Maple Leafs send Jake Muzzin off to slay the Monster of Lake Erie - Pension Plan Puppets | Canada News Media
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Maple Leafs send Jake Muzzin off to slay the Monster of Lake Erie – Pension Plan Puppets

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Today, the Leafs have announced that Jake Muzzin is being sent to the AHL on a conditioning loan.

This will be the same sort of loan as Trevor Moore is on, and the details are described here:

The Marlies are in Toronto right now, practising ahead of the rest of their Boat Show road trip. This is the easiest part of the trip, and includes two games in Cleveland against the Monsters — Friday night at 7 and Saturday afternoon at 1. The AHL then moves into their All-Star Game weekend, and Kasimir Kaskisuo will jet out to Ontario to represent the Marlies.

The Marlies don’t play again until January 31 at home, so it would seen this loan will be two games to test out his foot, and that’s it.

Muzzin hasn’t played in the AHL since the 2012-2013 lockout year, and he likely wouldn’t have at all that year without the lockout, so he’s 10 years removed from the league. There have been a lot of changes in the AHL in that decade, and the Marlies are one of the teams leading the way. Their team is younger, faster, full of prospects and young free agent signings and more European than ever. Even their veterans are young veterans, and there is only one Marlies player older than Muzzin, and at 30, it’s not like he’s ancient.

That Marlies oldster is none other than Rich Clune, who played with Muzzin in Manchester for the Monarchs proving that you can never really escape your past.

Muzzin is, of course, way too good for the AHL. Which is excellent timing, because the Marlies need a boost, and beating up the team at the bottom of the North division with two NHL ringers in the lineup might be just what they need. (Trevor Moore will be eligible to play if the Leafs have asked for an extension to his conditioning loan.)

It’s time to go slay the Monster in the lake, Jake, and likely take everyone out to dinner at the best restaurant Cleveland can provide. You fans in Toronto probably don’t even realize the Monster is real. Bessie is the Monster that graces the front of the jerseys for the Cleveland team. Absolutely reliable and totally not drunk witnesses have reported seeing Bessie as early as 1793.

Go get Bessie, Jake! I can’t wait to see Muzzin slay the other Monsters too. It will be a nice turnabout from the Texas Stars playing Stephen Johns against the Marlies on a conditioning stint a few games back. But the best part is that if Muzzin is fit, he’ll be back on the Leafs soon.

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PWHL MVP Spooner set to miss start of season for Toronto Sceptres due to knee injury

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TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.

The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.

She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.

Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.

Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.

The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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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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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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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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