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Matthew Tkachuk Sends a Clear Warning to the Maple Leafs Ahead of Game 5

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated May 12, 2025 10:52 AM ET

The Panthers-Maple Leafs rivalry is heating up after four games of their recent series, and now Matthew Tkachuk has sent out a major threat ahead of Game 5 which will be a must-win game for both teams.

Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs was a big one for the Florida Panthers, as they picked up a 2-0 victory, tying their series with the Toronto Maple Leafs at 2-2 and heading back to Toronto in a stalemate.

There wasn't as much drama in this one as we've seen recently, until the closing moments of the game when veteran Max Domi hit Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov from behind, leading to a scrum on the ice.

Unsurprisingly, the Panthers weren't too happy about this, and shortly after things had settled down, cameras caught this interaction involving another Panthers star in Matthew Tkachuk.

That interaction was him pointing to the Maple Leafs bench with a major threat involving his elbow, likely calling someone out for Game 5, and upon closer inspection, it appears as though it was star forward William Nylander that he was targeting with this threat.

This shouldn't come as much surprise after Maple Leafs veteran Max Domi clearly targeted Barkov, and as he is one of the team's biggest stars, it makes sense that Tkachuk would call out one of, if not Toronto's biggest star.

With the series tied at 2-2 in front of what will be a raucous crowd in Toronto, this matchup is about to get intense, and if Tkachuk does indeed go after William Nylander, it's safe to say that the officials may have a tough time keeping this one in check.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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