Craig Berube shares his plans for Maple Leafs' playing style next season  

By ARJUN B

Modified May 21, 2024 17:44 GMT

At his debut press conference, Craig Berube, the new head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, shared his perspective on the team’s gameplay, approach and character. He signed a four-year contract (as per CapFriendly) after replacing Sheldon Keefe, who had been with the team for five years.

Berube made it clear he wants the Leafs to be a hard-working, physical squad.

"We don’t want to be out-worked - ever. It’s all about the team. Everybody’s important, everybody has to be used, they all have roles," Berube said.

"We want to play a north game, be fast, be a heavy team. Not running guys and fighting, but you have to be strong and win puck battles."

Beyond just the playing style, Berube cited the Leafs' talented core as a major reason he took the job.

"That was one of the attractions -- the core player group is great here," Berube said. "It's a great opportunity to build a team that can move forward and become something...not better but get over the hump a little bit here."

Berube is eager to start developing the hard-nosed identity he envisions.

"You want to work with good people and [here are] great people who are thinking a lot like I do on how we want to build a team and how we want to play," he added.

Leafs fans hope Berube's fresh approach can finally lead the team to a Stanley Cup title.

Maple Leafs interviewed nine candidates before selecting Craig Berube as head coach

The Toronto Maple Leafs interviewed nine candidates before hiring Craig Berube. GM Brad Treliving revealed that Berube stood out for his ability to hold players accountable while getting the most out of them.

Treliving and Craig Berube both believe in the importance of fostering a team mentality rather than believing in the core players.

"This is not about one, two, three, four or five people. It's about a team," Treliving said. "It's about the Toronto Maple Leafs. On the outside, you can use all the catchy phrases about 'core four' but it's about a team and the ability to build a team."

Treliving was looking for a coach with a strong presence who could connect with players while also pushing them outside their comfort zone when necessary.

"You've got to be able to push people into uncomfortable positions and into uncomfortable things, but you have to connect with people first," he said.

Treliving said Berube is the ideal coach to guide the Leafs through their playoff challenges.