Brandon Frattaroli’s late game-winner leads the McGill Redbirds to a 3-2 win over the TMU Bold, claiming the national bronze for their first U SPORTS podium finish since the 2013-14 season. 

With under a minute and a half left in regulation, Scott Walford’s cross-seam pass found a charging Frattaroli who deked around Bold goaltender Kai Edmonds, scoring the bronze medal winning goal. 

“So happy for a bronze medal this year,” said Frattaroli in a postgame interview with The Brock Press. “[Walford] saw me back door and he makes great plays every game. I expect him to make that pass to me … I found a way to put it in.” 

Frattaroli’s game-winner was the second of two goals the Pierrefonds, Quebec-native scored in the game, both assisted by Walford, the OUA East first-team all-star. 

After Jackson Doherty’s one-time slap shot rifled through Redbirds’ goalie Alexis Shank giving TMU a 2-1 lead in the third, Frattaroli pounced on a loose puck in the crease, kickstarting the McGill comeback – something they’ve done all tournament long. 

In the quarterfinals against UBC, the Redbirds came back from one down to win, while in the semifinals versus UQTR, McGill scored three consecutive goals after being down two, before losing 5-4. 

“Resilience in the group is something that’s grown over time,” said McGill head coach and OUA East Coach of the Year, David Urquhart. “Maybe last year or a couple years ago we weren’t able to rebound from those situations. This year and specifically today, they were able to do it. And I’m incredibly proud of the guys. They showed character, resilience and were rewarded.” 

Stephane Huard scored McGill’s first goal of the game with under five seconds left in the first period, levelling the game at one after TMU’s Elijah Roberts scored the game’s opening goal early in the first period. 

“We were looking for a spark. I got the chance and I put it in,” said Huard postgame. 

“It feels good [to get a medal]. We can be proud of ourselves. We play as a family and I’m very proud of the group I’ve been part of this year.” 

The win marks the Redbirds’ seventh podium finish in tournament history – one gold, one silver and five bronze – and their second bronze medal of the season after beating the Brock Badgers in the OUA bronze medal game. 

McGill will be looking to add to their U SPORTS medal count next season when the tournament heads to Ottawa in 2025. 

For more information on U SPORTS men’s hockey, head to usports.ca. 

Among Fergie Jenkins and Larry Walker stands Joey Votto as one of the greatest Canadian baseball players of all time.  

Votto was born in Toronto, Ontario and grew up in Etobicoke, where he played for the Etobicoke Rangers baseball club. The Cincinnati Reds drafted Votto straight out of high school in 2002 with their second-round draft choice.  

After playing a combined five seasons of college and minor league ball, Joey made his MLB debut in 2007 with the Reds and played the next 17 seasons with the team. He was an all-star in six of those seasons, hitting over .300 in eight of them and over 25 home runs in seven seasons, one of which was in 2021 at 37 years old.  

But in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Votto’s play fell off significantly for the Reds and with a young star-studded team in Cincinnati, it was time for the team and Votto to part ways.  

On Nov. 4^th, 2023, Cincinnati declined Votto’s club option and released a farewell statement to the Reds legend. For the first time in his career, Votto was a free agent.    

After a long offseason of remaining unsigned, Votto took to Instagram where he posted a photo of himself in distress on a park bench with the caption “missing ball”. Former Blue Jays star Jose Bautista commented on the post “Hometown team?” and many sports media companies noticed and started rumouring Votto would join the Blue Jays.  

A couple of days later, Votto was invited to the Blue Jays spring training facility to train and on March 10^th he signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays. Whether Votto makes the team out of spring training is still up in the air, but to have a Canadian player of his stature sign a minor league contract shows his love for Toronto and his dedication to the game. He could have signed a major league contract with a few other teams that were reportedly interested.  

The second DH spot is currently up in the air as Votto and newly signed Daniel Vogelbach battle it out for the presumed last spot on the team. Vogelbach has been his usual self, hitting below the Mendoza line but crushing the ball when he makes contact. In 25 at-bats he has four hits, two of which have been home runs and an on-base percentage of .250. These numbers are not major league numbers, to say the least.  

Votto has only made one appearance in spring training so far with his late arrival to the team. In his first at-bat, on the first pitch, he hit a home run to left center field, a display of his power and a great welcome home moment for Votto. Votto also brings a veteran presence for young Blue Jays players such as Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 

Votto is still a serviceable MLB bat that brings a lot of experience to the Blue Jays roster. Whether he makes the roster out of spring training is still yet to be decided, but it seems increasingly likely that Votto will be a Blue Jay at some point this season.  

The NFL free agent frenzy has come and gone over the last week with star players bouncing around to new teams like a Madden franchise mode. Let’s look at where some of the biggest stars ended up over the past week.  

RB Saquon Barkley: Philadelphia Eagles 3 years, 37.75M  

Some would describe Saquon Barkley’s last year with the New York Giants as a ticking time bomb, which is why it came as no surprise that he decided to leave in free agency. The biggest surprise is that New York did not even offer him a contract extension despite being one of the most dynamic backs in the league. Barkley’s arrival in Philadelphia makes their offence somehow scarier than it was last season. Upgrading from De’Andre Swift to Barkley puts them amongst the top in the league on paper offensively. They are definitely the favourite to win the NFC East over the Dallas Cowboys.  

RB Tony Pollard: Tennessee Titans 3 years, 21M  

The former Cowboys RB decided to sign with the Titans giving them a much-needed back. Pollard had a breakout season last year rushing for over 1,000 yards and becoming a staple of a very good Dallas Cowboys team. The Titans replace RB Derrick Henry with a more elusive runner and a player who is effective in the passing game as well. He’ll most likely become the number one player on offence in front of wide receivers Calvin Ridley and De’Andre Hopkins.  

RB Derrick Henry: Baltimore Ravens 2 years, 16M  

The Baltimore Ravens had a top-three offence last season with the MVP play of QB Lamar Jackson and the breakout season from Gus Edwards and Zay Flowers. Adding a top-three running back in Derick Henry to the mix keeps them in the talk of Super Bowl favourites. Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews… there’s not much more to say. This team will undoubtedly be back in the AFC championship game.  

RB Josh Jacobs: Green Bay Packers 4 years, 48M  

This one was strange and had many Packers fans upset – not because the team signed Jacobs, but because it was followed by the Packers cutting Aaron Jones. Jones did have a down year last year but that was due to injury and a growth year with rookie QB Jordan Love. Jones seemed to be the glue between the veteran players on the Packers and the new wave of young guys, which is why the signing of Jacobs rubbed Packers fans the wrong way.  

Jacobs is an excellent running back. Last season he was subpar to his standards, but he has previously shown that he can be a go-to guy. In his first five seasons with the Raiders, he rushed over 1,000 yards in three of those seasons, with 2022 being his most productive season. He rushed for over 1600 yards as the main staple of the Raiders’ offence. Although Packers fans may not be happy with the switch, Jacobs is an elite RB and fits in better age-wise with the core of this team, being 26.  

RB Aaron Jones: Minnesota Vikings 1 year, 7M 

After being cut by the Packers, Jones signed with arguably their biggest rival: the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers and Vikings both play in the NFC North, which is possibly the most competitive division in football heading into the 2024 season. Jones will look to gain his 2022 form in Minnesota and add to the already-loaded offence with Justin Jefferson, Calen Addison and T.J Hockenson. 

QB Kirk Cousins: Atlanta Falcons 4 years, 180M 

Kirk Cousins signed a four-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons leaving the Minnesota Vikings, which he called home for the six prior seasons. Cousins was nearly a top 10 QB last year and has proven when surrounded with talent he can be a great player, making a young Atlanta team the perfect fit. Alongside wide receivers Drake London, tight-end Kyle Pitts, running back Bijan Robinson and another offensive threat that they will most likely select with the 8th overall pick in this year’s draft, Atlanta’s offence is shaping up to be dangerous with Cousins calling the shots. 

Honourable Mentions:  

Joe Mixon was traded from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Houston Texans providing the Texans with a top 15 RB.  

Calvin Ridley signed with the Tennessee Titans adding a deep threat to help young QB Will Levis.  

WR Gabe Davis signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars to replace Calvin Ridley. 

Marquise “Hollywood” Brown signed with the Kansas City Chiefs giving Mahomes another underrated playmaker.  

Russel Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Wilson has struggled in recent years in Denver but with a more competent coaching staff and a solid O-line, Wilson may be able to regain some of his Seahawks form.  

Offensive lineman Robert Hunt signed a four-year, $100 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers O-line ranked amongst the worst in the league last year, so Hunt will help protect young QB Bryce Young.  

Safety Xavier McKinney signed with Green Bay, adding to their solid secondary.  

First-year goaltender Connor Ungar has signed an entry level contract (ELC) with the Edmonton Oilers where he will be assigned to the AHL affiliate Bakersfield Condors, per CBC Sports’ Ben Steiner.  

Ungar is coming off a record-breaking season for the Badgers where he registered a program-high 20 wins, which was also the most in U Sports this season.  

Ungar was named U Sports Rookie of the Year, awarded the Clarke Drake Trophy for best first-year player in the country and named to the U Sports all-Canadian second team.   

Ungar also boasted an impressive .932 SV% and 2.15 GAA, which was second amongst all goalies in the OUA who played 20 or more games.  

Ungar is the second goalie in six seasons to sign with an NHL team after posting unbelievable numbers in their rookie season at Brock. In the 2018-19 season with the Badgers, Logan Thompson did the same after an incredible rookie year, signing with the Vegas Golden Knights.  

Ungar also joins former Badgers Adam Berg and goaltender Roman Basran who both signed pro contracts after the 2022-23 season. Both players signed with the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), the affiliate league to the AHL and the same league Logan Thompson started his professional career.   

For the official report on the Ungar signing, visit NHL.com.  

The UNB Reds (38-0) complete their undefeated season, beating the UQTR Patriotes 4-0 to be crowned back-to-back U SPORTS gold medalists, winning their fifth championship in the last seven tournaments. 

Brady Gilmour, the 2024 U SPORTS Men’s Hockey Championship MVP, opened the scoring for the Reds eight minutes into the game on the breakaway, sliding the puck past the outstretched pad of Patriotes’ netminder Alexis Gravel to give the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Champions the one-goal lead. 

“We wanted to come out and have a great game and an impact on it,” said Gilmour in a postgame interview with The Brock Press. “[Austen Keating] made a great pass; lucky enough it went in.” 

Shortly after Gilmour’s go-ahead goal, his line added another after a picture-perfect tic-tac-toe passing play found the back of the net of Cody Morgan’s stick to give the number-one seed the 2-0 advantage after the first period. 

In the second, Reds goaltender Samuel Richard came up clutch making a flurry of key saves, including a trifecta of sprawling stops while shorthanded, to preserve the two-goal lead.  

Richard, the 2023 U SPORTS Rookie of the Year, stopped all 23 shots he faced in the game, extending UNB’s team shutout streak to 298 minutes – nearly five games long. The Reds have not allowed a goal since game one of the AUS Championship against Moncton, while shutting out all three opponents (Brock, TMU and UQTR) they faced in the tournament.

“We always talk about offence, but defence wins championships,” said head coach and AUS Coach of the Year, Gardiner MacDougall. “If you don’t give up any, you’re going to have a chance to have success every night. This group did it three nights in a row.” 

Richard’s dominant second period kept momentum in UNB’s favour, leading to Keating scoring a third Reds goal just under five minutes into the third period, to record his third point of the night – one goal and two assists – to extend UNB’s lead. 

“Our whole line was clicking,” said Keating postgame. “Brady Gilmour has had a great year … [Morgan] is built for these moments, last year he scored big goal after big goal and this tournament he’s scored so many big goals. It was just fun to get the win.” 

Isaac Nurse sealed the gold medal victory with an empty-net goal, marking UNB’s ninth national championship – 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023 and 2024 –under the reigns of MacDougall, and 10^th overall. 

“I don’t think a person would dream this up in their wildest dreams,” said MacDougall. “[We] set new standards not only for our program but for U SPORTS.”  

The Reds will look to set their standards even higher next season when they compete for their third consecutive U Cup title and 11^th men’s hockey national championship in school history. 

For more information on U SPORTS men’s hockey, head to usports.ca. 

Brock’s men’s hockey team was shut out in the first round of the U Sports National Championship, bringing their strong season to an unfortunate end.  

Due to their OUA bronze medal game loss to McGill, the Badgers drew the eighth and final seed in the U Sports playoffs, landing them in a first-round matchup against the top-seeded University of New Brunswick (UNB) Reds, the most dominant team in Canadian university hockey.  

Heading into the match, UNB was riding a season-long winning streak, going a perfect 30-0 in the regular season and 5-0 in the Atlantic University Sports (AUS) playoffs. However, the Reds have not only been finding success recently. In addition to claiming their sixth straight AUS title on March 5^th, they are also looking to defend their 2023 national title. If successful this year, UNB will have won five of the last seven U Sports national championships.  

Having lost three straight games and faced with a juggernaut, Brock was bound for a tough go right from the puck drop.  

As promised, the Reds immediately put the Badgers to work. Though Brock had been known for their hot starts all season, this time it was their turn to feel the full brunt of the Reds’ force from the opening whistle.  

UNB descended on Brock with relentless pressure, peppering goalie Connor Ungar with plenty of early chances. Despite looking strong early, Ungar was beaten by a shot six minutes in when UNB’s Austen Keating—the second leading scorer in the nation during the regular season—made a slick backhand feed off the half-wall to teammate Cody Morgan in the slot who ripped the puck over Ungar’s blocker. 

The Reds maintained their heavy offensive pressure throughout the first and, late in the period, found an opening to add to their one-goal lead.  

Falling victim to old habits, Brock took a penalty when Ryan Stepien was called for boarding, a situation made worse when Christophe Cote took a slashing minor while killing the penalty, subjecting the Badgers to a first-period 5-on-3.  

Nearly a minute into the two-man advantage, the Reds hemmed the exhausted Badgers group deep into their defensive zone with excellent passing. UNB’s Brady Gilmore received the puck in the right corner, wound up into the high in the slot and sent the puck to Benjamin Corbeil at the left dot who had to settle it down before dishing it to Kade Landry for a wide-open one-timer from the top of the right circle. Ungar had no chance to slide across as the Reds made it 2-0 on the powerplay.  

Brock managed to avoid a third goal against through the entire second period, but that had more to do with Ungar’s miraculous play than anything else. After two periods of play, Brock sat behind by an astounding 30-8 in shots, still two goals in the hole.  

Throughout most of the third period, the game progressed in much the same fashion. While still only down 2-0, the Badgers generated only four shots on goal while continuing to rely on Ungar who faced 15 shots in the period, three more than Brock would end up with in the entire contest.  

UNB eventually found their third goal of the night with three minutes left to play in the third thanks to a goal from Corbeil. Corbeil would collect his second goal of the night barely over a minute later, firing the puck into the empty net for an insurance marker at 18:07 in the third. That goal would just about wrap it up for the Badgers, losing 4-0 in the U Sports quarter finals.  

Despite the dispiriting loss, there were still plenty of positives for the Badgers this week.  

Ungar—Brock’s player of the game against UNB after stopping 41 of 44 shots—was named the U Sports Rookie of the Year on March 13^th. The award adds to what has already been a fantastic year for Ungar. Ungar already won several awards in the OUA for Rookie of the Year, Goaltender of the Year and First-Team All-Star. Ungar also set a new program record for wins with 20, a record previously held by Vegas Golden Knights goalie Logan Thompson when he played at Brock in 2019. Additionally, Ungar finished third in U Sports in saves (767), fifth in save percentage (.932) and ninth in goals against average (2.15).  

Ungar was not the only Badger to receive national accolades. Brock’s regular season leading scorer Jacob Roach was named to the U Sports All-Canadian Second Team where he joined Ungar. Sophomore Badger defenceman Jonah Boria was named to the U Sports All-Rookie Team, also joining Ungar in that recognition.  

Though this unfortunately marks the end of Badgers hockey for the year, Brock had an excellent season to build off and have many pieces in place to continue growing as one of the top hockey programs in Canada.  

To continue to follow along with the U Sports National Championships, visit usports.ca or go to CBC to watch live. 

One of the best seasons in program history came to an unfortunate but unforgettable end as Brock’s women’s volleyball team lost to the Acadia Axewomen on March 15^th. Despite losing the first two sets to put them behind the eight ball early, the Badgers battled back to win sets three and four before ultimately losing in the playoff set.  

Brock was a little slow to start, giving Acadia an opportunity that they pounced on. The Axewomen kicked the game off with a 6-2 run, with all of their points coming off assists from second-team All-Canadian setter Charlie Dean. Despite the early setback, the Badgers responded with a 7-2 run of their own, taking a 9-8 lead. With more scoring runs down the stretch, Brock pushed their lead to three, an advantage they maintained throughout most of the set.  

However, a missed serve by Emily Foest up 20-17 gave Acadia an opening, sparking a four-point run that put them back in the driver’s seat, now up 20-21. As the Badgers and Axewomen traded points, a powerful kill from Gigi Markotic seemed as though it might shift the momentum in Brock’s favour, now facing match point. However, they would find no such luck as Acadia held on, winning set one 23-25.  

While set two was even closer than the first, the Axewomen continued to show a fearsome presence on the defensive side of the net, something the Badgers struggled to work around.  

Brock opened with a 4-2 lead but soon surrendered it on a 10-5 run, falling behind 9-12. Just as quickly however they turned it around, going on a 7-1 run to restore their two-point lead, up 16-13. After pushing that lead further to 19-15, Brock seemed poised to take over the set.  

It would not last.  

Acadia came out with three straight points, trimming their deficit to only one. From there, the Axewomen repeatedly forced Badger side-outs, keeping the score within reach before eventually tying the game at 24. Brock had two chances to close out the set, but again Acadia forced two consecutive side-outs before scoring three straight, winning set two 26-28. 

Despite facing elimination after two sets, the Badgers showed no signs of feeling the pressure. In fact, it was the Axewomen who seemed to have the jitters walking into set three.  

Brock stormed out to a 10-1 run to open the set, powered by four kills from Sadie Dick as well as three blocks and a kill from Laurin Ainsworth. Acadia had no answers for Brock the rest of the way either. While the Axewomen had been the dominant blocking side in the first half, the tide had begun to shift in Brock’s favour.  

Not only were the Badgers getting up to challenge Acadia at the net more aggressively, but they were also doing an excellent job of manipulating the Axewomen’s block attempts, putting lots of balls off their opponent’s hands and forcing errors. The Badgers capped off a gutsy third set with a 7-4 run, winning by a convincing 25-15.  

Acadia mostly shook off whatever was holding them back in set three and jumped out to a 3-5 lead in the fourth, led by two blocks from middle Erica Fisher. As Brock added three straight points to jump ahead 6-5, they set the table for a return to the tightly fought, white-knuckled sets we’d seen in one and two.  

As the set progressed, Brock continued to force one-point side outs while going on short two-point runs, slowly building their lead. Up 13-10, Brock started to go on longer runs to grow their advantage. First, a four-point run, punctuated by back-to-back aces from Madison Chimienti, pushed Brock to a 17-11 lead. After giving up two straight points, a kill from Ainsworth and two Axewoman errors allowed the Badgers to follow that up with a three-point run, making them the first side to get over the 20-point hump.  

Though Acadia threatened to get back into the game with a three-point run of their own, an error and two more kills from Ainsworth gave the Badgers a set-point opportunity and, off a block by Dick, made good on their chance, winning 25-19 and forcing a playoff set.  

Going into the fifth set, all the momentum seemed to be at the Badgers’ backs. Brock grabbed the first point of the set, but the lead would prove a tough one to maintain. The Badgers and Axewomen traded short runs, seeing the lead change hands five times before the set reached its halfway point. On the fifth change, Brock went on a three-point run to go up 7-5, giving them their largest lead of the set and forcing Acadia to take a timeout.  

The Axewomen emerged from the pause with renewed energy, immediately going on a five-point run to claim a five-point lead. The Badgers, playing for their lives and only five points shy of elimination, wouldn’t be counted out and countered with a three-point run to tie the score at 10. 

From there, Brock’s magic seemed to run out. Chimienti went up hard to the net force Acadia’s Erica Fisher to commit an error but injured herself on the play. After flubbing the serve, she limped to the sideline where she spent the rest of the match. 

Afterwards, two questionable calls—one for a net violation and a dubious decision at the right sideline—put the Badgers behind late. Acadia closed the match out with two kills, winning the final set 12-15 and the match 3-2.  

The loss will certainly be a tough pill to swallow for Brock. Though they dropped the first two sets, both were by very slim margins and the Badgers looked like the superior team for much of the game, outscoring Acadia 86-69 overall as well as finishing with 20 more kills.  

While all Brock hitters reached double-digit kills, Dick was leaned on heavily by the Badgers’ offence, leading the match with 17 kills and only five errors on a massive 51 attempts. Foest and Chimienti also had a high-volume workload with each having 44 attempts, contributing 14 kills with 10 errors and 10 kills with nine errors respectively.   

Continuing her run as one of the most efficient hitters in the country, Markotic also added 12 kills on 27 attempts without committing a single error. In addition to tying Chimienti for the team lead in blocks with three, Ainsworth also had a strong outing, chipping in 11 kills on 22 attempts.  

Sara Rohr and Aleiah Torres also led the match in their respective categories. Recently anointed All-Canadian first-teamer Rohr came out on top in a matchup between two of the country’s top setters, finishing with 56 assists. Torres’ 26 digs led all players in the five-set match.  

While Brock played again on March 16^th in a consolation match against McMaster, they could be forgiven for not having given it their all after the heartbreaking loss. In what proved to be a short game, Brock lost 0-3 to McMaster, ending their season on a somewhat sour note.  

After such a successful season full of personal achievements and massive team victories, this weekend was certainly a disappointing end to the Badgers’ year. However, considering all they accomplished this year, fans have plenty to be thankful for and lots to look forward to next season. 

19 million Canadians watched some (if not all) of Super Bowl LVIII, making it the most-watched Super Bowl in Canada, and the most-watched broadcast of the year. Clearly, the appetite for NFL football is alive in Canada which is why Canadians deserve to have an NFL team of their own. 

For over 100 years, Canadians have been forced to support American NFL teams like the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers among others. While die-hard fans have developed fandom for their team down south, many Canadians would adore a team of their own, and Toronto would be the perfect place. 

The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) houses over 6 million people, making it the largest market in the U.S. or Canada that does not have an NFL franchise. 

Furthermore, the Toronto sports scene has been one that’s excelled for decades with both the Maple Leafs (NHL) and Raptors (NBA) selling out on a nightly basis, proving the admiration for professional sports in the city, which has gained the attention of many NFL owners. 

“It’s a great market and a great sports city,” said Arthur Black, the owner of the Atlanta Falcons, in 2019. “I know that everybody (among owners) is interested in that market, the Toronto market,” said Robert McNair, then-Houston Texans owner in 2013. 

And it’s a market that the NFL has had success in before. 

The Bills Toronto Series at Rogers Centre – the home of the Blue Jays (MLB) – hosted six regular season games and two preseason games from 2008 to 2013. The first four regular season games drew a near capacity crowd of over 50,000 people, which shows Torontonians devotion to football. 

Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, recognized Torontonians’ admiration for the sport, saying, “football is, and can be even more so, a very enthusiastically followed sport in Toronto.”  

A 2014 study done by a blog owned by ABC News which analyzed Google trends, affirmed Jones’ claim by estimating that there are 990,000 NFL fans in the GTA, which according to the study, is more fans than 19 current NFL teams including the Seattle Seahawks who won Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. 

Clearly Toronto has the football fanatics needed in an expansion franchise, and there are many commercial opportunities too. Toronto is the corporate capital of Canada which presents opportunities to establish partnerships with the many large corporations that reside in Toronto and countrywide. 

For the league itself it’s the perfect opportunity to branch into Canada by developing relationships with corporate partners up north, making Toronto a perfect blend of business opportunities and football enthusiasts. 

However, the major pitfall of a team in Toronto is where they would play?  

When asked about Toronto being a future NFL market, Commissioner Roger Goodell said that “a stadium up to NFL standards is going to be an important element.” 

Both the Rogers Centre, which is now solely a baseball stadium after undergoing a $300 million renovation, and BMO Field, which has a capacity of 31,000 – well under the average 70,000 capacity among all 30 NFL stadiums – leaves Toronto in an infrastructure crisis, plaguing their hopes of housing an NFL team in the near future. 

But with BMO Field being expanded when Toronto hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it presents the perfect opportunity for the NFL and prospective owner(s) of the Toronto NFL team to jump on board and assist in the development of BMO Field from a field to a stadium. 

Once the stadium situation is sorted out and with the NFL repeatedly hinting at expansion, there should be no reason why a team isn’t added in Toronto in the near future. 

For more information on the NFL, head to nfl.com. 

By: Tomas Morgan & Luke Sweeney 

In an event that’s usually a bit of a snooze-fest, this year’s NHL trade deadline was packed with big trades and acquisitions—even if they were mostly for one team. 

After an interesting deadline, Tomas and Luke will break down some of this year’s biggest moves as well as the winners and losers of the trade deadline. 

February 28^th: Chris Tanev to the Stars 

With the deadline still over a week away, the Stars got to work early picking up defenceman Chris Tanev from the Calgary Flames, widely expected to be one of this year’s hottest commodities. The Flames received prospect Artem Grushnikov, a second-round pick this year and a conditional third-round pick in 2026. The New Jersey Devils also picked up a fourth-round pick from the stars in order to retain a portion of Tanev’s salary. 

Luke: Stars defenceman Thomas Harley has been a revelation since moving to the top pairing alongside Miro Heiskanen, and while the two form a formidable duo, it left the Stars’ bottom pairs weakened. Tanev has for quite some time been among the best defensive players in the NHL, though at 35-years-old and with injury issues in recent years, it’s worth questioning how well he’ll hold up in a long playoff run. Nevertheless, the acquisition cost is fairly low for the quality of play he can provide when healthy. 

Tomas: The Dallas Stars were easily a top five team in the league before the acquisition of Tanev. Adding Tanev to their D-core gives LHD Essa Lindel a veteran stay at home defenseman to play with and allows for, almost 40-year-old, Ryan Suter to move down to the bottom pairing alongside Jani Hakanpaa. At a low cost this trade allowed Dallas to balance out their weakest part of the line up in hopes of a long playoff run.  

March. 5^th: Anthony Mantha to Vegas 

The Vegas Golden Knights made their first move of what would prove to be a busy trade deadline, picking up forward for a second-round pick this year and a fourth in 2026. 

Luke: Though Mantha’s play has been up-and-down in recent years, he should be able to offer significant value insulated in a bottom-six role for a Vegas forward corps that is shaping up to be very deep. Mantha’s performed well in such a role with Washington this year and fits the profile of players Vegas seems to covet. Though not super physical, Mantha’s big, fast, has a capable scoring touch, and could conceivably play higher in the lineup in the event of injuries.  

Tomas: Mantha is not the flashiest of players and will often go many games in a row where you don’t even think he’s playing. But as Luke mentioned, he has performed well in Washington this year and when he gets hot, he has a lethal shot that any team would want to play in their bottom 6. This addition by Vegas signaled to all in the organization and around the NHL that they would be all-in again. It will be interesting to see how Mantha’s game adjusts in playoffs – if Vegas gets in – but with someone of his stature, if he wants to, he should have no trouble with the extra physicality come playoff time.  

March 6^th: Vladimir Tarasenko to the Panthers 

After Ottawa Senators fans whined all season about Tarasenko being able to fetch a first-round pick at the deadline, the former 40-goal scorer was shipped off to Florida for a modest acquisition cost of a fourth and a fifth-round pick.  

Luke: Long gone are the days of stardom for Tarasenko, but in the right situation, he can still easily offer value as a low-calorie goal scorer, despite being one of the worst defensive players in the league. Florida certainly seems to fit the bill. They play a fast, heavy forechecking game that should give Tarasenko plenty of opportunities to use his skill to find looks as the third forward. Florida also has a plethora of defensively-sound, workmanlike forwards who can shelter the team from his gaffs.  

Tomas: Tarasenko did not live up to expectations in Ottawa just like the rest of the team this season. A lot of fans were hoping he would return to prime Tarasenko from playing a full year on a young, fast, Senators team but that did not happen. He managed 41 points in 57 games with Senators playing in a middle six role. When he was given the chance to waive his no-move clause (NMC) to go to Florida, he did not hesitate, as that is where his wife and kids are located. Florida is arguably the scariest team in the league and adding a pure goal scorer in Tarasenko to the bottom 6 makes them even more of a threat.  

March 6^th: Sean Walker to the Avalanche: 

The Avs made their first trade of the day by acquiring defenceman Sean Walker and a fifth-round pick from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Ryan Johansen and a 2025 first-round pick. 

Luke: Walker has played exceptionally well in Philly this year, meshing perfectly into coach John Tortorella’s aggressive rush tactics. He should fit in equally well into Colorado’s system (especially in a smaller role), provide a more defensive lean to their D-corps, and make other players expendable. The cost was expensive, but also market-value for a top-four defenceman. More than that, the deal is massive for the Flyers. Walker was acquired a year ago as a smaller piece in a deal along with a second-round pick, Cal Peterson and Helge Grans, making the initial trade all the sweeter.  

Tomas: Walker is not the flashiest name but at this year’s trade deadline he was highly coveted which is why Philly was able to fetch a first-round pick. Walker, like Tanev, balances out Colorado’s blueline allowing for Josh Manson to play on the third pair and giving Samuel Girard a better puck mover to play with. This will allow Colorado to attack its opposition with its second defensive pair like how they deploy Toews and Makar.  

March 6^th: Edmonton Acquires Adam Henrique and Sam Carrick 

The Oilers trade for Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick, Ty Taylor and a 7th-round draft pick, sending a first-round pick and a conditional fifth to Anaheim. The Oilers also sent a fourth to Tampa Bay to retain a portion of Henrique salary. 

Luke: For the cost, this was a poor trade for the Oilers. Henrique is a capable middle-six forward, but based on the market this year, the players available, and how much other, arguably superior players went for, this makes little sense.  

Tomas: I agree with Luke on this. Adam Henrique is having a career year – on pace for 57 points – at age 34 and it’s obvious why. Playing on the Anaheim Ducks, he was deployed in almost every situation and played 17:32 a night, his second most on average since 2017-18. His production will likely drop off as he is projected to play in the bottom 6 in Edmonton. The Oilers would’ve been better off acquiring Anthony Mantha for a lesser price.  

March 6^th: Colorado exchange Bowen Byram and Casey Mittlestadt 

Luke: One-for-one trades are always interesting. I definitely like this trade for Colorado. Mittlestadt has quietly been one of the NHL’s premier playmakers over the past two years and led the Sabers in scoring upon his departure. The Avalanche have desperately lacked secondary scoring since Kadri’s departure and Landeskog’s injury. Mittlestadt should provide some security here as well as possibly help raise Val Nichushkin’s game, who has been prolific on the powerplay but had less scoring success at even strength.  

In my view, things are much less certain for the Sabers. Byram was a highly touted defence prospect, but his development has stagnated in Colorado, in part due to finding himself stuck behind Cale Makar, Devon Toews and—to an extent—Sam Girard in the depth chart, but also largely due to extensive concussion issues. While Buffalo offers a fresh start and perhaps more opportunity, I worry that some of the issues may persist. Byram has played quite poorly recently and, if injury related, that’s not an issue that can totally be fixed. As well, Buffalo also has a depth chart crowded with young, talented defencemen in Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power, who also, like Byram, both shoot left. While he’s entering a lower-stakes situation with more leeway, there’s the unfortunate possibility that he may not have much room to grow.  

Tomas: In my eyes this is a fair trade for both sides. Colorado have been looking for a second line center ever since the start of the season when Ryan Johansson did not work out in that role. Byram, as Luke mentioned, has been stuck playing limited minutes for the Avalanche and a change of scenery could help him blossom into the player he was projected to be, when picked 4^th overall in 2019. Byram is also friends with many of Buffalo’s young players including Devon Levi, Peyton Krebs, Dylan Cozens and Jack Quinn as they played together at the 2020 and 2021 world junior championship. Adding Byram to a familiar core of young players that have all played together could be a recipe for success, which the Sabers have been lacking for the past 20 years.  

March 6^th: Vegas Lands Hanifin from Calgary 

Vegas netted another big fish sending a first-round pick in 2025, defenseman Daniil Miromanov, and a conditional third-round pick 2025 to Calgary for defenceman Noah Hanifin. Philadelphia also picked up a fifth-round pick to retain some of Hanifin’s salary. 

Luke: Hanifin was the biggest name moved to this point and bolsters an already impressive Vegas blueline. With rumors of an extension looming, it also seems unlikely that they’ll have to make another move here for the foreseeable future. Though Hanifin is solid-not-spectacular and likely out of his depth as a No.1 in Calgary, it feels like that Flames should have been able to bring in more for one of the top players on the market. Vegas is one of the top teams in the league, making their first not very valuable. Daniil Miromanov—only sixth months younger than Hanifin—is not really a prospect either.  

Tomas: The price for Noah Hanifin before this trade was made was rumored to be astronomical. It was also rumored that Tampa Bay was going to be the team getting him as he wanted to go south to Florida. When he was traded to Vegas and at the price it ended up being, it honestly shook the hockey world. How could Vegas add another all-star defenseman to an already stacked blueline and not send one of Nicholas Hague or Brayden McNabb the other way? Noah Hanifin is Vegas’ 3^rd or 4^th defenseman behind Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theordore and maybe Alec Martinez, depending on how much Bruce Cassidy trusts Hanifin. If they make playoffs, Vegas has the best team on paper by far.  

March 7^th: Toronto Acquires Joel Edmundson from Washington  

Tomas: When you think Joel Edmundson, you think big, tough, cross checks and there is a reason for that. That is all he has going for him. Edmundson was playing on the bottom pairing of a struggling Washington Capitals team before being acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 3^rd and 5^th round pick. Edmundson is not the player he once was in St. Louis or Montreal and has little to no positive impact on the game when it is played beyond the front of his net. A questionable move by first year general manager Brad Treliving, to say the least.  

Luke: Edmunson is good at being a thug, not so much at being a hockey player. The acquisition price is laughably high for a 30-year-old player of his caliber. 

March 7^th: Yakov Trenin to Colorado for prospects and pick 

Tomas: Yakov Trenin is your stereotypical trade deadline add. It seems like a handful of players like Trenin get dealt at each deadline. Trenin is a bottom six forward who is solid defensively but if put in the right situation can thrive in the offensive zone. Trenin was one of the many bright spots on the Nashville Predators this season, scoring ten goals and adding four assists while getting no powerplay time and playing 15 minutes a night in a checking role. Trenin will slide into Colorado’s line up nicely on the right wing playing with Ross Colton and Miles Wood in a checking role. Solid addition to an already great Avalanche squad.  

Luke: While Trenin’s numbers don’t jump off the page, he’s performed well in a depth role in Nashville, and should continue to do so (or even elevate his play) with a better team around him in Colorado. Among players who have played above 400 minutes at five-on-five, Trenin averages 6.85 shots per 60 minutes (slightly ahead of stars like Tim Stuetzle, Sam Reinhart, Brayden Point and Quentin Byfield) while generating a very solid 0.84 ixG/60 on those attempts. Trenin is also 41^st in the league in Hits/60. In short, Trenin’s demonstrated his ability to generate lots of high-quality shots and play physically in limited ice-time, a perfect fit for Colorado’s bottom-six.  

March 7^th: Carolina wins the Jake Guentzel sweepstakes  

The Carolina Hurricanes acquired forward Jake Guentzel and defenseman Ty Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Michael Bunting, prospects Vasily Ponomarev, Ville Koivunen, Cruz Lucius, a conditional first-round pick in 2024 and a conditional fifth-round pick in 2024.  

Luke: Guentzel was probably the best player available at this year’s deadline and the Canes did well to snap him up without giving up any of their top prospects. Carolina has been looking to add a high-end scoring forward through the trade market for a long time and that’s exactly what Guentzel brings. He creates shots and scoring chances at some of the highest rates in the league and is 23^rd in the league in goals over the last three years. On Pittsburgh’s end, this is a little disappointing though not a total failure. Bunting was a poor fit in Carolina but could conceivably play very well next to Crosby should they decide to slot him there, softening the initial blow. The Penguins opted for more of a “quantity-over-quality” approach with the other returning assets. Ponomarev is a solid prospect who could factor into their lineup as soon as this year, though likely in a bottom-six role long term. Koivunen is another solid prospect—playing at a near point-per-game pace in Finland’s top league—but again projects as complimentary middle-six winger with skill and smarts. Lucius is the most interesting as a highly skilled player who will likely struggle to find a role or production in the NHL.  

Tomas: I agree with Luke’s analysis on this trade as well. Guentzel has been a top goal scorer in the league for many years now playing alongside Sidney Crosby. The one question that I still ask myself is “will Guentzel produce as much away from Sidney Crosby”? Crosby is one of the greatest players of all time and arguably the second best playmaker of all time. Guentzel benefited from playing on his line for many years and I wonder if the transition to playing in Carolina’s system will be a bit of a bumpy one.   

March 8^th: Winnipeg Jets acquire Tyler Toffoli  

The Jets netted Tyler Toffoli from the New Jersey Devils, giving up a third this year and a second in 2025. 

Luke: Despite curious lineup decisions playing a large role in this, the Jets have been searching for another top-six forward and found a low-risk option in Toffoli for a modest price. Toffoli has bounced around from team to team over the last few years with varying levels of success. More of a cerebral, position scorer than a burner and a sniper, Toffoli struggled in New Jersey’s high-pace, rush-heavy offence but is a good bet to bounce back in Rick Bowness’ system in Winnipeg.  

Tomas: Toffoli is a great addition for the Jets. At the cost of just a 2^nd and 3^rd round pick he will most likely slot onto Winnipeg’s second line alongside Nikolaj Ehlers and Sean Monahan. Toffoli is familiar with Monahan’s play as they played alongside each other in Calgary back in 2021-22. The Jets are hoping that chemistry can be reignited as when on a line together, Toffoli scored at nearly a point per game pace.  

March 8^th: Vegas lands Tomas Hertl via San Jose  

The Knights picked up Tomas Hertl along with two third-round picks from the Sharks for prospect David Edstrom and a first in 2025. The Sharks also retained 17% of Hertl’s salary for the next seven years. 

Luke: This is a coup for Vegas and a catastrophic failure for the Sharks. The Sharks had the option to trade Hertl at 2022’s deadline as a pending UFA garnering a ton of interest around the league. Instead, they signed him to an expensive eight-year deal. Hertl’s large contract undoubtedly lowered the price the Sharks could ask for realistically the only valuable trade chip remaining on their otherwise pathetic roster. Even so, the price was much too low. Edstrom is a solid prospect, but projects more as a two-way middle-six player rather than a key piece of San Jose’s rebuild. Barring an unprecedented failure, Vegas should expect to be a contender next year as well, making the first-round pick a less valuable asset. They also gave up two third-round picks which is simply non-sensical given how much of a sweetheart deal this already is for Vegas. The Sharks have also now used all three of their salary retention spots for the next three years making future trades more difficult and third-party retention impossible. On a personal level, the Sharks locker-room is apparently devastated by the loss. The Sharks’ Mike Grier is quickly making an impression as one of the worst GMs in the NHL. 

Tomas: Tomas Hertl, being dealt minutes before the trade deadline was set to be over on March 8, is one of the craziest trades many of us have seen as fans. Not only was it a suprise that a player with that much term got dealt with but it was to the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas had already acquired two of the biggest players up this time and adding a third, who to all media members accounts, was not even available, is a tidy job by Vegas general manager Kelly McCrimmon. Hertl will most likely return day one of playoffs alongside star winger Mark Stone, putting Vegas over the salary cap for the third consecutive year in playoffs. If this Vegas team is ever fully healthy, it may be the best team we have seen – on paper – in quite some time. They will be a force to be wrecking with in playoffs.  

Trade Deadline Winners: 

Vegas Golden Knights: Luke: In Hanifin and Hertl, Vegas added likely two of the four best players at the deadline and traded for a solid piece in Mantha as well. Considering the low acquisition cost, this deadline was huge for the Knights and their Cup chances. 

Colorado Avalanche: Luke: Similar to Vegas, the Avs added two very functional pieces this deadline. While the price was arguably higher, Mittlestadt and Walker addressed two important needs and gave away Byram, a struggling young player in need of a change of scenery.  

Carolina Hurricanes: Tomas: The Carolina Hurricanes have struggled to get over the hump the last three years making the Eastern Conference finals in all three and getting swept in all three years. The addition of Jake Guentzel finally moves away from the old philosophies of management that would only acquire players with term left on their contracts and shows the Hurricane players and fans that they are committed to winning now. They also managed to keep all their top prospects while acquiring Guentzel who inserts himself into the lineup as arguably their number one option offensively. The Hurricanes also managed to pick up Kuznetsov for just a third-round pick which is quite the low risk, high reward trade.  

Trade Deadline Losers: 

San Jose Sharks: The Sharks parted with one of the deadline’s top players (in addition to mysteriously tacking on two third-round picks) while only acquiring two low-ceiling assets, a future first and Edstrom, who projects more as a middle-of-the-lineup forward. More importantly, retaining Hertl’s salary leaves them without a salary retention slot for three years, a critical blow for a rebuilding team with little hope on the horizon.  

Edmonton Oilers: Tomas: Ken Holland continues to prove that he is not good at his job by adding Adam Henrique, Sam Carrick and Troy Stetcher to the Oilers line up. The assets traded for these three players could have been pooled and traded for one great offensive player to round out the Oilers top 6. Instead the Oilers are now relying on Adam Henrique to be the offensive juggernaut that he is not. Sam Carrick and Troy Stetcher are also replacement level players and thus do not move the needle on the blueline. 

Toronto Maple Leafs: Tomas: Like Edmonton’s General Manager, Toronto’s is not much better, if not he is probably worse. In a record-breaking year for Auston Matthews and William Nylander, Treliving added a fourth line centre, and two 7^th defensemen. None of the players brought in are upgrades from what the Maple Leafs already have and instead players such as Joel Edmundson and Ilya Lyubushkin, may end up taking Timothy Liljegren and Simon Benoit spot in the lineup, who both have been the leafs most reliable defenseman this year.  

The U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball Championship will be taking place this weekend from March 14^th to 17^th in Kingston, as the country’s eight best teams will be competing for national glory. 

(8) Guelph Gryphons 

The Guelph Gryphons (15-5) are the eighth seed, qualifying for the tournament as the OUA Bronze Medalist after defeating the Brock Badgers in a five-set thriller. 

Offensively, the Gryphons are led by left-side hitter Jonathan Pickett who tallied the third-most kills (266) and kills per set (3.75) in the OUA during the regular season, a big reason why the Gryphons rank first in the province in team kills per set (11.74). 

On defence, Guelph is strong at the net, registering the most blocks (184) and blocks per set (2.48) in Ontario and will look to use their length at the net to nullify teams’ attacking opportunities and go on a Cinderella run.  

(7) Laval Rouge et Or 

The Laval Rouge et Or (10-6) finished as runners-up in RSEQ, losing to the Sherbrooke Vert et Or in five sets. 

The Rouge et Or are a well-rounded team with numerous weapons on both offence and defence.  

Nicolas Fortin leads the offence in kills with 286 – 55 more than the second-highest player in Quebec – while teammate Charles St-Aubin ranks first in RSEQ in assists (648) and assists per set (10.29). 

Defensively, Jonathan Girard finished first in the league in blocks (93) as William Bergeron ranks first in digs (160) and digs per set (2.54). 

These players will be relied upon as Laval looks for their first U SPORTS title since the 2013 season. 

(6) UBC Thunderbirds 

The UBC Thunderbirds (16-8) won the Canada West Bronze after a five-set comeback victory against the Winnipeg Wesmen. 

Leading the Thunderbirds is libero Logan Greves who ranks first in the league in digs (242) and digs per set (2.55) as UBC leads Canada West in both those categories. 

In net play, the Thunderbirds are second in kills per set (12.11) and will look for their strong play at the net and superb defence to lead them to their fifth National Championship in school history. 

(5) Trinity Western Spartans 

Last season’s national champions (16-8) are looking to win their eighth national championship and be the first team to go back-to-back since they won consecutive championships in 2016 and 2017. 

The Canada West runners-up are a dominant team in the service game, registering the second-most aces in their conference this season with 180 and the most aces per set (1.91). 

Henry Rempel leads Canada West in kills per set (4.23) and ranks second in kills with 398, as his experience after being a focal point of the 2023 National Championship, tallying five kills and two blocks in the title game will be invaluable as the Spartans are looking to repeat as winners. 

(4) Queen’s Gaels 

The Queen’s Gaels (15-5) are the OUA finalist, losing a five-set nail-biter to the McMaster Marauders in the Forsyth Cup. 

Queen’s are the OUA leaders in aces (171) and aces per set (2.48) as Erik Siksna leads the province in both of those categories. The fifth-year outside hitter is also dominant at the net, ranking sixth in kills per set (3.50) and third in hitting percentage (.339) in the OUA. 

The Gaels, who are hosting this year’s tournament, are looking to ace their way to their first-ever Men’s Volleyball National Championship title and there would be no better place to do it than on their home court. 

(3) McMaster Marauders 

The OUA Champion McMaster Marauders (16-4) also have unfinished business after losing in the semifinals of last year’s tournament to Trinity Western and being forced to settle for bronze. 

The Forsyth Cup Champions are dominant in all three phases of the game: offence, defence and the service game. 

The Marauders sit third in both kills (875) and kills per set (11.67) in the OUA, while ranking second in aces (122), aces per set (1.63), blocks (167) and blocks per set (2.23) during the regular season. 

Outside hitter Brendan Mills is the focal point of the McMaster attack, ranking second in the province in kills (281) and kills per set (3.85) as Mills’ offensive prowess will be necessary as the Marauders seek their first title in school history. 

(2) Alberta Golden Bears 

The Alberta Golden Bears (18-6) won the Canada West Championship after defeating the 2023 National Champion Trinity Western Spartans in four sets. 

Isaac Heslinga leads the Golden Bears attack, ranking first in the conference in hitting percentage (.380), second in kills per set (4.14) and fourth in kills (373). 

On defence, Alberta is authoritative at the net, placing fourth in blocks (219) and third in blocks per set (2.43), complementing their strong net attack. 

The nine-time U SPORTS Champions are also superior in the service game, tallying the fourth-most aces (153) and aces per set (1.70) as they seek their country-leading 10^th Men’s Volleyball National Championship. 

(1) Sherbrooke Vert et Or 

The Sherbrooke Vert et Or (16-0) are the top seed in the tournament, but head to Kingston with unfinished business after losing last season’s National Championship title game to Trinity Western in a three-set sweep. 

The RSEQ Champions rank first or second in Quebec in nearly every team statistical category, finishing the regular season with the highest assists per set (11.54), hitting percentage (.286) and blocks per set (2.75), while ranking second in kills per set (11.98) and aces per set (1.36) in the province. 

Sherbrooke’s Julien Vanier is the centrepiece of the Vert et Or’s success, ranking fourth in hitting percentage (.329), second in aces (21), third in blocks (70) and eighth in points (149) in the RSEQ conference. 

Vanier’s leadership will be vital if the Vert et Or want to finish atop the podium and win their first national title since 1975. 

For more information about the U SPORTS Men’s Volleyball National Championship, head to usports.ca. 

The Brock Badgers’ men’s volleyball team lost 3-2 in heartbreaking fashion to the Guelph Gryphons, finishing fourth in the OUA and one win shy of advancing to the U SPORTS National Championships. 

Devin Cooney, OUA Second-Team All-Star, led the team with 18 kills while Grant Reddon – the OUA’s regular season leader in assists per set – recorded a team-high 51 assists in the match. 

Reddon was influential early, registering kills on six of Brock’s first eight points leading to the 8-7 lead. However, the Gryphons, led by Jonathan Pickett’s seven kills in the set and a superb attacking percentage of .625, responded by going on an 18-7 run to win the first set 25-15. 

In the second set, the Badgers were on the front foot jumping to a 9-5 advantage after a trio of Guelph attacking errors forced the visitors to call their first timeout. After the Badgers extended their lead to six, 15-9, the visitors went on a 5-1 run to cut Brock’s lead to two, forcing a Badgers’ timeout. 

After the timeout, the teams traded points until the Gryphons took the lead, 24-22. 

Facing a pair of set points, kills by Kylar Code and Eric Scott levelled the set at 24 before a Guelph attacking error – one of their nine in the set – gave the Badgers set point of their own. 

However on set point, Pickett smashed a kill, negating the set point which started a marathon back-and-forth end to the set. With the set tied at 33, Guelph’s Alexander Odle and Pickett registered two of Guelph’s 26 kills in the set – the most of either team in any set – to win set two 35-33 and take a commanding 2-0 lead, one set away from booking their ticket to Kingston for the National Championships. 

With their sights set on nationals, the Gryphons jumped to a 4-1 and 12-9 lead in the third, but the Badgers swiftly responded in authoritative fashion. The Badgers scored 16 of the next 18 points, including nine points in a row, to win the set 25-14, jubilating the Bob Davis Gymnasium. 

The Badgers continued their momentum in the fourth going on a 5-1 run early to take the lead and gain control of the set. The Badgers extended their lead to 22-14, three points away from forcing a fifth set, but the Gryphons had other ideas. 

A pair of Guelph kills and two of Brock’s eight attacking errors in the set, cut the lead to four, forcing a timeout from Brock coach Ian Eibbitt. 

Eibbitt’s timeout was beneficial as the Badgers reclaimed control and won the set 25-18, after a Cooney kill and back-to-back Guelph attacking errors levelled the match at two sets apiece. 

In the fifth and decisive set, the Gryphons once again were on fire early, going up 4-1 and 6-2. A Guelph attacking error and a kill by Jacob Ferland cut the deficit in half before the Gryphons rallied for three consecutive points, taking a 9-4 lead. 

The Gryphons remained in control for the duration of the set, winning 15-11, eliminating the Badgers from advancing to the National Championships. 

For more information on the Brock Badgers’ men’s volleyball team, head to gobadgers.ca. 

The NCAA and CHL have operated as two completely separate entities for many years now. But a rumour is swirling that the NCAA and CHL may be in discussion about a potential merger to allow CHL players to go play NCAA hockey after they age out of the league.  

Currently, the rules are very simple. As soon as you play a single game for a CHL team you are unable to go play in the NCAA. With the rise of the NCAA and USA hockey in the past ten years, many more Canadians have been opting out of the CHL at sixteen years old and are playing major junior instead (junior A, junior B, etc) allowing them to go play in the NCAA. 

So after decades of operating separately, why merge now?  

Well, the recent NIL rule that has been reached, which allows players in the NCAA to make money off their name, image, and likeness can be a big recruiting aspect for all schools across the USA now. Instead of starting to play in the CHL at 16 years old, why wait a couple of years, go play in the States and make money off of your NIL?  

The CHL may see this as a threat to their talent pool and thus they would like to work out a deal with the NCAA.  

For the NCAA, a merger would benefit them because they would be able to recruit players after they have played a few seasons in the CHL. It would expand their recruitment pool and lead to high competition.  

But in the case a merger does occur U Sports would get the short end of the stick. Currently, USports is where many former CHL players come to play if they do not have any intriguing pro offers. They come to further their education and playing abilities in hopes of going pro after or moving into the workforce. If the NCAA were able to recruit CHL players as well, it would diminish the level of hockey in U Sports.  

U Sports would most likely lose many of their players to the NCAA because they have better programs than Canadian universities. This would be detrimental to U Sports as programs across Canada have started to produce professional talent with many players each year moving on to play in the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League).  

If the NCAA and CHL were to merge and form an agreement that would allow players to play in both leagues, it would likely set back U-Sports in terms of the level of competition and individual talent.  

The Brock men’s basketball team made the trip to Quebec City to participate in the U-Sports nationals. Their quarter-final matchup took place on March 8 as they faced up against Dalhousie University.  

Dalhousie finished with just one more win than Brock in the regular season and went on to win the Atlantic University Sport Championship beating STFX 100-79 in the finals. Thus, Brock was set for a tough matchup against the Tigers and tough it was.  

Dalhousie got off to a great offensive start scoring 21 in the first quarter and holding Brock to just seven. It did not get much better for the Badgers in the second quarter as they scored just six points in the quarter to Dalhousie’s 19.  

The score after the first half of play was 40-15, making for Brock’s worst-scoring first half all season long. Brock would have to turn it to another gear if they were going to find a way to win the game.  

The Badgers outscored Dalhousie in both the third and fourth quarter but it was not enough to erase the deficit of the first half. They lost 68-51 in their quarter-final matchup thus bumping them to the consultation bracket.  

In the consultation semi-finals, Brock drew the University of Victoria. Victoria had won their third consecutive finals against the Winnipeg Westmen in the Canadian West Conference Championship game. Brock had another tough matchup to try and make the third-place game. 

Once again Brock got off to a slow start being outscored in the first two quarters and trailed 43-31 at halftime. Isaiah Bujdoso was their leading scorer through the first half registering five points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal.  

Victoria came out with the same amount of intensity for the third quarter and outscored the Badgers 18-12 extending the lead. The Badgers finally found their game in the fourth but it was too little too late. They outscored the Vikes 18-10 in the final frame but lost 71-61.  

Brock ended their season 0-2 at U-Sports nationals but that does not take away from the amazing run they had this season in making it to the OUA final as the 10th seed.  

For more information on the team, visit gobadgers.ca 

Brock’s women’s volleyball completed the three-peat on March 8^th, taking home the 2024 Quigley Cup on International Women’s Day.  

After losing the first set, the Badgers took down the third-ranked McMaster Marauders 3-1 in front of 700 fans at the Bob Davis Gymnasium.  

Despite a few lead changes, set one was dead even with both sides performing well from the outset. A kill by Emily Foest opened the scoring for the Badgers who held that slim lead throughout the first half of the set. However, the Marauders’ determination was on full display, tying the score 12 times before going on a run to take a more secure lead. Capitalizing on three Badger errors, McMaster went on a critical 4-0 run to put them ahead 20-17. Brock was soon able to trim that advantage to only one, but the Marauders again pulled away, winning set one 22-25.  

In set two, it was McMaster’s turn to break the ice, but two errors and two aces from Badger Laurin Ainsworth put Brock right back in the driver’s seat, up 4-1. Again demonstrating their poise, the Marauders never let the Badgers build on their three-point advantage and eventually churned out a four-point run of their own, taking a 13-14 lead over Brock.  

The Badgers would make sure McMaster’s reversal was short-lived.  

Brock immediately responded with a 2-0 run to restore their lead and, shortly after, followed that up with a three-point run, extending their lead to 20-17 and forcing the Marauders into an uphill battle. Another three-point run by the Badgers only a few points later only cemented their advantage. Now up 24-20, Brock closed out the set with a block from Gigi Markotic to level the game 1-1.  

While the first two sets had seen two evenly matched opponents duking it out, in set three, McMaster did a lot of Brock’s work for them. The Badgers jumped out to an 8-2 lead, four points coming off kills from Ainsworth, Sadie Dick and Madison Chimienti while the other four all came off Marauder errors.  

McMaster managed to clean up their play a degree and were able to work their way back into a much more manageable two-point deficit. However, the Marauders just as quickly succumbed to a crippling seven-point run by the Badgers. Several Badgers were instrumental in the scoring surge, with Markotic recording two blocks and a kill and Chimienti and Dick each putting up two kills and a block over that span.  

Now down 20-11 and not willing to be counted out, the Marauders put together an impressive scoring stretch, outscoring Brock 9-2 and cutting their lead down to only 22-20. Nevertheless, the Badgers managed to halt McMaster’s momentum in its tracks. Brock scored three of the final four points to win 25-21 in a set that suddenly became a nailbiter out of nowhere.  

After struggling to maintain their discipline at the net through three sets, the Badgers put everything together in a dominant fourth set. 

Brock fell into an early 1-3 hole but, following that, had an answer for everything the Marauders threw their way, instantly responding with a cataclysmic 9-0 run. Though there were chances for McMaster to get back into the set, they were again their own worst enemy. For the second set in a row, the Marauders committed nine errors while Brock was perfect at the net with 11 kills and zero errors on 24 attempts. Down 22-15, McMaster fizzled out at the finish, committing three more errors and losing 25-16, delivering Brock the provincial championship. 

All of Brock’s big guns came to play in their final OUA game of the year. Dick led the team with 15 kills and also had six blocks.  

While Chimienti was the only other Badger to hit double-digits in kills (10), Markotic fell just shy with nine while converting on a third of her attempts. Markotic also led the game with an impressive nine blocks.  

As per usual, Sara Rohr did an excellent job on both sides of the ball, dictating the offence with a game-high 42 assists while also leading the way with a game-high 15 digs.  

This caps off a tremendous week for many Badgers, especially Rohr. On March 4^th, Rohr was named the OUA’s Player of the Year, sharing the award with Queens’ Hannah Duchesneau.  

Rohr, Foest and Markotic (who also finished fourth in the country in hitting percentage) were all named to the OUA’s First All-Star Team while Dick was selected to the Second Team. Freshman middle Emma Baruchelli was also named to the OUA All-Rookie Team.  

This star-studded cast heads to Hamilton next weekend for the U-Sports quarter-final on March 15^th with their opponent yet to be determined.  

For updates and the teams’ full schedule, visit gobadgers.ca. 

After being eliminated from the OUA semi-finals by the TMU Bold last week, Brock’s men’s hockey team lost their third game in a row, falling to the McGill Redbirds on March. 9^th by a score of 2-5.  

The Badgers opened the game by conceding an early interference penalty to the Redbirds, bringing them up to a playoff-leading 21^st time playing shorthanded. McGill’s Charles-Antoine Dumont scored on the Redbirds’ first shot of the man advantage, putting the Badgers behind 0-1 five minutes into the first period.  

Less than a minute and a half later, the Badgers surrendered another goal when the OUA playoff-leading scorer Eric Uba buried McGill’s 0-2 goal in tight to the Badgers’ crease.  

Giving up goals in bunches has been a struggle for the Badgers thus far in the postseason. Uba’s goal marked the fourth time in six games that they have given up consecutive goals less than five minutes apart and the third time they had given up back-to-back goals less than three minutes apart. 

Now finding themselves in a significant hole with over five-sixths of the match remaining, Brock had to force the issue against the Redbirds to try and even the score. Despite managing to bring the shot total back to an even 12-12 after one, the Badgers were unable to solve opposing goaltender Alexis Shank and remained down by two going into the next period.  

In a game that had already featured several classic Badger patterns, Brock found the back of the net one minute and 50 seconds into the second, to this point the fifth time in six postseason games the team had been able to score less than three-and-a-half minutes into a period. Captain Jared Marino collected the assist as Ryan Stepien scored his team-leading third goal of the playoffs as the Badgers brought the score to 1-2.  

It was not long afterwards that McGill re-asserted their two-goal cushion. Brock seemed to take their foot off the gas after coming within one and ended up surrendering 20 shots in the second alone, more than goalie Connor Ungar could stave off single-handedly. The Redbirds went up 1-3 just past the six-minute mark in the second period and, with less than five to pay in the middle frame, stretched their lead to 1-4.  

Just like the previous period, after giving up two unanswered goals, Brock came out firing to begin the third and again scored almost immediately to make it 2-4. Defenceman Ryan Thompson carried the puck deep into the Redbirds’ zone before finding Justin Brack in the slot at 1:25, now the sixth time in as many games that they’d scored less than three-and-a-half minutes into a period.  

Despite making the score close, upping the ante, and limiting McGill to only six shots, the Badgers couldn’t cut further into the lead. Brock pulled the goalie with plenty of time still on the clock and unfortunately gave up an empty netter to Uba for his second of the game, losing 5-2.  

Despite the loss, Brock could still have plenty of hockey to play this season. The Badgers will travel to Toronto for two quarter-final games next week, first on Thursday, March. 14^th and again the following day.  

For their full schedule and updates on their opponents, go to gobadgers.ca. 

The Badgers wrapped up their best-of-three quarter-final against the Windsor Lancers on Feb. 24^th with a 4-3 game two double-overtime victory. The win also solidified Brock’s slot in the U Sports national championship in March.  

Brock opened the series on Feb. 22^nd, lining up for game one on the road, travelling to Windsor’s Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex for the initial match. 

Early on, it seemed like Brock’s regular season struggles away from home might bleed into the playoffs. Cole Tymkin put the Badgers behind the eight ball right off the bat with an undisciplined slashing minor, sending the Lancers to the powerplay just four minutes in. Windsor’s Grant Spence got the offence going from there, putting the Lancers up 1-0 with a goal just over five minutes into the first frame.  

Less than a minute later, the Badgers came back with a vengeance.  

Zach Taylor grabbed Brock’s first goal of the playoffs to tie the game at one and, thanks to a powerplay opportunity two minutes after Taylor’s goal, found themselves in prime position to wrestle back the lead.  

Badger freshman Ryan Stepien made no mistake on the man advantage, delivering Brock a 2-1 lead less than 10 minutes into the contest.  

Stepien’s powerplay marker lit a fire under the Badgers and from that point on, there was little that the Lancers could do. 

Jordan Stock stretched the lead to two with 11 minutes elapsed in the first, but Brock wouldn’t stop there. Repaying his team for the early penalty, Tymkin added two more goals to close the frame, both times the assists coming from regular season scoring leaders Jacob Roach and Tyler Burnie. Thanks to 14 first-period shots and an avalanche of goals, the Badgers went into the second, already blowing out Windsor 5-1.  

Not keen to let the momentum falter, Brock got right back on their horse.  

David Jesus of the Lancers took a hooking penalty shortly after the second-period puck drop, putting Windsor down a man yet again. On the ensuing powerplay, an assist from captain Jared Marino allowed Roach to put one past Lancer goalie, Nathan Torchia, giving Roach his fourth primary point of the night less than three minutes into the second period.  

Though the scoring dried up there for both sides, the rest of game one was no cakewalk for the Badgers. 

As had become commonplace for the fifth most penalized team in the province during the regular season, Brock sent themselves to the penalty box frequently throughout the game, particularly in the second period.  

Brock took a total of five penalties in the second as Rylan Thiessen, Roach and Marino all earned single trips to the sin bin while Justin Brack took two. This included an unsuccessful one-minute and 33-second 5-on-3 for Windsor midway through the period, though goaltender Connor Ungar and the Badgers were able to hold on to maintain the five-goal lead.  

Brock’s final penalty came halfway through the third when Ryan Stepien had two minutes and a game misconduct for a check from behind on a Lancer. Despite the ejection, the third ended with little fanfare as Brock walked away with a 6-1 victory.  

While game two on Feb. 24^th featured the same number of total goals, the match could not have been more different than game one in the Badgers’ return to Canada Games Park.  

Staying hot, Tymkin found the back of the net again to open the scoring in the first period, depositing a rebound goal off a shot from Stepien, giving Brock the 1-0 lead four and a half minutes into the game.  

Though there were prime chances from both sides, Brock held that slim lead until the very start of the second until, only 40 seconds in, Stepien took advantage of a takeaway and found time and space to score, giving him his second point of the afternoon and the Badgers a 2-0 lead.  

Though Brock had built a nice lead a third of the way through the match, Windsor wouldn’t go down so easily.  

The Lancers had their first bid for goal waved off when the Badgers’ net came loose from its moorings, but unwilling to be discouraged, Windsor’s Mason Kohn scored soon after, the Lancers’ first goal in over 76 minutes of play against the Badgers. 

In what soon proved to be a torrential second period of scoring, Windsor’s Jake Durham and Holden Wale added goals four minutes apart, flipping the game on its head and putting Brock behind 2-3. 

After letting the lead out of their grasp, the Badgers shelled Windsor in the third, outshooting them 17-9 in the period. With only 11 minutes remaining in the tilt, Brock was rewarded for their dominance. Defenceman Brandon Caruso received a pass at the point and ripped one home, tying the game at three and giving the grad student his second career goal as a Badger.  

Caruso’s late goal would force Brock and Windsor to head to overtime. Both sides came close to sealing the game, peppering both goalies with plenty of shots. A late high sticking penalty by Brock’s Justin Kyle put the Badgers on a poorly timed penalty kill with four minutes left in the first overtime. Nevertheless, Brock was able to avoid a late-game backbreaker, pushing the game to a second overtime.  

It would take a little over twelve minutes into the fifth period, but the Badgers and Lancers would finally get their game-winner. Zach Taylor threw a puck toward the Lancers’ net and, thanks to a deflection by Matt Duarte, Brock put the puck past Torchia, delivering them the 4-3, double-overtime victory. 

Now having closed out the series against Windsor, Brock moves on to a semi-final matchup against the TMU Bold who were second in the OUA West behind the Badgers. The Bold—who finished two games behind the Badgers—had a very similar regular season to the Badgers. TMU had the second-most goals in the West (103 to Brock’s 107) and the second-fewest goals against (70 to Brock’s 67). Like the Badgers, the Bold were also exceptional at home (12-2 home record compared to Brock’s 13-1) while struggling on the road (Brock was 8-6 in away games while TMU was 7-7). After a two-game sweep of the Laurier Golden Hawks where they outscored them 9-2 cumulatively, the TMU Bold promises to be a difficult matchup for Brock.  

Game one of the semi-finals will take place on Feb. 29^th at Canada Games Park. For a full schedule and more information, visit gobadgers.ca.    

After winning game one, the Badgers dropped games two and three against the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold, eliminating them from the OUA playoffs on March 3^rd. Brock will play in the bronze medal game on March 9^th against the McGill Redbirds. 

The Badgers opened the scoring early on Feb. 29^th getting the game’s first goal only five minutes into the start of the three-game series. Goal scorer Christophe Cote would be the beneficiary of a fortuitous bounce after a Ryan Thompson point shot rebounded right onto his stick, giving him a great look at the open net.   

Though Cote’s goal remained the lone marker in the first period, Brock kept the run of play in the Bold’s end and looked as if they had scored early in the second period. However, Badger Justin Brack was called for goalie interference on the would-be goal, keeping the score at 1-0 and sending TMU to the powerplay.  

Again, Brock’s opening goal continued to stand as the game’s only goal until the last minutes of the second period. At 16:40 in the period, a pass from Arizona Coyotes prospect Atryom Duda found Bold forward Daniil Grigoryev, who scored to tie the game. 

Just like the first and second periods, the Badgers came out gunning for more and scored under two minutes into the frame. Jacob Roach carried the puck up the ice on a 2-on-1 rush and slipped a pass over to Tyler Burnie who fired it through the goalie to regain the lead.  

The Badgers managed to hold the lead for the rest of the period before forcing the Bold to turn the puck over with their goalie pulled. Jordan Stock deposited the empty netter, securing the 3-1 game one win for Brock.  

Though game two got off to a familiar start, the conclusion was not as fulfilling.  

As had been the case in each of the periods in game one, Brock got on the attack early and were rewarded with a goal. Brack scored on the first shot of the game after receiving a pass from Riley Gannon right in front of the Bold crease, putting the Badgers up 1-0 just over three minutes into the first. 

The lead would be short-lived however, as TMU would even the score a little over a minute later.  

The early tie seemed to suck a lot of the wind out of the Badgers’ sails. Brock was outshot 5-12 in the first, and though they were able to escape the period without surrendering another goal, the levee soon broke in the second period.  

Right off the bat, TMU’s Elijah Roberts scored to break the tie, and only seven seconds later, the Bold’s leading scorer Kyle Bollers added another, putting TMU up 3-1 with less than four minutes gone by in the second. 

Midway through the third period, Bollers potted his second of the game, stretching TMU’s lead to three. Now down 4-1, Brock pulled their goalie with considerable time still on the clock. The Badgers were unable to close the gap and gave up an empty net goal at 17:48, sealing the deal on a 5-1 game two loss.  

With their playoff hopes on the line, and both teams perhaps sensing the gravity of the situation, game three got started without any of the early-period goal scoring. Though Brack and TMU’s Kevin Gursoy put the teams on an early 4-on-4, neither side could break through on the scoreboard. Burnie and Roach would each take a penalty as well, though the Badgers were able to keep the puck out of their net despite being outshot 10-14.  

Brock was awarded their first powerplay opportunity of the game early in the second and were able to make short work of it. Roach’s goal—his second strike of the playoffs—moved him into a tie for second in powerplay goals. Duda is among the four players tied with Roach and is also the leading scorer among OUA defencemen in the playoffs with six points in five games.  

Just under 10 minutes into the second period, TMU’s Connor Bowie, the recipient of the high sticking call that sent Brock to the powerplay earlier, found the back of the net, tying the game again at one.  

The tie game carried over throughout much of the rest of the game. The Bold took another high sticking penalty six minutes into the third, this time a double minor, yet the Badgers didn’t find the same luck this time around. With only two minutes remaining in a 1-1 game, Grigoryev’s shot snuck its way through heavy traffic in front of the Brock goal and past Badger goalie Connor Ungar who had thus far saved 33 of 34 shots. Unfortunately, the 35^th would be the nail in the coffin, ending the Badgers’ playoffs in heartbreaking fashion.  

On March 9^th, Brock will play host to the McGill Redbirds in their final OUA game of the year. Though TMU vs. UQTR will undoubtedly be a thrilling Queen’s Cup final, Brock and McGill were the top seeds in the East and West respectively, setting up a high-stakes bronze medal game. As the top seeds, they’ll also both have a chance to compete in the U Sports national championship, which begins on March 14^th. 

For their full schedule and results, please visit gobadgers.ca.