Craig Berube's Toronto Maple Leafs Checklist

Make Staffing and Roster Decisions

One of the first orders of business for Berube is to round out his coaching staff. Particular attention must be paid to helping the Leafs special teams.

The Leafs dreadful performance on special teams has been paramount to their early postseason exits. Year after year in the playoffs, they have been outplayed on these units.

A new voice is needed to oversee the power play. Despite the talent of the Leafs, assistant Guy Boucher was not able to stop its precipitous decline over the last weeks of the regular season and the playoffs.

More concerning is the Leafs inability to adjust to the opposition. The Maple Leafs also need to find a capable second unit and develop some internal competition for time on the power play. Too often, the first unit used most of the allotted time and there were no repercussions for ineffectiveness.

Much of Berube's interview process likely revolved around the players on the Leafs roster. Treliving must have liked what he heard.

Now, the GM's choice for a head coach must give his input on the makeup of the roster. The most important decision revolves around Marner.

Berube needs to have detailed conversations with his players, particularly the stars. Then, he and Treliving must take action on shaping the roster to fit their shared vision.

The meetings of Berube with the Leafs best players are of utmost importance. He has to assure Matthews, Nylander, Rielly, Tavares, and Marner (if he stays) that he has a plan in place that will bring the Leafs success.

The best leaders are confident motivators that convince their followers to believe in the plan. Time will tell if the Toronto Maple Leafs have found one in Craig Berube.