Are the Leafs open to adding a free agent before the start of training camp??
Hockey insider Darren Dreger indicated on the season premiere of TSN’s Leafs Lunch that the Blue and White could have interest in free agent defenseman Kris Russell, but that it would have to be on a short term deal that would allow Toronto the option of flipping the 30-year-old blueliner at the trade deadline for future assets.
Going into training camp, Toronto appears to have four defensive spots etched in stone; Morgan Rielly, Jake Gardiner, Roman Polak and Matt Hunwick, and have a crop of youngsters in Nikita Zaitsev, Connor Carrick, Frank Corrado, Viktor Loov, Rinat Valiev and Martin Marincin fighting for spots.
Pure radio fodder. However, Russell is in serious discussions with 8 teams and is expected to sign before camp. https://t.co/8of8y6uhtd
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) September 6, 2016
Salary cap considerations would not be a factor if GM Lou Lamoriello chose to add a veteran defenseman, since the contracts of injured forward Nathan Horton($5.3 Million) and defenseman Stephane Robidas ($3 Million) can go on LTIR at the start of the regular season and the contract buyout of Jared Cowen would be resolved by then.
Toronto has 48 pro contracts on the books, so they would have the space to accommodate an addition, but filling a spot on the roster with a short term fix such as Russell would limit the Leafs ability to find out which of their young defensemen can play in the NHL. That can only be determined by ice time and evaluation.
If Russell’s options are limited to one-year deals, it is more likely that he would choose a contending team than one in transition like Toronto, who will trade him for draft picks or prospects as a deadline rental.
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Leafs head coach Mike Babcock put the injury of goaltender Frederik Andersen into perspective, as the club revealed over the long weekend that the injury suffered last Friday during an Olympic qualifier between Denmark and Slovenia would keep him out for 3 to 4 weeks.
“This gives him extra rest to get ready for the Leafs.… Babcock said. “We don’t expect any setbacks (with the upper body injury) and he’ll be ready to go(for training camp). It’s unfortunate he didn’t get to represent his team and build confidence in this tournament, but it’s also a good situation for us. We can work with him every day, he’ll be very fit and he’ll be ready to go when we’re ready to go.
The best case scenario for the 26-year-old netminder is a three week layoff, which would have him available at the start of training camp in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Washington Capitals backup Phillipp Grubauer will replace Andersen as one of the three goaltenders for Team Europe.
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An interesting Leafs related snippet from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and Toronto Sun political reporter Shawn Jeffords about the Steven Stamkos signing.
Stamkos and his representatives met with Leafs Team President Brendan Shanahan, Toronto mayor John Tory and the CEO of Canadian Tire on Monday, June 27th. Two days later, it was revealed that the Markham, ON native would be remaining with Tampa Bay, but according to e-mails obtained between the mayor and his staff, Tory knew that the Lightning center would not be coming to the Leafs as early as Tuesday.
Tory’s staff knew the top free agent was staying in Tampa Bay before the general public, a series of e-mails show. But when, on June 29, Toronto Sun columnist Steve Simmons broke news that Tory had attended the private meeting with Stamkos and MLSE bosses it drew unexpected attention and questions to the mayor.
“The Mayor attended an event on Monday,… Tory spokesman Amanda Galbraith wrote in an e-mail to his chief of staff. “(Stamkos is) not coming he’s staying in Tampa, that will be out tomorrow.…
In spite of the fact that Stamkos was open to the possibility of signing elsewhere, one can only draw from the e-mail exchange that Stamkos and his camp made it apparent during or soon after the meeting that he had decided to remain with the Lightning.
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