The confetti from another Stanley Cup parade in another city not named Toronto had long been swept off the streets, and another off-season of tweaks was well underway.
Sheldon Keefe was attending his first in-person draft as Maple Leafs coach ahead of his first “normal” season in the position.
And yet, Keefe said, not much had changed.
The disappointment from another too-swift postseason, another squandered home-ice advantage, still rattled around in his head with all those potential line combos.
But the positives gleaned from his group’s record-busting regular season and nail-biting playoff test of the two-time champions hadn’t changed either.
Keefe threw himself into the Leafs’ summer-improvement projects with a bounce of optimism, encouraged by “the belief we have in our group and how close we felt we were to beating a very, very good team.” Yet motivated because, well, “we failed to get it done once again.”
The hope is that combination of bitter, thin-margin defeat and sweet, contagious belief that the hockey club is on the precipice of breaking through has led to minimal change in the roster.
Outside of the new guys in pads, most of the players who report to Ford Performance Centre for medicals Wednesday will be as familiar with each other as they are long summers.
Keefe is correct. No, not much has changed.
Some fiddling here and there, starting this week at camp, and maybe the outcome will.
Current salary cap space: $0 General manager: Kyle Dubas Head coach: Sheldon Keefe Assistant coaches: Spencer Carbery, Dean Chynoweth, Manny Malhotra, Curtis Sanford (goaltending) Unsigned players: Rasmus Sandin (RFA), Zach Aston-Reese (PTO), Dylan Ferguson (PTO)
THE PRESSING QUESTION: Where — and when —does Rasmus Sandin fit?
As the other Leafs report for medicals and prepare to take the ice, Sandin still sits and waits.
One of the NHL’s few outstanding restricted free agents dug into a contractual stalemate, the 22-year-old defenceman is long on confidence and promise. But his résumé and leverage are short.
If the left shot isn’t interested in signing a deal similar to pal Timothy Liljegren’s two-year, $2.8-million pact, perhaps a one-year prove-it paper is the simplest way to put this distraction on the back burner. (Mikey Anderson’s recent one-year, $1-million agreement with Los Angeles could provide the template.)
How the Sandin saga shakes out will have a ripple effect on the roster.
If the Swede signs for decent money, does another salary need to be dumped in trade so the Leafs can be cap-complaint for Opening Night? (Righty Justin Holl is the rumoured bait.) And which lefty moves to the right side so Sandin can get more shifts? (Mark Giordano feels like the only candidate.)
If Sandin and Dubas can’t find common ground, however, the seventh defenceman slot opens opportunity for an inexpensive free-agency recruit like Jordie Benn or Victor Mete to impress in preseason. That roster flexibility could save a tweener from the October waiver wire.
Conversely, with Liljegren missing camp due to injury (as first reported by Chris Johnston), Sandin could find himself with increased leverage — and ice time.
(The Leafs will comment on the nature of Liljegren’s injury Wednesday.)
We’re fascinated to see how it all plays out.
TRAINING CAMP BATTLE TO WATCH: Puzzle-piecing the bottom six
Keefe will once again be blessed with elite game-breakers at the top of his lineup. Farther down the bench, however, the intrigue — and competition — should heat up.
For now, we’ll pencil unsung 50-point utility man Alexander Kerfoot at left wing alongside John Tavares and William Nylander in the top six, knowing full well the coaches are content to throw Kerfoot anywhere and will likely give other forwards a crack to produce in such a premium spot.
(Calle “Four More Years” Järnkrok, Pierre “I Think I Can Score 20” Engvall, Nick “Time to Pop” Robertson, and Adam “Did You See Me at the Worlds?” Gaudette are all candidates to take a step offensively and could get some run higher in the lineup.)
The configuration of the bottom six, particularly, will be interesting, and there is no shortage of options.
We see Stanley Cup winner Nicolas Aubé-Kubel as the only fourth-line lock.
If true, that leaves two spots open for Gaudette, surprise PTO Zach Aston-Reese, respected veterans Wayne Simmonds and Kyle Clifford, and Marlies like Robertson, Joey Anderson, and Curtis Douglas to scrap over.
As with so many overextending teams, the final cuts may not entirely be made on merit.
Cap considerations, waiver eligibility, experience, injuries (Engvall is nursing something already), and role will all come into play.
PROJECTED LINEUP OUT OF CAMP
Michael Bunting–Auston Matthews–Mitchell Marner Alexander Kerfoot–John Tavares–William Nylander Pierre Engvall–David Kämpf–Calle Järnkrok Zach Aston-Reese–Adam Gaudette–Nicolas Aubé-Kubel
Morgan Rielly–T.J. Brodie Jake Muzzin–Justin Holl Rasmus Sandin–Mark Giordano
NEW YORK – Toronto Blue Jays reliever Chad Green and Canadian slugger Tyler O’Neill of the Boston Red Sox were named finalists for the Major League Baseball Players’ Association’s American League comeback player award on Monday.
Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet was the other nominee.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. were named player of the year finalists.
The award winners, selected via player voting, will be named Saturday before Game 2 of the World Series.
Green, who missed most of the 2022 and ’23 seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery, was a high-leverage option for the Blue Jays this past season and filled in at closer over the second half of the campaign.
The right-hander converted his first 16 save opportunities and finished the year with a 4-6 record, 17 saves and a 3.21 earned-run average over 53 appearances.
O’Neill, a native of Burnaby, B.C., also endured back-to-back injury-plagued seasons in ’22 and ’23.
After being traded to the Red Sox in the off-season, O’Neill set an MLB record by hitting a homer in his fifth straight Opening Day. He finished with 31 homers on the year and had an OPS of .847.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.
Alabama’s Mark Sears and North Carolina‘s RJ Davis looked into the possibility of leaving for the NBA before deciding to return for another college season.
Their decisions helped their teams earn top-10 rankings in the AP Top 25 and earned both players some preseason honors, too.
Sears was a near-unanimous selection for The Associated Press preseason All-America men’s basketball team released Monday, earning all but one vote from a 55-person national media panel. Davis was right behind him, nabbing 51 votes.
They were joined by Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson, Auburn forward Johni Broome, Arizona guard Caleb Love and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Love and Flagg tied for the final spot, creating a six-man team that includes only the ACC, Big 12 and SEC.
Alabama twin bill
Sears was a key cog in the Crimson Tide’s first trip to the Final Four a year ago, orchestrating one of college basketball’s highest-scoring teams.
The 6-foot-1 guard was named a second-team AP All-America after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He was the first Division I player in 31 years to have 795 points, 150 rebounds, 145 assists and 95 three-pointers in a single season while breaking the Alabama single-season record with 26 games with at least 20 points.
Sears worked out for NBA scouts during the offseason before deciding to return to Alabama, earning the Crimson Tide a No. 2 ranking in the preseason AP Top 25.
“I saw the team that we had and I wanted to be a part of it, and bring home Alabama’s first national championship in basketball,” Sears said.
Across the state at rival Auburn, Broome made a quick decision about his future, announcing in April that he would be back for a fifth season.
The 6-10 forward was a third-team AP All-American last season after averaging 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting nearly 55% from the floor. With an eye on an NBA future, Broome worked hard on his perimeter shooting during the offseason and his return earned Auburn a No. 11 preseason ranking.
“My main goal is a team goal, which is to win the national championship, to make it as far as I can in March Madness,” Broome said. “When a team shines, everyone shines individually.”
Along Tobacco Road
Like Sears, Davis has similar aspirations after opting to return for his fifth season at North Carolina.
The 6-foot guard was an AP All-American last season and the ACC player of the year after averaging 21.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists on a team that reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Davis enters this year within reach of former North Carolina big man Tyler Hansbrough’s all-time ACC scoring record.
“I know there’s more work to be done,” Davis said. “I know my jersey’s not going up until I leave. So there’s some more records to break and some more work to be done. I’m satisfied but I’m not satisfied, if that makes sense.”
Up the road at Duke, Flagg was the only underclassman on the preseason All-America team after arriving with tons of hype. The 6-9 swingman was the No. 1-rated high school recruit out of Newport, Maine and has been projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.
Flagg has the skills of a guard, but can also play inside and has worked hard on his perimeter shooting, giving him the potential to be one of college basketball’s most versatile players. He’s part of a stellar recruiting class that has No. 7 Duke eyeing a deep March run.
Big 12 duo
Dickinson was the biggest move in the transfer portal last spring after leaving Michigan for Kansas. The 7-2 center lived up to the billing, averaging 17.9 points and 10.9 rebounds while leading the Jayhawks back to the NCAA Tournament.
Love’s decision to return for a second season at No. 10 Arizona has ratcheted up expectations in the desert for the Big 12 rival of Kansas.
The athletic 6-4 guard had a high-scoring career at North Carolina and continued it after transferring to Arizona last season. He was the Pac-12 player of the year and a third-team All-American after averaging 18 points per game and making 92 3-pointers.
Love tested the NBA waters this summer before deciding to return.
“He’s had a very successful college career thus far,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “He’s kind of this last generation of player that’s going to get better with this extra year, and so I just encourage him to take advantage of it.”
____
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and
CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will miss the rest of Cleveland‘s season after rupturing his right Achilles tendon on Sunday against Cincinnati, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Monday.
Watson will soon undergo surgery, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the results of imaging tests taken on his leg.
It’s the second significant injury in two seasons for Watson, who broke the glenoid (socket) bone in his throwing shoulder last year.
The 29-year-old Watson went down without being touched on a draw play late in the first half. His right leg buckled and Watson collapsed to the turf. TV replays showed his calf rippling, consistent with an Achilles injury.
As he laid on the ground, there was cheering by some Cleveland fans, leading to some of Watson’s teammates criticizing that behavior during the team’s fifth straight loss.
The injury is yet another twist in Watson’s divisive stay with the Browns.
Cleveland traded three first-round draft picks to Houston and signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million in 2022. The deal came amid Watson being accused by more than two dozen women of sexual assault and harassment during massage therapy sessions. He settled civil lawsuits in all but one of those cases.
Watson was suspended by the NFL for his first 11 games with the Browns and then made just six starts last season before hurting his shoulder.
