TORONTO – He was nowhere to be found in the fall of 2013. Joe Schobert Jersey . While the first day of Maple Leafs training camp got underway at the Mastercard Centre in west Toronto, Cody Franson sat at home in his apartment, waiting for 3pm practice with the Ryerson Rams. He was mired in the second of three contract struggles, this one finally coming to a close on Sept. 26, less than a week before the start of the regular season. "It was really weird," he recalled of the experience. "Ive had a couple negotiations go close to the wire, but never where I anticipated that Id actually have to leave, pack up my bags and actually leave the rink the day before camp rather than just feeling like somethings going to get done. That was an odd feeling to wrap my head around. Its unfortunate that thats the way that it had to go, but thats the business sometimes." Franson remained a restricted free agent this past offseason and though it took the threat of arbitration, he and the Leafs were able to come to terms on yet another one-year deal, this one for $3.3 million. And so unlike last fall and the fall before that, the now 27-year-old defender begins what he agrees is the most important season of his NHL career without a contract hiccup to worry about. "I think Franny knows and feels that he has to have a better season than he did last year," said head coach, Randy Carlyle following the first day of on-ice workouts. "When a guy misses camp it can have an effect over the course of an 82-game schedule that he doesnt start well or he has more valleys than peaks. We saw that and we experienced that with Cody Franson for periods of time [last season] and hell be the first one to admit it." Franson describes his 2013-14 campaign as an inconsistent picture, on point some nights, not so much on others. He bounced between a rotating cast of defence partners and troubled defensive strategy, ultimately unable to fulfill the top-four role (and increased competition) the club had hoped he might be capable of assuming. His possession numbers were amongst the best on the team and he remained the highest scoring defender in Toronto, but he never quite found the groove of a year earlier, when he broke out with 29 points in 45 games while holding down 19 minutes per night. The stench of another collapse also lingered, almost to the point of no escape. Trips back home to tiny Sicamous, British Columbia this past summer brought with them the expected questions from friends and family, all curious as to how he and the Leafs could tumble so rapidly from a sure playoff position to yet another stinging miss last spring. "It just seems to be the common theme," he said of the meltdown, the third in as many years. That disastrous finish also left him wondering about his future in Toronto, especially precarious with new management in the fold. "When things happen like that you never know whats gonna happen," Franson said. "That opens a lot of doors that maybe typically wouldnt be open had we done well." His place with the organization has never really been all that secure. Signed to three one-year deals, each with a dispute of some kind, Franson has mostly been left wondering where exactly he fits in the Leafs big picture. And hed like to change that this season. In describing his goals for the coming year, Franson says he would like to keep up the offensive production, remain a physical presence, and become an improved all-around defender. Because the Leafs added Stephane Robidas and Roman Polak in the offseason, Carlyle may be able to employ him in a less demanding role, something closer to the third pairing duty and competition he excelled with in 2013 – be it alongside Morgan Rielly or Jake Gardiner. Set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time next summer, Franson has a lot riding on the year that follows. Its not a stretch to call it the biggest season of his career. "Oh, definitely," he said. "With [unrestricted] free agency next year Im out to prove that I can do the job that they need me to do. This is where I want to be. Im hopeful that something can get done. Ive got to have a big year in order for that to happen." Jason McCourty Jersey . Jones, from Winnipeg, built a 3-0 advantage after three ends by scoring two in the second and one in the third. Chinas skip Bingyu Wang cut that lead to 3-1 in the fourth before Canada added another three in the fifth for a 6-1 lead. Larry Ogunjobi Jersey . Radulov scored the lone goal in the shootout, and the Predators edged the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Tuesday night to reach 100 points for the second time in three seasons and fourth in seven. http://www.brownsauthenticproshop.com/Youth-Ricardo-Louis-Browns-Jersey/ .com) - The disappointing Ottawa Senators hope to record consecutive wins for the first time since early November, as they visit the Boston Bruins on Friday for the opener of a home-and-home series. CHICAGO -- Luol Deng and the Chicago Bulls found a way to win, so this ugly game looked just fine to them. Deng scored 21 points and the Bulls overcame a rough shooting night to beat the Charlotte Bobcats 86-81 on Monday for their fifth straight victory. "As I told our guys, it got choppy, particularly in the second quarter, and they do that to you. Theyre very good defensively," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said. "I thought in the second half we did a better job of getting the ball to the second side, which you have to do." Carlos Boozer had 12 points and 17 rebounds for Chicago, which is on its longest winning streak since taking eight in a row from Feb. 20-March 7, 2012. Jimmy Butler had 14 points and Derrick Rose finished with 12. Dengs 3-pointer with 27.1 seconds remaining gave the Bulls an 85-81 lead. Gerald Henderson then missed for the Bobcats, and Rose had a free throw to help Chicago wrap it up. The Bulls went 26 for 31 at the foul line, compared to 8 for 16 for the Bobcats. "We fought hard. Obviously, the difference in the game was the difference in free throws," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said. "You come here and theyre a great team, theyre well prepared. You cant get outscored by 18 at the free-throw line. Thats the game in a nutshell." Rose, who hit a career-high six 3-pointers in the Bulls 110-94 win Saturday over Indiana, went 4 for 13 from the field. The Bulls shot 27 of 75 (36 per cent) overall. "Well take it," said Rose, who played 31 minutes in his second game back after missing Chicagos win at Toronto on Friday with a sore right hamstring. Butler missed part of the game with a right toe injury but came back with 6:35 left in the fourth. Charlotte was looking for its fourth consecutive road victory and third in four games overall, but it was unable to take advantage of the Bulls poor shooting. Once again, the Bobcats struggled from the floor despite a strong effort in the paint. The Bobcats were shooting a league-worst 40.2 per cent from the field coming into the day, and they were 28th from 3-point range at 29.3 per cennt. Jabrill Peppers Jersey. On Monday, they shot 36.3 per cent despite outscoring the Bulls 38-28 in the paint. "We played hard the whole game," said Henderson, who made two free throws with 51.3 seconds left to cut the Bulls lead to one. "We came out a little sluggish. We played them hard. We just didnt come up with the plays at the end of the game, defensively." Jeffery Taylor led Charlotte with a career-high 20 points and Henderson had 16 in a game that featured two of the leagues top defensive teams. Entering Monday, the Bulls were third in opponents scoring at 90.0 points per game, while the Bobcats were fourth at 93.6. "Theyre great defensively," Thibodeau said. "Steves a hell of a coach. Hes doing an unbelievable job. Im happy for him that hes finally gotten an opportunity and the job that hes doing." That defence helped Charlotte stay in the game without one of its best scorers. Bobcats centre Al Jefferson missed his third consecutive game with a bone bruise in his right ankle. Clifford said he hopes Jefferson can play Wednesday against Brooklyn, but he will more likely play Friday against Phoenix. Jefferson, who signed a three-year, $40.5 million contract with the Bobcats in July, has played in three of Charlottes 11 games and is averaging 15 points and 8.7 rebounds. Without him, Charlotte had a chance to win in the final minutes in Chicago, but couldnt find a way past the Bulls. "It was a long summer. We havent played in a while, all together. I think were starting to get a rhythm," Deng said. "Our offence, it still can get a lot better." NOTES: It was the Bulls last home game before they host New Orleans on Dec. 2. Their next six are away from Chicago as they go on their annual circus trip. ... Clifford and Thibodeau were on the New York Knicks coaching staff from 2001-2003 and in Houston from 2003-2007. ... Charlotte plays five of its next six at home. ... Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel, former Houston Rockets centre Yao Ming, Bulls Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen and NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver were in attendance. 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