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After they returned to the playoffs last season, the Toronto Maple Leafs are team ripe for regression due to inflated percentages that typically dont carry over from one year to the next. As such, the appeal of some Leafs is likely lower than expected. Top Picks: In the last two seasons, RW Phil Kessel has 134 points, ranking fifth, and over the last five seasons his 155 goals ranks ninth. Even with plus-minus issues (minus-47 over the last four seasons), hes worth a spot among the top handful of fantasy right wingers. D Dion Phaneuf, the Leafs captain, has plenty of critics, but hes productive. In the last three years, hes one of three defencemen to have at least 100 points and 200 penalty minutes (Zdeno Chara and P.K. Subban are the others). If not PIMs, Phaneuf is also a hitter, with 725 over the last four seasons. There are constant questions about whether Phaneuf is worthy of being designated as a number one defenceman for the Maple Leafs, but his numbers indicate hes just fine as a No. 1 defenceman for fantasy owners. Value Plays: The popular notion, when it comes to C Nazem Kadri, is that hes a young player who scored 44 points in 48 games last season, so he should be on the rise, but its not quite as simple as that. For one thing, Kadri scored on 16.8% of his shots last season, an inordinately high percentage and, more importantly, those on the ice with him at even-strength scored on 14.44% of their shots, the highest rate for any forward in the league. Its also a clear indication that regression ought to be coming and even if Kadri plays more than the 16 minutes per game he played last season, the odds are in favour of the regression having stronger effect. This doesnt mean Kadri is a bad player; it means hes not necessarily a point-per-game player yet. While were beating that regression drum, LW Joffrey Lupul has 85 points in 82 games over the last two seasons, scoring on 15.5% of his shots, which is well above his career mark of 11.5%. As an example of what kind of effect that would have, knocking Lupuls shooting percentage down from 15.5% to 11.5% over the last two seasons, it would give him 28 goals instead of 36. We can also see that, even in his small sample of 17 games last season, Lupul had an absurdly high on-ice shooting percentage that is bound to come down. With regression and injuries both factors in his projection, Lupul likely comes in lower than expected in my projections. LW James van Riemsdyk had a nice first season in Toronto, his 0.67 points per game representing a career-high, while playing 19:12 per game, four minutes more than he had played the year before in Philadelphia. Its reasonable to expect further development from van Riemsdyk, whose career highs to this point are 21 goals and 40 points. The signing of RW David Clarkson came with much fanfare, and much concern regarding the length of his contract, but in the last two seasons, only Clarkson and Scott Hartnell have scored at least 40 goals while recording at least 200 penalty minutes. His limited scoring upside makes Clarkson a No. 4 fantasy winger, though he would move up a notch in leagues that include penalty minutes. Still trying to negotiate a new contract, restricted free agent D Cody Franson had a breakthrough season for the Leafs in 2013, tying a career-high with 29 points, even though he played in only 45 games. If hes healthy and signed, Franson has a chance to be a No. 3 fantasy defenceman, but until he signs, its tough to place too much stock in his production. Centering Phil Kessel is a factor that makes C Tyler Bozak worth keeping an eye on, but he hasnt been productive enough to have fantasy value in most leagues. He was one of six forward to play more than 900 minutes last season and finish with fewer than 30 points. Sleepers/Breakthrough: Stuck in the minors or the press box too often last season, D Jake Gardiner is a tremendous skater who should play a top-four role. He had 30 points in 75 games as a rookie in 2011-2012 and should be able to get back to that level provided he stays healthy. By going out to acquire G Jonathan Bernier, and then signing him to a new contract that isnt for backup money, the Maple Leafs have indicated their intention coming into the season. While there are many reports from those that think Bernier is due the opportunity to be a starting goalie in the league, he has a .912 save percentage in 62 career games, which only seems okay. If you really want to dig deep, check out D Paul Ranger, making his return to the NHL for the first time since October, 2009. Ranger scored a career-high 31 points, while playing a career-high 25:13, in 2007-2008 Rookies: He may end up back in junior for another season, but 19-year-old Morgan Rielly could put pressure on the Leafs to make a decision. When he reaches the league for keeps, hes going to produce points, but even if Rielly does manage to stay in the NHL as a teen. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Troy Tulowitzki Blue Jays Jersey .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Ted Williams Red Sox Jersey . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. http://www.baseballgreet.com/St-Louis-Cardinals-Mi...ha-Jers ey/ . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. Michael Wacha Cardinals Jersey . Fernandez, coached in Toronto by former two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser, scored 267.11 points and is the first champion to successfully defend since Russias Evgeny Plushenko in 2005 and 2006. Justin Smoak Blue Jays Jersey .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed.CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- C.J. Watson needed a night like this. The sixth-year NBA pro wasnt knocking down shots and didnt feel like much of a contributor this season for the Indiana Pacers. That all changed Wednesday night. Watson hit five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with a season-high 18 points to help the Pacers to their fifth straight victory, a 99-74 win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night. "I have been struggling and I knew Id been struggling," Wilson said. "But I just stayed in the gym, stayed focused and just kept working and stayed confident. I tried to go out there, be aggressive and take what the game gave me." Watson had made just 6 of 29 3-pointers this season coming into the game. He was 6 of 8 against the Bobcats. "I think he was just looking for it and we drew some plays up for him," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "One of them was in transition and we got him one early when we got him a corner flare. Sometimes, when you hit the first shot, it changes your momentum of the game. Hed been struggling with his shot but hes kept working." Lance Stephenson had 15 points and 10 rebounds and Roy Hibbert added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers. Paul George had 15 points to surpass 3,000 for his career. Al Jefferson had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Bobcats, who have lost six of their last seven at home. The NBAs best defence limited the Bobcats to 31 per cent shooting as the Pacers improved to 14-1, the best start in franchise history. Indiana held Charlottes backcourt duo of Kemba Walker and Gerald Henderson to a combined 6 of 32 from the field. "They keep you from getting into the paint and they have long, strong defenders on the perimeter," Henderson said. "And then they really protect the basket well with Hibbert. Playing a team like that, if your jump shot is not falling then its going to be tough to beat them." Indiana led 60-52 entering the fourth quarter despite shooting just 28 per cent from the field. Thats whhen Watson caught fire.dddddddddddd He knocked down three 3-pointers in the opening three minutes to help push the lead to 12. His fourth 3-pointer helped stretch the lead to 17 with 6:45 left in the game. "Thats when we went haywire," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said. The Pacers would finish 14 of 20 from the field in the fourth quarter, including 7 of 9 on 3-pointers to outscore the Bobcats 39-22. "Good Indiana Pacers-style win with offensive balance and different guys stepping up each night and dominating with defence and rebounding," Vogel said. "C.J. Watson obviously was the star of the game tonight. It seems like its a different guy every night for us." It was a rough night offensively for the Bobcats (7-9), who had more fouls (27) than field goals (26). The Pacers set the tone early, holding the Bobcats to 4-of-22 shooting from the field in the first quarter to jump out to a 22-11 lead. Clifford said after the game hes still a little "concerned" about his teams offence. "We have to continue to develop our post-up game with Al and we have to be more diligent about staying with what were doing," Clifford said. Charlotte would hang tough and cut the lead to five at the break behind 10 first-half points from Jefferson, who was able to challenge Hibbert in the low post. Jeffersons presence helped minimize the effects of Henderson and Walker, who struggled to find their stroke and were a combined 3 of 16 from the field in the first half. George entered the game averaging 26.8 points over the previous four games and had 12 points at halftime. But he picked up his third and fourth fouls in the opening two minutes of the second half, sending him to the bench. NOTES: The Pacers have only allowed 100 points once this season, that coming in a 110-94 loss to Chicago earlier this month. ... George has scored in double figures in every game this season. ... The Pacers have won four of their last five games against the Bobcats. ... Walker was 3 of 17 from the field and Henderson was 3 of 15. Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '
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