Hockey Canada: Possible sanctions beyond case for charged players - CTV News

The five players from Canada's 2018 world junior hockey team facing sexual assault charges also have the potential to encounter further sanctions regardless of the outcome of their case.

Richard McLaren, an Ontario lawyer who authored a report into Russia's sports doping at the Olympics, said players could be banned from playing in the NHL due to violating their team's and the league's code of conduct.

"There's a lot of factors," he said. "It involves the player, their team, the league and the players association when it comes to further repercussions."

Lawyers for all five players: Alex Formenton, Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube, Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Carter Hart, New Jersey forward Michael McLeod and Devils defenceman Cal Foote say their clients intend to plead not guilty.

Formenton, a former Ottawa Senator who plays in Switzerland, surrendered to police in London on Sunday.

The five players have also been allowed to go on indefinite leave from their pro clubs.

The NHL has conducted its own investigation into the sexual assault allegations, which have not been proven in court.

McLaren says even if the players are acquitted in a criminal court, the code of conduct agreement laid out by the players' union and pro clubs means they could be banned from playing in the NHL in the future.

"That's totally possible," he said.

But they can also continue a playing career, McLaren said, adding that in his opinion its unlikely they would be barred from playing in the United States if they're acquitted.

Tom Mayenknecht, a principal in Emblematica Brand Builders and a former sports executive, said the players' behaviour and attitude during the court case could have a bearing on any possible future.

"These things depend not only on what the players have been accused of doing and what they could potentially be convicted on, it's often measured on how they handle it," he said.

He said the players' professional clubs will be required to make a decision on whether to continue to employ them while the case remains without a verdict.

Mayenknecht said sports teams and fans can also have a short memory when it comes to a player's behaviour.

"There are examples of athletes from individual and team sports who have made some horrible errors in judgment and (committed) horrible acts and are not only charged but proven to have done so, and they've found ways to get back to a situation where they can operate moving forward and people have forgiven them," he said.

NHL teams have directed inquiries about the players involved in the case to the league.

The league did not return a request for comment when asked about its role in handling inquiries for teams.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2024.

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2024-02-01 00:02:34Z
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Where things stand with sexual assault case involving 2018 Canada world junior players - CBC.ca

A scandal has rocked Canadian hockey and led to multiple investigations of several prominent players who were on the nation's gold medal-winning 2018 world junior team, including some who have moved on to the NHL.

The latest developments came Tuesday when lawyers representing four current NHL players said their clients had been charged with sexual assault. A former NHL player surrendered to police Sunday to face a sexual assault charge. The attorneys say their clients are innocent.

Police in London, Ont., have scheduled a news conference for Monday to provide details about their investigation.

What happened

A woman sued Hockey Canada in 2022, alleging she was sexually assaulted by eight members of Canada's world junior team after a fundraising gala in London in 2018. Hockey Canada settled the lawsuit, and then an investigation revealed the organization had two secret slush funds to pay out settlements on claims of sexual assault and abuse.

According to court documents, the woman, then 20, alleged that a man, identified only as "John Doe .1," took her from a bar to a hotel room and invited seven other men into the room to perform undisclosed sexual acts, intimidating her and preventing her from leaving. The woman said in the lawsuit the men directed her to take a shower and asked her to say on video that she was sober.

The woman sought $3.55 million in damages and dropped the lawsuit after reaching a settlement with Hockey Canada.

London police launched an internal review in July 2022, and the NHL said it would conduct an independent investigation into what happened because some active players were on that team and attended the gala. Commissioner Gary Bettman pledged to release the findings once completed.

Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly in June said the investigation was complete and expected a report by midsummer that the league would then review. So far, the NHL has not released the findings. Daly said last week the league would issue a statement when it is appropriate.

WATCH | 5 former world juniors players face sexual assault charges:

5 former Canadian world junior hockey players now face sexual assault charges

8 hours ago

Duration 2:52

Dillon Dubé, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod, Carter Hart and Alex Formenton, left to right, have all been charged in relation to an alleged sexual assault while they were members of the Canadian team at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in London, Ont., in 2018.

Who has been charged?

Goaltender Carter Hart of the Philadelphia Flyers has been charged with one count of sexual assault, according to his attorneys, who maintained his innocence. Lawyers representing Michael McLeod and Cal Foote of the New Jersey Devils and Dillon Dubé of the Calgary Flames also said their clients were charged with sexual assault and denied wrongdoing.

"Cal is innocent of the charge and will defend himself against this allegation to clear his name," Foote's attorney, Julianna Greenspan, said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. "What is most critical at this time is the presumption of innocence, and the right to a fair trial that everyone in Canada is entitled to. As the matter is before the court, I ask that Cal's and his family's privacy be respected. There will be no further comment at this time."

Former NHL player Alex Formenton surrendered to police to face charges on Sunday.

Hart is the Flyers' No. 1 goaltender, while McLeod and Dubé are regular players. Foote, a defenceman and son of former NHL player Adam Foote, has primarily been in the American Hockey League this season. Formenton plays for Swiss club HC Ambri-Piotta after skating in 109 games for the Ottawa Senators from 2017 through 2022.

It is not clear what, if anything, might happen to the three other players alleged by the woman to have been in the room.

What's next?

It's not uncommon in Canada for police to provide significant time for anyone facing charges to surrender, which helps explain why the next update is set for next week, two days after the NHL's All-Star Weekend in Toronto.

It's unclear when the NHL will release its findings, though Daly has repeatedly deferred to the London police investigation, so waiting for charges to be announced wouldn't be surprising.

The teams are planning to compete without those players for the foreseeable future. Flyers general manager Daniel Brière, at a pre-scheduled midseason news conference last week, read a statement and had few answers about Hart's absence.

"We will respond appropriately when the outcomes of the investigations are made public," he said.

Spokespeople for the Devils and Flyers on Tuesday said the organizations were aware of the reports and have been told to refer all inquiries to the league. The NHL was not expected to address the situation until Bettman speaks at the upcoming All-Star Weekend in Toronto.

Possible fallout?

For the players, no one knows. If any players are convicted of sexual assault, Canadian law includes jail-time sentences, depending on several factors, including the age of the alleged victim.

There's some precedent for what punishment the NHL could dole out as far as suspensions for off-ice misconduct. Bettman has wide latitude to make decisions in the interest of the game. There is an appeals process through the NHL Players' Association and an arbitrator jointly hired by the league and union to rule on disputes, when necessary.

The league in 2019 suspended Los Angeles Kings defenceman Slava Voynov for the 2019-20 season and ensuing playoffs after determining he committed acts of domestic violence.

Hockey Canada has already lost several sponsors, including Nike, and its CEO and board resigned in 2022 in the wake of this and other scandals.

Potential sanctions beyond case

The players facing sexual assault charges also have the potential to encounter further sanctions regardless of the outcome of their case.

Richard McLaren, an Ontario lawyer who authored a report into Russia's sports doping at the Olympics, said players could be banned from playing in the NHL due to violating their team's and the league's code of conduct.

"There's a lot of factors," he said. "It involves the player, their team, the league and the players association when it comes to further repercussions."

Lawyers for all five players say their clients intend to plead not guilty.

McLaren says even if the players are acquitted in a criminal court, the code of conduct agreement laid out by the players' union and pro clubs means they could be banned from playing in the NHL in the future.

But they can also continue a playing career, McLaren said, adding that in his opinion it's unlikely they would be barred from playing in the United States if they're acquitted.

Tom Mayenknecht, a principal in Emblematica Brand Builders and a former sports executive, said the players' behaviour and attitude during the court case could have a bearing on any possible future.

"These things depend not only on what the players have been accused of doing and what they could potentially be convicted on, it's often measured on how they handle it," he said.

He said the players' professional clubs will be required to make a decision on whether to continue to employ them while the case remains without a verdict.

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Andretti F1 entry REJECTED as F1 issues biting bid assessment - Planet F1

Formula 1 has issued a statement rejecting the Andretti Global entry into Formula 1 over the coming seasons.

Andretti’s attempts to enter Formula 1 over the coming seasons have been brutally rejected by Formula 1, with a full assessment offered by the sport to clarify the reasons for the rejection.

Last year, the FIA invited applicants to tender for application to the championship, with the Andretti entry – overseen by former F1 driver Michael Andretti, son of 1978 World Champion Mario –  being the most serious of the applications. That application, having passed the initial stages outlined by the FIA, has now been rejected.

Andretti entry bid rejected by Formula 1

With the FIA confirming in October 2023 that Andretti’s application had fulfilled the initial selection criteria, the governing body indicated Andretti could proceed to the next stage – that being an assessment by Formula 1 as the commercial rights holder (Liberty Media – CRH).

This process was to determine whether or not Andretti’s entry would bring value to the championship – both the FIA and F1 must agree for an applicant to make it onto the grid.

Critically, F1 says a letter of invitation to an in-person meeting with Andretti to discuss the application was not taken up by Andretti and has now outlined how the team’s entry should not be considered for inclusion on the grid in either 2025 or ’26.

What reasons did F1 give for Andretti rejection?

In a statement issued to the media, F1 stated that, in itself, an 11th team wouldn’t necessarily add any value to the championship.

The justification for this is that an 11th team needed to show that its involvement would be of material benefit to the championship or to the CRH.

“The most significant way in which a new entrant would bring value is by being competitive, in particular by competing for podiums and race wins,” said the statement.

“This would materially increase fan engagement and would also increase the value of the Championship in the eyes of key stakeholders and sources of revenue such as broadcasters and race promoters.”

Andretti’s link-up with Cadillac through General Motors, a huge coup for the entry, didn’t sway F1 either.

While GM would link up with Andretti, the manufacturer would not be a power supplier initially – instead being a ‘silent partner’ for the first few years. F1 said a GM power unit supply from the outset would have “enhanced its credibility”, although a novice constructor and novice power unit supplier “would also have a significant challenge to overcome.”

With the chassis and power unit regulations also going through revolutionary changes between 2025 and ’26, requiring very different designs on both fronts, F1 also scoffed the suggestion that Andretti would design and build a car for the final year of the current regulations only to immediately design and build a car for the new regulations almost immediately.

Without a GM power unit from the get-go, F1 also explained that the existing power unit manufacturers – one of whom would be made to supply an engine based on the sporting regulations forcing them to do so – would “inevitably be reticent to extend its collaboration with [Andretti] beyond the minimum required while [Andretti] pursues its ambition of collaborating with GM as a PU supplier in the longer term, which the compulsory PU supplier would see as a risk to its intellectual property and know-how.”

As a result, F1 said there’s no basis to allow a new applicant in for 2025 and questioned Andretti’s own attitude towards the regulations by saying: “The fact that [Andretti] proposes to do so gives us reason to question their understanding of the scope of the challenge involved.”

Despite Andretti’s success in other motorsport categories, F1 also said that the sport ” represents a unique technical challenge to constructors of a nature that [Andretti] has not faced in any other formula or discipline in which it has previously competed, and it proposes to do so with a dependency on a compulsory PU supply in the initial years of its participation.

“On this basis, we do not believe that [Andretti] would be a competitive participant.”

F1 also explained that, on the power unit front, the challenge facing a new power unit manufacturer is not one to be underestimated. Citing how “major automotive manufacturers have struggled in the past”, F1 conceded that GM has the resources and credibility to do so but that “success is not assured”.

F1 would ‘bring more value to Andretti’ than the other way around

Examining Andretti’s application through a commercial lens, F1 said the team could provide value to the championship provided they are competitive. However, F1 bluntly said: “We do not believe that [Andretti] would be a competitive participant”.

While the regulations do have a clause to force existing power unit manufacturers to supply customers that can’t find a willing partner, F1 has shied away from making that happen by saying it would be “damaging to the prestige and standing” of the sport.

In a real poke in the eye for Andretti, the statement also said “While the Andretti name carries some recognition for F1 fans, our research indicates that F1 would bring value to the Andretti brand rather than the other way around.”

F1 also said they could not forecast any material positive effects on financial results for the CRH, while also placing additional operational burdens on race promoters alongside a reduction in technical, operational, and commercial opportunities for the other 10 teams.

“We do not believe that the Applicant has shown that it would add value to the Championship,” concluded the statement.

“We conclude that the Applicant’s application to participate in the Championship should not be successful.”

However, the door might not be completely shut for Andretti who, only this week, revealed they are continuing with a full-speed-ahead approach to preparing for a possible F1 entry over the next year or two.

F1 said the prospect of entry into the 2028 championship with GM backing, either as a factory entry or a customer team, could be looked upon differently, particularly in respect of bringing a new OEM into the sport.

Finally, while many of the current F1 teams made their lack of enthusiasm for an Andretti entry very obvious, F1 said their assessment of Andretti’s application “did not involve any consultation with the current F1 teams.

“However, in considering the best interests of the Championship we took account of the impact of the entry of an 11th team on all commercial stakeholders in the Championship.”

Read Next: F1 did not just reject Andretti’s bid…they tore it to absolute pieces

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2024-01-31 16:30:00Z
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Tour announces $3-billion investment by Sports Strategic Group to form PGA Tour Enterprises - NBC Sports

The PGA Tour has finalized an agreement with the Strategic Sports Group that will infuse up to $3 billion into the Tour’s new for-profit entity, PGA Tour Enterprises.

SSG’s landmark deal to become a minority investor in PGA Tour Enterprises was announced Wednesday morning in a 30-minute conference call from commissioner Jay Monahan to members of the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Champions.

“This is a monumental day for our organization,” Monahan told players.

In a historic aspect of the agreement, nearly 200 PGA Tour players will have access to more than $1.5 billion in equity in this new venture. The initial grants, available to qualified Tour members, would vest over time and be based on a player’s recent and career achievements. It represents a significant shift in how the Tour has typically rewarded performance through prize money and bonus programs.

Members of the PGA Tour policy board, who signed off on the deal, said this unprecedented arrangement encourages the players to be fully invested in their product and aligns the interests of the competitors, management and investors.

According to a source, Tiger Woods, who was named last year as a player director on the policy board, told players that, “As the Tour grows, we grow. The more we invest into the Tour, the more we get the benefits of it.”

Fellow player director Peter Malnati followed Woods on the call, according to a source, and said that although he was “exhausted” by the process, he was “energized by what’s to come.”

Monahan told players that part of SSG’s initial $1.5 billion investment to fuel growth will be used toward areas such as the Tour’s digital platforms, data programs, DP World Tour, the Tour’s international presence and other investment opportunities, according to a source.

The agreement with the U.S.-based investors is separate from the negotiations that are ongoing between the Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund. The Dec. 31 deadline that was outlined in the initial framework agreement was extended into this year, and SSG has consented to a co-investment with the PIF in the future.

On the call, Monahan described the negotiations with the PIF as “active” and “frequent,” according to a source. Monahan was in Saudi Arabia earlier this month to meet in person with PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

The Tour announced last December that, after receiving more than two dozen investment bids, it was entering the final stages of negotiations with SSG, a consortium led by Fenway Sports Group that also included notable billionaire sports team owners such as Arthur Blank and Steve Cohen. Combined, the investment group boasts more than 200 years of experience in sports and entertainment.

As part of the new structure of PGA Tour Enterprises, there will be a 13-person board: seven players; four representatives from SSG, an independent director from the PGA Tour policy board; and the current commissioner of the PGA Tour.

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2024-01-31 15:45:00Z
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Brutal Alpine sack details released as Otmar Szafnauer dishes the dirt - Planet F1

Six months after his axing, Otmar Szafnauer isn’t holding back in his criticism of Alpine’s higher-ups, revealing they blatantly told him “we don’t have time for this”.

As the Romanian gears up for a potential return to the F1 paddock with Michael Andretti’s Andretti Cadillac, if of course they’re accepted as the sport’s 11th team, Szafnauer isn’t holding back in his criticism of his former bosses.

The 59-year-old, along with Alpine stalwart Alan Permane, was axed on the eve of last year’s Belgian Grand Prix, given just one last race on the pit wall before packing his bags.

Otmar Szafnauer talked progress, but Alpine bosses didn’t agree

That came as a surprise, as while Permane had put in some 30-plus years with the Enstone outfit, Szafnauer was recruited only in February 2022.

Although the team’s higher-ups, at the time led by Laurent Rossi, spoke of a 100-Grand Prix success plan; 36 races after he joined the French squad, Szafnauer was given the boot.

He has now revealed “disagreements” with Alpine’s top brass that led to his 10-day notice period.

“This may sound egotistical but I believe I was doing a good job at Alpine and that I was making the right changes,” he told Motor Sport Magazine.

“I have seen new team leaders make changes for the sake of change, they want to show the owners that they are doing something, making changes for the better.

“The problem is they often don’t understand the changes they’re making. When you walk into a situation like Alpine you first have to get a deep understanding of what you have, what’s good, and what needs changing, but you cannot do that overnight.

“Alpine’s senior bosses wanted success faster than was possible. I told them what was possible, and they said they didn’t have time for that.

“It seems they don’t understand that it takes time to change a culture, to get new skill sets where we didn’t have them. They simply don’t have the technical ability they need.

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“When I got there I told them they needed this stuff and some new people. When you start recruiting you are lucky to get anyone within a year because of their multi-year contracts. And, of course, you need to offer them something they don’t have, like more responsibility.

“I told Alpine I was making progress but their response was always ‘we don’t have time for this.’ That was the cause of our disagreement and I was given less than 10 days warning of their decision that led to my departure at the Belgian GP.”

Szafnauer was replaced by vice president of Alpine Motorsport Bruno Famin who will continue as the F1 team’s principal for the 2024 season.

Szafnauer has been linked to a return to the paddock with Andretti while Permane has been snapped by Red Bull’s junior team, VCARB.

Read next: Axed F1 team principal plots sensational return with Andretti

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5 hockey pros face sexual assault charges in 2018 case from when they were on Canada’s world junior team - CNN

CNN  — 

Four NHL players and one former NHL player are facing sexual assault charges in Canada in connection with allegations from 2018, their attorneys said Tuesday – a fresh development in a case that has wrapped Canada’s national hockey governing body in controversy.

The charges relate to a woman’s accusation that multiple members of Canada’s world junior hockey team sexually assaulted her in London, Ontario, in 2018. All five of the players facing charges were members of that team at the time.

One of the players facing charges, former Ottawa Senators forward Alex Formenton, who now plays professionally in Switzerland, turned himself in to police in London on Sunday, his legal team said. The others facing charges, according to their lawyers or their clubs, include New Jersey Devils center Mike McLeod; Devils defenseman Cal Foote; Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart; and Calgary Flames center Dillon Dube. The current NHL players have been instructed to surrender to authorities in connection with the allegations, London police have said.

The case garnered widespread attention in May 2022 when Canadian broadcaster TSN reported the woman had settled a lawsuit she’d filed against Hockey Canada – the nation’s governing body for the sport – and members of the junior team over the assault allegations. A cascade of developments followed, including June 2022 parliamentary hearings over Hockey Canada’s handling of the case, and July 2022 announcements that London police and Hockey Canada would reopen their investigations.

Investigators are scheduled to address the London police investigation and pending charges in a news conference scheduled for Monday.

Formenton “will vigorously defend his innocence and asks that people not rush to judgment without hearing all of the evidence,” his attorneys, Daniel Brown and Lindsay Board, said in a release. Formenton, who played for the Senators in 2017, took an indefinite leave of absence from Swiss hockey club Ambri-Piotta last week.

McLeod “denies any criminal wrongdoing,” his attorneys, David Humphrey and Seth Weinstein, said in a release. “He will be pleading not guilty and will vigorously defend the case.

Foote “is innocent of the charge and will defend himself against this allegation to clear his name,” a lawyer for Foote said. “What is most critical at this time is the presumption of innocence, and the right to a fair trial that everyone in Canada is entitled to.”

Hart “is innocent and will provide a full response to this false allegation in the proper forum, a court of law,” his attorneys Riaz Sayani and Megan Savard said in a joint release.

Dube “will plead not guilty and maintains his innocence,” and “will defend the allegations in court,” his attorneys, Louis P. Strezos and Kaleigh Davidson, said Tuesday, according to ESPN. CNN has sought comment from Dube’s attorneys.

The Flames are “aware of the charge of sexual assault that has been laid against Dillon Dube,” the club said Tuesday. “We take this matter very seriously. Because the matter is now pending legal proceedings, we will have no further comment at this time.”

The Flames had said January 21 that Dube was “granted an indefinite leave of absence from the team while he attends to his mental health.” On Tuesday, the club said it had “no knowledge of pending charges at the time Dillon’s request for a leave of absence was granted.”

The Devils, for whom McLeod and Foote play, are “aware of the reports” and have “been told to refer all inquiries regarding this to the league,” the team told CNN Tuesday.

The NHL declined to comment Tuesday when reached by CNN. CNN also has sought comment from the woman’s lawyer and Hockey Canada.

Hockey Canada apologized in 2022 for its handing of the case

A month after the TSN report, the Canadian government in June 2022 announced it was freezing federal, public funding for Hockey Canada until the organization had submitted the complete results of its original, two-year investigation and plans for implementing change within Hockey Canada.

During parliamentary hearings in June 2022, executives for Hockey Canada disclosed that it was notified of the incident the day after it was alleged to have taken place in 2018.

“We immediately initiated a process to investigate, beginning by contacting police.
We commissioned an independent investigation and appointed an independent adjudication panel of judges to review the findings of that investigation,” said Tom Renney, Hockey Canada’s former CEO, during testimony.

Renney confirmed during the hearings that Hockey Canada had settled a civil lawsuit that the woman field in April 2022, but he did not reveal settlement amount.

In July 2022, Hockey Canada published a letter apologizing for it said was inadequate action regarding the assault allegations, and said it was reopening an internal investigation. Three months later, the organization announced its CEO and board of directors were being replaced.

CNN’s David Close contributed to this report.

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Merzlikins makes 21 saves as Blue Jackets blank Blues - Sportsnet.ca

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2024-01-31 03:49:00Z
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Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Michael McLeod and Cal Foote charged with sexual assault in Canada - The Athletic

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart, Calgary Flames forward Dillon Dube and New Jersey Devils forward Michael McLeod and defenseman Cal Foote — four members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team — were charged with sexual assault in connection to an incident that occurred in 2018 in London, Ont., the lawyers of each player confirmed to The Athletic.

Each lawyer issued separate statements Tuesday.

“We can now confirm that more than five and a half years after EM’s initial complaint to police, the London Police Service has charged Mike McLeod with sexual assault,” the e-mailed statement from David Humphrey and Seth Weinstein read.

The statement indicated that McLeod denies any criminal wrongdoing and “will be pleading not guilty and will vigorously defend the case.”

The statement added, “None of the evidence has been presented, let alone tested in court. We ask that the public respect Mr. McLeod’s privacy, and his family’s privacy. Because the matter is now before the court, we will not comment further at this time.”

Later on Tuesday, a lawyer representing Dube released a similar statement.

“The London Police Service have charged Mr. Dube with sexual assault. He will plead not guilty and maintains his innocence,” the statement from Louis Stress read. “He will defend the allegations in court. We ask that you respect the privacy of Mr. Dube and that of his family.”

A statement on behalf of Hart — attributed to his lawyers Megan Savard and Riaz Salani — read, “We act for Carter Hart and confirm he has been charged with one count of sexual assault. He is innocent and will provide a full response to this false allegation in the proper forum, a court of law. Until then, we have no comment.”

Julianna Greenspan, representing Foote, said Tuesday night in a statement: “Cal is innocent of the charge and will defend himself against this allegation to clear his name. What is most critical at this time is the presumption of innocence, and the right to a fair trial that everyone in Canada is entitled to. As the matter is before the court, I ask that Cal’s and his family’s privacy be respected. There will be no further comment at this time.”

McLeod, Dube, Hart and Foote are the second, third, fourth and fifth players to be publicly identified in the case after Alex Formenton’s lawyer confirmed the former Ottawa Senators player was charged by London Police on Sunday. The Globe and Mail reported that five members of Canada’s 2018 world junior hockey team were told to surrender to police to face sexual assault charges last week.

On Sunday, London police told The Athletic that they will “provide all updates” related to the case at a news conference scheduled for Feb. 5.

The Globe and Mail reported the pending charges are related to an alleged sexual assault of a woman by several players in a London hotel room on June 19, 2018, following a Hockey Canada Foundation event.

GO DEEPER

One night in London: Allegations of sexual assault and a reckoning for Hockey Canada

The allegations were made public in a lawsuit filed by the woman against Hockey Canada in April 2022. In the complaint, filed in Ontario Superior Court, the woman alleged she was assaulted by eight players in a hotel room after the foundation event. Members of Canada’s 2018 world junior team were among those accused of assault in the lawsuit.

Hockey Canada and the woman settled the lawsuit in May 2022.

After the lawsuit was made public, London police and Hockey Canada reopened their investigations into the incident, and the NHL launched an investigation as well. The initial investigation by London police was closed in February 2019, without charges being filed.

When reached for comment, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league won’t be making a statement “at this time.” The NHLPA also declined to comment.

GO DEEPER

Hockey Canada timeline: Major developments so far

The 25-year-old Hart appeared in 26 games for the Flyers this season. On Jan. 24, Hart requested and was granted an indefinite leave of absence from the Flyers for personal reasons.

Dube, 25, had appeared in 43 games with the Flames this season. On Jan. 21, the Flames issued a statement that read, “Dillon Dube has been granted an indefinite leave of absence from the team while he attends to his mental health. Dillon is under the care of health professionals, and we request that Dillon’s privacy is respected during this period.”

On Tuesday, the Flames released another statement saying they “have now become aware” of the allegations against Dube and the organization “had no knowledge of pending charges at the time Dillon’s request for a leave of absence was granted.”

McLeod, 25, has appeared in 45 games for the Devils this season. Foote, also 25, split his time between the New Jersey Devils and their AHL farm team in Utica this season. He played 24 games with Utica and four with New Jersey. Last week, the Devils issued a statement in which both McLeod and Foote had requested and been granted an indefinite leave of absence from the team. The Devils declined to comment any further to The Athletic on Tuesday night.

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2024-01-31 05:51:29Z
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Sources confirm NHL players facing charges in sexual assault investigation - TSN

Content Warning: The following article contains references to sexual assault.

Four National Hockey League players – Carter Hart, Michael McLeod, Dillon Dube, and Cal Foote – have been directed to surrender to police in London, Ont., to be charged with sexual assault in connection with an alleged incident that occurred during a Hockey Canada event in the city in June 2018, two sources familiar with the matter told TSN.

The players are expected to surrender before the London Police Service holds a press conference on Monday to update the public on the high-profile case.

Lawyers for the four players either declined to comment or did not respond to a request for comment.

The Globe and Mail reported on Jan. 24 that London police have instructed five members of Canada’s 2018 World Junior team to surrender to be charged with sexual assault. Former Ottawa Senators player Alex Formenton, who currently plays in Switzerland, reported to police on Jan. 28 to be officially charged.

Gary Ellis, the former head of Toronto Police Service’s sex crimes unit, told TSN in an interview that the players would be photographed, fingerprinted, and directed to sign an undertaking not to have contact with the alleged victim, either the first time they report to police or at a subsequent date.

The five players are accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a London hotel on June 19, 2018, following a Hockey Canada Foundation golf and gala event.

The complainant, a woman referred to as E.M. in court documents, met some of the players at a downtown bar following the event. She has alleged in a civil lawsuit that she left the bar with one man and had consensual sex with him. That man then invited other players to his room, without E.M.’s consent, to have sex with E.M., she alleged.  

None of the allegations against the players have been proven.

London police initially investigated E.M.’s allegations before closing the case in February 2019 without laying charges because the lead detective didn’t believe there was enough evidence.

In May 2022, TSN reported Hockey Canada had – without consulting any players involved in the alleged incident – quietly settled a $3.55-million lawsuit brought by E.M. against Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and eight unnamed players in connection to the alleged attack. The story led to parliamentary hearings and a maelstrom of public backlash. The NHL and Hockey Canada commissioned investigations and the London police in July 2022 said they would re-open their investigation.

In October 2022, London police filed a 94-page document in court requesting authorization to seek various court orders. In the filing, which was first reported by The Globe, a London police officer wrote that he believed there were reasonable grounds to believe that five members of the 2018 World Junior team had committed sexual assault in connection to the hotel incident.

The four players who have yet to report to police are all 25 years old and have all taken leaves of absence from their NHL teams.

Hart, a goalie with the Philadelphia Flyers, is playing in his sixth NHL season and in his final year of a three-year, $11.9 million contract.

Dube, a centre with the Calgary Flames, is in his sixth NHL season and is in the final year of a three-year contract worth an average of $2.3 million.

McLeod, a centre with the New Jersey Devils, is in his sixth NHL season. He signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract in July 2023.

Foote, whose father is former NHL defenceman Adam Foote, has played in four games with the Devils this season and also has played in the American Hockey League. He signed a one-year, $800,000 contract in August.

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2024-01-30 19:59:54Z
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Blue Jays’ Guerrero Jr. follows father’s footsteps as ‘MLB The Show’ cover athlete - Sportsnet.ca

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1. Blue Jays’ Guerrero Jr. follows father’s footsteps as ‘MLB The Show’ cover athlete  Sportsnet.ca
2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the MLB The Show 24 cover athlete  MLB.com
3. 'This is my season': MLB The Show 24 cover star Vlad Guerrero Jr. looks to bounce back  ESPN
4. MLB The Show 24 cover will feature Vladimir Guerrero Jr. March 19  PlayStation
5. Vladdy lands MLB The Show 24 cover  theScore

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2024-01-30 18:08:00Z
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What Justin Turner brings to the table for the Blue Jays - Sportsnet.ca

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2024-01-30 15:53:00Z
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MLB insider puts reputation on the line again by teasing Justin Turner-Blue Jays deal - Jays Journal

In an interview on Sportsnet’s ‘Blair & Barker’ show last week, Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette name dropped two guys he thought the Blue Jays could sign as “veteran bats that can really help out, not just on the field but off the field as well.”

Justin Turner and Bichette are both currently represented by the same agency, Vayner Sports, so the comment raised some eyebrows. Monday night, former MLB infielder Carlos Baerga took the rumours up a notch with an Instagram post that said in Spanish, “Justin Turner reached an agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays” and that it could be announced as soon as today.

Obviously nothing has been finalized, and Baerga has been wrong before on players coming to Toronto, including Freddie Freeman. But, using the mosaic theory, this plus the Bichette comment qualifies as smoke.

Recall that it was Baerga who was first on the Yariel Rodríguez signing with Toronto, so let’s give some credence to this rumour. MLB Insider Jon Morosi also tweeted out Monday that the Blue Jays “have sincere interest in free agents J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner.”

The Blue Jays have sincere interest in free agents J.D. Martinez and Justin Turner, whom Bo Bichette mentioned in a recent @FAN590 interview.

Martinez (.880 OPS) and Turner (.766) both produced against RHP last year, which overrides the Jays' slight preference to add LHH.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 29, 2024

Turner is 39-years old and will be entering his 16th MLB season, trumping even Brandon Belt, who was in his 13th season last year with Toronto. So he would definitely bring experience to the clubhouse and off the field. Turner is a two-time All-Star, and won the NLCS MVP award in 2020 in helping the Los Angeles Dodgers win the World Series that year.

He spent 9 years with Los Angeles before joining Boston on a two-year, $21.7M guaranteed contract ahead of last season. However, the deal gave him a $13.4M player option for the upcoming season, which he opted out of last November in favour of a $6.7M buyout. His base salary last season was $8.3M, and he earned another $1M in incentives. But with the buyout, he’ll only need a contract with Toronto worth more than the $6.7M he gave up by opting out of the Boston deal to come out ahead.

Turner can still rake, with 23 home runs and 96 RBI last season, to go with a .276/.345/.455/.800 slash line and OPS+ of 114. Importantly, he can mash right-handed pitching even if he isn’t another left-handed bat. In 462 plate appearances against RHP in 2023, he hit 15 home runs with 72 RBI and a .273/.336/.430/.766 slash line.

And the Green Monster doesn’t explain all of his power: while 12 of his home runs and 47 RBI were at Fenway, 11 homers and 49 RBI came on the road, although his batting average was .293 in Boston versus .258 away. And his numbers were close to his career averages of .288/.363/.465/.829 and OPS+ of 125. He’s also had five MLB campaigns with 20 or more home runs, including 23 last year, and 27 in each of the 2019 and 2021 seasons.

While he’d likely spend more time as a DH in Toronto, he can also still play the field. Turner played 289.1 innings at 1B last year, posting a DRS of +3 which compares with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s DRS of -6. Turner also played 49 innings at 2B (0 DRS) and 57 innings at 3B (DRS of -3).

As per his Baseball Reference Bullpen page, “In addition to his distinctive red beard and red hair, Turner is known for a distinctive stain on his uniform, on the back of his shoulders. It comes from resting his pine-tar-stained bat on that precise spot as a matter of course while preparing for an upcoming at-bat.”

He’s also someone who young stars like Bo Bichette can look up to, both on the field and off. If he can fill the Brandon Belt role for a year at a similar $9.3M salary Belt had in 2023, he should improve the Blue Jays lineup even if he does hit from the right-side. And while he’s not an upgrade at 3B, like Belt, he should be able to spell Guerrero at first base for as many as 50 games.

Assuming Turner signs for $8~10M, the Jays luxury tax payroll would - depending on where Vlad’s contract comes out in arbitration - rise to about $258M, which would be bang in-line with their 2023 level. That certainly jives with what team president Mark Shapiro said after the season: “I don’t expect a dramatic philosophical shift in payroll. I expect us to stay in the same area.”

So as the Blue Jays lineup for 2024 continues to take shape, it’s looking like Ross Atkins may have found that one bat he said he was still looking for when he last spoke with Jays media earlier this month. Whether more additions like Matt Chapman, Cody Bellinger, Jorger Soler, J.D. Martinez or the left-handed hitting (and Toronto born) Joey Votto could still be added remains to be seen, but Justin Turner would in the very least be one significant addition.

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2024-01-30 13:15:00Z
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Senators rally from down 3, defeat Predators in OT - NHL.com

Stutzle and Brady Tkachuk each had a goal and an assist, and Drake Batherson scored for the Senators (19-25-2), who are 5-2-2 after a five-game losing streak.

“We showed our maturity from all the lessons that we’ve learned,” said Tkachuk, the Ottawa captain. “In the past, it could’ve gotten away from us, but we stuck to it, stuck to our game and really emphasized doing it as a team versus trying to do it individually.”

Joonas Korpisalo made 17 saves in relief of Mads Sogaard, who allowed three goals on 11 shots and was pulled after the first period.

“I didn’t want to wait because I think that we needed a bit of a shock,” Senators coach Jacques Martin said of pulling Sogaard. “Like, maybe to wake up the rest of the guys. So, we changed our goalies, changed our lines and kind of started from fresh and really tried to put some more pressure. I think our [defensemen] pinched more, and I thought we had more sustained pressure and were able to capitalize.

“Our goaltending made some big saves too. [Korpisalo] made some key saves when we made a couple of mistakes. I thought it was a great team effort.”

Philip Tomasino had a goal and an assist, Michael McCarron and Yakov Trenin scored, and Juuse Saros made 31 saves for the Predators (26-22-2), who have lost four of their past five games (1-3-1).

“They wanted it a little bit more in the second period. I thought fatigue set in [for us],” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “We’ve gone on a bit of a stretch here and our legs weren’t quite there, and then our brains shut off in a few situations, face-offs, gave up two face-off goals, kind of easy offense. But we showed a little bit of grit down the stretch where we know we didn’t have our game, but [we] found a way to get a point.”

McCarron gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 8:26 of the first period. Roman Josi’s dump-in took an odd bounce off a stanchion behind the net and popped out into the slot, where McCarron one-timed it past Sogaard.

Tomasino skated around Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot and drove to the net, chipping the puck over Sogaard’s glove to make it 2-0 at 16:30.

“I think there’s a lot we can learn from tonight, especially how to close out games,” Tomasino said. “I think, going forward, we can’t keep letting this happen.”

Trenin tipped a Dante Fabbro point shot to make it 3-0 at 19:00. It was his first goal in 17 games.

“In this league, when you’re up 3-0 and even when you’re down 3-0, you know the team that’s down is going to come out hard, it’s going to make a push," said Josi, the Predators captain. Nobody’s happy going into the first intermission down 3-0, so we knew they were going to make a push and we just have to be better than that.”

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2024-01-30 05:25:30Z
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Las Vegas' first Super Bowl is driving record prices on the secondary ticket market - NFL - Castanet.net

Photo: The Canadian Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Tickets on at least one secondary-market site were the most expensive in Super Bowl history on Monday, underscoring the anticipation of the game's Las Vegas debut between the defending champion and what likely is the most popular team in the West.

Oh, and the great possibility Taylor Swift will be on hand when the Kansas City Chiefs play the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 11.

The average purchase price on TickPick was $9,815 on Monday morning. That's nearly double the final average price of $5,795 for last year's game between the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles in Glendale, Arizona, although current prices could decline.

It's also more than the previous high of $7,046 for the 2021 game in Tampa, Florida, between the Buccaneers and the Chiefs. The stadium was at 33% capacity because of COVID-19 restrictions, increasing the demand for each ticket.

TickPick's highest non-COVID Super Bowl was in 2020 at Miami Gardens, Florida, when the Chiefs and Niners met for the first time in the championship game. That average price was $6,370.

The cheapest ticket on TickPick for this year's game was $8,188 on Monday, more than the $5,997 low price at this point last year.

“Location has always impacted demand for a Super Bowl, but Vegas takes things to a whole other level,” TickPick co-CEO Brett Goldberg said in a statement to The Associated Press. "It’s already the entertainment capital of the world, and could very well become the sports capital of the world after the Super Bowl.

“With both teams having made at least one Super Bowl appearance in the past five years, we would typically expect there to be slight fatigue from fans, in turn causing prices to dip. Instead, we’re seeing demand hit record highs and a big driver being that fans want to experience their team winning a Super Bowl in Vegas.”

StubHub was experiencing similar demand with an average price of tickets sold at $9,300 on Monday, though that trails the Super Bowl two years ago. The average at the same time was $9,797 for the game in Inglewood, California, when the hometown Los Angeles Rams were preparing to play the Cincinnati Bengals.

The lowest-priced ticket on StubHub for this year's game was $6,500.

Sales on that website are 90% greater than last year at this time and 147% greater than the 2020 meeting between Kansas City and San Francisco.

The convenient location for 49ers fans is helping drive demand, with California residents accounting for 26% of tickets sold on StubHub. That's more than the combined tickets sold to those who live in Nevada (8%) and Kansas or Missouri (7%).

“As predicted, the first Super Bowl in Vegas is seeing strong numbers — sales are nearly double this time last year and early demand has far surpassed the last time Kansas City and San Francisco met in Miami,” StubHub spokesman Adam Budelli said in a statement.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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Kamila Valieva disqualified from 2022 Olympics in doping case, Russia to lose team gold to U.S. - CBC Sports

Canada should be upgraded to bronze after Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva was disqualified from the 2022 Olympics on Monday, almost two years after her doping case caused turmoil at the Beijing Games.

The verdict from the Court of Arbitration for Sport means the Russians are set to be stripped of the gold medal in figure skating's team event.

The United States finished second and is set to be named Olympic champion instead. Japan originally finished third and Canada placed fourth.

CBC Sports has reached out to Skate Canada for comment.

Should the Canadians be elevated to third, it would mean a bronze medal for Roman Sadovsky, Madeline Schizas, Kristen Moore-Towers, Michael Marinaro, Vanessa James, Eric Radford, Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier.

Here’s the decision: A four-year ban for Valieva from Dec 2021 to Dec 2025. Her Olympic results are disqualified, CAS says. A huge win for clean sport and massive loss for the Russian doping system. <a href="https://t.co/7ArFoisqNv">pic.twitter.com/7ArFoisqNv</a>

&mdash;@cbrennansports

The International Olympic Committee decided not to present any medals for the event in Beijing, where the 15-year-old Valieva was the star performer hours before her positive test for a banned heart medicine was revealed.

CAS said it upheld appeals led by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which asked the court to disqualify Valieva from the Olympics and ban her. A Russian sports tribunal had cleared her of any blame.

The CAS judges banned her for four years, through December 2025 — about seven weeks before the next Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

The IOC is responsible for reallocating medals and its executive board is next scheduled to meet in March.

Canada finished fourth in the overall standings with 26 medals, one behind Germany. Norway was first with 37 medals and the Russian Olympic Committee was second with 32.

Valieva's lawyers had argued she was contaminated by traces of the trimetazidine medication they said her grandfather used.

"Having carefully considered all the evidence put before it," the court said in a statement, "the CAS panel concluded that Ms. Valieva was not able to establish, on the balance of probabilities and on the basis of the evidence before the Panel, that she had not committed the [doping violation] intentionally."

The judges decided that, according to Russian anti-doping rules, Valieva could not benefit from having been a minor at the time of the positive test.

There was "no basis under the rules to treat them any differently from an adult athlete," said the court, which did not publish its detailed verdict pending a review of confidentiality issues.

The case provoked legal chaos at the Olympics because Valieva's sample, taken six weeks earlier at the Russian national championships, was not notified by a laboratory in Sweden until hours after she competed in the team event on Feb. 7, 2022.

Intense scrutiny at 2022 Games

Valieva continued to skate at the Olympics after rulings by a Russian tribunal and a separate CAS panel did not hold her responsible as a minor.

The intense scrutiny on Valieva led to an error-filled skate in the individual event, where she had been favoured for gold but dropped to fourth place.

The drama continued when she left the ice. The reaction of her coach, Eteri Tutberidze, was fiercely criticized by skating experts and International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach.

Bach said in Beijing one day later he had been "very, very disturbed" to watch the "tremendous coldness" of Valieva's entourage.

The case came to CAS to challenge a Russian anti-doping tribunal verdict in late 2022 that Valieva was not at fault. That ruling suggested disqualifying her only from the national championships and letting her keep her Olympic results and gold medal.

WADA asked CAS to impose a four-year ban and to disqualify Valieva from the Olympics. The International Skating Union requested a two-year ban and disqualification.

Valieva, who turns 18 in April, has not competed internationally since the Beijing Olympics.

Four days after the closing ceremony, Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and five days after that, the International Skating Union banned Russian skaters from its events. That ban is still in place.

Since the Olympics, Valieva has skated on an expanded Russian national competition circuit and in various TV events and ice shows. She is no longer the near-unbeatable skater she appeared to be before the Beijing Olympics and has twice been beaten at the Russian nationals by younger skaters from the same training group under Tutberidze.

Although scores at nationals are often inflated, Valieva's 237.99 points — third at the Russia championships — would have been the best in the world by more than 10 points this season.

When an athlete 16 or younger tests positive for a banned substance, international rules require an investigation of their entourage. Both the Russian anti-doping body and WADA were expected to look into the case but neither has published any findings and there is no indication anyone else is facing anti-doping charges in the case.

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Ryan Reynolds and Wrexham could face Premier League Newcastle in FA Cup - The Globe and Mail

Open this photo in gallery:

Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds, center, celebrates with members of the Wrexham FC soccer team the promotion to the Football League in Wrexham, Wales, on May 2, 2023.Jon Super/The Associated Press

Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds could get a taste of big-time soccer after Wrexham was drawn to potentially play Premier League Newcastle in the FA Cup.

Wrexham still has to book its place in the fifth round by beating second division Blackburn Rovers – but it has been given an extra incentive to win Monday’s game at Ewood Park.

A potential home match against Newcastle would add a latest sprinkle of glamour to the Welsh team, which has been transformed since being bought by Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney in 2021.

Their backing has already seen Wrexham promoted to the English Football League and gain global fame because of the hugely popular fly on the wall documentary series Welcome to Wrexham.

Newcastle has rich backers of its own after being bought by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, also in 2021.

Also, non-league Maidstone will play second-division opposition in the next round after being drawn against Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry.

Defending champion Manchester City is away at Premier League rival Luton.

Manchester United will play Bristol City or Nottingham Forest, and Liverpool faces Watford or Southampton.

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Nelly Korda rallies to win hometown event for 9th LPGA Tour title - LPGA

BRADENTON, Fla, (AP) — Nelly Korda rallied to win her hometown LPGA Drive On Championship and delay Lydia Ko's LPGA Hall of Fame entry, outlasting the New Zealander on the second hole of a playoff after overcoming a three-stroke deficit with an eagle-birdie finish.

In calmer conditions after wind gusts to 30 mph at Bradenton Country Club, Korda won with a 3-foot par putt on the par-4 18th after Ko's 4-footer caught the lip and spun out.

"I seem to always make it very dramatic and interesting," Korda said. "So, there is no better feeling than to do it in front of a home crowd. What a day!"

Ko won the season-opening Tournament of Champions last week at home in Orlando for her 20th tour victory to move within a point of qualifying for the Hall of Fame.

"It's kind of like, `What can you do?'" Ko said. "We played our hearts out until the very end and we put ourself into the playoff. I tried my best out there."

Four strokes ahead of Ko beginning play Sunday, Korda shot a 2-over 73 to match Ko at 11-under 273. Ko, playing in the group ahead of Korda, also eagled the par-5 17th in a 69.

Korda dropped four strokes in a three-hole stretch — making a bogey on the par-4 14th, a double bogey on the par-3 15th and a bogey on the par-4 16th — before rallying with the eagle putt across the green on 17 and an approach to a foot on 18.

"Gosh, I thought that the tournament was over going into 17," Korda said. "I just kind of gave myself a chance. I knew that if I rolled that eagle in I had to birdie the last."

On the first extra trip down 18, Korda missed a 12-foot birdie try from the back fringe after Ko got up-and-down for par after hitting to the grandstand wall over the green.

On the second playoff hole, Korda went long to the wall and chipped to set up the winning putt.

"Every win has a story," said Korda. "This one was definitely — just with the struggles of last year and just with today as well, I thought I completely lost it."

Soon after the victory, she talked to sister Jessica, the fellow tour star who is close to giving birth to her first child — a boy.

"She was like, `I thought you were going to send me into labor,'" the winner said.

Ko three-putted after leaving her 30-foot birdie putt short.

"Obviously, I three-putted the second playoff hole, but other than that I don't feel like I lost the tournament," Ko said. "I made a great eagle on 17, great par on 18, and then Nelly just went eagle as well and then birdied the last."

Feeding off the home crowd, the 25-year-old Korda led wire-to-wire for the first time in her career en route to her ninth LPGA Tour victory and first since the 2022 Pelican Women's Championship.

"I think even when I was down they were so, so positive and keeping me in it," Korda said. "It was such a grind out there, so back and forth. I felt like I never really got anything going. I just can't even believe it right now."

Megan Khang was third at 8 under after a 72. Lucy Li (69) and Ayaka Furue (73) were 7 under.

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The Statsies: Brock Boeser hits 30; Canucks' Joshua-Blueger-Garland line keeps humming - Canucks Army

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1. The Statsies: Brock Boeser hits 30; Canucks' Joshua-Blueger-Garland line keeps humming  Canucks Army
2. A 30-goal scorer for the first time, Brock Boeser embodies Canucks’ resiliency  Sportsnet.ca
3. Canucks rally from down 3 in 3rd, top Blue Jackets in OT, point streak at 11  NHL.com
4. Canucks game recap, Jan 27, 2024: 5-4 win vs Columbus Blue Jackets  Vancouver Is Awesome
5. Instant Reaction: Brock Boeser's hat trick to hit 30 goals fuels Canucks' comeback against Columbus  Canucks Army

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Player grades: Stu Skinner saves the day as Oilers top Preds, extend win streak to 16 - Edmonton Journal

Stuart Skinner (74) of the Edmonton Oilers, deflects a shot into the netting against the Nashville Predators at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Jan.27, 2024. Photo by Shaughn Butts-Postmedia Photo by Shaughn Butts /Shaughn Butts

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Predators 1, Oilers 4

Same script, different day.

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Backstopped by excellent goaltending, the Edmonton Oilers defended hard and scored just enough to walk away with the win, this time a 4-1 triumph over a hard-working crew of Nashville Predators.

Sound familiar? It should. The Oilers have won 16 (SIXTEEN!!!) straight games now, allowing 2 or fewer in the last 14 of those. Moreover, they have scored 4 or fewer in the last 10 straight, producing just 32 goals that span (including 4 empty netters) but allowing a mere 12.

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3-1. 2-1. 3-2 (OT). 2-1 (OT). 4-2. 4-2. 3-1. 4-1. 3-0. 4-1.

In this encounter, the last before a 9-day break, the eye test suggested the Oilers were legitimately outplayed for a rare change. The numbers certainly support that take. As per Natural Stat Trick, Nashville had 57% of the shot attempts in all situations, 59% of the shots on net, 65% of the scoring chances and 70% of the high danger shots. By our own (preliminary) count at the Cult of Hockey, the Preds had 58% of both the Grade A shots (14-10) and the more dangerous subset of 5-alarm shots (7-5). But Skinner and Edmonton’s special teams were the difference makers on the scoreboard, where the Oilers had a comfy 80% of the goals.

Player grades

#2 Evan Bouchard, 6. A couple of indecisive moments on the defensive side, but also came up with a pair of big stops to thwart developing 2-on-1 situations. Drew a penalty. Didn’t attempt a single shot on net, but did earn a secondary assist on McDavid’s clincher in the third period. Among those beaten on the lone Nashville tally minutes later. Contributions to Grade A Shots (GAS): Even Strength +0/-1; Special Teams +0/-0.

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#5 Cody Ceci, 5. His pairing with Nurse was tasked with stopping Nashville’s top unit of Nyquist-O’Reilly-Forsberg-McDonagh-Josi and had their hands full to say the least, losing the shot share battle by a wide margin. They did, however, succeed in the main task of keeping a clean sheet while also chipping in on the penalty kill, which had a 100% clearance rate in 3 tests. GAS: ES +0/-3; ST +0/-0.

#10 Derek Ryan, 5. Quiet but effective at both even strength and on the PK. The only forward below 10 minutes ice time at 8:53. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

#13 Mattias Janmark, 6. Had a fine game on the PK, leading Oilers forwards with 3:04 TOI during which time Nashville mustered just 1 shot. At evens he had a splendid chance from close range but was unable to solve Kevin Lankinen. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-0.

#14 Mattias Ekholm, 6. Primary assist on McDavid’s goal. Among those beaten on Nashville’s goal, breaking his stick on the play and being unable to prevent the slot pass that followed. 0 shot attempts, 2 hits, 2 blocks. GAS: ES +1/-1; ST +0/-0.

#18 Zach Hyman, 7. His hands let him down a time or two, notably when he whiffed on what appeared a tap-in of a sweet Draisaitl feed. But he made his presence felt with his work away from the puck, screening Lankinen on the 1-0 and winning a key battle on the 3-0. In between times took a goalie interference call for a hard charge on net. Finally hit the scorecheet in a good way with the empty net goal, his 30th tally of the season. GAS: ES +3/-2; ST +1/-0.

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#25 Darnell Nurse, 4. This game was a bit of a slog for the big defender, even as his pairing managed to keep a clean slate on the scoreboard. Had his hands full with Filip Forsberg in particular, who had a brilliant afternoon. Took a penalty. 4 shot attempts, 3 blocks, 2 hits, 1 takeaway. GAS: ES +0/-6, ST +0/-1.

#27 Brett Kulak, 6. Got the job done on an effective third pairing. Brought the physicality with 3 hits. GAS: ES +0/-2; ST +0/-0.

#28 Connor Brown, 6. Led Oilers with 4 takeaways, 2 of which were converted into 5-alarm shots (but not goals) with sharp passes to Janmark and McLeod. Delivered 3 strong minutes on the penalty kill. GAS: ES +2/-2; ST +0/-0.

#29 Leon Draisaitl, 8. An appropriate grade on the day the Big Diesel scored his 800th career point. The milestone came on a patented powerplay snipe (on his only shot). Added 2 primary assists for his second straight 3-point outing. A rare poor outing on the faceoff dot with 2/10=20%. His 19:48 TOI led all forwards. GAS: ES +4/-1; ST +2/-0.

#37 Warren Foegele, 4. His line with RNH and Kane got mashed at 5v5 (shot attempts +6/-22; shots +3/-10; goals +0/-1 on Foegele’s watch). Struggled to handle the puck, but did lead the Oilers with 4 hits. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

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#55 Dylan Holloway, 5. Brought speed and energy as usual. Missed a glorious chance to score when set up brilliantly by new linemate Perry but didn’t have his stick on the ice for the tap-in. Made a terrific solo rush to the goal mouth but was unable to make the tuck. GAS: ES +0/-1; ST +0/-0.

#71 Ryan McLeod, 6. Had 3 splendid chances from close range but was unable to cash. Skated well and was a factor at both ends of the sheet, including a cameo on the PK. Took a team-high 13 faceoffs, winning 6=46%. GAS: ES +3/-0; ST +0/-0.

#73 Vincent Desharnais, 7. Co-led the d-corps with 3 hits and 3 blocks in 18:55, which included a highly effective 3:12 on the PK. Made a brilliant sliding block to snuff out a dangerous shot. His confidence with the puck continues to soar. GAS: ES +0/-2; ST +0/-0.

#74 Stu Skinner, 9. Another brilliant outing, allowing just a single goal on a day Nashville’s expected output was 3.5. Made a number of dazzling saves, none better than the blocker stop off Luke Evangelista’s one-timer from the slot off a quick four-way passing play that left the young Pred shaking his head in disbelief. Later robbed Ryan McDonagh, going post to post on a cross-seam pass to produce a shoulder stop (see: feature image above). Turned aside all 9 of Filip Forsberg’s shots, many of them Grade A’s. Got a little help from his iron friends, and from his flesh-and-blood ones as well. Extended his club record to 12 straight wins, allowing 2 or fewer in the last 11 of those. 29 shots, 28 saves, .966 save percentage.

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#90 Corey Perry, 6. Played 12:44 in his Oilers debut and more than held his own on a line with speedsters McLeod and Holloway. Caused a disturbance in the blue paint on his very first shift. Made a great backhand pass out the short side which led to a pair of close range shots. Showed his savvy in the d-zone in the late going, chipping a dangerous rebound to the side wall under pressure, then recovering it himself and clearing the zone. 2 shots, 2 hits. GAS: ES +2/-0; ST +0/-0.

#91 Evander Kane, 4. Similar on-ice results as his linemates Foegele and RNH, with the trio chasing the game at even strength. 0 shots on net, 2 hits. OK defensively and clearing the zone. not always a strength. GAS: ES +0/-0; ST +0/-0.

#93 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, 6. He too had a ragged game at even-strength with similar metrics as Foegele and Kane along with a turnover on the lone Nashville goal, but delivered the goods on both special teams. Opened the scoring with a great shot on the PP, his first goal in 10 games; later earned a secondary assist on Draisaitl’s powerplay tally. Solid on the PK as usual. 6/12=50% on the dot. GAS: ES +0/-3; ST +1/-0. 

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#97 Connor McDavid, 9. After scoring just 7 points over an 8-game span, has erupted with a further 7 in just the last 2, being involved in every single Oilers marker over the span. Ended this one with 1-3-4, +2. Secondary assist on the 1-1. Terrific pass to Draisaitl on the 2-0. Scored the 3-0 himself when he jumped on his own rebound behind the icing line and quickly bounced it into the net off of Lankinen’s backside. Belatedly awarded a (deserved) assist on the empty netter, in which he won an epic board battle with the indefatigable Ryan O’Reilly, chipping the disc up the wall to Draisaitl and ultimately on to Hyman. Rang the iron with a quick release drive through a screen. All over the event summary with 10 shot attempts, 5 shots on goal, 3 hits, 2 takeaways, 2 blocks. GAS: ES +4/-1; ST +1/-0.

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