Leafs should trade Matthews, but their addiction to being a contender means they won’t

Open this photo in gallery: Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews (34) in action against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.Brad Penner/Reuters At this point, the smart play for the Toronto Maple Leafs is trading Auston Matthews. He is a good player, but he’s not a winner. Not in Toronto, at … Read more

In the wake of the Olympics, with Heated Rivalry still smouldering, hockey has never been bigger

Open this photo in gallery: Jack Hughes, who scored the winning overtime goal for Team USA, celebrates after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game.Carolyn Kaster/The Associated Press This weekend, American actor Connor Storrie will host Saturday Night Live. Storrie is best known as the Russian half of the Russo-Canadian love affair … Read more

The Olympics manage to bring us together, regardless of where they’re held

Open this photo in gallery: A view of the Duomo gothic cathedral on a sunny day last week during the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.Luca Bruno/The Associated Press The first few mornings in Milan, before getting my Olympic bearings, I would pass a group of youngish, local degenerates who had commandeered a couple of benches along … Read more

Lindsey Vonn announces she suffered a complex tibia fracture in Olympic crash

Open this photo in gallery: American Lindsey Vonn crashed during an alpine ski women’s downhill race on Sunday.The Associated Press Lindsey Vonn sustained a complex tibia fracture that is stable but will require multiple surgeries. The U.S alpine ski racer revealed the details of her injury in her first statement since crashing out of the … Read more

Welcome to the Olympics, where Canada is swaggering and the U.S. may not notice

Open this photo in gallery: Canadian Olympic Committee CEO and secretary general David Shoemaker, second left, didn’t try to keep appearances up when he spoke about Canada’s relationship with the U.S. at a Thursday news conference in Milan.DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press In their opening comments on Thursday, the Canadian Olympic Committee tried to telegraph that … Read more

After yet another Maple Leafs face plant, we can say it: this team is cooked

Open this photo in gallery: Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (34) scored in his team’s 7-4 loss on Tuesday night, but his team is now eight points back of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot and on a five-game losing streak.John E. Sokolowski/Reuters Facing what one player had called a “have to win” game … Read more

Canadian Olympic Committee works to navigate a very spread out Winter Games in Italy

Open this photo in gallery: Canada typically sends one moose statue to the athletes village, but this year, because the Games are spread out across Italy’s mountains, they will be sending six.Rebecca Blackwell/The Canadian Press The Canadian Olympic Committee has a tradition of sending a life-sized moose statue with its team to each Olympic Games … Read more