The Toronto Maple Leafs made their first signing of the free agent period Tuesday, bringing in forward Michael Pezzetta on a two-year, $1.575 million deal, according to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun.

The contract pays him $775,000 in the first year and $800,000 in the second year.

The 27-year-old Pezzetta had zero points in 25 games with the Montreal Canadiens last season. A native of Toronto, Pezzetta has 15 goals and 38 points in 200 career games, all with the Canadiens. 

They later announced the signing of forwards Travis Boyd and Benoit-Olivier Groulx, along with the re-signing of defenceman Dakota Mermis.

Boyd played three games with the Minnesota Wild last season and also suited up in 63 games for the AHL's Iowa Wild, scoring 22 goals and 53 points.

Groulx, 25, had 15 goals and 37 points in 47 games last season with the AHL's Hartford Wolf Pack.

Mermis split last season between the Maple Leafs and Utah, appearing in a total of four NHL games in addition to 32 games for the AHL's Toronto Marlies.

According to PuckPedia, the Leafs have just over $5 million in cap space with 23 players on the roster for next season.

Pezzetta is one of several forwards brought in by Toronto in recent days, joining Matias Maccelli and Nicolas Roy.

Maccelli was acquired by general manager Brad Treliving from the Utah Mammoth in exchange for a conditional third-round pick. Nicolas Roy arrived with the Leafs in the sign-and-trade that sent star forward Mitch Marner to the Vegas Golden Knights on an eight-year deal.

 

Marner says goodbye

Marner released a heartfelt goodbye message on his Instagram Tuesday morning after his sign-and-trade to the Vegas Golden Knights was officially announced.

The Toronto native said he “gave everything I had” to the organization he’s spent his entire nine-year NHL career with, ultimately expressing regret he wasn’t able to help bring a Stanley Cup to his hometown.

Read Marner's full message here.