For some time now, there have been rumblings that veteran defenseman Zach Bogosian is dissatisfied with the way he has been forced to lock down due to some of the harsh restrictions imposed by the Ontario government, which the Maple Leafs have no control over, and it appears that the level of discomfort this has caused him has been enough to pique his interest.
Bogosian will not be returning to the Leafs, according to Kevin McGran of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, who reported on Monday that he has been informed. This makes sense given that free agency begins on July 28th. The veteran defenseman had originally joined Toronto on a one-year deal with a cap hit of just $1 million per season, which seemed to be a good fit for the team given their cap situation. I believe it would be difficult to argue that the Leafs did not get their money's worth, and I believe they would have been happy to have Bogosian back on a similar deal this time.
Unfortunately, and through no fault of their own, it appears that the Leafs have once again been hampered by the government when it comes to signing, or in this case re-signing, free agent talent in the NHL, and if it was enough to affect Bogosian, you can bet that word has already spread throughout the league and to other pending free agents.
