The Toronto Maple Leafs will once again embark on the search for a new head coach after parting ways with Craig Berube last week on the back of missing the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade.
While new general manager John Chayka called it part of an “organizational shift,” one insider has since revealed a surprising incident that exposed the growing disconnect between Berube and William Nylander.
Insider Opens Up on William Nylander-Craig Berube Tension
Throughout the season, there was plenty of public banter between Nylander and Berube. Their relationship often came across as blunt but playful, with the coach regularly challenging Nylander while the winger fired back with jokes and sarcasm. For many, their back-and-forth became one of the more entertaining storylines around the team.
However, Luke Fox recently shared what he believes was really happening behind the scenes. “I felt like there was a generational gap there,” Fox said. “So, I’ll tell you a story.”
Fox described a late-season practice where Berube became frustrated with Nylander during a power-play drill because the winger was coasting through reps and not moving the puck with urgency. Berube reportedly kept yelling at Nylander to shoot the puck when he had an opening.
On the next repetition, Nylander immediately fired the puck without even setting up the drill properly, seemingly mocking the instruction. “And Berube is like, ‘Willie, stop being such a d-word.’ And it’s like he was just kind of like having fun with them, but he never really took it seriously, right?” Fox said.
Fox felt the moment highlighted a larger disconnect between the coach and player. Berube was still trying to push standards, accountability, and work ethic during a collapsing season, while Nylander appeared mentally checked out as the losses piled up.
It wasn’t necessarily a toxic situation, but it reflected a generational gap and a difference in mentality between the two sides.
Toronto’s disastrous season only amplified those tensions. The Leafs finished 28th overall with a disappointing 32-36-14 record, ending their decade-long playoff streak.
In response, Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment completely reshaped the organization by bringing in Chayka alongside franchise legend Mats Sundin as a senior advisor. One of their first major decisions was moving on from Berube shortly after the season ended.
The Leafs did receive one major positive development, winning the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery and securing the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since selecting Auston Matthews in 2016 (curiously, the draft was held in Buffalo in 2016, and will be held in Buffalo this year).
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Now, Toronto’s focus shifts toward hiring a new coach and finding a way to quickly return to playoff contention next season.
