Team prankster, enforcer, and genuinely funny guy, Brandon Duhaime, is moving on from the Washington Capitals.
The rugged fourth-line forward signed a three-year, $7.8 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs worth $2.6 million annually.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Duhaime had signed in Toronto on Wednesday afternoon, and the Leafs made the news official on Thursday morning.
Duhaime spent two seasons with the Capitals, serving as a penalty killer and primarily playing to the left of Nic Dowd at five-on-five. He set career highs for the Capitals in goals (9), assists (12), and points (21) during the 2024-25 season before seeing his production drop to just nine points (4g, 5a) in 2025-26.
While Duhaime’s offense didn’t have much impact on the scoreboard, he was a beloved member of the Capitals who stood up for his teammates and brought discord to the locker room for all the right reasons.
Duhaime received a standing ovation from his teammates after fighting Jacob Trouba in a January game against the Anaheim Ducks, avenging a borderline hit from the rearguard that injured Ryan Leonard, the Capitals’ bright, young winger.
“It’s unbelievable,” Leonard said of Duahime then. “It went without saying that you knew my teammate was going to step up for me. And that’s just the type of brotherhood we have in there. It doesn’t go unnoticed, and it means a lot.”
Months later, Duhaime received a team fist-bump line at the penalty box after he fought Brandon Tanev, who had boarded Matt Roy headfirst into the glass earlier in the night.
Duhaime’s antics off the ice — Chili Gate, the reindeer icing co-conspiracy, and the Great Halloween Werewolf Prank — were fun and likely even more numerous behind the scenes. He was the team’s best chirper and would sometimes even prank himself to frame other people. Duhaime was also an aspiring social media influencer/vlogger.
The Maple Leafs will be the fourth team Duhaime has played for in his career. Other than the Capitals, he previously suited up for the Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche.
Good luck in Toronto, Dewey.
