Leafs Coach Craig Berube Abruptly Stops Practice in Toronto in Heated Reality Check Moment

The Toronto Maple Leafs have once again lacked consistency this season, and it appears as though Craig Berube has had enough of the team settling for mediocrity and effort that is just good enough to be barely satisfactory.

After dropping 5 of 6 games earlier this month, the Leafs appeared to be well on their way to righting the ship, securing 3 consecutive wins, including winning both ends of a back-to-back against the Colorado Avalanche and the New York Rangers on last Wednesday and Thursday.

However, when the team took to the ice in Nashville on Saturday, and lackadaisical mindset for the Leafs allowed the Preds to claw their way back from a 2-0 deficit to score 5 straight goals and dispatch of the Leafs by a score of 5-2, despite being the 30th place team in the NHL. Simply put, the Leafs cannot allow things like that to happen.

Craig Berube, Auston Matthews and John Tavares all spoke out following the loss, establishing that the effort wasn't good enough.

Well it appears as though the team isn't taking matters seriously enough, because during Monday's practice, Berube stopped the players in their tracks during a drill and absolutely unloaded on them with a series of profane comments that were intended to act as a reality check for the group.

With just a few short weeks until the playoffs are set to begin, the Leafs really do have to buckle up and prepare themselves to get uncomfortable, because nothing from here on out is going to come easy.

Teams are fighting for their playoff lives and jockeying for position in their respective divisions, so the games are only going to get tougher from here. Berube is trying to prepare his team for just that.

He's been in the deep waters and knows what it takes to win in the playoffs. The Leafs, however, do not. The team would be wise to really pay attention to Berube and follow through with the Stanley Cup winning coach's instructions.