Craig Berube goes ballistic in first game as Maple Leafs coach

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Gabriel Sami
September 23, 2024 (11:36)

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After the Leafs' 6-5 loss to the Senators, Craig Berube called out the entire team, suggesting that he still has a lot of issues with the team's roster.

Craig Berube, celebrated for guiding the St. Louis Blues to a 2019 Stanley Cup victory, has already made a significant impact with the Toronto Maple Leafs. His notable decisions include banning music at practices and transferring the captaincy from John Tavares to Auston Matthews. These actions signal his intent to shake things up, although there are still many challenges ahead.

Berube was quickly enraged by his team's performance. He was already agitated and trying to get the team motivated as they played their first preseason game against Ottawa. With the team trailing the weaker Senators 1-0, he needed to inspire the boys:

Following his team's narrow 6-5 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators' B-team last night, where 18-year-old Carter Yakemchuk netted the game-winner, Craig Berube was forthright in his critique. He expressed concerns that his team is playing too cautiously and lacks speed.

In his column for the Toronto Sun, Lance Hornby delved deeper into Craig Berube's remarks:

"We come out just slow, just didn't move the puck quick enough," he said. "That's why we ended up with two shots in the first period (to Ottawa's 15). We didn't want to shoot, got too cute at times. It got better, but overall there are things we've got to clean up our directness."

Of course, there were also some shining moments: Nikita Grebenkin, a rookie, was outstanding, and Max Pacioretty scored two goals despite claiming to be anxious for the first time in more than 15 years.

"I felt nervous out there, the most I've felt in a pre-season since I was 20-years-old. I found myself overcomplicating things. But John was always in the right spot. I'm happy, but I have a lot to improve on."

Last but not least, Chris Tanev, a recent addition who GM Brad Treliving signed to a huge six-year contract, contributed three assists. In addition to criticizing the team's careless play, he was the team's obvious leader:

"We didn't play how we wanted, a bit of a sloppy game, we needed better breakouts, better defensive zone (coverage). That's what we'll focus on the next few games. I'm not worried about my offence."

Craig Berube boasts a career record of 281-190-72 and led the Blues to a 109-point season in 2021-22. A Stanley Cup winner, he also brought his key powerplay associate, Marc Savard, to Toronto. Berube's intense approach just minutes into a preseason game underscores his expectations for the Maple Leafs: no room for mistakes and a clear directive that players must heed his guidance.

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