Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube lauded the team’s players and management for their performances this season, despite the disappointment of yet another early playoff exit. Berube, who took charge of the team at the end of last season following their first-round postseason exit, also discussed the exit of Maple Leafs’ president Brendan Shanahan.
Craig Berube Interviewed About Maple Leafs’ Season
Berube was a guest on the “Nasty Knuckles” podcast on Sunday, May 25. He reflected on the Leafs’ season and refuted criticism that the franchise had a “country club” mentality, emphasizing the professionalism he’s witnessed since joining Toronto.
“They’re a first-class organization. The organization, the way it’s run is exceptional. The players we have there, the dedication and the professionalism that they show day in and day out are really good. I guess people would probably think, ‘Oh, it’s a country club there.’ It’s not. They have all the resources and the players do have everything they need. But they work, they’re focused, they want to do well, and they wanna win,” Berube said.
Berube’s comments came at the end of a season that started off very promisingly for Toronto, who clinched their first proper division title since 2000 and won just their second playoff series since 2004. However, the league-record Stanley Cup drought continued as they lost to the Florida Panthers 6-1 in a lopsided Game 7 at home and were knocked out of the playoffs.
Berube pointed to a lack of patience and composure as the root cause for the defeat, not a lack of effort or professionalism. He also praised the strength and depth of the Florida team, highlighting their aggressive style and high pace.
Major changes are in the offing in Toronto as the franchise looks to rebound next season. In one major change, the franchise opted not to renew president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan’s contract. They might also be looking to break up the current core player group, with star forward Mitch Marner, who is set for free agency come July, allegedly set to leave the organization.
“There’s a lot of pressure there and there’s been a lot of pressure put on him,” Berube said of Marner, noting the scrutiny faced by the Leafs’ Core Four. “In the end, yeah, those guys have to produce for us in the playoffs. But it’s not just all about them in the playoffs, it’s a team. The way I look at it is we didn’t do a good enough job in Game 7 as a team to win that game, and that’s why we lost. It’s not on Marner, it’s not on Matthews, it’s on everybody.”
