With four players selected in the 2026 NHL Draft, the London Knights put an exclamation mark on a run that is nearing six decades.

At least one player has been selected from the Knights roster dating back to 1969. It’s a streak that reached 58 years when the Philadelphia Flyers called the name of Maksim Sokolovskii at number 27 overall on June 26 in Buffalo, N.Y.

Sokolovskii was later joined by Jaxon Cover who was also a first-round pick and was chosen by the Ottawa Senators 32nd overall.

The Dallas Stars selected Ryan Brown in the fifth round and just two picks later Jacob Vandeven went to the Boston Bruins.

Vandeven is from Komoka, Ont., and joined fellow Komoka native Beckham Edwards (5th round – Detroit) and Londoners Ryan Roobroeck (2nd round – Chicago) and Eric Frossard (5th round – Anaheim) to deliver a big couple of days for area connections.

Former London Knight Ben Wilmott was selected in the third round by the Stanley Cup runner-up in the Vegas Golden Knights.

Wilmott was traded to the Barrie Colts right before the 2026 OHL Trade Deadline and helped Barrie to a runner-up finish in the Ontario Hockey League Championship Series against the Kitchener Rangers.

Sokolovskii and Cover were two of seven OHLers drafted in the opening round.

Caleb Malhotra was the highest pick at third overall. He joined the team his father Manny Malhotra is now coaching.

Manny is a former member of the Guelph Storm.

Chase Reid (Seattle), Nikita Klepov (Anaheim), Ethan Belchetz (Utah) and Adam Novotny (Vancouver) were the other first round picks.

London’s draft selection streak is the longest in the Ontario Hockey League.

The Ottawa Senators are next at 24 years after having four of their players taken at the 2026 Draft.

The Knights also had four players chosen from their team as the streak began in 1969.

Gilles Gilbert (Minnesota), Bert Wilson (New York Rangers),  Guy Delparte (Montreal) and Neil Nicholson (Oakland) had their names called in a much different format that was held at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.

No players were invited to the draft in 1969.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Flooding concerns and the threat of tornadoes are putting parts of the Canadian Prairies on alert as a powerful weather system moves across Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Environment Canada has issued heavy rainfall warnings for parts of Alberta, where between 40 and 70 mm of rain is expected through the weekend.

The agency warned that already saturated ground, combined with above-normal rainfall totals this month, could lead to overland flooding, washouts and damage to infrastructure and property.

Localized flooding is likely and some roads could become impassable, the forecast alert read.

In Edmonton, police on social media alerted that flooding had forced the closure of westbound lanes of Yellowhead Trail at 170 Street on Saturday, urging motorists to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

The latest storm comes as Edmonton is on track to challenge its all-time June precipitation record after a month of persistent rainfall.

Meanwhile, parts of Saskatchewan are facing a severe weather threat, with tornado watches and severe thunderstorm watches stretching across large portions of the province.

Environment Canada said conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes, large hail, strong winds and heavy rain.

A surface trough moving north from Montana is expected to fuel storm development through Saturday afternoon and evening.

The agency warned that significant damage to homes, infrastructure and the natural environment is possible if tornadoes develop.

A line of slow-moving thunderstorms also prompted severe thunderstorm warnings in parts of southern Saskatchewan Saturday afternoon, with warnings of flash flooding and reduced visibility.

Tornado watches were in effect across parts of southeastern Saskatchewan, including areas near Estevan and Weyburn, while severe thunderstorm watches and warnings covered Regina, Moose Jaw and surrounding communities.

Environment Canada is urging residents in both provinces to closely monitor forecasts and warnings, avoid flooded roadways and seek shelter immediately if threatening weather approaches.

The severe weather threat in Saskatchewan is expected to diminish later Saturday evening, though forecasters say parts of Alberta could continue to see rain into next week.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A day after selecting 18-year-old Swedish centre Viggo Bjork with the eighth overall pick of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, the Winnipeg Jets further stocked their organizational depth chart with the addition of six selections on Saturday Afternoon.

Following the completion of the draft, Jets Director of Amateur Scouting Mark Hillier could not have been more direct in his assessment of Bjorck.

“I have to be honest, he’s one of the most exciting draft picks I’ve ever had. I think he’s one of the smartest players in the draft this year, he’s one of the smartest players I’ve scouted,” Hillier told members of the media.

“If he signs, he’s given an opportunity — he’s going to make it real hard not to play.”

Winnipeg did not have a pick in the second round as a result of a 2025 deadline deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenceman Luke Schenn. With the 71st overall pick in the third round, the Jets drafted 18-year-old Slovakian-born Goalie Samuel Hrenek who spent this past season playing for the Fargo Force of the USHL.

Hrenek did not hide his sheer joy over being taken by the Jets when he spoke with reporters.

“Just in general, we had a great talk about a lot of things and I just felt the most interest from Winnipeg,” said Hrenek, whose older brother David — also a goaltender — was a fifth-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2018.

“I’m excited to show the organization what’s in me and why they made the right choice.”

Hrenek started in nine games for the Force in 2025-26 and posted a 2.20 goals against average with a .918 saves percentage and a 7-1-1 record.

In Round Four, Winnipeg took Apple Valley, Minnesota native Zach Wooten with the 116th pick. The left-winger turned 20 in February and scored 35 goals to go along with 27 assists for 62 points in 61 games for the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.

Wooten  earned an invite to play in the Chipotle All-American Game — an annual event showcasing the top NHL draft-eligible players in the USHL during the league’s holiday break.

“It was awesome for me. It was something I didn’t necessarily expect; it’s my third year of draft eligibility so it was pretty unexpected when I got that call from my coach,” said Wooten, who is going to continue his development with the University of Wisconsin this coming season.

The Jets drafted Quebec Remparts defenceman Alexandre Taillefer with the 135th pick of the draft in Round Five. The left-shot rear guard from Richelieu, Que., made the six-hour-plus drive to Buffalo with his family to experience the draft live and says there was some anxiety building before hearing his name called.

“Yeah, I was definitely nervous a bit. I think the decision was I had a good chance to be drafted and it’s not so far from home,” explained Taillefer. “I’m a two-way defenceman, a dynamic player — I like to make the first pass and plays and stuff and I love to be physical, too.”

Taillefer played in only 28 games for the Remparts after suffering an Achilles injury, but Hillier feels there is a lot of upside to be tapped into for what he described as an interesting prospect.

“He’s a dynamic skater that we feel is one of the best skating defencemen in the draft,” Hillier said, saying the plan is for Taillefer to return to Quebec next year and play a full season.

In the sixth round the Jets took Alaska-born centre Landon Hafele, who was a teammate of Wooten with Green Bay. The 18-year-old pivot scored 15 goals and added 27 assists for 42 points in 52 games for the Gamblers. Hafele has committed to the Arizona State Wildcats.

Winnipeg had two selections in the seventh and final round and went for 18-year-old defenceman Noa Ta’Amu of the Edmonton Oil Kings (199th) and 20-year-old Goalie John Parsons of Providence College (220th). Ta’Amu scored three goals and added nine assists for 12 points in 63 games with the Oil Kings, while Parsons was 13-5 with a 2.05 GAA and .922 SP in 19 starts for the Friars.

The San Diego-born Ta’Amu helped the United States win the U18 Gretzky-Hlinka Cup in 2025 and is the first player of Samoan descent to ever be drafted by an NHL team. His father Ed was a fourth-round pick of Minnesota in the 2002 NFL draft and was an offensive lineman for the Vikings and Houston Texans.

Hillier says the Jets didn’t know a whole lot about Noa at the start of the year but like his “old school” approach to playing the game. “He’s not afraid to drop the gloves and scrap. Stay at home D and play hard.”

Most, if not all of the players selected by the Jets in the 2026 draft are expected to attend the team’s development camp next week at Winnipeg’s Hockey For All Centre.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

A 59-year-old man is dead after an officer-involved shooting in southwest Edmonton that police say followed a series of alleged assaults and hit-and-run collisions.

Edmonton police were first called just before midnight Friday after a collision involving a vehicle and an Edmonton Fire Rescue Services truck, according to a news release.

Police allege the driver attempted to assault emergency personnel with a blunt object before fleeing the scene.

Officers then received two additional reports of hit-and-run collisions in southwest Edmonton involving a similar vehicle.

In those incidents, police allege a man assaulted complainants with a blunt object before fleeing. One person suffered minor injuries.

Investigators later located a residence on Christie Vista S.W., where a vehicle matching the description from the earlier incidents was seen in an open garage.

Police said the vehicle appeared to have recent collision damage.

Officers contained the residence and attempted to make contact with the suspect.

During that interaction, a confrontation occurred involving a man armed with edged weapons and an officer discharged a firearm, according to the release.

The 59-year-old man died at the scene.

No police officers or other emergency personnel were injured.

The Edmonton Police Service said it has notified the Police Review Commission, which directed the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) to investigate.

As a result, police say they will not be providing additional information while the investigation is underway.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Residents of Lynn Lake, Man., were told to evacuate their community Saturday as a rapidly advancing wildfire posed an imminent threat to the region.

Several social media posts from the town instructed residents to head south after the town was directed by Manitoba Wildfire Services to order the evacuation.

Evacuation flights were being arranged from the Lynn Lake airport for residents who needed assistance, with bus transportation available from the Town Office to the airport.

Officials asked residents to pre-register to help coordinate accommodations and support services as quickly and efficiently as possible.

A reception centre has been established at the Victoria Inn in Brandon. Residents were strongly encouraged to stay with family or friends first. Hotel accommodations have been arranged for those who require them.

In a statement, Manitoba Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Min Naylor said the province is working closely with local authorities, First Nations and municipalities to support the evacuation effort.

Naylor said Manitoba Emergency Management Organization staff are on the ground coordinating the response, while crews continue working to fight the fire and put value protection measures in place.

“We know this is a challenging and stressful time for families and communities. Our priority is keeping Manitobans safe,” Naylor said, adding the province is ensuring evacuees have access to accommodations and other supports.

Officials reminded evacuees to bring government-issued identification, prescription medications, medical supplies, essential personal belongings and necessary supplies for themselves, their families and pets.

The Town of Lynn Lake said the safety of residents remained its highest priority and urged everyone to follow the directions of Manitoba Wildfire Services and emergency officials.

More updates will be shared through the town’s official Facebook page as information becomes available.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

BUFFALO – Markus Ruck was ecstatic for his sibling. There was also a significant level of anxiety.

Liam Ruck — teammate, linemate and twin brother — was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins with the 22nd pick during Friday night’s first round of the NHL draft.

Markus, who is eight minutes older, was still waiting for his name to be called when the family returned to their hotel.

Would another team take him early Saturday when proceedings resumed on the arena floor at KeyBank Center? Would the Penguins grab him at No. 39? Or even trade up the board to ensure the band stayed together?

“I was pretty stressed,” Markus said. “(Liam) told me everything’s gonna be OK and will work itself out.”

The twins, in the end, got their wish. And can finally exhale.

Pittsburgh selected Markus Ruck seven picks into the second round — reuniting the brothers and fulfilling a dream the Osoyoos, B.C., products have shared since first lacing up their skates.

“I was just praying and hoping,” he said. “To have that happen, there’s not many words to describe it. It’s so special.”

The 18-year-old forwards, who have never spent more than four days apart since birth, are coming off banner seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers that saw them finish 1-2 in scoring across the entire Canadian Hockey League.

Markus, a playmaking centre, put up 108 points (21 goals, 87 assists), while Liam registered 104 points (45 goals, 59 assists) as a shooter on the wing.

“We knew it was gonna be very tough for a team to do this,” Markus said of staying together with an NHL organization. “We just can’t thank Pittsburgh enough … we knew it was a pretty low chance to be honest. We couldn’t be more excited.”

The Rucks are slated to play one more Western Hockey League campaign in Alberta before heading to the University of North Dakota in 2027-28.

Liam said after getting picked Friday his fingers were crossed Pittsburgh’s management team led by president and general manager Kyle Dubas would also tab his brother.

“It’s a special bond we’ve got,” he said in the moments after going No. 22. “I’m just going to be just as happy to see him get drafted, because we’ve been through everything together. It was a special hug.”

The brothers both stand six feet tall, while Liam is 10 pounds heavier at 177. Liam was pegged as the 20th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. Markus slotted in at No. 23.

“I didn’t really care when (Pittsburgh) picked me,” Markus said Saturday, the relief on his face apparent. “I knew where I wanted to go and who I wanted to be with.”

The Vancouver Canucks opened the second round by taking Brooks Rogowski at No. 33.

The six-foot-seven centre from Brighton, Mich., was focused on baseball — his father, Casey, and uncle, Ryan, were both drafted by major league teams — before zeroing in hockey.

“This was the right decision,” he said. “I think that they’re more than happy with that.”

The Calgary Flames chose winger Chase Harrington at No. 36 before Vancouver took winger Niklas Aaram-Olsen at No. 41. Calgary made Tobias Trejbal the first goaltender off the board one pick later.

The Ottawa Senators chose winger Alan Shaikhlislamov at No. 55, the Montreal Canadiens selected Timofei Runtso at No. 57, the Edmonton Oilers got centre Rudolfs Berzkalns at No. 58, and the Toronto Maple Leafs grabbed defenceman Alexander Bilecki at No. 60.

After selecting Gavin McKenna at No. 1 on Friday, Toronto also dealt blueliner Brandon Carlo, who was acquired from the Boston Bruins ahead of the March 2025 trade deadline for centre Fraser Minten and a first-round pick, to the St. Louis Blues for a pair of 2026 third-rounders.

The Vegas Golden Knights would have picked 63rd, but were docked their second-round pick as part of the punishment for “flagrant violations” of the league’s media regulations during the second round of the playoffs.

The Flames took winger Joe Iginla — son of former captain and franchise legend Jarome Iginla — with the 65th pick to kick off the third round before adding centre Egor Barabanov (No. 100), forward Simon Katolicky (No. 132) and defenceman Bode Laylin (No. 164) to complete their draft.

Toronto used four selections in the third round — including the pair acquired for Carlo — adding defenceman Ethan MacKenzie (No. 69), winger Zach Olsen (No. 73), blueliner Mans Gudmundsson (No. 76) and netminder Juuso Ainasto (No. 85).

The Maple Leafs then added goaltender Patriks Plumins (No. 114), centre Cooper Williams (No. 158), defenceman Yaroslav Fedoseyev (No. 161) and winger Brody Pepoy (No. 169).

The Jets picked goaltender Samuel Hrenak (No. 71), winger Zach Wooten (No. 116), defenceman Alexandre Taillefer (No. 135), centre Landon Hafele (No. 167), defenceman Alofa Tunoa Ta’Amu (No. 199) and netminder John Parsons (No. 220).

The Senators chose winger Adam Nemec (No. 72), centre Oscar Holmertz (No. 87), forward Louis-Felix Bourque (No. 91), goaltender Elliot Lennon (No. 110) along with defencemen Harris Pangretitsch (No. 151) and Alexander Grunin (No. 183).

The Oilers selected winger Malcolm Gastrin (No. 84), defenceman Andrew Robinson (No. 133), centre Caden Harvey (No. 180) and goaltender Ryan Cameron (No. 212).

The Canucks picked wingers Yaroslav Bryzgalov (No. 97), Connor Davis (No. 129), Lucian Bernat (No. 176) and blueliner Samuel Eriksson (No. 184).

The Canadiens took defencemen Cooper Cleaves (No. 93) and Brayden Klimpke (No. 117), wingers Parker Trottier (No. 189) and Wesley Royston (No. 190), blueliner Jean-Samuel Daigneault (No. 221) and forward Tyler Deakos (No. 224) win the draft’s final selection.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2026.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

British Columbia Premier David Eby says his first-ever trade trip to China will focus on pitching the province’s forestry products and energy sector around LNG development, approaching the mission with both excitement and caution.

Eby says China is the province’s second largest trading partner, and expanding relationships beyond the United States with the goal of doubling international trade over the coming decade.

He says U.S. tariffs are “really hurting” the province’s forestry sector, while a lot of jobs in B.C. are also dependent on the relationship with China and he hopes to see Chinese tariffs currently impacting the province lifted, including on seafood sector.

Eby says he’s received briefings from both the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service in advance of the trip to ensure “our team is fully aware of how to minimize risk and to maximize opportunities while visiting.

He says the government didn’t release his full itinerary for the trip to China to avoid giving competitors in other provinces and countries a potential “unfair advantage,” as the mission seeks to drum up customers and deals for B.C. companies.

Eby says the “really big fish” he’s seeking to land on the trip will see him meeting with PetroChina to discuss the second phase of the massive LNG facility expansion in Kitimat, B.C., with an impending final investment decision on the project expected later this year.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

Development of Canada’s first offshore wind farms took a significant step forward late Friday when Nova Scotia’s offshore energy regulator released the names of companies qualified to bid on seabed licences.

The Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator identified five companies and two groups of companies that won approval after taking part in a review process between October 2025 and January of this year.

The eligible companies were required to meet certain financial, technical, legal and social criteria to prove they are capable of completing offshore wind projects.

The regulator, however, said the companies that met eligibility requirements had the option of keeping their status confidential, which means the names of some participants may remain a secret at this stage.

Meanwhile, the federal-provincial agency confirmed a formal call for bids will be issued some time later this year. And those bids will be subject to ministerial reviews at the federal and provincial levels.

So far, the approved companies are based in Canada, Belgium, China, Ireland, Luxembourg, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea and France.

In January, a spokesman for one of the companies, Q Energy France, said its estimated timeline for commissioning offshore turbines would be sometime in 2035.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston issued a statement Friday saying the province had taken another step toward becoming an energy leader on the world stage.

“By attracting companies with the experience and know-how to deliver large energy projects, we are setting the stage for a successful offshore wind industry here at home,” Houston said.

“This kind of growth will move us from a have not to a have province and create many new opportunities for our young people, small businesses and communities.”

In June 2025, Houston said the province’s plan to license enough offshore wind farms to produce five gigawatts of electricity would be increased eightfold to 40 gigawatts, well beyond the 2.4 gigawatts Nova Scotia needs.

He called on Ottawa to help cover the costs of the Wind West project, saying the excess electricity could be used to supply 27 per cent of Canada’s total demand. Quebec and Massachusetts have already shown interest in buying electricity from this proposed clean energy megaproject.

The provincial government says the first phase of Wind West is estimated to cost about $60 billion and would produce about five gigawatts of power as early as 2033. About $40 billion would be for turbine infrastructure, with another $20 billion for new transmission lines.

The plan to produce up to 40 gigawatts of electricity says commissioning could happen by 2050.

The ocean areas under consideration for the first phase include Sydney Bight, northeast of Cape Breton in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Three more parcels can be found off the eastern shore of mainland Nova Scotia.

The following qualified companies and business alliances consented to to having their names released:

— DEME Concessions Wind N.V., based in Belgium.

— Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Ltd., based in China.

— Northland Power Inc., based in Toronto.

— Simply Blue Energy (OSW) Ltd., based in Ireland.

— Jan De Nul N.V., based in Luxembourg.

— A group that includes Halifax-based DP Energy Canada Ltd., Enterprize Energy Atlantic Pte. Ltd. in Singapore, Nova East Wind Inc. in Halifax, and SBM Renewables Holding SA, based in Switzerland.

— A group that includes Hanwha Ocean Co., Ltd., based in South Korea, and Q ENERGY France SAS.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2026.

This is a corrected story. A previous version incorrectly stated that six companies and two groups of companies had been approved to submit bids. In fact, the five companies and two groups have won approval.

© 2026 The Canadian Press

A 21-year-old motorcyclist is dead and a Brampton man has been charged after a collision early Saturday morning, Peel Regional Police said.

Emergency crews were called to the area of Bovaird Drive and Yellow Brick Road at about 3:47 a.m. on Saturday for reports of a collision involving a motorcycle and a vehicle.

Police say the motorcycle and a white SUV collided at the intersection.Officers performed life-saving measures on the motorcyclist, but the 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 48-year-old man later returned to the scene while officers were investigating, said Peel Regional Police media relations officer Lori McCann.

He was arrested and charged with impaired driving. Investigators say additional charges could be laid as the investigation continues.

Bovaird Drive was closed in both directions between Main Street and Yellow Brick Road for several hours while police investigated.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Peel Regional Police.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder after a 16-year-old boy was found dead in a Winnipeg parking lot, police say.

Officers responded to a wellbeing check at a parking lot in the 1700 block of Wellington Avenue shortly after 8 a.m. on June 25, according to a news release.

When officers arrived, they found a teenaged boy dead with significant injuries.

The victim has been identified as 16-year-old Bruno Delmar Young, a member of Bloodvein River First Nation who had been living in Winnipeg.

The Winnipeg Police Service’s homicide unit took over the investigation.

Police say investigators later arrested two youths at a business in the 600 block of King Edward Street.

A 17-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl have both been charged with second-degree murder.

Both were detained in custody. The charged teens cannot be named due to provisions under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Police have not released additional details about the circumstances surrounding the homicide or the relationship between the accused and the victim.

The investigation remains ongoing.

© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.