Subj : Berube Offers Blues Young Stars a Familiar Face
To : All
From : The Hockey Writers - Main
Date : Wed Dec 23 2020 04:40 am
Craig Berube coached a number of players on his current roster before they ever
put on a St. Louis Blues jersey. Take Jordan Binnington for example. On the
surface, it might seem as though he had a quick, seamless rise to prominence.
Soon after he put on a Blues uniform in December of 2019, he was masterful in
net, and the team quickly granted him the starting goaltending job. St. Louis
was dominant after he took over, and his Cinderella run ended in a Stanley Cup
championship.
When you dig a little deeper, you realize that Binnington is anything but an
overnight success story. He toiled in the minors and wasn't even the Blues'
number one option when they needed a goaltender. Also, when he was called up,
the Blues were in turmoil. They had recently undergone a coaching change and
were in last place in the league when the calendar turned to 2019. Every sign
pointed to the season, and the Binnington experiment, being a complete
failure.Jordan Binnington led the St. Louis Blues to a Stanley Cup championship
in 2019 and looks to bounce back from a rough playoff last season. (Photo by
Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)
However, Binnington had a few things going for him. He had an unwavering belief
in himself and his talents, but he also had a deep, familiar voice barking
orders from behind the bench. This steady voice among an incredibly turbulent
atmosphere belonged to interim head coach Craig Berube, Binnington's minor
league coach on the Chicago Wolves during the 2016-17 season.His Year in
Chicago
The 2016-17 Chicago Wolves, the only season that featured Berube as the Wolves'
bench boss, had a phenomenal regular season. Looking at the roster, it's easy
to see why. In addition to Binnington, the roster was full of players who
should have Blues roster spots (or close to it) this upcoming season, including
Ivan Barbashev, Vince Dunn, Jordan Kyrou, Ville Husso, Sammy Blais, Mackenzie
MacEachern, and Zach Sanford (who appeared in two playoff games for the
Wolves).
Berube led his squad to a 44-19-13 record, which was good for 101 points and a
Central Division title. The grizzled NHL veteran of 17 hard-fought NHL seasons
was not hard to rally behind, but the Wolves lost to divisional foe the Grand
Rapids Griffins in the second round of the playoffs.
Thank you to coaches Craig Berube and Daniel Tkaczuk for a memorable year!
pic.twitter.com/klRA24nNWG- Chicago Wolves (@Chicago_Wolves) June 15, 2017Craig
Berube only coached one season for the Chicago Wolves, but he now sees many
familiar names on his roster as head coach of the Blues.
Berube's time in Chicago was successful enough to warrant a promotion in June
of 2017 to the Blues as an assistant coach under Mike Yeo. When the front
office decided to fire Yeo a little more than a year later, it was an easy
decision to promote Berube again. He had built relationships with most of the
talent coming up in the system, and his authoritative presence behind the bench
and in the locker room provided a sense of direction and leadership. That move
paid off in the grandest fashion.Going Forward
If the Blues are going to extend their window and remain competitive beyond the
next few seasons, they need their young stars to step up. It's that simple.
With an expansion draft rapidly approaching and a tough salary cap scenario
after the 2020-21 NHL season, St. Louis needs a number of players to take big
leaps forward. This includes the aforementioned stars Berube mentored during an
incredibly successful season in the AHL.
The transition to the NHL is a difficult one for most players. It's a bigger,
tougher, faster, more skilled league than any minor league system. The minors
can never fully prepare a player for what they're about to face. There are
growing pains for everyone; some are never able to successfully adapt. However,
most of the Blues' young stars don't have to deal with the difficulty of
adjusting to a new head coach. By no means does this guarantee a completely
smooth transition, but it eliminates a hurdle that most players in the league
have to deal with.Craig Berube was a tough player during his 17 seasons in the
NHL; his authoritative disposition has translated well to coaching. (AP
Photo/Josie Lepe)
The only player of those coached by Berube on the Wolves who has no NHL
experience is Ville Husso. He was the goaltender who was slated to get the
call-up in January of 2019, but had an ankle injury that cost him the backup
job. Binnington got the call instead, and the rest is history. Lightning never
strikes the same place twice, but like those who have come before him, Berube
will be there to ease Husso's transition to the NHL.
Long-time Blue Alexander Steen recently retired, and Vladimir Tarasenko will
most likely start the season on LTIR. There are plenty of opportunities for
young players to step into important roles. For them, the time is now. They are
on a team who can win and have a stalwart behind the bench in Berube who will
lead them every step of the way.
The post Berube Offers Blues'; Young Stars a Familiar Face appeared first on
The Hockey Writers.
������
https://feeds.feedblitz.com/~/640613552/0/thehockeywriters~Berube-Offers-Blues-
Young-Stars-a-Familiar-Face/
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Linux
* Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (24:110/7)
