On Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have signed forward Connor Dewar to a one-year contract worth $1.18 million, thus avoiding arbitration.
Dewar, 25, played 17 regular-season games for the Maple Leafs last season, scoring one goal and adding four assists. He averaged just under 13 minutes of ice time per game and was a key part of Toronto’s bottom six. Dewar also contributed to the penalty kill, logging 2:23 of shorthanded ice time per game.
In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Dewar appeared in six of the seven first-round games against the Boston Bruins, recording one assist and delivering 14 hits. He was acquired by the Maple Leafs in a trade deadline deal with the Minnesota Wild, which also involved a 2026 fourth-round pick and forward Dmitry Ovchinnikov going to Minnesota. Dewar was originally drafted by the Wild in the third round of the 2018 NHL Draft and spent parts of six seasons with the team.
As the Maple Leafs prepare for the next season with Craig Berube as the new head coach, Dewar will aim to impress during training camp and preseason. With intense internal competition for forward positions, Dewar will need to showcase his strong two-way play and physicality to secure a spot. Berube’s emphasis on hard work aligns well with Dewar’s style of play.
With Dewar’s signing completed, Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving now has only Nick Robertson left unsigned from the active roster. There have been rumors about Robertson seeking a change, making it a key storyline as the offseason progresses. Toronto has $1.2 million in cap space remaining for the 2024-25 season.