Leafs coach Craig Berube heavily criticizes his team following loss to Senators

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Daniel Lucente
September 23, 2024 (12:00)

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It appears that Craig Berube has a lot of problems to still fix with the Leafs roster, as he called out the entire team after their 6-5 loss to the Senators.

Craig Berube, known for leading the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019, certainly has left his footprint with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fold. Strong moves have been made, including no music during practices and taking the captaincy from John Tavares in favor of Auston Matthews. A clear indication he wants to change things around, but there is much more work to be done.

In the latest game, the near full NHL roster of Maple Leafs was upset by B-team Ottawa Senators in overtime by the score of 6-5, the winning goal coming from 18-year-old Carter Yakemchuk adding insult to injury. Berube opened his mouth regarding the speed of the team and too artistic performance of it.

Lance Hornby, in his Toronto Sun column, put into perspective more clearly Berube's blunt assessment. The story shows clearly just how frustrated the coach is by the fact that the team can't play a grittier and more disciplined style of hockey, that he so very clearly favors.

«We come out just slow, just didn't move the puck quick enough,» Berube said. «That's why we ended up with two shots in the first period (to Ottawa's 15). We didn't want to shoot, got too cute at times. It got better, but overall there are things we've got to clean up our directness.»

Of course, some bright lights were also seen: rookie Nikita Grebenkin was brilliant, and Max Pacioretty potted two goals, saying he was nervous for a game for the first time in over 15 years.

New signing Chris Tanev, signed by GM Brad Treliving on a lucrative six-year deal, chipped in with three assists. Team leader Tanev, seemingly coming into his own as one, echoed Berube's sentiments, citing the sloppy play that needed fixing. Craig Berube's job is far from complete, but he's setting the groundwork for a tougher and more focused Maple Leafs' team.