Sports

Maple Leafs News & Rumors: Berezin, Keller, Matthews & Cowan

Published

3 months ago

June 27, 2024

In this edition of Toronto Maple Leafs News & Rumors, I’ll share the sad news that Sergei Berezin passed away at 52. Second, whether there’s a trade with Utah or not, I’ll look back at the unique All-Star experience between Arizona-native Auston Matthews and former Arizona Coyotes player Clayton Keller (now headed to Utah with the rest of the former Coyotes team). They seem to be good friends and often hang out in the Phoenix area in the summer.

Third, I’ll look at general manager (GM) Brad Treliving’s stated plans for this year’s upcoming NHL Entry Draft and report what he’s said about the first-round pick (number 23) the team has. Trade the pick or keep it? Finally, I’ll note the team’s success going off the board to choose Easton Cowan last season. They were right, and Cowan has had a great season.

Item 1: Sergei Berezin Passes Away at 52

Berezin, the Russian winger who had a great career for the Maple Leafs in the 1990s, has died suddenly at age 52. The NHL Alumni Association announced the news, expressing heartbreak over his passing. Berezin was described as enjoying his retirement in Florida, where he coached minor hockey, played tennis, and spent time with his family.

We are incredibly saddened to learn of the sudden passing of Sergei Berezin.

Sergei was drafted by Toronto in 1994 and spent five seasons with the Leafs. He ranks 32nd all-time in playoff scoring.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/al0y6S6VXm

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) June 26, 2024

Toronto selected the speedy winger late in the 1994 Draft. He debuted in the 1996-97 season, scoring 25 goals, and worked to enhance his game under new coach Pat Quinn. Berezin’s best season came in 1998-99, with 37 goals and 12 playoff points as the Leafs reached the conference final. His legacy lives on through his contributions to hockey and the memories shared by his loved ones.

Item 2: Keller and Matthews Hanging Out in Arizona

During the regular-season All-Star Break in February, Clayton Keller opened up about how he enjoyed the unique All-Star format and his thoughts on teaming up with Auston Matthews. “It was a different experience compared to years prior. It was cool that they changed it up, and it’s good to be back with Auston. It’s pretty cool.”

Keller shared a lot about his relationship with Matthews: “We spend a lot of time in the summer hanging out, skating, and things like that (in the offseason).” He noted that he enjoyed hanging out during the regular season as well.

Matthews also talked about his relationship with Keller and why he ultimately picked him for the All-Star team. Matthews said, “I spend a lot of time with him in the summers, and we like to hang out. We’ll skate and train together. We always try to play together in the summer skates and have good chemistry, so I wanted him to be on the team. He’s really slippery, extremely skilled, and shoots it well, but he’s also an elite playmaker and is having a great season.”

I could see the two enjoying being on the same team if that might somehow happen.

Whether or not any trades or team changes happen in the future, Keller and Matthews’ strong friendship and chemistry are evident. Their mutual respect and camaraderie are apparent on and off the ice.

Item 3: GM Brad Treliving Shares Draft Strategy

Treliving met with reporters in Las Vegas on Wednesday to discuss the team’s offseason to date, with the 2024 NHL Draft and free agency both readily on the horizon. Treliving indicated that it’s ‘likely’ that the Maple Leafs will keep their first-round pick on Friday.

Toronto holds the No. 23 overall pick in this year’s draft, which presents a variety of potential options. If the Maple Leafs select a defenseman, they could consider EJ Emery, Aron Kiviharju, Charlie Elick, or Stian Solberg. Selecting a defenceman would be the first time since Rasmus Sandin in 2018 that the Maple Leafs have opted for a blueliner in the first round. On the other hand, if they seek a forward, prospects such as Michael Hage, Liam Greentree, Sam O’Reilly, and Andrew Basha are viable candidates.

As the draft approaches, Treliving’s strategy and selections will be pivotal in shaping the Maple Leafs’ future, making the upcoming decisions critical for the team’s long-term success.

Item 4: Easton Cowan Was a Great Pick for the Maple Leafs

Speaking about the draft, during the 2023 NHL Draft, the Maple Leafs shocked the hockey world by selecting Cowan at No. 28. Initially considered a later choice, Cowan’s remarkable play during the 2023 OHL Playoffs as a member of the London Knights convinced Wes Clark and his staff that they had found a game-breaking talent.

Easton Cowan, Toronto Maple Leafs (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Cowan’s past season validated Toronto’s gutsy decision. He won the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) MVP and Playoff MVP, demonstrating his exceptional skills and value. Moreover, he led the Knights to the Memorial Cup Final, narrowly missing an elusive junior triple crown as his team lost to the Saginaw Spirit.

A year after last year’s draft, Cowan looks like a terrific pick and a great return on investment for the Maple Leafs. Fans have to hope the team’s scouting department shows similar foresight this weekend.

What’s Next for the Maple Leafs? Addressing Key Needs Amidst the Noise

There’s a lot of noise about the Maple Leafs, but likely not much action. Despite numerous rumors and speculation, significant moves seem unlikely. Instead, the team faces some less glamorous but more essential tasks that must be addressed.

First, the Maple Leafs need to find a reliable goalie to partner with Joseph Woll. Solidifying the goaltending position is crucial for the team’s success in the upcoming season. Additionally, building a stronger defence is a priority. Strengthening the blue line will be vital to support the goaltending and improve overall team performance.

These tasks are on the agenda for the offseason, and fans eagerly await what GM Treliving will accomplish. The next few days will be critical in shaping the team’s future and addressing its most pressing needs.

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Sports

Flames remain hot in pre-season, beat Canucks 4-2

Published

7 hours ago

September 28, 2024

Anne Joseph

CALGARY – Ryan Lomberg and Brayden Pachal each had a goal and assist on Saturday night to lead the Calgary Flames to a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in NHL pre-season action.

Blake Coleman and Adam Klapka also scored for Calgary, which is 4-0-1 through five games.

Jonathan Lekkerimaki and Aatu Ratyu were the marksmen for Vancouver, which is 2-2 in exhibition play.

Dan Vladar, who stopped 17 of 19 shots in 40 minutes of action, got the win. Devin Cooley made nine stops in relief.

Artus Silovs, beaten four times on 24 shots, gave way to Nikita Tolopilo to start the third. Tolopilo had eight saves.

Calgary opened the scoring at 4:23 when Pachal’s rising wrist shot from the blue line through a maze of bodies eluded Silovs, who never saw it.

The Flames surged in front 2-0 three minutes later when Lomberg corralled a MacKenzie Weegar rebound in the slot and fired a shot just inside the goalpost.

Lomberg, 29, who broke into the NHL as a Flame in 2017-18, re-signed in the off-season in Calgary as a free agent after four years with the Florida Panthers, which was capped off by winning the Stanley Cup.

Vancouver got on the scoreboard at 8:35 of the second on a fortuitous bounce.

Lekkerimaki’s shot from the slot deflected off Flames defenceman Artem Grushnikov, went high into the air, and with seemingly nobody aware of where the puck went, it toppled over Vladar and landed in the Calgary net.

Since being drafted by Vancouver in the first round, in 2022, Lekkerimaki has spent the past two seasons in his native Sweden.

This will be the 20-year-old’s first season in North America and with three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in three games in the pre-season, he’s making a push for a job with the Canucks.

One of the players he is competing against is Raty, who after Calgary had taken a 3-1 lead, again got the Canucks back within one on a perfect shot after being set up on a 2-on-1 by Conor Garland.

Raty, a second-round pick in 2021, was acquired from the New York Islanders in the Bo Horvat trade. He’s spent most of the past two seasons in the AHL.

The Flames restored their two-goal cushion later in the second with Klapka firing a shot past Silovs for his third goal in as many pre-season games.

Klapka, who stands 6-foot-8, is looking to make the team’s fourth line. The 24-year-old has shown some offensive pop with three goals in as many pre-season games.

His physicality was also on display Saturday, throwing an open-ice hit in the first period on Nils Aman that sent the Canucks forward flying. In the third, a heavy hit on Akito Hirose send the defenceman careening into the sideboards. Hirose had to be helped off the ice.

UNEXPECTED OFFENCE

Known more for his physicality, Pachal has never had a multi-point game in his 62 career NHL regular-season games. The 24-year-old was in his fifth season with the Vegas Golden Knights organization when he was claimed off waivers by Calgary last February.

HUBERDEAU-MANTHA COMBO

Left-winger Jonathan Huberdeau played in his second pre-season game for Calgary and has been the case throughout camp, the right-winger was veteran Anthony Mantha, who the Flames signed to a one-year deal as a free agent. On this night, Yegor Sharangovich was at centre. In the first game, the two were centred by Martin Pospisil.

UP NEXT

Canucks: Visit the Edmonton Oilers on Monday.

Flames: Host the Seattle Kraken on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2024.

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Oilers end pre-season skid with 5-4 win over Kraken

Published

7 hours ago

September 28, 2024

Anne Joseph

EDMONTON – When the key to a win is work ethic, it is not surprising to see Mattias Ekholm rise to the occasion.

Ekholm had a goal and two assists as the Edmonton Oilers snapped a three-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Saturday.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Noah Philp, Vasily Podkolzin and Raphael Lavoie also scored for the Oilers, who improved to 2-3 in NHL pre-season play.

“They are a hard-working team, no matter who they have in the lineup, so we expected that,” said Oilers forward Derek Ryan, who picked up a couple of assists.

“There were points in the game where we were kind of matching that intensity and work ethic and things were going well for us. We let the work ethic dip a little bit and then the game gets away from us. It is a good message to the guys who were playing and the whole group that it starts with work.”

Jacob Melanson, Eduard Sale, John Hayden and Ben Meyers responded for the Kraken, who fell to 1-3 in exhibition action.

“I thought we were getting up the ice well, playing fast, playing north,” said Meyers. “I think we probably just gave up a little bit too much to win that game, but I thought offensively we played pretty well and we had our chance.”

The Oilers started the scoring just over three minutes into the opening period as both defenders tried to cover Connor McDavid on a two-on-one, but he made a nice backhand pass back to Nugent-Hopkins, who beat Kraken goalie Philipp Grubauer upstairs blocker side.

Seattle tied the game nine minutes into the first after Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard made a couple of saves in tight before Melanson was able to poke it in from the crease.

Pickard left the game soon afterwards after teammate Noah Philp got angled into his own netminder, hitting him in the head. Pickard did not return to the game.

Olivier Rodrigue replaced Pickard in the Edmonton net and surrendered a power-play goal with six minutes to play in the first as Ryan Winterton lifted a deft pass over a defender across to Sale for the goal.

Edmonton knotted the game with 2:43 remaining in the first frame as Ekholm spotted Philp driving the net and completed a long saucer pass through a couple Kraken players to allow him to wrist it home.

Seattle made it 3-2 5:32 into the second period after Rodrigue attempted to direct a puck away from the net, only to have it hit Hayden and carom into his net.

With two minutes left in the middle period, the Kraken added to their lead as Meyers elected to shoot on a two-on-one opportunity, beating the Oilers’ goalie upstairs.

Edmonton got that goal back just 26 seconds later as Derek Ryan threaded the needle to a trailing Ekholm and he beat Grubauer to make it 4-3.

The Oilers tied the game six minutes into the third on a short-handed tally as Ryan made a great play to draw the defenders his way before sending it over to Podkolzin for the easy tap-in.

Edmonton avoided overtime with 2:53 remaining in the final frame as Lavoie battled hard to retrieve the puck before swinging out front and sending a shot through Grubauer’s legs.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch has been impressed with Lavoie’s skills as a sniper.

“He’s got good hands and an even better shot,” he said. “He showed great skill on that goal.”

NOTES

The Oilers still had 41 players in camp — with four goalies, 13 defencemen and 24 forwards. … Seattle was down to 37 players at camp — 33 skaters and four goalies — after cutting eight players before Friday’s contest against Vancouver. … Edmonton had both of the players in camp who are on PTOs in the lineup on Saturday, forward Mike Hoffman and defenceman Travis Dermott. … Grubauer made his first appearance since last Sunday’s 6-1 loss to Calgary, during which he allowed four goals on 19 shots.

UP NEXT

Kraken: Visit the Calgary Flames on Monday.

Oilers: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2024.

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Sports

Dean scores first MLS goal as Fire tie visiting Toronto FC 1-1

Published

8 hours ago

September 28, 2024

Anne Joseph

CHICAGO (AP) — Jonathan Dean scored his first Major League Soccer goal in the 84th minute for the Chicago Fire on Saturday night in a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC.

Ariel Lassiter cut back to evade a defender and the played an arcing ball from the left corner of the area to the back post, where a charging Dean tapped in a one-touch finish from point-blank range to cap the scoring.

Prince Owusu converted from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage time to give Toronto (11-17-4) a 1-0 lead at halftime.

Chicago (7-16-9) has just one win and four losses in its last six games.

Chris Brady a save for the Fire.

Sean Johnson stopped two shots for Toronto.

—

AP MLS:

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