The media called it an upset, but ask members of the United States' gold medal-winning 1996 World...

The media called it an upset, but ask members of the United States' gold medal-winning 1996 World Cup of Hockey team and they'll say it was always the plan. The last time the U.S. won men's hockey gold on the world stage was almost three decades ago. Back then, the deep, talented roster gave the Americans the confidence they needed to march all the way to the podium with ease."We were more prepared than people believed," head coach Ron Wilson said. "We had a really good team - especially with Chris Chelios, Brett Hull, and people like that. A lot of people say that's basically the pinnacle of U.S. hockey, in terms of stars all coming together at the same time." For Wilson, the win wasn't just a high-water mark for the country, but for him personally. Hockey is in Wilson's blood – his father Larry and his uncle Johnny both played for the Red Wings. Wilson played seven seasons in the NHL before coaching in Vancouver, Anaheim, Washington, San Jose, and Toronto. He also earned an Olympic silver medal as head coach of the men's team at the Vancouver Winter Games. Of all those hockey games, milestones, and memories, it's that golden U.S. team that stands out: "Winning the World Cup in 1996 was the pinnacle of my career," he says. "I still have the game jersey that we all autographed, and I have a few other things, like the ring we won from that team."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770231/cropped_GettyImages-1481206149.jpg?ts=1739389447" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770231/w220xh124_GettyImages-1481206149.jpg?ts=1739389447 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770231/w320xh180_GettyImages-1481206149.jpg?ts=1739389447 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770231/w640xh360_GettyImages-1481206149.jpg?ts=1739389447 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770231/w768xh432_GettyImages-1481206149.jpg?ts=1739389447 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770231/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1481206149.jpg?ts=1739389447 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Wilson handles the bench during a game against Team Canada in Montreal. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>To accomplish the task, the Americans united against a common hockey foe: Team Canada, which was perennially at the top of the podium. Earlier that year, the Canadians won silver at the 1996 world championships in Vienna, while the U.S., under Wilson's coaching, earned bronze. It was the country's first medal at the tournament in 34 years and it signified the light at the end of a dark tunnel for USA Hockey. The country hadn't succeeded on the world stage since its 1980 Lake Placid Games win over the Soviets, which was immortalized as the Miracle on Ice. Two years earlier, Canada had won gold at world championships while the U.S. missed the medals. The same year, at the Lillehammer Games, Canada won silver while the U.S. went home in eighth place. While the podium spot in Vienna was great, Wilson had his eye on a bigger prize."The one term I always used in all the time we spent on that team was - we were always the passengers on the bus, and the Canadian guys were the ones who were always piloting the bus, driving us wherever we wanted to go. But this time, I said to our team that they were the ones who were going to be driving the bus, and the Canadians were going to go where we wanted to go," Wilson said.With a U.S. roster that included Chelios, Hull, Mike Richter, Brian Leetch, Mike Modano, Pat LaFontaine, John LeClair, Keith Tkachuk, and Doug Weight, it would have been understandable had individual personalities taken over the agenda. But that's not what happened. "From the first day, I managed to have all their attention. We were all aligned that we were setting out to win gold," Wilson said. "I really thought we had a chance, and all the players certainly believed me when I said that we weren't going for second place. Everybody - from Day 1 - came in with the right frame of mind, and I thought it was actually pretty easy to tell our team what their roles were, and they did it without any questions at all."<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770227/cropped_GettyImages-246057.jpg?ts=1739391449" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770227/w220xh124_GettyImages-246057.jpg?ts=1739391449 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770227/w320xh180_GettyImages-246057.jpg?ts=1739391449 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770227/w640xh360_GettyImages-246057.jpg?ts=1739391449 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770227/w768xh432_GettyImages-246057.jpg?ts=1739391449 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770227/w1080xh607_GettyImages-246057.jpg?ts=1739391449 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Keith Tkachuk celebrates scoring a goal against Slovakia in a World Cup game in New York. Al Bello / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Despite going 4-0 through pool play and the semifinals, the Americans hit a stumbling block in the first matchup of the three-game final series, losing 4-3 in overtime to the Canadians in Philadelphia. The next two games would be in Montreal, and another loss would have crowned the Canadians tournament champions."We managed in that game to eventually tie it (on a goal by Tkachuk with 6 seconds left) and it went to overtime, but this was before they ever reviewed overtime for situations like offside, and the play was clearly offside," Wilson said of Steve Yzerman's winner. "But I told our team we weren't going to complain about it. We're just going to go to Montreal and we're going to have to beat Canada twice up there, and that's exactly what we did."<figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ejT90KCv0Xs?si=hKpGsDCk3k1YvACG&amp;start=787" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure>In Game 2, second-period goals by LeClair and Hull broke open a 1-1 stalemate and the U.S. salted away a 5-2 win with two empty-net goals. The final 8 minutes of Game 3 were a frenzy of action. Adam Foote put Canada up 2-1 before Hull tipped a Leetch point shot to tie it with 3:18 remaining. Tony Amonte scored the game-winner with 2:35 left.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LoGw7REF2G8?si=q037P05T2PY_4VEP" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></figure>That remains the last men's hockey gold for the U.S. However, Wilson believes that could change at the 4 Nations Face-Off. It's not a completely parallel situation, but there are a lot of reasons to be hopeful. "Back then, we had the best defense, and we had the best offensive guys," Wilson said. "Now I think the U.S. has some good defensemen, but I don't think we can say they're the best defensemen in the world. But I'm really looking forward to seeing what kind of impact Auston Matthews is going to have on this tournament." Wilson coached Matthews at the 2016 World Junior Championship.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770229/cropped_GettyImages-53132000.jpg?ts=1739389238" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770229/w220xh124_GettyImages-53132000.jpg?ts=1739389238 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770229/w320xh180_GettyImages-53132000.jpg?ts=1739389238 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770229/w640xh360_GettyImages-53132000.jpg?ts=1739389238 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770229/w768xh432_GettyImages-53132000.jpg?ts=1739389238 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/770229/w1080xh607_GettyImages-53132000.jpg?ts=1739389238 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Mike Richter wins the MVP award for the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Bruce Bennett / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>There is one place where Wilson does see the U.S. as obviously dominant. "I think they do have the advantage on Canada because of their goaltending. I think the goaltending can be just about as good as the goaltending we had in 1996," Wilson said. Where the 1996 team was backstopped by the Rangers' Richter, this edition boasts Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman.When the U.S. opens its 4 Nations campaign on Thursday, a new generation of Americans will have a chance to build its own international memories. Three decades later, Wilson's are still vivid. "I remember it just being a great experience," he said. "I was lucky that we had such a talented team."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

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'Pinnacle of U.S. hockey': Ron Wilson remembers 1996 World Cup

He instinctively knew the warning was true. It was Feb. 7, 1988, and Gerry McNamara, then general...

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Gerry McNamara finds his place again in Maple Leafs lore

In Tessa Bonhomme's era, just being a professional hockey player was a sign of leadership.   "The...

In Tessa Bonhomme's era, just being a professional hockey player was a sign of leadership. "These are women who just did it for the love of sport and to continue working and making those small steps towards where we are today," says Ian Kennedy, author of "Ice in Their Veins: Women's Relentless Pursuit of the Puck." "That is, in essence, leadership that can't be overlooked and shouldn't be forgotten."The success of today's PWHL is largely due to the foundation of women's hockey built by early forerunner leagues, such as the Canadian Women's Hockey League, which Bonhomme played in for five seasons.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"At that time, we weren't seeing the 19,000-person attendance records, but we were still seeing exposure for women in the sport that otherwise wouldn't have been available if these women didn't sacrifice their careers, their day jobs, their weekends, their personal money to play these in these leagues and keep it going," Kennedy says.Women like Bonhomme who built that foundation are, by definition, trailblazers, even if their stories are less widely known."It was really just crucial and kind of a forgotten era because there was no television broadcasting," says Kennedy. "We didn't have major outlets covering every single game. We didn't have dedicated writers or networks that were even validating women's professional hockey as a legitimate sport."They really fought against a lot of the stereotypes and stigmas that women didn't have a place in professional hockey. Over time, of course, they've proven those assumptions wrong."Now Bonhomme is leading the charge on another front: media coverage of women's hockey. After 10 years at TSN, she left to join the PWHL's media arm at the start of this season. She co-hosts the "<a href="https://www.thepwhl.com/en/media/jocks-in-jills-podcast">Jocks in Jills</a>" podcast she founded with Julia Tocheri, another former TSN staffer."We really need that visibility, and we really need people talking about the sport consistently and professionally," Kennedy says. "It's really incredible to see someone like Tessa Bonhomme, who has been around and playing in the sport and is so knowledgeable, sharing that continued passion and her expertise with everyday people and connecting with this next generation of hockey players."Because of her commitment to women's hockey and pioneering approach in both the sport and media, we've selected Bonhomme for our Leaders Survey - a list of questions posed to the men and women who have shaped sports to gain more insight into their personalities and motivations.This interview has been edited for length and clarity.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767693/cropped_GettyImages-2154712048.jpg?ts=1738094879" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767693/w220xh124_GettyImages-2154712048.jpg?ts=1738094879 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767693/w320xh180_GettyImages-2154712048.jpg?ts=1738094879 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767693/w640xh360_GettyImages-2154712048.jpg?ts=1738094879 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767693/w768xh432_GettyImages-2154712048.jpg?ts=1738094879 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767693/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2154712048.jpg?ts=1738094879 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Bonhomme interviews Taylor Heise of the Minnesota Frost after Game 5 of the 2024 PWHL Finals Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>theScore: When in your career were you most fulfilled?Bonhomme: In hockey, I would have to say, in 2014 when the Toronto Furies won the Clarkson Cup. That was a moment to me in sports that was kind of movie-esque. We were kind of like the Mighty Ducks from the original movie. We were a lot of fourth-liners. We were a grit, grinder team. We worked hard. We made it into the playoffs by one point.A lot of the players came back from the Olympics and joined the other teams. Only Natalie Spooner came back and joined ours. We were just slowly chipping away one team after another that year. In the gold-medal game, we were looking around the locker room, heading into overtime, and we were kind of laughing, like, can you believe this? It's a 0-0 hockey game. And one of our leaders that year, Britni Smith, who's now a coach down in the NCAA, she ended up scoring the game-winner. It was very fitting, just considering how much she had done for the game up to that point, what she had done for our team, being one of the leaders. It felt like a really good, wholesome win, where everybody bought into their roles, and it was super fun. It didn't feel stressful ever.I was really proud and happy for every single player. It differed from the Olympics because, in a sense, we were expected to win the Olympics. We worked our tails off for that medal, but the expectations were there. But this one felt like the world was against us and we pulled through. That's when I was most fulfilled in my hockey world. In my professional world, I would have to say, recently, just this past year, making the switch from TSN to joining the PWHL and trying my hand at offering good coverage. Family life and work balance kind of came into play in that decision, and my passion for the PWHL, my love for the game, and my respect for the work that these ladies put forth to give us the best product on the ice that we can have.I just want to do my best to help try and promote and let everyone else see just how great they are. Those of us who have friends in the league, we're privy to that information. And I feel like it's the least I could do to help shine a light on some of the greats that are in the game right now.TSN gave me the opportunity to cover a ton of different sports at every level, at the highest level - the World Juniors, the Women's World Hockey Championships, the Olympics, NHL, SportsCenter. I feel like I checked a ton of boxes, and the only thing that was left was covering a professional women's team. The PWHL offered me that opportunity, and it would have been silly for me to pass that one by.What are you best known for?Depends who you talk to. For a lot of people, it's the show "Shoresy." But I would have to say, it was probably the moment in 2010 with the shutter shades on and the cigar and the beer in hand. I don't think that will ever leave me or my resume. I would say that is what I am most known for, is doing that. But I would like to change it to being most known for the "Jocks in Jills" podcast. We're working on that.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767695/cropped_GettyImages-97063930.jpg?ts=1738095490" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767695/w220xh124_GettyImages-97063930.jpg?ts=1738095490 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767695/w320xh180_GettyImages-97063930.jpg?ts=1738095490 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767695/w640xh360_GettyImages-97063930.jpg?ts=1738095490 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767695/w768xh432_GettyImages-97063930.jpg?ts=1738095490 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767695/w1080xh607_GettyImages-97063930.jpg?ts=1738095490 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Marie-Philip Poulin and Bonhomme celebrate with a beer and a cigar following Canada's gold medal win at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games Alex Livesey / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>What do you value most in a teammate?A positive attitude. I call it a pet approach, where it doesn't matter what kind of day you're having, what you look like, your pet is always excited to see you, happy for you, and just wants to share love and make the day better. I like teammates like that. High-stress situations call for some ugly moments sometimes, but when you have a good teammate, they see the silver lining, and they understand that sometimes there's a bigger purpose to a game beyond just the wins and the losses.Describe your mindset currently.In this exact moment: controlled chaos. My kids slept in this morning. We had a late night, so this morning was a runaround. But in all honesty, other than that, just zen. Yes ... this is the complete opposite. But I feel like my mindset is at this state where, I'm turning 40 this year, I'm doing what I love and what I'm passionate about. What a gift that is.What was your best hockey road trip?The second anyone mentions hockey road trips to any player, everybody immediately goes back to their youth days when they played mini-sticks in the hallway for hours. You would go play a game, and then you would come back to the hotel, and you'd play mini-sticks. Then you would eat dinner and go play hockey. Then you'd come back and you'd be in the pool for hours. It's that moment where hockey wasn't serious enough - we were all together having fun. Playing three games a day? That's fine. You want to go in the pool? Go ahead. I think those were the best.I can't pick just one for my childhood because it was literally a recurring weekend for like four months every season with my parents and all my friends. It's crazy because I don't even see kids play mini-sticks very much in hotels anymore. I don't know if hotels got rid of it, but if they did, shame on them. That's core memory stuff that lasts a lifetime.What do you think is an underrated quality in players today?The ability to handle adversity. There's going to be a lot of things in players' careers that don't go their way, and it's very easy to play the "woe me" card.But for someone who can, even in a game, understand there will be penalties called against you or a blooper goal going against your 'tender. It's easy to hang your head and throw in the towel. But players who can not only turn that moment around but also bring their teammates and players up with them, I think that is an underrated quality. <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767696/cropped_GettyImages-1441263616.jpg?ts=1738095740" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767696/w220xh124_GettyImages-1441263616.jpg?ts=1738095740 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767696/w320xh180_GettyImages-1441263616.jpg?ts=1738095740 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767696/w640xh360_GettyImages-1441263616.jpg?ts=1738095740 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767696/w768xh432_GettyImages-1441263616.jpg?ts=1738095740 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/767696/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1441263616.jpg?ts=1738095740 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Bonhomme and Jayna Hefford skate during warmups prior to the Hockey Hall of Fame Legends Classic game in 2022 Bruce Bennett / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>What would you consider the most overrated aspect of hockey today?I think sometimes we use statistics too much, as opposed to just watching the game and analyzing it ourselves. That said, I do appreciate statisticians out there because I use a lot of their stuff. What do you consider your greatest achievement?Raising two healthy kids to almost five, then have everyone be happy and full bellies and smiles on their faces, for sure.What's the most important quality in a winning team?The ability to buy in and know your role wholeheartedly and not fake it. That's it. What's your most treasured memorabilia from your career?Probably those shutter shades ... I've got boxes and boxes and stuff, but like, that's the one piece that stays out, I guess because people constantly want to see them.What's the last good book you read?"Riding for Freedom" by Eurico Rosa da Silva (the seven-time Sovereign Award winner as best jockey in Canada). It's a wicked book. This guy's life is insane. I randomly ran into this guy in the NHL alumni offices. He was looking for my buddy. And I was like, "You look like a jockey." He was like, "I am." Then he handed me a book. I didn't realize what his life was until I read it. Now I'm like, "I want to spend more time with that man."What's your motto?What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? I got that from my friend Jen Botterill. That actually has a lot to do with every decision that I make. Because everyone always weighs in the failure aspect of it, and it lets the fear scare them out of what they should be doing as opposed to what feels right and good in the moment. Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

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The leadership Q&A: Tessa Bonhomme

A new women's basketball league called Unrivaled tips off Friday in Miami, signaling an evolution...

A new women's basketball league called Unrivaled tips off Friday in Miami, signaling an evolution of women's hoops. Created by WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, the 3x3 women's league adds an additional offseason option for WNBA athletes, offering them a chance to get paid and showcase the game to a burgeoning group of fans."They're bringing something new to women's basketball," Brittney Griner, who will play for the Phantom team, said in a news conference earlier in January. "They're making it exciting. They're doing something different. They're trying to give us a different look and a different feel on how we can bring everybody together in one spot and it be ran in a way where it's beneficial for us on the court, off the court, marketing. ... They're really pouring in a lot, and that's what kind of excited me the most, honestly, and I just had to be a part of this."With stars such as Collier, Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Angel Reese, Arike Ogunbowale, Alyssa Thomas, and Cameron Brink all set to play at a central site in Miami, the 36 athletes expect to sharpen their skills in a best-on-best environment. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"I've been watching these players since I was in college," said Reese, who will play for team Rose alongside Kahleah Copper and Lexie Hull. "Obviously, I have one year (of professional basketball) under my belt. Just being able to get as much information as I can while I'm here ... I told them to coach me hard and get on me when they need to get on me. So I really enjoy this."Games will be televised in the U.S. on Warner Bros. Discovery platforms (TNT or truTV; streaming on Max). "This is the exposure we deserve, being on TNT every night," Reese said. "This is something that we've deserved for a long time ... Just being able to be here, and value women. It's just really important right now, especially with the growth of women's basketball." Athletes anticipate the league's 3x3 approach will sharpen skills they'll take back to the WNBA hardwood. "If you have bad habits, they're going to get exposed," Griner said. "Honestly, I think this is going to make us locked in more, be a little sharper going back." <figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Unrivaled rosters" aria-label="Table" id="datawrapper-chart-IAm8K" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/IAm8K/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="831" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();</script></figure>Unrivaled's 3x3 format is slightly different than the FIBA version used in the Olympics. In FIBA 3x3, games are played on a half court and consist of four 10-minute quarters. Unrivaled games will be played on a full court and each quarter is seven minutes long. "It's going to challenge me to play a little bit differently," Griner said.As a center in the WNBA, Griner will have to adapt to spending more time on the wing in Unrivaled. "I've been trying to evolve my game anyway and playing not just on the low post always, you know, stretching out, playing on the wing a little bit," she said. "I'm really looking forward to this showcasing that and being challenged as well. I'll be in the best shape ever coming back."The full court adds a new dimension for those already familiar with the pace of 3x3."FIBA 3x3, it's very fast-paced. You have to check the ball and come back in. And it's physical," said Katie Lou Samuelson, who earned a gold for Team USA at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup. "I don't know if this league is going to be as physical as FIBA 3x3 because you have to get all the way back down the court. You can't stay in the paint. If you score, you can't stay try to bury someone in the paint. You have to sprint down the court. I think it's even harder to hide in this type of 3x3. You have to be involved, no matter what, offensively and defensively, the whole entire time. You have to be able to hold your own."<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765358/SAUCED_EJ_UNRIVALED_PRACTICE_MIST_13.jpg?ts=1736888755" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765358/SAUCED_EJ_UNRIVALED_PRACTICE_MIST_13.jpg?ts=1736888755 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765358/SAUCED_EJ_UNRIVALED_PRACTICE_MIST_13.jpg?ts=1736888755 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765358/SAUCED_EJ_UNRIVALED_PRACTICE_MIST_13.jpg?ts=1736888755 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765358/SAUCED_EJ_UNRIVALED_PRACTICE_MIST_13.jpg?ts=1736888755 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/765358/SAUCED_EJ_UNRIVALED_PRACTICE_MIST_13.jpg?ts=1736888755 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Brianna Stewart practices for the Mist in Miami </figcaption></figure>Unrivaled is also introducing another twist: a midseason one-on-one tournament from Feb. 10-14 with a $250,000 prize on the line. Yes, the prize money is attractive to athletes as an opportunity to add to their earnings. In addition to splitting an $8-million salary pool, the 36 founding athletes are also eligible for revenue sharing with the league.But they're also looking forward to the competitive aspect of the in-season tournament. "Just the experience of being able to play against the top players in the league, being able to make each other better. Not every day in the offseason you get to play one on one or three on three against top players in the league," said Allisha Gray, who's on the Lunar Owls team. "So it's cool that we get to experience this together, and it flows right on into the W season."Off the court, athletes are hoping the league will push the WNBA to evolve. "Unrivaled is showing that you don't need a lot of time to pull resources together to be able to put a good product out there," Griner said. "Being happy with what we just already have is not going to fly here at Unrivaled. Hopefully it helps the W push forward, bringing in more viewership, bringing in more partners. There's definitely different partners here that aren't a part of the W. So hopefully they can reach into that, because now the door is open. But it's definitely going to put pressure on the league to do better."Unrivaled's inaugural season runs Jan. 17 to March 17, with 42 regular-season games and a five-game postseason. WNBA training camps begin April 27 with the season opening on May 16. Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

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Unrivaled's new rules will shape the WNBA offseason

It's been decades, but Stan Fischler still remembers what one hockey insider said about Gary Bett...

It's been decades, but Stan Fischler still remembers what one hockey insider said about Gary Bettman after he was appointed commissioner of the NHL."'He's too much lawyer,'" Fischler recalls the insider telling him. "The other thing was that he was not a hockey guy, and he wasn't a Canadian."Fischler says he understood the insider's perspective. But the famed journalist, who has been covering hockey since 1954, gave Bettman a chance. And, despite the naysayers, Bettman stuck around. "Now he's been a commissioner longer than anybody," Fischler says.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>At almost 32 years with the NHL, Bettman is the longest serving commissioner of any pro league in North American sports. "His line of credit is where it counts the most, and that is with his bosses, with the owners. If he wasn't doing a good job, he would have been out tomorrow." Even if you don't admire all of Bettman's moves, his staying power is undeniable. "He's dealing now with 32 owners, and these guys are tough. He had to deal with tough cookies," Fischler says. Fischler puts some of that down to Bettman's intellect. At the start of each season, Fischler would interview the commissioner. "I always had one question that both he - from his view - and me - from my view - recognized was a hardball question. I wouldn't say he outsmarted me. But, have you ever played tennis? Have you ever had a ball that you think is irretrievable? And somehow you get it and you make the point? That's the way I always felt it was with him," Fischler says. He grew to respect Bettman, even as fans have turned booing the commissioner into an annual tradition each time the Stanley Cup is awarded. "He handled (the booing) and what he did was he turned it into humor, which was very, very effective. A lesser person would have not handled it as well," Fischler says."He's a pretty good guy away from all the tumult. He happens to be a pretty damn nice guy who came from New York City, with New York City street smarts, and he's taken it as near to the top as you can."Because of his staying power and impact on growing the game, we've chosen Bettman as the first leader in our new Hockey Leaders Survey - a list of questions posed to the men and women who have shaped the game to gain more insight into their personality and motivations.This interview has been edited for length and clarity.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761587/cropped_GettyImages-1498309961.jpg?ts=1734720601" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761587/w220xh124_GettyImages-1498309961.jpg?ts=1734720601 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761587/w320xh180_GettyImages-1498309961.jpg?ts=1734720601 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761587/w640xh360_GettyImages-1498309961.jpg?ts=1734720601 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761587/w768xh432_GettyImages-1498309961.jpg?ts=1734720601 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761587/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1498309961.jpg?ts=1734720601 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Jeff Bottari / NHL / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>theScore: You've had a very long career. When were you most fulfilled?Bettman: I'm a little concerned about the way you emphasize the word "very." You know, I love what I do. I work with great people. We have a great sport. For me, it's never one thing. This has been a journey, a continuum, and the very long tenure - to paraphrase you - it seems like the blink of an eye. When we have a great season, like we did last year - which some are saying was the best season we ever had, both on and off the ice - my first reaction is, "How are we going to do it better next year?"theScore: But has there ever been a moment where you just sit back and say, "I love what I do?"Bettman: Virtually every day. Particularly those days when I get the honor of presenting the Stanley Cup. Particularly on those days when one of our teams or the league is involved in something that makes a difference in people's lives. There are countless special moments that you have when you're associated with this game. And it's not just me; it's the people that work with me at the league office. It's the people who work at the clubs. It's the players and all the other on-ice personnel, and it's the fans. It's an entire community or system that's all focused and emotionally connected by what the game is all about.theScore: Describe your mindset currently.Bettman: I want to continue to see the game grow. I want to continue to find ways that connect our fans to the game even more, whether it's puck and player tracking, whether it's streaming, whether it's face to face and behind the scenes, getting a closer look at the game, whether it's having more of a connection with the international communities that follow the game and encourage the development of world-class hockey players that come to play in the NHL. These are all the things that we do on a daily basis, and we want to do them more and more and more.theScore: What's something you recently learned from someone below you in your organization?Bettman: Well, we've become very data driven in terms of understanding what's out there and what people's psyche is. One of the things that we've learned is that the people who have started to watch the Prime broadcasts are liking the the edgy, hip, entertaining feel of it. What we've learned is what the TNT group does - the studio show, which is less surgically hockey focused and more entertaining - is good. We've learned that people are loving the fact that we have a greater presence in the U.S. on "SportsCenter" on ESPN. We've learned, from data and anecdotally, that kids love our animated game broadcast.It's never just one thing. I have a saying around here, which probably drives the people who work with me crazy: "Everything's related to everything else."<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/635301/cropped_GettyImages-2159757780.jpg?ts=1734975040" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/635301/w220xh124_GettyImages-2159757780.jpg?ts=1734975040 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/635301/w320xh180_GettyImages-2159757780.jpg?ts=1734975040 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/635301/w640xh360_GettyImages-2159757780.jpg?ts=1734975040 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/635301/w768xh432_GettyImages-2159757780.jpg?ts=1734975040 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/635301/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2159757780.jpg?ts=1734975040 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Dave Sandford / NHL / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>theScore: By the way, kids aren't the only ones who like the animated broadcasts. I do too.Bettman: By the way, I do too. It's fun to watch. I also found some of this anecdotally, there were adults - parents - who were mesmerized by watching with their kids because of the technology. They have the ability to see the game in real time and they'll match up the live game and the animated game, and they're identical.Technology is an important driver. My instructions and philosophy have always been: We're not going to change the game to suit technology. We're going to use technology to bring people closer to the game. It's a very fast game. If you don't understand it and you're coming to it for the first time, you can appreciate it in the inception a little better if you understand how fast the puck is going and how fast players are skating and how far they've skated. If you don't know the game and it's whizzing around you, this can give you an even better appreciation of what you're seeing.theScore: What do you think is an underrated quality in players today?Bettman: What our players are actually doing in real time. The speed - I'm not just talking skating but their reaction time, dealing with moving on the ice and the speed of the puck and how they control what they're doing. If you sit on the glass, while you don't get to appreciate the ballet, if you will, in front of you in all of its grandeur, you have to be in utter awe of what's taking place before you. Because the physicality and the speed and how players react - there's nothing like it.theScore: Which talent would you most like to have?Bettman: You're going to ask me to contradict the "it's never one thing" (philosophy). Listen, if you can't skate well, you can't play this game well. I'm a mediocre skater at best. So, having the ability to to really skate fast, well, in control, and with physical contact.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/463590/cropped_GettyImages-1233862016.jpg?ts=1625721428" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/463590/w220xh124_GettyImages-1233862016.jpg?ts=1625721428 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/463590/w320xh180_GettyImages-1233862016.jpg?ts=1625721428 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/463590/w640xh360_GettyImages-1233862016.jpg?ts=1625721428 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/463590/w768xh432_GettyImages-1233862016.jpg?ts=1625721428 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/463590/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1233862016.jpg?ts=1625721428 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Dave Sandford / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>theScore: Do you ever lace 'em up and get on the ice?Bettman: I played some rec hockey, but not more recently. You know, as you said, I've been doing this a very long time, so that must make me old.Most of my endeavors in the last few years have been watching my grandson play. He's now a freshman in college. He played high school hockey, went through the youth development programs. His high school team, two out of the last three years, won the public school state championship in New Jersey. When he was younger, I would be on the ice with him a little bit. But my physical days are more focused on golf and things that are a little less frenetic. I do still ski. But that's something I started when I was 4 years old, and I was much better at than I was at skating.theScore: What do you consider your greatest achievement?Bettman: I don't do that. I leave that for other people. You know what? I'll take that back with one exception, and that's my family. I've been married for 49 years. My wife and I met in college. We've been together for 53 years, I have three great kids who are all married to terrific spouses, and I have eight grandchildren, and that is my and my wife's greatest achievement.theScore: Who or what is the greatest love of your life?Bettman: My wife, Shelli.theScore: What is your most treasured memorabilia from your career?Bettman: I'm not a hoarder. So I try to be lean and mean. The thing I probably treasure the most is my Hall of Fame ring, which I only wear once a year when I go to the Hall of Fame. That is something you can pass down.theScore: What is your motto?Bettman: It's not going to be a simple motto. When you're making decisions, you must do your homework. You must make decisions for the right reasons, not for political reasons, and you must treat people well.Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

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The leadership Q&A: Gary Bettman

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The 25 greatest athletes of the last 25 years

As the world's preeminent women's hockey league, the PWHL has attracted most of today's top hocke...

As the world's preeminent women's hockey league, the PWHL has attracted most of today's top hockey talent. But it has yet to find a superstar who transcends into the culture at large.While high-profile players such as Marie-Philip Poulin, Hilary Knight, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Sarah Nurse have all contributed to growing the game both on and off the ice, the league still doesn't have a household name.If women's basketball's experience applies, that transcendent star - whether it's a personality people love or hate - is an important aspect of engaging a broader fan base. As depth across women's hockey improves, some think it's only a matter of time before women's hockey sees its own version.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"I call it the CC 22 effect," Minnesota Frost forward Taylor Heise said, referencing the way basketball star Caitlin Clark not only changed the landscape of women's sports but engaged basketball fans at a new level."All these (WNBA athletes) who I love to watch, they have put in so much time and effort, but sometimes you just need a young stud to get people's attention back to where it needs to be - back on the sport that you love," she said. Heise, who holds the historic distinction of being the No. 1 pick in the league's first draft, grew up following basketball and has paid close attention to what Clark has accomplished - both as a fan and as a professional athlete."I know a lot of my friends and hockey teammates can't quite understand how much she has done for women's basketball as well as women's sports in general," Heise said. "She not only got private flights, charter flights … for the entire league in a matter of weeks, but she just sells out any arena that she's in. I think she's a spectacular athlete." When trying to describe what Clark brings to the basketball side, Heise called it "that oomph." "She's like Stephen Curry good in the sense, her deep threes. It's hard to fully put into words how much she deserves to be respected." <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/620499/cropped_GettyImages-2056673442.jpg?ts=1710450996" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/620499/w220xh124_GettyImages-2056673442.jpg?ts=1710450996 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/620499/w320xh180_GettyImages-2056673442.jpg?ts=1710450996 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/620499/w640xh360_GettyImages-2056673442.jpg?ts=1710450996 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/620499/w768xh432_GettyImages-2056673442.jpg?ts=1710450996 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/620499/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2056673442.jpg?ts=1710450996 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> Keith Gillett / Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>It's not just Clark's skill on the hardwood that Heise admires. "She is a character and shows that in the media. She does such a good job of engaging the youth, and engaging not only youth, but just anyone that comes to her game." Athletes are increasingly trying to become engaging these days, especially with success like Clark's to model their aspirations after. But many are conscious a star like Clark isn't born out of nowhere. Rather, her success is built on the foundation of decades of basketball stars who contributed to growing the game's profile."I think that you look at what's happening with like Caitlin Clark, A'ja Wilson, Kia Nurse - subtle drop - and all those stars who are coming out of the WNBA, you see they have been able to rise on a pretty incredible foundation that the players before them and the WNBA have left," said Nurse, the Toronto Sceptres star who is a cousin of the Los Angeles Sparks' Kia. "I know that I look ahead five, 10, 20 years from now and think that we are going to have a Caitlin Clark of women's hockey, and it's going to be pretty special."That star might already be in the making. Ask any PWHL player which college athletes they're most excited about and one name is bound to be near the top of the list: University of Minnesota freshman Chloe Primerano. The 17-year-old defender from the Vancouver area made her international debut at the 2024 U18 worlds by leading the tournament in scoring and earning the MVP title."Chloe Primerano, she's a superstar and she's going to be an unbelievable player when she gets to this league," Sceptres veteran Blayre Turnbull said. Primerano again dazzled on the world stage this fall: In her Team Canada debut at the Canada/USA Rivalry Series, her shootout winner lifted Canada to a 5-4 win over the U.S.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761471/cropped_GettyImages-2183403473.jpg?ts=1734641734" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761471/w220xh124_GettyImages-2183403473.jpg?ts=1734641734 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761471/w320xh180_GettyImages-2183403473.jpg?ts=1734641734 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761471/w640xh360_GettyImages-2183403473.jpg?ts=1734641734 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761471/w768xh432_GettyImages-2183403473.jpg?ts=1734641734 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761471/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2183403473.jpg?ts=1734641734 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Blayre Turnbull (center) celebrates her goal with Chloe Primerano and Emily Clark during the rivalry series in Nov. 2024 Eakin Howard / Getty Images </figcaption></figure>"She continues to get better and continues to kind of develop her complete game," said University of Minnesota coach Brad Frost. "I think she has the ability to be one of the best to play the game, but she's … still got a lot of growth to make that happen." When Frost considers what makes Primerano stand out, the first thing that comes to his mind is how much she loves hockey. "She's incredibly passionate about it. She's always on the ice before practice, doing skills after practice, doing breakaways. Every time she is in a drill or doing something on the ice, it's full speed. She plays at a very, very high level, and then add the fact that she's extremely skilled as a defender, somebody who's got some great offensive ability, sees it really well, can really shoot it. She's got all the tools."Fellow athletes see it in her too. "She's been on a lot of people's radars because of her nasty shootout move at the rivalry series," Heise said, even though she admits it's too early to tell if Primerano will continue to develop into someone who can compete consistently at the game's highest level. "There's so many girls who I'm able to see on the USA and Hockey Canada rosters growing up ... it's too early to judge whether or not they're going to be heads and tails above everyone else, but I do think that they're really good players, and they're going to be good players in our league, and I would be excited for any of them to be my teammates." <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761469/cropped_GettyImages-2183399123.jpg?ts=1734641547" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761469/w220xh124_GettyImages-2183399123.jpg?ts=1734641547 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761469/w320xh180_GettyImages-2183399123.jpg?ts=1734641547 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761469/w640xh360_GettyImages-2183399123.jpg?ts=1734641547 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761469/w768xh432_GettyImages-2183399123.jpg?ts=1734641547 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/761469/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2183399123.jpg?ts=1734641547 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Abbey Murphy of the United States and Canada's Chloe Primerano collide during the rivalry series in Nov. 2024 Eakin Howard / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>In Frost's eyes, what makes Primerano particularly compelling isn't just her dedication or skill, it's the era of women's hockey she's coming into. "There have always been special players ever since I started at Minnesota 25 years ago," Frost said. "Those best players would probably still be some of the best players today. But the rest of the group got significantly better. So now there's players who are on our third lines who are on their national teams. The development of these hockey players and student athletes has just continued to grow." As women's hockey matures, the increasing depth and attention on the sport can create the right climate for a transcendent superstar. That's why today's current stars like Nurse consider themselves the forerunners to the next phase of women's hockey, one that builds on their contributions. "I'm on the bottom of the foundation," Nurse said. "This is the basement and we're building up." Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore

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A megastar of their own: When will the PWHL find its cultural icon?

It's only three games into the PWHL's second season, but Toronto Sceptres veterans agree on how t...

It's only three games into the PWHL's second season, but Toronto Sceptres veterans agree on how the game has evolved from the league's inaugural campaign. It was almost as if the thought came to defender Renata Fast and forward Emma Maltais at the same time: This year is a lot more physical."(We) were in the locker room the other day just looking at each other, being like, 'We're getting smoked out there, everywhere,'" Fast said this week. "And I think we're two players who like to be physical." Fast and Maltais aren't the only two who have noticed the uptick in physicality. It's one of the most common topics fans ask the players about. "'How do you guys like the hitting and rule changes, adding that to the women's game,' that's a pretty common (question)," Boston Fleet goalie Aerin Frankel said. "I think people are pretty interested in that aspect."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>That curiosity makes sense - the PWHL is the most physical version of women's hockey most fans have ever seen. Checking isn't allowed in minor hockey or college hockey, but from the outset, the league made it clear the PWHL would be different. The rules allow body contact when playing the puck. Opposite direction open-ice hits are still illegal, but the overall change generated a more aggressive style of play. After having a year to adjust to the physicality, players are taking advantage.This season's increase comes after players had a full summer to prepare. "Given the physicality of the league last year, I think there was an emphasis on everyone to build some shoulder strength and make sure you're staying protected and can survive the whole season without injuries," Fast said. <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760473/cropped_GettyImages-2187084524.jpg?ts=1734121757" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760473/w220xh124_GettyImages-2187084524.jpg?ts=1734121757 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760473/w320xh180_GettyImages-2187084524.jpg?ts=1734121757 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760473/w640xh360_GettyImages-2187084524.jpg?ts=1734121757 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760473/w768xh432_GettyImages-2187084524.jpg?ts=1734121757 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760473/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2187084524.jpg?ts=1734121757 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Boston's Hilary Knight staples Toronto's Renata Fast into the boards in their Nov. 30 season opener. Steve Russell / Toronto Star / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>The officiating has also adjusted. While there might have been some ambiguity last season, this year, players have a better sense of what officials will call. "It's been a work in progress, there's no doubt about it," Fast said. "It's new to the players, it's new to the refs, it's new to the league in order to put a protocol in place. But I think something they made clear coming into Season 2 is that head contact and opposite-direction hits were going to be a focus for them to make sure there is discipline for that."As players, we realize that everything's new and it's going to take time for things to be sorted out and for calls to be made on a consistent basis." Then there's the added element of confidence on the ice; some players say they can just sense it in themselves and their opponents. New York Sirens captain Micah Zandee-Hart attributes this to the amount of hockey they've played in the last 12 months. "When we started this league last year, we had some players who had gone a couple seasons where they maybe only played 20 games, or maybe less than that," she said. "We had some players who didn't have a ton of gameplay coming into a 24-game season. Whereas this year, we had girls from last year who have played a full season and this year's draft class who were coming from a (college) season previous as well. I think it has just made the transition to gameplay a bit easier and there hasn't been as much of an adjustment period - leading to some of the confidence you're seeing."<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760475/cropped_GettyImages-2187674870.jpg?ts=1734111505" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760475/w220xh124_GettyImages-2187674870.jpg?ts=1734111505 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760475/w320xh180_GettyImages-2187674870.jpg?ts=1734111505 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760475/w640xh360_GettyImages-2187674870.jpg?ts=1734111505 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760475/w768xh432_GettyImages-2187674870.jpg?ts=1734111505 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/760475/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2187674870.jpg?ts=1734111505 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Maja Nylen Persson of the New York Sirens checks the Montreal Victoire's Jennifer Gardiner. Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images </figcaption></figure>The infusion of talent via this year's draft has also improved the product. "It was a really special draft class with players coming from Europe, NCAA, and U Sports," Zandee-Hart said. "We had players who were maybe coming out of five-year college seasons where they had lots of chances to develop, we had players who were in college but had international experience, and we had players coming from international experiences like in Sweden."Those players took the ice in training camp with a clear sense of the skills they needed to learn in order to navigate the physicality of the PWHL. "The physicality is a lot more than what I'm used to in college," said Sceptres rookie Izzy Daniel. She added that other players admitted the intensity has ratcheted up a notch this season. "It's been an adjustment, just putting myself in positions where I'm not going to hurt myself or take a big hit. That's something I'm trying to learn - to minimize the contact I take as a smaller player."The result has been a faster, more competitive game. "The depth across everyone's lineup chart is insane this year. You're going to get everyone's best on any given night and no matter what line's out there," Ottawa Charge defender Ashton Bell said. Last year might have been a season of historic firsts, but if the on-ice action so far is anything to go by, this season's main theme might be physicality. "I know that's something the players are really excited about, and the fans too," Fast said.Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

LAVAL, CANADA - NOVEMBER 30: Kateina Mrázová #16 of the Ottawa Charge checks Laura Stacey #7 of the Montreal Victoire during the second period at Place Bell on November 30, 2024 in Laval, Quebec, Canada. The Montreal Victoire defeated the Ottawa Charge 4-3 in a shootout.

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Increased physicality sets tone for 2nd PWHL season

If he succeeds, the story will become legend. It's been more than six years since Jared Allen sta...

If he succeeds, the story will become legend. It's been more than six years since Jared Allen started curling, and his career is still unfolding with elements of a blockbuster film: a retired NFL player, an outrageous bet, and an Olympic dream.By now, his curling beginnings are well-documented. After hanging up his cleats, the four-time All-Pro defensive end with the Chiefs and Vikings bet a friend he could make it to the Olympics. As unlikely as it might seem, Allen chose curling as his pathway to glory."One of the reasons I fell in love with it is that it's kind of the opposite of what I've done my whole life," Allen says. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>That four-letter word - love - is the lesser-known detail in Allen's curling saga. What began as a lark transformed into a deep passion for the sport, and Allen's keen to share the enthusiasm - both within his NFL circles and with the world at large.Initially, he recruited a cast of former NFL players to form a curling team - quarterback Marc Bulger, linebacker Keith Bulluck, and offensive tackle Michael Roos. The group practiced on makeshift converted hockey ice in Nashville, which led Bulger to found the city's first curling club: Tee Line Curling. Bulger eventually resigned from the team to operate the club. The current list of patrons now read like a who's who of NFL talent. San Francisco tight end George Kittle has become a regular in the offseason and has curled with 49ers wide receiver Trent Taylor and Vikings tight end Robert Tonyan Jr. Fellow Minnesota tight end T.J. Hockenson is also part of the crew.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759083/cropped_Screenshot_2024-12-05_at_2.49.19_PM.jpg?ts=1733435422" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759083/w220xh124_Screenshot_2024-12-05_at_2.49.19_PM.jpg?ts=1733435422 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759083/w320xh180_Screenshot_2024-12-05_at_2.49.19_PM.jpg?ts=1733435422 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759083/w640xh360_Screenshot_2024-12-05_at_2.49.19_PM.jpg?ts=1733435422 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759083/w768xh432_Screenshot_2024-12-05_at_2.49.19_PM.jpg?ts=1733435422 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759083/w1080xh607_Screenshot_2024-12-05_at_2.49.19_PM.jpg?ts=1733435422 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">From left to right: Jared Allen, The Curling Group CEO Nic Sulsky, T.J. Hockenson and George Kittle The Curling Group</figcaption></figure>"I love curling because it's a unique, competitive game," Hockenson said in a text message to theScore. "What surprised me was how easy it was to pick up. I'm definitely nowhere near the top of the game, but I can try and hold my own." Allen, Kittle, and Hockenson don't just love curling, they believe in it. This fall, they joined a group of investors to secure more than $6.5 million in funding for The Curling Group to operate curling's only international event series, the Grand Slam of Curling, which the group purchased from Canadian broadcaster Sportsnet in the spring of 2024."There is so much opportunity in the sport of curling that's been missed, for lack of a better word," Allen says. "Let's put some more emotion into the sport." <h3>The growth of curling</h3>Back in 2018 when Allen's Olympic curling dreams were just beginning, Tyler George's were coming to fruition. When George punched his ticket to the PyeongChang Games as vice skip for John Shuster's U.S. rink, it's no exaggeration to say the team was an underdog. At the 2010 Games, Shuster's rink - which comprised a different lineup that didn't include George - finished last. At the 2014 Games, Shuster improved to second last. The team added George for the 2018 campaign, and that was the year it all changed; the group blazed a path to the top of the podium, earning Team USA's first gold medal in the competition and garnering the nation's support along the way."We're seeing way more people now with a healthy respect for the sport and how athletic you have to be to compete in it because more people are familiar with it, and a lot of that is due to our success in 2018," George says.Curling has always enjoyed a committed following in Canada but remained somewhat obscure in the United States until that gold-medal win. That year, Shuster's rink appeared on "The Tonight Show," and was invited to the ESPYs. "People are invested in Olympic athletes and Olympic stories," George says.The sport has remained a darling for viewers since, even if attempts to grow its popularity have been hit-and-miss. "Each sport kind of has it on themselves to do the best they can to spotlight their athletes," George says. "If you do that, you're going to get more viewers because they're invested in the story and how they got there." But he admits the sport hasn't leveraged athletes' backstories "near as well as we should have." That's something Allen's group is hoping to change.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759202/cropped_GettyImages-452408125.jpg?ts=1733500554" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759202/w220xh124_GettyImages-452408125.jpg?ts=1733500554 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759202/w320xh180_GettyImages-452408125.jpg?ts=1733500554 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759202/w640xh360_GettyImages-452408125.jpg?ts=1733500554 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759202/w768xh432_GettyImages-452408125.jpg?ts=1733500554 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759202/w1080xh607_GettyImages-452408125.jpg?ts=1733500554 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Jared Allen goes up against Green Bay's David Bakhtiari in 2013 Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>"It's just so mom-and-pop, especially in the United States," Allen says. "I think there's a lot of space for the sport to grow. Sometimes, you've got to think outside the box."Part of that thinking has been to introduce audiences to the social side of curling - an element of the sport that is prolific in curling circles but rarely revealed in the professional confines of postgame interviews.The Curling Group has invested a substantial amount in creating new content that prioritizes personality. They hired John Cullen to co-host an in-house podcast, "The Broom Brothers." Cullen became known as a curling content creator after publishing the podcast "Broomgate: A Curling Scandal," which took a both comedic and revelatory deep dive into the change in curling-broom technology that shook the sport in 2015."I recognized there was both a total black hole for curling coverage and that I was uniquely positioned to do something about it," Cullen says. "I don't have a background in journalism, but I was a curler at a high level and I'm a stand-up comedian." Cullen believes that blend of personality and curling knowledge is exactly what the sport needs right now.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759089/cropped_2024GSOCTourChallenge-CharlottetownPE-GSOK-028.jpg?ts=1733436243" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759089/w220xh124_2024GSOCTourChallenge-CharlottetownPE-GSOK-028.jpg?ts=1733436243 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759089/w320xh180_2024GSOCTourChallenge-CharlottetownPE-GSOK-028.jpg?ts=1733436243 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759089/w640xh360_2024GSOCTourChallenge-CharlottetownPE-GSOK-028.jpg?ts=1733436243 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759089/w768xh432_2024GSOCTourChallenge-CharlottetownPE-GSOK-028.jpg?ts=1733436243 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759089/w1080xh607_2024GSOCTourChallenge-CharlottetownPE-GSOK-028.jpg?ts=1733436243 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Nic Sulsky sings karaoke at the Grand Slam of Curling's Newfoundland stop this fall Anil Mungal / The Curling Group</figcaption></figure>Nic Sulsky, CEO of The Curling Group, thinks the same way. He has specifically leaned into increasing curling content - both by expanding streaming of each draw at the five Grand Slam of Curling (GSOC) events and creating shoulder content, such as following teams as they explore cities on the tour. He's also tapped into an unwritten social rule of the game: Love karaoke."Curlers f-----g love karaoke because they travel together all the time," Sulsky says. Sulsky created a parallel event series - the Grand Slam of Karaoke - that kicks off at each tour location in the evening hours after game play has wrapped up for the day. Teams on tour compete for bragging rights and a karaoke belt."Let me tell you: It works," he says of karaoke's ability to not only bring curlers together but introduce online audiences to their personalities.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759087/cropped_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-GSOK-075.jpg?ts=1733435839" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759087/w220xh124_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-GSOK-075.jpg?ts=1733435839 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759087/w320xh180_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-GSOK-075.jpg?ts=1733435839 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759087/w640xh360_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-GSOK-075.jpg?ts=1733435839 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759087/w768xh432_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-GSOK-075.jpg?ts=1733435839 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759087/w1080xh607_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-GSOK-075.jpg?ts=1733435839 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Sweden's Team Wrana took home the Grand Slam of Karaoke belt at GSOC's Alberta event this fall Anil Mungal / The Curling Group</figcaption></figure>The group is also looking to turn Grand Slam stops into destinations for both experienced and new curling fans. Sulsky referenced golf's Waste Management Phoenix Open as a case study in creating an event atmosphere that extends beyond what happens on the ice. "The perception of golf totally changed with the Waste Management Phoenix Open. If you bring the lifestyle and the energy of what it's like to be a golf fan or a curling fan into the actual sport and the way that the sport is produced and marketed, you're going to be able to change the audience demographic of that sport and grow the audience," he says. He's hoping the tour's sold-out draws for the Kioti National in Newfoundland last weekend can prove his point. The province has long been known for its passionate embrace of curling, especially considering Brad Gushue, one of the sport's leading personalities and current skip of Team Canada, hails from St. John's. Crowds at each event were loud and raucous - with cheers and boos throughout. Sulsky wanted to turn the event into a one-of-a-kind, can't-miss sporting event. This year, he offered fans free admission into the VIP bar if they brought an instrument for a GSOC-sponsored kitchen party - a made-in-Newfoundland gathering that involves local music and libations. He hoped it would "change perceptions and stereotypes of what they think curling is."<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Close your eyes. Think about what YOU believe Curling is. Then watch this video. A Transformation of Perception. That's what Curling, via <a href="https://twitter.com/grandslamcurl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@grandslamcurl</a>, is experiencing. Can you see it? Can you feel it? If so...Like or RT so the world can see what's happening 🙌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsRock?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetsRock</a> <a href="https://t.co/cNnwyW8oFV">pic.twitter.com/cNnwyW8oFV</a>— Nic Sulsky (@nicsulsky) <a href="https://twitter.com/nicsulsky/status/1864364894935511514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 4, 2024</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Curling's traditions have evolved over hundreds of years since early 16th century Scottish monks first took up the pastime. It's not always easy to break with tradition, but Sulsky and his team are hoping they're striking the balance between honoring the old while evolving with today's realities."We're rebuilding the brand of curling. We have to reintroduce this sport," he says. "For the grassroots and the hardcore curling fans, we need to be very conscious to not upset the apple cart. But what I hope is that the current hardcore curling fan understands that in order for this sport to grow, in order for curlers to start making the money they deserve to make, there have to be some dynamic changes to the sport. I think the most dynamic changes have to be with the way the sport's marketed, the way the sport's branded, the way the content is produced, the way the content is distributed, and the way that the world sees curlers."<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759088/cropped_2024GSOCNational-StJohnsNL-135.jpg?ts=1733436017" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759088/w220xh124_2024GSOCNational-StJohnsNL-135.jpg?ts=1733436017 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759088/w320xh180_2024GSOCNational-StJohnsNL-135.jpg?ts=1733436017 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759088/w640xh360_2024GSOCNational-StJohnsNL-135.jpg?ts=1733436017 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759088/w768xh432_2024GSOCNational-StJohnsNL-135.jpg?ts=1733436017 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/759088/w1080xh607_2024GSOCNational-StJohnsNL-135.jpg?ts=1733436017 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Sold out crowds at the GSOC stop in St. John's this November loudly supported hometown hero Brad Gushue Anil Mungal / The Curling Group</figcaption></figure>Curlers on the tour understand what Sulsky is trying to do."Curling has a lot of tradition in Canada, and I think that tradition is awesome. That's what makes curling special. That's why I started curling. But that tradition is holding us back to some extent from making truly the best decisions," says Brendan Bottcher, who plays second for Gushue's rink."It's just a matter of trying to change that narrative in people's heads to understand how hard it is to compete in this sport and not only compete but all the hard work that is put into providing entertainment," says Emma Miskew, who's a member of Rachel Homan's rink, currently ranked first in the world.<h3>Curling's allure</h3>Curling might seem like a niche interest - but for those like Allen who spend time immersed in the sport, it becomes a real obsession. "There's so many fine details that come into it," Allen says. "When I was playing football, especially my side of the ball, emotion can drive me. Obviously, you have to be highly talented to play football. There's a lot of technique, and work ethic ... but curling involves such a control of your body, and you care more about the control of your emotions. Being able to sweep and then come back and throw a draw - there are so many nuances. You're talking, not even centimeters, but sometimes it's millimeters that make a huge difference."Even for those who don't take the sport so seriously, there's lots to enjoy about it. "I've always loved being on the ice growing up in Iowa and now living in Minnesota," Hockenson says. "My family and I are all competitors and so to have a sport you can hang out and enjoy while still fueling that competitive spirit ... the sport has grown and there are places throughout the country you can find and throw stones and drink while hanging out with your friends."An Olympic dream might have been what lured Allen to the sport, but his passion to share his love of the game is what drives him now. "I know what we're trying to accomplish," he says. "There's so much room for this to grow. I think it's so much fun. I have yet to meet one person who's gone out and tried curling and hated it."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

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Opposites attract: Why NFL stars are investing in curling

For most minor hockey athletes, there will come a day - perhaps sooner than their parents think -...

<figure class="article-segment--embed">For most minor hockey athletes, there will come a day - perhaps sooner than their parents think - when hockey will end. The skates won't get sharpened. The must-have equipment will age. Even the mini sticks will return to the closet for the last time, and it'll be safe to repaint the basement walls.</figure>With all the money spent on equipment, registration, and tournaments, and despite all the dreams of greatness, hockey is temporary for most young athletes, even those chasing the elusive professional dream."For 99.9% of people who put their kid in hockey, their last day of hockey will be because they got cut from something," says Grant Point, whose three sons played minor hockey in the early 2000s.Inevitably, that day is a sad one. "When hockey stops for you, something you love just stops, and you can't do it anymore. That's a tough one," says Dennis Bonvie, who played professional hockey in the AHL and NHL for 15 seasons.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>It's not that hockey isn't a lifelong sport, but playing in recreational leagues as an adult won't occupy the same place it does in a young person's life. And because of that, many young hockey players striving to advance up the ladder become overwhelmed, especially as they realize how unlikely a pro career is. Burnout came calling after college hockey for 33-year-old Andrew Hamilton."I thought hockey was everything, and that's what I wanted to do," Hamilton remembers. "Obviously, it's every kid's dream to go play in the National Hockey League. You almost get to a certain point where you realize how hard it is, and then you even realize how hard it is to even play professional hockey at any level."On that last day of chasing the dream, many parents will tally the cost of their child's minor hockey career, and some will wonder if it was worth it. "I would challenge people to look really deeply at what they're spending and what the end game is," Point says. "Ask a simple question, 'Is what I'm doing actually the right thing?' I think what most people realize later on in life, they'll look back and go, 'Jesus, I spent a lot of money on that.'""People have an unrealistic expectation of what this game is going to give them back in return," Point adds. That's what he's trying to change.<h3>The hockey investment fallacy</h3>As far as hockey parents go, Point is living the dream. His son Brayden is a two-time Stanley Cup winner for the Tampa Bay Lightning; his eight-year, $76-million contract is in the top 20 of total value in the league. Point also has two other sons who played hockey. His oldest, Riley, played post-secondary hockey in Canada for Red Deer College and Mount Royal University. His youngest, Kade, still plays rec hockey in Calgary, where the family grew up. Point is still involved in minor hockey, coaching upcoming athletes and advising teams on skill development.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754103/cropped_GettyImages-2182032273.jpg?ts=1731007404" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754103/w220xh124_GettyImages-2182032273.jpg?ts=1731007404 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754103/w320xh180_GettyImages-2182032273.jpg?ts=1731007404 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754103/w640xh360_GettyImages-2182032273.jpg?ts=1731007404 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754103/w768xh432_GettyImages-2182032273.jpg?ts=1731007404 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754103/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2182032273.jpg?ts=1731007404 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning Ashley Potts / NHL / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>"I have an understanding of all the ways you could travel through hockey," Point says. "I've seen all levels of this. I would be willing to say that maybe the guy who's had the most enjoyment - pure laughs and giggles and fun - might be my youngest guy who went the rec way." Point has become increasingly concerned about the amount of money and pressure he sees in hockey today, even in the youngest age groups. He still remembers when the biggest question was whether or not to buy a composite stick."My son Riley won (a composite stick) in a raffle, and that was the biggest deal of all time because there was no way anyone here was buying a Synergy stick for anybody," Point says. "At the time, I was thinking to myself, these sticks are a fortune. They were $150 or something when they came out. Now, those same sticks are $500, and every kid, from tyke up, has one."Today's parents aren't merely shelling out for sticks. They're paying for camps, showcases, academies, private coaches, cross-training, nutrition - the list could be endless. Hockey has always been expensive, but many parents have felt squeezed in recent years. "Does anybody who's under 100 pounds need a high-end composite stick that they can't even flex? No, they don't, but they get them because they think if they don't, they're at a disadvantage," Point says.The arms race goes beyond equipment. "I always get the same questions, 'Do I need an agent? Do I need a skills coach? Do I need a mental coach?' They're mortgaging their houses to put kids in their academies," Point adds. "I just think it's so unnecessary."Even calling minor hockey an investment rankles Point. "When we're talking about how many kids are actually going to make a living playing sports, the percentage is so small that what you're putting into it, you're never getting out of it," he says. Most parents know that. Still, it doesn't stop them from wanting to give their kids the opportunity to try. "It's because they want to give them every chance to succeed," Point says. "They feel that if they do everything in their power to get them there, even if my kid doesn't get there, then I'll feel good about myself."What a lot of parents might not understand is that many of the bells and whistles that purportedly give young hockey players the best advantage won't move the needle the way parents are led to believe. "It has just become such a money grab," Point says, and he's not the only person in the hockey world who feels that way."For the general person, you either need to have somebody pushing for you or be really good," says Bonvie, now director of pro scouting for the Boston Bruins. "Otherwise, you're just an average commodity, (but) people see the dollar signs coming."There's no advantage money can buy that compares to innate athletic ability - some children have it, and some don't. "Most kids will tell you with their instincts and their skating and their hockey legs - you'll see something special," Bonvie says. Even then, having those skills in minor hockey might not count for much down the road. "There's still a lot of things that have got to come to full growth - skating, size, strength, ability."Bonvie has also been alarmed by the increased pressure on parents to pay for all the extras in hockey. "A lot of times it's not a lot of common sense going into it. I don't think you've got to be chasing every showcase." When he coached his son's teams in minor hockey, Bonvie often irked parents by bringing his practical approach to the rink. "I'd always tell parents - we're going to have a hell of a time. I'm going to teach your kid to be a better kid. Your kid will become a better player, and we will make friendships along the way. If you're in for something different than that, please shake my hand and go somewhere else.'"<h3>Every opportunity, without breaking the bank</h3>Spending money judiciously in hockey doesn't have to mean limiting opportunities for aspiring minor hockey players. "You can give them every opportunity in the world without breaking the bank," Point says. When Brayden was in minor hockey, Point watched instructional videos, split ice time with a group of like-minded parents, and took a DIY approach to hockey development. "We did everything we could to get on the ice as much as possible for as cheap as possible," he says. "The development came from just his love of the game and just playing all the time."It's an experience that aligns with that of another hockey parent, Jim Roque, whose daughter Abby won silver for Team USA at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and plays for the PWHL's New York Sirens. "What's important is cheap ice where kids get together, try things, lean on other players, figure out how to get around people," he says."Just because you're skilled doesn't mean you're going to make it. There's a lot more to the game: figuring out how to play, navigate and reading plays. There's so much pressure on these parents that they think they have to do all these extra things for their player to get noticed. They're so worried about the other kid doing more. That's not the right attitude to have," Roque adds.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754104/cropped_GettyImages-2082119910.jpg?ts=1731007516" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754104/w220xh124_GettyImages-2082119910.jpg?ts=1731007516 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754104/w320xh180_GettyImages-2082119910.jpg?ts=1731007516 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754104/w640xh360_GettyImages-2082119910.jpg?ts=1731007516 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754104/w768xh432_GettyImages-2082119910.jpg?ts=1731007516 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754104/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2082119910.jpg?ts=1731007516 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">New York Sirens forward Abby Roque Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>When his daughter was playing at the minor level, Roque, who coached NCAA hockey and now works in pro scouting for the Maple Leafs, encouraged her to try many sports and develop a well-rounded athletic skill set. "It's really frustrating. Parents ask me all the time what I did with Abby, and when I tell them, they say, 'There's no way you did that. That wouldn't work now.' But you can. I wouldn't do anything different," he says.Roque believes parents shouldn't have anxiety about their child's talent potentially getting overlooked. "The world is so small now, as far as knowing what's going on, if you're a good player, you're going to get noticed, evaluated, and recruited," he says.Scouts, agents, and team front offices are watching - it's their job to find talent. True athleticism doesn't need fancy equipment or expensive showcases to flourish. "Parents chase it continuously because they feel like they're missing out," says Minnesota Wild assistant general manager Chris Kelleher, who rose through the organization's pro scouting department after his playing career ended. "That's where they get into playing all summer long, then playing the fall program. Then, 12-year-olds are traveling across the country to go play in a tournament against random teams. I'm not sure that's necessary," he adds. "They feel like if they miss one tournament, then they're going to be behind."<h3>Lead with a love of the game</h3>Hockey probably won't lead to a glorious career for most athletes. However, with the right approach, a love of the game can live far beyond the dreams of playing at the highest level.Hamilton's pursuit of the dream carried the added weight of a family legacy. His dad is Edmonton Oilers original Al Hamilton, who played with the team in the World Hockey Association from 1972-79 and in the club's first NHL campaign in 1979-80. "A lot of pressure came with that growing up, and it almost became that hockey wasn't fun anymore - you kind of lose your purpose," Hamilton remembers. He gave up an opportunity to play semi-professional hockey and instead started a career in the trades, rarely lacing up his skates."Being in my dad's shadow - it's a lot of pressure. But what he told me and my brother is that there's no pressure from his side. He said, 'I'll be proud of you no matter what you do with your life.' And he told me, 'Hockey is not everything.'" Hamilton stepped away from the ice for years until an opportunity to play in the Australian Ice Hockey League came together, and that passion for hockey found its way back to the surface.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754105/cropped_image1.jpg?ts=1731007618" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754105/w220xh124_image1.jpg?ts=1731007618 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754105/w320xh180_image1.jpg?ts=1731007618 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754105/w640xh360_image1.jpg?ts=1731007618 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754105/w768xh432_image1.jpg?ts=1731007618 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754105/w1080xh607_image1.jpg?ts=1731007618 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Andrew Hamilton skates in the Australian Ice Hockey League Australian Ice Hockey League</figcaption></figure>"I realized I had that burning desire to play again and have fun. It's amazing what you can do with no pressure on yourself and just going out and enjoying it," Hamilton says. Playing hockey in Australia might not have been the version of professional hockey he envisioned as a youngster, but it was an unexpected opportunity to explore the world and only available to him because he recovered his childhood enthusiasm for the sport. "The love of the game will never go away, no matter how old you get," he says.That's what Point wishes more parents in the throes of minor hockey would internalize. "Just have your kid play with passion and enjoy it," he says. "You don't need to have the best skills coach in the world when you're 11 years old. Just get them out there. Get them playing, having a good time. Watch them work their ass off and laugh."When your son's on a breakaway and scores a goal, he looks up to you in the stands. Is he thinking, 'Gee, this sucks. I wish I was tiered higher?' No, he's happy to score the goal, and that's what we lose sight of. It's a kid's game," Point says.And when it comes to investment, Point knows one thing that is worth it: "If you want to invest anything into your kids, invest the time." Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/28984394/related

Parent to parent: Keeping hockey's costs in perspective

Curling is a game of a thousand small decisions on the ice, and skips are responsible for most of...

<figure class="article-segment--embed">Curling is a game of a thousand small decisions on the ice, and skips are responsible for most of them. But a skip's choices aren't limited to game play. In curling's unique structure, skips aren't just players, they're team captains, agents, general managers, and spokespersons. Brendan Bottcher's often been the final decision-maker in his 20 years in the sport. Not all of them have gone to plan, but his latest one may - or may not, depending on who you ask.</figure>While Bottcher's choices have always been measured and deliberate, they sometimes have been controversial. His latest move is perhaps the most surprising of all: Last month, Bottcher announced he would join one of Canada's most respected rinks - Team Brad Gushue - not as skip, but at second. No longer in charge, he would do his work in the game's trenches instead."I just don't think he's going to fit in very well with this team," one curling fan said to the stranger beside her at Bottcher's first event with Gushue in Lacombe, Alberta, this fall. "He's so controlling.""Why do you think that?" the second curling fan asked. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The first person had no answer. There wasn't a specific reason - it was simply a feeling she had.The second curling fan was Bottcher's wife. "He's so calm and so cool, people seem to think he's arrogant," says Bobbie Sauder, who's been married to Bottcher for three years. "He really isn't. He just very much has a logical approach to his curling game. It's funny because that's just who he is as a human."A lot of curling fans don't know the 32-year-old Bottcher as a human. He's introverted, private, and he's consciously stayed out of the conversation about his curling career. He doesn't use social media very much, and rarely reads curling articles.His priorities make him largely unaffected by the criticism about team breakups, or how he's navigated the curling world. "If that's how you defined happiness, you would chase that for the rest of your life," he says. "There's always going to be someone trying to tear you down, and they don't know nearly enough. But I've never felt it was my job to tell that story." Those priorities also mean fans know little about him beyond what they see when he competes. That fan in Lacombe isn't alone in having an unfavorable and unnuanced idea of who Bottcher is.While he might not open up about stories that affect his former teammates or his decision-making on the ice, he's open to talking about the biggest story in his personal curling trajectory - one that could come to define his career. It's a decision-making process that could surprise a lot of fans, one that shows Bottcher in a different light than fans expect.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><center>                         </center></figure>The news earlier this year that Marc Kennedy, Brett Gallant, and Ben Hebert were parting ways with Bottcher to find a new skip after two seemingly successful seasons together surprised much of the curling world. It's not unusual for skips to adjust their lineups between seasons and within the Olympic quadrennial, but it's less common for three-quarters of a rink to move on from the skip.<a href="https://www.cjme.com/2024/04/18/it-was-brutal-hebert-details-decision-to-break-up-team-bottcher/">Reasons given were vague</a>, other than to say last year's third-place finish at the Brier, the Canadian men's championship, left the rest of the team feeling it needed to try something different to dethrone Gushue, who's won the last three Briers. They chose to add 2014 Olympic gold medalist Brad Jacobs as their skip.For Bottcher, it was more than surprising - it was scary. There was a real possibility he'd have to sit out the 2024-25 season. Not ideal in the run-up to an Olympic year."It was scary because my identity as a person is so intertwined with curling," he says. "Just the thought of not being involved with curling for a year was scary. And, certainly as an athlete, you're very aware that you have a currency that you need to try and keep up if you want to get on to teams in the future." Bottcher was 10 years old when he fell in love with the game, in the junior house league Saturday mornings at the Shamrock Curling Club in Edmonton. It was clear he was a born skip from the day he stepped on the ice. He always seemed confident, strategic, and capable. He was naturally good at throwing. Even then, he expected much from his team. It was obvious he loved curling."I still feel that way about curling now," he says. <figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My climbing through windows days might be over but hey we talking about practice. <a href="https://t.co/4NMiZiI33T">pic.twitter.com/4NMiZiI33T</a>— Brendan Bottcher (@BottcherCurling) <a href="https://twitter.com/BottcherCurling/status/1848129149162095070?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2024</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Bottcher's identity being inseparable from curling isn't surprising to those who know him best. It's what former coach Don Bartlett, who won Olympic silver with Kevin Martin in 2002, remembers most about Bottcher from his teenage years. He recalled driving home from an out-of-town bonspiel with the young skip. Bottcher's parents were in front and Bartlett took the long car ride as an opportunity to impart some wisdom."I was giving him as many curling tips as I could, but also good life tips," Bartlett says. "I wanted him to know that there's more to life than curling. He has a brilliant mind. He cares a lot about people. And you could tell he cared a lot about curling." A dream crystallized for Bottcher as he was exposed to more of the curling world: represent Canada at the Winter Olympics. He's been chasing it with every decision he makes. As a skip, he's made eight Brier appearances. Bottcher claimed one national title, in 2021, which made his team (which had a different lineup than his most recent one) the favorites to represent Canada at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. But Team Bottcher had a disappointing showing at the 2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials. It finished seventh, with a 3-5 round-robin record, including a 6-4 loss to Gushue, who went on to represent Canada in Beijing and win bronze.A week after Team Bottcher failed to qualify for the 2022 Winter Games, the team announced that vice-skip Darren Moulding was out. It caused a minor curling controversy, with Moulding commenting extensively on the decision and Bottcher keeping to clipped answers during an official press conference that provided little insight into his side of the story."I don't make rash decisions, and I don't feel like I have to explain myself," he says. "The people that are involved in me making a decision, all of my friends and family, they know who I am as a person." "I've only ever known Brendan as the most professional person. Always choosing to do the right thing, always taking the higher road," says Rachel Homan, the two-time world women's champion skip who represented Canada at both the PyeongChang and Beijing Winter Games. "He doesn't lash out or retaliate. He just continues to live life."Bottcher says there are many elements to curling's structure in Canada that necessitate many behind-the-scenes decisions for athletes, making it somewhat unique from other sports. "What the average curling audience doesn't understand is that we're all our own agents and we don't have people negotiating on our behalf. We don't have owners making decisions for us or GMs managing the relationships and the players. It truly is the team sitting in a hotel room deciding what we're going to do next."It's also the team that has to hold each other accountable in the hard moments, and it's the team that has to set expectations when it's not easy. It's the team that has to debrief the tough moments when it hasn't all went to plan." Bottcher's experience with Moulding exposed him to some of the toughest curling decisions Canadian athletes have to make to chase national championships and Olympic berths in the nation with the world's deepest pool of curling talent. And there was still another big decision coming - but this one would look a lot different. <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754264/cropped_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-019.jpg?ts=1731087250" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754264/w220xh124_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-019.jpg?ts=1731087250 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754264/w320xh180_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-019.jpg?ts=1731087250 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754264/w640xh360_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-019.jpg?ts=1731087250 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754264/w768xh432_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-019.jpg?ts=1731087250 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754264/w1080xh607_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-019.jpg?ts=1731087250 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Bottcher watches his shot while competing with Team Gushue at the Grand Slam of Curling's Co-op Canadian Open Anil Mungal / The Curling Group</figcaption></figure>At the beginning of the current quadrennial - the span of four years that culminates in an Olympic Games - Bottcher joined forces with an All-Star cast of Kennedy, Gallant, and Hebert. Kennedy and Hebert won Olympic gold in 2010, while Gallant earned Olympic bronze in 2022. They've all won world and national championships. If Bottcher's Olympic dream had any chance of coming true, this group seemed like his best shot at making it happen.That Olympic goal seemed further away than ever when the team announced it was parting ways with Bottcher midway through the quad. "Every year there's team breakups," he says. "This year there was a whole pile in the middle of a season, in the middle of a quad. It just happens. Not because there's bad people on either side of the equation, just because the situation we're in."What Bottcher did after the team disintegrated could be his most powerful curling move yet: he decided to pause. "You'll probably see that I'm a very deliberate person," he says. "I didn't want to make an emotional decision and just play because I had something to prove."He stopped worrying about curling. He took Bartlett's advice and focused on everything else in life that brought him meaning. "I decided I could embrace more time with my family. I could embrace more time traveling. I could embrace putting more energy into my work life," he says. In addition to chasing his Olympic dream, Bottcher gardens, pickles, cooks, hosts his friends for cards nights, and is raising four stepchildren with Sauder in a household that also includes two cats and a dog. He also works full time as an engineer in a role with ever-increasing responsibilities.Bottcher's developed a tight circle of curling friends over the years. "In a setting where he doesn't know anyone, he's introverted. He's shy and reserved. But in small groups with people he knows, he's much more extroverted," Sauder says.He and Sauder met through curling at a late season funspiel. "My first impressions of him were that he was a little bit shy and incredibly intelligent," Sauder says. "He's probably one of the kindest, most gracious people I know. I call him the calm to my storm."The two enjoy hosting other curlers in the Edmonton area for dinner and games nights. Mostly, they play cards - spades is their game of choice. "He's very intelligent and a lot of times we'll have to gang up on him to bring him down from the lead," Bartlett says.Bottcher loves to cook when the group comes over. "Every time I go over it's a different meal with about 15 spices. He doesn't measure any of them, he just throws them in and goes by taste," Bartlett says. He also plays golf. "He's really good at golf," says Homan. "It's so annoying." He and Sauder maintain a huge backyard garden. Each fall they can their harvest of cucumbers, asparagus, carrots, and beans. Bottcher's also taken up jam-making. This year he produced over 40 jars of raspberry - his specialty."I've got a really good network of people that helped me in those moments," he says. "I think the consensus from the group was just don't rush into anything. The sport's not going anywhere, even if you end up taking a year off." <figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sorry for swearing on #7. <a href="https://t.co/fKfQJeAzQc">pic.twitter.com/fKfQJeAzQc</a>— Brendan Bottcher (@BottcherCurling) <a href="https://twitter.com/BottcherCurling/status/1841223891076989223?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>When he was ready to step back on the ice, he did so with an eye to improving his own game. "I wanted to use the time to develop as an athlete. There's things I needed to work on and energy I could have been putting in to moving the ball forward for me in the future."That calm, deliberate nature led to an opportunity to coach Team Homan, the reigning world and Canadian champions. "He's so well spoken, he's so smart, he's a student of the game. He loves curling. Anyone who's on his team, he makes sure they're in a good space. He knows the game so well and has so much experience with the knowledge and tactics. His strategy is something that we knew could really help us," Homan says.He also agreed to play mixed doubles with Homan, an opportunity he says taught him a lot about his own game, especially sweeping. "He's just a true professional and the kindest person. He would do anything for any one of his friends, any one of his teammates, and he's never going to throw anyone under the bus no matter what happens on the team. That made me excited to play mixed doubles with him," Homan says. (Mixed doubles is also a recent addition to the Olympic program.)Bottcher was confident in his decision to not force anything in curling after consulting his inner circle. "When this curling season started, I was at peace with everything that had happened," Bottcher says. That's when he got the call from Gushue with an offer to join his team. Gushue has 21 Brier appearances and Olympic gold and bronze medals. But there was a catch: instead of playing skip, as Bottcher's done for his entire career, he'd play second."Both Brad and I are, again, pretty deliberate, so it wasn't an immediate yes for either of us," Bottcher says. "There was a lot of making sure it was a good fit, making sure our visions aligned, making sure we approached the game the same way, that the roles were well defined, and we had similar expectations. When we got through that, I was genuinely excited to join their team." <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754265/cropped_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-032.jpg?ts=1731087250" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754265/w220xh124_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-032.jpg?ts=1731087250 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754265/w320xh180_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-032.jpg?ts=1731087250 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754265/w640xh360_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-032.jpg?ts=1731087250 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754265/w768xh432_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-032.jpg?ts=1731087250 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/754265/w1080xh607_2024GSOCCanadianOpen-NiskuAB-032.jpg?ts=1731087250 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Bottcher sweeps a stone in his new role as second for Team Gushue at the Co-op Canadian Open Anil Mungal / The Curling Group</figcaption></figure>Playing second actually seemed like a good idea the more he thought about it. "The last couple years have been both busy and mentally busy. Taxing at times. This is an opportunity to just go out there and make a pile of shots and be a good teammate, but a little bit less pressure on my shoulders than when every big decision is coming down to me."The new Team Gushue is performing well so far. The team went undefeated through the round robin in its first bonspiel together at the Pan Continental Championships before ultimately finishing fourth. It's currently 4-0 at the Co-op Canadian Open, the second event of the revamped Grand Slam of Curling series, which switched ownership last spring."They have this Canadiana vibe to them," Bottcher says of Gushue's team. "Regardless of where they go in the country, it feels like they're Team Canada." It's a feeling he hopes he can get used to, because that Olympic dream is burning hotter than ever."In life, just like in curling, it doesn't always go exactly how you scripted it out, so you need to be flexible and you need to be resilient. I've certainly learned some of those skills a little bit," Bottcher says. Curling fans may never know every detail of every decision Bottcher makes both on and off the ice, but knowing more about how he made the biggest decision in his career so far gives insight into the way he approaches his teammates and the game.Bottcher's often misunderstood, but he's accepted that, and it's a sacrifice he's willing to make in order to approach the game in a way that feels right to him. "There isn't an amount of winning that justifies the sacrifices you make, or that your family makes. It's not about winning. I've always just loved curling, and that's why I keep doing it."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore

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Canadian curling's misunderstood man charts a new path

As one of Los Angeles's most iconic landmarks, Pink's Hot Dogs is no stranger to celebrity visits...

As one of Los Angeles's most iconic landmarks, Pink's Hot Dogs is no stranger to celebrity visits. Even so, owner Richard Pink still remembers the call he got the day Fernando Valenzuela turned up for a bite."My staff called me, and they said, 'Fernando is here. He's here, and everyone is crowded around him,'" Pink remembers. Valenzuela signed autographs while waiting in line for his order. "He was one of the great icons of our city," Pink says.Pink's has seen Dodgers fans not just through Fernandomania but across all the team's eras since the club relocated from Brooklyn in 1958. Richard Pink's parents founded the restaurant in 1939. Then, it was just a hot dog cart at La Brea and Melrose. They purchased it with a $15 loan from his grandmother and powered it using an extension cord running from the house of a helpful neighbor. The family has since turned those humble beginnings into an L.A. institution adored by celebrities and athletes.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--embed"><iframe title="Pink's locator map" aria-label="Locator map" id="datawrapper-chart-MoHcJ" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/MoHcJ/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="249" data-external="1"></iframe><script type="text/javascript">!function(){"use strict";window.addEventListener("message",(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r=0;r<e.length;r++)if(e[r].contentWindow===a.source){var i=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";e[r].style.height=i}}}))}();
</script></figure>"Shaq has a hot dog named after him, he likes Pink's," says Pink. The former Lakers star has even hired Pink's to cater a few of his parties.Still, there's always one group of athletes who are hard to crack: the Dodgers. The restaurant proudly supports them - even going as far as to donate $2,500 to the Dodgers Foundation this postseason. Pink's has also whipped up a special Blues Dog, priced at $7.17, a symbolic number that represents the team's seven World Series titles and Shohei Ohtani's number. The roadside spot also changed its iconic pink design to Dodger blue for the World Series.Even so, many individual Dodgers have been careful not to make a political misstep when it comes to eating at Pink's. The Dodgers have their own branded hot dogs to think about. Pink remembers asking legendary broadcaster Vin Scully to come down to the stand for a hot dog and hearing something like, "I don't think I can do it - we've got Dodger Dogs. I don't want to get them mad at me."<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/751302/GettyImages-2049060067.jpg?ts=1729704878" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/751302/GettyImages-2049060067.jpg?ts=1729704878 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/751302/GettyImages-2049060067.jpg?ts=1729704878 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/751302/GettyImages-2049060067.jpg?ts=1729704878 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/751302/GettyImages-2049060067.jpg?ts=1729704878 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/751302/GettyImages-2049060067.jpg?ts=1729704878 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Richard Pink outside of his iconic hot dog restaurant </figcaption></figure>It was college baseball players in Southern California who'd go on record about their love for Pink's. This hot dog farm system eventually paid off for the restaurant's 80th anniversary when it welcomed then-Dodger Justin Turner, a former Cal State Fullerton player, to serve hot dogs alongside his wife. "He came without his beard, and we didn't recognize him at all," Pink says. Pink has since returned the favor by personally supporting Turner's charity. "He feeds a lot of homeless people in downtown L.A.," Pink adds.Pink can always tell how the Dodgers are doing by the lineup outside the restaurant. "Pink's is a stopover before and after Dodgers games," he says. "Every game, people have their Dodgers gear on, and they're getting their Pink's fix." This season, he was reminded of the crowds during "Fernandomania" as Japanese Dodgers fans began showing up for the Pink's experience on game days. "Fernandomania was a lot like what Ohtani is now," he says."When Ohtani played for the Angels, I didn't see anywhere near the number of Japanese customers as I now have. Half the people in line are Japanese, and they're on their way to the game. They take a picture of an Ohtani pin-up on our wall," Pink says.In Pink's mind, hot dogs and baseball will always go hand in hand. "Hot dogs are part of going to a baseball game," he says. "It's just made its way into the way you think of American food. Baseball is played every day during the season. It's hard to avoid turning open the sports pages and seeing baseball. And everybody wants a hot dog to be part of their baseball experience."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/28780452/related

How Pink's and blue mesh without clashing

The inaugural season of Amazon Prime's hockey coverage is here – with a variety of programming th...

The inaugural season of Amazon Prime's hockey coverage is here – with a variety of programming the streamer is hoping will elevate the fan experience. Its much-anticipated docuseries "<a href="https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/3089561">Inside the NHL</a>" gave viewers a never-before-seen look into the locker room of last year's Stanley Cup Finals, and now its weekly Monday Night Hockey matchup is aiming to cover unfolding storylines with a fresh slate of hosts and analysts.Among those are broadcasting veteran Andi Petrillo and the boundary-breaking Blake Bolden, who became the first Black woman to work as a scout when she was hired by the Los Angeles Kings in 2020. Viewers can watch the two in action – along with colleagues John Forslund, Jody Shelley, Thomas Hickey, Shane Hnidy, Adnan Virk, and Mark Messier – during 26 games this season, all produced by Amazon and available to stream live with a Prime membership.theScore caught up with Petrillo and Bolden to get their thoughts on the way hockey coverage is evolving and what they're looking forward to seeing this season in both the NHL and PWHL.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>This interview has been edited for length and clarity.theScore: What NHL storylines are you looking forward to watching unfold this year?Petrillo: There's a belief that the Edmonton Oilers can get back to the final so I think all eyeballs are going to be on them. (Prime will feature four Oilers matchups this season - on Nov. 4, Nov. 18, Dec. 16, and April 14).The Leafs always have an incredible regular season. It's always going to be about the playoffs for them. (Leafs games on Oct. 21, Oct. 28, Dec. 2, Jan. 20, March 3, and March 17 will all be featured on Monday Night Hockey).And then a big name that's moved - Steven Stamkos. It's intriguing because, to me, he's a Tampa Bay Lightning for life. Except, he's not. He's playing with the Nashville Predators now.I think Lane Hutson is a great story for the Montreal Canadiens. I think in a couple months we're all waiting to see what exactly Patrick Laine will look like when he joins that lineup. (Monday Night Hockey kicked off with a Canadiens matchup against the Penguins on Oct. 14 and will also feature the Canadiens games on Nov. 18, Dec. 9, Jan. 6, and April 14).There's just so many intriguing storylines, but those are probably the ones you know that just come to the top of my head right away.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/750984/cropped_GettyImages-1487662655.jpg?ts=1729529304" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/750984/w220xh124_GettyImages-1487662655.jpg?ts=1729529304 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/750984/w320xh180_GettyImages-1487662655.jpg?ts=1729529304 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/750984/w640xh360_GettyImages-1487662655.jpg?ts=1729529304 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/750984/w768xh432_GettyImages-1487662655.jpg?ts=1729529304 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/750984/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1487662655.jpg?ts=1729529304 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Blake Bolden will serve as an analyst for Amazon's Monday Night Hockey coverage Arturo Holmes / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Bolden: Seeing how Tampa Bay can respond without Stammer on the blue line. And can Toronto get past that first round of the playoffs with their high-powered offense? This Monday, we have Toronto and Tampa. So, I'm really excited about that game coming up.I think it's just a battle, especially in the Atlantic Division. ... And, everybody's really excited about breaking the Gretzky goal record with Ovechkin. People are saying it probably won't happen, maybe next year. theScore: There's so much new content for hockey fans right now. What are your thoughts on the way that hockey coverage has evolved?Petrillo: In Canada, and knowing that this is the most popular sport, I think fans do appreciate a new voice, new look, new way of doing things. Sometimes it's nice to just kind of have another platform and check in to see, "What are they saying, what's their analysis? What's their approach to the game?" I think variety is something that hockey fans welcome. If you were to use the model in the States of the NFL - they're on three different networks, all kinds of podcasts, all kinds of peripheral programming around the NFL, you just can't consume enough when it's happening. I find it's the same thing here in Canada with hockey - you can't consume enough hockey when the season is happening. Now people can access hockey on Amazon and it's different faces and different voices.theScore: What can we expect from Prime Monday Night Hockey this season?Bolden: Each Monday will be at a different location. The panel will be on the concourse, almost like an (ESPN) College Game Day feel, where you're on site and you have the fans coming behind you and everybody's really excited. Especially for Tampa and the Maple Leafs (on Oct. 21), it'll be a sea of blue that you'll see on the camera.I think the fans want that shift, especially the younger and intense fans that are excited about where their specific Canadian markets will go in this playoff run, or are watching to see if a Canadian team is going to be able to host the Stanley Cup after such a long time. Even if you look at Andi's hosting on (Prime's) "Coast to Coast" show, and bringing on special hosts and having analysts and all the games appear behind her like (ESPN's) Red Zone, she's just guiding the fans through what's happening in the NHL. I don't think that's really ever been done before. I think Amazon is just on top and on the forefront of all the new technology and getting fans direct access to great storylines.theScore: How do you think broadcasting has changed from the start of your career to now?Petrillo: I remember when I was with LeafsTV, and that was still a linear channel, but it was a specialty channel. I remember people, especially the diehards, they loved subscribing to it. You could tell that the tide was turning, that suddenly specialty channels were a thing. People were talking about cord cutting and wanting a la carte services from their cable providers. You just had this sense that we were at this fork in the road. Then Netflix makes its way into Canada, and then Amazon, and suddenly it's been this explosion of the market, in many ways correcting itself because everyone was cutting the cord. I think that's another fork in the road that we're in right now.theScore: You often hear hockey fans say they want more personality and more peripheral content. Have you found that hockey players are getting a little easier to interview as they adjust to that changing sentiment?Petrillo: I think they are because it's also just another generation. They've grown up in the world of social media and TikTok. They've grown up being fans of the NFL and even NBA, which have always been more open and have way more personalities. It's just natural for them to be that way, and I think they're also just seeing what's happening in the world of sport with "Drive to Survive" and all these other, you know, kinds of docuseries that really elevate the popularity of a sport.Hockey players are not dumb. They get it. While the sport explodes in Canada, there is still a lot of work to do in many markets in the United States. There's also a reason why the NHL has the Global Series, because they're trying to expand. So if the players can do these types of things where they open up and show their personality, 1,000% that's going to help.theScore: What are your thoughts on the PWHL's success last year and the upcoming season?Petrillo: They've obviously increased the amount of games they're going to play. They're trying to get onto that NHL schedule as well, which is going from fall to spring. Slowly that is happening, where they're starting to get into a rhythm that we expect hockey to be in. Now they have logos and names. A lot of the athletes are returning. The first year was such a success with attendance to the point where - the Toronto team is a great example - they actually have to move venues.I like what they're doing. They're being very strategic in the growth of this league. They're not biting off more than they can chew. They want it to be sustainable. They want it to be around for decades to come. As much as we want to see expansion and other teams come, I think they're doing it right. And once again, with games on CBC, we have a great crew that's back. There are great people in this country who love the game and have done it some fantastic justice by talking about it and giving it the attention that it deserves. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCByuXKeX_BakdYsvBUaA5wQ">Jocks in Jills</a>, as we know, is a great podcast for that with Tessa Bonhomme and Julia Tocheri. So, I can't wait.Bolden: I've been fortunate enough to play in the Canadian Women's Hockey League and the National Women's Hockey League and a little bit overseas. Now to have the PWHL that is inching its way towards becoming more and more legit for the women that are playing in this league, I love it. You have Kendall Coyne Schofield, Hilary Knight, Natalie Spooner, Sarah Nurse, Marie-Philip Poulin, all the big names, they're just driving our sport. These women are trailblazers and all the players in that league are just breaking all of these barriers.Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

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Andi Petrillo and Blake Bolden on evolving hockey coverage

It's the long pauses and wobbly words that give it away when they talk about him. Fifty years hav...

<figure class="article-segment--embed">It's the long pauses and wobbly words that give it away when they talk about him. Fifty years have passed, but those who knew and played with Tim Horton miss him just as much as when it happened: Feb. 21, 1974, when he rolled his Pantera over the grass median on the highway driving home from a game, resulting in his death at age 44.</figure>"It was heart-wrenching," says former Sabres forward Don Luce, who also played with Horton for two seasons on the Rangers. The two men and their families were close friends. "It was very, very devastating." Horton was in his 24th NHL season at the time, and his second with the Sabres. He'd spent most of his career - 20 years - as a Maple Leaf, joining Buffalo at the behest of general manager and personal friend Punch Imlach, who coveted the veteran's locker-room presence and defensive prowess after coaching him for more than a decade in Toronto."He was the godfather of the team," former longtime equipment manager Rip Simonick says.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We were literally in tears when it happened," he says. "The whole team." Any loss is heartbreaking, but those who've endured the death of a teammate know a different kind of pain.What Luce remembers most is the early morning phone call with the bad news that roused him and his wife out of bed. She answered it. "It was stunning. It was hard to believe. It's like that old saying: you got the wind knocked out of you," he says. "It was just so hard to fathom and so upsetting. It was mind-boggling."The sound of that call resurfaced for Luce this summer after learning about the death of another active NHLer, Johnny Gaudreau, who died alongside his brother Matthew Gaudreau after being hit from behind while cycling on the eve of their sister's wedding."When I first heard of it, it was just like: again. It was unbelievable," Luce says. "I just had the memories of that call. I thought about his parents, who would have got the call, and how devastating and heart-wrenching that call is. It was for myself, when Timmy passed. It really puts a lot of things about life into perspective really quickly."<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749085/GettyImages-502543723.jpg?ts=1728421439" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749085/GettyImages-502543723.jpg?ts=1728421439 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749085/GettyImages-502543723.jpg?ts=1728421439 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749085/GettyImages-502543723.jpg?ts=1728421439 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749085/GettyImages-502543723.jpg?ts=1728421439 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749085/GettyImages-502543723.jpg?ts=1728421439 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Maple Leafs defenseman Tim Horton, falling to the ground, tussles with Boston's Derek Sanderson Frank Lennon / Toronto Star / Getty Images </figcaption></figure><h3>Tim Horton's life and death</h3>By now, Horton's name is synonymous with coffee and doughnuts, and the restaurant chain he founded is an enduring symbol of Canadiana. But in 1974, his reputation was chiefly built on one thing: hockey."He had this solid, dependable, cool guy who's all under control attitude on the ice," former Sabres captain Gerry Meehan says. "To play the game as long and as effectively as he did requires constant commitment, effort, hard work, courage, adaptability, resilience - all the good stuff."<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749079/GettyImages-630303796.jpg?ts=1728420331" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749079/GettyImages-630303796.jpg?ts=1728420331 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749079/GettyImages-630303796.jpg?ts=1728420331 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749079/GettyImages-630303796.jpg?ts=1728420331 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749079/GettyImages-630303796.jpg?ts=1728420331 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749079/GettyImages-630303796.jpg?ts=1728420331 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Tim Horton during the 1970 Stanley Cup Playoffs </figcaption></figure>Horton entered the league in 1950 as a 20-year-old; his 24 seasons still rank him fourth for most NHL seasons played, behind Mark Messier, Gordie Howe, and Chris Chelios. He tried to retire many times - once in earnest in 1969 and every year thereafter somewhat less seriously."When he came to Buffalo, he kind of changed the dynamic of the team in the sense that he was kind of the anchor of stability," Meehan says. "We made the playoffs in 1972-73, and I would largely attribute it to that."Horton insisted he was done after that season. He was already a four-time Stanley Cup champion and six-time All-Star. His chain of about 40 coffee shops was beginning to flourish, and he could envision a life outside hockey. That lasted until days before the puck dropped on the 1973-74 season, when Imlach persuaded him to play another year. The Pantera was part of his compensation, as the second-oldest player in the league."He was the most physically fit guy in the locker room," Simonick says. "He was elderly, but he had a strong impact, stronger than any player in the locker room. His play was phenomenal." <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749083/cropped_GettyImages-1411283815.jpg?ts=1728420941" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749083/w220xh124_GettyImages-1411283815.jpg?ts=1728420941 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749083/w320xh180_GettyImages-1411283815.jpg?ts=1728420941 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749083/w640xh360_GettyImages-1411283815.jpg?ts=1728420941 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749083/w768xh432_GettyImages-1411283815.jpg?ts=1728420941 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749083/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1411283815.jpg?ts=1728420941 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Horton in action, wearing No. 2 for the Buffalo Sabres Robert Shaver / Bruce Bennett / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Horton played 1,445 NHL regular-season games; the last was on the night of his death. Nursing an injured jaw, he sat out the third period but was still named one of the game's three stars in Buffalo's 4-2 loss to Toronto at Maple Leaf Gardens. Instead of catching the team bus back to Buffalo, Horton received permission to drive his Pantera home. He stopped along the way for a business meeting with partner Ron Joyce before leaving again in the early hours of Feb. 21.Reports vary on what Horton consumed prior to driving. <a href="https://nationalpost.com/opinion/book-excerpt-tim-horton-went-from-hockey-sticks-to-stir-sticks">Perhaps vodka and soda</a>, perhaps painkillers for his jaw. What's certain is he was going fast - police later estimated he was driving 100 mph (160 km per hour). His speed was reported by a passerby and subsequently attracted the attention of an Ontario Provincial Police officer, who tried to catch up but couldn't in time. When his Pantera was next spotted, it was in a mangled heap on the opposite side of the Queen Elizabeth Way. He hadn't been wearing a seatbelt, and his body was thrown 123 feet (37 meters).The impact on the team was immediate. "I can describe it as just numbness," Meehan says. "You go through this, and you know it's your job, and people are going to the game, and the world doesn't end, but it did end in a way, emotionally, for the whole team."<h3>A teammate's death</h3>The Sabres were scheduled to play at home against the Atlanta Flames that night. Hours after coach Joe Crozier identified Horton's body, the team was back in the locker room, consoling each other.They decided to play; the schedule trumped everything. "When you're a professional athlete, your life is governed by a structure, a schedule, and you comply with it without objection or discomfort," Meehan says. It wasn't easy. "Going into the game that night, it was a totally different room. It was somber. It was very quiet. No one was doing the usual pump up or anything," Luce says. "I think everybody was reflecting inside themselves about Tim." <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749076/cropped_GettyImages-502337593.jpg?ts=1728420137" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749076/w220xh124_GettyImages-502337593.jpg?ts=1728420137 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749076/w320xh180_GettyImages-502337593.jpg?ts=1728420137 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749076/w640xh360_GettyImages-502337593.jpg?ts=1728420137 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749076/w768xh432_GettyImages-502337593.jpg?ts=1728420137 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/749076/w1080xh607_GettyImages-502337593.jpg?ts=1728420137 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Former Maple Leaf teammates carry Tim Horton's casket to its burial plot Ron Bull / Toronto Star / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>The team wore black armbands and held a moment of silence for the player who patrolled its blue line 24 hours earlier. "Everybody was crying during those moments of silence at the beginning of the game," says Seymour Knox IV, whose dad owned the Sabres at the time.Then, they put all that aside and played a hockey game. "It was really, really amazing that the players could put their equipment on and get ready to play a game," Simonick says. "But they did. They were true professionals. Just like Tim was." Somehow, they eked out a 4-4 tie. The schedule marched on, the armbands came off, the tributes tapered out - but the grief persisted. "From that point on, our team lost its heart. It's not that everybody didn't try to work hard. It was very heavy on our minds and hearts, so it didn't allow us to be our best," Luce says. It wasn't only the players who missed Horton; the front office did too. "The hole extended beyond the locker room. In those days the team staff was very small, and everyone felt it. It lasts, it never really went away," Knox says. "You're feeling really bad every day. You're looking in his locker-room stall with his empty locker."Horton's teammates shared a unique bond, but they're not the only team to endure the loss of a teammate. The Pittsburgh Penguins lost budding superstar Michel Briere in 1971. Maple Leafs defenseman Bill Barilko went missing in 1951 in a plane crash in the Northern Ontario bush, and his body wasn't recovered until 1962. Oilers forward Colby Cave died in 2020 as the result of a brain bleed caused by a colloid cyst. Goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks, who played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, died after a fireworks accident in 2021.Hockey's also experienced mass casualties, like the bus accidents that killed members of the Swift Current Broncos and Humboldt Broncos, and the 2011 plane crash that claimed the lives of 26 players and 11 team staff from Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL. For those who've experienced teammate loss, it's a distinct type of grief.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/342190/cropped_GettyImages-984827268.jpg?ts=1728495783" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/342190/w220xh124_GettyImages-984827268.jpg?ts=1728495783 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/342190/w320xh180_GettyImages-984827268.jpg?ts=1728495783 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/342190/w640xh360_GettyImages-984827268.jpg?ts=1728495783 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/342190/w768xh432_GettyImages-984827268.jpg?ts=1728495783 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/342190/w1080xh607_GettyImages-984827268.jpg?ts=1728495783 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Members of the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey league team appear on stage during the 2018 NHL Awards Ethan Miller / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>"Relationships within athletics are so tight," says <a href="https://www.drsaramarie.com/about-me">Dr. Sara Beaudry-Wiltse</a>, a sport medicine educator and consultant. "To lose someone who you're used to being with when you go to battle, when you're going into a high-intensity situation, and you're used to them being there ... not only their presence on the ice, but you're used to them being in the locker room. You're used to their shenanigans in the tunnel. Pregame. Between intermissions. You're used to their leadership style. You're used to having them involved."She has firsthand experience with teammate loss from her role as trainer for Brigham Young University's men's hockey team in 2005. Her story also includes a dreaded phone call, but Beaudry-Wiltse wasn't on the receiving end. She made the call.The information she was tasked with sharing: freshman Jaxon Logan died during a game after suffering cardiac arrest after blocking a slap shot with his chest. When he collapsed after limping off the ice, Beaudry-Wiltse started CPR."His last breath came from my lungs," she says. Two years later, the team experienced a second blow: assistant coach Ken Dolezsar was murdered (in a case that was featured on NBC's "Dateline"). In both instances, as in the aftermath of Horton's death, there were moments of silence and tributes, but those faded long before the acute sense of grief did."They see the memorial patches and the moments of silence before a game, but you don't wear the patch once that season's over. You don't have the moment of silence beyond one or two games. After that, everyone has to grieve individually," she says. What she learned from both experiences is that the death of a teammate is so profound and unique that it necessitates advance preparation. She now works with athletic organizations to develop response plans to be enacted in the case of a teammate's death."I think the classic mistake is not being ready for it and having to figure it out as it happens," she says. "We have a plan on to how to render medical aid. We often have a plan on how to communicate tragedies. But I like to sit down with organizations to think through the rest of this," she says. "Are we going to cancel games? Are we going to cancel practice? Who are the professionals that we're going to bring in to support us?" Beaudry-Wiltse says planning is crucial because of the inherent closeness of teams. She uses mental health professionals as an example - building rapport should happen long before a tragedy occurs. "Sports teams turn into this tight-knit family where you don't want to talk to anybody outside of the family. When you're in tragedy, that's amplified. So, unless these relationships are already established before these tragedies happen, it's not helpful to bring in therapists, because they just sit in a room and nobody goes and talks to them."In her eyes, it's not a question of if tragedy will strike a team, but when. "You have to have a culture of emotional and psychological safety before something like this happens." <h3>Losing Johnny Hockey</h3>Many athletes and team staff around the NHL this season will likely be playing and working through grief's ebbs and flows as they adjust to losing Gaudreau, whether they let it show or not.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743100/cropped_GettyImages-1917295484.jpg?ts=1725021092" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743100/w220xh124_GettyImages-1917295484.jpg?ts=1725021092 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743100/w320xh180_GettyImages-1917295484.jpg?ts=1725021092 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743100/w640xh360_GettyImages-1917295484.jpg?ts=1725021092 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743100/w768xh432_GettyImages-1917295484.jpg?ts=1725021092 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743100/w1080xh607_GettyImages-1917295484.jpg?ts=1725021092 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Johnny Gaudreau celebrates with teammates after scoring a shootout goal Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / Getty</figcaption></figure>Although the Horton and Gaudreau tragedies are from different generations and happened under different circumstances, Horton's story could help illuminate some of the emotions that those who knew Gaudreau best may feel after the tributes fade and the news cycle moves on. Horton, like Gaudreau, was held in high regard by much of the hockey world. "He was well respected by the whole league, not just the Sabres," Luce says.The impact of Horton's death wasn't limited to the teams he played on. "The reaction for Tim was like a shock affecting the whole league," Meehan says. "I realize now that Johnny's tragedy probably has a similar impact." <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743817/cropped_GettyImages-2169618779.jpg?ts=1725508270" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743817/w220xh124_GettyImages-2169618779.jpg?ts=1725508270 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743817/w320xh180_GettyImages-2169618779.jpg?ts=1725508270 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743817/w640xh360_GettyImages-2169618779.jpg?ts=1725508270 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743817/w768xh432_GettyImages-2169618779.jpg?ts=1725508270 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743817/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2169618779.jpg?ts=1725508270 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Crowds gather to hold a vigil for Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Leah Hennel / Getty Images Sport / Getty</figcaption></figure>What helped Horton's friends heal was hockey itself. "The biggest thing that helped me was knowing Tim as well as I did and knowing that he loved to play the game of hockey," Luce says. "He just loved being with a team. It was instilled in me by him to love the game. I loved the game prior to that, but it was fortified by Tim. I felt that he would want me to go on and live my life and remember him. He was the epitome of wanting to love and play the game." That's where Luce sees the strongest connection between Horton and the man whose passion earned him the nickname "Johnny Hockey." "Just watching Johnny play, he loved to play the game, and I'm sure his brother did, too," Luce says.He'll never stop missing his friend, but Luce takes comfort in the legacy Horton left, the one his teammates carried forward for him: that love of the game. "It's a great legacy to have," he says. "It's a great way for him to be remembered."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore

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The most difficult losses: Grieving a teammate while carrying on

Utah Hockey Club made headlines recently by announcing concession prices so low they seemed to ha...

Utah Hockey Club made headlines recently by announcing concession prices so low they seemed to have come out of yesteryear. Five items will be discounted this season – Dasani water will cost $2 per bottle, popcorn, nachos, a hot dog and a scoop of ice cream will each cost $3. That pricing will apply for Utah Jazz games, too. But will Utah fans really spend significantly less to attend a hockey game than fans of other franchises?The so-called "fan-friendly" pricing in Utah is an obvious step the newly minted franchise is taking to create a fan base. "They need to get people out there because, in the long run, having those folks be fans is going to pay off," said economist <a href="https://www.usfca.edu/faculty/daniel-rascher">Dr. Daniel Rascher</a> from the University of San Francisco, whose work has focused on advising professional teams across all major sports on their pricing strategies.But it could also benefit the team immediately. "A team sells multiple products," Rascher said. "They sell tickets, concessions, merchandise, and parking. If they can keep one of the prices on those low enough, and market that, it draws the fan to come out to the game, and then they're going to make additional money on the other products."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>So just how much of a deal are hockey fans getting compared to other NHL franchises? In the 2023-24 season, the most expensive NHL experience across those categories was a Toronto Maple Leafs game, which cost an estimated $703.88 for a family of four, according to <a href="https://teammarketing.com/fancostindex/">Team Marketing Report</a>'s <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/202635/fan-cost-index-of-the-national-hockey-league/">Fan Cost Index</a>. The Golden Knights came in second at $676.56. The most affordable game day experience came courtesy of the Arizona Coyotes at $285.36. TMR's ranking represents the cost of four average-priced tickets, two small beers, four small soft drinks, four hot dogs, parking, two game programs, and two of the cheapest adult-size hats.The cost of attending Utah's home opener using an average ticket price of about $110 (based on season-ticket prices), the cheapest parking available online ($30), two of the cheapest hats ($56 at the NHL's online store), two of the cheapest draft beers ($28), and four each of the specially priced hot dogs ($12) and bottles of water ($8), would total $574 for a family of four. That's about 101% more than their Arizona predecessors and about 33% above the league average of $432.02 - and that doesn't even include the cost of game programs. Compared to the 2023-24 Fan Cost Index, Utah would be the fifth most expensive game-day experience in the NHL.For Utah fans looking to pick up tickets on the secondary market, the cheapest seats are already running at about $110 on Ticketmaster. Utah could climb even higher on that index in the future; it's unlikely the discounted concession prices will last. Last year's prices for Jazz games could indicate what fans should expect in the future: Dasani water was $5, popcorn was $8.50, ice cream was $8.25, nachos were $5.75, and hot dogs were $5.50.We also won't know the effects of the Delta Center's three-year renovation project to increase seating capacity for hockey."If they're truly pricing below their best level - their proper maximizing level – they will wait until they build the fan base before raising prices," Rascher said. "If you have a repeat customer, you want to entice them to be your customer, not do something else with their sports entertainment dollars. They really want to do everything at the beginning to sort of build that fan base as big and as fast as possible."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - SEPTEMBER 23: Barrett Hayton #27 of the Utah Hockey Club takes a face off against the Los Angeles Kings in the third period of a preseason game on September 23, 2024 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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Do Utah's 'fan-friendly' concessions shave the cost of an expensive night out?

Fans looking for more backstory and personality from their favorite NHL athletes finally have a s...

Fans looking for more backstory and personality from their favorite NHL athletes finally have a show to call their own. Amazon's newest foray into hockey content comes in the form of a docuseries called "FACEOFF: Inside the NHL."Viewers get a glimpse inside the locker room and the lives of players and their families during last year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, offering insight into the homes and hearts of players at the most significant time of the year. The show will be available on Prime Video starting Friday.It features faces and storylines from across the NHL and attempts to add context to already well-documented headlines. The Golden Knights' Jack Eichel opens up about his exit from the Buffalo Sabres and the surgery that saved his career, leading him to a Cup in Vegas. Vancouver's Quinn Hughes talks about finding his footing as a young captain, and Rangers captain Jacob Trouba gives his perspective on the physicality of the game. But the series also covers uncharted ground - taking the viewer into the locker room after a Game 7 Stanley Cup Final loss, for example. <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div><figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748096/cropped_NHL_102_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727893470" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748096/w220xh124_NHL_102_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727893470 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748096/w320xh180_NHL_102_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727893470 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748096/w640xh360_NHL_102_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727893470 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748096/w768xh432_NHL_102_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727893470 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748096/w1080xh607_NHL_102_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727893470 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg celebrates after a win Amazon</figcaption></figure>Whether the show delivers on its ambitions is up to viewers to decide, but here are some of the takeaways from the six-part series. <h3>This isn't 'Drive to Survive'</h3>It's tempting to draw early comparisons between "Inside the NHL" and Formula 1's breakthrough docuseries "Drive to Survive" - the two were produced by the same company, Box to Box Films, after all. However, it's clear from the outset that the NHL production is different. While the later episodes, which tell the story of the Stanley Cup Final, have all the intensity and storytelling archetypes that make for addictive TV, the earlier ones are less emotional and meander through the backstories of last year's postseason contenders.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748101/cropped_NHL_104_Still_01__1_.jpg?ts=1727894310" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748101/w220xh124_NHL_104_Still_01__1_.jpg?ts=1727894310 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748101/w320xh180_NHL_104_Still_01__1_.jpg?ts=1727894310 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748101/w640xh360_NHL_104_Still_01__1_.jpg?ts=1727894310 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748101/w768xh432_NHL_104_Still_01__1_.jpg?ts=1727894310 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748101/w1080xh607_NHL_104_Still_01__1_.jpg?ts=1727894310 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Hughes reflects on his approach to the Canucks captaincy Amazon</figcaption></figure>Fans who expect the series to be the hockey version of "Drive to Survive" might be disappointed with the lack of drama in the earlier episodes, but the storylines become more apparent as the show marches toward the Stanley Cup.<h3>A new side to McDavid</h3>The league's brightest star is often criticized for not showing enough emotion, but "Inside the NHL" offers a new perspective. The trailer already shows a postgame meltdown in which the Oilers captain screams at his team because he felt their effort wasn't good enough, but the show puts even more emotion on display. Episode 5 opens with McDavid crying in the locker room after the Oilers' Game 7 Cup Final loss and reveals his real-time decision process in declining to accept the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP."I wouldn't have gone out there for a million dollars," he later says. By the way, he's heard that commenters sometimes call him a robot. "It hurts," he says in the show. He's just an introvert who loves hockey.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748093/cropped_NHL_105_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727892985" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748093/w220xh124_NHL_105_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727892985 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748093/w320xh180_NHL_105_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727892985 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748093/w640xh360_NHL_105_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727892985 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748093/w768xh432_NHL_105_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727892985 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748093/w1080xh607_NHL_105_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727892985 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">McDavid eats dinner with then-fiance Lauren Kyle Amazon</figcaption></figure><h3>Tkachuk is the perfect villain</h3>The show does a good job of contrasting the two opposing styles of last year's Stanley Cup competitors. It casts the Oilers as a nose-to-the-grindstone, hockey-obsessed team that's openly comfortable with being "boring," and introduces viewers to the simultaneously intense but laidback approach adopted by the Florida Panthers - specifically Matthew Tkachuk, who's seen driving his golf cart to the Panthers' training facility, stopping to acknowledge a Jeep of partying women along the way."I don't know what to tell you. It's just Florida. Everyone's having a good time," he says. During the finals, Tkachuk gave an interview while floating in his pool, sunglasses on, completely relaxed about the task at hand."I don't know what the weather's like in Edmonton right now. I don't even know if they have pools, to be honest. I'm sure they don't," he says with a smirk. <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748088/cropped_NHL_106_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892177" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748088/w220xh124_NHL_106_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892177 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748088/w320xh180_NHL_106_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892177 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748088/w640xh360_NHL_106_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892177 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748088/w768xh432_NHL_106_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892177 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748088/w1080xh607_NHL_106_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892177 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Tkachuk celebrates after winning the Stanley Cup Amazon</figcaption></figure>His Stanley Cup victory is the pinnacle of his villain persona, but the show also does a good job of showing Tkachuk's human side - building the story of his family legacy with extensive home video footage.<h3>Nylander's migraines remain a mystery</h3>Leafs fans looking for answers on William Nylander's disappearance in the first three games of their Round 1 matchup against the Boston Bruins might be disappointed. The show follows Nylander in its opening episode, but most of the focus is on his relationship with David Pastrnak - the two have been friends since they were teens. But, unlike Tkachuk's story, the same handful of childhood photos are relied upon to try to build up this storyline. It just doesn't work, especially when they're burying the lead: What was up with Nylander's migraines?<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748092/cropped_NHL_101_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892464" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748092/w220xh124_NHL_101_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892464 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748092/w320xh180_NHL_101_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892464 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748092/w640xh360_NHL_101_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892464 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748092/w768xh432_NHL_101_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892464 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748092/w1080xh607_NHL_101_Still_07.jpg?ts=1727892464 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Nylander during the Leafs playoff series against Boston in 2024 Amazon</figcaption></figure>The severe migraine that kept him out gets a bit of attention, but the show misses an opportunity to explore Nylander's humanity in the process. It includes a shot of Nylander at home, watching the Leafs take on Boston and wishing he could be with them, but it would have been more impactful to see him wrestle with the decision to sit out. Failing that, it could have included more details on the physical impact of his migraine so viewers could develop an understanding of what must have been an agonizing situation.In contrast, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who's been sidelined for two seasons with a knee injury, is open, reflective and sincere when talking about the impact of his injury and the frustration of not being on the ice.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748089/cropped_NHL_104_Still_05.jpg?ts=1727892177" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748089/w220xh124_NHL_104_Still_05.jpg?ts=1727892177 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748089/w320xh180_NHL_104_Still_05.jpg?ts=1727892177 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748089/w640xh360_NHL_104_Still_05.jpg?ts=1727892177 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748089/w768xh432_NHL_104_Still_05.jpg?ts=1727892177 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748089/w1080xh607_NHL_104_Still_05.jpg?ts=1727892177 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Landeskog builds a playhouse with his son while talking about his knee injury Amazon</figcaption></figure>"You're not able to make an impact. You're not able to make a difference at all. I think that's what makes it so hard watching. I talk to a lot of the other guys who aren't playing. We're like a very invested hockey parent. You're just so into every single play," Landeskog says. "When you're playing, you're not nervous at all." <h3>Swayman's personality on display</h3>The premiere comes at a timely moment for Bruins fans - their starting goalie, Jeremy Swayman, is mired in a messy contract negotiation that's turned into a standoff. Episode 3, which follows Swayman's postseason journey, provides insight into his mindset during last year's playoffs when he was battling with former teammate Linus Ullmark for the top job."We don't have to shy away from it, there's a contract on the line. I want to treat every game as if it was my last because you really don't know what the hell could happen," he says. "I do whatever I can to not have regret when I look at myself in the mirror after it all." <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748094/cropped_NHL_103_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727893203" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748094/w220xh124_NHL_103_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727893203 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748094/w320xh180_NHL_103_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727893203 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748094/w640xh360_NHL_103_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727893203 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748094/w768xh432_NHL_103_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727893203 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/748094/w1080xh607_NHL_103_Still_01.jpg?ts=1727893203 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Swayman sings and plays guitar Amazon</figcaption></figure>It also paints Swayman as a down-to-earth Alaskan who's close to his family and doesn't take himself too seriously - he even plays guitar and sings on camera. It's all just more insight into the man behind the goalie mask.Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

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'Inside the NHL' offers insight into some stars, but not all

Hockey players are often labeled as hard to relate to, but don't put Jeff Skinner in that categor...

Hockey players are often labeled as hard to relate to, but don't put Jeff Skinner in that category.The 32-year-old forward, who signed a one-year, $3-million contract with the Edmonton Oilers this offseason, has a backstory and personality that fans can identify with.Maybe it's because he's not afraid to embrace his idiosyncrasies. In Buffalo, where he spent the last six seasons, Skinner put his sense of humor on display by writing, producing, and starring in a comedy series called "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm-te1GzhNecjTMDRvVZ12gZVOZ88_bjk">Between 2 Stalls</a>" on the team's YouTube channel. It was a nod to Zach Galifianakis' spoof interview show with Skinner in the role of awkwardly questioning his teammates.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Will there be more episodes in Edmonton? "It's on hold for now," he laughs. "In order for that to happen, you have to really know your teammates, and I'm just getting here."In the meantime, he has his well-documented passion for Netflix's "Emily in Paris" to keep him occupied."I have a couple of friends who are really into movies and TV and 'Emily in Paris' comes up in the group chat," he says. "It'll be interesting to see where it goes because obviously Marcello is in Rome." (Marcello is Emily's new love interest.) "Maybe it'll change to Rome next season."But what really makes Skinner compelling is his hockey journey. After being drafted No. 7 overall in 2010 by the Carolina Hurricanes, the Markham, Ontario, native won the Calder Trophy as the most esteemed rookie in the 2010-11 season. In April 2024, he became the first member of his draft class to play 1,000 games. None of those have been a playoff game. To have a major goal evade you for so long is decidedly human."Honestly, I think every year about working towards getting better and contributing to the team as best as I can," he says. "(Making the playoffs) is one of those big-picture things. Everyone reflects, everyone looks at things from a big-picture sense, but for me it's almost counterproductive. Sometimes it's just easier to focus on the task at hand."This year, he might have found a team where the task at hand aligns with the big picture. The Oilers enter the 2024-25 with high expectations after a Cup Final run that went all the way to Game 7."To me, it's a different situation than I've ever been in. There's obviously a well-established way they do things here, and it's worked, it's been successful. I'm just kind of another piece of that, hopefully," he says. theScore caught up with Skinner during Oilers training camp to understand his mindset as he starts a season that might, at last, lead to a playoff game. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. TheScore: Think of yourself as an 18-year-old. If someone told you, "Jeff, you're going to have an amazing career. To start, you'll win the Calder Trophy in your rookie year. Your career will also be long; you'll play into your 30s. You're going to be the first in your draft class to reach 1,000 games. The only catch? None of those will be playoff games." What would you say to that person? Would you believe them? Skinner: It's tough to go back and think about if I wish things would have turned out differently because I'm grateful for the experiences I've had. If you wish one thing happened, then maybe you don't get the benefit of another experience. If I went back to my 18-year-old self, I'd tell him to just enjoy it. It goes by quick.But (the playoffs) are obviously my goal that I want to keep working towards. I haven't achieved it yet, but hopefully will soon. Everything else throughout my career, I'm grateful to have that experience.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/747747/cropped_GettyImages-2173942097.jpg?ts=1727721812" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/747747/w220xh124_GettyImages-2173942097.jpg?ts=1727721812 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/747747/w320xh180_GettyImages-2173942097.jpg?ts=1727721812 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/747747/w640xh360_GettyImages-2173942097.jpg?ts=1727721812 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/747747/w768xh432_GettyImages-2173942097.jpg?ts=1727721812 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/747747/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2173942097.jpg?ts=1727721812 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Jeff Skinner skates during a Sept. 23 preseason game. Icon Sportswire / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>Thinking back on all the training camps and season openers you've been through in your career, were there years where it was hard to have hope that you'd reach that elusive goal of making it to the playoffs? Any time you go into a season anywhere, every team has that mindset of a fresh start. Everyone's got the opportunity to chase after their goals. I think that's part of what makes playing in the league great - that optimism and excitement at the start of every year. Even the teams that end up winning go through ups and downs and adversity. I think the optimism at the start is what you always look forward to - especially after the season, going into the summer. You look at what you can do better and then you come into the season with all that excitement.For players, you have a certain amount you can control, and then you have a certain amount you can't. Focusing on those things you cannot control sometimes takes up energy or time from focusing on the things you can. I think it's a cliche way of looking at it, but especially as my career has gone on, it's easier for me to separate what I can control. Then I think you do those things to the best of your ability and hopefully things work out.Was this a mindset you've worked to develop as your career has gone on or have you naturally always been able to take a positive approach? Over the years, you take in as many experiences as you can. You watch how other guys react to things and how it serves them, whether positively or negatively, and you continually try to move forward and progress. I don't even know if it's something I've developed - I think it's not finished developing. I'd like to think I have more room for growing and getting better at handling things.Now that you're in Edmonton, what feels different about this team? Everyone knows the run they went on last year. I watched it like everyone else in the hockey world. The guys in here have a ton of great experience, and that's something I'll hopefully learn from. As far as the overall feeling - the expectation is very high here. There's a certain standard that guys have set here. And obviously they have talent. They're some of the most talented hockey players in the world. It's been fun to experience that.It's also nice to play in Canada. Being Canadian, I loved my time in the States, but personally, to live and play in Canada is something I'm excited about. All of my family is Canadian, so they're excited. It's just nice to have that excitement of a Canadian market, a Canadian city. Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

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'I'm grateful': Jeff Skinner reflects on career, personal playoff drought

The wait is over. A year after the PWHL's inception, the league announced the names of its "Inaug...

The wait is over. A year after the PWHL's inception, the league announced the names of its "Inaugural Six" franchises ahead of the 2024-25 season.The league didn't want to rush the naming process in the short timeline between its June 2023 founding and Jan. 1, 2024 puck drop, so it opted to use only city and state names in the inaugural season.Now, after a process that was still admittedly quick, the names and logos are ready. "Most teams take 18 months to build out a team logo or a team name. We decided we were going to do six in nine months," said Amy Scheer, senior vice president of business operations.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The condensed timeline was influenced by the desire to make jerseys available for fans prior to the start of the second season, set to kick off in November. "Jersey artwork was really the driving factor of this because we wanted to make sure we would have jerseys ready for the start of the season to reflect the updated identities," said Kanan Bhatt-Shah, the league's vice president of brand and marketing. PWHL looked to a creative agency called Flower Shop for help with the team identities, a process Scheer said started on day one of the league itself. "We really started collecting insights and feedback from our general managers, our players, and, of course, over the course of the season, our fans," she said.Do these new identities make the grade? Here, theScore's Jolene Latimer and Kyle Cushman break down what's good and what's not about each team name and logo.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744381/cropped_PR_-_BOS_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744381/w220xh124_PR_-_BOS_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744381/w320xh180_PR_-_BOS_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744381/w640xh360_PR_-_BOS_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744381/w768xh432_PR_-_BOS_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744381/w1080xh607_PR_-_BOS_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> PWHL</figcaption></figure>Boston Fleet The logo is meant to evoke movement - that of "sailing toward victory" with the slanted "B." Juxtaposed with this is the outline of an anchor - a nod to Boston's maritime past, which is also the inspiration for the team name. "We really wanted to combine that with the spirit of the people, the spirit of Bostonians and New England - this resilience, unity, and that spirit," Bhatt-Shah said. What I'm liking: Boston's brand is togetherness, and the concept of an armada certainly evokes that. The logo itself is one of the league's most modern and visually appealing. Beyond the "B" logo itself, I think the way the team's name is stylized in its full version is strong and compelling.What's not working: I would have liked to see more of a tie-in to women's history, or women's sports history. While the concept of including local maritime history is nice, overall it feels like a bit of a missed opportunity to tell a more elevated story with the naming. - Jolene LatimerGrade: B+ <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744380/cropped_Minnesota_Frost_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906814" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744380/w220xh124_Minnesota_Frost_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906814 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744380/w320xh180_Minnesota_Frost_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906814 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744380/w640xh360_Minnesota_Frost_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906814 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744380/w768xh432_Minnesota_Frost_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906814 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744380/w1080xh607_Minnesota_Frost_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906814 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> PWHL</figcaption></figure>Minnesota Frost This logo leans hard into the weather, with cold imagery hidden throughout. The slanted "F" is designed to look like icicles in motion and the "dimensional form" represents the "harsh beauty of Minnesota's winters." The sharp edges and points are also temperature-related - said to show "cold precision." "It's such a strong, bold, intense logo that I think a lot of people are very excited about, including the players," said Kendall Coyne Schofield.What I'm liking: The logo itself looks cool, even if the explanations behind its anatomy are prosaic. I can see this logo working well on a lot of different merchandise. I like its built-in dimension, which is itself a bit of a departure from the flat logo designs that teams and brands have favored in recent years.What's not working: Building a hockey logo on the idea of winter weather is not necessarily groundbreaking. Conceptually, this logo and name combination doesn't do it for me. - Latimer Grade: B- <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744385/cropped_Montre%CC%81al_Victoire_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744385/w220xh124_Montre%CC%81al_Victoire_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744385/w320xh180_Montre%CC%81al_Victoire_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744385/w640xh360_Montre%CC%81al_Victoire_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744385/w768xh432_Montre%CC%81al_Victoire_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744385/w1080xh607_Montre%CC%81al_Victoire_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> PWHL</figcaption></figure>Montreal Victoire The logo is designed to project a "spirit of victory" and is rich with symbolism. "It's going to be a mindset," said Montreal captain Marie-Philip Poulin. "It's going to be what the team's going to rally around, what the city's going to rally around, and what our fans are going to be all about."What I'm liking: I'm loving the crest approach with this logo, and the hidden nods within it. The "Wings of Triumph" symbolize the goddess of victory, and the hidden "M" using the team's secondary colors represents Montreal. The fleur-de-lis above it is likewise a nod to Quebec. This logo hits all the right notes to blend history, legend, and the ideals of sport. The name itself is somewhat on the ambiguous side, but for a city like Montreal that works just fine.What's not working: I think future iterations of the logo that look more polished will elevate the feel of the team and league. This logo is a strong start but still feels a bit lackluster when compared to logos of other professional sports teams in North America. - LatimerGrade: A <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744383/cropped_Ottawa_Charge_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906817" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744383/w220xh124_Ottawa_Charge_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906817 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744383/w320xh180_Ottawa_Charge_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906817 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744383/w640xh360_Ottawa_Charge_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906817 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744383/w768xh432_Ottawa_Charge_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906817 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744383/w1080xh607_Ottawa_Charge_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906817 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> PWHL</figcaption></figure>Ottawa Charge The Charge logo is a styled "C" that not only represents the team name but also the city with the hidden "O" in the middle. "It's not just a nod to the city, being the center of government, but it's a nod to our fans as well," captain Brianne Jenner said. "And I hope our fans realize that and embrace that. The electric energy they brought in our first season is a bit part of our identity."What I'm liking: The dark red, yellow, and white is a classic combo that blends well with the Ottawa Senators but is different enough to not copy the color palette. The "C" logo creating an "O" in the middle is a nice touch.What's not working: The logo looks like a mashup of the Calgary Flames and Cleveland Cavaliers. So much effort from the league went into choosing unique names, only to have a logo that closely resembles two major teams. "Charge" is inspired by the city motto, "Advance - Ottawa - En Avant." It's ultimately a fancy synonym. The trademarked name from last year - "Alert" - at least has a history in the city dating back to a women's hockey team from the 1920s. This one's a miss. - Kyle Cushman Grade: D <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744382/cropped_New_York_Sirens_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744382/w220xh124_New_York_Sirens_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744382/w320xh180_New_York_Sirens_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744382/w640xh360_New_York_Sirens_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744382/w768xh432_New_York_Sirens_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744382/w1080xh607_New_York_Sirens_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906818 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> PWHL</figcaption></figure>New York Sirens Sirens is "an ode to New York City's one-of-a-kind energy, pace, and rhythm," the league said. "The fact that (all New York women's teams are) repping a different version of teal is pretty cool," captain Micah Zandee-Hart said. "Obviously, in women's sports, we're all one right now. ... It's cool to feel like we're tied into some of the other teams in a way, and I'm sure fans feel the same." What I'm liking: The teal is superb. It's an obvious choice for New York and matches the WNBA's Liberty and NWSL's Gotham FC. The "NY" letterform not only resembles city architecture but brings the logo together to resemble a goal horn. Even if the logo feels more basketball than hockey, it's a strong pick for New York. The "Sirens" name, meanwhile, simply works for the city.What's not working: The "S" soundwaves are a fun idea, but they make the logo busier with no real benefit. You won't lose anything by dropping them and making the logo cleaner, though part of the reason they're there is to represent the busy energy of the city. - Cushman Grade: B <figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744384/cropped_Toronto_Sceptres_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744384/w220xh124_Toronto_Sceptres_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744384/w320xh180_Toronto_Sceptres_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744384/w640xh360_Toronto_Sceptres_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744384/w768xh432_Toronto_Sceptres_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/744384/w1080xh607_Toronto_Sceptres_-_Logo.jpg?ts=1725906816 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption"> PWHL</figcaption></figure>Toronto Sceptres The Sceptres' logo is a monogram that intertwines the "T" and "S" of the city and team name. "There's a lot of tie-ins to the city, a lot of tie-ins to our team identity and how we want to perform on the ice," captain Blayre Turnbull said. "Overall, I think it's a very fitting name and one that our city will embrace." What I'm liking: The Toronto blue was a hit last season and is complemented well by the yellow logo. The primary blue ties into the classic Toronto palette while presenting a different flair with the added yellow. The name itself - Sceptres - is a unique choice that will grow on the fan base over time. Players are already embracing the moniker on social media, and "Sceptres" makes for potential post-game fun.What's not working: The logo's resemblance to one used by <a href="https://x.com/sarahjenkinsxo/status/1833154714352996752">Taylor Swift</a> in a music video speaks to the high-school vibes that the Sceptres' emblem gives off. The league didn't want to use established names, which made royalty options like Reign, Royals, and even Monarchs no-gos. Sceptres comes across as an available name chosen to fit a specific theme, and, as a result, lands a little flat. - Cushman Grade: C+

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/28298017/related

Grading the PWHL's new names and logos

It only took until 9 a.m. for a seemingly average Wednesday morning to become a demarcation line ...

It only took until 9 a.m. for a seemingly average Wednesday morning to become a demarcation line in time, changing everything for a group of sports talk radio hosts and their loyal fans. The date was June 14, 2023. In hockey-crazed Edmonton, there was much to discuss. Less than 24 hours earlier, the Vegas Golden Knights - who had barreled through the Oilers on their way to the Stanley Cup Final - won their franchise's first championship, with their victory celebrations still ongoing and plenty to analyze about their stunning 9-3 win over the Florida Panthers.Reports had also begun swirling that Michael Andlauer was buying the Ottawa Senators for an NHL-record $950 million. And Edmonton CFL fans were enduring what was to become a 22-game home losing streak; they wanted answers.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Tom Gazzola was prepared to deliver. Gazzola, who had made a name covering Edmonton sports in the preceding decade, was already live on TSN radio that morning, with a slate of guests and a rundown covering the top stories. That's when his station went from reporting the news to becoming it."I was just prepping in the commercial break, and the head of Bell Edmonton came in and she said, 'Hey, I need to see you in the boardroom for a second,'" Gazzola recalled. He asked if the team should stall the broadcast by adding commercials and remembers being told engineering would take over. It was then he looked around the studio and could tell everyone had the same thought: "Is this it?"But it was a rhetorical question. "We knew," he said.It was 8:58 a.m. when Gazzola looked at his watch. A two-minute meeting confirmed his gut feeling. He recalls the words clearly: "As of 9 a.m. this morning, TSN Edmonton no longer exists."As part of reducing its workforce by 1,300 people, Bell Media sold three of its radio stations and shut down Edmonton's TSN 1260 and five other stations across Canada. At the time, the company pointed to $40 million in annual operating losses that showed no sign of abating. The same trend had been the downfall of TSN-branded AM radio stations in Vancouver, Hamilton, and Winnipeg in February 2021.In Canada's contracting media landscape, the news was simultaneously surprising and expected. "When TSN Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Hamilton went down, we knew we were on the clock in Edmonton," Gazzola said. "Even though we were popular, profitable, and had a really good thing going."Since Winnipeg's TSN 1290 shut down, Gazzola and his counterparts had been watching closely as former radio hosts Andrew Paterson and Michael Remis pivoted to the internet, capitalizing on their loyal fan base while owning their own content. It looked like they had a formula that could be replicated.<h3>An underserved audience</h3>Local radio might not have moved the needle on national, corporate media budgets, but the appetite for news and conversation about local sports still existed. Paterson, who hosted sports talk radio in Winnipeg for more than a decade prior to the station's closure, had a hunch he could monetize that audience on his own.He launched a DIY solution with Remis dubbed <a href="https://winnipegsportstalk.com/">Winnipeg Sports Talk</a> - covering the Jets and the Blue Bombers of the CFL. "I was thinking, 'I can't believe they just shut this down the way they did. I've got a massive following, tons of people who love our content. There's got to be a way we can do this ourselves.'"They wanted a name that was broad enough for future growth that could expand beyond their personal brands. Paterson calls the change the "best thing that's ever happened to us." After starting with four sponsors, they've now grown to 20, and they fully own their content. Their show is similar to what they previously presented on AM radio, but it's available in podcast form on demand each day for the drive home."I wanted to be able to deliver what we were doing, as best as possible, to be similar to what we did before," Paterson said. "It had to be fresh when people were on the ride home. So, we had to move the show up so we would record every day at 1 p.m. for a couple hours, and then get that thing up on the podcast feed by about 3:15 p.m. for people driving home. That was the original vision. We were just going to take what we used to do on the radio, make it a podcast, sell some sponsors, and have it ready at the same time every day. Now, instead of people turning on their AM radio, they're just getting it on their Bluetooth." <figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Today is the three year anniversary of the first episode of Winnipeg Sports Talk Daily. Thank you to our viewers, listeners and sponsors for your incredible support! Join us live for an extended show from 11am-3pm discussing all the moves ahead of the NHL's trade deadline and… <a href="https://t.co/yDMX0f2Mqb">pic.twitter.com/yDMX0f2Mqb</a>— Winnipeg Sports Talk (@SportsTalkWPG) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsTalkWPG/status/1766116720299626816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2024</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Winnipeg Sports Talk leveraged an idea that internet content creators have already proved works: serving niche audiences. Broadcasting talent can do so without having to operate inside a large conglomerate that is weighed down by concerns about debt or shareholder demands."We're proving every day that it was an absolutely stupid and short-sighted decision to shut down," Paterson said. "During this time when we were off the air, my inbox on Twitter every day had probably about 30-40 messages along the lines of, 'This sucks. How can we hear you? I can't believe they shut it down.' People were really missing it. People are so accustomed to sports talk being part of their day. When you just turn that off - the demand is there to bring it back."Similar demand was building in Vancouver. "It does seem a little short-sighted that a lot of these local AM stations across Canada are just completely shutting down when there's still an audience there," said Matthew Sekeres, who launched a <a href="https://www.sekeresandprice.com/">podcast with partner Blake Price</a> after TSN 1040 shut down. They've since joined The Nation Network and cover the Vancouver Canucks, BC Lions, and Vancouver Whitecaps. "When you host a talk radio show, you do develop bonds with listeners and with the community. … In the aftermath of the station going down, I learned that the bonds with our listeners were a lot stronger and deeper than I even imagined."Winnipeg Sports Talk is eyeing next steps that will include hiring more staff and expanding its content offerings beyond the podcast and YouTube show. Paterson believes it'll be in a position to do that within a year. "If (Bell Media) would have just put a little bit more into focusing on the product and selling it, they would have been fine," he said.Sekeres sees things the same way. "My bigger gripe with media is that you're forever looking at the cost side. When do you ever take a glance at how to grow revenue? Are you not supposed to be innovative? Particularly the salaries that some of these media executives are getting paid, if you're getting paid that kind of money, then your solution shouldn't be as simple as, 'Let's look at the balance sheet and cut.' It takes no talent to do that. It takes talent to grow radio, to grow revenues, and I just don't see a lot of that happening in the Canadian media landscape right now," he said.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743880/cropped_Screen_Shot_2024-09-05_at_2.24.20_PM.jpg?ts=1725567813" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743880/w220xh124_Screen_Shot_2024-09-05_at_2.24.20_PM.jpg?ts=1725567813 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743880/w320xh180_Screen_Shot_2024-09-05_at_2.24.20_PM.jpg?ts=1725567813 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743880/w640xh360_Screen_Shot_2024-09-05_at_2.24.20_PM.jpg?ts=1725567813 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743880/w768xh432_Screen_Shot_2024-09-05_at_2.24.20_PM.jpg?ts=1725567813 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743880/w1080xh607_Screen_Shot_2024-09-05_at_2.24.20_PM.jpg?ts=1725567813 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Matthew Sekeres and Blake Price launched their own podcast after the radio station they worked for shut down Supplied</figcaption></figure><h3>Building a format</h3>In Edmonton, Dustin Nielson was watching what Winnipeg Sports Talk was doing and thought it might have a winning formula. Prior to TSN 1260's shutdown, he had slowly been building up podcasts on the side, reserving domain names, and preparing for the inevitable. When the station went dark, he was ready. He rallied Gazzola and others who'd been stranded by TSN's closure and got to work."I contemplated a couple of times just leaving 1260 and trying to do this on my own because I could see that it could be successful. But with 1260 in the market, there would have been legitimate competition," Nielson said. "I waited. But as soon as I got the call that we were done, I knew we were going to try this."Nielson signed early sponsors who believed in his work at TSN and were willing to support something new. By Sept. 6, 2023, Edmonton Sports Talk was ready to go live as an online digital station, which is available not just as a podcast or on YouTube but on TuneIn and iHeartRadio over the internet."In Edmonton, they've taken it a step further than we did. They rented an office and essentially replicated a radio station," Paterson said. <a href="https://edmontonsportstalk.com/">Edmonton Sports Talk</a>, which borrowed the name format from its Winnipeg forerunners, has partnered with 48 sponsors in its first year and has a 12-hour slate of fresh programming each day. It'll soon expand to a team of 11, which includes a three-person sales division. Instead of focusing on ads, all of Edmonton Sports Talk's sponsorships are tie-ins, and it's created some ambitious partnerships within the community - including its own beer, the Six O'Clocker Lager, with local craft brewer Alley Kat.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The boys from Edmonton Sports Talk made their way down to Alley Kat Brewery last week and here's how it went... <a href="https://twitter.com/nielsonTSN1260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nielsontsn1260</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Lieutenant_Eric?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@lieutenant_eric</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TomGazzola?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tomgazzola</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/matthewiwanyk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@matthewiwanyk</a> <a href="https://t.co/QmakItKs4A">pic.twitter.com/QmakItKs4A</a>— Edmonton Sports Talk (@yegsportstalk) <a href="https://twitter.com/yegsportstalk/status/1709284352251859216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2023</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Edmonton Sports Talk has grown to more than 10,000 subscribers on YouTube and recently announced it's adding a new drive-time host: Reid Wilkins, who left in-market leader 630 CHED after an 11-year tenure hosting "Inside Sports." The station also acquired rights to the Edmonton Riverhawks of independent baseball's West Coast League and the Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League while launching social and community events such as the first annual EST Golf Classic and its own award show - the ESTYs, which will take place later in September.Most of that growth has been organic, spurred by a community of listeners eager to talk sports. "Once people understand what we're doing, they stick around," Nielson said.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743877/cropped_IMG_4325.jpg?ts=1725567059" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743877/w220xh124_IMG_4325.jpg?ts=1725567059 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743877/w320xh180_IMG_4325.jpg?ts=1725567059 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743877/w640xh360_IMG_4325.jpg?ts=1725567059 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743877/w768xh432_IMG_4325.jpg?ts=1725567059 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743877/w1080xh607_IMG_4325.jpg?ts=1725567059 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Tom Gazzola and Shawn Belle on the set of 'Hello Hockey' at the Edmonton Sports Talk offices Supplied</figcaption></figure>The team at EST hopes that momentum will continue. "What we've learned and trusted is that people still want to listen," Gazzola said. "People still want to hear something on their car radio, just how they get it is changing and evolving. You don't need a radio signal anymore. Our mindset is: Put it out there to as many people on as many platforms as possible - visual, audio, however you want to consume it - so people know that we're there."Unlike corporate radio programming conceived in a boardroom thousands of kilometers away from its intended audience, podcasts and internet radio are homegrown solutions. And listeners in Canadian sports markets are supporting them. "In some regards, it's almost charming," Sekeres said. "It's like reverting back to the days when the radio stations, and the newspapers, and the television stations were owned locally by us, for us."Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

https://rich-content.thescore.com/content_cards/28254609/related

'By us, for us': How sports talk radio found new life on the internet

Kate O'Brien always imagined she'd wear the Maple Leaf again following her 2016 Olympic debut in ...

Kate O'Brien always imagined she'd wear the Maple Leaf again following her 2016 Olympic debut in Rio de Janeiro in women's cycling, but she had no forewarning of just how unique her return to international competition would become.Sports had always been a central part of her life. "I remember playing kickball in the alley with my neighbors and I was always the kid whose mom would have to beg her to come inside," she said. That interest transformed into a full-on obsession throughout her teenage years. O'Brien tried basketball, sprinting, hurdles, and then, while attending the University of Calgary, skeleton. "It wasn't about pretending or thinking that I was going to go to the Olympics or do anything like that," she said. "I just did it because I enjoyed it."<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But as her interest in sports evolved, so did her ambitions. After narrowly missing the Olympic Games as a bobsleigh brakeman in 2014, she switched to cycling and qualified for the Canadian team in Rio, finishing eighth in the team sprint, and 13th and 14th in the keirin and individual sprint, respectively.Her multi-sport ambitions were already enough of an anomaly, but O'Brien's story had another unexpected twist - a training accident on the track in Calgary in July 2017 left her with significant brain trauma that required her to relearn how to speak and walk.She relearned how to ride a bike, too. After recovering from the injury, she represented Canada at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, earning a silver medal in the 500-metre track time trial. On Thursday, she added a bronze in the same event, Canada's first medal of the Games.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Paracyclisme sur piste 🚴 : Kate O'Brien (<a href="https://twitter.com/empty_kate?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@empty_kate</a>) est assurée d'une médaille en finale du 500 m C4-5 après la chute de la Britannique Kadeena Cox.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris2024?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Paris2024</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/jeuxparalympiques?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#jeuxparalympiques</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CyclingCanada?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CyclingCanada</a> <a href="https://t.co/vdgNnOrhnM">pic.twitter.com/vdgNnOrhnM</a>— Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) <a href="https://twitter.com/RC_Sports/status/1829158216694948087?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 29, 2024</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Heading into this year's Paralympic Games in Paris as a member of <a href="https://www.thescore.com/olym/news/2940823/beach-volleyball-medal-hopefuls-banking-on-sports-momentum">Sobeys Feed the Dream program</a>, O'Brien, now 36 and living in Langley, British Columbia, reflected recently on the journey that has made her one of the rare individuals to experience both sides of the Olympic movement.This interview has been edited for length and clarity.theScore: Do you remember the training accident that took place in 2017?O'Brien: I have a video of the accident. It was very unexciting. Seeing that video, I'm, like, "Oh yeah, I kind of remember." But I don't actually remember that day. My two cousins and my mom, who had never seen me train, came to the track because I was in Calgary, and usually we were training in Ontario. We were going to go out for ice cream after, because it was the day after my birthday. I was going to do a talk afterwards, because it was an intro to the track day for a bunch of people. I'm sure the accident really helped them get interested in the track! I don't remember what happened. Seeing the video, I was lower pacing and my rear tire blew. I hit the pacing motorbike and that was that.I imagine having something happen that you don't remember makes it that much harder to accept.Yes, that is absolutely true. I've heard stories of how people remember it and it's so foreign to me because I still have a hard time believing that it happened. It would be a little bit more straightforward if I could say, "I remember I was riding and then all of a sudden hit my head and passed out."When you first woke up, tell me about the moment you realized you were injured.I remember waking up and being so confused as to why I was in the hospital. The last thing that I remember was being at the track, and then nothing. It took some time, probably a series of days to weeks, for me to understand what had happened and why I was there. I was really a problem-child patient because I desperately didn't want to be in the hospital.It was really challenging to accept that I was there and that something had happened that caused me to need to be in the hospital. I was convinced that I was going to go to - I think it was the Commonwealth Games I was slated to go to before the injury. I was talking to coaches, and I didn't get why I was in the hospital. It was something that honestly took probably years afterward for me to accept. To be honest, I still kind of work on it. To understand that this injury did happen and as much as I like to pretend that everything is good, things have changed a bit.<figure class="article-segment--image"><img src="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743012/cropped_GettyImages-2168251879.jpg?ts=1724949297" srcset="https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743012/w220xh124_GettyImages-2168251879.jpg?ts=1724949297 220w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743012/w320xh180_GettyImages-2168251879.jpg?ts=1724949297 320w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743012/w640xh360_GettyImages-2168251879.jpg?ts=1724949297 640w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743012/w768xh432_GettyImages-2168251879.jpg?ts=1724949297 768w, https://assets-cms.thescore.com/uploads/image/file/743012/w1080xh607_GettyImages-2168251879.jpg?ts=1724949297 1080w"><figcaption class="article-segment--image-caption">Kate O'Brien shows off her bronze medal Thursday in Paris Julien De Rosa / AFP / Getty Images</figcaption></figure>After the injury, you said your whole goal was just to get back on a bike, just to have fun. But that's different from becoming a Paralympian. How did that transformation occur?I was in rehabilitation for quite a long time. I was in the hospital for about three months, and then had at-home rehabilitation for speech and physical occupational therapy every day for three months. Then outpatient rehabilitation for a year and a half. There were some things I needed to work on to start with, like walking and speaking. Once I had achieved those things, I was, like, "OK, how about I just get back on a bike then?"As a person who's very competitive, having something that I could hold on to - like the goal of riding a bike, even if it wasn't in competition - was important. When I was finally cleared to ride a bike, I went out with my now wife and went on my first road ride. I don't even really know how to describe that feeling. You don't know what you have until it's gone. Being able to get on a bike and just ride around the block was very similar to going back to when I was a kid and played basketball, being in the backyard, in the snow, and just shooting hoops because I loved it. Being able to be back on that bike, riding outside, was so good. From there, I started to say that I would really like to just get back on the track, even if it's not competition. I went to the track in the Velodrome in Vancouver and rode around there, and it was amazing. Then I thought, there's provincial competitions. Maybe I could register for those. So, I started doing that. I competed in able-bodied before switching to para. I went to able-bodied nationals in Milton (Ontario), which is the hub for the sprint team for track cycling, and ended up getting a couple of medals there.I was offered a spot back on the able-bodied team, which was amazing. Unfortunately, I have post traumatic epilepsy from the head injury, and I had a seizure. So, they kind of took a step back. I was a little bit heartbroken. I reached out to the para team, and they welcomed me with open arms. I don't think that I've ever been part of a team that was that welcoming in any of the sports that I've been part of. It's been amazing to be part of the exact same sport and the exact same event in able-bodied as an Olympian and in para as a Paralympian. Para athletes are just as good, if not more impressive, in some ways, than able-bodied athletes. And it's a real community in para sport. Nations support each other significantly more than they did in able-bodied sport. Having gone to the Games on both sides, what is the biggest difference between the experiences?I think there is this vibe of togetherness (at the Paralympics). That said, as in any high-performance sport, there's also a lot of the competitive nature of people.At the Paras, you're not looked at as Kate O'Brien, the injured athlete. You're seen as Kate O'Brien, the athlete who happens to have an injury. You're just seen as a human being rather than anything else. In the same way, in able-bodied sport, I often found I was seen for what I had won or lost rather than who I was as a person. In Para, you're still striving for success, but I would say that you're a person before those labels. What are your expectations for Paris?I've been on the track in Paris, and it's outstanding. Coming from Tokyo, where there weren't any spectators, it would just be amazing to have people there. My wife, son, mom, dad and mother-in-law are all coming and have tickets booked. As hokey as it sounds, I'm looking forward to competing and being hyper-competitive like I am, but being able to share that experience, and that Olympic spirit, in a way that hasn't been possible for a number of years.Jolene Latimer is a feature writer at theScore.

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