Toronto Maple Leafs sign NCAA standout Luke Haymes to two-year contract

The Toronto Maple Leafs have enriched their pool of prospects by signing exceptional NCAA forward Luke Haymes to a two-year contract that commences from the 2025–26 season of the NHL. Ottawa's 21-year-old Dartmouth College student Luke Haymes will join to play for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League for the remainder of the 2024-25 season on an amateur tryout contract (ATO).


6-foot-1, 203 pounds, Haymes became a prolific scoring threat in the NCAA. Even with a shortened season due to injury, he accumulated 12 goals and six assists (18 points) in only 22 games for Dartmouth. Haymes, a seasoned college skater, has received numerous honours, including the 2023-24 NCAA All-Ivy League First Team, ECAC First All-Star Team, New England All-Star Selection, and 2022-23 NCAA All-Ivy League Honourable Mention, adding depth and potential to the Maple Leafs' emerging core. Haymes adds depth and potential to the Maple Leafs' emerging developing core with his offence and goal-scoring.
The Maple Leafs made it official, reporting: “We've signed centre Luke Haymes to a two-year contract beginning in the 2025-26 season. He will join the @TorontoMarlies for the remainder of the 2024-25 season on an amateur tryout.”


With the Maple Leafs ongoing effort to shore up their bench, the Vegas Golden Knights were hit hard by injury when Tomas Hertl, their leading scorer with 31 goals and 59 points so far this year, will sit out their three-game road swing ahead. He suffered an undisclosed injury to Hertl in their 4-2 win Sunday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon affirmed the report Monday, stating that Hertl will undergo additional tests to evaluate the scope of the issue.
Vegas, riding a three-game win streak, tops the Pacific Division with 92 points, five points clear of the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers. Without Hertl, the loss can influence the team to fall behind in its playoff position in the next games, which include important matches against the Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks, and Nashville Predators.
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Hertl's burning hot lately with four goals over his last two games, the latest coming with a hat trick Saturday versus the Detroit Red Wings. The hit came after Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg bumped Hertl into the boards and sent him to the locker room clutching his hand and face; the hit came on a call criticized by Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy as resulting in a two-minute boarding penalty.