Craig Berube named new coach of the Leafs
- Thread starter L K
- Start date
Highlander said:
Ok. I need to know what ?holding players accountable? means and how that helps the leafs win a game 7. Like specifically, what does a coach holding players accountable do and why does it make Samsonov save 1 extra goal or Marner score an extra goal?
To me, it looks like the Leafs want to win. And they have played well in many high pressure situations. They haven?t won a game 7. But is the pressure really noticeably higher in that game 7 than game 5 or 6 that have to win?
L K
Well-known member
princedpw said:
I think a fairer argument for the team is that they struggle to close games out rather than play in high pressure situations.
2018 - win Game 6 to tie it 3-3 lose 7-4 in Game 7
2019 - win Game 5 to go up 3-2 and lose Game 6 4-2 and Game 7 5-1
2020 - win Game 4 to tie it 2-2 then lose Game 5 3-0
2021 - win game 4 to go up 3-1 and lose Game 5, Game 6, Game 7
2022 - win Game 5 to go up 3-2 then lose Game 6 and Game 7
2023 - win Game 4 to go up 3-1 then lose Game 5 and win Game 6; Win Game 4 to go 3-1 then lose Game 5
2024 - win Games 5/6 to tie it up 3-3 then lose Game 7
When the Leafs are facing potential elimination they are 4-9 since 2018
When the Leafs opponents are facing elimination they are 1-11
The Leafs can't put teams away when their opponent is up against the wall.
dekedastardly
Member
I'm for this. I do believe Berube was the best option out there, Brind'amour's probably not moving. This hiring leaves the impression that management is adapting a more hard assed approach to what feels like a coddled core group. This more closely aligns with Treliving's desire for snot
If Berube over achieves, great, if he flames out, great we get higher picks. I'm tired of losing in the first round, it's basically the worst part of the mushy middle. It's wild to me that people seem so change averse as if this roster has done anything but lose in the playoffs save for one flukey round.
I'd rather have had Bruce Cassidy but the whole roster needs a shakeup.
I'd rather have had Bruce Cassidy but the whole roster needs a shakeup.
Zee said:
I'm sure they put a list together.
Everyone knows nearly everyone else in hockey ...
Boudreau & Julien - too old?
Woodcroft - too green?
Evason - never made it out of the 1st round in the AHL or NHL
Quenneville - too much baggage from Chicago scandal for Toronto media
etc
Likely a few names the media hadn't considered
They short listed
A number of reports said Gallant, Todd McLellan & Berube were interviewed - Elliott Friedman also thought they kicked tires on some other names
They discussed/debated the short list
Tossed around numbers with their favorite.
Done deal
I'm sure Treliving had significant input - Friedman thought so. Probably his call.
Shanahan reportedly interviewed as well
Shanahan's contract is in its final year. Any chance of survival needed a quick impact. You can't change all the players quickly.
Berube took over a .447 hockey team during the first qtr of the 2018-19 St. Louis Blues season (.573 previous season). They played .651 for the balance of the season with him and won a Stanley Cup. He's known for holding all players accountable - which might make him a coach with a shorter wick. Those who did as he asked seemed to do well with him and seem to remain appreciative of him. Someone compared him to Pat Quinn - tough but fair. Many in the media thought he was a leading candidate to coach other teams and reportedly had spoken with other teams so I can appreciate that they had to move quickly if they wanted him.
Was he the best coach available? I don't know all the candidates that well or some at all so I wouldn't know.
But his selection seems far from indefensible. He's a credible NHL coach.
As we all know too well, scoring in the playoffs gets tougher. I didn't attend the Leafs practices, so again, I don't have all the details. But I did feel long before Berube that the Leafs should have prepared for playoff hockey more. Apparently, when he took over in St. Louis, Berube maintained a team can only play one way - you can't easily turn on the switch for the playoffs. So they began practicing for playing in the playoffs when he took over for game 20 in that regular season. That philosophy will not do this team any harm when it comes to the playoffs.
dappleganger
Active member
I'm not sure what we're debating. Berube was the best coach available. Let's give the Leafs a W here.
herman
Well-known member
Dappleganger said:
The speed of the decisions (new GM and new coach) make it seem like the front office didn?t really do due diligence.
They probably had researched and unofficially had conversations prior to those roles being vacated, the almost the same way as teams have pro-scouts for players they want to acquire. Everybody in the industry is pretty aware of everybody else even if they haven?t worked together before and reputations aren?t too hard to verify even before formal interviews. Shanahan has literally been punched by Berube before.
Brindamour expressed a desire to re-sign long before the playoffs.
The Leafs had to know that their roster as of last summer was not as good as the team that got knocked out 4-1 by Florida.
Klingberg goes down and Samsonov clears waivers - the Leafs had to know they were not a true contender. The odds makers and media pundits backed that as did their place in the standings.
They knew there was a good chance Keefe wasn't going to survive as coach.
Even Keefe knew during his last chats with the media before being relieved from his duties.
Shanahan and Treliving had a long time to line up their potential candidates to replace Keefe.
The Leafs had to know that their roster as of last summer was not as good as the team that got knocked out 4-1 by Florida.
Klingberg goes down and Samsonov clears waivers - the Leafs had to know they were not a true contender. The odds makers and media pundits backed that as did their place in the standings.
They knew there was a good chance Keefe wasn't going to survive as coach.
Even Keefe knew during his last chats with the media before being relieved from his duties.
Shanahan and Treliving had a long time to line up their potential candidates to replace Keefe.
Zee said:
https://x.com/TSN1050Radio/status/1792903705580179965
https://x.com/koshtorontosun/status/1792934547216105490
