Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Matthew Tkachuk's Chilling Warning to Maple Leafs After Game 4 Win

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Gallagher | Last updated May 12, 2025 12:35 AM ET

Things are getting heated in the second-round playoff series between the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Toronto jumped out to a 2-0 series lead, but Florida clawed back into it, earning back-to-back wins in Games 3 and 4 to even the series as it heads back to Canada.

As the final horn sounded in the Panthers’ 2-0 win on Sunday, things got chippy between the two sides. Maple Leafs forward Max Domi blindsided Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov from behind, sending him crashing head-first into the boards.

Domi’s hit caused a scuffle involving everyone on the ice as officials worked to separate them before things got out of hand. As that was happening, cameras caught Panthers star forward Matthew Tkachuk pointing his stick at William Nylander and gesturing with his elbow.

Another angle from the bench revealed Tkachuk seemingly making a menacing threat to Nylander as retaliation for the cheap shot on Barkov.

Matthew Tkachuk was pointing at someone on the Leafs bench and making an elbowing gesture pic.twitter.com/AQbTRgtvOt
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 12, 2025

“Who am I going to get next game?” Tkachuk asked. “Guess who I’m going to get. I’m going to get you.”

Matthew Tkachuk was telling Willy Nylander that he was going after him next game because of the Domi hit on Barkov pic.twitter.com/dF0bYkJRxH
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 12, 2025

Fortunately for the Panthers, Barkov doesn’t appear to be seriously injured because of the incident.

“Yeah, I think he will be alright,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice told reporters after the game.

This isn’t the first time Tkachuk’s behavior at the end of a game against the Maple Leafs has drawn attention.

With just seconds left in a 5-4 Game 1 loss in Toronto, video emerged of Tkachuk seemingly trying to take out Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner as the clock winded down.

The 27-year-old forward skated full-force at Marner and appeared to try and take him out along the boards but Marner pulled up and avoided the hit.

Given how Sunday’s game ended, fans will likely be anxious to see if Tkachuk follows through on his warning to the Maple Leafs bench in Wednesday’s Game 5.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: