Craig Berube addressed the media after his team’s 4-0 win over the New Jersey Devils, which improved the Maple Leafs’ record to 18-15-6.
On what he liked most about the win:
Everybody contributing. Everybody did their job. The goaltender was really good. All around, it was pretty solid hockey by everybody. That is the one thing I take away from it: everyone was bought in.
On the impact of Matthew Knies’ fight against Nico Hischier:
I thought it had a huge impact. I am not sure exactly what started it. I didn’t ask him. But he took off a good player for five minutes. He is a good player himself, but those are just the things he is capable of doing. He is a big guy who can handle himself and is physical.
I thought the guys really fed off it. We were really physical after that fight.
“DOWN GOES HISCHIER”
KNIES vs HISCHIER FIGHT (fixed audio) pic.twitter.com/glGF3XHYAF
— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) December 31, 2025
On his confidence that the team has turned the corner:
I think we are playing a lot better. The puck play has been better. There have been a lot of things that have been better.
Tonight, special teams were the difference in the game, but the team has confidence. They’re starting to understand how we need to do things. Everyone is buying into it. That is the biggest thing.
On how badly he wanted the shutout for Joseph Woll as the clock ticked down:
Everybody does. We all do. The guys did a great job with that kill. On the 6-on-5, we were battling around the net, blocking shots, and doing the little things. Everyone wanted the shutout for him, for sure.
On the biggest difference on the power play:
When I watch it, and I am looking at it, it is just more direct and crisp. The passes are better. They’re not looking for a different option. It’s just, “make that play.” Pucks are going to the net, and we’re recovering and resetting them again.
That is the biggest difference I see right now on the power play, and then the goals are around the net. That is where you score goals.
On the penalty kill’s excellence of late:
The PK has been pretty good all year, to be honest with you. There is pace. With the way we kill, especially for the forwards, they need pace. Laughton, Lorentz, Roy, and we mix in other guys — Jarnkrok tonight — are doing a great job, as well as the D. They’re doing the right things and taking away the lanes and routes, but it is the skating and pace for me on the PK.
On another good performance from Nick Robertson:
Nicky has played pretty well all year, in my opinion. It is not much more than he always does. He skates, he works, and he is more confident as a player. He is scoring and making some plays, so it is great to see from him.
The work is always there. He always works and skates well. To me, he is more confident with his puck play.
On Simon Benoit’s return to the lineup after a string of healthy scratches:
Before, I didn’t see the urgency I needed to see in his game, and I thought he had it tonight. He was physical, but he skated. When he is skating and playing simply with the puck while skating with that urgency, he is a good player for us. I saw it tonight.
That is just the way it goes sometimes. Sometimes, a guy has to sit out a game or two. The other guys have played well, so I didn’t want to change it.
On Matias Maccelli’s play since returning to the lineup after a stretch of scratches:
Yeah, he has been a lot better with his puck play. He is making plays. It is all about moving his feet with him, coming out of our zone and through the neutral zone. He has a high level of seeing the ice and making plays. He is doing a good job of that right now.
On how close Auston Matthews was to playing in the game:
He was close, but we will see how he is tomorrow. Hopefully, everything subsides a little bit more, and we will see if he can get on the ice tomorrow. That’d be good.
On whether there is an update on Chris Tanev:
Nope. I should have it tomorrow.
Game Highlights w/Joe Bowen: Maple Leafs 4 vs. Devils 0
