Irish captain Graham Slaggert signs ATO contract with Toronto Maple Leafs' AHL affiliate

SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame senior center Graham Slaggert signed a one-year contract for the 2022-23 season with the Toronto Marlies, the American Hockey League affiliate for the Toronto Maple Leafs, it was announced Thursday.

Slaggert will join the Marlies on an amateur tryout contract (ATO) for the remainer of the season. An ATO contract is for players who are leaving college and attempting to turn professional. Slaggert, who graduates in May, will join former Notre Dame players Alex Steeves and Matt Hellickson in the Maple Leafs’ organization.

Slaggert’s brother Landon, a left wing who just completed his sophomore season, was a third-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2020 NHL Draft.

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The brothers, who are the sons of Notre Dame associate head coach Andy Slaggert and his wife Tara, started their hockey careers in the Irish Youth Hockey League. In the recent NCAA Tournament, they scored the goals — Graham’s tally the game-winner — in Notre Dame’s 2-1 overtime victory over North Dakota in the opening round at Albany, New York.

Notre Dame’s 28-12 season ended with a 1-0 loss to top-ranked Minnesota State in the regional championship last Saturday. Graham was named to the all-regional team.

Graham Slaggert, one of three team captains this season for head coach Jeff Jackson, played in 39 games, scoring a career-high 12 goals with 13 assists. He finished his career with 27 goals and 42 assists for 69 points in 143 games.

Majoring in management consulting with a minor in Africana Studies, he is a Senior CLASS Award finalist and was a Hockey Humanitarian nominee for his involvement with several off-ice charities and missions.