Maple Leafs expected more from themselves in playoff run

TORONTO --The Toronto Maple Leafs' mindset has changed. After being eliminated in the Eastern Conference First Round for the second consecutive season, they know the time has come to expect more.
"It rips the heart out of your chest," Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock said Friday. "Last year when we lost out of the playoffs, I don't think it was devastating to anybody. This year, you're set up, you're right there, you're ahead, you've got it going good. It just goes to show you how fragile things are at times."

The Maple Leafs lost 7-4 to the Boston Bruins
in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Wednesday, a game they led 4-3 entering the third period.
"We're upset right now, that's for sure," Toronto defenseman Nikita Zaitsev said. "We were expecting more. We're not happy with this. Last year it was like, 'Yeah, we got a good battle in the first round.' But now it's not like that. We're wanting more. It's pretty sad."
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The Maple Leafs played one more game than they did during the 2017 playoffs, when they lost to the Washington Capitals in six games. But last season came after a 30th place finish in the NHL standings in 2015-16 and was their first trip to the postseason since 2013 and second since 2004. Led by a youthful core entering this season, including centers Auston Matthews, 20, and William Nylander, 21, and forward Mitchell Marner, 20, there was plenty of promise regarding what the future might hold.
But the way the first round ended left the Maple Leafs with an empty feeling.
"A little bit more disappointing, just because last year we didn't really know what to expect," said Matthews, who had two points (one goal, one assist) in seven games against the Bruins. "We got into the playoffs [last season], which was obviously something the team hadn't done in a while, it was a big turnaround from the year before.
"This year, we obviously wanted to take a step forward and that didn't happen. It's still a learning experience and this adversity, I think in the long run, is going to help us."

Babcock said the mindset next season must shift from being a team hoping to make the playoffs to one that needs to focus on how to play deep into the postseason.
"We've got a team that we think is set up to be a good team," he said. "We're still going to have lots of work to do this summer. But in saying that, we're like I don't know how many teams, there's eight teams playing and we're not.
"We want to be playing so we've got to get to work. That's what we talked about in exit meetings with our players, is the work you do this summer allows you to play eight weeks instead of two weeks."
Forward Patrick Marleau, who led the Maple Leafs with four goals during the playoffs, agreed that's the focus each player needs to have next season.
"That's the way this team should be approaching it," the 38-year-old said. "I think playoffs should be something … we've proven the last two years we can get into the playoffs, so now it's about getting home-ice advantage and taking another step come playoff time."