Tyler Johnson Throws Some Serious Shade at the Maple Leafs

Whenever the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs face off, the intensity is palpable. The rivalry has been fierce for ages, but especially since the 2013 Game 7 loss for the Leafs against the Bruins, a defeat that Toronto has yet to shake off.

As both teams share the same division, they frequently meet in both the regular season and the playoffs, further fueling the animosity. Tuesday's game was no different, even with superstar Auston Matthews sidelined due to an upper-body injury.

While the Bruins-Maple Leafs rivalry has a rich history, the Leafs are a team that many players have an issue with, and Tyler Johnson, who suited up for his first game with the Bruins last night, is one of the players who, apparently, can't stand the Leafs.

Ahead of his first NHL game in 201 days, Johnson shared some candid thoughts on his feelings toward the Leafs. As per Luke Fox on X, he said:

Johnson, who didn't secure an NHL contract this summer, was invited to camp with the Bruins on a PTO. After winning two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he had some unremarkable seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. In 2023-24, Johnson posted 31 points in 67 games, though his minus-35 rating underscored the struggles of an underperforming Chicago team.

The Bruins-Leafs rivalry certainly didn't need any more fuel, but Johnson's comments added an extra layer of tension to the matchup and some additional motivation for the Leafs to stick it to the Bruins, which they did in a thrilling 4-0 home win. Sorry, Tyler. Maybe next time.