Paul Bissonnette drops 3-word response to Nikita Grebenkin's hilarious "I kill you, you kill me" statement

NHL insider Paul Bissonnette quickly reacted to Nikita Grebenkin’s comment after the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Grebenkin, a 21-year-old rookie, had knocked Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser to the ice in the final seconds of the game.

When asked about it, Grebenkin said:

"I play. You play. Don't stop. Don't relax. You play NHL, you understand. I kill you. You kill me. It's business. No problem.”

Bissonnette, known for his lighthearted commentary, shared a simple three-word response on X (formerly Twitter):

“Russian Quote Machine,” with a smile emoji.

His comment pointed out how blunt and confident Nikita Grebenkin was in explaining his physical play.

Grebenkin may not have recorded a point in his first five NHL games, but he has impressed with his toughness. He has made 11 hits and gained the trust of coach Craig Berube.

“He doesn’t take any time off, that guy,” Berube said (via mapleleafshotstove.com). “He’s a hard-working kid. He has a real good future. I like his grit, his determination that he plays with. Now, there’s a lot to learn,

"He’s a young guy and hasn’t played a lot of pro (in North America). He’s learning on the fly, and he’s strong. He’s a big guy that’s strong on the puck. He just has to learn the game,” Berube added.

Grebenkin’s strong performances with the Toronto Marlies, where he recorded 10 points in 13 games, helped him earn his NHL call-up.

Nikita Grebenkin and the Toronto Maple Leafs' 4-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks

The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 on Monday, with Auston Matthews scoring his first goal since returning from injury, opening the scoring in the first period. The Leafs were strong on the penalty kill, going 4-for-4, including a key 5-on-3 kill.

Coach Craig Berube noted that the team had a good start but struggled in the second period.

“I thought we started off the way we wanted to and played our game,” Toronto coach Craig Berube said (via NHL.com). “Second period not so much, we just didn’t make a play, couldn’t win a battle, couldn’t advance the puck well enough,

"We just got hemmed in our own zone and then we took penalties, but our penalty kill was excellent tonight and that was the difference in the game. And then our goalie, that’s what it boils down to.”

The Leafs are now 15-7-2 this season and will next face the Nashville Predators, who have a record of 7 wins, 12 losses, and 6 overtime losses. The Predators' road record stands at 2 wins, 6 losses and 4 overtime losses. The game is scheduled for Dec. 4 at 7:30 PM EST.