Sheldon Keefe drops a pipe bomb of a quote during his post-game presser after Game 7 loss

The Leafs did all they could in this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, but unfortunately, it just wasn't enough to sneak past the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning, who pulled off a clutch Game 7 win on the road, picking up a razor-close 2-1 decision that was one bounce away from being an entirely different game.

Following the game, the Leafs and Bolts lined up for the traditional post-series handshake. In years past, the Leafs were sort of just adequately acknowledged and then forgotten about as the playoffs went on. This year, it was an entirely different story.

According to Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe on Saturday night, the Lightning not only took the time to congratulate the Leafs on a hard-fought series, but they also made sure to communicate the level of respect they had for their Atlantic Division rivals, pointing out that the Leafs have a very dangerous core and will undoubtedly go on a long run here very soon.

Keefe also delivered a sensational quote during his post-game presser, stating that the Leafs are "not in the respect game", they're "in the winning game".



When guys like Steven Stamkos, Victor Hedman, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov and head coach Jon Cooper are taking the extra time in that lineup to pump your tires and tell you that your time is coming, that's a hell of a vote of confidence. The Bolts are among the best teams in the NHL, and if they can find a way to complete the 3-peat this year, they're going to be bordering on "modern day dynasty" status. When that sort of respect is given, you know it's earned.

I know it doesn't mean much to the Leafs or to Leafs Nation now, but I think it will mean a lot more next year when the Leafs core has another year of scar tissue and another year of disappointment to fuel them to improve yet again, as they have year over year, and perhaps we're looking back on this moment a year from now as the point where everything changed for the Leafs - where things clicked and where the Leafs figured out exactly what they'll have to do to have success in the spring.