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Maple Leafs’ Dubas on winning with an asterisk

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For the first time since the NHL paused its 2019-20 campaign, Kyle Dubas and the league’s 30 other general managers have some sense of clarity on what a return to play might look like, if not when it will come.

The league announced Tuesday that a 24-team playoff will commence whenever that return is deemed acceptable — the format pitting Dubas’ Toronto Maple Leafs against the Columbus Blue Jackets in a qualifying play-in round, after which they’ll face one of the East’s top four superpowers.

The Maple Leafs GM joined Tim & Sid Tuesday to reflect on how the league’s plans impact him and his club. Here are a few notable moments from the conversation:

On what he’s heard about players’ families being involved in the NHL’s hub cities:

While much about the league’s return-to-play plans have been set, key issues remain in flux — one in particular is whether players and team personnel will be allowed to have their families with them upon reporting to the hub cities, or whether they’ll be asked to be apart from their families for the months-long duration of the 24-team playoff. What’s the latest on that front?

Kyle Dubas: “It’s hard to say. We’ve all been with our families now for 76 days or 77 days or whatever it’s been, so I know thinking of not being with them, just speaking of my own case, it’s strange to think about. You’ve certainly grown accustomed to operating in a totally different way. So, I would say that with things changing so rapidly — think back to where we were three months ago — if you progress this a couple of months ahead, we have no idea where we’re going to be in terms of testing or vaccination or therapeutic applications that can help deal with the virus. My hope is that we’re at a place where, as things progress in the tournament, that families would be permitted.

“I know it’s been brought up and discussed from the players, and I know that the league and the [Players’ Association] are both certainly looking into solutions on it. And I know that in the end they’ll do the right thing, so we’ll see what comes up from that.

“But my hope would be, especially as things get deeper into the tournament and the moments become a little bit more special for the players and everything that they’ve worked towards, that at the very least the players are able to have some family members there, as select as that may be.”

On the challenge of the 24-team playoff, and whether its championship would be considered illegitimate:

Given the forced break from tradition in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, any champion who lifts the Stanley Cup in 2020 will do so having marched through a different path than the champions of the past, who won via a traditional regular season and post-season. So, would winning the Cup via the 24-team playoff mean winning with an asterisk?

Dubas: “For us, it means we have to win up to 19 games to win, which I think is a great challenge — and I think certainly ends any discussion of whether it’s a legitimate competition, when you have to win more games than you did previously. For a team like ours, I think that that increases the challenge. I only really think of our team in this context, but in my opinion, for us it’s probably what we need at this stage in our growth and in our development, because we know that the challenge is going to be massive and that the obstacle is much bigger in terms of having to win more and defeat more opponents, and it starts off with an extremely dangerous challenger right away.

“… I think people can say whatever they want, and it won’t make a lick of difference to us, and to our fans and certainly not to the staff and players. And I would guarantee that the other 23 teams that are going to be going into this competition will feel the same way, I think because of how difficult it’s going to be, with the lockdown at the end of the season, and then right into this competition after a training camp. I think the amount of how difficult this is going to be for the players and the coaching staffs and whole organizations, to be able to — in July and August, when the conditions are probably going to be much hotter and much more difficult — I think this is probably going to be one of the more difficult championships to win.

“And if people want to — whoever wins in it, whichever one of the 24 teams wins it — I think anybody that takes a shot that it’s illegitimate, especially when 85 per cent of the season or whatever the exact percentage of the season was already played, I think that’s, frankly, stupid. And that’s probably the best way I can put it.”

On the shortened regular season cutting short Auston Matthews‘ bid for the Rocket Richard Trophy:

While much of the regular season was in the books, the loss of the tail end of the campaign affected not only the playoff picture — with bubble teams not getting the chance to play into a post-season spot — but also the marquee league awards, with players missing out on the home stretch of games to add to their production. Dubas lamented how that latter point impacted one of Toronto’s brightest stars.

Dubas: “It was disappointing though, with Auston, not having a chance to really challenge for the Maple Leaf goal record held by Rick Vaive, and ending off one goal behind Ovechkin and Pastrnak [for the league goal-scoring lead] at 47. Auston had a great year for us and it would’ve been nice to see him continue to push down the stretch, especially as we had guys like Morgan [Rielly] and Jake Muzzin coming back from injury — I think that only would’ve aided that push for him to win the Rocket Richard Trophy, and it would’ve been a great accomplishment for him, and well-deserved.

“So that’s the only one disappointing part of it for us, is that Auston doesn’t get a chance to go for the Maple Leaf single-season record nor the Rocket Richard, but I think in his case, we can expect him to be in that race for a long time in his career as a Maple Leaf.”

Source: Sportsnet.ca

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Edited By Harry Miller

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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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