Bench decisions and officiating errors under Craig Berube
Craig Berube faces scrutiny over erratic bench management and defensive pairings as Auston Matthews experiences offensive regression with an 8.93 percent shooting percentage. The Maple Leafs struggle with inconsistent scoring and defensive lapses during their series against Florida.
Berube selected David Kampf for center duties against Alex Ovechkin during 3-on-3 overtime, a decision that nearly cost the team the game before John Tavares scored the winning goal after Joseph Woll made a save. I find his bench management erratic. Berube also placed Philippe Myers in the top defensive pairing with Morgan Rielly, a move that I find troublesome because Myers is an inconsistent defender. The coaching staff also moved Max Pacioretty to the second line to join John Tavares and William Nylander, a change that followed three scoreless starts for Nylander. During a Game 1 match against Florida, Berube criticized officials because an elbow from Sam Bennett to Anthony Stolarz went uncalled. Stolarz allowed one goal on nine shots before the incident, and the coaching staff moved him to the bench after he vomited before he left the arena on a stretcher. Joseph Woll replaced him and allowed third-period goals to Eetu Luostarinen and Uvis Balinskis. The NHL Department of Player Safety is looking into the incident involving Sam Bennett. Ryan Reaves also received a five-game suspension for a hit to the head, though Berube stated there was no intent behind the play. Calle Jarnkrok is also month-to-month after surgery. The team’s bottom six earns a total of $10.275 million.
Matthews and the Scoring Slump
Auston Matthews has scored only five goals through 16 games, a sign of his offensive regression. His shooting percentage is 8.93 percent. Matthews averages 4.31 shots per game, which is a decline from his 4.56 shots per game last season. He has 56 shots on goal, with 17 coming on the man advantage. The power play is 29th in the NHL with a 10 percent conversion rate. Do you think the team’s defensive focus is worth the lack of scoring? Matthews manages a high expected goals total of 21.78, which puts him on pace for 135.7 expected goals over 81 games. Matthews is also facing a 10-game goal drought. He has two assists in 15 games since his four-goal NHL debut. He wants to be patient and trust the team structure. He uses video of Sidney Crosby and Henrik Zetterberg to help him. The team broke an 0-for-11 run on the power play when Nylander scored against the Predators. Matthews has 63 shots in 16 games.
Inconsistency and Management
The Maple Leafs conceded 20 five-on-5 goals in their second round series against Florida. They also had the worst shot attempt share at 5-on-5 of all 16 playoff teams in the league. The team relies on stars to carry the load because the bottom six earns less than $4.4 million, including players like Pontus Holmberg, Bobby McMann, and Calle Jarnkrok. The roster is top-heavy, and the team’s stars do not always produce enough to mask flaws. Management is in flux. Keith Pelley hired John Chayka as general manager and Mats Sundin as an advisor. Pelley fills the president of hockey operations role himself. Chayka said his experience in Arizona shaped him through discipline and resilience. Chayka previously worked for the Arizona Coyotes and faced a personal suspension from the NHL in 2021. Berube remains under contract for two years. The team has faced a three-game losing streak and a 4-0 loss to Washington. The team gave up 3.71 goals per game in the second round. Will the team find consistency before the playoffs?
