It might seem an odd choice for a veteran hockey player to want to come to a rebuilding team, especially a team that traded him and would probably do so again to get a draft pick or prospect.

But Daniel Winnik wants to be a Maple Leaf, and to be part of the solution, which is why he signed a two-year deal Wednesday that returned him to the fold.

“I like that challenge to be an older guy on a younger team, to help young guys along the way and help turn the organization around,” Winnik said. “That is very appealing.

“Dion (Phaneuf) is great in the room and you have Roman (Polak) and Joffrey (Lupul) who are very vocal as well. But part of the transition, you need more guys being leaders, older guys. It will be nice to be looked upon in a leadership role.”

Winnik is 30. He had a career year last season with 34 points, 25 of them in 58 games with the Leafs, where he gained a reputation as a hard worker, a good forechecker and a versatile forward.

He was traded by Toronto to Pittsburgh Feb. 25 for forward Zach Sill, a fourth-round pick in June and second-round pick in 2016.

Except for the part where he gave up his Toronto apartment, Winnik joked it is almost as if the trade never happened. Sill is an unrestricted free agent now, that fourth-round pick got traded to Edmonton (with Brad Ross for defenceman Martin Marincin) and that second-round pick went back to Pittsburgh in the Phil Kessel trade.

“I liked it there,” Winnik said. “I got a chance to play with Sid (Crosby) and that was really good. He taught me some things. They’ve got a great organization. Getting Phil helps them a lot. Phil’s going to help them, and they’re going to help Phil.

“For Phil, not being the go-to guy, like he was in Toronto, will alleviate some of the pressure on him and will elevate his game.”

While that Kessel trade would seem to some to signal a grand rebuild, Winnik doesn’t see it that way.

“I don’t think you look at our roster and go, ‘God, this is going to be extremely painful, we’re going to lose a ton of games,’ ” Winnik said. “I don’t know what happened post-December. I’m sure everyone is still trying to figure that out. I don’t think we’re a bad hockey team. I think Mike (Babcock) is going to do a great job behind the bench for us.”

Babcock’s presence was instrumental in landing another free agent, P.A. Parenteau. Babcock called the 32-year-old winger, who signed a one-year deal with the Leafs, to try to convince him to come to Toronto. They were together in the Ducks organization.

“He said he’s always liked me as a player,” Parenteau said. “We have a good relationship.

“(Babcock is) a very intense guy, no secret there. But he’s fair. He demands a lot from his players. But if you do the job and if you do what’s asked of you, you’re going to get rewarded. That’s what I’m looking for.”

Paranteau is a bit of a late bloomer, a ninth-round pick in 2001 who didn’t become a regular NHLer until 27.

But since breaking in with the Rangers, followed by the Islanders, Avalanche and the Canadiens, he’s been a regular goal scorer.

Last year with Montreal, however, he fell out of favour with coach Michel Therrien, scoring just eight goals, the lowest output of his career.

“As a late-round pick, you don’t get the same breaks,” Parenteau said. “I paid my dues. Maybe it took me a little longer than I wanted it to. But it makes me appreciate what I have nowadays. I had a couple of tough seasons with injuries, and not having the best relationship with my coach last year. I’m ready to turn the page and be the player I was during the lockout year.”

In that 48-game season, he was nearly producing a point-a-game, with 43 points for Colorado. He will be counted upon to carry some of the load offensively on right wing with the departure of Kessel.

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“I have to stay healthy and I’ve got to find my confidence,” Parenteau said. “Last year was tough, being injured, and not having the confidence of the coach. This year, I feel like I’ll have all the chances to do that. The ball’s in my court.

Born in Hull, and having played in hockey-mad Montreal, he understands what he’s in for in Toronto.

“Every hockey player likes to have the fans behind them,” he said. “There’s no bigger market than Toronto. It’s a great challenge, especially with the rough year they had last year. Hopefully I can help the team turn it around and be part of a successful story.”