For the latest Leafs updates or Follow @mikeinbuffalo on Twitter
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been the beneficiary of tapping into the European leagues in the Brendan Shanahan era. Earlier this year, the Leafs tapped into the Swedish Hockey League, signing 21-year-old SHL Rookie of the Year Andreas Borgman and 23-year-old Calle Rosen.
Reports on Wednesday indicate that the club is looking at bolstering their blueline with KHL defenseman Igor Ozhiganov.
Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston reports that Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello and head coach Mike Babcock travelled to Russia recently to meet with Ozhiganov, who is entering his eighth KHL season.
The right-handed shooter played for Russia at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Edmonton/Calgary and was a teammate of Leafs blueliner Nikita Zaitsev in 2015-16.
While he can play a disciplined game, it is possible that Ozhiganov’s skill set would be more conducive to the style played in the NHL.
The blueliner’s KHL contract expires after their season, which means he will not be available to sign with any NHL club until next April or May. The revelation of the Leafs interest in Ozhiganov is very similar to that of their pursuit of Zaitsev, who came to Toronto and spoke with the Leafs in the summer of 2015. From that point forward, rumors persisted that Toronto would be the destination and Zaitsev finally signed with the Leafs in May 2016 after the Gagarin Cup Final.
The KHL season has just begun and Ozhiganov has been scratched by CSKA for the first two games, as Moscow has added former NHLer’s Alexei Marchenko and Nikita Nesterov to their blueline.
*******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.*******