The Maple Leafs held a media availability at their hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. before flying home on Saturday.

Saturday was the one-year anniversary of Craig Berube being hired as Leafs head coach.

“Oh yeah,” he said with a smile. “Nice. I didn’t even know that.”

What he does know is his team has taken big steps in the last 12 months.

"You guys see it on the ice, but I see it internally with just how the leadership group has grown," the 59-year-old said. "I always talk about the buy-in, and a new coach brings in a new system, a new identity, how we want to play, culture, and I think our team's had great buy-in and that's why it works. To be honest, if you got the buy-in, it's going to work. And they bought in."

That buy-in allowed the Leafs to bounce back from a disappointing performance in Game 5 of their second-round series against the Florida Panthers. Toronto fell 6-1 on home ice on Wednesday, which pushed the team to the brink of elimination.

The Leafs recovered to win 2-0 in Florida on Friday night.

“Commitment to defence,” Berube told his players inside the dressing room after the win. “Commitment to checking. That’s the difference in the game. You guys skated, competed, battled. At home, same mentality. Determination. Second and third effort is everything. Good job. F—king right, baby!”

The team posted a behind-the-scenes video featuring the coach's post-game pep talk on Saturday.

Game 7 between the Leafs and Panthers goes Sunday back in Toronto where Berube will look to guide the franchise to its first Eastern Conference final in 23 years. He had a simple message for his players on the eve of the biggest game of the season.

"Relax," he instructed. "Get rest and focus on what we focused on in Game 6, really ... I don't think a whole lot needs to change. You've got to be determined. You've got to be desperate and you're going to have to have urgency.”

Berube’s steadfast and stoic approach has benefitted a core group (centre Auston Matthews, winger Mitch Marner, winger William Nylander and defenceman Morgan Rielly) that advanced past the first round of the playoffs just once in eight years prior to his arrival.

“He's been awesome,” said centre Scott Laughton. “I think just his demeanour and how composed he is ... Just a very composed guy off the ice and I think he's helped us........

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