Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Kyle Dubas noticed the goaltending depth issues that have plagued the entire organization all the way to the ECHL’s Newfoundland Growlers.
After injuries aplenty and playing not one but two emergency backup goalies in an AHL game, The Toronto Maple Leafs AHL affiliate the Toronto Marlies have signed Hobey Baker winning goaltender Dryden Mckay to a two-year contract.
The 25-year-old Mckay brings some outside blood to an organization in desperate need of new goaltenders. He’s coming off of a 38-5-0 record with a .931 save percentage and back to back Frozen Four appearances for the Minnesota State Mavericks. (stats hockeydb.com).
Before playing for Minnesota State, McKay played in both the NAHL and the USHL. In college, he never posted a save percentage below .917. A the contract McKay signed was with the Marlies, he will not count against any of the available slots the Leafs have remaining. He also will not receive an NHL style signing bonus.
Toronto Maple Leafs and Dryden McKay
First of all, I just want to say one thing: I called it.
Now, let’s discuss what this means for the Leafs for both this season and the future.
Let’s get this out of the way: Dryden Mckay will not play for either the Leafs or Marlies this season as he is currently serving his suspension handed down to him by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. According to McKay’s lawyer, if McKay wan’t able to prove that the positive test was an accident, he would’ve been handed a four-year suspension. Instead, McKay was given six months.
After being selected as an alternate for Team USA for the 2022 Olympics, Mckay started taking an immune boosting vitamin. The vitamins he was taking were contaminated with a banned substance known as Ostarine. Mckay convinced an arbitrator that he wasn’t doping on purpose and he was allowed to finish his final season at Minnesota State.
While the ban runs through the Summer, he will be allowed to participate in training camp and all of next season should he make the team. The first day he can enter team facilities will be August 25.
With Joseph Woll still missing in action, the goalies currently on the Marlies include Ian Scott, Michael Hutchinson, Carter Hutton and Andrew D’agostini. This isn’t exactly an inspiring group.
Woll is still out from a shoulder injury and hasn’t played since St. Patrick’s Day.
With Jack Campbell due to hit unrestricted free agency, the Leafs may need to make another move here. There’s always a chance that a goalie-needy team will outbid the cap-strapped Leafs. That being said, with Campbell’s injury history and age, bidders could be limited.
As I’ve said in the past, a good contract for Campbell would be around three years for 10 million. McKay would be 28 by the time that contract ended.
As for the other goalies we’ve seen for the Leafs this year, expect Petr Mrazek to be on the way out in the offseason. Mrazek couldn’t stay healthy and the Leafs are going to need that money with all the free agents coming off the books this year. Mrazek has a modified no trade clause. Erik Kallgren has promise. He’s very hot and cold, but I’m curious to see what happens with him next season with Mrazek out of the picture.
Ideally, Jack Campbell will re-sign and remain the starting goaltender and the organization will have a competition for the backup spot.