Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk will study extensively before the second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, and part of that session includes getting intel from his brother, Brady, who just played Toronto in the first round.
After the Panthers eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in five games and the Maple Leafs eliminated the Ottawa Senators in six, Matthew joined The Pat McAfee Show to discuss how he'll approach the series against Toronto.
"We don't know when our first game is, but definitely before that, I'll give [Brady] a call and ask him what he saw throughout the series, little things," Matthew said.
"I'll ask a lot about individuals, like, what you can exploit with some guys, what guys maybe get a little too riled up, guys you can get off their game, what guys are looking like they're playing through stuff or look a little injured.
"It's all the little stuff I'll ask him. It's playoffs. Every advantage you can get, and it's nice having my brother that just played them, so he'll give me the honest truth."
'I Thought I Was Done Playing A Number Of Times': How Maple Leafs' Max Pacioretty Persevered To Score Series-Clinching Goal Against SenatorsIt was 225 days ago, on Sept. 19, when Max Pacioretty, wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs hoodie with the number 67 stamped on, first stepped in front of the camera to explain why he joined the organization.
The Maple Leafs held an optional practice on Saturday, two days before their series against Florida gets underway. Toronto faced the Panthers in the second round back in 2023 and were eliminated in five games.
It was the first time the Maple Leafs got out of the first round since 2004.
While Tkachuk might have intel on the Maple Leafs, a few players on Toronto who were on Florida's Stanley Cup-winning team last spring, will have the same: Steven Lorentz, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and Anthony Stolarz.
"I've had discussions with them," Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube said Saturday.
"There is things that you might not know; more mindset stuff for me with those guys, being in a locker room, and being around the organization and the team."
Maple Leafs’ ‘Business-Like’ Mindset Overcomes Potential Playoff Disaster to Advance to Second RoundKANATA, Ont. — When the final horn sounded at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday, the Toronto Maple Leafs celebrated their 4-2 win against the Ottawa Senators, pushing them through to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Tkachuk is a player who likes to get under his opponent's skin. Could having intel from his brother on the Maple Leafs help him in that sense throughout the series?
"Well, if you allow people to push your buttons, then maybe. You don't allow them to push your buttons. That's the way I look at it," Berube said.
"You can control what you want to control. Again, emotion plays a big part of the game. We all know that. Discipline and composure. We got through one round, and it's got to be more elevated now."
Lorentz played 16 playoff games last year with the Panthers, scoring two goals and one assist. He's appeared in all six games for the Maple Leafs this postseason, but has yet to register a point.
His line, however, with Calle Jarnkrok and Scott Laughton, was very successful in round one against Ottawa. What did he make of Tkachuk saying he was gathering information on which Toronto players appear to be playing through things?
‘That’s How You Win A Series’: Craig Berube Praises Scott Laughton’s Shot-Blocking Heroics, Maple Leafs' Bottom-Six Delivers Against SenatorsWith 25 seconds left on the clock in a one-goal game, it wasn’t a member of the ‘Core Four’ who made the defining play of the Toronto Maple Leafs' series-clinching win – it was Scott Laughton, throwing himself in front of a Jake Sanderson slap shot to preserve the lead.
"I mean, everyone's banged up in the playoffs, so it doesn't matter," said Lorentz.
"I've seen guys play through this and that, and there's a laundry list every single year, but it doesn't really matter what the advantage is. I think if a guy's able to play skates and put the jersey on it and stand up there and start the game, then you're going to expect his best, whether he's hurt or not."
Toronto lost its first two home games to Florida, and they are looking to change that this time around. Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand play within the Panthers' top nine, so that alone won't make it an easy series.
It won't just be those three that make it difficult, though. Florida has a two-time Selke Trophy-winner in Aleksander Barkov, a strong defense, and a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, Sergei Bobrovsky, as the backstop.
Why The Maple Leafs' Confidence In Anthony Stolarz Hasn't Faltered After Back-To-Back Losses To SenatorsAs Ottawa Senators defenseman Thomas Chabot fired a shot from the point in the second period of Game 5, Anthony Stolarz did his best to track the puck. But he couldn't see anything until it was too late.
"They have different people over there. We have different people in here," Morgan Rielly said, highlighting the differences between the series in 2023 and now.
"I think the playoff mindset in general remains the same, but I think there's differences with both teams and with structure and systems and whatnot. But the focus here over the next few days is going to be on us and doing what we need to do to get ready to play."
The Maple Leafs will use Sunday to practice before gearing up for Game 1 against the Panthers on Monday. It'll be a later start time at 8:00 p.m. ET, due to the NHL's Draft Lottery beginning an hour earlier.
Maple Leafs vs Panthers: Game 1 Start Time and Date RevealedThe Toronto Maple Leafs are set to open the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Monday.
But either way, it's going to be a long and gruelling series between the Maple Leafs and Panthers.
"I'm very comfortable. I don't feel worried about it at all," Berube said about the physicality of the upcoming series.
"Our team, they're ready for it. They understand it. Listen, that's playoffs. It's going to be hard, and there's going to be hits, and you've got to get up and play. And you've got to be disciplined."
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