Craig Berube finally speaks out as his future with the Leafs Is thrown into uncertainty
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Vincent Carbonneau
Apr 1, 2026 (10:09 PM)
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Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Maple Leafs and head coach Craig Berube skated into a storm
Toronto hit the ice in Anaheim for their first practice since Treliving was dismissed, and Berube didn't ease off. He ran a hard session that stretched close to three times longer than the early estimate around the rink.
That told you plenty about where his head is at. Berube isn't coaching like a man waiting for the final word. He's coaching like every rep still matters.
He said as much after practice. The job comes with uncertainty, but he made it clear he's showing up with the same attitude and pushing the group the same way.
“I get it. And there’s all this uncertainty. I mean, this is what I do. And I come to the rink with the same attitude. That's the truth. I come with the same attitude every day, and I coach them the same way.”
That's where this story gets sharp for Toronto. Berube can still have the room, still have credibility, and still not be the coach this team wants behind the bench next season.
Keith Pelley left that door wide open. Once a new hockey boss is in place, Berube's status will be part of the review, and ownership would be involved in a call that big.
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The harder part for Berube is that this isn't only about effort or respect. It's about fit. The Leafs have looked out of sync with the heavy, direct style he wants them to play.
“I’m down. Lost a friend and a GM, you know?” Berube said. “That bothers me. But I know that it’s a business, and that’s the way it goes.
“But I’ve always felt very fortunate to be in the NHL and be part of the NHL, from a player to a coach, all that. And I just don’t take it for granted. I just don’t. I know I’m 60.” A pause and a smile. “I’m a lucky guy to be part of it.”
“But I’ve always felt very fortunate to be in the NHL and be part of the NHL, from a player to a coach, all that. And I just don’t take it for granted. I just don’t. I know I’m 60.” A pause and a smile. “I’m a lucky guy to be part of it.”
Toronto sits at 32-30-13, and that number says enough. For a roster with this much high-end talent, that record lands like a flat verdict on a season that never found steady traction.
Berube still has two more seasons of guaranteed money on his contract, but that doesn't protect him from a philosophy change. New management often wants its own voice, its own staff, and its own structure.
“Whatever happens, happens. But I’m the coach here now, and my focus is the team. That’s it.” - Berube
And the Leafs may be heading exactly there. Pelley has already signaled that the next hockey executive will need a modern, data-driven approach, which hints at more than one change coming.
None of that erases what Berube has done. That track record gives him weight in any room.
Inside this locker room, he still has strong backing. John Tavares praised the way Berube pushes buttons, and Max Domi called him an all-world human being while putting the failure on the players.
But good coaches still get caught in the wrong cycle. With seven games left, Berube will keep pressing for a strong finish. It just feels more and more like he's coaching through the end of a chapter, not the start of the next one.
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