We have entered the time of the NHL season where teams begin to try and sign free agents out of the NCAA, and the Toronto Maple Leafs made sure to get in on the action recently. On Monday (Mar. 24), the Maple Leafs announced the signing of forward Luke Haymes from Dartmouth College to a two-year contract. In this article, let’s take a look at who the newest member of the Maple Leafs’ organization is.
???? We've signed centre Luke Haymes to a two-year contract beginning in the 2025-26 season.
— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) March 25, 2025
He will join the @TorontoMarlies for the remainder of the 2024-25 season on an amateur tryout. pic.twitter.com/fLfXNBqs40
Haymes, who is 21 years old, will be joining the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Toronto Marlies for the remainder of the 2024-25 season on an amateur tryout and is expected to compete for a spot in their NHL lineup as early as next season. In 22 games this season with Dartmouth, Haymes scored 12 goals and added six assists for 18 points, which comes out to a 0.82 points-per-game average. Through 83 total games in the NCAA, He scored 41 goals and added 29 assists for 70 points, which comes out to a 0.84 points-per-game average.
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Before joining the NCAA, Haymes played in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) with the Cowichan Valley Capitals in the 2021-22 season, where he scored 22 goals and added 27 assists for 49 points through 52 games. He played youth hockey in Ontario, Canada, where he was born, until he started to try and make a name for himself at the junior and college levels. One thing that stands out about Haymes’ game is his offensive ability, but his willingness to play physical and battle hard for pucks in the corners makes him an enticing addition to the Maple Leafs’ prospect pool.
Haymes’ Future With the Maple Leafs
It’s safe to assume Haymes is still at least a season away from becoming a mainstay in the NHL with the Maple Leafs, and while he may get a long look next season if he has a good training camp, I don’t see him making the team in the 2025-26 season. His offensive game and skill away from the puck are strong enough to make the jump to the professional level right now, but he would benefit from a full season in the AHL with the Marlies. Anything can happen, but I would assume that’s their plan with him heading into next season.
When Haymes gets his shot at the NHL level, I think it’s safe to say he has the potential to establish himself as a top-six forward with the Maple Leafs. They have a strong core of forwards with Matthew Knies and Max Domi being the players he’d have to beat out for that role, as well as some decent depth, so it would be tough to earn that responsibility, but his skillset gives him an advantage, and if he can translate his strong play at the NCAA level to the NHL, the Maple Leafs will have a potential star on their hands.
Haymes will be a strong player at the NHL level; that’s almost a guarantee. He has been able to dominate offensively in the NCAA and, with some fine-tuning, could be one of the most exciting prospects the Maple Leafs have had in a long time. Time will tell if he can translate his strong play to the next level, but fans should be confident that their team just signed one of the best available NCAA free agents this time around.
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