Nylander defends Leafs’ core after playoff exit [Video]

William Nylander stood in a solemn visitors locker room at TD Garden just before midnight.

The Maple Leafs had battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories – including one that required extra time – in their first-round playoff series to push the club’s Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss.

Nylander’s message was emphatic.

“Look, I don’t think there’s an issue with the core,” the winger said of Toronto’s gifted, high-paid and, to date, underachieving nucleus just before Saturday turned into Sunday. “I think we were (expletive) right there all series and battled hard, got to Game 7 and OT.

“That’s a (expletive) feeling.”

It’s the job of general manager Brad Treliving to take sentiment out of the equation.

Nylander, Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares make up the Leafs’ so-called “Core Four” of talent up front.

There’s no doubting the individual …