Forums » Off-Topic Discussions

Justin Peters for an extra skater.

  • March 27, 2018 9:09 PM PDT

    ORCHARD PARK, N. Charles Woodson Jersey .Y. -- Receiver Stevie Johnson is heading to his hometown San Francisco 49ers after being the odd man out in Buffalo. The Bills traded Johnson to the 49ers on Friday in a deal made before the start of the second round of the NFL draft. In exchange, Buffalo acquired an undisclosed pick next year. ESPN reported it was a conditional fourth-round selection. The deal was made a day after the Bills traded up five spots to select Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins with the fourth pick. Watkins addition was the latest in a series of moves the Bills have made to restock their receiver position, and it led to Johnson being expendable after six seasons in Buffalo. The Bills also acquired receiver Mike Williams in a trade with Tampa Bay last month. Last year, Buffalo used second- and third-round picks to draft Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin. Johnson left Buffalo on Thursday, when he was spotted on a flight that landed in Las Vegas about an hour after Buffalo drafted Watkins. "Todays decision was not an easy one to make, especially involving a player like Stevie, who leaves everything he has on the field and is an emotional leader in our locker room," Bills general manager Doug Whaley said. "All of the decisions we make are done so in the best interest of our team." The 49ers, by comparison, had a need for receiver and were expected to address the position in the draft. San Francisco instead gained an experienced player in Johnson to fill a key spot as San Franciscos likely No. 3 receiver behind Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin. While Boldin received a new $12 million, two-year contract in March, Crabtree is entering the final season of his contract and San Francisco lost Mario Manningham in free agency. Johnson spent the past four seasons as a starter in Buffalo. He became the Bills first player to break 1,000 yards receiving in consecutive seasons in 2010-11, and extended the streak in 2012. 49ers first-round draft pick safety Jimmie Ward was thrilled to learn of the addition of Johnson as the defender made the rounds at team headquarters Friday. "Its awesome," Ward said. "Im a competitor so I like to play against the best guys. If youve got a lot of best guys on your team, thats only going to get me better at the end of the day." Johnsons numbers dropped last year, when he finished with 52 catches for 597 yards in 12 games. Aside from being slowed by an assortment of injuries, he was excused by the team for the final two games of the season following the death of his mother. Overall, he has 301 catches for 3,842 yards and 28 touchdowns in 75 games. Johnson is from San Francisco and played collegiately at Kentucky. The Bills selected him in the seventh round in 2008. At 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, Johnson can play on the outside, but is best suited to play an inside slot position. Johnson is known for his outgoing personality and colorful touchdown celebrations that have, on occasion, gotten him into trouble. Former Bills coach Chan Gailey benched Johnson for the final three quarters of Buffalos 2011 season finale. The discipline occurred after Johnson was penalized a second time that season for an excessive touchdown celebration. The Bills, who havent made the playoffs in 14 seasons, are counting on Watkins to add a dynamic threat to an offence that lacked consistency last season under rookie quarterback EJ Manuel. Whaley acknowledged the risk he took with a "win-now" approach by giving up a No. 9 pick this year, plus a first- and fourth-round pick next year in trade with Cleveland to select Watkins. Thats fine with Watkins, who arrived in Buffalo earlier in the day. "Throughout my whole life Ive had high expectations of myself," Watkins said. "I cant wait to get it started." In three seasons, Watkins set 23 school records, including career marks with 240 catches and 3,391 yards. His 27 career touchdowns matched a school record. AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in Santa Clara, California, contributed to this report. Rodney Hudson Jersey . LOUIS -- Julius Randle had 19 points and 15 rebounds, Aaron Harrison finished with 18 points and No. Aldon Smith Jersey . Watch all the action unfold live on TSN and TSN Mobile TV at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. You can also watch the game live with the debut of Wednesday Night Hockey on TSN.ca and chat throughout the game with TSN.WASHINGTON - Alex Ovechkin and the mistake-prone Washington Capitals were embarrassed by the travel-weary Arizona Coyotes, prompting coach Barry Trotz to keep the locker room doors closed for a few extra minutes after the 6-5 loss on Sunday night to deliver a grim message to his players.Behavior has to change, Trotz said. Or we have to change people, plain and simple.The Capitals collective misbehaviour allowed Washington to blow a two-goal, first-period lead by allowing five straight goals to a team that could have been forgiven for having one foot on the plane headed home.The Coyotes, wrapping up a four-game road trip, had been outscored 12-4 in the first three games.But there was breakdown after breakdown by the home team, and Ovechkin was often in the middle of it. He broke a six-game goal drought and had three assists, but he committed a crucial penalty that led to the Coyotes tying goal in the second period and had a sloppy turnover that gave Arizona another score in the third.He hasnt been the only culprit, for sure. The Capitals have lost four straight and allowed at least four goals each time.Sometimes I get the feeling we want to play as hard as we just need to, and thats not how I operate, said Trotz, who is in his first season with Washington. Thats not how you win in this league.Its an old story — already. Its too old for me.Trotz was particularly upset by a sequence in the final minute of the second period. A needless icing forced him to take a timeout because his skaters were tired. Then came a high-sticking penalty on Ovechkin, although the call appeared to be a bit dubious. Shane Doan scored on the ensuing power play with 5 seconds left in the period to tie it at 3.The commitment level has to be a little better than it is now in a lot of differentt areas, defenceman Brooks Orpik said. Donald Penn Jersey. We have guys making mistakes that experienced guys shouldnt make.Right now one guy makes a mistake and everybody else kind of watches it happen.Trailing 3-1 after the first period, the Coyotes rallied with power-play goals by Michael Stone and Doan in the second before Sam Gagner and Doan capitalized on sloppy turnovers early in the third. Doans second goal came after Ovechkin completely whiffed trying to control the puck near the side boards in the Capitals end.Antoine Vermette tallied in the first period, and Tobias Rieder added his first NHL goal late in the third for the Coyotes. Mikkel Boedker assisted on both third-period goals, ending his streak of seven games without a point. Devan Dubnyk made 32 saves.We wanted to end the trip on a good note, Arizona coach Dave Tippett said. Things hadnt gone our way.The Capitals managed to put together their own rally late after pulling goalie Justin Peters for an extra skater. Joel Ward scored on a power play with 1:53 remaining, and Troy Brower cut the deficit to one with 27 seconds remaining, but it wasnt enough.Peters, getting his third start of the season ahead of Braden Holtby, stopped just 24 of 30 shots.NOTES: Ovechkin ended his drought with a classic Ovechkin goal — a one-timer from the left circle during a power play late in the first period. His six games without a goal had been his longest such streak since November 2011. His four points moved him into a tie with Peter Bondra (825) atop the franchises career points list. ... Backstrom passed Dale Hunter (375) for fourth place on Washingtons career assists list. ... The Coyotes won for the first time in six road games this season.___Follow Joseph White on Twitter: http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP       ' ' '