Sportsnet.ca http://sportsnet.ca/feed/ Fri, 29 Mar 2024 06:56:08 EDT en-US hourly 1 Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Blue Jays’ Opening Day performance provides blueprint for rest of season full_width Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:58:48 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:41:22 EDT Shi Davidi The 2024 Blue Jays began the process of carving out a new identity as what manager John Scheider described as “a pretty complete team” Thursday evening, pounding the Tampa Bay Rays in an 8-2 opening-day victory.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The early iterations of this Toronto Blue Jays group had a clearly defined identity — those dudes banged, as Joey Votto might put it, and scoring runs by the bushel was their typical pathway to victory. Then came 2023, with its focus on tightening up the defence to better leverage a deep pitching staff while also diversifying the offence and suddenly they were smothering opponents, only to find scoring themselves a struggle.

Augmenting one without detracting from the other was the goal, it didn’t work out that way, an identity crisis of sorts, at the plate at least, ensued and they were different, if not better. You remember the rest.

Seeking a different outcome this time around, the 2024 Blue Jays began the process of carving out a new identity as what manager John Schneider described as “a pretty complete team” Thursday evening, pounding the Tampa Bay Rays in an 8-2 Opening Day victory.

The performance was a blueprint of what the Blue Jays believe they can do on a regular basis this season. Jose Berrios, having turned the page on the debacle of his early hook in Game 2 of the post-season last fall, shook off a leadoff homer by Yandy Diaz to pin the game under his thumb over six strong innings. George Springer tied the game with a solo shot in the fourth inning while Cavan Biggio and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. both went deep during a five-run fifth that seized control of the contest. Bo Bichette’s two-run double in the seventh tacked on more runs while the bottom half of the lineup contributed a two-run single by Alejandro Kirk and an RBI single from Kevin Kiermaier.

Trevor Richards, Nate Pearson and Tim Mayza mopped up from there before a sellout crowd of 25,025 at Tropicana Field, the Blue Jays turning scribblings from the front office’s vision board into reality.

“We can pitch and we can catch the ball — you can say that pretty confidently. What I think this year’s version will be is that and then, a pretty damn good offensive team when you’re looking at the top of our lineup and then guys that are regularly playing, whether it’s (Daulton) Varsho or Kirky, that are better than probably what they showed last year,” said Schneider. “There are obviously things we need to get better at, whether it’s baserunning or situational things. But we don’t want it to be, OK, two years ago it was offence and then last year it was pitching, and now we’re going to go back to offence. It’s got to happen together. We were searching for that the entirety of last year. But I think it’s a pretty complete team right now.”

All those elements were there springboarding into the new season, including a low-key strong defensive play by Biggio to end the fifth, when he stretched to snare an errant throw from Kirk and tagged Jose Caballero on the leg trying to steal second to end the inning, the out coming after a replay challenge.

Biggio then ripped a solo shot with one out in the sixth off Zach Eflin to put the Blue Jays ahead 2-1, Guerrero followed with a monster 450-foot tank to dead centre that stretched the lead and they tacked on three more runs from there, Kirk’s bases-loaded single opening up breathing room.

“That’s a team that can run and try and steal some bags and we’ve have to take our breaks when we can get them,” said Biggio. “We were fortunate there to get that overturned and go into the next inning trying to break up Eflin’s rhythm … 

“I think it’s really important for us as individuals to not go up there and try to do too much,” he continued. “I know we hit a couple homers, but toward the back end of that inning, we just kept stringing together good at-bats, some clutch hits with two outs to get some runs across. It’s all about not trying to do too much in big situations and just try to take what the pitcher gives you.”

The entire inning was demonstrative of what the Blue Jays want to do at the plate under new offensive co-ordinator Don Mattingly — search for impact at the top of the lineup, hit to the situation elsewhere.

The Blue Jays hit three or more homers in a game only 19 times last season and had just 14 multi-homer innings. They checked both boxes in Game 1 this year.

“Getting three or four hits in an inning consistently is hard to do at this level,” said Schneider. “So the guys at the top, we’re wanting them to do damage, wanting them to get into good counts and to drive the ball. And then from that, guys throughout the lineup kind of complementing that, if you will. … A big part of the game today, not just with us, but everyone, you look at Tampa, big-time power, big-time damage, and that was totally different for them last year than what they’ve done, we need guys at the top of the order to drive the ball.”

Berrios helped pull everything together, telling himself to forget about the changeup a few inches inside but still up to Diaz, and keep attacking. That’s precisely what he did, striking out the next two batters and rolling from there behind a great fastball.

The right-hander was handed the Opening Day assignment when shoulder fatigue truncated Kevin Gausman’s spring — the Blue Jays are still deciding whether to start him Sunday or Monday — and it was apt given how last year ended. Berrios rebounded strongly last year after a down 2022 and he was just as imposing as he was in Minnesota.

“It started with my mindset,” Berrios said of his rebound a year ago. “Mentally, I was stronger, more prepared. I believe in and trust myself because the way I worked between starts gave me that confidence. But also I was able to throw good fastballs to both sides of the plate, my two-seamer to both sides of the plate. Those pitches open up my changeup and breaking ball. But first it was my mentality, it was stronger.”

The same applied to the offence in the first game. Eflin was perfect through three and allowed just the Springer homer through five but the Blue Jays didn’t relent. That’s why as much as they liked the results, it was the process behind them that mattered.

“The key was that each of us executed the plan that we had prior to the game,” Guerrero said through interpreter Hector Lebron. “And I believe that if we can continue doing that, we’re going to be just fine.”

Schneider agreed, as good nights at the plate will happen for all teams, while great ones develop an approach to ensure the production is sustainable.

“That’s what we’re chasing,” he said. “It’s not going to be perfect every night. But the guys had a really good plan … and even going nine-up, nine-down the first time through, it’s like, OK, get your feet underneath you and then make adjustments. … It’s just getting a good pitch to swing at and then just do it over and over and over again. A win’s a win no matter what but that’s pretty fulfilling to come out of camp and do that the first day.”

As is perhaps finding themselves a little bit along the way.

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Homepage Headlines Thu, 07 Sep 2023 17:21:44 EDT Wed, 20 Mar 2024 09:33:22 EDT Noah Love headlines_meta sn-collection Nathan Denette Maple Leafs and Capitals ‘Something I promised’: Mark Giordano dedicates comeback goal to Dad 5747160 headlines Thu, 28 Mar 2024 23:57:34 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:58:09 EDT Luke Fox With a heavy heart and a new lease on his life as a Maple Leaf, Mark Giordano scored a goal and pointed through Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena roof, way up to the heavens. To Dad, who loves watching hockey.

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TORONTO — With a heavy heart and a new lease on his life as a Maple Leaf, Mark Giordano scored a goal and pointed through Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena roof, way up to the heavens.

To Dad, who loves watching hockey.

The oldest player in the NHL had scored 156 goals before this one, which got the ball rolling in Thursday’s 5-1 blowout of the Washington Capitals.

But this was Giordano’s first since crashing headfirst into the end-boards and wobbling off the ice with a concussion a month ago. His first since his family’s favourite hockey team traded for two defencemen, pushing Giordano farther down the depth chart.

Most important: This was Giordano’s first goal since the death of his father, Paul, on Feb. 16, mere hours after Mark arrived on the scene still dressed in his game-day suit.

That one was for Paul.

“Just something I promised I would do after my dad passed away there if I scored. The way it was going, it looked like it might not happen. But it was nice to get that one,” Giordano explained postgame, the player-of-the-game belt sitting in his stall.

“Nothing too big, but pretty special for me.”

Paul Giordano’s obituary is typeset against a faded image of the back of his only son’s No. 55 Maple Leafs sweater.

“He was an avid hockey fan and could often be found cheering on his favourite team from the comfort of his living room or enjoying the thrill of watching a game live at the arena,” reads the passage posted by the Westminster Funeral & Reception Centre in North York.

Paul loved his coffee and his Proline and his five grandchildren.

“But what truly defined Paul was his kind heart and infectious sense of humour. He had an uncanny ability to bring laughter into any room he entered. His jokes were legendary among family and friends and could brighten even the darkest of days.”

Spend slivers of time in the orbit of Mark, and it doesn’t take a sleuth to recognize those traits as hereditary.

Giordano is quick with a laugh, a good-natured chirp to a teammate, and always makes time for arena staff and what must be repetitive questions from reporters.

Hard not to imagine Paul playing a top-pair role in that execution.

“Oh, man. I mean, he was just a jokester. A great guy. Funny. Easy to be around,” Giordano said, still pouring sweat from his first game in a month.

“So, we miss him. It was obviously tough, a little bit for the family, but I think we rally around each other like we have always.

“When something like that happens, you see how many people really, truly care about you. On the hockey side, people reached out from all over the place. Means a lot to me, for sure.”

Giordano and the Maple Leafs rallied from Tuesday’s debacle against New Jersey, sweeping the playoff-hunting Capitals in clinical fashion, allowing nary an odd-man rush and keeping the league’s hottest power-play off the board.

Thing is, Giordano wasn’t even supposed to dress Thursday. Were it not for Timothy Liljegren deciding his upper-body injury was too severe to play through on game day, Giordano might still be stuck on long-term injured reserve.

“Funny how these things work out.” coach Sheldon Keefe said.

“As we know, Gio is the ultimate professional. He’s worked extremely hard to get back and be ready. He’s been through a lot. And for that to go his way, post and in and all that, it was great.”

Added Joseph Woll: “Yeah, it’s pretty special. I know I was smiling when he scored. And whether or not he’s in the lineup, he’s a huge part of this team. So, it was great to see.”

Who knows how or how often the Maple Leafs — a team that has now used all nine of its NHL D-men since the trade deadline — will deploy the 40-year-old come playoff time.

But for Giordano, to not only play again after leaving mid-game with what some at least wondered might be a career-ending head injury, but to score in return? Well, that feels like a small gift from the hockey gods to a man who’s poured his soul into the game.

“It meant a lot,” Giordano said.

“You know, there’s been moments where it’s been real tough on the family side of things. But I’ve been having a lot of fun being here at the rink around the guys,” Giordano said.

“Man, it’s crazy. Because one week you can get down and you can feel like, ah, maybe I’m not gonna get that opportunity anytime soon. And then it changes real quick.”

Fox’s Fast Five

Feeling ill, Auston Matthews skipped morning skate and didn’t arrive at the rink until warmups. Still, he notched an assist, went 12-for-17 in the faceoff dot, and led all skaters with 10 shots and 14 attempts.

Clearly, the man with 59 goals wanted to give Alex Ovechkin a front-row seat for No. 60.

“He was shooting from everywhere. I think our last shift, he had three or four,” winger Tyler Bertuzzi says. “It’s going to come.”

Raised on the Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry, Nick Robertson shares the same agent as Crosby, Pat Brisson, whom he remembers pestering with questions about the Pittsburgh Penguins captain.

On nights like this, Robertson is still in disbelief that he gets to face his heroes.

“It’s surreal,” Robertson says. “Ovi and Crosby were the two big guys growing up. I remember seeing Ovi play Sid in Washington when I was younger, and I was wearing a Crosby jersey. And everyone was booing me walking around.”

Connor Dewar scored his first goal as a Maple Leaf, a grinding backhander in the paint.

“Quite honestly, one of my favourite goals for the season,” Keefe said of a rewarding workmanlike fourth-line shift started by Ryan Reaves.

“That’s a coach’s goal.”

Dewar says he enjoyed a sigh of relief upon seeing the puck go in and then getting roughed up by Reaves in congratulations.

“I’ve never gone through a trade before, so I didn’t know what to expect, really,” he says. “But I’m starting to settle in and feel comfortable here.”

Ex-Leaf Rasmus Sandin admits he was a tad disoriented walking into Scotiabank Arena for the first time from the visitors’ entrance and finding his way to the smaller dressing room.

“I loved my time here in Toronto,” Sandin says. “Nothing but great memories. Toronto will always be a special place for me and my family. It’s where I started my NHL career and made a lot of good friends and had a great time here overall.

“The organization is a first-class organization, and fans are great and loved my time. But, at the same time, that’s a little bit in the past now too. I mean, with the Caps now and loving my time there.”

Bertuzzi’s first 51 games as a Maple Leaf: six goals. Bertuzzi’s last 19 games as a Maple Leaf: 12 goals.

“Puck luck is a big, big part of it,” Keefe said.

“Like, today he gets one from below the goal line. I mean, he couldn’t get one from above the goal line, wide open, on an empty net.”

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oilers Edmonton Oilers prove they’ve solved Los Angeles’ Kings soul-crushing brand of hockey 5747160 headlines Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:23:15 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:35:36 EDT Mark Spector A skilled Oilers team has now won six of the last seven meetings against the Kings, who have been a third place team in the Pacific for three years. So, is the Kings’ soul-crushing system really “working?”

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EDMONTON — Drew Doughty is a true Canadian hockey player. An Olympic teamer, a Stanley Cup champ, as tough as he is skilled and missing a couple of teeth — so he even looks the part.

So when the Los Angeles Kings defenceman first learned of the soul-crushing system that his team was planning to employ, he reacted the way any right thinking lover of our beautiful game would react.

“When we brought in the system I wasn’t too keen on playing it, to be honest with you,” the cordial Doughty was saying Thursday morning in Edmonton, hours before his team lost a 4-1 decision to the Edmonton Oilers.

He has since warmed to it, and we’ll get to that. But for now Doughty truly believes, “It works for us, and I think a lot of these people are just (criticizing) it out of frustration. Because it’s working.”

The Kings 1-3-1 defensive system has been in the news this week, after Nikita Zadorov’s Vancouver Canucks were smothered in a 3-2 loss, and the big Russian defenceman gave this sour review of the Kings’ system:

“They don’t really make plays; they just rim the puck and sit back all game,” Zadorov said. “I mean, it’s their goal to don’t play hockey and don’t let the other team play hockey, pretty much.”

“Pretty absurd comments,” countered Doughty. “I will always believe that defence wins championships. And, we want our identity to be as a hard-checking, good two-way team.

“We’ve heard the frustration from so many top guys, in-game. Guys yelling at our bench: ‘What kind of hockey is this 1-3-1 crap?’ and whatnot. It puts a smile on our faces to frustrate them a little bit. But at the same time, it’s not like the 1-3-1 isn’t beatable. There are many ways to beat it, and I thought Edmonton did it pretty well in the playoffs last year, to be honest.”

After two playoff series’ the last two springs, Edmonton knows how to play the Kings. They have learned patience, thanks to the Kings, and won three of four meetings this season.

“We know how this game is going to go tonight,” Leon Draisaitl said after the morning skate. “We’ve done it so many times over the last two years. We know exactly how this game is going to go, and we’re going to be ready for it.”

So, for four nights a season — excluding playoffs — they dump and chase and grind and slog, a little piece of Draisaitl dying inside every time he gets to centre ice and has to dump the puck in.

“A little piece, yeah. It’s quite sad,” he said, only partly in jest.

On Thursday, Edmonton did what you have to do against the Kings, who eschew the forecheck and line up three players across the neutral zone like a picket fence. They scored first, scored again, dumped and chased, and forced L.A. to push for goals.

It’s a tug o’ war of styles, and the Oilers have figured out how to beat the Kings either way the game is played.

“We’ve played these guys lots of times, and we’ve played in these games. They’re tight-checking, and we’re comfortable in that,” said Connor McDavid, who had a goal and two assists.

A skilled Oilers team has now won six of the last seven meetings, going back to last year’s Round 1 series. The year before the Oilers beat L.A. in seven, and the Kings have been a third place team in the Pacific for three years running.

So, is the Kings style really “working?”

We’ve always said, it’s a beautiful game until some coach ruins it. Guys like Jacques Lemaire, a.k.a., The Mad Trapper, exist to drain the game of skill and excitement.

That torch has been passed down through the generations, and is now held high by the latest purveyor of some boring style meant to squeeze the enjoyment from the sport — the 2024 version of the Left Wing Lock — Kings coach Jim Hiller.

“One of my greatest mentors, Jacques Lemaire, he never called it a system. He said, ‘You play defence in the neutral zone.’ That’s what you do,” Hiller said.  “You can do that a number of different ways, but the important part is you’re playing defence in the neutral zone when you don’t have the puck.”

Translated, they wait for the game to come to them, and force dump-ins. Then the game is fought out in the trenches, along the boards and in the corners, a style that punishes skill and requires many high flips and off-the-glass passes.

“We just do what we do. We try to do it well, and then we try to attack the other team when we got an opportunity and score goals when we have a chance,” Hiller said. “This is who we are.”

Which begs the question:

How’s it working for you, coach?

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Hockey NHL EDM LA sn-article
canucks Vancouver Canucks hit snag in playoff preparations as special teams fail to execute 5747160 headlines Fri, 29 Mar 2024 02:53:34 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 02:54:36 EDT Iain MacIntyre Though battling evenly at five-on-five, taking five penalties in an intense, tight-checking way will not keep the Canucks in the playoffs long if they are equally undisciplined next month.

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VANCOUVER — Against a strong, playoff team, the Vancouver Canucks didn’t quite play playoff hockey.  Which is why they’re still waiting to officially be a playoff team themselves.

The Canucks’ battled the Dallas Stars evenly at five-on-five on Thursday. But they took five penalties — the most power plays Vancouver has surrendered in a month. The penalties became a massive factor because the Canucks weren’t very successful at killing them, allowing the Stars’ power play to score twice and make the difference in Dallas’ 3-1 win at Rogers Arena.

Although there was contentious non-call and ponderous, unsuccessful coach’s challenge after Jason Robertson appeared to contact the puck just above shoulder height prior to Dallas’ first power-play goal, taking five penalties in an intense, tight-checking way will not keep the Canucks in the playoffs long if they are equally undisciplined next month.

Consecutive losses by the Canucks against Dallas and Los Angeles, another team that smothers opponents defensively, coupled with consecutive wins by the St. Louis Blues have prevented Vancouver from making this a celebratory week by clinching a playoff berth.

Let’s be clear: the Canucks will soon be in the Stanley Cup tournament. But their erratic results during their nine-game home marathon in March is not the way they’d like to be ramping up ahead of the franchise’s most important spring in a decade.

The homestand ends Sunday afternoon against the Anaheim Ducks. The Canucks are 4-3-1 through the first eight games at Rogers Arena.

“At the end of the day, they were probably able to execute on their special teams a little better than we did,” Canuck J.T. Miller, Vancouver’s lone scorer, told reporters. “We had our chances on the power play, too, (but) I don’t think we’re getting to the inside enough. For myself, I’m not really creating or driving play right now for me, so I need to be better. As a leader of the team, I hold myself to a higher standard than that. I feel like I’m one and done a lot.”

It was generous of Miller to try to take the blame but he was among the least of the Canucks’ problems even if Vancouver’s power play was 0-for-3.

“I thought we. . . needed a few more guys to battle a little bit harder, I thought, in the corners,” Canuck coach Rick Tocchet said. “But overall, I thought it came down to that power-play goal at the end.”

Told about Miller’s accountability for failing to get through Dallas defenders to inside scoring areas, Tocchet said: “Some guys get inside. Some guys do. Some guys didn’t. Some guys tried. I thought, you know, 1-1 game, you’re looking for somebody to make that play inside or whatever. Unfortunately. . . they get the power play (and) we kind of lose coverage in the middle of the ice.”

With the score 1-1 late in the third period, Canuck Teddy Blueger’s stick rode up Wyatt Johnson and hit the Star’s face for a high-sticking penalty with 3:28 remaining.

Twenty seconds later — and without Canuck penalty-killers even touching the puck — the Stars perfectly executed a low-to-high play that allowed Jamie Benn to one-time Joe Pavelski’s pass and beat goalie Casey DeSmith from the hashmarks.

Robertson added an empty-netter, so none of the three goals Vancouver allowed was at five-on-five.

“Obviously, a tough time to take a penalty there at the end,” Blueger said. “That’s probably the biggest thing. I mean, at the end of the day, I’m responsible for my stick. You could say it’s unlucky but I’ve just got to make a better play there.

“Regardless of the calls or what we think of the calls, I think yeah, probably too many (penalties). There was a streak of games where we gave up one power play, but we kind of got away from it today, which cost us in the end.”

The Canucks had averaged two power plays against over their previous 11 games.

“I didn’t like some of the penalties,” Tocchet said. “I thought they were careless. Like, careless penalties.

“Their power play, what did they get, two power-play goals tonight? And we came (out) empty. We’ve got to make some plays. Sometimes the power play, you know, you’ve got to get those gritty things. You need three people to the net. Too many set plays and I think sometimes it burns us. We’re trying to get guys to understand that we’ve got to get the puck to the net. There’s got to be gritty goals on power plays; it can’t be pretty.”

Talk of grit was continuation of a theme Tocchet has been hammering for weeks as he tries to prepare for the Stanley Cup tournament a team whose core players mostly lack any genuine playoff experience.

Wall play. Grit. Simplicity. Intensity. Getting inside. 

“Yeah, for sure,” Dakota Joshua said after returning to the Canuck lineup from a broken finger that kept him out seven weeks. “That’s what it comes down to in these tight games. One bounce here or there makes a difference, and that why it has got to be consistent effort to get there — so we’re getting more of those bounces.”

ICE CHIPS — Tocchet reformed his forward lines for Joshua, reuniting him with old linemates Teddy Blueger and Conor Garland, who beautifully set up Miller’s tying goal in the second period partway through a line change. Taking Garland off Elias Pettersson’s wing, Tocchet split his best forwards duo to place Brock Boeser with Pettersson while Miller skated between Sam Lafferty and Arshdeep Bains. . . With starting goalie Thatcher Demko on LTIR until at least April 6, DeSmith started his seventh straight game for the Canucks. Tocchet indicated after the morning skate that callup Arturs Silovs will start a game soon, possibly as early as Sunday.

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(Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo) Maurice Paul Maurice livid after Panthers clinch playoff berth despite loss to Islanders 5747160 headlines Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:14:01 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:15:59 EDT Sportsnet Staff Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice could barely contain his anger in an expletive-fuelled media availability following his team’s loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday, despite clinching a playoff berth.

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Usually, when a team clinches a spot in the playoffs they can’t contain their excitement.

It was the exact opposite for Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice, as the bench boss could barely stifle his anger in an expletive-fuelled media availability following his team’s 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday, despite clinching a playoff berth.

However, instead of channelling his anger into a spirited rant, he gave the reporters free rein on what he called “Free quote [expletive] day” when asked about his team making it to the postseason.

“Today is free quote [expletive day],” Maurice said, fuming following the loss. “Take whatever you think I might say and use it. I won’t [expletive] about it.”

Though we’re not at liberty to make up quotes for Maurice, it was easy to read between the lines and assume that whatever he would say at that moment would be rather searing.

Generally an open book during media availabilities, the well-tenured bench boss is known for his humour, often joking around with reporters.

However comedically angry it may have been, Maurice is also likely hoping that it could be the sort of semi-silent but still infuriated motivation the team needs to get back on track.

The Panthers have struggled of late, winning only one game in their last seven and have suffered two shutouts over that span.

Despite their shortcomings of late, the Stanley Cup runner-ups from last season have controlled their own destiny and sit a whopping 16 points above the Washington Capitals and the second wild card spot.

With the Capitals’ loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, it secured their spot in the post-season, joining the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes as the only teams in the East to book their tickets.

This will be the fifth straight year that the Panthers are headed to the dance and the second straight year under Maurice. What luck that it happened to fall on the same date as ‘Free quote [expletive] day.’

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kuzmenko Calgary Flames’ Andrei Kuzmenko shows how skilled he is when fully engaged  5747160 headlines Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:32:46 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:32:48 EDT Eric Francis The knock on Andrei Kuzmenko revolved around engagement. That wasn’t an issue Thursday night, when the 28-year-old winger showed the Flames just how effective he can be when he’s fully involved.

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The knock on Andrei Kuzmenko when he arrived from Vancouver revolved around engagement.

Coach Rick Tocchet wanted him more engaged along the wall, in his own zone and in general.

That wasn’t an issue Thursday night when the Flames’ 28-year-old winger flashed the sort of skill that made him a 39-goal scorer before Tocchet arrived to demand more.

His first of two goals was a highlight reel beauty that saw him strip Justin Faulk of the puck as the defender rounded his own net, before making a nifty move that ended with a roof-job in tight over Jordan Binnington.

His second was a gorgeous redirection of a Nazem Kadri backhander over Binnington that tied the game 3-3 late in the second period.

He appeared to give the Flames the lead one minute into the third by using his soft mitts to bat down a point shot in front of the net before calmly finishing it for the hat trick.

The last one was disallowed due to a (questionable) high-stick call that blew the play dead, but the hand-eye demonstration was sublime.

This is what Kuzmenko is capable of when he’s fully involved.

Playing on a line with Nazem Kadri and Martin Pospisil, theirs was the Flames’ most dangerous and entertaining trio in a 5-3 loss to the host Blues.

Kuzmenko made a great dish to Kadri for a great chance to tie the game late, and also had another chance to score his third when he turned a great back check into an offensive chance moments later when his between-the-legs shot was gobbled up by Binnington.

“We had some good individual efforts tonight that we didn’t reward them for,” said Blake Coleman, referring to Kuzmenko, who has seven goals in 19 games since arriving as part of the Elias Lindholm trade.

Outings like these give hope for Flames fans who want someone and something to look forward to next season when this recalibrated bunch continues its search for its future leaders.

Perhaps it’s all for naught, as the former KHL star has one year left on his contract and may opt to sign elsewhere.

However, maybe he rediscovers his mojo and wants to be one of the club’s cornerstones moving forward.

His is the sort of skill every team craves, but only when it comes with an engagement he put on display Thursday.

These are the things the team is looking for as it plays out the string on a run that has seen the team lose five in a row and nine of its last 12.

Each of the Flames’ last 13 losses have been by multiple goals, which is the longest active streak in the NHL and the third-longest streak in franchise history.

Granted, several of their last few losses have included empty-netters at the tail end of close games.

But the streak says plenty about how tough it has been for the team to try staying in the fringes of a playoff race following the departure of several key veterans.  

Ryan Huska and several players who spoke after the game were happy with the effort, and felt their team deserved a better fate.

We’ve heard that plenty of late, which is somewhat encouraging given how tough it must be for this bunch to play otherwise meaningless games. 

In a game that saw the Flames enter the third period tied 3-3, the visitors hit two goal posts and had two goals disallowed.

“I think he made a wrong call, but he’s trying to do it in real time,” said Huska of the Kuzmenko high stick call, which he wasn’t able to challenge due to the quick whistle.

“I would rather see them let it go, and if the other team deems it to be a missed infraction then they can challenge that. It happens. The game is fast and those guys have to make decisions in real time.”

Brandon Saad scored the game-winner less than a minute later, only to see a Yegor Sharangovich goal disallowed 23 seconds after that, following a great play at the blue line by Matt Coronato.

The Hawks correctly challenged, as the puck Coronato tried to keep in the zone had squeaked out by an inch or so.

Dustin Wolf’s 10th start of the season wasn’t his best, as the Blues beat him on four of 18 shots to move within five points of the final wild card berth.  Twenty-one-year-old Airdrie, Ab. native Jake Neighbours scored his team-leading 26th in the win.      

The Flames are now 16 points behind Los Angeles for that final spot, setting up the possibility they could be mathematically eliminated with a loss to the visiting Kings Saturday.

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Hockey NHL CGY sn-article
(Christinne Muschi/CP Photo) canadiens Progress of Canadiens’ young defence factoring into long-awaited winning streak 5747160 headlines Fri, 29 Mar 2024 00:32:21 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:23:35 EDT Eric Engels Cayden Primeau couldn’t be beat and Nick Suzuki scored his 30th goal, but the star of the show in the win over the Flyers may have been the evident growth of the Canadiens’ young defensive core.

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MONTREAL — They were the three stars of the game, and justifiably so for cementing the Canadiens’ first win streak of their season.

Cayden Primeau was 1:01 away from extending his Bell Centre shutout streak to over 180 minutes when Owen Tippett beat him, but he had already played the biggest role in this win by making 29 saves. He followed David Savard and Nick Suzuki back onto the ice for the curtain call and might as well have taken a bow.

They were great, too, with Savard blocking seven shots before taking his victory lap and heading to the Canadiens’ room to tape an icebag around his right ankle while Suzuki directly preceded Primeau after scoring his 30th goal of the season and registering his 69th point within less than four minutes of play to give the team a 2-0 lead in the first period.

But you know what didn’t get a whole lot of attention? The way Jayden Struble and Jordan Harris played as a pair.

It’s a tired hockey trope to call that a good thing. But for as exhausting as clichés are, they still ring true.

You know… The one about how the less you notice a defenceman, the better…

Not that the defencemen who were noticeable in this game were bad. Savard was unmissable — and not just to anyone watching, but to those shots flying off Flyer sticks. And Mike Matheson was brilliant, with three assists that brought his point total to 51.

But if Struble hadn’t assisted on Jesse Ylonen’s goal and later struck the post with a snapping backhand, he’d have been completely in the background of this win, alongside Harris, who was virtually mistake-free through his 18:44. And if you were watching closely, they looked like veterans, and not like guys who have 46 and 122 games of NHL experience, respectively.

There are 10 games left in what the Canadiens believe will be a springboard season in their rebuild, and we’ve spent 72 of them mostly referencing the healthy culture that’s been established and the propulsion of three top-line players in Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield as reasons the Canadiens might be justified in their belief.

But there may not be another factor edging this team closer to where it wants to go than the experience players like Struble, Harris, Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj have gotten.

We know, we know. They can’t all stay long-term. Not with David Reinbacher, Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux knocking on the door.

But these four, who had 10 games of baggage between them at the start of last season — all 10 of them belonging to Harris, from the year prior — have each increased their individual value, and that’s going to vault the Canadiens forward in more than one way.

“There’s a lot of value,” said Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis after Thursday’s 4-1 win. “To me, it’s promising to see that, at a young age, these guys have gotten a lot of experience. It’s not just games; they’ve played big minutes. I’ve said it before: You can’t buy those reps. For them to use that early in their career and develop in this environment and at the NHL level, it’s been earned, and they showed that they can handle it.”

They could’ve flopped completely. To suggest these kids — all of them under 24 years old — were thrown into the deep end of the pool would be understating it. Defence is the most challenging position outside of the net to excel at, and to have to play it in this market, at that age, could be like diving into high tide with weights strapped to your ankles.

No one has been more exposed than Guhle, who played 22:54 against the Flyers, or just 1:42 more than he’s averaged all season long.

This was just his 112th game, but it looked like it was his 500th with the way he played it.

We thought Guhle looked ready for this from the start of last season, but he’s really looked the part of an elite shutdown defenceman over the last two weeks to cap nearly two years playing nightly against top opposition.

“I think it all starts with the attitude of the player,” said St. Louis earlier on Thursday. “Guhles is very honest after his games, whether he produced or not. I think he knows exactly what’s up, and he’s a good critic of his own game. When you have that as a player, it’s rare that you don’t improve as a player. He has exceptional maturity, and that all comes from his attitude and the way he approaches and reflects on each game. His progress is amazing.”

Harris’s hasn’t quite been as glaring, but it’s there. He’s proving reliable, proving he has a firm place in a roster suddenly competing well enough to win with more regularity, and that’s going to benefit the Canadiens one way or another.

So is the emergence of Struble from seemingly out of nowhere.

After four years at Northeastern University and just 21 games in the American Hockey League, the former second-round pick of the organization feels the biggest thing he’s proven is that he can play at this level.

Suzuki thinks he can do more than just that.

“I think he can do a lot,” the captain said. “When he first got called up, just the poise he had and the confidence he had to make plays, you don’t really see that too much with a guy starting his NHL career. So he’s confident in his skating, able to keep gaps really tight, he’s physical…”

And Struble is just learning how much more physical he can be.

Being credited with just one hit against the Flyers wasn’t entirely indicative of his impact in that department. He was under everyone’s skin, like 23-year-old Xhekaj, who had three hits and three penalties.

Both of them have learned the value of never taking their places for granted — Xhekaj first, in being sent down to AHL for 17 games earlier this season, and Struble most recently (with a series of healthy scratches) — and that is as big a factor as any in their fast track to the next level.

The growth may be subtle to the eye, but it’s exponential.

“When I started, I was just trying to get used to the speed, just starting to get to know which players are fast, which ones I have to try to keep up with,” Xhekaj said on Thursday morning. “I think I was sitting back on my heels a lot more. I think now I have a different look of the game. I surf a lot more, I stay a lot more engaged, I’m on top of every guy now that I know what to expect.

“It’s kind of just come to me, and I don’t even think about it. I just do it now.”

Struble is finding his way through that process quickly, and Harris talked on Monday about just how much he’s learned in such a short span.

“You go up against Connor McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon, you just try to contain them,” he said. “Guys like them, Kucherov, they wait for you to go after them and if you jump at the wrong time, they’ll play right through you or around you.”

Watching Harris play over the last week, the reads and decisions have been made with all that information now processed and accepted. He’s much more aware on the ice and much more within himself, hence his impact on Thursday’s game.

It may not have been star-worthy, but it was just as big a reason for why the Canadiens won.

And what they have brewing on the backend is undeniably going to factor in more and more in short order.

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Hockey NHL MON PHI sn-article
(John Woods/CP Photo) Knights Barbashev’s two goals helps Golden Knights beat skidding Jets 5747160 headlines Thu, 28 Mar 2024 23:11:08 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 23:36:57 EDT Canadian Press Ivan Barbashev’s pair of late goals propelled the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.

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Ivan Barbashev’s pair of late goals propelled the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.

Barbashev scored with a high backhand shot past Connor Hellebuyck at 14:31, then followed up with an empty-net marker with 1:45 remaining.

The Jets have lost five straight (0-4-1), matching a season-high skid from late January (0-4-1).

Jack Eichel had an empty-net goal and Pavel Dorofeyev also scored for the Golden Knights (40-25-8), who were playing the third contest of a four-game road trip (2-0-1).

Logan Thompson stopped 39 shots for Vegas, which is 7-3-1 in its past 11 games.

Sean Monahan scored for the Jets (44-23-6) in front of the team’s seventh sellout of the season and third consecutive full house of 15,225 fans at Canada Life Centre.

Hellebuyck made 23 saves in Winnipeg’s second game of a five-game homestand.

Vegas led 1-0 after the first and it was tied 1-1 heading into the third.

A playoff-like intensity kicked in early when Jets towering defenceman Logan Stanley traded punches with mismatched Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar.

A couple minutes later, Winnipeg captain Adam Lowry put a big check on centre William Karlsson.

Golden Knights forward Chandler Stephenson then tripped Nino Niederreiter, which sparked all skaters to pair up just 6:44 into the first frame.

Winnipeg went on the power play, with Vegas ahead 7-2 on shots on goal. The Jets directed three shots at Thompson, including a one-timer by Mark Scheifele the goalie denied with a pad.

Dorofeyev got the game’s first goal when he fired the puck from inside the circle over Hellebuyck’s glove at 15:56.

Vegas went on the power play 41 seconds later but couldn’t stretch its lead.

Monahan recorded his 23rd goal of the season when he tipped in a Nikolaj Ehlers’ shot at 3:31 of the second.

The Jets had three power plays in the middle frame but couldn’t capitalize.

Winnipeg also had the man advantage seven minutes into the third period and didn’t get a shot on Thompson.

Vegas defenceman Nicolas Hague was then dinged for an illegal check to the head of Jets forward Vladislav Namestnikov.

Scheifele responded by fighting Hague and he got an instigator penalty, five minutes for fighting and a 10-minute game misconduct with 8:37 remaining. Hague only received an additional five for fighting.

Barbashev rushed the net and threw a high backhand shot that went past Hellebuyck at 14:31, then followed up with an unassisted empty-net marker at 18:15 to give him 18 goals on the season.

Eichel put the puck into an empty net with 34 seconds left for his 25th. 

The Jets finished the game going 0-for-5 on the power play and are now 1-for-21 In their past seven outings. Vegas was 0-for-1.

NOTES

Winnipeg is 4-6-1 in its past 11 games. … The Golden Knights have defeated the Jets in their past six matches. … Dorofeyev has three goals in his past four games for Vegas. … Namestnikov played his 700th career NHL game.

UP NEXT

Jets: Host the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.

Golden Knights: Visit the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.

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Hockey NHL VGK WPG sn-article
Ryan Sun/AP Alabama March Madness Roundup: Alabama upsets No. 1 UNC, reach Elite Eight 5747160 headlines Thu, 28 Mar 2024 22:19:03 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:10:35 EDT Associated Press Grant Nelson converted a go-ahead three-point play with 38 seconds remaining, and Alabama beat top-seeded North Carolina 89-87 on Thursday night to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history.

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LOS ANGELES — Grant Nelson converted a go-ahead three-point play with 38 seconds remaining, and Alabama beat top-seeded North Carolina 89-87 on Thursday night to reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history.

Nelson finished with a season-high 24 points, 19 in the second half, and he blocked RJ Davis’ attempt at a tying layup after giving Alabama the lead. Rylan Griffen added 19 points, tying his career high with five 3-pointers, and Aaron Estrada also scored 19 for the fourth-seeded Crimson Tide (24-11).

The Tide face sixth-seeded Clemson on Saturday for a berth in the Final Four. The Tigers defeated second-seeded Arizona 77-72 in the first semifinal at Crypto.com Arena.

After Nelson blocked Davis’ shot with 25 seconds left, Davis furiously dribbled around before missing a layup and the Tar Heels got called for a shot-clock violation with 8 seconds left. They were forced to foul, sending Nelson to the line. He calmly made both for an 89-85 lead.

Armando Bacot scored inside with 1 second left, leaving North Carolina trailing 89-87. The Tar Heels fouled Nelson again with 0.9 seconds left. He missed both and time expired on the blueblood Tar Heels, who own six national championships.

Bacot finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds in his final game for UNC (29-8). Cormac Ryan had 17 points and made five 3-pointers and Davis had 16 points.

At times, UNC coach Hubert Davis looked like he was still playing for his alma mater, where he starred from 1988-92 under Hall of Famer Dean Smith. Davis dashed up and down the sideline in his white sneakers, gesturing and yelling and taking his glasses on and off as he lived each play through his team.

Alabama trailed 54-46 at halftime. Nelson and Sam Walters combined to score nine of Alabama’s first 13 points to take a 59-57 lead. The Tar Heels struggled early when big man Bacot picked up his third foul five minutes in, but they tied it at 59-all on a basket by Harrison Ingram.

Nelson, Estrada and Griffen teamed to score 21 of Alabama’s next 23 points that produced an 82-77 lead. Nelson ran off seven in a row, capped by a 3-pointer.

(6) CLEMSON 77, (2) ARIZONA 72

LOS ANGELES — Chase Hunter scored 18 points and converted a three-point play with 25.7 seconds remaining, and Clemson advanced to the Elite Eight for the second time in school history, beating Arizona 77-72 in a West Region semifinal on Thursday night.

PJ Hall added 17 points for the sixth-seeded Tigers (24-11), who advanced to face either top-seeded North Carolina or No. 4 seed Alabama.

Clemson last reached the final eight in 1980, when there were 48 teams in the NCAA Tournament. Coach Brad Brownell was making his second appearance in the second weekend of March Madness in his 14 seasons with the Tigers.

“We’ve battled a lot of things. This is a great moment for Clemson basketball,” Brownell said.

Jaden Bradley scored 18 points, Oumar Ballo had 15 and Caleb Love 13 for second-seeded Arizona (27-9), which had a horrific shooting night, going 5 of 28 (17.9%) from 3-point range. Love missed all nine of his attempts beyond the arc as the Wildcats failed to reach the Elite Eight for the 12th time overall and first time since 2015.

Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd was ousted in the Sweet 16 for the second time in his three seasons.

After Bradley’s 3-pointer got Arizona within 72-70, Hunter put it out of reach when he drove for a layup while being fouled by Bradley. Hunter’s free throw made it a five-point game.

“I just wanted to make a play,” Hunter said. “At the end of the day, I wanted to get to the basket, wanted to get an and-one, wanted to make something happen, and that’s what I did.”

The Wildcats had the edge in the paint and in transition, but the Tigers were 29 of 59 from the field (49.2 per cent). Ian Schieffelin finished with 14 points and Hunter’s brother, Dillon, made a layup for the final margin, his only basket of the game.

Clemson led 39-31 at halftime. The Tigers were still up by eight two minutes into the second half before the Wildcats went on a quick 8-0 run. Love’s three-point play tied it at 43-all with 16:43 remaining.

Two minutes later, a driving layup by Love gave Arizona its only lead, 46-45. But the Wildcats’ edge lasted only 20 seconds as Jack Clark hit a 3-pointer to put Clemson back on top.

It was tied at 56-all midway through the second half before Clemson responded with a 9-2 run, including a layup by Hall and a 3-pointer by Schieffelin.

Clemson scored the first four points and jumped out to a 16-6 lead less than nine minutes in on RJ Godfrey’s turnaround jumper. The Tigers started 7 of 13 from the field while Arizona was 2 of 13.

Hall’s layup gave Clemson a 29-16 advantage — its largest lead of the game — with 6:43 remaining in the first half.

(1) UCONN 82, (5) SAN DIEGO STATE 52

BOSTON — The rematch turned into another mismatch for UConn.

Stephon Castle had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the top-seeded Huskies and the defending NCAA champions advanced to the Elite Eight with another double-digit victory, beating San Diego State 82-52 on Thursday night in a rematch of last year’s title game.

Cam Spencer scored 18 points and Tristen Newton added 17 points and seven rebounds for the Huskies (34-3), who will play the winner of the other East Region semifinal between No. 2 Iowa State and No. 3 Illinois for a spot in the Final Four in Glendale, Arizona.

A year after cruising to their fifth national championship — winning their six NCAA Tournament games by an average of almost 20 points — the Huskies followed up blowouts last weekend with their ninth straight double-digit March Madness victory.

They have won their games in this tournament by 39, 17 and 30 points.

“We suck at winning close games,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said. “You’ve got to go with the alternative.”

Backed by a virtual home crowd at TD Garden — Boston is about 90 miles from UConn’s Storrs, Connecticut, campus — the Huskies made it a double-digit lead early in the second half, 20 with about seven minutes left and 30 in the final minutes, after the teams sent in their benches. Hurley’s son Andrew even got into the game with 1:44 left, drawing a celebratory cheer.

“We tried to make it like Storrs North,” Castle said. “They showed up for us.”

Seven-footer Donovan Clingan, who played just 23 minutes after getting into foul trouble, had eight points and eight rebounds.

Jaedon LeDee scored 15 of his 18 points in the first half for fifth-seeded San Diego State, which followed up the only Final Four appearance in school history with another Sweet 16 run.

But for the second straight year, the Aztecs (26-11) ran into UConn, which is now three victories away from becoming the first team to repeat as NCAA champions since Florida in 2006 and ’07.

UConn took its first 10-point lead before the midpoint of the first half in which both teams went cold about 10 minutes in. After opening a 27-16 lead with 11 minutes left, UConn shot 6 for 28 to finish the half — and still took a nine-point lead into the break.

The Huskies went up by double digits for good in the opening minutes of the second half when Newton — thanks to an offensive rebound and assist from Clingan — hit a 3-pointer to make it 45-33. Up 17 with eight minutes left, UConn scored the next nine points to pull away.

(3) ILLINOIS 72, (2) IOWA STATE 69

BOSTON — Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 29 points and Illinois reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005, beating Iowa State 72-69 in an East Region semifinal on Thursday night.

Shannon had 20 points in the first half for the third-seeded Illini (29-8), who never trailed. He broke away for a dunk in the closing seconds and later hit two free throws to help Illinois finally put away the second-seeded Cyclones (29-8).

Illinois made an NCAA Tournament regional final for the fourth time in the past 40 years and will meet defending champion UConn on Saturday for a trip to the Final Four. The top-seeded Huskies defeated San Diego State 82-52 in the earlier East semifinal.

Curtis Jones scored 26 points and Keshon Gilbert had 14 for Iowa State, which came into March Madness having blown out Houston for the Big 12 Tournament title.

The Illini have made the past four NCAA Tournaments under seventh-year coach Brad Underwood, who had never taken them past the first weekend until this year. Coleman Hawkins added 12 points and was the only other Illinois player in double figures.

The Illini’s lead was down to 68-64 with under a minute to play before a turnover by Milan Momcilovic found its way to Shannon, who drove in for a two-handed dunk with 24 seconds left.

Jones was fouled on a 3-point attempt and dropped in all three free throws to make it 70-67, but Shannon calmly made two foul shots with 6 seconds left.

The Cyclones struggled offensively in the first half, trailing 36-26 at the break, but found their touch after halftime. A floater by Gilbert got Iowa State within 51-49 with 9:46 remaining.

Gilbert then got a steal — one of Iowa State’s 11 — and sprinted in for a potential tying layup, but it rolled off the rim.

Iowa State later misfired with another chance to tie it up, this time leading to a driving layup by Illinois’ Marcus Domask. He completed a three-point play to make it 56-51.

When Iowa State got it back within three a few possessions later, Domask came through again, knocking down a 3 to push the Illini’s lead back to 62-56.

Illinois entered the night with the top offensive efficiency rating in the tournament, but it was its defence that stood out at the outset.

The Illini’s game plan was to chase the Cyclones off the 3-point line and make them try contested shots inside the arc. It worked for most of the first half as Iowa State’s shooting percentage fell under 20% near the midway point. The Cyclones also had a more than five-minute scoring drought.

Iowa State came in boasting the tourney’s most efficient defense and started the game with a steal by Gilbert. But the Cyclones had few highlights beyond that in the opening 20 minutes.

Illinois took a quick 11-2 lead while Iowa State went scoreless for nearly four minutes.

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Basketball NCAA Men's Basketball sn-article
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Home Page Must Read (new) Thu, 07 Sep 2023 17:21:12 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:30:05 EDT Noah Love three_cols_meta sn-collection blue jays Toronto Blue Jays begin 2024 trek informed by past failures and future uncertainties  5747154 three_cols Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:16:44 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:46:22 EDT Shi Davidi Each baseball season is a singular trip within a larger goal, and individual years are interconnected to form a final destination. Shi Davidi explores how the 2024 season fits into the Blue Jays’ wider journey.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Each baseball season is a trip in and of itself. There are plans and goals and hopes and expectations that play out in 162 games over 186 days, a near-constant blur of success and failure, of elation and frustration. By the time it’s over for players, coaches, executives and staff, everyone needs home for a rest. If things hit just right, maybe there’s a parade at the end.

At the same time, each baseball season is also a singular trip within a wider journey. Teams are either building or rebuilding, seeking to either open, maintain, extend or shut a competitive window. In that way, individual years are interconnected as segments of progression to or regression from a final destination, the outcome not always by design.

All of which brings us to the Toronto Blue Jays at the launch of the 2024 campaign, one deep into a quest that’s produced three playoff appearances over the past four years, although not a single victory in them. 

They once again possess the talent to qualify for the post-season, even as rivals in the AL East and the wider league strengthened around them. Whether they get there, and fare better this time upon arrival, is to be determined.

There’s some enduring heartbreak around them from the one-game-short dagger of 2021, the 8-1 collapse of 2022, and the Jose Berrios-pulled-early-debacle of 2023, which was cruelly followed by the Shohei Ohtani fever dream. Still, the past is only the present if the Blue Jays allow it to be and a significant portion of their off-season was spent on ensuring that wouldn’t be the case, even if they are where they are because of what’s happened the past few years.

“That’s a tough question,” ace Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman says of how to draw from past failures without being weighed down by them. “You try to learn from them. Try to let them fuel you. You want to remember the past … but you also have to forget about it and not let it define who you are and what this team is because we don’t know that yet. It’s a new year.”

Sentiments echoed by George Springer.

“We expect a lot out of ourselves, so when it doesn’t happen, you have to look back on it and try to process why and how and what could I have done better,” he says. “But every year is different. Every challenge is new. There’s going to be stuff that happens this year that I’ve never seen, that (Justin Turner), he’s been playing for 16 years, that he’s never seen. It’s about staying in the moment, in my eyes. Yeah, I understand the season didn’t end the way that we wanted it to. But it doesn’t end that way for 29 teams every year. It kind of is what it is.”

There is certainly no going back and changing what’s already happened, leaving the pursuit of a different outcome as the only option. To that end, the Blue Jays worked hard to clarify their internal communications around in-game decision-making with players during weeks of meetings about the playoff fallout. 

“We’re grown men and we talked,” is how Berrios put it. “We were clear with everything. … I just asked and they responded to me honestly. That’s the only thing I wanted, just be honest with me, be transparent, and they were. That’s why we’re able to be on the same page now and turn that bad experience or situation. It’s a new year, new opportunity and I think we’re going to start really well.”

Those conversations also led to a revamp around game-planning for the offence, which is now headed by bench coach Don Mattingly, along with hitting coach Guillermo Martinez and assistants Hunter Mense and Matt Hague. Attack plans are to be more individualized and specific to each player, designed with each pitcher they may encounter in mind. The early returns from spring were good but the real test is only beginning. 

A more productive offence will be needed to compensate for any potential regression in the club’s pitching, its primary strength a year ago. There’s been a focus on base-running after they finished fifth in outs on the bases in 2023 at 57. Returning from what was arguably the best defence in the majors is one Gold Glover in Kevin Kiermaier, while Isiah Kiner-Falefa and others will need to compensate for another, Matt Chapman, who left.

What Bo Bichette believes is helping to tie everything together is a higher degree of “professionalism” in “how we go about our day everyday preparation and things like that.”

“If we want to get to where we want to get to, which we do, professionalism and consistency in the discipline just has to tick a notch up,” he continues. “There’s really not much else to it — consistency and discipline. In our field of work, competitiveness, too, should top all of that stuff off, going out there and competing at the highest level you can. It’s very simple.”

Less simple is what lies ahead for them on their current journey.

Seven players — including Danny Jansen and Yusei Kikuchi — will be eligible for free agency this fall with another 10 — Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Jordan Romano among them — able to test the market on the next one. That’s 65 per cent of the current roster, which is a problem because of the way the team is constructed and a lack of high-end prospects in the farm system to help replace them. 

Mark Shapiro, the Blue Jays president and CEO, often speaks of finding the right balance between the three population pools that stock big-league clubs: young players with upside largely happy just to be in the majors; players in their prime who are carrying the load as they enter their prime earning years; and veteran players who are all about winning and are giving of themselves and their knowledge.

The Blue Jays right now appear too heavily weighted toward the last group, with not enough young players on the cusp of graduating into a middle group that is facing decimation over the next two winters. Lefty Ricky Tiedemann and second baseman Orelvis Martinez are on the cusp and will help alter the equation, but the club will need plenty of near-term help it doesn’t at this point have in the farm system.

“Really feel good about the way we’re developing and feel that we’re getting better and better in the way we’re drafting, as well,” says Shapiro. “The best answer I can give you is we spend a lot of time and, at the end of this season, we’ll do the same thing and evaluate. Right now, we feel pretty good about the team we’ve got for the next two years. And then we’ll answer that again next off-season, how we think about it at that point in time. But we’re making strides and feel good and really encouraged by what’s happening in player development and scouting levels.”

The Blue Jays need a farm-system payoff to happen fast enough that they aren’t forced to veer from their current path and change directions two years from now. That’s one way the 2024 season is connected to what happens in 2025 and ’26, just like what happened last season ties into this one, even if each season is a trip all its own.

“The biggest things we’ve got to think about are the reality of 162, that there is something coming that we’re not expecting,” says Shapiro. “There is some challenge that’s going to come up that we’re not ready for, that we’re going to have to adapt, we’re going to have to adjust. Someone’s going to have to step up that we’re not currently talking about at this table right now. That’s what’s ahead of these guys. That’s what’s ahead of us right now. It’s not how are we going to deal with a devastating loss at the end of last year. That’s last year. It’s gone. Was there something to take from that? OK. We had those conversations, we made those adjustments and let’s go. We’re moving forward.”

On to the latest trek on their current journey.

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Baseball MLB TOR sn-article
Matt Krohn/AP BrockFaber Does any rookie have a stronger case for the Calder Trophy than Connor Bedard? 5747154 three_cols Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:58:10 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:54:21 EDT Adam Vingan Connor Bedard has met all expectations as an 18-year-old rookie, but Minnesota’s Brock Faber has gained momentum in the Calder Trophy discussion. What’s his case? Adam Vingan dives in.

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Connor Bedard winning the Calder Trophy feels like a foregone conclusion. The ultra-talented teenager has been as advertised in his rookie season with the Chicago Blackhawks.

There is one player who could at least make things interesting, though. Minnesota Wild defenceman Brock Faber has built up support as a result of his steady play on the team’s injury-ravaged back end. Captain Jared Spurgeon, out for the season because of hip and back injuries, was limited to 16 games this season. Jonas Brodin has also missed 20 games.

Faber leads all rookies and is seventh among all skaters in ice time per game (25:05). Since the NHL began tracking time on ice in 1997-98, no rookie has averaged 25 minutes over a full season. (Defenceman Jamie McBain played 25:47 per game for the Carolina Hurricanes in 2009-10, but he appeared in only 14 games.)

Unlike Bedard, Faber does not regularly appear on highlight reels. But he has shown tremendous poise for a 21-year-old playing top-pairing minutes, routinely making the right play to get the Wild out of trouble. (When Bedard missed time in January and February because of a fractured jaw, Faber led rookies with 17 points in 16 games in Bedard’s absence.)


There is a recent example of a defenceman beating out the hotshot forward for the Calder Trophy. In 2021-22, Detroit’s Moritz Seider won the award over Anaheim’s Trevor Zegras, earning 170 of 195 first-place votes. Zegras had the sizzle, but Seider led all rookies in total ice time (1,889:22) and put up 50 points. (Faber, who has received 1,781:07 of ice time in 71 games, is on pace for 46 points.)


In any other season, Faber probably would be voted the top rookie in the league. But Bedard has lived up to the hype, producing at an 80-point pace over 82 games with an unimpressive supporting cast. (The two Blackhawks forwards who have shared the most ice time with Bedard at even strength are Philipp Kurashev and Nick Foligno.)

Although Bedard is the likely winner of the Calder Trophy, Faber should not be too far behind on the ballot.

“He’s an incredible player in this league, already, at 18 years old,” Faber told The Athletic. “Obviously they’re struggling in Chicago and he’s still finding a way to put up points and make a difference. As an 18-year-old kid, that’s crazy. That’s me three years ago. He’s a superstar in this league already, and he’s going to be for a long time. … You’ve got to tip your cap to a guy like that.”

All stats via Sportlogiq

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Hockey NHL CHI MIN sn-article
CP168910190(1) Scout’s Analysis: Ranking the top 50 prospects for the 2024 NHL Draft 5747154 three_cols Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:34:09 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:42:30 EDT Jason Bukala With playoffs and late-season tournaments coming up, it’s an exciting time on the scouting calendar as final viewings fit in before the NHL Draft. So our scout Jason Bukala gives you his latest top 50 player rankings.

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It’s an exciting time of year in scouting circles.

The three major junior leagues in Canada (QMJHL-OHL-WHL) are dropping the puck on round one of their playoffs this weekend.

South of the border, the NCAA men’s hockey tournament starts Thursday night.

Overseas, the U18 World Championships will be contested at the end of April in Finland.

Although the season is heading towards its conclusion, there remains a ton of work to be done before the last in-person NHL draft takes place in Las Vegas at the end of June.

With that in mind, here is my latest rankings, which are now 50 (plus) deep:

No. 1: Macklin Celebrini, F, Boston University (NCAA)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 190 pounds

Nothing has changed at the top of the ranking. Macklin Celebrini’s name will be the first one called in June. He’s by far the consensus number one overall prospect.

No. 2: Ivan Demidov, F, SKA St. Petersburg (MHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 181 pounds

Demidov’s statistics jump off the page. He’s scored 23G-37A in only 30GP. He’s an offensive talent with a fantastic release and loads of creativity with the puck on his stick. He’s too good to be playing at the junior level in Russia. He started the year in the KHL before an injury put him on the shelf for a couple months, slowing his momentum at the pro level in the process and resulting in Demidov landing in the junior ranks upon his return.

No. 3: Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State (NCAA)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 208 pounds

Levshunov led the Spartans in scoring as a freshman defenceman with 9G-25A in 36GP before the NCAA tournament. Levshunov is a coveted right-shot defenceman. He’s very active offensively, pinching down to extend plays and jumping into the rush every time he identifies an opportunity. His defensive zone detail is a work in progress, but he has posted a plus-26 rating so far this season.

No. 4: Anton Silayev, D, Torpedo (KHL)
Height: 6-foot-7 Weight: 211 pounds

It’s not too often a “defensive defenceman” is as highly touted as Silayev, but he’s deserving of a top five ranking for this draft and could go as high as second overall. He’s a massive defender who takes advantage of his stature and long reach to keep opponents away from his crease. He’s also a fantastic skater who has no problem defending against a speed rush, or moving in and out of small areas with his excellent agility.

No. 5: Carter Yakemchuk, D, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 201 pounds

Yakemchuk’s Hitmen team didn’t qualify for the WHL playoffs and due to his birthdate (September 29, 2005) Yakemchuk isn’t eligible for the U18 World Championships in Finland. His season has ended, but what a year he had! Carter is one of the most aggressive risers in my rankings this season. He’s big, mobile, produces offence, and pushes back physically. Yakemchuk ended the season with 30G-41A and scored 10 goals on the power play. He was also whistled for 120 penalty minutes. The right-shot defenceman always competes. He’s involved in the play every time he hits the ice.

No. 6: Sam Dickinson, D, London Knights (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 194 pounds

Dickinson logs a massive amount of ice time playing in London. He’s deployed in all situations, but his primary ice time comes at even strength and the power play. Dickinson is an effortless skater. At times it looks like he isn’t pushing himself to get from point A to point B, but it speaks to the efficiency of his stride. Dickinson possesses high end offensive upside and the ability to quarterback the power play. There are times I would like him to provide more urgency and detail defensively, but it’s also not something I’m concerned won’t improve as he matures. Dickinson produced 18G-52A in the regular season for the Knights.

No. 7: Berkly Catton, F, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 170 pounds

Catton is a dynamic offensive forward who produced 54G–62A for Spokane in the regular season. His defensive commitment has improved alongside his elite offensive element. Catton is deployed in all situations for the Chiefs and finished the regular season plus-15. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Catton selected in the top five of this draft.

No. 8: Zeev Buium, D, Denver (NCAA)
Height: 6-foot Weight: 183 pounds

Buium has had a terrific freshman season at Denver and he also played on Team USA’s gold medal-winning world junior team in Sweden. Buium is extremely competitive. He plays fast. He works to defend his net and push back on opponents, but it’s his elite offensive upside that makes him even more attractive as a prospect. Buium leads all NCAA defencemen with 11G-37A and is in the top 10 in overall NCAA scoring. As noted, Buium brings more than just offence. So far this season he’s posted a tidy plus-32 rating.

No. 9: Zayne Parekh, D, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 179 pound
s

Parekh is one of the most creative players in the draft. He’s a transitional defenceman who quarterbacks the power play.

No. 10: Cayden Lindstrom, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Height: 6-foot-4 Weight: 210 pounds

Lindstrom, unfortunately, has missed the bulk of his season due to injury. He’s a power forward who leans goal scorer more than distributor, but his length and size leads to plays being extended along the wall and out front the net. He’s also the kind of player who can match up against top scoring lines. In the 32 games Lindstrom has played this season, he produced 27G-19A.

No. 11: Tij Iginla, F, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 182 pounds

It wouldn’t surprise me to hear Iginla’s name called inside the top 10, but for now he lands here on my list. Iginla produced 47G-37A for Kelowna in the regular season. He leans goal scorer, but teams shouldn’t sleep on his creative thinking. Iginla has fantastic hockey sense. He moves pucks to open areas of the ice to extend plays and skate off his check. He’s also not a liability defensively. He skates, scores, and recognizes how to play the game responsibly on and off the puck.

No. 12: Liam Greentree, F, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 211 pounds

Greentree plays a power style. Considering his team in Windsor was rebuilding this season, his offensive statistics are all the more impressive. Greentree produced 36G-54A, with 11 of his goals coming on the power play. I’m assuming Greentree will suit up for Team Canada in Finland at the U18 worlds. The extra games will benefit him and his draft status.

No. 13: Cole Eiserman, F, USNTDP
Height: 6-feet Weight: 195 pounds

Eiserman, in my opinion, is the most elite pure shooter in the draft class. He rarely passes up an opportunity to rip a puck on net. He’s especially dangerous one-timing pucks from the weak side flank on the power play. Eiserman is a work in progress defensively, however. His read/react game is improving. He’s making the effort to earn more trust and prove he can at least provide average detail defensively.

No. 14: Konsta Helenius, F, Jukurit (Liiga)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 180 pounds

Helenius played the entire season at the pro level in Finland and produced 14G-22A. He also benefited from his experience suiting up for Finland at the world juniors. Helenius is a diminutive forward who plays the game fast. He leads the power play breakout and attacks the offensive zone with speed. Helenius is hard to defend. He can escape small areas to make plays. He is a play driver who benefits from the “track meet” style of game that is generally played today.

No. 15: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, F, Mora (Allsvenskan)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 194 pounds

I appreciate the growth in Michael’s game this season. He represented Norway at the world juniors, scoring 3G-2A, and has contributed 4G-2A in his most recent 10-game segment playing for Mora at the pro level in Sweden. His speed has gone to another level and his three-zone detail has become more trustworthy. What I especially appreciate is his willingness to battle for pucks, and his positioning awareness. He doesn’t shy away from the hard areas of the ice. He pushes through checks for results.

No. 16: Terik Parascak, F, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 173 pounds

Parascak is an intriguing prospect who produced 43G–62A for the Cougars in the regular season and was also an astounding plus-49. Parascak extends plays along the wall and escapes pressure in small areas. He isn’t the biggest, or strongest, prospect but he’s plenty slippery and hard to defend. His three-zone detail is reliable as well. I’m monitoring him in the playoffs to see how he handles the extra attention that will come. It’s somewhat difficult to put into words but Parascak, despite his statistics, isn’t necessarily a play driver. He’s a play “extender” who capitalizes on his chances when he finds quiet ice to score.

No. 17: Andrew Basha, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 185 pounds

Part of the evolution of the Tigers’ roster has been shouldered by Basha. He’s an infectious, energetic, skilled, smart and relentless competitor. He’s one of my favourite prospects to watch in this draft class.

No. 18: Beckett Sennecke, F, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 177 pounds

Sennecke impressed me in the second half of the season when he was tasked with hard matchups against top end teams in the OHL. He produced 27G-41A for the Generals in the regular season and was deployed in all situations. Sennecke is tall and long, but his ability to corral pucks in traffic and make plays in small areas is an element a lot of players his height don’t possess.

No. 19: Sacha Boisvert, F, Muskegon (USHL)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 176 pounds

Boisvert is an intriguing prospect who has plenty of room to add more weight and strength to his frame. He has a fantastic “catch and release.” Pucks are on and off his blade effectively in traffic. His open ice skating is improving, resulting in Boisvert becoming more of a threat off the rush.

No. 20: Igor Chernyshov, F, HC Dynamo Moscow (KHL-MHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 198 pounds

Chernyshov brings a combination of size and skill. He has a gear through the neutral zone in transition and his most attractive element is his potential offensive upside, especially on the power play. Overall, Chernyshov is best described as equal parts shooter and distributor. Defensive detail, effort and awareness ranges at times, though. Chernyshov split time between the KHL and MHL this season. At the KHL level he produced 3G-1A in 34GP. At the MHL (junior) level he scored 13G-15A.

No. 21: Michael Hage, F, Chicago Steel (USHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 187 pounds

Through 50 games played, Hage has produced 31G-37A for the Steel. He plays the game quick and fast. Hage is a threat off the rush in transition. His vision in the offensive zone is one of his most elite elements. Defensive detail, and effort tracking back off the puck, ranges and will have to improve before he arrives at the University of Michigan (NCAA). Has time on his side. His offensive element and the pace at which he plays wins out.

No. 22: Cole Hutson, D, USNTDP
Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 165 pounds

Hutson is a somewhat undersized defenceman who possesses fantastic vision with the puck on his stick. He’s a power play quarterback who can be elusive escaping pressure in all three zones. Despite his stature he’s plenty involved defensively, never backs down and defends with purpose. Hutson is heading to Boston University in the fall, the same school where his brother Lane (Montreal Canadiens 62nd overall in 2022) is currently playing.

No. 23: Trevor Connelly, F, Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 156 pounds

Connelly is a light, skilled playmaking forward who has elite vision in the offensive zone. The puck goes through him on the power play. I’m comfortable describing him as a playmaker more than a shooter, but he’s certainly proven capable of scoring goals. So far this season he’s counted 26G–40A. His defensive detail and effort to assist on the backcheck has significant room for improvement. Offence wins out for now, but he’s on the clock to show me he can defend when required.

No. 24: Aron Kiviharju, D, HIFK Helsinki (Liiga)
Height: 5-foot-9 Weight: 170 pounds

Kiviharju has missed most of the season with injury, but earned the respect of scouts with his past performances. He’s a transitional defenceman who quarterbacks the power play. Kiviharju is a capable defender in his zone. He’s not tall, but he is stocky strong. Playing for Team Finland at the upcoming U18 World Championships will solidify his draft ranking.

No. 25: Adam Jiricek, D, Plzen HC (Czech)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 178 pounds

Jiricek suffered a knee injury at the world juniors and has also missed significant time this season. Before the injury he was struggling to produce offence and it was becoming a concern for me. His best work, arguably, came last year as an underage at the U18’s in Switzerland. When he’s at his best he distributes the puck very well in the offensive zone. He’s a solid skater with sound hockey sense. Jiricek can be used in all situations and has the potential to provide secondary offence.

No. 26: Maxim Masse, F, Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 186 pounds

Masse ended the regular season producing 36G-39A, with 13 goals coming on the power play. Masse was credited with seven game-winning goals. Good size. Average skater in open ice. His best work comes from the hash marks down in the offensive zone. Rips pucks from the weak side flank on the PP. Also capable of producing from the bumper position and setting up around the crease looking for tips and rebounds.

Leans shooter more than playmaker, but his ability to leverage in the hard areas and extend plays leads to assists. Complements quicker, faster, equally skilled linemates with his approach. Has fantastic puck touch.

No. 27: Jett Luchanko, C, Guelph Storm (OHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight 170 pounds

Luchanko brings more than just offence. He’s a player who can be relied upon in a variety of roles. Listed as a winger, but he plays the majority of his shifts in the middle. On the PP he slots into a role as a quarterback, distributor, shooter, playmaker on the point and leads the breakout. Leans distributor more than shooter, but has an understated and deceptive release with the ability to change the angle of his blade to direct pucks on net. Competes the entire 200 feet. Sturdy strong. Not punishing physically, but also not easy to knock off the play. Very good skater who’s trending up.

No. 28: Ryder Ritchie, F, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 175 pounds

Ritchie missed time with injury this season, but still managed to produce 19G–25A in 47GP for the Raiders. If Prince Albert doesn’t go on a long playoff run, Ritchie could get a call from Hockey Canada for the U18 worlds. He’s an interesting prospect who generally plays the game responsibly in all three zones, moves well, and plays with a mix of skill and will. He pushes back in the trenches. Ritchie scored in streaks this season, making his two-way detail even more important to observe when he wasn’t producing offence.

No. 29: Marek Vanacker, LW, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Height: 6-foot Weight: 174 pounds

Vanacker is a prospect who has come along over the course of the entire year and is now on the rise, heading towards the draft with momentum. Long and lean. Appears taller than his listed size. Skilled. Equal parts shooter, scorer and distributor. Ended the regular season in Brantford with 36G-46A. In his final 20-game segment he produced 10G-15A, with 10 of those assists being primaries. Threat off the rush. Protects pucks coming off the wall. Goes to the net looking for tips. Quick handles in traffic. He’s aware of and understands his defensive responsibility, but could engage more aggressively at times. Offence wins out and he’s trending towards second line NHL upside.

No. 30: Leo Sahlin-Wallenius, D, Vaxjo U20 (Sweden)
Height: 6-foot Weight: 176 pounds

A mid-sized two-way, transitional defenceman. Excellent skater with an ability to escape pressure in his defensive zone and lead the rush on his own. Average plus defender with adequate push back physically. Power play quarterback who leans distributor more than shooter. There are times when he needs to identify his options more quickly and move pucks to avoid pressure and turnovers. Not elite offensively but certainly capable. Could end up more defined as a two-way defenceman who gets to places ahead of opponents, moves pucks, joins as an extra layer offensively and provides secondary offence.

No. 31: Lucas Pettersson, F, MODO J20 (Sweden)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 170 pounds

Pettersson is a forward who contributes in a variety of ways. Offensively, he produced 27G–30A at the J20 level in Sweden. When he plays for the U18 national team he’s used in all situations and takes key faceoffs in all three zones. Pettersson is committed defensively. He rotates into shooting lanes effectively on the penalty kill and has good jump to win 50/50 races to pucks. He’s best described as equal parts shooter and distributor and plays the game fast.

No. 32: Henry Mews, D, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 181 pounds

Mews ended the regular season with 15G–46A in 65GP. Defensive detail has improved over the course of the entire season, but his elite element will always be offence. Quarterbacks the power play, has outstanding vision and finds open lanes to make plays either directing the puck on net or distributing. Solid skater who’s deceptive when exiting the defensive zone, leading the rush, and making plays as he enters the offensive zone. Plays with swagger.

No. 33: Julius Miettinen, C, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 203 pounds

Plays to a consistent identity, bringing a combination of size and power. Good skater who is hard to bump off pucks in the tough areas. Leans shooter more than distributor. Has a quick release and shoots it hard and accurately. Dangerous on the power play.

No. 34: Adam Jecho, C, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
Height: 6-foot-5 Weight: 197 pounds

Jecho ended the year in Edmonton with the Oil Kings, where he produced 23-24A on the season. He’s on the rise. A big body whose skating has improved to where he’s a threat off the rush when he’s up to speed. Solid edges. Primary ice time comes at even strength and power play, but he’s capable on the penalty kill, too.

Despite his stature he isn’t overly physical. He boxes out opponents, but doesn’t punish people physically. Potential second line upside in time. Might end up as a combination 2F/3F at the NHL level.

No. 35: EJ Emery, D, USNTDP
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 185 pounds

Big, rangy, long, and at times physical (though not punishing) two-way defenceman. Moves well, especially on straight lines. Generally keeps the game simple with the puck on his stick and rarely takes any risks. His size is an asset when taking away time and space. Works to direct the play to the perimeter. Has shown an occasional ability to direct pucks on net with a sneaky release from distance, but it’s not a consistent element. Monitor gap control off speed rushes through neutral zone – he turns to the middle instead of pivoting towards the wall and fronting his opponent.

No. 36: Cole Beaudoin, F, Barrie Colts
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 209 pounds

Beaudoin produced 28G-34A for the Barrie Colts in the regular season and ended up plus-2 being deployed in all situations. Power body and a solid skater in open ice. When up to speed he attacks off the rush with good pace and uses his large frame to drive to the net. And when he gets the edge he’s hard to defend heading to the paint. Leans shooter/finisher more than natural distributor or playmaker. Rotates well on the PK and gets in the shooting lane, but body positioning ranges. Complements a darting centre by going to the hard areas and finishing.

No. 37: Alfons Freij, D, Vaxjo U20 (Sweden)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 187 pounds

Transitional defenceman whose bulk of ice time comes at even strength and the power play. Beautiful skater with great jump. On his toes all the time, exploding to take away space or pounce on a puck to outlet and join the rush offensively. Average plus defender who’s not overly physical. Elite elements are pace and puck moving. Needs to be paired with a more physical stay at home partner.

No. 38: Matvei Gridin, F, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 182 pounds

Sturdy and strong forward who plays a calculating game. There are moments where he appears to go through the motions, but his read/react/execute is generally very good. Quick release. Has proven he can beat goalies in the USHL from distance with a quick snap shot. Sound hockey IQ. Has the skill and ability to penalty kill if required, but his most projectable element is his offence. Falls somewhere between a 2F/3F as an NHL prospect.

No. 39: Tanner Howe, F, Regina Pats
Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 175 pounds

Howe ended the season in Regina with 28G-49A in 68GP. His average ice time hovered around 20 minutes per game and he was deployed in all situations. Works the weak side flank on the PP and has a quick catch and release when moving pucks or directing them on net. Understated one-timer. Solid skater. Good quickness out of the gate and open ice pace to push opponents back. Generally aware defensively.

No. 40: Dean Letourneau, C, St. Andrew’s College
Height: 6-foot-6, 210 pounds

Forwards who have the kind of size Letourneau does, who can also skate, score and push back physically, are attractive prospects. His numbers offensively at the Prep AAA level (61G-66A) combined with the Prep Hockey Conference (17G-16A), jump off the page. I’m hoping he gets a call from Hockey Canada to be part of the U18 team in Finland. The opportunity to see him play at a higher level amongst several draft eligible counterparts will allow me to better project his upside. Letourneau is a Boston College commit, but he isn’t scheduled to enter school until the 2025-26 season. His rights are owned by Sioux City in the USHL where he is likely to play one full year next season.

No. 41: Luke Misa, F, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 170 pounds

Attacks with pace off the rush. A solid skater who is quick to space. Has a gear in open ice. Motion player who’s hard to defend when wheeling around the offensive zone on the perimeter. When he sees a lane he’s willing to take the puck to the cage. Useful prospect who lands somewhere between a second/third line forward on projection. Has the IQ to be used in a variety of roles. When not producing to his offensive element, his speed game is an asset as a checker.

No. 42: Teddy Stiga, F, USNTDP
Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 176 pounds

A player to keep an eye on as the NHL draft nears in June. Undersized, but always involved. Stocky strong. Plays with high end pace and relentless compete. Never goes away and is always around the play. Used in all situations at the USNTDP. Not naturally gifted with the puck, but his offence comes from hard work and determination. Not the kind of player who will slow the game down and get too creative with the puck. Reliable in all three zones. Tracks back the full 200 feet. Can slot into the top six or middle six and contribute to team results.

No. 43: Kamil Bednarik, F, USNTDP
Height: 6-feet Weight: 185 pounds

Two-way forward who is used in all situations at the USNTDP. Excellent skater who’s quick and fast. Pushes the play in transition and jumps in to extend plays or clear pucks from danger in his zone. Efficient penalty killer who pressures the puck up ice and creates havoc. Utility player who does a bit of everything: Blocks shots, provides better than secondary scoring, and takes key face-offs. Not elite in any one category, but very solid in the majority.

No. 44: Raoul Boilard, F, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 188 pounds

Skilled, creative prospect. Makes plays off the rush and in small areas in the offensive zone. Solid and agile skater. Playmaker on the power play who’s equal parts shooter and distributor. Always in motion. Good size, but doesn’t play with physical push back. Average defensive detail — he’s not a liability, but it’s not his area of strength. Projects as a potential third-line forward at even strength, but a skilled forward who should find a role on one of the power play units.

No. 45: John Mustard, F, Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 180 pounds

Leans shooter more than distributor. Competitive forward who plays quick and fast. Works up and down the ice. Jumps to space to corral pucks and extend plays. Drives to the net off the puck looking for tips and rebounds. The kind of prospect who can play in the top six or middle six depending on the make up of the group.

No. 46: Brodie Ziemer, F, USNTDP
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 190 pounds

Has an infectious approach and plays the game fast. Equal parts shooter and distributor. Strong core and foundation with adequate battle to his game. Has the hockey sense to be used in a variety of roles, but his element is on display at even strength and especially the power play. Has a quick stick and sees the ice well.

No. 47: Colton Roberts, D, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 192 pounds

Roberts missed some time in the second half with injury, but he has provided me a body of work that has to be dissected closely to be appreciated. Roberts moves very well, has great size, and he’s a coveted right shot defenceman. He projects as a two-way defenceman who can provide some secondary offence. There are times his routes when defending his zone can improve, but he’s also had some tough luck in his zone with plays breaking down around him that led to goals against. It’s my opinion he brings solid value in the second round of this draft class.

No. 48: Will Skahan, D, USNTDP
Height: 6-foot-4 Weight: 209 pounds

There’s a ton to like about Skahan’s game. He’s big. He skates well. He takes away time and space in the defensive zone. He’s willing to body up and make life difficult on opponents. Puck play ranges, though. Executing and making plays has been inconsistent at times. Leans two-way defenceman and potentially a shutdown defenceman as he establishes himself. Not likely to produce much offence.

No. 49: Carson Wetsch, F, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Height: 6-foot Weight: 190 pounds

I’m anticipating seeing Wetsch play for Team Canada at the U18 worlds in Finland. Wetsch is the kind of player who can be thrust into a variety of roles. He has good size and strength. He never shies away from being engaged in the hard areas, along the wall and out front the net. On the power play he is efficient as a low flank, or net front option. Good skater. Leans shooter more than natural playmaker. Competes. Mid-range offence is possible, but he could also end up being a useful, bottom six energy/checker. Wetsch produced 25G–25A for the Hitmen this season and was whistled for 89 penalty minutes, which speaks to his style of play.

AND IN THE MIX FOR NO. 50:

The following players are hovering around slot No. 50 in my ranking and are too close to separate at this point. I will be keeping a close eye on them for my next list:

• Sam O’Reilly, F, London Knights (OHL), Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 178-pounds

• Emil Hemming, F, TPS Turku (Liiga), Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 201 pounds

• Miguel Marques, F, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL), Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 173 pounds

• Nikita Artamonov, F, Nizhny Novgorod (KHL), Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 187 pounds

• Matvei Shuravin, D, CSKA Russia (KHL/MHL), Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 195 pounds

• Charlie Elick, D, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL), Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 200 pounds

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Hockey NHL NHL Draft sn-article
Blue Jays on Opening Day Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:26:30 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:47:55 EDT Paul D. Grant carousel_meta sn-collection 17116679475924569 MLB Highlights: Blue Jays 8, Rays 2 5923912 carousel Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:20:34 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:23:10 EDT Sportsnet Video Jose Berrios gets the start on opening night for the Blue Jays and only gives up two earned runs while getting six strikeouts through 6 innings. George Springer, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio all hit home runs against the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Baseball MLB TB TOR videohttps://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/1704050871/948a3f50-7402-4bec-857b-462396ea07b5/8aa631c4-c9cd-46d1-9a29-97c6787dfd5d/1280x720/match/image.jpgSportsnet Video bc-video
17116614665924472 Guerrero Jr. uncorks moonshot for first homer of season 5923912 carousel Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:31:54 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:35:42 EDT Sportsnet Video Watch as Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits a no-doubter straight to center for his first hit of the year off Rays’ Zach Eflin.

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Baseball MLB TB TOR videohttps://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/1704050871/bb5e9308-3146-447d-8b43-5ad82ba6f034/b5436d0c-32a5-41c7-81d1-0d6c80e4952e/160x90/match/image.jpgOpening Day 2024Sportsnet Video bc-video
17116683075924582 Why the Blue Jays’ offensive staff overhaul is already bearing fruit 5923912 carousel Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:26:40 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:26:40 EDT Sportsnet Video The Blue Jays Central panel breaks down what was an offensive onslaught from the Blue Jays, why the offensive staff overhaul is already bearing fruit, and how Vlad Guererro Jr. made a one-pitch adjustment to drill his first homer of the season.

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Baseball MLB TB TOR videohttps://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/1704050871/03c20654-66f1-442e-b193-84e8f3adcc9d/b902c583-587c-418b-9836-917e28e5ad85/160x90/match/image.jpgSportsnet Video bc-video
17116783955924760 Why Blue Jays’ Opening Day offence is blueprint for season 5923912 carousel Thu, 28 Mar 2024 22:18:32 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 22:18:32 EDT Sportsnet Video Shi Davidi joins Evanka Osmak on Sportsnet Central to discuss the Toronto Blue Jays Opening Day win against the Tampa Bay Rays, explains why their offence in the game was a blueprint for the season, and more.

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Baseball MLB TB TOR videohttps://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/1704050871/4a4d80fc-e71f-4f2e-ab64-cc7df7793ac3/eb5513d5-8459-4518-999d-3c931062d210/160x90/match/image.jpgSportsnet Video bc-video
17116621875924485 Kirk and Kiermaier drive in three runs to chase Eflin 5923912 carousel Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:44:26 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:44:26 EDT Sportsnet Video Watch as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk drives in two runs with a bases-loaded single in the sixth inning before Kevin Kiermaier brings Daulton Varsho home with another single to chase Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Zach Eflin from the game.

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Baseball MLB TB TOR videohttps://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/1704050871/37d4704d-9288-4323-9923-32901e96c4c5/ebd9d8f8-cc17-4963-bb63-e1cb4f04e4c8/160x90/match/image.jpgSportsnet Video bc-video
17116613475924469 Blue Jays’ Biggio cranks solo shot to right field 5923912 carousel Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:30:02 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 02:06:48 EDT Sportsnet Video Watch as Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Cavan Biggio rips a solo home run to right field against the Tampa Bay Rays for his first big fly of the 2024 season.

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Baseball MLB TB TOR videohttps://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/1704050871/48aac14a-cbec-4bc2-93f9-86ad7ec7c3bb/dd58024f-49c4-499c-b24b-9f2c06c049a5/160x90/match/image.jpgOpening Day 2024Sportsnet Video bc-video
17116596675924419 Springer delivers first Blue Jays’ home run in 2024 season 5923912 carousel Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:03:51 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:05:37 EDT Sportsnet Video Watch as Toronto Blue Jays’ George Springer goes yard for the team’s first hit of the season against the Rays.

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Baseball MLB TB TOR videohttps://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/1704050871/716c2866-7195-4a62-9ee2-3de4cdaa0e16/24823246-475e-4fb9-ba86-cda46c82d97d/160x90/match/image.jpgOpening Day 2024Sportsnet Video bc-video
Sportsnet Plus Home Page Feature features_banner_story Wed, 11 Oct 2023 12:04:02 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 08:52:25 EDT Billy Duke sn-features (Ashley Landis/AP Photo) JuJu NCAA Women’s Sweet 16 Storylines: Hidalgo, Watkins, Booker showcase next generation full_width Thu, 28 Mar 2024 22:13:54 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 23:35:17 EDT Hayley McGoldrick .Though WNBA-bound superstars have made up the headlines, some of the most impressive performances have come from the next generation, as JuJu Watkins, Hannah Hidalgo and Madison Booker all look to continue their March Madness takeover.

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One No. 7 seed and two No. 5 seeds were the only teams not seeded 1 through 4 to make the Sweet 16 in an ultra-competitive women’s field.

No. 7 Duke knocked off No. 2 Ohio State in the Round of 32 while No. 5 Colorado defeated No. 4 Kansas State and No. 5 Baylor eliminated No. 4 Virginia Tech. This means three Sweet 16 matchups are No. 2 vs No. 3 seeds.

Iowa-LSU, UConn-USC, Texas-Stanford and South Carolina-Notre Dame are all potential Elite Eight matchups, but top teams like Stanford and Iowa have already faced challenges in the first two rounds, and lower-seeded teams will be giving their all to keep their runs in the big dance alive.

Here are six storylines to watch for during the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Women’s March Madness tournament.

The next generation leads the way

Players who will likely be headed to the WNBA after the tournament — the likes of Caitlin Clark, Cameron Brink, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso — have caught attention and headlines as they not only have led their teams to this point but are also looking to make final impressions before their college careers end.

But many teams, while having veteran leadership on and off the court, have been led by freshman players like Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, USC’s JuJu Watkins and Texas’ Madison Booker.

Notre Dame’s roster is depleted due to injuries, but the efforts of Hidalgo, Maddy Westbeld and Sonia Citron have not gone unnoticed as they’ve scored 71 per cent of Notre Dame’s points through two games. Hidalgo, the ACC tournament MVP, ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year is playing 38.5 minutes per game, notching 16.5 points, 7.5 assists and five steals on average per game in the tournament. Hidalgo has been able to handle everything thrown her way both offensively and defensively and will take on a defensively tough Oregon State team next.

Watkins led USC with 28 points, 11 rebounds and five assists against Kansas, but it was the five points she added late in the third quarter that helped USC get their momentum back after Kansas cut the lead to one. Watkins hit a massive three-pointer and two free throws, and after assisting Kayla Padilla’s three-pointer, the lead was back to 10. Watkins is averaging 25.5 points and eight rebounds per game in the tournament, and thanks to her efforts, USC is in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1994 – 11 years before Watkins was born.

During the regular season, Booker averaged 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game for the Longhorns. In the first round, the 6-foot-1 forward showed her playmaking abilities as she notched a season-high 14 assists. Then in the win over Alabama in the second round, Booker showed off her scoring abilities with 21 points on 56.3 per cent shooting and will look to continue that against Gonzaga.

We need to talk about South Carolina

For a team that dominated the regular season and the SEC tournament, No. 1 South Carolina does not get as much attention as they should after losing all five starters as well as some strong reserves from last season. They may have fallen in the Final Four last year, but they cut the nets as champions just two years ago in 2022.

Viewers were expecting South Carolina to dominate against Presbyterian, but it was a bit more of a shock when they defeated No. 8 North Carolina by a massive 47 points. Earlier in the season when the two met, the Gamecocks only won by seven.

MiLaysia Fulwiley tallied 20 points with four three-pointers, nine rebounds, three steals and three blocks, while Raven Johnson added 11 points with three more three-pointers. Kamilla Cardoso had 12 points and 10 rebounds in her return from a one-game suspension.

Add in clutch playmaker Te-Hina Paopao, who is averaging 13 points and 4.5 assists per game during the tournament — and a 47.6 3-point shooting percentage ranking first in the nation — and the Gamecocks have options all across the court that make it hard for defenders to read, which makes them so good.

Is UConn back?

Not that UConn ever went away, but 1993 was the last time the Huskies weren’t in the Sweet 16, and Geno Auriemma’s current squad wasn’t going to stop short of that, especially after last year missing the Elite Eight for the first time since 2005.

The Huskies have struggled with their fair share of major injuries over the years, most notably losing star guard Paige Bueckers twice, missing 19 games in 2021-22 and missing all of 2022-23, with 2023-24 her first healthy season since she was a freshman. But this year Azzi Fudd went down with a season-ending injury, as the junior guard suffered a torn ACL in November.

Bueckers has powered UConn, averaging 30 points, 10.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game during March Madness on 56.8 per cent shooting; she’s a player who can change the trajectory of a game on any given night, but what makes the Huskies so dynamic is that they are not a one-dimensional team.

Canadian Aaliyah Edwards is not only a strong interior defender helping keep points in the paint to a minimum, but she has also started the tournament with a pair of double-doubles, averaging 15.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and two blocks a game.

KK Arnold had a 10-point game against Syracuse in the second round, hitting clutch shots when needed while also playing stifling defence. Meanwhile, Nika Muhl not only carried the defence for the Huskies but also notched five assists to break UConn’s all-time assist record, holding the record with 663. The Huskies managed to defeat that pesky Syracuse team, led by third-all-time NCAA women’s scorer Dyaisha Fair, and look to keep rolling against Duke.

Underdogs are the new top dogs

While many higher-seeded teams still made it to the Sweet 16, few games had a comfortable gap, and more often than not, top-seeded teams saw themselves leading by merely a basket or even trailing before finding fourth-quarter momentum to pull a win out.

Iowa struggled against West Virginia, Stanford had to take Iowa State to overtime, and USC saw a large lead slip to Kansas in the Round of 32.

For Duke, they managed to overcome a 16-point deficit and upset the No. 2 Buckeyes behind Reigan Richardson’s 28 points. The third-year guard is averaging 26.5 points and seven rebounds per game this tournament and backcourt partner Ashlon Jackson has added 13.5 points per game, helping Duke now match up with the No. 3 Huskies in this upcoming round.

Jada Walker’s 28 points lifted Baylor over No. 4 Virginia Tech, who appeared in the Final Four last year. Baylor makes the Sweet 16 for the first time under coach Nicki Collen, and is a team that has offensive balance with Sarah Andrews adding 14.5 points and four assists per game.

For a team like Indiana who now has to go up against South Carolina as 15.5-point underdogs, they have already exceeded expectations after losing in the Round of 32 last year. Guard Sara Scalia is averaging 19.5 points per game this tournament, while forward Mackenzie Holmes adds 21 points, six rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game. Together, the Hoosiers should be ready to put their best on the court against the Gamecocks.

What stands between Clark vs. Reese Part II?

The brackets have aligned so that if Iowa and LSU both win their Sweet 16 games, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese could face off in college one last time in a 2023 national title game rematch.

But what is standing in their way on both sides? LSU struggled early against Middle Tennessee before a second-half defensive masterclass helped them cruise to a win, while Iowa had one of their worst offensive performances of the season as Clark scored half the team’s points in their 64-54 win over West Virginia.

Clark, Reese, Flau’jae Johnson, Hannah Stuelke and Aneesah Morrow will all be the big names in their respective match-ups, who are more than well-known at this point. Clark is averaging 29.5 points, eight rebounds and 6.5 assists in the tournament while Reese has 15 points, 15 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game – but what are their opponents in the Sweet 16 bringing to these matchups?

For LSU, they’re going to have to go up against a talented UCLA squad, led by Kiki Rice and Lauren Betts. Rice scored 13 of her 24 points in the third quarter against Creighton, while Betts added 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Bruins.

As for Iowa, they’ll face off against Colorado, led by Quay Miller who notched a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Kansas State, while guard Maddie Nolan is averaging 11.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in the tournament.

Which lower seed has a fighting chance?

Gonzaga, North Carolina State and Oregon State are all in the position of being a 3 or 4 seed, meaning they all have to play the 1 or 2 seed in their region. Each team has made it to the Sweet 16 for a reason, with talent on both sides of the ball, but which team has a chance to advance to the Elite Eight?

Canadian Yvonne Ejim had 17 points against Utah to extend her streak of games scoring in double figures to 39, while sisters Kayleigh and Kaylynne Truong combined to hit seven three-pointers — an area the Bulldogs had struggled with during the season — to make the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015, but will now have to face No. 1 Texas.

Saniya Rivers may have put up 16 points for N.C. State in the first round against Chattanooga, but did one better with 20 points, six rebounds and three blocks against Tennessee. Rivers, Aziaha James and Zoe Brooks combined for 58 of the team’s 79 points and shot 61 per cent during the first half. Playing with that accuracy shooting would make it much tougher for Stanford to guard.

And as for Oregon State, who are now up against Notre Dame, they are led by Talia von Oelhoffen who scored 19 points and had eight assists against Nebraska. Pair that with Raegan Beers, who is averaging 14.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.5 steals this tournament, and the Beavers will be looking to make things difficult for the Fighting Irish.

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Basketball sn-article
Timothy Liljegren Maple Leafs’ Liljegren to ‘miss some time’ with upper-body injury feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 22:33:05 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 22:33:14 EDT Sportsnet Staff Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Timothy Liljegren is set to “miss some time” with an upper-body injury, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe.

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Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Timothy Liljegren is set to “miss some time” with an upper-body injury, according to head coach Sheldon Keefe.

The 24-year-old blue-liner was ruled out of Thursday’s game against the Washington Capitals after veteran defenceman Mark Giordano was activated from the LTIR.

It’s not clear when Liljegren suffered the injury. However, he played 22 minutes in Toronto’s game against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.

Liljegren has missed 20 games this season due to injury. He has three goals and has notched a career-high 20 assists.

The Maple Leafs are currently 41-22-9 and sit in third in the Atlantic Division.

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Hockey NHL TOR sn-article
(Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo) D-backs Diamondbacks unload on Rockies with franchise record 14 runs in third inning feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 23:48:48 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 01:53:22 EDT Associated Press The Arizona Diamondbacks got their season started with an offensive flourish, scoring 14 runs in the third inning of their opening-day game against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night.

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PHOENIX — Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen isn’t one to turn down run support.

But by the end of the third inning Thursday night, he was almost begging to get back on the field.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had five RBIs and three hits, including a two-run homer, and the Diamondbacks used a franchise-record 14-run third inning to rout the Colorado Rockies 16-1 on Thursday night.

The 14 runs were the most in an inning on opening day for any team since 1900.

“I joked at one point ‘Hey, I want to play,’” Gallen said. “It makes our job as pitchers a lot easier when they give you that much support. Next time, I’d rather them just do it in 10 minutes. Those guys came ready to play.”

Defending National League champion Arizona led 2-1 going into the bottom of the third, but then sent 18 batters to the plate and had 13 hits, two walks and a sacrifice fly.

Maybe most improbably, Arizona didn’t hit a homer during the inning. Ketel Marte, Gurriel, Christian Walker, Gabriel Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo all had two hits. Corbin Carroll walked twice. Blaze Alexander had his first big-league hit with a single up the middle that scored the 14th run.

“It was the situational hitting, taking walks when you’re supposed to, it was an all-field approach,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “We were a good hitting team today.”

The outburst broke franchise records for most hits, runs and batters in a single inning. It took 34 minutes for the Rockies to get three outs. The D-backs led 16-1 after three innings.

Gallen (1-0) gave up one run on three hits over five innings. He was helped on a pair of stellar defensive plays by third baseman Eugenio Suarez and center fielder Alek Thomas, which both squashed potential scoring opportunities for the Rockies.

Colorado lefty Kyle Freeland (0-1) took the brunt of the damage in the third, and was pulled after giving up 10 earned runs on 10 hits and a walk over 2 1/3 innings.

“Everything was left middle and up,” Freeland said. “I wasn’t hitting my spots well at all. I wasn’t executing well at all. And a team like that, which has good bats all the way through, took advantage of every single mistake.”

It was Freeland’s third opening day start for the Rockies, which is tied with Germán Márquez for the most in franchise history. Ryan McMahon had two hits, including an RBI double in the second.

Arizona’s Marte led off the bottom of the first with a single up the middle. He scored two batters later when Gurriel connected for a towering, no-doubt shot into the left field stands for a 2-0 lead.

Gurriel hit 24 homers last season with the D-backs, which was his first in the desert. Arizona brought him back on a $42 million, three-year deal that includes a club option for 2027.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: OF Randal Grichuk (ankle) has started the season on the 10-day injured list. He’s expected to open in Triple-A Reno on a rehab assignment and could be in the big leagues fairly soon.

UP NEXT

The Diamondbacks send RHP Merrill Kelly to the mound Friday night. The Rockies will counter with RHP Cal Quantrill.

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Baseball MLB ARI COL sn-article
(Jae C. Hong/AP Photo) Ohtani (1) MLB Roundup: Shohei Ohtani reaches three times for Dodgers win feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:52:16 EDT Fri, 29 Mar 2024 02:00:36 EDT Associated Press Shohei Ohtani reached three times in his home debut for the Dodgers, and Los Angeles beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 Thursday in the Dodger Stadium opener to a season of sky-high expectations.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani reached three times in his home debut, and Los Angeles beat St. Louis in the Dodger Stadium opener to a season of sky-high expectations.

Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman homered in the third inning, and Tyler Glasnow pitched six innings of two-hit ball for the Dodgers. One week after Los Angeles began the season with two games in South Korea, the club showed off the talent throughout an expensive, star-studded roster headlined by three former MVPs at the top of the batting order.

No addition was bigger than Ohtani, who showed no signs of distraction after a tumultuous week in which he emphatically denied betting on sports after the firing of his longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.

ORIOLES 11, ANGELS 3

BALTIMORE (AP) — Corbin Burnes allowed one baserunner in a dominant debut for Baltimore, and Anthony Santander and Cedric Mullins both homered as the Orioles began their AL East title defence with an 11-3 rout of the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday.

Mike Trout hit a first-inning home run off Burnes, but the Angels managed nary a peep against the new Baltimore ace after that. Burnes (1-0) struck out 11 in six innings in his first start after the Orioles acquired the right-hander from Milwaukee in an offseason trade.

Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman, who had five hits and a walk on opening day last year in Boston, started this season off with hits and the first and second innings, then later drew a walk. He scored three runs and Santander drove in four.

Santander hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Mullins added a three-run shot in the seventh for the Orioles, who brought back a young core that won 101 games last year They figure to add another top prospect soon whenever infielder Jackson Holliday comes up from the minors.

YANKEES 5, ASTROS 4

HOUSTON (AP) — Juan Soto threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning of his Yankees debut after starting New York’s comeback from a four-run deficit in a season-opening win over Houston.

Oswaldo Cabrera homered and Aaron Judge doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Yankees went ahead.

Mauricio Dubón and Yordan Alvarez singled off Clay Holmes to give the Astros two on with one out in the ninth. Kyle Tucker lined a single to right and Soto, an All-Star acquired from San Diego in a December trade, made a one-hop throw slightly up the third-base line. Catcher Jose Trevino made a sweep tag and caught Dubón’s left arm just before the runner’s finger touched the plate. Umpire James Hoye’s call was upheld in a video review.

Alex Bregman grounded into a force-out as Holmes got the save.

BLUE JAYS 8, RAYS 2

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — George Springer, Cavan Biggio and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homered to lead Toronto to a season-opening victory over Tampa Bay.

Alejandro Kirk and Bo Bichette drove in two runs apiece for the Blue Jays, who scored five times in the sixth inning after being limited to one hit — Springer’s solo homer in the fourth — off Rays starter Zach Eflin (0-1) through five innings.

José Berríos (1-0), making his second opening-day start for the Blue Jays and fourth overall, gave up a leadoff homer to Yandy Díaz on his fifth pitch of the day and also yielded a RBI double to the defending AL batting champion in the sixth.

The Toronto right-hander allowed two runs and six hits over six innings. He walked one and struck out six in the matchup of AL East rivals who both made the playoffs last season.

PADRES 6, GIANTS 4

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jake Cronenworth’s two-run double highlighted a four-run seventh inning for San Diego, who beat San Francisco to spoil Bob Melvin’s return to San Diego.

While it was opening day for the Giants, the Padres began the season by splitting a two-game series last week against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Seoul, South Korea.

Melvin managed the Padres for the last two seasons before leaving for the Giants with a year left on his contract. He skippered the Padres into the 2022 NL Championship Series and then presided over a disappointing season that included reports of an irreparable relationship with general manager A.J. Preller. He was replaced by Mike Shildt.

Jung Hoo Lee hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning of his first big league game to put the Giants ahead 3-2 in the seventh.

But the Padres responded in the bottom of the inning. Luis Campusano hit a leadoff single and took third on Tyler Wade’s single to right. Campusano scored on catcher Patrick Bailey’s errant throw when Wade stole second. Xander Bogaerts hit a go-ahead RBI single two batters ahead of Cronenworth’s double.

REDS 8, NATIONALS 2

CINCINNATI (AP) — Nick Martini homered twice and drove in five runs in his first opening-day start, Frankie Montas pitched six shutout innings in his Cincinnati debut as they cruised to a win over Washington.

Martini, a 33-year-old designated hitter with his fourth major league team since 2018, hit a two-run homer in the second inning and a three-run shot in the third for a 7-0 lead off Josiah Gray (0-1). Martino became the first Cincinnati player to hit two homers on opening day since Adam Dunn in 2007.

Montas (1-0) joined with Reds with a $16 million, one-year deal as a free agent and the 31-year-old right-hander allowed four hits in six innings, striking out four and walking none. He had labrum surgery last Feb. 21 while with the New York Yankees and made his only big league appearance of the year on Sept. 30.

Gray matched his career high by allowing seven runs, giving up eight hits in four innings with six strikeouts and two walks.

Eddie Rosario, making his Nationals debut after being added to the major league roster, hit a two-run homer in the seventh against Emilio Pagán.

TWINS 4, ROYALS 1

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pablo Lopez allowed one run over seven innings, Royce Lewis homered before leaving with an injury, and Minnesota beat Kansas City to begin defense of their AL Central crown.

Carlos Correa added three hits and two RBIs to back a near-peerless performance by Lopez, who picked up where he left off last postseason. The right-hander allowed four hits and struck out seven without a walk in his first opening-day start.

The lone run Lopez (1-0) allowed was a homer to Maikel Garcia, the first batter he faced.

Brock Stewart worked the eighth for Minnesota. Griffin Jax earned the save by handling the ninth.

Cole Ragans (0-1) set a Royals record for opening day with nine strikeouts in just six innings. But the 26-year-old left-hander, who arrived in a midseason trade with Texas last year, also allowed two runs on five hits and three walks.

PIRATES 6, MARLINS 5 (12)

MIAMI (AP) — Jared Triolo hit a RBI single in the top of the 12th inning to finish Pittsburgh’s rally and beat Miami.

Triolo’s line drive single against Marlins reliever Declan Cronin (0-1) scored automatic runner Ke’Bryan Hayes. Pirates reliever Jose Hernandez got the save, retiring 2023 NL batting champion Luis Arraez, Josh Bell and Bryan De La Cruz in his only inning of relief.

Luis Ortiz recorded the win for the Pirates.

After Pirates starter Mitch Keller gave up seven hits, five runs (four earned), walked two and struck out three over 5.2 innings, Pittsburgh’s bullpen held the Marlins to just one hit.

Marlins starter Jesús Luzardo allowed two hits and two runs over five innings. He walked two and struck out eight — one shy of matching the club record of nine opening-day strikeouts set by Josh Beckett in 2004 and Jose Fernandez in 2014.

Left fielder Bryan Reynolds hit a two-run homer off Luzardo that briefly tied it in the third, but Pittsburgh’s hitters largely struggled against the left-hander, tallying 18 whiffs as Miami went up 5-2.

TIGERS, 1 WHITE SOX 0

CHICAGO (AP) — Tarik Skubal pitched six innings of three-hit ball and Detroit opened a promising season on a winning note, beating the Chicago White Sox.

Skubal and three relievers combined to retire the final 17 batters. The White Sox did not advance past first base and wasted a terrific start by Garrett Crochet.

Javier Báez singled and scored on Andy Ibáñez’s sacrifice fly in the third. The Tigers finished with six hits.

Skubal (1-0) picked up right where he left off last year. The 27-year-old left-hander struck out six without a walk in his first opening-day start, after going 4-0 with a 0-90 ERA in his final five outings a year ago.

Shelby Miller pitched a perfect seventh. Andrew Chafin worked 1 1/3 innings before Jason Foley earned the save by striking out Yoán Moncada and Luis Robert Jr.

RANGERS 4, CUBS 3 (10)

ARLINGTON, Texas — Jonah Heim hit a game-ending RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning as World Series champion Texas opened the season with a win over the Chicago Cubs.

Adolis García and Travis Jankowski homered for the Rangers, who unfurled the franchise’s first World Series championship banner from the rafters high above right field before the dramatic victory.

Drew Smyly, the Cubs’ seventh pitcher, walked two to load the bases before Heim lined a sharp hit into right-center field and was mobbed by his teammates.

Jankowski led off the ninth with a tying pinch-hit homer after Chicago went ahead on a disputed play with two outs in the top half of the inning involving All-Star catcher Heim.

Michael Busch scored from second base on what Heim thought was a foul tip — and appeared to be on slow-motion replays, though that kind of play isn’t subject to video review. José Leclerc, who had walked Busch, was charged with a wild pitch.

David Robertson, the veteran reliever Texas signed in free agency, worked the 10th for the win.

DIAMONDBACKS 16, ROCKIES 1

PHOENIX — Lourdes Gurriel Jr. had five RBIs and three hits, including a two-run homer, and Arizona used a franchise-record 14-run third inning to rout Colorado.

The 14 runs were the most in an inning on opening day for any team since 1900.

Arizona — the defending National League champions — led 2-1 going into the bottom of the third, but then sent 18 batters to the plate and had 13 hits, two walks and a sacrifice fly.

Maybe most improbably, Arizona didn’t hit a homer during the inning. Ketel Marte, Gurriel, Christian Walker, Gabriel Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo all had two hits. Corbin Carroll walked twice. Blaze Alexander had his first big-league hit with a single up the middle that scored the 14th run.

The outburst broke franchise records for most hits, runs and batters in a single inning. It took 34 minutes for the Rockies to get three outs. The D-backs led 16-1 after three innings.

Arizona ace Zac Gallen (1-0) gave up one run on three hits over five innings. He was helped on a pair of stellar defensive plays by third baseman Eugenio Suarez and center fielder Alek Thomas, which both squashed potential scoring opportunities for the Rockies.

RED SOX 6, MARINERS 4

SEATTLE — Tyler O’Neill homered in his fifth straight opening day game to set a major league record, this time against the organization that drafted him, and Boston beat Seattle.

Rafael Devers homered and doubled off Seattle ace Luis Castillo, but it was O’Neill’s homer on the first pitch from Cody Bolton in the eighth inning that gave the Red Sox a 6-4 lead and made history.

O’Neill homered the previous four opening days with St. Louis, tying him with Todd Hundley (1994-97), Gary Carter (1977-80) and Yogi Berra (1955-58). He was a top prospect in the Mariners organization before being traded to St. Louis in 2017.

The homers and some solid pitching helped Boston manager Alex Cora enjoy his first opening-day win as a manager.

Devers hit an opposite-field two-run homer on an elevated fastball from Castillo in the third inning and his one-out double in the fifth helped lead to another run for Boston. Connor Wong added a two-out RBI single in the sixth on a pitch well off the plate.

Boston starter Brayan Bello (1-0) pitched five innings and limited the damage to Mitch Haniger’s two-run homer after he spent last season with San Francisco. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for the save after recording 29 last season for Boston.

GUARDIANS 8, ATHLETICS 0

OAKLAND, Calif. — Shane Bieber struck out 11 in six shutout innings, David Fry had three hits and Stephen Vogt won his managerial debut as Cleveland beat Oakland.

Bieber, the 2020 Cy Young Award winner, made his fifth consecutive opening-day start and allowed four hits in six innings.

Vogt spent six seasons as a player with the A’s in two stints before retiring in 2022. He was hired by Cleveland to replace Terry Francona after a year as a bullpen coach for the Seattle Mariners.

The Guardians scored five times in the fourth inning to knock A’s starter Alex Wood out of the game and take a 6-0 lead.

With the bases loaded and one out, Andrés Giménez started the scoring with an RBI single, Austin Hedges hit an infield single that drove in two runs and Brayan Rocchio followed with a two-run double.

Wood, in his 12th season, allowed six runs in 3 1/3 innings in his first opening-day start.

BRAVES-PHILLIES PPD

The Philadelphia Phillies announced their sold-out opener against the NL East rival Atlanta Braves was moved from 3:05 p.m. to Friday at the same time due to rain.

BREWERS-METS PPD

Pete Alonso and the New York Mets were scheduled to host the Milwaukee Brewers, the Mets announced Wednesday the game was pushed back to Friday at 1:40 p.m.

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Baseball MLB LAD STL sn-article
Jeff Roberson/AP St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington St. Louis Blues goalie Jordan Binnington notches two assists vs. Calgary Flames feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 23:34:19 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 23:34:26 EDT Sportsnet Staff It’s not every day you see a goaltender notch an assist, let alone two, but St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington did exactly that against the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

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It’s not every day you see a goaltender notch an assist, let alone two, but St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington did exactly that against the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

His first came in the opening on the first goal of the night. He passed the puck to Zac Bolduc, who skated it out into the neutral zone, passing it off and then receiving it once more to pot the goal.

His second came as the Blues got some insurance with an empty-net goal from Pavel Buchnevich.

With just one assist in 51 games this season, Binnington now has three points — a career-best for him. With eight career assists now, the 30-year-old goaltender is a far cry behind Tom Barrasso, who had 48 goalie points across his 19 seasons.

On top of a career-high in assists, Binnington is also enjoying his best season between the pipes since the Blues’ 2018-19 Stanley Cup win, posting a .912 save percentage and a 2.83 goals-against average, despite his team sitting six points out of a playoff spot.

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Hockey NHL STL sn-article
(Ted S. Warren/AP Photo) Cruz Nelson Cruz signs one-day contract to retire with Seattle Mariners feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 22:50:46 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 22:50:54 EDT Sportsnet Staff Four-time Silver Slugger and seven-time All-Star Nelson Cruz has signed a one-day contract, allowing the MLB legend to retire with the Seattle Mariners, the team announced on Thursday.

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Four-time Silver Slugger and seven-time All-Star Nelson Cruz has signed a one-day contract, allowing the MLB legend to retire with the Seattle Mariners, the team announced on Thursday ahead of their Opening Day game outing the Boston Red Sox.

Cruz, who spent 19 years in the major leagues, splitting time between seven different teams. Though he only spent four of those seasons in Seattle — from 2015 to 2018 — the all-time slugger made it clear how impactful those years were to him.

“I have always identified myself with the Seattle Mariners,” Cruz said. “When I was playing here, I felt comfortable playing the game.”

In those years, he averaged 41 home runs and 104 RBIs per season. His 163 home runs while in Seattle were the most in MLB. He was named an All-Star in three of those years and won two of his four Silver Slugger awards.

The Dominican superstar retired last season at age 42 after spending some time with the San Diego Padres. He made it to one World Series while playing with the Texas Rangers in 2011, eventually losing to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Over the course of his storied career, Cruz hit 464 home runs, had 1325 RBIs and finished with a career batting average of .274.

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Baseball MLB SEA sn-article
Paul St-Pierre Plamondon Quebec minister to order probe after complaint about QMJHL English-only playoff garb feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:44:23 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:05:55 EDT Canadian Press Quebec’s French language minister says he’ll ask the province’s language watchdog to investigate after the leader of the Parti Québécois complained about a lack of French on a QMJHL team’s playoff garb.

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The Quebec government says it will ask the province’s language watchdog to investigate after the leader of the Parti Québécois complained about a lack of French on a QMJHL team’s playoff garb.

On Wednesday night, PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon complained on X, formerly Twitter, about T-shirts and hoodies reading “Gilles-Courteau Trophy playoffs” worn by players from the Drummondville Voltigeurs. The Gilles-Courteau Trophy is awarded to the team that win’s the league championship.

St-Pierre Plamondon posted a second photo that showed players with the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League’s Chicoutimi Saguenéens in a room with slogans behind them written in English.

“The QMJHL is the QUEBEC league responsible for the development of our young Quebec players. Its common and official language should be French,” he wrote.

On Thursday, French Language Minister Jean-François Roberge said it makes no sense for Quebec teams to have unilingual English on their shirts or in their locker rooms.

“I think that this does not respect — at the very least — the principle of the law,” Roberge told reporters in Quebec City, adding he intended to file a complaint later in the day. The province’s language law declares that French is the official language of Quebec and “the only common language of the Quebec nation.”

Sports Minister Isabelle Charest said she didn’t have the ability to impose French on a private league, but called on it to act in good faith. “We’re in Quebec and we want our young players to speak French,” Charest said.

The Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League said on Wednesday that it has raised the matter of the English-only shirts with the Drummondville organization. It chalked the matter up to a human error, adding that the shirts should have, at the very least, been bilingual.

In a statement, the Drummondville Voltigeurs organization said new clothing was being ordered and would be distributed to players.

“French has and will always be of capital importance in our organization,” said David Boies, director of operations. Internal communications, social media posts, and engagement with fans and partners are done only in French, but as the team is part of league that operates in four province, in some cases interactions with players and signage is in English, he added.

The 18-team league, which includes six teams based in Atlantic Canada, recently added the word Maritime to its name.

Raphaël Doucet, a spokesman for the league, noted that its players come from all over the world and English is often used to communicate with them. The league is also tasked with preparing players to play professionally, where English is the predominant language.

“We must therefore immerse them in an environment similar to that of the leagues in which they dream of playing,” Doucet wrote in a response to St-Pierre Plamondon on X on Wednesday.

The PQ leader said Thursday he wasn’t satisfied with that response.

“I understand that there are accommodations, but here we are really faced with a lack of consideration and respect for the Quebec language in the league that develops our Quebec players, in our national sport,” St-Pierre Plamondon told reporters. He posted later on X that he was pleased with the government’s response and said his party will await the conclusions of the investigation.

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Hockey Jr Hockey QMJHL sn-article
Matt Slocum/AP fedotov_ivan1280 Philadelphia Flyers prospect Ivan Fedotov has contract terminated by CSKA Moscow feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:54:18 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:41:53 EDT Sportsnet Staff Russian goalie Ivan Fedotov could finally start his NHL career after his KHL contract was terminated on Thursday.

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Russian goalie Ivan Fedotov could be taking a step toward finally starting his NHL career after his KHL contract was terminated on Thursday, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported.

Fedotov, who was playing for CSKA Moscow — despite having a contract with the Flyers and in defiance of an International Ice Hockey Federation ruling in August — has had his Russian contract terminated, according to a tweet by the Russian league.

The 27-year-old, six-foot-seven goalie was drafted by the Flyers in 2015 and signed a one-year deal with the club in May 2022. In July 2022, however, he was stopped from leaving his country for allegedly evading military service and missed the entirety of the 2022-23 season.

The Flyers then had the contract they’d signed with Fedotov “tolled” until the start of the 2023-24, only for CSKA Moscow to announce it had signed the goalie to a new, two-year deal in July. The Flyers appealed that ruling to the IIHF, which determined in August that CSKA Moscow’s deal had breached regulations because the player held a valid contract with the NHL club. The IIHF denied CSKA and Fedotov’s appeal of that ruling in December.

The Finnish-born Russian national went 21-22-1 this season with CSKA, posting a 2.57 goals-against average and .916 save percentage.

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Hockey NHL PHI sn-article
Alan Letang Sting coach Letang, assistant suspended by OHL for abuse of officials feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:01:40 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:02:44 EDT Canadian Press The Ontario Hockey League has suspended Sarnia Sting head coach Alan Letang three games and assistant coach Micheal Haley two games for conduct demeaning to game officials.

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The Ontario Hockey League has suspended Sarnia Sting head coach Alan Letang three games and assistant coach Micheal Haley two games for conduct demeaning to game officials.

The Sting have also been fined $2,500.

Letang and Haley were both ejected from Sarnia’s 4-2 loss to visiting Saginaw last Friday after receiving game misconducts for abuse of officials within three minutes of each other in the third period.

Letang, who was Canada’s head coach at the 2024 world junior championship, was initially suspended indefinitely by the OHL on Saturday before Sarnia’s season-ending 3-0 win over Flint.

The remaining two games of Letang’s suspension and Haley’s two-game ban will be served at the start of the 2024-25 OHL season.

Sarnia finished this season with a 25-39-4 record and missed the playoffs. 

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Hockey Jr Hockey sn-article
Dakota Joshua-2 Vancouver Canucks officially activate Dakota Joshua off IR feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:54:50 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:54:57 EDT Sportsnet Staff The Vancouver Canucks are getting bruising forward Dakota Joshua back ahead of their matchup against the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

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The Vancouver Canucks are getting bruising forward Dakota Joshua back ahead of their matchup against the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

General manager Patrik Allvin announced Joshua was activated off injured reserve after missing seven weeks with a hand injury.

Joshua suffered the injury on Feb. 13 against the Chicago Blackhawks after fighting MacKenzie Entwistle.

The 27-year-old has enjoyed a breakout year under Rick Tocchet, setting a career-high in goals (13) and points (26) in 53 games. Prior to his injury, Joshua and his linemates made up one of the most effective third lines in hockey.

You can watch the Canucks and Stars in a potential Western Conference Final preview on Sportsnet Pacific and Sportsnet+ starting at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.

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Hockey NHL VAN sn-article
(Chris O'Meara/AP Photo) Svensson Canada’s Svensson two shots back after first round in Houston, Scheffler tied second feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:37:17 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:37:24 EDT Associated Press Scottie Scheffler had his 28th consecutive round under par to start the year, a 5-under 65 on Thursday that left him one shot behind Taylor Moore and Wilson Furr in the Houston Open.

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HOUSTON — Scottie Scheffler had his 28th consecutive round under par to start the year, a 5-under 65 on Thursday that left him one shot behind Taylor Moore and Wilson Furr in the Houston Open.

Scheffler also extended his streak to 49 holes without a bogey dating to the third round of The Players Championship two weeks ago, where he became the first back-to-back winner in the 50 years of the PGA Tour’s flagship event.

The streak that matters is his bid for a third straight PGA Tour victory, a feat last accomplished seven years ago by Dustin Johnson.

That also was the last thing on Scheffler’s mind at Memorial Park, his final tournament before he heads to the Masters as a strong favorite.

“I don’t ever really put expectations on myself,” Scheffler said. “I try to be committed to my shots. I try to stay patient out there. At the beginning of the week, I’m not looking forward toward Sunday. I’m just focused on today.”

Moore came up short of the first hole and missed a 6-foot par putt. That was his lone mistake. He pitched in for eagle on the par-5 third and was on his way, getting up-and-down on the 18th for a 64.

“After the first hole, just tried to see how many greens I could hit,” Moore said. “Got off to a little bit of a jump start there on 3, chipped in for eagle and birdied 4. Just got into the round.”

Furr matched him late in the day, holing out from 120 yards for eagle on the par-4 fifth and closing with birdies on the par-5 eighth and par-3 ninth — making a 20-footer on 9.

“Had a good number. it was downwind and it landed right behind it, ripped right back to the hole and just never looked like it was going to miss,” Furr said about the eagle.

The 25-year-old former Alabama player is in his first season on the PGA Tour after earning a card last year on the Korn Ferry Tour.

“It’s a dream come true, for sure,” Furr said. “Just being surrounded by the best golfers in the world, it’s kind of inspiring day to day. Can’t ask for a better job than that.”

Scheffler was a stroke back with Joe Highsmith and Davis Riley.

Canadians Adam Svensson and Mackenzie Hughes were at 66 with Alejandro Tosti, Aaron Rai and Beau Hossler. Peter Malnati, coming off a victory last week at the Valspar Championship in Florida, shot 68.

Scheffler decided to take a little more time off last week at home in Dallas, mentally spent from winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players in consecutive weeks. He had a rugged start at Memorial Park, having to make a 10-foot par putt on No. 10 and not having his first birdie putt until his fourth hole at No. 13. He made a 12-footer.

It was his eighth bogey-free round of the year.

The Houston Open was last held in the fall of 2022, moving to a spring date for this year. That allowed the course to be overseeded, and the tough Bermuda rough from the fall has been replaced with very little rough at all.

It’s similar to what the Houston Open tried to do when it previously was held a week before the Masters and attracted several top players looking to compete ahead of the first major.

“I was surprised at the lack of rough on the course,” Scheffler said. “I know they’re trying to do a little bit of kind of what the tournament used to be when it was the week before. The golf course is in amazing shape right now. The runoffs are fun to play.

“You don’t need rough to make this course pretty tough,” he said. “I think it will be pretty difficult over the next couple days with the wind picking up.”

Scheffler had only two birdies inside 10 feet. He holed from 25 feet on the 17th and he made an 18-foot birdie on No. 2. He two-putted the par-5 third from long range.

Highsmith finished strong, getting up-and-down from the right rough on the par-5 eighth and hitting his tee shot to just inside 10 feet on the par-3 ninth.

Like Furr, Highsmith is a PGA Tour rookie, and his class already has made an impact this year. Matthieu Pavon of France (Torrey Pines) and Jake Knapp (Mexico) have won, while Sami Valimaki of Finland, Chandler Phillips and Jimmy Stanger all have contended on the back nine.

Two other rookies made a small piece of history Thursday. Parker and Pierceson Coody, the grandsons of former Masters champion Charles Coody, became the first twins to be paired together on the PGA Tour.

Both thought it was a mistake when the tee times came out.

“It was definitely a little more weird until the round started,” Pierceson said after a 69, one shot better than his brother. “Once the round started, it felt normal.”

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Golf PGA Tour sn-article
(Julia Nikhinson/AP) CP170327925 Corbin Burnes brilliant in Orioles debut, strikes out 11 in rout of Angels feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 18:18:43 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:06:48 EDT Associated Press Corbin Burnes allowed one baserunner in a dominant debut for Baltimore, and Anthony Santander and Cedric Mullins both homered as the Orioles began their AL East title defence with an 11-3 rout of the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday.

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BALTIMORE — Corbin Burnes’ debut in Baltimore was everything his new team could have wanted.

The Orioles’ new ace was excellent — and their offense showed why they’re the reigning AL East champions.

“One bad pitch through six innings. Just awesome, awesome performance,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “That’s not easy to do. New team, opening day, a lot of jitters, probably pretty anxious, and go out and do what he just did is really impressive.”

Burnes allowed one baserunner in a dominant six innings, and Anthony Santander and Cedric Mullins both homered as the Orioles began their division defense with an 11-3 rout of the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday.

Mike Trout hit a first-inning home run off Burnes, but the Angels managed nary a peep against the new Baltimore ace after that. Burnes (1-0) struck out 11 in his first start after the Orioles acquired him from Milwaukee in an offseason trade.

“It’s kind of one of those days where everything lines up, that you kind of got everything working. It becomes a really fun day,” Burnes said. “You can kind of do some things that you don’t normally do when you don’t have everything working.”

Burnes joined Bob Gibson in 1967 as the only pitchers with at least 11 strikeouts, no walks, and one or fewer runs allowed on opening day.

“He did exactly what a real good pitcher does,” said the Angels’ Ron Washington, back managing a big league team for the first time in a decade. “You give him a lead, they know how to take it to the finish line.”

Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman, who had five hits and a walk on opening day last year in Boston, started this season off with hits in the first and second innings, then later drew a walk. He scored three runs and Santander drove in four.

Santander hit a two-run homer in the fourth and Mullins added a three-run shot in the seventh for the Orioles, who brought back a young core that won 101 games last year. They figure to add another top prospect soon whenever infielder Jackson Holliday comes up from the minors.

Baltimore also began a new era when David Rubenstein bought control Wednesday from the Angelos family that had owned the team since 1993.

For the Angels, the future isn’t nearly as rosy after the departure of two-way star Shohei Ohtani in the offseason. Trout still can be an MVP-caliber player if healthy, but Los Angeles wasn’t competitive in this one. Patrick Sandoval (0-1) got only five outs while making the start on opening day — a role filled by Ohtani the past two years. Sandoval allowed three earned runs and six hits.

Baltimore scored twice in the first. Then Rutschman hit a two-run single in the second and scored on Santander’s sacrifice fly to make it 5-1.

“The quality of the at-bats that we were taking early in the game was unbelievable for me,” Hyde said. “Just the way we were laying off close pitches. Sandoval’s not easy to hit.”

TRAINERS ROOM

Angels: Los Angeles put RHP Sam Bachman (right shoulder inflammation) on the 60-day injured list, INF Michael Stefanic (left quad strain) on the 10-day IL and RHP Robert Stephenson (right shoulder inflammation) on the 15-day IL. The Angels selected the contract of INF Miguel Sanó.

Orioles: RHP Kyle Bradish (right UCL sprain) and LHP John Means (left forearm strain) started the season on the 15-day IL. Baltimore also put RHP Jacob Webb on the paternity list, recalled LHP Nick Vespi from Triple-A Norfolk and designated OF Ryan McKenna and UT Tyler Nevin for assignment.

UP NEXT

The teams resume this three-game series Saturday. Baltimore’s Grayson Rodriguez starts against Griffin Canning.

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Baseball MLB BAL TOR sn-article
Gregory Payan/AP Brad Katona Canadian Brad Katona to fight Jesse Butler in June feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 19:46:40 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 20:10:48 EDT Sportsnet Staff Canadian bantamweight Brad “Superman” Katona is set to fight American Jesse Butler on Jun. 8, first reported by Iridium Sports Agency on Thursday.

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Canadian bantamweight Brad “Superman” Katona is set to fight American Jesse Butler on Jun. 8, first reported by Iridium Sports Agency on Thursday.

Katona, out of Winnipeg, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Garrett Armfield at UFC 297 in Toronto. The Ultimate Fighter winner is now 3-3 in the UFC and 15-3 professionally.

Meanwhile, Butler hasn’t stepped into the octagon since June 2023 when he lost to Jim Miller via TKO just 23 seconds into the first round. It was his only UFC contest to date, holding a professional record of 12-5. Butler has had two scheduled fights since then but withdrew from the one in August and then could not compete in November due to injury.

The fight and event these two bantamweights will compete at have yet to be officially announced by the UFC.

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MMA UFC sn-article
At The Letters_1280x720 At The Letters Podcast At The Letters: What’s ahead for Blue Jays in 2024? full_width Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:26:01 EDT Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:26:03 EDT Sportsnet Staff With the 2024 season about to begin, Arden and Ben start with the latest news out of Blue Jays camp (00:39) before discussing the high stakes for the coming season (38:07) and whether the team has enough bats (53:02).

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With the 2024 season about to begin, Arden and Ben start with the latest news out of Blue Jays camp (00:39) before discussing the high stakes for the coming season (38:07) and whether the team has enough bats (53:02).

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Baseball MLB sn-article
Nathan Denette/CP Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Why committing to the Toronto Blue Jays this year feels different full_width Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:20:20 EDT Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:49:36 EDT Tao of Stieb Why should fans of the Toronto Blue Jays commit to the next six months of misery and suffering and torment? Tao of Stieb has the answers.

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TORONTO — At the outset of the 2024 Major League Baseball season, there are high expectations of what would constitute success for the Toronto Blue Jays. And yet, there is also low confidence amongst the fanbase that they can meet those expectations.

It’s a peculiar situation from the outside looking in, though for Blue Jays fans who have lived through the team’s most recent competitive window, such a circumstance is well-earned.

Blue Jays fans are well aware that they are approaching the later stages of this competitive window, and for all of the promise that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette brought with them, the team’s results have ultimately been disappointing, punctuated by soul-punishing conclusions to almost every season in their careers so far.

Add in that the most dramatic moment for fans in recent memory was an ill-fated plane ride that did not bring the game’s most coveted free agent to Toronto, and one can understand how even your most measured Blue Jays supporter is more than a little irritable and twitchy these days.

They say hope springs eternal at this point of the baseball season, but given the wariness that trends toward cynicism, there’s not much margin for error for this year’s Blue Jays. If the series of recent failures would make any fan leery, the punishingly frustrating 2023 season has left many fans feeling contemptuous of the team.

Moreover, an off-season that was a letdown for the futile pursuit of Shohei Ohtani and generally underwhelming otherwise has left some fans wondering whether the front office feels the same level of disappointment at the past results, or the same urgency to compete.

Even with the benefit of inherent enthusiasm for a new year, this prologue of past calamities will weigh heavily on the current season. It means that every negative outcome on the field will take on added meaning. Every setback and bad break will be an extension of the recent history of disappointment and futility.

It certainly won’t be a season to assuage someone with an offhanded assertion that “it’s still early,” unless you are seeking to be rebuked by an ornery fan.

Of course, baseball is a game of failure, and there will be plenty of it in the season ahead. More than a thousand runners will be left on base. Likely more than 100 double plays grounded into. Well over 1,000 strikeouts. Likely more than last year’s 71 errors committed. Somewhere close to 500 walks allowed and 200 home runs against Jays pitchers.

Even in the best-case scenarios for the Blue Jays, they’ll lose around 60 games. That’s at least two full months of days and evenings in which fans will end the day on a bad note.

When you consider it all this way … man, does supporting the Blue Jays ever sound like a lousy existence. When did we become as miserable as (gulp) Yankees fans?

(Some of this perspective clearly comes from the author of this piece being so utterly and terminally online, a place where people aren’t likely to show up to declare how sanguine they feel or how well-adjusted they are.)

So, why do it? Why commit to the next six months of misery and suffering and torment? Especially in the scant few days of warmth and sunshine and summer that are allotted to Canadians?

Maybe it’s because under all of the dust and ashes of past misfortune, there’s some glimmering lights of optimism to be found.

Emerging players such as Davis Schneider and Ernie Clement played their way into roles on the big-league roster by following a good finish to 2023 with a solid spring this year. And Bowden Francis has built upon a succession of improvements to arrive on the roster as a plausible contributor to the rotation this year and in the future.

There is also the matter of a certain Hall of Fame-worthy Canadian who was signed late in the off-season. While even Joey Votto would agree that there are no guarantees for how he could fit in this roster or contribute to the Blue Jays’ success, the possibilities for a finally healthy generational hitter to have real and meaningful moments in his hometown at long last is an exciting possibility.

And finally, there are Guerrero Jr. and Bichette themselves. Every player says all the right things in February and March, but the Jays’ franchise cornerstones arrived in camp carrying themselves much differently, both physically and mentally. They look and sound prepared to grasp the responsibility of leading the team on the field and in the clubhouse, no longer willing to allow others to serve as the veterans on the team.

It could be that the history of this club in the context of this competitive window will continue to cast a considerable shadow over the team’s fortunes and the fanbase’s mood. But ultimately, fans support a team because they want them to succeed. Hopes for the 2024 Toronto Blue Jays may be diminished, but they aren’t extinguished.

And hope is a powerful thing.

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(Ryan Sun/AP Photo) Ohtani Commissioner Rob Manfred hopes MLB investigation of Shohei Ohtani will be short feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:11:14 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 17:11:16 EDT Associated Press Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says he hopes the sport’s gambling investigation of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will be short but he isn’t sure.

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Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says he hopes the sport’s gambling investigation of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will be short but he isn’t sure.

MLB announced its investigation Friday after the Dodgers fired Ohtani’s interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well over $1 million. Ohtani said Monday he never bet on sports or knowingly paid any gambling debts accumulated by Mizuhara.

“Given the way the story unfolded, it’s important in terms of assuring our fans about the integrity of the game that we verify the things that Mr. Ohtani has said, and it’s really that simple,” Manfred said Thursday on the MLB Network.

The IRS has confirmed that Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles field office.

“It’s really difficult for the federal authorities to cooperate with us fully when they have their own ongoing investigation, so I think this is one where we’ll have to proceed on our own,” Manfred said,

MLB has limited ability to compel cooperation.

“We never have the kind of authority that law enforcement people have, but we manage to get these investigations done and find the facts and I’m sure we will on this one,” Manfred said.

Asked about the length of the investigation, Manfred said: “I hope short, but I just don’t know.”

Manfred defended the commercial relationships MLB and its teams have with legal gambling companies.

“Sports betting is going to go on in the United States whether we have a relationship with any particular company, any gambling enterprise, or not,” he said. “I don’t think it’s unusual to have a set of rules that apply to fans and executives and private citizens out there on the one hand, and players and people who have the ability to affect the outcome of the play on the field.”

“There are all sorts of situations in which you have a privilege, in this case, the privilege to play in Major League Baseball, and that comes with a responsibility to refrain from engaging in certain types of behaviour, in this case, gambling. that are legal for other people,” he added.

Manfred also discussed the uncertainty in revenue from regional sports networks. Following the bankruptcy filing last year of Diamond Sports’ Bally networks, MLB took over local broadcasts of San Diego and Arizona last season and is producing and distributing their telecasts this year along with those of Colorado.

“Local media is about 25% of our revenue,” Manfred said. “There’s absolutely no question that that particular revenue stream is challenged right now, but we see it as a trough. There’s going to be a little downtick here, but we believe over the long haul … clubs will be back to and beyond where they have been historically.”

“Everybody is to some extent affected by the changes that are going in the cable bundle,” he added. “The clubs that have actually seen revenue declines would be Seattle, Colorado, San Diego, Arizona, and then small declines in Texas, Minnesota and Cleveland.”

Manfred said local media contributed to a slower free agent market that led to some top players getting shorter-term contracts.

“We have a market-based system,” he said, “and when you have issues like the RSN issue … that affect a significant number of teams and all the teams see problems on that horizon, it’s going to affect the market for players. It has to.

“I think the players understand that they bargained for a market system and that markets are going to vary year to year. I think the bigger issue in terms of talking with players is making sure they understand what’s going on with respect to local media so they can appreciate the impact that it has on the market.”

Manfred also said MLB is planning for Willie Mays, who turns 93 in May, to attend the June 20 game between San Francisco and St. Louis being played in his honour at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama. The 10,800-seat stadium, opened in 1910, is the oldest professional ballpark in the U.S. and was home to the Birmingham Black Barons from 1924-60. Mays, an Alabama native, began his professional career with the team in 1948.

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tiedemann Blue Jays No. 1 prospect Ricky Tiedemann named Buffalo Bisons’ Opening Day starter feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:24:37 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:24:45 EDT Sportsnet Staff Toronto Blue Jays No. 1 prospect Ricky Tiedemann will start the season in triple-A with the Buffalo Bisons and was named as the club’s Opening Day starter.

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Toronto Blue Jays No. 1 prospect Ricky Tiedemann will start the season in triple-A with the Buffalo Bisons and was named as the club’s Opening Day starter, Bisons manager Casey Candaele announced Thursday.

The Bisons open their International League schedule on Friday against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, the New York Yankees’ triple-A affiliate, at Sahlen Field in Buffalo.

Tiedemann, 21, made his triple-A debut for the Bisons on Sep. 22, 2023, striking out six hitters and allowing no earned runs over four innings.

Ranked as Baseball America’s top left-handed pitching prospect, Tiedemann threw 62 innings across three minor-league levels and the Arizona Fall League (AFL) in 2023. He finished the MiLB season with a 3.68 ERA, 82 strikeouts and 23 walks.

At the AFL, he was named the Pitcher of the Year, allowing just five runs over 18 innings of work while racking up 23 strikeouts.

Tiedemann also impressed to close out spring training with the big-league club, striking out five Pittsburgh Pirates over three innings.

He is currently ranked as the No. 29 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and No. 22 by Baseball America.

First pitch for the Bisons’ home opener is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. ET and 11:05 a.m. PT.

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wes parsons Blue Jays’ Opening Day call ‘an amazing moment’ for Wes Parsons, Nate Pearson feed_column Wed, 27 Mar 2024 19:33:17 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 00:46:39 EDT Shi Davidi Wes Parsons didn’t know what to expect when manager John Schneider’s name popped up on his phone. The right-hander felt that he pitched well during spring training and was hopeful of breaking camp with the Toronto Blue Jays for his first Opening Day in the majors since 2019 with Atlanta.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Wes Parsons didn’t know what to expect when manager John Schneider’s name popped up on his phone. The right-hander felt that he pitched well during spring training and was hopeful of breaking camp with the Toronto Blue Jays for his first Opening Day in the majors since 2019 with Atlanta.

Still, when Schneider broke the news that he was opening the year in the majors, “I was honestly in shock,” he said Wednesday in the visitors’ clubhouse at Tropicana Field, where he and his teammates worked out ahead of Thursday’s curtain-raiser against the Tampa Bay Rays. “Didn’t see it coming at all. I was ecstatic.”

He was also tearful, so much so that when he FaceTimed his wife, Della, immediately afterwards she asked, “What in the world happened?”

“I was like, ‘I made the team.’ She was very excited,” said Parsons, who credits Della and their 15-month-old son Beckett for helping him persevere through some tough times. “It’s been a really long trip between the two opening days. It was crazy just going through the KBO trying to find myself, going through back surgery and after back surgery (a microdiscectomy of the L4-L5 vertebrae in 2022), I thought I was pretty much done. But I kept going and here we are. The feelings are just, I mean, it was an amazing moment.”

For Nate Pearson, the other right-handed reliever added to finalize the Blue Jays roster with Jordan Romano and Erik Swanson slated to hit the injured list, the phone call from Schneider on Wednesday night offered both joy and relief.

During the two-day wait between Monday’s spring finale and word on his fate, “I was just sitting there, stressing a little bit.” That disappeared after learning that he’ll enjoy a proper Opening Day for the first time – he debuted six games into the COVID campaign of 2020 and while he was around the team when that season opened, he wasn’t actually part of it.

“This is definitely a lot more meaningful,” Pearson said. “I’m happy to be down there for the first game of the season. It was a good time for me and my family when I found out.”

What the opportunity looks like for both pitchers will be a moving target as their ascensions come amid many machinations for the Blue Jays. 

Kevin Gausman emerged from his dominant showing in Monday’s spring finale feeling fine and the Blue Jays are still kicking around whether to start him in Sunday’s series finale against the Rays, or Monday’s opener at Houston, with Bowden Francis getting whichever game he doesn’t start.

Alek Manoah, who threw 34 pitches over two innings in a simulated game at the Player Development Complex, is “likely” to begin the season on the injured list as he continues to build up, said Schneider.

Yariel Rodriguez, the Cuban righty signed to a $32-million, five-year deal, was optioned along with Canadian Zach Pop so he can be fully built up under “a pretty set plan” since “we want a lot of his innings to be with us and to be 100 per cent when he is,” said Schneider.

Top prospect Ricky Tiedemann, meanwhile, will start at triple-A Buffalo where focal points will be ensuring “his fastball command, the slider usage and changeup usage are at levels that he can do different things to different lineups,” said GM Ross Atkins. “Because he has so much potential, it is really important for us to help him maximize that time down there.”

And Joey Votto, who hasn’t resumed baseball activity since rolling his ankle after stepping on a bat March 17, is still feeling “a little bit of tightness,” said Atkins, and will want to essentially have a full spring training once he’s ready. 

“He wants to make sure, most importantly, that he’s at an elite level and not just at a level where he’s participating or contributing,” said Atkins. “He’ll be, and we will be very mindful of giving him every chance to do that. The most likely scenario would be some time essentially building up a spring training at extended and then moving to Buffalo at some point. We don’t, he doesn’t have a firm timeline on that.”

There isn’t a firm timeline yet for Romano and Swanson, although Atkins suggested that the IL stints “could be minimal” for them. Both are long-tossing without issue and getting back up on a mound is the next step.

Once they do that, “they will likely need a couple of outings facing hitters, for sure,” said Atkins. “We’ll see if they need to pitch in Buffalo. It will really depend on how long that progression is.”

Schneider pointed to Chad Green and Yimi Garcia as options to close in the interim with Tim Mayza and Genesis Cabrera helping to cover some of the set-up work. Others will need to step up and Pearson could certainly pitch his way into being an option there, with Parsons around to support Mitch White in providing length.

Pearson is feeling good about the way he pitched in the spring, save for a rough first outing, and likes the way a new splitter that’s taking the place of his changeup has played.

“I got one strike out on it and like three or four quick ground balls, so I like where it’s at,” he said. “I can get a quick out with it, throw it ahead in the count or to putaway. I like where all my off-speed is, really. It’s really about attacking the zone with the heater to set up those things.”

Parsons, meanwhile, signed as a minor-league free agent with the Blue Jays last May after initially wondering if his back surgery would derail his dream. He split 2019 between Atlanta and Colorado, which claimed him off waivers in August, was stuck at the alternate training site in 2020 and then headed to the NC Dinos in Korea for 2021, logging 133 innings over 24 starts with a 3.72 ERA. But he made just eight starts the next year before his back flared up, three months of rehab didn’t help and he came back home for the operation.

Once he woke up, the pressure on a nerve in his spine was gone immediately – “it was instantaneous,” Parsons said – and before long he was pitching in Buffalo, covering 81.2 innings over 17 starts. 

Over the winter, he spent time focused on the mental part of his game, finding ways “to take it from pitch to pitch, if something goes south, not letting it spiral out of control, just reset.”

When spring hit, “I just showed up and I was just ready to play every day,” an approach that’s carried him right back up to the big-leagues.

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17116512685924326 Who will step up in Blue Jays’ bullpen amid injuries? feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:44:43 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:17:39 EDT Sportsnet Video Caleb Joseph joins Blair and Barker ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays’ 2024 season opener, discussing the bullpen injuries and who is most likely to step up in an increased role as the team starts the campaign.

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Baseball MLB TOR videohttps://cf-images.us-east-1.prod.boltdns.net/v1/static/1704050871/d16754ee-c6e8-43b2-85ad-3eb58b648710/0e9ce696-16e4-49ef-9eb4-8a19886cbcad/160x90/match/image.jpgSportsnet Video bc-video
aaron-judge-juan-soto MLB Preview Roundtable: 2024 sleepers, awards and predictions full_width Tue, 26 Mar 2024 11:55:19 EDT Wed, 27 Mar 2024 08:49:00 EDT Sportsnet Staff With Opening Day approaching, we turn to our panel for their thoughts on the biggest storylines ahead of the 2024 season plus predictions on who will make the playoffs and which players are best positioned to win major awards.

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A year ago this time, hardly anyone predicted that the Baltimore Orioles would win 101 games, that the Miami Marlins would emerge as a playoff team or that the season would end with the Texas Rangers beating the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series. Even a week ago, who would have believed that MLB would be investigating various betting-related allegations surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter?

All of which to say, in the course of 162 games, much of what we think we know about baseball can shift. Just when you think you know what’s coming, the sport tends to surprise — and it’s with that knowledge in mind that we ask our Sportsnet baseball writers to look ahead.

With Opening Day approaching, we turn to our panel for their thoughts on the biggest storylines ahead of the 2024 season plus predictions on who will make the playoffs and which players are best positioned to win major awards.

Let’s get started:

Few predicted which teams would be the last ones standing in 2024. We’re a long way from the World Series, but what’s one team that’s not getting enough attention right now? 

Jeff Blair
The Dodgers seemed to sign everybody — and the players they didn’t sign ended up with the Giants. The Diamondbacks went to the World Series. No one’s talking about the Padres — except me.

Ben Nicholson-Smith
For me, it’s the Tigers. In a division with no clear favourite, there’s an opportunity and I think the Tigers, with their emerging young core and mix of solid veterans, are poised to seize it. Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene and Tarik Skubal should figure prominently on the Tigers’ next contender while veterans like Mark Canha, Kenta Maeda and Gio Urshela would help deepen any roster. I see 85-win potential, which is to say they could be in this until the end.

Shi Davidi
There are a lot of candidates here because it really does feel like this is the Dodgers’ world and we’re all just living in it, but let’s go with the San Diego Padres. Yes, even after they traded Juan Soto and Blake Snell left in free agency, even with the Dodgers becoming their own solar system, even as the Diamondbacks and Giants both beefed up. New manager Mike Shildt is changing the vibes there. Bogaerts, Tatis, Cronenworth, Machado and Kim make for a daunting lineup gauntlet. Darvish, Musgrove and King were a solid starting point for the rotation and then the relentless A.J. Preller made a sneaky spring deal to add Dylan Cease. This Padres team has a pathway to being more like what last year’s hyped group was supposed to be.

Arden Zwelling
The Seattle Mariners are already running out a one-two-three in their rotation as good as any in baseball; if Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo can build on the promise they demonstrated in 2023, you’ve got a dangerous post-season team on pitching alone. This winter’s underrated additions of Jorge Polanco and Mitch Garver further build out a solid supporting mix — J.P. Crawford and Cal Raleigh were nearly five-win players in 2023 — around MVP candidate Julio Rodriguez. And the bullpen’s capable enough to reach the trade deadline when it can be cheaply reinforced. The Mariners might just mess around and win the AL West.

David Singh
I answered the Braves last year and I’m sticking with them again. I still think they get overshadowed by the Dodgers in the NL despite having a scary, deep lineup that can mash with anybody.

Shohei Ohtani on the Dodgers should be pretty compelling. Which players (if any) are you more intrigued to watch in 2024? 

Shi Davidi
Only amid the seismic aftershocks from the winter of Ohtani could Juan Soto in the Bronx be relatively relegated to the sidelines in the baseball order. But Soto batting ahead of Aaron Judge and getting on base 40 per cent of the time should be must-see stuff, forming one of the most intimidating duos in recent memories, akin to peak David Ortiz/Manny Ramirez.

David Singh
Juan Soto. He’s playing for a contract and possesses a personality that’s tailor-made for New York. Add in the fact that he’ll be hitting ahead of Aaron Judge and you’ve got a guy seemingly destined for a monster MVP campaign.

Jeff Blair
Shohei Ohtani is the subject of more official MLB investigations (1) than he’s hit regular-season homers in a Dodgers uniform. Tough to be more compelling. But if you’re going to insist… I’m actually more intrigued with his teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto and his transition to North America. And I think he’ll actually have a bigger say in how far the Dodgers go in 2024. Oh yeah: I hate to do this to you, Blue Jays fans, but  I can’t wait to see Jackson Holliday get up here. The Orioles are flat-out fun and — shh! — might even be likable. Oh for the days of Buck Showalter reinventing the game every other inning and scowling at Gibby and Stro. 

Ben Nicholson-Smith
Probably no one, because even in a year that he doesn’t pitch I could see Ohtani setting a career high in home runs or stolen bases. But if anyone can come close to Ohtani, it’d be a rookie. I could see Wyatt Langford hitting 30 home runs, or Paul Skenes emerging as a frontline arm just one year after being drafted or Jackson Holliday hitting .310 against big-league pitching. As a fan of the sport, any of those storylines would be pretty fun to follow.

Arden Zwelling
The Norfolk Tides — Baltimore’s triple-A team — ought to be a pretty fun watch. Julio Rodriguez could take another step, go 40-40, and win MVP. Tarik Skubal sat 97 this spring while landing multiple secondaries for strikes — if he stays healthy, he’s going to be a beast. And Spencer Strider with a new curveball might just strike out 300.

MLB’s rule changes were a huge success in 2023. What other innovations would benefit the sport moving forward? Or is it time to slow the pace of change for a bit?

Jeff Blair
I hate myself for it, but I’ve become a fan of the in-game challenge system for balls and strikes.

Shi Davidi
I saw the ABS challenge system in action a couple of times last year and… I think I like it? I don’t love the idea of going fully automated for balls and strikes behind the plate but letting teams question a sketchy call at a pivotal moment seems reasonable to me. Not sure what the sweet spot is for the number of challenges each team gets, but I don’t hate the idea of one per inning, retained for the frame if right.

Arden Zwelling
Bring us the ABS challenge system but instead of three challenges per team per game, give each position player one challenge per game, and each pitcher two per outing with the opportunity to earn a third by completing three innings. Get it right and you retain the challenge; get proven wrong and lose it. We don’t need fully automated balls and strikes — but we do need a way to counteract some of the more egregiously misjudged calls.

Ben Nicholson-Smith
I understand this would be a tough sell to owners, and I’m not predicting it happens any time soon, but there’s a strong case to be made for shortening the MLB season a little whenever the league expands to 32 teams. I mean, if you were drawing this all up from scratch, it’s hard to imagine you’d choose 162, right? It’s… so many games. Seeing the travel up close, sometimes I’m amazed they actually play every single one. But no, not even a Monday night game in Kansas City slips through the cracks. They just keep playing.

If the league went back to 154 games over the same six-month period, we’d still see just as much of Spencer Strider, Zack Wheeler and MLB’s aces, but there would be fewer bullpen games and fewer days where the entire team’s jetlagged and running on Red Bull. Baseball is a bulk sport and always will be. And it’s great, let’s be clear on that. I’m just suggesting a slight pivot toward quality over quantity.

David Singh
Slow the pace of change for now. I know a lot of casual fans are still trying to keep up with the recent changes, so let’s give it some time before introducing more.

Let’s hear a baseball-related hot take you half-believe for 2024. 

Ben Nicholson-Smith
MLB should implement a draft forcing top-seeded playoff teams to choose their opponents. Also, MLB should build variability to its schedule so there’s baseball on TV more regularly during the day, and fewer Saturdays where the first game starts at 4 p.m. ET. Locally, teams and TV networks would object, but big picture it’d be good for the game’s growth.

David Singh
Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggles in his first year, Tyler Glasnow gets injured again and the Dodgers fail to capture the AL West crown.

Jeff Blair
This is the year the Tampa Bay Rays run out of the pixie dust they keep in the secret lab in the basement of the Trop.

Shi Davidi
Not sure how hot this take is, but eventually we’ll trace back however the next CBA in baseball ends up to the current tumult within the MLBPA. The players need to get this straightened out stat because the next set of negotiations are the last for commissioner Rob Manfred, whose contract expires in January 2029, and he could very well go for broke in a legacy-capping deal.

Arden Zwelling
The Kansas City Royals will finish above .500 and narrowly miss the post-season.

PLAYOFFS

Arden Zwelling
AL: Orioles, Twins, Mariners, Astros*, Yankees*, Rangers*
NL: Atlanta, Cubs, Dodgers, Phillies*, Giants*, Reds*
World Series: Mariners > Phillies

Jeff Blair
AL: Orioles, Twins, Rangers, Yankees*, Astros* and… Kevin Barker’s Toronto Blue Jays!!*
NL: Atlanta, Cubs, Dodgers, Phillies*, Diamondbacks*, Padres*
World Series: Atlanta > Astros

Shi Davidi
AL: Rays, Twins, Astros, Orioles*, Blue Jays*, Mariners*
NL: Atlanta, Cubs, Dodgers, Phillies*, Padres*, Diamondbacks*
World Series: Atlanta > Rays

Ben Nicholson-Smith
AL: Yankees, Twins, Mariners, Orioles*, Astros*, Blue Jays*
NL: Atlanta, Cubs, Dodgers, Phillies*, Padres*, Giants*
World Series: Atlanta > Yankees

David Singh
AL: Orioles, Twins, Astros, *Mariners, *Rays, *Yankees
NL: Atlanta, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, *Dodgers, *Phillies, *Cubs
World Series: Atlanta > Orioles

AWARDS

Shi Davidi
AL MVP: Juan Soto
AL Cy Young: Kevin Gausman
AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Carter

NL MVP: Mookie Betts
NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler
NL Rookie of the Year: Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Ben Nicholson-Smith
AL MVP: Julio Rodriguez
AL Cy Young: Luis Castillo
AL Rookie of the Year: Wyatt Langford

NL MVP: Fernando Tatis Jr.
NL Cy Young: Spencer Strider
NL Rookie of the Year: Paul Skenes

Arden Zwelling
AL MVP: Kyle Tucker
AL Cy Young: George Kirby
AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Carter

NL MVP: Austin Riley
NL Cy Young: Spencer Strider
NL Rookie of the Year: Yoshinobu Yamamoto

David Singh
AL MVP: Juan Soto
AL Cy Young: Corbin Burnes
AL Rookie of the Year: Jackson Holliday

NL MVP: Ronald Acuna Jr.
NL Cy Young: Spencer Strider
NL Rookie of the Year: Jung Hoo Lee

Jeff Blair
AL MVP: Adley Rutschman
AL Cy Young: Kevin Gausman
AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Carter

NL MVP: Ronald Acuna Jr.
NL Cy Young: Zack Wheeler
NL Rookie of the Year: Jackson Merrill

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Charlie Neibergall/AP cole_gerrit1280 Yankees place ace Gerrit Cole on 60-day IL with right elbow inflammation feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 13:34:45 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:40:08 EDT Associated Press The New York Yankees placed ace Gerrit Cole on the 60-day injured list due to elbow inflammation, the team announced Thursday.

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The New York Yankees placed ace Gerrit Cole on the 60-day injured list due to elbow inflammation, the team announced Thursday.

The earliest the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner can pitch in the major leagues is May 27. The team announced on March 16 that the right-hander won’t throw for three to four weeks due to nerve irritation and edema in his throwing elbow.

The Yankees said earlier in the spring that Cole was experiencing issues bouncing back following spring training starts.

The 33-year-old travelled to Los Angeles to be examined by Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache, an elbow expert.

Cole is entering the fifth season of a $324 million, nine-year contract that pays $36 million annually. He has the right to opt out after the season and become a free agent, but if he opts out the Yankees can void the opt-out by adding a guaranteed $36 million salary for 2029.

The Yankees open their season against the Houston Astros on Thursday. With Cole unavailable, Nestor Cortes gets the Opening Day start for New York.

New York placed infielder DJ LeMahieu on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, with a bruised right foot. With LeMahieu out, manager Aaron Boone moved Gleyber Torres to the leadoff spot to face left-hander Framber Valdez.

The Yankees also placed infielder Oswald Peraza on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, with a right shoulder strain and added infielder Jon Berti to the active roster a day after he was acquired from Miami.

Also placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, were right-handers Tommy Kahnle (right shoulder inflammation) and McKinley Moore (right knee bursitis).

Right-hander Luis Gil was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and the Yankees selected the contract of right-hander Nick Burdi from Scranton.

— With files from Sportsnet

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Baseball MLB NYY sn-article
baseimage(9)(1) Rays’ Wander Franco placed on administrative leave through June 1 as sexual abuse probe continues feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:10:13 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 14:51:09 EDT Associated Press Tampa Bay All-Star shortstop Wander Franco was placed on administrative leave through June 1 under an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association while the investigation continues in an alleged relationship with a minor.

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay All-Star shortstop Wander Franco was placed on administrative leave through June 1 under an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association while the investigation continues into an alleged relationship with a minor.

Administrative leave is not disciplinary under the sport’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, and a player continues to be paid. Franco, who has a $2 million salary this year, has remained in his native Dominican Republic while authorities there investigate and he did not report to spring training.

The Rays opened the season Thursday against Toronto, forcing MLB and the union to make a decision on Franco’s roster status.

“I don’t have any comment. … I’m really focused on the guys that are here,” manager Kevin Cash said before Thursday’s game at Tropicana Field.

Franco has not played since Aug. 12. He was placed on the restricted list for a week on Aug. 14 while MLB launched an investigation following social media posts suggesting Franco was in a relationship with a minor. The Associated Press has not been able to verify the reported posts.

Franco was moved to administrative leave on Aug. 22 and remained there through the end of the season. There is no leave during the offseason.

MLB is likely to wait until the Dominican investigation is concluded before deciding whether there will be any discipline.

Originally accused of commercial and sexual exploitation and money laundering — charges that carry up to 30 years, 10 years and 20 years of prison, respectively — Franco stands accused instead of sexual and psychological abuse, according to a judge’s resolution that the AP obtained in January.

Franco had not been formally accused, but if found guilty on the new charge, he could face two to five years in prison.

Franco, who turned 23 on March 1, was in the midst of his third major league season when his career was halted and was hitting .281 with 17 homers, 58 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 40 attempts over 112 games.

Franco agreed to a $182 million, 11-year contract in November 2021.

He earned $706,761 last year in addition to his salary as part of MLB’s pre-arbitration bonus pool, a fund agreed to by the league and players’ association as part of their 2022 labour contract. The bonus pool was created to reward young players, most who earn at or just above the minimum major league salary based on how long they’ve been in the big leagues.

The Rays obtained infielder Jose Caballero from Seattle in a trade this offseason and are giving him an opportunity to be the regular shortstop. The 27-year-old played 104 games for the Mariners in 2023, hitting .221 with four homers and 26 RBIs. He was in Tampa Bay’s Opening Day lineup, batting eighth.

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17116530685924345 Tocchet emphasizes Canucks’ need to ‘play inside’ to create offence feed_column Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:15:09 EDT Thu, 28 Mar 2024 15:15:09 EDT Sportsnet Video Head coach Rick Tocchet speaks to the media about the Canucks’ lack of ability to create offence, and making a habit of playing inside more.

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