TORONTO

“Enough is enough.”

That was Leafs forward Peter Holland’s assessment as the horrid slide has now reached 23 losses in the past 27 games, a frustrating feeling of disgust shared by many on the struggling team.

“We’ve got to buy in more and we’ve got to stop finding excuses for ourselves,” Holland said following the team’s late-morning practice in Etobicoke. “We keep telling ourselves that we’re in games and we’re finding ways to lose. It’s about time we find ways to win.”

The latest loss came Tuesday at the Air Canada Centre, a 3-2 defeat to the Florida Panthers in the first game following the trade of Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli to Nashville. New Leaf Olli Jokinen talked post game about the negative vibe surrounding the team, a feeling that’s difficult for the players who have been around the team all year to shake.

“I’m frustrated,” Holland said. “It’s tough being a young guy in my position. I don’t want to step on anybody’s toes, but if I was a veteran guy, I think I may have spoken up a little bit more.

“Guys care, but the run we’re on. It’s enough.”

Leafs coach Peter Horachek hammered home the same sentiment to the team in the pre-practice meeting that sounds like it was a one-sided dressing down.

“This morning’s meeting ... the room was very silent when I was talking,” Horachek said. “I wasn’t mincing any words.

“I felt that they have to hold themselves at a higher accountability to each other and feel like it’s not acceptable to go into a game and turn over pucks that much and play that way.”

Injured forward Joffrey Lupul said the frustration is tough to avoid.

“The thing you can lose sight of is it’s still a great job, it’s still fun,” Lupul said. “But losing games gets unbelievably frustrating, whether you are playing or not. But still, you have to come here and bring a good attitude.

“Everyone in here is hurting and frustrating. But you get paid a lot and your job is to show up and work hard at practice. There’s lessons to be learned from this stuff.”

The Leafs will have another day of practice on Thursday before back-to-back weekend action - Friday night in Carolina then home to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.

Horachek said captain Dion Phaneuf will not be available for either game as he continues to recover from a hand injury while centre Trevor Smith is also out with an upper body injury.

The team is hopeful that Lupul - who has been recovering from a leg injury - will be back in the lineup for the weekend.

rob.longley@sunmedia.ca

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