Leafs Re-Sign Boyce and Foster

July 22, 2009
Brian Burke, president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Wednesday that the hockey club has re-signed two Group II restricted free agent forwards including Darryl Boyce to a two-year contract and Alex Foster to a one-year contract.

Boyce, a 25-year-old native of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, registered 30 points on 12 goals and 18 assists in 73 games played for the Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies this past season. The 6-0, 200-pound forward ranked first on the team in shorthanded goals (2) and second in penalty minutes (131). In the Calder Cup playoffs he scored two goals and had a team-high 27 penalty minutes. He played one career game for the Leafs on January 24, 2008 at Washington during which he suffered a season ending shoulder dislocation. Boyce joined the Leafs’ organization as a free agent on January 1, 2008.

Foster, 24, played in all 80 games for the Marlies in 2008-09, and he collected 12 goals and 23 assists, along with 88 minutes in penalties. The 5-11, 195-pound forward tied with Bates Battaglia for first in Marlies playoff scoring with five points on two goals and three assists in six games. He has played three career games for the Leafs, all in the 2007-08 season. The Canton, Michigan native originally signed as a free agent with the Maple Leafs on March 8, 2006

SOURCE: torontomarlies.com

Sifers Signs With Wild

July 8, 2009

SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Minnesota Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed defensemen Jaime Sifers to a one-year contract.

Sifers, 26 (1/18/83), recorded two assists and 18 PIM in 23 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2008-09 season. He also posted 20 points (4-16=20) and 47 PIM in 43 games for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. The 5-foot-11, 210-pound native of Stratford, Conn., played collegiately at the University of Vermont, where he was an ECAC Second All-Star Team selection in 2005. Sifers was signed as a free agent by Toronto on July 20, 2006.

SOURCE: wild.nhl.com

Marlies Announce Schedule Format

July 7, 2009
The Marlies to Host the Three New AHL Franchises at Ricoh Coliseum

In conjunction with the American Hockey League, the Toronto Marlies announced today their 2009-10 regular season schedule format which sees the team welcome the three new AHL franchises to Ricoh Coliseum for the first time. Toronto will host the Abbotsford Heat for the first time and play their new division foes a total of eight times. The Marlies will also face off against the Adirondack Phantoms and the Texas Stars twice this season (once in each city).

The Marlies will play the 2008-09 Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy (regular season points champion) winning Manitoba Moose – AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks – four times at home and four in Winnipeg in what will be the Marlies fifth season in Toronto. The Moose represented the Western Conference this past season in the Calder Cup Finals and also defeated the Marlies in the first round of the North Division Semifinals in six games.

The Marlies will play the Hamilton Bulldogs – AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens – a total of 12 times, the most of any 2009-10 opponents (six in each city).

The Marlies will also oppose the 2008-09 Calder Cup Champion winning Hershey Bears – AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals – two times during the upcoming regular season. Other Eastern Conference foes include Hartford (twice), Binghamton (twice), Syracuse (twice), and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (twice).

The AHL’s North Division welcomes Abbotsford; while the Syracuse Crunch leaves the division and enters the Eastern Conference. The Marlies face Rochester and Lake Erie on eight occasions (four in each city) and play Grand Rapids a total of six times (three in each city).

Toronto will travel to all seven of the West Division’s cities (Houston, San Antonio, Chicago, Milwaukee, Austin, Peoria and Rockford). The Marlies will play Chicago and Milwaukee each on four occasions (two at home and two away), while facing the other West Division opponents twice each. In all, the Marlies take-on 19 of 29 potential opponents; second most of all the AHL teams, in the league’s 74th regular season.

The Marlies and the AHL will announce their full 2009-10 regular season schedule at a later date this summer. The Marlies home opener has been set and will take place on Sunday, October 4 at Ricoh Coliseum at 4 p.m. For 2009-10 Marlies ticket information, including season ticket packages and group seats, visit www.torontomarlies.com or call the team’s ticket line at 416-597-PUCK.

SOURCE: torontomarlies.com

Ondrus and Hamilton Sign (Along with Brent, Greenop, and Rosehill)

July 7, 2009
Brian Burke, president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Monday that the hockey club has re-signed forwards Ben Ondrus and Ryan Hamilton to one-year contracts. The Maple Leafs also signed a trio of free agent forwards including Jay Rosehill to a two-year contract, Tim Brent to a one-year contract, and Richard Greenop to a three-year entry level contract.

“Ondrus is a consummate professional,” said Burke. “He is a very good example of leadership and commitment for our young prospects and adds great depth to our organization.”

Ondrus, 27, played 11 games for the Maple Leafs this past season, registering 34 penalty minutes. The Sherwood Park, Alberta native was also the team captain of the Maple Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. In 57 games with the Marlies, the 6-0, 194-pound forward collected 17 points on 10 goals and seven assists with 83 penalty minutes. He played in six Calder Cup playoff games for the Marlies and recorded two penalty minutes. In 52 career NHL games, all with the Maple Leafs, he has recorded two assists and 77 minutes in penalties. Ondrus originally signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Maple Leafs organization on May 27, 2004.

Hamilton, 24, split the 2008-09 season with the AHL’s Houston Aeros and Toronto Marlies, posting 25 points (15 goals, 10 assists) and 57 penalty minutes in 65 games. He also collected a goal and two assists with four penalty minutes in six playoff games with the Marlies. In 199 career AHL games with Houston and Toronto, Hamilton has registered 42 goals and 38 assists for 80 points with 131 penalty minutes. The 6-2, 219-pound Oshawa, Ontario native was acquired by the Maple Leafs on January 21, 2009 in exchange for Robbie Earl.

Rosehill, 23, split this past season with the AHL’s Norfolk Admirals and Toronto Marlies, registering seven goals and eight assists for 15 points with 275 minutes in penalties. His 275 penalty minutes were second overall in the AHL. He also accumulated four penalty minutes in six Calder Cup playoff games with the Marlies. The 6-3, 210-pound forward has appeared in 245 career AHL games with Springfield, Norfolk and Toronto, posting 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) and 622 penalty minutes. Rosehill, a native of Olds, Alberta was originally selected by Tampa Bay in the seventh round, 227th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Brent, 25, played two games for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2008-09 and registered two assists. In 64 games with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs this past season, he led the team in scoring with 62 points on 20 goals and 42 assists, along with 59 minutes in penalties and a team-high four shorthanded goals. The 6-0, 197-pound Cambridge, Ontario native also collected one assist and two penalty minutes in four playoff games with Rockford. In 18 career NHL games with Anaheim, Pittsburgh and Chicago he has scored one goal and accumulated eight penalty minutes. Brent was originally Anaheim’s second choice, selected 37th overall, in the 2002 Entry Draft and played for the former Toronto St. Michael’s Majors in the OHL.

Greenop, 20, won the Memorial Cup last season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires. In 60 regular season games, the 6-4, 235-pound winger collected eight points (four goals, four assists) and ranked sixth overall in the OHL with 156 penalty minutes. Greenop also added 28 penalty minutes in 15 playoff games. The native of Oshawa, Ontario was originally selected by Chicago in the sixth round, 156th overall, in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

SOURCE: torontomarlies.com