Oilers take step forward with Maple Leafs fired coach Craig Berube originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
One of the oddest aspects of fired head coaches in the NHL is that they need permission from the team that dismissed them to interview for new gigs.
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That’s what Toronto Maple Leafs fired coach Craig Berube is facing at the moment, but the good news is that the Leafs don’t appear to be standing in his way.
They’ve allowed him to interview with the Edmonton Oilers, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman.
The Oilers have to replace Kris Knoblauch after he was fired following their first-round playoff loss to the Anaheim Ducks.
Berube spent two seasons in Toronto — one good, one bad — before his dismissal.
The 60-year old originally from Alberta has coached 10 seasons in the NHL.
His first two were with the Philadelphia Flyers, and he made the playoffs in one of the seasons.
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He then had six seasons with the St. Louis Blues, which included a Stanley Cup championship in 2019 as Jordan Binnington caught fire in goal.
Berube was dismissed from the Blues early in the 2023-24 season after beginning 13-14-1.
He then latched on with Toronto for 2024-25 and went 52-26-4 and made it to the second round of the playoffs.
But a 32-36-14 season for Toronto in 2025-26 was the end for Berube. The Maple Leafs replaced the front office first, and the new guys in charge decided to let their head coach go and find their own hire.
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Edmonton would be a high-pressure landing spot for Berube as the Oilers try to win with Connor McDavid before the superstar chooses to go elsewhere.
But Berube felt plenty of pressure with the Leafs, and so if anyone might be prepared for that gig, it might be him.
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