Sports

Canadiens’ Ilya Kovalchuk signing a ‘no-risk’ move

Published

5 years ago

January 3, 2020

BROSSARD, Que. — Last time I watched Ilya Kovalchuk play was the last time he appeared in an NHL game, and the impression he left, not only on me but also on one pro scout whose opinion I hold in high regard, wasn’t a very good one.

“Any team with actual scouts doesn’t touch Kovalchuk,” the scout in question said after the Montreal Canadiens beat Kovalchuk and the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 at the Bell Centre on Nov. 9.

“Can’t move, doesn’t want to move, and his shot, which used to be lethal, is not good anymore,” the scout added.

It was in the leadup to Kovalchuk’s relationship with the Kings — and his three-year, $18.75-million contract — being terminated that Sportsnet’s Anthony Stewart sent out a series of tweets asking fans of several NHL teams if they were interested in the 36-year-old’s services. He photoshopped Kovalchuk into several uniforms and said, “I’ll hang up and listen.”

Here was my response to Stewart’s tweet showing Kovalchuk in a Canadiens jersey:

Can’t even keep up with their minor league affiliate.

— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) November 13, 2019

And now, with the news coming down on Friday that Kovalchuk signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Canadiens — a deal that will pay him a prorated $700,000 salary in the NHL and $70,000 in the AHL — that theory might actually be put to the test.

In all seriousness, when Marc Bergevin stood in front of reporters some hours after making this move and defended it by saying it was “no-risk,” I was nodding my head in agreement.

As Bergevin pointed out, the Canadiens are missing four of their top nine forwards in Jonathan Drouin, Brendan Gallagher, Joel Armia and Paul Byron, and, realistically, only Gallagher has a chance of returning at some point over the next nine games the Canadiens will play before taking their bye week. And after watching them completely outplay the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 2-1 loss on Thursday, watching their all-out effort lead to 70 shot attempts and no more than one goal, Bergevin made a move thinking it can’t hurt to try something.

And this move wasn’t done with any illusions of Kovalchuk coming to Montreal and suddenly becoming an incarnation of his former self — a two-time 50 goal scorer who topped the 30-goal mark in eight of his 11 NHL seasons — but more with a hope that he can potentially take Jordan Weal’s spot next to Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Ryan Poehling, and finish a couple of the chances Weal has missed in not producing more than a goal in his last 22 games.

It’s a move made, in concert with the deal Bergevin swung on Thursday to bring in veteran defenceman Marco Scandella from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2020 fourth-round pick, which could help the Canadiens earn a winning record between now and the bye week. A move that cost close to nothing, but could pay off.

“He has to buy in,” said Bergevin of Kovalchuk, who scored three goals and had nine points in 17 games with the Kings this season.

“It’s his last chance.”

Canadiens centre Nate Thompson, who played with Kovalchuk before being traded to Montreal at last year’s deadline, believes the big Russian might make good on that chance.

“Sometimes you go to a new team, new coaches, new players, and sometimes it can gel,” Thompson said after Friday’s practice. “I think it could fit. Kovy’s a guy who can make plays. He’s good offensively, he’s a big body. We’re a team that skates really well, we make plays, and I think that can bode well for him.”

Thompson said Kovalchuk is as hard a worker as he’s come across and said he would be extremely motivated.

When Bergevin was asked if he could potentially be disruptive to the team’s chemistry, he said there were no red flags about Kovalchuk’s character in his due diligence.

“(Canadiens assistant GM) Scott Mellanby had him as a captain in Atlanta, I’ve never heard anything bad about Kovy,” the GM continued. “He’s a hard worker, he’s a good person. Guys that perform, they want to score … I get that, and in L.A. it didn’t work out. I talked to (Kings GM Rob Blake), he’s never caused problems. He’s a good person, I did check that out.”

Whether or not Kovalchuk can be a good player is highly questionable.

You have to think part of the reason Bergevin had no issue convincing him to take a two-way contract worth such a negligible amount — and he said he had no issue convincing him — is because no one else was really interested in his services.

The hope has to be that Kovalchuk is sparked by that.

For what it’s worth, the Canadiens players we spoke to on Friday were encouraged by the news that came down as they were hitting the ice for practice. Nick Suzuki, the 20-year-old rookie, called himself a big fan of Kovalchuk’s. Defenceman Victor Mete said he used to regularly choose Kovalchuk as a player he’d use to build a team with in his EA Sports NHL games.

And then top-line centre Phillip Danault got to the root of what Kovalchuk’s acquisition means to this Canadiens team at this moment.

“That (Bergevin) helps us like that — I think he believes in us and he wants to give us a little hand,” Danault said. “We have so many guys out, Army, Gally, all these guys, and that’s two righties right there and two top-two (right wingers), so Kovy’s not going to be (a) bad (thing) for us.”

If his work visa gets sorted on time, Kovalchuk will make his Canadiens debut at the Bell Centre on Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins, though Bergevin did caution that was improbable.

But Scandella will suit up next to Cale Fleury on the team’s third defence pairing, and the Canadiens will begin their push to stay alive in the playoff race.

“I’ve watched our team perform … they’re not giving up,” said Bergevin.

It’s clear with the moves he made over the last 24 hours that the Canadiens GM isn’t giving up, either.

Source link

Sports

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

Published

1 day 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

1 day 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

1 day 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