The Toronto Maple Leafs jumped into the free agent market on Tuesday, signing forward Niklas Hagman to a four-year, $12 million contract, defenceman Jeff Finger to a four-year deal worth $3.5 million a season and goaltender Curtis Joseph to a one-year, $700,000 contract.
Hagman, 28, scored a career high 27 goals and 41 points last season with the Dallas Stars and earned $675,000. A third-round pick of Florida in 1999, Hagman also led the Stars with eight game-winning tallies and four shorthanders.
"We are very happy to add Niklas to our team and we look forward to him bringing his speed, grit and scoring touch to our lineup," Toronto general manager Cliff Fletcher said. "He's a scoring threat while shorthanded and he uses his speed to score clutch goals." Hagman's new contract includes a no-movement clause through June 1, 2009.
In 481 career games with the Panthers and Stars, Hagman has registered 80 goals and 85 assists. He also has represented his country at the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics.
Finger, 28, played 72 games with the Colorado Avalanche last season, tallying 19 points and a plus-12 rating. In 94 career NHL games, he has 24 points and a plus-22.
Joseph, 41, spent four seasons with the Maple Leafs from 1998 to 2002 after arriving as a free agent from Edmonton. In between stints with the Leafs, the veteran netminder played with Detroit, Phoenix and Calgary.
"Curtis will provide outstanding support to Vesa Toskala this season," said interim GM Cliff Fletcher in a statement. "He had tremendous success playing in Toronto in years past and we expect him to be a stabilizing influence for our team, both on and off the ice. We are really excited to have him back in our team's colours."
In nine games with the Flames last season, Joseph went 3-2 with a 2.55 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. The veteran goalie has appeared in 922 NHL games for St. Louis, Edmonton, Toronto, Detroit, Phoenix and Calgary.
