The Maple Leafs landed a 6'2 clutch wrecking ball scoring machine in Brandon Buhr

Buhr, a 23-year-old forward out of Union College, signed an NHL contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs earlier today, a deal first reported by the Daily Gazette's Ken Schlott.

Having been ranked as the number four available undrafted collegiate free agent by EliteProspects, Buhr is viewed as a highly skilled and well rounded player with pro projectability.

The Leafs have utilized the NCAA free agent market heavily in recent years, signing Jacob Quillan, Luke Haymes, & Buhr's former Union teammate, John Prokop.

Heading to the American Hockey League for the rest of this season, Buhr's play next season could propel him to potential NHLer status.

Brandon Buhr could be the Leafs best free agent signing since Bobby McMann back in 2022, and there's fair reason to think Toronto may be banking on repeating this specific path.

Actually, McMann was signed two years earlier, first to an AHL contract with the Marlies before quickly working his way to being a productive minor league, to his NHL debut at 27 years old and on his second consecutive 20-goal season.

McMann and Buhr do have a lot in common, first on the surface as Western Canadian forwards who are both 6'2 and can play both center and forward, both played in the ECAC for New York teams (Buhr for Union, McMann for Colgate).

But beyond those comparisons, Buhr has some of the same skills to his game that propelled McMann to become a full-time NHLer as a late bloomer.

Buhr is a shifty, mobile speedster who does well cresting plays with the puck in transition, and has good awareness of the ice.

Like McMann, Buhr shows signs of being a productive and multi-threat goalscorer who can score in a variety of ways, and can make some impressive offensive plays.

Both players also show a good effort level defensively, and both use their frames well to create pressure for pucks. Like McMann, Buhr will probably transition to the wing at the pro level, which he has done so at Union.

Brandon Buhr isn't just a skilled hockey player, he plays with a strong hockey sense and has solid decision making on the ice, including away from the puck.

The IQ extends further off the ice, having been an AHCA All-American Scholar in 2024 and on the Dean's list while at Union, majoring in Economics.

Some may ask how Buhr, who plays such a well-rounded game, went undrafted and unsigned for so long? The reason is also why the Leafs scouting staff are taking a chance: late-career growth.

For one, he was playing his junior hockey in Junior A in the BCHL. Second, Buhr lacks a standout trait, well-rounded, but without a key asset. His growth came later into his career, like McMann.

That's not a deterrent to his career, but it could keep him from reaching the NHL, at least right away. But if you want to believe in the McMann comparable, that isn't a problem to have.

If fans can appreciate being a bit patient, they could get a very promising player in Brandon Buhr with the right development in the Leafs system.

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