The focal point of the news regarding the Toronto Maple Leafs is on center Dave Bolland, as the two-time Stanley Cup winner nears his return to the ice and while representatives negotiate with the club on a new contract.
Bolland appeared to be ready to return as soon as Thursday on Long Island, but after leaving practice early on Tuesday, the Mimico, ON native skated as an extra forward at the MasterCard Center on Wednesday.
“Yesterday he pushed it pretty hard and it’s not quite there in terms of strength for him to participate in a game tomorrow night, but if you’ve been watching him practice you know he’s not that far away either.… Leafs GM Dave Nonis said to Sportsnet’s Hockey Central on Wednesday. “We need to push him as hard as we can, but not do too much because we don’t want to set him back.…
Leafs coach Randy Carlyle after practice indicated that Bolland is day-to-day.
Regarding the contract, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported Wednesday morning that the pending unrestricted free agent is looking for a seven or eight year contract extension and for more than $5 Million per season, which looks to be more of an opening salvo in the negotiations between the two sides than a realistic term and amount of a new deal.
Bolland seeking 7 or 8 yr #Leafs exten' that could max out over 40m. Is he worth it? Tune into HC @ noon for the latest. FAN590 @Sportsnet
— Nick Kypreos (@RealKyper) February 26, 2014The Leafs are keeping their options open regarding the veteran center, including the possibility of a trade before the deadline or keeping Bolland through the playoffs and continuing to negotiate up until early July.
“Would we ever move him, he’s not any different than anyone else if there’s a deal that made sense.… Nonis said. “Are you going to move him just because he is a UFA, absolutely not. It’s the same situation that we were in last year with Tyler Bozak and if a player wants to play here and you want to have him, generally you find a way to keep him.…
With seven days remaining until the March 3rd trade deadline, the Leafs GM said that the chatter with other GM’s is relatively quiet, but will probably pick up after the weekend when teams play a few more games and make a determination whether they are in the playoff race or going into full sell mode.
“Right now, there is not a whole lot going on. Teams are starting to pick up in terms of conversations, but we’re not close to anything, that’s for sure.… Nonis said. While Toronto would like to make a deal that improves their blueline or forwards, Nonis says that an expensive rental is not what he is looking for.
“We are going to look more for hockey deals where were actually trading assets for assets that will remain with us for a long period of time.… Nonis said “Whether or not that happens, I think it’s going to be difficult, but again I don’t see us parting with a Jake Gardiner for an older guy that’s a UFA, I just don’t see that is something that makes sense for us.…
Besides Bolland, the Leafs have three other unrestricted free agent forwards in Jay McClement, Nikolai Kulemin and Mason Raymond and restricted free agents in Gardiner, Cody Franson and James Reimer, but did not indicate any great impetus to talk contract with any of them during the season.
“We are not the only team that’s got UFA’s. There’s going to be a number of them and we’ll sit down at the end of the year and make a determination of how we want to spend the remaining amount of cap dollars we have.…
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