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Shorthanded Leafs sign RFA Sandin

Jan 1, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin skates with the puck as Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson gives chase during the second period at Scotiabank Arena.
Jan 1, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Rasmus Sandin skates with the puck as Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson gives chase during the second period at Scotiabank Arena. Photo by Nick Turchiaro /USA TODAY Sports

The Maple Leafs were running low on defencemen, while Rasmus Sandin was running out of time to sign before the regular season started.

A combination of those pressure points led the team and the restricted free agent defenceman to end a summer-long contract dispute on Thursday morning. Sandin signed for two years at an AAV of US$1.4 million, the same figure and term that fellow first-round pick Timothy Liljegren had agreed to, though Chris Johnston of NorthStarBet reported Sandin will make a total of $1.6 million in the second year with a slight difference of $100,000 more on his qualifying offer upon expiration in the summer of 2025.

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Sandin was injured late last season and lost his starting job to Liljegren, but had 16 points in 51 games.

“This morning, Rasmus Sandin and (agent) Lewis Gross reached out to us and informed us that after watching our game last night and seeing more injuries accrued by our defence, that they wanted to get this locked in today,” said Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas. “… so Rasmus could get over to Toronto and help his teammates. We appreciate Rasmus and his camp taking that step today to get this contract done and allow him the time to ready for the final preseason games.

“As stated throughout this process, Rasmus is a key member of the present and future of your team and we are excited today that he is en route to Toronto to ready for opening night (Oct. 12)  in Montreal.”

While it will take a few days for Sandin to get to Toronto’s training camp and up to speed, his signing took on a new priority in the wake of injuries to four defencemen the past couple of weeks.

Liljegren needed hernia surgery before on ice workouts began, Jake Muzzin developed back pain and took a few days off, while Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Montreal cost the team Jordie Benn (groin) and Carl Dahlstrom (shoulder) for what coach Sheldon Keefe projected would be an undetermined recovery period.

Muzzin is expected to resume practice in the next couple of days. Other injuries have sidelined captain John Tavares and fellow forwards Pierre Engvall and Adam Gaudette, Tavares to miss at least three weeks with an oblique muscle strain.

When Benn and Dahlstrom were hurt Wednesday, Alex Kerfoot and Calle Jarnkrok dropped back to play defence for the final 40 minutes.

lhornby@postmedia.com