Report: Toronto Maple Leafs expected to sign Ron Hainsey
According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the Toronto Maple Leafs will sign defenceman Ron Hainsey to a two-year deal once free agency opens at noon.
After re-signing Curtis McElhinney and Garret Sparks Saturday morning, the Toronto Maple Leafs are expected to sign free agent defenceman Ron Hainsey to a two-year deal once free agency officially opens at noon, according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
Believe the Leafs are getting Ron Hainsey on a two-year deal once paperwork is filed past noon ET...
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 1, 2017
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also reported earlier Saturday morning that the Leafs were interested in Hainsey.
The 36-year-old defenceman registered four goals and 17 points in 62 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes last season. Hainsey also had two goals and six assists during the Penguins’ Stanley Cup run, which was Hainsey’s first time playing in the playoffs.
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Hainsey is a left-handed shot defenceman who figures to replace Matt Hunwick, who is said to be departing, along the Leafs’ blue line. Hainsey is similar to Hunwick in terms of production, but his deployment was a bit more steady than Hunwick’s. In Carolina Hainsey generally played with Justin Faulk and would go up against opposing team’s top forwards, but he did start in the offensive zone more. In Pittsburgh he played with Brian Dumoulin and was once again used in a defensive role, but instead would start 51.5 percent of his shifts in the defensive zone (he started 46.8 percent of his shifts in the defensive zone with Carolina last season).
Much like Hunwick, Hainsey’s possession numbers hover right around 50 percent, so there isn’t much of an improvement there. Overall, the Leafs must have liked what they saw from Hainsey during the playoffs and feel like he can seamlessly fit into their system, since Toronto and Pittsburgh play a similar style of hockey.
Update:
As for the financial details, Hainsey will make an average of $3 million per season, according the Leafs.
The #Leafs announced today the signing of free agent D Ron Hainsey to a 2-year contract with an AAV of $3 million in each season #TMLtalk
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) July 1, 2017
I can’t say I’m a fan of the $3 million cap hit, but for two years it can’t be that bad, right? Or maybe I’m just trying to talk myself into this now…
Next: Leafs extend McElhinney and Sparks for two years
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