“We’re in a good spot”: Toronto Maple Leafs change gear under Coach Craig Berube, win Atlantic title with new attitude

With a dominating 4-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres, the Toronto Maple Leafs not only secured their inaugural Atlantic Division title, but also delivered a clear message: this is a different team. Guided by head coach Craig Berube and super-ace Auston Matthews, who scored his 400th goal in his NHL career, the Maple Leafs are changing gears to end years of playoff despair on a more even and defense-focused note.


With one game remaining in the regular season, the Toronto Maple Leafs (51-26-4) have already set their franchise record for most road victories (25) and secured the second seed in the Eastern Conference. But it's not merely the statistics—it's the story. Under Craig Berube, Toronto is finally balancing offensive punch with defensive toughness, a combination they believe will take them deep into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Craig Berube, who infamously led the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup championship in 2019, has quickly instilled a winning culture and tactical accountability into the Toronto Maple Leafs' locker room. And that is manifesting on the ice. In their last 15 games, Toronto was 12-2-1, including an eight-game winning streak where they beat opponents 28-12. The team's defensive responsibility has been an eye-opener.
The team’s buy-in has been central to Berube’s strategy. “You’re always trying to work on your identity. And that hasn’t stopped throughout the season,” he stated. “I think our guys have done a good job of it. I think we’re in a good spot, but we’ve got to keep making sure we’re pounding away at it and keep working on it and be ready to go.”

“I think we’re prepared,” said Auston Matthews, the 2016 NHL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick. “Obviously, we can’t change what’s happened in the past. I think you wear that. So I feel really confident in this group. I think we put in a lot of work over the season. Obviously, earning the division [title] here is a big step for us. But we just want to continue to push forward.”
Steven Lorentz, a Stanley Cup champion last year with the Florida Panthers, said, “The whole season’s a learning curve, especially with a new coach coming in, new systems. It’s different from the style of play that this team’s played with in previous seasons.”
Auston Matthews is not the only one making personal history. Forward Mitch Marner recorded his first 100-point season, further establishing that the Maple Leafs have not lost offense for structure. Toronto's 263 goals place them again in the NHL's top 10 in scoring—making their ninth straight year in that group.
But where this Maple Leafs team stands out is in their defensive improvement. With just 226 goals conceded, they rank 10th league-wide in goals against, a significant leap from previous seasons.
Toronto now shifts attention to the first-round playoff series against the Ottawa Senators—again igniting the legendary ‘Battle of Ontario’.
Also read: Craig Berube’s lighthearted take on the Toronto Maple Leafs’ defensive Crisis vs. the Montreal Canadiens
With the playoffs on the horizon, critics and fans alike will be closely observing to determine if this revamped Toronto Maple Leafs team can once and for all put their playoff ghosts behind them. With Craig Berube behind the bench and superstars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner playing some of the best hockey of their careers, the city of Toronto allows itself to dream once more.