National Sports

VANCOUVER — Before he put pen to paper on a contract with a new NHL team on Monday, Vincent Desharnais received a phone call. On the line were Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet and assistant bench boss Adam Foote.

It will now be up to Shea Patterson to keep the Saskatchewan Roughriders on their winning path. Patterson makes his first career CFL start Thursday night when Saskatchewan (3-0) hosts the Toronto Argonauts (2-1).

TORONTO — Philip Kim, who competes as "B-Boy Phil Wizard," is set to make Canadian sports history this summer as the country's first-ever Olympic breaking athlete.

TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs have agreed to an affiliation with the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones beginning next season. The Cyclones replace the Newfoundland Growlers, who ceased operations before the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

SAINT-VULBAS, France (AP) — Mark Cavendish broke Eddy Merckx’s long-standing record for most career Tour de France stage wins with his 35th victory on Wednesday.

LeBron James is making it official: He's coming back for a record-tying 22nd season in the NBA, one where the league's all-time scoring leader could share the floor with his son Bronny as teammates with the Los Angeles Lakers.

TORONTO — Spencer Horwitz loves the chess match of an at bat, especially doing it at the highest level of professional baseball.

ARLINGTON — Winger Tajon Buchanan is scheduled to undergo surgery Wednesday after breaking his tibia in practice ahead of Canada's Copa America quarterfinal against Venezuela.

MONTREAL — Andre De Grasse and Damian Warner are set to defend their Olympic titles at this summer's Paris Games as part of Canada's athletics team. The team was announced Tuesday by Athletics Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee.

TORONTO — Leo Jimenez can't believe he's in a Major League Baseball clubhouse, preparing for a game with players he used to watch as a fan. Jimenez was recalled by the Blue Jays from their triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, N.Y.