TORONTO – Fighting rising adversity and stalled growth, the Leafs will get a little help on the back-end in the coming days. Bryse Wilson Jersey . Mark Fraser is ready to return from a left knee injury and hopes to play against the Devils, his former team, on Friday. The 27-year-old has been sidelined for all but two games this season with a grade-2 MCL tear. "I think I can say today was my best day yet," said Fraser, following an hour-plus practice on Wednesday morning. "There really wasnt any concerns today in practice. I think thats a pretty good green light indication for myself." Randy Carlyle wasnt ready to say if Fraser would immediately rejoin the lineup, but did at least concede to the looming possibility of change on a defence thats had trouble this season. Guardedness from the coach aside, Fraser figures to find a place upon his return from injury. He was among the teams top-6 defenders when the season began in Montreal – he played with Paul Ranger that night – and offers the kind of meat-and-potatoes defensive game his team has lacked early this season. Where he fits and who exits the lineup in the interim is more the question and one Carlyle and the coaching staff have surely been pondering. "We have decisions to make," Carlyle said, revealing little in the way of plans. The odd man out when the season opened on Oct. 1, Morgan Rielly played a season-low 14 minutes in Vancouver on Saturday. The 19-year-old has had the predictable ups and downs of a rookie defender, averaging nearly 18 minutes alongside Cody Franson in the slot Fraser occupied last season. Like Rielly, Jake Gardiner and Paul Ranger have also been inconsistent options to date. Theyve offered limited patches of good on a third pairing, but nothing sustainable. Their troubles with the puck and in the defensive zone have been an obvious concern. Much like last season, the Leafs have struggled to find consistency beyond their top pair of Dion Phaneuf and Carl Gunnarsson. Carlyle has typically employed Franson and Rielly against second-tier offensive options (often subbing the rookie with Phaneuf), but theyve proven uneven in the role, both players more refined offensively than defensively. Carlyle found success teaming the 6-foot-4 Fraser with the 6-foot-5 Franson last season; though the pair had difficulty at times with greater competition as the year wore on. Because of Riellys inexperience and the inconsistency of Gardiner and Ranger, this may be the best option for the Leafs at the moment – with any one of the aforementioned three exiting the lineup initially, likely on a rotating basis. Ultimately, Carlyle will have to determine where Fraser fits best in helping to stabilize the defence. "Youre going to make the decision that you feel is best for your hockey club, whats going to give you the best chance to win," said Carlyle. Frasers return, needed as it is, highlights the instability of a Toronto defence that received no external upgrades in the offseason. Leaf management had limited options via free agency and ultimately stood pat on the trade market, adding only Ranger from the Marlies. It was and remains a hope for the club that Gardiner rounds into playoff form, that Ranger continues to improve after a four-year NHL absence and that Rielly continues to show growth. The results remain inconclusive to this point. Fraser exuded a workmanlike effort in snatching a spot with the Leafs last season; he led the defence in both blocked shots and hits. Though the pain and discomfort in his left knee have subsided, he will be required to wear a brace upon returning from long-term injured reserve, one that hell likely keep for the remainder of the season as a precaution. "Finding some sort of comfort in it," he said of the adjustment. "It just feels like a very restrictive piece of equipment that seldom stays in the same spot so its just getting beyond that. Like anything it just takes some getting used to." More constrictive than the brace is the medical tape he must wear, stretching from the thigh to below the knee. The protective equipment, he said, wont affect his skating stride nor does it restrict him from any typical movements. Though he figures to help a club that has had difficulty defending – 37 shots against per game – his addition is just one small piece to a group that has yet to play anywhere near its best hockey (10-5-0). In what was likely their worst performance of the season on Saturday, the Leafs allowed 40-plus shots for the third straight game, shut out for the first time all year in a 4-0 loss to the Canucks. "I think we need physical," said Carlyle, asked if Frasers physical presence was needed. "I think we need puck-moving. I think we need to quit the turnovers. I think weve got to get back to more a workman-like game versus the cute game I think weve been trying to play." Theyll be challenged to do so without two of their top centres. Tyler Bozak (hamstring) is out for the foreseeable future (Nov. 21, his earliest return date) and Dave Bolland (ankle) has hit injured reserve for a period that remains unknown and figures to be longer rather than shorter. Hoping to plug the holes and survive in the meantime, the club signed 34-year-old Jerred Smithson for the remainder of the season, also bumping James van Riemsdyk to centre. Previously with the Marlies on a pro tryout, Smithson spent last season split between Florida and Edmonton. "We look at our team to play a tighter brand of hockey and to continue to show some growth," said Carlyle. "We think the growth has stalled for our team. We dont think that weve played to the template that weve created and some of the things that were struggling with are things that we have to overcome or were not going to give ourselves the best chance for success." Charlie Culberson Braves Jersey . - Diego Fagundez scored his team-leading 13th goal of the season in the 76th minute to lift the Revolution to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday night that kept New Englands playoff hopes alive. Ronald Acuna Jr. Braves Jersey . Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. https://www.cheapbraves.com/923o-rico-carty-jersey-braves.html . -- Antoine Bibeau bought the Val-dOr Foreurs valuable time at the Memorial Cup with his 51-save shutout Friday.BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Former Sabres owner Tom Golisano has met with Buffalo Bills officials and public leaders, and informed them of his interest in purchasing the NFL franchise, said people involved with the negotiations. One person said Wednesday that Golisano also has had talks with developer Scott Congel to be his partner in the potential ownership group. The person added that their discussions have included the proposal of building a new stadium in West Seneca, about a 10-minute drive from the Bills current home, Ralph Wilson Stadium. The people spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because Golisano has not publicly announced his plans. The land where the proposed stadium would be built belongs to Pyramid Management Group, which is owned by Robert Congel, Scotts father. The Syracuse-based company is one of the largest shopping mall developers in the northeast. A person at Golisanos office told the AP Wednesday that he has no comment regarding the Bills. Golisano also failed to return a message left on his cellphone. Congel declined to comment about a potential partnership with Golisano in an interview with The Buffalo News published on the newspapers website Wednesday evening. Congel did confirm he has made plans to redevelop the Shops at West Seneca land, which would include the potential of building a 60,000-plus seat stadium. The Bills are on the market after the teams Hall of Fame owner and founder, Ralph Wilson, died in March. Wilsons estate hired an attorneys and an investment banking firm last week to oversee the sale. They are expected to begin contacting prospective ownership groups by the end of next month. A new owner could be identified by as early as the end of July. The new owner would require approval from 24 of the NFLs 31 owners. New York City real estate mogul Donald Trump has already announced his interest in buying the team. Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly has also said he has had talks to partner with numerous ownership groups. Golisanos entry into the bidding process does not come as a surprise. He first discusseed the possibility of buying the Bills not long after purchasing the Sabres out of bankruptcy in 2004. Ender Inciarte Jersey. Golisano said he would especially become involved in an ownership group if there were any fears of the team relocating. Wilsons death has raised concerns about the franchises long-term future because of the possibility the team could be sold and eventually relocated to a more prosperous market such as Toronto. Golisano sold the Sabres in 2011. Later that year, he became involved in a group that failed in a bid to purchase the Major League Baseball Los Angeles Dodgers. The 72-year-old Golisano made his fortune founding Rochester-based Paychex, a payroll processing firm. His net worth was most recently estimated by Forbes to be at about $2 billion. Hes from Rochester, but now makes his home in Florida. He came to prominence in New York in the late 1990s, when he made three unsuccessful gubernatorial runs. Congel was previously a principal at Pyramid. He has most recently run into difficulties attempting to redevelop the Medley Centre mall outside of Rochester. The mall is now vacant. Earlier this month, The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported that Monroe County officials voted to declare that Congel was in default of his tax deal by failing to invest at least $165 million to redevelop the property. Pyramids holdings, by comparison, have been lucrative with the company estimated to bring in estimated $5 billion in annual revenue from its 17 properties. The land the Shops at West Seneca are located upon are partially undeveloped and on the site of a former mall. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said a new stadium would be the next step in securing the teams long-term future. New York state has also hired an architectural and design firm to identify between three or four sites across the region that could serve as the teams new home. The Bills are essentially locked into playing at Ralph Wilson Stadium through the end of the 2019 season under the terms of the lease the franchise reached with the state and county in December 2012. ' ' '