The Toronto Maple Leafs are continuing the successful trend of signings free agents to short term deals that will fill the NHL roster, allow them to move those players at the trade deadline for young assets or draft picks, while the club’s allows their prospects remain in the American Hockey League another one or two years to gain valuable experience.
The club signed veteran free agents PA Parenteau, Mark Arcobello, Matt Hunwick and Daniel Winnik last week and on Monday announced the signing of 27-year-old center Shawn Matthias to a one-year deal, worth $2.3 Million.
The Mississauga, ON native posted a career-high 18 goals with Vancouver last season after being acquired by the Canucks as part of the Roberto Luongo trade with Florida in March 2014.
As with the signings last week, Matthias deal is short-term and for an economical cap hit, which gives Toronto the ability to make moves near the trade deadline to teams with limited cap space, while giving the player a chance at significant playing time and the exposure of playing for the Leafs in full view of many NHL scouts.
The 6'4" 216lb Matthias gives Toronto a big bodied presence up the middle and the club's management options at center if they choose to make additional moves during the summer. Currently the Leafs have Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri, Matthias, Nick Spaling, Peter Holland and Sam Carrick on their depth chart.
Rumors persist that Toronto will trade Bozak at some point during the summer to continue the changing of the guard and the signing of Matthias may be an indicator that will take place. The club re-signed Kadri to a one-year, $4.1 Million deal over the weekend and have to determine what they have in the London, Ontario native before making the decision on a long-term contract extension.
Some believe that Kadri has the talent and capabilities of becoming an #1 NHL center and should be given that opportunity in a transitional year, but the 24-year-old lacks the size and has not developed the two-way game to compete head-to-head with the likes of Giroux, Crosby, Backstrom, Toews and Getzlaf.
Holland showed growth last season, posting a career-high 11 goals and 14 assists in 62 games. The potential move of Bozak could mean a shift upward of Kadri to the first line, Holland to the second, Matthias to the third and Carrick to the fourth, with Spaling shifting to the wing, where he played last season with Pittsburgh.
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