TORONTO - Despite their lowly place in the NHL standings, Maple Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello says everything has gone better than expected for Toronto this season, from the promising performance of the team's youngest prospects to Mike Babcock's effect behind the bench.

That doesn't mean he thinks the Leafs are closer than expected to being contenders.

"I don't want to get ahead of ourselves," Lamoriello said in a recent interview.

"All I can say is that everything has transpired throughout the year, no matter what it might be, has pointed in a positive direction. For any step that was taken back, two or three was going forward and that's the way you look at it. We still have a ways to go. We can't get excited about success we've had recently because all of these things have a way of changing when the pressure starts.

"Right now, we're still in that early stage," Lamoriello added. "To use the expression that Mike did — 'there will be pain' — there will be more pain, but it is in the right direction."

The Leafs GM said he's been pleasantly surprised by the depth and quality of young talent in the organization. From first round pick William Nylander to 22-year-old Toronto-area native Zach Hyman to relative Russian unknown Nikita Soshnikov, the Leafs got a glimpse into their future following the Feb. 29 trade deadline and were pleased by what it showed.

Still, Lamoriello is careful about making predictions based on a tiny sample size late in a last-place season.

"I think the depth of the talent is exceptional," he said. "I think that the players that we've had here, in and out over the year, have responded, have not disappointed us. And the question will certainly be, you don't get ahead of yourself, how long they can sustain it."

"I think we've got a couple players, more than a couple, that can be outstanding players in the National Hockey League. But I say that with a little bit of tongue in cheek, because I've seen situations before (where it didn't work out)."

Lamoriello speaks often about "the plan" the Leafs have for building under president Brendan Shanahan, which means sticking to a long-term approach that may not grant short-term success.

Nearly at the end of his first season in Toronto, Lamoriello said the Leafs' leaders would not be swayed by market pressures as previous management teams and coaching staffs often were.

The Leafs have dressed one of the youngest lineups in the league since they purged their roster at the trade deadline. Twenty-year-old Tobias Lindberg recently became the 12th player to make his NHL debut for Toronto and 10th since the end of February.

Lamoriello wouldn't comment on what needs the organization might have moving forward.

He was excited for the June draft though, energized by the appeal of adding another high-impact prospect with a top-five selection. Lamoriello expected to see Austin Matthews, the likely No. 1 pick, up close at the world championship in Russia after watching him and other top prospects at the world junior championship in December.

Lamoriello said nothing would be ruled out when free agency, which has seen the Leafs opt for short-term solutions in recent years, starts July 1.

"If there's a free agent or there's a player that will make our organization better, that will fit into the thought process that we have going forward, there will be no hesitation," he said. "We will do whatever is the right thing to make this team, to make this organization, a team for today and tomorrow, depending upon what is available."

Toronto does have two key restricted free agents to sign in 22-year-old Morgan Rielly and 25-year-old Nazem Kadri, the latter concluding the best season of his NHL career with a four-game suspension.

Lamoriello declined comment when asked about committing to Kadri with a long-term contract. Contractual matters wouldn't be discussed publicly, he said.

"I think that Naz has certainly given us every indication on a consistent basis that he has the ability to be a core player and that's the way we feel."