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Anthony Fusco The Hockey Writers

Published on Wednesday, August 26, 2015

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Maple Leafs Minute: Komarov, Setoguchi and the Front Office

Traditionally August is considered a hockey dead month. There are no games, no major storylines and the season is still tantalizingly far away. Fortunately in hockey mad Toronto, there is usually something going on with the Maple Leafs on any given day.

Recently there have been three main topics that Leafs fans should be aware of. They range from the traffic violations of Leo Komarov, the Maple Leafs front office not making more moves and veteran forward Devin Setoguchi being signed to a PTO for training camp.

Leo Komarov and Finnish Traffic Fines

The Maple Leafs forward affectionately known as Uncle Leo ran into some serious trouble this offseason while home in Finland. He was fined approximately $51,000 Canadian dollars for two counts of speeding and two for fraud. The speeding incident took place before he joined the Maple Leafs for the 2014-15 season.

In Finland, your income is tied directly to how much the penalty would be. The most recent reports out of Finland confirm that Komarov has paid his fines and is now officially in the clear.

Maple Leafs Front Office and Coaching Not Making More Moves

Over the course of the summer, the Maple Leafs brought in some amazing personnel to bolster and improve their front office. Mike Babcock was the first to make the move and get hired by the Leafs. The former Red Wings bench boss boasts a wealth of experience along with a Stanley Cup and a couple of Olympic golds.

Next was Lou Lamoriello, who shocked the hockey world and became the next Maple Leafs general manager. The former Devil has almost thirty years of experience in the NHL. The latest addition was Jacques Lemaire, the multiple Stanley Cup winning player and coach. Many speculated that David Conte might be joining the Leafs based on his years of work with Lamoriello. It appears no further changes are coming.

Conte served as the Devils’ director of scouting for 22 seasons. He also held the position of Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. Some of his former draft picks have gone on to have extensive winning careers including Brendan Shanahan, Martin Brodeur and Scott Niedermayer.

Devin Setoguchi Receives Second Chance on PTO

Devin Setoguchi will be attending Toronto’s training camp on a professional tryout (PTO) contract. Setoguchi is a former eighth overall pick by the San Jose Sharks back in 2005. His best statistical season in the NHL came in 2008-09 when he notched 31 goals and 34 assists for 64 points.

He’s bounced around teams in the NHL the last few seasons and had spent time with the Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets and the Calgary Flames. The Maple Leafs recently caught lightning in the bottle after signing a player to a PTO. That player was none other than Mason Raymond, now of the Flames. He scored 19 goals and added 26 assists for 45 points in 82 games.

Setoguchi has a chip on his shoulder and is looking to make an impact on a new team. If everything goes well, the Maple Leafs may be able to find a productive use for the veteran forward.

 


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Devin Setoguchi Leo Komarov Toronto Maple Leafs Calgary Flames National Hockey League
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