Das habt Ihr uns zu sagen! » unable to land a job during the cap crunc

TORONTO - Quietly, the Raptors went about their business on Tuesday, practicing in their own gym for the first time in over two weeks. Just outside the door, a few stray reporters waited for the morning session to let out as a much larger media contingent swarmed the Maple Leafs locker room four floors below. The hockey club, co-tenants with the Raptors at the Air Canada Centre, had fired their head coach hours earlier. Dwane Casey knew that he and his team were not making headlines in the city on this day. Content with just getting back to work at home after a long road trip, the Raptors coach wasted little time in reestablishing the defensive principles that have been slipping away. It started with defence, he said. Its one of those things that slips when you go for a long period of time without practice. Today was more of a training camp-type practice, which we need more of. Guys responded, had a good day of practice but weve got to carry that over to the games, he continued. And like I challenged the guys today, we should get more emphatic and more upset and [just as] teed off against the other team as we do against each other. If we compete in the games the way we compete in practice, wed be a much better defensive team. So we have to carry that over into game situations. The Raptors, a team that ranked 10th in defence last year and ninth through the first month of this season, have fallen a long way in that category. Only the lowly Knicks and Timberwolves allow more points per 100 possession since the end of November. I think its going to be the emphasis for the next couple of weeks for us with the way coach has been talking and preaching to us, Kyle Lowry said Tuesday. I think were all on the same page where we understand thats how were going to win. Seemingly, the teams improved offence has come at the expense of their defensive prowess, but Casey points to a more specific cause - the noticeable decline that coincides with DeMar DeRozans 18-game absence. Since DeMar has gone down our offensive style has changed a little bit in that were more of a running team, we play a little bit faster, Casey stated. I think that affected our defence somewhat. We had to survive and our offence stepped up and carried us in the games we won on the road trip and the games before we went on the trip, the coach went on. We had to adjust and the way we adjusted was to play a little bit faster, which, in turn, I really know affected our defence. According to NBA.com, the Raptors have actually played at a similar, and even slightly slower pace since DeRozans injury, but theres no question his time away has shuffled the deck enough to hurt them in various areas on both ends of the floor. Lowry, one of their hardest working defenders, has been overworked, evident in a pair of lopsided defeats to Golden State and Phoenix at the end of an already tiring road trip. At times during Sundays 16-point loss to the Suns, Casey hid Lowry on P.J. Tucker while combinations of Terrence Ross, Lou Williams and Greivis Vasquez handled the responsibility of guarding Phoenixs talented backcourt duo of Goran Dragic and Eric Bledsoe. This time home will do me good, Lowry said. Get back in our whirlpools, our treatment centres. We get a chance to be home, relax a lot more, get some good food, not eat hotel food all the time. So its good. Its going to be good for me. Although a 2-4 record is nothing to be ashamed of, given the high degree of difficulty on their recent road trip, those last two losses have left a sour taste in everyones mouth. No, Lowry said emphatically when asked if hes satisfied with the result of the trip. No, not at all. We had a losing record. If you have a losing record on a road trip or in general, its not successful. We won a couple games on the trip, but we wanted more. We wanted to win em all. Emotional, physical or whatever fatigue you have, the league doesnt feel sorry for you, Casey added. Those are the situations we faced in there but theres no excuses in this league. We got our butts whooped, now weve got to come back here and regroup, refocus, especially on the defensive end and get our act together. DeROZAN ON TRACK FOR RETURN Although DeRozan was not present at practice on Tuesday, he remains on track to return later this week. The Raptors guard had been scheduled to undergo a series of routine scans on his healing groin injury. The results of these tests will help determine when hes able to get back on the court - likely on Thursday at home to Charlotte, the teams next game, or Saturday at home to Boston. Its been nearly six weeks since DeRozan sustained his injury, tearing his left adductor longus tendon in a loss to the Mavericks on Nov. 28. Accompanying the team on their recent road trip, he was able to get in a couple full practices last week and should be back in the gym on Wednesday. Hes getting there, Lowry said of his teammate. Hes getting better. So today and tomorrow will be big days for him. I think hes going to come back aggressive whenever he comes back. We cant force feed him. We have to be patient with him. Tony Pollard Gear . Follow all the action live on TSN Radio 1050 in Toronto, TSN Radio 690 in Montreal, TSN Radio 1260 in Edmonton and TEAM 1410 on Friday at 3pm et/Noon pt. Throwback Cowboys Jerseys . Showing more spark after not taking enough challenging shots on goal in their 1-0 loss Friday night, the Bruins had 18 shots in the first period after managing just 25 in the entire opener. Luke Glendening cut Bostons lead to 2-1 at 13:20 of the second period before Milan Lucic scored late in the second and Zdeno Chara added a power-play goal early in the third. http://www.officialcowboysnflauthenticshop.com/. Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Doug Martin broke the news that hes cleared for full activity moving forward. Trysten Hill Gear . -- The NFL Players Association wants to determine if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leaked information about quarterback Josh Freeman being in the NFLs substance abuse program. Womens Cowboys Jerseys .ca. Mr. Fraser, I think everyone would like to hear your opinion on what sort of suspension Zac Rinaldo should get. His comment after the game of I changed the whole game, man.TORONTO – Days after his team suffered its worst loss of a young season, Randy Carlyle spoke sharply of the need for change. "Our level of work has to go up," said Carlyle on Thursday. "Weve stated that and weve (told) our players that the message is going to start to be delivered in a different manner if were not going to get the results that were looking for. Its not just about wins; its about how we play." Consider the effort on Friday a step in the right direction for the head coach. James van Riemsdyk scored the lone shootout goal to push the Leafs past the Devils during Hall of Fame night at the ACC. Most impressive to Carlyle in victory was the general abandonment of "cute" play that had wreaked havoc for much of the early season, replaced by simplicity that more closely resembled the template preferred by the coaching staff. "We drew six power-plays," said Carlyle. "So we were doing things right as far as getting the puck into the zone, creating more offensive zone time, playing more of a chip and support game. "We havent done that in a while," he continued. "We know that our special teams have been good, we know our goaltending has been good, but our 5-on-5 play needed addressing. Its only a stepping stone for our hockey club." Though they mustered only 14 shots at even-strength (according to extraskater.com) – compared with 28 for the Devils – the Leafs managed to grind in the New Jersey end for extended sequences. They generated more than a handful of high-quality opportunities against Cory Schneider and secured the aforementioned six power-plays, which matched a season-high. Employing the man advantage, Phil Kessel finally broke what lingered as a scoreless deadlock midway through the third with a slingshot end-to-end effort. It was the precisely the kind of game-changing goal that reaped the 26-year-old an eight-year contract before the season began. "Those are difference-maker goals," said Carlyle of Kessels 10th marker this season. "It reminded me of Frank Mahovlich, the windup, come back inside your own line and attack. Thats old-time hockey, I mean real old-time hockey." Michael Ryder would even the score awkwardly mere minutes later. From atop the left faceoff circle, the Devils winger harmlessly threw a puck at Jonathan Bernier, one that the Leafs goaltender attempted to steer into the corner only for it to leap upwards and into the net. "I didnt want to have a shutout I guess," said Bernier with a laugh. The 25-year-old made 34 saves otherwise, adding a perfect 3-for-3 effort in the shootout to preserve victory. Carlyle was visibly peeved with his teams effort six days earlier in a 4-0 loss to Vancouver, calling it the worst game of the season. With three practices and a slew of video and instruction in the days that followed he harped on the turnovers his team had committed in critical areas; he stressed the need for a feistier forecheck; he wanted more "doggedness" on the puck and much more of the chip-and-chase game that finally arose against the Devils. Neither perfect nor pretty, it was a step in the right direction. Five Points 1. JVR at centre James van Riemsdyk lined up at centre for the first time in the NHL and first time in four years. Predictably, the 24-year-old appeared uncomfortable and indecisive at times. "I thought he did fine," Carlyle said afterward. "The issue for him is going to be more about keep his feet moving in the defensive zone. If hes going to go and finish a check hes got to have some urgency in getting over to support our defencemen from a defensive side. I thought a few times, and he even spoke to it, that he was watching versus reacting and thats natural." Though he accepted and understood the move to centre in light of injuries to Tyler Bozak and Dave Bolland, van Riemsdyk rarely sounded enthused by the change, nor the sizeable adjustment it required. But with few better options, he was pressed into duty, playing alongside Kessel and Joffrey Lupul on Friday night. "If he says no then its not going to work," Carlyle said before the game. "Its 110 per cent his buy-in. We can say all we want as coaches and say push him there and if he says no what do you do? Its up to him." Totaling 22 minutes and the shootout winner, van Riemsdyk won 6 of 15 faceoffs. 2. Clarkson versus New Jersey David Clarkson played 426 games for the Devils and faced them for the first time as a Leaf on Friday. Teammates in New Jersey, Mark Fraser explained what Clarkson, at his best, can do to rattle opponents. "Hes a guy whos able to get under guys skin and he does it in a physical manner and he can do it with his skill," said Fraser, "but when hes really a nuisance or well call him a rat to the other team is when hes at his best." Maybe the most effective trio for the Leafs against New Jersey, Clarkson joined Nazem Kadri and Mason Raymond on Friday. The 30-year-old totaled 20 minutes, his two best offensive opportunities coming in the opening minutes on Schneider, including one that squeaked through five-hole before trickling just wide. Clarkson has yet to score as a Leaf, mustering just one assist in six games. 3. Kessel, Lupul reunited Lost in the news of van Riemsdyk shifting to centre was the reuniting of Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul. The pair formed one of the most lethal partnerships in hockey for nearly two years; linemates from Mar. 13, 2011 until Jan. 23, 2013. "Ive never played on a line with anyone for that long," said Lupul before Fridays game. "Id like to think were both a little bit better players now than we were then when we played together. Hopefully we can pick up where we left off." Both had career years and were first-time All-Stars in their first full seaason together (2011-2012).dddddddddddd Kessel finished with a career-high 37 goals and 82 points, Lupul totaling a career-high 67 points in 66 games. "I think offensively we can read off each other pretty well," Lupul said of chemistry with Kessel. "I had or hopefully still have a good understanding of where Phils going to be, especially in the neutral zone [I] try and get him the puck with speed, which is where he creates the majority of his chances. I think thats where we had some success." An underrated aspect of the 26-year-olds game, Kessel had a career-high 45 assists alongside Lupul. "Obviously we both probably are scorers first," Lupul continued. "But, especially with Phil, his playmaking can get under looked. I think everyone is expecting him to let go the big shot [but] hes quite a good playmaker as well." They remained linemates when the lockout-shortened 2013 began, but when a broken right forearm sidelined Lupul for 25 games, he was replaced on the top unit by van Riemsdyk, who would compile 18 goals in 48 games. 4. Smithson joins Leafs Jerred Smithson played in his 589th NHL game Friday and his first with the Leafs. Previously with the Marlies on a pro tryout, Smithson was inked to a one-year contract for the veterans minimum ($550,000) on Wednesday. The 34-year-old spent 497 games previously with the Nashville Predators during which time Carlyle, formerly the Ducks head coach, became familiar with him. "It goes back to one of those situations where you always take note of who the opposition coach puts on the ice," Carlyle said Thursday of the 6-foot-3, 209 pound Smithson. "And he was one of the guys that took a lot of faceoffs and played a lot of defensive situations against our big guys." Down two of their top centres, Bozak (hamstring) and Bolland (ankle), the Leafs looked to Smithson to help stem the void at centre. The organization valued his experience, faceoff acumen, penalty killing ability, size, and physicality. Smithson spent last season split between Florida and Edmonton, unable to land a job during the cap crunch this summer. "Being away from the game for those few months and missing training camp was frustrating," said Smithson, who earned a fan in Steve Spott during seven games with the Marlies. "To get back with a team and to play games I was just really focusing on getting my conditioning and timing back down there." Compiling a 55 per cent mark on the draw in 2013, Smithson could be a valuable addition in the faceoff circle. Bozak and Bolland assumed 65 per cent of the teams faceoffs prior to Friday, leaving only Nazem Kadri (43 per cent), Jay McClement (54 per cent) and the inexperienced van Riemsdyk (63 career faceoffs before Friday). Smithson won 8 of 9 faceoffs against the Devils in his Toronto debut, seeing a majority of his 10 minutes on the penalty kill. 5. Fraser returns Mark Fraser returned from a 13-game stint on injured reserve – left knee – paired with Paul Ranger in his third game this season. The 27-year-old first injured the knee against the Flyers on Oct. 2, hit blindly by former Leaf Jay Rosehill. "It wasnt really until I was in the penalty box that I started feeling it," said Fraser, who was whistled for high-sticking on the play. "I had my foot up on the bench trying to flex my quad [and] thinking my knees sore, maybe I can stretch this out." Once back on the ice, "I tried to take a stride, because we were still shorthanded when I got on the ice, as soon I knew I couldnt really push hard I knew something was up." He was diagnosed with a grade-2 MCL tear. The injury required weeks of rest and rehab. "Once youre able to get back onto the ice youre just limited," he said. "A lot of the pains gone away, but you just protect it, you dont want to push yourself in a manner that stresses it and it needs to be stressed for one thing, to get comfortable with it." It was expected that 19-year-old Morgan Rielly would sit in Frasers return, but with a last minute injury to Colton Orr – and no other bodies up front – Rielly remained in the lineup as the seventh defenceman. "Hes made some mistakes as every member of our hockey club has," Carlyle said of Rielly on Thursday. "I dont like to say that a young player cutting his teeth in the NHL is experiencing anything other than life in the NHL. We have veteran people that are making the same amount of mistakes or the same type of mistakes and they get a pass. And what wed like to do is make sure Morgan understands, as every player has to understand, that in certain situations those mistakes are not ones that were going to tolerate." Stat-Pack 6 – Power-plays for the Leafs on Friday, matching a season-high. .936 – Save percentage for Jonathan Bernier this season, good for sixth-best overall. 24:02 – Minutes for Mason Raymond against the Devils. 27:06 – Minutes for Dion Phaneuf against the Devils, a season-high. 65 per cent – Faceoff burden injured centres Tyler Bozak and Dave Bolland had assumed for Leafs prior to Friday evening. 426 – Number of games David Clarkson played for the Devils prior to joining the Leafs. 0 – Number of goals for Clarkson this season. 63 – Career faceoffs for James van Riemsdyk entering Fridays game. 15 - Total faceoffs for van Riemsdyk versus the Devils. 8-9 – Jerred Smithson on the draw in his Leafs debut. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-6Season: 22.8 per cent PK: 2-3Season: 86.2 per cent Quote of the Night "I didnt want to have a shutout I guess." -Jonathan Bernier on the lone goal he allowed against the Devils. Up Next The Leafs return to the scene of their Game 7 defeat last May, set to face the Bruins in Boston for the first time this season. 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