Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube not afraid to call out his players

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube is not known to sugarcoat things. He’s a tough-love, old-school hockey guy who’s not afraid to call out players when they blow it. Case in point, Bobby McMann.

McMann was on the wrong end of a costly mistake that led the Boston Bruins to tie the game a two on Saturday night. With the Toronto Maple Leafs up 2-1 midway through the second period, McMann failed to corral the puck as it came along the boards.

When the puck bounced off his stick, it came right to Matthew Poitras who was skating through the slot. Poitras shot with Leafs’ netminder Anthony Stolarz making the initial save. However, the Bruins got two more whacks at the rebound before Justin Brazeau popped the puck home.

The instance unleashed Berube’s fury, benching McMann for much of the game thereafter. While some may have felt that Berube overreacted, the fact is that Berube’s reaction is part of the plan.

Following Monday morning’s skate ahead of the Leafs’ game against the Winnipeg Jets, Berube called out McMann, singling him out for being complacent. Moreover, Berube underscored the Leafs’ need to play with a sense of urgency and McMann lost his spot on the second line for Monday's game.

Indeed, the Leafs’ recent skid warrants everyone on the team to play like their hair is on fire. The Leafs got blown out by the Columbus Blue Jackets, then dropped an embarrassing 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues, finally, getting just a loser point against Boston.

Well, Berube isn’t having it. While he made an example of out of McMann, the fact is that Berube hasn’t been afraid of letting players have it. Berube has been seen letting captain Auston Matthews have it on the bench.

It’s a learning process for Berube and the Toronto Maple Leafs

After the first few games yielded positive results, fans seemed optimistic. I must admit I was quite optimistic after seeing solid efforts by the Leafs early on. However, the latest three-game skid underscores a crucial point: the Berube Effect involves a learning curve.

Now, I have to say that Saturday night’s game, despite the disappointing ending, wasn’t a total wreck. There were some positive outcomes, namely that the Leafs didn’t get outplayed or outmuscled by the Bruins.

Monday's game was fantastic. There is going to be some give and take, but if the Leafs can replicate what they did in the first two periods against the Jets, they'll be a top team all year.

Clubs like the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens are quietly climbing up the standings. As such, the Leafs can ill afford to leave points on the table.