From the moment he stepped out onto the ice for warmups to the final buzzer, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Luke Schenn took it all in as his career came “full circle”.

CALGARY — Luke Schenn had that feeling when he put on a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey again.

"It was pretty surreal, honestly, I kind of got chills when I first threw it on," he said following his team's 2-1 victory against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome on Thursday.

The 33-year-old put on the familiar blue and white that he first wore in 2008 when the club drafted in fifth overall in the first round of the NHL Draft. The logo, however, was different since the team changed it back in 2017. 

Like the symbol on his chest, Schenn returned as an updated version of the player Leafs fans have known and remembered. He's a two-time Stanley Cup champion who knows exactly who he is and found his game long after he first departed the franchise nearly 11 years ago in an effort to find it.

"Looking back when you are 18 years old and you first wear it, you appreciate wearing the jersey, but I think with the ups and downs of my career and to come full circle and get the chance to wear it again it means a lot more," he told reporters following the game.

Acquired on Tuesday in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2023 third-round draft pick, the Maple Leafs brought Schenn in as part of a series of moves intended to help round out Toronto's toughness and physical play.

Against the Flames, Schenn made his presence felt.

Referred by teammate Ryan O'Reilly on Wednesday as the "human eraser", Schenn was quick to deliver punishment. He tied teammate Noel Acciari for a game-high four hits against the Flames. He also ensured there were no freebies if anyone came at the net as Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau found out.

Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was particularly impressed with how Schenn exerted himself in a check on Calgary's Milan Lucic.

"I don’t know if there’s any clearer example of how strong he is than Lucic bouncing off of him like that," Keefe said. "He’s definitely a presence back there."

Schenn was one of seven defensemen who suited up for the Leafs. Erik Gustafsson, who was also acquired by the Maple Leafs on Tuesday in a separate trade along with Boston's 2023 first-round draft pick in exchange for 22-year-old defenseman Rasmus Sandin, also debuted on Thursday.

Over the month of February, the Leafs overhauled much of the depth of their roster to add players that can add a physical presence and essentially bring an element of their game that has been lacking in the postseason.

Being able to persevere is what makes Schenn's arrival so fitting. He recalled the pressure of playing in Toronto and a time when one of the first questions asked to him after he was drafted in 2008 was about the Leafs Stanley Cup drought and how he was going to change that.

"People are so passionate in this fanbase, which is what you want as a hockey player," Schenn said. "Eventually getting back to Toronto and getting the chance to play in front of that fanbase in that building is going to be special. This is what you play for as a hockey player."

He departed the Maple Leafs in 2012 when he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for forward James van Riemsdyk. As the game began to change, Schenn began to decline and found himself in the minors for 35 games between 2018-2020. In his first Stanley Cup run with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020, Schenn suited up in just 11 games but embraced his extra-defenseman role. He fit in perfectly with the Lightning's ability to make life difficult for their opponents. He played in just eight games in 2021, but he was just happy to contribute and was rewarded with his second Stanley Cup. 

Schenn began to hear his name in trade rumors a few weeks ago and heard Toronto as one of several teams that were interested in him. But he kept himself from getting too caught up in it. 

But now he's here. Maple Leafs fans of all ages are loving the nostalgia. Purists are happy to see his toughness added to the team. Schenn may not get into the lineup every night. In fact, he could be away in less than two weeks when his wife, Jeska, is due to give birth to their third child. 

But it's all about the return to where it all started. Schenn never got to play on a Leafs team that was destined for the postseason, let alone contend for a Stanley Cup.

He wants his third championship to be in Toronto.

“It would be wild in this city. There’s no question."