#don’t ask how they’ll work that out post-game when quinn is like 12+ years on E and in her mid-late 40s. girl is shooting blanks for sure

[trevisos]

i’m obsessed with the idea that bc they had to fall back from denerim that alistair and nori (and anora) are all at skyhold because that Does mean there’s a non-zero chance quinn’s oldest kid and alistair and nori’s royal bastard(s) are hanging out. which is extremely fun to imagine

[fuckyeahalexedler]

Ben Kuzma: Chasing fitness fanatic Sedins could help Edler extend NHL career

"As you get older, everyone expects you to get slower. I feel good. I’m not really looking further than my contract, but I obviously want to keep playing as long as I can." — Alex Edler, Vancouver Canucks veteran defenceman

Endurance and recovery are key components in any training regimen.

For Alex Edler, ramping up a running routine to complement skating drills in advance of the Vancouver Canucks training camp — set to begin on July 13 — has taken on a new meaning.

He knows the best-of-five qualifying series with the Minnesota Wild is going to test his strength, stamina and stride with games every other night. He also knew making the most of the Lower Mainland outdoors during the novel coronavirus physical-distancing restrictions could be a bonus.

Especially when you accept a running invitation from fitness fanatics Daniel and Henrik Sedin.

Edler has a year left on his contract and the 34-year-old Swede would like to emulate his countrymen by extending the competitive career curve. Chasing the Sedins on a vertical mountain trail is a good barometer.

After all, the day before Sedins Week in February to celebrate their jersey retirements, the twins ran a half marathon. No big deal, they have run a marathon. Running six times a week and logging 100 kilometres is part of their retirement routine.

“Every summer, I try to focus a lot on cardio and they asked me if I wanted to join them for a trail run,” Edler said Friday, following a Phase 2 voluntary skate at Rogers Arena. “I said I didn’t know because I probably had no chance of keeping up with them. They said: ‘It’s OK because we just ran a marathon last week and this is more of a recovery week for us.’

“So, I did run but it was really long and hard. It was 20 kilometres up and down and not running all the time, but we were going up Grouse Mountain because they know all the trails up there. I was just trying to stay with them and even trying to catch up to them, but that made it even harder by trying to run and talk.

“I’ve been fortunate to work out with them a lot because of their work ethic and it just rubs off on you. And it was so good for the young guys to see how hard they pushed.”

That experience and career perspective afforded by the Sedins — first ballot Hockey Hall of Fame locks for sure — is inspiring.

Edler vowed to carry on their legacy in the community and be a culture-defining presence in the room. And because he doesn’t want to be one of those 30-plus defencemen who just fades away and proves more of a hindrance than a help, he gamely attempts to match strides with the Sedins, and also works on every facet of his skating with local skating coach Barb Aidelbaum.

“He’s a quiet guy,” said Aidelbaum. “We’ve been skating together since 2014 and I just kind of sat back and looked at what he was bringing to the rink when we first resumed skating two weeks ago. He was mentally free and physically fresh.

“You see that and think: ‘Gee, I hope the other players have used their time as productively as he has.’ He’s a thinker and in a really good place. It took him about 30 minutes our first day and you would look at him and think he hadn’t had the (season pause) break. He felt it in the lungs, but he has done so much work on the technical aspect of his skating, that the fundamentals are there.

“It’s the edges and balance and his drive and positioning. It has been repeated for so many years and you don’t lose that. It’s not quite as easy as riding a bike, but if you show up the first day and you’re set — you’re just ready to go. He’s in a really good place.”

It didn’t happen overnight. It came through observation and application.

Edler was 20 in the 2006-07 season and the Canucks roster sported seasoned blueliners in Sami Salo (31), Mattias Ohlund (29), Willie Mitchell (29) and Brent Sopel (29). The Sedins were 25 and already 80-point producers, so the on-the-job training was not lost on Edler.

And if Aidelbaum could help fine tune the skating, then Edler was going to have a leg up on longevity.

“She’s not trying to change the way you skate, just make small tweaks to be more efficient,” said Edler. “It has been really good for me because as you get older, everyone expects you to get slower. I don’t know how you’re supposed to feel when you’re 34.

“I feel good. I’m not really looking further than my contract, but I obviously want to keep playing as long as I can. We’ve been getting better and it’s exciting and you want to be a part of it.”

The Sedins retired at age 37. Salo and Mitchell called it quits at 38 and Edler’s future depends on health and club direction.

Younger players like Olli Juolevi must be worked into the fold and there’s the ongoing pursuit of Nikita Tryamkin, the curiosity if Brogan Rafferty’s offensive game can translate from the AHL and how far NCAA phenom Jack Rathbone is from playing in the NHL.

Edler suffered a shoulder injury in a collision with Zack Kassian on Nov. 30 and was sidelined for 10 games. His average minutes slipped from 24:39 last season to 22:37 with the arrival of Calder Trophy candidate Quinn Hughes. The rookie’s ascension included quick promotion to the first power-play unit that was ranked fourth when the NHL season was paused March 12.

Edler ranked third overall in blocked shots this season and of his 33 points (5-28) in 59 games, 26 came at even strength. He also took a team high 26 minor penalties.

Edler’s best value this season may be in what awaits the Canucks.

Jay Beagle leads the club in post-season experience with 85 games and won a Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals. Tyler Toffoli (47 games) and Tanner Pearson (34) won a Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings, while Edler (65) and J.T. Miler (61) have considerable game experience.

However in the top-six mix, Elias Pettersson and Brock Boeser have yet to play a post-season game. Same for third-liners Adam Gaudette and Jake Virtanen.

“Who knows what it’s going to be like with empty stands, so it might be even more important to try and lead the way and use my experience,” said Edler.

“The Wild have some veterans who have been around and have playoff experience. It’s definitely going to be a hard series and a tight series, but we have a good chance.”

Edler has two young daughters and is vigilant with COVID-19 safety protocols in the city and province. He’s also wary of how they’ll be applied at the Western Conference post-season hub in Edmonton. There is some trepidation among players and opting out of post-season play is an NHL option.

“They’re working hard to create a safe space for us and there’s no doubt that everything that can be done is being done,” said Edler. “There’s uncertainty for the whole world, but it’s obvious we have to create a safe environment for everyone. And if we can’t, we can’t play because that’s priority number 1.

“Everyone is in a different situation. Some may have health things going on, something in the family or just what kind person you are. The virus has been hard to predict and it’s the right thing to think about health and family first.”

(July 3, 2020)

[footyplusau]

Essendon have a familiar look about them in 2017, but will that translate into wins?

An Essendon fan whose work revolves around football was asked in passing during the week how he thought the Bombers would fare in 2017. “They’ll finish somewhere between second and 16th,” he said.

Has there ever been a greater unknown quantity entering a season than the Bombers of this year? This is a club that finished last in 2016, but welcomes back 10 experienced players fresh from a year out of the game. Bar some compensation claims and concerns for the health of former coach James Hird, the damage the disastrous 2012 supplements regime caused are behind them. Having sought an edge, the Bombers spent four years playing with one hand behind their back – last year it was probably two hands – but in 2017 they are unencumbered.

The best of times: Essendon beat Hawthorn early in 2015. Photo: Quinn Rooney

But what now? Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell recognises that the wins won’t simply roll in. “The challenges of the past few years are almost fully behind us, but, in reality, all that means is that for the first time in a long while we are only now on a level playing field with our competitors,” Campbell told Fairfax Media.

His stance typifies the cautious optimism of the club. “I know our guys are excited about this, but we all realise we have a serious amount of hard work in front of us,” Campbell said.

The worst of times: the Dons were thumped by the Saints in round 14 of 2015. Photo: Quinn Rooney

“The uncertainty of where our team sits – given the unique position of bringing in such a significant number of key players – is well known among commentators and observers, but there is a level of excitement, hunger and positivity – among the playing group, the broader club and our fans – that we haven’t seen for some time.”

So just where does Essendon sit? The club’s recent history is undoubtedly clouded, but offers clues.

Where they’ve come from

The Bombers pushed the boundaries of sports science more than five years ago in order to snag a first finals win since 2004. That narrow victory against Melbourne in the elimination final remains the Dons’ most recent finals triumph. They’ve only made the final eight three times in that period, thumped by Adelaide (2009) and Carlton (2011), and overrun by North Melbourne (2014). To put it bluntly, this has been a remarkably unsuccessful era. Only the Bombers, Richmond and expansion club Gold Coast are without a finals win since the start of 2005. Ideally, one would look at pre-saga Essendon to get a  gauge on how the club might go this year, but that is half a decade ago. Three-quarters of the list has been turned over, so there would appear to be little  benefit in looking at 2012. The following three seasons were all played while lugging around the elephant of the scandal. It is impossible to tell just how much of an impact it had, and when that impact was most acutely felt. In raw terms, home-and-away win tallies of 14, 12 and six suggests a team of diminishing quality, but to look at that in isolation would be like calling Donald Trump a politician: true, but only scratching the surface. Last year, at least statistically, was a write-off. Three wins  were really just a bonus in the long-run. Not that there weren’t plenty of gains made while the banned boys were on the sidelines.

Livewire: Orazio Fantasia Photo: Quinn Rooney

The best – round two, 2015

To get a picture of what Essendon have been capable of in the relatively recent future, look back less than  two years ago, to round two, 2015. Denied pre-season games because of an impending AFL anti-doping tribunal hearing, the temporarily unburdened and largely uninjured Bombers were pipped in a round-one heart-stopper away to 2014 grand finalists Sydney. Eight days later, they fronted up at the MCG and knocked off back-to-back reigning premiers Hawthorn, who as it turned out were en route to a third straight flag. Among the best that day for Essendon were Dyson Heppell, Cale Hooker, Zach Merrett, Jobe Watson, Brendon Goddard, Brent Stanton and Michael Hurley, all of whom are still there. Fifteen of the 22 that beat the Hawks are still at the club. The seven who have departed are Jake Melksham, Michael Hibberd, Jake Carlisle, Paul Chapman, Adam Cooney, James Gwilt and Jason Ashby. It’s not a bad collection, but there are some handy potential replacements coach John Worsfold could now call on.

Pressure is on: Heath Hocking Photo: Patrick Scala

Who they’ve added since

Melksham played well that day against the Hawks, but had become a frustrating player for Dons fans by the time he left to join the Demons at the end of 2015. Darcy Parish got 20 games worth of experience in a depleted side last year, and in the medium term should be an upgrade on Melksham. Hibberd’s run from half-back pushed him towards All-Australian contention as recently as 2014. He is rated by Champion Data as an above-average player. Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti emerged as line-breaking defender last year, but was pushed forward towards the end of the season and has spent time near goal in the pre-season. If he stays there, then perhaps Hibberd’s place goes to No. 1 draft pick Andrew McGrath, who is likely to ultimately become a midfielder, but is capable at half-back, too. Or it could be veteran James Kelly, finished as a footballer 16 months ago but given a lifeline as a top-up.

Carlisle played various roles in his last couple of years at the Dons. That day against the Hawks he was a forward, an area of serious concern for the Bombers then and now. As the old adage goes, good key forwards don’t grow on trees. Mitch Brown was no more than serviceable last year playing as second banana to the unreliable but at-times superb Joe Daniher. James Stewart showed glimpses of brilliance during his time at Greater Western Sydney but the jury is out. Instead it will probably be Hooker – an unlikely match-winning goalkicker that day against the Hawks – who lines up alongside Daniher, having trained during the pre-season as a forward. The logical replacement for Hooker down back is Michael Hartley, who coped reasonably well in an under-siege backline last year. Chapman’s spot in the team has been taken by speedy Orazio Fantasia, whose 29 goals last year were second at the club behind Daniher’s 43. Cooney can be comfortably replaced by David Myers, who has barely played a game in two years because of injury and suspension, missing that Hawks win after being hurt the previous week against the Swans. Gwilt’s spot as an undersized key defender was effectively taken by Matt Dea, who did enough as a top-up to earn another year at Tullamarine. Ashby was no more than a fringe-dweller, with tall third year midfielder Kyle Langford a likely candidate for his spot in the 22 after a strong off-season.

Fitness

It hasn’t been an entirely injury-free summer for Essendon. Tom Bellchambers – who played that day against the Hawks – faces a delayed start to the season because of a knee issue, which means Matthew Leuenberger is likely to retain the ruck spot he took last year with Bellchambers suspended. Hooker, Hurley, Hartley, highly rated youngster Aaron Francis, and Daniher have all had niggles, although  none seem too serious.

Selection decisions

Tough calls might loom on the likes of midfielders Heath Hocking, Stanton and Ben Howlett, all of whom were regulars before their suspensions. But with McDonald-Tipungwuti, Fantasia and Parish having all become regulars, and with talented youngsters such as McGrath, Langford, Francis and Jayden Laverde knocking on the door, there should be competition for spots. Not to mention Craig Bird, Conor McKenna and Jackson Merrett, all of whom played plenty of senior footy last year in the absence of the suspended group. It could mean pressure too on defender Patrick Ambrose, who was serviceable when shifted back last year but looks vulnerable if the Dons get most of their list fit.

So how do they go?

Helping Essendon’s cause is an accommodating fixture, rated by Fairfax Media’s Rohan Connolly as the easiest in the AFL in 2017. If their stars play to the level they did that day against Hawthorn, Essendon should be very hard to beat this year, especially if they get further improvement from the young brigade. That, of course, is a massive if. Three months after that win, an Essendon team featuring 16 of the same players – including Heppell, an admittedly banged-up Watson, Hooker, Hurley, Zach Merrett and Goddard lost to lowly St Kilda by 110 points. That dispirited performance – coming a couple of months after WADA appealed the AFL Tribunal’s verdict – sowed the seed for Hird’s departure the following month. Play like that and the Bombers will finish in the bottom four. So which Dons show up in 2017? Even they say they don’t know.

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