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Kyle Dubas under pressure on return to Toronto as Penguins arrive for pivotal game

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Last spring, when the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to counterprogram the Maple Leafs’ ‘Why we hired Brad Treliving’ press conference with their own ‘Why we hired Kyle Dubas’ presser, they started a fight.

Nobody called it a fight. Leafs president Brendan Shanahan specifically denied it was a fight.

But if a half-hour before your party starts, your ex-friend sends out a note saying they are hosting their own party the same day, that’s a fight.

The two clubs were in different stages of life – the Penguins are old and accomplished, and compelled to keep trying because they employ the greatest player of his generation; the Leafs talk like they’re young, but that’s mostly because they haven’t made it out of their parents’ basement, rather than anything chronological.

They both have this much in common – they need to win, now.

Both knew that if that didn’t happen, the next basis for judgment was how they did vis-a-vis each other.

Did the Leafs win the deal by getting rid of Dubas? Or did the Penguins win by catching him on the hop?

The Leafs are still wrestling with their end, but the Penguins are on the verge of losing theirs.

When Dubas showed up in Pennsylvania, it was in the usual word-cloud of upbeat bafflegab that is his trademark. Say this much for Treliving: he talks like a human, not like someone reading off the back of a brochure for time shares.

This is why it’s hard to quote Dubas in print. His sentences run on so long they are column-inch killers.

But here’s what he said about Sidney Crosby and Pittsburgh when he was hired: “In the short run, [my job] is to continue to make decisions that are going to allow the team to be competitive with the core group of players that have led the team here to championships in the past, to continue to perform at the levels that they have for as long as they can, and make the decisions that will support them in the line-up every night that will allow the team to continue to contend each season while those players are with us.”

And breeeeeeathe.

The shorter way of saying that is, ‘Sidney Crosby is viable for a couple more years. My job is not to waste them.’

There was other stuff in there about building a competitor for years to come, but that’s not a plan. It’s a hope.

The only thing that matters in Pittsburgh is whether or not the person in charge can organize one more Cup drive for Crosby. The Penguins making the playoffs this season was a basic requirement for the new boss.

In Toronto, Dubas was a minimalist. He preferred small moves with small upsides, but also small risk.

In Pittsburgh, he has a new executive personality as an agent of chaos.

The first big thing he did was sign Erik Karlsson – a win-right-now move.

If he’d gotten Karlsson and a time machine, that’s a great trade. But he only got the declining 33-year-old. Karlsson was slotted into what was already the oldest team in the NHL.

When that didn’t work out the way he’d hoped, Dubas swung the other way. At the deadline, he traded Pittsburgh’s best young-ish star, Jake Guentzel – a win-later move.

When Crosby was asked what message the trade sent the team, he said, “I don’t know. You’d have to ask [management].”

His body language could only have been worse if he’d burst into tears.

Guentzel told reporters he’d wanted to stay in Pittsburgh, but “they thought there was a better direction.”

For all the talk of how tough it is to work in Toronto, Dubas didn’t have to deal with dissension in the ranks. Nothing that stuck, at least. This was his first taste of public back and forth. It didn’t go well.

Dubas blamed the team for not being good enough – “my hope going into the year was that everything would go to the most optimistic viewpoint.”

Lots of presidents and GMs talk this way – like only the good things that happen are their fault. But when the president in Pittsburgh makes Sidney Crosby sad, he should probably have a better explanation teed up than, ‘Hey, what do you expect me to do?’

When the Guentzel trade was done, there was a bottleneck of teams between the Penguins and the postseason. It’s cleared. As they arrive in Toronto for a game on Monday night, Pittsburgh is hanging on to the bumper of the final wild-card spot.

The glass-half-full take – nice recovery.

The glass-half-empty – too bad the guy running things wrote the club off in March.

In Toronto, Dubas was always able to slip responsibility for the annual disappointment. Leafs fans were willing to accept that Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner et al weren’t winners because they’d never won anything.

Who’s Dubas going to blame in Pittsburgh? All the proven winners?

There is still a world in which Crosby & Co. drag Dubas out of the fire he lit. First, they have to make the playoffs. Then they have to win a round. Beating the Leafs in the second round would probably do it.

But the other world – the one in which they fall short in the final 10 days of the season, or get hammered by the Bruins in the first round – is more likely. Once that happens, the buzzards stop circling and start landing.

If Dubas fails in Pittsburgh, Toronto won’t claim it as a victory. That wouldn’t be good manners.

But when you’re as used to losing as the Leafs are, even the fights you win by default must feel good.

 

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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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