Can Coach Craig Berube's Role Within Maple Leafs Change? And If So, How?
More than just the X's and O's, and potentially more than just the daily roster decisions.
Berube's experience is constant when it comes to hockey. The 59-year-old spent sixteen years as an NHL player, racking up 3,149 penalty minutes through 1054 games before spending nine years as a head coach in the league. The most memorable year of his coaching career was his Stanley Cup-winning season with the St. Louis Blues in 2019.
That said, Berube is arguably one of hockey's top minds. And Pelley, who's spent nearly nine years working with the DP World Tour (better known as the PGA European Tour), has experience working overseas, viewing how European football clubs run their teams.
"I'm a firm believer that the coach has to be involved more than just on the day of the game and in the dressing room," Pelley said on Friday. "We have a wonderful asset in Craig, and we have a wonderful asset in Brad (Treliving)."
'The Coach Has To Be Involved More': Why MLSE CEO Keith Pelley Wants Maple Leafs Coach Craig Berube To Have More Say In Key Decisions Hours after Toronto Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan's dismissal, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley had dinner with head coach Craig Berube.
But what does it mean for Berube to be more involved than he already is?
An NHL coach's role usually doesn't go beyond the day-to-day roster formation. Some coaches throughout the league might have more of a say, but for the most part, if they want a specific player to round out their roster, say at the trade deadline, it's up to the general manager to go out and get that player.
The coach manages the team's play, and the GM focuses on additions to improve the team.
In European football, a club might have a manager who deals with the day-to-day team activities and the club's long-term outlook. They wield more power, and usually, if they want a player who can help their team, the club will go out and acquire them.
Maple Leafs' Craig Berube Would '100 Percent' Like To Retain Pending Unrestricted Free Agents Mitch Marner, John Tavares Just two days after a season-ending 6-1 loss to the Florida Panthers in Game 7 of the second-round series in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Toronto Maple Leafs held their end-of-season media availability.
For example, in the Maple Leafs' case, Berube could signal to Treliving that, to improve the team, they need Blues forward Brayden Schenn. Berube could cite Toronto's need for center depth (again, this is just an example), plus their history of winning a Stanley Cup together.
If all parties, including Treliving and other staff, agree, Toronto would likely attempt to add that player. All of this likely occurs already, but with Shanahan not in the mix anymore, it opens the door to Berube and Treliving bouncing more ideas off each other without anyone higher saying no.
Pelley's involvement will be nothing more than a sounding board for those within the organization.
MLSE CEO Keith Pelley Explains Decision Not To Hire New Maple Leafs President After Brendan Shanahan's Dismissal Fans stood alongside Legends Row before Scotiabank Arena, taking photos with the Toronto Maple Leafs' icons. At the same time, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO
Keith Pelley sat less than 15 feet away, inside the building, discussing another early playoff exit for his hockey club.
"The people that are going to make the key hockey decisions, the people that are going to make the key basketball decisions, are basketball-oriented people and are hockey-oriented people," the MLSE CEO said.
"That's the way I look at it as a holistic leader that can provide support and guidance from a leadership perspective, from a culture side. But I'm not going to be deciding who we draft and what free agents we're going to sign. That will be the decision by the hockey operations group."
With Shanahan gone, Berube may enter free agency with more say in organization-shifting decisions. During his end-of-season media availability, Berube said he'd "100 percent" like to see the Maple Leafs re-sign John Tavares and Mitch Marner.
'We'll See What Happens': Pelley Weighs In On Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner's Pending Free Agency
Brendan Shanahan was the first domino to fall in an offseason expected to be full of change.
Tavares already looks like a done deal to return, but could Toronto's head coach be behind a stronger push to re-sign Marner once he hits the open market? If you asked the Maple Leafs, I'm sure they'd like to bring the 28-year-old back, even with how Toronto went out of the playoffs.
Berube said it, and I'd believe it if others agreed too.
The big question is how Berube's job will differ from his first season as Maple Leafs head coach to the next season. Treliving will hopefully answer that question, and more, when he speaks on Thursday morning for the first time since Toronto's season ended.
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