NHL Free-Agent Signings 2012: Maple Leafs and Jay McClement Agree to Deal
July 1, 2012
The Toronto Maple Leafs have made an early splash in the free-agency period, landing center Jay McClement, according to Bob McKenzie of TSN.
TOR signs Jay McClement to to 2 year deal worth $3M.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) July 1, 2012
This is an excellent addition for Toronto, who desperately needed some fresh blood after finishing fourth in the Northeast Division with a 35-37-10 record. It was another disappointing season for the storied franchise, whose last playoff appearance came in the 2003-04 season.
McClement will look to lead them back to the postseason, and with his varied skill set, he should have a solid impact on the Maple Leafs.
The 29-year-old was the third-line center for the Colorado Avalanche most of last season, scoring 10 goals and dishing out seven assists. Those numbers aren't particularly striking, but with his faceoff and penalty-killing abilities, it's easy to see why he was highly coveted this offseason.
McClement won 51.3 percent of his faceoffs and was a major reason why the Avs improved from 30th (76.1 percent) to 12th (83 percent) in penalty killing this season. Look for him to have a similar impact on the Maple Leafs, who finished 28th in the league this year with a 77.3 penalty kill percentage.