The Toronto Maple Leafs introduced their 19th general manager in Toronto Maple Leafs history on Monday, as they took to the media for the first time since hiring John Chayka and Mats Sundin.
There were a lot of questions regarding the team's future after missing the postseason for the first time in a decade; however, Craig Berube's future with the Maple Leafs was one that many had spoken about a lot over the past couple of weeks since the departure of their previous general manager, Brad Treliving.
John Chayka, on Monday, quickly defended Berube, but didn't say directly whether his job is safe with the organization.
Is John Chayka willing to bring back Craig Berube?
When Chayka was asked if he was willing to bring back Berube next season, he responded with " Yes, of course."
"It's hard to find great coaches. He's a great coach. I was lucky enough to work with Rick Tocchet in Arizona. Obviously, there's a deep friendship there, and I think they share notes and ideas on things, so I'm not starting from zero, and I think Craig's a really, really good coach." Chayka continued.
Craig Berube was hired by the Maple Leafs when Brad Treliving moved on from Sheldon Keefe during the summer of 2024, after they lost in game seven to the Boston Bruins. Over his two-year span with the Maple Leafs, he has a record of 84-62-18, while winning the Atlantic Division in his first campaign before losing to the Florida Panthers in game seven of the second round.
Craig Berube's tenure with the Maple Leafs to date
Craig Berube's time with the Maple Leafs is filled with mixed emotions and two completely different stories. In his first season, the Maple Leafs were one of the best all-around teams throughout the entire NHL; however, this season, they finished with the second-highest goals against and most shots against per game, while finishing last in the division and bottom-five in the NHL.
Chayka later spoke on how he will make the decision moving forward with Berube, mentioning, I think data is one part of the puzzle. And I think you need to look at what a coach is given, you need to look at what he's good with, and I think you have to take it into part of the entire holistic review of things. But certainly I would definitely ask that question, why the team was subpar in several underlying categories, to Craig and get his input as well."
With Chayka and Sundin taking over the front office, it is interesting to see if they decide the best foot forward is to start fresh with a new look all around, or if they truly believe Berube is the correct option moving forward. That decision will have to be made soon, as the offseason is right around the corner.
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