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Leafs Add Character On Free Agent Day, More Moves To Come

July 2, 2014, 10:57 AM ET [2171 Comments]
Mike Augello
Toronto Maple Leafs Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Toronto Maple Leafs did not land a big ticket player or re-sign any of their unrestricted free agents, but did bring back two players from their 2013 playoff squad and added a veteran right-handed defenseman on the first day of free agency.

“(We got )some of what we wanted. There’s always other things you have in mind that you hope fall your way and they don’t……you are not going to get everything you want.” Leafs GM Dave Nonis said on Sportsnet’s Prime Time Sports on Tuesday. “We were able to make a couple of moves that we felt were important.”

While top free agent Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik signed high-priced, long-term deals with the Washington Capitals, former Leaf Anton Stralman inked a five-year deal with Tampa Bay and veteran Dan Boyle opted for joining the reigning Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers, Toronto added veteran blueliner Stephane Robidas for three years and a total of $9 Million.



The 37-year-old defenseman has made stops in Montreal, Chicago, Dallas and Anaheim and is known as a leader, a good influence in the locker room and most importantly a steadying defensive presence who will help to solidify the Leafs back end with youngsters like Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner expected to fill larger roles next season.

“A lot of things we were looking to do to change our back end a little bit, he fit the bill for most of them.” Nonis said

The club also re-signed popular former Leaf Leo Komarov to a four-year, $11.8 Million deal. The feisty 27-year-old winger is expected to take on a larger role in his second stint with the Leafs, as Nonis flew to Europe prior to July 1 to discuss their plans for the Finnish forward.

“It was important I think that he understood that we didn’t just look at him as a fourth line, six minute a night guy.” Nonis said. “We think he can do more than that, that we were willing to commit to him more than a one-year term. That he was someone that we feel can bring more to the table than that.”

The Leafs also brought winger Matt Frattin back to the fold. The former Leaf was acquired from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for winger Jerry D’Amigo and a conditional 2015 7th round pick.

The 26-year-old enjoyed a modicum of success in his first stint in Toronto, scoring 10 goals on the Toronto Marlies run to the 2012 Calder Cup Final and 13 points in 25 games in the lockout-shortened 2013 campaign, but was included in the deal to acquire Jonathan Bernier from Los Angeles Kings last June.

Frattin struggled to fit in with the Kings, scoring just six points in 40 games before being shipped to Columbus at the trade deadline as part of the package to acquire sniper Marian Gaborik.

The Edmonton, Alberta native was immediately signed to a two-year, $1.6 Million contract extension following the trade and is expected to be in the mix for a bottom six role with the Leafs. D’Amigo thrived with the Toronto Marlies last season, scoring 20 goals and 13 assists in 51 games, as well as 14 points in the Calder Cup Playoffs, but scored just three points in 22 games with the Leafs last season. Frattin has already proved that he has the skill, speed and size to handle the tough going in the NHL, while the Leafs may not be convinced that D’Amigo can do the same.

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Free agent center Dave Bolland signed with the Florida Panthers for $27.5 Million over five years, an average of $5.5 Million per season. The 28-year-old is a character player with championship pedigree and the Leafs wanted to bring him back, but fell short as they offered $4.9 Million on a five-year deal.

Winger Mason Raymond signed a three-year, $9.5 Million deal with the hometown Calgary Flames and while indications were that the Leafs were interested in bringing the speedy forward back, they were not prepared to give him a three-year deal and triple his $1 Million salary.

Marlies defenseman TJ Brennan signed a one-year, one-way deal with the NY Islanders for $600,000. The winner of the Eddie Shore Trophy for the AHL's top blueliner was looking for the best chance to make the NHL and the defensive wanting Islanders appear to be a good choice.

The Leafs also lost goaltender Drew MacIntyre, who signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Toronto has not extended offers to unrestricted free agents Nikolai Kulemin, Jay McClement and Paul Ranger and the depending on how the rest of the summer goes, the Leafs may revisit bringing back Carlyle favorite McClement.

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Nonis indicated on Tuesday that the Leafs are not done making moves and with the failure to re-sign Bolland, Toronto is likely looking for a two-way center and a depth winger.

The Leafs have four defensemen who are better suited to play the right side in Robidas, Roman Polak, Dion Phaneuf and RFA Cody Franson. Franson appears to be the likeliest to be moved this offseason, as the blueliner rejected the club’s qualifying offer for the second year in a row.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported on Tuesday that Franson was the piece going the other way in the deal that would have brought Josh Gorges from Montreal, but the deal was quashed by Gorges refusing to waive his NTC to come to Toronto. After the signing of Robidas, it is possible that Franson will be swapped to address the Leafs need to add depth up front.

The Leafs also may move RFA goaltender James Reimer, who requested a trade last week, but Nonis indicated that a trade is not guaranteed and is conditional on what kind of return the club can get for the 26-year-old netminder.

Names currently on the market that may intrigue the Leafs are free agent centers Steve Ott, David Legwand, Vern Fiddler and Mike Santorelli, wingers Radim Vrbata or Steve Downie.

The 31-year-old Ott is believed to be on the Leafs radar. As well as being an effective bottom six forward and good on faceoffs, Ott is a professional disturber of the highest order. He would be intriguing if paired with Komarov. The former Sabre was traded to St. Louis along with Ryan Miller last February and was a teammate of new Leaf Stephane Robidas for nine seasons in Dallas.

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