The Toronto Maple Leafs newly appointed head coach is taking the Mike Babcock approach instead of the Sheldon Keefe one a few days into training camp.
When Mike Babcock took over as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, it was a huge deal. Babcock was arguably the best coach in the NHL and had a Stanley Cup and Olympic Gold Medal to back it up. Despite all of these accolades, Babcock by all accounts, wasn't the nicest guy to play for, but he won.
Since Babcock won, MLSE took a chance on him and decided to bring his no-nonsense approach, and it worked. The team bottomed out in their first year, but after that were a playoff team every year. He took a terrible roster and developed Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander into All-Star's, but it took a toll.
Since the Leafs were a young bunch, Babcock's actions were tiresome quick and it eventually affected them, sparking change. Sheldon Keefe came in and changed the landscape of the team, most notably with his first practice ever, where he played music and brought more good vibes.
As much as I really loved Sheldon Keefe as a head coach, I think the players eventually tuned him out, which is why he was ultimately fired. I am someone who believes in good vibes, but I also believe in accountability and hard work. I think it's totally fine to yell at a player and hate each other at times, because pressure makes diamonds and those tough timesare what builds a team.
Berube Will Be Leafs Biggest Offseason Acquisition This Year
When Berube took over during training camp, he stopped the music and changed the culture. Even during the first preseason game, you could see him yelling at the team saying they were "too slow" during a line change, which is something Keefe might not have done.
Keefe coached a lot of the current Leafs when they were with the Toronto Marlies and that can unfortunately backfire, as you're ultimately going to coach a player much differently at the AHL level than the NHL level. As a result, as much as it's scary to read that Berube is taking the Babcock approach, I actually think it's a positive.
I've said this multiple times, but I wish Keefe was the Leafs coach during Auston Matthews' first four years and then Babcock came in afterwards, as his coaching style could have pushed them harder when they needed it. However, Berube could be exactly what this team needs.
Banning music at practice or yelling at the players may not actually change the Leafs winning in Game 7 of the First Round, but I think this is the type of discipline that the team needs this season. Berube is a Stanley Cup champion coach and has been true tough times before and his leadership will be a big positive on the team this year and I'm excited for another season of Leafs hockey.