Craig Berube has his work cut out for him.
The 58-year-old from Calahoo, Alta., was hired as the 32nd coach in Maple Leafs history — and the 40th in the history of the 107-year-old franchise — with one job in mind: playoff success.
Given he won the Stanley Cup in 2019 behind the bench of the St. Louis Blues, that might have given him a leg up on the other leading candidates, Gerard Gallant and Todd McLellan.
More motivator than tactician, Berube takes over a star-studded Leafs team that has yet to convert its regular-season success into the playoffs, having won just one round in eight seasons.
“I think this is the right hire for the Maple Leafs,†said TSN host Carlo Colaiacovo, who played for Berube in Philadelphia. “What it says is the Maple Leafs are preparing for a culture change. We’ve seen it, the country club, the coddling of players. I’ll tell you right now, with Berube behind the bench, there won’t be any of that.â€
Colaiacovo, speaking on TSN Radio, said Berube was one his favourite coaches.
“He keeps it real. He demands accountability. He demands structure. And he does it in a respectful way. He’s a brutally honest coach. In today’s hockey, people lose track of how important that is.â€
Berube will have his inaugural press conference Tuesday at the Ford Performance Centre, where he is sure to be asked how he can transfer his 2019 magic from the Blues’ Cinderella performance to the Leafs, whose only luck has been bad luck.
The Leafs last won the Stanley Cup in 1967, the same year the Blues joined the NHL.
St. Louis brought in Berube on Nov. 19, 2018 to replace Mike Yeo when the Blues were a disappointing 7-9-3. They were in last place in January, but strung together 11 wins in a row to make the playoffs and ultimately claimed the franchise’s first championship. They beat Boston in the final.
Berube was relieved of his duties 28 games into the 2023-24 season. In 543 regular season games as an NHL head coach, he has a record of 281-190-72 (.584). He was named a finalist for the 2019 Jack Adams Award.
He played 17 seasons in the NHL that included a 40-game stint with the Leafs, and went to Calgary in the 10-player deal that saw Doug Gilmour come to ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½. People closest to him call him Chief, a nod to his First Nations heritage. He was a no-nonsense bruiser as a player, amassing more the 3,000 penalty minutes. And he’s a no-nonsense coach. He was an assistant under Peter Laviolette until taking over the Flyers for two years.
Berube’s to-do list will include weighing in on the team’s roster decisions. Post-season failure has led to speculation that the Leafs might try to trade some of their core players, notably Mitch Marner, who is up for a contract extension July 1.
All five of the Leafs’ core -— Marner, captain John Tavares, defenceman Morgan Rielly, winger William Nylander and scoring star Auston Matthews -— have no-movement clauses, making trades trickier but not impossible.
Berube will want to get to know the players he’s coaching while also deciding on the fates of the assistant coaches. Current assistant coach Mike Van Ryn, who handles the defence, was on Berube’s coaching staff in St Louis when the Blues won the Cup.
The other assistants include Guy Boucher, who has head coaching experience, and Dean Chynoweth, who faces the most pressure since he coaches the special teams including the power play, which scored just one goal in seven playoff games.
Clarification
May 22, 2024: This story has been updated from a previously published version to clarify that Dean Chynoweth coaches the special teams.Â
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