The Toronto Maple Leafs are well out of the Eastern Conference playoff race heading into the New Year. That led to a firing, with assistant coach Marc Savard being let go on Monday. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Tuesday that the Maple Leafs won't be firing head coach Craig Berube or GM Brad Treliving anytime soon, however.
“The Toronto Maple Leafs made a bench change Monday night — removing Marc Savard, who was in charge of the power play — and, according to multiple sources, the coaching/managerial changes stop there. GM Brad Treliving and head coach Craig Berube are not on the firing line,” Friedman reported.
Berube is in his second season as the Maple Leafs' head coach, replacing Sheldon Keefe. While Keefe has the New Jersey Devils in a playoff spot, Toronto is in last place in the East. Toronto won a playoff series last year, but they have a long path to get into the playoffs this year.
Treliving took the Maple Leafs general manager job before the 2023-24 season. He was able to keep William Nylander and Auston Matthews, but lost Mitch Marner after last season. His trades for Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton have been panned by fans and pundits as part of the reason for the season's disaster.
The Leafs need a change to turn this season around and are hoping that Savard provides the spark. The former Bruins forward was part of Berube's staff with the St Louis Blues and joined him in Toronto before last season. Despite his long tenure behind NHL benches, he is available.
The Maple Leafs are hurdling toward a trade deadline with a ton of questions. Without a first-round pick for the upcoming draft, they need to get into the playoff race. And if they don't, Treliving needs to do everything in his power to get one back.
