Maple Leafs Hope to Join Big Spenders

NOTE: I'm not trying to say that the agent is needing to speed up here.

Maple Leafs GM Ron Dubin has already made quite a splash this year in the free agency market, inking at least six players to a contract.  Pesky forward Alex Burrows and steady, and oft-travelled D-man Francois Beauchemin highlight the beginning of a roster re-stock as the Leafs aim towards making the playoffs this year.  Keven Regan, Micheal Rupp, Andrew Murray and Patrick Dwyer were also signed to provide depth for the team.

"I am not afraid to use the cap space we have available this year."  Said Dubin.  "I want to contend, and I want to make the Leafs relevant again without selling the future."

The veteran presence that the Leafs are adding augments a well-known youth movement that started during last season. Dubin shipped out anyone and everyone he could to land picks and prospects to build for the future.  At the 2012 draft, the Leafs had 10 picks and all were used on defencemen.

"Defencemen take the longest to develop.  If we get a solid foundation on our back end early and developing, the rest should all click at about the same time."

Asked if he had some more big names coming to Toronto, Dubin said this: "I'm not done yet.  I have a roster to fill, and I promise you that we will make the playoffs this year."