Maple Leafs Sign Gustavsson to Two-Year Extension

The Toronto Maple Leafs locked up an important part of their future on Thursday by signing goaltender Jonas Gustavsson to a two-year contract extension worth $2.7 million. The deal averages out to $1.35 million per season. He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1. In 42 games this past season with the Maple Leafs, his first in the NHL, Gustavsson posted a 16-15-9 record, a 2.87 GAA, and a .902 save percentage. He underwent two heart ablation procedures in the fall, missing eight games as a result, but earned the team's nomination this year for the Bill Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. He also missed five games last October with a groin injury. This is a great signing for the Maple Leafs, as Gustavsson showed plenty of promise in his first NHL season. Despite struggling a bit early in the 2009-10 season, he made a lot of progress as the season went on, securing the starter's role after the Winter Olympics ended. With the way he played near the end of this past season, look for Gustavsson to be even better next season. Plus, at $1.35 million per season, he's a very affordable goaltending option.

Maple Leafs Sign Goaltender Gustavsson to One-Year Contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs landed one of the most coveted players in the Swedish Elite League on Tuesday by signing goaltender Jonas Gustavsson to a one-year contract worth $900,000. Nearly every team in the NHL had lined up to bid for Gustavsson’s services over the past couple of months. Just recently, he had narrowed his choices down to the Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, and Dallas Stars as the teams he would prefer to play for. In the end, the Maple Leafs won the bidding war and got the high-end prospect goalie they were seeking. Gustavsson, also known as “The Monster,” appeared in 42 games last season with Farjestad on the Swedish League, posting a 1.96 GAA and a .932 save percentage. This is a tremendous signing for the Maple Leafs, as Gustavsson has the potential to become an elite goaltender in the NHL. He will likely back-up Vesa Toskala next season, and if he performs well, could become the Maple Leafs’ starting goalie within the next couple of seasons.