The Toronto Maple Leafs continued their annual spring tradition of scouring the collegiate ranks for diamonds in the rough on Wednesday, officially announcing the signing of Union College [https://unionathletics.com/news/2026/3/18/mens-ice-hockey-brandon-buhr-signs-with-toronto-maple-leafs.aspx] forward Brandon Buhr [https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-forward-brandon-buhr-to-a-one-year-contract] to a one-year, entry-level contract, beginning with in the 2026-27 season. Buhr, a 23-year-old native of Burnaby, British Columbia, will report immediately to the Toronto Marlies [https://www.marlies.ca/] on an amateur tryout (ATO) for the remainder of the current campaign Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing in at 205 pounds, Buhr represents a potential bottom-six option for the Leafs if he continues to develop. While the team signed the undersized but highly skilled defenseman Vincent Borgesi [https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-vincent-borgesi-to-a-two-year-contract] just 24 hours prior, Buhr is a north-south power forward who scouts describe as “fast and mean”. After a quiet freshman season at Clarkson University, where he struggled to find ice time, he transferred to Union College and found his stride. Over three seasons in Schenectady, he became a fixture on the scoresheet, culminating in a senior year where he put up 19 goals and 36 points in just 35 games. What the Leafs are getting is a player who lives in the high-danger areas. Scouts from Elite Prospects [https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/561391/brandon-buhr] have lauded his puck-hounding mentality and his knack for winning wall battles before driving to the net. He isn’t just a physical presence, either; his offensive toolkit includes a high-end shot and elite hand-eye coordination. Fans might already be familiar with him without realizing it, with his mid-air, highlight-reel game-winning goal against RPI in the Mayor’s Cup. The comparison that will inevitably be made in Toronto is to Bobby McMann [https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/108467/bobby-mcmann]. Like McMann, Buhr is a late-blooming college free agent with a pro-ready frame and a relentless motor. However, some analysts suggest Buhr might actually have a higher offensive ceiling coming out of school, given his consistent goal-scoring rates in the ECAC [https://www.collegehockeynews.com/players/career/Brandon-Buhr/57202]. He finished his Union career with 13 game-winning goals, the third-most in program history, proving a consistent ability to elevate his game when the pressure is highest. For the Maple Leafs, this is a low-risk, high-reward gamble. He becomes the second Union Garnet Charger to sign with the Leafs in as many years, joining defenseman John Prokop [https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/latest-news/toronto-maple-leafs-sign-defenseman-john-prokop-to-one-year-contract] in the Marlies’ locker room. If Buhr can leverage his “north-south” skating ability and lean into the physical identity the Leafs’ coaching staff demands, he could find himself competing for a checking-line role in the NHL sooner rather than later.
