Is Berube key factor for if Marner, Tavares stay with Toronto Maple Leafs?
To put it lightly, the Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to figure things out.
The Leafs held a bit of a state-of-the-union type press conference on Friday afternoon, with MLSE CEO Keith Pelley speaking in the aftermath of president Brendan Shanahan’s departure a day prior.
But while many NHL teams would launch into a search to replace a key exec like Shanahan, who had served 11 years at the helm of the franchise, Pelley confirmed that he wouldn’t be hiring in the near future for a new president.
That begs the question: who exactly is in charge of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and how much power do they have?
Pelley stated that he doesn’t have the intention of meddling in on hockey decisions, but rather will act as a “sounding board” for the Leafs brass. But with one less cook in the kitchen, it seems like the portion sizes are getting a little bit larger for Leafs general manager Brad Treliving — and notably, head coach Craig Berube.
“I’m a firm believer that the coach has to be involved more than just on the day of the game and in the dressing room. And we have a wonderful asset in Craig, and we have a wonderful asset in Brad,” Pelley said today.
While head coaches always have at least some input on how they’d like their roster to be constructed, sometimes it is simply a quick conversation about a specific player type they’d either like to bring in or avoid.
For example, a team coached by a team that emphasizes speed and skill might avoid older players who might have lost a step, or teams looking to play a physical style of game might target specific players with a history of having an edge.
But according to the buzz around the team this week, it seems like Berube’s influence might be a key factor in specific roster decisions, such as whether to re-sign free agent star forwards John Tavares and Mitch Marner.
“It’s clear Craig Berube will have more power or say in the operation than a typical NHL head coach,” TSN’s Chris Johnston speculated on X today.
If so, maybe Berube’s answer on wanting Marner and Tavares back matters more than I thought. https://t.co/86v7jg32eZ
— Bryan Hayes (@HayesTSN) May 23, 2025
In response, Johnston’s TSN colleague Bryan Hayes posited the idea that Berube mentioned earlier this week that he’d “100 per cent” like Marner and Tavares back might have been more than an endorsement, but rather indicative of his growing role in the franchise next season.
Only time will tell if Marner and Tavares end up sticking around in Toronto, but if they do re-sign with the Leafs, perhaps a new leadership structure will be key behind that decision.