Philadelphia Flyers: Should Hextall Keep Craig Berube?
By John Gove
The 2014-2015 NHL season did not go as planned for the Philadelphia Flyers. With two of the best players in the league, a plethora of talented forwards, and a solid goaltender, many expected the Flyers to be one of the eight teams representing the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Unfortunately, the orange and black did not live up to expectations, posting a 33-31-18 record and finishing in 12th place in the Eastern Conference.
There are many reasons as to why the Flyers did not experience success in the 2014-2015 regular season. As General Manager, it is Ron Hextall’s duty to identify the problems with his organization, and fix them. One of the biggest questions surrounding the Philadelphia Flyers this offseason is whether or not Craig Berube should remain head coach.
Mar 28, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers head coach Craig Berube on the players bench behind center Vincent Lecavalier (40) during the third period against the San Jose Sharks at Wells Fargo Center. The Sharks won 3-2 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
In two seasons as the Flyers head coach (minus 3 game), Craig Berube has gone 75-58-28. Last season, he was in discussion for Coach of the Year for turning the team around after a rough start. He coached the Flyers to the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, where they took a superior New York Rangers team to seven games in the opening round.
However, the 2014-2015 regular season did not mirror last season’s comeback; as Berube struggled to turn his team around for the second straight season after a slow start. The question we all must ask ourselves is does Craig Berube deserve the blame for his team’s struggles this season?
There is only so much a head coach can do when it comes to producing a winning team in the National Hockey League. A coach can do all of the game-planning and preparation in the world, and his team can still perform poorly. In the case of the Philadelphia Flyers, too many players underperformed this season. Can Berube be blamed for his players not living up to their potential? On the other hand, some members of the orange and black had phenomenal performances this season. Players such as Michael Raffl and Michael Del Zotto played better than many expected them to. However, if we cannot credit Berube for the individual failures of his players, can we credit him for the individual successes?
The coaching of Craig Berube played a key role in the improvement of play demonstrated by some of his players. He was able to connect with them and address what they needed to work on. Berube seems to be skilled in the development of talent; however he lacks the ability to revive players who are playing below their potential.
For the most part, the Flyers locker room respects Craig Berube as a coach. The one player who has vocally expressed his issues with Berube is Vincent Lecavalier. On numerous occasions, Lecavalier has let the hockey world know how unhappy he is about the way Berube has handled his struggles. Due to his inability to produce the way he is expected to, Vinny Lecavalier found himself playing on the 4th line for a good portion of the season. One can argue that Berube handled this situation poorly; however, one can also argue that he handled it the correct way. The head coach was trying to prove a point that it does not matter what your name is; if you can’t produce at a high-level, you will get less ice-time. The unhappiness of a player at the tail-end of his career cannot lead to assumptions that Berube does not have the respect of his players.
Jan 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers head coach Craig Berube talks with center Vincent Lecavalier (40) during a game against the Washington Capitals at Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers defeated the Capitals 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Craig Berube should remain the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers for at least one more season. After the 2015-2016 season, Berube’s contract will be up and the Flyers can then decide whether or not to retain his services. Sometimes a coach needs a little more time with his players to achieve success. The members of the orange and black are familiar with Craig Berube’s system, and it is better to keep working in this system rather than starting over.
The one circumstance in where firing Berube would be the best option is if Philadelphia feels they can land Mike Babcock as their new head coach. However, the likelihood of this actually happening is quite slim.
Craig Berube has not done an awful job as head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers. His biggest flaw at this point is he has been unable to bring a Stanley Cup to a city that is impatiently waiting for one. Unfortunately, only one team of the thirty that make up the Nation Hockey League can be crowned champion each season. GM Ron Hextall would be rushing things if he gave up on his head coach at this moment.