On October 28th, Jake McCabe resigned with the Toronto Maple Leafs, on a 5-year deal, worth an annual average value of $4.51M per season. Toronto acquired McCabe from Chicago in the 2022-23 season.

Jake McCabe is your typical stay at home defender, who is gritty, physical, and not afraid to use his body to prevent a goal against his club. This makes him valuable in a shutdown role where he’s tasked with handling tough defensive assignments and logging critical minutes, often against top opponents.

Though he’s not primarily an offensive defenseman, he can contribute when needed, typically focusing on making smart, safe plays that support his team’s transition game. His experience, toughness, and consistency make him a steadying presence on the blue line, especially in penalty-kill situations.

When Toronto acquired him from Chicago in the 2022 season, Toronto got his deal retained so he was on on Toronto’s books for $2M. A slight increase is a good sign for player signings in Toronto.

McCabe has competed in over 500+ games, and with over 100 games with Toronto, a feat he just reached a couple games ago. As a top-four defender, McCabe signing this deal gives Toronto a great deal on a great player, especially with the cap rising in the next few years.