Matt Copponi is moving on from the Edmonton Oilers organization and landing with the Toronto Maple Leafs’ AHL club.
The Marlies announced a one-year deal with the 23-year-old forward, ending his run in the Oilers system after a brief pro stint that included time in both Bakersfield and Fort Wayne.
Copponi was Edmonton’s seventh-round pick in 2023, going 216th overall after a strong NCAA season at Merrimack College, where he put up 14 goals and 29 points in 37 games. He went back to the Warriors the next year and followed that with seven goals and 32 points in 30 games before transferring to Boston University for his final college season. There, he finished with six goals and 24 points in 40 games.
He turned pro at the end of the 2024-25 season and got into three games with the Oilers’ AHL affiliate in Bakersfield, picking up two assists. Most of his time last season, though, came in the ECHL with the Fort Wayne Komets, where he scored 10 goals and 29 points in 40 games. He also added two goals and three points in 29 games with the Condors.
Copponi also drew attention in a June 2025 Athletic article when he spoke about the development changes made under assistant general manager Kalle Larsson. “It’s been a really big improvement just from the help from the staff this year compared to last year because the staff is much bigger,” Copponi said.
“It’s helped me a lot in my day-to-day practice. I’ve learned little habits and little details for my game that I can improve on.”
His draft rights with Edmonton expired last August, though he had signed a two-year AHL contract with Bakersfield before last season. There has been no public reporting on what led to him getting out of the second year of that deal.
The Marlies enter with the label of defending Calder Cup champions.
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