The Toronto Maple Leafs [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs] have signed their first college free agent of the year. Vincent Borgesi, a defenseman from Northeastern University, has signed a future two-year contract [https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-vincent-borgesi-to-a-two-year-contract] with the Maple Leafs, beginning next season. The 22-year-old registered five goals and 20 points in 36 games this season as captain of the Northeastern Huskies. The 5-foot-9, 185-pound defenseman was also named a nominee for the 2026 Hobey Baker award. Over his four years at Northeastern, Borgesi has totalled 80 points (16 goals and 64 assists) in 153 games. Before college, Borgesi played two seasons with the USHL's Tri-City Storm. Through 106 regular season games with the club, the defenseman scored seven goals and 50 points. He also scored four assists in eight playoff games with the Storm. The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, native also represented — and captained — the United States Collegiate Selects at the 2025 Spengler Cup, tallying one assist in four games. Borgesi attended Florida Panthers development [https://nuhuskies.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/roster/vinny-borgesi/9883] camp last summer. Borgesi joins a list of junior and college players the Maple Leafs hope will pan out with the lack of draft picks they have. Toronto signed four free agents from junior and college [https://puckpedia.com/team/toronto-maple-leafs/signings?sign_team=8] within the span of a month last spring: Borya Valis, John Prokop, Luke Haymes, and Blake Smith. All four players have spent considerable time with the AHL's Toronto Marlies this season. Borgesi will join them on the Marlies for the remainder of this season on an amateur tryout contract.
