Comments from Auston Matthews and head coach Craig Berube have led to speculation that there is a rift forming between the two as the Leafs struggle on the ice.
The Leafs’ inability to play a full 60 minutes once again reared its head on Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers. A last-minute goal in the second, followed by two goals in less than a minute to begin the third led to a 6-3 loss and and Berube calling out his leadership group.
Some of the same tendencies shone through again on Tuesday against the Chicago Blackhawks, and Craig Berube was incensed on the bench, screaming obscenities at his players in the first period before their eventual 3rd period comeback.
Berube Doubles-Down, Publicly Singles-Out Matthews
Speaking with the media after practice this week, the Leafs bench boss singled out Matthews, urging him to shake off his struggles.
“It’s not at the level that he wants it at – or us. And it’s not just about scoring goals; it’s just the whole game in general. But I do believe – and I know he believes – it’s going to get better here.”
In response, Matthews seemingly disagreed with the coach’s take on his play, saying that it was ‘fine’, before lumping himself in with the rest of the leadership group when he said everyone had to play better, not just him.
Berube, Matthews No Longer On the Same Page?
In just his second season as head coach, there appears to be a disconnect forming between Berube and his number-one center.
Matthews’ play has seen a significant decline since Berube took over from Sheldon Keefe.
Yes, injuries have played a part in it, but, the enthusiasm, passion and compete levels of Matthews have noticeably dropped off.
Has Berube taken the fun away from the 28-year-old? It’s possible. Berube hockey is not generally what is considered to be “fun” hockey. It’s based off of a grind mentality and high intensity. Matthews being a skilled player, perhaps Berube’s messages are wearing thin on him.
Matthews did get on the board in Tuesday’s win over Chicago, scoring the tying goal in the 3rd period, so we should probably reserve any judgements for now. Let’s see if Matthews can use his bounce back game as a catalyst to get something going. In the meantime, we’ll continue to monitor the situation between he and Berube.
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