Bleacher Report - Articles by Roy Steeves

Toronto Blue Jays Call Up Cecil, Ray, and Wolfe

Roy Steeves — Sat, 02 May 2009 01:30:22 -0400

After the Jays first series loss of the season against the Kansas City Royals, the Toronto Blue Jays have made changes to their pitching staff, calling up left-hander Brett Cecil and right-handers Robert Ray and Brian Wolfe from Triple-A Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League.

Cecil is expected to make his major league debut against the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday. Cecil has a 0-3 record with four starts in Las Vegas he owns an dismal ERA of 8.31.

Ray will start for the Blue Jays on Saturday in Game 2 of their series against the Orioles.

Over the past two seasons, Wolfe has spent time between the Blue Jays and the minor leagues. He is 3-3 with a 2.81 ERA in 58 games over that span with the Jays.

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Hanson to Entry-Level Contract

Roy Steeves — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:04:19 -0400

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed Chris Hanson, the son of Dave Hanson from the cult classic film “Slap Shot”.

"We are excited to have Christian signed to a contract, and look forward to seeing him play for our organization," said Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke in a media release this morning.

"He is a very intelligent hockey player who has good size and a solid scoring touch around the net."

At 6'4" and 225 pounds, Hanson is considered to be a big two-way centre that scored 16 goals, 15 assists, and 28 in 37 games for Notre Dame this season.

L.A. Kings Defenceman Denis Gauthier Gets Five Games For Head Shot

Roy Steeves — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:55:14 -0500

The Los Angeles Kings will not be seeing defenceman Denis Gauthier February 14th as he has been suspended five games without pay for a head shot on Montreal Canadiens' defenceman Josh Gorges in a game on January 31.

Gauthier received a five minute major for charging and a game misconduct for the hit on Gorges.

Gauthier will forfeit $56,000 in salary which will go to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Justin Pogge Starts for the Toronto Maple Leafs Tonight!

Roy Steeves — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 07:19:58 -0500

Justin Pogge will get a second kick at the can when the Toronto Maple Leafs return to action tonight.

Pogge will get the start versus Minnesota. Head Coach Ron Wilson felt it was time to give Pogge another shot in goal because the layoff over the All-Star break kept regulars Toskala and Joseph from skating for four days.

Wilson said that Pogge will return to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League following Tuesday's game, regardless of his performance...to the dismay of Maple Leaf fans everywhere.

Four years after Toronto drafted him 90th overall, Pogge finally got his first shot in the bigs in December when he got the call to replace an injured Toskala. Pogge won his debut, a 6-2 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers.

Eddy Curry Devastated by the Killing of His Former Girlfriend

Roy Steeves — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 06:24:58 -0500

A woman found shot to death in a Chicago apartment was a former girlfriend of Eddy Curry and the mother of his three-year-old son.

A relative found the bodies of Nova Henry and her daughter Ava in their apartment on Saturday evening. Both died from multiple gunshot wounds, said Chicago police spokeswoman Monique Bond.

Curry's three-year-old son was found unharmed at the scene. Curry is a former player for the NBA's Chicago Bulls.

The Knicks issued a public statement Sunday on Curry's behalf, asking that the media respect the privacy of the two families: "The Curry family is deeply saddened by this tragic loss and will keep the Henry family in their prayers."

Martin Gerber Handed Walking Papers

Roy Steeves — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 06:49:38 -0500

Thursday afternoon the Ottawa Senators placed veteran netminder Martin Gerber on waivers, almost certainly ending his career in the nation’s capital.

Gerber was named the Senators' starter out of training camp this season, however after a dismal start he began to ride the “pine pony” in order to make room for back-up Alex Auld.

Gerber is having a horrendous season with only 14 games played with only four wins and a .899 save percentage. If Gerber clears waivers, look for him to go play in Europe due to his large cap hit.

Alud has been given the No. 1 job due to the poor play of Gerber. Auld is not playing that much better than Gerber, going 9-and-11 with a .907 save percentage going into the All Star break.

The real bright side of this ordeal has been rookie goaltender Brian Elliot. Since being called up to the big club Elliot has gone 3-and-1 and owns a .924 save percentage. With the Senators' struggles this season, look for this rookie to be the new No. 1 starter in Ottawa.

Senators assistant general manager Tim Murray had this to say about Elliot: "He's part of the (NHL) team now, and he's no longer an American League hockey player as of now."

The Top 10 Canadian Major Leaguers

Roy Steeves — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:35:30 -0500

Canada has only one Major League Baseball team in the Toronto Blue Jays, however currently no Canadian born players on the roster. Canada has a lot of talent playing America’s pastime. From power hitters like Minnesota’s first baseman Justin Morneau to Colorado’s pitching ace Jeff Francis, Canadian’s are getting’ er done across the league. Let’s take a look at the Top ten Major League Canucks.

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Jeremy Accardo, Jason Frasor Re-Sign with Toronto Blue Jays

Roy Steeves — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:59:29 -0500

The Toronto Blue Jays have re-signed right-handed pitchers Jeremy Accardo and Jason Frasor.

Accardo singed a new one-year deal with the Jays worth $900,000. He played in only 16 games in 2008, spending much of his time on the disabled list with an injury to his forearm. Accardo is a steal at $900,000 for a man who had 30 saves only one season ago.

Frasor avoided salary arbitration today by signing a one-year, $1.45 million deal with the Jays. He did not have a good season last year as a starter, with one win and two losses. However, in 49 appearances as a reliever he held the opponents' bats to an average of .208 and only allowed 36 hits over 47 innings of work.

The Blue Jays have also made offers to relievers Brian Tallet and Shawn Camp, and are still waiting to hear back from their respective representation.

Could the "'Bulin Wall" Be Stopping Pucks in Toronto?

Roy Steeves — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:17:08 -0500

Let’s face it, the goaltending tandem of Vesa Toskala and Curtis Joseph are not getting the job done for the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs need an elite goaltender that can play 50-60 games a season; a legitimate number one.

Who is out there? Nikolia Khabibulin and Manny Fernandez are.

With the Chicago Blackhawks signing Chistabel Huet long term this past off-season, it looks as if that Khabibulin is the odd man out.

Khabibulin, 36 is a Stanly Cup winning goaltender and a show stopper with his flashy style. Khabibulin is a work horse playing more than 50 games in 10 of his 12 NHL seasons. This season he has seen 13 wins, three losses, and a .929 save percentage.

His knowledge and experience would greatly help the Leafs goaltender of the future Justin Pogge bridge the gap between the AHL and the NHL.

What would it take to acquire the “Bulin Wall”? More than likely the Hawks would want a solid defenseman and a scrappy forward which would most likely end up being Tomas Kaberle and Ryan Hollweg.

Manny Fernandez, 34 from Etobicoke, Ontario is quietly having a great season playing behind Tim Thomas posting a record of 14-3. Why would the Bruins be willing to trade Fernandez?

Easy, they have a long playoff run ahead of them so they are going to need a real No. 2 defenseman to play with Zdeno Chara, also they have a great young goaltender in waiting in the wings in former Maple Leafs draft pick Tuukka Rask.

The Bruins would be looking for a defenseman in return for Fernandez to add them in their enviable playoff run. It looks like Pavel Kubina would be the choice in this case. Boston could use another big shut down defenseman.

Team Canada: Defense First

Roy Steeves — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:05:39 -0500

Steve Yzerman has some tough decisions to make in the near future. Team Canada for the 2010 Olympics is going to be anything thing it is certainly going to be Tough. Canada has what some would call an embarrassment of riches on the blue line for 2010. But how do you decide among all the top D men that Canada produces? It seems to be an almost impossible task, who would you choose? Who gets left behind? This slideshow shows the Team Canada front runners.

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Why It's Time for Gary Bettman To Let Canada Have More Hockey

Roy Steeves — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:21:40 -0500

With the “Sunshine” franchises namely The Tampa Bay lightning, Florida Panthers, and the Phoenix Coyotes struggling financially, it seems more and more likely that one or more of these franchises relocating to a hockey home in Canada.

Which cities could be home to these franchises? The following is a list of three cities that would be ready and more than willing to welcome one of these franchises. The only problem is getting Gary Bettman to allow one or more of these hurting franchises to come to Canada.

Hamilton, Ontario – More than a half million people call the Hamilton area home. Jim Balsillie tried to purchase the Nashville Predators and move them to Hamilton a couple years ago; however Hamilton is a big hockey market.

Although Hamilton is close in proximity to Toronto, Hamilton could support an NHL franchise. It is definitely not going to hurt the Maple Leafs Empire as there are legions of Maple Leafs fans all over the world. A bright point of Hamilton is that people would buy an NHL ticket in Hamilton.

Have you ever tried to buy Leafs or Sens tickets? It’s pretty much a no brainer that the tickets would sell not only to Hamilton fans but Leafs and Sens fans. Also, Hamilton has an arena that with a little retro fitting could be the home of a Hamilton based franchise in Copps Coliseum that can hold 17,000 plus! Hamilton is also home of the American Hockey League Bulldogs, who play in the Coliseum.

Winnipeg, Manitoba – Is it time that the Jets come home? Yes, and the MTC Centre is waiting for them. Winnipeg was the home of the Winnipeg Jets until they were relocated south of the border to Phoenix, AZ in 1996.

Winnipeg has a large population with 600,000 plus in the metro area. Winnipeg is a proud hockey town and is home to the American Hockey League’s Moose. This city would love and support an NHL franchise and could use a warm place to go in the winter, which is cold enough to kill penguins.

Like Hamilton, Winnipeg has an existing hockey venue in the MTS centre that can seat 15,000 fans. The city of Winnipeg would welcome the Jets home with open arms.

Moncton, New Brunswick – The Hub City of the Maritimes. Moncton seems like an odd choice, 'til you think about how many large maritime cities are only a stones through away.

The Greater Moncton Area has a booming population at 125,000 people in the GMA; however, if you factor in the close by cities of Saint John, Fredericton, Charlottetown, Summerside, and Halifax you’re looking at more than a half million people.

The city of Moncton loves its events have hosted the bands like The Rolling Stone and the Eagles with more than 55,000 people attending each show from all over the Maritimes.

Moncton does have a hockey venue which the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec major Junior Hockey League and the summer training home of the NHL’s New York Islanders in the Moncton Coliseum. However the aging Coliseum will only house 6,500 fans.

A city like Moncton, with the promise of an NHL franchise, I believe, would quickly produce the capital needed to build a new arena most likely with the huge corporate backing of the Irving family of the Irving Oil Empire who already own the Wildcats. The friendly Maritimers would do Canada proud by showing a NHL franchise some East Coast hospitality.

Brayden Schenn a Possible Draft Target for Maple Leafs?

Roy Steeves — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:07:56 -0500

The Toronto Maple Leafs draft center Brayden Schenn—sounds crazy, right? Why does Toronto need more centers?

With the success of family playing together on other NHL teams—the Niedermayers in Anaheim, Sedins in Vancouver, the Kostitsyns in Montreal—the Maple Leafs have the chance to gain the same "family chemistry." The chemistry the Schenns have is undeniable and simply amazing. For that reason, it may be worthwhile for the Maple Leafs to draft Brayden.

With Brian Burke at the helm in Toronto, he will build a big, strong, scoring-focused team. Schenn is a big, strong center who plays a game similar to Mike Richards of the Philadelphia Flyers. This is exactly what Burke is looking for, and what the Maple Leafs need. Schenn, at 17 years old, is 6'0" and 200 pounds. He is strong on the puck and is developing a sound two-way game.

The big reason Toronto could use this young man is that he can put the puck in the net. In 39 games this season, he has 18 goals (three game winners) and 27 assists for 45 points. He is averaging 1.15 points per game thus far.

Look for Brayden to join his brother Luke in the blue and white this spring.

NHL's Top Five Most Wanted as Trade Deadline Approaches

Roy Steeves — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:10:16 -0500

With the NHL’s trade deadline fast approaching let’s take a look at some of the NHL’s most wanted. These players are the subject of many trade rumors some of these players are already being openly shopped other are said to be “unavailable” however still in the rumor mill. These five players seem to be in the most rumors.

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Tomas Kaberle, Welcome to Montreal

Roy Steeves — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 01:09:00 -0500

Let’s face it—Montreal is in desperate need of a strong stand-up defensemen who can quarterback their dismal power play.

The man they need is the enemy—the man in blue and white, Tomas Kaberle.

Kaberle was drafted in the eighth round of the 1996 NHL Draft (204th overall). Kaberle only saw minimal playing time over a half season in the 1998-99 season.

Since the 1999-2000 season, Kaberle has been a staple on the Maple Leafs' blue line and one of their most potent defensive weapons.

Not only is Kaberle a defensive force, he is also an amazing setup man who owns a deadly accurate wrist shot, which enabled him to win the 2008 NHL All-Star Game's shot-accuracy competition.

Kaberle has a fair amount of history with the Montreal Canadiens, having been part of the Toronto-Montreal rivalry for the past decade and scoring his first NHL hat trick against the Habs in 2006.

What would the Toronto Maple Leafs need in return for this veteran blue liner? Simple, the rebuilding Maple Leafs will need draft picks and personality.

The logical compensation for Kaberle would be a first- and a second-round pick, plus budding young defensemen P.K. Subban .

The draft picks are logical, but here is why Subban makes sense for the Maple Leafs.

Subban is from the GTA, hailing from Rexdale, Ontario. He has shown himself to be an offensive defensemen and a big voice in the dressing room and on the ice. Subban would bring an attitude and presence that the Maple Leafs desperately need.

The only question is, does Brian Burke have the gumption to make such a bold move trading away a big part of the Maple Leafs' past to build for the future?

Top Five Maple Leafs Surprise Players

Roy Steeves — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:43:57 -0500

This is a look at the Top 5 Toronto Maple Leafs players this season. These may not be the big name players; these are the players that get the job done no matter how big or how small, game in and game out. The players that are immerging as role players, leaders, and personalities as this re building Maple Leafs team find their indentity.

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Ron Wilson: Midseason Review

Roy Steeves — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:09:30 -0500

Welcome back to the Mecca of Hockey, Ron Wilson.

Many people tend to forget that this is not Ron Wilson’s first visit to the T Dot.

Ron Wilson was a Maple Leafs draft pick back in 1975—however, he only played a spattering of games over three seasons before heading to Switzerland. Now 28 years later, he is back—and he brought a whole new game and frame of mind with him.

Ron Wilson got his coaching start as an assistant in Vancouver under Maple Leafs former Coach and GM Pat Quinn. He was the first coach in the Mighty Ducks' short history. However, he really made his name and developed his defensive coaching style in San Jose, coaching them to four straight playoff appearances.

Now in Toronto, Wilson has introduced the rebuilding Maple Leafs to a defensive-first method of play. The Maple Leafs are showing signs of this method working. However, they are lacking the experience on the back end, with only two proven NHL defensemen with Pavel Kubina and Tomas Kaberle.

For Wilson’s defensive mind set to work with this team, he is in need of another couple NHL veterans to shore up their back end.

Wilson’s big problem is going to be getting the Maple Leafs forwards to buy into this defense first frame of mind. With forwards like Nik Antropov, Matt Satjan, and Jason Blake that can only play offence, this may be too much for these second- and third-line players.

However, Wilson does have some blue collar grinders that can play two-way hockey in Dominic Moore and newly-acquired Lee Stepmniak.

Wilson has coached the Leafs to a record of 11-12-6, which is one game ahead of the Eastern Conference perennial powerhouse Ottawa Senators. THat isn’t too bad for a team predicted to be last in the league this season.

Wilson has brought something unexpected to the Maple Leafs—a never-say-die attitude. No matter how hard you come at this rebuilding Maple Leafs team they do not fall back on their heels. They will out work any team in the league, in any city, in any arena, against any line.

Ron Wilson is slowly turning this team into a pack of blue-collar grinders that will aggravate opposing coaches and players alike.

Also, this new blue-collar Maple Leafs team can never be counted out of a game. Ron McLean said it best in New York when the Maple Leafs were down 2-0 after two periods of play, “The Leafs have got New York right where they want them, ahead by two” .

All this being said, I believe that Ron Wilson has been great behind the bench of the Maple Leafs, and things are only looking up with the hiring of Brian Burke and Dave Nonis. The tandem of Burke and Nonis will bring the right people in that will fit into Ron Wilson’s strategy.

So in this writer's opinion Ron Wilson gets an A+, and should be behind the bench from years to come, bringing the Maple Leafs back to the top of the NHL’s Eastern Conference.

The Ottawa Senators: What's Wrong This Season?

Roy Steeves — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:20:14 -0500

The Ottawa Senators have been not only an Eastern Conference powerhouse but a President’s Trophy threat every season for the past three years. But what has happened to them this year? Is it Wade Redden going to the Big Apple? No. Ray Emery playing overseas? Nope, the answer it much more simple than that.

Things have simply gotten stale in the Sens dressing room. Players who normally thrive on each other are no longer working as well together and when this happens the team comes out flat and plays with out heart.

How would I fix this problem? I would be rid of one of the big three: either Spezza, Heatley, or Alfredsson. But how would you choose which one has to go. It’s almost like choosing which child you love the most.

Let’s go through the players one by one:

Daniel Alfredsson (36)

The team captain and the heart of the team. Also a career Senator he hold many team records, games played, goals, assists, and total points. He plays a sounds two way game and at his age still has explosive speed and a laser of a wrist shot that is accurate as soon as he skates over the blue line, not to mention he is also one the best passers in the game.

Alfredsson is to Ottawa, as Yzerman is to Detroit. Also it doesn’t hurt that the captain is only a 4.3 million dollar hit on the cap. Alfredsson is not going anywhere.

Danny Heatley (27)

Since leaving Atlanta, Danny Heatley has gone from good to great, nothing seems to slow this man down from torn ligaments to a broken jaw, and with every passing game it seems that Heatley just keeps getting better. This leads me to believe that Heatley must be some sort of a hockey robot. It seems no matter where he plays or who he plays with Heatley is an unstoppable force.

Also Heatley is a player to build around cause no matter who you put around him he will make those players better. The only down side I can see to Heatley is that he is a 7.5 million a season hit on the salary cap.

Jason Spezza (25)

Drafted second overall in 2001, it took Spezza a couple years to get a full-time NHL gig many said he was not ready to play the bigger faster brand of hockey. However when he was finally given the chance to suit up for the Senators in full-time in 2003-04 he has made every hockey analyst that doubted him and his abilities eat their words.

Spezza can put the puck in the net almost at will however it seems that he would rather pass the puck and see a teammate score that take one for himself. He is a selfless hockey player and will be a great set up man and a great leader for years to come.

Who is the odd man out on the “pizza” line? You are the judge, but one thing is for sure and that is one of these guys has to go for the team to move forward.

What Do the Maple Leafs Need Going Forward?

Roy Steeves — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:18:02 -0500

With the Leafs still feeling the effects of the John Ferguson Jr./Cliff Fletcher reign at the helm, Toronto is in need of a few key components that have still not been addressed.

First things first, the rebuilding Leafs need a leader—someone to wear the “C” that Mats Sundin abandoned in the offseason. The Leafs need a strong leader that has experience and can take command of a Leafs team that is getting younger and younger these days. What Veterans are out there? The short list...drum roll, please...Brendan Shanahan and Gary Roberts.

Roberts is playing on a “B” star-studded Tampa Bay Lighting team that is struggling with player chemistry and poor coaching via Barry Melrose and now Rick Tocchet.

Why would a 41-year-old war horse make a great leafs captain? One word: experience.

The Maple Leafs have not made the playoffs since Gary left and why? He is vocal in the dressing room and hold people personally responsible for their actions. Not only is he an experienced leader, he brings another element to the team that is off ice. He is the perfect example of how an NHL player should carry himself on and off the ice, both with the media and lifestyle.

A move to Toronto would also be a good move for his family to be closer together. A great choice for captain, but maybe I am a little nostalgic.

Shanahan has not played this yea; however, he has not called it a career as of yet. Why would you take on a man like this in a town like Toronto? Playoff experience and Stanley Cup experience. Most have all but forgotten about this future Hall of Famer but remember he put up 46 points last season and also played in the 2006-07 All-Star Game. Brendan Shanahan has represented Canada on many occasions but has never played for a Canadian NHL club.

Shanahan or Roberts? Both great choices; however, will Brian Burke make the move to take on one of these veteran blue-collar wingers? Probably not, but the fact remains the leafs need a Captain and with Tampa struggling and Shanahan sitting out either would not be too difficult to acquire.

Another element they need is a decent backup goaltender. I hate to say it, but Curtis Joseph, no matter how much I want him to, is not cutting it as the No. 2, while Vesa Toskala seems to still be finding his game as a No. 1 starter.

Who is out there? If you are Canadian, the answer is probably right in front of you...Has anyone else noticed the goaltending carousel in Edmonton? Edmonton is carrying three good goaltenders in Dwayne Roloson, Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers, and Mathieu Garon. All have similar numbers this season, could complement Toskala, and are comfortable in the backup roll. When choosing a goaltender off the Oiler carousel, it's really just a roll of the dice.

Last item on the shopping list is a tough guy/agitator, and this man is the always-controversial Sean Avery. Avery’s game is an in-your-face style that throws off not only one player, but whole teams. He is going to get you off your game and the put some points on the board.

Avery being a super pest is also a decent 30- to 40-point-per-season producer. Avery’s unique “skill” set would bring a whole new facet to a boring Leafs lineup.

Sean Avery, A Toronto Maple Leaf?

Roy Steeves — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:03:49 -0500

Avery a Maple Leaf? Sounds crazy right?

With the recent Sean Avery fiasco, it seems like the Dallas Stars do not want Sean Avery to return to the team in any capacity weather it be in the line up or in the minors. But are they really willing to keep him on the roster and take a $4 million dollar cap hit?

The Stars could also place him on waivers, however is there a team willing to take a chance on him and his mouth at $4 million a season over the next three years? Not likely.

Here is a scenario that makes sense for two teams in trouble this season:

With Dallas looking possibly to off load Avery, what could they get in return for such a combustible element? The answer is in Toronto and his name is Jason Blake. The two players have two things in common: both coming into the league in 1999 as free agents and they have also put up similar point totals in the last 2 seasons.

However, that is it. Blake is more of the strong silent type and Avery is more of the loud and obnoxious rock star type.

The Stars would gain a cool, calm, collected second or third line winger that can line up on either side of center and who can also put up 30 plus points a season. The Leafs would gain the toughness and attitude that they are lacking this season. Because let’s face it, Avery, although a controversial character, would add some much needed personality to the rebuilding Leafs.

What would the Stars need to do to make a deal like this happen?

The Leafs would need to trade Jason Blake and probably a third round draft pick and the Stars would have to trade Avery and pick up the tab on a third to half of his salary over the next couple seasons.

Sounds like a raw deal for the Stars, however, you have to ask yourself one question if you are Co-GM’s Brett hull and Les Jackson: How much is peace of mind worth?