While Tampa Bay never really looked to threaten Florida’s series lead in Round 1, the Battle of Ottawa heated up. Despite going up 3-0 against the Senators, the Toronto Maple Leafs were looking at a furious Senators comeback. They lost two back-to-back games against a Senators side who, as Brady Tkachuk put it, “really believed,” before ultimately being bested. So that puts Panthers Captain Matthew Tkachuk in a unique position.

The elder Tkachuk has the opportunity to avenge his brother’s loss in Round 2. So naturally, Pat McAfee couldn’t help but ask the elder Tkachuk brother about the Panthers’ mindset going into Round 2 against a Maple Leafs side who, on paper, “seemingly can never get the job done.” Yet, Tkachuk’s reply to McAfee may surprise you because he doesn’t agree with the narrative that the “pressure” is on Toronto.

In fact, Matthew Takchuk believes the opposite to be true. “I think that, you know, us trying to relish that underdog role going into Toronto. I mean, they’re the number one seed. They had the best season in our division. We have our, you know, hands full with them. They’ve got some of the best offensive players,” the 27-year-old said on the Pat McAfee Show.

And the Panthers’ captain wasn’t wrong. While The Athletic’s James Mirtle pointed out that the Leafs were 1-13 in series clutches, things were different in Game 6. Heavy hitters like Auston Matthews and William Nylander showed up, first to give the Leafs a 2-0 lead, and later Max Pacioretty snuffed out the comeback. What’s more? Matthews isn’t the only one who thinks the Leafs will bring the heat.

Defenseman Seth Jones agreed with Matthew Tkachuk almost word for word. “They’re a very talented team, very offensive. We have our work cut out for us,” Jones said per NHL.com. That being said, the Panthers are cowering in fear of the challenge ahead of them. “We’ll do the right things in the next few days to prepare,” Jones added. Yet, this begs the question: What do the Florida Panthers’ second-round opponents think about facing the defending champion?

Not underestimating Matthew Tkachuk & Co.

One of the most liked comments on the Leafs vs. Senators Game-6 highlights video on YouTube reads: “Thank god we don’t have to play Tkachuk anymore… Oh, wait.” As hilarious as the comment with 325 likes may sound, it reflects the caution the Toronto Maple Leafs plan to exercise when facing the Panthers. Just like the 27-year-old spoke about the Leafs topping the division, they spoke about Florida coming in as the champions.

“They’re obviously the Stanley Cup Champs, so they’re a very good team,” said Leaf’s head coach Craig Berube. “They’ve got a lot of good pieces; they’re hard to play against,” added the coach, whose team topped the Atlantic Division for the first time since 1999. Leafs captain Auston Matthews isn’t taking Matthew Tkachuk’s team lightly, either.

“I mean, they’re obviously the defending champs, back-to-back Cup Finals. It’s going to be hard. We have to reset, do our homework, and rest up,” the NHL star said about the Panthers. So it’s clear that neither the Leafs nor the defending champions are dismissing their opponent. Instead, they’ll utilize the break to come up with the most effective strategies against one another.

Yet with that being said, the odds are stacked against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Despite winning their series against the Ottawa Senators, the Leafs nearly gave away a 3-0 series lead, just like they had lost after taking a 3-1 series lead against the Canadiens in 2021. Meanwhile, Matthew Tkachuk & Co. suffocated the offense of the highest-scoring team of the 2024-25 NHL season. Let’s not forget, Tampa Bay also finished above the Panthers in the regular season. So, what do you think will happen in Round 2? Tell us in the comments.