Firing Craig Berube would expose the roster Brad Treliving built and the Maple Leafs know it
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Craig Berube wasn't fired which drove fans crazy. But that's for good reason. There was no benefit to firing him considering it's still the same disjointed roster and David Pagnotta explains a firing would prove fruitless.
Throughout the season, the pitchforks have been out in full force when it comes to Craig Berube, as the Maple Leafs' free-fall has made fans question exactly how it all went wrong so quickly.
Keeping him as head coach through the year drew some raised eyebrows, and perhaps a new voice would have given the team some new life. But according to David Pagnotta, that's not necessarily the case.
Pagnotta explains the reason Toronto kept Berube is because he isn't the problem with the Maple Leafs
Pagnotta was a guest on Leafs Morning Take and explained that the reason Toronto didn't end up firing Berube isn't due to the fact that they didn't want to — it didn't really matter at all:
A big part of why they didn't make any coaching change this season, because there are still the same assets that you gotta execute with regardless of who the head coach is, they don't have the right pieces. (Leafs Morning Take, 03.23.26)
If that's the case then you can't really fault Berube for not being effective considering that the team built for him was not anything near what he needed.
Instead of trying to find players who are aggressive forecheckers, grinders, defensive specialists and guys with grit, they added some awkward fits. No Mitch Marner is a huge loss regardless of your opinion, and 102-point two-way superstars don't grow on trees.
Whereas last year we saw the likes of Max Pacioretty, David Kampf, and Pontus Holmberg who weren't elite but definitely added a lot of help despite a lack of offence but when Berube's system relies on one or two goal affairs — defence is the best offence.
They were replaced with Dakota Joshua, Matias Maccelli, and Nic Roy. While Joshua dealt with some serious injury concerns, it took forever for Maccelli to get acclimated and Toronto traded Roy only months after acquiring him.
Plus, you're asking a defensive-minded coach to rely on a blueline that is old, injured, slow, and ineffective. When 32-year-old Troy Stecher is your best pickup and you're relying on a 34-year-old Oliver Ekman-Larsson, you're in trouble. How can you play a dump-and-chase game when you can't get out of your own zone?
It wouldn't matter if Derek Lalonde, Steve Sullivan, Jake Muzzin or the reincarnated body of Pat Quinn; no one is saving this roster.
Firing Berube would have accomplished one thing though, and shone a bright spotlight on just how poorly Brad Treliving constructed his roster.
You bring in Scott Laughton to ensure you have a 3C last year. You then move him to wing, and stick him on the fourth this year because of a fumbled Marner deal.
You then rush a last-second deal for Brandon Carlo that cost you not only a top-six staple in Fraser Minten, but a first-round pick that is likely headed to the Bruins as well.
William Nylander has missed a good chunk of the year and still put up 59 points in his first 47 games. Toronto rewarded him by going 20-19-8 or in other words: a total .425 win percentage.
At least he's trying to repent for his actions as his slew of NCAA free agent signings genuinely bring a lot of excitement to the future. If at least one or two of these guys follow the Bobby McMann path — Toronto is in good hands.
But there's still a lot of work to do despite the positivity going forward and if the Maple Leafs move on from Berube without a firm plan in place then they're just repeating history again.
The roster needs to fit the coach as much as the coach needs to fit the roster. The quicker Treliving figures that out, the better.
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Previously on Hockey Patrol
| POLL | ||
MARS 29|790 ANSWERS Firing Craig Berube would expose the roster Brad Treliving built and the Maple Leafs know it Do you think it's Craig Berube or the Maple Leafs roster that is the problem? | ||