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# Wednesday's FTB: A Knies and quiet Canada Day, except for that whole other thing
- URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/wednesdays-ftb-a-knies-and-quiet-canada-day-except-for-that-whole-other-thing/
- Published: 2025-07-02T09:30:32.000Z
- Updated: 2025-07-02T10:28:37.000Z
- Description: It's truly a different team starting next season.
- Author: Species
- Tags: From The Branches

At least it's over. Mitch Marner is a Vegas Golden Knight and the Leafs have entered a new era for the team. No more "core four." Of course, none of this is a surprise, the events that led to this were set in motion months ago, if not two years.

But there was a return salvaged from this by Treliving. Meet Nicolas Roy.

Also gone from the Leafs are Pontus Holmberg, Nick Abruzzese, and Alex Steeves; three RFA players who were not given a Qualifying Offer by the team and became free agents. 

Holmberg and Abruzzese both signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Alex Steeves signed a one year contract with the Bruins. Matt Murray also left for the Seattle Kraken.

The Marlies are severely depleted in their ranks at this point with so many players gone both yesterday and back at the trade deadline, but some possible reinforcements arrived, notably one player who might have a slice of the top line was added yesterday.

[Maple Leafs sign Michael PezzettaMinimum salary deal.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/PPP-Goalie-Logo_RGB-250.png)PPP LeafsCathy Squires![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1513104890138-7c749659a591)](https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/maple-leafs-sign-michael-pezzetta/)

Several more were signed or re-signed.

[Maple Leafs Sign Pezzetta, Groulx, Boyd And Mermis | Toronto Maple LeafsThe Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has signed forwards Travis Boyd, Benoit-Olivier Groulx, Michael Pezzetta, and re-signed defenceman Dakota Mermis. Groulx, Pezzetta and Mermis have signed two-year contracts carrying an average annual value of $812,500, while Boyd has signed a one-year contract worth $775,000\. Pezzetta, 27, skated![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-apple-touch-icon-94.png)Toronto Maple Leafs logo![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/ax3ksuhuwt80cnwkazvh.jpg)](https://www.nhl.com/mapleleafs/news/maple-leafs-sign-pezzetta-groulx-boyd-and-mermis?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

There was also one more late night signing.

> The [#LeafsForever](https://twitter.com/hashtag/LeafsForever?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) signed 30 y/o UFA F Vinni Lettieri to a 1 Year 775K Cap Hit deal  
>  
> Rep'd by Ben Hankinson [@OctagonHockey](https://twitter.com/OctagonHockey?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [https://t.co/peOYFpjz46](https://t.co/peOYFpjz46?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) [July 2, 2025](https://twitter.com/PuckPedia/status/1940234408981893179?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Still no word on if the Leafs will bring back either of Max Pacioretty or Alex Nylander.

However we did get Matthew Knies on camera to talk about his new sweet deal with the Leafs.

And here's Tre talking to the media, though note this was before some other deals happened, so he doesn't know that Pontus Holmberg had already signed with the Lightning.

I will assume you all know how to find one of the many free agency trackers out there that tell you all about who went where yesterday, so I won't mention everything here, but I do laugh at the consensus that GM Ken Holland of the L.A. Kings had the absolute worst free agent day in recent memory. I mean, when your big pick up is to sign 31 year-old Cody Ceci to be your second highest paid defender, yeah that's not good.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/2025/07/image-1.png)

But there was one late night signing of interest as some were thinking it might be possible he comes here to Toronto, but he found somewhere colder:

> Andrew Mangiapane 2 x $3.6M  
>  
> Edmonton
> 
> — Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) [July 2, 2025](https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/1940244097488625875?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

 Enjoy your free agency leftovers day!