How Will Craig Berube Compare to Other Coaches of the Toronto Maple Leafs?

Sheldon Keefe (2019 – 2024)

Career and Leafs Record: 212-97-40

Believe it or not, Sheldon Keefe was actually the winningest Leafs coach on this list by a wide margin. It was just too bad that he couldn’t translate his success during the regular season into the games that mattered most.

Having never finished lower than third in the division along with two 50+ win seasons, Keefe certainly had the most success with the Leafs’ core compared to his counterparts after taking over for Babcock.

His teams made the playoffs every season and even managed to finally get past the first round for the first time in almost two decades last season. Unfortunately, the trend of great regular season but subsequent playoff failure would seem to repeat each year, ultimately leading to his relief of his duties at the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. (All stats from hockey-reference.com)

Craig Berube (2024 – present)

Career Record: 281-190-72; Leafs Record: ?

Newly-hired Craig Berube has produced a great coaching track record during his tenures with the Philadelphia Flyers and St. Louis Blues.

He has only missed the playoffs twice for teams he has led from start to finish. His crowning moment came when he led a stumbling Blues team in 2018-19 from worst all the way to the Stanley Cup title within the same year.

In doing so, it helped end over a 50+-year drought for the Blues as they captured their first championship since coming into existence in 1967.

Speaking of 1967, perhaps Berube can work his magic once again with the Leafs now and help guide them to their first title since that very date as well. But one thing is for sure, there will be no free rides for any of the Leafs player going forward as they will all need to be all in on Berube’s system to be successful.

With that in mind, our prediction is that Berube will be the right man to take this Leafs team finally to the next level.