wont have to answer to bullying owner James Dolan or face inevita

Three weeks shy of his 42nd birthday, Daniel Alfredssons comeback bid is about to end. Sources tell The Dreger Report that Alfredsson has decided not to play this season and while the Red Wings have been informed he is likely done, they have not heard directly from Alfredsson. Alfredsson has been plagued by an injured disc in his back over the past few years, a lingering problem that he is able to manage off ice, but is continually aggravated by the wear and tear of game action. The veteran forward, regarded as one of the NHLs most respected leaders, earned his place among the games top two-way forwards based on a relentless work ethic combined with a creativity that produced 444 goals and 713 assists for a total of 1,157 points in 1,246 NHL games. Alfredsson, a sixth-round pick of the Ottawa Senators, spent 17 seasons in Ottawa, 14 as captain. He was a community leader, a tireless supporter of local charities and to many the identity of a Senators team that enjoyed many successful seasons, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007. Following a lengthy contract dispute, Alfredsson left the nations capital in July of 2013 to join the Detroit Red Wings - an emotional decision that leaves some to question how his place in Ottawa Senators history will be recognized and when. It seems fitting the Senators will play a key role in Alfredssons announcement, as well as his future in the game. To salute or not to salute... Another day, another crisis in Toronto. Maple Leafs leadership took another hit Thursday night by deciding it was a good idea to abandon the tradition of the stick salute which religiously follows a victory on home ice. This was by no means any attack at our fans, captain Dion Phaneuf explained to reporters on Friday, adding it was planned before the game. It was more about our team and changing up or routine. And apparently, the non-salute - a decision made by the players - will continue. The coaching staff wasnt aware of the change, nor was management, so the senseless nature of this ill-timed snub was conceived in the Leafs dressing room and supported by a leadership group whose kevlar is paper-thin after a weeks worth of taking bullets over poor play and bad manners (Phil Kessel). Timing is everything. But this is nothing more than a mistake - a blunder that has fueled those who continue to challenge Phaneufs captaincy. But before any felt is ripped from his sweater - and Phaneufs been framed for all things wrong with the Leafs this season, lets revisit a few things: 1) Phaneuf is the same player who Ron Wilson - one week after the Leafs acquired the defenceman - named him the captain after telling Leafs brass at the time of the trade it would be wrong to bring in a new player and hand him the C. 2) Phaneuf is the same player who got in trouble during his days in Calgary for challenging his teammates, including then-Flames captain Jarome Iginla. 3) Phaneuf is vocal. He can lash out - seemingly without a filter - and has been known to go after coaches and general managers if he feels its in the best interests of the team. Hes hard on those around him and hes most definitely hard on himself, allowing outside criticism to seep into his world. But know this: As bad as hes been on some nights and as handcuffed as some believe Toronto is by his multi-year contract and $7 million cap hit, there is a trade market for him thats at least 10 teams deep (Calgary included). As for the symbolism of the salute - lets blame Marek Malik. Based on the little research Ive done on this matter, it appears New York Rangers defenceman Darius Kasparaitis introduced the nod to the fans following Maliks jaw dropping shootout goal in 2005 against the Washington Capitals. Many of the Rangers werent initially sold on the salute - they thought it was too European - but they quickly bought in and the rest of the National Hockey League eventually caught on. Bye, Bye, Backyard Rink For those who have been asking, there will be no backyard rink build for the Dregers this winter. But if all goes according to plan in the New Year, I may remedy my withdrawal symptoms with an old school approach. Weve sold our house and the refrigeration unit that helped me get the jump on the season - opting for bigger and better. But because of timing, I wont have access to the new property in time to get everything set up. However, the silver-lining comes in the form of a 40 x 60 pond that will serve nicely with Mother Nature doing the majority of the work. I will send update pictures following the move, while dreaming up a plan for the 2015-16 backyard build. Have a great weekend and look forward to another edition of Insider Trading, Tuesday on SportsCentre and TSN.ca. Air Max 200 Dam . -- C.J. Wilson parked his car and laughed while signing autographs for faceless fans who handed bats, balls and cards to the pitcher from the other side of a brick wall. Beställa Nike Air Max . Future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray is in his prime and back for a third season in double blue. The 34-year old was magnificent in 2013, throwing for just under 2,900 yards despite missing eight games, tossing an impressive 21 touchdowns against just two interceptions, completing 66 per cent of his passes in the process. http://www.reaairmaxsverige.com/air-max-off-white-rabatt.html . – Team Canadas Brooke Henderson carded a 4-under 67 at Craigowan Golf and Country Club to jump into the lead at the Canadian Womens Amateur Championship on Wednesday. Nike Air Max Rea Sverige . The Flames are in the midst of a six-game slide (0-5-1), their longest losing streak since an 0-6-3 skid from Jan. 11-28, 2010. They havent won since Nov. 3 in Chicago and most recently went winless on a three-game homestand. Off White Skor Sverige .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons.Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week, they discuss the NFL and marijuana, Canadian world champion boxer Bermane Stiverne, Steve Kerrs choice for head coach and FIFA backtracking on Qatar 2022. Dave Naylor, TSN Radio 1050: My thumb is up to the National Football League which - according to reports this week - is planning to soften its penalties for players who test positive for marijuana. Look, even if youre part of the minority which still believes pot should be illegal, its not hard to see the hypocrisy here. The NFL is a down-and-dirty league, where all kinds of nasty stuff happens and players are often welcomed back to the field despite risky and dangerous behavior. And yet, as of now, Clevelands Josh Gordon will miss this coming season because he did something that is legal in two states and which many believe is a safer way to manage the pain associated with pro football than popping pills. What would the NFL be like if the league stopped testing for weed altogether? Well, we have a pretty good idea because in Canada the CFL does not list marijuana as a banned substance. And frankly, no one cares. The NFL has followed the CFLs lead when it comes to the forward pass, two-point converts and a few other things … its time to follow its lead on pot as well. Steve Simmons, Sun Media: My thumb is up Bermane Stiverne, and if you dont know the name, youre not alone. A week ago, Stiverne, the Haitian-born Montreal-raised boxer, won the WBC heavyweight championship. Once upon a time, that was a title that began with Sonny Liston and moved through Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier and Larry Holmes and George Foreman and Mike Tyson and another Canadian of other countries, Lennox Lewis. It was the title of all titles not just in boxing, but in all of sport: heavyweight champion of the world.dddddddddddd Somewhere in time that disappeared, just not the history; now its Stivernes time, after his sixth round stoppage of Chris Arreola in Los Angeles. He might be like Trevor Berbick, a one and done champion. But after all these years, we still remember Berbicks name. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated: My thumb is up to Steve Kerr for a wise choice. Offered coaching positions with the Knicks and Warriors, the broadcaster took door no. 2, Golden State. The job might not be all rainbows and lollipops because Warrior players are angry former coach Mark Jackson was fired, but it is a better option than Madison Square Garden, the worlds most famous asylum. Kerr wont have to answer to bullying owner James Dolan or face inevitable second-guessing from Knicks president Phil Jackson, a fair coach himself. Golden state provides Kerr with a more talented roster and a better family situation, but mostly if offers a truly precious commodity - sanity. Dave Hodge, TSN: My thumb is down to soccers world governing body, FIFA for managing to sound dumber than its president, Sepp Blatter. Blatter has finally admitted that the selection of Qatar as the site of the 2022 World Cup was a mistake, which, until now, has been obvious to all but FIFA, because if the summertime heat makes it dangerous to watch a soccer match, its probably not a good idea to play in one. But, said Blatter, people do make mistakes. Well, an embarrassed FIFA spokesman tried to distance the organization from Blatters remarks by claiming that Blatter never actually said that Qatar was the wrong choice, which means that Blatter meant...... FIFA made the right choice and it was a mistake. They cant even stand this heat. ' ' '