regular-season games coached ranks him 14th on the all-ti

TORONTO – The Maple Leafs intend to fill what remaining holes they have on their roster through internal competition. That was the pledge, at least, of team president Brendan Shanahan from the clubs annual prospect camp. “We want our young players to have job opportunities,” Shanahan said. “We want to have competition. We want to create that internal pressure, that there are jobs to be had here.” Unraveling toward another playoff miss last year, Toronto did some roster restructuring this offseason through trade and a prudent first week of free agency. And although much of the lineup can be jotted down in pen for returning head coach Randy Carlyle, there are gaps that will be left in pencil, to be decided in competition at training camp. “Youve got to have a few holes with the big club so that not only these guys,” said Shanahan, referring to the 29 prospects on hand for the week-long camp, “but our Marlie guys who are in the gym in the mornings know that theres a reason to be working out this summer, that theres an opportunity and a job to be won possibly.” A glut of departing free agents left most of the openings at forward. At centre, the third and fourth-line positions are there to be had for a combination of Mike Santorelli, Petri Kontiola, Peter Holland and perhaps even Sam Carrick and Greg McKegg. Further jostling on the wing will come down to who shows best amongst a group that includes Matt Frattin, Carter Ashton, Josh Leivo, Troy Bodie and William Nylander, the eighth overall pick in the draft this past June. At least one spot – and maybe two, depending on Cody Fransons future – will be up for grabs on defence, there for Petter Granberg, Stuart Percy, Korbinian Holzer or Andrew MacWilliam to snatch. Carlyle, who received a two-year extension in early May after a trio of his assistant coaches were fired, had been reluctant to lean in that younger direction in the past, preferring the veterans at his disposal. But at the urging of management it appears hell no longer have much of a choice. The club had no talks, for instance, with Jay McClement, the coachs most trusted crutch, opting to let him walk via free agency this summer. Tragically collapsing for the second time in three seasons, Toronto did however, look to inject some leadership and veteran know-how in their roster remake this summer; Roman Polak, a feisty sort long of St. Louis, was added in a trade for Carl Gunnarsson; 37-year-old Stephane Robidas and returning Leaf Leo Komarov were signed to multiyear deals on July 1st. Upside bids like Santorelli and Kontiola were added from the free agent market in the days that followed. “These were not plan Bs,” Shanahan said. “These were guys that we had targeted. “With all due respect to the players that were signed for big dollars and big term, we looked at July 1st this year and decided that we didnt want to be too involved with some of those big signings … Its a bad habit to try and build your team on July 1st year after year after year.” Instead, it appears the Leafs will start the prudent trend of building internally, improved draft and development key in the still-to-be-sorted Shanahan platform. Wholesale Lakers Jerseys . -- Those impatient for the Stanley Cup to return to Canada will have just one team to root for in the NHL playoffs -- the Montreal Canadiens. Los Angeles Lakers Gear . Jackson Houck added a goal and two assists for the Giants (28-23-10), who halted a five-game slide, while Tyler Morrison, Mason Geertsen and Dominik Volek each scored once. Matt Bellerive scored both goals for the Blazers (12-43-5), who are 1-9-0 in their last 10 outings. https://www.lakersjerseycheap.com/ . Bjoerndalen, who had failed to win any major race for two years before Sochi, writes in a Facebook entry that he is "full of energy and inspiration" after winning the 10-kilometre sprint and mixed relay at last months Olympics. Los Angeles Lakers Pro Shop . - The Cleveland Indians will place centerfielder Michael Bourn on the disabled list before their opener at Oakland on March 31. Lakers Jerseys 2020 . -- The way Ted Ligety carved into turns looked so easy. LAS VEGAS -- Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin scored 51 goals last season to capture his second consecutive and fourth career Maurice Richard Trophy, an award hell collect at Tuesday nights NHL Awards in Las Vegas. But it was a dinner meeting he had over the weekend that created the buzz at Mondays informal media event at the Wynn Country Club. Ovechkin and Barry Trotz finally had a chance to meet face to face for the first time since the former Nashville Predators coach was named Capitals coach on May 26. "It was a good meeting, I think hell be happy," said Ovechkin, who leads the NHL in goals (422), points (814), power-play goals (151) and game-winning goals (69) since entering the league in 2005. "We talked about the system, how he wants to coach." The Capitals star made it a point to avoid discussing the details of his conversation with Trotz, but did acknowledge that the coach said there would be some changes. "Hes going to explain to everybody, its not about just me, everybody will have to change," said Ovechkin, who became the 11th player in NHL history to record five 50-goal campaigns. "We just talked about how he wants to play with me and how he wants to play with the team. We talked about good things -- lots of good things, lots of bad things -- he sees what he can change with the team and what he can change with my game." Trotz, who has never coacheed a 40-goal scorer, instilled a defensive scheme in Nashville.dddddddddddd He was the only coach of the Predators since they joined the league as an expansion franchise for the 1998-99 season. The 51-year-old Trotz was fired at the end of last season, after compiling a career record of 557-479-60 in 15 seasons. His 1,196 regular-season games coached ranks him 14th on the all-time coaching list. "Hes a straightforward coach and thats the best thing you can expect from a new guy," said Ovechkin. "Hes going to bring some new stuff for me and my teammates. Its going to be a new season and its going to be a brand new day for me. We still have the same team, the same group of guys right now. The new coach is going to bring a new system and well see how it goes." When Trotz was named coach, the Capitals also promoted Brian MacLellan to general manager, making him the sixth GM in team history after he spent the past seven seasons as the teams assistant general manager. "The whole organization is making a big step; they fired (former GM) George (McPhee), fired (former coach) Adam (Oates) and the organization wants to make improvements," Ovechkin said. "Just glad they havent fired me yet. Im still here with a Capitals jersey. ... New coach, a new GM and well see whats going to happen with the team, the system and all kind of stuff. Its going to be an interesting year." ' ' '