that bad of a hit, Niskanen said after practice Saturday. I didnt think it was live, and even after watching it, I can see where tha

Netball Australia will enter a new era without one of its most influential figures after chief executive Kate Palmer announced she will be stepping down from her role.Palmer will leave the organisation on December 23 as the sport prepares for a new eight-team national competition Super Netball, starting in February.During Palmers 10-year reign, revenue has grown from $6 million to $26 million, with the game still the highest participation sport for women in Australia.Importantly, more of the countrys elite netballers can now become professional.Under the new collective bargaining agreement for the Super Netball competition, the average salary for netballers will rise from about $40,000 to $67,500, and the minimum wage more than doubles to $27,375.The new league also secured a five-year broadcast deal with Channel Nine and Telstra.Former Diamonds captain Liz Ellis saw first hand how influential Palmer had been in transforming the sport.Netball was always talked about as the sleeping giant, and in the last decade Kate Palmer has, using a process of gentle shaking and persuasive talking through to outright kicking, woken it, Ellis said.Under her leadership huge change has occurred.Most notably from my point of view, elite players have moved from being poorly recompensed and undervalued, to being some of the best paid and most highly valued female athletes in the country.Kate has never been afraid of change, and in fact has been a brilliant change agent for netball.Under Palmers watch, netball has seen the start and finish of the trans-Tasman Championship, as well as the move into Super Netball.The successful staging of the Fast5 event in Melbourne, and the continued growth of the mass participatn event Netfest on the Gold Coast have been other projects Palmer has been proud to oversee.One of the great challenges has been balancing the emphasis on high performance and winning milestone events, while also ensuring that every little girl in the country can play the game and be the best they can be, Palmer said.Its a sport that connects us and builds lifelong friendships, and thats ultimately whats important.Palmer advised the board several months ago that she intended to step down following her 10-year anniversary, which fell last week.Deputy chief executive Marne Fechner will step in as acting chief executive when Palmer steps down next month, with the board expected to make a permanent appointment early next year.Stitched NCAA Jerseys . 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Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen.The road has not been kind to the Vancouver Canucks, and amid a five-game swing along the East Coast, they are hoping that an early start to the second game of a back-to-back against the Washington Capitals wont leave them a step behind.Coming off a 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers on Saturday night, Vancouver will hustle to Washington for a rare start at 5 p.m. EST, further compressing the Canucks third game in four nights. Vancouver has only won four contests away from home this season.You cant get down three goals to a team like that and expect to come back. We werent good enough tonight, especially early on, Canucks winger Daniel Sedin said.Vancouver is battling injuries between the pipes, as goaltender Ryan Miller is sidelined with a lower-body ailment suffered in Thursdays victory at Tampa Bay. Backup Jacob Markstrom started against the Panthers, but prospect Thatcher Demko, who was called up from Utica of the American Hockey League on Saturday, could get the nod against the Capitals.Its been something Ive really been looking forward to; youre just not sure when its going to happen, Demko said. Im just excited to be here.The Canucks will get one member of their lineup back on the ice as right winger Jannik Hansen will return to the lineup after missing more than a month with a rib injury. Hansen practiced with the team Saturday and is preparing to play for the first time since Nov. 5.It (stinks) sitting out, Hansen said. Its boring. You dont feel like youre a part of the team.dddddddddddd Its definitely not fun.Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen got to experience Hansens pain for the first time since joining Washington before the 2014 season. Niskanen missed Fridays win against Buffalo with an upper-body injury after being on the receiving end of a boarding penalty from Bostons Patrice Bergeron on Wednesday.I dont think it was that bad of a hit, Niskanen said after practice Saturday. I didnt think it was live, and even after watching it, I can see where that can happen. It was one of those where I lost my balance the wrong distance from boards. If Im two feet closer to the boards, nothing happens. If Im two feet further away, nothing happens.Niskanen hopes to return to the lineup against Vancouver, but is in the NHLs concussion protocol.He practiced well and said he felt pretty good, so well what his status is (Sunday) morning, Capitals coach Barry Trotz said after practice Saturday. Theres a protocol the NHL has for injuries and well follow that protocol to a T. And thats why we cant give you an answer right now.The Capitals beat Vancouver 5-2 on Oct. 29 with Philipp Grubauer picking up the road victory.No. 1 netminder Braden Holtby figures to get the start Sunday, with each game critical for Washington thanks to its position in the red-hot Metropolitan Division. Even with 35 points, the Capitals sit in fifth place. ' ' '