Leafs Sign Jason Blake 5 years 20 million

[marek14pl]

Can't wait till the season starts!!!

[juucer]

Much like the Toskola signing with this one I'm torn.

I HATE Jason Blake...I think of him as a little weasel who gets cheap goals and is a puss. However, if you look at all free agents available, it appears we got the best "bang for our buck". The five year deal is a lot, but it is comparable to what the other top ten UFA were getting, and $4 million per is well below what the other big names were going for.

Overall, if you would ask Leaf fans what their team's biggest weakness was last year, I bet goaltending and a lack of a scoring winger would be at the top of the list. JFJ addressed both of these issues while still being cap-consience (ie. singing Gomez or Drury would have lmited our chance of signing Toskala).

Toronto fans expect and demand competition each year, and JFJ has done what needed to be done to keep the team competitive. We will still likely be a 6-8 place team but we are no doubt better than the end of last season so I don't see how people can't be happy

I hate Blake as well.

However, I think he's the perfect player for the Leafs - a fast, gritty winger who isn't injury prone, isn't scared to go in the corners/infront of the net, takes alot of shots and has a tendency to score big goals. Exactly what the team needs most.

I still hate him though - he's a cheapshot artist, diver, and a whiny little b*tch. Hopefully I'll warm up to him once the season starts.