Brad Treliving did not like the way his team responded after the Florida Panthers scored first in Game 7 of their second-round series.

"There was a real tightness in the moment," the Maple Leafs general manager said in his first public comments since Toronto's season ended on May 18. "Champions are the calmest at the most critical time, and that's an area that we've got to get through."

The defending Stanley Cup-champion Panthers built a 3-0 lead in the second period of Game 7 en route to a 6-1 win. The Leafs also lost 6-1 at home in Game 5. After starting the series with consecutive wins at Scotiabank Arena, the Leafs suffered lopsided losses in the most important home games of the year.

Treliving also highlighted the Game 3 overtime loss in Florida as a key moment.

"You've got a chance to get them on the mat," Treliving lamented. "We're up 2-0. We're up 3-1. Critical moment. We weren't able to close that out."

At the critical moments throughout the series, the Panthers were simply better.

"That series is going to stay with me for a long time," Treliving said. "The way it ended will stay with me for a long time. It would stay with me if it was 2-1 in triple overtime. When you think you have a chance to win and you don't, it stays with you."

This Leafs core has had plenty of these chances. Toronto is now 0-7 in series-deciding games since 2018. Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly have played in each of those games. John Tavares has suited up in five of them.

The Leafs have scored just five goals total in their last six series-deciding losses.

"When you run up against that wall and it happens time and time again that leaves some scars," Treliving said.

Toronto has made the playoffs in nine straight seasons, but the Leafs have won just two series in this stretch.

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