Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube shares what made him happy despite loss to Panthers

TL;DR

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost 6-2 to the Florida Panthers, but head coach Craig Berube was pleased with defenseman William Villeneuve's debut after being called up from the AHL.

Craig Berube IMAGN 040126

Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube shares what made him happy despite loss to Panthers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Toronto Maple Leafs lost 6-2 to the Florida Panthers on Saturday. Even so, there is something that made head coach Craig Berube happy.

During his media duties after the game, Berube expressed his satisfaction with the debut of defenseman William Villeneuve, who was recently called up from the AHL.

"I thought he was really good," he said. "On the first couple of shifts, there were obviously nerves, but I thought he had a good game. He did good things tonight: competed, defended hard, and moved the puck fairly well. I was pretty happy with him."

Villeneuve, 24, played four seasons with the Toronto Marlies before finally making his NHL debut. The young defenseman did not disappoint and was, at least, a reason for joy amid the sporting struggles the Leafs are currently going through.

'I'm confident in my game,' Villeneuve says after impressive NHL debut

Villeneuve also spoke after the game against Florida. He expressed confidence in his level of play and did not hide his excitement about playing at the top level.

"I think everyone has their own path, own timeline, and if I look at myself from four years ago, I'm a different player and person," he said. "I'm confident in my game, and I've worked a long way for that, so I'm excited."

This season, Villeneuve played 59 games with the Marlies, scoring three goals and recording 26 assists for a total of 29 points.

Toronto hosts Dallas at Scotiabank Arena on Monday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. CT, 7:30 p.m. ET -- another opportunity to see the Maple Leafs' new defensive solution in action.

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Q&A

What was the score of the Maple Leafs game against the Panthers?

The Maple Leafs lost to the Panthers with a score of 6-2.

Who is William Villeneuve and why is he significant in the recent Maple Leafs game?

William Villeneuve is a defenseman who made his NHL debut for the Maple Leafs after being called up from the AHL, and his performance pleased head coach Craig Berube.

What did Maple Leafs coach Craig Berube say after the loss to the Panthers?

Craig Berube expressed happiness about William Villeneuve's debut despite the team's loss.