6-foot-5 Nicolas Mattinen hoping to crack the Maple Leafs lineup

Nicolas Mattinen has played in the AHL, U-Sports and very recently the DEL, however he was drafted already eight years ago by the Leafs, and nearly a decade later has found himself back trying to earn a spot with the club.

The Leafs signed Nicolas Mattinen back in April, and at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, he is one of the bigger defensemen in the game, and should he make the Leafs, the team would immediately have a much larger presence on the back end.

The Athletic's Joshua Kloke recently sat down with Nicolas Mattinen to discuss his latest plans and goals, and his vision on the future with Toronto seems to be positive.

It's only a one-year deal that Nicolas Mattinen has signed with the Leafs, however he has just had two fantastic seasons, one in Austria and one in the DEL. Over his last two seasons, Mattinen has managed 88 points in 98 games. The Leafs desperately need a defenseman with a right-handed shot, especially one that is as big as Mattinen, so this could be the perfect fit, especially if injuries lead the Leafs to needing to make a call up or two.

Nicolas Mattinen is likely going to begin the year in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Toronto Marlies, as the Leafs have a full healthy roster at the moment, however he could be one of the first defensemen to be called up if the Maple Leafs need to go that route.

Source: Maple Leafs Daily
Hulking 6-foot-5 defenseman has sights set on an NHL job with the Maple Leafs

Source: HockeyDB
Nicolas Mattinen Stats