TORONTO – Around the table sat the future Maple Leafs prospect and his family. Adidas Lite Racer Deutschland . One major decision loomed at the time for Andrew MacWilliam, one that would decide his future in many ways. Drafted by the Spokane Chiefs, the teenage defenceman had the option of joining the Western League club as a 16-year-old. Then there was college, the route his father, Alex, preferred – ever the believer in the value of a degree – and the course that would offer a more lenient curve of development. "I never watched college hockey growing up," MacWilliam, a Calgary native said. "Being from western Canada you dont see it much." It took a trip down to Denver, Colorado for the West regional of the 2007 NCAA tournament, a tour of the pristine facilities there and an opportunity to watch Jonathan Toews and Kyle Okposo before a choice was made. Recruited by head coach Dave Hakstol, MacWilliam opted for the hockey-rich program at the University of North Dakota, where he spent the past four seasons before arriving at Leafs training camp this fall. "Probably the best decision of my life so far," MacWilliam stated sincerely of choosing college, where he was voted captain by teammates last year. "I definitely would recommend it to any young guys deciding what route theyre going to take." Selected with the 188th overall pick in the 2008 Draft from the Camrose Kodiaks of the Alberta Junior League – where he played alongside Joe Colborne – MacWilliam has climbed slow and steady to the edge of the NHL. Now a mature 23-years-old and a thick 230 pounds, the 6-foot-2 defender has definite darkhorse potential for the Leafs this season. A combative protect-the-house type with a penchant for rough play, MacWilliam has offered a positive impression to the Leafs brass and coaching staff in the first week of camp. While still a long-shot to make the NHL club at the outset and more likely pegged to join Steve Spott and the Marlies initially, MacWilliam has not looked out of place in the early going. "I just wanted to show what I can do," he said of expectations coming into camp. "I obviously want to make it a tough decision for the coaching staff. I know theres a lot of numbers [on defence] already up top, but I just wanted to come in and show what I can do and how I can play." MacWilliam has no illusions about his role. His job, quite simply, is to protect the house. He projects as a defender in the Mark Fraser mold, though he probably moves the puck more efficiently than his NHL counterpart and owns better foot speed. Because he remained at North Dakota for the full freight of four years – where he also played alongside former Leaf Matt Frattin – MacWilliam also appears physically ready to play at the next level. At one point in practice on Wednesday, he capably battled for net-front position with Joffrey Lupul, eventually ousting the All-Star to the ice. MacWilliam attributes his solid frame to years of lifting weights at school – where they play in and around 40 games – adding 15 pounds from the point of his freshman year. "Just that extra little oomph I guess is just huge at this level," said MacWilliam, who played in two games with the Marlies at the end of last season. "It helps you out in the net front and in the corners, being able to handle a mans game." Named to the Western College Hockey Associations all-academic team three years straight, MacWilliam also found time to focus his efforts on foot speed, improving his quickness laterally over his junior and senior seasons. Maybe most important to the college experience though was the reward of a degree, which he earned in business management. "Youre not going to play hockey your whole life right," he observed with the savvy of someone far beyond his years. "Youre not guaranteed anything as far as a pro career. Having that to fall back on is something that I take a lot of pride in and down the road will have some use for me." Whether he makes the jump now to the NHL is a question that will decide itself in the coming days of camp. The Leafs have a number of more experienced defenders on the roster and one in Cody Franson who remains unsigned. All of which makes an initial stint with the Leafs unlikely. But if MacWilliam demonstrates continued readiness and progression in the coming two weeks he could just sneak onto the roster or at the very least, provide the club with options to play with on the back-end. "Its been a long five years," MacWilliam concluded of the process that saw him drafted and now on the verge of the NHL. "But they say its not about the destination, its the journey. "The whole process, along the whole way of my career, we havent taken things too fast, we just take it slow and it hasnt hurt me yet." Ultra Boost 4.0 Weiß Deutschland . Steve has built a solid reputation throughout the years - first as a hockey player, then as an NHL general manager and now as a scout. Adidas Nmd Damen Deutschland . The match, billed as a "next-gen" encounter between two of the sports rising stars, lasted two and a half hours. The loss kept Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., from reaching a third fourth-round spot in Melbourne over the past four years. http://www.nmdschuhesale.de/lite-racer-schuhe-deutschland.html . Charlottetown scored four times in the third period en route to a 5-2 win over the defending champion Halifax Mooseheads on Friday.NEW YORK -- Baseball clarified the meaning of possession for infielders trying to turn double plays on forceouts, saying on Friday that they must have complete control of the ball but may drop it after intentionally opening their gloves for transfers to their throwing hands. In the first season of expanded instant replay, when infielders have possession while trying to turn double plays has become controversial. Major League Baseball said the interpretation of the Playing Rules Committee was agreed to by MLB, the players association and the umpires union. MLB said that the committee, chaired by New York Mets general manager Sandy Alderson, determined "a legal catch has occurred ... if the fielder had compleete control over the ball in his glove, but drops the ball after intentionally opening his glove to make the transfer to his throwing hand. Adidas Nmd Cs2 Damen. ." "There is no requirement that the fielder successfully remove the ball from his glove in order for it be ruled a catch," the committee said. "If the fielder drops the ball while attempting to remove it to make a throw, the umpires should rule that the ball had been caught, provided that the fielder had secured it in his glove before attempting the transfer." The committee also said "the umpires will continue to use their judgment as to whether the fielder had complete control over the ball before the transfer." ' ' '