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Toronto Maple Leafs get Wayne Simmonds on a one-year deal

The Toronto Maple Leafs have agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million deal with gritty forward Wayne Simmonds.

Simmonds returns home, having grown up in the Toronto area.

"I think this was a perfect spot for me, not only on the ice but obviously off the ice for me as well," Simmonds told Sportsnet. "It was a pretty easy decision."

After being a mainstay in the Flyers' lineup for years, the power forward has been well-traveled in the past few seasons. Philadelphia traded him to Nashville at the deadline in 2019. He then signed as a free agent with New Jersey in the summer, and the Devils turned around and sent him to Buffalo at last season's deadline.

The movement might have something to do with his slip in production over the past few seasons. After scoring 24 goals and 46 points in 2017-18, he dropped to 30 and then 25 last season.

Even at 32 years old, competitive teams were asking about a player who adds some sandpaper with scoring touch to a lineup.

Simmonds is coming off a one-year, $5 million deal he signed with New Jersey.