Maple Leafs sign Jake McCabe to five-year, $4.51 million AAV contract extension

The Toronto Maple Leafs have locked up a blueliner for the next few years.

On Monday, the team announced it had re-signed defenseman Jake McCabe to a five-year contract. The deal, which is set to kick in next season, will carry an AAV of $4.51 million through the 2029-30 season.

McCabe is in the final year of his four-year contract that he signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in July 2021, which carries a $4 million AAV.

The Eau Claire, Wisconsin native was acquired by the Maple Leafs in Feb. 2023 via trade, and over the past season and change, has been one of the team’s top-four players on the D-corps.

In the 2023-24 campaign, McCabe appeared in 73 games, setting career-highs in goals (8), points (28) and plus/minus (+20). He saw some time on the power play when Morgan Rielly had some injury problems late in the year. McCabe also scored a goal in the seven-game series against the Boston Bruins in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

So far this season, the 31-year-old has registered three assists in nine games, averaging over 21 minutes of ice time with a +6 rating. Two of his assists came in the Leafs’ 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 16. During his time in Toronto, McCabe has scored nine goals and 27 assists for 36 points with an impressive +40 rating.

In 586 career NHL appearances, including parts of eight seasons with the Buffalo Sabres, McCabe has scored 33 goals and 122 assists for 155 points. He also appeared in 18 playoff games, all with the Leafs, posting a goal and three points.

With the signing, the Leafs will have 10 defensemen signed through next season, including six active NHL blueliners.