Welcome, Toronto-born Dave Bolland. Welcome, Toronto-born David Clarkson.

It happened very subtly, without any bluster or grand pronouncements, kind of the way Maple Leafs GM Dave Nonis operates.

But hockey players from Ontario — especially Toronto — are back on the roster for the Maple Leafs after a time when they seemed like an endangered species in the lineup.

With Bolland and Clarkson, the Leafs now have two players from Toronto and seven across Ontario on their roster: Nazem Kadri (London), Jay McClement (Kingston), Mark Fraser (Ottawa), Paul Ranger (Whitby) and Trevor Smith (Ottawa).

Two years ago, there were times when there were no players from Ontario.

The Leafs say they take the “best available player.”

“Be that through the draft (one from Ontario this year), by trade, or by free agency. David Bolland was an opportunity to acquire one of only eight Blackhawks who were on both Cup teams. David Clarkson was the top free agent available and fit our needs,” said assistant GM Dave Poulin.

“Our theory is always the best available player that fits in with our direction.”

.

The Leafs have been lousy at home at times, and one reason often floated is because other teams are loaded with Toronto and Ontario guys who take their game to an extra level at the Air Canada Centre to show off for friends and family in attendance.

Having local players on the Maple Leafs — ones who might burst with a tad more pride wearing Blue and White — could be the counterbalance the team needs and maybe even an advantage, said Clarkson.

“There haven’t been many (Leafs) from the area,” said Clarkson. “I’m lucky enough to play in this city where I wore that jersey as a kid. Bringing in guys from the home town is a great thing. We know what it’s about.

“We have a lot of good hockey players in this area. It’s great to have some of us come home and play.”

It was under Brian Burke’s watch in 2011 that — for the first time in the history of the franchise — no player from Ontario was even on the team. That happened whenever Kadri got sent to the minors.

Try to imagine the Montreal Canadiens without a player from Quebec. Sacrebleu.

But there was nary a peep of opposition in Leaf-worshipping Toronto. The Star wrote about it. Don Cherry talked about it.

Burke deftly deflected criticism, saying he didn’t look at a passport when acquiring players.

John Gardner, president of the GTHL, was highly critical that Burke’s Leafs didn’t have many local players on them. Gardner said the lack of Toronto-born players on the Leafs is a discouragement to young players in the city.

“I don’t know what the mentality was, and what was behind it. It was crazy,” said Gardiner, happier now that things have changed. “From a public relations standpoint, it’s great.”

To be fair, it was Burke who laid the groundwork for the revival of the Ontario player on the Leafs, signing McClement and Mike Kostka prior to the 2012-13 season and acquiring Fraser in a trade.

What do you think?

Looking back, it might simply have been a confluence of events.

Burke liked a certain kind of player — tough guys from the West. It certainly looked to many as if Burke’s and then-coach Ron Wilson’s platform with the Maple Leafs gave them a chance to promote the growth of hockey in the U.S. by signing players from the American college ranks.

Also, Wilson disdained players whom he felt had any sense of entitlement. And the players who preceded his arrival — many from Ontario like Matt Stajan and Carlo Colaiacovo — were shown the door.

The message: the hero worship that comes with being Leaf could get out of control and Ontario kids were more prone to it.

Picking NHL teams at random, it’s pretty hard not to find a player from Ontario on it. The province is the single-largest contributor to players on NHL rosters, with players from Toronto outpacing those from every other city.

From a low of one (Buffalo, Cody Hodgson) to a high of 12 (San Jose) every NHL team had players born in this province on their current summer rosters. The norm is 4-to-6.

-

The geographic makeup of the Maple Leafs now:

Ontario — 7

U.S. — 5

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Manitoba — 4

Alberta — 3

Quebec — 2

B.C. — 1

Saskatchewan — 1

Russia — 1

Sweden — 1

-

The geographic makeup of the Maple Leafs in 2011

U.S. — 7

Alberta — 4

Saskatchewan — 4

Quebec — 2

Sweden — 2

Manitoba — 2

B.C. — 1

Russia — 1

Belarus — 1

Ontario — 1

-

The Toronto Star’s Leaf page

Read more about: