Maple Leafs Announce Firing of Head Coach Craig Berube

The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced that they have fired their head coach, Craig Berube.

The news comes after the reports that the new front office of John Chayka and Mats Sundin met with him and came to the decision that they are going to go in a different direction.

Maple Leafs Fire Berube

With the Maple leafs firing Berube, they will now look for a replacement to lead the new era of Maple Leafs hockey. In a statement from Chayka, the main takeaway was that this firing is the start of an organizational shift.

“Craig is a tremendous coach and an even better person,” Chayka said in a statement released by the team. “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.”

Berube still has two years remaining on his contract, worth $4.5 million. He will continue to be paid by the Maple Leafs unless he is given an opportunity to coach elsewhere. Chayka has stated that the rest of the coaching staff’s future will be determined by the new head coach that is hired.

Chayka is expected to meet with the media today at 12:30 p.m. ET.