Chatter Around Craig Berube Starting to Heat Up as Maple Leafs Scuffle
Just over a season into Craig Berube's tenure as head coach, the Toronto Maple Leafs are facing increasing scrutiny as the team struggles to meet expectations. The Maple Leafs' recent performance has sparked concerns and intensified the pressure on Berube.
The Maple Leafs have fallen far below expectations, as highlighted by their recent game against the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night. Despite a strong first period, where they built a deserved lead, the Leafs ultimately lost 4-3 in overtime, extending their losing streak to four games. The Kings erased deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 to secure the win.
After the loss against the Kings, the Leafs' record sits at 8-8-2. Berube acknowledged the urgency but stated, "Panic's never going to help, but there's a level of urgency. It's been there for a bit. But (I'm) not going to panic. That doesn't help anything or anybody".
The team's inability to sustain a consistent level of play for the entire 60 minutes has been a recurring issue. In the loss to the Kings, the Maple Leafs struggled to maintain their momentum after a strong first period. According to Berube, the team "sat back a little too much" after gaining the lead in the third period. He also noted that the team needs to improve its ability to transition out of their own zone.
Injuries to key players, including Auston Matthews and goaltender Anthony Stolarz, have further compounded the team's challenges. Matthews was placed on injured reserve.
Berube identified a lack of confidence as a contributing factor to the team's struggles. "It's confidence for me, a little bit," Berube said. "The plays are there. We're just not making them and just not seeing them enough right now. We just got to pick up our pace. We got to be more confident in those plays. To me, that's the difference in the game". Berube believes that confidence comes from hard work and doing the right things, and he plans to use video analysis and practice to address the issue.
Berube was appointed as the Maple Leafs' head coach on May 17, 2024. Prior to joining the Leafs, Berube coached the St. Louis Blues for six seasons, leading them to their first Stanley Cup championship in 2019. The Maple Leafs' next game is Saturday night against the Chicago Blackhawks.
