Maple Leafs sign Aucoin

The Toronto Maple Leafs, parent club of the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, have signed forward Keith Aucoin to a one-year contract.

Aucoin is one of the most prolific American Hockey League players in history, entering his 12th professional season with 777 points (223 goals, 554 assists) in 673 career AHL games with the Hershey Bears, Albany River Rats, Lowell Lock Monsters, Providence Bruins and Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. Ranking sixth all-time in assists and 15th all-time in points, the native of Chelmsford, Mass., is the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in AHL history.

Aucoin, 33, was on pace to shatter the AHL’s single-season assist record in 2011-12, tallying 59 assists and 70 points in 43 games for Hershey before he was recalled to the NHL after the All-Star break. He spent the rest of the season in Washington, posting three goals and eight assists in 27 regular-season games and adding two assists in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff contests for the Capitals. Aucoin finished tied for fourth in the AHL scoring race despite not playing a game after Jan. 28.

Aucoin spent the last four seasons in the Capitals organization and won two Calder Cup championships in Hershey. He tallied 344 points in 258 regular-season games with the Bears along with 56 points in 48 playoff contests.

For his career, Aucoin has totaled 14 goals and 68 assists for 82 points in 83 Calder Cup Playoff games. He ranks fourth all-time in playoff assists, and tied for 13th in career playoff points.

Aucoin has finished among the AHL’s top 10 in regular-season scoring seven times, including two second-place finishes (2006-07, 2008-09) and a scoring title in 2009-10 when he set career highs with 35 goals and 106 points. Aucoin was also named the AHL’s most valuable player that season, winning the Les Cunningham Award.

Voted a First Team AHL All-Star in 2011-12, Aucoin set an all-time record for postseason all-star berths by an AHL center. He was also a First Team pick in 2009 and 2010, and made the Second Team in 2006, 2007 and 2011. Aucoin also tied another record in 2011-12, appearing in his sixth career AHL All-Star Classic.

Undrafted out of Norwich (Vt.) University, Aucoin has skated in 102 NHL games with Washington and Carolina, totaling 11 goals and 26 assists for 37 points.