Michael Pezzetta ejected following wild fight with Lucas Condotta

Toronto Sun reporter Lance Hornby confirmed the fight and the ejection, pointing out that the "other" Leafs were down 2-0 in Montreal at the time.

The setting made the scrap even more fitting. Both were slotted on their team's fourth line in the projected lineups, so a meeting was always possible.

Pezzetta is a Toronto native who was drafted by Montreal in 2016, played 200 NHL games for the Canadiens, and signed a two-year deal with the Leafs in 2025.

Facing his old organization in front of a crowd that knows him well, he delivered exactly the kind of physical presence he is expected to bring while trying to earn an NHL role.

Pezzetta arrives in camp with momentum. He helped the Toronto Marlies capture the Calder Cup in June, and he is now pushing for a chance to stick with the big club. Physical energy has always been central to his pitch, and Saturday gave the coaching staff a clear example of it.

The early exit does limit his chance to show anything else. With the Leafs splitting their roster between Montreal and Toronto, evaluators are watching two separate groups, and Pezzetta's night was over before he could offer more than the fight itself.

The context around the rivalry adds spice. Toronto finished last in the Atlantic Division a year ago, while Montreal reached the Eastern Conference Finals.

Preseason results carry little weight, but a fight in September is a reminder that the animosity between these Original Six clubs has not faded, and neither team seems eager to let the other dictate the tone. Expect the Leafs and Canadiens to keep the temperature high whenever their paths cross this fall.

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