BUFFALO, N.Y. - In seven-plus seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, Josh Gorges faced the Toronto Maple Leafs 36 times. This past summer, the hatred he built up for Montreals arch-rival over the years changed the course of his career.When the Canadiens tried to trade the veteran defenceman to Toronto at the draft, Gorges said no. The Leafs were on his list of teams he wouldnt go to, and he wouldnt remove them.After being dealt to the rebuilding Buffalo Sabres, Gorges stands by his decision not to go to the Leafs because his heart wasnt in it. Thats what he told new team president Brendan Shanahan.I just said, Im a heart-and-soul player. Its the only reason I can be good at this level is I have to play and commit with my heart, Gorges said in an interview with The Canadian Press on Wednesday after practice at First Niagara Centre. And after playing against them for that many years of being our No. 1 rival, I just didnt think it wouldve been fair to them. I wouldnt have been the same player that they wouldve expected me to be.Over time I wouldve got there. But I just didnt think I could commit my heart to playing the right way.A tough, defensive defenceman, Gorges was just what the Leafs were looking for. When the feeling wasnt mutual, Gorges said Shanahan understood completely.What he said to me was, Thats why were trying to make a trade for you is you have that character where you give yourself to one team, Gorges recalled. He even said to me, If you wouldve been a guy that said, Oh yeah, sure Ill go to Toronto, like that, then youre obviously not the player that I thought you were. The fact that you have that built in you is why we like you as a player.Toronto turned its attention to Roman Polak, getting the stay-at-home right-hander from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Carl Gunnarsson. And as Gorges continued to ponder the possibility of being a Leaf, the Habs traded him to Buffalo for a second-round pick in next years draft.Things have a way of working themselves out, Gorges said.What the 30-year-old knew for sure was he wasnt going back to Montreal. Being asked to waive his no-trade clause was enough of a signal of the Habs intentions to Gorges.Knowing that they wanted to get rid of you, its hard to go on and play for a team that doesnt want you anymore, he said. But I dont think that was ever going to be an option, from my understanding. I wasnt coming back.In his conversation with Shanahan and again this week, Gorges said he respected the Leafs organization and that it was no slight to the city of Toronto that he didnt want to play there.His reasoning will no doubt be debated for a while, and his first regular-season game back at Air Canada Centre with the Sabres on Oct. 28 could be something of a circus. But Gorges said hes happy in Buffalo, where hes joined by former Habs captain Brian Gionta.Having a guy that you know, been with for a number of years, you kind of start this chapter off together, Gorges said. Probably most importantly is our wives are great friends. ... The fact that our wives can come together and get used to the city and figure out where to go for shopping and grocery shopping and kids and meet everyone together, it makes things a lot more comfortable for us.Off the ice, theres a comfort level, Gionta said recently at the NHL player media tour in New York City. On the ice, Gorges and Gionta will be counted on by coach Ted Nolan to help lead a very young team.The attitude in training camp has been tremendous, Nolan said. When that happens, you usually look in the room and who the players are to lead that parade. Josh Gorges is one of those guys for sure.Pre-season is a time for boundless optimism, and Gorges is certainly part of that. After going to the Eastern Conference final with the Habs, hell more than likely miss out on the playoffs entirely this season with the Sabres.But Gorges isnt wired to think like that.The great thing about being here is the excitement level and the potential to be good, he said. The fact that no ones giving us a chance, thats an opportunity for us to come together as a group and thats what I like about this situation is we can go and surprise some people. Itll be fun.Notes a€” The Leafs reduced their training-camp roster to 41 players by sending 13 players to the AHLs Marlies. Goaltenders Christopher Gibson and Cal Heeter, defencemen Eric Knodel, Andrew MacWilliam, Brendan Mikkelson and Tom Nilsson and forwards David Broll, Connor Brown, Jamie Devane, Greg McKegg, Carson McMillan, Brad Ross and Brady Vail were assigned to minor-league camp. Four goalies, 12 defencemen and 25 forwards remain. ... 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Alvin Kamara Saints Jersey . - After sewage backups, toilet overflows and foul smells surfaced the past two years, nothing at the Oakland Coliseum surprises the home team anymore. MONTREAL -- Denis Brodeur, the father of star goalie Martin Brodeur who enjoyed a lengthy career as one of Canadas most successful sports photographers, has died at age 82. He shot the Montreal Canadiens for several decades, first as a newspaper man and then as the teams official photographer. Brodeur was one of two photographers to capture the iconic image of Paul Henderson celebrating the winning goal of the 1972 Canada-Soviet summit series. In 2006, he sold his archive of 110,000 photos to the National Hockey League for US$350,000. "My sympathies to the family of Denis Brodeur, the celebrated photographer who helped so many Canadians discover hockey," Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a French-language message on social media. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also expressed his condolences. "Denis Brodeurs images brought the action, the drama and the passion of the game sharply into focus for generations of fans around the world," Bettman said in a statement. Fellow photographers reminisced Thursday about a gentlemanly colleague who went out of his way to help others. "In a cut-throat business, he was a true class act," said Ryan Remiorz, a photographer for The Canadian Press who first met Brodeur while shooting Montreal Expos games in 1979. He said his veteran colleague was always willing to share advice or help with organizing logistics. "He was already a legend before I showed up." The elder Brodeurs career extended beyond hockey. He was also the official photographer for the Montreal Expos and shot numerous local sporting events and pro wrestling, sometimes bringing his children along with him. He would also bring his family to Florida every year for spring training. They made the lengthy drive down to Florida because Mireille Brodeur, Martins mother, didnt like flying. In Florida, the family would rent a motel room. Photographers recalled visits to that motel, where Denis would sset up a makeshift darkroom and Mireille cooked for the family on a hot plate.dddddddddddd The Brodeurs close-knit relationship included rare family bonds, on and off the ice. Before his media career, Denis Brodeur was also a goalie who won an Olympic medal, like his son. He backstopped the Canadian team that won the bronze at the 1956 Cortina dAmpezzo games. The younger Brodeur had the words "Cortina dAmpezzo 1956," and "Salt Lake City 2002," inscribed on his New Jersey Devils mask in honour of the father-son Olympic medals. As for photography he had another son, Claude, who followed him into that profession. In later years, a beaming Denis Brodeur would be on the ice, celebrating several Stanley Cup victories with his son while his longtime colleagues snapped pictures of the moment. "The entire New Jersey Devils organization is tremendously saddened by the loss of Denis Brodeur, Sr. The Brodeurs have been part of the Devils family for over 23 years," Devils president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said in a statement. "Denis proudly dedicated his life, on and off the ice, to the game of hockey and for that he will be fondly remembered. Our thoughts and prayers, right now, are with Martin and his family." His grandson is also a goalie in the Devils system. "Sad, sad day," tweeted Anthony Brodeur, who was drafted this year. "Miss you so much already Grandpapa. Rest In Peace. Je taime." A former Montreal Canadiens general manager said Brodeur had a unique bond with the players. "The difference was that he played the game," said Rejean Houle, a former Habs forward and team executive. "He won the Allan Cup, the highest honour in senior hockey in the country, and he played at the Olympics. So he went through what we went through when we were players so he wasnt just a photographer, he was like a colleague, he was part of the boys." ' ' '