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Leafs Sign Winnik, Gardiner Last Contract Hurdle

July 28, 2014, 12:36 PM ET [1869 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Maple Leafs have added yet another forward to their roster, as they have signed unrestricted free agent Daniel Winnik to a one-year contract, worth $1.3 Million.

The 29-year-old forward scored 12 goals and 37 assists in 134 games over the last two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks and is considered a solid two-way performer.



With this signing, the Leafs now have 17 forwards under one-way contracts for the 2014-15 season, which would seem to set them up for a possible trade in the coming weeks.



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The Maple Leafs believe there will not be any difficulty getting restricted free agent defenseman Jake Gardiner to agree to a new deal, in spite of recent changes in Toronto management. Prior to last week’s upheaval in which longtime assistants Dave Poulin and Claude Loiselle were fired and Soo Greyhounds GM Kyle Dubas was brought on board, reports were that the club was close to getting the 24-year-old blueliner signed to a multi-year contract.

The departed Loiselle was the point man for contract negotiations, which was thought might cause a delay the signing of the slick-skating Gardiner, but Leafs GM Dave Nonis indicated over the weekend that all is well.

“Talks are ongoing, things are going fine.” Nonis said to the Star’s Kevin McGran on Friday. “I don’t see any hiccups there.”

Gardiner had a up-and-down season in the last year of his entry-level deal, finishing second behind recently signed Cody Franson in defensive scoring(10 goals, 21 assists) and behind only Dion Phaneuf in average ice time(just over 21 minutes per game), but continuing to have growing pains at the defensive end of the ice.




Unlike the difficulty that conference rival Columbus may have with RFA center Ryan Johansen, the Leafs and Gardiner seem to be on the same page regarding the term of a potential new deal.

Johansen, who was selected fourth overall in 2010, struggled as a rookie three years ago and split time between the AHL and NHL during the lockout-shortened season, before notching 33 goals and 30 assists for the Jackets in 2014. That breakout season may give Johansen’s representatives the idea of trying to shoot for a long-term, big money deal similar to what Edmonton did with former top picks Taylor Hall and Ryan-Nugent Hopkins, but if Columbus won’t budge Johansen may have to sign a shorter term bridge deal.

Gardiner(along with sophomore Morgan Rielly) is poised to play a bigger role on the blueline for the Leafs next season, as the clock is ticking towards Franson’s departure as an unrestricted free agent and focus is placed on equally distributing ice time among the three defensive pairings. A holdout for a slightly higher dollar amount into September would be a no-win for the Minnesota native, which is why it is likely that he will follow the same path that Nazem Kadri did last summer and agree to a deal before training camp begins.

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