If you’re a hockey fan, you’ve no doubt seen this viral video by now: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice rewarding his fourth-line forwards in the waning seconds of this year’s Stanley Cup final.
“I want you three f—ing guys out there for the last shift,” said Maurice, in a behind-the-scenes moment recorded on the bench. “You throw your sh— off when we win this.”
Maurice was acknowledging the fact that his grinders — A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek and Jonah Gadjovich — had played a pivotal role in the team’s championship run, especially their impact against the Toronto Maple Leafs in round two of the playoffs.
How many times has Gadjovich watched the clip?
“Countless times for sure,” he smiled, during an appearance today on our ‘Closer Look’ podcast. “I love that video. It’s so cool. It brings back just such a special memory. I wasn’t expecting that to happen, obviously.”
Last season, Gadjovich was on Florida’s postseason roster but never saw the ice. This year, he emerged as a critical piece of the title team, even playing Game 6 against the Edmonton Oilers with a broken foot.
Now back home in Ontario for the summer, Gadjovich took some time to talk to us about everything — his injury, the post-victory parties, Brad Marchand, and how grateful he is for the love and support of his family.
Oh, he also gave us the scoop about the fate of his epic playoff beard.
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