
Winnipeg Jets extend forward Morgan Barron for 2 years
The club announced a contract extension for the 26-year-old forward Monday. The deal has an average annual value in the NHL of $1.85 million.
Barron, from Halifax, recorded 15 points (eight goals and seven assists) in 74 games last season, his third full campaign with the Jets since coming to Winnipeg via trade with the New York Rangers in 2022.
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He endeared himself to Jets fans during the 2023 playoffs, when a freak accident led to his face getting cut by a skate, and he returned to the ice later that game with 75 stitches near his right eye.
Between the Rangers — who drafted him in 2017 — and the Jets, Barron has played 256 regular-season NHL games, scoring 30 goals and 30 assists for a total of 60 points, plus 80 penalty minutes.
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Global News
3 hours ago
- Global News
U.S. politics threaten to complicate Canada's co-hosting of 2026 World Cup
With less than a year to go until the 2026 World Cup, political tensions and U.S. policy threaten to pose problems as Canada, the United States and Mexico prepare to co-host the tournament. Next year's FIFA World Cup will be the biggest ever, with the three countries hosting a record 48 teams. Between June 11 and July 19, they will play 104 matches, most of them in the U.S. With millions of fans expected to cross borders to attend the games, U.S. President Donald Trump's harsh immigration policies — which include travel bans on some countries, immigration raids and mass deportations — are generating anxiety. 'This is all being driven by the United States. And we're entirely the guilty party here,' said Victor Matheson, a professor at College of Holy Cross in Massachusetts who specializes in sports economics. 'You could have significant immigration problems with fans and players going across borders.' Story continues below advertisement The U.S. has travel bans in place for 12 countries and restrictions in place for seven, and is considering banning travellers from another 36 countries. Though there are exemptions for athletes, staff and families, the unpredictability of Trump's administration means no one knows for certain what kind of rules might be in place by the time the tournament starts. Economist Andrew Zimbalist, who wrote a book on the economics of hosting the World Cup, said Trump has the ability to make it difficult for people to travel, but it's not clear whether he will actually do so. 'I think probably Trump himself might not have the answers because … he responds very impetuously to changes in his environment,' he said. Concerns about visas or political opposition to Trump might lead some soccer fans to decide not to attend at all, while others opt to attend the games in Canada instead, Zimbalist suggested. But he also pointed out that the quarter, semifinals and final are all taking place in the U.S. A spokesperson for Canadian Heritage said Canada could see a million international visitors during the tournament. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Given the tri-national nature of the event, it is anticipated that international and domestic travellers will move back and forth between Canada and the United States. The focus will continue to be on the flow of movement, the safety of travellers and the security of the borders,' the spokesperson said. Story continues below advertisement A spokesperson for the Canada Border Services Agency said the agency is working closely with federal government departments, host cities and FIFA 'in the safety and security planning for this international event.' Matheson said fans — particularly those from countries that have found themselves in Trump's crosshairs — have good reasons to be worried. 'I would be very concerned about planning a vacation that has you travelling from Mexico or from Canada into the United States and back. I don't think that you can guarantee that vacation of a lifetime is actually going to be there for you to actually take,' he said. He said it's one thing to be denied entry, another to end up in jail and deported — potentially to a prison in El Salvador. 'No one wants to go to the World Cup to watch some soccer games and then end up in jail,' he said. Trump's moves to impose tariffs on much of the world, including Canada, could also affect the World Cup. Matheson offered the example of someone who makes jerseys for a country's team who would want to ship those jerseys across the border with the team. 'Tariffs make that type of inventory management pretty challenging,' he said. Story continues below advertisement Tim Elcombe is a professor at Wilfrid Laurier University whose areas of expertise include sports, politics and international affairs. He said 'there was a sense that having the event in Canada, the United States and Mexico would almost be a bit of a calming of the political waters,' as the cup returned to Western countries. Instead, he said, the 2026 tournament may be even more politically charged than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Canada is co-hosting one of world's biggest sporting events with a country whose president has instigated a trade war and threatened annexation. Canadians have cut travel to the U.S. and stopped buying American products — and it's not clear what all of that might mean for the World Cup. While Vancouver and Toronto will host some games, 'really this is an American-centric competition,' Elcombe said. 'So how will Canadians feel about this? Will we get behind it? Will it become the event I think they were hoping it would be?' In early July, labour and human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, wrote to FIFA president Gianni Infantino to say U.S. policies under Trump pose a 'serious threat' to individuals, especially non-citizens. The letter accused FIFA of ignoring 'the clear evidence of the significant deterioration of the rights climate in the United States.' Story continues below advertisement Elcombe said while the United States is likely to take the brunt of scrutiny, Canada is not immune. 'Canada is going to have to be prepared for a very critical eye in terms of focus on some of the issues in Canada from a human rights perspective, because I think they will be exposed,' he said, citing Canada's relationship with Indigenous Peoples as one example. MacIntosh Ross, a fellow at the Scott McCain and Leslie McLean Centre for Sport, Business and Health at Saint Mary's University, said Canada should put pressure on the U.S. government 'to make sure that things happen in a safe or as safe a manner as possible.' 'The Canadian organizers and the Canadian government need to be very clear about their expectations for their partners in this World Cup and reiterate them and state them over and over again,' he said. Elcombe noted Infantino, who has 'very much established himself as a friend and supporter of President Trump,' could be a key player in determining how the coming months unfold. It's difficult to predict what Trump might do, Zimbalist said. If there are political issues in the United States that he wants to distract people from, 'you can see him doing crazier and crazier things internationally to get people's minds off of what's actually happening.' But Trump also has shown that he cares about the World Cup and looking good as he hosts the tournament. Story continues below advertisement 'I think he does care about image and he does care about being on the world stage,' Zimbalist said. 'So I can see that being a significant deterrent, actually.'


Edmonton Journal
3 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
'More acceptance': South Asian hockey summit in Edmonton targets diversity
Dampy Brar never made it to the NHL, but he's made a major mark on the Canadian hockey scene. Article content He's travelled the country, to coach and mentors players from South Asian communities and other minority groups, trying to break the norm of hockey as Canada's, cough, white game. Article content Article content Brar has played minor pro hockey in places as far-fluing as Toledo, Boise and Tacoma. He's played for teams that have marketing gimmick names like the Sabercats, Nighthawks and Storm. This weekend, Brar was on the ice at Edmonton's Downtown Community Arena, putting more than 30 kids of South Asian descent through a series of drills. The South Asian Summit is a collaborative effort between the AZ1 Hockey, South Asian Hockey and the Oilers, and it was designed to make the rink a welcoming place for players of colour. Article content Article content Brar is 49. He was a child of the first large wave of Indian immigrants to Canada. Culturally, there was a stigma against taking sport too seriously, or going into the arts. Families who had sacrificed so much to come to Canada wanted their kids to gain the prestige and financial security that came with science, law and medicine. As well, hockey was seen as a sport that was very, very white (which it was). So, as he came up through the minor-hockey ranks, Brar felt isolated. Article content Article content Now, in 2025, Brar sees a game that has turned the corner. The Abbotsford Canucks just won the AHL's Calder Cup, and featured Arshdeep Bains and former Oiler Jujhar Khaira. The team was coached by Manny Malhotra. Hockey Night in Punjabi has become a national staple. Zayne Parekh was a first-round draft pick of the Calgary Flames in 2024. Chanreet Bassi was taken by Vancouver in this year's PWHL draft. Harnarayan Singh's voice is often heard on Hockey Night in Canada. All the South Asian community is waiting for is the big NHL star. And that's why programs like the South Asian Summit are so important, to give kids the chance to receive instruction and mentorship from coaches who look like them. Article content Article content 'It's coming together for the game of hockey,' said Brar, who won the NHL's Willie O'Ree Award in 2020 for his work with Apna Hockey alongside former collaborator Lali Toor. The award recognizes individuals or organizations that help make the game more accessible and diverse. Brar left Apna a year ago. Article content Article content 'I've seen that transition from very few people who look like me, and now there's lots. Like you walk in arenas in Delta, Surrey, Calgary, Edmonton, Brampton, and we see a lot of our familiar faces. The culture of hockey is now changing as well. There is more acceptance now, but we still have to continue to do what we do,' said Brar. Article content 'We need to do this for our community because there's a lot of passion in the game. If you look at season-ticket holders for Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, even Toronto, in all these areas there are so many South Asians, so many Punjabi families that are taking time of their schedule and paying the money for those season tickets… I think it's needed here for the kids to be inspiring and motivated to have coaches who look like them and have other players in the dressing them that look like them.


Vancouver Sun
19 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
NHL saying 'hold on' to Hockey Canada five is a good message, but still lacking
Let's begin by giving the NHL some credit: they made clear this week that just because a court says you're not guilty of something, that doesn't mean you are suddenly in the 'good' column again. 'The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behaviour at issue was unacceptable,' the NHL said Thursday about the Hockey Canada five being found not guilty of sexual assault. 'We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the league.' Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Cal Foote, Michael McLeod and Dillon Dube are still on the hot seat as far as the NHL is concerned. There's an expectation of good conduct here, the NHL is reminding everyone. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. And they're right on that. The NHL's standard player contract has a clause declaring players must conduct themselves on and off the ice 'according to the highest standards of honesty, morality, fair play and sportsmanship, and to refrain from conduct detrimental to the best interest of the Club, the League, or professional hockey generally.' In other words, do what you want on your own time, but if your dirty laundry gets out, we're going to have to talk about it. That, presumably, is the crux of the NHLPA's challenge to the league's eligibility position. 'After missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. The NHL's declaration that the players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA,' the PA insists. The PA's job is to protect their members' working conditions. But in the end, both the league and the PA are missing the bigger picture: there's a broader cultural leadership role to play and neither organization has said or done what needs to be here. And a huge factor in this is the NHL being the only league of the big four North American professional sports leagues to not have a clearly defined policy around domestic violence and sexual assault. The NFL, for instance, does. That's how they handed Deshaun Watson an 11-game ban after being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions. The NFL took those accusations and had their own investigation under the auspices of the policy. But everything the NHL does is ad hoc. They have an amorphous standard that they can enforce capriciously. Doing it this way doesn't exactly lay out to players what the expectations are beyond 'don't get your name splashed about in public.' That's no way to lead. All it does is perpetuate a 'boys will boys' culture, where the worst sin is getting caught. It's not going to foster a culture where people aspire to be the best version of themselves — instead it promotes avoidance of trouble. It's only your fault if you get caught and even then, it might not be yours because someone betrayed you. Creating a clear policy would be a start in a positive direction — but only a start. pjohnston@