The Toronto Maple Leafs have hired Craig Berube to be their new head coach.
The Alberta native has long been rumoured as the frontrunner for the role, and after some heavy speculation over the last couple days, it’s now official.
Berube owns a career regular season record of 281–190–72 to go along with a Stanley Cup win with the St. Louis Blues in 2018–19. He was let go by the Blues after 28 games last year, but was the biggest fish in an offseason where multiple franchises are looking for their next bench boss.
He’ll bring a fresh attitude to the Leafs, who’ve been looking for grit and accountability not just on the ice, but behind the bench as well.
The best option
We outlined just about every option the Leafs had for the job, but Berube has been in rumours for the next head coach of the franchise since before Sheldon Keefe was fired.
Multiple teams looking to contend for a Stanley Cup, including the New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets, need new head coaches next season. Berube was the most sought-after option, a testament to his belief in the team he chose to come to Toronto.
It’s not often you can hire a coach who’s won a Stanley Cup, especially as recently as 2019. Berube will help bring a championship culture to the Leafs, something they’ve been lacking in the Auston Matthews era.
A busy offseason continues
There are still a ton of questions the Leafs need to answer before the puck drops for the 2024–25 season. Will the core four all be back? Will John Tavares still be captain? What about the goalie situation?
But one of the biggest items on the offseason checklist has been crossed out. Brad Treliving has got his guy, a coach he believes can help get the Leafs over the hump.
It’ll be fun to watch how Berube handles the core, presumably very differently than Keefe did. The days of comfort within the lineup are probably over, and hopefully, it helps bring the Leafs the results they’ve been missing.
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