Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving says to expect changes in the off-season after another playoff bust.
And not just to the roster, but “between the ears,” too.
Using the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers as an example, Treliving said at a season-ending availability Thursday that there must be changes in the “DNA” of a team that continues to fold in big playoff moments despite regular-season success.
Toronto finished the regular season in first place in the Atlantic Division and defeated the Ottawa Senators in the first round for just their second playoff series win in the last 20 seasons.
The Leafs looked poised for a breakthrough when they won the first two games of a second-round series against the Panthers and went up 3-1 in Game 3, before handing the momentum back to their opponent and ultimately losing in seven games.
Treliving credited Florida, which just polished off Carolina in five games in the Eastern Conference final, with always finding a way to perform in the moments that matter.