Report: Leafs set to land KHL star

The Toronto Maple Leafs have a plan in motion: they look to dip into the European free-agent defender market for the fourth time in three years. After getting their hands on Nikita Zaitsev, Andreas Borgman and Calle Rosen, the Leafs are now targeting 25-year-old right-shot Igor Ozhiganov.

According to a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Leafs are not only frontrunners in the Ozhiganov sweepstakes that are expected to go down this summer, but his signing in Toronto is actually a foregone conclusion.

"Other clubs are going to try to recruit him, but they are not optimistic," Friedman explains in his 31 thoughts of the week, 

The 6’2”, 207 lb defender put up 22 points in 50 games with CSKA Moscow last season, but has just two assists in his team’s first 18 games this season. While  Ozhiganov’s contract with his current club expires in April, he wouldn’t be eligible to join the Leafs until the 2018-19 season.

The Leafs already have 10 defensemen between their NHL and AHL rosters under contract for next year, with four more restricted free agents, but there is a need for a boost on the back end at the moment. 

Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty recently said that Toronto needs a quality defender to become a true Stanley Cup contender. Now, the Leafs are rumoured to be looking to the trade market to land some help, but as for right now, Leafs fans can only look forward to next season and  Ozhiganov jumping on board...