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Craig Berube Issues Fierce Message to Paul Maurice Before Round 2 Begins
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Craig Berube had some strong words for opposing head coach Paul Maurice as the two are set to manage their squads and start their Round 2 battle on Monday.
As the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers look ahead to their second round series starting on Monday, there's already a lot of tension and animosity between the two clubs. It's a repeat of 2023 and both teams are drastically different from where they were two years ago.
One big change is behind the bench, and while Florida was firmly set with Paul Maurice for the foreseeable future, the Maple Leafs needed to make a change and decided to bring in Craig Berube, which has led to some historic success for the team.
He's no-nonsense and gritty, not taking anything for granted and acknowledging that everyone needs to be equal regardless if you're Auston Matthews or Ryan Reaves; you have a role and you play it.
Paul Maurice Given Stern Warning From Craig Berube
That carries over to his media conversations, as he often stays short and stoic with his responses, not often letting his emotions fly too hard, or show his hand too often. But ahead of the second round, he had a strong message for Maurice as the teams are set to do battle:
I'm very comfortable. I don't feel worried about it at all. Our teams is they're ready for it. They understand it. That's playoffs. It's going to be hard and there's going to be hits, and you got to get up and play.
Emotion plays a big part of the game. We all know that. Discipline and composure, we got through one round, and it has to be more elevated now.
Emotion plays a big part of the game. We all know that. Discipline and composure, we got through one round, and it has to be more elevated now.
While it isn't a direct shot towards Maurice's coaching style or anything, but it is a warning to the Panthers that who they think they are getting might not be what they expect.
Berube is essentially saying 'We'll take anything you throw at us, bounce back up and give it right back' but he's also saying that Toronto can do so in a controlled way, and perhaps use the emotions of the Panthers against them; goading the team into bad penalties and retaliatory infractions.
He's so laser focused on his game plan that even feeling good about winning the series against Ottawa was a fleeting emotion:
I don't know about satisfied. We're happy we won, you're supposed to be happy you won. It's not easy to win a series, and the guys should be happy they won the series, but now we've moved on and we have to get prepared for Florida.
It shows a different mentality from years prior, where Sheldon Keefe may have revelled in victory and may feel a bit overconfident going into Round 2; Berube is treating each game as a Game 7, as it should be.
So Paul Maurice and company need to be careful. If they keep trying to mock and underestimate the Maple Leafs, they're going to answer to an angry and vicious Berube who will do everything in his power to make their lives miserable.
| POLL | ||
MAI 3 | 557 ANSWERS Craig Berube Issues Fierce Message to Paul Maurice Before Round 2 Begins Do you think Toronto will have a fighting chance against Florida in the second round? | ||
| Yes | 500 | 89.8 % |
| No | 57 | 10.2 % |
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