Lack Of Practice Facility Continues To Be A Talking Point Among Former Canucks
Another day, another mention of the Vancouver Canucks’ lack of a practice facility. As the last NHL team without a plan for a dedicated facility, with the Calgary Flames in the process of constructing one along with their new arena, Vancouver has become somewhat infamous for their practice structure — doing-so at Rogers Arena or UBC if their main venue is booked. The topic has garnered traction throughout various points of different seasons, including now, after former Canuck Quinn Hughes spoke on his new team’s practice facility.
“It’s a great facility, and I’m looking forward to nothing being new — just kind of not knowing where to park and where the entrance is and all that stuff,” Hughes said of the Minnesota Wild’s practice facility. “Yeah, it’s a beautiful facility for sure.”
This isn’t the first time a former Canuck has been asked about practice facilities, especially not in the past year. Former Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet made it clear that a practice facility was something he was hoping for in negotiations to stay in Vancouver. When he ultimately parted ways with the Canucks in order to join the Philadelphia Flyers as Head Coach back in May, he spoke excitedly about his new team’s practice set-up.
“I walked around that facility [and] there’s so many tools to work with,” he said back in May. “There’s three sheets of ice. Those are attractive things to help me be a better coach. I can’t speak for the past, all I know is what I see now and the people I deal with now and it excites me.”
At one point during the off-season, the Canucks seemed dedicated to tracking a facility down. President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford outlined some plans during the pre-season explaining that they’d prefer a place somewhat closer to downtown Vancouver itself.
“We’re open to any area within a half-hour drive of downtown Vancouver,” Rutherford said during an episode of the 100% Hockey Podcast with John Shannon and Daren Millard. “Since I’ve been here, we’ve worked on this, and we’ve come close to a point where we could get one, but there is always political reasons or this and that.”
Is A Practice Facility In The Vancouver Canucks’ Near Future? The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks">Vancouver Canucks</a> have come under fire for a while now regarding their lack of a dedicated practice facility for the players. For the longest time, it was the Canucks and the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/calgary-flames/">Calgary Flames</a> who were the only two teams in the NHL to not have plans for a practice facility. However, back in April of 2023, the city of Calgary announced their plans to build a new event space that will include a new rink and practice facility for their NHL team. Because of this, Vancouver has been the lone NHL team without a practice facility for the past two years. But could this change in the near future?
Another recent occurrence that has re-ignited this topic’s relevance is the recent announcement of Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s MOU with the city of Vancouver to discuss building a new stadium and entertainment district out at Hastings Park. Because of the potential plans for Hastings Park, which is within the ideal 20-minute driving distance cited by Rutherford, some have eyed this area as an optimal place for the Canucks to situate their practice facility in.
Whether the Canucks get their practice facility in the near future or not is something that probably won’t be confirmed for a fair amount of time. For now, Rogers Arena and UBC will have to do.
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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NHL Rumors: Sabres Blueliner Could Be Big Trade Chip
A new era is officially here for the Buffalo Sabres with the hiring of new general manager Jarmo Kekalainen.
Kekalainen will now have the challenging task of trying to get the Sabres to finally take that next step and get back into the playoffs for the first time since 2011-12.
The Sabres have been having a tough start to the season. At the time of this writing, they are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with a 14-14-4 record and 32 points. With this, it would not be surprising in the slightest if Kekalainen looked to make some changes to the club's roster this season.
When looking at the Sabres' roster, defenseman Bowen Byram has the potential to be a very good trade chip for the Buffalo to dangle to try to improve their roster elsewhere.
Byram is no stranger to the rumor mill, as he was one of the NHL's most talked-about trade candidates during the summer. While he ended up re-signing with the Sabres for two years, he also has the potential to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) in 2027. Thus, it is fair to wonder if he could be a player the Sabres are open to moving if the right offer comes along.
Byram would have the potential to get the Sabres a very nice return, as he is a 24-year-old top-four defenseman. With this, he could be a popular target for teams looking to upgrade their blueline on the left side.
In 32 games so far this season, Byram has posted six goals, seven assists, 13 points, and 40 blocks.
Giants ace Logan Webb joining Team USA for 2026 World Baseball Classic
Giants ace Logan Webb joining Team USA for 2026 World Baseball Classic originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — After leading the league in strikeouts and winning a Gold Glove Award, there’s one individual goal still out there for Logan Webb. He wants to win a Cy Young Award, and his preparation to win one in 2026 will begin alongside the two men who took the award home in 2025.
USA Baseball announced on Thursday that the Giants ace will pitch in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, joining a rotation that includes Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal. Webb was hopeful that he would be part of Team USA next spring, and after some back and forth between the Giants and USA Baseball, an agreement was reached.
Webb has been the most reliable ace in baseball since breaking through in 2021, and he now will get a chance to help Team USA try to get back on top after finishing second in 2023. Skenes was one of the first to sign up for the team and Skubal was added Thursday morning, along with hard-throwing San Diego Padres right-hander Mason Miller.
The announcement comes a week after Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said that his preference was for older pitchers to make up the WBC pitching staffs. The Giants have some concerns about their most important player ramping up too early in the spring and risking injury, and Posey had a conversation with Team USA Mark DeRosa recently about Webb’s spot on the team.
“Look, I got to play in it. It’s a great event,” Posey said at the Winter Meetings. “The way I see it, there’s definitely more risk for a pitcher than a position player.”
The Giants didn’t have much of an argument to keep Webb out of the event. Posey and Brandon Crawford are among the Giants stars who have played over the years, and while there’s a greater risk of injury for pitchers, plenty of other aces will participate. The selection of Skubal, who has about $400 million on the line when he hits free agency, made it particularly hard for anyone to argue against Webb participating.
Webb has received notoriously bad run support as a Giant, but he’ll have plenty of help when he takes the mound in red, white and blue. Team USA’s lineup includes Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh and Bobby Witt Jr., with more big-time selections coming. The team’s first game will be March 6 in Houston against Brazil.
While rosters still are being finalized, the Giants expect both Jung Hoo Lee (South Korea) and Heliot Ramos (Puerto Rico) to participate. Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman and others are also under consideration for roster spots.
Knicks' NBA Cup title showcases upside of new role for Jalen Brunson
With two minutes and 29 seconds left in the NBA Cup Finals between the Knicks and the Spurs, Jalen Brunson turned the ball over while being guarded full court by Dylan Harper. Knicks head coach Mike Brown turned to the bench and yelled for backup point guard Tyler Kolek to re-enter the game for Jordan Clarkson. It may have seemed like a small substitution in a game full of them, but that moment was another step in what has been a monumental shift in the Knicks' offensive philosophy in the 2025-26 season.
Last season, this Knicks offense aggressively leaned on Jalen Brunson. Not in the way that he was an All-Star point guard with an uncanny ability to get to the rim, but in the way “Castaway” leaned on Tom Hanks. At times, it felt like the offense had no direction if Brunson wasn’t bringing the ball up and trying to break his man down off the dribble.
Last year, Brunson had a 17.3% isolation rate and held the ball for 8.6 seconds per possession. Both of those marks were top 15 in the league for players who appeared in more than 20 games. Additionally, the Knicks used Brunson as a pick-and-roll ball handler 39.4% of the time, which was 9th among players who appeared in over 30 games. He rarely ever got spot-up jump shot opportunities (10.1% of all his shots) and had just under two catch-and-shoot opportunities per game.
Almost everything he did on offense began with the ball in his hands, and new Knicks head coach Mike Brown had a different vision that he believed would help the team make a deep run in the playoffs. Not only did he push to install an offense that would play faster and with more passing, but he wanted an offense that featured Brunson at point guard less often.
While that may seem counterintuitive, it’s something the veteran head coach learned while he was coaching Stephen Curry as an assistant for the Golden State Warriors for six years.
"I've talked to a couple of point guards around the league throughout the course of years, who I have a lot of respect for, especially the ball-dominant ones,” said Brown before a November game against the Magic. “Being around [Steph] for six years, you learn a lot. Nobody can be like Steph. He's an amazing player, amazing person too. But what makes him so unique is his ability to play on the ball and off the ball, so in a seven-game playoff series, teams have a hard time adjusting to him because it's hard to take away everything. I always felt, if I ever had a team, I don't care what my point guard's like, I'm going to try to get him off the ball so that he's comfortable with it during the regular season and then, come playoff time, teams can't sit on 'Okay, he's dominating the ball, so let's blitz him. Let's get the ball out of his hands.' Now you've got to try to defend him in a lot of different ways.”
That’s exactly what we saw happen to the Knicks in the playoffs last year. Opponents would blitz Brunson as soon as he crossed half-court to try and either trap him or force him to give him up the ball. Even if Brunson was able to get a pass off, it almost always led to a disjointed series for the Knicks. By moving Brunson off the ball, Coach Brown has allowed his All-Star to not have to work so hard for stretches and also freed him up to get cleaner looks through off-ball screens and cuts.
Last year, Brunson had a 28.9% usage rate, and his usage rate this year is up to 30.6%, so it's not just about how much he's touching the ball but about how. Two of the bigger changes are in how often Brunson is operating in isolation and how long he tends to hold the ball on each possession.This season, Brunson’s time with the ball in his hands dropped from 8.6 seconds per possession to 7.8, and his isolation rate dipped from 17.3% to 13.8%.
Brunson isn't dominating the ball as much and is operating within the flow of the offense at large. Last year, hemade 58.1 passes per game and received 72.2 passes per game. This year, he makes 63.8 passes per game and receives 76.3 passes per game. He’s being used less often in the pick and roll and is also playing at a faster pace, up to 4.99 mph on average from 4.65 last year.
Those numbers may not seem drastically different to you, but they're a clear indication that the way Brunson is getting his looks and his points is shifting.
Last season, he had just a 10.1% spot-up rate, but that’s up to 15.4% this season. Last year, he had just 1.9 catch-and-shoot opportunities per game, all on three-pointers. This year, he’s up to 3.2 catch-and-shoot field goals per game, almost all three-pointers as well, with a 67.6% effective field goal rate. He's also driving slightly less often, down from 17.8 drives per game to 16 drives per game, and he’s getting 1.5 corner threes per game, up from 0.9 last year, and shooting those at a 50% clip.
Essentially, Brunson being off the ball more often means that he’s getting better looks through off-ball movement and taking higher efficiency shots more often per game. All of that is great for the Knicks, and is also part of the reason that Brunson is averaging a career-high 28.8 points per game.
“Not only that,” added Coach Brown, “but it's going to be hard to just get up and deny him and bully him because you're just knowing that he's going back to get the ball every time. If the defense wants to play this way, go to the corner. The ball will find you if we're moving in space in the right way… that's what I'm trying to do with Jalen."
That’s also the exact idea that Jalen himself expressed after an early-season game when he was asked about playing off the ball more this year: "It was kind of the same, a little bit different. At the end of the day, we're going to get into actions no matter who has it, and then we're going to be aggressive. So it's all about finding the right thing to do at the right time, so regardless of who's bringing it up, everyone's still a threat to be aggressive."
That’s what the Tyler Kolek substitution was all about. Not only was Kolek playing really well in extended minutes, but he's a steady ball handler and a reliable passer in a way that Jordan Clarkson is not. His being in the game allowed the Knicks to put Brunson off the ball, which forced the Spurs' defense to be less focused on the point of attack and more focused on denying passes to Brunson and Karl Anthony Towns on off-ball actions. As a result, on the first play after Kolek came into the game, he was able to get past his man and drive into the paint, where he drew help defenders and whipped a pass along the baseline to OG Anunoby for a wide-open three-pointer.
All of that may feel minor. The statistical differences in Brunson’s usage between last season and this season may feel minimal, but the results are of crucial importance for the Knicks. Not only are they making things easier for the best player, but they are giving their offense another dimension. As we saw during the NBA Cup, that versatility will make them tougher to defend against the best teams in the league. In those crucial win-or-go-home situations, every additional coaching wrinkle is another potential path to victory. So, in taking the ball from their point guard, they may be creating an avenue to hand him a trophy instead.
Gerald Donaldson obituary
Formula One writer who wrote classic biographies, including a remarkable account from Ayrton Senna of his experiences
When Ayrton Senna decided to tell a journalist what he felt while driving a racing car, and what it meant, it was Gerald Donaldson who provided his audience of one. Senna chose wisely. The Canadian writer and broadcaster, who has died aged 87, was a sympathetic listener who could be relied on to ask the sort of questions that encouraged interesting answers.
During Donaldson’s career as an observer of Formula One racing, reporting for daily newspapers and national TV and radio stations, Senna had provided him with his outstanding memory. It was that of the 1993 European Grand Prix at Donington Park, Derby, where the Brazilian, on a wet and treacherous track, overtook five rivals on the opening lap to seize a lead he would never relinquish.
Continue reading...Columbus Blue Jackets (34 pts) vs. Minnesota Wild (45 pts) Game Preview
The Columbus Blue Jackets are home to take on the Minnesota Wild at 7 PM.
Minnesota Wild - 20-9-5 - 45 Points - 7-2-1 in the last 10 - 3rd in the Central
Columbus Blue Jackets - 14-13-6 - 34 Points - 3-4-3 in the last 10 - 8th in the Metro
Blue Jackets Stats
- Power Play - 18.5% - 18th in the NHL
- Penalty Kill - 72.8% - 30th in the NHL
- Goals For - 96 - 21st in the NHL
- Goals Against - 114 - 29th in the NHL
Wild Stats
- Power Play - 23.1% - 9th in the NHL
- Penalty Kill - 79.0% - 28th in the NHL
- Goals For - 101 - 16th in the NHL
- Goals Against - 86 - 4th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheWild
- Columbus is 33-28-1-7 all-time, and 19-11-1-2 at home vs. Minnesota.
- The Jackets are 2-2-2 in the last 6 games vs. the Wild.
- The CBJ beat the Wild 7-4 back on October 11th.
Who To Watch For TheWild
- Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild with 21 goals and 38 points.
- Matt Boldy leads the team with 19 assists.
- Newly acquired Quinn Hughes has 2 points in 2 games with the Wild.
- Filip Gustavsson is 11-8-3 with a .912 SV%.
- Goalie Jesper Wallstedt 9-1-2 with a .937 SV%.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Wild
- Zach Werenski has 9 points in 14 games against the Wild.
- Boone Jenner has 6 points in 16 games.
- Sean Monahan has 15 points in 32 games vs. Minnesota.
Injuries
- Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 25 Games - IR - No timeline for a return
- Mathieu Olivier - Upper Body - Missed 10 Games - IR- No timeline for a return
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 65
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. Bob Wischusen will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 THE FAN, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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Ani Kilambi, 31, is joining the Washington Nationals as their general manager
WASHINGTON — Ani Kilambi is joining the Nationals as their new general manager, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Wednesday, making the 31-year-old who had been with the Philadelphia Phillies the latest young face to join president of baseball operations Paul Toboni in Washington.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because Kilambi’s hiring had not been announced yet.
The news was first reported by ESPN.
Kilambi has been an assistant general manager for the Phillies, working with that club since 2021.
Before that, he was with the Tampa Bay Rays for more than five years.
Kilambi takes over a job that was held for more than a decade and a half by Mike Rizzo, who became the GM in Washington in 2009 and added the title of president of baseball operations in 2013. Rizzo was fired in July during the Nationals’ sixth consecutive losing season. Manager Dave Martinez also was fired then.
Rizzo and Martinez were in charge in 2019 when the Nationals won the World Series, but the team hasn’t had a winning year since. Washington went 66-96 in 2025, putting it 14th out of 15 clubs in the National League.
Mike DeBartolo took over as interim GM after Rizzo was let go and oversaw the selection of 17-year-old high school shortstop Eli Willits with the No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft in July.
Toboni, 35, then was hired in late September to run the Nationals; he had been an assistant GM with the Boston Red Sox. He brought in manager Blake Butera, who at 33 became the youngest skipper in the majors since the 1970s.
There is plenty of work to be done to turn around the Nationals, who are in need of plenty of talent and depth as they try to replenish their major league roster and minor league supply of prospects.
Toboni’s first move in free agency came Monday, when Washington agreed to terms with left-handed pitcher Foster Griffin on a $5.5 million, one-year contract, pending the successful completion of a physical exam. Griffin played in Japan the past three seasons.
Ranking potential PWHL expansion markets as 2025-26 ‘Takeover Tour’ kicks off
Vancouver and Seattle each hosted neutral-site games last season and made successful pitches to secure the league’s first expansion franchises, which debuted last month. This year’s 16-stop installment of the barnstorming tour kicked off on Wednesday with a sold-out crowd in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Thank you, Halifax! 🫶
Merci, Halifax! pic.twitter.com/v2bxMupJsD
— PWHL (@thepwhlofficial) December 18, 2025
According to executive vice president of business operations Amy Scheer, the league will add two to four teams, going from eight franchises to as many as 12 by next season. As the league eyes such rapid expansion, the “Takeover Tour” should once again be a solid testing ground for the 11 cities hosting a game (or two) this season.
Here’s how each stop stacks up.
1. Chicago
It might seem odd to have Chicago ranked No. 1, ahead of markets that have already established themselves as serious contenders for expansion. But it just feels like a no-brainer.
Chicago is the third-largest city in the United States and has a robust corporate base and a massive television market, which could certainly help the PWHL land more sponsorships and the kind of major U.S. broadcast deal it still needs. Chicago is also a strong grassroots hockey market, with several youth programs and a number of notable home-grown national team players, including Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Cammi Granato, Kendall Coyne Schofield and 2025 PWHL prospect Abbey Murphy. (I’d be fine with some light tampering to start the franchise with Murphy.)
A Chicago team would also help connect Minnesota, the lone team in the American Midwest, to the PWHL’s Eastern footprint. And Allstate Arena in nearby Rosemont, Ill., where Sunday’s Takeover Tour game will be played, could be easily shared with just one other professional tenant, the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
The arena is around 17 miles from Chicago, so travel time and traffic for fans could be a concern. Sunday’s game between the Minnesota Frost and Ottawa Charge will be a good measuring stick for the location.
2. Detroit
It’s fair to assume Detroit is among the top contenders for expansion, as the league will play its third and fourth games at Little Caesars Arena this season.
“Hockeytown” checks a lot of boxes for the PWHL. Takeover Tour games have drawn well in Detroit, twice breaking the U.S. record for attendance at a pro women’s hockey game with 13,736 and 14,288 fans at LCA. There’s a great grassroots system; according to USA Hockey, Michigan ranked fourth in female hockey registration last season, only behind Minnesota, Massachusetts and New York, three states that already have PWHL franchises.
The biggest concern with Detroit has been infrastructure, which is the PWHL’s priority when considering expansion markets. The Red Wings and the NBA’s Pistons are full-time occupants at LCA, which also hosts plenty of concerts and other events. The WNBA is coming in 2029 as well, though that season (typically May to September) shouldn’t overlap with the PWHL much.
This year’s PWHL games in Detroit are being played back-to-back with Red Wings home games. Detroit will play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Jan. 3 at noon, before the Vancouver Goldeneyes play the Boston Fleet at 7 p.m. On March 28, the PWHL will serve as the matinee before the Red Wings play later that night, which will be an interesting test to see if adding another pro team to LCA could work.
3. Denver
If the PWHL wants another “Western Conference” team, Denver would be a solid option. It’s the most populous American city on the Takeover Tour list behind Chicago and Dallas and has a growing number of girls registered to play hockey in the state. Colorado is top-10 in the U.S. for female hockey registration, according to USA Hockey, just ahead of Illinois.
The league also has had success in the market, with over 14,000 fans at last year’s neutral-site game at Ball Arena, home of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche and NBA’s Denver Nuggets. That the PWHL will make two stops in Denver this season could suggest it’s on the short list.
4. Edmonton
If the PWHL wants to continue westward expansion, there is no better option in Canada than Edmonton.
It’s a well-established hockey market, with a multi-million dollar arena that only hosts one pro sports franchise – the NHL’s Oilers – and a junior hockey team, among other events. So Edmonton feels a bit less busy than, say, Detroit or Denver, which have NBA franchises. More girls and women are registered to play hockey in Alberta than any other Canadian province outside Ontario, which would provide a ton of grassroots and community engagement opportunities.
The PWHL already sold out a game at Rogers Place last season, with over 17,00 fans in attendance, and will have two more games this season to prove the fan interest in women’s hockey is real.
5. Halifax
Halifax would be a smaller market than any of the other cities in the top five, but it hits a lot of the right marks.
With 10,500 seats, the Scotiabank Centre would be an ideal size for a PWHL rink with a central location. A Halifax team wouldn’t need to compete with other pro teams for space at the arena, which is primarily home to the QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads – and the National Lacrosse League’s Halifax Thunderbirds. The city hasn’t had a professional hockey team since the AHL franchise left in 1993, which would make a PWHL franchise a major attraction. The team could also draw fans from elsewhere in the Maritimes.
The only downside would be travel. Halifax isn’t close enough to any current PWHL cities to allow for bus trips, and there wouldn’t be direct flights to Minnesota, Seattle or Vancouver.
6. Quebec City
Quebec City made a strong case for expansion during last year’s Takeover Tour with more than 18,000 fans at the game between Montreal and Ottawa. Fan support and ticket sales would be strong in Quebec City, which also checks the infrastructure box better than most options.
The Videotron Centre is a professional rink — built in a very public attempt to lure the NHL back to the city — without a pro tenant. As the main tenant, the Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) have been treated very well since the building opened in 2015.
“It would be the same thing for a PWHL team,” Martin Tremblay, the CEO of Quebecor Sports and Entertainment, told The Athletic last year.
A team in Quebec City could also reignite one of the most intense rivalries in the sport with the Montreal Victoire.
7. Hamilton
Sticking with the venue conversation, Hamilton, a city around 40 miles from Toronto, is an intriguing option for the PWHL to consider.
TD Coliseum – originally built as Copps Coliseum with NHL ambitions in 1985 – recently reopened after $300 million in extensive renovations. A PWHL team in Hamilton would really only need to compete with the Toronto Rock (a pro lacrosse team) and concerts in the venue.
Now, there is a school of thought that a team in Hamilton could siphon support away from the Toronto Sceptres. But it could also provide a natural rival and attract fans from surrounding areas who might see downtown Toronto as too far of a trek.
8. Washington, D.C.
D.C. has often come up as a landing spot for professional women’s hockey. The Washington Capitals have been big supporters of the game and played host to women’s hockey events over the years. Monumental Sports & Entertainment majority owner Ted Leonsis has also been bullish on women’s sports. Monumental, which owns the Capitals, also owns the Washington Mystics. Back in May, Leonsis reiterated his desire to make Washington the “capital of women’s sports” and said he’d look at adding a women’s hockey team.
A Monumental-backed PWHL team would also have broadcast infrastructure via the Monumental Sports Network.
But – sorry to sound like a broken record – a D.C. franchise could struggle to find an appropriate, or available, arena. Capital One Arena hosts the Capitals, the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the Georgetown men’s basketball team. That said, Monumental made things work when the Mystics played at Capital One until the team got its own facility, so it’s not impossible.
9. Calgary
If the PWHL were looking to expand in 2027 or 2028, Calgary might be higher on the list. But right now, with the Scotiabank Saddledome booked, busy and old, Calgary just isn’t a realistic option. The Dome is already home to the Calgary Flames, the AHL’s Wranglers, junior hockey’s Hitmen and a pro lacrosse team. There is no other suitable arena in the city for a professional hockey team, either.
When the $1.2 billion Scotia Place opens in 2027, perhaps Calgary could throw its hat in the ring for future expansion, but the PWHL might already be holding at 12 teams by then. It’s a shame because the Calgary Inferno – from the now-defunct Canadian Women’s Hockey League – was an iconic and successful women’s hockey franchise. Not to mention Calgary would geographically make sense if the league is going to continue its westward expansion, and would be a great rival for a potential Edmonton team.
10. Winnipeg
The health of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, both on and off the ice, has been well-documented over the years, so I’m not going to pile on here. But there have been attendance issues and arena challenges that push Winnipeg down the list, especially compared to other Canadian markets.
The PWHL would likely need to have the support of True North Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Jets and operates Canada Life Centre in downtown Winnipeg, to have a shot at being successful. The last hockey team that moved to Winnipeg, the WHL’s Winnipeg Ice, played at a 1,600-seat arena at the University of Manitoba and was sold and relocated after just four seasons after failing to build a new arena in the city.
Like other cities on this list, Canada Life Centre is busy with the Jets, their AHL affiliate and other concerts and events. Given the early rave reviews from players in Vancouver, where the PWHL is a primary tenant, being the third or fourth priority might not cut it anymore.
11. Dallas
Dallas feels like the fun Takeover Tour stop where players will be treated well and enjoy the weather — and Coppell, Texas, native Hannah Bilka’s homecoming — but it won’t go further than that. Unless the league wants to aggressively expand its footprint south, dropping a team in Texas doesn’t make a ton of sense. There’s also an ongoing legal battle between the NHL’s Stars and NBA’s Mavericks over their shared arena, the American Airlines Center, which the league probably doesn’t want to get involved in.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Sports Business, Women's Hockey
2025 The Athletic Media Company
NCAA volleyball tournament Final Four: Schedule, scores, highlights
The NCAA volleyball Final Four tips off Thursday, Dec. 18 with two semifinal matches at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Bowl game schedule today previews college football bowl games on Dec. 18
The college football bowl season continues on Thursday in the state of Texas. We break down the matchup between Arkansas State and Missouri State.
Warriors' Steph Curry disliked viral, heated Klay Thompson-Ja Morant interaction
Warriors' Steph Curry disliked viral, heated Klay Thompson-Ja Morant interaction originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Distance has separated the dynastic trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.
But there still is a yearning to ride together.
Curry, speaking to ESPN’s Anthony Slater and Tim MacMahon in a recent story on Thompson, did not like seeing his old backcourt partner getting into an altercation with Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant last month without his usual backup.
“The idea that he is carrying the Warrior success no matter what jersey he has on, I do like that part of it,” Curry told ESPN. “But I don’t like people taking shots at him when he doesn’t have that coverage and he doesn’t have his guys with him.”
It’s not unusual – especially in recent years – to see Thompson take exception to personal slights. The proud four-time champion has found himself in a few chirping matches; one notably with Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker while Thompson still was with the Warriors.
Curry always had his teammate’s back, and it’s understandably tough to not be in a position to support him in a heated moment.
Green, also speaking with ESPN, felt similar when Thompson got into it briefly with Miami Heat rookie Myron Gardner a few days after the Morant altercation.
“That’s two instances in a row I saw him arguing by himself,” Green told ESPN. “What the f–k?”
Green, known for not shying away from confrontation, very notably had Thompson’s back during a scuffle with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2023-24 NBA season.
Now that the trio has dwindled to a duo, Curry and Green are feeling the helplessness that distance has caused.
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A 7ft 9in (2.36m) teenager has become the tallest player to score a basket in the history of college basketball.
Olivier Rioux, of the Florida Gators, dunked late on as his side beat Saint Francis 102-61 on Wednesday.
The 19-year-old Canadian had become the tallest player to play on a college court when he made his first appearance last month.
He was declared the tallest teenager by Guinness World Records in 2021 when he was then 7ft 5in (2.26m).
While the dunk was the centre's first, he had scored a free throw against Merrimack on 21 November.
Where would Rioux stand in NBA?
If he were to enter the game's top level, Rioux would be above any of its current players in terms of height.
The NBA lists 21-year-old French sensation Victor Wembanyama as its tallest, with the San Antonio Spurs star measuring 7ft 4in (2.24m).
Zach Edey, of the Memphis Grizzlies, is next - with the 23-year-old standing 7ft 3in (2.21m).
Three other players are 7ft 2in (2.18m), according to the NBA's website.
They are 23-year-old Donovan Clingan, of the Portland Trail Blazers, 24-year-old Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz, and Kristaps Porzingis of the Atlanta Hawks.
The NBA's tallest-ever players are listed as Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan, who were both 7ft 7in (2.31m).
Bol played between 1985 and 1997, while Muresan, who was nicknamed the Giant, was on court from 1991 to 2001.
Guinness World Records had previously listed China's Sun Mingming, who is 7ft 8.98in, as the tallest active basketball player in 2013 when he was playing in his home country. He retired a year later.
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