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Sky Sports News HQ presenter Kirsty Gallacher looks forward to what could be the most wide-open and exciting Masters Tournament in living memory... The countdown is almost over, and its time for one of my favourite sporting weeks of the year. The Masters is just around the corner, and what a tournament we have in prospect.Twelve months ago, we looked forward to a wide-open and exciting week and we were not disappointed. We saw a record number of birdies and eagles, and Jordan Spieth proved a worthy champion at just 21 years of age. Bubba Watson helped Jordan Spieth into the Green Jacket 12 months ago But this year, I think we could see an even better tournament. Looking at the list of genuine contenders, there are so many players in with a chance of slipping on that famous Green Jacket on Sunday afternoon, and that reflects the state of the sport at the moment.In my opinion, golf is more exciting than ever right now. There is not much separating the top 30 players in the world rankings, and having four of the top five still in their 20s is great for the game. Jason Day is the hot hand right now, taking over from Jordan Spieth as world No 1 Jason Day is now ranked as the best player on the planet after following up his win at Bay Hill with a stunning performance in last weeks WGC Match Play. He is fantastic to watch, and he deserves all of the success hes had since hitting a purple patch at the end of last summer. Eight places Get eight places on the Masters with Sky Bet! Day has knocked Spieth off the summit, and its fair to say Jordan has been a little out of sorts in recent weeks - something he has acknowledged with typical good grace. But I still believe in Jordan Spieth. Spieth has not been in the best of form, but he cant be ruled out at Augusta I tipped him to be the best of the vast crop of talented young guns at the Masters last year, and I was delighted to see him produce one of the best performances Augusta has ever witnessed despite his tender years.Jordan might have gone off the boil lately, but he has an old head on those young shoulders and I dont doubt for a second that he can turn his form around on the grandest stage of all. He is naturally gifted, one of the best putters in the world, and returning to the scene of his remarkable win last year will spur him on once again. Rory McIlroy will be hungrier than ever to complete a career Grand Slam of majors And then theres Rory McIlroy, who I think is a really hot bet for the Masters this year. Nobody in the field will be as hungry as Rory to get their hands on that Green Jacket, and he will be more focused and determined than ever to join the elite club with a career Grand Slam of majors.Hes been playing well this year without quite managing a victory, but this is the week he will have had at the forefront of his planning for many weeks now. The course sets up perfectly for him, and changing his putting technique has galvanised his confidence over the last month. McIlroy has opted out of the Par Three contest this year Its a shame he has opted not to play the Par Three contest this year, but Ive got no problem with that. That just shows how meticulous his preparations are, and if he can string four solid rounds together on a course that sets up perfectly for him, hell be hard to beat.Rory couldnt quite get it together over the first couple of rounds last year, and the weight of expectation might have had an impact on that. But he shot 68 and 66 over the weekend to finish tied for fourth - thats what hes capable of, and he knows it.Im also expecting a good showing from a number of English challengers this year, and Id be thrilled if Justin Rose can pull off something special. He might be in his mid-30s now, but I feel he still has so much to give. He always seems to be up there contending for majors and, with his game maturing all the time, Im sure hell be one to watch next week. Andy Sullivan has been great to watch over the last 18 months Justin has been an established world-class player for many years now, but Andy Sullivan has risen to prominence over the last 18 months and has proved one of the most popular players in the game. He is a wonderful character, and I love his attitude on the course. He wont beat himself up if he makes a mistake, he just shrugs it off and thinks about the next hole. That is a priceless attribute, and Ive no doubt he will cope well with the pressures of making his debut at the Masters.Andy is one of the most improved players in the world, and the same can definitely be said of Danny Willett. He upstaged McIlroy to win in Dubai earlier this year, and his superb run of results has elevated him to 12th in the world rankings.Theres also Matt Fitzpatrick, who was a pleasure to watch when he won the British Masters supported by Sky Sports last autumn. He was the youngest player in the field at Woburn and his victory provided a great story. Ian Poulter boosted his Masters and Ryder Cup hopes with a strong week in Puerto Rico The performances of the British and European players are all the more under scrutiny in a Ryder Cup year, and nobody is aware of that more than Ian Poulter. Hes had a difficult few months, but he bounced back in Puerto Rico last week and finished a shot out of a play-off for the title.Poults is in the field for the Masters having been in the top 12 last year, and his display at Coco Beach gives him plenty to build on as he looks to force his way into Darren Clarkes team. Watch The Masters throughout the week live on Sky Sports - your home of Golf. It would be great to see him have another strong week at Augusta, and Poulter is one of a number of the old guard who will be determined to show the youngsters they will not have it all their own way this year.Adam Scott is probably the stand-out star in that group, and he has been in blistering form lately. Many said he would struggle when the anchored putting ban came into force in January, but he has silenced the doubters and has been putting better than he ever has.He is most certainly back among the worlds elite, and history tells us that the best putter often wins the Masters. And if you combine his recent form with his record at Augusta, he is yet another player in with a shout. Phil Mickelson will be preparing for his 24th Masters appearance And dont forget Phil Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion. He didnt have a great 2015, but he has looked in good touch so far this year. Experience is a valuable asset during the first major of the year, and no one has more experience than Phil as he prepares for his 24th appearance at Augusta.You can never discount a past Masters champion, and that brings Bubba Watson and Charl Schwartzel into the frame as well. Both have won on the PGA Tour this year, and both on very tough courses, and that bodes well for the challenge ahead.Then theres the likes of Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed, or how about Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace - the list seems never ending. Kirsty will be bringing you all the latest updates from Augusta throughout Masters week Picking a prospective winner at this years Masters is tougher than ever, but isnt that a good thing? Were looking at a field with an alluring blend of dynamic young talent, highly-respected elder statesmen, charismatic newcomers and - above all - genuine role models.That just reaffirms what I said earlier - that the state of the game today is in fantastic shape, with top-quality players from all parts of the globe bidding to make their mark over four enthralling days in Georgia.But one thing is certain. Whoever ends up in the Butler Cabin on Sunday evening will be a worthy champion. The anticipation is building, and I cant wait to get out there to bring you all the latest news, developments and interviews from beside the first fairway. Also See: Spieth excited by deep field Ewen: Its Rorys time Get Sky Sports Opinion Golf on Sky Sports 4 Eight places with Sky Bet Shaquem Griffin Seahawks Jersey . 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Shaun Alexander Seahawks Jersey .3 million qualifying offer to outfielder Michael Cuddyer on Monday.MONTREAL - College free agents are a low-risk, high-reward gamble that usually reap very little fruit in the National Hockey League. But in the case of Tyler Bozak, signed as a free agent out of the University of Denver, the gamble has paid off about as well as anyone with the Leafs, then Brian Burke and Ron Wilson steering the ship, could have envisioned back in April of 2009. The crafty 6-foot-1 middleman from Regina has cast aside the odds and become a viable NHL player, one who (rightly or wrongly) has risen to the first line centre gig in Toronto, this for a player who went undrafted out of the British Columbia Hockey League. Breaking free of Andrei Markov in the second frame of Tuesdays opener, Bozak would beat Carey Price with the shorthanded marker that would swing the opening night festivities for the Leafs, the go-ahead goal in what proved a not so pretty 4-3 victory. "I think mainly just because Im not a really flashy player out there," Bozak told TSN.ca of the doubts hes continually had to overcome, including those in recent years in regards to his viability as the centreman to Phil Kessel. "People expect a first line centre to go out there and bang with the other team and put up huge points, but I think Ive found a role with the team here that works with the guys Im playing with. It doesnt matter to me what anybody outside the room says, just the people close to me and the guys inside the room. I know they believe in me to do the job and thats all that matters to me." Martin St. Louis rose from the University of Vermont into an eventual scoring champ at the age of 37. But for every success story in the form of St. Louis or even Bozak, there are dozens upon dozens who fall short in their attempts to leap from college into the NHL. The Leafs tried their luck with the likes of Brayden Irwin and Christian Hanson among others, only finding a winning hand in Bozak, who has carved out a valuable role within the organization, signing a five-year deal worth $21 million this past summer. "I got a really good opportunity when I got here with Ron Wilson and Brian Burke," Bozak recalled. "I cant thank those guys enough. And then luckily enough, Randy came in here and liked what he saw with me. You never know whats going to happen when you get a new coach, but I think he likes what I do and what I bring to the table. Ive just gotta keep trying to get better every year and keep moving forward." The doubts havent stopped for Bozak. Questions linger about his potency for the gig he currently occupies, the organization ultimately deeming him a better fit for the roster than Mikhail Grabovski, who was bought out this summer. "I dont read into much in the media or those bloggers that chirp me," Bozak sniped of the social media chatter. "Its funny to me. Not one thing that someone I dont know says is going to bother me at all. Its Twitter. You can say whatever you want to anyone. Itll never bother me. I find it quite funny actually." Bozak may never be a perfect fit for the role he owns, but his rise from an undrafted college free agent into a more than capable NHL centre is worth taking notice of. Five Points 1. Orr/Parros The scene for was striking for the "déjà vu" it reeked of. Back in January of 2011, George Parros, then a member of Randy Carlyles Anaheim Ducks, dropped the gloves with Colton Orr, a formulaic battle of two heavyweights. The scrap ended shortly after it began. Parros delivered a right-hand to Orr that would send him thundering to the ground, his face landing square on the Air Canada Centre ice. The now 31-year-old Orr would miss the remainder of that season with a concussion, one that nearly cost him his career in the year that followed. In a disturbing role reversal Tuesday at the Bell Centre, it was Parros landing chin-first on the ice after a brief tangle with Orr, their second bout of the game and one of five on the night between the two teams. "It was the same type of thing," said Carlyle after the game. "It wasnt a punch, it was where the guy fell down and unfortunately hit his chin and his face on the ice. Its unfortunate. Those are tough things." The scene began after a series of tussles between Carter Ashtoon and members of the Canadiens, including Brandon Prust and Jarred Tinordi.dddddddddddd Feeling he had been grabbed by P.K. Subban, Orr confronted the Montreal defender before wrestling with Parros once more. "Its scary," Orr said. "Ice isnt going to give." Like Orr, Parros suffered a concussion as a result of the play, but was alert and conscious at a local hospital following the game. 2. Special Teams edge Special teams were a point of pride for the Leafs last season and loomed large for the club in the opener this season. James van Riemsdyk opened the scoring with a power-play goal, Bozak beat Price with the go-ahead shorthanded goal and the Toronto penalty kill erased all four Montreal opportunities. "I thought our special teams were the difference in the game," Carlyle observed afterward. "The shorthanded goal kind of turned everything in our favour. And our power-play got us going." The Leafs had the second-best penalty kill in 2013 and the 14th ranked power-play, both factors that helped the team reach the postseason for the first time in nine years. 3. Ranger makes emotional return to the NHL Paul Ranger knew it would be emotional. Playing in his first regular season NHL game since October 22, 2009, a long journey that saw him out of hockey entirely for nearly three years, Ranger couldnt help but to be swept up with emotion in the lead-up to his Leafs debut on Tuesday night. "It was emotional at first," he told TSN.ca after a 20-minute performance which saw him on the ice for the Canadiens first goal. "Just being back and knowing where I am on my journey." Warming up in the underbelly of the Bell Centre before the game, Ranger was hit with emotion. "I knew it was going to come," he said smiling. "I knew at some point I was going to just feel emotional and it was okay. Its okay to do that because its special." 4. Reimer gets the opening night gig Carlyle called it a "hunch". Opting for James Reimer against the Canadiens in lieu of local boy Jonathan Bernier, Carlyle was rewarded with a sturdy 34-save performance and opening night win. "You always want to be the guy that starts it off," Reimer said before the game. The method behind the hunch for Carlyle was the performance of the incumbent no. 1 against Montreal last season, the 25-year-old posting a 1.85 goals against average and .948 save percentage, also offering a 37-save shutout in his only appearance in Montreal. Of his battle with Bernier for the starting gig, Reimer said it hadnt crossed his mind in Tuesdays action. "When Im in there right now during games, Im not competing against anybody on my team," he said. "Thats not what its about. Im competing for my teammates. Im competing against the other team, not against the guy sitting beside me." 5. Bozak on Kessel Phil Kessel stole the day when he agreed to an 8-year extension with the Leafs on Tuesday morning. Asked for the ingredient in Kessels game that was perhaps overlooked, Bozak responded with an element that was on striking display during the postseason, one that saw Kessel post four goals and six points in seven games. "I think maybe some people dont think he has a ton of compete in him, but we in the room know he does," Bozak told TSN.ca. "He puts up those points every single year for a reason." Stat-Pack 5 - Fights between the Leafs and Canadiens, including a pair each for Colton Orr and Mark Fraser. 61 - Shot attempts for the Leafs. 25:27 - Ice-time for Cody Franson, second among all players to Dion Phaneuf, who logged 27-plus. 4 - Players who made their Leaf debuts on Tuesday night, including Dave Bolland, Paul Ranger, Mason Raymond and Troy Bodie. 5-0-1 - Career record for James Reimer in the month of October. Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-6 PK: 4-4 Quote of the Night "Its funny to me. Not one thing that someone I dont know says is going to bother me at all. Its Twitter. You can say whatever you want to anyone. Itll never bother me. I find it quite funny actually." -Tyler Bozak on the criticism he receives in social media. Up Next The Leafs visit Philadelphia for the Flyers home opener on Wednesday night. ' ' '