Christmas has arrived in Toronto with more questions than answers around the Maple Leafs. Losses have added noise, but patience inside the organization has not wavered yet.
As outside voices grow louder, one former NHL general manager offered a clear counterpoint that shifts responsibility away from the bench and back onto the ice.
Former NHL GM Shifts Focus From Craig Berube to Player Accountability in Toronto
Speculation around Craig Berube’s future has followed the Maple Leafs through December, fueled by inconsistent play and a power play that continues to stall. Despite the chatter, Berube remains the head coach, and management has decided to continue with him since dismissing assistant coach Marc Savard. The message from the front office has been consistent: the problem runs deeper than one coach.
That stance gained outside support when Doug MacLean weighed in after the Leafs Nation reported that Toronto is unlikely to fire either Berube or general manager Brad Treliving. MacLean reshared the post on X and made his position clear, writing, “And they shouldn’t. Put pressure squarely on the players. Merry Christmas! And a Better New Year.”
The comment becomes important, coming from a former NHL coach and general manager who has seen similar cycles play out across the league.
Inside the organization, Treliving conveyed that same tone earlier this week. Speaking to NHL.com’s Dave McCarthy, the Leafs GM addressed both Berube’s status and the growing narrative around internal friction.
“I want to make it clear, I support Craig fully,” Treliving said, via NHL. He also pushed back on rumors of a rift, adding, “One of the narratives coming out was there is a disconnect between the coach and I. There isn’t a disconnect. We all have to be better.”
When asked whether that support would hold if results do not improve, Treliving refused to speculate. “I’m not going to get into hypotheticals of what happens with this,” he said. “We’ve got a good coach. We’ve got to continue to make our team better… When you get in these situations, to me, you have to band together, and you look for collective solutions. And that’s what we’re trying to do.”
The backdrop to those remarks is a team sitting at 16-15-5, eighth in the Atlantic Division, showing offense but leaking goals too often. Toronto scores at a solid rate, yet defensive lapses and a league-worst power play at 13% have erased momentum in tight games.
Rumors around potential replacements, including Peter DeBoer, John Tortorella, and Bruce Boudreau, continue to circulate, though no move appears imminent. Derek Lalonde has stepped in to handle power play duties on an interim basis, signaling tweaks rather than a full reset. For now, the Leafs are choosing continuity, betting that accountability inside the room matters more than a new voice behind the bench.
Toronto will try to carry that belief into its next test against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 27 at 7:00 p.m. ET. As Christmas gives way to a critical stretch, the Leafs face another chance to prove that patience, not panic, can still guide their season.
