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The Northern Metalic bantam Flyers welcomed the Peace River Sabres to Fort St. John on Sunday. The home side was far from gracious hosts on the ice as they jumped out to a 4-0 first period lead on the way to a 10-1 victory. After the opening frame came to a close the Flyers continued […]
OTTAWA — Canadian officials have slammed the door on a suggestion by New Zealand that it might push for greater access for its dairy products as the Trans-Pacific Partnership moves forward.
But disappointed New Zealanders, who ran headlong into Canada's sacrosanct adherence to supply management during the talks, maintained that the day will come when Canada's dairy farmers will no longer enjoy having their "hands held" by protective policies.
New Zealand Trade Minister Tim Groser said Monday he considers the 12-country Pacific Rim trade deal to be open to future "adjustments" after his country failed in an 11th-hour bid for more tariff-free access for its dairy products.
Groser said his country had achieved its main goal of tariff elimination on all exports, except beef to Japan and certain of its dairy products.
That was a reference to New Zealand's unsuccessful attempt to gain more access to Canada's protected dairy industry.
The Harper government trumpeted its protection of Canada's supply management system following the conclusion of the marathon TPP talks.
Canada made a modest concession by allowing imports of dairy products to rise by 3.25 per cent, far lower that even some government insiders had been predicting.
New Zealand had been pushing for more, as it also sought greater access to the American market.
"What we're doing is on the more difficult issues is establishing a direction of travel. Unquestionably, we will see adjustments to that direction of travel," Groser said in Atlanta, as he and 11 fellow ministers announced the conclusion of the TPP talks.
"This will open up political space for future generations of trade ministers from my country to build on this."
Back in Ottawa, Canadian government officials, who briefed journalists on the condition they not be identified, were adamant that there would be no re-opening of Monday's deal, saying it was closed to further negotiation.
"The announcement made by ministers today was of the conclusion of negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership," said one official.
"This is not an agreement in principle. This is not an agreement on some elements. This is a conclusion of all aspects of a negotiation, today."
Many dairy farmers in Canada were largely supportive of the outcome, but their New Zealand counterparts were bitterly disappointed.
Andrew Hoggard, of the Federated Farmers of New Zealand, said his country's negotiators "threw everything at it" in their talks but ran into "some pretty entrenched protectionist views."
"If supply management is so fantastic for one part of the Canadian economy, why don't you do it for everything? Get the old Politburo going and everything's supply managed," he said in an interview.
Hoggard said that over time, it is inevitable that the protections for the dairy sector will inevitably diminish as they have in other agricultural sectors, such as pork and beef.
He said it was time for Canada's dairy farmers to "play on the world stage, and wear big kiddie pants and not have to wear government nappies."
One Pacific Rim diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the TPP is viewed by many as a "living document" that will evolve over time, as more countries are admitted and further liberalization takes place.
The diplomat said it was better to get "a good deal now" rather than hold out for a "perfect deal" that might not be attainable.
"At a certain point, it became clear that getting rid of all tariffs on all products wouldn't happen."
Mike Blanchfield, The Canadian Press
OTTAWA — Canada's signature on Monday's sweeping trade deal will open a door for companies to expand deeper into the Asia-Pacific region — but it remains to be seen how many will actually walk through it.
With the world's largest economy right next door, Canada's business community has had good reason to remain focused on the fish-in-a-barrel opportunities offered by the United States market.
So, will Canada's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership — a 12-country pact billed as covering 40 per cent of the global economy — encourage Canadian companies to finally step out of their North American comfort zone?
"It's so easy for Canadian firms to just walk across the border," said Ian Lee, an economics professor at Carleton University's Sprott School of Business.
"We can do all these deals, and I totally support these deals, they're absolutely essential. But then the question is: how do you get businesses to seize the opportunities? And that's more difficult."
Lee said up to three quarters of Canada's foreign trade goes to the U.S., which shares similar business laws, language and culture.
He also noted how prime ministers and Bank of Canada governors have long urged business leaders to diversify by looking beyond North America.
Conservative Leader Stephen Harper has repeatedly stressed that overseas trade deals provide key tools that will help create jobs in Canada.
International Trade Minister Ed Fast has acknowledged the Conservative government, which has signed trade deals with more than three dozen countries over the last decade, faces the challenge of persuading overly cautious Canadian businesses to hunt for new markets overseas.
An estimate provided earlier this year by Fast's department said only 40,000 of the country's one million small- and medium-sized businesses were exporters — and only about 10,000 of them exported outside the U.S.
It's not only the allure of the U.S. market that keep Canadian businesses close to home.
Economists blame protectionist measures in Canada for discouraging firms from exploring outside their cosy domestic bubble.
Lee pointed to strict regulations that shield the airline, dairy, poultry, auto and telecom industries, and suggested taking way protectionist measures that discourage companies from looking beyond North American shores.
"But that's a bridge too far, I think, for most politicians, including Harper."
Jack Mintz, an economist from the University of Calgary, said these types of protective measures also limit Canadian productivity, an area where the country has struggled.
Mintz believes Canadian firms are ready to take advantage of deals like the TPP and the country's trade agreement with Europe, which has yet to be fully implemented.
"We are a very open economy and we tend to think of ourselves as traders," Mintz said.
He said that perhaps companies have not been enticed enough by free-trade pacts beyond North America because they involve much smaller economies in places like Jordan, Panama and Honduras.
He did note, however, that Canada's pact with Korea — implemented earlier this year — is a significant agreement.
Canadian firms will also have to brace for stiffer competition as the larger trade agreements with the Asia-Pacific nations and Europe come into force.
Many companies in Canada, however, should be able to make the transition because they're already exposed to global competitors, said trade expert Laura Dawson.
"I don't think that for most of our sectors that Canada is in really any danger of any competitive surprises," said Dawson, director of the Canada Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
However, the TPP will create some winners and losers, she added.
She expects Canadian industries focused on services, higher technology and value-added products will find success in a more-open trading environment, while businesses involved in low-wage assembly and the production of simple products will likely face bigger challenges.
There are other compelling economic reasons why Canadian companies should start looking past the U.S. even if it remains the easiest trading partner, said Wendy Dobson, an economics professor at the University of Toronto's Rotman Institute for International Business.
She pointed to the expansion of the increasingly integrated Asian market and, in relative terms, the declining significance of the U.S. in the world economy.
"We need other markets," Dobson said.
She also warned Canada can't risk failing to innovate nor can it be absent when other countries integrate with each other through trade and investment deals.
If not, Dobson said "there's going to be the piper to pay down the road."
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Andy Blatchford, The Canadian Press
BROSSARD, Que. — Forward Zack Kassian showed a "lack of character" when he was involved in an early morning motor vehicle accident that left him with two broken bones, Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said Monday.
Kassian broke his nose and left foot in the crash that occurred around 6:30 a.m. ET Sunday in Montreal. Two women with him in the vehicle also suffered non-life threatening injuries.
It was unclear how long Kassian will be out of the lineup, but he will miss the team's regular season opener on Wednesday night in Toronto.
"I don't have all the information, but it's disappointing to say the least," said Bergevin. "I addressed the whole team this morning.
"We are professional and we have to behave like professionals. You have to be respectful and you're lucky to be a hockey player. I'm a firm believer in character and that's really a lack of character and judgement on his part."
Bergevin was told that Kassian was not driving the vehicle when it went off a road and crashed into a tree.
The Canadiens had played a pre-season game Saturday night in Ottawa and had no practice scheduled on Sunday. No charges were laid against the player.
Bergevin hopes it will serve as a wake up call for the 24-year-old, who was acquired in the off-season from Vancouver in exchange for veteran Brandon Prust.
He had yet to decide whether to put Kassian on the injured list or to suspend him. He hadn't yet spoken to the player and was still gathering details of the incident.
"I'm looking at all my options right now," he said.
Forward Dale Weise, who played with Kassian in Vancouver, had talked to him and was just happy to see that no one was badly hurt.
"That's the main concern here: no one in the car was seriously injured," said Weise. "I don't think we should be worrying about who did what wrong."
It was a first controversy for new Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty.
"Obviously it's a big mistake on his part, but he's lucky to walk away and not be too badly hurt," said Pacioretty. "We have our first game coming up in two days so obviously it's a very important matter.
"We're happy he's OK but we have to stay focused on our game as well."
Kassian had not had a particularly good camp but was a lock to start the season in Montreal. His accident may have spared left winger Jacob de la Rose from being cut, however.
The Canadiens assigned Sven Andrighetto and Charles Hudon to St. John's of the AHL and placed goalie Dustin Tokarski and defenceman Mark Barberio on waivers.
Tokarski, who played brilliantly for an injured Carey Price in the 2014 playoffs, had a weak camp and lost his job to 25-year-old rookie Michael Condon.
"Condon played very well and deserved a job here," said Bergevin. "With goalies, it's more difficult.
"If you have no confidence it's almost impossible to play. Dustin looked shaky in camp. Can he get it back? For sure. He's on waivers. I don't know if he'll clear or not."
The Canadiens kept eight defencemen, including prospects Jarred Tinordi and Greg Pateryn who were battling for jobs.
The Canadiens announced on Sunday that veteran winger Tomas Fleischmann, in camp on a tryout, signed a one-year deal, reportedly at a bargain US$750,000.
"We chose Montreal first," said Fleischmann. "The reason was it's a good team, good players and a good chance to win the Stanley Cup."
Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press
MIAMI — Joe Philbin was fired Monday four games into his fourth season as coach of the Miami Dolphins, and one day after a flop on an international stage that helped to seal his fate.
Tight ends coach Dan Campbell, who has been with the Dolphins since 2010, was promoted to interim coach. He has no previous head coaching experience.
"I'm not here just to finish the season up," Campbell said. "That's not my plan. We're coming here to win games. It's still early. We have time to turn everything around. But we can't wait."
The Dolphins (1-3) lost their third game in a row and turned in their fourth consecutive
Midseason head coaching changes are unusual in the NFL, but few will accuse owner Stephen Ross of impatience. He ignored calls to fire Philbin in December after the Dolphins faded to finish 8-8 for a second successive season.
But doubts only grew this season regarding Philbin's inability to motivate players with his bland
"This is my sixth season with the Miami Dolphins, and this is the most talented roster we have had in those six years," Campbell said. "We have plenty of talent.
"I feel there's a lot more we can get out of these guys. We need to change the culture to where it is so competitive on Wednesday, Thursday, maybe even Friday, that it's intense and heated. We may have to break up a few (fights) — that's when things get good. You can't go through the motions Wednesday and Thursday and turn it up on Sunday. It doesn't work that way."
Ross said the decision to fire Philbin was difficult.
"I don't believe we were performing at the potential we have," he said. "I felt this was the time to make this decision. I haven't seen a lot of improvement. I see the same old, same old.
"My goal is still to make the playoffs. I felt this was the best opportunity we have — to pick Dan Campbell as our head coach."
The Dolphins have started poorly in every game and have been outscored 37-3 in the first quarter. The offensive line has been a problem throughout Philbin's tenure, and the
Philbin, who was hired as a first-time head coach in 2012, went 24-28. He failed to reach the playoffs or even finish above .500.
Philbin, who said after Sunday's loss that he wasn't worried about his job security, issued a statement after being fired.
"I want to thank Steve Ross for allowing me the privilege to serve as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins," Philbin said. "This is a tremendous organization from top to bottom that has a talented and dedicated staff. I want to especially thank the players, coaches and football staff who have worked so unselfishly and represented the team with dignity and class. I would be remiss if I didn't thank the incredible fan base who has supported me and my family unconditionally since day one.
"It is my hope that the 2015 Miami Dolphins achieve great success both on and off the field."
Philbin's job has been in jeopardy since a rocky 2013 season that included a bullying scandal and a meltdown in the final two games that cost Miami a playoff berth.
The Dolphins have floundered for more than a decade while going through frequent shake-ups at the top. The next coach will be their eighth since 2004, and the second hired by Ross.
The Dolphins are on course to miss the playoffs for the 13th time in the past 14 years, and the seventh season in a row. It has been 23 years since they reached the AFC championship game, 31 years since they played in the Super Bowl and 42 years since they won an NFL title.
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Steven Wine, The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Manager Matt Williams was fired by the Washington Nationals on Monday after a season in which the team went from World Series
The club announced the move a day after finishing the regular season barely above .500 at 83-79, second to the New York Mets in the NL East.
"This entire season was a disappointment," general manager Mike Rizzo said during a telephone conference call. "It was not our best year. It wasn't Matt's best year. It wasn't my best year. As an organization, it wasn't our best year. All of us, together, feel the disappointment."
Williams is gone after only two seasons in his first job as a skipper in the majors. Last year, he was voted NL Manager of the Year after the Nationals finished with the best record in the league. In February, the Nationals exercised his 2016 contract option.
But he presided over a 2015 season filled with defeats, discord and the embarrassing spectacle of a dugout dustup between NL MVP front-runner Bryce Harper and teammate Jonathan Papelbon during a game the day after the team was eliminated from playoff contention.
Williams said he had no idea of the extent of the skirmish until much later in the day. Even though he was, of course, in the dugout at the time, Williams said he hadn't been aware of exactly what happened — including that Papelbon grabbed Harper by the throat. None of his players or coaches told him about it right away, and he said he hadn't asked to know more.
"Not one single incident was the tipping point of making a decision with Matt Williams," Rizzo said. "Like I said during the season, (we were) going to take his whole body of work into consideration."
The Nationals also said Monday they will not renew the contracts of the seven members of Williams' staff: bench coach Randy Knorr, pitching coach Steve McCatty, hitting coach Rick Schu, third base coach Bobby Henley, first base coach Tony Tarasco, bullpen coach Matt LeCroy, and defensive
Knorr, who was a candidate for manager when Williams was hired, could be considered for that post again, Rizzo said.
Before Sunday's season finale against the Mets, Rizzo said the Nationals were "not going to let people twist in the wind" — and, true to his word, the house-cleaning began quickly. He said he met with Williams in the Nationals Park manager's office Monday morning to deliver the news.
Rizzo said the hiring process would begin Monday afternoon.
"We're going to bring in a group of people with diverse backgrounds, diverse experiences and diverse skill sets. And I think that's something we did not do last time. Last time we brought in managing candidates with little or no managerial experience," Rizzo said.
Before the season began, no one was shy about predicting big things for Washington — not even the Nationals themselves. But the team fell apart in the second half.
Williams' string of open-to-second-guessing bullpen choices didn't begin in 2015 — they were front-and-
"We had some things that went sideways and we had a whole bunch of injuries, and not much you can do about that except adjust and move on," Williams said Sunday.
His departure begins an
At least 20
"It's got a chance to be drastically different next year," Werth said, "so that's tough."
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Howard Fendrich, The Associated Press
CALGARY — Suncor Energy is looking to grow its position as Canada's dominant oilsands producer — and take advantage of a prolonged rout in crude prices — with a hostile bid to take over Canadian Oil Sands Ltd., the largest partner in the massive Syncrude mine.
Suncor (TSX:SU) is offering $4.3 billion in its own stock and would take on about $2.3 billion in COS debt, bringing the total price tag to $6.6 billion.
Suncor and Syncrude have the oldest operations in the oilsands, with side-by-side mines north of Fort McMurray, Alta. COS has a 37 per cent stake in Syncrude and Suncor has a 12 per cent stake, meaning Suncor would own just under half of Syncrude if it successfully gobbles up its target.
Suncor CEO Steve Williams said his company made overtures to COS earlier this year in the hopes of inking a friendly deal, but was rebuffed by its board. The unsolicited offer announced Monday requires that two-thirds of COS stock be tendered to Suncor by Dec. 4.
"Our clear preference was to work together on a co-operative negotiated deal," Williams said in an interview.
"We approached them twice, once in March, once in April, and were told that there was no interest at that time," he said.
"So I felt that the only option open to me, because I do think that this is a compelling offer, was then to go directly to shareholders."
COS said it's reviewing the Suncor offer with its advisers.
"Shareholders are urged not to take any action or make any decision with regard to the Suncor offer until the board has had an opportunity to fully review the Suncor offer and to make a recommendation as to its merits," it said in a release.
COS shareholders would have got a better deal if the company had accepted Suncor's earlier offer — $11.84 as of March 31, according to a filing to U.S. regulators, versus $8.84 based on Suncor's closing price on Friday.
Williams noted crude prices have dropped 17 per cent since its friendly approach, languishing below US$50 for several weeks.
Brompton Group portfolio manager Laura Lau says COS is likely holding out for a better offer to emerge.
The logical "white knight" would be ExxonMobil-controlled Imperial Oil (TSX:IMO), which owns 25 per cent of Syncrude and manages its day-to-day operations, Lau said. "I'm sure Imperial-Exxon have sharpened their pencils."
Imperial spokesman Pius Rolheiser said the company doesn't comment on market speculation.
Lau said she doubts the two Chinese-controlled firms with Syncrude stakes — Sinopec, with nine per cent, and CNOOC-owned Nexen, with seven per cent — would have much of an appetite to grow their share, given Ottawa's hurdles to foreign state-owned investment in the oilsands. Mocal Energy and Murphy Oil each have five per cent interests in Syncrude.
John Stephenson, CEO of Stephenson & Co Capital Management, said he doubts Imperial is keen on topping Suncor's offer, and COS shareholders would be wise to take what's on the table.
During the last oil industry downturn in 2009, Suncor also went shopping, absorbing Petro-Canada in a blockbuster deal.
This time around, the mergers and acquisition front has been relatively quiet, with buyers and sellers failing to see eye to eye. One exception has been Suncor's recent plan to purchase an additional 10 per cent stake in the under-construction Fort Hills mine from partner Total for $310 million.
Stephenson said he's expecting more deals to follow in the oilpatch, with big and financially strong players picking off their weaker counterparts.
"The bigger will get bigger and the stronger will get stronger."
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Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press
Note to readers: This is a corrected story: An earlier version misspelled 'Brompton'
WINNIPEG — A reserve cut off from the mainland and under a boil-water advisory for almost two decades is taking its case to the United Nations.
Shoal Lake 40 First Nation, which straddles the Manitoba-Ontario boundary, became isolated a century ago during construction of an aqueduct which carries water to Winnipeg. The reserve has no all-weather road and has been without clean water for 17 years.
A delegation from the reserve is expected to travel to Geneva, Switzerland, in February to make its case to a United Nations committee on economic, social and cultural rights.
The First Nation is also part of a worldwide investigation by Human Rights Watch. That review is to be presented to the same UN committee reviewing Canada's human rights record.
Chief Erwin Redsky said his delegation will outline "all the human rights violations we suffer daily," including a lack of clean water, no freedom of movement and inadequate health care and education.
"We're going to tell the world what's going on in Canada here, specifically to Shoal Lake 40, what's been going on for 100 years now," he said.
Since there is no permanent road, people from the reserve risk their lives every winter walking across the ice to get to and from the mainland. Some have died.
The aging ferry that residents rely on in the summer failed to pass government inspection last spring, which prompted the reserve to move out elders and declare a state of emergency. The ferry was patched up, but will need more extensive repairs.
Children who reach high school have to move off the reserve to continue their education. Elders and those who are sick don't have access to proper health care since many medical professionals won't risk getting to the reserve, Redsky said.
Many residents leave the community regularly just to take a shower at community centres in Kenora, Ont.
"Canada is one of the richest countries in the world," Redsky said. "This should not be happening."
Residents have been lobbying for years for what they call a permanent Freedom Road into the community. Public support and pressure has been growing among multi-faith groups, social justice activists and the business community.
The City of Winnipeg, Manitoba and federal government have put up $1 million each for a design study, which is to be completed in January. An all-weather road is expected to cost $30 million, shared by the three levels of government.
Winnipeg has said it would help pay for construction, but only the provincial NDP government has committed to earmarking cash in its upcoming budget.
The federal NDP and Liberal party have promised to fund Ottawa's share of road construction if victorious in the Oct. 19 election.
Redsky said he hopes the United Nations can increase pressure on Canada and Winnipeg to do what's right for the people of Shoal Lake 40.
"Once we get road access to our community, we hope to push for a water treatment plant and push for economic development which we desperately need."
Amanda Klasing, senior researcher with the New-York-based Human Rights Watch, said Shoal Lake 40 is one of four Ontario First Nations that will be studied in depth for her report to the United Nations committee.
No conclusions have been reached yet, she said.
"There has been a lot of public focus on the water advisories and concerns, but there certainly are sanitation issues ... that I haven't seen reported as widely," Klasing said.
Chinta Puxley, The Canadian Press
NEW YORK — Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia is checking into an alcohol rehabilitation
The team issued a statement from the pitcher Monday, a day before New York plays Houston in the AL wild-card game. Sabathia, the 2007 AL Young Award winner, said he took the step to receive the care he needs and become the kind of person "I can be proud of."
"I love baseball and I love my teammates like brothers, and I am also fully aware that I am leaving at a time when we should all be coming together for one last push toward the World Series," he said. "It hurts me deeply to do this now, but I owe it to myself and to my family to get myself right. I want to take control of my disease, and I want to be a better man, father and player."
Sabathia was 6-10 with a 4.73 ERA this year, slowed by his surgically repaired right knee. After returning from the disabled list and using a tighter brace, the portly 35-year-old left-hander was 2-1 with a 2.17 ERA in five starts and got the win against Boston that week that clinched the Yankees' return to the
"As difficult as this decision is to share publicly, I don't want to run and hide," Sabathia said. "Being an adult means being accountable. Being a baseball player means that others look up to you. I want my kids — and others who may have become fans of mine over the years — to know that I am not too big of a man to ask for help. I want to hold my head up high, have a full heart and be the type of person again that I can be proud of. And that's exactly what I am going to do."
His move is another blow to the Yankees' pitching staff, slowed in September by Masahiro Tanaka's hamstring injury and ineffective outings by Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova.
Sabathia, who helped New York win the 2009 World Series during his first season in the Bronx, is signed through next season. His deal includes a 2017 club option that would become guaranteed if his left shoulder doesn't get hurt.
"I am looking forward to being out on the field with my team next season playing the game that brings me so much happiness," Sabathia said.
Howie Rumberg, The Associated Press
No one thought the Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings, the defending Presidents' Trophy and Stanley Cup winners, would miss the playoffs last season. Certainly not the Bruins and Kings themselves.
Few expected the Winnipeg Jets and Calgary Flames to make the playoffs or the Ottawa Senators to make a late-season run to get in. Yet this is the topsy-turvy world the NHL has become.
"It's very humbling," Bruins captain Zdeno Chara said. "That's what makes this league so unique and such a very competitive league knowing that the year before you could be in the semis, you could be in finals of Stanley Cup and then all of a sudden you are battling for a playoff spot the next season."
The same is true this NHL season in what could be the most unpredictable in 10 years. Just like 2005-06 there are rules that can change the game and enough roster turnover to make the playoff race and Cup contention wide open.
The defending Cup-champion Chicago Blackhawks have the Patrick Kane situation hanging over them and lost several key contributors as part of another salary-cap crunch. The Eastern Conference-champion Tampa Bay Lightning look formidable with all their stars back, but with captain Steven Stamkos unsigned beyond this season, there's a substantial unknown.
Throw in that seven of the 16 playoff teams in 2014-15 didn't make it the previous year, then strap in because anything can happen before the playoffs even start.
"That's the beauty of our sport, really," Stamkos said. "You throw Boston and L.A. into the playoff picture, some people might pick them to win it just because they're playoff style teams. It's pretty crazy when you think of it like that."
Crazy is just how the NHL likes it. Commissioner Gary Bettman rolled off the stats in recent years and said, "Isn't that awesome?"
"This is what we envisioned," Bettman said. "You're seeing suspense, excitement, unpredictability. That's what's making it entertaining."
As Kings centre Anze Kopitar pointed out, the regular season "can get quite long." The 82-game marathon often looks pointless in light of the playoff sprint, but Los Angeles and Boston learned all too much that it matters.
The Blackhawks, who have won the Cup three times in six years, have figured out how to navigate the regular season and still peak in the playoffs. Los Angeles, which won in 2012 and 2014, is now without defenceman Slava Voynov, winger Justin Williams and others, with big Milan Lucic among those replacing them as the Kings try to follow the Blackhawks' lead.
"Obviously that's a fine, fine line and it's very hard to do," Kopitar said "Even pacing yourself sometimes is not very good because when the playoffs roll around, you can't pace yourself there. It's a fine line, and you just have to balance it as best as you can, and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't."
Things worked for the Flames and Jets last season when they got to the playoffs ahead of schedule. That also gives the Connor McDavid-led Edmonton Oilers hope that the same can happen to end their post-season drought.
Said centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins: "You see it all the time where teams don't expect to make the playoffs or don't even expect to be close and it just happens, whether it's just the team dynamic, the guys in the room or different things just come together at the right time."
Edmonton is still a long shot to get to the playoffs, especially in a brutal West that includes no fewer than five legitimate Cup contenders in the Blackhawks, Kings, Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild. In the East, the Lightning will be challenged by the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Pittsburgh added Phil Kessel from the Toronto Maple Leafs to play with either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.
"Hopefully they can't figure it out, either," Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said. "If they do, then we're all in trouble. But that's an overdose of skill there."
Chicago lost a lot of skill by trading Brandon Saad and Patrick Sharp and losing Johnny Oduya in free agency. Toews said "we've been through worse," and the influx of young players like Artemi Panarin and Viktor Tikhonov gives reason to believe the Blackhawks can rebound quickly.
"We could surprise a lot of teams this year with some of our speed that we've acquired and got into our lineup," Conn Smythe Trophy-winning defenceman Duncan Keith said. "You never know."
"You never know" might as well be the slogan for the 2015-16 season.
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Stephen Whyno, The Canadian Press
TORONTO — Canadian fight fans can expect three UFC shows north of the border next year.
Tom Wright, managing director for UFC operations in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, says while the 2016 Canada schedule is still being worked, Toronto and Calgary are at the top of the list with another visit to Atlantic Canada possible.
"We're looking at three events in Canada and two in Australia and New Zealand," said Wright.
The UFC, in trying to sort out the schedule, is looking at both old and new Canadian venues.
"We're looking at potentially going back to the East Coast but maybe to a different city than Halifax although we could go back to Halifax," Wright added.
The Canadian schedule could feature one pay-per-view and two televised Fight Night cards.
The UFC planned three to five shows in Canada this year. Only two came to fruition — UFC 186 in Montreal in April and a televised card in Saskatoon in August.
In 2014, the UFC announced a five-city schedule for Canada with pay-per-views shows in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver and Fight Night cards in Halifax and Quebec City. UFC 178 was shifted to Las Vegas from Toronto and the Montreal card was cancelled, cutting the Canadian shows to three.
Former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre's decision to step away from the sport took away a major drawing card in Canada. Some believe the sport of MMA is over-exposed these days.
But Wright says he does not think the weak Canadian dollar is a factor yet north of the border, saying on average Canadian shows do well at the gate.
He pointed to the UFC trying to accommodate a limited number of events, especially on the pay-per view front, to a growing number of countries around the globe.
Wright says Calgary has climbed up the Canadian pecking order. Montreal, meanwhile, will not host a 2016 show because it staged one this year. Vancouver is under consideration but not for 2016.
The UFC has held 19 shows in Canada, with stops in Calgary, Halifax, Montreal, Quebec City, Saskatoon, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.
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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
EDMONTON — The Edmonton Oilers finalized their 23-man roster with a surprising move, assigning forward Leon Draisaitl to the American Hockey League's Bakersfield Condors.
Draisaitl had a strong camp with Edmonton and spent time at right wing on a line with rookie phenom Connor McDavid.
The six-foot-one, 210-pound German was selected third overall by Edmonton in the 2104 draft.
He played in 37 games with the Oilers last season, scoring two goals and adding seven assists. He also had 53 points (19 goals, 34 assists) in 32 games with the Western Hockey League's Kelowna Rockets.
The Oilers' active roster also does not include forward Jordan Eberle and defenceman Dillon Simpson, who are currently injured.
The Canadian Press
TORONTO — Canadian auto workers' union Unifor predicts that 20,000 auto industry jobs could be lost as a result of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal announced today.
Under the deal, Canada's 6.1 per cent tariff on imported vehicles will be phased out over a five-year period.
And domestic content requirements — rules that dictate what percentage of a vehicle or auto part must be made within the TPP in order to be sold within the region tariff-free — will be slashed.
Under the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, an auto part needed to contain 60 per cent North American content in order to remain duty free.
For a fully assembled vehicle, the minimum content requirement was 62.5 per cent.
The new trade deal will allow for the tariff-free movement of vehicles that have as little as 45 per cent domestic content.
"It is outrageous that the Harper Conservatives have signed a deal that would allow the majority of a car to be made in China, yet still come into Canada tariff-free," Unifor's national president Jerry Dias said in a statement.
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Alexandra Posadzki, The Canadian Press
BROSSARD, Que. — The Montreal Canadiens assigned forwards Charles Hudon and Sven Andrighetto to the St. John's IceCaps of the American Hockey League on Monday in the first of a series of moves to get down to the NHL roster limit of 23 players.
Goalie Dustin Tokarski and defenceman Mark Barberio were not at practice and we also expected to be sent down.
Forward Zack Kassian, injured in an automobile accident Sunday morning, missed practice.
General manager Marc Bergevin is to speak to the media later Monday.
The Canadian Press
