Craig Berube is out as head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
We covered all angles of the move on the Wednesday edition of Leafs Morning Take, unpacking what’s notable about the timing—especially given recent reports suggesting his job was safe—and why, in the broader context, the decision still makes sense.
Naturally, the focus now shifts to what comes next behind the bench. We ran through a number of potential candidates, including Bruce Cassidy, Peter Laviolette, Dean Evason, Jay Woodcroft, Manny Malhotra, Patrick Roy, and others. It’s expected to be a wide-ranging search that could take some time before the Leafs land on their next head coach.
After that, NHL insider David Pagnotta stopped by to unpack all the fallout. Pagnotta walked through how the decision came together behind the scenes and addressed whether the players had any influence in the move. He also shut down speculation around Jon Cooper, making it clear there’s no path for him to leave Tampa Bay at this time. On other potential candidates, Pagnotta touched on Bruce Cassidy, noting uncertainty around how appealing the Toronto job would be from a coaching standpoint. The conversation painted a clearer picture of where the Maple Leafs stand as they reset behind the bench and begin searching for their next head coach.
Then, Bruce Boudreau stopped by to weigh in on everything. He shared his initial surprise at the timing, noting he expected Toronto to take more time before making a change, and discussed what may have shifted behind the scenes leading up to the firing. Boudreau also explored the possibility of internal input from management and former players, while reflecting on whether coaches can sense when a change is coming. He pointed to defensive structure and injuries as key issues behind Toronto’s struggles this season, while downplaying the idea that the No. 1 pick played a major role in the decision. The conversation also touched on the coaching search timeline, with Boudreau suggesting there’s no urgent rush to make a hire, and he made the case that despite the pressure, the Maple Leafs job remains one of the most desirable positions in the NHL.
Lots more coming your way on the Thursday edition of Leafs Morning Take as we’ll dissect what John Chayka had to say about the decision.