New Leafs Head Coach Craig Berube Reveals Who Got the Game Puck After First Win of the Season

New Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube revealed on Saturday that he was not the recipient of the game puck following his first win on Thursday.

After the Maple Leafs were flat out goalied on Wednesday night for their season opener in Montreal, thanks to a record-setting performance by Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault, the Buds would not be denied their first win of the season on Thursday in New Jersey, securing the 4-2 win over ex-Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe, who didn’t exactly rush to give the Leafs any of the credit they deserved after the win.

While some may have originally assumed that Craig Berube had received the game puck from Thursday’s win to commemorate his first ever win as head coach of the Maple Leafs, the veteran coach revealed on Saturday that the game puck actually went to rookie netminder Dennis Hildeby — an honour that Berube said Hildeby truly deserved.

Craig Berube was asked if he got the game puck after his first win as Leafs coach.

No. It went to “The Beast,” he says. “Well deserved.”

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) October 12, 2024

Hildeby made a number of sensational saves in the win over the Devils, including this dandy on Jack Hughes.

huge stop by Hildeby on Hughes pic.twitter.com/ox04n1NC29

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 10, 2024

He made another solid stop on Erik Haula later in the game, squeezing the pads tight to ensure that the puck didn’t sneak through the 5-hole.

another big Hildeby save as Benoit leaves the penalty box

almost went five-hole pic.twitter.com/6Ws5SFCqFj

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) October 11, 2024

The rookie netminder was originally slated to begin the season in the American Hockey League, but an injury to Leafs netminder Joseph Woll led to an early call-up for Hildeby, who played remarkably well for his first ever NHL start.

While I’m sure that Berube would have enjoyed having the keepsake, his support for Hildeby receiving the milestone trinket is a showing of class and goes to show why players would run through a wall for him. He cares about his players a lot and I’m sure that he was one of the first to congratulate Hildeby on his monumental achievement.