Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Colorado Avs defenceman Liles for draft pick
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TORONTO - The Toronto Maple Leafs didn't wait for Friday night's NHL draft to pull the trigger on a new roster addition.
The Leafs acquired defenceman John-Michael Liles just hours before the entry draft from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a second-round pick in the next year's draft.
The pick was previously acquired by Toronto from the Boston Bruins as part of the Tomas Kaberle trade last February.
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The five-foot-10, 185-pound Liles is set to make US$4.55 million this season and could become a unrestricted free agent next summer.
He's coming off a strong season where he registered six goals and a career-high 40 assists in 76 games.
The Indianapolis native, who has played his entire seven-year career in Colorado, led all Avalanche defencemen in scoring the past five seasons.
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Liles has also played 36 playoff games in that span, notching four goals, seven assists for 11 points.