Calle Jarnkrok

Toronto native Michael Pezzetta finally pulls on the Leafs sweater after grinding through an injury-marred stint with the Marlies, where he notched four goals and 10 points in 37 games. The 27-year-old ex-Hab, signed as a cheaper Reaves replacement, wastes zero time making his mark by fighting Ducks enforcer Jeffrey Viel right off the opening faceoff on the fourth line with Quillan and Jarnkrok.

Other teams circled Jake McCabe hard at the deadline, whispering about his shutdown grit and top-four reliability that Toronto front offices now second-guess ignoring. With his full no-trade clause holding firm through next season, the Leafs fielded calls on UFAs like Laughton, McMann, and Jarnkrok, but scouts kept circling back to McCabe's heavy minutes and penalty-kill heroics.