Toronto fortifies defence with signings

TIM WHARNSBY

HOCKEY REPORTER

Only four teams in the National Hockey League's Eastern Conference gave up more goals than the Toronto Maple Leafs last season.

So when general manager John Ferguson assembled with his trusted lieutenants after missing the 2006 playoffs, they mapped out a plan to remake an overrun defence corps and add a serviceable goaltender, such as Andrew Raycroft.

They now feel a lot better about their ability to defend in their own end after the Leafs were able to sign unrestricted free agents Pavel Kubina and Hal Gill a few hours after the annual summertime free-agency frenzy began on Saturday.

Kubina, a close friend of Leafs blueliner Tomas Kaberle, signed a four-year, $20-million (all figures U.S.) deal, while Gill agreed to a three-season contract worth $2.1-million annually.

Kubina, 29, was the Leafs' primary target because the right-shooting defenceman, who can also play the left side, was deemed to be a perfect No. 3 guy behind Kaberle and Bryan McCabe. The Czech Republic native can play the power play and kill penalties.

Kubina won the Stanley Cup with the 2003-04 Tampa Bay Lightning and achieved a career-high 38 points last season.

Kubina had more lucrative offers from the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues, but chose Toronto.

"This is a hockey town, and every time you play in Toronto, it's special," Kubina said. "I know Tomas Kaberle really well and this was a factor, too. . . . Toronto was my first team."

Ferguson told Kaberle earlier in the week that he wanted Kubina. But if Kubina decided to travel in a different direction, the Leafs had keen interest in signing Willie Mitchell and Eric Désjardins. Mitchell, however, wound up with the Vancouver Canucks.

The 6-foot-7, 250-pound Gill is a durable player and an excellent penalty killer. He also can be matched against the opposition's top line.

The Leafs also made a bid to snare forward Matt Cullen, but dropped out when the bidding became too high. Cullen eventually settled for $2.8-million a season with the New York Rangers.

Toronto, which has roughly $7-million to work with under the $44-million salary cap, will now wait to see how the Gary Roberts situation plays out with the Florida Panthers.

He has requested a move back to the Leafs to be closer to his 16-year-old daughter, Jordan.

But after the Panthers missed Ed Jovanovski, who inked a deal with the Phoenix Coyotes, Florida has more pressing needs to deal with.