Brad Marchand Stuns Leafs Fans With Unexpected Compliment for Maple Leafs after Consecutive Losses
Photo credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Florida Panthers star Brad Marchand surprised in giving his praise to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Brad Marchand, who has been a thorn in the side of the Toronto Maple Leafs in past years while a member of the rival Boston Bruins, has now shown signs of positivity towards Toronto with Florida.
Marchand has credited this year's Toronto Maple Leafs as a much different one than he's not used to from years past.
A team that in previous years was stopped by Marchand and the Bruins, he now admits, is facing a much stronger foe in this iteration of the Leafs - a team that has come to win.
Accepting the toughness that has come with being down 2-0, Marchand says this time Toronto is ready with the challenge of taking his team on.
They're continuing to get better and grow as a group.
You know, they brought in a lot of good pieces in at the deadline---and in the offseason to address their back-end.
You know, they're heavy back there, and obviously their coaching has changed, their structure is very, very good right now, especially in the D-zone, they don't get up a lot around the net.
We knew it was going to be a really tough battle, we didn't expect to roll over them by any means, so we have our work cut out, they're playing really well and their top guys are capitalizing on every opportunity it seems like - Brad Marchand
You know, they brought in a lot of good pieces in at the deadline---and in the offseason to address their back-end.
You know, they're heavy back there, and obviously their coaching has changed, their structure is very, very good right now, especially in the D-zone, they don't get up a lot around the net.
We knew it was going to be a really tough battle, we didn't expect to roll over them by any means, so we have our work cut out, they're playing really well and their top guys are capitalizing on every opportunity it seems like - Brad Marchand
Brad Marchand & Florida Panthers Getting Taste of New Toronto Maple Leafs System
The Florida Panthers are getting a different level of intensity from the Toronto Maple Leafs under the coaching of Craig Berube.
Florida, which eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs two years ago in the second round of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs, has struggled against a Toronto team that hasn't made the conference finals since 2002.
Even the loss of Anthony Stolarz in Toronto's net has not been able to give Florida an advantage in Game 2.
Despite knocking him out in the first game against the Leafs, Joseph Woll stood tall in relief and took home the win in his first playoff appearance of the postseason.
The intensity Toronto is showing in this matchup has been able to match a physical Panthers squad that now includes one of the league's biggest agitators in Marchand.
The Leafs have also benefited from some secondary scoring from their main cast. Both Max Domi & Max Pacioretty led Toronto with two points.
Pacioretty continues a clutch stretch from his series winner in Game 6 vs Ottawa, and an additional two assists against Florida in Game 1.
As the series shifts to Florida for Games 3 and 4, Florida will hope to regain some momentum and even up the series for their home crowd.
If Anthony Stolarz is to return in the series for Toronto, the Florida Panthers may find themselves in even more serious trouble being able to close down the Leafs.
| POLL | ||
MAI 8 | 1109 ANSWERS Brad Marchand Stuns Leafs Fans With Unexpected Compliment for Maple Leafs after Consecutive Losses Will the Florida Panthers come back in this series? | ||
| Yes | 271 | 24.4 % |
| No | 838 | 75.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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