Report: Maple Leafs' Cedric Pare Received Death Threats After Hit on Laine

The Toronto Maple Leafs/Montreal Canadiens rivalry has stooped to a dark new low, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. He reported on Insider Trading on Thursday that Cedric Pare received death threats from fans after his knee-on-knee hit sent Patrik Laine to the sidelines for two-to-three months. 

I'm told that the Toronto Maple leafs security group had to intervene and disable Pare's social media accounts based on death threats and abusive comments directed at him. 

After Laine went down with the injury, his Montreal teammate Arber Xhekaj exacted some revenge on Pare the old fashioned hockey way, with a few knuckle sandwiches. But death threats from fans is certainly taking this rivalry a bit too far. 

The Maple Leafs had to deactivate Cedric Pare's social media accounts due to the harassment and threats he received after the incident.

Despite the backlash, Laine seems to have forgiven Pare, or at least does not blame him, saying: "I don't think anybody's trying to hurt… pic.twitter.com/WxXxALCb5N

— Leafslatest (@Leafslatest) October 3, 2024

"It's one thing to have a raw rivalry, it's another thing to cross the line," added Dreger.

As for Laine, it sounds like he's forgiven Pare, who sent him an apology by text. "I don't think anybody's trying to hurt anybody," said Laine. "Hockey's a fast game, and I kind of put myself in that situation a little bit trying to make a stop. It's just an unfortunate collision, and he texted me afterward, which I respect him for."

Regardless, all eyes will be on Montreal on opening night October 9th, as the Leafs pay the Habs a visit to kick off the season.