The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced they’ve signed defenseman Marshall Rifai to a two-year contract extension which kicks in for the 2025-26 season. The deal sees Rifai make $775,000 through the 2026-27 season.
Rifai, 26, joined the Maple Leafs before the start of 2023-24, signing a two-year contract with GM Brad Treliving just two days into free agency. Last season Rifai dressed in two games with the Maple Leafs and spent the majority of his season with the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies. The smooth-skating defenseman scored twice and tallied 19 points in 57 games with the Marlies.
🖊 We’ve extended defenceman Marshall Rifai to a two-year contract extension, beginning in the 2025-26 season
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) September 5, 2024
Prior to turning professional, the Beaconsfield, Qc native spent three seasons with the University of Harvard where he collected six goals and 21 points during his collegiate tenure. He’d then join the Marlies on an AHL contract for the 2022-23 season, recording 16 points in 69 games and registering 118 penalty minutes.
Rifai is seen as a depth option for the Maple Leafs heading into the 2024-25 season and will look to impress new head coach Craig Berube with his hard-nosed playing style and competitiveness. It’s obvious the team is happy with his development within their organization to this point and expect to see Rifai given an extended look at training camp in Toronto.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound blueliner will be in tough to crack the NHL roster out of training camp, considering the Maple Leafs added the likes of veterans Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson throughout this offseason, however if last season is any indication, he could certainly earn himself a callup at some point throughout the year. Toronto used a whopping 13 defensemen throughout the 2023-24 campaign.
The Maple Leafs open training camp in a couple of weeks, with their first preseason action coming September 22, when they’ll host the Ottawa Senators.
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