{"id":513696,"date":"2026-03-20T19:24:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T19:24:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/513696\/"},"modified":"2026-03-20T19:24:17","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T19:24:17","slug":"former-nhl-hc-peter-deboer-explains-what-its-like-coaching-maple-leafs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/513696\/","title":{"rendered":"Former NHL HC Peter DeBoer explains what it\u2019s like coaching Maple Leafs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former NHL<\/a> head coach Peter DeBoer did not hold back when describing the challenge of coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> during a lost season.<\/p>\n

Speaking on Leafs\u2019 Morning Take, DeBoer called it \u201cthe hardest job in hockey\u201d when a team has little left to play for. Toronto finds itself in that exact position.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

The team sits near the bottom of the Atlantic Division, with playoff hopes all but gone. Injuries to Auston Matthews<\/a> and roster changes have only deepened the slide, leaving the final stretch of games with limited stakes.<\/p>\n

MORE: Maple Leafs\u2019 $46.5M forward gives no \u2018excuse\u2019 despite injury<\/a><\/p>\n

DeBoer explained that the mental side becomes the biggest test. A coach must convince players to stay engaged despite the standings.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the hardest job in hockey being in that position,\u201d DeBoer said. \u201cI haven\u2019t been in that position much. I was in that position in Florida, my first job in the NHL, a couple of times where, you know, we unloaded at the deadline and, you know, played out the string, so to speak.\u201d<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the hardest job in hockey because, you know, you\u2019ve got to come into that room and convince those guys to keep playing for something. Whether it\u2019s a roster spot next year, whether it\u2019s to show, you know, you belong on another special team or higher in the lineup, or just for the pride of the jersey. It\u2019s really tough.\u201d<\/p>\n

The challenge is not only for players. DeBoer noted that coaches must manage their own frustration from a disappointing season. He stressed the importance of showing up with the right attitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t envy anybody that\u2019s in that spot because on top of that, you\u2019re dealing with your own frustration of a disappointing year, and that\u2019s something you really have to park and try and show up in that dressing room with as good an attitude as you can have without carrying that around,\u201d DoBer said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, when I listen to Craig talk, I think he\u2019s done an exceptional job recently of trying to keep the guys playing hard here through the end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

MORE: Maple Leafs\u2019 GM assures of \u2018changes\u2019 after Toronto \u2018underperformed\u2019 in 2025-26 season<\/a><\/p>\n

Craig Berube\u2019s comments on the Maple Leafs facing criticism\"\"<\/p>\n

Current Leafs head coach Craig Berube has faced that pressure in one of hockey\u2019s toughest markets. The team has shown inconsistency in the 2025-26 season, with a 29-28-12 record. Offensive output has been average, but defensive struggles remain a major issue, allowing 3.44 goals per game.<\/p>\n

Speaking about the season, Berube acknowledged that fan criticism is part of the job, especially when expectations are high and results fall short.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere comes criticism with not doing well,\u201d Berube said<\/a>. \u201cThat\u2019s part of the game. You\u2019ve got to understand that\u2019s just the way it is, and you\u2019ve got to deal with it. They have every right to be critical. They pay good money for tickets, and they want the Leafs to do well.<\/p>\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n

\u201cSo when they\u2019re not doing well, there\u2019s going to be some criticism.\u201d<\/p>\n

Toronto\u2019s struggles reflect a mix of injuries, inconsistency, and defensive issues. Yet the focus now shifts to effort and culture. As DeBoer outlined, these final games still matter, even if the standings suggest otherwise.<\/p>\n

\u2014 Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead <\/a>\u2014<\/p>\n

MARCH MADNESS: Predicting March Madness upsets in the 2026 NCAA Tournament<\/a><\/p>\n

NFL DRAFT: New Mel Kiper NFL mock draft shows major impact of free agency<\/a><\/p>\n

MLB: Dodgers announce Shohei Ohtani\u2019s spring training pitching debut<\/a><\/p>\n

NHL: Oilers\u2019 Leon Draisaitl out for regular season with lower-body injury<\/a><\/p>\n

ENTERTAINMENT: Is \u2018Bachelorette\u2019 still airing amid Taylor Frankie Paul domestic dispute allegations?<\/a><\/p>\n

VIRAL: Livvy Dunne shares \u2018Baywatch\u2019 training with BTS swimsuit, set photos<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Former NHL head coach Peter DeBoer did not hold back when describing the challenge of coaching the Toronto…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":513697,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5106],"tags":[532,825,4034,62,5,370,20,5172,159,4,24,861,17392,66,31,5171],"class_list":["post-513696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-toronto-maple-leafs","tag-auston-matthews","tag-craig-berube","tag-dodgers","tag-florida","tag-hockey","tag-leon-draisaitl","tag-maple-leafs","tag-mapleleafs","tag-new-york-islanders","tag-nhl","tag-oilers","tag-peter-deboer","tag-shohei-ohtani","tag-toronto","tag-toronto-maple-leafs","tag-torontomapleleafs"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nhl\/116263143579928900","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/513696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=513696"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/513696\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/513697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=513696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=513696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=513696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}