Getty
Craig Berube Oilers
Edmonton Oilers insider Bob Stauffer explained why the team could consider hiring Craig Berube as their new head coach.
This week, the Oilers fired Kris Knoblauch as their head coach after three years at the helm. Meanwhile, Berube was also fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs after they missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Both men are looking for work now, and could potentially even trade teams.
According to Stauffer, the Oilers’ radio color commentator, there are reasons why Berube makes sense in Edmonton.
In an appearance on the “Real Kyper and Bourne Show” this week, Stauffer explained why Berube might be a good fit for the Oilers.
“I know this would seem quite ironic given what happened (this week) in Toronto, but what about Craig Berube? He’s from Calahoo, Alberta,” Stauffer said. “Craig’s won a Stanley Cup (with St. Louis in 2019). Would it merit consideration? I think if a guy’s had success, a coach who’s got some gravitas and some attention to detail, strong structure and process in the game, for me, preferably, a guy who coaches zone D… I think I could foresee a scenario where a coach like that might (be a fit).”
“I see Edmonton going in a different path with a more experienced coach… Craig [Berube’s] won a Stanley Cup, would he merit some consideration?” @Bob_Stauffer joins @RealKyper and @jtbourne to discuss some of the Oilers’ coaching options after firing Kris Knoblauch.
Although Berube was fired by the Maple Leafs after a failed season, he is still a highly respected head coach who has proven he knows what it takes to win the Stanley Cup. Plus, he is just one year removed from leading the Leafs to the Atlantic Division title, so despite having a down year, it wasn’t that long ago that Berube was having success in this league.
In addition to Berube, Laviolette mentioned Peter Laviolette — who has also been linked to the Maple Leafs’ open position — as a potential option for the Oilers’ vacant head coaching position.
“I would have to think, would Peter Laviolette make sense? It would be a tough pill in Edmonton because he beat the Oilers in the ’06 Stanley Cup Final (with the Carolina Hurricanes). But he took the (Philadelphia) Flyers and the (Nashville) Predators to the Stanley Cup Final, as well,” Stauffer said.
Laviolette was out of work this past season after he was fired by the New York Rangers last season, after the team missed the playoffs. But, as Stauffer noted, he is a successful coach in this league, having been the head coach for six NHL teams and having gone to the finals three times with one win. If the Oilers are favoring veteran leadership, then Laviolette, who is seventh all-time in NHL head-coaching victories with 846, makes a lot of sense.
Of course, the Oilers are still hoping that the Vegas Golden Knights give them the opportunity to talk to Bruce Cassidy, who was fired by the team in March after they were trending in the wrong direction. Up to this point, the Golden Knights have blocked the Oilers from talking to their former head coach, but as time goes on, the team may reconsider that and give Edmonton the chance to hire him instead of holding him back from getting their head-coaching job.
Adam Martin Adam Martin is a sports journalist with over 15 years of experience. He has a speciality in MMA, while also covering the Big 4 Sports. Adam is currently a contributor to Heavy.com, with previous experience working for The Toronto Star, Sportsnet, theScore, Bookies, BJPenn.com, and MMAOddsbreaker.com. More about Adam Martin
此内容由惯性聚合(RSS阅读器)自动聚合整理，仅供阅读参考。 原文来自 — 版权归原作者所有。
