Former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube says he removed himself from the Edmonton Oilers‘ head coaching search.
After the Oilers fired former head coach Kris Knoblauch, the team conducted an interview with Berube for the team’s head coaching gig. Berube did not end up getting the job, as the Oilers instead hired another former Maple Leafs head coach, Mike Babcock.
According to Berube, it wasn’t a situation where the Oilers didn’t want him. In fact, he says the interview went well, but the Oilers were taking too long to decide his head coaching candidacy, so he withdrew his name from the search.
Craig Berube Comments on Edmonton Oilers HC Search
Speaking to “Leafs Morning Take,” Berube explained what happened with Edmonton and why he did not ultimately get the job as their head coach.
“It was good. I had a great conversation with Stan Bowman and Jeff Jackson for quite some time and went through the process. It just got dragged out too long, so I just took myself out of it,” Berube said.
“They’ve got decisions to make, and they’re going to do what they do. But it was really good, a good experience for me. I never met those guys before, so you get to meet new people, and we’ll see down the road if something works out; you never know if you run into people again or they’re managing the same team or a different team. It’s always good to meet people, and they get to know you and get to know what you’re like and what your process is like, your identity, and how you want your team to play.”
Craig Berube Still Wants to Coach
Despite being fired by the Maple Leafs and ultimately not landing the job with the Oilers, Berube still has high hopes of coaching again in the NHL.
“Yeah, for sure. I want to coach for sure. It’s what I do, and I still got a lot left in me. It’s a different vibe for me right now, not having anything to do this summer. When you’re coaching, you’re in it, even in the summertime, you’re thinking about the game, you’re thinking about things, you’re talking to different people about things, and that’s not there right now. I’m trying to enjoy other things, which is great. I’m definitely going to see what comes up and, hopefully, I can get a call at some point and get back in the game and get coaching because I got a lot left and I’m ready to get back in it,” Berube said.
We’ll see if Berube ultimately lands another head coaching job in the NHL, but for now, he has been doing some media work with Canadian television this summer, so he does have that to stay busy when he gets the call. In the meantime, Berube will continue to watch his phone this coming season, just in case an NHL team gives him a call to take over for another fired coach.
Craig Berube Says He Removed Himself From Oilers’ HC Search