Toronto Maple Leafs re-sign Pierre Engvall to one-year, $2.25 million contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs have re-signed center Pierre Engvall to a one-year, $2.25 million extension.

Engvall was in the final year of a two-year contract with a $1.25 million cap, so he gets a $1 million raise on his new deal. At just one year, this contract will bring Engvall to UFA eligibility next season. That deal was announced just five minutes before the NHLPA announced the players who opted into salary arbitration, which many believed Engvall would join.

In his first full season in the NHL, Engvall had a solid season at both ends of the ice. The 26-year-old has 15 goals, 20 assists and 35 points in 78 games this season, while also playing a bigger role with the Leafs on the third line, which got heavy defensive-zone assignments, and downfield digital.

There’s reason to suggest those offensive numbers could continue to grow in this role, as he had the second-worst even-strength on-ice shooting percentage on the Leafs at 6.56%. He’s proven to be a great playmaker at both ends of the ice, with a 55.7% shot attempt share and 55.95% expected goal share at even strength this season.

With the signing, the Leafs now find themselves nearly $1.5 million over the salary cap, with restricted free agent Rasmus Sandin also yet to sign. With this deal and the unrestricted free agent signing of Calle Jarnkrok to a four-year contract capped at $2.1 million, he shows some commitment to both players for next season, which leaves the center Alex Kerfoot as the only other Leafs forward outside of the big four who have a cap above $2 million that could be moved to make room. They can also trade on the back end with someone like Justin Holl, with the additions of Victor Mete and Jordie Benn in free agency.