Latest from Montreal Gazette
Montreal Gazette
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Canadiens announce full schedule for 2025-26 season
The Montreal Canadiens will open their season as they usually do, against Toronto in early October, and finish the season at Philadelphia on April 14. The National Hockey League released its full schedule on Wednesday, and in the tradition of National Football League teams, the Canadiens published a video they thought was funny to go along with it. The Canadiens' video shows general manager Kent Hughes and executive vice-president Jeff Gorton pointing fingers at the other for failing to create a fun video on time, including ideas such as having Juraj Slafkovsky read out all 82 games in ASMR style, or a Minecraft-style video, or an infinite zoom. Realizing they don't have a video, Gorton says 'this is an emergency' prompting Canadiens emergency backup goaltender Patrick Chèvrefils, a Montreal cop, to introduce the schedule and sit while it scrolls on screen. The season begins Oct. 8 in Toronto, with the home opener Tuesday, Oct. 14 vs. the Seattle Kraken. The big road trips are Oct. 22-28 in the northwest, Nov. 26-29 in Utah, Vegas and Colorado, March 3-7 in California, March 28 to April 4 in the eastern U.S., and the annual holiday road trip from Dec. 21 to Jan. 4. The schedule also includes a break in February for the Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, Italy, where NHL players will be playing for their countries. This means there will not be the usual Super Bowl weekend matinée games at the Bell Centre. All 41 Bell Centre games will start at 7 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. The Canadiens will play Atlantic Division opponents four times each, except for Florida and Detroit (three times each), Metropolitan Division teams three times each, and Western Conference teams twice each. Broadcast details will be announced later this summer, but national games, including Saturday and Wednesday evening games, will be broadcast by Sportsnet, some Monday games by Amazon Prime Video, and the rest by 2025-26 season schedule Date Time (ET) Opponent Wednesday, Oct. 8 7 p.m. @ Toronto Thursday, Oct. 9 7 p.m. @ Detroit Saturday, Oct. 11 7 p.m. @ Chicago Tuesday, Oct. 14 7 p.m. Seattle Thursday, Oct. 16 7 p.m. Nashville Saturday, Oct. 18 7 p.m. N.Y. Rangers Monday, Oct. 20 7:30 p.m. Buffalo Wednesday, Oct. 22 8:30 p.m. @ Calgary Thursday, Oct. 23 9 p.m. @ Edmonton Saturday, Oct. 25 7 p.m. @ Vancouver Tuesday, Oct. 28 10:30 p.m. @ Seattle Saturday, Nov. 1 7 p.m. Ottawa Tuesday, Nov. 4 7 p.m. Philadelphia Thursday, Nov. 6 7 p.m. @ New Jersey Saturday, Nov. 8 7 p.m. Utah Tuesday, Nov. 11 7 p.m. Los Angeles Thursday, Nov. 13 7 p.m. Dallas Saturday, Nov. 15 7 p.m. Boston Monday, Nov. 17 7:30 p.m. @ Columbus Thursday, Nov. 20 7 p.m. Washington Saturday, Nov. 22 7 p.m. Toronto Wednesday, Nov. 26 9:30 p.m. @ Utah Friday, Nov. 28 4 p.m. @ Vegas Saturday, Nov. 29 3 p.m. @ Colorado Tuesday, Dec. 2 7 p.m. Ottawa Wednesday, Dec. 3 7:30 p.m. Winnipeg Saturday, Dec. 6 7 p.m. @ Toronto Sunday, Dec. 7 7 p.m. St. Louis Tuesday, Dec. 9 7 p.m. Tampa Bay Thursday, Dec. 11 7 p.m. @ Pittsburgh Saturday, Dec. 13 7 p.m. @ N.Y. Rangers Sunday, Dec. 14 7 p.m. Edmonton Tuesday, Dec. 16 7 p.m. Philadelphia Thursday, Dec. 18 7 p.m. Chicago Saturday, Dec. 20 7 p.m. Pittsburgh Sunday, Dec. 21 7 p.m. @ Pittsburgh Tuesday, Dec. 23 7 p.m. @ Boston Sunday, Dec. 28 5 p.m. @ Tampa Bay Tuesday, Dec. 30 7 p.m. @ Florida Thursday, Jan. 1 7 p.m. @ Carolina Saturday, Jan. 3 4 p.m. @ St. Louis Sunday, Jan. 4 2 p.m. @ Dallas Wednesday, Jan. 7 7:30 p.m. Calgary Thursday, Jan. 8 7 p.m. Florida Saturday, Jan. 10 7 p.m. Detroit Monday, Jan. 12 7:30 p.m. Vancouver Tuesday, Jan. 13 7 p.m. @ Washington Thursday, Jan. 15 7 p.m. @ Buffalo Saturday, Jan. 17 7 p.m. @ Ottawa Tuesday, Jan. 20 7 p.m. Minnesota Thursday, Jan. 22 7 p.m. Buffalo Saturday, Jan. 24 7 p.m. @ Boston Tuesday, Jan. 27 7 p.m. Vegas Thursday, Jan. 29 7 p.m. Colorado Saturday, Jan. 31 7 p.m. @ Buffalo Monday, Feb. 2 7:30 p.m. @ Minnesota Wednesday, Feb. 4 7 p.m. @ Winnipeg Thursday, Feb. 26 7 p.m. N.Y. Islanders Saturday, Feb. 28 7 p.m. Washington Tuesday, March 3 10 p.m. @ San Jose Friday, March 6 9 p.m. @ Anaheim Saturday, March 7 7 p.m. @ Los Angeles Tuesday, March 10 7 p.m. Toronto Wednesday, March 11 7:30 p.m. @ Ottawa Saturday, March 14 7 p.m. San Jose Sunday, March 15 7 p.m. Anaheim Tuesday, March 17 7 p.m. Boston Thursday, March 19 7 p.m. @ Detroit Saturday, March 21 7 p.m. N.Y. Islanders Tuesday, March 24 7 p.m. Carolina Thursday, March 26 7 p.m. Columbus Saturday, March 28 7 p.m. @ Nashville Sunday, March 29 5 p.m. @ Carolina Tuesday, March 31 7 p.m. @ Tampa Bay Thursday, April 2 7 p.m. @ N.Y. Rangers Saturday, April 4 7 p.m. @ New Jersey Sunday, April 5 7 p.m. New Jersey Tuesday, April 7 7 p.m. Florida Thursday, April 9 7 p.m. Tampa Bay Saturday, April 11 7 p.m. Columbus Sunday, April 12 6 p.m. @ N.Y. Islanders Tuesday, April 14 7 p.m. @ Philadelphia This story was originally published July 16, 2025 at 4:43 PM.
Montreal Gazette
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
Genie Bouchard to retire from tennis after Montreal tournament
Tennis Eugenie Bouchard announced Wednesday that she will retire after the National Bank Open in Montreal, for which she received a wild-card entry. 'You'll know when it's time. For me, it's now. Ending where it all started: Montreal,' she wrote on her social media accounts, along with four photos of herself. You'll know when it's time. For me, it's now. Ending where it all started: Montreal ️ — Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) July 16, 2025 Bouchard lost 7-5, 6-2 in her last singles match at the tournament in Newport, Conn., on July 8. She also reached the quarterfinals of the doubles tournament at that event with partner Olivia Lincer of Poland. The 31-year-old stole the spotlight in 2014 when she became the first Canadian tennis player, in any category (male or female), to reach the top five in the world. In May of that year, the Westmount native also won her first and only WTA title, in Nuremberg, Germany. And she reached the semifinals of two Grand Slam tournaments, the Australian Open and the French Open, before becoming the first Canadian singles player to reach the final at Wimbledon. She peaked at No. 5 in the world WTA rankings. 'We are very honoured that Genie decided to retire at her home tournament in Montreal and we look forward to celebrating her career and lasting heritage with our fans,' said Valérie Tétreault, tournament director of the National Bank Open. 'She has been one of the most important figures in the history of our sport in Canada and a trailblazer who redefined what Canadian tennis could be. We are proud of everything she has done, as a player and role model, and we can't wait to see her in action one last time at IGA Stadium this summer.' Bouchard was never able to repeat the success of 2014, however. She will hang up her racket after maintaining, prior to the National Bank Open, a winning record of 299 wins and 228 losses as a professional and having accumulated total earnings approaching US$7 million. In 2023, Bouchard announced she would join Major League Pickleball. The National Bank Open will take place from July 26 to Aug. 7 at IGA Stadium in Montreal's Jarry Park.
Montreal Gazette
4 hours ago
- Climate
- Montreal Gazette
Hanes: Brace yourselves for Thursday — destructive weather is now the norm
By It wasn't a typhoon. It was just a regular old thunderstorm. But when it barrelled through Montreal on Sunday after days of a heat wave, a record amount of rainfall poured from the skies, flooding basements and inundating underpasses. Homeowners from Ahuntsic-Cartierville to St-Léonard found their belongings floating. An octogenarian had to be rescued from his nearly submerged vehicle by Montreal police. And it could happen all over again on Thursday, weather forecasters have warned. We've now reached the point where climate change has made what was once extraordinary ordinary. Severe weather isn't a once-a-decade or even once-a-year occurrence anymore. During our hot, humid summers, it has practically become a weekly phenomenon. Last August, hurricane Debby, which had been downgraded to a post-tropical storm by the time it arrived, doused Montreal with up to 150 millimetres of rain in some parts of the region — a wet month's worth in a single day. It caused a record $2.5 billion in damages, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, surpassing the 1998 ice storm as Quebec's costliest event. Montreal had a prelude to Debby's destruction last July, when the remnants of tropical storm Beryl drenched us with up to 100 millimetres of rain in some places. Sunday's torrential rain brought 80 millimetres to Trudeau airport in less than an hour. Yet the fallout from this nameless thunderstorm was much the same. On a St-Léonard street where water poured down sloping driveways, filling subterranean garages and basements, it's the second or even third year in a row residents have experienced this kind of flooding. Some unlucky folks had just finished renovations to recover from the previous deluge, only to now have to start all over again. The mental and financial toll of dealing with this kind of damage can't be overestimated. Many will be out tens of thousands of dollars for work not covered by insurance. Premiums will rise. Their home values may sink due to the repeated flooding, which they would have to report on their seller's declaration. Plus there's the trauma of having your possessions ruined, your home — your sanctuary — made inhospitable. More and more people are having to go through this rigmarole once. However, some are having to endure it multiple times. The city is advising homeowners to protect their property. Some are installing sump pumps, ceramic tile or epoxy flooring that can be more easily cleaned up after water infiltration. But it costs money. Tenants may have no choice in the matter if their landlords don't act. And those living in basement apartments can end up losing everything. There's been talk of outlawing basement apartments or 'garden suites,' as partially below-grade condos are often called, due to the risk of water damage. But the housing crisis makes it impossible to scrap these units altogether. The borough of St-Laurent has restricted the use of some basements for certain purposes in response to flooding. And there are new regulations for downward sloping driveways to avoid them funnelling rainwater into homes. There's only so much residents can do to avoid infiltration of their dwellings. During last summer's storms, sewers backing up into people's homes was a primary cause of many flooded basements. Despite hundreds of millions being invested in water infrastructure, deferred maintenance in decades past has set the city behind. Now it's hard to keep up with the repair backlog. And each major weather event weakens aging water mains, which can lead to breakages — or even geysers. Now sponge parks and sponge streets that use naturalistic design to absorb runoff are all the rage. But it takes time — and money — to transform all the asphalt and concrete of the cityscape to mitigate the impact of climate change. And it's not just water infrastructure that is stressed by heavy rainfall. Highways, parking lots and underpasses are also under strain. Highway 40 came to a standstill in the West Island on Sunday because of pooling water. Last summer, storms resulted in the temporary closure of the Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge and Highway 13. The bottom line is we should expect more of the same — and more often. Destructive thunderstorms and diluvial rains are now the norm rather the exception. Brace yourselves: The same conditions that preceded Sunday's deluge — a heat wave followed by a cold front — are brewing again for Thursday. The skies are expected to open. Let's just hope it's not a disaster déjà vu.
Montreal Gazette
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Montreal Gazette
QB Davis Alexander to face Argos as Alouettes look to regain rhythm on offence
Montreal Alouettes By On the heels of a two-game losing streak, the timing couldn't be better for the return of Alouettes starting quarterback Davis Alexander, because it appears the team can't win without him. The Als were well on their way to a third straight victory when Alexander suffered a hamstring injury during the third quarter at Edmonton on June 19. Montreal was leading 24-6 at the time and held on for a 38-28 victory. Backup QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson led the visitors to one touchdown and two field goals offensively. But with Bethel-Thompson thrust into the starting role, the Als lost at Hamilton and at home against B.C. on July 5 before a bye week in the schedule. 'McLeod did his best,' receiver Tyson Philpot said. 'As an offence, we weren't making it any easier on him, for sure. Who knows if we would have won those games with Davis in there? You can't predict. It's just a rhythm thing, and we never got into rhythm. Not to say it was McLeod's fault. Just as an offence, we couldn't find the rhythm.' While the Als (3-2) could use a win, they remain tied for first place in the East Division with Hamilton. But the visiting Toronto Argonauts (1-4) are on the brink of becoming desperate and don't look anything like the defending Grey Cup champions. The teams meet for the second time this season Thursday at Molson Stadium (7:30 p.m., TSN1, TSN4, TSN5, RDS, TSN Radio-690, 98.5 FM). Montreal opened the schedule with a 28-10 victory at home against the Argos on June 6. 'It's a different offence, a tough offence to understand,' Alexander said. 'That B.C. game, I felt McLeod played more than well enough for us to win. We had some crucial penalties and mistakes. Sometimes it's just an energy thing. Little things like that can throw a team off, but I thought he played well.' A hamstring injury last season to former starter Cody Fajardo opened the door for Alexander, and he seized the opportunity. Fajardo never appeared to regain his swagger upon his return, although he had to miss a game when he was inducted to the Nevada Sports Hall of Fame, and he continued playing despite a late-reason rib injury. The Als traded Fajardo to Edmonton last winter for Bethel-Thompson. 'It (hamstring) isn't one of those things you can play through,' Alexander explained. 'It's literally your running muscle. When it happened there was no pop. Just a tug and a slight pull. It's a weird thing. I didn't know how to describe it until this year. It's like a constant, subtle pain. You feel it there, especially after the game and for a couple of weeks after. The problem is you think your hamstring is good, and then it's not — but you don't know that. Based on the imaging, we feel confident and good.' Alexander was a potential CFL outstanding player candidate at the time of his injury and might re-enter the equation with a string of solid performances. He has completed 62 of 82 passes for 803 yards and five touchdowns while being intercepted twice. With 64 yards on six carries, Alexander also is a threat to run. Time will tell whether the injury makes him more reluctant to run, although he's always played on the edge. Head coach Jason Maas doesn't anticipate any rust. 'He has proven he can play at a high level,' Maas said. 'It's just a matter of him being in there and being healthy enough to do that. I expect him to run the offence just as efficiently as he did when he left.' Receiver Austin Mack also returns against Toronto after missing two games with a hamstring injury. Philpot (knee) was limited during Tuesday's practice. While he's on the roster, he has been listed as a game-time decision. Left offensive-tackle Nick Callender returns from a foot injury. Defensively, linebacker Tiawan Mullen was released on Tuesday and has been replaced by Robert Kennedy, who will make his CFL debut. Kennedy was on Hamilton's practice roster last season. 'I'll do whatever it takes to win,' Alexander said. 'I've said that my whole career. I don't care if we run the ball 45 times. I don't care if I don't throw the ball, as long as we win. That's my priority. These guys know this is going to be a battle. I'm not going to say it's a must-win for them, but I'm sure they feel they've got to get something rolling here soon.' Toronto QB Chad Kelly, who sustained a fractured leg in last season's division final against Montreal, remains on the injured list. Nick Arbuckle will start for the Argos.
Montreal Gazette
5 hours ago
- Business
- Montreal Gazette
Cogeco launches wireless service in parts of Quebec and Ontario
Cogeco Inc. has launched its long-awaited wireless service in Canada, saying it plans to compete with other carriers in the market by targeting 'low-to-mid data users.' The Montreal-based telecommunications company said it has already signed up an initial cohort of customers on the new mobile service following a pre-registration period for its existing Canadian wireline subscribers. President and CEO Frédéric Perron said Wednesday that Cogeco plans to cover 12 Canadian markets in parts of Ontario and Quebec over the coming weeks, ahead of a full commercial launch of the service this fall. The company has said mobile coverage would be available across its broadband footprint. Cogeco wireless service expansion this summer Quebec: Alma, Magog, Rimouski, St-Georges, St-Hyacinthe, St-Sauveur and Trois-Rivières Ontario: Brockville, Chatham, Cobourg, Cornwall and Welland 'We're ready to go,' he told analysts on a conference call discussing the company's third-quarter earnings results. But Perron declined to share pricing details for its wireless service, saying the company wants to announce those offers to its customers first. He noted that mobile service will remain exclusive to those also subscribed to its wireline services. By offering cellphone and internet plan bundles, Cogeco has previously described its strategy as being geared toward increasing customer retention. Perron said Cogeco will also provide a 'time-limited launch bonus' for the first wave of customers signing up for mobile service. When asked by an analyst how 'aggressive' Cogeco plans to be in terms of pricing, he reiterated that those discounts wouldn't remain in place over the long term. 'It's not a strategy to go national or anything like that,' he said. 'We're a rational player. Of course, when you launch a new service, there can always be a time-limited launch offer, but that's just what it is — a time-limited launch offer.' Last year, Cogeco began offering wireless service under its Breezeline Mobile brand to customers in 13 U.S. states where it already offered broadband internet services. In Canada, Cogeco's mobile coverage is being delivered under the mobile virtual network operator framework, which allow telecoms to offer cellphone service through rival carriers' networks. The MVNO framework was put in place by the CRTC. The rules set by the regulator are meant to increase cellphone competition by giving regional carriers a presence in regions they did not previously serve, with requirements to build their own networks in those areas within seven years. 'It will take some time before wireless becomes material in a positive way to our bottom line,' said Perron. The wireless launch announcement came as the company reported a profit attributable to owners of the corporation of $20.5 million in its quarter ended May 31, up from $19 million in the same quarter last year. Cogeco said its profit amounted to $2.13 per diluted share for the quarter, up from $1.97 per diluted share in the same quarter last year. But analysts took a negative view of the company's results, in which Cogeco also revised its 2025 guidance. Cogeco said it was lowering its revenue projections for the current fiscal year to a 'low single-digit decline,' compared with its previous projection from last October of 'stable' revenue for the year. It said it expects 'additional pressure' on its revenue, particularly in the U.S., driven by increased competition. Meanwhile, Cogeco said it was undertaking 'several cost reduction initiatives and operating efficiencies' across the organization to minimize the effect of lower than expected revenue. For the quarter, Cogeco's revenue totalled $758.5 million, down from $777.2 million in the same period last year. On an adjusted basis, Cogeco says it earned $2.40 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $3.02 per diluted share a year ago. Scotiabank analyst Maher Yaghi warned that Cogeco 'might need to take a more aggressive approach in the coming months to stem the subscriber bleeding' it has recently seen in U.S. markets. 'We think it is concerning that in the last 12 months, the company has lost almost five per cent of its internet subscriber base in the U.S. and close to 11 per cent of its video service accounts,' said Yaghi in a note. 'As we look at the U.S. market, large cable companies have started to provide price locks and even reduced prices while offering free wireless services in order to stabilize their subscriber base. Cogeco has still not made that U-turn move yet.'
