Maple Leafs general manager John Chayka.© AFP
The Toronto Maple Leafs have parted ways with head coach Craig Berube after two seasons, new general manager John Chayka announced on Wednesday. The decision follows a disastrous 2025-26 campaign that saw Toronto miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. Chayka framed the firing as an organizational reset rather than a direct indictment of Berube’s coaching. “This decision is more reflective of an organizational shift and an opportunity for a fresh start than it is an evaluation of Craig,” Chayka said in a statement.
A Season That Unravelled Quickly
Berube leaves with an 84-62-18 regular-season record across two years in Toronto. His first season was a genuine success, with the Leafs winning the Atlantic Division and reaching the second round before losing in seven games to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
The 2025-26 campaign was a dramatic collapse. Toronto finished second-last in the Eastern Conference and fifth-last in the NHL, dropping from 108 points to just 78. The departure of Mitch Marner in free agency to the Vegas Golden Knights proved impossible to overcome, with Auston Matthews recording a career-low 53 points and 27 goals.
Berube still has two years remaining on his contract at $4.5 million per season. The Leafs remain financially responsible for that amount unless Berube is hired elsewhere, a significant cost attached to a clean-slate rebuild that Chayka is now overseeing.
What Comes Next for Toronto
The search for Berube’s replacement begins immediately. Chayka confirmed the next head coach will determine the makeup of the remainder of the coaching staff, signaling a complete reset of the bench. Toronto also recently added Mats Sundin as senior executive advisor of hockey operations.
The timing is notable. The Leafs hold the first overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft on June 26 in Buffalo, with Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg viewed as the leading candidates at the top. The incoming coach will be tasked with both developing that selection and rebuilding confidence around Matthews, whose production declined sharply last season.
Berube won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019 after taking over mid-season with the team at the bottom of the standings. He never recaptured that momentum in Toronto, but his departure carries no bitterness from either side based on Chayka’s measured statement on Wednesday morning.
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