Something clearly had to give in Toronto, yet many fans are questioning if this is the change they envisioned. Today, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have terminated assistant coach Marc Savard. The news broke via the team’s official X account.
The termination follows the team’s latest failure to capitalize on the power play last night. The Leafs powerplay is currently ranked 31st in the NHL and has been a consistent, season-long problem. However, this singular coaching change does little to address the deeper, systemic issues truly plaguing the team’s performance.
While this move appears to temporarily secure Head Coach Craig Berube’s position, a loss tomorrow night against the Pittsburgh Penguins could very well be the final blow to his tenure. The firing of an assistant coach, who operates fundamentally within the Head Coach’s established system, is not genuine accountability; rather, it is a transparent illusion of it.
For Craig Berube, I hope this moment is as embarrassing as possible. As a Head Coach, having an assistant held accountable for your failures should be a true wake up call.Â