The Toronto Maple Leafs are adding another Finnish player to the roster.
According to Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston, the Leafs signed center Petri Kontiola to a one-year contract. The signing will be made official once he gets his release from KHL Traktor Chelyabinsk.
Kontiola, 29, had 15 goals and 37 points in 53 games to lead Traktor in scoring. He was also a member of Finland’s Olympic team with new Leafs forward Leo Komarov. Komarov signed a four-year, $11.8 million deal with the Leafs to return to the NHL on Tuesday.
If Kontiola’s name sounds familiar, he spent 12 games with the Chicago Blackhawks back in the 2007-08 season and stayed in the AHL for the better part of that season and the following year before he headed to the KHL.
Toronto’s depth up the middle is now something to keep an eye on. They have Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri, Peter Holland, to go with Kontiola and they’re reportedly interested in David Legwand as well.