TORONTO - At this time last season, the Toronto Maple Leafs had more wins, but the atmosphere around the team was extremely negative. Randy Carlyle had been fired and the team was in a death spiral with interim coach Peter Horachek behind the bench. 

This season, the atmosphere in the dressing room, even coming off an ugly 7-2 loss to the Blackhawks in Chicago on Monday, seems somewhat upbeat. The team may not be in the playoff race, but there is a sense of purpose.  

Veteran defenceman and pending unrestricted free agent Roman Polak, a prime candidate to be moved at the looming trade deadline, said the key change is in the work ethic of the team. 

“It's a big difference,” Polak said following Wednesday's workout at the MasterCard Centre. “We actually have guys who are trying to win and even when it's not going good, like the game against Chicago, we're always trying. Today, we did great work in practice. Trying to do the job.”

Head coach Mike Babcock deserves much of the credit, players say. Upon being hired last summer, Babcock vowed to make Toronto a safe environment for players, who had been beaten down by several late-season swoons. 

Last year, the atmosphere at the Air Canada Centre became toxic as sweaters were thrown on the ice with boos and catcalls also raining down at times. There have been some boos this season, but nothing close to the vitriolic response last year.  

The Toronto market is rabid in its following, but also understanding. Leafs Nation will tolerate losing if there's a purpose to it, if there is a plan in place.

"It's interesting," Babcock said with a smile. "I got a text from a buddy, a buddy in Spokane, who follows us all the time and watches and he sends me a text one day and says, 'Don’t worry about the naysayers.' I texted him back, 'I didn't know there was any.'"

The coach, who has grown accustomed to winning over the last decade in Detroit, believes the fans will support this team as long as the effort is honest. He believes the structure installed this season, if executed with maximum effort, will keep his team, no matter how injury ravaged or talent deficient, in most games.  

But with sick bay overflowing and the trade deadline now days away, will the task of keeping the Leafs players “safe” become harder?

"No, no, I don't think so," Babcock said shaking his head. "I think we've looked after them real good. We talked about that today. If you play real hard and you get prepared and stay determined and you play with structure and play real hard you can walk around town, go for breakfast, life's good, people like you, it's no problem. If you don't get prepared and you don't play with determination and you don't play with structure it's not as much fun being around town."

The Leafs have lost seven games this season by four or more goals, but only one of those setbacks - a 4-0 Halloween loss to the Penguins in Phil Kessel's return - has come at the Air Canada Centre. Babcock believes Toronto's home-heavy schedule down the stretch will offer the players a rallying point. "We have the most home games of anybody left, so let's be good," he noted. The Leafs will play 18 of their remaining 27 games at the ACC. 

Some players note that life in hockey-mad Toronto has been remarkably pleasant even though the Leafs haven't made the playoffs in an 82-game season since the 2003-04 campaign.  

"It has been amazing," said forward Peter Holland, a Toronto native. "Just around the city and talking with fans out on the street or in restaurants, everyone feels like we're on the right path and it's nice to have that encouragement, because we feel like that in this room so it's overflowing into the community as well."

"We're not happy to be losing and they're not happy we're losing," said defenceman Jake Gardiner. "But I think the fans see a bright future. They see the Marlies [Toronto's AHL affiliate] and how successful they are and that's exciting for everyone."

But playing for Babcock, at home or on the road, has given the Leafs players a sense that they're shielded. Babcock has a larger-than-life personality and so much focus this season has been on the man who guided Team Canada to two gold medals and the Red Wings to two Stanley Cup appearances, including a title in 2008. 

Some players have noticed that Babcock will often shoulder the blame after a bad loss as was the case in Ottawa following a recent 6-1 thrashing. In the moments after the game, Babcock noted the coaching staff needed to do a better job preparing the players. 

"He's been great," said Gardiner, who often found himself in Carlyle's doghouse. "He kind of takes the pressure off of everyone and puts a lot of blame on himself, which is nice for us. It's a whole group effort here. It's everyone together. That's one of the great things about Babs. It's not just us, it's not just him, it's everyone."