Florida Panthers Take a Jab at Toronto Maple Leafs Long After Series Win

It was a heartbreaking loss for the Maple Leafs in the second round against the Florida Panthers, bowing out in seven games to the reigning champs, who have made it yet again to the Finals against Edmonton.

So even with them defeating the Leafs, it seems that the Panthers still have them on their mind, along with Tampa Bay and Carolina, as the team's rally towels shows symbols of all three teams hidden in the design.

First we see a Maple Leaf to commemorate their second round win:

Next there's the Hurricanes alternate logo with a storm warning flag emblazoned inside a hockey stick:

Finally we see them pay homage to their state rivals, with a lightning bolt doubling as a shadow on their admittedly cute looking rat mascot:

However, did the Panthers really need to stoop to that level?

Fighting for their second straight Cup, it's understandable that the team would want to pay homage to the teams they defeated in order to get there; it's not unlike putting a puck in a slot to signify a win.

To be fair as well, it's not like the Panthers design of a rat (which is apropos considering both the history with rodents and well, Brad Marchand) is doing anything egregious to any of the logos, and his slight smirk is pretty similar to the smiles across the Panthers players faces.

It's all in good fun too, and I am sure if any of those aforementioned teams were in the same spot, they would do the same thing to some extent.

The story of the rat dates back to the mid-90's where forward Scott Mellanby killed a rat in the locker room, then proceeded to score two goals the same night with the same stick he used to dispose of the rodent.

Fans then decided to throw plastic rats onto the ice when the team got a hat-trick or otherwise celebrate moments.

It continues on to this day too:

Whatever way you want to look at it, either as disrespectful or a proper way to show homage, it seems that the Panthers are going to do whatever it takes to win, and using their defeated foes as a show of triumph is certainly a way to assert your dominance.