Blues relieves Berube of coaching duties

St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced tonight that the team has relieved Craig Berube of his coaching duties and named Springfield Thunderbirds coach Drew Bannister as interim head coach.

Bannister will travel to St. Louis on Wednesday and will play his first game behind the bench on Thursday when the Blues host the Senators in Ottawa.

Bannister, 49, spent the past three seasons with the Blues’ AHL affiliate in Springfield, leading the team to a 93-58-19 regular season record. The Belleville, Ont., native also led the Thunderbirds to back-to-back playoff appearances, including the 2021-2022 season, when they won the Eastern Conference and reached the Calder Cup Final.

Bannister began his coaching career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), spending three seasons as an assistant with Owen Sound and three as head coach with the SO Greyhounds. He also served as the head coach of the AHL’s San Antonio Rampage and as an assistant coach with the Utica Comets.

As a player, Bannister’s career spanned more than 20 years and included 164 NHL regular season games between the Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, and New York Rangers.