Which team do you think will benefit the most if the season starts again? Then who do you think will benefit the least? — @AMatthews1921
The Columbus Blue Jackets and Colorado Avalanche benefit the most. Sorry, I know you asked for one, but I’m copping out and giving two because choosing between them is near impossible. It’s all because of health. Columbus and Colorado were significantly banged up before the season was paused March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus, and each should have close to a full lineup if and when the season returns. We’re talking about significant players back in the lineups too.
The Blue Jackets will have defenseman Seth Jones and forward Oliver Bjorkstrand back from their ankle injuries. Each is skating, and if the Stanley Cup Playoffs were being played right now, Jones and Bjorkstrand would most likely be in the lineup. Forward Alexandre Texier, who has been out since Dec. 31 because of a lumbar stress fracture, would also most likely be playing. Forward Cam Atkinson, who was dealing with an ankle injury when the season was paused, will certainly be available. It’s also possible defenseman Dean Kukan (knee) will be back. And although it’s not likely that forwards Brandon Dubinsky (wrist) and Josh Anderson (shoulder surgery) will return in time to play this season, the number of skaters who will be back should make Columbus a dangerous opponent. In addition, the Blue Jackets signed goalies Joonas Korpisalo and Elvis Merzlikins each to a two-year contract, giving them peace of mind.
The Avalanche were without top-six forwards Nathan MacKinnon (lower body), Mikko Rantanen (upper body), Nazem Kadri (lower body) and Andre Burakovsky (lower body), along with depth forward Matt Calvert (lower body) and goalie Philipp Grubauer (lower body) when the season was paused. Assuming they’re all back, the Avalanche will be healthy, talented and hungry, a trio of ingredients that I think could be enough to get past the St. Louis Blues in the Central Division (Colorado was two points back when season was paused).
I can’t pick a specific team that will not benefit from this pause, but I have written in a previous mailbag that I am leery of some of the older teams in the NHL and how quickly they can bounce back. I’d put the Blues, Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights in that category. Each has a roster with an average age of at least 28 years old. The Blue Jackets’ average age is 26, the Avalanche’s is 27.
Which current player reminds you most of Peter Forsberg? — @DavidDugan77
Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel, New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, and Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg.
All five would probably grumble or laugh, or both, if I told them they compare to Peter Forsberg. It’s a high honor to be mentioned in the same breath with a player who averaged 1.25 points per game during an NHL career cut short by injuries. Forsberg scored 825 points (249 goals, 636 assists) in 708 games, won the Calder Trophy (1995), the Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy (each in 2003), and was named an NHL First Team All-Star three times (1998, 1999, 2003). He also won the Stanley Cup twice (1996, 2001) and averaged 1.13 points per game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, scoring 171 points (64 goals, 107 assists) in 151 games.
But Malkin, Draisaitl, Eichel, Zibanejad and Filip Forsberg all have the type of complete game that Peter Forsberg had in his prime. Their skill is among the best in the NHL. They each have a terrific shot along with a nose for the net. They set up goals with 20/20 vision. They see all the angles. They play with intelligence. They can play with finesse or power. They can play in the defensive zone.
Among the five, though, Malkin compares most favorably if you look at statistics and awards. He is averaging 1.19 points per game in his NHL career (1,076 points in 907 games), has won the Hart Trophy (2012), the Art Ross Trophy twice (2009, 2012), the Calder Trophy (2007), the Conn Smythe Trophy (2009), and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion (2009, 2016, 2017). He’s also been named an NHL First Team All-Star three times (2008, 2009, 2012).
But Draisaitl, Eichel, Zibanejad and Filip Forsberg are coming into his prime now.
Since the start of last season, Draisaitl leads the NHL with 215 points (93 goals, 122 assists) in 153 games (1.41 points per game), Eichel has 160 points (64 goals, 96 assists) in 145 games (1.10 points per game), and Zibanejad has 149 points (71 goals, 78 assists) in 139 games (1.07 points per game). Filip Forsberg has averaged 27.5 goals and 57.8 points per season since 2014-15, including 48 points (21 goals, 27 assists) in 63 games this season.
They’ll probably be uncomfortable if they read this, knowing someone is comparing them to a Hockey Hall of Famer, but Malkin, Draisaitl, Eichel, Zibanejad and Filip Forsberg all deserve the comparison because of how they play the game.
Which Canadian team will be next to bring the Stanley Cup north of the border? It’s been 27 years. How much longer does Canada have to wait? — @theashcity
Canada’s longest drought without a Stanley Cup champion will eventually be broken by the Toronto Maple Leafs. I hesitate to say when it will happen, but they remind me of the Washington Capitals in the early part of the Alex Ovechkin–Nicklas Backstrom era. The Capitals had great individual skill, excellent goaltending, strong coaching, an ownership willing to spend, and a smart management staff. But they were not capable of figuring out how to put it all together as a team. From 2008-17, Washington failed to break through in the playoffs and was eliminated by the Rangers, Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. Among those five teams, New York and Pittsburgh proved the most trouble, eliminating Washington three times each.
The Maple Leafs have similar individual talent with forwards Auston Matthews, Mitchell Marner and William Nylander, and Frederik Andersen is a reliable goalie. Ownership clearly is not hesitant about spending to the NHL salary cap, and they have a smart management staff which is constantly adapting and embracing new information. But they haven’t found an answer for the Boston Bruins, losing to them in seven games in each of the past two seasons after losing in six games to the Capitals in 2017. The Maple Leafs are still growing, just as the Capitals were during those nine seasons from 2008-17. They are learning lessons from losing, as the Capitals did. Sometimes it just takes time. I don’t think it’ll take Toronto as long as it took Washington, but making that prediction is a setup for failure. The Maple Leafs need to stay the course and keep building, especially at defenseman, and if they do that, I believe they’ll win the Cup for the first time since 1967 and become the first team from Canada to win it since the Canadiens in 1993.
The Flyers are known for trading away talent. What are your thoughts on Carter Hart, his potential and where the Flyers could be in the near future? — @theashcity
A frequent contributor to the mailbag, @theashcity gets another question this week.
I’m not sure that’s what the Flyers are known for. They’re known for being the “Broad Street Bullies.” Although it’s true they have traded away some talented players before they began fulfilling their potential (goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and forward Patrick Sharp immediately come to mind), they’re not alone in that category. Every team has a few trades they wish they never made.
Specific to Hart, he certainly looks like the real deal to me, the goalie Flyers fans have been waiting for since Ron Hextall in the late 1980s. They didn’t give Bobrovsky enough runway to become the goalie he has become. Roman Cechmanek didn’t last. Neither did Robert Esche. Steve Mason was good, but never quite loved. Martin Biron was solid, but never seemed like the Flyers’ first choice. The same goes for Brian Boucher. Ilya Bryzgalov never lived up to his contract, which is why it was bought out.
Hart is 21 years old and has played 74 NHL games (70 starts), going 40-26-4 with a 2.59 goals-against average and .915 save percentage. But he looks confident, fearless, and his technique is sound. He looks like he could and should be the No. 1 goalie in Philadelphia for a decade, if not longer. Hart looks like he should be the goalie who leads his team to a Stanley Cup championship, or at least puts them in position to try to win one, similar to Henrik Lundqvist with the Rangers. I say “looks like” only because he’s young and we don’t know for sure how everything will play out, but I’d count on the Flyers keeping him off the trading block, that’s for sure.
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.”
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.
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.
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.
