Craig Berube throws Auston Matthews, Maple Leafs under the bus with candid five-word statement after ugly loss

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube put Auston Matthews and the rest of the team on notice with a blunt message after the 4-0 loss to the Washington Capitals.

December 19, 2025 03:11PM EDT

**© Bruce Bennett/Getty Images**Craig Berube at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Craig Berube has never been one to mince words. Since being hired as head coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs, that aspect of his coaching personality has remained unchanged. Now, Auston Matthews and company received a rough wake-up call in the 2025-26 NHL season.

The Atlantic Division has seen teams climb up and slide down with as much ease so far in the NHL campaign. Toronto has hit a lull as of late, causing Matthews and the Buds to approach the basement of the division in the blink of an eye.

The 4–0 loss to the Washington Capitals was the Maple Leafs’ biggest-margin defeat of the season. Following the disastrous showing, Berube decided to nip the problem in the bud with a concise, yet brutally honest answer about his team’s performance.

“Ask those guys, not me,” Berube told reporters after a question on the lack of passion from Matthews and the Maple Leafs against the Capitals, via Sportsnet on X. Toronto hadn’t been held scoreless in a game since May 11 (Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Florida Panthers).

Auston Matthews warming up before a game.

Fans want to see more from Matthews

So far, the 2025-26 NHL season has been far from memorable for Matthews. Through 28 games, the Maple Leafs’ captain registers 14 goals and 9 assists (23 points). It’s not disastrous, but the Buds expect better.

Maple Leafs exploring blockbuster trade to help out Auston Matthews at a reduced price

At the end of the day, Matthews is the best player in town, and he is being paid a $15.2 million salary this campaign. It’s not unreasonable for fans to demand more than him being the team’s fourth-highest point contributor.

Matthews’ goals usually lead to wins

Despite some lackluster performances throughout the season, Matthews has had his fair share of exciting moments. Though the scoring prowess has been inconsistent, no one in Toronto doubts Matthews can get hot at any given time and go on a scoring streak. That could spell out great news for the Maple Leafs. So far in the season, Berube’s Buds are 10-2-1 when Matthews finds the back of the net. On the other hand, Toronto is 4-9-2 when the captain is held scoreless.

Federico O'donnell

Federico O’Donnell is a bilingual sports writer from Argentina, fluent in both Spanish and English. He joined Bolavip US in August 2024 and has since established himself as a skilled, versatile journalist covering a wide range of sports. Federico has written extensively about soccer and the NHL for various media outlets, including ExtraTimeTalk and Last Word on Hockey. His extensive knowledge of NHL, NCAAF, NCAAB, NFL, MLB, and soccer, combined with his passion for these sports, equips him to handle breaking news effectively and deliver insightful analysis.