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 jinshuiqian0713
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Inscrit(e) le: 22/11/2019
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 Posté le 23/11/2019 03:40 |  | | season-opening 29-8 win over |
It was just before the 2008 World Championships in Halifax and Team USA was holding a pre-tournament camp in Portland, Maine. Jeff Halpern, serving as the American captain, was informing and inviting teammates to a fishing trip off the coast of Maine, in a gulf of the Atlantic Ocean. He wondered if Phil Kessel, then a 20-year-old playing for the Boston Bruins, wanted to come along. I get seasick in the bathtub, Kessel said, according to a later recounting by his future boss in Toronto, Brian Burke. I guess thats a no, Halpern responded. No, Kessel said, if the guys are going Im going. So he went, puked his guts out, but did it because was a team function, Burke beamed proudly on the day Kessel was officially traded to the Maple Leafs, defending the character of his newest asset, one that came with a high price ultimately. More than six long years later, Burke long since deposed as the teams president and general manager, and many of those same questions still surround Kessel, now 27-years-old and the highest-paid player in Toronto. Can the Leafs win a Cup with Kessel at the forefront? And if not, which seems to be case, then what should Brendan Shanahan and a revamped management group do about it? What can they do about it? Kessel remains under contract until 2022 at an annual cap hit of $8 million or more than 11 percent of the current cap. Is a player with that contract and those attributes tradable? And if so, then how tradable? What kind of market would exist for such a unique talent and personality? What kind of return would a player like Kessel net in a climate thats become increasingly wise to the functions of team success? Do the negatives of Kessels game outweigh the positives? Are the Leafs better in the long-term by trading by far their most talented player? Does that put them on the right path toward chasing a Cup? These are only some of the questions facing Shanahan as it pertains to the face of Torontos franchise, a player whos scored more goals than anyone but Alexander Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos since the start of the 2011-12 season, more points than anyone but Claude Giroux and Evgeni Malkin. I just want to help the team win here, Kessel said on the day he was first introduced as a Leaf. Thats the main goal here. Its not individual goals, its me coming in here doing whatever I can to help the organization and the team win hockey games. What wasnt in doubt then or now is the quality of those offensive gifts. Kessel remains one of the most dangerous and feared players in the league with a shot that may be unequaled in terms of the quickness with which it launches off the stick. Kessel, who has had a blasé kind of year, still sits around the top-10 in league scoring and remains on pace to either match or set new career-highs in a slew of offensive categories. Hes had several great years, Burkes replacement, Dave Nonis, said after re-signing Kessel for eight years and $64 million on the eve of last season. If you look at his point totals and his goal totals over the last two and three seasons hes up there with some pretty elite players. But for all the mesmerizing things Kessel can do on the ice, he detracts just about as much. Hes prone to bits of laziness – both on and off the ice – lacks noticeable effort in his own zone and often ends up costing his team more goals than he scores. Kessel and his two regular linemates, James van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak, have been the Leafs worst possession trio this season. They are consistently and unnervingly hemmed in the defensive zone for extended periods. Its not a new issue either, its one that dates back to the days of Ron Wilson, Kessels first coach in Toronto. Phils problem, said Wilson during an interview with TSN Radio on Tuesday, hes two weeks on and two weeks off and you just hope that you can get him playing his best hockey for as long as possible. You cant rely on Phil. Its just the way it is. You have to know that Phil is going to give you everything hes got for two or three weeks and then for the next two or three weeks everything seems to go wrong for Phil. Thats just the way it is. The Leafs signed Kessel for the long haul under the premise, seemingly, that his potent production would be impossible to replace. But that assumes that the good outweighs the bad and that may not be the case, especially if Kessel assumes the role of the teams best and highest-paid player. It also ignores the grander question of whether Kessel can help a team achieve the ultimate goal of winning a Cup. Boston, facing cap troubles in the fall of 2009, decided not. They pulled the trigger to move Kessel after he scored 36 goals as a 21-year-old. They won their Cup two years later. Claude Julien, Ron Wilson, Randy Carlyle, they all tried to change Kessel into something he was not, to mold him into a piece of a winning product. They could not. Whats to suggest then that something will change under the next head coach in Toronto? You never change a leopards spots, Wilson said. I think you paint over some of those spots, but theyll eventually shine through the paint and thats just too bad. Kessel is an incredibly capable and gifted player and he could probably be a piece on a winning team, just not the piece. Could he play the Patrick Kane role on a deeper team? Perhaps and perhaps thats the type of team willing to spring for his talents. Beyond just the burdensome decision of even trading Kessel is the potential return. What kind of value does Kessel have in a trade with the amount of money hes owed and the questions surrounding his performance and personality? How many teams would even be interested? And for a team like Toronto, one thats not contending for a Cup anytime soon, what kind of risk is there in hanging on to Kessel as he nears and then surpasses age 30, when the gifts that make him such a special talent start to wither if even a little? Kessel is the biggest piece of a web that needs to be untangled. The Leafs have too many flawed players locked up for too long, a core thats proven barely good enough to qualify for the playoffs, let alone win a Cup. Kessel is not the only problem – far from it – and on a different team he may not be a problem at all, but he also may not be part of the solution either, especially as the leading act. Is it worth sacrificing his tremendous gifts, though, for the betterment of the team in the long-term? These are really difficult questions. Moving on from Kessel is not a simple decision. Not many players, simply put, can do what he does. The Leafs would be worse, far worse really, without Kessel in the short-term. But theyve also been a badly flawed team with him at the forefront and that seems unlikely to change anytime soon. Kessel, ultimately, is the elephant in the room that Shanahan and the teams front office will have to confront one day, if they havent already. Moving on from the player, personality, and contract is a decision they probably should make given the bleak history of his time in Toronto as the front man, but its certainly no easy choice. This whole job is a high-wire act without a net, said Burke, Shanahans predecessor as team president, on the day Kessel was introduced. Every deal we make were betting on a human being, were betting on Phil, taking a chance. Thats how it works. I dont think were taking much of a chance. Athletics Jerseys China . This is the final meeting of the season between these teams.? The Capitals were 5-4 winners in a shootout Oct. Oakland Athletics Gear . - Erick Torres scored his 10th goal of the season on a stunning volley, and Chivas USA edged 10-man Real Salt Lake 1-0 on Saturday night. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/. 5 Trade Deadline isnt that far away and teams will be making decisions on whether to buy, sell and decide which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value. Oakland Athletics Store . The former central defender calmly nodded it down and quietly went about celebrating a win with his staff. For a man who has had a lot on his shoulders this season, it was an appropriate moment. Oakland Athletics Shirts . The win gives Canada its fifth title at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. "Weve got to keep pushing," said Westlake, who led Canada with five goals in the tournament. "The second you let off the pedal, everyone catches up.TORONTO - No Jon Cornish, no Nik Lewis, no Maurice Price, no tears from Dwight Anderson. Anderson will make his Toronto debut Saturday night when the Argonauts (1-1) host a short-handed Calgary squad at Rogers Centre. The Stampeders will be minus running back Cornish — the CFLs outstanding player last year — and receivers Nik Lewis (both concussion symptoms) and Maurice Price (broken hand). Catch the game live on TSN as part of a doubleheader starting at 6:30pm et/3:30pm pt. But Anderson, who helped Calgary (1-0) win the 2008 Grey Cup, isnt feeling sorry for his former team. "Not at all," Anderson said. "You cant feel sorry for nobody in this league because at the end of the day nobody is going to feel sorry for you. "Theyre going to line up and come after you so youve got to be prepared for whatever they throw at you." Canadian Matt Walter and American Jock Sanders will split running back duties against Toronto while Joe West comes off the injured list to line up at receiver. The offensive line also receives a boost with the return of tackle Dan Federkeil. "Over the years if you look at Calgary theyve had a lot of injuries and a lot of guys have stepped in and done well," Anderson said. "Cornish is down but (Walter and Sanders) are going to share the load. "Nik went down, Joe West stepped in. Theyre not leaving too much firepower out, theyre bringing in firepower so youve got to be on your toes. Thats what Ive told these guys here, theyre a vertical team. Bo (starter Bo Levi Mitchell) has a strong arm and can scramble." Anderson, 33, will start at halfback with just one week of practice under his belt. Toronto acquired the eight-year veteran Monday from the Saskatchewan Roughriders, just two days after defeating the defending Grey Cup champions 48-15 at Rogers Centre. To add insult to injury, Anderson endured the lopsided loss on his 33rd birthday. But Anderson said his transition in Toronto has been seamless because the Argos defence is very similar to the one he played in while with the Montreal Alouettes (2011-12). Toronto defensive co-ordinator Tim Burke held the same post with Montreal from 2008-10 and although hed left La Belle Province by the time Anderson arrived, the Alouettes still used many of Burkes defensive principles when Anderson was with them. "Its been busy, a lot of running around (since trade) but as far as the playbook goes it pretty much came back to me from the Montreal days," Anderson said. "I think the coaches were kind of surprised I picked it up so quickly but (when) youve been in this game long enough nothing is too difficult." Argos head coach Scott Milanovich is hoping the vocal Anderson, whos regarded as the CFLs top trash talker, can be a positive contributor to Torontos young, inexperienced defence. "Dwights an intelligent player," Milanovich said. &quuot;I expect Dwight to be what hes always been, and thats a playmaker, aggressive, emotional.dddddddddddd. "I think our defence could use a little of that. Dwights somebody you have to account for and always know where hes at because he can change the game. You make one mistake, he can take it the other way." Milanovich said the Argos cant afford take Calgary for granted. "If we think the fact Jon isnt playing can give us an opportunity to relax, thats going to burn us," Milanovich said. "Calgary has proven over the years their depth is as good as anybodys. "Theyve always been able to slip guys in, even at quarterback, and still have success and not miss a beat. They (Argos players) know how much I respect this team and this coaching staff and anybody who has been in the league long enough should have the same respect for them." Toronto is also hurting offensively as receivers Andre Durie (clavicle) and Jason Barnes (knee) wont play. Rookies Anthony Coombs — the Argos 14 first-round draft pick — and Darvin Adams will step in at slotback and wide receiver, respectively. Defensively, Matt Ware returns at cornerback from the injured list while safety Jermaine Gabriel gets a second straight start with incumbent Matt Black injured. Milanovich said, like Calgary, the Argos have always managed to get solid play from their backups and hes expecting the same Saturday. "Its become the expectation here with the players in the locker-room," Milanovich said. "It doesnt necessarily make you feel all that warm and fuzzy but Ive got to the point where I trust that the next guy is going to step up and do his job and I think a large part of that is how our team handles it. "They dont blink, they have faith in the guys next to them. I expect those guys to play well." Both starting quarterbacks are coming off solid performances. Torontos Ricky Ray threw for 407 yards and three touchdowns against Saskatchewan last weekend. Mitchell finished 16-of-25 passing for 313 yards and two TDs in a season-opening 29-8 win over Montreal on June 28. The Stamps had a bye last week. Mitchell is 4-0 as a starter but Anderson said the Calgary quarterback is a dual threat. "Bo is a scrambler," he said. "If things break down he can get out on the edge . . . stay with your guy and lock on because what hes looking for once he starts scrambling is that open receiver when they go to their scramble offence. "But if you lock on and let the front do their work then everything will be all right." Mitchell will make his third career start on the road and said he relishes playing away from McMahon Stadium. "Its harder to win on the road and I think thats why I take such a challenge to it," he said. "I think theres nothing better in football than silencing a stadium . . . its a great feeling." ' ' '
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