Maple Leafs’ Craig Berube reveals plan after brutal John Tavares injury

The Toronto Maple Leafs were dealt a devastating blow on the injury front on Thursday, as assistant captain John Tavares was injured during practice and has since been placed on Injured Reserve.

Tavares is having a bounce-back season, having already scored 20 goals with 22 assists; before his injury, he was on pace to score 36 goals with 40 assists, which would have been his best personal output since his 80-point campaign of 2022-23.

According to head coach Craig Berube, the Leafs are going to be missing plenty without Tavares in the lineup, but they have no choice but to move on without him for the time being, via Maple Leafs Hot Stove.

“Well, everything,” he said when asked what they’ll miss. “You see his production and what he has done as well as his leadership. He has been an all-situations guy, and he has done a really good job for us.

They’ve announced week-to-week right now, so it is unfortunate. In practice, it’s just bad luck. It is what it is. We have to move on from it right now.”

The Leafs had already played long stretches of this season without first-year captain Auston Matthews in the lineup. Can the Leafs draw inspiration for how they played without him now that Tavares is absent?

“I think so,” Berube said. “Guys just have to step up. Someone is getting a better opportunity. When Auston was out, we played a real strong team game every night, relied on our checking, and did the right things, as well as special teams and things like that.

Sans Tavares, the Maple Leafs host the New Jersey Devils and former head coach Sheldon Keefe on Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena; puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM EST.

The future of John Tavares with the Maple Leafs is up in the air