Latest news with #Moncton
New York Times
14 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Get to know Caleb Desnoyers
Follow live coverage of tonight's first round of the 2025 NHL Draft as teams select the next generation of hockey's future stars Getty Images Getty Images In his time in hockey, first on the agency side and now as general manager of the Moncton Wildcats, Taylor MacDougall has seen and worked with his fair share of prospects. Ask him about Caleb Desnoyers, who just centered his team's top line to a QMJHL title and won the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the league's playoff MVP, and he tries not to get carried away. Tries … 'He's a special kid, quite frankly. And a lot of that stuff gets thrown around with top prospects but I try not to and I try to hold those standards very high,' MacDougall said on a recent phone call. 'If you're an NHL organization and you have the opportunity to tie off to this kid for the next 15 years, oh my goodness, I would sleep soundly. There's so many variables that go into trying to win a championship, but you give him 15 cracks at it over the course of an NHL career, that kid's going to figure it out at some point.' Desnoyers is a potential top-five pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. He was the No. 1 pick in the 2023 QMJHL Entry Draft, the league's rookie of the year as a 16-year-old, and a QMJHL First All-Star this year after registering 35 goals and 84 points in 56 games, fifth in league scoring and second in points per game (1.50) to league scoring champ and 21-year-old overager Jonathan Fauchon. Between his MVP playoff run with the Wildcats and the Memorial Cup, he registered another 32 points in 23 games (for a combined regular season, playoff and Memorial Cup total of 45 goals and 116 points in 79 games). Read more below. GO FURTHER Why 'special' Caleb Desnoyers is one of 2025 NHL Draft's top prospects Getty Images Position: Center Center Team: Moncton Moncton Shoots: Left Left Height: 6-foot-1 Desnoyers was one of the best players in the QMJHL this season as a leader on the top team in the league. He was also the MVP of the QMJHL playoffs. The No. 1 pick in his QMJHL Draft, he checks every box for what you want in an NHL center. He's tall and fast and makes a lot happen with and without the puck. Desnoyers displays excellent skill and playmaking ability. He creates offense on the move, off the perimeter and at the net. He has great creativity as a playmaker, while also being a detailed two-way player. Desnoyers can be trusted to check top players as he has a physical edge in his game and gives a high effort every game. He has the potential to be a No. 1 center who can play in any situation. Getty Images Evaluating Anton Frondell ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft is anything but straightforward. Depending on who you ask in the NHL, he's either a future franchise center or a solid middle-six contributor. Scouts are split, with some seeing him worthy of a top-three selection, while others view him somewhere between six and 10. The variance in opinion stems from Frondell's Jekyll-and-Hyde spectrum of performances over the past two years. All players have good games/events and bad ones, but Frondell's have been more pronounced than usual. On his best nights, Frondell looks like a player who can tilt the ice in his favor. His season in the Allsvenskan with Djurgården was a major selling point: 25 points in 29 games against men, production comparable to what William Nylander and David Pastrnak posted at similar stages and slightly behind Elias Pettersson's Allsvenskan numbers in his draft season. That's elite company and a big reason why some scouts are bullish on him. As a 16-year-old, his numbers in Sweden's top junior level were among the best in recent memory. On the international stage, he showed he could rise to the occasion, most notably at the U18 Five Nations tournament in February 2024, where he scored two clutch late goals to upset the United States on their home ice. Moments like that reinforce the belief that Frondell has the potential to be a true difference-maker. However, inconsistencies have clouded his evaluation. Despite strong performances in some tournaments, Frondell had forgettable showings in others, even against relatively modest competition. For instance, during the U18 Five Nations tournaments in both November and February, he was a mixed bag, producing some strong games but also disappearing at times. His production against U18 players was actually worse in his draft season than in his draft-minus-one season. At the 2024 World Junior A Challenge, he was solid but unspectacular as a 17-year-old, tallying just four points in five games against a fairly average talent pool. He also didn't even touch a point/game against in Sweden's top junior league in 10 games played this season. Read more below. GO FURTHER Why Anton Frondell is 2025 NHL Draft's most difficult top prospect to evaluate Getty Images Position: Center Center Shoots: Left Left Team: Djurgarden Djurgarden Height: 6-foot-1 Frondell's season started off slow, in part due to injury, but he was very good versus men in the Allsvenskan in the second half of the season. Frondell has a ton of skill and a real smooth element when he's around the puck. He makes difficult plays with consistency and can do so on the move. Frondell skates well and competes hard, often outmuscling others bigger than him. Despite his average size, he has a translatable style of play to the NHL that appeals to scouts. Frondell is a good playmaker but he's also a very dangerous shooter with a bullet shot that projects to beat NHL goalies from range. He's not a dynamic offensive player, though, and had a few too many quiet games at the international level this season. He has the potential to be a very good all-around top-six center even if he's often played wing this season. Getty Images The consensus No. 3 prospect in the 2025 NHL Draft is right winger Porter Martone. Our Corey Pronman has him at No. 3 while Scott Wheeler has him at No. 4. Will the Blackhawks elect to draft Matone or will it go in a different direction? Getty Images Below is an amateur scout's take on right winger Porter Martone: 'Porter brings size, a high-skill package, he's got hockey sense and good hands, and he's a big body who is always in the middle of everything. When you see Porter Martone play, he's not a great skater but he gets to where he needs to be and he's kind of a Ryan Smyth type of guy where he's always around the action, he's always around the net, he's always in the corners, pluys he's got the hand skills and the offensive creativity to be a aprt of a lot of offensive chances. "I think you're looking at a pretty complete player who's got size and brings an edge to his game, so he can complement a lot of players. He can be up and down your lineup. He can be with a lot of skill players and be net-front or working the corners or he can be on the fourth line and be more physical.' Getty Images His junior head coach and general manager, his skills coach and his minor hockey coach all use the same three names. Corey Perry. Brady Tkachuk. Matthew Tkachuk. That's what you're getting, they'll tell you — and are telling NHL teams — in Porter Martone. James Richmond, his head coach and general manager with the Brampton Steelheads, sees Perry in particular — and not, he says, just because both have worn No. 94. 'That's Corey Perry' was the first thought he had when he watched Martone all the way back in minor hockey. 'When I've watched Corey Perry I say, 'Man that guy is just a dog and he's super skilled,'' Richmond said. '(Martone's) around the puck all the time and he's unbelievable with the puck on his stick, and he gets under the skin of people on the other team, and he can score and he can pass and he's ultra-ultra-competitive.' Shortly after arriving at Barrie's Sadlon Arena ahead of a recent game against the Colts, Martone, dressed in a checkered suit, said those names suited him just fine. 'That's who I am,' he said of modelling his game after Perry and the Tkachuk brothers. 'I feel like I'm a big, powerful forward who sees the ice very well, can make plays and can score. But I like to be a hard player to play against. I like to get underneath the other team's skin and just make an influence on the game every night and be a big player in big moments.' Read more below. GO FURTHER How 'phenomenal' Porter Martone has made a case for the top of the 2025 NHL Draft Getty Images Scott Wheeler: Despite this being a center-heavy draft at the top, there are some who believe each of Michael Misa, Anton Frondell, Brady Martin and even James Hagens may end up on the wing. Caleb Desnoyers is really the only consensus 'that's a center' profile in that top group. I'd argue that Misa and Hagens are better-suited for the middle and believe both will be centers, but I can see it going either way for Martin and Frondell. I don't think you make your decision at No. 3 based on locking in two 5-10 centers as your 1-2 Cs of the future, though. I think you want your best players at the middle of the ice, and that Bedard will get his faceoffs and defensive play to where he needs to get it to in order to be successful at 1C. But I'd argue that all of the potential candidates at No. 3 in this class are likely better fits as the 2C than Nazar, freeing Nazar to play the wing with this year's pick or Bedard. I'd consider Porter Martone, the one true winger, there, but as we've written, he's not their type. Of the three they're believed to be considering, I'd order them Misa-Desnoyers-Frondell. Corey Pronman: Frondell and Misa have experience playing the wing, as Frondell was a winger most of the season versus men. Obviously, Martone is the top winger in this year's class. I would probably not be so rigid in this thinking, though. It's a lot easier to move a guy to the wing than vice versa, and you can never have too many natural centers if you think they are the best player. Getty Images Position: RW RW Team: Mississauga Steelheads Mississauga Steelheads Shoots: Right Right Height: 6-foot-2 Martone was a top player in the OHL this season; however, he did struggle at the World Juniors for Canada. Martone's skill level and creativity with the puck are elite, especially for a man his size. His reach and skill will allow him to beat a ton of NHL defenders one-on-one. He makes a lot of difficult plays and does so in traffic. Martone competes well, showing no hesitancy to engage physically or create at the net. Martone's major issue is the pace in his game. When he turns the corner and gets up ice, his foot speed is decent, but his first few steps are heavy, with a semi-wonky looking stride, and he doesn't always play with a ton of tempo. The size/skill combo is so good he could overcome that problem, but as one head scout has said, "Martone has the biggest weakness of any of the top five picks." He projects as a top-line scoring winger in the NHL who could put up a ton of points and play a heavy game. Getty Images Position: Center Center Shoots: Left Left Height: 6-foot-0 6-foot-0 Team: Saginaw Spirit Misa was given exceptional status to play in the OHL as a 15-year-old. He looked very impressive in his first two seasons, but he took off in his draft season, becoming one of the best players in the OHL. He's a high-end skater with clear NHL edge work and top speed. He's highly skilled and creative with tremendous vision. His ability to improvise in tight areas and on the move is elite and makes it easy to envision him scoring in major numbers in the NHL. Despite his huge goal-scoring numbers this season, I don't view him as a sniper. Rather, he generated a lot of goals off timing and getting to the net. Misa won't run guys over, but he competes well and is diligent without the puck. He projects as a star No. 1 center in the NHL that you can build a winning team around. Getty Images Scout 1: 'Misa would be our top forward followed by (James) Hagens but there's a sizable gap from Schaefer to those guys.' Executive 1: "Schaefer is the best player in the draft. It's not close, quite frankly. After that, Misa is the top forward, but it's close. He has the best chance to be a No. 1 center, all-around player who scores a lot.' Getty Images Chris Lazary still remembers what he was thinking during that first practice, as he stood against the wall watching Michael Misa navigate his way around the ice — and through and past his new teammates. Thank God we have him and I get to be his coach for the next three years. I know how much I'm going to learn from working with a player of this calibre. He still remembers the thought he had from behind the bench as he watched Misa, the sixth-ever player to be granted exceptional to play in the OHL as a 15-year-old, score twice in his debut for the Saginaw Spirit, too. He's going to change our franchise. In between that first skate and that two-goal OHL debut, Spirit general manager Dave Drinkill sent a text to the team's owners with a revelation, telling them Misa is one of those rare players where even when he has a quote-unquote bad game, you look down at the scoresheet and he still has an assist — or two. 'That's just who he is as a player,' Drinkill said. 'He has that innate ability to produce for his team. And that's just because the puck follows him around and that hockey IQ is off the charts.' Read more below. GO FURTHER For Michael Misa, OHL exceptional status and the 2025 NHL Draft are just the start Getty Images After the New York Islanders, the San Jose Sharks hold the No. 2 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. Based on the five original lists forming The Athletic 's consensus, including our very own Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman, the most likely pick at No. 2 is Saginaw Spirit captain Michael Misa. Read more about the consensus draft ranking below. GO FURTHER 2025 NHL Draft consensus big board: Schaefer, top centers headline class Getty Images Below is a quote from an amateur scout on likely No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer: 'I think when you see him, the first thing that pops out at you is that he's an effortless skater. The second thing that jumps out is his high IQ and his ability to make plays with and without the puck. And I think when you watch games, shift after shift and game after game, he's the best player on the ice a lot of times. And he has done that at the U17 level, he's done that at the world U18 level, he's done that at the Ivan Hlinka level, and he's just a very mature, responsible player where nothing is too big for him, no situation is too big for him offensively or defensively. It's a lot of smart, simple plays. "You see a lot of highlight reel plays, but he doesn't have to do highlight reel plays to be a very effective player. People talk about it being a 19-year-old tournament and the reason you talk about it being a 19-year-old tournament is because a lot of the younger guys might be physically mature enough but they don't have that pro mentality or that of a 19-year-old world junior player where a lot of the time the simple play is more effective. Schaefer has that ability to just make smart, simple, quick plays, which is what wins you hockey games.' Getty Images The New York Islanders hold the top pick, and the consensus No. 1 prospect is defenseman Matthew Schaefer. The left-shot blueliner has the full package: size, skating, legit offense and a high compete level. He projects to play big minutes in all situations and has the potential to be a legit No. 1 NHL defenseman. But there's a local wrinkle. James Hagens, once projected to be the top pick in this class, hails from Long Island. The idea of the Islanders drafting a homegrown, dynamic forward with elite skill has emotional and marketing appeal. That said, Hagens' stock cooled in the second half of the year, with many scouts now placing him closer to No. 5 on their boards. It seems highly unlikely the Islanders would go away from Schaefer for either Hagens or Saginaw's Michael Misa, but still, within the NHL, the possibility hasn't been completely discounted in the lead-up to the draft. Getty Images Matthew Schaefer barely played this season after contracting mono in the first half and then suffering a broken clavicle at the World Juniors, which knocked him out for the duration of the year. When he was on the ice, though, he looked like a potential star No. 1 defenseman in the NHL. He was the clear best player at numerous international showcases, and he was great in the Ontario Hockey League. Schaefer's skating is exceptional, which allows him to close gaps quickly and transition play with ease. His puck skills, intelligence and compete level are all notably above NHL average as well, and he makes an impact at both ends of the ice. Schaefer has also overcome significant personal adversity with the recent death of his mother. He is one of the youngest players in this class; he was a few weeks away from being eligible for the 2026 draft, showing the significant runway he has for development. Getty Images Already forgotten which team is drafting where in Round 1? You and me both, hockey fans. Fear not, because here's the full first-round order for the 2025 NHL Draft: New York Islanders San Jose Sharks Chicago Blackhawks Utah Mammoth Nashville Predators Philadelphia Flyers Boston Bruins Seattle Kraken Buffalo Sabres Anaheim Ducks Pittsburgh Penguins Penguins (from VAN via NYR) Detroit Red Wings Columbus Blue Jackets Vancouver Canucks Montreal Canadiens (from CGY) Canadiens Calgary Flames (from NJD) St. Louis Blues Blue Jackets (from MIN) Ottawa Senators Flyers (from COL) Predators (from TBL) Los Angeles Kings Blackhawks (from TOR) Predators (from VGK via SJS) Washington Capitals Winnipeg Jets Carolina Hurricanes Sharks (from DAL) Flyers (from EDM) Flames (from FLA) Getty Images The 2025 NHL Draft is taking place in Los Angeles, Calif., at the Peacock Theater. Unlike previous years, where the event would take place at an NHL arena with team executives and personnel on the "draft floor," with conversations and potential trades being formulated, this time it's decentralized. That means teams will stay in their home cities, operating virtually. According to the league, 93 prospects will be in attendance in L.A. along with approximately 3,000 fans. There will be over 100 cameras to bring the viewer closer to the front offices, making these decisions remotely. Will this be a one-and-done format? Perhaps given the appetite for the old "draft floor" format, with everyone in one place. But it will be interesting to witness nonetheless how the broadcast pulls this off. NBA and NHL free agency are around the corner. MLB is approaching its All-Star festivities. Don't forget about Wimbledon, the Open Championship, and F1 races, which also happen in July. There are still a lot of sporting events on the horizon. Which is why The Athletic is the perfect place for high-quality, thorough sports journalism. Subscribe to The Athletic using the link here.
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Fire displaces 11 men from Moncton home
Fire crews in Moncton work to put out a fire on the city's east end. (CTV/Derek Haggett) A three-storey home in Moncton was extensively damaged by a fire early Thursday night. Moncton Fire Department acting Platoon Chief Jamie Rooney said they were called to a residence on Lester Street in the city's east end around 6:30 p.m. 'Lots of damage to the outside, rear of the structure and the fire got inside as well,' said Rooney. 'The smoke and water damage was pretty heavy.' Rooney said it was a tricky fire to fight because the structure is an older one. 'It was an older home with numerous ceilings,' said Rooney. 'We were there for a while. A few hours.' There were no injuries, and Rooney said the cause of the fire is under investigation. Shekinah Go director Cal Maskery posted a video of the fire at the Lester Street home shortly after 7 p.m. 'Our main building is on fire. We just got back from a park outreach, we got a call to come back. The whole back end of the building up to the roof is on fire,' said Maskery in the video. Shekinah Go is a faith-based organization that provides recovery from addiction, sober living and aftercare services while continuing support. 'We've got 11 guys that were staying in here,' said Maskery in his post. 'Some of these guys are on bail, some of them are on conditions. So please pray we have a resolve so we can help these guys move forward in a productive way.' Rooney said the Red Cross provided accommodations to the residents of the home. Maskery has agreed to provide more details to CTV News Friday afternoon. More to come…. Moncton fire Moncton fire responded to the fire on the city's east end. (CTV/Derek Haggett) For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
No injuries reported after Moncton apartment fire
Atlantic Watch No injuries have been reported following an apartment fire in Moncton on Thursday.
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘It's huge news': Moncton shelter receives extra funding for services
Leon Baker is in the Harvest House Atlantic office on High Street in downtown Moncton. (CTV Atlantic/ Derek Haggett) The head of a Moncton homeless shelter was still ecstatic a day after announcing they would continue to provide meals and other services to the community. 'It's huge news,' said Leon Baker, Harvest House Atlantic executive director. 'We received a lot of phone calls from the community. A lot of inquiries from the people that we support and other agencies around that do the work that we do. Everybody was advocating and knew that this was an essential service that we could let go of within the Moncton area.' Harvest House will continue to provide three meals a day and other services like laundry and showers to people who need it thanks to additional funding. Baker said their Community Support Program will start again on July 1 and will run until Dec. 31 of this year. Last week, Baker told CTV News the organization would stop providing meals and services to non-residents of the homeless shelter because they couldn't afford to feed the community. Baker said it was costing around $38,000 a month to provide the extra meals and services, and the plan was to have it phased out by July 1. Harvest House is partnering with the federal and provincial government and, through the support of the Greater Moncton Homelessness Steering Committee, will continue providing its program to people not staying at the shelter or their addiction recovery program. The organization has received an additional $156,000 in funding which will get them until the end of the year. The six-month extension of essential services starting in July includes: breakfast, lunch, and supper seven days a week access to sandwiches and water at door laundry and shower services referrals and case management support overdose prevention and response outreach services access to an indoor area during extreme weather conditions Barb Mackenzie Barb Mackenzie looks at her weekly schedule in the pantry of the Ray of Hope Soup Kitchen in Moncton, N.B. (CTV Atlantic / Derek Haggett) Ray of Hope Soup Kitchen manager Barb Mackenzie said they had an extra 20 to 30 guests for lunch this week, because it wasn't available a few blocks away at Harvest House. She said her staff did well handling the extra crowd, but it was a bit of a challenge. 'That's excellent news. It's wonderful. However, it's only until December and who knows what's going to happen after that,' said Mackenzie. 'I'm pleased to hear that and I'm sure all the other kitchens are as well.' Ray of Hope Soup Kitchen A volunteer serves up lunch at the Ray of Hope Soup Kitchen on June 26, 2025. (CTV Atlantic / Derek Haggett) Baker was asked what happens after Dec. 31. 'That's the runway we have,' he said. 'We need now to put together a task team, a task group, a part of the Greater Moncton Homelessness Steering Committee, in order to look at food security, community services that we offer. How do we best offer it? Who offers it? What is the most cost-effective way that has the biggest impact on the community?' On Wednesday, Baker made the announcement to staff virtually. 'Lots of applause, lots of smiles, a couple of personal messages from people,' said Baker. 'All around, so much positivity coming out of this.' For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hundreds of asylum seekers will relocate to N.B. in the next 2 years
Settlement organizations that help newcomers across the province are preparing to welcome hundreds of asylum seekers who will be relocating to New Brunswick from other provinces to start a new life. Over the next two years, about 400 people who left their homes in Nigeria, Haiti and some South American countries will relocate to cities including Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton and Edmundston. Alison Frise, executive director of the Multicultural Association of the Greater Moncton Area, said there isn't a final number of asylum seekers New Brunswick can expect, but that some could arrive as early as mid-July. Many are currently living in hotels in Ontario, and some families have been living there for a year, she said. "We all think it's fun to stay in a hotel for the first the week, but if you've been there almost a year then that's not fun anymore," she said. "It makes it very difficult for people to integrate the community." Frise said this group will be different from asylum seekers the province welcomed in the past because everyone speaks English or French, has already lived in Canada and is ready to enter the job market. WATCH | Claimants will receive help from resettlement organizations: The arrivals are part of an agreement the province has with the federal government to increase New Brunswick's immigration allocation rate. Frise said they will help to fill gaps in industries like construction and health care that are struggling to find workers after the federal government cut the province's allocation of economic immigration spaces by half earlier this year. "This is an opportunity for us to get the provincial nomination numbers up," Frise said. "Getting employment right away is going to be super important to make sure that that ... is an anchor for them to stay here and raise their families here." When the federal government created the Interim Assistance Housing Program in 2017, it was meant to encourage provincial and municipal governments to accept incoming asylum seekers. "The major thing will be permanent housing, or at least temporary housing," Frise said, adding that MAGMA has a housing co-ordinator that builds relationships with landlords with newcomers in mind. Saint John is also thinking about what it will mean to welcome asylum seekers to that city. "[It] isn't just about filling gaps there, it's about how we think about the future of Saint John and how we invest in our community," said Mohamed Bagha, managing director of the Saint John Newcomers Centre. He said newcomers bring a new energy and sense of resilience to communities, and that coming to New Brunswick as an asylum seeker is unique to immigrating here. "Many asylum seekers are bringing some sort of difficulty but they do have the skills to get here, they have taken the risk all the way to get to this country," he said. "When you're feeling trauma, you probably need a little more help." Two years ago, the province accepted about 200 asylum seekers who had arrived from Quebec through Roxham Road, which straddled the international border with the United States. Many of the asylum seekers did not speak English or French, and had no connection to the province when they arrived. It was a challenge MAGMA had never faced before. "We had to come up with a whole intake process, find resources, community partners that we could refer them to," Frise said. "We have to sometimes be creative and think outside the box." She said MAGMA is better equipped this time around. It offers language classes in Moncton and provides interpretation services in new languages. The organization is working with the province to know more about the incoming group in hopes of anticipating their needs before they arrive. "We're hoping … that they feel that sense of belonging here in Moncton, that they can put down roots and stay here," Frise said.
