Leafs Add Khavanov To Their Blueline

With their latest dip into the quickly dwindling crop of free agents, the Maple Leafs inked free agent defenseman Alexander Khavanov to a one year, $1.25 million deal. Khavanov, who played with the St. Louis Blues during the 2003 – 2004 campaign, will add some size and strength along with reasonable puck moving skills to the Leafs blueline. His addition, however, will take up one more spot in the Maple Leaf defense corps that will already likely include Bryan McCabe, Tomas Kaberle, Ken Klee, Aki Berg and possibly Wade Belak, depending on where Pat Quinn feels he will cause the least amount of problems: on defense or as a fourth line winger. With Khavanov’s addition, there will only likely be, at best, two spots for some of the Leafs numerous defense prospects to compete for.

Carlo Colaiacovo has been knocking at the door for the past two seasons with the likes of Jay Harrison and Brendan Bell not much farther off either. It looks like it could be a tough year for the Leafs who have stumbled into the new era NHL. What better a time to see what some of these highly touted youngsters can do on the big stage?