Jeff Marek believes next Maple Leafs head coach needs to be ‘creative’

The Toronto Maple Leafs are staring down an offseason of change. Brad Treliving has already been relieved of general manager duties, head coach Craig Berube’s future remains murky, and whoever takes over will have to assemble a roster that’s more equipped to compete in the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division. 

On Thursday morning, The Sheet’s Jeff Marek joined Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill to discuss what the Maple Leafs could be looking for to help this organization return to the playoffs and who might be interested in coming to Toronto. 

Berube appears to be on his way out of Toronto. During Keith Pelley’s press conference on Tuesday, the CEO and President of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment said the final decision on Berube would be left up to the new general manager, adding that he wouldn’t make the call. With the way the Maple Leafs team has looked this season, it feels like a long shot that Berube could survive the disappointing campaign. 

“They are not a very creatively coached team. This team needs a coach that is more creative, and that’s why I don’t necessarily think that you need to go in and tear everything down. Give this team a chance with a creative coach,” Marek said. “Craig was brought in for a specific reason, things got too relaxed and too country club-like, but I think this is a team screaming for a creative coach, and until you try that, I don’t think you can go the rebuild way.”

During the press conference, Pelley spoke about how if the team is going to hire a President of Hockey Operations, the candidate needs to be ‘data-centric.’ Marek spoke about what he feels Pelley was trying to convey with that message. 

“I think what he meant by that is they want to have someone in here who knows how to work with the analytics department,” Marek said. “They want to bring someone in to help interpret data in a way that can give the Maple Leafs an advantage in a marketplace they currently don’t enjoy.”

Toronto has often been defined as one of the toughest hockey markets to play in, due to the high expectations and pressure that revolves around the Maple Leafs whether from the fans or media. Even with all of this, the thought of bringing a championship back to Toronto and what it would mean for someone’s legacy could attract a variety of suitors for the jobs. 

“Go look at the 1967 Maple Leafs team, look at how many guys from that team are in the Hockey Hall of Fame and then ask yourself, should they really be in the Hockey Hall of Fame? They did it in Toronto, and it’s the biggest stage you can set yourself up for glory if you can ever turn this team into a Stanley Cup champion,” Marek said. “It’s an elite organization, and they take care of their people. They compensate their people very well, and if you win a Stanley Cup in Toronto, they will name schools after you.”

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