Rutherford: Craig Berube Unofficially Named Head Coach

[Note Worthy]

In one of the most non-shocking developments in all of sports...

Click to read more...

 

[mk80]

 

[Vladys Gumption]

He’s earned the right to be behind the bench for a full season. I’m not upset by this in the slightest.

 

[Meatball]

From last place to the Western Conference finals.

Yeah, he's pretty good.

 

[mk80]

Everyone on the team has really bought into his philosophy, which is key to success. I'm happy to get the Chief as the bench boss long term.

 

[Stealth JD]

Least surprising news of the year. Well deserved, Coach.

 

[David Dennison]

Hopefully no Schildt curse after taking the interim tag off.

 

[ManyIdeas]

I was slightly worried about taking off the interim tag because why change things up

But I legitimately think the locker room loves Chief and this will lead to even better play coming up.

 

[TK 421]

It's not just Berube, it's Berube and how well he meshes with his current staff. I suspect Steve Ott has been a huge positive based on how active he is behind the bench going over plays constantly with players and I want him to get paid. I think he's a crucial piece to why this is working and I don't want this current dynamic altered (duh).

 

[BlueSeal]

Hail To The Chief!!

 

[mk80]

NSFW Language: (1 F-bomb dropped in it). But after watching I'm ready to go drop the gloves with someone!

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Not too many GMs who would be stupid enough to look elsewhere when you’ve struck gold already.

 

[DoubleK81]

I would pretty much guarantee that a contract has been signed before the playoffs even started (to be announced at the end of season), and the only reason this has been brought up is because Wyshinski specifically asked about it, as it has been mentioned by him on Puck Soup in last weeks episode.

 

[LGB51]

He's more than earned it, bring it home Chief!

 

[FrenchBlue]

Berube is the best ! Great work !

 

[EastonBlues22]

***Spoiler: Contrary Opinion Alert***

Not too many GMs who would be stupid enough to look elsewhere when you’ve struck gold already.

I'm enjoying this season's turnaround as much as anyone, but how many times do we have to go through this before we learn the lesson? Hitchcock came in for Payne and the team had a stunning resurgence. He was clearly an upgrade on what we had previously, but ultimately his tenure here left us wanting. We thought the dramatic turnaround meant the Blues were destined to finally find that elusive playoff success. They didn't, really...certainly nothing commensurate with the regular season success we had at the time.

Yeo replaced Hitchcock and the team went on a tear for the better part of a calendar year where they were one of the best teams in the league, if not the very best. Many fans thought we had hit the coaching jackpot and that the future was bright. He was fired just one calendar year after that with the team mired in an absolutely miserable situation.

Now Berube's here and the team is having another great run. That's something to cherish even if they don't make it any further than they already have, but this run doesn't prove that Berube is "The Answer" anymore than the big extended turnarounds under Hitchcock and Yeo proved that they were the solution to all the Blues coaching ailments moving forward.

Don't get me wrong. Berube's done a hell of a job this year. He helped purge the emotional baggage they were carrying that was weighing them down, and helped get them refocused, and simplified some things, and has nurtured the emotional high that they've built, which has helped them build momentum and confidence that has carried them much further than I ever thought they would get this year when he took over. Those are some remarkable things, given the state of the team when he took over, and that deserves to be recognized. It's what the team needed at the time, and he provided it in spades, though he also had some significant help that smoothed over some team deficiencies (*cough* Binnington *cough*) and contributed heavily to the team finding itself in its current position.

Anyway, as they say, past results are no guarantee of future performance. There will be much different challenges to tackle moving forward than what Berube faced when he took over.

Can Berube get the Blues back to this emotional point next year without the benefit of a rebound effect from a previous coach's failings? Emotional momentum and confidence are notoriously tenuous things. Can Berube build them back up and find new answers when the team's lows are on his watch? Fixing a team that's languishing under you is a lot different than fixing one that was languishing under someone else. Can he keep his message and approach fresh enough to sustain them for long stretches without losing the team? For years, even?

Those are hard things to do, and even if he can do them, that can't be all that a coach brings to the table over the long haul.

For example, Berube hasn't reinvented this team tactically in any sense of the word, and there's not much reason to believe that he offers something new in that regard for this organization. He's not a coach that's likely to be breaking new trails or taking this team in a new philosophical direction, even if those things are needed. He's not an innovator. I'm not even sure he offers much promise for building on/tweaking what's currently in place. I haven't seen anything that suggests he's superior to his peers when it comes to adapting tactically within a playoff series. Those things might not be mattering right now, but you can bet that at some point in the future they will. What happens then?

Personally, I'm very disappointed that Armstrong isn't going to go through with the extensive coaching search that he promised. Even if he ended up going with Berube anyway, which I wouldn't necessarily be against depending on who else was a candidate, it was still his job to thoroughly explore the options out there and weigh their pros and cons. Instead, he's once again pursuing the path of least resistance when it comes to finding a new coach...a path that, among other things, seems to be much more interested in reinforcing the status quo than in challenging it.

That's disturbing when the status quo in question has been a mixed bag, at best.

I hope this time the result is different, but I don't like how Armstrong has handled this situation, and I don't think this move is the objective win that our emotions are telling us it is right now.

 

[The Note in MI]

***Spoiler: Contrary Opinion Alert***

Snip.

Sometimes it's the devil you know

 

[Zamadoo]

Hail To The Chief!!

Hail to the CHIEF!

 

[Zamadoo]

@EastonBlues22

I agree that Chief hasn't done much if anything tactically to change the Blues, which is the difference between his emergence and the others. He has won the hearts of the team, and has them playing for each other.

During the season he stated that they didn't have a full off-season or pre-season to develop a system, so they looked at what other teams were doing well to change what they could. So, he has changed some things tactically, but the main thing is that he's put players in positions to succeed and given them a chance to earn playing time. Look at Steen and Sunny. He gave Steen a chance to prove he's still top 6, while also giving Sunny a chance to prove he can be. The players were the ones who dictated that decision with their play.

The players actually believe in him, and he has them believing in each other because he believes in them.

Much different than Hitch, who was dictator in chief, or Yeo who was nice but not great at chemistry or tactics (really just not a strong enough leader).

In Chief we trust.

 

[Honeycutt]

***Spoiler: Contrary Opinion Alert***


I'm enjoying this season's turnaround as much as anyone, but how many times do we have to go through this before we learn the lesson? Hitchcock came in for Payne and the team had a stunning resurgence. He was clearly an upgrade on what we had previously, but ultimately his tenure here left us wanting. We thought the dramatic turnaround meant the Blues were destined to finally find that elusive playoff success. They didn't, really...certainly nothing commensurate with the regular season success we had at the time.

Yeo replaced Hitchcock and the team went on a tear for the better part of a calendar year where they were one of the best teams in the league, if not the very best. Many fans thought we had hit the coaching jackpot and that the future was bright. He was fired just one calendar year after that with the team mired in an absolutely miserable situation.

Now Berube's here and the team is having another great run. That's something to cherish even if they don't make it any further than they already have, but this run doesn't prove that Berube is "The Answer" anymore than the big extended turnarounds under Hitchcock and Yeo proved that they were the solution to all the Blues coaching ailments moving forward.

Don't get me wrong. Berube's done a hell of a job this year. He helped purge the emotional baggage they were carrying that was weighing them down, and helped get them refocused, and simplified some things, and has nurtured the emotional high that they've built, which has helped them build momentum and confidence that has carried them much further than I ever thought they would get this year when he took over. Those are some remarkable things, given the state of the team when he took over, and that deserves to be recognized. It's what the team needed at the time, and he provided it in spades, though he also had some significant help that smoothed over some team deficiencies (*cough* Binnington *cough*) and contributed heavily to the team finding itself in its current position.

Anyway, as they say, past results are no guarantee of future performance. There will be much different challenges to tackle moving forward than what Berube faced when he took over.

Can Berube get the Blues back to this emotional point next year without the benefit of a rebound effect from a previous coach's failings? Emotional momentum and confidence are notoriously tenuous things. Can Berube build them back up and find new answers when the team's lows are on his watch? Fixing a team that's languishing under you is a lot different than fixing one that was languishing under someone else. Can he keep his message and approach fresh enough to sustain them for long stretches without losing the team? For years, even?

Those are hard things to do, and even if he can do them, that can't be all that a coach brings to the table over the long haul.

For example, Berube hasn't reinvented this team tactically in any sense of the word, and there's not much reason to believe that he offers something new in that regard for this organization. He's not a coach that's likely to be breaking new trails or taking this team in a new philosophical direction, even if those things are needed. He's not an innovator. I'm not even sure he offers much promise for building on/tweaking what's currently in place. I haven't seen anything that suggests he's superior to his peers when it comes to adapting tactically within a playoff series. Those things might not be mattering right now, but you can bet that at some point in the future they will. What happens then?

Personally, I'm very disappointed that Armstrong isn't going to go through with the extensive coaching search that he promised. Even if he ended up going with Berube anyway, which I wouldn't necessarily be against depending on who else was a candidate, it was still his job to thoroughly explore the options out there and weigh their pros and cons. Instead, he's once again pursuing the path of least resistance when it comes to finding a new coach...a path that, among other things, seems to be much more interested in reinforcing the status quo than in challenging it.

That's disturbing when the status quo in question has been a mixed bag, at best.

I hope this time the result is different, but I don't like how Armstrong has handled this situation, and I don't think this move is the objective win that our emotions are telling us it is right now.

You wrote alot, which is cool I guess, but from a business perspective and organizational development perspective you are pretty far off. When you find the candidate that is culturally the right fit for your organization as well as chief has been you make sure you retain that person. Cultural fit goes much farther than x's and o's. Too many organizations pass up on the right person because they think a "perfect candidate" is out there.

Who out there is going to be a better fit than chief?

 

[Celtic Note]

***Spoiler: Contrary Opinion Alert***

I agree and disagree to varying extents.

Chief has done a hell of a job this year, so I have to give him kudos. Us advancing to the WCF is a testament to that.

But, I also have the temporary boost effect in the back of my mind. Coupled with the fact that this was a highly emotional / a wild swing in hope type year, the emotional boost concern amplifies.

If you played this well under a coach and didn’t hire him what does that say internally and externally. The guy is up for the Jack Adams (which means something but not everything). Do your players lose faith in the organization if you go from playing for a guy you believe in and want to play for? Do outside candidates get skittish about the fact that you didn’t have faith enough in a guy that took you to the WCF? I am less concerned about the second question. I mean the guy certainly earned a chance at the full time job. There were other things too.

But, is Berube a strategic enough guy to win? The WCF suggests he is good enough to not rule him out. He made some smart modifications against Dallas (they took a game too long for my liking at times and the Blues did not look great early in the series). It worked though. He knew we had to be hard on the forecheck against the Dallas D. I wholeheartedly agree with that approach.

He also kept the Blues calm against Winnipeg and didn’t have them playing physical. Both were critical to beating them. Between limiting their power play chances and knowing they could beat us physically, we played away from their strengths.

San Jose will be a much more difficult task, but it is one where the right tactics can win us the series in under 7 games. Time will tell there.

I agree that he doesn’t seem to be a front runner in the innovation category. But, he has made it apparent that he look at what other teams are doing to see what works that he can implement. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen that applied to the PP. So, who knows how valuable that effort will play out.

 

[Note Worthy]

After what Berube has done this year and how much he appears to be liked by the team, what kind of message would it send the locker room not to make him the permanent coach.

Not to mention he makes changes that work. Line changes, lineup changes, etc. It’s not like he’s just doing the same thing Yeo did but the team just happens to be responding better.

 

[542365]

It’s not surprising, but is a bit disappointing honestly. I guess bringing in a different coach after the team had such success under Berube might piss the players off, which could be detrimental next season, but nothing Berube has done in the past or present has earned him this kind of leash. Army moves Johnson, calls up Binnington and he sits on the bench for a month while the team continues to suck. Berube finally puts Binnington in the net, we get consistently good goaltending for the first time since Elliott was here and the team starts winning. That’s not some brilliant coaching move, that’s having a 25 year old sociopath save your ass. He seems well liked by the guys in the room, and they’re performing well for him, but I can’t help but feel we’ll be looking for Craig’s replacement in the very near future.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

***Spoiler: Contrary Opinion Alert***


I'm enjoying this season's turnaround as much as anyone, but how many times do we have to go through this before we learn the lesson? Hitchcock came in for Payne and the team had a stunning resurgence. He was clearly an upgrade on what we had previously, but ultimately his tenure here left us wanting. We thought the dramatic turnaround meant the Blues were destined to finally find that elusive playoff success. They didn't, really...certainly nothing commensurate with the regular season success we had at the time.

Yeo replaced Hitchcock and the team went on a tear for the better part of a calendar year where they were one of the best teams in the league, if not the very best. Many fans thought we had hit the coaching jackpot and that the future was bright. He was fired just one calendar year after that with the team mired in an absolutely miserable situation.

Now Berube's here and the team is having another great run. That's something to cherish even if they don't make it any further than they already have, but this run doesn't prove that Berube is "The Answer" anymore than the big extended turnarounds under Hitchcock and Yeo proved that they were the solution to all the Blues coaching ailments moving forward.

Don't get me wrong. Berube's done a hell of a job this year. He helped purge the emotional baggage they were carrying that was weighing them down, and helped get them refocused, and simplified some things, and has nurtured the emotional high that they've built, which has helped them build momentum and confidence that has carried them much further than I ever thought they would get this year when he took over. Those are some remarkable things, given the state of the team when he took over, and that deserves to be recognized. It's what the team needed at the time, and he provided it in spades, though he also had some significant help that smoothed over some team deficiencies (*cough* Binnington *cough*) and contributed heavily to the team finding itself in its current position.

Anyway, as they say, past results are no guarantee of future performance. There will be much different challenges to tackle moving forward than what Berube faced when he took over.

Can Berube get the Blues back to this emotional point next year without the benefit of a rebound effect from a previous coach's failings? Emotional momentum and confidence are notoriously tenuous things. Can Berube build them back up and find new answers when the team's lows are on his watch? Fixing a team that's languishing under you is a lot different than fixing one that was languishing under someone else. Can he keep his message and approach fresh enough to sustain them for long stretches without losing the team? For years, even?

Those are hard things to do, and even if he can do them, that can't be all that a coach brings to the table over the long haul.

For example, Berube hasn't reinvented this team tactically in any sense of the word, and there's not much reason to believe that he offers something new in that regard for this organization. He's not a coach that's likely to be breaking new trails or taking this team in a new philosophical direction, even if those things are needed. He's not an innovator. I'm not even sure he offers much promise for building on/tweaking what's currently in place. I haven't seen anything that suggests he's superior to his peers when it comes to adapting tactically within a playoff series. Those things might not be mattering right now, but you can bet that at some point in the future they will. What happens then?

Personally, I'm very disappointed that Armstrong isn't going to go through with the extensive coaching search that he promised. Even if he ended up going with Berube anyway, which I wouldn't necessarily be against depending on who else was a candidate, it was still his job to thoroughly explore the options out there and weigh their pros and cons. Instead, he's once again pursuing the path of least resistance when it comes to finding a new coach...a path that, among other things, seems to be much more interested in reinforcing the status quo than in challenging it.

That's disturbing when the status quo in question has been a mixed bag, at best.

I hope this time the result is different, but I don't like how Armstrong has handled this situation, and I don't think this move is the objective win that our emotions are telling us it is right now.

Do we know that he didn’t go through his search? If he interviewed anyone, I would expect it to have been informal and done privately. Unless you have information I haven’t seen, you are making an assumption about Armstrong’s process. I don’t believe he was just waiting until the off-season to start his process. I would expect be gathered quite a bit of data about different candidates and probably reached out to the strongest options, that were available (not in another NHL head coaching job).

My other counterpoint is that even the best coaches wear out their message in time. Even if Berube eventually falters, it doesn’t mean he was a poor choice now. I think Hitchcock was a good hire. The team got to contender status. I’m not sure it was coaching which was the ingredient that could have carried them over the hump as much as addressing roster holes.

I take your argument as being more for the sake of the argument itself. Do you really think any GM would allow the interim coach to move on when the team has responded like the Blues have and team leaders have publically lobbied for him? That’s a sincere question. I just can’t imagine that.

 

[Louie the Blue]

I hope this time the result is different, but I don't like how Armstrong has handled this situation, and I don't think this move is the objective win that our emotions are telling us it is right now.

If you're Armstrong, though, your hands are tied. This isn't like Hitch or Yeo, and I'll get into that before I talk about the situation Armstrong is in.

Hitch was brought in in the middle of the season to be a long term answer and found regular season success. You could argue he over stayed his shelf life and I won't disagree, but he was brought in as a permanent answer.

Yeo, again, was promoted as a permanent answer. He was coach in waiting, or supposed to be. The team's performance forced Hitch out sooner than Armstrong wanted, but it wasn't a case of Yeo being the guy until the end of the season. Again, he was supposed to be a long term solution.

Berube took over as interim coach during the season and wasn't viewed initially as a permanent solution to the coaching situation. He was supposed to be a stop gap until the offseason when Armstrong could evaluate the situation again. But the Blues are now playing in the WCF for a chance at the SCF.

Now, this is when you have to think about the situation Armstrong is in.

If you do not permanently hire a coach who has turned around a team left for dead and is doing something only 6 other teams have done in the history of the NHL since expansion(last on January 1st to making the playoffs) as well as being the only team of the 6 to win a PO series, what message are you sending to the players? That you can perform at a high level and not get rewarded?

Additionally, the other aspect to this is what coaches would tangibly be an upgrade to Berube who are available now? The only one that I think could be argued be Quenneville, but he's not available.Vigneault? Not available. Sutter? Boucher?

The Blues window of competing for a cup is now. They wouldn't go with someone who doesn't have HC experience and that's been Armstrong's MO since he's been here. Not one of his hires(he inherited Payne) were a first time HC.

I get the skepticism, but I don't think there's really anything Armstrong could have done differently in this situation aside from Berube being a temporary stop gap in season for a permanent placement for HC, which it didn't sound like that was something he was interested in doing when Yeo was fired.