Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Hal Gill and Pavel Kubina

[flyersrule]

TORONTO, ON - Unrestricted free agent defenceman Pavel Kubina has agreed to a four-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs announced John Ferguson, vice-president and general manager of the club. The Maple Leafs have also signed unrestricted free agent defenceman Hal Gill to a three-year contract. Kubina has spent the past nine seasons in the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. Gill has spent the past nine seasons in the Boston Bruins organization.

Kubina, 29, set career-highs with 33 assists and 38 points in 2005-06. In addition, he was third on the Lightning in average ice-time (22:24) behind forward Brad Richards and defenceman Dan Boyle. He scored three game-winning goals and added five goals on the powerplay. His shot total (155) led all Lightning blueliners this past season.

The native of Celadna, Czech Republic played in the 2004 NHL All-Star Game and he was a key member of Tampa Bay’s Stanley Cup winning team in 2004. He ranks 10th on Tampa Bay’s all-time goals list and he is fifth on the team’s all-time powerplay goals list.

Gill, 31, has missed just 16 games over his seven full seasons and he has played in at least 80 games in a season on five different occasions in the NHL. He led the Bruins in penalty minutes with a career-high 124 in 2005-06 and he has averaged over 19 minutes of ice-time in his career. He set career-highs with four goals, 18 assists, and 22 points in the 2001-02 campaign. He has posted an ‘even or plus rating’ in five different seasons with Boston.

The native of Concord, Massachusetts has played for Team U.S.A. in five World Championships (2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006) and he was on the taxi squad for his country at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Italy.

[johano90]

Well... what will Florida do now... I think Keenan is still in awe over Florida not getting Jovo. O, and good signing by the Leafs, lots of dough for these high end D men though.

[Daigle]

Think $5 million per season is too much for him, but still, good one for TML

[FlagsFan]

Originally Posted by Daigle

Think $5 million per season is too much for him, but still, good one for TML

I agree,a little too much,but the Leafs will take who ever they can get to help.

[Daigle]

Yea, but I also think that, because of the "Big-time D-men available" talks last weeks, there's a bit of a hype underway. So, D-men can ask very high prices and GM's are a lil' afraid of catching none, so their willing to pay that kinda prices.

Still, nice catch for the Leafs

[2,5,10GameMatch]

How can another soft euro d-man be a good catch?? 5 million too? Fergy has lost it completely.


I'm not happy, they need sandpaper on the blueline, not pillowbiters.

[FlagsFan]

Originally Posted by 2,5,10GameMatch

How can another soft euro d-man be a good catch?? 5 million too? Fergy has lost it completely.


I'm not happy, they need sandpaper on the blueline, not pillowbiters.

They need Pronger,dammit.

[Cat Smasher]

This is a great signing by the Leafs, wish it came cheaper though. Kubina is solid, big, finishes his checks. Good pick up.

[Daigle]

So the two big men stay in the same division, $ 2,1 million a year is a good price for him.

[Cat Smasher]

Another good signing. Still gotta get McKee though! Kaberle, McCabe, Gill, Kubina, getting solid.

[rock'emsock'em]

JFJ is doing way better today than I thought he would actually. If he overpaid Kubina by a million a year or so then so be it. The blueline is already looking more solid today than it has in years! This never would have been possible with Quinn still around as coach. All I can say is Kubina-Gill is a HUGE upgrade from Berg-Belak. In Kubina we get a solid no.2 Dman (though he will presumably be 2nd pairing for us) who can move the puck, play in his own end, and play well on the 2nd PPunit. In Gill we get a big, strong defensive dman. He isn't mobile and will get exposed by smaller forwards from time to time but is great on the PK and in front of the net. For around 2 million a season, I'm all for it. Finally, some things I am getting excited about as a Leaf fan! Who's next? Moving up to the wing now?

[Isles4life]

If the Leafs get one more quality blueliner at some point, they'll have a really good blueline. Funny how things can change so quickly.

[BM24]

I personally think they overpaid a bit for Kubina. But the first thought that went through my head was the fact that the second PP Unit is much better with him at the point as oppose to Luke Richardson. He is also a very mobile guy for 6'3. Hal Gill is decent and should compliment Kubina well. It never hurts having a 6'7 defenceman.

McCabe, Kaberle, Kubina and Gill form a GOOD top 4 dmen. Not the best you can possibly do, but very far from the worst.

Two other thoughts I had from this move are:
1 - With so much tied up in Kubina, Kaberle, McCabe, could one be on the move for pronger?
2 - OR did John Ferguson Jr, want to shore up his blueline right away so he can focus now on picking up a good forward, acquire Roberts and just filling up holes?

[Playoff Beard]

Decent signings by the Leafs, but they overpaid for both IMO.

Kubina solidifies the second d pairing and hopefully Hal Gill can prove the be a solid 5th/6th defenceman.

[TJ MACKEY28]

Can I get a response from someone who watches the lightning regularily??

I HOPE Kubina is someone like Karberle who you would only truly appreciate if you saw him every day...cause the signing seems about 3 years too long and 2.5 mil per year over paid.

Gill?? I can live, but that Kubina signing seems horrid!