Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube has had his share of controversial soundbites throughout his tenure with the team.
But that changed this weekend. Berube’s comments following losses to the Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators have prompted fans and the media to single out the disconnect between the Maple Leafs coach and the reality on the ice.
Following Friday night’s loss against the Hurricanes, Berube called out goalie Joseph Woll for not giving the club the saves it needed. Then, rookie Easton Cowan talked about feeling “deflated” after the loss to the Senators on Saturday night.
That situation led Berube to sound off against his team, publicly questioning their commitment. But as far as one talk show host is concerned, Berube’s comments about the Maple Leafs’ performance come from a coach that stayed on for too long.
“The inactivity of the front office has led to this toxicity… It’s all toxic. He’s (Berube) clearly p*ssed. The team sucks and you’ve let it get to this point where he feels the need to say these things. It’s gotten rotten because you probably didn’t let him go soon enough.”
Sam McKee’s comments during Monday’s edition of the Kyper and Bourne show encapsulated the situation in Toronto. Maple Leafs management held on to Berube too long, and as Nick Kypreos noted, it seems as though Berube is “at the end of his rope.”
Maple Leafs Coach Has No Answers
One of the main narratives this season has been the lack of answers from Berube regarding the Maple Leafs’ seeming inability to get any consistent efforts rolling. Countless times, Berube has resorted to rhetoric in an attempt to explain why things haven’t gone well for his team this season.
There have been numerous calls throughout the season for Berube’s dismissal. However, the situation has gotten to the point where it’s painfully evident that the second-year bench boss really doesn’t know what he’s doing or how to respond.
Calling out a rookie for his comments in the media paints the 20-year-old publicly could make him wary of speaking to the media. Instead of attempting to diffuse the situation, Berube inflamed the comments even further.
It’s a sad state of affairs for the Maple Leafs, to say the least.
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Could Coaching Change Come in the Offseason?
One of the major storylines for the Maple Leafs heading into the offseason will be a change behind the bench. While the organization needs wholesale changes, there will certainly be calls for a shift in the coaching department.
That move would depend on GM Brad Treliving and those above him in the organization. That said, the prevailing Maple Leafs chatter is that no such change will happen. If anything, there could be more of the same next season.
If that’s the case, fans and the media will not be having any of it. While this point in the season may be far too late to make a change, the club will have to address the situation one way or another.
It seems as though Leafs Nation won’t go away quietly until someone is accountable for what has happened this season. Beyond a coaching change, several Maple Leafs players will also need to respond for the poor season.
Again, that’s an offseason conversation that will likely unfold very much in the media.
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