Social media has become as much a part of sports fandom as chicken wings, jerseys and watching the big game with friends. Team Canada's Connor McDavid is among the must-follow Twitter accounts for 2015. McDavid is shown while waiting for team photos in Toronto on Saturday, December 20, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
December 21, 2014 - 6:14 AM
Social media has become as much a part of sports fandom as chicken wings, jerseys and watching the big game with friends. Here's a look at 10 must-follow sports personalities of 2015.
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Connor McDavid (@cmcdavid97) hockey player
A forward with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters, Connor McDavid will be the cornerstone of Canada's offence at the world junior hockey championship in Toronto and Montreal this winter. What's more, the 17-year-old from Newmarket, Ont., is favoured to go first overall in the NHL draft this June. Hockey fans should pay close attention to this can't-miss prospect year-round.
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Eugenie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) tennis player
Eugenie Bouchard captured the country's attention with her breakout season in 2014, making the Wimbledon final and surging into the WTA's top 10 player rankings. The Westmount, Que., native looks to pick up where she left off at the Australian Open in late January.
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Rachel Homan (@RHoman89) curler
The defending champion skip at the Tournament of Hearts, Ottawa's Rachel Homan is the only entry to have qualified for 2015's national women's curling championship so far. Homan regularly shares pictures with her fans, filling her Twitter feed with a glimpse into life on Canada's curling circuit. She will defend her title in Moose Jaw, Sask., in February.
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Don Cherry (@CoachsCornerCBC) TV commentator
Love him or hate him, there's no denying that when Don Cherry speaks, people listen. Best known for his Coach's Corner segment on "Hockey Night in Canada," the TV commentator and former NHL coach also posts lengthy rants on Twitter.
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Meagan Duhamel (@mhjd_85) pairs figure skater
Meagan Duhamel and partner Eric Radford earned a silver medal at the Sochi Olympics, but are set fore more success in 2015. Unlike most Olympic-level figure skaters, Duhamel, from Lively, Ont., and Radford, from Balrmertown, Ont., have opted to keep skating this season, giving them a chance to win several more medals. Duhamel is skilled with a camera, sharing pictures with her fans, especially on Throwback Thursdays.
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Josh Donaldson (@BringerOfRain20) baseball player
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired all-star third baseman Josh Donaldson in a November trade with the Oakland Athletics for Canadian infielder Brett Lawrie and a handful of prospects. Donaldson's love of all sports is apparent on Twitter as he tweets pictures of football cards he's added to his collection and videos of highlight-reel plays. This spring he'll undoubtedly be a key piece of the Blue Jays' run at the American League East title.
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DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) basketball player
The passion of Raptors fans caught the attention of the NBA last spring during the playoffs, with the #WeTheNorth hashtag becoming a rallying cry for Toronto's basketball community. All-star guard DeMar DeRozan has helped lead the Raptors to the hottest start to a season in franchise history, setting the stage for a return to the playoffs. Although he's currently injured, DeRozan remains active with the team as an assistant coach and keeps busy on Twitter as he rehabs a groin injury.
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Curt Harnett (@curtharnett) Canada's chef de mission
Toronto's Curt Harnett rose to fame at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when he won silver in cycling's 1,000-metre time trial event. He followed that up by winning Olympic bronze in 1992 and 1996 in the match sprint. This summer, however, Harnett will be tackling a new role as Canada's chef de mission for the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto. Follow him all summer for an inside look at Canada's team for the multi-sport event.
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Christine Sinclair (@sincy12) soccer player
Christine Sinclair of Burnaby, B.C., is arguably the best women's soccer player in the world and Canada's striker in international competition. She'll be leading the national team on and off the pitch this June and July as Canada hosts the women's World Cup.
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Phil "CM Punk" Brooks (@CMPunk) mixed martial artist
Retired professional wrestler CM Punk has stayed in the headlines after leaving the WWE last January. He was signed by the UFC in December despite having no experience as a mixed martial artist. Best known for verbally eviscerating his opponents on the microphone, Punk will try his hand in the Octagon sometime in late 2015. As he prepares for that fight, Punk will undoubtedly be in attendance at many Chicago Blackhawks games as the team's resident super fan.
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While he didn't make our list, follow @jchidleyhill on Twitter
News from © The Canadian Press, 2014