Per Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, the Leafs have signed defenseman Carl Gunnarsson to a three year contract for $9.45 Million, avoiding salary arbitration.
*******
According to TSN, Leafs team captain Dion Phaneuf is among 17 defenseman who have been selected for Team Canada's Olympic Orientation Camp that will take place from Aug. 25-28 in Calgary, AB. Phaneuf, who was invited to the same camp before the 2010 Vancouver games, was the only member of the Leafs invited to the camp by Hockey Canada.
Wingers Nikolai Kulemin and Leo Komarov were also invited to the orientation camps for the Russian and Finnish Olympic squads.
USA Hockey released their roster Monday afternoon and Leafs defenseman Jake Gardiner, wingers Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk were invited.
*******
The Edmonton Oilers solved one of their off-season problems, as they signed restricted free agent center Sam Gagner to a three year, $14.4 Million contract extension, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing later this week.
Gagner will earn an AAV of $4.8 Million with the new deal that includes no trade and no movement clauses and it will allow him to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2015-16 season.
There has been little news of the Maple Leafs negotiations with RFA center Nazem Kadri, other than comments from the young forward earlier in the month that the two sides were still talking.
Both players had comparable offensive seasons in 2013; Gagner with 14 goals and 24 assists in 48 games, Kadri with 18 goals and 26 assists in 48 games, but in spite of some similarities, Gagner’s new deal with Edmonton is likely not going to be used as a template for a potential Kadri deal with the Leafs.
Kadri shuttled between the American Hockey League and NHL his first two seasons before making a significant contribution in the last year of his three year entry level deal. Gagner has completed his six full NHL seasons averaging 15 goals per season and signed two year and one year extensions after the completion of his entry-level deal.
Gagner had the advantage of the salary arbitration hearing and award, while Kadri is not eligible for arbitration until the end of 2013-14, his fourth professional season.
The sticking point between the Leafs and Kadri’s representatives will undoubtedly be the length of the new deal. Toronto does not appear to be prepared to lock up the London, ON native to a long term deal after one good season, so they will want to extend Kadri for two or three years, which would give him the ability to go to arbitration and get a raise based on his production before becoming a UFA. A deal any longer than three years would allow the center to become an unrestricted free agent.
*******
The Leafs organizational shuffle between the pipes continued over the weekend as the club signed goaltender Christopher Gibson to a three-year entry level contract. The 20 year old native of Karkkila, Finland was a second round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2011, but did not sign a contract before the two year signing deadline elapsed
Gibson played four seasons with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the QMJHL and participated in the Maple Leafs prospect camp last week.
The Leafs have five goaltenders under contract; Jonathon Bernier, James Reimer, Drew MacIntyre, Garret Sparks and Gibson.
According to Kyle Cicerella of Canadian Press, former Marlies goalie Mark Owuya is exploring options to stay in North America before considering a return to his native Sweden. Jussi Rynnas, who played 21 games for the Marlies and in one game for the Leafs in 2013, has signed with Karpat in the Finnish SM-liiga.
*******If you are interested in sponsorship or advertising your business in the Greater Toronto / Southern Ontario area on this column, please send a message for more information by clicking on the “Contact” button at the top of the page.*******
For Those on Twitter:
KINDLE USERS: Please sign up for Maple Leafs Buzz, which includes a free-of-charge 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month afterwards. For more information
click here.
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»