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Craig Berube Named Head Coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
Craig Berube, a prominent figure in the NHL coaching market, has been appointed as the 32nd head coach in the history of the Toronto Maple Leafs, as announced by the organization on Friday.
Renowned sports journalist Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet initially disclosed that Toronto was nearing a deal with Berube. He further mentioned that the Leafs invited Berube for an in-person interview in the city last week. Other candidates considered by the organization included Gerard Gallant and Todd McLellan.
The newly appointed head coach will address the media at an introductory press conference scheduled for Tuesday. Berube takes over the position from Sheldon Keefe, who was relieved of his duties on May 9, shortly after the team’s loss in Game 7 of the first round against the Boston Bruins.
During Keefe’s tenure, the Maple Leafs achieved significant success in the regular season but failed to make a deep playoff run. The team only managed to win one out of six playoff series under his leadership, despite securing postseason qualification in all five years he served as head coach.
Berube, aged 58, was previously let go as the head coach of the St. Louis Blues last season following a slow start by the team with a record of 13-14-1.
Berube’s Coaching Career
Berube was promoted from the position of assistant coach to interim head coach of the St. Louis Blues in November 2018 after the dismissal of Mike Yeo. Berube’s leadership saw the Blues secure their first-ever Stanley Cup that season, a remarkable turnaround from their prior position at the bottom of the league standings.
After their Stanley Cup victory, the interim tag was removed from Berube’s title. Although the Blues made the playoffs in the subsequent three seasons, they failed to advance past the second round. The team missed the playoffs in the 2022-23 season before undergoing a coaching change in the following season.
Prior to his success with the Blues, Berube began his head coaching career with the Philadelphia Flyers during the early part of the 2013-14 NHL season, taking over from Peter Laviolette. His coaching experience with the Flyers stemmed from his previous role as an assistant coach within the organization.
Hailing from Calahoo, Alberta, Berube enjoyed a distinguished playing career spanning 1,050 NHL games with the Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, and New York Islanders, having entered the league undrafted.
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