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Maple Leafs sign defenceman Rasmus Sandin to two-year deal

After a long stalemate, the Toronto Maple Leafs have finally come to terms on a two-year contract with 22-year-old defenceman Rasmus Sandin. (Getty Images)

The Toronto Maple Leafs announced Thursday that they have agreed to a two-year, $2.8-million contract with defenceman Rasmus Sandin.

The agreement ends a summer-long stalemate between Toronto and Sandin, reportedly over the financials of the deal, as Sandin sought more money than what his teammate Timothy Liljegren got on the nearly identical two-year contract he signed in late June.

Sandin ultimately settled for the $1.4 average annual value deal, looking to seize an opportunity on a depleted blue line currently experiencing injury troubles as the season nears, with Liljegren, Jake Muzzin and Jordie Benn all set to miss time.

In 88 games over three seasons with Toronto, Sandin has scored six goals and registered 22 assists for 28 points, while accumulating 14 penalty minutes.

The 22-year-old was selected by the Maple Leafs with the 29th-overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft. The Uppsala, Sweden native played his first NHL game in a Leafs' win against the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 2, 2019.

Sandin starred for the AHL's Toronto Marlies between 2018 and 2020, recording 43 points in 66 regular season games, adding 10 assists in 13 games in the Calder Cup playoffs in 2019.

On the international stage, Sandin represented Sweden at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, leading his nation to a bronze medal as alternate captain. He led all the defencemen with 10 points in seven games and was named to the tournament's All-Star team.

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