Toronto Maple Leafs forward Easton Cowan reacted to the news that the team fired former head coach Craig Berube on Wednesday morning.
The Leafs pulled the plug on Berube after taking about 10 days to ponder his future behind the club’s bench following the hirings of new GM John Chayka and senior advisor Mats Sundin. Although Chayka spoke highly of Berube, a former Stanley Cup-winning head coach with the St. Louis Blues, he felt that the Leafs needed to make a complete fresh start after missing the playoffs this year for the first time in a decade. Although missing the postseason wasn’t completely Berube’s fault, he had to let go as the team looks to move in a brand new direction under Chayka.
Easton Cowan Reacts to Craig Berube’s Firing
Many of the Maple Leafs players are away from the city during the offseason, but one player is still in town playing hockey. That’s Cowan, the Leafs’ top forward prospect, who is playing with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL in the playoffs. Cowan made his NHL debut this season, playing in 66 games and scoring 11 goals and 29 points. The youngster, who was benched earlier in the year, earned praise from Berube for the improvements that he showed from training camp until the end of the season, as he carved out a spot in the Maple Leafs’ lineup for himself.
On Wednesday, Cowan spoke to the media following the Marlies’ practice, and he provided his thoughts on the Leafs firing Berube, the only coach that he has ever known at the NHL level.
“Obviously we had a tough year. He taught me a lot, how to simplify the game. (Looking ahead) you must gain your coach’s trust. I had to do that in London, back to minor hockey. I’ll just keep playing my game, this (next Marlie series), leading to summer,” Cowan said (via Lance Hornby).
The Leafs Are Searching for a New Head Coach
Now that Berube is out, the Leafs are searching for a new head coach. It’s too early in the process to say who the team has on its list, but you would have to imagine that Bruce Cassidy is at the top of it. Cassidy, the former Stanley Cup-winning head coach with the Vegas Golden Knights, is currently unemployed after he was fired by the Golden Knights in March. The Edmonton Oilers want to talk to him, but the Golden Knights have so far blocked any attempt by their division rivals to do so, since he is still technically under contract with Vegas despite being fired.
Since the Maple Leafs are in the opposite conference, there would be no conflict of interest for the Golden Knights, so if the Leafs want to interview Cassidy, the Golden Knights would likely permit them to do so. Of course, Cassidy is just one of many head coaching candidates that the team is likely to talk to as part of what is likely going to be a wide-ranging search for the team’s next head coach.
Easton Cowan Reacts to Craig Berube Being Fired by Leafs