Edmonton Oilers take home ice to new level to open Stanley Cup Final
There is going to be a little extra home in the home ice for Connor McDavid & Co. when the puck drops on the Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday (8 p.m., CBC, Sportsnet).
Article content
While the Edmonton Oilers hold the advantage thanks to a three-point difference in the standings, a new initiative by Rogers called This is Our Ice aims to bring a little slice of home to hockey's biggest stage.
Article content
Article content
Article content
Ice samples from six rinks across the country where McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Stuart Skinner, Evander Kane, Darnell Nurse and Calvin Pickard played minor hockey have been collected and brought to Rogers Place to be added to the ice surface before the championship series gets underway.
Article content
For Kane, that means there will be an essence of the Northshore Winter Club underneath his feet.
Article content
'Oh, really? Obviously, I didn't know that story,' the Oilers forward said at the podium during media day at Rogers Place on Tuesday. 'It's kind of cool.'
Article content
Before Kane and the rest of the Oilers get a chance to earn Edmonton's sixth Stanley Cup, and first since 1990, there were plenty of milestones along the way to help them reach that point.
Article content
And they all happened far away from the same type of spotlight that is set squarely on Rogers Place right now, even though they were no less important to their younger selves at the time.
Article content
'We had some great teams in minor hockey, won a Quebec tournament, Western Canadians, we had a lot of success in junior and won a lot at an early age,' said Kane, 33, who grew up in East Vancouver, and is playing for his sixth NHL team since being drafted fourth overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009. 'I've always joked — you go through your youth hockey career and you kind of win everything — won a Memorial Cup (with his hometown Vancouver Giants in 2007), won a world junior (with Team Canada in 2009), all that type of stuff.
Article content
'And then you get to the NHL, and if you're a top pick you go to one of the worst teams in the NHL. So, it's tough to get used to losing, but to get to this point in my career, to be able to have a chance to win again is special and it's something I definitely don't take for granted.'
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
First Nations youth program serves up Bannock, hot dogs in support of wildfire evacuees
The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs hosted a fundraiser to help support wildfire evacuees in Manitoba. The kitchen of a North End leisure centre churned out a bevy of tasty treats Friday to help support Manitoba wildfire evacuees. Eagle's Nest, an Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs job readiness program for First Nations youth, organized the fundraiser. Folks were invited to the Aikins Street Community Health Centre as youth sold Bannock, soup, tacos in a bag, burgers, hot dogs and more. All proceeds go to First Nations families who have been temporarily displaced by wildfires. 'We're just trying to raise some money and help some people out and do what we can,' said Eagle's Nest project coordinator Desiree Martin. According to Friday's fire bulletin, there are 28 active wildfires currently burning out of control. Ten are considered out of control. As of June 5, the Canadian Red Cross has registered about 18,000 evacuees from over 7,100 households. A provincial state of emergency is in effect until June 26.
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Argonauts fall flat against Alouettes in season opener
MONTREAL — Davis Alexander threw for one touchdown and 205 yards as the Montreal Alouettes defeated the Toronto Argonauts 28-10 to open their Canadian Football League season on Friday. Article content Montreal (1-0) earned its revenge after the visiting Argonauts defeated the Alouettes 30-28 in last year's East Division final en route to their 19th Grey Cup title. Article content Article content Alexander — in his first game since the Alouettes traded '23 Grey Cup MVP Cody Fajardo — rushed for 50 yards on four attempts to improve to 5-0 as a starter in the CFL. Article content The 26-year-old quarterback also threw one interception on a warm, hazy night as prairie wildfire smoke drifted into Quebec on Friday. Tyson Philpot caught one touchdown pass, Issac Adeyemi-Berglund returned a fumble into the end zone, and Caleb Evans rushed for a major before 21,480 at Molson Stadium. Article content The Alouettes' defence held the Argos to just 34 rushing yards, and Alexandre Gagne tied a CFL single-game record with seven special teams tackles. Article content Veteran QB Nick Arbuckle, last year's unexpected Grey Cup MVP, threw for one touchdown, two interceptions and 273 yards on 20-for-32 completions for Toronto (0-1). The Argonauts lineup featured 13 different starters compared to last year's championship game. Article content Toronto also started a second consecutive season without starting QB Chad Kelly, who broke his tibia and fibula late in last year's East final. Montreal kicker Jose Maltos went 2-for-3 with a rouge. Toronto's Lirim Hajrullahu went 1-for-1 on a 45-yard field goal. Article content Montreal took a 15-3 lead heading into halftime when Adeyemi-Berglund returned a fumble 17 yards into the end zone after Shawn Oakman laid out Arbuckle with 32 seconds left in the second quarter. Article content The play stood after review — instead of being ruled an incomplete pass — despite the fact Arbuckle released the ball before Oakman's hit. The league ruled that Arbuckle did not have a throwing motion before the ball left his hands. Article content Things only got worse for the Argos as James Letcher Jr. returned a kickoff 67 yards to open the second half. Article content Alexander then ran 12 yards and completed three passes to set up Evans' one-yard QB sneak into the end zone as the Alouettes took a 22-3 lead 4:29 into the half. Article content Derek Slywka intercepted Alexander's deep pass with five minutes remaining in the third quarter for his first pick in the CFL. Article content Alexander appeared to injure himself late in the third quarter when a Toronto defensive lineman fell on his legs. He rolled round on the field, holding his left knee in pain, but ultimately stood up on his own and returned to play on the next drive.
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
The plight of the abandoned parrot: inside Greyhaven Exotic Bird Sanctuary
They're truly amazing animals, but they can also be not the easiest pet. They talk back. They're messy, and they might well outlive you. That's why every year, parrots are abandoned. And where do they end up? Radio-Canada's Alexandre Lamic takes us inside the Greyhaven Parrot refuge to meet some birds looking for a new home.
