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Leafs looking for Bolland to play expanded role

Dave Bolland

Dave Bolland #36 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates after he scored a goal in the third period against the Boston Bruins in Game One of the NHL 2013 Stanley Cup Final at United Center on June 12, 2013 in Chicago, Illinois. (June 11, 2013 - Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

In the span of a week, 27-year-old forward Dave Bolland went from scoring the Stanley Cup winning goal to getting traded by the Chicago Blackhawks to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“I’m excited to put on a Maple Leafs jersey in front of ACC fans. Pretty much lost for words,” Bolland said, according to the Toronto Star. “I’m sad to leave Chicago. You always want to play in one city all your career. But it’s a business.

“But it’s great to come back to where my whole hockey career began.”

Bolland, who was born in Mimico, Ontario, admitted that this series of events has been “crazy,” but he’ll have new opportunities with the Maple Leafs. Chicago traditionally used him as a third-line center, but Leafs GM Dave Nonis said they won’t “pigeon-hole him” in that role.

Toronto is somewhat thin up the middle, especially if they let Tyler Bozak walk as an unrestricted free agent.

“He’ll use him in all areas,” Nonis said. “He’ll probably be put in a more prominent role with us than he was in Chicago.”