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# Friday FTB: when the losses mount
- URL: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/friday-ftb-when-the-losses-mount/
- Published: 2026-02-27T11:00:46.000Z
- Updated: 2026-02-27T11:00:45.000Z
- Description: The Leafs come out of their Florida trip 0-2
- Author: Hardev
- Tags: From The Branches

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost 5-1 (two empty netters) to thee Florida Panthers on Thursday night. They had a bad first period, allowing three goals, and never recovered beyond a power play goal from John Tavares. As the losses mount, it becomes ever more clear it's time to trade away players at the trade deadline, namely pending UFAs they won't want to re-sign and players they don't expect will help them compete next year.

Here are the coach and players talking after the game.

And a transcript if you want it instead.

[Craig Berube on the Leafs’ lack of urgency in Florida: “It is my job to make sure they have it... We have no time to take shifts and periods off”Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 5-1 loss to the Florida Panthers, which dropped the Maple Leafs’ record to 27-23-9\. On the team’s slow start to the game: It is a tough start, right? We got down three. The shorthanded goal was tough. We know Florida. We know they’re going to come out \[…\]![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/MLHS-LOGO2-EMBLEM-500x500-85.png)Maple Leafs HotstoveMLHS Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/berube-pg-jan-16.jpg)](https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2026/02/27/craig-berube-on-the-leafs-lack-of-urgency-in-florida-it-is-my-job-to-make-sure-they-have-it-we-have-no-time-to-take-shifts-off-and-periods-off/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

"Biron: Leafs don't look like a team fighting to keep its playoff hopes alive"

[\- TSNTSN Hockey analyst Martin Biron joins Jay Onrait to discuss if the Leafs look like a club fighting to keep its playoff hopes alive, if Brady Tkachuk’s performance vs. the Red Wings was him carrying his Olympic success into the Sens’ playoff chase, and if the Canadiens need to add an experienced netminder before the trade deadline.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-225.ico)TSN![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/https-3A-2F-2Fd3g70guqh4mw9g.cloudfront.net-2F02-27-2026-2Ft_ae90a64b4a3240d0921c04af8c97e5f2_name_2026_2_26_bb78b201_5f44_4a70_9250_cbb93fb5f92d_jpg_1920x1080.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/video/2026/02/27/biron-leafs-dont-look-like-a-team-fighting-to-keep-its-playoff-hopes-alive/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

This game was Jake McCabe's 700th.

> Maple Leafs defenceman Jake McCabe is skating in his 700th career NHL game tonight. [pic.twitter.com/TCM9rRXNZ7](https://t.co/TCM9rRXNZ7?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) [February 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/LeafsPR/status/2027174885043446224?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Get the two seconds if a team is willing to trade them, they're better than a late first. 

> Dreger: McMann 'might get $5M on the open market as a UFA, he's not getting $5M from the Leafs'  
>  
> VIDEO: [https://t.co/xDK8sgve2W](https://t.co/xDK8sgve2W?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/mAEwq6Rxsn](https://t.co/mAEwq6Rxsn?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [February 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2027175322886586607?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

The Leafs host Ottawa on Saturday where they'll see the other Tkachuk brother, who had a heated rivalry night against Detroit.

> Puck nowhere near Brady Tkachuk and Detroit’s Simon Edvinsson just takes him out. Dylan Cozens drops the gloves after[#GoSensGo](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoSensGo?src=hash&ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com) [pic.twitter.com/CWXseB3I3K](https://t.co/CWXseB3I3K?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — RGF (@rgfray1) [February 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/rgfray1/status/2027194491686244756?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

> Brady Tkachuk and Simon Edvinsson have a spirited conversation in the box 😳 [pic.twitter.com/FjXbkS4tyJ](https://t.co/FjXbkS4tyJ?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)
> 
> — TSN (@TSN\_Sports) [February 27, 2026](https://twitter.com/TSN%5FSports/status/2027194270373814625?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

[Countdown to TradeCentre: Is the Maple Leafs’ course clear?The Toronto Maple Leafs returned from the Olympic break with a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning as the signs continue to point towards the team being a seller at the deadline.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/icon/favicon-224.ico)TSNTSN.ca Staff![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/34/01/3401a938-f468-4c02-a227-9bc4cc09bad4/content/images/thumbnail/5VEAQ2IG2JFP7KPPFVY46UN4LY.jpg)](https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/article/countdown-to-tradecentre-is-the-maple-leafs-course-clear/?ref=pensionplanpuppets.com)

Leafs play Ottawa in game #60, pretty much three quarters of the way through the season, if anyone thinks there are still playoff hopes, they shouldn't. And from me that applies next year unless there are some major adds in the summer.