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Another disappointing end for the Toronto Maple Leafs could — and should — be a catalyst in a potentially painful new beginning for the organization.

That was the message from Leafs’ management on Friday in the wake of Toronto bowing out in a first-round Stanley Cup playoff series for the sixth time in seven full seasons. The Leafs already axed head coach Sheldon Keefe on Thursday, and attention turns now to how Toronto will handle expectations for its expensive core of players who failed to deliver when it matters most.

Toronto’s president Brendan Shanahan didn’t immediately have all the answers but pledged — again — to try finding them.

“It’s not our intention to single out any one individual or any one small group of this team out,” said Shanahan. “We’re talking about the whole team. What we are saying is that it is certainly becoming evident that we have to assess all of those things and assess whether or not we have to make some very difficult decisions this summer to make the team better. There’s a time where you look at the age and the development of players and you talk about patience. And then there comes a time where you see certain patterns and trends repeat themselves, and results repeat themselves.”

The Leafs have invested over $40 million in four forwards — Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner and John Tavares — with the return of a single playoff series win last season when Toronto bested Tampa in six games. The Leafs promptly lost to Florida in the second round.

When players spoke with media earlier in the week, there was a sentiment of belief in the core to eventually push Toronto over the line. Shanahan agreed that he wanted the Leafs to be confident in themselves, but the “unacceptable” outcomes piling up year after year remained a glaring issue.

“I don’t question their dedication,” said Shanahan. “But I do question just our ability as a group to get it done in those difficult times. And that’s why we have to make some changes and we’ll continue to look at changes with a goal in mind of what makes the Maple Leafs better not just in the regular season but come playoff time.”

The Leafs had a strong regular season, wielding the league’s second-best offense, which averaged 3.63 goals per game and finished with 102 points to put them third in the Atlantic Division. The Leafs were matched with Boston in the first round and swiftly fell behind 3-1, only to force a Game 7 where they lost in overtime.

For all Toronto’s scoring success through the regular season, the Leafs averaged the fewest goals per game (1.71) of any team in the playoff field. It’s a problem that’s hampered the Leafs repeatedly.

“That [lack of scoring] is the question that we have to ask ourselves,” said Shanahan. “It happens too often. It’s a question of coaching. It’s a question of messaging. And it’s also a question of personnel. We haven’t gotten those results. So that’s something we have to work on.”

In the NHL’s hard salary cap world, having a majority of space eaten up by a handful of players isn’t necessarily a recipe for winning championships — or, in the Leafs’ case — more than one playoff round.

“You can have a viewpoint and say we’ve invested in four players; you’ve got X percent of your salary cap tied up there, and if we spread it all around, you’re going to have more depth,” said GM Brad Treliving. “But we are where we are. This is the situation we are in right now. Those are really good players. We’ve got to dig into why we’re ending up with the same result, year after year after year. And adjust accordingly.

Both Matthews and Nylander inked long-term deals with the Leafs through 2028 and 2032 respectively, but Marner and Tavares are both entering the final seasons of their deals, which include no-move clauses. Toronto isn’t ruling out asking one or both to rescind those and facilitate a move.

“Everything is on the table,” said Shanahan. “We will discuss everything. I don’t think it serves the Toronto Maple Leafs in any fashion to discuss those things prematurely, to discuss those individuals prematurely. Our focus right now is on finding a new head coach and certainly that new head coach will have an important voice as part of our decisions going forward.”

Treliving wouldn’t discuss who the Leafs were eyeing in the coaching search but said the club would be “thorough” in exploring its options. The sting of what Toronto had just been through in its postseason failure was clearly still top of mind in how Treliving and Shanahan were approaching their next steps.

“I don’t believe you throw a body on the tarmac just to say we’ve done something,” said Treliving. “The meetings that we have with the players, they understand that we’ve fallen short. I think we’re at a point where we see this repeatable, that we’ve got to dig into it. The results and sitting here today, when we think we should still be playing, isn’t acceptable.”

One thing Toronto did provide clarity on was Shanahan’s status moving forward. The three-time Stanley Cup champion took over his role in 2014 and is believed to have one year remaining on his current contract, though Shanahan declined to confirm his status in that respect on Friday.

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment CEO Keith Pelley gave Shanahan his full backing.

“Brendan Shanahan is the president of the Toronto Maple Leafs,” said Pelley. “He’s a champion.”

But will the Leafs ever be ones under him? That’s the only goal for management to accomplish now. The looming months will determine whether they’ve finally given the Leafs’ core long enough to make that a reality.

“I don’t have regret showing faith in people,” said Shanahan. “You don’t want to let [fans] down; you want to deliver. And if I felt that the players felt differently than that, in spite of the fact that they haven’t delivered, I might feel differently about them as well. So, we have to give them all the tools and we have to make changes where we think changes are going to help our team. You want to help them see things through.”

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Hard-throwing rookie Misiorowski going to ASG

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Hard-throwing rookie Misiorowski going to ASG

Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement, giving the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander a chance to break Paul Skenes‘ record for the fewest big league appearances before playing in the Midsummer Classic.

Misiorowski was named Friday night to replace Chicago Cubs lefty Matthew Boyd, who will be unavailable for the All-Star Game on Tuesday night in Atlanta because he is scheduled to start Saturday at the New York Yankees.

The 23-year-old Misiorowski has made just five starts for the Brewers, going 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA while averaging 99.3 mph on his fastball, with 89 pitches that have reached 100 mph.

If he pitches at Truist Park, Misiorowski will make it consecutive years for a player to set the mark for fewest big league games before an All-Star showing.

Skenes, the Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander getting ready for his second All-Star appearance, had made 11 starts in the majors when he was chosen as the NL starter for last year’s All-Star Game at Texas. He pitched a scoreless inning.

“I’m speechless,” said a teary-eyed Misiorowski, who said he was given the news a few minutes before the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over Washington. “It’s awesome. It’s very unexpected and it’s an honor.”

Misiorowski is the 30th first-time All-Star and 16th replacement this year. There are now 80 total All-Stars.

“He’s impressive. He’s got some of the best stuff in the game right now, even though he’s a young pitcher,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is a starting AL outfielder for his seventh All-Star nod. “He’s going to be a special pitcher in this game for a long time so I think he deserved it and it’s going be pretty cool for him and his family.”

Carlos Rodón, Carlos Estévez and Casey Mize were named replacement pitchers on the AL roster.

The New York Yankees‘ Rodón, an All-Star for the third time in five seasons, will replace teammate Max Fried for Tuesday’s game in Atlanta. Fried will be unavailable because he is scheduled to start Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

In his final start before the All-Star game, Rodón allowed four hits and struck out eight in eight innings in an 11-0 victory over the Cubs.

“This one’s a little special for me,” said Rodón, an All-Star in 2021 and ’22 who was 3-8 in his first season with the Yankees two years ago before rebounding. “I wasn’t good when I first got here, and I just wanted to prove that I wasn’t to going to give up and just put my best foot forward and try to win as many games as I can.”

The Kansas City Royals‘ Estévez replaces Texas’ Jacob deGrom, who is scheduled to start at Houston on Saturday night. Estévez was a 2023 All-Star when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.

Mize takes the spot held by Boston‘s Garrett Crochet, who is scheduled to start Saturday against Tampa Bay. Mize gives the Tigers six All-Stars, most of any team and tied for the franchise record.

Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia will replace Tampa Bay‘s Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list with left oblique tightness. The additions of Estévez and Garcia give the Royals four All-Stars, matching their 2024 total.

The Seattle Mariners announced center fielder Julio Rodríguez will not participate, and he was replaced by teammate Randy Arozarena. Rodríguez had been voted onto the AL roster via the players’ ballot. The Mariners, who have five All-Stars, said Rodríguez will use the break to “recuperate, rest and prepare for the second half.”

Arozarena is an All-Star for the second time. He started in left field for the AL two years ago, when he was with Tampa Bay. Arozarena was the runner-up to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the 2023 Home Run Derby.

Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen, a first-time All-Star, is replacing Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, who is scheduled to start Saturday night at Arizona. Rasmussen is 7-5 with a 2.82 ERA in 18 starts.

San Diego added a third NL All-Star reliever in lefty Adrián Morejón, who replaces Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler. The Phillies’ right-hander is scheduled to start at San Diego on Saturday night. Morejón entered the weekend with a 1.71 ERA in 45 appearances.

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Giants’ Devers dealing with disk injury in back

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Giants' Devers dealing with disk injury in back

SAN FRANCISCO — Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers is dealing with a disk injury in his lower back that has limited his production since joining his new club.

Manager Bob Melvin is hopeful Devers won’t require a stint on the injured list given the upcoming time off for the All-Star break.

Devers has begun anti-inflammatory medication for the irritation symptoms he is experiencing and is playing through the issue. He underwent an MRI exam Thursday.

“He went on some medication, feels a little bit better today. We’ll see how he responds to that,” Melvin said Friday. “I’m glad we got the MRI done so we know what’s going on.”

Acquired last month from the Red Sox, Devers entered the series opener Friday against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers batting .245 with 23 strikeouts, four doubles, a home run and six RBIs over his past 14 games dating to June 26. He was hitting .261 with 17 homers and 67 RBIs overall.

The Giants took on Devers’ mega contract when they traded for him June 15 to boost their offense after the slugger made it known he didn’t want to play first base for Boston. But he arrived in the Bay Area insisting he would do anything asked of him to help San Francisco win.

A three-time All-Star, Devers signed a $313.5 million, 10-year contract with the Red Sox in 2023.

On Friday, he was in the lineup as DH batting third. He isn’t ready to play the field, including first base, where he has been doing regular fielding work.

“He feels it mostly running, probably a little bit at the plate, but not as much as when he’s running bases,” Melvin said. “I think with the break hopefully [he’ll be OK]. I think he’s been playing through it for a little bit, basically since he’s been here. It’s the reason he’s not out in the field right now.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Cardinals’ Arenado (sprained finger) exits early

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Cardinals' Arenado (sprained finger) exits early

The St. Louis Cardinals removed star third baseman Nolan Arenado from their 6-5 loss to the visiting Atlanta Braves on Friday night because of a sprained right index finger.

Arenado, who was 1-for-3, was replaced in the seventh inning by Thomas Saggese. While it was unclear how Arenado hurt the finger, it is the same injury that kept him out of two games last week during a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Arenado has 10 home runs and 42 RBIs in 84 games this season.

Field Level Media contributed to this report.

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