Neues » So we have to be ready for it

TORONTO, Ontario - Skating as part of a regular line since the Maple Leafs reconvened for practice last Wednesday, it was a different look for David Bolland this morning, adorning a “non-contact” maroon jersey and participating only in selected drills as an extra player. “We felt Bolland took a step back yesterday, we felt it would be best suited that he didnt participate on a line today,” said head coach Randy Carlyle. “Its not a positive but its not a huge negative, dont read into it that its something we cant deal with.” “Hes unlikely for tomorrow; he had a little bit of a tweak there yesterday,” added GM Dave Nonis on “Leafs Lunch” on TSN 1050. “Hes had this before and its kind of a step program where he has this and it plateaus for a day or two and then he gets right back at it.” Bolland stumbled near the end of Tuesdays practice after a minor collision during a drill and appeared to grimace. He continued to participate in the few remaining drills but went straight to the locker room instead of joining the teams group discussion on the ice once practice has concluded. “We were playing a game mode situation there and I just had a little bit of a fall there but thats whats going to happen in a game so thats what I have to get ready for,” Bolland explained on Wednesday. While he will travel with the Leafs to New York and intends to take the morning skate, as Carlyle and Nonis indicated, Bolland will likely miss his 46th consecutive game on Thursday. Nikolai Kulemin between Mason Raymond and Troy Bodie formed the third line at Wednesdays practice. “Right now its just day to day. Its just getting it stronger,” Bolland said. “You have to be 100 per cent getting back in the line-up. Dont want to be a liability out there.” But when he gets back in isnt the only decision facing Leafs brass faces when it comes to Bolland. An unrestricted free agent on July 1, he is said to be seeking a longer term contract in the $5-plus million per year range as reported by TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger. Anything over $5.25 million – the cap hits for both Joffrey Lupul and David Clarkson – would make Bolland the Leafs second-highest paid forward, behind only Phil Kessels $8 million cap hit which kicks in next season. Best suited as a third line centre, can the Leafs afford to have Bolland that high on their pay scale? GM Dave Nonis indicated he doesnt necessarily feel compelled to make a decision before the Mar. 5 trade deadline. “If youve got a player thats unrestricted it doesnt mean he wont sign if you dont sign him before the (July 1) deadline,” Nonis explained on TSN 1050. “Look at our situation last year with Tyler Bozak. We didnt reach an agreement (before the trade deadline), he felt we needed to have him in order to get into the post-season and at the end of the season, he was a player who wanted to be here and we wanted to sign him and we found a way to reach an agreement. I dont believe you have to have a player signed, Im perfectly content of letting the UFAs play it out and see where we are.” And that might be the wisest course of action. Once healthy, Bolland would certainly help the Leafs down the stretch and into the playoffs. Given that the Leafs have built a seven point cushion on a playoff spot without him for most of the season, his return can be viewed almost as if its a deadline acquisition, and a good one at that, without giving anything up. With a resume that speaks for itself – two Stanley Cups, a Cup-winning goal, a proven savvy playoff performer and a good leader – its not unreasonable for Bolland to look in the range of $5 million per season. If he doesnt get it from the Leafs, there will be other suitors more than content to offer that type of deal. But with Jake Gardiner and Cody Franson slated for restricted free agency at the end of the season, Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Bernier at the end of the 2015 campaign and Morgan Rielly the year after that, all of whom will be due raises, how much value can the Leafs place on intangibles? “I think a little,” Nonis said on TSN 1050. “You still want to make sure the player is a good fit, that he can contribute on the ice. Therere very few guys that are making an NHL living just on being good guys in the locker room. They need to be able to go out and perform on the ice but there are some things that dont show up on the score sheet that you look at.” Theres no debate as to whether Bolland makes any team he plays on better but, at this point, he could be a luxury the Leafs just cant afford. San Francisco Giants Gear . The 24-year-old Raley was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA for Chicago in his first two career starts after being called up from Iowa on Aug. 7. He was optioned to Iowa on Monday after losing 3-0 to Cincinnati in Chicago on Sunday. San Francisco Giants Shirts . - Veteran Kings defenceman Robyn Regehr, sidelined since Game 1 of the Anaheim series, says hes close to returning. https://www.cheapjerseysgiants.us/.com) - The Eastern Conferences best team takes on one of its worst Tuesday night when the Atlanta Hawks pay a visit to the Wells Fargo Center to take on the Philadelphia 76ers. Fake Giants Jerseys . The Goldeyes (10-7) lost 4-1 to the Saltdogs (8-9) Sunday afternoon before 5,834 sizzling fans at Shaw Park. The loss drops Winnipegs record to 3-4 during this past weeks seven-game homestand. Custom San Francisco Giants Jerseys . It was a loss. But it was also a learning experience. Deron Williams and Joe Johnson had 24 points each to lift Brooklyn to a 94-87 win over the Raptors, making their first playoff appearance since 08. "I thought we played a little bit as expected as it is our first playoff game," Toronto coach Dwane Casey said.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Mud, a Monday night miracle and a sneaky fake spike.Theyve all been part of an entertaining rivalry between the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets.Disregard the records whenever these AFC East foes get together because good, bad or mediocre, the Dolphins and Jets always seem to get fired up to face each other.A lot times, theyre in the way of getting to the playoffs, Dolphins linebacker Jelani Jenkins said. Its not really a hatred thing for me, but its definitely competition.The Dolphins (6-5) are in the middle of the AFC playoff picture, hoping to make the post-season for the first time since 2008. First up is a Monday night showdown with the struggling Jets (2-9), whod love nothing more than to put a crimp in Miamis playoff plans.You know, the way the Jets did last season, when they beat the Dolphins 20-7 at Miami in the regular-season finale and eliminated them from post-season contention.Although the record isnt as wed planned, its still a great rivalry and we look forward to facing the Dolphins, Jets quarterback Geno Smith said.The Jets hold a slight edge in the head-to-head meetings — 50-46-1 — including a playoff loss to the Dolphins. The teams also have met 12 times on Monday nights, with the Jets winning seven.They seem to play some of their best football against us and we understand that going in, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. So we have to be ready for it.Here are some memorable games between the Dolphins and Jets:MUD BOWL (Jan. 2, 1983): A.J. Duhe will forever be etched in the minds of Jets fans after he intercepted three of Richard Todds passes and kept New York from advancing to its second Super Bowl appearance.The Orange Bowl was a muddy mess because of heavy rainstorms, and things just got sloppier for the Jets and Todd, who finished with five interceptions in the Dolphins 14-0 victory. Duhe set up Miamis first score with an interception and then sealed things when he picked off Todds screen pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown.SUNDAY SHOOTOUT (Sept. 21, 1986): The Jets Ken OBrien and the Dolphins Dan Marino just kept slinging in this slugfest.With no time left in regulation, OBrien connected with Wesley Walker on a 21-yard touchdown pass to tie it. Just 2:35 into overtime, OBrien and Walker again hooked up, this time on a 43-yard toss that gave the Jets a 51-45 victory. The quarterbacks combinedd to set NFL single-game records of 884 net yards passing and 10 touchdown passes.ddddddddddddWINNER-TAKE-ALL (Dec. 22, 1991): The final wild-card playoff spot was on the line in the regular-season finale, with the winner heading to the post-season and the loser going home.The Dolphins took a 20-17 lead with 44 seconds remaining on Ferrell Edmunds 1-yard catch from Marino. But OBrien drove the Jets downfield and Raul Allegre kicked a 44-yard field goal. The Dolphins went three-and-out on their first possession of OT, then Allegre booted a 30-yard winner.FAKE SPIKE (Nov. 27, 1994): Its almost 20 years to the day since the Jets led 24-21 with 30 seconds left and the Dolphins had the ball at the New York 8.Marino ran to the line of scrimmage and motioned he was going to spike the ball. Instead, Marino took the snap and threw to Mark Ingram for the winning touchdown — stunning the Jets and the Giants Stadium crowd. Miami went on to win the division, and the Jets finished with a five-game losing streak.MONDAY NIGHT MIRACLE (Oct. 23, 2000): The ultimate proof no lead is ever safe when these two meet.The Dolphins led 30-7 at the end of the third quarter, but the Jets tied it at 30 on Vinny Testaverdes pass to Chrebet with 3:55 left. Miami retook the lead just two plays later as Jay Fiedler threw a 46-yard scoring toss to Leslie Sheppard.Game over? Not quite. Testaverde hit eligible tackle Jumbo Elliott, who bobbled the pass as he fell to the turf in the end zone for a 3-yard TD with 42 seconds left. After the Jets intercepted Fiedler in OT, John Hall kicked a 40-yard field goal for a 40-37 victory powered by the largest comeback from a fourth-quarter deficit in NFL history.It was like straight playground football, Chrebet said.CHADS REVENGE (Dec. 28. 2008): Chad Pennington was once considered a franchise QB for New York, but injuries undermined his career. He was cut by the Jets when they acquired Brett Favre before the 2008 season.Pennington signed with the Dolphins and helped them go from 1-15 in 2007 to 11-5 and the AFC East title as he won the NFLs Comeback Player of the Year award. The Dolphins needed to beat the rival Jets in the regular-season finale to make the playoffs for the first time since 2000, and Pennington threw two touchdown passes to defeat Favre and the Jets 24-17.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '