ly, he reiterated. The first three years, I didn’t play

LONDON, Ont. – Tomas Kaberle was the 204th selection at the 1996 draft in St. Louis, the second to last player the Maple Leafs would draft on a day that saw the Senators pick Chris Phillips first overall. Kaberle, who could reportedly try out for the New Jersey Devils later this fall, stands as the only homegrown defenceman Toronto has sent to an All-Star game in more than 20 years, a fact that highlights the organizations difficulties drafting and developing talent of its own on the blue line. In fact, since 2000, the Leafs have drafted only six defencemen who went on to play 100 games in the NHL, a solid and yet unremarkable group featuring Carlo Colaiacovo, Jay Harrison, Ian White, Anton Stralman, Carl Gunnarsson and Luke Schenn – all of whom have since moved on from Toronto. Morgan Rielly will soon become the seventh in that group – he played 73 games as a rookie last season – the first in a pool of prospects thats become deepest and most intriguing for the Leafs on defence. "Weve got a stockpile there and theyre all different shapes and sizes," Jim Hughes, the teams director of player development said recently. Among them is Matt Finn, who finished last season as the second-highest scoring defenceman in the OHL, captaining Guelph to the leagues top record, an OHL championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup. He will make the jump to the American League this fall. "Its going to be tough," he said of the transition. "Youre playing against men now with families. Its serious. Its a job now. Its not just fun in junior anymore." "Youre not going to get all the opportunities," he continued. "Youre not going to be a superstar like you were in junior anymore. Youre going to have to earn your stripes and take it day by day. Its never going to be easy." A second round pick in 2012, Finn will now have to battle for ice-time with the Marlies, helmed by first year head coach Gord Dineen, overseeing the teams annual prospect tournament here in London. The 20-year-old Finn spent time on the ice and in the gym this past summer with some of that competition – not to mention a group from the Leafs – and understands that more will be expected. "You get a feel for what that pro level and that pro mentality is like," he said. "Being in the gym with them, seeing how they work, how hard the corner battles are, how hard it is just to get areas in front of the net to stand in position – theyre always trying to push you out and gain that ground. Being able to play with guys like that – the NHL guys, the AHL guys – who have been there and have played and have experience and not even verbally sharing it with you, but just on the ice learning it through the ways of hockey." Tom Nilsson is six months older than Finn and he too is expected to join the Marlies for the first time this fall, making the jump from his native Sweden. Hopes are quietly high for the 21-year-old, sturdy at 6-foot and nearly 200 pounds. "My goal is of course to play on the Maple Leafs, but if I start on the Marlies thats okay with me," Nilsson said. "I want to learn how to play the [North American] game and then Im going to develop from there." Nilsson has some Niklas Hjalmarsson to his game – Dineen offered a more physical version of Gunnarsson – mobile, sneaky physical, and willing to block to shots and offer a stable defensive presence. He started watching the Chicago Blackhawks defender more closely a couple years back, also studying the performance of fellow Swedes, Niklas Kronwall – "I like his hitting" – and Erik Karlsson, the slap-shot of the Senators defender a particular point of admiration. "Im trying to take small things off of players that I like," said Nilsson, who played with Frolunda in the Swedish Hockey League last season. Nilsson is anxious to make the adjustment to the smaller NHL rink; the organization believes his maturity and raw, hard-hitting game will aid in the transition. "Hes well-schooled," said Hughes. "Hell come over and it shouldnt be a very difficult transition for him." Nilsson might not be the only Swede making the jump to North America this fall for Toronto. He could be joined by Viktor Loov, the third-last pick of the 2012 draft and a fluid skater who played forward until the age of 15. Loov – long at 6-foot-2 and beefed up to the tune of 210 pounds – played with the teams top prospect, William Nylander, on MODO of the Swedish Hockey League last season. "He just oozes determination every shift," Dineen said of Loov (pronounced LOVE), who delivered a crushing open ice hit in the second game of the rookie tournament Sunday night. "Hes a guy that might [take] a little time in the future, but I think hes going to punch a hole for himself." The two Swedes will try to follow the path carved most recently by Petter Granberg, who made a solid adjustment to North America last fall and is expected to challenge for the seventh spot with the Leafs at training camp next week. That competition could also include Stuart Percy, a 2011 first round pick who impressed with a cerebral all-around game as a first-year Marlie last season, and Andrew MacWilliam, a hard-hitting defender who made some noise at training camp a year ago. Maybe the most NHL-ready of the Marlies group pushing toward the NHL is Korbinian Holzer, whose turbulent 22 games on the top pairing in 2013 has left him almost forgotten. The team raves about his character, leadership, and defensive ability – he was actually sturdy as a penalty killer in that brief spell with the Leafs. Far and away the biggest of the prospects on hand here in London, however, is Eric Knodel, picked in the fifth round of the 2009 draft. Knodel spent three seasons at the University of New Hampshire, employing the college route to add heft to his towering 6-foot-6 frame, while taking steps to improve his skating. He joined the Marlies at the end of his college campaign in the spring and will join the fight for ice in the fall. "I think thats the best part is everybodys going to be battling," said Knodel (pronounced KUH-nodle). "Great teams have great defence – great defence and goalies. Its always good to have good depth there." Whether any, all or even a few contribute is uncertain, but theres some upside and intrigue to a prospect pool thats been left mostly wanting. Vans Shoes Outlet . Keenum will make his first appearance in a regular-season game against the rugged defence of the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, where the fans just set a Guinness record as the noisiest outdoor stadium in the world. Vans Shoes Clearance . 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Cheap Vans Shoes For Sale .com) - The Vancouver Canucks recovered from a fluke goal early last time out to knock off one of the top teams in the league.TORONTO - Shortly after Raptors rookie Lucas Bebe Nogueira returned to the locker room following his NBA pre-season debut Wednesday, he received an emotional phone call from back home. His family and friends had watched the game live from Brazil. His mother was first on the line. My mom, shes so emotional, the 22-year-old Nogueira said after scoring eight points and blocking three shots in the Raptors 92-85 victory over Israeli club, Maccabi Haifa. She [was] crying a lot. She cries about everything, but I understand why she is crying, because they adopted me. Nogueira went on to praise his family and his upbringing. They gave me all the support to be, not [only] a basketball player, but a good person and a good human, he continued. I think the most important thing about making money and playing basketball is that you get to be a good person. They gave me a whole education and support so right now to see her son in the NBA, shes so proud. So I understand why shes crying. Leave it to Nogueira, a player who has already become known for his trademark afro and infectious positivity, to make the best of a three-week delay to the start of his first-ever NBA training camp. The seven-foot Brazilian has been a spectator for most of the fall, sitting out practices and the teams first six preseason games with a couple lingering injuries, most notably a hamstring ailment that forced the coaching staff to play it safe with the young centre. Not the ideal start to anyones career, let alone someone who has been waiting a long time for his first NBA opportunity - one of the reasons he could barely hide his excitement when he learned hed be in uniform and available for Wednesdays contest. I was nervous because it was my first game, he admitted when it was all over. I had just two practices with the team, so I was a little bit nervous. Nogueira waited anxiously, standing in front of his locker just over an hour ahead of tip-off. James Johnson, his neighbour and one of his biggest supporters on the team, came over to give him a pep talk. He didnt have to wait long to get his feet wet, checking into the game with fellow rookie and countryman, Bruno Caboclo, midway through the second quarter. He didnt look out of place but, as he pointed out before the game, hes not the typical first-year player. Its my first year in the NBA, [but] it’s not my first professional year, said Nogueira, who has been playing pro ball in Spain since he was 16-years-old. If I have a chance to play, Ill try to show the skills I learned in Spain: protect the rim, rebound [and] I can score sometimes. Less than a minute after entering, Nogueira drained a pair of free throws after he was fouled around the rim. Later in the quarter, he blocked shots on back-to-back possessions, a brief glimpse into the defensive presence the Raptors hope he can become with some added strength and seasoning. With their foreign visitors on a 16-0 run to begin the fourth quarter and take a five-point lead, the Raptors turned to both rookies, Nogueira and Caboclo, to close out the game. Down by one with two-and-a-half minutes remaining, Johnson found Nogueira wide open under the rim for an easy dunk. Moments later, he followed up a missed Caboclo jumper with a put-back lay-up to give Toronto a five-point advantage. Lucas came in and deterred some shots and thats what he should do, coach Dwane Casey said of his young centre. I was really impressed with the way he came in and played. The original timetable for Nogueiras absence - nursing what he called a fatigued hamstring muscle - was six-to-eight weeks.dddddddddddd Asked how long he had been out, he knew instantly. Yesterday was six weeks. We worked so hard, he said. Three weeks ago, I was not 100 per cent, but I was, like 80 per cent, because we worked so hard. Sometimes, it was two sessions a day. So its not surprising to me [to be back]. Maybe if you stay home and do nothing, maybe it’s surprising. But I worked hard to come back early. Even in the middle of the game, during timeouts, Nogueira worked with team trainers to keep his hamstring loose. Given the amount of time hes spent with Alex McKechnie, Raptors director of sports science, of late, one would think they might be tired of each other by now. But thats not in Nogueiras makeup. As Casey says, hes never met a stranger. He’s my guy, the chatty Brazilian said of McKechnie. He’s an amazing guy, an amazing professional. We are friends. I hope I’ll have that friendship all my life. Its that uniquely positive approach that helped him bare the lay-off while he watched the rest of his teammates bond on the court throughout camp. Its also what hes relying on as he plays catch-up. I’m a young player, he said. I dont have problems adapting. Of course, the guys ahead of me are in better shape than me because they didn’t stop working the whole summer. I worked the whole summer too, except right now, my six weeks out. Maybe I’m a little bit [behind], but I don’t have a problem of [getting back into] shape. With the preseason winding down, Nogueira returned just in time to get some run. Wednesday was likely the final opportunity for Casey to get an in-game look at his younger players - and those who are in contention for the teams final roster spot - before he goes back to his regular rotation in Fridays exhibition finale. If all goes right once the season begins for real next week, Nogueira - like Caboclo - will have to develop on the sidelines, in practice and, perhaps, in short stints with the D-League affiliate in Fort Wayne, but hes well aware of what his role will be in year one and doesnt seem remotely fazed by it. I’m okay because I’ve played six years professionally, he reiterated. The first three years, I didn’t play. I stayed on the bench the whole year. Sometimes, the [centre] got hurt, coach put the shooting guard in the post, but didn’t [play] me. I’m okay if I don’t play 82 games. The good thing about it is the D-League, said Casey. We can see [Nogueira and Caboclo] playing in real games against players there if theyre not playing here. Thats going to be very beneficial to both of them, getting those minutes in the D-League and learning in game situations there more so than here. Our goal is totally different now, along with developing them, winning is as important as the development, Casey continued. Theyre going to get their opportunities in practice and, knock on wood something doesnt happen [with injuries], but right now, theyre kind of down on the totem pole as far as rotation is concerned. Wherever Nogueira finds himself - whether its the bench, the D-League, or elsewhere - hell be wearing a smile across his face and perhaps the newest addition to his wardrobe. [Kyle Lowry] gave it to me, he said of the fluffy pink rabbit hat sitting in his locker, a form of rookie hazing. I have a rabbit, [Will Cherry] has a wolf, Bruno has a rabbit too, but a white [one]. ' ' '