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Despite agreeing to terms less than a week before the teams regular season opener, newly signed defenceman Cody Franson feels like hell have no issues being thrust into the starting lineup Oct. 1 in Montreal. “Being able to get the reps back in practice before the season starts and get a couple exhibition games under my belt, I think I should be just fine,” Franson said on TSN 1050 Thursday afternoon. Practicing daily with the Ryerson Rams at Maple Leaf Gardens in addition to his own personal workouts has Franson optimistic he will need only the teams remaining two exhibition contests to get back into game shape. The time spent with Ryerson provided a sort of “silver lining” to the holdout for the 26-year-old, who grew up a Leafs fan and was excited to practice at an arena where some of his childhood heroes played in. Agreeing to a one-year, $2 million contract was something both he and his agent were more comfortable with, as opposed to the tw0-year deal initially proposed by the club. “With the cap situation it was obviously kind of tough for us to get a two-year deal, which is what they wanted and we were a little far apart on numbers. “A one-year term for us was where we were able to be most flexible to make everything work and it just made the most sense to us.” The decision to hold out was one Franson and his agent felt comfortable with, feeling the alternative of an arbitration case would not have been the best course of action at this point in his career. “As good as last season was for myself individually, my ‘arb case just wasnt that great. Me and my agent talked a lot about whether we should file and we came to the conclusion that we would want to try for a one-year (deal) with all the moves theyve been making. “Me and my agent just felt that the ‘arb case that we had in front of us just wasnt strong enough. If we had elected to go to ‘arb then we dont have the option to choose the term.” After enjoying a breakout, lockout shortened 2012-13 season in which he tied his career high with 29 points despite playing 35 fewer games, Franson is confident that with another solid season, the two sides will be in a better position to negotiate a longer term deal. “With the cap crunch, it just seemed like the one year was just going to be the most flexible for us to get something done,” he said. “I wouldve loved to get a longer deal -- I mean I love playing here in Toronto and this is where I want to be -- but given the circumstances with the cap, it just wasnt in the cards this year, and me and my agent felt like the best way to move forward and keep things going in the right direction was to do a one-year deal.” Bouncing back after an up-and-down initial season under Ron Wilson, Franson attributed his success to getting a “second chance” under Randy Carlyle, who immediately paired him with Mark Fraser and from then on the pair “just kind of clicked and developed a good relationship.” Franson said the combination of Carlyle and Fraser allowed him to gain confidence and most importantly, improve the defensive side of his game. “Ive always been criticized for the defensive aspect of my game and thats something Ive really tried to work on kind of and silenced those critics and playing with ‘Frase has helped me do that.” Heading into 2013-14, Franson said hes “very excited” about the new additions Dave Nonis brought in during the off-season and is also impressed with all the young talent the team has had in camp, including 19-year-old Morgan Rielly. But, at the end of the day, he pointed out he was just relieved that he was able to rejoin his teammates and concentrate on the upcoming season. “Im glad its over. It was a long, grueling process and unfortunately it went as long as it did, but Im happy both sides were able to find a common ground. “We were fortunate to get the one year and the price works for the team, so it all worked out.” Nationals Jerseys China .6 seconds left to give the Toronto Raptors a 92-89 victory over the Boston Celtics in an exhibition game Wednesday night. Juan Soto Nationals Jersey .Do you have to be that close? Federer snapped at a TV cameraman hovering nearby as he received medical advice after losing a set on Wednesday.For Nadal and Sharapova, the nuisance was coming from the lowly-ranked qualifiers across the net. https://www.cheapnationals.com/497r-asdr...-nationals.html. -- Michigan coach John Beilein is willing to give Nik Stauskas a little leeway when it comes to shot selection. Jayson Werth Jersey .com) - Graeme McDowell opened up with a first- round, 5-under 67 on Thursday and he holds a 2-shot lead at the WGC - HSBC Champions. Adrian Sanchez Jersey .Y. - DeMarre Carroll felt as though he couldnt miss in the second quarter as he outscored the Brooklyn Nets 14-13 all by himself.Other teams probably could have offered Radim Vrbata $10 million over two years. What the Vancouver Canucks had that the competition didnt was the chance to play with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. So when general manager Jim Benning suggested it, Vrbata took it as another reason to sign with the Canucks. "He was saying that they were looking for somebody to play with Sedins and that they think I could be the guy," Vrbata said on a conference call Thursday. "I feel like with the way they play and the way they see the game, its something that would probably suit my game. Yeah, it was real interesting to have that chance." Itll be up to coach Willie Desjardins to form the lines, Benning said, but it was part of the plan to give Vrbata an opportunity with the Sedins. Benning likes that Vrbata can read plays and jump into holes. Vrbata, who had 20 goals and 31 assists in his final season with the defensive-minded Arizona Coyotes, will be counted on to produce more if hes Vancouvers top-line right-winger. He doesnt mind that pressure. "If you play with players like Sedins, you know that you will get your chances," Vrbata said. "When I think about the way they play, that kind of suits my game, I think. They like lots of give-and-gos and they like to get open for each other. I think thats something that I like to do, too." The addition of Vrbata could push Alex Burrows out of that spot. The 33-year-old who had been a regular linemate with the Sedins since 2010 had just five goals and 10 assists in 49 games this past season. Benning sees Burrows as the second-line right-winger alongside centre Nick Bonino -- acquired from the Anaheim Ducks in the Ryan Kesler trade -- and either Zack Kassian or Jannik Hansen. "We want to have balance amongst our four lines. We want to have scoring, we want to have scoring depth," Benning said. "Now we have depth at the forward positions where every line can contribute in the scoring, and thatts one of the things that we set out to do.dddddddddddd" Signing Vrbata could be the last major move in unrestricted free agency this summer for the Canucks, who got veteran goaltender Ryan Miller on Tuesday for $18 million over three years. "For the most part were done," Benning said. "We wanted to address a couple things to make our team a complete team going into this next season, and I think weve done that. ... Were going to probably go into the season with this team and were going to see where we stand and go from there." Vrbata fit on that checklist because the Canucks wanted to add a scorer. Benning said there were some possibilities on Day One, but when they didnt materialize, the 33-year-old Czech became a priority. "For us, he plays a 200-foot game," Benning said. "He plays in all three zones and hes got real good hockey sense and hands to finish. Hes going to help us on our power play." And in the shootout. Vrbata had five goals on 12 attempts last season. But its the goals he could help produce alongside the Sedins that made Vrbata particularly attractive to the Canucks, and vice-versa. Vrbata understands he might not spend 80 games with Daniel and Henrik but doesnt sound like hed complain about doing that. "Im a big, big believer in chemistry and kind of synergy," Vrbata said. "I feel like when you have chemistry with somebody, that helps so much in todays league where sometimes its so tight and if you can really trust and gain advantage by knowing the guys youre on a line (with)." Notes -- The Canucks lost Mike Santorelli in free agency after the centre signed a US$1.5-million, one-year deal with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Benning said Vrbata got the nod over Santorelli because he has been a more consistent scorer over a longer period of time. ... Benning confirmed on a conference call with reporters that Travis Green would be back as coach of the Canucks AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. ' ' '