Oops!

There was a lot of hand-wringing in Toronto when the first draft pick traded to the Boston Bruins in the Phil Kessel deal turned out to be No. 2 overall, netting the B’s Tyler Seguin. But hey; at least the Leafs got one of the top scorers in the NHL in Kessel.

Now gently and kindly turn your eyes to the Western League’s Saskatoon Blades, who, thanks to their own trades, have accidentally given away the first overall pick in the bantam draft for the second year in a row.



The WHL held its draft lottery on Wednesday night and the Blades were mathematical favorites to win it all – 57 per cent, to be exact. But Saskatoon had traded a 2013 fifth-rounder and its 2015 first-rounder to Spokane back in 2013 for big left winger Collin Valcourt in an effort to win the Memorial Cup, which Saskatoon was hosting. So the Chiefs – about to start a playoff series against Everett – will pick first instead.

Valcourt, who now plays in the Czech Republic, couldn’t help the 2013 Blades enough and the team was swept in the first round of the playoffs by Medicine Hat, eventually finishing last at the Memorial Cup (but beating eventual champ Halifax in the round-robin, miraculously).

Another addition to that ill-fated squad was Brenden Walker, who was acquired in 2012 from Brandon. As part of that trade, the Wheat Kings reserved the right to swap first-round selections with Saskatoon in 2014 and when the Blades won the lottery last year, Brandon GM Kelly McCrimmon did just that. Brandon picked center Stelio Mattheos with the No. 1 selection.

This year, the consensus No. 1 prospect is offensive defenseman Ty Smith from Alberta. Since the WHL does a bantam draft, meaning players are selected when they are 14 instead of the midget drafts for 15-year-olds in the Ontario and Quebec Leagues, Spokane won’t get to play Smith full-time until the 2016-17 campaign.

But just to twist the knife a little further in Saskatoon, the 2013 pick in the Valcourt trade turned out to be gifted American center Kailer Yamamoto, who ranked third on the Chiefs in scoring this season and second among all rookies in the WHL. Only 2015 NHL draft prospect Ivan Provorov’s 61 points beat Yamamoto’s 57 and Provorov is nearly two years older.

The 6-foot-2 Mattheos will try to crack the Wheat Kings full-time next season and scored in a call-up this year (underage players are allowed to play a minimal number of games). Meanwhile, Yamamoto will surely be one to watch again in Spokane while the Chiefs watch Smith develop in midget.

And in Saskatoon, the Blades will attempt to build on this year’s team, which finished dead-last in the league, six points behind the disastrous Lethbridge Hurricanes. Unfortunately, the Blades haven’t done themselves any favors so far.

BTW: The Warriors will have the #4 and 6 pick while the Pats will have their first pick at 14.

(Hockey News)

Changing The Point After

Spice it up.

The NFL's dullest play, the extra point, appears to be headed for some changes, perhaps significant ones, for the 2015 season.

While team owners didn't vote on any extra-point proposals Wednesday, there was so much discussion and interest in potential changes that the issue will be a main focal point for the next set of league meetings in May.

``There's a clear movement to wanting to change and change it this year,'' said Rich McKay, co-chairman of the competition committee and president of the Falcons. McKay's committee will ``develop alternatives and be ready for a potential vote'' in two months in San Francisco.

Among the possibilities are moving the line of scrimmage back for PAT kicks; placing the ball on the 1 1/2-yard line for a 2-point conversion; eliminating the PAT kicks entirely, requiring teams to run a play from scrimmage; and allowing the defence to score, as in college football, if the ball is turned over on a 2-point try.

McKay described the discussions as ``lively, with lots of ideas ... it's time to make this a football play.''

``A couple coaches said they favour just lining up on the 2 and going for the 2-point play,'' he said. ``Or move the ball to the 1 1-2 for two points, or kick from the 15 for one, your choice.''

The league experimented with extra-point kicks from a longer distance last preseason.

Currently, the line of scrimmage for both an extra point and 2-point conversion try is the 2-yard line.

Voted down as the meetings concluded was Chicago's proposal that each team get a possession in overtime regardless of what happens on the first series. Now, if the side receiving the OT kickoff scores a touchdown, the game ends. If it kicks a field goal, the opponent gets a possession.

Unsportsmanlike penalties handed out at the end of a half now will carry over, either to the second half or to overtime.

Lining up players with eligible numbers at ineligible positions, as New England did against Baltimore in the playoffs, now has more specific guidelines. Those players must line up inside the tackle box.

The owners also approved teams with retractable domes being allowed to open them at halftime, weather permitting, and allowing linebackers to wear numbers from 40-49; previously they could wear only numbers in the 50s and 90s.

(USA TODAY)

Sabres Fans OK With Losing

The Buffalo Sabres are in last place. And many of their fans are openly rooting for the standings to stay that way.
''Lose!'' yelled Doug Borsuk, a 10-year season-ticket holder from the upper level during a recent Sabres' home game. ''Of course it's weird. But it's ultimately for them to succeed. If they're not going to make the playoffs, they might as well finish last.''

Though the Sabres don't ascribe to the sentiment, the down-is-up mentality has taken hold. The prime objective among fans has become for the Sabres to bottom out to get the best chance to land one of two highly touted draft prospects: OHL Erie Otters center Connor McDavid and American-born Boston University center Jack Eichel.

Both are described as having once-in-a-generation potential. And under NHL rules, only the last-place team is guaranteed to draft first or second.

The compound name ''McEichel'' has become a popular hashtag reference among Sabres fans on Twitter. Some have written letters to the editor imploring the Sabres to lose. And several hosts on the team's flagship radio station are on board by providing daily updates on the bottom end of the standings.

''You really can't hide from it,'' said forward Patrick Kaleta, who grew up in nearby Angola rooting for the Sabres. ''I don't like it.''With two-and-a-half weeks left, the chances of Buffalo (20-46-7) finishing last hinge heavily on a two-game set against the 29th-place Arizona Coyotes (22-44-8).

The teams, who have gone a combined 6-28-5 since Feb. 10, are separated by five points entering their game at Buffalo on Thursday. They'll meet again at Arizona on Monday.

''Lose the games, please,'' were the words of discouragement Borsuk had for the Sabres. ''The players should want to win. I'm rooting for them to lose. And I'm willing to take on any fan who thinks otherwise.''
Coach Ted Nolan isn't listening.

''I can't control what other people think,'' Nolan said, Wednesday. ''Who wants to finish last? Nobody wants to finish last. I never went into anything my entire life wanting to finish last. You go into it with the right intentions, and it's the integrity of the game that's on the line.''

Through the purging of high-priced veteran contracts, the Sabres have become a shell of the team they were as recently as two seasons ago.
Goalie Ryan Miller, captain Steve Ott and leading scorer Thomas Vanek were among those traded away last season in moves that led to Buffalo finishing last with a franchise-worst 21 wins. This season, the Sabres haven't been much better with a lineup that has featured as many as nine players who opened the season in the American Hockey League.

General manager Tim Murray had low expectations to begin this season. And yet, he didn't envision the Sabres to be this bad after adding captain Brian Gionta and veteran defenseman Josh Gorges last summer.

''We had no stars in our eyes thinking that we were going to be a contender for the Cup by any means,'' Murray told The Associated Press. ''Has it gone completely as I would've envisioned? Maybe not.''

Murray further diluted the lineup last month, when he traded defenseman Tyler Myers and forward Drew Stafford in a seven-player deal with Winnipeg to acquire forward Evander Kane and defenseman Zach Bogosian. Kane was the key acquisition, but he won't be ready until September after having season-ending shoulder surgery.

The Coyotes, coming off a 5-4 overtime win at Detroit on Tuesday, aren't sure what reception they'll get in Buffalo, knowing some Sabres fans might be rooting for them.

Coyotes coach Dave Tippett joked it might feel similar to playing in Arizona, where it's not uncommon for out-of-town Canadian fans to root for the visitor.

''But that's inconsequential,'' Tippett said. ''That has nothing to do with the bearing of the game, nothing at all. Players don't think that way. Coaches don't think that way. You go into a game, and you're going to play to win.''

Sabres center Tyler Ennis is taking the same approach, no matter what fans think.

''I can understand what people are thinking,'' Ennis said. ''But I know if they were in our shoes, they wouldn't want to lose.''

(Associated Press)

WHL Announces Award Finalists and Conference All-Stars

The Western Hockey League announced today the Eastern and Western Conference all-star teams and 2015 WHL Awards finalists at a media conference in Calgary. The winners of these awards along with the WHL Player of the Year will be announced at the 2015 WHL Awards in Calgary on Wednesday, May 6, 2015.

The WHL Eastern and Western Conference All-Star Teams are as follows:

WHL EASTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Tristan Jarry (Delta, BC), Edmonton Oil Kings
Defenceman – Ivan Provorov (Yaroslavl, Russia), Brandon Wheat Kings
Defenceman – Travis Sanheim (Elkhorn, MB), Calgary Hitmen
Forward – Trevor Cox (Surrey, BC), Medicine Hat Tigers
Forward – Tim McGauley (Wilcox, SK), Brandon Wheat Kings
Forward – Brayden Point (Calgary, AB), Moose Jaw Warriors

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Jordan Papirny (Edmonton, AB), Brandon Wheat Kings
Defenceman – Rinat Valiev (Nizhnekamsk, Russia), Kootenay ICE
Defenceman – Colby Williams (Regina, SK), Regina Pats
Forward – Cole Sanford (Vernon, BC), Medicine Hat Tigers 
Forward – Sam Reinhart (Vancouver, BC), Kootenay ICE
Forward – Adam Tambellini (Edmonton, AB), Calgary Hitmen


WHL WESTERN CONFERENCE ALL-STAR TEAMS

FIRST ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Taran Kozun (Nipawin, SK), Seattle Thunderbirds
Defenceman – Shea Theodore (Aldergrove, BC), Seattle Thunderbirds
Defenceman – Madison Bowey (Winnipeg, MB), Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Oliver Bjorkstrand (Herning, Denmark), Portland Winterhawks *
Forward – Cole Ully (Calgary, AB), Kamloops Blazers
Forward – Rourke Chartier (Saskatoon, SK), Kelowna Rockets

SECOND ALL-STAR TEAM
Goaltender – Eric Comrie (Edmonton, AB), Tri-City Americans
Defenceman – Joe Hicketts (Kamloops, BC), Victoria Royals
Defenceman – Josh Morrissey (Calgary, AB), Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Nic Petan (Delta, BC), Portland Winterhawks
Forward – Nick Merkley (Calgary, AB), Kelowna Rockets
Forward – Adam Helewka (Burnaby, BC), Spokane Chiefs
* indicates unanimous selection

The WHL announced 2015 WHL Awards finalists in the following categories:

WHL Rookie of the Year, Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Nolan Patrick (Winnipeg, MB), Brandon Wheat Kings
Western Conference – Kailer Yamamoto (Spokane, WA), Spokane Chiefs

WHL Goaltender of the Year, Del Wilson Trophy
Eastern Conference – Tristan Jarry (Delta, BC), Edmonton Oil Kings
Western Conference – Taran Kozun (Nipawin, SK), Seattle Thunderbirds

WHL Defenceman of the Year, Bill Hunter Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Ivan Provorov (Yaroslavl, Russia), Brandon Wheat Kings
Western Conference – Shea Theodore (Aldergrove, BC), Seattle Thunderbirds

WHL Most Sportsmanlike Player of the Year, Brad Hornung Trophy
Eastern Conference – Peter Quenneville (Edmonton, AB), Brandon Wheat Kings
Western Conference – Rourke Chartier (Saskatoon, SK), Kelowna Rockets

WHL Scholastic Player of the Year, Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Nick McBride (Maple Ridge, BC), Prince Albert Raiders
Western Conference – Joe Gatenby (Kelowna, BC), Kelowna Rockets

WHL Coach of the Year, Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – John Paddock, Regina Pats
Western Conference – Dan Lambert, Kelowna Rockets

WHL Executive of the Year, Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy
Eastern Conference – Kelly McCrimmon, Brandon Wheat Kings
Western Conference – Bruce Hamilton, Kelowna Rockets

WHL Regular Season Champions, Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy
Brandon Wheat Kings: 72 GP - 53 W – 11 L – 4 OTL – 4 SL – 114 PTS

WHL Top Scorer (Bob Clarke Trophy) / Plus-Minus Award 
Oliver Bjorkstrand (Herning, Denmark), Portland Winterhawks
59 GP – 63 G – 55 A – 118 PTS - +60 – 35 PIM

Lesnar Says No To UFC To Stay With WWE

Former UFC heavyweight champion and professional wrestling super star Brock Lesnar has "closed the door" on a return to mixed martial arts.

Lesnar, 37, announced on Sportscenter on Tuesday he has re-signed with the WWE, effectively ending all speculation of a potential return to the Octagon.

"I'm officially closing the door on MMA," Lesnar said. "It was hard. I re-signed last night with the WWE."

Lesnar (5-3) is scheduled to appear at Wrestlemania 31 this weekend in Santa Clara, California. His previous professional wrestling contract was scheduled to expire at the end of the month, prompting countless headlines regarding a potential return to the UFC. On Monday, he chose to sign a new WWE deal.

"It was a very hard decision at this stage of my career," Lesnar said. "The fighter inside me wants to compete. The father and husband -- I'm an older caveman now. I make wiser caveman decisions. So, I'm here to say my legacy in the Octagon is over.

"It was a hard decision to make. It took me a year. I've thought about this for a year. At the end of the day, it's all about me wanting to have fun. The last two-and-a-half months I've been training to get back into the Octagon. I felt physically great, but something lacked mentally -- and that's not good."

Late last month, Lesnar was seen cageside at a UFC pay-per-view event headlined by female bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey in Los Angeles. Lesnar said he attended the event purely as a fan and not as a bargaining move.

UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta told ESPN.com earlier this week the two sides did not negotiate Lesnar's return in Los Angeles.

"He hit me with a text two days before the fight and asked if he could have two tickets," Fertitta said. "It was kind of funny, that fight we had more requests for celebrities than we've ever had but we said, 'of course, we'll get you two tickets.' Then he called back and said he wanted three.

"He just wanted to come to the fight and I think feel it again, feel the energy. Remember what it was like to be part of the UFC."

Lesnar made his professional MMA debut in June 2007. The former NCAA collegiate wrestling champion debuted with the UFC the following year, losing to Frank Mir via submission at UFC 81.

He won his next UFC bout via decision against Heath Herring, which set up a heavyweight title shot against defending champion Randy Couture in November 2008. Lesnar knocked out Couture three minutes into the second round to capture the belt.

After a successful title defense against Mir at UFC 100, which remains the highest-selling UFC PPV of all time, Lesnar was sidelined for one year due to an ongoing battle with diverticulitis, an intestinal disorder. He eventually returned to the cage in July 2010, but lost two of his next three fights.

His last appearance was a UFC 141 in December 2011. Lesnar lost to former Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem via knockout in the first round.

"I could go back to the Octagon, but what am I going to gain? I was the UFC heavyweight champion of the world. Due to my illness, my career got cut short. That's God telling you, 'it's time to move on.'"

(ESPN)

Lions Ink Phillips and McCallum To New Contracts

The BC Lions Football Club announced this morning that defensive back Ryan Phillips has agreed to a contract extension through the 2016 season and kicker Paul McCallum will return in 2015.

“Both Paul and Ryan remain integral parts of our team and they continue to perform at a high level on the field and play a vital role as respected leaders in the dressing room,” said VP of football operations and GM Wally Buono. 

Phillips enters his 11th CFL season and has made 180 consecutive appearances for the club since signing as a free agent in 2005. The Seattle native and four-time CFL All-Star notched a team-high three interceptions last year along with 39 defensive tackles. Ryan’s incredible run of consecutive games is the longest among all active CFL players and his 40 career interceptions place him second in club history behind the great Larry Crawford. 

Only the second player in the history of professional football to reach the 3,000-point plateau, kicker Paul McCallum prepares for his 23rd CFL campaign and his 12th as a Lion in 2015. Earning his sixth nod as a West Division All-Star, Paul was good on 38 of 42 field goal attempts in 2014 for a CFL-best 90.5% success rate. 

His remarkable career has seen the 45 year-old McCallum appear in 325 regular season games, 151 as a Lion, and establish a success rate of 80.6% on field goals, tops among all kickers with at least 400 attempts along with 18 seasons with at least 100 or more points. 

NHL Three Stars Of The Week

Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, Ottawa Senators center Kyle Turris and Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop have been named the NHL's "Three Stars" for the week ending March 22.

FIRST STAR – ONDREJ PAVELEC, G, WINNIPEG JETS

Pavelec went 3-0-0 with a 0.97 goals-against average, .970 save percentage and one shutout to help the Jets (37-23-12, 86 points) pick up three straight wins and maintain the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. He made 38 saves in a 5-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks March 17. Pavelec then denied 32 shots – and two attempts in the shootout – in a 2-1 triumph over the St. Louis Blues March 19. He capped the week by stopping all 28 shots he faced, including 11 in the third period, to earn his 13th career shutout (second this season) in a 3-0 win over the Washington Capitals March 21. The 27-year-old Kladno, Czech Republic, native has compiled a 17-14-7 record with a 2.40 goals-against average and .916 save percentage in 42 appearances this season. That includes four consecutive victories, his first such streak since Jan. 13-21, 2014 (4-0-0).

SECOND STAR – KYLE TURRIS, C, OTTAWA SENATORS

Turris led all players with four goals and shared first in the NHL with six points to power the Senators (36-24-11, 83 points) to three consecutive wins, moving the team within one point of the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. He opened the week with the primary assist on Mark Stone’s overtime goal in a 2-1 triumph over the Carolina Hurricanes March 17. Turris followed that performance with 2-1—3, his second multi-goal and three-point games of the season, in a 6-4 win over the Boston Bruins March 19. He then recorded his second straight multi-goal game (2-0—2), including the winning tally, in a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs March 21 – the first time he has put together consecutive multi-goal performances. The 25-year-old New Westminster, B.C., native has registered 21-31—52 in 71 contests this season, five goals and six points shy of his career highs established in 82 games in 2013-14.

THIRD STAR – BEN BISHOP, G, TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

Bishop posted a 3-0-0 record with a 2.00 goals-against average and .935 save percentage to lead the Lightning (45-21-7, 97 points) to three straight victories, all against divisional opponents. He made 32 saves in a 4-2 triumph over the Montreal Canadiens March 16, his fourth such win in as many meetings this season. Bishop then stopped 30 shots in a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings March 20. He closed the week with 25 saves in a 5-3 win over the Boston Bruins March 22, helping the Lightning snap a 10-game skid in the head-to-head series dating to March 27, 2012. The 28-year-old Denver, Colo., native has appeared in 55 games this season, going 36-11-4 with a 2.31 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and three shutouts. His 36 wins rank third in the NHL and are one shy of his career high set in 63 games in 2013-14.