HOMETOWN BOY
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired a Stanley Cup-winner in David Bolland, and he couldn’t be happier.
NEWARK, N.J. • The shopping is not complete. But after picking up a goaltender last week and a third-line centre at Sunday’s NHL draft, dave Nonis’ cart is getting pretty full.
“It’s a start,” said the Toronto Maple Leafs general manager.
That is an understatement. In Jonathan Bernier, Toronto finally has a goaltender that can push James Reimer for playing time. And in David Bolland, whom the Leafs acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks for a secondand fourth-round pick in this year’s draft and a fourthround pick next year, they have added depth down the middle.
While Nonis would not say what other holes need filling — a top-four defenceman and a bottom-six winger would help — there should be an opportunity to pick up a few more impulse items when free agency opens on July 5.
“We think there are some more things we hope to do,” Nonis said. “Whether we can accomplish that between now and September remains to be seen. But we’re going to try and remain to be active.”
For now, the Leafs GM is content with the additions he has been able to make so far in this off-season. The goaltending and centre positions had been perceived as areas of weaknesses. And while the team is still without a topflight No. 1 centre or a clearcut No. 1 goaltender, there is depth where there was not any before and even more on the way.
With the 21st overall pick, the Leafs selected 6-foot-5 centre Frédérik Gauthier, who scored 60 points in 62 games with Rimouski in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season. The 18-year-old, who models his game after Jordan Staal, was ranked by NHL Central Scouting as the eighth-best North American skater.
“No disrespect to wingers, because you need quality wingers to win and we think we have some of the best in [Phil] Kessel, [Joffrey] Lupul and [James] van Riemsdyk, but if you look at championship teams they’re generally build down the middle,” Nonis said. “We’re comfortable with our goaltending, our back-end prospects are very good. We’re a little thin down the middle.”
That is quickly changing. Bolland, whom the Leafs were able to acquire because of Chicago’s looming salary-
i think this is one team like the Blackhawks team that’s coming up and is going to do great things
cap concerns — the team also traded Michael Frolik to the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday — was not surprised to be on the move. And though the native of Mimico said he was sad to leave Chicago, he was also excited to return to where his hockey career began.
“To play in the ACC in front of Toronto fans where I grew up … I’m really excited. I’m at a loss for words,” Bolland said in a conference call. “you can see they’ve got some young talent with [Nazem] Kadri and the goaltenders. I think it’s going to be great. I think this is one team like the Blackhawks team that’s coming up and is going to do great things. Hopefully like we did here.”
Nonis called Bolland, who hoisted the Stanley Cup for the second time in his career after scoring the championship-clinching goal less than a week ago, a Randy Carlyle “type of player.” And though it is unclear whether he will get a bigger offensive role than he played with the Blackhawks, the 27-year-old should provide much-needed experience for a Leafs team that had the second-youngest roster last season.
“He does have that pedigree,” Nonis said. “Part of having all those banners and Cups is being in the right place and part of it is being the right type of person. usually if you’re on multiple championship teams it’s because you provide something.
“I think he can play up and down the lineup. He’s got enough skill that he can play with real good players; he’s got enough grit that he can play against really good players. I think he’s going to be given a very significant role with us.”
Bolland, who scored seven goals and 14 points in 35 games, is in the final year of a contract that will pay him US$3.375-million. Nonis said he will likely slot in on the third line, leaving Nazem Kadri and Mikhail Grabovski as the top two centres and Jay McClement as the fourth-line centre.
Of course, Nonis has not ruled out bringing back unrestricted free agent Tyler Bozak and confirmed that the team had been one of several teams that spoke with freeagent centre Vincent Lecavalier on the weekend. But with only 12 players under contract and US$16-million available under the cap — Toronto has to re-sign restricted free agents Bernier, Kadri, Cody Franson and Carl Gunnarsson — the team still also has to be smart in how it spends its money.
“One of the positives of the [Bolland contract] is he’s got a fairly good cap friendly number. It works well with us,” Nonis said. “We still have some flexibility where we can move some pieces around and again having him at $3.3-million isn’t an issue if you can get the value out of him.”