The Toronto Maple Leafs organization continues its focus on scouting and recruiting talent from NCAA hockey programs.
The Marlies, Toronto`s AHL affiliate, have signed Arizona State University forward Ryan Kirwan to a two-year contract, further demonstrating their strategy of signing promising undrafted free agents from the NCAA.
The signing was finalized on Saturday evening. Kirwan is expected to join the Marlies immediately on a professional tryout for the rest of the current 2024-25 season. His two-year standard player contract will officially commence at the start of the 2025-26 season.
Earlier on Saturday, it was reported that the Maple Leafs were nearing a deal with Kirwan.
It was mentioned during a hockey broadcast that Toronto had already signed a couple of NCAA players who debuted for the Marlies that night and that Ryan Kirwan was another player on their radar and being closely considered.
Sources indicated strong interest from Toronto in acquiring Kirwan.
Kirwan, aged 23, has had a successful season with the Arizona State Sun Devils, scoring 26 goals and providing 13 assists in 37 games played.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound forward previously played for Penn State University in the Big Ten conference for three seasons, amassing 34 goals and 35 assists in 100 games.
The Maple Leafs have recently added two other NCAA free agents to the Marlies, namely former Dartmouth forward Luke Haymes and Union College defenseman John Prokop. Both players made their Marlies debut on Saturday against the Belleville Senators.
Tristan Blackwood