Jake McCabe and the Toronto Maple Leafs have a mutual interest in reaching a contract extension, the defenceman told reporters Friday at training camp.
McCabe is the final year of his current contract on a $2 million cap hit and he’s slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season.
“We’ve talked a couple times. I love it here and I think they enjoy my game too. That’s why you have agents and now it’s training camp time so I’m just looking forward to being with the fellas and ramping up our game,” McCabe said via TSN’s Mark Masters.
McCabe told reporters that he’s letting his agent handle the discussions and that both parties have already had preliminary discussions.
This is the latest update on McCabe’s imminent contract status, following a September 6 report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, where he stated that both parties had started discussions.
McCabe is due for a significant pay raise as he’s outperformed the value of his contract during his tenure with the Maple Leafs. He’s currently paired with new addition Oliver Ekman-Larsson in training camp, after spending the majority of the 2023-24 campaign with Simon Benoit. McCabe-Benoit were the Maple Leafs’ second-most used unit during the regular season and playoffs, controlling a 54.1 percent share of the expected goals at 5-on-5 with a plus-five goal differential (21-16) with 522:35 logged, via Natural Stat Trick.
McCabe also posted stellar individual numbers as well, with a plus-12 goal differential, while the Maple Leafs controlled 52.4 percent of the expected goals when he was on the ice at 5-on-5. He helped Benoit establish himself as an NHL regular, he plays with the physicality that Craig Berube and Brad Treliving seek out in their players and he’s been a reliable option since being acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in February 2023, capable of holding his own against top competition.
The 30-year-old recorded career-highs in goals, assists and points, recording eight goals and 28 points in 73 games with the Maple Leafs last season, adding one goal in seven playoff games against the Boston Bruins.