Olympic figure skating champion David Pelletier joins Dallas Stars as assistant coach
Article content
The Dallas Stars announced Friday that Pelletier is joining new head coach Glen Gulutzan's staff.
Article content
Article content
The 50-year-old from Sayabec, Que., had been a skating coach with the Edmonton Oilers for the last 11 years.
Article content
Pelletier joined the Oilers after a decorated figure skating career that included a gold medal in pairs with partner Jamie Sale at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
Article content
In what became one of the biggest stories of those Games, Pelletier and Sale finished behind Russians Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze. But when a French judge admitted she'd been pressured by her federation to favour the Russians, it ignited a controversy. Pelletier and Sale were later elevated to the top of the podium alongside Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze.
Article content
Pelletier and Sale also won a world title and three Canadian championships over their career and shared the Lou Marsh Trophy (now Northern Star Award) as top Canadian athlete in 2001.
Article content
Pelletier joins Alain Nasreddine (assistant coach), Neil Graham (assistant coach), Jeff Reese (goaltending coach), Patrick Dolan (head video coach) and Chris Demczuk (assistant video coach) on Gulutzan's staff.
Article content
Gulutzan, who spent the past seven seasons as an assistant with Edmonton, was named head coach of the Stars on July 1. He replaced Peter DeBoer, who was fired after the Stars lost to Edmonton in the Western Conference final for the second straight year.
Article content
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
3 minutes ago
- CTV News
Ottawa Senators see boost in season ticket sales
Ottawa Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg (31) looks for the puck in traffic during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP Photo) The Ottawa Senators are expecting more buzz inside Canadian Tire Centre on game days next season, as the club's first playoff appearance in eight years has boosted season ticket sales. President and CEO Cyril Leeder told TSN 1200 Mornings with Steve Lloyd the club is expecting 1,700 to 2,000 new season tickets sold by the time the puck drops in October. 'We had a bump already yesterday on our season tickets. We sold 15-16 season tickets in a day, which is good in the middle of July,' Leeder said. 'We'll see another bump now as people were waiting to say, 'OK, there's the schedule, are there games I can get to? Can I put together a package?' Sens on Demand, those buyers will be able to make their game selections.' 'We will start the year significantly above last year's season ticket base. That's going to be good news for the fans; I think more energy in the building. Obviously, good news for us.' The Senators sold 600 new season seats in the spring ahead of the club clinching a playoff spot. The NHL released the 2025-26 season schedule for the Senators and all clubs on Wednesday. The Senators home opener is Monday, Oct. 13 against the Nashville Predators, and the club will wrap up the regular season against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Canadian Tire Centre on April 15. Leeder notes the Senators have an 'excellent holiday schedule,' with no World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa this year. The Senators play four games at home between Dec. 23 and Jan. 3, including New Year's Day against Washington. The Senators will also mark the 30th anniversary of the first Senators game at Canadian Tire Centre on Jan. 17 against Montreal. 'I can't give away all the details, but it's going to be a special night and a special celebration,' Leeder said. 'I would tell our fans that's a game they might want to circle and get their tickets for.'
CBC
4 minutes ago
- CBC
Golden example: Valkyries provide Tempo a template for WNBA expansion success
Social Sharing Nell Fortner is pleading patience. That's Canada's national women's basketball team head coach's advice for fans of the incoming Toronto Tempo, who will begin play in the WNBA next season. And Fortner would know — she was the head coach of the expansion Indiana Fever in 2000. "It was hard. I remember going on a 10-game losing streak … it was really, really hard. So you just have to be patient and just keep working your process, keep working your values and your culture," Fortner said. Even during her first training camp, Fortner had already crossed paths with Tempo president Teresa Resch and general manager Monica Wright Rogers. She recalled how her Fever struggled to a 9-23 record in their first year, but were rewarded at the subsequent entry draft with the pick of Tamika Catchings that helped turn the franchise's fortunes. Twenty-five years later, Fortner predicted less pain for the Tempo than she experienced with the Fever. "Here's what I told [Resch]," Fortner said. "Y'all are in a much better position now because the talent is so much better. And there's so much more of it. I mean, it's just a worldwide game right now. Golden State's talent is primarily international. I'm like, 'dang man, that wasn't like that [when I coached].'" WATCH | Tempo GM Monica Wright Rogers talks goals for 2026 season: Meet Monica Wright Rogers, the GM of the WNBA's newest team, the Toronto Tempo 5 months ago The newly hired Tempo general manager talks goals for the 2026 WNBA season and how she plans to build a championship-winning team. Indeed, the Golden State Valkyries — who entered the league this season — can provide hope and a template to the Tempo. The Valkyries came in as the first of six expansion franchises set to transform the WNBA into an 18-team outfit by 2030. Toronto and Portland will be next up in 2026, followed by Cleveland, Philadelphia and Detroit later in the decade. Exceeding expectations Golden State arrived with low expectations — and rightfully so, given that the league's previous four expansion teams, dating from 2000 to 2008, combined for a 24-108 record. ESPN's projection handed the Valkyries 15.7 wins. None of the U.S. sports media giant's experts predicted Golden State would make the playoffs. And yet, the leagues newest team sits 10-12 at the all-star break, right in the mix for a post-season spot. So how have they done it, and what lessons can the Tempo learn? Golden State's roster-building journey began in December with the expansion draft, where each of the existing teams were allowed to protect up to six players, leaving the other half open for selection. The Valkyries walked away with 11 players. "Our goal was to construct a roster that embodies both versatility and depth, bringing in a strong mix of leadership, defence and scoring ability," general manager Ohemaa Nyanin said. "These players were carefully chosen not only for their skills on the court, but also for their ability to fit into the culture we're working to build here at Golden State." Untapped international talent pool As Fortner alluded to, seven of those 11 players hailed from outside of the U.S. Halfway through the season, four of the top seven Valkyries players in minutes per game are international. "The international part ... that wasn't my mindset," head coach Natalie Nakase said. "It was building the best team that I wanted to build." Still, the non-Americans could provide opportunity as less recognized and more untapped in terms of potential. On the flip side, the Valkyries also selected Kate Martin from the Aces, who became known nationally during her time at Iowa as Caitlin Clark's sidekick. Martin was a sound business decision, but she has also proven to be a capable competitor, averaging 6.9 points per game on 36.5 per cent shooting from three-point range. For the Tempo, the box-office draw and international flair could be combined by bringing a Canadian into the fold. Golden State has used that exact strategy, with former first-rounder Laeticia Amihere providing impact as a rebounder and defender despite initially being cut from the opening-day roster. Amihere's fellow 2024 first-round pick Aaliyah Edwards could follow the same path. Despite a standout rookie season for the Washington Mystics, the Kingston, Ont., native has struggled to carve out a role this season, leading to the team reportedly seeking a trade to give her extra opportunity. With her situation surprisingly unsettled, Edwards seems likely to be available for the Tempo. Meanwhile, the most obvious draft choices have also been the most successful for Golden State. Point guard Veronica Burton, left unprotected by the Connecticut Sun, and forward Kayla Thornton, formerly of the New York Liberty, have played the most minutes for the Valkyries on the season. Burton has been hailed as a "natural leader" by Nakase — a key quality for an expansion team's floor general. At 24, she could grow into a face of the franchise as her career takes off in Golden State. Thornton, 32, is the Valkyries' lone all-star representative. The veteran provides championship experience, having won the title with New York last season, and leads the team in both scoring and rebounding. Wright Rogers held off on specifics when asked about her team-building philosophy at her introductory press conference in February. "I wanna make sure that I'm respectful to our future head coach and allowing them to shape that on-court product. But there are some obvious things that it takes to win in this league and our team will definitely be looking to have that," she said. Strategically, the Valkyries have prioritized pace and three-point shooting — two variables that can often help less talented teams overcome better opponents on paper. But Golden State doesn't seem to be a fluke — the team is seventh in the league in point differential. The Valkyries' biggest challenge moving forward may be a road-heavy schedule, since home court has been another key to success. The team is averaging a league-high 18,064 fans per game at the Chase Center, which is about double the Tempo's capacity at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Toronto fans will have waited a long time to fill those seats once the ball is finally tipped in May.
CTV News
19 minutes ago
- CTV News
Honda Indy road closures now in effect. Here is the full list
The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto is back in Toronto and there are a number of road closures in effect. While the race itself doesn't start until exactly 12:22 p.m. Sunday, July 20, practice and qualifying sessions will be in full swing starting Friday. As such, the city closed Lake Shore Boulevard West, between Strachan Avenue and Ontario Drive, and Strachan Avenue, between Fleet Street and Lake Shore Boulevard West, on Wednesday. The closures are expected to remain in place until at least Monday, July 21. If the Sunday event is delayed or cancelled, the city says the final race will be held on Monday.
