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New Canucks forward Vesey ditches car in Ottawa after "sh*tty" waivers experience | Offside – Daily Hive

Published

4 years ago

March 19, 2021

It’s been a wild past 48 hours for new Vancouver Canucks forward Jimmy Vesey. The 27-year-old was put on waivers by the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, and by Wednesday, he was suiting up with a new team.

The Canucks picked up Vesey on Wednesday at about 9 am PT, about seven hours before they were set to play a road game against the Ottawa Senators.

Before he had a chance to really process the move, Vesey jumped into his car and headed north, making a four-hour drive in an attempt to make his Canucks debut.

“I drove from Toronto to Ottawa, right when I got the official word at noon that I was claimed. Got to the rink at about 4:15 and left my car there,” Vesey told reporters via Zoom today. “I was prepared to play the game but obviously the paperwork issue held that up. I watched the game and then got on the plane with the guys and I’m in Montreal now.”

Vesey drove to avoid having to quarantine before joining his new team, which he would have had to do had he taken a commercial flight. He made it on time and even took the pre-game skate, but his Canadian work visa couldn’t be processed in time, so he had to sit it out.

His car, by the way, is still sitting at the arena in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata.

For fans, this may stir up thoughts of the legend of Artem Chubarov, a former Canucks player who simply ditched his car in the underground parking lot at Rogers Arena (known as GM Place in those days), when he left for the KHL in 2004.

The plan for Vesey is to get it shipped somewhere eventually.

Familiar faces

Vesey is from Boston, and has mutual friends with Adam Gaudette. He also played against Thatcher Demko in college — Vesey beat him out for the Hobey Baker Award in 2016 but Demko’s team ended his season.

But Vesey is actually a close friend with J.T. Miller, who he won a World Junior gold medal with as members of Team USA in 2013. The pair also played together during Vesey’s first two years with the New York Rangers.

Jimmy Vesey said he’s close with new #Canucks teammate J.T. Miller. They even met for dinner this past summer.

Here they are together on February 4.

????: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports pic.twitter.com/SLpmNJZ701

— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) March 18, 2021

“He was in Boston for a couple days this summer and we had dinner,” Vesey said, who added that they planned to go golfing together, but it got rained out.

“I know Millsy really well and it’s great to have a familiar face in the locker room. He was one of the first people that reached out.”

“It’s sh*tty when you get put on waivers”

Getting put on waivers has to be a shot to the ego of any hockey player, given that it means the team you’re on is willing to risk losing you for nothing.

“It’s shitty when you get put on waivers,” Vesey said bluntly. “No one really wants to experience that.”

Perhaps it’ll be a blessing in disguise though for Vesey, who had fallen out of favour quickly in his first season in Toronto. After averaging about 12:58 minutes per game in January, Vesey’s time on ice dropped to 10:58 per game in February. In March, his average ice time dropped to 8:59 per game, including a season-low 4:41 of ice time last week in Winnipeg.

Subsequently, through 30 games he has just seven points.

“We’re all athletes and competitors and we want to perform. So overall, I’m just really excited to have this chance (with the Canucks).”

Vesey will get a much better opportunity to succeed in Vancouver. He was lined up with Brandon Sutter and Jayce Hawryluk during the pre-game warmup, but will probably be elevated in the lineup, assuming Tanner Pearson misses time with the injury that caused him to leave Wednesday’s game early.

It remains to be seen if he’ll play special teams, but he has experience playing on both the power play and penalty kill during his five-year NHL career.

“I’m excited for the opportunity and through talking to the coaches, it looks like I might have a more prominent role on the team than what I had with Toronto. You’ve got to love that opportunity and that chance to succeed ultimately. I think this team has a lot of good pieces in place and hopefully I can add to the mix and help this team to win hockey games.”

Vesey has baby face, but has imposing size at six-foot-3 and 202 pounds. He doesn’t play a big bruising style of game, but the left winger does have the skill necessary to succeed in the NHL.

“I’ve always felt that when I’m on top of my game that I belong [in a top six role]. I think for me, it’s just a matter of consistency, and being able to do that every night.”

What went wrong

A star in college, Vesey was a highly-coveted NCAA free agent before signing with the Rangers in 2016. Vesey’s first three years in New York went well, with him scoring 16-17 goals each season. After notching a career-high 35 points in 2018-19, he was traded to Buffalo, but struggled with the Sabres — as nearly everyone does with that franchise.

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“Last year wasn’t what I wanted. Got off to a bad start in Buffalo, but as the year went on I progressed… It’s tough to say, but if you throw out the first 20 games of that year, I think I was statistically about on the same pace as what I had been in New York.”

Vesey had a disastrous start in Buffalo, scoring just two points in his first 19 games. He had 18 points in 45 games the rest of the way.

With the Leafs, Vesey was a victim of playing on a deep team.

“This year (in Toronto) I played a little bit up the lineup to start the year, but mostly was down the lineup. Toronto’s got a lot of talent obviously, and a lot of depth. It was a competitive roster.”

Vesey can play at the NHL level, and it’s easy to see why he struggled in Toronto. But with the Canucks, a team in desperate need of depth at forward, there should be no excuses.

“I’m looking forward to this opportunity and going to try to take it and get back to where I was… I’m excited for the challenge.”

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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