Maple Leafs add depth in net, sign Martin Jones to 1-year deal

The Toronto Maple Leafs signed goaltender Martin Jones to a one-year, $875,000 contract, the team announced Wednesday.

Jones spent last season with the Seattle Kraken, going 27-13-3 with an .886 save percentage and a 2.99 goals-against average.

The 33-year-old veteran gives the Leafs insurance between the pipes behind starter Ilya Samsonov and backup Joseph Woll. Jones’ signing comes two weeks after Toronto announced netminder Matt Murray is out indefinitely and would be placed on long-term injured reserve to begin the 2023-24 campaign.

Prior to Jones’ signing, no healthy goaltender in the Leafs organization behind Samsonov and Woll had any NHL experience. Even Woll, despite shining in limited opportunities last season, only has 15 NHL games – including regular season and playoffs – under his belt.

Jones was stellar during the first five years of his career. He played at least 60 games in three straight seasons for the San Jose Sharks from 2015-18, accumulating a .915 save percentage and 21.1 goals saved above expected in that span, per Evolving-Hockey. He was excellent in the postseason during those three years with San Jose too, posting a .926 save percentage in 40 starts. He also led the Sharks to the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.

However, Jones has been one of the league’s worst goalies ever since, recording an .895 save percentage over his last five seasons. His minus-10.74 goals saved above expected was the ninth-worst mark among NHL goaltenders last season.