Maple Leafs fans launch coordinated social media campaign demanding Craig Berube be fired
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs fans have their pitchforks out for Craig Berube as a trending hashtag on social media is calling for him to be fired as the head coach.
There's been a lot of talk about the type of changes the Maple Leafs are going to make and beyond the roster, it's the coaching staff that is also getting a real audit and we could see a slew of new faces behind the bench next year.
Craig Berube's under the impression that he is coming back, and all signs have pointed to the Maple Leafs at least giving him a chance to redeem himself although he doesn't have a ton of leeway. There's a chance the new roster could give him enough to get back on track but with a new analytical group in town - Berube may be out.
Though, it hasn't stopped the Maple Leafs fans from calling for his head.
Maple Leafs fans are coordinating social media campaigns to pressure John Chayka into firing Craig Berube
On X, it was quickly noticed that the hashtag #BerubeOut was trending in Canada, reaching as high as #4 in Canada on Tuesday morning. Fans are tired of the will he/won't he be the coach and fans want to get a final decision (preferably with him leaving).
From the posts you can see on social media, everyone seemingly wants the former Stanley Cup winning coach to find work elsewhere:
Also most fans have decided to at least temporarily change their profile picture on social media to the same picture of Berube with a big red slash through it; sending a crystal clear message.
It's actually quite a stunning bit of coordination and collectiveness from the Maple Leafs fanbase as they have come together to ensure their voices are heard. With Chayka meeting with Berube presumably this week, it's certainly an effective way to try to influence his decision.
The Leafs front office isn't dumb, they hear the chatter, and if they want to really get back on the side of the fans then it may lead them to firing Berube to appease a fractured fanbase.
The fanbase has lost patience and John Chayka has more than just a coaching decision to make
This is not a group that is a happy bunch to say the least. Toronto fans have been asking for Berube's job to be called into question since the end of the playoffs last year, and this year was supposed to be his follow-up to a historic debut season.
Instead, he led the team to the bottom of the basement and put them in the bottom of nearly every defensive category. His slow, grinding style only works with the right people, and he never adapted when he should have.
Plus, the fans were incensed that the team sat Easton Cowan for a month and refused to use their AHL call-ups meanwhile names like Calle Jarnkrok were getting steady minutes. Even until the bitter end it was hard to see more than one call-up in the lineup because Berube wanted his vets.
Chayka isn't just needing to fire Berube, but he has to make sure that he brings in the proper coach who can maximize the players on the roster because if it's another Berube, you're only making fans angrier.
Fan trust is at an all-time low and if Chayka wants to endear himself to Leafs Nation sooner than later then ditching Berube is a great start.
There may be a world where John Chayka decides to keep Craig Berube and his analytics may point to a coach who is actually solid but needs a better roster to implement.
Though that's only going to make the Maple Leafs fans groan even louder, and you can expect a lot more #BerubeOut messages to be sent throughout the year and that pressure will surely weigh on Chayka's shoulders until he finally does something about it.
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