Edmonton Oilers star, Leon Draisaitl, has made a subtle suggestion that the Toronto Maple Leafs’ NHL Playoff exit could be down to their inability to handle pressure.
How Did the Toronto Maple Leafs Lose To the Florida Panthers?
The NHL Playoff battle between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Florida Panthers was decided in a seventh game, after both franchises were level after six games.
After the opening two matches the Canadian side boasted a 2-0 lead and looked to be comfortable in their position, before losing the following three games – with game three ending in a 2-0 shutout and game four finishing 6-1 to the Panthers.
The Maple Leafs managed to bring the series level with a shutout victory of their own in game six, but were swept aside emphatically in game 7 after losing 6-1 once again.
It is difficult to pick one reason as to why the Maple Leafs were bested by the Panthers, but poor performances from their star players like Auston Matthews and William Nylander proved costly.
Nylander failed to register a single point after game three and made sloppy errors in defense, most notably his mistake to allow the Panthers to find a winner in overtime during game three.
Even with star names in attendance, like Justin Bieber, who put a heartfelt message on Instagram following the defeat, the Maple Leafs appeared to run out of steam at home and lost the final two matches at the Scotiabank Arena.
What Did Leon Draisaitl Say About the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Leon Draisaitl will enter his third NHL Playoff Western Conference Final after the Edmonton Oilers picked up a dominant 4-1 series victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.
Being the highest paid player in the NHL, means that Draisaitl’s performances are put under a microscope and so far his performances in the NHL Playoffs have been superb – contributing to 16 goals in 11 appearances (5G + 11A).
Despite his clear quality, Draisaitl has never won the Stanley Cup and will be looking to change that in 2025 and will need to be on the top of his game against the Dallas Stars.
Before the German could divert his focus to the upcoming series against Dallas, he was asked about the pressure on winning a maiden Stanley Cup and the Oilers’ sixth.
The 29-year-old appeared to take a subtle dig towards the Toronto Maple Leafs in his answer (albeit without saying their name directly), questioning whether the pressure of performing in ice hockey in Canada was too much.
He said: “Of course, the pressure is higher here in Canada. The media, fans, and the expectations—it’s just the way it is. It’s a hockey country, it starts with hockey and it ends with hockey in this country.
“I don’t know if teams feel that they get under pressure with that, I’m not the right person to answer that, but we can handle it. We’re excited to get back to playing and put our best.”
