While news around the league was focused on the big news that Nashville matched the offer sheet to defenseman Shea Weber, the Leafs officially announced the slightly less earth shattering signings of unrestricted free agent Keith Aucoin and Marlies defenseman Simon Gysbers to one-year deals.
Veteran hockey reporter Howard Berger tweeted earlier this evening that one of his sources is indicating that Toronto is “working diligently”to make a deal for a goaltender and speculated that their target was L.A. Kings backup Jonathan Bernier.
This is a rumor that won't go away, which can't be dismissed because the last rumor that wouldn't go away was Luke Schenn for James van Riemsdyk. The conventional wisdom is that the resolution of the Nash and Weber dilemmas would break the logjam and allow other deals to take place. We shall see.
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It’s for the another edition of Leafs Q & A. The world large number of good questions tonight, so I decided to write out a few and answer some of the other ones in a podcast.
Q: @joeybadoey asks - How will the Leafs acquire a center?
A: As much as fans don't want to hear this, my belief is that this the Maple Leafs are done addressing the center position for now, with their announced plan to give James van Riemsdyk a look at training camp. If that experiment is successful, JVR steps into the number one role between Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul, with Mikhail Grabovski as the number two, newly acquired Jay McClement in a checking role and David Steckel as the fourth line/face-off specialist. The great unknown is what Toronto is going to do with Tyler Bozak, Tim Connolly and Matthew Lombardi if JVR makes the transition.
Q:@coreyleafs asks - What are the Leafs going to do with Matthew Lombardi and Tim Connolly?
A: The dilemma facing GM Brian Burke regarding extra bodies currently on the roster is something that has to be addressed before the beginning of next season. Before free agency ensued on July 1, Toronto had veterans Colby Armstrong, Tim Connolly and Matthew Lombardi all in the last year of their contracts and making over $3 million. The Leafs believed that Armstrong's recent history of injuries would prevent him from being effective in the future and subsequently bought out his contract. They did not exercise the same option with Lombardi and Connolly, presumably because they believe they can bounce back from bad performances last season and contribute or that they have enough value to attract interest in a trade.
In spite of his struggles, it was encouraging that Lombardi was able to resume playing after missing an entire year due to concussion symptoms, but he was a mere shadow of the player that scored 53 points for Phoenix three seasons ago and signed a big free-agent deal with Nashville two summers ago. He could get another chance to contribute in Toronto, hoping that the natural hesitancy and tentativeness coming off a career threatening injury will fade.
Connolly for all his faults and shortcomings is still an effective playmaker and penalty killer, but he does not look to be a fit with Randy Carlyle's more defensive oriented style. The fact that he is in the last year of his contract, in spite of the $4.75 million salary, might make him attractive to a team that needs to reach the salary cap floor.
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