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MONTREAL - College free agents are a low-risk, high-reward gamble that usually reap very little fruit in the National Hockey League. But in the case of Tyler Bozak, signed as a free agent out of the University of Denver, the gamble has paid off about as well as anyone with the Leafs, then Brian Burke and Ron Wilson steering the ship, could have envisioned back in April of 2009. The crafty 6-foot-1 middleman from Regina has cast aside the odds and become a viable NHL player, one who (rightly or wrongly) has risen to the first line centre gig in Toronto, this for a player who went undrafted out of the British Columbia Hockey League. Breaking free of Andrei Markov in the second frame of Tuesdays opener, Bozak would beat Carey Price with the shorthanded marker that would swing the opening night festivities for the Leafs, the go-ahead goal in what proved a not so pretty 4-3 victory. "I think mainly just because Im not a really flashy player out there," Bozak told TSN.ca of the doubts hes continually had to overcome, including those in recent years in regards to his viability as the centreman to Phil Kessel. "People expect a first line centre to go out there and bang with the other team and put up huge points, but I think Ive found a role with the team here that works with the guys Im playing with. It doesnt matter to me what anybody outside the room says, just the people close to me and the guys inside the room. I know they believe in me to do the job and thats all that matters to me." Martin St. Louis rose from the University of Vermont into an eventual scoring champ at the age of 37. But for every success story in the form of St. Louis or even Bozak, there are dozens upon dozens who fall short in their attempts to leap from college into the NHL. The Leafs tried their luck with the likes of Brayden Irwin and Christian Hanson among others, only finding a winning hand in Bozak, who has carved out a valuable role within the organization, signing a five-year deal worth $21 million this past summer. "I got a really good opportunity when I got here with Ron Wilson and Brian Burke," Bozak recalled. "I cant thank those guys enough. And then luckily enough, Randy came in here and liked what he saw with me. You never know whats going to happen when you get a new coach, but I think he likes what I do and what I bring to the table. Ive just gotta keep trying to get better every year and keep moving forward." The doubts havent stopped for Bozak. Questions linger about his potency for the gig he currently occupies, the organization ultimately deeming him a better fit for the roster than Mikhail Grabovski, who was bought out this summer. "I dont read into much in the media or those bloggers that chirp me," Bozak sniped of the social media chatter. "Its funny to me. Not one thing that someone I dont know says is going to bother me at all. Its Twitter. You can say whatever you want to anyone. Itll never bother me. I find it quite funny actually." Bozak may never be a perfect fit for the role he owns, but his rise from an undrafted college free agent into a more than capable NHL centre is worth taking notice of. Five Points 1. Orr/Parros The scene for was striking for the "d&覡j&覘 vu" it reeked of. Back in January of 2011, George Parros, then a member of Randy Carlyles Anaheim Ducks, dropped the gloves with Colton Orr, a formulaic battle of two heavyweights. The scrap ended shortly after it began. Parros delivered a right-hand to Orr that would send him thundering to the ground, his face landing square on the Air Canada Centre ice. The now 31-year-old Orr would miss the remainder of that season with a concussion, one that nearly cost him his career in the year that followed. In a disturbing role reversal Tuesday at the Bell Centre, it was Parros landing chin-first on the ice after a brief tangle with Orr, their second bout of the game and one of five on the night between the two teams. "It was the same type of thing," said Carlyle after the game. "It wasnt a punch, it was where the guy fell down and unfortunately hit his chin and his face on the ice. Its unfortunate. Those are tough things." The scene began after a series of tussles between Carter Ashton and members of the Canadiens, including Brandon Prust and Jarred Tinordi. Feeling he had been grabbed by P.K. Subban, Orr confronted the Montreal defender before wrestling with Parros once more. "Its scary," Orr said. "Ice isnt going to give." Like Orr, Parros suffered a concussion as a result of the play, but was alert and conscious at a local hospital following the game. 2. Special Teams edge Special teams were a point of pride for the Leafs last season and loomed large for the club in the opener this season. James van Riemsdyk opened the scoring with a power-play goal, Bozak beat Price with the go-ahead shorthanded goal and the Toronto penalty kill erased all four Montreal opportunities. "I thought our special teams were the difference in the game," Carlyle observed afterward. "The shorthanded goal kind of turned everything in our favour. And our power-play got us going." The Leafs had the second-best penalty kill in 2013 and the 14th ranked power-play, both factors that helped the team reach the postseason for the first time in nine years. 3. Ranger makes emotional return to the NHL Paul Ranger knew it would be emotional. Playing in his first regular season NHL game since October 22, 2009, a long journey that saw him out of hockey entirely for nearly three years, Ranger couldnt help but to be swept up with emotion in the lead-up to his Leafs debut on Tuesday night. "It was emotional at first," he told TSN.ca after a 20-minute performance which saw him on the ice for the Canadiens first goal. "Just being back and knowing where I am on my journey." Warming up in the underbelly of the Bell Centre before the game, Ranger was hit with emotion. "I knew it was going to come," he said smiling. "I knew at some point I was going to just feel emotional and it was okay. Its okay to do that because its special." 4. Reimer gets the opening night gig Carlyle called it a "hunch". Opting for James Reimer against the Canadiens in lieu of local boy Jonathan Bernier, Carlyle was rewarded with a sturdy 34-save performance and opening night win. "You always want to be the guy that starts it off," Reimer said before the game. The method behind the hunch for Carlyle was the performance of the incumbent no. 1 against Montreal last season, the 25-year-old posting a 1.85 goals against average and .948 save percentage, also offering a 37-save shutout in his only appearance in Montreal. Of his battle with Bernier for the starting gig, Reimer said it hadnt crossed his mind in Tuesdays action. "When Im in there right now during games, Im not competing against anybody on my team," he said. "Thats not what its about. Im competing for my teammates. Im competing against the other team, not against the guy sitting beside me." 5. Bozak on Kessel Phil Kessel stole the day when he agreed to an 8-year extension with the Leafs on Tuesday morning. Asked for the ingredient in Kessels game that was perhaps overlooked, Bozak responded with an element that was on striking display during the postseason, one that saw Kessel post four goals and six points in seven games. "I think maybe some people dont think he has a ton of compete in him, but we in the room know he does," Bozak told TSN.ca. "He puts up those points every single year for a reason." Stat-Pack 5 - Fights between the Leafs and Canadiens, including a pair each for Colton Orr and Mark Fraser. 61 - Shot attempts for the Leafs. 25:27 - Ice-time for Cody Franson, second among all players to Dion Phaneuf, who logged 27-plus. 4 - Players who made their Leaf debuts on Tuesday night, including Dave Bolland, Paul Ranger, Mason Raymond and Troy Bodie. 5-0-1 - Career record for James Reimer in the month of October. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-6 PK: 4-4 Quote of the Night "Its funny to me. Not one thing that someone I dont know says is going to bother me at all. Its Twitter. You can say whatever you want to anyone. Itll never bother me. I find it quite funny actually." -Tyler Bozak on the criticism he receives in social media. Up Next The Leafs visit Philadelphia for the Flyers home opener on Wednesday night. Air Max 97 Nintendo 64 For Sale .While Rosberg is coming off a strong victory at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Hamilton is dwelling on a mistake that ended his streak of five consecutive wins and kept him from increasing his advantage. Air Max 97 Undefeated China . However, it wasnt a problem on Monday night. Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout in the New York Islanders 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. http://www.outletairmax97.com/nike-air-vapormax-97-metallic-gold.html . The international synchronized skating competition takes place from January 31 - February 1, 2014, and features 39 teams from 10 countries, in senior, junior, and novice. Air Max 97 Undefeated For Sale . New York secured second place in the Metropolitan Division when the Philadelphia Flyers lost at Tampa Bay later Thursday. The Rangers will face either the Flyers or Columbus in the opening round of the post-season. The Rangers struggled throughout against the lowly Sabres and goalie Matt Hackett, who played in just his seventh NHL game of the season. Air Max 97 Plus Black Orange . has left the San Jose Sharks to become the Boston Bruins director of player personnel.VANCOUVER - Willie Desjardins has built champions in major junior hockey and the AHL. Now hell get the chance in the sports biggest league. Desjardins was hired as head coach of the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. Its his first NHL head coaching job, and hell join new president of hockey operations Trevor Linden and first-time NHL general manager Jim Benning as the Canucks rebuild following a disappointing 2013-14 campaign. "Ive been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time," said the 57-year-old Desjardins, whose coaching career has taken him from Japan to the Canadian national program, and from the WHL to the minor leagues, since he was first hired as an assistant with the University of Calgary in 1985. "To be part of such a great organization and NHL city is just a real honour." Desjardins was also rumoured to be a candidate to take over in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins boast a roster that includes superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The former coach of the WHLs Medicine Hat Tigers said a chance to return to Canada was too good to pass up. "Sidney Crosbys a heck of a hockey player obviously, but for me, when I looked at what was here — I looked at the two guys who are leading this (Benning and Linden), I looked at the quality of the players ... Canadian market, Vancouver fans — it was the right choice to come here." Desjardins, a native of Climax, Sask., most recently led the AHLs Texas Stars to a Calder Cup championship. He spent two years with Texas, winning the AHLs coach of the year award in 2012-13 when he led the Stars to their first ever South Division regular seeason title and the number one seed in the Western Conference for the 2013 playoffs.dddddddddddd Prior to his tenure in the AHL, Desjardins spent two seasons as an associate coach with the Dallas Stars from 2010 to 2012. He also served as head coach (2002-2010) and general manager (2005-2010) of the Tigers, where he led the team to two Memorial Cup tournaments, including an appearance in the 2007 final. Desjardins was named WHL coach of the year for the 2005-06 season, and was also the recipient of the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award as the top coach in the Canadian Hockey League in 2006. Desjardins resume also includes stints on Canadas staff at two world junior tournaments and one world championship, as well as time coaching with the University of Calgary and in Japan. "Ive watched Willies teams play over the last 12 years," Benning said. "His teams play fast and work extremely hard. They play an up-tempo hard-skating kind of game. His teams play with that relentless attitude that we want our players to play with." Desjardins becomes the 18th head coach in club history and succeeds John Tortorella, who was fired after just one year behind the Canucks bench. Tortorella and former Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis were casualties of Vancouvers disappointing season that saw the Canucks miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Desjardins says he thinks the Canucks can become a playoff contender again. "We have so many great leaders on this team, and to get to be part of that group, Im looking forward to it," Desjardins said. "Theyve won in the past, theyll win again." ' ' '
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