Maple Leafs Sign Vincent Borgesi To Entry-Level Deal
The Maple Leafs usually dip their toes into the college free agent market. That isn’t changing this year. The club announced they’ve signed Northeastern captain Vincent Borgesi to a two-year entry-level contract beginning next season. He will report to AHL Toronto for the remainder of this season, making his pro debut in the process.
The contract carries a cap hit of $987.5K, according to PuckPedia. Borgesi will earn an $877.5K salary if he’s in the NHL next season, along with a $97.5K signing bonus. Those numbers jump to $900K and $100K, respectively, for 2027-28. He will take home a minor-league salary of $85K each season.
Borgesi, 22, was an absolutely torrid puck-moving defenseman at lower levels of the game. He once had 100 points in just 61 games at the under-15 level, and 38 points and a +33 rating in 57 games for the USHL’s Tri-City Storm back in his draft year, 2021-22. As a result, he’s always had some interest from NHL clubs, but everyone has been scared off by his size. He checks in at just 5’8″ and 174 lbs.
Over four years in college, Borgesi didn’t earn overwhelming national recognition but was still a consistent piece on the back end for the Huskies. His collegiate career came to an end last weekend against UMass in the Hockey East tournament, drawing to a close a 16-64–80 scoring line in 134 career outings with a +15 rating. Borgesi also served as the captain of the U.S. Collegiate Selects team that reached the Spengler Cup Final against top-level European pros this season, ultimately losing to hosts HC Davos.
Borgesi will now look to overcome his stature and make an impact at the pro level for Toronto. The organization is light on offensive help from the blue line from head to toe. The aging Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Morgan Rielly are the only names at the NHL level who have made a big impact from the point this season, and they don’t have a defender who’s topped 25 points in the minors this year.