The Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers are on a collision course once again, and Paul Bissonnette isn’t mincing words ahead of their highly anticipated Round 2 showdown. During Friday’s episode of the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, the former NHL player and turned broadcaster delivered a fiery message directed straight at Florida’s top stars, igniting the rivalry before the puck has even dropped.
“Now it’s on to Goliath, the Florida Panthers, and we have unfinished business with you,” Bissonnette said, referencing Maple Leafs’ previous postseason defeat at the hands of Florida. His comments didn’t stop there, as he called out several Panthers players by name in an emotionally charged segment that quickly resonated with fans across the league.
“You hear that, ‘Bennett the Menace’? Hi, Matthew! We just took down your brother Brady, and now we’re coming for you,” he added with purpose. But the sharpest shot was arguably reserved for newly-acquired Panthers forward Brad Marchand.
“My arch [expletive] nemesis,” Bissonnette exclaimed. “I’m going to take you down, once and for all. You hear me, Brad!? You’re going down, buddy. Put the war paint on because it’s our time. It’s our year. Go, Leafs, Go! Go, Leafs, Go! Yes!”
Leafs seek revenge, Panthers stand in the way
While Maple Leafs took care of the Ottawa Senators in six games, closing the series at home, Panthers eliminated the Tampa Bay Lightning in dominant fashion—winning three of those matchups on the road.
With Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly leading the charge, the Maple Leafs will look to impose their own brand of hockey and exact playoff revenge. The memories of 2023 still sting, when Florida dispatched Toronto in just five games to end their Stanley Cup hopes.
Verbal shots fired as rivalry rekindles
Bissonnette’s bold words reflect more than personal rivalry—they echo the pent-up frustration and resolve of a franchise eager to prove it belongs among the NHL elite. Calling out Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Marchand individually puts a spotlight on the high-profile battles fans can expect throughout the series.
Maple Leafs vs. Panthers: A rivalry reignited in Round 2
Game 1 between the Maple Leafs and the Panthers is scheduled for Monday, May 5 at Scotiabank Arena. Expectations are high for an intense, high-caliber matchup between these two fierce competitors.