadian market as well, just the ups and downs that go with it.”

Eight NHL teams are without a captain: the Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Seattle Kraken and St. Louis Blues.

The Vancouver Canucks named defenseman Quinn Hughes captain Monday.

NHL.com staff writer Derek Van Diest and independent correspondent Darrin Bauming contributed to this report

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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.

___

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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