DETROIT a€“ In the Maple Leafs 28-page training camp guide, Brandon Kozun, a California native, is listed at 5-foot-8 and 167 pounds, but up close he looks much smaller than that. Kozun is among the unlikeliest of final contenders to crack the NHL squad in Toronto, just another hurdle for a kid from Los Angeles to overcome. a€?As a smaller guy you obviously have an uphill climb,a€? said the 24-year-old, who moved to Calgary at age 10. a€?Ita€?s not a surprise. This is a game of men and as a smaller guy, youa€?re always going to listen to the critics say that youa€?re big enough or youa€?re not strong enough. But for me ita€?s always been a€?Ia€?m going to prove you wronga€? and try and get to that next level. Kozun has never played an NHL game, but is sure he will one day a€“ if not very soon. Therea€?s an air of confidence (but not cockiness) about him, one seemingly born from a career of being doubted, dismissed and overlooked because of his smallish stature. a€?Because of your size you get cut from certain situations and for me ita€?s always been that determination to get to that next level,a€? he said. a€?No matter what anyone says Ia€?m going to get there.a€? Of the 210 North American skaters ranked by NHL Central Scouting in 2008, an 18-year-old Kozun was nowhere to be found. He went undrafted that summer, but came back the following year and absolutely tore up the Dub, potting 40 goals and 108 points a€“ good for second in the league a€“ for the WHLa€?s top team, the Calgary Hitmen. He found his name on those rankings (150th) following that performance and was plucked up by L.A. with the 179th-overall selection at the draft in Montreal that June. Buried amongst the Kings talented prospect pool, Kozun spent three-plus seasons in the AHL with Manchester a€“ scoring more than 20 goals three times a€“ before landing in Toronto last January in a midseason trade that sent Andrew Crescenzi to L.A. Now he finds himself bidding for an NHL opportunity with the Leafs, his unlikely combination of wheels and pluckiness earning him a good, long and rewarding look. Few could have expected him to last this long and therea€?s a case to be made that hea€?s earned a spot. a€?Ia€?ve tried to just come into it with a a€?whatever happens, happensa€? mentality,a€? he said. a€?I feel like I dona€?t have anything to lose.a€? Ita€?s the skating with Kozun that first grabs the eye, a must for a player of his stature, according to head coach, Randy Carlyle. a€?Well I think thata€?s his biggest asset,a€? Carlyle said recently. a€?If you come and watch him he jumps out at you because of his speed.a€? The player agrees. a€?As a smaller guy I think you kind of need that in the game today,a€? Kozun said. a€?I think it helps me navigate around the ice. Ita€?s just part of my game. Ita€?s something I try to use as a weapon. When Ia€?m skating thata€?s when Ia€?m most effective.a€? And though he may be small, Kozun tries to play big. Hea€?s not appeared afraid or unwilling to throw around that diminutive frame, especially up the ice on the penalty kill, where hea€?s been used from time to time in the preseason. The Marlies were actually surprised to learn last season that he hadna€?t been used much as a penalty killer prior to joining their team - his ability to disrupt opposing power-plays with speed and forcefulness an obvious benefit. That was noticeable at the Joe in Detroit on Monday; Kozun broke free of the defence for a short-handed breakaway that was turned aside by Red Wings goalie, Petr Mrazek. Kozun later landed in the box for a heavy, hard-charging hit on Stephen Weiss and then replaced Matt Frattin alongside Tyler Bozak and James van Riemsdyk, bursting past the Wings for two more good chances in the final frame. His fight is ultimately for the one of the final forward spots, likely the fourth line right-wing position occupied mostly by Colton Orr last season. With his wheels, rambunctiousness, penalty-killing ability and potential for bits of offence, he offers more tools than that of his current competition. Hea€?s outplayed that competition at camp, no less a€“ Orr, Troy Bodie, Frazer McLaren, Carter Ashton, Tyler Biggs, David Broll and even Frattin, who has had a mediocre preseason in the eyes of head coach. In question for Carlyle, his coaching staff and management is whether Kozuns assets will translate when the game rises to NHL speeds. a€?The challenge will be and is for the small guy, the smaller player in stature to make an impact,a€? said Carlyle, a€?the same impact he was making at the American Hockey League, can that continue on into the NHL against bigger, stronger, faster-skating defencemen?a€? Others of similar stature have shown recently that it can be done. Nathan Gerbe, listed at 5-foot-6 and 180, scored 16 goals last year in Carolina, killing penalties and injecting bite along the way. Stephen Gionta, 5-foot-7 and of the same build as Gerbe, remains a feisty fourth-line force for Peter DeBoer in Jersey. Kozun, for one, doesna€?t hide from the belief he has in himself or his abilities. Hea€?s confident he can get to the next level. a€?I think you have to have confidence in yourself,a€? he said. a€?If I were to tell you a€?no, I dona€?t believe Ia€?m going to get therea€? I dona€?t think I ever will. A lot of people,a€? he continued, a€?have said a lot of things that I wouldna€?t do.a€? Juan Bernat Jersey .com) - The Chicago White Sox have officially announced that the club has agreed to terms with utilityman Emilio Bonifacio on a one-year, $4 million contract that includes a team option for the 2016 season. Loic Mbe Soh Jersey .com) - Tonight will go a long way in determining the two wild card spots in the Eastern Conference. http://www.parissaintgermainfcstore.com/Women-Kylian-Mbappe-Paris-Saint-Germain-Jersey/ . It took five games, but the Celtics finally helped Stevens earn his first NBA victory. "Im going to celebrate for a whole 12 minutes, and then Im going to start watching Orlando and trying to figure them out," the first-year Celtics coach said after Boston beat the Utah Jazz, one of the leagues other winless teams, 97-87 on Wednesday night. Kylian Mbappe Jersey .Y. - Geno Smith shouted a couple of mighty expensive expletives. Thilo Kehrer Jersey . In the opening game of his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open, the owner of 17 major titles got passed at the net twice, sailed a backhand long, then missed two forehands to get broken.Lee Westwood fired a superb 66 on the opening day of the DP World Tour Championship before expressing his disappointment at being denied a debut in the World Cup of Golf. Westwood rediscovered the form that carried him to the title at the Jumeirah Golf Estates in 2009 as he made seven birdies and dropped just one shot to claim the outright lead on six under. Lee Westwood fired one of his best rounds of the year to lead the DP World Tour Championship His round was a well-timed response to being axed from Englands two-man team for next weeks World Cup of Golf in Australia, an event he had been looking forward to having been chosen by Danny Willett back in August. But Willett withdrew from the event last week due to his ongoing back issues and, with Justin Rose currently taking an extended break from golf, Chris Wood was installed as Englands highest-ranked player. Westwood was set to partner Danny Willett in next weeks World Cup of Golf Under the rules of the competition, the highest-ranked player in each team gets to choose his own partner, and Wood opted to bring in his good friend Andy Sullivan instead of sticking with Westwood.I had never played the World Cup before so I was really looking forward to it, and Ive heard Kingston Heath is such a great golf course, Westwood told Sky Sports. After Willetts withdrawal, Chris Wood was Englands highest-ranked player and chose to partner Andy Sullivan Danny asked me to play back in August. We were paired together in the Ryder Cup, so we thought wed have a go at the World Cup as well.Obviously Im a little but disappointed, but everybody has to do certain things for certain reasons, and I understand. It goes down the world rankings, so it was up to me to be higher up the rankings to be able to pick my own partner. Live European Tour Golf November 18, 2016, 8:00am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass If Im high in the world rankkings and the money list next year, he (Wood) probably shouldnt be expecting a pick if I play in the World Cup! But its Chris prerogative to pick whoever he wants.ddddddddddddHe gets on well with Sully, and Sully is a good player, and theyll have a chance.I can understand him picking a mate and hes picked a very good player. I think its probably more to do with the rules than anything, but I think the week before somebody is meant to go down there is a little late to say, no, youre not playing. Westwood bounced back from his disappointment with a 66 in Dubai Westwood, who is ranked seven places below Sullivan at 47, did lift his spirits with one of his best rounds of the season in Dubai which emulated his opening 66 over the Earth Course that set him up for a dominant six-shot victory seven years ago. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price That win is certainly in the top two or three performances in my career, he added. Its maybe even the best performance of my career, knowing that I needed to win to beat Rory in The Race to Dubai, and did that by six and pretty much dominated the field over the weekend and its right up there.Today was all good really. I played lovely, hit a lot of fairways, a lot of good iron shots, putted nicely and I didnt make too many mistakes out there. This is as good as Ive played for quite some time. Westwood laps up the applause as he approaches the 18th green Ive found a couple of keys in different parts of my game and Ive been working on them hard. A 66 is a good round of golf, and it didnt seem that easy out there. Some days you feel like theres a lot of birdies out there but today I think was a pretty stiff test.Its a golf course Ive played well on in the past and Ive had quite a few good results here other than the win, and played pretty well in the desert. Ive been looking forward to this week.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: Westwood snub unfair Rose to team up with Stenson Golf live on Sky Sports 4 European Tour Schedule ' ' '