NHL Rumors: Two Head Coaches on the Hot Seat

Less than two years ago, the Toronto Maple Leafs fired Sheldon Keefe and replaced him with Craig Berube. 

The New Jersey Devils then immediately hired Keefe. 

Both coaches led their respective teams to the playoffs in year one. Both teams entered this season with genuine Stanley Cup aspirations. 

And now both are sitting near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, both are widely expected to miss the playoffs, and both coaches are looking at significant uncertainty about their futures. 

TSN insider Chris Johnston said on his podcast this week that while he doesn't expect a massive wave of coaching changes this summer, Toronto and New Jersey are the two situations worth monitoring closely. 

"There's obviously a high probability, possibility of change in Toronto," Johnston said. "New Jersey, I could see there being changes to that setup." 

Craig Berube's Future With the Maple Leafs

The Leafs fired Brad Treliving on Monday, and the domino effect of that decision makes Berube's situation genuinely murky. 

MLSE president Keith Pelley said Tuesday that Berube's future won't be determined until a new leader of hockey operations is in place, something the organization hopes to complete by late May. 

Berube was given no indication about his status, according to TSN's Darren Dreger, though he was given a heads up on Treliving's firing before it became public. He has two years remaining on his contract. 

Treliving won’t hide and will accept his share of the responsibility for a brutal year. Meanwhile, Craig Berube is about to coach the Maple Leafs tonight in Anaheim and sources say other than being made aware of Treliving’s fate, Berube has been given no indication of what his… https://t.co/7fHXzssF4Q

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 31, 2026

In his first season, Berube guided Toronto to 108 points, an Atlantic Division title, and their second playoff series win in over a decade. This season, the Leafs are sitting third last in the Eastern Conference at 32-30-13 and will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2016. 

The power play has cratered to 20th in the league, the team is being outshot by nearly three shots per game, and goals against have climbed steadily on his watch. 

His defenders will note that roster construction and a lack of depth played a major role in the collapse. However, his critics will point to a team that looked disorganized for most of the year. 

Sheldon Keefe's Future in New Jersey

The Devils' situation is different, but similar in some areas. 

Keefe publicly called out his team's mental toughness in February after a loss to Columbus. That's not something you ever want to hear your coach say. The Devils were also among the worst teams in the league for stretches of this season. 

I’ll say again… We were a better team under Lindy Ruff and it’s not even close. The core drastically needs a shakeup but Sheldon Keefe ain’t the answer to our problems.

I know most won’t accept it, but it’s the truth. #NJDevils

— Mr White (@MrWhite1079) February 26, 2026

Jack Hughes spent significant time injured yet again. The defense has expensive contracts that haven't delivered. And yet, over the last 10 games, New Jersey has gone 7-3-0, Hughes looks like the superstar everyone knows he can be, and Jesper Bratt has been on an absolute tear. 

The late surge doesn't erase the season, and most observers believe GM Tom Fitzgerald's seat is as hot as Keefe's, possibly hotter, given the roster construction questions surrounding the Luke Hughes contract, the Jacob Markstrom deal, and the Quinn Hughes miss. 

Keefe has never missed the playoffs in any of his other coaching stops. But this Devils group has used bad luck as an explanation for three straight disappointing seasons, and at some point explanations stop being enough.

Photo Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images