ekansekans's blog: "df"

While doing the play-by-play of the Canada-Russia challenge for TSN I got a chance to watch and chat with a couple of Winnipeg Jet prospects, one a little better known than the other. Earl Thomas Black Jersey . The two were Mark Scheifele, no longer a stranger to Jets fans, the other was Luke Sutter, a youngster with a last name very well known to all hockey fans. Two things different about Scheifele. To see him off the ice you immediately see that he has filled out. Now over 61" and over 190 lbs he looks more like a pro than a junior. Which will he be next season? We will hopefully know in the next two months. Some of that rests with Scheifele, some rests with the Jets, some rests with the negotiations between the owners and players as they attempt to hammer out a new CBA in time to start main training camps on schedule. The Jets and several other teams have already cancelled rookie camps. Being of junior age, Scheifele either plays with the Jets or returns to Barrie of the OHL. That despite finishing last season in the AHL with the St. Johns IceCaps. On the ice there is an edge to Scheifeles game. Something that he is adding to his skill set. That will not be the main asset he brings to the NHL, but with Team Canada head coach Steve Spott wanting an aggressive style from his troops, as a returning player to the team, Scheifele added that element to his game. In international competition that sometimes comes with a price. He was handed a kneeing major and game misconduct in Game 2 of the series in Yaroslavl, on a play where he was simply finishing his check.  In the four game series he was physical, at times bordering on chippy, did some trash talking, all while saving his best game for when Canada needed him most, the final night of series, Game 4 in Halifax. Just a quick recap, Canada needed a regulation win to force overtime to decide a series winner. Coach Spott demanded more from his top players in that final game, Scheifele had three assists in a 4-2 win. "With all the travel, it was a bit of a new challenge, but a fun time that not many get to do," commented Scheifele after a morning skate. With a lot of his focus on his goal of making the Jets roster and staying in the NHL, was keeping his mind on the four-game series difficult? "You separate the two, just work on your game, work to get better and develop. The next step is a big one to make." For Hockey Canada, Scheifele is in a group of players that played in the challenge, but may not be available come December because they are in the NHL and may or may not get released by their NHL teams to play in the World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia. As for the physical play we saw from Scheifele, he says there are a number of things that played into it. "The rivalry between Canada and Russia brings that out in a player, but being bigger and stronger I feel more comfortable with my body and feel I can play that way. I always had that in me, getting under peoples skin, but not in a dirty way. I started that way in Russia and carried it through the series. Im not a cruncher but will use my body to finish my checks. I have always been competitive." "We all stepped up in the final game," continued Scheifele. "The character of our team showed." "With Mark we are seeing the emergence of a top six forward in the NHL," said Coach Spott. "We wanted Mark to be more physical and compete, and he answered both. That was an area of concern." In the final game Spott used his leaders in all situations. "Mark played five-on-five, power play and in the final used him and our best players on the penalty kill as well. The coaching staff was comfortable using Mark to kill." Lets go back a year. Last summer for Scheifele included international tournaments, the draft, and world junior tryouts. That was followed by Jets rookie camp, main camp, five NHL pre-season games (eight points), seven NHL games (first NHL goal), 47 OHL games (23-40-63), six games at the World Junior championship (3-3-6), 13 OHL playoff games (5-7-12), and 10 AHL playoff games. Then some down time. He took two weeks off " to rest". "With the extra weight I put on (15 lbs) I feel stronger, more powerful. Something I will need against bigger players." For Luke Sutter the four-game challenge was part of a busy summer and what could be a big year. He was drafted by the Jets, attended the prospect camp, joined Team Canada for the series, will attend Jets rookie camp, head back to his CHL team, the Saskatoon Blades, hopefully get to perform for his country in Ufa and then get ready as Saskatoon hosts the Memorial Cup with the Blades in as the host team, but wanting to make some noise and go in as the WHL Champion instead. The Jets also have a pre-season game scheduled for Saskatoon. "To be part of this international challenge is a real eye opener. You get to meet and know other players, learn more about yourself, get to experience the travel and deal with the highs and lows." Unlike Scheifele, Lukes game is all about playing with an edge (28-31-59 with 165 PIM). After all, he is a Sutter and his father (Rich), five of his uncles and four of his cousins who have played or been drafted into the NHL, all have that in their game. The concern for Luke is to play the way he has to play, but not to cross the line that results in penalties. Every pre-game speech by Coach Spott dealt with discipline and how penalties can be the difference between a gold medal and a silver or bronze. Coaches have to be able to trust their players. Yet at 61" and over 200 lbs, that size and the way he plays can be intimidating to the opposition. The Blades like that part of his game, and so do the Jets. So now like everyone else, the two players will continue working out, will keep watching TSN for the latest updates on the CBA negotiations and with one "Challenge" in the books with victory accomplished, be ready for the next challenge. Whatever that challenge might be. Jason Jones Jersey .Lazare, Que., rebounded from a shaky preliminary round to advance to the mens three-metre final at a FINA Grand Prix diving meet Friday. Richard Sherman Limited Jersey . With record-tying power backing a superb start by CC Sabathia, the New York Yankees have first place all to themselves with two games to go and hope theyll have a real party before this series against the Boston Red Sox is over. http://www.shopnflseahawksgears.com/ . With the club looking to ease back into the Playoff picture next season, how this team is reshaped this summer will see a radical shift away from youth acquisition and towards luring veterans to Toronto. For now, though, lets look at who the team already has and how they factor into the clubs not-so-distant future. Earl Thomas Pink Jersey . So did future Texas teammate Jordan Spieth, who also offered a well-done handshake to the California kid who couldnt steal the U. Bruce Irvin Pink Jersey . Bosh will miss his ninth straight game Sunday with a lower abdominal strain. Spoelstra says that Boshs status is "still indefinite." The Heat lost their All-Star forward in Game 1 of the second-round series against Indiana. EDMONTON -- The owner of the Edmonton Oilers said Thursday he is concerned with the "implications" of the now-defunct deal with the city for a new arena, but stopped short of saying he will revisit plans to move the franchise. In a two-sentence media release, Daryl Katz wrote, "We are concerned about the implications of the motion passed yesterday by city council. "We do not yet have a view on what comes next, but we remain hopeful that there is a solution that achieves the mutual goal of securing the Oilers longterm sustainability in Edmonton." Those hopes took a huge hit Wednesday when city councillors, frustrated over Katzs last-minute demands for at least $210 million more from taxpayers -- coupled with his refusal to meet with them in public to discuss it -- voted unanimously to walk away from the deal. Councillors also asked city staff to look at other options to keep pro hockey in Edmonton, including the city going it alone on a new rink. Earlier on Thursday, Mandel said while city council would still be open to the original deal the two sides forged last year, it wont be done anytime soon. Mandel said council is now moving into budget discussions followed by other responsibilities, duties, and appearances in the Christmas holiday season. "I dont know what the timing is going to be, but its going to be pushed out quite a distance right now," said Mandel. "Thats why I felt this (week) was such an important timeframe. "It was a door, a window, open to try and finalize some things." The collapse of the deal revived concerns Katz will move the franchise. The pharmacy billionaire or his officials have in the past met with leaders in Hamilton and Quebec. Last month, Katz went to Seattle to discuss moving the team into a new facility there. The Seattle trip angered Edmonton fans, many of who blasted Katz on social media sites like Twitter. Katz apologized to them in full-page newspaper ads but the apology did not include a promise to abandon relocation. Such a move would still need league approval. In Toronto, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters, "I think everybody needs to take a deep breath. "The Oilers need a new arena, the city of Edmonton needs a new arena and Im hopeful that, despite the breakdown in negotiations, reason will prevail and well get it to the right place." Negotiations have been ongoing for four years to build a new home to replace the 38-year-old Rexall Place. A framework deal was reached a year ago, with construction expected to begin in the spring of 2013 and the building done by the fall of 2015. Under that deal, taxpayers and ticket-buyers would pay to build the $475-million arena and surrounding infrastructure for a total cost of $700 million and rising. The Oilers, in turn, would pay a $5.5-million annual lease for 35 years and another $10 million or so a year to operate the building. Katz would keep all profits from games, trade shows, concerts, and the like for 11 months of the year. He would also get naming rights for the building (worth about $3 million) and another $2 million in advertising from the city for 10 years. Mandel said the ddeal guaranteed a good profit for the Oilers, but last month Katz brought back new demands to council, saying without them his team couldnt survive in the Alberta capital. Richard Sherman Womens Jersey. Katz bought the team in 2008 but says hes been losing money ever since. Councillors have not been able to test that claim as the franchise has refused them access to financial data. Mandel said councillors could not agree to the new demands, which included $6 million extra per year from taxpayers for the 35-year life of the lease (for a total of $210 million) to offset costs of running the rink. Katz, he said, also insisted that city staffers move into a new office building he was building beside the rink to become its anchor tenant -- a move that would violate city tendering policy. Mandel said the Katz team wouldnt budge on that point or the $6 million. "If someone says, You must rent office space from us or we were not going to do an arena, (well) we dont do that. We cant," said Mandel. "Its (against) our policy. "And I think morally you cant just say, Were going to rent space from you and not offer it to everybody else. " Mandel said negotiations were stopped because they had become pointless. "Right now its we move, we move, we move, we move -- and nothing on the other side moves," he said. "Its not fair negotiations. "We cant be the only ones negotiating." As negotiations faltered, Mandel twice urged Katz or his officials to meet council in public to show them why they needed the extra money. Katz refused both times and neither he nor his staff were at council chambers when the decision to kill the deal was reached Wednesday. In declining to attend Wednesday, Katz sent a letter to Mandel, urging him to show "political leadership," and adding that in his opinion all councillors "approached this negotiation based on narrow political considerations rather than a genuine desire to strike a deal that is fair." On Wednesday night after the vote, Mandel said that criticism rolled off him. But there were signs it rankled. After Mandel finished imploring councillors that it was time to shut down negotiations, Coun. Jane Batty turned to him and teasingly said, "Thanks for showing political leadership." In the post-vote scrum with reporters, Mandel said he believes the NHL and Bettman, whom he called a "great friend" to the city in the past, will recognize not only what the Oilers have done for Edmonton but what Edmonton has done for the Oilers. "We trust the NHL believes in cities that treat the NHL properly," he said. "This city has treated the NHL like a god. "I think its the fourth highest (in) attendance and the fifth highest (in) ticket prices. You dont go to a team that comes in last for three or four years in a row and fill the stadium every night -- night in, night out, night in, night out -- because you dont like the game. "I dont think youd do that in other cities in the NHL. Go through the list and see what people are paying 10 bucks a ticket for (elsewhere). You dont get a ticket for the Edmonton Oilers for 10 bucks." ' ' '