Craig Berube Returns to the NHL

By Rob Riches, Sports Talk Philly contributor 

Former Flyers coach Craig Berube will make his return behind an NHL bench, just over two years since his dismissal from the Orange and Black.

Berube will be taking on an associate coach role with the St. Louis Blues, joining new head coach Mike Yeo's staff, the club announced Thursday. He joins Darryl Sydor, Daniel Tkaczuk and recently-retired player Steve Ott.

Berube, 51, re-joins the NHL after a year at the helm of the Blues' American League-affiliate Chicago Wolves. He guided the Wolves to first place in the Central Division with a 44-19-8-5 record, ultimately losing to eventual champion Grand Rapids in the Second Round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Additionally, he helped out as a scout for Team Canada in last fall's World Cup of Hockey, helping assemble the gold medal-winning squad.

In 161 games as Flyers head coach, Berube amassed a 75-58-28 record. His lone playoff appearance ended in a seven-game loss to the NY Rangers in 2014.

After the Blues fired Ken Hitchcock just months before he intended to retire, Yeo — who had been tabbed as Hitchcock's replacement — guided them to the Second Round of this year's playoffs, where they stumbled in six games to eventual Western Conference-champion Nashville. With a roster of names like Vladimir Tarasenko, Alex Pietrangelo, Robby Fabbri, Jay Bouwmeester and Jaden Schwartz, the Blues are expected to compete yet again in the West next season.

Go to top button