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Toronto Maple Leafs Rumours: TOR is looking for winger to play with Tavares & Nylander (Friedman) – Maple Leafs Hot Stove

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In the Leafs Links, the insiders have the latest on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ possible trade pursuits with six weeks and change until the April 12th trade deadline.


Friedman: “I think they’re trying to find someone to play with Tavares & Nylander” (SN590)

On the Lead Off with Scotty Mac and Mike Zigomanis, Elliotte Friedman discussed the Leafs‘ deadline plans and the acquisition of Alex Galchenyuk.

I think Toronto is looking for another winger. I just think they are trying to find someone else to play with Tavares and Nylander and see if they can unlock something a bit more.

Are they getting a rental or a guy with term? That depends on the situation. If you are the Maple Leafs, don’t you see this as a year where you go for it? Look at the way you are going. Look at the way Matthews is going. Look at the way some of the star players are going. Just go for it.

The way the Leafs are playing and the way it is setting up, you are going for it this year. This is a year where you say, “I’ve got all of these poker chips in front of me. I am pushing them in. I am going for it.”

I think they are going to look pretty hard at what is available and they are going to try to add.

One of the reasons they made this deal with Carolina: You can have a maximum of 50 contracts. That drops them down one from 47 to 46. It doesn’t mean they are going to go all out to acquire three or four guys, but it gives them the added flexibility to do it.

I don’t know how you can’t look at this and the way it is shaping up and say, “We are pushing in our chips.”

Friedman on the Galchenyuk addition:

If you look at what they have done this year, they have brought in a lot of guys around the $1 million mark, or a little bit more or a little bit less, to see if they can fill holes. Thornton is going very well. Simmonds is going very well. Spezza is going very well in his role. Vesey hasn’t gone as good in his role. Boyd has gone pretty well. Bogosian — pretty good.

I just think Galchenyuk is going to be another guy they are going to throw in there at some point and say, “Can you give us a few good minutes every night?” Basically, what they are doing with these guys is buying lottery tickets and saying, “The scratch and win — do we get ‘sorry, try again,’ or do we get some money out of this?”

That is what it is. They are going to give him a shot at some point to see what he can do. Some nights, maybe it will be on a lower line. If he performs well, maybe he gets a shot in the top six to see what he can do.


Dreger: “Dubas would like to add a 6th/7th forward” (TSN1050)

On First Up with Michael Lansberg and Carlo Colaiacovo, Darren Dreger previewed the Leafs‘ deadline needs/wants.

I think Dubas would like to add a 6.5-7th forward. If he is pressuring guys in the top six, your top six is pretty good. If he is the 7th guy on the third line, he is going to drive the third line.

They need a little bit more from that third line. I think the action for the trade deadline might come three or four weeks prior to the deadline — mid-March due to Covid-19 and quarantine restrictions.  I wouldn’t be surprised if teams jump a bit ahead of time.

I think Dubas and Keefe like the group they have, but do they like them enough that they see they could be a contending team? If the answer to that in the coming weeks is yes, Dubas will feel the responsibility to go out and reward the coach and players with another piece or couple of pieces.

It will be more about Dubas doing what he can to bolster the lineup than a glaring need.


Friedman: “There is a big push to move the draft back” (WGR550)

Friedge provided an interesting note on The Instigators show about the possibility of pushing the draft back or holding two drafts at once in 2022.

There is a big push to move it — a huge push. The teams are really, really grinding for it. It is supposed to happen in July. They want it moved back to December or January. There was one proposal on the table to have two in June of 2022 in Montreal — one first round one day, the second round the next day, a few days off, then a first round and a second round; do two of them.

From what I understand, the teams want it in December-January because they think it is too much to do two drafts at once. Here is the problem: The NHLPA has to agree on this, and there are agents who have told me they don’t think it is right that the top prospects don’t get to compete for their teams next year. I have had a few people tell me that they see it as a compromise, if they get to this point, to have one round this year, and everything else gets pushed back.


Mirtle: Granlund makes a lot of sense for Leafs (The Athletic)

James Mirtle sees Mikael Granlund as a possible fit for the top-six winger need on the Leafs ahead of the deadline, especially if he can be had for non-first-round picks & futures.

I really like Granlund as a fit for the Leafs, either alongside Auston Matthews or John Tavares. He’s clearly still a top-six forward, and he’s not that far removed from 60-point seasons in Minnesota. Get him out of low-scoring Nashville, and it feels like he could surprise.

He’s a good possession player and an excellent playmaker, which is important given both of Toronto’s top centers are shooters. If the Leafs can bring in someone with Granlund’s pedigree before the deadline for a couple of picks beyond the first round, that makes a lot of sense.

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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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