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With deadline upcoming, Raptors look to build on what they already have – Sportsnet.ca

Published

3 years ago

February 8, 2022

Harry Miller

The Toronto Raptors won’t be a materially different team at 3:01 pm on Thursday.

But they might be a better one.

That’s the outline general manager Bobby Webster laid out as he met with the media with the NBA trade deadline approaching.

The Raptors are the hottest team in the Eastern Conference, having won six straight games and gone 15-6 since most of their rotation players returned to full health and collectively recovered from a team-wide COVID-19 outbreak.

It appears that their experiment of playing big across their lineup without a traditional centre — trusting secondary ball-handling duties to a pair of six-foot-eight power-forward/point guard hybrids in Pascal Siakam and Scottie Barnes, with Fred VanVleet oscillating between point guard and spot-up shooting duties and everyone else playing nearly interchangeably — will continue.

They’ve been approached to break up their core — the Indiana Pacers were nosing around Pascal Siakam, according to league sources, before trading their star big man Domantas Sabonis to the Sacramento Kings — but for now Toronto is inclined to keep it intact. The Raptors reported interest in San Antonio Spurs centre Jakob Poeltl — who played the first three years of his career in Toronto — was real, but the Spurs weren’t budging from one of the better defensive centres in the league — not for expiring contracts and a mid-round first.

So, the Raptors will keep looking for a rotation-quality player that can add to what they have.

“Obviously with the players [that] are growing and playing together I think [that] suggests less of a major move,” said Webster. “[It] doesn’t mean we don’t get those calls and we’re not talking about them, but I think the good vibes of the current group hopefully bodes well for the future.”

But the Raptors are in a unique position to add to that group which probably includes as many as seven players — the five regular starters along with Chris Boucher and Precious Achiuwa, versatile, athletic bigs who compliment the style the Raptors want to play and who Toronto remains enthusiastic about.

With Goran Dragic’s expiring $19.4 million contract and all their own first-round picks, Toronto is hopeful they can add a player that makes them better for this season and into the near future.

Dragic’s contract is an asset that expires in value on Thursday, lending an urgency to the Raptors pursuit of an upgrade.

“I don’t know about [having] to [make a trade] but I think it’s a unique piece,” said Webster. “There’s not many of them around the league. So, you get to be in conversations that you typically aren’t.”

And unlike last season when the trade discussion centred around Kyle Lowry and Norman Powell – franchise mainstays at that point – deals structured around Dragic’s contract and picks are simpler; no one’s feelings are going to be hurt and any kind of positive return should provide more than Dragic – who has been away from the team on a personal leave since November – or a mid-first round pick can give Toronto.

“This year it’s a bit more streamlined in a sense,” said Webster. “You kind of know what the major deal is, you know when you can add to it, sure, here’s some bigger deals or smaller deals, but it does make it a little bit simpler to kind of examine the team and realize that you’re not moving a major rotational piece that’s currently on the team.”

The Raptors are also open to taking on future contract obligations for the right player, said Webster.

The Raptors owners – Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment – have had their revenues impacted for three straight seasons now due to the pandemic, but there have been no discussions about having to cut back spending or to make short-term moves to chase near-term playoff gates, said Webster.

But if there are players available with a year or two left on their contracts after the current season that suit what the Raptors are trying to do?

“Those are exactly the type of deals we’re looking at,” said Webster. “Obviously having most of the core under contract here, it helps us there. We definitely have the flexibility [next season] and even beyond. You don’t want to play the game of game planning too many years ahead, because a lot of things can change in the interim. Definitely we do have some flexibility over the next year or two.”

Finding the right fit will be the challenge. The Raptors are largely agnostic, positionally. Depth has been an issue at times this season; their lack of interior size means they have to game-plan heavily when they do end up matching up with some of the league’s bigger and better centres and secondary playmaking is at a premium after VanVleet and Siakam.

They’re not targeting a single type of player. They’re open to improving in any area.

“By no means do we think that this is this is the final look [for this team],” said Webster. “And I think that’s why this week’s important for us if we can find a player that would complement that group, whether it’s positionally or even continues to look like one of those players… do we need another one of those multi-positional wings? Do we need a more traditional big? Or do we need another ball handler?

“And if you could solve all of those with one you would, but you can’t. So… can you combine two of those into one player? Do you need to go get two players, or are you content to just let this thing grow and maybe one of the guys off the bench, one of the young development players turns into that?”

The market has moved earlier than expected, with the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans all making deals well in advance of the deadline.

Have any deals so far affected the marketplace?

“I think the deals that have happened it’s kind of what the league expected to happen out of those deals,” said Webster. “I don’t feel like the value proposition has changed for many teams. They’re still interested in the deals or they’re still not interested.”

The Raptors remain interested in moving Dragic’s expiring contract and are willing to add future draft assets to do it in a way they can bring back a player that can help them now and in the future.

Dragic should keep his phone handy.

“I think [he] kinda knows the game we’re in and the writing on the wall…,” said Webster. “… a fairly large expiring contract… it greases deals in the NBA which is the name of the game this week.”

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Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M

Published

4 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.

Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.

He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.

Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.

Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.

Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.

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Veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin lead Canada’s team at WXV rugby tournament

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.

WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).

Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.

“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.

“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”

Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.

Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.

Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.

Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.

The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.

Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.

The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.

WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.

The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.

Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad

Forwards

Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);

Backs

Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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Vancouver Canucks star goalie Thatcher Demko working through rare muscle injury

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.

The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.

He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.

Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.

He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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