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|  Wys³any: 2019-04-22 05:29:37 Temat postu: Thursday morning, Franson swung by his tem
TORONTO – For the past two weeks, Cody Franson was living the life of a Ryerson Ram. Two-hour skates, five times a week at the Mattamy Athletic Centre on the campus of the university in downtown Toronto. Early on Thursday morning, Franson swung by his temporary training camp home, grabbed his sticks and gear, completed a physical and by 11am had joined his NHL teammates at practice. The 26-year-old agreed to a one-year deal with the Leafs worth $2 million late on Wednesday evening, ending a difficult and lengthy negotiation. "Im glad its done," said a gleeful Franson, following the nearly two-hour on-ice session. "Its a process nobody really wants to go through. Fortunately, we were able to find a common ground and get it done before the regular season started." With his contract status finally settled, Franson will shift his focus toward demonstrating that a terrific sampling in 48 games last season – sixth among NHL defenders in points – was just a harbinger of things to come; prove his viability to the organization with another good year. The Leafs certainly believe in that potential, but want to see it demonstrated over the course of another 82 games. If proved right, theyll happily commit to the B.C. native for the long-term. "The second you get complacent is the second you make a mistake," Franson said of taking the next step. "I learned that firsthand my first year [in Toronto], coming in a little comfortable. I got put in the press box because of it. Ill never make that mistake twice." Franson proved increasingly valuable to the Leafs as the 2013 calendar wore on. A late addition to training camp – following a similarly stunted negotiation that was solved hours after the lockout ended – he started the year with minimal ice-time, drawing about 14 minutes nightly in January, before emerging with upwards of 22 minutes a few months later in April. It was a demonstration which suggested he was capable of becoming a dependable top-4 NHL defender, both in the present and in the future. "When you get people that are developing and [having] more of an impact on your blue-line, you have to credit the player with that," Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said of Franson, who found a partner in Mark Fraser five games into the season. "Hes the one that earned it." Not only did his offensive incline come to the forefront, but he also made adjustments defensively, aligning with the Carlyle way with a more assertive and aggressive defensive lean. "What he did is he committed more to a physical game which allowed him a little bit more space," Carlyle said of the 6-5 defender, adding that Franson, as a right-hand shot, was increasingly valuable on a defence chock-full of lefties. Realizing more of that potential, through continued growth defensively and sustained success offensively, will be the challenge of the coming year. As can often be the case in restricted free agency, Franson was stung by the process, believing that he deserved more than the organization chose to offer in negotiations throughout the summer. But with the cap falling to $64 million this season, he also came to understand that the annual number he sought over a longer term was not going to be realized, thus his insistence on a one-year deal with more to come down the line. The two sides found "middle ground" at the final pressure point (arbitration and the start of training camp flying by with no movement) when the club moved on the term of the deal – they strongly preferred two years – and Franson budged by accepting an annual number below market value. "I think both sides gave in a little bit," said Leafs assistant general manager Claude Loiselle. By following up on his breakthrough year with more of the same this season, Franson has his sights on a bigger payday next summer – the Leafs have 12 players in a similar boat, their contracts expiring after the coming season – though he will again remain a restricted free agent, albeit with arbitration rights. "One year was important to us," he told TSN.ca via text message early Thursday morning. "With the current cap situation, a two-year deal was very difficult to get at what we felt was fair. "A one-year [deal] was the most reasonable way for us to find a middle ground." Achieving that middle ground was not without its frustrations, both for the player and the organization. Easier said than done is not absorbing the negotiation as a personal afront, something Franson had his trouble with it as the process lingered. Ending his dispute with the Leafs shortly before training camp was due to begin, Nazem Kadri could sympathize with the struggle. "Its hard to [not take it personally] because when youre negotiating your deals, youve got to look at numbers and youve got to have comparisons and sometimes you may not like the comparisons, but the numbers match up," Kadri told TSN.ca. "Its just business really. Thats what Ive learned. I know it can maybe turn into a personal issue, but normally the player is just looking out for whats best for him and the team is looking out for whats best for them. Everyone just wants to make a deal in the end." "At the end of it, you sit back and you look at it and you realize its just business," Franson reflected. "Theyve got a job to do and that is to try and make everything work [under the cap]. I understand that. This is where I want to be. This is my dream place to play. Im hopeful that its a long-term deal coming up after this." For now, with Franson finally locked up, the Leafs find themselves in a cap squeeze, the roster requiring some carving and a degree of sculpting before opening day next week. Almost certainly, they will not be able to carry the roster maximum of 23 players, hurt by the 10-game suspension to David Clarkson and the uncertain status of Frazer McLaren, who could be placed on long-term injured reserve (finger injury) to offer a little wiggle room. "Its still the same situation as if Cody had signed at the beginning of camp," Loiselle said. "Were still evaluating. We still have two games left and well see how it shakes out." Paired with Fraser throughout his first practice – Jake Gardiner remains an option additionally as a partner, the two paired together late in the playoffs – Franson will likely play in both of the remaining exhibition games this weekend, a home and home set with Detroit. Though he enjoyed a brief and albeit unwanted experience at Ryerson, Franson was just pleased to be back in the routine of his NHL life, ready to take the next step forward – both personally and with his team. "I love being here in Toronto," he concluded. "This is where I want to be and thats the main reason why everything happened. Im happy its done and looking forward to getting going." Jacob deGrom Jersey . Osasunas Alvaro Cejudo drove the ball onto the crossbar in the fifth minute and his team squandered several long-range strikes before he was denied one-on-one by goalkeeper Jaime Jimenez in the 50th. Dwight Gooden Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry, The recent issues in the Boston-Pittsburgh game have highlighted a number of officiating, game control, and player sportsmanship aspects. http://www.metsrookiestore.com/Mets-Steven-Matz-Kids-Jersey/ . -- Rory McIlroy birdied his last two holes Thursday for a 7-under 63 to take the lead after one round of the Honda Classic. Tim Tebow Jersey . "Weve given ourselves now a tougher task," said Carlyle after the Friday practice, the Toronto head coach notably chipper and upbeat throughout. "But the bottom line is we just have to win our share of games [and] not worry about what anybody else is doing. Todd Frazier Jersey .3 million qualifying offer to outfielder Michael Cuddyer on Monday.Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - Troy Brouwer scored the game-winning goal with just 12.9 seconds to play and the Washington Capitals nabbed a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2015 Winter Classic from Nationals Park. The game appeared headed to overtime, but a penalty to Jonathan Toews at 18:47 gave the Capitals a power play, and just under a minute later a mid-ice faceoff was won by the Capitals that saw Alex Ovechkin bring it into the Chicago end. Ovechkin had his stick broken at the left circle and lost control of the puck, but Brouwer was there for a turnaround shot that beat Corey Crawford for the lead. When I saw the puck laying at his feet when he broke his stick, somebody had to try to keep alive, said Brouwer. So I turned around, threw it to the net. Im not sure where it even went in, but I heard the noise of the crowd, heard the noise of the guys on the ice, and it was one of those where you know the time, you know the score, and youre just trying to get a puck on net, and thankfully it went in. Braden Holtby then sealed the victory with a tough save on a Patrick Kane shot just before time expired to give the Capitals their second victory in the New Years Day event. Washington had won a 3-1 decision over the Penguins at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh in 2011, and is now the first team to win two games at this annual event. Ovechkin finished the game with a goal and an assist, while Eric Fehr also lit the lamp for the Capitals, who had come into the game having lost two of their last three games. Holtby finished the game with 33 stops. The whole day was unbelievable, said Ovechkin. It has been outstanding. The atmosphere on the ice, like, since first second was like unreal. Its a good one before all our lives, and Im pretty sure Im going to watch this hockey game and well enjoy it. Patrick Sharp and Brandon Saad scored for the Blackhawks, who have lost both of their Winter Classic appearances as the team dropped a 6-4 decision to Detroit at Wrigley Field in 2009. Crawford made 32 saves. Its a fun process, it was a great experience, I think that we could have left here with a point, we would have been a lot happier with the whole build- up and the whole thrill and experience, said Chicago head coach Joel Quenneville. The fans were great. Theyre just a little happier than we are today. The first good chance came three minutes in when Brooks Laich skated in on a 2-on-1 break for the Caps, but his shot from the right wing was blocked away by Crawford. Just under seven minutes in, the Blackhawks had their own good scoring chance as Saad threw a shot on net that Holtby blocked and then bloocked Saads follow-up backhander during 4-on-4 play.dddddddddddd With each team still down a man, the Caps got on the scoreboard as Brent Seabrook misplayed the puck at the right point in the Washington end. Fehr caught up to the puck near the Chicago blueline and went in on a short break, shifting from the backhand to the forehand and sliding it just past the left pad of Crawford for a 1-0 lead at 7:01 of the first. The teams switched sides at the midway point of the first period, and the Capitals made it a 2-0 game two minutes later as strong work in the Chicago end saw Ovechkin finish off a rebound in front off a Mike Green shot from the right point. Chicago, though, got on the board 1 1/2 minutes later on the power play after Nicklas Backstrom was called for holding. A left circle faceoff win saw Chicago control the puck in the Washington end, and Sharp wristed the puck in from the high slot with Andrew Shaw providing a screen in front. The Caps nearly regained their two-goal edge less than two minutes into the second as Ovechkin beat Crawford with a wrister from the right wing, but the shot rang off the crossbar. The Blackhawks tied the game at 3:15 of the second thanks to a good bounce. John Carlson had the puck to the left of his goaltender and tried to backhand a pass off the backboards, but the disc sat there at Marian Hossa was able to grab it. Hossa then sent a quick pass out front to Toews, who quickly passed it over to his left where Saad had a wide open net for his ninth goal of the season. The Blackhawks had a solid chance to take the lead later in the second, as the team skated 5-on-3 for 1:31 after a pair of minors from the Caps near the midway point, but they were unable to generate any opportunities. You dont score on five and threes, you generally dont win and that ended up being the result, said Quenneville. Chicago went just 1-for-6 on the power play, while Washington finished the game 1-for-4. Game Notes Temperature at game time was 41 degrees, with much of the ice under the sun, thereby necessitating the teams switching sides in the first period to equalize any advantages. In the second and third periods, the entire ice was under shade, and there was no side-switching ... There will be one other outdoor game this season on Feb. 21 between Los Angeles and San Jose at Levis Stadium, home of the NFLs San Francisco 49ers ... Toews assist on Saads goal gave him two goals and three assists in outdoor games, most in NHL history ... It was Chicagos third outdoor game overall, as the team hosted the Penguins at Soldier Field last season. ' ' ' |
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Thursday morning, Franson swung by his tem
