Berube Demands Reset: “We’re Overthinking—Time to Get Back to Confident, Fearless Hockey”

In the aftermath of a stinging defeat, head coach Craig Berube didn’t mince words. Speaking to the media with a stern tone and measured frustration, Berube highlighted a growing concern he’s witnessed in his locker room: his team is thinking too much and playing too little.

“We weren’t playing hockey the way we should be,” Berube said. “There was too much hesitation, too much overanalyzing. We need to stop playing scared and start playing with confidence again.”

This candid admission came after a loss that saw his team come undone in critical moments—turnovers, missed assignments, and a visible lack of rhythm that betrayed a team paralyzed by indecision. The performance left fans disappointed and Berube demanding an urgent reset.

In a contest that started with promise, the team quickly lost its footing. What began as a high-energy effort gradually devolved into a tentative, mistake-laden performance. The opposition took advantage, exploiting every lapse with clinical precision.

According to Berube, the core issue wasn’t a lack of skill or effort—it was mental. “We got away from our identity,” he emphasized. “When we’re at our best, we’re aggressive, fast, and direct. That wasn’t us last game.”

Players seemed unsure of themselves on the ice—missing passes, holding onto the puck too long, and appearing slow to react. These are the telltale signs of a group caught in their own heads, something Berube is determined to address head-on.

Berube made it clear that the antidote to the team’s current struggles isn’t just tactical—it’s emotional and mental. “We need to play with belief. You can have the best systems in the world, but if you don’t trust yourself or your teammates, it won’t work.”

He stressed that confidence isn’t something that can be handed to players—it has to be earned through preparation, resilience, and most importantly, action. “This is about mindset. We need to stop playing not to lose and start playing to win.”

He also challenged his leaders to step up—not just in their own play but in holding each other accountable and reestablishing the team’s identity. “This is a good group. They care. But right now, we’re not mentally where we need to be.”

The message from the bench boss was as clear as it was intense: forget the last game, stop overcomplicating things, and get back to the basics that made the team successful.

“When you’re overthinking every shift, you’re already a step behind. Hockey is instinctual. You’ve got to read and react—trust your gut, trust your teammates, and go,” Berube explained.

To facilitate that shift, practices in the days ahead are expected to be sharp and back-to-basics. Less drawn-out systems work, more battle drills, puck races, and rapid-fire situations—activities that breed instincts and speed up decision-making.

Berube wants his players to stop analyzing every mistake and start playing with urgency and emotion. “You have to love the game and play with passion. Right now, we’re looking too tight. We need to free ourselves up.”

Berube isn’t new to adversity. A former Stanley Cup-winning coach, he’s navigated rough stretches before. In 2019, he took over a struggling team and led them to a championship. His ability to demand accountability while instilling belief is what made that turnaround possible—and he’s tapping into that same formula again.

“This isn’t the first time a team’s had to find itself,” he said. “But it takes guts. It takes honesty. And it takes hard work.”

He’s also relying on his coaching staff to help communicate a unified vision—one that prioritizes clarity and confidence over hesitation and fear.

While the loss was bitter, Berube is treating it as a potential turning point. “Sometimes you need a wake-up call,” he noted. “This could be it. It all depends on how we respond.”

The team will have a chance to do just that in their next matchup. Berube is looking for more than just a win—he wants to see a fire in their play, a refusal to back down, and most of all, a return to the kind of fearless hockey that defined them at their best.

“This game is about competing,” he concluded. “You’re going to make mistakes, but you have to play through them. Be fast. Be tough. Be relentless. That’s who we are when we’re right.”