Future of Berube and Treliving In Toronto Has Been Determined

The Maple Leafs made a targeted coaching move Monday, parting ways with power-play coach Marc Savard. Questions immediately began to surface about who might be next. It has been reported that both GM Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube will remain with the organization.

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As Elliotte Friedman reported, despite Toronto’s fall to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, the organization has no appetite to change out everyone and everything. When it comes to Savard, Friedman writes, “according to multiple sources, the coaching/managerial changes stop there.”

The reason for the firing was to get Auston Matthews back on track, with his power-play struggles playing a significant role in Savard’s exit. “…those same sources indicate the immediate number one concern is igniting Auston Matthews — finding ways to get his game going.”

Friedman added:

“Savard and Berube are close, and the head coach fought in support of his assistant as the man-advantage struggles mounted. But that’s where the changes stop for now, with Treliving and Berube not in similar danger.”

The lack of power play success left management little choice to make a move. That said, it will be intriguing to see how short the leash is for the head coach and the general manager. For now, Friedman’s report will be shutting down speculation about further coaching changes, including any talk of Pete DeBoer entering the mix. That doesn’t mean changes won’t be coming if the Savard move doesn’t have a fairly quick impact.

Early Online Reaction to the Maple Leafs Decision

Fans online were quick to judge the Maple Leafs for promising change, but not really delivering it.

One fan wrote, “Leafs fire Savard but keep Berube and Treliving is peak “change something without changing everything.” Classic front office hedge: blame the power play, not the roster build. If results do not pop soon, this feels like the prelude, not the ending.”

Another added, “Symbolic of this entire era. Preaching patience and a refusal to take real action. It’s paralyzed this entire era in so many ways. Whether it was Marner, Babcock, or Shanahan, the Leafs constantly refuse to take action until it’s already too late.”

It continued: “So if they aren’t moving off Berube and Treliving…, what are they doing? Firing the PP coach basically did nothing, and the people in charge right now are still there! Help this make sense to me…, what are they afraid of?”

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