Spaß & Spiel » other good, solid receivers," McKen

WINNIPEG - The season is young and the results so far mixed, but one Winnipeg Jet who came out of the gate ready to run this year is Evander Kane. Its been noticed. Kane has stepped up with a more physical all-round game and is now back with Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler on the teams No. 1 line. "You look at the obvious things, like produce offensively, thats my job and thats what Im counted on to do," says Kane, who has three goals and two assists in six games for the Jets. "But I try to be a two-way player in terms of little things like blocking shots, taking hits, looking good in my own zone and creating offensive opportunities for myself and my linemates. Whatever I can do to help the team." Kane is a plus-3 so far this season, with a team-leading 30 shots on goal before Tuesday nights home game against Montreal. That he shoots a lot isnt news, but he has been visibly more physical and defensively minded and says he wants to embrace more of a leadership role. "I think Evander can bring the level of leadership up with his game," says coach Claude Noel. "But all players are like that. Theres other players as well that would like to take a more leadership role but it starts with your game. If you bring consistency to your A-game then you can now have a voice in the room. You can have a voice just by the way you play." Both the Jets and the Canadiens entered Tuesdays game looking for more consistency. But unlike the Jets, who havent seen the post-season since 2007 when they were still the Atlanta Thrashers, the Canadiens have made the playoffs five out of the last six seasons. Theyve also been knocked out in the first round in three of those five seasons. "I havent made the playoffs in my career and thats frustrating," says Kane, who played two seasons in Atlanta before the move to Winnipeg. The fourth pick overall in the 2009 entry draft, Kane has speed and stick-handling ability. But there have been times when his team game and desire to win have been questioned. Hes still just 22 but its hard to find fault with his effort this season. His average time on ice per game is just .02 seconds less than Bryan Little, who leads all Winnipeg forwards at 20:09. Ladd is next at 18:26. Being bounced around as coaches try to find a good fit for him is nothing new for Kanes career. He started the season anchoring a second scoring line with Mark Scheifele and Devin Setoguchi. "Ive been doing line juggling for 264 games," Kane said with a chuckle Tuesday. Many nights the Kane line generated the bulk of the pressure and scoring opportunities for the Jets. Two games ago Noel started juggling again to try and spread some of that energy around. "I think his teammates know what he can bring to the table and when he does that we do get energized because it makes everybody else feel like were moving," says Noel. "(Hes) an exciting player to watch when he plays like that and then you find that your other players are following suit." Other things also may be coming together for the Jets, who had the worst power play in the league last season and were only slightly better at penalty killing. Their power play ranked 20th and their penalty kill 16th as of Tuesday and they managed at least one power-play goal in each of their first five games. "If you look at our special teams the last couple of games, weve worked a lot harder to make sure were getting those lanes or getting shots to the net," says defenceman Zach Bogosian. "We dont really look at stats too much but you can feel it when youre out there that its starting to come together." The Jets didnt score a power-play goal in their last 3-0 win over the New Jersey Devils but they did kill five penalties, including a five-on-three. "You know youre doing your job when things are going well. thats satisfying in itself when you get those lanes and block those shots that prevents a goal or a scoring chance," said Bogosian. He says more communication on the ice is working. Jordan Shoes Australia Online .J. -- Kevin Gilbride retired Thursday as offensive co-ordinator for the New York Giants. Wholesale Air Jordan Australia .com) - The Memphis Grizzlies signed guard Seth Curry on Tuesday. http://www.australiaairjordan.com/.Do you have to be that close? Federer snapped at a TV cameraman hovering nearby as he received medical advice after losing a set on Wednesday.For Nadal and Sharapova, the nuisance was coming from the lowly-ranked qualifiers across the net. Air Jordan Sale Australia . - Free agent defensive end Will Smith has signed with the New England Patriots. Cheap Air Jordans Australia .Y. -- As if the worst start in franchise history isnt bad enough, Buffalo Sabres President Ted Black braced his teams win-starved fans for potentially more tough times.ALAMEDA, Calif. - For a general manager who preaches building through the draft, Reggie McKenzie has struggled to find impact players his first two years in Oakland. With all of his picks on the first two days for the first time in three drafts with the Raiders, McKenzie is looking to add players who can be part of the foundation of the rebuilding project in Oakland. "Its my goal and the Raiders goal to hit on my picks, and to be right in everything we do," he said. "This year, Im more excited. I cant call it pressure. Im more excited because of the foundation that weve built this off-season." The Raiders enter the draft with the fifth overall pick and also have choices near the top of the second, third and fourth rounds. Oakland has traded its fifth- and sixth-round picks away but does have three selections in the seventh round. The Raiders didnt pick until 95th overall in 2012 because of previous deals. But McKenzie was unable to find any hidden gems as none of the six players selected started a single game last season. Oakland had premium picks a year ago, but first-round cornerback D.J. Hayden was hampered as he recovered from heart surgery and struggled in his limited playing time. Second-round offensive lineman Menelik Watson barely made it on the field because of injuries. "I want to get it right every year, with every pick," McKenzie said. "Will you be 100 per cent right? Absolutely not." Here are five things to watch with the Raiders when the draft starts Thursday night: QUARTERBACK QUANDARY: The Raiders entered the off-season in need of finding a starting quarterback. After trading a sixth-round pick for Matt Schaub in March, McKenzie no longer needs to fill that hole through the draft. "Thats still a position that well look at, but I think what it does is, you dont feel that pressure that you have to go out there and try and draft a quarterback," coach Dennis Allen said. "You kind of let everything fall to you now." WIN NOW: The Raiders have spent the first two years under the leadership of McKenzie and Allen tearing down the franchise after years of poor management under late owner Al Davis.dddddddddddd. Now they are in the rebuild mode, but owner Mark Davis is losing patience after consecutive four-win seasons. McKenzie said that does not put pressure on him to find players who can contribute immediately. "You draft for the future," McKenzie said. "You dont draft for right now. Thats not the way I do it." GOING DEEP: One of the deepest positions in this draft is receiver, where more than a dozen players are projected to go in the first three rounds. Even after adding veteran James Jones in free agency, the Raiders could look for a playmaker in the draft. Clemsons Sammy Watkins is considered the best of the group, but the Raiders also could wait to get a quality receiver in the second or third round. "If I feel like this guy is an impact player, Im not going to bypass him just because theres some other good, solid receivers," McKenzie said. "When youre comparing great to good, Id rather have great." DRAFT DEALINGS: McKenzie has not been shy about making draft-day trades. He has moved down in the draft four times in his first two years to add additional picks, including dropping nine spots in the first round last year to take Hayden 12th overall and add the pick for Watson in the second round. "Thats what makes it fun — the uncertainty," he said. "But I cannot plan that at all. I can just be hardheaded and stubborn and say, Im not moving. But thats not my style." UNDRAFTED GEMS: A GMs work is not done once Mr. Irrelevant is picked. McKenzie has done a good job finding some gems in the undrafted free agent market with receiver Rod Streater, quarterback Matt McGloin, punter Marquette King and offensive lineman Lucas Nix all making contributions the past two years after joining Oakland as undrafted free agents. ' ' '