Brad Treliving's 'Berube is safe' message revealed the Maple Leafs' direction
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
When Brad Treliving threw his support behind Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube, it signaled that the team is still going to be patient despite struggling.
Maple Leafs GM Brad Treliving called a press conference less than 24 hours after firing assistant coach Marc Savard. It was a move that was pretty much necessary at this point, and while he didn't want to do it; he had no choice.
But then attention turned to Craig Berube and if his job was safe, and although the team has struggled heavily this season, Treliving still threw his full support behind Berube and trusts he is the right man to lead the team through this rough patch and make the postseason.
However in doing so, he may have just explained the direction the team wants to go in, and it might not make fans the happiest going forward.
Why Brad Treliving's comments tell a deeper story
Treliving was honest in his assessment of the team's performance so far, and mentioned the team needed to be better as a whole, yet threw his full weight behind Berube:
This is the second time that Treliving has publicly supported Berube throughout this season, and had to do so earlier after there were questions about the team back in mid-November.
Sure the team had some bright spots, but they were few and far between. Couple that with the fact the stars have gone ice-cold recently; you'd think Berube's job was on the line at least a little.
But Treliving told the fans exactly what he did earlier on: Leaf Nation needs to have patience.
They are going to ride this out until the bitter end with Berube at the helm, and as much as others would like a change; that's just not in the cards right now.
Why keeping Berube has both positives and negatives for the Maple Leafs
There's nothing wrong with Craig Berube as a coach. Clearly he's had success, and his track record proves it. He came in last season and put together the best year for a debut coach in franchise history.
But he had a chokehold on the second round before his team imploded against Florida, and has led them to a basement spot in the standings this year. The players have ignored him at times, and Savard's firing had to have hit Berube on a personal level as the two are great friends.
In keeping with him, it shows an unwavering confidence that this team is only a couple of pieces away, and if he can start building more of a connection with his players then it could prove fruitful.
Plus, we know his system works when the players buy-in, and if the team is dead set on keeping him then the teams should accept reality and play his game.
Though if they choose not to and we see an even more fractured relationship between the roster and their bench boss, then it's going to make a long season even more taxing.
And then it'll be up to Brad Treliving to make the decision he's apparently too hesitant to make and fire Craig Berube.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 25 | 1565 ANSWERS Brad Treliving's 'Berube is safe' message revealed the Maple Leafs' direction Do you think Craig Berube should be fired or kept? | ||
| Fire him! | 717 | 45.8 % |
| Keep him! | 848 | 54.2 % |
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