NEU » direction.I can feel the chassis is working and

The most non-traditional hockey journey to one of the sports most history-laden franchises begins officially Wednesday night in Ottawa. Auston Matthews will pull on a Toronto Maple Leafs sweater for his first, real NHL game.The kid from Scottsdale, Arizona, who chose hockey over baseball six years ago, is now charged with being the Original Six teams savior as?the Leafs begin their Centennial season in the midst of a massive yet promising rebuild. At the middle of it all is Matthews, whose path from Arizona to Michigan to Switzerland and now Toronto is something to behold.There are so many things that run through your head, Brian Matthews told ESPN.com this week as his sons big moment approached. Probably a lot of the same stuff that was running through my head at the World Cup and at the draft: memories, emotions, road trips, all of these things that you thought were long lost and forgotten and they come rushing back in. You kind of relive moments that have nothing to do with whats happening at the time -- enjoyment and fun from previous years and how we got here.On Tuesday, young Auston -- along with linemate and fellow rookie William Nylander?-- was the last player to come off the ice at the teams practice facility in Toronto. A rink rat, like hes always been. There were no visible signs that it was the eve of a seminal moment in his young life.Afterward, the 19-year-old center allowed that he has indeed taken time to think what Wednesday night represents for him.Its going to be a dream come true. Its something that you think about ever since youre a little kid. My parents will be there. Its going to be a special moment.Brian and Ema Matthews, like many parents of gifted athletes, are central to the story. Ema lived with Auston last season when he played pro hockey in Switzerland during his NHL draft year, and this season it will be dad living with Auston in his Toronto pad.At some point we wont be there, well just be going to games, said Brian, a chief technological officer for a New Jersey-based manufacturing company. But this seemed to be the best possible plan for this transition.Matthews is still a kid, with enormous pressure on his shoulders, living in a foreign country. The decision to have dad live with his son seems awfully smart at this juncture.The job that his parents have done with him, with the maturity, the respectfulness and the politeness, it just comes out loud and clear, said Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello on Tuesday. We found that out right away when we had the opportunity to sit down with his parents and sisters. And then, spending some time with him, prior to the draft. He certainly has a presence about him, the way he handles himself beyond his age. Right now he just has to not expect too much of himself. He has to grow. Hes still young, [its his] first year in the league, there are a lot of highs and lows.To that end, the Leafs organization is ensuring that Matthews has only hockey to focus on this season. The demands are constant -- everyone in hockey-crazy Toronto wants a piece of young Matthews. But the Leafs, in conjunction with Matthews agent, Pat Brisson, are taking steps to make sure hes not overwhelmed.I have a tremendous respect and relationship with Pat Brisson, said Lamoriello. We talk often. Theres open communication about whats best for [Matthews] future. Everyone is on board.Matthews will be available to the media like any other player at practice and games, but Leafs PR director Steve Keogh will sift through the mountain of other daily requests to ensure that the young player isnt overrun.?Lamoriello believes the Leafs have a head coach who is perfectly suited to bring Matthews along -- and, in a way, protect him, too.Mike Babcock is, day in and day out, just outstanding at doing that, said Lamoriello. And I think thats basically our biggest asset, with the young group that we have.The season of pro hockey in Switzerland last season plus his experience at the IIHF world championships in Russia last spring and at the best-on-best World Cup in Toronto last month have all helped prepare Matthews for the level of competition hell face in the NHL.I think its benefitted me a lot, said Matthews. Just going against older, more mature players who have experience in the NHL and professional hockey for a long time.That Matthews chose the Swiss League last year, a tough test for a teenager, didnt surprise his father.Hes always sought after the best that he can go against, said Brian. It doesnt matter which sport. Hes always looking for another challenge. A big part is that hes willing to take on and accept the consequences; he just wants a shot. So if he gets to go up against the best, whether it was Switzerland or in Mini Mites, or now the NHL, thats all he wants -- that challenge, the ability to face it, to test his abilities, to see what he needs to work on.He knows he has a ton he has to learn, but you have to start somewhere and I think hes just looking forward to just getting it going.It was 31 years ago that Wendel Clark went from being taken with the first overall NHL pick by the Maple Leafs to rookie forward with the club just a few months later. Even though Matthews has benefitted from his pro experience during the past year, Clark says that his first official game wearing that Leafs uniform will be something that stands alone.The exhibition games are one thing, and playing in the World Cup certainly helps, but theres still that very first game, Clark said Tuesday. Thats the real kickoff to his career. That first game, the warm-up, putting the sweater on, its really happening now. Its fun.And to think, if the Winnipeg Jets hadnt moved to Arizona some 21 years ago, it might have never happened. Auston Matthews might have never have become a fan of the sport.I think he would have played baseball, it could have been football, it could have been a number of different sports, his father said. But if the Coyotes had not been in our backyard and he hadnt gotten that exposure early on ... I honestly would not give it a big chance as to where he would be from a hockey perspective today without the Coyotes being here. No doubt about that.The kid known affectionately by his family and friends as Papi is ready to take on the NHL. And with that, a franchise with a tortured past is officially set to the turn the page.Cortez Kennedy Jersey . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety. Russell Wilson Seahawks Jersey . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. http://www.seahawksfansofficial.com/shaun-alexander-jersey/ . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night. Michael Dickson Youth Jersey . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. Cody Barton Womens Jersey .Y. -- Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo had little trouble picking up his first shutout of the season against a Buffalo Sabres team thats having trouble scoring goals.SPIELBERG, Austria -- Daniel Ricciardo says Red Bulls return to form this year has reassured him that he is in a team capable of winning titles in the future.Ricciardo joined the senior Red Bull team in 2014 after it has won four consecutive titles with Sebastian Vettel. However, the change in engine regulations saw the team struggled with an uncompetitive Renault power unit, and despite three wins, Ricciardo finished a distant third in the drivers championship.Red Bulls decline continued in 2015 and the team failed to win a race for the first time in six years, with Ricciardo even further adrift in eighth place in the final championship standings. However, a win for the team at the Spanish Grand Prix and the first pole position of his career in Monaco has convinced Ricciardo Red Bull is the right team to be in for the future.Its massive, he said. Obviously for me as a driver but for everyone in the team, you dont see anyone leaving, weve still got a very good unit of aerodynamicists and engineers, so thats positive as well. I guess when people start looking [elsewhere] its like OK, theyre probably losing a bit of faith, but everyone is staying.The likes of Adrian [Newey] and that, he still has a bit of time on his contract, so thats good and you are starting to see it work now. Next year is going to be very interesting and hopefully it swings towards our favour. So its nice. This time a year ago it was not looking as positive, thats for sure, but now its turned around which is good.Asked if he had questioned his future at the team after 2015, Ricciardo added: Sure, you do, you think long term as well. 14 was a step down from where the team was in 13, and then the first few races, even half a season, of 15 was quite a significant step down. I dont think we were close to the podium in the first few races at all.dddddddddddd.Then it was if this trend continues, whats it going to be like in 2016 and beyond that? So sure it does cross your mind, I think its natural. But I was very impressed with how, within the season, they turned it around -- between Silverstone and Budapest it was like bang and then we then showed the pace in some races from there. So that was good for everyone, I think we all needed it.Weve kicked off this year, its still been a little bit up and down but I know for a fact the car is better than last year, and were finding more with the engine. Thats all you can ask for, as long as you feel improvements you know youre going in the right direction.I can feel the chassis is working and doing more of what I want it to do, so thats positive, and then obviously it means that the aerodynamicists and everything are on to something ... So then you just keep feeding them feedback and hopefully it keeps pushing in that direction, which is a better race car.2017 will see an overhaul of Formula Ones technical regulations, with the emphasis shifting back towards Red Bulls forte of aerodynamics. Asked if it could play into his teams favour, Ricciardo said: Yeah, I hope so. I hope it means my neck has to double in size! I hope all these things add up and work in that direction. Lets see.Apparently some of the simulations are showing the cars are going to be a lot quicker, the corner speeds, like Barcelona Turn 3 and 9 could be full again like they were a few years ago so that could be quite tasty for us. And mean a lot more work, which is good! I think its fun. ' ' '