Maple Leafs add to their depth on defense with two signings
The Maple Leafs have added another couple of potential pieces to their blue-line depth.
The team announced on Sunday the signing of defensemen Nicolas Mattinen to a one-year, two-way contract and Chas Sharpe to a two-year American Hockey League contract, both beginning in 2024-25.
The salary for Mattinen in the NHL would be $775,000 US.
The 26-year-old native of Ottawa originally was selected by the Leafs in the sixth round (179th overall) in the 2016 NHL draft. He spent this past season with Straubing of the DEL in Germany, and was named the league’s player of the year after leading defencemen with 46 points (16 goals and 30 assists) in 52 games.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Mattinen spent the past two seasons playing in Europe. He played for four teams in four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League from 2015-19, and was a teammate of Mitch Marner with the London Knights during the 2015-16 season.
The 20-year-old Sharpe will join the Marlies on a professional tryout for the rest of this season.
Most recently the captain of the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL, Sharpe had 53 points (19 goals and 34 assists) in 67 games this past season. The 6-foot-3, 196-pound right-shooting Orillia native played in 222 OHL games.
As of Sunday afternoon, there was no official word from the Leafs regarding the signing of defenceman Cade Webber, though that could come before the team returns to practice on Monday.
