Keith Pelley, Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment President, addressed the media on Tuesday after firing general manager Brad Treliving on Monday. The Maple Leafs will begin a thorough search for their next president of hockey operations or general manager. That means Craig Berube remains the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs for now.
Berube, following the Maple Leafs’ 5-4 overtime win on Monday night, was not fazed by the possibility of being relieved of his duties. It is the last thing on his mind. Berube was informed by Pelley about the Treliving move and understood he was the head coach of the club.
It will be an interesting offseason of change for the Toronto Maple Leafs
As Pelley stated during his press conference, the next fate of Craig Berube will be determined by the next head of hockey operations. That next head of hockey ops could be in place by the NHL Scouting Combine or, at the latest, before the NHL Draft.
However, as NHLRumors.com, via Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, reported yesterday, there is a sense that Craig Berube will not be back next season either.
“Here in Toronto, where I’m at right now, there is a strong belief that they’ll be making a change, and Craig Berube won’t be back next season, and I believe he has two more years left on his contract. I think he signed a four-year deal. If the Maple Leafs do make this move, which is anticipated at the end of the season, they will have options for the next head coach.”
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As Pagnotta stated during his TSN Montreal Radio hit on Monday, Berube is a good coach, but the pieces he was given by Brad Treliving didn’t fit his style of play or system. However, given that there are two prominent head coaches out there in Pete DeBoer and Bruce Cassidy, the Maple Leafs, along with other teams, will want to get a head start on the coaching search.
But Manny Malhotra’s name is circulating, and a name to watch for the Maple Leafs or another team in need of a coach.
So the Leafs are probably, if they do make this change, which, again, is anticipated at the end of the season, they will certainly have options, and not just the veteran guys that you just mentioned, DeBoer, (Peter) Laviolette, Cassidy, etc. Manny Malhotra is going to generate a lot of interest from a lot of teams that are considering a coaching change or will be making a coaching change this offseason.
He’s in Abbotsford. They won the championship last year. He’s had a good season. He’s been on the radars of a lot of teams with how first year coaches have gone this season with (Dan) Muse in Pittsburgh, Marco Sturm in Boston. Manny Malhotra is positioning himself to be next in line to have to take that step and then potentially have that type of success.
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And I would anticipate teams like LA and Toronto, and he used to be with the Leafs organization prior to going to the Canucks organization. I could see Malhotra being on the radar of both of those clubs.
Right now, Craig Berube is the head coach until he is not. But it will not be Pelley who decides it. Let’s see what direction the Toronto Maple Leafs go in with both the coach and the General Manager.
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