return, but Robidas will at least have the benefit of a weeks

OAKVILLE, Ont. - Its a new game with a new team in a new city, but its just football for linebacker Aaron Maybin. The former NFL first-round draft pick participated in his first workout with the Toronto Argonauts on Monday, a day after joining the CFL clubs practice roster. Maybin admits hes got much to learn about the Canadian game but isnt the least bit worried or intimidated about lining up a yard off the ball, playing three downs or having more ground on a longer, wider field. "The way I see it Im a football player, I adjust to whatever style I need to adjust to," he said. "It (Canadian field) is bigger than Im used to but theres nothing intimidating about it, nothing too different. "Football is football. Youve just got to adjust and understand its a part of the game. That (a yard off ball) is a difference but as I said athletes adjust so it shouldnt be a problem." While Maybin is short on CFL experience hes not lacking in confidence. "Talent," he said when asked whats the top attribute he brings to Toronto. "Im not really a guy that harps on his own abilities too much. "I feel like there are things I can bring to this team and obviously the coaches feel that way too. Im just coming in, working hard, trying to do my best to help the guys on this team that have been working all year to get to the places they want to be really bad and thats a championship." The 25-year-old Maybin wore No. 56 on Monday — former Giants star Lawrence Taylor was a favourite player when Maybin was growing up — and hell be given every opportunity to learn quickly. The defending Grey Cup-champion Argos (11-6) have clinched first place in the East Division and home-field advantage for the conference final Nov. 17. So Toronto could give Maybin an extensive audition Friday when it hosts Montreal in the regular-season finale for both teams. The Alouettes (7-10) will finish third in the division and face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (9-8) in the conference semifinal Nov. 10 in Guelph, Ont. Maybin is back playing football after being released by the Cincinnati Bengals in August. That certainly raises questions about his overall fitness and how quickly he can round into game shape, but Maybin downplayed those suggestions. "Its a consideration, not really a concern," he said. "Just making sure I dont try to do too much too quick and end up injuring myself trying to get to where I want to be and understand Im not there yet and I still have some work to do." Buffalo had high expectations for Maybin when it took him 11th overall in the 2009 NFL draft after he led the Big 10 with 12 sacks in 10 starts at Penn State. The Bills signed Maybin to a five-year deal that reportedly included a US$7.087 signing bonus and $15 million in guaranteed money. The six-foot-four Maybin entered the NFL listed at 250 pounds but reported to the Bills in 11 weighing just 228 pounds. Maybins lack of size certainly didnt help as he failed to record a sack or crack Buffalos starting lineup over two seasons (27 career games) before being released. Maybin joined the New York Jets in August 2011 but was let go in November 2012. He signed with Cincinnati on Jan. 25 before being released Aug. 18 having recorded 36 tackles, six sacks and five forced fumbles over his NFL career. The Argos will give Maybin every opportunity to rush the quarterback coming off the edge, and with good reason. Torontos defence has just 38 sacks this season, second-lowest in the CFL. Maybin still looked very long and lean Monday as he practised with the Argos at an Oakville high school. But he did show he has the speed and quick feet needed to play defence in the Canadian game. "He can rush the passer, thats his history," Argos head coach Scott Milanovich said. "Tall, kind of lanky, great first step, good with his hands. "This was our first day and I didnt get a chance to just concentrate on him but he looked like he was doing a nice job down there in one-on-ones. Were just seeing what he can bring to us as far as getting after the quarterback." Maybins arrival in Toronto will prompt suggestions hes using the Argos as a springboard back to the NFL. However, Maybin downplayed that suggestion. "Im just focused on this opportunity and this chance," he said. "Im not really focused on anything to do with the NFL." NOTES — Milanovich re-iterated Monday starter Ricky Ray wont dress Friday night. Backup Zach Collaros will start against Montreal with Trevor Harris and Mitchell Gale also playing. Milanovich said rookie kicker-punter Quinn Sharp, who practised for the first time Monday, could play against the Alouettes. "We feel like the most beneficial thing for our team is to have Ricky Ray lining up under centre Nov. 17," Milanovich said. "I think its our responsibility to make sure that happens." Custom New York Mets Nike Jerseys . The Kings paraded the Stanley Cup through downtown Los Angeles on Monday to celebrate their second NHL title in three seasons. Custom Pittsburgh Pirates Nike Jerseys . You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 3pm et/Noon pt. The Thunder reclaimed the home-court advantage LA took with a Game 1 win on Friday night with a 118-112 road win in Game 3. https://www.custombaseballnikejerseys.com/?tag=custom-cincinnati-reds-nike-jerseys . -- Ryan Gropp scored in overtime as the Seattle Thunderbirds shut out the Spokane Chiefs 1-0 in Western Hockey League play Tuesday. Custom Tampa Bay Rays Nike Jerseys . And Richard Bachman, their rookie goalie, is facing a penalty shot a few seconds after the opening face-off. No pressure, right? Bachman stood his ground against Zack Kassian and saw the puck dribble off the Canuck rookies stick, then settled in and backstopped the Stars to a 5-2 win over Vancouver Tuesday that put Dallas in first place in the Pacific Division. Custom San Diego Padres Nike Jerseys . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Penguins (3) - Surrendered a tough first goal against on a deflection through the body short side.COLLINGWOOD, Ont. a€“ All signs point to the Maple Leafs having their top offseason acquisition in the lineup on opening night. Stephane Robidas, who broke his right leg for the second time in a matter of months in April, told TSN.ca that he expects to be ready when Toronto hosts Montreal a week from now in the season opener. The 37-year-old will participate in his first exhibition game on Friday. Yeah, I think so, he said of playing against the team that drafted him on Oct. 8th. I feel great on the ice. The plan is to play the game Friday against Detroit and after that weve got a few more practices with the team. I expect to be ready for that first game. Robidas has spent nine of the past 10 months rehabbing his right leg, which he broke twice in two separate places for two different teams in two separate games last season. It was an unbelievably wretched set of luck for a player with 885 games of NHL experience. The first injury occurred at the end of November in a home game against Chicago. Defending Jonathan Toews as he hovered dangerously on a Blackhawks power-play, Robidass right leg gave out from under him as he slid helplessly into the end boards on what proved to be his final shift with the Stars, with whom he had spent 11 seasons. Robidas was wheeled off the American Airlines Center ice for what would be the first of two times that season. Dealt to Anaheim on Mar. 4th, Robidas made his Ducks debut exactly two weeks later. On the 10th shift of his 17th game with the club - a playoff game against his former team no less - Robidas went for a loose puck just outside the Anaheim crease and was undercut by former teammate, Ryan Garbutt. It was the same right knee a€“ albeit just above the last fracture a€“ hed broken more than three months earlier. When it happened I didnt really know what to say, Robidas said from the Leafs team-building experience in Colllingwood, which is located about two hours north of Toronto. Theres things you control and theres other things that you dont control and thats one of those that I had no control over that. I did the proper rehab, I did everything I had to do and it was just an aaccident.dddddddddddd. Inked to a three-year deal with Toronto on July 1st, Robidas spent the offseason months working through a familiar recovery process. However frustrating, painful and bothersome, the first rehab experience left him better prepared for the months of work that lied ahead this past summer. And unlike that first injury, Robidas wasnt on any hurried clock for return this time around. After the first break at the outset of winter, he was racing back for a hopeful Stars playoff berth - which eventually became a union with the wests top team in Anaheim. I think mentally knowing exactly what I was going to go through it was a lot easier, he said of the process, which took more than five months, considerably longer than the first go of it. Though confident in his ability to play this season, the Leafs werent sure, previously, that Robidas would be ready when the year opened against Montreal. Dave Nonis, the teams general manager, said he was hopeful when training camp opening in mid-September. It still remains to be seen how rusty hell be upon his return, but Robidas will at least have the benefit of a weeks worth of practice and that final exhibition game on Friday. Thats a big deal for a player who was markedly behind the furious pace of a playoff chase when he returned in mid-March last season. At least you get a game, he said. Whenever I came back [last time] that first game was really fast. We played Washington in Anaheim and it was like whoa. Everything was so fast. Everything was so fast. By the second game I was already more [comfortable]. It took me a good five or six games before I could say I started feeling really good. But just by the second game I felt like a big difference. Robidass availability for the opener is also a big deal for the Leafs, who lost Cody Franson to a bruised left knee over the weekend. Franson suffered no structural damage on a scary play that saw Torrey Mitchell shove him into the end-boards, but the team has no timeline yet for his return and he was walking with a notable limp on Wednesday. Robidas is likely to play alongside Dion Phaneuf on the teams top pair. ' ' '