Cranbrook, B.C. native Bowen Byram hoists the Stanley Cup after the Avalanche's victory Sunday night
It was a historic win for the Colorado Avalanche last night as they dethroned the reigning champs, the Tampa Bay Lightning, to claim their third Stanley Cup.
A major contributor for the Avs was defender Cale Makar, whose 29 points in 20 games earned him the Conn Smythe Award given to the playoffs most valuable player.
"Obviously so grateful and just honoured to be a part of this success and to help guys that have been through the ups and downs of this team succeed," Makar said during a postgame interview.
"It's surreal. I'm not too worried about this individual stuff, just celebrating the main thing with the boys."
Cale Makar is presented with Conn Smythe trophy as the outstanding performer of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Prior to being drafted fourth overall by the Avalanche in 2017, the Calgary native spent three seasons with the Brooks Bandits, which included a 75 point year in 2016-2017.
On top of winning the Conn Smythe, Makar took home the James Norris Memorial trophy as the league’s top defender.
He also won the Calder Memorial trophy for best rookie back in 2019-2020.
Makar said he attributes his success to his team and the tough opposition they've faced year after year.
"They pushed me so hard all year and just to be the player that I developed into throughout the season," he said following the NHL Awards on June 1st.
"A lot of credit goes to them and just motivating me and stuff. It's awesome when you have great competition like that. Makes it a lot more fun."
Another key player on the Avs was rookie defender Bowen Byram from Cranbrook, B.C.
Byram had nine assists in the post season and his long time coach, Michael Dyck, says it was a pleasure to watch him play.
"It's been a lot of fun to watch him grow as a person and as a hockey player and so proud of what he's accomplished," Dyck told CTV News.
"Not only winning the Stanley Cup but about how well he played through the entire Stanley Cup playoffs."
Dyck and Byram’s history goes all the way back to peewee hockey in Cranbrook and carried through to the Lethbridge Golden Hawks, the Vancouver Giants and the 2021 World Juniors.
Dyck said he can't wait to chat with Byram once the excitement starts to settle.
"He's had a great opportunity, I’m sure, to enjoy the win with the family and his teammates and now he gets an opportunity to go back to Denver and enjoy it with the fans," he said.
"When things start to calm down a little bit, I’m looking forward to having that conversation with him."
A Stanley Cup victory parade for Makar, Byram and the Avalanche will be held in Denver on Thursday.
For the second time in less than a month, a resident of Ashcroft, B.C., died while waiting for health care.
Canada's average resale home price fell 4.5% from a year ago in July and was down 5.4% on the month as buyers continued to sit on the sidelines amid rising borrowing costs.
British drug regulators have become the first in the world to authorize an updated version of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine that aims to protect against the original virus and the omicron variant.
A year after the Taliban seized control of Kabul, Canada's resettlement efforts have lagged behind official targets and the efforts to help those fleeing the war in Ukraine. More than 17,300 Afghans have arrived in Canada since last August compared to 71,800 Ukrainians who have come to Canada in 2022 alone.
Anne Heche, the Emmy-winning film and television actor whose dramatic Hollywood rise in the 1990s and accomplished career contrasted with personal chapters of turmoil, died of injuries from a fiery car crash. She was 53.
China announced more military drills around Taiwan as the self-governing island's president met with members of a new U.S. congressional delegation on Monday, threatening to renew tensions between Beijing and Washington just days after a similar visit by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi angered China.
Padma Lakshmi is supporting her ex-husband Salman Rushdie in his recovery. The 'Top Chef' star tweeted Sunday that she is 'relieved' Rushdie is 'pulling through after Friday's nightmare' in which he was stabbed multiple times while on stage in New York.
The Newfoundland and Labrador government says it will not be changing the name of the Colonial Building in downtown St. John's.
Amid high inflation and rising cost of living, a person's relationship status can impact their finances. There are five ways in which flying solo can put you at a financial disadvantage and a few ways to mitigate them.
The government of Alberta is looking to draw skilled workers from Toronto and Vancouver to the province and will launch its recruitment campaign Monday morning.
Canada's average resale home price fell 4.5% from a year ago in July and was down 5.4% on the month as buyers continued to sit on the sidelines amid rising borrowing costs.
For the second time in less than a month, a resident of Ashcroft, B.C., died while waiting for health care.
For the second time in less than a month, a resident of Ashcroft, B.C., died while waiting for health care.
A union representing tens of thousands of government workers says it will begin job action Monday.
A drive-by shooting of a Surrey home is being investigated by Mounties.
A group of Nova Scotians is being sent to fight wildfires burning in central Newfoundland.
A diving accident at 14-years-old left Brian Parker paralyzed from the chest down. Now at age 49, he's without the person who was caring for him full-time until just last week, after his 68-year-old mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The Newfoundland and Labrador government says it will not be changing the name of the Colonial Building in downtown St. John's.
An hours-long standoff between heavily armed police and the occupants of a home in Campbell River has ended with six arrests, Mounties say. Frontline officers responded to the home in the 600 block of Alpine Road around 2:30 a.m. Sunday, after receiving multiple reports of shots being fired.
The U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies are responding to a sunken vessel leaking fuel in Haro Strait, between Vancouver Island and San Juan Island.
Orca sightings on Vancouver Island aren't rare, but they're always thrilling, and that was especially true for a group of aquaculture workers on the North Island this week.
About 60 per cent of Toronto’s non-profit childcare centres have opted into the federal government’s $10 a day program ahead of a Sept. 1 deadline but the uptake among for-profit centres has lagged behind.
Hamilton police have arrested and charged a 24-year-old man accused of sexual assault while working as a camp counsellor at a local college.
Toronto Fire Services are battling a two-alarm, residential fire in North York Monday morning.
Quebec health authorities are launching another COVID-19 booster vaccination campaign.
With one week to go before the start of the new school year, the CSQ is concerned that some CEGEPs will be unable to offer certain services and even some courses due to a lack of staff.
Quebec's public finances are in order as the Oct. 3 election approaches, but nothing should be taken for granted due to prevailing economic uncertainty, according to the auditor general.
Addressing municipal leaders in Ottawa this morning, on the first full day of events at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario Conference, Premier Doug Ford said the 'strong mayor' powers he initially said would be granted to the mayors of Toronto and Ottawa will be expanded to other municipalities.
Highway 417 reopened to traffic between Metcalfe and Carling/Kirkwood Avenues at approximately 12 a.m. Monday, six hours ahead of schedule after crews worked through the weekend to replace the Booth Street Bridge in Ottawa's west end.
Two people from Ottawa were killed when their small plane crashed in Port Hope, Ont. this weekend.
With only a few weeks before classes begin, multiple students have been displaced after flames ripped through a house Sunday morning. Occupants were home at the time and were alerted by a quick-thinking bylaw officer.
Police have shut down roads surrounding the intersection of Perth Road 140 and Line 91 just outside Palmerston, Ont. after what they’re calling a “serious collision.”
A family that recently moved from Waterloo Region is remembering the life of their nine-year-old boy after the search for him came to a tragic end.
The Saskatoon Hilltops season opened Sunday with the team’s home-opener against the Winnipeg Rifles at Gordie Howe Park.
Saskatchewan residents 18 years and older are eligible to receive a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Parts of central Saskatchewan were battered by severe thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening of Aug 13.
Everett Freeman, 9, went camping with his family on Huckleberry Island in Georgian Bay, and went missing around 3 p.m. on Friday.
CTV News has learned one person has been taken to hospital after an early morning fire at a camp west of Sudbury.
Anne Heche, the Emmy-winning film and television actor whose dramatic Hollywood rise in the 1990s and accomplished career contrasted with personal chapters of turmoil, died of injuries from a fiery car crash. She was 53.
Former Liberal member of Parliament Anita Neville has been named Manitoba's next lieutenant-governor.
Duty-free shops along Canada's border, like the one in Emerson, are continuing to report record low sales.
Environment Canada is warning Manitobans that conditions are favourable in parts of the province for the development of “severe” thunderstorms that could cause strong winds, large hail, and heavy rain.
Saskatchewan residents 18 years and older are eligible to receive a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Canada's average resale home price fell 4.5% from a year ago in July and was down 5.4% on the month as buyers continued to sit on the sidelines amid rising borrowing costs.
Parts of central Saskatchewan were battered by severe thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening of Aug 13.
