Ontario Sports News

UFC Cage Locks: Can Barboza derail another hype train in Murphy?

SportsNets - Fri, 05/17/2024 - 13:30

Ahead of each UFC event in 2024, UFC reporter Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter), producer Dan Fernandes (@DanFernandes__) and writer/editor Mike Johnston (@MikeyJ_MMA) will attempt to beat the odds by perusing various sportsbooks and making four betting predictions: one lock each to combine for a three-leg parlay, plus one additional favourite, underdog and dart throw wager.

Saturday’s Fight Night event set at the UFC Apex is headlined by a fan-friendly featherweight matchup between highlight and bonus machine Edson Barboza and the undefeated Lerone Murphy.

UFC Fight Night

Watch UFC Fight Night: Barboza vs. Murphy on SN360 and Sportsnet+, with coverage beginning at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT on Saturday.

UFC Fight Night on Sportsnet

Barboza is tied for the all-time lead for most Fight of the Night performances in UFC history and is looking for his first three-fight winning streak in more than seven years.

A co-main event between welterweights Khaos Williams and Carlston Harris, plus up-and-comers Themba Gorimbo and Ramiz Brahimaj face each other in another 170-pound bout with both coming off first-round finishes.

All 24 competitors successfully made weight Friday. Complete bout order and predictions below:

MAIN CARD

— Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy

— Khaos Williams vs. Carlston Harris

— Themba Gorimbo vs. Ramiz Brahimaj

— Adrian Yanez vs. Vinicius Salvador

— Luana Pinheiro vs. Angela Hill

PRELIMINARY CARD

— Oumar Sy vs. Tuco Tokkos

— Victor Martinez vs. Tom Nolan

— Tamires Vidal vs. Melissa Gatto

— Abus Magomedov vs. Warlley Alves

— Piera Rodriguez vs. Ariane Carnelossi

— Alateng Heili vs. Kleydson Rodrigues

— Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Emily Ducote

Editor’s Note: Gambling problems aren’t only about losing money. They occur on a continuum, and can affect a person’s whole life. To learn more about developing a healthy relationship to gambling, and to find resources for support, click here.

CAGE LOCKS

(updated May 14)

Which outcome do we think is the absolute safest bet on the card? Each will pick our “lock” of the week to put together a “three-headed monster parlay.”

Aaron: Hill vs. Pinheiro Starts Round 2 -1150 (FanDuel)

Barring injury, this fight starts round two. This is one of the safest picks imaginable and that is what we are looking for.

Dan: Rodriguez vs. Carnelossi over 1.5 rounds -450 (BetWay)

This pick is low hanging fruit in my opinion and not a lot of fun to be honest. You know what is less fun? Losing parlays. We need this! This bout probably goes the distance…but surely it goes past 1.5 rounds

Mike: Tom Nolan to win outright -470 (DraftKings)

This pick is twofold: First, I do think the young Aussie is primed to bounced back after a disappointing UFC debut in January. More importantly, this pick is an experiment relating to my MMA betting sanity. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is one definition of insanity and I set the tone for our lousy parlay record by picking Nolan as my Cage Lock in the first event of the year as a -345 moneyline fave…and he was KO’d in the opening round! Either Nolan picks up his first win on Saturday, or I will acknowledge my MMA wagering strategy for my “lock” is truly lacking sanity.

Three-headed Monster Parlay Odds: -164 (to win $61.13)
2024 Record: 5-11
Total 2024 Winnings on $100 bets: -$531.01

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OUR FAVOURITE FAVOURITE

Which favourite with odds shorter than -200 are we most confident in?

Aaron: Kleydson Rodrigues -155 (DraftKings)

There is a lot of value on Rodrigues here. He is the more talented fighter in nearly every area, but he just hasn’t been able to put it all together yet at age 28. His 1-2 UFC record is somewhat deceiving in that regard. Alatangheili has received mostly favourable matchmaking and I think that this is a good spot for Rodrigues at this price.

Dan: Themba Gorimbo -142 (FanDuel)

Too many question marks for me around which version of Ramiz Brahimaj shows up. Only fitting that Themba Gorimbo is nicknamed “The Answer.” Gorimbo keeps improving with every fight and should do enough to win this on scorecards if he is unable to get the KO. Expect some celebratory tweets from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Mike: Angela Hill -135 (DraftKings)

Her overall record is not impressive, although her level of competition and longevity is, yet I see Hill’s experience and movement on the feet being an advantage in this matchup so I’ll take my chances at these odds even though Hill loses nearly as often as she wins.

Aaron’s favourite record: 11-5
Total 2024 winnings on $100 bets: +$204.95

Dan’s favourite record: 10-6
Total 2024 winnings on $100 bets: +$5.13

Mike’s favourite record: 8-8
Total 2024 winnings on $100 bets: -$288.80

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HUNGRIEST DOG

Which underdog on the card are we most confident will get their hand raised in victory?

Aaron: Luana Pinheiro +120 (DraftKings)

Pinheiro has been less than impressive since her dominant performance on the Dana White Contender Series, but this is the sort of matchup where I expect her to rise to the occasion. Angela Hill will be in her face for as long as the fight lasts and I think that suits Pinheiro well, at least for the first two rounds where she has been at her best. This is a fairly even fight, but if I were setting the line, I would have made Pinheiro the small favourite rather than Hill.

Dan: Alatengheili +120 (DraftKings)

Not a lot of +200 or less underdogs on this card at the moment. “The Mongolian Knight” has yet to lose by stoppage in the UFC and I don’t see him getting caught by Rodrigues inside the distance. With this in mind, and so few options available, here’s hoping Alatengheili can beat the odds.

Mike: Edson Barboza +125 (Bodog)

As long as he’s not too reckless and aggressive against a younger, powerful fighter like Murphy (like he did early in his fight with Sodiq Yusuff) there’s no reason why Barboza can’t secure his first three-fight winning streak since dropping to featherweight.

Aaron’s underdog record: 8-8
Total 2024 Winnings on $100 bets: +$335

Dan’s underdog record: 3-13
Total 2024 Winnings on $100 bets: -$895

Mike’s underdog record: 8-8
Total 2024 Winnings on $100 bets: +$217

DART THROW

What’s a longshot play with odds of +500 or longer that we like?

Aaron: Khaos Williams by Decision +500 (FanDuel)

Most of Williams’s UFC bouts have gone the distance and while Harris can be a difficult puzzle to solve, I’ll go with Williams to get the nod on the judges’ scorecards. I expect him to keep this fight on the feet and land the more effective strikes throughout.

Dan: Tamires Vidal by Decision +500 (BetRivers)

Vidal is yet to be stopped inside the distance and Gatto’s last two bouts were very close decision losses. I think the +500 on this outcome is a little inflated. This bout likely goes to a decision, so I’ll lock it in as a dart and possibly regret this choice on Saturday.

Mike: Abus Magomedov to Win in Round 2 +500 (FanDuel)

This matchup with Warlley Alves has the potential to be bonkers for however long it lasts. Magomedov has more ways to win and three of Alves’s past five losses have come in the second round.

Aaron’s dart throw record: 1-14-1
Total 2024 Winnings on $100 bets: -$900

Dan’s dart throw record: 1-15
Total 2024 Winnings on $100 bets: -$800

Mike’s dart throw record: 4-11-1
Total 2024 Winnings on $100 bets: +$2,200

(Betting odds above submitted at various times throughout week and subject to change prior to fights)

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NHL releases schedule for Eastern Conference Final

SportsNets - Fri, 05/17/2024 - 13:29

The dates and times are now known for the NHL’s Eastern Conference Final.

Now, we just wait to determine the second team.

The NHL released the schedule for the East Final on Friday. The New York Rangers await the winner of the Florida Panthers-Boston Bruins series, with the Panthers leading 3-2 going into Friday’s Game 6.

All games will be on Sportsnet, Sportsnet+ and CBC.

Here is the schedule:

Wednesday, May 22: Boston/Florida at New York Rangers, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
Friday, May 24: Boston/Florida at New York Rangers, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
Sunday, May 26: New York Rangers at Boston/Florida, 3 p.m. ET / noon PT
Tuesday, May 28: New York Rangers at Boston/Florida, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
*Thursday, May 30: Boston/Florida at New York Rangers, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
*Saturday, June 1: New York Rangers at Boston/Florida, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
*Monday, June 3: Boston/Florida at New York Rangers, 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

* if necessary

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Categories: Canada Sports News, Ontario Sports News, Pro Sports News

Hamilton arena boss Tim Leiweke eyes many sports for renovated facility

SportsNets - Fri, 05/17/2024 - 13:21

The man leading a $280-million renovation of Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre says it doesn’t make sense to pursue an NHL team for the full-sized arena, but sees plenty of other interesting sporting opportunities for the facility.

Tim Leiweke, CEO of the Oak View Group and former president/CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, said he hopes to bring an AHL team back to Hamilton.

“I think three or four clubs have approached us,” he said while appearing on the JD Bunkis Podcast on Friday on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. “Can an AHL team ultimately make their home there? That, to me, is a better vision and process than sitting there and saying, ‘Well, we want to jump in and go find an NHL team.’”

Renovations started this week and are expected to be completed by November 2025. Major concert promoter Live Nation is a partner in the deal, with Leiweke looking to make the facility attractive for big-name musical acts. Leiweke also is a partner with Silver Lake, which is a shareholder of the UFC and WWE, and figures the Hamilton venue would be a good fit for those events.

Leiweke says he does not want to compete with MLSE, adding he is loyal to the company. The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area has just one full-sized indoor arena (Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena), while most other comparably sized population bases have more, Leiweke said.

“Maybe we can do a Raptors game or two pre-season, maybe we can do a Leafs game or two pre-season,” he said. “We really compliment (MLSE chairman) Larry Tanenbaum for thinking about the WNBA (with a team expected to start play in 2026). Can we play some WNBA games there, maybe? Canada Basketball needs a permanent home where they do their qualifying games and friendly games. That could be an opportunity. Obviously, Hockey Canada and what they’re going to need ultimately for all the various tournaments.”

The OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs moved to Brantford, Ont., this past season after the renovation was announced. It is unknown if they will come back to Hamilton when the arena is ready.

The Bulldogs were an AHL franchise from 1996 to 2015 before owner Michael Andlauer, who now also owns the Ottawa Senators, acquired the OHL’s Belleville Bulls and moved them to Steeltown.

Opened in 1985 as Copps Coliseum, the arena has hosted Leafs and Raptors games, along with the memorable 1987 Canada Cup.

The city had ambitions for an NHL team in the past, but there hasn’t been nearly as much buzz about that possibility in recent years.

The National Lacrosse League’s Toronto Rock also call FirstOntario Centre home. They are moving to a smaller arena in Mississauga, Ont., during the renovation.

Categories: Canada Sports News, Ontario Sports News, Pro Sports News

Scottie Scheffler isn’t the first pro golfer to be arrested during a tournament

SportsNets - Fri, 05/17/2024 - 13:00

Scottie Scheffler’s arrest hours before his second-round tee time at the PGA Championship in Louisville, Kentucky, will go down as one of the most shocking in professional golf history. It certainly wasn’t the first, though.

Tiger Woods and John Daly are probably the highest-profile golfers to wear handcuffs, but Scheffler’s arrest is very different because it happened while he was competing in a tournament — a major championship, no less.

Woods was arrested in 2017 on suspicion of driving under the influence when he was found asleep in the driver’s seat of his Mercedes-Benz while he was recovering from back surgery. Daly was taken into custody in North Carolina in October 2008 after he was found drunk outside a Hooters restaurant and held until he could get sober.

At least five other pro golfers — Robert Allenby, Steven Bowditch, Matt Every, Joe Ogilvie and Jack McGurn — have been arrested either during or around a tournament.

ROBERT ALLENBY

Australian golfer Robert Allenby was arrested outside a casino in Rock Island, Illinois, hours after he missed the cut in the 2016 John Deere Classic. Allenby was apprehended outside Jumer’s Casino and charged with disorderly conduct and criminal trespassing.

STEVEN BOWDITCH

Another Australian, Steven Bowditch, was arrested for extreme DUI following the first round of the 2017 Waste Management Phoenix Open. Scottsdale police said Bowditch had a blood-alcohol level over 0.20% when he was taken into custody.

Responding to a 911 report about a truck “swerving all over the road,” officers observed the vehicle sit through two greens lights without moving and found Bowditch asleep behind the wheel. He was released from jail, shot 3-over 74 in the second round and missed the cut.

MATT EVERY

Matt Every was in his first year on the PGA Tour when he was arrested for marijuana possession in Bettendorf, Iowa, two days before the first round of the 2010 John Deere Classic. He was arrested along with two other men after police were called to investigate the odor of marijuana coming from a room.

The smell became stronger when police knocked on the door, according to a police report. Every tied for 56th in the tournament and later was suspended for three weeks. He was suspended 12 weeks in 2019 for violating the PGA Tour’s Conduct Policy for drugs.

JOE OGILVIE

Joe Ogilvie was charged with driving while impaired after a traffic stop on the day before the 2006 Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Police say he was stopped for speeding, and the officer smelled alcohol. He failed a field sobriety test and was taken into custody before posting bond. He tied for 26th that week.

JACK McGURN

Jack “Machine Gun” McGurn was one of Chicago mobster Al Capone’s henchmen, and also was a pretty good stick. He entered the 1933 Western Open under an assumed name and shot 83 in the first round. Police got wise to McGurn’s ruse the next day and planned to arrest him on the course.

According to Golfheritage.org, Chicago had just passed a law to treat individuals associated with crime as vagrants unless they could show legitimate income. At the time, McGurn headed up a bookmaking operation. McGurn was 1 under when officers approached him on the seventh green to make the arrest. But McGurn asked if they would let him finish his round and they agreed.

The encounter must have rattled McGurn because he finished with an 86 and then was ushered to the hoosegow.

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Examining which Blue Jays change their swing the most with two strikes

SportsNets - Fri, 05/17/2024 - 11:16

It’s no secret that the Toronto Blue Jays have struggled to score runs in 2024. The team ranks bottom five in MLB in home runs, extra-base hits and runs scored, and bottom 10 in batting average, isolated power and slugging percentage.

Despite struggling to push runners across the plate, Toronto hitters have excelled at avoiding strikeouts. Toronto has the second-fewest punchouts in baseball and the fifth-lowest strikeout rate.

The Blue Jays are elite at making contact. Whether that comes at the expense of how well they’re hitting the ball is certainly up for debate, but either way, it makes sense that they would be able to limit the amount they strike out after getting to two strikes.

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Watch the Toronto Blue Jays, Blue Jays Central pre-game, marquee MLB matchups, Jays in 30, original documentaries, the wild card, divisional series, championship series and entire World Series on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+.

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Across most levels of baseball, hitters change their approach with two strikes, trying to put the ball in play, and now, thanks to the new bat-tracking data released earlier this week over at Baseball Savant, we can get a better idea of how hitters swing the bat in different situations.

As a team, the Blue Jays’ average bat speed decreases by 1.4 m.p.h in two-strike counts compared to pre-two-strike situations, while their fast swing rate — the percentage of swings 75 m.p.h. or faster — drops by four per cent.

That puts them in line with the MLB average in bat speed difference and slightly ahead of the league average in fast swing rate drop-off.

The new data also allows us to dive into the numbers for individual players and see what they might be doing to avoid striking out.

Player

AVG Bat Speed Pre-Two Strikes

AVG Bat Speed With Two Strikes

Fast Swing Rate Pre-Two Strikes

Fast Swing Rate With Two Strikes

Swing Length Pre-Two Strikes

Swing Length With Two Strikes

Bo Bichette

70.7 m.p.h.

69.0 m.p.h.

14.6 per cent

10.0 per cent

7.3 feet

7.1 feet

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

75.7 m.p.h

74.6 m.p.h

54.8 per cent

41.0 per cent

7.8 feet

7.7 feet

Davis Schneider

70.9 m.p.h.

68.7 m.p.h.

6.5 per cent

4.5 per cent

6.9 feet

6.8 feet

Danny Jansen

69.8 m.p.h

68.0 m.p.h.

8.1 per cent

4.7 per cent

6.9 feet

6.7 feet

That includes the four Blue Jays players in the table above who have some of the most noticeable swing changes when faced with a two-strike count.

Here’s a deeper look at what they’re doing and how that has impacted their on-field results.

Bo Bichette

If there was one player currently on the Blue Jays that you can watch take his at-bats and notice a difference in their approach pre- and post-two strikes, it would be Bichette.

It’s well known that he drops his leg kick with his back against the wall in a count, but now, we can see how changing his swing affects what he does with his bat and just how conducive that is to success.

Like most hitters, Bichette slows his bat down and takes less fast swings with two strikes. But unlike most hitters, Toronto’s shortstop has actually found more success in two-strike counts than he has otherwise — his OPS on the season is .607, but with two strikes, it stands at .711.

Both of his home runs on the season and six of his nine extra-base hits have come with two strikes.

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So, while Bichette has struggled mightily to begin the season, it appears that somewhat simplifying his approach has helped him find success when he’s in a pitcher’s count.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

No Blue Jays hitter has a larger drop-off in their fast swing rate between count situations than Guerrero Jr. There isn’t much of a difference between his average bat speed, but since his average sits on the line of what Baseball Savant defines as a “fast swing,” slowing down his bat by even one m.p.h will cause him to miss the threshold more often.

This suggests that the 25-year-old might not actually be changing up his swing all that much, despite there being a drastic difference in the numbers.

Unlike Bichette, Guerrero hasn’t found the same level of success when hitting with two strikes. His OPS stands at .422 with just one extra-base hit in unfavourable counts.

However, his results while hitting with two strikes may be worth monitoring, as both his squared-up rate and blast rate go up when he makes contact with two strikes.

Davis Schneider

While Guerrero has the largest difference between his fast swing rate when faced with a two-strike count, Schneider has the biggest change in his average bat speed.

Since the bat tracking data was released on Sunday night, one of the key takeaways has been that shorter swings tend to be slower, and one area where hitters shorten their swings is pitches high and in.

So, for a player who, by his own admission, struggles with pitches up in the zone, it would make sense that Schneider’s swing would slow down more often as pitchers attack his weakness. Schneider sees pitches at the top of the zone or higher 34.7 per cent of the time in two-strike counts, where his swing becomes shorter and slower.

Despite striking out in 39 per cent of his 77 two-strike plate appearances, Schneider has a team-high three home runs and eight extra-base hits with two strikes.

Danny Jansen

While being among Toronto’s leaders in the difference between bat speed and fast swing rate with two strikes, Jansen has found a ton of early success with that approach to begin the season.

Of course, his delayed start to the season has limited his sample size early on, but through his first 38 plate appearances that have reached two strikes, the 29-year-old is slashing .273/.342/.576 with just an 18.4 per cent strikeout rate, four doubles and two home runs.

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Jansen has made a habit of hitting for power without eye-popping exit velocities or bat speed numbers, and that has translated into his two-strike approach.

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NFL distances itself from Chiefs’ Butker’s commencement comments

SportsNets - Fri, 05/17/2024 - 10:45

NEW YORK — The NFL is distancing itself from Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, saying “his views are not those of the NFL as an organization.”

Butker appeared as the commencement speaker last week at Benedictine College, a private Catholic liberal arts school in Kansas, and said most of the women receiving degrees were probably more excited about getting married and having children.

Butker also said some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America.”

“Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity,” Jonathan Beane, NFL senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in a statement released Thursday. “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”

The three-time Super Bowl champion delivered his roughly 20-minute address Saturday at the school in Atchison, Kansas, which is located about 60 miles (97 kilometers) miles north of Kansas City. He received a standing ovation from graduates and other attendees.

Butker, who’s made his conservative Catholic beliefs well known, also assailed Pride month, a particularly important time for the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion.

“I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you,” Butker added in his speech.

“Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother,” he said.

Butker, 28, said his wife embraced “one of the most important titles of all. Homemaker.“

Butker also criticized as disparaging to the Catholic Church an article by The Associated Press highlighting a shift toward conservativism in some parts of the church.

Butker also referred to a “deadly sin sort of pride that has a month dedicated to it” in an oblique reference to Pride month. Butker also took aim at Biden’s policies, including his condemnation of the Supreme Court’s reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision and advocacy for abortion rights — a key campaign issue in the 2024 presidential race.

The 2017 seventh-round pick out of Georgia Tech has become of the NFL’s best kickers, breaking the Chiefs’ franchise record with a 62-yard field goal in 2022. Butker helped them win their first Super Bowl in 50 years in 2020, added a second Lombardi Trophy in 2023, and he kicked the field goal that forced overtime in a Super Bowl win over San Francisco in February.

Categories: Canada Sports News, Ontario Sports News, Pro Sports News

Chad Kelly, Shawn Lemon situations are a horrible look for troubled CFL

SportsNets - Fri, 05/17/2024 - 10:32

For decades, the CFL has lurched from crisis to crisis. Bankruptcies, short-lived American expansion — you name it, the CFL has experienced it.

In many ways, the league’s ability to survive all the calamity is part of its charm. But there is nothing charming nor endearing about the latest CFL mess. Even the league’s biggest supporters — and count me as one of those, dating back to my time as a Toronto Argonauts season-ticket holder in the mid-1990s — can’t possibly see anything positive about what has transpired in the past 10 days, in which a lack of sound decision-making and leadership from team and league management and two star players exposed major cracks in the entire operation.

This month, Argonauts star quarterback Chad Kelly and Montreal Alouettes star defensive lineman Shawn Lemon both were on the field for their respective teams at camp while serving suspensions.

Kelly, the league’s most outstanding player last season, attended rookie camp last Thursday, albeit not in equipment, two days after being suspended nine games (at minimum) for violating the league’s gender-based violence policy.

Then, on Tuesday, Lemon practised with the reigning Grey Cup champs, despite being suspended indefinitely in April for betting on games, including one of his own, in 2021 when he was a member of the Calgary Stampeders. The sack specialist appealed the suspension on Monday.

Although these are drastically different cases, the overlap is the fact both these players were available for all to see with their respective teams while facing serious penalties.

The CFL handed Kelly his half-season ban after a league investigation of a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against the player and the club in an Ontario court on Feb. 21. Because it took two-and-a-half months for the CFL to reach its decision, the announcement of Kelly’s suspension rubbed right up against the start of camp, not leaving much time for further discussion on how to proceed.

In the suit, the former coach accuses Kelly of a pattern of harassment, including unwanted romantic advances and threatening language. She also alleges in the suit that after she approached Argos management, assistant general manager John Murphy said she “opened a can of worms that didn’t need to be opened.” None of the claims have been proven in court.

Despite the suspension, the Argos decided it was OK to have Kelly on the field May 9 in Guelph, Ont. (On a related note, the Argos decided it was also OK to retain Murphy in a management role after the Toronto executive was suspended by the league for an altercation with fans following his team’s loss to the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats at the 2021 CFL East final.)

The decision earned plenty of backlash, including criticism via social media from at least two women working in the league.

Kristina Costabile, the league’s senior manager of web and digital content, wrote: “I’m extremely disappointed to see that Chad attended Toronto’s rookie camp this week, while he has been suspended from playing and has not yet completed the league-mandated counseling and assessments.”

Rheanne Marcoux, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ senior director of branding, criticized Argos general manager Michael (Pinball) Clemons for allowing Kelly on the field.

“As I and many female staff members across the league have communicated to (CFL commissioner) Randy Ambrosie, the handling of this extremely serious situation has been a complete and utter failure from top to bottom. You promised to go above and beyond the league recommendations,” she wrote.

At the start of training camp three days after Kelly’s rookie camp appearance, the Argos put out a statement saying the QB will not participate in team activities. Then, the club tweeted Kelly was added to the suspended list on Wednesday, only to retract that hours later while saying he “remains away from the team.” Maybe it’s just a procedural misunderstanding, but on a serious matter like this, it would be nice if the Argos could get it right in the first place.

On Thursday, Kelly put out a statement saying he is withdrawing from training camp to “minimize distractions for the team and to put in the work to earn both reinstatement in the CFL and everyone’s trust.” He said he will “take full advantage of this counselling opportunity to learn, grow and better myself.” He added that his legal team is exploring options “to clarify a number of the conclusions from the report” and considering “next steps.”

Meanwhile, there was no confusion around Alouettes’ leadership’s thoughts on Lemon being present despite his uncertain playing status.

“There’s no reason for me to be unhappy,” GM Danny Maciocia said when asked about Lemon practising while appealing. “I don’t see any distraction. I mean, everybody’s OK with it. It’s just part of the process. It’s part of the appeal.”

Maciocia, it seems, has a high bar for what constitutes a distraction.

Added coach Jason Maas: “I love Shawn, I think we all do. Love having him here.

“His leadership, his presence in the building is felt, and obviously (he) came out today ready to play already, so he’s ready to go. We’re excited to have him here.”

Herb Zurkowsky, the Montreal Gazette’s long-time CFL writer, reported Tuesday that the league and CFLPA do not see eye-to-eye on when players were made aware of the league’s policy on gambling. In its appeal of his suspension, Zurkowsky wrote, the union will argue Lemon shouldn’t be punished for violating a policy the players didn’t find out about until a year after he made the bets.

Ambrosie sees things much differently, saying in a statement: “The CFL is disappointed that the Players’ Association would challenge a decision so fundamental to the integrity of our league. The league’s rules prohibiting CFL-related gambling in 2021 were made abundantly clear to all players at the time, yet Mr. Lemon knowingly ignored those rules.”

Presumably, we’ll get a better idea of what actually transpired after the appeal process plays out.

The Argos, meanwhile, aren’t yet prepared to say how they’ll feel or react if Kelly appeals. The CFLPA has already appealed against the CFL for being denied access to its full independent report — the league has not said publicly why it refused the request. Neither the CFLPA or Kelly’s agent have said whether they plan to appeal the suspension.

If that does occur, a Kelly appeal could create yet another uncomfortable situation.

“At this point, we are following the league’s requirements to the letter. That’s actually a different conversation for a different day,” Clemons said May 9, while talking to reporters during rookie camp.

In other words, time will tell.

What is clear now, though, is that this is not a good time for the CFL. We’re not talking about a dirty hit during a game or a player criticizing a ref in an interview — these are real-life, societal issues. When Ottawa Senators forward Shane Pinto and Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter were initially suspended by their respective leagues for gambling violations in the past year, they were nowhere near the public eye.

Winnipeg Blue Bombers coach Mike O’Shea, a respected voice throughout his career, gave a thoughtful answer when asked about the Lemon situation by reporters at training camp this week.

“I’ve enjoyed a fairly long relationship with the CFL,” said O’Shea, whose Bombers lost to Lemon and the Als in last year’s Grey Cup. “I’d prefer to go forward keeping the integrity of the league intact. I don’t see any place in this league for people that bet on our football games, bet on their own football games. That’s just the way I feel. I really take a lot of pride in this league and the integrity this league has had and for the length of time it’s been around. It’s an iconic Canadian organization.”

It doesn’t sound like O’Shea and Alouettes coaching and management are reading from the same playbook on a fairly important topic.

Meanwhile, O’Shea also was asked about the Kelly situation last week.

“The women in our league, and there’s a lot of them, really deserve to feel safe coming to work every day,” he said. “That kind of question should be posed to the women in our organization, and see if they do feel respected and safe in this workplace. I believe they do, but far be it for me to answer that.”

While there are many unanswered questions, Ambrosie, football operations staff with the Argos and Alouettes and two of the league’s best players must look long and hard in the mirror. A league that prides itself on being in touch with its communities, with its fans, has lost its way.

The current state of the CFL is an embarrassment to all.

— with files from CP

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Scout’s Analysis: An off-season blueprint for Maple Leafs to consider

SportsNets - Fri, 05/17/2024 - 08:25

At the end of each season, NHL hockey operations departments take time to review the team’s results and prepare for the off-season. They evaluate each player on their roster, take stock of their organizational depth at every position, build out their draft strategies, and forecast the amount of available cap space they will have to spend in free agency. It’s an arduous process that takes an “all hands on deck” approach.

Over the next several weeks I’ll attempt to go it alone with the process and provide a detailed review of all the Canadian NHL franchises.

The first team up for review are the Toronto Maple Leafs.

DRAFT CAPITAL

The final in-person draft is set for June 28-29 at The Sphere in Las Vegas. The Leafs’ draft grid isn’t exactly flush with picks, but things could change if Toronto decides to make over its NHL roster via trades that include draft capital in return.

Here’s a look at the Leafs’ draft board for the next three years:

Leafs’ draft grid, per CapFriendly

Unless something drastic happens between now and the draft, Toronto will be selecting 23rd in the first round. It’s my opinion that this draft class has many prospects with equal value and projection after the 16th overall pick. I’m not suggesting Toronto won’t be selecting a bonafide NHL prospect in their slot. I’m simply pointing out the draft is very likely to take on a life of its own in the back half of the first-round, with very little consensus regarding who deserves to be selected where.

A couple of names to keep an eye on as potential targets at the 23rd overall pick include:

Andrew Basha, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 185 pounds

Basha is a relentless competitor who empties the tank every time his number is called. He’s difficult to defend in small areas with his ability to slide off checks or beat opponents with his quickness. Basha brings reliable detail in all three zones. Something seems to happen every time he is on the ice. He’s always involved.

NHL Projection: Second-line forward

Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph Storm (OHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 170 pounds

I have Luchanko being selected ahead of Toronto’s slot in my rankings, but as I said the first-round this year will be unpredictable. Luchanko is the kind of player who can be deployed in a variety of roles. He plays with pace, he’s creative off the rush and sees the ice very well. Luchanko leans playmaker more than shooter overall. He’s coming off a gold medal-winning performance as part of Team Canada’s U18 men’s team where he was deployed in all situations and took key defensive zone face-offs on his strong side (right circle). Luchanko produced 2G-5A at the worlds and finished plus-5.

NHL Projection: Second-line forward

As noted, Toronto doesn’t have a ton of draft capital to work with. The only way I would consider trading back, to pick up another selection in the late-second or early-third round, would be if the Leafs’ list had at least three or four names they valued the same when it got to pick No. 23. It’s possible they might. But if the best player on their list is still available, I recommend making that selection without over-thinking the strategy. Especially with the inherent risk in how this year’s group of prospects project compared to recent draft classes.

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PIPELINE

There’s always a prospect or two who surprises their NHL club with outstanding rookie games and NHL training camps every fall. Toronto’s system isn’t flush with a ton of grade “A” future prospects, but they do have some players who could make the jump to the NHL next season.

Easton Cowan, F, London Knights (OHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 180 pounds

Cowan had an excellent camp with the Leafs last fall and then he established himself as Toronto’s top prospect over the course of the winter playing in London. The Knights are currently playing Oshawa in the OHL finals and Cowan is a big part of the reason why London is up 3-0 in the series. He leads the league with 9G-21A in the playoffs after producing 34G-62A in 54 regular season games. Cowan was recently named the Most Outstanding Player in the OHL (Red Tilson Award).

It will be interesting to see how prepared Cowan is at his second training camp with the Leafs. He undoubtedly absorbed a lot last fall and carried it over into his junior season. Cowan’s best shift includes full ice compete, dogged pursuit of creating turnovers when he doesn’t have the puck, and quick strike offence when he has a look at the net.

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NHL Projection: Second-line/possible first-line forward

Note: Due to Cowan’s age (19 next season) he isn’t yet eligible for the AHL, meaning he has to make the Leafs roster or be returned to junior for another season.

Alex Steeves, F, Toronto Marlies (AHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 187 pounds

Steeves is a proven goal scorer and point producer overall at the AHL level with the Marlies and contributed 27G-30A this past season. Steeves originally signed with the team out of college in 2021. He’s had a cup of coffee at the NHL level (one assist in seven games) but hasn’t yet solidified himself as a full-time NHL forward. He plays with above average pace and has generally reliable detail. Could he be the next Bobby McMann kind of player for the Leafs? Time will tell, but the team is on the clock. Steeves is entering the last year of his entry-level contract and will be an arbitration eligible restricted free agent at the end of next season.

NHL Projection: Bottom-six forward/potential depth offence

THE CORE FIVE

As everyone is aware, the Toronto Maple Leafs are heavily invested (financially and emotionally) in their core group of players.

With that in mind, it makes sense to start the evaluation process with what I consider their five core players:

Auston Matthews
Regular Season: 81GP-69G-38A
Playoffs: 5GP-1G-3A

Matthews is easily defined. He’s currently the most prolific goal scorer and shooter in the entire NHL.

His overall game has evolved from earlier in his career, too. He averages over 21 minutes of ice time a game and is deployed in all situations. Uses his size to shield pucks from opponents in the offensive zone and front the play defensively in his own zone. His 69 goals stand out, but he was also a plus-31, won 54 per cent of his face-offs, and blocked 93 shots. He’s Toronto’s most valuable player and has a new contract that begins next season with a $13.250 million AAV.

William Nylander
Regular Season: 82GP-40G-58A
Playoffs: 4GP-3G-0A

On balance, Nylander played to his identity for the Leafs this season. He’s one of the most dynamic offensive talents in the entire NHL. Unfortunately, his impact is streaky. There are nights he looks like he could be a top five scorer, but there are also nights he appears to cut corners and go through the motions. At the end of the day his offence wins out. If he can bottle his best shifts and mix in some additional compete more consistently, his ceiling could eclipse the 100-point mark yearly.

Also used in all situations and averaging over 20 minutes a game, Nylander’s plus-1 rating this season speaks to his lack of detail at times. A player who hovers around 100 points should have a much better plus/minus. Nylander was limited to three games in the playoffs due to a migraine issue, but he scored three goals in those games. Like Matthews, Nylander also has an extension set to kick in next season at $11.5 million for eight years.

John Tavares
Regular Season: 80GP-29G-36A
Playoffs: 7GP-1G-1A

Tavares had a down year offensively. The veteran forward has clearly lost a step, but he does bring value in several categories. For example, he remains one of the top face-off centres in the entire NHL. He won 59 per cent of his draws in the regular season and 56 per cent of his face-offs in the playoffs versus Boston. From the hash marks down, and around the crease in the offensive zone Tavares leans on opponents to extend plays, pounce on rebounds, and tip shots. Tavares averaged around 18 minutes of ice time in the regular season and 19 minutes in the playoffs. All of his ice time comes at even strength and the power play.

Tavares only produced 1G-1A in the seven-game series versus the Bruins. His impact was limited overall. Unfortunately, his contract is at least one year too long in relation to his salary and now he’s in the last season with an $11 million AAV. A player making the kind of money Tavares is has to produce more than he does overall, but he has a full no-movement clause included in his contract. Tavares holds all the cards moving forward.

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Morgan Rielly
Regular Season: 72GP-7G-51A
Playoffs: 7GP-0G-3A

Rielly averaged over 24 minutes of ice time in both the regular season and playoffs. His primary ice time comes at even strength and the power play, but he also lands on one of the secondary penalty-killing units. An argument can be made he plays too much. There are times when he looks out of gas and his pace suffers from a lack of energy.

He’s a two-way, transitional defenceman and power play quarterback who leans distributor more than shooter on the power play, but he did manage to direct 173 shots on goal in the regular season. Defending detail can range at times, but he generally competes to the best of his ability and empties the tank with the energy he has.

Signed through the 2029-30 season with a $7.5-million cap hit and no-movement clause.

Mitch Marner
Regular Season: 69GP-26G-59A
Playoffs: 7GP-1G-2A

Marner averaged over 21 minutes of ice time in the regular season and playoffs. He’s deployed in all situations. His elite element is what he provides offensively, but he’s also generally reliable in his zone.

Marner’s stats line in regular season included a plus-21 rating, but his playoff stats weren’t as strong: 7GP-1G-2A (plus-1).

Marner is easily defined as an elusive offensive talent with superior hockey sense and vision. He has the ability to spin off checks and make plays coming out of small areas, but lacks net drive and an interior game. The majority of his playmaking comes from the perimeter.

Marner is entering the final year of his contract with a $10.9-million cap hit and no-movement clause. With the way the season ended for Marner, the organization has to address his fit moving forward and the cost associated with keeping him for his final year.

GOALTENDERS

Leafs cap picture in goal, per CapFriendly

Ilya Samsonov
Regular Season: 40GP-3.13 GAA-.890 SV%

Samsonov battled through several ups and downs for the Leafs in 2023-24. In late December he looked as though he had lost all of his confidence and was battling to simply stay in the NHL, so he deserves credit for his performance in the second half of the season. He was a completely different goalie from January through the end of the year.

But overall his numbers don’t stand out as overly positive.

Samsonov’s game runs in streaks. His athletic style can lead to some hectic moments tracking the play and finding pucks in traffic and off the flanks. He is a pending UFA who was paid $3.55 million this past season.

Toronto needs a more consistent No. 1 goalie.

Joseph Woll
Regular Season: 25GP-2.94 GAA-.907 SV%

Woll appeared to be well on the way to being Toronto’s full-time starter mid-way through the season before suffering a high-ankle sprain that kept him out of the lineup for several weeks in the middle of the year. The injury bug bit Woll again at the end of the year when he couldn’t dress for Game 7 of their playoff series against Boston.

Woll’s big in the net and usually plays with sound crease composure. Rarely does he get tracking outside his posts. He uses his size and length to his advantage.

The issue with Woll is his health. Since the 2020-21 season, Woll has only been healthy enough to play 73 games (split between the AHL Marlies and the NHL Leafs). The Leafs need Woll to stay healthy. He’s capable of winning the net in the fall and his salary is a very affordable $767,000 next season.

Martin Jones
Regular Season: 22GP-2.87 GAA-.902 SV%

Jones was called into duty more often than the Leafs, and likely Jones himself, believed he would be when the season began. On balance he provided the Leafs with some solid goaltending. He’s big in the net and generally poised between his posts. He allows the play to develop in front of him and seldom overreacts.

The veteran goaltender is a pure backup at this stage of his career. He’s a pending UFA who could be a possible depth solution if he isn’t interested in a raise from his $875,000 cap hit.

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DEFENCEMEN

Leafs cap picture among defencemen, per CapFriendly

Simon Benoit
Regular Season: 64GP-1G-4A
Playoffs: 7GP-0 pts

Benoit was one of the nice stories for the Leafs this season. He started well down the depth chart, but by the end of the season he was tasked with matching up versus middle six opponents, played a key role on the penalty-kill, and earned a three-year extension with a $1.35-million cap hit.

Benoit is a big, strong, physical, mostly shut-down defenceman. He averaged a shade over 17 minutes of ice time in 64 regular season games and that remained steady in the playoffs. All of his shifts are played at even strength or the penalty kill.

Benoit led the Leafs with 37 hits in the seven-game series agasint Boston.

Joel Edmundson
Regular Season (combined Washington/Toronto): 53GP-1G-5A
Playoffs: 7GP-0G-1A

Edmundson proved his worth in the playoffs for Toronto. In the regular season he averaged around 17 minutes of ice time and battled injuries, only dressing for 53 total games split between Washington and Toronto.

His playoff ice time rose to nearly 19 minutes per game against hard match-ups versus middle-six/top-six opponents and he was credited with 22 hits and 12 shot blocks. All of his ice time came at even strength and the penalty kill. He’s a physical shut-down defenceman and shot blocker who brings a limited amount of offence. He’s an average skater and his long reach is asset.

A pending UFA who was paid $3.5 million in 2023-24, I would recommend bringing Edmundson back on a short-term deal with a bit of a haircut off the salary. He has struggled to remain healthy over the course of a full season so it would be risky to provide him a raise with term.

Jake McCabe
Regular Season: 73GP–8G–20A
Playoffs: 7GP–1G–0A

McCabe averaged over 21 minutes of ice time in the regular season and playoffs for the Leafs. His primary ice time came at even strength and the penalty kill. There was the odd occasion he slotted on to one of the power play units.

McCabe produced some depth offence and a physical element (220 hits in the regular season). He got off to a bit of a slow start, but his game tracked positively overall. In the playoffs he was tasked with matching up against top six opponents and rolled over the boards in a primary penalty-killing role.

Best described as a two-way defencemen, McCabe battles, competes, plays through injury, is physical and capable with the puck. A middle pairing player.

McCabe has earned a raise. His current deal expires after next season when he’ll be paid $2 million. I’m comfortable offering McCabe a three-year extension paying in the neighbourhood of $3.75 million-$4 million.

Conor Timmins
Regular Season: 25GP-1G-9A
Did not dress in playoffs

Timmins had a fantastic training camp in the fall and looked poised to win a regular spot in the lineup. Unfortunately, his season suffered several set backs with injury and illness. He ended up dressing for only 25 regular season games, averaging 16 minutes of ice at even strength and the power play. He doesn’t penalty kill at the NHL level and didn’t dress for any of the Leafs’ playoff games.

Timmins can manage the puck on the power play as a distributor or quarterback, but he isn’t elite in the role. His defending is mostly sound. He fronts his opponents and uses his size and length to his advantage. He isn’t overly punishing, but he was credited with 34 hits and 28 shot blocks in his 25 games. His plus-9 rating was impressive.

Best described as a two-way and, at times, transitional defenceman, Timmins is signed for one more season with a cap hit of $1.1 million. I’m not sure there’s room for Timmins on the roster. If there’s interest elsewhere I would explore the options.

Timothy Liljegren
Regular Season: 55GP-3G-20A
Playoffs: 6GP-0G-1A

Liljegren is a polarizing player. In the regular season he averaged 19:40 of ice time per game and was deployed in all situations. In the playoffs, the coaching staff didn’t trust his game and dropped his ice time to around 17 minutes. His minutes dropped due to the fact he didn’t have a regular role on the penalty-kill against the Bruins.

He’s a solid skater and produces secondary offence. He also dealt with injury that reduced his season to 55 regular season games. He has the ability to create on the power play, but his game lacks some detail and consistency in high leverage situations at the hardest time of the year — late in the season and in the playoffs. His role lands somewhere between second and third pairing overall.

Ilya Lyubushkin
Regular Season (combined Anaheim/Toronto): 74GP-0G-8A
Playoffs: 7GP-0G-3A

Lyubushkin provided mostly steady minutes for the Leafs after being acquired in trade from Anaheim. He’s easily defined as a defensive defencemen who plays with a physical edge.

In 19 regular season games with Toronto he averaged 17:03 in ice time, all of which came at even strength and the penalty kill. He was credited with 69 hits and 30 shot blocks.

There’s nothing fancy about the way Lyubushkin plays the game. He has average pace and puck skill, but he competes physically and is generally responsible in his zone. A pending UFA who has bounced around. His last contract was paid by Buffalo, Anaheim, and finally Toronto ($2.75 million). Lyubushkin earned my respect in his return to Toronto and would definitely be on my list of potential free agent targets in July.

Mark Giordano
Regular Season: 46GP-3G-6A
Did not dress in playoffs

Giordano dressed for 46 regular season games, averaged 16:37 of ice time and was mostly deployed at even strength and the penalty kill. He didn’t get a game in the playoffs. Giordano has had a fantastic career, but the pace of the NHL game has become too much for the 40-year-old veteran. His contract is expiring and it’s likely he will retire this off-season.

TJ Brodie
Regular Season: 78GP-1G-25A
Dressed for only one playoff game

Brodie averaged 21:43 of ice time, almost all of which came at even strength and the penalty kill. He’s not overly physical (41 hits), but does get in the lane to block shots (159).

It’s hard to put in words what happened to Brodie’s game in the back end of the season. His detail wandered and his execution making plays with the puck was inconsistent. He simply struggled. His poor play kept him from earning a regular role in the playoffs. Brodie only dressed for one game against Boston. He’s a two-way defencemen who has lost a step.

Brodie is a pending UFA coming off a contract that earned him $5 million against the cap. He had a mostly reliable run in a Leafs uniform, but it’s time for the team to move in another direction.

FORWARDS

Leafs cap picture among forwards, per CapFriendly

Max Domi
Regular Season: 80GP-9G-38A
Playoffs: 7GP-1G-3A

Domi’s game evolved over the course of the season. He contributed some of his best games down the stretch and into the playoffs.

In the regular season Domi only averaged 13:47 in ice time, which primarily came at even strength and the power play. In the playoffs, though, Domi’s average ice time increased to 16:57 per game. Part of the reason was due to injuries the team was dealing with, which led to increased responsibility, but Domi proved he was up to the challenge and ended the series against Boston with a goal and three assists.

Domi brings a combination of energy and secondary offence. He’s a pending UFA who earned $3 million on a one-year deal this past season. If the salary and term make sense, the Leafs could do worse than extending him in the off-season.

Noah Gregor
Regular Season: 63GP-6G-6A
Playoffs: 2GP-0PTS

Gregor is a pending UFA who was paid an affordable $775,000 this past season.

When he was in the lineup he was deployed in a depth role. All of his ice time comes at even strength and on the penalty kill. He averaged 11:24 in regular season ice time and chipped in with some depth offence. Gregor is best described as a depth checking forward who plays with pace and isn’t shy about battling in the trenches. He was credited with 147 hits in the regular season, which is impressive considering his average ice time. The 25-year-old is an arbitration eligible RFA.

Calle Jarnkrok
Regular Season: 52GP-10G-11A
Playoffs: 7GP-0PTS

Jarnkrok battled the injury bug in 2023-24 and only dressed for 52 regular season games. He can play with pace and provides a secondary layer of offence. He isn’t overly physical, but he is responsible defensively, with a plus-16 rating in the regular season. He averaged over 15:16 in ice time and was used in all situations.

Unfortunately, Jarnkrok was held off the score sheet in the seven-game playoff series versus Boston. It’s fair to say the Leafs need more from him at the hardest time of the year. Jarnkrok is signed through 2025-26 with a cap hit of $2.1 million.

Matthew Knies
Regular Season: 80GP-15G-20A
Playoffs: 7GP-2G-1A

In his rookie season, Knies averaged 13:41 of ice time per game in the regular season, and saw a bump up to 15:05 in the playoffs. His primary ice time came at even strength, though his role on the power play increased in the playoffs versus Boston.

Knies is a two-way, power style forward who extends plays along the wall and tracks the entire 200 feet offensively and defensively. He competes hard, plays a heavy style and scores timely goals. Credited with 169 hits in regular season and 23 hits in the playoffs. Knies complements lighter, skilled, linemates.

Connor Dewar
Regular Season (combined Minnesota/Toronto): 74GP-11G-8A
Playoffs: 6GP-0G-1A

Dewar is a pending RFA who is due a qualifying offer of $893,000. He’s a two-way energy forward who played a depth role for the Leafs after being acquired at the trade deadline from Minnesota Wild.

He averaged 12:54 ice time in the regular season and provided some depth offence in the 17 games he played for the Leafs.

Dewar provides up-ice pressure and some physical push back. Has the ability wear down opponents with his relentless approach. Dewar dressed for six playoff games, chipping in with one assist and 14 hits in a limited role. I appreciate Dewar’s approach and believe he can fill a role at the bottom of the lineup next season.

Pontus Holmberg
Regular Season: 54GP-7G-10A
Playoffs: 7GP-0PTS

Holmberg’s primary ice time came at even strength and on the penalty kill. He occasionally auditioned for a role at the top of the lineup alongside some of Toronto’s scoring forwards.

He is a mid-sized player with good skill, sneaky puck touch and playmaking ability. Has the legs to push the puck up ice with some pace off the rush. Willing to take a bump to chip pucks out of his zone on the penalty kill. Role player. Has one more year left on his contract that counts for $800,000 against the cap.

Tyler Bertuzzi
Regular Season: 80GP-21G-22A
Playoffs: 7GP-1G-3A

Bertuzzi scored in streaks for the Leafs and averaged 16:03 in ice time deployed at even strength and the power play. Five of Bertuzzi’s goals came on the power play.

Bertuzzi brings some grit and determination. It’s very rare to see him shy away from battling along the wall to extend a play or around an opponent’s crease creating a distraction and hounding pucks. His production, in relation to his $5.5M salary is debatable in terms of return on investment. He’s a pending UFA.

If Toronto is where he would like to play in the future, it’s difficult to imagine giving him a raise if he is looking for term. Even then, he might be too expensive given other holes the Leafs needs to fill.

David Kampf
Regular Season: 78GP-8G-11A
Playoffs: 7GP-1G-0A

Kampf plays a depth role for the Leafs. He’s generally deployed as a fourth line forward, averaging 13:29 per game in ice time. All of his ice time comes at even strength and the penalty kill. Kampf won 51 per cent of his face-offs in the regular season, and that jumped to 55 per cent in the playoffs.

Kampf provides some depth offence, but his main role is to be a checking forward. He’s not overly physical, and doesn’t block a ton of shots, despite his stature (6-foot-2, 190 pounds). He’s signed to a contract that pays $2.4 million through 2026-27. His cap hit is on the high side for what he brings to the table on a nightly basis. He’s a solid pro, but the offence he brought combined with a minus-4 are below average for that salary. He needs to be better.

Bobby McMann
Regular Season: 56GP-15G-9A
Playoffs: DNP/Injured

McMann broke through for the Leafs this season and became a full-time NHL player. The Leafs missed his presence in their playoff series against Boston.

McMann plays with solid pace, competes along the boards to extend plays, and sneaks up on opponents with his goal scoring element. He’s definitely a shooter more than a playmaker.

McMann earned a two-year contract extension that will pay him $1.35M per year beginning next season. He only averaged 11:34 of ice time, but was credited with 117 hits. He’s a valuable middle of the lineup forward.

Ryan Reaves
Regular Season: 49GP-4G-2A
Playoffs: 5GP-0G-1A

Reaves is easily defined as a power depth forward who doesn’t dress every night. Reaves averaged 8:07 in ice time per game — the lowest on the Leafs — and was credited with 165 hits.

There’s no doubting his presence, but his shift-to-shift impact ranges. Reaves is 37 years old and signed through the 2025-26 season with a $1.35-million cap hit. His contract is too rich and too long for his actual impact on the ice, despite the fact he is undoubtedly a leader in the dressing room.

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Broadcast schedule

Nick Robertson
Regular Season: 56GP-14G-13A
Playoffs: 6GP-0PTS

Roberston had a fantastic training camp in the fall with the Leafs, but found himself part of the cap crunch the team was faced with and ended up with the Marlies at the AHL level to start. When he did get his chance with the Leafs he averaged 11:23 in ice time that came at even strength and the power play.

Roberston is an undersized play driver who’s quick off the rush and possesses a fantastic release. He’s programmed to have a role higher in the lineup, but his progression has been slow to arrive. On balance, he did show signs of becoming a potential 20-plus goal scorer if provided more ice time and games.

Roberston is a pending RFA with a qualifying offer set at $813,750. If the Leafs don’t move him this off-season he will again be in a dog fight for a job in the middle six forward group at training camp.

TRADE CANDIDATES

The group needs a change.

The blueprint for success has led the Maple Leafs to a high standing in the regular season, but it simply hasn’t translated to the results the organization is looking for in the playoffs. Sheldon Keefe was shown the door, but an argument could be made he did the best he could with what he was provided. When an organization is so heavily invested in five players, salary wise, they clearly believe that core will lead them to deep playoff runs.

I don’t anticipate Tavares will waive his no-movement clause. I’m actually not convinced the Leafs will ask their captain to consider it. I’m anticipating Tavares plays out the final year of his contract.

There could be a market for players like Liljegren and Roberston, but it would be foolish to think the return would move the needle any further than those two players have provided for the group.

The same can be said for Jarnkrok. He could fall into the same category as Sam Lafferty found himself in last fall when the Leafs traded him to Vancouver. It was a trade made out of necessity. The Leafs needed to be cap compliant before the start of the season. Moving Lafferty provided Toronto what they required at the time … cap space.

Which brings me to Marner, who is entering the last year of his current contract. His cap hit is $10.9 million, but the majority of his salary will be paid in the form of a signing bonus on July 1 Mitch Marner contract and payment schedule:

Marner contract outlook, per CapFriendly

With only $775,000 of “in-season” salary left on his contract after July 1, it’s more than likely a Marner trade would be consummated after his signing bonus has been paid. That would rule out the possibility of Marner being traded ahead of the draft in June, but Toronto could still acquire a future first-round pick in a transaction.

I’ve been asked, it feels like a thousand times, what the return in a Marner trade could look like for the Leafs. Here’s an example of something I would pursue (assuming Marner agrees to waive his NMC):

Toronto Trades: Mitch Marner, Timothy Liljegren, Nick Robertson
San Jose Trade: Mario Ferraro, Filip Bystedt, 2025 first-round pick (VGK)

Toronto would acquire a top four defenceman in Ferraro, a 6-foot-4, 204-pound power forward prospect in Bystedt and a first-round pick in 2025 that they do not currently have.

San Jose gets the best player in the trade in Marner, flip out Ferraro for Liljegren and add some potential scoring with Robertson. Liljegren and Roberston would have to be signed by Toronto before making this trade as both are restricted free agents.

Ferraro is signed through 2025-26 with a $3.25-million cap hit, while Bystedt is still on his entry-level deal making $950,000 (and would need another season in the minors). This deal would save Toronto over $9 million in cap space.

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FREE AGENT TARGETS

The first order of business for the Leafs will be extending qualifying offers to their restricted free agents.

Here’s the Leafs’ list of restricted free agents and the cost to qualify them:

Connor Dewar: $892,500
Nick Robertson: $813,750
Noah Gregor: $813,750
Timothy Liljegren: $1.5 million

The only player on the list without arbitration rights is Robertson. If the others on the list aren’t happy with the offer the Leafs present, they have the option to take the team to arbitration. If the Leafs, in return, feel the arbitration award is too pricey, they have the option to walk away from the player.

And, remember, next season’s salary cap jumps up to $87.7 million, a $4.2-million increase.

Before entering into free agency, and assuming Toronto is unable to trade Marner, here’s who the Leafs already have signed for next season:

LW

C

RW

Knies (925K

Matthews (13.25M)

Nylander (11.5M)

McMann (1.35M)

Tavares (11M)

Marner (10.9M)

Holmberg (800K)

Kampf (2.4M)

Jarnkrok (2.1M)

Reaves (1.35M)

LD

RD

Rielly (7.5M)

McCabe (2M)

Benoit (1.35M)

Timmins (1.1M)

G

Woll (767K)

Total Salaries = $68,292,000 | Available Cap = $19,408,000

Given what’s already committed to next season’s roster, here’s a list of players (and their cap hits from this past season) the Leafs could target in free agency with the dollars they have to work with:

FORWARDS

DEFENCEMEN

Max Domi (3M)

Sean Walker (2.65M)

Tyler Bertuzzi (5.5M)

Chris Tanev (4.5M)

Jonathan Marchessault (5M)

Brett Pesce (4.025M)

Matt Duchene (3M)

Alexandre Carrier (2.5M)

Anthony Duclair (3M)

Nikita Zadorov (3.75M)

Sean Monahan (1.985M)

Joel Edmundson (3.5M)

Chandler Stephenson (2.75M)

Brandon Montour (3.5M)

Elias Lindholm (4.85M)

Matt Roy (3.15M)

Daniel Sprong (2M)

Dylan DeMelo (3M)

Jake DeBrusk ($4M)

Ilya Lyubushkin (2.75M)

G

Laurent Brossoit (1.75M)

Anthony Stolarz (1.1M)

Kevin Lankinen (2M)

Casey DeSmith (1.8M)

Martin Jones (875K)

Calvin Pickard (763K)

Here’s how the Leafs could build out their roster to be cap compliant based on this list of free agents and their own players being re-signed (players signed or re-signed in bold):

LW

C

RW

Knies (925K)

Matthews (13.25M)

Nylander (11.5M)

Domi (3.5M x2)

Stephenson ($4M x 3)

Marner ($10.9M)

McMann ($1.35M)

Tavares ($11M)

Robertson ($814K x1)

Dewar ($950K x2)

Kampf ($2.4M)

Jarnkrok ($2.2M)

Reaves ($1.35M)

LD

RD

Rielly ($7.5M)

Montour ($6M x4)

Benoit ($1.35M)

McCabe ($2M)

Edmundson ($3M x2)

Carrier ($3.5M x3)

Liljegren ($1.5M x1)

Goalies: Joseph Woll ($767,000), Anthony Stolarz ($1.5M x2)

Total Cap Hit = $91,256,000

Note: Teams are allowed a 10 per cent overage in the summer months and during training camp, but must be compliant by opening night.

• I have included roster spots for Timothy Liljegren, Nick Robertson and Calle Jarnkrok. In Liljegren’s case, I believe there is a market for him in trade, but it won’t return anything other than a middle round draft pick. Having him on the roster is simply part of the off-season process of qualifying a player to get him under contract before being moved in the summer or during training camp before the rosters are set.

• The same scenario exists with Robertson. If Easton Cowan, for example, outperforms Robertson at camp and wins a roster spot, the Leafs would look to trade Robertson to another team in the league to make them cap compliant before opening night.

• I’m not convinced there’s a market for Jarnkrok, but I’m at least shopping the suggestion to gauge interest. In the meantime, he remains part of the group.

• Ryan Reaves’ contract is definitely going to count against the cap for the next two seasons since he was signed as an unrestricted free agent over the age of 35. The CBA doesn’t provide cap relief to teams who sign players in this category if they are waived, otherwise his contract in relation to his overall impact can certainly be debated.

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POTENTIAL ROSTER AFTER MARNER TRADE

As outlined above, part of my process has included a scenario where Marner is traded. If that were to occur, here’s a look at what the Leafs roster could look like next fall, using my San Jose trade scenario as an example and investing the extra $9 million in newly found cap space elsewhere:

LW

C

RW

Knies (925K)

Matthews ($13.25M)

Nylander ($11.5M)

Domi ($3.5M x2)

Stephenson ($4M x3)

DeBrusk ($4.5M x3)

McMann ($1.35M)

Tavares ($11M)

Bertuzzi ($5M x2)

Dewar ($950K x2)

Kampf ($2.4M)

Jarnkrok ($2.2M)

Reaves ($1.35M)

LD

RD

Rielly ($7.5M)

Montour ($6M x4)

Benoit ($1.35M)

McCabe ($2M)

Ferraro ($3.25M x2)

Carrier ($3.5M x 3)

Goalies: Woll ($767,00), Stolarz ($1.5M x2)

Total Cap Hit = $87,792,000

• Prospects Cowan, Steeves, Jacob Quillan and Fraser Minten will compete for a roster spot at training camp. If one of these players wins a job, the Leafs will have to make a decision on how to move out a body (I’d look to Jarnkrok).

• If a player such as Jarnkrok is moved out, the team would save over $1 million by inserting one of its prospects. Currently, this roster as laid out is a sliver over the cap.

• Finding a way to move Jarnkrok would then allow the team to add one more depth defenceman, such as serviceable veteran right-shot Josh Brown (6-foot-5, 217 pounds), who played in Arizona last season.

If you made it this far, thanks for sticking with me until the end! The process of trying to dissect an entire organization takes time and has many moving parts. This is just one way the Leafs could change over their roster this off-season, but there are many possible combinations. How would you go about business?

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Jesse Marsch, new Canadian national team men’s coach, has work cut out for him

SportsNets - Fri, 05/17/2024 - 07:48

A chance to work with an exciting player pool was one of the reasons Jesse Marsch agreed to become the new coach of the Canadian men’s soccer team.

But given Canada’s poor results in the aftermath of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Marsch, a 50-year-old American with an impressive resume, will have his work cut out for him, even as he takes charge of a side brimming with hugely talented youngsters.

The Canadian squad boasts an exciting core of stars still in their early- to mid-20s —most notably Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich), Jonathan David (OSC Lille), Tajon Buchanan (Inter Milan) and Ismaël Koné (Watford) — who should fully hit their stride together by the time the country co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Ultimately, that’s what tempted Marsch to take on this Canadian project.

“What drew me immediately was the player pool, and the potential of these players,” Marsch told Sportsnet. “I think there’s a good balance of some now-experienced players that have had big successes and big experiences in their career, along with some young dynamic players that have big potential. And, now, it’ll be my job to kind of piece it all together in a way that can help us be successful in two years.”

Before the home World Cup, there’s plenty of work to do for Marsch, who’s been out of a job since February, when he was dismissed as manager of Premier League club Leeds United. It’ll be a baptism of fire for the former MLS coach of the year as he has very little time to settle in with the Canadian team.

First on the agenda is a pair of high-profile international friendlies versus the Netherlands (June 6 in Rotterdam) and France (June 9 in Bordeaux). Both teams occupy spots in the top 10 of the world rankings, well above the 49th-ranked Canadians.

After that, the Copa América looms where the Reds will face Lionel Messi and reigning World Cup champions Argentina in the tournament’s opening match on June 20 in Atlanta, followed by group stage encounters against Chile and Peru.

“I’m excited more than anything just to get on the pitch with the guys and get to work and start the process of helping them develop into the team I want them to become,” Marsch said.

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Much bigger challenges await Marsch beyond this summer. It’s fair to say that the shine has worn off the Canadian men’s team since its fabulous run through the Concacaf qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The team bowed out in the first round of the tournament in Qatar on the back of three consecutive losses, and was eliminated after its first two games and managed to score only a single goal.

Results since Qatar haven’t been much better. The Canadians put in a meek performance in losing to the United States in last year’s Concacaf Nations League final. They followed that up with a tepid run to the quarterfinals of the Gold Cup, where they once again lost to the U.S. A two-legged, aggregate defeat to Jamaica in November meant it didn’t even qualify for the final four of this year’s Nations League.

Marsch has to get this team back on track after losing its way since John Herdman’s surprising departure last summer. The American coach did a fair bit of research into the Canadian men’s team in preparation for the interview process for the job and learned some things that he feels need to be addressed if the team is going to be competitive at the World Cup on home soil.

While not looking to reinvent the wheel or force Canada into a major tactical shift, Marsch recognizes the team can’t always put its collective head down and aggressively run straight at opponents. Instead, it has to learn to have greater control, slow the game down at times and show greater discipline in its buildup play, something that Herdman wasn’t too keen on.

“A lot of the goals we conceded were almost self-inflicted wounds,” Marsch explained. “Losing bad balls in the buildup, playing backwards to the goalkeeper, creating stress and pressure from the opponent and then being forced into mistakes. So, we have to create some buildup and in-possession themes that are really clear, and then encourage them to play forward to be brave and not invite pressure from the opponent.”

At the same time, Marsch’s views of the game and how it should be played meshes perfectly with a Canadian team noted for its athleticism, power and pace.

He doesn’t want to change that. Canada has to continue to rely on those attacking strengths, but become much more dynamic in applying them, according to Marsch.

“I looked at the last year and a half of games, and I think maybe one goal was scored on an attacking transition,” Marsch said. “And with such an explosive front group, I think that we’ve got to tilt the bar a little bit to now be more compact, but being a little bit better at pressing, and then finding ways that once we win balls to create more chances, more easy goals.

“There’s a lot of areas that we will look to slowly phase the team in a direction that’s a little bit more toward the football that I think about.”

But there are challenges in doing that. Except for a brief stint as an assistant with the U.S. national men’s team, Marsch has spent his entire coaching career in the club game, where he worked with his teams on a daily basis and could monitor an individual player’s developments more intimately.

He won’t have that luxury with the Canadian men’s side because the very nature of the international game means he’ll get only four to five camps per year with his team, give or take.

He admits getting the team to buy in to his vision will take time, even though he doesn’t frame it in those exact words.

“I understand why people use the term ‘buy in,’ but I don’t really use that term,” Marsch said. “It’s about creating a belief system in the ways that we interact and talk, and the type of relationships that we have. And then, in the ability to execute a plan, a football plan, a tactical plan. I never really had those kinds of problems because if you’re detailed, if you play to your strengths, if you put players in position to succeed and then they have a good connection with how they are paired with each other on the pitch, then I think that they’re empowered by being there together.

“That takes time. And it’s not the same as a club team, where you’re really in it every day. So, the key will be for me to be very clear and concise with everything, from my messaging to the tactical instruction, to the way we train, and in every way making sure that things are very clear and very simple and digestible.”

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Expanding the player pool is also a priority for Marsch. One of the major criticisms of the national team over the past year and half is that the squad is a bit long in the tooth, and that younger players have to be given more opportunities.

To be sure, the team is filled with exciting young prospects, many of whom are already playing at the highest levels of European club soccer and MLS. But some of the veterans, such as centre back Steven Vitória (37), goalkeeper Milan Borjan (36), and midfielders David Wotherspoon (34) and Mark-Anthony Kaye (29), have worn out their welcome.

Marsch will be looking to engage with some of Canada’s youngsters who are on the fringes of the national team and have had their path blocked by more experienced players.

“That’s something that I’ve always enjoyed about coaching, is really challenging young players to be at their best. We’ll have a bigger group with us in Holland and in France for those 10 days, partly because I want to use that time to evaluate different players,” Marsch said.

“I’ve watched a lot of videos of different guys, and some of them I already know. But I wanted to look a little bit more in detail. And then we’ll decide which players are the first group that we want to invest in and give them the chance to use this time to grow into the team.”

John Molinaro is one of the leading soccer journalists in Canada, having covered the game for over 20 years for several media outlets, including Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, a website dedicated to in-depth coverage of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer.

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