BREAKING: Matt LaFleur Sends Powerful Message After Tucker Kraft’s Devastating Injury
Green Bay, WI — The Green Bay Packers are grappling with a heartbreaking loss on and off the field after their shocking defeat to the Carolina Panthers in Week 9. The Packers, heavily favored to win at home, were stunned by the Panthers' resilience, leading to a 16-13 upset. To make matters worse, star tight end
Kraft, who had been a key target for quarterback Jordan Love—especially in the red zone—will now be sidelined for the remainder of the season after tearing his ACL in the third quarter. The Packers will need to find a way to adjust without one of their most reliable offensive weapons.
LaFleur’s Defiant Response to Injury
In the aftermath of Kraft’s injury, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was quick to speak out, offering both sympathy for Kraft’s situation and resolve for the team moving forward.
“He’s doing as good as you could ever be doing considering the circumstances,” LaFleur said, speaking to the media on the day following the game. “Tuck’s a guy that, he’s not going to flinch, and that’s why we love him. I mean, he’s a hell of a player, hell of a teammate, hell of a guy. I’m bummed for him. I’m bummed for us, but it’s just part of it, and it’s got to be that next-man-up mentality.”
LaFleur’s words reflect the sense of urgency that has overtaken the Packers’ locker room. With Kraft out for the season, the Packers will need players like Luke Musgrave, who will now be thrust into a larger role, to step up and fill the void. Additionally,
A Tough Road Ahead
The Packers’ road to recovery from this loss is a steep one, with questions mounting about how they’ll cope without Kraft. Despite the talent on their roster, the Packers have now lost two games and are facing increased pressure. Their ability to adapt and respond to adversity will be crucial in the coming weeks as they look to salvage their season.
The Packers will need to come together, and with LaFleur’s steady leadership, there’s hope that the next-man-up mentality will help them overcome this latest hurdle. But with their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the next few games will determine whether the Packers can bounce back or if their season will spiral out of control.
Colorado Avalanche showed Championship-level grit against the Lightning
The Colorado Avalanche fended off the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night, with a final score of 3-2. It was a hard-fought battle between the two 2021-22 Stanley Cup Final teams. If one thing has been evident in the world of hockey—especially with this year’s Avalanche—it’s that you have to battle through the final whistle and faceoff. If you lay back, it can come back and bite you.
Thankfully, that’s not what happened in this game, as the Lightning had to pull goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, forcing them into a 6-on-5 man-advantage to try and get that tying goal. Thankfully, that wasn’t in the cards for the Lightning, as Colorado was able to keep them from scoring.
Cale Makar was a huge part of the game, and especially the final minutes, as he blocked a shot which hit his hand. He was in a lot of pain, as his reaction on the bench clearly showed. On one hand (no pun intended), that’s the type of
Jared Bednar on Cale Makar after blocking the puck late in last night's win over TBL via @AltitudeSR:
He said that Cale is okay!
"It says a lot. Those three minutes, regardless of how you played the whole night... I love what our guys did on that 6-on-5."#GoAvsGo |… — Adrian Hernandez (@AdoHernandez27) November 5, 2025
You know what? That honestly feels like a Championship-quality move. Now, it’s easy to talk about an obvious playoff team being a Stanley Cup contender in November. I also understand the hesitation to do so. But if the Avalanche fight like they did against Tampa Bay on a regular basis, the sky is the limit for them. They finally have quality goaltending, and we have guys who will go out to battle for each other.
Gabriel Landeskog’s fight is also one to note, as he’s been one of the more physical players on this year’s team, which is surprising given his three-year absence from regular season hockey, but it’s a welcome sight. He showed a lot of guts against the Lightning, too. Landeskog continues to show that he is doing quite well in his long recovery from knee surgey, and we might not even have to be talking about it any longer.
The Avalanche have a three-day break before a tilt with the Edmonton Oilers in Western Canada. We’ll get to see the battle between Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid, two guys who are often linked together. That should be a lot of fun. Who knows? Maybe we will get to see Mackenzie Blackwood back in action.
