The Maple Leafs have been among the busiest clubs in the off season and that did not change on Free Agent Friday, as they spent nearly $64 Million to add unrestricted free agent winger David Clarkson to a max seven year deal, re-sign center Tyler Bozak to a five year contract extension and give recently acquired goaltender Jonathan Bernier to a two year pact.
GM Dave Nonis indicated that with the roster changes that include the addition of two time Stanley Cup winner Dave Bolland from the Black Hawks, that his club is more in line with the coaching philosophy of coach Randy Carlyle.
But that does not mean the job is done.
“I don’t think that we’re finished, this is going to be an ongoing process, over the next 12 to 24 months to try to put together a team that will do something special.” Nonis said
The Leafs forwards appear to be set, with Bozak, Nazem Kadri, Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul, James van Riemsdyk and Clarkson in the top six, Bolland, Nikolai Kulemin and Jay McClement as the checking line and Colton Orr, Frazer McLaren and possibly Joe Colborne on the fourth line, but other than the addition of free agent T.J. Brennan, Nonis did little to address the blueline, which was an area of concern in the wake of the third period collapse in Game 7 against Boston.
When asked if he was looking to make changes and upgrade, Nonis indicated that he had spoken with veteran free agent defenseman Rob Scuderi, but that talks never got to the stage of a contract offer, as he appeared intent on returning to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Although not encouraged that anything will fall into place, Nonis did leave the door open to more changes in the near future.
“If something falls in our lap in the next week, we would do it, but I don’t expect that to happen.”
Toronto has three restricted free agent defenseman in Mark Fraser, Carl Gunnarsson and Cody Franson and it will be a challenge to get them locked up to cap friendly deals.
“It’s going to be an issue of cap space and where people fit in.It’s also going to be a situation where we have some young players that may have a pretty good opportunity of cracking the lineup or becoming a seventh defenseman." Nonis said “We do feel there’s a couple of players coming that are very close. Whether they’re ready to go right now, that’s what camp will bring out.”
TSN’s Bob MacKenzie indicated on Friday that the Leafs will not re-sign free agent Mike Kostka and Toronto appears to be prepared to give Brennan, a 24 year old former second round pick of the Buffalo Sabres, a chance to make the big club, along with 2012 first round pick Morgan Rielly, Korbinian Holzer, Jesse Blacker and 2010 fourth round pick Petter Granberg, who played for Skelleftea HC in the Swedish Elite League last season.
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