{"id":534607,"date":"2026-04-01T11:44:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T11:44:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/534607\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T11:44:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T11:44:24","slug":"craig-berubes-fate-as-toronto-maple-leafs-coach-to-be-determined-by-new-leader-of-hockey-ops","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/534607\/","title":{"rendered":"Craig Berube\u2019s fate as Toronto Maple Leafs coach to be determined by new leader of hockey ops"},"content":{"rendered":"

The future of Craig Berube<\/a> as Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a> head coach will remain in limbo until a new leader of hockey operations is hired, MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley said Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Pelley was non-committal on whether the Maple Leafs will hire a president of hockey operations or once again employ a general manager atop the organizational chart after firing Brad Treliving on Monday. He said the franchise hopes to have made a hire by late May, though.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis will likely be the most important decision I make in my tenure at MLSE,\u201d Pelley said of the hiring. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey have to be data centric,\u201d he later added as a requirement. <\/p>\n

In the interim, Pelley said Berube will work with Maple Leafs assistant general managers Brandon Pridham and Ryan Hardy, who will fill Treliving\u2019s role for now.<\/p>\n

Keith Pelley says he’s open to the possibility of hiring both a president and GM for the revamped #leafs<\/a> front office. <\/p>\n

Says there’s one must for their next hire: “They have to be data centric.”<\/p>\n

\u2014 Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Berube insisted after a 5-4 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks<\/a> on Monday that his focus remains on the ice.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think about it, guys. I mean, I really don\u2019t. You probably think I\u2019m bulls–ting you, but I\u2019m not,\u201d Berube told reporters. \u201cI feel for Brad right now and his family. That\u2019s what I feel right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that Berube has been given no indicationon his futurewith the franchise, but was given a heads up on Treliving\u2019s fate.<\/p>\n

Treliving was fired just ahead of Toronto\u2019s win over the Ducks, which leaves just seven games remaining in the Maple Leafs\u2019 season. Sitting 11 points back of the final wild-card spot, Toronto will miss the playoffs this year for the first time since 2016, ending the NHL\u2019s longest active streak.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just shocking,\u201d forward John Tavares<\/a> said of the Treliving news. \u201cI think whenever you receive the news it\u2019s shocking and you\u2019re just disappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA little shocking, to be honest,\u201d echoed winger Matthew Knies<\/a>. \u201cPretty abrupt. You know, not much of a notice right before the game. I feel like it was pretty close to the game, so not really enough time to digest it and think about it, really.\u201d<\/p>\n

Treliving won\u2019t hide and will accept his share of the responsibility for a brutal year. Meanwhile, Craig Berube is about to coach the Maple Leafs tonight in Anaheim and sources say other than being made aware of Treliving\u2019s fate, Berube has been given no indication of what his\u2026 https:\/\/t.co\/7fHXzssF4Q<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Berube was hired by Treliving in May 2024 after the Maple Leafs parted ways with Sheldon Keefe<\/a> following another Game 7 loss to the Boston Bruins<\/a> in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe gave me an opportunity here, and I feel like we let him down this year,\u201d Berube added Monday.<\/p>\n

In his first season with the club, Berube helped guide Toronto to an Atlantic Division title with a 52-26-4 record, also securing the team\u2019s second playoff series win over the past decade, defeating the Ottawa Senators<\/a> in six games.<\/p>\n

The Maple Leafs would fall to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers<\/a> in the second round, losing 6-1 on home ice in Game 7.<\/p>\n

This season, the Maple Leafs sit third last in the Eastern Conference with a 32-30-13 record have rarely sat in a playoff spot throughout the campaign. The Maple Leafs season will conclude on April 15 with a road game against the Ottawa Senators<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Prior to his time in Toronto, Berube had coached the Philadelphia Flyers<\/a> for two years, before spending six seasons in St. Louis, where he led the Blues to their first Stanley Cup title in franchise history in 2019.<\/p>\n