Brian Burke and 29 other general managers will be putting in overtime as the bell rings on the opening of the NHL free agency period. Burke is reportedly coveting several players with whom he is familiar, most notably Daniel and Henrik Sedin, whom he drafted in 1999 as GM of the Vancouver Canucks. Defenceman Mattias Ohlund (Vancouver) and forward Travis Moen (San Jose – previously with Anaheim) are also on Burke’s shopping list.
Toronto has about $16.8 million in salary cap money to spend.
Other marquee players testing the waters include forwards Marian Hossa, Marian Gaboik and Mike Cammalleri and defenceman Mike Komisarek.
Restricted free agents Mikhail Grabovski and five Toronto Marlies including Justin Pogge were tendered qualifying offers by the Leafs.
The Calgary Flames made a big splash yesterday signing blueliner Jay Bouwmeester to a multi-year deal. Meanwhile disgruntled forward Dany Heatley did not endear himself to Ottawa – nixing a proposed trade that would have sent him to the Edmonton Oilers.
Stay tuned TMLfans.ca throughout the day for free agency updates. Happy Canada Day!
Here are the hockey headlines in the news this morning:
Leafs News
- Burke primed for market gain Toronto Sun
- No inside track to U.S. squad for Leafs’ Blake Toronto Sun
- Built for success Toronto Sun
- Burke set to ‘start kicking tires’ as soon as free agents available Toronto Star
- Early Free Agency Thoughts Toronto Star
- Sedin twins, toughness remain atop Burke’s wish list The Globe And Mail
- Pogge gets offer Toronto Star
NHL and Hockey News
- Bouwmeester signs with Flames, Habs-Rangers swap forwards CP
- NHL free agent season fireworks start early CP
- Heatley nixes deal to Oilers; Flames land Bouwmeester Ottawa Sun
- Flames sign Bouwmeester to five-year pact Calgary Herald
- Canadiens begin overhaul: Gomez in, Higgins out Montreal Gazette
- Gainey has painted himself into a corner Montreal Gazette
- Expect teams to splurge in free agent frenzy Edmonton Journal
- Sanity gets benched during free-agent frenzy Toronto Sun
- Blake staying with Sharks CP
- Burke announces U.S. Olympic camp roster Toronto Sun
