Berube safe as Maple Leafs coach, GM says
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving has confirmed that head coach Craig Berube will keep his job. The announcement comes as the team struggles near the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Despite recent losses and a slumping power play, Treliving insists the focus must be on collective improvement.
The Maple Leafs sit last in the conference, six points behind the second wild card spot. Their poor form includes a 1-4-1 record in the last six games and three straight defeats, with opponents outscoring them 14-4.
Last season, Toronto won the Atlantic Division and reached the playoffs for the ninth year in a row. But this campaign has brought sharp decline, particularly on special teams. The power play ranks last in the NHL at just 13.3 percent, including a recent 0-for-10 stretch over three games. Treliving admitted the unit’s struggles have directly cost the team points in the standings.
The absence of Mitch Marner, traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in July, has hit hard. Last season, he led the team with 33 power-play points. Without him, forwards Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and John Tavares have managed only 15 combined power-play points this year. Changes behind the bench have already begun. Assistant coach Marc Savard was dismissed a day before Treliving’s comments. However, no decision has been made on hiring a new assistant trainer, even as the power play continues to falter. Despite the slump, Treliving remains firm in his support for Berube. He stressed that the entire team must raise its performance, not just the coaching staff. The general manager’s backing comes as the Maple Leafs face growing pressure to turn their season around before the playoff race slips further away.
The Maple Leafs now have 20 games left to climb back into contention. Their power play remains a critical weakness, and the team must address its recent defensive lapses. With Berube’s position secure for now, the focus shifts to whether the players can respond before time runs out.
