Bruins and Leafs both get lucky, sign star NCAA free agents

This just in, the Boston Bruins have signed 24 year old free agent Jaxon Nelson to an NHL contract beginning in the 2024-24 season.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound forward served as captain and appeared in 39 games with the University of Minnesota during the 2023-24 season, recording 19 goals and 12 assists for a career-high 31 points. He'll join the Bruins' AHL affiliate Providence Bruins on an amateur tryout contract and will begin his NHL contract with the big club next season.

“Jaxon is a big, right shot, two-way center with leadership qualities as captain of a very successful collegiate program," said Boston Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney in a prepared statement. "He has shown consistent growth throughout his time at the University of Minnesota and the Bruins are excited to have Jaxon join our organization.”

With the NCAA's season wrapping up, don't be surprised to see more of these signings in the coming days.

Read below for last night's story on the Toronto Maple Leafs' signing of 22 year old NCAA signing Jacob Quillan.

This just in, the Toronto Maple Leafs have signed 22 year old forward Jacob Quillan from the NCAA's Quinnipiac Bobcats.

Check it out:

The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia native was recently named as the NCAA's playoff MVP following a national championship last season.

More from the Leafs' official press release announcement:

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed forward Jacob Quillan to a two-year entry-level contract with an Average Annual Value of $875,000 beginning in 2024-25.

Quillan, 22, skated in 39 games for Quinnipiac University this season, registering 46 points (17 goals, 29 assists) and was the recipient of the ECAC Gladiator Best Defensive Forward Award. In 116 NCAA games, the 6’0, 201-pound centre recorded 93 points (38 goals, 55 assists). Last season, the Dartmouth, NS native scored the overtime winning goal to secure the 2023 NCAA Championship for Quinnipiac and was awarded the Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player Award.

Read below for our earlier report on the Leafs, published this morning.

Don't look now but the Toronto Maple Leafs now officially have fewer than 10 games to sort themselves out before the Stanley Cup Playoffs. 

For head coach Sheldon Keefe, he'll be spending the next 9 games zeroing in on his roster and making some difficult decisions. Perhaps the biggest decision Keefe makes though is who gets the start in goal? Does Keefe go with Ilya Samsonov, Joseph Woll or perhaps even Matt Murray for the post-season?

Putting all of the health issues aside with Murray, it seems unlikely that he'll be back in the fold, right? Even if he's medically cleared to return to action, I can't see the Leafs wanting to throw him to the wolves in a first round playoff match. So... let's just assume that Keefe is looking at either Samsov or Woll for the job.

More from Leafs insider Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet and The Toronto Sun:

With 11 games left in the regular season, the question of who starts in net for Game 1 of the playoffs remains very much open-ended. And that’s a problem.

Part of that comes down to health and reliability. While Woll missed 85 days with a high-ankle sprain this season, Samsonov has shown signs of wear and tear of late.

It’s one thing to play well. It’s another to believe in a goaltender’s durability and reliability when the games really count. A big part of becoming a playoff hero is not disappearing when the team needs you most. That may be harsh when a player can’t control injuries, but a team doesn’t care if you can’t be counted on — they will simply move on to the next in line.

- Nick Kypreos

I've got to say... this might be the first time in my life I've agreed with Nick Kypreos.

He's bang on in his assessment of the situation, he stops just short of calling out Samsonov and/or Woll, however. To me, it's up to one of these goaltenders to grab the bull by the horns over the next two weeks.

Today though, Keefe made a very clear statement by naming Samsonov the starter for tonight's potential playoff preview against the Florida Panthers.

Check it out:

To me, it looks like Keefe has chosen his man. Now it's up to Samsonov to simply keep the job.