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Leafs, Bolland remain ‘significantly apart’ on new deal

Carolina Hurricanes v Toronto Maple Leafs

TORONTO, ON - OCTOBER 17: Dave Bolland #63 of the Toronto Maple Leafs waits for a face-off against the Carolina Hurricanes during NHL action at the Air Canada Centre October 17, 2013 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages/Getty Images)

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According to Dave Bolland’s agent, zero has changed on the contract front with Toronto.

“Nothing is happening right now,” Anton Thun explained, per the Toronto Sun. “We exchanged proposals prior to the Olympics and we were significantly apart.”

Bolland, 27, is in the final of a five-year, $16.8 million deal (with a $3.375 million annual hit) originally signed with Chicago. A pending UFA, his contractual status is one of the most complex heading into the summer given all that’s transpired over the last year -- Bolland scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal for the ‘Hawks in June, was dealt to Toronto a short while later, started extremely well for the Leafs (10 points in his first 12 games), then suffered a lacerated Achilles that sidelined him for a whopping 56 games.

So yeah, lots of plot twists.

All of this leaves both Toronto and Bolland in a bit of a muddle. Reports claim Thun’s tabled a proposal that would pay Bolland $5 million annually (or $40 million over seven or eight years), figures the Leafs were reportedly struggling with.

Thun said he hasn’t spoken with the Leafs since early February. That’s key, because the landscape in Toronto has shifted significantly since then -- at the time, Bolland’s pending return was pegged by many as a potentially huge boost to a playoff-bound team; instead, he’s been limited in his return (two points in six games, only playing more than 12 minutes once) and Toronto has gone in the tank, now needing help just to make the postseason.