National Sports

LOS ANGELES — Shaquille O'Neal called himself "The Big Baryshnikov" and "The Big Socrates" in his days in the NBA. Now he can add "The Big Shakespeare.

NFL draft guru Mike Mayock sees Canadian defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd as a diamond in the rough. On Friday, Mayock listed Shepherd fourth on his list of the top-five interior defensive lineman prospects for next week's NFL draft.

LONDON — Arsene Wenger gathered his Arsenal players to drop a bombshell before training on Friday morning. After almost 22 years in charge of the north London club, the manager was leaving. "We didn't see it coming," midfielder Jack Wilshere said.

The Toronto Maple Leafs left themselves little room for error after consecutive ugly road losses to open their first-round playoff series with the Boston Bruins.

MONTREAL — Eugenie Bouchard says she just wants to play some matches and enjoy being part of a team again.

TORONTO — Tim Hortons says the sale of a doughnut bearing the colours of the Humboldt Broncos has helped raise more than $800,000 for the junior hockey team that was involved in a horrific collision earlier this month.

NEW YORK — Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews has the top-selling jersey in the NHL, according to the league's website. NHL.com reported Friday that Matthews' No.

TORONTO — The CFL announced Friday all nine of its teams were under the $5.15-million salary cap in 2017. As a result, the order of the league's annual draft May 3 is unaffected. The Montreal Alouettes currently hold the first pick overall.

TORONTO — Another year, another Sovereign Award as Canadian thoroughbred racing's top trainer for Mark Casse. Casse, 57, earned a seventh straight Sovereign Award on Thursday night and the 10th of his illustrious racing career.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Bill Peters has not been able to lead the Carolina Hurricanes back to the NHL playoffs and after coming up short following his fourth season with the club, announced Friday that he is resigning.