Video´s von unseren Gassirunden » None the less a boarding minor

TORONTO – While the future face of the Maple Leafs was being introduced beside Gate 5 of the Air Canada Centre on Monday morning, the head coach of the hockey club was busy conducting exit interviews for perhaps the final time in Toronto. One player – a young defenceman, almost certain to be 23-year-old Jake Gardiner based on the clues – entered the office of Randy Carlyle and expressed frustration with the constraints he felt from the coaching staff early in the season. Carlyle was admittedly shocked by the revelation, especially taken aback by who this player compared himself with in the league. "Theres some surprising things that come back from players, something youd never imagine," Carlyle said on Tuesday afternoon, his future as the Leafs head coach on the most uncertain of terms at the outset of another disappointing offseason in Toronto. It was one more (and perhaps final) source of befuddlement for a coach still in search of answers following a season that unraveled in rapid and stinging fashion. In less than a month, his team went from chasing home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs to 12th in the East and an eighth absence from the playoffs in the past nine seasons. "We never really created an identity for our hockey club this year," he said, worn down after missing the postseason for just the second time in his NHL coaching career. "We didnt play to an identity and thats what was disturbing because we had been a competitive group in the year previous. We felt that this group going forward was ready to take the next step and a lot of people felt the same way and it didnt materialize." Carlyles imagined idea of Maple Leaf hockey was realized only in the most fleeting of moments, never consistently, be it from shift to shift, period to period, or game to game. He pushed and prodded for a team that was difficult to play against, that defended with vigour and attitude, that slugged it out for extended periods in the offensive zone (Toronto was amongst the worst possession teams in the league) and he rarely got it. Dave Bolland and David Clarkson were supposed to help establish that brand – replacing Mikhail Grabovski, Clarke MacArthur and Leo Komarov amongst others – but with Bollands long-term injury and Clarksons year-long struggle, the club actually felt off rather dramatically in terms of the identity and attitude it had established in 48 games last season. The drop-off from Grabovski to replacements for Bolland (and Tyler Bozak thereafter) was considerable as was the dip from MacArthur and Komarov to Clarkson. Those offseason changes, made by Dave Nonis, were seemingly made with the brand of the head coach in mind. Carlyle banged the drum loudly all year for what needed to change – even as the group piled up wins in early October and in parts beyond – but could never figure out how to make it stick, his brand of hockey rarely aligning with a group that was equally hard-headed and ultimately unfit to play such a style or system consistently. "We spent a lot of time and effort on trying to create, sell, visualize what it means to be a Toronto Maple Leaf," he said. "For this year we were not able to create that. Those are the things that youre going to scratch your head and bang your head against the wall Why didnt it happen? Why didnt it happen? And thats what were all asking ourselves: Why didnt it happen? Because we had it the previous shortened season, the lockout season. We were a hard team to play against." But in the lockout year of 2013, the Leafs had a superb penalty kill, a top-10 offence and strong goaltending, elements that glossed over some of the instabilities that became quickly apparent in the 2013-14 campaign that followed. Despite woeful defensive play, they made it to March in good shape on the strength of a top-five power-play, a dominant top line and superb goaltending from Jonathan Bernier. Once those elements quieted some, the house of cards collapsed – Carlyle said they lost their "mojo" following a successful swing through California. (Over-using the likes of Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk down the stretch, with nothing suitable on the fourth line for support, surely didnt help matters.) Replacing the high-risk, high-reward Ron Wilson, Carlyle was supposed to dramatically alter the course of the Leafs upon his arrival in March 2012, both in terms of structure and style. He was supposed to be the elixir, especially, for how they defended, but in 2013-14, Carlyles Leafs were actually worse in keeping the puck out of the net than in Wilsons final full season behind the bench. No team in the league gave up as many shots as the squad in Toronto – 856 more in fact than the NHLs best in New Jersey – forcing the goaltending to be better than average most nights for two points. Carlyle trumpeted the struggle as a matter of compete – part of the problem certainly – obfuscating of course his inability to affect change where it was once promised he would. "Were not asking the players to do something that they havent done before or wouldnt have done in another situation – be it junior hockey or American Hockey League," Carlyle. "You have to play and you have to compete on the defensive side of the puck with will and commitment and we did not want to do that on a day-to-day basis and thats what our struggles were." His status for next season remains uncertain at best. Neither new president, Brendan Shanahan, nor his second in command Dave Nonis would say if Carlyle would be back, preferring to thoroughly assess the group first in the days ahead. "Im here today," Carlyle said. But he was still searching for answers... "If you think you have all the answers youre in the wrong business," he concluded. "Theres things that you know youd like to do differently as a staff, as a person, as an individual. Theres certain ways you deal with certain things. Theres points that you felt shouldve been a lot stronger on or you shouldve been softer on. Theres all those things. Youre going to question yourself all the time." Carlos Lee Astros Jersey . -- Cordell Cato scored his first goal of the season and the San Jose Earthquakes survived a full half playing a man down to beat FC Dallas 2-1 Saturday night. Joe Pepitone Astros Jersey . The Broncos quarterback earned the offensive award Wednesday after passing for 374 yards and three touchdowns in a 37-21 win over the Raiders Monday night. Manning completed 32-of-37 passes and had a passer rating of 135. https://www.cheapastros.com/1833o-justin...sey-astros.html. - Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin has cleared league-mandated concussion protocol and has returned to practice as a full participant. Mike Cuellar Jersey . Thornton emerged as one of the leagues best defensive ends against the run in 2013. The former undrafted free agent from Division II Southern Arkansas led Philadelphias linemen with 78 tackles and had one sack. Ryan Pressly Astros Jersey . Two-time Olympic bronze medallists Savchenko and Szolkowy received 79.02 points to finish ahead of world bronze medallists Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada, who had 77.01 points.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. I have heard a lot of unsure analysis on Ryan Keslers hit on Derek Dorsett from Tuesday night. Clearly to me it was a blown call by the referees; should have been two minutes for elbowing and possibly more for a hit to the head! Dorsett did not return in the game with a possible concussion. My question in general - is the game so fast now that officials have so much trouble to process every move, every play, every situation that miss stuff more and the game should be slowed down a bit for safety and officiating reasons? Second question and more importantly, do you think a suspension for Ryan Kesler is out of the question? If nothing much comes of the hit how are players going to get the message that it is not okay to hot above the shoulders, and you are putting players and yourselves at risk for lifetime injuries beyond your playing days? Thanks for answering this question. Jeff Martin, Victoria, BC Jeff: Ryan Kesler was asked in a post-game interview about his collision with Derek Dorsett that knocked the Vancouver player out of the game as a result of head contact. It was reported Kesler wasnt worried about supplemental discipline because he never saw Dorsett. Kesler is quoted as saying, All I know is I was going for the puck and I felt him hit. I hope hes all right. Its a fast game out there. I was just going for the puck and he kind of ran into me. It wasnt malicious at all. The game is fast, as Kesler states. In response to your second and most important question, Jeff, I have to agree with most of what Ryan Kesler said in his post-game statement. That is with the exception that he did not see Dorsett until he felt him hit. It is apparent to me that Kesler became aware of the impending contact/collision at the last second and braced himself with a right arm tuck to his side just prior to impact. Both players had assumed a lowered body posture in an opposite approach path on a play for the puck. Dorsett attempted to handle the bouncing puck through the high slot as he curled toward the blue line with intent to exit the Vancouver defensive zone. Kesler was curling from the boards toward the slot and was clearly focused on the puck that had jumped off Dorsetts stick and entered Keslers attainable space. Kesler then reached for the puck, but sensed the immediate and impending collision with Dorsett which he braced for. Keslers next defensive action was to elevate his posture slightly through the contact which caused his shoulder and tricep to accidentally catch Dorsett in the head. Kesler did not deliver a check (illegal or otherwise) but instead altered his posture at the last second as he reacted to a collision. The appearance of a Kessler elbow was a result of the impact and nott done with deliberation or intent.ddddddddddddDepending on the angle that the referee(s) viewed the play they might have determined an illegal check to the head had been delivered by Kesler and imposed a minor penalty (There is no provision for a major penalty under this rule). It is most unfortunate that Derek Dorsett was injured on this play and like Ryan Kesler, I too hope Dorsett is all right. While I am sure you wont agree with my assessment Jeff, I see this as a collision and not deserving of a penalty and certainly not supplemental discipline. In response to your general question, I do not believe we should attempt to slow the game down at this time. The better action is for the officiating to adjust and keep pace with the speed and enhanced level of play. For this to occur, the Officiating Department to must provide enhanced coaching techniques and a higher level of accountability for the current crop of officials. Several young referees that work primarily in the AHL are being assigned to NHL games. The game at the NHL level looks even faster to these young, inexperienced referees and they need coaching. We know that mistakes are made. We can even accept human error if the officials learn from their mistakes and minimize or eliminate those types of mistakes in the future. There are, however, too many repetitive errors being made on any given night. I see positioning, awareness and focus of attention (reading and reacting to potential hot-spots) as problem areas that need to be addressed. We often see an inability for some of the refs to know the difference between a minor infraction and when to impose a major or match penalty which can and does result in player suspension. Successful referees have a feel for the game and can manage players emotions with calls at key moments in the game. Zack Kassian hit Patrick Maroon into the boards from behind after the whistle blew on the shift immediately after the Kesler-Dorsett collision. This illegal hit provides an example of a key moment in the game where the refs needed to step up but didnt. Kassian delivered the illegal hit after the whistle blew and in obvious retribution for Dorsetts injury. As such, the hit was late, Maroon was in a vulnerable position facing square to and a couple of feet away from the boards. Maroon did get his hands up to defend the fall into the boards which would negate a major penalty assessment. None the less a boarding minor and 10 minute misconduct to Kassian would have been appropriate in this circumstance. The referees did not assess a boarding penalty to Kassian. Instead, Kassian received two minutes for roughing Corey Perry who jumped on the Vancouver player immediately after he hit Maroon. Perry didnt receive a penalty on the play and should have been held accountable for his actions. The wrong message was sent through this penalty assessment. ' ' '