Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
A viral video from Madison Square Garden has social media thinking that the Toronto Maple Leafs have stopped listening to Craig Berube.
As Craig Berube was yelling at his players during a TV timeout, multiple Leafs on the team’s bench were non-responsive to Berube’s words, looking to be unfocused at what it was that Berube was saying.
That, combined with Berube’s angered expression, has some Toronto Maple Leafs fans speculating that the Leafs have decided to tune out what Berube is saying on the ice.
Toronto’s sixth consecutive loss has added to the ideathat the team has turned on their coach, at least social media thinks so, but there is reason to think otherwise.
Why theories about the team turning on Craig Berube may be doubtful
That the Toronto Maple Leafs have decided as a team to ignore Craig Berube’s direction seems unlikely, at least from the moment captured on video.
Thinking about being on the ice, even if Craig Berube has lost the locker room, it wouldn’t be a rebuttal that extends to the ice where the team knows he’s still in charge.
Further worth noting is that while players are indeed not focusing on Berube’s direction, it doesn’t appear of them to be the players Berube is speaking to.
From the video, it would appear that Berube is directing the players on the ice, perhaps providing instructions for the play, which would explain why those on the bench are not reacting as Berube speaks to his on-ice skaters.
If the whole team heard was Berube was saying can’t be said, but they heard his yelling, and if they’re not listening, one can argue it’s an indictment on not just Berube, but also a tuned-out team.
Berube, clearly not having given up, said after the Leafs 6-2 loss to the Rangers that he was “pissed off” by their losing stretch from the return to play until the trade deadline, in what was supposed to be a last ditch attempt to avoid a selling off period for Friday’s trade deadline.
If the team has given up on Craig Berube’s leadership, an out-of-context lasting only a few seconds isn’t a tell of that being the case, but after six losses in a row, fans are looking for any sign of Berube fatigue in Toronto.
Previously on Hockey Patrol
POLL
1 HOUR AGO|6 ANSWERS
Video shows Maple Leafs players quit on Berube vs Rangers
Do you think the Leafs are ignoring Craig Berube’s instructions?