Well, this should be interesting. Outlets across Canada are reporting that the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to sign free agent center Tim Connolly to a two-year deal for $9.5 million -- or $250,000 more per year than the reviled two-year, $9-million extension he got from the Sabres in 2009 at the trade deadline.
If Danny Briere and Chris Drury got booed in their returns to HSBC Arena, imagine the reaction to Connolly, a player most fans had tired of, wearing a Leafs sweater.
Acquired in 2001 as part of the deal with the Islanders for Michael Peca, Connolly was the Sabres' senior member last season. He had 13 goals, 29 assists and a minus-10 rating last season -- then extended his goalless streak in the playoffs to 29 games with two assists before getting knocked out of Game Six with a separated sternum on a hit from behind by Flyers captain Mike Richards.
Of course, the Leafs probably don't care about that lack of production. They haven't made the playoffs since the lockout and will be hard-pressed to do it next season.
---Mike Harrington
(www.twitter.com/bnharrington)
tagged
ex-Sabres
