The Toronto Maple Leafs have changed who they want as Frederik Andersen's backup next season.
The Leafs signed goaltender Michael Hutchinson to a one-year, one-way contract extension worth $700,000, first reported by CapFriendly and Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.
The #leafs have yet to officially file a
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 28, 2019
Michael Hutchinson extension with the NHL, but the sense is something is very close. Would expect that @CapFriendly is bang on with the terms here. https://t.co/WbGN7DQqCi
Hutchinson played in nine NHL games between Toronto and the Florida Panthers in 2018-19; he spent most of the season in the AHL. He has a 46-43-13 record with a 2.70 goals-against average and .908 save percentage since making his debut in 2013 with the Winnipeg Jets.
The signing means Toronto will likely move on from Garret Sparks, who signed a one-year extension in March, only to be replaced by Hutchinson just before the end of the regular season. Sparks posted an 8-9-1 record in 20 games (17 starts) before receiving 10 days off to fix his play.
Though the team has not yet filed a contract with the league, it seems Hutchinson is the backup of the future, which leaves Sparks in limbo.