Maple Leafs fire coach Craig Berube

Craig Berube was fired as coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, the team said, ending his tenure after two seasons behind the bench. No replacement was named, and new general manager John Chayka said the club would begin a broad search for its next coach. The move came less than two weeks after Chayka was hired as general manager and Mats Sundin was named senior executive adviser, hockey operations. Toronto finished 32-36-14 and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2016-17, according to NHL.com. ### Why did Toronto make the change now? John Chayka said the dismissal was part of what he called an “organizational shift,” not simply a judgment on Berube’s coaching. Chayka said he met with Berube over the weekend and decided a change was needed after reviewing the organization and speaking with staff. He added that Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment CEO Keith Pelley and the board were aligned with the new direction. (nhl.com) Sportsnet reported that Chayka and Sundin made the decision less than two weeks after taking their new roles. Brad Treliving, the previous general manager, had been fired on March 30 as Toronto slipped out of playoff contention. ### How far did Berube get in Toronto? Berube, 60, went 84-62-18 in two seasons with the Maple Leafs after replacing Sheldon Keefe, who was fired on May 9, 2024. (nhl.com) Toronto hired Berube on May 17, 2024, making him the 32nd head coach in franchise history. Before arriving in Toronto, he led the St. Louis Blues to their first Stanley Cup title in 2019. (sportsnet.ca) Last season, Toronto won the Atlantic Division with 108 points and beat the Ottawa Senators in six games in the first round before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in seven games in the second round, NHL.com said. That run was followed by a sharp drop this season. ### What made this season different? (nhl.com) The Maple Leafs ended the season 0-6-1 and finished last in the Atlantic Division and 15th in the Eastern Conference, NHL.com reported. Sportsnet said Toronto allowed 295 goals, or 3.6 per game, which ranked near the bottom of the league, while scoring 252 goals, placing the club in the middle of the NHL offensively. (nhl.com) Sportsnet also reported that Toronto never regained much momentum after winger Mitch Marner left in free agency. In December, Berube told reporters after a 4-0 loss to the Washington Capitals that the opposing team had shown “way more urgency” and “more passion.” ### How much of this traces to the front-office overhaul? (nhl.com) May 3 brought a new management structure, with Sundin taking a senior advisory role and Chayka becoming general manager. Before Berube was dismissed, Chayka had said he thought Berube was “a great coach” and planned to meet with him in the coming days, according to Sportsnet. (sportsnet.ca) Sportsnet reported on May 8 that Chayka’s meeting with Berube was expected to help determine whether the coach would remain in place. By Wednesday, Chayka said the decision had grown out of a wider review of the organization rather than a single conversation. ### What happens in the coaching search from here? (nhl.com) Chayka said Toronto would “start very wide” and speak with candidates from different backgrounds. He said NHL experience and work in large markets could be an asset, but he did not rule out any profile at the outset. Chayka also said the next coach would help determine the makeup of the rest of the staff. (sportsnet.ca) The Maple Leafs said there is no timeline for naming a replacement. Chayka said the priority is to find a coach whose preferred style matches the vision set by the club’s management group, with Sundin and Pelley part of that process. (nhl.com)