Jan 7, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Connor Dewar (24) and Philadelphia Flyers left wing Joel Farabee (86) fight during the first period at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

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Connor Dewar Takes on Joel Farabee, Energizes maple leafs vs flyers game Intensity

Connor Dewar steps up for the Wild, battling Flyers' Joel Farabee in a spirited fight, channeling energy reminiscent of the Maple Leafs' grit.

Preparing to face the Philadelphia Flyers in the second half of a home-and-home series, the Toronto Maple Leafs brought forward Ryan Reaves into the lineup. Head coach Craig Berube aimed to add more physicality to the team.

While Berube didn’t explicitly attribute the move to incidents from the first matchup, the decision seems connected. During the initial game, Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway collided with Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby, sparking a fight between Hathaway and Jake McCabe. Unfortunately for McCabe, his head struck the ice during the altercation, leaving him sidelined. McCabe was subsequently placed on injured reserve with no specific timeline for his return, though he is expected to miss this week’s games.

Joel Farabee and Connor Dewar fire up the Philly crowd with a fight to start off the night 🥊 pic.twitter.com/OhyRjDsViC
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 8, 2025

Despite the addition of Reaves, it was forward Connor Dewar who took on Joel Farabee in a fight during Toronto’s 3-2 victory over the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday. The early bout appeared to resolve lingering tensions between the teams following McCabe’s injury.

Joel Farabee on the fight with Connor Dewar:

"Just was a little quiet in the building so I figured I'd ask him. Thankfully he gave me one, he's a really good guy."#Flyers pic.twitter.com/qfJv48uVwH
— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) January 8, 2025

Dewar joined the Maple Leafs last season at the NHL trade deadline, acquired from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round draft pick and prospect Dmitry Ovchinnikov. He made an immediate impact, appearing in 17 regular-season games on the fourth line and contributing significantly to the penalty kill. Dewar also participated in six of the team’s seven playoff games against the Boston Bruins.

After undergoing shoulder surgery in the offseason, Dewar missed the first four weeks of this season while on long-term injured reserve. Since returning, he has been a consistent presence on the fourth line, apart from two games.

Also Read: Vancouver Canucks Open to Trading Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller Amid Strained Relationship

That wasn’t Dewar’s first fight in in the NHL, but it marked his first with the Leafs. With the score tied at 0-0, Farabee shared on the ESPN broadcast that he sought the fight because “Just was a little quiet in the building so I figured I’d ask him. Thankfully he gave me one, he’s a really good guy.”

The Leafs were sluggish until much later, with John Tavares, Matthews, and Matthew Knies scoring goals as the game progressed.

However, when the Leafs have been considering fourth-line versatile winger/center alternatives, it seems Dewar has taken Pontus Holmberg’s place in that role, who hasn’t come back to the lineup since getting better from an illness.

Dewar has recorded three assists in 24 games with the Maple Leafs this season.

Image Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Connor Dewar

Joel Farabee

NHL

Philadelphia Flyers

Toronto Maple Leafs

Anamika Shrivastava

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I’ve always loved writing and storytelling, and hockey gives me a perfect stage for endless stories to tell. Whether it’s breaking down a game, analyzing a big trade, or capturing the emotions on the ice, I bring the NHL to life through words. So what’s the best part you ask? Watching the action unfold and turning it into something fans can connect with. To my readers: Hockey is more than just a game—it’s the highs, the heartbreaks, and the moments that make us jump off our seats. So, keep cheering, keep debating, and never stop loving the madness of the sport!