Damien Cox of the Toronto Sun did a Q & A with Leafs GM Dave Nonis,
Q: There’s been a transformation of this team over the last eight, nine years from a team with a large European influence to a team that is predominantly North American, and of that, predominantly Canadian. Does that fit your vision?
A: I wouldn’t say it’s a vision. I wouldn’t have any problem drafting a player from Europe in the first round.
Do I think you can be too heavy in European players? Yes. Do I think you can win championships with quality Europeans? Yes, no question. So it’s not one where we’re saying we’re going to be Team North America. Some of it’s by design, adding certain kinds of players who play a certain way that more often than not are going to be Canadian born, but it’s not a plan to eliminate Europeans from the Leaf roster.
Q: A lot of fans want to know if Dion Phaneuf and Phil Kessel are going to get new contracts and remain Leafs. Are they?
A: I would like both of them here. In this business you never know if you’re going to be able to secure people you thought you could. If we don’t sign those players in Toronto, it won’t be because they weren’t wanted.
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