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 Geplaatst: 24-12-2019 06:59:53 Onderwerp: the next few wee |
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| SOCHI, Russia - Jonathan Toews doesnt know where hell keep this Olympic gold medal. His mom and dad have the other one from four years ago back home in Winnipeg. "Maybe Ill hang em up together," he says. Toews has not yet reached the age of 26. He already owns two Stanley Cups and now his second gold on the grand Olympic stage - all in the last four years. He also boasts gold from two World Juniors and another from the 2007 Worlds. He scored the first goal in Canadas 3-0 triumph over Sweden in Sundays gold medal match and further cemented himself as one of the defining - if not the defining - winners and crunch-time players of his generation. He was the best player on the biggest stage in Vancouver and remained right up there again this time around in Sochi. That winning feeling never seems to get old. "I think every time you get the chance," said Toews, gold medal still around his neck afterward, "theres still that feeling of nerves that you dont want to pass up the chance to win. You want to do it again. You never know how many chances youre going to get so you want to do the best you can to bring it home. Im just lucky to be part of these teams that want to win as bad as I do." That burning desire to win is what makes Toews such a special player and leader at a wise-beyond-his-years age of 25. Its why the Chicago Blackhawks pinned him with the captaincy at the tender age of 20, this after just a single season in the NHL. He is both willing and able to do whatever it takes to win. Score a goal. Kill a penalty. Win a faceoff. Shut down the oppositions top offensive force. Toews can and will do it all. On this day against the Swedes, it was scoring the elusive first goal and eventual game-winner. Toews, who led the forwards with over 19 minutes, hadnt scored before that in these Olympics, but there he was redirecting a terrific pass from Jeff Carter and setting the tone for Canada. "I know Johnny cares so much about hockey," said Canadian and Blackhawks teammate Duncan Keith, also a winner of two Cups and two Olympic gold medals. "He lives and breathes hockey. Thats the way he is as a person. That sort of stuff doesnt surprise me at all." In the semifinal against the Americans, he was shutting down the previously unstoppable Phil Kessel, keeping the eventual tournament scoring leader (tied with Erik Karlsson) off the board entirely in a tense 1-0 win. In fact, it was the line of Toews, Carter and Patrick Marleau that keyed in on the oppositions best throughout the entire tournament. The trio was a driving force in Canadas dominant defensive effort, one that saw them yield exactly three goals in six games and not one in either the semifinal or final. "Hes a winner," said Alex Pietrangelo, less than two years younger than Toews, but worlds apart in experience. "Resume speaks for itself. Obviously a great leader. Plays the game the right way. Plays the game hard, every practice, every game. Great guy to learn from, great guy to follow." Toews is so respected around the league for his winning accomplishments that even Sidney Crosby, the games top player, checked with his Chicago counterpart before accepting the captaincy for Team Canada. He wanted to make sure Toews, a winner of two Cups to just one for Crosby, was okay with it. For first-time Olympians like Pietrangelo and Matt Duchene, Toews and Crosby were the two to watch here in Sochi, the two to follow on the difficult path to gold, the second in as many Olympics for Canada. "Him and Sid are the two guys I probably look up most to in the league," said Duchene. "You want to follow in the footsteps of those guys." Stepping into the lineup for the injured John Tavares in Fridays semifinal against the U.S., Duchene said he looked to Toews and Crosby for leadership. "...they were kind of my calming factors. I looked at them and saw how they were dealing with it and thought okay, thats where I want to go as an individual so this is how I have to act and how I have to deal with it. "I didnt have any nerves the last two games and that was pretty amazing." For the second time in as many gold medal games it was Toews and Crosby both scoring for Canada - the latter on a breakaway against Lundqvist - both elevating their play under the most pressure-infused of situations. Both knew nothing less than gold was good enough, either for the nation or themselves as individuals. "This is old hat for them this game here," Duchene said with a growing smile. "This probably ranks in the top five biggest games ever [for them], not number one like me by a mile. Its pretty cool. Those are the guys you want to be like as you get older." Wholesale Heat Jerseys .Y. - The Buffalo Sabres reassigned forward Sam Reinhart to the WHLs Kootenay Ice on Friday. Kevin Edwards Jersey .com) - They didnt meet in the regular season, so Sam Houston State might be saying it won the de facto title game between the two Southland Conference co-champions Saturday. https://www.cheapheatonline.com/477h-caron-butler-jersey-heat.html .com) - Jeff Teague had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists as the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 90-85 on Saturday night. Joel Anthony Jersey . New York then missed its next six shots and scored only two points the rest of the night. The Los Angeles Clippers defence and the Knicks general ineptitude both played a role in the unsurprising finish to a meeting of two teams headed in opposite directions. Bam Adebayo Jersey .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday.With less than a week until the NHL Trade Deadline, check out the latest trade-related reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. LeBrun doesnt think John Gibson or Frederik Andersen are on the block, so by process of elimination, Viktor Fasth might be an option. Hes signed for another season at $2.9 million. Meanwhile, Washington Capitals GM George McPhee told LeBruun that his priority is still finding a suitor for Martin Erat. "The only thing Im working on that has to be done is moving (Martin) Erat," Caps GM George McPhee told LeBrun on ESPN.com. "There are some teams interested. He still wants out. Id love to be able to do it this weekend. But well see." Where the Edmonton Oilers are concerned, LeBrun hears that winger Ales Hemsky is getting decent traction on the market and that its a guarantee he gets dealt before Wednesday. LeBrun also says that veteran winger Ryan Smyth and Nick Schultz could be moved to contenders. Finally, theres no contract extension on the horizon for pending unrestricted free agent David Legwand, but with a full no-movement clause, Nashville Predators GM Poile says theres limit in his ability to explore the trade market. Unless an offer blows Poile away and is something Legwand wants, theres a good chance hell stay. In an update on the Vancouver Canucks, LeBrun writes that the Philadelphia Flyers could be interested in centre Ryan Kesler or defenceman Alexander Edler. If Kesler is in their sights, LeBrun imagines that the Canucks asking price in any Kesler deal would start with Brayden Schenn. But hes not sure the Flyers would go there. Crunch Time For Phillips? TSN Hockey Darren Dreger tweeted Friday that the Ottawa Senators contract talks with defenceman Chris Phillips are expected to continue. He adds that a trade is still an option, with the Boston Bruins believed to be among teams with interest. Eyes On Brodeur? Randy Miller of NJ.com writes that Chicago Blackhawks director of player personnel Pierre Gauthier and pro scout Dennis Bonvie attended Thursday nights Devils-Blue Jackets game, as well as Minnesota Wild assisttant general manager Jim Nill.dddddddddddd Miller mentions that, according to rumours, both teams have been linked to Martin Brodeur. Still Shopping Around Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun wrote this week that the Senators could be interested in St. Louis Blues winger Chris Stewart and adds that the team likely wont be involved in the race for for Thomas Vanek and Matt Moulson unless the asking price goes down. Garrioch also reports that theres been interest in forward Milan Michalek. The Sun story says its not known if hes talked contract with GM Bryan Murray and a decision may have to be made before Wednesday. Ward Off? Tough decisions lie ahead for Carolina Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford, according to TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger. Dreger says that the team is open to trading any one of its three goaltenders ahead of Wednesdays trade deadline, including veteran Cam Ward. The Hurricanes have 61 points through 59 games this season and sit five points out of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. Market For Mez? Philly.com writer Sam Carchidi writes that Flyers GM Paul Holmgren faces a tough decision on pending UFS defenceman Andrej Meszaros - trade him or keep him for the stretch run. Carchidi adds that the Boston Bruins - without Dennis Seidenberg for the season - are among the teams reportedly interested and that Bruins captain Zdeno Chara could be nudging the Bruins to add Meszaros. Carchidi also speculates that the Flyers could get a third-round pick or a prospect for Meszaros. No Big Sales In Sunrise Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon may be a seller, but he wont be conducting an all-out fire sale, writes George Richards of the Miami Herald. "Were going to do whats best for the Panthers to build a championship team," Tallon said during the recent Olympic break. "Were not blowing this thing up. If we can sell some assets to get better, well do that. It depends what happens in the next few weeks. Well be aggressive either way." Theres ample trade speculation surrounding pending UFAs Tim Thomas, Brad Boyes and Tom Gilbert, but Tallon said all three, deserve to stick around if they so wish. "Those guys have had good years and deserve the chance to stay," he said. "Im happy with the way theyve played, happy with their professionalism." Richards adds that other free agents the Panthers could offer include Marcel Goc, Mike Weaver and Dmitry Kulikov. ' ' ' |
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