Craig Berube injury: Maple Leafs coach left with stitched forehead after gym accident

The craig berube injury that had hockey fans asking what happened to the Toronto Maple Leafs coach is not related to a game, practice, or on-ice incident. Craig Berube appeared in public with a black eye and a large stitched cut across his forehead after what he described as a “bad” gym accident, prompting a flood of searches about a Berube head injury and what happened to Berube’s head.

By Friday, January 23, 2026, Berube said the injury would not keep him from coaching, even as the visible damage to his face and forehead drew attention before Toronto’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.

What happened to Craig Berube’s head

Berube told media in Toronto that he had “an accident in the gym” the day before, calling it “stupid” and taking responsibility for it. He declined to provide a detailed play-by-play of how it happened, while also joking about the mishap in a way that suggested he was trying to keep the moment light despite the obvious cut and bruising.

The Maple Leafs coach’s forehead injury was sealed with stitches, and he also appeared with discoloration around one eye consistent with a hard impact. In a later update, Berube said he received close to 50 stitches, emphasizing that the gym accident left him more stitched up than any of his fights during his playing career.

Some specifics have not been publicly clarified, including the exact mechanism of the craig berube gym accident and what object or movement caused the gash.
The team also has not stated publicly whether Berube underwent any additional evaluation beyond standard medical care for a laceration.

Berube stayed behind the bench as Toronto kept its schedule

Despite the scary look of the injury, Berube maintained that he was fine to work and indicated he would coach as planned. The timing mattered: Toronto had a high-profile matchup that night, and Berube’s condition became an unexpected storyline layered on top of the team’s normal competitive pressures.

For the Maple Leafs, keeping routine can be part of staying steady during a busy stretch. Coaches typically keep their on-ice responsibilities unless they are physically unable to communicate, focus, or remain active through a game’s pace, which includes bench management, matchups, special teams decisions, and constant interaction with assistants and players.

How head cuts and possible concussion checks usually work

A forehead cut that needs many stitches can look dramatic because the scalp and face bleed easily, even when the underlying injury is manageable. Standard care usually focuses on controlling bleeding, cleaning the wound, closing it with stitches, and monitoring for swelling, headache, dizziness, or vision changes that could signal something more serious.

When a blow to the head is involved, teams and medical staff generally watch closely for concussion symptoms, especially in the first 24 to 48 hours. Even for a coach rather than a player, the basics are the same: if there are red flags like confusion, worsening headache, repeated vomiting, or balance problems, medical professionals would typically recommend further evaluation and rest. If symptoms are absent and the person feels stable, returning to work can be reasonable, though bruising and soreness may linger.

Stakeholders feeling the impact: players, staff, and fans

Inside the organization, the most directly affected groups are the Maple Leafs players and coaching staff, who depend on clear communication and consistent bench leadership, and the medical and training personnel responsible for monitoring wellbeing after any head impact. Even when a coach insists he is fine, staff still has to ensure symptoms do not develop later and that workload stays safe.

Fans are a second major group, especially those attending games or following closely, because a coach’s visible injury can raise immediate concern and spark rumors. It also feeds a broader conversation about how quickly public-facing sports figures are expected to “tough it out,” even when the injury happened away from the rink.

What comes next for the Leafs coach injury story

The next verifiable milestone will be Berube’s next scheduled media availability before a Maple Leafs game, when he is likely to be asked again about his condition, any lingering symptoms, and whether the cut requires follow-up care such as stitch removal timing. Until Berube or the team provides more detail, the confirmed bottom line remains narrow: a Berube gym accident caused a significant forehead laceration, he received close to 50 stitches, and he continued coaching while declining to explain exactly how it happened.