Capitals HC Spencer Carbery praises new Leafs identity in taking Cup-winning Panthers to Game 7

The Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup champions once again.

In some ways it’s unbearable for Toronto Maple Leafs fans, watching the team that eliminated them make almost light work of the rest of the field en route to back-to-back championships.

Washington Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery gave credit to Florida for what they have built to get here, joining Leafs Morning Take on Wednesday in the wake of the Panthers’ victory,

“They are truly turning into a dynasty-level team with the last couple of years they’ve put together,” Carbery told co-hosts Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill. “Just the way that they’ve done it too, they just overwhelm teams at times. In every facet, from their depth, to their D core, to their goaltending. It feels like they just check every box you need to have a championship level team.”

At the same time that it’s disappointing to see their Atlantic rivals have the success they’ve so desperately chased for decades, there’s also solace to be found for Toronto in being the only team to take this Florida group to seven games this postseason. Formerly operating as the Leafs assistant coach under Sheldon Keefe from 2021-2023, Carbery gave credit to the toughness new head coach Craig Berube has built this season to get Toronto where they are now.

“I like their team, I like the way they played,” Carbery said. “They sort of transformed their identity a little bit this year, which obviously is from the coach. And, like you saw in the playoffs, they’re right there. They beat Ottawa in the first round, go to seven with Florida. The win in Game 6, huge.”

Carbery also gave a shoutout to Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving for the team he has helped construct, as the Leafs look to get tougher and more playoff-built each year.

“Their identity changes not only with the coach, but [Treliving] making moves that bring in players that fit that mould,” he said. “I feel like their D core turned into more of a hard, heavy, we’re gonna move pucks more, we’re gonna be bigger, longer, defend better, get in shot lanes, protect the net-front, do things like that.”

Coming off a season where he captured the Jack Adams Award, Carbery also took the time to give credit to the Leafs organization for their help in getting him to where he is now.

“I’ve been so fortunate to be in some great organizations around some great people, people that took chances on me,” Carbery said. “Kyle Dubas and Sheldon Keefe taking a chance on me to run the Toronto Maple Leafs’ power play when I’d never coached in the NHL … to have that responsibility in that market, breaks along the way like that are what you absolutely need.”

Florida have clearly established itself as the team to beat in the East. Carbery and his Capitals now face the same challenge of Berube’s Maple Leafs in finding a way to chip away at this gritty group for a chance to play for ultimate glory.