Leafs' News: Mikhail Grabovski's Agent Arrives in Toronto; Contract Extension?

Mikhail Grabovski has been hot in the month of January recording 17 points in 13 games.

His play has lead the Toronto Maple Leafs to a great month improving their overall record to 26-19-6 for a total of 58 points. Their play has been good enough to have the Leafs sitting in 8th place in the Eastern Conference.

However the Leafs are going to need more of the same consistent hockey for the remainder of the season to have any hope in making it to the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Much of their improvement will be needed from their secondary scoring, which has proved itself since coming back from the all-star break.

Players such as Grabovski, Clarke Macarthur and Nikolai Kulemin have been able to contribute to the teams' offense in the past three games.

Leading the way is 28 year old Mikhail Grabovski who has posted 18 goals and 18 assists for a total of 36 points in 45 games played this season. The European native is on pace for a career high of 60 points.

With his current hot streak, expect Grabovski to exceed his on pace total.

Recently, with the NHL trade deadline approaching, teams around the league will be deciding whether or not they will be buyers or sellers on February 27th.

It is fairly clear that the Toronto Maple Leafs will be looking to buy heading down stretch.

However Mikhail Grabovski's named has been circling the trade media for a while now. Many believe the center-men will be dealt in a blockbuster deal prior to the deadline, due to his contract expiring at seasons' end. Others believe he will remain in a Maple Leafs uniform.

In the mean time, it is believed that Grabovski's agent Gary Greenstin arrived in Toronto to meet with  Leafs General Manager Brian Burke.

This has made fans and people surrounding the NHL confused about the speculation surrounding the 28 year old center.

Questions that may be asked include:

• Why is Gary Greenstin in Toronto?
• Why would Gary Greenstin meeting with GM Brian Burke to discuss a trade?
• Is a contract extension in the works for Grabovski to remain a Leaf?

With the recent elevated play from Mikhail Grabovski, Brian Burke will be thinking twice about dealing the center-man, as he is playing like a first line center. Chances are; Burke will be holding on tight to the 28 year old.

This arises the possibility of a contract extension.

According to the Toronto Sun, Greenstin stated "... Mikhail loves Toronto and the organization and would like to stay."

When players' agents travel to meet with a teams' General Manager, it is usually about a contract extension. The General Manager wants to do what is right for the team, while the agent wants the best for his respective player.

It seems that both parties are within the same boat.

This makes it more and more likely that Brian Burke and Gary Greenstin are possibly discussing some sort of contract extension for Mikhail Grabovski.

If this is the case, expect the contract to be similar to the contract agreed between the Leafs and offensive defenseman John-Michael Liles.

This contract was a four year contract at an average cap hit of $3.875 million per season.

Grabovski would likely receive a similar contract due his loving desire for the city of Toronto, and his recently hot play so far during the second half.  

Since Greenstin and Burke both to want to keep Grabovski in Toronto, his trade speculation seems to be decreasing by each day if contract talks are ongoing 

Speaking of trade speculation...

Everyone knows what the Leafs want, and that's a big first line center.

Centers that have been thrown around in trade rumours that the Leafs may be interested in acquiring include Ryan Getzlaf from the Anaheim Ducks, and Jeff Carter from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Ryan Getzlaf would be the ideal player but if the Leafs are unable to acquired the big center-man, expect the Leafs still make the pinch for a top six forward.

James van Riemsdyk's name from the Philadelphia Flyers seems to have come back into the Leafs' trade speculation.

The Toronto Maple Leafs would likely have to send a depth defenseman to the Flyers, due to their veteran defenseman Chris Pronger out for the rest of the season with a concussion.

In the mean time, the front office will be busy as the deadline approaches as Brian Burke is desperate to make a deal.

This time of the season is usually when Burke wants to make his most important deals. Whether it is  to make a block buster move or to extend the contract of an important piece to the puzzle.

That piece of the puzzle is more and more shaping up to be Mikhail Grabovski.