Maple Leafs hire Craig Berube as head coach

The Toronto Maple Leafs decided Friday on Craig Berube as the "new voice" for their head-coaching position.

Berube, 58, most recently coached the St. Louis Blues, with whom he won the 2019 Stanley Cup while serving as interim head coach.

Toronto lost its first-round playoff series 4-3 to the Boston Bruins, after which the Maple Leafs fired coach Sheldon Keefe.

Leafs general manager Brad Treliving said the team would seek a fresh direction.

"Today's decision was difficult," Treliving said in a statement May 9. "Sheldon is an excellent coach and a great man. However, we determined a new voice is needed to help the team push through to reach our ultimate goal."

Berube, a Jack Adams Award finalist in 2019, was 206-132-44 in the regular season with St. Louis before the Blues fired him in December. Counting a prior head-coaching stint with the Philadelphia Flyers (2013-15), his career coaching mark is 281-190-72.

He also worked as an associate coach with the Blues (2017-19) and seven seasons as an assistant with the Flyers (2006-07, 2008-15).

Berube also enjoyed a long NHL playing career. In 17 seasons (1,054 games) with Philadelphia, Toronto, Calgary, Washington and the New York Islanders, he collected 159 points (61 goals, 98 assists) and 3,149 penalty minutes.