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Winnipeg Free Press
40 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sky's the limit for Julien
Jacob Julien couldn't have scripted a better ending to his junior hockey career. The 20-year-old Winnipeg Jets prospect played a prominent role in bringing the Memorial Cup back to his hometown, capping off a terrific playoff run by scoring in the winner-take-all game as his London Knights beat the Medicine Hat Tigers earlier this month. 'It's what you dream of,' Julien told the Free Press on Wednesday in a telephone chat. 'You grow up watching London win the Memorial Cup a couple times and then to actually be a part of it and win it yourself with your team, I couldn't be happier.' CHRISTOPHER KATSAROV / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Jacob Julien (right) had the go-ahead goal for the London Knights in the Memorial Cup final against the Medicine Hat Tigers. Julien finished the four-team tournament with four points (2G, 2A) in five games after racking up 19 points (6G, 13A) in 17 earlier playoff games as London ultimately claimed the Ontario Hockey League championship. Being a point-per-game player at the most important time of the year would suggest Julien was able to find another gear. 'Playoff time is crucial, so to be able to help any way I could, that's all I was trying to do,' said Julien, who was also a key part of the leadership group as an alternate captain. 'Whether it was offensively or defensively.' There's no question Julien is one of the more intriguing players in the Jets pipeline. The left-shooting centre has plenty of size — he's six-foot-four and 190 pounds — along with some serious skill. After being selected by Winnipeg in the fifth round in 2023, Julien had a monster 2023-24 campaign with 78 points (29G, 49A) in 67 regular-season games. London is also an NHL development factory, led by veteran head coach Dale Hunter and general manager and owner Mark Hunter. The Knights made it to the Memorial Cup last spring but ultimately fell short. Second time turned out to be the charm. At first glance, Julien's stats from this past year might suggest he took a small step backwards, as he had 54 points (11G, 43A) in 65 regular-season games. However, that doesn't tell the whole story. His role changed on a loaded London team, with less top line and top power-play work. More defensive responsibilities also came his way, which he embraced. Essentially, Julien became a better two-way player which should help serve him well going forward. 'I think I got off to a bit of a rockier start than what I wanted. To be able to look back and play well throughout the playoffs at the end of the season, I was really happy with how it ended,' he said. He was in constant communication with the Jets organization, specifically Jimmy Roy and Mike Keane who work in player development. 'They're the best development guys in the league,' said Julien. 'They were around the rink and texting with me, just making sure I was always doing well and doing what I needed to do.' Julien also kept in close touch with a pair of fellow Jets prospects competing in the OHL — 19-year-olds Kevin He (Niagara IceDogs) and Kieron Walton (Sudbury Wolves). 'We texted each other quite a bit over the year. Win or lose you gotta always say 'Hi' to the other guys,' he said. Julien admitted there were plenty of emotions on display following the Memorial Cup victory as he said goodbye to his teammates for the final time. 'After the final game everyone was excited but it's a sad thing, right? To be able to end it on a win was obviously a tremendous opportunity that we had. I couldn't ask for a better way to go out,' he said. Now, the focus turns to his pro career. Up first will the Jets development camp at the Hockey For All Centre which is slated for early next month. Then it will be on to training camp in September and likely starting things off with the Manitoba Moose. 'Super excited for the next step. I'm going to be able to develop well wherever I play. I'm ready to go,' said Julien, who signed a three-year, entry-level contract this past March with an average annual value in the NHL of US$925,000. Obviously the NHL is the main goal, but having the AHL club under the same roof as the big boys is a blessing. 'It creates a great atmosphere all the time. To be able to be around the NHL guys, the veterans and all that,' he said. Julien hasn't touched his equipment since capturing the championship, wanting to take a bit of a breather following a gruelling campaign. He'll get back on the ice soon, with a continued focus on improving his skating and also his defensive zone play. 'I think we played 90 games in total. But with the group we had, everyone worked hard and got it done. It was so exciting and fun to come to the rink. The games kind of flew by,' he said. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'It's a little bit more condensed of a summer. But we'll have a good summer and get ready for the season.' Although he had his own busy schedule to focus on, Julien admitted he was keeping a close eye on what was happening with the Jets this season and was captivated by all that occurred — especially in the playoffs. That only increased his hunger to get to Winnipeg. 'It was electric,' he said. 'I was watching when they scored with two seconds left (in Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues) and I almost jumped off my couch. They had a great season, and to be able to come into the organization now, I'm really excited.' X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg Mike McIntyreReporter Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike. Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
'The Franchise: Toronto Blue Jays' explores baseball team's 48-year history
TORONTO – Toronto Blue Jays brass used all the bells and whistles when they tried to land two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani in the fall of 2023. The once-in-a-lifetime pursuit of the Japanese free agent, as author Keegan Matheson writes in his new book, 'The Franchise: Toronto Blue Jays,' included taking Ohtani, his agent and interpreter at the time on a tour of the team's renovated player development complex, complete with a few special touches. Three lockers in the clubhouse were set aside for Ohtani, along with jerseys, gear, hats, bags and accessories. It was all part of an elaborate effort to sell him on the team. An impressed Ohtani — whose camp wanted total secrecy throughout the process — walked out of the Dunedin, Fla., facility with bags of team gear and a Blue Jays hat on his head, Matheson writes. Ohtani stopped to take pictures with his interpreter, who was also sporting some Toronto kit. The superstar's dog, 'Decoy,' came running out to join them in a Canadian dog jacket the Blue Jays had bought for him. 'I think that the presentation they gave Ohtani was incredibly impressive and they were not the No. 2 team just to be strung along and used as the other person at the bargaining table,' said Matheson. 'They were No. 2 because they almost signed him.' The behind-the-scenes colour and details from Matheson's interviews and descriptions bring an intriguing, memorable and downright surreal chapter in the team's near half-century history to life. Ohtani would eventually sign a 10-year, US$700-million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a big blow for Canada's lone big-league team and its countrywide contingent of supporters. The Blue Jays would eventually sign a big fish of their own, locking up star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year extension last April worth a team record $500 million. The megadeal helped soothe any lingering pain from the Ohtani situation and also showed the franchise was willing to spend big in an effort to be a consistent contender. But that Ohtani off-season — from a bizarre Zoom call with general manager Ross Atkins to the erroneous report that Ohtani had chosen the Blue Jays and was on a plane to Toronto — was the 'strangest experience' Matheson expects to have as a reporter. 'The game that went into it was really fascinating,' Matheson said in a recent interview. 'Trying to operate in secrecy in a world where we want to know everything that's going on with your favourite team and with your favourite player. 'This was more of a TV drama and the amount of work that went into keeping it secret fascinates me.' The book also explores the team's early days, the playoff successes in the early 1990s, the near-misses in the previous decade, and many of the players — on and off the field — who made it all happen. The stories and anecdotes are not always the obvious ones. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. From players sipping chicken noodle soup at a frigid Exhibition Stadium, to amusing tales of manager-athlete dynamics, to the homecoming after a 670-day break between home games due to COVID-19, Matheson touches all the bases. 'Instead of asking a pitcher why he lost or asking someone why they struck out three times, this was an opportunity to ask someone, 'Hey, tell me about the best days of your life,'' said Matheson, who covers the team for 'Tell me about that memory that everyone always asks you about at the bar, at golf tournaments and coffee shops.' 'The Franchise: Toronto Blue Jays,' a 302-page book published by Triumph Books, is available now at a retail price of $38. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Vancouver short on hotel rooms, silent on safety costs for 2026 World Cup
VANCOUVER – One year out from the FIFA World Cup, questions remain about where soccer fans visiting Vancouver will stay and how much it will cost to keep the city safe. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim spoke to reporters at an event marking the one-year countdown to the tournament on Wednesday, saying the city began working on security plans even before it was confirmed to host seven 2026 World Cup games. He says those plans were 'augmented' after 11 people were killed when a man drove a car into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu festival in April. The security costs have not been publicly released, but Sim says the city will 'make the necessary investments to make sure that people are safe in the city of Vancouver' during the event. Spencer Chandra Herbert, B.C.'s minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, says the province will release a 'full costing' later this month, updating how much it expects to spend on the World Cup. Back in April 2024, B.C. organizers estimated the cost at between $483 million and $581 million for city and provincial services, as well as upgrades to B.C. Place Stadium. About 350,000 people are expected to visit Vancouver during the World Cup, Chandra Herbert said at Wednesday's event. Questions have been raised about where they'll stay, as a city report released in April noted there are just 13,000 rooms spread across 78 hotels within the municipality. The report found that Vancouver lost about 550 hotel rooms between 2020 and 2022, in part because some older hotels were converted to housing for vulnerable people. Tourists may need to get creative during the tournament, Chandra Herbert suggested. 'We're working with our hotel partners across the province,' he said. 'We think there's opportunity for people to stay further afield. We know Hullo and BC Ferries, we're looking at them as an opportunity for overflow, even all the way to Nanaimo. Of course, out in the (Fraser) Valley.' Chandra Herbert said some Vancouver residents may also look to rent out their homes during the World Cup. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Both the province and the City of Vancouver have regulations for short-term rentals, including rules on what types of homes can be used. In Vancouver, all operators must also have a business licence. 'It's a good problem to have,' Chandra Herbert said. 'A whole bunch of people want to come and be with us in B.C., and we can't wait to welcome them.' The 2026 World Cup kicks off on June 11, 2026, with opening games in Mexico City and Guadalajara. Toronto and Vancouver are the two Canadian cities hosting matches, as part of the 16 host cities across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Vancouver will stage five opening-round games starting June 13, plus a round-of-32 and a round-of-16 match. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025.
