The Toronto Marlies have signed 25-year-old Jonathan Jutzi to an AHL contract.
Jutzi becomes the fifth defenseman signed to an AHL deal as Toronto looks to add further depth to their blue line.
Jutzi spent the past four seasons with the Minnesota State University, Mankato, collecting 44 points in 144 NCAA appearances.
A first professional stint came late last season after signing an ATO for the Manitoba Moose. Suiting up on six occasions for the Moose, Jutzi wasn’t noticeably out of place on the blue line for a struggling team but failed to impress enough to earn an offer for 2016-17.
The Tavistok, Ontario native was an invitee to the Maple Leafs development camp that was held in Niagara Falls this past July. A further invitation to the rookie tournament in September plus the AHL contract for the seasons means Jutzi showed something the coaches would like to take some further looks at.
One would expect Jutzi to head out to Newfoundland for the Marlies camp, but as another left-handed shot, he’ll have to elevate his game to prove he’s worth a spot, let alone regular playing time come October.
