LEAF NOTES: Once students of tactics, Toronto now studied by rivals
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At that stage the third-round draft pick winger had played two games in the organization for the Marlies when his Niagara Ice Dogs were eliminated from the 2014 OHL playoffs.
Verhaeghe gradually built his two-way game to win two Cups, with the 2020 Tampa Bay Lightning and last year's Panthers.
'Toronto was a long time ago,' Verhaeghe said this week. 'But it was a good experience, coming up and getting an opportunity. I remember the pace was a lot different than junior and how it opened my eyes. (Marlies coach) Steve Spott treated me fairly, but I was only there a couple of weeks.'
Spott is now Pete DeBoer's assistant with the Dallas Stars.
O, NA-TA-LIE
The Leafs' extended playoff run has given a higher profile to Leaf anthem singer Natalie Morris.
So much so that Morris was recognized on the subway during game night this week and was serenaded by a car full of fellow commuters with, you guessed it, O Canada.
Wearing her Leaf sweater, she had her I-phone out to record the tribute, while another passenger posted video of her singing along to blogTO. Morris was a contestant on Canada's Got Talent in 2024, with a rendition of Beyonce's 'I Was Here' and Jessie J's 'Mamma Knows Best', earning herself fifth place.
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Cision Canada
29-05-2025
- Cision Canada
The countdown is on: Canada Day 2025 will be one to remember! Français
On July 1, Canadian culture, identity and pride will shine! Join the celebration! OTTAWA, ON, May 29, 2025 /CNW/ - On Canada Day, Canadians from coast to coast to coast will celebrate the best country in the world. Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, unveiled the official program for Canada Day 2025. The July 1 festivities will allow us to celebrate our unity and express our national pride, while affirming our sovereignty, our identity and our culture. Celebrating our Canada, loud and proud More than ever, this year is the perfect opportunity to wave our flag proudly and show the world what makes us the True North strong and free. Canadians are encouraged to take part in celebrations in their communities across the country and in the heart of Canada's Capital Region. National noon ceremony The national noon ceremony will officially kick off the celebrations live from Ottawa's LeBreton Flats Park starting at noon (ET) and will be broadcast on CBC, CBC News Network, CBC Gem, CBC Radio, the CBC News YouTube channel and CBC News streaming channels as well as ICI RDI, ICI TÉLÉ and ICI Watch performances by: Amanda Marshall Rafaëlle Roy Garou Alli Walker Thompson Egbo-Egbo Sonia Benezra (host) National evening show In the evening, a sea of red and white will spread across LeBreton Flats Park with a show that will ignite the crowds gathered in the capital and resonate across the country, from 8 to 10 p.m. (ET). Live from Ottawa, with special segments from Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and Vancouver, British Columbia, the following Canadian artists and special guests will take to the stage: Hosted by Isabelle Racicot, the evening show will be broadcast live on CBC, CBC News Network, CBC Gem, CBC Radio, the CBC News YouTube channel and CBC News streaming channels as well as ICI TÉLÉ, ICI and To get into the festive spirit, listen to the official Canada Day playlist and discover the artists who will be taking centre stage on July 1. The O Canada! Station In honour of Canada Day, Canadians are invited to record a short video to express what makes them proud to be Canadian. To make their videos, they can visit the O Canada! Station website or go to one of the video booths set up in many of the major VIA Rail stations across the country. To showcase Canadian pride, some of these videos will be featured on the Canada Day National Evening Show broadcast on CBC and Radio-Canada. Each video submitted will also give eligible contestants the chance to win a trip with VIA Rail Canada. Experience Canada Day in Canada's Capital Region Celebrating Canada Day in the heart of Canada's capital is a one-of-a-kind experience. Once again this year, Ottawa and Gatineau will host must-see festivities: shows, activities for the whole family and of course, the spectacular Tim Hortons Canada Day Fireworks. LeBreton Flats Park Interactive activities for all: On the Dance Floor with multiple professional dancers (including Les Sœurs Bégin), outdoor short films, an electrifying performance by DJ Miss Shelton, and much more. Parliament Hill Iconic site featuring Canadian traditions: the Ceremonial Guard Band, bagpipes, demonstrations by the Snowbirds and a live broadcast of the national noon ceremony and evening show on a giant screen. Supreme Court of Canada (NEW) A new family-friendly space with a host of activities, including yoga and drumming workshops, as well as live broadcasts of both national celebrations. Old Hull A festive atmosphere with family activities during the day and captivating evening performances by famous artists. Visit the Canada Day website to discover all the activities. Follow us on social media Get the latest Canada Day news and share your pride year-round, especially on July 1. Join the conversation on our platforms and use the hashtag #CanadaDay in your posts. Quotes "This year, more than ever, Canada will shine with its shared energy, diversity and the spirit of unity that connects us from coast to coast to coast. Whether you are here at home or abroad, July 1 is a time to come together, enjoy great music, share our stories and reflect on what makes us unique. As a country, we form a vibrant mosaic and we become stronger when we honour the ties that bind us and celebrate together. This Canada Day, I invite you to join the festivities so that we can raise our voices, wave our flags and, together, show the world what it means to be proudly Canadian." —The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages "Our partnership with Canadian Heritage is built on shared values: celebrating our culture, embracing our diversity, and bringing people together from coast to coast. At VIA Rail, we believe the train is more than a mode of transport; it's a link between people, regions and the stories that unite us. With O Canada! Station, we're proud to help create a space where those stories can be shared and celebrated across the country." —Jonathan Goldbloom, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, VIA Rail Canada Quick Facts July 1, 2025, marks the 158th anniversary of Confederation. From May 29 to July 2, each eligible video recorded at an O Canada! station or online will be entered for a chance to win one of two unforgettable trips on VIA Rail, valued at up to $15,000 each. Canadians across the country will be able to watch the broadcast of the national noon ceremony and evening show on the CBC and Radio-Canada platforms. The Supreme Court is celebrating its 150th anniversary and has been made an official site for the 2025 festivities. To mark the occasion, people are invited to visit the country's highest court free of charge. In 2025, Canada Day takes on a special meaning as we celebrate 60 years of our national flag. Throughout the festivities, we'll be honouring this important symbol of our pride and unity. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer for the Canada Day celebrations held in Ottawa and Gatineau should register by June 17. Canadian Heritage would like to thank all of the Canada Day 2025 sponsors: Tim Hortons, Giant Tiger, VIA Rail Canada, the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club, GoodLife Fitness, BeaverTails and Haribo. Canada Day The O Canada! Station Become a volunteer − Canada Day in Canada's Capital Region SOURCE Canadian Heritage
Winnipeg Free Press
29-05-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
In Barkov They Trust: The Panthers, led by their captain, are headed back to the Stanley Cup Final
The entire play took eight seconds, and basically summed up why the Florida Panthers have enormous, nonstop belief in Aleksander Barkov. Third period, Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, game tied at 3. Barkov picks up the puck in the right corner. He skates around the end boards, as Carolina defenseman Dmitry Orlov is trying to use his entire 214-pound frame to move Barkov one direction or the other. Orlov had no chance. Barkov stopped on a dime, turned around, ducked back toward the net and slid the puck to a place that only Florida's Carter Verhaeghe could reach. Verhaeghe turned that pass into the winner, and with that, the Panthers were headed back to their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final. In Barky They Trusted. Again. 'Such a great player,' Verhaeghe said. 'It was such a great play by him. It was all him.' The funny part is that Barkov would hate hearing such praise, and he surely would never say anything like that about himself. He is a most unassuming superstar, someone who doesn't care about the spotlight, someone who was legitimately surprised when fans recognized him last year at a Florida Atlantic basketball game in Boca Raton — about 20 minutes north of where the Panthers play their home games. But he is Florida's best player. And he has led the defending Stanley Cup champions back to the title round for a third consecutive season. 'He's one of the best in the world at that, if not the best,' Florida forward Sam Reinhart said. 'He's got so much strength. Big players make big plays at the biggest moments when you need them, and he's certainly the leader of this team.' Florida moves on to face either Edmonton or Dallas in the Stanley Cup Final. There will be intrigue either way. If the Oilers — who lead the Stars 3-1 in the Western Conference finals — get there, it'll be the 11th title-round rematch in the Stanley Cup era and the first since Pittsburgh and Detroit played for the trophy in 2008 and 2009. If the Stars get there, it'll pit Panthers coach Paul Maurice against Dallas coach Peter DeBoer, his former assistant in the Ontario Hockey League and one of his closest friends. It'll also be the first times Florida and Dallas play each other in the U.S. this season; their two matchups this year were in Finland back in November, the Panthers winning both. 'The most important step is ahead of us,' goalie Sergei Bobrovsky said. The Panthers are the ninth franchise in NHL history to make the Stanley Cup Final in at least three consecutive seasons. Barkov became the first Finnish captain to get the honor of having the inaugural hoist of the Cup when Florida won the title last year, and he was there through a lot of lean years for the Panthers. Forget the Cup final; the Panthers couldn't make the playoffs for much of their history. That seems so long ago now. No team has played more postseason games in the last four years than the Panthers, and there's at least four more games this season left to go. 'I think it was a long time coming,' Barkov said. 'Obviously, there's been a lot of work put in by this organization to become better and reach the level where we want to win Stanley Cups, we want compete for Stanley Cups every single year. There are 31 other teams in the league and it's hard every single year. They want to do that too, so it's not easy. But we've managed to do it three years in a row, which is, I think, an incredible achievement so far.' Aaron Ekblad is in his 11th season as a Panther — one behind Barkov — and he remembers those tough times. Florida once missed the playoffs by a point during their tenure; some years, they missed by five or six wins. They weren't terrible. They just weren't that good. 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. But he remembers why he always remained steadfast in the belief that the franchise would get to this point. 'We've always had Sasha Barkov,' Ekblad said. 'So, there was always hope, especially in those down years. We always had Barky to lead the way.' He led then. He led now. And another trip to the final awaits. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Edmonton Journal
29-05-2025
- Edmonton Journal
Defending champion Panthers head back to Cup final with 5-3 win over Hurricanes
Article content RALEIGH, N.C. — Carter Verhaeghe broke a tie off a feed from Aleksander Barkov with 7:39 left and the defending champion Florida Panthers advanced to their third straight Stanley Cup Final, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 on Wednesday night in Game 5. Article content Florida beat the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons. The Panthers will face the winner of the Western final between Dallas and Edmonton, with the Oilers up 3-1 in that best-of-seven series to put them within a win of a rematch with Florida for the Cup. Article content Sam Bennett added an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left by skating down a loose puck straight out of the penalty box after Florida had held up against a critical late power play for the Hurricanes. That capped a wild night that saw the Hurricanes jump to a 2-0 lead, and Florida answer with three second-period goals, only to see Carolina's Seth Jarvis beat Sergei Bobrovsky midway through the third to tie it at 3. When it was over, the Panthers posed for pictures on Carolina's home ice during the presentation of the Prince of Wales Trophy for the conference winner. Some Hurricanes fans remained defiant, offering scattered 'Let's go, Oilers!' chants. The angst is appropriate considering how Florida has now twice ended Carolina's push to its first Cup Final since winning the franchise's lone title in 2006 when now-coach Rod Brind'Amour was captain. Article content Florida had won the first three games of this series but lost 3-0 at home Monday night as the Hurricanes averted a second straight sweep against Florida. But by the final horn Wednesday, the Panthers had won all three games in Raleigh in the series, pushed their road winning streak in these playoffs to five games and earned an eighth postseason road win overall. Matthew Tkachuk, Evan Rodrigues and Anton Lundell scored on consecutive shots during Florida's second-period flurry, while Bobrovsky finished with 20 saves. Barkov's assist on Verhaeghe's winner also stood out as its own terrific individual effort. Florida's captain was jostling with Carolina's Dmitry Orlov in a battle near the boards on the left side when he turned toward the crease, stepped inside of Eric Robinson and sent the puck over to Verhaeghe for the finish that silenced a Hurricanes home crowd in full-throated roar after Jarvis' tying score. Sebastian Aho scored twice in the first period for Carolina, both on neutral-zone giveaways — the first being one from Gustav Forsling that hit Aho in stride for a a breakaway chance that ended up in the net. Aho added another off a giveaway from Niko Mikkola with little more than a minute left in the first for a 2-0 lead. Carolina has won at least one postseason series in its current run of seven straight playoff appearances, though three have now ended in the Eastern final. Latest National Stories
