Craig Berube Reveals Biggest Mistake As Maple Leafs Coach
Craig Berube's two seasons behind the Toronto Maple Leafs' bench ended with sharply different results and no Stanley Cup getting back to Canada.
Toronto won the Atlantic Division during Berube's first year at the helm and reached the second round of the playoffs. One season later, the Maple Leafs finished 32-36-14, missed the postseason for the first time since 2016, and recorded the largest season-to-season points decline (-30) in franchise history, going from 108 to 78.
The organization fired Berube on May 13 after also moving on from general manager Brad Treliving.
"We didn't make this decision in a vacuum," new general manager John Chayka said at the time. "It's a bigger picture decision and it's not just about the coach. Just feel like there's some things we need to change and do better and be better."
Speaking on the "Leafs Morning Take" show, Berube explained that his initial plan was to push Toronto's players outside their comfort zones and introduce a heavier style of play, which he believes leads to better postseason results.
"Well, I definitely went in there from the get-go when I was first hired to try to get them out of a comfort zone and play a different style of hockey, a style that I believe is what you need to play to be successful in the playoffs," Berube said.
Berube felt the first season showed progress, although the team had not fully reached the standard he wanted.
"That first year, it was pretty good (but) not where I wanted us to be," Berube said. "Overall, I still didn't think we were at a place where we could be successful enough to be in the playoffs to win.
"That's my style of hockey and the way I feel we need to play to be successful in the playoffs. It obviously didn't work out the next year for sure."
"I tried to appease them as much as I could, and if I had to do it all over again, I would never have done that"
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Craig Berube on whether he was asking too much of the Maple Leafs players last season.@thegoldenmuzzy | @Jay_D_Rosehill
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According to Berube, reflecting on his Maple Leafs tenure, his biggest regret came during the second season, when he softened his approach while trying to accommodate the players' preferences.
"We tried to change a few things and tried to get players to play a little differently," Berube said. "I tried to appease them as much as I could. And if I had to do it all over again, I would never have done that."
Judging by Berube's comments, the coach still believes that moving away from his coaching principles contributed to the team's decline and, ultimately, his firing. For now, Berube remains unemployed with all NHL head coach positions filled.
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This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 6:30 AM.