Canada's NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander checks in as bull of the week
Bulls of the week
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It's been quite the week for the US$1.4 billion Florida Panthers of the NHL and the US$3.65 billion Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA; the respective Stanley Cup and Larry O'Brien Trophy winners as champions of pro hockey and pro basketball after the two leagues went shoulder-to-shoulder for 10 weeks of playoffs.
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Yet no one has had a bigger week — or a bigger year — than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Hamilton. He's NBA MVP, NBA scoring leader, NBA champion and NBA Finals MVP. He's one of only four NBA stars to have ever accomplished that feat.
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And he's certainly the first Canadian to pull off two or more of those milestones and he's done it in a year that will go down as one of the most dominant and consistent in NBA history.
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Most impressive of all, he's done it as the smiling leader of his Thunder, a thoughtful and articulate spokesman for the game and as a poster child for sportsmanship.
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He's the bull of the week because, at age 26, he's only getting started on a journey that is on a trajectory to make him one of the most influential athletes in all of pro sport.
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The downside to such shoulder-to-shoulder playoffs in the NHL and the NBA is the stark withdrawal symptoms experienced by fans when both leagues end their post-season showcases within a week of each other.
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We go from game action almost every night — with two best-of-seven series going six and seven games in the case of this year — to a glut in the prime-time TV landscape.
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It's a shock to the systems of fans, broadcasters, sports-talk radio hosts, sports anchors and industry stakeholders ranging from merchandisers and licensees to sports bars and betting houses.
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On that note, in terms of sheer TV content and audience reach, the power of fantasy and football wagering makes for one heck of a hangover the day after the Super Bowl.
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And yes, it's hard to describe the impact of a pause on a US$20 million business and its related industries in the hours after more than 120 million people have watched the big game.
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Yet in terms of scope of membership — in this case making up the community of 62 sport franchises in the NHL and the NBA — there's no greater drop off in volume of game action than this week.
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Winnipeg Free Press
35 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canucks select Cootes with 15th pick at NHL draft; Flames snag Reschny at No. 18
LOS ANGELES – Braeden Cootes spent a year living in Vancouver. The Canucks' opening-round pick at the 2025 NHL draft is hoping it's eventually home for a long time. The first Canadian club to make a selection Friday night chose the centre from the Western Hockey League's Seattle Thunderbirds at No. 15. 'Honestly, kind of blacked out for a second,' Cootes said. 'It was crazy. It was an unbelievable moment I'll always remember.' The 18-year-old from Sherwood Park, Alta., put up 26 goals and 37 assists for 63 points across 60 games as Seattle's captain in 2024-25. Cootes lived in Vancouver for a year earlier in his teens and is familiar with the city. 'Went to quite a few Canucks games,' said the five-foot-11, 183-pound forward. 'This is unbelievable.' Vancouver finished 10th in the Western Conference last season, six points below the playoff cutline. 'I love it out west,' Cootes said. 'Couldn't be happier.' The Canucks have already been active this off-season, acquiring Evander Kane from the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday, while fellow winger Brock Boeser is set to become an unrestricted free agent Tuesday. The Montreal Canadiens owned the 16th and 17th picks, but dealt both to the New York Islanders along with forward Emil Heineman for defenceman Noah Dobson in a blockbuster swap. The Calgary Flames were the next Canadian club on the draft board, selecting centre Cole Reschny with the 18th overall pick. The Senators chose defenceman Logan Hensler with No. 23 pick after trading down from No. 21 in a deal with the Nashville Predators that also secured the 67th overall pick for Ottawa. The Winnipeg Jets took Swedish defenceman Sascha Boumedienne at No. 28 before the Flames rounded out the first day of the draft by nabbing centre Cullen Potter at No. 32. The Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers previously traded their first-round picks. Rounds two through seven go Saturday. The 18-year-old Reschny registered 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists) in 62 games with the WHL's Victoria Royals in 2024-25. 'Special just getting this opportunity to be drafted by such a great organization,' said the product of Macklin, Sask. 'But it's also a dream come true. It's something I've worked towards my whole life and my young hockey career. 'I can't wait to get started with the Flames.' Reschny added that growing up in a community of 1,200 people helped mould him on and off the ice. 'It's a blue-collar town,' he said of Macklin, which is close to the border with Alberta. 'We're lucky. We've got a nice rink there. We've got nice ball diamonds and a nice nine-hole golf course. I helped my grandparents on the farm for a lot of years, my dad on the farm. 'It just shaped me into the hard-working and competitive guy I am today.' Reschny didn't have a great start to his draft-eligible season, but came on strong in the second half of the schedule and the playoffs. 'I'm very confident,' he said. 'I just tried to stay level-headed all throughout the year. I knew it was a big year for me. Getting this opportunity to go through this process was special. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'It was just sticking to it and having the right mindset of getting better day in and day out. That was the mindset I had, and it worked out for me.' The six-foot-two, 192-pound Hensler had two goals and 10 assists in 32 games at the University of Wisconsin in 2024-25. The product of Woodbury, Minn., was part of the United States team that won gold at the 2025 world junior hockey championship in Ottawa back in January. 'It's been a dream of mine ever since I was a kid to play in the NHL,' Hensler said. 'All good emotions … I'm super excited.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2025.
The Province
an hour ago
- The Province
Canucks' new draft Braeden Cootes wants to be Brayden Point
Patrik Allvin found a leader of leaders in the first round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Get the latest from Patrick Johnston straight to your inbox Braeden Cootes poses with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman after being drafted by the Vancouver Canucks with the 15th overall pick during the first round of the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft in Los Angeles. Photo by Bruce Bennett / Getty Images The Seattle Thunderbirds have become an NHL prospect engine and the Vancouver Canucks have jumped aboard. 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. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. 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 That much is clear after snagging centre Braeden Cootes 15th overall at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, a player everyone says plays with heart, has sneaky-good skills and, above all else, is a top-notch leader. He was captain of the Thunderbirds and captain of the Canada U18s. Leadership is his thing. It's a statement about the culture of his family and the values of his junior team. 'Above the line,' he said during his first meeting with the media, was a lead value of his team. 'You keep pounding the stone. It's eventually going to break,' was another. Culture in Seattle is huge. So is talent. And scouts tell you that Cootes' playing style hide his skills, but he has them, even if they don't pop. 'Watch his goals this year,' Seattle GM Bill La Forge said after the Canucks made the pick. His talent and his desire have long been evident. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. 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. When he was 15, he spent the last few months of the WHL season with Seattle. His heart and his skill were so evident even then, he drew the attention of his teammates; he'd be a preferred third player in three-on-three drills. Even veterans like Brad Lambert and Dylan Guenther would pick him. 'They have a lot of great history of NHL players coming out of that program and Braeden being a captain, a leader of that team, that excited my staff,' Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said. 'And how he played and how prepared he was and the consistency. And I think that's something in that program that they, from the top, are teaching those young players.' Cootes listed a couple former teammates as players he's learned to model his own leadership on: Lucas Ciona, who was captain in Seattle in that first tastes of the WHL in 2022-23, and Lucas Gustafson, who was captain in 2023-24. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Two guys I looked up to big time in how they led and just everybody there really,' he explained. 'Like I said, the culture in Seattle, I mean, it's just kind of the person that I became. Obviously what we do there is top notch in how we handle ourselves as people and players.' For some time there had been speculation that the Canucks would trade the pick, especially to grab a second-line centre. But in the end they went with the future. Allvin downplayed what was available. 'The conversations didn't lead much,' he claimed. Earlier in the week he'd suggested he was willing to trade back, though whether that changed when it became clear he could draft Cootes at 15 he didn't say. But he acknowledged that the lack of trades and movement in the order suggested teams saw what he saw: a lot of similar players available at each spot in the draft. The overall draft class isn't considered that strong. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Allvin has been a scout for a long time, but wasn't keen to compare Cootes to a player he'd scouted before. 'He's a really, really solid two-way centre with the leadership,' was all he'd say. 'We've all seen a lot of them over the years. But I don't want to put a name here; then it's just going to be hard for him right away. But what I will say, though, is that we're extremely excited about the way he plays and the way he helps his line mates to be better and the team to be better.' Cootes wasn't shy to admit he'd like to be Brayden Point. 'His complete game and his work ethic,' Cootes said were the main attractants. 'He kind of does everything right. He's a really smart player too: high hockey IQ, a guy that's kind of always in the right spot and is a good skater as well. And he's a winner. I mean, two Stanley Cups, it's a pretty good resumé.' pjohnston@ Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks NHL Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jets select swift Swedish blue-liner
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Winnipeg's top defence prospect is Elias Salomonsson of Sweden, so while the Jets have often said they don't draft by passport, it doesn't seem like a coincidence they've gone to that well this often since 2022 — when Salomonsson was chosen 55th overall. Boumedienne was the seventh defenceman chosen in the first round and he's considered to have a high ceiling, as someone who can run a power play and eventually projects to be a Top-4 D-man. The left-handed shooter has enjoyed an interesting development path, as he was born in Finland and grew up in Sweden. He eventually made his way to North America to play in the Ohio Blue Jackets AAA program before joining the Younstown Phantoms of the USHL. There's some NHL lineage as well, as Boumedienne's father, Josef, had a lengthy professional hockey career that included 47 games as a defenceman with the New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals. Looking ahead to Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft, the Jets have four more selections currently, the next one coming in the third round (92nd overall). The Jets also have picks scheduled for the fourth, sixth and seventh rounds. It will be interesting to see what strategy the Jets use on the second day and whether they look to trade up into the second round or look to add additional draft capital. Everett Silvertips foreward Carter Bear of West St. Paul was the first Manitoba chosen as he went 13th overall to the Detroit Red Wings. The other player with Manitoba connections, Brandon Wheat Kings centre Roger McQueen went 10th overall to the Anaheim Ducks. Although the draft is taking centre stage, there's already been plenty of talk about the additions to the roster that the Jets need to make in the coming days. Bringing in Winnipegger Jonathan Toews, who has agreed to a one-year deal that will be official on July 1, was an important step but the Jets will be looking to further augment the roster. With just a few more days to go before free agency opens on July 1, there's been some speculation about what the Jets might do if forward Nikolaj Ehlers opts to sign elsewhere. Although Ehlers hasn't ruled out staying with the Jets, with Sam Bennett staying with the Florida Panthers and John Tavares signing an extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, the expectation is Ehlers will have plenty of suitors who are offering a significant raise from the US$6 million he's been making during the past seven seasons. Once Mitch Marner decides where he's going to go, Ehlers will be one of the most highly sought-after forwards this summer on the open market. One of the possible replacements for Ehlers is right-winger Brock Boeser, who spent the past eight seasons and change with the Vancouver Canucks after finishing his NCAA career with the University of North Dakota. 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. Boeser, 28, has amassed 204 goals, 230 assists and 434 points in 554 NHL games — including 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games last season. Boeser is one season removed from posting career-highs of 40 goals and 73 points and he carried that into the playoffs, where he collected 12 points in 12 post-season games. Although Boeser's not as dynamic as Ehlers, he's a proven goal-scorer that has eclipsed 20 goals on six different occasions in his first eight full seasons. X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld Ken WiebeReporter Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken. Every piece of reporting Ken 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.
