Ahead of Saturday’s game against Edmonton, head coach Craig Berube discussed the McCabe-Tanev and Rielly-Hakanpaa defense pairings, John Tavares’ longevity, Max Domi’s workload in Auston Matthews’ absence, and the challenge against the Oilers.
What do you like about how the pairing of Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev comes together?
Berube: I like it a lot.
We made the switch thinking about a shutdown pair against the top lines and top players. They have done a great job. They have great chemistry together. They defend well with physicality, sticks, and blocking shots.
They break pucks out under pressure, which is one thing I have really noticed about them. They are good at absorbing hits, using each other on breakouts, and making little plays to get the puck out of our zone.
It has been an important part of the game. When teams are coming hard with forechecks, they do a good job of getting the puck stopped there and finding a way to get it out.
With those two together, do you look at Morgan Rielly and Jani Hakanpaa as a possible long-term pair?
Berube: We will see. Jani just got back. It was his first game. We need to get him going. He has been out a long time.
We will see what happens, but I like the lefty-righty combinations on all three pairs. If you look at it, we have a puck mover on each pairing.
What do you like and respect about Hakanpaa’s journey back to playing again?
Berube: It is hard. This goes back to March, I guess, when he was last playing. It has been a tough road for him, with a lot of rehab and getting everything right.
He is a good pro. He is a good, hard worker. He knows what he needs to do to get back. It is still a process going on. He will keep working at it. He has been in the league for a while and has been a good player in this league. He is trying to get back to that form.
What do you think has allowed John Tavares to achieve this level of success this late into his career?
Berube: His dedication to the game. He is a very prepared guy. It starts in the summertime when he works on his game and his skating. He is constantly trying to keep improving as he gets older.
More than anything, he is a true professional. He knows what he needs to do to be prepared for each year. As you get older, you have to do different things to stay up with the pace and speed of the game. He has done that. It starts in the summer.
Being around him for a short time, day in and day out, I watch his preparation. A guy who prepares like that day in and day out is going to keep playing — and keep playing at a high level.
You have leaned on Max Domi at center ice with Auston Matthews out. Is there any way to take something off his plate, or is it just the way it is right now?
Berube: Well, it is the way it is right now. If you look at Kampf moving up into the third hole and the minutes he is getting now, we are taking a little bit off his plate that way. It is just about me managing how he is looking and what is going on with his ice time.
We’re giving him maintenance days as much as we can to keep him going here. It’s been a lot for him.
As a team, the Oilers have started to get things going after a slow start. What stands out about their team so far this season?
Berube: They play a very fast game. They are very good off the rush, obviously, with McDavid and Draisaitl. Their D are very active up the ice. We have to do a good job, starting in the offensive zone, of not getting beat up the ice and trying to stay tight to these guys to take away their speed.
Their power play is starting to get going. They are dangerous on it. We all know it. Discipline is going to be important, and our penalty kill.
You grew up in “Oil Country.” What did the franchise mean to you growing up? Are there still Oiler fans in Calahoo, or have you converted them all?
Berube: I switched a few. Not many, though.
I really got to watch the Oilers in the ’80s. I was playing junior hockey. I became a huge Oilers fan, for sure, being in that area, watching them win Stanley Cups, and watching some of the best players to ever play the game right in my hometown almost. It was special for me to watch these guys play, see how good they were, and see the championships.
As you get older and you turn pro, I got to know a bunch of them. I played with some of those guys. Pretty special for me.
Wayne Gretzky is in St. Louis a lot; his wife is from there, so he had a place there. Every time he came into town, we would hook up and hang out for a while. He is a great human being to be around. He loves talking hockey. We would spend hours just sitting together, talking hockey, and being around him. It is pretty special for me.
