Maple Leafs Sign NCAA Captain & Hobey Baker Nominee

Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Toronto Maple Leafs logo.

The Toronto Maple Leafs kept a familiar trend alive, dipping back into the college free agent market by signing Vincent Borgesi to a two-year entry-level contract. 

Maple Leafs add Vinny Borgesi to defensive pipeline

Borgesi, 22, wraps up a strong four-year run at Northeastern University where he served as the team's captain and produced 80 points in 135 games. 

This past season alone, he posted 20 points in 36 games while leading all Huskies defensemen in scoring and logging massive minutes, averaging over 27 minutes per night. He held an even 0 plus/minus rating.

He was also a Hobey Baker nominee and earned Hockey East Second Team All-Star honors.

Before his NCAA career, Borgesi flashed offensive upside at lower levels, including a 38-point season in the USHL and even a 100-point campaign earlier in his development. 

The Maple Leafs have really been lacking that type of offensive instinct from their defensive group, especially with no blueliner in the organization topping 25 points at the AHL level this season.

Borgesi brings puck-moving upside despite size concerns

The obvious concern is his size. 

At 5-foot-9 and under 190 pounds, Borgesi doesn’t fit the traditional mold, and that’s a big reason he went undrafted despite his production. 

But what he lacks in size, he makes up for with skating, puck-moving, vision, and decision-making. Prospect analysts have described him as a smart playmaker with strong mobility, traits that should translate well to the pro level if he can adjust physically.

Borgesi will report to the Toronto Marlies on an amateur tryout for the remainder of this season, giving the Maple Leafs an early look at how his game translates. 

His contract carries a cap hit of $987.5K at the NHL level starting in 2026-27, so it's a low-risk move.

Photo Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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