The Toronto Maple Leafs staved off elimination by defeating the Boston Bruins in Game 5.
"They’re up against a really good opponent, a team that’s just two years removed from winning the Cup, but any time you can win a Game 5 in that situation against a team of that caliber, obviously you’ve got character and it builds even more character," Wayne Gretzky told ESPN.com over the phone Saturday. "They’re legit. They’re playing on high emotion right now."
Gretzky said that belief begins with Leafs coach Randy Carlyle and what he’s selling to his young team.
"It’s about believing in your system. The system starts with the head coach," Gretzky said. "He’s got tremendous credibility after winning a Stanley Cup himself [2007 in Anaheim]. It’s not a question of players saying, 'Are we sure he knows what he’s doing?' Because they’re absolutely positive he knows what he’s doing. The credibility starts right there with the coach."