Michael Pezzetta coming home to Maple Leafs on two-year deal

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Don’t look to Michael Pezzetta for many goals this season.

But general manager Brad Treliving thinks there’s a place for the belligerent winger on the Maple Leafs, at a low-risk $785,500 for two years as the only free agent he acquired when the market opened Tuesday. Pezzetta hits – leading the Montreal Canadiens a couple of years ago in that department and finishing 10th in the NHL – and has had 14 career fights.

“It gives us some more depth and he has a skill set in terms of his physicality,” Treliving said. “He has good foot speed and is able to get in on the forecheck. Certainly, he’s an excellent teammate. Those are the boxes he checks and we’re happy to have him.”

But those sound quite like past attributes given to Ryan Reaves, who still has one year at $1.35 million on the books, but ended last season demoted to the Marlies.

Pezzetta, who was not made available Tuesday, is 6-foot-1 and 219 pounds and was in the unique position of being a Toronto-born member of the Leafs’ historic rival. He was a sixth-round pick of the Habs in 2016, but had some injuries and a much lesser role of 25 games last year, compiling 73 hits but no points.

While getting as many as 51 in his best junior season, his most in the NHL were 15 in 63 games in 2022-23. Growing up, he played for the Toronto Nationals and Mississauga Senators of the GTHL before Sudbury in the OHL, as team captain of the Wolves, with a brief stop in Sarnia.

Pezzetta did manage a memorable shootout goal against the Buffalo Sabres in 2022-23, riding his stick in celebration in a viral video, reminiscent of former Leaf Tiger Williams.

LIGHTNING STRIKES HOLMBERG

Treliving didn’t want to extend bottom-six forward Pontus Holmberg a qualifying offer as he reached restricted free agency, the GM wary of a potential salary arbitration getting too rich for the Leafs.

But there was no chance to circle back Tuesday when Tampa Bay moved in and signed Holmberg to a two-year deal for $3.1 million. The Leafs will certainly miss Holmberg’s ability to draw penalties. He worked himself into new coach Craig Berube’s lineup plans all season.

BREAK UP THE MARLIES

Three UFA members of Toronto’s farm team also found new addresses on Tuesday.

Right winger Alex Steeves, who set Marlie franchise records for goals and points in his four seasons, which included 14 Leaf games, signed with the Boston Bruins for one year at $850,000.

Matt Murray reduced the crowded goaltending situation on the farm by taking a one-year, $1 million deal with the Seattle Kraken, having come back from bilateral hip surgery. He only had one season as the No.1 Leafs’ goalie before injuries sidelined him.

Winger Nick Abruzzese joined the Lightning on a one-year, two-way contract after three Marlie seasons and 11 NHL games for Toronto.

On Saturday, the Leafs also signed organizational depth forwards Travis Boyd, Benoit Oliver-Groulx and defenceman Dakota Mermis to two-year contracts, Groulx and Mermis’s worth $812,500, Boyd’s $775,000.

Lhornby@postmedia.com

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