Max Pacioretty Responds to Matthew Tkachuk Wild Claim About Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs failed to advance to the Eastern Conference Final, dropping Game 7 at home to the Florida Panthers. It was yet another frustrating loss for the Maple Leafs in the postseason, leading many people to believe that big changes are coming to the team.

After the game, Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk turned some heads with comments on why Toronto continues to fail.

"Sometimes you feel bad for them because they have some unbelievable players and a great team," Tkachuk said. "I was actually saying this last night to some of the guys. If their team was not in Toronto, dealing with all the crazy circus stuff outside of it, they'd be an unbelievable team and such a hard team to play. They just have so much to deal with, and I feel bad."

Many had strong opinions on the matter, but the reality of the situation is that the Maple Leafs haven't seen real postseason success in a long time. But Maple Leafs star Max Pacioretty pushed back on these comments from Tkachuk after the fact.

"It's a privilege. You probably don’t realize that when you’re in it or you’re younger and have this many people care about how we do. It builds winners, turns you into men and helps achieve what you're trying to become.", he said.

Some players embrace the pressure placed on teams like Toronto, while others crumble under it. The veteran has seen a lot over his career and made his feelings clear. 

Pacioretty only played one season with the Maple Leafs, but it seems that he learned a lot about the city. The veteran didn't have a great season, only scoring five goals and eight assists.

The wing also said that he isn't sure what the future holds for him, hinting at potential retirement. It remains to be seen what he will do, but Pacioretty clearly doesn't want to blame the pressure in Toronto for the shortcomings of the team this year.