Sports Briefs for October 2015

It remains to be seen whether Rylan Pilon’s hockey career is over.

Earlier this summer, it appeared the 18-year-old Metis, who is from Duck Lake, Sask., had a bright hockey future ahead of him, including a possible pro career.

Pilon, a defenceman who spent the past three seasons in the Western Hockey League, was selected in the fifth round, 147th over-all, by the New York Islanders in the National Hockey League Entry Draft, held in late June.

But then in early September it was announced that Pilon had left his WHL squad, the Brandon Wheat Kings, for personal reasons.

Wheat Kings’ coach/GM Kelly McCrimmon said Pilon left the organization as he had lost his passion to play hockey. Brandon had been counting on Pilon, who has two seasons of junior eligibility remaining, to play a key role with the squad this season.

Last year he collected 52 points (11 goals and 41 assists) in 68 regular season contests with the Wheat Kings. He finished seventh in team scoring but had the second most points among defencemen. Pilon joined Brandon during the 2013-14 campaign, following a mid-season trade with the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Flames Sign Ferland

Michael Ferland’s minor league days appear to be over. The Calgary Flames signed the 23-year-old Cree to a two-year contract in early September. The deal was significant for Ferland as it was a one-way contract, meaning the club expects him to play in the NHL.

For Ferland, who appeared in 35 regular season and playoff contests with Calgary last season, is gearing up for what will be his first full NHL season.

Six Nations Teams Win Nationals

For the third consecutive year at least two Six Nations lacrosse teams managed to win national championships.

In 2013 the Six Nations Chiefs captured the Mann Cup, awarded annually to the top Canadian senior men’s team. And the Six Nations Rebels won the Founders Cup, presented to the national Junior B champs.

Both the Chiefs and Rebels were able to defend their national titles last year. And another club, the Six Nations Arrows, a Junior A club, also managed to win its Canadian title, the Minto Cup.

As for this year, the Arrows were able to add another national title to their list of accomplishments. And the Six Nations Rivermen, a Senior B squad, won its first national crown, the Presidents Cup.

The Arrows were able to win their Minto Cup this year at home. The team defeated British Columbia’s Coquitlam Adanacs 4-2 in a best-of-seven series that was staged at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena in Ohsweken. The Arrows wrapped up the series with a convincing 9-4 victory in Game 6 on Aug. 29.

As for the Rivermen, they were one of eight entrants in the Presidents Cup, which was staged in St. Catharines, Ont.

The Rivermen downed the Ottawa-area Capital Region Axemen 14-11 in the gold-medal contest, held on Sept. 5.

Price Among Indspire Recipients

Montreal Canadiens’ star goaltender Carey Price is one of 14 recipients for the 2016 Indspire Awards.

Price, a member of British Columbia’s Ulkatcho First Nation, was chosen as an award recipient through the Sports category.

The Indspire Awards, which have been handed out for the past 23 years, are the highest honour bestowed by Indigenous people on their own achievers.

Each year a jury selects 10 career achievement award winners, as well as three youth award recipients (First Nation, Metis and Inuit) and one lifetime achievement winner.

Though this year’s award recipients were announced on Sept. 15, they will be honoured at the 2016 Indspire Awards gala, scheduled for Feb. 16 in Vancouver.

Price and his Montreal teammates will be in the midst of a three-game road trip then. It remains to be seen whether Price will attend the gala.

The Canadiens play in Arizona the night before and have a game in Colorado the following night. Price, 28, has certainly won his share of awards this year as he had a spectacular 2014-15 campaign with the Canadiens. He led the all NHL goaltenders in three statistical categories: wins (44), goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.933).

For these efforts Price scooped up four trophies at the NHL Awards, held in Las Vegas in June. His hardware included the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player, the Vezina Trophy as best goaltender and the Ted Lindsay Award for being the NHL’s most outstanding player as voted on by the players.

Price also shared the William M. Jennings Trophy with Corey Crawford of the Chicago Blackhawks. This award is presented to the goalies on the team that allowed the fewest goals in regular season action.