Keefe vs. Berube: Who Was the Maple Leafs’ Better Coach?

What’s happened with Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube is interesting. He came in before last season and took over from Sheldon Keefe. Keefe was fired because he had led his team to the playoffs, but never very far once they got there. This season, it looks as if there’s a chance the Maple Leafs won’t even be in the playoffs.

I haven’t seen much debate lately comparing Sheldon Keefe and Craig Berube, but there should be because it matters a ton who the organization chooses as their next head coach. I’ve come to believe (and will make the point later) that Berube might be a better coach than Keefe when the team hits the postseason. But Keefe never missed the postseason, and Berube’s probably going to. That said, a team can’t go far in the postseason if it doesn’t get there.

Keefe Was a Tactician Who Lived in the Details

Keefe was a tactician. He lived in the details. Xs and Os mattered. Matchups mattered. Analytics weren’t just for show with him. They factored into real choices. Fans could argue the results, sure, but there was almost always a thread of logic running through them. His teams were built to manage the regular season grind — adjusting lines, finding efficiencies, squeezing points out of games they maybe didn’t fully control.

Berube Loves Structure and Engages Emotion

Berube is almost the opposite. He’s a motivator first. He’s old school in how he sees the game and how he communicates it. When things are rolling, that style works. Players feel confident. Momentum builds. The message is simple, direct, and easy to buy into. You can see it when a team is responding — the energy looks real, not forced.

The problem with Berube’s approach shows up once things start to slide.

What Happens When the Maple Leafs’ Momentum Fades?

When games begin to slip away or the structure breaks down, Berube gets stubborn. He doubles down on the same message: work harder, be heavier, push through it. That approach can work in short bursts, especially in the playoffs, when players expect pain and are willing to sacrifice their bodies to chase wins that truly matter.

But that style takes a toll during the regular season. The kind of hockey Berube wants his teams to play isn’t just demanding — it’s physically expensive. Players will absorb that wear and tear in the postseason because the stakes justify it. Over 82 games, though, it’s a different story. Bodies break down, and the team’s energy dips. And eventually, players either can’t or won’t maintain that level night after night.

That’s where the coaching comparison really sharpens.

Keefe and Berube Have Different Strengths for Different Seasons

When you really sit with it, Berube might actually be the better playoff coach. His teams don’t panic when games get messy. They lean into it. They’re comfortable when structure breaks down and the night turns into a grind. Keefe felt more like a regular-season manager — good at pacing a team, managing minutes, and banking points over time. That matters, but it doesn’t always translate once the games tighten and the room gets smaller.

And that’s the uncomfortable truth for this team: you still have to get to the playoffs.

The Real Question Facing The Maple Leafs

No matter how strong Berube might be in a seven-game series, I’m not convinced he’s capable of coaching this group through the regular season well enough to earn that opportunity. Motivation alone doesn’t carry teams for six months. At some point, you need answers, adjustments, and flexibility.

Right now, that’s where the gap feels hardest to ignore.

[I’d like to thank Stan Smith for some of the insights into this post.]

Related: Maple Leafs Lowest Hanging Fruit Had to Fall: Now What?