The Justin Holl era in Toronto has come to an end.
The Detroit Red Wings announced on Saturday that they’ve signed the long-time Maple Leafs defender to a three-year contract worth $3.4 million annually.
Holl was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round of the 2010 draft. He spent four seasons at the University of Minnesota and didn’t sign with the Blackhawks when he finished his college career.
After spending the 2014-15 season in the ECHL, Holl inked a minor-league deal with the Toronto Marlies and performed well enough in his first season with the club that the Leafs signed him to a one-year, entry-level contract. He made his NHL debut during the 2017-18 season and broke through as a full-time NHLer the following year.
During the 2019-20 season, Kyle Dubas inked Holl to a three-year contract extension worth $2 million annually. Dubas also made the controversial decision to protect Holl from the Seattle Kraken ahead of their expansion draft in the summer of 2021. The Kraken wound up selecting Jared McCann from Toronto, who broke out with 40 goals and 70 points in 2022-23.
All told, Holl played 285 games for the Leafs over parts of six seasons in Toronto and scored 11 goals and 82 points. He also suited up for 25 playoff games as a Leaf and produced three assists.
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