Maple Leafs Full Media Availability | Pre Game @ Carolina Hurricanes | December 04, 2025

first long road trip of your NHL career. How have you found it so far? What’s it been like? Yeah, it’s been good. Uh good to spend time with the, you know, with the boys and I felt like it’s been good for us. You know, we’re looking to end it off on a good note here tonight. Favorite city so far? Probably Florida for sure. I mean, waking up beside the beach is super nice and uh yeah, just great weather and yeah, it was fun for sure. Favorite meal? Um probably uh what night? Monday night went to a spot in Florida with Robbie Merms and Misy and it was a really good steak, good Caesar salad. So definitely definitely there for sure. How do you feel about the line in in Florida? You know, Curt was talking about not a ton offensively, but you guys didn’t kind of push it. You know, you didn’t cheat or anything. How did you find Yeah, I felt like we played really good defensively. uh you know we had a couple chances obviously hard to create you know they’re a good team so just you know limit the chances against and uh try to create offensively but yeah obviously a good team but just happy to get the win there what’s mean to you tonight you know where you are right now you’re slowly earning the trust being put in you know positions where he does rely yeah it’s good I feel like helps my confidence a lot uh you know you get out there a lot and get to play a lot so just uh continue to keep playing simple keep generating chances and keep limiting them against and I should be good. You know, you continue to learn not only what’s the dialogue like between Yeah, we talk a lot. Uh he’s very good with that obviously, you know, really good coach and I’ve really enjoyed playing for him so far and uh it’s been good. So, just continuing to learn from him and uh talking to each other and just expressing how we both feel. Is there one thing that he’s really trying to impress upon you? Maybe it’s X’s and O’s, but maybe it’s just something about compete or or something different. Uh just there’s obviously a lot of little things, you know, you can always get better on, but for me and you know, uh just continuing to get better on the wall, uh making good wall plays, and that’ll lead to offensive chances. So, just continuing to do that, uh will help me out a lot. What went through your mind uh the other night when Troy Tester told you he was going to score? I believed him for sure. Uh he told me it was going to be high glove. So uh it was definitely not high glove but it worked. What stands out about the impact he’s been able to make since coming in here? Yeah, very uh very good player uh veteran. So he helps us out a lot. Good voice in the room and he’s been playing some really good hockey and very positive for us. What’s it like saucing the puck back and forth with Max there at the end of the skate? Yeah. Um his sauces are pretty good, I guess. Uh, you know, just little stuff like that. You learn every day, you know, continuing to just keep getting better and you do stuff with each each player. Pick up what they what they do after practice and it helps you out a lot. Last one for me. We saw they snuck in that video of the shin pads on the end. What’s going on? Is that a rookie initiation? What what happened there? Yeah, that’s just I don’t know. I got to wake up, I guess. I don’t know. It was just slippery up top, I guess. I don’t know. I was just unlucky, I guess. Maybe. John, what’s the biggest challenge you see in this Hurricanes team? Well, it’s similar uh the way they play to to Florida, just how much pressure they put on you all over the ice, how how well they skate. Um obviously been playing this way for a number of years and have a lot of continuity with their system and certainly obviously a lot of really good players. um throughout their lineup a lot of speed. So um you know we’re going to have to execute really well and going to have to skate uh really well ourselves. Road trip. What’s the key to maybe staying keeping the pedal down given the momentum we have at the moment? Yeah, I think there’s just uh just the continued sense of urgency. um continue to to play well, play better, continue to improve our game and understand uh how difficult just the league is and and I think the sense you’re getting this season, how tight it’s going to be. Um you know, whether it’s in our division, our conference, and leaguewide. Um no easy games, no easy points. And you know, we’ve had some uh stretches here where things haven’t gone our way or played our best that we got to keep building and earning the results that we’ve been getting here. on this road trip of the season. I’m curious what sort of impact Scott Lton has behind the scenes, what we don’t see in terms of the the spirit of the group on a road trip. Yeah, it’s a great point. I think uh his energy goes a long way. Uh keeping the mood light, I think just the enjoyment about being around him and the guys and and constantly kind of keeping everyone on their toes. Even on some of the mornings where it’s a little you feel a little groggy, a little uh not as fresh as maybe as uh you have some days or when you you know you’re on a long road trip and you got some quick turnarounds and all those sorts of things and you know all the travel logistics that uh come with it. He just uh brings a certain energy and uh attitude that um you know is a big part of our locker room. So it was great to see him get a big goal the other night um and just coincides really well with what he does on the ice. uh the type of person he is and teammate that he is off ice. Can you give an example when you say keep keep you on your toes? What do you mean by that? Yeah, there’s just always uh there’s always something coming around the corner. Uh no matter what time of day uh scenario, situation, he’s just always got got something to say, something to keep you honest with. and um you know he’s just uh like I said just got a phenomenal energy and uh tremendous leadership qualities to him uh about bringing guys together um keeping things light having fun with one another. Um so yeah, I think he’s just uh you just always got to know something’s probably coming. Do you guys feel like you’re you maybe turned the corner here on the season? Is the mood so much better at the end of the trip now than it was at the beginning? Well, I don’t think we ever look at it as, you know, we’ve turned the corner. We got a lot of hockey here to play and we got to got to keep working at it and keep getting better and um keep earning results, but I think we obviously feel better where our game is trending and where it’s headed and and you know how we got to continue to stay on that and like I said, continue to get better. So, um, certainly, you know, we always try to focus on one day at a time and and not try to let one game or, you know, even a string of games influence too much of how you feel or how you think, but no doubt when you’re earning results, I think naturally, it just allows you to play a little more instinctive, a little bit looser. Um, so I I think yeah, the continuity of the group, I think, is continuing just to kind of come together and get stronger. uh guys finding success uh within their roles or identity, our team identity, how that’s still, you know, been developing and coming together. So, I think just some of those things are coming together and we just have to keep at it. What are you appreciating about how that Joshua McMahon line is coming together? Yeah, I think you know just the impact they’ve made uh last couple games and certainly the way they played the other night um not just offensively which obviously uh is great to see and uh you know very capable capable players of uh being uh productive offensively and have certainly shown that throughout their careers and uh this season. But um just uh difficult to play against in in all facets in all areas of the game with and without the puck. Uh the speed, you know, the strength and the size. Um just hard on pucks and and little details of the game that just put us in good spots shift to shift and certainly uh the way they carry momentum. What’s the biggest challenge against Jordan Stall and faceoffs? Yeah, I mean obviously uh his experience uh but the size and leverage that he has um with obviously someone that I remember going up against Rod Brymore for a long time, a tremendous uh faceoff guy that uh um certainly has probably had a good influence on him. Um and you add that with you know the the physical attributes and um you know his hockey IQ and all those sorts of things. It’s uh obviously always a tough test. uh got to be at your best and your sharpest uh against a guy like Stall on the dot. Nick, what did uh what did you like about the team’s performance in Florida? Um I think it was a full full 60 minutes for one. Um I think we the breakouts were pretty good, so we spent more time in the uh in the offensive zone and when we got there, we um hold on to pucks, make plays. Um yeah, so I think overall was a a really good performance. What do you do you notice about Joshua and how he’s elevated the last couple games? big guy, can skate. Um, obviously good hands there on on his goal in tight. Um, I think he’s when he’s skating all over the ice like like he did last game and the last couple games, he’s he’s a a really good player. He’s proven in this league. So, uh, he’s also really fun to play with. So, um, yeah, good for him for sure. When you reach the end of what sounds like a pretty long road trip and focused on whatever it is you’re trying, what are some of the key things that a group has to keep in mind? Yeah. Uh obviously good road trip so far, but uh you want to finish strong. Um big challenge for us tonight. So a little bit of the same mentality as we had last game. Uh be hungry in those uh those battles. Uh breakouts are going to be important. Um stay disciplined, all those kinds of things. So uh it’d be it’d be good to have a a really good performance tonight. Do you feel like you guys have maybe turned the corner or is it too soon to make that call? It’s tough. I mean, you just we take it one game at a time. Um, we’ve been playing really good lately. So, um, just got, like I said, keep that same mentality. Try to play your best hockey and take it game by game. What stands out about the Hurricanes? Fast team. They play with a lot of a lot of pace. Uh, four lines. Um, you know, at home they’re going to be uh they’re going to be coming. So, um, but again, it’s it’s about us. It’s about how we we want to play. Um, if we’re going the in the breakouts and spend a lot of time in the offensive zone, we should be fine. How much did uh for you personally getting a few games off to to rest and recuperate benefit your game, do you think? Uh, it’s tough to say. You never want really want to have those uh you always want to play all the games. I think I was uh I was I found my game a little bit before uh before the injury. So, um well, I’ve been feeling really good also on the since I came back. So, um, honestly, it’s, uh, it’s tough to answer. You never want to want really want to miss any games. So, what’s working well for you at the dot face offs? I mean, it goes, honestly, it goes by sequence. Some sequence it’s it’s better. Some sequence a little bit tougher. It’s a a really good one. One right now. Um, try to be simple out there. Be strong. Um, it’s it’s a really uh important part of the game. So, you got to try to keep uh being good at it. How tough is Stall on faceoffs? Yeah, I’ve learned uh I’ve learned from him. Obviously, I was drafted here. I learned a lot from this guy. He’s he’s really strong on draws. Uh really good defensively as well. So, good player in this league. Um it’s going to be a good match up for sure on the on the faceoff dot. What’s something you’ve learned from him? Faceoffs. On faceoffs. Um, being two big guys, I think, uh, you got to be at that bottom hand’s got to be has got to be strong and he’s really tough to, uh, I guess to to win those those battles. He’s really strong on the dots. So, um, that’s what I learned from him. What do you like about how the lines come in together? Uh, Craig was saying like you’re almost like setting the tone, you guys. Yeah, we feel we feel good. Three big guys. I can skate and make plays. Um, keep it simple as well. So, um, no, I think we can be we can be hard to play against. Uh, spend a lot lot of time in the offensive zone. Uh, be net front presence as well. Um, take some defensive zone, uh, face offs. Uh, get that puck out of the zone. So, uh, we can play in a lot of different situations and, um, yeah, we like that challenge for sure. Craig, what’s the the key to finishing up when you know, you know, it’s been a long one. There’s some momentum here and I guess maybe just a sense of their message. You want them to be mindful. Yeah, urgency, I think. You know, just coming out and being urgent right away. You we know how they play and they’re going to come at you and again, it’s about beating the pressure tonight. A lot like Florida. So, it’s got a good opportunity for our team. Um, just about starting the game on time and being urgent right away and and um making strong plays with the puck. Do you feel like the team has turned the corner? I don’t know. Yeah, it’s probably a little early. I mean, we’re we’re playing some lot better hockey and um Just got to keep building on it. Um can’t take your foot off the gas, you know. We got to keep staying with it and keep pushing here. Joseph in that. Yes. How easy of decision is that with the way he’s been rolling? You know, I mean it’s Yeah, I mean it’s he he had a day yesterday and um he’s been rolling good and he’s feeling good. So, I think you know when you communicate with him and how he’s feeling, where he’s at from a physical standpoint and a mental standpoint, that was pretty easy decision. In the same lineup, I take it. Same lineup. Yes. What do you want your team to remember about the last game against Carolina or do you want them to remember anything? Well, we had the lead. Um, you know, and then we kind of just opened things up and it was like a river hockey game for me. But, um, we can’t play that way against this team. Again, you’re going to have to have patience in your game because they’re coming so hard with pressure a lot. You’re going to have to flip pucks. You’re going to have to chip things out. It’s a little ugly at times, but that’s okay. You just keep staying with it and you’ll get your breaks eventually and and we’ll get some looks. So staying more patient than we did last time we played him. Nicholas was just saying he feels like this faceoff game is coming together. What do you like the way the way your team approaches faceoffs and is able to gain possession right away? Yeah, I think they I think big part of it is they work at it a lot. We work at it with them a lot and you know whether it’s through video and um or just in practice. And I think um you know this team’s been a good faceoff team for a number of years now.

Players and Head Coach address the media ahead of tonight’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

0:00 – Easton Cowan
3:24 – John Tavares
8:27 – Nicolas Roy
12:20 – Craig Berube

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