The Toronto Maple Leafs have reportedly signed defenceman Cole McWard and forward Henrik Rybinski to identical two-year deals carrying an AAV of $875K, according to PuckPedia. McWard is on a one-way deal for both years, while Rybinski is on a two-way deal for the first year and a one-way deal for the second.

McWard, 25, is a right-shot defenceman who went undrafted but has shown some promise as a potential depth piece on the blueline. He spent this past season with the New York Islanders organization, spending the majority of the year with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders where he registered 27 points (six goals and 21 assists) in 63 games while going scoreless in two playoff games. He was also able to appear in three NHL games this past season in January but went scoreless and was barely used before being sent back down.

The addition of McWard is likely intended to fill the void left by Henry Thrun on the Marlies, who was among the RFAs the Leafs did not qualify ahead of the free-agent frenzy. There’s also a world where he slots in as the eighth defenceman in place of Philippe Myers, though that depends on if the Leafs can find a new home for him. In any case, McWard does come with some pedigree as he was an AHL All-Star last season and was part of the Abbotsford Canucks’ 2025 Calder Cup championship team.

Rybinski, 25, is a right-winger who was originally selected in the fifth round 136th overall by the Florida Panthers in 2019. He ended up going unsigned by them but was snagged up by the Washington Capitals in 2022, where he has spent the past four seasons within their organization. Rybinski was part of the Hershey Bears’ back-to-back Calder Cup wins, though he did not play during the first run but did contribute to the second.

He has yet to appear in an NHL game to this point, but has emerged as a consistent secondary scorer in the AHL and could become an injury call-up candidate for the Leafs. This past season saw Rybinski record 30 points (10 goals and 20 assists) in 59 games while adding three points (a goal and two assists) in six playoff games with the Bears. The fact that his contact becomes one-way in the second year suggests he could be an option for them down the line, though it’s more likely he spends the majority of his time with the Marlies.