Craig Berube says the Edmonton Oilers’ coaching search didn’t fall apart because of a bad interview. It simply went on longer than he wanted, and that was enough for him to step away.
Berube, who coached the Toronto Maple Leafs before Edmonton fired Kris Knoblauch, said he went through an extended interview process with GM Stan Bowman and Jeff Jackson. The talks, he said on “Leafs Morning Take, ” were solid from start to finish. But the wait wore on, and Berube chose to remove himself from consideration rather than keep hanging on.
“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.
That leaves Edmonton with Mike Babcock, another former Leafs coach, as the hire that came out of the search.
Berube also said the process had value even though he didn’t know Bowman or Jackson beforehand. In his view, the interviews were a chance to build connections that could matter later, since hockey paths tend to cross again.
“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.”
And even with a quiet summer and no bench job in front of him, Berube made it clear he’s not done. He said he wants back behind an NHL team and will be ready when the next coaching opening comes along.
In Other News...
What Oilers Fans Keep Getting Wrong About Prospect Projections
A lot of the noise around Oilers prospects comes from the same place: fans want the upside case, while draft-year equivalencies are usually trying to strip away the hype and compare players on a more level scale. Looking back over the past 20 years, that method has been a useful reminder that age and playing level matter just as much as raw production when projecting what a young player might become in the NHL.
For Edmonton, that lens puts players like Ike Howard and Matt Savoie in a more grounded light, with Howard looking like a strong prospect but not a sure thing and Savoie already tracking close to what the numbers suggested. It also helps explain why some names can look modest at draft time and still end up relevant later, which is why the next wave of evaluation around the organization is going to be about more than just who scored the most in junior. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Power Play Could Be Headed For A Risky New Direction
Edmontons power play has long revolved around the same familiar pillars, but the conversation around it is starting to shift. The Oilers are weighing a different look on the man advantage, one that could spread the offence around more and give the second unit a more defined role instead of leaning so heavily on the usual stars.
Patrik Laine has surfaced as part of that discussion, which makes the idea intriguing and a little risky at the same time. His fit in Edmonton is still very much up in the air, and any plan involving him would likely have to be specific rather than broad, especially if the Oilers want to change the way they attack without losing the edge that has made their top unit so dangerous. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Fans Have Every Reason To Worry About Frederik Andersen
The Oilers went looking for stability in net this summer and landed Frederik Andersen after sending Devon Levi the other way, a move aimed at cleaning up one of the biggest problems from a disappointing 2025-26 season. On paper, Andersen brings a proven track record, but his most recent run also came with some uneasy numbers, including a .875 save percentage across 35 games and a stretch that left evaluators wondering whether he was still tracking pucks the way he once did.
What makes the fit in Edmonton worth watching is how much of goaltending can be shaped by what happens in front of the crease. Andersens results were tied to a defense that helped suppress shots, and the Oilers are entering 2026-27 with changes on that side of the puck that could either make him look steadier or expose the same concerns all over again. For a team that already spent a season searching for answers in goal, there is still plenty here to worry about before the first real test arrives. [Read more 🡒]