The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed Marshall Rifai to a contract extension.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have signed defenseman Marshall Rifai to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $775,000, set to begin in the 2025-26 season, according to the team.

Rifai, a left-shot defenseman, appeared in two games with the Leafs last season but did not record any points (per NHL.com). He spent the majority of the season with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, where he played 57 games, scoring two goals and adding 17 assists for a total of 19 points.

Rifai originally joined the Leafs as an undrafted free agent in 2023 on a two-year deal with the same $775,000 AAV (salary info via PuckPedia.com).

This contract extension is more of an organizational depth move. Last season, Rifai was called up to the Leafs due to injuries on the blue line and logged just over 11:30 of ice time in each of the two games he played. He was one of 13 different defensemen used by the Leafs last season, a common occurrence over the course of an NHL campaign. While signings like this may not be exciting, they are essential.

Rifai offers a physical presence on the blue line and is a solid skater. Standing 6’2″ and weighing 205 pounds, he’s not a small player but isn’t particularly large either. He has demonstrated a willingness to throw his body around and drop the gloves if necessary.

There has been speculation about the status of Hakanpaa after Brad Treliving mentioned him during the July 1st press conference. However, the Leafs have yet to officially confirm his signing. This Rifai extension doesn’t appear to have any impact on Hakanpaa, as Rifai was already under contract for this season and was simply re-signed for two more years at minimal cost.

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It’s expected that more information about Hakanpaa will emerge when training camp begins. There have been rumors of medical concerns, particularly regarding one of his knees, but the Leafs have remained quiet on the situation throughout the summer. With camp approaching, we’ll soon know whether or not he will be on the team.