The Toronto Maple Leafs start the 2024-2025 regular season this Wednesday, October 9th against their Original Six Atlantic Division rival Montreal Canadiens. After sorting through last-minute lineup decisions, the games now count.
The familiar core of newly-appointed captain Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Morgan Rielly will lead the Maple Leafs on the ice, but they have a new voice behind the bench.
Craig Berube was hired within a few weeks after the Leafs first-round Game 7 exit against the Boston Bruins that ended their 2024 season. He replaces long-time coach Sheldon Keefe.
Despite speculation around a Marner trade, general manager Brad Treliving and Maple Leafs management decided against making a significant move. Instead, the Leafs used free agency to make substantial additions to their defense and goaltending.
Will a coaching change plus the defensive and goaltending additions be enough for Toronto to finally achieve postseason success?
Berube is energizing Leafs
Berube didn't take long to make his mark with the Leafs. Day 1 of training camp involved lots of skating and drills with puck battles. It's not unusual for a new coach to set a different tone with their players, but Berube's history within the league as both a player and a Cup-winning coach has most approving the hire.
The feedback from the Leafs players has been positive. The lines of communication between the coach and player have been open and Berube is very direct and clear on his expectations.
The team appears energized by their new leader behind the bench. Much of the roster, especially the Leafs most important players, have been hearing the same message and dealing with the same questions for multiple years.
Berube, along with new assistants Marc Savard and Lane Lambert, have invigorated many of the veteran players with fresh ideas. There is always adversity to overcome during a long NHL season, but the status quo with Keefe was not an option. The Maple Leafs will reap the benefits of Berube and the new assistants pushing them to greater heights.