Noah Chadwick

The Maple Leafs signed defense prospect Noah Chadwick to a three-year, entry-level contract on Friday, the team announced. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Chadwick, 18, was Toronto’s sixth-round pick in the 2023 draft, hearing his name called with the 185th overall pick. He was the last of just three selections Toronto had and their only defenseman selected, following first-round pick Easton Cowan and fifth-round pick Hudson Malinoski.

While he already stands at 6-foot-4 and 201 pounds, size isn’t the first thing you’ll notice about Chadwick’s game. He carries some real puck-moving upside, notching 17 assists and 24 points in 30 games with the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes this season. It’s a large step forward from last year’s 15 assists and 20 points in 67 games, a good sign for his NHL future.

He does use his frame effectively when boxing out opposing players in his own zone, although he’s not nearly as physical as one would think. He recorded just 16 penalty minutes in 67 games last season and is rarely a fighter or an instigator.

His solid start to 2023-24 has the Maple Leafs eyeing him as one of their higher-upside picks selected that late in the draft. A left-shot defender, Chadwick likely has the mobility and all-around IQ to play a solid second-pairing role if he hits his absolute highest ceiling. That is certainly a big “if” this early in his development, however.

While it’s likely too early to label him as a late-round gem, early returns are indeed promising. Since Chadwick will spend the remainder of the season in juniors (and likely all of next season), the contract will not begin until the 2025-26 season in all likelihood, unless he plays ten or more NHL games either this year or next. Signing him to his entry-level contract earlier and letting the deal slide allows the Maple Leafs to pay Chadwick signing bonuses both this season and in 2024-25 before the contract counts against their books, slightly lowering the eventual cap hit when the contract goes into effect.