
Matthew Tkachuk is fresh off his Stanley Cup win, but the Panthers star couldn't help but troll Toronto.
Despite the challenge that lay ahead of finishing off another Stanley Cup win, Tkachuk's mind was elsewhere at a recent news conference, as he took the time to seemingly fire a subtle shot at the Toronto Maple Leafs.
When he was asked about what the toughest series thus far in the playoffs has been, Tkachuk once again trolled Toronto, as he stated that beyond the Cup Final, he and his team knew that Round 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning would be their toughest series.
This comes as no surprise given what an enemy Tkachuk has been of the Maple Leafs over the past few years, and while it's unclear if he believes his statement, the Toronto series was clearly much harder, as that went to seven games compared to the Lightning's five games.
Ultimately, this is a player who is built for the big moment, and while his focus remained on Edmonton, Tkachuk once again couldn't resist a shot at the Toronto Maple Leafs.
More must-reads:
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble didn’t hesitate when Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins came back through Bell Centre on Saturday night. Weeks after Cousins’ preseason slash on Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov, Struble delivered his own message during Montreal’s 4–3 overtime win. The Habs defenseman dropped the gloves with 18 minutes, 45 seconds left to play in the third period and the game tied at 2, settling a feud that lingered since training camp. “When you have a guy like that taking a shot at your star young player, that was a bad play,” Struble said. “None of us liked it. We were thinking about it. This is the first time we played him since. That’s on our minds. You can’t go around trying to hurt our best players.” Cousins spent most of the night trying to avoid both Struble and Montreal’s usual enforcer, Arber Xhekaj, before finally being caught after two full periods. The fight was brief but decisive, ending with Cousins bloodied and leaving the game. Struble, 24, said there was no personal vendetta, just a need to hold opponents accountable for their actions, even more in preseason exhibitions. Back in October, the NHL fined Cousins $2,148.44, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement. Cousins was only assessed a minor penalty for slashing during that preseason matchup. Struble made it clear on Saturday that Montreal won’t forget when a player crosses the line, saying, “We’ll protect our guys. That’s how it should be.” For the Canadiens, the moment carried meaning beyond retaliation. Demidov, the target of Cousins' slash in September, tied the game late in regulation before Alex Newhook sealed the win in overtime. The Canadiens and the Senators will meet three more times this season, the next matchup scheduled for Dec. 2 once again in Montreal.
The Dallas Cowboys are about to take on the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football to close out Week 9 of the 2025 NFL regular season. As always, the teams announced their inactive players 90 minutes before kickoff. For the Cowboys, the main takeaway lies at the safety position. One week after being down to one healthy safety, things are looking slightly better. Donovan Wilson is out again with a shoulder/elbow injury but Juanyeh Thomas is back after being listed as questionable on the final injury report. Thomas is the Cowboys' third-best safety and he's played well in limited playing time, to the point many believe he should be promoted to a starting role over Wilson. Over the last couple of weeks, Thomas dealt with migraines that affected his vision. Now, he is back. Though the Cowboys are still very banged up at safety, Thomas' return should go a long way in Week 9. Perhaps he will be tasked with covering standout tight end Trey McBride. In the last two weeks, McBride has 18 catches for 146 receiving yards and three touchdowns. If not, Thomas could help bracketing WR Marvin Harrison Jr. Either way, it's important he's on the field for tonight's game and I'd expect him to start. He may not be a star but Thomas back on the field is a big boost given the team's situation on defense. Full list of Cowboys' inactives for Week 9 vs Cardinals S Alijah Clark S Donovan Wilson OL Ajani Cornelius OL Hakeem Adeniji DT Mazi Smith RB Jaydon Blue WR Jonathan Mingo Other notes on Cowboys' inactives After Brian Schottenheimer made comments about Jaydon Blue's inconsistency, he's a healthy scratch. He's benched over Malik Davis. Starting center Cooper Beebe is back and ready to go. LB DeMarvion Overshown and CB Shavon Revel Jr. remain on Injured Reserve even though they're back at practice. LB Jack Sanborn isn't among the Cowboys' inactives because he was placed on Injured Reserve leading up to the game. Being down safeties Alijah Clark and Donovan Wilson leaves the team with very little depth at safety. Don't be surprised if Dallas works cornerbacks into the position. The battle at nose tackle continues. This time, it's seventh-round rookie Jay Toia taking over the position while Mazi Smith returns to healthy scratch status ahead of the NFL trade deadline. If Dallas can get any interest on their former first-round pick, it wouldn't be a surprise if he's moved. Easier said than done, however. Cardinals inactives This story was originally published in A to Z Sports Dallas Cowboys, as Cowboys receive significant boost with last-minute decision ahead of Monday Night Football showdown vs Cardinals. window.addEventListener('message', function (event) {if (event.data.totalpoll event.data.totalpoll.action === 'resizeHeight') {document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').height = event.data.totalpoll.value;}}, false);document.querySelector('#totalpoll-iframe-375').contentWindow.postMessage({totalpoll: {action: 'requestHeight'}}, '*');
Per Jon Machota of The Athletic, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on SiriusXM that they have made a trade. Jones also said they could make a couple more moves before Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline. He said the player will be on the field immediately and implied it could be on the defensive side. “Immediately it will have him on the field and it will address some of the things that have been our shortcomings,” Jones said. Jones, 83, bought the team from Bum Bright back in 1989 for $140M and has raised the value to $10B. Since purchasing the team, Jones has operated as owner, team president, and general manager. He replaced HC Tom Landry with Jimmy Johnson, and shortly after, the team won three Super Bowls in 1992, 1993, and 1995, respectively. In 2014, Jones was named the league’s Executive of the Year, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
The Philadelphia Eagles got the ball rolling over 24 hours before the NFL trade deadline. Jaelan Phillips will join the Eagles via the Miami Dolphins, adding an impact pass rusher. It’s the type of move we have come accustomed to from Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman in recent years. ESPN’s Marcus Spears is fed up with Roseman, at least when he has his Dallas Cowboys fan hat on. Spears is just like plenty of other people in Dallas, watching their bitter NFC East rivals continue to push for Super Bowls. “I hate Howie,” Spears said. “I hate him. I’m so sick of him. I’ve been sick of him for a couple years now… Howie knows I don’t hate him. I actually admire the way he goes after winning championships and does not wait. You think about the Eagles for the last four years — going to Super Bowls, having opportunities to win them. He’s made a significant trade, at some point, in all of those seasons.” Roseman lifted the Lombardi Trophy in February, then watched the banner be unveiled at Lincoln Financial Field before the Eagles and Cowboys played. Philadelphia emerged as a winner, starting their Super Bowl defense 1-0. Now, the record sits at 6-2 overall in a wide-open NFC, and Roseman appears to have his sights on another championship. Spears has nothing but respect for the way Roseman conducts business. You have to imagine many across the league feel the same way. But they may just express it in the same way Spears did, coming at it with a little jealousy. Dallas Cowboys yet to make move ahead of NFL trade deadline This one may even sting a little more because Dallas is searching for a player who can get after quarterbacks too. Philadelphia wound up sending a third-round pick to Miami, something the Cowboys do not currently have. The Pittsburgh Steelers have that due to the George Pickens trade. Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones hinted, if not told us, something is on the way soon. When speaking to Stephen A. Smith on the radio, Jones claimed a trade is done and will be released on Tuesday, just hours after the team plays on Monday Night Football against the Arizona Cardinals. “Immediately it will have him on the field and it will address some of the things that have been our shortcomings,” Jones said via Jon Machota of The Athletic.
							+
								Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!



