National Sports

The Alberta Junior Hockey League has cancelled all upcoming games involving five teams poised to bolt to a rival junior A circuit and its 11 remaining clubs. The B.C.

The Vancouver Whitecaps have signed captain Ryan Gauld to a contract extension through 2027, rewarding their Scottish star playmaker with the richest deal in franchise history.

MONTREAL — Canadian offensive lineman Kristian Matte is returning for a 14th season with the Montreal Alouettes. The six-foot-four, 296-pound Matte signed a one-year deal Thursday with the defending Grey Cup champions.

Kurtis Rourke is feeling like a freshman again. The six-foot-five, 230-pound Oakville, Ont., native is entering his sixth American college football season but first at Indiana University. He transferred to Bloomington, Ind.

A three-man lineup has worked well at times for the members of Team Glenn Howard. They're hoping a short-handed setup will lead to success again this week at the Ontario curling championship.

TORONTO — This is not the Toronto Raptors team that Jakob Poeltl re-signed with in the off-season. He's OK with that.

EDMONTON — Sam Gagner has been part of two historic winning streaks. He was a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets when that team went on a 16-game tear that stretched from December 2016 to January 2017.

TORONTO — The Professional Women's Hockey League is heading to Scotiabank Arena. The united North American circuit announced Thursday its Feb. 16 game between Toronto and Montreal will be played at the home of the NHL's Maple Leafs and NBA's Raptors.

OTTAWA — When Steve Staios joined the Ottawa Senators as president of hockey operations in September, he didn't expect his team would be sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference at the halfway point of the season.

TORONTO — It's always good to have options, and Theo Benedet certainly does regarding a pro football career. The towering six-foot-seven, 305-pound offensive lineman from the University of British Columbia moved up one spot to No.