Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Post Game vs. Columbus Blue Jackets | November 20, 2025

Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Post Game vs. Columbus Blue Jackets | November 20, 2025

take away for the group? Well, our game is building. It’s getting better. Obviously, uh, you know, we did a lot of good things, especially in the first half of the game and then, you know, they’re able to capitalize, make a couple good plays, and, you know, coverage maybe just a a little loose, which, you know, it wasn’t for much of the night and they c and they’re, you know, they go up two and we stay with it and come back. Obviously, a good opportunity to take the lead at times and so it was hard fought. Game was better, but obviously you don’t end up on the right side of it. So that’s the difficult part. So just got to stay with it, take the point and um continue to work on the things we need to work on and get better and keep pushing forward. So um you know better much better things. I think our power play has been building too and we got to find a way on the right side of the special teams battle here to to help us out as well. So just got to stay with it. Just how far has Ean come from camp till now? Yeah, I think he’s come a long way. It’s I think a great point. And you can just see not just his ability to read the game and make little plays. Um, just like he did on my goal, like he just lays it in there, not too quick, just in the right spot with the right pace on it and just an easy play for me to put in. And he just seems to be stronger on the puck, absorbing contact, things like that. And you saw it throughout the game. I thought it was evident in overtime as well. So, um, yeah, he’s playing really well. And credit to him the way he’s just kind of not tried to do too much, focus too much on uh things offensively, just, you know, be consistent with his game in all areas. How do you feel about your chemistry with these two specifically? Yeah, it’s been good. You know, we’ve uh when we’ve played together, there’s been some good moments and uh ability to kind of read off one another and understand uh where the open space is, where the puck’s going, and how to support one another. So, um yeah, he’s obviously a really talented kid. how much of it just the idea of uh you know couple days ago uh there was talk about just cleaning up the defensive side of things as a group. Uh do you feel as though you guys have kind of addressed that like tonight it feels much better? Yeah, I think it’s it’s getting better. So um couple little tweaks that we’ve made that I think have put us in a good spot to uh replays off the rush, obviously protect the most dangerous areas of the ice and and allow us to be more predictable for each other uh without the puck. and then when she get it to be able to exit our zone and get up the ice and get on the for check. So, um, better, but obviously we still we still know there’s a lot more to our game and building in those areas. So, um, just got to keep going and staying with it. How encouraging was it to see Scott Lton not just come back, but make the impact he did, particularly on the PK? Yeah, he was fantastic. Uh, you know, feel for him. I thought he came into the year looking great, great camp and the way he prepared and um, been a tough goal, but he’s just put his head down. tremendous uh tremendous guy in the locker room and uh you know hell of a player. Does so many things in little areas obviously great on the PK, great in the faceoff circle, really heady, really smart, understands the game, you know, huge block uh late in the game there as well. Uh just sacrificing himself. So, um you know, a big part of our team and we’re happy to have him back. When you’re missing as many players as as you guys are missing now, do you expect throughout the game to be playing with different linemates and different wingers because the lineup should switch this way? You just try to be for whatever’s thrown your way and try not to let too much of, you know, the things that you don’t have control of get in get in your way of just focusing on uh that next shift, the next opportunity, and you know what uh what that challenge might be. you know, the guys you’re playing with. And, you know, I think the way I try to approach it is how I can make the players around me better and go out there and help the team uh in all facets of the game. So, you’re just always prepared for anything. And obviously, it’s it’s been a little bit of that for us here with lots of guys in and out, injuries, and all sorts of things. So, you just kind of get ready to to do what’s needed to help the team. First of all, maybe just a a thought on on the takeaway uh that heard tonight. Yeah. Um, I’ve been watching a lot, right? So, you I see it down at ice level. I thought we had good energy. Um, thought we handled the puck good in in certain situations. They’re a really good rush team, especially their top six. Uh, they make it hard on you. They got some good players that Marchenko over there and some guys like that. So, thought we did a pretty good job. Waller made some big saves at key times. We take it to OT and uh they get the extra. So, we got to keep building on it and um you can’t get negative or down in in this situation. I mean, um you continue to roll, you continue to go and and keep playing together and and uh good things are going to happen if uh we continue to manage the puck, make it hard on teams to come out of the zone. I thought our D moved the puck well. They they uh put pucks on net. Big goal by Merms and um just couldn’t get the extra. So, uh, sun comes up tomorrow and we, uh, get after it and and, uh, go to Montreal for for a big game. What has impressed you the most about Taris and how he started this season? Um, everything, I think, uh, the way he battles, um, his, uh, his power on the puck, uh, the way he skates, creates, he’s good on faceoffs, good on the power play, everything, everything he does. uh he leads by example and uh he’s a great human being. So you want to play with guys like that and go to battle with him and uh he’s one of them for sure. How did you feel about your game overall? You were used in a lot of different situations. Yeah, it felt good. Um it’s pretty hot. Uh pretty hot in that building. But uh no, it felt good. The energy was there. It it’s helpful to to be back with uh Cowboy Yarnney for some shifts and and Stevie. We read off each other well. I thought uh we did a good job for the most part uh other than a couple shifts, but I thought we played in the ozone. Uh wore them down a little bit and um it’ be nice to pot one there in the first off a off a skate or something like that, but uh we’ll keep building and and uh keep working on our game, but uh I liked it for the most part. Stevie was really good on the penalty kill winning battles. Our D did a good job. So uh we just got to continue to go. Scott, it’s tough to watch. I’m sure anytime. How tough is it to watch when the team’s going through what it’s been going through? Well, yeah. You want to you want to be out there. You want to be uh battling with the guys. You feel helpless, right? So, you want to be out there. Um I’ll tell you, I was pretty excited this morning to get back at it. It’s uh it’s been a long time coming and um yeah, it sucks we lost, but uh like I said before, we keep rolling and I’ve been in this situation many of times back in Philly and uh you string together a couple and you get some momentum and and uh you continue to go the parody in the leagues. Uh it’s so tight. So, uh you can’t wear on yourselves. You keep a positive mindset. The guys are all saying that we’re all in this together and uh we got a veteran group here. So, um I think this is good for us. Coming off a couple injuries, do you even think twice about throwing yourself in front of that shot there? Uh no, no, that’s uh like I said before, when I when I block the other one, that’s part of the job. And and uh it’s what I’m paid to do. So, um we have a lot of guys who who uh will do the same thing and um you get your body in front of it and and help Waller the best you can. So, like I said before, he was uh he was huge for us. You you just said uh this will be good for us. I assume you mean just embracing that adversity. Yeah, it’s uh it’s uh sometimes it feels like the world’s fallen on you and and uh things aren’t always going to go your way, but uh like you said, the adversity, it’s going to make you better down the stretch. um 60 or so games left. There’s a lot a lot of runway, but uh you get that urgency in your game and and uh you start playing the right way. Uh good things are going to happen with the talent on this team and uh you get a couple guys back from injury and you just continue to roll. So, um I’m excited about for for what’s to come with this group and um we’ll see what happens. What did you see as the the difference in this one tonight? Yeah, I mean the same same kind of as the last two games has been been tight matches and um both team both teams getting their chances and comes down to a play result maybe not being what you guys wanted but looking back to the Tuesday and and the way you guys played tonight. Do you think you can build off the last two games? Yeah, 100%. I think in a game um um you know a job like this it’s hard to take results purely as as wins and losses. I mean, especially as an individual, like things go both ways. Um, there’s only so much you can control. And, um, I think it’s it’s all about playing the right way, right? And that that’s what comes down to in in playoffs is is playing to your systems, playing that right way. And I think the past few games from what I’ve seen is is we’re playing playing our way. Um, just not, you know, going our way maybe the last few, but yeah. What do you appreciate about how Tavvaris is playing? Um, he’s been great. He’s obviously, you know, been one of the best players in the world for a long time and um he’s a special special player. What was like getting in spot long? Yeah, it was great. He had a huge block uh in the third and he just brings a lot of energy, a lot of positivity to our group. So, it was great having him. He was talking just about embracing that adversity and this group kind of is fired up by Ken to your point about not necessarily the wins and losses but about kind of rallying together. Do you see it that way? Does it feel like this group can kind of take a step despite all the challenges? Yeah, I mean I I’ll keep hammering away. I think it’s it’s um a process, right? We’re we’re playing to the way we’re trying to play the way we want to, right? And we’re trying to develop that and play consistently in that way. And um when you do that over a stretch, I think, you know, the results take care of themselves. What has stood out most to you about the progression of East Count? Yeah. Um it’s been uh been great the last few games watching him. even over the last couple games I’ve seen him grow a lot and um getting more confidence out there and he’s he’s going to be a special player I think for a while. What do you what stands out about him as a person? Kind of the personality he brings to be able to do this at a young age in the NHL. Yeah, he’s definitely got a lot of confidence and he’s a young guy so it’s it’s nice having that around and um yeah. Yeah, he uh keeps it light. I think he’s an easygoing guy and um a lot of energy. Been playing a lot uh in a short period of time here. Craig said talking about managing in practice just like where do you feel you’re at? How satisfied are you with uh the last week or so here? Yeah, I feel great. I’m ready to keep playing. How do you feel about the team’s performance tonight, East? Yeah, I thought we had, you know, good moments where we showed and then uh yeah, when we’re playing good, we’re connected and we play together as a team and we’re hard in the for check. So, we just got to keep doing that. What does it mean when Craig puts you up with Lily and John and uses you in the last minute of the game, overtime shifts, that type of thing? Yeah, it’s good. I’m getting out there, but I got to capitalize. Uh I’m getting chances I just got to bury and I got to bury one of them since I’m out there a lot. So, uh yeah, I take responsibility and I got to bury one and just got to keep going. Are you getting frustrated with the I wouldn’t say frustrated? No. But if I bury one of them, we could have won the game. So, uh that’s the unfortunate part, but just got to stay positive. Some high praise for your game tonight. Maybe just a thought on you two connecting at this goal. Yeah, I felt like we were connected there. We used our speed and it was a good shot by him. What What do you appreciate about him, East? Like seeing up close playing with him, what stands out the most? Yeah, obviously just super smart player. Uh makes a lot of good plays, so it’s easy playing with him out there for sure. The team take the last two performances. We sort of tried to turn the corner here. Yeah. Um I think we just got to realize when we’re at our best, that’s when we’re connected and playing fast. and last three games here have went to overtime. So, it’s a tight league and uh you know it’s a bounce here, bounce there and so we’re just looking to keep going and um you know pull out with some wins. What did you see from Scott Lton returning back to Guard? Yeah, very good to see him back and healthy. Uh obviously a great guy and a great teammate and you know good voice to have. So it was good to see him back out there for sure. What stood out to you about Joseph Wool this last stretch? Yeah, he’s kept us in the game a lot of times. So, we got to use that uh you know, his saves, his momentum, and just capitalize on our chances. When you’re going through a sneak bitten stretch, what have you found to be kind of the key? I think just staying positive. Obviously, it’s tough. You know, like I said, you bury one of them, you could have won the game, but yeah, you just got to try your best to stay positive. Like I said, it’s a tight league, so just got to keep going. You played in the Bell Center in the the rookie games, preseason. Like, what do you think it’ll be like Saturday night to get that full experience? Yeah. Uh just another game. uh obviously you know be a loud building but just treat it as another hockey game and try to get the two points. Lost tonight by what can your team take away from from the performance? Yeah, we played a I thought pretty solid game all around. Um thought guys worked and competed, you know, a lot did a lot of good things. Um overtime, you know, it’s the way it goes. top top line last minute of the game. What has DC done to earn your trust so quickly? Well, he’s he’s taken some good steps from day one. And um you know, he’s it’s like I he’s like a dog on a bone out there for me. Like he just works and skates and sees the ice extremely well. He’s being a lot more heavier on pucks and making good decisions with the puck. Um I thought he was played a really good game tonight. You see elements in the last two games that you think are trending in the right direction? Yeah, for sure. You know, we’re not, you know, we’re defending a lot better. We’re doing a lot of good things. Um you know, we needed to finish better tonight. You know, that’s really the the story. Um but, um yeah, so I think you know, things are going better and they’re going in a a good direction right now. We just got to keep working on it and keep building and get some healthy bodies back. Is still full. We get Scott back tonight. What do you think of him? Who? Scott Lton coming in for you guys. I thought he good. I thought he was really good tonight. Um, a lot of energy, skated well, killed penalties, created some offense, but just um, you know, he brings that tenacity the every shift, you know, with work. What did you like in particular about your for check tonight? Seemed a lot good good dumps, rims. We talked about it in. We got on it and created a bunch of stalls and got it back and um you know, a lot of good things, a lot of good things off our forward check. We talked about that before the game. Put pucks behind him all night. So, we did that. I thought we did a good job of it. Um again, we just we came up short tonight. Been a while since Dakota Merrmis found the back of the net. What was the the bench like? And oh, they’re excited. He’s very well-liked guy on our team. Um solid guy. Um you know, he’s come in and done a good job here for us as you know, with the injuries. Uh he’s played pretty well. Has Taris elevated any part of his game during this this start to the season that he’s had that you’ve noticed? Is it is it simply just business as usual? Are you noticing anything going up? Yeah, I don’t know if anything’s going up. I mean, he just wills his way around the ice. I mean, it’s like the effort he puts in every shift is remarkable. It really is. I mean, um, another solid performance from him. Are you checking in with him a lot on the bench just because of the minutes and everything? Like, do you ever sense he’s tired at all? Um, you know, I could tell sometimes. Um, you know, and I, it was great having Lton back cuz I didn’t need to use him, you know, against, you know, the Fantelli line all night. I used Lton’s line against them. Give them a little breather there and, you know, get them against different lines and different D pairs and not so many Dzone faceoffs either. No power play goals tonight like power play was good. I mean, I I’m not going to sit here and complain about we didn’t score on it. We did the right things to score and I thought it created momentum for our team.

Head Coach and players speak with the media following the Leafs’ 3-2 overtime loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.

00:00 John Tavares
03:54 Scott Laughton
08:16 Joseph Woll
10:45 Easton Cowan
13:01 Craig Berube

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