Troy Stecher reflects on 1st goal with Leafs following win vs. Panthers: ‘It feels nice when you get one’

The Toronto Maple Leafs pulled off a convincing 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. Propelled by depth contributions, the team now has their first back-to-back victories since the start of November.

Claimed off waivers in mid-November, Troy Stecher scored his first goal with the Leafs on Tuesday, adding an assist for his first multi-point game since March 2023. The team now boasts a winning record when Stecher dresses, and the 31-year-old shared what he liked about how Toronto played in the win.

“We didn’t really give them much,” Stecher said post-game. “It felt like in the second period we really tilted the ice in our favour. It felt like a complete game from all 20 guys who were playing tonight.”

Stecher opened the scoring for Toronto in the first period with a clean wrist shot from the point that beat Sergei Bobrovsky. It’s the third consecutive game when a Maple Leafs blueliner opened the scoring, with Morgan Rielly and Oliver Ekman-Larsson doing so in the previous two contests.

Stecher is hardly known as a goalscorer. His last tuck came in December 2024, and he has a career high of five goals in a season. Considering this, Stecher spoke about how good it felt to come up with an important one for the Leafs so early in his time with the team.

“It’s great,” Stecher said. “Don’t do it often, so it feels nice when you get one. It’s nice to contribute, big goal at that moment obviously, gave us the lead and we never looked back.”

Stecher shared that he had told Easton Cowan and Nick Robertson before the game he was gonna score one, but added that he tells someone that every night just in case it happens.

“Fake it ’till you make it kind of thing,” he said. “Give me the puck, I’m gonna score, then most often it’s on the glass and out. So it feels good to score tonight.”

While Stecher is joking around a bit with media, it’s refreshing to see that kind of confidence and drive in the Leafs locker room, which has seemed (understandably) down as of late. As Stecher has begun to take on a bigger role with the team, they now have wins in three of their last four games, and he’s currently riding a three-game point streak. Not bad for an early season waiver claim.

Stecher and the Maple Leafs will now look to keep that swagger going as they wrap up their road trip on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Blake Grupe Finds New Opportunity with Indianapolis Colts After Saints’ Setback—Ready to Make His Mark

In a stunning move, Blake Grupe, the former New Orleans Saints kicker, has found a new home with the Indianapolis Colts. After a challenging season that saw him released by the Saints, Grupe’s resilience has paid off, earning him a spot on the Colts’

practice squad. And while it may have seemed like his career was in jeopardy, Grupe is proving that it’s far from over.

Grupe’s journey has been one of highs and lows. The

former top kicker for the Saints was once hailed as a potential franchise player. After a promising start, including being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2023, Grupe quickly won the starting kicker job over

Pro Bowler Wil Lutz. However, inconsistency crept in, and by mid-2025, Grupe’s time with the Saints came to an end after a disappointing performance. Despite making just 75 of 94 field goals (79.8%)

and 86 of 88 extra points (97.7%), Grupe’s time with New Orleans ended on a sour note, but it wasn’t the end of his journey.

Carlie Irsay-Gordon, the

CEO of the Indianapolis Colts, made it clear why the team was excited to give Grupe another chance:
"Blake Grupe has shown great resilience and determination throughout his career, and we're thrilled to bring him into our organization. We believe he will be a valuable asset to our special teams, and we're excited to see what he can bring to the field as we continue to build a competitive team."

Grupe’s move to the Colts comes after NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that the kicker impressed during his workout, just before the Colts made the decision to release kicker Michael Badgley

. The Colts are looking for a spark on special teams, and Grupe could be exactly what they need. With his strong work ethic and experience, Grupe’s journey isn’t just about redemption—it’s about proving that he belongs.

At 31 years old, Grupe is determined to carve out a meaningful role with the Colts, who are in the midst of their own playoff push. Despite the rough start, the Colts are still in contention, and Grupe will be fighting for his place on the field. He has the opportunity to join a

team with playoff aspirations, and if he continues to shine in spring training, he could very well earn a spot on the active roster.

Grupe’s story is one of perseverance.

In the face of adversity, he has never backed down. With his move to Indianapolis, Grupe gets another chance to show what he’s capable of. And while his past with the Saints was rocky, the future with the Colts is looking much brighter.

If anyone can turn their career around, it’s Blake Grupe.

As the Colts continue their quest for the postseason, all eyes will be on Grupe—will he rise to the occasion and make an impact on special teams, or will this chapter of his NFL story be another setback? Regardless of the outcome, Grupe’s journey serves as an inspiration to every player who faces adversity and refuses to quit.

Blake Grupe’s comeback story is just beginning. As he takes his next steps with the Indianapolis Colts, the NFL world will be watching closely to see if this former Saints kicker can turn his dreams into reality once again.

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