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TORONTO -- Paul Ranger really likes pizza. Not just any pizza, but the kind that he can get from the Riverside Restaurant in Cornwall, Ont., with his uncle. Now in Toronto and closer to family than he was as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning years ago, he can spend time away from the rink debating what pizza joint is best and finding balance in life. Because of that, Ranger has begun to write the second chapter of his NHL playing career and was named the Maple Leafs Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominee for "perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey." Ranger learned that he was chosen for that honour Wednesday morning, 49 games into what he considers the renewal of his career more than four years after abruptly leaving the Lightning for personal reasons he still wont reveal. What the 29-year-old does say about version 2.0 of his hockey-playing life only hints at why he left and what made him come back. "What makes it easier for my second go-round is just that experience on how to handle different pressures from the outside, pressures on the ice and really just how to go about it and live your life and balance," Ranger said. "Balance is huge. It makes for a much healthier lifestyle. It makes for a much healthier, I think, mind, on the ice, as well." On the ice, the defencemans game is still rounding into form but isnt quite as good as hed like it to be. But his mind seems to be at peace with the sports importance in his life because Ranger has been able to spend time reflecting and placing value on different things. "You get away, you try different things, you do different things, you focus on other areas of your life that you love and that make you good," he said. "Too much of one good thing it can kind of become a mental battle sometimes. ... When you have that balance, everything seems to work a lot more smoothly, a lot more comfortably and positively." One of those positives is family, like being able to have his mother and father closer than they were when he was in Tampa. Friends make the support group even bigger. "Once in a while Ill get to see some of my closest friends, my high-school friends, my best friends," he said. "Everyone needs a break outside of work and outlets for different parts of life, and thats one of them for me." Outlet from what, exactly, Ranger wont say. Asked at the end of a 13-minute conversation with reporters to shed even a bit of detail on what caused him to leave the Lightning early in the 2009-10 season, he politely but firmly responded: "No. Im not willing to go there. Thank you, though." In general terms, Ranger repeatedly talked about "challenges" on and off the ice. That included playing last year for the AHLs Toronto Marlies, then signing a one-year deal with the Leafs and making the team out of training camp. "Lots of challenges, but when you overcome them, thats the coolest part of it," Ranger said. "Thats the most fun. You look at yourself in the mirror and say you did it. And thats huge, for everybody. Every person in the world goes through that kind of thing at some point in their lives, and I think its important to be able to challenge yourself and to recognize and give yourself some credit." Ranger noticed and appreciated the credit and recognition opponents around the league and former teammates have afforded him this season. He took special pride in reconnecting and building "genuine" relationships with a couple of players he spent time with in Tampa, too. Very little of Rangers time talking about his journey back to the NHL had anything to do with hockey, other than to say it has been a success. The Whitby, Ont., native said he never had any doubts about returning after such an extended absence. "No. This is the right thing for me to do," Ranger said. "This is the thing for me to do to grow and to overcome all the challenges that Ive had on and off the ice. This is the path, and Im committed to it. "I cant really put it all into words, but this is it. Its going to help me until I reach 150 (years old) and riding my Sea-Doo around somewhere and Im going to look back and smile and just say I did it." As hes in the process of doing it, hes earning respect along the way. "When a guy misses that amount of time and claws himself (onto a roster) and grabs an opportunity, youve got to take your hat off to him," Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said. "Any individual thats gone through what hes gone through, now hes playing the highest level of hockey there is in the world and hes earning his stripes." Whether earning those stripes means Ranger will be back with the Leafs next season is unclear. He insists he hasnt pondered that possibility and immediately brought the focus back to the present and what he and his teammates need to do in the final games of the season. Even if the Leafs season ends without a playoff berth, thats not the end of Rangers world, though he brought up Wednesday that he has a theory on how to win a championship in a city like Toronto. Hes just not willing to reveal that quite yet, either. "I cant say Ive figured it out because it hasnt been put to the test yet," he said. "But I just know for me it works. Im in no way ready to comment on it. This is something that perhaps I would tell you after we win the championship." Cristiano Ronaldo Juventus Jersey . "Opinion: Womens World Cup is the best Soccer of the year," Hanks tweeted to his 8.73 million followers on Friday. "Hey FIFA, they deserve real grass. Put in sod. Leonardo Bonucci Juventus Jersey . 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"Today all four lines played excellent," said head coach Laura Schuler.MIAMI -- With the addition of third baseman Casey McGehee, the Miami Marlins have replaced half of their punchless 2013 lineup. McGehee, a five-year major league veteran who played in Japan last season, agreed to a $1.1 million, one-year contract Wednesday. Miami earlier acquired catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, first baseman Garrett Jones and second baseman Rafael Furcal to shake up an offence that ranked last in the majors in runs and batting average. "We needed to get more production offensively," president of baseball operations Mike Hill said. "We still have some work to do, but were very comfortable with the progress weve made this off-season." Miami designated 2008 first-round pick Kyle Skipworth for assignment. The catcher went hitless in three at-bats during a brief stint with the Marlins in his major league debut this year. Marlins third basemen totalled three homers and 44 RBIs in 2013, worst in the majors in both categories. McGehee hit .292 with 28 homers in Japan last season. "It was a great learning experience for me," he said. "I had to rely on myself a lot more as far as what I was doing at the plate. I started to realize the home runs showed upp more when that wasnt the sole purpose of my at-bat.ddddddddddddAnd being humbled a little bit having to go over to Japan -- all those things combined, I re-found my confidence. Now Im excited about coming back and jump-starting my career over here." McGehees stint at third base for the Marlins might be brief. They took University of North Carolina third baseman Colin Moran with the sixth overall pick in the amateur draft, and hes expected to eventually take over the job. "Moran definitely had an influence in our decision-making process," Hill said. "We invested a lot in him. We didnt want to rush him, but theres nothing we have seen that leads us not to believe hes going to be a productive player. When hes ready to be there, hell be there." In the meantime, the Marlins will count on the 31-year-old McGehee, who has an average of .257 in five big league seasons. He played for the Pirates and Yankees in 2012 and batted .217 with nine homers in 114 games. The Marlins will be his fifth major league team. In addition to his base salary, he can earn $400,000 in performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 525, 550 and 575 plate appearances. ' ' '