Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Post Game vs. St. Louis Blues | November 18, 2025

Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Post Game vs. St. Louis Blues | November 18, 2025

What stood out about how the team was able to snap the stop here tonight? We just thought we were resilient all night. Um, you know, we spoke after the first uh, you know, one goes off our own twig in the net. You know, it could have been like, oh, here we go again kind of thing, but, you know, we stuck with it. Um, second period I thought was one of our better seconds until I started taking penalties and kind of messed up the flow there. But, uh, yeah, third period I thought, you know, we we checked really well tonight. um you know responded to some adversity throughout the night and um you know Johnny making one hell of a play there threeon one to maintain possession and uh Mo giving it over to Willie and letting uh 88 do his thing out there. Um was a nice one to you know a relief for sure to to collect both points. Maybe you just touched on relief reaction uh on the bench or on the ice. What did you just as a group feel when you saw that one go over it? Yeah. No, just relief. um doesn’t mean much. I mean, we still got a long way to go here to keep building our our identity and building with this group. And um yeah, I just I thought everyone really contributed up and down the lineup. I thought our forwards worked their worked their butts off all night for checking back, you know, tracking through the neutral zone. Um I thought defenseman did a pretty good job protecting the middle of the ice, too. So, um you know, Troy Ser, I thought, you know, played phenomenal stepping in new team. Um he was excellent all night. which way did he stand out for you cuz it looked like he was pretty involved. Just poise poise with the puck skating. Um just simple plays and um it made a difference. I I think uh you know, he gave us a little spark on the back end and uh he was vocal too. You know, he’s he’s not some young guy coming in here. You know, he’s been around and um you know, we want to make sure he feels comfortable here and I thought that was a like I said, I can’t speak highly enough about him because he was excellent tonight. What’s your sense of the group been through this chance? Just through the last 7 to 10 days, how you guys have stuck together or tried to at least? Yeah. No, I think uh you know, it was nice to get on the road in Chicago, spend some time together, and um yeah, it’s I mean, it’s no surprise. It’s been tough sledding here, losing leads and not closing games out. So, to get this one was a, like I said, was a relief. But, um you know, we’re not going to be satisfied just getting one win. I mean, that’s a big monkey effort back in the sense, but we got to start stringing them together and stringing efforts like that together. couple of games for Joe Wall. What’ you make from him tonight? Phenomenal. Um I spoke about it last game too in Chicago. Just super composed back there making making big saves when we needed it. And um you know he’s been great with the puck too. I think that’s like an underrated trait as a goalie. Um getting clean exit helps us get clean exits. It’s like I know third defensive back there at times. So um Joe’s been excellent. So it’s been great to see him back u battling with us. What impression did Quillin make on you tonight? Quen? Yeah. I thought he was great too. Um, you know, he’s stepped in and he used his attributes to, you know, best of his ability with his speed and his size. I thought he was tenacious on the for check. He was physical. Um, you know, he played with lots of jam tonight and that was great to see. With all the forward injuries, is there a little extra focus on the Dore to generate some positive offensive momentum, too? Not really, to be honest with you. Um, I’m never going out there thinking I got to produce offensively. It’s not my job. It’s obviously nice when you do contribute and I want to make good plays when I do get the chance to, but uh it’s more important to keep the puck out of our net and um you know guys are getting more opportunities up and down the lineup, more ice time um which is uh you know guys are kind of run with that and you know sometimes it’s when you’re playing 8 minutes it’s hard to get that uh you know your feet going whatever it may be but I think guys that uh been getting a little bit more minutes than they used to are taking advantage of it and and um providing us with the spark with with the depth of our team. Did you wonder what the first call on you and the second? Honestly, like I don’t know. I think I have a case for both of them, but also they’re they’re borderline and um I can’t disagree with them. So, um yeah, don’t get me in trouble now. How would you describe the significance of this one tonight, this win? Yeah, it’s no secret how big that one was for our group. Um everyone knows what’s going on. It’s hasn’t been the the greatest little stretch here for us, but you know, carving out a win like that one tonight, especially with so many guys out, it’s definitely uh a vote of confidence for our group. And, you know, that’s why guys are extra extra happy tonight. Just the way you get you get news that Matthew wasn’t going to play. At that point before the game, you’re just like, “All right, you know, rally around this somehow.” I mean, you just keep getting dealt this troubling news. It’s tough and that’s kind of the nature of the business. And um we kind of spoke about it this morning even before we knew Nazi was out. there’s it’s an opportunity for guys to to step up and and fill a role that they might not be you know as used to of as of late but u you know you could see I think a lot of guys put a lot more minutes tonight than they’re you know used to and um guys did a great job there’s definitely some some things we can touch on in video some some still giving up some oddman rushes and stuff like that but we were very happy with our effort and and some of the plays the second efforts all over the ice it was just a lot of positives to take away too what kept things on the rails after the tough one at the beginning there inadvertently in your own net the other way, but you guys put forward into that. No, we almost just laughed it off. It It was kind of just a sign of how things have been going for us lately. Even, you know, the past few games we’ve lost by one goal, even though it’s been a little bit self-inflicted, I think um we almost rallied around it and just said, you know what, that’s, you know, it’s it’s early in the game and we just got to shake that one off. That’s a game of hockey. You know, you’re not always going to win three or four to nothing. You might give up one up early and um credit to us guys for just sticking with it. Everyone, I think looked up and down the bench and we were just like, “You know what, boys? Let’s just take a deep breath here. It’s not the end of the world. We know how things are going, but we’re going to bounce back.” And we did. With that in mind, then all of a sudden, Willie gets the sweet redemption, right? Just the reaction. Yeah, Willie had a couple tonight as we were joking about, but uh second one was a little nicer, but um yeah, he stepped up big for us when we needed him. And um Johnny with a, you know, one-on-ree battle after playing, you know, heavy minutes tonight to be able to do that in the extra frame. you know, I think he was double shifting in OT2 in the last 10 minutes of the third. So, it’s just that, you know, that leadership that he brings, the qualities like that, that second, third efforts against, you know, three three top players in their team to be able to win that battle and obviously a world class play by Willie, but that that goal was, you know, huge for a group. It’s a big win for us to contribute with the goal and the nice play by Sam to make that happen. Yeah, it feels great to to be able to contribute on the score sheet, you know, even though that’s not necessarily what I’m known for. you know, I have those capabilities to be able to chip in, but I think that play was all Sammy driving down the wall. Uh, he plays a heavy game. Um, you’d see the way he hits guys like, you know, he’s got a lot of weight behind those hits and, um, carried the puck up the ice and I think he just made a nice cut back, threw a nice saucer pass, landed right on my blade, and I was lucky enough to put it by. What did you make of Quillin’s game this one? Quill looked great tonight. I think he’s gained a step, too. Um, for a young kid, I think it’s only a second game for him. Uh, the guys were very excited for him. Um, he’s all over the ice. center is not an easy position to play in this league and and to be able to play, you know, a handful of minutes like he did tonight. Even more and didn’t mean a handful, he played more than a handful of minutes and he looked comfortable out there. So, he was taking pucks through the middle of the ice, which is, you know, it can be overwhelming a little bit as a young guy, but for him to show that kind of maturity in his game, it’s uh it’s great to see. What’s it been like for you to play center, play more minutes, be leaned on for faceoffs? How have you found it? Yeah, it’s it’s definitely an adjustment when you’re switching, you know, wing to wing is um it’s a little bit easier. you’re playing the walls, but uh when you’re playing center, you’re coming through the middle of the ice. You’re approaching different battles from different directions. And um it just kind of takes a few shifts to to get comfortable with it again. And again, you know, and I was a natural center growing up. So, um it just takes a few circumstances and situations to to be able to, you know, correct myself, talk to the defenseman, and um kind of get into a rhythm. What did you make of Troy’s game? Troy was great tonight. um mobile defenseman, you know, undersized, but he’s not afraid to go into those corners and he was winning puck battles and, you know, a stick on puck and just taking taking guys bodies and taking their hands away to not be able to make plays. It was uh it was great to see. So, we’re really happy to have him. What was it like to taste victory again here? Yeah, pretty sweet. Um pretty nice to win at win at home with the fans like that and um yeah, always try to look around, take it in really when when we win like that, especially in overtime. What was it like watching John and Willie do their thing? I just had the emotions just seeing that. He’s a beast. John in the corner and um was just kind of mesmerized watching. Well, fired me up. So, pretty cool. Tough one at the beginning there. I saw Willie came back and gave you a little word there. What did he say to you after that one? Uh not much. Like he made up for it. So, all good. All square. One 10 one. What says it about his personality that he’s able to shrug stuff like that off? Yeah. I mean, that’s that’s elite. Um he uh you know his his persona is kind of a superpower, right? Like he’s he’s able to stay pretty even keeled in whatever moment of the game and whether or not he scores on our net or their net, he’s he’s pretty much the same. So pretty awesome. What did you think of the group’s just the resiliency? I know when you’re down early and then you got to dig in and you get some news about lineup. You don’t have Matthew as well. Just the way the group kind of stayed with it and battled. Yeah, I mean it’s a similar game to uh to Chicago, right? a tight game like that and um just sticking to our game plan um doing our thing and you know we came out on top tonight. What was the feeling coming into this one for the group in general? Obviously it’s not going you guys want um you know I I think everything I preach when I’m up here is is we just stick to our process and um we know we’ve been successful in the past and we know that our process works. So, um, from a team perspective, it’s just do what we know. Um, do what we’ve done and same from from an individual perspective on on my part. The same Jake was talking about how Troy Stet came in and was immediately vocal. What did you make of the night that he had today in his team debut? Yeah, it’s uh it’s great to have him back there. He’s great dude and um him and Merms are a nice pair. What was it like to beat St. Louis, your hometown team, first time? Yeah. Yeah, pretty sweet. Um, two pretty cool games these first two games playing United Center and then playing in St. Louis. So special one. There always a lot of friends and family watching when it’s in St. Louis and it’s like on Yeah, I imagine a few messages. Yeah. Cool. What did this uh win mean to the team, you think? Yeah, I think it was uh you know a nice win after the tough stretch that we’ve had. So I mean just battling and competing to grind out a win was nice about the resiliency. I know it didn’t start off the way the group wanted, but just the idea that like what it kind of stuck with it no matter who was in the lineup. Yeah, I think that’s what is needed to be uh to be a good team and to be able to win those kind of games. And you know, we were uh you know, losing a lot of games, losing guys. So, I mean, that’s a lot of adversity right there. So, learn from the process. Your first goal snip. No, I don’t I was uh to be honest, I don’t even know what I was thinking, but it was a little bit reactionary, I think, but it was nice to feel back in that early. What did you say uh to Joseph after? I said sorry. You said it’s all good. I said thank you. Did you make the work that John did to say? Yeah, I mean uh one on three down there in the corner and you know, coming out with that puck, uh you know, were able to win the game. What do you think of what Joseph’s been able to do since coming back in? Yeah, he’s been like his uh the normal self, you know, making huge saves, you know, being the right ball back there. You said your superpowers to just let stuff roll off your back. What you know, it’s been a rocky time. You you understand the roller coaster of this market. I mean, how do you stay so level? I mean, I think you have to and I think that’s something that uh you’ve learned uh playing here and you know, there are ups and downs always in every season. Um if it’s team or personal or whatever, I mean, it happens. So, we just got to stay even. What did you see from Jacob Quillin and Troy Dutch joining the lineup in this one? Yeah, I think they played a played a great game. Um you know, it’s tough coming. I mean from the Marlies playing her first game with the Leafs and then coming from a completely different team and I think they did a tremendous job uh looked like they had played here for for the entire season. When did you know guys wasn’t going to be able to play uh before the game? Yeah. Like how does the team kind of rally around maybe something like that whereas you could be like not another guy out but felt like guys kind of picked themselves up there. Yeah. I mean I think that I mean stuff like that happens. I mean, it’s happened before. So, um, yeah. What are you going to do? What stood out about how the team found a way to Yeah, B? I thought we battled hard. Like, you know, guys were competitive. Um, I thought that uh our checking game was pretty good for for the most part uh throughout the game. Managed the game well. Um, really liked our first period. I mean, yeah, it was a lot of good. Wool was really good and um, you know, we had a lot of guys in there that, you know, are new and haven’t played, but I thought they did a good job. Things more. What do you think they first? Who’s that? You say things haven’t been going mild in general. What do you think when the first one goes in tonight? Well, I didn’t quite get the whole play, but um I mean, we put it in ourselves. It’s just, you know, it’s what it is. But, you know, I I get I it happened, but the bench was good and the bench was like there’s good energy on the bench tonight. Real good energy. So, I was it was good to hear guys chatter after that and I just kept playing. What kept the eyes out of the game tonight? Lower body. Uh this morning he wasn’t uh you know I wasn’t sure if he was going to play or not. So I told Sammy to be ready and u he came here uh tonight uh nice and couldn’t go. When did get hurt? When did he get hurt? He’s had a lingering thing for a while and it got worse today. What What happened with Blaze on that check in the corner or he he you know he body contact and then um he was kind of like coughing up blood and stuff so to go in. What did you think of the play in overtime to end it? John and then will he do? Oh, I mentioned it to the team because that’s what he’s all about and um that play there symbolizes John Tiver. Threeon-one keeps the puck alive. You know, Morgan gets in there quickly and makes a play and you Willie does what he does. What’ you make of Troy Ster’s effort? Good game. Skated, moved the puck well, competitive, all the things like we know of him, but I I really liked his feet tonight. And I thought he was uh aggressive, moved moved his feet really well. What sort of growth have you seen in Quillin’s game since last year? Yeah, I thought from well last year to this year a lot of growth. What I saw tonight in him in the game um you know just comfortable and confident in his play. You like I said his speed is dangerous. He got behind our D a couple times, but uh overall I thought he was pretty good player for us tonight. What did getting a win tonight mean to you considering the five game skid, considering the opponent? Yeah. No, for sure. It’s always nice to end the skid and but you know, when I look at the team and everything going on with the injuries and everything, it would could have been easy for our guys to say, “Well, we’re all banged up. We got nobody.” But I didn’t get that at all. And our guys competed really hard tonight. I’m proud of them the way they competed and stuck together out there for the game.

Head Coach and players speak with the media following the Leafs’ 3-2 overtime victory over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.

00:00 – Jake McCabe
03:57 – Steven Lorentz
08:00 – Joseph Woll
10:11 – William Nylander
12:39 – Craig Berube

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