hosts at the Camp Nou,

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TORONTO - Joe Colborne believes he is at last ready to be a regular in the NHL. "But its one thing to feel it and its another thing to go out and show it," said the now 23-year-old prospective Leafs centre. "And I realize that." Colborne has had a few cups of coffee with the big club in Toronto over the course of two-plus seasons in the organization – 16 career regular season games – but has yet to stick the landing for good. Inked to a one-year, one-way contract this past summer, he is staring hard at perhaps his final shot with the Leafs. With opportunity there for the taking, he knows no better time than the present to pronounce himself ready. "The only way you can do that is to come out and actually do it so thats what Im happy to do, come out and prove to people that Im an NHL player," Colborne said, acquired from Boston in the Tomas Kaberle trade of February 2011. "Doesnt mean anything if I think it, it has to be the coaching staff and the management." With a first round pedigree (2008), Colborne has long had the raw potential to make an impact in the NHL, what with the lofty stature (listed at 6-foot-5) and offensive handiness to make any scout scribble furiously in a notebook. Thicker these days at 220 pounds and now boasting an improved arsenal which includes increased speed – following continued work with Leafs skating consultant Barb Underhill – and an obvious infusion of confidence, its clear that Colborne is in position to put it all together. "He looks like hes grown into his body a little bit more," observed Leafs coach Randy Carlyle. "Hes a bigger man, thicker man. He seems more confident out there; hes handling the puck with more confidence. Hes a young player trying to cut his teeth." After tiptoeing into the Leafs lineup for Games 6 and 7 against the Bruins late last spring, Colborne returned home to Calgary this past summer where he could thankfully shoot pucks in the old barn with a clean bill of health. Memories of the previous summer still seem to sting. After he and the Marlies were thwarted by Norfolk in the Calder Cup Final in June, Colborne underwent wrist surgery that would force him to the sidelines for nearly all of the offseason. "In a word, it was frustrating," he recalled of the summer of 2012. "I felt like I was just spinning my wheels the whole time just sitting there. I couldnt do a lot of things. I couldnt be out shooting pucks in the old barn that we have out back that Ive done since I was little. I couldnt get on the ice until a week before camp [started]. "I rode the crap out of the bike and that was about all I could do." Forced to near-dormancy for most of the warmer months, Colborne arrived at Marlies training camp that fall with a swagger set at low, the effects of the wrist injury still lingering following an offseason seemingly wasted. "My one arm was so much skinnier than the other," he recalled. In spite of the surgery, the wrist still gave him trouble. He had difficulty shooting the puck, the result a lost first half of one goal in 25 games. Then one night a scary hit rocked Colborne, one that "actually scared me pretty bad". There was a "big pop" and from it the lengthy Boston draft pick believed hed reinjured the wrist. He returned to the bench in anger, slamming his stick to mark the frustration. "I kind of freaked out," he remembered with a grin. But after about a minutes worth of time the sting was gone and Colborne realized that he could move the once tender zone of his wrist better than he had since the injury first occurred. The results followed. Over the final 37 games, Colborne would tally 12 goals and 32 points before joining the Leafs towards the end of the year. "It was a tough situation," he reflected of the two-faced 2013 season, "but definitely something you learn from and I made sure I made up for it this summer." This fall represents perhaps the best chance for Colborne to finally realize his NHL potential with opportunity there for the taking in the bottom half of the Leafs forward ranks. Failure to land a spot might spell the end for him in Toronto. Colborne now requires waivers to return to the AHL and considering his age and talent package, its likely he would be lost to another club if they tried to pass him through to the Marlies. "I just want to go out and show that I can work well in both ends," Colborne said, stressing the importance of proving his worth in the defensive zone under Carlyle. "Its finding the right balance that the coaching staff wants me to have and pretty much playing whatever role they tell me to do and Ill go out there and do it to the best of my ability. Just show that I can play in a defensive role if they want me and in an offensive role [too]." "Anytime you have that kind of intangibles as far as size and skill and speed the skys the limit," Carlyle noted. "Itll be up to him to continue to show growth and take the next step and itll be us to provide him with the strong environment that he can do that." Now is the time for Joe Colborne and he knows it. "This year, knowing that I put in the work this summer I know I can come and I can handle the bag skates and I can handle all those other things," he said. "Its just now about going out there and making sure I go play the way I know I can." Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! .Y. -- The Buffalo Bills will head into the regular season short on experience at quarterback after trimming the roster on Friday. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! . The former world No. 1 Djokovic, who is the top seed here despite being ranked No. 2, snuck past 35-year-old Czech showman Radek Stepanek in four high- quality sets, 6-4, 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), on Centre Court. Djokovic appeared relieved when he converted on his first match point by swatting a cross-court forehand winner that just caught the line to end an affair that featured only two service breaks. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку!. Coming off a 6-0 drubbing at Chelsea on Saturday, Arsenal endured another demoralizing result after rallying for a 2-1 lead -- only to concede a fluke equalizer. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! . The Spanish champions decision not to sign a defender during the January transfer window may have backfired after Valencia took advantage of a lethargic, uninspired effort by its hosts at the Camp Nou, where former Spain coach Luis Aragones -- who previously coached the Catalan side -- was honoured after his death on Saturday. Зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы увидеть ссылку! . Fans can also watch the game on the newly launched TSN GO (currently available to Bell TV and Rogers customers), which gives TSN subscribers the freedom to live stream the networks programming from their smartphones, tablets, and computers at no additional charge – just as they would watch Canadas Sports Leader on TV at home. The following week, MLS ON TSN is at BMO Field in Toronto to deliver live coverage of TFCs home opener vs. D.C. United on Saturday, March 22 at 4:30 p.OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta has undergone surgery to repair a dislocated right hip and is done for the year. The operation was performed on Monday. The injury occurred in Sundays game against Cleveland, when Pitta went down without being touched and had to be removed from the field on a cart. Its the same injury that sidelined Pitta for much of last seasson.dddddddddddd Coach John Harbaugh is unsure if its a career-ending injury. He says, We have to be really hopeful for Dennis return. Im sure well learn about that in the coming weeks. Owen Daniels takes over as the top tight end, and H-back Kyle Juszczyk could get added playing time. Harbaugh acknowledged that the team is also looking for another tight end. ' ' '