Toronto Maple Leafs to make one more offer to Bolland

The Toronto Maple Leafs can only bend so far to accommodate highly coveted potential free agent Dave Bolland. It appears they’re ready to make one final offer to the 28-year-old center, then be done with the whole saga one way or another. Unfortunately, it appears that this offer won’t be enough to entice Bolland, which means he’ll walk to free agency on July 1.

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You’ll forgive Leafs fans for exhaling in relief at that news. Even a 5 year deal that averages $5M/year against the cap for a third line player who has never tallied more than 50 points in a season and hasn’t played more than 70 games in a season since 2009 is plenty risky. It still stands well below the demands that have leaked from Bolland’s camp in the last month of so — many have centered on Bolland’s demand for a seven or eight year deal.

TSN’s NHL Insider Darren Dreger tweets:

Bolland’s value has been a source of consternation for many in Toronto. While some feel Bolland is little more than a replaceable cog (including Bolland’s former employer, the Chicago Blackhawks, who traded Bolland to Toronto in the first place), others feel he’s just what Toronto needs. Unfortunately, Bolland’s supporters have little in the way of factual evidence to support this decision.

Bolland’s injury history and his limited offensive production have been a thorn in the side of contract negotiations for both sides of this mess. Now it appears the Leafs have put their foot down and made their final offer. The ball is once more in Dave Bolland’s court.