Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Post Game @ Florida Panthers | December 02, 2025

Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Post Game @ Florida Panthers | December 02, 2025

I don’t do it often, so it feels nice when you get one. Um, yeah, just I told Cowan and Robertson I was going to get one tonight and I actually did. So, um, the problems I tell myself that every game or I tell somebody that. So, it’s nice to contribute, but um, it was a big goal obviously at the at that moment. Give us a lead and we never looked back. So, um, just happy to help. Why do you do that? See it all the way. Pardon me. Did you see it going in? Yeah, that one I actually did. There’s a lot of ones where a screen might take your vision. That one I had eyes the whole way. So, it felt good to go in. Why do you do that and how long have you been doing that? Saying you’re going to get one every I don’t know. I just fake it till you make it almost type thing, you know, like give me the puck, I’m going to score and then most often I’m going glassing out. So, it was good to score tonight. Yeah, it felt good. What did Robertson say? Did they believe you? Uh they kind of like laughed right away, but then first TV timeout they came over and like you’re right. Yeah. What does it mean to this group just for the depth, you know, the balanced attack and and obviously you’re most proud, I’m sure, of the defensive effort the last couple of games, but to have have it spread around a lot, doesn’t it? Yeah, it’s huge. Um obviously it’s nice when different guys contribute offensively. it gives them, you know, some confidence as an individual player. But, um, the past two games, I think we doing a lot of like really good things away from the offensive side of it that might not get noticed in the public eye, but in that side, that rock locker room, we have, you know, we compliment each other all the time. So, seems like we got a little juice going right now after these two games. And, um, we have to continue it into Carolina. Like, our division is so tight and, um, it’s crazy how important these points are at this time of the year. What are you liking about that wall line and Dakota? How it’s coming together? Yeah, it’s great. Um K B and a Dzone draw just kind of looked at each other and three big boys at Alen skate so get the puck in the zone and let them hunt it down. So they’ve been playing downhill it seems like which is a benefit for anybody. Uh just makes the game that much easier and they’ve been doing a really good job. What have you noticed most about being Scotty Lton’s teammate? That guy is a beauty man. I heard a lot about him um before I got here through some mutual friends and he’s everything I heard if not more. So um just the ultimate competitor um gets rewarded tonight and off the ice is just a really good human being. I’ve haven’t been here too long but I have a lot of respect for him and the way he’s welcomed me and the way he leads inside that locker room. So uh yeah, just really impressed. Stood out maybe the most about the way your group went about their business tonight. Uh, I think skating and competitiveness. I think we’re we’re skating on pucks right away and then super competitive in battles. Four checks. Um, Dzone as well. Just killing plays and getting things moving. What’s this mean, do you think, to the team? Yeah, that’s a that’s a big one. Um, obviously there’s a bit of history here. Um, so I think it’s just something that we we can build off of and take that energy and ride that momentum. What does the balanced attack mean to you guys? kind of having maybe some unlikely guys or first goal of the year guys. Uh yeah, I think it’s I mean I think it’s just everybody contributing. Sometimes it it comes in waves um for certain guys and sometimes guys have been playing consistently well for a while and then um in games like this you kind of get everybody contributing up and down the lineup. What’s working well for your line right now? What do you like about how it’s coming together? Uh I think just consistent work. I think it’s like a few things. It’s skating out of Dzone. uh making sure we’re getting pucks behind and then just pushing the pace and then that competitiveness of being on pucks uh winning battles trying to get things to the net um going low to higher. You were doing a good job of shooting pucks and all those things are conducive to generating chances and and playing well. I think another solid effort by your goalender. I guess that’s not new but still appreciated. Yeah, it’s much appreciated. He’s uh he’s a professional and he’s been super consistent lately and it’s um sometimes when you get a goalie playing like that you almost you almost don’t recognize it cuz you it’s expected but it’s not easy to do that every night. Um so credit to him. Troy comes here on on waiverss now he’s logging big minutes like what has stood out most to you about how quickly he’s gelled with the group? Uh yeah he’s he’s a good guy to start um which is super easy to welcome him into the group but then he skates really well. you see him the way uh he’s mobile in the the offensive zone and he’s quick on pucks in the D zone to skate and make that first pass and it’s been really effective for us. What’s it like to see Scotty Lot get on the considering what he means to Yeah. Yeah, that was huge. Um timely goal too to kind of shut that one out. That was that was big for him and um super happy for him because he’s been consistently playing well. We saw the reaction. What did it mean to get your first of the season especially given just talking? Yeah, I was a little fired up. Uh big moment uh for our line to to try and get something going for us and uh late in the game there uh tight game and um but like I said before I think uh just a full team effort. We played quick. Uh we made it hard on him to to create and and Joe was great. So we’re going to have to continue to play like that and and uh that’s a recipe for success. We play like that we’ll win a lot more games. And it seemed like there was a lot of balance there and that’s maybe the second straight game where you could say that confidently spread around. Absolutely. I think uh having Stchch and and DJ and um I thought D was uh was great tonight moving up pucks, shooting. Um we recovered them pretty well. Uh we were moving in the ozone and um like you said, we’re getting it from from different guys which we need at uh at this time of year to to win games. So it was uh it was a good team win. We got to continue this and and we got one more against a really tough opponent again and uh we’re going to have to play that same way if they play really fast. Does it feel like the team has turned a corner here? I don’t know if we’ve turned a corner, but uh we’re we’re on the right track, right? It’s uh it’s hard to gain traction when you’re um kind of winning one, losing one, and and uh you string a couple together, you get some momentum in this league and and uh does a lot good for you. and and uh uh momentum is a big thing I think uh from game to game and and uh to get that confidence and and uh just continue that belief uh because we have it in the room. So uh we continue believing in one another. Um we’re going to have more nights like this. Stro would say he kind of feels like he’s fighting for his NHL life at the moment. Like what has impressed you the most about how he’s hit the ground running here? He’s been unbelievable. He’s a great guy in the room and uh he’s been around, you know, he’s he’s uh played and um he’s uh he plays hard and and uh he’s been really good uh with Cber back there on our PK and and uh creating offense for us, being simple with the puck and that’s what we need is is getting the puck uh into our forwards hands as quickly as possible and and going from there. So, he’s been uh he’s been awesome and I’m so happy for him uh to to see him doing this well. Scott, what’s the key to keeping this momentum going? If you could put your finger on one thing that says, “Boys, we need to bottle this. What is that?” Yeah, that’s a good question. I think uh just uh the way we played, I think, uh I know that’s probably not the best answer, but just I think uh playing fast like that, uh eliminating their chances, not spending as much time in our Dzone, I think, uh you get out of your Dzone as quickly as possible. We have a a ton of skill up front that can uh that can do some things. So, uh, we play fast like that. Florida makes you play fast. So, uh, they rim a ton of pucks. I thought Joe did a really good job of playing pucks tonight, but, uh, getting out of our Dzone and and, uh, getting in the ozone and then you make it hard on teams to come back into your zone. So, how much do you think rest might have factored into just kind of being a little crisper, cleaner? You guys really had a schedule up until Yeah. And then I think getting on the road and being all together is is awesome. I think uh, that’s kind of what it’s all about. So to get on the road here and have a little bit of a longer trip after being at home for so long, getting some bodies back in the lineup and and uh getting a little bit healthier. Um makes a difference. You get you get a little bit of rest in a couple days and and uh you go from there. But uh yeah, it’s been nice to get on the road and and uh be with the guys. Scott big guy doesn’t score a lot. when you get the first one out of the way, it’s changes your season in some ways. Yeah, it’s nice. I think uh I think we talked about it this morning, but uh it hasn’t come easy this year for me and and uh obviously not to start with with the injuries and everything like that. So hopefully this can uh give me a little spring in my step and and uh create a little bit more offense uh like what we’ve done on the PK, me and Stevie. And we got to continue to play that role. Make it hard on them and and uh make it hard on other teams in the D zone. But uh hopefully it gives uh gives me a little confidence there to to keep going to the team you Yeah, it was a big win for us. Just the ability to hold on to the lead and um you know there’s been a couple games that we’ve we’ve gotten the lead and let them slip away. So yeah, it was a big one for us and u we got to keep it going. Your line’s been clicking lately. What do you think is the key there that you can keep going? I think just, you know, being on the same page, close supporting to each other and just filling in um with one another has has worked well the last couple games and um you know, just continue to build off of it. Do for the group the last couple of games maybe not just with goals, but defensive efforts when it’s spread around as much as it has. I think just confidence-wise, seeing the the team that we can be when we’re all on board and all pushing in the same direction. Um, you know, can do a lot for a group and, uh, you know, everybody chipping in goes a long way. Troy comes here on waiverss now. He’s playing big minutes. What has kind of stood out how quickly he’s Yeah, just um how hard he plays in the simple direct game that he plays. He he doesn’t try to do too much. He he plays his role uh to perfection and you know, that’s what we need back there. And so uh yeah, we give kudos to him. He’s done a great job. We know what Scott means or at least we hear what he means from you guys to see him get rewarded with his first. What’s that mean for you guys? Yeah. Yeah, lots means a lot to this group. It was it was great to see him get one there and uh obviously, you know, kind of a tough start for him and um you know, once again does a lot for a group to to see him chip in and and get rewarded there. In consecutive games for you, do you feel like there’s momentum now building behind your game? Like how would you describe how you’re feeling? Uh yeah, I mean I I would say yeah, building building on it and um you know, it’s nice to see him go in and now uh you know, the hard part is continuing to do it. What goes through your mind when that penalty gets caught on you in the third? Yeah, that was that wasn’t a fun one to sit in the box for. Um but the guys did a great job killing it off for the for the team. Good win. I mean, I thought that everybody contributed tonight. Goalie was good. Solid game all around. you know, checked hard, physical, a lot of good things tonight. So, it’s good to see. Scott Lton mentioned the pace of the game. Are have you noticing that you guys are playing a little bit faster? Yeah, we were. Tonight was uh probably I would say one of the fastest pace games we played all year. Um I thought we just closed on people and checked and when we had pucks, we skated and attacked and our forward check was good tonight. So pace is uh pace was uh really good tonight. What do you like about that uh Nick Gu? Well, they’re just on it, you know, like they’re think, you know, Joshua and and McMahon are really been good on the walls in our zone and Wy does a great job being underneath and support and they get the puck and they when they go down in the offensive zone, whether it’s, you know, on an attack or they um have to for check, they’re heavy. you know, they’re doing a good job with their sticks and they’re on people and then they they hang on to pucks and uh in the offensive zone and they’re getting to the net and doing the job. So, they’ve been really effective. How important is a third line like that? Very important. You know, I they take a lot of Dzone faceoffs. Um, you know, match them up against people at times, you know, on the road and things like that. But, you know, that big heavy line like that really sets the tone for our team. I think in the NHL today, that puck moving defenseman is is more important maybe than ever before. Yeah. To get a guy on waiverss and to have him come in and do the kind of things that Troyy’s doing for you now, it almost seems impossible and yet you’re getting it. Yeah. I mean, he’s playing with a ton of confidence right now. Like very composed. Um him and McCabe look like they got instant chemistry right now, which is great. And they move the puck. They’re moving the puck extremely well. And like talk about pace. Stature plays with pace out there. Like I mean he closes on people. He skates. He he gets up the ice. He’s doing a lot of good things. And he’s got I don’t didn’t know a ton about him, but I watch him on the blue line in the offensive zone and he’s he moves his feet extremely well and gets shots through. And when you saw him walk in to your dressing room the first time you looked at him, do you think he was someone’s younger brother? Who? Someone’s younger brother. Well, yeah. I mean, like I said, I didn’t know a ton about him. Obviously, I’ve seen him play in the NHL and things like that, but um you don’t know a guy until you really get him a lot of times. I think you watch people play and you watch other teams play and he’s on you whatever. Until you get a guy, you don’t know the personalities. you know what he’s all about. But he this guy’s highly focused hockey player. He um very um team oriented and um brings a lot of energy to our to our team and like I said brings a lot of pace to our team back there. Patient can you be Craig with the power the five forward alignment as they work kind of through the kinks here? What’s that? How patient can you be with that five forward look on the power play as they kind of work through things? I became unpatient quickly. Listen, I get it, you know, but the game is tight, so I I switched it up next power play. You know, I’m not going to put our team in that situation again. Yeah, it’s Listen, power plays. We’re they’re working through things. Like, it’s tough right now. It’s not great. And, you know, all we can do is keep working through things and hopefully something starts to really click and, you know, it starts to get going in the right direction. Like I said, I focus on percentages on a power play. A focus on how the power play helps us every in game, every game. You know, it’s not always about scoring. It’s about creating momentum at times, too. Yeah, you want to score on it. And we need to start scoring on it, but at the same time, we just got to keep working away and find some chemistry with some guys and and get it clicking. How about Scott Lton tonight getting the goal and getting that off the back? Yeah. No, it was great that they they did a good job that shift. You know, it was a good forward check and a great play by Stevie. Throw it to the net right away. Um, you know, and lots did a good job at the net. So, like I said, everybody contributed tonight. Everybody was engaged in the game.

Head Coach and players speak with the media following the Leafs’ 5-1 victory over the Florida Panthers.

00:00 – Troy Strecher
02:36 – Bobby McMann
04:42 – Scott Laughton
09:03 – Dakota Joshua
11:03 – Craig Berube

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