The Toronto Maple Leafs crossed off the last item of their free agent to-do list by signing their last remaining restricted free agent Spencer Abbott on Tuesday. The team didn’t divulge details about the deal beyond the fact that it’s a one-year contract.
Abbott, 26, faces a tough challenge if he hopes to make the Leafs next season. Cap Geek lists 15 forwards under contract and that doesn’t even include 2014 first-rounder William Nylander, who has a solid chance of sticking with the big club in 2014-15.
Abbott played in one NHL game last season while making a nice impact at the AHL level, scoring 69 points in 64 regular season games and 11 in 11 postseason contests for the Toronto Marlies. While waiver concerns have the potential to complicate things, those numbers indicate that Abbott could be a nice option if injuries strike (assuming he doesn’t make the NHL jump outright, of course).
At 5-foot-9 and 170 lbs., Abbott is likely used to overcoming doubters. Even so, this stands as a tough test.