The Leafs, whose season is crumbling beneath them, need to make a change, and it seems as though Marc Savard is first on the chopping block.
Savard coached the power play, which has been one of the team’s biggest areas of weakness this season, as they currently are ranked last in the league at 13.3 per cent. Despite having a selection of some of the league's top scorers, the power play unit has not been able to produce all season, but specifically in recent weeks.
The Leafs are currently 15-5-5 and are last in the Atlantic Division, and have shown an embarrassing display of effort in their most recent games.
Leafs’ last three games
Loss against Dallas 4-1
Loss against Nashville 5-3
Loss against Washington 4-0
Not only have the Leafs been outplayed and outscored in each of these games, but they also managed to lose by shutout to the Washington Capitals last Thursday. The Leafs have not scored zero goals in a game in almost a year; their last shutout loss was against the Vancouver Cannucks on January 12, 2025.
The Toronto power play has been disastrous. They tried to adjust their power play units, moving players up and down, but to no avail. Toronto went 0-for-10 on the power play throughout their last three games. It was clear that a change had to be made.
Savard joined the team in 2024 and was hired alongside head coach Craig Berube in June 2024. He and Berube worked together as assistant and head coach of the St.Louis Blues.
Berube and Savard joined the team together; does one’s departure indicate a similar fate for the other? Is Berube next to go?
The burning question that only time will answer. It's imperative that the Leafs not only win but also show more effort and passion in their upcoming games, as Berube’s job security weakens with every loss.
If consistent improvements aren’t made after the coaching changeup, the Leafs might be looking for a new head coach.