Senators' Ridly Greig makes his feelings known on facing Toronto Maple Leafs a year on since controversial empty-net slapshot goal

Ottawa Senators' center Ridly Greig took us down memory lane ahead of his team's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Greig talked about his controversial slapshot goal into an empty net during last season's game against the Leafs.

During that game in February 2024, Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly had taken exception to Greig's shot and cross-checked him immediately afterward. The NHL's Department of Player Safety suspended Rielly for five games after the incident.

Ottawa had won that game 5-3. Now, almost a year after that controversial game, the two teams will square off against each other once again. Speaking to the media before the game, Greig recalled the incident.

"A lot of people hated it, a lot of people loved it. Probably good for the rivalry," Greig said in a video posted on X by @ComingInHotSens.

"Obviously it ended in a dramatic way, but it's in the past. I think we've all moved on."

When asked about whether the controversy would affect the upcoming game, Greig said:

"I doubt it."

The Ottawa player has always maintained that there were no hard feelings about the incident. He also said that the slapshot wasn't a deliberate action on his part.

“A lot of adrenaline, the heat of the moment, the heat of the game, it was an emotional game, I just got a breakaway and thought I would bury it,” Grieg told reporters last year.

Morgan Rielly downplayed Ridley Greig's controversial slapshot

Saturday's game will be the second time the Senators and the Maple Leafs play each other this season. Ottawa won their earlier game on November 3-0.

Speaking to the media before the November game, Morgan Rielly also said he had moved past the incident.

“That’s not the way that I intended it to go, but it’s in the past and it’s an opportunity to learn from it and move forward,” Rielly said via the Ottawa Sun. “I don’t [expect emotional carryover], but whatever happens, happens.”

Ahead of the game, another major development from the Leafs camp was the fitness of goalie Anthony Stolarz, who returned to practice on Friday for the first time since his injury on December 12 and subsequent knee repair surgery.

Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube told the media Friday that Stolarz might return "a bit ahead of schedule."