Craig Berube Issues Another Statement on Auston Matthews, This Time with a Very Different Tone

Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews missed nine games in November due to an injury. Although the team did quite well without him, having him back and playing well has certainly given them an added spark.

Head coach Craig Berube was quite critical of Matthews' play earlier in the week, even though he picked up three points in his first two games.

However, after his performance against the Nashville Predators, Berube's tune changed drastically while suggesting how Matthews' game was on Wednesday night.

Comparing how Berube speaks about his players, holding them accountable, feels different from his predecessor, Sheldon Keefe.

The team must have a coach that they respect, and Berube making sure he tells it how it is while sharing honestly when he feels a player needs to play better at times versus when he's impressed with their play has already gone a long way. In the short time he's been behind the bench, it's shown.

There's an old cliché that is used when speaking about people in power, and it goes something like "you're only as good as the person that leads you," and in all honesty, this season, it feels as if the team trusts the coach more so than at any other time in the Matthews, Marner, Nylander & Tavares era.

Trust and honesty go a long way when a team is working together trying to obtain the same goal.

The truth is that there is an awful lot of hockey left to be played, and although the team has several flaws, it's quite refreshing to know that the players have someone who holds them accountable when it's needed, while also being quick to celebrate their victories, both individual and as a team.