TORONTO - Josh Gorges knows Toronto hockey fans havent forgotten he turned down a trade to the Maple Leafs, but he tries not to dwell upon the decision.
Authentic NCAA Jerseys .You cant look back on things in the past and say, Maybe I shouldve done this different, or Maybe I shouldve done that different, the veteran defenceman said Tuesday before his first game at the Air Canada Centre with the Buffalo Sabres. Its in the past. You cant change whats happened.But by refusing to remove Toronto from his no-trade list, Gorges not only changed the course of history for himself but at least three other players and a trio of franchises. Had Gorges agreed to go, its likely the Canadiens wouldnt have signed Tom Gilbert and possible the Leafs wouldnt have signed Stephane Robidas.And, of course, Cody Franson probably wouldnt have remained in Toronto. But Gorges didnt realize that initially when he called Franson, his longtime friend and Kelowna, B.C., neighbour, in June when considering his options.I needed some time and I called everybody I knew that knew anything about this team, this organization, Gorges said. I wanted to get as much info as I could.Ive known him for a number of years. Hes a good friend of mine so I thought why not give him a call and see what things are about.Ultimately Gorges, 30, decided against going to Toronto because his heart simply wasnt in it. Facing the Leafs in so many emotionally charged games with the Habs made it hard for him to accept the move, something Franson understood.He was in a situation where he had been a part of a rivalry for a long time and he did what was best for him, he felt, Franson said. Nobody can blame him for that, I dont think.It wasnt the first and almost certainly wont be the last time Franson is the subject of trade talk. As much as playing in Toronto has taught Franson how to shield himself from it, he said these were tough rumours not to hear.Those are ones that show up right on your front doorstep, Franson said. If (the Leafs) were going to make a move that they feel is going to better the team, theyre going to do that.Thats out of my hands. I just approached my normal day and kept my phone close.News that Gorges had turned down the Leafs surfaced around the NHL entry draft. On July 1, Montreal dealt him to Buffalo for a second-round pick and signed Gilbert to a US$5.6-million, two-year contract. Gilberts $2.8-million cap hit is just below Fransons $3.3 million.The Leafs continued stocking up on right-handed defencemen that day as well, signing Robidas to a $9-million, three-year contract. Days before, they sent Carl Gunnarsson to the St. Louis Blues for stay-at-home righty Roman Polak.Through eight games, Franson is tied with Dion Phaneuf for the most points among Leafs defencemen with three. Gilbert is averaging over 22 minutes a game for the Habs.Meanwhile, Gorges is an alternate captain with Buffalo and is being counted on to be a stabilizing force for another defenceman whos seemingly always on the trade block, the six-foot-eight Tyler Myers.Franson considers that a good thing for Gorges and Myers.Hes a guy that plays with a heart on his sleeve and leads very well, Franson said of Gorges. Hes a guy that comes with a lot of experience.Hes a great person. I think hes a guy that will fit into any locker room, any team in the NHL. I think hes only going to help those guys.---Follow @SWhyno on Twitter
NCAA Jerseys . Alen, 28, hit .315 with five home runs, 59 RBI and a career-high nine stolen bases for the Goldeyes last season. He is the longest serving catcher in Goldeyes history, having already spent five seasons with the organization.
NCAA Basketball Jerseys . I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video.The NHLs Mar. 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. Check out todays trade-related reports and speculation from around the NHL beat, including breaking news around the New York Rangers plans for captain Ryan Callahan. Blue-shirt biddingsTSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger tweeted Friday that Western Conference teams are suggesting the New York Rangers are collecting information on St. Louis Blues forward Chris Stewart. With rumours swirling around pending unrestricted free agent Ryan Callahan, Dreger tweeted "Callahan for Stewart would be a sweet deal for Blues. On Wednesday, Dreger said he was told that "Rangers general manager Glen Sather has reached out to a number of general managers and he is gauging trade interest on Callahan." The Rangers captain is in the final season of a three-year, $12.825 million deal. He has nine goals and 20 points in 38 games. Rapid responseColorado Avalanche forward P.A. Parenteau has found himself front and centre of trade rumours with the Montreal Canadiens. Talking to Mike Chambers of the Denver Post on Sunday, Parenteau addressed his current situation with the Avalanche and the potential for a move to Montreal. "Any time a top-six guy on a team is out of the lineup (rumours) are going to go around. Its parrt of the game, but its not fun with family and stuff like that.
Cheap NCAA Jerseys. Its Montreal, too, and everyone was calling me. But Im trying to block that out and wait for my turn," he said. Parenteau, 30, is in the second season of the four-year, $16 million contract he signed with the Avalanche as an unrestricted free agent in 2012. Patiently waitingThomas Vanek is close to making a decision on his future with the New York Islanders, or so his agent says. Steve Bartlett, who spoke to Newsdays Arthur Staple on Wednesday, said the Austrian winger is not quite ready to seal his fate, but that "we continue to have what I consider very good and constructive conversations with the Islanders." The Islanders acquired Vanek last October from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Matt Moulson, a conditional first-round pick in 2014 -- New York could defer the pick to next year if it is a top-10 selection -- and a second-round pick in 2015. "We certainly understand the team will want to explore [a trade] and try to recoup some of the assets they gave up," Bartlett said. "We are getting close to that line in the sand time and we understand the risks and rewards of the situation were in. (GM) Garth (Snow) and the Islanders have been nothing but great in this whole process." ' ' '