Report: Maple Leafs to Sign Boston University Defenseman Cade Webber to Entry-Level Contract
Webber's season ended on Thursday with a 2-1 overtime loss to Denver University in the Frozen Four.
The Maple Leafs are adding another college player to their organization.
Toronto is set to sign Boston University defenseman Cade Webber to an entry-level contract, per The Athletic's Joe Smith. He also reports that Webber will arrive in the city on Sunday before the Maple Leafs' final road trip of the season in Florida.
The 23-year-old is only eligible to sign a two-year entry-level deal given his age. Webber and Boston University were eliminated from the Frozen Four on Thursday night, falling 2-1 to Denver University in overtime.
The defenseman tallied six assists in 38 games with Boston this season. He also holds the NCAA single-season blocked shots record with 133 this year. Webber spent four seasons with Boston University, playing 123 games.
Toronto acquired his rights from the Carolina Hurricanes on Mar. 7 in exchange for the Maple Leafs' 2026 sixth-round pick. Carolina drafted Webber in the fourth round (99th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft.
"Cade is a guy that our guys have been tracking a lot. Not just this year, but even prior to that," Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving said following the NHL trade deadline in March.
"He's a long defender. I know people might look at his stat line. He's a defense-first guy. He's a big body. He moves well, moves the puck well. But his calling card is defending, penalty killing, those types of things.
"He's a guy who's a little bit further along in terms of his development. Chris Bourque (Toronto's College Free Agent Scout) [did] a lot of work on this. This is a guy he's tracked hard. When the opportunity came to acquire him, we did."
The Maple Leafs currently have just under $550,000 in cap space, meaning when Webber signs, a player on the roster needs to be sent to the Marlies. Nick Robertson and Matthew Knies are the only waivers exempt players with Toronto.
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