The Toronto Maple Leafs are in search of a new coach after general manager John Chayka fired Craig Berube on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
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Published May 13, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 10\u00a0minutes ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 5 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 A season of failure has cost coach Craig Berube his job.<\/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 Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka on Wednesday fired Berube, who couldn\u2019t make the proper adjustments as the 2025-26 season continuously threw curveballs at the 60-year-old and his staff.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cCraig is a tremendous coach and an even better person,\u201d Chayka said in a statement. \u201cThis decision is more reflective of an organizational shift and an opportunity for a fresh start than it is an evaluation of Craig.<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n The team said the next coach will determine the makeup of the remainder of the coaching staff.<\/p>\n We apologize, but this video has failed to load.<\/p>\n Play Video<\/p>\n How the firing makes an impact in regard to the future of captain Auston Matthews<\/a> remains to be seen.<\/p>\n Chayka had said on May 4, the day of his introductory news conference, that he looked forward to sitting down with Berube in the near future. At the time, Chayka \u2014 though calling Berube \u201ca tremendous\u201d coach \u2014 didn\u2019t confirm one way or another whether Berube would return for a third season behind the Leafs bench.<\/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 The firing of Berube should surprise no one.<\/p>\n The Leafs finished with 78 points<\/a>, 30 fewer than they had the previous season when they won the Atlantic Division. Toronto rarely played with anything resembling structure, finishing near or at the bottom of many defensive categories including goals and shots against.<\/p>\n Injuries to a number of key players including Matthews, defenceman Chris Tanev and goalie Anthony Stolarz\u00a0 made an impact, but even when they were healthy, the Leafs often couldn\u2019t get out of their own way.<\/p>\n With Berube gone, we present a list of potential candidates to become the 33rd coach in Leafs history:<\/p>\n BRUCE CASSIDY, fired by Vegas in March<\/p>\n When the New York Islanders hired Peter DeBoer on April 5, Cassidy took over top spot on the list of available coaches. Fired by Vegas on March 30, Cassidy never has missed the playoffs in nine years as an NHL head coach \u2014 three in Vegas preceded by six behind the bench of the Boston Bruins. Though Cassidy, 60, has not coached in Boston since 2022, he\u2019s rather familiar with the Leafs\u2019 core players. And there\u2019s that Cup win in \u201923 with Golden Knights. Cassidy will be in high demand, as we\u2019ve seen with the reported interest from the Edmonton Oilers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n PATRICK ROY, fired by the New York Islanders in April<\/p>\n We include Roy, 60, because he\u2019s the most recent addition to the list of unemployed NHL coaches. The Hall of Fame goaltender has had coaching success in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, winning the QMJHL title with Quebec in 2023, but that has not extended to his time running an NHL bench. From 2013-2016, the Colorado Avalanche lost in the first round once and missed the playoffs twice under Roy\u2019s watch. In his only full season as Islanders coach, the club missed the playoffs in 2024-25.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n MANNY MALHOTRA, coach, Abbotsford of the AHL<\/p>\n The 45-year-old Mississauga native had instant success in his first year as coach of the Abbotsford Canucks<\/a> in 2024-25, leading Vancouver\u2019s AHL affiliate to a Calder Cup title. That came after Malhotra apprenticed in the NHL as an assistant coach, including four seasons with the Leafs (2020-24) and three with the Canucks (2017-20). It shouldn\u2019t be long before he gets his first crack at an NHL bench.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n TODD NELSON, assistant coach, Pittsburgh Penguins<\/p>\n Nelson\u2019s coaching experience includes everything but a long run as the head guy in the NHL. He replaced Dallas Eakins in Edmonton midway through the 2014-15 season on an interim basis but was not retained. Otherwise, there is no debating the 56-year-old\u2019s success: He has won the Calder Cup as an AHL head coach three times, in 2023 and 2024 with Hershey and in 2017 with Grand Rapids. He also has been an NHL assistant coach in Atlanta, Edmonton and Dallas.<\/p>\n JAY WOODCROFT, assistant coach, Anaheim Ducks <\/p>\n Fired by the Edmonton Oilers<\/a> in November 2023 after starting with a record of 3-9-1, Woodcroft returned to the NHL this season when he joined Joel Quenneville\u2019s staff in Anaheim. In between, the 49-year-old Woodcroft interviewed for several NHL jobs and came close in a few. A Toronto native, Woodcroft coached the Oilers to the Western Conference final in 2022 and the second round in 2023.<\/p>\n DEAN EVASON, fired by Columbus in January<\/p>\n The Blue Jackets didn\u2019t make the playoffs a year ago \u2014 they missed by just two points in the Eastern Conference \u2014 but Evason, 61, was properly lauded for guiding the club through an emotional season following the\u00a0 death of Johnny Gaudreau. Evason was taken off guard when he was fired this winter after starting with a record of 19-19-7. In three full seasons as coach of the Minnesota Wild, Evason couldn\u2019t get the team past the first round in each.<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner remain talk of Toronto during NHL playoffs time<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/0514-craig-berube-maple-leafs.jpg\")
Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube talks to reporters during the end of season media availability last month. Ernest Doroszuk\/Toronto SunArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/21.2.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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