Former NHL head coach Bruce Boudreau thinks the Toronto Maple Leafs had one of the best offseasons this summer.
Toronto didn’t add anyone to the forward group but did focus on goal prevention by signing defenseman Chris Tanev and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, and goalie Anthony Stolarz. It was minimal moves but Boudreau liked what the team did.
Did the Toronto Maple Leafs have the most impressive offseason in the Atlantic Division?
Bruce Boudreau believes they did.
“I’m not just saying this, (because) I’m from Toronto but I really like what they did with their defense. I mean, the three acquisitions that they made to bolster their defense, especially when you get Tanev. I had Ekman-Larsson, when he’s at his best, he’s still a really good defenseman,” Boudreau said on the NHL Network. “All of these guys, these guys are really good players and Toronto is already got the offense, that they can go. If they can get the defense now, to go with it, I really believe that they can make it past that first round and go a little bit further.”
It was high praise for Boudreau who thought the Maple Leafs needed to get better on the blueline to have success.
As Boudreau says, the team has the offense with the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and William Nylander. So, if they can prevent more goals from being scored against them, the coach likes their chances to make a deep playoff run.
Boudreau Believes Berube Will Have Success as Maple Leafs Head Coach
Entering the 2024-25 NHL season, the Toronto Maple Leafs will have a new head coach in Craig Berube.
Berube won a Stanley Cup in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues and played for the Maple Leafs in his career, so he understands the pressure of the market. With that, Boudreau believes Berube will have a lot of success as the head coach of the Maple Leafs.
“I don’t think it’s going to bother him at all. Craig has fought every tough guy in the history of the game. That’s pressure. When you’re reading the game notes the night before and you gotta go against Stu Grimson and those guys every game, that’s pressure,” Boudreau said. “I think he coaches the way he coaches. He’s a really good defensive coach, so that’s why they added the defensemen that they did.
“And I think if the Leafs get a little bit better defensively, to add to that offense, and I think Craig is going to be way more accountable than maybe Sheldon (Keefe) was. I don’t know the behind-the-scenes stuff that went on there, but I mean, (Berube) was always, when he was in St. Louis, whether I was in Minnesota or Anaheim, or Vancouver, he was always a tough guy to go against because the team kept playing the same way, and that’s going to make the Leafs a little bit tougher, a little bit more sandpaper,” Boudreau said… “I don’t see anything changing from the offense, but I do see them being tougher to play against next year.”
Judging by Boudreau’s comments, he is confident the Maple Leafs have what it takes to make a deep run in the playoffs.
Berube Eager to Coach Marner
The biggest question surrounding the Maple Leafs this offseason was the future of Marner who was entering the final year of his deal.
However, no trade has happened and Berube says he’s looking forward to coaching the star winger.
“He’s a character guy, a great person,” Berube said. “I’m looking forward to coaching him.”
The Maple Leafs will open its 2024-25 NHL season on the road on Oct. 9 against the Montreal Canadiens.
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Former NHL Head Coach Praises Maple Leafs Offseason