I'm not going to pile on Keefe, but clearly this team needed a change and has completely bought into what Berube wants them to do. Whether its successful in the playoffs is up in the air, but they are actively playing differently. It looks differently stylistically and the effort seems different.
Keefe wanted to go along to get along. It was his first time in the NHL and he wanted to please a little too much. In terms of his coaching, I thought he was fine, but he didn't have that extra "playoff beard" mentality that the players would respect.
Look, it worked for him. The team never missed the playoffs but choked in every game 7. Hard to blame him for game 7 folding of this team and I dont think any coach is immune to that if players aren't Gamers. He kept his poise and didn't bad mouth anyone in public, thus, he landed on his feet in NJ. Good for him.
Berube has been in the league before, won the Cup, built a track record. This means he will always have job opportunities in the NHL. I said before that a guy like Torts could work here because he doesn't care, he is going to be direct and challenge players which is what they need. The Clubhouse mentality often produces happy losers.
I never truly thought Torts would be the type considered, but they did get a coach who demands accountability and the players must play the game the way it will be played come playoffs. He values the types of players that knowledgeable fans understand win rings. Tanev, a new addition obviously; being a key example. The guys further down the lineup are going to get their chances because Berube wants to roll a balanced lineup and play heavy hockey. This has always been known as lacking to anyone watching this team the last 8 years.
I recall for years the new generation of fans on here believing that the team was only acceptable if it was a video game all-star team. This was foolhardy, especially on defense where you need guys who can defend and sacrifice before you have guys who can rush end to end but go -3 on the night.
Berube is comfortable right out of the chute and he doesn't like losing. If a team doesn't like losing they will sacrifice and compete every night. They will make visiting teams dread having to play in Toronto because they know that no inch of ice will be easy to claim and every puck battle will represent a desperate battle.
Few teams ever hoisted the Cup by being easy to play against.