The Toronto Maple Leafs have had new additions to their lineup since trading Bobby McMann, Nicolas Roy, and Scott Laughton at the trade deadline. This has opened doors to players who now have the chance to make their Maple Leafs debuts, and from what we have seen so far, they have all exceeded expectations, including Michael Pezzetta in just his first game as a Maple Leaf.
Pezzetta's impact was felt right from the beginning of the contest with his hometown team. Just one second into his Maple Leafs debut, he dropped the gloves with Jeffrey Viel in the Maple Leafs 6-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks. Both landed strong punches before Pezzetta fired up the crowd on the way to the penalty box. The 28-year-old provided the bigger spark that the Maple Leafs have seen in over a month.
Craig Berube's thoughts on Michael Pezzetta's game
Craig Berube spoke on Pezzetta's fight and how he was able to fire up the crowd, mentioning, "I wasn’t sure if he was going to or not, but he wants to make a statement. I know his minutes were limited because of the penalties, but every time he was out there, he made an impact, I thought. He was physical. He got into a fight. He did a good job. I’m very happy for him and proud of him." Berube was clearly pleased with how he contributed to the lineup, and we can see him staying within the lineup for the remainder of the season. Pezzetta spoke to the media following the Maple Leafs morning skate, speaking on how he was feeling. “Super stoked. Being from Toronto, growing up, all these moments when I was young. It’s super exciting. I could barely sleep last night.”
Pezzetta has appeared in 201 NHL games, all with the Montreal Canadiens. The Maple Leafs signed Pezzetta to a two-year deal over the summer with an average annual value of $812,000 thousand. With the Maple Leafs feeling lifeless over the past few weeks since the NHL season resumed, it is likely to assume he will remain in the lineup on the team's fourth line.