The coach has a duty to inject some life into the Maple Leafs as their fate, and his own, are now on the clock in the final 19 games<\/p>\n
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Published Mar 07, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 6\u00a0hours ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n It has to be like walking into a morgue for Craig Berube these days.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n But the coach has a duty to inject some life into the Maple Leafs as their fate, and his own, are now on the clock in the final 18 games.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Saturday, after the NHL trade deadline and before facing the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning, Berube tried to bring some order to his team. But a disastrous first period with four goals against, sealed a 5-2 loss, making it seven straight and a daunting 10 points out of a crowded playoff field.<\/p>\n That\u2019s equally on Berube\u2019s shoulders, general manager Brad Treliving<\/a> and the players, but in the morning Berube echoed his boss from trade deadline day that the autopsy can wait.<\/p>\n \u201cRight now is not the right time to process this whole thing with you (media), what I\u2019m feeling, what I\u2019m seeing,\u201d Berube said. \u201cWe\u2019ll do that another time.\u201d<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n That\u2019s likely to be just past April 15, Toronto\u2019s last regular season game and quite possibly Berube\u2019s. Unless they go on a tear and there\u2019 s a huge Uncle Fester-type train wreck above them in the standings.<\/p>\n \u201cI told the guys today, until we\u2019re completely out of it, we\u2019re not out of it,\u201d Berube said in the morning, while channeling a bit of Yogi Berra.<\/p>\n For jaded fans, the proper exit would be to tank totally and recover their first round pick sent to Boston for Brandon Carlo, which is top five protected. That final table will be a fascinating subject as the schedule gets into April.<\/p>\n Berube said re-embracing a positive vibe\u00a0 starts with his leadership group, though they\u2019ve been among those who\u2019ve struggled the most post Olympics. Captain Auston Matthews<\/a> has not scored in 11 league games and was minus 2 on Saturday, defenceman Morgan Rielly\u2019s play has been shaky most of the year, and John Tavares at age 35 can only do so much. Now the influential dressing room presence of Scott Laughton is gone<\/a>, too, via a trade, as well as veteran Nicolas Roy.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n This would be Matthews\u2019 first time missing the NHL playoffs.<\/p>\n \u201cEach night, make sure we\u2019re ready to compete, have fun, stick together, put in an effort we can be proud of,\u201d he insisted in the morning. \u201cIt\u2019s something we owe to one another and we owe to the fans who come and watch us play.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019re looking at the standings and just folding over.\u201d<\/p>\n Winger Steven Lorentz said Berube was succinct in addressing the team.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re the Toronto Maple Leafs and everybody has to have pride putting that jersey on. Everybody understands our circumstances. It was a tough day yesterday losing guys (Lorentz lost linemate Laughton). But there\u2019s a lot of hockey left.\u201d<\/p>\n Berube doesn\u2019t have many options to change the team\u2019s brand at this stage. Draft picks, not players, were the principal return for Laughton. Bobby McMann and\u00a0\u00a0Roy. The Leafs had the minimum 12 forwards to face the Lightning and carry only one extra defenceman in Philippe Myers.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Treliving filed paperwork on Friday to keep forwards Easton Cowan and Jacob Quillan eligible for the Toronto Marlies playoff chase, but was to use both against the Lightning. Further call-ups Treliving hinted at Friday are on hold until the Marlies return from a weekend trip in Manitoba.<\/p>\n Berube called Quillan over at the end of practice to compliment him on a good game in New York on Thursday, Saturday saw Quillan in Matthews\u2019 place as a penalty killer in his sixth appearance this year.<\/p>\n \u201c(Auditions), that\u2019s something we\u2019ll see about going forward, see who we can get a look at,\u201d Berube said.<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1772964189_322_0501berube-e1746052688269.jpg\")
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube. Photo by Claus Andersen \/Getty ImagesArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.7.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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Toronto Maple Leafs\u2019 Auston Matthews talks to Morgan Rielly during a game earlier this year. Getty ImagesWHAT CAN LEAFS SALVAGE?<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0201cowancrop-scaled-e1769900791151.jpg\")
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan. Photo by Chris Gardner \/Getty ImagesLIMITED LINEUP OPTIONS<\/p>\n