Sports

Shanahan, Maple Leafs ‘certainly interested’ in keeping Clifford – Sportsnet.ca

Published

4 years ago

March 26, 2020

Kyle Clifford’s agent told the Toronto Sun earlier this week that the forward is interested in staying with the Toronto Maple Leafs beyond the 2019-20 season.

“The interest is mutual,” team president Brendan Shanahan said Thursday during an appearance on Hockey Central at Noon.

Hockey Central

Maple Leafs’ Brendan Shanahan: We’re all still trying to figure it out

March 26 2020

“Kyle has really liked it and enjoyed it so far,” Clifford’s agent, Todd Reynolds, told the Sun. “It’s something we would be interested in and it’s something that the Leafs are interested in.”

Clifford is a pending unrestricted free agent who was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings in February, along with goalie Jack Campbell, in exchange for Trevor Moore and a pair of third-round draft picks.

“He’s been fantastic for us,” Shanahan said. “I said a few weeks ago when we were back in L.A. and he was playing in L.A. for the first time since the trade, he’s made a tremendous difference to our group. I think he was just starting to get comfortable as well.”

Clifford had averaged 9:33 of ice-time in 16 games with the Maple Leafs prior to the NHL’s indefinite suspension due to COVID-19. Although he only has three points with Toronto, the Ayr, Ont., native has provided some needed grit, toughness and leadership.

“Especially when you play the role he does, you have to play it with your heart on your sleeve,” Shanahan said. “It rips the heart out of many guys when they get traded. From my experience it’s even more so for guys that play physically and that take on the responsibility of sort of the team big brother, so I think he was really just starting to get comfortable and starting to find his voice in that dressing room.”

The 29-year-old’s salary cap hit has been $1.6 million annually since signing a five-year contract with the Kings in 2015. The Kings retained 50 per cent of his remaining 2019-20 salary as part of the trade.

“Anybody I talked to [in the Kings organization] they talk about how he holds people accountable,” Shanahan added. “That’s not something you come in in your first week or two into a new dressing room and start doing that, so I love hearing he’s interested. We’re certainly interested as well. He’s been fantastic and just a great person.”

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Edler to sign one-day contract to retire as a Vancouver Canuck

Published

7 hours ago

September 17, 2024

Anne Joseph

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks announced Tuesday that defenceman Alex Edler will sign a one-day contract in order to officially retire as a member of the NHL team.

The signing will be part of a celebration of Edler’s career held Oct. 11 when the Canucks host the Philadelphia Flyers.

The Canucks selected Edler, from Ostersund, Sweden, in the third round (91st overall) of the 2004 NHL draft.

He played in 925 career games for the Canucks between the 2006-07 and 2020-21 seasons, ranking fourth in franchise history and first among defencemen.

The 38-year-old leads all Vancouver defencemen with 99 goals, 310 assists and 177 power-play points with the team.

Edler also appeared in 82 career post-season contests with Vancouver and was an integral part of the Canucks’ run to the 2011 Stanley Cup final, putting up 11 points (2-9-11) across 25 games.

“I am humbled and honoured to officially end my career and retire as a member of the Vancouver Canucks,” Edler said in a release. “I consider myself lucky to have started my career with such an outstanding organization, in this amazing city, with the best fans in the NHL. Finishing my NHL career where it all began is something very special for myself and my family.”

Edler played two seasons for Los Angeles in 2021-22 and 2022-23. He did not play in the NHL last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.

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Sixth-ranked Canadian women to face World Cup champion Spain in October friendly

Published

13 hours ago

September 17, 2024

Anne Joseph

The sixth-ranked Canadian women will face World Cup champion Spain in an international friendly next month.

Third-ranked Spain will host Canada on Oct. 25 at Estadio Francisco de la Hera in Almendralejo.

The game will be the first for the Canadian women since the Paris Olympics, where they lost to Germany in a quarterfinal penalty shootout after coach Bev Priestman was sent home and later suspended for a year by FIFA over her part in Canada’s drone-spying scandal.

In announcing the Spain friendly, Canada Soccer said more information on the interim women’s coaching staff for the October window will come later. Assistant coach Andy Spence took charge of the team in Priestman’s absence at the Olympics.

Spain finished fourth in Paris, beaten 1-0 by Germany in the bronze-medal match.

Canada is winless in three previous meetings (0-2-1) with Spain, most recently losing 1-0 at the Arnold Clark Cup in England in February 2022.

The teams played to a scoreless draw in May 2019 in Logroñés, Spain in a warm-up for the 2019 World Cup. Spain won 1-0 in March 2019 at the Algarve Cup in São João da Venda, Portugal.

Spain is a powerhouse in the women’s game these days.

It won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2022 and was runner-up in 2018. And it ousted Canada 2-1 in the round of 16 of the current U-20 tournament earlier this month in Colombia before falling 1-0 to Japan after extra time in the quarterfinal.

Spain won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2018 and 2022 and has finished on the podium on three other occasions.

FC Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati (2023) and Alexia Putellas (2021 and ’22) have combined to win the last three Women’s Ballon d’Or awards.

And Barcelona has won three of the last four UEFA Women’s Champions League titles.

“We continue to strive to diversify our opponent pool while maintaining a high level of competition.” Daniel Michelucci, Canada Soccer’s director of national team operations, said in a statement. “We anticipate a thrilling encounter, showcasing two of the world’s top-ranked teams.”

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024

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Maple Leafs announce Oreo as new helmet sponsor for upcoming NHL season

Published

17 hours ago

September 17, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced cookie brand Oreo as the team’s helmet sponsor for the upcoming NHL season.

The new helmet will debut Sunday when Toronto opens its 2024-25 pre-season against the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Arena.

The Oreo logo replaces Canadian restaurant chain Pizza Pizza, which was the Leafs’ helmet sponsor last season.

Previously, social media platform TikTok sponsored Toronto starting in the 2021-22 regular season when the league began allowing teams to sell advertising space on helmets.

The Oreo cookie consists of two chocolate biscuits around a white icing filling and is often dipped in milk.

Fittingly, the Leafs wear the Dairy Farmers of Ontario’s “Milk” logo on their jerseys.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.

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