“We just didn’t handle the pressure,” admitted a long-faced Craig Berube after the Florida Panthers eliminated the Toronto Maple Leafs from the Cup race in Round 2 of the playoffs. And yet, as the Stanley Cup is confirmed to be staying back in South Florida, it seems like the Leafs fans think their team put up a much better resistance against the back-to-back champs than the Oilers did in the Finals.

In Game 6 of the ultimate best-of-7 series, the Florida Panthers crushed Edmonton 5-1. With that, Charles Barkley’s hopes of seeing a Game 7 came to an end. And yet, amidst the chaos, the Maple Leafs faithful couldn’t help but highlight how they kept the Cats on their toes for longer than the back-to-back losers managed to do.

Drew Livingstone, of SDPN Sports, took to X on June 17 to highlight how tonight will seal Toronto’s supremacy over the Oilers for holding the fort longer than the Oilers against the Florida Panthers. “The worst part about the Panthers winning the Stanley Cup in 6 games is that Leafs fans will believe this makes them the 2nd best team,” read Livingstone’s social media update, and frankly, we can see why the Leafs camp would think so.

The Florida Panthers fell behind in the second round of the playoffs after losing the first two matches. However, they came back from behind to lead the series 3-2, only to see the Maple Leafs come back in the sixth game and push the series to the winner-takes-all Game 7. But thankfully for Paul Maurice, his men showed incredible grit to hold off their Canadian opponents and proceed to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second time in a row. But that was some series, and the Leafs now feel they have some bragging rights over the Oilers.

Livingston’s sentiments aren’t one-off either. AHL’s All-American honoree Jordan Schmaltz also hit up X, saying, “Maybe the #LeafsForever aren’t that bad??” Maybe they aren’t! After all, the Leafs did manage to win two back-to-back games against the Panthers, putting Matthew Tkachuk & Co. under pressure early into the series.

Maybe that’s what made Game 7 so intense for both teams. “You’ve got to bring all of your emotion and intensity and focus to that game,” said Aaron Ekblad before taking to the ice in the final postseason clash against the Maple Leafs. “So, yes, we feel the pressure, obviously, but the motivation and the pride that you have in coming to the rink excited to play…It’s a full-body tingling experience,” said the Florida Panthers defenseman said further highlighting how playing against the Leafs in Game 7 was an ethereal experience.

But while putting the Leafs on a pedestal is still restricted within the team’s fans, it could soon become a reality.

The Florida Panthers could soon find a formidable opponent in the Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs last won the Stanley Cup in 1967. However, this year did look promising. Toronto finished the regular season at the top of the Atlantic Division, two spots ahead of the Florida Panthers. In the first round, the Leafs also posted a thumping win over the Ottawa Senators, claiming the victory in the first Battle of Ontario in over two decades. However, all hopes soon fell flat on their face.

The Panthers came in hot and eliminated the Canadian squad after a thrilling series. But it wasn’t a one-sided affair from the beginning. Everyone in the Leafs’ roster put up hearty performances at every chance they got to make sure the defending champs didn’t get a hall pass to proceed to the next round. Netminder Joseph Woll even blitzed into the history books after a stellar show in Game 6 of Round 2 of the playoffs.

Probably that’s why it hurt so much when the Panthers crushed Toronto’s Stanley Cup dreams. Their pain was so acutely felt across the hockey community that Doug MacLean, a former Florida coach, suggested that the Leafs should up their scouting game in order to come back stronger in the next season.

In recent weeks, rumors about the Atlantic Division heavyweights eyeing several Florida Panthers stars, including Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett, have been doing the rounds across social media platforms. While it remains to be seen how the team builds its squad for the 2025-26 season, one thing is for sure: Florida will be facing a whole different team when they cross paths with Toronto next.

But who will have the last laugh? Tell us your thoughts in a comment!