Rangers, Storm and Bulldogs players headed to 2025 development camps
Of those, 26 played for the Kitchener Rangers, Guelph Storm and Brantford Bulldogs this season.
Several players with local ties were selected during the NHL draft, while others were invited to take part in development camps.
Here are a list of players getting the chance to show off their skills on the ice:
Kitchener Rangers
Jack Pridham – Chicago Blackhawks
Christian Humphreys – Colorado Avalanche
Andrew MacNiel – Montreal Canadiens
Cameron Reid – Nashville Predators
Luca Romano – New York Islanders
Matthew Andonovski – Ottawa Senators
Jackson Parsons – Ottawa Senators
Matthew Hlacar – Toronto Maple Leafs
Trent Swick – Vegas Golden Knights
Former player: Carson Rehkopf – Seattle Kraken
Guelph Storm
Charlie Paquette – Dallas Stars
Jett Luchanko – Philadelphia Flyers
Quinn Beauchesne – Pittsburgh Penguins
Grant Spada – Tampa Bay Lightning
Braeden Bowman – Vegas Golden Knights
Former player: Cam Allen – Washington Capitals
Brantford Bulldogs
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Globe and Mail
2 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
The beautiful game, at walking speed
Aidan Butterworth's voice booms across the soccer pitch at Toronto's Cherry Beach as his players warm up. 'Just shake it up,' he tells them. 'Go! Go! Go! 'Keep moving on your feet, don't stop.' The moving feet aren't moving all that fast. Nor is the pace of play. That's all by design. Mr. Butterworth is an assistant coach for the Toronto Walking Soccer Club, also referred to as the Loons. They're one of 20 teams from across Canada. Across multiple age groups, the club has more than 100 members from all around the Greater Toronto Area. The coach knows his way around a soccer pitch. He spent four years playing for Leeds United in England and was the club's top scorer in 1983. The game he has loved his entire life didn't fully love him back, though. 'I've had two replacement hip surgeries and another on my knees,' he said. 'My playing days are behind me, but I get a lot from walking football.' The appeal of the game is similar to that of pickleball – a more contained, less physically demanding alternative to tennis. Pickleball Canada claims 1.54 million people are playing the sport in this country. Walking soccer – invented in 2011 in England, where there are now more than 700 clubs and 200,000 players – has experienced an international boom over the past decade. In Canada, six provinces have launched multiple active programs that continue to grow in participation. 'People aren't ready to give up soccer when they get a little bit older,' said Patrick Yao, founder of the Canadian Walking Soccer Association, or CWSA. 'Their passion for the sport is still there.' The rules of walking soccer are designed to minimize the health risks to participants and increase accessibility. The pitch and goal size are smaller than in conventional soccer, the ball cannot be kicked higher than two metres, throw-ins are replaced with kick-ins, and goalkeepers are not permitted to leave their zones. There is no running or jogging allowed, regardless of whether the player is handling the ball or not. What counts as running or jogging is dependent solely on the interpretation of the referee. 'The rule is that you're supposed to plant your feet,' Mr. Butterworth said. 'The player must always have at least one foot in contact with the ground.' Club founder Kerrin Hands said the golden rule is 'If you can salsa, you can do walking soccer.' The Loons' over-50 team gathers every Thursday evening for two hours of intense training drills, finishing off with a 30-minute game. Before starting, the players are reminded to enjoy themselves, but to go hard. No swearing, though. A 2024 survey by the CWSA revealed that more than 60 per cent of respondents discovered the sport through family or friend referrals, followed by a close split between news and social media. Mr. Hands founded the Toronto Loons three years ago, after stumbling across the sport in Spain during a family visit. The native Englishman played soccer at various competitive levels in South London, but moved into coaching when he relocated to Canada. His efforts to grow the club have included reaching out to non-walking soccer organizations with programs for those aged 40 and up, inviting them to join sessions and hosting pop-up events. Still, his most effective strategy for securing sign-ups is ensuring that everyone who steps onto the field leaves with a positive experience. 'The way most people find out about the sport is through word of mouth,' Mr. Hands said. 'People have enjoyed it so much, they go around and tell their friends.' Andrew Hilton also played competitive soccer for most of his life, and once joined an over-50s competitive team in Denmark for a brief period. He returned home to Stratford, Ont., during the pandemic, but the team he used to be a part of was no longer there. He began searching online for ways to play in the area. That's how he found walking soccer. 'It's more fun than I thought. It's better exercise than I thought, and I was reconnecting with people I played with when I was in high school. I just really enjoyed it,' Mr. Hilton said. 'I get to play the sport I love and see people I know.' Mr. Hilton's commitment runs so deep that he makes the almost three-hour trip from Stratford to Toronto's Cherry Beach field at least once a week. His teammate, Faisal Ahmed, knows the route to the field with his eyes closed after three years of weekly drives there. A 2020 review of research on the sport determined that there are health benefits connected with walking soccer, and that it can help build social connections. Another 2022 study highlighted the importance of socializing and developing new friendships that came out of the sport. Among the Loons, there is living proof of that. Mr. Ahmed wears his Apple Watch for every session to track his heart rate, calories and all other important health information. He underwent heart surgery five years ago and followed a strict training program as part of his rehabilitation. 'What I've found through walking soccer is that I can still maintain a heart rate above 145 beats per minute for 45 minutes,' Mr. Ahmed said. 'If I can do that three to four times a week, that is beneficial for keeping my heart healthy.' Mr. Butterworth said he has seen the sport do incredible things for the quality of life of some of the players who have trained under him. He credits walking soccer for improving his own mental and physical well-being. 'Seeing the joy on people's faces and telling me about the health benefits really inspires me to keep building and trying to get this sport out to even more people,' he added. This October, Canadians are headed to Spain to participate in the second edition of the Federation of International Walking Football Associations' World Nations Cup with four age groups, including a women's over-50 team. The Canadian men's over-60 team finished fourth in the inaugural 2023 cup, and it was a 'no brainer' to ensure qualification for this fall, Mr. Yao said. A total of 63 teams from 25 countries will gather to compete for medals, three times the number of teams that participated two years earlier. Canada will face powerhouse soccer countries Spain, England and Italy. Canada's team will be made up of players from eight clubs from Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. 'Our claim during the bidding process is that there would be a legacy left after this World Cup,' Mark Coleman, founder of Walking Soccer Team Spain and director of Spain Walking Football, told The Globe and Mail. 'Hosting this global event is going to boost participation around the world to millions of people.' The Loons are gearing up for the fall competition, but enjoyment remains the main goal. 'Our objectives are to create a very positive and happy environment where people can thrive,' Mr. Butterworth said. 'When the players come down for two hours, the goal is that they enjoy it and feel a benefit, and maybe they go home a bit tired.'
Globe and Mail
3 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk named to his second all-star game
Alejandro Kirk didn't want to make any assumptions about being named to the American League roster for next week's All-Star Game in Atlanta. The Toronto Blue Jays catcher found out in the clubhouse during a hitter's meeting before Sunday's 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels when Toronto completed its three-game sweep of the visitors. The honour meant a good deal to Kirk, whose previous all-star appearance was in 2022. 'I had an idea, but I didn't want to get too emotional until I knew it was going to be official,' said Kirk through a translator in the Blue Jays dugout at Rogers Centre. 'It was obviously very emotional the first time around, but I think this was going to be more special because I'm going to go with my daughter.' Kirk's wife Sofia gave birth to their daughter in February 2023. Toronto manager John Schneider could have relayed the good news to Kirk earlier on Sunday morning when the two had a one-on-one conversation. Instead, he waited until the Blue Jays lineup was engaged in their hitters' meeting. 'I told them two things: that the dome was closed and that Alejandro Kirk was an all-star, which is pretty awesome and so well deserved,' Schneider said in his post-game news conference. Kirk is batting .301 with seven homers and 41 runs batted in this season. Kirk's average is 11th in MLB and second among catchers behind Will Smith (.332) of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He will join teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr., named an AL starter for the fourth time on Wednesday, at Truist Park on July 15. Kirk's first all-star appearance was in 2022 when he finished the season with a .285 average and 14 homers. The 26-year-old has a .270 career average with a total of 43 homers over six seasons, all with Toronto. Schneider has watched his catcher develop from a raw talent to one of the game's best all-around players behind the plate in five years. 'I remember in 2020, him coming up, we were literally writing down on his wristband what pitchers threw,' Schneider said. 'To watch his growth is pretty cool. To watch the pitchers' trust grow in him is pretty cool. And what he's doing offensively, one of the best in the league.' Kirk credited work on his mental approach as well as the physical aspects for his return to the ASG. His health also has been a factor. 'I consider myself a complete hitter right now, more than in prior years,' said Kirk. 'I tried to hit too many homers. I'm not considering myself a home run hitter anymore. 'This year, I wanted to be a complete hitter to hit the ball the other way, trying to get runners in, find a way to help the team win.' Schneider admired Kirk's work ethic in returning to the form he exhibited in 2022. The Toronto manager also noted Kirk has a laid-back and different personality. 'He's a unicorn. He's one of one,' Schneider said. 'In 2022, he turned a lot of heads in 2022. After a couple of tough years, he understands what he needs to do to be great in the box and he has put in the work.' Kirk, who signed a US$58-million, five-year extension in spring training, played in his 75th game on Sunday. He only suited up for 103 last year and is on pace to reach his career-high of 139 outings in 2022. 'I'm doing everything I can to help the team win,' Kirk said. 'I'm very happy and I'm feeling great right now.' With the Blue Jays' recent ascension to the top of the American League East, Kirk hopes he can arrive in Atlanta next week in first place. 'It feels great being in first place,' Kirk said. 'You can feel it in the clubhouse. The vibes are great. Everybody is competing, going out there doing everything they can to win a game.' 'It's awesome to be in first place.'
CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
Next Up: Different Blue Jays players helping Toronto win in eight-game streak
Toronto Blue Jays' Joey Loperfido hits an RBI single off Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson during fourth inning MLB baseball action in Toronto, Sunday, July 6, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays aren't just celebrating their season-high eight-game win streak, they're celebrating how they've done it. Joey Loperfido delivered a key run-producing hit and reliever Ryan Burr registered the win in Toronto's 3-2 victory over the Angels on Sunday to sweep Los Angeles. Both players made their season debuts in the triumph. Loperfido was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo to replace an injured Andres Gimenez (ankle). Burr was activated from the 60-day injured list at the same time as he needed the first three months of the season to recover from a right shoulder ailment. 'I think it speaks volumes to the kind of tone and the culture we have here,' Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. 'Looking back to last year, we had a revolving door in here, and it was kind of like, 'All right, who are we? What are we going to do?' 'Now it's like, 'this is what we're doing. Here's how we're doing it.' It's pretty cool for Joey to join the party as well as Ryan.' After Bo Bichette made up for an error in the top of the fourth, he smashed his 12th home run of the season to lead off the bottom of the inning. Later in the fourth, Loperfido singled with two outs to score Myles Straw for a 2-1 lead. 'I've been watching from afar and it looked like a ton of fun,' said Loperfido, who in his pre-game meeting with Schneider discussed the different atmosphere in the Blue Jays' (52-38) clubhouse. 'There is a looseness and positivity and the fun that comes with a swagger.' Burr (1-0) took over for starter Kevin Gausman with two outs in the sixth inning and the game tied 2-2. Schneider left it up to Gausman whether to stay in. But Gausman was gassed after tossing a season-high 107 pitches. Gausman also took on a bit of a manager's role, feeling Burr's slider would offset his own splitter as the perfect tonic to keep the Angels (43-46) hitters at bay. Burr pitched 1 1/3 innings, striking out three of the six batters he faced. His slider struck out Mike Trout, who homered in the first inning, to begin the seventh. 'I thought he did a great job bridging the gap,' Gausman said. The Blue Jays' 52 wins is one shy of the club record for victories before the All-Star Game, set in 1985 and matched in 1992. With three road games apiece against the Chicago White Sox and the Athletics in Sacramento, Calif., the two worst teams in the AL, Toronto should be able to topple the old 53-win mark before the break. The four-game sweep of the Yankees earlier this week and three more against the Angels have put the Blue Jays in this position. 'We're gonna enjoy that,' Schneider said. 'To win out a homestand, throw in Canada Day, it being a different guy every night, that was pretty cool. 'It would have been easy to have a letdown after the four-game sweep. But to win three one-run games [against the Angels], and to do it in different ways with different people, it was awesome.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2025. Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press
