Florida Panthers’ Brad Marchand refused a nickname a reporter got here up with after his staff’s win Sunday night time: “Maple Leafs Executioner.”
reported Monday the nickname was given to the 37-year-old Nova Scotia native by a reporter throughout a press convention after the Leafs have been eradicated in Recreation 7 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday night time in Toronto.
“I respect that, however no, I don’t have a look at it that means,” Marchand mentioned, as seen in a video shared by the
. “In the event you have a look at the previous, I haven’t performed nicely in Recreation 7s towards Toronto. Nobody participant wins something.
“I’ve simply occurred to be a part of good groups who’ve had the higher hand, however if you happen to traditionally have a look at the video games, I didn’t play nicely. It wasn’t me that beat them, it was our groups,” Marchand was quoted as saying.
Not solely did Marchand rating as soon as and added two assists in Recreation 7, however “he additionally made historical past by turning into the primary participant in NHL historical past to win 5 Recreation 7s towards a single franchise, 4 with the Boston Bruins and one now with Florida,” Athlon Sports activities reported.
Matthew Tkachuk on why Toronto Maple Leafs are dropping
Panthers’ ahead Matthew Tkachuk appeared as a visitor star on the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast on Monday morning and mentioned what he thinks is holding again the Leafs.
“Typically you’re feeling unhealthy for them as a result of they’ve some unbelievable gamers and an ideal staff,” the 27-year-old mentioned. “I used to be really saying this final night time to a few of the guys. If their staff was not in Toronto, coping with all of the loopy circus stuff exterior of it, they’d be an unbelievable staff and such a tough staff to play. They simply have a lot to cope with, and I really feel unhealthy.”
“We don’t need to cope with that in Florida,” Tkachuk added. “I really feel like that’s what makes me and my staff so fortunate. You nearly use that towards them. The strain that these guys need to cope with day in and day trip. I wasn’t shocked with how they performed. They’d stretches in these video games the place they performed very well. Have a look at final night time. That second half of the primary interval, they have been unreal. (Panthers goaltender Sergei) Bob (Bobrovsky) needed to come up large for us. They positively didn’t lay an egg in any respect. They performed us nicely. They took us to Recreation 7.”
“If their staff was not in Toronto coping with all of the loopy circus stuff exterior of it, they’d be an unbelievable staff.”@TKACHUKycheese_ really feels unhealthy for the Toronto Maple Leafs.https://t.co/R1k3PoiZ4Q pic.twitter.com/O7do2R7GNG
— Spittin’ Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) May 19, 2025
Tkachuk additionally spoke in assist of his good friend Auston Matthews, the Leafs’ star centre.
“I believe he’s been enjoying very well this complete sequence. He’s a drive at each ends. And I received to see his management on the 4 Nations and the way he leads by instance,” mentioned Tkachuk, as reported in The Leafs Nation.
Justin Bieber believes in Leafs: ‘I do know that is the staff to do it’
The Toronto Maple Leafs may need been eradicated from their Stanley Cup run, however they nonetheless have one fan who believes in them.
Life-long Leafs fan Justin Bieber and his spouse Hailey Bieber attended the Sunday night time recreation. Regardless of the stinging loss, the 31-year-old performer remained steadfast in his loyalty to the staff.
The Ontario native mentioned in an Instagram submit that he doesn’t bear in mind a time in his life when he wasn’t obsessive about the “leafsssss.” “This yr we made it farther than now we have in so lengthy and im completely satisfied about that I will be affected person cuz I do know that is the staff to do it,” Bieber wrote.
With the win, the Panthers will now face Carolina Hurricanes within the Jap Convention finals.
