The Maple Leafs (32-36-14) ended the season 0-6-1 to finish last in the Atlantic Division, 15th in the Eastern Conference and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2016-17. Last season, they won the Atlantic with 108 points (52-26-4) and defeated the Ottawa Senators in six games in the Eastern Conference First Round before losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers in seven games in the second round. Toronto has twice advanced past the opening round of the playoffs since 2004 and are without a Stanley Cup championship since 1967.
Mats Sundin was hired as senior executive adviser, hockey operations, and Chayka named GM, on May 3 after Brad Treliving was fired March 30.
"We have all the resources to be successful but without the right structure, the right processes in place, without the right culture, without the alignment and accountability among everyone inside the operation, we will not be successful. That change starts today," Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley said the next day. "I'm disappointed in our results this, and I'm disappointed in the results that we have provided to our fans but today is a step to change them and to get back to our winning ways and to contend for the Cup on an annual basis."
Captain Auston Matthews was lost for the rest of the regular season with a grade 3 MCL tear and quad contusion in his left leg. The forward sustained the injury in a knee-on-knee collision with defenseman Radko Gudas in a 6-4 win against the Anaheim Ducks at Scotiabank Arena on March 12. Gudas was suspended five games by the NHL Department of Player Safety.
The Maple Leafs allowed 3.60 goals per game, 31st in the League. Forwards Bobby McMann, Scott Laughton and Nicolas Roy were dealt ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline at 3 p.m. ET on March 6.
"It starts with me," Treliving said about 90 minutes past the Deadline. "I don't look at today being an autopsy day. We still have 19 games to go, but I think there are a whole host of reasons.
"I'll take responsibility. You know, we met earlier in the year, [at] about the 20-game mark, where we got off to a slow start. And again, the failures start with me. Once we get through the end of the season, you know, there will be all sorts of evaluation."
Berube was an analyst with Turner Sports after getting fired by the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 12, 2023. He's 34-37 in 71 playoff games and 365-252-90 in 707 regular-season games with the Philadelphia Flyers, Blues and Maple Leafs, guiding St. Louis to the Stanley Cup in 2019 after taking over for Mike Yeo on Nov. 20, 2018.
Berube is the fifth coach to be fired this season. Rick Bowness was hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets to replace Dean Evason on Jan. 12, D.J. Smith took over the Los Angeles Kings after Jim Hiller was fired March 1, John Tortorella replaced Bruce Cassidy with the Vegas Golden Knights on March 29, and Peter DeBoer was hired by the New York Islanders after they fired Patrick Roy on April 5.
