Mac Hollowell didn’t have to wait long to find a new home.
The 24-year-old defenseman signed a one-year deal with the New York Rangers on Sunday.
The deal will pay him the NHL minimum $775,000 at the NHL level and $160,000 at the minor-league level.
The 5-foot-9 defenseman wasn't tendered a qualifying offer by the Maple Leafs when the deadline came and went on Friday, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Hollowell stayed in quarantine with several top Maple Leafs before the beginning of the 2021 season, including Joe Thornton, who coined the nickname 'cheddar' for the defenseman.
The Niagara Falls, Ontario, native spent the last five seasons mostly playing with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League but did get his first taste of NHL hockey after the Maple Leafs went through a series of injuries that kept Morgan Rielly, TJ Brodie and Jake Muzzin out of the lineup. Hollowell had two assists in six games with the Marlies.
Upon his return from his NHL stint, Hollowell suffered knee injury after knee injury sustained in a game against the Manitoba Moose and missed the next three month.
As a result of the injury, Hollowell was limited to just 18 regular season games while recording 13 assists. He picked up five assists in seven playoff games with the Marlies.
Hollowell joins former Maple Leafs Erik Gustafsson, who signed a one-year deal worth $825,000 on Saturday and will likely spend most of his time with Rangers' AHL affiliate in Hartford.
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