National Sports

Cardboard fan cutouts. Artificial crowd noise. In-house big screens. The curling broadcast experience in the fan-free Calgary bubble may borrow some new features from other sports that have come back in the pandemic.

VANCOUVER — He may have been a finalist for the NHL's rookie of the year award last season, but Quinn Hughes is already planning to take another step this year.

EDMONTON — Long before the days of analytics and performance coaches, John Muckler brought a keen strategic mind to the free-wheeling Edmonton Oilers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced Canadian Liam Dobson to take matters into his own hands.

REGINA — The Saskatchewan Roughriders have signed star quarterback Cody Fajardo to a two-year contract extension.

TORONTO — Anicka Newell knew before her back hit the mat. The 27-year-old won the Expo Explosion pole vault meet in Belton, Texas last weekend, but far bigger than the victory was her winning height of 4.70 metres — the exact Tokyo Olympic standard.

Mired in 29th place in the NBA overall standings, the 1-5 Raptors travel west for a four-game road trip in search of answers. Games against Phoenix, Sacramento, Golden State and Portland await, starting with the surging Suns (5-2) on Wednesday.

TORONTO — An athlete with a megaphone, fist raised in furious protest. Teammates kneeling, heads bowed, linked arm-in-arm. Political slogans — "Vote Warnock" — across the chest of warmup shirts.

EDMONTON — Former NHL coach and Stanley Cup winner John Muckler has died. He was 86. The Edmonton Oilers confirmed Muckler's death Monday night. No cause of death was given.

EDMONTON — One image served as goalie Devon Levi's driving force as he and the other Canadian players waited out quarantine in their hotel rooms — playing for gold at the world junior hockey championship. Now the image is coming into focus.