Toronto Maple Leafs Sign 2 Draft Picks to ECL Contracts

The Toronto Maple Leafs may have their season on pause, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t busy.

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed two players today.

They have signed defenseman Filip Kral to a three-year entry-level deal.

They haave also signed defenseman Kristian Rubins to a two-year deal.

Details of the contracts were not announced.

Toronto Maple Leafs Sign 2 Players

Well this isn’t a blockbuster trade, but at this point it feels like it.  Real hockey news!  Who knew?

The Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Filip Kral in the 5th round, 149th overall, back in 2018.

The Czech Republic native has played the last three years with the Spokane Cheifs of the WHL.  He is a left shooting defenseman who is 20 years old.

He scored just under a point-per game this season for Spokane.

In one of his monthly prospect updates, EIL contributor Alex Hobson said of Kral

“He plays a solid game in every aspect and he’s good at both ends of the ice, which is nice to find in a junior prospect.”  He also mentioned that he has improved every year since being drafted.

Kristian Rubins is a 22 year old Latvian, who is 6′ 220.

He plays left defense also, and is an undrafted player who has played this season and part of last season with the Marlies on an AHL contract.

The fact that the Leafs felt the need to extend an NHL contract to him should tell you that he’s developed nicely into a potential depth piece.

Rubins doesn’t seem to have too much NHL potential, but you never know. The Toronto Maple Leafs are extremely deep on the left side of the blue line, and appear to prefer offensive defenseman, something that Rubins is most certainly not.

However, the Leafs signed him so they must see some kind of potential in him.  It will be interesting to see how these two players pan out.

Obviously this isn’t the kind of hockey news we’d normally be going crazy over, but hey – it’s something.

Kral especially is a good prospect.

With Rasmus  Sandin and Timothy Liljegren almost certainly having played their last AHL games, the Marlies will definitely appreciate having Kral on the roster next season.

Here is to retaining a solid prospect (the Leafs would have lost his rights if they didn’t sign him this year) and, hopefully, to more interesting Leafs news to come.

I don’t think trades are allowed while the season is paused, but in order to make the make-shift offseason better, I think the NHL should allow it!!  Not likely, so we’ll have to settle for the Filip Kral news for now!