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From international team showdowns to professional and amateur settings, Canadian athletes have never had a larger, more successful presence on the global sporting stage.
As Canadians, we understand the challenge is trying to stay on top of it all.
Enter NorthStar Bets' inaugural Canadian Heat Index. Each month, we’ll track, share, and celebrate the performances that fill us with pride and deserve a Mountie-esque salute.
Canadian Heat Index: Top 5
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Hometown: Hamilton, Ont.
Sport/League: Basketball, NBA
At the time of writing, Gilgeous-Alexander's Oklahoma City Thunder are one win away from putting a bow on a historic season. The Canadian is the main cog in their well-oiled machine and is torching the NBA Finals (32.4 PPG). He would become the first Canadian to win the NBA MVP and an NBA championship.
2. Summer McIntosh
Hometown: Toronto, Ont.
Sport/League: Swimming
Our brightest Olympic star just put on a clinic at the Canadian swimming trials for the upcoming World Championships. McIntosh set three world records — in the 400M freestyle, 200M individual medley, and 400M individual medley — becoming the first swimmer to do so in one meet since Michael Phelps at the 2008 Olympics.
3. Sam Bennett
Hometown: East Gwillimbury, Ont.
Sport/League: Hockey, NHL
The Florida Panthers' decision regarding Bennett's upcoming free agency should be simple: Pay the man. Bennett set the NHL record for the most road goals (13) in a single postseason, and was a menace to play against anytime he touched the ice. The Conn Smythe winner scored five goals to help sink the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final.
4. Brad Marchand
Hometown: Halifax, N.S.
Sport/League: Hockey, NHL
Marchand just cemented himself as one of the greatest deadline acquisitions of all time. The 37-year-old was runner-up to Bennett in Conn Smythe voting, had the fourth-most playoff goals (10), and became the second player in the last 50 years to score five goals in multiple Cup finals. The other? Mario Lemieux.
5. Gabriel Diallo
Hometown: Montreal, Que.
Sport/League: Tennis, ATP
Canadian tennis fans should get familiar with Diallo's name, because you're going to see him a lot. The 23-year-old picked up his first ATP singles title at the Libema Open after an impressive run to the quarterfinals in the Madrid Open a month earlier.
Canadian Heat Index: 6-9
6. Connor McDavid
Hometown: Richmond Hill, Ont.
Sport/League: Hockey, NHL
McDavid led the playoffs in scoring (33 points) for a second consecutive season but again fell short of winning the ultimate prize, dropping four spots in our list. Still, hockey is a team sport, so we can't be too harsh on the three-time Hart Trophy winner.
7. Josh Naylor
Hometown: Mississauga, Ont.
Sport/League: Baseball, MLB
Naylor has moved up one spot after sustaining his strong start to the season. Entering play on June 19, the Arizona Diamondbacks slugger is batting .305/.358/.474 with 49 RBI. He's been on a particularly hot streak right now, batting .459 amid an eight-game hitting streak.
8. Tajon Buchanan
Hometown: Brampton, Ont.
Sport/League: Soccer, La Liga/CANMNT
The Canadian men's national team currently sits at an all-time best 30th in FIFA's rankings, and Buchanan is the first of two players worthy of a shout-out. He scored for Les Rouges in a 4-2 win over Ukraine on June 7 and added a brace against Honduras just over a week later.
9. Sophie Jaques
Hometown: Toronto, Ont.
Sport/League: Hockey, PWHL
Two years in the PWHL, two championships for Jaques and the Minnesota Frost. The 24-year-old led all defencemen in points in the regular season (22) and backed that up with a strong playoffs. Her seven postseason points ranked second among all skaters.
10. Promise David
Hometown: Brampton, Ont.
Sport/League: Soccer, La Liga/CANMNT
The CANMNT is learning that it can never have too many goalscorers named David. Promise made waves in the Belgian pro league this year, scoring 24 goals in 41 appearances for Union SG. After getting approved by FIFA to switch allegiance to Canada in February, he scored a goal in each of his first two caps for Les Rouges.
