Winnik arrives to beef up Leafs PK
None of the moves by Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis this off-season has made a big splash.
But cumulatively, they ought to make the team more defensively aware.
The addition of free-agent forward Daniel Winnik — a North York-born, Mississauga-raised former Anaheim Duck — for one year at $1.3 million is the latest in a series of moves designed to address the team’s biggest problem: poor team defence and an inability to get the puck and control it.
The 29-year-old Winnik is coming off a career year for assists (24) and points (30), but does his best work killing penalties and grinding down the other side in five-on-five situations.
“I really relish the PK role,” said Winnik. “I take pride in my team’s penalty killing. Defensively, that’s my m.o. — being on the ice at the end of the game when it’s six-on-five, or playing against the other team’s top lines.”
Two of the Leafs’ top penalty-killing forwards last season left via free agency: Nikolai Kulemin (Islanders) and Jay McClement (Hurricanes). Also departed are Mason Raymond (Flames) and Dave Bolland (Panthers) as well as defenceman Carl Gunnarsson (traded to Blues). Nonis’ biggest additions were defencemen Stephane Robidas and Roman Polak.
Up front, the top six remain intact with the bottom six being reworked.
“I really like the makeup of this team,” Winnik said in a phone interview from his home in San Jose. “I’ve never looked at the Maple Leafs and said, ‘Hey there’s a huge problem and they have to trade all these players.’ Just adding some pieces, like we’ve added this year, will help. “There’s more depth now than what’s been there in the last couple of seasons.” The six-foot-two Winnik joins a remade forward corps that now includes David Booth (six-feet) and Mike Santorelli (six-feet), both from the Canucks; Petri Kontiola (sixfeet) and Leo Komarov (five-foot-10) from the KHL, Matt Frattin (sixfeet) from the Columbus Blue Jackets as well as returning Peter Holland (six-foot-two), Troy Bodie (six-footfive), Carter Ashton (six-foot-three) and Colton Orr (six-foot-three). That’s nine bodies — it could become 10 if David Clarkson (six-footone) loses his second-line spot to rookie William Nylander — competing for the bottom six forward spots. “I definitely welcome the competition,” said Winnik. “Depth is something you need in the NHL, whether it’s on your team or down in the minors for guys to come up. We had that last year in Anaheim. You saw the team that won it, L.A., had guys come up. Competition is a good thing.” Winnik plans to drive from San Jose with his girlfriend and their dog to Toronto before training camp. “I was a Leaf fan (in) the days of Wendel Clark, Doug Gilmour, Felix Potvin,” said Winnik. “Anyone who plays professional sports and signs a contract, you kind of dream of playing for your home team. It gets you a little excited when that happens. I’m definitely excited to be part of the Leafs organization.” Follow @kevin_mcgran on Twitter