In photos: 2025 Manitoba Marathon
Caleb de Jong of Winnipeg won the Manitoba Marathon men's race with a time of 2:26:47.
BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
Janine Zajac of Winnipeg won the Manitoba Marathon Women's full race with a time of 2:58:17.
BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS
Benjamin Preisner from Vancouver placed first in the Manitoba Marathon men's half marathon with a time of 1:04:21. On the women's side, Alison McPherson of Canmore, Alta. finished first with a time of 1:22:14.
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Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Decisions aplenty for Cheveldayoff and company
Kevin Cheveldayoff admittedly finds himself at a bit of a crossroads. Does the Winnipeg Jets general manager look to trade his team's 28th-overall draft pick — either individually or as part of a bigger package — in an attempt to plug some current holes on a roster very much in 'win now' mode? Or does he hold on to it and add another teenage prospect to the pipeline who's likely a few years away from making a contribution? 'We've been considering anything and everything, really,' Cheveldayoff said Thursday as he held court with media down at Canada Life Centre. 'It comes down to what opportunities that are out there that you have the right currency for. Sometimes it's players, sometimes it's picks.' Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said the club is 'considering anything and everything' at this year's draft. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said the club is 'considering anything and everything' at this year's draft. Translation: Stay tuned. We'll know his decision by Friday night, when the 2025 NHL draft gets underway in Los Angeles. Several deals have already materialized around the league this week — Mason Marchment, André Burakovsky, Joe Veleno, Trevor Zegras, Ryan Poehling, Evander Kane, JJ Peterka, Josh Doan, Michael Kesselring, Frederick Gaudreau and Daniil Tarasov all have new hockey homes. Speculation is growing that more moves are on the way. 'I guess that's the fun part, the anticipation,' Cheveldayoff said of this time of year. The Jets once prided themselves on a 'draft and develop' mentality but have strayed from it in recent years, trading away plenty of picks for proven help. Winnipeg had just four selections (out of the original seven) in 2024, including no first-rounder. This year, they hold five picks, having previously dealt away their second- and fourth-rounders. 'We've used lots of picks in other forms to try and keep pushing this team and that's why we'll continue to look at anything that is available to us to keep pushing forward,' said Cheveldayoff. 'It comes down to what opportunities that are out there that you have the right currency for. Sometimes it's players, sometimes it's picks.'–Kevin Cheveldayoff, Winnipeg Jets General Manager Free agency is also right around the corner, beginning July 1, and the Jets could face a significant loss if pending unrestricted free agent Nikolaj Ehlers signs elsewhere. Finding an impact winger for the top six could quickly become the top priority, and a draft-related trade might be part of the solution. By virtue of winning the Presidents' Trophy for being the top regular-season team, then getting knocked out in the second round of the playoffs, the Jets won't get a sniff of the upper-echelon of the first round which is loaded with teenage talent. However, Cheveldayoff believes there will still be good value to be found at No. 28 if they stand pat. Might Winnipeg prefer a defenceman, particularly a right shot, considering the organization's talent pool is relatively shallow beyond Elias Salomonsson? Alfons Freij, their top pick last year in the second round, is a left-shot blueliner. Matt Slocum / The Associated Press Files If the Winnipeg Jets lose Nikolaj Ehlers in free agency, finding an impact winger for their top six could quickly become a top priority. Matt Slocum / The Associated Press Files If the Winnipeg Jets lose Nikolaj Ehlers in free agency, finding an impact winger for their top six could quickly become a top priority. Henry Brzustewicz of the London Knights is one name that has come up in hockey circles as being on Winnipeg's radar and potentially still available by the time they're on the clock. Blake Fiddler of the Edmonton Oil Kings is another. His father, Vern, played 877 NHL games over his career. 'You don't know where they're going to fall to you yet. I think every scout probably has their own wish list,' said Cheveldayoff, noting the unpredictability of what the other 31 teams do ultimately plays a role. 'Sometimes you're sitting at the (draft) table and you audibly gasp, or you hold in your gasp, because someone takes a player that you may have in your second round and they take him in the first. That's the art form of scouting. If there was a science to it, everyone would be a lot more right than wrong. Again, the beauty is in the art of the scouts.' The Jets seemingly have more young depth up front, with the likes of Brad Lambert, Nikita Chibrikov, Brayden Yager, Jacob Julien, Kieron Walton and Kevin He joining the organization in recent years. Christopher Katsarov / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES London Knights' Henry Brzustewicz (right) has come up in hockey circles as being on Winnipeg's radar, as well as Blake Fiddler of the Edmonton Oil Kings. Christopher Katsarov / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES London Knights' Henry Brzustewicz (right) has come up in hockey circles as being on Winnipeg's radar, as well as Blake Fiddler of the Edmonton Oil Kings. If they decide to go that route again, Bill Zonnon (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies), Cole Reschny (Victoria Royals), Swedish centre Milton Gastrin and American centre William Moore have all been linked to Winnipeg in various mock drafts by pundits. One notable change this year means Cheveldayoff and his staff won't have to worry about suppressing their draft reactions — they're going to be holed up in a downtown Winnipeg boardroom as part of the de-centralized format the NHL has incorporated this year. 'There's definitely freedom to talk openly in the room,' said Cheveldayoff. Although players and family members will be in Los Angeles, NHL managers are remaining in their home markets to make selections virtually. The idea was to cut down on travel so close to free agency frenzy. This is expected to be a one-and-done scenario, with the usual format of getting everyone together under one arena roof likely returning next summer. 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. 'The league is going to set up some virtual rooms where the player goes into and we'll get on a virtual call with them right away (after selecting them),' said Cheveldayoff. 'Every team will have a representative there — Jimmy Roy will be there for us as player development. So he'll get the first touch point with the actual player and obviously start the process of getting him into the development side of the organization.' The players Winnipeg selects on Friday (first round only) and Saturday (rounds two through seven) will immediately jump on a plane and get to know their new hockey home immediately. A five-day development camp begins Monday at Hockey For All Centre. Cheveldayoff expects there will still be plenty of chatter with colleagues around the league about potential draft day trades, even if it will be happening via text messages, calls or even Zooms rather than face-to-face. X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg X and Bluesky: @wiebesworld Mike McIntyreReporter Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer. Read full biography Ken WiebeReporter Raised in the booming metropolis of Altona, Man., Ken Wiebe grew up wanting to play in the NHL, but after realizing his hands were more adept at typing than scoring, he shifted his attention to cover his favourite sport as a writer. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
24-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘He worked so hard to get back, to get healthy again'
The Winnipeg Jets' signing of hometown hero Jonathan Toews has hockey fans buzzing — but no one's cheering louder than his own family now that a holiday wish has finally come true. 'We knew since probably around Christmas time that the Jets were the team he was hoping to land on,' Toews' cousin, Kurt Enns, told the Free Press on Tuesday. 'But it's a business, so you never really know how it might turn out, right? It's so cool now that it actually is happening.' SUPPLIED From left: Tiffany Enns, Ryker Enns, Kurt Enns, Madison Enns and Jonathan Toews with the Stanley Cup. Toews will officially put pen to paper next Tuesday — Canada Day — as NHL teams are allowed to begin conducting 2025-26 business. The 37-year-old, who hasn't played for two seasons due to health-related issues, will be paid a base salary of US$2 million with bonuses that could total an additional US$5 million. A formal press conference by the Jets introducing a three-time Stanley Cup champion, decorated international competitor and sure-fire Hall of Famer who already has a community club and a lake named after him in the province will also occur next week. 'I think in the back of our minds we always thought that one day he could possibly be a Jet,' said Enns, whose mother is the sister of Toews' father. 'But we're all just really happy now that he is healthy and able to play again. We're all pumped for the season to start. I think he's going to have a lot to contribute to the team. He's a fierce, fierce competitor. He brings a lot of leadership and work ethic. Hopefully he can help the Jets win the Cup.' Enns said the entire family was rooting for Toews as he sought extensive treatment for long COVID and Chronic Immune Response Syndrome (CIRS), including several weeks in India for an Ayurvedic detox called Panchakarma which is said to help cleanse the body of impurities that can lead to disease. The veteran forward resumed skating over the winter and recently declared himself 100 per cent, with plenty of teams in addition to Winnipeg looking to secure his services. 'He worked so hard to get back, to get healthy again, and be able to play again,' said Enns. 'He doesn't give up. And he's really passionate with his sport. This is what he wants to do. It couldn't be better.' Enns, his wife Tiffany and their two children, Madison and Ryker, have travelled across North America to watch Toews play over the years. 'We've been to Chicago, of course. Tampa. Went to Toronto, Montreal, New York Islanders, New York Rangers. Buffalo,' he said. Now? Just a short drive from their home in Steinbach to Canada Life Centre to hopefully see him play 41 regular-season times starting in October — and then plenty more playoff games in the spring. 'We'll be getting season tickets. It's going to be so cool seeing all these people wearing Toews jerseys.'–Kurt Enns 'We'll be getting season tickets,' said Enns. 'It's going to be so cool seeing all these people wearing Toews jerseys.' Indeed, the Jets have already starting selling them, along with Toews' traditional No. 19. Enns tipped his cap to current Jets forward David Gustafsson, who had been wearing that number but didn't hesitate to give it up. 'Apparently (Gustafsson) said that he was wearing it because of Jonathan, so he was pretty OK with giving it up and pretty happy to do so,' he said. Toews is one of the most decorated Manitoba athletes in history, with a trophy case that also includes two Olympic gold medals, a Conn Smythe trophy, a Selke trophy, a World Cup of Hockey gold medal, a pair of World Junior Hockey Championship titles and a gold medal at the 2007 IIHF men's World Hockey Championship. The third-overall pick by Chicago in the 2006 NHL draft has 883 points in 1,067 career games — totals nobody was sure would ever be increased. While the wheels for a Winnipeg signing may have started turning last December, the Jets connection dates all the way back to childhood. Enns has a photo of his cousin, just a few years old, wearing a 1.0 jersey and sitting beside him on the couch. Toews has been sharing similar images on his Instagram page in recent days, including one of him wearing a Teemu Selanne shirt as a little kid. 'Am I dreaming, or is this real life?' he wrote in the caption. 'My earliest hockey memories are of watching the Jets, pre-'96 at the Winnipeg Arena. I remember being glued to my seat in the upper deck, unable to move an inch because the nose bleeds were savagely steep and high, but also because I was immediately mesmerized by the game of hockey.' Although Toews has played multiple NHL games in his backyard as a member of the Blackhawks, the veteran centre will now experience it from an entirely different perspective. SUPPLIED Jonathan Toews (left) wears his Jets 1.0 jersey while sitting beside his cousin Kurt Enns when they were growing up together in Winnipeg. 'Never would I have thought that someday I'd skate on the ice down below, my dream of reaching the NHL coming full circle to playing in the very city that raised me,' wrote Toews. 'I've never been more proud to be from Winnipeg. Thank you to everyone for the love and support, and to the Jets organization for making another childhood dream come true.' His family would like to second that. 'It's going to be so exciting to watch,' said Enns. X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg 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. Mike McIntyreReporter Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike. Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
20-06-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Pierce drawing from his time with the Bombers
VANCOUVER — The West Coast looks good on Buck Pierce. Sure, the B.C. Lions' head coach is a little busier these days than the last time pro football brought him here as a player, but he's often reminded why this was the perfect place to land his first gig as a bench boss. 'It's good. It's kind of full circle, right? I grew up on the West Coast, so being back out here, I consistently have family and friends coming up to games. So, there's some familiar parts about it,' Pierce, who was raised in Crescent City, Calif., said Friday in a chat with the Free Press. DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES B.C. Lions' Buck Pierce was handed his first loss as head coach of the club last week by his former team. 'There's some familiarity, absolutely, but being in Winnipeg for the time that I was there, I also got accustomed to that. Life moves a little faster out here,' he added while chuckling. 'It's a little busier. But there's obviously things that I've missed about living here, but there's things that I miss about Winnipeg, too.' The 43-year-old spent the first 10 years of his coaching career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, two as a running backs coach and three working with quarterbacks, before taking offensive co-ordinator duties for four seasons. Hired by Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea at the beginning of his tenure in 2014, Pierce didn't waste many opportunities to learn from one of the all-time winningest coaches. That time together has already served him well, as Pierce often finds himself drawing back on his time with O'Shea. 'I mean, I learned a ton — football related, unfootball related. I really enjoyed our relationship, obviously, as co-workers, but just as two guys who wanted the same thing, and very like-minded. I ask myself all the time, 'What would we have done in that situation?'… and I have no issues ever picking up the phone and asking either.' The off-season was different than what he was used to, being onboarded then getting right into building a roster around his franchise quarterback Nathan Rourke. Pierce was quick to correct himself, saying he doesn't have an off-season now. His phone is always on because he needs to be reachable. He's also spent less time watching TV, something he was able to do as an offensive co-ordinator. Though the added responsibilities have life moving at Mach 50, Pierce said those are the most enjoyable parts of the job. 'You understand the role to an extent, but you don't know until you actually do it. It's more of the off-the-field stuff. It's being more involved with communications throughout the organization, on every level. And then the field stuff is the field stuff. It's about football and getting to know the guys, and all those types of things,' he said. 'Somebody asked me about what was one of my favourite things about it: it's just about being around the players and seeing how they react, and what they need. So being able to help it in that role of being a provider for them and making sure that their needs are being met, and if they're not, what can I do to help?' That was also his favourite part about being an offensive co-ordinator, but now that duty is extrapolated as the leader of an entire team. 'Being able to communicate with the entire roster, and getting to know guys, maybe a little bit more personally than what you would in different roles. But, as far as being a co-ordinator, to a head coach, I think you have more communication with the whole team, and I think that's excellent and that's what I enjoy.' That sentiment quickly resonated with his players. It didn't take long for Pierce to win over the locker room and get team members to buy into his message. 'He kind of just wears it on his sleeve. It's kind of who he is,' said quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who will start for the Lions when they face the Bombers at BC Place on Saturday (6 p.m. CT). Masoli called Pierce 'an open book' who has instilled a 'no-nonsense' mentality around the club. It's made it easy to rally behind him. 'We talk about grit at this place and just having that heart, and he kind of walks around and exudes it just with his personality,' he added. 'It just kind of permeates through the locker room, and we all got to follow suit.' How Pierce has changed from his time as an offensive co-ordinator is a question perhaps only centre Michael Couture can answer. The nine-year vet spent seven of those working with Pierce in Winnipeg — two of which he was calling plays for — before heading west in 2023. 'For me? No,' said Couture. 'I'm getting the same guy, the same guy that I remember. He was one of the first people I got to talk to when I got into the building in Winnipeg, my rookie year in 2016, and to me, he's been the same guy ever since then. It's been familiar, which is nice.' Couture was asked by several teammates about their new head coach when he was hired in December. The centre did his best to talk him up, but it appears Pierce has done a fine job of selling himself. 'His attention to the details as a coach,' Couture said was his best quality as a head coach. 'I think that's something I've heard throughout the locker room that has been a big point so far this year, and I think guys respond really well to his message day in and day out. It's very consistent, and it's something that a lot of guys can relate to, being that he's been in our position before. So that's huge coming from the head guy.' Pierce has already won and lost as a head coach, as the Lions carry a 1-1 record into Week 3. His first tick in the loss column came against his former longtime club in disappointing fashion — a 34-20 decision in Winnipeg — but not all was bad on the trip. It was an emotional return to a familiar place for Pierce, who was honoured with a tribute video and a standing ovation from the sellout crowd inside Princess Auto Stadium. A defeat is never enjoyable, but that moment certainly took a bit of the sting out of the final result. 'I would not be telling the truth if I said there wasn't emotion going back into the building and being on the other side. We're humans, and they did a great tribute there during the game. I have such fond memories of the people there. It's the people there that I've been through it with and got relationships with,' Pierce said. 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. 'So, yeah, it was good to be back.' He paused briefly and revealed a telling grin. 'But we're excited to see them again, too.' X: @jfreysam Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
