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'I'll Forever Be Thankful': Dakota Joshua Credits Craig Berube for His NHL Break
Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua heaped praise on head coach Craig Berube and thanked him for getting his career started while on the Leafs Morning Take podcast.
There was initially some question marks around the acquisition of Dakota Joshua, not because he isn't a good fit, or a good player in general, but it was a move that lacked the oomph fans had been hoping for during the offseason.
But he's quickly endearing himself to the Toronto faithful and he feels ready to get things going and help the Leafs do whatever it takes to win. A hard-nosed, gritty, but uniquely offensive player, he'll fit in perfectly with Craig Berube.
Craig Berube's Role in Shaping Young Talent
Speaking of, he's got quite the background with Berube, as he got his start in St. Louis when the Leafs bench boss was coaching there. From no deal to an NHL job, Joshua made leaps, and had his head coach to thank.
Which is why he heaped tons of praise on his former, and now current head coach while a guest on the Leafs Morning Take podcast, and explained that his career wouldn't have even gotten off the ground if not for 'Chief':
He's a great guy and great coach, obviously he was the one who gave me my first shot in the league, and I'll forever be thankful to him for that.
He's not the first player to have his career shaped by Berube, as guys like Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, and Zach Bolduc are all young players who were under Berube's guidance and have turned into fantastic NHL players.
Chief isn't afraid to give young guys a chance and we saw names like Jacob Quillan, Fraser Minten, and Nikita Grebenkin all debut this season even though Toronto had more veteran options in the AHL.
How Berube's Influence Could Shape the Maple Leafs' Roster
While he has a much older roster to deal with, there are still some young guys who could benefit from his coaching style, and perhaps one who might be on the cusp of making the team this season.
Two names stand out who could use a boost from Berube, that being Nick Robertson and Easton Cowan.
For the former, he needs someone to get him focused and on the right path, meanwhile the latter is young enough to get the Joshua/Kyrou treatment from Berube.
Another bonus is the team is going to have one season with him under their belt, and it's going to be less of a transition to a new system, so hopefully things are going to get going quicker and smoother than anticipated.
If Craig Berube can figure out a consistent and reliable lineup, not make so many last-minute changes, and give the new guys the ability to breathe then it's a lot of positives in Toronto's future.
We saw it with Dakota Joshua. Who else is going to reap the benefits of Chief next?
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 30 | 851 ANSWERS 'I'll Forever Be Thankful': Dakota Joshua Credits Craig Berube for His NHL Break Will Craig Berube help unlock Dakota Joshua's potential with the Maple Leafs? | ||
| Yes | 756 | 88.8 % |
| No | 95 | 11.2 % |
| List of polls | ||