Maple Leafs fans on edge after popular NHL coach’s brutal Ambien jab exposes team’s sleepy season starts

The Maple Leafs left the ice with two points against Chicago, yet the mood around the team felt uneasy rather than celebratory. Early periods have become a recurring problem, and Tuesday night only fueled the growing irritation.

Fans saw another opening frame marked by hesitation, loose coverage, and long stretches without urgency. Winning masked the issue on the scoreboard, but it did not erase what everyone else could see.That frustration has been simmering all season. Toronto often looks flat before finding its legs, forcing itself into unnecessary trouble. For a roster built around elite talent, those sleepy starts raise uncomfortable questions about preparation, accountability, and belief.

When the same pattern repeats, outside voices tend to get louder. This time, one of hockey’s most experienced minds did not hold back.

Bruce Boudreau fires brutal shot at Maple Leafs, slams team’s recurring slow starts and lack of early intensity

Bruce Boudreau has coached nearly 1,100 NHL games, and his words carry weight because they come from years behind the bench. Watching Toronto this season, he sees a team that struggles to match its own reputation when the puck drops. Even in victories, the lack of early push stands out to him.

"I don't know what it is, it's like they're taking sleeping pills before the games. Instead of sniffers on the bench, they're taking Ambien. That's how they look sometimes, there's just no energy. And guys that you know are better than they are aren't playing like it."Boudreau’s criticism cuts deeper than effort alone. He pointed out that without steady goaltending from Dennis Hildeby and Joseph Woll, the Leafs could be in far worse shape.

That observation echoes what many fans feel. When your goalies are often the sharpest players in the opening minutes, something is off. Supporters have every reason to be upset, not because the team loses, but because it too often waits to engage.Thursday’s 4-0 loss to Washington only strengthened that argument. Toronto never found traction, and the familiar slow start snowballed into a quiet night. It is hard to dismiss Boudreau’s take when the evidence keeps stacking up.Questions about a possible rift between Auston Matthews and coach Craig Berube have followed, yet Boudreau pushed back on the idea that players quit on coaches. Berube himself has swung between praise and criticism, lauding Matthews and the top line after Chicago, then calling out the group again after Washington. Until the Leafs show consistent urgency from the opening faceoff, that cycle is unlikely to end.Also Read: Maple Leafs fans on edge after reporter claims Auston Matthews trade talks may be closer than believed