The depth of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization took a hit last season, with the club trading prospects Fraser Minten and Nikita Grebenkin in deadline deals, but the club was even further diminished on July 1, as leading scorer Alex Steeves, center Nick Abruzzese and goalie Matt Murray left for other NHL clubs and 2020 draftees Roni Hirvonen and Top Niemela headed for Europe.
The AHL club had some reinforcements via the undrafted free agent route, as Jacob Quillan scored 18 goals and made his NHL debut last season, forward Luke Haymes had six points in nine games after signing with the Leafs after playing at Dartmouth, and winger Borya Valis also joined late in the season after an 81-point season with Prince George of the WHL.
The club restocked its shelves with a slew of signings early this week. On Monday, Veteran AHLer Ken Appleby was signed to a one-year AHL deal, as Dennis Hildeby will the third goalie to be recalled to the Leafs when needed. Former Marlie Mark Johnstone was signed to a two-year AHL deal, and journeyman Reese Johnson signs a one-year AHL deal.
On Tuesday, the club announced the signings of forwards Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, Ben King, Nick Rhéaume, Marko Sikic, and defenseman Ryan McCleary to one-year AHL contracts.
Fontaine played a fifth year in the NCAA with Ohio State and scored 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) and played three games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild last season. The 6’3”, 205 lb. King played with San Diego and Manitoba the last two seasons. Rhéaume, 23, played at Northeastern University (NCAA) last season and with UMass-Lowell from 2022 to 2024. Sikic, 22, played mostly with the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones last season, while McCleary, 21, played 69 games with the Cyclones last season.
The status of winger Alex Nylander is unknown at this point. The 27-year-old winger finished second on the Marlies with 23 goals and was signed to an NHL deal when the Leafs needed fill-ins on the wing.
