Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
AP
Stanley Cups: 11
2008-'09 record: 34-35-13, 81 points (5th in Northeast, 12th in East)
2008-'09 playoffs: Did not qualify
General manager: Brian Burke (407-333-143, 12th NHL year, 4th team)
Coach: Ron Wilson (531-481-140, 16th NHL year, 4th team)
Captain: TBD
Top returning scorer: LW Jason Blake (25 goals, 38 assists, 63 points)
Top returning goalie: Vesa Toskala (22-17-11, 3.26, .891)
Key additions: D Mike Komisarek; RW Colton Orr; D Garnett Exelby; C Wayne Primeau; D Francois Beauchemin; C Tim Brent; C Rickard Wallin; G Joey MacDonald; RW Phil Kessel.
Key subtractions: C Andre Deveaux, D Pavel Kubina; D Jay Harrison, LW Ryan Hollweg, D Erik Reitz, D Jaime Sifers; D Pavel Kubina, C Tim Stapleton; RW Jeremy Williams; RW Tim Stapleton; D Anton Stralman; G Justin Pogge; LW Ryan Hollweg; C Boyd Devereaux; G Martin Gerber; G Olaf Kolzig; LW Brad May; G Curtis Joseph.
Top line: LW Jason Blake, C Mikhail Grabovski; RW Phil Kessel
Top defensive pairing: Tomas Kaberle, Mike Komisarek
Goaltending: Toskala did a stellar job despite playing much of the season with hip and groin injuries that required season-ending surgery. Determined competitor isn’t the largest NHL netminder, but makes up for lacking size with solid angles play. Athletic and an excellent pokechecker.
Player to watch: G Jonas Gustavsson. The Leafs paid plenty to land the Swedish monster, as he was known in Farjestad, whom he led to the Swedish Elitserin title. Posted a 241-minute shutout sequence to shatter Henrik Lundqvist’s league record. Cause for concern in preseason after electrical difficulties in his heart required surgery to rectify. Solid butterfly netminder owned best GAA (1.96) and save percentage (.932) in Sweden.
Icing: Komisarek's presence will help in the development of 19-year-old defenseman Luke Schenn, who made his presence felt in his rookie season — leading rookie defensemen with 206 hits and all first-year players with 119 blocked shots. He recorded over 20 minutes of ice time in 49 games last season.
Outlook: One Toronto newspaper is already running a fight chart, as Burke followed his gameplan and toughened his team up considerably. Should be much better defensively, but Leafs will struggle to score, especially with Kessel (shoulder surgery) out until mid-November.
Prediction: 87 points (4th in Northeast, 10th seed in East)
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Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Check out highlights from the Rangers 3-2 win over the Capitals.
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 Getty Images file |
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Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
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