Toronto Blue Jays offseason recap and season preview & expectations

Adamo Marinelli

March 30, 2022

     With opening day just over one week away on April 7, 2022, the Blue Jays are looking to make the playoffs this season after they missed the playoffs last year on the last day of the season even after winning 91 games. 

    They lost a few key pieces of the team’s success last season in free agency like CY Young-winning pitcher Robbie Ray - who single-handedly won the Blue Jays some games thanks to his large arsenal of creative pitches - to the Seattle Mariners and Marcus Semien, who was an integral part of the Blue Jays’ offense hitting 45 home runs (an MLB record for a second baseman) and 102 RBI and is now making $175 million over five years with the Texas Rangers. 

     To make up for it, the Blue Jays brought in a few talented veterans like third baseman Matt Chapman who has a strong arm, can throw the ball to anywhere in the infield, has a high baseball IQ, is great defensively, and who can hit home runs and get on base with ease. Another talented player they brought in is starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who has a very strong arm, is extremely accurate, has a wide variety of pitches in his arsenal and he will add a lot of talent to the Blue Jays’ starting rotation. 

     They also resigned several key players including pitcher Jose Berrios, who they acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the 2021 trade deadline. At 27 years old, the right-handed pitcher will be an integral part of the Blue Jays’ starting rotation - which also consists of Hyun Jin Ryu, Yusei Kikuchi, Kevin Gausman, and Alek Manoah - for the foreseeable future after signing a seven-year, $131 million extension. 

     Speaking of Gausman, the Blue Jays acquired the 31 year old from the San Fransisco Giants in free agency and signed him to a five-year, $110 million deal. Gausman was one of the Blue Jays’ targets in free agency and has really developed into an elite pitcher in his time in San Fransisco after spending six solid but not great years in Baltimore. 

     The Blue Jays’ bullpen also saw significant improvement as the 2021 season progressed, but several blown leads cost the Blue Jays some wins early in the year and ultimately a spot in the playoffs. Currently, their bullpen consists of guys like Jordan Romano, Tim Mayza, Adam Cimber, Ross Stripling, and Nate Pearson among others. The Blue Jays also have many other prospects who will be competing in training camp for a final roster spot.

     The Blue Jays also added another reliable reliever to the bullpen after signing Yimi Garcia to a two-year, $11 million deal. Garcia brings a high level of experience in high-pressure situations, specifically at the end of games, and will play a prominent role in a bullpen that will still continue to see further improvements and additions before the season starts and during the campaign.

     The Blue Jays should look to add another free agent starting pitcher and relieving pitcher to solidify their depth even more, however, their starting rotation and bullpen are arguably better at both positions than they were before the start of last season. 

     The Blue Jays also had to address the second and third base spots in the offseason. After adding Chapman, they filled the third base spot with a good hitter and a talented defensive player to fix a defensive weakness in the infield. Cavan Biggio and Santiago Espinal are both very solid options at second base, but adding another second baseman via trade or in free agency or seeing one of their second base prospects like Otto Lopez develop into a starter would help improve the team’s depth even more.

     The Blue Jays also have a numerous amount of depth at the catcher position. Danny Jansen, Reese McGuire, and Alejandro Kirk are all solid options. Perhaps the Blue Jays could use one of the three catchers in a trade to acquire another player in a position of need, however, it isn’t extremely necessary to use one of their catchers as trade bait; it’s just an option. 

     Another slight concern for the Blue Jays is how will they make up for the loss of production caused by Marcus Semien’s departure. Semien was responsible for 45 of the teams’ franchise-record 262 home runs in 2021. He also recorded 102 of the team’s 816 RBI. That is a significant contribution to the team’s offense for a single player. 

     Of course, the Blue Jays have one of the youngest and most explosive offenses in the MLB with guys like Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Teoscar Hernandez, Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal, Danny Jansen, Raimel Tapia, and George Springer - an electric hitter who is under contract with the Blue Jays for the next five years - among several other talented players. 

     Barring any unfortunate injuries, all the young players on the roster should see an increased level of production offensively this season. In order to make up for the loss of Semien, each player has to up their production and offensive efficiency in 2022 or the Blue Jays have to sign or trade for an additional quality offensive player. 

     There are multiple options available via trade but one very good free agent option the Blue Jays should seriously consider would be a left-handed hitting outfielder in Michael Conforto. He did have a miserable year in 2021 for the New York Mets but should be up for a massive rebound year in 2022 and he is very good at hitting the ball.

     Conforto would help fill the Blue Jays’ offensive needs. He has 132 home runs in his career and a career slash line of a .255 batting average, a .356 on-base percentage, and a .824 slugging percentage. He is an offensive-minded power-hitter, however, his defense is not great.  The Blue Jays’ coaching staff will need to help him improve his defense in order for him to be a well-rounded outfielder and be considered for a starting roster spot.

     His best offensive seasons were from 2017 to 2020. In that span, he hit 97 of his career 132 home runs, and posted a slash line of .265/.369/.864. He knows how to hit home runs and how to get on base too. If his 2022 season is as productive as his career-best 2020 season and guys like Guerrero Jr., Bichette, Gurriel Jr., Hernandez, and Springer continue to produce like they did last year, their offense should remain on the same level as in 2021 or get even better. 

     Overall, the Blue Jays’ pitching - starting rotation and bullpen - has gotten better and their offense will improve drastically if they can add another veteran talent to the lineup like Conforto and if the players that are already on their roster improve their productivity in 2022. 

      The AL East is one of the best divisions in the MLB with teams like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and the Tampa Bay Rays. Last season, the Blue Jays finished fourth place with a 91-71 record but still missed the playoffs. The Rays won the division with a 100-62 record and the Red Sox and Yankees took both AL Wild Card spots, they each had a record of 92-70, only one game better than the Blue Jays. 

     

     This season, I don’t think the Blue Jays will lose as many games thanks to a bad bullpen. However, if they don’t bring in another quality free agent hitter, their offense will take a step down. I predict the Rays win the division with a 102-60 record. I think the Blue Jays finish the season 95-67, which is good enough for second place in the AL East and for the first AL Wild Card spot. They will win the wild card game against the Seattle Mariners, win the ALDS in five games against the White Sox and lose the ALCS in six games to the defending AL Champion Houston Astros. 

     The Blue Jays have a lot of talent on their roster and will be competitive and entertaining to watch this season. If they add a few more pieces to their current roster, like Conforto, make a few more trades to fill positions of need, and nail the 2022 draft, they will arguably be considered World Series contenders in the near future.

How stacked has the wild AFC West become?

Adamo Marinelli

March 26, 2022

     The AFC West is loaded, and that is an understatement. In less than two weeks of free agency, many huge names like Russell Wilson, Randy Gregory, Davante Adams, Khalil Mack, J.C Jackson, and many others have made this division the best in the entire NFL. 

      Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos for a large package including two firsts, two seconds, and a fifth-round pick in addition to three players in QB Drew Lock, TE Noah Fant, and DT Shelby Harris. Denver also got a fourth-round pick in return. 

      The Broncos already have a dominant defense. It was ranked the third-best overall unit in 2021 and is top 10 in the NFL in the majority of categories. They have several skill players at wide receiver like Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Tim Patrick, and K.J. Hamler. They have talented running backs in Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams, a young tight end, and a solid offensive line. Their offensive line is good, but they will need to either draft or bring in another offensive lineman with all the quality pass rushers in the division. They are also well-coached with Nathaniel Hackett and his staff. They were arguably just a QB away from being Super Bowl contenders. Now they have a Super Bowl-winning QB who “wants to play another 10-12 years.”

     They also brought in Randy Gregory to bolster their very strong linebacker core alongside Bradley Chubb and Malik Reed. In 12 games for the Cowboys last year, he recorded six sacks, 17 QB hits, one interception, and three forced fumbles. He is fast, agile, can shed blocks, and will stop the run in addition to rushing the passer. This should help generate even more pressure and sacks than last season and help to contain and reduce the production of the elite quarterbacks in the division like Mahomes, Herbert, and Carr. 

     The Raiders brought in only the best wide receiver in the entire NFL, Davante Adams after only giving up only a 2022 first and second-round pick. Adams has been consistent his entire career and had a fantastic season in 2021 with 123 catches (2nd), 1553 receiving yards (3rd), and 11 TDs (5th). Derek Carr is a downgrade from Aaron Rodgers but Carr is still a great QB and Adams can make him even better. The Raiders offense was already good with wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, who had a career year in 2021, tight end Darren Waller, who when healthy is a top 10 tight end, and running back Josh Jacobs; now it adds arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL.

     That is a steal for the Raiders and Adams became the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history with a five-year, $141.25 million deal, which averages out to $28 million a year. This was true until another huge move that involved an AFC West team occurred. More on that later. The Packers were willing to match the salary offer from Vegas, but Adams wanted to play elsewhere. Rodgers knew this and was okay with it and the organization was also okay with it. Expect the Packers to draft a wide receiver in the first round, something they haven’t done since 2002. However, the Packers after also losing Marquez Valdes Scantling are very thin at wide receiver. Aaron Jones can’t do everything so expect the Packers to experience a regression this season.

     The Chargers also managed to bring in an electric pass rusher and a six-time pro-bowler Khalil Mack from the Bears for a second-round and a sixth-round pick. That is a very cheap price for a player of his caliber.  

     Mack was injured for most of the 2021 season, but in seven games, he recorded six sacks, seven QB hits, and a fumble recovery. He was also doubled-teamed the majority of the snaps. His last full season came in 2020 where he recorded nine sacks, 13 QB hits, one interception, three forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He is a very good player when healthy and with Mack on one side, teams won’t be able to double or triple team Joey Bosa every play. This move makes the Chargers’ defense, one of the NFL’s worse units, significantly better. 

     In addition, the Chargers also brought in one of the best cornerbacks in the league in J.C. Jackson. He had a fantastic season in 2021 with the Patriots, recording eight interceptions, one defensive touchdown, and one forced fumble. He is one of the best lockdown man corners in the league with his speed, agility, and ball tracking skills. He is physical, hard to run by, and is excellent at batting down 50-50 balls with his large frame. The Chargers’ defense improves even more. They have a deadly pass rush to make help secondary and a good secondary to help the pass rush get home. Finally, they were able to keep all their main offensive weapons together like Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler for Justin Herbert.

     Finally, when the rest of the AFC is loading up, the Chiefs are going the other way. Tyrann Mathieu is one of the best players on an otherwise middle-of-the-pack Chiefs defense is currently a free agent and is not likely to return to Kansas City. At the safety spot, he was a crucial part of the Chiefs’ defensive improvement with three interceptions, one defensive TD, three fumble recoveries, and one sack. 

     The biggest move the Chiefs made though, is not bringing someone in, but instead sending one of their key offensive weapons out. They traded all-star and six-time pro-bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for a package of five draft picks including their first, second and fourth-round pick this year and their fourth-round and sixth-round pick next year. That is a massive haul to give up for Hill, especially when you consider Davante Adams, the best receiver in football was traded to Las Vegas for only a first and second-round pick. In addition, Hill’s four-year, $120 million contract makes him the highest-paid receiver with a $30 million yearly salary. Adams’ reign as the highest-paid receiver was very short-lived. 

     In the short term, the Dolphins won this trade. They now have two of the fastest receivers in the league with Tyreek Hill and sophomore sensation Jaylen Waddle, who had a fantastic rookie season in 2021. They also beefed up their offensive line and their running back core and tight end room is filled with talent too. There are no excuses for QB Tua Tagovailoa now if things don’t go right for Miami. In the short run, the Chiefs lost the trade. One of the reasons why they were so scary is because of Hill’s deadly speed. He forced cornerbacks and safeties to drop back 12-15 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Yet he would still win his matchup and beat the defensive back for a long TD. Or he would catch the ball short and run past everyone. Or with Hill forcing defensive backs to drop back and with Hill often being double covered, Travis Kelce would always be open. Now, they’ve lost that downfield threat. Their offense will still be good, but not nearly as lethal as it once was. They signed Juju Smith Schuster and Marquez Valdes Scantling as free agents, which helps them a bit, but they are both not on Hill’s level. 

     However, in the long term, the Chiefs won the deal. They have five draft picks to work with to address needs on their roster, wide receiver included. They may not hit on all the picks, but surely they will nail one or two of them. 

     All four teams in the AFC West made several outstanding moves this offseason. The Raiders, Broncos, and Chargers were all super active in free agency to compete with the reigning AFC Champion Kansas City Chiefs. With the Chiefs departing with Tyreek Hill and likely losing Tyran Mathieu, the Chiefs are still a very talented team but not as good as they were before free agency started. The AFC West has four very talented teams in it and the division is wide open. Any of the four teams have a realistic chance to win the AFC West. All things considered, it is possible that all four teams in the AFC West will make the playoffs next year, and it is even more possible that three of the four teams make it. Regardless of who wins the division and what teams make the playoffs, the AFC West is going to be a bloodbath with many fantastic matchups to watch. 

Grading all the Ottawa Senators’ 2022 trade deadline moves

Adamo Marinelli

March 25, 2022

     The Senators made four moves at the trade deadline and also resigned a crucial piece of their current team. Let’s examine and grade all their moves. 

Ottawa Senators acquire: F Mathieu Joseph and a fourth-round pick

Tampa Bay Lightning acquire: Nick Paul

Grade: B+

     Nick Paul was having a career year with the Ottawa Senators. Before he was traded, he had a career-high 131 shots and a career-high 11 goals and the season isn’t even over yet. He also had seven assists and 18 points, which has helped the team immensely on offense. In addition to contributing on offense, he has also been very reliable on defense and was a factor on both the powerplay and the penalty kill. He looked to be a long-term piece on the current Senators’ roster, but the writing was on the wall that he would be traded after he and the organization were not able to come to a contract agreement. He was offered a four-year deal with an AAV of $2.5 million but wanted an AAV of closer to $3.25 million. However, I think the Senators got significant value for a player of Paul’s talent, something they have failed to do with players in the past. 

      Mathieu Joseph is a talented, young player and will provide a boost to this young offense. He is a good skater, his distribution and passing are good and his shooting and hockey IQ are above average for a young player like him. He is 25 entering his prime and his current cap hit is less than $800k per year. His next contract will likely be in the $1 to $1.5 million range per year, cheaper than Paul’s. He will be a good addition to the Senators offensively and will also chip in on defense too. Also, who knows, the fourth-round draft pick could be something special.

Ottawa Senators acquire: D Travis Hamonic

Vancouver Canucks acquire: a 2022 3rd round pick (originally was Vancouver’s pick, was traded to Vegas before being traded to Ottawa)

Grade: C+

     Travis Hamonic is still a decent defenseman, but he is on the other side of his prime at 32 years old and has struggled with injury issues as of late. He has only played 24 of the Canucks’ 64 games this season and has made minimal contributions on offense with only three goals, four assists, and seven points. Hamonic is still decent defensively but given Ottawa’s struggle on defense this season outside of Thomas Chabot, they need a star, not someone who is decent. At 32 years old, a cap hit of $3 million a year is pretty pricy for someone who isn’t as good as he was a few years ago. 

     The biggest question mark behind this trade is why Pierre Dorion and the Ottawa Senators’ organization would give up a valuable third-round pick for not only a defenseman who is not only past his prime but has been on waivers and went unclaimed by the other 31 teams in the league. If management has a plan for Hamonic, whether it be to mentor the younger defensemen and play a role on the blue line for Ottawa or flip him for other assets that’s one thing, but I think the Sens should have gotten another pick or player in return given Hamonic’s large contract. Especially considering the Canucks saved a lot of cap space by moving Hamonic and used the pick they got from the Sens to acquire Travis Dermott from the Leafs who is a better defenseman than Hamonic. I do hope the Hamonic move works out, but we’ll see.

Ottawa Senators acquire: F Zach Senyshen and a 2022 fifth-round pick.

Boston Bruins acquire: D Josh Brown and a conditional 7th round pick in 2022

Grade: B

     The Josh Brown experiment in Ottawa simply didn’t work out the way both parties wanted. His NHL debut for the Florida Panthers came over five years after the team initially drafted him. His development was slow and on numerous occasions this season, many defensive miscues by Brown resulted in Ottawa conceding a goal. However, it wasn’t only Brown who struggled defensively. It was the entire blue line unit minus the first line pairing of Chabot and Zub. He only recorded seven points (all assists) in 72 games with the Senators in two seasons; he never really proved to be an NHL-ready talent and has spent the majority of his career in the AHL. There were multiple games where head coach D.J. Smith refused to make him a healthy scratch. The Sens also should have sent him to the minors for further development and to increase his confidence which they didn’t. 

     It sucks to see him go, but it should help improve the defense as there is one less liability on the blue line. To make things even better, they also are getting an NHL-ready prospect from the Bruins, in Zach Senyshyn. He has only played 14 games for the Bruins in which he registered one goal and three assists since he was drafted in 2015 but he has had a fantastic career with the AHL’s Providence Bruins with 49 goals, 51 assists, and 100 points in five seasons. He has an excellent shot, is a great skater with tremendous speed and agility, and can deliver crisp, accurate passes to his teammates anywhere on the ice. He’s also good on special teams. He is currently playing on the Belville Senators right now and the Senators have numerous prospects from Belville they’ll be calling up in the near future, Senyshyn included. This would be a B+ but his limited NHL experience worries me a bit.

Ottawa Senators acquire: 2022 5th round pick

Winnipeg Jets acquire: F Zach Sanford

Grade: C-

     Zach Sanford was acquired by the Senators from the St. Louis Blues before the season in exchange for a 2022 fourth-round pick and Logan Brown who didn’t work out well in Ottawa. Sanford, a veteran forward, a leader, and a Stanley Cup Champion was brought to Ottawa for many reasons including his ability to mentor young players and provide on offense. His best season saw him record 16 goals, 14 assists, and 30 points in the Blues’ Stanley Cup-winning season. Sanford had a pretty good year for the Senators. 

      He was good on special teams, wasn’t afraid to be physical to win puck battles, is a great skater, was one of the leaders in the locker room and he contributed offensively too, scoring nine goals and 17 points in 62 games. However, it became clear he wasn’t happy in Ottawa. Dorion was able to get a fifth-round pick, which could result in a good young player, but that is never certain with later draft picks. In addition, the Senators retained $1.6 million of Sanford’s $2 million cap hit which makes no sense. So essentially, they bought a fifth-round draft pick for $1.6 million. I understand the Jets are trying to tool up for a deep playoff run and thus they overpaid for Sanford. If he was sent to another team, the Sens may have gotten less in return. However, Sanford was having a decent season in Ottawa. He is 28, still in the middle of his prime, and could still help out the team. They gave up Logan Brown and a 4th for Sanford and in return only got a 5th. They either should’ve got more in return or kept him.

Ottawa Senators resign goaltender Anton Forsberg to a 3-year contract, $2.75 million AAV

Grade: A- 

     Anton Forsberg has been really good for the Ottawa Senators this season. He has a 14-13-2 record in 32 games started with one shutout, a .918% save percentage, a 2.75 goals-against average. Considering the Senators’ defense is not one of the best in the league this season that has dealt with numerous periods of struggles and numerous injuries to key players like Thomas Chabot, Forsberg has been very reliable this year and has kept his team in games day-in and day-out. Forsberg has been the best goalie on the team in the last two years with Matt Murray constantly dealing with injury and confidence issues and Filip Gustavsson has not been bad by any means, but he has experienced a regression this season and has worse stats than Anton Forsberg this season. This is a low cap hit for each of the next three seasons considering how much Forsberg has provided for this team. 

     However, unless the Senators make a goaltending move in the summer, they will have three goalies on one-way contracts next year. Forsberg, Murray who will carry a cap hit of 6.25 million next year, and Filip Gustavsson who will make $800k next year. If Forsberg can turn into a Craig Anderson type rather than a Mike Condon type, the Senators will have two young goalies to rely on. Plus, they also traded for a goalie prospect from the Calgary Flames.

     The Senators’ biggest move of the deadline was trading Nick Paul to Tampa Bay. But the majority of their transactions were getting rid of excess players and salaries. However, acquiring a decent at-best defenseman like Hamonic, who is similar in skill to Del Zotto, who they already have on their roster, when they need a superstar to solidify their defense is confusing. Pierre Dorion thinks this is the Sens’ last deadline as a seller, and many Sens fans hope he’s right.  

NHL 2022 Trade Deadline: recapping all the major moves leading up to and on deadline day

By: Adamo Marinelli

March 23, 2022

The trade deadline is a very busy part of every NHL season. This year was no exception, with 29 trades on deadline day, most of them involved big-name players and several huge deals leading up to deadline day. Let's take a look at all the moves on deadline day and in the days prior.

Monday, March 21

• The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired defenseman Nathan Beaulieu from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 2022 conditional seventh-round pick.

• Arizona Coyotes acquire forward Jack McBain from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 2022 second-round pick.

• The Washington Capitals acquired forward Marcus Johansson from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for forward Daniel Sprong, a 2022 fourth-round pick, and a 2023 sixth-round pick.

• The Arizona Coyotes acquired Bryan Little’s contract and the rights to forward Nathan Smith from the Winnipeg Jets and gave up a 2022 fourth-round pick in return. 

• The San Jose Sharks acquired goaltender Kappo Kahkonen and a 2022 fifth-round pick from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Jacob Middleton.

• Minnesota Wild acquire goaltender Marc Andre Fleury from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a 2022 conditional first-round pick

• Nashville Predators acquire defensive prospect Alex Biega from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for future considerations.

• New York Rangers acquire defenseman Justin Braun from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick. 

• The Boston Bruins acquire Josh Brown and a conditional 2022 seventh-round pick from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for forward Zach Senyshyn and a 2022 fifth-round pick.

• The St. Louis Blues acquire defensemen Nick Leddy and Luke Witkowski from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for defenseman Jake Walman, forward Oskar Sundqvist, and a 2023 second-round pick.

• The Colorado Avalanche acquire forward Artturi Lehkonen from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman Justin Barron and a 2024 second-round pick. 

• The New Jersey Devils acquire goaltender Andrew Hammond from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forward Nate Schnarr.

• The Washington Capitals acquire forward Johan Larsson from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a 2023 third-round pick. 

• The New York Rangers acquire forward Nick Merkley from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenseman Anthony Bitetto.  

• The Tampa Bay Lightning acquire forward Riley Nash from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for future considerations. 

• The Colorado Avalanche acquired forward Andrew Cogliano from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick. 

• The New York Rangers acquire forward Andrew Copp and a 2023 sixth-round pick from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for forward Morgan Barron and two conditional second-round picks, one in the 2022 draft and one in the 2023 draft, and a 2023 fifth-round pick. 

• The Los Angeles Kings acquired defenseman Nelson Nogier from the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for defenseman Markus Phillips.

• The Edmonton Oilers acquire defenseman Brett Kulak from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for defenseman William Lagesson, a conditional second-round pick in 2022 and a 2024 seventh-round pick.

• The Pittsburgh Steelers send forwards Zach Aston-Reese and Domininl Simon, the rights of goaltender Calle Clang and a 2022 second-round pick to the Anaheim Ducks and receive forward Rickard Rakell in return.

• The Ottawa Senators send forward Zach Sanford to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 2022 fifth-round pick. 

• The Edmonton Oilers acquire forward Derrick Brassard from the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a 2023 fourth-round pick.

• The Detroit Red Wings send forward Vladislav Namestnikov to the Dallas Stars and receive a 2024 fourth-round pick in return.

• The New York Rangers were the busiest team at the deadline. They acquired forward Tyler Motte from the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2023 fourth-round pick. 

• The Calgary Flames acquired center Ryan Carpenter from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick. 

• The Ottawa Senators acquire goaltender prospect Michael McNiven from the Calgary Flames in exchange for future considerations.  

• The Seattle Kraken acquired forward Victor Rask from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for future considerations.

• This is the only three-team deal that happened at the deadline. The Carolina Hurricanes acquired forward Max Domi and defenseman prospect Tyler Inamoto from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman prospect Aidan Hreschuk; the Florida Panthers receive forward prospect Egor Korshkov and a 2022 sixth-round pick. 

• The Tampa Bay Lightning acquired goaltender Alexei Melnichuk from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for forward Antoine Morand.

Sunday, March 20

• Dallas Stars acquire goaltender Scott Wedgewood from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a 2023 conditional fourth-round pick.

• Winnipeg Jets re-acquire Mason Appleton from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2023 fourth-round pick.

• The Nashville Predators acquired defenseman Jeremy Lauzon from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2022 second-round pick.

• Ottawa Senators send forward Nick Paul to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Mathieu Joseph and 2024 fourth-round pick

• Toronto Maple Leafs acquire defenseman Mark Giordano and forward Colin Blackwell from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a 2022 and 2023 second and a 2024 third-round draft pick

• The Vancouver Canucks acquired defenseman Travis Dermott from Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2022 3rd round pick

• The Los Angeles Kings acquired defenseman Troy Stecher from the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for a 2022 7th round pick.

• The Vancouver Canucks sent defenseman Travis Hamonic to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for a 2022 3rd round pick.

• The Florida Panthers acquired defenseman Robert Hagg from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2022 sixth-round pick. 

Saturday, March 19

• Florida Panthers acquire forwards Claude Giroux, Connor Bunnaman, German Rubtsov, and a 2024 fifth-round pick in exchange for forward Owen Tippett, a 2024 or 2025 first-round pick, and a 2023 third-round pick.

• Boston Bruins acquire defenseman Hampus Lindholm from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defensemen John Moore and Urho Vaakanainen and three draft picks.

Friday, March 18

• Tampa Bay Lightning acquire forward Brandon Hagel, a 2022 fourth-round pick, and a 2024 fourth-round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for forwards Boris Katchouk, Taylor Raddysh, and two conditional first-round picks. That’s a lot to give up for Hagel.

Can Italy qualify for the World Cup?

Adamo Marinelli

March 20, 2022

     The defending EURO Champions struggled in their second and third leg of World Cup qualifying matches. They won only one of five remaining matches and drew the other four after handily winning their first three games.

      Italy finished 4-4-0, second in their group behind Switzerland who finished 5-3-0. As a result, Switzerland has directly qualified for the World Cup and Italy will have to play in a playoff bracket for a chance to qualify. 

     On March 24, Italy will host North Macedonia in Palermo. If Italy wins, they will play the winner of the Portugal and Turkey match on the road on March 29. If they win the game on March 29, they will qualify for the World Cup.

     If they lose on either March 24 or March 29, they will miss their second consecutive World Cup. They missed out in 2018 after not missing a single tournament in 60 years since 1958. 

     Italy has only ever played North Macedonia twice. Italy beat them once by a score of 3-2 and most recently drew 1-1 in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers. 

     Italy is a talented team with a lot of talent at all positions but will be without several key players in the play-off games like Federico Chiesa who is out with an ACL injury, Leonardo Spinazzola who hasn’t played since rupturing his Achilles in the EUROs, and Giovanni DiLorenzo who was injured in Napoli’s match on March 19.

     Their starting 11 will likely be Gianluigi Donnarumma, Francesco Acerbi, DiLorenzo, Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, Emerson Palmieri, Nicolo Barella, Jorginho, Marco Verratti, Domenico Berardi, Lorenzo Insigne and Ciro Immobile. 

     They have several quality backups like Andrea Belotti, Joao Pedro, Giacomo Raspadori, Gianluca Scamacca, Manuel Locatelli, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Matteo Pessina, Gianluca Mancini, Alessandro Bastoni, Christiano Biraghi, Alessandro Florenzi and Salvatore Sirigu. 

     The loss of Chiesa, Spinazzola and DiLorenzo will be a huge factor in the game, especially on the defensive side, so manager Roberto Mancini will have to be creative with his tactics and the players he uses in order to outduel an improving North Macedonia side. 

     After losing all three games at the 2020 EUROs, their first major tournament, North Macedonia won three of their last five competitive fixtures. They beat teams like Lichenstein 4-0, Armenia 5-0, and Iceland 3-1. They lost 4-0 to Germany and drew 0-0 with Romania. Those aren’t the most talented teams but to win with scorelines like that and to look good in those performances is significant. 

     They also have several quality players like Goran Pandev, Elif Elmas, and Darlo Velkovski.  

     

     Italy is the better of the two sides and should win against North Macedonia. It won’t be easy, but with their depth at all positions, their talent, tactics, and their ability to control games under Mancini, they should be able to win 2-0 thanks to their good defense and transition attack. 

     If Turkey manages to win against Portugal, which is extremely unlikely, Italy should also be able to beat them comfortably too after beating them 3-0 at the EUROs. If Portugal wins, Italy will have a much tougher task at hand. 

     Portugal is loaded with talented players all over the roster. 

     With the roster they have, you’d expect them to have more than one European Championship and one UEFA Nations League, but they’re a team almost nobody wants to match up against.

     They have Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Jota, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo, Rafa Silva, Cedric Soares, Andre Silva, Joao Moutinho among several others quality players and on the bench.

     They are well managed under Fernando Santos, are very strong on both sides of the ball, can shut opposing offenses down, can score at will, can move the ball extremely well, can control possession time and when they get hot, very few teams can slow them down. Their starting 11 isn’t only talented but their reserves are also always high quality.

      If Italy and Portugal both win their opening games, I expect their game on March 29 to come down to the wire. 

      Both teams have experience in big tournaments, but recently Italy has had more after winning the Euros. Portugal made the 2018 World Cup, Italy didn’t, but they only won one of their four games. Italy was a perfect 7-0-0 at the 2020 EUROs.

     Their game will end 1-1 after 120 minutes and Italy will win 5-4 on penalties after Gianluigi Donnarumma makes a crucial save. 

Canada’s World Cup Dream is almost reality

Adamo Marinelli

March 20, 2022

     Canada’s Men’s National Soccer team is one win away from qualifying for their second World Cup in country history and their first appearance since 1986.

     If Canada beats Costa Rica away from home on March 24, they will clinch a berth in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. 

     That would be a massive accomplishment for a talented Canadian side led by sensational manager John Herdman. 

     It will not be easy, however. Like in the third international qualifying window when Canada relied on their depth to win all three of their games without Alphonso Davies, they will be without Davies in the fourth international qualifying window too.

     After recovering from mild myocarditis, which sidelined him during the January qualifying window, he is currently training with his club Bayern Munich but is not yet playing any matches.

     They can even clinch a berth with a draw or loss depending on results elsewhere in CONCACAF, but Canada will not be settling for a draw. They will try to claim the maximum possible points.

     Costa Rica has proven to be a tough opponent for Canada in the past. Canada has won six games, drawn nine games, and lost eight games against Costa Rica.

      The last meeting between those two teams was a 1-0 win for Canada on November 12, 2021, in the second qualifying window. The match before that was a 2-0 win for Canada in the Gold Cup quarterfinal on July 25, 2021. 

     The current Canadian team has caused problems for Costa Rica and has proved to be better on both sides of the ball. This game will not be an easy victory for Canada but they should be able to get a victory and clinch their spot in the World Cup. 

     If they do, Canada’s final home game in Toronto against Jamaica on March 27 will be a wild one, with a lot of celebration and happy fans before and after the match. 

     In front of their home crowd, Canada should be able to come away with a victory, but it will be a tougher game after a 0-0 draw between these two teams on October 10, 2021. They are undefeated in 19 consecutive matches at BMO Field.

     Canada will end their World Cup qualifying run with an away game on March 30 against Panama. Canada beat Panama 4-1 at home on November 13 and should be able to get a win in Panama too.

     Canada currently sits atop the CONCACAF table with seven wins, four draws, and no losses for 25 points. If they win all three of their matches in this window, they will finish first in the table with a 10-4-0 record and would be unbeaten in qualifying matches, an unprecedented feat in CONCACAF.

     The squad has been released and it will be a similar squad to the last international qualifying window, with a few minor changes. The main stars will be Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanon, Liam Miller, Atiba Hutchinson, Jonathan Osorio, Stephen Eustaquio, Richie Lareya, Kamal Miller, and Alistair Johnson. Canada has plenty of quality depth on the bench they can rely on too. 

Toronto FC Season Preview and Expectations

Adamo Marinelli

March 5, 2022

     After one of their worst seasons in franchise history, where they finished 6-10-18 for only 28 points, finishing 13th in the Eastern Conference only above Cincinnatti FC, Toronto FC will look to have a much stronger campaign under new manager Michael Bradley, who has had immense success in the past as a manager and assistant manager in the MLS and on the international stage. 

     Toronto FC opened the season with a 1-1 on the road against FC Dallas. After conceding an early goal, TFC strengthened up defensively and limited their opponents’ offensive chances. Jonathan Osorio equalized for TFC in the 45th minute using their strong counterattack. 

     The team has seen many notable departures in the offseason, like forward Jozy Altidore, a franchise icon in Toronto, the second-highest goalscorer in team history and a crucial part of TFC’s treble-winning campaign in 2017, all-star Canadian right back Richie Lareya, center back Omar Gonzalez and forward Yeferson Soteldo who had a short, but solid career with TFC.

     However, TFC was also busy in the transfer window, signing numerous talented players to help speed up their roster overhaul, like Italian national team superstar forward Lorenzo Insigne who was a critical part of Italy’s EURO 2020 championship and has had a very successful career with Napoli. He’s at the tail end of his prime but was the biggest signing in the offseason. 

     If TFC is can manage to be in or near a playoff position when Insigne arrives in July, which head coach Bob Bradley hopes to accomplish given his optimism on his team’s talent, TFC can be a scary opponent down the stretch. 

     Many European stars have made a seamless transition into the MLS, for others, it has been tough. Insigne, 30, cannot be asked to do too much given his rising age and the new playing environment.

     In addition, they acquired Mexican international center back Carlos Salcedo, who is a talented, physical defender with tremendous speed, awareness, tackling, and passing skills. He will be a defensive anchor in the middle of the pitch with Chris Mavinga. Finally, they brought in Spanish striker Jesus Jimenez who will provide consistent offensive production, making up for the absence of Altidore. He is a goal-scoring machine and a creative playmaker. He’s a threat to any defense every time he’s on the pitch. 

     Toronto FC does have the talent in the midfield and upfront to score goals. With Osorio, Bradley, the newly added Jimenez, Pozuelo if he can regain his 2020 form and Jayden Nelson among others, they will be able to generate a handful of quality chances each match and score some goals. When Insigne joins the team in July, the offense will receive another huge boost.

     Also, their defense has improved on paper, but we will have to see a significant improvement in the on-pitch product for the team to be considered a playoff team. They conceded 66 goals in 2021, the second-most in the league. They often found themselves trailing in games early and often giving up 15 goals in the first 15 minutes of matches and an MLS high 34 goals before halftime. When TFC managed to keep the game close, they would also repeatedly concede goals in the last 15 minutes of matches which would often cost them points. 

     Bradley emphasized the defense was a huge priority in the offseason. Bringing in Salcedo to work with Mavinga in the middle will be a lethal center-back duo - if Mavinga can stay consistent, something that proved difficult last season. 

     Given the departure of fullbacks Richie Lareya and Auro Alvaro, TFC will have to rely on two youngsters in Jacob Shaffelburg and Jahkeele Marshall Ruty to play on flanks. They are both new to the position, but Bradley said after the season opener he was pleased with the progress that they both made. They will have to contribute equally on offense and defense.

     TFC manager Bob Bradley also confirmed they were trying to acquire Italian left-back Domenico Criscito from Serie A’s Genoa to solidify the defense and push either Shaffelburg or Marshall Ruty to a more attacking role.

     TFC will have to be solid defensively the moment they lose possession and they have to keep their form to limit opponents’ breakthroughs. A significant improvement in their defensive play will lead to more offense through counter-attacks and more wins too.

     Bradley has also not determined whether Alex Bono or Quentin Westberg will be the starting goalkeeper this year, though Bono did get the start on opening day.

     Another determining factor is the youth on the squad. 13 of the 26 roster spots are held by players between the age of 17-24. How they develop, train, respond to adversity or challenges and how they perform will be a factor in the team’s success given many of the young players will be playing each match. 

     Finally, 2020 MLS MVP Alejandro Pozuelo had a difficult season in 2021, after dealing with a leg injury and some personal issues off the field. In 19 games, he scored only one goal and four assists, not even a year removed from his MVP campaign where he recorded nine goals, nine assists, 48 shots, 25 shots on target, and 71 key passes. He should be able to have a strong rebound season in 2022 with his skills and speed, but time will tell.

     After the abysmal year they had in 2021, there is nowhere to go but up. TFC will see significant improvements on both sides of the ball and that will help them win more games. I believe they will finish 13-11-10 for 50 points and they will finish fifth in the East. Regardless of what happens, a new season of TFC football is upon us and promises to be exciting and interesting.