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Hamilton Spectator
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Tigers' Gavin McKenna third-youngest recipient of CHL player of the year award
TORONTO - Gavin McKenna has etched his name into the history books. The Medicine Hat Tigers' superstar forward was named the David Branch Player of the Year at the Canadian Hockey League Awards on Friday. McKenna is the third-youngest player to ever win the award at 17 years, five months, 24 days old. Only Sidney Crosby in 2003-04 (16 years, nine months, 11 days) and John Tavares in 2006-07 (16 years, eight months, seven days) were younger. The player from Whitehorse, Yukon, had 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 regular-season games, including a 40-game point streak. He extended that streak to 54 games during the Western Hockey League playoffs, establishing a modern CHL record (since 2000) for the longest single-season point streak across the regular season, playoffs, and Memorial Cup. McKenna led Medicine Hat to its first WHL title since 2007 and to the Memorial Cup final, where the Tigers fell to the London Knights. He was second in Memorial Cup scoring with six points (three goals, three assists) in four games. Meanwhile, Landon DuPont became the second-youngest recipient of the rookie of the year award. The Everett Silvertips defenceman is just 16 years and 16 days old. Tavares won the award at 15 years, eight months and seven days. DuPont, from Calgary, is the first blueliner in 30 years – and just the third in CHL history after Philippe Boucher (1990-91) and Bryan Berard (1994-95) – to earn the honour. Dupont had 60 points (17 goals, 43 assists) in 64 games. Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa was honoured as top scorer after leading the CHL with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games. Erie Otters blueliner Matthew Schaefer was named the top prospect award winner being the No. 1-ranked North American skater according to NHL Central Scouting. Other award winners included the Knights' Sam Dickinson as defenceman of the year, Jackson Parsons of the Kitchener Rangers as the goaltender of the year, Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs as sportsman of the year, Mathieu Cataford of the Rimouski Oceanic as scholastic player of the year, and Maxwell Jardine of the Charlottetown Islanders as humanitarian player of the year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Tigers' Gavin McKenna third-youngest recipient of CHL player of the year award
TORONTO – Gavin McKenna has etched his name into the history books. The Medicine Hat Tigers' superstar forward was named the David Branch Player of the Year at the Canadian Hockey League Awards on Friday. McKenna is the third-youngest player to ever win the award at 17 years, five months, 24 days old. Only Sidney Crosby in 2003-04 (16 years, nine months, 11 days) and John Tavares in 2006-07 (16 years, eight months, seven days) were younger. The player from Whitehorse, Yukon, had 129 points (41 goals, 88 assists) in 56 regular-season games, including a 40-game point streak. He extended that streak to 54 games during the Western Hockey League playoffs, establishing a modern CHL record (since 2000) for the longest single-season point streak across the regular season, playoffs, and Memorial Cup. McKenna led Medicine Hat to its first WHL title since 2007 and to the Memorial Cup final, where the Tigers fell to the London Knights. He was second in Memorial Cup scoring with six points (three goals, three assists) in four games. 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. Meanwhile, Landon DuPont became the second-youngest recipient of the rookie of the year award. The Everett Silvertips defenceman is just 16 years and 16 days old. Tavares won the award at 15 years, eight months and seven days. DuPont, from Calgary, is the first blueliner in 30 years – and just the third in CHL history after Philippe Boucher (1990-91) and Bryan Berard (1994-95) – to earn the honour. Dupont had 60 points (17 goals, 43 assists) in 64 games. Saginaw Spirit forward Michael Misa was honoured as top scorer after leading the CHL with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games. Erie Otters blueliner Matthew Schaefer was named the top prospect award winner being the No. 1-ranked North American skater according to NHL Central Scouting. Other award winners included the Knights' Sam Dickinson as defenceman of the year, Jackson Parsons of the Kitchener Rangers as the goaltender of the year, Berkly Catton of the Spokane Chiefs as sportsman of the year, Mathieu Cataford of the Rimouski Oceanic as scholastic player of the year, and Maxwell Jardine of the Charlottetown Islanders as humanitarian player of the year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025.
CTV News
09-06-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Top NHL draft prospects have breakfast with Marchand, meet McDavid at the Stanley Cup Final
Defenseman Matthew Schaefer, right, and forward Michael Misa, NHL Central Scouting's top-two North American draft prospects, share the podium to address reporters at the league's annual combine being held at Buffalo's downtown Harborcenter facility, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/John Wawrow)
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Top NHL draft prospects have breakfast with Marchand, meet McDavid at the Stanley Cup Final
FILE - Canada's Matthew Schaefer, right, battles for the puck with Switzerland's Basile Sansonnens, second right, and Eric Schneller (26) during the third period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship pre-tournament game in Ottawa, Ontario, Dec. 19, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP, File) Defenseman Matthew Schaefer, right, and forward Michael Misa, NHL Central Scouting's top-two North American draft prospects, share the podium to address reporters at the league's annual combine being held at Buffalo's downtown Harborcenter facility, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/John Wawrow) Defenseman Matthew Schaefer, right, and forward Michael Misa, NHL Central Scouting's top-two North American draft prospects, share the podium to address reporters at the league's annual combine being held at Buffalo's downtown Harborcenter facility, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/John Wawrow) FILE - Canada's Matthew Schaefer, right, battles for the puck with Switzerland's Basile Sansonnens, second right, and Eric Schneller (26) during the third period of an IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship pre-tournament game in Ottawa, Ontario, Dec. 19, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP, File) Defenseman Matthew Schaefer, right, and forward Michael Misa, NHL Central Scouting's top-two North American draft prospects, share the podium to address reporters at the league's annual combine being held at Buffalo's downtown Harborcenter facility, Friday, June 6, 2025. (AP Photo/John Wawrow) SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Visiting the Stanley Cup Final weeks before hearing their names called early in the NHL draft, top prospects Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, James Hagens and Jake O'Brien got a surprise at the Panthers' practice facility on Monday. Brad Marchand pulled up a chair and joined them for breakfast. The 37-year-old veteran shared some laughs and chatted with them hours before he and the Florida Panthers face the Edmonton Oilers in Game 3. Advertisement 'You think you're just going to say hi, and then you're sitting at a table with Marchand and he's talking to you,' Schaefer said. 'We were talking about the draft and the (scouting) combine, and he was like, 'I didn't get to go there.' And he's laughing, and I'm like, 'Well, look where you are now: You're in the Stanley Cup Final.'" Schaefer, Misa, Hagens and O'Brien also met Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and took in the Oilers' morning skate. Schaefer first met McDavid in January when the three-time MVP returned to Erie, where his No. 97 was retired by the Otters of the Ontario Hockey League. This interaction — in the arena where McDavid was drafted first a decade ago — went a little smoother. 'I didn't think I was going to have to talk at his jersey retirement, and then I ended up talking to him,' Schaefer recalled. 'I ran out of things to say, and I ended up looking at McDavid and go, 'I'm proud of you.' Nobody would say that." Advertisement Schaefer is NHL Central Registry's top-ranked prospect, though there is still considerable debate as to whom among Schaefer, Misa and Hagens the New York Islanders will select with the first pick after winning the draft lottery. Hagens grew up on Long Island cheering for them and went to games at Nassau Coliseum. Recently, he saw a bumper sticker that read, 'Bring Hagens home,' but he's also a realist about the possibility of his hometown team not selecting him. 'I just want to be (with) a team that wants me the most — I want to play for any of these teams,' Hagens said. 'It's just a competitive nature that you want to be the first person off the board. It's exciting, so I can't wait.' RNH a game-time call Advertisement Edmonton's longest-tenured player, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, missed practice Sunday, skated some on Monday and is considered a game-time decision, coach Kris Knoblauch said. It is not clear what is ailing Nugent-Hopkins, though he is expected to take part in pregame warmups. Jeff Skinner, who played an NHL-record 1,078 regular-season games before finally making his playoff debut earlier this spring, is on standby if Nugent-Hopkins cannot go. Skinner has been a healthy scratch for all but two of the Oilers' 18 games this postseason. 'It's just part of being a team,' Skinner said. 'You've got to have guys who are ready to step in when there's an opportunity.' 'Trading' Barkov Advertisement Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov did not register a point in either of the first two games of the final and has a minus-4 rating. Leave it to coach Paul Maurice, ever the jokester, to cut the tension. 'We're trading him.' Maurice quipped. "No, I'm not (worried) at all. There's action at both ends of the ice all the time. I don't think this is a statistical series because it's not relatable to series that you played in the past. Shot attempts, the sheer volume of quality offense driven by both teams and at the same time, both teams are defending very well. He got a minus on the 4 on 4 with a heck of a shot block, but it's in the back of the net.' Barkov recently won the Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward for a third time. He played a big role in keeping McDavid off the scoresheet in Game 7 of the final last year when Florida won 2-1 to capture the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history. ___ AP NHL playoffs: and
Boston Globe
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
How Porter Martone, a top NHL Draft prospects and possible Bruins target, learned from the best
'I mean it was pretty special. Got to go play with a bunch of NHL players [at] the World Championships. Not every 18-year-old kid gets to say they can do that,' Martone said following his physical testing at the NHL Scouting Combine Saturday. 'I got to be around Sidney Crosby for a month straight. You can't put a price tag on that. I got to learn so much and I think I kind of got a little bit of a one up. I was around NHL players for a month, so going into the training camp, I definitely know what to expect.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Rubbing elbows with some of the world's elite players was an opportunity not afforded to many at such a young age. The on-ice education was invaluable, but was also how the pros conducted themselves when the games and practices were concluded. Advertisement 'I learned so much about the way that Crosby prepares himself for games, his routine, it's something special,' Martone said. 'When he goes to the rink, he's got something he does at a certain time on the clock, every single time. So that's pretty special.' It wasn't just Crosby who left an impression on Martone, who also represented Canada at the World Juniors. Advertisement 'Nathan McKinnon, how competitive he is,' said Martone. 'He said whether it's practice, playing a game in the hotel, or during games, he is always going to give it his all and he wants to be the best and he brings out the best in other people. And then you can look at Ryan O'Reilly, Brayden Schenn, they kind of took me under their wings, and how much fun they have at the rink, how good leaders they are.' One of Team Canada's goalies was sure-fire Hall of Famer and noted prankster Marc-Andre Fleury. Porter escaped Fleury's wrath, but he did get to witness some classic Fleury shenanigans. 'He got Adam Fantilli. [Fleury] sewed a cuff along the bottom of his pants together, so he couldn't put his pants on after the game, so that was pretty funny,' said Martone. A stout 6-foot-3-inch, 205-pound right winger, Martone finished ranked sixth on NHL Central Scouting's list of North American skaters. He is on the fast track to make an impact as a prototypical power forward. The Bruins currently hold the No. 7 pick in the Draft June 27 and a big-bodied winger with excellent vision and hockey sense could fit the bill nicely. Bear continuing rehab ahead of draft Carter Bear skipped the physical testing as the 6-foot, 180-pound center/left wing continues to rehab from an Achilles' injury suffered when a player accidentally stepped on the back of his leg earlier this year. Bear is an intense competitor who put up 40 goals and 82 points in 56 games for the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League. The 6-foot, 176-pounder's playing style (and last name) would make him an instant favorite in Boston ... William Horcoff's size (6-5, 190 pounds) and NHL pedigree (his father is longtime NHLer Shawn) make him an intriguing prospect. He rang up 8 goals and 14 points in 28 games with the US National Development Under-18 team and then collected 4 goals and 10 points in 18 games for Michigan last season. He is ranked No. 24 on CSB's North American skater list. 'My dad told me that if you want it, you've got to put everything into it, and I want it really bad,' he said. 'Just make sure you're not going to bed knowing you could have done more because if you can't do that, you're not going to maximize your potential and be the best player you can be in five years. That's the best advice he's given me.' ... The top four players in CSB's North American skaters rankings — Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, James Hagens, and Jake O'Brien — will be in Sunrise, Fla., for Monday's Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Oilers and Panthers. Advertisement Jim McBride can be reached at
