Craig Berube Takes Playful Jab at Easton Cowan During Team Bonding Trip: 'Stick to Hockey'

With the regular season a week away, the Toronto Maple Leafs are getting in some last minute relaxation time before the real battle begins, as the team took their annual Muskoka trip in order to get some bonding in before games kick off.

Auston Matthews is taking it as a chance to get away from the media, and it seems like rookie Easton Cowan is getting acclimated well, though if you ask Craig Berube he shouldn't quit his day job.

During some of the team bonding, it was Cowan who was tasked to sing in front of the team, and while the choice of song wasn't revealed, it was Berube who mentioned that perhaps Cowan won't be moonlighting as a Sinatra impersonator anytime soon:

It's your typical Craig Berube deadpan response, but it shows a lot more levity than in years past from the coaches and echoes the change in atmosphere since undergoing several changes this offseason.

It sounds like everyone seemed to have a great time so far, however no indication if the team had downed a few libations prior to Cowan's performance and a very innocent yet still apparently cringeworthy way to haze the newcomer.

Although on the outside it looks like he would rather glare at you than joke around, Craig Berube is clearly one of the funnier coaches in the league and it's due to his deadpan nature.

Whether he's showing up in the middle of winter in a pair of shorts, or jokingly threatening the media if they bring up the Core Four again, it's "Chief's" way of keeping things light.

It was previously noted that the atmosphere around the team is much calmer, looser, and seemingly more fun. We saw glimpses of that when the team went golfing together for a charity event, and further behind the scenes looks show just how lovable some of these guys are.

Cowan has a lot of pressure heading into the season and surely has a lot of personal as well as professional expectations going into the season, and Berube is trying to make sure that while he's here, he doesn't feel like he has to do everything.

We know Berube likes to play young players, and we know that he doesn't mind giving them their start. He's doing the same with Easton Cowan too and keeping it light while he's at it.