The Toronto Maple Leafs have dipped into the NCAA free agent market once again, signing Dartmouth College centre Luke Haymes to a two-year entry level contract.
Haymes, 21, is currently in his junior season with Dartmouth and has 12 goals and 18 points in 22 games this season. He has 41 goals and 70 points in 83 total NCAA games with the program, earning NCAA All-Ivy League First Team honours in 2023-24 along with a New England all-star selection. The Maple Leafs were originally reported to have had interest in the 6-foot-1, 203-pound centre in late February, competing with the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers for his services.
Haymes is a big get for the Maple Leafs, who have a pretty thin crop up the middle in the farm system. He was ranked first in Elite Prospects’ NCAA free agency guide, with scouts marvelling over the maturity in his game compared to some of his counterparts. Below is a snippet from the article detailing his game.
“A goalscorer, Haymes brings both an NHL-calibre shot and scoring instincts. He racks up the high danger scoring chances by battling in front, and then spinning off and slipping inside for a high-skill deflection or in-tight finish. Off the rush, he’s always adjusting his routes and speed to stay open. One-timers, curl-and-drag shots, catch-and-release wristers – he does them all at high speed and under pressure.”
Haymes attended Maple Leafs development camp in 2023 before breaking out in his sophomore season, and given that was general manager Brad Treliving’s first summer with the organization, it’s likely Haymes left a good impression on them and gave them a leg up in their scouting reports on him. The move also helps the Maple Leafs recoup some of their centre depth in the farm system, especially after trading top prospect Fraser Minten to the Boston Bruins in a trade for defenceman Brandon Carlo.
The Leafs’ newest prospect will join the AHL’s Toronto Marlies for the remainder of the 2024-25 season and will look to fight for a roster spot next season if his first tryout goes well.
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