Last night the New York Rangers added an undrafted forward out of the WHL, signing Dawson Leedahl to a three-year entry-level deal. The deal will have a cap hit of $749K, with schedule ’A’ bonuses that range from $65K to $93K. Like with any ELC, if Leedahl stays in the minors he’ll be earning a much lower salary, in this case just $70K.
Leedahl, 21, played as an over-ager this season for the Regina Pats and exploded offensively. Scoring 35 goals and 89 points, he settled onto a line with Anaheim Ducks’ top prospect Sam Steel and Toronto Maple Leafs’ fourth-rounder Adam Brooks. That line dominated the WHL, with Steel and Brooks each scoring more than 130 points. Part of it was the line he played with, but some of his offensive success can be explained with the move from Everett where he had been used differently the past few seasons.
The Pats are currently tied 1-1 with the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL final, with Leedahl being a big part of their championship run. His 23 points put him fifth in postseason scoring, and he’s also been his usual antagonistic self. While he doesn’t project as a big offensive performer, his work ethic and leadership have been praised in the past, even captaining Everett for a season before being traded.
CapFriendly provided the details on Leedahl’s contract.