The Edmonton Oilers are moving forward with their search for a new head coach, with reports indicating that they will interview Craig Berube, who was recently fired by the Toronto Maple Leafs. According to TSN's Ryan Rishaug on the Got Yer Back podcast, a formal interview with Berube is expected after initial conversations between him and Oilers general manager Stan Bowman. Meanwhile, permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy of the Vegas Golden Knights has not yet been granted as of Sunday night.
Oilers' Coaching Search Intensifies
Oilers hockey bosses Jeff Jackson and Stan Bowman are diligently evaluating candidates for the head coaching position. Berube, who led the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup victory in 2019, brings a wealth of playoff experience. His Toronto Maple Leafs pushed the Florida Panthers to seven games in the 2023 playoffs, demonstrating his ability to compete at a high level.
Interviewing Berube is considered a logical step for Edmonton to assess all qualified candidates. However, the decision has drawn mixed reactions from hockey analysts and commentators.
Reactions from the Hockey World
- Tony Cordasco (Las Vegas hockey commentator): "They will have to give Cassidy permission or lose the second round on appeal. Bush league as always..."
- Panther Pourri (Florida Hockey Now Podcast): "This is amazing."
- Adam Gretz (US hockey writer): "I don’t know how they look at what happened in Toronto and think ‘this is a guy we gotta talk to.’"
- Joe W. Patarino (Hockey Royalty): "Pleaaaaase let Edmonton hire Berube."
- Jeff Veillette (Toronto hockey commentator): "I think we’ve found the ultimate test to see if the Berube first year goalie bump is real or just something that’s coincidentally happened twice."
- Jackie Bondurant (Edmonton hockey blogger): "Yeahhhhh… Because picking a coach that has done nothing in Toronto is going to work out well for the Oilers."
- Greg Wyshynski (ESPN hockey commentator): "Mr. Dump & Chase Meets The Elite Stickhandler. (Maybe the best title for a children’s book never written…)"
- Russell Morgan (Los Angeles hockey commentator): "Berube?!"
- Pierre LeBrun (NHL insider, The Athletic): "As of this minute, Vegas still hasn’t given permission to any teams to speak with Bruce Cassidy, who has another year left on his Golden Knights contract."
- Charlie O’Connor (Philly Sports): "I think Berube is a good coach. It’s tough for me to imagine him delivering the results in St. Louis that he did if he was actually bad. But as far as stylistic and situational team comps for Edmonton go, Toronto is probably the closest, no? And Berube clearly didn’t work there…"
- Jonathan Willis (Cult of Hockey): "Toronto’s power play implodes, its 5v5 goal share and expected goal share collapse, it allows more shots than anyone else in the league, it can’t defend a lead, and of its two stars one guy is gone and the other guy looks like a shadow of himself. Let’s talk to that coach!"
The Oilers continue their search as they look to fill the head coaching vacancy and build a team capable of contending for the Stanley Cup.
