Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Post Game vs. Seattle Kraken | October 18, 2025

Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Post Game vs. Seattle Kraken | October 18, 2025

John, what do you see as the difference tonight? Just a few too many mistakes that uh gave them some opportunities that uh you know, we always had to kind of fight from behind. So, you know, we have to clean up those details and got to be a more consistent team and uh you know, understand just uh yeah, just the small differences in the game and even if not much is happening just to continue to stick with it and u not deviate and understand just the level of detail shift to shift and certainly in the second periods with the long changes. What did you make of the level of competitiveness? Do you feel it’s ramping up here now that we’re a few games in? Yeah, I think it’s it’s kind of on course as it is traditionally. You know, everyone gets excited to start the year, then things start to settle in and um you know, the the competitive element at this level is always extremely high. So, um yeah, no doubt I think everyone probably starting to feel in rhythm and and getting into the grind of the season. What goes through your mind when Marchman crashes into Anthony there? Pardon? What goes through your mind when Marchman crashes into? Yeah, we don’t obviously like it very much. So, uh important to stand our ground, protect our goalie, and um making sure that uh we’re playing the game extremely hard on them. We’re playing obviously within uh within the whistles, within the rules, but uh um yeah, we don’t like it at all. John, you’re the only the fourth guy ever to get 500 points with two different teams and Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Ron Francis. Um, I know you’re team oriented, but uh, what does it mean to have your name among those guys? Yeah, I didn’t know that. It’s hard to, uh, process it right now considering the way the game finished for us, but um, obviously I’ve been able to play for two great franchises and, uh, have the success I’ve had, I think, uh, speaks volumes to my teammates, uh, coaches, people that have been around me and, um, everyone that’s been been a part of the journey. So, um, I’ve really enjoyed it and just want to keep going. What stands out about how Mark can start the season? Just being aggressive. I don’t think he’s uh feeling in between or second guessing. I think just trusting his instincts and playing his game. Um so you can just see I I think he knows uh uh the type of player he is and the impact he can make just from how he sees it, his skill set, his ability to skate. So uh beautiful shot on this first one tonight. Anything can the team take from tonight’s game? Um it was a good third period, but first two periods, you know, we kind of let them walk all over us and um you know, we just didn’t play our game. They all worked us in front of the net. Um blocked, they blocked shots, they beat us up and down the ice and um you know, the score was indicative of that. You know, they just outworked us playing simple. Are you getting a little frustrated with guys taking runs at? I mean, it’s just playing hard. I mean, maybe we can take a page out of their book and start getting to the net. I mean, for us, it’s uh you know, we like to go a little low to high and shoot, but um you know, it’s for their goalie. It’s like playing catch in the yard. You seeing everything and um we’re not making it difficult. We made it difficult in the third and look what happened. You know, we came out uh you know, tied the game, got a point out of it, almost scored with 5 seconds left, but uh it’s a little too little too late and I think um you know, even though we’re six games into the season, it’s uh you know, enough’s enough and we kind of got to start picking it up here. What are you seeing and feeling when Marchman crashes into you there? I mean, I’m not happy. It’s, you know, guys are going to run me and, you know, I’m going to try to stand up for myself and, um, you know, I heard the ref say we got a power play and there’s really not much I can do to them on the ground. But, um, you know, kudos to the guys who were there and got down with them. But, um, you know, like I said, I think we got to start going into the cage a little harder. Make it harder for their goalies. Um, you know, it’s not fun. I don’t like having 225 pound guys landing on me. So, um, you know, hopefully, uh, learn a lesson here. Do you think this is just early season challenge issues? I I mean a lot of guys have been here for a while. You know, overtime, you can’t let someone beat you up the ice there and um you know, gets a clearcut breakaway. I mean, minute left, you know, you want to be on the ice in that situation, you got to work hard, got to work back, and uh cost us a point there. So, I mean, at the end of the day, it’s uh like I said, it’s early. We do have uh you know some uh some time to gel, but I mean at the end of the day too it’s it’s more or less just about working hard and um you know just uh when we work hard the results come. You saw it in the third period and um you know it’s we can’t play for 20 minutes, 30 minutes, we got to do it for a complete 60. So was it overtime play that left you frustrated to smash your stick or was it the I mean it’s just it’s just overall I mean um you know how many time points are we going to leave out there? uh you know being here last year and um you know seeing the team we had and seeing how far we were able to go and uh the potential like the potential is there like we have the skill, we have the grit, we have the grind and um you know it’s just frustrating that uh you know we just can’t put together right now. How much can the team take away from the game tonight? It’s like anything there’s always always things to take away. Um we’ll talk about that on on on Monday and uh just look to build as a team. Are you guys doing enough to protect your goalie? Um, I think we take that seriously. Yeah. Um, I mean, things are going to happen. I think if anything, we have to do a better job of, you know, being at the opposing teams up front. Uh, but, um, yeah, our guys do our best to to take care of everyone in there. And is as fired up as we’ve ever seen him just now, what do what does he mean to this group, his leadership? Yeah. In the room, I mean, he’s he’s incredibly important. Um obviously on the ice uh you know he brings that intensity and um you know he backs it up with his play. Um he’s been outstanding for us all last year and uh here at the start of this year and off the ice uh I mean you want that intensity. You want guys who care. You want guys who are are motivated and um who want to win and uh he is that and you know he brings a lot of personality and a lot of energy to our group and that’s extremely valuable. What did you see as the breakdown on the OT goal? Uh, I I’d have to look at it. I know it’s early, but like what’s your sense of urgency like among the group right now? Um, it’s hit and miss. I mean, it’s it’s early, but you know, um, everyone wants to have a good start and, um, uh, obviously we’re at home here for a while. Um, so it’s important that, you know, we’re focused and we’re trying to take advantage of that. Um, so I think that there is a sense of urgency um, even though it’s early and, you know, guys want to to, you know, bank some points and play well and win games. Um, so yeah, I mean I mean no one’s laid back or anything like that or taking games lightly. Everyone’s pretty motivated. How fine is the line sometimes between not wanting to retaliate, take a you want to protect your guys also? Um, it’s a fine line. Um, I think that there’s a time where where you got to do what you got to do and the line is out of sight and then there’s a time where you know I mean you might need a goal and you know you need to go in the power play and wait for later. Um, you know there’s always a balance there. Only four guys ever got 500 points with two different teams. Ron Francis, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and now John what is that like that list? Yeah. Yeah, it’s incredible. Um just uh he’s just a he’s just a hockey player through and through. Um just a pro. It’s been a real joy uh to have the chance to play with him and watch him um operate and um you know he he deserves to be in that company all day. Um he’s a very impressive guy. Your third most among these defensive teams played in team history. Can you put that perspective? No, no, it just that stuff happens. And what can Nia Tap take away from this game tonight? Um, you know, I think there’s a lot to learn within that game. Um, there’s areas that we got to be better for sure. Uh, one including the net front, myself included. Um, just being harder in those areas and not allowing them to get to those areas. Do you think it was goalie interference on the first play? Like, did you feel you obviously made contact with him, do you feel you pushed him in or did he impulse? Uh, things happened fast obviously. I think uh, you know, I was doing my best to box him out there. um he got behind me a little bit and um yeah, I I don’t know, a little mix of both, but um I think I just need to try and do my best to keep him to the outside and then that doesn’t happen. What goes through your mind when Marchman Bes um obviously as I saw the um referee call the penalty. You don’t want to do too much to retaliate, but um yeah, there’s a certain extent once you see kind of Stoley get up and and be angry too, um you want to try and give him a shot. But overall, um, you want to go on the power play as well. So, it’s a it’s a weird area to be in. Um, but overall, I think, uh, the power play is a useful thing in that situation. Anthony was really fired up. We just talked to him now. I mean, what what’s your sense of the sense of urgency in this room? Yeah, I think uh, he’s a very competitive player. Um, that’s a great thing. That’s a great attribute to have. Um, I think after any loss, you’re going to find a lot of us that aren’t very happy by any means. But, um, for him, I think, uh, you know, we just needed to continue to do a better job, um, you know, getting into the interior and the in the ice and, um, pressure their goalie the same way that they do ours. What stands out to you about how Morgan started the season? Uh, he’s awesome. You can see how much he’s getting up and involved in the play. Um, it’s been a lot of fun to watch. Uh, just to see how much he can create. Um, you know, I really like him as a player, um, as a partner as well. Um, I want to try and facilitate the best that I can to allow him to get up in the rush, but um, with or without me, he’s been fantastic. I’m sure you’re pretty aware about John Tarsus before you got here, but what has surprised you since you joined this team about him? Um, you know, I think, uh, when you talk about a guy who’s just a true professional, um, you know, on and off the ice, uh, he comes to the rink every day, does the exact thing that that you need to be doing. Um, doesn’t take a day off. So, um, he’s a great example to learn from. Um, but overall, uh, as a player, uh, I had my fair share of games against him. He’s no easy target to to play against and, um, you know, I know what he brings in that component. Greg, how did you assess the performance tonight? Uh, inconsistent more than anything, I think, um, when we wanted to play the right way and did things, we were good. But then we had too many lapses in a game that cost us. We uh, Sto was enough is enough. We got to start picking it up here. Yeah, I think well consistency like we know how we can play. We don’t put it together for 60 minutes and that’s what you get. How satisfied are you with the way guys are sticking up for your goalie? No, I talked about it already before. Not good enough. I mean that play there is, you know, that’s that happens at times. But in general, I I’ve said it like we’re not clearing out the crease enough. We’re not we’re not doing a good enough job there. I know you always want to power play, but when you can’t, would you like take two minutes just to send a message to other guys that not in your goal anymore? Well, I guess you can. Yeah, if you if you feel like at the time, like it be something you preach to your guys like protect the goalie. Yeah, we do. We have to protect our goalie. We got to be harder around our net. I’m not I’m not preaching go and take guys heads off, but enough’s enough. What is the key to clearing the front of the net? What’s that? What is the key to clearing the front of the net? Well, we we did a good job of it last year, so I don’t know what the key is. I mean, it’s a willingness to do it more than anything for me. How seriously were you considering challenging for goalie interference on the point where Carlo wants the guy in? Yeah, we looked at it. Um, it wouldn’t have been I don’t it wouldn’t have been goalie interference because he pushed him into him too much. He was in the crease, but he didn’t touch the goalie until Carlo pushed him into the goalie. You came into the game with the fewest power play chances in the league. Were you pleased at least some call tonight? You had some power play. Yeah, it was better. I mean, they missed the five on three with Max Diomy at the um that’s a trip all day long, but yeah, at least we got some more power plays tonight, which is a good thing. Um, you know, we did there, like I said, we did good things, but we’re just inconsistent with, you know, we’re not consistent enough in our game. Um, it’s too um we don’t play to our identity the whole game. That’s really the bottom line for me. Two guys lost in that. No, I just think it’s a more of a fluke thing than anything. Yeah. I don’t. It’s not a team equipment issue. Tonight, uh, Tavvaris became only the fourth guy ever to get 500 points with two different teams. You may have heard of the other three, Gretzky, Francis, Messier. What’s that say about him when you put Yeah, I know. Um, you know, it’s an awesome feat that he accomplished. Um, you know, he’s like I said, he’s I I talk about him all the time, his preparation, his willingness to compete and play at the age he’s playing at. And, uh, you know, he’s talk about consistency. He’s he’s consistent. That’s he brings it every game. He brings the effort and what what what needed to be done. He doesn’t take nights off and that’s why he’s able to accomplish what he did. Are you still trying to sort out what you’d like to see on those top two lines? Who fits? Well, I listen, I mean, it’s it’s not good enough. Uh, not consistent enough. Um, I’m not seeing enough. So, I’ll move guys around and I’ll I’ll switch lines up in game if I have to. So, I’ll, you know, that’s what I do. What did you see on the overtime goal? Well, we we didn’t we didn’t do what we should have done to to start with is, you know, we want to be in more of a wedge so we don’t get beat by speed like that. And we’re too spread out. We’re all man-on-man. And the guy, you know, it’s a it’s a you know, it’s a difficult play for Willie, but you know, he’s got to have that guy if he wants to ban up like that and he, you know, the guy skated by him, but that’s not what we’re supposed to do in overtime in that situation. So,

Players and Coach speak with the media following the Leafs’ 4-3 OT loss to the Seattle Kraken.

00:00 John Tavares
02:24 Anthony Solarz
04:45 Morgan Rielly
07:38 Brandon Carlo
10:06 Craig Berube

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