NHL.com ranks Maple Leafs’ Craig Berube as league’s 12th-best coach
Craig Berube was widely considered the best head coach available on the open market this summer and he’s inheriting a talented Toronto Maple Leafs roster that has routinely underperformed in the playoffs. Berube was recently ranked as the 12th-best coach in the league by NHL.com, slotting in one spot behind Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella.
It’s an interesting distinction, especially around a profession that’s often viewed subjectively. Berube bolstered his credentials after leading to the St. Louis Blues to their first-ever Stanley Cup victory in 2019 and has gained a reputation for implementing a three-zone structure that preaches defensive responsibility. He was fired by the Blues during his sixth season with the club, but was hired by the Maple Leafs on May 17, replacing Sheldon Keefe, who was promptly hired by the New Jersey Devils.
Prior to joining the Blues, Berube coached the Philadelphia Flyers for two seasons. He has posted a 281-190-72 record cumulatively between his stops with the Flyers and Blues.
NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti provided the staff’s rationale for Berube’s ranking:
“It was only a matter of time before Berube was back in the NHL after he was fired by the St. Louis Blues 28 games into last season. He could be a good fit with the Maple Leafs, who were looking for a different approach after letting Sheldon Keefe go following last season. I had Berube 11th on my list because he seems to know how to push the right buttons with players, particularly at the start of his tenure. His firm voice brought instant results with the Blues in 2018-19, when he coached them to their first Stanley Cup championship after repeated disappointments in the playoffs. The Maple Leafs are hoping he can do the same with them.”
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