Former Leafs head coach Craig Berube already linked to Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers
Photo credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Image
Craig Berube could go from one superstar in Auston Matthews to another in Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers, according to a new report.
Days after being let go as the head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Berube is already being positioned with a new job as head coach of the Edmonton Oilers.
Bob Stauffer, one of the most reliable reporters covering the Edmonton Oilers, named Berube as a potential option for the top coach, vacated by the recent firing of Kris Knoblauch.
Stauffer named Bruce Cassidy and Peter Laviolette as potential options for Edmonton, who are reportedly seeking an experienced head coach.
Darren Dreger also floated the idea of Berube as a potential name to look out for in the Oilers coaching search, someone he's paying attention to.
Knoblauch, who was fired a day after Craig Berube, had become two of the NHL's biggest coaching changes so far this season, and with the Oilers desperate to hold on their contention with McDavid at 28 years old with two years remaining on his current deal, the need for urgency makes Berube a potential replacement.
Craig Berube won a Stanley Cup and his coaching reputation survived the Toronto firing faster than anyone expected
Craig Berube won a Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues on an underperforming team, taking them from worst to first, and that performance behind the bench has still lent Berube some credibility across the league.
Edmonton is interested in someone who has proven playoff experience, and Berube has a cup in his favor, as well as runs with all three teams he's coached for, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Toronto.
Berube has been a consistent regular season winner, and has his cup, but has only made it up to the second round besides 2019.
For the Oilers, a team desperate to become Cup contenders, Berube comes with the risk of making it into the playoffs, but save for one year never too far. One change could be coaching Connor McDavid.
The Maple Leafs fired Berube to find a coach who can keep Auston Matthews and the Oilers may use him to keep Connor McDavid
Craig Berube's name is already entering the NHL job search list, showing that there are still those who view as Berube as someone who could gain an NHL chance.
Berube comes not just with playoff history, but having coached players such as Auston Matthews and William Nylander, potentially getting an upgrade in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
The defensive play style of Berube could work better in Edmonton vs Toronto for an Oilers team with less offensive depth beyond their stars, a more defensively responsible unit.
However, Berube will have to avoid using McDavid in the same way he utilized Matthews, playing him too much in a defensive role; Berube made Matthews start in the defensive zone nearly 25% more often than he did under Sheldon Keefe, hindering his ability to commit to offense.
If Berube leads the Edmonton Oilers, he'll have to let Connor McDavid play his way rather than Berube's, and avoid making the same mistake he did with Matthews.
Quickly, Craig Berube could have their chance to bounce back from the disappointment of losing the Leafs head coaching job, and Connor McDavid could give Toronto the last laugh.
And it's solidified proof that it wasn't the coaching that was ever the issue in Toronto, but the same revolving door of players that are pushing coaches out the door, and right into the hands of some serious contenders with no one to blame but themselves.
Also read on Hockey Patrol :
Morgan Rielly is meeting with the Maple Leafs about waiving his NMC and the destination is clear
Morgan Rielly is meeting with the Maple Leafs about waiving his NMC and the destination is clear
Previously on Hockey Patrol