With an increasing demand for a major institutional change following a road trip from hell, the Toronto Maple Leafs met the challenge in the middle, firing assistant Marc Savard on Monday evening. There was merit to his dismissal, as Savard was responsible for the Leafs’ last-ranked power play, converting at a dismal 13.3 percent clip. It also seems like the Maple Leafs are buying time for their next seismic move, although the holiday roster freeze certainly doesn’t apply to the managerial and executive branches.
Toronto’s power play struggled immensely this season, starting out with a four-forward format with Morgan Rielly operating as the quarterback, before reverting back to a five-forward group that caught fire during the second half of the 2024-25 campaign. This unit didn’t work either. The entries were characterized by a disorganized drop pass at centre ice, which allowed the opponent’s base defence to get set and swat pucks easily at the blue line. When the Leafs started with an offensive zone faceoff, it took too long to get quality shots to the net, with indecision and flaccid puck movement ruling the day. And with the fan base almost universally demanding a move, heading into Christmas, Savard was an easy candidate for dismissal.
The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that the Maple Leafs aren’t seeking an external candidate to take over Savard’s role, and will promote from within, or of course, Berube oversees the struggling power play. It appears that the Maple Leafs are biding their time when considering the direction of the franchise, and while Brad Treliving extended a vote of confidence to head coach Craig Berube on November 18, it certainly didn’t apply to the rest of the staff. David Pagnotta reported on Monday’s edition of the Leafs Morning Take that the Leafs aren’t considering replacing Berube imminently, although that could change if the team continues on their losing streak.
It’s an interesting choice, and to many, it could represent a half-measure. It certainly appears to be a warning, as my Leafs Morning Take comrades argued, that the team’s current form is intolerable. Keith Pelley certainly can’t be pleased with the on-ice product, but he may also be keenly aware not to be viewed as an impatient tyrant that tears down the infrastructure at the first (or second, or third) sign of tumult.
Toronto hosts the Pittsburgh Penguins for a Tuesday afternoon game before a three-day hiatus. And if the Leafs aren’t galvanized by Savard’s firing, the crowd could get hostile, or worse, apathetic to the team’s current form. Pelley certainly has to be mulling his options, and Monday’s move could be viewed as a half-measure, or a precursor to further institutional change.