Maple Leafs won't have to look far to find Berube's replacement

"As bad as that sounds, the alarm bells are beginning to get louder in Toronto. Calls have gone out for a massive change. And the first target has been Craig Berube. I don't want to be a Berube apologist, but not all of the blame should fall on his shoulders. The players are just as guilty as he is of the results on the ice this season."

"The Maple Leafs hired Berube's replacement over the summer: Derek Lalonde. When Lalonde joined the Leafs' coaching staff, it struck me as a logical replacement for the departing Lane Lambert. The Seattle Kraken hired Lambert to replace another former Maple Leafs assistant coach, Dave Hakstol. Hiring Lalonde seemed like a solid fit for the Maple Leafs' coaching staff. He's got plenty of experience, including serving under Jon Cooper in Tampa Bay. Lalonde then had a stint as the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings."

"If the Maple Leafs went out and got Peter DeBoer, how long would it take for the Maple Leafs to adjust to his system? It may take precious time away from actually rebounding and getting back into the playoff race."

The Toronto Maple Leafs are enduring a difficult stretch, sitting last in the Atlantic Division and trailing the Buffalo Sabres. Alarmed observers are calling for significant change, with head coach Craig Berube identified as the immediate target, though players share responsibility for poor on-ice results. The organization typically targets coaching staff before players, making Berube a likely first casualty if changes occur. Derek Lalonde, hired over the summer and with experience under Jon Cooper and as Detroit's head coach, is positioned as a ready internal replacement. Bringing in an external coach like Peter DeBoer could slow adjustment and hinder a playoff rebound.

Read at Editor In Leaf