Drayton native Nick Spaling’s brief tenure as a Toronto Maple Leaf has come to an end.
Spaling, who joined the Leafs through an off-season trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins in July of 2015, is headed, along with veteran defenseman Roman Polak, to the San Jose Sharks.
The deal was announced Feb. 22,
The rebuilding Leafs will receive second round draft picks in 2017 and 2018 and journeyman forward Raffi Torres.
Torres, who hasn’t played in the NHL since serving a 41-game suspension for an illegal head check in October of 2015, was loaned by the leafs to the San Jose Barracuda, the Sharks’ American Hockey League affiliate. His contract expires at the end of this season.
The Sharks become the fourth NHL team for Spaling, who was originally drafted by the Nashville Predators and first cracked their line-up during the 2009-10 season.
Spaling, who plays both centre and wing, had one goal and six assists in 35 games for the Leafs this season and missed about six weeks in December and January with an upper body injury.
For his career, Spaling has compiled 50 goals and 68 assists for 118 points over 440 NHL games.
The Leafs, with 50 points, sit last in the Eastern Conference and are tied for last in the league standings with the Edmonton Oilers.
The Sharks, with 67 points, are sixth in the Western Conference and holding down a playoff position with 25 games left in the regular season.
