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Brendan Shanahan speaks on new Maple Leafs, team growth and the next step for Auston Matthews – TSN

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On the eve of another Maple Leafs’ regular-season opener, team president Brendan Shanahan met virtually with reporters on Tuesday to discuss a range of topics, including why the Leafs’ only goal this year should be a championship run.

“I think it’s important for our players not to focus on any other threshold than the ultimate one,” Shanahan said. “Just about every team starting the season in the league is competing for the Stanley Cup, [and that’s] going to be played out on the ice. It’s not going to be said here today or decided here today what threshold we would consider a success or not a success [other than a Cup win].”

As the Leafs wrapped up their final day of on-ice activities before facing Montreal on Wednesday, Shanahan shared his thoughts on what Toronto has done to this point in preparation for the 56-game season ahead, and how it can take steps forward as a franchise.

On whether Toronto will follow the Ottawa Senators’ lead and present a proposal to the Ontario government allowing fans into the building this season

“Those aren’t conversations that we’re having at this time. In Toronto, we’re focused on getting started in Scotiabank Arena without fans present as the games. We look forward to the day that [fans] are in the arena. When they are in the arena, the more important point is it’s a reflection that our community as a whole must be doing a whole lot better. When our fans are able to safely come back, that’ll be dictated by Toronto Public Health, the Ministry of Health for Ontario and Health Canada.”

On making Leafs into a Cup contender

“When you look at some of the changes that were made, player acquisitions and the messaging that [head coach Sheldon Keefe] has put out from the very start of training camp to our players, [we’re] talking about increased physicality, talking about habits, talking about competitiveness and talking about a structure that we will build from the very first day of training camp through the regular season, in the hope that you are laying a foundation for habits that Stanley Cup championship teams in the past all possess. And the regular season this year is incredibly important for all of us. It’s going to be a sprint. It’s a unique situation on and off the ice as well. But I think aside from trying to battle and position yourself and lay down those foundations and those habits in the regular season, it is all done with the intent of having success in postseason as well.”

On what’s needed to get Toronto past the first round of the playoffs

“I said several years ago that the easy part is coming up with a plan and the hard part is sticking with it. But I think that’s what you just have to do. You just have to keep looking for ways to improve, looking for ways to evolve, looking for ways to grow, being attentive to the game, and where the game is evolving, because you have to look [at it all because] what might be working for you in one year might need to be adjusted the next. You just keep going back to the well and you keep trying until you’re successful, and then, of course, you hope that leads to a big run. And that’s sticking with it and sticking to it. It’s obviously a much better solution than holding up and saying that this is too hard and we’re just going to not try anymore because it’s just too hard.”

On Keefe putting his mark on the Maple Leafs

“He identified a few things in his first off-season as the head coach. He had a hand in some of the players that were brought in that he wanted. He was specifically looking at some of the things that he felt our team lacked, and that our team needed to improve. Obviously, there’s also focus on the players that were coming back, just the growth of them as well as professionals, [with] habits that we feel can bring you success in the regular season. His messaging from the very beginning of camp is all done with the intention of having a very strong regular season. If we do those things, then I think that we can become a more consistent team and that’s important to us. We’ve seen games in the past where we will play and [think] that the style in which we played on that particular evening was a game that was elite, and you can win in the playoffs with that kind of game. I think with the growth and our team evolving and becoming real pros at that consistency comes with that, and that’s what you see with the previous Stanley Cup winners. So that’s what we want to get to.”

On how free agent additions like Joe Thornton, Wayne Simmonds and Zach Bogosian will impact ​the team

“I’m really pleased that there were some guys who came back to Toronto, came back to their hometowns. I think that’s not always been the case in the past, but we had some guys that wanted to come here and be a part of this. There’s a great passion here in Toronto and we feel very fortunate to play here. This is something that we’re all committed to doing, and to have more people come aboard and join that quest for us was important. So, to be very specific, adding guys like Joe, Bogosian, Simmonds; they’re all coming here for a reason to add to the group that we already have and to create other elements and take us to the next level. That’s the hope.”

On what’s next for Auston Matthews

“He’s an elite-group scorer in the National Hockey League, but I think what impresses so many people about his game is how well-rounded it is. He’s taken a real interest in becoming as they say a 200-foot player, a complete NHL hockey player. That is the kind of player that you can put on in any situation. I like the fact that Sheldon is introducing penalty killing to his game here, I think it’s a great message for the team that your best players are not only expected to score goals, but they’re also expected to defend as well. You look at a guy like Mitch Marner, I would put Mitch in that same company as a guy that is an elite offensive player but also really developing into an elite defensive player. So that’s an important aspect for our team.

“We know we can score. We know that we have also a lot of very skilled players that not only can play well defensively, but are developing that side of their game so that we can become a team that’s more difficult to score against. That’s an important part of our growth.”

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

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November 8, 2024

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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

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November 8, 2024

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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

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November 8, 2024

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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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