Maple Leafs GM Treliving says change is coming after 2nd-round playoff loss

TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving says to expect changes in the offseason after another early exit in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

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 news conference Thursday that there must be changes in the “DNA” of a team that continues to struggle 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 its second playoff series win in the past 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 eliminated Carolina in five games in the Eastern Conference final, with finding a way to perform in the key moments in the postseason.

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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl