The Leafs elected to file for arbitration on the 26-year old netminder back on June 18. After months of negotiations, the Leafs and Bernier failed to come to an agreement on a contract before Friday’s arbitration date.
Leaf fans waited with bated breath as Bernier and his agent Pat Brisson met with the Leafs’ Lou Lamoriello and Kyle Dubas on Friday. What most didn’t know is that it takes an additional 48 hours for the arbitrator to come to a final decision.
Late Sunday morning, just hours before that decision was supposed to come, the two sides beat the arbitrator to the punch by agreeing to a 2-year contract worth an average 0f $4.