NHL News: After disappointing playoff elimination, Craig Berube, Auston Matthews could lose key Maple Leafs member

The Toronto Maple Leafs failed to reach the Eastern Conference Final for the 22nd straight NHL season, with urgent changes needed in The Six to right the ship. While Craig Berube’s first year on the head coaching job was not neccesarily bad, it fell well short of expectations and it could lead to a key member of the organization parting ways with Auston Matthews and the team.

It’s shaping up to be a whirlwind offseason in Toronto, with the Maple Leafs facing major question marks surrounding key players and staff members. Mitch Marner, John Tavares, and Matthew Knies are the most notable of Auston Matthews’ teammates set to become free agents. However, Knies’ expiring contract will make him a restricted free agent, making it highly unlikely he changes teams—and his recent comments only reinforce that.

While the main focus is on the roster, the Leafs also face uncertainty in Berube’s staff and it appears they’ve made a decision about former New York Islanders head coach, current associate coach Lane Lambert, who is being sought after by the NHL‘s youngest franchise.

Which team is after Lambert in the coaching carousel?

According to reports around the league, the Seattle Kraken have set their sights on Lambert, in order to fill their head coaching void. After firing Dan Bylsma, who spent just one season in the Emerald City and led the team to a 35-41-6 record, the Kraken are looking to right the ship and Lambert might be the right name for the job.

“Seattle continues to work through its process in hiring a head coach. Toronto has granted the Kraken permission to speak with Lane Lambert,” insider Darren Dreger stated on his X, formerly Twitter account. “Mitch Love and David Quinn believed to be among those in the mix as well.”

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