![\"Craig](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2265348401-e1776281607542.jpg\")
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Craig Berube said he loves coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs.<\/p>\n
Ahead of what could be his final game coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs<\/a>, head coach Craig Berube<\/a> expressed his love for the team.<\/p>\n The Maple Leafs take on the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night in the Battle of Ontario in what is the final game of the season for the Leafs. For the first time in nine seasons, the Leafs will not take part in the postseason. Given that the team won the Atlantic Division last year and came within one game of beating the Florida Panthers<\/a> to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, this year has been nothing but a disappointment for everyone involved. To that end, there has been constant chatter that Berube may be fired when the season ends. If that happens, then Berube would join former General Manager Brad Treliving, who was fired last month, as casualties of a lost season.<\/p>\n But if Berube has it his way, he won\u2019t be going anywhere. Speaking to reporters ahead of the Leafs\u2019 final game of the season in Ottawa, Berube professed his love for the team and the city.<\/p>\n \u201cI love it. I love Toronto. I love the Leafs,\u201d Berube said. \u201cEverybody talks about pressure and all this stuff. I think it\u2019s great. For me, I\u2019d rather have the pressure of having to perform and win than not have it.\u201d<\/p>\n Craig Berube has 2 Years Left on his Contract<\/p>\n When the Leafs signed Berube to be the team\u2019s head coach in 2024, they gave him a four-year contract to lead the team. The first year with Berube behind the bench was a grand success, as the Leafs won the Atlantic Division for the first time in franchise history. The Leafs then beat the Senators in six games in the first round, before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup-winning Panthers.<\/p>\n However, Berube\u2019s second season behind the bench has been an utter failure, as the team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Not only that, but Berube\u2019s strategy and style were routinely criticized by pundits, as were his handling of the goaltending and several of the team\u2019s young players. Although there were numerous points during the season where Berube was rumored to be fired, he made it through to the end of the year. But with Treliving being fired as the team\u2019s GM, Berube figures to be the next to go, as the team\u2019s next GM will likely want to pick their own head coach.<\/p>\n Berube Won the Stanley Cup With the Blues in 2019<\/p>\n One of the reasons the Leafs hired Berube was due to his pedigree of being a Stanley Cup-winning coach, having taken the St. Louis Blues to the promised land in 2019. When the Leafs fired former head coach Sheldon Keefe and replaced him with Berube, the hope was that he would take the Leafs to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since 1967, the last time they hoisted Lord Stanley\u2019s Cup. However, Berube likely won\u2019t get a chance to do that, as he is heavily rumored to be let go at season\u2019s end.<\/p>\n There is still a chance that the Leafs\u2019 new incoming GM<\/a> may retain Berube as the team\u2019s leader, given he has two years left on his deal. But with the Leafs looking for a clean slate after firing Treliving, the odds are that tonight\u2019s game against Ottawa will be the last time Berube stands behind the Leafs\u2019 bench.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tAdam Martin<\/a> Adam Martin is a sports journalist with over 15 years of experience. He has a speciality in MMA, while also covering the Big 4 Sports. Adam is currently a contributor to Heavy.com, with previous experience working for The Toronto Star, Sportsnet, theScore, Bookies, BJPenn.com, and MMAOddsbreaker.com. More about Adam Martin<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Maple Leafs\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Craig Berube said he loves coaching the Toronto Maple Leafs. 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