Offseason Notes: Berube, Brind’Amour & More

For the majority of hockey fans, the offseason is in full swing. With that comes all the coaching changes, the draft hype, the rumors, and the pending moves that are sure to shake up the NHL landscape. 

The past week alone saw some major decisions, most notably from the biggest hockey market. So, let’s look at some of the big things that happened in the NHL news world. 

Maple Leafs Hire Head Coach Craig Berube

The worst-kept secret of the hiring cycle. When the Toronto Maple Leafs fired Sheldon Keefe, it became clear early on that they wanted to replace him with Craig Berube. That’s what they did.

The question is what Berube brings to the Maple Leafs? Specifically, what does he bring behind the bench that Sheldon Keefe didn’t? Keefe was a great coach who checked off all the boxes, he led disciplined teams with potent offenses and for the most part, reliable defenses. Who can be better than him?

Berube has a lot of similar traits that Keefe had except there is his history. Along with being a head coach for 10 years, he led the St. Louis Blues to the Stanley Cup title in 2019. It was the Blues' first and only title in their franchise history, which dates back to 1967. So, he knows what it takes to coach in a market starving for success. 

Toronto is a different animal. They haven’t won the Cup since 1967, giving them the longest title drought in NHL history. Moreover, there’s more pressure to win in the league’s biggest market with every win and loss being amplified. Still, Berube can handle the heat, making the hire a wise one for a team that views itself as on the doorstep of snapping that title drought.

Hurricanes Extend Head Coach Rod Brind’Amour

This was a move that benefitted all sides involved. Rod Brind’Amour changed the Carolina Hurricanes’ culture. For context, they made the playoffs once in 12 seasons before he was hired in 2018. Since then, the Hurricanes have made the playoffs in each of their past six seasons with two Eastern Conference Final appearances.

Brind’Amour is one of the rare exceptional coaches who brings out the best in his players and his teams check all the boxes for a well-coached one. The Hurricanes don’t take penalties, they rarely make mistakes, they play defense in all three zones, and they know where to be on the ice at all times.

 The five-year extension keeps Brind’Amour with the Hurricanes until 2029. While he could have tested the market with a strong interest in him around the league, he wanted to stay in North Carolina where he has built a winning culture and has a good thing going.  

Quick Notes

●      Aleksander Barkov won the Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward. It was an unofficial passing of the torch moment. Patrice Bergeron won the award six times including last season which was his final one in the NHL. Barkov has replaced him as the top forward on the defensive end and already has two Selkes under his belt.

●      Earlier in the offseason, the Ottawa Senators hire Travis Green. His track record isn’t great and it’s a risky hire but the Berube hire provides more clarity on this hiring. In short, they wanted Berube but he was never going there (he wanted Toronto).

●      There are still four head coaching vacancies and it means one of two things at this point. Either these teams are continuing their interviewing processes and dragging it out or there’s a coach in the Stanley Cup Playoff or the Calder Cup Playoffs (the American Hockey League version of the playoffs) who these teams are eyeing. The latter makes some names that are out there intriguing.