Pension Plan Puppets · May 2, 2017
Maple Leafs extend their first UFA: Ben Smith
In a move that shouldn’t surprise anyone, but might please few, Ben Smith is the first UFA extended by the Toronto Maple Leafs. They also announced a new contract for RFA Nikita Zaitsev at the same time.
Smith was acquired on waivers from the Colorado Avalanche early in the year, and he played exactly 40 games for the Leafs, notching two goals and two assists. His even strength Corsi on the Leafs was 42.7 per cent, which is not the lowest on the team! Eric Fehr and Byron Froese, who played one and two games respectively, were both worse. Frederik Gauthier was also not much better. (All numbers are from Hockey Reference.)