Just prior to the Christmas freeze, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed one of their defensive prospects to an Entry Level Contract.
The Toronto Maple Leafs announced through their own website that they had signed Noah Chadwick on December 22.
The 6’4″ left-handed defenseman was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the sixth round, 185th overall in the NHL Entry Draft this past June after his first full season in the WHL for the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
Chadwick was originally drafted in the 2020 WHL Entry Draft in the second round after being the captain of his U15 Double-A Saskatoon Stallions where he recorded 42 points in 21 games. He got a taste of junior hockey in the 2021-22 season as he dressed for 13 games with the Hurricanes recording three points, while also playing 42 games with his U18 Triple-A team where he had aveaged more than a point per game.
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Chadwick earned a full-time spot with the Hurricanes last season where he recorded 20 points in 67 games while registering just 16 penalty minutes. The Saskatoon native has already surpassed his draft year point totals as he has registered 24 points through 30 games which puts him tied for 12th in defensive scoring in the WHL.
Chadwick currently leads the Hurricane defense in points, while sitting fourth in all scoring with the Hurricane.
Toronto Maple Leafs assistant general manager Dr. Hayley Wickenhesier stated this during the Maple Leafs summer’s prospect camp that “Noah (Chadwick) is a big, long lacky defenseman, seems to want to make plays out there, he moves pretty good, he’s young in terms of his training age off the ice… he is a very intelligent person, he does very well in school”.
Chadwick will return to the WHL for the 2024-25 season as he will still be 19-years old next season.
The Entry Level Contract is a three-year deal that comes with a $75,000 signing bonus that will see him earn $82,500 in the minors with a cap hit of just over $851,000 if he can make the Maple Leafs. With Chadwick returning to the WHL next season and likely in 2025-26 his ELC won’t start until he turns professional.