Add another name to the list of Hall of Famers the Montreal Expos developed.
Youppi!, the beloved orange furball who spent over 20 years as the face of MLB's Expos before jumping to the NHL's Montreal Canadiens, was officially inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame on Sunday. Youppi! is the first Canadian mascot to receive the honor.
Youppi! was presented with a Class of 2020 induction ring from the Mascot Hall of Fame, which is located in Whiting, Indiana.
While Youppi! wore Canadiens gear into the Hall on Sunday, the furry creature is most famous for serving as the Expos' mascot from 1979 until 2004, when the team moved to Washington. Youppi! was perhaps the most popular and visible member of the Expos franchise, and was involved in several notable incidents.
On Aug. 23, 1989, Youppi! became the first mascot in baseball history to be ejected from a game. After drawing the ire of Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda while dancing on the opposing dugout, umpire Bob Davidson gave Youppi! the boot.
When the Nationals didn't bring Youppi! with them to Washington, Montreal's hockey team adopted the lovable monster, making Youppi! the first mascot to separately represent two professional sports teams.
Baltimore's famous Oriole Bird, Boomer of the NBA's Indiana Pacers, and Blue of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts join Youppi! in the Mascot Hall of Fame's Class of 2020. All four inductees were honored in a virtual ceremony when they received congratulations from a host of notable fans, including the governor of Indiana.
Evander Kane knows there's no truth to the idea that systemic racism doesn't exist north of the border.
"I'd walk up to any minority, if you're a Canadian citizen, and just ask them that same question you asked me," the San Jose Sharks forward told Sportsnet's "After Hours" in response to co-host Louie DeBrusk's question about those who say systemic racism isn't an issue in Canada. "You'd probably get the same answer. That's completely incorrect and inaccurate."
Kane grew up in Vancouver, and while the black community there isn't large, he pointed to the city's diversity as a whole and mentioned he's heard many stories from friends there who are minorities who've been victims of racism "on a regular basis."
"Just like myself growing up, wanting to play hockey as a minority, you get racist comments made to you all the time, and it was no different for them, and I think Canada kind of needs to take the rose-colored glasses off a little bit and realize it is a problem in our country as well," he said.
Kane noted that his father, Perry, has told him about racism the elder Kane endured both when he played hockey as a youth and as recently as last year, when he was pulled over and racially profiled by police.
The 28-year-old Kane then revealed that he can relate first-hand to that experience.
"It's actually happened to me," he said. "And I'm an NHL player who's from Canada. ... So, the whole notion that there's no systemic racism in Canada is just a crock of junk."
Kane is a co-head of the new Hockey Diversity Alliance, a group of current and former minority NHLers aiming to eradicate racism in hockey and society. He's been a leading voice in the anti-racism movement since George Floyd's death in late May. Kane called upon white athletes to speak up in the aftermath of that incident, and many players of varying backgrounds subsequently did so.
Ryan Reaves says the ongoing fight against racial injustice is far more important than his rivalry with Evander Kane.
“I spoke to Evander and told him I want to jump in on this powerful message,” Reaves told the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Ed Graney. “We have to put aside our differences on the ice and come together for a much bigger cause."
The Vegas Golden Knights grinder and the San Jose Sharks star have frequently exchanged barbs - both on and off the ice - since facing off in a heated playoff series last spring.
Kane is among the most vocal black voices in hockey, and after George Floyd's death, he called on white athletes to speak up. The Sharks forward is a co-head of the newly formed Hockey Diversity Alliance, a group of black current and former NHLers seeking to eradicate racism from the game.
Reaves, who's also black, has ties to the police. The 33-year-old's father, Willard, served as a sargeant with the Manitoba Sheriff Services in Winnipeg following a five-year CFL career and a brief stint in the NFL. His great-great-great-grandfather was the legendary Bass Reeves, the first black deputy U.S. marshal west of the Mississippi River who some believe was the inspiration for "The Lone Ranger."
The movement to abolish or defund the police has gained significant steam since worldwide protests erupted following Floyd's death in police custody in late May. Reaves doesn't believe every current officer is corrupt, but he says we can't allow those who are to influence others.
“A lot of it stems from under-trained ignorance that every police force seems to have some - one, two, three, four cops - whatever the number is," the Golden Knights winger said. "The thing is not to let those bad apples trickle through an entire force.”
Numerous NHL players - including many of the league's white stars - have made their feelings about racism known over the last two weeks, and most of them did so after Kane's plea. Reaves has been pleased to see that response, particularly given the racial disparity that exists in the game.
“In hockey, it’s a predominantly white sport, so for a bunch of white hockey players to come out and speak about black issues, it’s probably tough for them," he said. "It’s not an easy subject to talk about, but I like how a lot of players are going about it."
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is eager to see the Windy City serve as one of the NHL's two hub locations.
"We're very excited at the possibility and have really tried to make the case for why Chicago should be chosen," Lightfoot told The Athletic's Scott Powers. "I'm hopeful we'll be successful.
"Although I expect the playoffs to be probably fan-less, we're still very well-situated to accommodate the league and the players. We have plenty of hotel space and got a great culture life here. I think everything they would want to put on with a best-in-class playoff experience is here in Chicago."
In addition to Chicago, the league is considering nine other cities for its two locations: Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Vancouver.
Safety will be a top priority in the league's decision, and Illinois has seen a steady dip in COVID-19 cases. The state's seven-day rolling average has decreased by about 69% over the last three weeks, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
"If I didn't feel like we were on a downward trajectory both in terms of number of cases, new cases reported, and all the other public health metrics, I would not feel comfortable," Lightfoot said. "But we have worked extraordinarily hard over these last three months to put us in a position - and first and foremost, our priority is our residents - that our residents would have confidence that we have engaged in a robust public health response to this deadly virus."
The Blackhawks qualified for the league's expanded 24-team postseason as the Western Conference's 12th seed. They're slated to meet the fifth-seeded Edmonton Oilers in a best-of-five play-in series for the right to advance to the first round of the playoffs.
Connor Brown believes he could have done more during his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the Ottawa Senators forward says he's benefitted from his hometown club trading him last summer.
"The fact that it was my hometown team too, and the one team I've been a part of and never been traded whether it comes to junior or anything, so it was like a shock, an emotional shock to get moved," Brown said on the "Connor Carrick Podcast" earlier this week. "I felt like I was part of like the core there, so it was a shock and it was hard, but also I knew that for me and my career it was the best thing for me."
He added that “the guys and the culture that we have worked towards in Ottawa" have increased his happiness.
Brown played a big role in helping to accelerate the Leafs' rebuild during his 2016-17 rookie season. The Toronto native potted 20 goals while contributing to the team's first run to the postseason since 2013.
By 2018-19, Brown's third full campaign with the club, the Leafs had improved their wing depth, with Kasperi Kapanen and Andreas Johnsson emerging as top-nine players. Brown saw his ice time decrease for a third consecutive season, and he finished with just eight goals while playing the majority of the campaign on the fourth line.
"80 percent of the game is between the ears once you’re playing. It’s just how you feel about yourself that night - wanting the puck," he said. "And it was just something that I definitely lost a little bit."
Brown says the opportunity to play a top-six role in Ottawa helped restore his confidence. The 26-year-old logged 20-plus minutes of ice time per game, racking up a career-best 43 points in 71 contests during his first year with the Senators in 2019-20.
"I don’t think I was playing bad or hurting the team or anything when I was in Toronto, but I definitely wasn’t maximizing my potential," he added. "So, it’s been nice to find that in myself and find that in my game. And I think a big part of it is just the belief in me that was given.”
After looking back at some of the best NHL player debuts last month, it's time to give some credit to the veterans.
It's not always an easy task for experienced players to join new teams. Sometimes it takes time to adjust to new surroundings, gel with new teammates, and learn new systems. Still, there have been a number of players that have made impressive debuts with their new clubs.
Here, we're going to look back at five of the best veteran debuts with new teams over the last 30 seasons.
5. Saad nets hat trick in second stint with Blackhawks
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When Brandon Saad was a restricted free agent, the Blackhawks dealt his negotiating rights to the Blue Jackets. He inked a six-year extension with Columbus, but Chicago reacquired him soon after in 2017 in exchange for talented newcomer Artemi Panarin.
Saad netted a hat trick in his first game back with the Blackhawks, which was a 10-1 beatdown against the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins. While Panarin went on to play at an MVP level elsewhere, Saad showed Chicago that he could still produce as he did in years past.
4. Fleury dazzles in inaugural Golden Knights game
Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / Getty
Following the emergence of Matt Murray, Marc-Andre Fleury knew the writing was on the wall with the Penguins. After winning his third Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh, he willingly waived his no-movement clause, which allowed him to be selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.
The Golden Knights managed to put together a respectable roster, but nobody was prepared for the historic season they would embark on with Fleury at the helm.
Fleury, who was immediately seen as the face of the franchise, turned in an epic performance on opening night against a tough Dallas team, stopping 45 of 46 shots while leading Vegas to its first win in franchise history. Not a bad introduction for a 33-year-old goalie.
3. Lemieux makes triumphant return after retirement
Mario Lemieux technically didn't make a debut for a new team, but he did take nearly four years off before rejoining the Penguins in 2000. With a new coach and a number of new teammates since he last played in 1997, Lemieux returned to a pretty unfamiliar scene.
However, during his debut on Dec. 27, he immediately showed that he hadn't missed a beat, producing a goal and two assists, including a helper on a goal in the opening seconds.
Lemieux only played in 43 games during the 2000-01 season, but he finished with 76 points and was named a Hart Trophy finalist. He helped lead Pittsburgh to the playoffs in 2001 but failed to do so in the following four seasons before retiring for good.
2. Jagr posts timeless 4-point effort in Stars debut
Icon Sports Wire / Icon Sportswire / Getty
Expectations were slightly tempered when Jaromir Jagr signed with the Stars as a 40-year-old. The 2012-13 lockout delayed the season, but Jagr finally got the chance to make his debut with his first Western Conference team in mid-January.
He kicked off his stint with his fifth team in vintage fashion, contributing on every goal during a 4-3 win over the Coyotes. Jagr picked up two goals and two assists, proving to the hockey world that, for him, age is just a number.
1. Kontos explodes in Lightning's franchise debut
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The Lightning made their NHL debut during the 1992-93 season and faced a tough task on opening night, taking on Ed Belfour and the Chicago Blackhawks on home ice.
Chris Kontos, who signed with the Lightning as a free agent, hadn't played in an NHL game in nearly three years. Prior to his stint with Tampa Bay, he appeared in just 164 career games and recorded 27 career goals. On opening night in 1992, the little-known forward turned in a heroic performance, recording four goals in a shocking 7-3 win.
Kontos helped kick off the Lightning franchise in spectacular fashion, and he went on to score 27 goals for the season, his final in the NHL.
"Before we stopped, he was ready to come back the next week and play, so, he did a great job of getting himself back," Berube continued. "He did a great job with his rehab, along with the training staff, and he kept himself in great shape. He actually came back in better shape than he came to camp (in September) ... He's been on the ice and doing things right now, so he's ready to go."
Tarasenko was hurt during a game on Oct. 24 and had shoulder surgery performed five days later. He was given a timetable of at least five months the day before the procedure.
The 28-year-old forward collected three goals and 10 points in 10 games before the injury. He led the Blues with 33 goals in 2018-19 and played a key role in their championship run, posting 11 markers and 17 points in 26 playoff games that spring.
Tarasenko led St. Louis in goals for five consecutive campaigns before 2019-20, notching at least 30 in each one and burying 40 in 2015-16.
