Maple Leafs sign Zach Aston-Reese to PTO contract
The Toronto Maple Leafs have picked up a new player for training camp, which begins in two weeks.
Zach Aston-Reese will be suiting up for the Leafs, after signing a pro tryout contract today. The 28-year-old left winger comes to Toronto from Anaheim, where he finished last season as a member of the Ducks.
Aston-Reese scored 15 points (5-10-15) in 69 games split between the Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins. The six-foot, 204-pound Staten Island, New York native has appeared in 230 career games, scoring 66 points (32-34-66).
Aston-Reese’s most productive season came in 2018-19, when he scored 17 points (8-9-17) in just 43 games.
Whether Aston-Reese can earn a spot in the Leafs’ lineup for opening night remains to be seen. Toronto has a glut of forwards signed to NHL contracts that will be fighting for bottom-six forward spots, including newcomers like Nicolas AubĂ©-Kubel and Adam Gaudette.
Aston-Reese is just the latest recognizable name to accept a PTO contract with an NHL team recently, joining players like Danny DeKeyser (Canucks), Calvin de Haan and Derek Stepan (Hurricanes), James Neal (Blue Jackets), Eric Staal (Panthers), and Jimmy Vesey (Rangers).
Dylan Ferguson, a 23-year-old goaltender with one game of NHL experience, has also signed a PTO with Toronto, joining the Leafs from the Vegas Golden Knights’ organization.
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