Leafs Acquire Vesa Toskala And Mark Bell From San Jose Sharks
Posted June 22, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
John Ferguson has acquired a goalie on draft day for the second straight year. One year after trading with the Boston Bruins for Andrew Raycroft, the Toronto Maple Leafs GM made another splash Friday, reeling in Vesa Toskala from the San Jose Sharks ( pictured), by far the most attractive goalie available on the trade market this off-season.
Forward Mark Bell also comes in the deal for Toronto’s 2007 or ’08 first-round pick (that’s San Jose’s option), a 2007 second-round pick and a 2009 fourth-round selection. The Leafs went into Friday night’s draft with the 13th overall selection.
Toskala, 30, has one year remaining on a contract that pays him only US$1.375 million. Sources told media that Ferguson was already working on signing him to an extension.
Ferguson has been under immense pressure in Toronto to make a big move and he made a solid one Friday. Toskala, 26-10-1 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .908 save percentage last season has long been viewed as a capable No. 1 goalie but had to share the net with Evgeni Nabokov in San Jose. That Sharks GM Doug Wilson didn’t receive any roster players in exchange suggests he will be busy come the July 1 opening of free agency.
The Boston Bruins, according to a source, were also heavily involved in trying to land Toskala. But it might have cost them having to pick up Bell, who disappointed this past season in San Jose and has $4.5 million left on his deal over the next two seasons.
