What John Klingberg’s move to LTIR means for Conor Timmins and the Maple Leafs - The Athletic | Canada News Media
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What John Klingberg’s move to LTIR means for Conor Timmins and the Maple Leafs – The Athletic

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John Klingberg sat hunched in the corner of a smallish locker room in Stockholm, Sweden, on Nov. 18 with his gaze fixed past the reporters in front of him and toward nothing at all.

The Leafs defenceman had been out of the lineup since Nov. 11 with an undisclosed injury and could only make it through a few brief minutes of that day’s practice before leaving the ice on his own. “Very stiff, a little bit pain. Not a lot of motion,” was how he described those few minutes.

Klingberg told reporters he’d been dealing with that injury throughout his career, but that it “kind of hit a rock bottom here these last few weeks.”

Less than a week after that practice, rock bottom turned out to be much deeper. On Thursday the Leafs placed Klingberg on LTIR. That media availability ended up becoming his last for the foreseeable future. It’s still to be determined exactly how long Klingberg will be out of the lineup. However, the LTIR designation means he won’t be eligible to play until at least Dec. 12. In the coming days, Klingberg will continue to determine what his long-term outlook will be.

Through 14 games, Klingberg hardly had the start to his Leafs tenure he likely wanted when he signed a one-year, $4.15 million free-agent deal in the offseason. He did not score a single goal. Defending well consistently in his own zone was a challenge. Overall, Klingberg looked more like the defenceman who struggled to find his game in brief stops with the Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild last season and less like the All-Star who looked to have a shot at the Norris Trophy in 2018.

And now, with the LTIR designation it’s worth wondering: did the Leafs management understand the full extent of Klingberg’s injury and ink him to a hefty one-year deal anyway? Or was the nature of the injury unclear to them? Either way, the optics aren’t excellent.

According to CapFriendly, the Leafs currently have just over $3.3 million in cap space. But with one of GM Brad Treliving’s four high-profile offseason additions, Ryan Reaves, languishing in the press box of late, and another’s future this season unclear, the pressure on Treliving to use the new cap space wisely has increased.

Right now, the decisions look to be beneficial ones.

In the middle of an 11-game point streak with the Marlies, Alex Steeves was rewarded for his white-hot form and called up to the Leafs. This is the third season in a row that Steeves has earned an audition with the big club. With Steeves’ confidence undoubtedly at an all-time high after producing offence in a variety of ways, Sheldon Keefe will hope Steeves can translate some of that scoring, in addition to his energy, physicality and responsible defensive play, in fourth-line minutes. It will be on Steeves to make this audition last longer than the three games apiece he lasted the past two seasons with the Leafs.

The next likely move will likely see Conor Timmins activated off LTIR. The right-shot defenceman suffered a lower-body injury in a Sept. 29 preseason game and has been on LTIR since.

The Leafs could use the boost that Timmins’ puck-moving abilities and offensive inclinations can provide, especially after a strong preseason in which he tallied six points in three games. Keefe has essentially pegged Timmins as a like-for-like substitute for Klingberg, noting on Thursday that Timmins’ strengths are “similar to what Klingberg’s strengths are.”

“Timmins is a different look,” Keefe said of how the team’s blue line could change with the 25-year-old in the lineup. “But the other part of it is getting a right shot in there, which is important in terms of moving the puck and being more fluid offensively in all three zones.”

Rediscovering his preseason form should be at the top of Timmins’ to-do list. That preseason was partly a result of the longer-than-normal hours Timmins logged at the Leafs practice facility this summer. Timmins worked with Leafs skating development consultant Paul Matheson to add his explosiveness and he used the time off the ice during his injury to continue building strength.

“I was able to maintain a lot of what I did in the offseason,” he said confidently on Thursday. “(The injury) went by relatively quick in my mind.”


Conor Timmins hasn’t played for the Leafs since suffering an injury in preseason. (David Kirouac / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

During the preseason, Timmins looked different than the defenceman who would sometimes deal with moments of hesitation and questionable decision-making in 2022-23. Timmins admitted that at his best, he was making good reads and, perhaps most importantly, had a “good mental space.”

“I wasn’t trying to do too much,” Timmins said. “I was letting the game come to me.”

Getting that version of Timmins into the lineup could be a boon for a Leafs team that — outside of Morgan Rielly — has not generated a ton of offence from the back end.

With the injuries to fellow right-shot defencemen Klingberg and Timothy Liljegren, Timmins could have a decent amount of runway to prove his case for a top-six spot for the remainder of the season. He’s never been afraid of putting in the work with the team’s development staff. Could this be an opportunity for Timmins to show the impact of all that development work? That Keefe has immediately entrusted Timmins with a spot on the power play, albeit with limited other options, suggests that the coaching staff want him to make the most of the opportunity too. Simon Benoit will likely draw out of the lineup with Timmins in.

Timmins is a believer in the process. On Thursday, he insisted he was less interested in what the power-play time could mean for his game, and more interested in breaking the puck out well and defending well.

“I’ve put in a lot of good work since I arrived in Toronto. I’ve been really happy with how my game has developed,” Timmins said.

There’s always been an affability in his demeanour that’s allowed him to stay patient as he’s developed. Timmins looked comfortable throughout Thursday’s practice, shooting constant smiles and trading good-natured barbs at another member of the second power-play unit, Matthew Knies, for missing the net during a power play drill.

Staying healthy will be a priority for Timmins too. He was hampered by a serious knee injury and a concussion in the past. Over five professional seasons, he’s logged just 66 NHL games.

“With my history, it’s been tough. I haven’t been able to play as much as I want to. But I had a good base to build off of, so hopefully I’ll be able to hit the ground running,” Timmins said.

If Timmins can do just that and show improvements in his defensive awareness as a result of his development time, the Leafs defence could end up better.

If it doesn’t, the cap space the Leafs now have — depending of course on whether Klingberg requires surgery and how much time he misses — could change how management approaches the trade market. Being pushed up against the cap, Treliving might have had to move a less-than-desirable contract as well as some kind of sweetener package involving prospects or draft capital on that outgoing contract to add on the blue line. But now, at least in theory, the cost of a defenceman or two presumably still on Treliving’s shopping list might look different. Once Leafs management knows how much time Klingberg will miss, could this newfound cap space mean Treliving might not have to add as strong a prospect or as high a draft pick to any deal as he might have a few weeks ago?

Options are never a bad thing for a coach and a general manager to have. What becomes of those options remains to be seen.

When Klingberg was signed in the offseason, Treliving admitted the Leafs blue line remained a work in progress. It feels like progress could start moving steadily along soon enough.

(Photo of John Klingberg: Dan Hamilton / USA Today)

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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.

___

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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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