F Michael Pezzetta has been recalled from the Toronto Marlies (AHL).
Pezzetta, 28, was signed to a two-year contract by the Maple Leafs in the summer of 2025 after spending the first few years of his professional hockey career with the rival Montreal Canadiens. He was recently recalled ahead of March 12’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, where he made an immediate effort to introduce himself to the fans by dropping the gloves off the opening faceoff.
Michael Pezzetta in his LEAFS DEBUT drops the gloves with Jeffrey Viel on the opening faceoff 🥊
His parents were in the building too 😭
The game against the Ducks was Pezzetta’s first with the Maple Leafs after spending the year with the Marlies to date. In 38 games with the team, he scored four goals and added six assists for ten points along with 52 penalty minutes. He’s known as an enforcer in terms of style of play, hence his immediate fight upon his return to the NHL, and with the Maple Leafs all but eliminated from playoff contention, he’ll likely get a few more looks with the Leafs before the season is over.
“Super stoked,” Pezzetta said glowingly on the morning of his Leafs debut when asked about his feelings ahead of the game. “Being from Toronto, growing up, all these moments when I was young. It’s super exciting. I could barely sleep last night.”
Pezzetta won’t bring much in the name of offence, but he’s got a level of energy to his game that the Leafs have sorely lacked throughout the 2025-26 campaign, something that head coach Craig Berube pointed to when asked what Pezzetta could bring to the team.
“He’s a guy who’s going to bring in lots of energy, good skater, strong skater,” Berube said. “We’ll see how it goes.”
With the Maple Leafs having traded Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton, and Nicolas Roy ahead of the trade deadline, the door has been opened for players like Pezzetta to get more ice time as the season winds down and potentially audition for a job next season.
The Maple Leafs will host the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night before a road tilt with the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.
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