Is Canada ready to win the Gold Cup? Plus, Holly Ward talks her NSL journey
Andi Petrillo is joined by former CanMNT goalkeeper Craig Forrest to break down whether Canada can finally end a 25-year Gold Cup drought. Plus, Vancouver Rises star Holly Ward stops by to talk NSL and playing for the CanWNT national team.
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National Post
32 minutes ago
- National Post
NHL Draft Day 2: Who the Calgary Flames Took
By Danny Austin Article content The Calgary Flames loaded up on centres in the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft on Friday night. Article content On Saturday, they doubled-down on that approach before going after the best players available with the rest of their picks. Article content Let's take a look at who the Flames added to their prospect pool on Saturday, with comments from director of amateur scouting Tod Button about each. Article content Article content Article content Second round, No. 54 Article content Theo Stockselius Article content Position: Centre Article content Height: 6-foot-3 Article content Weight: 196 lbs. Team: Djurgarden Jr. Article content What's his story: The third centre the Flames took in three picks after selecting Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter in Friday's first round, Stockselius averaged 1.28 points per game in the Swedish junior league and models his game on Flames captain Mikael Backlund, among others. He's got size, two-way instincts and a scoring touch, too. Article content What Button said: Update coming … Article content Article content Third round, No. 80 Article content Mace'o Phillips Article content Position: Defence Article content Height: 6-foot-6 Article content Weight: 233 lbs. Team: U.S. National Team Development Program Article content What's his story: Phillips is huge, he's strong and he's physical. By no means is he a finished product, but he's a left-handed blueliner and that's something the Flames could use more of. His size alone meant he was worth a swing and while scouting reports do note he's got to cut down on the penalties he takes, there's lots of time for him to improve there. Article content Article content What Button said: Update coming … Article content Article content Article content Fifth round, No. 114 Article content Ethan Wyttenbach Article content Position: Left-wing Article content Height: 5-foot-10 Article content What's his story: Wyttenbach was the first ever winner of The Gaudreau Award, which goes to the USHL player who best embodies the legacy of the late Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. That's a pretty amazing connection with the Flames, given all Gaudreau accomplished in Calgary. The right-handed winger scored 24 goals and added 27 assists for the Stampede this year and is committed to playing at Quinnipiac University next season. Article content What Button said: Update coming … Article content Article content Sixth round, No. 176 Article content Aidan Lane Article content Position: Right-wing Article content Height: 6-foot-1 Article content Weight: 193 lbs. Team: St. Andrew's College (Ontario High School) Article content What's his story: Lane is heading to Harvard next season and if that leads to him being anywhere near the player that Matt Coronato's become, this will be the steal of the draft. Even if he never reaches Coronato's heights, Lane put up 13 points in 13 games for the Brampton Steelheads in the WHL after leaving St. Andrew's College, suggesting the offensive upside is real. Article content What Button said: Update coming … Article content Article content Seventh round, No. 208 Article content Jakob Leander Article content Position: Defence Article content Height: 6-foot-4 Article content Weight: 196 lbs. Article content Team: HV71 Jr. Article content Article content Article content
CBC
33 minutes ago
- CBC
Canada coach picks Dayne St. Clair to start in goal in Gold Cup quarterfinal
Social Sharing Dayne St. Clair has earned the starting job in goal for 30th-ranked Canada against No. 106 Guatemala in Sunday's quarterfinal at the Concacaf Gold Cup. St. Clair started in the 6-0 win over No. 75 Honduras and 1-1 draw with No. 90 Curacao while Maxime Crepeau was in goal for the final Group B game, a 2-0 decision over No. 81 El Salvador on Tuesday in Houston. WATCH | Canada stunned late, settles for draw with Curacao: Canada shuts down El Salvador, wins Group B at Gold Cup 4 days ago Duration 2:28 Prior to Sunday, St. Clair and Crepeau had each started 10 games under coach Jesse Marsch. In choosing St. Clair for the knockout round, Marsch has elevated the Minnesota United 'keeper in the pecking order. "(Dayne) has been, I think, outstanding in the tournament and clearly, in training also, very, very strong," Marsch told a news conference Saturday. "That being said, I want to also say this has never been an easy decision and our belief in Max is at the highest level as well. And he's trained really well and been really sharp "I think Dayne has done enough to earn this opportunity. And in this knockout stage, we're trying to put what we think is the team that is the most prepared and most ready for what these matches will be. And for right now for me that's Dayne." St. Clair was the lone Canadian named to the Major League Soccer all-star team earlier this week. The 28-year-old from Pickering, Ont., is tied for the MLS lead in shutouts with eight and has made 43 saves in 16 matches. St. Clair has kept six clean sheets in 14 appearances for Canada. The 31-year-old Crepeau, a native of Candiac, Que., who plays for the Portland Timbers, has eight shutouts in 26 Canada appearances. Guatemala, meanwhile, has lost goalkeeper Nicho Hagen, a backup with the Columbus Crew, to injury. Sunday's game will be played on a temporary grass surface at the 73,000-capacity U.S. Bank Stadium, home to the NFL's Minnesota Vikings. "I think the quality of replacement pitches that we have now is much, much better than when I played," said the 51-year-old Marsch, a former U.S. international. Canada is 10-2-2 all-time against Guatemala and unbeaten in the last five meetings (4-0-1), dating back to a 2-0 loss in August 2004 in World Cup qualifying in Burnaby, B.C. The teams played to a scoreless draw the last time they met, in group play at the 2023 Gold Cup. "I know we're not the favourite team," Guatemala coach Luis Fernando Tena said through an interpreter. "We understand that. We know the stakes — they're very high right now, specifically for Canada. But, well, surprises always come in soccer. So we have faith in us." Canada had hoped to get influential midfielder Stephan Eustaquio back, with Portugal's FC Porto out of the FIFA Club World Cup. But Marsch said Saturday that Porto, which failed to advance out of the group stage at 0-2-1, had gone back on its word and refused to release him. Canada previously lost Toronto FC midfielder Jonathan Osorio and Vancouver Whitecaps winger Ali Ahmed to injury, leaving its tournament roster at 23 instead of 26. WATCH | David says Canada men's team has matured en route to 2026 World Cup: Canada settles for Gold Cup draw with Curacao after allowing stoppage-time goal 7 days ago Duration 1:29 The Canadian men, who won the tournament in 2000, are in the quarterfinals for the fifth straight edition. Canada survived a physical affair with El Salvador, which had two players sent off. Marsch said he did not expect the same kind of physicality from Guatemala. "They've got some speed and creativity up front and some strong defensive players on the backline," he said. "I think they're athletic, maybe a little bit more athletic than El Salvador but I think more disciplined," he added. "I don't think we're going to see such a wild performance as what El Salvador delivered. But at the same time I think it will be very spirited. And they will try to set the tone early, that it's not going to be an easy day for us." Guatemala finished runner-up to No. 33 Panama in Group C, beating No. 63 Jamaica 1-0 and unranked Guadeloupe 3-2 and losing 1-0 to Panama. Guatemala looks to reach the tournament semifinals for just the second time, following 1996 when it lost 1-0 to eventual champion Mexico. The Guatemala roster features four MLS players including Hagen and 18-year-old CF Montreal midfielder Olger Escobar. Sunday's winner will face either the 16th-ranked U.S. or No. 54 Costa Rica in Wednesday's semifinal in St. Louis. Tajon Buchanan and Nathan Saliba lead Canada with two goals apiece. Acting captain Jonathan David, meanwhile, has seven goals in seven appearances at the tournament and leads Canada in all-time Gold Cup scoring.
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Flames continue to prioritize pivots by drafting Theo Stockselius
The Calgary Flames were serious about stocking up on centres. Article content After selecting Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter with their first-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft, the Flames followed up by welcoming Theo Stockselius at No. 54 overall on Saturday morning. Article content Article content 'I saw that last night — Cole Reschny and Cullen Potter. It's two really good centremen,' Stockselius told Postmedia. 'So now we have three good centremen.' Article content The more, the merrier. Article content You could argue that Reschny, Potter and Stockselius immediately become Calgary's top three pivot prospects. Article content Yeah, the cupboards are that thin at this crucial position, especially if you expect that Wranglers leading scorer Rory Kerins will wind up on the wing. Article content The scouting report on Stockselius, who averaged 1.28 points per game this past season in the Swedish junior league, is that he's a crafty playmaker with strong two-way instincts. Article content Asked if he is working to emulate any current NHLers, he mentioned Flames captain Mikael Backlund and Joel Eriksson Ek of the Minnesota Wild, saying 'both are really good all around the ice.' Article content Specific to Backlund, he added: 'In the future, I really want to play like him.' Article content Stockselius, who is listed at 6-foot-2 and 181 pounds, notched 22 goals and 51 points in 40 appearances this season with Djurgardens. Article content Article content While he managed only one marker at World Under-18s, he must have been feeling a little snakebitten since he racked up 20 shots on net. He also contributed four assists and won 64.29 percent of his draws at that international showdown. Article content Article content
