The Toronto Maple Leafs have relieved assistant coach Marc Savard of his duties, marking the first coaching change of the season amidst the team's struggles. The decision, announced Monday, December 22, 2025, comes as the Maple Leafs find themselves in a rut, having fallen to the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

Savard's departure is largely attributed to the team's lackluster power-play performance. Last season, the Maple Leafs boasted the ninth-best power play in the league, converting on 24.8% of their opportunities. However, under Savard's guidance this season, that figure has plummeted to a league-worst 13.3%. This significant decline has coincided with a three-game losing streak and five losses in the last six games, during which the team has struggled to score.

Savard, a former NHL player, joined the Maple Leafs' coaching staff in 2024 as part of Craig Berube's team. He was previously part of Berube's staff with the St. Louis Blues in the 2019-2020 season. Before joining the Leafs, Savard also served as the head coach of the Windsor Spitfires and assisted with the Calgary Flames' special teams.

While the immediate focus is on Savard's dismissal and the struggling power play, the move raises questions about the future of head coach Craig Berube. Savard was part of Berube's coaching team, and his firing could be interpreted as a sign of dissatisfaction from upper management. Some observers believe that Berube is receiving another chance to turn things around before more extensive changes are considered. Others suggest that relieving Savard could be a message to the entire organization that improvements are needed and that further changes may be on the horizon if the team's performance does not improve.

The Maple Leafs' struggles extend beyond the power play, with the team facing challenges in scoring at even strength and maintaining a strong defensive presence. While the team's offense is averaging a respectable 3.11 goals per game (11th in the league), it is not enough to compensate for the ineffective power play and defensive deficiencies.

The team has four games remaining in 2025 to demonstrate improvement and potentially salvage their season. However, if the Maple Leafs fail to turn things around, "existential" questions about the team's direction and leadership, including Berube's position, will likely intensify.

In May 2024, the Maple Leafs fired head coach Sheldon Keefe after another early playoff exit, marking the 19th coaching change in the NHL since the end of the 2022-23 season. Keefe's tenure, which began in November 2019, ended with a single playoff series win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023. Despite a strong regular-season record, Keefe's inability to achieve consistent playoff success led to his dismissal. The Maple Leafs promptly began searching for a replacement, ultimately hiring Berube.