adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

Sports

What would the ideal trade deadline acquisition look like for the Maple Leafs? – Yahoo Canada Sports

Published

 on


Two things have been made abundantly clear for the Toronto Maple Leafs, who are sitting ever-so pretty at the moment with the best record in the NHL through the first seven weeks of the season.

First, they are locks for the postseason.

And second, they want to add before the postseason.

Insiders on both sides of the Canadian media tug-o-war have kicked around the idea of the Leafs bolstering their roster before the deadline in the last few days. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman has been discussing the possibility of a splash for some time, most recently suggesting that they could swing for the fences as the seas part in the North Division. And the latest came from TSN’s Darren Dreger, who identified Mikael Granlund as a potential candidate in an ongoing search for forward help, also mentioning that general manager Kyle Dubas has the hockey capital — prospects and picks — to make that sort of deal happen, even with salary cap concerns.

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard Granlund’s name linked to Toronto. This is a player whose reputation precedes him as a strong defensive and versatile forward. Historically, he’s offered the sort of utility that falls in line with exactly what the Leafs have been aiming to accumulate as they continue to work toward building a strong defensive foundation behind their incredibly dynamic top six.

The numbers continue to bear out those facts this season. Granlund has managed to remain a positive influence on a bad Nashville Predators team, even if the goals have been hard to come by from an even-strength perspective. If there is a concern, it’s that Granlund has been buoyed, at least in recent games, by the fact he’s been elevated into a role that probably doesn’t befit his skillset. Performing on the top line with Filip Forsberg and Eeli Tolvanen is more of a showcase than an impact that would be considered easily transferable.

Even so, it’s possible, perhaps even highly likely, that Granlund is a superior option compared to what the Leafs have in house to anchor that third-line checking and energy unit that head coach Sheldon Keefe has been trying to implement from the start of the season. Alexander Kerfoot has been that default as the return asset in the Nazem Kadri trade, but the Leafs seem to prefer him as a winger. And while Pierre Engvall has impressed of late, this is an inexperienced player who could quickly find himself in over his head against stiffer competition and big games.

So case closed then? Is Granlund the guy?

The Leafs could certainly do worse than adding Granlund in their efforts to achieve optimization. But with Friedman floating the idea that the Leafs could aim higher, we should at least explore what that could entail.

What the Maple Leafs don’t need at trade deadline

The best way to do that might be to eliminate the things that they don’t need.

Let’s tackle the easy stuff first. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander are the differentiators for this team, and unearthing an upgrade on any of them would be darn-near impossible. As skeptical as many were, Joe Thornton has established himself as a brilliant complement for Matthews and Marner, and will digest a significant portion of the top-six minutes as long as he’s healthy.

That leaves one position in the top six, for which the Leafs already have several candidates but perhaps not the one they see as the best fit. Zach Hyman is probably the superior option, but the Leafs seem to really want him to drive the third line. Kerfoot has been the preferred top-six forward lately, but his inclusion could potentially “take” from the third line in the long run, or at least potentially leave it exposed. And finally, Wayne Simmonds had some success with Tavares and Nylander before suffering an injury, and could potentially be the answer in the long term.

If the Leafs were to truly sell out on the prospects of this season, they could target an impact top six player, or a winger who could perform on either the right or left side with Tavares and Nylander, allowing Hyman, Kerfoot and Simmonds to create mismatches in the bottom six.

The rich man’s Jimmy Vesey, if you will.

Sounds fantastic, right? But what kind of winger would that be? Is there any more room on the power play, where that player could be most valuable? Is it more important than building the ideal third line?

As tempting as it might be to add, say, Filip Forsberg instead of Mikael Granlund, the Leafs seem focused on balance, and therefore the creation and maintenance of that third line.

The Leafs should be looking for an upgrade on Alexander Kerfoot. (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)The Leafs should be looking for an upgrade on Alexander Kerfoot. (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Leafs should be looking for an upgrade on Alexander Kerfoot down the middle. (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Who fits the mould?

It’s important, then, to identify exactly what they Leafs need from the position, and in some respects, what Kerfoot hasn’t been able to provide.

Most importantly out of a third line centre, the Leafs need someone who can limit the opposition and carve into the damage that elite players often do. In Kerfoot’s minutes without either Tavares or Nylander, or in other words, when he’s forced to drive a line, the Leafs have been mostly caved in at even strength this season, performing at 40.6 percent expected goals.

Fo his part, Granlund’s numbers do not fall off the cliff in time spent separated from other top players on the Predators. But while a lot of that could come down to coaching style and usage, the most important thing is that the Leafs have performed better when Kerfoot isn’t asked to shoulder major defensive responsibilities down the middle.

There are aspects, though, that neither Kerfoot nor Granlund provide, most notably physicality. Toronto didn’t need to knock around Connor McDavid to be the first team to shut him down in consecutive games this past week, but another injection of physicality wouldn’t hurt this team, provided that it doesn’t come at the expense of defensive performance.

Chandler Stephenson, Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman are examples of tough, defensively reliable players who plugged third-line holes for Stanley Cup contenders last season, and who might better fit the mould of exactly what the Leafs should look for in a third-line centre replacement. Team toughness hasn’t been the priority that team defence has been for Keefe in Toronto, but killing two birds with one stone would be nice.

The last consideration should be penalty killing. As excited as the market became when it was revealed that Matthews would see time on the kill this season, the sight of the NHL’s leading goal scorer hobbling off the ice after blocking a shot should be enough to make fans think twice. In the best-case scenario, the Leafs’ third-line centre kills penalties, and kills them well, while being reliable in the faceoff dot when dealing with man power disadvantages.

With the exception of one more reliable veteran defender to slot in behind Travis Dermott and Zach Bogosian, the Leafs only have one clear need.

And with the league semifinals being a distinct possibility, if not probability, the Leafs have every reason to stomach the cost, and the quarantine, and not just chase that third-line difference maker, but to be highly selective with their approach.

More from Yahoo Sports

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

 on

 

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:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

 on

 

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.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

 on

 

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).

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending