Ahead of Tuesday’s game against St. Louis, Craig Berube discussed Brad Treliving’s comments in his quarter-mark media availability, Jacob Quillan’s season debut, and the play of the Leafs’ offseason additions through 19 games.
Brad Treliving expressed full faith in you and the team’s ability to turn this around. What do you and your staff need to do to keep the faith going, if you will?
Berube: Keep working with the players, helping them, teaching them, and getting tighter as a group on the ice in all zones. It is about more consistency out there. We’ve talked about it a lot. That is our job. My job is to help get these guys going in the right way. It is their job as players to understand what they need to do shift to shift, prepare, and do the job.
Brad said he believes in your messaging, but he said there seems to be a disconnect with the players. Why do you think that is?
Berube: I don’t think there is a disconnect. I can’t really answer that question.
Editor’s Note: This question did not contain fair framing. Brad Treliving explicitly stated that the players believe in the coach’s message, but that the disconnects comes in the team “not doing it” on the ice. Treliving did not directly state that there is a disconnect between players and coach on the messaging.
Here is the relevant passage:
“Treliving: Whatever analogy you want to use about being on the same page — I use ‘being connected’ — I believe fully in Craig and his messaging. When I talk to the players, too, they believe in it. But there is that disconnect that we’re not doing it. It comes back to the inconsistency.
It is always the big question in sport. Why don’t you just go do it? That is what we have to work through. I’d love to be able to say, ‘It is this.’ You have to keep hammering home the message. You have to keep working with these guys on a daily basis for them to grasp it. That is the challenge in front of us.”
Brad mentioned that there has been an inconsistency of effort at times. Has that been one of the more frustrating parts for you as coach?
Berube: Obviously, it is. We all want effort. That is very important, and there have been times when it has been lacking, for sure. I haven’t seen that lately. It is going in the right direction, in my opinion.
Why haven’t the new players made more of an impact so far? Is it just a symptom of the team’s overall situation?
Berube: I agree. I think Nic Roy game was really coming. He was playing some really good hockey for us, doing what he does, and doing what we brought him in to do. I loved Joshua’s last game; I thought that line was very impactful, and I thought he was impactful in the game. Macelli has had some moments, for sure; again, I talk about consistency, and we need more on a consistent basis. He is capable of doing it — we have seen what he can do — and we need it to be every night.
Do you have any clarity on Roy’s injury and when he might be back?
Berube: He won’t be back for the next couple of games.
What are you hoping to see from Jacob Quillan in his season debut?
Berube: Q has great speed. He plays both wing and center, but he brings speed to the game. He is a competitive kid. His speed is what drives him; he is a fast player, and he is powerful for a young kid. He is going to bring energy to the game, he is going to work, and he is going to compete. That’s what he’ll bring tonight.
What sort of game are you expecting from your team tonight?
Berube: A lot of what we did in the last game. I talked about the Chicago game, and I liked a lot of it. We made a couple of mistakes in the third period that cost us, but the overall process of how we played was pretty good. I expect more of the same tonight.
Why did you want to get all the players back on the ice after a full practice yesterday?
Berube: I wanted to work on the power play today, more than anything. We didn’t touch it yesterday. I wanted to do what we did yesterday, and it was a couple of days between games. Sometimes, it is good to get them on the ice and get them focused in the morning. It’s not long, but I wanted to work on power play stuff.
What sort of feelings spring up for you when the Blues roll into town?
Berube: I got the opportunity to spend a lot of time there and get to know a lot of people. I love St. Louis. It was a great place to work, coach, and be around great people and players. I have a lot of really good feelings when playing these guys.
Justin Faulk has reached his 1,000-game milestone. What do you remember about coaching him in St. Louis?
Berube: I really enjoyed coaching him. It’s a lot of games. He has been a solid defenseman for a long time. He is a person who has a great personality, and he brings it every night on the ice. You get the same game out of him, night in and night out, with what he brings to the table. I really enjoyed working with him and having the opportunity to coach him.
