Leafs Coach Craig Berube Reveals What Would Have Happened to Sam Bennett Back in His Day

The Toronto Maple Leafs will be going with goaltender Joseph Woll for Game 2 against the Florida Panthers after Anthony Stolarz was knocked out of Game 1 following an elbow in the head by Florida's Sam Bennett.

There was no penalty or subsequent punishment from the NHL's Department of Player Safety on the play, nor did any member of the Maple Leafs target Bennett in Game 1 over what happened earlier in the contest.

Asked about that fact ahead of Game 2 tonight, Leafs head coach Craig Berube said it would have been very different back in his playing days. He told reporters that not only would someone have gone after Bennett, but it would have been him if he were on the ice at the time.

Despite the joke, Berube issued a warning to the Maple Leafs before game 2 against the Panthers. He made it clear that retribution against Bennett would likely only lead to Toronto players in the penalty box, which would make the game that much harder to win.

With Joseph Woll getting the start in Game 2 tonight, veteran netminder Matt Murray will be backing him up.

Murray's last game in the NHL came on December 28, 2024 against the Washington Capitals.

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice defended Bennett after the injury to Stolarz, saying he doesn't believe Bennett intended to hurt the former Panthers goaltender.