Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
A new report from Howard Berger of Sportsnet 590 The FAN claims the Maple Leafs may have checked in on a potential Craig Berube replacement who might be able to salvage the season.
Although he had a very successful debut season as head coach of the Maple Leafs, Craig Berube has struggled early this year to get the same style of play out of the team.
The club has given zero indication that his job isn’t secure, and after a standout performance on Saturday night, things may be turning around.
Inside the rumour: How Pete DeBoer’s name ended up linked to the Leafs
But it hasn’t stopped the Maple Leafs from at least testing the waters when it comes to a new head coach.
According to Berger, the Maple Leafs have reportedly checked in on the status of coach Pete DeBoer, who was let go by Dallas last year:
It wouldn’t be particularly fair to Craig Berube but a little birdie tells me a #Leafs emissary has checked in with Pete DeBoer, fired last year by #Dallas. Could he get more out of this unmotivated group?
We should note that this is Berger’s report and reflects what he says he is hearing from his sources. There is no official confirmation from the Maple Leafs that they have sought out a replacement for Berube.
He last coached in 2024-25 for Dallas, where he led the team to a 50-26-6 record before the Stars chose to move on and replace DeBoer with Glen Gulutzan after another playoff exit.
For his career, DeBoer has a 662-447-152 record while coaching the New Jersey Devils, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, and Dallas but has never won the Stanley Cup.
He would be a different take on a Berube style, as DeBoer is more of an old-school coach but he’s been able to maximize the potential of lower-end players while managing stars.
In New Jersey, DeBoer managed the likes of Ilya Kovalchuk, Zach Parise, and David Clarkson while also overseeing the development of Adam Henrique and Adam Larsson.
But he also managed to get solid seasons out of aging players like Patrik Elias, Dainius Zubrus, and Bryce Salvador, and their lineup looks quite similar to Toronto’s current crop — a varied crop of veterans, young stars, and elite talent.
What this kind of back-channel check-in really says about Berube’s job security
While it does not prove that Toronto is looking to move on from Berube, it can be seen as them at least exploring a back-up plan if results don’t improve.
Yes he’s under pressure to turn the season around but he can only do so much. He can’t actually play for his players, and it’s just a part of the process that all teams go through. If a team struggles, more often than not the coach is the first to go, but several teams have so far underperformed this year as well.
He’s also been dealt a horrible hand when it comes to injuries and has had to manage a team that felt like stitched-together lineup with no real direction but he’s not been given many pieces to work with either.
Though if we start to see one step forward, two steps back then the Maple Leafs management might not be too keen on spinning their wheels regardless of Berube’s reputation and a new voice could spark their consistency again.
If Toronto can end up finding themselves on a hot streak, it could save Berube from the hot seat. But if their next stretch looks like the early part of this season, discussion about Berube’s future will only heat up, and this kind of check-in will be looked at with a keen eye.
All coaching speculation in this story is based on public reporting and opinion, not on any official statements from the Maple Leafs.
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Report claims the Leafs have already checked in on a potential Craig Berube replacement
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