National Sports

TORONTO — Sheldon Keefe took his place in front of a dozen television cameras. The Maple Leafs head coach — on centre stage inside a small auditorium at the team's practice facility — was optimistic about the future for both himself and the group.

Former Toronto FC general manager Ali Curtis has earned a promotion as Major League Soccer revamps the leadership of MLS Next, its academy and youth development program.

Canadian riders Michael Woods and Riley Pickrell are out of the Giro d'Italia.

Ownership of the NHL’s team in Utah has given fans 20 choices to vote on for the franchise’s new name, according to a survey sent out Wednesday by Smith Entertainment Group.

CALGARY — Although Canada’s lone PGA Tour Champions event will have a different name, the goal will still be the same for Mike Weir.

The Vancouver Canucks struck first in a wild second-round NHL playoff series opener against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday and the Florida Panthers pulled even in their best-of-seven matchup against the Boston Bruins.

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks have been talking about resilience for months.

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Aleksander Barkov had two goals and two assists, Sam Reinhart added four assists and the Florida Panthers beat the Boston Bruins 6-1 on Wednesday night to tie the second-round series at a game apiece.

MONTREAL — Nathan Goulet could hardly believe his eyes. The 22-year-old CS Saint-Laurent defender remembers watching Federico Bernardeschi play in the UEFA Champions League for elite Italian club Juventus a few years ago.

Toronto head coach Troy Ryan felt his team met its own expectations in its biggest game of the season to date.