Sports

All systems go? Yes. Edmonton Oilers sign Kailer Yamamoto to a one-year deal – Edmonton Journal

Published

3 years ago

September 18, 2021

Harry Miller

Author of the article:

David Staples • Edmonton Journal

Edmonton Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto celebrates a goal against David Rittich of the Calgary Flames in Calgary on Feb. 1, 2020. Photo by Al Charest /Postmedia

The Edmonton Oilers have signed Kailer Yamamoto to a one year deal, reports TSN’s Dustin Nielson on Twitter.

Y A M O

The #Oilers have agreed to terms with Kailer Yamamoto on a one-year contract extension with an AAV of $1.175 million. #LetsGoOilers

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 18, 2021

My take

1. Excellent news that this did not drag on into the season. The Oilers had some solid candidates to try out in Yamamoto’s spot, namely Warren Foegele and Cooper Marody, but it’s better to have Yamamoto himself.

2. Yamamoto, who will be 23 in a few weeks, was an amazing major junior point scorer, a solid AHL point scorer and had an astonishing 26 points in 27 games after he was called up to the Oilers and placed on the DYNamite Line with Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in 2019-20. The DYNamite Line was inexplicably broken up last year. Yamamoto’s point scoring crashed. In 2020-21, he scored just 21 points in 52 games. His defensive play was still strong — he often slides down to play the centre role in his own zone, allowing Draisaitl to free-lance on defence — but his forechecking didn’t have quite the same bite as it had the previous season, and the new combo of Draisaitl, Yamo and Dominik Kahun never came close to cycling and working give-and-go plays like the DYNamites had done.

3. Yamamoto’s offence crashed last year, but he still was involved in Edmonton’s top line when teamed for a small sample size of even strength minutes with Draisaitl and McDavid. Yamamoto’s solid defensive play was the glue to that line, as he often moved down to cover the defensive slot, allowing Draisaitl and McDavid to hunt pucks and take off on the attack. In that role, think of Yamamoto as a smaller version of Esa Tikkanen with Jari Kurri and Wayne Gretzky.

4. Would it have been better if the Oilers had found a way to sign Yamamoto to a two or three year deal? That’s a tricky question. Better for the fans, yes, as it would have locked down a promising young player for longer term. But with Yamamoto’s huge drop off in attacking play, was he not better off to take the lesser contract this year, get to camp on time, earn a spot again in the Top 6, have a big year and then negotiate a new longer term deal? Relatively unproven but highly promising attacking wingers like Drake Batherson and Joel Farabee just got six years deals at about $5.0 million per. Yamamoto has to have his eyes on that kind of deal. As for the Oilers, they had the hammer in this negotiation, with Yamamoto having not any real alternative but to take their offer or sit out. The Oilers get him at a cap-friendly salary for this season.

5. The Oilers are pressed up against the cap and there’s going to be little cap space for years to come, what with the flat cap and big ticket and long-term contracts for Connor McDavid, Darnell Nurse, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman. Where will the Oilers find the money to pay players like Yamamoto and Jesse Puljujarvi, both on expiring contracts now, if they have big years? Good luck with that, Ken Holland. You will need it.

6. This coming summer, Mikko Koskinen’s $4.5 million per year contract ends, but the Oilers will need a goalie to replace him if he goes. Maybe Stuart Skinner or Ilya Konovalov will provide a low cost option. If not, that issue will be expensive to fix. Some of Koskinen’s money might go to Yamamoto or Puljujarvi (most of it will go to cover Nurse’s new deal when it kicks in next year), but it’s hard to imagine the Oilers will have the cap space to keep both of them, even if both turn out to be outstanding two-way players in Top 6 roles.

7. Maybe the Oilers could move out Zack Kassian and his $3.2 million per deal, which has three more years, but maybe they can’t. Most likely, Edmonton will likely have to pick one of Yamamoto or Puljujarvi and move the other. Get ready for that controversy and that debate, Oilers fans, because it’s coming.

8. If there’s one piece of good news, the Oilers will not have to re-sign Evan Bouchard for two more years, at the same time as Duncan Keith’s $5.5 million per contract ends. Andrej Sekera’s $1.5 million per year buy-out also ends then. Looking even more down the road, Tyson Barrie and Zack Kassian’s big ticket deals end in three years, but Cody Ceci’s got four years on his contract. That is the deal I worry about most in the short term. If Ceci doesn’t perform as a 4/5 d-man, that’s an ugly opportunity cost for the Oilers. But we’ll leave those worries for another day. Right now, Yamamoto is back, giving the Oilers a chance to have the best top two lines in the NHL. That’s something to celebrate.

P.S. Oilers rookies vs Flames rookies tonight at 5 p.m.

Oilers line-up:

Lavoie – Hamblin – Bourgault

Petrov – Rybinski – Tullio

Safin – Englot – Kambeitz

Soderlund – Brosseau – Burns

Broberg – Berglund

Samorukov – Kemp

Niemelainen – Kesselring

Kaldis

Rodrigue Konovalov

Staples on politics

Kenney says message of hope was a mistake: “Hope is not a strategy in dealing with a dynamic public health challenge”

Recently at the Cult of Hockey

STAPLES: Do Oilers have a seceret weapon if Yamamoto holds out?

STAPLES: Greybeard Incorporated? Oilers to audition another veteran winger

McCURDY: Reasons for Oilers to consider “three-headed monster” in net

Adblock test (Why?)

Source link

Sports

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

Published

4 days 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:

Source link

Sports

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

Published

4 days 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.

Source link

Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

4 days 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).

—

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform

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

Source link