Season 2 of Prime Videoâ€s Faceoff: Inside the NHL drops Friday, and the behind-the-scenes docuseries devotes Episode 4 to the Toronto Maple Leafs†2025 two-round playoff run against the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers.
Although only former president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan and superstar winger William Nylander granted off-ice access and sit-down interviews with Amazonâ€s crew, fans will be treated to never-before-seen micâ€d-up moments and dressing-room speeches.
Aside from the familiar stage-setting of the talented team trying to get over the playoff hump, and the inevitable tragic ending for the boys in blue, there are some intriguing nuggets in the show that will get diehards†attention.
Here are five things we learned from the Maple Leafs episode.
(Alert: This article contains spoilers.)
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Full episode
Shanahan leaves believing.
The former and yet-to-be-replaced president of the hockey club is a smart guy. Certainly smart enough to know that his season-ending ouster was a very real outcome when he agreed to be the only executive so prominently featured in Faceoffâ€s first two seasons.
And smart enough to speak with grace and positivity in his first interview upon being fired.
“When your season ends and youâ€re not the winner, youâ€re devastated,†a measured Shanahan explains, while nursing a coffee in his breakfast nook.
He doesnâ€t look devastated during the interview, though time heals and he is still a champion after all.
The Mimico, Ont., native explains that when he was hired by ownership 11 years ago, he came home with two goals: to rebuild the organization and to win a Stanley Cup.
“Iâ€m disappointed that I wasnâ€t able to finish the job, but I think weâ€ve rebuilt the Toronto Maple Leafs,†says Shannahan, vaguely acknowledging that heâ€d like a mulligan on some decisions. (“Which ones?†weâ€d love the interviewer to press. But alas.)
“What weâ€ve built, Iâ€m confident they can still get the job done. Unfortunately, I wonâ€t be around to see it finish, but it would give me a lot of joy to see them finish it.â€
More interesting are Shanahanâ€s recollections of his firefighting father, Donal, who loomed large in his childhood, calling out the future Hall of Famer for writing graffiti in the neighbourhood, and barely missing any of his sonâ€s hockey and lacrosse games.
Donalâ€s Alzheimerâ€s kicked in strong when Brendan was just 14 years old.
“By the time I was in the NHL, he had forgotten what my name was,†Shanahan reveals.
The executive believes Donal would have found his efforts to build a winner in Toronto more interesting than his decorated playing career. So, even when Shanahan was busy trying to improve the Leafs, heâ€d remind himself to enjoy the privilege of running such a storied franchise.
“It was the honour of a lifetime,†Shanahan concludes. “I leave here now with nothing but gratitude.â€
Nylanderâ€s dad is making up for lost time.
William Nylander was born as the Calgary Flames’ 1995-96 season finished.
William was 13 by the time his father, Michael Nylander, left the NHL. The son was 18 when Michael called it a career in Sweden.
Deep insight into Williamâ€s psyche is tough to gather, despite this being his second time inviting Prime Video along for the ride and the release of a personalized YouTube channel. (Compare the riveting furniture-browsing segment with Nylander in this episode to, say, Seth Jarvisâ€s open dialogue about his mental insecurities in Episode 5.)
The tiny peek William gives into his relationship with Michael — who jets to North America for Leafs playoff runs — is the realest bit here.
“Heâ€s always been a pretty loving, caring dad. He can be intense. Any parent wants the best for their kids, and he obviously helped me and my brother get to where we are today,†William says.
“Growing up, he was not really there a lot of the time. Very few times I remember that he would be able to come to a practice or a game. The times he could (attend) would be very special. Now, heâ€s giving all that back from the times he missed. Gives you that little extra boost.â€
The Tkachuk boys steal the Leafs episode.
Even though Brady and Matthew Tkachuk feature prominently in Season 1 and shine in their own dedicated episode in Season 2, they still manage to steal the spotlight from Torontoâ€s stars because they bring humour and emotion.
Brady rides an emotional roller-coaster with hands over his head in the Battle of Ontario. We see him soaking up the boos in Toronto, then convinced his Senators will rally when they knot Game 6 at 2-2 (“Weâ€re winning this game, boys!â€), and ultimately puddled when the Leafs take care of business.Â
“I donâ€t want to continue seeing my dream fly by,†Brady says, gutted. (Seven seasons in, Brady is still searching for his first playoff series victory.)
Matthew, on the other hand, plays the villain role to a T.
Down 0-2 in Round 2 to the Leafs, the series flies south, where we find the Panthers winger rolling a golf cart, palm trees glistening in the sun.
“Theyâ€re a great team. Theyâ€re different in years past, for sure. Nylanderâ€s playing amazing,†Matthew begins. “But with their history and everything, they might be overthinking it right now. And the Toronto pressure is unlike any pressure in the league.â€
Before a pivotal Game 3, Tkachuk devises a plan to harness those demons and use them to Floridaâ€s advantage, not unlike the way Daenerys Targaryen wrangles dragons.Â
“Theyâ€re the greatest team on planet Earth right now — and itâ€s our job to squash â€em,†Tkachuk says, in a way that lets you know that he knows he just dropped the best line of the episode.
While a micâ€d-up Nylander offers few quotables (“F— me!†or “F— sakes!†heâ€ll pipe when the Leafs let one in), mouthpiece Tkachuk is relentless.
“F—, youâ€re soft, Willy,†Tkachuk begins in Game 7, after Nylander canâ€t convert on a breakaway.
When the Cats reel off three unanswered goals in Period 2, Tkachuk begins mocking: “Whereâ€s Willy?… Iâ€m scared of you guys. Iâ€m scared of you.â€
And when Game 7â€s 6-1 blowout is finally complete and Toronto is booed out the building: “Boys, isnâ€t this the f—–†best?â€
Marner and Matthews†cameos are brief … and uncomfortable.
The producers are likely aware of the irony of Mitch Marnerâ€s rant during the Panthers series, his final one in a Leafs uniform, considering they clipped it for the series trailer.
“Start f—– hitting people. Everyone!†Marner screams at his teammates, trailing Florida at intermission during Game 5.
“Weâ€re a f—–†joke right now. Theyâ€re running our f—–†D. Run them!â€
A tad rich coming from a player not exactly known for throwing the body. Cringe-worthy stuff, in hindsight.
As for Matthews, who has chosen privacy over participation in the docuseries, his biggest moment in the show comes in the second intermission of Game 7. Down 3-0, season on the brink, the captain walks into the room with 20 minutes to go. He spots a cameraperson and points one finger to the door.
“Out,†Matthews commands.
Berube isnâ€t afraid to use the S word.
Behind the scenes, as things begin to fall apart against the champs, Leafs coach Craig Berube gives his players the same criticism your uncle hurls at the television.
During some emotional intermission rants, the head coach will demand a better attitude. Heâ€ll beg them to dig in harder.
“Weâ€re f—–†soft,†Berube rips.
He points to his head: “Itâ€s all about right here — mental.â€
Berube is at his angriest after Game 5â€s blowout at home, which leaves the Leafs trailing in a series for the first time:Â
“You have a f—-†opportunity. F— me. Donâ€t f—-†piss it away by not f——†playing hard and not working. Get a f—–†attitude in here.â€
Game 6â€s victory leaves the bench boss in a positive mind fame heading into the decisive Game 7. He praises the group for weathering the Corsi storm Florida unleashes in Period 1 and remains encouraging and upbeat after a goal or two go in the home net.
Once the Leafs fall behind 3-0, however, Berube sounds off. He challenges Matthews to lead the way and urges Nylander to start moving.
“Seriously? Weâ€re better than this,†he says, addressing the room. “Decide in here what you wanna do. Because itâ€s not f—–†good enough.â€
• Shanahan on the “Shanaplan”: “I donâ€t think Iâ€ve ever used that word in a sentence.â€
• The Nylanders love rigatoni rosé.
• Major storylines of the Panthers-Leafs series — Marnerâ€s looming departure, Matthews†back injury, and Sam Bennettâ€s elimination of Anthony Stolarz — are completely brushed over.
• Nylander and Shanahan stayed loyal to the end.
“People have said Iâ€m gonna get traded and stuff,†Nylander says, with a grin. “And heâ€s believed in me throughout the entire process, which I really appreciate.â€
Explains the ex-president: “Iâ€ve just seen too many players who got quit on too early, and they go and win their Stanley Cups with other organizations.â€
• Shanahan still gets “dialed in†during his drive to the rink on game days, even though he no longer laces â€em up: “When it doesnâ€t go well at the end of the year, we feel like dying. And I know the fans feel like dying because I remember feeling like that when I was a kid.â€
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