Leafs ink Brown to contract extension
LANCE HORNBY
Connor Brown is officially in the Maple Leafs’ plans for the next three years.
Though there were alarm bells sounding in some quarters about the restricted free agent not having a deal as training camp approaches in a couple of weeks, the Leafs made the announcement late Saturday night.
Brown’s extension will have an average annual of $2.1 million US per season.
“Excited for the next three years in the blue and white! Living out a childhood dream!,” Brown tweeted after the news.
The 23-year-old had 36 points last season, including an impressive 20 goals in 82 regular season games. He added one assist in playoffs, not missing a start all season. In any other year, hockey -mad Toronto would have made a huge fuss about the rookie, but he shared the spotlight with a bevy of first-year stars, Mitch Marner. William Nylander, Zach Hyman and Calder Trophy winner Auston Matthews.
In 89 career regular season NHL games the Toronto native has 42 points. Brown has been working all summer with a group of Leafs, changing his number from 12 to 28 in anticipation of Patrick Marleau joining the team and claiming 12 on seniority. It’s anticipated Brown will play right wing with Hyman and centre Nazem Kadri.
Brown was selected by the Leafs in the sixth round of the 2012 draft and has come a long way for a player thought too small for the NHL. He was the OHL’s MVP and led the Canadian Hockey League in points with 128 in 2013-14, then was on the AHL’s all rookie team as a Marlie.