Dallas Eakins has blunt prediction for Craig Berube in Toronto
Will Eakins' prediction be proven correct?
Toronto Maple Leafs management decided upon a major change following their latest playoff disappointment. Head coach Sheldon Keefe, who had been in place since succeeding the terminated Mike Babcock in November of 2019, was handed the pink slip by Leafs management.
In his place, they've hired former St. Louis Blues head coach Craig Berube, who was terminated last season by the team he helped to their first ever Stanley Cup championship. Additionally, the Leafs hired former Islanders head coach Lane Lambert as an assistant on Berube's staff.
Former Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins, who previously worked in the Leafs organization as an assistant coach of the Leafs and head coach of the American Hockey League affiliate Toronto Marlies, the hiring of Berube could not have been better.
“With Chief coming in, I thought that was a great hire. That is a Stanley Cup-winning coach. There’s no BS, no tip-toeing around any issues with Chief – he hits him head-on,” Eakins explained.
Eakins also had nothing but good things to say about the hiring of Lambert as an assistant owing to his leadership qualities.
“The other thing that I love that Chief and Brad (Treliving) did there, and I think there should be more of this in the NHL, I’ve been fairly vocal about this, is I think the more leadership you have on the bench, the better. Hiring Lane Lambert, who’s been a head coach in the league, I think that is one hell of a hire. I think it’s an incredible hire because of the leadership there.”
Meanwhile, Eakins believes that Berube's no-nonsense attitude will only further Toronto's chances of making a deep playoff run.
“I know the passion of that Toronto market," he said. "It’s either win or bust, it’s either parade or doom, that’s just how that market is. This is why I love Chief there. Chief is not going to give a crap about what anybody is thinking."
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