RICK VAIVE: Time for Berube to be heard in the room

Published Apr 30, 2025 • 3 minute read

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube. Photo by Claus Andersen /Getty Images

It’s time to interrupt this program for a message from Craig Berube.

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While I understand the coach doesn’t want to share his thoughts in the media as he said Wednesday, let’s hope he’s making a point behind closed doors.

I was floored the Leafs played as badly against Ottawa as they did in Game 5, whether it was at home or not. In my evaluation, Berube has to be pissed off by now. It’s time to call people out and say: “We expect more from you.”

On that front, I’m going to give Auston Matthews a bit of a break here. I still don’t think the captain is 100 per cent from whatever injury has been bothering him all this season. He just doesn’t look right, isn’t shooting perfectly and maybe that’s why he has only one goal in the series.

It’s William Nylander and Mitch Marner I would be more concerned about if I were in charge. They just didn’t show up in that Game 5. That’s reflected in how little the power play got done, which actually goes back to Game 4 when they didn’t score, either. Too much passing around the perimeter and not enough shots on goal.

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They were having a lot of success putting pucks on net earlier in the series, which is where the strength of a player such as Matthew Knies is best utilized. You don’t get it in there, he can’t use his size or his stick. So move it around faster, use the slot more.

In general, their top guys and a few others couldn’t penetrate the middle of the ice. Like the power play, that’s where they were doing well all season. Now, for whatever reason, they looked nervous on Tuesday.

And look, these are the playoffs where a lot of games are going to be won three feet off of the boards. You have to come up with the puck in those battles when there isn’t the room in the regular season the Leafs might be used to having.

You have to give credit to the Senators, of course. They checked well, their penalty killing is solid. In net, Linus Ullmark was good, though he didn’t have to be great when Toronto was shooting from so far out.

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What else can the Leafs do? They have to be thinking of a lineup change. Max Pacioretty hasn’t done a lot up front in the past two games and it could be time to re-visit Nick Robertson there. You’re giving up some size, but Nick has speed.

I just know that they have to try to end this on Thursday. No way would they want to being it down to a Game 7, no matter if it’s at home. If they think the pressure is mounting now, you know that in Toronto, it’s going to be a lot worse by Saturday.

So, do something behind the scenes that makes a difference on the ice.

The Toronto Sun welcomes former Toronto captain and three-time 50-goal scorer Rick Vaive to our 2025 Leafs playoff coverage. He played 16 NHL and WHA seasons and is the author of ‘Catch 22: My Battles in Hockey and Life.’ He can be heard on Squid and The Ultimate Leafs Fan podcast with Mike Wilson and special guests.