
Amazon Prime series goes behind the scenes with ex-Leafs president Brendan Shanahan, NHL stars
Article content
The next team thinking of hiring Brendan Shanahan as an executive will have some candid behind-the-scenes visuals of him at work to use as a resource.
Article content
Article content
Toronto's former team president will appear among an impressive list of National Hockey League players for Season 2 of Amazon Prime Video's Faceoff: Inside the NHL, set to premier in the autumn of 2025.
The intimate look at the stars at work — and play — scored many points with subscribers last year with such features as the mic'd up rivalry between Edmonton's Connor McDavid and Florida's Matthew Tkachuk in the Stanley Cup final and the lasting friendship of Maple Leafs winger William Nylander and Boston's David Pastrnak that had to be shelved in the Toronto-Boston series. Nylander also will appear in Season 2.
Article content
'This year, fans can expect more of the unexpected,' Mark Shopiro, head of Prime Video Canada, told Postmedia.
'We were really excited by fan reaction the first year, some things they hadn't ever seen before, through the lens of the players, their families and friends. Our cameras were rolling behind the scenes again and we have a lot of great highlights.'
Similar to Season 1, two or three dozen players volunteered or were asked by the league to be profiled by London, England-based Box to Box Productions.
Some storylines grew organically from mid-season through the Cup final, while filming this year began with the 4 Nations tournament in February in hopes some players would get deep in the playoffs as teammates or foes.
'We're featuring the oldest generational players — Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin's milestone goal chase (and retiring netminder Marc-Andre Fleury),' Shopiro said. 'They'll cross with the younger generation, such as (Los Angeles Kings forward) Quinton Byfield.'
Latest National Stories
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Globe and Mail
29 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Excitement, nervousness and a sense of déjà vu as Edmonton prepares for the Stanley Cup Finals this week
Kennedy Forberg stood in the sun in downtown Edmonton on Monday afternoon, a gigantic image of the Stanley Cup glimmering tantalizingly on the screens above. Her son's stroller was piled high with new shirts from the Oilers store. Around her, the outdoor fan park known to locals as 'the Moss Pit' was already coming to life, with barricades and porta-potties and first-aid booths being set up. City buses flashed words of support as they passed. 'I'm excited, but a little bit nervous,' Ms. Forberg admitted. 'I don't want a repeat of last year. It's fresh. It hurts. I don't want to do that again.' It is, as Yogi Berra once said, déjà vu all over again: the Edmonton Oilers facing down the same team in this year's final series of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The first game takes place Wednesday. But, standing in the exact same spot where legions of fans mourned – and, in some cases, openly wept – after a one-goal loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 last year, Ms. Forberg and her mother, Alison, noted the team – and the signs – seemed to be aligning differently this time around. Healthy and with home ice, the Oilers look strong heading into Stanley Cup Final Alison Forberg said she believes the team is stronger and more unified than last year. And when team captain Connor McDavid audaciously touched the Western Conference cup the other day – intentionally breaking a long-standing superstition against doing exactly that – well, it seemed like something else was happening, too. 'When McDavid put his hands on that other trophy, I'm like, yeah, he's got it this year. He knows it,' Alison said. 'He knows it.' Mother and daughter each sported sparkly Oilers earrings, and Alison wore a set of matching Oilers bracelets Kennedy had made for the whole family. Like the earrings, Alison put the bracelets on before the playoffs and hasn't taken them off since. Her nails were painted orange and blue. 'We're just excited,' Alison said. 'I feel really confident.' In her arms, 1½-year-old Hudson followed the prompt 'He shoots' with a gleeful 'He scores!,' and pumped his tiny fist in the air. In the blocks around Rogers Place, the downtown Edmonton arena, billboards and stores repeated the city's mantras, which have become far closer to incantations now than simple slogans: 'LET'S GO OILERS' and 'THIS IS OUR GAME' and 'PLAY LA BAMBA.' At a nearby office tower, Maulina Saroya wore an Oilers T-shirt to work, which her company allows on game days and during playoff season. She said she puts serious consideration into her Oilers wardrobe during the playoffs. At one point, she retired one of her jerseys because the Oilers always lost when she wore it. But she's saving a new monogrammed jersey for next season because she bought it mid-season, 'so it didn't contribute to the playoff run.' Opinion: The secret to NHL playoff success is that the regular season doesn't matter She said it was nice to see people downtown, and exciting to see the TV trucks arriving, and the infrastructure coming together. 'It's very exciting, and as the week goes, you're going to see more and more. It's a community, right?' she said. 'My parents have been in Canada for over 50 years. They used to cheer for Gretzky, and now we cheer for McDavid.' She said she, too, felt as if Mr. McDavid touching the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl foreshadowed something significant. 'I really feel like we do have a great chance, but I don't want to jinx anything,' she said. 'Just by McDavid touching the Western Conference trophy, I feel like it broke all stigma. And I feel like they look determined. So I feel determined.' Her colleague Pawan Soora had been busy helping organize the large watch parties at their office, which last year involved hundreds of people gathering to watch on big screens set up inside the tower's hallways and boardrooms. As the Oilers head to the Stanley Cup final, some Canadians change teams to go 'Elbows Up' for Edmonton 'I'm so excited,' Ms. Soora said. She said she doesn't have any lucky shirts or traditions to help cheer on the team, except to 'be positive all the time.' Emily Butt is a relatively new fan, having moved from the Maritimes to Edmonton in November and gotten hooked. Ms. Butt said she used to cheer for the Montreal Canadiens, like her father, and hadn't broken the news to him that her team allegiance has changed – and changed so dramatically. 'Oh, I'm invested,' she said with a laugh. 'Tickets are like three grand, and I'd be willing to pay it to go see a game.' On Monday, Ms. Butt went to Rogers Place to buy her first piece of Oilers merchandise: a grey and pink T-shirt for her first playoffs as a fan. 'I'm 50-50,' she said. 'One part is nervous, and the other part is, like, 'We've got it.''


Toronto Sun
2 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
MrBeast aims to raise millions for his charity by offering a weekend experience to six-figure donors
Published Jun 02, 2025 • 2 minute read Jimmy Donaldson, the YouTube star known as MrBeast, stands in a sideline box at an MLS soccer match on March 10, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Photo by Rebecca Blackwell / Files / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. NEW YORK — MrBeast plans to turn the success of his Amazon Prime Video reality competition series into millions of dollars for charity. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account YouTube's biggest creator is offering an exclusive weekend on the set of Beast Games Season 2 to the first 40 donors who make $100,000 gifts to his registered nonprofit. The earliest contributors and up to two guests each will spend June 27-29 touring MrBeast's North Carolina studio, hearing from the production team in a private Q&A and visiting Beast Philanthropy's food pantry. The invitation comes as Jimmy Donaldson's reported $5 billion media empire surpasses 400 million subscribers on YouTube, where he had already set the record for the biggest following. But the call raises a question: Who among his following of young people and their parents can make a six-figure donation? 'I have some big charity projects I want to fund so I think it's a win/win,' MrBeast said in a post on X. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Rallying his fervent fan base to make their own contributions marks a new fundraising strategy for Donaldson. He has long stated that his YouTube pages' featured charitable work is funded with his Beast Philanthropy channel's revenue. The content has drawn a mix of praise from fans for working with local nonprofits to support previously unfunded projects and pushback from critics who accused Donaldson of exploiting vulnerable people for clickbait 'inspiration porn.' Campaigns have involved treating rheumatic heart disease in Nigeria and protecting endangered animals in Kenya. Other examples include building wells in countries across Africa and covering the cost of cataract surgery for 1,000 people. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The call also signals Donaldson's continued philanthropic presence after comments suggesting he would get 'less hate' if he stepped away from philanthropy altogether. Responding to allegations that he uses philanthropy as a shield, Donaldson said he thinks 'it paints a negative spotlight on me.' 'People hate me more because I do good,' Donaldson said in a conversation uploaded last November on the YouTube channel oompaville. 'Maybe that's too crazy of a statement. I'm not trying to sound like a victim here or anything.' 'The truth is, I just find videos where I help people more fun than videos where I don't,' he added. Monday's announcement comes shortly after Amazon Prime Video renewed Beast Games for two more seasons. The reality competition series pitted 1,000 contestants against each other for a $5 million grand prize that doubled in the Feb. 13 finale. Forbes reported that the show broke the streaming service's record by totaling 50 million views in the 25 days after its premiere. MrBeast's latest fan event also follows reports that an April weekend experience billed as 'immersive' and 'unforgettable' had fallen short of attendees' expectations. Columnists Olympics Celebrity Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Raptors


Toronto Sun
3 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
MMA fighters Phil Davis and Misha Cirkunov file antitrust lawsuits against UFC
Published Jun 02, 2025 • 1 minute read Phil Davis in action against Ryan Bader during a mixed martial arts bout for the light heavyweight title at Bellator 180 on Saturday, June 24, 2017, in New York. Photo by Gregory Payan / AP LAS VEGAS — Two former UFC fighters have filed antitrust lawsuits against the mixed-martial arts behemoth, alleging it operates as a monopoly that restricts their ability to maximize earnings. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Phil Davis and Mikhail Cirkunovs, who fought under the name Misha Cirkunov, filed their lawsuits in U.S. District Court in Nevada against the Las Vegas-based UFC. Cirkunovs' complaint was filed on May 23, and Davis' was filed six days later. Philadelphia-based Berger Montague, which is represented locally by Las Vegas' Claggett and Sykes, is the law firm for both fighters. A message left with the Las Vegas firm on Monday was not immediately returned. Cirkunovs is seeking $75,000 in damages. Davis didn't specify how much money he is suing for. The UFC reached a $375 million settlement in September in a class-action antitrust lawsuit brought by Cung Le, who filed his claim in 2014. The UFC has not reached an agreement with Kajan Johnson, who filed his lawsuit in 2021. Both recent complaints made references to the Johnson case, with the Cirkunovs' suit saying they were similar. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'In previous hearings, Plaintiffs' own counsel expressed strong concerns to the Court about the weaknesses of the Johnson claims,' the UFC said in a statement. 'This new complaint (Cirkunovs) confirms that the plaintiffs in the Johnson case lack the standing to represent the proposed class. 'In addition, it confirms that the majority of fighters signed class-action waivers and agreed to arbitrate their claims instead of resorting to court procedures. We are confident that the facts and the law are on our side in opposing approval of both of these proposed classes.' Davis fought in the UFC from 2010-15 before signing with Bellator MMA, which became the Professional Fighters League this year. He argues that the UFC's presence prevents fighters who aren't even in the organization from receiving competitive wages. Cirkunovs was in the UFC from 2015-22. Toronto Maple Leafs Olympics Columnists Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Raptors