Leafs Sign Alexei Ponikarovsky to Three-Year Extension

[Cat Smasher]

John Ferguson, vice-president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Thursday that the club has signed forward Alexei Ponikarovsky to a three-year contract extension.

Ponikarovsky, 27, played 71 games for Toronto collecting 45 points (21 goals, 24 assists) with 63 penalty minutes and a (+8) plus/minus rating. This past season he set a career-high in goals (tie), assists, points, powerplay goals (6) and shots on goal (198).

Ponikarovsky has played in 268 career games for Toronto, collecting 120 points (54 goals, 66 assists) with 200 penalty minutes. Over six seasons with the Maple Leafs he has accumulated a (+42) plus/minus rating. In 2002 he was selected to represent Team Ukraine at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Kiev, Ukraine native was originally Toronto’s fourth choice, 87th overall, in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.

[Isles4life]

He's not a bad player, but the Leafs seem to use him in an offensive role above his ability.

[Thrillhouse]

$6.3 mil over 3 years.....too much monies!!

It's not a huge overpayment or anything but if each one of our RFA's gets $500k too much, there's goes a UFA.

[JAVALITE]

Originally Posted by Isles4life

He's not a bad player, but the Leafs seem to use him in an offensive role above his ability.

He has seen quite a bit of time as Sundin's winger. If Mats starts to decline, so might Pony's numbers. The buzz around Toronto is that Antropov might leave. I wouldn't want to commit 3 years to him.