National Sports

MINNEAPOLIS — When the Minnesota Timberwolves decided again to change coaches, president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas turned to one of the candidates he interviewed during the last search. The dossier on Chris Finch was still fresh.

In one 45-minute conversation, Kevin Mather undermined the Seattle Mariners far beyond being the organization with the longest playoff drought in baseball.

TORONTO — Shortstop Bo Bichette has big expectations for the upgraded Toronto Blue Jays. “I believe in the team, just like I did last year,” Bichette said Monday as the Blue Jays held their first full-squad workout in Dunedin, Florida.

TORONTO — The injuries are piling up for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Head coach Sheldon Keefe said at Monday's practice that defenceman Jake Muzzin has suffered a broken facial bone and will be out an undetermined amount of time.

Not playing football in 2020 hasn't stopped Montreal Carabins offensive lineman Pier-Olivier Lestage from being noticed. Canadian universities didn't play last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Four months after he lost Nate Bjorkgren to the Indiana Pacers, Nick Nurse finds himself short an assistant coach once again. Nurse's longtime friend Chris Finch is the new head coach of the struggling Minnesota Timberwolves.

TORONTO — The Toronto Argonauts have signed American defensive lineman Kony Ealy and American offensive lineman Blake Camper. Ealy, 29, was selected in the second round (60th overall) of the 2014 NFL draft by the Carolina Panthers.

It has been an eventful 13 months for Canadian forward Evelyne Viens since being taken fifth overall by Sky Blue FC in the 2020 NWSL draft. The 24-year-old from L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que., made her pro debut in last summer's NWSL Challenge Cup.

CALGARY — Hockey Canada has hired former Moose Jaw Warriors general manager Alan Millar as its director of player personnel within the Program of Excellence.

CALGARY — Plans to curl in a bubble had to include how relax and recharge between draws, since the athletes in the Canadian women's curling championship are confined to the arena and their hotel.