NHL analyst urges Maple Leafs to fire HC Craig Berube following string of disappointing results

The pressure surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs is reaching a breaking point, and now an NHL analyst is calling for drastic action. Following Toronto’s 5-2 loss to the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre on Saturday, frustration around the team’s direction has intensified.

On The Justin Bourne Show, Bourne expressed deep concern about Toronto’s trajectory, questioning both the team’s resilience and its leadership under head coach Craig Berube.

"I know they're they're a playoff team when healthy," Bourne said. "I'm not confident that the Leafs are gonna get it sorted out, like health wise. I'm not if they never get fully healthy, it's not gonna happen. And if you're so fragile that a couple injuries make you miss playoffs, you're not that good."

Berube, hired in May 2024, was expected to bring stability and playoff toughness to a team that has repeatedly fallen short in the postseason. Despite leading the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup in 2019, his early tenure in Toronto has been defined by inconsistency.

For a franchise seeking to break a 23-year drought without reaching the conference final, patience is quickly thinning, and voices calling for bold change are growing louder.

Bourne went further, stating plainly that a coaching change may be necessary.

"So I am worried about that," Bourne said. "I personally do think that a different coach would move the needle. I do not think he is a bad coach. I do think a different coach for this group would be great.

"I think, you know, a new voice and a new strategy - this game plan is not working here for this team. And I don't care how hard you press the try harder button, it's not going to work."

These comments come as the Maple Leafs are enduring one of their roughest starts in recent history. Sitting at 9-10-3 and last in the Atlantic Division, Toronto has lost seven of its last eight games.

Jay Rosehill also criticised the Maple Leafs

Former Maple Leafs defenseman Jay Rosehill delivered a blistering critique of Toronto’s mentality, calling the team “mentally weak” and lacking pride, grit, and accountability. Speaking from his experience coaching youth hockey, Rosehill said the Leafs show less resilience than children learning the sport. He blasted players for quitting on plays, avoiding responsibilities, and showing no pushback when adversity hits.

"They're so mentally weak, man," Rosehill said. "... Nobody's inspired on that team... They don't give the bare minimum, which I just can't handle."

Defensive breakdowns, inconsistent scoring, and a struggling power play at just 15.5 percent have hampered the Maple Leafs' ability to stay competitive. Injuries like those of captain Auston Matthews and Chris Tanev, etc., have only compounded the problem.