The Toronto Maple Leafs signed winger Zach Aston-Reese to a professional tryout Friday.
Aston-Reese recorded five goals and 10 assists in 69 games last season split between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Ducks. The 28-year-old is not known for his offense, but he's perennially posted elite defensive metrics.
Throughout his five-year career, Aston-Reese has played an effective shutdown role. He's routinely tasked with starting shifts in his own end but has proven to be excellent at suppressing scoring chances against.
Aston-Reese is also an energizer of sorts. He stands at 6-foot, 204 pounds, but finished 15th in the NHL with 231 hits last season. He's not just a fourth-liner, either, as he's averaged 13:42 per contest over his career.
The Staten Island, New York, native was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Penguins after a standout NCAA career at Northeastern.
