Craig Berube Calls Out Maple Leafs Forward After Troubling Start to His Season
Toronto Maple Leafs forward Pontus Holmberg was expected to take a step forward this season, but has done the opposite, according to head coach Craig Berube.
Holmberg's development was expected to make the likes of David Kampf and Calle Jarnkrok expendable to the Leafs, freeing up needed cap space and a roster spot or two. However, through five games, Holmberg has been less than impressive according to Berube, who was very blunt in his assessment of the 2018 sixth-round pick.
Reading between the lines, it sounds like Holmberg will be coming out of the lineup Monday in favour of Max Pacioretty, who has been a healthy scratch for the past two games.
Whether Holmberg is still trying to adjust to Berube's style of play or is simply overwhelmed in a more consistent role to begin the season, he may find himself tumbling down the depth chart quickly when the likes of Connor Dewar and Calle Jarnkrok are ready to return from their injuries .
Through five games so far, Holmberg is playing almost two more minutes per night than he did last season and while it doesn't sound like much, there are certain players across the league that need to be kept a little more sheltered. So far this season, it appears as though the 25-year-old is emerging as one of those players.
With the Leafs scheduled to play on Monday and Tuesday, Holmberg may very well be up in the press box watching a game or two, getting a bit of a mental reset, which he may be able to use to his benefit.
| POLL | ||
OCTOBRE 20 | 2184 ANSWERS Craig Berube Calls Out Maple Leafs Forward After Troubling Start to His Season Will Holmberg be the odd man out when Dewar and Jarnkrok return? | ||
| It seems that way | 1591 | 72.8 % |
| No, he'll be fine by then | 309 | 14.1 % |
| Not sure | 284 | 13 % |
| List of polls | ||
