NHL Insider Confirms Another Signing on the Way for the Toronto Maple Leafs

Now that the NHL's March 7th trade deadline has passed, teams have begun to turn their attention to the NCAA free agent market to address organizational needs for the end of this season and beyond.

The Maple Leafs have already been active in the NCAA market, signing two of the top free agents available in defenseman John Prokop and top collegiate free agent forward Luke Haymes to entry-level deals in recent days, and they are apparently not finished.

On Friday's "32 Thoughts" podcast, Eliotte Friedman confirmed that the Leafs are still looking to add more talent from the NCAA.

The Maple Leafs have also recently exploited a loophole in signing NCAA players to cheaper deals, which could allow them to play in the NHL earlier with a special CBA rule exception. This could make Toronto an attractive destination for NCAA players, as they might get an opportunity to play at the NHL level sooner than elsewhere.

While trade deadline acquisition Scott Laughton scored his first goal as a Maple Leaf in their loss to the San Jose Sharks, he may not be the best fit for the third-line center position, a role the Leafs have struggled to fill for some time. This could further entice NCAA players to consider Toronto, as it presents an appealing opportunity for a prominent role.

With the Maple Leafs having traded away several assets in pursuit of a deep playoff run this season, the NCAA free agent pool may provide a valuable avenue to replenish their pool of young talent as well.