Maple Leafs add Victor Mete, Jordie Benn on 1-year deals

The Toronto Maple Leafs shored up their depth on the blue line by inking defensemen Victor Mete and Jordie Benn to matching one-year deals worth $750,000 on Thursday.

Mete, 24, became an unrestricted free agent after the Ottawa Senators decided not to tender him a qualifying offer.

The 5-foot-9 Ontario native logged seven assists in 37 games with the Senators this past season while averaging 14:37 per contest.

Selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, Mete has 43 points in 236 career contests.

Benn, 34, spent the 2021-22 season with the Minnesota Wild, putting up one goal and seven assists in 39 games while playing about 15 minutes a night.

A veteran of 595 NHL games, the 6-foot-2 Benn has also suited up for the Dallas Stars, Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, and Winnipeg Jets, amassing 135 points.