issue 26// vol 47

sports // no. 7

Canucks struggling with COVID-19

» The pandemic continues to alter the NHL

 

Illustration by Jessica Berget

Mo Hussain
Sports Reporter

 

M< people would probably say that the
2021 season isn't it for the Canucks. In
addition to having a disappointing season
on the ice, the Canucks have recently been
struck with issues relating to the pandemic.

Last Thursday, the NHL announced
that the Canucks would have all of their
games postponed from April 1 to April 8,
with the Canucks being able to return to
practice on April 6.

The situation then further escalated
when TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Sunday
morning that 20 members of the Canucks
organization tested positive for COVID-19,
including at least over 10 players. The
team released a statement on Twitter from
Canucks general manager Jim Benning:

“On Behalf of our entire team, I want to
thank fans everywhere for their support this
past week. Our players, coaches, and their
families are grateful for the messages and we
all hope for a return to full health as soon

as possible. Our focus continues to be on
the health of everyone involved and we are
thankful for the extraordinary health care
and guidance we have received from our
team’s medical staff, BC’s health officials,
and from NHL and NHLPA medical experts.”

Sportsnet reporter Irfaan Gaffar tweeted
that “some of the Canucks players dealing
with the current COVID situation can't get

out of bed” and that it is an “absolute shock
to the body”

Goaltenders Braden Holtby and
Thatcher Demko are among the list of
players who are placed under the NHL’s
COVID-19 protocols. This could mean that
if the Canucks were to return to action and
both goaltenders are still not cleared to
play, the team may have to potentially look
to 21-year-old Michael DiPietro who was
drafted by the team in 2017.

As for how the team is doing on the ice,
the Canucks currently sit fifth in the North
division and 25th in the entire league as of
Sunday morning. As a result, the odds of
the Canucks making the playoffs this year is
approximately 0.5 percent.

The team’s leading scorer, Brock Boeser,
continues to lead the team in both goals
and points and remains a top ten goal scorer
in the league. Defensemen Quinn Hughes
also remains one of the top point getters
for defensemen, as his 28 points ranks
him among the top ten leading scorers for
defensemen throughout the league as well.

As for what the future holds for the
team after this season is to be determined.
However, the next steps for the team this
year is to ensure the health and safety of the
players and anyone else involved with the
organization. Hopefully, every member of
the organization recovers from the virus in
good health and the team can bounce back
to the playoffs next year.

Top five Canadian basketball players

» Canada has people that can ball

Mo Hussain
Sports Reporter

 

Ithough the United States has the

world’s best basketball players, it’s
not as if Canada doesn’t have its own
share. Whether it’s multiple MVPs, all-
star appearances, number one draft picks,
or rising stars, Canada is well represented
in today’s basketball climate.

To get a better idea of who are some
of the best Canadians out there, here are
the top five Canadian basketball players
of all time:

STEVE NASH

It would be almost criminal to mention
this subject without talking about Steve
Nash. The Victoria, BC native was a top
player in his day. Nash finished his 18-year
career as a hall of famer, two-time NBA
MVP, someone who led the league in
assists five-times, eight-time all-star, and
led the Phoenix Suns to three Western
conference finals in six years.

ANDREW WIGGINS

When someone is given the nickname
“Maple Jordan,’ there must be a good
reason behind it. The Thornhill, Ontario
native is only the second Canadian first
overall pick in the NBA draft, won 2014-15
rookie of the year, and has averaged close
to 20 points per game throughout his
career. Andrew Wiggins is still only 26
years old and it will be interesting to see
how much further he can take his talents.

JAMAL MURRAY

Jamal Murray was always looked at as a
good player since he got drafted back in
2016, but the Kitchener, Ontario native
took it to a whole other level this past
year. In addition to averaging close to 20
points per game these past two seasons,
Murray helped lead the Denver Nuggets
to the Western Conference last year.
During that playoff run, Murray averaged
26.5 points per game.

SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER
Similar to Murray, Shai Gilgeous-
Alexander was looked at as a prospect that
would be pretty good when he got drafted
in 2018, but he has also taken his game
toa whole other level. After being traded
to the Oklahoma City Thunder back in
the summer of 2019, Gilgeous-Alexander
has went from averaging close to 1 points
per game to over 21 points these past two
seasons.

RJ BARRETT

RJ Barrett, the son of former professional
basketball player Rowan Barrett, is a
fantastic player in the NBA. The Toronto
native was one of the top prospects
during his draft class and was taken third
overall in the 2018 NBA draft by the New
York Knicks. Barrett has since averaged
close to 16 points per game in only two
seasons in the league and is a big part of
why the Knicks are currently competing
for a playoff spot.

 

Illustration by Athena Little