The St. Louis Blues announced they have removed the interim tag off coach Craig Berube, making him the 26th head coach in franchise history.
Craig Berube was instrumental in leading the St. Louis Blues to their first-ever Stanley Cup title. Removing the interim tag was just a formality at this point after what Berube had accomplished.
The Blues announced Berube would be receiving a three-year extension, but in all reality, this contract could have been for life, and I think Blues fans would be perfectly okay with that.
Berube took over for head coach Mike Yeo after a 7-9-3 start to the season, and at that time, Blues fans got exactly what they wanted. Yeo had a terrific start to his Blues tenure after taking over for Ken Hitchcock mid-season.
Unfortunately for Blues fans, the change from Yeo to Berube meant just another saga in a carousel of coaches for St. Louis. Berube’s promotion marked the third time the Blues had changed coaches in five years.
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What the fans did not know at the time, was that Berube was some magical genius.
After the 7-9-3 start, the Blues finished the year with an astounding 38-19-6 that was matched only by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
What the Lightning could not match, despite their record-breaking regular season, was the Blues postseason success.
The Blues ended up winning 16 playoff games, with Tampa only winning, well, none. Chief has been known to hold players accountable, which is something the players alluded to throughout their historic run.
It’s hard to speak for the way Yeo ran the team, as I am not in the locker room on a day-to-day basis, but with the way the Blues were able to respond to Berube, proved he was the right man for the job.
A three-year deal seems to be the appropriate amount for Berube, and with all the turnover the Blues front office is going to hope it will stick for the duration of the contract.
A stable coach may also aid the Blues in free agency. Anyone who has the pleasure of living in St. Louis knows how great the city is, but from the outside looking in, it may not stand out amongst the more significant markets.
There are a lot of decisions that weigh into a players choice to play for a particular team, but I would have to imagine stability is a big factor. If Berube can remain through at least the three years on his current deal, the aforementioned head coach uncertainty goes away.
One thing is sure with the new contract to Berube. He earned every penny of his new deal and with free agency just a few days away, it was a perfect time to reward a man who played an integral part in history.