Five Things That Will Change with Craig Berube as the Toronto Maple Leafs Coach
We’ve all heard the quotes from Berube about playing a heavier, North-South game. But what does that mean? And what else will change? Here’s my take:
Playoff-style forecheck in the regular season.
Kevin Bieksa called this out early in the first-round series against Boston. Toronto plays a possession game all year, trying to carry the puck into the zone. Then in the playoffs, they turn into a dump-chase team and don’t execute it well.
The previous coaching staff clearly realized the last few years that they need to play different in the playoffs… but when you have one team that plays the same, consistent, heavy style all year (Boston) against a team that hasn’t played that way all year, who do you think is going to win.
As Berube said, playing heavy doesn’t have to mean driving someone through the boards; it means being competitive, strong on the puck, and apply consistent pressure. No more fly-by’s where the Leafs forecheckers try to poke the puck free as the skate past the defenceman. The good teams and good defenders know they can just hang onto the puck and wait for the forechecker to clear. No more.
Playing with speed.
As the team learned to play more-sound defensively and more physical (at least in the playoffs), they also became slower team. Some of this was brought on by playing a more-cautious style in the playoffs, but also brought on by the types of players they would add at the trade deadline to bring playoff experience and grit (e.g., Nick Foligno, Ryan O’Reilly).
The team did not seem capable of both playing to their offensive strengths (speed and skill) while being sound defensively. Part of this again was caused by playing a different style in the regular season compared to the playoffs.
Yes, you need to ramp up the intensity in the playoffs … but while other teams are playing their game at a more-intense level, the Leafs were trying to play a different game than what they practiced all year. No wonder they consistently struggle to score in the playoffs.
Simplifying the game — and not overthinking big moments.
Berube talked about predictability in how they will play. My take on this is play a consistent style with speed, pressure, and staying in position - i.e., the way you need to play in the playoffs.
Toronto seems to have at least one game that’s a dud in each playoff series where they seem to have no energy. I think the obvious reasons have merit - the pressure of the moment and being afraid to make a mistake. The reason I would point to is overthinking their tactics.
Game 4 of the first round against Boston was a classic example. The pre-game quotes from the players and coaching staff was that they had shoot for the top part of the net because Boston’s goalie covers the bottom of the net so well. You could almost see the wheels turning in their heads every time a Leaf player had an opening, foregoing shots as they tried to make the perfect play or take the perfect shot.
No more lazy line changes causing too-many-men penalties.
The Leafs are consistently among the leaders in taking too-many-men penalties. It happens way too often to be a coincidence.
In this clip, Sheldon Keefe says the issue had been addressed, but since it kept happening, clearly the message didn’t get through (https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/ive-lost-patience-maple-leafs-keefe-livid-about-too-many-men-penalty/).
This issue is a perfect example of the lack of accountability. It’s one thing to empower the players, and I think that is what Keefe tried to do, but that trust needs to be earned. One commentator talked about players coasting to the bench and not getting off the ice fast enough as part of the problem. Under Berube, don’t be surprised to see players benched for poor line changes if this continues to be a pattern — at least a shift or two to get the message across.
5. Balanced lines (Mitch Marner at second line center?).
The driver behind the Marner rumours is less about making Marner the scapegoat and more about needing cap space (and ideally players returned in a trade) to fill other holes on the team. Realistically, the team needs a 2C (Tavares is just hanging on by a thread in that role), at least two top-4 defenseman, and a 1A/1B goalie to pair with Joseph Woll.
Why has no one suggested moving Marner to center and filling that 2C role? Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Kampf down the middle would stack up against any team’s depth down the middle.
Yes, Marner has never played center, but he also never played defence before Keefe started playing him in that role during the season when in-game injuries depleted their D-core. Marner is a smart, talented, defensively-responsible player with great vision and passing ability. If Marner refuses to waive his no-trade clause, this is how you make the salary allocation work to give the team depth.
The Leafs are in a transition period as they wait for cap flexibility (i.e., waiting for the Tavares contract to expire after this year and the cap to go up again) and wait for their hot prospects to mature and boost their depth scoring (e.g., Easton Cowan). In the meantime, they still have a solid team. Add in Berube, and don’t be surprised if the Leafs win the Atlantic division, get a more-favourable first-round matchup, and get at least to the second round if not further.
Valid detailed points! Here's to next season.