Toronto Maple Leafs’ first round, pick in the 2016 National
Hockey League Entry Draft, Auston Matthews, signed his three-year entry-level
contract on Thursday.
Matthews earlier this summer at the NHL Draft, in Buffalo, New
York, became the first American born player to go number one overall, since
2007, when the Chicago Blackhawks drafted Patrick Kane with the number one
pick.
The six foot two, 210-pound center, played last season in Switzerland’s
top professional league, National League A, with the Zurcher Schlittschuh Club
Lions in Zurich, Switzerland. He put up 24 goals and 22 assists, in 36 games,
with the ZSC Lions last season. He was a runner-up for the league’s most valuable
player award.
During the 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation World
Championship, he scored seven goals and four assists in seven games for the
United States national team. In 2014-2015, while playing with the United States
National Team Development Program, Under-18 team, he broke Kane’s record of 102
points in 2005-2006, as he scored 117 (55 goals and 62 assists).
Matthews first game in Toronto will be during the 2016 World
Cup of Hockey Tournament as he suits up for Team North America.
While financial terms of the contract were not released, according
to, Pat Brisson, the agent for the 18-year-old Scottsdale, Arizona native his
deal is for the maximum amount of 925,000 per season, allowed for entry-level
players and includes bonuses.
Brisson told the Associated Press, “There were no issues at all getting it done with Lou and the Leafs.
Auston is thrilled.”
The Maple Leafs also announced on Thursday that they
resigned 23-year-old forward, Josh Leivo to a two-year contract. Leivo was
drafted by Toronto in the third round of the 2011 NHL Draft and put up five
goals in 12 games with the Maple Leafs this past year.
Most of his time last season, was spent with their American
Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. He scored 17 goals and 31 assists
in 51 games in the AHL.
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