BluesSK wrote: Tue Dec 12, 2023 8:49 pm You're done Berube. It's over.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Steve Ott better be gone too

Wow... how can you blame Berube, he must have wanted to leave.

Welp...here's looking at 6 or 7 coaching changes before the Blues reach the SCF again. Good Luck Chief... I ain't blaming you.

This is earlier than I expected. I wonder if I trust Armstrong to do a good job of a true rebuild? He doesn't have much to work with. I think I'd prefer them getting a Top 7-10 draft choice than riding a "new coach enthusiasm rally to the lowest playoff position and getting blown out in their first series - or just missing The playoffs, and picking in the last third of The Draft.

It's clear that The Blues' roster isn't suited to Berube's system. So something had to be done.

Bannister is supposed to be really good at developing young players. Will that mean that Bolduc, Snuggerud, and Dvorsky will be brought up earlier than they would otherwise have, to have him work his magic with them in The NHL?

If I ever see him in a bar I'm paying his tab, if he doesn't disintegrate me with his eyes first. Tough to see him be the fall guy, but what a half decade run.

Longest tenured locker room presence traded, overpaid floater waived, coach fired, all in the midst of a losing streak. Not fun times in St. Louis.

Thank you for one of my greatest sports memories, Chief. You deserve a statue.

Now on to the business.

The team and players weren't improving under Berube. The team really fell off after the departure of Monty, so I'm not heartbroken by the move. I think it was coming, just didn't expect it right now.

With that said, I don't blame Berube for the teams struggles, but blaming the Blues coach is a Blues tradition. The teams issues start and stop with the GM but the GM is rarely the first to ever go. He has saddled this organization with some absolutely awful long term deals. Basically the entire defense is a group of overpaid, under performing collection of guys Army brought in and desperately worked to retain long term.

The Kyrou deal is looking shaky at best right now as well. Schenn's contract is a brutal one. Saad, Hayes, Vrana, Kap the list goes on. Outside of Thomas, I don't think there's a single player that Army has brought in and signed that is performing up to what he paid them. He's had no limitations from ownership, he's had an open checkbook. His fingerprints are on everything, and right now, everything pretty much sucks.

I do not trust a man that hired Peter Chiarelli to lead the organization through a rebuild.

On the positive side, I'm a big Drew Bannister fan and was surprised he didn't get one of the assistant jobs. I guess they wanted to keep him in a HC role. He's had a lot of success with their AHL team, taking them to the finals in his first year and back to the playoffs again in his second. They'd never made the playoffs prior to his arrival. Hopefully he's got some fresh eyes and ideas.

Oates2Hullie450 wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 3:56 am If I ever see him in a bar I'm paying his tab, if he doesn't disintegrate me with his eyes first. Tough to see him be the fall guy, but what a half decade run.

Longest tenured locker room presence traded, overpaid floater waived, coach fired, all in the midst of a losing streak. Not fun times in St. Louis.

There is always a flow of change in every system... things will be alright again... looks like Army might be next though.

CaptSMRT wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 6:24 am

Oates2Hullie450 wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 3:56 am If I ever see him in a bar I'm paying his tab, if he doesn't disintegrate me with his eyes first. Tough to see him be the fall guy, but what a half decade run.

Longest tenured locker room presence traded, overpaid floater waived, coach fired, all in the midst of a losing streak. Not fun times in St. Louis.

There is always a flow of change in every system... things will be alright again... looks like Army might be next though.

Yeah. There is no cover for Armstrong now. He has to right the ship or it's him who is out the door next.

BluesSK wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 6:58 am

CaptSMRT wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 6:24 am

Oates2Hullie450 wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 3:56 am If I ever see him in a bar I'm paying his tab, if he doesn't disintegrate me with his eyes first. Tough to see him be the fall guy, but what a half decade run.

Longest tenured locker room presence traded, overpaid floater waived, coach fired, all in the midst of a losing streak. Not fun times in St. Louis.

There is always a flow of change in every system... things will be alright again... looks like Army might be next though.

Yeah. There is no cover for Armstrong now. He has to right the ship or it's him who is out the door next.

Agreed. When Army moved on from Hitch, it was a different situation and all the heat seemed on Hitch at that time. Fans were ready for the change. This feels completely different.

The biggest coaching failing the last two years has been the power play. I know Berube wasn't the PP guy, but that's a tangible coaching issue that perhaps Bannister can improve. With an average power play this team is comfortably in the playoffs right now.

Chief had to know that his professional life here was tied directly to Army's moves and contracts. For me, this is 90% on Army's roster construction, some of which handcuffed Chief. Yes, Chief should have been more demanding of his ACs, which is the other 10%, but I get letting a man run his own business. Regardless, Chief will forever be a hometown hero in my eyes, and a scapegoat here for Army's poor decisions.

Yes, shit happens, and yes, maybe new guy will be great for younger players, which is some hope to hang your hat on - if Army can figure out a way to move on from the shitty contracts he put in place for some aging vets and bring up some new blood. I'd rather watch a young, hungry team that makes mistakes but lays it all out there every night than whatever's happening now. If I could watch the games, I mean.

Dave's a mess wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 7:55 am The biggest coaching failing the last two years has been the power play. I know Berube wasn't the PP guy, but that's a tangible coaching issue that perhaps Bannister can improve. With an average power play this team is comfortably in the playoffs right now.

Not losing to SJ, Columbus, and Chicago would also help a team in making the playoffs.

T.C. wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 8:05 am Chief had to know that his professional life here was tied directly to Army's moves and contracts. For me, this is 90% on Army's roster construction, some of which handcuffed Chief. Yes, Chief should have been more demanding of his ACs, which is the other 10%, but I get letting a man run his own business. Regardless, Chief will forever be a hometown hero in my eyes, and a scapegoat here for Army's poor decisions.

Yes, shit happens, and yes, maybe new guy will be great for younger players, which is some hope to hang your hat on - if Army can figure out a way to move on from the shitty contracts he put in place for some aging vets and bring up some new blood. I'd rather watch a young, hungry team that makes mistakes but lays it all out there every night than whatever's happening now. If I could watch the games, I mean.

The roster transition Army has done since winning the cup seems to directly conflict with Berube's style of play. I think we have a case of a coach and a GM not being on the same page. Army is trying to build a style of team that Berube probably isn't the best guy to coach.

I do worry about Army being a good ole boy in hockey and just bringing in some retread though. AFOA. A friend of Army. We'll see how it shakes out.

I'd imagine there's other teams around the league right now looking at their head coaches and pondering the idea of making the move to get Berube there.

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 8:20 am

Dave's a mess wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 7:55 am The biggest coaching failing the last two years has been the power play. I know Berube wasn't the PP guy, but that's a tangible coaching issue that perhaps Bannister can improve. With an average power play this team is comfortably in the playoffs right now.

Not losing to SJ, Columbus, and Chicago would also help a team in making the playoffs.

Huge, if true.

Dave's a mess wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 8:37 am

Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 8:20 am

Dave's a mess wrote: Wed Dec 13, 2023 7:55 am The biggest coaching failing the last two years has been the power play. I know Berube wasn't the PP guy, but that's a tangible coaching issue that perhaps Bannister can improve. With an average power play this team is comfortably in the playoffs right now.

Not losing to SJ, Columbus, and Chicago would also help a team in making the playoffs.

Huge, if true.

I have my best people looking into this.

So a few of my assorted musings on the firing. Please feel free to discard them as they richly deserve.

-I did not expect Berube to be the coach next season, but am surprised by the timing. This team's main problem is roster related, but I don't think coaching has helped whatsoever. The night to night effort has been inconsistent the last 2 years, and that's a coaching issue. The roster at the start of last season was pretty much the same as the one that gave Colorado their biggest playoff scare a few months before, and they were crap from the start. Again, not all Berube's fault, but he's the Head Coach, so he bears a fair share of responsibility.

-The timing makes me think Armstrong wants to give Bannister a shot at getting this team back in the playoff hunt, otherwise there was no reason to pull the trigger now and save Stillman a few bucks. Hey may still sell off pieces, but I have to think it'd be closer to the deadline with a team out of the playoff picture.

-Biggest issue is assistant coach selection. Montgomery clearly made this group a better team. The special teams have been a disaster since he left. Armstrong had better focus on figuring that out in the offseason.

-Thanks for the memories, Chief. You'll always be aces in my book. Hope you get that drink from Ozzie one of these days.

Army press conference about to start if you're able to view. Link here:

Starting off, Chief was the man. He will always be my favorite coach after that Cup run. That being said...

In 2019, the Blues had a ton of structure with Yeo, but zero heart. Berube was perfect for that moment. Now, it feels like the opposite. Horrible PP, horrible PK, no structure or identity. A lot of that is either on coaching or the players not matching the coach's style. As a coach, your job is to get the best out of the players. Not force them to play a style they aren't fit for. On the flip side of that argument, you would think Doug would try to acquire players that fit the mold of your system. It feels like after they won the Cup, Doug has slowly tried to reinvent the wheel instead of building upon what was already there. It's valid to question the handling of Petro, Perron, ROR, Maroon, etc
Losing Montgomery seems like it was the big blow. Berube and Ott have never been tacticians. I hate losing Chief, but this team definitely needs a tactical mind somewhere on the coaching staff.

That's interesting. Said he's a consultant that's been looking at the PP the last few days.

Say what you will about the job Army has done the last few years, but I've always loved his press conferences. He gives real answers to questions, takes appropriate responsibility, and doesn't dodge questions unless there's an obvious reason to do so.