Maple Leafs' Craig Berube's Coaching Future Remains Uncertain Amid GM Search
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube's future with the team is currently undecided, with clarity potentially delayed for an extended period. According to team president Keith Pelley, any decision regarding Berube's employment will involve ownership and must await the appointment of a new head of hockey operations.
Pelley's Comments on Decision-Making Process
In a statement made on Tuesday, Pelley emphasized that the coaching decision falls under the purview of the general manager or president of hockey operations, not his own role. "Craig Berube is the head coach, and that is determined by the general manager or the president of hockey, the head of hockey operations," Pelley said. "That's not decided by myself." He added that once a new hockey boss is in place, if recommendations concerning Berube arise, they will be considered, noting that "something as big as Craig Berube would go all the way to ownership."
Berube's Response and Interim Management Changes
When asked about his job security after the Leafs' overtime victory against Anaheim on Monday night, Berube downplayed concerns, stating, "I don't think about it, I really don't. You probably think I'm bull—- you, but I'm not. I feel for Brad right now and his family." This reference was to former general manager Brad Treliving, who was fired on Monday night. In the wake of Treliving's dismissal, Berube will work more closely with assistant GMs Brandon Pridham and Ryan Hardy, who will oversee operations until a new hockey boss is hired.
Timing of Treliving's Firing and Search for Replacement
Pelley explained that the decision to fire Treliving was made over the past few weeks through discussions with ownership, and the timing was intended to allow for an early start on the crucial search for a replacement. "Once you make a decision, it's time to move. If you got ahead of it now, you had an extra 15 days (before the regular season ends), because it's such a crucial and an important search," Pelley noted. He also addressed why Treliving was permitted to make trades up to the NHL deadline on March 6 despite his impending dismissal, stating that Treliving was still the general manager at that time and conversations about the future had not yet begun.
Pelley aims to have a new hockey boss in place by the time of the NHL scouting combine in Buffalo, scheduled for May 31 to June 6. This timeline suggests that Berube's fate may not be resolved until late spring or early summer, extending the uncertainty surrounding the team's leadership. The Leafs' regular season concludes on April 15, with initial assumptions that a decision on Berube could come as early as April 16, but Pelley's comments indicate a potentially longer wait.
