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Toronto Maple Leafs Sign Pontus Aberg

Pontus Aberg

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed free agent left wing Pontus Aberg to a one-year, $700,000 contract. It is a one-way deal at league minimum salary.

Pontus Aberg Signs With the Maple Leafs

Over his three-year NHL career, Aberg has played for the Nashville Predators, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks, and Minnesota Wild. He has put up 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 career points in 127 career games. He was originally drafted in the second round, 47th overall of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft by the Predators.

Last season he scored 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points. He also added 20 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 51.5 percent Corsi-For and a relative Corsi of +3.3.

What This Means for the Future

Aberg’s game is entirely based off his speed, something that should help him fit in seamlessly with Toronto in a depth role. An acquisition like this is an extremely smart move by general manager Kyle Dubas, as cheap, effective depth is crucial to cap-strapped teams like the Leafs. Aberg is very comfortable with the puck and is also comfortable playing both wings, something that coach Mike Babcock will enjoy dealing with.

A downside for Aberg is that he’s yet to consistently produce at the NHL level. He exploded this year with 19 points in 37 games for Anaheim, but after moving to the Wild, he only tallied 6 points in 22 games. Maybe a system better suited for his playing style will get him going again.

Putting Aberg in a consistent role alongside a solid playmaking center (possibly Alex Kerfoot) may catalyze him into a solid goal-scoring role. As Toronto looks to replace crucial depth pieces like Tyler Ennis last year, this Aberg signing is a solid move for the team.

 

Main Photo: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 21: Pontus Aberg #26 of the Minnesota Wild takes a break during a stop in play in the third period of a game against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on January 21, 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Wild defeated the Golden Knights 4-2. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Josh Erickson

Josh Erickson

Josh is a Minneapolis-based journalist and editor covering anything and everything NHL with a soft spot for the Leafs. He's one-third of the Throwing Haymakers Podcast and is a new face in the world of advanced analytics. He's been with Last Word on Sports since March of 2019. You can reach him on Twitter at @JoshLwoh, or by email at [email protected]

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