Craig Berube | Pre Game vs Tampa Bay Lightning | December 8, 2025

oppos 3 days away. He’ll be fine. He’ll be available tonight. Yeah. Calli in tonight. Cali Arcro in tonight. Yes, he is. What led to the lineup change? Just uh more penalty killing for me. Um you know, it’s a good PP over there. We know that. And um I just wanted extra killer in tonight. And um that line, you know, a lot and Loren and Yarn Croc is it’s a good checking line for us too. We’ll need that. with power play struggling a bit. How seriously did you consider have you considered doing two balanced units? It obviously comes up for sure. Um I went back to this unit looking at some video and and going back to some numbers and stuff early on in the year. These guys were actually pretty good and they they created a lot of opportunities. Um didn’t go in the net and a lot of times doesn’t go in the net. make changes and um go from there. So that was my reasoning for that. But what you brought up is a valid point and I’ve definitely thought about it. Is it just a matter of them getting confidence? Well, confidence is a big thing and you know I think what happens is it’s not going well and you you stop just being direct, you stop shooting um you know and you’re not going to get anything out of it then. Uh we got to get back to just simplifying and shooting pucks and being good around the net. That’s how we did scored last year. You know, those big guys around the net and getting pucks in there. Um was was our DNA on our power play last year. How do you think Hildy has kind of dealt with all the responsibility right away? He seems really good. I mean, he’s got a really good head on his shoulders. He’s a very prepared guy. Um you know, he seems like he’s the first guy at the rink every day and he’s preparing. So, I think he’s prepared. He’s done a real good job. His work ethic has really gone up this year in practice and um you know he’s gotten some real good coaching from our goalie coach. Um so he seems he seems really confident and good. Dakota Mermis also back in. Yes. What have you liked from his game? Yeah. Well, you know, I think Merms and Meyers, you know, you give them they play three or four and time to make a little change, you know. Um that’s basically it. I think they both have come in and done a good job for us. Um, but you just got to we don’t you got to just manage their extended play, you know, a little bit. So, Merms Merms is good. He’s done a good job. He he plays with some snarl out there. Um, you know, he moves the puck. Simple movement with the puck and um, you know, he’s he has the ability to play on the right side as the left shot. What do you have with Robertson’s game? Well, it’s dropped off and I talked to Nikki this morning and you know, some of it’s you know, ice time obviously and he was playing in the top six and he was doing a good job and then things you you make changes and but I have all the confidence that he’ll get it back, you know. Um kind of to me he’s lost a little bit of his jump and his tenacity he plays with. Uh but at the same time that’s a little bit ice time and and um getting the opportunity too. No, no one likes to miss time to injury, but do you think the time off has helped Nick Wah a little bit? Like he seems to be a bit of a different player since he’s come Yeah, maybe. I don’t really have an answer for that question, but you know, sometimes a reset, whether it’s an injury or um just, you know, taking a little time, coach scratches you or whatever, um you tend to come back and you got a little more juice, a little more jump in your game at times. So, yeah, it could be. What have you made of Tampa’s game and how they’ve been able to kind of excel through some of the injuries that they Yeah, it’s same thing. a lot of injuries, but uh well, their game, they got they got some elite players. We all know that. They got that core there still um with their goalie, too. But, uh they’re a very good rush team. Um you know that we all know they can make plays and they’re dynamic. Power play can be dynamic. So, uh we’re going to have to be disciplined, but we’re going to have to do a good job with our PK tonight. We’re going to have to do a good job against their skilled forwards tonight. and and Headband’s back, too. So, you know, it’s a challenge. Coach, you guys have the number one face off percentage in the league by a wide margin. You’re over 57%. You have two of the best in the league, but all four of your guys are over 50%. How much of a benefit is that as a coach to know that you’ve got that advantage? That’s a definitely a a benefit. You’re starting with a puck, you know, in uh all three zones, which is a good thing, right? Um, now I think we can do more in the offensive zone with u our guys, how good they are in draws. I think we can capitalize a little bit more than we have on uh those wins and create something out of it. But uh it’s definitely an advantage for sure and it’s a luxury to have four guys in a dot that are all pretty capable of doing the job.

Head Coach Craig Berube addresses the media ahead of tonight’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

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10 comments

  3. Toronto should take a page out of Montreal's power play. Instead of trying to shoot it so hard when you miss the net it will go through the boards …do shot passes wiith a little less speed so it goes on net but your players have a chance to tip it. OEL and Reilly on the power play makes more sense. Reilly will now be motivated to create something so he gets the 1st power play role. Again Toronto should take some notes from Montreal's power play and many other teams. Move the puck quick and have players moving. Toronto is way too static when they have the puck in the other teams end. Makes it easy to defend against.

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