Craig Berube on Confidence, Puck Play & Defensive Progress vs Kings | The Coach’s Pulse
Date: November 13, 2025
Source: Toronto Maple Leafs (YouTube)
Following the Maple Leafs’ 4–3 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings, head coach Craig Berube spoke about the team’s defensive progress, struggles advancing the puck, confidence with the puck, and the balance between urgency and panic after a slow start to the season.
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On Digesting the Loss
“Yeah, I liked our first period. I thought we did some real good things. Defended well, our sticks were good. We did a lot of good things. And I thought they three-quarter-iced us in the second.
The reason that is because when you get pucks back in our own zone, we’ve got to get out of it. We’ve got to make a play to advance it up the ice. We didn’t do a good job of it. And then we got the lead in the third and I thought we sat back a little too much.
Again, just advancing that puck up the ice with speed, jumping, getting the holes. It’s confidence for me a little bit and puck play. The plays are there. We’re just not making them and just not seeing it well enough right now. We’ve got to pick up our pace. We’ve got to be more confident in those plays. To me, that’s the difference in the game.”
On Confidence and Advancing the Puck
“Well, I think we are doing that, but like I said, I think we defended a lot better tonight. But we give up that many shots because when we get pucks, we’re not advancing them up the ice and getting to the offensive zone. That’s the difference in the game.”
On Priorities and Defensive Play
“Well, to me the most important thing is the defensive play right now in our game, which we did a better job of tonight. But I thought that we were too loose lately and that’s the one thing you’ve got to tighten up.
The other stuff will take care of itself. But it’s about seeing the plays, making the plays, being confident, advancing the puck up the ice, and getting to the offensive zone more. We weren’t there enough, and when we were there it was too much in and out.”
On Dennis Hildeby’s Performance
“Yeah, I know. He battled hard all night. He faced quite a few shots, so he battled hard tonight. I’m sure he wants that first one back, but he battled hard tonight.”
On the Conversation with William Nylander
“Well, I just thought he was hurt for a minute. I didn’t know, the way he whatever. I was just talking to him about that.”
On Regaining Confidence
“I think confidence comes from hard work obviously and doing the right things every shift. We’ll look at video and they’ll see it and they’ll see the plays and work on it in practice.”
On Urgency Without Panic
“Well, panic’s never going to help, but there’s a level of urgency for sure. It’s been there for a bit, but not going to panic. That doesn’t help anything or anybody.”
Pulse Takeaway
Berube was encouraged by the Leafs’ defensive strides in the first period but pointed to puck movement and confidence as the key issues in the loss. Toronto struggled to advance the puck cleanly, spent too much time in its own zone, and couldn’t sustain enough offensive-zone time despite holding a third-period lead. The message: tighten up defensively, trust the plays that are there, and keep the urgency high without slipping into panic.
Quotes from Craig Berube via Toronto Maple Leafs (YouTube).
Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
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