The Toronto Maple Leafs fired Craig Berube back on May 13, following a disappointing 2025-26 season where the Maple Leafs missed the postseason for the first time in a decade.
The Edmonton Oilers fall into a similar situation where they fell short of expectations. After reaching the Stanley Cup Finals back-to-back seasons, the Oilers weren't able to get to that same level during the regular season, as well as during the playoffs, losing in the first round to the Anaheim Ducks in six games. The Oilers, just days after they lost general manager Stan Bowman, decided it was time to cut ties with Connor McDavid's former junior coach, Kris Knoblauch.
And now, they're turning to a familiar name to try and right the ship.
Edmonton Oilers speaking with Craig Berube
According to Sportsnet's NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the Maple Leafs granted the Oilers permission to begin talks with Craig Berube. Later, according to Ryan Rishaug of TSN, the Oilers are expected to conduct a formal interview with the former Stanley Cup champion.
Hearing a formal interview with Berube is expected after some initial conversation between he and Bowman. Permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy had still not been granted as of Sunday night.
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) May 18, 2026
For the Oilers, Berube could be the coach they need to finally get over the hump. They still haven't been granted permission to speak with Bruce Cassidy, as the Vegas Golden Knights are in the Western Conference Finals, and will likely keep the Oilers and other teams waiting until their Stanley Cup run comes to an end. So, as of right now, Craig Berube remains the frontrunner for the Oilers' next bench boss.
Is Berube the right choice for the Oilers?
Craig Berube in Edmonton could be a very interesting combination; whether or not he fits the way their star players like to play remains a question that won't be answered until the season begins, if hired, of course. Similar to the Maple Leafs, the Oilers play a fast offensive brand of hockey, in which Berube ultimately changed. This resulted in Matthews becoming a far more rounded player; however, his offensive numbers took a turn for the worse. Could something like this happen to Connor McDavid, to the extent of Matthews? I don't believe so, but as the main driving force of the Oilers offence, they need him to be able to produce at the same level we have seen.
As the Oilers remain at the opening stages of their coaching search, Berube being hired is just speculation; however, with initial talks underway, we could see this developing into more very soon.
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