The Toronto Maple Leafs bolstered their forwards down the middle by signing Shawn Matthias to a one year contract worth $2.3 million for the 2015-2016 NHL season.
Leafs sign Shawn Matthias.
— James Mirtle (@mirtle) July 6, 2015
Matthias, 27, skated with the Vancouver Canucks last season and finished tied for third in goals scored (18) while collecting a total of 27 points (18-9-27) and 16 penalty minutes. The Mississauga, Ontario native has appeared in 408 career NHL games between Vancouver and the Florida Panthers and has collected 131 points (69 goals, 62 assists) to go along with 137 penalty minutes. Matthias was originally drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (47th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.
Matthias will be familiar to new Leafs head coach Mike Babcock as Matthias was formerly in the Detroit Red Wings farm system and was traded in the deal that brought Todd Bertuzzi to Detroit. At 6’4″, 223lbs the 27 year old is the biggest forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs and might suggest the team will look into moving a centreman like Tyler Bozak to clear cap space and continue their planned rebuild. Despite playing in a third line role at times, Matthias is looked upon as an “on the cusp” top six centre. He should help replace some of the goals lost from trading Phil Kessel to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
