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Leaf Rumours

The Maple Leafs might have two Scandinavian Monsters in their closet the Toronto Sun has learned.

Brian Burke and right-hand man David Nonis made a secret trip to Helsinki a few days ago with the purpose of landing 6-foot-5, 22-year-old Jusii Rynnas. They are awaiting a decision from Rynnas, who is trying to decuide which team will give him the best chance to break into the NHL.
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http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2010/04/16/13613021.html
 
and Cox reported the same thing ... so it's sorta a public secret.

With Gusto and Jiggy secured as the 1-2 punch for the big club, if Rynnas feels he is NHL ready, he will not come to the Leafs. We'll see what happens though.

You gotta admit part of the attraction of Toronto to Gusto last season was he only had to overthrow Vesa to be a #1 on this team ... and he did accomplish that and got 42 NHL starts as a result of that.
 
If there's another team out there that is willing to give Rynnas the rookie max, and guarantee him an NHL job, then we're probably out of the running for him.

But if there isn't, then Toronto has a few things going for them:

1) If he plays in the AHL, he's not going to be playing/living in a backwater like Binghamton or Abbotsford. He'll be playing and living in Toronto, with access to the same training facilities and goalie coach that the goalies with the Maple Leafs have access to.

2) Burke's history with goalies. Burke developped Giguere at the same time he had Bryzgalov and Hiller. And when Bryz got too good to keep around as a backup, Burke promised him he'd find him somewhere to play, and went as far as losing him for nothing to fulfill that promise.
 
I read an article where the agent for Rynnas said that Allaire is a pretty big factor.

I mean thats the key. He can go to an organization like the Flyers who have never developed a good goaltender, and screwed up guy after guy, or he can come and learn from the best.

I'm pretty sure he's 23 too, so he'd only have to sign for one year like Gus did anyway.
 
The Leafs were actually hoping to have something earlier, and were interested enough after meeting with Rynnas in Montreal 12 days ago that Brian Burke and Dave Nonis flew to Helsinki to try and convinced Rynnas to sign. A big part of the Leaf pitch is the presence of highly respected goaltending consultant Francois Allaire in the Leaf organization.

"They do have an asset there," admitted Roy.
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http://thestar.blogs.com/thespin/2010/04/cant-win-em-all.html
 
A deal with Zuccarello-Aasen and the Rangers is not complete yet despite the rumours...

UPDATE ...Rangers have been seriously interested for weeks, as we reported back then. My sense is that they are close and had been awaiting some decision on his part, but no numbers/deal has been finalized. An NYR source said this evening "not completed yet."

- Newsday
 
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96Dx7mKpfv4&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube- URHOtv - Henkilökuvassa Jussi Rynnäs[/ame]

OMG. We must sign him for The Return of the Stache.
 
Holy crap, that is a pretty epic 'stache. I can't remember the last time I saw one like that on a goalie. I like him already, despite the fact that he has the very unfortunate handicap of being Finnish.
 
I sorta want that weirdo short guy with the oversized stick. I mean how good do you have to be, to use a stick that big?
 
two things.

1) mustache or not, i don't want another faggy fin on this team.

2) you really can't put much credence on stats in the finnish league. it's been a few years since i paid much attention but the last time i checked (before rask came over to the nhl) just about everybody was posting like a .925+ sv%.

so who knows if this kid really is any good.

now, i'm all for adding young parts for free. but **** that, i don't want any more finnish players on the team. and this isn't just a toskala thing. practically every single highly touted finnish goalie has been a massive disappointment, spare two good years from kipprusoff.
 
Those uniforms have advertising on their advertising.

PS. Rynnas looks just like Von Kaiser
407058-von_kaiser_super.jpg
 
hockeylover said:
A deal with Zuccarello-Aasen and the Rangers is not complete yet despite the rumours...

UPDATE ...Rangers have been seriously interested for weeks, as we reported back then. My sense is that they are close and had been awaiting some decision on his part, but no numbers/deal has been finalized. An NYR source said this evening "not completed yet."

- Newsday
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Kypreos has an update:

Sounds like Darren Pang's fav Norwegian Mats Zuccarello-Aasen won't be announced a Ranger till after Worlds. Transfer agreement reasons.
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That stache is the textbook definition of "porn star stache" ;)

This guy is HUGE. In the video he's as tall as that little guy on breakaway (or penalty shot?) while down on his knees.

Finland does have some good goalies ... like Kipper.

And I don't mind signing another goalie for the AHL. Reimer's the only guy we got down there (who's good ...) and I'd much prefer a young goalie to share the net with Reimer than a Clemmensen or Joey Mac.

On another note, it seems like Burke & Co is only lukewarm about the Norwegian hobbit ...
 
I like that Burke is always looking to increase the talent of the organization, even if it's at a position where we don't have an immediate need. Conversely, that might be what eliminates Toronto for Rynnas.
 
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