Defencemen Tallinder, Mikkelson to attend Maple Leafs camp on tryouts

TORONTO - In search of depth on the blue line, the Toronto Maple Leafs invited defencemen Henrik Tallinder and Brendan Mikkelson to training camp on professional tryouts.

Tallinder, 35, is a veteran of 678 career NHL games and spent last season with the Buffalo Sabres.

The six-foot-four Swede was part of a couple of long playoff runs with the Sabres earlier in his career and also spent three years with the New Jersey Devils.

Mikkelson, 27, spent last season in the American Hockey League but has played 131 games for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames and the Anaheim Ducks.

The 2005 second-round pick played part of the 2009-10 season for the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

Tallinder and Mikkelson are left-handed-shooting defencemen, and one or both could provide an extra body on that side.

Currently, the Leafs have captain Dion Phaneuf (who has preferred to play the right side), Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly as left defencemen.

Toronto already had Cody Franson as a righty and added Roman Polak via trade and Stephane Robidas in free agency to create more balance.