The Maple Leafs have not given up on one day seeing Czech-born sniper Petr Tenkrat join the team.

The rights to the right winger, who played for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and Nashville Predators before going back to play in Europe in 2002, were transferred to the Leafs in the NHL's 2003 waiver draft. With the Karpat Oulu team in the Finnish League last year, the 27-year-old Tenkrat had 37 points in 35 games.

"It's doubtful he will play here this coming season, but there's no question he can score," Leafs general manager John Ferguson Jr. said.

BACK TO BASICS

Ferguson said goaltender Ed Belfour has been examined by a specialist in response to the latest series of back pains that forced him out of the World Cup.

"He has been looked at by our club doctors and other doctors and we're in the process of gathering information," Ferguson said.

BRIEFLY

Goaltender Justin Pogge, the Leafs' first pick in the 2004 draft, will be part of the team's entry at a four-team NHL rookie camp next month in Montreal ... Ferguson said there was nothing moving in contract talks with restricted free-agent forward Alexei Ponikarovsky. Talks to bring back unrestricted free-agent defenceman Bryan Marchment also are quiet ... Forward Alexander Steen, the Leafs' top pick in 2002, will play in Sweden this season ... The Calgary Flames signed restricted free-agent defenceman Jordan Leopold. The one-year deal is worth $950,000 US.