DET @ OTT, 2/26/26
- US anthem is booed
- a mix of boos and cheers when 7/85’s gold medal victory with team USA is acknowledged
- Brady has a tone-setting shift early in the 1st, arena chants his name
- Brady scores in the 1st, gives the crowd the howdoyalikemenow, all is good
Elliotte Friedman: What I believe is the truth is that the way the American players who won the gold medal felt in their Canadian markets...is a factor; I think some of those guys...felt a bit hated and it might have influenced their decisions - 32 Thoughts (6/22)
Zlatan Ibrahimović on Canada qualifying for the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 for the first time ever:
🗣️ “This is why people fall in love with football. Today wasn't just about Canada qualifying for the Round of 16 it was about an entire nation creating history that nobody can ever take away.”
“I looked at the faces of the Canadian players after the final whistle. Some were crying, some couldn't believe what had just happened. Those weren't tears of weakness; they were tears of people who had spent their whole lives dreaming of this exact moment.”
“To the supporters, never let anyone tell you football is just a game. I saw families celebrating, children hugging their parents and fans singing with tears in their eyes. These are the moments that unite a country forever.”
“People will remember the goals and the result, but they'll never understand the sacrifices behind it. Years of criticism, disappointments, injuries and pressure have all led to one unforgettable night. That's what makes history so beautiful.”
“For every Canadian player wearing that shirt tonight, remember this feeling. You are no longer just footballers you are the generation that changed your country's football story forever. Every child who picks up a ball tomorrow will believe because of what you achieved today.”
“The knockout stage doesn't care about history, reputation or big names. It rewards courage, belief and those who refuse to give up. Canada earned this moment because they never stopped believing when the rest of the world doubted them.”
“And to the fans, celebrate like there's no tomorrow because nights like these don't come often. Years from now, people won't ask where you watched the match they'll ask how it felt to witness the night Canada reached the Round of 16 for the very first time.”
“This is bigger than football. This is the night an entire nation stopped dreaming about history and started living it.”
@jackrichrdson They did some nasty work on day 2 of the draft for sure. They still need a power forward and a D upgrade and a reliable backup goalie tho
"Steve Staios gave a clear mission to his scouts ahead of the 2026 NHL Draft: identify prospects with high upside."
With six more prospects drafted on Saturday, the scouts stuck to the plan adding plenty of depth and potential to go with their two first round selections 📰
Trying to play devil’s advocate here.
In his last two contract years (2020 and 2022), Andre Burakovsky set career highs in goals and points, with his best CF% coming in 2021. Those are the three seasons he spent on the Colorado Avalanche
Burakovsky’s 5x$5.5M expires this year.