The Wayne Train has made its final stop.
Sports
Ex-Leafs bruiser Wayne Simmonds calls time on NHL career: ’I’m done’
With three kids under the age of five — his wife, Crystal, gave birth to the couple’s first son two months ago — he has a lot on his plate.
Getting one more NHL shot isn’t among the long list of priorities.
“I haven’t officially announced my retirement, but I’m done,” said Simmonds, who played his final three seasons with the Maple Leafs. “I had a great career. It was the best time I’ve ever had in my life.
“Right now, it’s family time.”
Simmonds put up 263 goals, 526 points and 1,313 penalty minutes in 1,037 games with six teams. He added 22 points (eight goals, 14 assists) and 122 penalty minutes in 53 playoff appearances.
The Toronto native played his first three years with the Los Angeles Kings after being selected in the second round of the 2007 NHL draft, but made his mark over eight seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers.
One of the league’s premier power forwards during that era, Simmonds scored 28 or more goals five times, including a career-high 32 in 2015-16. Never afraid to drop the gloves, the bruising winger also had a career-high 147 penalty minutes that season.
Simmonds went on to have short stints with Nashville, Buffalo and New Jersey before signing in Toronto ahead of the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 campaign.
Simmonds, however, wishes things had turned out differently on the ice. He played 72 times in 2021-22, but suited up for just 18 games last season in a trying year that included getting placed on waivers.
“From the playing aspect, it wasn’t what I hoped,” said Simmonds, who registered 27 points and 190 penalty minutes in 128 contests with Toronto. “At the same time, I’m still grateful to the organization for allowing me to put on the Maple Leaf.
“That’s an iconic jersey. It’s something that I’ll never forget.”
The HDA, which is not affiliated with the NHL, is holding WinterFest at Toronto’s Trinity Bellwoods on Feb. 3 to highlight “the importance of diversity and inclusion in hockey.”
“It’s gonna be something special,” said Simmonds, a founding HDA member. “We want to showcase what we’ve been able to do the last three years. We want to show the unconventional ways that we’ve been able to reach the communities that we’ve reached.”
Looking back on what would turn out to be his final NHL season, Simmonds said he feels for Leafs enforcer Ryan Reaves, who signed a three-year contract in the summer but has been used sparingly.
“You want nothing more than to play well and help the guys out,” he said. “If you’re not doing that, you feel kind of lost. (Reaves) had a little bit of a tough time at the beginning of the season, but I don’t think he got too many opportunities to actually be able to do what he can do.
“That’s just me knowing how it happened for me. Feel like it’s going much the same for him.”
Simmonds, however, still looks back on his time with the Leafs fondly. While he didn’t suit up in last spring’s playoffs, he was at Amalie Arena when John Tavares scored the overtime winner in Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Lightning to clinch Toronto’s first series victory since 2004.
The veteran forward skipped down the hall in front of reporters on the way to celebrate with his teammates that night.
“To be there with the guys in the dressing room and feel what they’re feeling — the pressure — and finally being able to get past the first round, it’s pretty special,” Simmonds said. “Incumbent upon them to get a little bit further every year and win a Stanley Cup.
“Or else winning one round is not going to mean much.”
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TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
Sports
Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere
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:
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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.
The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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