Expect Major Changes for Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner Under Craig Berube
As the Toronto Maple Leafs undergo various changes in the offseason, Craig Berube will likely increase these by reducing Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner's ice time.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have had the longest Stanley Cup drought in NHL history. After losing in the first round of the 2024 playoffs, the team fired Sheldon Keefe after five years to look for a new head coach. They landed on Craig Berube, who helped the St. Louis Blues earn their first Cup after 52 unsuccessful years.
In 2019 he snapped a 52 year championship drought to get the Blues their first cup since joining the league in 1967.
The leafs last title? 1967.
Something poetic about that.
Here he is delivering the greatest pregame speech of all time before game 7 to win the cup. Leafs got themselves a fantastic coach. #stlblues #leafsforever"
Yet, it was not only pep talks and solid players that earned the St. Louis Blues the Stanley Cup. Part of Craig Berube's strategy for the 2019 playoffs included spreading the ice time more evenly across all strings. Only one forward, Ryan O'Reilly, had an average of more than 20 minutes.
This is a stark contrast from Toronto's last chance in the playoffs. Two forwards, William Nylander and Mitch Marner, crossed this barrier. Auston Matthews, who was nursing an injury, found themselves seconds shy.
Provided his history and these numbers, we can likely expect Craig Berube to cut some of the top forwards' ice time in the coming season. If he can pull off competitive play without relying too heavily on Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews, the Toronto Maple Leafs could finally break their decades-long curse and take back the Stanley Cup.
Source: Maple Leafs Daily
Major change for Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner expected under Craig Berube
| POLL | ||
Will Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews have less ice time this upcoming season? | ||
| Yes, by a lot | 61 | 11.8 % |
| Yes, by a little | 229 | 44.5 % |
| No, it will be about the same | 177 | 34.4 % |
| No, they'll have more | 48 | 9.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
