Zettler, Hunter join Leafs' staff

The Maple Leafs continued to challenge for the NHL lead in off-ice hirings yesterday, confirming Tim Hunter and Rob Zettler as new assistant coaches.

Hunter and Zettler had spent the past five seasons working with San Jose Sharks head coach Ron Wilson. The Leafs hired Wilson as their new bench boss last month.

"Their familiarity with Ron's coaching style, along with their previous success in San Jose, will allow them to quickly bring in a structured system for our players to work within," Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher said.

The Sharks last year led the NHL in penalty killing (85.8%) and ranked third in goals against average (2.28).

DEFENCE KEY

With so many mediocre forwards up front, team defence will be key to any Leafs' success this year. The 40-year-old Zettler, a former defenceman, played 14 seasons in the NHL, including three with the Leafs (1995-98).

Hunter spent 16 seasons in the NHL, the majority with the Calgary Flames, where he won a Stanley Cup in 1989. Fletcher was the Flames' GM at the time.

A rough-and-tumble forward, Hunter, 47, still ranks eighth in all-time career penalty minutes (3,142).

Hollweg joins Leafs

The Maple Leafs have added some toughness, acquiring forward Ryan Hollweg from the New York Rangers yesterday for a 2009 fifth-round draft pick.

Hollweg, 25, had two goals and two assists and 96 minutes in penalties in 70 games with the Rangers last season.

The Leafs had not replaced enforcer Wade Belak, who went to the Florida Panthers at the trade deadline, and GM Cliff Fletcher recently said it was an issue that needed to be addressed.

Hollweg has five goals and seven assists in 200 career NHL games, all with New York.

He was the Rangers' eighth-round draft choice, 238th overall, in 2001.

New York gets Pittsburgh's pick in next year's draft, which was acquired by Toronto in the deal that sent defenceman Hal Gill to the Penguins at the deadline last season.

Leafs take a look at prospects

They came from different worlds but yesterday, two of the Maple Leafs' most prized prospects wound up on the ice together.

First-round draft pick Luke Schenn and promising Russian forward Nikolai Kulemin joined 19 other hopefuls as the Leafs' annual prospects camp sweated through Day 2 of a week-long camp.

There's an outside chance the two could parlay their work at the camp into a job with the Leafs come opening night in October.

Kulemin, who turns 22 Monday, holds an inside track, having proved himself in the Russian league the past two seasons, and agreeing to join the Leafs after the club opened the door to an NHL job.

Schenn, an 18-year-old from Saskatoon, is attempting to be the first defenceman to go from the prospects camp to the NHL team since Tomas Kaberle successfully crossed that bridge in 1998.

"Going from junior (with Kelowna) to the NHL, for one thing you are playing against men, so obviously you have to improve your strength, but you have to work at everything to get to this level," Schenn said.

Kulemin wasn't as talkative as Schenn yesterday. In fact, he shied away from a small (by Leaf standards) media scrum even though part of the camp's purpose is orientation into the NHL lifestyle, including facing large media scrums.

Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher, who gained Kulemin's consent to play in Toronto after the organization faced hurdles with the player over the past two years, feels the young Russian is ready for the NHL.

"Based on what we've seen in the Russian league, he looks like he's ready," Fletcher said of Kulemin, who has a dedicated highlight video tribute on YouTube.

Schenn, while showing obvious talent, remains at a point in his development where the Leafs may want to take a judicious approach.

There are seven candidates for the blue line and unless Bryan McCabe and possibly Pavel Kubina are traded, the Leafs will have little or no room for a teenaged defenceman, and could return Schenn to junior.

Schenn's Kelowna Rockets will almost certainly be a Memorial Cup favourite next season, and there is an opportunity to win another gold medal with the Canadian team at the world junior championship.

Leafs get Grabovski

MONTREAL -- The rival Canadiens and Maple Leafs completed a rare trade Thursday, with Montreal sending forward Mikhail Grabovski to Toronto in exchange for prospect Greg Pateryn and a second-round draft pick in 2010.

Grabovski, 24, had nine points (3-6) in 27 NHL games with the Habs over the past two seasons. He was a fifth-round pick, 150th overall, in 2004. He also had 20 points (8-12) in 12 games with the American Hockey League's Hamilton Bulldogs last season.

"Mikhail had tremendous success at the most recent World Hockey Championship (for Belarus)," Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher said in a statement. "He has great upside and we will look for him to contribute for us right away at the centre position."

Pateryn, 18, was drafted in the fifth round, 128th overall, by the Leafs last month in Ottawa. Last season in the United States Hockey League, Pateryn led all Ohio Jr. Blue Jackets defencemen with 27 points (3-24) in 60 games. He also led his team with 145 penalty minutes.

The Royal Oak, Mich., native was also named to the Eastern Division Team in the USHL Prospects/All-Star Game. Pateryn, 6-2 and 212 pounds, will join the University of Michigan for the 2008-09 season.

The Habs also signed defenceman Alex Henry, 28, and goalie Cedrick Desjardins, 22, to minor-league deals.

The Maple Leafs also signed forward Dominic Moore, 27, to a one-year deal. Centre John Mitchell, 23, signed a two-year contract and winger Greg Scott, 20, signed a three-year entry-level contract.

Sundin needs more time to decide

The 37-year-old captain of the Leafs - impressed by the magnitude of offers that came his way on Tuesday - says he needs more time to think about whether he will play again.

His agent, J.P. Barry, released a statement on his behalf today.

"I would like to thank all the teams who have expressed such sincere interest in my services," Sundin said the statement. "The numerous options provided to me were impressive and I have no doubt that each one presented a unique opportunity for me to finish my career in a terrific hockey environment."

The Vancouver Canucks offered Sundin a $20-million, two-year deal. The Maple Leafs offered him $7 million a year for two years. The Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers are also interested.

Sundin, an unrestricted free agent, still hasn't decided whether he wants to play next year.

"I spent a great deal of time yesterday reflecting upon the teams who stepped forward and the opportunities that each provided," said Sundin. "Unfortunately, I am simply not close to being ready to make a decision about resuming my career at this time.

"I wish all the teams the very best and thank them for their interest."

Hagman excited to join Blue & White

TORONTO -- The newest member of the Toronto Maple Leafs was at a birthday party for his grandfather when the phone calls started.

Niklas Hagman was experiencing free agency for the first time and wasn't sure how quickly his agent Don Baizley would start hearing from interested NHL teams. It turns out that it wasn't very long so he had go somewhere quieter while his grandfather Nils celebrated his 84th birthday.

"Pretty much the whole family was there," Hagman said on a conference call Wednesday from Finland. "When the phone started to ring a bit more I had to leave."

The 28-year-old had known since the end of the season that he would be heading to a new team because the Dallas Stars told him they were going in another direction.

Three or four NHL clubs expressed immediate interest. Hagman got a good feeling after speaking with Leafs coach Ron Wilson and GM Cliff Fletcher about the team and wasn't scared off by the fact Toronto is rebuilding.

"They gave the impression that they really wanted me," said Hagman. "I really wanted to go somewhere that the team really we wanted me.

"I believe that good things will come. I believe I can be a big part of it."

Before agreeing to his US$12-million, four-year deal on Tuesday night, Hagman placed a call to Leafs starting goalie Vesa Toskala.

The two players know one another from past experiences with the Finnish national team and Toskala sold Hagman on how nice the city is and how much he likes Wilson, who took over from Paul Maurice last month.

"He had only good things to say about the place," said Hagman. "For me, knowing him and what he said, (it) made me more certain."

The Leafs are hoping that Hagman can give them a season like the one he just had. The six-year NHL veteran had a career-best 27 goals and 41 points while playing all 82 games for Dallas.

He was also a useful penalty killer and should see some power-play time with the Maple Leafs.

"We look forward to him bringing his speed, grit and scoring touch to our lineup," Fletcher said after announcing his signing.

Hagman was a third-round draft pick by Florida in 1999 and had never scored more than 10 goals in a season until getting 17 for Dallas two years ago.

He got even more ice time last season and bumped that total to 27, which included eight game-winners and four short-handed markers. Hagman hopes to keep improving on that mark.

"I believe that I bring a lot more to the ice than just the goals but hopefully I'll try to score the goals next year too," said Hagman.

.At the very least, he has good bloodlines.

His father Matti was a legendary player in the Finnish league and became the first from that country to play in the NHL when he joined the Boston Bruins in 1976-77.

Hagman also has an aunt who was the European champion in the 400-metre dash and other relatives who have played on the national soccer team.

"In our family we've got a lot," said Hagman, who is married to model Piritta Hannula.

When Hagman attends a family birthday like he did on Tuesday, he's not even the most famous person in the room.

That title probably belongs to his father Matti, who was the longtime leading scorer in all of Finnish hockey.

"He's kind of the Wayne Gretzky of the Finnish league," said the younger Hagman.

Leafs busy on Day 1

On a day when NHL teams spent millions of dollars on free agents to offer fans hope, the Maple Leafs gave their faithful Cujo, Larry and The Finger.

That would be Curtis Joseph, the former Leaf goalie returning to the fold as a backup, winger Niklas (Larry) Hagman, who scored a career-high 27 goals with the Dallas Stars; and Jeff Finger, a late-blooming, stay-at-home defenceman from the Colorado Avalanche.

Joseph, a household name in Toronto for his heroics with the team under Pat Quinn, got a one-year $700,000 (all figures U.S.) deal. Hagman, whose name might register with most hockey fans, got a four-year, $12 million deal.

But many heads were scratched when the Leafs offered the little-known Finger - who's played one full season in the NHL - a four-year, $14 million deal.

"Who's Jeff Finger?" became the question of the day.

"I was thinking the same thing," the good-natured Finger said in a telephone interview. "Me and my agent were joking when we sent the contract to the (players' association), they were like: 'Who's this guy?' I kind of laughed.

"I'm sure a lot of people are wondering who I am and what I'm about. I'm excited to come in there and prove myself and help the team out."

But new Leafs coach Ron Wilson knows exactly who Finger is.

"He was the most improved defenceman in the Western Conference last year," said Wilson, whose San Jose Sharks played the Avs four times. "When we had Joe Thornton on the ice, Finger was the guy who had to play heads-up with Joe and he did a really good job.

"He's not going to be a points producer, but he'll kill penalties, play tough and mean in front of the net and (be) a perfect complement to go with an offensive-minded defenceman."

Finger, 28, turned pro at 23 after leaving St. Cloud State University, where he was a teammate of former Penguins star Ryan Malone. An eighth-round draft pick in 1999, he started out in the ECHL and played 3 1/2 years in the AHL before breaking into the Avalanche lineup.

When the 2007-08 season began, Finger averaged under 15 minutes a game. By the end of the year, he was up to 23.

"He's a tough kid, he's a physical player, he's not afraid to hit you," said Craig Dahl, Finger's coach from St. Cloud. "He's in great shape. He's not afraid at all to mix it up. He plays a real defensive game.

"He's one of those guys where everybody on the other team knows when he's on the ice."

"It's pretty surreal," said Finger. "Just waking up (yesterday), I didn't really know what to expect. I knew it as going to be an exciting day. To turn out like this, it's more than I could have imagined.

"To be a part of the Leafs, I'm absolutely honoured. I grew up watching Hockey Night in Canada on the bunny ears. I lived on Lake Superior across from Thunder Bay. We watched that every Saturday and got to see a lot of Leaf games.

"They told me they want to turn things around and they want me to be a part of it," added Finger. "It's going to be exciting. I know in a market like Toronto, it's unacceptable to lose.

"I'm very confident in the fact that things will be turned around and they're going to take steps in the right direction."

If there was a theme to the signings of Joseph, Hagman and Finger, it was their character.

"The guys we signed played in the playoffs last year, played on winning teams and want to be a part of something here in Toronto," said Wilson.

"Curtis is coming in to be a backup to Vesa (Toskala). He wants to finish his career right now. He's a quality person who can play 10, 15 games, who is going to be able to support Toskala and knows his role."

Wilson sees Hagman playing with Jamal Mayers, a draft-day trade acquisition.

"We're trying to put together an energy line, a grind line. That's why we got Jamal Mayers at the draft. Hagman can fit in there.

"He scored 27 goals last year and didn't play a lot on the power play. He doesn't shy away from traffic."

More work is to be done, with GM Cliff Fletcher looking for another forward and defenceman.

But he considered it a pretty good day to get the three players he did, signed within the first seven hours of free agency.

"It looks like we got bargain basement deals compared to some of the deals out there," said Fletcher.

Maple Leafs Sign Niklas Hagman

Cliff Fletcher, general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced on Tuesday that the hockey club has signed free agent forward Niklas Hagman to a four-year contract.

“We are very happy to add Niklas to our team and we look forward to him bringing his speed, grit and scoring touch to our lineup,” said Fletcher. “He’s a scoring threat while shorthanded and he uses his speed to score clutch goals.”

Hagman, 28, played in all 82 games for the Dallas Stars this past season registering a career-high 27 goals and 41 points. The native of Espoo, Finland led Dallas with eight game-winning goals and four shorthanded goals. He tied for second on the Stars in goals and ranked fifth in points.

Hagman has played in 481 career NHL games for Dallas and Florida, collecting 80 goals and 85 assists for 165 points, along with 101 penalty minutes. He was originally selected in the third round, 70th overall in the 1999 Entry Draft.

Internationally, Hagman has represented Finland on numerous occasions including at the Olympics (2002, 2006), the World Championships (2002, 2003, 2005) and at the World Cup of Hockey (2004).

Leafs Sign Free Agent Jeff Finger

Cliff Fletcher, general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Tuesday that the hockey club has signed free agent defenceman Jeff Finger to a four-year contract.

“Jeff is a player that will bring a much needed physical element to our team,” said Fletcher. “He showed tremendous improvement in his game last season and he plays a strong positional game at both ends of the ice.”

Finger, 28, averaged 19:57 of ice-time in 72 games for the Colorado Avalanche in the 2007-08 season. He collected eight goals and 11 assists and a plus 12 mark which ranked fourth-best on the Avalanche. His goal total led all Avalanche defencemen and he was first on the team with 121 hits. He is plus 22 in 94 career NHL games and he led the Avalanche with 22:05 of average ice time while playing in five playoff games in 2008.

With the native of Houghton, Michigan in the lineup, Colorado had a record of 52-32-10 since making his NHL debut on February 17, 2007.

The 6-1, 205-pound defenceman was originally Colorado’s eighth-round selection, 240th overall, in the 1999 Entry Draft.

Cujo returns Toronto

Curtis Joseph returned to Toronto on Tuesday, signing a one-year deal to play as a backup for the Maple Leafs next season.

Joseph, 41, twice led the Maple Leafs to the Eastern Conference Finals during his first stint in Toronto, from 1998 to 2002. The veteran goalie compiled a 133-88-27 mark in 249 games with the club.

"Curtis will provide outstanding support to Vesa Toskala this season," said Maple Leafs interim general manager Cliff Fletcher. "He had tremendous success playing in Toronto in years past and we expect him to be a stabilizing influence for our team, both on and off the ice. We are really excited to have him back in our team's colors."

Popularly known as "Cujo", Joseph played in nine games for the Calgary Flames last season, where he went 3-2-0 with a goals against average of 2.55. He played in two playoff games against the San Jose Sharks in the conference quarterfinals and registered one win.

The 19-year veteran has a record of 449-343-90-2 with the Flames, Coyotes, Red Wings, Maple Leafs, Oilers, and Blues. His 449 wins trail only Patrick Roy (551), Martin Brodeur (538), and Ed Belfour (484) on the NHL's all-time wins list.

Joseph has represented Canada in the 1998 and 2002 Olympic Winter Games and was voted an NHL All-Star on two occasions (1994, 2000).