Summertime will be all about if and then scenarios. If this happens, then that will likely happen.
Things may be heating up on the New Jersey Devils coaching front. Now this doesn’t expressly say that Craig Berube is likely to become the Devils new head coach, but Andy Strickland is insanely connected to pretty much anyone with St. Louis Blues ties.
Based on the current job openings available, Craig Berube would be the best fit with the #NJDevils. Hearing Ottawa has legit interest in Berube as well. The #Sabres already tried to hire the former #stlblues Head Coach. #GoSensGo
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) April 25, 2024
So take that for what it’s worth. Now that doesn’t mean that if the Leafs flame out in the first round and Sheldon Keefe is suddenly let go that Berube wouldn’t want that job, but as of now, Devils fans who’ve been asking for the tough guy Berube as the guy may get their wish.
That being said, my plan was to actually write about Berube this week any way, but more specifically how hiring someone like him could impact some of the moves Tom Fitzgerald makes this offseason.
Despite my claim that the single most important storyline this offseason is the health of Jack Hughes’ shoulder, hiring a coach and then acquiring some “big game” goalie will probably be right up there with that shoulder. And in thinking about it this week, if the Devils happen to hire a Craig Berube, you’d have to think that having his voice in the room with Tom Fitzgerald and company might increase the likelihood that the Devils would pursue a trade for a goalie like Jordan Binnington or a winger like Pavel Buchnevich. Or possibly both? Coaches love guys who they know and feel like they can trust. Especially guys who have that old school mentality.
I know that Devils fans can’t stand Binnington for a lot of stuff he’s posted online and a lot of his ridiculous antics on the ice, but it would make a ton of sense. He should probably be in the Vezina conversation this year as he dragged that mediocre Blues team to nearly make the playoffs. And this from my most trusted goaltending guru:
As ballots are being filled out for awards and all stars, Demko’s return last night was 2.16 goals better than expected, leapfrogging Markstrom into 3rd in goals saved above expected per @csahockey
1. Helle 27.24
2. Binner 25.81
3. Demko 19.34
4. Marky 18.17
5. Stolarz 17.71— Kevin Woodley (@KevinisInGoal) April 17, 2024
Now I don’t want to get too much into Binnington, in particular, just because I’m not sure that happens unless Berube is the choice as the next coach of the New Jersey Devils. I’ve stated all along that I think the Devils chase Jacob Markstrom, just because he has two years left on his contract and that would allow the team to find out if they have anything among the Daws, Schmid, Poulter, Brennan and Malek group. So many Devils fans are looking for Juuse Saros or Linus Ullmark as the singular answer, and while I love Saros, in particular, I’m also not crazy about trading some of the teams best assets for a guy with one year left on his deal who will likely seek the Hellebuyck $8.5 million contract for 7 or 8 years. Especially a guy who has played 67, 64 and 64 games the last three seasons. Did I mention he’s 5’11” and 180 pounds? That’s a lot of wear and tear for a smallish goalie.
But the reason I also bring up Binnington is because the Devils goalie coach still remains Dave Rogalski. And what is Rogalski most famous for? Yep, turning Binnington from lower depth guy in St. Louis to miracle man in the 2019 Stanley Cup run. So if you connect the dots and Berube is hired in NJ, watch for this to happen.
Markstrom likely comes with no hypothetical to go with him, except maybe if the Devils wind up hiring Mitch Love as their new coach. Remember he coached Calgary’s minor league team and was very successful in doing so, so he would probably be familiar with Markstrom (though he never coached him as far as I know). But perhaps bringing Markstrom to New Jersey makes the destination suddenly appealing for someone like Chris Tanev? Markstrom did say very publicly that Tanev was his favorite teammate he’s ever played with. You want to change the culture in a Devils locker room? Talk about a guy like Tanev who would throw his face in front of shots and do anything to win. Mitch Love would probably be really familiar with Nick DeSimone as well since he coached the guy so perhaps that’s a decision to bring him back as well?
What if Dean Evason winds up being the choice (not my first choice, mind you)? That team has already signed Marc Andre-Fleury to another season and has Jesper Wallstedt waiting in the wings to be an elite goalie in the NHL. Maybe Evason wants Fitz to bring over Filip Gustavsson because he trusts him? Or a Marcus Johansson reunion?
So while Fitz is interviewing candidates while likely also sitting back to see who might shake loose from any first round upsets (David Quinn just shook loose from the Sharks Wednesday but that’s a hard no from me, dawg), us Devils fans can look at how the opening for number one goalie and the new coach could possibly impact other decisions that come from the front office this offseason. Those are a few just off the top of my head. But I wouldn’t doubt with whomever the Devils decide to name their next head coach, there might be other dominoes that follow in place. Either that or I’m sounding a little too much like this guy:
What about you? Any other connections that might happen? If and then type of scenarios this offseason? All I know is that if Green winds up coming back, all this discussion is probably moot. Though Green did have Markstrom during his time in Vancouver. Hmmmmmm…
Travis Green was Jacob Markstrom’s coach in Vancouver.
— Ryan Novozinsky (@ryannovo62) March 5, 2024