A former NHLer explains why Berube is the perfect coach for the Leafs

Former Toronto Maple Leaf and St. Louis Blue, Kelly Chase, has given a ringing endorsement for Craig Berube to take over as the Maple Leafs' next head coach.

Speaking to Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, Chase, who briefly played for the Leafs during the 1996-97 season and was born in the pivotal year of 1967�when the Leafs last clinched the Stanley Cup�expresses strong belief in Berube's potential to make an immediate positive impact on the team.

Following an 8-season stint with the St. Louis Blues and a subsequent career in broadcasting, Chase has maintained a keen perspective on Berube's coaching prowess, especially highlighted during the Blues' 2019 Stanley Cup victory. Known for his forthright nature, Berube's direct approach is seen as a significant advantage.

Chase elaborated that Berube's straightforwardness extends to all interactions, whether with media or players, fostering an environment of real accountability�a quality reportedly lacking in recent years. He describes Berube's style:

"He'll be direct with the media and might fire back and ask what you think of a certain situation. You'd better have a good answer or risk looking stupid. And he'll put it on the players to be (waiting in the dressing room and be accountable)."

Chase outlined how Berube could elevate the Maple Leafs, noting his knack for clear communication and setting expectations. His approach involves not just setting roles but also holding players to high standards, as he did during his time with the Blues.

"Don't mistake his 3,000 NHL penalty minutes for being dumb. He's going to ask you to play hard or you won't play. And that (controversy) only has to happen a couple of times in the winter for it to be understood by every player come spring.

He further illustrated Berube's ability to harness player strengths in strategic roles, using the example from their Cup-winning season.

"He's brutally honest. He went to Alex Steen and said �I want you to take a le.sser role, but it's going to be important.' He played him with Ivan Barbashev and Oskar Sundqvist."

This same decisive leadership could see key Maple Leafs players like Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews being pushed to fulfill their potential.

Chase opined that Berube's «old school» coaching style, characterized by demanding maximum effort and fostering a competitive spirit, is what Toronto needs to excel in the playoffs.

«Some people won't like to hear this, but we won the Cup because we got punched a lot less and bullied [less than] other teams."

This gritty, resilient approach could be transformative for the Leafs, a team long criticized for their postseason underperformance.

As Berube concluded his interviews with the Maple Leafs, having met with the team again just this Monday, anticipation builds around his potential appointment. With his proven track record in the postseason and a coaching style that seems to promise both discipline and strategic savvy, Craig Berube stands as a beacon of hope for a fanbase eager for their team to finally capture glory when it matters most.

Previously on MapleLeafsLatest

2nd-year forward ties Leafs' Marner in playoff goals in 27 less games

Avalanche defenseman slams teammate following 6 month suspension

3 trades the Leafs can make to open up cap room outside of the Core 4

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14 MAI \| 181 ANSWERS A former NHLer explains why Berube is the perfect coach for the Leafs Will the Leafs win a Cup in the next five seasons if Craig Berube gets the coaching job in Toronto?
Yes	127	70.2 %
No	54	29.8 %
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