Leafs add 20 year old Russian goalie Peksa today

The Toronto Maple Leafs are holding their annual locker clean out and season ending media availability today, albeit much later than they're used to. The Leafs, of course, finally made it out of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season but stubbed their toe in the second round losing in five games to the Florida Panthers.

Now, just like every offseason, the Leafs are left to pick up the pieces and move on except this offseason there are some serious considerations to make regarding the team's future. It's no secret that GM Kyle Dubas and head coach Sheldon Keefe are unsigned beyond this season and it remains to be seen what happens with their future in Toronto, but on the ice there are even bigger decisions to be made.

Superstar forwards Auston Matthews and William Nylander are both entering the final year of their contracts and are eligible for extensions this offseason. But... do they want to stay? Or do they want to test the market as free agents? 

Both players stated unequivocally today that they intend on staying in Toronto and would like to sign extensions before next season begins.

Now the only question is... who signs their contracts? Dubas or a new hire?

In other Leafs news, Dubas officially made his first offseason transaction and potentially his last transaction with the Leafs by signing 20 year old Russian goaltender Vyacheslav Peksa to a three year entry level contract.

From the Leafs' official press release announcement:

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed goaltender Vyacheslav Peksa to a three-year, entry-level contract set to begin in the 2023-24 season. The average annual value of the contract is $851,660.

Peksa, 20, posted a 13-19-6 record through 40 games with Bars Kazan (VHL) during the 2022-23 campaign alongside a 2.34 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. The Magnitogorsk, Russia native also posted a 1-1-0 record through two games with Irbis Kazan (MHL) this season with a 3.10 goals-against average and a .920 save percentage while also posting a 0-2-0 record alongside a 2.21 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage in two playoff games with Irbis Kazan.

Peksa has appeared in 75 career regular season MHL games with Irbis Kazan and posted a 39-23-10 record with a 1.98 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage while also posting a 5-4-3 record through 14 career playoff games with Irbis Kazan alongside a 2.14 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage.

Peksa was originally drafted by Toronto in the sixth round (185th overall) of the 2021 NHL Draft.

- Toronto Maple Leafs