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.

Craig Berube finally yanks Easton Cowan off the shelf after nearly a month in the press box, slotting the rookie alongside Bobby McMann and Nicolas Roy for tonight's clash with Ottawa. The 20-year-old fireplug, who's lit the lamp seven times in 43 games, hit a wall back in Seattle and has been paying the price ever since, even as vets like Jarnkrok and Lorentz ride pine.

The Maple Leafs refuse to let Jack Roslovic slip away, staying firmly in the mix as the top free agent lingers on the market months into the offseason. Front-office whispers from guys like Frank Seravalli confirm Toronto's frontrunner status, fueled by Roslovic's shared history with Auston Matthews from their U.S. National Team days. With cap gymnastics involving waivers for Jarnkrok or Kampf, a PTO deal could lock in the right-shot vet without breaking the bank.