from Chris Johnston of Sportsnet,

Many in these parts figured the pain was over. That the arrival of a couple young cornerstones and a game-tilting free agent would officially turn the page on the famous promise Mike Babcock made the day he was introduced as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Truth is it’s only given way to intermittent bouts of anguish, despair and frustration.

And the playoffs haven’t even started yet.

This is what it’s like around a team with great expectations, in a city aching for a winner. The Leafs in the last few weeks have provided their fanbase with a crash course reminder about how difficult the ascent can be. They’ve stumbled, struggled and occasionally looked lost while taking until Game 78 to clinch a playoff berth in a season where they owned the best start in franchise history through Game 38.

The truest measure of how far they’ve come awaits when they head back to Boston to open Round 1 next week. They are better on paper, have improved their underlying 5-on-5 metrics and will still finish with fewer wins and points than last season. But are they more prepared to handle the Bruins in a best-of-seven?

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