Latest from Edmonton Journal
Edmonton Journal
an hour ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Joining Canadiens 'a dream come true' for Noah Dobson
Article content A big part of the Canadiens' rebuilding plan has been making Montreal a destination where players want to both come and stay. Jeff Gorton, the executive vice-president of hockey operations, general manager Kent Hughes and head coach Martin St. Louis have all worked hard on that front and it's starting to pay off. Article content Not only were the Canadiens able to acquire Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders in exchange for the 16th and 17th overall picks at Friday night's NHL Draft along with forward Emil Heineman, they were also able to get the 25-year-old defenceman to sign an eight-year, US$76-million contract with an annual salary-cap hit of US$9.5 million. Article content 'Without hesitation … it was a no-brainer for me,' Dobson said during a video conference Friday night about signing to play in Montreal for eight years. 'Just the opportunity to be part of the Montreal Canadiens, it's an honour. It's the best hockey market in the world. The fans are incredible. I love playing at the Bell Centre. Just also the group of players they have already and the talent they have on the team and what they've been building, I'm just super-excited to join that group and add to it. I'm excited what we can do down the road here in the future. 'I think if you look at the steps they took last season, the pieces they have and the talent on the roster, you can't help but get excited to join that group,' Dobson added about the Canadiens being the youngest team to make the playoffs last season in Year 3 of a rebuilding process. 'Everyone's still young and to join that group is exciting. I know what they've been building the last few years and it's a special group from what I've heard. I'm excited to join that group and see what we can do. Just super-excited.' Article content The Canadiens are super-excited about being able to get the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Dobson, who was selected by the Islanders in the first round (12th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft. Dobson and the Islanders struggled last season and the Summerside, P.E.I., native finished with 10-29-39 totals in 71 games to go along with a minus-16. The previous season, Dobson had 10-60-70 totals and was plus-12. 'I think it was a difficult season at times as a whole — not just individually, but as a team,' Dobson said about last season. 'We struggled to score a lot collectively as a team, especially earlier in the year. The team dealt with a lot of injuries, a lot of moving parts in and out. Like any season, there's highs and lows throughout that. I think just taking a learning experience, dealing with it as a team and individually, struggling to score and produce and having to find ways to be effective each night when things aren't going in was something I really tried to learn from and grow and evolve.' Article content After the Islanders missed the playoffs, Dobson played with Team Canada at the IIHF World Championship, where Canadiens defenceman Mike Matheson was a teammate. 'I think at those events and when you're around guys from different other teams you're always just asking what things are like in different places because you never know, right? Things like this happen,' Dobson said. 'I just know from in the past, doing camps with (Matheson) before, he's talked very highly of the Canadiens and the coaching staff and the group of players and just the organization as a whole. So I definitely had that in the back of my head.' Dobson said it was a 'crazy couple of days' before the trade was made, adding it was a mutual decision for the Islanders and him to part ways. The Islanders had the No. 1 overall pick at Friday night's draft and took defenceman Matthew Schaefer of the OHL's Erie Otters. The Islanders then took Swedish winger Victor Eklund with the 16th pick and Kashawn Aitcheson, a defenceman with the OHL's Barrie Colts, with the 17th pick. Article content What made Dobson's situation more stressful over the past few days is he's getting married on Monday. He said the trade talks really heated up on Friday morning. 'When I found I was going to be a Montreal Canadien, extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity and really looking forward to it,' he said. Dobson added for a kid who grew up in Canada it's a 'dream come true' to play for the Canadiens. 'The atmosphere at the Bell Centre, there's nothing quite like it,' he said. 'I know from my first seasons in the NHL, it's always my favourite road game in the league is when we come to the Bell Centre. So I'm looking forward to the first time stepping on the ice there with the Montreal Canadiens sweater and just trying to feed off the energy and passion from the fans because it's truly an honour and a privilege to play for the Montreal Canadiens.' Latest National Stories
Edmonton Journal
an hour ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Canucks' new draft Braeden Cootes wants to be Brayden Point
Article content The Seattle Thunderbirds have become an NHL prospect engine and the Vancouver Canucks have jumped aboard. That much is clear after snagging centre Braeden Cootes 15th overall at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, a player everyone says plays with heart, has sneaky-good skills and, above all else, is a top-notch leader.
Edmonton Journal
2 hours ago
- Health
- Edmonton Journal
Alberta transgender health-care bill blocked as judge issues temporary injunction
Article content EDMONTON — An Alberta judge has put on hold a provincial law that bans doctors from providing gender-affirming care to youth. Justice Allison Kuntz, in a written judgment Friday, said the law raises serious Charter issues that need to be hashed out in court, and issued a temporary injunction against it before it fully came into effect. Kuntz wrote that a temporary stop is needed while the issue is debated. Article content 'The evidence shows that singling out health care for gender diverse youth and making it subject to government control will cause irreparable harm to gender diverse youth by reinforcing the discrimination and prejudice that they are already subjected to,' Kuntz wrote in the judgment. 'Intentionally or not, the ban will signal that there is something wrong with or suspect about having a gender identity that is different than the sex you were assigned at birth.' The law, passed late last year but not fully in effect, bans doctors from providing treatment such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy to those under 16. LGBTQ+ advocacy groups Egale Canada and the Skipping Stone Foundation — as well as five transgender youth who would be affected by the law — took the province to court the same month it passed. In the Friday decision, Kuntz wrote that denying treatment risks causing youth emotional harm and exposing them to permanent physical changes that don't match their gender identity. Article content The government, according to the decision, argued that claims of harm were speculative considering the law wasn't fully in effect, and that the treatments the law seeks to ban aren't scientifically supported. Kuntz wrote that the advocacy groups also submitted scientific evidence on the treatments that support their perspectives, but the injunction hearings weren't the appropriate stage to determine which side's evidence stood taller. Kuntz, however, largely sided with the advocacy group's evidence in her decision. She wrote that the government's scientific evidence wasn't 'so overwhelming' as to prevent a finding that the youth's human rights are being infringed upon. The province also argued that the law didn't cause the psychological harm facing the youth involved in the case, but it was a result of going through puberty. Article content 'The starting point for an alleged harm might not be caused by government action, but government action may impact an individual's ability to address the harm in a way that infringes their Charter rights and causes further harm,' Kuntz wrote in response to that argument. Egale's legal director Bennett Jensen said Friday that the decision was a 'huge relief.' '(The legislation) does not solve any real issues in the medical system,' Jensen said in an interview. 'It simply creates them and targets an already very vulnerable, small group of young people with further discrimination, and that's what the judge found.' Premier Danielle Smith has said she believes the legislation is needed to protect young people from making permanent, life-altering decisions. Smith has said it's about preserving that adult choice, and that making 'permanent and irreversible decisions' about one's biological sex while still a child can limit that. Article content Kuntz, in her decision, disagreed and said Alberta's law was not necessary to preserve choice. 'That choice is available without government intervention,' Kuntz wrote. 'The ban takes away choice in favour of preserving a very specific choice that some youth may not want to preserve, or that some youth may want to approach differently than the ban assumes.' Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery's press secretary, Heather Jenkins, reiterated in an email that the legislation protects youth from making irreversible decisions. 'Alberta's government will continue to vigorously defend our position in court and is considering all options with respect to the court's decision,' Jenkins said. Opposition NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said in a statement that his party was pleased with the decision, calling it a 'great day for young Albertans who simply want to live authentically and safely.' Article content 'This was never about doing the right thing: it was always about demonizing vulnerable kids to boost Danielle Smith's political fortunes,' Nenshi said. Also lauding the decision Friday was Senator Kris Wells, the former Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth. 'This isn't just a win for trans youth, it is a win for Canada's health-care system,' Wells wrote on social media. 'No politician should be dictating or restricting your access to evidence-based medical care.' Egale and the Skipping Stone Foundation aren't the only groups challenging the bill. Last month, the Canadian Medical Association and three Alberta-based doctors launched a legal case challenging the legislation's constitutionality, arguing it violates their Charter right to freedom of conscience. Alberta's other two pieces of transgender legislation _ banning transgender women from competing in women's sports and requiring children under 16 to have parental consent to change their names or pronouns at school — have yet to be challenged in court. Latest National Stories
Edmonton Journal
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Calgary talents Ben Kindel, Jackson Smith chosen 11th and 14th in NHL Draft
Article content But how about playing alongside Sid Crosby, Ben? It's in the cards for the Calgary Hitmen forward after the Pittsburgh Penguins shocked many — including Kindel himself — by making him the 11th selection Friday night in the 2025 NHL Draft. 'Yeah … you always kind of dreamed about this day,' said Kindel, who was visibly surprised at being drafted so high — 10 picks better than his final rating of 21 among North American skaters in the NHL Draft Prospects Rankings.
Edmonton Journal
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Blue Jays smell blood in the water, trounce Red Sox 9-0 to reach halfway point in style
Article content If there has been a flaw in the Blue Jays' impressive climb to post-season contention while leaving the .500 mark in the dust, it has been their sometimes inability to go for the jugular. Losing two of three against the Chicago White Sox at the Rogers Centre a week ago was the most recent example. Article content How about one of their more complete games of the season in a dominating 9-0 trouncing to kick off the first of a three-game weekend set in Beantown. Yes, what a resounding way to officially reach the midway point of the season for manager John Schneider's soaring squad. There was starting pitcher Jose Berrios going seven full innings, striking out eight and allowing just four Red Sox hits to lower his ERA to 3.26. By the time Nick Sandlin came on in relief, the Jays were already up 9-0. Berrios has now recorded wins in four of his past five starts, giving the team the reliable type of outings that have been his calling card. There were three-hit nights from George Springer (who might well be the Jays MVP of the first half of the season) and Andres Gimenez, the latter driving in three runs as his batting average inched above .200. In all, six different Jays batsmen recorded at least a pair of hits as the team pounded out 16 in total. Article content And before the game, there was good news in the form of first baseman Vlad Guerrero Jr., who was a late addition to the starting lineup. There was concern over the $500-million man from the previous day in Cleveland when he was hit by a pitch, but Guerrero's love for hitting at Fenway prevailed and he responded with a pair of hits, a walk and three runs scored. With the win, the Jays improved to 44-37 and shut out an opponent for a second consecutive contest after blanking the Guardians 6-0 on Thursday. Getting seven games above .500 matches a season-high for the Jays this season, the fourth time they've done so. With two weekend games remaining, the Jays now have the opportunity to inflict some serious damage on the reeling Red Sox — a divisional foe threatening to play themselves out of the American League wild-card race. The Jays arrived in Boston with an opportunity to make a large statement and certainly landed blow after blow in Round 1, as they improved to 4-1 at Fenway so far this season. There is something clearly rotten in Red Sox Nation and good teams thrive on the opportunity presented by blood in the water. Article content It's certainly starting to feel as if there is some momentum with a team that has gone 28-17 since May 9, the third best record in the majors since then. There have been ups and downs, sure, and inconsistencies. But on the other side, the Jays completed the first half of the season without meaningful contributions from their two biggest off-season acquisitions — Max Scherzer and Anthony Santander, the latter still on the injured list with shoulder issues. But the resilience they've shown along the way has set them up for success. And winning three of the first four contests on this six-game road trip is not only a terrific launching point to the second half of the season, but a nice setup for a rather large four-game series against the division-leading New York Yankees beginning Monday at the Rogers Centre. Latest National Stories
