Craig Berube
This would come as a much bigger surprise, but Craig Berube could be in the hot seat if the Leafs somehow register an epic collapse in his very first season as their head coach. Toronto brought in Berube this past offseason on a four-year contract, relying upon the fact that his winning experience and pedigree could help get the Maple Leafs over the hump in any obstacle or adversity that the team would face. After all, he was the same coach that went through it all in helping a struggling St. Louis Blues team go from last place all the way to becoming Stanley Cup champions during the 2018-19 season.
During the course of the 2024-25 NHL season, Berube cleverly found ways to get the Leafs back on track after running into any funk or cold streaks. Whether they were hindered by injuries, or by the sudden ineffective play of some of the players, Berube managed to right the ship by making the proper adjustments and providing the right motivation by lighting a fire under all their feet. In doing so, he helped led Toronto to their successful 52-win season and capturing the Atlantic division title for the first time in team history in the process.
Therefore, with the Leafs facing their biggest demons right now, it will be up to Berube once again to exorcise those demons from the past to get the team to the next level. If Berube doesn’t end up achieving the breakthrough for the Leafs, he would have failed miserably in the area that he was hired exactly. With doubts and blames that could end up materializing, Berube’s influence in the locker room could take a huge hit going forward, putting his credibility and job at risk as a result.