Maps » yourself too much with other players.Brengle has finally

TORONTO – Around the table sat the future Maple Leafs prospect and his family. One major decision loomed at the time for Andrew MacWilliam, one that would decide his future in many ways. Drafted by the Spokane Chiefs, the teenage defenceman had the option of joining the Western League club as a 16-year-old. Then there was college, the route his father, Alex, preferred – ever the believer in the value of a degree – and the course that would offer a more lenient curve of development. "I never watched college hockey growing up," MacWilliam, a Calgary native said. "Being from western Canada you dont see it much." It took a trip down to Denver, Colorado for the West regional of the 2007 NCAA tournament, a tour of the pristine facilities there and an opportunity to watch Jonathan Toews and Kyle Okposo before a choice was made. Recruited by head coach Dave Hakstol, MacWilliam opted for the hockey-rich program at the University of North Dakota, where he spent the past four seasons before arriving at Leafs training camp this fall. "Probably the best decision of my life so far," MacWilliam stated sincerely of choosing college, where he was voted captain by teammates last year. "I definitely would recommend it to any young guys deciding what route theyre going to take." Selected with the 188th overall pick in the 2008 Draft from the Camrose Kodiaks of the Alberta Junior League – where he played alongside Joe Colborne – MacWilliam has climbed slow and steady to the edge of the NHL. Now a mature 23-years-old and a thick 230 pounds, the 6-foot-2 defender has definite darkhorse potential for the Leafs this season. A combative protect-the-house type with a penchant for rough play, MacWilliam has offered a positive impression to the Leafs brass and coaching staff in the first week of camp. While still a long-shot to make the NHL club at the outset and more likely pegged to join Steve Spott and the Marlies initially, MacWilliam has not looked out of place in the early going. "I just wanted to show what I can do," he said of expectations coming into camp. "I obviously want to make it a tough decision for the coaching staff. I know theres a lot of numbers [on defence] already up top, but I just wanted to come in and show what I can do and how I can play." MacWilliam has no illusions about his role. His job, quite simply, is to protect the house. He projects as a defender in the Mark Fraser mold, though he probably moves the puck more efficiently than his NHL counterpart and owns better foot speed. Because he remained at North Dakota for the full freight of four years – where he also played alongside former Leaf Matt Frattin – MacWilliam also appears physically ready to play at the next level. At one point in practice on Wednesday, he capably battled for net-front position with Joffrey Lupul, eventually ousting the All-Star to the ice. MacWilliam attributes his solid frame to years of lifting weights at school – where they play in and around 40 games – adding 15 pounds from the point of his freshman year. "Just that extra little oomph I guess is just huge at this level," said MacWilliam, who played in two games with the Marlies at the end of last season. "It helps you out in the net front and in the corners, being able to handle a mans game." Named to the Western College Hockey Associations all-academic team three years straight, MacWilliam also found time to focus his efforts on foot speed, improving his quickness laterally over his junior and senior seasons. Maybe most important to the college experience though was the reward of a degree, which he earned in business management. "Youre not going to play hockey your whole life right," he observed with the savvy of someone far beyond his years. "Youre not guaranteed anything as far as a pro career. Having that to fall back on is something that I take a lot of pride in and down the road will have some use for me." Whether he makes the jump now to the NHL is a question that will decide itself in the coming days of camp. The Leafs have a number of more experienced defenders on the roster and one in Cody Franson who remains unsigned. All of which makes an initial stint with the Leafs unlikely. But if MacWilliam demonstrates continued readiness and progression in the coming two weeks he could just sneak onto the roster or at the very least, provide the club with options to play with on the back-end. "Its been a long five years," MacWilliam concluded of the process that saw him drafted and now on the verge of the NHL. "But they say its not about the destination, its the journey. "The whole process, along the whole way of my career, we havent taken things too fast, we just take it slow and it hasnt hurt me yet." Wholesale Air Max . Raonic, the No. 8 seed from Thornhill, Ont., had 18 aces in the match. He needed one hour 39 minutes to complete the victory. Cheap Air Max For Sale .com) - Brad Stuart has yet to play a regular-season game for the Colorado Avalanche, but that didnt deter the club from signing the veteran defenseman to a two-year contract extension on Monday. https://www.airmaxchina.us/ . McCutchen was cut before the series opener against Seattle on Monday night, when Lewis was set for his first start for Texas since July 18, 2012. Texas selected Lewis contract from Triple-A Round Rock. Cheap Air Max . -- Rory McIlroy birdied his last two holes Thursday for a 7-under 63 to take the lead after one round of the Honda Classic. Cheap Real Air Max . Louis Blues and back into top spot of the TSN.ca NHL Power Rankings. The Sharks had been ranked No.MELBOURNE, Australia - When Americans Madison Keys and Madison Brengle won their first-round matches at the Australian Open, Keys was asked at a news conference if she knew anyone else with the unusual name Madison.I think its actually a pretty popular name for younger people, the 19-year-old Keys said, causing some laughter in the room. Walking through grocery stores, I hear it a lot. But Madison (and I) are a few of the older ones. I think its more like 5 and 6 year olds.On Saturday, Keys and Brengle both won again to set up a meeting in the fourth round, ensuring at least one American — and one Madison — will move on to the quarterfinals.Were obviously representing our name pretty well, Keys said.With new coach Lindsay Davenport watching from the stands at Rod Laver Arena, Keys matched big-hitting Czech Petra Kvitova stroke for stroke and broke the two-time Wimbledon champions serve five times to advance with a 6-4, 7-5 win.A 5-foot-10 (1.78-meter) power hitter with good footwork and speed, Keys has an all-court game that has drawn comparisons to Davenport. Now, with Davenport and her husband Jon Leach as her coaches, she got the breakthrough win at a major that was long expected of her.Obviously this is my first time in the second week of a Grand Slam. I feel good about it, she said. But at the same time its one of those things where I want more. ... So Im not really getting ahead of myself and letting myself get too excited over this.While Keys has the celebrity coach and has been tipped as a future star, the 24-yeaar-old Brengle is more of a late bloomer.ddddddddddddA speedy counterpuncher from Dover, Delaware, Brengle has played almost exclusively on the second-tier womens pro tour. She showed enough talent as a teenager to earn a few wild cards to slams, but after the 2008 French Open she failed to qualify for another one for more than six years.Meanwhile, other young Americans such as Keys, Christina McHale and Sloane Stephens passed her by.I played Caroline (Wozniacki) a bunch in juniors and she got to No. 1 and you see that it can be done, Brengle said. But at the same time, everybody kind of progresses at their own pace so I dont think you want to compare yourself too much with other players.Brengle has finally started to string together good results in the last few months at the same time shes been dealing with a serious health concern. Two days before the U.S. Open, she discovered a strange spot on her leg and it was later diagnosed as cancerous.They found it really, really early. We took care of it, she said. I have a nice scar on my leg to show for it.Shes been applying and reapplying sunblock during every match in Australia — and continuing to win. On Saturday, she beat fellow American Coco Vandeweghe 6-3, 6-2 to set up the fourth-round match with Keys.One of them will make the quarters — the first American besides Serena Williams to do so at a major since Stephens made two in 2013.Everybody kind of pushes each other, Brengle said. Im really, really optimistic with how American womens tennis is looking. ' ' '