TORONTO (Sep. 12) — I feel a gnawing sensation in my gut when I ponder Craig (Can’t–Smile) Berube spending a full National Hockey League season in charge of William Nylander, Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, John Tavares and Morgan Rielly. Why sick a bulldog on these nice, pleasant kids? Sheldon Keefe had virtually no public leash as it pertained to the Core–4. If he so much as hinted that Matthews had a lousy shift, ol’ Sheldon would be in front of cameras and microphones the following day. Praising his delicate superstars while dismissing earlier comments as “frustration [after a loss].” There will be no public apologies from “Can’t–Smile.” That I assure you.

Berube has a Stanley Cup on his docket from 2019 in St. Louis. He also, evidently, cannot suppress an f–bomb, in virtually any situation. Stories abound about “Can’t–Smile” being granted an audience, some years ago, with the Queen of England. “How the fu** ya doing, ol’ Lizzie?” he wondered, thrusting his hand at the mortified Monarch.

Okay, I kid. But, you probably get my drift.

To Craig Berube, warm and fuzzy is Aussie Rules Football. He’s been known to hold players accountable and it worked in 2019… right to the end. Neither am I suggesting Keefe did not obtain some liability from his charges. But, he was battling the clock once Kyle Dubas moved on to Pittsburgh. Keefe advanced through the Leafs system with Dubas, who fired Mike Babcock to install his man. Once Brad Treliving replaced Dubas as GM, it was inevitable that another change would be made. Which occurred after the Leafs were again dispatched from the opening playoff round (by Boston) in May. Keefe got his walking papers and landed in New Jersey as coach of the Devils. In his place, “Can’t–Smile” will now attempt to extract, from his star performers, what Keefe and Babcock could not: an exponential increase in obligation and commitment once the playoffs begin. This has been the all–elusive element of the Core–4 era, entering its ninth season with but a single Stanley Cup–round conquest.

Now, we wonder: Will the multi–million–dollar underachievers in blue and white respond to tougher love? Clearly, Berube has more than one gear, but his public persona is that of a coaching throwback. Perhaps not all the way to Punch Imlach and Toe Blake, yet with similar characteristics. Imlach led the Leafs to four Stanley Cup titles in the 1960’s not by coddling his best players. Frank Mahovlich, in particular, felt the coach’s toxic wrath and ultimately quit playing for him (Imlach traded Mahovlich to Detroit in March 1968). The difference between then and now was quite elementary: Imlach never had to worry about internal leadership. With captain George Armstrong and the indefatigable Dave Keon, the Leafs possessed a marvelous foundation. Add in Hall–of–Fame stewardship and performance from the two most–important positions (goal and defense) and Imlach had all the necessary ingredients.

Johnny Bower, Tim Horton, Allan Stanley, Carl Brewer and Bob Baun were the pillars behind center ice.

Berube has no–such foundation with the current Leafs. Neither has a Toronto club been more gifted at the top; we’ve been pounding on that for half–a–decade. That talent, however, lets down the club every spring. Which is the sole reason a coach (Keefe) with a 212–97–40 regular–season record and .665 win–percentage lost his job. The latter number dropped to .432 in the playoffs. Did Keefe get stupid after mid–April? We think not. Neither do we anticipate Berube becoming more brilliant than his Leaf predecessors. Particularly if the oft–coddled nucleus doesn’t adhere to his coaching tactics. Which will not be overly pleasant during a rough patch. The party line in Leafs Land, mostly unchallenged by the media, is that Berube will summon the missing playoff accountability. That after nine years of spring recession, ol’ Craig will cast an appropriate spell over the regular–season superstars.

If anything, we might be concerned about a palace revolt. There are stories about Berube that simply do not mesh with the Auston Matthews/Mitch Marner mystique. This, from Reddit, involving Berube and Jeremy Roenick:

Early in Roenick’s career, he got into a fight/scrum with Berube. At one point, the linesmen were trying to separate the two. They had Berube completely wrapped; both his arms were tied up. Roenick had one arm free and decided to punch Berube. He connected. And Berube didn’t forget. J.R. [said that] for the next two or three seasons, in every game against one another, Berube tried to get revenge. Whenever Roenick was on the ice, Berube would stand up on the bench and yell for one of his teammates to come off. He would then chase Roenick around the ice. Roenick would skate off. Berube would come over and yell that he was going to kick his ass. He never got the chance. When Roenick was a Flyer, around 2003–04, Berube was signed to be a player/coach with the club’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms. Roenick remembers the interaction on the first day: “The Phantoms’ and the Flyers’ locker rooms are connected and Chief [Berube’s nickname] feels very comfortable because he’s been a part of the Flyers’ organization for a long time. So he comes into the Flyers’ locker room. I’m like, ‘Hey Chief, what’s going on?’ He’s like, ‘Hey JR, what’s going on?’ BOOM! He slugs me. Just cracks me, right? I kind of went down on one knee and I got up, and he’s like, ‘I told you I’d get you.'”

There is this from Jeremy Rutherford, who covered the Blues during Berube’s time in St. Louis: I’ll never forget one particular day in Winnipeg. The Blues had a morning practice before their game against the Jets and I was walking in a hallway outside the locker room. I walked past an open door, and there was Berube — doing dumbbell curls. He still looks like he could drop the gloves and go a round or two. Can you imagine the look on Marner’s face were he to encounter such a scene. “Hang on, Mitchy. Twenty more curls and I’ll be ready for you.” Gulp!

This, too, from Rutherford in St. Louis: Berube’s voice is fairly monotone, and he’s pretty matter of fact. His postgame news conferences aren’t always must–see TV, but occasionally, he’ll drop a dry one–liner that will have you howling. I remember after a game on Feb. 13, 2023, Berube was asked if he had gotten his wife, Dominique, anything for Valentine’s Day. “Nope, nothing,” Berube said. “I don’t like (Valentine’s Day). Another made-up thing.”

Ahhh… the warm and fuzzy side of “Can’t–Smile.”

To be fair, Rutherford also spoke glowingly about Berube as a communicator.

But, seriously, folks: What if Marner, to choose a name, is minus–4 in the third period of a game in which the Leaf leaders are absent of spirit? Under Keefe, the lines would keep rolling, one after another. On the rare occasion in which a Core–4 skater missed a shift, an international incident would ensue. And, the entire deck of cards, as you know, came a tumblin’ once spring arrived. Will Berube have license to be more strict with the big–money boys? More importantly, how might the Core figures respond? From the outside, this doesn’t seem like a marriage made in heaven. Particularly given that Marner can walk as an unrestricted free agent next July. What if the not–so–fabled foursome doesn’t like the message coming from the new coach? Can Berube rest on his Stanley Cup laurels from six years ago? Or, will Matthews, Marner, Nylander et al need to pick it up — big–time and increasingly — during the Stanley Cup hunt? If the latter forms the criteria, I do not like Berube’s chances. I’ve written over and over in the past three–plus years that the Maple Leafs cannot prevail under the current scheme. The Core–4 members (including Tavares) may succeed elsewhere, individually (personified by Phil Kessel in Pittsburgh).

As a group, they cannot get it done. And, will not get it done.

If Berube can somehow cut through nine years of playoff oblivion, his statue will one day appear on the plaza of Scotiabank Arena. That will not, however, begin to happen until the club’s nucleus is fundamentally altered.

This season, as a result, could prove rather intriguing with “Can’t–Smile” and the Core–4.

WELCOME TO THE MLSE RETIREMENT HOME: Eric Lindros. Jason Allison. Michael Peca. Brad May. Wayne Primeau. Colby Armstrong. David Steckel. John–Michael Liles. Jay McClement. Tim Gleason. David Clarkson. Dave Bolland. Olli Jokinen. Stephane Robidas. Roman Polak. David Booth. P.A. Parenteau. Brad Boyes. Brooks Laich. Brian Boyle. Eric Fehr. Tomáš Plekanec. Dominic Moore. Ron Hainsey. Patrick Marleau. Tyler Ennis. Jason Spezza. Joe Thornton. Alex Galchenyuk. Wayne Simmonds. Jake Muzzin. Mark Giordano. Luke Schenn. Jordie Benn. John Klingberg. And now… Max Pacioretty. Players well past their prime the Maple Leafs have acquired, reacquired, signed or otherwise obtained since the advent of the salary cap in 2005–06. To the collective tune of a single playoff–round victory. It’s said that people never learn. Here is living proof.   

MORE FROM THE VAULT…

 
MONTREAL WAS GEARING UP FOR EXPO ’67 WHEN THE MAPLE LEAFS AND CANADIENS MET AT THE FORUM IN THE FINAL WEEK OF THE 1966–67 NHL SCHEDULE (MAR. 29). THE PROGRAM AND LINE–UPS (ABOVE AND BELOW) FROM A 5–3 WIN BY THE HABS; THE MAPLE LEAFS INCURRING THEIR 27th AND FINAL LOSS OF THE 70–GAME SEASON.

 
 
PROGRAM INSERT (ABOVE) AND LINE–UPS (BELOW) FROM A VISIT TO MAPLE LEAF GARDENS BY DETROIT ON NOV. 22, 1969. THE LEAFS BLANKED THE RED WINGS, 4–0. FORMER LEAFS BOB BAUN AND CARL BREWER HAD BEEN REUNITED AS A DEFENSE PAIR WITH DETROIT. ALL MEMBERS OF THE MARCH 1968 MEGATRADE BETWEEN THE CLUBS WERE STILL IN UNIFORM: BREWER, FRANK MAHOVLICH, GARRY UNGER AND PETE STEMKOWSKI FOR THE RED WINGS; NORM ULLMAN, FLOYD SMITH AND PAUL HENDERSON FOR TORONTO.

 
 
A YEARBOOK FROM THE SECOND SEASON OF THE ST. LOUIS BLUES: 1968–69. OTTAWA NATIVE DAN KELLY TOOK OVER FROM JACK BUCK AS VOICE OF THE BLUES ON RADIO. ST. LOUIS, COACHED BY SCOTTY BOWMAN, REPRESENTED THE WEST DIVISION IN THE STANLEY CUP FINALS OF 1968–69–70. LOSING TWICE TO MONTREAL AND ONCE TO BOSTON (ON BOBBY ORR’s ICONIC OVERTIME GOAL AT THE BOSTON GARDEN). THE FIRST THREE ST. LOUIS MEDIA GUIDES (BELOW).

 
THE CALIFORNIA/OAKLAND SEALS ROSE FROM THE WEST DIVISION BASEMENT IN 1967–68 TO SECOND PLACE IN 1968–69. THEREBY GAINING HOME–ICE ADVANTAGE FOR THE STANLEY CUP QUARTERFINALS AGAINST LOS ANGELES. THIS PROGRAM (ABOVE) WAS SOLD AT THE OAKLAND COLISEUM–ARENA ON APR. 2, 1969 FOR THE SEALS FIRST–EVER PLAYOFF GAME. THE VISITING KINGS PREVAILED, 5–4, WHEN TED IRVINE SCORED JUST 19 SECONDS INTO OVERTIME.

 
THE FLYERS YEARBOOK FROM THE SEASON PRIOR TO BECOMING THE FIRST EXPANSION TEAM TO WIN THE STANLEY CUP. IN THE 1973 PLAYOFFS, THE FLYERS UPENDED MINNESOTA BEFORE EXTENDING THE EVENTUAL CUP–CHAMPION CANADIENS TO SIX GAMES. BOBBY CLARKE WON THE HART TROPHY AS THE LEAGUE’S MVP FOR THE 1972–73 SEASON.

 
PROGRAM AND LINE–UPS FROM THE FIRST TIME I SAW THE MAPLE LEAFS PLAY ON THE ROAD: BOXING DAY 1976, AT THE OLD CIVIC ARENA IN PITTSBURGH. A MAJOR SNOWSTORM CRIPPLED DRIVING CONDITIONS AND LIMITED THE CROWD TO A FEW THOUSAND PEOPLE. THE MAPLE LEAFS, AS I RECALL, WEREN’T VERY GOOD IN A 4–2 LOSS TO THE PENGUINS.

EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM