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It’s a new NHL season and there are a lot of new faces. Here’s a look at the rookies and almost rookies* starting on NHL rosters this season. *Almost rookies are those that have played more than 26, but fewer than 50 games, as well as a few that haven’t played at all, but are too old for Calder Trophy consideration (under 26 as of September 15). ANAHEIM DUCKS John Gibson, G – A second-round pick in 2011, and one of the few top tier goaltending prospects in the game, Gibson stopped 185 of 198 shots in seven (regular season plus playoff) games with the Ducks last year and will compete with Frederik Andersen for time in the Anaheim net. Rickard Rakell, C – The 30th overall pick in 2011, Rakell has four points in 22 career NHL games and is battling Karlsson for the Ducks’ third-line centre spot. William Karlsson, C – Another second-round pick from 2011 who developed nicely in Sweden, then came to North America last spring, putting up nine points in the last nine regular season games with Norfolk of the AHL (adding three points in eight playoff games). Shea Theodore, D – The 26th pick in 2013, Theodore will be part of the future on the Anaheim blueline, but he’s on IR to start the year with an injured elbow. ARIZONA COYOTES Almost Rookies: Justin Hodgman, C – A tremdendous story of perseverance for a 26-year-old who was not drafted despite a productive junior career with Erie of the OHL. He’s bounced around since, playing in the IHL, ECHL, AHL, KHL and Finnish SM-Liiga and earned a spot in the NHL with four goals and five points in five preseason contests. Connor Murphy, D – The 20th overall pick in 2011 played 30 games for the Coyotes (and 36 in the AHL) last season, but was mostly sheltered, aside from a stretch in December when he played 21+ minutes per game. BOSTON BRUINS Craig Cunningham, C – A fourth-round pick from 2010, the 5-foot-9 forward looks like he’s landed a spot on the Bruins’ fourth line to start the year. He has 129 points in three AHL seasons and got into two NHL games last season. Ryan Spooner, RW – A playmaking forward who was drafted in the second round in 2010, Spooner has 11 points in modest ice time over 27 career NHL games, but his 103 points in 108 AHL games over the past couple seasons suggests he can contribute offensively. Niklas Svedberg, G – A 25-year-old who was signed as a free agent out of Sweden in 2012, Svedberg had a .918 save percentage in 93 AHL games over the past couple seasons, giving him the chance to back up Tuukka Rask in the Boston net. Almost Rookies: Matt Fraser, LW – A physical 24-year-old winger that was acquired as part of the Tyler Seguin trade, Fraser has five points in 27 career NHL games, but has showed some touch in the AHL, tallying 90 goals in 179 games over the past three seasons. Bobby Robins, LW – A 32-year-old who scrapped his way through the minor leagues, dropping the gloves 80 times in 175 AHL games with Providence over the past three seasons. Can he possibly handle a regular shift in the NHL? BUFFALO SABRES Sam Reinhart, C – The second overall pick in the 2014 Draft, Reinhart didn’t make a splash in preseason, so he could be getting a nine-game audition to see if he should stick in the NHL or return to the Western Hockey League for another year. Jake McCabe, D – A second-round pick in 2012, McCabe left the University of Wisconsin following his junior season and played seven games with the Sabres in the spring. The 20-year-old is one of several young Buffalo blueliners looking at the opportunity to play regularly this season. Nikita Zadorov, D – Drafted 16th overall in 2013, Zadorov is a huge (6-foot-5, 235-pound) defenceman who stayed in Buffalo for seven games last season before he was returned to London of the OHL. He can play the physical game and has a big shot from the point, but he’s still raw at this point in his development. Nicolas Deslauriers, LW – A former defenceman who converted to left wing last season, Deslauriers came to Buffalo in the deal that sent Brayden McNabb to Los Angeles, and while he managed all of one goal in 17 games with the Sabres, Deslauriers was relatively effective in his first NHL action. Almost Rookie: Rasmus Ristolainen, D – The eighth overall pick in 2013, Ristolainen played 34 games for the Sabres last season, before getting sent to the AHL. He was overmatched in the NHL last year, but has a bright future. CALGARY FLAMES Johnny Gaudreau, LW – Johnny Hockey was the Hobey Baker Award winner after scoring 36 goals and 80 points in 40 games for Boston College last season, and the 2011 fourth-round pick has flashed his skill in the preseason. He’s tiny, listed at 5-foot-7, 150 pounds, but his skill should give him a chance to improve the Flames’ offence. Sam Bennett, C – The fourth overall pick in the 2014 Draft is facing the possibility of shoulder surgery, so it could be a long while before he’s on the ice for any team, whether that’s the Flames or if he’s returned to Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League. CAROLINA HURRICANES Victor Rask, C – A second-round pick in 2011, Rask has 44 points in 86 AHL games since turning pro and, in an ideal world, would probably be ticketed for further AHL seasoning, but the Hurricanes are lacking forward depth, so Rask gets his chance. Chris Terry, LW – Drafted in the fifth round in 2007, the 25-year-old has three points in 13 career NHL games, but has been scoring in the AHL – 289 points in 374 games over the past five seasons – and opportunity finally knocks in Carolina. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS Trevor van Riemsdyk, D – Signed as a free agent out of the University of New Hampshire, and chose the Blackhawks in part because they appeared to have room on defence, van Riemsdyk is a right-shooting defenceman who had 56 points in 65 games over his last two collegiate seasons. He and Kyle Cumiskey may be Chicago’s new third pairing with Nick Leddy traded and Michal Rozsival injured to start the year. Almost Rookie: Jeremy Morin, LW – Acquired from Atlanta (!!) as part of the Dustin Byfuglien trade, Morin is a goal-scorer who has been patiently putting in his work in the AHL, scoring 54 goals in 114 games over the past two seasons, adding 16 points in 39 career NHL games. He was excellent in limited action last season, and gives the Blackhawks some scoring depth. COLORADO AVALANCHE Dennis Everberg, RW – A 22-year-old signed out of Sweden as a free agent, Everberg had 34 points in 47 games with Rogle in the Allsvenskan league last season. He’s a big energy winger, but may only be holding a spot on the roster until a few Avalanche forwards get healthy. Almost Rookie: Zach Redmond, D – A puck-moving defenceman who couldn’t stick with the Jets, but contributed seven points in 18 games over two seasons with the team, Redmond is a 26-year-old who may have a chance to earn quality minutes on a questionable Colorado defence. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS Marko Dano, LW – The 27th pick in 2013, Dano spent most of last season in the KHL (with a little time in Springfield), but he’s impressed with his skill level in training camp and put up four points in five preseason games, earning a roster spot with the depleted Blue Jackets. Alexander Wennberg, C – Drafted 14th in 2013, Wennberg is a skilled forward who had 21 points in 50 games win the Swedish Hockey League last season. He and Dano may be getting longer looks because injuries have decimated the Blue Jackets’ season-opening roster. Cody Goloubef, D – A second-round pick in 2008, Goloubef has played 17 games for the Blue Jackets, but has put in four seasons in the AHL and would require waivers to send down this year. With Ryan Murray on IR, there is at least a little time before the Jackets have to contemplate that decision. Almost Rookie: Brian Gibbons, C - Signed as a free agent after scoring 17 points in 41 games for Pittsburgh last season, Gibbons is a small, energetic forward who also tallied 30 points in 28 AHL games last season; a major jump in production for the 26-year-old who will start the season on IR. DALLAS STARS Patrik Nemeth, D – Drafted in the second round in 2010, Nemeth is a big-bodied (6-foot-4, 233 pounds) defenceman who has 22 points in 84 AHL games over the past couple seasons and got into 13 (regular season plus playoff games) for the Dallas Stars last season. Almost Rookie: Colton Sceviour, RW – A 25-year-old winger who got his first real look in the NHL last season, scoring nine goals and 15 points in 32 (regular season plus playoff) games. Sceviour developed his game over five years in the AHL, scoring 115 points in 116 games over the past two seasons. Kevin Connauton, D – Acquired (with a second-round pick) from Vancouver in exchange for Derek Roy, Connauton got into 36 games with Dallas last season. He was sheltered, but the 24-year-old does appear to have a spot in the top six, at least while Sergei Gonchar is out. Jamie Oleksiak, D – The 14th pick in 2011 is a 6-foot-7 rearguard who can move, Oleksiak has played 23 games for the Stars over the past two seasons, but he’s still on the fringe right now, apparently opening the season as No. 7 on the blueline depth chart. DETROIT RED WINGS Andrej Nestrasil, RW – A third-round pick in 2009, Nestrasil is ostensibly holding the spot that will be taken by Pavel Datsyuk when Datsyuk returns to the Red Wings’ lineup, but lots can change in that time. Nestrasil has good size and chipped in 36 points in 70 AHL games last season; he’s also played 91 games in the ECHL, so the road to the NHL hasn’t necessarily been the smoothest route. EDMONTON OILERS Leon Draisaitl, C – The third overall pick in the 2014 Draft, Draisaitl is set to open as the Oilers’ No. 2 centre. It’s a big jump for a player still almost three weeks shy of his 19th birthday, but he has good size and put up 105 points in 64 games in the WHL last season. Oscar Klefbom, D – Taken 19th overall in 2011, Klefbom handled himself okay in a 17-game trial last season and is getting a chance to play right out of the gate this year. If he can provide steady two-way play, there’s plenty of room to earn a bigger role. Darnell Nurse, D – The seventh pick in the 2013 Draft, Nurse is a raw talent, with the upside to be a difference-maker on the Oilers’ blueline, and he’s at least getting an opportunity to show what he can do as a 19-year-old. Maybe it’s only for nine games, or maybe he forces a more difficult decision. Brad Hunt, D – An undersized (5-foot-9), 26-year-old who got into three games with the Oilers last season, Hunt has been productive in the AHL, scoring 88 points in 145 games, but he seems like a short-term addition given the number of younger prospects the Oilers have in the pipeline. Almost Rookies: Mark Arcobello, C – An undrafted smallish centre who has put up 18 points in 42 games with the Oilers to this point in his career, Arcobello has scored 96 points in 89 AHL games over the past two seasons. Admittedly, the 2012-2013 numbers were inflated due to time spent with Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle during the lockout, but Arcobello could at least provide solid forward depth. Will Acton, LW – A 27-year-old who wasn’t drafted and climbed the ladder to play 30 games with the Oilers last season, Acton didn’t exactly thrive in his stint with the Oilers last season, so it will be interesting to see if he’s improved enough to handle a regular spot in the lineup. FLORIDA PANTHERS Aaron Ekblad, D – The first pick in the 2014 Draft, Ekblad already looks like a full-grown man as an 18-year-old but, like most teen defencemen, he’s learning and will do so alongside veteran Willie Mitchell to start the year. Almost Rookie: Colby Robak, D – A 6-foot-3 defenceman who can move the puck, Robak was a second-round pick in 2008, but hasn’t been able to get off the roster bubble, playing 35 games – contributing three assists -- with the Panthers over the past three seasons. LOS ANGELES KINGS Tanner Pearson, LW – Including playoff games, the 30th pick in the 2012 Draft has played 50 games in the NHL, but Pearson still qualifies as a rookie because he played 25 regular-season games last year. His coming out party was during the Kings’ Stanley Cup run, as Pearson and linemates Jeff Carter and Tyler Toffoli formed a consistently dangerous unit. Andy Andreoff, LW – A third-round pick in 2011, Andreoff has earned a depth spot on the Kings’ roster. He has 62 points and 248 penalty minutes in 150 AHL games in two-plus seasons, and requires waivers to be sent back to the AHL. Almost Rookie: Brayden McNabb, D – Acquired from Buffalo at last year’s trade deadline, McNabb is a physical 6-foot-4 defenceman who has some upside, and could earn a prominent role on the Los Angeles blueline. MINNESOTA WILD Matt Dumba, D – The seventh pick in the 2012 Draft, Dumba is an aggressive defenceman, willing to play a physical game and jump into the play offensively. He played 13 games with the Wild last season, before returning to the WHL. Christian Folin, D – Signed as a free agent out of UMass-Lowell last spring, Folin earned a spot on the roster and, at least late in camp, was skating with Dumba on the third pair. Almost Rookie: Jason Zucker, LW – A second-round pick in 2010, Zucker has eight goals and 12 points in 47 career games with the Wild, to go with 32 goals and 63 points in 77 AHL games; enough of a pedigree to think that he could contribute offensively, even if there aren’t currently openings for him in that role in Minnesota. MONTREAL CANADIENS Jiri Sekac, LW – A 22-year-old free agent signed out of the Czech Republic, after tallying 28 points in 47 KHL games for Prague last season, Sekac has impressed with his skating and fitness, earning a third-line role as the Habs embark on a new season. Dustin Tokarski, G – Thrust into playoff action last spring, Tokarski had a .916 save percentage in five postseason games, which was apparently enough for the Canadiens to prefer him to veteran Peter Budaj as Carey Price’s backup. Tokarski would require waivers to send down and comes in at a bargain rate ($562,500) but, even with a .921 save percentage in 56 AHL games over the past couple seasons, his track record isn’t strong enough to indicate that the 25-year-old is surely up to the task. Almost Rookies: Nathan Beaulieu, D – Drafted 17th overall in 2011, Beaulieu is a puck-moving defenceman who has six points with limited ice time in 30 (regular season plus playoff) NHL games. He also has 58 points in 124 AHL games. Jarred Tinordi, D – The 22nd pick in the 2010 Draft is physically imposing, standing 6-foot-6, and has the potential to be a shutdown defender. He’s fared okay in 30 NHL games but, like Beaulieu, he hasn’t played much and has been sheltered when he does play. Soon it will be time to take off the training wheels. NASHVILLE PREDATORS Filip Forsberg, LW – Acquired from Washington in a trade for Martin Erat, Forsberg was the 11th pick in the 2012 Draft and scored 34 points in 47 AHL games last season. He also has six points in 18 career NHL games, but the 20-year-old has speed and skill and is set to start on a scoring line for the Predators. Calle Jarnkrok, C – Stolen from Detroit in last season’s David Legwand trade, Jarnkrok scored nine points in 12 games for Nashville late last season and could very well earn a prominent role this season, though the summer acquisitions of Mike Ribeiro and Derek Roy, most notably, provide more competition for ice time down the middle of the ice. Almost Rookie: Taylor Beck, RW – A third-round pick in 2009, Beck has seven points in 23 career games, but he’s also produced in the AHL (90 points in 115 games over the past two seasons) so, at the very least, he should provide skilled depth. NEW JERSEY DEVILS Damon Severson, D – A second-round pick in 2012, Severson is a rookie pro, coming out of Kelowna in the WHL, where he tallied 141 points in 160 (regular season plus playoff) games over the past two seasons. He’ll battle with other young defencemen – Jon Merrill, Eric Gelinas and Adam Larsson – for playing time in New Jersey. NEW YORK ISLANDERS Griffin Reinhart, D – The fourth pick in the 2012 Draft, Reinhart can be eased into a professional role after the Islanders traded for two veteran blueliners. Reinhart has size, speed and can play a physical game, so the tools are there for him to be an important player, but there’s also likely some value in not forcing that process. Almost Rookie: Ryan Strome, C – Drafted fifth in 2011, Strome is a skilled scorer, who has already tallied 56 points in 47 career AHL games, along with 18 points in 37 games with the Islanders last season. If he can find a role in the top six, possibly on the wing for the time being, Strome could be a productive scorer. NEW YORK RANGERS Anthony Duclair, LW – Amidst concerns about attitude, Duclair was a third-round pick in 2013, then scored 50 goals and 99 points in 59 games last season and led the Rangers in preseason scoring with five points in five games, earning a spot in the Blueshirts’ top nine up front. Kevin Hayes, RW – A first-round pick of the Blackhawks in 2010, Hayes signed with the Rangers as a free agent after scoring 65 points in 40 games as a senior at Boston College. He has good size and should contribute offensively, even when he’s not skating on the top line in college hockey. Jesper Fast, RW – A sixth-round pick in 2010, Fast was scoreless in 11 games with the Rangers last season and had 34 points in 48 AHL games. Speed is his calling card, but improved strength also helped his case to make the team this year. OTTAWA SENATORS Curtis Lazar, RW – The 17th pick in 2003, Lazar forced his way onto the Senators’ roster with his energetic play. He’s coming off a junior season in which he scored 98 points in 79 (regular season plus playoff) games on the way to winning the Memorial Cup. Mark Stone, RW – A sixth-round pick in 2010, Stone is a big winger who can score, putting up 79 points in 91 AHL games. He has eight points in 23 career NHL games, but could get a better opportunity this year with the Senators. Mike Hoffman, LW – Taken in the fifth round of the 2009 Draft, Hoffman is a speedster who developed gradually and then broke through last year, scoring 67 points in 51 AHL games, getting a 25-game look with the Sens. He’s battling for playing time, but has some upside if he can earn a regular role. Almost Rookies: Cody Ceci, D – The 15th pick in 2012, Ceci didn’t spent long in the AHL before getting the call to Ottawa, where he played 49 games last year. He’s still just 20-years-old, so the Sens can’t heap too much responsibility on him, but Ceci is one of the few that has a chance to materially improve the Senators’ blueline corps. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS Jason Akeson, RW – Undrafted out of Kitchener in the OHL, Akeson has put in three seasons in the AHL, scoring 172 points in 208 games, and got a late-season call to Philadelphia last year. For his career, he has five points in nine (regular season plus playoff) games in the NHL and, if he gets regular ice time, should be able to contribute secondary scoring for the Flyers. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, C – A 29-year-old native of Paris, coming off a career-best season for Skelleftea in Sweden, scoring 49 points in 66 (regular season plus playoff) games, Bellemare has earned a spot on the Flyers’ fourth line. It’s a terrific story of perseverance. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS None ST. LOUIS BLUES Jake Allen, G – A second-round pick in 2008, who got into 15 games with the Blues in 2012-2013, Allen is coming off a terrific year in the AHL (posting a .928 save percentage) and has been handed the backup job to Brian Elliott, though there is certainly the possibility that 24-year-old Allen could push for an increased role. Almost Rookie: Jori Lehtera, C – A third-round pick of the Blues in 2008, Lehtera finally signed after spending the past four seasons in the KHL, scoring 116 points in 125 games over the past three years. He had six points in five preseason games and has been skating with Vladimir Tarasenko (a teammate in the KHL in 2011-2012) and Jaden Schwartz, a line that should be able to do some damage. SAN JOSE SHARKS Barclay Goodrow, LW – An undrafted free agent, who played as an overager in North Bay last season, Goodrow is a winger with good size who has landed a spot on the Sharks’ third line entering the season. Chris Tierney, C – A second round pick in 2012, Tierney has also won a third-line job with the Sharks. He’s a two-way centre coming off a terrific season for London of the OHL, where he scored 106 points in 76 (regular season plus playoff) games. Mirco Mueller, D – The 18th pick in 2013, Mueller is a smooth-skating, puck-moving defenceman who is set to take a regular turn on the Sharks’ blueline as a 19-year-old. There may be some bumps along the way, but he’s earned praise for his heady play. Almost Rookie: Tomas Hertl, LW – Might be Almost Star as much as Almost Rookie. The 17th pick in the 2012 Draft scored 15 goals and 25 points in 37 games as a rookie last season, missing time due to a knee injury. As the Sharks turn their focus to younger players, Hertl is a major part of their plans. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING Jonathan Drouin, LW – Taken third overall in 2013, Drouin crushed the QMJHL, scoring 289 points in 128 (regular season plus playoff) games over the past couple seasons and, even after breaking a bone in his hand in training camp, he’s the Calder Trophy favourite entering the season. Vladislav Namestnikov, C – The 27th pick in 2011, Namestnikov is a skilled forward – among many in Tampa Bay – who is now strong enough to challenge for a regular NHL job after a four-game cup of coffee with the Lighting last year. Almost Rookie: Andrej Sustr, D – A 6-foot-8 defenceman signed as a free agent out of the University of Nebraska-Omaha in 2013, Sustr has skated in 45 games for Tampa Bay, but has yet to distinguish himself at the NHL level. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS Brandon Kozun, RW – Acquired from Los Angeles for Andrew Crescenzi, Kozun is a 5-foot-8 winger who opened eyes in Leafs camp with his speed and hustle. A big junior scorer, he’s topped out at 56 points in an AHL season, so maybe he’s not going to put up big numbers at the highest level, but he’s also skilled enough to improve Toronto’s forward depth. Josh Leivo, RW – A third-round pick in 2011, Leivo has developed nicely, scoring 23 goals and 42 points in 59 AHL games as a rookie pro last season (adding a couple points in seven games with the Maple Leafs) and he could find a spot in a top-six role for the Leafs if they can’t find a more suitable option alongside Nazem Kadri and Joffrey Lupul. Stuart Percy, D – The 25th pick in 2011, Percy play a no-frills game, but is a smart, safe player who, considering he’s 21-years-old, probably needs to play in the top six if he’s going to stay with the NHL club. Almost Rookie: RW Carter Ashton – Acquired from Tampa Bay for Keith Aulie, Ashton hasn’t been able to crack the NHL lineup consistently, scoring three points in 47 career games, but did have 20 goals and 32 points in 36 AHL (regular season plus playoff) games last season. VANCOUVER CANUCKS Linden Vey, C – Acquired from Los Angeles for a second-round pick, Vey had five assists in 18 games for the Kings last season, and has 115 points in 117 AHL games over the past two years, so it’s not a stretch for the Canucks to expect him to handle a top nine role this season. Bo Horvat, C – Taken with the ninth overall pick in 2013 (acquired in exchange for G Cory Schneider), Horvat is a sturdy forward who should be able to help in a depth role now, yet has produced enough in junior (169 points in 151 total games over the past two seasons) to suggest that he’ll have some upward mobility on the depth chart. WASHINGTON CAPITALS Evgeny Kuznetsov, C – The 26th pick in 2010 took his time coming to North America, and put up nine points in 17 games for the Capitals last season. He’s one of the most skilled first-year players in the league, so if he gets the right mix of linemates, he’ll have a chance to be one of the top rookie scorers. Andre Burakovsky, C - The 23rd pick in 2013, Burakovsky had 100 points in 71 (regular season plus playoff) games for Erie of the Ontario Hockey League last season and appears to have a spot as the Capitals’ second line centre to start the year. Michael Latta, C – Acquired from Nashville as part of the Erat/Forsberg swap, Latta is a gritty checking centre who has piled up 332 penalty minutes in the AHL over the past three seasons, but also has 99 points in 179 games (along with four points in 17 NHL games). Chris Brown, RW – More Martin Erat trade fallout, as Brown was acquired by the Capitals when they sent Erat to the Coyotes. Brown is a winger with good size, who can play a physical checking game and has two points in 17 career NHL games. Liam OBrien, LW – An undrafted free agent from Rouyn-Noranda in the QMJHL, O’Brien earned a contract with his blue-collar effort in camp. His track record – 66 points, 341 penalty minutes in 153 total games over the past two seasons – suggests a fourth-line ceiling, but making the league as a 20-year-old is quite an accomplishment. Almost Rookie: Nate Schmidt, D – Signed as a free agent out of the University of Minnesota, Schmidt was solid in 29 games for the Capitals last season and has 19 points in 51 career (regular season plus playoff) games in the AHL. WINNIPEG JETS Adam Lowry, LW – Drafted in the third round in 2011, the 6-foot-5 winger has 39 points in 90 (regular season plus playoff) games in the AHL, but offers some skill to go with his size and that could be an upgrade on the lower half of the Jets’ forward depth chart. Michael Hutchinson, G – Signed as a free agent in the summer of 2013, after bouncing back and forth between the ECHL and AHL, Hutchinson has all of three NHL games on his resume, but if Ondrej Pavelec falters, there could be an opportunity for a big jump in responsibility. Brent Burns Jersey . After a tight first half, the Croatians took command in Reykjavik after Skulason was dismissed for a professional foul in the 51st minute, but couldnt find a way past Iceland goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson and his packed defence. Eduardo had a weak shot cleared away from near the goalline after barely a minute for Croatia, whose substitute Ivica Olic forced a fine reaction save from Halldorsson in the 55th. 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He did not say what the punishment was, but noted that he relied on a law firms three-month investigation of Ferry and him describing Deng as someone who has a little African in him.TORONTO – Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis was not consumed this past summer with the stinging string of moments that led to his teams demise on that fateful night in Boston last May. “I spent a lot more time thinking about the fact we proved to ourselves we can compete with that team,” Nonis said at the outset of training camp on Wednesday morning. “Youre not forgetting what happened, but I havent spent, literally five minutes thinking about it. Its dwelling on a negative that I think we shouldnt dwell on. We should dwell on the opposite: that were not where we need to be, but were a lot closer than we were 24 months ago.” Gone is the cloud of a nine-year playoff absence and all the lingering disappointment and failures it brought with it. In this fall comes a Leafs team that will aim for another rung on the ladder, a belief that the success attained in lockout 2013 was just one incremental step toward a far greater goal. “Our expectations have gone up,” Leafs coach Randy Carlyle bellowed shortly after Nonis. “Everything cant stay the same …We have to push for a higher level, if its compete, if its efficiency, if its skill, desire, all those words that you want to use, were going to have to push for more. This group has got to be prepared to give us more than they gave us last year and weve got to do it over an 82-game schedule.” That will mean another step forward from the recently inked Nazem Kadri, the still unsigned Cody Franson, and James van Riemsdyk, who thrived with a veteran know-how in the postseason. More will be asked of Jake Gardiner, who struggled last year post-concussion and yet went on to wreak havoc when he entered the lineup against the Bruins. More will be demanded from James Reimer as he attempts to fight off Jonathan Bernier for the number one gig in goal. More might even be expected of Phil Kessel, the now 26-year-old rising to new heights opposite his former team following another regular season amongst the NHLs scoring leaders. “We want to make sure that we build off the things that we created last year,” said Carlyle. Preferring to focus on the long-awaited march into the postseason and near knockout of the Bruins – and not the untimely Game 7 unraveling – Nonis hopes that his team gleaned a belief that it could compete with the very best the league has to offer, that the assembled collection was capable of chasing down a team of Bostons caliber and very nearly toppling such a giant. “It allowed them to believe in themselves,” Nonis stated of last years group, which included 14 players appearing in their first postseason game. “Until you actually go out there and do it I dont think you can honestly say that we did believe, but they learned to [believe].” “We feel we can compete with those teams,” he continued. “Bostons a pretty good hockey team. They went right to the very end [losing in the Stanley Cup final]. We can learn some lessons from them too. We want to become a team ultimately that can compete for a championship. Were not there yet. There are lessons to be learned. We hopefully learned some right there and theres a lot more along the way that were going to have to pick up and figure out if we want to become one of those teams.” While Nonis says that he was not consumed from the perils of Game 7, including the fall from a 4-1 third period lead, he does concede to thoughts of what mightve been.dddddddddddd. Analyzing the series in its entirety, those thoughts continued to hover back to the series opener, a one-sided 4-1 beat-down, “the biggest lesson of all for our group”. “We really felt and our players felt that they were prepared for it,” said Nonis of the loss, which saw many Leafs dazed in the headlights of postseason hockey. “But watch that tape and we werent.” A different team emerged in Game 2, one that swiped a 4-2 victory from the Bruins in the hostile confines of TD Garden, a match that was highlighted by Carlyles creative approach to freeing Phil Kessel from Zdeno Chara, the former rising with an increasingly dominant performance against a former team. And from there the series tightened to the end points of Game 7. “Players that maybe dont back-check as hard on a regular basis began to do it,” Nonis recalled of the shift in tone versus the Bruins. “Collectively we pushed them to do things that they hadnt normally done and it allowed us to have a little bit of success.” For Carlyle, the lesson moving forward lies in accountability. “There are growing pains that take place in team sports and we experienced one of them,” he said of the momentous defeat. “But were responsible for that. Were not shying away from it. As a coaching staff, we have to take our fair share of responsibility for that also and weve done that. Were not putting our players out on an island and saying ‘You shouldve did this and you shouldve did that.Were putting ourselves in the same boat and saying ‘We shouldve done some things, we had a chance to do some things that we shouldve initiated, we shouldve been the stimulus. Thats all part of it. “Thats the way this group is going to take the step forward is we accept responsibility for our actions, try to learn from them as much as possible and attack the next one straight on.” “…when youre in a position where there is no turning back, you learn a lot about people,” Nonis added. “You learn a lot about what theyre going to do and how theyre going to compete and if theyre people you want to keep around.” Gone are Mikhail Grabovski, Clarke MacArthur, Matt Frattin, Ben Scrivens and Ryan OByrne, replaced by an infusion of postseason fortitude in the form of Dave Bolland and David Clarkson, the former capturing the Cup with the Blackhawks, ultimately topping those very same Bruins with the shocking winner in Game 7. Additionally added from the Kings is increased strength in goal with Bernier. “I think when you bring players in that have gone through that and have won, that have gone through the adversity to win a championship, they can pass on a lot to the players around them,” said Nonis, stressing Bollands run with Chicago this past spring and once previously in 2010. The Leafs hope that the added know-how of Bolland and Clarkson, Berniers predicted ascension, and continued growth from a stock of young talent will initiate another step forward in the building process. But they know theyll need even more. “In our opinion, weve taken some significant steps forward,” concluded Nonis. “We still believe as a group that we have a lot to learn and a lot to do. And its only to get harder, its not going to get easier for us.” Authentic Bills Jerseys Dolphins Stitched Jerseys Cheap Patriots Jerseys Wholesale Jets Jerseys Wholesale Texans Jerseys Cheap Colts Jerseys Jaguars Jerseys Store Authentic Titans Jerseys Authentic Broncos Jerseys Authentic Chiefs Jerseys Cheap Raiders Jerseys Chargers Jerseys Store Cheap Ravens Jerseys Wholesale Bengals Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys Steelers Jerseys Store Wholesale Cowboys Jerseys Wholesale Giants Jerseys Authentic Eagles Jerseys Cheap Redskins Jerseys Authentic Falcons Jerseys Panthers Jerseys Store Wholesale Saints Jerseys Authentic Buccaneers Jerseys Wholesale Cardinals Jerseys Cheap 49ers Jerseys Seahawks Jerseys Store Wholesale Rams Jerseys Wholesale Bears Jerseys Authentic Lions Jerseys Cheap Packers Jerseys Vikings Jerseys Store ' ' '