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TORONTO -- Courted by a number of other teams as the NHLs free-agent bonanza unfolded, David Clarkson knew deep down there was really only one place he wanted play. The Toronto native joined his hometown Maple Leafs on Friday, inking a lucrative contract with the club he cheered for as youngster. "As it was getting down to the end there were three or four (teams) where I was kicking back and forth," Clarkson said at Air Canada Centre. "At the end of the day I think in my heart this is where I wanted to be." Raised in Torontos west end, Clarksons return home didnt come cheap for the Maple Leafs, who will pay the 29-year-old a reported US$36.75 million over the next seven seasons. "Its an honour to be here," Clarkson added. "I wore that jersey as a kid. I was a big Leafs fan when I was little so itll be pretty special to put it on. "Its definitely big to my dad. He raised us as Leafs fans, he bought us all our first Leafs jerseys so its definitely big to me and my family." Apart from adding Clarkson, Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis also re-signed first-line centre Tyler Bozak to a five-year deal worth a reported $21 million. "Were pretty happy. Our top nine (forwards), I think, will be pretty competitive," said Nonis, who also acquired centre Dave Bolland from Chicago at Sundays NHL draft. "And our fourth line will be very hard to play against. I can tell you (Leafs coach Randy Carlyle) is happy with the options that we have right now, in a lot of different areas." In Clarkson, one of the biggest free agents on this years market, the Maple Leafs get a gritty, hard-nosed winger. "I play a style of hockey where I try and come out every night and wear my heart on my sleeve. Thats just the type of player I am," said Clarkson, who added he owned a Wendel Clark jersey when he was a kid. "I try and do different little things, whether its scoring or hitting or pressure. Every game you go on that ice you need to play well, you need to do something. Thats my plan. "Every night Im going to put the hard hat on and go to work." The Maple Leafs, who suffered a memorable collapse in Game 7 of their first-round series against the Boston Bruins, had already bolstered their goaltending by trading for Jonathan Bernier, who signed a two-year deal with Toronto on Friday worth $5.8 million. The seven-year term given to Clarkson is uncharacteristic of the Maple Leafs, but Nonis said the big forward would have gone elsewhere had the length of the deal been shorter. "I believe he has a lot of good years left in him," Nonis said. Toronto cleared salary cap space to make Fridays moves by buying out centre Mikhail Grabovski and defenceman Mike Komisarek. The Leafs entered unrestricted free agency with the second-most available money under the cap and the ability to spend up to the $64.3-million limit. Grabovski had four years remaining on his $21.5-million deal and cost the Maple Leafs $5.5 million per season against the NHL salary cap. The Komisarek buyout saves the Leafs $4.5 million by removing the final season of his five-year deal from their cap. Bozak, who had 12 goals and 16 assists last season, will take up $4.2 million a year on his deal that linemate Phil Kessel praised by writing on Twitter: "My buddy is back leaf nation." Nonis said he talked to Bozaks camp two days ago, but woke up Friday unsure of how things would play out. The deal was sealed after Nonis made an offer around noon which he called "basically the most we could do." "To his credit, Bozie wanted to stay here," said the GM, who added that Bozak "maybe left some money on the table" from other teams looking for his services. Clarkson will count $5.25 million against the cap while adding size on right wing. The six-foot-one, 200-pound power forward had 15 goals and nine assists last season for the Devils and scored 30 in 2011-12. Clarkson, who got calls from Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf and defenceman John-Michael Liles welcoming him to Leaf Nation, said he isnt worried about the increased attention and pressure of playing in one of the leagues biggest markets. "My job is on the ice. Im going to go out there every night and Im going to give you everything I have," Clarkson said. "Am I perfect? No, but Im going to go out there every night and play my game." Notes: Nonis said the team did not pursue former Florida Panthers forward Stephen Weiss because they felt Bozak "was a better fit." ... The Leafs did talk to former Kings defenceman Rob Scuderi but didnt make an offer. Scuderi, instead, told them he was looking to sign in the U.S. closer to where he had a home. He went on to sign with the Pittsburgh Penguins. ... Toronto also signed tough guy Frazer McLaren to a two-year deal worth $1.4 million. McLaren had 102 penalty minutes, three goals and two assists in 35 games last season. ... To round out the day, the Maple Leafs also signed forward Trevor Smith, as well as defencemen T.J. Brennan and Kevin Marshall. Cheap Jordans From China . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Cheap Balenciaga China . -- Tony Stewart is 20 pounds lighter and has a titanium rod in his surgically repaired right leg. http://www.fakejordancheap.com/ . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. Cheap Fake Jordan Shoes . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. Fake Nmd R1 . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Rangers impressive stretch of scoreless innings by the pitching staff ended with an emphatic thud Sunday.More importantly, manager Jeff Banisters ballclub missed a chance to hang onto its lead in the race for home-field advantage in the playoffs.Not that theres much concern in Texas clubhouse.With their final six games at Globe Life Park -- where they own the second-best home record in the AL -- the Rangers are still confident heading into the final stretch of the regular season.Its crucial, Banister said after Oakland rookie Jharel Cotton pitched seven crisp innings to beat Rangers 7-1. We need to go home and play clean baseball. We were able to get some guys rest, get some guys off their legs today, so they should be fresh going into tomorrow.The Rangers, who clinched the AL West on Friday, fell into a tie with the Boston Red Sox for home-field advantage in the playoffs. Texas (92-64) holds a slight tiebreaking advantage based on division record and will close out the regular season with a pair of three-game series against Milwaukee and Tampa Bay.Things might not have been so tight had the Rangers been able to do anything against Cotton.Adrian Beltre drove in the only run for Texas with his team-leading 32nd home run in the seventh. It was the 445th career home run for Beltre. The 37-year-old also singled to move past home run king Barry Bonds on the career hits list with 2,937.Beyond that, the Rangers had just two singles and a double.Thats the first time weve seen (Cotton), Banister said. Hes got a special changeup . something we had not seen. When hes got that working for him it does present a challenge when its the first time these guys have seen him.Ryon Healy had three hits, including a two-run homer, and Stephen Vogt drove in three runs to help the As win after being shut out in back-to-back games.Oakland will be sitting out the postseason and had lost the first five games on this homestand, but ended it on an encouraging note behind Cotton (2-0). The rookie right-hander allowed one run, struck out five and faced two over the minimum while quieting the Rangers potent offennse.ddddddddddddCotton became the first As pitcher since at least 1913 to start his career with four consecutive starts of five innings or longer while allowing one earned run or less.I feel like it was a Sunday game and they wanted to get away, Cotton said of the Rangers hitters. I was on the mound like, `Thank you. Just keep swinging. That was good for me.Sean Doolittle and Ryan Dull pitched one inning apiece to complete the five-hitter.The As did all of their scoring in the second to chase starter Colby Lewis (6-4).Bruce Maxwell blooped an RBI single just past the outstretched glove of shortstop Hanser Alberto. Marcus Semien scored on a groundout and Vogt lined a three-run double to right before Healys 12th home run, a towering shot that put Oakland up 7-0.That ended a streak of 23 consecutive scoreless innings by Texas pitchers.LEWIS BEATEN BUT ENCOURAGEDLewis, who had won four consecutive games at the Coliseum, lasted just 1 1/3 innings and allowed a season-high seven runs and seven hits. The right-hander has lost four consecutive decisions, three since a two-month stint on the disabled list.I felt great, the best Ive felt in a long time, Lewis said. Thats the way it goes. I feel like I made a lot of good pitches. They just were able to drop balls in where our defenders werent. Thats about it.TRAINERS ROOMAthletics: Sonny Gray will come off the disabled list to make his first start in nearly two months against the Angels on Wednesday. Gray has not pitched in a game since Aug. 6 because of a forearm strain.UP NEXTRangers: LHP Martin Perez (10-10) faces the Brewers on Monday when Texas begins its final homestand of the regular season. Perez owns a 2.65 ERA at home, tied for the lowest in the AL among qualifying pitchers.Athletics: Sean Manaea (6-9) starts against the Angels in Anaheim on Monday. The left-handed rookie has not allowed a run in 11 consecutive innings since missing more than two weeks with a sore back.---This story corrects the spelling to Banister throughout. ' ' '