Leafs Watch

By TIM WHARNSBY -- Toronto Sun COTE REBOUNDS: Former Maple Leafs defenceman Sylvain Cote feels a lot better about joining the Blackhawks now that he has a game and practice under his belt in Chicago.
The Leafs traded Cote to Chicago on Friday in exchange for a 2001 second-round pick and a conditional draft pick.
"When you're happy and everything is going well you usually don't see a trade as a good thing," Cote said. "But after awhile, you get in your first practice, you get a boost. Now I have some energy that wasn't there (on Friday). I'm a human being and it was emotional for me to leave Toronto, but I'm excited to be in Chicago.
"Toronto has a good team and it was tough to leave. I think last year was the best year I ever had playing hockey."
Cote, who makes $1.5 million US and becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, maintains no negotiations on a contract extension took place. Leafs general manager/coach Pat Quinn said Bob Sauve, Cote's agent, didn't want to negotiate an extension.
"I would have taken less money to re-sign and win, but there were never any discussions," Cote said.
"I really don't have anything bad to say about Pat Quinn. He is a good man, probably the best man I've played for in hockey."
In his Chicago debut last night, Cote was paired with Anders Eriksson. Cote and the Hawks play host to the Leafs on Friday.
STAND BY HIS MAN: Player agent Mark Gandler has been under more fire than Tonawanda, N.Y.
But Leafs defenceman Dimitri Yushkevich, who missed training camp and the first week of the season before signing a three-year $5.8-million US deal, felt his controversial agent handed his contract troubles with the Leafs just fine.
"I supported everything Mark did for me," Yushkevich said. "He is more than just an agent to me, he is a friend. The one thing Mark does is everything he possibly can to get the best possible deal.
"Mark knows what I can do as a player and he also knows the kind of person I am off the ice. I had calls from other agents who wanted to represent me. I told them I had no interest and I was quite happy with Mark."

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