Over some freshly-squeezed orange juice on a patio in Moscow, Ilya Mikheyev decided his first attempt to play in NHL would be with the Maple Leafs.



The 24-year-old signed a one-year entry-level deal worth $925,000 with the club on Monday afternoon, or early evening over in Russia where Mikheyev was mulling over his final decision with agent Dan Milstein. He’s the latest free agent foray overseas for the Leafs — joining the likes of Nikita Zaitsev, Calle Rosen, Igor Ozhiganov and Par Lindholm — and is immediately an option to play for the team next season in a depth role.



Mikheyev is Mike Babcock-endorsed, a 6-foot-2, 194-pound, left-shooting winger known for his speed and relentlessness at both ends of the rink. He’ll chase down pucks in the corners of the offensive end, creating space for his linemates, and can make plays, too.



He scored a team-leading 23 goals — tied for sixth-best in the KHL — and put up 45 points this...