Latest news with #CaleMakar
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025-26 Fantasy Hockey Rankings: Oilers' star duo lead this draft season
The Florida Panthers are two-time Stanley Cup champions after winning their consecutive championship. The question now is, will you follow in the Cats' footsteps in your fantasy hockey leagues?It's only August, but fantasy hockey is already open over in these parts, so you can get started on your prep. Once again, generational talent Connor McDavid leads Scott Pianowski's draft rankings for the 2025-26 season, and he's joined by his frequent linemate, Leon Draisaitl at No. 2 overall. Cale Makar leads the pack at defenseman in the first round, while Connor Hellebuyck is the topper at goaltender. See how the rest of Scott's rankings shake out below, and bookmark/save/star this page as he'll be updating them regularly: Who are you most looking forward to draft in fantasy hockey this season?
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
MacKenzie Weegar Named to Team Canada Orientation Camp — Olympic Hopes Still Alive
Calgary Flames defenceman MacKenzie Weegar has officially been invited to Team Canada's National Teams Orientation Camp, set for August 26–28 in Calgary — another important step toward potentially representing his country on the world's biggest hockey stage. The camp serves as a precursor to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, and includes a select group of NHL blueliners being evaluated for Canada's national roster. It's a welcomed nod for Weegar, who was in strong consideration for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off but ultimately didn't crack the lineup. Now, he's right back in the mix — and for good reason. The list of defencemen invited to camp includes some of the best Canadian blueliners in the game: Cale Makar, Drew Doughty, Aaron Ekblad, Josh Morrissey, Evan Bouchard, and others. With Olympic spots at a premium, every name on the list brings elite-level pedigree. Weegar's recent play and international resume have earned him a legitimate spot among them. Weegar, 31, is coming off a solid year with the Flames, notching 8 goals and 47 points in 81 games with a +18 rating while logging top-pair minutes. He leads by example on and off the ice and was arguably Calgary's most consistent defencemen. He continues to draw praise as a future captain candidate. This isn't Weegar's first brush with the national team. He suited up for Canada at the 2025 IIHF Men's World Championship, bringing experience and poise to the blue line on international ice. His strong play at that tournament only bolstered his case as a well-rounded defender who can adjust quickly to different systems, teammates, and roles — a valuable trait in short tournament formats like the Olympics. It's not just about points, although Weegar's offensive totals were impressive. His real value lies in his versatility. He plays both sides, handles tough defensive assignments, can chip in on special teams, and thrives in high-pressure situations. His mix of grit, smarts, and adaptability make him a perfect fit for the grind of international competition. He's the kind of player coaches trust — and that might be just what gets him over the hump. Making Team Canada is never easy, especially on defence where the talent pool is deep and the expectations are sky-high. Still, Weegar's trajectory is trending in the right direction, and the invitation to orientation camp is a strong indication that Hockey Canada has taken notice. With continued strong play and his recent Team Canada experience under his belt, don't be surprised if Weegar earns himself a ticket to Italy in 2026. He's no longer on the outside looking in — he's firmly in the conversation.
New York Times
24-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Inside 2026 NHL Draft sensation Gavin McKenna's path to Penn State, and his big season ahead
On a warm Wednesday summer evening in late July, Gavin McKenna is in Calgary. After announcing his groundbreaking commitment to play at Penn State University on ESPN's SportsCenter earlier this month, he had just spent a week at home in Whitehorse, Yukon, where the 2026 NHL Draft's No. 1 prospect pitched in at a hockey camp for First Nations youth. Advertisement His older sister, Madison, helps organize the camp through her work at Council of Yukon First Nations, and McKenna says he gave 'a little speech' and helped out on the ice. 'This is my first time this year getting home and it'll be my last probably,' McKenna said in a one-on-one interview with The Athletic. He misses home — his parents, Willy and Krystal, Madison and his 14-year-old sister, Kasey — and wishes the stay hadn't been so short. 'I love being up north and kind of away from everything. And when I'm there, I love dirt biking, I love fishing, I love golfing. It helps me get away from the game and resets me in the summertime,' he said. But in what's already been a busy summer schedule for McKenna, he's chosen to squeeze in some skates and workouts in Calgary. He's there for his first summer of training with DASH (Dynamic Athletic Strength & Hockey), skating and working out with the likes of Cale Makar. He's staying with his girlfriend (who is from Calgary) and her family for the time being. Then, on Saturday, he'll join Hockey Canada in Minnesota for the World Junior Summer Showcase. After a week in Minneapolis, he'll return to Calgary for a couple more weeks of training before heading to Penn State on Aug. 15 to begin prep for his freshman year in college — a freshman year that may be the most hotly anticipated in NCAA hockey history. All eyes were always going to be on him. He knows that. But in choosing Penn State, a program that has only played at the Division I level since 2011, and that only made its first appearance in the Frozen Four a few months ago, all eyes will be on the Nittany Lions, really for the first time in the program's history, as well. He says that he just felt a pull toward Hockey Valley, and that he's ready for all of the bright lights. Advertisement 'From the start of this whole entire process, I got the feeling that it was going to be Penn State that I was going to go to,' McKenna said. 'And then once I toured the area and I got to see the facilities and meet some of the people there and some of the guys, it was just a place that I knew right away I could call home and then on top of that they have a great team and they have a chance of winning it, and obviously that's the goal next year.' He admits that he was nervous for the SportsCenter announcement — a first for a college hockey player. 'It was a little bit more pressure and higher stakes' than even he was used to, he said. When he arrives on campus, he'll jump right into university classes as well. Though it'll be a for-one-year-only situation, 'the school part comes with it and I've got to take some course,' McKenna said. 'It's all part of the college experience, so I'm looking forward to it,' he added. He knows new teammates Jackson Smith, Shea Van Olm and Aiden Fink a little, which he hopes will help with the transition. Once he pulls on a Nittany Lions jersey and the puck drops on the season, the hockey part will come much easier. It always has. McKenna registered 174 in 123 games (1.41 points per game) in his age 15-16 seasons in the CHL, better than Connor McDavid's 165 points in 119 games (1.39 points per game) in his same seasons (their birthdays are less than a month apart). He registered 20 points in seven games as a double underager at U18 worlds, the most points ever by a U17 player in the tournament's history, surpassing Alex Ovechkin's 18 points in eight games (at the same age, McDavid had 14 points in seven games). In the gold medal game, he scored a hat trick in a come-from-behind win for Canada. Last year, he registered 129 points in 56 games, 30 more than the 99 that McDavid registered in the exact same number of games at that age. Advertisement He's the reigning CHL Player of the Year and was the reigning CHL Rookie of the Year before that. Last season, though he only turned 17 on Dec. 20, he led the WHL in assists (88) and plus-minus (plus-60). And he's only just beginning. In stepping into the next chapter of his career in college hockey, McKenna closed his last chapter with Medicine Hat in the WHL. The WHL, or Dub as he calls it, 'was a great league for me,' he says. 'I loved my time there and it was a lot of fun in Med Hat,' McKenna said. It was a great spot for me, and obviously having a coach like Willie (Desjardins) that has been through it all to guide me and mentor me through my Dub career, it for sure prepared me for this next step. And he has already coached in the NHL, so he knows the next step after that, too.' Desjardins talks about McKenna as a 'great kid (who) wants to be a great player.' On the ice, his greatness starts with his vision, according to Desjardins. 'He's got incredible vision, and he can see plays before they develop and when they develop,' Desjardins said. 'He sees plays really, really early.' He remembers spotting that the very first time he saw him play on a trip to Nashville. He'd already drafted him by then, but he went down to watch him at a spring hockey showcase and he 'couldn't believe what he could see.' Once he got to coach him, he noticed his developing leadership qualities and that he has 'an incredible stick both defensively and offensively.' 'He turns a lot of pucks over and generates a lot of takeaways with his stick. And then all of a sudden he has a chance for offense because of it,' Desjardins said. 'I think he's grown in being a leader. I think he wants to win. He'll do things for the team.' Desjardins' favorite McKenna story is from the 2023-24 season. It was Christmastime, and though he was first in his age group in scoring, he wasn't first among all rookies, and he showed up unannounced in Desjardins' office. Advertisement 'This isn't good enough,' McKenna told his head coach. 'I've got to be better than this.' From that point on, Desjardins said he watched video and started skating himself after practice 'every day.' 'He skated himself hard. And that translated from 1.3 points, which is what he was averaging, to I think 2.6 in January. That was a player that wasn't satisfied with being good, he wanted to be elite. You forget how young he is. You always forget. But he's way faster than people think,' Desjardins said. 'At times I'm surprised by how fast he is. He's pretty athletic, and he pushes himself, but things also just come to him.' Predators first-rounder Tanner Molendyk played against McKenna with the Saskatoon Blades and then with him at the 2025 World Juniors and in Medicine Hat following the trade deadline. He saw him register 38 points in 16 WHL playoff games en route to a WHL title and a 54-game point streak. He's also been on the other end of it. 'Seeing it first person, I've probably been a victim of him walking me sometimes. It's pretty special,' Molendyk said. One longtime scout said, 'his hockey IQ is off the charts.' 'He sees plays that others don't see and he can make passes that other players can't make so he's got a combo pack of being able to read, see situations, and at an elite level know who's open and when they're open and then he's got the puck skills to move the puck to those people before sometimes they're even ready for it. His vision and his creativity are high, high-end,' the scout said. 'And he's a lot more competitive than people would expect without the puck. He's a guy that angles and picks people's pockets when they're not expecting it because he's got such a quick stick. He defends not like most people think of defending, where you knock other players off the puck or you run people through the boards, but he's always got his stick in lanes deflecting pucks and picking people's pockets by lifting blades and being in good spots to intercept pucks. So he's an elite offensive mind and then a good defensive player as well.' Advertisement Alan Millar, the new general manager of Canada's 2026 World Junior team, saw it in his previous role as general manager of the Regina Pats, too. He uses the same word Molendyk did: special. 'You just look at his talent level, you look at his offensive abilities, you look at what he did in the WHL as a 17-year-old, really impressive young man, really special player. He's going to be a real important player for us, and I think Gavin's the kind of kid who, along with a Porter Martone, those guys are going to be real motivated through this process based on the results a year ago (a quarterfinal defeat at the 2025 World Juniors in Ottawa). We'll look for Gavin to be a focal point for us. He's exciting, he's dynamic, it's obviously a big year for him with the change that he has made, but we look forward to him being a big part of our team,' Millar said. McKenna looks forward to that challenge, and to all the others that will come in his draft year under the microscope — and his career beyond that. 'There's a lot of things to be excited about next season,' he said. 'Heading to college, playing my first game. That'll be pretty amazing. And then with the World Juniors, last year wasn't the best way to go out, and I know a lot of us will have a big chip on our shoulders this year, and that's going to be exciting. And then for us, I know there's a lot of talk around Penn State and how good the team's going to be, and hopefully we can win a national championship. That's on the bucket list, and I know with my draft year there's going to be a lot of attention, but it'll be fun.'
Al Arabiya
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Veteran defenseman Brent Burns signs with Avs for what could be last chance at elusive Stanley Cup
Brent Burns has the impressive Ironman streak–925 straight games and counting–the majestic beard and the individual accolades. All that's missing from his potential Hall of Fame career is that Stanley Cup title. This could be his last chance. The 40-year-old agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Colorado Avalanche that includes up to $3 million more in performance bonuses. He's trying to follow the script of Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, who spent most of his career with Boston only to join the Avalanche late in his career and hoist the Cup in 2001 before skating off into retirement. 'There's still something to chase, so I'm still super-motivated for that,' Burns said Thursday in a Zoom call. 'There's one big goal still.' He joins a stacked Colorado team that includes fellow Norris Trophy–winning defenseman Cale Makar and one of the league's top scorers in Nathan MacKinnon. Burns figures to add another layer of leadership to a team that just got back captain Gabriel Landeskog after he missed nearly three years in his recovery from a serious knee injury. 'You're around guys that are chasing one goal, and there's just something special about it–all the laughs and the working hard together,' Burns said. 'It's really special to try to build something together, and I just enjoy that process.' The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Burns could be partnered on the blue line with Sam Malinski, who was around 5 years old when Burns broke into the league. What number Burns may wear on his jersey remains in the air. The numbers he's donned over his NHL career are taken–No. 8 is worn by Makar and No. 88 by Martin Necas, who was his teammate in Carolina. Burns is leaning toward No. 84, 'but I don't know if it's set in stone yet,' he said. Burns won the league's award for the top defenseman in 2017. He joins another Norris winner in Makar, who was the award's most recent recipient and also won it in 2022 when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup. 'He's obviously just insanely talented,' Burns said of Makar. 'The things he can do–there's not many, if any, people in the world that can do it. So I'm really excited to get to see it in person every day and see how he ticks and how he thinks about the game.' Burns is still getting major ice time even as he's about to enter his 22nd NHL season. He averaged nearly 21 minutes a game for the Hurricanes last season. He had six goals and 23 assists. What's more, he's played in 925 straight games, which is the fourth-longest Ironman streak in NHL history and longest currently going. A first-round pick by Minnesota in 2003, Burns played seven seasons with the Wild before being dealt to San Jose in 2011. He spent the past three seasons in Carolina. Over 1,497 regular-season games, he's scored 261 goals and dished out 649 assists. He's led all NHL defensemen in points (2016–17, 18–19), assists (18–19), and goals (15–16, 16–17) for a season over his career. Burns is set to become the 23rd player in NHL history to skate in at least 22 seasons. 'That's a big part for me. It's something I really want to do. It's definitely not easy,' Burns said. 'I think it's a special group here. … Whatever they ask of me, that's what I want to do. That's all that I'm really looking at right now is that's what I want to do.' The one piece missing from his lengthy career is that Stanley Cup. He reached the final with the Sharks in 2016, where they lost to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. In 135 postseason games, Burns has 24 goals and 56 assists while averaging just over 24 minutes on the ice. 'I just want to come in and join the group, fit in,' Burns said. 'I want to bring some energy, bring some fun, some experience.'
Associated Press
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Veteran defenseman Brent Burns signs with Avs for what could be last chance at elusive Stanley Cup
DENVER (AP) — Brent Burns has the impressive Ironman streak — 925 straight games and counting — the majestic beard and the individual accolades. All that's missing from his potential Hall of Fame career is that Stanley Cup title. This could be his last chance. The 40-year-old agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal with the Colorado Avalanche that includes up to $3 million more in performance bonus. He's trying to follow the script of Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, who spent most of his career with Boston only to join the Avalanche late in his career and hoist the Cup in 2001 before skating off into retirement. 'There's still something to chase, so I'm still super-motivated for that,' Burns said Thursday in a Zoom call. 'There's one big goal still.' He joins a stacked Colorado team that includes fellow Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Cale Makar and one of the league's top scorers in Nathan MacKinnon. Burns figures to add another layer of leadership to a team that just got back captain Gabriel Landeskog after he missed nearly three years in his recovery from a serious knee injury. 'You're around guys that are chasing one goal and there's just something special about it — all the laughs and the working hard together,' Burns said. 'It's really special to try to build something together, and I just enjoy that process.' The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Burns could be partnered on the blue line with Sam Malinski, who was around 5 years old when Burns broke into the league. What number Burns may wear on his jersey remains in the air. The numbers he's donned over his NHL career are taken — No. 8 is worn by Makar and No. 88 by Martin Necas, who was his teammate in Carolina. Burns is leaning toward No. 84, 'but I don't know if it's set in stone yet,' he said. Burns won the league's award for the top defenseman in 2017. He joins another Norris winner in Makar, who was the award's most recent recipient and also won it in 2022, when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup. 'He's obviously just insanely talented,' Burns said of Makar. 'The things he can do — there's not many, if any, people in the world that can do it. So I'm really excited to get to see it in person every day and see how he ticks, and how he thinks about the game.' Burns is still getting major ice time even as he's about to enter his 22nd NHL season. He averaged nearly 21 minutes a game for the Hurricanes last season. He had six goals and 23 assists. What's more, he's played in 925 straight games, which is the fourth-longest 'Iron Man' streak in NHL history and longest currently going. A first-round pick by Minnesota in 2003, Burns played seven seasons with the Wild before being dealt to San Jose in 2011. He spent the past three seasons in Carolina. Over 1,497 regular-season games, he's scored 261 goals and dished out 649 assists. He's led all NHL defensemen in points (2016-17, 18-19), assists (18-19) and goals (15-16, 16-17) for a season over his career. Burns is set to become the 23rd player in NHL history to skate in at least 22 seasons. 'That's a big part for me. It's something I really want to do. It's definitely not easy,' Burns said. 'I think it's a special group here. ... Whatever they ask of me, that's what I want to do. That's all that I'm really looking at right now is that's what I want to do.' The one piece missing from his lengthy career is that Stanley Cup. He reached the final with the Sharks in 2016, where they lost to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. In 135 postseason games, Burns has 24 goals and 56 assists while averaging just over 24 minutes on the ice. 'I just want to come in and join the group, fit in,' Burns said. 'I want to bring some energy, bring some fun, some experience.' ___ AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed to this report. ___ AP NHL:
