Alex Ovechkin and Russia’s mercurial roster trying to finally get over the hump. Canada’s quest for three straight gold medals — and perhaps a fourth.
The NHL skipped the 2018 Olympics in South Korea for business reasons, tired of the mid-season hole in its schedule. The league was then forced to back out of Beijing 2022 this week because of massive COVID-19 disruptions that led to a string of postponements.
Hockey’s best have committed to going to the 2026 Games, but by the time that event opens in Italy, it will have been 12 years since NHLers skated on Olympic ice.
McDavid will have just turned 29 years old, while Matthews will be 28. Crosby and Ovechkin — 38 and 40, respectively, by the time 2026 rolls around — might be retired.
The last best-on-best tournament for this generation of stars was the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. But McDavid and Matthews were on the gimmicky under-23 North American squad, while players from a handful of European countries were grouped together to round out and balance the eight-team field.
Before the NHL first went to the Olympics in 1998 to begin a streak of five straight appearances, hockey fans at least had Canada Cups and World Cups to whet their appetite for elite international competition.
With no NHLers going to Beijing and no concrete plans for a World Cup resurrection, The Canadian Press takes a look at some of the lost storylines from two Olympic Games missed:
MCDAVID AND CROSBY
The superstars have only played together once for Canada, and that was at the 2015 world championships in the Czech Republic.
Crosby, of course, scored the golden goal in overtime against the U.S at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and then captained his country to another podium-topping finish four years later in Sochi, Russia, to complement a long list of NHL honours with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
McDavid, meanwhile, already has two Hart Trophy wins as a league MVP and has captured the Art Ross Trophy on three occasions as its top scorer with the Edmonton Oilers.
The duo was primed to lead Canada in both South Korea and China.
Would they have played on the same line? What would the Canadian power play have looked like when sprinkling in Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar?
MATTHEWS LEADING THE U.S.
Auston Matthews topped the NHL with 41 goals in 52 games last season, and was primed to headline a dynamic U.S. roster in Beijing.
The Toronto Maple Leafs sniper might have played on a line with veteran Patrick Kane at both the 2018 and 2022 Games, and would have hit the ice this time around with a group featuring fellow youngsters like Kyle Connor, Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, Alex DeBrincat, Adam Fox and Charlie McAvoy. Jack Eichel might have also been in the mix as he recovers from neck surgery.
The Americans haven’t won Olympic gold since the Miracle on Ice at the 1980 Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. They claimed silver in 2002 and 2010 with NHLers after losing to Canada in both finals.
This iteration of the U.S. program might have had what it takes to unseat the Canadians.
COULD RUSSIA GET ITS ACT TOGETHER?
The Russian team won non-NHL Olympic gold in 2018 with a roster of players from its domestic Kontinental Hockey League that included Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk.
But the country’s stars plying their trade in North America haven’t medalled since winning silver in 1998 and bronze in 2002.
Russia had high hopes as tournament hosts in 2014, but lost to Finland in the quarterfinals.
Barring injury, they would have had the best goalie of the tournament in China with Andrei Vasilevskiy, and a forward group led by Ovechkin, Nikita Kucherov, Evgeni Malkin, Artemi Panarin, Kirill Kaprizov and Vladimir Tarasenko.
Defence might have been a little thin to get over the hump, but in a single-elimination tournament and with a hot netminder, anything’s possible.
UPSET POTENTIAL
Canada and the U.S. are together in Group A in Beijing along with Germany and China.
There would have been a clear advantage for the North Americans, but a German outfit led by Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stutzle and Moritz Seider wouldn’t be an easy out.
Germany surprised Canada’s non-NHLers in the 2018 Olympic semis before falling to the Russians for gold, and is a program that continues to be on the rise.
“We just want to work hard and play for ourselves,” Stutzle said before the start of the NHL season about being in a group with Canada and the U.S. “We want to set a good note for German hockey.”
That will have to wait until at least 2026.
MISSED OPPORTUNITIES
While players like Crosby and Ovechkin have enjoyed Olympic opportunities, and McDavid and Matthews still have runway remaining, a number of stars might never get the chance.
Steven Stamkos was passed over by Canada in 2010 despite being on the way to a 51-goal season before breaking his leg ahead of Sochi.
Victor Hedman, his teammate with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the 2018 Norris Trophy winner, didn’t get the call in 2014.
Brad Marchand has developed into an NHL stud, but only played at 2016 World Cup for Canada.
And then there’s John Tavares, who injured his knee in 2014 at his only Olympics.
Stamkos, Hedman and Tavares are all 31, while Marchand is 33. Each might not get another crack.
CANADIAN ROSTER DEBATE
Would Drew Doughty have made Canada’s blue line? What about Andrew Mangiapane as a darkhorse up front?
How would Canadian head coach Jon Cooper have organized his forward group and dealt with his country’s uncertain goaltending situation? Would he have let the roster’s skill run wild, unlike Mike Babcock in 2014.
Would Tavares and Stamkos have received the call? Could Canada have won a third straight gold in 2018, and perhaps a fourth in Beijing?
Just some of the Olympic questions without answers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2021.
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.
