Considering their latest defeat against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Toronto Maple Leafs have extended their losing streak to five games this season. While the team’s November campaign initially bore the telltale signs of a resurgence, they have long subsided, leaving the Maple Leafs behind in a slump that they must fight with all their might to overcome.
Captain Auston Matthews’ injury was the last thing that the team needed right now. Even though the forward is expected to return sometime this week, the Leafs’ misfortune extends beyond that. The team now has a 64 percent chance of missing the playoffs, according to analyst Dom Luszczyszyn. A change of coaching could become a topic of discussion if the season doesn’t take a turn for the better.
How Likely is it for the Toronto Maple Leafs to replace Craig Berube?
Craig Berube’s previous season with the Leafs was nothing but impressive. Sure, there was no Stanley Cup, but the team finished with 108 points at the top of the Atlantic Division. This season looks pretty different and not in a good way. The Leafs appear out of playoff contention, except in a scenario where they secure a Wild Card entry. Will Toronto be better off with a change in coaching?
Berube may have led the St. Louis Blues to Stanley Cup glory in 2019 and looked poised to turn things around in Toronto last season, but this season has been thoroughly forgettable, in terms of goaltending, in terms of power play, and the rest. Sooner or later, conversations about Berube’s suitability for the team were bound to arise, and they have.
However, the problem remains that it has not been too long since he has been around. The Maple Leafs have faced considerable turmoil lately, but the recent memory of Berube leading the team to an exceptional finish last season may dissuade ownership from changing him out too soon. Moreover, replacing Berube with someone like Pete DeBoer will come at a high price.
“Veteran bench boss Pete DeBoer is available as a free agent after being let go by the Dallas Stars in June, but he will not come cheaply, with a long-term, high-dollar offer likely needed to get the deal done,” explained James Mirtle in his recent contribution to The Athletic. However, Mirtle adds, notwithstanding the high salary and fixed tenure that is likely to accompany DeBoer, it may become a real subject of consideration if the Maple Leafs do not improve their game.
Alternatively, despite the drawbacks of acquiring a new coach, hoping they would change the team’s course, it sounds a lot better than giving up on the 2025-26 season already. Primarily due to the improvised ownership situation, and also because the team does not have high expectations for striking gold in terms of draft picks. “…but the alternative of giving up on the season entirely just isn’t realistic.
Not with the age of this roster, not with management on the hot seat under a revised ownership group, and not without full control of their first-round pick in the draft,” Mirtle added.
The season is not entirely hopeless yet, but it would take all hands on deck to overcome the series of setbacks that have recently occurred, taking a massive toll on the Leafs community.
