Maple Leafs lose Jeremy Bracco to Canes, Marlies sign Scott Sabourin
Article content
While things worked out for most top picks in the Maple Leafs 2015 draft class — Mitch Marner, Travis Dermott and Dmytro Timashov made the team — it wasn’t the case for Jeremy Bracco.
And after general manager Kyle Dubas did not extend the right winger a qualifying offer last week, the second-round pick signed a two-way deal for US$700,000/$100,000 with the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
Maple Leafs lose Jeremy Bracco to Canes, Marlies sign Scott Sabourin Back to video
Bracco seemed poised for a breakout with the Leafs at training camp last season after finishing first on the Marlies and second in the AHL in scoring with 79 points in 2018-19. He had decided to forego summer vacation to train in Toronto and his exuberant personality fed his optimism it would be a big year.
But in a traffic jam on the right side behind Marner, William Nylander and the recently traded Kasperi Kapanen, he didn’t get a start all season and quickly lost his edge. His production numbers fell and he needed time away at his Long Island home to get through what the team called personal issues, returning just before COVID-19 halted play.
When the Leafs added bodies for camp prior to Return To Play in August, they called on teenager Nick Robertson and not the 23-year-old Bracco.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
“He’s someone who needs an opportunity at the top of the lineup,” Dubas said last week. “Even with the Marlies going back to 2018 in the playoffs, (coach) Sheldon Keefe gave him opportunity and when Andreas Johnsson came back from the Leafs, Jeremy couldn’t find his way back in.
“He wasn’t going to have that opportunity here, with Nick, Alexander Barabanov and (draft pick) Nick Abruzzese on the way. There were guys boxing him out. Now he’s got an opportunity to find a better fit. Time to move forward and we wish him the best.”
Bracco was one of three the Canes added in two-way deals Friday, with David Gust and Sheldon Rempal.
“Jeremy, David and Sheldon are three talented, young players that we are excited to add and strengthen our organizational depth,” said GM Don Waddell.
Also on Friday, the Marlies announced a one-year AHL deal for former Senators forward Scott Sabourin. For Leafs with long memories, the 28-year-old Sabourin was the Ottawa-born journeyman who vowed to get under the skin of the Leafs in a 2019 pre-season game. He slew-footed Morgan Rielly, which prompted Auston Matthews to confront him and stare at the nameplate on the back of his sweater to mock him as a minor leaguer.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
The 6-foot-3 Sabourin, 28, was in 35 games with the Senators last year with six points. He has five seasons of 100-plus penalty minutes with the Oshawa Generals and in the AHL. His arrival should make the Leafs’ training camp interesting for the previous combatants.
AHL president Scott Howson told Sirius radio on Friday that the league’s Dec. 4 season opening is still planned but acknowledged the league is very much tied to the NHL, which has pushed back to at least Jan. 1.
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.