Toronto Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube suffered a nasty gash on his forehead and a black eye from a gym accident. This recent incident grabbed headlines just before a key matchup.

The Incident Details

Berube revealed the injury during a media session on January 23, 2026, ahead of the Leafs' game against the Vegas Golden Knights. He lifted his cap to show a stitched cut on his head that required 12 stitches , calling it a "stupid" or "foolish" mishap at the gym. Despite the visible bruising and swelling, he confirmed he'd coach that night, joking that his players "loved it" when he shared the story.

Timeline and Context

  • January 22-23, 2026 : Injury occurs; Berube appears battered at practice and presser.
  • No prior coaching changes confuse this with old news—Berube took over in 2025, replacing Sheldon Keefe.
  • Leafs were chasing a wild-card spot, sitting three points out in the East.

Fan and Media Reactions

Social media and forums lit up with surprise and humor over Berube's tough-guy look, evoking his enforcer days (7th in NHL penalty minutes). Outlets like Bleacher Report and The Athletic shared videos of the gash, while NHL.com noted his warrior spirit. Some drew parallels to other off-ice injuries, like Panthers' Luostarinen's BBQ burns.

"Once a warrior, always a warrior." – NHL.com on Berube's resilience.

Trending Forum Buzz

Reddit's r/leafs and X (Twitter) posts amplified the story, though older threads mixed in coaching gossip—unrelated here. It's pure celebrity-adjacent sports gossip: a gritty coach bounces back from a dumb gym slip, no drama beyond the visuals.

TL;DR : Gym accident left Berube with forehead stitches and a shiner; he's fine and coached the game. Classic NHL tough-it-out tale.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.