Petri Kontiola Signs with Maple Leafs on a 1-year, $1.1 million deal

The Toronto Maple Leafs have gone overseas to sign a depth center in Petri Kontiola to a one-year, $1.1 million contract (one-way).

We now know what else Dave Nonis was up to when he visited Finland recently to meet with Leo Komarov. This is a found wallet free agent  if he works out—and if he doesn’t, both parties can go their separate ways without penalty. Why not, right?

Kontiola amassed 112 assists and 175 points in 258 regular-season KHL games for Traktor and Metallurg Magnitogorsk. He put up 130 points in 147 games in the American Hockey League before he went overseas.

Most impressed by the 68 points in 66 AHL games as a 23 year old re: Kontiola.

— Alec Brownscombe (@MapleLeafsHS) July 3, 2014

The Maple Leafs are building up some depth options at center here. Petri Kontiola, a linemate of Leo Komarov’s in the 2014 World Championships, is a total NHL unknown, but his numbers in the KHL, AHL before he left, and international tournaments (37 points in 46 career games at the IIHF Men’s World Championship; 5 points in 6 games at the Sochi Olympics) are quite good. Tempering expectations, Rickard Wallin also led his team in scoring and he was a dud when he came over to play for Toronto.

This may or may not lay to rest the rumours of David Legwand coming to Toronto; the Leafs would be opting to go with youth and inexperience on their bottom six center group, which is a big leap of faith, if that is the case. More than likely just adding depth center options here, but the 29-year-old Finn appears to be more than just a grinder.

He could also play some wing over here if the Leafs add another center to go along with incumbents Tyler Bozak, Nazem Kadri and Peter Holland.

I know Kontiola is listed as a C, but I wonder if they'll consider him a RW. 21-42-81, 19-43-Kontiola, 47-____-71, Ashton-Holland-Frattin.

— Anthony Petrielli (@APetrielli) July 3, 2014

Six NHL teams were reportedly courting Kontiola, who is a former seventh round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks.

In the KHL for Chelyabinsk, Petri Kontiola led the team in scoring, over teammate Andrei Kostitsyn and Evgeny Kuznetsov #Leafs

— Dobber (@DobberHockey) July 3, 2014

Talked to several people about Kontiola in past few days. Not a checker, he's better suited to running a power play etc.

— James Mirtle (@mirtle) July 3, 2014

Source: "A guy like Kontiola is easy to sign, because if he doesn't do well, you just place him on waivers and he'll be in KHL in no time."

— James Mirtle (@mirtle) July 3, 2014

Petri Kontiola Video Highlights

Petri Kontiola Statistics

More to come…