TORONTO -- Mario Lemieux was the unofficial greybeard of Team Canada when the last World Cup of Hockey was played 12 years ago.This time around, the role falls to 37-year-old Joe Thornton, who played alongside Lemieux in 2004 and is being counted on this time for leadership and talent that have withstd the test of time.Thornton finished fourth in NHL scoring last season, compiling 82 points in 82 games for the San Jose Sharks. He added another 21 points in 24 playoff games, reaching his first-ever Stanley Cup Final.Joe Thornton, when you lk at his season last year, hes playing great hockey, Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong told the Canadian Press.Armstrong says Thornton is still one of the best passers in hockey, and indeed his 63 assists last season were only topped by Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson. Thornton is the runaway leader in assists since he entered the league in 1997, 212 ahead of second-place Jaromir Jagr. Thornton also has the most points (1,341) of any player in that span, more than 100 points up on Jagr.Canada coach Mike Babcock said Thorntons inclusion on the roster, which came at the initial exclusion of much younger players like Logan Couture, Corey Perry, Ryan OReilly and Taylor Hall, was based on merit. His offensive gifts, which have already been apparent in exhibition play, were t much to ignore.He obviously was a guy that played well enough and played gd enough and was important enough on his team, Babcock said.Armstrong was intrigued by how San Jose used Thornton last season, mostly on the wing alongside Joe Pavelski. A plodding skater who didnt make the 2014 Olympic squad in Sochi, Thornton also seemed a better fit for the NHL-sized rink in Toronto where the World Cup will be played, though Armstrong said his inclusion was based on performance, not the ice surface.Thornton, who last represented Canada at the 2010 Olympics, hadnt given much thought to cracking the World Cup roster before getting the invitation this summer.It was just one of those things where you just kind of play, dont think about it and then you get chosen, said Thornton, still zing energy even after more than 1,500 NHL games.It could be the last time he wears red and white on the international stage, though hes hinted at playing on. Hes already won Olympic (2010) and world junior gold (1997) as well as the crown at that 2004 World Cup, one of two players returning for Team Canada. Jay Bouwmeester is the other.Thornton recalls that `04 squad fondly. The group went undefeated (6-0-0) and included Lemieux as well as other future Hall of Famers Scott Niedermayer, Martin Brodeur and Joe Sakic. Thornton, 25 at the time, set up two of three goals in Canadas 3-2 win over Finland in the final. The Canadians hope hes still got that magic.Ive still got another 10 years (left), said a grinning Thornton, so maybe the next World Cup, Ill play in it, t. Swell Fles . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Swell Fles Aanbieding . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. http://www.swellbottlenederland.com/ . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Swell Fles Bestellen .Y. -- Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse have another World Cup gold medal after winning the two-women bobsled race on Saturday in Lake Placid, N. Swell Fles Kopen . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker.The Pittsburgh Penguins avoided arbitration with defenceman Robert Bortuzzo on Wednesday by agreeing with him on a two-year, $1.2 million contract. The Penguins and Bortuzzo had been scheduled for an arbitration hearing on August 1. The 24-year-old from Thunder Bay, Ontario had two goals and ttwo assists in 15 games for the Penguins last season.dddddddddddd He also appeared in 31 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the AHL, where he had one goal and three assists. Bortuzzo was a restricted free agent after being tendered a qualifying offer by the Penguins on July 2. ' ' '