Home Runs To Help Fight Breast Cancer

by Joel MacDougall

One month from now, Canada’s top ball players will converge on Dartmouth for the 2010 Canadian Senior Baseball Championship. Nova Scotia will be represented by the Halifax Pelham Canadians and the host, Dartmouth Moosehead Dry. The Championship will kick-off with a display of power for a good cause.

Wednesday, August 25th Beazley Field in Dartmouth will be the scene as The Moosehead Dry team up with the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society to present the Canadian Senior Baseball Championship Home-Run Derby in support of breast cancer research.

Dartmouth Moosehead Dry slugger, Darren Doucette, and the participants from the other nine teams will be sporting the trademark pink attire to show their support for the cause. This opportunity will be especially meaningful to Doucette as he attempts to defend the home run crown he won at last year’s event.

Darren’s wife, Alana, is responsible for the dress code for all the sluggers entering this year’s derby. Last summer Alana was diagnosed with breast cancer and it was a heavy burden for both to carry. The couple have remained strong and have persevered. With a clean bill of health over her last four examinations, and reconstructive surgery required in the fall, Alana has turned her attention to raising funds for the CIBC Run for the Cure. Over the past season Alana has raised $6,000 for the breast cancer research.

“I couldn’t be happier with how things have turned out for us as a family, we’re all going to be wearing pink, even my teammates will be cheering me on, and most certainly in pink too,” said Darren.

The cancer society has also thrown its full weight behind the effort and will be prominent in its assistance at the event. Besides the pink t-shirts worn by the players, fans will be able to purchase their own pink t-shirts. Pink ribbons will adorn the field and the fence surrounding Beazley Field. A girl’s team will don pink uniforms to chase down balls that stay within the park.

Fans, young and old alike, are encouraged dress up in anything pink and win some great prizes from proud sponsors like Tim Hortons, Cleve’s Source for Sports, and the Grandview Golf and Country Club. Patrons will be asked to make a cash donation to the CIBC Run for the Cure in lieu of paying an admission at the gate.

In the actual Home-Run Derby, after the last out is recorded for each batter a pink baseball will be used and if that ball is knocked over the fence, a fan will walk away with a prize.

This event will be an opportunity to enjoy a fun evening of great entertainment and prizes while supporting a great cause. “Our goal is simply to make this evening a fun event, but to make people more aware of breast cancer occurrence and educate as many people as possible,” Alana says of the purpose of the night.

As we get closer to the event watch the blog for further updates.

Follow Joel on twitter @jmdougall

Introducing the Saint John Millrats!

Halifax's newest rivalry franchise decided to keep the nickname of it's predecessor.

The Saint John Premier Basketball League franchise today unveiled their new name and logo.

Well, their new logo at least.

The team has decided to keep the Millrats nickname that had been formerly used by the franchise when it was in Manchester.

A contest was held via text message to determine the team’s new identity and closed less than a week ago.

It is nice to retain the Millrats, name though I have to admit, I was looking forward to seeing what could be done with an entirely new concept. Millrats is still quite fitting with the industrial history of the Saint John area. I certainly prefer this design focusing on the hard working mill employee versus the literal representation of an actual rodent. I’d hate to see a giant rat wondering the stadium as the mascot.

The logo is strong with nice colouring, and I think will be marketable to a youthful audience. I tend to prefer a more iconic type of logo for organizations that can be identified from a distance when detail might be obscured. But still I think this could work well.

With the logo unveiling now complete, the team will likely focus its attedniton on filling out its roster for the the winter season. Timelines could be pushed up for this process, as there has been some reports the season could begin as early as October if Puerto Rican clubs join the league.

I would love to hear what people think of the new team’s identity. What do you think of the name and new logo? Pass? Fail? Meh?

Joel Macdougall is a local freelance sports journalist. You can follow him on twitter @jmdougall.

Jays GM Anthopolous Making All The Right Moves

The athletic Yunel Escobar is the newest shortstop for the Jays

by Joel MacDougall

Alex Anthopolous (hereafter known as AA, because I am lucky I spelled his name correct once) doesn’t seem to know how to take time off.

Wednesday, saw AA use the last day of the All-Star break to continue addressing the organization’s weaknesses and add to the young core he has been developing. He traded shortstop Alex Gonzalez, along with minor leaguers, Tim Collins and Tyler Pastornicky to Atlanta for shortstop Yunel Escobar and pitcher Jo-Jo “The Psychic Network” Reyes.

Gonzalez was added this past off-season to fill the organization’s greatest need. Known primarily for his glove, Gonzalez has had a tremendous year at the plate so far. He has 17 HRs and 50 RBIs to date in the 2010 season, is currently fifth in the American League in extra base hits. Gonzalez’s bat and defense will be a great asset to the Atlanta Braves, currently leading the NL East.

In Escobar, the Jays are getting a younger shortstop that has had some issues with his previous team, but has the talent to be an effective player for Toronto, both in the field and at the plate. Since coming into the league Escobar has been criticized for his lack of effort and occasional disagreement with management. Much of this was overlooked as in his three seasons with the Braves, Escobar has a career .291 average, and last season set career highs in home runs (14) and runs batted in (76) while hitting .299 with a sterling .377 on-base percentage. This year has seen him struggle with a .238 batting average and no homeruns.

With his production down and the Braves holding a playoff spot, Escobar became expendable. Toronto is obviously hoping that like Adam Lind and Aaron Hill, Escobar will return to his 2009 form following the proverbial change of scenery. Add to that, Escobar is six years younger than Gonzalez, and the move makes a sense for a team looking to build a strong young core for the future.

This may only be the first of a number of similar moves for the Jays. Earlier in the week, it was reported that the Blue Jays were making relievers Kevin Gregg, Scott Downs and Jason Frasor available. There will be no shortage of playoff contenders looking to add depth to their bullpen for the stretch run.

Lyle Overbay, a free agent following this season, is liking available as well. After a horrible start, Overbay has begun to swing the bat better in the last couple months and his steady defense could make him a useful player for a team looking for a good glove at first or maybe even a lefthanded bat off the bench.

American League homerun leader, Jose Bautista could also find himself with a new address before the end of the month, but AA may not be as anxious to part with Bautista. Bautista is signed to a reasonable contract and has also played well defensively in the outfield. He is a useful player that can provide power and fill-in at third if necessary, once Travis Snider returns. Bautista could be moved, but I think it will a take a decent return for the Jays to ship him out.

Thumbs up to AA and let’s hope we see more young talent added soon.

Follow Joel on twitter @jmdougall

Haligonia Sports Commentary:Lebron James

Lebron James and Dwayne Wade are the NBA's newest dynamic duo.

The writers of Haligonia Sports weigh in with thier opinions on the Lebron James free agency saga.

Bill McLean- The entire 2010 free agent frenzy only served to further dissuade me from following the NBA with any keen interest. I can't remember a time when guys who have accomplished so little, signed contracts for so much money. Joe Johnson barely tried in the playoffs vs. Orlando, was quoted as saying he didn't care about the fans, and the Hawks still re-signed him to a maximum deal.
Chris Bosh was the face of a Raptors team that chronically underachieved and was probably the softest in the NBA the past two seasons, while Lebron James got bullied by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2010 playoffs. Both players signed huge contracts to join Dwayne Wade in Miami.
This new group of “superfriends” in Miami will certainly be intriguing to watch, but come late June the NBA world will once again be focused on Kobe, Phil, and Fish, and we'll be reminded that there are no “get rich quick” schemes that can win a franchise an NBA championship.
In the meantime, I'll gladly fill my nights with the Moose, AUS, NHL, NFL, and College Football, as opposed to watching a league that gives so much to players who have given so little.

Follow Bill on twitter @haligoniasports

Romy Aquino- When I first heard about the whole Lebron 'The Decision' special on ESPN, I really thought it was going to be a huge exhibition where Lebron James was going to announce that he was going to stay in Cleveland. I thought that all these 'Lebron to New York' and 'Lebron to Miami' rumours leading up to the decision were just a smokescreen to create a buzz but he was going to do 'right' and stay in his hometown. But once I officially heard "I'm taking my talents to South Beach", I was shocked. I wouldn't think he would sell out his hometown on national television like that.I really think the show, the Twitter account and his decision really damaged any type of legacy he would have in the league, and his ego got the best of him. I'm old school. I was a fan of David Robinson, Magic Johnson, Patrick Ewing and Larry Bird growing up; guys who stayed loyal and were the man on their team. As a basketball fan, this whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth. We all want to witness the next 'Michael' but Lebron James isn't it...even if he wins a pile of championships with the Heat. This is just a new era of basketball players.All I know, is that Kobe's stock to be the next great one just skyrocketed. The only angle that I can understand out of this whole thing is that Lebron wanted to play with his boys, but the method he took to get there, I had a problem with. It was so shallow, it was all about Lebron taking his talents to Sunny Miami leaving stanky ol' Cleveland behind. Will I go watch Lebron and the Heat play if they come to Toronto? Damn straight. That's gonna be a good show. But like every other basketball fan (aside from Heat fans), I'm also gonna root for them to lose.

Follow Romy on twitter @romyaquino

Joel MacDougall- I am disappointed in LeBron. Here we have, arguably, the preeminent basketball player of this generation, and he feels that the only way he can win is to join forces with other superstars. I suppose I can understand his logic, but I had hoped for more. I understood James’s desire to move on from Cleveland and join a contender in a big market. While it would be great to see a player choose his team purely on basketball terms, that is not the reality especially for a player of LeBron’s global marketability. Chicago,New York, LA, and Miami offer James a grander stage to promote his international iconic status, while also chasing championships. Cleveland may have been able to keep Lebron competitive, but would never have that advantage. By choosing Miami though, I feel James’s legacy will be tainted. He could be regarded as a player that couldn’t win a title without the help of other superstars. Kobe Bryant had this stigma following the titles he shared with Shaquille O’Neal in LA, but has since led his team back to the title a couple of times. Lastly, I am against the free agent super-powers. Blame the Yankees for creating this model. I hate seeing team the rich be able to push the small markets around, and essentially make sporting leagues two-tiered.

Follow Joel on twitter @jmdougall

Derek Leblanc- Frankly The whole thing with LeBron James makes me sick. It is bad enough that he needed an hour long special just to announce the signing. Unless you have a cure for AIDS then you shouldn't be getting that. I think we seen James true colors and that he doesn't want to take the pressure of taking a team to the finals and winning. The Miami Heat is still Dwayne Wade's team and he will take reponsability if the team loses. James just wants big money with no pressure. Why couldn't Lebron just be quiet and send a press release like a better player in Kevin Durant did. Also just because the Heat have the big three does not mean they will win. There is a reason Kobe Bryant is the best player in the league and until the Heat can do it, the Lakers are still the best team in the league. I can't believe were making a big deal over a guy who is basically an overhyped Dominque Wilkins. Now before everyone gets mad at me answer this, Can you remember any game winning shots that James has made or besides the year the finals, what has he really done? I hope James and Bosh enjoy being Dwayne Wade's side show.

Henry Whitfield- Considering myself a 'fringe' fan of the NBA, this move by LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade is something that has spiced up a sport that has focused too long on the Celtic/Laker rivalvry, and gives new competition to the big two teams in the current NBA system. That being said, I don't think this team will dominate and win the title this year, Kobe Bryant will relish the opportunity to shutdown the new fantastic three and will thrive in the underdog role heading into the 2011 playoffs

Follow Henry on twitter @henrywhitfield.

Join Haligonia Sports on facebook. Email bill@haligonia.ca.

Introducing the PBL's Saint John.......?

by Joel MacDougall

Rogers Wireless and Saint John’s new Premier Basketball League (PBL) team are joining forces to create an exciting experience for sports fans in the Port City.

Among the first things that need to be decided is what to call the team. The team and Rogers announced a Got Name? contest for the community to vote on the team name.

A Facebook page was created by the team and fans have been offering their suggestions for team names over the past couple of weeks.

Tide Runners? Fog Devils? Fire? Barracudas? Phoenix? Fog Kings? Foghorn? Firebirds? Loyalists? Fog Rats? Slammers? Wharf Rats? Porters? Anchors? Lumberjack? Venom? Juggernaut? Crowes Place? Daggers? White Knights? Slaughter? Cobras? Coast? Breakers? Raiders? Tiderunners? Timber? Heritage? Brewers? These are some of the suggestions that have come from fans.

Now Rogers and the team have put forward some of their own suggestions and are giving everyone the opportunity to decide.

Of course since the Rogers is the big sponsor in all of this, we can’t simply go to a website and vote. You’ll have to text you answer. To enter, participants must send a text message to 667242 and enter A, B, C, D, E or F for their choice, as follows:

A – Saint John Millrats

B – Saint John Fog

C – Saint John Riptide

D – Saint John Fire

E – Saint John Shamrocks

F – Participant must enter suggested name

The naming contest will run from July 15th until midnight July 22nd and is open to basketball fans above the age of 13.

There aren’t really many of the suggestions that were seen on Facebook, but there are some similarities. Some on the Facebook page had also suggested not using Saint John, but other nicknames for the city. How about the Port City Pirates? The Harbour City Hawks or the Harbourview and Port City Shuffle?

I think the best names are those that offer a correlation with the local community and/or culture. I don’t really see the connection for calling the team the Venom or Cobras. I’ll give a little more leniency to somehting like the Barracudas, because while I don’t believe they are indigenous to the waters of the New Brunswick coast, there is the connection to the sea. Still not a top choice of mine.

Personally Wharf Rats and and Fog Devils are my favourites of the suggestions put forward on Facebook. The Wharf Rats name maintains a connection with the franchises former incarnation, while at the same time having a very close linkage to the port city’s vast shipping history. This is my pick.

The Fog Devils brings to mind one of the defining elements of our coastal communities, while adding an extra level of menace. The name was also used for the now defunct St. John’s QMJHL team, so I am not sure if there would be any lingering legal issue with choosing that or not. Hopefully the name would not carry any bad luck to New Brunswick. One fan even went so far as to design a logo.

I guess Fog Rats is similar, but what the hell is a Fog Rat?

If had to choose from what the team and Rogers has put forward…I don’t know…I guess I’d go with Fog, but I’d probably write in my choices.

What do you think would be a good name for the newest professional sports team in the Maritimes? Do you like the ones suggested or have another idea?

Joel MacDougall writes about all sports local and abroad. Follow Joel on twitter @jmdougall

Will Martin Frk Come to Moose Country?

by Henry Whitfield

Will Martin Frk come to Moose Country? His Agent says Have Faith

In today’s Halifax Metro, Mathew Wuerst reported that attempts to sort out the signing of Import Draft pick Martin Frk were not going anywhere.

In the article he wrote that the player is apparently facing contractual issues in the Czech Republic and that his agent Allan Walsh had yet to return phone calls on the issue.

Remembering how active the high-profile agent was during the story-book playoff run by the Habs, he’s the agent for Jaroslav Halak, I took matters into my own hands and fired off a tweet to the agent, who uses the username @walsha:

@walsha How about getting the Frk deal sorted out with the #HalifaxMooseheads so that fans can enjoy his talent! He’s halaktastic! #QMJHL

After a few hours of nervous waiting, Walsh fired me off a reply. It was short but to the point:

@HenryWhitfield Have faith.

Well, there you have it Moose Country, Martin Frk’s agent is telling us to have faith and if all goes well, maybe we will see the young talented forward playing for the Herd this season.

And heck, if you’re reading this Allan Walsh, I’m you’re man if you want to break this story when its done.

That’s it for now out of Moose Country, but keep you’re eyes on my blog for updates as this story evolves and hopefully for next week’s CKDU show we’ll have more details for you.

You can also go listen to the archives for yesterday’s Bill McLean Sport Show where we talked Lebronmania, the World Cup and Baseball.

Follow Henry on Twitter @henrywhitfield

Big Papi Silences Critics, Wins 2010 Home Run Derby

by Henry Whitfield

To be honest, I haven’t focused much on baseball this year and that’s mostly due to the fact I’ve been busy with the World Cup coverage and watching four hours of football a day for a month tends to take up a lot of time. Nonetheless, this week is All-Star Week in the ML and today is the Home Run Derby.

The players competing in the 2010 edition of the Home Run Derby are: Chris Young (ARZ), Vernon Wells (TOR), Corey Hart (MIL), Nick Swisher (NYY), Matt Holliday (STL), David Ortiz (BOS), Hanley Ramirez(FLO), and Miguel Cabrera (DET).

Quick reminder of the rules tonight:
Round 1: Hits that do not produce HR are outs, Top 4 totals advance
Round 2: Homeruns carry over from 1st, Top 2 aggregate totals move on.

Final Round: All Homeruns from previous rounds are cleared and it’s a head-to-head battle between the top two players.

7:55pm – My favourite to win is Corey Hart, but I think that Miguel Cabrera and David Ortiz will give him a run for his money and if Ramirez can get hot, no one will catch him.

8:00pm – After predictions from Greg Zaun and Joey Votto, the All-Star weekend opens with some Hey, Sister from Train. Ageless wonders? I think so! Doc looks like he’s having a grand old time watching and it’s great to see him at the All-Star game.

8:05pm – Fun start to the weekend and the crowd seemed to enjoy that opening song, announcer reminds us that Young has 15 homeruns this season, no Bautista, but I guess we’ll accept him eh?

8:08pm – Hmmm, fun fact for everyone: Hart’s last homerun, last night and it was a walk-off winner. How about that?

8:12pm – Ceremonial first pitch thrown out by Bo Jackson, MVP of the 1989 All-Star game, throws a high heater and he looks like he’s still got it. Late season signing for the Blue Jays to make a final run at the post-season perhaps?

8:23pm – It’s time for Vernon Wells to show if he’s got what it takes, sitting on 19 home-runs this season, he picks up his first home-run thanks to a fan leaning over and helping him out. He doesn’t pick up another run until he’s on 8 outs, but despite a few close chances he finishes with just two home-runs

8:26pm – That’s right, it took Wells just 3 minutes to crash out of the home-run derby, he wasn’t patient and saw just 18 pitches. I guess that defines the Jay’s season though, rip at the first pitch and hope for the best. I had hoped it would be Jose Bautista in the homerun derby, maybe we’ll see him rips some dingers tomorrow night though

8:30pm – Here comes Corey Hart, who misses his first hit but then knocks out his next five straight hits before picking up his second out. Then settles right back in and knocks out another one to straight away center to take his total to 6-HR’s on three outs, wait make that seven!

8:34pm – Hart can’t stop hitting home-runs, he just hit his 9th home-run for 464 feet, then follows that up with his 10th for 454 feet, wait no, just can’t keep up! He just hit his 11th before I could finish writing that sentence! Saying he’s on fire just doesn’t do him justice… this is wild, Hart is sitting on 12 Homeruns and just six outs.

8:37pm – In just seven minutes Corey Hart has hit 13 home-runs and destroyed the combined three homeruns by Wells and Young. He hit his longest for 464 feet and averaged an astonishing 431 feet… no wonder the guy leads the National League in homeruns this season
9:01pm – Well, it wouldn’t be a homerun derby without a Boston player, and David Ortiz is strutting with confidence up to the batter’s box. Big Papi misses his first hit but then hits his next three out, and picks up a few more to sit on six homeruns after six outs.

9:08pm – Ortiz is still cranking out homeruns, and after hitting eight homeruns in eight outs, he calls over for a drink and a towel. Only Big Papi would do that, what a character! This is what I love about the All-Star game, because you get to see the players relax and just have fun. The Boston slugger finishes with his eighth homerun and sits in second place

9:10pm – The ESPN boys have Will Ferrell down to throw in his 2-cents while Hanley Ramirez steps up for his shot. Ferrell cracks me up, “I was downstairs and saw Hank Aaron Walk by, not sure if you guys have heard of him?” Meanwhile Ramirez quickly cranks his first couple of homeruns before settling into a rhythm, he just doesn’t look like he’s going to stop as he hits five straight homeruns to sit at six dingers after five outs.

9:23pm – Up next is Miguel Cabrera who, the announcers reminder us for the 4,931 time, is leading two of the three Triple Crown categories. Currently Ortiz, Hart and Ramirez are through, with Holliday sitting in fourth with just five homeruns. Cabrera needs just five, misses his first two, and then quickly sends his next four hits out of the park.

9:43pm – David Ortiz is just ripping these balls out of the park, twelve in this round after 7 outs and in the lead with 20 overall. Talk about throwing down the gauntlet to the other three guys, the slugger finishes with thirteen in the round and a two-round total of twenty-one homeruns.

9:44pm – I think that’s what you calling going off? Ortiz just passed Ken Griffey Jr’s record of 70 homeruns in the Homerun Derby and he now sits atop with 75, with a chance to add more if he makes it into the final round

9:46pm – The hottest player in baseball is up, and Miguel Cabrera wastes no time, as he hits the first pitch he sees over the fence. In case you’re wondering, he leads the league with 77 RBIs, a .651 Slugging percentage and a .346 batting average, while tied with 22 homeruns.

10:09pm – Corey Hart now into the batter’s box, but he hasn’t hit in two hours and quickly picks up seven outs without a homerun. Looking dire now, as he’s got two outs to play with and needs at least 8 home runs. Another mishit and he is on his last out of the second round, 8 home runs needed in case you missed that.

10:11pm – It’s a cruel game isn’t it? After an impressive 13 homeruns in the first round, Corey Hart comes back up and drops a goose egg and fails to hit a homerun in the second round. Well, it’ll be veteran slugger David Ortiz and young star Hanley Ramirez going head-to-head for the Homerun Derby title.

Final Round

10:14pm – It’s a battle of age verse youth, flashy shoes verse baggy shirts and the old rivalry of National League against American League. Ortiz is up first, followed by Ramirez.

10:15pm – Experts gave Ortiz the edge as he’s a lefty and he doesn’t let them down, he quickly pops four straight homeruns, duffs his next hit for an out but gets back on a roll and cranks out another four straight homeruns. Wow. This is unbelievable stuff.

10:20pm – Big Papi takes a break and it’s a good time to remember that he’s got the support of Tori Hunter guess he’s got a hometown boost tonight?

10:24pm – While Ortiz cranks his 10th of the round, there’s a touching moment as Ramirez is interviewed and says that the big man is like a father to him and thankful for the mentorship that Big Papi provided when he was in the Redsox minor league system.

10:28pm – What a fantastic display of slugging, Ortiz hits eleven over the fence in the final round and has a total 86 homeruns in the derby, doing the math that’s 16 more than second place all-time Ken Griffey Jr.

10:30 – The fans watch on in anticipation while Hanley Ramirez relaxes and settles into the batter’s box, the youngster needs to hit 11 homeruns to push for a tie-break and anymore than that will see him crowned 2010 homerun Derby Champion. No pressure kid.

10:31 – Hanley Ramirez has a slower start than Ortiz, and picks up two quick outs before hitting his first homerun. Line of the night by the announcer, “How would you like that homerun? I’d like it on the rocks please,” as Ramirez hits the rocks at center field once again.

10:35pm – The Florida Marlin’s player isn’t putting much pressure
on Ortiz, as he sits with four homeruns after five hits but he could get hot at any moment… but Ramirez steps back and takes a break, this time its Ortiz who runs up and brings him a towel, they hug and it’s another classy moment on the night.

10:37pm – Tense moments with Ramirez sitting on 9 outs and just five homeruns, interestingly enough a Boston player has never won the homerun derby, can Ramirez break Boston's heart on the last ball?

10:39pm – What a story this is, David Ortiz was in the slump of his career to start the season and papers in Boston were asking for the team to release him but fast-for

ward three months and it’s David Ortiz with 18 regular season homeruns and now being crowned the 2010 Home Run Derby Champion. I’m sure Boston is glad they held onto the slugger eh?

10:43pm – Well that’s all she wrote folks, David Ortiz proves his worth but Hanley Ramirez and Corey Hart both gave us some exciting moments in a great warm-up for tomorrow evenings 2010 edition of the MLB All-star Game.

Henry Whitfield lives in Halifax and writes about all sports local and abroad. Follow Henry on twitter @henrywhitfield.

World Cup Final Preview

The Dutch Total Football takes on Spain and their dominant passing game for the World Cup Trophy

By Henry Whitfield

After a month of matches, hundreds of goals and countless memories that will live on for a lifetime, we have finally reached the end of our World Cup journey: The World Cup Final is here.

We’ve seen the old Italians get stuck in the group stage, a surprise run by Uruguay, England crash out against a young, upstart German side, Maradona’s dream fall apart and most impressively, we got to see a talented French team implode and surrender during a World Cup.

Now we are left with two nations, an experienced Spain that were pre-tournament favourites to lift the Jules Rimet trophy and a resilient Dutch side that has been pushed forward by the outstanding play of Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben.

Here’s the prediction for today’s match:

Netherlands 3 – 2 Spain

Yesterday, I predicted a 4-2 win for Germany over Uruguay and they very nearly gave me that scoreline, but a resilient Uruguayan side fought hard and kept the score close until the very last kick of the match.

So without further adieu, here is my breakdown of today’s match:

Netherlands 3 – 2 Spain

If you’ve checked out week’s edition of Haligonia Sports, you saw me break down the Dutch and Spanish sides with Bill McLean and you heard the reasoning behind my predictions.

If you haven’t, well you should go check it out right away for more detail on my thoughts of today’s match, but for now I think this game comes down to two players: David Villa and Wesley Sneijder. The match will come down to whoever has the better game and my money is on the Dutch midfielder to play phenomenal and single-handedly give his country their first World Cup trophy.

Look for the Dutch keeper to keep his side in it and make some fantastic saves, while Arjen Robben will draw a red card from at least one Spanish player. The Dutch will control for much of the second half and pull away, not allowing Spain to carry out their usual plan of attack.

That’s it for today, but check back after the match as I will be doing a minute by minute re-cap and breakdown of today’s match.

Friday Night Fights Begins

MacDonnell, Goodall and Currie are big winners

by Derek Leblanc

While the fights had lasted a little over an hour, the fans were excited with the results from Friday Night Fights at the Rodeo Lounge in Dartmouth. Only two of the seven fights on the card even went into the second round but it made for a good time.

The main event say Rory MacDonnell go 5-4 with a win over Steven Rogers via armbar in the first round. The affair was back and forth on the ground between both fighters. At one point both of them had heel hooks locked in at the same time. While the fight was pretty even, MacDonnell was happy with the result.

“I had him in danger a couple of times,” says MacDonnell.

“He had much better Jiu Jistu then I expected. He fought his way out of a couple tough submissions. He actually threw a couple on me, but it was a good scrap.”

The semi main event saw Chris Currie beat Jeff Lundberg by ground and pound at 2:33 in the first round. Currie was able to take Lundberg down with ease for the w. This win really meant a lot to him personally.

“I was very excited I trained like three months for this fight,” says Currie.

“I was supposed to fight Shane Daley but I wasn’t disappointed so I kept on training. I was talking for a while of this being my last fight but after this. I love the sport too much.”

After losing to Alex Garcia last month at Ringside in Montreal, Ricky Goodall was able to get back in the winning track with a rear naked choke win over Tim Skidmore at 1:50 in the first round. Skidmore was able to pin Goddall to the cage and land a few knees but Goddall took him down. The New Glasgow native dedicated the fight to his former training partner Tim Kelly who was killed in December of last year. He wanted to make him proud and he did so.

“It was important for me to win this fight,” says Goodall.

“I dedicated this fight to Tim Kelly because he wanted to do this fight.”

In other action, Jonathan Williams was able to get an armbar on Justin Steele at 2:02 in the first round. Williams dominated on top before the win but still said if Steele wanted a rematch it could happen.

Chris Gaguden was able to use some crisp striking to get the victory over Matt Murray via ground and pound at 2:33 in the second round. Gaguden was able to get top position but almost got caught in a submission a few times.

My pick for fight of the night went to Chris Kedeles against Vincent Cormier. Kedeles won the match by guillotine choke at 4:11 in the second round. Cormier was the better of the two landing numerous takedowns but for him he wasted too much energy.

The night started off with James Saunders getting a win against Ryan Vanshick by arm triangle at 1:07 in the first round.

While this may have been Friday Night Fights first event, it looks like there could be a lot more in the future.

“I like the way everything went. I wish there could have been 10 fights,” says promoter Jason Mackay.

“The crowds seem to enjoy themselves. There were a few good fights and a few quick fights and I think this will be a building block for the rest of mma for a long time in Nova Scotia."

Email Derek at derekleblanc34@gmail.com.

Germany vs. Uruguay Preview

The youthful Germans will look to rebound vs. a fully loaded Uruguay.

by Henry Whitfield

The final two matches are finally upon us and I for one can’t be happier, a final matchup between old-world rivals Spain and Netherlands sets up a fantastic stage for the beautiful game to display its talent.

Just as interesting is the third place match between a young, surprising German team and an equally surprising Uruguay side that has seen it rise once again to the top tier of international football, led by the talismanic Diego Forlan and controversial Luis Suarez.

To get here we saw Spain dispatch Germany in a closely fought game that finished one-nil and saw Spain dominate an inexperienced Germany side with their passing and patience.

On the other side of the draw, the Netherlands first beat arch-rivals Brazil and then took their time beating Uruguay 3-2 in one of the most exciting matches of the tournament thus far.

Just as amazingly as Uruguay being in the final four, was the fact I got a pick right and went 50% in the final four for my predictions, which as always you can find right here.

So with those two matches out of the way and just two World Cup matches remaining, it’s time for my last two predictions of the tournament before some match pre-views and then two surprise posts that are being worked on for all the readers out there.

Third place match – Uruguay 2 – 4 Germany

So now that you’ve got the prediction, here’s some more in-depth information on why I think that I may actually be right this time:

I’m almost, but only almost, looking forward to this match more than the finals for a number of exciting reasons.

First being that we might finally see the Uruguayans playing an attacking, open game now that the pressure is off and combine that with the style that Germany played prior to their semi-final loss and well, you’ve got yourself and stupidly exciting third place match.

Luis Suarez is back from his one-game suspension after his dubious handball against Ghana, whilst Diego Forlan is rumoured to be playing for a new contract and maybe a transfer to a bigger club.

On the other side of the pitch we have a young German side who were taught a tough lesson by an experienced Spanish side and will be looking to redeem themselves, although, they will be extremely happy to of already made it this far in the tournament.

While the Germans have played a fast-paced, free-flowing style for much of this tournament, their hopes of another World Cup win came crashing down when the Spanish Armada came to town and showed their experience and class, thoroughly outplaying a tired looking Germany.

I think that the German’s have nothing left to prove and now a weight is off their shoulders, the young team will play with confidence and in a relaxed manner.

A scary thought for a Uruguay fan, but I don’t think they have the talent to compete with German, but the match will be an exciting shoot-out with a lot of exciting action.

Key Germany Player – Thomas Muller

Key Uruguay Player – Luis Suarez

Henry Whitfield lives in Halifax and writes about all sports local and abroad. Follow Henry on twitter @henrywhitfield.

Ready to Go; Friday Night Fights Get Greenlight for the Rodeo

by Derek Leblanc

After months of long work and planning, everything is ready to go for Friday Night Fights at the Rodeo Lounge in Dartmouth. All fighters were able to make weight yesterday except for one fighter. The event is being put together by Kemp Watermen and Jason Mackay. The idea of a professional fight taking place in a bar seems weird but the promoters had the demand for it.

“The Rodeo is a local venue and it's very central.” says Watermen.

“Its a very intimate venue which its seating capacity suits are needs and yet has a good following from its clientele. We had a lot of people say they wanted the fights to come to the Rodeo.”

Both guys have experience putting on events before. Mackay is the owner of Absolute Fighting Canada and Watermen at one time co owned Phoenix Fight Promotions. The main event was to see Halifax's Roger Hollett make his debut at heavyweight against Iyla Woronqwski but Hollett had to pull out a few days ago due to injury. The fight will be rescheduled for September and now the main event will be Steven Rogers against Rory Macdonell. Macdonell is happy to take to the opportunity.

“I am really looking forward to this,” says Macdonell.

“He looks like a tough talented kid. I feel no pressure for the main event because it is exciting. It is the same crowd but just switched in the order of the fights

While this will be the first time that Macdonell has been in a main event, it won't be for his opponent. Steven Rogers won his last fight at Elite 1: First Blood in Moncton last April. He knows with this fight, it could mean some big things ahead.

“I think he is a game fighter because he is also taking this fight on a few weeks notice,” says Rogers.

“I think this should be pretty good, I am coming off four straight wins. His wins are all by submission and my wins are all by submission. It should be a good fight and my goal is to make a good fight for the crowd.”

The fights will be taking place at 7:30pm with the doors opening at 6pm.. One thing is for sure is the Rodeo will be rocking.

Official Weigh in Results
160 lbs fight Steven Rogers (158.6) vs Rory Macdonell (159.4)
215 lbs fight Chris Currie (212.8) vs Jeff Lundberg (218)
170 lbs fight Ricky Goodall (171) vs Tim Skidmore (170.6)
145 lbs fight Justin Steele (143.2) vs Jonathan Williams (143.2)
180 lbs fight Matt Murray (178.6) vs Chris Goguen (178)
145 lbs fight Vincent Cormier (143.8) vs Chris Keledes (146)
135 lbs fight Ryan Vanshick (134.2 vs James Saunders (133.6)
170 lbs fight Kameron Johnson (168.4) vs Stephen Clement (168)

Derek Leblanc is a local sports writer and broadcaster. Email Derek at derekleblanc34@gmail.com.

The Heat is On

Can the NBA's new super team dethrone Kobe's Lakers?

As of tonight Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh are all now members of the Miami Heat; Wade re-signing, while both Bosh and James split from the teams that drafted them to chase dreams of championships in Florida.

It’s crazy to think that people are already crowning the Heat NBA Champions in 2011 and frankly, it’s pretty disrespectful to the other 29 teams in the league. Have we already forgotten the LA Lakers and the Boston Celtic? How about a young talented Oklahoma Thunder? There’s a reason we play a full season and anything can happen in a season where you’re named champions before even the first tip off.

With many sports pundits, making a lot more money than I am, saying that the Heat are easy champions in 2011, it makes me wonder why they’re even being paid to be journalists?

How can we forget that the New York Yankees spend more money each year on their roster than any other MLB team, but aren’t guaranteed a championship? How about Real Madrid spending millions and millions on players, but can’t win the European Champions League?

Let’s be clear here, yes the Miami Heat just got a lot better but let’s see how the team handles their first losing streak or injury problems, how the players there handle the new found spotlight that will be much brighter than the Miami Sun. The Heat will be contenders and favourites, but only time will tell if these three can gel and follow up all the hype with a new NBA dynasty.

Here’s a quick highlight of their combined stats:

- Scored 37,493 points in their NBA Careers

- Combined for 40.6 PPG when they led the USA to their recent Gold Medal in the Olympics

- Wade is 28, Bosh 26 and James is just 25, that leaves the three lot’s of time for championships

- The three combine for 148 playoff games, but just one NBA Championship Ring

This could very well be a moment in time that fans of basketball look back at and tell their kids and grandchildren where they were the day LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade created a dynasty.

On paper this looks like a destined dynasty, but only time will tell how this decision will pan out.

Henry Whitfield lives in Halifax and writes about all sports local and abroad. Follow Henry on twitter @henrywhitfield.

Decision '10: The World Awaits Lebron's Choice.

The sporting world awaits the decision of King James.

by Joel MacDougall

Tonight, all the mystery will come to an end. The top free agent in the greatest free agent class ever will end the season of speculation.

At 10:00 pm, Lebron James will go on ESPN (TSN in Canada) and let the world know where he plans to sign.

From the beginning the speculation on LeBron James’s final destination has been in flux. Early on it appeared he was destined to leave the small market of Cleveland and the bright lights of New York or New Jersey would be tough for him to turn down. Then it was speculated that James and Chris Bosh would join forces in Chicago. Later indications were coming out that he was leaning toward staying in Cleveland where he grew up. Now only hours from when he will declare his intentions to the world, reports are coming out that he is planning on joining the Heat to form, quite possibly, the best trio in NBA history.

This entire NBA season has been little more than preamble to the free agency season. Despite a great NBA Finals pitting legendary rivals, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, highlight shows still somewhat split their coverage between a fantastic seven game series and the post-season escapades of James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade.

There was the talk of the free agency summit to be held between those three, and the subsequent responses from the second tier free agents (Amar’e Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, and Carlos Boozer) that they would be attending the first annual NBA Free Agent Superstars Conference.

I say second tier, but really you could argue they are a third tier, as LeBron James could be on his own level. That is not to take anything away from Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, but King James seems to be a tick above either of them in terms of global status.

Following a holiday weekend filled with suitors making their pitch to the holy basketball trinity, LeBron James remains the last of the big fish on the market. Joe Johnson was the first of the sought after free agents to drop, choosing to re-sign with the Hawks even before the weekend.

Stoudemire agreed to go to the New York Knicks, most likely in an attempt by the Knicks to put together an appealing supporting cast to lure James. Bosh came out on Wednesday and said he’d be joining Wade in Miami, leaving LeBron as the final member of the upper tier. Not long after Carlos Boozer came to an agreement with the Chicago Bulls, and has said he would try and entice James into joining him and Derrick Rose.

So now it all comes down to James. All the upper level free agents have picked their spot for the next few years. I am sure they would all love to have James join them. There has been speculation from the very beginning with experts saying they had sources indicating where James would end up, the latest being the Heat rumours. But James has seemingly done a great job of keeping his intentions to himself. The latest could just be another example of an overzealous analyst finding substance in nothing, or it could be true.

The speculation is building to a climax and no one will be 100% certain until we hear the declaration from the King himself.

Joel MacDougall lives in Halifax and writes about all sports local and abroad. Follow Joel on twitter @jmdougall.

Grant Set to Fight Paulino at UFC 119

Cole Harbour's TJ Grant gets back to work September 19th

by Derek Leblanc

While it may have been two months since his last fight, T.J Grant has wasted no time in getting back into the octagon. The UFC welterweight from Cole Harbour will face Julio Paulino at UFC 119 which will to take place September 19th at Conseco Feildhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The fight was first reported yesterday by mmajunkie.com that both men had agreed to the fight. Now it has now been signed and confirmed by Grant's manager Scott Maclean. Grant is coming off a loss at UFC 113 in Montreal by majority decision to Johny Hendricks.

Grant is 2-2 in the Zuffa based organization with wins over Ryo Chonan and Kevin Burns.

Paulino is coming off a loss in his UFC debut against Mike Pierce at UFC on Verses One back in March. The Alaska born fighter has a record of 17-3 with wins over UFC veterans like Terry Martin.

Paulino was supposed to fight last weekend at UFC 116 against Daniel Roberts but had to withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Forrest Petz, a fighter Grant beat two years ago.

No word is to if the fight will be shown on the pay per view.

Derek Leblanc is a local sports writer and broadcaster. Email Derek at derekleblanc34@gmail.com.

World Cup Semis Predictions

Netherlands secured their spot in the World Cup final with a 3-2 victory over Uruguay

by Henry Whitfield

Let’s all collect our breath shall we?

Now then, it’s time for some Semi-final predictions. Now that Germany has thrashed another opponent, and for the third time this World Cup scored four goals in a game, they will face pre-tournament favourites Spain, who have struggled thus far to put in an impressive performance in any of their games.

The other matchup features Two time World Champions Uruguay, who are now the only South American team left in the tournament after Brazil and Argentina crashed out, against the inventors of Total Football, the Dutch who showed they can go down and come back with fighting spirit as they knocked off the Samba Boys.

Last round my predictions were almost spot on, picking three out of four winning teams correctly. Uruguay, Spain and Germany all went through, while the Netherlands upset my Brazil to book their place in the final four. Going 75% was a big improvement, but let’s see if I can keep it going this round.

If you were listening to Bill McLean Sports Show today, you heard my predictions on air with Bil, but for the rest of the world, here we go with my predictions for the semi-finals:

Uruguay 0 – 2 Netherlands

This is by far the tougher of the two matches to pick a winner and it features a defensively responsible team in Uruguay, against a patient Netherlands team who is more than willing to sit back and wait to pick apart their opponent bit by bit.

The Dutch fell behind early to Brazil, but instead of breaking apart like they have in the past, they used a game-turning save by their keeper to gain momentum and beat the five-time world champions. Their execution and pin-point passing was spot on and they looked incredibly strong in their play.

Uruguay needed penalties to barely squeeze by an inspired Ghana side, which more than deserved to win the match. A handball by Luis Suarez in the final moments of extra time was the only reason they booked themselves into the final four, and without their leading goal scorer they will have to rely even more on Diego Forlan.

The strength in midfield for the Dutch will be the key to this match and both Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder will be relied on heavily to both control the pace of the match and create chances on the attack.

Although Uruguay is extremely solid in the back, their team is susceptible to the speed of the Dutch attack and I am looking for the passing game of their opponents to really expose the back four.

In the end, the quality of the Dutch team will shine through and after a first-half goal gives them the lead, they’ll score a late second half goal to secure their spot in the finals and one win away from their first World Cup.

Key Netherlands Player – Arjen Robben

Key Uruguay Player – Diego Forlan


Spain 1 – 4 Germany

I know what you’re all thinking, four goals against Spain by Germany? You must be crazy!

But let’s look at the teams not just on paper, but in form and the recent performances both teams have put together.

Germany destroyed Australia in their first match, but got set back by Serbia in a 1-nil loss, however, since that game the young Germans have not looked back and each game has seen them get stronger and stronger. The combination of Miroslav Klose’s experience and the influx of speed and creativity by Thomas Muller, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil, has seen the easy destruction of both England and Argentina.

Spain has yet to impress me in this World Cup, a pre-tournament favourite to lift the Jules Rime Trophy, but the team has failed to show any interest in winning while in South Africa. However, this team has made it into the semi-final’s without showing anything exciting, an optimist would say that it’s only a matter of time for Spain to find their game and play the way they can, but a realist must look at the team and say, that maybe, just maybe, this team doesn’t believe in itself anymore.

The play of Fernando Torres has been dismal to say the least, and the manager’s insistence on sticking with the out-of-form striker is as baffling as the loss of his scoring touch.

The only reason Spain is in the finals is the fantastic play of David Villa and one crucial save by Iker Casillas, who made the save of the tournament when he stopped the Oscar Cordozo penalty shot in their last match.

The Germans are inspired, full of belief and already have one foot in the door and now find themselves against a lacklustre Spanish side that played like they were already going home against Paraguay.

This Germany side has left pundits wondering if they’re lucky or just that good, but yes, they are just that good. Eight goals in two games against England and Argentina shows how lethal they are in front of goal, their ability to counter in a moment and the passing of their midfield shuts out their opponents from the match.

Keep in mind that Klose is just one goal behind All-Time World Cup goal scorer Ronaldo and leads all-time goals from headers, and you’ve got one inspired player that is SURELY going to hit the back of the net once today.

Easy win for the Germans today and if we’re lucky, that sets up an exciting Netherlands – Germany finals.

Man of the Match: Miroslav Klose

Henry Whitfield lives in Halifax and writes about all sports while focusing on football and hockey. Follow Henry on twitter @henrywhitfield.

Tossle Anyone?

by Joel Macdougall

The origins of Tossle are shrouded in mystery, but it is believed that the game dates back as far as the dark ages, when man first began to use tools to his advantage. The first time one humanoid threw one rock closer to another rock than his buddy, Tossle was born.

Over time the game has evolved. An earlier form of the game, known as Tossuli, became the game of choice of the Italian aristocracy during the Renaissance, though it was spoken of little due to fear of reprisal from the Church.

It came to North America with the Pilgrims in the 1600s and flourished. Over time as settlers began to move farther into the continent that the game took on its present day form. Settlers in Oklahoma were playing a version of the game similar to that of the earlier Italian game. Upon observing the Native American game of digadayosdi, or Cherokee Marbles, the now integral Tinker was added to the game.

During the years of prohibition, Tossle again went underground, as the sport of choice for those wishing to enjoying a good time with friends and a drink at the same time. Here we find the names of some of the great, yet unknown Tossle players: Willie “The Duck” O’Reilly, “The Nature Boy” George Upshaw, Danny Fitzgibbon, and Tito “The Tinker” Tejada.

A combination of bocce ball, lawn bowling, curling and harness racing, okay, well not harness racing, tossle is once again becoming relevant.

In the modern game the number of total competitors varies from event to event, but matches or rounds are ideally played between four players. Each player has two coloured balls and take turns attempting to place their balls closest to the egg (small white ball). The honour of placing the egg is given to the eldest competitor for the first round. For each round following the first, that honour is given to the player scoring in the previous round. Only one competitor receives points for being closest to the egg, but can pick-up two points if they are able to place both their balls closest to the egg. The first person to 15 is the match winner.

Point are also awarded for tinkers, or actually hitting the egg. These points are not dependent on winning the round and are given for every instance a particular players ball contacts the egg. A secondary prize is awarded to the competitor who scores the most Tinkers for an entire event.

The game is growing in popularity, especially in Atlantic Canada, where a small, but dedicated group have begun competing regularly to test their tossle skills against one another. Beginning in the the backyards of friends and families the game has recently taken a great jump forward.

The most recent Prospect Invitational event was the first neutral site event in the games modern history. Eleven competitors took to the field on July 3rd, 2010 to challenge for the Tossle Cup and the right to be called the Prospect Inivtational Champion.

The competition was tough, but after a grueling preliminary round the finals saw three former champions squaring off with a contender for this year’s rookie of the year award. The competition was close, but in the end Rod MacDonald came out on top and got to take the traditional drink from the cup.

Other Tossle events will be going on throughout the summer, so stayed tuned for more action and more information on how you can get involved in the great sport.

Joel MacDougall lives in Halifax. Follow Joel on twitter @jmdougall.

Mount Promotes Homans and Steeves

MSVU wasted little time in naming Amit Batra's replacements

by Dylan Matthias

After Amit Batra's departure from the Mystics' women's soccer program to take over Acadia, MSVU was left in need of a coach. Athletics director June Lumsden has promoted Robyn Homans and Colin Steeves--2009's assistant coaches--to co-head-coach duties with the Mystics.
Homans is a former Dal Tiger who has been with the Mount for seven years as an assistant. Steeves has been with the Mystics for two years.

The two inherit a team they are familiar with from last year and a team which should keep most of its core components, including star striker Sarah Parker.

There is something of a sports saying that assistant coaches rarely make good head coaches. Homans and Steeves, however, both have other coaching experience. Homans coaches Parker and fellow Mystics Jessica Lilly, Chrissy Henneberry on Halifax County United. Steeves is a technical director with Dartmouth United.

--Dylan Matthias is the incoming sports editor at the Dalhousie Gazette. He runs Dal Soccer Live on the side to provide more in-depth coverage of AUS and ACAA soccer. He has been a Toronto FC fan since Danny Dichio scored the team's first ever goal. It showed him the magic of soccer.

Haligonia Sports Commentary: Sergei Gonchar and the Sens

The addition of veteran Gonchar should help the Sens woeful power play.

by Joel MacDougall

With the addition of Sergei Gonchar to the lineup, the Ottawa Senators have added a significant piece to their backend. Gonchar is arguably the best offensive defenseman the Senators have ever had.

Ottawa GM Bryan Murray took an aggressive run at Gonchar, calling him at 12:01 ET on July 1st to inquire about his services. Gonchar was seeking a four year deal from his previous team, the Pittsburgh Penquins, but they were reluctant to give that kind of term to the 36 year old. While Murray and the Sens might have liked to get Gonchar on a shorter term, consider it the cost of doing business to acquire one of the top offensive D-man of the era (second only to Nik Lidstrom really).

Ottawa will be unable to do much else in the free agent market after committing that much cap space to Gonchar. Murray will now turn his attention to signing some key restricted free agents.

Peter Regin and Nick Foligno are now the top priority. Regin seems poised for a breakout year after a strong showing in the playoffs, and will be counted on to provide more offense than his 29 points during the regular season last year. He’s penciled in to the top six for Ottawa and will quite possibly will be riding shotgun on the Jason Spezza’s wing.

Foligno has shown the ability to produce in the league, but must begin to so on a regular basis. Many felt Foligno had the potential to be a top 6 player in the league, but he is being passed in the Ottawa organization by players like the aforementioned Regin and, possibly even Zack Smith in the near future.

Both are wanted back as they are young and still have the promise to help the secondary scoring for Ottawa, but getting them under contract could mean other moves in the lineup.

If Ottawa were to sign these two and another defenseman for the 6/7 role, the team would look like this (Foligno, Regin and Campoli are estimates and lines are solely based on salary):

AUTO-GENERATED CAPGEEK.COM LINES

FORWARDS
Jason Spezza ($7.000m) / Alexei Kovalev ($5.000m) / Daniel Alfredsson ($4.875m)
Milan Michalek ($4.333m) / Mike Fisher ($4.200m) / Chris Kelly ($2.125m)
Chris Neil ($2.000m) / * Peter Regin ($1.600m) / * Nick Foligno ($1.500m)
Jarkko Ruutu ($1.300m) / Jesse Winchester ($0.750m) / Ryan Shannon ($0.625m)
Zack Smith ($0.583m)

DEFENSEMEN
Sergei Gonchar ($5.500m) / Filip Kuba ($3.700m)
Chris Phillips ($3.500m) / Erik Karlsson ($1.300m)
* Chris Campoli ($1.000m) / Brian Lee ($0.875m)
Matt Carkner ($0.700m)

GOALTENDERS
Pascal Leclaire ($3.800m) / Brian Elliott ($0.850m)

CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
(these totals are compiled using the bonus cushion)
ROSTER: 22; CAP: $59.4m; PAYROLL: $59.046m; CAP ROOM: $0.779m BONUSES: $0.425m

This allows Ottawa to carry an 13th forward and a 7th defenceman in case of injury. Of course, a youngster may challenge for a spot on the team, most likely defenceman Jared Cowen, but I think it best not to assume too much at this point. If Cowen did earn a spot, his cap hit would be $0.3M higher than what I have estimated for Campoli, and would cut the Sens cap room to $0.479M.

Where could more space be found?

A lot of fans are calling for a trade involving Filip Kuba and his $3.7M cap hit as a way of clear space. While such a move would clear space in would require an additional move to sure up the defence after moving one Ottawa’s top four.

Some are down on Kuba’s play, but I believe part of that is due to being slightly miss cast in Ottawa, Kuba is a decent defender that has the ability to move the puck, but is in no way an elite puck-moving defenceman (PMD) in the league. With the addition of Gonchar and the emergence of Karlsson, less pressure is place on Kuba and I believe he will have a very solid year. Plus at $3.7M for a veteran, top four defenceman, he is hardly the most onerous contract out there.

I could only see Kuba moved if another defenceman, most likely one with a physical edge to his game was also being brought back. A couple Canucks are available in Kevin Bieska ($3.75M) and UFA Willie Mitchell. Mitchell could be an option at a cheaper price due to his concussion problem this past year, but would fill the role of physical, veteran presence perfectly, if healthy.

Others think that bringing back a defenceman is unnecessary as Ottawa has good young defensive prospect in Jared Cowen and Patrick Wiercoch. My question, what if they aren’t ready, and you trade away the veteran insurance like Kuba. Both are looking like the could be good players in the future for Ottawa, but have not proven anything at the professional level, and making such assumptions can be dangerous.

Just as an aside to this Kuba trade talk, if he were to be moved, I think there would be teams interested, and I’d put the Los Angeles Kings near the top of the list, after they were unable to land any of the free agent defencemen on July 1st.

The most likely move would see someone from the third line with a larger salary traded to make a spot for either Foligno or Smith. Kelly and Ruutu are the top candidates for this, as Ruutu could easily be replaced by the two, and while Kelly may be missed more, he would clear more cap space and might bring back a slightly better return.

Neither are huge cap hit, but could give the Sens enough breathing space to feel comfortable.

Joel Macdougall live in Halifax and writes about all sports both local and abroad. Follow Joel on twitter @jmdougall.