General manager Cliff Fletcher has just about completed his re-tooling of the Maple Leafs.
With the acquisition of left wing Ryan Hollweg on July 14 from the New York Rangers for a fifth-round pick, Fletcher added the muscle he was looking for since forward/defenseman Wade Belak was traded to Florida in February.
Fletcher's scorecard in the past month includes the arrival of free agent goaltender Curtis Joseph, defenseman Jeff Finger, defenseman Jonas Frogren and left wing Niklas Hagman as well as trades for Hollweg, center Mikhail Grabovski and right wing Jamal Mayers. Hollweg and Mayers will be part of the push to give the Leaf lineup "more bite" in Fletcher's opinion.
The Leafs are also expected to keep first-round draft pick defenseman Luke Schenn through camp and possibly let him start the season, as well as 2006 second-round forward Nikolai Kulemin, who is coming from Russia.
The front office moves include the hiring of coach Ron Wilson, special assistant Joe Nieuwendyk and director of player personnel Al Coates.
Richard Peddie, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment applauded the changes, but warned he still expects to renew a search for a younger, long-term general manager in the summer of 2009. That person could reverse some of Fletcher's decisions.
"If there is a clash of ideals next year, the new guy would have the trump card," Peddie said. "But we're not close to making that call."
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This is ridiculous. I am watching every other team improve (some overpaying yes) and watching the Leafs do just enough not too finish dead last in the league. This team is driving me nuts.
this leafs orginization is grouping and fast its very common of them to but this year will be much diff then the 3 last years as they have come one step closer to finding there rithem n i garuntee by the end this month they will have the team they need to win the cup top defencemen top forwards and to amazing goalies its just a matter of time before sundin makes his decision
After todays announcement that the Leafs have signed Frogren from the Swedish Elite League, the Leafs now have 10 defencemen... Cliffy appears to be stockpiling defensive types, recent aquisitions being Frogren (1 pt all last season), Finger, Schenn, all of whom are stay at homers...
Seems to me that the Leafs have too much money invested in their defense already....
McCabe, Kubina, Kaberle, Coliacovo, White, Stralman.... Is Finger better than any of them?.... Maybe White.... But he should be one of the young players who should get some time....
Does this spell the end for someone? Possibly McCabe?
