On Monday, the Toronto Maple Leafs took on the Anaheim Ducks for the first time since Radko Gudas‘ season-ending hit on Auston Matthews.

Ahead of that matchup, Ontario native and former Ducks Stanley Cup Champion Chris Pronger joined Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill on Leafs Morning Take.

Amidst a dismal season for the Maple Leafs, the lack of response after Gudas’ hit on Matthews has been a hot topic in Toronto, and Pronger had thoughts. Some have quick to point fingers at Craig Berube for not building a tough enough group, but the longtime NHLers said he sees it as more of locker room issue.

“I’m pretty sure we all know how Chief played the game,” Pronger said. “No, I think it starts at the top of the locker room. Having the conversations amongst one another. How do we handle these situations? What type of team are we?”

Pronger pointed to the Buffalo Sabres as a prime example of a team who have turned that culture around from inside the locker room. While a year ago they let a hit on Tage Thompson go unchecked, a recent knock on Rasmus Dahlin evoked a much more aggressive response from the team.

“I think that just speaks to the togetherness, the belief in one another,” Pronger said, on the Sabres. “Their ability to understand how those moments galvanize a locker room, how they can bring players together and teams together. And the chemistry they have. They’re not just out there playing the game and mailing it in, so to speak. They’re out there competing at the highest level, pushing one another, in practice and through games. That will and want to win comes from the top players and works its way down.”

Given his history of winning and high hockey IQ, some have wondered if Pronger could take on some role in hockey operations for the Maple Leafs and help right the ship. For his part, Pronger said he’s more than willing, but those opportunities have to arise.

“I’ll take any call, I’ll talk to anybody,” he said. “Listen, I’ve been asked about all kinds of things, I’m willing to talk to anybody. I never say never about anything. For me to do anything in hockey operations now, it needs to be the right fit. To me it’s more about the fit and the opportunity than it is about anything else. There’s a number of teams I would have interest in. But it doesn’t mean that they’ve available, and it doesn’t mean that they want me.”

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