TORONTO – Tim Gleason and his wife, Candice, woke up on the first day of 2014 and made a life-altering decision that would send the 30-year-old and his family to the city of Toronto. Gleason, who had spent eight seasons in the Carolina Hurricanes organization, decided to waive his no-trade clause and switch teams for the first time since 2006. "We contemplated it for a week or a couple weeks on and off and we just looked at each other and said enough is enough," Gleason explained, "because its an everyday thing of handling whether they want you there or they want you out, if it was better for my career to move on. We woke up and just said weve got to do it and so thats what we did." Gleason was sent to the Maple Leafs in exchange for John-Michael Liles and defensive prospect, Dennis Robertson. He had been a member of the Hurricanes since the fall of 2006 when he was flipped from the L.A. Kings, alongside Eric Belanger, in a deal for now-Columbus defender Jack Johnson and Oleg Tverdovsky. His state of being was considerably different back then. He wasnt married for one and didnt have three young kids, two girls and a boy, to think about. Nor did he own the no-trade clause which allowed him to determine where he wanted to continue his career – there were a handful of teams that he was considering. "Theres a lot more that has to do with [it] than just picking up yourself and going," said Gleason, who averaged 16 minutes this season, down from nearly 20 per game last season. "You want to go to a place where theres an opportunity, obviously and a place where you can fit properly." That fit had evidently run its course with Kirk Muller and the Hurricanes, the end seemingly beginning during a Sept. 21 preseason game in Montreal. Gleason squared off that night with Jarred Tinordi and suffered a concussion from the scrap. His role, upon return from the injury, dwindled with rookie Brett Bellemore assuming increased opportunity from the Carolina coaching staff. A fiery presence, who better fits the Randy Carlyle mold than Liles, Gleason is hoping to reignite his career in Toronto. "Its kind of a laid-back situation there," said Gleason of Raleigh, North Carolina, "easy-living, good weather, beautiful place to play. But hockey career-wise, it was a decision that had to be made. This is the hockey place where you want to play." With an injury to Carl Gunnarsson (elbow) and the embarrassment of a 7-1 loss to the Rangers on Saturday evening, a door has opened into the Leafs lineup for the Michigan native. He is likely to step right onto the teams top pairing with Dion Phaneuf. "Were asking Tim Gleason to play the way hes accustomed to playing," Carlyle said of the former Windsor Spitfire last week. "Hes etched out an NHL career being a strong, physical defensive defenceman. We think that he has something to offer to our group." Carlyle was suitably displeased with the performance of his group in its most recent lopsided defeat and singled out the lack of compete as a trait to be improved upon heading into Tuesdays game against the Islanders. "Were not going to have success unless were prepared to go in and win our share of battles in those areas and quite frankly, we didnt do enough of it in the last game," said Carlyle, who is considering a juggling of the entire defence for the game against New York. Described by Leafs general manager Dave Nonis as "very competitive" on the day of the trade, Gleason should, at the very least, be of some help in that regard. It remains to be seen how much aid he can offer to a club thats struggled badly to defend all year and especially of late. The Leafs have allowed 40 shots or more in four of the past five games, including 50 against the Rangers on Saturday. Patriots Jerseys 2020 . 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"This was a little bit of a let down, but all credit to them," said Nestor.CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Wendell Scott earned a second NASCAR first on Wednesday: He became the first African-American driver to be elected to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The late driver from Virginia was among the latest group of five — all drivers, another first — voted in the hall on Wednesday. Scott joins popular NASCAR champion Bill Elliott, two-time series champ Joe Weatherly, 1960 champion Rex White and 26-time race winner Fred Lorenzen. Scott competed in NASCARs top series from 1961-73. He won his only race at Speedway Park in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1963, taking the checkered flag in the 100-mile feature after starting 15th. Scott started 495 Sprint Cup events and had a 147 top 10 finishes. "I just felt like that his time was coming and he would say that too, one day its going to happen," said Scotts son, Franklin. When Scotts name was called there were enthusiastic shouts and applause from fans, officials and family members gathered at the NASCAR Hall of Fame rotunda. He was the second-leading vote getter behind Elliott from a 54-member panel, including current Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. Scott, who died in 1990, was the first African-American driver to race fulltime in NASCARs top series. He had won more than 100 races at local tracks before stepping up to race against NASCARs best. Among Scotts legacy to the sport is the sports Drive for Diversity initiative, one of the top youth development programs for multicultural and female drivers across the motorsports industry thats been in place since 2004. "The next inductee gives me additional pride," NASCAR chairman Brian France said in introducing Scott, "Because he undoubted scaled and climbed the highest mountain." Scotts story was loosely portrayed in the 1977 movie, "Greased Lightning," where Richard Pryor starred as Scott, the one-time taxi driver from Danville, Virginia. "He said one day they are going to write a book about me," Franklin Scott said of his father. "He had great determination. He was a great ambassador for the sport." Elliott was the 1988 Sprintt Cup champion and his 44 race victories rank 16th in NASCAR history.dddddddddddd The driver nicknamed "Awesome Bill From Dawsonville" was also the first to win the Winston Million bonus in 1985 for capturing three of NASCAR crown jewel races. When Elliotts name was called, racer son Chase patted him on the shoulder. "This is at the top of everything Ive ever done and accomplished," he said. "This is the pinnacle." Elliott said he was a bit surprised when he was called first and thanked those who helped him achieve what he had in racing. "You look at all of the people to be nominated and you try to put things into perspective. And bam, you are the first name announced and its like, holy mackerel what just happened," he said. Modified champion Jerry Cook was sixth, car owner Robert Yates seventh and the late driver and announcer Benny Parsons eighth. The five inductees will be enshrined at ceremonies on January 30th. Hall of Famer Richard Petty, among the voters, said there were few clear cut people on the list of 20. "I had my thoughts and others had theirs, but nobody said this is the guy that needs to get in," Petty said. "That was different than past years." Weatherly, who died in 1964, won 25 races in NASCARs premiere series including those back-to-back championships in 1962 and 1963. White raced from 1956-64, winning 28 times in 233 events including six races during his championship season in 1960. Lorenzen started as a mechanic in NASCAR in 1960, but became a driver by the end of the year. He won the first three of his 26 races the next season. In 1963, Lorenzen had a stretch of dominance like few others when he won eight of 16 races entered. At one point, he led 1,679 of the possible 1,953 laps run. Series matriarch Anne Bledsoe France was honoured with the inaugural Landmark Award. She was the wife of NASCAR founding father, Bill France, and grandmother of current CEO and chairman Brian France. Anne B. France served as secretary and treasurer of NASCAR. AP Sports Writer Steve Reed contributed to this report. ' ' '