While doing the play-by-play of the Canada-Russia challenge for TSN I got a chance to watch and chat with a couple of Winnipeg Jet prospects, one a little better known than the other. The two were Mark Scheifele, no longer a stranger to Jets fans, the other was Luke Sutter, a youngster with a last name very well known to all hockey fans. Two things different about Scheifele. To see him off the ice you immediately see that he has filled out. Now over 61" and over 190 lbs he looks more like a pro than a junior. Which will he be next season? We will hopefully know in the next two months. Some of that rests with Scheifele, some rests with the Jets, some rests with the negotiations between the owners and players as they attempt to hammer out a new CBA in time to start main training camps on schedule. The Jets and several other teams have already cancelled rookie camps. Being of junior age, Scheifele either plays with the Jets or returns to Barrie of the OHL. That despite finishing last season in the AHL with the St. Johns IceCaps. On the ice there is an edge to Scheifeles game. Something that he is adding to his skill set. That will not be the main asset he brings to the NHL, but with Team Canada head coach Steve Spott wanting an aggressive style from his troops, as a returning player to the team, Scheifele added that element to his game. In international competition that sometimes comes with a price. He was handed a kneeing major and game misconduct in Game 2 of the series in Yaroslavl, on a play where he was simply finishing his check. In the four game series he was physical, at times bordering on chippy, did some trash talking, all while saving his best game for when Canada needed him most, the final night of series, Game 4 in Halifax. Just a quick recap, Canada needed a regulation win to force overtime to decide a series winner. Coach Spott demanded more from his top players in that final game, Scheifele had three assists in a 4-2 win. "With all the travel, it was a bit of a new challenge, but a fun time that not many get to do," commented Scheifele after a morning skate. With a lot of his focus on his goal of making the Jets roster and staying in the NHL, was keeping his mind on the four-game series difficult? "You separate the two, just work on your game, work to get better and develop. The next step is a big one to make." For Hockey Canada, Scheifele is in a group of players that played in the challenge, but may not be available come December because they are in the NHL and may or may not get released by their NHL teams to play in the World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia. As for the physical play we saw from Scheifele, he says there are a number of things that played into it. "The rivalry between Canada and Russia brings that out in a player, but being bigger and stronger I feel more comfortable with my body and feel I can play that way. I always had that in me, getting under peoples skin, but not in a dirty way. I started that way in Russia and carried it through the series. Im not a cruncher but will use my body to finish my checks. I have always been competitive." "We all stepped up in the final game," continued Scheifele. "The character of our team showed." "With Mark we are seeing the emergence of a top six forward in the NHL," said Coach Spott. "We wanted Mark to be more physical and compete, and he answered both. That was an area of concern." In the final game Spott used his leaders in all situations. "Mark played five-on-five, power play and in the final used him and our best players on the penalty kill as well. The coaching staff was comfortable using Mark to kill." Lets go back a year. Last summer for Scheifele included international tournaments, the draft, and world junior tryouts. That was followed by Jets rookie camp, main camp, five NHL pre-season games (eight points), seven NHL games (first NHL goal), 47 OHL games (23-40-63), six games at the World Junior championship (3-3-6), 13 OHL playoff games (5-7-12), and 10 AHL playoff games. Then some down time. He took two weeks off " to rest". "With the extra weight I put on (15 lbs) I feel stronger, more powerful. Something I will need against bigger players." For Luke Sutter the four-game challenge was part of a busy summer and what could be a big year. He was drafted by the Jets, attended the prospect camp, joined Team Canada for the series, will attend Jets rookie camp, head back to his CHL team, the Saskatoon Blades, hopefully get to perform for his country in Ufa and then get ready as Saskatoon hosts the Memorial Cup with the Blades in as the host team, but wanting to make some noise and go in as the WHL Champion instead. The Jets also have a pre-season game scheduled for Saskatoon. "To be part of this international challenge is a real eye opener. You get to meet and know other players, learn more about yourself, get to experience the travel and deal with the highs and lows." Unlike Scheifele, Lukes game is all about playing with an edge (28-31-59 with 165 PIM). After all, he is a Sutter and his father (Rich), five of his uncles and four of his cousins who have played or been drafted into the NHL, all have that in their game. The concern for Luke is to play the way he has to play, but not to cross the line that results in penalties. Every pre-game speech by Coach Spott dealt with discipline and how penalties can be the difference between a gold medal and a silver or bronze. Coaches have to be able to trust their players. Yet at 61" and over 200 lbs, that size and the way he plays can be intimidating to the opposition. The Blades like that part of his game, and so do the Jets. So now like everyone else, the two players will continue working out, will keep watching TSN for the latest updates on the CBA negotiations and with one "Challenge" in the books with victory accomplished, be ready for the next challenge. Whatever that challenge might be. cheap jerseys nhl . -- Clara Hughes of Glen Sutton, Que. Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping . When the Hornets saw Durant slam down an alley-oop lob to punctuate a fast break and give the Thunder a 30-point first-half lead, it reminded them of how far they still have to go to match the NBAs elite. Durant and Kevin Martin each scored 27 points, and the Thunder rolled to their sixth victory in seven games, 110-95 over New Orleans on Friday night. http://www.wholesalecheapnflje... . The Calgary native won eight Paralympic medals -- four silver and four bronze -- during her 17-year career on the Para-Alpine team. [url=http://www.wholesalecheapnfljerseysmart.com/]cheap jerseys mart . Some, like Canadian Ryder Hesjedal, crashed en route and have the scars to prove it. Flying off your bike at close to 70 km per hour into a tangle of bodies, machinery and unforgiving tarmac is hardly an ideal entree to the Summer Games. cheap nfl jerseys mart .Shved took over in crunchtime as Russia picked up their first Olympic medal in mens basketball."This is one of the best moments of my life. When you come to the Olympic Games and win a medal, not every athlete can do this," Shved said. BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Garrett Reid, the oldest son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid, was found dead Sunday morning in his room at the clubs training camp at Lehigh University. He was 29. The police chief at Lehigh, Edward Shupp, said a 911 call was made at 7:20 a.m., and that Garrett Reid was dead when a policeman arrived at the campus dormitory. A cause of death has not been determined. "There were no suspicious activities," Shupp said. The 29-year-old Reid struggled with drug abuse for years and was imprisoned for a 2007 high-speed car crash in which another driver was injured. Police found heroin, which Reid admitted to using, and more than 200 pills in his car. When he surrendered to begin serving his sentence in that case, prison guards found Reid had tried to smuggle prescription pills into jail. Reid seemed to have rebounded from his problems in recent times and was assisting the Eagles strength coaches at camp in an unofficial capacity, a not-uncommon sort of role for NFL coaches sons. Many of the coaches and staff stay in the Lehigh dorms. In the midst of his legal troubles in his early 20s, Reid said he "got a thrill" out of being a drug dealer in a lower-income neighbourhood just a few miles from his parents suburban Villanova mansion. "I liked being the rich kid in that area and having my own high-status life," Reid told a probation officer, according to court testimony in November 2007. "I could go anywhere in the hood. They all knew who I was. I enjoyed it. I liked being a drug dealer." At his sentencing hearing, Reid told the judge: "I dont want to die doing drugs. I dont want to be that kid who was the son of the head coach of the Eagles, who was spoiled and on drugs and ODd and just faded into oblivion." His younger brother, Britt, also had problems with drug use and was arrested on the same day as Garrett in 2007 for a road-rage encounter. Police discovered weapons and drugs in Britt Reids vehicle. The Eagles practiced Sunday morning after gathering for a team prayer, but Andy Reid was not present. Assistants Marty Mornnhinweg and Juan Castillo ran the teams walkthrough and will oversee the Eagles until Reid returns.dddddddddddd Owner Jeffery Lurie said he expected Reid back this week. The afternoon session Sunday went on, but Lurie cancelled his annual state of the team address. "Today is one of lifes tough days," Lurie said. "Andy is a rock solid man. I think what makes him a great coach is his combination of compassion, feeling and strength. And today, he exhibited it all. Its unimaginable. Weve all suffered -- most of us have suffered tragedy in our lives. Losing a son is unimaginable. Losing a child is unimaginable -- the pain. Again, he is rock solid." Expressions of sympathy came from everywhere around the league. "My condolences go out to Coach Reid and his family," quarterback Michael Vick tweeted. "Stay strong and we LOVE you coach." Said Commissioner Roger Goodell: "We are deeply saddened by the news about Garrett Reid. Our thoughts and prayers are with Andy, Tammy and their family. We will support them and the Eagles in any way we can through this difficult time." Authorities had few details about Garrett Reids death. "What I can tell you is this morning we were contacted by the Lehigh campus police department and (were) requested to respond for the discovery of a deceased male," said Northampton County coroner Zachary Lysek. "We are conducting an investigation with the co-operation of the Lehigh campus police department and I personally pronounced Mr. Reid deceased at the scene." Andy Reid, a father of five, took a leave of absence from the Eagles during the 2007 off-season to spend more time with his family. Reid is in his 14th season in Philadelphia. Hes led the Eagles to nine playoff appearances, six NFC East titles, five conference championship games and one Super Bowl loss. "Weve been with Andy for a long time. Hes always been strong for us; were going to be strong for him right now," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. "As a father and a friend, were all hurting." ' ' '