Known for his no-nonsense style of play during his career, Craig Berube translated that style of hockey into his coaching regiment, and it has led to a lot of success, including a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2018-19.
He's also known for wanting to get the best out of his players regardless if you're a superstar or a fourth-liner. If you make a mistake, you're gonna hear about it.
That's why it wasn't surprising to see Craig Berube unleash a tirade as his team has had a dismal start to their game against the Ottawa Senators.
Down 3-0, including letting in a goal on Ottawa's first shot of the game, Toronto's head coach was fed up with the way his team was performing and decided to give them some short words of encouragement:
His tirade was directed toward stars William Nylander and Matthew Knies, but his message could be sent to the entire team. The Maple Leafs looked lifeless and gave up 36 shots halfway into the third period, with no end in sight it seemed.
Fans aren't happy either:
Coming off the heels of a 3-0-0 streak, Toronto has fallen flat on its face in the Battle of Ontario.
Maple Leafs are also without Auston Matthews and Max Pacioretty, as both men have been dealt with injuries; potentially leading to this collapse.
It's a sign that Toronto needs to shore up their bottom half of the lineup, and acquire a center who facilitate offense and also shut down opponents, and be used in crucial defensive situations like faceoffs.
They missed out on Lars Eller, but they have other options available that suit their needs, such as Anaheim's Frank Vatrano.
It's a rough bump in the road for Toronto as they finish their stretch of weaker opponents and now have Washington to look forward to tomorrow, as they try to rebound from this complete lack of effort.
POLL | ||
Is Toronto riding a hot streak or are they getting lucky? | ||