Craig Berube Explains Why Auston Matthews Took More Defensive-Zone Faceoffs With Toronto Maple Leafs

Craig Berube explained why Auston Matthews was asked to take more defensive-zone faceoffs during his two seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The former Leafs coach said he wanted every player to play a “200-foot game." He also discussed his north-south system, the criticism from some Leafs wingers and Morgan Rielly's difficult season. 

Matthews finished 2025-26 with 27 goals and 26 assists in 60 games, both career lows, while injuries limited him for the second straight season. He later suffered a torn MCL after a hit from Anaheim's Radko Gudas, ending his season.

Craig Berube Explains His Approach With Auston Matthews

Berube told TSN 1050's First Up that he wanted Matthews to play against top lines and take defensive-zone draws when needed. He said that was part of his approach with the team.

Berube said, “Yeah, I think there's a lot of injuries with Matthews the last couple of years and stuff like that that hindered his goal scoring. But listen, I was trying to instill a 200-foot game for everybody. And if that meant he had to take more D-zone draws than he normally does because he's playing against top lines, well, that was my thought process on it. And, you know, I stick by my guns.”

Berube added that Matthews also received plenty of offensive-zone starts, saying he gave him more than almost anyone else on the team.

Berube wanted a north-south game

Berube was also asked about a Daily Faceoff report that said some Leafs wingers were told to dump the puck in and were worried about getting in trouble if they tried creative plays at the offensive blue line. 

Berube explained, “I had an identity going in there and I wanted to play a more north-south game and put pucks behind teams and forecheck. I believe that is a way to win in this game. You look at Carolina and Florida, even when we won in 2019, we didn't turn pucks over. We put pucks deep and we forechecked teams and pressured teams and I wanted to instill that type of identity for the Toronto Maple Leafs.”

Berube expects Rielly to bounce back

Morgan Rielly also had a difficult 2025-26 season, finishing with 11 goals, 25 assists and a minus-18 rating in 78 games. Berube believes the longtime Leafs defenseman can respond this season.

Berube said, “I think Morgan is a great person and a great player. Been around a long time, obviously with the Leafs his whole career and he's a great guy and a great and has a lot of character. I feel he's going to have a good year.”

The Leafs moved forward under Jim Hiller after winning the draft lottery and selecting Gavin McKenna first overall. They also signed Darren Raddysh and Sergei Bobrovsky.

Berube, who won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, is currently without an NHL coaching job but said he is enjoying watching games and staying around hockey. The Maple Leafs open their season against the Montreal Canadiens at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday.