'We Don't Want To Get Complacent': Maple Leafs' Head Coach Craig Berube Stops Practice In Ongoing Effort To Keep Club Focused Ahead Of Game Against Rangers
Berube hasn't been shy of cracking the whip when he feels the team is getting away from their structure.
Craig Berube earned the respect of some Toronto Maple Leafs fans when he called a timeout in the third period of the team's 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday. During the timeout, Berube, in an animated manner, directly expressed to his players that their performance was unacceptable.
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On Friday, ahead of their game against the New York Rangers, Berube again demonstrated his commitment to high standards, halting practice twice when he observed lapses in judgment during drills.
"We don't want to get complacent, right? That's the biggest thing. Staying sharp," Berube explained. "I stopped it a couple of times. Just execution for me, you know, being sharp and executing.
"It sort of goes back to the last game and 5-0. You take your foot off the gas a little bit. That's where we got to get. We don't want to do that."
The Maple Leafs have started the season strong with a 3-1 record through four games. Even in their only loss, a 1-0 defeat to the Montreal Canadiens in their season opener, they played well despite the outcome.
However, one could argue that the Leafs have not yet faced significant challenges based on the level of competition. While the New Jersey Devils are expected to improve after a disappointing 2023-24 season, the Leafs have yet to play a team that made the playoffs last season.
On Saturday, the Leafs face their toughest challenge yet when they host the New York Rangers, a club that finished with last season with an NHL-best 46-26-10 record.
"He keeps guys honest. He gets the best out of us," Nick Robertson said of Berube's coaching style. "You don't want to be lax on days going to practice like that. You want a coach that's hard on you and expects better, and that's what brings the best out of us."
The Maple Leafs have had a relatively light schedule with just four games played in a span of 10 days, but that's about to change. Beginning with the game against the Rangers, the Leafs will start a stretch of six games in 10 days.
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