Center Shawn Matthias is excited to play for his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs this season.
Matthias (6-foot-4, 223 pounds), who had a career-high 18 goals and 27 points for the Vancouver Canucks last season, met with coach Mike Babcock and captain Dion Phaneuf to discuss the Maple Leafs' direction before signing a one-year contract reportedly worth $2.3 million July 6.
"Any new team you come to, you want to do your best," Matthias, 27, told the Toronto Sun on Friday. "But for me to come here and play in front of friends and family .