Fleury

TORONTO -- The Toronto Maple Leafs want to bring unrestricted free agent Theo Fleury back to Canada but it appears the veteran winger will stay south of the border.

"We aren't even one of the teams being considered," said Bill Watters, assistant to the president for the Leafs.

"But, the decision hasn't been made yet. So until and when it is, for me to say we're disinterested would be the voice of the defeated. We have an interest in Theo Fleury playing in Toronto because we think he would make our team better."

Agent Don Baizley remained tight-lipped on the subject Tuesday, refusing to count out any team.

"We told the teams in question that we wouldn't speak to the media until it was over," Baizley said from Winnipeg. "There's nothing else to say at this point. We're not going to talk about which clubs are involved.

"When it's over, we'll talk about it."

Either way, Fleury will probably make up his mind by the end of the month.

"This is not a process that should drag on," Baizley said.

The 34-year-old Fleury has already met with the Chicago Blackhawks and Phoenix Coyotes and will possibly meet with other teams in the next two weeks.

Fleury, who played his first 10½ NHL seasons in Calgary, wants new surroundings that won't offer too many distractions.

Fleury has averaged 67 points a season in the last three years, including 24 goals and 39 assists in 82 games in 2001-02. The year before, he had 74 points in 62 games before leaving the New York Rangers in mid-season and checking into a substance-abuse center. He returned to hockey last year and helped Canada win gold in Salt Lake City.

Fleury earned $7 million last season but will take a pay cut, probably to about $4-$5 million.