The Toronto Maple Leafs have fired head coach Craig Berube, the team revealed Wednesday.
“Craig is a tremendous coach and an even better person,” Leafs GM John Chayka mentioned in a statement. “This decision is more reflective of an organizational shift and an opportunity for a fresh start than it is an evaluation of Craig. We are grateful for his leadership, professionalism and commitment to the Maple Leafs organization and wish Craig and his family nothing but the best moving forward.”
Editor’s Picks
Source: Matthews’ future with Leafs still unclear
Greg Wyshynski
Maple Leafs get ‘fortuitous bounce,’ win lottery
Greg Wyshynski
Leafs hired GM Chayka after ‘deep due diligence’
Kristen Shilton
2 Related
The club’s next coach will decide on the remainder of Toronto’s staff. Derek Lalonde, Mike Van Ryn and Steve Sullivan all worked under Berube with the Leafs.
Berube spent just two years behind Toronto’s bench after being hired by former GM Brad Treliving in May 2024. He guided the Leafs to the postseason in his first year, advancing to a second-round series for just the second time since 2012-13.
Toronto struggled in 2025-26 though, missing the postseason with a dismal 32-36-14 record. Treliving was fired in late March by Leafs CEO Keith Pelley, who replaced Treliving with Chayka earlier this month. Mats Sundin also joined the Leafs as a senior adviser.
Chayka will meet with the media Wednesday afternoon.