Hockey players are a superstitious bunch, and who can blame them? With playoff beards sprouting like playoff dreams and players dodging conference trophies to avoid a Stanley Cup jinx, the NHL postseason is a breeding ground for quirky rituals. Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander took it to another level with his pre-game fashion choice—until a string of losses to the Florida Panthers forced a change.

Since the Leafs’ series-clinching Game 6 win over the Ottawa Senators on May 1, Nylander had been rocking the same chestnut brown double-breasted suit, crisp white dress shirt, silver chain, and suede Adidas kicks for every game. Why mess with a good thing? In that very Game 6, he delivered two goals and an assist, powering Toronto to victory. The suit seemed to carry some magic, as Nylander opened the second-round series against the Panthers with another two-goal performance in Game 1, followed by a goal in Game 2 to tie the score 2-2. Sportsnet cameras caught him strutting into arenas looking sharp, game after game, in that same beige ensemble. Fans ate it up, and the suit became a mini-legend.

The ritual paid off—Nylander’s stat line was sparkling, with two goals, an assist, and a team win in both Game 6 and Game 1, plus that clutch Game 2 tally. But hockey’s a cruel game, and Toronto’s luck soured with consecutive losses to the Panthers. On Friday, the Leafs couldn’t catch a break, and Nylander’s trusty suit streak came to an end. Sportsnet broke the news with a playful tweet: “BREAKING NEWS: William Nylander is wearing a different suit for the first time since Game 6 against the Senators 👀😅.”

Nylander’s second-period goal in Game 2 gave him six for the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, ranking him third behind Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars (eight) and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche (seven). It’s the most by a Maple Leafs player in a postseason since Hall of Famer Joe Nieuwendyk scored six in the 2004 playoffs, when Nylander was just 8 years old. Now 29, he became the first Toronto player in 22 years to score five goals in a span of three playoff games, joining Alexander Mogilny, who did it in the 2003 conference quarterfinals against the Philadelphia Flyers.

His scoring surge is helping this Maple Leafs squad carve out their own legacy. This postseason marks the first time in 62 years that Toronto has held multiple 2-0 leads in best-of-7 series during the same playoff run. It’s only the sixth time in franchise history, with 1963, 1962, 1949, 1948, and 1945 being the others. Even with the recent losses, Nylander’s contributions—on and off the ice—are giving Leafs fans hope for a historic turnaround.

Matthew Tkachuk sends warning to Maple Leafs’ William Nylander before game 5

The Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs are locked in a heated second-round playoff battle, and things are getting spicy. After Toronto snatched a 2-0 series lead, the defending champs roared back, tying things up with gritty wins in Games 3 and 4. Now, as the series shifts back to Canada for Game 5, the bad blood is boiling.

Sunday’s 2-0 Panthers victory ended with a bang—and not the good kind. As the final horn blared, Maple Leafs’ Max Domi delivered a dirty hit, blindsiding Florida’s captain Aleksander Barkov from behind. Barkov went crashing head-first into the boards, sparking chaos on the ice. Players from both sides jumped in, and refs scrambled to keep the peace before fists started flying.

In the middle of the melee, cameras caught Panthers’ star Matthew Tkachuk zeroing in on Toronto’s William Nylander. Tkachuk, clearly fuming, pointed his stick at Nylander and mimicked an elbow jab, sending a not-so-subtle message. Another angle from the bench showed Tkachuk mouthing what looked like a menacing threat, likely a warning shot for Domi’s cheap hit on Barkov. It’s no secret Tkachuk plays with an edge, and he’s not one to let a slight against his captain slide.

With the series knotted at 2-2, Game 5 is shaping up to be a powder keg. Will Tkachuk back up his gestures with action? Can the Leafs keep their cool? One thing’s for sure—this playoff clash is far from over, and the intensity is only cranking up.

The suit change didn’t help William Nylander as Florida Panthers win against Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 5

Man, what a night for the Florida Panthers! They absolutely steamrolled the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1 in Game 5, putting themselves one win away from a third straight conference final. The defending champs came out swinging, and Toronto just couldn’t keep up. The Leafs, hoping a suit change might spark some magic for William Nylander, looked flat from the get-go, getting outshot 14-6 in the first period and trailing 1-0. Things unraveled in the second, with Florida piling on three more goals, chasing goalie Joseph Woll for Matt Murray after a 5-0 deficit.

Toronto’s stars struggled big time. Auston Matthews, still goalless in the series, coughed up the puck on Aaron Ekblad’s opener. Mitch Marner’s backhand giveaway led to Florida’s third goal, and he’s managed just one shot in three games. The power play? Yikes, it fizzled in the third. Now, the Leafs face elimination in Florida on Friday, staring down a 23-year conference final drought and a Cup dry spell since ’67. Meanwhile, the Panthers are riding high, ready to pounce.