The Leafs get: An injury prone but skilled center capable of playing in a top six role. Connolly was signed to a two-year contract worth about $4.5 million per season. After missing out on Richards, the Leafs went after their second choice. Cap space is only important if you need it, and over the next two years the Leafs needed to add a veteran center more than they needed the $4.5 million in cap space.

Fantasy Players Impacted:

Connolly will immediately help Phil Kessel, who now has a legitimate playmaking center to play with. Connolly has 77 assists in his past two seasons combined, while Bozak has 36. This move slides Mikael Grabovski down to the second line, but it won’t affect his fantasy value much as he likely will stick with Nikolai Kulemin. Connolly becomes the top center in Toronto. He has averaged over 70 games played in the past two seasons, so his durability isn’t as bad as it once was.

Connolly is also deadly on the power play and will open up a lot of space for Dion Phaneuf’s point shot. Look for Connolly to slot in between Kesel and Lupul on line one.

Fantasy Players this helps, in order:

1. Kessel

2. Connolly

3. Lupul (hat tip to sentium)

4. Phaneuf

Fantasy Players this hurts, in order:

1. Tyler Bozak

2. Nazem Kadri (short term)

Comments (5)

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Cold Squad said:

	... Now that they have also traded for Lombardi, they can split first line duties. When one is hurt hopefully the other is healthy !!
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July 03, 2011
Votes: +1

Shoeless said:

	hmmmm All of sudden my non-keepers in Connolly and Lupul just got a little upgrade.
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July 02, 2011
Votes: +1

sentium said:

	... Again, Lupul. The entire Toronto fanbase have Lupul and Kessel as a stone cold duo next year.
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July 02, 2011
Votes: +0

Kris said:

	... I'm finally excited about the Toronto PP next year! ?-Connolly-Kessel Liles-Phaneuf Who do you see on the other wing in this scenario?
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July 02, 2011
Votes: +0

sentium said:

	... Considering how well Kessel and Lupul played at the end of last year, you have to assume that Connolly slots in between them, making Lupul a huuuuuge winner from this signing.
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July 02, 2011
Votes: +0