Getty

The Toronto Maple Leafs' rumored coaching change got an interesting turn of events as a coaching candidate made his thoughts known.

By the time the 2026-27 NHL season begins for the Toronto Maple Leafs, they will have their third head coach since the end of the 2023-24 season. On Wednesday morning, new Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka announced that the club parted ways with Craig Berube, who replaced Sheldon Keefe during the 2024 offseason.

Berube, who won the Stanley Cup as head coach of the St. Louis Blues in 2019, helped the Maple Leafs win 50 games in his first season and also won just their second postseason series since 2004. But they blew a two games to none lead over the Florida Panthers in the second round and suffered another humiliating Game 7 loss on home ice.

They followed that up with a dismal campaign in 2025-26, missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2016, ironically the same year that they selected Auston Matthews with the first overall pick in the NHL Draft.

Toronto Maple Leafs Fans React To Shocking News Of Craig Berube’s Termination

Following the news release that Berube had been let go by Chayka, there came a flood of reactions on social media from Maple Leafs fans.

This fan wanted to bring back an iconic Maple Leafs forward as the new head coach, exclaiming, “Now part ways with Matthews and Nylander and lets start over again with a real team! Make Doug Gilmour the Coach!”

Another fan said, “Let’s be honest here .It wasn’t the coaches fault. He did everything he could.The players didn’t like his style and didn’t show up for the game.They played when they felt like it . That mentality has to change. Play hard or sit on the bench. Matthew’s is not a leader like Sundin.”

Wanting several new players in the fold, this fan said, “The coach can only do so much with the ” talent” he has to work with…in Toronto, he has his hands tied, there’s not much ” talent” there. The next coach will have the same result, the players need to change! We have some dead weight!”

Appreciative of the things Berube had said about the city and the fans, this fan said, “Had to be done but all the best to Berube, say what you want but any opportunity he had to praise the city and its fans he always did it.”

And finally, this fan exclaimed, “First major decision by Chayka and it’s the right one. The Berube/Reliving era was an unmitigated disaster. It’ll take some very bold moves to get back into the contention window. McKenna will be a great start but there are some major holes to fill in.”

The Maple Leafs Terminated Craig Berube On Wednesday

After two years on the job, Berube was let go as head coach of the Maple Leafs by new general manager John Chayka.

“Craig is a tremendous coach and an even better person,” said Chayka in a statement. “This decision is more reflective of an organizational shift and an opportunity for a fresh start than it is an evaluation of Craig. We are grateful for his leadership, professionalism and commitment to the Maple Leafs organization and wish Craig and his family nothing but the best moving forward.”

Berube departs Toronto with a 84-62-18 record and seven playoff wins.