Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Post Game @ Nashville Predators | December 20, 2025

Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Post Game @ Nashville Predators | December 20, 2025

I don’t know. I feel like we had a we had a good start. Played uh very very well. We played our game in the first period and seems like uh we kind of sit back when we when we have the lead and then we just wait to see what they what they bring to us instead of uh keep pushing and trying to get the next one. So, a little bit of the the same story I guess today. How much is that frustration from how things have been lately or being afraid to make a mistake given the recent performances that you guys >> as you say sitting? >> Yeah, I mean it’s tough. Uh there’s definitely a shift we got to do mentally where um you never want to play not to lose. Uh you want to play to win. So not sit back I think play our game, impose our game. Um I think we we’re playing a little too much. Uh we don’t want to lose. Um, so we’re we’re just waiting for them to um come at us and then and then we react from there. So, um, just got me more confident, go back to come back to our game. >> That sit back. Why why do you think that has happened that sit back? >> Well, I mean, most of the time it’s just we when we have the lead um you you don’t want to give up a goal, which is uh why you don’t take as many risk. Um, you you have good numbers coming back, but also what happens is is is you leave the the outside alone. So you spend you spend more time in the defensive zone. So you don’t want that as well. So you got to attack more. You got to keep uh bringing pressure so you can spend more time in the defensive zone. It’s not dangerous when you’re when you’re there to get scored on. So um just got to play the same game when we’re when we got the lead. >> How would you describe the mood of the group right now? >> I mean it’s not great. Um obviously wanted to push back from from last game. I think we we did for a little bit there, but we couldn’t we couldn’t get the win. So obviously um it’s not great, but good news we got a game tomorrow. So we just got to uh reset and get back at it. >> In the game tonight in your estimation, >> yeah, I mean uh I thought we played fine. Uh just couldn’t uh couldn’t score there. Uh it was tight game and it was tight. I mean going into third 22 and it’s what you want on the road uh to be in that position. We just couldn’t couldn’t get the job done. What was the message in the second intermission? >> You know, just follow our game plan and make sure we uh play hard and uh put lots of pucks behind them and go get them and uh uh try to play smart hockey and then it will it will come eventually, but didn’t. >> How did it feel to get the assignment today? It been a while since you you’ve been able to play in a game here. >> Yeah, I mean obviously everyone wants to play, right? Like no one wants to be out sitting the breast box. So, it was it was good to get uh back in there today. >> How would you describe just this season in general for you being in and out of the lineup? Like me mentally, how have you dealt with that? >> Yeah, obviously it’s not what you want. >> Where do you think things kind of got away from the third? >> Uh it’s I mean I think we started off well. I don’t know. I think we just gave him too many rush chances. Um you know, they got by us, got some onman rushes and and they capitalized on it. >> How disappointing is this one considering what happened in Washington? >> Very disappointing. Why is it so difficult to protect the lead tonight? >> I don’t know. I think maybe mentally because, you know, just how things have been going, maybe overthinking it or I don’t know. I think uh just execution. I think we just got to be better and hopefully be better tomorrow. >> How have you felt about your game over the last little while here? >> Yeah, I’m happy with it. I think uh ever since being scratched, I think uh got some momentum after that and and I just want to continue. >> How do you how do you guys keep things light or positive going forward here after these couple? I think just sticking together as a group, not kind of getting too down on ourselves. Um, you know, the only way up from here is just going forward. I mean, we can’t dwell on this game. We literally have a game tomorrow, so we got to be ready to go against a good team. >> Is that mental piece like the biggest hurdle for this team right now? >> Um, I can’t speak for the other guys, but um I mean, it’s there. I mean, it’s we we haven’t had that much uh success as of late. So, um we’re definitely capable of it and um you know, we got to start winning some games. >> You guys have been outshot quite a few games. Why do you think generating offense has been such a challenge this year? >> Um I don’t know. I think maybe just not shooting it off obviously. Um you know, we got so much talent in this locker room to to get more goals, to get more uh production, and it’s just kind of the way it is. I mean, um you know, we have the guys to do it. I think it’s just more of maybe a shot more shot mentality that we need to have. >> Kind of kind of interesting about calling new power play units. What do you think of that? Do you think that could help jump start things? >> Maybe. I mean, uh, I think we only had one power play today. I thought both both units were good. Um, again, we got to get that going to help us out. >> How much are you looking forward to going to Dallas? >> Yeah, I mean, look forward to, but we got a big game tomorrow. >> So, how do you assess this tonight? >> Uh, you know, I thought we had a better process tonight, honestly. I thought, you know, we had the puck more um made more plays, allowed our forwards to kind of come through the neutral ice a little bit more. Um, you know, I think when you’re making adjustments kind of on the fly, um, it’s not going to be perfect right away, but, um, you know, I thought our process was much better. Obviously, I would like to have that one back at the end of the second and then on the third, um, you know, they kind of had the momentum a little bit more and then obviously you get down and you’re kind of uh, trying to chase it back, but um, I definitely think um, you know, tonight there was much more positives uh, than the previous couple games. >> A lot of games you guys have been outshot. Why do you think generating offense, sustaining offense has been such a challenge? >> I don’t know. It’s a good question. Um, you know, like I said, I thought our process was better tonight. I thought we had the puck more. Um, we got to do a better job of getting shots through, getting guys at the net and creating, you know, second, third chance opportunities, not just, you know, one and done um, opportunities. But, um, you know, it’s definitely something that we can definitely work on. It’s, you know, been an issue throughout parts of this season, but um, you know, we definitely want to be a team that’s, you know, outshooting the other team. You want to be able to sustain ozone pressure, um, shoot and get pucks back and create those second, third chance opportunities. >> You guys before you were talking about how difficult it is mentally right now. What’s your sense of the group mentally right now? >> I mean, I think mentally we’re fine. I thought tonight, I mean, as it is losing, um, you know, like I said, I thought the process was better. I thought we had good energy all night. Um, and even though you’re you’re leaving the rink, uh, you know, upset, um, you know, not getting, uh, not coming out with any points, uh, in tonight’s game, I mean, I think just the the process that we had throughout, um, is something that we can take and move forward with some of the good things that we did do and continue to channel that and just be better throughout full 60 minutes of doing those things. >> Why do you think it was so difficult to hold the lead tonight, especially? >> I don’t know. I mean, they won the battle on special teams. Um, like I said, you want, you know, you want to go into the third up up a goal and, you know, we go in there tied and, um, you know, they they get one there and then, um, you know, you got half a period left and you’re trying to trying to generate and, um, you know, they did a good job kind of taking care of the front of their net there in the third. Um, you know, we weren’t able to get another opportunity on on special teams and then you’re just kind of chasing it, right? So, um, you know, I thought the first two periods were pretty solid and then the third, uh, you know, just kind of tough to get stuff going, especially with them up a goal. >> It was just a one opportunity, but what did you make, uh, what did you make of the new power? No, >> it’s good. I mean, sometimes you got to mix things up, switch things up. I thought, you know, the one opportunity got had a really good look um, you know, with Robbie there in the middle and, you know, the more repetitions you get, the better um, more comfortable guys are going to feel with each other. But, um, you know, it’s good to mix things up like that sometimes. Troy Cetcher mentioned that there’s been a lack of joy among the group lately. Like as one of the leaders, what can you do to help build that? >> I mean, I think just bringing energy every day. I thought tonight we had great energy from warm-ups to the drop of the puck throughout the game, even in the third period. I mean, guys were were chatter, a lot of chatter on the bench. Uh, a lot of energy. Um, and like I said, you you you’re on the wrong side of it tonight. But, um, you know, that part of that part of the game, that part of, you know, the room can’t can’t lack. And you know, we just got to continue to bring bring that energy um throughout the whole locker room and make sure guys are up and ready to play at you tonight. >> And just on that note, like what’s the stretch been like for you personally? >> I mean, it’s never easy. It’s never fun. Um you know, you just got to mentally grind through it. It’s one of those things um you know, that I’ve I’ve been through before and you know, you just you learn to deal with it. You learn to just kind of work harder to get yourself out of it. Um when you’re going through a tough stretch individually, tough stretch as a team. Um, you know, the the best thing to do is just, you know, continue to fight through that that adversity and, you know, pick guys up when they’re down. And I know guys got my back, too. So, you know, just keep grinding through. >> How much is your belief in this group being challenged right now? >> I don’t think the belief’s being challenged. Obviously, when you go through rough stretches, it’s never fun. And, um, you know, it can wear on you. Um, for sure. Um, you know, I think that’s natural. Like I said, it’s, you know, trying to be mentally mentally strong as a group. mentally strong as individuals to to fight through ad adversity and continue to pick each other up and and have each other’s back and make sure that the next game, you know, we continue to bring it, continue to stick with that process and just be better. >> Frank, where did this game come from? >> Yeah, I mean, I think that goal, that late goal we gave up uh in the second period, you know, was avoidable. Um third goal is avoidable. Um, I thought that our team, you know, did a lot a lot of things better tonight with the puck. I thought that we advanced the puck out of our zone through the neutral zone. I think our decision making’s got to be better in um getting over the red line. There’s plays to be made, make them. If not, I thought we kind of forced things there too much. But, uh, you know, again, you know, a lot of good things. We didn’t finish enough on some of our opportunities. And um like I said, the goals they got were mistakes. >> Just on that, why was it so difficult to hold the lead tonight, a two-1 lead after the Tvaris goal? >> Um I don’t know if it’s difficult. I said like you know that we we gave up a four on four goal with a minute 20 to go in the second period. Um I don’t you know there’s no reason for that. >> I think that’s a product of just what the team is. >> Yeah, it is. It’s mental for sure. Um, you know, we got to get through it. We got to get over that. We got to be got to make better decisions at u throughout the game. >> What progress did you see tonight? >> Puck movement was a lot better. And then I thought, like I said, we broke pucks out of our zone through the neutral zone, made plays. Um, you know, there was there was some really good offensive zone shifts where we possessed pucks and moved it around. Well, now I still think that we can shoot. We got to shoot more and we got to, you know, have more shot volume. not enough. Um, but like I said, you know, we we these were the self-inflicted mistakes on our own. >> Just one power play, but what did you think of of the new units that you created? >> Well, they were fine. They had we created two or three great aes off it. And that’s a good PK over there. They pressure hard. They don’t give you a lot of opportunity, but I thought that we handled it well. Um, I think I saw good things out of both units. A >> few guys have talked about mentally how difficult this stretch has been. What’s it like for you like trying to motivate this team when mentally they seem to be >> I don’t have an issue motivating the team and and looking at things and correcting and being positive at the same time. That’s my job. So I don’t it’s not it’s not difficult for me, you know, but uh like I said, we got to we got a game tomorrow, so we got to clean a few things up and u go play a real good team. >> What did you make of this game? >> He was really good. uh made plays, skated, hung on the pucks. You know, he was good tonight. >> I was now a ton to sit Max again. >> It’s just decisions that I got two extra forwards and um you know, Michelle sat out a while. Yarn’s been out a bit. You know, I you know, for me it’s like I want to, you know, I think I don’t know if it’s game to game or whatever it is. I got to make decisions on lineup. >> You’ll see more changes tomorrow. >> Possibly back-to-back games. Could see some changes. Yes, we got, you know, three fresh bodies out. We’ll see. >> Thank you.

Coach and players speak with the media following the Leafs’ 5-3 loss to the Nashville Predators on Saturday.

00:00 – Nicolas Roy
01:53 – Matias Maccelli
02:56 – Nick Robertson
04:53 – Auston Matthews
09:28 – Craig Berube

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