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PHILADELPHIA – Restructuring the Toronto defence was primary in the objectives of Maple Leafs management as they strode into the busiest stage of a lengthy offseason. Custom Carolina Panthers Jerseys . And on the final day of draft weekend, they took the first step toward doing just that. Carl Gunnarsson, selected with the 194th overall pick at the draft in Columbus seven years earlier, was dealt to St. Louis on Saturday morning for thick Czech defenceman and longtime Blue, Roman Polak. He is the first addition to a roster that promised to change following another late season meltdown. Adjustment to a mismatched and ineffective back-end was a must for the Leafs, who finished near the league basement defensively last season – yielding more shots against than any other club. Polak, while not an upgrade to the steady, but increasingly over-taxed Gunnarsson, does offer a different kind of presence to the Toronto defence, something brawnier and edgier for head coach Randy Carlyle, if not quite better. Gunnarsson, it was ultimately deemed, could be replaced on the top pairing with something similar internally. "We like our defence individually," general manager Dave Nonis said after the final round of the draft was completed on Saturday afternoon, "[but] we didnt necessarily like how they fit together last year. We wanted to move some pieces and change the look, rebuild it a little bit. I wouldnt say its a major overhaul by doing something like this, but it does give us a different element and its a player we didnt really have." Maybe more significant is how the trade promises to open up further opportunity for the clubs two top guns on defence: Morgan Rielly and Jake Gardiner. By removing Gunnarsson – who teamed with Dion Phaneuf on left side of the top pair – and adding the right-handed Polak, the Leafs opened up room for Rielly and Gardiner to become more prominent members of the defence. Rielly should move from a place on the bottom pair to something more substantial in the top-four. Gardiner, who led the team in even-strength ice-time, might be the one to replace Gunnarsson on the top pair. "Those guys are going to have to take steps forward," Nonis said of the promising duo. "It might be a lot to ask for Morgan a little bit in his second year, but he made some pretty big strides last year and we would expect that hell take some more next [year]. And I think Jake is a good possibility [of doing the same] as well." Left-handed shots, Rielly and Gardiner were both forced to play the right side often last season – nearly the entire season for the rookie – due to the rarity of right-handed defenders on the Toronto defence (Gardiner, specifically, struggled with the change and eventually had to move back to the left). The addition of the 6-foot-1, 227-pound Polak will ease that glut and allow more options for Carlyle. The Blues, who ranked third in the league defensively a year ago, employed Polak in shutdown capacities as well as on their second-ranked penalty kill. He was known in St. Louis as a fierce, physical competitor willing to play through injury. The 28-year-old, who has two years remaining on a five-year contract ($2.75 million cap hit), led the Blues defence in hits and finished second in blocked shots. "Hes a tough guy to play against," Nonis said of Polak, picked in the sixth round of 2004 Draft. "If you look at the minutes he plays he often plays against teams top players. He is very physical, hes very strong. I think theres a perception that because hes so big hes not mobile, I dont think thats true at all. We think that one of his strengths is his skating ability. Hes going to provide a little bit of edge." The fifth overall pick in 2012, Rielly had a fine first season in Toronto, demonstrating improvement with each passing month. He finished with 27 points in nearly 18 minutes of nightly work, emerging as one of the Leafs top possession players in 73 games. It remains to be seen whether he can climb another rung as a sophomore next season though the organization is certainly hopeful based on all that they saw a year ago. "We are hoping that he improves next year," said Nonis. "He may not. He might go through a year where hes not quite ready to go up the lineup, but were comfortable that hes going to get there and hes going to be an impact player and were going to give him an opportunity to do that." Gardiner, meanwhile, finished a rollercoaster third season on a high. He was easily the teams best defenceman down the stretch of another alarming late season collapse, totaling five goals and 14 points in the final 21 games. "Jakes going to have times where [the media] sitting below me in the press-box will hear me smacking on the wall, but the fact is hes got God-given ability that you just cant teach," Nonis said of the 23-year-old. "I think hes getting the other part of his game under control. The last half of the season the turnovers and some of the mistakes he was making earlier were decreasing … He did come a long way." Nonis expects the Leafs to be active at the outset of free agency on July 1st. He was inclined to add another defenceman to the mix, while stating his acceptance to the status quo if furthers upgrades were unavailable. Gunnarsson had mixed feelings after a five-year stay in Toronto. He received word of the trade shortly after 11 a.m. on Saturday morning and was "kind of shocked". "I didnt expect it," he told TSN.ca, still piecing together the emotions of his first trade in the NHL. "Sucks leaving Toronto…its been great." Cam Newton Jersey . - The Cleveland Indians will place centerfielder Michael Bourn on the disabled list before their opener at Oakland on March 31. Christian McCaffrey Jersey . The Stampeders announced the move on Wednesday. Bell spent his first two CFL seasons with the B. http://www.officialcarolinapantherspro.com/Ryan-kalil-panthers-jersey/ . Off-Season Game Plan looks at the Capitals possible summer plans, with the understanding that its tough to plot a direction without a general manager or head coach around which to set those expectations.Diego Simeone fits Atletico Madrid like a glove and wants to take them forward in their new stadium, says Guillem Balague. Simeone led Atletico to a second Champions League final in three years on Wednesday evening, going through on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate draw with Bayern Munich.The Argentine manager has been tenuously linked with a move to the Premier League in the past, but Balague reiterates that Atletico is perfect for him, and their move into their new stadium in the summer of 2017 will increase his desire to stay. Atletico Madrid players celebrate qualifying for the final of the Champions League Simeone would be the first one to say that Atletico fits him like a glove Balague told Sky Sports. Hes perfect. They understand what he wants, hes a former legend.He wants football that perhaps is not the prettiest - and sometimes he takes things to the limit - but its football that suits Atletico - counter-attacking football.He plays the card of: Were not very rich, we have to work hard for each other, its all about team values. They have more money than most but its a card Atletico are happy to play. Atletico will move out of the Vicente Calderon and into their new stadium in the summer of 2017 Can you take that to another club? Well have to see in the future but certainly he wants to take Atletico to the next level and that will be to a new stadium with more financial possibilities.Simeone has been widely praised for his work at Atletico since arriving in 2011, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Europa League since.His side were unfancied at the quarter-final stage against champions Barcelona, and aagain against Bayern Munich in the last four, and Balague believes Atleticos style of play is indicative of the faith the players have in their manager. Carolina Panthers Jerseys. Simeone says their Champions League final appearance is just reward for Atletico Madrids hard work over the last four years Its the hardest thing in football to have an idea, to believe in it and to convince everyone that thats the way to go.Thats what everyone is doing at Atletico under Simeone. Every player has become a better player. Some of them certainly could play a different style - they could have more of the ball, some would fit in well at Bayern, for example - but theyve abandoned that to follow the Simeone approach.Is it pretty? You can argue about that. Is it effective? You have to say that two Champions League finals in three years is extraordinary. Also See: Atleti shock Peps Bayern Vidal blasts ugly Atletico La Liga video Guillem Balague ' ' '